Rasha Zuabi is a Senior (Grade 12) at Degrassi Community School. Quick-witted and sarcastic, Rasha comes to Degrassi after having relocated from the Middle East, ready to take any and every high school experience. From crushes, to cameos in the school play, this star track and field athlete is constantly pushing boundaries and willing to try anything once. She is best friends with Goldi Nahir, and she is also friends with Grace Cardinal and Winston Chu. She is currently dating Zoë Rivas. She is portrayed by Dalia Yegavian.
Character History
Degrassi: Next Class
Season 3
Goldi introducing Rasha
In #BreakTheInternet, Rasha make sure her first appearance when Goldi introduces her to Zoë. She tells Zoë that combining the QSA and the prayer room was pretty cool.
In #WorstGiftEver, Rasha scolds Zig that blaming bombings on Muslims, simply because they are, is an insult. She hangs out with Goldi, Zoë, and Winston and she doesn't back Goldi up when she refused to high five Winston. She asks Goldi if they don't follow every single rule to the Quran if they're a bad Muslim, which Goldi's answer is yes. The next day she does not wear her hijab and goes to school. She likes when Goldi fires back at the class after Perrino asks if Goldi has lived here all her life. Goldi tells Rasha she took off her hijab because she wanted to be friends with her, but Rasha understands why she put it back on. The two make up and are friends again.
In #PicsOrItDidntHappen, Rasha auditions for the role of Hero but during the auditions Miles starts laughing. She asks Miles if she should stop but he tells to continue her audition. In the student council room Rasha is telling Goldi about her audition and the play when Zoë overhears and informs her the play is about Miles and Tristan's relationship. Rasha realizes that's the reason why Miles was laughing and wonders if this means she doesn't get the part with Goldi telling her it was a long shot since there were only three roles and many students wanted them. Rasha confronts Miles about him letting her audition for the wrong role and Miles gives her the chance to audition for Hope. After Zoë tells her she couldn't play a boy role, Rasha tells Miles she’s auditioning for Hero and informs him that the feelings Hero feels aren't exclusive to boys and uses her experiences with her best friend in Syria. Miles walks up to Rasha thinking about what she said and tells her that he will be playing Hero and she will be playing Coma Boy. Rasha is happy that she gets to be in the play.
In #ThatFeelingWhen, Zoë wonders if she is gay. After what Goldi said about homosexuality being a sin, Zoë and Winston automatically assume she is straight. Winston wants to go on a date with her, but Rasha later reveals to Zoë she is gay.
In #Unsubscribe, Zoë and Rasha are determined to go on their first date, but have to keep it a secret from Goldi. They have tickets to see a sing-along to High School Musical, but Goldi invites herself. They make a plan to fake being sick so that Goldi would have to fill in for student council. The plan works and later they go to the Dot. Baaz is there and the girls hide. Zoë leaves and then Rasha, but she quickly bails after being afraid of being caught. At school, Zoë understands why Rasha bailed and the two kiss. Then, Zoë's mother catches them and both are frightened.
In #Woke, Rasha agrees with Zoë that the bridesmaids dress is hideous. They are almost caught kissing by Goldi and Zoë invites Rasha to the wedding. After getting kicked out of the wedding, Rasha found out that she wasn't welcomed to the wedding and eventually breaks up with Zoë.
In #ImSleep, Rasha walks in after Zoë leaves and Goldi notices that there's something wrong with both her and Zoë. Rasha tells her that they're upset because they broke up, which comes as a shock to Goldi, who is also taken aback that Rasha didn't tell her. Rasha says she didn't tell her because of her homophobia to which Goldi is confused. Rasha asks her if it would be sinning if her and Zoë had sex, to which Goldi says, according to the Quran, yes, but she still loves both of them. Rasha explains how she thought it would be different in Canada. When Rasha tells her that Zoë was kicked out by her mother, Goldi is in shock while Rasha asks her who's really sinning. Rasha goes on to perform the play and after, Zoë meets her later with roses and apologizes to Rasha, which she accepts while Goldi tells her that she accepts her for who she is.
Season 4
In #ILookLikeA, Rasha is sitting in chemistry class with Goldi when she notices Goldi not paying attention in class. She says that like Zoë, she too saw the signs of Goldi flirting with Winston and points out that Goldi's conversation with Winston the night before went on until two in the morning and calls the conversation "late
Rasha looks on as Goldi receives a picture of Winston's penis
night flirting." Rasha insists that there is chemistry between Goldi and Winston and sees the penis picture that Winston sends to Goldi when Goldi drops her phone in shock.
Later, after the girls figure out that Winston sent Goldi the picture by mistake, she says it "could have been worse" since Winston could have sent it on purpose. When Winston sets up an apology for Goldi, Rasha quickly leaves so that Goldi and Winston could have some time alone.
In #RollUpToTheClubLike, Rasha overhears Goldi telling Winston that she can't attend the dessert tasting for prom at a restaurant called Palate Park and asks Goldi why she said no. Rasha tries convincing Goldi to go by telling her that it isn't a date, but rather Student Council business, and offers to come along with Zoë to make Goldi feel more comfortable with spending time with a boy.
At the restaurant, Rasha thinks it's adorable that Winston made sure that the desserts they are sampling are halal. She leaves early with Zoe when Grace texts Zoë and asks for advice, and invites Goldi to come with them. However, Goldi says no. She and Zoë arrive at the Dot to meet up with Grace and jokes that "in horror films, the only people who live are the virgins" when Grace says she shouldn't die without ever having sex. She also lightheartedly warns Grace about the consequences of heterosexuals having sex.
After Goldi is attacked on the street and has her hijab ripped off, Rasha comforts her at home and makes sure she's okay. She tells Goldi that the attack was not Winston's fault, but listens as Goldi explains how she thinks she should handle her feelings for Winston and about the hate crime.
Personality & Style
Rasha is introduced as a smart, funny, and witty girl, usually having a comeback to dumb-minded comments about her religion. She is quick to defend her friends and is confident, though, sometimes she can get a little overwhelmed by the new world.
Rasha has a very modernistic preppy "aesthetic" style of clothing, wearing grungy colors often accessorized with an over-sized parka, formerly her hijab, and patches.
Trivia
- She is one of several students who were born outside of Toronto.
- She, Saad and Abra Al'Maliki are from Syria.
- Yick Yu is from Vietnam.
- Lucy Fernandez is from New York, NY.
- Mike Dallas is from Guelph, ON.
- Jenna Middleton was born in Calgary, AB.
- Fiona and Declan Coyne were born in Tokyo, Japan to American expatriates.
- Campbell Saunders is from Kapuskasing, ON.
- Becky and Luke Baker are from somewhere in Florida.
- Derek Wheeler was most likely born near Port Hope, ON.
- Patrick is from Dublin, Ireland.
- Hazel Aden was born in Mogadishu, Somalia.
- Manny Santos was born in Manila, the Philippines.
- She is the third main character that is a refugee. The other four are Yick Yu, Hazel Aden, Saad Al'Maliki, and Abra Al'Maliki.
- She is the fourth character to have worn a hijab. The first being Fareeza, the second being Hazel, the third being her friend, Goldi Nahir, and the fifth being Abra Al'Maliki.
Relationships
- Samira
- Start Up: Prior to #BreakTheInternet (DNC 301)
- Break Up: Prior to #BreakTheInternet (DNC 301)
- Reason: Rasha didn't like certain qualities about Samira.
- Main article: Zoë-Rasha Relationship
- Zoë Rivas
- First Relationship:
- Start Up: #ThatFeelingWhen (DNC 306)
- Break Up: #Woke (DNC 309)
- Reason: Rasha was upset that Zoë lied to her about her mom being okay with her going to the wedding.
- Second Relationship:
- Start Up: #ImSleep (DNC 310)
- First Relationship:
Interactions
| Friendships | Relationships | Conflicts | Attractions | Love Triangles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goldi-Rasha Friendship | Zoë-Rasha Relationship | |||
| Winston-Rasha Friendship |
| v - e - d |
|---|
|
Baaz • Esme • Frankie • Goldi • Grace • Hunter • Jonah • Lola • Maya • Miles • Rasha • Saad • Shay • Snake • Tiny • Tristan • Vijay • Winston • Yael • Zig • Zoë |