About MENO
The Muslim Educators Network of Ontario is a provincial advocacy group that represents Muslim teachers, parents and students. Together, we work to:
Ensure our voice is present to raise awareness of overlooked matters at certain ‘tables’ of leadership and decisional places,
Establish a visible framework for teachers (Muslim and allies) on where to receive support and direction to educational resources,
Interrupt Islamophobia and support anti-oppression work (allies), equity groups and other marginalized voices,
Demonstrate a combined approach that includes “Muslim” and all other intersectional identities.
MENO Executive
Rizwana Kaderdina
Rizwana Kaderdina is a hijab-wearing, Muslim woman from the South Asian diaspora. She has been an educator with the York Region District School Board for many years, and is currently in the role of Equity Consultant. Rizwana is the co-Chair of the Alliance of Educators for Muslim Students (AEMS), a new Board Member of Ansaar Foundation, and the co-founder of al-Jeeran, as well a volunteer with Victim Services of York Region. Rizwana is grateful to those who have supported her learning and growth, and opened space for her. Through their guidance and mentorship, she hopes to do the same for others, whether colleagues, students, or community members.
Isra Rafiq
Isra Rafiq completed her Masters in Education at the University of Toronto, specializing in Curriculum, Learning, and Teaching. She worked in various roles within the field of education ranging from a teacher to curriculum developer and editor. Throughout her experiences, she strived to integrate a social justice and equity lens into her work. Isra is thrilled to be part of MENO, and excited to contribute.
Imran Syed
Imran Syed is the proud father of twin girls and an engaged educator in equity for well of 20 years. He has worked in education for more than 25 years (both in Canada and the Middle East) and has been an administrator with the Durham District School Board since 2006. He holds a MS Ed, Hons. BA and a variety of professional education credentials.
He is currently working in the role of an Elementary school Principal in Ajax, ON. Key areas of contribution have been, working to build capacity amongst affinity groups, engaging communities and making partnerships that impact student achievement and well-being. MENO is a grassroots organization working to collectively address anti-muslim hate and advocate on a provincial level.
Sayema Chowdhury
Sayema is a mother, daughter, partner, aunt, life-long learner and educator currently seconded to the Faculty of Education at York University where she teaches a variety of subjects, with a focus on Diverse and Equitable Classrooms. She is one of the co-chairs of FESI, York University's annual Equity Conference. Sayema has an interest in supporting mental health and wellbeing from a community and anti-racist perspective, participates widely in diversity and equity initiatives throughout Ontario and is committed to anti-oppressive education and learning. Sayema’s home board is the Peel District School Board, and prior to secondment, held the central role of Climate for Learning and Working Resource Teacher, science department head and teacher.
In addition to her Equity and Anti-oppression work, Sayema delivers workshops on Leadership Development and Conflict Resolution. She is a member of the board of MENO (The Muslim Educator’s Network of Ontario), a member of the City of Toronto's History Museums’ MHS IDEA Programming Advisory Groupand a certified MBTI (Myers Briggs Personality Type Inventory) and Restorative Practices trainer through the IIRP (The Internation Institute of Restorative Practices).
Shazia Sheikh
Shazia has been an educator for over 20 years with the Peel District School Board. As a classroom teacher, she was committed to social justice, equity and environmental education. Her most recent experiences include being a Student Work Study Teacher and an Instructional Coach.
Currently, Shazia is an Equity Resource Teacher in the Indigenous Education, Anti Racism, Anti Oppression and Community Support Services Department and is a member of the PETL Equity Advisory Committee.
Shazia has supported system wide professional learning in Literacy, Numeracy, Equity, Anti Black Racism, Islamophobia, and Culturally Relevant and Responsive Pedagogy. She is passionate about anti oppressive education and developing inclusive curriculum that affirms the intersectional identities of all students.
Omar Zia
Omar Zia is an Educator working with the Peel School Board, in Ontario, Canada. He is a well-known Khatib and lecturer in Toronto. He holds a B.Sc., B.Ed. (teacher of Science and English) and a Master of Education degree. He is an Ontario Certified Teacher, specializing in English as a Second Language, Special Education and Guidance Counselling and is a qualified principal.
Br. Omar Zia currently works as a Vice Principal at Streetsville SS in Mississauga and teaches part-time with Queen's University.
Br. Omar had the honour of studying Islam under numerous well-known Muslim scholars in the Toronto area.
Zakia holds a B.A in political science from Western University and a B.Ed from Brock University. She has been teaching for 17 years with expertise in Special Education. She is currently the Equity, Inclusion, and Anti-Racism Consultant for the District School Board of Niagara.
Zakia was an active member of the Muslim community in London, her hometown, and after moving to St. Catharines in 2002, has been supporting the Muslim community in the Niagara Region. She is very passionate about empowering student voice and has collaboratively developed, with students, social justice, equity, and inclusion campaigns that engage students in being active citizens within their schools and communities. As well, Zakia is the chair of the settlement committee for Bridge of Hope, an interfaith, not-for-profit organization that helps to support settle refugees in the Niagara Region.
She is a Syrian/Lebanese mother of three who is in passionate pursuit to provide equitable opportunities for all, building a culture of appreciation of our differences and empowering and upholding the voices of those who have been historically and currently silenced.
Sultan Rana
Sultan is a father, son, partner, uncle, and currently seconded to the Faculty of Education at York University where he teaches a variety of subjects in the P/J/I panel with a focus on Anti-Oppression particularly in Physical Education, Social Studies, and mainstream classroom practice. He is one of the co-chairs of FESI, York University's annual Equity Conference. Sultan has an interest and known talent for integrating digital and technology enhanced pedagogical practices, meaningfully, in all aspects of education. He holds a Masters in Digital Education, and has been honoured by Apple, Google, and Raspberry Pi as a distinguished and innovative educator. In addition to being an in-class educator in grade 4-11, over Sultan’s 14 year career he has been a digital consultant and in-school community liaison and support teacher.
In addition to workshops on anti-oppression, CRRP, and other topics in equity and digital education, Sultan has written curriculum and had his work published in educational publications both provincially and nationally.
Sultan is looking to pursue further work in advocacy, particularly as it pertains to increasing representation of minoritized peoples in positions of power such as politics, municipal planning, law and policy making, cyber securities and law enforcement to change the everyday lives of oppressed peoples.
Safia Saleh
Safia is a passionate educator and advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion. She is an elementary educator with over twenty years of experience in teaching at all grade levels from Kindergarten through grade eight.
She holds a Master’s Degree in Leadership and Training from Royal Roads University in Victoria, B.C. in addition to her Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education degrees from York University.
Her current role is in supporting safe and inclusive climates for learning and working at the Peel District School Board. This includes supporting the system with professional learning in Equity, Safe Schools, Islamophobia, Anti-Black Racism, Restorative Practices, Mental Health and Wellbeing.
As an instructional and equity leader, Safia has developed curriculum resources and facilitates learning for adults throughout the province in instructional pedagogy, Personal Leadership, Culturally Responsive Pedagogy and anti-Islamophobia. Safia has partnered the Malton Mosque and Ar Rashaad centre to support student leadership and wellbeing in the Muslim Community.
Safia is an active Federation leader and facilitator for the Women in Leadership Retreat and former chair of the Provincial Status of Women’s Committee and Anti-Racism and Equity Committee. She supports ETFO as the liaison between York University’s Faculty of Education and ETFO as the Teacher Education Liasion Committee Chair.
Safia is the author of a children’s book on dealing with Islamophobia, published by Lorimer with an anticipated release for the Fall of 2020.
Ayesha Syed
Ayesha Syed (she/her) is a secondary school educator (English and Social Sciences) who holds a B.A. and B.Ed. from York University and an M.Ed. In International Education (Leadership) from Charles Sturt University.
Currently an Equity Consultant in York Region, she works to develop and facilitate professional learning programs for primary and secondary teachers grounded within anti-oppressive pedagogies, which support the implementation of inclusive educational environments.
Ayesha has led education programs for teachers and administrators on anti-Black racism, colonialism, cisnormativity, culturally responsive and relevant pedagogy, ELL well-being, faith accommodations, heterosexism, Islamophobia, parent engagement, racism, shadeism, social-emotional learning, and trauma-informed schools.
Prior to this role, Ayesha was a Board Teacher Liaison in Inclusive School and Community Services, Social Sciences Department Head and Student Success Teacher.
A community leader who is committed to holistic and pragmatic approaches to equity and community advocacy, Ayesha is a Co-Founder/Consultant of Womxn Offering Wisdom: a grassroots organization dedicated to the advocacy and agency of diverse and non-binary South Asian womxn. She is also the past Co-chair of Educators for Students of South Asian Heritage (ESSAH) and the Co-Founder of the Alliance of Educators for Muslim Students (AEMS) in York Region.
Ayesha is committed to equity literacy, inclusive education, and working alongside minoritized communities to support advocacy and community mobilization.