Founder of the London Chapter of the Congress of Black Women Canada, was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She was the second of three children. Her parents were active in the community and instilled in her an early sense of dedication to service and a passion for lifelong learning.

Like her mother before her, Gwen entered the field of nursing. She had the distinction of being the first Black woman in Nova Scotia to graduate from a recognized school of nursing (Halifax Children’s Hospital), and accepted a position at Victoria Hospital in London, Ontario – sight unseen, becoming their first Black employee. London, Ontario is also where Gwen would meet her husband, Fred Jenkins, to whom she would be married for 42 years before her sudden passing in 1996.

Gwen was motivated by an “interest in people” and believed that one’s voice could be their most valuable asset. In 1975, she was instrumental in founding London’s Sexual Assault Centre and held many positions from fundraising to 24-hour on-call counselling to sitting on the board of directors.

After her nursing career ended in 1988 due to a back injury, she continued to work in the community and in 1989 founded the Congress of Black Women of Canada, London Chapter (her sister-in-law, Kay Livingstone, founded the national organization in Toronto in 1971).

Gwen’s focus with the Congress was twofold: encouraging Caribbean, African and Canadian Black women in London to unite and work together as one harmonious community; and supporting Black youth through education. She believed in empowering black women and was a major voice on women’s issues.

Alongside her work in the Congress, she continued to be involved in numerous community-oriented projects such as London’s Sub-Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and the London Board of Education Adult Basic Education Program, providing one-on-one tutoring to adult non-readers.

A mother, wife, friend, mentor and advocate of equal rights, Gwen brought an unparalleled enthusiasm, loyalty and dedication to all she embarked upon and left all who knew her profoundly inspired.