Shari-Ann Henry celebrates hard-earned victory

When Shari-Ann Henry stepped onto the graduation stage on March 2, in Canada as a newly minted barrister and solicitor, the applause felt almost distant -- not because it wasn't loud, but because she was still trying to convince herself that the moment was real.

Years of sacrifice, discipline and quiet determination had led her there, yet as she walked across the stage, she had to pause internally and tell herself, 'You did it'.

The former University of the West Indies, Mona law student had achieved what she once only dared to dream about. But her journey to that stage was marked by bold decisions, emotional strain and an unrelenting commitment to finishing what she started.

"I am very happy that I have finally accomplished what I set out to achieve," she told THE STAR.

Henry made the courageous decision to move to Canada in December 2022, fully aware that it would demand more of her than she had ever been required to give. Almost immediately, the transition tested her resilience. She had to navigate a new country, master public transportation, adapt to unfamiliar academic expectations and build a life far from everything she knew.

After successfully completing her Master of Laws degree, fulfilment still felt incomplete "because the ultimate goal was to pass the Ontario Bar Exam".

That goal became her north star. And only when she sat among fellow graduates at her call ceremony did the magnitude of her achievement finally settle.

One of the most defining moments of her graduation day came when Associate Chief Justice Aston J. Hall, a fellow Jamaican serving in the Ontario Court of Justice, stood to acknowledge her achievement and personally shook her hand.

"To see a fellow Jamaican who has done the work and now holds the kind of title I aspire to one day, and to have him acknowledge my completion, made me feel proud - not in a loud way, but deep inside," she said.

"I'm proud that I didn't quit, that I kept going even when it was hard and proved to myself that I could do it. It feels bigger than me."

Henry said the journey was never solely about personal ambition. For her, the milestone represents sacrifice, faith, and the unwavering support of those who stood by her through every challenge.

"I didn't just do this for myself, but for my family and everyone who believed in me. I started from humble beginnings, and now I'm a lawyer," she said. "It feels good. It feels peaceful. It feels earned."

Raised in the inner-city community of Torrington Park, near Hannah Town, St Andrew, Henry spent her childhood days living in a two-bedroom house, which housed 12 persons.

"There were days when there was no lunch money," she said.

Although she excelled at high school, Henry never thought about university "because there was simply no sight of funding, and it didn't feel like an option".

But mentorship completely transformed her life. Participating in the Women's Leadership Initiative opened her eyes to opportunities she had never considered before. She attributes much of her growth to the guidance and support of Tasha Manley, Sharon Lake, and Eva Lewis, whose encouragement was instrumental throughout her journey.

"Once I realised that education could open doors for me, I started actively seeking scholarships. That decision changed everything, and the rest, as they say, is history," Henry said.

In Canada, the challenges were not only academic. Henry battled seasonal depression and intense homesickness. She wrestled with loneliness in a climate that physically and emotionally felt cold.

"Initially I was excited because my LLB (Bachelor of Laws degree) was pretty much online, so face-to-face in another country was something I was really looking forward to. However, when mi reach and me see the cold mi just a bawl, mi walk and eye water a drop out a mi eye."

As an extrovert, the isolation was particularly heavy.

"I wanted to do social events, but people really can't do that in that kind of temperature. What kept me going is the fact that I was insistent on finishing what I came here to do."

Confident and unapologetically authentic, she also encourages young women in law to embrace their individuality.

"I present myself and show up as my own personality, and I advise my sisters in law to be themselves and do the same," she said. "If you feel like going to court and showing out in an extravagant jacket suit, do that. Turn it into a fashion and statement profession. Be you and be comfortable in what you wear."