8 who spark change

CBC

01-03-2025

Get to know the 2024 CBC Black Changemakers in Atlantic Canada
Artwork by Bria Miller for CBC
By Katie Rowe Creative Content Producer Mar. 1, 2025
It's hard to sum up the 2024 Black Changemakers in a few words. From bringing people together through the game of soccer to supporting aspiring entrepreneurs to sharing Black history through song.
All eight Changemakers are creating positive change in their communities — each in unique and powerful ways.
Over the past several months, we've been sharing their stories throughout the Atlantic region. Now we're compiling them together in one piece, with stunning artwork by Bria Miller. We invite you to read, watch and be inspired by their incredible contributions.
Henry Luyombya
After Henry Luyombya lost his father to HIV-related illness at 10 years old, his mother faced stigma and discrimination that forced her out of her teaching job in Uganda. She joined the HIV movement, training as a counsellor. Luyombya followed in his mother's footsteps, educating his peers and youth on HIV. He made such an impact that at age 23, he was invited to meet Nelson Mandela.
'I remember him telling me that 'Henry, I did not do this work alone.' HIs words are part of those that drive me every single day. I know that in this work, I cannot do it alone,' said Luyombya.
Luyombya works with PEERS Alliance as a clinical social worker on P.E.I., where he provides social support primarily to high-needs individuals from the 2SLGBTQ+ community. Luyombya also founded New African Canadians (NAC) to bring mental health support and settlement services for newcomers to Canada.
Scott Parsons
Charlottetown's Scott Parsons is a singer-songwriter who keeps the memories and stories of P.EI.'s Black history alive through his music.
Black people have been living on the island since the 1700s and Parsons felt it was important to write songs to educate people on their rich history and contributions to P.E.I. communities.
'I just developed a real interest in Prince Edward Island's Black history because it had largely gone unknown and it wasn't ever talked about very much. It certainly wasn't taught to any great degree in the schools,' said Parsons.
'Music's an easy way to get people to learn. The kids like the music so they kind of absorb the information much easier than if you're just trying to read to them out of a textbook.'
Khadeja Raven Anderson
Khadeja Raven Anderson is co-founder and co-president of Black Lives Matter N.L. and she helped lead the Black Lives Matter movement in the province. Anderson now runs Ravensong Consulting, which offers anti-racism and cross-cultural sensitivity training to organizations.
'The work that she does is not necessarily popular. She agitates, and she encourages by nudging people to think differently — and that is not easy,' said Dolores Mulling, vice-provost for equity, diversity and inclusion at Memorial University.
Anderson also hosts, plans and coordinates a Cultural Inclusion Camp focused on anti-racism literacy for young people.
'While we are always going to be experiencing the negative and the harms of racism, Black people deserve joy,' said Anderson.
Jeffery Imhanzenobe
Jeffery Imhanzenobe brings the Black and newcomer community together in Newfoundland and Labrador over a common passion: soccer.
Imhanzenobe grew up in Nigeria and moved to the province in 2015 to pursue his master's degree. In his free time, he still played soccer recreationally and started bringing groups from different countries together for matches.
In 2022, he co-founded the International Soccer Tournament in the province, which brings hundreds of people together to connect, share their cultures and play soccer.
'One thing we knew for sure was that soccer is a language, and once we are around the common passion, which is soccer, we speak the same language, ' said Imhanzenobe.
Seth Borden
Seth Borden may be the youngest 2024 Black Changemaker, but the first-year university student's passion for education is already having a big impact.
Borden graduated from Citadel High School in Halifax, N.S. in 2024 where he spent time from Grades 10 to 12 giving back. Every Monday, Borden visited École St. Catherine's Elementary School, providing one-on-one support for students in reading, math and science.
'I feel like just having someone that looks like them in the school system that they can trust or maybe that they can relate to, it's just easier for them then to come to school and want to learn more, ' said Borden.
Borden attended an elementary school where he was one of the only students of African Nova Scotian descent. He found it a struggle to fit in, and his experiences contributed to his desire to become a teacher.
Borden is now attending Dalhousie University, pursuing his goal of working in education.
Tia Upshaw
Tia Upshaw is an entrepreneur who is taking her experience in running a successful business to help other Black women do the same.
Upshaw is CEO and founder of BLK Women in Excellence, a not for profit organization that helps other Black women start their own businesses. Since she started the organization in 2020, she's provided one-on-one training to 137 Black women.
'You have Black businesses here that are able to have, you know, financial stability in their households. Women are being empowered, they're building confidence in their businesses,' said Upshaw.
'We're not just starting businesses no more — we're growing businesses.'
Felicity Brayley
As a young biracial child growing up in rural New Brunswick, Felicity Brayley said she never gave her skin colour a lot of thought. But as she grew a little older, she noticed some people treated her mom differently than her, just because her mom's skin was darker. 'That was really difficult,' said Brayley.
Brayley began learning more about Black history and incredible people like Harriet Tubman and Martin Luther King, Jr., and subjects not mentioned at school.
Now Brayley is a teacher and is passionate about sharing her heritage and knowledge with her students. Every year, no matter the age of her students, she teaches them about Black History. Throughout the month of February, she shares a mini-biography of a Black changemaker every day.
'I want to make more of an impact. For all of my kids to value Black History because it's so important,' she said. 'Black History is Canadian History.'
Adebayo Ogunleye
Adebayo Ogunleye knows firsthand what a big transition it is to move to Canada. Ogunleye grew up and worked in Nigeria until 2018 when he moved to New Brunswick.
'People land in Canada or New Brunswick, leave everything they have behind. Sometimes they sell everything they've worked for in their life,' said Ogunleye.
Now Oguleneye uses his personal time to help other newcomers transition to life in Canada. He sits on the boards of the Nigerian-Canadian Association of New Brunswick and Cohesia, a Canadian group that promotes social cohesion, and he is a mentor at Opportunities New Brunswick.
'One of the essences of life is to give back. It's to make positive change, positive impact in people's lives,' said Ogunleye.
Credits:
Visual storytellers: Aniekan Etuhube (N.B.), Emma Smith (N.S.), Zach Goudie (N.L.), Jane Roberston (P.E.I.), Aaron Adetuyi (P.E.I)
Illustrator: Bria Miller
Coordinating producer: Katie Jackson
Senior Manager: Victoria King
Being Black in Canada
For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians — from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community — check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of. You can read more stories here.
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