"Like the rivers that connect this country, carving out pathways and enriching local communities, Next UP provides many opportunities for its participants to connect with their communities and question how they might create change.”

Jodi Lammiman, Next UP Calgary 3

Thank you for your support, ideas, and encouragement during this year of transition. Next UP’s goal continues to be to equip young people with the skills and tools needed to become effective leaders in movements for progressive social, economic, and environmental change.

Snapshot intensives, coupled with a shorter cohort program enable us to be responsive to community needs. In this time of increased polarity, I believe that now, more than ever, we need to support young leaders if we are to find solutions to our collective challenges.

Your support makes this all possible. Next UP costs approximately $2500/participant and we get by on a small budget. Your donations help us address accessibility needs, pay our presenters fairly, support young leaders to attend our programs at minimal (or no) cost to themselves, and plan ahead.

For every $50 donation made by January 1st, 2019, you will receive a set of unique Next UP "The River" cards, designed by Next Up alumna, Jodi Lammiman, and a charitable tax receipt for the full amount of your gift.

For every $100 donation made by January 1st, 2019, you will receive a coloured print of “The River” by Jodi Lammiman and a charitable tax receipt for the full amount of your gift.

Donate Now!

Thanks for all that you do. Let’s work with empathy and act with courage as we shape a more Just and equitable society, together.

Selena, on behalf of Next UP

P.S. If you would rather give monthly with whatever amount feels right to you, you can sign up as a monthly donor.

We believe that before we can demand better of others, we must demand better of ourselves.

The progressive sector is not immune to systemic inequities - in fact, we can be the most blind to our complicities! As organizations that stand for justice, there is a prolific problem of racial inequity in the non-profit sector. We hear and acknowledge that there is a need for us to critically reflect on equity and decolonization within genius/Next Up.  We strongly desire to deepen and strengthen our equity and anti-oppression work, and we want to do this work in community, with you.

That is why we are working with two phenomenal leaders in transformative and inclusive organizational change: Natasha Aruliah and Parker Johnson. Natasha and Parker are leading a preliminary diversity, equity, and inclusion review of genius and Next Up. This is a starting place for the work we hope to do together. You can find their inspiring biographies below!

This work involves:

• Reviewing how Next Up has evolved over time in each of our program communities;
• Interviewing a cross-section of Vancouver alumni, program staff, Board, and stakeholders – asking critical questions about our understanding of and challenges to equity. I recognize that this is only a very small snapshot and we will work to expand opportunities for the network to engage with us;
• Reviewing our processes such as organizational systems, program content, recruitment, and evaluations from an equity-centred lens.

We are deeply committed to safe(er) spaces that allow for authentic dialogue and centre equity at the core of what we do; this initial review is just the start of our work together! I will be looking to our national network to help us develop action plans, convene dialogues on systemic injustice and colonial harm in movements, and help us focus our equity and anti-oppression lenses. We will always feel as though there isn't enough time or money to do our best work but we can't wait until the timing is perfect; this is too urgent to wait, yet too vital to rush. This reflective work will take time, some tough love, and a lot of patience.

If you have any questions about this process or what’s coming up next, please reach out to me at [email protected]. I look forward to learning and growing in this work together.

- Selena Gignac

Executive Director

Natasha Aruliah identifies as a racialised immigrant settler, who currently lives and works on the unceded and traditional territories of the sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh), and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) nations. Originally trained as a psychologist, she worked as a therapist in healthcare, education and community service settings, with a variety of marginalised communities. This work lead her to working with the systems and structures that cause harm, inequity and injustice to effect change. She now works as a facilitator, consultant, educator and coach, specialising in diversity, equity, inclusion, social justice and transformative change for both individuals and organisations, in the UK, Europe, USA and Canada. She has worked with government, union, non-profit, community and corporate organisations, specifically in education, healthcare, public policy, community services and the environment.

Parker Johnson is an African American man working in the field of prevention of harassment and discrimination, workplace equity and inclusion, and organizational change. He holds a MEd in higher education administration, planning and policy from Harvard University. Also Parker worked in the US in higher education student services focusing on diversity, equity and inclusion for 19 years before moving to Canada in 2002. He has taught courses in education, intercultural communication and cultural studies. For the past few years, he has been a facilitator on social justice issues with the Inner Activist Program. Parker also enjoys time with family and friends, traveling, journaling, and reading speculative fiction.

We are getting excited for Next UP BC Presents: Sustainable Leadership in Urgent Times. We thought you might like to know more about the facilitators who will be leading this three-day weekend leadership program for young people.

This 3-day weekend leadership program for young people will be led by Laura Collison, our Next UP Edmonton Coordinator and Jackson Tse, owner of Benevolent Bodywork.

Laura Collison is a white Settler living in Amiskwaciwâskahikan (Edmonton) under Treaty 6. Laura was a participant in the 2010/11 Next Up Edmonton cohort and has served on Next Up Edmonton’s Advisory Committee.

Growing up surrounded by Albertans in border towns in BC and Saskatchewan led to a fascination with Alberta’s political culture. This drew her to study Sociology and Political Science at the University of Alberta’s Augustana Faculty. She learned that politics in Alberta is often frustrating, but never boring and the progressive community she found here helped her decide to make the province her home.

Laura is passionate about creating change through popular education and has developed workshops on feminism in community organizing, ending gender-based violence and sexual assault, and prison abolition. She also has experience in feminist community radio, youth leadership, volunteer engagement, public legal education, social marketing, and political campaigning. Laura has been a volunteer at the the federal prison for women in the Prairie region since 2008.

You can often find Laura knocking doors during elections; riding her bike to a meeting; hiking in the woods; or curling in Edmonton's LGBTQ curling league with her team, the Button Bangers.

Jackson Wai Chung Tse (he/she/they) is a queer, immigrant, multidisciplinary artist on unceded Coast Salish land, also known as Vancouver, Canada. He is a MEC Outdoor Nation Ambassador, the happy owner of www.BenevolentBodywork.com, and enjoys facilitating and consulting for causes close to his heart.

In mainstream, dominated spaces, he want to bring more queer folks of colour to build community, give voice to those historically and systematically silenced and oppressed, and reclaim our joy, magic, and self-worth back from colonized ideas. He was honoured to be in the 2014/15 Calgary NextUp cohort.

Since graduating from civil engineering at Queen's University, teaching English overseas, and self-funding travel to 35 different countries around the world, Jackson has decided to move to the West Coast to be closer to his two biggest heartbeats: his best friend and the ocean.

Jackson likes to make love, hold solo dance parties when no one is around, and sink his hands into giant sacks of dried rice. He’s a big connection junkie. Sometimes he forgets to shave and his facial hair grows out in uneven patches. He still can’t get his moustache to join. Really, he's just a Chinese gay hippie unicorn radical faerie full of chocolate, smiles, and light.

He identifies as a person of colour to refugee parents, grew up in a low-income, suburban, and conservative home, and had a past as an evangelical Christian. As a sexual assault survivor, he knows the importance of giving people the power of choice. He tries not to make any assumptions, and he takes care to be completely present with the folks he's engaged with. His facilitation experience comes from his roles at organizations across Canada and the globe, including Camp fYrefly, Shad Valley International, Tim Horton’s Children’s Ranch, the Quantum Learning Network, the Centre for International Pedagogical Studies in France, the Ministry of Science and Education in Georgia, The Calgary Bridge Foundation for Youth, and numerous post-secondary institutions.
Jackson’s soul gets replenished from sharing food in conscious communities, spending time in nature, and expressing his creativity. In 2018, he made his debut with MachineNoisy Dance Society at the Vancouver Queer Arts Festival, and premiered his first film, Breaking the Silence featuring Paul Wong, at the Vancouver Queer Film Festival.

Please connect with Jackson at his Instagram, his ModelMayhem profile, or his Youtube videos.

Sustainable Leadership in Urgent Times is on September 28th - September 30th. The application deadline is Tuesday, September 18th. You can learn more information or apply now by clicking here.

If you have any questions, you can email [email protected].

From the Board of Directors:

The genius Board of Directors is excited to welcome Selena Gignac into the role of Executive Director of the Global Youth Education Network Society (genius). Selena brings incredible experience and vision to the role and we are thrilled that she will be leading the important work of the organization.

Before introducing Selena to you, we want to take this opportunity to recognize outgoing Executive Director, Kevin Millsip, and his brilliant leadership over the past 14 years.

Since founding genius in 2004, Kevin has grown the vision of the organization and its programs, and genius has seen an incredible evolution over that time. Next Up, our flagship program, began in Vancouver in 2006 and now offers social and environmental justice leadership programs in seven cities across Canada. It also offers specific Indigenous leadership training opportunities for Indigenous young adults in Saskatchewan and British Columbia. Genius has also supported the important work of Organize BC, Get Your Vote On, Front Runner and Hua Foundation. It has been an honour for the Directors to work alongside Kevin, support his vision, and celebrate the impact that genius has had. Kevin has shown incredible commitment, passion, and integrity throughout his tenure as Executive Director and we want to thank him for setting the stage for Selena to carry this organization into the next era.

We also want to thank Tracey Mitchell (former Acting Executive Director and Prairie Regional Manager, Next Up) and Kristie Starr (former Operations Manager and Fund Development Coordinator) for their incredible contributions to Next Up and for their guidance throughout this transition period. They will be truly missed and we wish them well in their new respective projects.

As for the future, we are very excited to welcome Selena into the role of Executive Director and watch how the organization benefits from her energy, vision, and many talents. She is described by her colleagues as an incredible relationship builder and convener. She has an extensive background in youth leadership training, both as a Next Up graduate and as a facilitator of youth leadership programs. Selena participated in Next Up Calgary during the first year it was offered (2010/2011), and, we are thrilled to have a Next Up alumna move into this leadership role.

Selena has coordinated global and national youth events, including supporting national youth conferences focused on reconciliation. She is Co-Chair of the Board of Directors of Canadian Roots Exchange, and has been a community facilitator with the 4Rs Youth Movement, which works to change the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth through nation-to-nation dialogue. She is a skilled facilitator, public speaker, and a powerful story teller.

During the interview process, Selena presented an exciting vision for how genius can evolve to build an even stronger social and environmental justice sector across the country. We were inspired by her ideas, her energy, and her creativity. As Selena stated, “genius demonstrates a daring belief that youth are not merely ‘leaders of the future’, but that with the right opportunities and support networks, they are already the leaders of today.” It was clear that Selena’s strong progressive values align with the mission of genius, and we know she will be an excellent leader for genius and its programs.

Welcome, Selena!

From Selena Gignac:

The transition from founding Executive Director to new leadership is momentous for an organization. Many in our network will recall Kevin’s beautiful story-telling and his ability to ground us in why this work is so vital to the fabric of our communities, but also to ourselves. His energy, joyful sense of humour, and stories of his once magnificent beard, will all be missed - but as Kevin has reassured me as I’ve come on board, he remains committed to supporting the movement. There is still so much to learn together.

I am deeply humbled by the Board’s belief in me and am ready to learn, listen, and be fearless with you. I am energized by this opportunity for genius to boldly redefine progressive leadership in Canada: leadership that holds institutions accountable to communities, challenges systems to be rooted in a culture of sustainability, demands equity without condition, and inspires not only individuals, but a generation, as instigators (agitators!) for change.

As an anglophone, Acadian-settler mother living in Alberta, my relationship with colonialism is complex. I believe that reconciliation is rooted in both an understanding of self and in collective community experience. This is critical and personal work for me as I strive within my own communities to decolonize what it means to be part of the Acadian diaspora. I am deeply committed to safe(er) spaces that allow for authentic dialogue and centre equity at the core of what we do.

In the coming months, I will be taking time to connect with our network of allies and alumni. You will notice some exciting changes as we move out of summer and into what would usually be our program year. If you’re looking for the usual Next Up program in your city in the fall, you will instead find an opportunity to gather and connect in focused intensives. As we approach 12 years of programming, we are launching an organizational equity review, which will challenge and strengthen our movement as we navigate changes to the progressive sector together; I look forward to sharing and discussing the results and action plan with you.

This shift in approach for the next few months isn’t about being quiet or passive. Genius is taking one deep, collective breath so we can take stock of how far we’ve come, and, loudly & boldly demand better of ourselves and of the world around us. I look forward to co-conspiring with you.

Selena Gignac
Executive Director

[email protected]

Next UP Saskatchewan graduate, Dan Leblanc (NUSask Alum 2012-13) and his sister have recently discussed how the most recent Saskatchewan Provincial Budget has affected them.

Link to the video can be found here.

Next Up Saskatchewan 2012 Alumnus Jae Ford is a co-founder of Signs of Healing, an initiative to display signs outside the Irene & Les Dube Centre for Mental Health in Saskatoon. The group is currently fundraising to expand their initiative to five other inpatient units. To support the project click here. To read more about this project go to the Saskatoon Star Phoenix article or read the text from the article below.

The second year of the Climate Leadership Program began March 2 - 4 in Kananaskis, Alberta. We took to the mountains and the home of the Stoney Nakoda people for the orientation weekend of our 5-weekend program. We gathered 27 participants from across Alberta, from Slave Lake, to Red Deer, Settler, Calgary and Edmonton. We’re excited to be learning together with Metis, newcomers, the energy industry, nonprofits, First Nations, farmers, unions members, researchers and more. We’re also looking forward to our many guest presenters, from government, academia, grassroots groups, think tanks, and hands on climate leaders. At the end of this program our new grads will be bringing back a climate action project to their workplaces and communities, taking actions that will move Alberta closer to the low carbon future that is necessary. All of this wouldn’t be possible without the committed support of Alberta EcoTrust and the Calgary Foundation. We’re grateful for their recognition of the importance of developing unlikely allies as Albertan climate leaders.

In addition, we held two successful events on March 24 in Edmonton and April 21 in Calgary, where NU and CLP grads, along with the public met their local CLP participants and learned about past and planned climate action projects. Contact [email protected] to receive updates about ongoing Climate Connection afternoons.

Thanks to a small but mighty team of Advisory Committee members and alumni, Ottawa closed out 2017 with a wonderfully successful phone banking initiative raising over $1000 towards NU's Accessibility in Action Fund in just a few hours. Ontario has launched into 2018 with this sustained energy, and with a commitment to exploring new avenues for programming in the province. Intensive workshops ran in both Ottawa and Toronto in the the past few months, with over 50 new participants this year. We are doing our best to keep our network growing!