INCLUSION VANGUARD AWARD

The Honourable Dr. Jean Augustine had a simple plan for her future. Growing up in the community of Happy Hill, Grenada in the 1940s, Augustine wanted to be a teacher. Looking back on her accomplishments, it’s clear to see that she’s been teaching her whole life, even when she was a principal, a community advocate and leader, and the first African-Canadian woman elected to the House of Commons.

For those accomplishments, and many others, Augustine is the recipient of the 2019 WXN Inclusion Vanguard Award, presented by Accenture.

“I’m deeply honoured that I was selected, simply because diversity and inclusion has been my life’s work as a parliamentarian, as a school principal, as someone who worked at Metro Toronto Housing Authority providing leadership to for people in difficult socio-economic situations,” she said.

Augustine immigrated to Canada in 1960 on the Canadian Caribbean Domestic Scheme. At that time, neither the Charter of Rights and Freedoms nor Ontario’s Landlord and Tenant Act existed, and school boards didn’t have strong relationships with parents or communities. She arrived here already qualified as a teacher but attended Toronto Teachers College and earned a bachelor of arts at the University of Toronto. She went on to earn her master’s in education while teaching at Toronto’s Metropolitan Separate School Board.

“When I came to Canada, there were so many things that I saw that needed activism, especially because I was an immigrant, black, Catholic woman,” she said. “Sometimes I was the only black face in the room or the only woman, so it was important for me to be active around diversity and inclusion.”

Although she’s in her 80s, Augustine is still active today, particularly with the Jean Augustine Centre for Young Women’s Empowerment. It’s here that Augustine can be found informally teaching girls from age seven to 17 as they learn martial arts, STEM skills, cooking, yoga and, most importantly, self-confidence.

As a politician, Augustine’s two biggest achievements are being the driving force behind the creation of February as Black History Month in Canada and the historic motion to erect the statue of the Famous Five on Parliament Hill, honouring the Alberta women who fought for their gender to be considered “persons” under the law.

Still, she considers raising her own children and reaching all the young people she worked with as a teacher and a school principal to be her biggest accomplishments.

“When I walk the streets and meet young people who I taught and who remember what I taught them from when they were in my class or my school, I feel I have made some contribution to their lives,” she said. “I feel that’s a really big achievement.”

Accomplishments like that are what make Accenture’s Claudia Thompson proud that her firm sponsors the Inclusion Vanguard Award.

“The award aligns very well with how we feel at Accenture about inclusion and diversity,” said

Thompson, managing director for health and public service business in Canada and managing director for inclusion and diversity in Canada. “The rich diversity at Accenture makes our company smarter and more innovative, and we’re committed to fostering an inclusive culture where people have a strong sense of belonging, can be their authentic selves, and have equal access to opportunities.

“Accenture has been sponsoring the awards for Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 celebrations for the last several years, and this year there was the opportunity to consider sponsoring the Inclusion Vanguard award,” she said. “We’re proud to be part of the celebration and recognition of Jean Augstine, who has committed her life to achieving a more inclusive society and has made such an impact on countless people as a parliamentarian, a principal and an activist.

“We all prosper when there is equality in our workplaces here in Canada,” she said, “so it’s important to properly recognize and appreciate Canadian leaders like Jean Augustine who demonstrate and promote what inclusion and diversity truly mean for our communities and our country.”

Thompson is in good company in her appreciation of Augustine. Hundreds of Canada’s top executives and community contributors will attend the gala where the Inclusion Vanguard award will be presented.

“I’ve attended the Top 100 gala for a few years, and the whole evening ends with the presentation of this award,” she said. “I’m sure there will be an air of gratitude in the room for a woman like Jean Augustine. People will leave there in absolute awe of what she’s been able to accomplish so far.”

This year’s gala will be held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on Nov. 21, 5:15 to 10 p.m. The annual event celebrates and recognizes the achievements of the honourees and typically attracts more than 1,000 people.

When I walk the streets and meet young people who I taught and who remember what I taught them, I feel I have made some contribution to their lives — Honourable Jean Augustine