
They Made the Shortlist for the 2023 Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Finalists! Now, It Is Time to Vote
- damiadeniyi
- April 25, 2023
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- business potential, Canadian Immigrant Magazine, communities, community advocates, COSTI, cultural icons, email voting, Featured, high-achieving immigrants, immigrant success, immigrants, judges, national award program, positive impacts, shortlist, successful entrepreneurs, Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards program, volunteers, Western Union, Windmill Microlending
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The Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards program by the Canadian Immigrant Magazine is a prestigious people’s choice award that recognizes immigrants making positive impacts on their communities since coming to Canada. The shortlist of candidates is determined by a panel of judges and nominees are recognized in various categories including community advocates, volunteers, successful entrepreneurs, and cultural icons. Currently, the program has shortlisted 75 candidates, but the online voting system is now accepting votes to select the top 25 candidates.
Supported by its presenting sponsor, Western Union, and program partners Windmill Microlending and COSTI, the program is the only national award program that acknowledges immigrant success.
Here are some of the inspiring candidates for the award:

Ali Abukar is a former refugee from Somalia who is the CEO of the Saskatoon Open Door Society, and he is a community leader and social justice advocate.

Ndiallo Aw Badji is a social entrepreneur who founded the Mamy Kaya Group, a sustainable social economic development company that promotes sustainable development, supports entrepreneurship, and invests in women’s financial education.

Rhonelle Bruder is a scholar-activist and community leader with over 10 years of experience advocating for women impacted by sexual and physical violence, including human trafficking, child abuse, and intimate partner violence. She researches the experiences and healthcare interactions of sex-trafficked women in Ontario.

Gideon Christian is an AI and law professor at the University of Calgary, focusing on racial bias from AI use on minorities in Canada. He is a lawyer and founder of the African Scholars Initiative, advocating for fair study visa policies.

Vishad Deeplaul is the first senior manager for equity, diversity, and inclusion at the City of Burnaby. He is an advocate for marginalized groups and has worked for non-profit organizations, focusing on driving towards fair and equitable treatment for all in the workplace.

Eno Eka is a renowned business analyst and consultant who helps businesses optimize their performance and achieve revenue goals through digital technology.

Radhouane Masmoudi is a civil engineer born in Tunisia who arrived in Quebec City in 1984. He is a professor and researcher, and his PhD work impacted the design guidelines for concrete structures reinforced with fiber-reinforced-polymer (FRP) bars.

Mena Massoud, an Egyptian-born Canadian actor, is best known for playing the title character in Disney’s live-action film Aladdin and is connected to his Egyptian culture.

Sabine Monpierre, from Guadeloupe – French West Indies, is an education and cooperation advisor at the Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse, raising awareness of human rights in Quebec.

Henoc Muamba, a Congolese-Canadian football player, is a linebacker for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League and is also a mentor who has created programs to inspire and help others.

Dr. Nnamdi Ndubuka is a public health physician who leads public health programs in 33 First Nation communities in Northern Saskatchewan.

Raymond Ngarboui, originally from Chad, is a community development coordinator for Community Education Development Association and has conducted community consultations for various projects.

Florence Ngenzebuhoro is the CEO & Executive Director of the Francophone Centre of Greater Toronto, the GTA’s largest social service network for French-speaking immigrants and residents.

Jatinder (Jay) Notay is the president and CEO of Keyano College, a changemaker, and a strong advocate for equity, diversity, and inclusivity.

Charles Odame-Ankrah is a scientist, community leader, and advocate for diversity and inclusion. He has made significant contributions in multiple domains.

Opiyo Oloya is Western University’s inaugural Associate Vice President for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. He is a refugee from Uganda and is recognized for his passion for social justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Nduka Otiono is an Associate Professor, Director of the Institute of African Studies, and writer with an interdisciplinary research focus on cultural studies, literature, media, and communication studies.

Faouzia, a rising star in the music industry, has been named as one of the “Artists to Watch for the 2022 Grammys” by Variety, among other accolades.

V. Ophelia Rigault, National project coordinator for the IDEAS4 Gender Equality Project, is an equity and diversity advocate who has worked extensively in community programming to empower women and create inclusive environments for marginalized communities.

Agunbiade Seun Richards is a social entrepreneur from Nigeria who has made a positive impact on the community of Saint John, New Brunswick.

Cindy Sinclair, PhD, arrived in Canada as a teenager in search of freedom and opportunities. She founded Sinclair Consulting Services, co-founded the Immigrant Medical Doctors Forum, and established an Immigrant Women Doctors of Color Circle to make a difference in immigrant international medical graduates’ (IMGs) lives using education as a tool.

Phoebe A. Wasfy, the principal of Philopateer Christian College, is committed to fostering leadership and professional development among her staff and students, heading various humanitarian initiatives, partnering with worldwide charity groups, and receiving awards and recognition for her work.
You can read the detailed profiles of all the candidates on the official website of Canadian Immigrant Magazine and vote for your favorite candidates until June 9 for the Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards. Visit https://canadianimmigrant.ca/canadas-top-25-immigrants/vote to cast your vote.