A Philadelphia high school teacher and activist, Hannah Gann, has publicly admitted to years of falsely presenting herself as Palestinian and Black, a deception that permeated activist circles across the city. Gann, who teaches at The Workshop School within the Philadelphia School District, posted a statement on Instagram last week revealing she has no Palestinian or Tunisian ancestry. She described herself as a "white woman of significant privilege and wealth," bringing an end to a prolonged period of misrepresentation.
"Everything she said is true, and I fully corroborate." Hannah Gann, Activist
Following her written statement, Gann released a video taking accountability for her actions. In the video, she requested that the public not judge the organizations she collaborated with due to her falsehoods. She asserted that she had deceived "everyone" in her life, stating, "There is not a single person on this planet, no friend, no fellow organizer, no one in my family, no professional connection, no secret op or handler who knew what I was doing." Gann further explained, "I hid my family’s background from everyone in Philly, and also hid from the people in my own family what I was doing." Despite the admission of deceit, Gann affirmed that her core convictions remain unchanged, stating, "I still believe in every cause I ever supported, in the ongoing fight for justice and in the righteousness of liberation for all oppressed peoples."
The revelation quickly drew comparisons online to Rachel Dolezal, the former NAACP chapter president who similarly presented herself as Black despite being Caucasian by birth. Online commenters began labeling Gann with nicknames such as "Palestinian Rachel Dolezal" or "Temu Rachel Dolezal," highlighting the perceived similarities in their deceptions regarding racial and ethnic identity. When contacted by NBC News on Wednesday, Gann declined further comment, directing inquiries to her previously released video as her sole public statement.
The extent of Gann's deception was further detailed by Keziah Ridgeway, another Philadelphia teacher, who published her own video on Saturday. Ridgeway recounted a nearly decade-long friendship with Gann, beginning around 2018, during which Gann was known for "speaking up for the Black community, for the Palestinian community." According to Ridgeway, Gann's narrative began to shift in 2023. After a trip Gann described as being to "Israel/Palestine," Gann told Ridgeway she possessed Palestinian Jewish ancestry and had Muslim relatives.
The first significant crack in Gann's story, as described by Ridgeway, appeared on Labor Day. Ridgeway received a message from a non-Palestinian member of the Philly Palestine Coalition, alleging that Gann had been falsely claiming Palestinian identity. The message indicated the coalition planned to issue a statement following a meeting that Sunday. Ridgeway confronted Gann, who initially denied the allegations. Gann then offered a more elaborate account, asserting that a Palestinian Jewish woman raised her after her father's father died when her father was 13. Ridgeway, however, noted that Gann's grandfather died when her father was 23, raising questions about the veracity of this revised story.
Ridgeway, not a member of the coalition, later reviewed the group's report on Gann. Last week, she confronted Gann again, asking her to call her father so Ridgeway could speak with him directly. "She hung up on her father and snapped at me when I tried to ask another question," Ridgeway recounted. "And in that moment, I realized that her father didn’t know, her family didn’t know that she was here in this city, lying about being a Black woman to her students, about being Palestinian, and nobody in her family knew the truth." Gann later responded to Ridgeway's account in her own video, stating, "Everything she said is true, and I fully corroborate."
The Philadelphia Inquirer reported obtaining a copy of the Philly Palestine Coalition’s report. According to the newspaper, the report indicated that the grandfather Gann claimed was Palestinian-born was actually born in Baltimore. The report also noted that Gann has family members currently residing in Israel.
In response to the unfolding situation, a spokesperson for the Philadelphia School District confirmed awareness of social media posts concerning an employee and her involvement in an external advocacy organization. The statement clarified, "These posts reference the employee’s involvement in an external group. The district is making support available to The Workshop School staff and students, as needed."
Two activist groups, Philly Educators for Palestine and the Racial Justice Organizing Committee, released a joint statement on Friday, expressing profound disappointment. They stated they were "stunned, saddened and angered by this betrayal." The organizations confirmed that members had met with Gann on Thursday, and "after over an hour of discussion, Hannah finally admitted she lied." They further stated that they had asked Gann to publicly acknowledge that she "is a white woman of Jewish heritage and an Israeli settler family." As a result of her deception, both groups announced they would no longer collaborate with her and that she is not welcome in their spaces. They also voiced hope that individuals who had worked with Gann in good faith would not be discredited, emphasizing, "We will not allow her actions to distract us from our purpose or fracture the community we’ve worked hard to build." The Philly Palestine Coalition did not immediately respond to NBC News’ request for comment.
