Disability Justice Series

“Accessibility is not a problem to be solved. It is a culture to be built.”
– Sheri Byrne-Haber

Shining Waters Regional Council Intercultural Diversity Commission and Canadian Shield Regional Council are offering a series of 3 webinars on disability.

Guest Speakers

Joining us to facilitate the first two sessions in our series will be The Rev. Dr. Kathleen James-Cavan.

Facilitator: The Rev. Dr. Kathleen James-Cavan

Ordained in the United Church of Canada in 2015, Kathleen James-Cavan was the director of the Designated Lay Ministry program at St. Andrew’s College in Saskatoon and enjoyed a 30-year career as a professor in the department of English, University of Saskatchewan. Her research interests include the literary history and theologies of disability. She contributed to the GC42 report, Theologies of Disabilities, and recently worked with others to produce a curriculum on issues of disability justice for the General Council Office. She identifies as white, disabled, and cis-gender; an uninvited guest, she is grateful to live on Treaty 6 Territory and the homeland of the Métis, also known as Saskatoon, SK.

Panel Guest Speakers

We will be joined by a panel of four guest speakers for our third installment of our series. As these speakers are confimed we will be adding them here.
Please note that due to the personal nature of this discussion, we will not be recording this session.

Rev. Kimberly Roy – Kimberly has been in leadership in some capacity in the UCC for over 25 years. Over the course of her dedicated leadership, she has supported countless committees, commissions, task groups, boards, and comprehensive reviews. Currently, Kimberly sits on the Prairie to Pine Candidacy Board, the National Indigenous Council, the task group reviewing the moderator and general secretary’s rolls and is a corresponding member to the General Council Executive. Kimberly is Métis and resides on the historic Métis settlement of Marlboro west of Edmonton where four generations of her family have been born and lived. Kimberly has never spoken openly or publicly about her disabilities. Living with “invisible” disabilities has been one of her greatest struggles in life. Her hope is that people will reflect on how they see or don’t see disabilities in the church and beyond.

Torrin Maag – Torrin is a Master’s student at the Atlantic School of Theology. Their research centers on neurodivergence and theologies of justice.

Session Two

Wednesday, February 28, 7:00-8:30 p.m.
Ableism in the Church? The Bible, Theologies, and Disability.

There are many biblical examples of healing that have been interpreted as “cures” rather than stories of faith. The Rev. Dr. Kathleen James-Cavan will facilitate an exploration of biblical stories and apply the intersectional lens of disability justice to our church contexts and ableism in the church.

Staff Support