Soheil Parsa (Arts)
In the early 1980s, Soheil Parsa, an Iranian actor and director, was forced to leave Iran after being expelled from university and forbidden to work because he would not support the existing regime. After spending a year in the United Arab Emirates, and nine months in India, Soheil and his wife came to Canada. He attended York University’s Theatre Studies program in 1984 and worked his way through school delivering newspapers and pizza.

Soheil was a co-founder of the Modern Times Stage Company formed in 1989. In 1994 his production of The Death of the King was nominated for five DORA Awards, which recognize outstanding theatre achievement in Toronto, and received the award for outstanding new play. As a director, set and stage designer, translator, adaptor, choreographer and actor, Soheil’s work is based on his experience in Iran and focuses on oppression and loss of freedom; especially loss speech. His art is innovative and original; created to empower those who are often marginalized and under-represented. He is a board member of The Theatre Centre, the Small Theatre Administrative Facility and a member of Theatre Ontario Cross Cultural Advisory Committee.


Love Grace Koduah (Community Service)
An elementary teacher in Ghana, Love came to Canada in 1976 and worked in factories for 10 years before returning to school at George Brown College. In 1989 she graduated with honours from the Community Worker program and went on to complete a Human Services Counselling program, specializing in addictions. Love currently works as a Community Health Outreach Worker. Equally as busy as a community role model and volunteer, Love is the Chairperson of Firgrove Resident’s Association, Assistant President of the Amansie Multicultural Association, Queen of Ashanti Canadian Multicultural Association of Toronto, and an active member of the Metro Housing Race Relations Working Group. She is a founding member of the High Society Ghanaian Women’s Group and motivates and advises other newcomers based on her own experience as a single mother and newcomer.


Kowser Omer-Hashi (Education)
Kowser Omer-Hashi, came to Canada in 1986 from Somalia. She was a registered nurse and midwife in Somalia but her qualifications were not recognized in Canada. With a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from an American university, she was hired as a health educator at the Birth Control and Venereal Disease Information Centre (BC & VD) in Toronto in 1988. From this work Kowser heard stories about the intimidation and discomfort many women, especially Somali women, who have undergone female genital mutilation (FGM) feel when dealing with the Canadian health system.

Through her efforts, Kowser created greater access to information on FGM, birth control, sexually transmitted diseases, AIDS and pregnancy for students and the immigrant and refugee community. She has helped educate the general public by participating in television programs, talk shows and documentaries on a number of topics including the plight of foreign-trained nurses and the issues around FGM. She has also written extensively on FGM for medical journals. Currently Kowser is a board member at Women Working with Immigrant Women, the Toronto Birth Centre, the Ontario FGM Prevention Task Force and is co-chair of the Task Force Health Committee. She participates in advisory committees with the Intergenerational Conflict Mediation Project for Somalis, the Family Services Association Somali Project and the Women’s Health Bureau and is a guest editorial board member with the Canadian Women’s Studies Journal. Kowser has been a pioneer in creating greater public awareness about health care issues and women’s reproductive rights internationally.


Sam Ghazouli (Entrepreneurship)
Sam Ghazouli was born in Egypt where his family owned a pharmacy business. While studying towards a M.A. in Pharmacology in Austria, the family business was taken over the by the government and in 1963, Sam came to Canada to start a new life. With limited English, Sam worked as a pharmacology apprentice for one year, studied English and passed a series of exams leading to accreditation in record time.

In 1965 he joined Eli Lilly & Company as an analytical chemist. He worked in progressive positions for almost 19 years, travelling all over the world and setting up successful new operations for the company. In 1986, Sam recognized an opportunity to use his entrepreneurial skills to develop a new business. He invested his life savings in BrandsElite, a distributor of leading brands of liquor, perfumes, cosmetics and luxury gifts to duty free shops.

In seven short years, under Sam’s leadership, BrandsElite established itself as a major contender of new and innovative products for the duty free market. In 1994, with sales toping $30,000,000, BrandsElite went public on the Toronto Stock Exchange. Today, BrandsElite employs more than 50 people including many new Canadians.

Sam Ghazouli recently established The Elaine Ghazouli Charitable Foundation which awards donations to organizations focusing on children, new Canadians and women in need. Mr. Ghazouli is a mentor to other newcomers on both professional and personal levels.


Alok Mukherjee (Leadership)
Arriving in Canada from India in 1971, Alok experienced disinterest in his Indian education and teaching experience, and a prevalence of racist attitudes in the community. As a result of this experience he became a community activist working for equity and fairness in educational, government and community organizations.

Alok is a partner of Partners in Equality and a member of the Doris Marshall Institute for Education and Action. With his philosophy that positive outcomes result from the collective work of many people, Alok served as Acting Chief Commissioner and Vice Chair of the Ontario Human Rights Commission. He is a member of the Ontario Civilian Commission on Police Services and also serves as a member of the Board of Governors of Centennial College. In each of his roles, Alok acts as a facilitator, coordinator, co-worker and voice to create greater access to the services and a more open and accountable delivery of human rights in Ontario. He is active in several community organizations including the South Asian Fellowship, the National Association of Canadians of Origins in India and South Asians Fighting Against Racism. Alok is frequently called upon to speak and write on human rights, employment equity and anti-racist education issues.


Joseph Svoboda (Science & Technology)
Josef Svoboda left Czechoslovakia after serving nine years as a political prisoner; much of that time spent doing hard labour in uranium mines. In 1968 he immigrated to Canada and settled in London, Ontario. Speaking only rudimentary English, he worked as a laboratory caretaker, developing his long-lasting interest in ecology and completing his B.A. at the University of Western Ontario. After receiving his PhD at the University of Alberta, he joined the teaching staff at the University of Toronto.

As Canada’s first full-time Arctic plant ecologist, Dr. Svoboda has made considerable contributions to the understanding of Arctic ecology and his "green igloo" project has demonstrated the possibilities of gardening in the Arctic. In 1993 he received the North Science Award presented by Indian and Northern Affairs Canada in recognition of his work. Now retired, Dr. Svoboda continues to contribute to his field as a Professor Emeritus at the University of Toronto.

Svoboda continues to "return to Canada the many opportunities it has given to him" through public lectures, as a member of many professional associations and as a role model for foreign students.


Muyi-Deen Ajasa (SfC Graduate)
Graduating from the University of Benin in Nigeria with a degree in Political Science & Public Administration, Muyi-Deen was unable to secure employment due to the existing undemocratic political system. His student activities, enlightening local people about their political rights, made him unpopular with the government and he came to Canada as a refugee claimant in 1991. Although Muyi-Deen spoke English, he experienced discrimination in finding an apartment and work. While waiting nine months to secure a work permit, Muyi-Deen made an all out effort to gain "Canadian" work experience by volunteering with a variety of agencies including Canadian Crossroads International, Fudger House (a home for the aged) and the Canadian Mental Health Association. He then enrolled in the Skills for Change Careerstart program to gain the tools needed to improve his resume and job search skills.

As one of the first Africans employment by the Community Services Department of Metro Social Services, Muyi-Deen has supported many other newcomers with their settlement and job search. He is currently serving as Vice-President of Barsa Kelly/Cari-Can Co-operative Homes. Deen also provides workshop training, marketing and business development support and equity employment services through his own consulting business -- Viewpoints Communication.


Andil Gosine (Youth)
Arriving from Trinidad and Tobago in 1988 at the age of 15, Andil encountered many obstacles in adjusting to Canada. He persevered and in his first year he received the Durham Board of Education/OSSTF Award of Personal Excellence for his ability to overcome barriers and successfully adapt to a new country.

Andil is a third-year student at York University, pursuing an honours double major in Environmental Studies (BES) and Latin American and Caribbean Studies. He is also pursuing a certificate program in Refugee and Migration Studies. Andil entered York on the first President’s Scholarship to be awarded in the faculty of Environmental Studies. He served as Chair of the BES students’ organization and founded Third World First, a pro-equity group dedicated to promotion of Third World issues and organization of aid projects. He is currently the Communications Director for the Ontario Public Interest Research Group and his work focuses on the advancement of the rights of women and people of colour. As an Editor of York University’s Excalibur and a columnist for the Oshawa Times, Andil has written extensively on immigrant issues.


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