Desmond Cole

Desmond Cole (born April 9, 1982) is a Canadian journalist, activist, and broadcaster who lives in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Cole hosts a weekly radio program on Newstalk 1010. He has written for the Toronto Star, The Walrus, NOW Magazine, Torontoist, The Tyee, Ethnic Aisle, Toronto Life and BuzzFeed.
Cole's 2015 essay for Toronto Life "The Skin I'm In," explored anti-Black racism in Toronto and across the province of Ontrario. The piece was one of the most discussed Canadian works of 2015, and won three awards at the 2015 National Magazine Awards. The essay was subsequently the basis of a CBC Television documentary film, The Skin We're In, directed by Charles Officer.
During his time as a columnist for the Toronto Star, beginning in September of 2015, Cole rose to prominence covering issues of race in Toronto. In May 2017, Cole resigned from his bi-monthly column at the Toronto Star after being told by his editor he had violated the newspaper's rules on journalism and activism by protesting a Toronto Police Services Board meeting over the Toronto police practice of carding and racial profiling. Many commentators pointed to contradictions in the Star's admonishment of Cole, and cited the Star's long history of employing and supporting columnists who engage in activism.
Early life
Cole was born in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada and grew up in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada.

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