Community Involvement

Founder

Masculinity: Under Construction

June 2018 – Present

Masculinity under construction is for male-identifying folks to get together and discuss masculinity. The aim is to challenge ourselves, review our privilege, formulate a positive form of masculinity, build community and work towards change for ourselves and others.

  • Organize a group of 250+ men to improve allyship skills and decrease toxic behaviours together with community partners, through a range of activities.
  • Topics include(d): gender-based violence, nonviolent conflict resolution, fatherhood, effective communication, bystander intervention.
  • Set up a formal cooperation with the Ottawa Coalition to End Violence Against Women.
  • Successfully secured funding from the Ottawa Community Foundation.

Workshop Facilitator

MANifest Change, by OCTEVAW

May 2016 – Present

MANifest Change equips men and boys to skillfully prevent common situations of gender-based violence. We train people of all genders to facilitate the Five MANifest Change Conversations in your school, university, or place of work. MANifest Change is a project by the Ottawa Coalition To End Violence Against Women (OCTEVAW)

  • Developed workshops in consultation with the community.
  • Educated youth and men on consent, #metoo, accountability, bystander intervention, positive forms of masculinity, gender-based violence, privilege.
  • Accompanied other facilitators with lived experiences on allied projects, such as Project SoundCheck.

Organizer

Sex Workers’ Action Network of Waterloo Region

October 2018 – July 2019

SWAN is a non-partisan group consisting of individuals, including those with lived experience, agencies and groups committed to recognizing and honouring individuals working in sex work.

  • Organized Dec 17 event (International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers) to fight stigma, improve understanding, and increase solidarity with and support for sex workers’ rights.
  • Organized June 2nd event to allow sex workers to celebrate in a safe space.

Sex Educator

SHORE center

September 2018 – July 2019

The Sexual Health Options, Resources & Education – SHORE Centre aims to provide all residents of our community (Kitchener-Waterloo) with sexual health information and support.

  • Provided sex-ed to youth on schools.
  • Participated in improv theater to educate youth on consent, gender and sexual diversity, and sexual health.

Research coordinator / Interim Director

PACT-ottawa

february 2014 – august 2016

Persons Against the Crime of Trafficking (PACT-Ottawa) is a non-partisan, secular organization whose membership includes professional educators, public servants, social service practitioners, members of faith groups and students, and aims to combat Human Trafficking. Working in human trafficking, I know that sex work is not human trafficking, and focus on all forms of human trafficking, including exploitation of labor, exploitation of migrants, domestic servitude and trafficking for the purpose of organ removal.

  • Conducted and coordinated policy research, analyzed Ontario health policies and regulations, Canadian criminal law, population statistics, social trends, and the international legal framework, with a team of experts.
  • Organized a Round Table to explore opportunities for cooperation among stakeholders: Health Canada, Justice Canada, the Kidney Foundation, and others.