Access Award
William P. Hubbard Race Relations Award
Constance E. Hamilton Award

Access Award

Carolyn Lemon is the driving force behind "Lemon and Allspice Cookery," a catering company that provides employment for people with disabilities. She has been the full-time volunteer co-ordinator since founding the company in 1998 with her daughter. Her staff has traditionally been deemed "unemployable," however, at this company, they learn valuable business skills such as delivering, catering and handling bakery sales. They also participate in the business decisions and share in the company's earnings. Since its establishment, "Lemon and Allspice Cookery" has seen tremendous growth, largely due to the efforts of its volunteer co-ordinator and founder, Carolyn Lemon. This growth has also resulted in additional employment opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities.

Frank Prospero has been actively involved with the Active Living Alliance for Canadians with a Disability (ALACD) since 1996. This non-profit organization seeks to enhance health, self-esteem, and independence of Canadians with a disability. The ALACD also promotes inclusion and active living. Frank is presently the Chairperson for ALACD-Ontario (2 years) and has been the Ontario Provincial Development Representative at the National level. He has been instrumental in the development and growth of ALACD-Ontario and establishing partnerships with other organizations. He has worked with organizations such as the Kinark Outdoor Centre and Playability to improve accessibility and to prepare guidelines for accessible playspaces. Frank has also served as a member on the Etobicoke Barriers Free Accessibility Committee and the Joint Citizens Committee for People with Disabilities and has continued his voluntary work at the municipal level by serving as a member of the City's Community Advisory Committee on Disability Issues. He is also currently working with the Muscular Dystrophy Association of Canada (MDAC) and in June 2001 was nominated to the Co-ordinating Committee (Board of Directors) for the Active Living Alliance for Canadians with a Disability. His leadership qualities inspire others to become actively involved with improving the lives of people with disabilities.

William P. Hubbard Race Relations Award

Murphy Browne has been on the front lines on issues of racism in her neighbourhood of St. James Town and in the schools where she works. She is a part-time instructor and historian in the African Heritage /Black Cultural Program of the Toronto District School Board, a facilitator in the African Studies Program of the University of Toronto and a diversity trainer for the Girl Guides of Canada. She is active in the Organization of Parents of Black Children, the Black Action Defence Committee, and the African Theatre Ensemble. Murphy serves on the board of directors of Central Neighbourhood House where she chairs the anti-racism/anti-oppression committee and the human resources committee. She is a union activist with CUPE 4400 and serves on the bargaining and equity committees. As a shop steward, she has worked to improve the wages and working conditions of union members who are people of colour. Despite facing many obstacles, Murphy Browne is an impassioned, articulate writer and public speaker on issues of racism.

Francisco Rico-Martinez has been President of the Canadian Council for Refugees since 1997 and of the Inland Protection Working Group since 1991. He has represented the Council at the Practices and Procedures Committee of the Immigration and Refugee Board, the Executive Committee of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) Regional Conference of Migration, and the National Anti-Racism Council. He is the founder and co-director of the Faithful Companions of Jesus (FCJ) Hamilton House Refugee Project, which is a national umbrella organization with more than 170 organizations working on refugee advocacy. Francisco is also a founding member of the Coalition for Service Providers for Refugee Claimants and has developed and implemented a protection program that assists refugees in moving through the legal process, with a particular focus upon those who do not have legal aid. Francisco has worked with many organizations including Sojourn House, City of Toronto Working Group on Immigration and Refugee Issues, Toronto Refugee Affairs Coalition, Legal Aid Plan of Ontario, Dixon Hall, Northwestern General Hospital, Hispanic Development Council and the Access Alliance Multicultural Community Health Centre. He is the author of many publications on refugee issues and has written articles for magazines and newspapers including the Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, Desde El Sur and Opinion Cultural magazine.

Constance E. Hamilton Award

Sheila Hambleton has contributed over 1000 volunteer hours annually since her retirement in 1994 from the Toronto District School Board. The organizations where she volunteers include Soroptimist International of Toronto, where she is currently the Director of the Programs Committee, Chair of the Awards and Bursaries Committee (in gerontology), club liaison with Toronto and the Area Council of Women, and the Club Archivist. Other volunteer activities include providing evening reception services at Anduhyuan shelter for aboriginal women, serving as vice-president of the Friends of the Sesquicentennial Museum, and as a board member of Community Older Persons Alcohol Program and Parkdale Focus Community. In much of her work she has supported projects that provide opportunities for young women to be mentored by older women and for older women to be exposed to other cultures. She has helped to develop processes that identify needs in the community and has raised funds for organizations that serve and benefit women.

Kowser Omer-Hashi is one of Canada's most outspoken advocates against female genital mutilation (FGM). After immigrating to Canada in 1986 as a refugee from the civil war in Somalia, she worked as a nurse and midwife in a Toronto women's reproductive health clinic. She has made it her mission to prevent FGM from being performed on any child living in Canada and is working with health professionals, social workers and teachers to address its medical consequences. She continues to focus her efforts on ensuring that Canadian doctors treat their patients who have undergone FGM with sensitivity and respect. Kowser has publicly spoken about FGM at seminars, government advisory panels and conferences, and has written many articles in professional and scholarly journals. She is an advocate for the position that the elimination of FGM is a health and human rights issue, rather than an issue based on religion or race.

Eslin Payne is a special constable with the Ontario Government Protective Service, as well as a part-time crisis counsellor at Women's Habitat Shelter for Abused Women and Children. She has also worked for the Fred Victor Centre Women's Hostel and Eva's Place. Her many volunteer activities have been with organizations that serve women and children, including Hands That Care Youth Centre (founder), Chalkfarm Community and Family Centre, Elizabeth Fry, Boys and Girls Club, Gatehouse, Project 90 and the Association of Black Law Enforcers. She worked with the Jamaican Canadian Association to produce a video on the prevention of assault against women. She is in high demand as a speaker to students about violence prevention and the importance of staying in school. Eslin continues to be a very positive role model for visible minority youth.