Amplifying Joy: Manitoba GSA Conference 2024

Conference Details

May 17, 2024
8:30 AM – 4:30 PM
Canadian Museum for Human Rights
85 Israel Asper Way

The Manitoba GSA Conference is an event for 2SLGBTQ+ students, teachers, and allies across Manitoba. It serves hundreds of youth as well as the school staff who work with 2SLGBTQ+ youth. We will be hosting 250 youth and 50 GSA advisors/staff from across the province.

The conference is designed to:

• support the leaders in your GSA
• increase leadership skills among youth
• increase capacity among GSA teachers
• provide accurate information and resources
• make schools a safer place for all students

Special thanks to the Canadian Museum for Human Rights for hosting this great event.

This year's conference theme is "amplifying JOY"!

We want to remind you to let your true colours shine out loud!

May 17th is International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT). This theme is about sifting through all the 2SLGBTQ+ rhetoric, protests, information & visuals that are out in our communities and reminding ourselves that we can leave behind the parts that are not ours to own. We can instead reclaim the narrative and focus on all the joy that can be found within ourselves and each other.

Collectively, we have the capacity to stand up and drown out all the hateful noise by amplifying JOY!

Who is this conference for?

This conference is created for Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning and allied youth in middle and high school across Manitoba that have a Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) or similar group. Students interested in developing a GSA in their school are also welcome to attend!

We want to ensure equal access to the amplifying JOY conference and will prioritize applications for GSAs with students in the following three priority population groups:

• Students who identify as Black, Indigenous, and/or a person of colour
• Students with a disability
• Students residing in a rural or Northern community

What will be at the conference?

This full day of knowledge sharing will feature separate workshops for students and teachers.

Student workshops:

• Inclusive Healthcare
• CMHR Tour
• Art is Powerful
• Inclusive Sex Ed
• Coming Out

Students will have the opportunity to see all the workshops offered.

Teacher workshops:

• Curriculum Integration
• Teacher Programming

Our "Resource Alley" will have community organizations tabling with information about their services, resources, etc.

There will also be a keynote speaker, performances by the Rainbow Harmony Youth Choir, and some AMAZING drag performers, including Feather Talia, Izabelle, and Miss Gender.

The GSA Conference will be free of cost for all students. A meal will be provided at lunch, and there will be light refreshments throughout the day. Each group of students will have ONLY one teacher supervisor at a cost of $200.

Application Process

Complete the application form below to be considered for registration.

Each school’s GSA will be allowed to send up to 5 youth* to participate in the conference. Registration is on a first come, first served basis, with priority groups taken in consideration. For GSA's with more than 5 students, we suggest sending the GSA leaders to the conference, who can then take back the knowledge and share it with their group.

* If your school does not have 5 interested youth, your additional spaces will be given to another school to use. If your school has more than 5 youth interested, please check off the box to be added to a "waitlist"

If your GSA is selected, you will be contacted with further details on completing your registration and how to be invoiced.

The application process is now closed.

Volunteer at the Conference

Rainbow Resource Centre is seeking 25 - 30 volunteers to cover a variety of roles at our upcoming GSA conference, amplifying JOY, on May 17, 2024. We’re looking for a dedicated group to commit to a full day, 7:30 – 5 at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights (lunch provided). Roles include supporting youth, helping with setting up, and assisting with logistics. Training provided.

If you’re interested, please click here to apply.

QUESTIONS?

Dene Guillas, School Equity & Inclusion Coordinator
Pronouns: he/they
Email: Deneg@rainbowresourcecentre.org
Phone: 204-474-0212 ext. 203