In today’s episode of ‘The Immigrant View with Ayo’, Charmaine Williams speaks highly on immigrants’ representation and involvement in fields where they are under represented. Charmaine Williams has been a member of the Bramelea community since 1981. She is a certified Multi-Systematic Therapist, Behavioural Consultant and Counselor. Charmaine Williams has worked in organizations associated with children, families and youths involved in substance abuse. A second generation immigrant from England, Charmaine in this podcast reveals the challenges she faced while running for office, how determined she was after stepping out of her comfort zone and the strategies she applied to address concerns resonating with the people in need at Brampton. She further explains how she pushed through obstacles and doubts from family, driven by fear, and how all of these led to her becoming the first black woman elected to Brampton City Council. Charmaine uses her real life experiences to illustrate how certain systems do not encourage immigrants to get involved and how they should see the need to. With the increasing number of immigrants trooping into Canada, the need for community representatives is inevitable. Charmaine Williams says “immigrants are the strongest people in the world” as they are continuous risk takers. This unique characteristic is important to stand out. This podcast is for new and settled-in immigrants to not wait to be called upon or invited before necessary actions can be taken. Enjoy listening!