Adora Nwofor
As a youngster, Adora Nwofor wanted to be a ballerina.
But after a few lessons, it was “no” to that dream from her teacher, because the now six-foot-one Black woman was already “too big.”
The 45-year-old, named president of Black Lives Matter YYC last year, continues to take “no” as a motivation, being “born, raised and living the racist dream” in Calgary.
She continued dance — all kinds — through university; told she couldn't join the high school football team she competed instead in the male-only beauty pageant (dressed in dominatrix-wear — “I love a costume”) taking second place.
The only Black woman at open mike competitions forged a career as standup comedian and host; after signing a modelling contract at 19 she couldn't find appropriate makeup for Black women or clothes for women her size, so she started styling herself. And while “painfully shy” as a child — “I was the wallflower dancing in my room” — she stepped forward to represent her community.
Her resiliency comes from her Jamaican mom — “she's hilarious” — and her dad, founder of the Nigerian-canadian Association of Calgary.
The mother of three says if humour didn't work as a child, fighting did, earning her a “Mike Tyson” handle in Grade 8 after a boy grabbed her breast.
Nwofor, a key face in the protest against systemic anti-black racism, says last year Black people were able to be heard, to say “you are failing us, Calgary.”
But the job's not done.
She'll continue work bringing respect to BLM, refuting attempts to portray it and others as “terrorist” organizations, and hopes to help Black Calgarians get access to everything from philanthropy to mentorship and education.
Season 2 of her website series, Living A Creative Life, with Calgary Arts Development, will again tell stories from the “Black women's gaze.”
And Nwofor will continue ignoring “no.”
“My strength is growth. I can screw up but I know I can do better. I will always find a way.”