Turning Allyship Into Action — CQAS Ally Toolkit Conference
Offered since 2016, Calgary Queer Arts Society’s Ally Toolkit Conference is Calgary’s first LGBTQ2S+ ally-ship conference for corporate, healthcare, and community professionals. The conference brings together leading perspectives to safely answer questions, discuss what allyship means in action, and equip individuals with important tools to become leaders in creating more equitable communities. To learn more about the fifth annual conference and how it is operating in a post-pandemic world, we spoke to CQAS executive director Erin Jenkins.
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What was the inspiration behind starting the conference back in 2016?
It actually started as a student project I did when I took the Rozsa Arts Management Course offered by The Rozsa Foundation. As part of it, we had the opportunity to take on a self-directed project and I chose to pursue piloting an allyship conference. The RBC Foundation provided the pilot funding — and continues to fund the program to this day! The goal was to build community and engagement. As an organization, Calgary Queer Arts Society exists at the intersection of arts and social justice, and I wanted to find ways to enhance our artistic work by creating opportunity for learning and conversation.
How has the conference evolved over the years?
It's evolved quite a bit, and I feel really grateful that it continues to be an important program at CQAS five years later. Over that time, we expanded from one day to three, experimented with different types of venues including The Public Library and The Telus Convention Centre. We've more than tripled the amount of content on offer, which I think speaks to how much understanding of ally-ship has evolved and strengthened. I think this work is more critical and more complicated than ever, but it's been very heartening to see how many more resources are becoming available.
Who is the conference geared toward?
My feeling was that many people know they want to be an ally, and they want to make their workplaces and communities more inclusive and equitable, but they simply don't know how, or they encounter resistance, or they feel afraid to ask. The aim of this conference is to bring together different perspectives from folks deeply engaged with this work so we can talk about challenges and successes and ask those questions in an appropriate setting. Conference participants come from a range of backgrounds, including corporate, small business, healthcare, education, government and non-profit sectors. They include members from both the LGBTQ2S+ and Ally Community.
Apart from the virtual aspect, how is 2020's conference different?
Ally-ship is a continuous learning process that demands significant amounts of personal growth. The way we understand and talk about ally-ship is also continuously evolving. There are core workshops we repeat every year, but there is always new material as well. I believe this conference is worth attending every year because this work is a process that needs continuous investment.
How has the pivot to a digital conference been?
We found a really incredible platform called Big Marker that we're very excited to use. It was really important to ensure a user-friendly experience that didn't require any apps or downloads. We've been practicing and playing around in the platform to get comfortable — of course there's always tech challenges that come up, but we're feeling confident that we can manage it all!
We've also seen a lot of national interest in the conference from all over the country, which is an amazing benefit of moving online.
Why was it important to CQAS that the conference go on despite COVID restrictions?
We have committed to moving all of our programming into online or hybrid formats for the foreseeable future. We want to continue serving our community and our mission and mandate regardless of the circumstances, and are grateful for the many accessible solutions available, and the amazing sponsors and funders that have stood by our side.
You've had a number of other digital opportunities for Calgary's LGBTQ2S+ and its allies since the pandemic began, what have you learned from those that you are applying to the conference?
We're seeing that there is a lot that our audience appreciates about online programming. Flexibility and accessibility are key things they value. We've opened up individual workshop sales, so that people can fit these opportunities into their schedule, from wherever they may happen to be working or living right now. At the same time, we recognize that digital burnout is a thing, and we need to continue to be innovative and flexible in how we build and engage programming in this new reality.
What will the digital format be like?
Big Marker is a simple but really nice platform that is very easy to navigate. Participants will be able to chat with each other, ask questions in a separate feed, or ask private questions by directly messaging the presenter. The presenters themselves have a lot of flexibility in how they want to conduct their workshop — for example, they have the option to turn on participants' mics or cameras for more intimate conversations, or to leave them off the entire time. They can conduct polls, give hand-outs, show videos, etc. Each workshop will look a little different depending on the content and format.
Can you tell me about any seminars or speakers of note folks should watch out for?
I think the two panels, one on the process of the conversion therapy ban in Calgary with Dr. Kristopher Wells and Evan Wooley, and the Intersectionality Panel co-presented with The Calgary Pride Learning Series, moderated by Adora Nwofor. These will both be really compelling conversations. In general, though, I am really proud of all of the content and the multiple perspectives offered. We're also thrilled to offer all of the November 26th “Community Day” Programming for free, thanks to the support of The RBC Foundation, and our friends at Junction 9 Yoga and Pilates.
CQAS Ally Toolkit Conference runs online November 24-25 with a free Community Day on November 26. Learn more and register at allytoolkitconference.com
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