Carl Cadogan
Chair
Carl has had a long history of community involvement and volunteering; he has served on numerous boards, committees, and task forces, including the Premier’s Council on the Voluntary Sector, and the Provincial Work Group on Gaming (that redesigned the Ontario Trillium Foundation). He was a founding member of Pillar, and Eva’s Place, and is the Chair of the London Black History Coordinating Committee, the Treasurer of the Aya Afrika Foundation, and is on the Boards of the Vanier Institute of the Family, the Grand Theatre, Urban Roots London and Fanshawe Pioneer Village..
Carl is the Senior Regional Manager, Southwestern Ontario for the Kidney Foundation of Canada. He lives in London with his wife Cynthia and in his spare time, loves to travel, and has been to every province and one territory and to thirty US states, and sixteen African countries. He is an avid cyclist, reader, and kite flyer.
Christina Lord
Vice Chair
Christina is a long-time member of the London Black community and has served in a volunteer capacity with several organizations over the years. She currently serves on the London Black History Coordinating Committee of which she was a founding member and is on the Board of Directors of the London and Middlesex Heritage Museum (Fanshawe Pioneer Village). She is a long-standing member of The Congress of Black Women, London Chapter.
Professionally, Christina has worked in various levels of education and jobs connected with serving people. She is currently a professor at Fanshawe College in the Early Childhood Education Department. She co-produced, Melanated View, an award-winning show on Rogers TV, is the owner of Creating Change, which is committed to community building, and is co-owner of Shifting Perspectives offering an Anti-racism Education Program. She is humbled to have been acknowledged for her work in the community. Christina strives to promote global consciousness and unity. She does this through via workshops offered by Creating Change and focusses on creating inclusive communities.
Japhia Reid
Treasurer
In July 2021, Japhia moved to London with her son, eager to engage with the local Black community. She quickly became involved with the London Black History Coordinating Committee and joined as a member. Last year, she took on the role of Treasurer, working closely with fellow executive members.
Professionally, Japhia has spent the past two years as an Academic Counsellor in the DAN Management department at Western University. Her passion for mentoring and supporting students on their post-secondary journey began nearly a decade ago when she worked at Seneca College in Toronto. Japhia immigrated to Canada at the age of five with her parents, originally from the vibrant and sunny island of Jamaica. As a woman of faith, she strives to live out her beliefs every day, motivating those she encounters and those close to her to become the best versions of themselves.
Lana Winchester-Tucker
Secretary
Lana has served with the LBHCC since 2014, actively participating in program planning and event implementation (namely the Family Celebration Event; Closing Ceremony and most recently the Annual Community Picnic). Lana currently chairs the Family Celebration Event with a small but dedicated team of volunteers, whose intent is to showcase Black excellence to the wider community by way of the performing arts.
Lana’s passion for Black empowerment shines through her day to day work, which includes anti-racism initiatives at the London Public Library where she’s been employed since 2012, and currently serves as Supervisor, Masonville Branch; and through her extra-curricular passions where she builds confidence and self esteem in individuals via hair braiding, crafting their crowns into beautiful and elegant hairstyles. Lana’s native background is afro-Caribbean. She hails from Trinidad and Tobago, the land of calypso and steelpan, where her love the performing Arts started and now pushes her to engage with young, talented artistes for the Family Celebration event each year. Lana is the consummate information professional, with a career spanning 20+ years in the Library and Information field.
Alcindor Pierre
Director
Alcindor brings three decades of community service and public sector experience to the London Black Heritage Council. His global perspective stems from living in Port-au-Prince, Paris, Montreal, and Kingston before making London home for the past 30 years.
Throughout his public service career with the LPS, Al has consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to youth development, evidenced by his instruction of the VIP program within both the English and French School Boards of London, extensive volunteer work with the Rookie League Baseball and Big Brothers Big Sisters programs, and his coaching of numerous sports teams, including those of his three children and spouse.
Since joining the LBHCC in 2020, he has effectively served as a liaison between the LPS and diverse community partners.
As a true globetrotter, his adventures from Alaska to Sydney, provide him with both a global perspective and intimate local knowledge, which he leverages effectively in his community work. His passions for sports, travel, and mentorship are driven by his profound understanding that opportunities don’t wait and that health, energy, and capability are precious resources meant to be fully utilized today, not saved for tomorrow. This philosophy fuels his relentless pursuit of meaningful experiences and his dedication to inspiring others to embrace life’s possibilities while they can.
Scholastica Asahchop
Director
Scholastica has been involved in the London Black community since 2004, where she has served on various committees, boards and task forces in different capacities. She is currently a member of the London Black History Coordinating Committee, where she is actively involved in organizing the Opening of Black History Month and the Family & Children’s Celebration. She is the Vice President of Women of Faith, a vibrant group that uplifts, advocates and supports other women. She is a long-standing member of The Congress of Black Women, London Chapter since she moved to London in 2004.
Scholastica is a Registered Social Worker / Psychotherapist, an author and award-winning Mental Health Professional with over 20 years of experience in Child Welfare and Mental Health. She is the founder of SA Counselling Services, a private practice, based in London, Ontario and a Faculty Counsellor at Fanshawe College. She is a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP-II) and a Christian Counsellor, where she incorporates clinical approaches and biblical concepts.
Scholastica is very passionate about equitable mental health services for all, especially those in the racialized communities, who continue to be marginalized accessing mental health services, sometimes due to mainstream services or little / no health care benefits. She is very knowledgeable of the impact of oppression and injustice on one’s emotional wellbeing / mental health, especially the underprivileged and the disadvantaged in the society. She is aware of the disproportionality and disparity in the health care field for racialized individuals, as a result, she goes above and beyond to offer counselling and support to improve the mental health of people of these population. She offers workshops on promoting racial and cultural identity and mental health awareness in racialized communities. She is outspoken about ani-Black racism, her philosophy is that you should join the ride and voice your concerns while riding, without which your concerns will never be heard.
Scholastica was a recipient of the Lerners Health Care Champion Award 2022, for her community involvement and contribution in the health field. She also received a Community Recognition Award in January 2023 for her outstanding contribution and leadership in the community. She has also been featured in a publication that highlights the significant contributions of Cameroonian Canadians to the Canadian society.
Scholastica is also the Executive Director and founder of SOF Integrated Wellness Foundation (SOFIWF). A non-profit organization that provides psychoeducational workshops, support groups and speaking engagements to raise awareness, reduce stigma and promote mental wellness in the BIPOC communities.
Scholastica recently co-authored a children’s book on mental health with her son: Abigail & Friends: Understanding and Promoting a Child’s Emotional & Mental Wellness. A psycho educational book for children filled with tools and strategies to address mental health and emotional challenges. It also addresses racism, bullying and highlights some of the challenges neurodivergent individuals face in society.
Born in Cameroon, West Africa, Scholastica sees herself as a woman of faith, a disciple of Jesus Christ and does her best to follow the example of Christ.
Tosin Soxanya
Director
Tosin Sosanya is a transformational strategist, cultural bridge-builder, and trusted advisor in global leadership, trade, and executive development. She facilitates high-impact bilateral trade relations, trains culturally intelligent leaders, and consults with organizations seeking growth that is both strategic and sustainable.
Known for her sharp insight and warm presence, Tosin’s work sits at the intersection of commerce, culture, and core vision. She equips executive teams, emerging leaders, and government partners with tools to lead across borders, geographical, organizational, and psychological.
Belonwu Ezenwa
Black Histories Project Coordinator
Belonwu joined the London Black History Coordinating Committee in August 2024 as Black Histories Project Coordinator – its first ever employee. He is leading the ongoing registration and formalization of London Black History Coordinating Committee. He also provides administrative and strategic supports and assistance with outreach and funds development.
Belonwu is also a doctoral researcher and teaching assistant in Library and Information Science at Western University with a research focus in accessibility, social justice, and migration and ethnic relations. He has previously worked extensively in organizational development, community engagement, and research, during which he helped found successful enterprises and championed initiatives that helped bridge gaps in opportunities for marginalized committees in Nigeria and the United Kingdom.