Faride Marie was born in a small village in the mountains of Lebanon in 1928. She and her family spent their days working the farm and nights asleep on the floor of their little mountain home. At age ten, Faride was sent off to work for a wealthy Parisian family; a job that exposed her to the vibrant city of Beirut. In many ways, this job was a fortuitous gift for Faride; one where she learned about haute couture fashion, french cooking, and how to speak fluent french, however, all of her earnings went towards the education of her three brothers.

By sixteen, Faride swore off love, never dating a man more than once. Though, despite her best efforts, along came Sarkis; a man who slowly changed her mind. After seven years of friendship and deep love, and against her family’s wishes, they wed. Fast forward to 1966; Faride and Sarkis immigrated to Canada with five of their children in search of a better life. Together they survived civil unrest, poverty, and prejudice. Their personal sacrifices were endless but never met with bitterness.

I grew up very close to my nana, Faride Marie. In her honour, I have taken her name as a symbol of gratitude. Gratitude for the woman who gave everything to allow me the privilege to discover piano and opera and art without boundaries. I pay homage to my mother’s line and all of the women before me who struggled and yet never stopped believing they could break ground.

This goes out to every Faride Marie who dares to dream and sacrifice.