Kiran Chahal holds a B.A. in the Study of Religion from the University of Toronto and an M.A. in Religion, Culture and Global Justice from Wilfrid Laurier University. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in the Humanities department at York University in Toronto, Ontario. Her doctoral work centers around topics in postsecularism, postcolonial theories, as well as ideas in epistemic injustice. By relying on spiritual frameworks and conceptions about liberation, she asks questions about sovereignty and the place of spiritual ontologies in modern ‘postsecular’ societies. Kiran is also currently working on a book of her own, a short theory piece that will be published as a community resource for the Sikh Diaspora.

Shifa Abbas, Toronto, born and raised, now works as a Global Coordinator for an international nonprofit based out of Princeton, New Jersey. Shifa is a graduate of the Master of Arts program at Wilfrid Laurier University in Religion, Culture and Global Justice as well as a graduate researcher. Shifa also is an Ontario- and New York State- certified high school science and math teacher and tutor, having graduated from Medaille College with a Masters of Science in Education. She has experience in youth engagement and mentoring, international development and nonprofit, and graduate research work. Her interests of study include the role of religion in environmental and social justice work. Shifa is interested in international development and the ways marginalized peoples use their collective power to change and transform communities.

Fatima Chakroun holds an MA in Religion, Culture and Global Justice and an MA in Cultural Analysis and Social Theory from Wilfrid Laurier University. Her undergrad was completed at University of Toronto where she majored in Psychology with minors in Sociology and Women and Gender Studies. Her research interests include the construction of Shia theology, Shia revolutionary thought and Quranic hermeneutics.

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Simreet Kaur is a Toronto based Graphic Designer driven by her passion to explore social issues. She graduated from OCAD University in April 2020 while successfully completing her award winning thesis project called Indebted. Besides engaging with the community through charity work and running her design practice, esskaurdesign, she aims to help make the world a better place by creating designs anchored in personal values of everyday life. Despite being ambitious, she believes that the biggest secret to accomplishing any goal is to work hard, while staying humble. Outside of design, she loves to cook, spend time in nature and listen to keertan.

Arshdeep Kang is a Graphic Designer, graduated from OCAD University. She is inspired by the work of other artists that believe in social justice and who are a part of movements that help the community. As a team member for DLP, she takes great pride in being able to share the work of these artists. She advocates for social reform, and hopes one day she can use her design platform to raise voices that have been silenced. In her free time, she likes to read books, create gifs, and drink cha.

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Sukhraj Singh Billen graduated from the Graphic Design program at OCAD University in April 2023 while completing his thesis called Vadbhagge.Sukhraj strongly believes in justice and freedom of speech. He enjoys readingand is constantly striving to learn new things. Sukhraj often spends his timedoing volunteer work, specifically, he tends to do Seva (selfless service) withan organization called Experience Sikhi. As a Graphic Designer, his practiceoften draws from his heritage, which helps him think innovatively and createmeaningful content about overlooked voices. Sukhraj is a strong advocate forthe idea of finding yourself and always trying to learn from your mistakes andusing them to grow.

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Jannat Chahal is a recent graduate from the University of Toronto Mississauga. She completed her Bachelor of Arts degree in the Religious Studies program. She is a student mentor, coordinator, and aspiring law school candidate who is passionate about helping marginalized peoples overcome systemic barriers. Her research includes theories of violence and the connection between politics and religion. Through working with the Decolonized Library Project, she aims to continue working closely with the community and encourage the mobilization of education for minority groups.

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Nanditha is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Humanities at York University, Toronto, Canada. Her research employs critical discourse analysis and a digital humanities framework to explore feminist and queer digital counterpublics through digital protest in the Global South. She specifically engages with protest hashtags to investigate questions of representation, access, identity building, and participation of gendered subaltern communities on social media platforms in the Indian context.

Tandeep Kaur is completing two B.A. degrees from Baruch College in New York City; a degree in Political Science and another in Communications with an additional concentration in Theatre. Upon graduation, she aspires to complete her M.S.c.in Violence, Conflict, and Development as well as her J.D. Her academic interests include the presence of violence in post-conflict societies, the influence of power structures on the hierarchy of languages, collective mobilization in marginalized communities, and electoral violence. Outside of academia, Tandeep is a paralegal, emcee, and community organizer, whose work is inspired and empowered by her lineage of royalty and justice-based rebellion.

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Amy Saraon is a fourth year student pursuing her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a minor in Global Studies at Athabasca University. Amy is looking forward to continuing her education in international relations and research topics such as the commercial sexual exploitation of vulnerable women in Southeast Asia, migration, human rights and development. In her free time, Amy likes to try new recipes, hike and read.

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Ayeda Khan is a third year undergraduate student at York University pursuing a major in Political Science and minor in Biology. She believes in mutual aid and the power of community organizing, as such she volunteers with organizations that support this mission in both Toronto and Karachi. Her research interests include investigating the relationship between Western Medicine and colonialism along with its current impact globally.

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Ezza Sabir, born and raised in Islamabad Pakistan, completed her Bachelors in International Relations from Bahria University Islamabad and now enrolled for her Masters for National Security. She intends to work for the provision of basic education for refugee kids and its importance for the restructuring of war torn societies. Through her writings, she intends to highlight the decolonial narrative in respect to a multitude of different issues.

Zahra Hazara graduated with a Law Clerk Degree and is currently pursuing a Honours Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies at Seneca College. She is also the team lead at Who is Hussain Toronto, where she works with the most vulnerable in our community. Zahra is very passionate about volunteering and helping those that need our help the most. In her free time, she enjoys painting and uses her art to share her voice with the world. Zahra is honoured to work in an organization full of such bright and ambitious folks and truly believes that we can bring positive change to society. As a Hazara, she wants to use her voice and educate others about the ongoing genocide of Hazaras.

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Being a student of Sikhi, Anmol Singh finds himself constantly researching all periods of Punjabi and Sikh history to the most extensive degree possible. Currently, he is working through Banda Singh Bahadur’s Revolution from his commandment and the revolution’s inception in 1708 to his downfall and subsequent aftermath by the 1720s.Subjects aside from those include his rise, prominence, victories, political responses, social changes and more.

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Dalraj Singh is an incoming JD student at Osgoode Hall and recent graduate from the University of Toronto where he completed his HBA in Political Science, Public Law, and Philosophy. Inspired by the history of the Sikh Gurus, Saints, and Shaheeds, Dalraj has an active interest in advocacy of minority rights and community representation. Following this passion, his undergraduate research has primarily focused on comparative legal systems and human rights in the international context, as well as the Supreme Court of Canada’s role in upholding and/or limiting the rights of Indigenous and minority communities.

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Jasleen Kaur is currently an undergraduate student at the University of Ottawa, majoring in religious studies and minoring in communication, with hopes of pursuing an academic career in South Asian religions. Jasleen immerses herself into art, writing, and spirituality. To her, in a world where communication is the center of the human experience, creating art as a form of conveying emotions and experiences without the usage of words is refreshing. Through working with the Decolonized Library Project, she hopes to conduct research, specifically tackling the field of religion.

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