Our guest for this month's Feature Friday is DeRico Symonds!

DeRico Symonds is a 8th generation African Nova Scotian currently employed with the African Nova Scotian Justice Institute as the Director of Engagement and Justice Initiatives.

DeRico Symonds is the founder and President of Ignite Consulting, as well as a founding member of two non-profit organizations, ACCE (Arts, Culture, Community, Economics) and GC902 (Game Changers 902), a social justice advocacy group based in Halifax.

DeRico has been awarded the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Century of Service Award, the Irving & Ruth Pink award for youth development and social justice, and the Dr Burnley “Rocky” Jones Human Right award from the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission.

With an extensive career in community work in our racialized and marginalized communities, DeRico has a wealth of community engagement experience. DeRico provides counselling to marginalized youth and is called upon during incidences of gun violence in our Black communities. DeRico Symonds is also an Impact Race and Cultural Assessor (IRCA) with the African Nova Scotian Justice Institute serving Atlantic Canada.

It was a pleasure hosting the motivational and community-driven DeRico Symonds on our podcast this month!

Show notes:

00:00 - Introduction to DeRico Symonds

2:30 - DeRico on his upbringing

15:00 - How DeRico translated his experiences to where he is today

21:20 - DeRico on his experience and lessons learned at university

40:10 - DeRico’s post-university work

56:40 - DeRico on being politically informed

1:05:30 - DeRico on the work he’s currently doing

1:15:05 - DeRico on his consulting work

1:20:50 - “Always Take the Stairs”

1:28:35 - One word checkout