Philadelphia activist Hannah Gann admits lying about heritage

Hannah Gann, a Philadelphia teacher and activist, admitted in an Instagram apology that she had lied for years about having Palestinian and Tunisian heritage and described herself as a white woman of significant privilege and wealth. Two local organizations, the Racial Justice Organizing Committee and Philly Educators for Palestine, said they would no longer work with her after questioning her about her background. The groups said members met with Gann on Thursday and that she acknowledged lying during the discussion. They said they asked her to publicly acknowledge that she was a white woman of Jewish heritage and from an Israeli settler family. The organizations also said she would no longer be welcome in their organizing spaces. In the apology, Gann said she had no Palestinian or Tunisian heritage and that people who supported her had been manipulated, adding they should not be judged for that support. Her admission was also described in a video posted to Instagram. The reports do not include the original post or the groups’ full statement.