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SPECTRUM News, WAGE Grant

SPECTRUM Recipient of Government of Canada Funding Through the LGBTQ2 Community Capacity Fund

Federal dollars help to build capacity of local LGBTQ2+ community space in Waterloo Region.

Today, Ministers Bardish Chagger and Maryam Monsef announced approximately $15 million in funding for 76 LGBTQ2+ community-led projects across Canada through the LGBTQ2+ Community Capacity Fund. This includes $279,782 for SPECTRUM, Waterloo Region’s Rainbow Community Space.

Serving people across Waterloo Region, SPECTRUM maintains an inclusive space in downtown Kitchener. SPECTRUM provides both social programs and services including peer support for the rainbow community, and rainbow diversity training for businesses and organizations.

“SPECTRUM has done some amazing work with volunteer power,” says Cait Glasson, President of the Board of Directors, “but in order to meet the needs of as many LGBTQ2+ people as possible in our community we need to become a larger, more sustainable, and more inclusive organization.”

This grant funds Project Excelsior, which will strengthen the capacity of SPECTRUM to advance LGBTQ2+ equality by improving board governance; developing a strategic plan; and focusing on sustainability, succession, and financial planning. The project will also increase access to evidence, data, information, and knowledge sources by performing an environmental scan to assess community needs; and will build the capacity by offering skills training as well as sensitivity training opportunities.

“This project is extremely exciting!” says Jim Parrott, Executive Director. “We’ve hired a wonderful team of three people who have been at work since the beginning of January. I’ve been very impressed with their work thus far and can already see that SPECTRUM will be a vastly different organization by the end of the year.”

“We see Project Excelsior as a jumping off point for what will become SPECTRUM 2.0,” says Melissa Paige Kennedy, Development Officer, “the next stage in SPECTRUM’s evolution as an organization supporting the rainbow community in Waterloo Region.”

Media Contact:

Kristy Skelton, Assistant Executive Director
info@ourspectrum.com

About SPECTRUM:

For specific information about SPECTRUM’s programs and services visit the SPECTRUM website by clicking here.

View the complete list of recipients by clicking here for news release.

Statements

Mission BC Gender Violence Statement

SPECTRUM was shocked and saddened to learn of the apparent transphobic motivated violent attack perpetrated against a student attending Ecole Heritage Park Middle School in the Mission Public School District, Mission BC, and the lack of support or intervention that that student received. We at SPECTRUM Waterloo Region’s Rainbow Community Space stand in support of the transgender members of our community and condemn the hatred and ignorance that led to this attack. SPECTRUM wants every possible effort taken to put an end to all acts of violence and bullying and to support ways to address their cause.

SPECTRUM is researching this specific incident and conducting conversations with community members and partners in order to compose a more detailed response in the near future.

Jim Parrott
Executive Director
SPECTRUM Waterloo Region’s Rainbow Community Space

Melissa Paige Kennedy
Development Office, Transgender Support Program Manager
Waterloo Region’s Rainbow Community Space

On behalf of all the members of the SPECTRUM Board, SPECTRUM Volunteers, SPECTRUM employees and our community at large who do not and will not tolerate such acts of violence and abuse.

Awareness, Statements

Territorial Acknowledgment

Spectrum acknowledges the truth that we are situated on the Haldimand Tract, which is the land of Haudenosaunee and Mississauga Anishinaabe nations, and the traditional territory of the Chinonton Peoples, a people entirely eliminated by the colonisation of this land.

The land on which we meet, live, love, and work is land that was originally shared with open arms by the Indigenous peoples who have always called this place home with the settlers of this region. We recognise that our presence here has disrupted thousands of years of culture and belonging. The very land upon which the Spectrum space exists is at the edge of a great wetland that served as a hunting ground and overwintering space, and is no more than a short distance from villages, feast and ceremony grounds, and settlements.

We also acknowledge that the Indigenous Peoples of this land recognise Two Spirit as a sacred way of being, an individual who carries in them the medicines and teaching of many genders and sexualities. We recognise that this traditional regard for Two Spirit peoples has set them apart in their knowledge but also that they have been always regarded as important, respected, and fully accepted members of their communities. We recognise that the histories and teachings of Two Spirit peoples have always influenced and added to Indigenous ways of knowing.

This territorial acknowledgement alone cannot accomplish justice and we are committed to working towards reconciliation and ensuring that our programs, services, and practices are culturally relevant and accessible to Indigenous peoples in our community.

This territorial acknowledgment was drafted in consultation with a paid Indigenous Two Spirit
consultant, Terre Chartrand.

SPECTRUM News

Digital Doors Open Waterloo Region 2020 – Episode 9

SPECTRUM News

Covid-19 Pandemic Closure

Until further notice SPECTRUM facilities will remain closed. All SPECTRUM programs are online with the exception of the Tuesday and Thursday afternoon drop in, the Non-Binary Transgender Meetings and the Sunday Restaurant Outings which are temporarily suspended.

SPECTRUM News

A place for the maturing rainbow community

SPECTRUM Prime is a social and discussion group for older LGBTQ-identified adults.

Our Goal is to reduce isolation among older adults in the local LGBTQ community, and to create a supportive community for ourselves as we age.

Our Activities -Twice a month we gather at SPECTRUM for socializing and discussion. We also go on social outings. In the future we plan to invite speakers on topics of interest to us, and also arrange inter-generational gatherings where we might tell younger folks our stories and hear theirs as well.

SPECTRUM News

A Group for Older LGBTQ Adults

We see things differently as we age. Priorities shift. Social circles change.

Please join us for the organizational meeting of a discussion and social group for older adults – July 6, Wednesday at 7 PM at SPECTRUM (283 Duke St W, Unit 210, Kitchener). Our plan is to meet on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday evenings of the month.

And if you’re concerned about whether the group is a fit for you, then try it out to see. We’re not checking birth certificates at the door.

Our first order of business will be choosing a suitable name for our group. This may be a bit tricky, because we live in such a youth-obsessed culture that many older adults cannot bear to think of themselves in terms like “old” – “older” – “senior” – “aging” – “grey” – “elder” – “vintage” — many of which are used in program names at other community centres in North America. We need a term that suggests “older” and we may also want a term that suggests LGBTQ. So put on your thinking caps when you join us on July 6.

In addition, we will do some thinking about what kinds of discussions and activities we might like to have.

We hope that this will be a step in the direction of creating a community support for us as we age.

SPECTRUM News

Saturday Dropins

Dropins at SPECTRUM on Saturdays, 2 – 5 PM, a space for discussion.

Join our open discussion on Saturday at 2 pm at SPECTRUM! We want to hear everyone’s opinion, exchange different views, and learn from each other to see the world from a different perspective. This event is open to everyone – whether you want to join the discussion yourself or just listen in.

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