Philadelphia educator Hannah Gann, who gained prominence for her activism related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, has admitted to fabricating her Palestinian and Black identities. Gann revealed in a video statement that she is in fact "a White woman of significant privilege and wealth," leading some to compare her to Rachel Dolezal, the former NAACP official who was found to have falsely identified as Black.
Gann, a teacher at the School District of Philadelphia's Workshop School, had for several years claimed both Palestinian and Black heritage. Her activism included participating in a West Philadelphia "teach-in" on "scholasticide" in Gaza following the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attacks on Israel and supporting another Philadelphia educator disciplined for pro-Palestinian social media posts. Reports indicate Gann also appeared to adopt an accent and use makeup to alter her appearance.
Her admission came after members of the Racial Justice Organizing Committee and Philly Educators for Palestine questioned her about her background. In a joint statement, the groups said Gann "finally admitted she lied" after an hour of discussion and that they had severed ties with her. They stated they asked her to "publicly acknowledge that she is a White woman of Jewish heritage and an Israeli settler family."
In a 10-minute video posted to Instagram, Gann apologized for her actions, 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." She added that she concealed her family's background from her colleagues in Philadelphia and her own family members.
Research by the Philly Palestine Coalition (PPC), obtained by The Philadelphia Inquirer, reportedly found that individuals Gann claimed were Palestinian relatives were in fact born in the United States, and that her family resides in Israel. The PPC also alleged that Gann received donations from individuals after stating she was short on cash due to sending money to family abroad.
A former classmate of Gann's from the University of Pennsylvania reportedly recalled Gann identifying as a "White Jewish woman with family in the occupied West Bank" during college and noted a perceived shift in her presentation after she returned from the Peace Corps. This classmate alleged Gann used makeup to appear darker and adopted African American Vernacular English.
The PPC research document also reportedly raised concerns about Gann's role as a teacher to predominantly Black youth, suggesting she "gained the trust of young people on the basis of a sense of shared oppression" through her fabricated identity. The document also alleged that Gann mentored at least one young White person who was "manipulated" by her false persona.
The School District of Philadelphia has stated it is aware of social media posts concerning an employee's involvement with an outside advocacy organization and is providing support to students who may have been affected. The district has not specified whether Gann will face disciplinary action.