Country of Origin: Afghanistan

Main focus: Advocacy for Hazara People, Volunteer Work, Lobbying Parliment

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Ali Mirzad was born in 1982 in Kabul, Afghanistan, during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan (1979-89). His father, injured in the war, left Afghanistan, eventually settling in Montreal in 1989. Growing up in Canada, Ali was exposed to his cultural heritage and the ongoing atrocities against the Hazaras in Afghanistan.

From 2013 to 2015, Ali volunteered at the Afghan-Canadian Jaffari Cultural Centre (AJCC), where he connected with many Hazara-Canadians, understanding their collective pain, suffering, and trauma. He organized several peaceful protests, demonstrations, and vigils in front of the Canadian parliament, recognizing the suffering of the Hazara and the sacrifices made by Canadian servicemen and women.

Ali also began writing opinion pieces to raise awareness of the Hazara's plight and contacted MPs and Senators, advocating for the human rights of the Hazaras. In 2016, his relentless work led to Senator Mobina Jaffer and MP Garnett Genuis reading statements of solidarity for the Hazaras.

Ali now volunteers at the CHHS (Canadian Hazara Humanitarian Services), focusing on serving newcomers and the most vulnerable and marginalized members of society.

Read Ali’s Blog: Shooting Star

Ali Mirzad discusses the persecution of his people, the Hazaras in Afghanistan, who have suffered from ethnic cleansing and genocide. His father is a victim of this persecution, and Ali pledges to speak out against racism, hate, and mass atrocity to end the suffering of the Hazara people.