#Choose2Challenge Creating Space, Taking Space: Conversations on Gender and Racialization

Each year, HSA Women’s Committee marks International Women’s Day with a workshop to explore women’s issues in the union.  In 2021, HSA will host a virtual workshop on Monday March 8, 2021.
 
The workshop is open to members who identify as women, transwomen, non-binary, two-spirit, and lgbtqi+.  Those who also identify as indigenous, black, people of colour, or people with disabilities are particularly encouraged to apply.
 
2020 was a year of racial (re)awakening, despite historical ongoing violence towards Black communities and Indigenous communities here on Turtle Island. Conversations around race have often centered the experiences of cis-men and left very little room for the experiences of BIPOC women and gender diverse people. This workshop will examine the intersections of gender, patriarchy and racism within the Canadian context.

Learning Objectives:

• be able to apply concepts related to systemic, institutional, and interpersonal racism against people who identify as women (cis and trans) & gender diverse people;
• understand Whiteness, power, and privilege, and how these concepts contribute to racial oppression in the Canadian context
• develop skills to confront racism within gendered context in the workplace and interpersonal relationships.

HSA is excited to have Yamikani Msosa present this workshop.

Yamikani (they/them or ze-hir) is a Black genderqueer Malawian arrivant-settler currently living within the Dish With One Spoon wampum treaty territory, who grew up on Algonquin Territory. Yami is an anti-violence educator, support worker and movement-based facilitator. They love building containers for connections to be forged, and holding space for individual, community, and systems transformation. Their lens to the anti-violence liberation movement is intersectional and centers disability & healing justice organizing.

Ze completed hir Master’s degree in Women and Gender Studies at Carleton University, and a Certificate from Michigan State University in Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, and Organizational Change. In 2013 Yami founded UBUNTU Consulting, which focuses on equity, anti-oppression, inclusion training, conflict resolution and organizational development for grassroots organizations and nonprofit agencies. As a strategic troublemaker, Yami has worked with Amnesty International Canada, Greenpeace Canada, the Association of Women’s Rights in Development, Canadian Women’s Foundation, City of Toronto, Peterborough Pride, Tools for Change, LGBT Youthline and more.

Yamikani has held positions such as Black Academic Success and Engagement Coordinator at Humber College and Vice-Chair of the Ontario Coalition of Rape Crisis Centres. Yami currently sits on the eQuality Project Advisory Committee and is featured in Violence Interrupted: Confronting Sexual Violence on University Campuses with Jane Bailey and Suzie Dunn.
 
In 2017 Yami founded Seeds, a yoga program that centers the needs of survivors of sexual violence. You can learn about hir work at www.yamimsosa.com.
 
Participants will receive wage replacement in accordance with HSA policy. Registration is through My Events Registration and you will need your HSA member ID number in order to create a login.  Please call the HSA office at 604.517.0994 or 1.800.663.2017 to receive your HSA member ID number. Once you have created a login the event will be listed under Other Events.