ABOUT ME

Hi, I'm Boma. My name means Blessing. I'm Ijaw and Igbo. I have lived in Nigeria, Botswana, the United States, and Canada (since 2011). I graduated from the University of Victoria with an Economics degree. 

In addition to founding SNIWWOC in 2014, I was a member of UVic’s Young Alumni Council and a member of the University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Medicine Black Student MD Admissions Subcommittee. I have been a proud member of the Victoria-Harbourside Rotary Club since 2018, where I previously chaired the International Service Committee and currently volunteer on global projects focused on addressing gender-based inequities with the Rotary Foundation. Since 2019, I have volunteered on the Potter Scholarship Committee meeting annually to award two deserving youth in Victoria with a 4 year post-secondary bursary. The Rotary Foundation has a 100% rating on Charity Navigator, which is a reflection of good governance, program sustainability, and transparency. As such, I am a two time Paul Harris Fellow.

I was awarded the BC Multiculturalism and Anti-racism Award in 2020. In 2021, I was selected as one of ten Canadian women recognized as a L’Oreal Women of Worth Award honoree, and I was a 2023 eWomenNetwork grant recipient.

Ending racism in healthcare is my life’s work. SNIWWOC continues to advocate for policy changes at the provincial & national levels that support equity in healthcare. Our advocacy work focuses on policy reform relevant to gender equity & reproductive justice. We consulted with the province on BC’s Pay Transparency Legislation, eliminating period poverty, BC's Gender-based Violence (GBV) Action Plan, & improving federal guidelines for media reporting on GBV. SNIWWOC provided substantial input & feedback on the 2020-2021 BC provincial investigation into racism in healthcare via two town hall meetings with over 400 clients & healthcare workers where attendees provided feedback on data collection, & through team meetings with the provincial investigation team. 

In January 2023, I was appointed to the Inquiry Committee of the BC College of Nurses and Midwives. The Inquiry Committee reviews complaints or other information that could give rise to an investigation, directs the investigation process, and assesses whether remedial and/or disciplinary action is warranted.

When I'm not working in non-profit, I am managing my small local service business.