2025 Year in Review

2025 has been a year of navigating change, deepening relationships, and strengthening safeguards for SOGI 123. Here are some of the year’s key milestones, made possible by the continued support of educators, collaborators, as well as our generous donors and funders: 

January  

• At the start of 2025, we welcomed a new team member into the role of SOGI 123 Lead – Intercultural Dialogues, marking the launch of our federally funded project, Safeguarding SOGI Diversity. This two-year project will strengthen our ability to address anti-2SLGBTQ+ sentiment surrounding SOGI-inclusive education, to better support educators as they work to improve safety, wellbeing, and inclusion for students and families across diverse political and social contexts.  

February 

• In February, we facilitated a workshop on addressing cultural divisions in SOGI-inclusive education at the From Borders to Belonging national gathering in Vancouver, BC. The session explored the nuances of language and identity, addressed common misinformation about SOGI-inclusive education, and shared tools to counter persistent myths. 

March 

• March was a busy month for educator webinars! First, we hosted one on being an engaged bystander, equipping participants with practical tools to address harassment and discrimination in ways that support those experiencing harm and foster productive dialogue. We also offered a French webinar for francophone educators which focused on using SOGI-inclusive French in the classroom. 

April  

• The Prairie Educator SOGI Summit in April brought together educators for a day of learning, sharing, and strategizing about how to foster school environments that are inclusive of all sexual orientations and gender identities, even in a period of growing tension and challenging legislation. 

• Our team, alongside the SOGI Educator Network, also created new SOGI 123 parent resources, expanding support for families navigating conversations about SOGI-inclusive education. 

May 

• Newly revamped survey tools and the National Safeguarding SOGI-Inclusive Education Survey were launched, strengthening how we gather feedback and assesses impact. Through our national survey, we heard from educators across Alberta, BC, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, PEI and the Yukon around the challenges they face in delivering SOGI-inclusive education. 

June 

• ARC Staff attended 14 conferences over the year on behalf of SOGI 123, delivering presentations at 9 of these gatherings. One stand-out of the year was the Beyond Hope Library Conference, taking place in June in Prince George, BC. At this gathering, we facilitated a workshop on SOGI-inclusive literature, where participants explored approaches to supporting 2SLGBTQ+ children and families through diverse and inclusive resources. 

July  

• ARC Foundation was selected as a charitable beneficiary of the Vancouver Pride Run in July, where ARC staff participated in the run alongside educators, donors, and supporters — raising $9,723 in support of safer and more inclusive schools. 

August  

• In August, we brought together educators and community organizations in the Yukon to explore collaboration opportunities across the territory in support of SOGI-inclusive education. This was one of three regional collaboration gatherings that took place this year, including one in Atlantic Canada in March and another in BC in July. 

September  

• To start the school year, we released new resources to support Alberta educators in navigating policy shifts, including the Alberta Education Amendment Act roadmap and Green Flags resources, offering practical guidance during times of uncertainty.  

October  

• We hosted our annual BC SOGI Educator Summit in October, offered in a hybrid format for the first time to maximize both connection and accessibility. Educators from across the province gathered online and in-person to hear from leaders in SOGI-inclusive education and build solidarity with each other. 

November 

• In November, we delivered a webinar for educators focused on understanding the experiences of LGBTQ+ South Asian communities, featuring a panel of authors, educators, and researchers. The conversation highlighted the importance of cultural and religious representation in creating safer, more inclusive schools for 2SLGBTQ+ youth. 

December 

• December marked the beginning of work on a new Intercultural SOGI 123 Learning Burst, laying the groundwork for future educator resources that explore the intersections of identity. Work on this Learning Burst will continue through 2026! 

In 2025: 

• 260 educators participated in SOGI Summits across BC, the Yukon and the prairies 
• 1,800+ participants attended SOGI 123 webinars and training workshops 
• 35+ SOGI Educator Network meetings were hosted across participating regions
• Each month, SOGI Educator Newsletters reached 1,525 educators on average

Together, these milestones reflect the dedication of more than 2,500 educators across the country and the strength of the growing SOGI Educator Network. Thank you for being part of SOGI 123’s work in 2025!