Viola Desmond Awards Ceremony celebrates Black female trailblazers

The 11th annual Viola Desmond Awards Ceremony held March 4 was special in a number of ways – one in particular.

“This year is a bit different as many of us are carrying around an image of Viola Desmond,” said President Mohamed Lachemi about Canada’s new $10 bill featuring Desmond, the first Black woman to be on the face of Canada’s currency. “She’s a powerful inspiration to Canadians, a story of breaking barriers and forcing change.”

Hosted by Emily Mills, award-winning founder of How She Hustles, a networking and career-boosting organization for diverse women, the ceremony honoured the legacy of Viola Desmond, the Black Nova Scotia businesswoman who challenged segregation, with the presentation of six awards.

Dr. Dorothy Wills Ryerson Faculty Award

In the top left photo, Ryerson nursing professor Annette Bailey (at right) who received the 2017 Viola Desmond Faculty Award, presented the Dr. Dorothy Wills Ryerson Faculty Award to Karline Wilson-Mitchell, who recently assumed the role of director in the Midwifery Education Program. “Dr. Wilson-Mitchell is not only an exceptional scholar,” said Bailey, “but she also models the same qualities as Dr. Wills – compassion and integrity.”

Violet King Henry Ryerson Staff Award

One of the criteria of the Violet King Henry Ryerson Staff Award is that the recipient be “an active leader in her community” and Amanda (Amiga) Taylor Wheatle, student health and well-being navigator, FCAD, is just that. She is the executive director of 4Reasonz Inc (external link) . and Ephraim’s Place Community Centre, which both deliver leadership and educational programs. Here, Jo-Anne Henry, King Henry’s daughter, presents the award to Josiah Taylor, Taylor Wheatle’s son.

Dr. Sylvia D. Hamilton Ryerson Student Award

Silvia Hamilton (right) expressed how honoured she felt to present the award in her name to 21-year-old classical vocalist and professional communication Ryerson student Christine (T.NA) Smith. “This means everything to me, to the young Black girl who walked into an all-white high school in the 1960s in Nova Scotia,” said Hamilton, an award-winning filmmaker, writer, artist and educator.

Inspirational music

Multiple award-winning musicians (from left) Jackie Richardson, Molly Johnson and Joe Sealy each performed a selection of songs that included “Strange Fruit” and  “Africville,” to thunderous applause and several standing ovations.

Dr. Beverly Mascoll Ryerson Alumni Award

Eldon Mascoll (right) presented the inaugural Ryerson Alumni Award (this year, named after his late mother, Beverly Mascoll (external link) ) to Stephanie Croisiere (left). Mascoll shared a short CTV news video profiling Dr. Mascoll, in which she said, “I measure success in being able to make a difference in someone’s life.” Croisiere makes a difference with her work with the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care and the Ryerson University Public Policy and Administration Alumni Association (RUPPAAA).

Viola Desmond Award in Recognition of a High School Student

Grade 12 student Brianna Glanville-Forrest (centre, with her family) was awarded the Viola Desmond Award and a $500 bursary in Recognition of a High School Student. Glanville-Forrest is an award-winning French-immersion student at Vaughan Secondary School, where she founded the VSS Black History Month Club.

2019 Viola Desmond Bursary

Kia Cummings (external link)  (left), who received the student award in 2015 when she was a Grade 12 student, presented both the high school student award and the Viola Desmond Bursary. This year, Anny-Aysel Ineza (right) received the $1,000 bursary. Ineza, who arrived in Canada as a child refugee from Burundi, is now in her final year at Ryerson as a mathematics thesis student and president of the Financial Mathematics Course Union.

A night to remember

(From right) Ryerson President Mohamed Lachemi, Denise O’Neil Green, Vice-President, Equity and Community Inclusion, Darrell Bowden, director of the Office of the Vice-President, Equity and Community Inclusion, Joan Pierre, event producer, and host Emily Mills flank a poster-sized version of the Viola Desmond $10 bill.

Family ties

A message from Viola Desmond’s sister, Wanda Robson, was included in the program.

In part, it read, “Each year, the Ryerson awards enable the recipients to carry Viola’s dream forward and hopefully make a difference in our world.”

For more information on the Viola Desmond Awards, including the full list of this year’s award recipients, visit the website of the Office of the Vice-President Equity and Community Inclusion.