Gwen Madiba
ABOUT
Inspired by the words of her late father, Gwen Madiba is well on her way to becoming a woman who builds her own legacy. But rather than focus on what she can achieve for herself, Gwen is making her mark with her commitment to lifting others up through the lens of diversity and inclusion. Born in Gabon, Africa, and raised in Ottawa, the entrepreneur and award-winning international speaker is a tireless advocate for women’s and children’s rights. As the president of Equal Chance, Gwen firmly believes it’s her mission to be in service to others and is continually working on multiple programs and projects that provide an equal opportunity for vulnerable people to thrive. Her activism is informed by her own experiences with homelessness.
Thanks to her dedication to making a positive impact on her city, Gwen was awarded the Order of Ottawa in 2019 and continues to be a local leader who’s ready and willing to respond to a call for help. Recently she helped raise over $25,000 in less than 24 hours for a single mother of three who needed to leave a mould-infested apartment.
A powerful visionary who strives to bring people together, Gwen was a co-organizer of the No Peace Until Justice peaceful march against racism in 2020 that inspired a turnout of 10,000 people. And, most recently, she has been working with a team to develop an app that will help low-income people and families and homeless Black families in temporary housing have access to a range of vital services for mental health, employment, maternal care and more.
EQUAL CHANCE
Based in Ottawa, Equal Chance was founded on the belief that all folks in society should have an equal chance and equal access to opportunities, services and resources. With the goal of promoting the social, economic, cultural and political well-being of vulnerable members of the Black community across Canada, the organization develops multiple programs, projects, activities and policies. Rooted in bolstering diversity and inclusion, Equal Chance works with a variety of allies, departments and organizations to achieve community outreach and dialogue.
