Are you BIMPoC and trans, nonbinary or Two Spirit? Uncovering Brilliance Transforming Racism Mindfulness Group is free and for you!

Uncovering Brilliance, Transforming Racism:
A Joyful Resilience 
An 8 Week Mindfulness Meditation Group for Two-Spirit, Non-binary trans BIMPoC*
Community Info Session: december 9, 2019 
​Time: 6:30 pm-8:30 pm
Location: Fraser and Broadway
Group dates:January 13, 2020- March 9, 2020
n o group February 17 
Time: 6:30 pm-8:30 pm
Location: Fraser and Broadway
Facilitator: Lu Lam, M. Ed. CCC
Peer WEllness Mentor: Shay Loo, B. Psych
To register: [email protected], 778-829-8959
Full Info: lulam.ca/news

Mindfulness Info Session for Two-Spirit, Indigenous trans, Gender variant, Non-Binary Folks (13-30 yrs)
Info session for 8 week Mindfulness group for two-spirit, trans, Non-binary BIMpOc* January 13-March 9
Info Session  Date: Wed. Dec. 11 , 2019
5-7 pm Learning Centre
Urban Native youth Association
1618 East Hastings 
Facilitator: Lu lam, M. ed. CCC
register with Owen: text or call 604-379-5133, [email protected]
full info: lulam.ca/news
* for Two-spirit, Gender Expansive, Non-binary, Trans Poeple who are also Black, Indigiqueers, Indigenous, Multi-racial, and/or People of colour
Taking place on the Unceded hOmelands of the Squamish, Musqueum and Tsleil-waututh  First Nations

---

Funded by: Trans Care BC

Do you feel heart break from:

• ongoing sense of not belonging? And no amount of radical thinking seems to mend the hurt
• knowing you’re brilliant, but feel far from that truth
• holding your communities up but not sure if you are even okay?

 
Do you have a sense that mindfulness could support your well-being but you weren’t sure where to go?


Good news.
 
This winter, you have a rare chance to gather among a group of 2S & NBTrans BIMPoC* to learn mindfulness, self-compassion and joy meditation practices.
 
We’ll cover practices to process difficult feelings (ie. hurt from micro-aggressions), grow resilience and joy.

Current western medical evidence also shows how integration of mindfulness practices has potential to:

• promote healing
• live better with chronic pain
• improve overall quality of life
• grow a healthier relationship to self.  In doing so, to all your relations.

 

Winter, according to Traditional Chinese Medicine, is the best season for this inner work.  And it’s cost free!  What could be a greater gift to yourself for the start of 2020?

There is no time to lose. Because you’re life is precious. Because “ racism is a heart disease and it’s curable” (Ruth King, 2019). Don’t ignore the call of the heart’s break.


Let’s do our inner work. For a more joy full, kinder and just world.
This group will be facilitated from a trauma informed anti-oppression approach, where lived experiences of being discriminated and intersectional worldviews are welcomed.

How much does UBTR cost?

• It's free
• We offer free compass tickets
• Light snacks will be provided 

Who is UBTR group for?

• Do you self-identify as a Black, Indigenous, Métis, Inuit, Multi-racial, Person of Colour, racialized person, visible minority of Two-Spirit, Indigiqueer, non-binary, gender expansive, trans experience (2S & NBTrans BIMPoC*)?  
  
  
• Do you have an interest getting to know your direct experience (feeling, thought, sensation), whatever that may be, through facilitated support?

 

• Do you have a readiness to practice mindfulness everyday?  Daily commitment to practice is the intention – even a few minutes a day; length of practice is not the focus?

 

• Can you commit to attending the 8 group sessions?

 
If you answered yes to all 4 above, UBTR is for you!

I’m interested! What’s next?

• Come to the Community Info Session on Dec. 9, 6:30 pm -8:30 pm. Location: TBA
• Contact [email protected] or 778-829-8959 to reserve a spot.
• Register early. There will be 20 spots.
  
  
• Or come to the Mindfulness Info Session for Two-Spirit, Indigenous Trans, Non-Binary, Gender Variant Indigenous Youth on Dec. 11, 5-7 pm.
• Location: Learning Centre. Urban Native Youth Association. 1618 East. Hastings.
• ​Contact  Owen Ballendine, Two-Spirit Youth Counsellor. Call or txt 604-379-5133 or email [email protected]

What happens at the Community Info Session?

• Experience the mindfulness facilitation style to see if it’s right for you
• Engage in a community consultation by contributing your ideas to make this group great
• Ask questions
• Register in person to confirm your spot for UBTR’s 8 Week Mindfulness Group starting January 13, 2020 6:30 pm-8:30 pm.
• Enjoy snacks

I can’t make the Community Info Session, can I still register for UBTR’s 8 week Mindfulness Group?
For sure. Contact l[email protected] or 778-829-8959 to schedule a 15min intake to see if it’s the right time to practice with UBTR.
 
Last day for registration is 5 pm December 30, 2019. Register early before spots fill.
​
Why Trans BIMPoC*?
Black, Indigenous, Métis, Inuit, Multi-racial, People of Colour, racialized people with Two-Spirit, Indigiqueer, non-binary trans, and/or gender expansive experience (2S & NBTrans BIMPoC*) are profound complex human expressions.
Yet, instead of a wise world that uplifts us, we live in a world that annihilates complexity. Black, Indigenous, women of trans-experience, Two-Spirit and Indigiqueer people are disproportionately impacted by hate-based violence.  Local and national consultations with 2S & NBTrans BIMPoC* communities are asking for intentional spaces to attend to our mental, emotional, and physical well-being.
UBTR intends answer a call from the 2S & NBTransBIMPoC* communities by offering an intersectional and inclusive space to:

• Take care of the invisible wounds of intersecting cultural oppressions (ie. anti-Black racism, anti-Indigenous racism, Islamophobia, trans misogyny, transphobia, fatphobia)
• Reclaim joyful fun  in our unique and cultural ways
• Practice different ways of knowing that’s often discounted or appropriated in mainstream culture.
• Grow healthy relationship to our innately brilliant selves. In doing so, grow healthy relationships to all our relations.
• Trust that our experiences will be validated instead of pathologized
  
  

How many people will be in this group?
Approximately 10-15 participants. 
 
What happens in these group sessions?
In the first part, information will be shared on how a mindfulness paradigm may benefit us and our collective well-being. Psycho-education on how difficult emotions activate our heartmindbody systems will be integrated. Poetry is also used to illustrate mindfulness and compassion concepts. A mindfulness practice will be introduced and we will engage in this practice.  In the second part, we will open the workshop for any questions or reflections on the mindfulness and compassion practice.
 
What can I expect from attending this group?
This is a practice based experiential group. You can expect to experience practices in a supportive environment which encourages you to directly gently explore your feelings, thoughts, and sensations. 
 
You can expect to have time and space to ask any questions related to your experience of the mindfulness practices.
 
You can expect to learn how mindfulness based practices and paradigm can benefit our well-being in order to strengthen our social justice, reconciliation  and liberational work.

You can expect to have Compass tickets for return trip to the group and light snacks. 
 
Can you provide an example of a mindfulness and compassion practice?
An example of mindfulness practice could be mindfulness of the breath, sound, body scan, thoughts, feelings, walking, standing, moving.
 
A self-compassion practice may be bringing your awareness with kindness; to whatever you are experience with an allowance for the experience with kind acceptance, no rejection, no changing, no pushing away what is present.

Accessibility Info for Fraser and Broadway Location

• one block from transit (99 B-Line, #9 & # 8 buses)
• Community space is fully wheelchair accessible.
• Main floor- two single-stall, wheelchair accessible all-gender washrooms on the main floor as well as several multi-stall gendered washrooms.
• scent-reduced space.

 
For UBTR2 , our room is:

• Is accessible by elevator and by stairs
• There is one single-stall wheelchair accessible all-gender washroom, two multi-stall gendered washrooms.
• In our meeting room, there will be floor lamps with incandescent bulbs in use (in place of overhead fluorescent lighting).
• Floors are linoleum. Chairs may be hard plastic or upholstered office chairs.

 
 
Mindfulness Facilitator: Lu Lam, M. Ed. C.C.C.  is a Chinese-Taiwanese trans-identified Mindfulness Counsellor and Consultant. He gratefully acknowledges the people of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueum), sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) First Nations, where he works and lives as a settler learning to be a guest. Lu finds joy in creating spaces for people to uncover who they truly are in order to strengthen our social justice work.  He brings 20 years of group facilitation experience, 11 years of daily mindfulness practice, is currently in the Spirit Rock Community Dharma Leaders 6 Program, in continuous mindfulness study, and attends yearly meditation retreats. For fun, Lu loves to feast with family, camp and swim in nature.  www.lulam.ca
 
Peer Wellness Mentor: Shay Loo, BA Psych. 

---