A Canadian Immigration Primer for Americans
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The LGBTQ+ Caucus of DemsAbroad Toronto invites Americans across Canada to join us for a primer workshop on Canadian immigration opportunities for ALL Americans. The primary content will focus on LGBTQ+ Americans and the Family Class Sponsorships but the presenter will also discuss other avenues available to Americans for immigrating to Canada.
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This workshop will be presented by David LeBlanc. David is Managing Director and Senior Counsel at Ferreira-Wells Immigration Services in midtown Toronto, an RCIC, and a member of the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council – ICCRC. He is a specialist in Family Sponsorship, Express Entry Economic Class, Business Class, Refugee, Humanitarian and Compassionate clients, Appeals, ADR, Admissibility Hearings, and immigration tribunals. |
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A spotlight on Trans rights and activism: A panel discussion
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The Toronto Chapter LGBTQ+ Caucus invites DemsAbroad members from across Canada to join us for a Pride month special event with notable leaders and allies in the Trans community. The event will kick off with a special viewing of VOICES, a 3-minute video documentary of the Trans Chorus of L.A., filmed by David Boisclair. We will then hear from all panelists about the work they are doing to showcase Trans stories across art, media, and political action. |
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State Representative Taylor Small, Vermont's first out transgender legislator. Representative Small has been a strong advocate for marginalized, especially LGBTQ+, Vermonters in both her professional and personal lives, as a health & wellness program director for Pride Center of Vermont and a local drag entertainer. In her first year in office, TimeOut magazine has already recognized her as one of eleven women who has changed the world in the last year. |
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Founder and Executive Director of the Trans Chorus of L.A. Kathryn Davis, PhD. Dr. Davis, who is a Canadian native, leads the first all-trans identified Chorus in the world. Her chorus recently performed at President Biden's inauguration as well at a 2019 CNN Democratic Presidential Town hall. In addition to her leadership and contribution as a Baritone to the chorus, Dr. Davis serves as a group facilitator and board member with various LGBTQ+ groups in the L.A. area. Professionally, Davis is a renowned expert in Biomechanics and has served as a consultant and academic administrator across the U.S. and Canada (right here in Toronto!). |
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Montreal-born, L.A.-based Filmmaker and LGBTQ+ Advocate, David Boisclair. Boisclair is an award-winning filmmaker whose own production company, Picture Lock Entertainment, focuses on telling stories about social change through documentary content. Boisclair is currently working on a documentary about the Trans Chorus of L.A., which will be featured in Demi Lovato's YouTube Pride Month livestream. Boisclair, who has has regularly used his craft to highlight the LGBTQ+ community, plays an important role in highlighting Queer stories and representation in the media. |
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Niko Stratis is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in places like Xtra, Bitch, HuffPo Canada, THIS, SPIN and more. Her writing tends to focus on issues pertaining to queer and trans people, something she as a queer trans woman is adequately qualified to do. She lives in Toronto, Ontario with her partner and their dog and cat. She is a cancer. |
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Global Virtual Pride Marathon 2021
Join Democrats Abroad LGTBQ+ Caucus for a day long Pride Celebration as we share our stories. View the schedule here (or below).
Pride 2021: Sharing Our Stories / Equality Matters
Democrats Abroad is celebrating June Pride month with a series of events, including a webinar marathon on June 20th, featuring speakers and events.
The webinar marathon is being organized and hosted by the DA LGBTQ+ Caucus, with the aim to educate Americans about issues impacting LGBTQ+ people and opportunities to provide greater protection through policy and legislation. A key focus will be on engaging members to share their stories.
Through the webinar, members will have the opportunity to learn how to effectively engage their congressional representatives to support equality legislation, including the Equality Act, which would provide protections in employment, housing, credit, education, public spaces and services, federally funded programs and jury service to LGBTQ+ people, and immigration reform.
Preliminary Program
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Speakers |
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06:15 AM EDT 12:15 -13:15 CET |
Support for transgender youth |
Mermaids, UK (contact: Caroline R, DAUK) |
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7:30 AM EDT 13.30-14.30 |
Between two stigmas: the intersection of being LGBTQ+ and an immigrant - the stigma of being a dreamer / falsehoods - how undocumented immigrants use the closet to avoid double stigma – gay vs cis call to action to support immigration reform S. 348 - U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021 HR 6 - American Dream and Promise Act of 2021 |
Moderator: Juan Cerda
Speakers: Departed Dreamers; immigration lawyer Bob Bragar
Co-sponsored by DA Hispanic Caucus |
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08:45 AM EDT 14:45-15:00 CET |
Short films (at various points during the day) |
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09.00 AM EDT 15:00-16:30 CET |
State legislation landscape: the avalanche of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation
Focus on states with 2022 Gov and Senate Races |
Moderator: journalist Fred Kuhr, DA Canada State equality organizations: -Nadine Smith, Equality Florida -North Carolina, Virginia, pending -Wisconsin, Illinois (invited) |
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10:30 AM EDT 16:30-17:00 CET |
Making change: the Equality Act - sharing your story with congress. How to make an impact with legislators. For LGBTQ+ members and allies |
DA LGBTQ+ caucus co-chairs (contact: Martha McDevitt-Pugh) |
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11:00 AM EDT 17:00-18:30 CET |
Films that change history: Edie & Thea Filmmaker Susan Muska will speak about her work with Edie Windsor and Edie’s spouse, Thea Spyer, documenting their 42-year relationship on film in the final year of Thea’s life. Widely heralded at film festivals around the world, Edie & Thea provided a foundation for Edie Windsor to successfully sue the US government in a landmark Supreme Court case that affirmed the rights of same-sex couples and their families. The 60-minute film will be streamed. |
Documentary filmmaker Susan Muska (Edie & Thea: A Very Long Engagement; The Brandon Teena Story). Susan will be introduced by Lisa Berger, a documentary filmmaker and researcher and member of DA Spain.
(contact: Martha) |
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1:00 PM EDT 19:00-20:00 CET |
Family Friendly: Drag Story time for kids. Reading is FUN-damental with Fay and Fluffy |
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2:15 PM EDT 20:15-21:15 CET |
Spoken word performance Syd (they/them) is a queer and nonbinary social worker living in Toronto, ON. Syd is an avid reader of beautifully diverse books and lover of big dogs. Robyn Kaur Sidhu (she/he/they) is a Queer, mad, chronically ill, Punjabi-Canadian poet who is attempting to be an adult. They are a community organizer, youth educator of consent, race, 2SLGBTQ+ identity, and poetry. You can find Robyn in vintage cardigans and trying to be gentle with themself. |
Toronto Queer Arts youth social justice group |
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3:15 PM EDT 21:15-21:30 CET |
Poetry Reading |
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3:30 PM EDT 21:30-22:00 CET |
Closing session: the power of our stories Amos Lim, Community Advocate, Economic Justice Program, Chinese for Affirmative Action (San Francisco), co-founder, Out for Immigration. Shirley Tan and Jay Mercado, their sons Jashley and Joriene Mercado, on their family’s journey, Shirley’s asylum journey to her testimony at the Senate Judiciary Committee on same-sex immigration Pending legislation HR 2920 - American Families United Act S. 348 - U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021 HR 6 - American Dream and Promise Act of 2021 |
LGBTQ+ Caucus |
DA France-Paris Drag Bingo Fundraiser
**DEMOCRATS ABROAD MEMBERS ONLY EVENT**
Not a member yet? It's free to join! www.democratsabroad.org/join
June is Pride Month! It's déjà vu, as pride events all around the world are once again canceled, but our pride and resilience remains. Join us for a global virtual Drag Queen Bingo Pride Kick-Off event and help get out the vote in 2022!!! This will be a wild night hosted by the fabulous drag queen Cherry Poppins, with prizes and performances!
Help support our phone banking efforts! Your $10 donation will help us call 50 voters. Please donate today here and kindly make a donation for this event!
This event is co-sponsored by Democrats Abroad France - Paris Chapter and co-sponsored by the Global LGBTQ+ Caucus and the Democrats Abroad France LGBTQ+ Caucus.
Thank you for your support - please don't forget to RSVP. Attending from outside France? Check your time zone here so you can be sure not to miss this great event. We'll see you there!
Day of Service - January 18 -20
In honor of Wednesday's Inauguration, today is the Day of Service! (Don't know what this is? Look below.) We're doing our part by highlighting three of the many LGBTQ+ organizations doing important work for the community. We're highlighting Immigration Equality, Lambda Legal, and True Colors United. Learn more about these organizations below the image, go to their websites to explore more. From January 18th - 20th, we're asking our members to make a donation large or small to help this important work continue. The links to donate are below.
Donate
Donate to Immigration Equality
Donate to Lambda Legal
Donate to True Colors United
What is the Day of Service?
The Biden Inaugural Committee has a week long Inauguration Celebration to bring us together. Today, on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the Committee has a Day of Service. Socially Distanced or virtual events are taking part around the world for Americans to give back. Interested in getting involved more in your home state or in generally? Find more events by clicking here.
LIVE 1-on-1 Voter Assistance for U.S. Citizens Abroad - Georgia Runoff
Scroll down and click on the dates below to RSVP and get connection details and reminders.
Did you know every eligible American living abroad can vote in U.S. elections?
Was the last place you or your parent lived in the US the state of Georgia?
If you are 18 on or before January 5th you are allowed to vote in the runoff election.
Do you have questions about how to vote? Click the chat bubble at the bottom of this screen and we can help you find the answers.
But we get it. Sometimes you just want to speak to live person.
Join us Tuesday & Thursday (noon-4pm January 5th & 7th. All time are listed as U.S. Eastern time. Our volunteers and standing by LIVE on Zoom to help answers questions you have about voting from abroad and curing your ballot.
How is it done on Zoom? You'll come into the main room and be paired 1:1 with a volunteer into a breakout room to ensure privacy and that you can get all your questions answered. It couldn't be easier.
More information: The easiest way to request your ballot is at VoteFromAbroad.org. It takes just a few minutes to complete and send in your form to the US state where you last lived. The website will guide you step by step. In most cases it’s pretty simple. But if you’re new to voting abroad, or if you haven’t done it in a while, you may have additional questions. That’s why we’ll be here every Sunday until election day to help.
If you can’t make the 'office hours', you can always email us at [email protected] or send in your question through our online help bubble, and a volunteer will get back to you.
Here is a handy website to convert the time zone to yours wherever you are in the world.
Zoom Connection Details:
Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/91090344003
Meeting number: 910 9034 4003
PassWord: Vote2020
Tuesday & Thursday: Noon-4pm (U.S. Eastern)
January 5th and 7th
LGBTQ+ FUNdraiser Virtual Dance Party!!!
Join our Global LGBTQ+ Virtual Dance Party and show your support for our Democrats Abroad Get Out the Vote Campaign in 2020!
