This year, the Multicultural Council of Windsor and Essex County will celebrate the contributions of the Director of Education at the Windsor Essex Catholic District School Board and a retired pediatrician.
Director Emelda Byrne will take home the Herb Gray Harmony Award that night, while Doctor Mark Awuku will receive the Herb Gray Champion Award. The awards recognize those who have made outstanding contributions toward building a welcoming and inclusive community.
Byrne began her career in 1987 as a teacher, vice-principal, principal, and senior administrator at the Catholic school board. She became the first woman in the board's history to be appointed Director of Education in 2021.
Her work on equity and inclusion led to the WECDSB's Equity Action Plan, which advanced culturally responsive practices, Indigenous learning, and system-wide professional development. Her work became a cornerstone of the board's broader anti-racism and equity strategy.
Dr. Mark Awuku was born and raised in Ghana. He earned his medical degree at the University of Ghana in 1975 before coming to Canada to complete his postgraduate training in pediatrics and pediatric critical care at the University of Toronto. He lived in Windsor until his retirement almost four years ago.
Throughout his career, Awuku served as the Chief of Pediatrics at Hotel Dieu Grace Healthcare and as a professor of Pediatrics at the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Windsor. He has won the King Charles III Coronation Medal, the Ontario Medical Association Presidential Award, and the Spirit of Medicine Award at Windsor Regional Hospital. In 2017, he was named the Pediatrician of the Year and received an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from the University of Windsor.
Another award will be presented the evening of May 1, the Kathleen Thomas Inspire Award. It'll be presented to a Canadian newcomer whose resilience in overcoming barriers reflects the spirit of hope and opportunity.
