Named by the Women Executive Network (WXN) as one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women, Stachen Frederick (BSW ’13) has over 20 years of experience in the field of community and program development both nationally and internationally. She is the founder of BrAIDS for AIDS, and the executive director of Weston Frontlines Centre, a youth charity in Toronto.
York alumnus, Joseph Smith (BA ’11, BEd ’12, MEd ’14) is a man who wears many hats. He is a PhD student, an educator, researcher, consultant, volunteer leader and co-founder of Generation Chos3n, a not-for-profit organization that supports young adults in the Jane and Finch community.
In 2001, Brandon Hay (MES ’16) discovered he was going to be a dad for the first time. After visiting community centres seeking out help for Black fathers, he realized there were no resources available for him. While working at his factory job overnight, Hay came up with an idea in response to the isolation he felt as a new Black father as well as to the lack of spaces for Black men to discuss parenting issues and concerns facing the Black community as a whole.
Former MP Jean Augustine (LLD '11) helped establish Black History Month in Canada. Now, efforts to fundraise for an endowed chair in her name at York are kicking into high gear.