Are you a 2SLGBTQIA+ person with a cognitive disability living in the Lower Mainland?

Do you want to connect with the broader queer community of Vancouver?

Check out Connecting Queer Communities!

A brand new social group by Real Talk.

This is our first-ever event! It will be a free social mixer for anyone who identifies as 2SLGBTQIA+ and having a cognitive disability. Come by, have some snacks, meet other folks like you, and let us know what you’d want from a group like this:

• Would you like to attend some drag shows?
• Want to check out the Dyke March?
• Need some help attending a queer support group?

This first mixer will be all about your plans, your ideas, your dreams of how to spend the year connecting with queer community with the CQC group, and how we can help. We can help arrange transport to and from events, as well as cover some or all of the ticket and transport costs for planned group activities. Coming to this event does NOT mean you must join the group!

ASL interpretation will be provided.

EVENT DETAILS:

WHEN:

Friday, March 31st from 6 – 8pm

WHERE:

Burnaby Association for Community Inclusion (BACI) New Westminster Office
336 Columbia Street, New Westminster (click blue text for Google Maps link)

*across from the Columbia Skytrain Station
*Important note: it is 336 Columbia Street, NOT 336 East Columbia Street– the East Columbia address will lead you to Royal Columbian Hospital!

FINDING THE VENUE:

The event will be held in a non-descript office space. We’ll put non-identifying signs that say ‘CQC’ on the door and windows to spot us as you’re approaching. Because of construction, we’re not easy to spot from the street. We’re in between the big blue UFCW 1518 Union Office building, and Gathered Roots Community Acupuncture & Taverna Greka restaurant. In the picture below, we’re the glass window the red arrow is pointing to.

Drop by anytime between 6 and 8pm, or register on Eventbrite here.

GETTING HERE:

TRANSIT:

The New West BACI Office is roughly 5 minutes from the Columbia Expo Skytrain Station. We’re also roughly 5 minute walk from the Columbia Station Bay 1 Bus Stop, for the 103, 105, 109 and 321 busses.

HANDIDART AND TAXI:

There is currently construction along Columbia, blocking a lot of our regular quick drop-off spots and paid parking spots. All the area we were counting on directly in front of the office is blocked. So! If you’re coming by HandiDart or taxi, the nearest curb lip and place to stop over is 4th Street and Columbia (see picture below), just near the Columbia Skytrain.

PARKING:

If you’re coming by car, you can park along the Blackwood Street hill, or its cross street on Carnavaron. Anywhere in the residential area up the hill from Columbia will get you 2 hours of free parking. There’s also the New Westminster City open air parkade at the foot of Columbia & 4th Street, too. The red pin is our office space, at 336 Columbia Street (see picture below)

Drop by anytime between 6 and 8pm, or register on Eventbrite here.

COVID:

This event is a mask-encouraged space; masks will be available at the front as well as hand sanitizer. We will be following all COVID- guidelines and there will be follow up emails if anything changes as we continue to gather.

ACCESSIBILITY:

The event will take place in the Burnaby Association for Community Inclusion (BACI) New Westminster Office, at 336 Columbia Street. This space is fully wheelchair accessible. The washroom is gender neutral, and wheelchair accessible. We will have dimmer lights for people with light sensitivity in the spaces where we can control the lights. We will have stim toys available. Please avoid wearing cologne, perfumes, or heavy scents in respect of folks with scent sensitivities. ASL Interpretation will be provided. If you need support getting to or from this event, please let us know when you register.

SNACKS:

We will provide a small collection of snacks and non-alcoholic beverages. If you have dietary preferences or requirements, please let us know by emailing Kelsey at kelsey@real-talk.org. There will be access to water; feel free to bring your own water bottle.

This event will take place on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh), S’ólh Téméxw (Stó:lō), and Qayqayt nations.

Any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to Kelsey at kelsey@real-talk.org.

Drop by anytime between 6 and 8pm, or register on Eventbrite here.