Meet the Board

Courtney Brown – Liaison for Africville Genealogy Society

Courtney Brown is a Registered Social Worker and a newly appointed Board Member of the Africville Genealogy Society. She holds a Bachelor of Social Work from Dalhousie University and a Master of Social Work from Wilfrid Laurier University. Courtney brings extensive experience in family- and community-centred work, with a strong focus on collaboration, advocacy, and systems change. Courtney is the daughter of Steven “Boo Boo” Brown and traces her lineage back several generations to William Brown Sr., widely recognized as the founder of Africville. This deep family connection informs both her personal and professional commitment to honouring Africville’s history, preserving community narratives, and ensuring that the voices of descendants remain central in all work moving forward. As a member of the Board, Courtney hopes to work closely with community members to support meaningful, community-led reparations that acknowledge past harms and contribute to healing.

Shawna Y. Paris, O.N.S., KC, MSW, RSW-CS, PhD(std)

Shawna is a 6th-generation Black Nova Scotian from the historical Black community of Truro (the Hill) who has worked tirelessly for equity and the human rights of women, children, youth, families and community as a lawyer, mediator, clinical/forensic social worker, educator, and business owner in Nova Scotia and throughout Canada. She has appeared in all levels of the courts in Nova Scotia. In 2008, on an Application for Leave, Shawna successfully argued the case of R. v. LTH at the Supreme Court of Canada, establishing a precedent-setting case for police procedures across Canada regarding youth rights under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. More recently, Shawna was legal counsel representing a gender-based violence participant group in the Nova Scotia Mass Casualty Commission Public Inquiry. She is currently Chair of the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission.

Shawn Smith – Finance Committee

Shawn Smith, an African Nova Scotian with ancestral ties to the Black Loyalists and the Black Refugees migrations, channels his lived experiences to champion digital storytelling as a potent tool for addressing racism.  Shawn is the co-founder of the Loyalist Connections Podcast and Loyalist Connections Creative Society (LCCS), a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting education and community engagement through podcasting. Having earned his Bachelor of Commerce Degree (Marketing) and Certificate in Human Resources Management from Saint Mary’s University, his career has included key roles such as Regional Business Development Manager with the Black Business Initiative and Student Recruitment Advisor for CPA Atlantic School of Business. Additionally, he is Senior Advisor for Black and African Nova Scotian Initiatives at NSCC. Shawn is married and a proud father to two beautiful daughters.

Percy Paris – AHT Past Chair

Percy Paris is the former NDP MLA For the district of Waverley-Fall River-Beaver Bank. Originally from Windsor NS, Percy is a former city employee.  He went on to hold the positions of Black Student Advisor and Director of the Diversity Initiative at Dalhousie University. He is an active community volunteer and a recipient of the human rights award from the Human Rights Commission of Nova Scotia. Percy has been involved in the following organizations: the Riverlake Residents’ Association, the Black Business Initiative, the Halifax Black Community Workshop, the Dartmouth East Black Learning Centre, and the Metro Committee for Persons with Disabilities.