Eleanor Wiltshire Rodney: An active member on the Hamilton-Wentworth Mayor’s Committee on Race Relations, the only teacher on the Race Relations Roman Catholic Policy Development Committee, successful champion of students facing challenges stemming from their Caribbean and African origins, and gained the name, “Fighter for Justice” Hamilton Spectator, March 23, 2003.

Eleanor, a Trinidadian by birth, migrated to Hamilton, Ontario with her family. A qualified teacher, B.A., M.Ed., and several specialist certificates, Eleanor was hired by the Hamilton-Wentworth Roman Catholic School Board. She believes in representation in education, so observing that the curriculum needed  supplementation, Eleanor initiated the first African Studies and Black History credit course in her school system, originated the, “Celebrate Your Heritage Projects” for all races, and pioneered her Board’s Adult Canadian Citizenship Course. Based on her coaching, she brought many Trophies to her school from the Royal Canadian Legion, Odd Fellows Society and Hamilton-Wentworth Roman Catholic Trustees Championships.

Beyond the school system, Eleanor found time to be a Public Affairs Journalist for the Hamilton Spectator’s First Community Editorial Board, published, “Nurturing The Trillium,” a book documenting the Caribbean and Black educators in Hamilton, and “Caribbean Recipes;” fostering Caribbean unity via its cuisine. She also served as a Recruiter Community Representative choosing potential candidates for Hamilton-Wentworth Police Department.

Eleanor never lost sight, of her focus on children and youth. Aware that a number of children in Hamilton were of Caribbean and African descent, she founded, Caribbean Potpourri, to be a component of ‘that village needed to raise a child’.