With Palestinian parents, Noora Sharrab had to fight long and hard to push past their traditional “Walk By The Walls” mentality to embrace her Palestinian identity. Questioning her experiences crossing into Palestine at a young age and challenging what she learned in her early education, she was called to pursue the truth of her people’s history throughout university. While completing her Master’s Degree, a door was opened — a door that she couldn’t close. It led her to face the harsh reality of the millions of Palestinian refugees scattered across refugee camps. Noora started a non-profit to provide education scholarships and programming for these women. Eventually, this would lead her to launch SITTI Soap, a social venture that helps Palestinian women refugees earn equitable income. SITTI Soap pays fair wages to these women, who hold cultural practices and traditional wisdom, like Tatreez patterns and olive oil soap pressing, to make apparel, accessories, bath and beauty products, and more. Each product tells a story of Palestinian culture and roots. With the organization expanding, Noora continues to show her children the injustices that exist in the world, and to never stop fighting for change. Noora reminds us that we all have a voice.

Cinematography by: Abdulhadi Alkassem

Recorded at SITTI Soap

The Human Challenge is hosted and produced by Vanessa Ferlaino. Watch the full episode on her Youtube channel here. Don't forget to subscribe!

The Human Challenge is an award-winning podcast, recognized by Amazon Music and ACAST as an Indie Podcast Amplifier.

Guess what? We're on Rogers TV! Check us out there!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Despite what his parents told him, at the age of four, Seth Compton knew he was not a girl. But it wasn’t until the age of 43 that Seth made the biggest decision of his life — to transition from female to male. In this episode, Seth shares the personal, social, professional, and medical factors that shaped his decision, and also the people that inspired him — including mainstream media personalities like Ellen Degeneres, other community members, and most importantly, his wife and two kids. Seth believes his journey is different because he had a lot more support than many others who choose this pathway, especially as a child. In 2019, Seth founded OUTLoud North Bay as a community centre for 2SLGBTQ youth in Northern Ontario.

Seth’s new book, “A Life In Two Halves,” is on pre-order now!

The Human Challenge is hosted and produced by Vanessa Ferlaino. Watch the full episode on her Youtube channel here. Don't forget to subscribe!

The Human Challenge is an award-winning podcast, recognized by Amazon Music and ACAST as an Indie Podcast Amplifier.

Guess what? We're on Rogers TV! Check us out there!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As we mark National Indigenous Languages Day on Turtle Island, Shirley Horn shares her residential school story, growing up in not one, but two residential schools. She would return years later to Shingwauk Hall after it became a university to pursue her education, become first chancellor, and then Chief of The Missanabie to help return land back to her community. In this touching episode, Shirley talks about her life healing the trauma that came with the residential school system, reconnecting with Indigenous culture, and her longing for Indigenous language. Learn more about her life in a new children’s book, “Shirley: An Indian Residential School Story,” written by Joanne Robertson. Available now!

Special thank you to Children Of Shingwauk Alumni Association and Algoma University. This episode was recorded in The Elder Room at Shingwauk Anishinaabe Students Lounge at Algoma University.

Cinematography by Shae Mclurg.

The Human Challenge is hosted and produced by Vanessa Ferlaino. Watch the full episode on her Youtube channel here. Don't forget to subscribe!

The Human Challenge is an award-winning podcast, recognized by Amazon Music and ACAST as an Indie Podcast Amplifier.

Guess what? We're on Rogers TV! Check us out there!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.