Project Team

Inês Almeida

Historical Contributor

Inês Almeida is a Portuguese writer who lived in Macau (China) for six years where she worked as a reporter for a daily newspaper. She then moved to London (England) in 2021 to pursue a Master’s Degree in Creative Writing which she concluded, with a Merit Grade, in 2023. She worked for an independent book publisher – Aurora Metro Books – for around two years and conducted all of the interviews as well as wrote the biographies of 25 women STEM pioneers for a book published in-house titled “50 Women in Technology”. She is a reader for London Literary Scouting and ROHM Literary.

Renée Belliveau

Contributing Historian

Renée Belliveau is an archivist and writer from Halifax, NS. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Mount Allison University, a Master of Arts from the University of Waterloo, and a Master of Information from the University of Toronto. Renée worked at the Mount Allison University Archives for many years before joining the Halifax Municipal Archives. She is the author of several articles and two books.

Coleen Birkett

Historical/Educational Contributor

Coleen Birkett is an educator with over twenty years of classroom experience. In addition to teaching, Coleen has, as a freelance writer, written many articles for community publications. She has also co-authored the textbook Black History: Africa, the Caribbean, and the Americas, which is in use in school boards throughout the GTA, Nova Scotia and Bermuda. She has been involved with the Ontario Black History Society as a curriculum writer and consultant. Additionally, Coleen is instrumental in providing leadership in the development, organization and facilitation of very successful educational forums for youth during Black Heritage month.

Coleen’s experience as an educator is quite diverse as she has taught in Central America, Toronto and Bermuda in both public and private schools. She has developed and presented workshops to educators in West Africa and Bermuda. Additionally, Coleen was selected to be a member of an evaluation team to assess the eligibility of a private school in New York for accreditation. In 2009, she was a recipient of the Award for Excellence in Teaching for her work in Bermuda. Miss Birkett has also worked as an Instructional Coach for the Toronto District School Board’s Literacy and Numeracy initiative. Coleen is a co-developer and co-presenter of See Us, Learn Us: Teaching the Black Canadian Experience, a nation-wide webinar for educators in partnership with Nelson Education. She has also served as a CRRP Reviewer for Nelson’s Grade 9 Destreamed Math online resources and student textbook. Coleen is currently involved in writing resources for Nelson Education based on the material presented in the See Us, Learn Us Webinar as well as for literacy. Additionally, Coleen works with school boards in Canada sharing innovative resources and strategies for incorporating the Black Canadian experience across the curriculum from Kindergarten through grade 12.

Greg Birkett

Historical/Educational Contributor

Greg Birkett is a published co-author (Black History: Africa, the Caribbean, and the Americas – Emond Montgomery Publications, The Great Black North Poetry Anthology-Frontenac House Poetry) and a recognized educator (Governor-General Award for Teaching Excellence Finalist, 2011, A.H.E.N. Excellence in Teaching Award winner, 2016). Greg has written curriculum for the Ontario Ministry of Education and has served as a curriculum consultant for the OBHS (Ontario Black History Society). He is also the co-developer and co-presenter of See Us, Learn Us: Teaching the Black Canadian Experience, a nationwide webinar for educators and education stakeholders in partnership with Nelson Education. He has and continues to create material and resources for Nelson’s digital learning eco-base Edwin, some of which correspond with the topics presented in the See Us, Learn Us webinar. Greg has also worked as Senior Writer for the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) Kids website and has also written freelance for the Toronto Star. Greg is a poet and playwright: Two plays that Greg wrote, Do You Remember Me and Pieces of a Black Woman’s Soul, were performed at the Toronto Fringe Festival, Toronto’s largest theatre and performance festival, and for sold-out audiences at the Sandbox Theatre in downtown Toronto respectively.

Greg is the founder of G.I.A. Productions, a youth-focused organization that uses the artistic mediums of spoken word, drama, dance, and music to stage original productions that promote education, history, and positivity in the community. He has appeared on CityTV News and Breakfast Television, Global News, CTV News to discuss issues pertaining to anti-Black racism, its impact on the education system, and strategies to address these ongoing challenges. He has also been featured in articles in the Globe and Mail, the National Observer, The Toronto Star, CBC News and Saltwire highlighting his leadership in the development of resources that promote inclusive education.

Chris Deacon

Historical Contributor

Chris Deacon is a Toronto writer passionate about issues affecting women and girls. Her work has appeared in Chatelaine, Macleans, Broadview magazine, and the Globe & Mail.

Patricia Pearson

Historical Contributor

Patricia Pearson is an author and journalist whose books include Opening Heaven’s Door: What the Dying May Be Trying to Tell Us, a finalist for the BC Book Award, and A Brief History of Anxiety: Yours and Mine, which she adapted into an award-winning television documentary for the CBC.

She has contributed commentary and reporting to the New Yorker, the New York Times, and the Guardian, among many other outlets, and was a regular columnist for the National Post. She has a B.A. in history from the University of Toronto, and an MSc. in journalism from Columbia University.

Pearson is the co-founder of Bellwoods Press, which offers clients the chance to tell their stories to a sensitive journalist and to publish a book for their extended family and friends.

Jacob Scheier

Historical Contributor

Jacob Scheier is an award-winning poet, essayist, and journalist from Toronto. His debut poetry collection, More to Keep Us Warm, was published by ECW Press in 2007 and was named the winner of the 2008 Governor General’s Award for English language poetry. He is also the co-winner of a New York Community Media Alliance Award for best feature article (2009). His poems, essays, and articles have been published in magazines and newspapers throughout North America, including in The Walrus, The Globe and Mail, and Brick Magazine.

Carla-Jean Stokes

Contributing Historian

Carla-Jean Stokes has a Masters of History from Wilfrid Laurier University, as well as a Masters in Photograph Preservation and Collections Management from Toronto Metropolitan University. Her MA, “British Official First World War Photographs, 1916-1918: Arranging and Contextualizing a Collection of Prints at the Art Gallery of Ontario,” won the 2015 Photographic Historical Society of Canada thesis prize. Since then, she’s worked as a writer, researcher, lecturer, and curator, and is fascinated by less-prominent moments and figures in military history.

Ellery Weil

Contributing Historian

Dr. Ellery Weil is a historian and writer who specializes in women’s history at the turn of the twentieth century. She holds degrees from the University of Michigan and University College London, where she earned her doctorate in 2023. Her writing can be found in academic and popular history publications in North America and Europe.

Maya Zuzek

Historical Contributor

Maya has been captivated by history long before her days studying History and Political Science at the University of Toronto. Her work often reflects that enduring curiosity, an interest she continues to nurture alongside a dynamic career in communications and marketing. With over a decade of experience in digital strategy and data storytelling, she thrives on uncovering stories, whether in archival research, client campaigns, or the pages of a well‑loved book. Outside of work, she’s happiest exploring new cities, savouring good food, or catching the energy of a live concert.

Teya Zuzek

Historical Contributor

Teya Zuzek is an arts manager with over a decade of experience in project management, event operations, and stakeholder engagement in the non-profit sector. She holds a B.A. in Cinema Studies, History, and English from the University of Toronto, along with post-graduate certificates in Digital Marketing (University of Toronto) and Arts Administration & Cultural Management (Humber College).

Teya has produced large-scale multidisciplinary events across Ontario and Canada, focusing on outreach, impactful programming, and mentorship. A passionate advocate for arts, culture, and sustainability, she builds innovative partnerships that advance organizational goals. She is currently the Executive Director of The Gimli International Film Festival, Canada’s largest rural film festival.

Renee Allen

Education Contributor

Renee Allen is a multi-hyphenate Jamaican-born, Toronto-based, writer-educator, with a passion for working with children and youth. She is deeply committed to work that interrogates and addresses interlocking systems of oppression. Her writing appears in Zora, THIS magazine and PREE. Renee is also a recent graduate of the Masters of Teaching program at the University of Toronto, with a book collection that keeps outgrowing her bookcase.

Christie Delano

Education Contributor

Christie is a social studies teacher in Edmonton, Alberta, with 17 years of secondary education experience. Christie is passionate about history and civic education. Regardless of the grade level of instruction, Christie is dedicated to teaching students critical thinking skills and how to break down and examine multiple perspectives. Additionally, Christie is passionate about civic education and civic literacy, and teaching students to be active and informed citizens.

Donita Duplisea

Education Collaborator

Donita Duplisea is a passionate educator with a diverse educational background. She is committed to fostering acceptance and understanding of genocide through education.  Her extensive experience includes various educational roles, where she has actively promoted access to learning history through equity, diversity, inclusion, and justice. Additionally, she has developed online resources to further support these goals. Donita holds a BA, BEd, and MEd, and she currently works as the Academic Director at Holy Trinity School in Richmond Hill, Ontario.

Josh Mogyoros

Education Collaborator

Josh Mogyoros is a dedicated educator and lifelong learner. Holding a Bachelor’s and Master of Science in Physics from the University of Guelph, Joshua’s focus shifted to science education during his Master of Teaching program at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), University of Toronto. He is currently a Ph.D. candidate at OISE, researching the role of epistemically reflexive teaching practices in fostering science media literacy. With a deep appreciation for critical reasoning and self-awareness, Joshua strives to empower students to become informed and engaged citizens.

Amy N. Pugsley

Education Contributor

Amy N. Pugsley is an Assyrian-Canadian international educator and writer. Since 2016, she has taught middle and high school English and Creative Writing in the Dominican Republic, Egypt, Myanmar, and Bolivia. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Development and a Bachelor of Education from the University of Regina, as well as a Master of Education in Educational Leadership from the American University in Cairo. Her freelance writing, including poetry, articles, and reviews, has been published in media outlets across Europe, the Middle East, and North America. Fun fact: Mary “Bonnie” Baker and Genevieve “Gene” Mary McFaul are Amy’s great aunts!

Natalie Zacharewski

Education Contributor

Natalie is a museum education professional based in Edmonton, Alberta. She has a passion for creating learning opportunities for students of all ages through immersive, inquiry-based experiences. She has worked in museums and heritage institutions across Canada and the United States such as Museums of Burlington, the Diefenbunker: Canada’s Cold War Museum and Colonial Williamsburg. She has held the role of Faculty Instructor for the Public Programs course in the Certificate in Museum Studies Program with the Alberta Museums Association. She has also worked with the British Columbia Museums Association as Museum Education Consultant, assisting small museums develop educational programs. Natalie holds a Master of Arts in History from the University of Ottawa, specializing in Canadian, American and gender history.