Hello again everyone, I hope you are staying safe and enjoying the summer...and counting down the days to Pride!

You may remember when I first started writing this column I mentioned that I co-chaired an Advisory Board to the Chief of Police, a committee made up of community members, representatives from community agencies and allies.  Well, now is the time for me to introduce those board members to you.

I asked everyone to write a short bio, and this is what they wanted me to tell you about them.

Calvin has been an advocate for the LGBT communities for the past six years, serving the community through participation in various boards and volunteer activities. After being assaulted by a group of attackers because he was gay, Calvin has worked hard to promote awareness of the LGBT communities and issues that affect them with a focus on community safety and workplace inclusion. He was formerly the Alberta & Territories Lead for RBC’s LGBT Employee Resource Group, RBC PRIDE and a member of the National RBC PRIDE Committee. Currently, Calvin is the Civilian Co-Chair for the Calgary Police Service Sexuality & Gender Diversity Chief’s Advisory Board, a member of the Calgary Police Service Communities Advisory Board to the Chief, and a Director with Pride at Work Canada. Calvin was presented with the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in February by Alberta Premier Allison Redford and will be awarded the 2013 Calgary Police Commission Community Policing Award in June.

Jane has a private practice in Calgary, where she works with individuals, couples and families, specializing in the areas of family violence, sexual abuse, depression, and anxiety. She works and trains extensively with the gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgendered communities and with professionals, especially in the areas of Same-Sex Domestic Violence and Bullying and Harassment of GLBT Youth. She is a member of the Psychologists Association of Alberta, the College of Alberta Psychologists, the Canadian Psychologists Association, the Canadian Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology, and the Canadian Society of Clinical Hypnosis – Alberta Division. She has also co-authored the chapter "Counseling Lesbians" in "Culturally-Infused Counseling: Celebrating the Canadian Mosaic, 2005".  For more information check her website at: http://www.janeoxenbury.com

JT spent over twenty years in the Entertainment Industry as an actor, Senior Partner in a Talent Agency and then in Casting in the Film Industry on both sides of the pond. He emigrated from London, UK in 2003 and settled in Toronto for 6 years where he volunteered as the Entertainment Coordinator for Pride Toronto. He moved to Alberta in 2008 and was the Speaker and Special Event Coordinator for the Calgary Chamber of Commerce. He has just started as the Events Coordinator for the Circle for Aboriginal Relations Society here in Calgary. He is currently the Vice President for The Alberta Rockies Gay Rodeo Association, a member of the Sexual and Gender Diversity Chief’s Advisory Board and a member of the Men’s Sexual Health Advisory Committee for AIDS Calgary.

Kirsti is a Crown Prosecutor with Alberta Justice. Currently she prosecutes in the Youth Unit with Calgary General Prosecutions. She is a member of Calgary and Canadian Bar Associations. Kirsti has acted on a number of community organizations and has been a member of the Sexuality & Gender Diversity Chief’s Advisory Board since 2011. She holds a B.A. (with distinction) in Anthropology and Kinesiology from the University of Lethbridge and is a graduate of the University of Calgary where she completed her L.L.B.. Kirsti is also an outdoor pursuits enthusiast and when not in court she can be found in the mountains.

For two years, Nick has worked for the Calgary Sexual Health Centre teaching comprehensive sexual health education in Calgary and area schools. He is currently working in a collaborative position with the CSHC and the U of A’s Institute for Sexual Minority Studies and Services as a Sexual and Gender Minority Youth Education Coordinator. In this role, Nick works as an organizer and facilitator for the Calgary Gay-Straight Alliance Network and monthly roundtable meetings, organizes and coordinates Camp fYrefly Calgary, and in September will be facilitating anti-homophobia education programs in Calgary schools called "fYrefly in Schools!"  Through the CSHC Nick and other colleagues have been engaging with the LGBTQ community to find and enhance supports for LGBTQ youth. Nick is honoured to sit on the CPS Sexual and Gender Diversity Chief’s Advisory Board to support their community work and represent not only sexual and gender minorities, but also the many other community groups that the Calgary Sexual Health Centre strives to support in achieving healthier sexuality and sexual well-being.

Adam is a metal smith jeweler who received his BFA from the Alberta College of Art and Design while transitioning.  He enjoys volunteering within the LGBT community while being a trans member.  Since Adam has felt much support from the community in general, he feels it is important to be giving back to it.  He was a member of TESA (Trans Equality Society of Alberta) and has volunteered in a variety of ways with Miscellaneous Youth and the Fake Mustache Drag King Troupe.  As a member of the Transformers group, he enjoys being a resource and influence for the younger generation of the trans community.  Adam is pleased to be a member of this board of dedicated people and he appreciates having the opportunity to be a part of it.  He also has the privilege of planning a wedding to a wonderful woman who similarly enjoys volunteering within the community and is very supportive of his transitioning.

Ed is originally from Manitoba; however, attended high school, college and university in Alberta.  Through the years, he has worked for non-profit and for-profit organizations, both on and off reserve.  Ed had his traditional Naming Ceremony in September 2012 and was adopted by Marsha and Leroy Wolf Collar form Siksika Nation.  His Blackfoot name is Mountain Fly, "Mis Tah Kii Poh Tah."  He continues to be on a spiritual journey through the teachings of Elders, participating in sweats, and learning traditional ways such as medicines, plants and berries.  Ed and his partner celebrated ten years being together.  They have two dogs, a bichon and corgi, and travel annually to the Caribbean to different islands.  They are planning to travel the Orient within the next few years.

Bill is serving in his first year on the Chiefs Committee, representing Apollo, Friends in Sports.

He has lived in Calgary since the early 1960s and has seen the local community grow and continually evolve.  Bill brings this local experience to strengthen our Board, along with several years of committee experience, having served in many of the Apollo Board positions (currently serving as Treasurer) over the past 15 years. He also brings valued experience from serving as Secretary and Regional Director with the International Gay Bowling Organization.  IGBO, is the largest LGBT sports group worldwide with over 15,000 members.

Lisa is an industry-renowned artist whose passion is cultivating a community she calls home. Lisa has recently joined the LGBT board with the strong desire to make social change. For the past years, Lisa has been successfully able to inspire youngsters and the like, in uncovering the best they can be - through the expression of ones individuality regardless of age, religion, beliefs, skin color, culture, sexual orientation and finally political views through the influence of art. Lisa looks forward to shaping the community today for a much more livable place tomorrow. Being a part of the LGBT board, Lisa demonstrates her passion in cultivating the community toward becoming a more visible part of society.

Tet is originally from Manila, Philippines, where she was once a part of the organizing committee for Manila Pride and was an active member of the organization known as the Lesbian Activists of the Philippines (LeAP!).  She had a teaching career that spanned for nine years (five of those were spent teaching in an international school in Taiwan) and together with that, she had coached high school and junior level volleyball, basketball, softball and soccer teams, and has won various competitions in the process. Tet moved to Calgary in 2007 and she is proud to say that she has been a civil servant to all Albertans for five years now.  In her spare time, she shuffles her energy between her various artworks ~ photography and the occasional performances that she gets herself into.  In addition, she has been actively volunteering her time between a few different organizations, including:  Calgary Humane Society, Mosaic (an LGBTQIA youth org in Calgary), Fairy Tales Queer Film Festival, Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo, Calgary Pride, Apollo Outdoor Pursuits, the Calgary Public Library and now with the Sexuality and Diversity Board for the CPS.

So, that introduces my team to you.  We are all committed to encouraging and supporting safe and inclusive communities through communication, collaboration and capacity building.  I understand that there may be some of you out there who have police-related questions or concerns but don’t feel comfortable raising them with me or any other police officer.  If this is the case, I urge you to make contact with one of the board members who will be more than happy to speak with you.

A number of my CPS colleagues and I are looking forward to participating in Pride Parade this year, so come and give us a wave.  We are your allies, and we will be there to support you.

Stay safe, look after each other, and I will talk to you next month.  As always, feel free to get in touch with any comments, questions or concerns.