On February 10, Ashanti Leadership and PDS, the Delmore Buddy Daye Institute, the Office of African Nova Scotia Affairs at the provincial level and within HRM, and the Nova Scotia Advisory Council on the Status of Women are partnering to host this special event.
UNSTOPPABLE: Celebrating the Brilliance and Contributions of Women and Inspiring the Next Generation
We have an exceptional lineup of speakers and an exciting program to celebrate women. Our speakers and organizers are looking forward to your presence and participation.
Please join us by registering through the Eventbrite link below:
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/unstoppable-tickets-1979778062479?aff=ebdssbdestsearch
In 2012, I founded the Black and Immigrant Women’s Network, which has since disbanded and is now referred to as Women of Colour in Business and Leadership. The purpose of the group was to uplift Black and immigrant women who were denied opportunities to progress.
Some women were new to Canada and had held successful careers in their countries of origin, yet were unable to secure comparable positions here. Others were Canadian born African Nova Scotians. Many took what we called survival jobs such as cleaning, dinner monitoring, sales assisting, or low paid positions in government or the private sector. At the same time, many immigrant women had been senior leaders, biologists, doctors, professors, and information technology professionals. The qualifications that gave us entry into Canada were not sufficient to give us access to offices or corridors of power.
I, too, fell into that category.
After leaving my senior leadership position as aide to the Chief Probation Officer in the London area and coming to Canada with bright hopes, I could not find a position comparable to my education, knowledge, and experience. Many found it difficult to comprehend that I had held such a role. It was only when references came directly from the Chief’s office that people began to view me more favourably. Even then, it was not enough to open the door.
I must confess that I was completely lost in the quagmire. My mind and body could not meet.
I had been accustomed to sitting in meeting rooms among decision makers. Now, I found myself starting over as a junior. My mind, body, spirit, and intellect could not connect. In those early days, I struggled deeply. I felt shame and devalued. I could not tell the full truth to my family and friends back in London. In their eyes, Canada was a place where anyone could succeed and become whatever they wanted to be. Many believed there was no racism in Canada. Apart from being very cold, it was considered a great place to live.
For the first time in my professional life, I found myself sinking daily. I had to pull myself out of a poor me mindset and re-imagine, re-invent, and reclaim who I am. It was not easy. It required immense strength, sacrifice, and fortitude.
While my Canadian colleagues were discussing retirement and pensions, I was trying to figure out how to rebuild my career and regain a sense of dignity.
I took every opportunity to speak about the plight of immigrants at conferences and workshops, and I spoke to anyone who would listen and empathize. While there was little they could do for me directly, many made time to listen and encourage me.
When we had our networking sessions, our women were ready. They joined regardless of our differences in race, ethnicity, or country of origin. Something bound us together, and that was our shared ambition to do more and do better for ourselves. Together, we visited organizations, held discussion sessions, supported one another, and celebrated each success as a collective success.
It was not always smooth sailing. Some people were not pleased with me, but I stayed focused, built my strategy, and followed the plan.
One moment that stood out to me was when a group of women told me they wanted to sit in a boardroom. I found this strange until they explained why. They said they entered boardrooms for only three reasons:
- To clean
- To be disciplined
- To be fired
I was stunned. This was something I had taken for granted. I had spent time in boardrooms in both the United Kingdom and Canada. I shared this experience with my dear friend Joyce Carter, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Halifax International Airport Authority. In 2015, she invited us into her boardroom. We were treated royally. Forty-eight women filled the boardroom that evening. We were given space to express ourselves freely and shared a deep bond of sisterhood. We spoke about our visions, hopes, dreams, and aspirations. We left the HIAA boardroom feeling inspired and energized about our future.
Many of us went on to achieve incredible milestones. Some were promoted into leadership roles, others pursued further education, and some launched their own businesses.
I vividly recall the excitement when we celebrated our first Black woman Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, the first Black woman Chief Executive Officer, our first Associate Deputy Minister and Deputy Minister within the Nova Scotia Department of Justice, the Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, the Deputy Minister of Culture and Heritage, and now the Deputy Minister of African Nova Scotia Affairs. We also celebrated the first African Nova Scotian woman to chair the Halifax Chamber of Commerce.
These women were in the trenches with us. They understood our struggles and challenges.
Perhaps the most remarkable journeys were those who entered politics. One woman became the first Black woman councillor in Halifax, another was Deputy speaker in the Legislative Assembly, and later the former Finance Director of the Halifax International Airport Authority, then became a Member of the Legislative Assembly, and ultimately the first Black woman to serve in Cabinet. The Honourable Twila Grosse was with us at the HIAA dinner that evening, sharing her story.
To mark our tenth anniversary in July 2025, a group of us returned to the HIAA to celebrate the Honourable Twila Grosse. She is the Member of the Legislative Assembly for the North Preston riding and serves as Minister responsible for African Nova Scotian Affairs and the Nova Scotia Public Service Commission.
Minister Grosse has expressed a strong desire to see more women, young women, and girls succeed. She asked us to bring our women together once again. On this occasion, Joel Dickenson, President and Vice Chancellor, generously offered facilities at the Mount Saint Vincent University. The Minister responsible for the Status of Women also stepped forward to support this initiative.
We hope you will have the opportunity to join us during this year’s African Heritage Month as we come together to celebrate one another. We cannot take these initiatives for granted. We are witnessing a steady reduction in spaces designed to support us.
Let us come together to share, imagine, re-imagine, and grow collectively, so that we can leave a clear and powerful path for the next generation.
