There’s still much work to be done in the fight for racial equality, but Sheila Pitt has played a significant role in improving the lives of racialized folks here in Ottawa and the region.
A volunteer of more than 40 years, she pioneered the first ever Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrations in the nation’s capital. She also helped found Black History Ottawa.
It was at Black History Ottawa’s Black History Month event at the National Gallery of Canada that we surprised Sheila with a Community Builder Award.
In an interview with CBC News Ottawa, she talks about receiving the award, her own personal struggles when facing racism as she raised her family, and advice she would give to the changemakers of today. Scroll to the 31:41 mark of this video to see Sheila’s interview. Sheila also appeared on 580 CFRA’s Ottawa At Work with Patricia Boal.
To read more about Sheila and her career of volunteerism and activism, click here to read our full blog, published by Apt 613.
