2011 Rainbow Grant Recipients

1. Supporting Our Youth (SOY) H.E.A.T. (Human Rights, Equity, Access, Team) - Sherbourne Health Centre - Inaugural Kyle Rae Grant

Recipient Building a stronger foundation for a lasting presence of trained and supported youth ambassadors engaged in peer education at the existing SOY project, which seeks to eliminate barriers faced by human rights protected groups, and increase civic participation - supporting the health and well-being of all queer and trans youth. The aim is to create a youth council/speakers bureau at SOY that can speak more widely and skilfully about the lived experiences of diverse youth.

2. 1st Annual Latin LGBTQ Arts Festival - Centre for Spanish-Speaking Peoples

A festival celebrating and recognising Latin and Hispanic artists in the LGBTQ community as part of Hispanic Heritage Month in Toronto in April, including 3 interactive workshops facilitated by community artists and exhibition events at the 519 and The Centre for Spanish Speaking Peoples' offices). The social and educational spaces will aim to reduce social isolation, build self-esteem and confidence as well increasing community capacity to articulate experience via art.

3. Asians In Motion (AIM) - Asian Community AIDS Services (ACAS)

Capacity building project via a youth-led, one-day community forum with awareness-raising activities and workshops, for 30 Queer Asian (18-29 yrs) Youth (QAY) in Toronto & the GTA. Key focuses will be to increase understanding & skills in dealing with homophobia, transphobia and racism; to increase skills in communication, advocacy and job search; and to explore issues, trends and needs of Asian LGBTTIQQ youths for service improvement.

4. Bill Seven Award - Website Redesign and Upgrade - The Bill Seven Award Trust

To completely redesign and upgrade the Bill 7 Award website, enabling better promotion of the Award (which offers bursaries to LGBTQ2S students in financial need in post-secondary institutions across Ontario) to prospective student applicants and donors, as well as increased referral info.

5. Ditch - Sometimes Y Theatre (Theatre Passe Muraille)

Production of an award-winning gay Canadian play last seen in Toronto 18 years ago, reflecting the history, diversity and unique experience of gay and lesbian Canadians, with involvement of 2 gay actors and a gay director. The production will be advertised widely to queer and straight audiences, including an intense email campaign to teachers at arts-oriented high schools and university/college theatre programs, as well as via various gay media/community outlets.

6. Durham GSA Leadership Camp - PFLAG Durham Region

A 4-day residential leadership Camp for Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) student leaders. School boards are now required by the Ontario Ministry of Education to create GSAs or similar clubs, but many students find they lack the guidance, training and resources that they need to be successful.

7. Franc-Omen - Sistahz Speaking Frankly - b current Performing Arts Corp

Three lesbian artists in an evening of Caribbean comedy and Oral tradition Melee on May 13th, as part of the 10th anniversary rock.paper.sistahz Festival, which focuses on artistic creations by Black artists.

8. Frock - Motel Picture Inc (Nicole Hilliard-Forde)

Production of a feature film, aiming to create positive and authentic audio-visual stories of transgendered teens, and parents and siblings of trans-teenagers, with a call-to-action. The film would be a fictionalised account based on a true story of a trans teen featured in a Toronto Star story.

9. Inside Out Voices - Inside Out Lesbian and Gay Film Festival

A 3-tiered project to engage and encourage queer youth to use their "Inside Out Voices" to tell and share the thoughts and stories they have kept inside, and to hear the stories of LGBT youth from around the world, using film and video. The project will also help to preserve their various stories.

10. Living with Henry - Beyond Boundaries (De Capo Productions)

Musical theatre work as education & outreach, exploring the fears, stigmas and realities of living with HIV/AID, to show at the 2011 Toronto Fringe Festival. The piece provides a crucial perspective on HIV/AIDS by framing it as a healthily managed condition in our current society, and challenges individuals to do the work necessary to overcome their own personal obstacles.

11. Miss High Performance - Cherrymoon Productions (Morlon Joseph)

Beauty pageant for "female impersonators within the black, African, Caribbean, Latino and Mix communities" that will assist delegates to gain confidence and poise in an increasingly competitive world, to grow and advance personal and career goals while acting as role models for the community.

12. Painting a Rainbow - Family Services York Region (FSYR)

Conference plus two workshops (one youth-focused, one trans-focused) to offer intensive and specialized training about, and build organizational & community capacity around, LGBTTQ concerns and to launch a new LGBTTQ Information, Referral and Support line, and e-counselling service.

13. POWAH! A Sexual Health Resource Booklet By & For Black, African & Caribbean Trans Women - Black Coalition for AIDS Prevention (BlackCAP)

Booklet providing trans-specific HIV/AIDS and STI information, including referral list, for distribution to service providers, members of the BAC trans women's community and on-line.

14. Rainbow Health in ASL: A Collaboration between Deaf and Hearing LGBTQ+ - Rainbow Health Network

Production of a short video in ASL/English, for internet use, around Deaf LGBTQ access to healthcare, to promote awareness of the community and their diversity (and ASL use), promote awareness among health care providers and create an advocacy and self-empowerment tool for Deaf communities.

15. Reach OUT! In ASL - Anti-Homophobia, Anti-Transphobia and Audism Workshop Initiatives + Organizational DVD - Ontario Rainbow Alliance of the Deaf (ORAD)

PART ONE: 1-2 issue-based informational/educational workshops providing a safe space for learning, sharing and networking for the Deaf LGBTTIQQ2S community but open to both deaf and hearing participants. PART TWO: Organizational DVD covering both Queer and more general aspects of ORAD's activities (including some queer-specific signs) for paid and free distribution.

16. Remembering Our Past, Envisioning Our Futures - Blackness Yes! In partnership with the Black Coalition for AIDS Prevention

To create an annual interactive multi-disciplinary exhibition celebrating and documenting over a decade of African Diasporic LGBTTIQQ communities in Toronto, with video, photography, textiles & posters from Blockorama, as well as an artist talk and panel discussions.

17. Right to Dance - ILL NANA/DiverseCity Dance Company

Two-month professional dance technique training series offering empowerment to LGBTTIQQ2S communities (with emphasis on marginalized groups) through dance training, choreography, mentorship, and a final performance. The project seeks to embrace difference as strength and to combat oppressive power structures through dance, in an affirming space for LGBTTIQQ2S people of all body types, backgrounds and abilities.

18. Queer It Up! 2011 - East Mississauga Community Health Centre (A branch of Lakeshore Area Multiservice Project - LAMP)

To make Pride celebrations in the Region of Peel more visible and inclusive, via 2 weekends of collaboratively planned and implemented events celebrating diverse local queer and trans communities, in an area where there is considered to be little awareness of LGBTQ needs, or relevant support.

19. Sex Talk 2: The Sexual Health Workshop Series for LGBTQ Women - Planned Parenthood Toronto

Small series of workshops to educate and empower women who have sex with women so they can make informed decisions around sexual and reproductive health. Pilot identified more specific needs for racialized women, trans women, ageing women and women with disabilities, which workshops will address. Workshops also aim to decrease barriers to access, and isolation. 5 workshops on key topics, plus 1 event for older women.

20. To the Beat of Our Own Drums - Taiko Drumming Workshop for LGBTTIQQ2S - Raging Asian Women Taiko Drummers

6-session empowerment workshop series for queer youth (16-24yrs) to learn the fundamentals of Taiko Japanese drumming in a queer-positive space, taught by queer and queer-positive teachers, and culminating in a performance open to family and friends.

21. Trans Film Screening Series (Trans Film Night - TFN) - Action Group of The Centre for Women and Trans People

Free monthly showings of works created by, featuring, or dealing with issues of, trans communities, followed by discussions, and fostering both a social and political space for isolated and diverse communities, and enabling both celebration and critical resistance (challenging dominant media representations). The films are seen as an entry point for people to socialize, have fun, network, learn, share, get inspired, create, take action, and build community.

22. Trans Parent Video Project - LGBTQ Parenting Network (Sherbourne Health Centre)

Collaborative video project converting findings of research about the experiences of trans parents into a 20-minute video documentary to use with both service providers (including schools, child welfare agencies; mental health services etc.) and trans-led families. Aims to increase visibility, empower trans parents (involving them in the process), build community, and promote the rights of LGBTQ parents, prospective parents and their families.

23. You look great! - Lesbian, bisexual and queer women and trans people living with non-apparent chronic illnesses - Silvana Bazet

Production of a report based on the findings of a survey completed by 161 LBQ women and trans people across Canada living with non-apparent chronic illnesses (and their impact on queer health and queer identity), including e.g. MS, IBS, chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia.