Nyah Haughton went from being non-verbal to Canada’s literacy crusader. Born March 20, 2007, in Mississauga Ontario to Guyanese and Jamaican parents, Nyah is an energetic, compassionate, caring and happy 12-year-old. She is extremely passionate about making a difference in the lives of her generation. Nyah says, "A person’s exterior should not become their identity".

 

Nyah battles her own challenges, being labeled with a developmental delay, learning disability, ADHD, auditory processing disorder, anxieties, and having Mosaic Trisomy 8, she understands first hand what it feels like to be different.

 

Nyah quit school because the institutions and educational system failed her time and time again. Being bullied by students and teachers alike, Nyah says that ‘kids need a safer and healthier place to learn’.

 

Nyah started painting at 3 years old and continues to master the art as a way to express her emotions. She says “I express myself using art so people can understand me. It’s my imagination that comes alive. It’s my language, I’m sharing my words through color and lines and it makes me feel good about myself”. She has featured her art at sold-out art auctions at the Robert McLaughlin Gallery to raise funds for community programs.

 

One of Nyah’s paintings, dedicated to Prime Ministers throughout Canadian history, was signed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during a private meeting set to thank her for her work. He also made a commitment to investing $3 billion over 10 years, to plant two (2) billion trees across Canada - for hers and the future of all young Canadians.

 

Nyah's imagination and determination helped lead to the creation of the BSMART KIDZ Foundation Canada. A foundation centered on providing creative and expressive education - through art, movement and music - to help kids with challenges learn. The foundation focuses on community engagement programs for kids between the ages of 2-14, and has hosted multiple ArtPalooza March Break Camps, to give kids an outlet to learn art, technology, and science in creative ways.

 

Nyah continues to think of ways she can help kids like herself build confidence, and give them the tools to succeed in life.

 

In 2017 Nyah officially began her literacy engagement innovation tour, where she traveled to hand-deliver 150,000 free brand new books to children and youth in 150 cities and towns across Ontario. She continues to purchase these books using funds raised from selling her artwork, and from the support of multiple literacy organizations - such as First Books Canada, TD Bank Canada, Book Depot and Amazon, to name a few. Every year she continues to grow her tours across Canada, and has provided books to children in countries such as the US, Kenya, Grenada, Guyana and the Philippines. Over the past 3 years, she has given away over 1.2 million books through her Literacy Engagement initiatives.

 

Her dream goal is to build an Innovative Arts School that will enable all kids' success, using creative and expressive arts as tools to ‘teach the way they learn’! She wants to have ‘I.L.A’ an Imaginative Language Arts Program available in hubs around the world, with free access to all children and youth, and continue to build libraries around the world. She continues to look for ways to lease and sell her artworks to raise the funds necessary to help her short term and long term goals.

 

When she’s not painting or reading Nyah enjoys creating animation and short films. She enjoys teaching others to paint, swimming, soccer and traveling. This upcoming term Nyah is looking to begin a marine biologist program and is excited about an open water experience.

 

Nyah’s message to youth dealing with challenges is to ‘keep believing in themselves and keep moving forward no matter what.’ “A Person Exterior should not become their Identity” – by Nyah Haughton

 

The Princess of Humanity: www.bsmartkidz.org 

​

​