Rosie Awori (LJI)
The recently concluded municipal elections on November 7, have seen an influx of new Black candidates being elected across Montreal. A large number of these trail blazers have been women, each packed with a wealth of experience to bring change to the table.
Leading the pack is Dominique Ollivier who brings a career spanning over 30 years, in community development, project organisation and management.
She decided to take the next step and is now the city councillor for Montreal’s Vieux-Rosemont district and now sits as Montreal’s number two as the president of the city’s executive committee, the first Black woman to hold that title.
In Notre Dame de Grace (NDG) Gracia Kasoki Katahwa a nurse by profession, is the first Black woman to become a borough mayor in Montreal.
She ran under Projet Montreal. (The results are currently being recounted.) Ericka Alnéus, a philanthropic development advisor at Pour 3 Points, which helps young people from disadvantaged families, was elected as city councillor in the Rosemont–La-Petite-Patrie.
She is Martine Musau Muele, won a council seat in the city’s Villeray district, Muele is a lawyer and founder of the Muele boutique law firm which specializes in policy and administrative law.
She was also a member of the Canadian Armed Forces for nearly eight years and has also served 
as a legal attached for international organisations including the International Committee of the Red Cross in Geneva.
In the south shore municipality of 
Longueuil two up-and-coming Black politicians are taking their place in the assembly. Reine Bombo-Allara from the Democratic Republic of the Congo will be seated in one of the highest chairs in the on November 23. She will be appointed president of the municipal council of Longueuil.
And Affine Lwalalika will also be in the executive committee with the charge, in particular, of public security.
Originally from Burkina Faso, Rolanda Balma, will now be sitting on the city council of Longeuil. The finance and international administration alumni from Concordia University, is passionate about volunteering and social engagement.
While in St. Jerome, Carla Pierre-Paul has been elected on the town council.
