Our Principles

Vision

Thriving and connected 2SLGBTQ people in a world where they are celebrated and able to enjoy full, free, and open lives.

Mission

To uplift 2SLGBTQ people by leading, serving, and supporting in a dynamic community. We foster physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health through intentional services and meaningful engagement.

Guiding Principles

Our guiding principles are the lens through which we view all our work, the teachings we use to shape our belief systems as an organization, and the foundation of why and how we do our work. We believe that in order to achieve the world we want for our communities that we must rely on harm reduction, equity, cultural teachings, and community.

Culturally informed

  • We acknowledge the strengths and limits of our individual cultural perspectives and actively learn from the experiences and cultures of others
  • We welcome diverse perspectives, decision making and leadership styles, and knowledge systems
  • We commit to disrupting oppressions that have silenced or erased marginalized communities and voices
  • We actively reassess how we have educated and provided services in the past and present, always working to ensure our work reflects the intersectional experiences of our diverse communities

Community Focused

  • We create space for everyone and actively build environments for education, programming, and support where people of all identities feel welcomed, seen, heard, and valued
  • We say hello to all who visit our space, ensuring that everyone feels welcome and a sense of belonging
  • We have fun and find the humour and joy in our work
  • We are present with one another in group settings
  • We seek to be accessible in our programming, services, and environments we create. If our spaces are not accessible, we commit to prioritizing solutions

Harm Reduction

  • We meet each other and people who access our services where they are at
  • We understand that each person’s journey is their own
  • We follow the lead of those that we support, never prescribing or mandating services or treatments
  • We provide services that are non-judgemental and that champion the self-determination
  • We believe firmly in consent, autonomy, and that each person knows what is best for themselves
  • We provide options and opportunities for people and do not prescribe solutions or quick fixes
  • We use trauma-informed approaches to support services and communication

Equity

  • We are thoughtful about our privileges and how they affect our interactions with others.
  • We create environments that allow for voices that are often less heard to be heard, including checking in with those who tend to be quieter, and asking more dominant voices to step back and do more listening.
  • We respect that people of color, and other groups with shared identities, need their own space to meet from time to time, away from others who may not share the same identities and challenges.
  • We acknowledge and celebrate the strengths and differences in others, and do not assume that the ways we are used to doing things are the only correct ways.
  • We lead with equity, proactively seeking opportunities to have conversations with donors, volunteers, and other stakeholders about equity, systemic oppression, and opportunities for transformation.