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About

I’m hopeful about where this work can take us – with the right commitment.

The recent uptake in equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) work signals (to me at least) that the bigger questions underpinning it are being asked and heard at some tables; the conversation is happening, and the business industry is realizing it needs to keep up.

That said, a lot of us continue to be told, on a daily basis, that we can’t expect all of who we are to be safe and celebrated in our spaces (assuming we can even get in the door in the first place), and too often, that “human rights” don’t actually apply to all humans.

So we need to keep exploring. We – business, society, humanity really – need to start consistently backing up our declarations of “we’re inclusive and celebrate diversity!” with true demonstration through organization-wide embodiment and support of authentic inclusion practices.

My Mission

With my focus on 2SLGBTQIA+ EDI within business, I work to guide businesses and organizations in their exploration and integration of more meaningful inclusion for Two Spirit, lesbian, gay, bi, trans, queer, intersex, asexual, and other non-heterosexual and non-cisgender workers, customers, and service users.

My Vision

I dream of a world where 2SLGBTQIA+ folks can be and see all that they are as they move through it – a world where we no longer have to weigh authenticity against employability, access against safety, or read between the lines to see ourselves represented.

My values

Collaboration

Accessibility

Empathy

Integrity

Vulnerability

Guided by these values, I commit to:

  • Working with you wherever and whenever possible to identify & reach your goals.
  • Developing materials and providing resources that are relevant, translatable, and support learning at all levels of knowledge about 2SLGBTQIA+ communities.
  • Meeting you where you are without judgement.
  • Serving the purpose of expanding knowledge & awareness with principles and dedication, and never avoid highlighting difficult truths.
  • Acknowledging, matching, and respectfully engaging with your willingness to expand your understanding and challenge your existing biases (we all have them!).

Tj Jones (he/they)

Tj Jones (he/they)

Founding Consultant

My approach is informed by filtering my 20+ years of lived experience and almost 10 years in 2SLGBTQIA+ community advocacy through my Business and HR management education. This specific combination of personal and professional knowledge has given me powerful insight into the needs of these communities, perceived barriers to having them met from inside and outside systems, and ways to work within organizations to challenge and expand their capacity to better include and serve 2SLGBTQIA+ folks.

My motivation stems from both a desire to help improve the workplace and consumer experiences of my fellow queer and trans humans, and a love for holding space that empowers people to have their “light bulb moments” through challenging their existing ideas, investigating their biases, and considering the perspectives of others.

I acknowledge Ktaqmkuk (the island of Newfoundland) as the unceded, traditional, and ancestral lands of the Beothuk and Mi’kmaq, and Labrador as the traditional and ancestral lands of the Innu of Nitassinan, the Inuit of Nunatsiavut, and the Inuit of NunatuKavut. I acknowledge the inherent benefits I have received because of my whiteness, and the straight-passing, cis-passing, and masculine privilege I have received since beginning my transition. I commit to continuing to educate myself on the experiences of folks from other marginalized groups; to do my best to engage responsibly and intentionally with intersectionality; and to work to challenge and dismantle my own intrinsic racial, socio-economic, ability, and gender biases.

Selection of Professional Work

  • Canada’s 2SLGBTQI+ Chamber of Commerce (CGLCC): wrote a comprehensive D&I Policies & Practices Guide for their Tourism Project; contributed to developing the criteria for their Rainbow Registered program; develop and facilitate 2SLGBTQ+ inclusive practices trainings for current and prospective members and partners across Canada
  • College of the North Atlantic: currently sit on the College’s EDI Committee and lead its 2SLGBTQIA+ Working Group, with a focus on supporting the experiences of its 2SLGBTQIA+ students
  • Presented on 2SLGBTQIA+ diversity & inclusion for Skills Compétences Canada and Skills Ontario
  • Presented on 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusive workplace practices for a Canadian Association for Supported Employment webinar in partnership with MentorAbility
  • Presented on gender diversity & inclusion and developed resources for the Newfoundland Labrador Liquor Corporation
  • Presented on approaches to 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusion for a Memorial University EDI Series

Community & Volunteer Work

  • Current roles: 2SLGBTQIA+ Representative and 2SLGBTQIA+ Working Group Lead for the City of St. John’s Inclusion Advisory Committee; member of Pride at Work Canada‘s Thought Leadership Committee; member of the CGLCC’s Advisory Council; and Board member of Violence Prevention – Avalon East
  • Cofounded and volunteered as Training Coordinator & Facilitator for Trans Support NL, an organization working towards improving the experiences of Two Spirit, trans, nonbinary, and gender diverse folks in NL through peer support and service provider training
  • Worked as Lead Mentor Counsellor & Youth Programming Coordinator for Camp Rainbow, a camp for trans youth between the ages of 7 and 15
  • Volunteered as a Mentor for Camp Eclipse, a 2SLGBTQIA+ Leadership Camp for folks 16+
  • Served as Director-at-Large (1 year) and Co-Chair, Internal (1 year) for St. John’s Pride

Feedback

Feedback received throughout my years of facilitating has consistently highlighted an ability to meet people where they are and a knack for creating safe learning environments with my accessible delivery style.

I’ve had the opportunity to work with some incredible people and organizations since launching FPM at the start of 2021. Here is what some of them had to say:


Special thanks to Charlie Dunphy (@charliecdesign) for the awesome logo & graphic design support!

Imagery Attribution

Home Page:
Header Photo by Delia Giandeini 
Profile Photo of me by my amazing, loving partner Jess Rice <3
Services Photos attributed under Services Page
Footer Photo by Liam McGarry

About Page:
Header Photo by Delia Giandeini 
Profile Photo of me by Steven Crummey
Values icons from www.flaticon.com.
“Empathy” & “Collaboration” by Freepik.
“Accessibility” by Pixel perfect.
“Integrity” by iconixar.
“Vulnerability” by mynamepong.

Services Page
Header Photo by Robin Worrall
“Consulting…” Photo by Headway
“Training…”Photo by The Climate Reality Project
“Speaking…” Photo by Matheus Bertelli

Testimonial Page
Header Photo by Sharon McCutcheon
News Page
Header Photo by Sharon McCutcheon
Contact Page
Header Photo by Danielle MacInnes

Be a part of the conversation!
…your workers, customers, & business will thank you.