Occupation: Dr. Carl James teaches in the Faculty of Education at York University and is the founding director of the York Centre for Education and Community.

Contribution: A former youth and community development worker with local and national organizations, James holds a Ph.D. in Sociology, and is a visiting lecturer in the Teacher Training Department at Uppsala University, Sweden.

His publications include books such as Race in Play: The Socio-Cultural Worlds of Student Athletes (2005); Seeing Ourselves: Exploring Race, Ethnicity and Culture (2003); and Making It: Black Youth, Racism and Career Aspiration in a Big City.

Dr. James recently received the Skills for Change New Pioneer Award for his work in the community.

Educational Inspiration: “I had a number of teachers and peers who inspired me to become an educator. I recall educators Ms. Davis, my math teacher, and Ms. Williams (now Mrs. Brathwaite), a cousin and my high school English teacher who helped me to develop the confidence in these subject areas and enabled me to complete high school with the necessary confidence and aspiration to go further in education. I also had the extra after-school lessons that my parents thought would help me succeed in life.

I learned early on, following the death of my father in my first year of high school, that I had to set a path for myself without his help and support. This probably also contributed to my determination to be successful at education. It was what I think he expected of me.”