The meaning of the word 'Canada' has been debated by historians and academics for years. Many theories have been put forward as to what the word means. One such theory is that when the first crew of Spanish and Portuguese sailors came upon these parts of the Americas, their description on their map was 'aca nada' or 'ca nada'. The translation for those languages means simply "nothing here", as they found great vastness of nothing within their sight for days. Ironically, today’s 'Canada', if that was the true meaning behind the word, could not be any further from that definition, as our country has developed on so many fronts and aspects. One such front is the diversity of its population and the many contributions these various groups have made to the development of what is today our great nation, Canada.

I was born in Toronto, arguably the most diverse city in the world according to "fullfact.org", along with New York, London and Dubai. The cohesion and harmony of the many races in Canada has always been of interest to me, as I am aware of the fact that there are many countries in the world that are riddled with conflict as a result of clashes between different ethnicities, and the lack of tolerance for the diversity that exists. Being a first generation Jamaican Canadian, the contributions and achievements of past black Canadians is something I have never taken for granted, as I am aware that they have not just paved the way for myself as a simple black girl from Pickering, but also for many other racial groups and ethnicities.

Canada has long had a deep and proud history of being a bastion of liberation and freedom for the black race. From as early as 1833 slavery was abolished in all British colonies, decades before our neighbors to the south, and as such has always been a safe haven for blacks trying to escape the evils of slavery. Harriet Tubman, the "Black Moses" as she was affectionately called, led the charge. Despite having many bounties and rewards for her capture posted by various slave owners of the American south, Harriet managed to operate a thriving Negro settlement in St. Catherines, Ontario. She smuggled hundreds of former slaves into freedom from various states all throughout the southern belt of America, through a process called the "Underground Railroad",

With a thriving Black community in Canada, and education being available to black children as equally as it was to white children, the foundations for the success of young Elijah McCoy were laid. McCoy, born in Colchester, Ontario to slave parents from the south, went on to be one of the leading innovators in the world during the 19th century, developing patents such as the lubricating oil cup, an invention that was crucial to the operations and expansion of the locomotive industry during this time period. This was such a high quality invention that the term the "Real McCoy" came into use after consumers refused to accept any substitutes. McCoy went on to patent a further 50 products during his lifetime, including the ironing board. These achievements not only benefited the black community, but the broader society as a whole.

The achievements of prominent black Canadians have always been noticed by the broader Canadian society. Lincoln Alexander was born in Toronto, but settled in Hamilton to study law and set up practice. He made numerous contributions to his country, from fighting in World War 2 to becoming the first black Member of Parliament and Cabinet as well as the first black lieutenant Governor of Ontario. This is a high bar of achievement, which he has set not only for blacks and other minority groups, but for Canadians in general.

Donovan Bailey, Portia White, Michelle Jean and Carey Best are just a few of the many notable black Canadians who have contributed to the Canadian society at large. Many black Canadians have made strides over the years by blazing a trail for other minorities and ethnic groups to follow. Unlike many countries that have shunned diversity, my country proudly embraces it. According to "foreign policy.com" Canada, along with Spain and Ireland, has the most progressive immigration systems in the world and the highest success rate of immigrants assimilating and succeeding in our society. This is a society in which I am proud to live, a society which is geographically referred to as Canada, a society in which I proudly call home.

The essays submitted pursuant to the RBC^® Black History Month Student Essay Competition and provided herein are the original work of the students who have entered the Competition. Royal Bank of Canada assumes no responsibility for material that is false, inaccurate or violates or infringes upon the rights of third parties, including privacy and intellectual property rights.