Meet Cynthia Appiah, Plan Canada’s Newest Celebrated Ambassador

At Plan International Canada, we talk a lot about determined optimism.

Determined optimists know that change is possible, and when reality throws up barriers, they dream up solutions.

Who better to embody that outlook than an elite athlete? Enter Cynthia Appiah, Canadian Olympic bobsledder and Plan Canada’s newest Celebrated Ambassador.

“Determined optimism, to me, means leaving no stone unturned to reach that end goal,” Appiah explains during a recent interview from Calgary, where she is training for the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Italy. “There will always be roadblocks, but having that positive outlook will get you through it.”

As an athlete, Appiah knows first-hand what it means to chase a dream — whether it’s the Olympic podium, or breaking down barriers for girls everywhere.

“Athletes embody determined optimism to the fullest,” she says. “We’ll find a way to leap over every hurdle and bounce back from every setback.”

On a mission for girls’ rights

Now Appiah is channeling that same passion into her role as a Celebrated Ambassador. She first learned about Plan when she was in high school through the Because I Am a Girl campaign.

Girls’ rights are issues that have always been close to her heart, having grown up in a family with two younger sisters and an older brother. Her parents, James and Mary, fled military rule in Ghana in the 1980s, seeking a better life in Canada. Her extended family remains in Ghana, and Appiah has seen stark inequalities there while visiting with her parents.

“I want every girl to be able to wake up without having to think about the fact that she’s a girl,” explains Appiah. “They should be free to chase their dreams without being held back by archaic rules. Growing up in Toronto, I have been fortunate to get many opportunities that my family in Ghana were not able to experience, and I want all women and girls to be able to experience these opportunities as well.”

Appiah’s goal as a Celebrated Ambassador? To use her voice, energy and platform to drive our mission forward, joining the ranks of other powerful CAs like actor Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, gender equality activist Sophie Grégoire Trudeau and renowned journalist Lisa LaFlamme.

“My goal is to create a world where every girl has the opportunity to succeed,” she says. “If I can make even a small difference in the life of just one girl, that’s a victory in itself.”

In today’s world, filled with conflicts and crises, Appiah believes in the power of determined optimism to inspire action. “It’s more than just talking about it – we need to act,” she emphasizes.

Representation matters

Appiah wasn’t always a bobsledder. She first started competing in hammer throw and shot put for York University in Toronto. It wasn’t until she saw another Black Canadian woman, Shelley-Ann Brown, win a silver medal in bobsleigh at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver that she thought, “Maybe I should try that.”

Her parents were skeptical, to say the least. Growing up, they had given her three professions to choose from: doctor, lawyer or engineer. But as someone who describes herself as stubborn by nature, she wasn’t going to give in.

“[My parents] didn’t know much about bobsleigh, but they knew it was dangerous and they didn’t want their eldest daughter getting hurt,” Appiah says, adding that she told them, “‘I’m seeing this through, whether you help me or not.’ And thankfully, my mom saw how passionate I was and supported me. I’m forever grateful to her for believing in me.”

Making Mom proud

Appiah’s mother, Mary, had participated in track events in Ghana, but she never had the chance to pursue sports seriously. “As the eldest of nine, she had to take care of her siblings and the home,” explains Appiah. “Sports just weren’t an option.”

Today, Appiah’s mother is one of her biggest fans, proudly bragging about her daughter’s Olympic achievements – even if she doesn’t quite understand all the bobsleigh rules.

Appiah’s advice to her mom and anyone confused about the sport? “Watch the movie Cool Runnings,” she says with a laugh.