Jean Augustine immigrated to Canada in 1960 and worked as a nanny, teacher, principal, and later chair of the Metro Toronto Housing Authority while raising two girls. In 1993, she became the first Black Woman elected to Parliament serving in roles including as Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister, Minister of Multiculturalism and the Status of Women, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, and Deputy Speaker. Her legislative successes include the historic Black History Month Motion and the ground-breaking Famous Five Motion. In 2007, Jean Augustine was called on by the Government of Ontario to lead an important initiative commemorating the 200th anniversary of the Abolition of the 1807 British Slave Trade Act. Later that year, she was appointed the first-ever Fairness Commissioner for the Province of Ontario. Today, Jean Augustine continues her work to help improve the human condition, including through the Jean Augustine Centre for Young Women’s Empowerment; and working to fully endow the Jean Augustine Professorship in Transformative Education at Victoria University. Also in her name are a municipal park in Etobicoke, a secondary school in Brampton, a multi-purpose complex and district park in Vaughan. A member of the Order of Canada, Order of Ontario and Commander of the Order of the British Empire, Jean Augustine holds honourary doctorates from the universities of McGill, Toronto, York, Windsor, Guelph, Trent and Toronto Metropolitan University; is a senior fellow at Centennial, Humber and Massey College; and supports scholarships at George Brown, Centennial and Humber College.