UTARMS Oral History Collection on Student Activism

Interview with Mohammed Hashim conducted by Ruth Belay

13 December 2019 | A2020-0010/001S | Transcript (PDF) | Listen

Interview description

Mohammed Hashim, Executive Director of the Canadian Race Relations Foundation, was a former University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) student actively involved in organizing and student government across UofT’s three campuses in the 2000s. Helping to found the group Breaking Down Social Barriers, an anti-globalization advocacy group, Hashim speaks about his entry into progressive politics and how his growing investment developed at the University. He describes how social justice and engagement with broader political struggles came to shape UTM student politics. Through reflection on the numerous positions he held, including on the Board of Directors of the Student Administrative Council, Commissioner at University Affairs and Executive Director at UTMSU, he touches on specific issues including rising student fees, the UPass programme, and dynamics between the three campuses. Hashim highlights the intentional work done to foster involvement and successive progressive slates, as well as the deliberate approaches taken by the University administration in responding to student issues.

 

Organizations

  • Breaking Down Social Barriers
  • University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union (UTMSU)
  • Student Administrative Council (SAC)
  • Canadian Federation of Students (CFE)
  • Scarborough Campus Students’ Union (SCSU)
  • Couchiching Institute on Public Affairs

Subject Topics

  • Anti-globalization movement
  • Days of Action, Ontario
  • 9/11
  • Student movements
  • Student governance
  • Student fees
  • Transit
  • Institutional response
  • Deregulation of professional programmes
 

Citation: University of Toronto Archives. Oral History Collection on Student Activism. Oral history interview with Mohammed Hashim conducted by Ruth Belay, 13 December 2019. A2020-0010/001S.