UsNow 2019
Speakers
Dr. Jessica O'Reilly (Dr. Jess), PhD
Jessica O’Reilly (@SexWithDrJess) is a sex and relationship expert and the founder of Happier Couples Inc. which provides relationship education (online and via retreats) to couples across the globe. Canadian-born, Chinese-Jamaican and Irish by descent, Jess began working as a sexuality counsellor 2001. Her PhD studies involved the development of training programs in sex education for teachers and her education and undergraduate degrees focused on equity and sexual diversity.
Her training includes courses in counselling skills, healthy relationships, resolving sexual concerns, sex education, clinical sexology, sexual development, sex and disability, group therapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.
Alongside her academic and television credits, Dr. Jess is also an accomplished author with three best-selling titles. Listen to her podcast @sexwithdrjess, catch her on Tuesday mornings on Global TV’s The Morning Show, Wednesdays on 102.1 The Edge and Saturday on PlayboyTV.
Yamikani Msosa
Yamikani Msosa is a grassroots feminist anti-violence, anti-racist organizer, part-time equity & diversity consultant and movement-based practitioner. She is currently the Coordinator for Diversity and Inclusion, overseeing the Black Academic Success and Engagement (BASE) Initiative at Humber College. She completed her Master’s degree in Women and Gender Studies at Carleton University. She has given trainings’ all over the country on issues related to Sexual Violence, LGBTQ Communities & Anti-Black Racism including Ministry of the Attorney General, Ministry of Labour, Status of Women, UN Committee on International Decade of People of African Descent, and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
Yamikani has been featured in Macleans Magazine, The Walrus, Chatelaine Magazine, Now Toronto, and CBC National. She has worked for organizations such as Ottawa Coalition to End Violence Against Women, Immigrant Women Services of Ottawa, Sexual Assault Support Centre of Ottawa to name a few. Currently, Yamikani sits on Advisory Council for the Equality Project at the University of Ottawa & is an advisory member of Match International Global Fund for Women.
Dr. Xenobia Delgado, PhD
Xenobia Delgado is a Certified Health Therapist and Wellness Counsellor. She studied Lifestyle Medicine at Harvard University CME and earned her Doctoral Degree (PhD) from the University at Albany in New York. As the director of a health care facility, she trained in community health management, nutrition, and menu planning. She has worked overseas for the Canadian International Development Agency on Health and Nutrition programs, and has served as an Instructor and Assistant Professor at Universities on both the east and west coasts of the United States.
She is the author of the published book, “With Only Human Hopes” and of published research on Global Health & Nutrition for Women and Children, as well as research on Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS community supports. Xenobia has hosted workshops and cooked healthy meals for groups of more than 100 people to raise funds for Development Initiatives. In 2009, Xenobia founded CaribVeda health practice; her practice evolved into the Weight Release Course when she saw the dire need to personally help black women who were overrepresented in obesity statistics and related conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and fibroids.
Ala' Al-Thibeh
Ala’ is currently the Health and Wellness Specialist at Wesley Urban Ministries with the Client Support Services Program. She completed her training in the Supervised Pastoral Education (SPE) Residency Program at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton in 2019. She has completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Religious and Cultural Studies and a Masters of Arts in Theology: Spiritual Care and Psychotherapy from Wilfrid Laurier University.
Ala’ is a member of the Canadian Association for Spiritual Care (CASC) and also a member of the Ontario Association of Consultants, Counsellors, Psychometrists and Psychotherapists (OACCPP). She hopes to further pursue a career in the field of mental health with a focus on the newcomer population. Ala’ is passionate about the arts and a strong believer in the use of art as a form of healing and creative expression.
Performers
Martha Kariuki
Martha is passionate socacize instructor who encourages all her participants to embrace their beauty and body while dancing. She has been an avid socacize dancer for many years and has recently started teaching in Hamilton. Join her class every Sunday at 9:30am at GOODBODYFEEL (145 Main St East, Hamilton).
Socacize Fitness is a creative blend of Caribbean and African dance movements set to calypso, soca. chutney, zouk, reggae, salsa, dancehall and on occasion drum music. This exhilarating dance fitness workout is broken down into four sections: Bachannal Warm-up, Cardio Soca Jam, Wine & Tone and Groovy Stretch. This combination targets all age group and sets the platform for a fun-filled workout that will make you feel good in your body! Get ready for a Jam Session!
Tanya “Tee” Pineda is an emerging Spoken Word poet from Hamilton, Ontario who has just begun their studies in Creative Writing at the Ontario College of Art and Design. With a passion for engaging community work and a love for creative writing,Tee has been exploring their identity and the world around them through their writing. Since joining the Hamilton Youth Poets (HYP) in 2017, Tanya has competed at the youth Spoken Word festival Voices of Today 2017 with the HYP.
In 2018, Tee helped Dr. Lillian Allen set up an online Creative Writing class for writers in Belize. While helping the class they also got to contribute pieces to the anthology “This is how we keep breathing”. Ending off the project by travelling to Belize and celebrating the launch with the other participants. Tanya was a part of the HYP team who competed at the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word 2018 and came in second place in all of Canada. Tanya became a teaching artist through the Hamilton Youth Poets and helped coached middle school teams for the 2017, 18' and 19' Louder Than a Bomb Canada festival. Tee is now coaching both high school and middle school teams for the 2020 Poetic License festival.
Alyestal
Alyestal is a spoken word poetess whose work has been seen on the pages of North American literary journals, the stages of London, England and the walls of Uganda. Having opened the stage for the likes of author Lawrence Hill and named as one of the top 100 Black Women to Watch in Canada, Alyestal continues to use her voice to serve her audience an awe-inspiring performance.
