SPECIAL PROJECTS
I'm constantly working on new and exciting projects both to keep myself busy and to give back to the community. Here are the projects that I am currently working on:
Homeless Outreach:
As a former homeless person myself, I work closely with the homeless population in Sudbury, Toronto and Durham Regions. How am I able to do this from Sudbury? Folks who are homeless or marginally housed in any of the above mentioned areas are encouraged to get in touch with me. Once contact is made, I work closely with a trusted network of housing and case workers who then follow up and action (or inaction) to me. By remaining in contact with both the worker and the person who is homeless / marginally housed throughout the process I'm able to advocate for that person and see the case through. To date (since 2013) I've successfully assisted over 150 people from all walks of life find sustainable housing. If you're in need of housing assistance, email me at housing_help@outlook.com or use the contact form for more details!
Public Speaking:
To date I've done several public speaking events at the local, provincial and national level. I've also been featured in print and television media. Most of my talks consist of me speaking openly and candidly about my own lived experiences with HIV, being homeless and a former drug addict. From time to time I'm called upon to speak to youth about how to navigate the tough decisions that come up from time to time in life. If you're interested in having me speak at an event that your hosting, or to your community please fill out a request using the contact form.
Food Bank:
As someone who relied heavily on food banks for survival for many years, I've become a HUGE supporter of them. Currently, I'm raising money for the Daily Bread Food Bank, Feed the need in Durham and the Sudbury Food Bank. You can donate to either of these food banks by clicking on their name(s) in this description. Food banks feed hundreds of thousands of people every year with the number of children and seniors who use this service growing every year. **Note: a donation of $20.00 or more to any one of the food banks listed above will result in an the issuance of an official tax receipt**
LGTBQ2S Outreach:
As an open member of the LGTBQ2S community I work hard to support those struggling with their sexual identity or issues related to it. A person's sexual identity makes up a big piece of who they are, but it does not define them. Coming out as gay, bi, transgender or two spirited can be a very difficult or intimidating process. For that reason, I make myself available to discuss these issues in an open and safe environment. Once someone makes contact I spend about 1-2 hours going over how they feel and what issues they're experiencing and then I link that person to a community resource contact that I know and trust. Just like the process for homeless outreach I remain in touch with both the person who made contact and the referal to ensure that the issues are followed through. I then follow up with the individual on a regular basis to see how they're progressing with things on their own. If you wish to discuss an issue relating to sexual identity or gender identity please use the contact form to get in touch with me.
"Positive Documentary":
In 2013 I was approached by two amazing young ladies who were attending at Ryerson University and asked if I'd like to be featured in a documentary they were working on to showcase the lives of youth living in Toronto who were also living with HIV/AIDS. At the time, I was 28 years old so I still qualified as a "youth". We began production in February of that year and the film made it's first début in Toronto at the Ryerson Film Festival in mid 2014. To date the film has been shown at various film festivals around the world and has received amazing reviews. I'm proud to say that I shared the spotlight with a brave group of amazing peers who made making the film together that much more of a POSITIVE experience.
Rainbow Camp:
In the summer of 2016 I decided to get involved with the "Welcome Friend Association" as a volunteer sexual health counselor at Rainbow Camp. The experience was more than I can ever have expected. LGTBQ2SA youth from all over Canada and the US came together to celebrate diversity and learn about themselves and how to express who they are in a safe space. The camp runs for 1 week in Thessalon Ontario (just outside of Sault Ste. Marie). In 2016 Welcome Friend Association partnered with Form Productions Inc. to create a documentary on the whole camp experience. I was lucky enough to be invited to participate in the amazing production experience!
Homeless Outreach:
As a former homeless person myself, I work closely with the homeless population in Sudbury, Toronto and Durham Regions. How am I able to do this from Sudbury? Folks who are homeless or marginally housed in any of the above mentioned areas are encouraged to get in touch with me. Once contact is made, I work closely with a trusted network of housing and case workers who then follow up and action (or inaction) to me. By remaining in contact with both the worker and the person who is homeless / marginally housed throughout the process I'm able to advocate for that person and see the case through. To date (since 2013) I've successfully assisted over 150 people from all walks of life find sustainable housing. If you're in need of housing assistance, email me at housing_help@outlook.com or use the contact form for more details!
Public Speaking:
To date I've done several public speaking events at the local, provincial and national level. I've also been featured in print and television media. Most of my talks consist of me speaking openly and candidly about my own lived experiences with HIV, being homeless and a former drug addict. From time to time I'm called upon to speak to youth about how to navigate the tough decisions that come up from time to time in life. If you're interested in having me speak at an event that your hosting, or to your community please fill out a request using the contact form.
Food Bank:
As someone who relied heavily on food banks for survival for many years, I've become a HUGE supporter of them. Currently, I'm raising money for the Daily Bread Food Bank, Feed the need in Durham and the Sudbury Food Bank. You can donate to either of these food banks by clicking on their name(s) in this description. Food banks feed hundreds of thousands of people every year with the number of children and seniors who use this service growing every year. **Note: a donation of $20.00 or more to any one of the food banks listed above will result in an the issuance of an official tax receipt**
LGTBQ2S Outreach:
As an open member of the LGTBQ2S community I work hard to support those struggling with their sexual identity or issues related to it. A person's sexual identity makes up a big piece of who they are, but it does not define them. Coming out as gay, bi, transgender or two spirited can be a very difficult or intimidating process. For that reason, I make myself available to discuss these issues in an open and safe environment. Once someone makes contact I spend about 1-2 hours going over how they feel and what issues they're experiencing and then I link that person to a community resource contact that I know and trust. Just like the process for homeless outreach I remain in touch with both the person who made contact and the referal to ensure that the issues are followed through. I then follow up with the individual on a regular basis to see how they're progressing with things on their own. If you wish to discuss an issue relating to sexual identity or gender identity please use the contact form to get in touch with me.
"Positive Documentary":
In 2013 I was approached by two amazing young ladies who were attending at Ryerson University and asked if I'd like to be featured in a documentary they were working on to showcase the lives of youth living in Toronto who were also living with HIV/AIDS. At the time, I was 28 years old so I still qualified as a "youth". We began production in February of that year and the film made it's first début in Toronto at the Ryerson Film Festival in mid 2014. To date the film has been shown at various film festivals around the world and has received amazing reviews. I'm proud to say that I shared the spotlight with a brave group of amazing peers who made making the film together that much more of a POSITIVE experience.
Rainbow Camp:
In the summer of 2016 I decided to get involved with the "Welcome Friend Association" as a volunteer sexual health counselor at Rainbow Camp. The experience was more than I can ever have expected. LGTBQ2SA youth from all over Canada and the US came together to celebrate diversity and learn about themselves and how to express who they are in a safe space. The camp runs for 1 week in Thessalon Ontario (just outside of Sault Ste. Marie). In 2016 Welcome Friend Association partnered with Form Productions Inc. to create a documentary on the whole camp experience. I was lucky enough to be invited to participate in the amazing production experience!
