Meet Sofia Santiso-Borsten (and her daughter Chloe).
“I grew up in Guatemala, but have been in Ottawa for eight years. My family roots were originally Canadian, but my parents were born in Guatemala and had me there. It’s not normal to live on one’s own in Guatemala, so after my father died, I decided to move to Ottawa and escape living on my own without family. It was hard coming to a new place, but the city is warm and welcoming. Everyone here is so different, they are accepting of who you are. They don’t care about religion or your culture, or background. It makes it very rich here and easy to come here and be who you are. Where I come from it’s different. There is a high society of a few people and everyone else is made from the same cookie cutter and you all have to believe in the same thing, and there’s a lack of identity.
“I like Westboro because it’s a great neighbourhood. There’s lots of activities for kids and adults. There’s great shopping, dining, great places to walk around. My stepson can play hockey outside. It’s friendly and the people are nice.” Collected by Ellen Bond
Humans of Kitchissippi is a special street photography project designed to introduce readers to some of the people who live, work, and play in Kitchissippi. Each instalment of HOK contains three elements: a photo, a name, and a quote from the subject that reveals a little bit about who they are. View our collection of humans right here.