TORONTO -- Adora Nwofor is used to standing out in a crowd​ by​ now. At 6-foot-1 (she clarified that’s without her hair done up and heels) and known as Calgary’s only Black female comedian, you could say standing out has become synonymous with Nwofor’s brand. 

The 45-year-old Calgary native has been doing comedy for almost 12 years. She’s a mother, has worked as a model and public speaker, and has spent the last 20 years of her life closely involved in Black activism work. In a TEDx Talk she gave in October, Nwofor spoke about the need to center Blackness and the disruption caused by the seemingly harmless task of trying to find makeup that matched her skin tone. 

In September, Nwofor officially became the president of Calgary’s Black Lives Matter chapter, an organization that has seen a resurgence of activity and interest in the wake of last May’s Minnesota police killing of George Floyd.

Whether she’s speaking to protestors at a rally or to strangers at a comedy club, Nwofor isn’t afraid to pick up a mic and share her personal stories and lived experiences as a Black woman using comedy and activism to tackle anti-racism and other social justice issues.  

Nwofor recently spoke to CTVNews.ca via video call about how her comedy and activist work intersect, and the need for more Black women in comedy. Here are a few excerpts from that conversation.