YUGSA 2023 Executive Candidates’ Bios:
Marjan Abdolahi - VP Equity Contestant
Hello York Graduate Students!
My name is Marjan and I am running for vice President Equity. I am in the second year of PhD in English Literature. Coming to Canada as a graduate student and an immigrant, I came across inclusion, equity and accessibility issues for graduate students and became interested in studying and working in this field. I started a master’s program in the Social Justice Institute, UBC, and from the very beginning of it, I started working part-time as an advocacy coordinator at graduate students society (GSS) where I looked into strategies to resolve a wide range of graduate students’ academic and non-academic issues. Working as an advocacy coordinator and again witnessing graduate students equity concerns at university as a higher education institute, I decided to pursue a graduate certificate in Higher Education to delve into systems of higher education institutions and learn about the roots and the non-performative nature of the implemented equity policies. This program was helpful in broadening my knowledge concerning the policies that university undertake in regard to students and encouraged me to advocate for a change in impractical policies that have not being fully implemented or tenuously implemented merely to fulfill diversity objectives of the university as a higher education institution. As a part of my job as an advocacy coordinator, I had to review the university policies, find the hitches and report them to my supervisor to look for an appropriate amendment or change. Moreover, I assisted on the implementation of Graduate Students Financial Aid (GSFA), a fund which helps students who unexpectedly encountered financial problems and were in dire need of financial assistance. I received two awards from the graduate students society for my excellency in this position. Serving as VP Equity would allow me to bring my experience to York university. If elected I will advocate for every student in this university to promote a safe and inclusive environment. I am passionate about generating a sense of community, and I am very excited about the possibility to advocate for students needs. I look forward to the opportunity to serve you and make a positive impact on your experience here at York University.
Ms. Immaculee Uwanyiligira- Vice-President Equity Contestant
I am a second year PhD Student in the Department of Politics, in the Faculty Liberal Arts and Professional Studies. My research focuses on the implementation of the recommendations of Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Report. I am interested in all issues related to social justice and have a passion for serving my community.
I am the incumbent Vice-President of Equity of the York University Graduate Students’ Association. I also currently represent YUGSA on the Advisory Council on Black Inclusion, on the RISE Committee and on the ENABLE Committee.
I have been in the service of York’s graduate student community since 2020. From November 2020 to May 2022, I served as a Senator representing the FGS/York University Graduate Students’ Association (YUGSA). From October 2021 to May 2022 served as Chair of the Student Senator Caucus. By virtue of this Chair position, I served as a student representative on the York’s Senate Executive Committee and was on the SEC’s Equity Subcommittee..
During my tenure as Senator, I capably represented YUGSA’s and students’ interests at the Senate. I was very active in the Senate and brought to the its attention several issues of relevance to students. Specifically, I advocated at the Senate for the creation of a standing committee to provide tailored solutions and forward-looking policies aligning curricula development with emerging careers in the post-pandemic era. I advocated against proposed increases in meal plans and York Apartments rates and brought the matter to appropriate York administration authorities for consideration.
Most notably, from January 2020 to May 2022, I was engaged with York University's anti-Black racism policy, bringing awareness to the dissonance between York’s Framework to Address Anti-Black Racism and the Action Plan on Black Inclusion, shinning a light on the existing gaps in the draft Action Plan, and advocating for a stronger Action Plan that addresses issues faced by York's Black community. I undertook this advocacy work at York’s Senate; at the Senate Executive Committee; at York's Secretariat; with the Office of the Vice President Equity, People and Culture (OVPEC); within YUGSA Council; and within the Student Senator Caucus.
This advocacy work culminated in a historic, student-led hortative motion that was presented to the 27 January 2022 Senate session, and was passed with a 68% vote. This historic achievement, which was communicated to the student community via a joint YFS-YUGSA communique on 1 February, was a demonstration of the power of community organizing, and brought renewed momentum for student activism. The work continues. I continue to engage with these issues as YUGSA’s representative to the Advisory Council on Black Inclusion, and I believe that a position on the YUGSA’s Executive as Vice President Equity would be the most appropriate avenue to provide continuity to the work I have been doing so far.
Outside York University, I have represented the York University student community at the Ontario Legislature. In December 2022, I delivered a statement to the Standing Committee on Social Policy of the Ontario Legislative Assembly, and participated in the deliberations of Bill 26:Strengthening Post-Secondary Institutions and Students Act. In February and March 2022, I participated in the 2023 Ontario Lobby Week organized by the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS). Lobby Week is a platform that facilitated meetings between students and legislators (MPs and MPPs) wherein I and other students from across Ontario met various legislators to discuss a variety of challenges faced by students and propose recommendations.
Before joining York University, I had a longstanding professional career. I worked for nearly a decade and a half with the United Nations, 11 of which with the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations, supporting the implementation of peace agreements, conflict resolution and peacebuilding processes in countries emerging from intra and interstate wars. I also worked with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, providing strategic advice to its leadership and managing the implementation of key projects, programs and portfolios. Most recently, I worked as a consultant for the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Mauritius and Seychelles, advising the UN system in Mauritius and Seychelles on its strategic engagement with the two island nations. Prior to the United Nations, I worked in the US private sector for six years in the field of Information Technology. I have representation experience as Ambassador of the Republic of Rwanda to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovenia and to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).
I have a BA in Languages (French and German) and Literature from Makerere University, Uganda; a Master of Science in Information and Telecommunication Systems from John Hopkins University, USA; and a Master of Arts in International Affairs from Columbia University, USA.
I look forward to your support to continue serving the graduate student community on YUGSA’s Executive team as VP Equity, to build on the momentum I set in motion, to continue to find solutions for -and advance the interests of- the wider student community.
Ehsan Tabesh - VP Finance Contestant
Dear fellow students,
My name is Ehsan Tabesh, and I am excited to announce my candidacy for the Vice President Finance position in the York University Graduate Students' Association (YUGSA). As a fourth-year Ph.D. student in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Lassonde School of Engineering, I am intimately familiar with the challenges and concerns that graduate students may face, particularly those who are international students like myself.
Throughout my academic career, I have been actively involved in various associates and unions, including the Material Engineering Students' Association (MESA) and the Iranian Union of Scientific Student Associations of Materials Science and Metallurgical Engineering (IUSAME). These experiences have taught me valuable skills in decision-making, conflict resolution, and navigating divergent perspectives. Last year, I served as the Vice President Finance in YUGSA, where I worked tirelessly to make it a more inclusive, supportive, and anti-discriminatory organization.
As a teaching and research assistant, I have witnessed firsthand the financial struggles that many graduate students face. I understand the importance of providing adequate financial support to help students focus on their studies and achieve their academic goals. If elected again, I will work to improve the insurance coverage and financial support programs for graduate students. I will also focus on streamlining the application process for funds and scholarships to ensure that all eligible students have access to the resources they need.
In addition to my financial responsibilities, I am committed to creating a more welcoming and inclusive community at YUGSA. I will work to address issues of discrimination and bias and promote a culture of respect and understanding among all members of the organization.
Thank you for considering my candidacy for the Vice President Finance position. I am passionate about representing the needs and concerns of graduate students at York and look forward to serving the YUGSA community once again.
Best regards,
Ehsan Tabesh
Fatemeh Gharibi - VP Finance Contestant
I am a third-year Ph.D. student in Gender, Feminist and Women’s Studies (GFWS). I
explore the question of voice for women, queer and trans people. For my Ph.D. project, I
work with queer and racialized international students in creating a collective voice about
their experiences in Canada. I have a master's in GFWS, another one in Latin American
Studies and a bachelor’s in Sociology. I am a GFAD holder, a major scholarship for
international leadership capacities. I have been focused on the issues of equity through
anti-oppressive and intersectional frameworks and within national and international
contexts. This background provides me with a deep understanding of systemic inequalities
and enables me to advocate for students in meaningful and equitable ways.
I have been an active member of the community since the beginning of my studies at
York University in 2019, serving in various roles such as:
Speaker and facilitator at different events organized by the Centre for Feminist Research
and the Iranian Graduate Students Association at York University.
Communication and Outreach Coordinator in Black, Indigenous, Non-Binary, Women of Colour,
Graduate Student Collective.
Member of different working groups with the SexGen committee at the Centre for Human
Rights, Equity, and Inclusion.
Active bystander facilitator in the Centre for Sexual Violence Response, Support and
Education.
And, I had the honour to serve in YUGSA as the GFWSSA representative for a year and it made
me well familiar with the procedures in the association.
I am interested in becoming the vice president of finance at YUGSA, because of the crucial
role it plays in supporting graduate students at a time that community and social services are
under attack. I worked as a volunteer with the finance committees at YUGSA and TFAC, CUPE
3903. Furthermore, I have five years of experience working in an international company, Arg-e-
Jadid. I fulfilled various expectations regarding marketing, and communication, participating as
an expositor in international fairs, running business meetings and presentations, managing
financial reports, etc. I am thrilled that I can use these skills again in my new role as the VP of
finance.
Nathi Zamisa - President Contestant
In 2018, I co-founded the York Community Housing Association (YCHA) because my neighbour was displaced six (6) times for living in illegal multi-tenant houses (MTHs) in the Village at York University. I secured $50,000 to create the York Non-Profit Housing Society Co-operative, and now have since leased a housing co-op where students pay 60% less than on-campus housing.
By 2019, I ran as an executive for the EUC Undergrad Students Association, and was elected Co-Chair the next year. I helped the EUC Black Caucus plan the allocation of $150,000 in Black and Indigenous scholarships and awards, and invested our levy into an endowment fund to create permanent and barrier-free entry awards for BIPOC undergrads. We pushed for Black Faculty hires in EUC, and I had the privilege of joining the EUC Black Faculty Hiring Committee to recruit new Black Faculty. By 2021, I volunteered as the YUGSA Councillor for the Department of Social and Political Thought, and later was appointed as the YUGSA’s LA&PS Chief Councillor. And on the last day of YUGSA elections in 2022 – in the absence of any nominations – I nominated myself for the role of YUGSA President, and was appointed for
the 2022 - 2023 Academic term.
As President, I pushed to expand York’s EDI strategy to include decolonization (Implemented); sought the recruitment of a full-time Ombudsperson (Implemented), and protested the unilateral imposition of the Regulations Regarding Student Organisation (Ongoing). I helped expedite Student information System Name Change Request updates for Trans Grads, spoke to the Ontario Legislative Assembly to address the issue of cross-faculty/institutional disclosure of acts of sexual misconduct in Bill 26 (incorporated), and improved the structure of graduate student representation at the Faculty of Graduate Studies. My key focus in 2023 - 2024 is grad housing and grad funding.
Alireza Gorgani Dorcheh- President Contestant
My name is Alireza Gorgani Dorcheh (they/them) and I am a polỵdiscipliṇamory artist
and a migrant worker living in Tkaronto, Treaty Thirteen. I hold a master's degree in Theatre Direction from the University of Tehran. Primarily through performance, film, and clowning, I explore underlying structures of marginalization and oppression from a critical anthropological perspective. I currently pursue a Ph.D. in Theatre and Performance Studies at York University, where I investigate the issues of undocumentedness/precarious status using performance ethnographic methodologies.
My experiences in directing and organizing include, but are not limited to, sitting as the
president of the Student Center for Theatre, and facilitating interactive theatre workshops at Kashan University, organizing multiple community-based theatre workshops with Afghan immigrants, volunteering in Koosha Center, an NGO supporting youth street workers, and facilitating hospital clowning sessions in Mofid Children's Hospital in Tehran, Iran. All those experiences enriched my leadership capacity and my skills for teamwork and collaboration. My knowledge of theatre directing has improved my leadership skills significantly as I got to work with people with different backgrounds and abilities and in different settings, and therefore I see my artistic, executive, and leadership experiences in continuum.
My executive and organizational activities have continued in Toronto where I sat as a the CUPE representative of Graduate Student Association in the program of Theatre and Performance Studies at York University. I have also been a member of Center for Refugee Studies’ Student Caucus and FCJ Refugee Center Youth Network. Moreover, I am an active member of Migrant Workers Alliance for Change in Toronto. I have also been part of the organizing team of Children, Youth, and Performance Conference since 2021. I would like to serve as the president of YUGSA so I can use my knowledge and
background in service of my fellow graduate student community at York University. I hope I can empower the community while also advancing my leadership and executive skills.
Sincerely,
Alireza Gorgani
