York University community members are invited to join The Centre for Sexual Violence Response, Support & Education (The Centre) for a full day of events planned for Jan. 26 that focus on consent.
The events planned offer a blend of in-person and online activities. Consent Action Day highlights the important knowledge, insight and critical issues surrounding consent.
Planned and facilitated by experts at The Centre, the events that make up Consent Action Day serve to raise awareness about mental health, well-being, recovery, self-care and advocacy. The events also serve to raise awareness, facilitate discussions and educate students, faculty and staff about the many supports and services offered by The Centre’s staff, peers and external partners.
Some events require registration, all events are free.
The following are summaries of Consent Action Day events; registration details are linked to each event listing title:
Affirmation Coloring Drop In
11 a.m. to noon
305 York Lanes, Keele Campus
Facilitated by Shaundaya Melo
Affirmations are a powerful way to build a healthy mindset. Join participants in this drop-in session and learn how to create affirmations that support desires.
Self-Care Art Therapy
1 to 2 p.m.
305 York Lanes, Keele Campus
Facilitated by Ashley Moore – Full Circle
This is an art therapy workshop tailored to support individuals who are involved with community activism and need space to re-center and refocus on their own self-care. No previous art-making experience is required to join this workshop. Participants will focus on the art-making process, and how this can support self-care practice, and not on art-making techniques or skills.
Sexual Body Confidence
2 to 3 p.m.
Online via Zoom
Facilitated by Luna Matatas
Sexual confidence isn’t a look or a sexual technique – it’s about skills in pleasure, consent and partner communication. Have you ever felt shy about your body? Nervous about connecting on dating apps? Unsure about sexual anatomy? This workshop will have tips for building body confidence, unlearning shame and building more pleasure in your experiences. Join sex and pleasure educator, Luna Matatas, to explore skills for dating and solo pleasure, and bring your questions.
Self Advocacy as a Form of Care
3 to 4 p.m.
305 York Lanes, Keele Campus
Facilitated by Keosha Love
This workshop will explore self-advocacy as a self-care practice that liberates us and an empowering tool to reclaim our personal agency, power and boundaries. In this workshop, participants will discover healthy ways to use advocacy in relationships at work and in our personal lives, while also exploring the existing barriers that silence us and force us to use survival mechanisms instead of the tools that allow us to thrive. How we show up for ourselves is just as important as how we show up for others and self-advocacy is how we start to fully honour ourselves.
Trauma-Informed Yoga
5 to 6 p.m.
305 York Lanes, Keele Campus
Facilitated by Nicole Brown Faulknor
This class aims to give participants tools to understand how trauma affects the body and to let go of trauma stored in the body through movement. Trauma may seem like a loaded word, but it is something that affects many of us through major losses, accidents, violence or other major life stresses. Everything in the class is optional and beginner-friendly.
Stories Spark Change
6 to 7 p.m.
Online via Zoom
Facilitated by adrienne maree brown
Join internationally renowned writer, activist, musician and facilitator adrienne maree brown for an in-depth conversation on joy, pleasure and healing. This virtual event will feature student poetry and artwork, and the conversation will be moderated by Keneisha Charles.
To learn more, visit The Centre’s website.