Living Hero #3 Ayan Hersi

Ayan Hersi is a Somalian refugee that grew up in Canada. As a child her father was deported and her mother struggled to raise 5 children on social assistance. Growing up with her mothers support and the strength she had witnessed in the Somali refugees she resolved to be the first woman in her family to graduate university.
She ran for school president in high school and when she was told that she should run for something less demanding because she was a young black woman, she became more determined to win and did with her mothers strong support, becoming the first black woman to be president of the school council.
In the aftermath of 9-11 she started and anti racial campaign for the Muslim students who were experiencing an increase in bullying, threats and insults.
At the University of Toronto she assumed a leadership role in AIDS education, anti racial and anti violence advocacy. She spearheads human rights training for women in Namibia, Kenya, and Somalia. As a part of the United Nations Development she spent the summer of 2007 in Namibia as part of the University of Toronto HIV/AIDS academic field project. Ayan worked with the local women to advocate for anonymous HIV/AIDS testing, counselling and treatment and prevention programs.
She supports disabled students, ensuring they receive accommodations and financial assistance to succeed in school. Ayan is the founder of Youth in Touch, a youth led, non profit organization that provides young people with access to networking skills, money management, legal rights and access to education.
Ayan Hersi is an amazing young woman, she is my living hero #3.