Community Champion Sheila Pitt Endorses Rawlson King

OTTAWA, ON — Sheila Pitt, one of Ottawa's most celebrated community advocates and a recipient of the United Way East Ontario's Community Builder Award, today announced her formal endorsement of Rawlson King for re-election as City Councillor for Rideau-Rockcliffe Ward in the 2026 Ottawa municipal election.

"Ottawa is a city shaped by the dedication of its people — people who show up, year after year, to make life better for their neighbours. Rawlson King is exactly that kind of leader. He understands our community's history, honours its diversity, and works every day to build a more inclusive and equitable city. I am proud to stand behind him."

— Sheila Pitt

Ms. Pitt's endorsement carries significant weight in Ottawa's Black and Caribbean communities. A Guyana-born advocate who began her volunteer journey in 1966 with the Guyana Association, she has spent more than four decades championing racial equality, heritage, and community empowerment in the nation's capital. She is widely credited with pioneering Ottawa's first Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrations, which she organized beginning in the 1970s when no formal recognition of the day existed in the city. She is also a founding member of Black History Ottawa, a non-profit dedicated to advancing education in the history, culture, and achievements of Canadians of African descent.

Her decades of service also include two terms as president of the Guyana-Ottawa Association, active participation in Ottawa's African Caribbean pageant, and years of youth mentorship through Impact Heritage — a community-led initiative focused on literacy and life skills for young people. Ms. Pitt has also served as President of the Barrhaven Lions Club and President of the Nepean Seniors Management Board, and was recognized by the Government of Ontario for her dedicated volunteerism at the Perley Veterans Hospital. For her extraordinary contributions, Ms. Pitt was honoured in January 2024 with the United Way East Ontario Community Builder Award at a ceremony attended by 300 community members at the National Gallery of Canada.

Ms. Pitt cited King's record of advocacy for equity-deserving communities, his deep roots in the Rideau-Rockcliffe ward, and his commitment to open and transparent governance as the reasons for her support.

"Rawlson brings a rare combination of lived experience, professional and volunteer expertise and a genuine passion for public service. He listens. He acts. And he never forgets who he is there to serve."

— Sheila Pitt

King has served the Rideau-Rockcliffe community at Ottawa City Hall since a 2019 by-election, bringing a deep commitment to volunteerism and civic engagement to bear on the complex challenges facing a growing, diverse city. Throughout his tenure, he has been a consistent voice for transparency, community engagement, and meaningful investment in the people and neighbourhoods of his ward.

"I am deeply honoured to receive the endorsement of Sheila Pitt. Sheila's life of service is a blueprint for what community leadership looks like — consistent, compassionate, and always centred on the people who need it most. Her support means the world to me and strengthens my resolve to keep working hard for the residents of Rideau-Rockcliffe."

— Rawlson King