 Summary
Queer Yukon Society is offering funding to Black, Indigenous, People of Colour* who want to organize QTBIPOC-focused events for the 2020 Yukon Pride Festival happening from August 1 – 9. Please contact us at pride@queeryukon.com no later than July 9, 2020 to tell us you’re interested and a brief idea of the event you would like to organize! *We recognize that the labels we have listed here do not work for everyone. The Details Who: We are seeking Queer and Trans folks who are Black, Indigenous, People of Colour (QTBIPOC) who are living in (or recently left) the Yukon to help organize events for the 2020 Yukon Pride Festival. What: QTBIPOC people are invited to plan and organize the events they would like to see for Yukon Pride 2020. Organizers will receive event planning support from the Pride Planning Committee. Our goal is to make space for the QTBIPOC community to create the events they want to see. Queer Yukon has up to $5,000 available for this initiative which can include honoraria of up to $500 for event organizers. While we seek to fund as many projects as possible, we cannot guarantee that every project idea will be funded Where: Events can be held online or, if held in-person, must follow the Yukon health’s COVID-19-related guidelines. Both online and in-person events should focus on the Yukon community. In-person events must be held in Yukon, but do not have to take place in Whitehorse. When: Events will ideally take place between August 1 – 9, 2020 as part of Yukon Pride Festival. Potential event organizers are asked to express interest before July 9, 2020. Why: Community members have helped Queer Yukon Society see the gaps in our 2020 Yukon Pride Festival line-up and that we need to improve the way we engage QTBIPOC community members. We are working to ensure QTBIPOC people feel safe, heard and well-represented in our organization. We are committed to continuing to identify ways our organization can support QTBIPOC community members. How: Send an email to Emily Tredger at: pride@queeryukon.com to say you’re interested in organizing an event and your general idea. No experience as an event organizer required. Our Pride Planning team will support you in developping your event. Community Safety: We understand that QTBIPOC community members experience racism and homo/bi/transphobia within broader society as well as within the LGBTQ2S+ community. Queer Yukon Society will not tolerate racism, homo/bi/transphobia, harassment or discrimination of any kind at our events and will not hesitate to remove people from our community spaces and online events. To ensure the basic safety of our QTBIPOC organizers and performers, we are developing a clear anti-harassment policy, a code of conduct, complaint procedures, and an online moderation plan for this year's Pride events.  Queer Yukon Society and All Genders Yukon Society condemn racism in all its forms. We condemn police brutality and murder, and we condemn quiet complacency with the racist status quo. We stand with the protestors who are putting their bodies on the line to create change. We know that as queer and trans people, we have the rights we have today because of the work of activists—many of whom have been Black, Indigenous, and of colour. We know it is time to repay that debt.
Queer Yukon Society and All Genders Yukon Society will not stay silent – we are adding our voices to those calling for change and an end to systemic violence in our community and across the world. As individuals, we are committed to doing this work by examining our privilege and biases, unlearning racism, and standing alongside racialized people in the fight for rights and equality. In addition to our individual efforts, our boards commit to being accountable, learning and growing from our mistakes, engaging in anti-racism training, and to actively listening to Black people, Indigenous people, and people of colour. We commit to looking at our boards, committees and events and ensure that Black people, Indigenous people, and people of colour are increasingly represented and feel safe, and respected. We commit to consulting with Black people, Indigenous people, and people of colour in the development of the Yukon Pride Centre, with the goal of creating an anti-racist space that responds to the needs of queer and trans Black people, Indigenous people and people of colour. This is not the end of our conversation on racism. We want to hear from our community and take direction from queer and trans Black people, Indigenous people, and people of colour. Queer Yukon Society and All Genders Yukon Society will be making a donation to Black Health Alliance, a community-led registered charity working to improve the health and well-being of Black communities in Canada. We commit to this being one of many steps towards being an actively anti-racist organization. We hope all our members and allies will also commit to unlearning racism and we have included a few resources for those wanting to get started. If you can contribute financially to support anti-racist work, some suggested links are included below as well. Queer Yukon Society & All Genders Yukon Society To contact Queer Yukon: info@queeryukon.com To contact All Genders Yukon Society: AGYSboard@gmail.com --- Anti-Racist Resources 10 Steps to Non-Optical Allyship https://www.instagram.com/p/CA04VKDAyjb/ 12 (Mostly) Canadian Books about Racism, Anti-Blackness, and Anti-Racism, Plus Places to Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is https://caseythecanadianlesbrarian.com/2020/06/01/10-canadian-books-about-racism-anti-blackness-and-anti-racism-plus-places-to-put-your-money-where-your-mouth-is/ An Essential Reading Guide For Fighting Racism https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/ariannarebolini/george-floyd-amy-cooper-antiracist-books-reading-resources Guide to Allyship https://guidetoallyship.com/ How to Ally: Do’s and Don’ts https://www.instagram.com/p/CA8FJhIhhRt/ Places to Donate BLACKSPACEWPG https://www.blackspacewpg.ca/ Black Health Alliance http://blackhealthalliance.ca/ Black Lives Matter - Toronto https://blacklivesmatter.ca/ Black Lives Matter – Vancouver https://blacklivesmattervancouver.com/ Black Youth Helpline https://blackyouth.ca/ Calgary Black Empowerment Fund https://ca.gofundme.com/f/calgary-black-empowerment-fund Federation of Black Canadians https://fbcfcn.ca/ Justice for Regis https://www.gofundme.com/f/justice-for-regis Minnesota Freedom Fund https://minnesotafreedomfund.org/donate Official George Floyd Memorial Fund https://ca.gofundme.com/f/georgefloyd Rainbow Railroad https://www.rainbowrailroad.org/donate --- Queer Yukon Society (QYS) was launched in 2013 as a small group of dedicated volunteers with the goal of providing opportunities for the LGBTQ2S+ community to gather, socialize and support one another – primarily through social gatherings and the establishment of a Pride Festival in the Yukon. All Genders Yukon Society (AGYS) is focused on providing services to members of the Trans, Two-Spirit, Non-binary and questioning community, as well as their primary supports (significant others and family). AGYS helps community members by facilitating the funding of mental health services for members of the community (including single, couples, and group sessions), supporting outreach so community members can connect with other members one-on-one and get individualized support, and connecting folks with information about how to access trans-friendly medical services. Together, our organizations are working together to develop capacity within our community and to establish the Yukon Pride Centre.  Earlier this month, Queer Yukon Society’s pride committee announced that the 2020 Yukon Pride Festival: 24 Hours of Gaylight, scheduled for June would be postponed.
Well, we have news! Even if we can’t celebrate pride in-person this year, we can still celebrate together! We are now pleased to announce that Yukon Pride 2020 will be happening virtually (with some maybe-not-so-virtual events, too!), during the first two weeks of August 2020! The event line-up will be announced soon, so stay tuned! As we are entering Pride Month, this postponement also gives us time to think about the history and meaning of Pride Parades and Celebrations. It gives us time to reflect on the communities Queer Yukon and Yukon Pride are serving and reflect on how we are moving forward. Our theme this year, “Remote Connections” invites Yukoners from across the Territory to be part of the Pride celebrations. In the lead up to Yukon Pride 2020, there will be many ways to stay connected, to celebrate, and to show your pride! In the coming weeks, we will announce some of our community events, contests and calls for performers. We are also inviting LGBTQ2S+ community members to contact us if they are interested in hosting their own events. Throughout the month of June 2020, we also invite you to share with us what Yukon Pride means to you and how you would like to see the festival grow as we serve Yukon’s 2SLGBTQ+ communities at: pride@queeryukon.com We know that Pride is a life-giving moment for our community and we want to honour that with our celebrations this year. We hope you can join us as we come together in new ways to celebrate Pride across the Yukon! Find Queer Yukon online at: https://www.queeryukon.com/ https://www.facebook.com/QueerYukon/ https://www.instagram.com/QueerYukon/  In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing need for physical distancing to reduce the chance of spreading the virus, the Pride Committee of the Queer Yukon Society regretfully announces that the in-person elements of the 2020 Yukon Pride: 24 Hours of Gaylight, scheduled for June 1-7, will be postponed. To keep each other safe right now, we need to follow the directives of Yukon’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, which include staying home as much as possible, keeping at least two metres away from other people when in public, and not gathering in groups. Queer Yukon and the Pride Committee applaud the healthcare workers, public health officials, essential service providers and others who are working to minimize the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This has been a difficult decision for the Pride Committee, and we share your disappointment and frustration. Pride is traditionally a chance for us to gather as a community of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, two-spirit, queer and allied persons. More than just a series of events, Yukon Pride is an opportunity for connection, celebrating human rights advances and social inclusion, and asserting our right to exist freely and joyfully. While we are not able to celebrate in person right now, we can still celebrate! The Pride Committee is working hard to bring you events in creative ways that will allow us to celebrate and come together while respecting physical distancing and keeping each other safe. Stay tuned for more information in the coming weeks! Finally, Queer Yukon and the Pride Committee want to acknowledge that this is a difficult time for our community. Members of the LGBTQ2S+ community are impacted by COVID-19 in specific ways, sometimes experiencing violence in unsupportive homes, losing work, missing friends, and our usual outlets for expression and support. We are all coping with this situation as best we can, but we want to urge you to support each other if you can, and to reach out if you need it; a list of public resources is listed below. Stay proud and stay safe, folks. -30- For more information or media inquiries please contact: Chris Lovatt [EN] Treasurer, Queer Yukon Society cllovatt@gmail.com MC Boucher [FR] Director, Queer Yukon Society mariecbouc19@gmail.com For information about Queer Yukon and community updates please visit queeryukon.com or find us on Facebook and Instagram. Public Resources for mental health support
 Queer Yukon Society (QYS) and All Genders Yukon Society (AGYS) have hired Joe Wickenhauser who will serve as the Executive Director for Yukon’s first Pride Centre. Last month, QYS and AGYS announced a partnership to establish a Pride Centre in Yukon to develop a safe and visible space for Yukon's LGBTQ2S+ communities. Chris Boodram, President of QYS, said Wickenhauser was hired following a national search that generated interest from nearly 30 candidates: "Thanks to the support of the Yukon Government, we are thrilled to be able to hire someone with a proven track record of working collaboratively with rural LGBTQ2S+ communities to identify and establish needed programs and services.” Wickenhauser co-founded Moose Jaw Pride, a Pride Festival which later developed a community drop-in centre, a provincial network of pride organizers, and a thrift shop under his leadership. Boodram added that the Pride Centre’s first Executive Director will be key to ensuring its long-term success and that Wickenhauser would be a welcome addition to the team: "We are looking forward to accomplishing great things for our communities with his support.” Chase Blodgett, President of AGYS thanked the Yukon government for recognizing the crucial need for a safe space for LGBTQ2S+ Yukoners and welcomed Wickenhauser to the new role: "Joe brings great vision, skills and experience to this project and has a strong awareness of the unique challenges facing gender and sexually diverse folks in northern rural communities.” Originally from Strasbourg, SK (pop. 700), Wickenhauser’s experience as a queer person in a rural community inspired him to work to support others in a similar setting. “It took me a long time to accept myself because there were no resources or supports available to me in my community,” Wickenhauser said. “But once I realized there were so many other LGBTQ2S+ people like me in small towns and rural areas, I wanted to find ways to connect.” After searching for queer identity and community in larger cities, Wickenhauser completed a master's thesis on the history of LGBTQ2S+ advocacy and organizing in Moose Jaw and Saskatchewan. When he returned to Moose Jaw to visit family, community members asked him to organize some pride events. “100 people showed up to our flag raising and I was completely stunned. That was when we started to dream about what else could be possible,” Wickenhauser said. Over time, Moose Jaw Pride incorporated and began offering support services and educational workshops, advocating for change, and developing year-round programming in smaller communities across Saskatchewan. The organization also partnered with the local school division to develop inclusive policies, a Gay Straight Alliance, and to create Canada’s first high school credit course on gender and sexual diversity. In addition to his work with Moose Jaw Pride, Wickenhauser has passionately promoted LGBTQ2S+ history through walking tours, presentations, and even the curation of Saskatchewan’s first permanent exhibit on gender and sexual diversity at the Moose Jaw Museum and Art Gallery. Wickenhauser also played a lead role in developing the “Time 4 Rights” social media campaign which led to explicit protections for gender identity and gender expression within the Saskatchewan Human Rights Code. Wickenhauser has received numerous awards for his work including a Saskatoon Heritage Award, CBC Saskatchewan’s Future 40 Award, and a nomination as Moose Jaw's Citizen of the Year. Most recently, Wickenhauser has worked for Fierté Canada Pride as the Tourism Development Manager and has been supporting pride organizations dealing with fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. Although he is currently working remotely from Kelowna, Wickenhauser plans to relocate to Whitehorse over the summer. In developing the Yukon Pride Centre, Wickenhauser said he plans to spend the coming weeks continuing to connect with people in the LGBTQ2S+ community and other community leaders across Yukon which have already generated some exciting ideas. “As a newcomer to Yukon, it's really important for me to take the time to engage with and learn from the community I will be serving--I'm really looking forward to the incredible things we'll be able to accomplish together." - 30 - For media requests or for more information, please contact: Chris Boodram President, Queer Yukon Society (613) 237-9554 boodramcp@yahoo.ca OR Chase Blodgett President, All Genders Yukon Society (867) 689-2673 c.blodgett@hotmail.com OR Joe Wickenhauser Executive Director, Yukon Pride Centre (306) 313-8455 joe@queeryukon.com - About Us Queer Yukon Society Queer Yukon Society supports, promotes, and organizes events for the LGBTQ2S+ community and our allies in Whitehorse, Yukon. Officially incorporated in 2018, Queer Yukon has been organizing Yukon Pride since 2013, as well as many other events to bring together LGBTQ2S+ and allied Yukoners to build a strong and vibrant community. All Genders Yukon Society The All Genders Yukon Society provides services to members of the Trans, Two-Spirit, Non-binary and questioning community, as well as their primary supports (significant others, family and immediate supports). AGYS helps community members by distributing funding for mental health services. Additionally, AGYS meets the needs of this demographic as requested which includes outreach, social and community events (suspended due to COVID-19), resources for tourists and information about how to access trans-friendly medical services. Contact us at AGYSboard@gmail.com 
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About queer yukon societyQueer Yukon Society supports, promotes, and organizes events for the LGBTQ2S+ community and our allies in Whitehorse, Yukon. Officially incorporated in 2018, Queer Yukon has been organizing Yukon Pride since 2013, as well as many other events to bring together LGBTQ2S+ and allied Yukoners to build a strong and vibrant community. Archives
July 2020
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