I’m filled with gratitude to all of you for having lived this experience and to be inducted into, what is now, 400-strong Accomplished Black Canadian Women. The book is beautiful and the embossed monogram, such a nice touch. Thank you. The Gala was grand, the performances were exceptional. Memories are locked in forever.
You all went above and beyond.
RoseN ReallyOrganizedNow
Dear Dauna and team,
I just wanted to say how inspirational the gala was on Saturday. My guest was a dear friend who has lived in Toronto since the 1980s and we both marveled at the huge number of Black Canadians in the room compared to other gatherings 40 years ago. We also were so proud to congratulate my young colleague and fellow anti-black racism activists, Dr. Onye Nnorom for one.
I was so pleased to see other members of my faith and academic community, students and family in the crowd. This gala and the book — this new tradition that was started years ago, has touched our community in profound ways. I can tell you how proud I was of everyone present. I saw the joy and dignity each Black woman demonstrated as they strutted their stuff, their bling and their swaying African hips across the floor in stylish frock and sculpted tresses. I heard their song, their laughter, their music, their souls. This is one of the very few venues that they get to dress up, in a safe space where they are genuinely admired by all who know what beauty really is. And how they glowed. They glowed brighter than the light of those elegant chandeliers! In this transformative space, my guest, a cancer survivor, beamed as someone at another table admired her hair and complimented her beauty. Those words were a kiss from God, and sent her soaring. That’s what this space, this book, the venue and planning did. You brought us pomp and circumstance reminiscent of ancestral traditions.
Thanks for this excellence, this beauty, this reminder that WE ARE.
regards,
Karline Wilson-Mitchell
Hi Duana & Team,
What an amazing event, so professionally put together with the opportunity to connect with these awesome and outstanding women. Words cannot express how thankful and humbling an experience it was. Thank you so much for the experience.
Blessings
Bev
Hello Dauna,
I wanted to share my heartfelt thank you for the work that this team did to celebrate the honourees on Saturday. The energy in the space was amazing and it was wonderful to be able to celebrate all of the amazing women and their accomplishments. I loved the personalized books that were given to the honourees. It was also very special to have LBD students present the honourees with our gifts since Trevor Massey was the person that nominated me.
This was a very special and memorable night for me and I thank your team for all that you did to make this happen.
Thank you,
La Toya Dennie (pronouns: she/her)
