TMU journalism professor, students and alumnus receive the Mary Ann Shadd Cary Fellowship for Black Journalists

Toronto Metropolitan University’s j-school assistant professor Shari Okeke, students Chris Harrison and Danielle Reid and alumni, Libaan Osman, Nur Qorane and Adriel Smiley received the Mary Ann Shadd Cary Fellowship for Black Journalists.

The fellows will join the first-of-its-kind delegation of Black Canadian journalists organized by the centre to the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Convention and Career Fair in Chicago.

Second year j-school student, Harrison, said he had been optimistic about his application but was still a “little surprised” when he found his name among the fellows.

“It was a good surprise, I was pleased to receive the news for sure,” he said.

He hopes to attend the convention and “pick the brains” of the talented journalists whose work he’s read. “If I can be around a group of people that’s actually looking out for each other and trying to help each other improve and that want to see each other successful, that’s something I have to pursue.”

The Mary Ann Shadd Cary Centre advertised the fellowship by highlighting the “critical value” of Black journalists in Canadian newsrooms.

Reid, who graduated from j-school this year, said there was a “critical shortage” in newsroom diversity and looked to this opportunity as an open door for change.

“I’m really thrilled to be one of the recipients because it is a really huge opportunity to be able to meet, learn from and network with accomplished Black journalists from Canada and the US,” she said.

She said her motivation to apply for the opportunity came after someone told her to seize every opportunity.

Okeke has the same message for her own students:“You have nothing to lose by applying. And when it works out, it feels so good.”

The Mary Ann Shadd Cary centre will also provide mid-career journalists with some funding for projects they’ve pitched.

Okeke will put the funding towards the Advanced Podcasting class (JRN 801) she teaches at TMU’s j-school, where final year undergraduate and graduate students produce the podcast We Met U When. The funding will help set-up consultations with experts from relevant communities, to ensure honest reporting in the podcast.

“Always, my goal is to bring it back to my students,” she said, both of what she will learn at the conference and the funding she’s secured.