Advancing racial justice in Canada’s criminal justice system.
The Viola Desmond Justice Institute strengthens access to Impact of Race and Culture Assessments, builds practitioner capacity, advances public education, and advocates for systemic change addressing anti-Black racism in the justice system.
The vision for VDJI was presented by Kadene Massop to, in chronological order, Dr. Danardo Jones, Maitre Kwadwo Yeboah, Dr. Patience Adamu (inaugural director), Michael Tshimanga (current director), David Nyarko (current director), Maitre Mike Siméon, Dr. Camisha Sibblis (inaugural director), Dr. Temitope Adefarakan (inaugural director), and Heather Kere (past director and VDJI’s current Strategic Advisor).
Their commitment to addressing systemic and institutional anti-Black racism, combined with their expertise and experience, contributed to what VDJI continues to build on.
VDJI is grateful for the support of past and current members of VDJI’s team, who primarily work on a voluntary basis, and looks forward to growing in the pursuit of increasing access to justice.
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Mandate, Mission, Vision, & Values
The Viola Desmond Justice Institute (VDJI) is a bilingual B3 service delivery organization dedicated to fostering an equitable criminal justice system in Canada through addressing institutional anti-Black racism and promoting an understanding of the impact of race and culture. VDJI supports the provision, management, and evolution of Impact of Race and Culture Assessments (IRCAs) through the training and mentorship of IRCA Assessors, enhancing the quality and accessibility of IRCAs, and advocating against systemic anti-Black racism.
VDJI is dedicated to justice, education and racial and cultural competence in understanding systemic anti-Black racism. At VDJI, we seek to create meaningful impact and equitable justice for Black individuals involved with the law, with the objective of honouring Viola Desmond’s legacy and the values she stood for: a social and legal landscape free from racial discrimination and systemic barriers.
Viola Desmond
In 1946, Halifax businesswoman Viola Desmond confronted the racism that African Nova Scotians routinely faced when she refused to move from her seat in the “whites-only” section of the Roseland Theatre. For this, she was arrested, jailed overnight, and fined. Her unsuccessful appeal to the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia attracted national attention. It confirmed for African-Canadians that the law did not protect them and sparked their activism. Desmond’s resistance to racial discrimination was an important milestone in Canada’s human rights history and an inspiration for the civil rights movement in this country.