Â鶹ÊÓƵ

Communication Research for Social Change master's student in the Faculty of Communication, Art and Technology

Tell us a little about yourself, including what inspires you to learn and continue in your chosen field

I am a graduate student in the Communication Research for Social Change MA in SFU’s School of Communication. I am inspired by Blackness in all its forms, from art to music to political thought to theoretical framework. Though my research may lean more towards cultural studies than traditional communication research, I believe the way we communicate and build relations with each other requires interdisciplinary, and the nature of my program allows me to engage in a range of my creative and academic interests.

Why did you choose to come to SFU?

I chose to come to Â鶹ÊÓƵafter attending the inaugural 2025 Edward W. Said Memorial Lecture. The keynote was delivered by celebrated civil rights activist and philosopher, Dr. Cornel West. Seeing then Graduate Chair for the School of Communication, Dr. Adel Iskandar, in conversation with Dr. West, as a prospective Black student, made me feel like my research could be nurtured here. Further, the Communication Research for Social Change MA blends theory and practice, allowing me to explore grounded social issues and to think practically about the impact I’d like my master’s research to make.

How would you describe your research or your program to a family member?

My research investigates how Black creative and cultural non-profit organizations are creating the space for reimagined Black futures in Vancouver against a history of systemic erasure of Hogan’s Alley, a historic Black community in East Vancouver. 

What three (3) keywords would you use to describe your research?

Black studies, Space and placing making, Futurity

How have your courses, RA-ships, TA-ships, or non-academic school experiences contributed to your academic and/or professional development?

I've had the privilege to work as both a TA and RA. My TA-ships have expanded my capacity as a mentor and leader in classroom spaces and deepened my engagement with theory through teaching. I’ve also built relationships with professors in my department who have diverse research interests and provided academic mentorship throughout my time at SFU. As an RA for the Community-Engaged Research initiative (CERi), I have been introduced to the field of community-engaged research, which has drastically impacted my ethical and methodological commitments when it comes to doing research work. That placement has offered me the opportunity to interrogate my positionality and take strides to orientate my research meaningfully towards community.

Have you been the recipient of any major or donor-funded awards? If so, please tell us which ones and a little about how the awards have impacted your studies and/or research

I am the recipient of the SSHRC Canada Graduate Research Scholarship, which was an exciting and affirming moment in my graduate school journey.

Contact Kiara:kiara_okonkwo@sfu.ca