National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women
Monday, December 6, 2021 - 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
The Centre for Human Rights, Equity & Inclusion (Centre) is pleased to invite you to its Equity and Inclusion Dialogue series for the 2021-2022 academic year. Online registration is now open for this event. View the flyer for event details. Limited seating available.
Full listing of the Centre’s 2021-2022 Equity & Inclusion Dialogue series
Panel Description
Building Skills to Make a Positive Difference
Together we can change the world but sometimes it can be difficult to know where to begin. Our theme for this event is about building skills to make a positive difference, whether it's with your friends, your community, or the world.
Panelist Bios
Yamikani Msosa B.A., M.A. (they/them or ze-hir)
Yamikani is a black genderqueer Malawian arrivant-settler currently living within the Dish With One Spoon wampum treaty territory, who grew up on Algonquin Territory. Yami is an anti-violence educator, support worker and movement based facilitator, they love building containers for connections to be forged, and holding space for individual, community, and systems transformation. Their lens to the anti-violence liberation movement is intersectional and centers disability and healing justice organizing.
Yamikani has held positions such as Black Academic Success and Engagement Coordinator at Humber College and Vice-Chair of Ontario Coalition of Rape Crisis Centre. Yami currently sits on the eQuality Project Advisory and is featured in Violence Interrupted: Confronting Sexual Violence on University Campuses with Jane Bailey and Suzie Dunn.
In 2017, Yami founded Seeds, a yoga program that centers the needs of survivors of sexual violence. You can learn about about hir work at www.yamimsosa.com.
Melissa Simas MSW (she/her)
Melissa Simas is a graduate of the Master of Social Work Program at Ryerson University. She is an advocate for promoting women’s rights and the social inclusion of people with disabilities. This is evidenced by her work as a volunteer with the Strengths-Based Parenting Initiative (SPIN) and the Women with Disabilities Action Awareness Group at Vibrant Healthcare Alliance. For the past nine years, Melissa has held the position of Program Coordinator with the Expanding the Reach: Outreach to Women with Disabilities program at Scarborough Women’s Centre.
Seán Kinsella: MEd (they/them/he/his)
Seán Kinsella (ê-akimiht nêhi(y/th)aw/otipemisiwak/Nakawé/Irish) is Centennial’s first Director, the Eighth Fire, a position that was envisioned and developed through the collaboration and leadership of Indigenous community members, Traditionalists and members of both the Aboriginal Education Steering Committee and Aboriginal Education Council.
Seán is migizi dodem (Bald Eagle Clan) and also identifies as two-spirit/queer/aayahkwêw and is descended from signatories of Treaties 4, 6 and 8. They were born in Toronto, on Treaty 13 lands and grew up in Williams Treaty territory. Seán has a Masters of Education from the University of Toronto (OISE) and previously served as a contract faculty member in what was called Centennial’s First Peoples stackable credential in addition to working full-time in Student Affairs for 14 years.
Seán previously served as a Co-Executive Director for the Peel Aboriginal Network Indigenous Friendship Centre and in 2019 won an IDERD Award at the University of Toronto recognizing their work towards anti-racism in particular based in the use of land-based ceremonial learning opportunities for students, staff and faculty to disrupt usual patterns of learning about Indigenous history. Seán is also a traveled speaker and keynote and has presented internationally at conferences and served as a Board member and Chair for several professional organizations and Communities of Practice. Learn more about Seán.
