CRRF welcomes its newest team members!

We are very excited and proud of CRRF’s growth over the past year. CRRF’s expansion includes several new faces and fresh talent who all have one thing in common. They are all passionate about combatting the spread of racism and fostering racial justice in Canada wherever and whenever possible! We’d like you to learn a bit more about our new team members:

Uswah Ahsan, Program Manager

Uswah Ahsan (She/Her) is a youth mobilizer who builds cross-community solidarity in safe, enjoyable, and meaningful spaces for marginalized groups. Following her TEDx talk in 2018, Uswah founded a nonprofit called Ally Squared to make sure that allyship is active, impact-focused, and responsive to the communities that it is practiced for. Uswah is a lover of food (restaurant-hunting, recipe development), dogs (especially her Australian Shepherd Rio), and plants (20 and counting).

Uswah holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Government with a minor in Communications from the University of Ottawa

Chuka Ejeckam, Public Policy Manager

Chuka Ejeckam is a political researcher and writer and a former research associate with the BC office of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA). In addition to his time at the CCPA, he has also been a columnist with Rabble.ca. Chuka holds a master’s degree in political science from the University of British Columbia.

Ibrahima Gueye, Partnerships Manager

Ibrahima Gueye is an experienced bilingual professional (French and English) with strong skills in program management, grant administration, and communication in community building and international development. Ibrahima previously worked at International Development Research Centre (IDRC) as a program management officer. He supported the development and operations of the Maternal and Child Health program. Before IDRC, Ibrahima was a Program Manager with the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF). He managed a portfolio of grants and projects to support community development. 

Ibrahima holds a Master of Science in International Studies from the University of Montreal, a Bachelor of Arts with a major in communication, and a minor in International Development from the University of Quebec in Outaouais.

Barbara Nzigiye, Ontario Regional Coordinator

Barbara has wide-ranging experience as a collaborator and a convenor for civil society agencies that work on various social issues. Barbara approaches policy thinking and works with a focus on equity and intersectionality while honouring context and complexity. Barbara is passionate about amplifying the voices of disenfranchised populations’ voices, primarily supporting migrant, racialized, and 2SLGBTQ+ communities. Barbara holds a Bachelor of Social Sciences in Political Sciences with a minor in Business Management from the University of Ottawa.

Vanessa Thomas, Atlantic Canada Regional Coordinator

Vanessa Thomas is a proud African Nova Scotian from the historic Black community of Preston. She is a visual artist, creative thinker, and community connector. Vanessa has worked in several positions that focus on supporting systematically excluded communities through education, art, and public safety. She is excited to join CRRF and looks forward to helping the work done in the Atlantic region. Vanessa is completing a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from Dalhousie University.