Jen Powley honoured in celebration of life

N.S. disability advocate remembered Hundreds of people celebrated the life of disability advocate Jen Powley in Halifax on Saturday.

HALIFAX — A celebration of life honouring Jen Powley, a disability rights advocate and environmentalist, was held at the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 in Halifax on Saturday.

Family, friends and former colleagues paid tribute to the activist who died September 17 due to complications from multiple sclerosis.

“She was a tremendous advocate and friend who really cared about people and really thought of the world as a community as a whole and I think we’ve lost that,” said Victoria Levack, Powley’s friend and roommate.

It was through the Independent Living Program that Levack met Powley.

It is a loss that Levack said she feels deeply, especially since she looked up to Powley. “She allowed me to live in her home and had her partner move out so I could move in. It was a great gift. I finally have the life that I wanted and think everyone deserves and she gave me that.”

The celebration of life included speeches, music and stories of people she inspired.

“Her humour threw me. Maybe because I didn’t expect somebody with a profound disability would have such a clever and dry sense of humour,” recalled Judy Haiven, a friend of Powley’s.

Powley was a writer and an advocate for people living with severe physical disabilities. Her goal was to ensure people with disabilities had the option to live independently, instead of being cared for in seniors’ homes.

She was a partner and a friend whose spirit continues to inspire everyone who knew her.

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