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From Left to Right: AHRC Director, Dr. Shannonbrooke Murphy, 2026 Lodhi Lecturer Alex
Neve, and STU President Dr. Nauman Farooqi.
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Leading Canadian human rights advocate, international human rights lawyer, and AHRC Fellow, Alex Neve delivered the 2026
Dr. Abdul Lodhi Memorial Lecture in Human Rights on February 17 at the St. Thomas University Kinsella Auditorium. Titled
“Universal: Renewing Human Rights in a Fractured World,”
the lecture offered an overview of the themes explored in his
2025 CBC Massey Lectures.
The human rights problem Alex addressed was this: “Our world is fractured and heaving as we face the
urgency of the mounting global climate crisis, waves of hate and authoritarianism that divide and polarize, and horrifying situations of genocide and other grave human rights violations. Contempt for international law and global institutions abounds.
What of the universal human rights promise?”
Alex Neve is a Visiting and Adjunct Professor in International Human Rights Law at the University of Ottawa and Dalhousie
University, and a Senior Fellow with the University of Ottawa’s Graduate School of Public and International Affairs. He is also an Officer of the Order of Canada. He presently serves as a Member of the UN Human Rights Council’s Independent International Fact-Finding
Mission on Venezuela. He was Secretary General of Amnesty International Canada from 2000-2020. Alex has been a practicing lawyer, trained at Dalhousie University, with a Master’s Degree in International Human Rights Law from the University of Essex. He has
received three honorary Doctorate of Laws degrees from St. Thomas University, the University of New Brunswick, and he University of Waterloo.
The lecture was hosted by the Atlantic Human Rights Centre.
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Watch the full 2026 Lodhi Lecture
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See the NB Media Co-op feature
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Read The Aquinian coverage
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Thank you to the AHRC volunteers who helped to make the Lecture a success!
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From Left to Right: Leah Chase, Aurora Sutton, Colby LeBlanc, Valerie Boorne, Jazmyne
LeBel, Alex Ryan, Lucy Connell, and Aidan Jackson
Not pictured: Edyn Clowater.
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From Left to Right: AHRC Director Dr. Shannonbrooke Murphy, Alex Neve, and Dr. David
Matyas, Assistant Professor at the UNB Faculty of Law.
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Ahead of the 2026 Lodhi Lecture, the Atlantic Human Rights Centre, alongside UNB’s Faculty of Law, hosted a Fireside Chat to provide students with the opportunity to hear from and ask Alex Neve about
his experiences as a practitioner, and learn how he has managed to sustain a lifetime of advocacy and remain optimistic despite the obstacles.
Alex spoke candidly about his career, the realities of human rights advocacy, leadership, and the ongoing pursuit of justice - offering invaluable perspectives to
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aspiring lawyers and advocates. It was a fantastic opportunity for students to ask thoughtful questions, share ideas, and connect directly with one of Canada’s leading human rights
voices.
Speaking on the opportunity to meet with Alex Neve, fourth-year Human Rights Honours student, Emily Storey says, “Alex Neve is not only an exceptional speaker, but also a kind, caring
person. I really admire the example that Alex sets for being a human rights advocate. It was so encouraging to hear from someone who is far ahead in their career and who remains motivated to spread awareness. I was elated to have such an experience - it left
me with a sense of renewed hope and motivation.”
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Human rights are a central focus across disciplines like legal studies, philosophy, and political science, yet Canadian undergraduates lack an introductory
resource grounded in a Canadian context.
Dr. Christina Szurlej’s new book,
Human Rights: Principles and Practice in Canada and Internationally,
is the first resource of its kind, bridging this gap with accessible, expert-driven content and diverse case studies addressing issues impacting women, children, Indigenous peoples, and 2SLGBTQIA+ communities.
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By covering core legal principles without heavy jargon, this new textbook encourages readers to critically examine human rights through cross-cultural perspectives, critiques, and socio-economic dimensions, fostering both global
awareness and local relevance.
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Please join us in the BMH Rotunda (BMH 318) at St. Thomas University, on Tuesday, April 14 at 2:30 pm, to celebrate
the launch of Human Rights Department Chair and AHRC Board Member, Dr. Christina Szurlej’s book,
Human Rights: Principles and Practice in Canada and Internationally.
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Dr. Gül Çalişkan
is a Professor of Global Sociology at St. Thomas University. She received her PhD in Sociology from York University. Her doctoral research examined the diasporic citizenship practices of Turkish-background residents in Berlin, Germany. She joined the Department
of Sociology at St. Thomas University in 2013.
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Her research and teaching are grounded in postcolonial studies, postcolonial feminism, critical race theory, and narrative
inquiry. Her work explores the intersections of migration, citizenship, racial justice, and global social inequalities, with particular emphasis on how global processes shape everyday lived realities and forms of belonging.
Dr. Çalişkan
is the author of Forging Diasporic Citizenship: Narratives from German-born Turkish Asuländer (UBC Press, 2023) and the editor of
Gendering Globalization, Globalizing Gender: A Postcolonial Approach
(Oxford University Press, 2020). She also leads Promise of Home, a SSHRC-funded community-based narrative research project examining immigrant belonging and policy transformation in
Fredericton.
At St. Thomas University, Dr. Çalişkan
teaches undergraduate courses including Sociology of Globalization; Globalization and Gender; Radicalization and Indignity: Orientalism, Islamophobia, and Postcolonial Transgressions; Advanced Theory; Qualitative Methods; and Research for Social Change.
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A distinguished scholar, Dr. McCarthy earned a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Toronto, specializing in Social Justice from the Ontario Institute
for Studies in Education. Dr. McCarthy’s academic achievements are paralleled by her impact on legal precedents, as demonstrated by her landmark victory in a human rights case against Shoppers Drug Mart in 2015, where Dr. McCarthy successfully challenged racial
profiling.
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Beyond her academic and legal accomplishments, Dr. McCarthy is a revered community leader and Elder, embodying the resilience and wisdom of Black self-determination
and excellence. For over five decades, Dr. McCarthy has dedicated herself to uplifting her community through her roles as writer, poet, and especially as a Black community advocate. It is also important for Dr. McCarthy to highlight that she is of sixth generation
African descent in New Brunswick, dating herself back to 1738 when her fifth great grandmother arrived fleeing a plantation in Virginia, United States.
In 2022, Dr. McCarthy received an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from St. Thomas University, affirming her profound impact on academia and community engagement.
In 2023, she was awarded the prestigious Queen Elizabeth Platinum Jubilee Medal. In 2026, Dr. McCarthy was named as a top 100 ABC Women (Accomplished Black Canadian ), an achievement that happens across Canada biannually.
As the Executive Director of REACH (Remembering Each African Cemeteries’ History in New Brunswick), Dr. McCarthy has spearheaded initiatives to preserve
and honour the legacies of our ancestors, shedding light on often-overlooked narratives and reclaiming spaces of historical significance.
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Dr. Khurram Khurshid hails from Lahore, Pakistan, where his family settled after their migration from Kashmir during the Partition of the subcontinent.
He studied at Government College Lahore in the 1980s, played first-class cricket, and obtained degrees in English (MA) and law (LL.B.). From 1986 to 2002, he served as a lecturer in English language and literature at the University of the Punjab in Pakistan,
and in the 1990s, also taught courses in American constitutional law and international law.
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Dr. Khurshid came to Canada with his family as an international student in 2002 and obtained a PhD in English from the University of New Brunswick, with
a specialization in Anglophone postcolonial literatures and theory. Between 2008 and 2014, he taught English as an adjunct faculty at UNB and STU and, subsequently, served three academic years as Assistant Professor of English at a university in Saudi Arabia.
Since 2017, Dr. Khurshid has worked in a research role at the New Brunswick Human Rights Commission, and currently heads the Commission’s Advocacy Unit
with responsibility for producing the Commission Guidelines, among other things.
He has also worked in various editing positions in Pakistan and New Brunswick, in newspaper, academic, and e-learning settings, and served on the editorial
boards of academic journals. Dr. Khurshid has written for newspaper and academic publications, besides publishing English translations of Urdu work. His recent English translation of a book on the history and freedom struggle of Jammu and Kashmir was published
in Pakistan in 2025. He lives in Ottawa at present, and still harbours an abiding yearning to return to his ancestral homeland.
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Edyn Clowater is a third-year student pursuing an Honours in Human Rights, a Major in Criminology, and a Minor in French.
She is a Moot Court competitor and serves as the STU Human Rights Initiative’s Vice President. Edyn also works as an Administration Assistant with a local law firm, J. Donovan Law Group.
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Edyn’s internship project has involved conducting archival research exploring the AHRC’s physical and digital holdings. This research has allowed her
to compile a historical overview of the organization, including significant contributors, dates, events, and projects, as no such complete record currently exists. The final product of her internship, a timeline of the Centre’s development, will appear on
the AHRC’s new website, which will become public later this year.
Edyn reflects that her internship has been complementary to her studies, as it has exposed her to an invaluable work experience, and she recommends that
students interested in the field of human rights enroll in the Human Rights Internship course. Edyn’s internship has allowed her to not only develop key research and critical analysis skills, but to also apply her learning from human rights courses in a meaningful
way. Of her experience, Edyn says, “social justice has always been a passion of mine, so I am very grateful for the Human Rights Internship course and the opportunity it provides to gain hands-on experience working in the field of human rights.”
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STU HUMAN RIGHTS
PROGRAM UPDATES
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Dr. Eduardo Kapapelo holds a PhD in International Law from the University of Pretoria. He is a scholar-practitioner whose work sits at the intersection
of international human rights, foreign policy, decoloniality, and critical international relations. He teaches the Human Rights and Foreign Policy course, where he brings a historically grounded and politically attentive approach to the study of human rights
- treating rights not only as legal norms or moral claims, but as practices shaped by power, institutions, and competition within global narratives.
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Dr. Kapapelo’s research and teaching draw on international human rights law, International Relations theory, and Global South and decolonial scholarship,
with particular interest in sovereignty and intervention, the politics of “universality,” and selective enforcement of rights within global governance. In his course, students examine how historical legacies - especially empire and global inequality - continue
to structure modern diplomacy and human rights agendas, including Canada’s role in global human rights politics through a comparative perspective.
Dr. Kapapelo says: “I chose to teach Human Rights in Foreign Policy because the most persistent misunderstanding about human rights begins with the comforting
illusion that rights operate above politics. In practice, foreign policy is one of the primary arenas where we see which rights are championed, which are deferred, and which are quietly, or at times loudly, traded away. My course helps students read human
rights in the real world: through the pressures of sovereignty, intervention, global inequality, and historical legacies, and through cases that test the gap between moral language and political behaviour - including Canada’s own role in the global human rights
diplomacy. My hope is that students leave with sharper judgement and the ability to analyze power without cynicism, and to argue for human dignity with precision.”
Dr. Kapapelo’s broader intellectual agenda explores how the international order is made and contested, and how human rights can be both emancipatory and
instrumentally deployed. He is committed to building students’ analytical confidence and writing clarity through discussion-based learning and policy-oriented work that connects theory to real world cases.
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K.D. Merritt is a PhD candidate in the Department of Sociology at the University of New Brunswick. She holds a BA (Hons.) in Sociology from St. Thomas
University and a MA in Sociology from Dalhousie University. Her research interests involve media studies, queer sociology, and homonorms. Further, motivated by her own positionality as a white, rural lesbian, K.D.’s research focuses on lesbian representation
in media with a particular emphasis on television characterizations.
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Her dissertation titled “Is Everything
Really Awesome?: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Lesbian Representations across Tegan and Sara’s
Highschool Series” critically examines a cross-section of cultural texts paying close attention to representations of lesbian youth, and asks how these depictions are in dialogue with homonorms,
commodification, and female masculinity. Further, K.D.’s research regarding lesbian representation has been presented at the Annual Canadian Sociological Association Conference in 2020, 2022, 2023, and 2024. Most recently, her articles “Thrust for Canada:
A Critical Discourse Analysis of Nationalist Ideologies Across Season One of
Heated Rivalry” as well as “Homemade Heterosexuality: Interrogating Tradwife Rhetoric as an Extension of Heteroactivism” have been accepted to the 2026 Conference. Merritt has a forthcoming chapter
in a Palgrave Series on representation titled “A poppy, fun, palatable, lesbian brand: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Showtime’s
The L Word: Generation Q (Season One). Additionally, she has written on behalf of the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission alongside colleague Dr. Timothy Bryan on the Collection of Race-Based
Police Data in Nova Scotia (“Bryan Report”).
At STU, Merritt teaches 2SLGBTQIA and Human
Rights, which is structured around a number of real-world examples and case studies in historical, contemporary, and present contexts. This course also draws from sociology to explore the legal regulation of gender and sexuality across time, space,
and place. By the end of this semester, students will have gained a deeper, interdisciplinary understanding of queer rights in Canada and across the globe. The course offers a space to discuss queer issues and rights in a positive and supportive academic environment.
Merritt takes a particular focus on the overlap between cultural politics, media, and human rights when teaching this course. As such, students are given the opportunity to deepen their understanding of the links between the law of human rights, the media
representation of human rights and the public perception of rights.
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Alex Bailey holds a Master’s degree in Political Science from the University of New Brunswick. To the Human Rights Department, Alex brings 19 years of
experience from the labour movement, advocating for workers’ rights and social justice. As a practitioner of human rights, Alex has helped thousands of workers across Canada improve their lives for the better by teaching them how to unionize, increase their
power, and enforce their rights.
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Alex’s experience with the labour movement includes past roles was a Labour Relations Officer for the New Brunswick Union (NBU), a Servicing Representative
for the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) in New Brunswick, an Atlantic Canada regional organizer with the Public Service Alliances of Canada (PSAC), and a municipalities campaign organizer for the Canadian Labour Congress.
As a contract academic at STU, Alex has had the opportunity to teach in the Economics Department, and now Introduction to Human Rights. “I am excited
to teach human rights, because getting informed is the first step in making positive social change in the world.”
Alex firmly believes that the enforcement of human rights at all levels of society is crucial, and that enforcement requires power. “It’s not enough to
know your rights, you have to learn how to stand up for your rights. Through my organizing work running successful campaigns, facing tough employer and political oppositions, I have learned that methods, discipline, and good strategic analysis are key to success.”
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From Left to Right: Human Rights students Colby LeBlanc, Kyra Lustig, and Grace Perry
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When proposed provincial budget measures raised concerns about the future of post-secondary education in New Brunswick, students from across the province
responded with swift and strategic action. On March 17, hundreds of students made their way to the legislature in Fredericton to hear the province’s budget numbers. STU HMRTs students played a central role in both planning and execution, applying skills in
advocacy, organizing, and public engagement developed through the HMRTs program.
Several STU HMRTs students acted as organizers, holding formal leadership roles within the STU Student Union, including Vice-President Education Camila
Baquerizo Bayona, current At-Large Representative and incoming STUSU President Colby LeBlanc, Off-Campus Representative Aurora Sutton, and Indigenous Representative Kyra Lustig.
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In addition to these executive roles, second-year HMRTs student Celeste Horsman utilized the open mic to emphasize the importance of protecting academic
programs that foster advocacy, noting that such education equips students with the ability to organize, build, and effectively enact movements. The protest highlighted concerns about affordability, access, and long-term investment in students, with messaging
throughout the demonstration reinforcing that students are directly impacted by funding decisions.
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Pictured: Celeste Horsman at the open mic
Photo credit: Jennifer Williams
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Reflecting on the protest, Kyra Lustig says, “I’m very proud of our student population and how we stand up, it’s an amazing
feeling to know that we are supported by each other and that we will come together to make sure that our future remains in our own hands.”
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The AHRC is proud of the leadership role our HMRTs students played in this mobilization and in the STU Student Union!
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Read The Aquinian coverage
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STU Moot recently completed the domestic part of its competition season, competing in four moots across Canada, picking up first place finishes and multiple speaker awards.
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Dalhousie University Moot Cup
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From Left to Right: Camila Baquerizo Bayona, Alex Ryan, Charlotte Boultinghouse, and
Kyra Lustig
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HMRTs student Camila Baquerizo Bayona was part of the winning pair at the Dal Cup, along with Kyra Lustig.
Charlotte Boultinghouse and HMRTs Honours student Alex Ryan finished in the semi-finals and won the awards for best speaker and overall points received.
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Speaking on her experience at the Dal Cup, Charlotte Boultinghouse said, “It was such an amazing experience to compete at Dalhousie University against
other maritime schools and students. I truly could not have made it to the semi-finals, or have been awarded my orator distinction, without the constant support of our professor and coach, Dr. DiPaolo, the entire Moot Team, and my mooting partner Alex. That
is what I love so much about Moot, the fact that I can participate in something that is so collaborative; every individual win feels like a team win.”
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12th Annual University of Toronto Moot Court Cup and the Osgoode Cup
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From Left to Right: (Front) Edyn Clowater, Grace Cunningham, Sydney Gallibois, Aurora
Sutton. (Back) Cameron Rouse, Jazmyne LeBel, and Moot Court Assistant Kassie Trainor.
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Cameron Rouse receiving her speaking award from the Honourable Justice Karakatsanis
of the Supreme Court of Canada.
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STU Moot rounded out the domestic portion of the moot calendar by competing in the Osgoode Cup and the University of
Toronto Cup. Finishing in the quarterfinals at the Toronto Cup were Grace Cunningham and Cameron Rouse. Cameron Rouse also picked up a speaking award for 6th place Distinguished Oralist.
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From Left to Right: Mya Benson, Sydney Gallibois, Erin McShannon, Grace Lapointe,
Ada Carr, and Jhami Lee Charles.
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Several mooters are graduating this year including HMRTs Majors Jazmyne LeBel, Camila Baquerizo Bayona, Sydney Gallibois, Jhami-Lee Charles, and Mya Benson.
Benson looks back fondly at her STU Moot experience. “Moot court has been the best part of my time at STU. I am grateful I got to explore legal issues in a hands-on, fast-paced environment,” Benson said,
adding “Not only has Moot Court taught me how to interpret different areas of the law, but it has also taught me resilience, confidence, grit, and how to collaborate with others in an efficient manner. I would not be the advocate that I am today without Moot
Court.”
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Legendary Coach Dr. Amanda DiPaolo Returns to STU Moot Program
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STU’s Moot Court team is an excellent activity for any student interested in going to law school or for those who want
to hone their reading comprehension, analytical skills, and oratory capabilities. Students learn legal writing, oral advocacy, and compete against other schools in appellant court simulations.
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Cameron Rouse and Grace Cunningham at the University of Toronto Cup.
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Director of the STU Moot Program, Dr. Amanda DiPaolo says:
“This year, STU’s Moot Court team had an incredible run at the four domestic moot tournaments we competed in. Picking
up two first place finishes in one academic year is no easy challenge! I could not possibly be prouder of all the mooters who competed this year. Our moot team prepared diligently for each competition, often under exhausting personal schedules including carrying
full, or overloaded, course schedules, part-time jobs, being members of various sports teams at STU, members of the Student Union’s executive, and juggling various other responsibilities. STU Moot is a dedicated group, and they made the STU community very
proud. There are two more moots to go, both international competitions. We now switch our focus away from other undergraduate students and prepare to compete against law students from around the world. The Moot Team will be arguing issues of international
human rights law at the Nelson Mandela World Human Rights Moot Court, as well as issues of international criminal law in the Nuremberg Moot. Stay tuned for updates on those exciting tournaments in the Fall newsletter.”
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Since graduating from St. Thomas University in 2020, former STUSU President Husoni Raymond has built a career defined
by leadership, advocacy, and a commitment to advancing equity both inside and outside the legal profession.
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During his studies at Osgoode Hall Law School, Husoni was elected National President of the Black Law Students’ Association
of Canada, where he helped shape the future of the legal profession by spearheading initiatives that supported Black law and pre-law students across Canada. Under his leadership, BLSA expanded programs such as the Isaac Moot - the only for-credit moot in Canada
focused on critical race theory - and the BLSA National Conference, which brought together more than 700 attendees from across the country and featured renowned scholar and activist Angela Davis as keynote speaker.
Prior to this, Husoni served as Manager of Anti-Racism initiatives at the New Brunswick Multicultural Council, where
he worked on projects aimed at addressing systemic racism across the province. He was also actively involved in grassroots advocacy, including efforts that contributed to the incorporation of Black history within the New Brunswick public school curriculum.
His work focused on ensuring that the experiences and contributions of Black communities in the province are recognized and meaningfully reflected in education.
Today, having earned his JD in 2024, Husoni is a lawyer in the Business Law Group at McCarthy Tétrault.
While his practice focuses primarily on corporate and commercial matters, he has also contributed to pro-bono work supporting constitutional challenges aimed at protecting the rights of gender-diverse youth in New Brunswick, Saskatchewan, and Alberta.
His leadership and community impact have also been recognized through several honours, including the Black North Initiative
Youth Leadership Award, Osgoode Hall Law School’s Dean’s Golden Key Award, and the CASA Emerging Alumni Leadership Award.
Husoni credits his time in the Human Rights program at St. Thomas University for shaping his understanding of justice
and the role law and policy can play in building more inclusive communities. He continues to carry those values into his professional and community work.
Husoni is currently serving his second term on the AHRC Advisory Board.
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After graduating from STU in 2023 with a BA Honours in Human Rights, Elisha completed an advanced LL.M. in European and International Human Rights Law
at Leiden University in the Netherlands. Since then, she has worked as a teaching assistant for the STU HMRTs Department, worked as a fact-checker for a sports media organization during the Olympic and Paralympic Games, and spent time volunteering with Action
on Armed Violence to assist in the development of a global database of mass shootings.
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Most recently, Elisha accepted a position as a Human Rights Advisor in the Queen’s University Human Rights and Equity Office, where she educates others
about human rights and responds to human rights violations.
Reflecting on her time at STU, Elisha says, “One of the things that I loved about STU’s Human Rights program was that it did not try to force students
into one singular career path, but equipped us with the skills and knowledge to take on roles in a variety of settings.”
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Are you a STU HMRTS grad and want us to profile your human rights field work?
Get or keep in touch!
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GRADUATING? Stay Connected to the AHRC
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