Dania Barakat
“As women - and it’s especially something Arab women go through - we sometimes feel like our voices don’t matter. I think advice that I would give younger me - or anybody - is to believe in yourself and believe in your voice.”
Dania Barakat, a close friend and former colleague, wholeheartedly embodies her commitment to "making the world a better place.” Her life, both personal and professional, is a testament to her tireless efforts in uplifting marginalized communities. From fostering safe spaces for children in need to leading rallies through the streets of Vancouver, Dania’s activism transcends borders, from the lands of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh nations to her homeland in Palestine. A steadfast ally and friend, Dania's story is one of compassion, resilience, and fierce determination.
In her professional life, Dania oversees cost-free after-school and break-time programs across Vancouver, offering refuge to children referred by third parties. These children are identified as being in need of a safe space to go during school closures; some of them are facing abuse at home, while others are newcomers to Canada whose families are working multiple jobs to make ends meet.
For the families, these programs allow them to work and pay their bills, for the kids, it provides them access to food security, trauma-informed supervision, educational opportunities, and the chance to let down their guards and just be kids.
To Dania, her work is more than just a job; she knows each of the 300+ children by name, their stories, struggles, and dreams. For many of the children, she stands as the caring adult presence in their lives that is critical for their healthy development.
“[What keeps me going] in my professional life is seeing the kids have that moment where they laugh or they smile, or they get to experience something new, like when we take them on a swimming field trip. A lot of them have never been swimming. Or they have the chance to see the mountains for the first time and bask in that wonder. Childhood happiness means everything to me.”
Despite being Palestinian, Dania has never set foot in her ancestral homeland, navigating her identity as a Palestinian and Arab woman in the diaspora (here in Canada). This disconnect, coupled with her own experiences of trauma, has cultivated a profound empathy for the children she serves. She describes her work as “healing”, a sentiment which is echoed by many of these children, who see her as someone they can look up to and trust.
In her personal life, Dania is deeply engaged in advocating for an end of the devastating siege on Gaza. Whether she’s leading rallies through the streets of Vancouver or speaking to the media, Dania is using her voice to call out politicians and corporations for their complacency and contributions to the occupation. She is also working to humanize fellow Palestinians by highlighting their experiences and honouring those have been taken by the occupation.
“I didn’t really get into a lot of organizing until maybe in the last couple of years. I just kind of started to recognize that it’s my responsibility as a Palestinian who lives in relative safety here to be able to use my voice and to push forward the cause and to amplify the cause of my homeland, because they are putting their lives and their bodies on the line. And for me to just kind of experience a little bit of discomfort for speaking out and saying something is the bare minimum of responsibility that I have.”
Alongside her community, Dania tirelessly strives for a future where every individual, regardless of origin or location, can live with dignity and freedom from violence. Her activism is driven by a deep sense of responsibility to use her voice for those who can’t.
“I’ve gained friends and a community that I think are going to be part of my life for the rest of my life, and I hope that we’ll get to see a liberated Palestine together.”
Despite facing a range of challenges in her organizing efforts, from gender biases to fears for her family's safety, she remains steadfast in her activism. Dania is a catalyst for positive change who is undoubtedly “making the world a better place.”
“The power lies within the people and we are the ones that are going to make a difference for the world.”