Date & time
Saturday, November 15, 2025
11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Community events
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Transforming systems: Disability rights in policy, education, and leadership
Cost
This event is free.
Organization
Contact
Where
John Molson Building
1450 Guy St.
Concordia Conference Centre, 9th Floor
Room MB 9, 1450 Guy Street, Guy-Concordia metro
Accessible location
Yes - See details
Join community leaders, academics, and advocates for Transforming Systems: Disability Rights in Policy, Education, and Leadership— a gathering dedicated to advancing inclusion and equity for Black people with disabilities.
Through meaningful dialogue, we will:
- Deepen our understanding of systemic barriers faced by people living with disabilities.
- Learn how disability rights can be advanced through education, research, and policy.
- Build bridges between universities, advocacy groups, as well as Black and intersectional communities.
- Highlight lived experiences and expertise in disability advocacy to inspire actionable change.
Co-organized by DAWN Canada and Concordia’s Office of Community Engagement, the event will open with words from an elder, followed by a keynote address by Barbadian disability advocate Ms. Kerryann Ifill, a global leader for equity and inclusion.
Tamara Angeline Medford-Williams will then moderate a panel discussion and Q&A featuring entrepreneur, and DAWN Canada member, Tatyana Payeur, disability activist and educator Alicia Pauld, and Founder and Chair of Ase Community Foundation for Black Canadians with Disabilities, Liza Arnason.
The day will close with performances by Fatima Eilson, and a Caribbean-inspired lunch will be served.
Please register here for this event.
About the keynote speaker
The Most Honourable Kerryann Ifill, FB is a global trailblazer in leadership, advocacy, and inclusion. Blind since the age of five, she has dedicated her life to advancing the rights of persons with disabilities through education, policy, and community engagement.
A former President of the Senate of Barbados — and the first woman and person with a disability to hold the post — Ms. Ifill has led national and international efforts to promote accessibility and equity. She currently serves in leadership roles with the Commonwealth Disabled People’s Forum, CARICOM Advisory Panel on Disabilities, and the World Blind Union.
About the moderator
Tamara Angeline Medford-Williams is an artist and community enthusiast of Caribbean descent. As Director of Black Community Initiatives at DAWN Canada, she dedicates herself to empowering marginalized groups. Her roles across various organizations include being a clinical educator, family caseworker, and radio host as well as part-time Faculty member in Concordia’s Applied Human Sciences Department. Tamara’s advocacy extends to contributing to academic journals, UN reports on racial discrimination, and leading a National Feminist Disability Coalition. With a BA in Human Relations, a graduate degree in Youth Work, and pursuing a Master of Social Work, she is committed to providing anti-oppressive services.
About DAWN Canada
Founded in 1985, DAWN (Disabled Women’s Network) Canada is an intersectional feminist human rights organization that works to address systems of oppression. Their mission is to end the poverty, isolation, discrimination and violence experienced by women and gender-diverse people with disabilities, including those who are Deaf.
About the Office of Community Engagement
Based at Concordia’s SHIFT Centre, the Office of Community Engagement (OCE) is dedicated to enhancing Concordia's ability to develop and sustain respectful and impactful relationships between the university and the diverse communities of Montreal with a particular focus on Black and Indigenous communities.