An LGBTQ social organization for people working in the legal community is holding its first event this Friday in Toronto.
An LGBTQ social organization for people working in the broader legal community is holding its first event this Friday in Toronto.
Ontario Crown attorney Eadit Rokach, who co-founded the group Wildfire — "Lighting up LGBTQ+legal culture" — with court clerk Laila Azizi, says she’s hoping the event gets enough interest to lead to a next event, probably in May.
“We haven't booked [the events] yet, but what we're trying to do is have four a year,” she says. “One per season is the goal and for each event we will have a different beneficiary of our donations.”
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At this first event there will be guest speakers along with hors d'oeuvres and a photo booth. Rokach says she’s also planned to have, and be one of, six “animators” who are in charge of inviting people and getting the conversation flowing.
“It’s a social organization that brings people together while raising funds [and] one that brings all people within the legal profession together,” she says. “We really want to bring as many people together from the legal community in hopes to have [them] get to know each other and cross boundaries.”
Rokach says that while there are legal organizations, there aren’t ones like Wildfire that focus on the LGBTQ+ community for lawyers, police officers, court clerks, reporters and court officers.
“We thought it would be a good way to get people together because in the legal community there is definitely an LGBTQ+ presence, but there's not something that brings everyone together.”
The event takes place at Stori Aperitivo Bar and tickets are $20. Part of the proceeds will be donated to Egale Canada Human Rights Trust, an organization that works to improve the lives of LGBTQ+ people in Canada. Helen Kennedy, executive director of Egale Canada, and Ontario Court Justice Harvey Brownstone are the guest speakers for the evening.
