Dr. Chantal Fiola, Dr. Sharanpal Ruprai C2C Co-Chairs, ©UWinnipeg
Building on the Call to Conversation (C2C) Conference that was hosted at The University of Winnipeg in partnership with Two-Spirit (2S) People of Manitoba and Queer Trans People Of Colour (QTPOC) Winnipeg, the findings of the conference were revealed today.
“The Calls to Action resulting from the conference have been and continue to be led by community members, Elders, academics, and UWinnipeg students,” said Dr. Sharanpal Ruprai, Co-Chair of the C2C Conference. “We are asking the tough questions, creating space for critical dialogue, and engaging constructively in the process of reconciliation and following through with action. These Calls to Action are concrete and achievable if we continue to work together.”
More than 150 delegates – scholars, students, artists, activists, and community members – gathered for three days to discuss gender and sexual diversity in racialized contexts, where 2S and QTPOC people’s lives intersect, and to build and strengthen coalitions between our communities.
From the C2C conference discussions, Calls to Action have emerged that speak to the actions that individuals, families, communities, and organizations can take to create a more just and inclusive society.
The Calls will help guide the creation of inclusive spaces and specifically addresses the discrimination experienced by 2S and QTPOC people based on gender identity, racialization, and sexuality. Visit the C2C Calls to Action to learn about how you can be an ally in this work.
“The Calls to Action provide an opportunity and encouragement for individuals, families, communities, the education system, and all levels of government to mobilize to improve the lives of 2S/QTPOC people,” said Dr. Chantal Fiola, Co-Chair of the C2C Conference. “The coalition-building impacts of the C2C conference are already being felt at the grassroots level and at cultural and spiritual gatherings between 2S and QTPOC in Winnipeg. Young C2C conference-goers continue to ask Elders to spend time together in ceremony.”
At today’s launch, representatives from the community, including Dr. Albert McLeod, co-founder of Two Spirited People of Manitoba (2S), Uzoma Chioma, co-founder Queer-Trans People of Colour Winnipeg (QPOC), and Elders Charlotte Nolin, Barbara Bruce, and dione haynes, along with UWinnipeg President Dr. Annette Trimbee, shared thoughts and experiences about the conference and the Calls to Action.
Dr. Trimbee acknowledged all the hard work of the C2C committee and indicated that the Calls to Action will help to guide for the development of UWinnipeg’s Equity and Diversity planning towards creating a more inclusive campus.
“This is great example of how scholarship and community can inform policy,” said Trimbee. “Working with faculty, Elders, Two-Spirit Manitoba and Queer Trans People of Colour improves our own plan and will ultimately strengthen our ability to create a diverse and engaged university.”
Check out the photos taken from today’s event at Calls to Action.
