I love being Black. I love the depth of my melanin; the versatility of my hair; the broadness of my nose, and the richness of my culture. Most importantly, I love that all my academic, professional, and personal achievements add to the oeuvre of Black history, coupling my recent Black experiences with those of my ancestors and Black icons of the past.

Shireen Ahmed was born to immigrant parents who were both avid hockey fans, in particular supporters of the Montreal Canadiens. She spoke about how she grew up surrounded by sports but it was not until the Olympics that she saw women’s sports being presented on the same level as men’s. Ahmed received a MA in Journalism from Ryerson University (now TMU) and worked as a freelance journalist until she joined the CBC. In 2021 she was the first hijab-wearing and racialised woman to appear on TSN and remains one of only four hijab-wearing sports reporters in the US and Canada. 

Sutton Hanna examines the myths about Canada that newcomers are told. As an international student himself, Sutton thought Canada was free of racism and discrimination - throughout his time in Peterborough/Nogojiwanong he has grown to understand this country has its own historical and present vein of anti-Black racism.