Camrose Pride

Date: Monday, October 18, 2021  
Time: 6:30pm – 8:30pm    Place: ONLINE ZOOM
Attendees: Nikki F, Ray M, Charissa S, Jessica D, Christina R, Stephen CM, Candy M, Gus B
Guest: Carol B

Agenda ItemMinutes
Call to OrderMeeting called to order at 1834 by Chair: Nikki F
Financials Provided by Treasurer Candy M:   $3.75 for bank fees Last month account increased by $50 through community donation One expense in for $50 for Nikki   $2200 and change
Carol B – Presenting on Sahakarini opportunity for CPCWhat is Sahakarini ? non government organization in Camrose An east Indian word that means cooperation or working across
founded in 1979 – original members were missionaries
Mission – to help the poorest of the poor in developing countries to do their best in life History: Once a year does fund raisers – historical – one way they auction off a pair of sandals from the founders, year for a year and add to the history of the shoes – i.e. you take the sandals with you as you travel
Water filtration in Kenya
Projects in central America
Supports about 3-4 projects per year
One main event – a dinner with the sandal auction   Proposal: This year – opened up to groups to use for once a week to increase awareness and passion for their cause. Keep sandals in Camrose and per week a groups can have the sandals and show the travels through Camrose. (52 weeks).
Link between CPC – and Sahakarini are to cross boundaries and supporting people
Carol would like to connect the groups and support each other in the community, have some mutual dialogue. Maybe in the future the two groups can connect and support alignment and cooperation.
Proposal for CPC to have sandals in June to support Pride month
Carol has already made the donation on behalf of CPC  

CONVERSATION: Idea – Fireside stories in our sandals with the sandals.  
Website: sahakarini.org  
Conversion Therapy Ban By-law – Pledge & Election Update  Revisit ACTION PLAN
COMPLETED: Step One – first draft of Letter to the City of Camrose – an invitation to join us/champion the process to pass the bylaw against Conversion “Therapy”/Torture. COMPLETED: Step TwoCreate Pledge and sent to those running for Municipal Election in City of Camrose:
5 candidates returned signed pledges.
4-5 candidates contacted CPC wishing to meet and discuss the pledge but as request was very clear, meetings were deferred until after election. Some misunderstood that a federal ban was already through – corrected and educated on process or legislation. _______________________________________________________ Step Three: Begin canvasing other supports within Camrose:
Create a new Pledge for agencies and businesses, psychologists and therapists, parents, family members, affirming churches/pastors, school boards, Augustana, organizations, Camrose Library, shelters, individuals citizens etc., to sign in support of the bylaw. This will provide more support, awareness and active support for change.
Ask for permission to have names of signees visible so we can create more support and encouragement of others
Give a snapshot of info to give to people about the Conversion Therapy Ban by-law        

Ministries: Affirming ministry – first approach and have them take to ministerial meeting and have leaders of the faith take to their people. Some legwork with religious groups already done on national level. Some delay since COVID in 2019 – United Church still gives the impression of support but how are they navigating congregational services?
Each faith group will have to approach individually since they are all so diverse and different – same faiths do not necessarily practice the same between congregations (i.e. Lutheran).
CPC is not alone – use our resources, affirming churches, No Conversion Canada, Pam Rocker etc….  

Survivors: Be aware of the constant attitude and subtle ways that people have been controlled, abused and oppressed as we move forwards.
Create a call out to any survivors in our area who may want to come forward – providing supports is critical
Please ensure CPC members are taking care of themselves  

ACTION: All members start identifying humans and groups to approach and have some conversations Nikki and Candy will develop the next community pledge for Conversion Therapy Ban  

Step Four: Contact Council members:
Who got elected – then see who we have that was supportive
Have to have in community support not just outside but can use the great work done by No Conversion Canada to assist in this process Develop a multi-level support to make this a fabric of Camrose society and a deeper understanding of what this means

New council is encouraging – new minds and new ideas, timing could be advantageous.  

Step Five: Take by-law proposal to Council
Looking Forward – Fall & Winter EventsPaused, COVID 4th wave  
Regular MeetingsRegular monthly Board Meeting
Monday, Nov. 8th, 2021 from 6:30pm to 8:30pm
Location: online zoom

Solstice Fire at Gus’ to be discussed  

EspressOUTSIDE TBD – Paused – Covid 4th wave  

Friends and Family Support Group
Running online, first Wednesday of every month – contact Andrea Dyck for info: adyck@brsd.ab.ca  
AdjournmentNikki Featherstone adjourned meeting at 1936

May 10, 2021

Camrose Pride Community
Date: Monday, May 10, 2021  
Time: 6:30pm – 8:30pm    Place: ONLINE ZOOM

Attendance:
Executive Leadership:
Nikki F (she/her) – Chair
Candy (she/her) – Treasurer
Stephen (he/him) – Member-at-Large
Regrets:
Robyn Gray (she/her) – Secretary
Sam – Youth Council Rep
Jana (she/her) – Member-at-Large
Members:
Andrew
Ray
Teri
Marsha
Guests:
Wyatt

  1. Call to Order – Confirm quorum – Introductions
  2. We have quorum
  3. Financials – Candy
  4. No change since last month. 1,765.53 in bank account (net change -$3.75 from last month, bank fee) plus $550 petty cash. Financial sheets are attached
  5. Invitation for CPC member to speak on a Panel w/ MLA Janis Irwin
    1. Camrose NDP is going to be running a panel for Pride month focused on rural LGBTQ+ issues and pride, and they would really love to have a representative from Camrose Pride Community on the panel to help bring those issues to light.
    1. will be on Saturday, June 12, from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM.
    1. panel is going to be pretty broad, so the panellist would be welcome to talk about whichever aspects of rural LGBTQ+ issues they would like to spotlight (i.e., healthcare, education, housing, employment, etc.
    1. Contact person – Wyatt T. (wyatt.tanton@gmail.com)
      – practice panel Sunday before. If anyone is interested, please contact Wyatt this week so that it can be put on their events page. Looking at a $10.00 ticket for the event (two hours). Looking for one individual to represent CPC. Online, open to any individual to come. Will have questions focusing on PoC, trans issues, etc.
    1. Would like a focus on supports for youth and GSA’s within topics of the conversation.
    1. We will send an email to our membership to find who is interested in the event.

Motion (Candy): Camrose Pride Community to support this event and agree to canvas for an appropriate participant. Seconded by Nikki. Motion Passes Unanimously

  1. Andrew V. – 3 part talk for Camrose Healthcare providers on 2SLGBTQ+ issues – looking for feedback from CPC on any experiences we wish to ensure are covered.
  2. Can use Camrose Pride Community as a community resource.
  3. Please reach out if you have nay topics that would like to be covered
    1. Wyatt: Body dysmorphia and COVID, inability to be active like before and COVID recovery
    1. QSA: will give some thought too and respond
  1. Conversion ‘Therapy’ Ban By-law
    1. – ACTION PLAN – create our Action Plan to carry this out
      1. first draft of letter to be written as step one, to be presented to City of Camrose Council during Pride Month. (mid June)
  2. We have a few weeks to come together to make a draft letter for a councillor to present (or a community member to present).
  3. What should the action plan look like?
    1. Step 1: Communications plans:
      1. Internally, Why we want to do this? What do we need to do?
      1. Who brought forth bylaws to the other previous communities?
      1. Reach out to Pam Rocker.
      1. Reach out to the counsellor members individually to see who may be returning or leaving come October.
      1. Wyatt: Agnus Hellen, Max Lindstrand and ? will be running again. Election candidates: Lucas Bannock, Wyatt Tranton, Stacey Wall. There’s an info session June 13th for candidates. Thinks most candidates would support this – you can also be involved and run!
    1. Step 2 How: the letter itself on what we think the bylaws could and should look like
    1. Step 3: Discussion on putting out an announcement in June: Wyatt thinks Camrose NDP would support and could be a topic of conversation in Panel. Needs to be submitted a month before – would hopefully be discussed in July.

Motion (Candy): Camrose Pride Community to send a Public Service Announcement in June 1 about intention to submit a draft bylaw banning conversion therapy to City Council. Seconded by Stephen. Motion Passes Unanimously

Action: Candy to put together a background document to supplement the application. Nikki to reach out to Pam and other counsellors and candidates.

  1. June – Pride Month – Check in on ACTION plan
    1. Queer Scavenger Hunt idea-
      1. Nikki will create lists of items to find – in progress
      1. Are we able to source prizes for this, or do we think with COVID, that may not be wise? How else can we create a prize for this?
      1. Don’t feel good asking businesses for prizes.
      1. many small prizes vs one big prize

Motion (Nikki): Camrose Pride Community to use $150.00 for prizes from small, locally-owned businesses to be selected by participant draw.  Seconded by Candy. Motion Passes Unanimously

  • Colouring Pages – Candy
    • Candy will gather colouring pages for the community to colour and enter into a draw for prizes.
    • Online Queer Trivia – Stephen
      • Questions posted online; answers given out later
      • Stephen to create list of trivia questions, with help from other members and Board – Update?
        • Working on this currently.
    • Moments of Pride – reshare last year’s videos, invite new ones from community to create archive of local queer & allied voices. – will be completed in June
    • Letter to City of Camrose to request the flag be raised June 1st – Will this be included in the letter sent out to rural communities?
    • Candy – drafting letters to all villages and towns within the counties of Camrose, Beaver, and Flagstaff, requesting they raise a pride flag for June
      • Draft Letter has been shared with the Board – all in favour of sending it out?
      • Stephen found emails for Flagstaff county municipalities; we need volunteers to gather the other 2 counties’ emails, as these need to go out ASAP.

Action (Nikki): to talk to Gus about the process of requesting the Pride Flag to be raised. Nikki to contact Camrose County. Candy to contact Beaver and Flagstaff.

  1. Youth Council – Update on ACTION plan
    1. Candy to connect with Sam and ask to begin talking with our community youth around anything they would like to present during June for youth – Update?
    1. She had mentioned activities to QSA, but currently challenging right now with COVID. We are open to support them in their ideas. Doesn’t have to be a month long thing, can also be in July or later as COVID allows. Are zoomed-out.
    1. Nikki – connected with Andrea Dyck around any resources she may direct us to for supporting the Youth Council – Update: Andrea has stated that her team would love to support the Youth Council of CPC, which would mean the Mental Health Capacity Building Team through BRSD. She said to just let her know when we have particulars and she is happy to schedule a meeting to talk through what would be helpful and what they might be able to do.
  2. Letter to UCP on Curriculum – Update?
  3. Hasn’t been sent yet. Went to some of the parent sessions to gather more information. Started drafting it, feel we need to send something. In progress, waiting other input from experts.
  4. Rotary Meeting – Update?
  5. Have set a date, we get about 10 minutes of the meeting
  6. Upcoming regular meetings
    1. Regular meeting for planning and connection
      1. 1.    Monday, June 14, 2021 from 6:30pm to 8:30pm (Every second Monday)
      1. 2.    Location: online zoom (likely)
      1. EspressOUTSIDE
        1. May 31st – Physically distanced walk around Mirror Lake – meet at Jubilee Park 7pm
        1. TENTATIVE – weather and Covid restrictions dependant. Announcement will be put on the FB page
      1. Friends and family meeting
        1. Final meeting before summer break (until Oct) – June 2nd, 6:30pm
        1. Please contact Andrea Dyck for details (adyck@brsd.ab.ca)
  1. Sharing circle