Annette Pateman

Accomplishments related to: Racial and Gender Equality, Literature and Poetry, Education
Major affiliations: Loud Women Book group (Thunder Bay), of the Loud Women Collective, Thunder Bay Public Library, Lakehead University International Office, City of Thunder Bay - Indigenous Relations Office, Northwestern Ontario Writers Workshop (NOWW), Caribbean African Multicultural Association Thunder Bay (CAMAT), Northern Feminisms Northern Women’s Bookstore, The Writers’ Union of Canada (TWOC)

Annette Pateman, born in the United Kingdom to Jamaican parents with a Caribbean and African heritage, moved to Thunder Bay in 2012. She brought with her a unique perspective on a wide range of issues, including racial and gender equality, which would inform her writing and public speaking. She has also completed a degree in Biological Science, and post-graduate achievements in Education and Applied Immunology.

The primary way Annette has taught the public about racial and gender identity and the empowerment of minorities is through literature and poetry. She has written numerous works documenting the racism and discrimination people of colour and women constantly face. One example is Spectrum, which uses poetry to examine “identity, race, relationships and diaspora of Black people around the world.”1 She has also contributed to various anthologies and collections of poetry, and serves as a human library of experiences to those who want to learn more about her life.

Annette continues to be involved in various book and writers' groups in the City of Thunder Bay, where she gives presentations and lectures on race and gender theory in practical ways. For example, her webinars hosted by the Thunder Bay Museum serve as a model of entrepreneurship for women of colour, and she is also part of the Loud Women Book group, within the Loud Women Collective, which is a grassroots movement promoting equality, inclusivity and body positivity through creative engagement and education. Most recently, Pateman was awarded a grant from the Ontario Arts Council in March of 2021, which will be used in a role for half a year at the Thunder Bay Public Library as a Writer in residence. Through this role, “her main focus will be writing on Black identity and culture with elements of African and Caribbean folklore.”2

She has also been featured on local and national media outlets, including the CBC’s National News Program highlighting racism and discrimination in society. Her works in Thunder Bay and around the world have inspired numerous people, where her efforts have gained traction, including in the Black Lives Matter movement. The leadership Annette brings in breaking down barriers and promoting racial harmony offers a profound message of hope and change.

Annette Pateman with her Works