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Past Viola Desmond Awards

Learn about past award recipients and explore our image galleries.

Congratulations to the recipients of the 2023 Viola Desmond Awards!

Award recipients

  • TMU faculty award | Dr. Rai Reece
  • TMU staff award | Crystal Mark
  • TMU alumni award | Marsha Brown
  • Sidney and Mettelia Ferguson student award | Georgiana Mathurin
  • High school student award | Jeya Nkrumah
  • Denise O'Neil Green student leadership award | Flesticiah Amoah and Jama Seham

Bursary recipients

  • Naomi Addai
  • Tahja Burnett-Ffrench
  • Kelly Cameron
  • Jayde James

Honourees

  • Sandra Ferguson
  • Patricia DeGuire
  • Tanitiã Munroe
  • Keisha Evans

Honorary patron award

Dr. Pamela Appelt

Visionary recognition 

Darrell Bowden

Advocate recognition

Jeff Perera

Congratulations to the recipients of the 2022 Viola Desmond Awards!

Honorary Viola Desmond award
Dr. Denise O’Neil Green 

TMU faculty award in honour of Robyn Maynard
Dr. Janelle Brady 

TMU staff award in honour of Nalo Hopkinson
Shurla Charles-Forbes

TMU alumna award in honour of Dr. Jill Andrew
Eternity Martis

TMU student award in honour of Dr. Eugenia Duodu Addy
Nikesha Sampson 

High school student award in honour of Viola Desmond
Kiya Busby
Ashley Levins

TMU student bursary in honour of Viola Desmond
Oluwapelumi Egbewumi
Nya Martin-Hemming

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Congratulations to the recipients of the 2021 Viola Desmond Awards!

Faculty award in honour of Dr. Notisha Massaquoi
Juanita Stephen

Staff award in honour of Ms. Joan Pierre
Sharmaine McKenzie

Student award in honour of Hon. Marlene Jennings
Pauline Mwangi 

Alumna award in honour of Dr. Daurene Lewis
Marci Ien

High school student awards in honour of Ms. Viola Desmond
Hannah Flores
Nephertari Marshall

TMU student bursary in honour of Ms. Viola Desmond
Nigeleen Nwakobi
Sojourner San Vicente

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Congratulations to the recipients of the 2020 Viola Desmond Awards! 

Faculty award in honour of Senator Rosemary Moodie
Dr. Beverly-Jean Daniel

Staff award in honour of Trey Anthony
Olanike (Nikki) Waheed 

Student award in honour of Joan Jones
Latoya Powell

Alumni award in honour of Angela James
Namugenyi Kiwanuka

High school student in honour of Viola Desmond
Huda Nur 

Bursary in honour of Viola Desmond
Yanique Brandford

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Image gallery

In the news 

  • TMU Today: Centring Black Canadian women and history
  • Share: Viola Desmond to be featured on Canadian banknote
  • Metro Morning
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Congratulations to the recipients of the 2019 Viola Desmond Awards!

Faculty award in honour of Dr. Dorothy Wills
Dr. Karline Wilson-Mitchell 

Staff award in honour of Violet King Henry
Amanda (Amiga) Taylor Wheatle

Student award in honour of Dr. Sylvia D. Hamilton
Christine (T.NA) Smith 

Alumna award in honour of Dr. Beverly Mascoll
Stephanie Croisiere

High school student award in honour of Viola Desmond
Brianna Glanville-Forrest

Bursary in honour of Viola Desmond
Anny-Aysel Ineza

Congratulations to the recipients of the 2018 Viola Desmond Awards!

Faculty award in honour of Dr. Malinda Smith
Melanie Knight

Staff award in honour of Madame Vivian Barbot
Dr. Emily Agard

Student award in honour of Hon. Mayann Francis
Susanne Nyaga

High school student award in honour of Viola Desmond
Shanique Peart

Bursary in honour of Viola Desmond
Deborah Mepaiyeda

Congratulations to the recipients of the 2017 Viola Desmond Awards!

Faculty award in honour of Hon. Wanda Thomas Bernard
Annette Bailey

Staff award in honour of Rosemary Sadlier
Donica Willis

Student award in honour of Paulette Senior
Devenae Bryce

High school student award in honour of Viola Desmond
Siifan Hassen

Bursary in honour of Viola Desmond
Sharon Folkes-Hall

Congratulations to the recipients of the 2016 Viola Desmond Awards! 

Faculty award in honour of Dr. Juanita Westmoreland-Traore
Jennifer Clarke

Staff award in honour of Chloe Cooley
Mandissa Arlain

Student award in honour of Dr. Pamela Appelt
Pascale Diverlus

High school student award in honour of Viola Desmond
Priscila Wyssolela Moreira Da Silva

Bursary in honour of Viola Desmond
Susanne Nyaga

Congratulations to the recipients of the 2015 Viola Desmond Awards! 

Faculty award in honour of Dr. Rosemary Brown
Idil Abdihalli

Staff award in honour of Dr. Pearleen Oliver
Juanittah Kamera

Student award in honour of Lillie Johnson
Olawatebi Taiwo

High school student award in honour of Viola Desmond
Kia Cummings

Bursary in honour of Viola Desmond
Omnia Aderbo

Congratulations to the recipients of the 2014 Viola Desmond Awards! 

Faculty award in honour of Anne Greenup
Nicole Neverson

Staff award in honour of Andrea Elaine Lawrence
Keitha Prospere

Student award in honour of Zanana Akande
Anissa Hassan

High school student award in honour of Viola Desmond
Hoda Abdel-Gabar

Bursary in honour of Viola Desmond
Omolara Bakare

Congratulations to the recipients of the 2014 Viola Desmond Awards! 

Faculty award in honour of Harriet Tubman
Paulette Kelly

Staff award in honour of Rose Fortune
Tanya Fermin-Poppleton

Student award in honour of Mary Ann Chambers
Shauna Marie Brown

High school student award in honour of Viola Desmond
Rihab Ali

Congratulations to the recipients of the 2014 Viola Desmond Awards!

Faculty award in honour of Hon. Jean Augustine
Camille Hernandez-Ramdwar

Staff award in honour of Marie Marguerite Rose
Shauna Boolal

Student award
Tameika Green-Crane

High school student award in honour of Viola Desmond
Jaiceya Smith

Congratulations to the recipients of the 2011 Viola Desmond Awards!

Faculty award in honour of Kay Livingstone
Althea Prince

Staff award
Marlyn Husbands

Student award in honour of Mattie Hayes
Shantae Johns

High school student award in honour of Viola Desmond
Alexandria Green

Congratulations to the recipients of the 2014 Viola Desmond Awards!

Faculty award in honour of Emma Stark
Akua Benjamin

Staff award in honour of Rev. Addie Aylestock
Lucina Fraser (retired)

Student award in honour of Marie-Joseph Angelique
Idil Omar

High school student award in honour of Viola Desmond
Lamarana Cooper- Diallo

Congratulations to the recipients of the 2014 Viola Desmond Awards!

Faculty award in honour of Carrie Best
Carole Chauncey

Staff award in honour of Portia White
Kaye Sealy (retired)

Student award in honour of Mary Ann Shadd
Paulina Bleah

High school student award in honour of Viola Desmond
Bai Rashud