Tope’s Biography

Dr. Tope holds a PhD from the Collaborative Doctoral Program in the Department of Sociology and Equity Studies in Education, and the Women and Gender Studies Institute at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto (OISE/UT). With academic and grassroots expertise in anti-Black racism, gender-based violence, Black feminism and Indigenous knowledges, she believes in the imperative of disrupting and reframing narrow definitions of gender in/equity that all too often leave Black women, girls, gender diverse and trans (B-WGGDT) folks out, and replacing this with intersectional Black feminism that addresses anti-Black gender-based violence (aBGBV) in all its forms.

She is also Board Co-Chair for WomenatthecentrE and Co-founder of the Black Femicide Canada Council (BFFC). Her book, titled The Souls of Yoruba Folk: Indigeneity, Race and Critical Spiritual Literacy in the African Diaspora, was Published by Peter Lang Inc., as part of the Black Studies and Critical Thinking, Spirituality and Indigenous Thought Series. Her most important role, however, is as the proud mother of a life-loving, beautiful and energetic young man, where all of her work is in service of creating a better world for him to live in.

“For me, forgiveness and compassion are always linked: how do we hold people accountable for wrongdoing and yet at the same time remain in touch with their humanity enough to believe in their capacity to be transformed?”

– bell hooks