Our Contact staff, contributors and alumni are constantly making ripples in society. It gives us great joy to celebrate our very own Yvonne Sam, who was recently honoured as part of the 100 Accomplished Black Canadian Women in Toronto.
She has been writing for our paper for the past 28 years. She is a retired nurse, Certified midwife, forma Examiner for the Order of Nurses of Quebec (OIIQ), Registered mental nurse and secondary school teacher, and both nursing and teaching careers have been practicing simultaneously.
She’s also the chair of the rights. And Freedom Committee of the Black Community Resource Centre, where she has championed the cause of marginalized, incarcerated and disenfranchised visible minorities at local government levels. She has worked with the Montreal Police Department on our project Adopt a Cop to increase police diversity among English speaking black youths. Has had parlance with the officer of the Prime Minister of Canada regarding the appointment of a Black Afro Canadian Minister of Justice. And recognition of a black nurse during the decade of people of African descent talking, taking into consideration the injustices suffered before nurse training. The absence of diversity on the bench was also brought to the attention of the Prime Minister of Canada thanks to Ms. Sam’s efforts.
After highlighting and reporting on the history and treatment of blacks entering medicine, changes in admission requirements for black medical students entering McGill University Faculty of Medicine were positively altered. She received the 2014 Governor General of Canada carrying citizen award and was among the 2014. Montreal Black History Month laureates. To her literally accomplishments, in 2018 she published a book of poetry entitled Life’s Many Faces, one the Editor’s Choice Award from the National Library of Poetry in the U.S
She’s dipped back into writing and will be unveiling her book, Behind the Scenes in Nursing. A book for Nurses and non-Nurses, in the book takes you through Sam’s journey and perspectives as a Nurse. She explores the triumphs and struggles that nurses face daily. Her hope is that the readers will be inspired by real stories of dedication and resilience.
All are welcome for the book launch on October 17, at the UNIA Hall 2741 Notre Dame St. from 6pm to 8pm. For more information visit:
https://www.yvonnemerlesam.com.
