Her paternal grandmother was of Cape Coloured and Afrikaner descent, while her other grandparents were Ashkenazi Jews.

[5] Identifying as a person of mixed race ancestry in her piece Purity in Danger,[6] Berns-McGown was part of Ontario's first ever Black Caucus, alongside NDP caucus colleagues Laura Mae Lindo, Faisal Hassan, Jill Andrew and Kevin Yarde.

[7] She did not run for reelection in the 2022 provincial election, retiring after a single term in office.

In a statement to the press, she noted: “Because I am a deeply introverted person, this job takes an enormous toll.

"[8] She is the author of a book called Muslims in the Diaspora: The Somali Communities of London and Toronto.