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Life Stories

Join Coquitlam Public Library in this speaker series with people from diverse backgrounds sharing their stories.

This series brings awareness of people who are from marginalized groups and how everyone's story is different. The speakers have experienced prejudice, social exclusion or stigma, and participants can ask them questions so as to learn about their story.

We want to share the realities of living as a marginalized member of the community, whether they be positive or negative. We expect participants to be awed at the resilience of the speakers and more empathetic of their experiences.

The best way for Canadians to build a better future for all is to understand and appreciate everyone’s past and present.

Registration is required for each session.

The series will focus on the following groups:

• Oct 25 - People living with disabilities
  • James Miller and David Webster from posAbilities Employment Service
  • Learn how PosAbilities Employment Service (PES) has provided supportive and customized employment opportunities for the last 13 years in Vancouver and the TriCities areas. Showcasing PES’ person‑centered  and celebratory employment model, James Miller and David Webster will walk you through what the employment process looks like, what support means to PES, and why it’s important for youth to start thinking and planning for their future careers now.

• Nov 1 - LGBTQ+ community
  • Christopher “ The Unstoppable Conni Smudge” Bolton and Gary “Fluffer” Woods,  from North Shore Pride Alliance
  • Join Christopher Bolton, aka - Drag Icon “The Unstoppable Conni Smudge” and Gary “Fluffer” Woods as they recount their personal tales of generating safe and empowering environments while overcoming challenges, adversity, and breaking down barriers to have a sense of community belonging within the North Shore.

• Nov 8 - The justice system, homelessness, & addiction
  • Shawn Bayes and Kristie Gordon, from Elizabeth Fry Society
  • Elizabeth Fry Society (EFry) was founded in 1939 by a small group of volunteers dedicated to transforming conditions for women and girls in custody. Flash-forward more than 80 years, and their mission remains the same. Join Shawn Bayes, Executive Director, and Kristie Gordon, as they showcase how their organization continues to identify the needs of marginalized groups, through identifying gaps in the Canadian criminal justice system and creating solutions to fill those voids.

• Nov 15 - Indigenous Peoples
  • Caren Lafontaine, Ministry of Children and Family, and Elder Maria Reed - Waabigekek Ikwe
  • Explore stories of Indigenous family and community with two special guests: Caren Lafontaine, a Community Roots Practioner from The Ministry of Children and Family, and Elder Maria Reed. Taking cues from the audience, this speaker event will look at how cultural connections, relationships, and permanency factor into the Indigenous experience in Canada.

• Nov 22 - Newcomers and refugees
  • Tri-Cities Local Partnership’s Immigrant Advisory and Judith Kambia Obatusa, Host and Author
  • Members of the Tri-Cities Local Partnership’s Immigrant Advisory Table will be talking about their journey to Canada and sharing who they are, why they decided to embark on this journey, and how this journey affected their perception of themselves. Judith Kambia Obatusa, host of the podcast, Messy Can't Stop Her, shares her stories of personal struggle, and seeks to educate and de-stigmatize immigrant acculturation challenges while empower other migrants in their promised land.

The series will be held in person at the City Centre Library and recorded by Tri-Cities Community Television.

Light refreshments will be served.

If you have any questions, please contact Ann at ajohannes@coqlibrary.ca 

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