Toronto's The 519 welcomes hundreds of 2SLGBTQ+ refugees at special event

A Toronto community centre opened its doors on Tuesday to hundreds of 2SLGBTQ+ refugees for a daylong event designed to give them immediate support.

The 519, a city agency, hosted "Love in Action: Unity Day for LGBTQ+ Refugees" in honour of Valentine's Day. Usually, the agency provides services to all members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community, but on Tuesday, it had its staff focus solely on the needs of newcomers.

The event was held as the Greater Toronto Area faces an influx of refugees to the region. In January alone, The 519 says it helped thousands of refugee claimants. 

Lisa Duplessis, The 519's director of programs and community services, said people face big issues when they come to Canada, including access to food, access to financial security, getting credentials recognized, getting a job, finding housing and getting enough money for a lawyer.

"Understanding the intersections of being new, BIPOC, really, really traumatized and queer and navigating the very complicated immigration process is difficult."

According to The 519, many 2SLGBTQ+ refugees face many of the same issues as any other newcomers to the country. But they also often encounter additional challenges.

Duplessis said The 519 provides settlement care and that the refugees who attended had been waiting for a long time to meet with staff. More than half were expected to come directly from temporary homeless shelters, she said. Some were expected to come from as far away as London and Kingston.

'I know this journey personally'

The day featured hot meals, bags of groceries, an information session, advice on finding housing and employment, medical and legal advice, and literature tables staffed by partner agencies with information about community programs and services. All refugees who attended became members of The 519 and registered for settlement services. 

It also allowed refugees to connect with The 519's partner agencies, such as People Living with AIDS, Black Coalition for AIDS Prevention, or Black Cap, Toronto Employment and Social Services, and Fife House.

Duplessis said helping newcomers to Canada is important to her because she was once a newcomer to Toronto herself.

"I too came to Canada as a claimant 14 years ago and this was the first place I volunteered, the first place I worked, the place that I felt most welcome, and as a staff member who has gone through my career journey in The 519, the place that I felt most supported," she said. "This is important to me because I know this journey personally."

Some of the staff can also relate to the situation facing refugees in southern Ontario, Duplessis said. 

"Many of the staff who work with me have lived experience in the refugee process and they know what it feels like to come here and have no information and not being welcomed and have nowhere to go to get help," she said.

Duplessis said The 519 is a safe space for 2SLGBTQ+ refugees.

"In these walls, people feel safe," she said. "People seek us out because of what we do. And what we do is provide a safe space for queer and trans folks to fully express who they are."

Day is about forming 'ring of safety' around refugees

Paul Saguil, chair of The 519's board of directors, said the day is about giving back to the community, forming a "ring of safety" around people who need it the most, doing intake and providing guidance. The day aims to make refugees feel comfortable and supported.

In many places in the world, 2SLGBTQ+ people still fear for their lives, Saguil said.

"A lot of them actually fear going to official sources or public officials or community agencies for fear of being outed because they don't know what the treatment is on the other side. First and foremost, it's establishing trust, establishing that sense of community that you can come here and feel safe and also navigating the city," he said.

But the issues can't be solved with a one-day fix, he said, calling on the public for help.

"Donate to the 519, certainly we'd appreciate that. But also talk to your public officials, talk to your government leaders and make sure that there are resources dedicated to helping the people that are coming through," he said.

Nadine Sookermany, executive director of Fife House, said the organization took part in the day to help refugees who are HIV positive. Fife House is a provider of supportive housing and support services to people and families living with HIV/AIDS in the Greater Toronto Area.

"We are the largest provider of supportive housing to people living with HIV in the Greater Toronto Area. We provide housing to over 350 folks in the city as well as supportive services, housing help, eviction prevention, intakes, just generally linkage to care," Sookermany said.