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Black History Month

February is Black History Month!

Please join us in celebrating and honoring the contributions and accomplishments of some amazing Black Queer individuals.

Each day this month we’ll be featuring Black 2SLGBTQI innovators on our Facebook page.

We hope you’ll follow along to learn about some awesome trailblazers in our community including:

Call for Board Members

We are currently looking for a Vice President and two Community Members at Large to join our Board of Directors.

If you’re interested in joining us, please review the details below, or click to read the Call for Applications: Board of Directors in Google Docs.

New Community Pride Banners

We’re excited to announce we will be displaying community Pride banners in Brock Township and hopefully in Uxbridge. We need your help to come up with some great slogans for the banners.

What message would you like to share with your community?

Please send us your slogan ideas!

The message can be anywhere from 15 characters to a maximum of 24 characters.

You can get an idea of what the banners will look like and see some example slogans in the mockup pictured above. We love the example slogans, but we'd really love to hear your original slogan ideas!

If we choose your slogan, we would like to send a prize as a thanks for your work.

Please send in your slogan ideas to emily@pflagdurhamregion.com by February 6, 2022.

Support

If you’re looking for a way to connect, join us for one of our online peer-facilitated sharing nights.

Please use the links below to attend our meetings on Zoom.

Teens & Tweens

Teens & Tweens is a group for youth — ages 10-14 — who want to get to know peers and have a safe, fun space to be themselves. It runs on the second Thursday and the last Sunday of each month.

Next meetings: Thursday, February 10 at 6:30pm and Sunday, February 27 at 11:00am

Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89974902729?pwd=c0pBbHZiTFdOakVOcklwS0lFdmhBZz09

Sharing Night — North Durham

If you live in North Durham, join us on the third Thursday of every month to connect with the North Durham Sharing Night group.

Next meeting: Thursday, February 17 at 7:00pm

Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85236454448?pwd=bHRlN1hzZ0RrVXc3K1RCbkdCdFdrUT09

Sharing Night — Central

2SLGBTQI community, parents, caregivers, youth, allies — everyone is welcome! Join the conversation and connect with others on the last Thursday of every month.

Next meeting: Thursday, February 24 at 7:00pm

Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89384931827

Parent’s Sharing Night

Our sharing group for parents, guardians, and caregivers of trans and non-binary youth and adult children runs on the first Wednesday of each month.

Next meeting: Wednesday, March 2 at 7:00pm

Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86957068465

Transitions

The transitions group offers a social space for trans & questioning folks aged 16 and older.

Next meeting: Thursday, March 3 at 7:00pm

Zoom link: Please contact inquiries@pflagdurhamregion.com to request the link for this meeting.

Parent’s Group on Facebook

Our Family TRANSformations Facebook group offers a supportive space for parents and caregivers who are supporting a person who identifies as transgender to share support and resources.

You can request an invitation to join this private Facebook group here.

Community Programs & Resources

Gender Journeys — in Partnership with Carea

A group for ages 14+ that allows for participants to explore their gender and sexual identities in a safe, affirming environment. Please email inquiries@pflagdurhamregion.com for more information.

Family TRANSformations— in Partnership with Carea

A group providing support, information, and affirming positive interactions for parents, guardians, and caregivers of youth or adult children who have a trans identity. Please email inquiries@pflagdurhamregion.com for more information.

Important Dates in February

February 23 — Pink Shirt Day

Pink Shirt Day is a day to take a stand against homophobic, biphobic, and transphobic bullying and discrimination.

72% of 2SLGBTQI students in Ontario hear homophobic or transphobic expressions at least once a week in school.
62% of 2SLGBTQI students in Canada feel unsafe at school.
62% of trans students are socially excluded at school.
About 50% of Canadian 2SLGBTQI students have never told a teacher, principal, parent, guardian, or other adult about verbal harassment they have experienced because they don't believe adults will handle the situation effectively.

How can you make a difference?

You can wear a pink shirt on February 23 to show your solidarity. Dayofpink.org has some free t-shirt design kits you can use to DIY your own pink shirt.

You can read the excellent 2021 Egale survey, Still in Every Class in Every School, to learn the facts about the bullying 2SLGBTQI students face in Canadian schools on a daily basis.

And you can help people in your community become better allies and bring better 2SLGBTQI inclusion into your workplace or local school by encouraging staff to participate in one of Egale Canada's free webinars.

Coming Next Month…

Here’s what we’re working on for March:

Champions Awards — Send in your nominations for our Champions Award.

Fabulous Awards — Learn about our newest way to celebrate people doing great work in the 2SLGBTQI community. Hint: It is going to be Fabulous!

Camp Rainbow Phoenix — We’re starting to plan for Camp Rainbow Phoenix 2022. See what fun we have in store for the summer.

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