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There was a time when Sahra Mohamud was on the other side of the podium, as a new student attentively listening to wise words and stories on the OISE Library stage.

But on Sept. 4, at the launch for the next class of the Black Future Educators' Pathway (BFEP), it was her turn to pay it forward – to share her academic and personal journey. At first, she followed her family into a possible career into nursing. Then she got kicked out of that program, a sign that her passion laid elsewhere.

“I took a year off to do some soul-searching because I had no idea what to do next,” described Mohamud, who began her doctoral studies in curriculum and pedagogy this fall. “My mom and older sister guided me toward something I was good at: working with children. I had extensive experience in high school, so I applied to the Early Childhood Education program at Humber College.

“That’s where it happened – where I fell in love with education,” she added, to the 44 new Black Master of Teaching students. “Not just teaching children, but understanding them, advocating for them, and supporting their families, especially those who look like me.”

She encountered a culturally responsive and relevant pedagogy that sees students, hears them, and validates their lived experiences.

For Black students like Mohamud, BFEP is designed to bridge gaps in representation and access, create an equitable admission process for Black learners and offer comprehensive support throughout their time in the two-year program. The 42-person cohort in 2025 builds on the 30 Black students who began their 2024 journey last year. This group is included in the larger class of Master of Teaching students, which counts at about 400.

The Sept. 4 launch brought together institutional and student leaders to welcome students to the fold and encourage and inspire them in their first moments in the building. Representatives from the Master of Teaching Student Association and Master of Teaching Black Educator Association were on hand to greet guests.

“I'm feeling a calm joy,” said Dr. Andrew B. Campbell, BFEP coordinator and Master of Teaching instructor. He wants to remind these future teachers that it’s important for them to go after the things that they deserve, to invest in the work, and always pay it forward.

“When I started OISE in 2018 as a part time professor – in a program of over 400 people – you could count maybe seven, eight Black folks. Today, you have a total – in this program – 75 of you,” said Dr. Campbell, to applause.

As the BFEP studentsbegin their journey, check out the sights and sounds of the morning exercises, hearing from leaders and students alike.

“The work that you will do as Black educators is critically important. It's not just important to Black students to see you and to experience your amazing teaching, but it's important also for everybody else – I hold on to that in my work here at OISE. I'm looking forward to getting to know you, and I wish you all success in your program.”

— Professor Erica N. Walker, Dean of OISE

We are committed to two guiding concepts. First, we are working to be intentional in the pathway design—intentional in how we design community conversations, mentoring relationships, practicum placements, courses and other opportunities for the pathway. These efforts are deliberate and rooted in community. Second, we are working to institutionalize BFEP so that it is deeply embedded in the program’s structure, staffing and budget. Our aim is to ensure that this pathway is not vulnerable to shifts in organizational priorities. It must be sustained by the integrity of the MT program itself—not by the presence or absence of any one individual.

Just as importantly, we invite your feedback. If something doesn’t work, or if you have an idea for improvement, please share it with us. Feedback is not only welcome—it’s essential. Share it with anyone on the team; we are listening and here to work in collaboration.

— Professor Leslie Stewart Rose, Associate Chair, Teacher Education

“What does it mean to feel welcome? I think for me it feels like you're seen, you're heard, and you're embraced for who you are. There's an ease which arises when you feel that you belong, and this is the same sense of welcoming that I'm sure you're going to want to cultivate in your future classroom communities.

“It's no small thing to experience belonging. Coming to the graduate program at U of T often comes with a little bit of an imposter syndrome. I was a high school teacher, then a professor. It was intimidating, right? We want you to feel welcome so that you can be your best – for yourselves and in turn for others”

— David Montemurro, Associate Professor, Teaching Stream and Inaugural BFEP Co-Coordinator

“As you embark on your journey as teacher candidates, and I embark on mine as a doctoral student and teacher-researcher, I want to remind you: you are not just training to become teachers—you are planting roots. Roots that will grow deep into classrooms, schools, and communities, nurturing students, families, and fellow educators alike.

“You are the next generation of Black educators, and education needs you—now more than ever.

— Sahra Mohamud, PhD in Curriculum and Pedagogy