Our Voices Symposium

Centering Black, Indigenous, and Racialized Leadership  

The Our Voices Symposium is rooted in the belief that transformative change begins with deep dialogue, collective reflection, and shared vision. The symposium is part of our Voices Project, funded by Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE) to uplift the leadership of Black, Indigenous and Racialized survivors, workers, advocates, activists and community members in Ottawa. The project seeks to center the leadership and support in capacity strengthening to reimagine solutions to ending gender based violence and violence against women.

Our intentions for the Our Voices Symposium are to;  

  • Create space for Black, Indigenous, and racialized survivors, frontline workers, advocates, and activists to network, build relationships, and reimagine gender-based violence policy and advocacy while centering the leadership of Black, Indigenous, and racialized communities within Ottawa’s local movement and sector. 

  • To reimagine safety beyond mainstream institutions – In a time of growing political and social polarization, we aim to explore liberatory responses to gender-based violence that center community care, mutual aid, and survivor-led solutions. 

  • To harness the power of storytelling for resistance and change – Stories shape movements. Through conversation, we will reflect on how artists, poets, and cultural workers speak truth to power, disrupt systems of oppression, and influence feminist policy. 

  • To examine how we sustain movements without compromise. We will explore ethical funding models, the role of philanthropy, and ways to sustain grassroots activism while staying accountable to the communities we serve. We also seeks to explore how non-profits, community based organizations reimagine feminist policy solutions and practices to end gender based violence.

Register Here

This year, the Sex Information and Education Council of Canada (SIECCAN) is contributing educational resources that will be available at the Symposium. You can also access their resources here.

If you have any questions about the Our Voices Symposium, please reach out to khadija@octevaw-cocvff.ca