Gabrielle Griffith

The first few months of the year are already done.

The past three months have included some absolutely incredible highlights but I also find myself attempting to master a balancing act of grief.

Earlier this year, I was at the Black Q***r Canada Conference and learned from the incredible Dr. ABC, to document and post about it. Let people know you were in the room!

And so I want to start highlighting my adventures, my learnings along the way and begin documenting my life again.

These photos are from March, better late than never, right? I need to rebuild the practice of getting comfortable in front of a camera because believe it or not, I actually get really nervous in front of a camera!!

These photos are from the Vitally Important National Women's Health Conference, where I got to connect with the folks from the and hearing Dr. Saraswati share about how to do community led research that leads to change, I got invited to record a podcast about Care for Marginalized Communities with Laura Mayer and Judy Clark. I heard from so many incredible speakers and panelists learning about what we know, and don't know about brain and reproductive health including some dear colleagues, and as they shared their knowledge on a panel about women's mental and brain health across the life span.

March was also full of family moments, an impromptu trip to Barbados and march break fun while still meeting deadlines....I am feeling more like Princess Carolyn daily(if you get it you get it🤣). Most times I am asked, how do I manage it all? And the truth is, I don't. We take things one day at a time.

On the podcast I had a hard time describing who I am, and so I described myself as someone who goes into rooms to take up space and share my story. It's a working description, but I can feel an internal and external shift happening for me, and I'd love to bring you all on this journey as I rebirth.

I think it's time for a reintroduction post but first, I need to take some time to rest after a bullet train start to the year!

Join us for our inaugural symposium in Toronto on January 19th 2025, focused on improving 2SLGBTQ+ Family Building Care for providers and community members.

👉🏾This symposium is an opportunity for community members, healthcare providers, activists, academics, and support people to
gather together to learn, build community, and collaborate.

📝The day will feature panels, roundtables, and facilitated discussions,highlighting the voices of q***r and trans community members, care providers, and experts in the field. Topics include perinatal mental
health, navigating the challenges of family building, and envisioning the future of q***r families.

Be part of this vital conversation and help shape the future of 2SLGBTQ+ family building.

Register today!

https://familybuildingcanada.com/symposium

CALL FOR PROPOSALS:
2SLGBTQ+ FAMILY BUILDING IN CANADA (FBC) SYMPOSIUM

The 2SLGBTQ+ Family Building Canada (FBC) initiative invites proposals from community members, scholars, and practitioners for presentations at our upcoming symposium. The symposium explores urgent and timely issues related to 2SLGBTQ+ family building, advancing both community engagement, practitioner training, and academic inquiry.
FBC supports a broad range of family building supports, offering strategies, resources, and partnerships that challenge how we think of ‘family’ and expand the scope of 2SLGBTQ+ research and equity in Canada.

We are seeking submissions that explore challenges, opportunities, and innovations in 2SLGBTQ+ family building. Suggested topics include, but are not limited to:
● Indigenous kinship and the impact of colonization and white supremacy on fertility access and family building care.
● Exploring the legacy and ongoing impacts of eugenics and racial disparities in reproductive technologies related to donor access and availability.
● Fatphobia and body stigma in reproductive care and family-building processes
● Experiences of non-gestational parents in conception, loss, and early pregnancy
● Alternative routes for family building, kinships structures, and navigating care.
● Reproductive justice for 2SLGBTQ+ individuals in underserved populations.
● Supporting neurodivergent individuals and improving accessibility in fertility and
reproductive healthcare
● Legal and policy frameworks affecting 2SLGBTQ+ families
● Family-building technologies and their impact on 2SLGBTQ+ communities
● Storytelling and creative practice in 2SLGBTQ+ family and fertility journeys

👇🏾
Proposal Deadline: November 4, 2024
Proposal Length: 300 words max
Symposium Location: Toronto, Ontario (in-person) Symposium Date: January 19, 2024
Send proposals to: [email protected]