VOLUNTEERS

Current volunteers

Lara El Mekaui is a Lebanese-Ukrainian researcher and academic. Lara is currently a PhD candidate in English at the University of Waterloo. She studies the complicated connotations behind being a part of the world: her dissertation explores the traumas of forced migration and issues of belonging in Black and Palestinian Diaspora Contemporary Transnational Fiction respectively. With CAI, Lara has worked on the Wosool research project, developing resources on settlement and social services available to Arab immigrants in Canada.  

I am Sara Sharafeldin, an Egyptian based in Edmonton, Alberta. I hold a deep passion for advocating change. As a Political Science Masters graduate, my research delved into the complex realm of anti-Arab racism. Previously, I contributed to the Wosool project at the Canadian Arab Institute, delving into the intricate challenges faced by Arab immigrants. Presently, I pour my heart into volunteering with the National Arab Youth Council (NAYC), channeling my professional and educational expertise towards enhancing the welfare of the Arab community in Canada. Together, let's weave a tapestry of positive impact for our community's interests and well-being.

Raja Mishal, Ph.D. formerly an Assistant Professor at Dalhousie University and Clinical Director of the Transplant Laboratory at Nova Scotia Health Authority, Halifax, Nova Scotia. Recognized with numerous national and provincial awards for scientific research, and "The Author Award Outstanding Woman in Greater Toronto Area" by Waterfront Magazine in 2018. Passionate about immigrant women's and children’s rights and gender equality, Dr. Raja advocates through educational workshops and training, empowering women, and youth in Canada. Currently serving as a Project Manager at “Ottawa Muslim Community Services” leading initiatives addressing Gender-Based Violence in ethnic and Muslim communities.

I am a Palestinian-Lebanese immigrant and a student at Humber College pursuing a postgraduate certificate in Addictions and Mental Health. I obtained my Bachelor of Arts in Honours Psychology from the University of Waterloo, where I specialized in intensive research. With over 3 years of experience in research and data analysis, I joined CAI as a volunteer to learn more about the lived experiences of Arab Canadians and engage more with the community. I have contributed to the data analysis of the Josoor and Wosool projects. I hope to build a career that caters to the mental health and well-being of the Arab-Canadian community, especially serving newcomers and youth. I am eager to continue supporting CAI’s mission and vision of empowering the Arab-Canadian community.

Rania Abdulla completed her masters in Sociology from the University of Ottawa, focusing on immigrant's labour market integration. She manages a research team working on vulnerable populations and is a fellow with ACS/Metropolis and the Canadian Arab Institute, and collaborates with other institutions on various topics touching immigrants in Canada.

Past Volunteers

Bashar Alsaeedi - Vancouver

Bashar Alsaeedi is an Arab-Canadian who was born and raised in Bahrain and now resides in Vancouver, British Columbia. He has a background in policy analysis and programming with a focus on international security and governance, sustainable development goals, and entrepreneurship. Currently, Bashar is an Analyst for the consulting firm Nordicity where he conducts research, analysis, and stakeholder engagement for Canadian and international clients in the creative industries. Prior to this, Bashar was a Policy Analyst for the BC Council and supported an in- depth research study on sustainable development advisory councils in eight countries for the Global Forum and GIZ.

He was also a Consultant for an NGO in Nepal focused on sickle cell disease and a Business Associate for UNIDO to support entrepreneurial capacity development programs in the MENA region. Bashar holds a Master of Public Policy and Global Affairs and a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from the University of British Columbia.

Huda Hafez - Montreal

Huda Hafez is an Egyptian who grew up in Kuwait and came to Canada as an international student in 2017. Witnessing the Arab Spring as she grew up sparked her interest in politics, which is why she decided to pursue an undergraduate degree in Political Science. She is now starting her career in Risk Analysis and Legal Compliance, but she has hopes of going to law school in the near future. During her free time she loves to read, cook and spend time with her family and friends.

Norhan Haroun - Toronto

Norhan is a political scientist with a deep interest in how policies and institutions work to structure individual experiences. She completed an M.A. in Political Science at York University (2022) and an H.B.A in Political Science and Linguistics from the University of Toronto (2013). Norhan specialized in refugee and migration studies in graduate school, with her major research project posing the refugee as a possible starting point for reimagining a system of governance that is not rooted in exclusion. Norhan hopes her work contributes to bridging theory and practice in research.

Mathieu Sabbagh - Montreal/Dubai

With roots in the Levant, Mathieu is deeply interested in Arab-Canadian topics and policies. Born in Dubai, he spent his childhood in both Canada and the UAE. Mathieu’s interest in Arab-Canadian topics was greatly influenced by his experiencing profound social changes across his multiple homelands through the 2010s. As the son of immigrants to Canada, Mathieu has a particular interest in the intertwined areas of immigration policy and integration policy. He is particularly concerned with recent divergences on these matters at a provincial level. Mathieu is keen on studying the potentially varied integration experiences among Arab-Canadians in Quebec vs. English-speaking provinces. He hopes to understand how these policies can be improved to support better social integration among Arab-Canadians of all backgrounds.

Mathieu completed a B.A. in Political Science and Mathematics at Columbia University and a Certificate in Energy Innovation from Stanford University. Mathieu spent much of his time in university studying comparative politics and particularly comparative modernization theory. Mathieu received the Charles A. Beard Prize from Columbia University in 2020 for his thesis entitled “Diverging Pathways: A Comparative Study of Catholic and Sunni Sectarian Party Formation”.

Mathieu currently works in Dubai and maintains close contact with the Arab-Canadian community in Montreal where his family is now based.

Jad El-Ghali - Toronto

Jad El-Ghali is a fourth-year University of Toronto undergraduate student pursuing an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree, double majoring in Political Science & Sociology and minoring in the study of Semiotics & Communications. His diverse background and experience in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Canada allow him to bring a wide array of perspectives when researching and analyzing current Canadian policy issues, political phenomena and governmental procedures. Jad has served on multiple local and federal youth councils, ran for municipal office in the 2022 municipal elections, and has recently been elected as the youngest board member for the Toronto Ward Museum. His past research and academic experience have divulged the importance of globalization, including; a Youth TEDx Talk about multiculturalism, research articles about partisanship in Canada & Canada’s electoral system, and the importance of education in combating racism and discrimination.   Jad has recently focused on increasing youth civic engagement by serving as Future Majority's Provincial Media representative during the 2022 Ontario Provincial Elections.

Karma Salloum - Toronto

Karma is a Lebanese-Canadian student at the University of Toronto studying international development, political science, and anthropology. Having grown up in Lebanon, she has always been interested in MENA politics and is keen on exploring the impact of Canadian politics on the MENA region. Karma is passionate about education, women’s rights, and refugee rights, and is excited to continue learning about the sociopolitical issues that her community faces. It is her long-term goal to be able to contribute to solving these problems. Karma has been an active volunteer in her community in Beirut, working on projects to support low-income families as well as refugees in Lebanon. At university, she continues to explore MENA issues and Arab-Canadian policies as a research assistant on a video series project that creates space for experts on MENA politics to speak about the region’s major security issues and the impact this has in a Canadian context. After recently moving to Canada, she hopes to connect with the Arab-Canadian community, contribute to projects that engage them, and advocate for the issues they face to make Canada a more inclusive space. 

Sarah Nehme - Missisauga

Sarah is a Lebanese-Canadian based in Mississauga that is passionate about international economic policy and how it benefits Arabs living in Canada. She studied Economics and International Relations at the University of Toronto and currently works as a Sales Manager at a food manufacturing company. During her free time, she volunteers for a charity that supports orphans in developing countries, and loves spending time with family, going for hikes, and doing puzzles.

Yasmin Amir - Toronto

Yasmin Amir is an advocate for achieving health equity for racialized communities in Canada and across the globe. Her interests in social justice, health policy, research and technology have led her to pursue her undergraduate degree in Global Health at York University. 

Yasmin is a proud Eritrean-Canadian. Her multicultural upbringing has shaped her interest in exploring the diversity and complexities of the Arab experience in Canada. Yasmin speaks four languages and is working on learning more. Yasmin has a deep passion for music and is currently studying Arabic music theory and Oud at the Canadian Arabic Conservatory.

Mariam El-Rayes - Toronto

Mariam was born in Edmonton but grew up between Dubai and Houston before coming back to Canada for university. She is a second-year student studying political science and Sociology at the University of Toronto. She is interested in the intersection and nuances between policy advocacy and society and wants to expand her knowledge of Arab Canadian issues, and how to utilize sociological methods toward it. As a fellow Arab Canadian, she is excited to serve the community and help the institute find ways to help Arabs in Canada by providing information, opportunities, and better experiences for the community. 

Billie-Dhelia Laforest - Toronto - York University

Billie is a second-year master’s student in the Public and International Affairs program at York University, Glendon College. She also holds a bilingual bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Glendon. Her most recent research pertained to the situation of women in the sex industry of South Africa and the vulnerability of Guerrilla women in the civil war conflict of Colombia. Currently, she is working as a policy analyst for the Federal Government while finishing her studies. Billie is looking to continue her research on the barriers vulnerable communities have in accessing their rights.

Lamiae Bouqentar - Montreal - Université de Montréal

Lamiae Bouqentar is an FRQSC funded researcher, lecturer, and PhD candidate at Université de Montréal. Her research focuses on Arab queer migration in Canada by bridging visual creative methodologies and critical theories. She also practices storytelling and creative writing as decolonial tools that empower marginalized groups. Her interdisciplinary research work has been published in various international journals including Feminist Encounters and Alterstice. Lamiae is a firm believer in the importance of documenting and amplifying intersectional Arab queer diasporic realities in Canada.

Sara Kallas - Toronto - University of Toronto

Sara is a fourth-year undergraduate student at the University of Toronto, double majoring in Political Science and Economics. She is profoundly passionate about all matters pertaining to international and human security, which drives her to actively engage in extensive research across this field. The three foundational principles of her research report on De-growth and Environmental Justice for the 2021 Worldwide Forum on Climate Change was presented alongside COP26, and endorsed by 29 universities across 12 different countries. Another research project of hers included conducting an economic analysis of Egypt, which she used to advise firms to make informed investment decisions that align with the objective of growth-driven investment opportunities with long-term sustainable and developmental prospects. Currently, she is working alongside a team to examine how technology can be leveraged to improve the settlement experiences of Arabic-speaking and sub-Saharan African refugees in Ontario. Sara hopes to continue her commitment to research, focusing on addressing pressing global challenges and making a positive impact. 

Elie Kallab - Ottawa - University of Ottawa

Elie Kallab is a Ph.D. student in the School of Political Studies at the University of Ottawa. He studies Comparative Politics as well as Canadian and Quebecois Politics. His research focuses on 2SLGBTQ+ organisations in Canada that represent Arabs and Middle Easterners. He has a Master's degree in Political Sociology from Sciences Po France and an Executive Master's degree in Conflict Management and Humanitarian Action from the University of Siena in Italy. Elie co-wrote a chapter in the book Harness it: Renewable Energy Technologies and Project Development Models Transforming the Grid, which was endorsed by Prof. Jeffrey Sachs. Elie has written a new book on Environmental Diplomacy, which Routledge has published. He is a member of the CORMED Research School on Gender and Body's scientific committee. He teaches at University of Ottawa and Royal Military College of Canada. Elie volunteers as a senior advisor for the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network in his spare time.

Rama Eloulabi - London - Western University

Rama is currently pursuing her Master's degree in Psychology at Western University, with a specialization in Migration and Ethnic Relations. Her thesis explores the identity of Arab youth in Ontario, and their experiences of discrimination and stereotyping. Rama was born and raised in Damascus, Syria, and moved to Canada in 2015 to pursue her Bachelor's degree at York University in Psychology and Human Rights and Equity Studies. She has worked on many research projects involving the Arab community, including a SSHRC-funded project on the integration of Syrian refugees in Canada and a CIHR-funded project on the sexual health of MENA youth.