TORONTO, Nov. 3, 2015 /CNW/ - Harmony Movement announced today that the 2015 Harmony Award will be presented to Desmond Cole, a Toronto community worker, journalist, radio show host, and social activist.
Mr. Cole has led the charge against the Toronto Police practice of carding and racial profiling since he appeared in Toronto Life's cover story "The Skin I'm In: I've been interrogated by police more than 50 times—all because I'm black."
On October 22, 2015, Queen's Park legislated to make random and arbitrary carding by police forces across Ontario illegal.
Mr. Cole has covered a variety of issues through a critical lens focused on equity, discrimination and white privilege. He covered such issues as Bill C-51, Syrian refugees, and the missing Aboriginal women.
The annual Harmony Award recognizes significant contributions of Canadians who are active in promoting diversity, inclusion and social change. Past award recipients include Jeremy Dias, Herb Carnegie, Roméo Dallaire, June Callwood, Stephen Lewis and Michele Landsberg.
Mr. Cole will receive the award at the 2015 Harmony Awards Gala on November 5, 2015 at the Bram & Bluma Appel Salon at the Toronto Reference Library, 789 Yonge Street, Toronto. For more information visit http://www.harmony.ca/gala2015
The event will also recognize outstanding achievements in diversity and social justice with the Mary A. Samuel Harmony Leadership in Education, Harmony Educator, Harmony Social Changemakers, and Harmony School of the Year awards, as well as the June Callwood Harmony Scholarships.
"We want to pay tribute to students, educators and activists who have made a positive social impact on their local community and on the national stage," says Executive Director Cheuk Kwan. "And Desmond is a classic role model for all those who strive for social justice and promote social change."
Harmony Movement www.harmony.ca is the leading provider of diversity education in Ontario. It works with school boards and their communities, as well as community and business organizations to educate, transform, and create conditions to help eliminate discrimination
Harmony Movement's education programs are made possible by funding provided by the Ontario Trillium Foundation, as well as its Partners in Harmony: Bank of Montreal, TD Bank, Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO), Ontario Public Services Employees' Union (OPSEU), and UNIFOR.
SOURCE Harmony Movement
Image with caption: "Harmony Movement (CNW Group/Harmony Movement)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20151103_C6921_PHOTO_EN_535314.jpg
please contact Cheuk Kwan at [email protected] or by phone at 416-804-1527
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