Ms.Marcelle Shehwaro – Education, Writing, and Human Rights.
The Syrian American Academics Association welcomes the joining of Marcelle Shehwaro, an active member and a feminist writer.
Marcelle Shehwaro is a member of our Association, a feminist activist and writer from the city of al-Shahba – Aleppo.
Marcelle is known for her ability to transform the Syrian experience—with all its concerns and profound questions—into a deeply human story that resonates with people everywhere. Her work reflects a strong commitment to education initiatives, social empowerment, and sustained advocacy for human rights. She currently works within the New York City Department of Education (NYC DOE).
Academic Background
Marcelle studied Dentistry, then International Relations, and earned a Master’s degree in Human Rights.
She also holds an MFA in Nonfiction Creative Writing from Columbia University.
Key Milestones in Her Professional Journey
She co-founded Kesh Malek, and worked with civil society groups focused on education, rights, and freedoms, including initiatives supporting children’s education in Aleppo under extremely dangerous conditions.
In the Field of Writing
She produced the series “Dispatches From Syria”, which documented life in Aleppo and won the 2015 Online Journalism Awards (Commentary/Opinion category for a small newsroom), in collaboration with Global Voices.
Her writing is regularly published on Syrian and international platforms, contributing to intellectual and cultural discussions on the Syrian revolution, exile, and civil society experiences.
Initiatives
Marcelle co-founded the Do Not Suffocate the Truth campaign, an initiative dedicated to supporting survivors of chemical attacks and confronting denial narratives regarding the Syrian regime’s use of chemical weapons.
Honors
She was awarded an honorary degree from the University of Essex in recognition of her work supporting education initiatives, women’s empowerment, community development, and human rights in Syria.
At the Syrian American Academics Association, we are proud and honored to have Ms. Marcelle Shehwaro among us—a distinguished figure who truly understands how to bridge knowledge and action, and how to make “voice” a responsibility and a human value, not merely a slogan or a form of display.