SNTCR was driven by the bold vision to unite academics, undergraduate and graduate students, Waterloo region community members, and national and international collaborators to produce action-oriented research (praxis). Together, this network worked to deconstruct oppressive institutional structures and advance the collective well-being of marginalized and excluded communities.
A cornerstone of this initiative is the Sankofa Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, a peer-reviewed publication dedicated to amplifying subaltern and marginalized voices within the university community. In its inaugural year, the journal successfully published three volumes comprising 14 impactful articles. Among these are ‘B[l]ack to the Future: Black Settlements in Canada for the 2020s and Beyond’ by Dr. Christopher Taylor, and ‘An Afrocentric Analysis of Black Experiences in the Mental Health System’ by Rayanne Banaga. These works exemplify the journal's commitment to challenging traditional and Eurocentric ideals of scholarship by promoting interdisciplinary research that bridges academic and community-based knowledge.
The Sankofa Journal encourages submissions from all members of the University of Waterloo community, including staff, faculty, undergraduate, and graduate students, spanning all faculties and disciplines. By fostering a platform for underrepresented perspectives, the journal is contributing to the broader dialogue on equity, justice, and transformative scholarship.
