MichellePaulis a mother, treaty rights holder, water protector, land defender, advocate and activist. She is a member of the Wasoqopa'q (Acadia) First Nation. Her advocacy work focuses on Indigenous allies and settler solidarity to resist colonial infringements on Mi’kmaw sovereignty, including the Alton Gas Resistance movement in Mi’kma’ki.
The 2026 conference theme
The State of the World Conference is a space for reflection and a call to engagement. It is an opportunity to critically consider how solidarity, resistance, and community action can help shape a more just future.
Across our communities and institutions, the “state of the world” is no longer something distant. Global crises are unfolding alongside local struggles, shaping how people live here in Nova Scotia and beyond. From war, displacement, and humanitarian catastrophe to budget cuts, anti-equity backlash and ongoing struggles for Indigenous sovereignty, racial justice and collective care, we are living through a moment defined by overlapping crises and urgent questions of responsibility.
This conference invites participants to reflect on how global issues are experienced locally, and how individuals, communities, and institutions are responding in justice-oriented ways. It begins from the understanding that crises do not remain “out there.” They are felt in our campuses, workplaces, neighbourhoods, and relationships. At the same time, they also reveal the strength of communities that continue to advocate, resist, and care for one another despite limited support.
Through a keynote address and panel discussions, we will explore:
- How global crises such as war, displacement, and systemic violence are connected to local realities in Nova Scotia.
- The impact of budget cuts, institutional retrenchment, and declining support for equity and community-based initiatives.
- How faculty, staff, and community leaders are mobilizing to build more equitable spaces.
As the world feels increasingly unstable, this conference asks: How do we understand the connections between global injustice and local life? What responsibilities do institutions and communities have in this moment? Who is being asked to carry the weight of crisis, and who is being left unsupported? Most importantly, what does it mean to respond not only with concern, but with action?
Agenda
12:00–1:00 PM | Keynote address
Lina Hamid is a dedicated public servant and community advocate currently serving as the Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for the constituency of Fairview-Clayton Park. Since her election, she has been a consistent voice in the House of Assembly, focusing on provincial policy, legislative analysis, and the fiscal management of Nova Scotia.
Lina is proud to be the first Muslim woman to be elected to the Nova Scotia Legislature and first Sudanese Canadian to be elected to any legislative position in Canada. Her lived experience drives a legislative focus on societal equity, accessibility, and inclusive policy-making. By bringing a perspective that was previously absent from the provincial dialogue, Lina works to dismantle barriers and foster a more representative government that reflects the multicultural fabric of Nova Scotia.
1:00–1:10 PM | Break
1:10–2:30 PM | Panel
2:30–2:40 PM | Break
2:40–4:00 PM | Panel
4:00 PM | Closing
Changemakers panel
LisaBlandis a registered nurse, health advocate, and community leader from the historic African Nova Scotian community of Windsor Plains, Nova Scotia. With nearly two decades of experience in healthcare, she has worked across perinatal and women's health, gynecology, elder care, and health promotion.Lisais currently pursuing a Master of Science in Nursing at tv, with a research interest in menstrual equity for African Nova Scotians.
Lisaserves as the Valley Regional Representative on the Council on African Canadian Education and sits on the board of the Health Association of African Canadians, where she helps advance equity-focused policy and community engagement. She is the co-founder of the Avon River Days Society, a grassroots initiative celebrating culture and community in West Hants, and a longtime volunteer with Girl Guides of Canada supporting youth leadership and empowerment.Lisais widely recognized for her leadership in community health, education advocacy, and rural community development and the recipient of the King Charles III Coronation Medal.
Dr.ElJonesis a poet, journalist, professor, and abolitionist living in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She was the 5th Poet Laureate of Halifax and a 2015 resident of the International Writing Program at University of Iowa.Elwas the poet in residence at U of T Scarborough in 2021. She won 2 Atlantic Journalism Gold awards in 2018 and 2019. In 2016,Elwas a recipient of the Burnley “Rocky”Joneshuman rights award for her work with prisoners. She was the 15th Nancy’s Chair in Women’s Studies at Mount Saint Vincent University.Elreceived her PhD in Cultural Studies at Queen’s University and is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political and Canadian Studies at Mount Saint Vincent University.
Elwas the lead author of the report,Defunding the Police: Defining the Way Forward for HRM. Her second book,Abolitionist Intimacies, a collection of poetry and prose examining abolition through Black feminist practices of care and resistance is being released from Fernwood Press in November 2022.
HuwaidaMedaniis The Employment Equity Manager with People and Culture at tv University. She brings over 20 years experience in equity, diversity, and inclusion. She holds a Master’s degree from the Mount Saint Vincent University and has received and gave extensive training in equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility.Huwaidahasexpertisein community connections, employment equity planning and implementation and leadership development.
Outside her day job,Huwaidais active in her local Sudanese-Canadian community and the broader community of immigrants and newcomers in Nova Scotia.
Other panelists include:
Dana Elborno | Palestinian Canadian and social advocate
Lisa Arnason |Consultant and Chair of Ase Community Foundation for Black Canadians with Disabilities
Student voices panel
Patriciais a PhD student in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. She is passionate about supporting others and helping themdevelop a sense of belonging. She has taken various trainings on Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (EDIA) principles, anti-oppression, anddecolonial approaches, which guideher work and engagement. One of her key roles is serving as a mentor for incoming students, through which she has supported hundreds of students over the years. She is actively engaged in volunteer activities, has advocated for students on multiple committees and working groups, and has contributed to building inclusive academic communities. Her work hasreceivedprestigious recognition, including the Board of Governors Award (2025), the Outstanding Graduate Student Award (2024), and selection to the High-Performance tier of the Leadership Academy (2025-26).
Registration
Contact us
If you have questions about the conference, contact the organizers on hres@dal.ca
Previous conference themes
- Pulling the Red Card on Racism: Teaming Up to Transform Sport & Recreation (2024)
- The Role of Curriculum in Combating Racism (2023)
- Learning from the Past to Build for the From Community to Campus: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Social Justice (2021)
- Future: Challenging Discrimination from the Global to Local (2020)