Serisha I.

Background

About Serisha I.

Serisha is a passionate advocate and educator with over a decade of experience leading programs centring the advocacy efforts of oppressed and repressed communities, with an emphasis on uplifting the expertise of racialized youth. She currently serves as the Director of Community Programs at Planned Parenthood Toronto. After earning a BA in Political Science and World Religions from McGill University, Serisha began her career in the start-up world, before pivoting to the non-profit sector working in education, public policy, political advocacy and international human rights. As the daughter of South African refugees and migrants, Serisha attributes much of her political knowledge and resulting analysis to the teachings of the anti-Apartheid movement. Rooted in her lived experience and professional capacities, Serisha also dedicates time to consulting on ways to eliminate poverty in what is currently Canada, and the disproportionate impacts that exist for children/youth of colour. She previously served as a Board Director for Canada Without Poverty, and is currently on the board of SustainED Lab, a non-profit focused on equity in education based in the United Kingdom. In 2019, after experiencing the realities of tokenism, racism, and ageism in advocacy spaces, Serisha created Leading in Colour. An organization dedicated to providing racialized youth and communities with the tools and skills needed to advocate for themselves while combating white supremacy. Serisha has been an active writer, public speaker, consultant and advisor working with various stakeholders and across industries to combat systemic barriers and ensure racialized youth and communities are supported in confronting (and tearing down) the harmful systems that impact them. To contact Serisha directly, email: serisha@leadingincolour.ca