By the LCRC team
This month, we at the Lowertown Community Resource Centre would like to introduce you to members of our Board of Directors, volunteers who contribute to the well-being of the community and its residents.
Please meet three of our Board’s members: Herman Ntawe, Valerie Proctor et Jolane T Lauzon.
Please tell us a bit about you and what Lowertown means to you
HERMAN NTAWE It may seem strange but I introduce myself first as a rich man. I am married, a father of five children and a grandfather of two grandsons. I earned a Master’s in Agronomy in Germany and, after returning to my native country of Burundi in Africa to work for many years, I immigrated to Canada in 2015.
Lowertown is my home. It is important to understand that basic things such as security are important for me and I live and breathe them in Lowertown.
VALERIE PROCTOR I am a retired teacher and, together with my husband, I founded the first Latin American market in Ottawa (Mercado Latino). Lowertown has been my home for 42 years. Here, we find such a mix of people, rich and poor, young and old, from all over the world. Even if there are things to improve on, I can’t think of anywhere else in Ottawa which would provide us with the same quality of life.
JOLANE T. LAUZON (President) I grew up in the greater Montreal region and I’ve lived in Ottawa since 2015. I work as a lawyer at the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal. I don’t live in Lowertown but in normal times, I walk or bike through it every day on my way to and from work. For me, Lowertown is the heart of Ottawa. It’s a multicultural neighbourhood which welcomes newcomers. Even me, who is not from this city, I have always felt welcomed here.
Why are you involved in the LCRC Board?
HERMAN When I first arrived in Canada, I needed to seek out the services of the LCRC and I was impressed with the warmth with which I was greeted and supported, something I had not experienced anywhere else. I feel a certain sense of moral debt to this country and I want to give back to the well-being of others. I am very proud to be a member of the board.
VALERIE It’s this period of my life in which I don’t need to work that has led me to get involved on the board. I want to serve my community as best I can.
JOLANE I really wanted to help people more tangibly, whereas in my work, things aren’t always so concrete. I began at the LCRC as a volunteer at its income tax clinic and then at the food bank. Being part of the Board has allowed me to learn much about the community sector—it has given me a different perspective on my community. I appreciate being able to have an impact on decisions affecting it.
What difference does the LCRC make in the lives of its residents and what how can it have greater impact in the future?
HERMAN The Centre’s programs respond to resident’s major basic concerns. I don’t think that the neighborhood could go without its services. From my point of view, the future of the Centre goes hand in hand with greater involvement from residents. I hold to the saying « nothing for us, without us”.
VALERIE I feel that, despite all of its advantages, Lowertown is home to a large concentration of vulnerable people. The LCRC, along with other organizations, helps many residents in need. I would like to see other residents who may not need the Centre’s help directly get involved.
I have one hope: that the Centre is able to do more for kids aged 13-18. Today’s teens are tomorrow’s adults.
JOLANE The LCRC is like a friendly ear for those who need to be heard. For example, many of the people who come to the food bank don’t come only to get a basket of food—they also come to meet with others who are there to listen, who will give a friendly smile and just chat. In the future, I believe the LCRC will be there more than ever to foster inclusion, diversity and equity. It is most important in such a diverse neighbourhood as Lowertown.