Carl James holds the Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community and Diaspora in the Faculty of Education and Distinguished Research Professor at York University. His work focuses on how social systems shape the educational experiences and outcomes of Black and other racialized youth — and how those systems can be transformed. Through research, advocacy, public scholarship, and policy advising, he works in close collaboration with his community to advance more equitable education systems designed for all students to succeed.
Seeing youth success beyond the classroom
In his first summer after entering university, Carl began working as a youth worker in downtown Toronto, where he saw firsthand how young people’s lives beyond school — family responsibilities, housing conditions, and economic realities — shaped their educational paths and future opportunities.
He initially turned to social psychology to understand what motivates students, particularly Black students, to succeed. Over time, however, he realized that success could not be understood in isolation. Family, community, and the school system itself play a critical role in shaping outcomes. This realization led him to sociology — a discipline that allowed him to keep community at the centre of his work.
One early interaction continues to shape his approach. A fellow student once challenged him by asking, “What is sociology actually going to do for us?” That question sharpened Carl’s commitment to ensuring that research does more than describe inequity — it helps to change it.
Rather than placing responsibility solely on students to “work harder,” Carl argues that meaningful equity requires society to work harder — by addressing the structural barriers that limit opportunities outside of the classroom.
COVID-19 as a lens on inequity
In 2021, Carl became Co-Chair of the RSC’s Working Group on the Impact of COVID-19 in Racialized Communities. The role built on his long-standing research into education and inequity and offered a stark reminder of how crises expose and deepen existing disparities.
His findings were clear. Black and other racialized students were disproportionately affected by the pandemic — not because of individual choices, but because of the social and economic conditions shaping their lives.
Many lived in high-density housing, relied on public transportation, and had parents working in frontline jobs that could not move online. These realities increased exposure to the virus while reinforcing harmful narratives that framed racialized communities as inherently “high-risk,” rather than structurally vulnerable.
School closures further strained families. Parents were suddenly expected to support learning at home while juggling work, caregiving responsibilities, and financial stress. The loss of school-based food programs increased food insecurity, while limited access to computers and reliable internet left some students disconnected from school altogether — raising the risk of disengagement and dropout.
At the postsecondary level, the effects carried forward. Many students entered university already feeling behind. Remote learning limited opportunities to build relationships, access support, and develop a sense of belonging. Some delayed or withdrew from their studies entirely, compounding financial pressures on themselves and their families.
As Carl emphasizes, COVID-19 revealed how racism intersects with class, language, gender, and immigration status — and how the consequences of disruption extend well beyond the height of the pandemic.
“COVID-19 highlighted that racism is not just simply racism.”
The inequalities shaping the lives of Black and other racialized youth existed long before the pandemic. COVID-19 simply made them more visible — and more severe.
When recommendations meet resistant systems
As part of the task force, Carl authored Racial Inequity, COVID-19 and the Education of Black and Other Marginalized Students, which outlines nine recommendations for addressing educational inequities. These include reforming education policy, strengthening partnerships between schools and community organizations, engaging parents without shifting teaching responsibilities onto them, improving curriculum accessibility, collecting and using data to advance equity, and better preparing educators to support student well-being.
Yet Carl is realistic about the limits of recommendations when systems themselves resist change.
“We can always make recommendations, but if the system is not ready for that big change — if those systemic issues are not dealt with — then the recommendations become just simply that: recommendations.”
Although COVID-19 has faded from everyday conversation, its effects continue to shape students’ educational and career paths. As Carl notes, we must continue to take into account the long-term impacts of the pandemic and the ongoing role of racism in shaping young people’s trajectories.
Black History Month — and the importance of systems
For Carl, Black History Month is not only about commemoration — it is an opportunity to examine the systems that shape present-day realities. He emphasizes the importance of understanding Canada’s racial history, including colonialism, the experiences of Indigenous peoples, and the fact that Black people are not recent immigrants, but were originally brought to Canada through enslavement, not immigration.
These histories are not peripheral. They are central to understanding how race operates in Canadian institutions today, including schools.
“We need to think of the social, political, and cultural situation of Black people beyond just a month — and beyond just Black people. If we’re thinking of Black people, we should also be thinking of other racialized groups, and how race operates more widely in our society.”
A path toward change
When asked to describe his work in one word, Carl offers two — change and path. Change speaks to the possibility of transformation. Path speaks to movement — how people navigate shifting conditions that shape opportunities, risks, and possibilities over time.
“People are constantly moving and travelling. You can be travelling along a path, but the weather might change — it might be icy and –10 degrees, or it might be sunny and warm. What matters is that we pay attention to these changes and adapt as we continue to walk our paths.”
Carl’s work makes one thing clear — to understand the path, we must understand the systems that shape it. And for real change to occur, those systems must be ready to change as well.
“How we deal with change is important — but so is paying attention to the context of that change.”
