Hackney has its first ever Migrant Champion

Cllr Manal Massalha, who has represented the Dalston ward since June, has been appointed Hackney’s first Migrant Champion. The new role will see her working closely with Council teams and services, including Welcome Hackney, the Council's dedicated service for refugees, migrants, and asylum seekers, to ensure migrant rights are represented.

Cllr Massalha is an urban ethnographer, sociologist/ academic, community organiser and multimedia artist/visual storyteller. Her practice is people-centred and seeks to amplify the voices and experiences of marginalised communities, refuse dehumanisation and racial hierarchies, and challenge divisive, binary narratives. Cllr Massalha holds a PhD in Sociology and an MSc in Human Rights from the London School of Economics. 

As Migrant Champion, Cllr Massalha will support the delivery of the Council’s Borough of Sanctuary Action Plan, ensuring migrant needs are embedded across council portfolios including housing and homelessness, children and young people, and English for speakers of other languages. She will act as a political advocate for migrant communities, making sure their voices are reflected in Council strategy. Cllr Massalha will also support local community groups, faith groups, and charity organisations working with sanctuary seekers in the borough.

Hackney has a longstanding reputation as a place migrants from across the world can call home. Since 2023, Welcome Hackney has led the borough’s response to the Homes for Ukraine and Afghan Resettlement programmes, coordinated support for people in Home Office accommodation, and offered help to communities through initiatives such as the Welcome Hub drop-in, run in partnership with Hackney Libraries.

In March 2026 Hackney was officially recognised as a Borough of Sanctuary, affirming its commitment to offering safety and support to sanctuary seekers.

Cllr Manal Massalha, Hackney’s Migrant Champion, says:

"I'm honoured to take on this role as Hackney’s Migrant Champion and build on the work Hackney has already done as a Borough of Sanctuary. Migrant communities are valued. They bring so much to this borough, and it’s vital that their voices and lived experience shape the decisions that affect them. I believe in a Hackney for all. I look forward to working alongside Welcome Hackney, local groups, and residents to make sure Hackney continues to be a place where everyone belongs and people seeking safety can truly call home."