Aanii/Hello Chelyne,

It’s already March and things are looking up! With longer days and warmer temperatures ahead, we can look forward to the beauty of Spring!

In case you missed it, in December we shared a resource package for all of our participants. Inside you will find our program's Rules of Engagement, Confidentiality Agreement, as well as a few other documents to better your experience with the New Horizons for 2S-LGBTQ+ Older Adults program. We hope that you'll take a look and let us know what you think.

 We know that winter has been tough on many of you, especially with a second winter of COVID lockdowns and restrictions, and we’re here to remind you that we have a document with both local and regional emergency supports that we created back in December. You can find it here. As always, you are also welcome to reach out to any of us for one-on-one social support or to ask about additional community referrals.

We hope you’ll join us in our programming whenever you’re able. We'd love to see you and look forward to being able to add some in-person programming in the coming months!

We'd love to hear from you! What groups, events, and personal development workshops would you like to see? Get in touch to let us know, or click on the survey link to give us feedback and have your voice heard!

New Downloadable Monthly Calendar

With all of the new events and program changes in mind, we've created a downloadable monthly calendar to make things a little easier for you. Click the link below to see what we're up to!

Program Updates

We are very excited to announce that they has been an addition to our team in Sudbury! Please stay tuned for more information about our new Seniors Program Coordinator.

 We’ve spent the past month collecting all of your favourite recipes and compiling them into a cookbook and now it's ready to be unveiled! From delicious breakfast bundt cakes to lavender shortbread, our cookbook is packed full of tasty treats. Thank you to all who contributed their delicious recipes! Click the button below to start enjoying all your New Horizons for 2S-LGBTQ+ for Older Adults members' favourite recipes!

 Thanks to our community partner Mamaway Wiidokdaadwin, we have some $50 grocery cards available for Indigenous folks in need. Please note that at this time we only have cards to provide to our Indigenous kin. We hope that we can also acquire some for our other relations in the future.

Click on the button below to complete a quick and easy form to receive a grocery card!

New Horizons has partnered with Connected Canadians to offer our participants a free Amazon Echo Show 5 device. Check out the specifications here then get in touch with either Evan at [email protected] or Chelye at [email protected] to receive yours!

Wa'tkwananhwerá:ton', biindigen, tawâw, and welcome to the Indigenous content section of our monthly newsletter!

This is a place where we share information about seasonal cycles and related cultural practices, and where we showcase fabulous Indigiqueer and Two-Spirit folks and the work that they are doing in community.

The title of this section is based in the teachings around 2S-LGBTQ+ Indigenous peoples Coming In to the circle, as distinct from the concept and the experience of Coming Out.

Some of the moons observed during this time are Ziissbaakdoke Giizis (Sugar Moon, Ojibwe), Mikisiwipisim (Eagle Moon, Cree), Wáhta (Maple Ceremony, Kanien'kehá:ka / Mohawk).

This month we get to enjoy some of the first signs of spring, most notably the rising sap of the maple trees. This is a time of cleansing, renewal, regeneration, and celebrating good health, happiness, and the return of fresh sustenance from the natural world.

Sugarbushing is a central seasonal practice and lifeway in many Indigenous nations in the Great Lakes region, and is deeply connected to our ceremonies, food systems, traditional economies, governance, relationship restoration practices, and gender relations and responsibilities. Many decolonization and rematriation movements include restoring traditional sugarbushing and the teachings therein. 

To learn more about sugarbushing, including origin stories, reclamation work and where to purchase maple syrup from Indigenous suppliers, visit the links below: 

• Sugarbush brings healing, sweet maple syrup 
• The significance of Maple Syrup to Indigenous People
• GIIZHIGAT MAPLE PRODUCTS 
• Ziinzibaakwadgummig - The Sugar Bush 5 Part Series

For anyone who would like to further their Coming In readings, click below to download our Two-Spirit Showcase and Medicine of the Month.

Community Events

Regular Programming Links

Click the images to connect to Zoom.

If you ever have anything you want to share or if there is anything we can change, please don't hesitate to reach out to one of our coordinators!

With winter coming to an end, the New Horizons Team wishes you warmer days ahead! We hope you have a refreshing month and we are thankful for you and your continued support of our program. We are always looking to expand our community and social media and word of mouth are our strongest tools! Please forward this email to individuals or agencies who might be interested in the programming that we are continuously creating for the 2S-LGBTQ+ older adult community! They can always visit www.saferspaces.ca/new-horizons to learn more or sign up for our mailing list.

Miigwech, thank you, and merci

The New Horizons for 2S-LGBTQ+ Older Adults Team