Nicole Inica Hamilton
100ABCWomen Database
Nicole Inica Hamilton is an award-winning choreographer and the Founder/ Artistic Director of Inica Dance Industries. A certified educator and teaching member of Dance Masters of Canada / Dance Masters of America, Hamilton has served as a guest teacher, mentor and speaker at institutes across Canada including; George Brown College, University of Toronto, York University and the University of Calgary.
Hamilton is a counselling member of the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association, and a member of Healthy Dancer Canada. She works actively in the dance health and science sector. Her creations and research have examined and explored diverse realities and experiences of the human condition, healing practices, and care centered ecosystems. Her research on holistic teaching practices and impacts of psychological stress have been presented at national and international conventions. Hamilton is the producer & host of Turn Out Radio, broadcasting on CIUT 895 FM, Bell Fibe TV and Rogers Cable TV.
Nicole Waldron’s multifaceted career, commands over 25 years of experience in project management, marketing, arts and administration, sponsorship, public relations, social advocacy and production management. This expansive career has enabled her to work throughout Canada, the United States and the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago. Nicole has developed a keen understanding of the needs and goals of her clients, which complements her professional and personal one on one style. Always passionate, she believes in working on projects that edify individuals to be the best they can be and organizations that have a positive impact on society. She works to raise awareness on Affordable Housing issues, Violence Against Women, Mental Health and Health Issues affecting the African-Canadian/Caribbean Communities such as Sickle Cell.
Nicole served as a consultant to several organizations. These include, but are not limited to, Exclusive Entertainment, Joan Pierre & Associates, Amoi Magazine, Darren Sheppard (Pannist), YMCA Greater Toronto – Self Employment Program, Sunrise Caribbean Restaurant Franchise Corporation, Dance Caribe, GTFA Learning Centre and Let’s Celebrate Liberia Organization.
Nicole has been actively involved in the design and implementation of various Festivals and Special Events such as: The Truth Conference, the Pinball Clemons Foundation, Panamania (TO2015 Pan Am Games) – Cuttin’ Style Caribbean Fashion-Toronto; Afrofest, Full Capacity Concerts in conjunction with World Vision, Trinidad & Tobago Heritage Group Projects – Toronto; The African Canadian Achievement Awards, the Aroni and Bikila Awards; The 1994 World Championship of Basketball, The Regent Park and The Reel World Film Festivals – Toronto and The Power Within Conferences in Toronto / Atlanta / Calgary to name a few.
My top three major accomplishments? Firstly, raising two incredible humans, my pride and joy. Secondly, forging a career path as a black woman dedicated to driving positive change. Lastly, simply cherishing being alive – navigating life’s challenges, embracing growth, and relishing every moment.
Leading TEC through the lens of service, humility and passion. Raising my daughter as a single mother while pursuing my own goas, and teaching her to do the same. Being a mentor and source of support to women from my community who needed guidance in navigating a new country
Njeri became a licensee of the Law Society of Ontario when she was called to the bar in June 2015. In addition to providing sound representation to her firm’s clients, Njeri has become distinguished by her strong legal and business acumen, her problem-solving skills, and her ability to navigate complex legal matters for employers, while remaining grounded in social justice principles.
Notably, in May 2018, Njeri was invited to deliver the keynote address at the annual conference of the Ontario Public Supervisory Officers’ Association. Her address “Equity in Education: Practically Speaking” was very well received. As a result, Njeri has been retained to provide legal training to over 1500 school board administrators across the province on the intersection of human rights and education law.
Annually, since 2016, Njeri has been a faculty member of the Osgoode Certificate in Human Rights Theory and Practice. She also delivers an annual seminar in both the Critical Race Theory, and the Lawyering Using an Anti-Racism and Anti-Oppression Lens course at Osgoode Hall Law School.
Njeri Watkins is a Digital Analyst & Digital Intelligence | UBC Instructor as well as an accomplished leader and educator actively contributing to Canada’s digital technology sector by advising and teaching the next generation of entrepreneurs and leaders. Sought after for her prolific insights and analytical mind, Njeri’s illustrious career spans the cultural, educational and digital technology sectors.
A seventh generation Canadian born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Njeri has a deep affinity for her cultural heritage and authentically embodies Canadian values in all her pursuits. Blessed with a remarkable history of resilience and ingenuity, her maternal family is from the historic Black communities of Lake Loon and Cherry Brook of the Preston Township Settlements in Nova Scotia and her paternal family is from Michael’s Village, St. Johns, Antigua and Barbuda.
Njeri studied marketing at St. Mary’s University, Halifax; received a Provincial Instructor’s Certificate with the Nova Scotia Department of Education; and graduated from The Entertainment Administration Program at the University of British Columbia (UBC).
As Vice President of Commercial Financial Services, Nneka leads a local team of industry specialized Commercial Banking Account Managers covering the Durham Region. Providing industry specific advice and solutions to local businesses to help them grow is a key focus for Nneka and her team.
Co-author of Beyond Math, a critical thinking mental math workbook for ages 8 to 13 years and currently working on my second book title Notes to my younger self for ages 13 to 25 years. Being a black leader with a voice Initiating and implementing a knowledge platform where employees can share experiences
As the coordinator of the women’s ministry, she plans ministry events, retreats and trips to build friendships and lasting relationships, and she has assisted the Black Anglicans Coordinating Committee in the planning of the Annual Black History Month service. Her biggest achievement and one that she is most proud of, is raising $50,000 for the church through Caribbean cruises which she organized, when she realized the church was cash strapped.
“Gaining a postgraduate degree; becoming the Vice Chair of the Region of Peel Police Services Board; authoring two books; giving over 1,500 hours of volunteer work in 2017 and being a vibrant community leader and advocate for mental health and marginalized youth.”
Norma Walker-Dickens was born in St. Catherine, Jamaica. She came to Canada with her baby daughter in October, 1967 to join her husband who was a Masters student at the University of Manitoba. She lived in Winnipeg with her family. Her husband passed away in 1991 and Norma remarried in 1995 to Thomas Dickens. She spends at least five months in Winnipeg where her husband lives. Since 2006, Mississauga has been her permanent residence where her three daughters and seven grandchildren live.
Her educational achievements include: graduation from Shortwood Teacher’s College in Jamaica (1963); B.A. Degree from University of Winnipeg (1980); Certificate of Administration and Management from University of Winnipeg (1988) and Certificate of Personal Function from University of Winnipeg (1982).
Norma has been a teacher for thirty years: three years in Jamaica and twenty-seven years at various schools in the Winnipeg School Division, Manitoba. She has served on many educational committees and assisted numerous community organizations. She served as various school representative on the Winnipeg Teachers Association.
Norma Williams was born and raised in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia. Growing up, issues of race and racism informed her world. The difference maker for her, was the advice and support of her family, the hometown and province-wide African Nova Scotian communities. She lived the reality it takes a village. Entering Dalhousie University, it was no different. African Nova Scotians and People of African descent often banded together to support the good and decry the bad occurring on campus and in society. Through these avenues her critical perspectives toward race and racism, anti-racism, equity, diversity and inclusionary practice were born.
After graduation, Norma was successful in gaining employment with the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission. As a Human Rights Officer, she had the opportunity to increase her cultural competency knowledge, skills and abilities. During her years at the Human Rights Commission, she gained strength in case investigation, mediation, public education, communities outreach and employment equity initiatives including working with industry to support equity; etc. Of importance, was that she was able to support the recruitment and placement of equity group members through the Commission’s community and industry centered equity program.
Notisha Massaquoi is originally from Sierra Leone and has been an enthusiastic advocate for advancements in racialized women’s healthcare globally for the past 25 years. Her early career in social services helped establish several organizations and programs which served the newly emerging African Communities in Canada such as Africans in Partnership Against AIDS, The African Resource and Communications Centre and the women’s counselling program of Harambe Centres Canada. She is currently the Executive Director of Women’s Health in Women’s Hands Community Health Centre in Toronto Canada – the only Community Health Centre in North America, which provides specialized primary healthcare for racialized women. She holds a BA in psychology from the University of Western Ontario, an MSW from the University of Toronto and is nearing completion of her Doctoral education in Sociology and Equity studies from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education/University of Toronto.
Her research and numerous publications have focused on women and HIV /AIDS, increased access to primary healthcare for racialized women and health promotion/education strategies for marginalized communities in Canada. Her academic work has appeared in such journals as Canadian Woman Studies, Wagadu, The International Encyclopedia of the Social and Behavioural Sciences, Canadian Journal of Public Health, Social Science and Medicine; and the Canadian Journal of Infectious Disease and Medical Microbiology. This work has been influential internationally and has often been used as an advocacy tool to address the intersectional nature of gender and race when looking at health disparities. In 2001, she co-wrote the background paper on Racism as a Determinant of Health for the United National World Conference on Racism and helped to facilitate the addition of this language in the WCAR Conference Declaration in Durban South Africa. In 2009, she wrote the background paper on Gender and the Global impact of the Healthcare Provider Shortage and presented at the United Nations Social Development Forum in Geneva, Switzerland. She has been a lecturer for the faculties of social work at Dalhousie University, York University and currently Ryerson University. Her latest book is a co-edited Anthology entitled Theorizing Empowerment: Canadian Perspectives on Black Feminist Thought.
My top three major accomplishments? Firstly, raising two incredible humans, my pride and joy. Secondly, forging a career path as a black woman dedicated to driving positive change. Lastly, simply cherishing being alive – navigating life’s challenges, embracing growth, and relishing every moment.
Being honoured as one of the top 100 ABC women in 2024, I emerged as a winner in the BBPA Rise-Up Pitch 2023; I was named one of the top 100 Black Women to Watch 2023 in addition to other special recognition in 2023.
My greatest accomplishments include mothering three sons. I am also a published author of “Success is a Journey, the Entrepreneur’s Handbook.” Additionally, I achieved recognition as one of the Top 15 Coaches in Mississauga for both 2022 and 2023. In 2014, I was honored with the Microskills Entrepreneur of the Year Award.
OLUBUSOLA KOLADE studied at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria from where she graduated with an Honour’s degree in Food Science and Technology. She later proceeded to Reading University, England for her Master’s degree in Food Quality Control. She went back for second Master’s Degree at Brunel University London, England for Masters in Environmental Pollution Science with Project Management. Shortly after, she immigrated to Canada and took up an appointment with Ryerson Polytechnic University as an Asst. Professor in the Science department.
Olubusola has been an educator in the secondary sector in the last fifteen years with the Toronto District School Board (TDSB). Her passion for the youth and the need to “catch them young” as she says, made her to go back to Teachers College at Brock University, Hamilton, Canada and since then, has been an employee of TDSB as a teacher. Her passion for the young ones to succeed, motivates her to chair/co-chair different initiatives, such as Character Education, the Student Recognition award, the Outstanding Student of the Month Award and the Equity Committee.
Dr. Ogundimu (or Dr. O. or Dr. Remi as she is popularly called) is a Canadian citizen who spent her formative years in Nigeria. As a focused and disciplined student, she went to high school on an academic scholarship and continued that trend to garner a full scholarship in 1969, to the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, where she pursued medicine, which she did with focus and discipline. She did not deviate from her goal and in June 1974, she was awarded the degree in medicine, MB. BS degree. This was just the beginning for Remi. Next, she did her rotating internship in the hospitals in Lagos, covering the various disciplines in one year. In 1975, she served in rural Nigeria as Medical Officer under the National Youth Services Corps.
It was apparent from those early days that Remi’s focus was Paediatrics, because after that year she moved on to the University College Hospital, Ibadan, as Resident I in the Paediatrics Department. She progressed very quickly to Resident II. It was quite obvious that there was no stopping Remi because at the end of 1978 she obtained a position in the Paediatric residency program at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Canada. At the end of the training she was successful in acquiring her Canadian Fellowship in Paediatrics (FRCP(C)) and later she obtained the American Board of Paediatrics certification (FAAP).
Leading the Black Health Vaccine Initiative; Establishing the Black Health Education Collaborative; Publishing Black health research papers on Afrocentric care at TAIBU CHC
Ovie conceived and co-founded the Canadian Black Nurses Alliance (CBNA), a growing national organization advancing advocacy, representation, mentorship, and support for Black nurses and nursing students across Canada. She has been recognized as a Women Executive Network Top 5 Canadian Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Recipient, one of Canada’s Top Black Women to Watch, and a Leadership Recipient from the Canadian and African Women Aid Program. As an Advisory Member on Nursing Retention with Health Canada, she co-conceived the National Nursing Retention Toolkit, an initiative led by the Chief Nursing Officer of Canada.
I founded the African Canadian Weddings; I authored the book, Motherhood, a Sacred Ministry; Certified Human Resources Professional & Payroll Compliance Practitioner
Over the years, Pamela has served on numerous boards and organizations, including: Oakville Women’s Mosaic, Community Foundation of Oakville, Chair of the Allocation Committee on Violence Against Women with the United Way of Greater Toronto, The Ontario Black History Society (OBHS), Clarke Institute of Psychiatry Foundation, the Canadian Multiculturalism Council, the Black Business & Professional Association (BBPA), The Harry Jerome Awards and Scholarship Fund and Patron for the Project for the Advancement of Childhood Education (PACE) in Canada and Jamaica.
1. Advancement of Black Women Entrepreneurs: As the founder of BWBN, she created pivotal platforms like the Metro Vancouver Black Women Business Expo,
2. Advocacy in Tech Diversity: Spearheading the Black Women in Tech Project and promoting diversity in the banking and finance sectors
3. Leadership Development
It is important to me to serve the community, my patients and contribute to my profession. My proudest moments include starting an organization to unite and mentor Black Occupational Therapists, developing an outpatient program for women with breast cancer, and authoring cancer rehabilitation courses that have reached international audiences.