Nicole Edwards (1970 – 2021)
Nicole Edwards was raised in South River, Ontario. She was an organizer and a performer through her youth and university years. She moved to the Yukon in 1997.1) Musician Nicole Edwards was the founding executive director of Bringing Youth Towards Equality (BYTE-Empowering Youth). It operates in Yukon and other northern communities and is based on input from the youth. BYTE provides recreational activities and workshops on a broad range of topics. Edwards was awarded a Governor General’s Meritorious Service Decoration (Civil Division) in 2016.2)
Edwards had scleroderma, a rare autoimmune disease that causes the hardening and tightening of the skin and connective tissues. In 2017, she performed at a fundraising concert for Yukon Cares and called it her last hurrah as her symptoms were increasing. She created a web page to continue sharing her music.3)