Evelyn Myrie
Evelyn Myrie (born 1959) is a community activist, particularly in the area of anti-Black racism, in Hamilton, Ontario. She is known for her community leadership, activism, anti-racism work. The Evelyn Myrie Award for Political Action was created in her honour. Myrie has received numerous awards and distinctions in recognition of her important contributions to equity work in Hamilton and in Canada, including the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Award, Government of Canada, Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Award, Government of Canada, the Woman of the Year Public Affairs Award from the City of Hamilton, and was the inaugural inductee into the City of Hamilton's Order of Hamilton award.
Life and work
Evelyn Myrie was born 1959 in Jamaica. She emigrated to Canada in 1974 with her five sisters to live with their mother in Windsor, Ontario.{{Cite news|last=Myrie|first=Evelyn|date=December 10, 2014|title=MYRIE: Cold country offered warm welcome|work=Guelph Mercury|url=https://www.guelphmercury.com/opinion-story/5200147-myrie-cold-country-offered-a-warm-welcome/}} Myrie has held numerous leadership roles in government, the non-profit and private sector. She is known for her community leadership, activism, anti-racism work{{Cite web|title=Hamilton anti-racism advocates call for local action to combat anti-Black racism|url=https://globalnews.ca/news/7018061/george-floyd-hamilton-advocates/|access-date=2021-03-18|website=Global News|language=en-US}} and as a freelance columnist.{{Cite web|title=Evelyn Myrie|url=https://www.hamiltonnews.com/hamilton-author/evelyn-myrie/7cb3904e-e0a9-49e6-b95d-9141270b3020/|access-date=2021-03-18|website=www.hamiltonnews.com}} Myrie has been called{{By whom|date=September 2021}} an "anti-discrimination trailblazer"{{Cite news|last=Moro|first=Teviah|date=26 September 2020|title=Myrie to guide reboot of Hamilton Anti-Racism Resource Centre|page=A2|work=The Hamilton Spectator}} and is featured in 100 Accomplished Black Canadian Women, a book which celebrates achievements of the women and their paths to success.{{Cite news|last=Noseworth|first=Kelly|date=17 June 2016|title=Celebrating the success of black women in Canad|page=A3|work=The Hamilton Spectator}}
Myrie notes that her interest in working on social justice and equality began after university when she worked at the Windsor Women Working for Immigrant Women. The organization exposed her to the unfortunate realities and limited rights facing live-in domestic foreign workers. In 1989 she moved to Hamilton to take a position with the Status of Women Canada. Since that time Myrie has been an active figure in the community, participating in committees and leading organizations. Myrie co-founded the John C. Holland Awards with Marlene Thomas in 1996.{{Cite news|last=Kenney|first=Amy|date=8 February 2016|title=Holland Awards unite diverse community|page=A3|work=The Hamilton Spectator}} The awards "celebrate the rich cultural heritage of the community with particular focus on the contributions of African Canadians to the social economic, and cultural life of our entire city".{{Cite news|last=McNeil|first=Mark|date=21 January 2016|title=John C. Holland Awards celebrate 20 years of community achievements, announce two winners|page=A3|work=The Hamilton Spectator}} In 2015 she founded the Women Who Rock Awards to celebrate Women's History Month.{{Cite web|date=2020-10-12|title=2020 Women's History Month Award highlights Canadian Black Women|url=https://thegenerator.ca/2020-womens-history-month-award-highlights-canadian-black-women/|access-date=2021-03-18|website=The Generator|language=en-US}}
Currently{{As of?|date=September 2021}} the president of the Hamilton Afro-Canadian Caribbean Association{{Cite news|date=February 8, 2021|title=Would there be less racism and extremism if we were better at teaching Black history?|work=CBC News|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/cbc-asks-racism-education-1.5905906}} and CEO of the EMpower Strategy Group,{{Cite web|title=Hamilton anti-racism resource centre gets closer to re-launching, seeks additional funding|url=https://globalnews.ca/news/7649148/hamilton-anti-racism-resource-centre-closer-to-re-launching/|access-date=2021-04-02|website=Global News|language=en-US}} Myrie was announced in the fall of 2020 to lead the creation of an advisory panel that would guide the restarting of the Hamilton Anti-Racism Resource Centre,{{Cite news|date=2020-09-24|title=Evelyn Myrie to guide reboot of Hamilton Anti-Racism Resource Centre|language=en|work=The Hamilton Spectator|url=https://www.thespec.com/news/hamilton-region/2020/09/24/evelyn-myrie-to-guide-reboot-of-hamilton-anti-racism-resource-centre.html|access-date=2021-03-18|issn=1189-9417}} the final report and proposal for revamped operations was presented and accepted by Hamilton City Council on February 18, 2021.{{Cite web|title=City plants 'seed of regrowth' for Hamilton Anti-Racism Resource Centre|url=https://www.sachem.ca/news-story/10334199-city-plants-seed-of-regrowth-for-hamilton-anti-racism-resource-centre/|access-date=2021-03-18|website=Sachem.ca|date=18 February 2021|language=en-CA}}
Myrie ran for the office of Ward 1 councillor in the 1994 Hamilton, Ontario Municipal Election, capturing 13.6% of the vote and losing to newcomer Marvin Caplan.{{Cite news|last=Herron|first=Shaun|date=15 November 1994|title=Only one new face elected to city council; Marvin Caplan is the new kid in town|page=B1|work=The Hamilton Spectator}} In 2003, she sought the nomination for Provincial NDP nomination in Hamilton West.{{Cite book|last=Shadd|first=Adrienne|title=The Journey from Tollgate to Parkway: African Canadians in Hamilton|publisher=Dundurn Press|year=2010|pages=264–266}} In 2016 the John C. Holland Awards created the Evelyn Myrie Award for Political Action in her honour and the bursary is given to an individual who has shown leadership in political action within the community.{{Cite web|title=Reverend John C. Holland Awards|url=https://www.johnhollandawards.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Scholarship-Bursary-Award-Description-2019-Final-1.pdf}} Along with her political activism and social justice work, Myrie ran Eman Fine Art Prints & Tings, a gallery of African art and the art of those of African descent, it operated online and had a storefront on Locke Street. She started the gallery because of notable lack of stores that reflected diverse culture in Hamilton. Myrie is an avid long-distance runner and has participated in numerous marathons throughout the years.
Career and volunteer work
- Program Director at Status of Women Canada
- Founding Director of Peel Newcomer Strategy Group{{Cite web|title=Inaugural Order of Hamilton honour for community leader|url=https://www.ronfanfair.com/home/2020/2/6/gaxafsq4gujeqhvi7y0vhavgxqdnwu|access-date=2021-03-31|website=Ron Fanfair|language=en-US}}
- Executive Director of the Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion{{Cite news|date=2014-09-23|title=Evelyn Myrie resigns as head of Centre for Civic Inclusion|language=en|work=The Hamilton Spectator|url=https://www.thespec.com/news/hamilton-region/2014/09/23/evelyn-myrie-resigns-as-head-of-centre-for-civic-inclusion.html|access-date=2021-03-18|issn=1189-9417}}
- Freelance columnist The Hamilton Spectator
- Founder and Principal EmPower Strategy Group
- Host of television show Singing Her Praises on Cable 14 Hamilton{{Cite web|date=March 31, 2021|title=Biography|url=https://www.hbhas.ca/files/pdfs/Evelyn_Myrie.pdf|website=Halton Black History Awareness Society}}
- Past-Chair African Canadian Legal Clinic Toronto
- Founding member and chairperson Hamilton Black History Committee
- Organizer TEDxKingStreetWomen{{Cite web|title=TED|url=https://www.ted.com/tedx/events/15794}}
- Honorary Board Member 2021 - South Asian Heritage Association of Hamilton Region{{Cite web|title=Board Members 2021|url=http://www.southasianheritage.org/about/itemlist/tag/Harvest}}
- SETSI Advisory Group Member - Social Economy through Social Inclusion {{Cite web|title=ADVISORY GROUP – SETSI|url=https://www.setsi.ca/advisory-group/|access-date=2021-03-31|website=www.setsi.ca}}
Honours, decorations, awards and distinctions
- 10 Year Volunteer Award (for Black History Committee), Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration, Ontario{{Cite web|title=Evelyn Myrie {{!}} 100ABCWomen|url=https://www.100abcwomen.ca/public-profile-database/6326/evelyn-myrie/|access-date=2021-03-18|language=en-CA}}
- Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Award, Government of Canada
- Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Award, Government of Canada{{Cite news|date=2016-06-16|title=Nerene Virgin, Evelyn Myrie honoured in new book|language=en|work=The Hamilton Spectator|url=https://www.thespec.com/news/hamilton-region/2016/06/16/nerene-virgin-evelyn-myrie-honoured-in-new-book.html|access-date=2021-04-02|issn=1189-9417}}
- Portrait of Success Award, The Hamilton Spectator
- Woman of the Year Public Affairs Award, City of Hamilton
- Inductee Hamiltons Gallery of Distinction 2011
- 100 Accomplished Black Canadian Women 2016
- Order of Hamilton 2019 Inaugural Inductee{{Cite news|date=2020-01-05|title=First Order of Hamilton recipients announced|language=en|work=The Hamilton Spectator|url=https://www.thespec.com/news/hamilton-region/2020/01/05/first-order-of-hamilton-recipients-announced.html|access-date=2021-03-31|issn=1189-9417}}
References
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Category:Canadian women activists