Thank you for being here and for being a part of this project! The Collective Catalogue of FSL Novels for Diversity is a passion project of mine that started in fall 2020. It came after a lot of self-reflection following the PDSB's Anti-Black Racism Report and following Ministry Directives in spring 2020 and is a way for me to continue to learn about how to be a culturally-responsive, anti-oppressive, and anti-racist teacher, and to work with others towards bettering our classrooms. It means the world to me that so many teachers have gotten involved!

I am a secondary teacher with the Peel District School Board and am still relatively new on my teaching journey. I am split between the FSL and Math departments, and always trying to carve out time for a good book!

I am very grateful and excited for the opportunity to work alongside this amazing group of inspiring educators who are dedicated to improving FSL learning for all students. I began my journey with the team by connecting through our shared Twitter Professional Learning Network. I was immediately drawn to the engaging and open dialogue that Mandy and Amanda were leading to diversify texts in FSL. Furthermore, the way in which the team was using technology and social media to make tangible and measurable change across board and district lines, demonstrated a true collaborative spirit. I was inspired to join the team and align our work to diversify the texts we use in our FSL classes.

As a French teacher, department, school and system leader for both Core and Immersion FSL programs for nearly twenty years in YRDSB, as well as in my roles as a curriculum consultant, course instructor and developer for FSL AQ courses, I am committed to offering my support to this important project. Collaborating to create more inclusive and diverse FSL learning spaces, from an anti-oppressive and anti-racist stance, should be the goal of all educators in FSL. I look forward to our ongoing work to put actionable, engaging, relevant and culturally responsive resources into the hands of FSL educators for the benefit of all our students. 

I first heard about this project through Dr. Mimi Masson, who I have worked with on other FSL research projects. As soon as I heard about the project, I became very excited about working with other FSL professionals and integrating research into practice. Through my research and as an educator, I seek to disrupt the status quo and make education more inclusive, equitable, antiracist, and anticolonial.

I am an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Education, department of Language and Literacy Education at the University of British Columbia. I am a former secondary school French teacher in Ontario and currently teach in the Bachelor of Education. My research specializes in French language programs and antiracism. I explore the experiences of racialized minorities in French programs in Canada, questions of identity, inclusion, and culture. 

When Amanda reached out with this project idea, I was hooked! It's such a privilege to be able to learn alongside FSL teachers! What a pleasure to see so much passion among our dedicated language educators. I hope I can support FSL teachers' work by helping to create resources that are useful for them and being a part of the process of becoming an anti-racist educator to make our FSL program more equitable and reflective of the rich linguistic and cultural diversity in our classes. 

I currently work as an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Education, Université de Sherbrooke. I completed my PhD in Language and Literacies Education at OISE (University of Toronto) after working as an elementary and junior high school English as a foreign language (EFL) teacher and a French as second/foreign language teacher with adults and professionals in Nagasaki (Japan) and Canada. My research focuses on second language teacher professional learning and identity development with a special focus on investigating the knowledge base of French as second language (FSL) teachers (including anti-racist pedagogies and culturally-responsive teaching), collaborative learning networks, and arts-based research and teaching methodologies.

Asha Nagpal (she/her/elle) is a Primary/Junior teacher in French Immersion with the Peel District School Board. She is passionate about integrating anti-racist and culturally responsive and relevant pedagogies in French Immersion programming, specifically in the Early Years and Primary division. Asha has collaborated on various curriculum writing projects, such as highlighting Black Canadian counter-narratives and incorporating 2SLBGTQ+ identities throughout literacy and Social Sciences. 

Asha is excited to collaborate with FSL Disrupt, and to begin an elementary chapter, to meet the needs of students who have been systemically marginalized by the education system in FSL programs. Outside of teaching, Asha enjoys beading, painting and reading.

Mandisa is currently a course director and practicum facilitator within the Faculty of Education at York University - Collège Glendon.

Mandisa has also held a variety of teaching and learning roles within the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) for more than 20 years. She has collaborated on many curriculum writing and review projects that centre diversity, equity and inclusion.

As French language instruction has always been a great passion, Mandisa works to fuse anti-racism and culturally relevant and responsive pedagogies with French language learning and literacy K-8. Outside of work, Mandisa finds joy playing with her two children. 

Karen Devonish-Mazzotta (she/her/elle) has been teaching FSL for 28 years with the Toronto District School Board. She has an M.A. in Second Language Learning from the University of Toronto.

As a reviewer for the Ontario Ministry of Education, Karen has conducted Equity and Bias checks for numerous curriculum documents in both English and French. In addition, Karen has an active schedule as an Additional Qualifications instructor for various AQ providers in Ontario. 

Presently, Karen is a Teacher-Librarian with the Toronto District School Board and serves as a Course Director/Practicum Facilitator with York University’s Faculty of Education FSL Teacher Candidate cohort. In 2021, Karen received the McGillivray Award from CPF Ontario, given to individuals who have actively promoted the development of French as a Second Language. She and her husband Paolo have 3 amazing kids who attend and have attended one of Ontario’s French-language school boards, Conseil Viamonde.