About Us

History:
How we got started

The Nubian Book Club (NBC) is a vibrant network of students, parents, educators, and community members dedicated to the academic and social well-being of students, particularly those of African and Caribbean heritage. Entering our 18th year, we celebrate the power of literacy to energize minds, empower souls, encourage hearts, and elevate spirits.

For over 15 years, under the stewardship of founder Donna Cardoza, NBC has fostered rich dialogue, deep learning, and community building. Each summer, Black youth and their families gather at Donna's house to discuss community issues through selected texts, connecting with role models and creating a powerful mentoring platform. This innovative approach has helped many young participants gain access to career opportunities, scholarships, internships, and more, serving as a catalyst for change.

NBC consistently gives back to the community, supporting local charitable organizations and supplying books to Hohle Intermediate School in South Africa. Our efforts have garnered attention from various media outlets, including TVO and Share newspaper, recognizing our positive impact.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to all the participants who have been part of our family over the years and warmly welcome new members to join us in the future!

Articles about Nubian Book Club

July 2021 ~ Nubian Book Club Empowers, Inspires and Uplifts Black Youth

July 2022 ~ Nubian Book Club continues to use the power of literacy to empower the Black community

July 2023 - Cultivating Black Joy Critical Literacy Through Student Voice

July 2024 ~ Solidarity and the Diaspora: Towards Liberation! Nubian Book Club

Who are we?

The four stated goals of the Nubian Book Club are:

Motivate students by getting them to engage in what is most important to them
Promote social literacies such as networking, authentic engagement and discussions around high-interest and non-fiction texts
Stimulate discussions, speakers and participants make connections to different texts and share various experiences
Expose students to people they may not otherwise meet and reinforces the value of reading and gaining knowledge and experience. They learn that literacy is something that enriches and creates community

Meet the Nubian Book Club Committee

Meet Donna Cardoza

Nubian Book Club Host
TDSB Community Support Worker

As an experienced community advocate and organizer, Donna founded the Nubian Book Club (NBC), a decade-long intergenerational community initiative that supports predominantly Black youth and their families. This one-of-a-kind initiative encourages racialized and minority youth, their families and community leaders to engage collaboratively in rich dialogue through literature to tackle issues that face Black youth in support of their advancement. NBC supports numerous youth to engage with African Canadian role models in the community and provides avenues of mentorship for participants.

Donna is also the recipient of several awards such as the Herb H. Carnegie Future Aces Award, the Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship, 100 Accomplished Black Women, YMCA Peace Medallion, Ontario National Alliance of Black School Educators (ONABSE) Maat and Ubuntu Legacy Award, Institute for Educational Leadership USA Coordinators Leadership Award for extraordinary Service and Dedication, Queen's Platinum Jubilee Community Award, and the Toronto District School Boards' Excellence Award for Enhancing Belonging and Well-Being.

Donna is currently a Community Support Worker in the Toronto District School Board. This role is most fitting given Donna’s passion and expertise in connecting with community and providing students and families who are most marginalized with the necessary supports for improved access, opportunities and outcomes.

Meet Dr. Camille Logan

Associate Director, School Improvement and Equity, Curriculum and Instruction, Student and Community Engagement · Peel District School Board

Camille Logan is an Associate Director, School Improvement and Equity in the Peel District school board. Camille’s current portfolio includes Curriculum, Instruction, Assessment and Equity which includes student and community engagement in the province’s second largest school district. Camille joined the Peel District School Board after a successful career in York Region District School Board where she led a wide range of initiatives in service of improved outcomes for racialized students and staff. Camille brings three decades of educational experience focused on equity, inclusion, and anti-oppressive practice in school and system leadership and has contributed to academic research and publications. Camille’s career includes secondments to York University - Faculty of Education and the Ministry of Education. Due to her extensive knowledge in the area of equity, inclusivity, and anti-oppressive practice, she is involved in the development of policies, guidelines, and resources at school board and ministry levels.

Meet Dr. Vidya Shah

Professor, York University

Dr. Vidya Shah is an educator, scholar and activist committed to equity and racial justice in the service of liberatory education. She is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education at York University, and her research explores anti-racist and decolonial approaches to leadership in schools, communities, and school districts. She also explores educational barriers to the success and well-being of Black, Indigenous, and racialized students. Dr. Shah teaches in the Master of Leadership and Community Engagement, as well as undergraduate and graduate level courses in education. She has worked in the Model Schools for Inner Cities Program in the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) and was an elementary classroom teacher in the TDSB. Dr. Shah is committed to bridging the gaps between communities, classrooms, school districts and the academy, to re/imagine emancipatory possibilities for schooling. Dr. Shah is also a facilitator with the Center for Courage and Renewal, focused on nurturing deep integrity and relational trust for a more loving, equitable, and healthy world.

Dr. Shah is the recipient of:

Graduate Teaching Award, Faculty of Education, York University - 2023
Mentor of the Year, Leaders and Legends Award, OISE/UT - 2022

You can learn more about her work at https://www.yorku.ca/edu/unleading/

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