Gemma Raeburn-Baynes received the Medal of the National Assembly of Quebec from Brigitte B. Garceau, MNA for Robert-Baldwin, during Playmas Montreal Cultural Association’s 25th-anniversary celebration on Friday, Oct. 3, 2025. The citation recognized her more than 60 years of visionary and philanthropic leadership, founding Playmas Montreal and the GemStar Circle of Excellence, and her enduring impact in creating Caribbean culture, nurturing artistic talent, and empowering Black youth.
More Than Hair: How One Montreal Entrepreneur Is Helping Black Women Reclaim Identity, One Curl at a Time
Rosie Awori – Montreal Community Contact – Local Journalism Initiative Long before colonization disrupted African societies, hair was far more than a matter of appearance.
