This session will be a sharing time of children’s stories, poems, and scriptures with optional face-painting! King Julez will answer questions about what it means to be a drag clown and how that works in their work as a student and future ordinand in the United Church of Canada.
about the facilitator
Julian/ King Julez (they/them) is the chair of Affirm United/S’affirmer Ensemble, a national non-profit organization that works for full inclusion and affirmation of 2S-LGBTQ+ folks in religious spaces and in all of society, and a board member for Student Christian Movement. After getting a BA in Diversity and Equity, King Julez is studying their Masters of Divinity with the goal of becoming a drag clown reverend with their own congregation to serve.
with Leah Watkiss + Sabrina Chiefari + Varka Kalaydzhieva
For years, migrant workers coming to Canada have been subjected to exploitation by employers, landlords, supervisors. Many are underpaid, overworked, abused. This experiential exercise leads participants to experience the exploitation migrant workers face when they arrive in Canada. Through a role-play, participants are guided through some of the exploitation workers experience at various stages of their migration, such as recruitment debt, dangerous work conditions, unlawful pay deductions, and crowded and unsanitary living conditions. After a debrief, the participants are asked to engage in various forms of support, advocacy and reflection.
about the facilitators
Leah is Ministry Director of the Sisters of St Joseph of Toronto’s Ministry for Social Justice, Peace, and Creation Care. She has over 10 years of experience working for social justice with Christian non-profits. She holds an M.A. in Peace and Justice from the University of San Diego. Sabrina (she/her/elle) is a Catholic Environmental Educator from Tkaronto/Toronto. As Creation Care Animator for the Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto, she’s a long time proponent of Deep Ecology and Integral Ecology. She holds a certificate in Community Arts Practice and an undergraduate degree in Environmental Studies from York University. Varka is Project Manager in the Ministry for Social Justice, Peace, and Creation Care with the Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto. She has in interest and experience in various social justice issues, including migrant justice and human trafficking.
The Student Christian Movement (SCM) played a crucial role in the founding of the Student Co-operative movement in the 1930s. How did the values of SCM become central to this part of the Co-op movement? How has that movement evolved to become a means of providing affordable and community-oriented housing across the continent, to both students and non-students? In an age of $2000+ one bedroom rents in Toronto is it time for a return to multi-tenant co-operative housing – not just for students this time?
about the facilitator
Tristan (he/him) first attended a meeting of SCM after his research on Student Co-op History led him to discover the important role the SCM had played in starting the Student Co-op movement. Tristan’s main focus is on supporting and creating multi-tenant housing co-operatives that are organized democratically and contain elements of intentional community. He is involved with North American Students of Co-operation and he is a co-founder of HOUSE (Housing Ontario Students Equitably), a non-profit startup aiming to build co-operative housing for students and youth around Ontario Universities.
Are you seeking something different in your life? What change do you envision for yourself or the world? Spend some time in the JourneyDance flow to bring these dreams and intentions into your body and into your life. After our dance we will spend some time collaging your vision board of change. No dance or art experience is required. This workshop is open to all.
about the facilitator
Sheilagh works for the Anglican Church of Canada as the Animator for Youth Ministries. She is also a Registered Psychotherapist and JourneyDance Facilitator. She discovered dance and movement as a self care and healing tool and is excited to offer that tool to others.
Incorporating the “Project: Wet – Blue River” activity, this active session will encourage participants to better understand how water moves around them and what lasting – often unseen – consequences (whether positive or negative) our activities can have. While respecting and being sensitive to different world-views, group discussion will include questions around the more intrinsic relationship Christians have with this essential element.
about the facilitators
Sabrina (she/her/elle) is a Catholic Environmental Educator from Tkaronto/Toronto. As Creation Care Animator for the Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto, she’s a long time proponent of Deep Ecology and Integral Ecology. She holds a certificate in Community Arts Practice and an undergraduate degree in Environmental Studies from York University. Leah is Ministry Director of the Sisters of St .Joseph of Toronto’s Ministry for Social Justice, Peace, and Creation Care. She has over 10 years of experience working for social justice with Christian non-profits. She holds an M.A. in Peace and Justice from the University of San Diego.
