2 Kitchener teens recognized for their anti-racism work
Teens are recipients of the Lincoln M. Alexander Award
Deborah Teweld, 19, and Mohammed Rafique, 18, both of Kitchener, are being recognized for their anti-racism work in the community.
Teweld is the 2019 recipient and Rafique is the 2020 recipient of the Lincoln M. Alexander Award, which recognizes young leaders and their commitment to end racial discrimination.
Teweld co-founded the Black Student Union and helped organize the first Black History Month assembly at Cameron Heights Collegiate Institute in Kitchener.
She said she and her friends saw the need "or a safe space for African, Caribbean, Black identifying students," and were looking for a way to showcase their talents and history.
"It was tough at first. We felt like we weren't very supported," she added, noting that people were more supportive following the first assembly three years ago.
She said the recognition means a lot.
"It blew my mind. I'm so honoured," she said. "In my head, I'm like 'I'm so undeserving, what I did was so little' but I've seen the way… it's impacted the students there [at Cameron Heights]."
Meanwhile, Rafique is being recognized for his volunteer work with the Rohingya Association of Canada and his advocacy for recognition of his community.
"I was speechless. I just do this out of the goodness of my heart and just to support my people. I never expected to be recognized for such a deed," he said.
Rafique has volunteered in demonstrations, given talks, raised awareness and was overall "a voice for the Rohingya people."
He also helped produce a play called I am Rohingya, based on the true stories of all the actors, whose families fled Burma, in the 1990s and eventually immigrated to Canada.
For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians — from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community — check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of. You can read more stories here.
