CUPE Nova Scotia Human Rights Committee

CUPE Nova Scotia is proud to highlight the work of our black union community during African Heritage Month. Thank you for your contribution every day to public services in Nova Scotia, especially during this pandemic where challenges are faced and conquered daily to serve Nova Scotians. African Heritage Month Featured Member Profile # 2 Claudette Desmond CCA at The Glades Lodge CUPE Local 1259... My name is Claudette Desmond I have been working at The Glades Lodge for 32 years. I have worked in the kitchen for about 2 years then worked as night cleaner. I later moved into nursing. I started the job when I was 16, I am now 49 years old. I still work as a nurse and learned so much from my resident, it was so nice to hear their stories. I can remember going home and just thinking about the resident and how their life was and how their life was at this time. I love doing what I do, that’s why I am still working, I still have 11 more years to go before retirement. My job is to make the residents happy, give them the best care we can while helping them have great days, when they have great days us CCA have great days too. I had a child when I was 26. My mom was taken away from me in a really bad when I was 26. I was still home with my child; I could not stay home when my mom was gone so I went back to work. I had to keep moving on and do my part as a mother, and I made it. I was still in high school when I joined air cadets. When I became a flight sergeant, I had no idea what my role was but I soon learned. I was given opportunity to be in control of others but I did not like that too much. I hated to tell people what to do but I knew if I wanted to keep my flight sergeant, I had to get with it. I began to do my job and I felt good about what I did. There were only 5 females in cadets. I was the only female who played hockey. I had so much fun and I learned so much from the guys. I then started Rifle range with the guys I felt good about myself and I learned so much. I was the only female that did the Duke of Edinburg program. We spent a week in woods and learned about the wild and how to stay alive. It was the best thing I have ever done. I like to do crafts, dance and love to go camping

To Celebrate Black History Month, CUPE has created a beautiful poster featuring Jennifer Hodge de Silva, a Montréal-born documentary filmmaker. Her ground-break...ing work traced the experiences of Black Canadians and gave voice to the many ethnically diverse communities that shape our country. Order or download a copy today! https://cupe.ca/orders/black-history-month-2021-poster

Rocky Jones spent most of his adult life breaking down racial and economic barriers for Black and Indigenous peoples as an activist, educator and, later, lawyer. We remember and honor him with our annual CUPE Nova Scotia Rocky Jones Bursary open to CUPE Nova Scotia members and their family who are Black or Indigenous.