Public Profile Database
My greatest accomplishment to date is successfully delivering 4 children by Cesarean section, loving, nurturing and guiding them to be the best versions of themselves. Being elected and reelected to the Peel District school board as a trustee representing Brampton in wards 3/4 is my second greatest accomplishment especially because I believe that my advocacy and my perseverance played an important role towards the meaningful dismantling of systemic Anti-Black Racism in education. Surviving the trauma of advocating for the humanity of Black students and demanding that their human rights be recognized as they pursue an education is something that I am proud of especially since the changes are significant, permanent and my future grandchildren may have an education in Ontario free of discrimination, racism and hate. My third greatest accomplishment is making the Jamaican Chess Olympic team.
*Mentoring youth to share their stories in the photovoice exhibitions that I curated e.g., Urban Gardening: Voices of Indigenous Youth at the Urban Shaman Gallery and fostering community conversations about the history of Black spaces as part of Hidden Spaces Nuit Blanche 2022,
*Mentoring the next generation of artists, designers, and graduate researchers
*My research on pharmacogovernance and my family
I never imagined growing up in Little Jamaica in Toronto with two regular parents, working regular jobs that I would end up halfway through a Ph.D. at the University of Toronto, having already taught four university-level courses and published one paper before the age of 30. As a result, I am dedicated to giving back to my community, especially young Black girls, as I can identify with their journey through adolescence, and have founded a grassroots organization in partnership with two other exceptional women in my neighborhood - Auntie’s Place - that co-creates a safe space with Black, Indigenous, and Afro-Indigenous youth who reside in Toronto and are seeking social support, community, food security, healing, and cultural knowledge. Furthermore, I have also gained the confidence to use my expertise to improve corporate and non-profit organizations policies and programs related to racialized individuals by conducting research through my own consulting company, which was inspired by the success of my research and analysis recruitment and retention of racialized individuals at TD Bank and the incorporation of my recommendations into their long-term plan.
My top three major accomplishments are:
1) Successfully raising three wonderful young adults with my life partner;
2) Pursuing my professional endeavours irrespective of societal dictates: Policing, Attending Law School, Founding True2Soul Network and Broken Whole Media Group & Producing; and
3) Living true to my life purpose of creating safe and empowering spaces for transformative healing.
Developing Riddim Fitness Inc. and the Riddim Cultural Arts Program, writing and developing courses for municipal governments, school boards and not-for-profits for the betterment of Black children youth and families, and raising two Black children with my husband; children who are happy, healthy and grounded in the love of their family and community.
Kemi Jacobs, with over 30 years of community involvement, has been a leader in the non-governmental and public sectors, serving as the President of the Canadian Council for Refugees, Executive Director of CultureLink Settlement Services, and Delta Family Resource Centre, Chairperson of the National Anti-Racism Council of Canada, Director of Housing at Toronto Community Housing and Chair of the Board at Canadian African Social Services.
She is an African-Caribbean woman who has lived in Toronto for longer than she has lived in the Caribbean. Kemi is deeply rooted in her identity as an African woman, and has a deep appreciation for the African continent. She comes from a strong, but rapidly shrinking family where integrity, joie de vivre, engagement and focus are valued. Birth and chosen families are all deeply appreciated. Equity, Afrikan people, self-actualization (her own and others), living zestfully and having a singing soul are important life values …. work on all five areas, is on-going.
Kemi’s career has been defined by work with resilient and under-resourced communities. Her contribution has been the creation of soft spaces for individuals from such communities to land; places where youth and residents of often ignored constituencies and communities can explore new ideas, find common ground with others and opportunities to plan, grow and develop their full potential in supportive communities which expect them to soar and achieve wonderful things.
Ketcia Peters, born in Haiti, is an award winning entrepreneur and community activist with a record of strong results delivered for individuals and organizations across civil society, government and the private sector. As an elderly care resolution strategist and founder of retirement home “Residence La Voix Du Bon Berger” Ketcia has been a leader in the retirement home and human resources services for over ten years. She created KETCIA Peters Group (KPG), a certified coaching service, out of a need to make a difference. Ketcia and her team deliver exceptional results, provide responsive client service, and offer innovative, practical solutions exclusively to the Canadian retirement home sector both in person and online. Under her leadership, KPG provides full project lifecycle services that promote the application of technology to improve retirement home-delivery across Canada.
Ketcia’s expertise consists of business strategy planning, recruitment partnership both local and international, social media marketing strategy, branding and the systematization to ensure business owners have a system that allows them to enjoy the fruits of their labor. She also provides elder care dispute resolution by helping the elderly and their families navigate the healthcare, caregiving, financial and legal landscapes of aging.
Kharoll-Ann Souffrant was born in Montreal to parents of Haitian descent. She lived with depression symptoms for most of her childhood, and it was not until as an adult when she was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. Mental health issues were not discussed openly in Kharoll-Ann’s family. Despite that, she learned to recognize how her condition manifested itself, so she rebuilt her confidence and regained control of her life. She completed a DEC (pre-university studies) in Delinquency Intervention at Collège Ahuntsic in Montreal. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work and is now pursuing a Master’s Degree in Social Work with an option in Feminist Studies at McGill University.
Kharoll-Ann has an impressive list of accomplishments. She has been volunteering in the community for various social causes since the age of 12. She has offered her time to Amnesty International, the Foundation of the Lakeshore General Hospital, the Link (a newspaper), the Centre for the Help and Combat of Sexual Assault (Calacs) of the island, Tel-listen/Tel-elders and Academos. Through her commitment, Kharoll-Ann has been interested in issues of respect for human rights around the world, violence against women, loneliness among elders, and vocational guidance and perseverance in schools. She was named Young Woman of Distinction by the Y Women’s Foundation of Montreal and received the Terry Fox Humanitarian Award.
Kharoll-Ann is a lecturer on the topic of mental health.
Kike Ojo is a Toronto-based Educator, a Thought Leader and Institutional Change Agent. As the principal consultant for KOJO KONCEPTS, she specializes in supporting organizations around the world, to achieve equitable outcomes for their staff and clients, using principles of anti-oppression, anti-racism, human rights and cultural safety. She is the daughter of a Trinidadian mother and a Nigerian father, Kike experienced “internal racism” which is sometimes described as a by-product of colonialism. Anti-African sentiments within the Caribbean community was a constant presence including suggestions that the sometimes lighter colour Blacks from the islands was preferable to any shade of black from Africa. This began her thinking about race as a social construction and how ‘whiteness’ as dominant and ideal had been developed through colonialism and slavery, while she sought to understand why people make such arbitrary distinctions.
RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Award, CIBWE TOP 100 BLACK WOMEN TO WATCH AWARD, BRAMPTON TOP 40 UNDER 40
My top three major accomplishments are that I authored several high-impact peer-reviewed articles that have furthered the field of medical neuroscience, I established multiple community initiatives and programs that support the success of black youth, and I have built a loving family and home.
- increased SMP applications by more than 350% and enrolment by more than 200% between 2013 and 2021
- 2015 IDERD Award Recipient
- 2020 Staff Impact Award Recipient
Co-creator of Impact of Race and Cultural Assessment for Family and Criminal Court
Primary Clinical Lead on the Development of IWK Mental Health Black Mental and Addictions Treatment Program Mother of an Amazing Young Adult.
Establishing SCAGO and being an integral part of the establishment of the Sickle Cell Disease Association of Canada (SCDAC).
1. In 1978 VP for Immigrant nurses group in Quebec - re Bill 101 challenged this bill and won. Hospital had to rehire all nurses that were laid off. Was VP for C.A.P.I. (Centre for Professional Immigrants)
2. Establishing a Black Ombudson person in 1997 as part of a settlement reached
3. In 2000, won case against OHIP on behalf of Sickle patients in Southwest Ontario to be taken care of Harper Hospital, , Detroit, Michigan.
4. In 2008, won case where VIA Rail had to carry portable Defribulators on all their trains
My top three major accomplishments would be becoming a human rights lawyer; successfully litigating the striking down of bad laws in Canada; and helping Black children and their families successfully navigate systemic racism in education.
Im proud to be Camerons mom, to be considered a leader in my industry and being a Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP). Safety professionals are the people you never hear about. Three people die on the job daily in Canada, and we help organizations protect their workers, so they get home every day.
Becoming a professor; winning a medal at the world championships; starting ANANSI School for the Performing Arts
Recognized as a leader by governments, institutions and Francophone communities across Canada, for her leadership and volunteer work
I created programing that led to receiving the a Vital People award from the Toronto Community Foundation and Inclusion Innovation Award from the NBA and my work was recognized by the WXN Women's Executive Leadership Networking naming me as a Top 100 Leader for 2020.
Letna Allen-Rowe was born in Clarendon, Jamaica W.I. She migrated to Canada in 1993 and has lived in Canada for 26 years, being an active community mobilizer, advocate and Jamaican Cultural Ambassador.
Letna received her High School Diploma at Clarendon College in 1977 and was educated in Drama and Educational Theatre Arts at the Edna Manley College for the Performing Arts in Jamaica. She also attended the National Institute of Broadcasting, at York University and the Travel Training College of Canada.
She is a Thespian and a connoisseur of the arts in all forms, whether it’s dancing, singing, miming, poetry, acting, or Master of Ceremonies. She offers cultural workshops in Schools that are interested in teaching children about their Caribbean folk heritage and culture.
The legendary Liberty Silver is the first Black woman in Canada to receive two Juno Awards in 1985. One for Best R&B /Soul Recording of the Year and the other for Best Reggae/Calypso Recording.
Adopted shortly after birth, Liberty was raised by a British Family in rural Peterborough, Canada. She had a great family, but Liberty was faced with racism at an early age in school. She found solace in the basement of her parent’s house, with a piano and hundreds of old jazz and classical records from her father’s collection. She seemed to have found her niche in music and this focus continued through High School. However, racism ‘dogged’ her every move in High School but did not stop her from pursuing music, because she joined the music classes and learned how to play seven different instruments. She also joined drama and track and field. She sank deeper into music and became an amazing singer and performer, but sad to say, was never picked for the school plays. One day, someone told her that the reason why she was not being selected for anything, was because she was adopted and black. She confronted her parents, she found it was true and she packed her bags and left for her sister’s house in Toronto. Liberty sang away her pain and someone overheard her beautiful voice and an audition was eventually arranged where she landed a ‘gig’ opening for Bob Marley at Madison Square Gardens.
She excelled on the U.S talent Star Search; recorded albums and garnered several Juno Award nominations. Although she was always performing and very popular, she never hit the ‘stratosphere’ as anticipated. She however, paved the way for other black female singers to be on the national stage. She stayed busy on the festival circuit throughout North America and Europe and shaped the foundation of R&B /soul for an entire generation of black female singers in Canada. Singing around the world and touching lives by her musical stanza, she has performed for the U. S. President Barack Obama and opened for several known personalities such as Oscar Peterson, and Bob Marley among others. Liberty Silver collaborated with various musical artists called Northern Lights for the humanitarian track called “Tears are not Enough,” which generated over 16 million dollars for Ethiopian Famine Relief and has been nominated for over six Grammys.
Lillie Johnson, Sickle Cell advocate, retired public health nurse and author, is a shining example of service to others and the community at large. Born in 1922 in Jamaica, Lillie learned early the value of education and helping others. She started off as a teacher, like her parents and taught at the elementary level for seven years but she soon realized that she wanted to pursue nursing. She had the opportunity to go to Edinburgh, Scotland, where she spent three and a half years to acquire a nursing diploma. She said she was the only Black student in the program. After obtaining her diploma, Lillie went to the Hospital associated with Oxford University to become a midwife. She then returned to Jamaica, and took a number of courses at the University of the West Indies. She later left Jamaica and went to New Jersey, where she worked at Beth Israel Hospital for two years. She subsequently migrated to Canada in 1960, where she secured a full time job in Ontario's health care sector while furthering her nursing education. It was during these years she became aware of the negative health and social impact of Sickle Cell disease and she made it her life’s mission to raise awareness and build community support for affected individuals and their families.
I am proud of the fact that I am among the first Black international models from North America and one of the first Black women to host a television show in Canada.
Dr. Lisa Robinson is a Professor, Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto, Chief Diversity Officer, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Head of the Division of Nephrology, The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and Senior Scientist in the Program in Cell Biology at the SickKids Research Institute.
Lisa attended medical school at the University of Toronto, trained in Internal Medicine at Toronto General Hospital, and completed her residency in Paediatrics at the University of Western Ontario. She received her Paediatric Nephrology training at Duke University and during this time she pursued basic research training in the Departments of Immunology and Medicine, focused on exploring the mechanisms by which the immune system contributes to progressive kidney disease and to cardiovascular disease. Her research program integrates molecular biology, cell biology, advanced microscopic, and biochemical approaches with experimental models of inflammation, cardiovascular disease, and kidney injury.
Lisa is the founder and director of Kids Science, a SickKids Research Institute program which provides opportunities for middle- and high-school students to improve their understanding of science and technology, and to make positive educational and career choices. Kids Science targets “at-risk” youth who do not have equal exposure to science and technology awareness experiences, including patients with chronic illnesses at SickKids, students from Northeastern Ontario, and students from Toronto inner-city schools. In 2014, she launched the Student Advancement Research (StAR) Program, a SickKids summer research program for under-represented minority high school students, particularly Black and Indigenous students.