Focusing on SSAI newcomers, our methodology seeks to adopt a community-first approach to comprehensively document the different aspects of their lives in Canada, emphasizing their resilience and agency despite encountering various barriers. Through community-engaged methods our academic and non-academic partners collaborate with community members to combine participatory research and traditional African knowledge guided by Ubuntu – I am because we are, to facilitate this research and disseminate knowledge.

We use interviews, focus groups, surveys, and collaborate with institutions to gather primary and secondary insights. The results from these studies will be disseminated among the community through websites, newsletters, conferences, seminars and other media, as per our commitment to mobilize the knowledge and not confine it within the ivory tower of academia.

Our Capacity Building Institute is dedicated to train graduate students and early researchers to raise awareness on the required gender and cultural sensitivity when working with under-represented communities. graduate students and early career researchers are encouraged to participate in different aspects of the project and are carefully mentored by senior academic and community partners to refine their skills and knowledge.

1. 1. 1. Between 2021 – 2022, we partnered with the Killam Corner Stone and the University of Alberta to conduct a qualitative study in collaboration with the Africa Centre and Norquest College, focusing on Black Albertans on a project called: Addressing Intimate Partner Violence among Edmonton’s African Immigrants: A Communal Approach. The project expanded our database and knowledge, fueling community-driven initiatives and laid the groundwork for projects like “Portraits of Resilience,” “Navigating Canada,” “Knowledge Hub,” and more IPV-related endeavors. The findings are integrated into PRAN’s Cross-sectional survey and Community Scan, while also enhancing the skills of Research Assistants.
      2. Simultaneously, we also conducted a literature review and a qualitative study of Black Albertans “Intimate Partner Violence Interventions within Immigrant Populations: A Scoping Review of Advanced Industrialized Nations, including Canada.” Supported by Women and Gender Equity and in collaboration with the University of Alberta. The report emphasizes seven key IPV prevention messages, shaping our Knowledge Mobilization effort and enriching our database for future PRAN research endeavors.
      3. Expanding on these projects, we began a third project spanning 2021-2024: “Successful Initiatives to Address Intimate Partner Violence against Women and Girls in Alberta’s Black Communities” funded by Women and Gender Equality. Leveraging data from previous research, we’re crafting strategies and tools to prevent IPV in Black communities. Collaborating with partners like Africa Centre and the University of Alberta we plan to create tools like videos, podcasts, workshops and webinars, and pamphlets to reach and engage elders, leaders, youth, SSAIs, and other members of Black communities. This initiative includes a rapid literature review, a logic model, and a prevention framework developed in tandem with partners. Aligning with projects like “Exploring Canada,” “Navigating Canada,” “Knowledge Hub,” and “Portraits of Resilience,” this effort merges research, knowledge mobilization, and community engagement to stimulate policy discussions. Check back soon for a link to the website for Successful Initiatives to Address Intimate Partner Violence against Women and Girls in Alberta’s Black Communities.

Thanks to SSHRC and dynamic collaboration with the University of Alberta, Africa Centre, DAL, NAIT, and MSVU through PRAN, we launched the project “Preliminary Data for the Africa Centre’s Entrepreneurship Initiative for Black Albertans.” Our joint efforts led us to design, develop, and execute a study focusing on Black entrepreneurship in Alberta. The research encompassed an in-depth literature review, a comprehensive survey, and active community involvement. The valuable insights derived from this initial data played a pivotal role in shaping a comprehensive report for the Africa Centre, as well as multiple manuscripts. The finalized report, completed in January 2023, will be available for reading soon.

Through our project, “On the Path of Social Responsibility and Global Leadership”, we successfully secured funding from the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Scholarship program. This program serves as a platform for talent exchange between Canada and other nations, focusing on West Africa. With the support of the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship (QES), our commitment lies in nurturing the upcoming generation of community-engaged researchers, leaders, and builders. Our approach integrates networking, academics, leadership development, and community partnerships.

In close collaboration with QES, our goal is to foster cross-cultural experiences that establish the foundation for transnational scholarship and collaboration. This effort contributes to both local and global community engagement. At the core of our QES program is the cultivation of community-focused leaders in both Canada and West Africa.

The program offers:

• An online curriculum accessible through our Gender Institute
• Personalized mentorship by accomplished scholars and non-academic partners to enrich the learning experience
• Spanning across faculties, we connect scholars with experts in diverse fields like feminism, Western worldviews, and African-centered approaches. Our scholars benefit from comprehensive online and in-person orientations, personalized mentorship, and complete access to our Gender Institute’s resources for research, leadership development, and community engagement training.

As part of their engagement, scholars are expected to:

• Undertake a research project culminating in a publishable manuscript
• Engage in community placements coordinated through our program
• Participate in networking opportunities extended by our program and an Inter-university committee.

While we have experienced external program delays, we welcomed our first two scholars in October 2023. Our third and fourth scholars arrived in the spring and summer of 2024, respectively. Our collaboration with Campus Saint-Jean facilitated support for two francophone scholars from Togo who completed their placements in November 2024. Our team continues to work toward welcoming additional scholars before the end of the program in December 2025.

Furthermore, we actively participated in a subcommittee that organized an inter-university event for QES scholars. The platform enabled scholars to showcase their work and foster connections with peers across various QES programs throughout Canada.