BGIns Graduate | EDI Research Grant Recipient | AEO Real Change Scholar
Volunteer Ottawa’s 2021 Outstanding Youth Volunteer
DreamKEEPERS June Girvan Youth-In-Service Award Recipient
Lindsey Alcy has always believed in the power of people. Born in Ottawa in 2001 and raised in the quiet town of Aylmer, Québec, she learned early on what it meant to stand out. As one of the few visible minorities in her predominantly white community, she could have shrunk into the background. But Lindsey never saw her differences as a limitation—instead, she became known as “the glue” in every group, the spark of energy who brought others together and made community feel like home. That hunger to serve and uplift carried her to Carleton University, where she pursued a Bachelor of Global and International Studies (BGInS) with a specialization in law and social justice, and a minor in sociology. Her choice was intentional. Lindsey wanted an education that would sharpen her tools and amplify her impact. The BGInS program’s commitment to global engagement gave her exactly that. From studying food sovereignty in Haiti to exploring the coffee industry in Costa Rica and analyzing the sugar trade in the Dominican Republic, she began weaving together a nuanced understanding of global inequalities. But her education didn’t stop at theory. Lindsey presented her research internationally at Howard University, interned with the United Nations Association in Canada, and found community in the Afro-Caribbean Mentorship Program. Each experience deepened her conviction that true leadership requires empathy, knowledge, and the courage to question dominant narratives. As a Black woman navigating both Western institutions and international development spaces, she chose to challenge Eurocentric worldviews, decolonize her approach to aid, and step away from performative voluntourism. Her goal was never to “save” others, but to stand in solidarity and co-create change. Her story is anchored in a deep and deliberate pursuit of inclusion and justice. The turning point came during high school, when a single introductory class in sociology, psychology, and anthropology awakened something powerful in her. She became fascinated with human behaviour and social systems, and the questions that shaped society. While her parents hoped she would follow a conventional pre-med track, Lindsey chose something radically different. She enrolled in a specialized Social Action program, stepping into a space where learning was lived, not just taught. That decision would define her path.
Volunteering with local nonprofits, traveling to the Dominican Republic and Costa Rica for humanitarian service work, and immersing herself in grassroots projects exposed her to issues that textbooks could never fully explain. She witnessed firsthand the systemic weight of intergenerational poverty, human exploitation, institutional racism, and sexism. These weren’t just abstract ideas—they were lived realities. And from that moment, Lindsey committed herself to becoming the change she wished to see.
When she returned to Ottawa for high school, she experienced culture shock—not because of a lack of diversity, but because of the absence of meaningful inclusion. Representation was scarce, leadership often exclusive, and the status quo unchallenged. Instead of sitting back, Lindsey leaned in. Encouraged by her older brother, she poured herself into service: student council, peer mentorship, children’s hospital volunteering, and international service work. She didn’t just talk about inclusion—she practiced it.
Through every chapter of her journey—from her earliest days in Aylmer to the global classrooms and communities she now walks into—Lindsey has embodied the Ubuntu philosophy: Je suis parce que nous sommes (I am because we are). It’s a principle she lives by, and a reminder that her growth is tied to the upliftment of others.
Today, she continues to shape her path with one guiding question: Have I become the change I wish to see? And every step she takes brings her closer to answering with a resounding “Yes.”
Her story is a blueprint for young people everywhere—especially those who feel unseen, unheard, or unsure if they belong. Lindsey Alcy is proof that with heart, courage, and purpose, they can not only belong, but lead.
