CANADA-BASED RWANDAN SPOKEN WORD artist, speaker and writer Rita Laurence Ngarambe has featured in this year’s edition of the 100 Accomplished Black Canadian women (ABC Women) book published later last week. The ABC Women book is an informative and educational publication aimed at highlighting, documenting, acknowledging, and supporting the accomplishments of Black Canadian women in terms of their social, educational, political, and professional accomplishments. This project grew out of a series of discussions among the authors over a six-month period where it was concluded that this type of publication would inspire Black girls and women by showcasing examples of the many contributions black women have and continue to make in Canadian society. Above all, it would make it possible for Black Canadian women to realise an opportunity that had not previously existed as well as help build a database for future publications that would acknowledge Black Canadian women from all walks of life, and specifically, not limited to government. It would also include not-for-profit, financial, legal, real estate, health, education, entertainment, fine arts, unsung heroes, trailblazers, firsts, and posthumous heroes. The previous editions were highly acclaimed by the public where the 2018 edition, for instance, received glowing reports from libraries that were very happy to add the edition to their shelves and the Toronto Public Library (TPL) also recognised the edition as one of the best to read during Black History Month (BHM). With such encouraging feedback, book co-authors Dr. Jean Augustine, Dauna Joncs-Simmonds and Dr. Denise O'Neil Green, revisited the nomination process that was used for the previous editions while ensuring relevance. Reacting to the achievement, Ngarambe expressed her pride in being part of women who bring about positive change and that she carries a dream to make the world a better place by contributing to our own communities one way or another. “It motivates me to keep going forward, to achieve more and to dare to dream beyond what is deemed possible,” she told The New Times. How she made it The recognition comes after Ngarambe made Rwanda proud after emerging first runner-up at the Miss Face of Humanity 2022, during a grand finale held in April the year in Toronto, Canada. The Miss Face of Humanity is a global platform for women who believe in the power of humanity to change the world. The pageant’s goal is to present and showcase the most amazing and inspirational women from across the world, who are on a mission to spread love, uplift humanity and inspire the world towards peace and unity. At the pageant, Ngarambe represented her organisation dubbed ‘United for Humanity’ which, among its missions, brings people together for a common cause, raise awareness and convert possible solutions into actions to address humanity’s pressing issues through the creation and establishment of safe spaces. The organisation seeks to create global solidarity movements by developing a local culture of inclusiveness and equity through safe spaces, establishing a foundation to work through humanity’s most pressing issues; resolving injustice through cross-cultural dialogue. Like it won her the first runner-up spot at the pageant, the same organisation pushed Ngarambe to make it among honorees recognized to feature in the 100 ABC Women book, a fourth publication since its inception in 2016. Among other achievements that saw the 24-year-old hit the milestone in the book also include the best Producer and Host Award she received in 2021 when her TV show The Cyper. Broadcast on Go live TV Canada, the recorded huge traffic after hundreds of thousands of women and girls of the 60 million audience that follows it worldwide, were inspired, uplifted, educated, motivated and impacted by the content shared through this platform. A representative of ‘Our Past’ commemoration event in Canada, Ngarambe had also been both celebrated and recognised by Rwanda’s High Commission in Canada for her charitable contributions, spirit of aspirations, humanity and resilience in helping uplift her community. Ngarambe dedicated the achievement to her grandmother Patricia Nikomeze who she describes as an incredible person who ‘made me who I am today.’ “To me, she’s my hero thanks to her incomparable love, her wisdom and courage that inspired me to become a woman of change who can go this far to being recognised as such a big prize,” she said. “I really love her and father... this prize is dedicated to them,” she added. Who features in the 100 ABC Women book? The honorees for the 100 ABC Women 2022 were celebrated based on their role in supporting activities with organizations and groups working for the advancement of Black women and girls, demonstrating leadership through role modelling and/or volunteer activities as well as showing evidence of three major accomplishments or achievements over the past 10 years. The publication, which aptly reveals straightforward and honest details of Black Canadian women who are worthy of inclusion, is high-recognized by the government of Canada where Prime Minister Justin Trudeau described it as an ‘admirable initiative worthy of respect and recognition’. “As we celebrate these women tonight, let us remember the barriers of discrimination and injustice bravely faced by Black Canadians over the span of our history that have been fought with integrity and courage,” Trudeau said during the celebration of the ABC Women 2022 book honorees.
