TORONTO, Nov. 16, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rainbow Faith and Freedom (RFF), a Canadian-based not-for-profit organization, founded in 2019 by the Reverend Dr. Brent Hawkes, has created a multi-faith resource portal to help to address religious-based LGBTQ2S+ discrimination in Canada. A virtual launch week, Faith In Crisis, will introduce these resources to the Canadian public, driving community awareness by providing access to information, inclusive learning and working for progressive social change.
RFF’s Faith In Crisis Launch Week will be held virtually from Tuesday, November 24th to Sunday, November 29th. Faith In Crisis aims to connect over 100 Canadian LGBTQ2S+ organizations with RFF’s resource portal and attract over 500 participants to the virtual Launch Week events.
High rates of religious-based discrimination against LGBTQ2S+ people in Canada result in an increase in mental health and marginalization issues in “normal” times. For LGBTQ2S+ Canadians, the COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated pre-existing inequalities, with social distancing isolating many LGBTQ2S+ people from their chosen support networks and social services, many of which provide access to food, medicine and peer support and stability. While the internet is saturated with negative, fundamentalist and discriminatory materials targeting LGBTQ2s+ people of faith, there has been no centralized online portal for progressive, supportive, faith-based resources – until now.
Faith In Crisis Launch Week will feature presentations, panels, performances, and more. Among those scheduled to appear and participate include:
| Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes | Rev. Dr. Cheri DiNovo |
| LeZlie Lee Kam, Community Activist | Chevi Rabbit, 2-Spirit Human Rights Advocate |
| Susan Gapka, Transgender Activist | Lila Pine, Artist & Indigenous Thinker |
| Rev. Dr. Charles Fensham, Knox College |
These and more speakers, presenters and participants will join RFF to help provide more safe, accessible peer support for multi-faith LGBTQ2S+ Canadians over the course of the week’s events.
Interview/Quote Availability:
Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes, Founder, Rainbow Freedom and Faith
Dr. Stephen Low, Faith In Crisis Project Manager
For more information:
Dave Fraser, Media Officer: Public Relations and Social Media Coordinator
dfraser@rainbowfaithandfreedom.org
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c7bc7222-c4ff-48d0-b1c8-6513ddd40e81