Pictured above, from left to right: Danny Epp, Anthony and Kristyn, and Chance Peloquin-Epp in provided photos.
St.Amant, known for its creative ways to learn and engage with those it serves, recently hosted a Human Library in honour of Pride month. Instead of books, people got to learn from real people who have lived experience in the 2SLGTBQ+ community. Each person shared their story and was open to questions to the group, which was about 35 people strong.
“We started planning this year’s Pride activities almost immediately after last year’s Pride,” shares Bre Brown, Chair of the 2SLGTBQ+ employee resource group at St.Amant. “Our events are very grassroots and team-led and our goal is to grow our activities every year, while providing education and opportunities to learn and connect.”
For 2025, members of the committee chose the theme of resilience, and their tagline was “Still We Rise.” There were many activities scheduled, including the Human Library, participation in Pride parade and the Trans March. “Often, it’s about creating safe spaces,” explains Brown. “We posted a message on our internal system saying that if anyone wanted to show support or be supported at the Trans March, some of us would be there on the ground. It’s important that invitations are made in the right way: we don’t want to force people to sign up and potentially out themselves as trans if they’re not ready to, but we want them to know we’re here. We want them to know that if they want to explore, discover or be seen, someone will be there to walk alongside you.”
The Human Library, held on June 17th, featured four “human books”. Chance Peloquin-Epp is a social worker with St.Amant who identifies as bigender and uses they/them pronouns; Danny Epp is a non-binary demiboy who works in restorative justice. Anthony is a four-year-old who has been very clear about her gender identity since before she was 3, and Kristyn – her mom – is doing her best to raise a kind, empathetic, happy, and safe kid.
“It was a really great afternoon,” shares Brown. “People were so open and curious. Most importantly, the folks who volunteered as human books said that they felt immediately included and accepted. Everybody wanted to come back next year. There was a sense of community, and that’s what we’re after, in the end.”
Brown and the committee believe that the best antidote to hate is connection. “You hear that hate comes from fear of the unknown or of being disrupted,” they continue. “Truly, it’s difficult to hate someone when you’re sitting right next to them. When you’re together on a human level, talking about your lives, you can’t deny the community and common humanity that we all share.”
The human books were indeed ready to share to facilitate that connection. “Their honesty and their stories were so graciously offered,” says Brown. “They were ready to answer questions and everything was ask in such a respectful and curious way. Providing proximity to other people’s experiences is how to start to break down the barriers between us. We hope this event is even bigger next year!”