The week of November 13 to 19 is Trans Awareness Week, followed by Trans Day of Remembrance on November 20. Niagara College is proud to recognize these days of significance, offer learning opportunities, and show support for valued members of our community.
Trans Awareness Week supports increasing the visibility of the trans community. Trans Day of Remembrance is observed annually and honours the memory of members of the trans community who have lost their lives to anti-transgender violence.
Learning opportunities at NC
Creating Positive Space
As part of Trans Awareness week, COE and the CAE have partnered to offer the session Creating Positive Space – Creating 2SLGBTQ+ Inclusive and Affirming Environments. This 90-minute workshop offers a safe environment for employees to:
- Become familiar with 2SLGBTQ+ terminology and inclusive language;
- Better understand the lived experiences of 2SLGBTQ+ students and colleagues at Niagara College;
- Explore strategies for creating safe and inclusive spaces.
To learn more about the session and register, visit the InsideNC events calendar.
We also encourage individuals to visit the 2SLGBTQQIA+: Online Information & Community Resources section of the library for additional resources to further their learning.
Trans-Inclusive Health Studies Community of Practice
This fall, Educational Developer, Whit Ross, launched a Trans-Inclusive Health Studies Community of Practice with faculty and staff from the Nursing and PSW team, Academic and Liberal Studies, and School of Allied Health. The group of educators meet monthly around their shared interest in grounding their health studies instruction in trans-inclusive pedagogy. This community of practice is about sharing knowledge and exchanging ideas with peers to improve teaching practices in this area.
Their purpose is twofold: to ensure curriculum and activities are inclusive for trans and gender-diverse students, and to prepare students have an inclusive mindset and awareness of trans experiences going into their careers as health care practitioners in a broad range of fields.
“Despite only operating for two months, the group’s demonstrated commitment to and passion for this topic has been extraordinary,” said Ross. “This is a unique community of practice and, to our knowledge, is one of the first within the college sector.”
The collective’s first project is to develop instructional and curriculum resources that will support the integration of trans-inclusive practices in courses across NC, such as inclusive language guides, case studies, content about the lived experienced of trans and gender-diverse individuals in the healthcare system, and more.
If you are interested in joining the Community of Practice, please contact Whit Ross.
Further learning and resources:
Visit the links below for the history and background on these days of significance, as well as ways to get involved and expand your learning.
Trans Awareness Week: glaad.org/transweek
Trans Day of Remembrance: glaad.org/tdor
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion are shared responsibilities that belong to the college community, as a whole. As members of an educational organization, NC understands the need to work, individually and collectively, to ensure an equitable, diverse, and inclusive learning and work environment. Learn more about NC’s EDI approach at niagaracollege.ca/edi.
