Liberal candidate Surekha Shenoy has spent her whole life giving back to the community she lives in and is now wanting to make real change to better the lives of her constituents.
“My inroads into politics was very different from others who have come in because they want to make it a career. I've come from a very different angle. I’ve always helped my community, but I want to make change happen,” Shenoy said.
Running for the second time for the Ontario Liberal Party, the first time in 2018 in the Kitchener South-Hespeler riding, Shenoy said this is the perfect time for her to run again. She hopes her experience from the past election will give her the leading edge.
She has lived in Cambridge for almost 30 years and has been a vocal advocate for her community. She has been involved with numerous local charities and was the chair and director of the Cambridge Memorial Hospital Foundation (CMHF). Currently, she sits on the board of directors for Hospice Waterloo Region and is co-chair of the East Indian Community Walkathon of Waterloo Region
Growing up in India, Shenoy had four other siblings, three sisters and a brother. She said her parents were looked down on for having so many girls, but her mother would not let anyone put down her family.
Her mother is one of her biggest influences and an outspoken advocate for women in their country and instilled confidence, determination and the will to speak your voice in all her children.
“I grew up and my mom was very strong and had a strong determination to tell the world girls do matter,” Shenoy said.
Her mother would also help the less fortunate in their community despite not having much themselves. They would offer whatever they could to help those around them.
This stays true with Shenoy as she teaches her two daughters the same lessons.
“Every time we visited a grocery store, I made them pick up donations for the food bank. We donated around 120 pounds of food from our home every three months,” she said.
Despite all of the challenges Shenoy has faced in India, she would encounter similar problems in Canada.
One of her biggest challenges is being looked at a certain way, as a woman of colour.
This has not stopped her from living her truth and speaking up for what she believes in. In every conversation she has, she will speak her mind and not let her voice be silenced.
Shenoy has a line she tells people when she’s canvassing and door knocking.
“I cannot promise you change will happen, but I promise you I will stand up and I will influence decision making. There's no question I'm not the type to sit on the sidelines.”
One day her youngest daughter was out campaigning with her and they went to a homeless shelter. Her daughter returned home shaken by how people in her community were living.
“There's much of the fabric of our society that needs many things to change, and we don't do it. I think addressing this is so very important,” Shenoy said.
When asked what she would do if she wasn’t in politics she said she would be with the Women's Crisis Center, or at the Ukrainian church helping them. "I would be at the food bank. I would be doing those things, which are very dear to me.”
Self-described as a person for the community who is determined to bring real change and betterment to her community, Shenoy is looking forward to serving Cambridge.
“No matter which party they voted for I will always be for my community and will influence the decision making at Queen’s Park, there's no question.”
