Hugh Simmonds; Uncovering passion, unfolding purpose, and sharing the power of storytelling

BY SIMONE J. SMITH

“I want to be useful to the people I encounter.” Hugh Simmonds

There is an untold story about higher education in Toronto that our Classic Man Hugh Simmonds has not only helped uncover, but has personally assisted in changing this narrative. According to University Affairs, 2017, Statistics Canada has not been collecting data on racialized minorities and how they are represented at the university level; because of this, there is a lack of data on the effectiveness of university employment equity policies, or any polices against discrimination. There are very few racialized minorities populating these spaces of higher learning, and the ones who do, have to survive on their own and find networks of support.

Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Hugh Simmonds has always had a passion for education. He first came to Canada in 1992 and stayed here until 1997. He returned to Jamaica because he was fed up with the winters here, but obviously not enough because he returned to Canada in 2007. “I have always had this on again, off again love affair with Canada,” Hugh jokingly tells me during our interview. “The only reason that I stayed here the first time was because I was seeing someone. You know how that goes; actually, the only reason that I stayed the second time was because I reconnected with my greatest love, and we decided to get married. I truly believe that love is life’s elixir, and kindness is life’s fuel.”

Now that Hugh had decided to hold residence in Canada, he realized that he had to situate himself. A lot had changed in ten years, and Hugh decided to utilize education as a way to acculturate himself with the landscape of this country that he had such a cathartic relationship with. Hugh went on to complete an Undergraduate degree specializing in academics and administration, a Masters in Tourism and Hospitality, and finally a PhD in Recreation and Leisure Studies.

It was during his time in the tertiary levels of education that he first began to notice some glaring disparities. The higher he went in the education system, the less he saw of his own Afro-Caribbean community. This chapter was a real eye-opener for Hugh as he began to realize that the education system in Canada was not designed for his people, his community. He slowly recognized the harsh fact that the system in many ways undermined the Afro-Caribbean community, which was why when he defended his dissertation; one ignorant individual said to him, “I didn’t think you were going to actually finish your doctorate.” It was at this point that Hugh knew that he had to take a stand; not just for himself, but for his community.

“Wherever I am planted, I am going to flourish.” Hugh Simmonds

Hugh began to proactively work on changing the current educational landscape by being of service to his community. He went full throttle into community work by becoming an Executive Director at a non-profit and held this position for forty months. During this time, he recognized ways to respond to this lack of representation in higher education by obtaining funding provincially and with private partners to launch the first Youth Arts Initiative in Peel Region. This program served youths age 14 – 24 years old and provided a space for them to express themselves creatively. This program was such a success that Hugh decided to take it there again and champion various after school programs, as well as a senior’s program. With all that Hugh was doing, there was still this urge, a need to amplify his purpose driven life, so he took a break from his studies to discover a greater him.

“Service is the rent we pay for living.” Hugh Simmonds

“I am an advocate for well-being, social justice and equity,” Hugh told me with conviction in his voice. “The fact that ethnic communities are underrepresented in the tertiary space is not an issue that can be ignored. It became my responsibility to hold a space for my people in higher education; when space opened up to lecture at Ryerson, I took it without question. I wanted that when racialized students walked into the classroom, they would see that there is a space for them here. Sure, being a professor may pay well, but it is people that must be at the centre of what we do, not profit.”

Hugh is a man of many hats, and another hat you will see him wearing is the one of President of the Kiwanis Club of Toronto Caribbean. He was himself mentored by a Kiwanis member, so he had an understanding of how powerful this organization is, and enthusiastically took on this role without question. This role fit well with Hugh’s purpose; Kiwanis empowers communities to improve the world by making a lasting difference in the lives of children. This global community of: clubs, members and partners are dedicated to improving the life of children and their families. With over 600,000 members, and clubs in 80 countries, the needs of each community are analyzed, and members find creative ways to serve the needs of children in these communities. To date, the Kiwanis clubs host nearly 150,000 service projects each year. “We invite the members of our communities in the city of Toronto to come out to one of our meetings,” Hugh encourages. “We believe our neighbourhoods, our communities, and our world are best served when people of all ages and different backgrounds work together to share their time and talents.”

The Toronto Caribbean Newspaper will continue to honour members of the community who put their communities before themselves. Thank you, Hugh Simmonds for creating a space for our young people, and for always putting service first.