My name is Sosna Debela. I was born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in 2002, into a close-knit family surrounded by many relatives who were always there to celebrate milestones and support us through any circumstance. My parents came from large families themselves but decided to have only two daughters so they could provide us with better opportunities in a country with limited job prospects. Both were runners, my mother retired from the sport in her early twenties to focus on building a family. When I was just four years old, my father, who had been living in Canada for a few years, found a way to sponsor my mother, my sister, and I to join him. We were leaving behind growing political and ethnic tensions in Ethiopia for a new beginning.

Life became busy as we adjusted to a country so different from what we’d known, especially the climate and culture. Soon after we arrived in Canada, my parents enrolled me in school. I felt physically and culturally out of place among my kindergarten classmates and struggled to communicate with both peers and teachers. Over time, though, the language barrier faded into the background, only to be replaced by a new label. Ironically, I became known as a “chatty” student. Once I could speak freely, I loved connecting with others and often got in trouble for being too talkative in class.

By the time I reached the final years of high school, I began to feel more confident in my identity. Many of my classmates were fellow immigrants, each navigating their version of a new life in Canada. That shared experience gave me a sense of belonging and the confidence to get involved. I joined clubs like the student council and a group called Young Women Leading Change. Through them, I discovered my passion for leadership and saw firsthand the importance of empowering women in all aspects of life. In 2020, I was accepted into Carleton University to study economics. But it was an elective human rights course that completely shifted my direction. That class sparked a deep interest in global justice and gave me insight into how human rights are protected and violated around the world. Today, as a woman who migrated from Africa at a young age, I’m proud to say I’ve graduated from Carleton and I’m ready to dedicate my life to fighting for women’s rights across the globe.