Our Team
Braden
Braden (he/him) is a graduate student in the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work at the University of Toronto, and a settler residing on Treaty 4 (1874) territory, the traditional lands of thenêhiyawak (Cree), Anihšināpēk (Saulteaux), Ojibwe, Dakota, Lakota, Nakota, and the Métis/Michif Nation. Despite signatories entering this process on a government-to-government basis--based on a reciprocal and mutually respectful relationship--Canada has failed to honour the right to self-government for the Indigenous signatories--a persistent theme across Turtle Island. Braden comes to this project as an ally to Queer and Trans people, and has experience working with youth who are minoritized on the basis of gender and sexuality, harm reduction, and outreach and education in HIV/AIDS.
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Braden: facts and details, research, the voice of reason of science and logic, holder of media critique knowledge, squirrel that actually knows where the nuts were left.
Tristen
Hey there! My name is Tristan, and I am a queer, pansexual, cisgender guy. I have always lived on small islands from the Caribbean to Canada and am very much a nature boy. I am very passionate about queer rights and social justice in general. Throughout my short time on this planet, I’ve both read and observed that it is typically transgender individuals who fight the hardest for the queer community and queer rights, despite often being the most marginalized within our community. This project is not sufficient enough to eliminate heterosexism and the societal structures that marginalize transgender individuals. However, I hope it will be a small but essential step in doing so, and I view it as a way to give back to the individuals who have done so much for me.
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Tristan: the gentle philosopher, our centring force, collector of stray misfits, seeker of clarity, gentle guider of squirrels back to the path. Squirrel that remembered to watch the sunset.
Teddy
Hello, My Name, is Teddy but my friends call me Teddy Bear! I love…… love. I guess you can say that I am in love with the idea behind love. I want to help protect the love that everyone has inside them and teach how to share that love in peaceful and glories ways. My passion is to love and to spread that love anyway I can!
My hometown: North Carolina
My alma mater: I received my Undergraduate degree at FSU (Fayetteville State University), An HBCU School (a college or university that was originally founded to educate students of African American descent.).
I am currently working on my master’s in Social Justice and Diversity at UofT (University of Toronto)
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Teddy: Brainstorming, idea creator, conductor of energy and team motivator. Squirrel on coffee squirrel.
Ali Pearson
hey y’all, I’m Ali (they/them) Queer. I am one of the founders of the pride project and am currently a graduate student in the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work social Justice and Diversity, with a collaborative Study in Sexual Diversity.
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Ali: Theory, practical experience, contacts, photojournalist and journalist experience. Advocacy experience. Squirrel wrangelling squirrel.