McMaster graduate Aaron Parry active on campus and in the community

Denied the opportunity to walk the stage to receive his university degree and have photos taken with family and friends after the graduation ceremony because of COVID-19 restrictions left Aaron Parry feeling a bit dejected.

A few days later, he was uplifted and in good spirits after receiving the Community Matters Scholarship at the 25thJohn Holland Awards ceremony that celebrates excellence in Hamilton’s Black community.

The Hamilton Steelworkers Area Council sponsored the award.

“Though it was a virtual event, I got to see my face on a screen and people congratulating me,” Parry said. “The other thing that was so amazing about this honour is that I have done a lot of community work over the years. I was just grinding it out, so it was so nice to get the recognition. It’s such a great feeling to know I am connected to a big and loving community in Hamilton.”

While in high school, he developed an interest in social and racial justice issues.

Parry co-founded the Social Justice League, a student-led club that focused on Canadian-centric social justice issues, served as the Indigenous Equity representative and crafted a proposal for a Black history course to be part of the Niagara Catholic School Board curriculum. 

He also created a video to raise awareness for National Residential School Survivor Day that was viewed by schools board-wide and promoted social justice through art, creating pieces that incorporated significant elements of the First Nations Inuit and Metis and visible minorities.

Parry credits Tony Gambale – who taught him in Grade 11 at Blessed Trinity Catholic High School in Grimsby -- for steering him in that direction.

“I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life,” he said. “I was attracted to classes focused on anything that allowed me to learn more about Black history and current issues affecting racialized communities. That’s kind of where I got more into contemporary and historic issues facing Indigenous Peoples.”

In his first year in university in 2018, Parry was the recipient of the Lincoln Alexander Award that honours young people who have demonstrated leadership in eliminating racial discrimination in the province.

Gambale was his nominator.

Parry graduated last June with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Anthropology & Indigenous Studies.

Aaron Parry (Photo contributed)

Coming from a high school where there were very few racialized students, the McMaster experience was different for the 2017 St. Kevin Food Bank Social Justice scholarship recipient.

“There’s not a lot of diversity from where I came from, so being in a space where there are students, staff and faculty representing many races and cultures was pleasing,” he said. “That was a big culture shock for me and I really enjoyed being in that setting. McMaster allowed me to feel as if I had strong connections to my community outside of my home and that was huge, particularly for my mental and emotional wellbeing. I definitely enjoyed my time there as it allowed me to grow as a person, understand who I am and how I am connected to my community and ancestors and just knowing what I want to do and what kind of role I want to play in the community.”

The product of a Black mother and White father growing up in a predominantly White community in Grimsby was challenging for Parry who is a Research Assistant with the Centre for Community Engaged Narrative Arts.

As the child of an interracial marriage, he struggled with issues of colour.

“Being of mixed parentage and not knowing where I fit in was confusing,” Parry admitted. “There was pushback from people saying you are Black and can’t fit in with the White kids. Then, there were members of the Black community gatekeeping, saying you are not Black enough. It was like I was caught in limbo and I lived with that insecurity for many years. I didn’t really deal with the issue until I got to university where I was welcomed and accepted.”

The 21-year-old academic, social activist and clothing designer considers Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion Executive Director and McMaster University sessional instructor Kojo Damptey his biggest role model.

Damptey taught a course – Black, African & African Diaspora -- in Parry’s final year in university.

“That was my favourite course and Kojo is amazing,” he said. “I had the opportunity work in the same space with him and just seeing what he does, who he is as a person and how he approaches life are very inspirational.”

He also holds in high esteem Evelyn Myrie who last year was among 10 Hamiltonians to receive the inaugural Order of Hamilton.

The John Holland Awards, which is Hamilton’s Black community gift to celebrate the city’s 150th anniversary in 1996, was conceptualized in Myrie’s living room.

“She has done so much in this community that it’s hard not to know who she is,” he said. “She has guided me along the way and pushed me to become more involved in community work.”

Two years ago, Myrie hired Parry as a summer intern at the Afro-Caribbean Canadian Association Hamilton established in 1979.

“I brought him on to assist with the planning for our seniors programming and he did a fabulous job,” she pointed out. “Aaron is a diligent worker with a strong interest in Black history and culture. He’s also very well-mannered and respectful and that really caught my attention.”

Returning to McMaster next year to pursue a Master’s in Cultural Studies & Critical Theory, Parry is considering becoming a History Professor.

“I love school and the idea of teaching and educating kids and inspiring Black students,” he pointed out. “I also would relish solely doing work in the community as well.”

At the end of his second year in university, Parry started a Black-themed clothing line – Isaiah III. 

That was the pen name he used as a poetry writer a few years ago.

“I couldn’t find T-shirts with Harriet Tubman and Black Canadian trailblazers,” he said. “So I decided to create the clothing I want to wear. When some of my friends showed an interest in them, I developed a website (isaiahiii.com) to distribute the clothing I was designing. Sometimes, people are looking for more than a T-shirt that says ‘Black Lives Matter’. Not everyone is comfortable in clothing with that kind of message. They might be just seeking something that’s a bit more nuanced. I wanted to create something they could feel proud wearing and also represented.”

To mark the John Holland Awards silver jubilee celebration, a special $2,500 scholarship was presented to Queen’s University student Alyssa Vernon for embodying the four pillars – education, connection, empowerment and celebration -- of the Hamilton Black History Council that co-hosts the awards ceremony.

Scholarship funder Shayna Beeksma & John Holland Awards Co-Chair Terri Bedminster (r) presented the $2,500 special award to Allysa Vernon’s parents Derron & Amanda (photo by Malachi Small)

Other John Holland scholarship winners were Abygail Montague, Benjamin Faulknor, Shayla Rodney, Cheikh Youmbi, Calin Gibson and Happy Habte. 

General Achievement bursaries were presented to Darasami Jakande, Noah Matsakawo, Angelique DeSouza and Shayla Bramer while Youth Awards of Recognition were awarded to Temitayo Babalola, Fechukwu Agbassi, Grace Abai, Dannick Butera, Seretta Goulbourne, Naomi Ngobila, Payton Shank, Bailey Bovell, Tas-Jay Smith and Malachi Ahmad.

Kojo Damptey, who completed a Bachelor of Engineering and Master’s in Cultural Studies & Critical Theory at McMaster, and Sisters in Sync founder Joelle Kabisoso Kapinga were recognized with Community Service Awards, Dr. Ameil Joseph received the Vince Morgan Ally Award, Max Francis was honoured with the Business Excellence Award, Leah Daniel was bestowed the Nelson Mandela Social Justice Award, Oyin Aderibigbe was presented the Evelyn Myrie Political Action Award and TRAD Magazine was the recipient of the Arts & Culture Award.

Aisha Ahmad and Teniola Odunfa were honoured with the YWCA Girls Rock and Immigrants Matter Awards respectively.

Born on Christmas Day 1882 to a runaway slave who came to Canada through the Underground Railroad in 1860, Holland was a railway porter for 33 years, the pastor at the historic Stewart Memorial Church founded by fugitive slaves and free men and women and the first Black Canadian to be honoured for humanitarian service with Hamilton’s Citizen of the Year Award in 1953. He died a year later.

Since 1996,Hamiltonians and other Ontarians who have made significant contributions in the arts, business, community service and youth engagement have been recognized with awards bearing Holland’s name.