When Dr. Roz became the first Black woman to build a centre for abused women and children in Canada, she raised the bar for how our city and our country serves survivors of violence. She introduced all three levels of government to the future of funding Black-led, women-led organizations, paving the way for others to accomplish the same. But she did not do these things to be the first one to do it; for the recognition or praise. She did these things because they needed to be done and she was the one to do it. We want to express our gratitude to the Toronto Police Service for being a committed partner in the fight to end violence against women and children. Over the decades, we have worked together in education, prevention, and of course, crisis response. The issue is ongoing and we know we will continue to collaborate to eradicate violence.
We want to acknowledge Terry’s decades of incredible service to our city and thank her for establishing Black History Month Celebrations at the Toronto Police Service. We would also like to acknowledge Curtis Celestine for implementing the Terry James Trailblazer Award and keeping her legacy alive, while highlighting Women of Excellence in the community. We want to thank the staff, volunteers, and board members at DRHP for their ongoing work. We want to thank the Roach family for their unwavering and endless support.
“Receiving this award during Black History Month is truly special as I am here today, standing on the foundation created by countless strong Black women. Without them, I would not be who and where I am today.” – Dr. Roz Roach
Terry James is the embodiment of a trailblazer – demonstrating phenomenal ethic, tenacity, and leadership to not only her colleagues, but to women and her community at large. It is no easy feat being the first one to do something. It takes discipline, resilience, and an unwavering belief that you can and will accomplish something unheard of. When Terry became one of the first 2 Black women promoted to Sergeant in 2001, she flung open the doors for women, especially women of colour to pursue and achieve leadership, accepting greater responsibility for the safety and wellbeing of the city and its residents. Read more coverage of the ceremony via the following link: https://www.tps.ca/media-centre/stories/trailblazer-helps-women-recover-from-violence/
