Who We Are
About the YIE Research Group
The Youth, Identity, and Education (YIE) Research Group is an interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary collective of researchers dedicated to advancing inclusive, justice-oriented research and practice. Our expertise spans three key areas:
Gender experiences and education
Youth community and civic engagement
Teaching and learning in urban environments
We prioritise youth-centred and youth-driven research methodologies, especially Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR), to co-create knowledge with young people rather than about them. Our work centres the lived experiences, voices, and contributions of youth, especially those from racialized and historically marginalized communities. At YIE, we see youth as key agents of social change in their communities.
Rather than framing youth through deficit-based lenses, we emphasize asset-focused narratives that honour their creativity, resilience, and capabilities. The YIE Research Group works across academic, community, and policy spaces to build more inclusive and equitable futures.
Our Mission
To amplify the voices and leadership of marginalised youth through collaborative, action-oriented research that centres their experiences, advances educational equity, and supports transformative social change.
Our Vision
We envision a world where all youth are recognized as powerful contributors to knowledge, community well-being, and democratic life. Through inclusive research and public engagement, we strive to create educational and social environments that affirm young people's identities, unlock their potential, and promote social justice.
Meet Our Team
Dr. S. Nombuso Dlamini is Professor of Education York University in Toronto, Canada. Initially an anthropologist, she teaches courses in research methods, diversity, ethics and schooling, as well as supervise research students. Her main research interests lie in new approaches to youth political engagement, urban spaces, and sociocultural engagements in urban development, especially youth contributions to city spaces and city life. Dlamini is known for her youth-based projects, including the 2018 Youth in Politics funded by the Ontario Ministry of Education. She served as the inaugural Jean Augustine Chair in the New urban Environment, York University after her tenure as Research Leadership Chair, University of Windsor. Dlamini’s research focuses on youth activism, youth identities, and on gender experiences of Canada’s racialized populations. She teaches in the area of youth culture, identity and civic engagement.
Dlamini’s publications include the 2021 co-edited volume, Global Citizenship Education: Challenges and Successes. Dlamini is also known for her global work on youth social identities, Youth and Identity Politics in South Africa gender parity, and the effects of new urbanism in global literacy and education. She has spearheaded interdisciplinary projects in Sub-Saharan Africa including a SSHRC-funded project in Tanzania, (2008 - continues to date with the support of U of Windsor), which is designed to enhance teachers’ capacities in serving marginalized children in the global south. She led research and workshops in the (2005-2012) CIDA-funded Social Work in Nigeria Project (SWIN-P), an international collaboration between the University of Benin, Nigeria and three Canadian universities – York University, the University of Windsor and the University of British Columbia.
Dr. Godfred Boateng is a faculty fellow at York University's Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research, Director of the Global and Environmental Health Lab, and Assistant professor in the School of Global Health. He holds the Canada Research Chair in Humanitarianism and Global Health. Dr. Boateng is a specialist in the development and use of culturally appropriate, scalable approaches to research the multifaceted processes and factors that influence social and health equity on a variety of geographic scales, as well as how to promote and maintain it. His transdisciplinary research program focuses on resource insecurity, health, and sustainable livelihoods, the socio-ecological determinants of cardiometabolic conditions in aging adults, social inequity in health systems, advanced quantitative data analysis techniques, and survey scale development. Dr. Boateng is committed to promoting the holistic well-being of Black Youth. Particularly, he is interested in improving the political, educational, and occupational well-being of young people in Canada in addition to their mental health. His knowledge of research techniques and how to use data to inspire action will be an invaluable asset to this project.
Dr. Tannaz Zargarian holds a PhD in Education from York University and is currently an assistant professor at the University of the Fraser Valley in British Columbia. She also serves as an Academic Research Partner with the Canada Research Chair in Queer, Community, and Diversity Education. Her research and teaching areas focus on gender, sexuality and social justice, and decolonial leadership and praxis in education. Tannaz has published in The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Sexuality Education (2024) and the Journal of Sexualities (2023).
In her current collaborative project, she is investigating the impact of politics of belonging on the academic experience and social engagement of multiply marginalized university students through spatial storytelling. Furthermore, in her most recent funded project, she examines the implications of EDI policies in higher education institutions on the sense of belonging and well-being of multiply marginalized youth.
Dr. Cynthia Kwakyewah is a global sociologist and interdisciplinarian with expertise in the sociology of human rights, environmental and climate justice, civil society activism, spatial inequality, and social justice. Her research interests also include the sociology of youth, equity in education, and youth participatory action research.
Cynthia has extensive international teaching experience in higher education. Previously, she worked as an Adjunct Lecturer in the UK, teaching courses in the sociology of organizations. She is currently a Course Director in the African Studies Program at York University.
In addition to her academic role, Cynthia serves as a Research Associate with the Toronto District School Board’s Centre of Excellence for Black Student Achievement. In this capacity, she contributes to equity-focused initiatives, including the Summer Black Student Youth Participatory Action Research, where she teaches incoming undergraduate students to conduct youth-centered and community-based research using Afrocentric pedagogy.
Previously, Cynthia worked as a Community Research Facilitator in the office of Dr. Nombuso Dlamini, former Jean Augustine Chair in the New Urban Environment (JA Chair). There, she supported research projects and organised community forums aimed at fostering collaborations between the Chair and diverse cultural communities.
Cynthia earned her PhD in Sociology from Oxford University, supported by the SSHRC Doctoral Fellowship and the Klaus Murmann Doctoral Fellowship. During her studies, she contributed to initiatives such as the History of Ordinary African People Project, in partnership with the Oxford University Africa Society, highlighting her dedication to amplifying African voices globally.
Her academic excellence has been recognized with numerous accolades, including the prestigious Governor General’s Gold Medal in 2019, awarded to York University’s top-performing graduate student.
Sonia Lewis is a Ph.D. student in the Faculty of Education, at York University. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology (Summa Cum Laude), Bachelor of Educations, and a Master of Education. Sonia is a two-time recipient of the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada Graduate Scholarship (SSHRCC), a recipient of the Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) and a recipient of York University Graduate Entrance Scholarship. Her research has primarily focused on the experiences of Black female students in educational institutions.
Sonia is currently an educator with a large GTA school board and a Research Assistant at York University in the Faculty of Education. She prides herself on being a lifelong learner, as such Sonia has completed numerous other degrees, diplomas, certificates and has facilitated, attended and delivered a plethora of teacher, student and parent engagement sessions.
Dr. Karen Naidoo is an adjunct professor in Caribbean Studies at Toronto Metropolitan University. Her research investigates how young Canadian-Caribbean people understand and respond to mental health services. She completed her post-doctoral research with the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness (COH) as a content developer, specializing in the dissemination of research knowledge on interventions that end or prevent the experience of homelessness for young people to policymakers and service providers. In addition, she is the cofounder and managing director of SOAR-Caribbean Inc., aimed at building linkages for educational institutions and community-based organizations operating in Grenada, Jamaica, and Guyana. Her international projects draw focus to the examination of transnational youth voices, mental health, and queer youth education.
Our Partners
Here are some of our partners that we work along side to carry out our mission.
York University
The Faculty of Education at York University is a vibrant hub for innovative teaching, research, and community engagement. Committed to equity, diversity, and social justice, the Faculty prepares educators and scholars to lead in a rapidly changing world. With a focus on inclusive education, global perspectives, and transformative practices, York’s Faculty of Education empowers students to make meaningful contributions in classrooms, communities, and beyond.
Gashanti Young Women Initiative
Gashanti Young Women Initiative is a community-driven organization dedicated to empowering Somali girls and young women by fostering leadership, advocacy, and collective action. Rooted in the principles of representation, inclusion, and self-determination, we provide a space where young women can embrace their identities, amplify their voices, and engage in shaping their communities.
Our vision is clear: Somali girls and young women transforming the ways we connect in our community and beyond. We believe that by building strong networks, fostering dialogue, and equipping young women with the skills and confidence to lead, we can create lasting change.
At Gashanti, we operate from a deep commitment to solidarity, mentorship, and advocacy. Through initiatives that center civic engagement, storytelling, and leadership development, we challenge systemic barriers and create opportunities for Somali young women to champion the issues that matter to them.
Our mission is to create a collective space and voice with Somali girls and young women, where we can support each other, challenge societal norms, and realize our full potential. Whether through community programs, digital platforms, or advocacy efforts, we are dedicated to ensuring that Somali young women are seen, heard, and valued—in their communities, in Canada, and beyond.
Ghana Union of Canada
The Ghana Union of Canada (GUC) was established in 2020 and serves as the representative voice for Canada's Ghanaian community at the federal level. The organization unites and coordinates the broader interests and concerns of Ghanaian Canadian groups/individuals across the national, provincial, territorial, and local levels, advocating on federal government policies that impact the socio-economic and political life of the community.
As a national organization, GUC concentrates its efforts on three core pillars: Immigration, Settlement, and Integration. Through these pillars, the organization advocates for the needs of the community to the federal government, delivers programming that advances integration and civic engagement, and amplifies the perspectives of its constituents. The organization also collaborates with a range of partner organizations, including academic institutions, non-profit organizations, businesses, and other stakeholders, in addressing the needs of its members.
It also liaises with partner organizations – ranging from academic institutions, non-profit, business and other entities in serving the needs of its members.
GUC is governed by a 9-member Board of Directors that represents the 10 provinces and three territories. The Board is supported by an executive team and other special interest groups.
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