Jesse Wente – writer, broadcaster, arts leader and advocate – receives U of T honorary degree – University of Toronto
June 15, 2026
Over a nearly three-decade-long career, Jesse Wente has emphasized the power of the arts to set agendas, shape histories and build a better future.
A broadcaster, writer and advocate for Indigenous rights and representation, Wente – who is Anishinaabe and an off-reserve member of Serpent River First Nation on the north shore of Lake Huron – has pushed Canada’s cultural institutions to reckon with their colonial legacies and create space for Indigenous self-expression and sovereignty.
Today, the celebrated arts journalist and commentator receives an honorary doctorate from the University of Toronto in recognition of his transformative leadership in advancing Indigenous representation and storytelling across Canada’s cultural sector, and for his lifelong commitment to truth-telling, education and advocacy.
