Ilhan Abdullahi

Ilhan is a Somali-Canadian whose parents’ migration journey brought her to the unceded Coast Salish Lands at a very young age. Stemming from her family’s experience of navigating their new world as Black newcomers, Ilhan has been passionate in addressing social and health inequities experienced by underserved communities with a focus on Black youth and newcomers while exploring the intersections of these identities. Having been involved in community organizing alongside youth in Metro Vancouver during her youth and professional years, she‘s eager to continue exploring how grassroots community organizing and the process of decolonization through a systems change lens can lead to the liberation of these communities.
Ilhan holds a Masters in Public Health from the Dalla Lana School of Public Health with a collaborative specialization in Global Health and hopes to bring her grounded expertise and knowledge in community engagement, health equity, program design and evaluation to the Bridge for Health team.
Another passion of hers is storytelling, inspired by her grandmother’s wit, humour and engaging speaking abilities. When she’s not working, Ilhan spends her time screenwriting and capturing the traveling tales and experiences of the Somali diaspora.