Fort Erie Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Coalition

11/03/2026

🎤😂 GET READY TO LAUGH FOR A GREAT CAUSE! 🎭❤️

THE BIG GIGGLE GALA IS COMING TO RIDGEWAY!

They say laughter is the best medicine… but in this case, it's also helping send some incredibly talented young performers to California! ✈️🎭

Join us for The Big Giggle Gala, a fun-filled evening of good laughs, good people and a GREAT cause!

And guess who's hosting? 🎤 JPA! That's right, I'll be your host for the evening, so you can expect a little humour, a little fun and probably a few things I shouldn't say into a microphone! 😂

All while supporting the amazing young performers from Down the Rabbit Hole Theatre Co. as they raise funds to attend the Junior Theatre Festival West in Sacramento, California!

🎭 THE BIG GIGGLE GALA 🎭

📅 Saturday, January 23, 2027

⏰ 7:30 PM – 10:00 PM (doors open at 7:00pm)

📍 The Sanctuary Centre for the Arts
209 Ridge Road North, Ridgeway, ON

🎟️ Tickets: $30

🎫 GET YOUR TICKETS HERE:
https://TheBigGiggleGala.eventbrite.ca

Whether you're planning a date night, a girls' night out, or just desperately need an evening away from the laundry, dishes and responsibilities of adulthood, THIS IS YOUR NIGHT!

Come out, share some laughs, support local youth theatre and help these kids take their talents to an international stage!

Every ticket helps make a difference.

Let's pack the house, fill it with laughter and show these young performers just how much their community is behind them!

Because when we laugh together, we can do some pretty amazing things together! 🎭❤️

10/28/2026

🕊️ Honouring the Journey to Freedom — Remembering Our History, Celebrating Our Humanity.

Today, October 28th, the Fort Erie Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Coalition was honoured to attend Josiah’s Journey to Freedom — Canadian Arrival, a meaningful gathering at Freedom Park along the Niagara River.

On this very day in 1830, Josiah Henson and his family arrived in Fort Erie, seeking freedom from slavery in the United States. Their journey was one of extraordinary courage, resilience and hope. Henson’s life would later help inspire Harriet Beecher Stowe’s famous novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin.

Today, 196 years later, we gathered on those same shores to remember his journey and honour the thousands of freedom seekers who crossed the Niagara River through the Underground Railroad in search of safety, dignity and a better future.

Through powerful storytelling, reflection and community connection, we were reminded that Fort Erie is more than a border community. It is a place that holds an important chapter in the history of freedom, courage and the pursuit of human rights.

For the EDI Coalition, events like this reinforce why our work matters. Understanding our shared history, acknowledging the struggles of those who came before us, and creating opportunities to listen and learn from one another are essential to building a community where everyone feels they belong.

We extend our sincere appreciation to Dewitt Lee and the organizers of Josiah’s Journey to Freedom, the participants who helped bring this history to life, Mayor Wayne Redekop, and everyone who gathered to commemorate this important anniversary.

As we stood beside the Niagara River today, we were reminded that the journey toward equity, inclusion and belonging is one we must continue together.

History is not just something we remember. It is something we learn from, carry forward and honour through our actions. ❤️

10/14/2026

TIFF in Fort Erie presents:

Don't miss this unique opportunity to watch our hometown history come alive on the big screen! TIFF in Fort Erie presents a special community movie night on Thursday, November 12th at the Meridian Centre for the Arts.

Why you can't miss this event:
-Two incredible films: Experience the docudrama BURD and the documentary Echoes of the Ancestors.
-Meet the creators: Ask your questions during an in person Q&A with the filmmakers
-Support a great cause: Help us stock the Fort Erie Native Friendship Centre Food Pantry by donating a non perishable food item
-Completely Free: Free parking, free admission, and open to all ages!

Doors open at 6:00 PM, and the show starts at 7:00 PM. Tickets are free, but you must register to claim your seat!

Learn more and register here - https://bit.ly/4zukvsI

09/24/2026

Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to speak at the Fort Erie Native Friendship Centre as part of Community Conversations & Learning: TRC Lunch with FENFC.

I was invited to speak on behalf of the Fort Erie Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Coalition about the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, the work happening locally, and what reconciliation looks like when it becomes more than a single day of recognition.

One message I kept coming back to was this:
Reconciliation is not an event. It is a relationship.

It lives in the decisions we make, the conversations we are willing to have, the voices we make room for, and the courage to challenge racism and harmful language when we encounter it.

I also shared a lesson from Maya Angelou about courage — that courage is something we build through practice, little by little, until we are able to say, “Not here. Not in my house.”

For me, that is part of the responsibility we all carry.

To listen.
To learn.
To question what we thought we knew.
To speak up when it matters.
And to continue the work long after the event is over.

I’m grateful to the Fort Erie Native Friendship Centre for creating space for these conversations and for bringing Indigenous and non-Indigenous community members together to learn, reflect and move forward.

I’m sharing my full speech below. I hope it encourages another conversation.

09/22/2026

Join us for our Youth Art Night! 🎨

Youth age 13 and up!

Join us on the 22nd and 29th of September for another Youth Art Night

A safe space to create. Please register to get your spot!
Contact Mark to register: [email protected]

09/15/2026

09/15/2026

Join us for a day of Learning, Reflection, and Reconciliation on Tuesday, September 23rd from 10AM - 3PM. Featuring a viewing of the documentary, "For Love", a delicious traditional lunch, and two amazing speakers, Jackie LaBonte and Sherri Vansickle.

For more information about the documentary, "For Love", see the trailer at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lnjib-DAfW8.

Limited Seating Available. Please register with Sharaya at 289-686-3899 or [email protected].

09/15/2026

The Fort Erie Native Friendship Centre is proud to offer this amazing workshop, facilitated by Liz Akiwenzie and Tracey Whiteye.

The workshop will be on Sunday September 27, 2026 9:30-4:30.

Please register and bring a chair to his outdoor event.
Register with Mark: [email protected] or Jillian: [email protected]