Solidarity Alliance

The Solidarity Alliance is composed of community members and representatives from agencies who work in some capacity with 2S/LGBTQIA+ newcomers* to the Waterloo Region. The committee works to address gaps in, and barriers to, services and essential resources for 2S/LGBTQIA+ newcomers in the Waterloo Region.

The committee welcomes 2S/LGBTQIA+ newcomers to offer insights, experiences, feedback, and criticism of the work being done by the Solidarity Alliance. The Solidarity Alliance acknowledges that newcomers should not bear responsibility for changing systemic barriers. 

Another Solidarity Alliance goal involves supporting the creation of 2S/LGBTQIA+ newcomer services in Waterloo Region. This could be by participating in outreach to newcomer communities or helping to promote existing services within the region that serve 2S/LGBTQIA+ newcomers. 

Since our founding in 2015, we have supported a number of agencies and professionals to improve their 2S/LGBTQIA+ inclusion and sensitivity efforts. This includes trainings for legal practitioners (e.g., lawyers, paralegals, legal staff), and counselors. We also partnered with the Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI) in 2017 and 2019 to build capacity for agencies who serve 2S/LGBTQIA+ newcomers in the Waterloo Region.

*Newcomers include immigrants, refugees, international students, as well as interprovincial/inter-territorial migrants.