CURRENT OFFERINGS

Transforming our toxic Masculinities

Workshop & Training Series

This workshop and training series is primarily facilitated by Ben Reid-Howells, as a cis, white, hetero man, he believes the labor of undoing toxic masculinity has to come from those who have been historically and currently at the forefront of contributing to and upholding these harmful systems and behaviours. Ben has been collaborating with community groups, organizations, leading transnational educational institutions and every goddamn day, with himself, on a journey towards healing what is often called “toxic masculinity”. Ben is trained in NVC, NGL and TIC*.

Guest facilitator: Natali Montilla.

*NVC - Nonviolent communication; NGLO - Nonviolent global liberation; TIC -Trauma informed care.

In this series we work to understand our own experiences of toxic masculinities; bear witness to non cis-male experiences; look at case studies of regenerative, healed, healing, pre-colonial masculinities; and steps towards transforming our toxic masculinities.

Who this series can be for: (White, cis, hetero) MEN and male-identifying people. Because let’s face it, we’re the bulk of the problems. Also open to people who identify otherwise, who may choose to hold space, share experiences or simply bear witness. The bulk of the labour of this series will be engaged by male-identifying people, and will be cis-centred. We will work to de-centre the cis-male perspective as we go further into the trainings, for which the intro Workshop is a suggested pre-requisite.

Unearthing our Roots

Workshop & Training Series

This workshop and training series is facilitated by Natali Euale Montilla and Ben Reid-Howells. Natali is Indigenous to the Andes of Venezuela on her mother's side and Mediterranean on her father's side. She was born in Venezuela and came with her family to so-called “Canada'' as a migrant seeking a safer life. Ben is a son of British parents who migrated from a place of much greater privilege. Ben is part of a growing movement to heal his own people, resurfacing pre-colonial Northern Isles identities through language, culture and cosmology.

*Turtle Island: pre-colonial term for so-called “Canada”, “USA” and “Mexico”.

In this series we explore how displacement often results in disconnect to land and one’s pre-colonial identity, and leads to a society controlled by a colonial, extractivist agenda. We analyze the ongoing colonial project of “Canada”, highlighting Indigenous-led frontline resistance to ongoing colonization; and share our journeys towards reclaiming our own pre-colonial roots, along with resources for ongoing personal work towards unlearning our internalized colonization.

Who this series can be for:
All peoples not Indigenous to Turtle Island, currently living on/settling/ occupying this land. Also open to those who are Indigenous to this land, who may choose to hold space, share experiences or simply bear witness. The bulk of the labour of this series will be engaged by settlers. We will work to de-centre the settler-perspective as we go further into the trainings, for which the intro Workshop is a suggested pre-requisite.