With transphobia growing in Canada, non-binary people in this country are asking for policies to protect them in sport, but they have been continuously left out of the conversations that should inform these policies. That’s where Martha Gumprich’s project comes in. Last Spring, they won an award from the SFU Student-Community Engagement Competition to host three workshops with youth in the East Kootenays in partnership with ANKORS Trans Connect in order to help schools and sports organizations across Canada “make their recreation and athletics departments safer for all”. We’re grateful to Martha for sharing their experiences with us in this short reflection. You can find links to The Canadian Non-binary Youth in Sport Report and infographics in this story.

When COVID-19 hit, we all realized the importance of having a local neighbourhood network. Many people experienced major changes in their lives, such as losing their income and social network, or losing access to activities that supported their overall well-being. As a Roots of Empathy instructor who was fortunate enough to have a strong network of support, Rita Lee started looking for more ways to be of service to those around her. Her guiding question: how can I invite more people to have more resilience, more happiness, and to connect with a supportive network in the neighbourhood? Her SFU Student-Community Engagement Project, Happy, Connected, Resilient Neighbours, was just one of her answers.

In 2022, Ritu Mehra, Harbir Dhaliwal, and Muskan Jammu partnered with local schools to start a breakfast program that incorporates fun education about healthy food choices. More than just a project, Let’s Do Breakfast was inspired by their own personal experiences and their desire to give back to the community.