Despite the threat of legal action over accusations of sexual harassment and abuse of power, a London teacher and poet has said publicly she will not apologize or back down from her claims.
Najwa Zebian made the remarks during an impassioned 25-minute keynote address to 700 people at the London Abused Women's Centre's International Women's Day Breakfast and Auction on Friday. The social media star with roughly 700,000 followers publicly accused H.B. Beal Secondary School principal Michael Deeb of misconduct last December, but in her latest remarks, she did not name him.
"I stayed quiet until my silence broke me. After months of trying to heal from this, all I asked for was an apology, validation for what I went through. But I was told there was nothing to apologize for," said Zebian, recapping her struggle.
Najwa Zebian delivering her address at the LAWC's International Women's Day Breakfast
She told the crowd that since coming forward with her #MeToo story, she has been called evil, mentally ill, and attention-seeking both from the general public and those within the Muslim community, of which she is a member.
Zebian used the speech to encourage organizations and businesses to reassess their harassment policies to shift the focus from protecting those "with power" to protecting those in vulnerable positions.
"More often than not, old white men with law degrees are paid thousands of dollars to investigate an allegation. I suggest that they are not connected to the realities that we the vulnerable face, nor of the power dynamics that exist," said Zebian.
Her statements came just days after she was served with a formal notice of intended action pursuant to the Slander and Defamation Act, the first step in a defamation lawsuit. The document was delivered directly to her and was signed by a female lawyer with the Ontario Principals' Council. She said serving the letter to her, rather than to her lawyer Phil Millar was a "deliberate tactic of intimidation." Zebian said the letter instructed her to stay quiet and retract her statement or she would be sued.
"I will not be quiet after I discovered the power of my voice. I will not apologize for telling my truth. I will not be silenced after finally being heard. I am no longer a victim. I am a survivor. I am a hero," said Zebian.
She also addressed comments made by Deeb's lawyer Faisal Joseph that there would be people in the audience taking "copious notes" that could be added to the formal notice of defamation and slander.
"I hear that there are people in the room watching me... if you need to pause me at any point so that I could repeat something that I say today, please raise your hand and I will repeat it," said Zebian at the beginning of her speech.
In her introduction of Zebian, the head of the London Abused Women's Centre Megan Walker called the threatened defamation lawsuit "completely appalling" and an "effort to silence and intimidate women from speaking their truth."
Deeb, who is on a leave of absence from his position with the Thames Valley District School Board, has denied all of the allegations against him.
An external investigation into the accusations by Zebian conducted by the school board resulted in no action being taken against Deeb. But once Zebian took to social media with the allegations, Deeb was forced to step aside as vice-chair of the London Police Services Board while the Ontario Civilian Police Commission conducts its own investigation.
Najwa Zebian with her lawyer Phil Millar
Zebian's speech on Friday was met with a standing ovation from the crowd. Speaking to reporters afterward, Millar applauded his client's actions.
"For me, it was a very emotional and powerful speech that touched on the issues," said Millar. "For the most part, Ms. Zebian's speeches stand on its own as one of the more powerful calls to action for London decision makers who think they can just go with the status quo."
He said the letter threatening legal action gave Zebian another tool to show how people are trying to silence her.
"On the eve of giving a talk, to send that letter and say don't talk about it or we are going to sue you, I know from Ms. Zebian's perspective it confirmed that she is doing the right thing and from my perspective as her counsel I am like game on, bring it," said Millar. "Strategically it was a poor decision and if anything just raised her cause to a higher level."