Each June, the Children’s Aid Society of Toronto (CAST) recognizes Pride Month and National Indigenous History Month, including National Indigenous Peoples Day, as important opportunities to reflect on our role in supporting children, youth and families, and to reaffirm our commitment to equity, inclusion and culturally responsive practice. As a child welfare agency, this work is ongoing and grounded in listening, learning and strengthening how we provide services alongside and for the communities we serve.
Pride Month
During Pride Month, we recognize and celebrate the diversity, strength and resilience of 2SLGBTQ+ communities within our Agency and across the community.
This year’s theme, Honouring Resilience: Pride in Practice – A Positive Space for All, highlights both celebration and responsibility. As shared by Claudia Lynch, Director of Equity and Practice Innovation at CAST, “Pride is not only a celebration of identity and community, but a continued commitment to creating environments where everyone feels safe, respected and affirmed.” She adds, “Pride in Practice challenges us to move beyond intention and reflect on how we actively contribute to positive spaces for everyone.”
Throughout the month, we will be hosting a staff Pride event and marketplace, supporting youth who work with our Agency to participate in Pride activities across the community, and sharing a curated list of events for staff to explore across the city.
National Indigenous History Month and National Indigenous Peoples Day
June is also a time to honour the histories, cultures, knowledge and contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples across Turtle Island, and to reflect on our role in advancing reconciliation.
This year’s theme, On This Land, In This Work: Honouring the Land, Learning History, and Reflecting on Our Role, calls for both reflection and action. As Claudia Lynch notes, “This theme invites us to pause and reflect on the responsibilities we hold in the work we do and on the land we live and work upon,” and encourages us to “continue learning, listening and considering how our daily actions contribute to reconciliation.”
CAST is also recognizing this month through a staff learning and reflection event and marketplace, along with a curated list of community events for staff to consider taking part in to support continued engagement and learning beyond our day-to-day work.
Our Continued Commitment
Recognizing these occasions is one part of our ongoing commitment to equity, inclusion and culturally responsive practice as we continue our focus on meaningful engagement, continued learning and community collaborations.
We are grateful to our staff, communities and partners whose knowledge, leadership and lived experience continue to guide this work.
To learn more about our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion work at CAST visit: https://www.torontocas.ca/news/honouring-indigenous-history-and-celebrating-pride-at-cast/.
