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2011 Harmony Tributes
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2010 Award Winners |
2010 Harmony Tributes
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Professional
Excellence Award
Mr. Kevin
Williams
President and
CEO of General
Motors Canada
Prior to his
current
appointment,
Kevin Williams
served as
General Motors
(GM) Vice
President and
General Manager,
Service and
Parts
Operations;
President and
Managing
Director of GM
de Mexico;
Assistant
Managing
Director and
Manufacturing
Manager, GM de
Mexico and GM
North America's
Vice President
of Quality.
On March
1, 2010, Mr.
Williams was
appointed
President and
Managing
Director of GM
Canada, with the
overall
responsibility
for GM's vehicle
manufacturing
and distribution
in Canada. In
the pursuit of
excellence,
Kevin Williams
has risen to the
highest level of
his field of
expertise. He
has proven that
diligent hard
work has its
reward in
success.
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Planet
Africa
Development
Award
Yvonne
Chaka Chaka
South
Africa's music
superstar,
UNICEF
Ambassador and
Humanitarian
Activist
Yvonne
Chaka Chaka is a
South African
music superstar
and a legend
across Africa.
Born in 1965 in
Soweto during
the apartheid
era, she was the
first African
child to appear
on South African
television in
1981. As
UNICEF's
Goodwill
Ambassador
against malaria,
and Ambassador
for Roll-Back
Malaria,
sponsored by the
World Bank and
the United
Nations, Yvonne
Chaka Chaka
tirelessly
campaigns for
medications and
bed nets that
will help to end
malaria, a
preventable and
curable disease
that kills 3,000
people in Africa
every day.
Inspired
by these
statistics,
Yvonne
established the
Princess of
Africa
Foundation. She
works with the
United Nations,
speaking for the
voiceless. For
Chaka Chaka, her
music is a
platform to not
only entertain,
but to empower,
equip and
educate.
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Science
and Technology
Award
Dr. Ola
Kassim
Chief
Pathologist &
Director of
Laboratoty
Services, West
Parry Sound
Health Centre
As President and
CEO of Parry
Sound-Muskoka
Diagnostic Inc.
and the Ola
Kassim Medical
Professional
Corporation, Dr.
Ola Kassim
facilitates the
provision of
specialized
medical
laboratory and
imaging
diagnostic
services. He
also serves as
Senior Medical
Consultant at
the Ontario
Shores Centre
for Mental
Health Sciences
and Biopharma
Services.
Dr. Kassim has
published
numerous
academic and
research papers
in the fields of
laboratory
medicine and
pathology. Even
with such
professional
responsibilities,
the Professor of
Pathology and
Laboratory
Medicine at the
Northern Ontario
School of
Medicine
continues to
serve his
community with a
special focus on
transformation.
He was the
Founding
Chairman of
Nigerians In The
Diaspora
Organization
(NIDO Americas).
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Nelson
Mandela
Humanitarian
Award
Dr. Anthony
Sterling
Founder,
Sterling Dental
Centre,
Brampton,
Ontario, Canada
Sterling Dental,
under the
distinguished
leadership of
its Founder, Dr.
Anthony
Sterling,
routinely
invests in the arts
as well as in
the well-being
and the moral
fibre of Toronto
and the Greater
Toronto Area in
general. With a
highly visible
presence and two
locations in
Brampton,
Ontario,
Sterling Dental
is a model of
client focused
and family
friendly dental
practice.
His vision is to
work with
like-minded
community
partners and
exchange ideas
toward the
promise of a
brighter future.
Dr. Sterling
continues to
engage those
around him with
fierce
determination
and quiet
humility.
Working with
William Osler
Health System,
he sponsors the
annual
Brampton Civic
Hospital Staff
Appreciation and
Community BBQ,
feeding over 600
people; and the
Brampton Best
Smile contest.
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Planet
Africa
Leadership Award
David
Alechenu Mark
President
of the Senate of
Nigeria
Honourable
Senator David
Alechenu Mark,
the man at the
seat of
legislative
power in
Nigeria, has a
wealth of
experience in
managing the
affairs of
Africa's most
populous nation
of 150 million
people. He is a
charming
intellect and a
dogged patriot
and dedicated
flag bearer for
elected
representatives.
Senator Mark
attained the
height of
professional
military career
when he was
appointed
Commander Corps
of Signals.
After
years of public
life and
eventual exile,
Senator Mark was
sworn in as the
President of the
Seventh Senate
of the Federal
Republic of
Nigeria. A
native of Benue
State, he was
re-elected in
April 2011 for a
fourth term. He
is also the
Chairman of the
Senate Committee
on Selection and
Chairman of the
Joint National
Assembly, which
includes both
the Senate and
the House of
Representatives.
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Planet
Africa Rising
Star Award
SHAD,
a.k.a Shadrach
Kabango
Juno Award
winning Hip Hop
star
The emcee, known
simply as Shad,
has released
three albums,
including
"TSOL", which
was released in
May 2010 to wide
acclaim, a 2010
outstanding Juno
Award win for
Best Rap
Recording of the
Year and a
Polaris Music
Prize
nomination.
In a few short
years, the young
rapper from
London, Ontario,
known as
Shadrach
Kabango, has
become a member
of Canada's
hip-hop royalty.
He was born in
Kenya of Rwandan
parents. He
holds a business
degree from
Wilfrid Laurier
University
and a master's
degree in
liberal studies
from
Simon Fraser
University.
When you factor
in North
American tours,
stints overseas
with shows
across Europe
and the
completion of
his master's
degree, it is
evident that
Shad isn't
looking to slow
down anytime
soon.
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Lifetime
Achievement
Award
Bishop
(Dr.) Audley
James
Founder,
Revivaltime
Tabernacle
Ministries;
Community Leader
Biblical
Scholar, Pastor,
Musician and
Community
Advocate, Dr.
Audley N. James
is busy making a
difference.
Revivaltime
Tabernacle
Worldwide
Ministry, a
Pentecostal
ministry
headquartered in
Toronto, was
born out of his
vision for a
unique community
of people of
faith in 1980.
The Ryerson
University
graduate is a
man set on a
singular mission
to heal and
advance his
community.
With
membership now
standing at over
3000, meeting at
two locations in
Downsview,
Toronto and
Pickering,
Durham, the
church has
extended its
outreach
ministry to
touch lives in
various parts of
the world. He
has worked in
the Jane and
Finch community,
with a mandate
to reach at risk
youth,
ministering to
their physical
and spiritual
needs.
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Marcus
Garvey Memorial
Award
Courtney
Betty
Lawyer,
Founder &
President,
Diversity
Business Network
Courtney Betty
has over 20
years of
experience
within the
legal,
regulatory and
business
environment.
He is the
Founder and
President of the
Diversity
Business
Network, which
aims at making
diversity in the
supply chain one
of the
cornerstones of
corporate
Canada.
He began his
legal career
with the
Department of
Justice in
Canada,
representing the
Government of
Canada in tax,
civil and
commercial
cases.
Recruited by the
Government of
Jamaica as
Senior Legal
Counsel at the
Jamaica Fair
Trade
Commission, Mr.
Betty focused on
the deregulation
of the Jamaican
telecommunications
sector. He
represented the
government
against the
monopoly of
Cable and
Wireless
Jamaica,
resulting in the
first
interconnection
of an
alternative
provider in
Jamaica, laying
the foundation
for the
deregulation of
telecommunications
throughout the
Caribbean.
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Planet
Africa
Enterprise Award
Dr. Cosmas
Maduka
Chairman &
CEO, Coscharis
Group;
Automotive and
Computer
Distributor
Dr. Cosmas
Maduka is a
Nigerian
industrialist
and
philanthropist.
In the
automobile
market,
Coscharis
Motors, one of
10 subsidiaries
of Coscharis
Group, sells
BMW, Land Rover,
Jaguar,
GM, Ford, other
vehicles and
parts. He is the
sole distributor
of BMW luxury
vehicles. He
represents HP,
IBM, Lenovo and
owns Cosmos, his
own brand of
computers made
in Nigeria.
Coscharis,
coined from his
name Cosmas and
that of his wife
and associate
Charity, is in
banking,
technology,
publishing and
more.
He has donated
to the Law
Lecture Theatre
at the
University of
Nigeria, Enugu
campus; and the
construction of
roads in his
hometown of
Nnewi, Anambra
State. His
inspiring story
of a young man
who rose from
rags to a
Nigerian
billionaire, is
told in the book
"Trials to
Triumph" by Dr.
Udoh Williams.
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Planet
Africa Media
award
Lancelot
O. Imasuen
Nollywood
film Producer
and Director
He is the CEO of
Lancelot Imasuen
Media Network
Ltd, a frontline
Entertainment
and Commercial
Production
Company with
headquarters in
Lagos and a
branch in Benin
City and the
President of
Nollywood
Project 101 a Plat-form to discover,
nurture and
expose new faces
into the
Nigerian motion
picture
industry.
Lancelot Oduwa
Imasuen shoots
all his movies
in
Benin City
with emphasis
deliberately on
his people,
their history
and projecting
their rich
cultural
heritage. The
acclaimed
40 year old
native of Edo State,
Nigeria
is credited to
have produced
more award
winning actors
than most of his
counterparts in
Nollywood.
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Planet
Africa
Entertainment
Award
Mark S.
Doss
Grammy
Award Winning
Opera Singer
Grammy
Award-winning
opera singer
(bass-baritone)
Mark S. Doss
enjoys an
impressive
concert
repertoire,
performing over
60 roles with 55
of the world’s
most prestigious
opera houses
(including
Milan’s
famous Teatro
alla Scala) in a
career spanning
more than 25
years. He has
travelled across
the globe, with
performances in
10 different
languages:
English, French,
Italian, German,
Spanish, Latin,
Russian, Czech,
Hebrew, and
Hungarian.
Mr. Doss enjoys
mentoring and
teaching young
artists to help
them reach their
full potential.
He was Associate
Professor of
Voice at Michigan State
University in East Lansing,
Michigan
from 1995-1997,
and continues to
give master
classes, working
with apprentice
artists.
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African
Renaissance
Award
Dr. David
S. Bassiouni
Chairman &
CEO, The
Bassiouni Group;
UN Diplomat,
South Sudanese
Leader
A veteran
humanitarian and
career diplomat,
Dr. David S.
Bassiouni served
with the United
Nations for over
two decades,
primarily
working with
UNICEF, DHA OCHA
and UNDGO. Most
recently through
The Bassiouni
Group, he served
as a key
component in the
independence of
South Sudan.
Dr. Bassiouni’s
expertise cuts
broadly across
humanitarian
affairs and
assistance,
complex
emergencies,
conflict and
crisis
resolution,
safety and
security, change
management,
sustainable
development,
agricultural and
natural resource
development and
management, and
his first career
in veterinary
medicine.
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Academic
Achievement
Award
Pia Bahile
Ryerson
University
Journalism
Graduate, Bank
of Montreal
Scholarship
Recipient.
More than a good
student, Pia
Bahile works
hard to
accomplish her
goals.
With a
naturally
inquisitive
nature, the
young woman
decided on a
career in
journalism.
Though
she was pleased
to receive the
Bank of Montreal
Scholarship, it
was no great
surprise that
her strong work
ethic and high
grades bore
fruit.
As a journalism
student at
Ryerson
University, Bahile
continued to
hone her craft
and her talents.
Pia not only
contributed to
several blogs,
she maintained
high grades and
excelled to gain
the respect of
her peers and
receive various
awards.
Pia
Bahile continues
along her path
of achievement,
one story at a
time.
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Planet
Africa Heritage
Award
Vivine
Scarlet
Choreographer,
Instructor,
Founder &
Artistic
Director, Dance
Immersion
Vivine
Scarlett’s
artistic goals
and aspirations
are rooted in
the love of
dance, which she
has studied in
Canada,
US,
Guinea,
and
Ghana.
As former
Artistic
Director and
performing
member of the
Usafiri Dance &
Drum Ensemble,
Vivine created
and presented
works in both
traditionally
influenced
African and
contemporary
African dance
styles.
She is Founder
and Program
Director for
dance Immersion,
an organization
that produces
and presents
dancers and
dances of the
African
Diaspora,
providing
diverse programs
for children and
adults.
She was
instrumental in
bringing the
International
Association of
Blacks in Dance
(IABD) to
Toronto
in 2007, a historic event held
outside of the
United States
for the first
time.
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Volunteer of The
Year Award
Detective
Constable Donald
Yirenkyi
York
Regional Police
Service;
Community
Development
Advocate
Constable Donald
Yirenkyi
believes in
giving back. His
commitment to
community
service began
well before he
started as a
York Regional
Police officer
in 1999 and has
continued
throughout his
career. He found
a way to make a
difference in
our diverse
communities when
he joined the
newly-created
Diversity and
Cultural
Resources Unit
in 2004.
Constable
Yirenkyi began
building bridges
in many areas.
He welcomed new
Canadians while
hosting
Citizenship
Ceremonies and
remains an
active member of
the organizing
committee of the
annual
International
Day for the
Elimination of
Racial
Discrimination
commemoration.
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Sports
and Athletics
Award
Devon
Harris
Author,
Motivational
Speaker &
Olympian in the
Jamaican Bobsled
Team
Olympian Devon
Harris holds
firm the belief
that a positive
attitude and a
never say die
philosophy will
carry him
farther than a
sense of
injustice and a
heart filled
with anger.
A
graduate of the
prestigious
Royal Military
Academy
Sandhurst in England, Devon
served with the
Jamaica Defence
Force before
retiring as a
Captain.
Devon
has made a
commitment to
nourish the
minds and bodies
of young
students whom he
believes have
the same
potential for
success as did
he.
Through
his “Keep On
Pushing
Foundation”,
Devon
brings hope to
youths in
disadvantaged
communities, by
creating
practical
opportunities
for them to
explore their
full potential.
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Harmony
Tribute for
Changing Lives
Dave
Toycen
President,
World Vision
Canada; Largest
Canadian
Humanitarian
Relief Agency
In his 23
years as a
leader with
World Vision
Canada-15 as
president-donations
have increased
almost tenfold
to more than
$415 million
annually. The
number of
children
sponsored
through World
Vision Canada
has also risen,
to more than
500,000. Toycen
has led the
agency into
significant
advocacy and
public policy
work, with an
emphasis on
issues that
affect children.
He has
spoken before
the World Bank,
and has met with
heads of state,
key global
executives and
development
leaders to
discuss the
well-being of
the world's
children. His
book, "The Power
of Generosity",
encourages
becoming more
engaged in the
world and to
develop a more
generous way of
life.
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Harmony
Tribute for
Diversity
Madeline
Ziniak
National
Vice President,
OMNI Television,
Rogers
Communications
Inc.
Madeline Ziniak
has been
involved in
ethnic media for
over 30 years
and is currently
the National
Vice President
of Rogers OMNI
Television.
Formerly
known as
CFMT-TV,
Canada’s
First
over-the-air
licensed
Multilingual/multicultural
Television
station, OMNI
has grown from
one local ethnic
channel to
become a
regional system
of five, with
stations in Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver.
She is also
Chair of the
Canadian Ethnic
Media
Association
(formerly known
as the Canadian
Ethnic
Journalists’ &
Writers’ Club).
CEMA is
comprised of
professionals
engaged in
print,
broadcast, web
journalism and
writing,
reflecting
Canada’s
diversity. CEMA
supports the
principles of
Canadian
citizenship,
multiculturalism
and the right of
free expression
without
ethnocentric
bias.
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Harmony
Tribute for
Compassion
Michael
"Pinball"
Clemons
Foundation
Michael
Clemons, former
Coach & CEO,
Toronto
Argonauts FC
Both on and off
the field,
former Toronto
Argonaut
football star
Michael
"Pinball"
Clemons has
always made it
clear that his
true passion
lies in the
youth. That same
passion is what
led to the
founding of the
Michael
"Pinball"
Clemons
Foundation, an
organization
whose purpose is
to advance the
cause of young
people.
Though most of
the foundation's
work has been
focused on
efforts in
Toronto area
communities, in
recent years,
Michael and his
wife Diane have
travelled
throughout parts
of Africa,
taking the same
message that
they've been
championing here
at home to
overseas
destinations.
Having served as
a player, coach
and CEO of the
Toronto
Argonauts
football club,
Mr. Clemons is a
true role model
for youngsters.
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Harmony
Tribute for
Education
Professor
Roberto Hausman
Founder
and Director of
the Canadian Law
Enforcement
College
In 1985 Roberto
Hausman began a
seemingly
daunting task
when he founded
the Canadian Law
Enforcement
College. For
over 25 years
now, the College
has grown from
its humble 1000
square feet to
12,000 square
feet complex in
Toronto and a
second location
of 2,000 square
feet in
Mississauga.
His personal
mission is to
make a
difference in
our society by
helping the less
fortunate,
regardless of
their country of
origin. The man
who arrived in
Canada at the
age of 19 from
Uruguay, with no
money, no
friends, no job,
no home and no
English,
continues
helping and
educating thousands
of new
immigrants so
they can find a
career and
opportunities in
Canada.
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Harmony
Tribute for
Public Service
Jim
Karygiannis
Member of
Parliament,
Scarborough-Agincourt,
Canada;
Jim
Karygiannis is
the Liberal
Member of
Parliament for
Scarborough-Agincourt.
On May 2, 2011,
he was
re-elected for
an eighth
consecutive
term, having
been first
elected to the
House of Commons
in 1988. Mr.
Karygiannis is
the Liberal
Party Critic for
Multiculturalism
and also
responsible for
stakeholder and
community
outreach.
Scarborough-Agincourt
is one of the
most ethnically
diverse federal
ridings in
Canada. Jim
Karygiannis is
an effective
voice for the
people he
serves, taking
their concerns,
on a wide
variety of
issues,
including
immigration,
taxation,
justice and
Canada's global
responsibilities,
to Caucus and
the House of
Commons for
debate.
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Harmony
Tributes for
Global Impact
War Child
Canada
Founded by
Dr. Samantha
Nutt
Dr. Samantha
Nutt is a
medical doctor
with more than
fifteen years of
experience
working in war
zones.
Committed
to peace, human
rights and
social justice,
she has worked
in some of the
world's most
violent
flashpoints with
War Child
Canada, the
United Nations
and
non-governmental
organizations
(NGOs) in
Darfur, Iraq,
Afghanistan, The
Democratic
Republic of
Congo, Liberia,
Sierra Leone,
Somalia,
Burundi,
northern Uganda,
Ethiopia and the
Thai-Burmese
border.
Over the course of her professional career and as the Founder and Executive Director of War Child Canada, Dr. Nutt has spearheaded efforts to provide direct humanitarian support and long term programming to war-affected children and their families, and to promote greater awareness in Canada
concerning the rights of children everywhere.
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Leadership Award
Dr. Carl Mack,
Executive
Director,
National Society
of Black
Engineers
(NSBE). He also
served as
President of the
NAACP in Seattle,
USA. |
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Lifetime
Achievement
Award
His Worship
Mayor James
Atebe, Mayor of
Mission, BC. A
native of Kenya,
he is the first
African Canadian
to be elected
Mayor in
Mission, BC. |
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Renaissance
Award
Lawrence Hill,
Journalist and
Author. He is
the Author of
“The Book of
Negroes”. It
chronicles the
experiences of
African people
during slavery
and
emancipation. |
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Professional
Excellence Award
Hazel Claxton,
Partner, Price
Waterhouse
Coopers. She she
is a role model
within and
beyond her
profession,
being the first
member of the
community to
reach the
position of
partner at PwC
and to sit on
its leadership
team. |
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The Sports and
Athletics Award
Steven Olema,
Fitness Expert &
Bodybuilding
Champion. A
Native of
Uganda, he is
the founder of
Anatomic
Corporation, a
growing fitness,
health and
wellness
company. |
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Marcus Garvey
Memorial Award
Julian Falconer,
Distinguished
Lawyer and
Bencher. He has
won many high
profile cases,
including the
landmark human
rights
settlement for
Maher Arar’s. |
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The Science and
Technology Award
Drs. Isa & Amina
Odidi,
Scientists &
Founders of
Intellipharmaceutics,
a company listed
on the TSX and
NASDAQ. |
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Media and
Entertainment
Award
Tonya Lee
Williams,
Hollywood Actor,
Producer,
Director &
Founder
ReelWorld Film
Festival. She
served as lead
star in “The
Young & The
Restless”
television
series, among
others. |
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The Volunteer of
the Year Award
Constable Ojo
Tewogbade,
Toronto Police
Services, and
Community
Organizer. Also
ordained
minister,
constable Ojo is
a strong pillar
for at risk
youth in
Toronto. |
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Rising Star
Award
Baby Boyz Dance
Group,
Choreographers &
Youth Mentors.
They have
performed for a
wide variety of
audiences in
Canada and
around the
world. |
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Nelson Mandela
Humanitarian
Award
Dr. Olaniyi
Ajisafe, Family
Physician and
Community
Advocate. He is
the President of
Safacare Medical
Centre, which
advances travel
medicine and
sickle cell
care. |
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Planet Africa
Development
Award
Bernice
Carnegie,
Executive
Director,
Herbert H.
Carnegie Future
Aces Foundation,
which fosters
self-esteem and
ethical behavior
through the
Future Aces
Creed. |
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Enterprise Award
Michael Beckette,
CEO, Mortgage
Alliance Canada.
A native of
Jamaica, he is
the owner of
Canada’s largest
independent
mortgage
brokerage firm. |
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Academic
Achievement
Award
James Valitchka,
Author &
Motivational
Speaker. An
outstanding role
model and
speaker, he has
caught the
attention of
many, including
President Barack
Obama of
America. |
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Heritage Award
Asanteman
Association of
Toronto, a
constituency of
the Ashanti
Kingdom of
Ghana. To be
received by Nana
Kofi Anokye,
Asante King of
Toronto, the
Asantefouhene.
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