Ameera Essabar is a Victoria College student from Vancouver, who is joining PCJ in Fall 2020! She is also majoring in English and minoring in Creative Expressions and Society, and is passionate about inclusion, diversity, community work, and writing poetry.

As a young Muslim woman of colour, bridging gaps between communities and promoting inclusion and diversity are immensely important to her. She chose to major in PCJ because she values the interdisciplinary approach of the program, which allows students to immerse themselves in more than one subject. She plans to use what she learns to help communities during and after her time at U of T.

Ameera is most looking forward to PCJ’s unique experiential learning opportunities. She believes that going beyond the classroom and gaining hands on experience is incredibly valuable when seeking to make a positive difference in communities. Through course offerings, PCJ students can travel to another country on exchange, to conduct research, or can get involved with organizations in their local communities. Ameera is  also excited to be a part of PCJ’s small, tight-knit community and to explore its diverse course offerings.

Ameera aspires to be a writer, taking what she learns in school and her own personal life to help others. She believes that words have the power to shift mindsets and build bridges towards inclusion and understanding. She would love to work for an organization like Amnesty International where she can fight for human rights through her words. She also hopes to use her writing to travel, experience other cultures, and broaden her knowledge of the world.

A fun fact about Ameera is her passion for writing poetry: she publishes pieces in the Varsity’s SPINE and the Innis Herald. She has also just completed her second poetry book!