About
From reading by lamplight
to the national record.
Reading aloud, still. The habit that began under a kerosene lamp in St. Mary.
About Nadine Williams
Nadine Williams was born in the parish of St. Mary, Jamaica, and now calls Ontario home. She has published seven books, four collections of poetry and three for children, and more than thirty Black History Month volumes widely used in Canadian schools.
She presents regularly at schools and universities across Canada, was the distinguished Guest Lecturer to the African Writers Club at the University of Vienna in May 2019, and is often called upon at citizenship ceremonies to read poetry, sing the anthem and welcome new Canadians. Her artwork has been exhibited at several Canadian museums including the Canadian Museum of History, Bank of Canada Museum, Niagara Falls History Museum, Welland Historical Museum, Bruce County Museum, Delhi Tobacco Museum, and Manitoba Museum to name a few. She is also a regular presenter at the Art Gallery of Mississauga.
As resident poet for the Caribbean Consular Corps she mentors the next generation of authors, writers and scholars. This distinguished President’s Poet has opened for Michelle Obama, Former First Lady of the United States of America; The Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, 27th Governor General of Canada; the Honourable Justin Trudeau, Former Prime Minister of Canada; and the Honourable Portia Simpson Miller, Former Prime Minister of Jamaica.
Her acclaimed art installations include spotlighting the UN’s International Decade for People of African Descent and the churches’ apologies for their historical roles in slavery. Named among 100 accomplished Black Canadian Women, Women Who Inspires Change, Top 25 Canadian Immigrant, and York Regional Police Deeds Speak Awardee. She has guest lectured at the University of Vienna, York University, the University of Toronto and Toronto Metropolitan University, has been a guest speaker at McMaster University, has been cited in a doctoral thesis, has contributed to the Multicultural Perspectives academic journal through Central Connecticut State University, and has recently signed to the Speakers Bureau of Canada.
- 2024Top 25 Canadian Immigrant
- 2024Women Who Inspires Change Award
- 2022Named among the 100 Accomplished Black Canadian Women
- 2019Parliamentary mention for significant contribution to Black History in Canada
- 2019Guest Lecturer, African Writers Club, University of Vienna
- 2014York Regional Police Deeds Speak Award
- 2012Citizenship and Immigration Canada Volunteer Award
Books
Seven collections,
three for children
Poetry that began in a Jamaican parish and now sits on Canadian curriculum shelves.
- The Culmination of Marriage Between Me and My PenPoetry collection
- With This Pen I Do TellPoetry collection
- Pen on Fyah’Poetry collection
- Peel Black Our Layers and See How We Cultivate JoyPoetry Collection Anthology with Peel Board & Keeyasha J. Hall
- Love RocksFor young readers
- Cats, Bats and RatsFor young readers
- A Whirl of WonderFor Young Readers
Charitable arm
The Nadine Williams Pen Foundation
Federally incorporated in 2023, the Foundation carries the work into places a single artist cannot reach alone: classrooms without budget, communities without a monument, young writers without a mentor.
Registered Office: Niagara Falls, Ontario
Federal incorporation number 1488386-1
Selected
