Activism Awards 2022

We recognize and honour the actions taken by community members to improve or provide safety for the people in the community. This can include but is not limited to providing an alternative to a dangerous or potentially dangerous situation such as keeping your house and resources open for people in houseless/abusive situations, opening doors to refugees and newcomers, offering financial support and/or mentorship, constructing a process for holistic accountability within organizations or institutions etc. You can nominate individual people, community groups, local organizations etc.

With this award, we honour newcomers and refugees in Turtle Island who continue to be available in supporting others, who attend community events, who have made strides in engaging, advocating & impacting their own community (friends & family) or the larger community (schools, neighbourhoods, organizations etc.) You can nominate individual people and community groups.

We recognize the amazing and impactful actions taken by youth (13 - 18 yrs) to make improvements in their community spaces. This can include but is not limited to speaking up in their class with regards to discrimination, conducting a project to showcase impacts of social treatment, and creating space.

This award is to honour Black Trans, non-binary and queer artists in the community who have used artistic expression to showcase experiences to prompt change and understanding in the community. This includes those who have shared stories, music, and art to improve their own and other’s understanding of experiences.

We want to respectfully honour individuals and organizations that have made long strides towards actions that have made a positive impact on uplifting 2SLGBTQI+ community members. Many people in our communities have made contributions that seem small individually but have added up to massive support and impact for people impacted by discrimination, trans and queerphobia, including houselessness, social and healthcare policies. Other community members have helped form groups and organizations that have made a significant impact on the long-term support of 2SLGBTQI+ community members. These are the individuals and groups we would like to recognize and honour this award with.

This award is to recognize a significant contribution towards community support by volunteers in organizations and institutions that provide social support to members of the community. You can nominate individuals who volunteer in any 2SLGBTQI+ organization including RARICANow. You can also nominate individual 2SLGBTQI+ people who are volunteers in non-LGBTQ organizations.

We recognize and want to honour the immense advocacy work of Two-Spirit, Indigiqueer people, Trans, non-binary, Black people and people from communities of the global majority. These are advocates in the community who are or have been leaders in the work advocating for Trans rights and recognition and going miles to advocate for other QTBIPOC folks. (Eg those who advocated during the pride festival, and those essential for conversations for trans people and QTBIPOC folks, creating space - volunteer or part of the organizing team)

This award is to honour people who have been at the forefront of social recognition, movement, progress and improvement for the 2SLGBTQ+ community. These are people who have made strides toward community improvement through an organization, participation in a social group/committee, social media etc.

We recognize people who have been on front line trying to bring equity in the community despite challenges of discrimination and transphobia. These are individuals and groups of people who are trying to bring the community together through activities and projects that continue to centre Two-Spirit Indigiqueer and QTBIPOC folks.

We want to recognize and honour the important support and contributions of community organizations that continue to partner, support, magnify, and create space for Two-Spirit, Indigiqueer, QTBIPOC groups and 2SLGBTQI+ organizations. This includes but is not limited to larger organizations that have provided financial and resourceful support to 2SLGBTQI+ organizations and those organizations that have specifically been of immense support, conducted collaboration and constructive partnerships with groups and other organizations related to the rights and support of QTBIPOC groups.

We want to honour and recognize those in the healthcare field and industry who have provided a safe, respectful space when 2SLGBTQI+ people access the medical system to seek life-saving care. These are people who have showcased providing well-educated and trauma-informed, safe spaces, or who have advocated for specific rights and recognitions of Black Trans, Non-binary and queer folks, Two-Spirit and Indigiqueer folks, and Trans, non-binary and queer people coming from communities of the global majority (QTBIPOC2S+), through personal advocacy, conference presentations etc. You can nominate an individual, such as a physician or a nurse, as well as a group or organization working within medical support areas and institutions.

With this award, we would like to recognize those in Government in areas of policies and legislation that work hard to bring safety and recognition of the rights of 2SLGBTQI+ people to the broader community. Policies such as anti-harassment and workplace policies are important to have in place to protect 2SLGBTQI+ people from being discriminated against and allows the due process to take place. We would love to honour those who work in these areas by presenting this award.

You can nominate anyone who has actively worked in the policy and legislation sector of the government or a politician on any level of the government.