Black Palestinian activist in US comes out as white and Jewish

A high school teacher in the US city of Philadelphia who made a name for herself as a longtime pro-Palestinian activist, has admitted that she lied for years about her racial and ethnic background, including claiming at various times to be Palestinian, Tunisian and Black.

According to a report in the American news outlet, the Philadelphia Inquirer, Hanna Gann, who teaches at The Workshop School, acknowledged the deception after members of the activist groups, Racial Justice Organizing Committee (RJOC) and Philly Educators for Palestine (PEFP) confronted her about her background during a meeting earlier in September.

In a statement released on September 19, the groups said Gann eventually admitted she had lied after more than an hour of questioning. They added that they had permanently cut ties with her and asked Gann to publicly acknowledge that she is "a white woman of Jewish heritage and an Israeli settler family."HANNAH GANN WAS WELL KNOWN FOR HER PRO-PALESTINE ACTIVISM, MENTORING DISADVANTAGED BLACK STUDENTS

Hannah Gann became a prominent figure in Philadelphia's education and pro-Palestinian activism, particularly following the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel and the subsequent war in Gaza.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that she participated in a 2024 West Philadelphia teach-in about "scholasticide", referring to the destruction of educational infrastructure in Gaza. Her biography for that event identified her as a Palestinian American.

She also supported fellow Philadelphia teacher Keziah Ridgeway, who faced disciplinary action over private pro-Palestinian social media posts and later sued the school district, alleging anti-Islamic bias in 2024. She was also known for her work in mentoring disadvantaged Black students.

The New York Times reported that her activism once made her a target of a pro-Israel campaign from the group Accuracy in Media, which stationed a billboard truck outside her school with her picture alongside the words, "Philadelphia’s leading antisemite."

According to documents compiled by the Philly Palestine Coalition and reviewed by the Inquirer, Gann repeatedly referred to Palestinian relatives, including a grandfather she said was born in Palestine. The coalition's research, citing historical draft records and naturalisation documents, found that the grandfather was actually born in the US city of Baltimore.

The Inquirer also reported that Gann had told people she was short of money because she was sending funds to family in Palestine, with some people subsequently giving her money.

A former University of Pennsylvania classmate told the newspaper that while in college, Gann had previously been known as "a self-proclaimed white Jewish woman with family in the occupied West Bank." The classmate told the newspaper that, "I watched her sudden transformation after she returned to Philly from the Peace Corps in Rwanda. She was clearly making herself look darker using makeup and fake tan, and speaking using an African-American accent".GANN ADMITTED DECEPTION IN AN INSTAGRAM POST

Gann addressed the controversy in a series of Instagram posts and a 10 minute long video published on September 21. She described herself as "a white woman of significant privilege and wealth" and acknowledged that she had concealed her background from people around her.

"I hid the truth or outright lied about my background to everyone in my life," Gann said. "There is not a single person on this planet, no friend, no fellow organiser, no one in my family, no professional connection, no secret op or handler who knew what I was doing."

She said she had "allowed half-truths and obfuscations to grow into outright lies" but maintained that she genuinely wanted to participate in the activism she had been involved in.

In another part of the video, Gann said she understood the consequences of her actions. "One of the most sickening aspects of facing what I’ve done is seeing the way that the blowback is falling on people, groups, communities and causes I genuinely care about," she said.

Gann also asked people not to judge the causes or activists she worked with because of her deception. "The fact that I lied about who I was does not mean anyone else who speaks up for Palestine is lying and does not erase the urgency of listening to voices on the ground," she said.advertisementACTIVISTS GROUPS BURN BRIDGES AFTER GANN'S DISCLOSUREAfter Hannah Gann disclosed her true identity, several of Philadelphia's activist groups which used to work with her have announced they are burning all bridges with Gann.

"We are stunned, saddened and angered by the betrayal. We will no longer work with Hanna, and she will no longer be welcome at our organising spaces," read a joint statement released by the Racial Justice Organising Committee and the Philly Educators for Palestine on September 19.

They added that Gann's deception had caused profound harm to "Palestinians whose identity and struggle were appropriated, the Black community, young people, organisers and organisations whose trust and resources were exploited".

Meanwhile, Sharif El-Mekki, a prominent Philadelphia educator and founder of the Center for Black Educator Development, was reported as saying by the Philadelphia Inquirer as saying that a person doesn't have to be Black or Palestinian to support those groups. However, Gann's deception would have consequences for Black and Palestinian people as they "will be asked to prove themselves again," Mekki added.

Reactions were also harsh on social media were also equally unforgiving, with one person on Reddit calling Gann a "Palestinian Rachel Dolezal", referring to an American activist with Swedish, German and Czech descent, who used to identify as Black.

In the world of DC Comics, Gotham City's crime-fighting vigilante Batman conceals his true identity as Bruce Wayne, the billionaire heir who lives a seemingly carefree life. Philadelphia teacher and activist Hannah Gann, despite years of outspoken activism, appears to have done something far more consequential – she concealed her identity as a white Jewish woman while presenting herself, at various times, as Palestinian, Black and Tunisian.- Ends(Written by Shounak Sanyal)