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A portrait of Professor Wesley Chrichlow

Wesley Crichlow
PhD

Professor

Critical Race Intersectional Theorist

Faculty of Social Science and Humanities

Dr. Crichlow's work dovetails at the intersection of Critical Race Theory Intersectionality, Decoloniality, Enslavism, Anti-Black Racism and Black Same Gender Loving, Queer, Trans, and Non-Binary Embodiment and Scholarship, and advances a critical epistemological perspective connecting these theories as his signature praxis and framing for his research, teaching and service.

Contact expert

Wesley is available for:
  • Graduate student research supervision
  • Media inquiries
  • Partnerships

wesley.crichlow@ontariotechu.ca
905.721.8668 ext. 2651

blackgbtqireentry.ca/en/
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Areas of expertise


  • PhD - Critical Pedagogy Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario 1998
  • Unpacking the Purge - Le voile sur la Purge LGBT. The Canadian Center for Gender & Sexual Diversity, 2023.
  • Constructing Black Skin As Social Trouble: Toronto’s Refugee Crisis. For the Danforth Jewish Circle. 2023.
  • Decolonizing 2SLGBTQI+ and Gender Diverse Theories. The Canadian Center for Gender & Sexual Diversity, 2023
  • Anti-Black Racism In Leadership. Skills For Change Black Leadership Program. 2023.
  • Community-Based Solutions to Online Hate. Online Hate, Media Misrepresentation and Systemic Racism Conference. Ted Rogers School of Management’s Diversity Institute. Toronto Metropolitan University, 2023.
  • Health Equity, Advancing Health Equity, Addressing Structural Determinants of Health. Promoting health equity through a co-development approach for the Mental Health of Black Canadians Initiative. Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) and Canadian Public Heal Association (CPHA) 2023.
  • Intersectionality is Not A Buzz Word: Cis heteropatriarchal Colonial Assault on Black Sexualities. 2nd Indaba Conference. Caribbean African Canadian Social Services. 2023
  • Critical Race Intersectionality and Black Youth Homelessness. EVA Panel on Homelessness. 2023.
  • Critical Race Theory In Conversation With Sport in the session Thinking Critically About the Criminology of Sport. Federation for Humanities and Social Sciences. Congress Reckonings and Re-Imaginings. York University, 2023.
  • Black Gay Scholar and the Provocation of Tenure and Promotion in the session Anti-Black racism in Canadian universities and its impact on Afro-Caribbean Black (ACB) students, faculty and staff. Federation for Humanities and Social Sciences. Congress Reckonings and Re-Imaginings. York University, 2023.
  • Decolonial Criminology: Oxymoron for Necrocapitalism, Racial Capitalism and Westernization of the Professoriate in the session Critical Human Rights: The Impact of ideology on justice. Federation for Humanities and Social Sciences. Congress Reckonings and Re-Imaginings. York University, 2023.
  • Black Lives Matter and Black Leadership. Skills for Change, 2023.
  • Intersectionality Indigenous Perspective. Congress of Aboriginal People’s – Gender Symposium. 2023.
  • Black LGBTQ Perspectives. Western University, Gender Studies 1030. 2023.
  • Section 15 Critical Race Theory Community Activist Litigation. Critical Race Theory (CRT), Law 12H1S. University of Toronto Faculty of Law, 2023.
  • OFL’s Reparative Labor Case For Critical Race Theory Policy Analysis. Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL), 2023.
  • History of Black LGBTQ Organizing in Canada. Panel on Our Dance Revolution. Peterborough Aids Resource Network. 2023.
  • EDI Neo-Liberal Performativity: A Critical Transformative Conversation. The Rene Speaker Series from the Broad Institute Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard Universities,2023.
  • The Need For a Black LGBTQI+ B3 National Organization. Liberal Party Parliamentary Black Caucus, Pre-Budget Consultation, 2023.
  • We Exist. Looking Back Looking Forward. The Decade For People of African Descent Cannot Forget Black LGBTQI+ Canadians. Sponsored by CRRF and Egale Canada, 2023.
  • Critical Race Theory In Conversation With Equity Diversity and Inclusion. Desautels Faculty of Management at McGill University, 2023.
  • Critical Race Theory and Criminal Justice. Lunch and Learn. Human Services & Justice Coordinating Committee, 2023.
  • Skills For Change Anti-Black Racism and Leadership In Canada. 2023.
  • Critical Race Theory, Black Youth & Child Welfare. Systemic Racism In Youth Protection. An Indigenous and Black
  • Dialogue. Organized by the Center for Research-Action on Race Relations and the Institute for Research and Education
  • on Race Relations, Montreal, 2023.
  • Leading Practices to Advance EDI in Research in the Wake of COVID-19. Council of Ontario Universities, 2022.
  • The Limits of Hate Crimes Approach: Integrating a Critical Race Theory and Intersectional Analyses. Council of
  • Agencies Serving South Asians. 2022.
  • Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Training, for Prison Guards and Staff. Creating Inclusive Futures for Gender Equality and
  • 2SLGBTQQIA+ Communities. Congress of Aboriginal People.2022
  • Deconstructing Colonization, Enslavement and Theodicy. The Presbyterian Church of Canada. 2022
  • Critical Race Theory and Black LGBTQ Organizing in Toronto. Global Black Pride Toronto, 2022.
  • Cluster Hires For Black Employees. Bachelor of Music, Faculty of Media and Creative Arts. Humber College & Humber
  • Human Rights and Equity Office. Toronto, ON: Canada, 2022
  • Making the Workplace Friendlier for LGBTQ2S Employees. Humber College. 2022
  • Black LGBTQ Employment Equity Inclusion. Employment Equity Deputation. The Employment Equity Act
  • Review Taskforce, Chaired by Professor Adelle Blackett and Dionne Pohler. 2022
  • Critical Race Theory: Making Sense of Black Death At The Hands of Police: Annual George Floyd Memorial Lecture. The
  • Canadian Congress on Inclusive Diversity and Workplace Equity, 2022
  • Resisting Racism and Colonialism in Sociology. Federation for Humanities and Social Sciences. UBC Congress 2022
  • Critical Race Theory: Race Based Litigation. Law and Social Change: Critical Race Theory Seminar. Osgoode Law
  • School. York University, Toronto. 2022.
  • Critical Race Theory and the Law Seminar. University of Toronto Faculty of Law. Toronto. 2022.
  • Weaponization and Prisonization of Toronto’s Black Male Youth. Abode Community Service Center, Toronto.2022.
  • Intersectional Hegemony: The Misuse of Intersectionality. Egale Staff. Toronto. 2022.
  • Critical race Theory Intersectionality: Critical Reflections. Graduate Staff and Students and Seminar. Institute of
  • Caribbean Studies and The Reggae Studies Unit. University of the West Indies, Mona Jamaica. 2022
  • Black Youth Mental Health Roundtable. With The Honourable Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Mental Health and
  • Addictions, Associate Minister of Health. The Mental Health Black Canadians Working Advisory Group & The Public
  • Health Agency of Canada. Ottawa, ON: Canada. 2022
  • Critical Race Theory Legal Jurisprudence. Turnpenney Milne Workplace Lawyers. Toronto, ON: Canada. 2022
  • Situating Anti-Black Racism, Critical Race Theory and Intersectionality. Skills For Change. Black Leadership Institute On
  • Social Action For Change Mentorship Program. Toronto, ON: Canada. 2022
  • Historicizing LGBTQ Anti-Black Racism In Canada. Egale Canada. Toronto, ON: Canada. 2022
  • Critical Race Theory, Race and Equity Collective Bargaining. Brock University Faculty Association. St. Cathines ON:
  • Canada, 2022.
  • Critical Race Theory Analysis for Welfare and Social Workers. City of Toronto Employment and Social Services. Toronto,
  • ON: Canada, 2022.
  • Interrupting Anti-Black Racism in The Curriculum. Humber College & Humber Human Rights and Equity Office. Toronto,
  • ON: Canada, 2022
  • Global Institute for Equitable and Justice-informed Leadership. Panel discussion at the RWL12 Virtual Conference.
  • Toronto, ON: Canada, 2022.
  • George Floyd, Race and The Intersections of Queer Activism. Care New England DEI: LGBTQI Committee.
  • https://www.carenewengland.org/services/primary-care/locations/. 2021.
  • Understanding Anti-Black racism and Systemic Racism. Skills For Change – Summer School, 2021
  • Unpacking Anti-Black racism Pedagogy. Humber College, New Faculty Orientation, 2021
  • Anti-Black racism In Music and Arts. Humber College, Faculty of Media and Creative Arts. 2021
  • Slavery, Colonialism and Scientific Racism: Historizing Black Communities Mistrust In Medicine. Hosted by South
  • Riverdale Community Health Clinic and Flemington Health Center. 2021.
  • Anti-Black Racism and Access To Justice for Black LGBTQ Persons: https://egale.ca/egale-in-action/access-to-justice/
  • 2021
  • Anti-Black Racism: Race Ethnicity and Crime. University of Trinidad & Tobago. 2021
  • Pandemic of Racism English: Systemic Racism and Intersectionality. Senate of Canada. Office of The Honourable
  • Wanda Thomas Bernard and Stanley Kutcher. 2021
  • Addressing Anti-Black Racism and Leading Change At Humber College. Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion Office,
  • Humber College. 2021
  • Race, Ethnicity, Crime and The Media: Media Portal of Blacks in Canada. University of Trinidad and Tobago. 2021.
  • Youth, Sexuality and Identity: Parental Authority Amid Covid 19. Maama Watali, Ottawa. 2021
  • 2021: https://ricochet.media/en/3495/criminal-justice-bill-is-a-step-forward-but-advocates-for-drug-users-say-more-isneeded,
  • 2021
  • Understanding EDI and Systemic Discrimination. Dialogue New Brunswick Nouveau-Brunswick, 2021
Books Authored
  • Crichlow, W. (2003). Buller men & batty bwoys: Hidden men in Toronto & Halifax Black communities. Toronto, ON: University of Toronto Press.
Books Co-Authored
  • Joseph, J., & Crichlow, W. (Eds.). (2015). Alternative offender rehabilitation and social justice: Arts and physical engagement in criminal justice and community settings. London: Palgrave.
  • Kazarian, S., Crichlow, W., & Bradford, S. (Eds.) (2007). Diversity issues in law enforcement (3rd ed.). Toronto, ON: Emond Montgomery.
Special Issue Journals Co-edited (1)
  • Coburn, Elaine. & Crichlow, W (2020). “Black Experiences: Bearing Witness To COVID-19” Editorial and symposium in Antipode: A Radical Journal of Geography. Antipode. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/14678330
  • Coburn, Elaine. & Crichlow, W (2020) Committing Sociology for Black Liberation. Canadian Review of Sociology / Revue canadienne de sociologie. https://www.csa-scs.ca/canadian-review/2019/10/30/call-for-papers/
  • Crichlow, W., DeShong, L., & Lewis, L. (Eds.). (2014/15). Vulnerability, persistence & destabilization of dominant masculinities [Special issue]. Caribbean Review of Gender Studies: A Journal of Caribbean Perspective on Gender and Feminism, (8)
Published Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles
  • Crichlow, W, Elaine Coburn and Emma Joseph (2020). Black Women’s Social Value: The Covidian Pandemic, “She-session,” and “She-covery” Published In “Black Experiences: Bearing Witness To COVID-19” Editorial and symposium in Antipode: A Radical Journal of Geography. Antipode. (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/14678330)
  • Coburn, Elaine. & Crichlow, W (2020) Introduction. Committing Sociology for Black Liberation. Canadian Review of Sociology / Revue canadienne de sociologie. https://www.csa-scs.ca/canadianreview/ 2019/10/30/call-for-papers/
  • Leach, Kirk and Wesley Crichlow. (2020) Critical Race Theory (CRT) intersectionality and non-profit collaboration: a critical reflection, Community Development Journal,, bsz028, https://doi.org/10.1093/cdj/bsz028
  • Crichlow, W., DeShong, L., & Lewis, L. (2014/15). Vulnerability, Persistence & Destabilization of Dominant Masculinities: Introduction. Caribbean Review of Gender Studies: A Journal of Caribbean Perspective on Gender and Feminism, (8), 1-15.
  • Crichlow, W. (2014/15). Weaponization & prisonization of Toronto Black youth. Caribbean Review of Gender Studies: A Journal of Caribbean Perspective on Gender and Feminism, (8), 235-268. (Reprinted from International Journal for Crime, Justice and Social Democracy, 3(3), 113-131.)
  • Crichlow, W. (2014). Weaponization & prisonization of Toronto Black youth. International Journal for Crime, Justice and Social Democracy, 3(3), 113-131. http://dx.doi.org/10.5204/ijcjsd.v3i3.120
  • Crichlow, W. (2008). Abundancia de Petróleo y VIH/SIDA. Sexualidades Latinas.org. National Sexuality Resource Center, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA.
  • Crichlow, W. (2003). Western colonization as disease: Native adoption & cultural genocide. Journal of Canadian Social Work, 5(1), 88-107.
  • Crichlow, W. (2002). Western colonization as disease: Native adoption & cultural genocide. Critical Social Work, 3(1). Available at: http://www1.uwindsor.ca/criticalsocialwork/western-colonization-as-disease-nativeadoption-cultural-genocide.
  • Crichlow, W. (1996). Contemporary literature review: Homophobia and Black ideologues establishing the frameworks. Trans/forms: Insurgent Voices in Education [Violence in Education], 2.[Toronto: Ontario Institute for Studies in Education.]
  • Crichlow, W. (1994). Understanding the world of the Black child. Orbit, 25(2). [Toronto: Ontario Institute for Studies in Education.
Published Book Chapters
  • Crichlow, W (2023) Decolonial Criminology is An Oxymoron For Racial Capitalism and Westernization of the Professoriate: The Routledge Handbook on Decolonizing Justice
  • Crichlow, W et al (2023) . Black Queer Identities and Pandemic Survival Experiences in Canada 80. In African, Caribbean and Black People’s Resilience During COVID-19. Publisher Demeter Press. Toronto
  • Crichlow, W. (2022). Reflections on teaching & negotiating identities in the Canadian academy: Black Gay Scholar and the Provocation of Tenure and Promotion. In H. K. Wright, A. Ibrahim, & T. Kitossa (Eds.), Nuances of Blackness. Toronto/Halifax: (Publisher University of Toronto Press, 2022).
  • Crichlow, W. Faulkner, E & K, Leach (2021). Black, queer & invisible: Human rights & Mental Health Rights Denied. In Delores Mullings, Wanda Thomas Bernard, Dave Este (Eds.), Africentric Social Work: Best Practices for Working with African Communities in the Diaspora. Fernwood. Halifax.
  • Crichlow, W. (2019). Black consciousness heteronormativity and the sexual politics of Black leadership in Toronto: A commentary. In T. Kitossa, P. Howard, & E. Lawson. (Eds.) Re/Visioning African Canadian leadership: Perspectives on continuity, transition and transformation. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.
  • Crichlow, W. (2018). (De)colonization, Racialization, Racism, and Canadian Families: Relearning Through Storytelling About Lived Experience. In A. Gaszo & K. Kobayashi (Eds.), Continuity and innovation: Canadian families in the new millennium. Toronto, ON: Nelson.
  • Crichlow, W., & Cao, L. (2017). Trends in the judiciary: Interviews with Two Toronto Judges.In D. Lowe (Ed.), Trends in the judiciary: Interview with judges across the globe (Vol. 111). London: CRC Press, Taylor and Francis.
  • Crichlow, W. & Lauricella, S. (2017). An analysis of Antiblackracism crime reporting in Toronto: Evidence from news frames and critical race theory. In S. Poynting, M. Bhatia, & W. Tufail (Eds.), Media, crime and racism. Australia/New Zealand: Palgrave Macmillan.
  • Crichlow, W., & Joseph, J. (2015). Introduction: Towards arts and physical activity as mindful alternative rehabilitation. In J. Joseph & W. Crichlow (Eds), Alternative offender rehabilitation and social justice: Arts and physical engagement in criminal justice and community settings (pp. 1-11). London: Palgrave.
  • Crichlow, W., & Visano, L. (2015). Concluding remarks: Challenges and prospects of an alternative rehabilitation. In J. Joseph & W. Crichlow (Eds), Alternative offender rehabilitation and social justice: Arts and physical engagement in criminal justice and community settings (pp. 158-173). London: Palgrave.
  • Crichlow, W. (2011). Hyperheterosexualization, masculinity, & HIV/AIDS challenges. In L.Tepperman & A. Kalyta (Eds.), Reading sociology: Canadian perspectives (2nd ed.) (pp. 235-238). Don Mills, ON: Oxford University Press.
  • Crichlow, W. (2009). How far have our courts come and how far will they go? Racializing courts and racializing judgments. In R. Barmaki (Ed.), Racism culture & law: Critical readings (pp. 43-67). Toronto, ON: APF Press.
  • Crichlow, W., & Visano, L. (2009). The impact of colour in correcting youths: A program of action. In R. Barmaki (Ed.), Racism culture & law: Critical readings (pp. 107-131). Toronto, ON: APF Press.
  • Crichlow, W. (2008). History, (re)memory, testimony and biomythography: Charting a buller man's Trinidadian past. In T. Glave (Ed.), A fi we time: Contemporary Caribbean lesbian & gay writing (pp. 101-131). Durham, NC: Duke University Press.
  • Crichlow, W. (2005). How far have our courts come and how far will they go? Racializing courts and racializing judgments. In L. Visano (Ed.), Law and justice: A Critical Inquiry (pp. 195-220). Toronto, ON: APF Press.
  • Crichlow, W., & Visano, L. (2005). The impact of colour in correcting youths: A program of action. In L. Visano (Ed.), Law and justice: A Critical Inquiry (pp. 305-332). Toronto, ON: APF Press.
  • Crichlow, W. (2004). History, (re)memory, testimony and biomythography: Charting a buller man's Trinidadian past. In R. Reddock (Ed.), Interrogating Caribbean masculinities: Theoretical and empirical analyses (pp. 185-217). Trinidad & Tobago: University of the West Indies Press.
  • Crichlow, W. (2001). Buller men and batty bwoys. In T. Goldie (Ed.), Queer country: Gay and lesbian studies in the Canadian context (pp. 69-85). Vancouver, BC: Arsenal Pulp Press. [Note: Nominated for the 14th Annual Lambda Non-Fiction Literary Award 2001.]
  • Crichlow, W. (1997). Black migration, identity and a Black same-sex consciousness. In D. Douglas, C. McFarlane, M. Silvera, & D. Stewart (Eds.), Ma’ka diasporic juks: Contemporary writing by queers of African descent (pp. 65-76). Toronto, ON: Sister Vision Press.
Published Government and Non-Governmental Reports
  • Crichlow, W., Annoual, P., Chambers, B., Haughton, A., James, C., Lashley, M., McKenzie., K., Salami, B. O., Williams, C., Wright, R., & Yohani, S. (2023). Mental Health of Black Canadians Working Group Reflective Narrative Report. Public Health Agency of Canada.
  • Crichlow, W., at, al (2023). Public Education Campaign on Palliative Care and Grief. Mental Health Agency of Canada.
  • Crichlow, W (2023) We Exist: The Decade for People of African Descent (2015-2024) Cannot Forget Diasporic Black LGBTQI+ People. Egale and Wage Canada. 2023.
  • Crichlow, W. et al (2021) Igniting Change. The Federation for Humanities and Social Sciences, Congress Advisory Committee on Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Decolonization (CAC-EDID). 2021.
  • Crichlow, W et al (2020) President Equity Taskforce Report. Ontario Tech University.
  • Crichlow, W et al. (2020) Snapshot on Health inequities and Determinants of Health for Black Canadians.https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/health-promotion/population-health/what-determineshealth/social-determinants-inequities-black-canadians-snapshot.html
  • Crichlow, W (2019) Catholic Children’s Aid Societies and Ontario Tech, MOU. Bridging Program First Year Review.
  • Crichlow, W. et al. (2017). Annual report to the Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Development Program, HIV/AIDS Practice. Trinidad & Tobago.
  • Crichlow, W. et al. (2010) Canadian Federation of Students. Task Force on Campus Racism. The Final Report of The Task Force on Campus Racism. I was One of the Commissioners on the taskforce.
  • Crichlow, W. (2006). Anti-Racism as community practice and action: For gays & lesbians. In Canadian Mental Health Association Journal Actes de Colloque.
  • Crichlow, W. (2001). Report: Round table on the new youth justice legislation & initiative. Funded by The Department of Justice Canada. Ottawa, ON.
  • Crichlow, W. (2000). Black male Rastafarianism: Racism and stereotyping. Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de le jeunesse/Quebec Human Rights Commission.
  • Crichlow, W. (2000). Facing race before the courts: Diversity and implications for the judiciary. Published on the National Judicial Institute website for judges (NJI). Ottawa, ON.
  • Crichlow, W. (1991, Mar. 22-3). Report prepared for the Consortium for Youth Empowerment. Youth & the Justice System Conference, George Brown College, Toronto.

Dr. Crichlow's current SSHRC-funded research project examines the intersections of Carceral Intersections of Gender Identity, Sexual Orientation and Trans Experience in Confronting Anti-Black Racism, Anti-Black Hate and Structural Violence in the Prisoner Re-entry Industrial Complex. Dr. Circhlow's research fulfills a need to better understand the community re-entry needs of formerly federally incarcerated Black and Trans Men who have a range of same-gender experiences, including same-gender sex, desires, relationships, identities, who enjoy and love other men, including Gay, Bisexual, Transmen, Gender-Diverse, Nonbinary and Queer Men.

Rights for Children and Youth Partnership: Strengthening Collaboration in the Americas

SSHRC Partnership Grant April 1, 2015

In partnership with Toronto's Ryerson University, Dr. Crichlow is a co-investigator on this five-year research project to explore ways to improve the human rights agenda for youth in Latin America and the Caribbean. It aims to advance social service organizations and policy makers in Central American and Caribbean countries, who seek to implement the Convention of the Rights of the Child, and to develop and implement strategic processes for the protection of children and youth. ($2,500,000)

Anti-Black Racism: Criminalization, Community, and Resistance

SSHRC Connections Grant April 1, 2015

In partnership with Ryerson University, Dr. Crichlow is a co-investigator on research to address issues of equity within criminal justice and healthcare at an annual conference held in February 2016. ($25,000)

American Society of Criminology – Division on People of Colour and Crime

Canadian Review of Sociology/Revue Canadienne de Sociologie

DiverseCity: The Greater Toronto Leadership Project

CERIS – The Ontario Metropolis Centre

Canadian Sociology and Anthropology Association Division on Political Sociological Social Movements Cluster

Caribbean Studies Association

Black Canadian Studies Association

  • Critical Race Theory
  • Critical Race Equity Diversity and Inclusion
  • Human Rights and Queer Criminology
  • Deconstructing Ensalvism Anti-Blackness, Anti-Black Racism
  • Critiques of Race, Crime Masculinities and Prison Subculture 
  • Critical Decolonization
  • Theories of Abolition and Abolitionist Futures
  • Black Youth Academic Access
  • Teaching BlackLivesMatter Scholarly Activism