Six students recognized for community leadership and academic excellence at 2024 Violet King Engaged Scholar Awards

UCalgary hosted the 2024 Violet King Engaged Scholar Awards virtually on Oct. 8, bringing together students and community members to celebrate the achievements of this year’s recipients.

Launched in 2022 as a collaborative initiative of the Student Union (SU) and the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (OEDI), the awards are jointly funded by the SU’s Quality Money program and the OEDI.

In an inaugural ceremony held on Feb. 15, the vision of the Violet King Engaged Scholar Awards was realised by Semhar Abraha, former vice-president academic with the SU, and Dr. Malinda Smith, vice-provost and associate vice-president research (equity, diversity and inclusion).

The Violet King Engaged Scholar Awards were inspired by the legacy of their trailblazing Calgarian namesake. Born here in 1929, Violet King attended Crescent Heights High School, where, in Grade 12, she served as the president of the Girls’ Association.

After high school, King moved on to the University of Alberta, and upon her graduation, became the first Black person in the province to graduate with a law degree. In 1954, she would become the first Black person in Alberta, and first Black woman in Canada, to become a lawyer.

“She proved that no matter what circumstances you were born into, you have the potential to achieve great things,” says Smith.

In recognition of King’s accomplishments in the face of adversity, and with awareness of the challenges marginalized and under-represented groups still face, the award aims to celebrate excellence in leadership and academia. At the same time, they seek to alleviate some financial burdens for students. 

“It gives visibility to phenomenal contributions by students who may encounter various barriers. They could be from rural or working-class backgrounds, first-in-family, they could be refugees and newcomers, but when they get here, they start something, persevere and achieve great things,” says Smith, “just like Violet King."

Central to the award’s narrative, King’s daughter, Jo-Anne Henry, returned as a guest speaker for the 2024 ceremony. Henry, who is a lawyer and the director of strategic impact at the National League of Cities, also participated in a Q&A with recipients before the awards were presented.

“The fact that these awards allow young people of colour to achieve their academic and professional goals, it would mean the world to my mom. It means the world to me,” says Henry.

Although King died when Henry was still very young, before she could fully grasp her mother’s achievements, Henry reflects that the recent surge in awareness of King’s history has been a gift.

While there are others who helped pave the way for students, when she thinks of her mother’s legacy, Henry feels that King “forged a path through the thickest of jungles.”

“She somehow looked around and said, “this is what I want to do and I'm going to do it,” and yet, there was no representation at all. It's really incredible.” says Henry. “There was so much that she faced, but you wouldn't know it from looking at her and the way she carried herself.”

UCalgary Chancellor, Jon Cornish, who spoke at the event, expressed their excitement in celebrating the contributions of this year’s award recipients.

“These are students we at UCalgary are incredibly proud of,” says Cornish. “It's a privilege to be able to uplift students who bring forth their dedication to building a stronger community and who embody the best of the university.”

Following the presentation of the awards, a keynote address was given by Cheryl Foggo, a Calgary-based historian, author, playwright and filmmaker.

Using her dedication and experience in uncovering the stories of Alberta’s Black pioneers, Foggo aimed to shed some light on what life was like for King in Calgary, as across Alberta and the prairies. 

While King may not have had others ahead of her in her career to look to for guidance, it is Foggo’s hope that future generations will see people who look like them represented in all positions and careers. Walking a journey alone can be daunting, but having support can make all the difference, whether it's financial assistance or encouragement from peers.

“It can be a boost to someone who may be facing a financial barrier, in particular, to allow them to really focus on their studies,” says Foggo. “Violet King was working very hard teaching piano to help put herself through law school.”

These awards have the potential to have a rippling effect of inspiration according to Foggo, but above all, she wants the recipients to know that she’s “pulling for them.”

Meet the six Violet King Engaged Scholar Award recipients: 

• Bernice Aladesemipe, a Faculty of Science student, has made an impact throughout her academic journey with her involvement in the Nigerian Student’s Association. Recently, Aladesemipe moved into a role as an undergraduate research assistant for the Black Youth Leadership and Mentorship Program. 
• Brittany Bitternose, BA’24, is a UCalgary alum and member of George Gordon First Nation. An avid activist, she has worked with Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth through the Calgary Youth Justice Committee, helping these youth on the way to a more positive path.  
• Breanna Fang, a student in the Cumming School of Medicine, has been involved with the Support to Entry Program to help eliminate barriers and increase access to education. She also developed a youth theatre program, where she taught drama skills and helped with play production. 
• Grace Kabengele, a first-generation Congolese law student, was a participant in the Equity and Inclusive Leadership Internship Program. Her community engagement is also marked by her involvement and leadership in UCalgary’s Society of Law Students, the Student Legal Assistance clinic, the Black Law Students’ Association, the Calgary chapter of Pro Bono Students Canada and the Black Law Students’ Association of Canada.  
• Betalihem Lemma, a student in the Cumming School of Medicine, was born in Kenya and grew a passion for advocacy from a young age. She belongs to UCalgary’s Black Medical Students Association, has worked for the Canadian Commission for UNESCO's Youth Advisory Group, contributed to Michaëlle Jean Foundation’s Halifax Declaration and participated in the United Nation’s Permanent Forum on People of African Descent. 
• Amanda Tamakloe is a Schulich School of Engineering student. Since her first year, she has been making an impact through research and is also involved with the Scholars’ Academy, the Hydrogen Ecocar Club, Student’s Legislative Council, Women in Science and Engineering, Children's Cottage, National Society of Black Engineers and the podcast initiative Uddering Engineers.  

For more on the Violet King Engaged Scholars Awards and to read more on this year’s recipients, please visit the website.