The Leadership Team

Dr. Sabrina Jafralie

Member

Dr. Sabrina Jafralie, (she/her/hers/elle) is the daughter of Crystal Ross, a proud Afro-Nova Scotian mother, and Guyanese father, H. Jafralie. She is the granddaughter of Ronald Ross and Bessie Ross. Raised in Montreal, Quebec, Sabrina was bestowed with the invaluable gifts of legacy and knowledge by her family. Originating from Halifax, Nova Scotia, her familial ties extend to her aunt Deborah Dixon, the visionary behind the inception of the Africville Reunion.

The wealth of knowledge imparted to Sabrina encompasses many narratives of the Afro-Nova Scotian communities and come particularly from her mother and great aunt, Evie Ross. These insights shed light on the history of people of African descent in Nova Scotia and their profound impact on the province, Turtle Island (Canada), and the global stage. Growing up, Sabrina enjoyed the privilege of comprehending the nuanced yet potent interconnectedness between Afro-Scotians and their communities.

Sabrina attributes all the successes in her life to the rich legacy and knowledge passed down to her. As an educator, cultural 

Stephen Hennessy

Member

Stephen Hennessy was born in Montreal, Canada and was raised by his adoptive parents at a young age. Although, the family that raised him was of English and Irish background, they consciously had Stephen and his older brother Eddie attend “Black School” at the “The Black Studies Centre” on De Maisonneuve; a program for young Black kids to learn about their roots. These early memories sparked Stephen’s curiosity about his ancestor’s history. This led to his research of stories, recipes, music and art from his African and Caribbean heritage, where Stephen discovered the connection between culture and an artist’s expression.

In his early adulthood, Stephen explored his creative side by expressing himself through poetry and Hip-Hop. He was a co-founder of the radio show iLL GrOOve GaRDen on McGill University’s CKUT 90.3 FM. Known in the creative circle by his nickname Zip-Loks, he released several pieces of work including “Wordlife: Tales Of The Underground Griots” (1999) – a compilation album of poetry and beats from black Canadian artists and the album “Urban Elo” (2004) as a part of the Hip-Hop crew Butta Babees.

Dr. W. Y. Alice Chan

Member

Dr. W. Y. Alice Chan (she/her/hers/elle) – As a young girl born in Hong Kong, Alice’s first Canadian teacher was Mrs. Brown – a young Black woman who remains a very strong part of her educational memory. As a shy newcomer to a foreign land, Mrs. Brown made her feel incredibly welcomed as a 1st Grade student – and that is saying a lot, since Alice arrived during the last few weeks of the school year! In the following years, Afro-Canadian classmates, friends, and family friends were a consistent part of her life and showed her that Afro-Canadian culture (in its many forms) was a contributing part of Canadian society and heritage. Because of their presence in her life, it was years before she saw the gaps in the Ontario education system, when she realized what she never learned about Afro-Canadian history.

To her memory, Harriet Tubman was the only connection to Afro-Canadian history that she ever learned about. Africville, among other key sites, were never discussed. Through more conversations as an adult, the murder of George Floyd in the US, and her friendship with Dr. Sabrina Jafralie, Alice began to see the gaps more and more. When Sabrina discussed this project idea with her, she jumped at the opportunity to contribute, learn, and help others do the same. It was a no brainer.