On this episode, we meet Jeff Chalifoux. Jeff is an Indigenous Two Spirit father whose Cree name is Kimwewehtew (Silent Walker)*. Jeff joins us to talk about his career in social work, supporting the 2SLGBTQ+ community in reducing harms associated with sexualized substance use. He shares his story of navigating substance use and correctional systems, and tells us how embracing his gender, sexuality and Indigenous heritage empowers him.

Jeff is a member of the Métis Nation and an advocate for sexual and gender diverse minority communities. Currently in graduate clinical social work studies, Jeff is also a Co-Founder and former Co-Chair and now the Executive Director of the Edmonton 2 Spirit Society. He sits on the Alberta College of Social Worker’s Sexual and Gender Diversity Committee and he is the program coordinator of the Edmonton Men’s Health Collective’s Peer N Peer Harm Reduction Program (PNP). This program supports the 2SLGBTQ+ community in reducing harms associated with sexualized substance use.

*The spelling of Kimwewehtew is missing character accents. We were unable to confirm proper spelling with an elder or knowledge keeper prior to posting this episode.

Links:
Follow Jeff Chalifoux on twitter.

Learn more about Edmonton Men’s Health Collective (EMHC) and their Peer N Peer Substance Use Program.

Visit the Edmonton 2 Spirit Society.
Hear more of Jeff’s experience with substance use with this video by the Edmonton Journal.

Check out the Community-Based Research Centre (CBRC).

See the CBRC Sex Now Survey and Reports.

Watch The Danger of a Single Story talk by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

Definitions of Two-Spirit (just a few examples):
https://lgbtqhealth.ca/community/two-spirit.php
https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/two-spirit 
http://www.phsa.ca/transcarebc/trans-basics/two-spirit 

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The post Episode 88 – Jeff Chalifoux (Silent Walker) appeared first on Edmonton Community Foundation.