Jamaican Clovalyn Wilson receives Canadian community award
Published:Tuesday | February 25, 2025 | 12:10 AMNeil Armstrong/Gleaner Writer
Clovalyn Wilson is usually giving awards, so it was a different experience for her to be on the receiving end of a community award at the Peel United Cultural Partners’ 24th Black History Month concert in Brampton, Ontario, in Canada at the weekend.
“It’s a strange feeling; it’s an awesome feeling to acknowledge that the work that I’ve been doing alongside many others is recognised.”
A kindergarten educator with the Peel District School Board, she emigrated to Canada in 1975 and has worked as an educator and volunteered with several organisations – always with her motto, ‘A wonderful day awaits you, make it wonderful for someone too’.
For Wilson, the idea of giving back is innate for her and her siblings and patterned from what they saw their grandparents doing in Bamboo Ridge, St Catherine, in Jamaica.
“They were always involved in community work and so it became a natural thing for me,” she said, noting that, “This work of community is for me giving back and trying to ensure that everybody is well, and they know that they have backing behind them.”
Wilson said there were always strangers living in her grandparents’ house, but they became family and had to be treated as such. “We don’t see someone suffering and pass them by; we try to help.”
As the president of the Malton Black Development Association (MBDA), she uses her background in education and civic engagement to help newcomers navigate the school system and encourage youth to pursue higher education. Through the organisation, she helps families to bridge the systemic and financial gaps to education.
To date, MBDA has awarded students with scholarships towards their field of study as well as hosted youth and community art galleries, family workshops, youth mentoring sessions, STEM camps, sports camps and heritage programmes.
“We give out the scholarships every year and I try to keep in touch with some of them every so often, just send them a message so that they know that if they’re feeling down or so that there’s somebody that they can call. And for others in the community who are not aware of what resources are available, I like to be able to share those things with them.”
Her passion is to empower everyone with the resources to meet their goals and live to their fullest potential.
For several years, she served as a member of the Malton Community Building Project, was a leader of Pioneer/Discovery Clubs, taught Sunday school and coordinated youth outreach programmes and chaired the search committee at the Malton Baptist Church.
Wilson also chaired the Peel Parenting Collective Malton Innovation Team with the aim of strengthening the community and improving access to networking opportunities.
She graduated from Sheridan College with a degree in early childhood education after which she worked as an educator and supervisor for various organisations.
For 25 years, she owned and operated a Malton preschool, Happyland Nursery School. Wilson lives in Malton with her husband and describes her greatest achievement as raising her three conscientious young adults.
Wilson believes in the power of collaboration and noted that the work of community cannot be done in silo.
She said part of the passion she has in working with grassroots community and children is her love of foundational work.
“I like to be on the ground setting the foundation, nurturing the foundation,” she said noting that she likes helping children make good decisions.
“They need to make decisions that are good for them not what somebody else tells them to do. Your decision needs to be good for you. If it doesn’t feel good for you, you know it’s wrong, don’t go ahead and do it because somebody else tells you to do it. Those are some of the things that I try to instil in my little kindergarten friends.”
The creative writing award was presented to Jaheem Christie, a grade 7 student at Darcel Middle School, whose essay focused on racism.
Mayor Patrick Brown said Brampton was proud to be a vibrant mosaic of cultures, and the black community is a vital part of that diversity.
“Through hard work, resilience, and perseverance, black Canadians have shaped our nation’s history, culture, and progress, and continue to make significant contributions,” he said.
The annual event is a partnership of the United Achievers’ Club of Brampton and the Congress of Black Women Ontario-Brampton Chapter, both non-profit organisations.