A tribute to our longtime friend Gemma Raeburn-Baynes
To celebrate Black History Month, we wanted to highlight a tribute segment that is airing this month on Bell Media’s CJAD 800 Montreal, written by friend of TNKR Media Akil Alleyne and in celebration of our dear friend and longtime client Gemma Raeburn-Baynes.
Alleyne, a writer, commentator and manager of Raeburn-Baynes’ GemStar Circle of Excellence scholarship fund, had the tall order of condensing some of this inspirational leader’s accomplishments into one radio-friendly minute.
Raeburn-Baynes, a former banking and accounting executive, was the founder of the Taste of the Caribbean festival as well as the Spice Island Cultural Festival, and is a major driving force behind Grenadian and pan-Caribbean diaspora fundraising events in the Montreal area. TNKR Media first collaborated with Taste of the Caribbean in 2012 when ‘Auntie Gemma’ managed the festival before moving on with her to the Grenada-specific Spice Island Festival (the agency remains a proud sponsor for this summer’s event).
“Gemma is one of the most devoted, inspirational and tireless people I’ve ever met. We are so proud she’s been choosing to work with us for over a decade now,” said TNKR Media co-founder Dan Delmar. “She is tirelessly devoted to helping to uplift her community. Just being around Auntie Gemma for a few moments lifts our team’s spirits.”
Raeburn-Baynes is currently on a diplomatic trip to her native Grenada, celebrating the nation’s 50th year of independence.
Listen to Akil Alleyne’s tribute here:
Transcript:
Since she came to Montreal from Grenada in 1964 at age 13, her life has been a model of social entrepreneurship, serving Montreal’s Black community as well as her home country.
Mrs. Raeburn-Baynes helped to organize the first-ever Caribbean Carifiesta event in Montreal 50 years ago. As the Bank of Montreal’s Manager of Workplace Equality, she created the Bank’s Possibilities Program to empower minority and Indigenous youth. She helped lobby the City of Montreal to recognize Black History Month officially for the first time, and has raised thousands of dollars for causes like the Canadian Sickle Cell Society and the Grenada Hurricane Relief Fund.
In 2023, Mrs. Raeburn-Baynes created the GemStar Circle of Excellence Program, providing mentorship, scholarships, and internships to high-achieving Black Grade 11 students in Montreal. It’s only the latest in a long list of achievements that make “Auntie Gemma”—as I call her—a true pillar of Montreal’s Black community.
Photo: Montreal Community Contact
