Co-Founders

Sarah Jama is a co-founder of the Disability Justice Network of Ontario and holds a Social Sciences degree from McMaster University. Her lived experiences with cerebral palsy have fostered interests and a passion for community engagement, disability justice, and activism.

Sarah was a board member with the Hamilton Transit Riders Union (HTRU), a council member on the Hamilton Immigration Partnership Council, and a member of the Hamilton Community Benefits Network (HCBN).

She is no longer staff at DJNO. Instead, Sarah is currently the sitting Member of Provincial Parliament for Hamilton Centre.

Shanthiya Baheerathan

Shanthiya Baheerathan is a co-founder of the Disability Justice Network of Ontario. She has worked outside and within health systems as a researcher and advocate for individuals who have experienced medical violence and sexual violence, and centres disability justice in this work.

She is driven by a vision of a transformed society, where access and rights are just a starting point, and where dignity, liberty, bodily autonomy and justice are an everyday reality for people with disabilities. She is no longer staff at DJNO.

EMINET DAGNACHEW

Eminet Dagnachew is a co-founder of the Disability Justice Network of Ontario and a Registered Social Worker in Hamilton, ON. She currently manages operations for The Salvation Army's Hamilton Booth Centre (emergency shelter) and Financial Management programs.

Prioritizing evidence-based initiatives to inform her practice, Eminet leads teams through implementation of Housing First, Harm Reduction, and accessibility principles. A vision of universally designed and appropriately housed communities drives her work. She is no longer staff at DJNO.

SARAH JAMA