Christina received her award during the Inaugural Canadian Black Nurses Virtual Conference in October 2025. The theme was “Inspired Leadership: Empowering Black Nurses at Every Level.” For her, this honour carries a deep personal and professional meaning. “Receiving this award represents resilience, unity and purpose,” she says. “Nursing school is challenging. Many of us balance health conditions, family responsibilities, systemic barriers or invisible struggles. To me, this recognition affirms the power of perseverance and community support.”
The selection committee was particularly impressed by Christina’s contributions to national policy and initiatives on addressing racial bias in health care, as well as her ongoing community engagement, all while balancing her studies and research responsibilities.
Finding her path through clinical experience
Christina’s journey into nursing began at home. She was inspired by her mother, a personal support worker, but says she wasn’t always certain nursing was for her. Everything changed, though, during her first clinical placement at The Ottawa Hospital’s Civic Campus. “That was where I met the first patient who made me fall in love with this profession,” she recalls.
Christina works closely with Mwali Muray, assistant professor in the School of Nursing, on research exploring African, Caribbean and Black patients’ experiences in accessing health care. Professor Muray also supported Christina’s role as a student policy analyst with Health Canada’s Anti-Racism in Science Office. In that position, she brought a nursing and clinical lens to federal science and health policy.
“Christina is such a brilliant nursing student,” says Muray, who encouraged her to apply for the award. “I see an incredible potential in her to be a strong nursing leader. Her desires and aspirations align with what the profession urgently needs. I hope that this award will bring more visibility to the important work Christina is already doing across multiple communities.”
“I see an incredible potential in her to be a strong nursing leader. Her desires and aspirations align with what the profession urgently needs.”
Mwali Muray
— Assistant professor in the School of Nursing
The power of representation in shaping future leaders
The conference theme of inspired leadership resonates strongly with Christina, especially when it comes to the importance of representation. “Seeing Black nurse leaders at the Faculty, such as Josephine Etowa, Mwali Muray and Judith Makana, was transformational,” she says. “Having professors who look like me has helped me see myself as a future leader in nursing research and health equity.”
As she looks ahead, Christina hopes to pass on what she’s learned to other Black nursing students and future health professionals. Her message is one of persistence and solidarity: “Keep trying. When one door closes, find another. Surround yourself with people who uplift you, because nursing is not a competition, it’s a collective effort. Some of the best care is not delivered in isolation, but through teamwork, humility and mutual respect. As the African proverb says, ‘If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.’”
Christina’s achievements reflect her dedication to advancing health equity and strengthening the future of nursing leadership in Canada. The Faculty congratulates her on this well-deserved honour.