Godwin Ifedi Editor Photo by Darren Goldstein/DSG Photo.

Good morning folks

Happy happy summer and good riddance to winter, at least for the next few months! Our Top Story for June is the Lifetime Achievement award to Ottawa’s own iconic social justice advocate and media personality, Sarah Onyango. Way to go Sarah! In this edition we also bring you the Independence Day celebration by the city’s Sierra Leone community; Sip, Snack and Connect with Dynamic Black Women, a seminar showcasing successful professional and business Black women; the city’s second Black Business Expo; and the Canada-Africa Parliamentary Association 20th anniversary celebration.

Sadly, this edition also features the passing of some of our leading community leaders: Brenda Obaseki, Canute Lloyd Stanford, Joel Dorsainville and Fredrick Dyer. Our condolences to their various families and our prayers that they find strength to bear their tragic losses.

We also bring you the first of our interviews with the first Black individuals to migrate from Africa and the Caribbean; our first interview subject is John Harewood, President of the Black Canadian Scholarship Fund.

All these and more in the June 2023 edition of your favourite newspaper.

Here is the result of the May 2023 poll: Do you support the strike by Federal Government workers? Yes 55% No 45% Thank you to all who voted. Remember to vote in the June 2023 poll: Do you believe that the Russian-Ukrainian war will be over by the end of this year?

We also take this opportunity to wish a Happy Fathers’ Day on 17 June, to all the fathers, step-fathers, foster-fathers and grand-fathers in our community.

All the best and enjoy the summer with your loved ones.

Godwin Ifedi

Editor