Vice-President of Equity - Sharon Giroux (She/her/elle/wiin)

Gawsheosung n’dizhnaakaaz, M’Chigeeng n’doonjibaa, Chatham Endaad, Waabiishiishii n’dodem.

Leur nom spirituel est celui qui brille de mille feux, elle est membre de la Première Nation M'Chigeeng. Elle vit à Chatham et elle est membre du clan de martre.

Sharon Giroux is a member of M’Chigeeng First Nation. She resides in Chatham-Kent and is a member of the Marten clan. Her pronouns are she/her/elle/wiin.

Sharon has been teaching for more than 20 years. She has served as a member of the OECTA Diversity Advisory Board (DAB) for five years, and as the chair of the Accessibility, Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity (AIDE) Task Force for two years.

Sharon recalls seeing the initial call-out to become part of the DAB, and quickly responded, thinking this would be a great way to get involved with OECTA. She had not really thought about ways to contribute more actively to the Association before this, but she drew inspiration from the motivation and encouragement she had received from her local unit president as part of the St. Clair Elementary Unit.

Sharon is from Manitoulin Island, born in Toronto and raised in Southern Ontario. Adopted at the age of six along with her younger brother, she was raised in a French and Italian family and is a graduate of the French Catholic Education system.

Both of her parents were educators and members of the OECTA family, and she recalls growing up participating in several events in different school settings that her parents were involved in. In addition to her role as an elementary French teacher, she has coached volleyball and basketball teams, like her father did before her, and continues to play volleyball with friends in local leagues.

As a Sixties Scoop Survivor, Sharon has spent the last decade educating herself and others who are willing to learn and engage in discussions about what Reconciliation means. She is an active facilitator and participant in Circles for Reconciliation and has advocated for anyone who wants to know and learn more, to sign up and hear stories from First Nation, Métis or Inuit peoples. She has been a guest speaker at Western University, where she discusses her experiences with students taking Indigenous Studies. She also shares her experiences and knowledge with students and co-workers about the unspoken histories of Turtle Island.