Canada
Helping people connect and engage through storytelling and strategic communications has always been a passion for Shellene Drakes-Tull. With a deep knowledge of traditional and non-traditional communications and strong journalism skills, Shellene launched Sweet Lime Communications in 2017, an agency that takes a crisp, clean look at words, and social media, using an anti-oppressive lens.
Shellene has shared the stories of diversity, equity, and inclusion at the Toronto District School Board, Deloitte, Toronto Metropolitan University, Parents of Black Children, and others. Shellene is a sessional lecturer at the University of Toronto Scarborough teaching about storytelling in Black Canadian communities. She has also gone back to her first love, journalism, writing for various newspapers and magazines, and is a contributing columnist at The Toronto Star.
“As a Black person, you know you don’t have to do anything wrong to have someone watch you in a store,” writes Shellene Drakes-Tull. “Sometimes just being Black in a store puts a target on your back.”
Doing everything right and still falling behind. Young Black women across Canada are caught in a cycle of underemployment
Toronto Star columns
I am overwhelmed, the world continues to turn, and I have to pretend everything is normal. I wake up each morning wondering what happened overnight and if it's catastrophic. I
Canadians are sick of wars, the rumours of wars and politicians playing willy-nilly with people's hard-earned tax dollars. We want straightforward communication from our elected officials.
When I speak with my friends and neighbours, we're not asking for highway tunnels. We're asking why it takes an hour to get to Toronto from Toronto. The parents I
Black joy lives in big and small things, like “choosing your costume for Toronto Caribbean Carnival and soaking up the culture,” writes Shellene Drakes-Tull. R.J. Johnston Toronto Star
The United States is not acting like a good neighbour. The Trump administration changed that. They've pushed Canadians too far.
Fascism is the path that many countries will follow if they don't protect their democracies and face their histories as uncomfortable as they may be.
The world isn't perfect, and it's never been perfect. But the holidays shouldn't demand that we perform happiness while life is kicking us in the butt.Maybe we need to pay
U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump wave to attendees during the Congressional Ball at the Grand Foyer of the White House on December 11, 2025 in Washington, DC. Alex Wong/Getty Images
There isn't much race-based data for us to rely on. Canadian researchers extrapolate data about Black people from American reports - but that doesn't always give the full story of
So, Megyn Kelly and anyone else who would want to excuse away the behaviour of child sex offenders, there is no explanation to make it OK.
There is a shortage of nurses and Ontario is trying to attract more, but if we don't value those who are already working in the province, why should others sign
The planet is struggling under the weight of our wants. We've been conditioned to think that we need more - and we need it now.
“We are not sure that words can save lives, but we know that silence can certainly kill.” Dr. James Orbinski said that as he accepted a Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of Médecins Sans Frontières in 1999.
If rest alone doesn’t help with your sense of malaise, “we need to find professionals who can offer culturally responsive care,” writes Shellene Drakes-Tull.
Aging is giving yourself grace and recognizing that perfection isn't a thing - some days getting it done is more than enough. Getting older means you are still living and
One day, after the tribunals, everyone will say they were against the starvation of people in Gaza.
Capitalism is teaching us that if you're poor, you didn't work hard enough. If you can't afford rent or groceries, that's on you.
For Toronto to be a place worth living in, we have to shift from helping developers to helping people.
The truth is, none of us really know what we're doing - no matter how many parenting books we read or podcasts we binge.
This performative tariff theatre is more of the same. Big threats. Minimal follow-through. And while we're tired of the drama, we're also better prepared for it.
I like someone with high standards running the ship, as long as it doesn't come with a side of hypercritical, control freak.
Our hateful slogans are creating a culture that believes it's OK to dehumanize the people we disagree with.
Banners in downtown Palm Springs, Calif., show support for Canadians. The city is a popular tourist draw for snowbirds, but many Canadians, such as Shellene Drakes-Tull, are reconsidering traveling to the U.S. because of President Donald Trump’s aggression toward Canada.
“We’re not just tired because we’re not sleeping enough. We’re tired because we’re carrying so much. Burnout feels like it’s just around the corner for many of us,” writes Shellene Drakes-Tull.
Canadians chose competence over potential chaos and pragmatism over populism. We rejected extremism, but we didn't offer the Liberals a blank cheque.
According to Elections Canada, voting is habit forming, so it's important that young Canadians cast their ballot on April 28.
Ultimately, it will be a problem because of the information he is missing ... or because of what he may be hiding from us. If every other leader can face
It's simple: Canada needs a strong public broadcaster - one that provides independent, reliable journalism from around the country that isn't driven by profit or political agendas.
Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, right, comforts Jeannie B., who’s says she will have to move due to her rent going up after making an announcement on affordable housing during a federal election campaign stop in Toronto on Friday, March 28.
So, what's next, folks? The Canadian federal election is next month. The madness that is happening in the States is now affecting us.
Times have changed and all Canadians need to be aware of what is happening at home and around the world.
The Progressive Conservative leader promises to "protect Ontario." He's done anything but, writes Shellene Drakes-Tull.
The story of Premier Doug Ford and President Donald Trump is ridiculous situation. Not "ha-ha" ridiculous, but "are-you-for-real" ridiculous.
The Star asked six of its regular political commentators to defend their preferred choice for who should lead the Liberal party after Justin Trudeau.
These billionaires and those grasping at power, are playing us by promoting half-truths and "alternative facts," blasting them on social media and manipulating our democracies.
Premier Ford, while we stand behind you against Trump and his threat of tariffs, we see this election call for what it is: you trying to ride this wave of
For 2025, we need courage, wisdom and a good dose of serenity more than ever. Courage to stand up and change the things we can, wisdom to understand the past
The holidays may not be cheery for everyone, but we can all find small kindnesses for everyone we meet.
My mother, like so many others, didn't just come to Canada for a better life - she came to help build a better Canada.
It doesn't matter whether you indulge or stick with the basics, food is just too pricey, Shellene Drakes-Tull writes.
When did it become acceptable for a politician to dive so deeply into hate speech? This isn't 1939.
The lack of proper transit in pockets of the city and wasting time to study cockamamie ideas like tunnelling under Highway 401 ignores the real issues of traffic congestion and
No one wants to fail at work, but for many Black professionals, the fear of failure is magnified
Don't take time for granted - because, too often, there is no later
I'm not surprised that so many corporations are stopping their DEI initiatives. I'm only surprised that it took so long for them to abandon the work they promised.
Some people think that if they just push hard enough, others will eventually agree with them. And if that doesn't work, they'll discredit or silence anyone with a different viewpoint.
The roots of Carnival are based in resistance and rebellion. It's a time to understand our history and ensure folks remember that we, Black Canadians of the Caribbean diaspora, have
I don't know about you, but I am tired of these half-baked, ill-thought decisions, like closing the Science Centre, that leave us scratching our heads saying, "who asked for this?"
On this Juneteenth, I am grateful that I am free to speak my mind, move around this country or visit many others of my choosing and I can criticize my
The freedom of social media and the ability to share every aspect of our lives have led many people to forget about decorum and, more importantly, privacy.
The generations coming after us are feeling the weight of our careless choices and reckless behaviour, but too many of us blame them for having to manage in an economy
This desire for order and peace above justice that will end a war is a problem. Because if there is no justice, it is impossible to have real peace.
When you see a grown man, cradling his elderly mom - who is suffering from heart failure - beg for a stretcher so she can just lie down, the story
When you decide it's time to light that match, you have to be prepared for the fallout - but the fallout is rarely worse than being mistreated at work.
This family research is a gift for my children. Hopefully, it will change how they see themselves in the context of world history and not just through a lens of
We might not need a Black History Month if Black history - the full history of Black people in Canada, not just the Underground Railroad - was part of our
Point blank, racism affects our brains - and our mental health.
But if we're being honest, truly honest, you know inclusive meritocracy is not what workplaces are about. This isn't what life is about.
Many events in 2023 didn't inspire happiness - they were heavy and painful, but joy is knowing that we still have hope to change things.
Social media is highly curated, with our problems and challenges neatly packaged, but we all struggle, and everyone faces their share of rainy days.
For as long as I can remember right after Halloween, my father would pull out the Christmas decorations, put up our fake tree, blast his Caribbean-inspired holiday tunes and get the house ready for the holidays. Christmases with my parents are some of the best memories I have.
It's time to reject the idea that women shouldn't age and we should hold onto every scrap of youth to be seen in this society that isn't safe for women.
I used to hear praises of Canada's multiculturalism policies. Now? Tweets full of "multiculturalism failed" when people demand change.
You can't outrun social issues by moving further and further away from the city centre. At some point, there will be nowhere else to run because it just won't matter.
Maybe instead of talking, we should start learning the complete history of Palestine and Israel.
Listen to this episode from Chelsea on CHED on Spotify. Shellene Drakes-Tull is a Toronto-based storyteller, educator and the founder of Sweet Lime Communications
When we can't even consider someone else's point of view, we lack social empathy and we don't see people as human beings. We see them as evil.
Organizations that talk diversity, equity and inclusion but have not promoted a Black or Indigenous person into leadership positions aren't living their values.
If the goal is engaged employees - not jittery people doing half a job - it's time to do retire the hustle culture ideology because it's killing us.
Ontario is led by what Jamaicans call a "wasteman," which is what happens when your electorate is apathetic, has a short memory, or doesn't care.
When everything is deemed urgent, workers are left scrambling to keep up, constantly in motion and in a state of overwhelm. They suffer, and so does the work
After not living in Quebec for a couple of decades, I have the same outlook on language laws: I don't like them, but my dislike is more nuanced.
Many refugee claimants and asylum seekers have come to Canada but I'd never heard of them being left on the street because there is no money.
Eating at home and moving to small town Ontario are Band-Aids not solutions to soul-crushing debt.
Listen to this episode from This Matters | Daily News Podcast on Spotify. Guest: Shellene Drakes-Tull, contributing columnist How many racialized people calling it out does it take to fix racism?
Stop being shocked, surprised, or angry about the latest report on racism. We know what the issues are. Let's fix them.
It is difficult to find people who believe in you, who want to see you succeed, who create space for us to share our stories without apology.
Almost 23 years ago, I walked out of the Toronto Star's newsroom, an angry and frustrated 25-year-old. I had just completed a yearlong internship, the next step on my journey to be a newspaper journalist - a feature writer, actually.
Freelance
Can you go home to a place you've never been?
Two UofT researchers pull back the curtain on how Canadian schools pipeline Black youth into poverty, one class at a time.
Misogynoir - the intersection of racism and sexism - can harm Black women's mental health and career prospects
Asha Lapps and Fatim Sylla of Black Queens of Durham Region are helping Black women grow their businesses and build community
Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are not taking the same exam.
It's a concerning trend: small-and mid-sized organizations, particularly those with white leadership, demonstrate the lowest inclination to intentionally implement DEI policies.
Are we really any better than our American cousins?
Ruby Smith Díaz's forthcoming book, Searching for Serafim: The Life and Legacy of Serafim "Joe" Fortes challenges the official white historical record.
Lawsuits, internal reports, first-hand accounts-what more do Black people need to do to make people believe us?
Natasha Singh burnt out in 2021. She had worked in tech marketing for more than eight years, calling it a "roller coaster experience from startup to big corporate." And while she says she learned a great deal during that time, "so many of those years were deep in burnout."
Women who experience microaggressions at work often self-shield - adjust the way they look or act - in order to protect themselves
Breathe Biomedical's device could be the key to helping people get the treatment they need early and easily (Photo courtesy of Breathe Biomedical) What if learning what's happening in your body was as simple as taking a deep breath and blowing into a plastic mouthpiece?
Crystal McPhee remembers a time in the 1990s when she was preparing a young Black man with dreadlocks for an interview in sales. She worked in the staffing industry and her goal was to have him present in a professional manner to fit in and get the job.
Job postings and corporate 'About Us' pages often include a statement about the company fostering an environment where employees can bring their 'whole selves' to work. But how often do these claims reflect reality? "I think it's a scam," laughs Melanie Blackman-Gushway, who has worked in postsecondary education in the Toronto area for 10 years.
Conversations about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in Canadian workplaces aren't new. Many discussions have been had, reports have been written and promises have been made - but has there been any real change for marginalized groups in the workplace over the past 20 years?
What's the future of our food? Farmers, climate and technology experts came together to answer that question at Sustainable Agriculture: Technology and the Future of Food, a recent Globe and Mail symposium sponsored by McCain Foods Ltd.
Students observing a protest is the least of our worries.
"Where are you from, really?" It's a pretty innocent question until you are asked it enough times because people can't believe you were born and raised in Canada. I've experienced this microaggression since I was a kid. You may think I'm being overly sensitive in my annoyance with this question.
Life was stressful enough-then COVID-19 added another layer of anxiety to it. As the world shut down, tensions rose with daily case counts and death tolls, and the inability to connect with friends and family because of physical distancing restrictions.
We all have bias. We can't avoid it - it stems from our values, how we see the world and how we interpret information. While most of us assume that scientific research is supposed to be objective because it deals with data, it's impossible for anyone, including researchers, to be completely objective.
Communications projects
Co-wrote a report based on a national survey about Black women's health.
Lead writer for a student resource toolkit.
Lead writer for a non-profit issues management plan.
Employers are looking for ways to support their Black employees and create a more inclusive work environment. Deloitte Canada's report helps Canadian employers support their Black employees.
The Kuumba Project uses creative ways to engage, the Kuumba Project, led by Abiona Centre (formerly Massey Centre and Humewood House), supports infant mental health. I did the copywriting for the website.