By Karen Bradley
The Delmore “Buddy” Daye Learning Institute has launched a new effort to recognize the leadership of young African Nova Scotians. On June 9, 2018, the Institute will be holding the first annual “African Nova Scotian Communities Ancestral Roots Awards: Recognizing Young Adult Leaders” at the Westin Nova Scotia in Halifax.
Chanae Parsons, Coordinator of Youth Initiatives and Projects with The Delmore Buddy Daye Learning Institute, said the awards would highlight the important contributions that young adults were already making in communities across the province.
“The foundation of this initiative is to give recognition to our young adult African Nova Scotian leaders to validate their achievements, which are often excluded from media coverage,” Parson said. “I recently had the pleasure to meet an exceptional young African Nova Scotian woman (Kardeisha Provo, age 18) from North Preston who said that youth are often thought to be the leaders of tomorrow, but really they have the capacity to lead today when given the proper platform. It’s my hope that this initiative will provide that platform.”
“Our focus is on young adults who aren’t receiving the praise they truly deserve because their achievements are driving community growth and should be celebrated! We are well aware that many strengths and assets are apparent within our African Nova Scotian communities, but they are often on the ‘outskirts’ of discussion. The Ancestral Roots Awards will bring our achievements to the forefront.”
The awards are organized into 11 categories: Justice, Education, Arts, Health, Sports, Business, Community Service, Developing Young Leaders, Spirituality, Science and Technology, and Civic Engagement.
Shelley Fashan, NDP candidate for Preston-Dartmouth in 2017, was excited about the new awards. “It is so important to recognize the work being done by our young people,” Fashan said. “They are taking on and bearing the weight of this society's wrongs and trying to make this a better world in their own way. It gives me hope and inspires all of us to do better.”
Nominees must be between the ages of 19 to 30, self-identify as African Nova Scotian, and have historical and/or current connections to one of the 54 African Nova Scotian communities.
They must have contributed and/or are contributing directly or indirectly to the growth of their community by means of the category they are being nominated for.
Nominations are due by April 13, 2018 by 4:30 PM at the latest. The online application form is on the DBDLI website at:
http://dbdli.ca/events/african-nova-scotian-communities-ancestral-roots-awards-recognizing-young-adult-leaders/nomination-form/
