and N. Wane "She Who Learns Teaches" Othermothering in the Academy A Dialogue Among African Canadian and African Caribbean Students and Faculty

Much of the feminist discourse in academic work renders African Canadian women's experiences invisible, seriously compromised andor marginalized. In this paper, a group of African Canadian and African Caribbean graduate students and professors dialogue with each other about some of their experi-ences in academic settings. Most of these students are the first generation in their families to pursue graduate education. They are from diverse back-grounds, and study in a range of disciplines. However, what links them is their research about African Canadian women and their interests in pursuing African-centered studies. They will discuss some barriers and challenges they have encountered in trying to make visible the experiences of African peoples. The students will also speak about their fieldwork in the communities, their experiences in doing African centered research, and the links between their academic lives and their communities, particularly their connection with their professors, fellow students, program co-ordinators, and student advisors as othermothers. The faculty members discuss their experiences as academics and othermothers, and some of the challenges and contradictions they face. W e begin with a discussion ofAfricentricityin higher education, and othermothering in the community and the academy. The paper concludes with an interactive discussion about approaches to eliminate gender and racial inequity in research, policy and action. Africentricity in higher education By Africentricity we mean using a worldview that sees African people as critical agents of their own experience. The core focus of the Africentric paradigm is the re-assessment of social phenomena from an African centere