Pascal Siakam’s donation gives law students opportunity to work towards positive social change
The 12 law students who benefited from the donation pictured with Pascal Siakam. From left: Abby Carpenter, Katrina Hermle, Shirin Mollayeva, Meagan MacArthur, Fiza Malik, Ridda Farooq, Alexa Faria, Shardaine Rowe Brown, Hania Jahangir, Sabah Daraa, Hakeekat Kang and Merima Menzildzic.
Last summer, second year law student Hania Jahangir spent 14 weeks working at the Community Justice Collective (CJC) as part of the Summer Experience Projects initiative at the Lincoln Alexander School of Law.
At the CJC, a nonprofit providing legal services to social justice movements across the GTA, Jahangir supported people who had been arrested for protesting against encampment evictions from Trinity Bellwoods, Lamport Stadium and other sites.
Second year law student Hania Jahangir was grateful to Pascal Siakam for his donation to the Lincoln Alexander School of Law.
Her experience was made possible thanks to a generous donation from Pascal Siakam and his nonprofit organization the PS43 Foundation. The support of the Toronto Raptors star allowed 12 law students to gain meaningful and paid work experiences with several organizations working towards positive social change.
“This work is extremely meaningful, but unfortunately it’s not always feasible for us because of lack of funding,” said Jahangir. “Without this generous gift, it wouldn’t have been possible for one student from the Lincoln Alexander School of Law, let alone four, to devote their entire summer working at the CJC.”
Growing up in Scarborough, Jahangir says she saw how legal resources were inaccessible to many in her neighbourhood. She chose law school because she wanted to pursue a career that would help her community by combating racial injustices.
Shirin Mollayeva says the Summer Experiences Projects initiative helped open up a whole new world of possibilities for her future career.
Another law student who benefited from Siakam’s donation was Shirin Mollayeva, who worked at the Nishnawbe-Aski Legal Services Corporation (NALSC) by providing support to lawyers with legal services for members of Nishnawbe Aski nation in the Thunder Bay office.
As part of the Ministry of the Attorney General’s Debwewin Summer Law Program, students like Mollayeva participated in intensive education and legal assistance programs for First Nations communities in consultation with Chiefs and court services officials. These internships are being offered to support students interested in providing community education and legal assistance to First Nations, Métis, or Inuit communities and community organizations across the province.
From the end of May to the beginning of August, Mollayeva provided research and other support to staff lawyers addressing family and criminal law matters. Her role involved taking calls from community members about their legal issues to understand whether and how NALSC could assist, sharing community resources, and supporting community engagement sessions on interactions with police and other service providers.
Last year, Mollayeva took a mandatory Aboriginal law course taught by Professor Scott Franks that inspired her to think critically about how the legal system in Canada needs to change in order to ensure more equitable outcomes for Indigenous communities.
"It is easy to feel hopeless when you see the injustices happening in the world today,” says Mollayeva. “The experience I had this summer allowed me to be part of an important organization that works to address barriers to justice for Indigenous people and communities. I witnessed people working extremely hard to make things better. It was a reminder of my responsibility as a person and future lawyer to contribute to meaningful change."
Raptor star Pascal Siakam says that giving law students the opportunities to learn from organizations championing social justice is the kind of empowering experience that can transform their futures.
Last week, the university announced the generous donation from Siakam and the PS43 Foundation at a small reception held on campus.
“Giving law students the opportunity to contribute to and learn from organizations that have the public interest at heart is exactly the kind of empowering experience that can transform their futures,” said Siakam.
Donna Young, founding dean of the law school, was immensely grateful to Siakam and the PS43 Foundation for the generous gift, which gave students an opportunity to work hand-in-hand with communities advocating for equity and social justice.
“Tonight, we are celebrating generosity, acknowledging the importance of community, and recognizing the wonderful synchronicity that has brought us together,” said Young. “It is an absolute privilege to mark this special moment with all of you.”