Want to join (or stay in) a social movement or interest group but don't know how to fit that into your life with kids? How can progressive organisers who are mothers continue to be involved in making our communities better?

This event will bring together moms with all levels of experience as social organizers to hear speakers and participate in roundtable discussions. In English and Tagalog. Free admission. Lunch and on-site childcare provided.

Featuring:

Des'rae 

Des'rae is a young, Black, queer, single mother living on the unceded lands of the Coast Salish peoples. Often the youngest voice in the room, Des'rae can be found rallying with Warrior Womyn young and old. Whether she is advocating for equal rights and destigmatization of Sex Workers, making community spaces safer for marginalized women and girls, or rallying alongside the Haitian/African diaspora to establish more visibility for Black voices in the Lower Mainland, Des'rae's passion, ambition and desire for the equality and empowerment of women is the driving force behind the works she does today.

In her free time Des'rae can be found drinking chai teas, playing outdoors, writing love poems to herself, and falling in love with the challenge of raising such a radical, self-aware, self-loving and fierce Black child in a society where "Blackness" is often a problem.

Diana Day 

A member of the Wolf Clan from the Oneida Nation, Diana Day has worked in a variety of capacities in community development and social services.  Her experience includes work at the local, provincial and national level ranging from program delivery to program management.  Diana has provided personal and professional development training to Aboriginal people in Canada and the U.S.  Employed with VCH since 1997, Diana has an honors’ degree in psychology and works as Leader, Aboriginal Community Development/Engagement.  Diana was a member of the Urban Aboriginal Peoples Advisory Committee to the City of Vancouver.   Diana also has had extensive experience volunteering with VSB as a PAC chair, and an Executive member of the District Parent Advisory Council for 3 years.  In 2014, Diana ran for school board with COPE and was the top vote getter and was inspired her to throw her hat in the ring for the NDP nomination for Vancouver Mt. Pleasant in 2015. Diana appreciates the support she received from COPE membership during both campaigns.  An advocate for culturally safe services, Diana’s most important job however, is mothering her two children, Alexander and Angeline.

Erin Arnold

Erin is a mother trying to fight the injustices experienced by women and girls. She lives with a disability as a result of long term trauma and survived severe post partum depression after the birth of her son. Erin is a child and youth care counsellor, studied graduate work in complex trauma, and is a community advocate for children/youth and families. She is passionate about social justice and volunteers for many women's groups across the city. Erin has recently remarried but was a single mom for many years. She enjoys watching her 9 year old son play soccer and attending local theatre productions. Erin hopes to provide some strategies to moms struggling with balancing kids & community involvement. 

Sammie Jo Rumbaua 

Sammie Jo is a new single mom of a beautiful baby boy, Pablo (8 months). Currently, she is on maternity leave from Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House as a Youth Settlement Worker & Employment Program Assistant for WorkBC- specializing in Survivors of Abuse and Violence. Although, it may seem she has a break from her work, she still manages a marketing/ event company and a holistic health and wellness company with her sisters from home. She continues to serve on the NDP Vancouver Kensington Executive Committee and involved in the Vancouver Filipino Community. In the past, she has worked and volunteered for many federal and provincial campaigns in BC. In 2014, Sammie Jo took a big step into civic politics by being the first Filipina Vision Vancouver Park Board candidate. Although not obtaining a seat, she was able to captivate and mobilize a lot of new and young voters and encourage them to be involved in civic engagement.   

To register for FREE on-site child care please email [email protected]

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