Green initiative founder earns Peace Medallion.
Rosemarie Powell is a YMCA Peace Medallion recipient.
Photo/COURTESY
Rosemarie Powell was "totally surprised" to learn she was a recipient of the YMCA of Greater Toronto Peace Medallion.
"It's so important to recognize local people who make a difference in the community," she said. "Peace can be interpreted so broadly. I never thought it would be associated with my environmental work."
Powell, the former assistant executive director at the Jane/Finch Community and Family Centre, founded the Centre for Green Change in the Jane Street and Finch Avenue neighbourhood.
According to its website, the Centre for Green Change, a collaboration of Toronto Community Housing, Toronto Region and Conservation Authority and the Jane/Finch Community and Family Centre as the lead agency, will be a community training facility located at 2999 Jane St. in space provided by Toronto Community Housing. The new space will be a model of green building technologies. The centre will educate and promote environmental stewardship, green jobs and eco entrepreneurship.
One of the programs being proposed for the centre is called Pathways to Green Jobs. It will build from the Carpenters Union's Choice Apprentice Program and will incorporate an environmental training component. This program will mobilize local resources and explicitly work to expand the number of long-term, high-quality green jobs for local residents, especially for youth.
"Peace Medallion recipients volunteer their time to championing a cause, inspiring people to get involved, creating positive change and making our communities more peaceful places to live," said Shayna Szymkowicz, YMCA of Greater Toronto international program specialist. "Rosemarie was selected for this award by a group of YMCA staff and volunteers because she is truly an unsung hero who is making a real impact in building peaceful and environmentally sustainable communities. Rosemarie has been dedicating all of her spare time to creating and promoting the Centre for Green Change as part of a Toronto Community Housing initiative. Rosemarie made her vision a reality by raising money to establish the Centre for Green Change in one of Toronto's poorest communities and she continues to raise money and awareness about how environmental issues affect the under-privileged. Her dream is to set an example for other communities around the country and around the world."
The YMCA awards Peace Medallions to recipients across the GTA as part of YMCA Peace Week in November.
Powell, who emigrated from Jamaica and lived in Montreal before moving to Toronto, worked for more than 15 years as a community organizer focusing on youth, community development and social enterprise development.
Her involvement with the Centre for Green Change included helping to get some 70 residents trained in environmental stewardship and reduction of 2,000 tons of carbon dioxide by about 1,000 participating households. The initiative also generated several awards, including Green Toronto awards and a North York Urban Hero award.
Powell, who now resides in Brampton and is no longer involved with the Centre for Green Change, said she appreciates recognition of her work by the YMCA.
"It's nice when recognition comes," she said.