You Can Be Anything: The Story of Stephanie Bernard

Once there was a passionate girl,
Who liked to solve problems, easy or hard
Born in Jamaica, surrounded by family
Where she lived quite peacefully, and happily

Stephanie wanted to make a difference,
Whether big or small
In everything she did, she always gave it her all
But Stephanie knew that she wanted to do more
So she travelled to Toronto since she’d never been there before

The weather was super cold, and chilled her to the bone
And Stephanie did not feel like she was at home
She was not happy, and this was no fun
Should she go, should she just run?

Well Stephanie set out to find a new space
A place that would bring a smile to her face
Off to Nunavut in hope of a new home
Where she was blown away by all the kindness shown

In Nunavut, they held their first Black History event
It was a way to see Black people’s achievements
That made Stephanie want to share more
About Black culture than ever before

So, in search of a world where people of all kinds could exist
Stephanie Bernard became a Black rights activist
Shortly, afterwards, a terrible virus made its way to town
Just after Black history month, came a lockdown

Wash your hands, they asked
Please also wear your mask
Do not touch your mouth, your nose, or your eyes
Do not get close, do not crowd inside

But this did not stop Stephanie, of course, no way
From lending her voice to good causes each day
She soon came to realize how important her work is
Fighting for the rights of Black adults and kids

Stephanie had the city of Iqaluit march for justice
In honour of a Black man from Minneapolis
They marched and marched and shouted their words
Until, at last their voices were heard

Stephanie’s family is so proud of all she’s done
And her friends all know that she’s just begun
So, don’t you see, just like Stephanie
You too can be anything you want to be

The End.

Who is the real Stephanie?

Stephanie Bernard is a resident of Iqaluit, Nunavut. She is the founder of the Nunavut Black History Society (NBHS), which has not only celebrated the arts, history, and culture of people of African descent but has also facilitated important conversations about issues affecting Black communities in Nunavut and Canada. Bernard believes in the power of women to create positive change in their communities, and draws inspiration from the determination and influence of her ancestors and fellow women.

About the author

name: Chidinma Okafor

Chidinma Blessing Okafor (Chidi) was born and raised in Nigeria, where she obtained her first degree in Economics. She later went to the United Kingdom and received a Master of Science (MSc) degree at the University of Salford. Aside from her dissertation, Chidi has contributed to Accountability literature. Her paper, Deployment of Whistle-blowing as an Accountability Mechanism to Curb Corruption and Fraud in a Developing Democracy, is published in the Accounting, Auditing and Accountability Journal. Chidi has previously worked as a billing officer and as a market researcher. She is currently studying Accounting at the Chang School of Continuing Education, Toronto Metropolitan University and is pursuing her CPA designation. Chidi lives in Mississauga with her family.