Coordinator – Race and Ethnic Relations Multiculturalism and Visiting Educational Delegations Department of the Curriculum and Accountability Team, Toronto Catholic District School Board, ON. Born: The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.
Kirk Mark is a Coordinator of Race and Ethnic Relations Multiculturalism and Visiting Educational Delegations Department for the Toronto District School Board. His focus is on student success, inclusive education, staff development, parental engagement, and school-community partnerships. No stranger to issues of equity policy development and implementation, professional learning, community capacity development, race, class, gender, ethnicity, culture, anti-racist education and sport development, he continues to expand his knowledge while presenting his research to local, national and international audiences at conferences such as the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto’s De-Colonizing the Spirit, the Canadian Alliance of Black Educators, the American Education Research Association, the Cheikh Anta Diop Conference and the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity to name a few. Kirk has also acquired expertise in the area of banking, life and health insurance industries, as well as human resources management through his involvement with various corporations.
Other: Founding Director, Toronto Basketball Association (1980) and the Willowdale Community Legal Clinic (1985).
Community: Member of the Board of Directors, Toronto Basketball Association (President, TBA); Canadian Alliance of Black Educators (President, CABE); Anti-racist Multicultural Educators Network of Ontario (Treasurer, AMENO and former Chair); Urban Alliance on Race Relations (UARR); City of Pickering Race Relations Advisory Committee; former Vice-Chair Caribbean Cultural Committee (CCC); former Member and International Representative of the National Alliance of Black School Educators (NABSE); former Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund (Canada) Board Member; former Vice-President Ontario Basketball Association (OBA); former Chair, West Indian Volunteer Association; former Treasurer and Chair of the Negotiation Team, The Association of Professional Student Services Personnel (MSSB Chapter); former President Ontario Public Services Employees (MSSB Chapter).
Honours: African Canadian Achievement Award – Excellence in Education – Pride News Magazine (2010); Breakaway Relief Care Award of Merit in Community Development (2008); Toronto Catholic District School Board’s Continuing Education Certification of Appreciation (2007); Who’s Who in Black Canada: Black Success and Black Excellence in Canada (2006, 2002); CABE Foundations Award (2005); City of Toronto Black History Award (2005); Toronto Basketball Association Award of Excellence (2004); Human Rights and Race Relations Centre Excellence in Education Award (2003); Honorary Ghanaian Citizenship (2003); Rwandan Women and Young Adults Resource Networking Centre Certificate of Appreciation (2003); Malvern Youth Club Award for Outstanding Community Service (2003); Children Services of Toronto Humanitarian Award of Excellence (2003); City of Toronto African Heritage Award (2001); City of Toronto Race Relations Harmony Award (2001).
Works: OISE/U of T’s Orbit Magazine. Appeared on:T.V.’s Time Out; In the Black; Ondes Africaines.
Education: Doctoral Candidate, OISEUT, Education; M.Ed., (1999), B.A. (1978) – York University, Toronto, ON; Dipl. Social Sciences (1976) – Dawson College, QC.
Heroes: Spouse, parents.