Aaron Sardinha
Executive Director
Aaron Sardinha is an Antiracism Policy and Curriculum specialist with 15 years experience in non-profit and advocacy spaces.
He holds a Masters of Education from the University of Ottawa, where his thesis explored policies and curriculum in the OCDSB through a critical race lens focusing on Black Excellence and antiracism. Aaron comes from Toronto, where his family immigrated from Trinidad and Tobago. He loves reading, crocheting, working out, and spending time with his Boston Terrier.
Maria Gomez
Gender-Based Violence Coordinator
Maria (she/her) was born and raised in Bogotá, Colombia, and has called Prince Edward Island home for the past seven years. She holds a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Diversity and Social Justice Studies from the University of PEI.
Maria brings a strong commitment to accessibility, equity, and inclusion to her work. She is certified in peer support and has extensive experience applying trauma-informed, person-centered practices. Her background and training inform her passion for creating supportive, inclusive environments where all individuals feel seen, heard, and valued.
Judith Mendiolea
Community Relations Coordinator
Judith Mendiolea is a multilingual journalist and community engagement specialist with a background in languages and translation. Originally from Mexico, her experiences living in four different countries have shaped her deep understanding of intercultural communication and community-building.
She has written for The Guardian, producing investigative stories on immigration, environmental justice, and community initiatives. As a documentary filmmaker, she has explored themes of societal, heritage, and environmental challenges in P.E.I. Judith’s work is driven by the belief that storytelling is a powerful tool for social change.
Cassidy McKellop
Project Coordinator – Youth Leadership Institute on Anti-Racism
Cassidy McKellop (she/her) is a Two-Spirit Mi’kmaq youth worker from Lennox Island First Nation, raised off-reserve in Charlottetown. She graduated from Holland College’s Child and Youth Care Worker Program in 2021 with a passion for giving back to her community and empowering Indigenous youth.
A dedicated advocate since her teens, Cassidy has embraced powerful experiences—sailing across the Atlantic in 2017 with 45 Indigenous youth, and completing a cultural exchange in Nandi, Kenya in 2018–2019. Since graduating, she’s worked in harm reduction and community care through roles such as Youth Justice Worker (NCPEI), Program Coordinator (MCPEI), and Community Health Coordinator (Healing Our Nations).
Cecilia Andrade
Family and Youth Support Coordinator
Cecilia Andrade Gutierrez is an International Relations graduate from Colima, Mexico, with a specialization in Asian-Pacific studies and a Diploma in Business Administration. Having lived in four countries, she brings a global perspective to her work. Cecilia has held various roles, including language teacher, youth settlement worker, and support worker for newcomer families in PEI.
In addition to her community work, Cecilia is currently pursuing a Project Management certification and is deeply committed to social justice, human rights, and fostering inclusive environments. Her experience in hospitality management has also strengthened her organizational and communication skills.
Sobia Ali-Faisal
Circle of Protection Facilitator (aka Board President)
Sobia (she/her) is a Pakistani-Canadian woman who works from an anti-oppression, decolonial, and liberation psychology lens, incorporating an anti-patriarchal, Islamically spiritual worldview into her daily life. She holds a doctorate in Applied Social Psychology and post-doctoral training in public health, and taught in the Department of Psychology at UPEI before becoming ED at BIPOC USHR until 2024. Her research on Muslim sexual health has appeared in academic journals as well as Teen Vogue and Refinery29, and she is a regular voice on issues of race and racial justice in PEI media.
Chanel Briggs
Circle of Protection Co-facilitator (aka Board Vice President)
They/Them. PEI-based, Black, queer, multidisciplinary artist, Softest Spot (Chanel), work is rooted in the preservation and cultivation of black narratives and aesthetics within PEI. Chanel’s creative expression has permitted them to blend their poetic advocacy into visual works that navigate identity, spirituality, and community— utilizing the exploration of texture and mix-media to showcase layers of their storytelling.
Siddhu Sachidananda
Circle of Protection Record Keeper (aka Board Secretary)
Siddhu (they/them) is an artist, record producer and community worker. While not in the studio making ethereal shake-ass music, they are out playing music with their homies from The Umbrella Collective or working with local community organizations. They are passionate about community and strive to center values of radical love, anti-oppressive, anti-casetist and anti-islamophobic decolonial practices and harm-reduction. Siddhu is on a journey radiating love and integrating community and is very grateful to be a part of BIPOC USHR