Our Voices Symposium
Centering Black, Indigenous, and Racialized Leadership
The Our Voices Symposium is rooted in the belief that transformative change begins with deep dialogue, collective reflection, and shared vision. The symposium is part of our Voices Project, funded by WAGE to uplift the leadership of Black, Indigenous and Racialized workers, advocates, activists and community members in Ottawa. The project seeks to center the leadership and support in capacity strengthening to reimagine solutions to ending gender based violence and violence against women.
Our intentions for the Our Voices Symposium are to;
Create space for Black, Indigenous, and racialized frontline workers, advocates, and activists to network, build relationships, and reimagine gender-based violence policy and advocacy while centering the leadership of Black, Indigenous, and racialized communities within Ottawa’s local movement and sector.
To reimagine safety beyond mainstream institutions – In a time of growing political and social polarization, we aim to explore liberatory responses to gender-based violence that center community care, mutual aid, and survivor-led solutions.
To harness the power of storytelling for resistance and change – Stories shape movements. Through conversation, we will reflect on how artists, poets, and cultural workers speak truth to power, disrupt systems of oppression, and influence feminist policy.
To examine how we sustain movements without compromise. We will explore ethical funding models, the role of philanthropy, and ways to sustain grassroots activism while staying accountable to the communities we serve. We also seeks to explore how non-profits, community based organizations reimagine feminist policy solutions and practices to end gender based violence.
Speakers and Circle Guides
Debbie Owusu-Akyeeah (she/her) – Circle A: Who Keeps Us Safe?
Debbie Owusu-Akyeeah (she/her) is a first-generation Ghanaian-Canadian queer woman and award-winning feminist activist dedicated to the liberation of all her communities. Debbie brings a deep understanding of how gender-based violence movements must navigate political polarization while remaining grounded in intersectional feminist values. With years of experience in grassroots organizing, policy advocacy, and leadership in feminist and 2SLGBTQ+ spaces, she challenges us to rethink safety beyond state responses. Debbie’s insights into navigating backlash, fostering solidarity, and sustaining transformative activism will guide this conversation toward actionable strategies.
Maya Spoken (she/her) – Circle B: Revolutionary Storytelling
Maya brings the power of spoken word and storytelling as tools for truth-telling, resistance, and healing. As a poet, performer, and cultural worker, she challenges dominant narratives and amplifies voices often silenced in mainstream policy spaces. In this discussion, Maya invites participants to explore how storytelling can be a vehicle for change, shaping feminist policies and mobilizing communities. With a passion for interweaving personal experience with collective struggle, she sparks conversations about how art can confront injustice, inspire action, and serve as a radical act of reclaiming space and agency.
Vanessa Fareau (she/her) – Circle B: Revolutionary Storytelling
Vanessa is a poet from “Montreal” (traditional Mohawk land) who has shared her works across local stages, performing her poetry at staple showcases such as Urban Legends and Rapsody. She is a proud mother, grandmother and an activist sharing her time and energy with grassroots organizations like CPEP and The Bridge Engagement Centre. Vanessa has graced us with her voice and story during many actions across Canada, creating awareness and aiding individuals experiencing incarceration, police brutality, and gender-based violence. Vanessa is also a doula, supporting and advocating primarily for Black birthing people/parents.
Gabrielle Fayant (she/her) – Circle C: Resourcing Care
Gabrielle Fayant is an off-Settlement Metis woman from Fishing Lake Métis Settlement, AB. Gabrielle is an award-winning woman for her work in her community, her dedication to supporting young people, and amplifying grassroots efforts. Gabrielle is passionate about cultural resurgence, revitalization and restitution for all Indigenous peoples. She challenges the idea that funding must come at the cost of movement integrity, advocating instead for models rooted in self-determination and community-led decision-making. Gabrielle will help guide this discussion toward reimagining sustainable, non-extractive ways to fund anti-violence work without compromising its liberatory vision.
Erin Lee (she/her) – Circle C: Resourcing Care
Erin brings a wealth of experience in feminist advocacy, non-profit leadership, and securing resources for gender-based violence prevention. She understands the financial and structural challenges that feminist organizations face and is passionate about creating sustainable funding models that allow movements to thrive. Erin will guide this conversation toward practical strategies for resourcing anti-violence work in ways that uphold community values.
Paulette Senior (she/her) – Fireside Chat Speaker
Senator Paulette Senior brings decades of experience advancing gender equity, racial justice, and anti-violence advocacy in Canada. As the former President and CEO of the Canadian Women’s Foundation, she led national efforts to end gender-based violence and improve conditions for marginalized women and gender-diverse people. A long-time champion of intersectional feminism, Senator Senior offers grounded insights into how policy, community leadership, and lived experience must intersect to drive systemic change. She brings a powerful voice to conversations about justice, care, and liberation, inviting us to imagine—and work toward—a future where safety and dignity are realities for all.
Michèle Audette (she/her) – Fireside Chat Speaker
Michèle Audette brings a lifetime of advocacy for Indigenous rights, gender justice, and reconciliation. A former commissioner for the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, and now a Canadian Senator, she offers powerful insights into systemic violence and the urgent need for transformative change. With deep roots in activism and policy, Michèle bridges community wisdom and institutional power. She brings a fearless and compassionate voice to conversations about justice, healing, and accountability, inviting us to confront colonial systems and co-create a future grounded in Indigenous sovereignty, dignity, and collective care.
Bridget Tolley (she/her) – Opening Ceremony Host
Bridget Tolley is an Algonquin activist and founding member of Families of Sisters in Spirit. She has spent over two decades tirelessly advocating for justice for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit people after the loss of her mother in 2001. Bridget brings a powerful blend of lived experience, grassroots organizing, and unwavering truth-telling to every conversation. She reminds us that behind every statistic is a life, a family, and a community forever changed. Her voice grounds us in the realities of state violence, and her work inspires collective responsibility, healing, and action for justice and transformation.
Sagine Cavé (she/her) – Graphic Illustrator
Sagine Cavé brings life to the canvas, blending afros, retro, and abstract elements into her original pieces. Her fluid, free style comes from painting directly from her soul, using emotions to shape her work. A dancer and visual artist for over twelve years, she turned her passion into a full-time career. Her signature work has been featured at Charlie’s Gallery (Toronto), MURAL Festival (Montreal, 2018), and Peter Salon Gallery (New York). She was also a guest on CBC’s All in a Day. Sagine is grateful for her family’s support and loves cooking, fitness, and soulful music.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the event open to?
The event is open to anyone who identifies as Black, Indigenous, and/or Racialized and is part of the anti-violence movement/sector. We welcome frontline workers, public educators, community organizers, policy analysts, artists, and advocates working toward ending gender-based violence in Ottawa
What is the format of the symposium?
This symposium uses Breakout Circles: participatory, non-hierarchical spaces where knowledge is co-created rather than dictated. We invite you to engage in meaningful conversations, challenge dominant narratives, and generate new insights together.
Above all, we intend to build connections, deepen our collective commitments, and envision futures where justice, care, and sustainability guide our movements to end gender based violence in Ottawa and across Turtle Island.
What topics will be covered in the Circles?
Circle A: Who Keeps Us Safe? How Do We Build Liberatory Responses to Gender-Based Violence in a Polarized World?
Circle B: Revolutionary Storytelling: How Do We Speak Truth to Power and/or to Shape Feminist Policy?
Circle C: Resourcing Care: How Do We Fund Anti-Violence Movements of Liberation?
What is the dress code?
We encourage all participants to dress comfortably in whatever makes them feel best.
If you have any questions about Our Voices, please reach out to khadija@octevaw-cocvff.ca