African Nova Scotian Affairs - Government of Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia has a rich culture and long history that is filled with stories of African Nova Scotians who blazed a trail for future generations. Professor Divine’s presentation will focus on the past and present informing the future. It will explore the relevance of the declaration by the United Nations of the International Decade for People of African Descent (2015-2025) globally, and what impact it should have on our collective tomorrows in Nova Scotia. Our histories, experiences, salient issues-past, present and prospective, successes, challenges yet to be overcome, lead us to examine what contribution has to be made by others to effect necessary change in creating a society where value is not dependent on how I look and circumstances of birth, and what should be my contribution as a Youth, Mature Adult or Elder?

Professor David Divine is a graduate of Edinburgh University (Scotland), Aston University (Birmingham, UK), and the London School of Economics (UK). Professor Divine has occupied some of the most senior positions in social work practice, administration, education and regulation, in the UK in addition to occupying similar levels in social housing in the UK. Professor Divine has managed his own consultancy company in social work, housing and community health from 1994-2004, and was the James Robinson Johnston Chair in Black Canadian Studies, at Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia, Canada, from 2004-2009, in addition to being a fully tenured Professor of Social Work at Dalhousie University. Areas covered as research Chair revolved around the history and lived experience of Black Canadians and other ethnic minority communities of colour in Nova Scotia and the wider diaspora. Specific aspects of marginalization and oppression were highlighted and how they were confronted. Such areas included socio-economic, health, criminal justice, gender expression and gender identity, sexual orientation and how those with perceived differences interacted with authority and constructed strategies of seeming subservience and resistance. Professor Divine is a published author, international public speaker, world –traveller and researcher. Professor Divine is currently engaged in assisting individuals and communities whose stories have as yet not been told, but wish to, seek an audience that will listen and learn. Professor Divine has established a company titled Footprints Life Coaching (www.daviddivine.co) on 30th September 2016 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

This is a free public event, everyone is welcome.

Doors open at 6:30pm with the talk starting at 7:00pm