Rhiannon Makohoniuk knows how valuable it can be to learn from people who share similar challenges and triumphs. One such experience for Rhiannon was the 2015 Canadian University Queer Services Conference (CUQSC) at Ryerson University in Toronto.
Naturally, Rhiannon, who is now vice-president, internal for the AV俱乐部 Student Union, was thrilled when the DSU was selected to host here in Halifax.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a mix between service providers, student union people, people working within campus pride centres or gender centres, and just community members who are interested,鈥� she says of the roughly 130 people who participated in events and workshops from May 12-15. 鈥淭he conference brings together people from across the country who are doing this work, specifically on campuses, to get on the same page, share skills with one another and share knowledge
鈥淚t鈥檚 the first time it鈥檚 been held at Dal and the first time in the Maritimes.鈥�
The conference was headlined by DarkMatter, a performance art duo who delivered a performance of #ItGetsBitter, which mixed elements of spoken word, comedy, fashion and nursery rhymes in an exploration of life as a trans person of South Asian descent.
A variety of social events and a comprehensive range of workshops 鈥� covering issues from neurodiversity to activism to self-care 鈥� rounded out the four-day conference.
鈥淚t really covers a wide spectrum,鈥� Rhiannon says. 鈥淧eople can kind of choose their own adventure based on what interests them the most.鈥�
A collective effort
According to Rhiannon, hosting CUQSC required months of planning, with event organizer Tameera Mohamed leading a large planning committee that included members of the DSU, South House, DalOUT and other local post-secondary institutions. AV俱乐部 30 to 40 volunteers helped out during the conference itself.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been an amazing collective effort,鈥� says Rhiannon, who co-facilitated an anti-oppression workshop and led another about transmisogyny.
Rhiannon says CUQSC represents an important learning opportunity for each attendee.
聽鈥淭here鈥檚 this realization you have in these types of spaces that you don鈥檛 need to reinvent the wheel, because other people are doing similar things in their own communities and on their own campuses,鈥� she says. 鈥淐rowdsourcing those skills and that knowledge can really help to build our communities individually, but also the queer and trans community across the nation.鈥�
Rhiannon adds that hosting the conference was a major milestone for the DSU and the university.
鈥淔eminist issues are student issues and so are queer and trans issues, so I think it鈥檚 awesome for the DSU to be at the forefront of creating this programming for queer and trans students and opening it up on our campus in a larger way to create national-level dialogues.鈥�