SheLeads: Salma Lakhani

Her Honor, Salma Lakhani was appointed the first-ever Muslim Lieutenant Governor of Alberta in 2020. This historic appointment was bestowed by the Governor General, on the advice of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Lieutenant Governor Lakhani has spent the last several decades as a tireless community advocate in Edmonton. Some of her roles have included the following:

• She was one of the first mentors in NorQuest College’s Youth in Transition program, providing valuable guidance for students with English as a second language.
• She is a founding member of NorQuest College’s “1000 Women: A Million Possibilities” movement, and has been on its advisory committee for the past decade.
• She has also served as a Board Director for the John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights, for ten years.

She has received recognition for her advocacy and community engagement with the Alberta Order of Excellence, the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, Alberta Centennial Medal, and, most recently, she received the NorQuest College Honorary Diploma in Community Services Leadership in 2019.

In an interview, Salma Lakhani shared that one of the biggest obstacles facing women can be ourselves. We often don't believe in ourselves enough and sometimes think we are not enough. For her personally, she made a point of volunteering at a grassroots level, and did so quietly - without looking for recognition. She always became involved in causes that she profoundly believed in, including her daughter’s parent council at school. She never aspired to her current position, and never once asked "What's in it for me?" For her, she always followed the sage advice of wanting for others what she wanted for herself - and that's what moves us towards a beautiful and just world.

Her advice to women and girls:  get involved, believe in yourself, and be yourself. We all have different skills and abilities - there's no need to start at the top at a Board level; work your way up, be humble, and always do your best.

She indicates that people are amazed at how much the Ismaili community can accomplish in civil society. She uses the Ismaili community as a grounding force, and hopes that others in our Jamat can relate.