Amelia Golden, assistant director, student affairs for the Centre of Student Community & Leadership Development at York University, was honoured on Oct. 18 by the City of Toronto for her community activism and her role as a volunteer.
Right: Amelia Golden
October 18, 2004 was the 75th anniversary of the Persons Case, which established the right of women to be seen as “persons” under Canadian law. This allowed women to be appointed to the Senate, sit as judges and be recognized as persons with constitutional rights. In honour of the 75th anniversary, the City of Toronto presented certificates of honour to Golden and 74 other women in Toronto who have made a significant contribution to women’s equality. The recipients were selected by the Constance E. Hamilton Award Committee, which is composed of the women members of city council.
“I am quite honoured to not only be recognized by the City of Toronto for the advocacy work that I have done but also to be receiving the same award as some of my personal role models,” said a delighted Golden. “I only hope that my activism can contribute, in some small way, to the important work of people like Urusla Franklin, Carolyn Egan, Barbara Hall and Winnie Ng, who were all fellow honourees.”
Golden is an active volunteer. She sat on the Community Advisory Committee on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered Issues for the City of Toronto until its dissolution, and is a board member of the Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic, which provides legal advice, counselling and interpretive services to victims of sexual assault. A graduate of Queen’s University Law School, Golden was called to the Bar in 1994. She has used her education to assist others and has worked to create an infrastructure to provide pro bono legal counsel to a number of community groups. Golden has contributed to numerous depositions on issues including same-sex marriage, anti-terrorism legislation and victims’ rights.