R. Cassandra Lord named the Black Research Network’s acting director 

The Black Research Network (BRN) is pleased to announce that  R. Cassandra Lord, an associate professor of sexuality studies in the department of historical studies, Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies program at the University of Toronto Mississauga, has been named its acting director, effective June 23.  

Lord, who holds a graduate appointment in the Women and Gender Studies Institute, will help lead programming and operations at the BRN. She will continue to work with the BRN as associate director after a six-month term.

“The BRN has seen tremendous growth since its establishment,” Lord says. “As acting director, I am deeply committed to fostering initiatives that support the cross-disciplinary impact of its members.”  

Lord is an interdisciplinary scholar whose research includes the Black queer diaspora, in the context of Canada, the U.S. and the Anglo/Spanish speaking Caribbean, drawing on Black/feminist theory and transnational feminisms.  

Lord’s expertise in gender and sexuality studies has led to scientific research collaborations with colleagues at the University of Toronto. She is a co-principal investigator of a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada’s New Frontiers in Research Fund project examining how gender identity and body image contribute to individual experiences of post-surgical pain. 

She has also been honoured by the City of Toronto for her significant contributions to organizing within queer communities. 

A University of Toronto alumna, Lord completed all three of her degrees here: a bachelor of arts (with honours) in visual arts and women and gender studies; a master of arts in sociology in education from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE); and a PhD in sociology in education and women and gender studies, also at OISE. 

Lord will work closely with the BRN team and its leadership as the initiative continues to build its programming and enters a new era with the development of its new, three-year strategic plan.  

“I am pleased to welcome Cassandra as the acting director of the BRN,” says Enid Montague, who was appointed the BRN’s director in July 2024.  

“A social sciences professor, Cassandra brings a thoughtful, research-informed perspective to community-building and equity work. Combined with her dedication to supporting Black faculty at U of T – and connection to the university as an alum – she is well-positioned to guide the BRN as we continue to build impactful programming for the initiative.” 

The appointment follows a period of continued growth for the BRN, including its inaugural research symposium held in April. In addition to strategic planning, Lord will help develop mentorship programs and enhance the BRN’s series of workshops, which focus on career advancement and bringing researchers together for interdisciplinary conversations. 

Now in its fifth year, the BRN will continue to offer its granting opportunities, including the IGNITE Grant and current Faculty Fellows program. 

Lord says that she looks forward to helping BRN members advance and amplify their research.   

“The BRN is one of many initiatives at U of T that creates a vital space for scholars to connect, collaborate and thrive,” Lord says. “I look forward to building on the BRN’s efforts to ensure that the work of researchers, at any stage of their academic journey, receives sustained support and visibility.”