The ‘Back to Our Roots’ Calendar
In 2023, the Enchanté Network launched the Back to Our Roots project to address the unique, intersectional challenges faced by Black 2SLGBTQI+ communities across Canada. At the heart of the B2R project is community engagement, and our upcoming events are designed to empower Black 2SLGBTQI+ individuals with the knowledge, connections, and tools to build a vibrant, thriving national movement.
This is why we’re thrilled to announce the launch of the Back to Our Roots calendar! This year-long calendar will feature a wide variety of exciting virtual and in-person events that you won’t want to miss.
Click the image below to add the B2R Calendar to your schedule, or explore each event and add them individually by selecting the ones that interest you.
When: Wednesday, October 15 · 1:00–2:30 PM EST
When we talk about Black 2SLGBTQI+ experiences in Canada, the spotlight often stays on Toronto and Montréal. But what about the voices beyond the big cities—the ones building, resisting, and thriving in places that rarely make the headlines?
This webinar centers the stories of Black queer and trans people living outside the major metropoles. Together, we’ll explore what visibility, care, and advocacy look like across the country—and why these voices need to be part of the national conversation.
Join us for a bold and necessary dialogue that makes room for the rest of us.
Back to Our Roots has officially launched a first-of-its-kind sub-population report centering the voices and lived experiences of Black 2SLGBTQI+ communities—particularly those who are trans, non-binary, Two-Spirit, or gender nonconforming.
Drawing from 400 Black 2SLGBTQI+ voices across the country, the report shares critical data on housing, education, employment, healthcare, and safety—revealing the compounding effects of anti-Black racism, transphobia, and queerphobia, and spotlighting community-led strategies for change.
Key Findings:
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75.6% reported experiencing homophobia or transphobia in school
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16% are less likely to own a home than their cisgender peers
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12% are more likely to say healthcare professionals lack knowledge about gender identity and sexual orientation
This launch marks a critical step in amplifying Black 2SLGBTQI+ voices and driving intersectional change.
The ‘Back to Our Roots’ report
We are launching a groundbreaking report today: The Back to Our Roots (B2R) report! This report delves into the pressing need to establish a National Black 2SLGBTQI+ Organization in Canada, which would address the unique intersectional challenges Black 2SLGBTQI+ peoples and communities face across various spheres of life.
In the B2R report, the Enchanté Network covers all of the work that’s been done since the start of the project. It culminates in a series of five data-backed recommendations to improve the lives of Black queer people in Canada. This includes the creation of a National Black 2SLGBTQI+ organization, supporting the existing programs and services that are offered, and providing more funding for research in addressing the knowledge gap on Black and queer communities living in Canada.
Make sure to follow the B2R project, as this report is just the beginning! We know more data collection needs to be done, and we are ready for the task. We will continue to release more in-depth reports in the future.
Share this report with your colleagues and partner organizations. Use this data to show the need for services for Black and queer folks. Let’s work together to advocate for better data collection investment, representation, and program availability!
Why ‘Back to Our Roots’ Matters
Intersecting systems of oppression compound the barriers to supports that Black 2SLGBTQI+ individuals and communities need, affecting health, economic, and social outcomes.
While in the midst of navigating the results of systemic anti-Black racism, Black Canadians are also reported to have a strong sense of resilience, historically and presently. Resilience builds the hope that motivates us to move forward, collectively.
Demographics and Educational Experiences of Black 2SLGBTQI+ People In Canada
Black 2SLGBTQI+ communities in Canada face a...
What is The Enchanté Network’s role in addressing the needs of Black Canadian 2SLGBTQI+ communities?
In an effort to respond to the needs of Black Queer people across Canada, The Enchanté Network has launched Back to Our Roots: a project dedicated to connecting and supporting Black 2SLGBTQI+ movements from coast to coast to coast.
The Enchanté Network will engage directly with Black 2SLGBTQI+ communities working, living, and striving within our existing network and beyond.
The Back to Our Roots project is dedicated to connecting and supporting Black 2SLGBTQI+ movements from coast to coast to coast.
A multi-pronged engagement approach
Community engagement is a core component of the Back to Our Roots project. Multiple engagement activities have been organized into a strategic, comprehensive approach that will provide fulsome data and evidence, and capture the lived experience of diverse community voices. This evidence will inform The Enchanté Network, 2SLGBTQI+ communities, and the country, and equip Black 2SLGBTQI+ communities with the knowledge and connections to build a vibrant and thriving national movement.
Advisory Committee
January 2023 to March 2024
To provide a structured approach to engaging with Black 2SLGBTQI+ community members and organizations, TEN has launched a regular touchpoint with nine regionally representative Black 2SLGBTQI+ community, academic and organisational leaders. These meetings will share information, solicit input, identify gaps and opportunities, and provide advice as the process unfolds over the next several months.
National Survey
February 2023 to June 2023
The Enchanté Network has launched an online survey with nationwide reach to identify pressing issues and critical insights. The survey explores the following themes: community and connection, employment and education, healthcare, housing and safety. This online survey will provide an initial overview of the needs of Black 2SLBTQI+ living in Canada.
National Consultations
April 2023 to August 2023
Through hosting and facilitating virtual consultations that are regionally, culturally and thematically focused, The Enchanté Network is directly engage with Black 2SLGBTQI+ stakeholders from across the country to hear what their needs and service gaps are. These consultations will be the first real-time opportunity to hear directly and in detail from community members.
National Summit
February 2024
This 3-day summit will gather Black 2SLGBTQI+ people from across Canada to celebrate the shared lived experience at the intersection of queerness, Blackness and other identities. The summit will also allow attendees to review the information gathered throughout the project, identify the most pressing needs and desires for Black 2SLGBTQI+ communities, and to, ultimately, generate input into the possibility of a Black 2SLGBTQI+ national organization in Canada.
Final Report
August 2024
The report will feature a jurisdictional scan, needs assessment and literature review of Black 2SLGBTQI+ services in Canada, present engagement findings, and provide concrete community-informed recommendations for on the possibility of establishing a national Black 2SLGBTQI+ organization in Canada.
This project is supported through Women and Gender Equality Canada’s Women’s Program.
