In this two-part conversation, Fatouma Ahmed reflects on Canadian Islamic Heritage Month and shares the personal and professional journey that has shaped her path in public service. She reflects on growing up as a Black Muslim woman in Canada, the role of community and early influences in guiding her commitment to service, and how her lived experiences continue to ground her leadership and sense of purpose. Fatouma speaks candidly about resilience, authenticity, and the importance of representation in creating spaces of belonging. She shares lessons from navigating challenges in the public sector, the value of showing up fully in every space, and how identity and lived experience shape the way she approaches leadership and service. She also explores what it means to lead with integrity and responsibility, highlighting the power of allyship, the necessity of accessibility in both design and service delivery, and the ripple effect that comes from lifting others. Her reflections offer a compelling vision of leadership that is inclusive, accountable, and deeply rooted in faith, equity, and care for community.
In Part 2, Fatouma Ahmed reflects on what it means to lead with integrity, and responsibility. She discusses the role of allyship in opening doors for others, the importance of accessibility in design and service delivery, and how accountability strengthens leadership. She recalls lessons from her work across different ministries, where bridging policy and community realities required not just technical expertise but humility, and a willingness to share power. Fatouma also shares why representation matters in public institutions and how lifting others creates a ripple effect of belonging and change.
(00:04:24) Accessibility and its Benefits on the Lives of Everyone
(00:05:38) Designing Actionable Action
(00:08:05) Changes in Public Service
(00:13:32) Community and Youth Leadership Initiatives
(00:18:29) Cultural Heritage and Representing Underrepresented Groups
(00:19:30) Co-Creating Inclusive Spaces
(00:22:34) Bringing Your Full Self to Work: Power in Vulnerability
[00:00] Katie Jensen: I am Katie Jensen, and this is the Path of Public Service from Applaud, celebrating people who have spent their lives working in Ontario's public sector. This is part two of our conversation with Fatouma Ahmed, Director of Program Services within the Business Innovation and Community Development Branch at the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario. We'll hear more about what that entails later on. In this episode, we'll hear about allyship and inclusion:
[00:30] Fatouma Ahmed: When we design for the most vulnerable communities, we're really designing for everyone.
[00:37] Katie Jensen: Community empowerment:
[00:39] Fatouma Ahmed: It was really important for me to go back into the community and organize Youth Leadership initiatives that really fostered relationships replacing some of the tension and the isolation that these communities were feeling with collaboration, belongingness and just hope and the possibility that things could be different.
[00:58] Katie Jensen: Leadership:
[00:59] Fatouma Ahmed: I think I've finally made peace with my voice and now I use it to lift others.
[01:05] Katie Jensen: and faith:
[01:06] Fatouma Ahmed: Islam teaches us that leadership isn't a Amanah, a trust. It's not about power, but responsibility. That principle has guided every step of my journey.
[01:17] Katie Jensen: We jumped back into Fatouma story mid-career.
[01:20] Fatouma Ahmed: So my next chapter brought me to treasury board secretary, where I led efforts on information, communication and accessibility.
This was the standard on ICT accessibility for the Government of Canada, and this was an interesting time because this was really dictated by the Accessibility Canada Act and the commitment to make Canada barrier-free by January 1st, 2040. And this really includes identifying, removing, and preventing barriers in federal jurisdictions in priority areas such as communication and other areas that were determined by the minister.
[01:54] And for us, ensuring that our digital spaces, our platforms and systems were barrier free for people with disability was really the cornerstone of what we did. We talk about exclusion in terms of services and policies. But I think we also forget that sometimes exclusion can show up in digital form as well.
[02:13] Whether we're talking about softwares that don't account for different abilities or services that are leaving people behind. This was really an opportunity, I think up to that point, I had worked with people providing services to Canadians outside of the government. And this was really inward-looking where we were now looking at how our peers, our Government of Canada employees with disability were experiencing the systems and the softwares that we were using and almost taking for granted.
[02:41] And what are some of the barriers that existed there? So for us in those conversations, not only was it a policy and a priority of the government, but this was also legislated by an Act. So there is a legal requirement here, and what we did in this capacity is instead of only talking to experts within ICT, we engaged the inter-governmental networks of people with disability in the conversation. 'cause it was really, really important for me to make sure that we put people at the center of the policies that we do. And really this was an opportunity for us to be able to hear their stories and intimately understand what the day-to-day experiences are, but also the barriers that they're experiencing and really making sure that this standard that we were developing really incorporated those experiences and really made sure that more practically, that this would provide a benefit to the community.
[03:39] Katie Jensen: Yeah, and I think the reason that people have such a resistance to any kind of accessibility issues is simply because they haven't experienced the barrier yet, and yet is the key word. Because so many people, it's not a matter of if they will become disabled, it's a matter of at what point and what kind of flavor of disability, whether it's physical, you know, with mobility challenges or vision, hearing, intellectual, so many people will experience that, at least at some point in their life, that you know, I think about educating the public and also just having the options there are so, so useful because you might even be temporarily having an accessibility need and benefit from something like that, even if you're not currently benefiting from an option like that.
[04:24] Fatouma Ahmed: And I think when we remember that accessibility impacts everyone. When we design for the most vulnerable communities, we're really designing for everyone. And I think that is what's important in making sure that, you know, people who have been on the fringes or who have not been traditionally represented in decision makings are at the forefront of everything that we do.
[04:47] Even in the immediate, if it's not impacting you as a person, you know someone who is impacting, you know, whether it's a family member or a neighbor or community member, accessibility impacts everyone and not just a select group. And we really need to be inclusive in our designs and make sure that we are designing with people in mind for sure. So from there I joined the Federal Economic Development Agency of Southern Ontario, FedDev Ontario. And this marked a significant pivot in my career. I became an Executive, and you know, FedDev Ontario is the economic development agency for Southern Ontario. As we know Canada's most populous region, our mission is really to foster innovation, drive growth, and build more inclusive and resilient communities.
[05:38] And as the Director for Program Services, I lead a policy and program team that essentially turns, you know, federal priorities and government objectives into concrete actionable programs. My team's responsible for developing program design, implementing the programs, providing strategic advice and operational guidance. I've got a team that's also working on performance monitoring, and then another team that manages the grants and contribution budget. So, really a whole lot of work for a small and mighty team, but they're an incredible team and I feel really, really fortunate to be leading the team. And really, I think for me, it's really ensuring that the programs that we deliver not only meet the government objectives, but are accessible, they're equitable, and they are relevant to the people that we serve.
[06:30] One of my biggest goals, and you know, the conversation that I had with my team is really making sure that our programs reflect a GBA plus perspective. So Gender-Based Analysis Plus. And this is an analytical tool that you know is used in government that really goes beyond gender, 'cause you hear the word gender. But it does consider how factors such as race, ethnicity, age, disability, geography, and other intersecting identity markers impact how people experience programs and services. It's really making sure that you understand the full picture and that you're embedding that understanding into every phase of the policy and program development.
[07:11] And for us to operationalize this, we've really prioritized plain language tools and templates that improve the user experience, client-centric program design that reduces barriers to access. Data informed business intelligence that really allow us to monitor who benefits from our programs and who you know is left out and reducing administrative burden where possible so that our clients are able to access services without, you know, any barriers. Just really, really proud of the work that we're doing because on one hand we're providing, you know, funding opportunities to this program. But I think it's about empowering these communities and really making sure that they reflect the diversity of Southern Ontario and we're capable of addressing some of the inequities in accessing funding innovation and opportunities for community groups.
[08:05] Katie Jensen: I'm curious about how your job changes, when there's a lot of chatter in the public about recessions and tightening of budgets, and there's just a lot of nervousness amongst clients of all kinds, maybe how your job changed from when you started in early 2024 to what's going on this year?
[08:24] Fatouma Ahmed: There's a lot happening this year, as you can imagine. I joined the agency at a time where there's a lot of focus on economic development, you know, as it relates to the country as a whole. We're talking about removing interprovincial barriers, a one candidate economy. We've been hit by tariffs by the U.S. so there is a lot of chatter happening across the country, and more particularly within the agency as well, in terms of how do we support our community groups And for us, and for me as a leader, it's really been about staying grounded and tuning out some of the noise that you're hearing on the outside and really staying focused on the objectives of the government of the day and really making sure that we are on course and trying to align the work that we do to the mandate of the government. We are delivering on programs that are responsive to what's happening to our Canadian economy.
[09:24] For instance, we're addressing the tariffs. We've got programs for black entrepreneurs. We've got our regional programs that develop opportunities for economic development within Southern Ontario. So there's a lot of work that is happening right now and that is clearly tied to sort of everything that's happening in our country right now, whether we're talking about tariffs or supports for our communities in terms of economic development.
[09:53] Katie Jensen: Mm-hmm. Yeah. I also imagine that a lot of people kind of expect instant results from the government, whether it's provincial or on a larger federal scale. But are you working on programs that have like a longer tail, like when you're working on programs, are you thinking 2026 or 2030?
[10:10] Fatouma Ahmed: So for us, I mean the programs that we're launching are, you know, funding programs. So they provide funding to community groups for different lengths of time. So we've got projects that can last two years, one year, but that can go up to five years as well. So there is sort of those long-term projects that, you know, we fund currently and we'll continue to fund.
[10:34] Fatouma Ahmed: Right now in my capacity, as you know, a Director of Program Services within FedDev. I'm also the co-champion for the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at FedDev Ontario, and that has been a rewarding job in terms of making sure that not only the team that I lead provides that equity lens, but that the agency as a whole really embeds equity, diversity, and inclusion in everything that we do.
[11:03] So lots of work happening on that front. I'm also the executive champion for the Ontario Federal Council's community of interests on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. So a really rewarding job in the sense where I'm working directly with co-chairs, within Ontario that are leading incredible programs to support aspiring managers and directors in federal public service who live in Ontario. So that's been really, really interesting all around. I think I feel very, very fortunate. In the work that I do as it relates to the agency, we're really at the heart of a lot of what's happening in in the world right now and in Canada in particular. So it feels really great to be able to contribute and be part of this very important time in our world.
[11:50] Katie Jensen: I also love that, you know, with each of the positions you've had, you've had like a side thing that you're also doing at that job, and I'm curious about what other things you'd like to accomplish in your career, whether that's getting a specific achievement done, just getting some experience doing, one kind of work working in a completely different sector.
[12:12] Fatouma Ahmed: Yes. You know, with every role that I've had, as my children would say, hustle on the side, because really I think being of service for me is so important and in any way that I can, you know, contribute and make an impact. I think that's truly a duty that I see for myself. So in having a very successful career in government, I've also volunteered quite a lot since sort of my early days in government.
[12:39] And initially these volunteering aspirations started, you know, to gain new skills that I wasn't getting in my day-to-day job. But it quickly allowed me to show up in ways that I couldn't always, within the confines of government, right? It became less about sort of those developmental opportunities for myself and more about being of service to others. I founded the Somali Canadian Alliance for Families, which is a grassroots organization that works to bridge the divide between two historically polarized downtown communities in Toronto. And at this time there were a lot of news in the media around, you know, lots of crime and criminal activities happening in those neighborhoods.
[13:23] And I think oftentimes what we don't see behind those media coverages is the impact this has on the parents, on the community, on the children, and for us, having lived in one of those communities, it was really important for me to go back into the community and organize community events and youth leadership initiatives that really fostered positive relationships between the children, the youth, their families, and replacing some of the tension and the isolation that these communities were feeling with collaboration, belongingness and just hope and the possibility that things could be different.
[14:00] One of the early activities that we had planned was a father-son soccer game. And in early consultations with the parents, one of the things that we kept hearing is these youth don't have positive role models to understand that there are different paths that you can take in life and different choices that you can make. And through that, we were able to mobilize the community and find fathers who were willing to come in for a fun day of activity. And we did a father-son soccer game and partnered every youth with a father figure. And you know at first they come in and they're tough and they don't wanna be here and they feel like they're being forced. But very quickly that energy turned into this youthful glow and you heard the laughter and you heard them working together and the collaboration between not only the youth that were there, but also the father figures that were there. So a really impactful event that we had organized sort of early on that really marked our position in the community.
[15:07] So in this event, we also partnered with the Toronto Community Housing that connected us with a lot of different sponsors. One of them being SVP Sports, who donated 40 pairs of shoes to the youth. We worked with different politicians, namely Adam Vaughn, what the time was an MPP. So really a lot of support across the community to kind of, you know, host this event. So. It was an opportunity for us to mobilize around these youth and really show them how important they are to us, and making sure that they understand that there's a community behind them and we want their success. Another one that we had held was when we talked to the youth around careers. When they would enter these career fairs, one of the, the comments that we received very early on was how intimidating it was for them. The employers didn't look like them. These spaces were really not created for them. Oftentimes they didn't dress the same way. They didn't know how to present themselves. So we organized a career fair for these youth in the community.
[16:12] And you know, I had all three levels of government there and different businesses that came out. And part of the agreement in having these youth come is they would come into the career fair, but they also were mandated. Or we had asked them to take two workshops that we had organized. So the first workshop was a first impression workshop, and we had an HR leader there that talked to the youth about what it means to present yourself and be fully present when you're talking to a prospective employer. What it means to look at them in the eyes and that firm handshake and that two minute elevator pitch around why you're the right candidate. And the second workshop focused more on resume building and how do you talk about your work experiences in a way that's going to attract a prospective employer. So at first these youth kind of came in, they registered, they went into the main hall where we had the employers and sort of did the traditional walk around and went to the different booths and then they went to the first workshop on first impressions, and they did the second workshop on resume building.
[17:15] And then we had them come back into the main space and talk to the employers again. And the feedback that we got from the prospective employers that were there was the way the youth had showed up the second time was vastly different than the first. Their posture was straighter. Their handshakes were firmer. They were able to talk about their experiences in a way that they couldn't the first time around. And for us, what that taught us is when people are provided with the tools when they're provided with the support that they need, they can achieve heights that are imaginable to so many of us. But unfortunately, youth of equity deserving groups often don't get the same opportunities, don't have access to the same tools, the same supports as others.
[18:00] So it does make it harder, and it does create those barriers for them. So while these career fairs exist and they're everywhere. We really have to ask ourselves, are we creating spaces that are inclusive and that make everyone feel welcome? Maybe not. So I think the organization that I founded it was able to tap into those gaps that exist already and I think it made a powerful impact on the community.
[18:27] Katie Jensen: Yeah, that's incredibly impressive.
[18:29] Fatouma Ahmed: Thank you. And then from there, I worked at as a strategic advisor for the Toronto District School Board. They brought together community leaders that were responsible for identifying and recommending actions to be taken by the TDSB to increase the potential for educational success of students of Somali descent.
[18:47] And this was really in response to the stark conditions that existed, including a high dropout rate for Somali speaking students compared to other TDSB students. And then in this capacity, we held meetings across the city that drew passionate input from a broad array of community members, and through that, we were able to recommend 25 recommendations to the TDSB, which were accepted. And one of the recommendations was to declare October Somali Heritage Month at the TDSB, which really falls on the same month as Islamic Heritage Month. So Happy Islamic Heritage Month and Somali Heritage Month too, everyone.
[19:28] Katie Jensen: Ah, I love that!
[19:30] Fatouma Ahmed: So, continuing, you know, I volunteer as the Head of Community Inclusion at Equal Voice, and really this was to increase civic participation and political representation among underrepresented groups, particularly women of colour. I also served as the co-chair for the Durham Anti-Racism Task Force, and this is really to support the region's commitment to develop and implement an anti-racism framework through the hub-and-spoke model. And really this model is a structure that places a central coordination body, so the hub at the center, but connects and supports a network of working groups and experts in the field and communities that come together.
[20:10] And what this allows is for the work that we do and the solutions are informed by those with lived experiences and that the work is collaborative and community-driven rather than imposed from the top down. And for me, I think through all of these experiences, whether in a federal boardroom or a community center, I've learned that real change is never top down. We have to co-create. We have to create inclusive spaces, and really always ask ourselves who's not being represented and who's not benefiting from the work that we're doing. It requires active listening. It requires building trust and meeting people where they are, and never underestimating the power of those who've lived the issues to lead the solutions.
[21:00] Katie Jensen: I was also thinking about how extroverts are always gonna give you their opinion more readily than introverts.
[21:06] Fatouma Ahmed: That's exactly it. And the same can go for community groups that have often been neglected and who don't see themselves in these spaces. So that's why representation is just as important. I think I talk a lot about inclusive spaces. What I think is equally as important is talking about allyship, at all levels, whether we're talking about, you know, at the executive level, at the working level, or community, and if we want a public service that reflects all Canadians, allyship has to be more than a buzzword. It must be embedded across all levels of leadership.
[21:41] The best executive allies that I've worked with didn't just sponsor me. They trusted me. They advocated for rooms that I wasn't in, and more importantly, they stepped back when I was ready to lead. What I think is really important is allyship at this level really requires sharing of power, taking risks, and letting go of ego, and really creating those spaces for other leaders who have historically not been represented to be front and center, and to be there to inform the decision making that we're doing. At the working level, really, I think for me it's about showing up in the daily actions, understanding who gets credit at work or in the meeting, who gets interrupted, who's included in emails, who gets second chances? The colleagues that say “You matter. Your voice counts.” The team leads who don't make assumptions, but ask what support looks like.
[22:42] It's not about being flashy. It really is about being intentional and consistent at the community level. I think we talk about allyship in the workplace and often assume that this happens between nine-to-five, but I think we have to remember that it's also how we show up for our neighbors, how we use our privilege and build capacity in others. For me, I know in my community work, I've had allies who didn't try and lead the charge, but who used their platforms to amplify voices that were already doing the work, and remembering that allyship is not charity. It really is standing in solidarity with community groups that have historically not been represented, and it only matters when it's in motion.
[22:34] Talking about it was great, but I think it's the action behind it. And for me, as I think about my leadership philosophy, it's always been rooted in purpose. I like to think that I don't lead to be liked, although I think it's very hard sometimes. I just wanna be liked, but I really try and lead to create space, to build trust, and to move systems forward. It's not always easy, and there are times where my voice isn't welcomed. Times where being visibly a Muslim black woman in leadership can sometimes feel like you're being underestimated or you're being ignored. But I think for me, one of the biggest lessons that I've learned is the more that I show up as my full self, the more powerful my impact becomes.
[24:30] That I can't lead effectively if I'm hiding. I can't build trust if I'm not willing to be vulnerable, which is really a thing that I do all too much being vulnerable and speaking truth to power. Another lesson for me in my leadership is I've really invested in my own healing. I can't undersell the importance of therapy because for me, it's been about trying to see the world from my own view and not allowing the trauma or my lived experience to really inform who I am, but to be able to carve out my own identity and using those painful experiences as positives.
[25:15] To really contribute to the impact that I'm making in society and not let them tear me down or define who I am. I've had to learn, or I guess I unlearned narratives that told me that I had to work twice as hard and say half as much, and it's been a long, long journey. And I think I'm still working at it, but I think I've finally made peace with my voice and now I use it to lift others. My message to, I think everyone who second-guesses themselves is you belong. You don't have to compromise your identity to lead. In fact, your identity is your superpower. I've made it my mission to show up fully and unapologetically myself and for those who come next. And one thing that I've learned is you can't pour from an empty cup.
[26:13] So leadership must include care, community care, self-care, spiritual care. And for me, that's how I stay grounded. In closing, you know, as we recognize Islamic Heritage Month, I reflect on the generations of Muslims who have shaped this country quietly, who have built communities, led change, and carried faith through fire.
[26:41] While their names are not in your textbooks, their fingerprints are everywhere, and I carry them with me. And I hope that when I speak, when I lead and when I serve, I make space for those coming behind me to walk a little easier. My dream is that young Muslim girls or boys, hijab or not block in every other equity deserving group, sees me and thinks that there's space for them and that they understand that leadership can look like us, and that the public service is a place where our values and our voices are needed because when we lead with intention, inclusion and integrity, we don't just change systems, we change legacies.
[27:29] Katie Jensen: Thanks for listening. Applaud is proud to showcase the dedication of those who make decisions for the greater good and strive to leave the world a better place for all Canadians. All personal views expressed by guests and our hosts are their own. Applaud will continue to recognize those in public service, offer a kaleidoscope of perspectives, and operate in good faith to build trust with applaud members and all public citizens. You can share feedback on this episode by visiting applaudpublicservice.ca