Réseau ACCESS Network is thrilled to announce a Virtual Community Pride Breakfast. Join us from the comfort of your home in a conversation with Rahim Thawer MSW, RSW and Kathleen J of Safer Spaces as we discuss how the pandemic has affected 2S-LGBTQ+ communities and the importance of creating inclusive workplaces for 2S-LGBTQ+ members of community.

About our Speakers

Rahim Thawer, MSW, RSW

Rahim Thawer is a registered social worker and psychotherapist, clinical supervisor, and sessional lecturer. He has been involved in mental health, HIV/AIDS, and queer Muslim activism for over a decade. His approaches to clinical practice and community development are informed by values of anti-oppression and sex-positivity.

Rainbow feels in the time of COVID-19

A year-and-a-half into the pandemic, as more and more of us get vaccinated (in wealthier countries), and we start to imagine an end in sight, we must stop for a moment and begin to process what we’ve been through. We've all endured loss during this time but how have these losses expressed themselves uniquely in queer and trans communities? Many of us are excited to move on but continue to grapple with the uncertainty of what our immediate future will look like. In this keynote address, social worker and psychotherapist Rahim Thawer will explore these pandemic-induced tensions and how they've affected queer and trans communities: isolation vs connection, pause vs productivity, prolonged uncertainty vs sense of control, risk aversion vs risk tolerance, autonomy vs public health regulation, distress denial vs awareness, and acute vs ambiguous grief. This session will conclude with some thoughts about how our lives may have shifted forever and what we might expect as part of the new normal.

Kathleen J

Kathleen brings a background in social justice, community development, advocacy, business development, and non-profit work. She has previously worked with youth peer mentors to discuss gendered violence, 2S-LGBTQIA+ diversity and inclusion, and gender equity. Before her role as Safer Spaces Program Coordinator, she most recently worked as a Community Development Coordinator for a large multi-service non-profit organization. Kathleen is excited to work together in creating Safer Spaces across the Sudbury area!

Safer Spaces in the Workplace: Benefits, Barriers, and Next Steps

Join us as Kathleen J discusses the need for tangible 2S-LGBTQ+ inclusion efforts in workplaces, identifies common barriers to accessibility for 2S-LGBTQ+ members of community, and provides some easily implementable first steps to get you and your organization started.

*All proceeds from event are to be re-integrated into 2S-LGBTQ+ programming at Réseau ACCESS Network