I honour and am thankful to our past leaders whose contributions have helped to shape this country and have moved us forward on a path that has given us recognition as a black community. Many of their names never made it to the history books or the national spotlight but they are the strong and courageous men and women who persevered and triumphed through tremendous trials. They are; mothers, fathers, doctors, lawyers, inventors, entrepreneurs, clergies, homemakers, and activists who showed us the path that we now stand on.