Media Training and Allyship with James Demers

Whether you're a community leader, activist, faith leader, or simply an ally looking to deepen your understanding and support for gender and sexually diverse-communities, this session is designed to empower you with the knowledge and skills needed to create a more inclusive and affirming community where you are. This session will equip you with essential knowledge, language, and actionable steps to support 2SLGBTQ+ individuals. You will learn context and language to support gender and sexually diverse communities in our current social and political climate, from an action-oriented perspective.

This media training will empower you to effectively communicate and advocate for gender and sexual diversity on various platforms. We will tackle common misconceptions surrounding gender and sexual diversity, providing tools to engage in myth-busting conversations within your own circles. We will close with actionable steps to confidently advocate for 2SLGBTQIA+ rights and inclusion.

In lieu of a workshop fee, we're requesting that attendees make a donation of $5-$35 to Alberta’s Trans Affirming Legal Fund here.

About our facilitator: James Demers (He/Him) previously worked in the charitable arts sector for 14 years at the Executive Director level and serves as an EDI educator across many sectors including healthcare, social services, tech, and organizational change. As a senior consultant with Canadian Equality Consulting, James supports assessments, facilitation, strategic planning, EDI tools and curriculum development for clients. James is a GSD (Gender & Sexually Diverse) content expert specializing in Gender Identity and Inclusion. Active for many years in community development and cultural work, he has committed his life and career to uplifting queer voices to build bridges of understanding, eliminate stigma, develop actionable empathy in the communities around him.

Small Town, Big Impact: Stories and Strategies from the Affirming Journey

In this 3-part video series, we interviewed Affirming leaders (clergy and lay) from smaller or more rural communities, who have all personally journeyed along the Affirming path with their community of faith. We asked them what it is/was like, how the conversations developed, what roadblocks they faced and are facing, and how this work has impacted both their ministry and the wider community.

We are so grateful to the folks who shared their stories and learnings to make this series possible. These videos can help you and your community jumpstart meaningful conversations around discerning your Affirming path, beginning the process, or revitalizing your existing Affirming Ministry. We hope you find this a good jumping off point to begin or re-energize your Affirming efforts!

Read our official Introduction here!

“What The Hell?” short film and discussion guide

“What the hell…is hell all about?”

What have we been taught about it, and how has it been used to enforce certain ways of thinking and acting?

Millions of people believe in some sort of hell in the afterlife. It can be terrifying to wonder who may end up there, whether it's ourselves or someone we love.

Why is hell often used to shame LGBTQ2S+ folks and others who may not fit into a prescribed norm? Is Christianity obsessed with trying to judge who is in and who is out?

We interviewed 19 people from across Canada and asked them these questions. What do these clergy members, faith leaders, community leaders, queer folks, and allies believe about hell? We found some very thought-provoking, poignant, funny, and life-giving answers!

We created this film as a resource for anyone to watch and reflect on these issues, and we welcome you to share it with your church or community. We have also created a discussion guide that can be used to facilitate conversations and dive into the theological aspects of ideas and misconceptions around hell.