Good evening everyone,
Thank you to the YMCA for the invitation, and thank you all for being here for Black History Month. The theme, “Celebrating Our Legacies”– is personal to me, because legacy isn’t only what we inherit. It’s what we build–together.
My name is Hector Addison, and I serve as the Chief Servant Officer of the African Canadian Association of Ottawa. I like that title because it reminds me that leadership is not about being above people, it’s about serving people.
When I think of legacy, I think of a simple question: What remains because we lived?
What remains in our families because we showed up?
What remains in our community because we cared?
What remains in this country because we refused to be invisible?
We all know our history carries pain–slavery, segregation, displacement, discrimination. But our history also carries something unstoppable: faith, resilience, creativity, and excellence. Our ancestors were often denied comfort, denied recognition, denied opportunity; yet they still built legacies with their hands, their prayers, their courage, and their hope.
And today, we are not only remembering them–we are continuing them.
At ACAO, just like the Y, we see legacy come alive in practical ways:
- When a newcomer family arrives overwhelmed, and someone walks them through the system until they can stand strong.
- When a young person who feels lost finds mentorship, purpose, and a path forward.
- When a senior who feels isolated finds community again–people who check in, laugh together, and belong.
- When we create spaces where Black families can access support with dignity; housing, settlement help, mental wellness, financial education, and community connection.
That’s what legacy looks like: not only big speeches, but daily service. Not only celebration, but community-building.
So tonight, I want to offer three quick commitments we can all take home–because every person here is a legacy carrier:
First: Protect the story.
Tell our stories fully. Not only our struggle, but our brilliance. Not only what we survived, but what we built.
Second: Invest in the next generation.
Our youth are not a problem to solve, they are a promise to protect. Encourage one. Mentor one. Open one door. It changes everything.
Third: Build together.
Legacy grows faster when we stop building alone. We need partnerships, we need institutions, we need networks–because when one person rises, it’s good. But when a community rises, it’s transformational.
Celebrating our legacy does not mean pretending things are perfect. It means we acknowledge the barriers, but we refuse to be defined by them. It means we honor those who paved the way–and we take responsibility for those coming after us.
So as we celebrate Black History Month tonight, let’s remember: legacy is alive. It’s in our choices, our service, our unity, and our commitment to leave this community stronger than we found it.
Thank you. Happy Black History Month. And may our legacies continue to speak–through what we build and who we lift.