Dwayne Locke is a professor in the Early Childhood Education Program, a graduate from Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University) and George Brown College. He began his career with the City of Toronto, and brings a wealth of experience to the Early Childhood Education Program, with many years spent serving as a family counsellor and a child advocate supporting families at risk. Dwayne’s areas of interest and involvement include helping first-generation students realize their goals to graduate from college through Helping Youth Pursue Education (HYPE), and the role of internationalization, particularly in the field of early childhood education. As such, Dwayne was fortunate to lead two cohorts to Ghana, Africa as a part of Centennial College signature learning experience. Dwayne currently teaches a number of courses, including Curriculum streams, Understanding and Communicating with Families and Child welfare. Currently, Dwayne is coordinating Early Childhood Education program (Tropicana Stream) for Black Learners in partnership with Tropicana Community Center. The program celebrates cultural identity and incorporates perspectives from the African Diaspora while removing barriers such as financial constraints. The program aims to boost workforce representation of Black ECE professionals in GTA child care centers and public schools.