Meet Face of London Pearlette Cassells!

Pearlette was originally born in Jamaica and settled in London almost 17 years ago. She first came to visit "the great city of London," to see her aunt. Shortly after that trip, she decided to make London her new home.

Adjusting to the weather was by far one of the more difficult issues Pearlette faced when coming to Canada. She recalls her cousins and aunt teasing her about the number of layers she was wearing each day before she went out. "My cousins would say how many layers do you have on today? And I would say oh my goodness I have three pairs of socks on today". She remembers how helpful her family and Londoners were when it came to helping her find appropriate clothing to help her adapt to the cold winters of Southern Ontario.

Currently Pearlette works for the Ministry of Transportation. Highway safety is of primary importance in all ministry decisions and she ensures volunteers in the Adopt-A-Highway Program receive safety training. Her favourite aspect of the city of London is the diversity within the city. "I love the diversity of London, there's so many different people and in my volunteer initiatives, I get to meet a wide cross section of people". She is involved with four major volunteer initiatives which include: the London Cross Cultural Learners Centre, The North East Community Conversations, Western University, and the Canadian French Association of Ontario. Pearlette has been involved in these programs for several years.

Volunteerism has also been a major facet of her life and source of satisfaction for Pearlette. Assisting others with adjusting to Canada as international students, newcomers, and those who speak French embody her passion for bettering the city of London. For Pearlette, her firm belief in being the change you want to see in the world is exemplified by the three major things she wants to change: "appreciation, compassion, and kindness". As Pearlette eloquently describes, "we all have goals and dreams, we all matter in this world, every single person is important and I cherish just saying hello to someone and how's the weather".

She encourages both Londoners and newcomers to connect with each other. For newcomers, there are a number of excellent services available within the city to help, including the many places where Pearlette volunteers. Her advice for those living in the city is to start small and reach out to your neighbour. Get to know them, "introduce yourself to your neighbour because you might be surprised we're not so different. We might be from different countries with different customs but we all want to build our communities into healthy and happy communities".