Breath & Breeze: Tongueless whispers of the wind is a research-creation project that looks at the wind, wind technology, and the Dutch colonial footprint in Barbados and other Caribbean islands that are still connected to the Netherlands. The research investigates what it means to trace the politicization of wind figuratively, creatively, and deliberately. The purpose is to explore reparative justice and how past colonial structures and the systems of power that built them continue to haunt the present. The research uses visual autoethnography / autotheory methods, on-site field research, semi-structured interviews, and will offer interactive teaching and making public moments // a publication. The project is a collaboration between myself and Amsterdam-based artist, Mirjam Linschooten.

I lead interdisciplinary pedagogical projects and processes, and supports shifts in curriculum, research, and administration across the interlinked Practices and Honours programmes. My current portfolio includes: - Overseeing multi-year (re)design and implementation of interdisciplinary programs that connect Majors (disciplines), Practices (research contexts), and Station (skills). - Lead of international collaboration and exchange with Concordia University (Montreal) looking at graduate summer schools & seminars on artistic research to experiment on knowledge mobility and test potential of interdisciplinary shared international dual Master’s program. - Member of Social Practice research team: Promiscuous Care Study Group who are exploring alternative forms and practices of care in and outside of institutional frameworks.- Regular consultion with exam and advisory boards, Curriculum Committee, Quality Assurance to evaluate, report, advance quality, and align core competencies with academic policies and efficient structural processes. - Develop and support diversity & inclusion curriculum tools for teachers and staff. - Supervise and examine student graduation research projects.

As the Practices Program Coordinator I work with each of the 3 practices: Autonomous, Commercial, and Social. My role acts as an umbrella that covers, supports. and connects the three practices. I centralize the organizational structures and work to connect shared projects and administrative duties that impact each of the programs. In doing so the aim is to provide and maintain clear lines of communication and support to the individual practice coordinators, the large group of teaching teams, and the students in their first and second years of the practices program. All of this is done with the aim of creating more efficient and sustainable administrative and organizational streams that align with the learning goals and curriculum competencies.

Please see skyemo.wordpress.com for more details on my artistic research, pedagogical projects, lectures and publications

While in Barbados on an academic exchange at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill, affiliated with the Institute for Gender and Development Studies: Nita Barrow Unit, I had the opportunity to give a seminar and further support my doctoral project with access to resources and a community of scholars and artists who shaped my research. As well, I continued work with an on-going collaborative research project that is assessing the needs of LBTQI women in Barbados and the larger Caribbean region on issues of body image, mental health and access to healthcare.

Working as part of collaborative and supportive teaching team provided the opportunity to expand my university teaching skills within a feminist pedagogical framework. This included yearly adjustments to the course syllabus and input towards a teaching handbook chock-full of educational resources and tools for those delivering the course and its challenging subject matter. The year-long undergraduate introductory course in gender and women’s studies focuses not only on grounding theories but also important university research and writing skills that students need throughout their academic careers. Being my group of 25-30 students’ first person of contact, I held weekly office hours, answered course questions, provided instructions, feedback, and marked all assignments and exams.I was privileged to teach both the in-class and online versions of the course, and while much of the skill sets used were shared, there were some key differences. For the online version, I developed and led an online Moodle learning environment for my group of 25 learners, and administered weekly online forums, quizzes and activities on course material and university skills. While for the in-person class I led weekly 2 hour tutorials that included presentations, learning activities, guided and breakout discussions, as well as occasional field-trips to the university art gallery. Both versions of the course supported learners in active reading, critical thinking and questioning of various materials looking at intersectional theories of gender, race, sexuality, and Indigenous politics.

As the coordinator of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies in Society and Culture (CISSC) and the graduate program administrator of their Humanities Doctoral Program I worked in partnership with the directors to administer all of the centre’s cross disciplinary activities and research initiatives. The centre hosts visiting scholars and regular public lectures from international voices, organizes annual conferences, supports research currents and working groups, and funds a wide range of on campus interdisciplinary events. Each spring brings the compilation of a dynamic annual report for international circulation amongst the Consortium of Humanities Centers and Institutes.In handling the administration of the Humanities Interdisciplinary PhD of 100 students across disciplines of the faculties of Arts & Science and Fine Arts, this Included regular correspondence with students and professors, administering student requests and course registration, scheduling comprehensive exams and thesis defenses, sending out weekly newsletters and website updates. As well, managing the centre’s multiple budgets and overseeing internal and external funding applications.

• Publication launch and event planning, collaborate with like-minded organizations and galleries • Dissolve the organization: write and submit grant reports, organize archival material, consult lawyers

I was the lead on social impact and intentions reflection project on SPARCK’s NET/WORKS residency program.I conducted field research and interviews with artists, writers, researchers, and organizers in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Paris, Brussels, and over Skype.I wrote on contemporary art practices in relation to decolonial theory in a Pan-African context.For the project culmination I assisted in the coordination of the publication in FUSE Magazine, States of Postcoloniality issue, with SPARCK as guest editor.

In the New School Department, I developed and taught two 15-week Humanities college level courses on the sociology of sexuality and a media literacy course that critically engaged with how intersecting identities of race, gender and sexuality are represented in mainstream culture. Sexercise Your Brain - Winter 2012Media Literacy: Sex, Gender & Race - Winter 2011

The mandate of Youth Fusion is to develop and implement programming and community partnerships to counter high school dropout rates on James Bay Cree Nation reservations.Living in the Cree Nation of Waswanipi I worked with the local high school on extracurricular and community based programming that engaged students outside of regular scholastic activities. The largest was The Dog Project; a book of photographs and writing by youth on the role of dogs in Indigenous communities, inspired by artist Greg Staats, Memorandum (2001). The students were interviewed for National magazine and CBC Radio on the projectOther initiatives included: • Hosting a weekly radio show • Drop-in craft workshops • Student led newspaper • Healthy eating cooking classes in partnership with the local nutritionist • Organizing a Hallowe’en dance and haunted house for the community and other regular events at the youth centre in conjunction with the Youth Chief. I also acted as a substitute teacher at both the elementary and high school for the Cree School Board. This included the facilitation of a mapping project with final year geography students discussing spatial knowledge and relationships to land.

As part of my SSHRC-supported Master’s community based research and case study I worked with the board of directors to begin large scale institutional shifts around anti-oppression and just-practices that were better aligned with the mandate of the organization. This included the participation in the development and implementation of extensive 5 year strategic plan.The findings—a selection published in the academic journal Muséologies (2014)—looks at anti-racist feminist pedagogy and the possibilities it offers for community education initiatives at Montreal artist-run centres.As a member of the artist-run centre and larger community I • Co-found the outreach committee, and Fabulous Committee (anti-oppression just-practice). • Organized large scale events through the fundraising committee, and in partnership with multiple community organizations • Exhibited and presented in member shows • As a board member I sat on the gallery programming and hiring units

Developed the Facilitator’s Curriculum Guide based in anti-oppression pedagogyFacilitated and developed: Media Responsibility Workshops - Verdun Elementary SchoolGender & Media Literacy Workshop - Trafalgar School for Girls and John F. Kennedy High School

Diversity in the Classroom - Winter 2010, 2011, and Fall 2010. Sociology of Education - Fall 2009

• Develop and facilitate workshops and seminars on Reflective Learning, Adobe Suite, Interview Skills• Supervisory role in various projects and annual large-scale event planning • Work collaboratively with university departments, professors and students across every faculty bridging academic skills with the public sector and industry environments. • Graphic design, marketing, and communications.

With Michelle Lacombe, I implemented anti-oppression based workshops for children and youth.Kid’s Pop, Picturing Personas: a band’s story - dancing and drawing workshop on musician and band stereotypes - Summer and Fall 2010, Spring 2011 Rock Camp for Girls Montreal, Guitar Smashing (Gender Empowerment) Workshop - Summer 2009