Canada’s Inspiring Person of the Year Award 2025

Learn about each of our INSPIRING Canadians below.

Aunty Ozhawa Anung | Teddy Syrette is a funny and dynamic 2Spirit artist and advocate from Rankin Reserve of Bawating. With a background in theatre, social work, and bingo, Teddy brings a unique and engaging presence to all they do.

Performing under the drag persona Bette U. Wanna of Batchewana, Oz is the founder and manager of the Bawating Babes, a 2Spirit, First Nation–led drag and burlesque troupe. The group performs locally and across Turtle Island (North America).

In 2022, Ozhawa Anung Kwe founded the 2Spirit Organising Committee (2SOC)—a grassroots initiative now leading several annual programs, festivals, and events that raise awareness for 2Spirit and LGBTQQIA+ communities, families, and allies. These include 2Spirit Awareness Week in March, Pride Month events, inclusive family activities like art and bowling nights, and seasonal 2Spirit/QTIP sharing circles.

With over 15 years of experience, Ozhawa | Teddy is also a seasoned keynote speaker and workshop facilitator. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they began painting and now host hybrid workshops and paint nights that explore themes such as 2SLGBTQIA+ 101, Truth and Reconciliation, and Mental Health: Self-Care and Coping.

Looking ahead, Ozhawa hopes to begin researching and writing about their experiences within the 2Spirit movement, the Pride movement in Sault Ste. Marie, and their journeys across Turtle Island.

Wanda White is a queer, neurodivergent immigrant and the visionary behind The Teapothecary, a woman-run tea company rooted in resistance, ritual, and storytelling. Her business specializes in historically researched and literary-inspired loose-leaf teas that honour culture, community, and the everyday magic of slowing down.

After losing her home and business in a devastating fire, Wanda rebuilt The Teapothecary from the ashes—literally. With fierce determination, ethical passion, and a flair for beauty, she turned grief into growth and reclaimed her dream.

Through her work, Wanda uplifts 2SLGBTQ+ voices, fosters inclusive spaces, and brings attention to the power of heritage and healing. Her mantra—“Be kind; we are surrounded by unhealed traumas, and the least we can do is meet them with kindness”—is not only lived, but steeped into every part of her brand and community leadership.

A past recipient of the Atlantic Diversity Award, Wanda continues to inspire others by refusing to choose between boldness and empathy, business and activism, or history and hope for change. Whether through a cup of tea or a call to action, she brews courage daily—and serves it hot.

As the owner of Canada’s leading gender affirmation company, Rae has spent 15 years bringing life-changing products to the gender diverse community through their company, Origami Customs. 

They trained an all queer and trans staff in Montreal to make these garments, and are the only business in the world custom making products like gaffs and binders to fit any body- regardless of size, ability, or gender. 

This has never been just a business. At its core, it’s a community program where the profits fund a comprehensive gender-affirming medical plan, allowing staff to access surgeries and other care. Rae keeps their own wages lower than the lowest-earning employee, ensuring that this mutual-aid type framework serves all community members with equity. 

Knowing that many gender-diverse people face access barriers, they also give their products away for free through their global network of over 100 organizations. They currently give away hundreds of products per month.

Rae also advocates for trans integral business practices, trans healthcare, and more through their speaking and advocacy work. They not only teach about the best practices for trans care, but also how other businesses can support the gender diverse community through policy, specialized healthcare, HR, and more. 

Honored among Alberta’s Top 30 Under 30 and recipient of the Alberta Newcomer Recognition Award, Parul Kanwar actively mobilizes against discriminatory policies impacting trans communities across Alberta.

As a policy officer with the Alberta NDP caucus, Parul applies her University of Alberta education by organizing direct responses to provincial legislation targeting trans rights in education, healthcare, and sports. She collaborates with community organizations, advocates, and impacted individuals to build resistance movements and protective networks.

Parul’s hands-on approach includes developing an initiative to counter anti-2SLGBTQIA+ disinformation in ethnic communities through culturally responsive resources and community partnerships. Her involvement in Pivot’s Health Empowerment through Active Leadership program further strengthens her ability to create tangible change.

As a Canadian delegate at COP29, Parul advocated for climate justice, emphasizing its disproportionate impact on 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. She also founded platforms like Crossings and The Bold Word to create actionable spaces for diverse voices.

Beyond research and policy analysis, Parul provides direct crisis support through NGO work, bridging theoretical understanding with practical intervention. Her work empowers marginalized communities to resist discrimination and build inclusive alternatives across Alberta.


Dubbed “Mr. Montreal” by CBC Arts, Richard “Bugs” Burnett is a trusted and award-winning writer, editor, journalist and columnist for various media. He was an editor at Montreal’s leading English-language alternative newsweekly HOUR magazine for 15 years until it folded in 2011. Bugs is an arts and culture pundit on Canadian radio and television, also writes about arts and culture for Tourisme Montréal, and knows his hometown of Montreal like a drag queen knows a cosmetics counter. Bugs has interviewed everybody from Cher to Justin Trudeau, and got the last-ever sit-down interview with James Brown. His pioneering column Three Dollar Bill is the only syndicated LGBTQ2S+ column in Canadian publishing history, was banned in Winnipeg and investigated by the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary over charges it was “pornographic.” The complete Three Dollar Bill archives can be found at The ArQuives in Toronto. Bugs also received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Chambre de commerce LGBT du Québec in 2019. Bugs was dubbed “Mr. Montreal” by CBC Arts, porn director Flash Conway called him “Canada’s bad boy syndicated gay columnist” and Tourisme Montréal says, “As Michael Musto is to New York City, Richard Burnett is to Montreal.”

INSPIRE Awards partners with Canada’s 2SLGBTQI+ Chamber of Commerce to celebrate 5 Canadians nationally with “Canada’s Inspiring Person of the Year Award”

November 21, 2024 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TORONTO, ON – – – Following 12 years years history of celebrating the inspiring work, good deeds and queeroes in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community in the Greater Toronto Area, the INSPIRE Awards will be bringing our community together nationally.

INSPIRE Awards is one of the Greater Toronto Area’s most beloved queer local annual events, and has just announced a partnership with Canada’s 2SLGBTQI+ Chamber of Commerce (CGLCC), were the magic of a community uplifted will be shared across Canada.

Presenting “Canada’s Inspiring Person of the Year Award”. Five queer individuals from across Canada will be celebrated for their impact on their local communities, and will join the guests at the annual event in Toronto, via video live feed, to be honoured and thanked for their contribution during a special presentation.

“It has been a dream of the INSPIRE Awards board of directors for a while that one day we would celebrate the good work of our community on the national stage,” said INSPIRE Awards President

Antoine Elhashem of the partnership. “We have heard more times than we can count, at our annual event, from members of our local community telling us how this magic should be shared nationally, and here we are.”

“We are happy to partner with a great organization such as INSPIRE Awards,” said Darrell Schuurman of CGLCC. “When we celebrate and support even one individual in the community, the ripple affect that

this has can be tremendous. We see role models and leaders among us and it’s inspirational.”

The 13th annual INSPIRE Awards will take place on May 31st, 2025 at St. James Cathedral.