Desmond Cole
Biography
Desmond Cole has lived in the Toronto area for twenty years.
He was born in Red Deer, Alberta in 1982. His parents immigrated to
Canada in 1978 from Sierra Leone in West Africa. The Cole family
moved to the GTA in 1987. Desmond attended high school at Father
Leo J. Austin C.S.S. in Whitby, where he was named Valedictorian
and received the Mayor of Whitby Award for Citizenship.
Desmond moved on to study Political Science and International
Development at Queen's University in Kingston. Upon leaving
Queen's, Desmond received a unique and transformative opportunity
to teach French at Paul Dwyer C.H.S in Oshawa. Upon completion of
his teaching contract, Desmond moved to Toronto. He has continued
to work in education, and is also very proud of his employment as a
peer educator at Youthlink Inner City, a local drop-in centre for
at-risk youth.
Desmond has been involved in many local, provincial, and
national initiatives, including participation with the Coalition to
Stop Detox Closures, a speaking tour for the 2005 United Way
campaign, a speech at the Opening Ceremonies of Law Day 2005, and
participation in the 2006 National Health and Wellness Youth
Retreat in Banff, Alberta. Most recently, Desmond was honoured to
be a presenter and delegate at the 2006 International AIDS
Conference in Toronto.
Anyone who knows Desmond can attest to his deep passion for
all things political. He believes that effective government is the
concern of all citizens, and the participation of people from every
experience and background is the key to improving our political
structures. Outside of his work, Desmond loves print media and
radio. He is an accomplished pianist and loves to sing.
The upcoming municipal election campaign is a culmination of
Desmond's achievements to date. His experiences in education,
social services and political activism have solidified his lifelong
commitment to public service. Desmond has lived all over
Trinity-Spadina, and currently resides near the Factory Theatre on
Adelaide Street.
