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.
We take a multi-faceted approach to advance equitable access to justice for Black communities in Canada.
Explore each area to learn more about our work.
IRCA Advocacy
We advocate for the recognition, availability and appropriate use of IRCAs across Canada.
IRCA Advocacy
VDJI provides services to Black individuals across Canada through the writing of Impact of Race and Culture Assessments (IRCAs).
Our advocacy initiatives seek to advocate for policy changes that support the integration of IRCAs into standard legal procedures, ensuring they are given due consideration in judicial decisions.
Assessor Training
We train and accredit IRCA Assessors through the Dalhousie University Microcredential IRCA Assessor Training offered in English and French.
Assessor Training
The Viola Desmond Justice Institute is committed to advancing the quality, integrity, and influence of Impact of Race and Culture Assessments (IRCAs) through a comprehensive training program. This program is designed to accredit new IRCA Assessors, ensuring they are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and sensitivity required to produce IRCA assessments that are high quality.
To become an IRCA Assessor with VDJI, you must be recognized as a clinician registered with a clinical order and possess a graduate-level (Master's or PhD) degree. You must also have:
- Successfully completed IRCA Assessor Training;
- Been trained or mentored by Natalie Hodgson;
- Obtained the Dalhousie University IRCA Assessor Microcredential
The accreditation program offers a structured curriculum, expert contributions, in-depth modules, comprehensive training materials and a resource library.
Public Education
We share knowledge about anti-Black racism and culturally informed practices in the legal system.
Public Education
VDJI’s advocacy initiatives seek to produce and disseminate educational materials and position papers highlighting the importance of culturally informed legal practices.
Engagement with Legal-System Actors
We work with advocacy groups, community organizations and policymakers to advance awareness and systemic change.
Engagement with Legal-System Actors
VDJI’s advocacy initiatives seek to collaborate with advocacy groups, community organizations, and policymakers to promote awareness of Anti-Black Racism and systemic issues in the legal system.
Our work brings together training, education and advocacy to strengthen access to justice for Black communities in Canada.
Find your starting point
Choose what brings you here, and explore the next step.
Request an Impact of Race and Culture Assessment
VDJI provides IRCA writing services to Black individuals across Canada. Use the existing request form to contact the team about an assessment.
Open the IRCA request formExplore training and accreditation
Learn about the training program, clinician qualifications and accreditation requirements for VDJI IRCA Assessors. Training is offered in English and French.
Explore Training & MentorshipUnderstand Impact of Race and Culture Assessments
Explore how IRCAs provide expert clinical context about the effects of systemic racism, discrimination and marginalization.
Read the IRCA FAQsStart a conversation about collaboration
Connect with VDJI about education, advocacy and opportunities to work together.
Contact VDJILet’s advance change together.
Connect with VDJI to learn more about our work.
Education & Advocacy
VDJI’s Advocacy Initiatives seek to:
Collaborate with advocacy groups, community organizations, and policymakers to promote awareness of Anti-Black Racism and systemic issues in the legal system.
Produce and disseminate educational materials and position papers highlighting the importance of culturally informed legal practices.
Advocate for policy changes that support the integration of IRCAs into standard legal procedures, ensuring they are given due consideration in judicial decisions.
Connect with us about education and advocacy →-
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.