Disability rights campaigner Sarah Jama, originally from Hamilton in Ontario, Canada, is one of the co-founders of the Disability Rights Network Ontario.

Jama has been confined to a wheelchair since birth due to the cerebral palsy she was born with. She is a supporter of inclusive policies and basic human rights. She was born and raised in Etobicoke, but after completing her studies at McMaster University in Social Science, she decided to make her home in Hamilton instead.

In September of 2018, Jama was one of the co-founders of the Disability Justice Network Ontario.

In February of 2021, she testified before the Canadian Senate’s committee on legal and constitutional affairs to argue against the proposed Bill C-7. She claimed that the bill would make euthanasia more accessible for people with mental health disabilities, rather than providing mental health supports.

In the beginning of 2021, she was a cofounder of the Hamilton Encampment Support Network, which was primarily concerned with facilitating access to cheap accommodation. During the same year, Jama came to the notice of the media when she was detained in Hamilton while participating in a demonstration against the demolition of homeless encampments in the city. She was accused of assaulting a police officer as well as impeding their investigation. Once she signed a peace bond, the charges against her were dropped at a later date.

Image result for Sarah Jama

Because of her work in the field of disability justice, Jama was recognized by the CBC as one of Hamilton’s top five most interesting people in 2016. During the John Holland Awards in Hamilton the following year, she was honored with the Evelyn Myrie Political Action Award for her work in the community. [8] She was nominated in 2017 for a YWCA Women of Distinction award. After another five years, in 2022, Jama was the recipient of an award for community leadership.

Jama is now employed at the Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion in the capacity of program coordinator. Previous to that, she worked as a community engagement liaison for the city of Hamilton under the leadership of Councillor Matthew Green. Jama also gives presentations about topics like as leadership, diversity, and justice in his capacity as a keynote speaker. She has delivered nearly a hundred different talks.