Nova Scotia Rainbow Action Project
In 1995, about a year after the GaeGala folded, Nova Scotians who attended a conference in Ottawa noticed that nobody could address queer issues back home. Since January, 1996, NSRAP has been meeting every three months, and was officially incorporated in February, 2000.
Mission Statement: The Nova Scotia Rainbow Action Project (NSRAP) seeks equity, justice, and human rights for 2SLGBTQIA+ people in Nova Scotia. NSRAP seeks to create change in our communities and our society at large so that all 2SLGBTQIA+ people are included, valued, and celebrated. We achieve this through building community and developing strong networks outside of the community in addition to public outreach, education, and political action.
Contact:
Community Awards
Rev. Darlene Young Community Award: NSRAP created this award in 2008 to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to the 2SLGBTQIA+ communities in Nova Scotia. It is named after the late Reverend Darlene Young, a former NSRAP board member and pastor of the Safe Harbour Metropolitan Community Church. Past recipients include ScottJones, LeighannWichman, the Valley Youth Project, KarenFinnegan? (a social worker), MarshallHaywood?? (operator of VenusEnvy Halifax), EricSmith (AIDS activist), KimVance (LGBTQ activist with ARC International) and DanielMacKay (publisher of Wayves).
Raymond Taavel Media Award: Recognizing an individual or organization for work in the traditional or social media education of the public on news or issues affecting the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. This Award was renamed in 2012 to honour the memory of Raymond Taavel – a gay community activist who worked in the media as a Wayves editor/contributor and as an employee of the Shambhala Sun. Past recipients have included Hayley Ryan, CBC Radio One’s Mainstreet & Maritime Magazine (for coverage of LGBTQ issues) and Jesiah MacDonald? (for his public advocacy for trans* rights).
Turret Stewardship Award: Recognizing an organization that has significantly enhanced the capacities of Nova Scotia’s 2SLGBTQIA+ community. This award is named for the late ‘70s LGBTQ community-run social space in Halifax’s iconic Khyber Building. Past recipients include The YouthProject, the AIDS Coalition of Cape Breton, prideHealth, and Northwood.
The Rising Star Award: NSRAP created this award in 2013 to recognize individuals who have “shone” and taken leadership roles to advocate for the rights of 2SLGBTQIA+ people in Nova Scotia. The award centers on youth as well as individuals who show potential to be lifetime advocates in the community. Past recipients have included Rad Pride Health and Jessica Durling.
Leighann Wichman Lifetime Achievement Award: This award was created in 2015, to honour an individual whose long term commitment to 2SLGBTQIA+ activism and leadership has had an immeasurable impact on the lives of 2SLGBTQIA+ people across Nova Scotia. The award is named after the late Leighann Wichman, who was a dedicated leader, educator, advocate, and a longtime executive director of the Youth Project. The inaugural recipient was LynnMurphy.
QTBIPOC Champion Award: For the 2021 Community Hero Awards we are introducing a new award centering the advocacy and social justice work of individuals within the Queer and Trans BIPOC community. This award will honour and recognize an individual for their work within QTBIPOC communities who are catalysts for change through promoting social justice; engage in teaching, counseling, advocacy, role modeling, or other roles that support members of the QTBIPOC communities; contribute to the QTBIPOC community by providing a safer and comfortable space for all members of these communities; engage in work that supports, empowers and/or advocates for individuals and groups who are marginalized within the QTBIPOC community including, people with disabilities, members with less resources (e.g. those experiencing poverty/working class/low or no income); focus on issues that are not picked up in mainstream 2SLGBTQIA+ organizing efforts.
Publications
- March, 2010
- Towards a Home for the LGBT Community in Nova Scotia The Rainbow Community Centre Project (pdf) The excutive summary was published in the May 2010 Wayves.
- June 22, 2010
- Elders Meeting Brief Report on the April 18, 2010 gathering. (on file)
- March 18, 2011 & 19
- LGBT Community Development Conference. Report on file.
- December, 2015
- History of NSRAP written by RebeccaRose
History
- 2000
- Announcement made regarding formation. See NsrapNeedsHelp.
- February 17, 2000
- NSRAP was incorporated as a non-profit society
- February 12, 2005
- Valentine's Dinner & fundraiser with special guest Gilles Marchildon, Exec Director of EGALE Canada. Organized by AdamDolliver?.
- August 12, 2005
- new Memorandum of Association filed with the RJSC
- September 25, 2005
- Fundraising Gala: "Big Gay Wedding Anniversary" with Bette MacDonald, Rev Dr. Troy D. Perry, founder of the worldwide Metropolitan Community Church. Organizing Committee: SeanForeman, BobFougere, BruceGoddard?, MichaelMazerolle?, LaraMorris?, NickyPerkins?, MariePaturel?, KimVance, DarleneYoung.
- September 30, 2006
- Fundraising Gala: "Coming Together" with Mark Tewkesbury. Silent Auction items donation management by DarleneYoung, board member.
- 2007 Board
- SeanForeman (Past Chair), DarleneYoung, ElaineCraig? (Vice Chair), GastonSaulnier? (Secretary), JennNearing?, CatherineMeade, KevinKindred (Chair), HugoDann, AnnLevangie?, MattNumer?, LaurieStephensen? (Treasurer). Coordinator - CharlesHseun?, Member at large - EricMacDonald.
- 2010/11 Board
- MattNumer?, Chair, Lisa Buchanan, Vice-Chair, Sean Foreman, Treasurer, Christine Hunt, Secretary, Kevin Kindred, Past Chair Catherine Meade, MAL, Robert Allan, Curtis Cartmill, Scott Comber, Sarah Connolly, Elaine Craig, Colin Green, Lynn Murphy, Nathaniel Smith, Lucas Thorne-Humphrey; Hugo Dann, Executive Director (Ex officio).
- Report: Towards a Home for the LGBT Community in Nova Scotia The Rainbow Community Centre Project (pdf) published.
- October 23, 2010: AGM: Rev DarleneYoung Community Hero Award: EricSmith. Entertainment was provided by celebrity emcee CandyPalmater and singer/songwriter WadeCarroll?.
- 2011/12 Board
- Officers: MattNumer? – Chair CurtisCartmill? – Vice-Chair; DougBungay? – Treasurer; SeanForeman – Past Chair; MargaretDenike? – Member-at-large; KevinKindred – Ex-officio advisor; MeredithEvans? – Secretary. Directors: JohnBritton?, BrendaMerritt?, AlanaMurray?, RosemaryPorter, NathanSmith?, AdamSterling?, LucasThorneHumphrey?.
- 2011
- 2011 NSRAP Elders Project report (pdf, 85 pages) written by HugoDann.
- It names Northwood as a partner, and among others acknowledges Northwood's Josie Ryan, Judy Aymar and John O'Keefe, locals SandraBorneman? from the Youth Project, and LynnMurphy and GerardVeldhoven as Community Archivists. Hugo's name does not appear in the document.
- This appears to be a draft with mark-up; we have the .docx on file too.
- November 4, 2011
- NSRAP signs lease for former SafeHarbour space in VeithHouse.
- June 23, 2012
- Annual General Meeting where the following were elected as the new Board of Directors:
- KevinKindred (Chair), RosemaryPorter (Vice-Chair), MattNumer? (Past chair), Kate Shewan (Treasurer), Nathaniel Lewis (Secretary), John Britton (Member-at-Large), Jim Gouthro, Andrew Jantzen, Kate Keough, Justin Leblanc, Brenda Merritt, Alana Murray, Rebecca Rose, Nat Smith, Lucas Thorne-Humphrey
- October 20, 2012
- AGM: Cocktails and a silent auction, awards, three-course meal with entertainment provided by CandyPalmater, Halifax performer StewartLegere?. Keynote address will be Premier Darrell Dexter; his second time speaking at our gala, the first as premier. Following the meal, the dancing will begin!
- November 3, 2013
- Talk sponsored by NSRAP by Gerald Hannon from The Body Politic at TheCompanyHouse about queer history. Panel with RebeccaRose and Evan John T. Coole. Journalist Sima Sahar Zerehi videotaped it and will be writing a piece for the Halifax Media CoOp.
- 2014/2015 Board
- Officers: VivianBezanson? (Treasurer), LisaBuchanan? (Past Chair), MaryBurnet?, HugoDann, KirkFurlotte? (Secretary), MarshallHaywood?, OwenJohnstone?, RobynLetson?, SusanneLitke, AdamMyatt? (Vice Chair), JennNearing? (Member at Large), GabePictou?, NolanPike?, KateShewan? (Chair).
- 2015/2016 Board
- Officers: Chair: RebeccaRose; Vice Chair: EmilyDavidson?; Treasurer: FrankieBezanson?; Secretary: OwenJohnstone?; Member at Large: SusanneLitke; Past Chair: AdamMyatt?. BoardMembers? at Large (elected at the May Annual General Meeting): HugoDann, JoelDiamond?, KoltenMacDonell?, DoriPalmiere?, LauraShepherd?, AllisonSmith?, ArdathWhynacht?. History of NSRAP published.
- May 25, 2017
- Board of Directors: Craig Besaw, Sydney; Julie Hollenbach, Halifax; Keith Johnston, Sydney; Dee Morse, Truro Nivie Singh, Halifax; Seth Wahlin-Stern, Halifax
- May 26, 2019
- Annual General Meeting Minutes
- MikaelaGorman?: 10 years experience in media/political liason/analysis. Currently working in private consultant in investigation/media. Currently working on a series of education videos in her spare time.Would hope she can help here any way she can.
- StellaSamuel?: Work in non-rprofits with 2SLGBTQ/Disabilities projects. Direcrory 2SLGBTQ+ support phone line in Ontario. Areas are communications/social media/strategic connecting. Editing/writing/grant writing/reports. ; TamPham?: Grad student from Dal in Biochem. Moved here from New Brunswick. Did undergrad in Ontario. Volunteered 2SLGBTQIA+ peer support. Provideded support to youth between 13-25 in distress. Experience in working with youth. Did a lot of community building within the university. Olivia asks if Tam would be willing to participate in education committee work. Emphatic yes. Would love to open that conversation more, especially for BIPOC individuals.
- RaeONeil?(re-offer):
- JessSmith?: Currently sits on the board for Jalifax Pride. Had the education committee with them. Chaired/spearheaded major changes to be more inclusive. Runs social media, involved in the drag community as well.
- SusanneLitke (re-offer): Lawyer/social worker. Works at Dal Legal Aid service as supervising lawyer. Working at Dal Legal Aid on a trans rights file, representing trans folks with any number of human rights issues. Working with a student and herself, taking complaints to the human rights commission. Been on the board for the last 5-6 years, treasurer for 3. Came on the board during the last year NSRAP had a gala.
- OliviaJacquard? (re-offer) : been with board since Nov. Banker with a major bank. Member at large. Did prelim work for AGM(stepped up). Director of education for Atlantic Pride Employee Resource Group within ScotiaBank?. Would like to do more education committee work, making sure material is okay. Does work 8-4. But can do public speaking.
- MackenzieElls? (re-offer): (not present) Rae nominates in absentia.
- NorvalCollins (re-offer): Would enjoy to continue being the liaison with ElderBerries. Would like to continue doing what he can to improve the lives of the ageing. Consultant, attended meetings, even from Costa Rica. Main role is to liase NSRAP with Elderberries/seniors issues.
- June 14, 2020
- Annual General Meeting. The Annual Report will be made available online.
- SusanneLitke - queer lawyer she/her , have been on the board for 5-6 yeas, am the treasurer. I have a lot of interst in ensuring that the education progaram continues.This is the 25th anniversary of NSRAP; it was formally made an organization in 2000.
- TamPham? - I’m a Dal Grad Student in microbiology. We are trying to establish a Queer Atlantic Canadian community. I think it’s important for my home community to have a voice
- NorvalCollins - I’m quite pleased to be the Elderberries rep and liason. there’s a focus on elder health care . I have an interest in the business side of things.
- SebastianGakarth? - they/them. I’m a student , finishing a psych degree, starting a social work degree . I’ve done a lot of education at Mount St Vinvent in both trans and general lgbt education.
- MadelineMitchell? - I’m a student, studying as an early childhoood educator, I have experience with boards and governing o=bodies and event programming
- NatalieBoyd? - I work for the federal dept of immigration, I’m a volunteer co-chair for Pride At Work committee. this will be my first board!
- MikaelaGorman? - in absentia.
- JessicaWentzell? - self nominated. Former boardmember. I’m looking forward to re-joining. i’m a healthcare provider with an interest in the seniors project.
- August 13, 2021
- CBC Mainstreet's Jeff Douglas interviews boardmembers NorvalCollins & Sydney Belford, the summer outreach & education coordinator, about elders' issues.
- January 18, 2022
- Change in Board filed with the RJSC: Remained from last board: SusanneLitke. Added: AubrieMcGibbon?, JenSchwartz?, TerriCoolen?, RileyReign?, RileyNielsonBaker?. Removed: NorvalCollins, NatalieBoyd?, MadelineMitchell?, OliviaKerr?, KatharineAllen?
- October 3, 2022
- Change in Board filed with the RJSC
- November 14, 2022
- change in Board filed with the RJSC
- December 15, 2022
- change in Board filed with the RJSC: KristinaWakfer?, SejalAdya?, AlannaMacNevin?, TynanBramburger?, SusanneLitke
- April, 2023
- There were tweets advertising their upcoming AGM on May 4, 2023. "Issues" & "Media" sections of their website have not been updated for a decade. ; May 4, 2023 : AGM
- April, 2024
- Website front page has been erased. Last Insta post was September 12, 2023R. Someone historically involved with the organization says, "The board of NSRAP decided to close down the society several months ago. They cited lack of board members and volunteers to do the work and the fact that other organizations are doing the advocacy work that traditionally was done by NSRAP. A special general meeting must be held with notice to wind up the society. There are 3 or 4 remaining board members.
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