2011 uOttawa Alumni Association Excellence Award winner, donor and former Toronto Alumni Council President, Marlon Reid, LLB ’99, has received the 2020 Martin Luther King Jr. Legacy Award.
"It is, itself, a humbling experience to be mentioned in the same sentence as such a global icon as Martin Luther King Jr. To be celebrated in the name of MLK is an honour of a lifetime. I am being recognized for my commitment to the community and, especially, for bringing the community with me into the office and into every part of my life.
What makes this recognition so special, is that it was given at a time when I made the decision to step away from the spotlight, and to continue the important work behind the scenes. It tells me that people are still paying attention. It tells me that we don’t need to be in the public eye to march like Martin, and a microphone is not always necessary for our voices to be amplified. Indeed, it was Martin Luther King Jr. himself who said “…if you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward”, and that is what I intend to do." - Marlon Reid
Presented by Afro Global Television, the mission of the Excellence Awards gala is “to showcase the achievements of individuals, organizations, businesses and agencies that make a profound difference in the lives of people of African descent, and to transform the communities where they live.”
In addition to his uOttawa Law degree, Marlon Reid obtained an undergraduate degree from York University and a Master’s in Finance from the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management. Reid is Director, Business Effectiveness, CIBC Commercial Banking and Wealth Management; Designated Complaints Officer (DCO) since 2015; and is on the Steering Committee of CIBC’s Black Employees Network. Marlon is a Director & Treasurer of the 100 Strong Foundation, which aims to transform Black youth into successful Black men.
In 2017, Marlon was honoured with the CIBC Community Impact Award - Diversity & Inclusion. In 2014, he received the University of Toronto's Arbor Award, which honours and celebrates the contributions of exceptional and longstanding volunteers, and in 2013, the Bob Marley Humanitarian Award from the Diversity Business Network and the City of Toronto. In 2012 he received the Distinguished Men of Honour Award from the Black Business and Professional Association. At the University of Ottawa in 2011, he received the first ever Alumni Association Community Services Award.
Congratulations to Marlon Reid!