Remembering Juliette Powell: A Brilliant Life Cut Short at 54
I want to take a moment to reflect on someone whose name brings back memories for many Canadians who grew up in the '90s: Juliette Powell. If you were a fan of MuchMusic or watched Electric Circus, you definitely remember her vibrant energy, striking intelligence, and magnetic presence. Sadly, Juliette Powell passed away on June 3, 2025, at the age of 54. The cause was acute bacterial meningitis, and her passing was sudden and deeply shocking.
Juliette’s story is far more than just a career in television. Born in Manhattan in 1970, she moved to Montreal at age eight with her mother. She would go on to make history in 1989 as the first Black Canadian woman crowned Miss Canada. But it wasn’t just about the pageant for her—she entered to challenge racial bias in beauty standards and succeeded in doing just that.
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In 1992, she stepped into the media world as a VJ at MusiquePlus and later moved to MuchMusic in Toronto. There, she became the host of the wildly popular live dance show Electric Circus , and also fronted French Kiss . All the while, she was studying economics at the University of Toronto. Imagine juggling live TV with university lectures—she did it all, and did it with grace.
After her time on Canadian television, Juliette moved to New York and took her career in bold new directions. She became a business reporter, then an entrepreneur, author, and public speaker. She produced segments with global icons like Nelson Mandela and Steven Spielberg. She even co-authored part of the United Nations Plan of Action at the World Conference against Racism and gave a TEDx talk. Juliette was also a professor at NYU, where she taught media, technology, and ethics.
She continued her education too, earning a sociology degree from Columbia University—an amazing feat considering her parents didn’t have high school diplomas. In her application, she described herself not as belonging to one identity but as “a citizen of the world,” which really speaks to how she lived her life.
Juliette leaves behind a legacy of trailblazing accomplishments and meaningful contributions across so many fields—media, academia, social justice, and tech ethics. She also leaves behind a community of friends, colleagues, and her beloved dog, Tyra Banks, all heartbroken by her loss.
Her passing is a huge loss, not just to those who knew her personally, but to anyone inspired by her story. Juliette Powell was the kind of person who shattered ceilings and opened doors. She lived with purpose, brilliance, and compassion. And for all of us who remember seeing her on TV, or reading her work, or hearing her speak, we know the world feels a little dimmer without her light.
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