Empowering Communities: The Vital Role of Black Seniors in Ottawa’s Development
By
Kwaku Kusi‑Appiah and Sarah Onyango
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“Black elders are a unique group of individuals who are ethnically heterogeneous and historically connected by a collective voice, and we must not take them for granted. Their collective voice serves to guide and empower Black people and the generations to come.”
Dr. Ebony Dix
“We bring with them a deep respect for the ways our elders have created place within cities, as well as the insights they have shared for how to cultivate resilience and joy in the margins”. CivicAction.
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Abstract
This article examines the multifaceted contributions of Black seniors in Ottawa, Ontario, with attention to their roles in community development, cultural preservation, health promotion, and civic engagement. Through a close analysis of initiatives spearheaded by the African Canadian Association of Ottawa (ACAO), the Ottawa Golden Oldies Seniors’ Club, Jaku Konbit, and Flo’s Seniors, the paper demonstrates how elders serve as intergenerational bridges, community organizers, and advocates for equity. It argues that Black seniors are essential not only as cultural custodians but also as active agents of social transformation, whose efforts continue to shape the civic and cultural fabric of the city.
Introduction
The Black community in Ottawa has long been sustained by a tradition of intergenerational exchange, where elders occupy a central role as bearers of cultural memory, values, and lived experience. Within African and Caribbean traditions, seniors are viewed as sources of wisdom and authority, entrusted with guiding younger generations while preserving the stories and practices that define community identity. In Ottawa, Black seniors have extended this role into civic and institutional spaces, where they mentor, advocate, and build social infrastructure. Despite their significant impact, these contributions are often insufficiently recognized in public discourse.
This paper situates Black seniors in Ottawa as critical actors in community development. It highlights their contributions to health and social programming, cultural initiatives, crisis response, and civic advocacy. By foregrounding the tangible work of local organizations, the discussion underscores the necessity of acknowledging and supporting Black elders not only on commemorative occasions such as National Seniors Day, but as a continuous investment in the resilience and inclusivity of Ottawa’s future.
Community Support and Crisis Response
One of the most visible examples of senior leadership in Ottawa emerged during the COVID‑19 pandemic when the African Canadian Association of Ottawa (ACAO) mobilized swiftly to provide relief packages that included food, personal protective equipment, and essential household items. These distributions reached vulnerable community members across the National Capital Region, many of whom were Black seniors disproportionately affected by the pandemic (Canadian Human Rights Commission, 2020).
While ACAO’s programming is broad in scope, elders play crucial roles in both coordination and delivery. For example, retired professionals and senior volunteers leverage their knowledge of community networks and institutional systems to ensure that resources reach those most in need, often filling gaps left by delayed governmental responses.
Beyond immediate relief, ACAO invested in addressing the psychosocial challenges faced by elders during periods of isolation. Its Seniors’ Program and the Let’s Talk Initiative sought to counter loneliness and disengagement by creating spaces for storytelling, intergenerational dialogue, and mentorship (ACAO, n.d.-a). These forums emphasized the active participation of seniors as leaders and knowledge bearers, ensuring that their perspectives continued to shape community life even under the restrictions of a public health crisis.
Health, Cultural, and Educational Initiatives
The Ottawa Golden Oldies Seniors’ Club (OGOSC) illustrates how Black seniors can generate sustainable health and cultural programming. OGOSC was founded in late 2024 with a small membership base and has currently expanded to over one hundred members within a year, ranging in age from sixty to one hundred years (Ottawa Golden Oldies, 2024). OGOSC’s activities encompass health promotion, educational enrichment, and cultural celebration. In November 2024, the club collaborated with the University of Ottawa Heart Institute to host a mobile clinic that offered comprehensive cardiovascular assessments, including blood pressure testing, blood analyses, and ultrasound examinations. Such interventions ensures that seniors received preventive care and strengthened connections between community organizations and healthcare institutions.
Equally significant has been the club’s investment in digital literacy. The organization offers personalized training on cell phones and laptops, which has empowered seniors to navigate an increasingly digitized society, thereby reducing the risk of technological exclusion. The club has also organized cultural outings, such as a commemorative trip to Upper Canada Village in recognition of Emancipation Day, reinforcing historical awareness alongside social engagement. Public health seminars, including sessions on fall prevention and maintaining wellness in later years, further demonstrate the club’s holistic approach to senior care. Regular mall walking sessions at Carlingwood Shopping Centre also provide additional opportunities for physical activity in safe and accessible environments. These initiatives are guided by a seniors’ advisory Committee, ensuring that programming remains responsive to the evolving needs of participants (Ottawa Golden Oldies, 2024).
The collaboration between Jaku Konbit and Flo’s Seniors during the pandemic offers another instructive case. Together, the two organizations launched the Ottawa Black Seniors Virtual Active Living Network, which addressed both practical and psychosocial needs (Black Ottawa Scene, 2021). The initiative included online exercise sessions designed specifically for older adults, educational webinars on health and financial literacy, and weekly deliveries of culturally appropriate food boxes. Importantly, the program also incorporated regular outreach calls, ensuring that isolated seniors maintained a sense of connection and belonging. Participants testified to the program’s value, describing the deliveries and exercise sessions as vital sources of comfort, stability, and joy in a period of uncertainty (Black Ottawa Scene, 2021).
Recognition, Advocacy, and Cultural Preservation
The contributions of Black seniors have not gone unnoticed. In 2021, Black History Ottawa presented Community Builder Awards to ACAO and Flo’s Seniors for their work in supporting vulnerable elders during the pandemic (Black History Ottawa, 2021). These recognitions underscore the indispensable role of senior-led initiatives in strengthening communal resilience.
At a broader level, seniors continue to serve as cultural custodians and institutional anchors. ACAO’s African Centre Project exemplifies this work, envisioning a hub dedicated to the preservation of African cultural heritage, community history, and entrepreneurship (ACAO, n.d.-b). Senior volunteers are deeply embedded in these projects, often leading oral history initiatives and mentorship programs that transmit collective memory to younger generations. By situating themselves at the intersection of culture, advocacy, and institution-building, Black seniors ensure that their legacies extend beyond symbolic celebration into structural influence.
Civic Participation and Political Engagement
Black seniors also contribute to the civic sphere, both directly and indirectly. While elders may not frequently occupy elected positions, their mentorship and advocacy lay the groundwork for emerging leadership. The election of Ottawa’s first Black city councillor, Rawlson King, is a case in point. His trajectory in community activism was shaped by networks and pathways cultivated by earlier generations of Black leaders and elders (Fanfare, 2019). Furthermore, the consistent presence of seniors on advisory committees, nonprofit boards, and grassroots advocacy groups ensures that the concerns of racialized elders inform municipal policy on healthcare, education, and anti-racism. Their civic participation reflects a continuity of engagement that enriches Ottawa’s democratic life.
Conclusion
Black seniors in Ottawa have demonstrated that aging does not signify retreat from public life but rather a redirection of energies into new forms of leadership and service. From mobilizing pandemic relief to organizing health clinics, advancing digital literacy, preserving culture, and mentoring future leaders, they remain central to the vitality of Ottawa’s Black community. Their actions affirm the principle that community strength rests upon honoring and supporting its elders.
To treat these contributions as peripheral would be to diminish the very foundation of Ottawa’s civic fabric. Recognition must therefore extend beyond symbolic gestures on National Seniors Day to sustained investments in senior-driven initiatives, intergenerational programming, and culturally relevant resources. In acknowledging the resilience and leadership of Black elders, Ottawa affirms not only its past but also its commitment to a more inclusive and equitable future.
References
African Canadian Association of Ottawa (ACAO). (n.d.-a). Seniors program. Retrieved from https://acaottawa.com/project/seniors-program/
African Canadian Association of Ottawa (ACAO). (n.d.-b). African Centre project. Retrieved from https://acaottawa.com/project/african-center-project/
Black History Ottawa. (2021). Community builder awards. Retrieved from https://blackhistoryottawa.org/community-builder-awards/
Black Ottawa Scene. (2021). Jaku Konbit and Flo’s Seniors support Black seniors. Retrieved from https://blackottawascene.com/jaku-konbit-and-flos-seniors-support-black-seniors/
Canadian Human Rights Commission. (2020). Supporting community through a crisis. Retrieved from https://2020.chrcreport.ca/supporting-community-through-a-crisis.html
Dix, E. (2024). Wisdom, sacrifice, resilience: How Black elders strengthen community mental health, in Center for New York City Affairs, summarizing Lancet Psychiatry scholarship).
Fanfare, R. (2019). Ottawa Has First Black City Councillor. https://www.ronfanfair.com/home/2019/6/6/ijefvfvbe14sgxfy59nmhtonyrifgg
Ottawa Golden Oldies. (2024). Programs and coordinator’s reports. Retrieved from https://www.ottawagoldenoldies.com/program-coordinators-reports/
Ottawa Golden Oldies. (2024). Events calendar. Retrieved from https://www.ottawagoldenoldies.com/events/