For Rita‑Helen Irabor (BBA 22), downtown Winnipeg isn’t just a place; it’s a community that helped shape her personal and professional journey. After leaving the vibrant city of Lagos, Nigeria, she arrived in Winnipeg in 2018 as an international student and quickly found herself woven into the fabric of the neighbourhood she now proudly champions and calls home.
Drawn to UWinnipeg to pursue a business degree, an interest inspired by her entrepreneurial parents, Rita‑Helen expected to gain knowledge, experience, and a solid foundation for her career. What she didn’t anticipate was discovering a diverse, welcoming community in the heart of downtown, one that would ultimately inspire her work beyond the classroom.
Today, she serves as the Policy and Economic Development Coordinator at the Downtown Winnipeg Business Improvement Zone (BIZ), a non‑profit dedicated to ensuring the downtown remains a vibrant place to live, work, and play. In her role, she supports over 1,000 centrally located businesses, developing initiatives, strengthening programs, and contributing to economic advocacy efforts that help the core thrive.
I love downtown Winnipeg. I love that I could live here, study, and engage with my community at large. It feels like home.
Rita-Helen Irabor
One of the projects under her leadership is the Downtown BIZ Gift Card Program, which has generated more than half a million dollars in additional revenue for participating businesses.
“I love downtown Winnipeg,” she said. “I love that I could live here, study, and engage with my community at large. It feels like home.”
But what truly shaped her experience at UWinnipeg was the diversity she found on campus.
“If I could sum up my UWinnipeg experience, it would be multicultural,” she explained. “As an immigrant and first‑generation Nigerian-Canadian, finding community was important. What I didn’t expect and was pleased with was having access to other world cultures on campus. One day I’m at an African cultural night, and the next I’m celebrating Holi with my Pakistani and Indian colleagues.”
These experiences broadened her worldview and deepened her appreciation for shared cultural connections, connections that become especially meaningful as we reflect on Black History Month.
Reflections on Black History Month
For Rita‑Helen, Black History Month is rooted in community, affirmation, and visibility.
“In every room I enter, I am Black,” she shared. “When society consistently reminds you that you are a minority, it can be easy to lose yourself and shrink over time. Especially in the absence of a strong community to affirm and validate your experiences.”
She notes that Black contributions have often been overlooked or excluded from historical narratives, leaving many to wonder where they fit.
“That’s why Black History Month matters,” she said. “It reminds us that we belong. Our voices, our opinions, our stories, and our dreams matter. It’s a reminder to take up space, to be loud, proud, and bold. I’d love for history to be told in its entirety, in truth, and for us to be part of that conversation.”
For Rita‑Helen, the month is not just an annual celebration; it’s an ongoing call to recognition, representation, and community building.
