Rianna Patterson is the film director of an upcoming documentary called Dementia: The Island Journey and founder of Dominica Dementia Foundation. Rianna Patterson founded the foundation at 18, in memory of her grandfather who passed away with Dementia in Dominica.

The Dementia Foundation is a youth-led dementia charity that supports families and care homes affected by Dementia. The foundation also facilitates research towards Dementia. Rianna received the Queen’s Young Leader award by her Majesty the Queen in June 2017 for her commitments to Dementia advocacy.

Building consensus and convening decision-makers on a regional and international level on public health and dementia promotion, to key stakeholders has been Rianna’s approach to making dementia a health priority in Dominica.

 Rianna is a founding member of the youth arm of the National Council on Ageing in Dominica and provided key recommendations to the National Policy on Ageing to the Government of Dominica. Ms. Patterson has also published two academic publications on Dementia in Dominica as well as Dementia Gardens in the UK.

Winners are chosen due to their significant contributions to diversity, or even working hard to improve their local communities. 

Ms. Patterson is set to be awarded under the category of Citizenship by Medway African Caribbean Association at the Sankofa Young Black Achievers Awards/Young People United Awards, Diversity awards, and Windrush awards 2022 on the 12th November , at The University of Kent.

The Medway African Caribbean Association exists to promote an awareness of African and Caribbean Culture, through arts, educational and social programmes, primarily for the benefit of its members but also accessible by the wider community. It also acts as a means of support to members on issues to do with racial harassment, undertaking prison visits, as well as many other functions.