“Mother is the bank where we deposit all our hurts and worries”.  Black Ottawa Scene is proud to honour our mothers, all those women who have devoted their lives to nurturing, nursing, feeding and caring for us and being there for us, no matter what. To these noble women, we send a heartfelt “Thank You”.     Editor

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Asni Mekonnen

Asni Mekonnen
Asni Mekonnen
This wonderful lady is my mother, Asni Mekonnen, taken outside of her home in Ottawa during a family visit earlier this summer.  Without a doubt she is the most inspirational and influential person in my life. Principled, supportive, hard-working, and kind, my mother always provided a great example for me growing up. Good parenting instills a moral center, it give self-assurance and builds character. This is true for any family, but for a Black, single-parent, immigrant household the challenges are always greater. While I would never claim to be a perfect son (being an all-around dreamer and choosing the unorthodox lifestyle of an artist for example), my mom always made sure I knew I was loved no matter what.  Witnessing her maintain a career while raising me single-handedly in a foreign country and supporting family back home in Ethiopia let me know that I, too, can overcome any obstacle to my goals with determination and effort.
 I’m the only child my mother birthed, but actually she has many children. You see, through her work over the years my mom has been a vital link for dozens, if not hundreds of refugee students sponsored to study on Canadian campuses through the Student Refugee Program, of which she is currently the Senior Program Officer at WUSC (World University Services of Canada). Far from home and with few adults and authority figures who can relate to their experiences and culture shock, many of these students find comfort and guidance in “Madam Asni” as they call her, and she becomes like a second mother to many, going above-and-beyond her job title to make sure they succeed in their education and lives.  Students she’s helped have gone on to achieve greatness in countless fields, enriching Canadian society as well as taking their education, skills and training back to their homelands to one day prevent the situations that caused them to be refugees in the first place.  And while her work is vital, it certainly isn’t glamorous, and at times I’m sure it can seem downright thankless and endless, but she gets recognized for her contributions now and then. There’s actually a great bit about her in a book called ‘Citizens of Nowhere: From Refugee Camp to Canadian Campus’ by Debi Goodwin.  Unrelated, she also has a unique sense of humour which I thankfully only inherited the better portion of!
It is because of her that I am, and for that I am forever grateful.  I appreciate Black Ottawa Scene for providing this space for recognition. Love you, Emamaye!
Submitted by Kalkidan Assefa

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Abiola Agoro

 

Abiola Agoro
Abiola Agoro

They say you can you chose your friends but you cannot chose your family. My siblings and I are truly blessed to have been divinely chosen to be her children. A woman like Abiola Agoro, is one in million. As I try to put into words what she means to us, when I say ‘I’-I am speaking on behalf of all her children.  My mother is my truest friend, being a confident when I need to share personal feelings or secrets. To being a mentor when I need guidance on choices in my life be it for school, work or relationships.  She is a true matriarch always leading by example, respecting others, using her words to uplift instead of to harm and always be willing to lend a helping hand.

My mother has been faced with one of life’s hardest tests –losing a child before his time- and yet she has been able to use this as a testimony. The loss of my brother at the age of 19 was devastating for all of us, but my mom especially. I mean her only son, taken from her without warning. This could have shattered her faith and made her withdraw. But from this experience she called on her faith and used this to build something to help her community and raise up her son’s memory. Her strength and willingness to stay positive has forever changed how I see my mother. I love her more with each passing day; my respect for her has no bounds. I pray that I can be ½ the mother my mom is.

Now it is one thing for me to say how awesome I think my mom is but there have been many instances where I have been stopped by strangers who want to share how my mom has helped them. They take time to hug me and tell me how kind she has been to them. And that is just who Abiola is, kind to the core. Her love is unconditional, her empathy genuine and her want to help inspiring. God has put her here to do his work and for that we are truly grateful.

Submitted by Shola Agoro on behalf of Moji and Dapo Agoro

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Sharon Morris
Sharon Morris
Sharon Morris
Our mother is a rock!
She is someone who naturally puts others before her own needs. She not only loves her own children, but she makes it her priority to give to other children.
One thing that we are all grateful for her is ability to see “potential” in all of us, and embed the importance of education. She believes that education is something that cannot be taken away from an individual. She has pushed all of us to pursue higher education, and we are so grateful for this.
Love you mom!
Love your children,
 Shemar, Shannae and Stacey-Ann
Submitted by Stacey-Ann Morris
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Amelia Onyango
Amelia Onyango
Amelia Onyango
Like Mother, Like Daughter…I am very much my mother’s daughter, not just in looks but, to a great extent, in character and deportment. One can never underestimate the incredible impact a mother can have on her daughter. Watching the skill, discipline and grace with which my mother raised five children on three continents, changed jobs many times to follow her diplomat husband, moved our family in and out of different homes and neighbourhoods, all the while tending to the needs of numerous relatives back in Kenya AND pursuing her own professional development was a great source of inspiration for me.
My mother taught my siblings and I the importance of always aiming for excellence, be it in our studies,
professional life or relationships. She also imparted to all of us the values of service to and respect for
others, self-sufficiency and a deep connection with God. Indeed, in our house, Mother is the Prayer
Warrior-in-Chief, the spiritual pillar, the glue that holds all our complex – and sometimes distant – ties
together. She is the nexus, the Matriarch par excellence whose approval we all still seek as adults.
No card nor material gift on Mother’s Day can ever truly express the gratitude I feel for having the
honour of being brought into this world by a woman of such strength, courage, wisdom and generosity. I can only hope that I will one day replicate all of her wonderful maternal attributes when I am granted the
privilege of motherhood myself.
Submitted by Sarah Onyango