Robbie
Robbie is a resident of Hamilton who enjoys spending time in the community and the natural beauty offered by the city. He has experience as a political staffer and campaigner focused on community outreach, communications, and strategic planning. Robbie graduated from Birkbeck College, University of London, with an MA in Psychosocial Studies. The time spent in London engaging in organizing and research, which connects colonialism with cultural and social theory, influenced his approach to politics and social change. Since returning to Hamilton, Robbie has been connecting with people who care deeply about making positive change. He continues to collaborate and support projects focused on empowering community for change. In his free time, you can find Robbie reading, attending community events with friends, or wandering in nature.
Sherly
Sherly is a Flamborough-Glanbrook resident that spends a lot of time in Hamilton Centre because of community, cafes, and local game stores. They are a multi-experienced communications professional that has worked on municipal and independent campaigns and grassroots anti-oppression projects. Sherly is a first-time political staffer in MPP Sarah Jama’s Independent Constituency Office and loves meeting and advocating for constituents and learning from them every day. Sherly is an Indigenous Assyrian to what’s now-called Iraq, and has been involved in equity advocacies in diaspora spaces while supporting communications efforts in global Indigenous queer-led organizations. Sherly loves Hamilton because it’s a harbour city like their hometown of Basra. In their spare time, Sherly collects and plays trading card games, watches a lot of Degrassi, and enjoys attending punk shows.
Jo
Jo has lived in downtown Hamilton for over a decade. She grew up swimming in Georgian Bay and exploring badlands in the Andes Mountains. She learned that making friends with the land was the first step to calling a place home. In Hamilton, that has looked like days spent in community gardens, playing in parks, and stopping to smell the flowers. Before working in non-profit management and community aid, Jo spent her days as a full-time parent, participating in food security and advocacy work between naptimes and laundry. She identifies as a white queer settler and is described by her loved ones as soft but fierce – qualities that lend themselves well to supporting and advocating for constituents. An ideal day for Jo includes snuggling up with a good book, pancakes and coffee, and losing to her kids at Super Mario.
Jaydene
Jaydene is a long-time resident of downtown Hamilton and a mom of one. She identifies as a Michif woman whose father’s family live in central and northern Saskatchewan. She has a penchant for connecting people and moving them to make change in their community. Though she has done this kind of work for universities and non-profits, she takes the greatest pleasure in doing it for free and finding collective power and courage in relationship. Though living in Hamilton has become increasingly difficult in recent years, she still loves the city and the people who live here. It brings her joy to be able to meet someone and help them solve a problem, which makes the Constituency Office a lovely fit. When it’s nice out, you can find her down by the water or walking along the escarpment with a decaf coffee and toddler on her hip.