Tonya Paris / SamQwan the Artist

Her artwork has been featured in the award nominated 2020 APTN, Racism Lives Here Too, with Trina Roache and Season 3 of Diggstown. As well as Sullivans Pond in 2023. With permanent pieces at Dalhousie Architectural Engineering Building, iNova Credit Union, The Nova Scotia QEII Mental Health Unit and Akoma. She was the 2021 NSCAD Fall Artist in Residency, then went on to be recognized by Arts Nova Scotia as the 2022 Black Artist of the year for her exhibition of Ava in Wonderland. She was featured as Set Designer for Love Peace & Hair Grease, Hood Habits, and Match Stick Theatre’s production of Punch-Up. As the founder of Maqtawe’k (which showcases Black and Indigenous artists around the world). While honouring history and traditions. She is all about community healing and has become a certified trauma-informed coach (2024) she was also chosen as one of Top 100 Black Women In Canada To Watch 2024. SamQwan has just finished working with HRM and St Mary’s Basilica on a mural for Truth and Reconciliation located at Spring Garden and Barrington St. Recognized as an advocate for Black Nova Scotians, her voice has been featured multiple times with local community partners like Proclaiming Our Roots, Dreadlocks & Kindness, BWIE, Tribe Network, The Mi’kmaq Friendship Centre, NSCDA