We were thrilled to join with our friends, supporters, and allies, and to raise much-needed funds to support West Coast LEAF’s work for gender equality and to celebrate International Women’s Day.
You can now relive it all by viewing the photo gallery featuring more than 100 beautiful shots by Johnny Liu and Valerie Hsu of Johnny Liu Photography.
For an update on Dr. Willie J. Parker, click here.
Tickets are sold out!
Start your International Women’s Day with West Coast LEAF
Presented by Diamond Sponsor
 |
 |
with Media Sponsor
Gold Sponsors
 |
 |
 |
 |
|||
 |
 |
 |
Silver Sponsors
Health Sciences Association of BC
Peter A. Allard School of Law, University of British Columbia
Bronze Sponsors
Boyden • Canadian Bar Association – BC Branch • Clark Wilson LLP
Gall Legge Grant Zwack LLP • Harper Grey LLP • Juristes Power | Power Law
Mandell Pinder LLP • McCarthy Tétrault LLP • Public Service Alliance of Canada – BC Region
Trial Lawyers Association of BC • ZSA Legal Recruitment
Audio/Visual Sponsor Print Sponsor
Keynote speaker: Dr. Willie J. Parker
We are thrilled to announce Dr. Willie J. Parker will deliver the keynote at our 2019 Equality Breakfast. Dr. Parker is a reproductive justice advocate who travels as an abortion provider in Alabama and Georgia, and the author of the recently released book, Life’s Work: A Moral Argument for Choice. His most recent work has focused on violence against women, sexual assault, and reproductive rights and justice through advocacy and provision of contraceptive and abortion services.
Dr. Parker’s talk will touch on the fundamental importance of reproductive justice to the broader gender equality movement, the subtle and not so subtle ways that access to abortion continues to be threatened despite hard fought court victories in the United States and Canada, the particular impacts of reproductive injustice on bodies of colour, and why as a man of faith he considers this critical work.
Reproductive and sexual rights are at the heart of gender equality. In a post-Morgentaler world, it can be easy for Canadians to take access to health services for granted. At West Coast LEAF we stand with feminist activists at home and around the world in defending the right to control our own bodies and make our own decisions about contraception and abortion.
“It was not lost on me, an African American man from Birmingham, Alabama, descended from slaves, that new legislation aimed at telling women what they might and might not do with their own physical bodies looked a whole lot like men owning women’s bodies.” ― Dr. Willie Parker, Life’s Work: A Moral Argument for Choice
Notably, Dr. Parker is a recipient of the 2013 Physicians for Reproductive Health Dr. George Tiller Provider Award, the 2015 Helen Rodriguez-Trias Social Justice Award and the 2016 Dr. Felicia Stewart Advocacy Award from the American Public Health Association, and the 2016 Dr. David Gunn Lifetime Achievement Award from the Abortion Care Network.
Dr. Parker was also recently honored by the United Nations Office of Human Rights as one of 12 Women’s Human Rights Defenders on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the United Nations’ Fourth World Conference on Women. He is also a recipient of Planned Parenthood’s 2015 Margaret Sanger Award. Dr. Parker is a 2007-2008 Leadership Training Initiative Fellow. He joined the Physicians for Reproductive Health board in November 2007 and is the current Chair.
Parker holds a BA from Berea College in Kentucky, an MD from the University of Iowa, a Master of Public Health from the Harvard School of Public Health, and a Master of Science from the University of Michigan. He completed residencies in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Cincinnati and preventive medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, and was an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer with the Centers for Disease Control. Dr. Parker served as assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology in the John A. Burns School of Medicine at the University of Hawaii prior to completing a fellowship in Family Planning at the University of Michigan in 2008. He is both board certified in obstetrics and gynecology and trained in preventive medicine.
Emcee: Gloria Macarenko
We’re beyond thrilled that Gloria Macarenko is back yet again as our emcee!
Long time CBC News host Gloria Macarenko takes the host chair on Metro Vancouver’s afternoon show On The Coast, where she explores the day’s news and local communities, and goes in-depth with hyper-local stories. Gloria is also host of CBC Television’s Our Vancouver, a current affairs television show, as well as The Story from Here, a national Radio One show that brings Canadians the most lively and intriguing interviews from across the country.
She has twice been nominated for the Gemini Awards in the category of “Best News Anchor” in Canada and was recently named as a member of the Order of Canada. Learn more about our fabulous emcee.
What to expect in 2019
**Doors and silent auction open at 6:30 a.m.**
Individual tickets: $99 (until Jan. 31, 2019)/$110
Tables of 10: $999 (until Jan. 31, 2019)/$1,100
Seating: Individual ticket holders are seated on a first-come basis on the morning of the event. Open tables will be marked by a coloured balloon and ushers will be present to help direct you. Event Sponsors and those who have purchased full tables have reserved seating, which is assigned on a first-purchase, first-serve basis.
Want to buy a table but split the cost with friends and colleagues?
Option 1) You can pay for the whole table (10 seats) and receive the tax receipt for the eligible portion.
Option 2) You can have one person pay for the whole table (10 seats) on behalf of multiple people who are splitting the table cost, and West Coast LEAF can issue separate tax receipts for each payer if you provide the necessary information. To do this, please list a Table Champion (it can be yourself or someone you assign with this task) when making your purchase. The Table Champion is the main contact person who liaises with West Coast LEAF to organize the tickets and receipts. The Table Champion must email info@westcoastleaf.org with the breakdown of: how much each person has paid, which guests require a tax receipt, and the addresses for where to mail each tax receipt. This is in addition to communicating any accessibility requests, including any mobility and dietary restrictions, etc.
Option 3) You can organize a table by separately purchasing individual tickets, and then combining 10 paid tickets to populate one table. To request a table reservation (consisting of 10 individual ticket holders), contact info@westcoastleaf.org before Thursday February 28, with: 1) the Eventbrite order numbers of all 10 purchased tickets, along with the guest names; and 2) what name you would like to appear on the event table directory and map. Your request will be processed ONLY after all 10 ticket purchases have been confirmed. You will receive a final confirmation from West Coast LEAF.
Tax receipts: Individuals who purchase tickets will receive a tax receipt for the eligible portion of their ticket(s) if a mailing address is provided. A $40 tax receipt will be issued for early-bird tickets; a $50 tax receipt will be issued for regular priced tickets; $400 for early-bird tables of 10 and $500 for regular tables of 10.
Food: The Equality Breakfast menu is, as usual, vegetarian with vegan options upon request. For other dietary requests, please note your dietary requirements in your ticket order OR email info@westcoastleaf.org by Friday, March 1.
Accessibility: We provide American Sign Language interpretation, and the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver is wheelchair accessible. Please let us know if you would benefit from ASL interpretation so that we can ensure that you have appropriate seating. For those who use a wheelchair or other assisted mobility device, we would like to reserve you a fully accessible seat. Please enter any accessibility requests on your Eventbrite order form or email info@westcoastleaf.org. Please note that the deadline for accessibility requests is Friday, March 1.
Sponsorship: To learn about the impact and benefits of becoming a valued Event Sponsor, request a sponsorship package, or to discuss your level of support, contact Basya at development@westcoastleaf.org or call 604-684-8772, ext. 114.
Silent Auction: We’re excited that doors will open at 6:30 AM to provide you the most time possible to browse and place your bids. More information on the auction is coming soon. If you would like to support West Coast LEAF with a silent auction donation, please contact Sharon at donormgr@westcoastleaf.org. We’d love to feature your business or creative venture at our event!
More questions? We’d love to answer your questions! Call 604-684-8772 or email info@westcoastleaf.org.
We respectfully acknowledge that this event is taking place on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded homelands of the Coast Salish peoples, including the xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and səl̓ílwətaʔɬ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations—where many of us are uninvited. As we gather on International Women’s Day, we want to recognize and celebrate the work of Indigenous women, girls, and Two-Spirit people in resisting ongoing colonial and misogynistic violence and injustice.