Originally from Treaty 7 territory and currently residing on unceded Algonquin Anishinaabe land (Ottawa), Kendal David (she/they) is interested in basic income as a radical alternative to reforming inadequate and inhumane social policies that keep people in poverty. Kendal fell into basic income activism during social work practicum placements where she became frustrated and disillusioned with failed and flawed attempts to address the lived realities of poverty through charity and philanthropy. 

Kendal is a PhD Candidate in the School of Social Work at Carleton University, who studies and writes about disability justice, poverty, and income supports. Kendal holds an MSW (Carleton University) and BSW (University of Calgary).

Based in Winnipeg on Treaty 1 territory, Manpinder (he/him) became interested in basic income as a dignified solution for poverty reduction, seeing it as a means to break the cycles of poverty while giving individuals with greater autonomy. His interest in basic income became in high school while conducting his senior thesis project on poverty reduction with a focus on basic income.

Manpinder is an undergraduate student at the University of Winnipeg and a Group Administrator for a real estate group in Winnipeg supporting day-to-day operations.

Chloe Halpenny (she/her) came to basic income during her Master's studies, where she interviewed participants in the Ontario Basic Income Pilot. For her, basic income’s radical potential lies in its capacity to address material deprivation, challenge productivism, and foster more interdependent and caring communities.

A PhD Candidate and Teaching Fellow at Queen’s University, Chloe researches, teaches, and advocates for systemic changes in poverty policy, drawing from critical disability and feminist scholarship. Based on unceded Algonquin Anishinaabe land (Ottawa), she also works as a Research Associate at the Social Research and Demonstration Corporation and serves on the Board of Directors for the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness. Chloe is an aspiring outdoorsy person, roller coaster enthusiast, and devoted dog parent to her potcake, Patty. She holds Master’s degrees from the University of Cambridge (Gender Studies) and the London School of Economics (Social Policy & Development).

Shanaya Fischer (she/her/wîya) is a Cree woman whose roots are from Cowessess First Nations (Treaty 4), but grew up and resides in Calgary, Alberta (Mohkinstsis, Treaty 7 Territory). She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (University of Calgary) and a Master’s in Social Justice and Human Rights from Arizona State University. She currently works in Indigenous health research at the University of Calgary. 

She became passionate about social welfare policies through her work with youth in the criminal justice system and her work with children’s services. She hopes to reform child welfare practices that disproportionately target Indigenous people and families in poverty. She firmly believes in securing basic income for families as a key part in breaking cycles of trauma and in building healthier, more vibrant communities.

Based in Winnipeg on Treaty 1 territory, Hannah (she/her) is a writer at the University of Manitoba, working in the areas of health, social determinants of health and social policy research. Hannah co-authored a book with Dr. Evelyn Forget titled Radical Trust: Basic Income for Complicated Lives, released in Fall 2021.

Hannah is currently pursing graduate studies in the Department of Sociology at the University of Manitoba. She graduated from the Creative Communications program at Red River Polytechnic where she majored in journalism. Her work has appeared in several major news outlets in Manitoba, including the Winnipeg Free Press and CBC Manitoba. She also holds a BA in Human Rights from the University of Winnipeg.

Originally from Treaty 7 territory and currently living on unceded Algonquin Anishinaabe land (Ottawa), Ellen (she/her) became interested in basic income activism through her engagement with public interest work and human rights advocacy.

Ellen is passionate about research and advocacy that creatively uses law as a tool to meaningfully account for social inequities. She has previously worked for organizations such as Human Rights Watch, Forum for Human Rights, and the Canadian Centre for Elder Law on topics including climate justice, disability justice, queer rights, and the rights of aging communities. Ellen holds a BCL/JD from McGill University as well as an undergraduate degree in Journalism and Humanities from Carleton University.