100 Accomplished Black Canadian Women Project honours exemplary and inspiring females

BY PAUL JUNOR

It was an inspiring and amazing evening on Saturday, September 29^th, 2024, when: guests, honourees, family members and friends gathered at the Woodbine Banquet Hall. The special occasion and ceremony was the fourth annual 100 Accomplished Black Canadian (ABC) Women Awards. There were over 1,000 guests in attendance who witnessed the best of Black excellence and greatness of the 100 ABC Women Award honourees who were present.

The LinkedIn page of the 100 Accomplished Black Canada Women Project describes its mission, vision, and goals. The mission/vision includes:

• Highlight, document, and make visible the accomplishments of Black Canadian women specifically unsung heroes, trailblazer firsts, and posthumous heroes.
• Support the social, educational, political, and professional advancement and contributions that Black Canadian women have made to this country.
• Build a publication that does not exist but is needed to fill a void.

The genesis of this project originated from ongoing conversations among specific individuals that lasted six months which resulted in archival documentation. This unique publication was intended to inspire Black girls and women by highlighting examples of the many contributions Black women have and continue to make in Canadian society. The goal of this informative and educational publication is to: highlight, document, acknowledge, and support the accomplishments of Black Canadian women in terms of their: social, educational, political, and professional accomplishments.

One of the honourees, Dr. Camisha Sibblis, professor, and registered social worker wrote on her LinkedIn page what it means to receive this honour. She writes, “I am so honoured and proud to have been counted as a contemporary to some of the most phenomenal women, who have poured their hearts and souls into their work for our people. Congratulations to all of the esteemed honourees. Well done.”

Valerie Augustine, entrepreneur and business woman, one of the honourees posted on her Facebook page. She wrote, “This acknowledgement highlights the importance of representation and our impact with communities. I extend my gratitude to my: family, friends, mentors, customers, and community for their steadfast support. To my fellow honourees, your achievements: inspire, energize, and motivate me, and together we can break barriers within our respective spaces for future generations.”

Moy Fung, author, founder, and trainer of “You Inspire Me Women,” posted a message on her LinkedIn page as one of the honourees. It reads, “To say that I’ve barely scratched the surface of my life’s work, feels like an understatement. I am deeply humbled and truly honoured to receive this prestigious award, founded by the Honourable Dr. Jean Augustine, Donna Jones-Simmons, and Dr. Denise O’Neil Green. A heartfelt thank you to the entire 100 ABC Women team for your dedication, hard work, and commitment to making this event and publication a reality. Your efforts mean the world to us, and we are profoundly grateful for the recognition. This is a moment I will carry with me forever.”

The Greater Essex County District School Board acknowledged one of its employees Shantelle who was an ABC Women honouree. The post reads, “In honour of Women’s History Month, we are excited to highlight Shantelle Browning-Morgan, an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher at Kennedy Collegiate Institute. Her unwavering commitment to education and the preservation of Black Canadian history has earned her recognition as one of the distinguished members of the 100 Accomplished Black Canadian Women 2024.”

Another one of the honourees was Andria Case, who is well-known in the Toronto media community as an anchor on CTV News Toronto. She was born in England and has worked for news companies such as: CFPL-TV, CHWI-TV News and CFPL-TV. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Advertising from Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University).

There were several honourees from Nova Scotia: Dr. Mayann Elizabeth Francis who served as Lieutenant Governor for Nova Scotia in 2006, Dr. Karen Hudson, Roselle Fraser, Nicole Johnson, Lana Maclean, Sylvia Paris-Drummond and Chance Parsons.

Another honouree was Dr. Ingrid Waldron, Canadian social scientist who is a Professor and the HOPE Chair in Peace and Health in the Global Peace and Social Justice Program at McMaster University. She is the co-producer of the Netflix film based on her book, “There’s Something in the Water.”  She will be part of a documentary screening on Wednesday, October 23^rd, 2024, at McMaster Continuing Education in Hamilton, and on Tuesday, October 29^th, 2024, at Cecil Community Centre in Toronto based on a project she is building to build capacity around climate change in Black communities in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA).

Her new book, “From the Enlightenment to Black Lives Matter: Tracing the Impacts of Racial Trauma in Black Communities from the Colonial Era to the Present,” will be released on November 25^th, 2024.

The evening featured performances by the legendary and well-known African-Canadian singer, Liberty Singer who entertained the audience with her deeply moving and uplifting songs. In addition, Eddie Bullen and songs performed a number of pieces that showcase a vast repertoire of genres.