Woman on Fire – Pauline Christian

BY: SIMONE JENNIFER SMITH 

Pauline Christian has already appeared and been featured in The Toronto Caribbean, and since then, she has managed to add to her growing resume of inspiring and motivating work. Her most recent event, “Martin Luther King Jr Celebration,” rightfully themed, “Own Your Dream, “was held on Saturday, January 13^th, 2018 at the McVety Centre in North York, Toronto. Her special guests included International recording artist, Anthony Brown, and the dynamic keynote speaker, Dr David Richardson, along with Police Chief Mark Saunders, Mayor John Tory, and many other dignitaries who all came to support Pauline. The night was filled with praise, joy, encouragement, motivation and calls to action by the speakers, entertainers and presenters.

Pauline is known for her “Call to Action Vision.” She is deeply passionate about using her leadership to mobilize, harmonize and develop her community, especially when it comes to realizing that socio-economic improvement and advancement is possible. Like many African Canadians, Pauline was not born here, but she did not allow that to be a reason that she would not make an impact. Upon her arrival in Canada, she immediately pursued her degree in Business Administration at York University; she minored in Political Science and Psychology and later pursued and successfully completed her Masters in Project Management at York University’s Schulich School of Business.

For twenty years, she worked in leadership roles in the service industry; she was then able to transfer her corporate knowledge to her own business, charities and community projects. She is the Founder, CEO, and President of the Best Lifestyle Residence Inc., a retirement facility in the county of Simcoe, Ontario. With her intense commitment to the empowerment of Africans in Canada, she has made it her duty to hire from within her community. She understands the struggles that many African immigrants face here in Canada, and she has always wanted to be able to provide employment opportunities to those who may not necessarily have them. Her commitment has been rewarded, as in the last few years, her retirement facility operations have grown exponentially.

In her need to give back to the African Community, Pauline became the President of the Black Business and Professional Association and remained President until October 26, 2017. During her first year of leadership at the BBPA, she initiated the first National Black Business and Professional Convention (NBBPC), with the powerful theme, “Stimulating Dialogue; Breaking Barriers, Creating Opportunities. With the support of the Municipal and Provincial Government and her team, she helped to open the Black Business and Professional Association Administrative offices and Centre of Excellence. Her business resume is accented with memberships in the World Who’s Who Registry of Executives, Professionals and Entrepreneurs, and an acknowledgement by the Heritage Registry of Who’s Who for Executives and Professionals. She is a member of International Women Leadership Association and was recognized for her outstanding contribution to Leadership, Family, Career and Community.

She has served on the City of Toronto Black Business Advisory, and assisted in launching the first official black business survey in 2015 and was appointed to the Junior League of Toronto’s Community Advisory Panel named “Women Building Better Communities.” Pauline is a multi-award-winning entrepreneur, community volunteer and advocate, who in 2001, was honoured with the Government of Canada Outstanding Volunteer award. She has been recognized as one of Canada’s Top 20 Women for 2010 by Women’s Post Canada, and she was included in the delegation of ten that accompanied Prime Minister Harper on his first historic trip to Jamaica. As you can see, Pauline has an omnipresence; she is everywhere at all times doing great things, which is why she is such a decorated woman.

To add to her list of achievements, she was one of the five faces on the 2011 Black History Month Poster that was presented to Parliament on February 1^st, 2011, as well as being conferred with the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for her contribution to Ontario and Canada. This hardworking and determined woman was quoted in, “A Second Cup of Hot Apple Cider,” a book written by New York Times Best Seller, Ellen Vaughn, as well as co-authoring and acting as editor-in-chief of the BBPA Book of Excellence from 1983 – 2012.

I think it is important that we honour our local hero and heroines the same way that we will celebrate the achievement of those not from Toronto. If you are a young woman who is interested in doing more in her community, it would be beneficial to start here, and then continue your research on Pauline Christian. She is an inspiration to many young women across the world and remains open to doing more for her community.  She has been able to achieve in one lifetime what many have not. It is with honour, we at the Toronto Caribbean Newspaper present to you, Queen Pauline Christian, a woman of action.