Calgary Pavilion Member Spotlight: Rebecca Foshole-Luke, Founder and Executive Director of the Family Advocacy Support Centre (FASC)
Rebecca was born in Zimbabwe and grew up in the United States before moving to Canada. Here, she received a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Women's Studies from Mount Royal University and a Bachelors in Social Work degree from Dalhousie University.
Her experiences as a Black African woman navigating different systems, immigration, citizenship, and motherhood has shaped her passion for social justice and the way she approaches her work. Rebecca’s background in sociology and women’s studies helped her understand how systems, policies, and social structures can shape people’s experiences; while social work gave her the opportunity to put that knowledge into practice.
During Rebecca’s social work practicum, she had the opportunity to work as an advocate for parents through Legal Aid whose children had recently been apprehended. She was fascinated by how much the legal system could shape a family’s experience, while also seeing how difficult it could be for parents to understand their rights and navigate that system, especially when they were already dealing with so many other challenges. Rebecca had started her social work degree early in her pregnancy and was also navigating her own postpartum anxiety. She was fortunate to have an amazing support system and access to therapy, and that experience highlighted to her the importance for people to receive the right support during difficult periods of their lives.
After completing her practicum, Rebecca did contract work while looking for a full-time role, but nothing really stood out to her. Through her work with Legal Aid, she saw a significant gap in accessible legal information, system navigation, and advocacy for parents. Rebecca realized there was an opportunity to build something that brought together her passion for social work, law, and advocacy, while addressing a need she was seeing firsthand. With her interest in the intersection of families, the legal system, and social services, Rebecca was driven to make complex systems more accessible, equitable, and responsive to the people they are meant to serve. These principles have continued to shape her work and ultimately led her to founding the non-profit Family Advocacy Support Centre (FASC).
Currently, her day-to-day includes a mix of big-picture planning and very hands-on work. Some of the projects her team is focused on right now include renewing the grant that supports their core program, updating their website and building a resource library for families, and preparing for their fall community legal education workshops. One project Rebecca is particularly excited about is the work they’re doing to better support dads navigating the child intervention system. As her team sees more dads accessing their services for support with reunification, they’re working with the team at Calgary Legal Guidance to develop resources and peer-informed support specifically for fathers.
Looking ahead, her biggest goal is to continue making sure FASC is meeting the needs of families and providing meaningful, accessible support when families need it most. Like many nonprofits, FASC is navigating the challenges of limited funding and resources while responding to a growing need in the community. Ultimately, Rebecca wants FASC to meaningfully contribute to creating a future where families feel comfortable asking for the support they need to stay safe, connected, and together.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
