In 2022, Dr. Cheryl Thompson joined Performance at Toronto Metropolitan University at the rank of Assistant Professor. She was previously faculty in Creative Industries (2018-2021). She is the author of Uncle: Race, Nostalgia, and the Politics of Loyalty (2021) and Beauty in a Box: Detangling the Roots of Canada’s Black Beauty Culture (2019),, external link external link, external link. Dr. Thompson is currently director of The Laboratory for Black Creativity (The LBC), which extends the pedagogy of THF470: Black Creative Practices, an open elective course that unpacks Black creative origins, forms, and styles. The LBC aims to be an incubator for research, conversations, and events on music, dance, theatre, festivals, fashion, media, and the visual arts. The goal is to create space for Black creatives, scholars, artists, musicians, actors and directors, dancers and choreographers at The Creative School.