Sarah Onyango has been a remarkable force in Ottawa’s community landscape for over two decades. As a Kenyan-born translator and media host, she transformed local broadcasting by amplifying African and Caribbean voices on CHUO 89.1 FM and Rogers TV’s Fontonfrom.
In 2003, she founded BlackOttawa411, an essential online hub that bridges mainstream institutions and Ottawa’s Black community. Her volunteer leadership with Black History Ottawa, the Ottawa Local Immigrant Partnership, and United Way East Ontario demonstrates her commitment to inclusive engagement and lasting social impact.
Today, her servant-leadership ethos, focus on mentorship, and collaborative bridge-building continue to shape the city’s multicultural leadership. Onyango spoke with us about her career highlights, volunteering journey, challenges she’s faced, and her vision for the next generation of leaders.
Your work in TV and radio has continuously evolved—what are some major milestones that stand out?
I started in 1998 on reel-to-reel radio, swapping the advertising cards in and out by hand. It was very difficult to record shows on cassette, and I still have cassettes. There wasn’t YouTube, and the phone system was not evolved, so doing phone interviews was complicated. One big milestone was getting media accreditation to the Ottawa Jazz Festival and the Ottawa Blues Festival. That gave me access to major artists. I was originally a guest on Black on Black, then I became co-host and producer. Rogers TV tried me on Fontonfrom, and I just never left. Twenty something years later, I presented United Way Community Builder Awards which expanded my network of contacts and exposure to my community.
You’ve sustained over 20 years of volunteer leadership. Tell us about your journey.
I moved to Ottawa from Paris, cut off from the Black community. I was looking for a community, and I heard of a Black community centre, so I walked in and asked, “Do you need volunteers?”. I started out as a tutor for the kids’ Saturday program, then helped with job readiness and resume preparation. Then I helped with the paper that the community centre would publish every month, and that is how my work in community media started. I met people connected to Black History Ottawa, and I was intrigued to learn the Black presence went back 400+ years. I started in 1993 and I never left. Later, I became co-chair of Welcoming Ottawa Week with the Ottawa Local Immigrant Partnership.
You founded BlackOttawa411 in 2003. What are some challenges you’ve faced?
A friend showed up with a floppy disk containing my website template. I populated it with all the information I was getting on air, which solved my frustration of how there wasn’t a central place in the digital world where you could find activities, events, programs formed by the Black community in Ottawa. Early on, submissions arrived by email and updating was manageable. Populating that website was not as time consuming as it is now, because today, there is Instagram, and people no longer send you emails with their events. Keeping up requires constant checking for accuracy. Another challenge is being as inclusive as possible, because in the last 15 years, the African Caribbean and Black community has exploded. I went from posting events mainly in English, Caribbean, and African to now having to put content in French and Congolese.
Having received the Volunteer Ottawa’s Lifetime Achievement Award, what’s your vision for the next generation of leaders?
My vision is that they truly ascribe to the concept of servant leadership. When you are providing community services and advocating for community, servant leadership should be at the core. You cannot be out there because you want to get likes on social media or for the purpose of monetizing. Leadership is not just about dominating, manipulating, driving a group of people, and imposing your will. I’m all about leadership that is collaborative and outward looking, that really has the common good at heart.
What advice would you offer to aspiring young female leaders?
Women leaders should walk away from the people pleasing aspect of things. When you are leading, it has to reflect who you are at your core. The minute you start straying from that, that’s where the crack starts showing and your attempts at leadership start to waver, and people start to doubt you. You have to be true to your values and who you are at your core, and you have to be consistent and firm. Integrity is at the heart of everything I do.
Shweta Gandhi | Contributing Writer
