I remember my twin sister Kenesha with a mix of sorrow and joy.
Growing up in St. Andrew, Jamaica, we were inseparable. Some of my earliest memories of Kenesha are of her carrying a big backpack, filled to the brim with all her books. One time, I asked her why she carried such a heavy load, and she simply smiled and said, "I like to look smart."
My sister embraced every opportunity to learn and grow. She was ambitious and determined to make our parents proud. We had big plans to move to Canada together after she graduated from her nursing program.
One of my proudest moments was watching Kenesha walk across the stage on the day she graduated from her nursing program – I still remember her smile and how beautiful she looked in her graduation gown. She was ready to take on the world, her eyes sparkling with hopes and dreams for the future.
Tragically, just hours after her graduation, Kenesha's life was cut short in a devastating car accident that also took the lives of my aunt and another passenger. I was the lone survivor in the accident.
The sudden loss of my twin sister tore through me in a way I could never have imagined. My heart broke into a million pieces – there's no pain like losing someone so deeply loved. I wasn’t prepared for the immense waves of grief that would consume me for what seemed like forever.
Eventually, I found the strength to push forward, and I decided to make the move to Canada, just as my sister and I had planned. I was determined not to let our dream end there. I knew I had to keep our story going.
Healing by helping others
A few years after I moved to Canada, I started working in customer service at a bank in Calgary. It was there that I learned how to work with customers, managing transactions, and understanding the intricacies of financial services.
Even as my career progressed, I never forgot my sister, or her fierce determination. My sister taught me the importance of selflessly giving to others and loving with your whole heart, and those lessons helped encourage me to start volunteering.
I began giving back by volunteering for events in my local community. Over the years, the opportunities to give my time to these causes have been significant sources of healing and fulfillment for me, offering comfort and renewing my sense of purpose through helping others.
That's why one of the best decisions I made was joining TD as I progressed in my career. TD has enabled me to be a part of a community where I can truly be myself, where I can get involved in the meaningful causes that matter to me, and to build my career in banking.
Through the TD Black Employee Network, I have found amazing opportunities to connect with like-minded individuals and make an impact in the community. As a workstream leader of the TD Black Employee Network, I have hosted 10 financial literacy sessions for students in elementary schools and I have also been involved in Carifest, Cariwest, and the Ethnik festivals. More recently, I represented TD as guest speaker at the Calgary Caribbean Black History month event and the 2024 Carifest Children's Festival Costumes competition and volunteered at the TD-sponsored Caribbean Youth Summit 2024.
During my time as a Youth Coordinator for the Jamaican Canadian Association Alberta in 2023, I mentored youth and helped bring new talent to TD. As someone who experienced the challenges of migrating to Canada alone, I understand the importance of guidance and support. As my mentor taught me, when you are moving up the ladder, it is always important to reach back down to help others.
Currently, I am mentoring five young colleagues at TD – and it's truly rewarding to see the progress they're making. My commitment to mentorship and talent development stems from a deep-seated belief in the transformative power of support and guidance.
My twin sister and I shared a lot of goals for our life together in Canada. We both aspired to build successful careers, make a positive impact to those around us, and support our family back home. Since her passing in 2001, it has been incredibly important for me to honour her memory by spreading kindness and compassion in everything I do. This helps me keep her spirit alive in the most meaningful way.
My guardian angel
Today, as I stand on the threshold of a new chapter as a TD Branch Manager, I carry many life lessons and experiences with me – of loss and healing, moving and starting a new career in Canada, and my growth from working in customer service to becoming a Branch Manager today.
I'll always miss my sister and think of her often.
Kenesha wanted to be a nurse because she wanted to help people. She wanted to do something for her community, and she wanted to give back. My job at TD enables me to not only walk my own path, but also do my part to keep my sister's memory alive through the acts of service and volunteering I take on, both here at TD and in my personal life.
When I'm helping others, I can feel my sister with me, pushing me to be the best version of myself – a loving reminder that she's never far away.
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