Honourable Dr. Jean Augustine’s 89th birthday celebrated

The celebration of the 89^th birthday of the Honourable Dr. Jean Augustine on Saturday, September 12^th, 2026, at The Fleck at Harbourfront Centre was a grand occasion that brought together community members, friends, families and loved ones.

The evening was marked by words of appreciation, gratitude and recognition for Augustine’s decades of service and leadership. The event was part of Screen Share: Caribbean Stories, Collective Power, presented through a partnership involving the CaribbeanTales International Film Festival and the Caribbean Film Festival. The evening combined celebration, film and community storytelling.

The emcee was Patricia Bebia, President of Diamond Plus Media, who engaged the audience with charm and charisma. The programme featured the Canadian premiere of Queen of Soca, directed by Kevin Adams and Christopher Din Chong and featuring Trinidad and Tobago’s 2026 Calypso Monarch, Terri Lyons. The film celebrates Caribbean music, culture, resilience and the power of women’s voices.

Jackie Richardson, C.M., the legendary singer, actress and Order of Canada recipient, received the 2026 Jean Augustine Excellence Award. Her daughter, Kim Richardson, expressed gratitude for the overwhelming support and love shown to her mother. Jackie Richardson’s two daughters sang “Mama” as a tribute. Richardson also spoke about what the award meant to her. The honour recognizes an artist whose work has made an enduring contribution to Canadian cultural life while uplifting and inspiring generations through excellence, generosity and leadership.

Sandra Whiting, a Toronto-based storyteller who hosted the after-party, read a letter of appreciation to Dr. Augustine, describing her as an inspirational figure in the African Canadian community and thanking her for her wisdom, unwavering grace and the fire that still burns in her at 89.

Dr. Augustine spoke to the audience and brought humour to the evening, including a comment about her designer dress originating from Paris, Ontario, rather than Paris, France. She said she was “So happy, so joyful, so blessed, so honoured” to have reached 89. She also reminded guests that five years earlier, the community had discussed doing something meaningful with her birthday. She said her birthday should not be about receiving things, noting that proceeds from the evening would support CaribbeanTales.

Her connection to education was also reflected in her reference to the Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community & Diaspora at York University’s Faculty of Education, an endowed university chair established to advance access, equity and inclusivity through community engagement and collaborative action.

In a Facebook message following the celebration, Augustine expressed gratitude to everyone who joined her, writing, “89 years of purpose, of progress, of possibilities.”

Rich Mill, founder of Keep6ix, described Augustine as “An incredible trailblazer, community builder, mentor and a source of inspiration to many individuals and families in our community,” while Diana Alli D’Souza reflected on Augustine’s legacy as a “Trailblazer, mentor and believed community icon.”

The gathering also reflected the broader purpose of the festival: creating room for Caribbean stories, filmmakers, artists and audiences to meet and connect.

CaribbeanTales described the September 12^th programme as “Honouring our Legends,” placing Augustine’s birthday alongside the presentation of the Jean Augustine Excellence Award and the Canadian premiere of Queen of Soca. The festival’s official programme lists the event as running from 7:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. at The Fleck at Harbourfront Centre Theatre.

For many in attendance, the evening was therefore both personal and cultural. It celebrated Augustine while also recognizing Richardson and the creative work represented by Queen of Soca. Together, those moments reinforced the importance of documenting Caribbean experiences and ensuring that the contributions of Black Canadians remain visible, remembered and passed to future generations.