For the majority of my life, I was an outcast; a child born out of wedlock, which did not adhere to the Guyanese norm of marriage. My mother, 16 years old at the time, lacked financial support when we immigrated to Canada. As a result, my uncle’s family raised me with heavy scrutiny, making me feel unwanted and undesired. Years later when I moved in with my mother and stepdad at age 15, these feelings continued to resonate as my stepdad’s family abhorred my presence. Notwithstanding, I refused to allow others' negative stereotypes define my identity.
Having discerned the power of knowledge while growing up in Canada, I was determined to attend university even though I had no financial support. from my family To compensate, I worked 30 hours per week throughout my undergraduate career. Although this schedule left little time for leisure activities, my selected subjects at the
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This has led to many rewarding opportunities. The most gratifying opportunity was my role as a workshop facilitator for the "Violence against Women" project that focused on issues of health and justice for Canadian Muslim women. To prepare for this project; I received guidance from feminist lawyer, Pamela Cross to address the issues of domestic violence, female genital mutilation and cutting, forced marriages, and femicide in a compelling and forthright manner. The participants comprised of local shelters, women’s rights’ activists, community leaders, and concerned citizens. During the workshops, conversations with these individuals convinced me that there was a lack of resources and support in Ontario for women and children who have experienced violence. This current social dilemma impassioned me to further enhance my knowledge of legislation and become qualified law practitioner, particularly in family law. I aspire to take my talent and mission to the next