Marlene Green

Marlene Green (November 9, 1940 – October 31, 2002) was a Canadian community activist, educator, and NGO field worker. She is best known as the founder of the Black Education Project, a volunteer-run organization created to address racial inequalities in Toronto's education system.

Early life Born in Dominica, Green immigrated to Canada in the late 1960s, a time period that saw 64 000 people from the Caribbean immigrate to Canada, following the liberalization of the Canadian Immigration Act.

Activism

Toronto In 1968, Green worked with black youth on social justice projects concerned with the liberation of South Africa. The Black Education Project encouraging “revolution by transformation but from the ground up.”

Green's social justice work in the late 60s and early 70s involved socio-political movements. In 1969, Green raised funds for students involved in the Sir George Williams affair, an event part of the Black Power Movement in Montreal. In the 70s, Green also formed the Brotherhood Community Center Project, a space that was used by other social justice organization groups advocating for the needs of black Canadians. In this role, Green supported projects in east, southern, and central Africa as well as the Caribbean. She remained CUSO coordinator in Grenada until 1983. Green was evacuated from the island nation of Grenada, after it was invaded by the United States following the execution of Prime Minister Maurice Bishop.