David Grant obtained a Bachelor of Social Work from McMaster University and a Master of Social Work from Ryerson University.

David is currently pursuing a PhD in Public Health Sciences from the University of Waterloo where he is focusing his research on treatment, assessment and conceptualization of Black people of African ancestry’s mental health and illness. Other research areas in which David is interested include epigenetics, hypertension and diabetes, neurodegenerative disorders in African Diaspora populations and suicidology.

David serves as a legal social worker for the Sentencing and Parole Project where he conducts research and writes legal reports detailing the social, psychological and family histories of Black inmates with a specific focus on how racism impedes on these respective realms. See The Sentencing and Parole Project for more details on the success and importance of these reports (please highlight Sentencing and Parole Project to make it a clickable hyperlink and use this website https://sentencingproject.ca/enhanced-pre-sentence-reports

David Grant’s experiential and scholarly knowledge has helped him become a sought-out speaker. From the Toronto East Detention Centre, Toronto Public Library, The Black Physicians Association of Ontario (BPAO), The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) to churches, Instagram Lives and various Canadian universities, David delivered keynote lectures and presentations as well as frequently served as a panelist speaking to a wide range of audiences on a variety of subjects including:

• Psychiatric illnesses e.g., Depression, Schizophrenia and Anxiety Disorders
• Child maltreatment and welfare
• Culturally appropriate mental health including African-centred care
• Domestic Violence
• Addictions
• Racial trauma and oppression
• Black/African History
• Intergenerational trauma