White As Snow - Calgary Premiere
A Queer ex-preacher traces the arc from altar to aftermath.
Affirming Connections and Black Pride YYC are proud to present the Calgary premiere of Rose-Ingrid Benjamin's autobiographical solo show.
After a successful run in New York City this spring, Rose-Ingrid Benjamin brings their powerful solo performance to the prairies for one night only.
A Queer ex-preacher traces the arc from altar to aftermath in this lyrical blend of spoken word, humour, song, and story. Told from the perspective of a Haitian, Queer, eldest immigrant daughter, former worship leader and missionary, White As Snow is a tender reckoning with faith, family, identity, and the ways we come home to ourselves.
Edmonton-born, Ottawa-raised multi-hyphenate Rose-Ingrid Benjamin's first play blends spoken word, storytelling and song to weave a "deeply personal solo piece" that seeks to explore and challenge what it means to believe, belong and walk away.
The performance is in English, with French and Kreyòl featured in memories and songs.
Date: Saturday, August 29, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM (doors at 6:30 PM)
Location: cSPACE Studio Marda Loop, 1721 29 Ave SW, Calgary
Light snacks provided after the show
This performance is made possible by Affirming Connections in partnership with Black Pride YYC, and venue sponsor cSPACE Marda Loop.
8th Annual Citywide Pride Interfaith Service!
The service will be both online and in person on Sunday, August 30, at 7pm MT, hosted at McDougall United Church in Calgary and livestreamed on YouTube.
This event celebrates the beautiful intersection of faith and 2SLGBTQIA+ identity, affirming that you can be ALL parts of yourself. It is proudly presented by Affirming Connections and Calgary’s Affirming Network of Faith Communities.
Our 2026 theme is "Water + Light," gesturing to the ingredients for a rainbow. This reflects not only the symbolic importance of the rainbow to Pride, but the significance of water and light as fundamental ingredients for life itself - a reminder of our responsibility to nourish, support and protect one another in challenging times.
Want to join the Pop-Up Choir? Sign up here - all are welcome!
Peace Team Training: Nonviolent Skills to Protect Our Communities
In partnership with McKillop United Church, facilitated by Nonviolent Peaceforce
More and more, communities are facing hostility, harassment, and threats to their safety, and a lot of us want to show up for the people and places we love but aren't sure how. Here is where you learn how.
Over two evening sessions online and an optional full day in Calgary, you'll learn practical skills in nonviolent action, de-escalation, and community-led safety, taught by Nonviolent Peaceforce, who have spent 20+ years keeping people safe in some of the hardest places on earth, from Ukraine to South Sudan. You'll leave with real skills, the confidence to use them, and everything you need to start a peace team of your own, through your church, your organization, or your community.
Who it's for
Allies and community members who want to show up and finally know how. Faith communities ready to protect and care for their people. Organizers across movements, whether for queer and trans rights, immigrant and refugee solidarity, ceasefire and anti-war work, or any frontline community safety. Event hosts, marshals, and the people who end up responsible when a crowd gets tense. And anyone who has felt powerless watching the news and wants something real to do about it. No experience needed, just the willingness to show up.
How it works
The two online sessions are open across Canada. The in-person day is optional, builds directly on the online sessions, and is limited to 25 people.
Online
Session 1, Wednesday Sept 9, 6:30 to 8:00 pm MT: An introduction to Nonviolent Peaceforce's approach to community-led safety.
Session 2, Wednesday Sept 16, 6:30 to 8:00 pm MT: The practical toolkit, including situational awareness, reading a room, and de-escalating before things escalate.
Sessions will be recorded and available to registered participants for a limited time.
In person (optional)
Saturday, Oct 3, 9:00 am to 5:30 pm, Calgary: A full day of hands-on practice, with scenario work, role-plays, and bystander intervention drills. You'll leave equipped to prevent and de-escalate violence and to form a peace team you can take back to your own community. Lunch and snacks included.
Can’t make it to all the virtual trainings? Recordings are available for all registrants, so you can catch up before the in person training!
Registration
Pricing is tiered to keep the training accessible while being transparent about what it actually costs to run. Travel support: $25 off in-person tickets (all three tiers) for participants travelling from outside Calgary. Use code TRAVEL. Full pricing and registration are on Eventbrite.
This training and accessible pricing is made possible through support from McKillop United Church and a grant from the Brian and Belva Piercy Endowment Fund at The United Church of Canada Foundation, through the Seeds of Hope program.
Queer Theology series:
Jaye Brix on Deconstructing Bad Theology
Bad theology hurts. It hurts the 2SLGBTQIAP+ community, it hurts our communities of faith, and it hurts folks who feel held down under the thumb of harmful language, tradition, and belief.
This three-week series invited us into a process of deconstructing the theologies that restrict us as we seek to expand our affirming ministry and live out faithful discipleship that celebrates diversity as sacred. We were honoured to have Jaye Brix (they/she) join us live at our third session! Jaye is an ex-pastor who uses their experience, education, and creativity to help folks on their liberation journey, leaving behind ‘church’ that hurts.
Watch all three sessions on our Vimeo channel here.
Hosted by Affirming Connections and Pacific Mountain Region Affirming Ministry.
Share your support for trans youth!
Click here to access free images of love and support for trans youth and their families.
Download one or all and share them wherever you can!
Community Safety Training
Recording available
This practical and relevant workshop (recorded from the live event on June 3, 2025) teaches ways to protect yourself and marginalized communities at protests and events, through effective de-escalation and creative nonviolence. Enhance your safety and self-defense toolbelt.
Led by experienced Community Protection Facilitator, and Head of Security at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, Aidan McKendrick!
Queer Interfaith Coalition
The Queer Interfaith Coalition (QIC) and its Affirming allies are reclaiming the religious voice from those who have sought to weaponize faith. We believe that all 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals are created in the Divine Image and that advocacy for their human rights is not antithetical to faith, but a central tenet of our religious faiths.
To learn more and sign onto our open letter, visit our page here.
Join our United Against Hate campaign!
Affirming Connections stands in support of drag performers, trans, gender diverse, Two Spirit and LGBTQIA+ communities across Canada.
We have seen an apparent rise in malicious misinformation, conspiracy theories, threats, and violence that target drag performers, and the queer and trans communities. In 2023 alone, hate crimes against the queer community rose by 69%, and this number continues to increase.
Add your name to this letter with 400+ others show your public support for 2SLGBTQ+ people who have been facing the brunt of this targeted discrimination. Your voice on this issue truly matters.
Drag FAQ’s Answered
Affirming Connections started the United Against Hate campaign to address the surge in misinformation, disinformation, and violence targeting drag performers and trans people. We compiled a list of the most frequently asked questions we encounter, then asked experts from a variety of fields—including affirming faith leaders, drag performers, educators, academics and researchers—to answer them.
