Coquitlam resident Priti Shah, a facilitator, social justice activist and humanitarian, is among the RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrants Award winners.
Originally from India, Shaw works with non-profit organizations, governments and other groups to improve the integration of newcomers and marginalized communities, with a particular focus on women. As principal of Drishti Consulting, she has created more than 350 workshops that challenge gender and racial inequality, and has designed local and international conferences focused on issues of social justice.
She led a partnership of diverse interfaith groups including Indigenous communities that led to the film Hidden Legacies, about the impact of residential schools. She also worked as a facilitator and wrote a school guide for Jabber, a play on students confronting stereotypes, racism and Islamophobia.
She also created Pathways to Leadership (PTL) for immigrant women, a program now being used by many non-profit agencies in Vancouver.
Shah is also a board member on Women Transforming Cities, which is working on a gender equality strategy in Vancouver.
The award, sponsored by Canadian Immigrant Magazine and RBC, is in its 10th year and a special celebration honouring the winners will be held tomorrow, Wednesday, June 27, in Vancouver.
Previous RBC Immigrant Award winners have included Coquitlam resident Trish Mandewo, an entrepreneur who is running as a candidate for the city in the upcoming civic election, and Port Moody resident Fred Soofi, a restaurateur who has worked to save heritage homes and is active in human rights and other social issues.
