Guest post by Comfort Mintah, Assistant Professor Teaching Stream, CEMC (c2mintah@uwaterloo.ca)
What does math look like when it steps outside the textbook?
That was the question I found myself asking—again and again—at this year’s Canadian Mathematical Society (CMS) in Quebec City. The conference brought together educators, outreach organizers, researchers, and performers, all working at the intersection of mathematics and equity, creativity, and care. It was, in a word, energizing. Below are some of the talks that stayed with me—because they didn’t just share new ways to teach math. They asked us to reimagine who math is for, and how it can feel.
Kyne Santos: Math in Drag
Kyne Santos (Toronto Metropolitan University)—also known online as Kyne, the math drag queen—delivered a vibrant talk about blending math with drag performance. It was witty, wise, and refreshingly honest. By day, Kyne solves equations. By night, she performs in full glam on stage. Her message? Creativity, performance, and problem-solving aren’t separate worlds. They feed each other. “When I let students see all sides of who I am, they felt permission to bring more of themselves to the math.”
Asmita Sodhi: Doing Joyful Math Together
Asmita Sodhi (University of Victoria) introduced us to the Julia Robinson Math Festival’s Community Math Circle, a global, online gathering that welcomes people of all ages to do math together—not competitively, but playfully. “We’re not here to test you,” she said. “We’re here to play with you.”
Stan Yoshinobu: Lifting Up
Stan Yoshinobu (University of Toronto) delivered one of the most moving talks of the conference. Titled Lifting Up, it explored his decades-long involvement in outreach, inquiry-based learning, and equitable teaching. “Outreach is not charity. It’s about shifting who holds the power to do math.”
Zack Cramer: Out in the Open
Zack Cramer (University of Ŕ¶Ý®ĘÓƵ) gave a deeply personal talk about being openly gay in the mathematics classroom—and how even small acts of visibility and support can create affirming spaces for 2SLGBTQIA+ students. “We all teach 2SLGBTQIA+ students—whether we know it or not.”
Andrew Skelton: Do Summer Bridge Programs Actually Work?
Andrew Skelton (York University) asked tough but essential questions: Are summer bridge programs helping students transition into university math? Are they working equitably? His answer: yes, but only when carefully designed and evaluated.
Margaret Karrass: Undoing Template Thinking
Margaret Karrass (University of Toronto Mississauga) introduced the Mathematics Background Tutorials (MBT) program to help students shift from rote memorization to conceptual thinking. The results? More confidence and readiness for university-level math.
Yu-Ru Liu: Mentorship and the DRP
Yu-Ru Liu (University of Ŕ¶Ý®ĘÓƵ) shared how the Directed Reading Program (DRP) empowers students through graduate mentorship and independent study—helping them feel seen and supported in the mathematical community.
Mark Mac Lean: Indigenizing University Mathematics
Mark Mac Lean (UBC) described how the Indigenizing University Mathematics conference series brings Indigenous and mathematical knowledge systems into deep relationship. “Mathematics is not culture-free.”
Final Thoughts
What I took from Quebec wasn’t just content or curriculum. It was conviction. Mathematics—at its best—is not just about precision. It’s about people. It’s about making room. It’s about joy, justice, and the power of saying, “You belong here.” Whether through mentorship, performance, policy, or pedagogy, the message was clear: there is space in math for more voices, more ways of knowing, and more love. Let’s keep lifting each other up.
