15th annual GSA Conference, Unfolding Narratives: Speak, Dream, Transform
We are so excited to bring our 15th annual GSA Conference, Unfolding Narratives: Speak, Dream, Transform , to 2SLGBTQIA+ and allied junior high and high school students and their GSA facilitators in Nova Scotia within Mi’kma’ki. This year, we embrace the power of storytelling as an act of resistance, resilience, solidarity, and radical hope.
To be queer is to live in the future—to dream beyond what exists and imagine better possible worlds, as Cree writer Billy-Ray Belcourt reminds us. Our stories are more than reflections of the past or echoes of the present—they are blueprints for the futures we dare to imagine. Sharing our stories is how we turn hope into action in our schools, communities, or the world beyond. Our narratives hold the power to reclaim, redefine, and rebuild, turning dreams into action and resistance into transformation. In a world that tries to silence us, every story we tell is a step toward the world we are creating—one where truth, resilience, and community shine through. Every story told, every dream voiced, and every vision shared brings us closer to the possible worlds we know we deserve. This year, we invite you to the GSA Conference: “Unfolding Narratives: Speak, Dream, Transform”—a space to share our stories, draw strength from one another, and nurture our collective dreams.
REGISTRATION
The conference will be taking place on Saturday, April 12th, 2025 from 10am-4pm at 1505 Barrington, Four Points Hotel (previously the Maritime Center). The conference registration form is open to all Jr. High & High School students – if you require ASL, please register before April 1st. Registration closes on April 4th.
WORKSHOPS
Workshop offerings will include:
- “Storytelling and Building Resilience” (Youth & Advisors)
- “Queering Sexual Health & Consent (closed space for Youth)”
- “Zine Making: Writing Ourselves into Tomorrow” (closed space for Youth)
- “GSA Advisor PD Session”
- “Panel: Elderberries Speaking Bureau” (Youth & Advisors)
- “Dance & Rhytms: Moving Through Stories” (closed space for Youth)
& more!
KEynote: Celeste Trıannon
Celeste Trianon (she/her) is a transfeminine jurist and activist, living on unceded land traditionally in the custody of the Kanien’kehá:ka. At 21 and currently finishing off her law degree, she runs Trans ID services for the local 2STNB+ community here in Kjipuktuk, as well as in her home town of Tio’tiá:ke (Montréal) and the rest of Québec. A front-line activist that you won’t miss at local trans rights protests (or in the media), she dreams of a world in which “justice” isn’t a mere theoretical ideal, but instead something that can be felt and lived by everyone.
Panel: elderberrıes Speaker bureau
Nathan Elling (he/him) has been a dedicated activist since the 1980s, playing a key role in LGBTQ+ rights in Nova Scotia. He was involved in GLAD, the early Pride marches, and AIDS education efforts, speaking out on CBC and CTV against discrimination. Over the years, he built a diverse career in hospitality, real estate, and catering before returning to Nova Scotia to retire and care for his mother. You can read Nathan Elling’s full bio in detail here.
Stephanie Brown (she/her) is a Halifax-based accountant and bookkeeper with a diverse professional background. After moving to Canada in 1976, she lived in seven provinces before settling in Halifax in 2010, where she launched her own business. For years, she navigated a journey of self-discovery, ultimately embracing her identity as a proud lesbian trans woman. She now lives authentically and confidently, enjoying the arts, festivals, and travel.
Barend Kamperman (he/him) is a Dutch-Canadian educator, writer, and LGBTQ+ advocate. His life has been shaped by post-war migration, family tensions, and a journey of self-discovery. Born to a Dutch father and Lithuanian mother who met in wartime Berlin, Barend immigrated to Canada with his family in 1957, settling in Grand Lake, Nova Scotia. After earning degrees in English and Education, he taught in Quebec before moving to Japan, where he lived for several years. You can read Barend Kamperman’s full bio in detail here.
Lynn Murphy (she/her) is a librarian, activist, and longtime advocate for LGBTQ+ rights in Nova Scotia. Grew up on a potato farm in Clermont, she pursued degrees in arts, education, library science, and archival studies. She moved to Halifax in 1968 and became politically engaged after witnessing discrimination against LGBTQ+ people. Murphy was active in the Gay Alliance for Equality (GAE) and later GALA, serving on various committees and helping to organize the first Pride Week after GALA’s dissolution. She was also involved in the WildeBunch, the Atlantic History and Archives Network, and feminist initiatives like the Sisters’ Lightship Collective. She was recognized for her activism with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012) and NSRAP’s Lifetime Achievement Award (2015). You can read Lynn Murphy’s full bio in detail here.
GSA NETWORK 