Meet the 2024 CBC Black Changemakers

CBC Black Changemakers was created to celebrate and amplify the voices of Black individuals across fields — from entertainment to corporate leadership. 

Four years later, it still feels like we're just getting started, but this project has quickly become a meaningful source of information, inspiration and empowerment.

This year, there are a few changes. The most obvious one? Well, we're a few months away from Black History Month. Instead of the usual 28 days of Changemakers in February, CBC Quebec decided to make this a year-round project.

Three months ago, we put out a call for submissions and per tradition, nominators made it hard for the jury to choose. We thought we might choose 12 Changemakers for this new format. We ended up with 22.

We'll be rolling out their stories over the next eight months. This year's cohort is made up of folks who have taken to the streets or taken up a pen, all of them driven to affect positive change. We'll also be introducing you to our annually rotating jury of past Changemakers and a variety of community members from different professions and backgrounds.

Expect to read, hear and see it all about the 2024 CBC Black Changemakers: 

Adedeji Sunday Akintayo

"What makes Ade's work so impressive is how he brings people together. Church is often a place of segregation, but his vision is one of collaboration and interdependence." - Rev. Linda Buchanan, nominator

Adedeji Sunday Akintayo is a Nigerian refugee working with Beaconsfield United Church. Five years ago, he created a refugee integration and support program, the success of which has led to it being replicated in other locations.

In addition to his work as a community organizer, Akintayo has added a new title to his resume: author. He recently released a book about the refugee experience in Canada.

Learn more about Adedeji Sunday Akintayo here.

Ayanna Alleyne

"She has had a persistent duty to the Black community in Montreal." - Wendel James, nominator

From child participant to president, Ayanna Alleyne has grown up within the walls of the Côte-des-Neiges Black Community Association (CDNBCA). She has seen firsthand how critical the decades-old organization has been to the city's Black communities.

Now, as the CDNBCA's president, she is on a mission to build on its legacy of strengthening families, preserving culture and equipping youth to succeed.

Carla Beauvais

She is driven by the desire to create more inclusive environments for the emancipation of people in minority positions.- Alexandra Coste, nominator

Carla Beauvais is best known as the co-founder of the Fondation Dynastie, the institution behind the Gala Dynastie — a series that highlights and celebrates creators from Quebec's Black communities in media, arts and culture.

Long before that, however, she built a career as a columnist and entrepreneur, each endeavour rooted in a mission to create more equitable environments and to ensure better representation of Black and marginalized communities.

Latoya Belfon

"Her remarkable journey, punctuated by prestigious awards, underscores her impactful contributions and solidifies her position as a beacon of change in the literary world and beyond." - Oluwanifemi Fagbohun, nominator

After her move to Canada in 2001, Latoya Belfon quickly realized she could help other immigrants chasing the Canadian dream have an easier transition than she did.

In classrooms, often filled with young immigrant children, the teacher is acutely aware of the unique challenges her students face and it motivates her to pen stories and organize programs to promote anti-biased literature and education. 

Named one of the Top 100 Black Women to Watch in Canada in 2023, Belfon continues to give back, mentoring students through initiatives like the Gemstar Circle of Excellence and the McGill Black Mentorship programs.

Bianca Bellange

Bianca Bellange is an award-winning screenwriter, producer and actress. Behind the lens, she has worked on a number of woman-centric productions, among the most notable Black Hands — Trial of the Arsonist Slave and recently The Myth of the Black Woman.  

Beyond entertainment, Bellange is also using her craft to tell the untold stories of Canada's Black communities and create spaces for Black narratives to be heard. 

Steev Blackette

He embodies the spirit of Umoja — fostering unity — and making a tangible difference in the communities he serves.- Roen Higgins, nominator and 2021 Changemaker

Steev Blackette has worked as an educator with young offenders in Quebec and Ontario as well as in youth protection for more than two decades. Beyond the professional realm, however, he has demonstrated his commitment to the well-being of youth and their families.

He has developed meaningful programs to support and connect with young people as an educator and stepping instructor and cultivated global relationships to support communities abroad.

Learn more about Steev Blackette here.

Stanley Février

"By raising awareness about the lack of representation and actively engaging with museum curators and institutions, he has helped to amplify the voices and visibility of Black artists, thereby contributing to a more equitable and representative cultural landscape." - Léah Snider, nominator

Through artistic expression, Stanley Février tackles themes like systemic barriers, mental illness and police violence. His body of work, built on a foundation that both provokes and educates audiences, is a testament to how art can be an agent for social change. 

Accolades like the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec's Contemporary Art Award, which included the acquisition of works by the artist for the MNBAQ's collection, has by extension served Février's mission to promote better representation and a movement to decolonize cultural institutions.

Michelle Fowler

"Michelle Fowler is now on a mission to use her experiences of stroke and rehabilitation to make an active difference in the lives of others." - Gordon Lambie, nominator

At the age of 41, Michelle Fowler suffered a stroke. It left her with disabilities both seen and unseen and forced her to relearn things most adults take for granted, such as the ability to walk and eat. The stroke also left her with aphasia: a language-processing disorder.

Since then, Fowler has been on a mission to use her experience to empower others. She's sharing her story with patients, health-care professionals and wider communities to not just help teach people about the realities of strokes, but the impact everyone can have on the outcomes.

Sophia François-Lundy

If it is not for the greater good, even if she could benefit, she says no.- Mackenson Lundy, nominator

Sophia François-Lundy is one of the few Black women general contractors in the Quebec construction industry. From the very beginning of her journey, François-Lundy was regularly reminded of what had not been done before, who didn't occupy the spaces she hoped to occupy and what dreams she shouldn't expect to realize. 

As a Black woman, she continues to carry the titles "first of" and "the only" in many situations, but that hasn't stopped her from not only constructing homes, but building legacies.

Learn more about Sophia François-Lundy here.

Carlin Holmes

"[Afro Drag] has fostered many talents within Montreal and Ontario's LGBTQIA community by providing fairly compensated performance opportunities to Black performers and storytellers." - FrankieB, nominator

Carlin Holmes is a musician, producer and the founder of Afro Drag — a space they created for Black queer artists to safely perform, network and celebrate the artistry of drag.

For many years, their alter ego BiG SiSSY was one of only two Black drag artists in Montreal.  

Seven editions later, Afro Drag boasts an all-Black cast and a predominantly Black crew and has grown to foster talent from Quebec and Ontario's LGBTQIA communities. 

Learn more about Carlin Holmes here.

Joan Kirton

She is putting Black seniors on the map and creating an environment where they feel safe and where their needs as a community are addressed.- Virginia Dipierro, nominator

For more than 30 years, Joan Kirton has worked in service to Montreal's Black communities, particularly their youth in her role as an educator.

The former president of the Council for Black Aging Community of Montreal (CBAC), a non-profit founded to address the needs of Montreal's Black anglophone seniors of Caribbean descent, now lends her experience to its board.

FrankieB Lambert

"Frankie has spent years helping others through and continues to do so despite the many challenges that come with being marginalized on many levels." - Carlin Holmes, nominator and 2024 Changemaker

FrankieB is a multidisciplinary clown drag artist whose experiences fuel their art and activism and informs their holistic approach to counselling at-risk youth and members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community.

Lambert's performance art as Envytheclown was born from a desire to explore his intersecting identities as a Black, transmasculine, transracial adoptee. Building on that momentum, he is now developing clowning workshops to help queer youth navigate their own journeys. 

Tamara Angeline Medford-Williams

"She is always working with and for others and has devoted her career in all of its facets to serving her community." - Matthew Lutterodt, nominator

Whether at work or in multiple volunteering roles, Tamara Angeline Medford-Williams has dedicated her life to amplifying marginalized voices.  She is the director of Black Community Initiatives at the DisAbled Women's Network (Dawn Canada), an organization that advocates for women and girls with disabilities. 

She also splits her time between serving as director of strategic planning for Welfare Avenue a non-profit addressing the needs of low-income and unhoused individuals  and she's a caseworker for AMCAL Family Services.

Learn more about Tamara Angeline Medford-Williams here.

Sharon Nelson

"I have never heard her ask for anything, she just gives." - Myrna Lashley, nominator

Sharon Nelson is the vice-president of the Jamaica Association of Montreal, an organization dedicated to the development of Montreal's Jamaican community.  

Regardless of their background, the assistant director for the Executive MBA Program at Concordia University's John Molson School of Business and longtime activist is wielding her background to help the communities within her reach, be more resilient and inclusive.

Ayana O'Shun

"Freedom, truth, respect and sisterhood-fraternity are among the fundamental values underlying all her work." - Stephane Perron, nominator

Ayana O'Shun is an award-winning actress and producer based in Montreal.

In addition to her decades of work on screen, which she admits to feeling a great responsibility to authentically portray immigrants not unlike her parents, she is also taking turns behind the camera not only to better represent Black communities, but especially to dismantle stereotypes associated with Black women.

Gemma Raeburn-Baynes

"Gemma has collaborated with organizations to facilitate intergenerational dialogues between Black students and elders, fostering connections and sharing wisdom across generations." - Latoya Belfon, nominator

Since settling in Montreal 60 years ago, Gemma Raeburn-Baynes has been driven to create experiences and opportunities inspired by and steeped in the culture, warmth and spice of her country of birth, Grenada.  

Her steadfast determination to make a positive difference led her to create initiatives like the Montreal Ebony Models. For more than three decades, the showcase challenged assumptions of what fashion and beauty looks like and managed to raise more than $2 million for charities across the city. She recently founded the Gemstar Circle Of Excellence, her legacy project to support high-achieving Black students with mentorships and financial assistance.

Learn more about Gemma Raeburn-Baynes here.

Malik Shaheed

Nominees can be artists, creators, educators, entrepreneurs, community organizers and everyone in between. Malik is all of the above.- Judith Kelley, nominator

Longtime event promoter and entrepreneur Malik Shaheed became a household name as a VJ on Musique Plus — the francophone answer to MuchMusic and MTV. Since then, he has continued to leverage his influence to connect with and support youth.

Whether advocating for inclusivity and diversity in Montreal schools as a commissioner for the Lester B. Pearson School Board or leading anti-bullying and Black history tours with his foundation, Shaheed is committed to maintaining supportive spaces for young people and their families.

Mike Simeon

Mike Simeon knows a little something about restoring order. For nearly a decade, he served in the Primary Reserve of the Canadian Armed Forces and was deployed to Haiti following the 2010 earthquake. He ultimately chose to take his talents to the courtroom and currently practises in civil and commercial litigation and constitutional law.

Simeon was counsel to Joseph-Christopher Luamba in the high-profile racial profiling case. In that hearing, the Superior Court of Quebec rendered a landmark decision to declare unconstitutional the power of police services to stop any driver without cause. And while Simeon's contribution to complex and high-stakes cases matters, so do his efforts to give back, take up and make space for others. 

Cynthia Waithe

"Whether it's through mentorship, advocacy, or organizing community events, Cynthia's passion for uplifting others shines through in everything she does." - Kay Layne

Over the years, Cynthia Waithe has demonstrated a commitment to initiatives and organizations that support and empower marginalized communities. From food insecurity to education and cultural activities, she tackles every challenge with the same verve and hallmark smile.

Since 2022, she has served as the president of Barbados House Montreal, an organization charged with making a positive impact in the lives of Barbadians living in Montreal. Waithe has been a driving force to promote unity among other community organizations and is part of the team responsible for the revival of Montreal's Caribbean festival. 

Tayssa Waldron

"Her mission is to reduce the wealth gap and financial anxiety of people on the margins of society." - Elhadj Sidibe

Tayssa Waldron is the founder of Déclic du fric, a financial literacy platform for women. She recognized that many women, regardless of their background or stage of life, didn't have the tools to manage their finances properly. Waldron decided the key to closing the wealth gap and reducing the financial anxiety of women in marginalized communities was to help them explore their relationship with money.

Waldron developed a method that helps women to identify how long-held biases and psychological factors can drive that relationship. She has formed a community to connect and support women as they strive for financial independence. Last year, she added a personal finance book to her toolkit.

Fatima Wilson

Fatima Wilson has been teaching steelpan for two decades, but her career is part of a long legacy of keeping the steelpan culture alive. As a young girl, when her friends were playing with dolls and tea sets, Wilson was handed a pair of pan sticks. It's a gift she remains grateful for because she says the pan has never been just about the music, it's about culture, heritage and validation.

Following in her father Dr. Salah Wilson's footsteps, she's working hard to ensure that the steelpan is more widely recognized as a complex instrument with an established pedagogy, but also a gateway to learn about its birthplace of Trinidad and Tobago's history and culture.

Learn more about Fatima Wilson here.

Shanice Nicole Yarde

By day, Shanice Nicole Yarde is McGill University's senior advisor for anti-racism and equity education, but her focus on developing educational initiatives and inclusive spaces extends beyond the institution's walls. Acutely aware of the stress of job hunting, she created and curates a monthly newsletter featuring jobs and opportunities. Prior to that, she launched Ontario's Black Foundation of Community Networks scholarship directory, a compilation of more than 50 available scholarships, awards and bursaries for youth pursuing post-secondary education.

Among her many pursuits, Yarde is also the author of the children's book Dear Black Girls. Based on one of her poems, the book is a reminder to readers that they are all deserving of love, just the way they are.

Are you a changemaker? Know a changemaker? Make sure not to miss the next call for nominations.

Have a story to tell? Write to us at blackchangemakersqc@cbc.ca

For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians — from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community — check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of. You can read more stories here.