My name is Mary Cep and I like to skip small talk and head straight into the nitty gritty of what’s up, what’s really good and what’s not---which is usually rooted in some form of oppression constructed by capitalism, western colonialism, racism and many other prevalent issues. I’m very passionate about healing through the arts, as well as vulnerable and respectful discussions about our lived experiences and hopeful ideas for the future. I believe disability justice works hand in hand with replacing harmful and violent systems in our world that push ableist, money-hungry agendas that leave no room for fostering authenticity, compassion, trust, and ultimately happiness. It was only after learning of my ADHD diagnosis in the fall of 2020 that I first heard of the term “ableism” at the Black Table Talk, a drop-in zoom program I co-facilitated. Since then, I knew I had to commit to unlearning everything that kept the reality of it suppressed, and this fatefully led me to the true community that is the DJNO :)

Ahona Mehdi (she/her) is a student organizer based in Hamilton, Ontario. She is a member of Hamilton Students for Justice (HS4J) and Defund Hamilton Police Services (Defund HPS). From 2019-2020, she was also a student trustee with the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB), where she worked with students to terminate the violent Police Liaison Officer (PLO) program and exposed issues of racism, Islamophobia and ableism among trustees. Currently, she works to create safe networks for other racialized, disabled and queer youth to connect, co-learn, heal, love and reimagine a world where students can learn outside of carceral systems. In her spare time, Ahona enjoys playing the piano, singing and sewing.