Are we truly inclusive? That’s the theme of one conference coming this weekend which hopes to address the issue of making inclusive spaces for people of all ranges of diversity. The Brave Spaces Conference, set for Sept. 28 and 29 and hosted at the United McDougall Church in Calgary, will bring out speakers from the mental health, LGBTQ2S+ and Indigenous communities. “How do we invite people into our community and how do we have honest conversations about things we may not know about or are not as comfortable about?” said Ann Gardner, Brave Spaces Conference chair. “For me, it’s to have people come together from all different avenues.” The conference will open with a one-person play called “Certified” on the first night, which is written and performed by Jan Derbyshire and turns the audience into a mental health review board. The second day of the conference will feature key-note speaker Erik Carter a professor of special education at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee, USA. There will also be a talk on indigenous issues by Tony Snow, a member of the Stoney Nakoda First Nation. He will lead workshops on Right Relations and parallels between Indigenous spirituality and Christianity. Gardner said she’s hoping the conference will stir up conversations around diversity and inclusion over a range of topics. “We’re saying ‘what does it take to go into different environments and situations that may be new to you. How do we have those honest conversations?” Gardener said. “This is my passion. This was an idea that started two years ago and it’s coming to fruition. I have a big heart for this.” Tickets to the whole weekend or for the Saturday only conference are available at www.eventbrite.ca/e/brave-spaces-conference-tickets-47120812619. There will be some tickets available at the door on Friday and Saturday. Assistance is available for those needing financial assistance in purchasing the tickets.
