What is going on in Ontario school

An online community discussion addressing diaspora concerns around trans and nonbinary curriculum, policy, and practice.

Register here

What to Expect:
Our event seeks to address concerns around 2SLGBTQIA+ policies in schools.

How has recent legislation in Saskatchewan and New Brunswick around parental consent impacted Ontario?

What are common myths circulating within newcomer communities around LGBTQIA+ content in schools?

How can we support queer/trans youth in schools as parents/community members?

Why are some parents uncomfortable with gender neutral facilities in schools?

Where does fear/ resistance to inclusive school policies come from?

We have four incredible speakers with a breadth of knowledge and expertise to share:

Christine Hsu

Christine (she/they) is a first gen immigrant settler who moves through the world as a nonbinary genderfluid woman. They are a certified learning professional and a body liberation-centred physical and health educator who have been facilitating training and consulting on intersectional 2SLGBTQIA+ and trans & nonbinary inclusion for school boards across Canada for over a decade. They have worked with administrators, educators, students, queer and trans youth in G/QSAs, and for organizations across multiple sectors, focusing on creating safer spaces in schools, communities and workplaces. Her expertise includes working in policy development within high performance sports for national sports organizations and with HPE curriculum leads for systems change in sports, HPE and school athletics. Christine works full time as an equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) and anti-racism learning consultant who delivers workplace training and community based healing-centred workshops, and provides strategic consultation for organizations seeking to make EDI infused transformational changes.

Narina Nagra

Narina Nagra (she/her) is the proud parent of a 10 year old trans girl who attends Perth Ave. Public School in Toronto. She has been a life-long advocate for social justice, anti-racism/anti-oppression and community building in various spaces for the past 25 years, and has co-chaired the school’s Parent Council and equity subcommittee. Narina identifies as a settler, second generation Punjabi queer cis woman of colour. Professionally, Narina is an accomplished facilitator, educator, consultant and advisor on human rights, workplace harassment, socio-demographic data, equity and inclusion, and working from an intersectional framework in diverse communities. Narina holds a Master of Education, Adult Education and Community Development, from the University of Toronto and is the Manager, Equity and Inclusion at the Toronto Public Library.

Alice Te

Alice Te (she/her) has been a social justice educator and union activist for over 30 years. She has worked as a classroom educator and central equity consultant at the Toronto District School Board for most of her career. Recently, she was the coordinator of Equity and Women’s Services at ETFO. Alice has had the opportunity to learn, collaborate and work in many spaces of teaching and learning including OISE’s Inner City Option as a program director and York University’s concurrent Faculty of Education program as a curriculum instructor. Her masters thesis focused on anti-racism and intersectionalities.

gitanjali lena

gitanjali (they/them) is a Tamil/Sinhalese immigrant who arrived in Algonquin territory as an 8-year-old. They survived intense racist and gender harassment in the elementary school system. gitanjali identified publicly as queer in their early 20’s, and as non-binary in their mid-40’s. Some of the places gitanjali has worked to promote gender equity and anti-racism include the Canadian Council for Refugees, Family Services Toronto, the South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario, EGALE Canada, LGBT Youthline, Osgoode Hall Faculty of Law, LEAF Toronto and the TMU School of Child & Youth Care.

They are proud to have created research using law & photography with trans racialized youth for their Master of Laws “Understanding Trans Racialized Youth Autonomy in Health Care Decision Making in Ontario” (2019). gitanjali and their queer racialized co-parent joyfully support a young adult. They describe their experience in “All our Roots Need Rain: Queer Parenting from the Sri Lankan Diaspora” in Whose Your Daddy? And other writings on Queer Parenting (2009, Sumach Press).

After decades of working across Canada in social and legal services for youth and 2SLGTBQSIA+ liberation, they established their own equity & justice consulting firm Lena Legal Services to guide institutions through the social equity journey.

Why Attend?
This roundtable is a unique opportunity to engage with experts who are actively working toward dismantling barriers and promoting inclusivity in Ontario schools. Whether you are an educator, student, parent, or community member, your perspective is valuable, and your participation is crucial to driving positive change and tackling disinformation.

Who Should Attend:

• Educators and school administrators
• Parents and guardians
• Students
• Advocates for inclusive education
• Anyone interested in fostering diversity and inclusion in educational settings

How to Participate:
Secure your spot by registering for this free and accessible online event. Be part of a collective effort to create a more inclusive and affirming educational landscape for all students.

Register Here on Eventbrite!

Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of a transformative conversation that will shape the future of education in Ontario. Together, let’s build a more inclusive and understanding world for all. See you at the roundtable!

If you have any questions or concerns about the event, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at mriazi@ocasi.org.