Harar Hall does not like to call herself an activist; it is a “buzz word” used far too often, she said. “I find my role in making our society better,” said the self-identifying queer woman of colour.
Hall, 21, said she gets to use her voice, power, and budget “to make life easier for women on campus” in her position as program coordinator at Carleton University’s Womxn’s Centre, a service centre run by the Carleton University Student Association (CUSA).
One of Hall’s responsibilities at the centre is planning events to empower women and queer folks, such as peer support seminars and an annual film festival–this year’s highlighting female directors and writers. Through these events, Hall said she has “seen the capacity of young people . . . our ability to do great things.”
One of Hall’s biggest accomplishments so far, she said, was going through the “rigorous process” of changing the centre’s name from the Womyn’s Centre, to the Womxn’s Centre in an attempt to make it as inclusive as possible.
When asked about the ‘x’ in Womxn’s Centre, Hall said it acts as a variable to be inclusive to all identities. “If you identify as a woman with an ‘e,’ come in. If you don’t identify with anything at all, and the ‘x’ is a question mark–also come in. You are welcome here,” Hall said. “We like that idea of variability . . . fluidity . . . it’s something we try to really ground in terms of who gets to come in here: everyone.”
She added she values people “who are inquisitive and who are critical,” but above all prioritizes “kindness and caring for people beyond yourself.”
Hall said that several trends in campus culture and attitudes towards sexual violence need to change. She recognizes that these types of cultural shifts take time, adding she wants to lead the conversation. Whether this means getting a masters in international affairs or attending law school, Hall wants to “work on the ground, with people” to effect change.
Hall hopes that one day her efforts could lead her to running a non-governmental organization.
As a leader at Carleton, Hall said her biggest fear is falling short of her own expectations, though she has goals she hopes to accomplish in the near future.
Besides being a student in the Global and International Studies program, the success of the Womxn’s Learning, Advocacy and Support Centre is at the top of Hall’s priority list.
Before she became a known figure on Carleton’s campus, Hall grew up in Toronto, O.N., and is of Jamaican descent. Her mother is an artist, and her father, a teacher. Hall also has four younger siblings, and a cat named Bo. “They are really cool people,” Hall said about her family. “They challenge me.”
In her limited free time, she can be found painting, baking, writing, or debating.
“I love the idea of making something new,” Harar said.