Human Rights Alumni of the Month Profile- October 2025
Mon. Oct. 27, 2025
We're proud to celebrate Jordyn Sheldon (BA 2018) as our alum of the month for October!
With their lifelong dedication to social justice work, Jordyn exemplifies the spirit of the Human Rights program by using their knowledge to create meaningful change through their writing, advocacy, teaching, and research.
Jordyn Sheldon (she/her, they/them) graduated in 2018 with a four-year BA, double majoring in Human Rights and Rhetoric, Writing, and Communications. After completing their undergraduate studies at the University of Winnipeg, they went on to earn a master’s degree in Cultural Studies and Critical Theory from McMaster University. Jordyn is currently pursuing a PhD in Environmental Studies in the Faculty of Environmental Studies and Urban Change at York University, focusing on how communities on the Canadian Prairies use interconnected practices of harm reduction, transformative justice, and climate justice to sustain life under systemic neglect and ecological crisis. She has also worked as a contract instructor at the University of Winnipeg, including teaching courses for the Human Rights program.
Jordyn has long been dedicated to social justice work. Her choice to study at the University of Winnipeg was influenced by the University’s strong commitment to social justice and its central location in the downtown neighbourhood. Reflecting on their academic journey, Jordyn shares that discovering the Human Rights program felt like a natural fit. They emphasize the importance of studying human rights on Treaty One Territory, noting,
“We are in a place where the most resistance is happening, where we can learn from social movements actively unfolding in the streets.”
One of the most transformative moments in Jordyn’s academic journey was a two-week field course in Palestine and Israel, where she had the chance to learn directly from Palestinians about their human rights struggles and approaches to sumud: steadfastness/resistance.
What stands out most for Jordyn about their time in the Human Rights program is the opportunities that it offered to engage in real-time, ongoing conversations about human rights. They encourage current and future students to recognize the value of these experiences, saying,
“These conversations, and the ability to connect with others, are truly special.”
Jordyn emphasizes that the Human Rights program provided them with the tools and language to engage in meaningful social justice work. Jordyn’s time in the Human Rights program had a significant impact on her career and served as a foundation for her work in education and program development, including roles developing educational materials for the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, facilitating workshops with the Manitoba Association for Rights and Liberties and the Manitoba Harm Reduction Network, and various teaching and research assistant roles. Jordyn also highlights how the program provided them with the opportunity to explore their interests and figure out what human rights-related career path they wanted to pursue. She credits the Human Rights program with opening doors to diverse job opportunities, noting that students graduate with valuable knowledge of law, justice and human rights: qualities that are highly valued by employers.