Jamaican Diaspora honours six leaders

There was anticipation surrounding the 2026 Jamaican Diaspora Impact Awards (JDIA) Gala. Hosted by the Consulate General of Jamaica at Toronto, the event took place at the Toronto Botanical Garden on Friday, October 23^rd, 2026. Attendees came from a cross-section of sectors, including community service, business, politics, law and education.

Details about the gala stated that the JDIA shines a light on individuals whose contributions strengthen communities, open doors for others and help shape the Jamaican Canadian story. The second annual gala was held under the theme “Celebrating Legacy, Leadership and Community Impact.”

The awards recognized six members of the Jamaican diaspora in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA). Five recipients were selected through a public nomination process and evaluated by a panel of judges; Trevor Massey received the separate JDIA Icon Award. More than 35 individuals were nominated, according to Mary Anne Chambers, Chancellor of the University of Guelph, who spoke on behalf of the judges.

Photo Courtesy of Dwayne Holness

Kurt Davis, Consul-General of Jamaica at Toronto, said the awards were created to recognize sustained service rather than a single achievement. “The JDIA is about recognizing people whose leadership, service and commitment have made a meaningful difference over many years. The Jamaican Diaspora in Canada is filled with extraordinary individuals who continue to strengthen communities while maintaining deep and meaningful connections to Jamaica.”

Davis, who developed the awards with his wife, Suzanne Robinson-Davis, added, “Achievement describes what someone has accomplished while impact reveals whose life has changed because that person chose to act.” He also thanked sponsors, including Porter Airlines, Grace Foods Canada, the Jamaica Tourist Board, LIUNA Local 183, the VM Group and first-time gold sponsor Couples Resorts. “Your support is more than an investment in an event,” he said. “It’s an investment in recognition and encouragement and in community building.”

Photographer: Lolleta Cunningham

The honourees represented a wide range of service. Dionne Sinclair was recognized for her work in equitable health care, Black nursing excellence and financial empowerment. Diana Burke was honoured for advancing early childhood education, access to technology and philanthropy through PACE Canada. Dwayne Holness was recognized for elevating Jamaican stories through film, entrepreneurship and mentorship. Maureen Henry was celebrated for her volunteer leadership with women, newcomers and communities. Verna Andrade was acknowledged for decades of service in education, health care, children’s services and community development.

Massey received the JDIA Icon Award for a distinguished legacy in education, youth development and diaspora service. A former registrar at Centennial College, he founded the Lifelong Leadership Institute in 2012, whose programs include Leadership by Design and SummerUp.

Before the formal program, TCN Now interviewed several honourees. Sinclair spoke about arriving in Canada as a domestic worker, later becoming a nurse and working for 30 years before retiring in 2008. She said the award was especially meaningful.

Holness discussed his entrepreneurial work and his connection to Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness.

Chambers emphasized that the selection process had to be inclusive, and evidence based. “While many individual nominees might be worthy, not all nominations did their nominees justice,” she said. “Nominations that make a strong case for recognition by including evidence in the form of substantiated examples of the individual’s contributions and impact receive high scores.”

Photo Courtesy of Minister Charmaine Williams

Marsha Coore-Lobban, Jamaica’s High Commissioner to Canada, urged attendees to follow the honourees’ example. “Your accomplishments remind us that impact is not measured solely by professional success, but by the lives we touch, the communities we strengthen and the opportunities we create for others,” she said. “Let us continue to invest in our communities, mentor the next generation and strengthen the bonds that unite us as one Jamaican family.”

Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett, delivered the keynote address. He framed the diaspora as central to Jamaica’s international reputation. “Long before any tourists from Canada visited Jamaica, they met a Jamaican somewhere,” he said. “You are our greatest marketers and our greatest advertisers. Nobody can sell Jamaica like you.”

In many ways, the second JDIA Gala symbolized the excellence and resilience of Jamaica’s diasporic community in Canada. The recognition of these six individuals demonstrated the power of communal honouring, celebration and affirmation.