Dr. Lisa Ndejuru
Primary researcher
Dr. Lisa Ndejuru is a Psychotherapist and Rwandan researcher focusing on individual and collective meaning-making, care, and powerment in communities impacted by the violence of anti-blackness.
Their work also explores inter-generational trauma transmission within Black communities and Afrotopias (future imaginaries).
Primary Researchers
Marie-Jolie Rwigema (MJ)
Primary researcher
MJ Rwigema (Ph.D) is an Assistant Professor in Applied Human Sciences at Concordia University.
Their academic work draws from 20 years of community work experience that includes counselling, community development, research, and group facilitation working primarily with Black, racialized, immigrant and LGBTQ youth and adults who are survivors of and resistors to oppression.
Kristen Young
Project Manager
Kristen Young is an information management professional whose work in Black community archives sparked a need to better understand the ways mental health impacts Black History and Black community spaces.
As the Black Community Engagement Coordinator in Concordia University’s Office of Community Engagement, she supports the project team in their community-university partnerships.
Project Team
Zalikha Konaté
Administrative Coordinator
Zalikha Konate is a multidisciplinary creative dedicated to carving pathways and creating space for Black and marginalized communities in unconventional arenas.
With a background in PR and Marketing and a degree in Community, Public Affairs, and Policy Studies, she is passionate about amplifying the voices and initiatives within Black community spaces.
Samantha Nyinawumuntu
Event & Activity Coordinator
Sam Nyinawumuntu describes themselves as a Black queer being who hails from the mountains of Rwanda.
They are an artist and cultural organizer whose mission is to facilitate and co-create intentional spaces that center a healing justice framework for people who are and have been historically marginalized.
Project Team
Katya Stella Assoe
Social Media Coordinator
Katya Stella Assoé is a dedicated Immigration Lawyer based in Montreal, passionate about advocacy and driving positive change.
Honoured as a 2023 CBC Black Changemaker, Katya’s work reflects her commitment to empowering diverse Black communities and creating lasting impact both within and beyond the legal field.