Jesse Jackson
1941-2026
Courtesy AP Photo/Fred Wilson
As part of our Black History Month Spotlight Series, we pause to honour the life and legacy of the Rev. Jesse L. Jackson — a towering figure in the Civil Rights Movement whose voice and leadership shaped generations.
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A protégé of Martin Luther King Jr., Rev. Jackson rose to national prominence in the 1960s, working closely alongside Dr. King and carrying forward the fight for racial justice, economic equality, and voting rights. After Dr. King’s assassination, he emerged as one of the most visible and enduring leaders of the movement, dedicating decades to advancing civil rights across the United States and beyond.
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He championed fair access to education, employment, and political representation, advocating for marginalized communities and building multiracial coalitions rooted in justice and opportunity. He pressured corporations to hire Black workers, invest in Black communities, and open pathways to economic opportunity.
Throughout his career, he stood alongside organized labour. He appeared at union rallies, supported collective bargaining rights, and marched with striking workers, including Boeing workers in 1989.
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His leadership extended into the political arena as a two-time U.S. presidential candidate, where his campaigns broke barriers and expanded civic participation, inspiring millions to believe that their voices and votes mattered.
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For more than half a century, Rev. Jackson stood at the intersection of faith, activism, and public service -- using the power of words, protest, and policy to challenge inequality and demand systemic change.
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His passing at 84 marks the end of an era, but his impact continues to resonate in every movement for equity, representation, and human rights.
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We honour Rev. Jesse L. Jackson’s lifelong commitment to equality, solidarity, and the belief that justice must be both social and economic and we also recognize the path he helped build for leaders, advocates, and changemakers across generations.
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This Black History Month, Unifor Local 79M is proud to launch a weekly feature highlighting Black workers across media and our union.
We’re recognizing the journalists, editors, technicians, creators, and storytellers whose work informs our communities and strengthens our industry. Their voices, leadership, and impact deserve to be celebrated — not just this month, but all year long.
These stories matter. This representation matters. And we’re proud to share and celebrate them with you.
Stay tuned as we spotlight members and media professionals making a difference every day. #BlackHistoryMonth #Unifor79M #BlackExcellenceInMedia
First in our Black History Month spotlight, we’re proud to highlight Carol Charles — a Video Journalist with CTV News Toronto and a strong, respected voice in Canadian media.
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Prior to joining the CTV News Toronto team in October 2000, Carol began her journalism career in Durham Region, where she built a strong foundation in local news reporting and community storytelling.
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Carol has a long history of community service and outreach and has supported numerous organizations, including United Way Toronto and the Black Business and Professional Association’s Harry Jerome Awards. Honouring her Trinidadian roots, she also played a leading role in CTV’s Caribbean Carnival Volunteer Committee and volunteered with Accessible Media Inc.’s Voice Print service, helping expand media access for blind and visually impaired Canadians.
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Today, she focuses much of her time on speaking at elementary schools across the GTHA, sharing her journey and experiences as a Video Journalist and as a woman of colour in media. She is also engaged with the Canadian Journalism Foundation, supporting and encouraging emerging Black journalists as they enter the industry.
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Her work and leadership have earned multiple awards and recognitions — including the Toronto Sun’s “Woman on the Move,” the Oshawa YWCA “Woman of Distinction,” and a Police and Community Service Award of Excellence during Black History Month — reflecting her lasting impact in both media and the community.
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We’re honoured to celebrate Carol’s excellence, leadership, and service. Thank you for the work you do and the example you set — this Black History Month and beyond.
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#BlackHistoryMonth #BHM #BlackExcellence
#BlackJournalists #MediaWorkers #Unifor #Unifor79M
#RepresentationMatters #CanadianMedia
#CommunityLeadership
Up next in our Black History Month spotlight series, we’re proud to highlight Jermaine Wilson -- a digital journalist whose work helps audiences make sense of fast-moving news across multiple platforms.
Jermaine is a Multi-Platform Writer with CTV News Toronto and CP24, where he produces daily digital coverage and leads the weekend morning team, writing and producing. Known for clear, accessible storytelling, he focuses on breaking news, public affairs, and conversational explainers that help readers quickly understand complex issues.
His career spans several major Canadian newsrooms, where he has contributed to reporting and digital content across national and local outlets. Along the way, he has built a versatile skill set, including writing, video, and social media publishing -- a reflection of the evolving nature of journalism.
Jermaine’s work has earned national recognition, including a National Newspaper Award nomination tied to major breaking news coverage for the Toronto Star. He has also been selected to represent emerging Canadian journalists by the Google News Initiative at the 2022 CJF Awards, as well as scholarship programs recognizing investigative and public-interest reporting.
Beyond his work in the newsroom, Jermaine is committed to supporting the next generation of up-and-coming journalists. He regularly mentors early-career reporters and journalism students through university programs, guest lectures, and campus events, offering insight into the realities and opportunities within the media industry. He also supports small businesses with digital branding and online presence strategies.
We’re honoured to recognize Jermaine’s contributions to media, mentorship, and public-interest journalism as part of our Black History Month spotlight series.
#BlackHistoryMonth #BlackExcellence #BlackJournalists #MediaWorkers #Unifor #Unifor79M #DigitalJournalism #NextGenJournalists
Next in our Black History Month series, we’re proud to spotlight Nathan Downer, Co-Anchor of CTV News Toronto at Noon and CTV News at Six, two of the city’s most-watched local newscasts.
Nathan is a veteran broadcaster with deep roots in Toronto media. Before stepping into his current anchor role, he spent more than a decade with CP24 as an anchor and reporter, covering many of the city’s most significant stories -- including federal, provincial, and municipal elections, major criminal investigations, and the Toronto Raptors’ historic 2019 NBA championship run. He also previously anchored LIVE AT FIVE on CTV Toronto.
His journalism career spans television, radio, and live sports broadcasting. Earlier in his career, he reported for Global TV, where his work earned three RTNDA awards, including a national honour for feature reporting. He got his start in media through radio, producing and co-hosting talk programming, and has also contributed to sports coverage as a sideline reporter, covering university football and basketball, and as an in-stadium announcer for the Toronto Argonauts.
Nathan is a member of the Canadian Association of Black Journalists and contributes to efforts that promote diversity and representation across Canada’s media landscape. He is also widely recognized for his community involvement, supporting organizations such as Camp Jumoke — a medically supervised summer camp enriching the lives of children living with sickle cell disease — and Helping Hands Jamaica, which provides community support and relief efforts in Jamaica. He also serves on the advisory board for the Sickle Cell Awareness Group of Ontario. His work in media and community service has earned multiple honours, including national recognition from the African Canadian Achievement Awards and the Black Business and Professional Association.
Through his work, Nathan continues to inform and connect communities across Toronto -- a lasting impact we’re proud to recognize. We are honoured to feature Nathan in our Black History Month spotlight series and proud of his ongoing contributions to journalism and the Black community.
#BlackHistoryMonth #BlackExcellence #BlackJournalists #MediaWorkers #Unifor #Unifor79M #TorontoMedia #RepresentationMatters #BroadcastJournalism
Up next in our Black History Month spotlight series celebrating Black media professionals, we’re proud to feature Eric Harze.
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Eric is a Production Automation Floater (PAF) with the CP24 news team and a dedicated behind-the-scenes professional who helps bring live television to air every day -- an equally important and integral role in bringing the news to Canadians across the country.
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Eric plays a key role in CP24’s daily live broadcasts and was part of the transition from 299 Queen Street. In his PAF role, he codes for OverDrive, helps producers and on-air talent stay on time, operates robotic cameras, and steps in to run broadcasts from the PAD (Production Automation Director) position when needed.
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His technical versatility is backed by a love of live television that spans nearly three decades.
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He was first introduced to broadcasting at the age of 17, while volunteering at a youth studio during high school, working on programming that reflected youth voices and perspectives -- an experience that sparked a passion that would shape his career path. He later freelanced as an audio operator on a community morning show, regularly supporting and showcasing local Toronto bands.
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Eric’s work has also extended beyond traditional newsroom production. He worked on the series Buzz, a Canadian comedy television series, as both a camera operator and an actor. The show originally aired in 1996 and later ran on CTV’s Comedy Network in the early 2000s.
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His first full-time broadcast role came in 2007 with BNN Bloomberg (then ROB TV) as an audio operator, followed by a stint at CP24 Breakfast in the same role. From fashion shows and live music, to children’s TV guests such as, The Wiggles, he’s seen a full range of live broadcast moments.
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Now an industry veteran, Eric remains passionate about the craft, the teamwork behind-the-scenes, and the constant evolution of broadcasting, and as he continues to adapt and grow with it, he looks forward to what’s still to come.
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We want to thank Eric for his continued contributions to the Black media landscape and for the skill, dedication, and passion he brings to broadcast journalism and the industry as a whole. We’re proud to recognize his work in our Black History Month spotlight series.
#BlackHistoryMonth #BHM #BlackMediaProfessionals #BlackExcellence #MediaWorkers #BroadcastMedia #BehindTheScenes #Unifor #Unifor79M #RepresentationMatters
Today in our Black History Month spotlight, we’re proud to feature Dorcas Marfo -- a multimedia writer and digital storyteller whose behind-the-scenes work plays an important and pivotal role in how news and community stories reach audiences.
Dorcas is a Canadian multimedia writer focused on elevating community voices through thoughtful, engaging storytelling. She specializes in translating complex social and community issues into accessible digital narratives that inform, connect, and build understanding.
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She joined the CTVNews.ca team in March 2023, contributing digital coverage on community, social, and current affairs stories. She previously earned the Canadian Journalism Foundation’s Black Journalism Fellowship in September 2022, where she worked with CTV Toronto’s Investigative Unit as an associate producer and supported digital production with the CP24 team -- building strong skills in research, storytelling, and multimedia journalism.
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Her journalism and editorial work has appeared in several publications, including the Toronto Star, Toned Magazine, This Magazine, and ByBlacks.
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Marfo is passionate about uplifting Black voices and underrepresented perspectives across media and culture. Her reporting explores identity, community, faith, social issues and the lived experiences of Black Canadians. Through her reporting and feature writing, she’s interviewed notable Canadian creatives and performers across film and music, including music mogul Melanie Fione, actor Ronnie Rowe Jr., and actresses Mouna Traoré and Olunike Adeliyi.
She holds a Master of Digital Media and continues to use emerging tools and formats to strengthen research, storytelling, and audience engagement. Across journalism, communications and creative entrepreneurship, she is driven by a core belief that storytelling can mobilize communities, preserve culture and create lasting social impact.
Beyond the newsroom, she is deeply committed to and supports community initiatives through church communications, digital storytelling, event promotion, as well as back-to-school support campaigns that help to provide school supplies to families and students in need.
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We’re honoured to recognize Dorcas and thank her for her important contributions, care, intention, and impact she brings to journalism. Her work continues to strengthen the Black media landscape and ensures that our stories are told with depth, accuracy, and heart.
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#BlackHistoryMonth #BlackExcellence #BlackMedia #WomenInMedia #DigitalStorytelling #RepresentationMatters #Local79M #BehindTheScenes #CDNMedia
For our Black History Month Spotlight Series, we are proud to highlight Rainier Croft, a Guyanese-Canadian full-time makeup artist at CP24 whose artistry and precision play a vital behind-the-scenes role in delivering breaking news to Canadians every day.
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As a member of CP24’s breaking news makeup team, Rainier works in high-pressure broadcast environments where timing, consistency, and technical skill are essential. His expertise ensures on-air talent are camera-ready under studio lighting and during live coverage, contributing to the polished professionalism viewers see on screen.
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Rainier is a graduate of Sheridan College’s Makeup for Television and Media Arts program, where he initially trained in special effects makeup and interned at SPFX Studios, working on productions including Netflix’s Hannibal. His career quickly shifted into fashion, where he became Key Makeup Artist for Toronto Men’s Fashion Week for four years. This led to work at Bahamas Fashion Week, Latin American Fashion Week, and most recently Indigenous Fashion Week with the MAC Cosmetics Canada team. With MAC Cosmetics Canada, Rainier has also worked on the Juno Awards. He has been a member of the MAC Cosmetics team since 2014.
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His runway work has been featured in GQ Brasil, Vogue Italia, Schön Magazine, and F^%#ing Young Magazine*, reflecting the global reach of his fashion and editorial artistry.
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In addition to his broadcast and fashion work, Rainier is a makeup instructor at Sheridan College, where he mentors and trains emerging artists entering the industry.
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Rainier is also the creator of Horror4Kids, a nostalgia-based platform he started during the COVID-19 pandemic to highlight childhood horror films, television, and the contributions of child actors in the genre. Across social media, Horror4Kids has grown to more than 150,000 followers.
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Rainier lives in Mississauga with his wife and his dog, Honey. A lifelong horror fan, he brings that passion into his creative projects while maintaining excellence in broadcast and fashion makeup.
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We are proud to celebrate Rainier’s talent, mentorship, and contributions to the Black media and fashion landscape. His work behind the scenes is an essential part of the stories Canadians see every day and a powerful example of Black excellence in media.
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#BlackHistoryMonth #BlackExcellence #BlackMedia #BehindTheScenes #MakeupArtist #BroadcastLife #RepresentationMatters #UniforLocal79M
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As part of our ongoing Black History Month Spotlight Series, we’re proud to recognize the remarkable contributions of former CTV Toronto journalist Karlene Nation, whose impact on Canadian journalism continues to resonate today.
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Karlene Nation is a highly respected former broadcast journalist and media specialist who spent nearly 30 years in Canadian news, including as a reporter and producer with CTV News Toronto. She covered breaking news and major stories with depth and professionalism, building a strong reputation for connecting with diverse communities across the Greater Toronto Area.
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Karlene also made history as the first-ever Diversity Producer in a Canadian newsroom, a groundbreaking role focused on increasing representation and ensuring stories from Canadians of all backgrounds were seen and heard on air. In that position, she created the CTV Diversity Database, an extensive national list of expert contacts from dozens of cultural groups -- significantly broadening whose voices were included in mainstream media coverage.
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Throughout her career, Karlene has been a committed mentor and community advocate, speaking to students at schools and colleges, hosting newsroom tours, and helping future journalists navigate the industry. She is widely recognized for her dedication to community engagement, including advocacy for tenants in social housing and support for grassroots initiatives.
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After leaving CTV, Karlene continued her work in communications and media strategy through her own firm, helping individuals and organizations strengthen their storytelling and media presence.
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In recognition of her lasting impact, Unifor Local 79M established the Karlene Nation Scholarship, an annual award supporting Black, Indigenous, and racialized students pursuing post-secondary education and reflecting the spirit of inclusion she championed.
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We’re honoured to recognize Karlene Nation’s remarkable legacy and thank her for her enduring contributions to Canadian media and to the generations of journalists she has helped inspire.
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#BlackHistoryMonth #BlackExcellence #BlackMedia #WomenInMedia #RepresentationMatters #Unifor79M #MediaTrailblazer
This week in our Black History Month Spotlight Series, we’re proud to feature Jerome Bennett, a highly skilled broadcast professional whose behind-the-scenes expertise helps keep one of Canada’s biggest networks on the air every single day.
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Born and raised in Toronto to Jamaican immigrant parents, Jerome developed a passion for television and film in high school, a passion that led him to study Radio, Television and Film at Centennial College. While there, he received the prestigious CTV Specialty Award, and award that recognizes the strongest technical expertise in the program. The award included an internship at CTV, where he worked as a Graphics Operator for SportsCentre and Daily Planet, gaining valuable hands-on experience in live television.
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Jerome began his career volunteering as a camera operator for Oshawa Generals hockey games before moving into professional roles as a Master Control Operator at Channel Zero and later at Corus Entertainment. In 2009, he joined CTV at 299 Queen Street as a Master Control Operator for MuchMusic, where he rolled major live broadcasts including the VMAs and the 2010 Winter Olympics.
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In 2011, he helped launch CTV2 as a Technical Director -- On-Air Master Control and was promoted to Senior Technical Director in 2016.
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Over the years, he has managed commercial rolls for multiple Super Bowls, the Oscars, and both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games – all high-pressure moments where precision and timing are everything. He also played a key role in testing and launching the Next Gen Master Control system, contributing to the modernization of broadcast operations.
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Today, Jerome serves as a Senior Media Operations Technician at Bell Media, managing on-air operations for CTV, TSN, and a variety of specialty channels. From ensuring programming runs on schedule, to overseeing commercial insertion for programs during live and taped broadcasts such as The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Late Night with Seth Meyers, Live with Kelly and Mark, and The View, to name a few, as well as graphics, crawls from productions across North America, his work is essential to delivering seamless broadcasts to viewers. He primarily oversees CTV West stations, serving markets from Winnipeg to Vancouver, and he is cross-trained across multiple networks and specialty channels.
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Outside the control room, Jerome enjoys travelling, long-distance running, basketball, and Formula 1 racing. He also carries a proud family legacy -- his grandfather is Canadian reggae icon Jojo Bennett, founder of ‘The Satellites’ and a two-time Juno Award winner, honoured with a mural on Reggae Lane in Toronto’s Little Jamaica.
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Jerome’s advice for aspiring Black media professionals: ‘Master your craft and take pride in your work. Be open to starting in any role – because every opportunity is a chance to learn and grow. Careers in media are built over time. There will be challenges and setbacks, but consistency, integrity, and hard work open doors.’
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We’re proud to recognize Jerome Bennett’s contributions to the Black media landscape and to celebrate the excellence happening behind the scenes that keeps Canadian broadcasting moving forward.
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#BlackHistoryMonth #BlackExcellence #BlackMedia #BehindTheScenes #BroadcastLife #MediaWorkers #RepresentationMatters #Local79M
For our Black History Month Spotlight Series, we are proud to feature our very own Jacqueline 'Jackie' McIntosh, incoming Equity Chair for Unifor Local 79M -- a fierce advocate whose work continues to strengthen equity, accessibility, and solidarity across our union.
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A Video 1 Editor at CTV News Channel and National News, Jackie has been helping deliver trusted news to Canadians since 1989, when she became the first woman hired full-time in the editing and operations department. Her behind-the-scenes precision and professionalism are a critical part of bringing the news to air every single day.
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Born in Bath, England, and raised in Toronto, Jackie’s union roots run deep. Inspired early by her father’s proud CAW activism at General Motors, she developed a lifelong commitment to workers’ rights and collective action. After a workplace injury early in her career, Jackie turned her focus toward advocating for injured and ill workers -- a defining moment that launched decades of union leadership.
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Jackie has served in numerous roles across Unifor, including Unit Chair, bargaining committee member, and Co-Chair of the Local 79M Women’s Committee, and Chair of the Local 79M BIPOC Committee. She has also been deeply involved with the Ontario Regional Council Workers with Disabilities Committee and Political Action Committee, where she helped lead accessibility initiatives -- from pushing for closed captioning and ASL interpretation at meetings to advancing mobility supports and inclusive event planning.
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Living and working with dyslexia, Jackie has been a powerful voice for disability inclusion in our workplaces and our union spaces, using her lived experience to push for meaningful change and remove barriers for others.
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Her activism extends well beyond the workplace. Jackie has lobbied on Parliament Hill and at Queen’s Park on issues including media policy, pension security, pharmacare, pay equity, and workers’ rights. She has supported countless strikes, election campaigns, and member-to-member mobilizations, always showing up with her trademark energy and unwavering solidarity.
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As she steps into her new role as Equity Chair for Local 79M, Jackie continues to champion representation, fairness, and opportunity for all members -- especially equity-deserving workers whose voices must be heard at every table.
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We are proud to celebrate Jackie’s leadership, resilience, and decades of service to the labour movement and the Black media community.
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#BlackHistoryMonth #BHMSpotlight #Unifor79M #EquityMatters #BlackExcellence #UnionStrong #DisabilityInclusion #WomenInMedia #BehindTheScenes #Solidarity
For our final feature in our Black History Month Spotlight Series, we close by honouring a foundational architect whose courage and conviction helped shape the very foundation of Black journalism in Canada -- Mary Ann Shadd.
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Mary Ann Shadd Cary is widely recognized as the first Black woman publisher in Canada and one of the earliest Black journalists in North America. While she is not a member of Local 79M, she is a true pioneer whose legacy helped make space for Black voices in journalism. In 1853, she founded The Provincial Freeman, using the press as a powerful platform to advocate for abolition, civil rights, education, and opportunity for Black communities.
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At a time when both racial and gender barriers were firmly in place, she stepped forward as a publisher, writer, educator, and public advocate — boldly asserting that Black voices belonged in public discourse and in positions of influence. She did not wait for permission. She built the platform herself.
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Her courage laid the groundwork for every journalist featured in this series. She paved the way for Black reporters, editors, producers, anchors, photographers, makeup artists, storytellers, and digital creators working across Canada today. Because she carved out space in the newsroom when doors were closed, generations after her have been able to walk through them.
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Her legacy lives on in every Black journalist across Canada — and in every aspiring and future journalist who continues to carry our stories forward with excellence, integrity, and purpose.
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As we conclude this year’s spotlight series, we honour Mary Ann Shadd Cary’s historic impact and thank her for helping lay the groundwork for Black journalists across Canada — past, present, and future.
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Trailblazer. Publisher. Visionary.
We honour her as the foundation upon which we continue to build.
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#BlackHistoryMonth #MaryAnnShaddCary #BlackJournalism #BlackMedia #BlackExcellence #Trailblazer #Unifor79M
