Yusra Osman

Yusra is a Black Canadian anti-racist advocate and educator, registered social worker, mental health counsellor, and researcher. She was the City of Ottawa’s first Anti-Racism Specialist, leading the Anti-Racism Secretariat from 2020-2022. She holds a Master of Social Work degree from Carleton University. Her experience includes working as a frontline social worker and counsellor in community settings and as a contract instructor in Carleton University’s School of Social Work. Her work in Ottawa begins with a deep recognition of Algonquin Anishinabeg presence and nationhood, and the importance of solidarity between Indigenous and racialized communities. She is committed to the well-being of Indigenous, Black and other racialized communities in the face of racism and racial trauma, and to intersectional anti-racist work that strives to bring about systemic change.