Afua Cooper is a distinguished Canadian scholar, author, and artist whose work spans history, poetry, fiction, and children’s literature. She is the author of 13 books and a leading authority on Canadian slavery and Black Canadian history. Her acclaimed book The Hanging of Angélique fundamentally reshaped public understanding of slavery in Canada and the Atlantic world.

Recently appointed to the University of Toronto Scarborough, Dr. Cooper previously held the Killam Research Chair in Black Canadian and African Diaspora Studies at Dalhousie University. There, she founded both the Black Canadian Studies Association and the Black and African Diaspora Studies program—major contributions to the field of Black Studies in Canada.
She has curated ten historical exhibits, including A History Exposed: The Enslavement of Black People in Canada, the country’s first national exhibit on Canadian slavery, opening at the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 in August 2024.

In addition to her academic work, Afua Cooper is a celebrated poet and a founding figure in Canada’s Dub Poetry Movement. Her recent poetry collection, The Halifax Explosion, was widely acclaimed. She has received numerous awards, including the Portia White Prize, the Nova Scotia Human Rights Award, the Harry Jerome Award, and the Royal Society of Canada’s J.B. Tyrrell Historical Medal for her outstanding contributions to Canadian history.

Dr. Cooper has also held a fellowship at Harvard University’s Warren Center and serves on UNESCO’s Slave Route Project. Her archives are preserved at the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library at the University of Toronto.

Juliette Sméralda is a sociologist and lecturer at the University Institute for Continuing Education (IUFC) at the University of the French Antilles in Martinique, and an associate researcher at the CEREGMIA laboratory. Her research focuses on the sociology of dominance, racial and gender discrimination, interethnic relations, and the African cultural heritage in the Caribbean.

She holds a PhD in sociology and is accredited by France’s National Council of Universities to teach at the university level. She has published extensively, including influential works on the sociocultural and psychological effects of hair straightening among African and Afro-Caribbean communities. Her analysis links this practice to the legacy of slavery, a perspective recognized by UNESCO during the 2011 International Year for People of African Descent.

Her best-known book, Peau noire, cheveu crépu : l’histoire d’une aliénation, presented at the 2005 Boucles d'Ébène expo in Paris, explores the identity alienation caused by colonization and slavery. Sméralda also examines interracial relationships, particularly Black/White and Black/Indigenous couples in the French Caribbean.

Her wide-ranging work touches on acculturation, métissage, and interculturality. She has contributed to journals such as Revue des Sciences sociales, Marges, and Cahiers de sociologie économique et culturelle, and frequently participates in academic conferences.

Martine Musau Muele is the President of the City Council of Montreal and City Councillor for the borough of Villeray Saint-Michel Parc-Extension. She is also a lawyer and founder of the boutique law firm Muele, which specializes in public policy and administrative law.
After earning her law degree from the University of Ottawa, she gained extensive professional experience both in Quebec and internationally. A former member of the Canadian Armed Forces for nearly eight years, she also completed legal attaché assignments with international organizations, including the International Committee of the Red Cross in Geneva.

Martine Musau Muele has held senior leadership positions in two municipalities and has also worked as a private practice lawyer, providing frontline legal support to senior executives and elected officials on matters related to municipal law, public contract law, public consultations, ethics and governance, access to information, and privacy law.

She is a dedicated legal professional who is passionately committed to helping local and central governments as well as organizations develop effective strategies and policies that meaningfully improve the lives of the people they serve. A lover of the performing arts and cinema, she also has a number of credits in theatre, film, and television.

Isabelle Massé is a veteran journalist at La Presse, where she has worked since 1996. With a background in urban planning and journalism, she specializes in business, society, and culture. She has written for several major outlets and is the author of two books, including a biography of Normand Brathwaite. Massé was named Written Press Journalist of the Year at the 2020 Dynastie Gala and continues to be recognized for her work promoting diversity and mental health in journalism.

Keithy Antoine, a QuebeckerKeithy Antoine .jpeg of Haitian origin and mother of two, defines herself as a citizen of the world. Multidisciplinary, she works in the fields of urban culture, media, visual art and entrepreneurship. Keithy has worked in radio and television since 1998, and is currently a member of the Pa t'mentir animation trio. A professional illustrator and visual artist, her work has been exhibited internationally. She also has several permanent art installations in Montreal and is a member of the Afro-descendant artist collective WECANERS.

Driven by her social and community commitment, in 2019 she founded Union Urbaine (union-urbaine.org), a cultural and social organization now based in Montreal's Plaza St-Hubert under the name STYL'AFRIQUE, a workshop-boutique dedicated to sewing, creative workshops and Afro-Urban fashion.She is also coordinator and manager of Ateliers3333, a studio building for professional artists located in Montreal's Saint-Michel district.

Clara D. Lewis is a Montreal-based social worker and the founder of Brown Diva Dolls, an inclusive doll brand launched in 2019. Inspired by her work in social services and her own identity journey, she designs dolls that reflect the diversity of Black and racialized children. Now distributed in several stores, her brand promotes representation, self-esteem, and inclusion through over 25 models featuring a variety of skin tones, hair textures, and styles

Hairstylist specialized in Afro hairstyling and trainer at L’inis, Stéphanie Odia Kalonji has been passionate about hairstyling for over 20 years, with a focus on Afro hair, particularly very tightly coiled curls. She has collaborated with prestigious brands such as Tommy Hilfiger and SSENSE, building a strong reputation in the industry. Since 2020, she has been the owner of Odia le Salon Académie, where she combines her two passions: hairstyling and teaching.
With a background in nursing, she applies the principles of listening and kindness learned in her training, offering a learning experience that is both compassionate and enriching.

For the past five years, Stéphanie has shared her expertise between her salon, teaching, and film sets. She has contributed to various cinematic projects, including Lakay Nou, Après le déluge, Basket, The Bingo Sister, and Célestine.

Catherine Brafine Dieye (left) has a rich and diversified experience acquired within agencies and companies in sectors as varied as they are interesting: tourism, beauty, personal services, employment, public service, communities, agri-food and e-commerce.

This diversity of fields has enabled her to develop a multi-sectoral expertise, enrich herself through contact with inspiring personalities and successfully lead numerous projects, thanks to her keen sense of human relations, natural curiosity and a touch of audacity. Today, she offers her services to all types of companies and organizations, for one-off assignments or long-term collaborations.

Audrey Belleau (middle) is the creator of Atanga, a natural cosmetics brand. With a BTS diploma in aesthetics and cosmetics, she launched products made from mango butter, coconut oil, and aloe vera in October 2021 after a successful crowdfunding campaign.

Like Obélix, Audrey grew up immersed in cosmetics thanks to her family: her mother opened the first cosmetics store in Martinique, her father founded a cosmetics laboratory, and her grandmother, passionate about beauty, shared nurturing skincare and haircare rituals with her as a child. With over ten years of experience making cosmetics in Martinique, Audrey now focuses exclusively on her own natural product line. Atanga’s mission is to create natural cosmetics that transform skin and hair, promoting well-being for users. The brand’s first line, Origine, pays tribute to her grandmother’s traditional knowledge and methods. Atanga’s values reflect the personal and shared principles of Audrey and her team

Annaëlle Adaine Jean-Pierre (right) is the Hairstylist and ambassador for the HairParty workshops.

Pascale Lavache is a plus-size model, blogger, and host based in Montreal. Known for promoting body positivity and diversity, she is the voice behind Curvy Pascale, where she shares fashion and wellness tips. She is also a passionate advocate for inclusion in media and fashion.