Aimee Chalifoux was one of two winners of the Breaking Barriers Award from the province on Tuesday, March 22. (submitted photo)

By Alex Rawnsley

OVERDUE RECOGNITION

‘My entire career flashed before my eyes:’ Nanaimo woman honoured by province for work with marginalized communities

Mar 27, 2022 | 5:21 AM

NANAIMO — “I burst into tears and my daughter asked me if something really bad had happened.”

It wasn’t a bad phone call, rather a message from the BC Government telling Aimee Chalifoux she was being recognized with the Breaking Barriers Award, presented to individuals who tackle systemic racism and knock down barriers for at-risk groups.

Chalifoux was formally presented her award on Tuesday, March 22, a confronting experience for someone used to working behind the scenes.

“My entire career flashed before my eyes, I couldn’t stop crying and it was very emotional for me. I was torn between embarrassment, I’m a very shy person, and happiness and gratefulness.”

Currently working with Literacy Central Vancouver Island after stints at other local organizations, Chalifoux works tirelessly to make lives better for others.

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She’s a daily volunteer with the Nanaimo 7-10 Club, delivering lunches to the Caledonia shower program and connecting with people at the program and the adjoining warming centre.

Her focus is helping people access services, whether government disability, social assistance or more pressing medical needs.

Chalifoux said “a lot of magic happens down there” at Caledonia, with numerous outreach workers trying to make a difference.

“When you can bring dignity to people’s lives, or if you can be a bridge between helping someone else be treated with dignity. Whether that’s medical treatment or accessing services, but accessing it in a dignified way and being treated with dignity.”

It’s her own first hand experience which makes Chalifoux so effective.

A Nanaimo resident since she was seven, she ran away from home prior to high school and, by her own admission, bounced around the foster care system.

Now 51 years old, she’s had to learn the basics she missed out on while pushing through her own barriers.

“I can remember when I started at VIU doing my upgrading, I was 29 or 30 years old and I only had probably a grade seven or eight education…by the time I tried to access education when I was older, I had a whole slew of barriers in front of me.”

Things like applying for student loans or understand repayments which might be second nature to some, were foreign to her.

Add in additional barriers due to race and antiquated stereotypes, and Chalifoux’s own journey has shaped the type of outreach worker she’s become.

Her three adult children are all either involved, or getting involved in similar lines of work.

Chalifoux said despite common opinion, Nanaimo has come a long way especially for people of colour.

“I feel like we have a ways to go but we’re well on our way. The racism and the indignities are still happening, but it’s kind of like smoking, it used to be cool to smoke and now it’s not so cool anymore. It’s no longer cool to be racist, people are there watching and they’re going to call someone on it.”

Despite some concerns from her family and an underlying spinal cord injury, Chalifoux said she can’t imagine slowing down.

“I’m so grateful I get to do that, that’s what my job is. I feel like I’m getting paid to play, I love what I do. My family is worried…I need to practice a lot of self care but how do you slow down when you love what you do.”

Chalifoux was also quick to recognize Nina Charley, a lead director with Risebridge and one of the organizers of the initial Black Lives Matter movement in Nanaimo.

Charley was nominated for the same award along side Chalifoux for her work around the city.

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