7 Educator
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” -Nelson Mandela
jeewan chanicka
At the age of 11 jeewan chanicka converted to Islam, a journey that has increased his respect for its compassion and inclusivity. He was born in Calgary, Alberta, close to the Rocky Mountains. He later resided in Trinidad before moving to Canada, where he currently resides. He has worked in a variety of sectors all of his life, such as social services, education, and working with young people 1.
From support worker to his current position as Director of Education in one of Ontario’s largest school districts, jeewan chanicka’s career in education began in early childhood education and adult literacy. He held the positions of Superintendent of Schools, Superintendent of Equity, and Superintendent of Anti-Racism & Anti-Oppression at the Toronto District School Board, which is the largest school board in Canada. jeewan was employed by the Ministry of Education in Ontario as well. For his work in curriculum development, anti-racism, human rights, and social justice advocacy, he has received recognition on a provincial, national, and international level. 1
He graduated from York University with a Master of Education, the University of Toronto with a Bachelor of Education, and York University with a Bachelor of Arts with a concentration in Culturally Responsive Mediation & Bargaining. Additionally, Jeewan studied for about a year at the Al Diwan Institute in Cairo, Egypt, specializing in Arabic. 1 As part of a team tasked with creating a curriculum framework for Peace Education in the Islamic context that is implemented globally, he has provided consultations to the United Nations University of Peace. 2 Additionally, he carried a torch during the Toronto 2015 PanAm Games. 1
chanicka clarified that he intentionally spells his entire name in lowercase letters. This choice is a reflection of his resolve to put the needs of the community above his own self-centeredness. He emphasizes his role as one of many people collaborating to support the community and guarantee the success of all children by using lowercase letters. 3
In his capacity as a teacher, he has assisted and collaborated with educational institutions to strengthen their environmental focus both in terms of their daily operations and the instruction they provide. He keeps working with teachers to learn how to create classrooms and schools that are social justice focused. 2
His desire to improve the lives of students and make the world a better place motivated him to pursue a career in education, and he was encouraged by friends and a guidance counselor. In order to change the educational system and assist all students in realizing their full potential, he emphasizes the significance of concentrating on underprivileged students, taking responsibility for impact, and collaborating with others. His life path has been shaped by a variety of personal experiences, including learning about and developing understanding of topics like racism, Islamophobia, poverty, homelessness, immigration, and conflict. His work as a social service professional and his counseling of people from over eighty different ethno cultural backgrounds have been a great educational resource. 4
He has so far organized and joined numerous community engagement events, such as the National Summit on Islamophobia, the Nubian Book Club, which empowers the Black community, the Anti-Hate Conversation Series, South Asian Heritage Month, and more, in order to better the community. The continuous gaps in achievement and well-being that result from education systems’ persistent failure to meet the needs of marginalized students—such as those who are Indigenous, Black, racialized, 2SLGBT+, children with special needs, and those from poverty—are highlighted by jeewan. In order to create inclusive design, he has worked with people like Dr. Camille Logan, Ms. Camille Williams-Taylor, and Nick Bertrand, consulting with Indigenous Educators. This strategy seeks to address systemic problems and gaps in instruction, with a focus on Calls to Action #62 & #63. In addition, they are developing a TED Ed talk and a special website to highlight this Inclusive Design strategy, which addresses structural inequalities that affect marginalized communities. 1
He gave his TED-Ed talk at the 2019 TED Summit in Scotland, and he is among a select group of international senior education leaders who were featured as TED-Ed Innovative Educators. Among the honors granted to jeewan are the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Award for his contributions to education and community service, as well as the Promising Practices Award from the Washington, DC-based Character Education Partnership in support of the Helping Hands program. Additionally, in November 2017, Harmony Movement presented him with the Mary Samuels Educational Leadership Award, and in 2017 the National Council for Canadian Muslims awarded him a Human Rights Award. 1
Key Takeaways
In his current work, he explicitly and deliberately embeds an anti-oppressive approach through systems that affect the academic performance and overall well-being of students. 2 He previously served on the OHRC’s Community Advisory Group and is currently a member of the Advisory Group on Anti-Black Racism in Education. He was a member of the Provincial Roundtable on Islamophobia of the Anti-Racism Directorate. 1
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