Beyond the Binary

LET'S participated in a Beyond the Binary meeting. The goals of the meeting were to review the Beyond the Binary Canada goals, provide an overview/update of Beyond the Binary in BC outputs, discuss and identify additional partners (local community members, organizations, others), and summarize action items. It was a great meeting and we look forward to our continued involvement in this vital work.

Canadian Feminist Disability Coalition National Meet and Greet

Participating in the Canadian Feminist Disability Coalition (CFDC) national meet and greet was a great opportunity to meet like-minded individuals who share passion for advocacy and peer support work.

The objective of the CFDC project is to build the leadership and advocacy skills of diverse women and girls with disabilities to become agents of change for their rights in Canada. This project is a partnership between theLive Work Well Research Centre at the University of Guelph (LWWRC), DisAbled Women’sNetwork of Canada (DAWN) Indigenous Disability Canada (IDC) and the Disability Justice Network of Ontario (DJNO).

Person with braids in their hair, sitting in wheelchair.

The CFDC project is funded by the federal department ofWomen and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE) throughMarch 2024. The Project Director is Dr. Deborah Stienstra, a professor in Political Science at the University of Guelph and Director of the Live Work Well Research Centre.

The CFDC project aims to generate systemic change amongdiverse girls and women with disabilities in Canada, it will:

• Highlight and address discriminatory policies and practices that are a barrier for diverse girls and women with disabilities in Canada.
• Identify and implement resources, policies and practices that will aid diverse girls and women with disabilities’ leadership in social, economic and political sectors.
• Enhance networks and collaborations between civil society organizations, CFDC partners and diverse girls and women with disabilities through regional, national and transnational events, workshops and programs.

National Guiding Circle – HIV, Disability and Deaf Communities Meeting

A health inequity consistently flagged in Realize’s ongoing consultations with the HIV, disability and deaf communities across Canada are people’s experience of persistent ableism in accessing sexual health information, supports and services including those related to HIV, Hep C and other STBBI. It is a problem increasingly acknowledged in the Public Health Agency of Canada’s (PHAC’s) engagement with the HIV, Hep C and STBBI sector (Community Action Fund Applicant Guide, 2020), but policymakers, program decision makers, health-care providers and community-based organizations often lack the resources and the “know-how” to address it. Guided by the community of people living with HIV and/or disability and/or who are deaf/hard of hearing, Realize aims to enable policymakers, public health and health care professionals, and front-line community-based service providers to build their capacity to achieve these human rights commitments to people living with disabilities and people living with HIV. We need the leadership, buy-in and cooperation of key allies among all stakeholders in the HIV and disability communities to achieve this goal.

The NGC is convened by a triad (3) of Co-Chairs, two of whom will always be individuals with living/lived experience and the other, a representative from Realize. Our current Co- Chairs are Francisco Ibaňez-Carrasco, Assistant Professor at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Wendy Porch, Executive Director at the Centre for Independent Living in Toronto and Tammy C. Yates- Rajaduray, Executive Director of Realize.

LET'S is proud to have a representative on Canada’s first ever National Guiding Circle – HIV, Disability and Deaf Communities.

Vancouver Writers Fest Accessibility Roundtable

Our June meeting was filled with discussion regarding committee members’ recommendations from the 2022 event and priorities for the upcoming festival.

Priorities include:
• Volunteer training
• Venue information
• Input on ASL Events
• Program Guide input
• Accessibility Statement

We look forward to our continued involvement in the committee and to the upcoming Writers Fest (October).