City honours the late Mary Burlie
Mary Burlie grew up under Jim Crow law in the Deep South of the United States before moving to Edmonton in 1969.
Once in Edmonton, she spent 26 years working on the front lines for Boyle Street Community Services, first as a volunteer and then as a staff member. On Tuesday, her work was recognized, with the City of Edmonton proclaiming July 13 Mary Burlie Day.
Ward 6 Coun. Scott Mckeen made the proclamation outside Macewan University, in front of a crowd of people Mary had an effect on — including her granddaughter, Tanika Burlie.
“My grandma never judged anybody. She loved you for who you are, she would take you in even into her home if she felt you needed extra support,” said Tanika. “I take that as just how beautiful she was and I'm so proud of her. I'm proud to be here today, I'm proud to call her my grandmother and just so extremely proud of her.”
Tanika was five years old when her grandmother died, but she says she's heard her mother, family and friends of her grandmother talk about Mary. She said she will continue to honour her legacy.
“I hope that this day impacts people who want to get out and help to get out and help,” said Tanika. “No matter who it is, if you see someone out on the street just get out and ask how their day is going, ask if they need some sort of support. … Don't judge. If you have the will to help, get out and help.”
Boyle Street Community Services and Macewan University both are celebrating 50-year anniversaries, and both had significant ties with Mary. Macewan University has established the Mary Burlie Bursary for students studying social work and the community around Boyle Street still remembers Mary.
“She was, and is, still very well known in Boyle Street, not only among the staff, but obviously more significantly with the community members that we serve every day,” said Jordan Reiniger, Boyle Street's executive director. “Still people talk about her to this day and the impact that she's had on their lives.”
David Shepherd, MLA for Edmonton-city Centre, also spoke at Tuesday's event and said there aren't many official recognitions of prominent Black Albertans in the province.
“Mary was someone who had seen discrimination up close. She had experienced it, she had struggled with it and she came here, faced difficult circumstances for herself and her family, but instead of letting that get her down, turn that out and use that in service of others,” said Shepherd.
Shepherd hopes the day will spread Mary's story and lead to more recognition of prominent Black Albertans. Shepherd was joined by Mckeen and Jason Cumming, MP for Edmonton Centre, at the university on Tuesday.
“I think it's important to have that recognition, but what's more important I think is going to be the follow-through,” said Shepherd. “It's wonderful for us as elected officials to show up at an event and talk about someone like Mary and our aspirations, it's another (thing) to actually turn that into the work and the policy.”