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2022 Lead with Pride Workshops 

A poster for the Lead with Pride Conference. The purple background holds a teal block of text announcing the conference. In the centre of the poster is a planetary graphic, inside of which are dotted lines and circles representing planets. On the dotted lines are 'Your Future with Pride'. The 'Pride' is in rainbow-coloured lettering. At the centre of the planet graphic is the Lead with Pride logo, a bunch of graphic people of pride flag colours in a circle formation, making their own planet. At the bottom of the poster, there is white text bordered by a yellow line. The text reads, "During Your Future With Pride, you'll get a chance to make new friends, learn leadership skills, and discuss the future of 2SLGBTQ+ identity and intersectionality at U of T and beyond!"

Lead with Pride: Your Future With Pride

Virtual Workshop program – October 29, 2022, 11:00AM-3:00PM

We are excited to announce the 2022 Lead with Pride: Your Future With Pride workshops. These are workshops for 2SLGBTQ+ current students, by 2SLGBTQ+ current students and recent alumni.

Workshops Schedule

Attendees will have the option to choose between one of two workshops running at the same time in different Zoom rooms. Please note that we will have live notetakers for each set of workshops. If you are interested in both workshops happening at the same time, you can access the notes afterwards. Please note that live captioning will be enabled for the workshops, but no ASL will be provided. This will be based on the reality of a shortage of interpreters and no requests for ASL at this time.

A schedule for the workshops at the 2022 Lead with Pride conference featuring rainbow graphics, a smiling daisy flower illustration, and other colourful graphic shapes. In a yellow block towards the top of the poster, there is an outline of the timing of all workshops. Below this, in four yellow squares with black borders, there are 'Session 1'- 'Session 4' outlines of which workshops will be occurring concurrently within the particular timeframes.

Workshop Descriptions

Session 1 (11:20am-12:05pm)

Putting Yourself First: 2SLGBTQ+ Self-Care in a Work Space

Facilitator: Barathi Sivacantharasa

This workshop will take you through the science behind why self-care is important for the 2SLGBTQ+ and BIPOC communities, different forms of self-care, and how to navigate through discrimination in a work space. Engage in discussions and interactive activities as we learn to put ourselves first!

Queer Identity and STEM

Facilitator: QueerSphere

In this workshop we will discuss the intersection between Queer identities and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).  We will discuss Queer history in STEM, and what more can be done for Queer representation both in the industry and within the UofT community. Lastly, we will suggest ways for students to get involved in Queer Sphere and beyond to address the issues covered in this workshop.

Session 2 (12:15pm-1:00pm)

Protecting yourself from intersectional discrimination +a survival tale of intersectional discrimination

Tips for those who are currently suffering from discrimination as a group of LGBTQ. No matter how many oppression you have suffered from the society, you should insisting to be yourself.

Finding Meaning Through Movement

Facilitator: Val Gerlings

2SLGBTQ+individuals face unique and often increased barriers to engaging in regular physical activity and exercise. The dominant toxic fitness ideologies and cis-heteronormative  values and spaces can often make movement/exercise something that may not feel welcome to all. Though, our sense of self, relationships with our bodies and overall well-being all interact with us participating  in movement, exercise and physical activity. This workshop will give you the space to reflect on your relationship with movement/exercise, how to practice it with compassion and meaning, as well as some education, tips and tricks to move towards including  meaningful movement and exercise as  part of your self care  toolkit!

Session 3 (1:10pm-1:55pm)

Navigating the Workplace as Trans and Nonbinary Folks

Facilitator: Beck Scholbeck

This workshop will explore various themes such as self-advocacy, legal rights, solidarity, and allyship, as well as advice on finding an inclusive workplace. It will offer a space for learning, discussion, and skills practice all centered around navigating the workplace as trans and nonbinary folks.

Checking In: Community-Based Mindfulness and Art-making

Facilitator: Simryn Parmar

Access to community connection and social spaces have been shown to be important resiliency-building factors for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. Additionally, art has long been a medium through which our communities have been able to explore and express ourselves. The hope of this workshop is to provide 2SLGBTQIA+ folks with an affirming space to check in; both with themselves and with each other. Over the course of this workshop, we will engage in a short mindfulness meditation which will lead into some art-making. We will spend the second half of our time together with a group discussion where we can share about our experiences in relation to the activities. This workshop’s art making is low-barrier and requires minimal supplies to join. Just bring yourself, something to draw with (pens, pencils, markers, pastels etc.) and something to draw on (paper, cardboard, whiteboard etc.)!

Session 4 (2:05pm-2:50pm)

Disrupting Assumptions

Facilitator: N. Gadfly Stratton

During this workshop we will discuss 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusion in academic settings, and how casual assumptions we make can get in the way of that inclusion by making people feel excluded or amplifying harms. Together, we will explore ways we can use our power to disrupt harmful assumptions and commit to ongoing solidarity and allyship with the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.

Queering Mental Health: Navigating Care and Challenging Conversations

Facilitator: Maddie Bakshi

Folks with intersecting marginalized identities may encounter unique challenges when navigating systems of care, which could affect how comfortable they are to engage with professional mental health services. This workshop will centre around the experiences of 2SLGBTQ+ and BIPOC folks to acknowledge some specific barriers to care and validate the feelings associated with it. We will talk about choice in healthcare, a variety of self-care practices or professional services, and how to approach challenging conversations around mental health with friends, family or professionals.

 

 

 

More information about the Lead with Pride 2SLGBTQ+ Student Leadership Conference.

 

 

Lead with Pride 2022 is proudly sponsored by U of T affinity partners:

Discover the benefits of affinity products: http://affinity.utoronto.ca/