This lifelong activist shows caring for others can be radical in its own way

CBC Quebec is highlighting people from the province's Black communities who are giving back, inspiring others and helping to shape our future. These are the Black Changemakers.

Mubeenah Mughal says with an "activist heart," you bring the mentality of wanting to enact change to everything you do — whether it's spending time with loved ones or just going about daily tasks.

Mughal grew up on the island of Montreal, first in the St. Laurent borough and then further west in Pierrefonds for her teenage years.

She now lives in southwestern Montreal with her partner, three children and a foster son. But her caring extends far beyond her immediate family.

Mughal, who has worked with organizations advocating for people including undocumented migrants, new parents and the blind, says she often introduces herself as a queer Black Muslim woman and as "an engaged human."

However, her main identity is as a mother, she said — recognizing that some of the most important contributions to society don't come with a paycheque.

Even before she had children of her own, making sure people had access to childcare was on her mind. As a Concordia University student in the early 2000s, she helped organize childcare during pro-Palestinian and anti-war demonstrations, as she protested alongside her fellow students.

"Community is my life," says Mughal, who now works for the English Montreal School Board as a member of the Advisory Committee on Special Education Services and as a parent commissioner.

She helped launch the EMSB's legal challenge to Bill 21, the controversial Quebec law that bars teachers and other people in positions of authority from wearing religious symbols. The board's challenge is still before the Quebec Court of Appeal.

"We can't achieve anything alone. I don't think humans are meant to organize or live alone. We all have our strengths and our weaknesses," she said.

Mughal is also part of the advocacy group Femmes Noires Musulmanes au Québec, and was recently involved with the community space Bâtiment 7 Pointe Saint-Charles. And she's been running virtual community karaoke events during the pandemic to help keep spirits up.

While she was enrolled in Concordia's community economic development program, she realized the true power that comes with building a strong community: not only to attain a sense of belonging, but to create change.

Always thinking about who is included, who is not

She sees her ability to help people connect as one of her key skills — directing individuals with passions or needs toward an organization that is pursuing change that will better their lives.

It's a role that can fall to the background, she said, unseen but no less valuable than the role played by those who are the face of a movement.

When she was selected as one of CBC's 2022 Black Changemakers, "I was really surprised," she said. "I honestly don't see myself as a changemaker."

"So it's kind of nice to be seen that way."

The kind of support she offers is radical in its own way: always thinking about who is being included — and excluded — in every gesture and planning decision.

That means thinking about how someone's physical disability might limit their participation, for example, or the impact of a requirement that someone needs to use formal language to participate in an event.

She says even at a school board meeting, where most people attending are there because they have school-aged children, considerations such as the need to provide childcare aren't always made.

Her personal experience informs her radical thinking. She has to work hard to find spaces where she can feel safe and included, in all aspects of her identity.

"We live in a society that either doesn't see us or only wants certain parts of you," she said. "To be held and seen, you need to create a community."

The Black Changemakers is a special series recognizing individuals who, regardless of background or industry, are driven to create a positive impact in their community. From tackling problems to showing small gestures of kindness on a daily basis, these changemakers are making a difference and inspiring others. Meet all the changemakers here.

For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians — from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community — check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of. You can read more stories here.