York doctoral student Jessica Rumboldt is one of six winners of the Lieutenant Governor's Visionaries Prize, a new price announced in September 2016 that offers opportunities for Ontario's creative thinkers to tackle challenges that Ontarians and Canadians will face over the next 50 years.
Piya Chattopadhyay, head judge for all prize categories, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Jessica Rumboldt, and Laurie Robinson, panel judge for the Reconciliation presentations in Thunder Bay on Sept. 13 (Image: Courtesy of The Walrus)
Named the winner of the Reconciliation category, Rumboldt was one of six finalists to showcase their visions in front of an audience that included policy makers, industry leaders and a panel of expert judges.
After a round of live voting, Rumboldt came out the winner for her vision titled "Addressing the Overrepresentation of Indigenous Female Offenders in the Canadian Correctional System."
"It was an absolute honor to be a part of this incredible experience," said Rumboldt. "I am so grateful to have been able to share the insight and information I have obtained over the years of volunteer and academic experience. The overrepresentation of Indigenous female offenders in the Canadian correctional system is a crisis in need of urgent attention. It was an absolute joy to participate in the competition process and to have my research recognized."
Rumboldt is currently pursuing a PhD at York U with hopes of pursing a career in teaching. She as having Mi’kmaq heritage and is a member of the Criminal Justice Association of Ontario and the Association of Municipal Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario.
All six category winners received $2,500, a spread in the pages of The Walrus magazine (the prize was administered in partnership with the Walrus Foundation), and recognition from the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario Elizabeth Dowdeswell.
Ontario's Lieutenant Governor Elizabeth Dowdeswell created the Visionaries Prize in 2016 as a platform for creative thinkers to offer solutions to challenges facing the province and country over the next 50 years.
Ontarians from across the province were invited to submit ideas in six categories: Reconciliation, Governance, Inclusive Prosperity, Environmental Stewardship, Social Cohesion, and Scientific and Technological Innovation.