Individual Award: Paulina Grainger
Grainger is an arts administrator, actor-producer and a storyteller who creates innovative projects that use film, photography, movement, storytelling, theatre and mask work to bring the immigrant and refugee experience to life. Currently with the Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria, she is committed to telling the stories of newcomers while continuing to challenge and deepen the community’s learning and understanding of diversity and multiculturalism in Canada.

Award Donation: Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria
Funds will be directed toward innovative youth arts-based programs at the Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria.

Organization Award: Equitas - International Centre for Human Rights Education
Equitas partners with over 80 B.C. community organizations, municipalities, schools and public institutions in 18 communities throughout the province to deliver training, coaching and educational tools and resources that build the capacity of partner organizations to integrate human-rights based activities into their own programs, particularly as they relate to children and youth.

Award Donation: Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House
The awarded funds will be used to further Equitas’ established partnership with Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House to support recently arrived Syrian refugee children and families and reinforce promotion of multiculturalism.

Business Award: Williams Lake Tribune
The Williams Lake Tribune worked in partnership with the Canadian Mental Health Association - Cariboo Chilcotin branch to deliver the Dirty Laundry Campaign, an anti-racism media strategy directed at challenging stereotypes and raising cultural awareness. The campaign depicted people who have experienced racism wearing t-shirts emblazoned with a variety of slogans including “I was not expected to succeed” and “Racism stops with me”.

Award Donation: Canadian Mental Health Association - Cariboo Chilcotin branch
The Canadian Mental Health Association - Cariboo Chilcotin branch will use the money to further its multiculturalism projects and continue to offer innovative programs, campaigns, workshops and events that challenge racism and spread the message of acceptance and diversity.

Youth Award: Chitha Manoranjan
Manoranjan’s multicultural and intercultural work has often focused on diverse initiatives and youth-led practices directed toward advancing multiculturalism to support truly inclusive cross cultural societies. He currently works with the North Shore Immigrant Inclusion Partnership, a coalition of community agencies and institutions dedicated to improving settlement outcomes for immigrant newcomers to Vancouver’s North Shore community.

Award Donation: Renfrew-Collingwood Food Security Institute
The award money will be applied towards an intercultural learning exchange/cultural-development project with youth from a variety of backgrounds. To further advance intercultural connections, youth will create and publish a book that reflects on their relationships to food, their culture, and the local food system.

Government Award: BC Housing
The organization’s commitment to multiculturalism is reflected not only in its policies, but in training and events provided to employees, scope of client services offered in the community, and partnerships with organizations throughout the province. Examples include housing and support for immigrants and refugees through its housing registry and rent subsidy programs; its partnership with the Immigrant Services Society of BC to build a new facility that will include one-stop housing and support services for refugees; and the annual Multiculturalism Day celebration involving over 300 BC Housing employees at regional office locations.