New digital exhibit profiles six exceptional Hamilton newcomers

A new project is celebrating Hamilton's diversity, profiling six exceptional and inspirational people who've immigrated to the city, in honour of Hamilton 175th anniversary.

The digital exhibit, Stories of Migration and Belonging, was created by the Hamilton Immigration Partnership Council (HIPC). It was revealed at the end of November and features six people who've immigrated from other countries and made Hamilton home at some point in their lives.

Immigration really enriches our population, our cultural background, it makes Hamilton a more interesting place to live," said Sarah Wayland, senior project manager with HIPC.

Wayland said the project was part of a larger Hamilton Civic Museums initiative looking at themes of inclusion and exclusion throughout Hamilton's history. It was important for HIPC to centre six Hamiltonians and allow them to share their experiences in their own words, she said.

Ebunoluwa (Ebun) is one of the six profiled in the video series. Ebun is a second-year student in the School of Social Work at McMaster University who immigrated to Canada from Nigeria with her family in 2018.

I remember just adoring the beauty of Hamilton," Ebun said in her video, recalling marvelling at seeing snow for the first time.

But the move was a transition.

The day we came into Hamilton I just remember looking out the window and I was like, This is happening, it's real.' ... I'm in a new place where I have to embrace the culture, learn how to settle in, learn how to maintain my identity while still understanding the space in which I'm functioning.

Another woman profiled is Joyce, or Auntie Joyce" as she is better known.

At age 92, she is considered the matriarch of Canada Street and founded the neighbourhood's Canada Day party over 50 years ago. She moved to Canada from Georgetown, Guyana in August 1969.

I involve myself in every way I can," said the retired hospital care attendant. She worked at St. Joseph's hospital for 26 years.

The exhibit is visible at hamiltoncivicmuseums.ca/exhibition/migration-and-belonging/.

Katrina Clarke is a reporter at The Spectator. katrinaclarke@thespec.com