Janelle Brady, PhD (She/her/hers) is an anti-racist educator, activist-researcher and community organizer. She is an assistant professor in the School of Early Childhood Studies, Faculty of Community Services at Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University). In 2021, Janelle was recognized with the Viola Desmond Faculty Award. Her area of research explores Black mothers’ effective resistance strategies, race and racism in early years, and Black feminisms. She is passionate about supporting children and families through engagement in various community-based research projects to enhance social and racial justice.

Janelle completed her PhD at the University of Toronto in the Department of Social Justice Education at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE). Her doctoral work explored Black mothering experiences of navigating anti-Black racism in the schooling and education system for their children. Through her research and community work,  she received the 2021 Emerging Leader Award. At OISE, Brady served as the senior coordinator and researcher of the Centre for Integrative Anti-Racism Studies (CIARS) and is now a faculty advisor. Her work has been presented in peer-reviewed research conferences such as the American Educational Research Association, Black Canadian Studies Association, Canadian Sociological Association and the Reconceptualizing Early Childhood Education. Some of her peer-reviewed publications appear in the Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, The Journal of Motherhood Initiative for Research and Community Involvement, The Wiley-Blackwell Encyclopedia of Social Theory, Palgrave Macmillan and Myers Education Press. Janelle has also been featured by CBC,  CityNews, Global TV, Huffington Post, the Toronto Star, and other local media outlets.

Janelle has nearly 15 years of experience in the curation and delivery of development education curricula in the areas of anti-Black racism, anti-racism, equity, diversity, and inclusion, and capacity building. She is also a co-founder and director of a social enterprise, the Downsview Advocate, a local newspaper in Toronto’s north end. Recently, Janelle was elected President of the Ontario New Democratic Party, after serving on its executive board for nearly a decade.