SOGI 123: 2024 Year-in-Review

2024 has been a transformative year for SOGI 123, marked by growth, resilience, and collaboration. Here are some of the year’s key achievements, made possible thanks to the incredible support of educators, collaborators, and donors: 

January 

• At the start of 2024, a new role was created on the SOGI 123 team. Our SOGI 123 Regional Program Manager, Dutch, started this new position in January. As Regional Program Manager, Dutch leads implementation of SOGI 123 across Western Canada. 

February 

• The Prairie Educator SOGI Summit in February fostered collaboration among educators through powerful keynote addresses, panel discussions, and workshops on SOGI-inclusion.

March 

• Our SOGI 123 team, alongside the SOGI Educator Network, created Two-Spirit lesson and unit plans, to help educators foster a deeper sense of belonging for students who identify as Two-Spirit and Indigiqueer. 

April 

• The first French SOGI 123 webinar was offered and a French/English bilingual SOGI Educator Newsletter was launched, expanding SOGI 123 offerings for francophone educators.  

May 

• The SOGI + Indigeneity  Learning Burst video was released, offering insights into the intersections of SOGI and Indigenous teachings.  

June 

• As part of our Indigenous Dialogues work, we attended a Two-Spirit powwow, engaged with youth in Saskatchewan, and completed translation of the Parents’ Guide to SOGI in Schools into Cree and Wolastoqey, expanding access for Indigenous families.

• ARC Foundation met all the recommendations from the Circles of Belonging report, a plan that was created with Indigenous educators and education organizations to ensure that diverse voices and lived experiences related to Indigenous education and SOGI are represented in SOGI 123. This milestone marks a significant step towards our commitment to centering Indigenous voices and practices within SOGI-inclusive education.

July 

• The Edmonton Public Teachers Association’s Friends of Education Award for 2023-24 was awarded to SOGI 123 in Alberta, recognizing our contributions to creating safer, more inclusive learning environments.

August 

• The new SOGI 123 brand and redesigned French/English bilingual website was launched, making accessing resources easier than ever.  

September 

• Our team collaborated to facilitate a full day of professional development on SOGI-inclusion for the Canadian Union of Public Employees BC (CUPE BC). CUPE BC is a  member of BC’s K-12 SOGI Collaborative, a group of education organizations committed to creating safer and more inclusive learning environments for BC students.  

October 

• SOGI 123 hosted the BC Educator SOGI Summit, connecting hundreds of educators across the province and furthering their collaborative efforts to foster safer, more inclusive schools. 

• October was also marked by the release of new research by UBC, validating the effectiveness of SOGI 123 and highlighting its transformative impact on schools across BC. 

November 

• ARC Staff attended 11 conferences in 2024 on behalf of SOGI 123, delivering presentations at 8 of these gatherings. One stand-out of the year was Indspire’s National Gathering for Indigenous Education, taking place in November in Winnipeg, MB. 

In 2024: 

• 431 educators participated in SOGI Summits across BC and the prairies 
• 1,300 participants attended SOGI 123 webinars and training workshops
• On average, SOGI Educator Newsletters reached 2,215 educators each month
  

These achievements, supported by upwards of 2,500+ educators in the SOGI Educator Network and thousands more reached through our resources, reflect the power of collaboration and our collective commitment to making schools welcoming for all students. Thank you for your support in 2024!