Wunmi Idowu 

Wunmi Idowu is an award-winning multidisciplinary artist, filmmaker, educator, and cultural leader dedicated to advancing African, Caribbean, and Black arts and communities. She is the Founder and Director of Woezo Africa Music & Dance Theatre Inc., the Black Arts & Culture Council (BACC), and Letura Productions Inc., developing work that bridges traditional African art forms with contemporary storytelling and performance.

Under her leadership, Woezo Africa has reached over 22 million people globally through performances, workshops, and community initiatives, while supporting efforts that have raised over $3.9 million worldwide. Her mentorship has empowered more than 4,000 artists across disciplines.

Between 2018 and 2024, she produced the annual Black History Month production UNGANISHA: Explore. Connect. Dance., combining archival film and live performance to trace the origins of nine dance genres, including Tap, Jazz, Hip-hop, Samba, Capoeira, Step, Afro-Cuban, Afro-Caribbean, and Salsa, while honouring overlooked cultural contributors.

Celebrating its 20th anniversary, Woezo Africa continues to create opportunities for Black artists. Its Black Arts Development (BAD) Program provides paid mentorship and professional training across theatre, film, dance, visual arts, media, and music, strengthening pathways into the creative industries.

Her educational initiatives have reached over 28,000 students across Canada through the “Africa is Not a Country, It’s a Continent” workshops. Her documentary Roots 2 Branches, addressing systemic racism, has been screened in schools. In 2026, she launched the UNGANISHA Anti-Black Racism Commitment Project, a six-month leadership residency for Black youth focused on creative leadership and community engagement.

Her leadership includes helping inaugurate Alberta’s first Black History Month in 2017. She is a recipient of Avenue Magazine’s “Top 40 Under 40” recognition. During the pandemic, she produced two livestreamed cultural festivals with global reach. In 2025, she curated the Black Excellence Film Series at The Confluence.

Across her practice, Wunmi’s work prioritizes access, equity, and inclusion, creating pathways for youth, newcomers, and underrepresented communities to thrive within Calgary’s cultural sector.

Recipient – Dr. Martha Hart  

Dr. Martha Hart, PhD is a Cambridge University-trained researcher, philanthropist, and advocate who has dedicated her life to promoting education, housing stability, and food security, to name a few. Following the tragic 1999 death of her husband, wrestler Owen Hart, Dr. Hart transformed her grief into a force for good, establishing the Owen Hart Foundation (OHF) in his memory. 

To date, the OHF has raised millions of dollars (thanks to the efforts of Dr. Hart and her dedicated OHF committee) that support the OHF’s two signature programs: the Owen Hart Home Ownership Program and the Owen Hart Scholarship Fund. These programs enrich the lives of Calgarians by assisting low-income individuals to purchase homes while removing financial barriers to education for Calgary’s youth. 

The annual OHF Backpack Giveaways in partnership with TRAPPED Escape Room, have distributed thousands of backpacks filled with school supplies to children in underserved areas across Southern Alberta, as well as partnering with the Calgary Police Youth Foundation to jointly adopt multiple schools and provide stuffed backpacks and additional supplies to all students. The OHF also supports the Calgary Food Bank in partnership with Tower Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram through their OHF Easter ‘Fill The Jeep’ Food Drive and the Sylvan Lake Food Bank via their OHF May Long Weekend Food Drive. The OHF Mother’s Day Project aids and acknowledges the efforts of single mothers by providing Mother’s Day gifts and gifts to their children in partnership with several community agencies (Highbanks Society and Radiance Society) who assist single mothers. Additionally, the OHF Christmas Project collaborates with After Eight Interiors to provide full Christmas packages to families in need and also supports our Canadian Veterans through the Canadian Legacy Project and the Homes For Heroes Foundation by providing Christmas Hampers.   

In partnership with the For the Love of Children Society, Dr. Hart and the OHF have supported communities in need across the globe, including Ukraine, Kenya, Tanzania, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, India, Uganda, Peru, the Philippines, Turkey, and Australia. The OHF is also a strong advocate of animal and environmental conservation, planting thousands of trees locally and beyond, while also supporting numerous animal shelters, and the Wilder Institute Calgary Zoo. Not to mention supporting other worthwhile causes such as Amnesty International, the Brown Bagging Society, several homeless shelters… the list goes on. The OHF also has a special fund set up at the Alberta Children’s Hospital that provides basic needs (e.g., food, parking, hotel expenses) for families in need traveling to the hospital with their sick children. Dr. Hart’s dedication to providing aid whether through housing, education, school supplies, health initiatives, lunch programs, disaster relief, human rights, animal and environmental conservation, reflects her deep commitment to making the world a kinder, more hopeful place for all living things. 

As a Cambridge University-trained researcher in parent/child attachment, Dr. Hart is the co-creator of the Attachment and Child Health (ATTACHTM) programs. She has touched thousands of lives through her research and the OHF’s benevolent initiatives, making her an inspiring role model and a champion for positive change. 

Lorraine Robinson

Lorraine Robinson has devoted over a decade to strengthening the Millican Ogden Community Association (MOCA) through consistent, hands-on volunteer leadership. She is currently in her 13th year on the MOCA Board, serving as Past President alongside her husband, Barry, who is in his 12th year as Facilities Director.

No project is too big or too small for Lorraine. Together with Barry, she has helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for community programming and facilities through successful grant applications and casino volunteering. Her fundraising efforts were instrumental in funding major capital projects, including renovations to the upper and lower MOCA halls and the acquisition of a new ice resurfacer for the Jack Setters Arena.

Community connection is the heartbeat of Lorraine’s work. She has organized numerous events to bring residents together, including the Chili Cook-Off, Jellybean Dances, Santa Skates, Community Cleanups, and the popular Dueling Pianos fundraiser. Beyond events, Lorraine assisted with the Bantam Stampeders football team sublease and helped establish a community garden to promote local wellness and food security.

As the long-term Board liaison with the Southeast Calgary Community Resource Centre, she played a key role in its 2025 transition to Rise Calgary, securing greater funding and social service supports for the area. Lorraine also collaborated with Youth Centres of Calgary to establish new locations in both Ogden and Forest Lawn, expanding critical resources for young people.

In addition to her community outreach, Lorraine has worked to modernize MOCA’s governance and operational systems, ensuring community voices were represented in the draft 2017–2018 Area Redevelopment Plan (ARP). After planning MOCA’s 60th anniversary in 2016, she is now focused on this year’s 70th anniversary celebration - a testament to her tireless dedication to the neighborhood’s past, present, and future.

Momentum 

Momentum is a Calgary-based community economic development organization that has worked to reduce poverty and advance economic inclusion since 1991. For 35 years, Momentum has supported people living on low incomes to get better jobs, start businesses, and increase their financial stability. 

Over its history, Momentum has supported 57,000 people. Momentum’s direct services include financial empowerment programs, employment training, and small business development. The programs support thousands of Calgarians facing systemic barriers, including newcomers, women, Indigenous people, and people with low or unstable incomes. 

A defining part of Momentum’s work is addressing the root causes of poverty through community-wide, systemic change. Momentum’s focus on collaborative policy advocacy led to 2025 becoming a landmark year for policy changes that increase financial inclusion.  

Momentum's top achievements in 2025 were:  

1. Helping secure the reduction of Canada’s criminal rate of interest from 60% to 35% annual interest, saving Canadians an estimated $27 million in the first year alone.  
2. Influencing the federal government to cap Non-Sufficient Fund (NSF) fees at $10, reducing harmful financial penalties that disproportionately affect people living paycheque-to-paycheque. 
3. Leading research and advocacy that resulted in stronger oversight of Private Career Colleges in Alberta, including a public registry and new legislation to protect students and improve education quality.  

Momentum exemplifies what effective community advocacy looks like: collaborative, evidence-based, and focused on preventing harm before it occurs. Their work strengthens Calgary’s poverty reduction efforts and contributes to a fairer and more inclusive economy.

Dr. Pamela Farrell

As Professor of Education and Director of Field Education at the University of Calgary, Dr. Pamela Farrell plays a central role in shaping teacher preparation across Calgary. She manages one of the most operationally complex portfolios, overseeing practicum placements for nearly 800 teacher candidates across 222 schools and 24 school boards in Calgary while leading a team of 18 Field Instructors.

Through this work, Dr. Farrell strengthens the preparation of future educators, ensuring they enter the profession with the skills, confidence, and ethical grounding needed to support diverse learners and dynamic classroom environments. Her leadership contributes to high-quality teaching and learning across the city.

Dr. Farrell is also a recognized leader in Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (EDIA). Her work advances critical and anti-oppressive approaches to education, encouraging future teachers to engage thoughtfully with diverse learners and to see diversity as a strength within classrooms and communities.

Recognized as an award-winning leader in food security in Canada, Dr. Farrell’s research and leadership helped establish the University of Calgary’s low-cost food hub in 2024. This initiative was driven by her research, which found that over 40% of students experience food insecurity. As a Principal Investigator for a Public Health Agency of Canada-funded program, she continues to advance food security across K–12 and community systems nationwide, recognizing access to food as essential to learning and well-being. 

Beyond her academic role, Dr. Farrell serves as the Honorary Consul of Switzerland to Alberta. In this capacity, she fosters bilateral relations and advances collaboration in trade, technology, innovation, education, and culture in accordance with the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. Additionally, she serves as the Governance Officer on the Board of Directors for the Calgary Consular Corps, supporting a network of over 40 consulates to strengthen global connections in education and civic engagement.

Gordon Moores Bullivant

Gordon Moores Bullivant is a nationally respected educational leader whose lifetime of service has profoundly shaped inclusive education in Calgary and beyond. 

As a former Executive Director of Foothills Academy Society, Gordon created a pioneering school and community services model for students with severe learning disabilities—one that became an exemplar program recognized by Alberta Education and the University of Alberta. His work provided thousands of Calgary children with access to effective instruction, dignity, and opportunity, while offering families advocacy and hope. 

With advanced training in child psychology, reading, language, and learning disabilities, Gordon combined academic expertise with practical leadership to transform how students with learning disabilities are understood and supported. At a time when learning disabilities were poorly understood, with limited support. Gordon recognized the need for a school grounded in evidence-based instruction, individualized learning, and dignity for all learners. 

Gordon’s leadership extended well beyond Foothills Academy Society. A licensed psychologist and certified learning disabilities specialist, he served on provincial and national advisory boards, represented Alberta nationally, and delivered more than 3,000 workshops across Canada. He was the only Canadian invited to represent the country at the Washington Summit on Learning Disabilities and served as President of the Learning Disabilities Association of Canada. 

His contributions have been recognized through numerous honours, including the Governor General of Canada Medal for service to children and adults with learning disabilities. Gordon Moores Bullivant’s legacy is a stronger, more inclusive Calgary—where educational equity is both a value and a practice.

The Confluence Historic Site & Parkland 

The Confluence Historic Site & Parkland has made an extraordinary contribution to Calgary’s history through the creation of a Blackfoot-led exhibit, Kípaitápiiyssinnooni (Our Way of Life). 

Museums have historically told colonial stories, often misrepresenting or excluding Indigenous Peoples. Kípaitápiiyssinnooni represents The Confluence’s intentional shift away from outdated, extractive museum practices toward a community-led, ethical, and inclusive model of heritage stewardship.

The exhibit, curated by Niitsitapi artist Star Crop Eared Wolf, centers Blackfoot heritage, including language, values, kinship systems, and relationships to land. Developed through deep consultation with more than 50 Blackfoot community members, the exhibit’s primary language is Blackfoot, with English translations provided.

Kípaitápiiyssinnooni also preserves Calgary’s deep-time history by correcting the narrative that the city began with the North-West Mounted Police. Archaeological and historical evidence shows that the Blackfoot presence in the Calgary area dates back at least 18,000 years. By situating Blackfoot life as ongoing and contemporary, rather than historical or vanished, The Confluence is reshaping public understanding of Calgary’s origins.

Kípaitápiiyssinnooni further demonstrates leadership through ethical employment and fair compensation. All items in the 900-square-foot exhibit were created by Blackfoot artists, generating meaningful economic and professional opportunities while ensuring cultural materials remain connected to their communities of origin.

Kípaitápiiyssinnooni welcomed over 12,000 visitors in 2025, contributing to public education, reconciliation, and ethical Indigenous tourism. By restoring Indigenous voices to a place of authority at one of Calgary’s most significant historic sites, The Confluence is setting a standard for museums across Canada and beyond.

XhAle Brew Co.

XhAle Brew Co. is a Calgary-based craft brewing company committed to social, environmental, and community impact. Founded by Christina Owczarek, a queer immigrant woman with a non-visible disability, XhAle challenges traditional norms in the brewing industry by operating as a values-driven business focused on equity and community well-being. XhAle provides a model for how to run a successful and socially responsible business in Calgary. 

XhAle produces award-winning craft beer and non-alcoholic beverages while embedding social impact into its operations and partnerships. Since its founding, the brewery has donated nearly $20,000 to community organizations, supporting initiatives related to poverty reduction, climate action, drug toxicity awareness, and accessibility in sport. The business is the only known brewery in Canada, initially funded through a poverty reduction microloan, growing from a $9,500 Momentum Calgary Microloan into a thriving half-million-dollar enterprise. 

Beyond financial contributions, XhAle plays a significant role in community safety and connection. XhAle curates welcoming gathering spaces for Calgary’s queer community and actively supports vulnerable residents through donation drives, partnerships with local organizations, and public health initiatives. Staff are trained in bystander intervention, and the brewery regularly conducts overdose response training at industry events. In 2025 alone, XhAle distributed more than 400 Naloxone kits, helping reduce stigma and build community resiliency in the face of the drug toxicity crisis. 

Through leadership, advocacy, and community partnerships, XhAle Brew Co. demonstrates how local businesses can drive meaningful social change and strengthen Calgary’s communities.  

Evan Li 

Evan Li is a young leader dedicated to transforming service into meaningful community impact. Through his leadership, innovation, and advocacy, Evan’s work empowers Calgary’s youth and strengthens community connections.  

Evan co-founded Futurlign, a student-led nonprofit organization that promotes Artificial Intelligence (AI) literacy and accountable technology use.  With his peers, Evan has coordinated free AI education courses at the University of Calgary and the Calgary Public Library that have reached more than 300 youth. His work equips young people with the knowledge and critical thinking skills needed to navigate emerging technologies responsibly and sustainably. 

Alongside his community initiatives, Evan has contributed to bioinformatics research at the University of Calgary’s Cumming School of Medicine as a high school student intern. He became a co-author on a paper published in the journal Nature Communications. He has also shared his insights on technology internationally, speaking at the 2025 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Smart World Congress. 

Evan’s commitment to community extends across the sciences and arts. He founded the Elvaria Music Foundation to expand access to music education and creative expression for newcomers and underserved youth. He also served as the Development Director of The Art Torch, creating not-for-profit opportunities for families to explore the visual arts in partnership with Contemporary Calgary.

Through public advocacy and building platforms for civic development, Evan continues to amplify youth voices and inspire the next generation of leaders shaping Calgary’s future.

Dr. Henry Tsang 

Dr. Henry Tsang is an internationally acclaimed architect, educator, and researcher whose work in healthy and regenerative design connects Calgary to global innovation while strengthening local communities. He is the Principal of Henry Tsang Architect and Chair of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada Centre for Architecture at Athabasca University (AU).

With over two decades of multinational experience, Tsang has led award-winning design and research projects across Asia, the Middle East, Central America, and North America. His Calgary projects include the forthcoming Calgary Japanese Community Centre in Killarney, which has been recognized with the Mayor’s Urban Design Award, American Institute of Architects Design Award, and Canadian Architect Award of Excellence.

Tsang’s research explores the intersection of regenerative sustainability, health, accessibility, and cultural heritage in the built environment. He has contributed to publications in leading international journals and has presented at major global forums, including the United Nations, TEDx, Harvard Project for Asian and International Relations (HPAIR), International Modern Hospital Show, Urban Land Institute’s Asia-Pacific Summit, Osaka World Expo, and so on. 

An experienced educator, Tsang has taught and mentored thousands of students worldwide. He is an associate professor at AU and has held academic appointments at Waseda University and the University of Tokyo (Japan), and Keimyung University (Korea), in addition to guest lecturing at leading institutions in Canada and abroad, e.g., University of Calgary, University of Alberta, McGill University, Shibaura Institute of Technology, Nihon University, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hanyang University, and the Academy of Art University.

He also supports professional leadership as an advisor to the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada and a councillor with the Alberta Association of Architects. Through his global practice, research, teaching, and community service, Dr. Henry Tsang strives to strengthen Calgary’s identity as an inclusive, innovative, and internationally connected city.

Urban Society for Aboriginal Youth (USAY)

The Urban Society for Aboriginal Youth (USAY) has created Calgary's only dedicated Indigenous Youth Centre, designed with accessibility as a foundational principle, not an afterthought. Accessibility is embedded in both the physical design and the programming philosophy of the space. 
 
The Youth Centre includes:

• A fully accessible washroom.
• All-gender washrooms to ensure safety and dignity for gender-diverse youth.
• A chair lift to support mobility access.
• Acoustic panels throughout the building to reduce sensory overload.
• Flexible, movable furniture to accommodate mobility devices and diverse spatial needs.
• Access to outdoor space for fresh air and sensory regulation.
• Dedicated areas that allow for smudging and cultural practices.

USAY recognizes that accessibility goes beyond mobility. The Centre addresses sensory, gender, cultural, and social accessibility to ensure youth feel safe, regulated, and included. 
 
USAY serves over 200 youth per week through school, community, and creative programs. Across USAY programs, between 15% and 26% of participants identify as having a disability, depending on the program. By creating a culturally grounded, barrier-reduced space, USAY has increased participation and belonging for Indigenous youth who previously faced multiple barriers to accessing services. 
 
With the opening of the Youth Centre, the Urban Society for Aboriginal Youth anticipates hosting over 1,000 community members annually in this accessible space, including youth, families, Elders, and partner organizations. By opening its doors to community partners, USAY ensures the Centre contributes to systemic, community-wide change, not just organizational benefit.

Habitat for Humanity Southern Alberta

Habitat for Humanity Southern Alberta (HFHSA) is best known for providing affordable community housing, but they are also leaders in waste reduction and material reuse. In Calgary, the HFHSA ReStores divert waste from landfills by accepting donations of new and gently used home goods, furniture, building materials, and appliances, which are then resold to help fund the creation of affordable housing for local families. 

Some of their key environmental achievements in 2025 include:

• Diverting 3900 tons of waste from landfills (463,940 individual items).
• Offering a business solution to waste reduction by receiving overstock or leftover materials from 420 corporate donors.
• Reducing construction waste by selling leftover building materials at 30-70% below market value, encouraging contractors and homeowners to choose reclaimed materials for more sustainable building practices.
• Training appliance technicians to fix or decommission donated appliances, keeping 4,442 appliances out of the landfill.
• Creating 42 local jobs and 8000 hours of volunteer opportunities.
• Having the #1 ReStore in Canada in terms of sales (Calgary Sunridge location).
• Generating a net income of $1.6M, which led to 24 affordable homes being built in Calgary and area.

The HFHSA ReStores prove that reuse can be affordable, high-quality, and impactful while benefiting Calgary’s environment, economy, and families. The HFHSA ReStores are a circular economy solution that advance the City of Calgary’s Environment Strategy by reducing landfill waste, extending product life cycles, lowering resource extraction, and shifting consumer behaviour away from single-use and disposable culture.

Marcello Di Cintio 

Marcello Di Cintio is the author of six books, including Walls: Travels Along the Barricades and Pay No Heed to the Rockets, both previous winners of the City of Calgary W.O. Mitchell Book Prize. Di Cintio's magazine writing can be found in publications such as The Walrus, Canadian Geographic, The International New York Times, and The Globe and Mail. His latest book, Precarious: The Lives of Migrant Workers, examines the lives of those who have come from elsewhere to till our fields, bathe our elderly, and serve us our Double Doubles. Precarious uncovers stories of tremendous perseverance, resilience, and humanity, but also of precarity and vulnerability. Di Cintio is a former writer-in-residence with the University of Calgary Distinguished Writers Program, the Calgary Public Library and the Palestine Writing Workshop.

2026 Nominees