Six women who contribute to the social, political, economic and cultural life of the Caribbean community will

be honoured at an event by Singing Her Praises (SHP), a program that celebrates women’s achievements inspires them to live purposeful lives.
Zanana L. Akande, Jean Augustine, Akua Benjamin, Paulette Senior, Debbie Douglas and Fleurette Osborne have all been described as trailblazers in different facets of society.
Akande served as a cabinet minister from 1990 to 1994 with the Ontario New Democratic Party government. She was the first Black woman elected to the Legislature and Canada’s first Black woman cabinet minister.
Augustine is the first African-Canadian woman to be elected to the House of Commons, the first to serve in the federal cabinet and recently served as Ontario’s first fairness commissioner.
Benjamin has been a social justice advocate for more than three decades and played significant roles in the Congress of Black Women and the Black Action Defense Committee.
Senior is the CEO of YWCA Canada and has been a formidable advocate at local, provincial, and federal levels on matters pertinent to women, girls, youth and immigrants.
Douglas is executive director of the Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI) where she leads a sector of more than 230 agencies concerned with immigrant and refugee integration and social and economic inclusion.
Osborne was the first national president of the Congress of Black Women of Canada and helped coordinate the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995.
Founded in 2011 by Evelyn Myrie, Singing Her Praises celebrates women through dynamic and empowering program offerings, workshops, coaching, and celebratory events like this one.
The event scheduled for Wednesday, Nov.18, at Chelsea Hotel, Toronto, promises an evening of music, dance and spoken word.
Tickets are available by calling 905-527-5651 or 905-531-2107 or from Eventbrite at http://bit.ly/1GysI3f.
Part of the proceeds from Singing Her Praises, Celebrating Women (Toronto) will benefit the Global Sickle Cell Disease Network, a team of researchers and clinicians working to improve the outcomes and quality of life for children living with sickle cell.