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Celebrating 10 years at Gala 2024: Raising Our Voices

Friends of the CMHR gala features George Stroumboulopoulos with young human rights upstanders

News release details

Logo: Gala 2024 Raising our Voices Friends of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights

The Friends of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR) is celebrating 10 years of transformational experiences on November 6. The sold‐out gala will highlight the Museum’s educational programming that has been shared with nearly 250,000 students. The event features renowned Canadian broadcaster George Stroumboulopoulos, a multifaceted storyteller and devoted humanitarian, who will host a conversation with upstanders Maréshia Rucker and Michael Redhead Champagne.

Maréshia Rucker is a public speaker and activist best known for her efforts to host the first racially integrated prom at her high school in Georgia. Until 2013, segregated proms were arranged by families, even though the school had been integrated for decades. Maréshia and her friends persisted despite considerable opposition to bring their vision to life.

Michael Redhead Champagne is a community leader from Winnipeg’s North End with family roots in Shamattawa First Nation. He is also a host, helper, published author, on‐screen personality and sought after public speaker. Michael happily shares his words, wisdom and welcoming energy across Canada and around the world to speak out about poverty, politics and reconciliation.

“We are honoured to be highlighting these young human rights upstanders at Gala 2024: Raising Our Voices,” said Mena Gainpaulsingh, CEO of Friends of the CMHR. “They represent how they used their strengths to recognize injustice, break down barriers and transform our world for the better.”

The event will also honour Arni Thorsteinson for his outstanding contributions as the first board chair of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.

The gala will also pay tribute to Museum architect, Antoine Predock, who died earlier this year. Predock’s masterful design was selected for the Museum in one of Canada’s largest‐ever juried architectural competitions. His design was chosen not only for its striking use of natural elements and features, but for how it represented the journey of human rights.

What:

Friends of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights Gala 2024: Raising Our Voices

When:

Wednesday, November 6, 2024 Reception: 5:30 p.m. | Dinner and Program: 6:20 p.m. | Music and mingling: 9:15 p.m.

Where:

Canadian Museum for Human Rights

Availability

Tickets are sold out

Media contacts

Amanda Gaudes (she/her)

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