Free School 2026

Dr. Megan Scribe (Ininiw iskwew, Norway House Cree Nation) is an Associate Professor of Indigenous Pedagogies in the Department of Sociology, the founding Education Director for Yellowhead Institute at Toronto Metropolitan University, and a Research Co-Director for Critical Approaches to Indigenous Relationality. Scribe's scholarship brings a queered Indigenous feminist lens to the examination of Indigenous social and political life under settler colonialism. Her research and teaching focused on solidarity and social movements works toward decolonization and liberation. Most recently, she has developed her award-winning research on Indigenous girls and girlhood into a manuscript (under review). Scribe is a long-time Council Member for Aboriginal Legal Services’ Community Council Diversion Program and actively involved in Toronto Indigenous life.

Dr Hadeel S. Abu Hussein a scholar and lawyer who is currently a research fellow at the Institute of Islamic Studies, the University of Toronto. Her research explores international law, human rights, social justice, decolonization, immigration law, settler colonialism, and racism. Her work draws on Third World Approaches to International Law (TWAIL) and critical legal geography. Her first book, titled ‘The Struggle for Land under Israeli Law: An Architecture of Exclusion’, offers a comprehensive study of Palestinian rights to land under Israeli law, exploring issues of land expropriation, forced eviction and unpacking the spatial strategies of marginalization within the broader settler colonial land regime. Alongside her research work, she is also a constitutional and human rights lawyer.

Her experience as an academic researcher includes research fellowships and lectureships at the Bonavero Institute for Human Rights, Oxford Law Faculty, Mansfield College, University of Oxford, Utrecht University School of Law, the Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law and the Max Planck Foundation for International Peace and the Rule of Law, in Heidelberg, Germany. Furthermore, at the Middle East Centre St. Antony’s College, the University of Oxford and the Law School and Al-Najah University, Nablus, Palestine.

A Palestinian writer, novelist, journalist, and feminist researcher from Rafah, Gaza Strip, holding a master’s degree in media studies and an IIE Scholar Fellowship since 2023. She is currently a Non-Fiction Writer in Residence and Visiting Journalist at The Creative School, Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU).

With over 25 years of expertise in gender studies and women’s issues in Palestine, Hedaya has a rich literary portfolio. Her notable works include the novel "Love for You and War for Me," the short story collection "The Soul Fingers Precede Me" (comprising two parts: "The Scent of Wounds" and "The Door of Silence"), and "Daughter of the Sea."

Hedaya is a member of the Palestinian Writers and Journalists Union and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ). She chairs the Board of Directors of the Community Media and Development Center in Gaza, serves as an editorial board member at the independent Arab media platform Seen 48, and is a member of the Universities in Exile Consortium (Canada/US), PEN for writers and journalists in exile, and Graduate Women International (GWI). She writes through her personal blogs, "Gaza in My Mind" and "Gaza Fe Khatery."

Laila Hashem is a recent journalism graduate with a deep interest in decolonization, social justice and grassroots organizing. She is an organizer with the Palestinian Youth Movement and the former president of Students for Justice in Palestine at Toronto Metropolitan University, where she rebuilt and led the chapter. Her work focuses on advocacy, community mobilization and amplifying marginalized voices. With experience in media and organizing, Laila is committed to challenging dominant narratives and fostering safer, more just spaces for collective liberation.

Mariam Shakaa is a Palestinian oud player and singer, whose music bridges heritage, emotion, and innovation. A winner of the International Oud Competition, and first-place recipient of Palestine's vocal Competition, Shakaa has established herself as one of the most promising young voices in contemporary Arabic music. Performing across Canada, France,  UK, and the Middle East, Shakaa continues to share her music internationally,  bridging cultures through the expressive power of the oud and the timeless language of emotion. Through her soulful oud performances and vocals, Mariam preserves the spirit of Arabic music and the Palestinian culture  while reimagining it for global audiences, connecting Tarab, identity, and cultural storytelling.

Sonya Fatah  is an associate professor at the School of Journalism at the Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University. She is also the founder and director of stitched! studio (external link) , a community-based, live journalism organization based in Tkaronto (Toronto), which centres storytelling in response to epistemic violence. Her teaching, research and creative practice focus on participatory, decolonial works of performance journalism, on newsroom culture and practice, international news coverage, and press freedom violations. She is also the co-lead of the Canada Press Freedom Project (external link) , which qualitatively and quantitatively tracks press freedom issues in Canada.