Leonora Gangadeen-King | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1982-04-18)April 18, 1982 |
| Died | December 21, 2024(2024-12-21) (aged 42) |
| Education | McGill University |
| Alma mater | Université de Montréal |
| Occupations | Community Organizer, Researcher
|
Leonora Gangadeen-King (April 18, 1982 – December 21, 2024) was a Canadian researcher and community organizer based in Montreal, Quebec. Her work focused on perinatal and child mental health, as well as community-based initiatives addressing food insecurity and social inclusion in the Parc-Extension neighbourhood. She was the founder of the Parc-Ex Curry Collective, a mutual aid and social enterprise initiative supporting newcomer and refugee communities.
She was active in community-based research and organizing in Parc-Extension and was a candidate for city council in the 2021 Montreal municipal election.
Early life
Gangadeen-King was raised by her mother, Nadira King, and her stepfather, Roger King. She had three brothers: Mario King, Stephen King, and Ricky King.
Academic and research work
Gangadeen-King completed a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at Concordia University in 2009. She pursued graduate studies in psychiatry at McGill University, where she obtained a Master’s degree in 2016, with research focusing on perinatal depression and epigenetics.[1]
She later completed a PhD in Psychiatry at McGill University in 2022 under the supervision of Ashley Wazana, with research centered on child resilience. Following her doctorate, she held a postdoctoral fellowship at McGill University (2022–2023), where she contributed to the Welcome Haven project, a community- and arts-based psychosocial intervention for asylum-seeking families.
In 2024, she completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Université du Québec à Montréal under the supervision of Gina LaFortune, focusing on the experiences of Black preschool and primary school students in Quebec.
Her research career also included positions at the Jewish General Hospital and the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, where she contributed to research in perinatal mental health and suicide studies.
Community organizing and public engagement
Beginning in the late 2010s, Gangadeen-King became active in community-based research and organizing in Montreal’s Parc-Extension neighbourhood. She co-founded the Parc-Extension Community-Based Action Research Network, which brought together researchers, residents, and community organizations to examine issues including housing, digital access, and social inequality.[2]
She was involved with several local organizations, including Afrique au Féminin and Brick by Brick / Brique par brique, contributing to initiatives focused on newcomer support, women’s integration, and housing advocacy.[3][4]
In 2021, she founded the Parc-Ex Curry Collective, a mutual aid and social enterprise initiative addressing food insecurity in Parc-Extension.[5][6][7] The collective provided prepared meals, catering services, and employment opportunities for asylum seekers and refugee women.
Her work in Parc-Extension and her role as a community leader were the subject of media coverage following her death, including reporting by CBC News and Global News.[8][9][10]
Gangadeen-King also participated in municipal politics as a candidate for city council in Parc-Extension in the 2021 Montreal municipal election, running with Quartiers Montréal.[11][12]
Personal life
Gangadeen-King was active in volunteer governance in a range of community initiatives. She was a member of the Table de Concertation des Femmes de Parc-Extension. She was a core member of Tiger Lotus, a worker cooperative of women's health practitioners, and a Board member of Brick by Brick / Brique par brique.
Outside of her research and community work, Gangadeen-King was a dedicated dancer in Montreal’s dance and Caribbean cultural scenes, particularly in events centered around soca, reggae, and dancehall music.
References
- "McGill Psychiatry Research Day Program 2016" (PDF). McGill University.
- "Digital Divides in Parc-Extension" (PDF). Parc-Extension Community-Based Action Research Network.
- "Interview with Leonora Gangadeen-King". CUTV Montreal. 2 September 2021.
- "Des currys et beaucoup d'espoir". La Presse.
- "Paying it forward in Parc-Ex: spirit of sharing unites Curry Collective". Montreal Gazette.
- "Cumin, coriander and a sense of community". McGill News.
- "Parc-Ex Curry Collective video segment". CBC.
- "Montreal's Parc-Ex community remembers Leonora Gangadeen-King". CBC News.
- "Memorial held for Montreal community leader". Global News.
- "Mort évitable d'une leader communautaire de Parc-Extension : le système l'a laissée tomber". La Presse.
- "Un nouveau parti municipal à Montréal". Radio-Canada.
- "Mayor Fumagalli launches Quartiers Montréal party". Park-Extension News. September 2021.
Category:1982 births Category:Academics from Montreal Category:McGill University alumni