At 24 years old, Nejeed Kassam has amassed incredible experience for someone of his age.
Holding an honours undergraduate degree in political science from Montreal’s McGill University, Kassam officially founded the organization, End Poverty Now (www.endpovertynow.ca) in 2006, and edited High on Life, a collection of 17 stories “of hope, change and leadership” from young community leaders around the world. Proceeds from the recently published book will go toward the global non-profit organization, Networks for Change (www.networksforchange.org), of which he serves as founder and executive director.
Recently, Kassam — a Vancouver-raised Ismaili Muslim of Indian descent who is also writing a novel about a young Muslim growing up in the U.S. — began a new chapter of his life as a first-year student at Osgoode Hall.
“Education and the cultivation of intellect are lifelong endeavours,” he says of his decision to study law. Sometimes, we work too much or get stagnant in our jobs, and we can lose the ability to keep expanding our growth and knowledge.
“Law permeates every breath we take in the world. It governs the doors we open to our cars to the food we eat. Understanding it is the key to understanding our society and how we can change it and better it.”
Osgoode Hall’s “strong commitment to social justice” is the reason he chose to attend that law school. As for what he plans to do with his degree, Kassam — who worked as a volunteer intern in Liberal B.C. Senator, lawyer and fellow Muslim Mobina Jaffer’s office in Ottawa — is leaving his options open. Maybe he’ll pursue a career on the policy-legislative side on Parliament Hill, or work in the international human rights arena and travel the world.
For now, Kassam has other concerns.
Ismailimail 