2025 EKO Tribute Awards honour game changes for kids with disabilities and developmental needs
April 09, 2025
Empowered Kids Ontario is proud to award 15 Tribute Awards honouring individuals, teams, and organizations that are changing the lives of Ontario kids with disabilities and developmental needs, supporting their caregivers, and working unrelentingly to make Ontario communities more inclusive and accessible.
The 2025 EKO Awards will be presented at the organization’s EKO Spring Symposium in Toronto on April 16, 2025.
“This is our chance to thank some of the people who are creating communities, centering the voices and experiences of people with disabilities and developmental needs, introducing novel initiatives, and promoting inclusion and accessibility all over the province—and the country,” says Jennifer Churchill, President & CEO of Empowered Kids Ontario. “It’s also an opportunity to shine a spotlight on how much has been accomplished, and how must still needs to be done to ensure kids with disabilities and developmental needs live their best lives.”
Recipients this year include lawyers, researchers, engineers, students, artists, activists, and many others. “The variety of people receiving awards is an indicator of the wide-ranging ways people are working toward more improving policies and practices,” adds Churchill.
Awards fall into six categories. Here are this year’s recipients:
Excellence
- Psychologist Jessica Brian, one of Canada’s most highly cited researchers and advocate for improving early diagnostic assessment, intervention, and health services for children with autism and other developmental conditions
- Human rights lawyer Lorin MacDonald, whose work has inspired advocates nationwide, restored dignity to people with disabilities across Canada, and earned her appointments to the Order of Canada and the Order of Ontario, as well as induction into the Canadian Disability Hall of Fame
- Speaker, mentor, and accessibility advocate Rick Hansen
Advocacy
- Emyle Watkins, Disabilities Beat Reporter for WBFO, an NPR station serving the Buffalo-Toronto region
- Max Le Moine, Daniel Lee, Tai Young, Wesley Magee-Saxton, and Thalia Avgousti, EKO Scholars and podcasters
- Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, which has been instrumental in advocating on behalf of children with disabilities who “age out” of the pediatric system
- The Jays Care Foundation and its Challenger Baseball program, for its outstanding dedication to equitable access, belonging, quality physical activity, and resiliency
- Stories for Caregivers, Canada’s largest online community for people who care for kids and adults with disabilities, developmental needs, or other medical complexities
Leadership
- Clovis and Sherron Grant, whose Sawubona Africentric Circle of Support is empowering, educating, and enlightening more than 250 Black families with children who experience neurodivergence or a disability
- Engineer Luke Anderson, whose StopGap ramp initiative and other advocacy is making Ontario homes and businesses more accessible and inclusive
- SMILE Canada Support Services, a charitable organization that helps newcomers and other marginalized groups access services and care in their communities
Partnership
- Dr. Peter Lewis and Dr. Mahadeo Sukhai for their partnership that included the innovative co-design with persons with disabilities to launch inclusive interfaces in the key area of “explainable AI”
Service
- Estate lawyer Brendon Pooran, whose legal expertise and generosity of spirit has helped many families secure a lifetime of care, financial security, and quality of life for their loved ones
- Recreational Therapist and mentor Dave Schaller, who has raised up hundreds of athletes with disabilities through the programmes, teams, and other activities he has championed
Rising Star
- Author and activist Talina Papazian for her advocacy for greater inclusivity, and for reducing the social stigma and isolation of people with disabilities or neurodivergence
Follow this link to meet our 2025 EKO Tribute Award recipients.