Emmanuel M Gakuba Rutayisire is foremost a curious dreamer. He is an educator, caregiver, artist and student. He is currently a French teacher with the TDSB and pursuing his Masters of Education. He is Rwandan and queer. He believes education should be accessible to all students and to achieve that he constantly re-imagines how we can approach education and re-thinking the role of a teacher. He is grateful and excited to be a part of the Freedom School this year and can’t wait to see the magic the students and their community will cook up this year.

Simone Peters is an elementary teacher and child & youth worker of Caribbean descent. In 2017, she graduated from Teachers’ College with a specialization in social justice education. Her areas of focus are in math and language, where she has worked at Inner City schools including Rose Avenue PS, Africentric Alternative PS, and Lord Dufferin PS to name a few. Simone’s passion for teaching and commitment to supporting Black student success comes from her personal experiences navigating Toronto’s education system. She believes in applying a transformative justice lens to education, ensuring that classrooms are safe, supportive and equitable. She is excited to continue her teaching journey with the Freedom School because it aligns with her core beliefs and commitment to academic excellence and success for all students. As a recent graduate from York University’s Faculty of Education, she has become well acquainted with the implementation of diversity through cultural competence, equity and inclusion models found within Ontario schools. Simone is confident that her abilities as an educator, will make her a valuable asset to your child this summer.