Annual General Meeting 2022

FROM OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

I am absolutely delighted to provide my first report as the Executive Director of the Multicultural Council of Windsor and Essex County (MCC).
In my 10 years with the Multicultural Council, I have had the privilege of working alongside Kathleen Thomas, benefitting from her three decades of leadership in our community. Her retirement earlier this year reminded us that under her direction, the MCC became a nationally recognized leader in providing settlement and integration services with the region’s most diverse roster of community programs, services and events. While she is missed, we all wish her much joy (and lots of travel!) in her retirement.
During our last fiscal year, the MCC continued our commitment to our clients and our community. Faced with multiple waves of COVID-19 in 2021-2022, community leadership focused on the vaccination of residents. The MCC was part of these efforts, launching ‘A World of Reasons’ – a community-wide multilingual campaign, delivering valuable reassurance and support to residents of Windsor-Essex.
In collaboration with community partners and health professionals from across our region, the initiative was aimed at eliminating language-based vaccine hesitancy. Through a video campaign, radio ads, translated information flyers, vaccination clinics and outreach to our ethno cultural partners, the MCC ensured timely and appropriate information was available to all residents regardless of literacy level or language. We are proud of our team’s role in ensuring community health and safety.
Buoyed by the support of partners and stakeholders, we reinvested in programming and activities designed to meet our mission of creating a welcoming community for all.
• Our new Oral Health Program, supported by Windsor Essex Community Foundation and Greenshield served to both educate and provide dental health services to our region.
• Our partnership with LIUNA 625 allowed for a social media campaign in support of our Indigenous community by sharing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada ‘Calls to Action’.
• Our partnership with ENWIN provided for ‘Diversity Dynamics’, a weekly series of informative and encouraging posts intended to provide guidance in establishing and maintaining inclusive practices.
• The Government of Canada supported our second Carrousel@Home event. Together with our partners at LIUNA 625, Bell Media, Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island and the Windsor Spitfires, we were able to share (safely!) the incredible culture and tradition that makes our region so unique.
• We unveiled our first-ever Carrousel mural located at Devonshire Mall, showcasing more than four decades of celebration and creating a welcoming community for all.
• We re-started MCC Employment programs through partnerships with the Government of Ontario and the Solcz Family Foundation. MCC Leadership and MCC Work Ready were designed to provide opportunities for youth facing barriers to entering the Canadian skilled trades job market. Earlier this year, after three years absence, the MCC held its first in-person Herb Gray Harmony Gala – to a sold-out audience.
Carrousel of the Nations returned for its 48th festival and welcomed the largest crowds in event history.
We re-opened our doors to clients and added a record amount of new programming in just a few short months.
I am so proud of the work done by MCC management and staff during 2021-2022. Their selfless devotion to the agency and our community laid the ground work for success as we begin our new chapter together.
Thank you to our passionate staff, our devoted board, our dedicated volunteers and our generous partners. Together we are creating a more welcoming community for all.

Fred Francis, Executive Director, MCC