Finding her voice: Helen Machar and the strength behind Black excellence

Helen Machar’s (first year, Criminal Justice Policing, Edmonton) understanding of excellence began long before volleyball. Her parents immigrated to Canada after experiencing significant hardship. Her mother’s siblings were born in a refugee camp. Her father came from a war-torn country and later returned to fight in the conflict before building a new life in Canada.

“They’ve always told me my whole entire life that I would have to work that much harder just to be in the same space as other people,” says Machar.

Growing up, she didn’t fully grasp the weight of that message. Her early schooling was diverse in many cases, as being white was the minority in her classrooms. It wasn’t until she transitioned into post-secondary environments that she began to understand what her parents meant.

Over time, that message transformed from pressure into purpose. “Hearing their stories just makes me want to work so much harder,” she says.

For Machar, Black excellence is rooted in that responsibility, honouring sacrifice through preparation, consistency and resilience.

“Black excellence is getting done what needs to be done,” she says.

Excellence beyond the court

Now enrolled in Lethbridge Polytechnic’s Criminal Justice program, Machar is taking courses in sociology, public safety communications and procedural law. Her long-term goal is to complete her bachelor’s degree, with possible pathways in policing or policy analysis. The classroom, she believes, is just as important as the court.

That commitment was reinforced by Dr. Ibrahim Turay, one of the few Black instructors she has had since arriving in Lethbridge.

She recalls how he consistently connected course material to broader conversations about Black history and cultural awareness, even when some students appeared disengaged. His approach stood out.

At the end of the semester, he sent her a message that stayed with her.

“There’s often this assumption that our people — Black people — are only good at sports,” she says. “He made it clear that I’m capable of so much more, in the classroom, outside of it, on the court, and in the weight room. Knowing I had that kind of support in Lethbridge from someone who wasn’t my teammate or a close friend, someone who didn’t have to go out of their way to support me, meant so much to me.”

She says the message resonated deeply, not only because of what Turay had said, but because Machar knew it came from a place of belief.

She says she understood that he was holding her to a higher standard because he saw her potential.

In that moment, Machar says academic excellence became more than grades. It became representation. It became responsibility, backed by the reassurance that she had his support.

Support that crosses programs

One of the most meaningful conversations of Machar’s year came during a difficult period when she was balancing a new environment with concern for her grandmother’s health.

“She was in the hospital since April,” Machar says. “I just felt all this pressure and stress on me. I was like, I have to perform. I want her to see me graduate. I want her to see me play post-secondary volleyball.”

When the pressure felt heavy, Nathaniel Hosannah of the Kodiaks men’s basketball team helped her reframe her mindset.

“Nate told me everything I’m facing shouldn’t be an excuse to not work hard,” she says. “He said everything I do should be for them instead.”

The conversation shifted her perspective at a pivotal time.

“I was completely lost in a new environment,” Machar says. “Him telling me that it shouldn’t feel like a burden and that I should do it for my family, it just put my mindset there.”

For Machar, the moment reflected the broader culture within Kodiaks Athletics – that support is not confined to team boundaries. Athletes connect across programs, lean on shared experiences and challenge each other to grow.

“I think success comes from how close your team is,” she says.

That closeness across volleyball, basketball and beyond, is part of what defines her experience at Lethbridge Polytechnic.

Identity and visibility

Machar is proud of her Eritrean heritage. From traditional garments worn at weddings to multi-day celebrations rooted in family and culture, her background remains central to who she is.

Much of what she understands about carrying her culture confidently comes from watching her aunt Zawdi Suliman, who has worked for years in less diverse environments and has been open about what that requires.

“She’s always been honest with me about what it’s like,” Machar says. “She’s worked in places where she stands out all the time. She’s told me about the comments she’s heard, and the assumptions people make, but also how she handles it without shrinking.”

That perspective has been grounding as Machar navigates similar experiences. For the first time in her athletic career, Machar found herself as the only person of colour on her team.

“I’ve never experienced that before,” she says. “Every team I’ve been on, there’s always been at least one other person who looked like me. This year was the first time I walked into a locker room and realized I was the only one.”

Coming from schools where diversity was the norm, the change was something she felt right away. 

“You do feel it,” she says. “You’re aware of it. But at the same time, it doesn’t mean you don’t belong there.”

Rather than allowing that experience to isolate her, Machar says it pushed her to become more confident in who she is and more intentional about how she carries herself within the team environment. But visibility, she says, is not something she runs from.

“I used to think I just had to keep my head down and work hard,” she says. “Now I know I can work hard and still take up space.”

That shift in trusting her voice and carrying her identity with confidence is part of her definition of excellence.

“Know what you’re worth,” she says. “Make as much noise as you can. Make yourself known.”

More than a month

Machar says she values Black History Month and the opportunity it creates for celebration and education. She appreciates seeing cultural events and initiatives on campus like the moments that highlight stories, traditions and contributions that deserve recognition.

“I really do love Black History Month, February is always my favourite month,” she says. “I just love walking to class, seeing all the books set up for Black History Month. One day our school had a Nigerian breakfast instead of the regular pancakes, which I thought was really cool.”

But for Machar, identity and excellence are not confined to a single month. They are present in how she studies, competes, and how she carries her family’s story. 

Black excellence, she says, is simple: “get done what needs to be done.”

At Lethbridge Polytechnic, Helen Machar continues to do exactly that, building a future grounded in resilience, discipline and the confidence to take up space fully, every day.