Notes from the Field

Read the latest post from the Centre’s blog, where we invite organizations and individuals whose work and values align with our own to share their thoughts and musings about their work and anything that may be important to them. Are you interested in writing a blog? You may be eligible for an honorarium of $100 for a blog of 500-900 words on a topic that fits the Centre’s Work, Vision, and Values. The blog contribution is approved by the Director and edited as needed by the Centre. Please send your proposal to liveworkwell@uoguelph.ca and let us know what you would like to write about!  

Interview with Dr. Lynn Gehl: NWAC Shadow Report on the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Collaborating with the Native Women's Association of Canada, we've produced a Shadow Report for the UN Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It addresses 17 key issues faced by Indigenous women and 2SLGBTQQIA people with disabilities. We recently interviewed Dr. Lynn Gehl, who worked as an Advisory Committee member on the report, to discuss the issues outlined in the report and more!

Announcing the Canadian Feminist Disability Coalition

The Live Work Well Research Centre is thrilled to share the following interview with Siobhan Grant, Project Coordinator for the recently announced Canadian Feminist Disability Coalition. To learn more about this exciting project, click here!

Transgender Day of Remembrance: The Urgency of Inclusion

The Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) started as a vigil in 1999 to honour the memory of Rita Hester, a Black, transgender woman who was brutally murdered in 1998. Started by Gwendolyn Ann Smith, the vigil evolved into an annual day on November 20th, commemorating all transgender people who have lost their lives to anti-transgender hate and violence since Rita’s gruesome murder.

Stories as a Medium for Change: A Reflection on the Storied Lives Project

Stories have the power to make change; this is a driving idea behind the Storied Lives project, a SSHRC-funded research project hosted by the Live Work Well Research Centre, the Community Engaged Scholarship Institute, and the Guelph-Wellington Task Force for Poverty Elimination, that aims to improve peoples’ understandings of the complex experiences of individuals living with poverty in Ontario and beyond. At the heart of Storied Lives is a series of four podcasts, each telling a composite story.

Taking Back Our Futures

You say your future was stolen.

Taken from you in the middle of the night when you were least expecting.

And it was precious.

Carried down in your family from your ancestors, all the way to you.

You say you were going to live it brilliantly.

Coming Together in Partnership: EDID-GHDI Partnership Meeting in Ottawa, Canada

After more than two years of living and working amidst the realities of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Engendering Disability-Inclusive Development - Genre, handicap et développement inclusif (EDID-GHDI) partnership team came together in person and online in Ottawa from June 21st to June 23rd for our first Partnership Team Meeting.

We Need Pride Beyond June: The Importance of Belonging on Campus for the LGBTQ2SIA+ Communities

During June, it is common practice for corporations and businesses to bring out the Pride Flag colours and flaunt their support of the LGBTQ2SIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Two-Spirit, Intersex, Asexual) communities. Universities and institutions of higher learning are not different in this regard as June becomes centralized on the work being done on university and college campuses to cultivate more inclusive environments for queer and trans students, faculty, staff, and community members.

Becoming a Feminist Research Team: An Ongoing Act of Care

On January 24th, 2022, our research team gathered in the virtual space of a Microsoft Teams meeting. Rectangular glimpses of our home/workspaces framed our faces: some backgrounds blurred, some messy, some carefully curated with books, plants, and art. On this day, our team – which consists of an associate professor, a postdoctoral research fellow, and four graduate students – met from the relative comfort (and isolation) of our homes to discuss what it means to be a feminist research team.

Paper Deadlines and Pacifiers: The Challenges of Being a Student-Parent

Being a parent is a challenging full-time job with no vacation, sick leave, pay, or benefits, and guaranteed night duties and extra shifts. Combined with the academic challenges of pursuing a university degree, the job becomes even more daunting. Despite all the hardships, the mom guilt, and the exam stress, the experience of being a student-parent is a rewarding one. Having a child has given my life a lot of meaning and purpose. Education is something that enriches my mind while parenthood is a selfless occupation that nourishes my soul.

News Archive