Join us for Trans Day of Remembrance & Resilience, featuring remarks from and a Q&A with Jack Saddleback.

About Jack Saddleback:

Riveting, captivating, real, insightful, grounded, and illuminated, these are just a few words that have been used to describe Jack Saddleback’s presentation of his life as a Cree Two-Spirit Champion. Saddleback has won numerous awards, including Red Cross’s 2018 SK Young Humanitarian of the Year, CBC’s 2016 Future 40 Under 40, and the Canadian Aboriginal AIDS Network 2015 Young Eagles Award. Jack’s life story embodies how one person’s spirit can help transform a community, while providing validation to struggling trans youth. “Everyone has an identity. Mine just happens to be rarer than most.” Jack Saddleback

In his wake, Jack Saddleback leaves gender barriers shattered. As a Cree Two-Spirit Transgender Gay Man, he was the first elected Transgender Student Union president of University of Saskatchewan and only the fourth Indigenous person to hold that position. Jack captivates his audience when sharing his validating message of Embracing Two Spirits, Conquering Mental Health, and Finding One’s Identity. Jack has found many struggles not only from the world at large but from his own Indigenous community. This has not stopped him from reaching new heights. He embraces life with an open mind and a child-like curiosity that helps push his own limits in the pursuit of happiness.

He spent the first four years of his life on his home reservation of the Samson Cree Nation, before moving with his Family to Calgary, Alberta at the age of four. This however, did not stop him from being instilled with Cree values that shine through in everything he does. Helping audiences to see gender identity through an Indigenous lens, Jack now uses these traditional teachings of the Cree to provide validation and acceptance to the LGBTQ community. Currently, Jack works for OUT Saskatoon as Co-Interim Director as well as Cultural & Projects Coordinator. His work continues to embody his values and his spirit as a truly caring world changer dedicated to creating safe spaces for people of all genders and orientation. An artist, Speaker and lifelong learner, Jack possesses a powerful zest for life. His message of sâkihito-maskihkiy (love medicine), identity, and embracing our authentic self, certifies Jack Saddleback as a force for positive change in our society.

This event is a part of Trans Awareness Week at the University of Toronto and reflects a collaboration between the following offices, departments and student groups: Association of Part-Time Undergraduate Students (APUS); LGBTOUT; Office of Indigenous Initiatives; Positive Space Committees at St. George, UTM and UTSC; Sexual & Gender Diversity Office; Sexual Violence Prevention & Support Centre; UTM Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Office; UTM Indigenous Centre; UTSC Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Office; UTSC Women's and Trans Centre (WTC).

Thank you to the International Indigenous Speaker's Bureau (IISB) for their collaboration on this event.

Following this event, trans, nonbinary and Two-Spirit students are invited to join the Trans, Nonbinary and Two-Spirit Student Gathering with Jack Saddleback at 3pm.