Teen wins race relations award

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One might wonder how a shy girl from the Muskeg Lake Cree Nation (Saskatchewan) won the 2002 Lincoln M. Alexander Award. This award recognizes youths who demonstrate leadership in promoting racial harmony and eliminating discrimination in their schools or community.

Tamara McDonald, now a confident 18-year-old living in Thunder Bay, won the community part of this award. Bikramjit Nahal, 19, of southern Ontario, won for his work at school. The teens received their awards in early December in a ceremony at Queen's Park with Citizenship Minister Carl DeFaria, Lt.-Gov. James Bartleman, and the former lieutenant-governor Lincoln Alexander among the dignitaries.

This is the first time an Aboriginal woman has won this award. Nominees must be between 16 and 25. McDonald was 17 when she was nominated by the Regional Multicultural Youth Centre in Thunder Bay, where she is the president of the youth council.

Moffatt Makuto, volunteer director of the centre, said, "Competition for this award is tough. Several local dignitaries also wrote letters of support for Tamara."

McDonald was not aware she had been nominated until she won the award, which comes with a cheque for $2,500.

McDonald won for her work with the youth council and for taking workshops designed to break down stereotypes about Aboriginals into local schools.

Under her organization, the youth council also does peer training in order to continue these workshops. This past spring they began the Race Relations Image Awards, which they hope will take place annually.

As well as abolishing stereotyping, McDonald wants other youth to understand the huge effects that residential schools have had on First Nations.

"I was surprised when some students admitted they hadn't heard about the sexual and psychological abuse some Aboriginals endured at residential schools," she said. "Sometimes I'm the only Aboriginal in the room. I'm talking to fellow students who think I'm pretty quiet. I tell them it's okay not to know everything but this discussion will enlarge the circle of knowledge."

Makuto said, "Tamara is a good educator. She identifies with the problems of First Nations people and is willing to provide cultural understanding to others."

No longer shy, McDonald plans to attend university to study sociology or political science. "With this education, I can see myself helping others," she said. She credits her mother Bev and Makuto for her self-confidence and drive. Her advice to other young people is, "Stay positive by surrounding yourself with positive people."