Launching our new Human Rights Programming

Picture of hands holding each other forming a circle and human rights logo (a raised hand) with text saying Our Human Rights work.

MCC Toronto has always occupied a special place at the intersection of spirituality, celebration and protest. We are incredibly excited to welcome you, the members and congregants that make up this beautiful body of many faiths and experiences, to a new chapter of our work.

Today, we are excited to launch a new Human Rights page on our website detailing our focuses and priorities. We are also excited to announce that The Paul Austin Human Rights Centre will soon be home to a number of new human rights programs and events this year, each designed to 1) educate & equip 2) support action, or 3) celebrate and empower queer identities.

With a particular focus on the gaps in 2SLGBTQIA+ mental health, we are pleased to offer a drop-in therapy initiative built to provide free and sliding-scale therapy to youth facing barrires to accessing mental health care. Alongside this program, we will host “All Bodies Are Good Bodies,” yoga and meditation classes. These classes taught by 2SLBTQIA+ instructors are built to make an accessible and brave space for healing and celebration of all bodies and identities traditionally excluded from wellness spaces. In addition, we are excited to announce the 2023 launch of the RBC Foundation Youth Leadership initiative. This program that will work to identify and support youth who are actively making brave movement in 2SLGBTQIA+ advocacy spaces by providing them funds, space, community connections, and mentorships.

Our beautifully renovated space will also be home to many special human rights events in 2023! We invite you to join us in the McCain Family Social Hall on the last Friday of every month for “Proud Voices,” as we welcome guest speakers, authors, leaders, and teachers for insightful interviews and engaging Q&A sessions on queerness, faith, 2SLGBTQIA+ history, and education. Later this summer we will host local creators to showcase and sell their work at Sparkle Market—a maker’s fair where you can buy local while celebrating 2SLGBTQIA+ creators and their contributions to Toronto’s artistic community. Additionally, we are delighted to make an ongoing community partnership with Transforming Style, who will be utilizing our spaces for styling sessions, providing queer folks with a wardrobe free of cost to match their true selves.

Stay up to date and engaged with the soon to be launched Outspoken, a new newsletter built to keep you informed and empowered. Packed with essential information on community events, advocacy, action, resources, and exciting new programs from MCC Toronto, Outspoken aims to connect you with your community and amplify your voice in the city and beyond. We also invite you to follow us on Instagram at @mcchumanrights for updates on our work, special events, and ways you can show up and speak out with us in Toronto.

In this time of what seems like continual turmoil and global tragedy for our community, we thank you deeply for your dedication to standing up, speaking out, and celebrating one another!

We also thank donors to our ELEVATION – MCC Toronto Campaign who have made these elevated human rights programs possible.

With thanks, love, and pride.

Cassidy Hicks (she + they)
Manager of Human Rights & Community Outreach

Visit our human rights work pages

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