How to Get Involved in Municipal Elections: A Panel Discussion
A panel-style session focused on municipal elections, specifically, lived experience in running for city council.
What does it really take to run for city council and what is it like once you’re elected?
Join us for an engaging panel discussion that explores what municipal government looks like from the lens of a city councillor. Whether you’re interested in campaigning, how decisions get made at city hall, or considering running for local government, this session provides a glimpse of the realities of local leadership.
We will explore:
What it’s actually like to run for local government—from deciding to put your name forward to building a campaign
Barriers women and gender-diverse people face when running for office and how we can collectively support values-aligned candidates
Ways to get involved in elections beyond running yourself, including volunteering, working on a campaign, or supporting civic engagement in your community.
Moderator: Trudi Goels (she/her) is a community organizer, project manager, and relationship builder. Her paid and unpaid work includes challenging local government and civic systems, finding ways to shift who has power, and building equity in communities. Trudi joined the board with a vision to expand the great work that WTC does across BC (and maybe beyond). She bravely brings forward new processes, explores ways of governing, and ensures that everything we do is values aligned. Trudi is the co-founder of Ablaze Services Workers Cooperative and The Feminist Campaign School. She loves music, connecting people, and being in water. She lives on the stolen and occupied land of the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ speaking people. It is a land so ravaged by colonialism that its truth is still being re-known and she is committed to continuously learning about it.
Panelists:
Nadine Nakagawa (she/her) is a community organizer, creative writer, and a second-term City Councillor in New Westminster. As a councillor, she focuses on affordable housing, community inclusion, the climate crisis, and public engagement. She also works as an Equity and Inclusion Strategist, co-owns a consulting business called Ablaze Services, and is co-founder of The Feminist Campaign School. In her free time, Nadine prances with delight towards wildflowers and can be found hugging trees and embracing whimsy—and her cats Mitsie and Moo. Nadine is a queer Hāfu woman who lives on the territories of the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ speaking peoples. She has a Master’s Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies and recently completed a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology.
Leslie Payne [Nelson City Councillor - Bio To Be Updated]
This workshop is part of our learning series for WTC members. Tickets are free for members with a code and $10 for the public.
Self Care for Community Organizing
A workshop on methods for self care for sustainable activism.
Caring for ourselves is vital to sustaining our movements. Join us to explore strategies that centre your well-being while staying rooted in collective action. Through group discussions, journaling prompts, and guided yoga practices, you'll learn how to balance the demands of organizing, avoid burnout, and maintain the resilience needed for long-term movement-building.
This workshop will cover:
The pillars of creating a self care habit
Methods to balance mental, physical, and spiritual well-being
Grounding ways to practice self care with cultural appreciation.
Workshop Lead: Irene Lo (she/her) applies her communications, public relations, and social media expertise to be a part of meaningful change at Women Transforming Cities. Her work history includes municipal governments and women of colour wellness summits. She has a B.A. in English Literature and Classical Studies from UBC and a Public Relations certificate from SFU. Her path as a yoga student and teacher was what led her into the online space of anti-racist and intersectional feminist movements. As she learned from Indigenous, Black, and women of colour on social issues related to health equity and cultural respect, she became motivated to use her communication skills to serve women and non-binary people of colour. Born in Taiwan, she is of Han/Hakka ancestry. She lives and works on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded land of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), Sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh), and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nations.
This workshop is part of our learning series for WTC members. Tickets are free for members with a code and $10 for the public.
Accelerating Action on Gender Equity
A workshop to explore gender equity, the history of International Women’s Day, and allyship.
In honour of March 8th, we’re diving into the history and significance of International Women's Day. Join us as we examine the evolution of feminism, learn ways to address unconscious bias, and explore how to become active allies in advancing gender equity.
This workshop will explore:
The roots of International Women’s Day
The landscape of current challenges women face
Strategies on how to take action to advance gender equity.
Workshop Leads:
Alexa Traboulay (she/her) is the Manager of Community at Women Transforming Cities. Alexa is a passionate researcher and community organizer who writes to inform policy and social change. She holds a Master's degree in Social Sciences from the University of Chicago (UC), with a concentration in political science, and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of British Columbia, where she completed the Honours Political Science Program and a minor in Law & Society. Her academic research explores the impacts of political polarization and online disinformation on racialized communities in the United States. Recognized for her ability to bridge research with advocacy, she was the recipient of the UC Quadrangle Research Scholarship and was an affiliate of the Chicago Center on Democracy. A second-generation immigrant with Trinidadian and Hungarian ancestry, Alexa is a settler on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations.
Florence Li (she/her) is the Education Coordinator at WTC. She has a strong background in both grassroots organizing and anti-racist advocacy. A former college teacher with experience in both academic and community settings, she strives to cultivate safer spaces that allow for curiosity and critical thinking to thrive. Growing up as a racialized immigrant settler in “Toronto,” she instinctively became apprehensive around teachers and in classrooms. She has since found herself drawn to places of learning, wanting to be the supportive guide she needed in order to speak loudly and to ask questions.
This workshop is part of our learning series for WTC members. Tickets are free for members with a code and $10 for the public.
Understand and Resist Disinformation in our Communities
In an era of overwhelming digital noise, disinformation is increasingly shaping how people understand and engage with democratic institutions. This workshop explores how false or misleading information, particularly online, is undermining civic trust and distorting democratic participation in Canada. With a focus on municipal-level elections, we will unpack what disinformation is, how it spreads, and why equity-deserving communities are often its primary targets.
We will also discuss why disinformation is a democratic justice issue and how to identify disinformation and build stronger information literacy within your own networks.
This session is for anyone curious about how we can build a more informed, inclusive, and participatory democracy.
Workshop lead: Alexa Traboulay (she/her)
Alexa Traboulay(she/her) is the Community Manager at WTC. She is a passionate social justice advocate and researcher committed to advancing action-based programs with and for equity-deserving communities. A second-generation immigrant with Trinidadian and Hungarian ancestry, Alexa is a settler on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations. She is dedicated to centering decolonial principles in her work through continuous learning, unlearning, and self-reflexivity.
This workshop is part of our learning series for WTC members. Tickets are free for members with a code and $10 for the public.
Embodied Consent for Community Workers & Activists
This one-hour workshop moves beyond the simple yes/no understanding of consent into an embodied awareness, taking into account our often-overlooked bodily cues and non-verbal signals. Aimed at community workers and advocates who want to strengthen boundaries and cultivate more equitable practices when working with others, participants will learn the basics of embodied consent as a way to cultivate personal boundary awareness and prevent burnout.
We will also explore:
The FRIES model of consent and alternatives
Signs of over resourcing oneself (aka burnout)
Ways to apply embodied consent in community settings
Join us as we continue our conversations on self-care and boundaries to make our work in communities safer and more sustainable.
Workshop lead: Florence Li (she/her)
Florence Li (she/her) is the Education Coordinator at WTC. She has a strong background in both grassroots organizing and anti-racist advocacy. A former college teacher with experience in both academic and community settings, she strives to cultivate safer spaces that allow for curiosity and critical thinking to thrive. Growing up as a racialized immigrant settler in “Toronto,” she instinctively became apprehensive around teachers and in classrooms. She has since found herself drawn to places of learning, wanting to be the supportive guide she needed in order to speak loudly and to ask questions.
This workshop is part of our learning series for WTC members. Tickets are free for members with a code and $10 for the public.
To End a Crisis: A Vision for BC Drug Policy
Originally released in January 2023 and reissued in spring 2025, To End a Crisis has been endorsed by over 60 organizations—most recently by delegates at the CUPE BC Convention. Grounded in the voices of those most impacted, the document outlines a bold and evidence-based roadmap focused on four key areas: legal regulation, decriminalization, equity, and treatment.
This is more than a policy proposal—it's a glimpse into what’s possible when we choose care over punishment. With over 17,000 lives lost in BC and 50,000 across Canada since 2016, the toxic drug crisis shows no signs of slowing—while politicians increasingly abandon life-saving measures in favour of coercion, enforcement, and shame.
But drug policy is not a siloed issue. It sits at the crossroads of poverty, racism, colonialism, gender injustice, housing insecurity, and labour exploitation. To end the war on drugs is to ignite a broader transformation—one that uplifts all of us.
Join us for a discussion about what this vision demands, what it offers, and how we organize to make it real.
This workshop will be led by Nicole Luongo from the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition.
This workshop is part of our learning series for WTC members. Tickets are free for members with a code and $10 for the public.
Understanding Local Government
Are you passionate about making your city a better place to live? Do you care about housing, transportation, and ensuring our cities are climate-resilient? Do you want to start advocating, but don’t know where to start?
This workshop will cover how the city of Vancouver functions and how you can get involved to influence your local decision-makers.
This workshop is part of our learning series for WTC members. Tickets are free for members with a code and $10 for the public.
Too Hot to Work: Climate Justice as Labour Justice
This workshop, in partnership with Worker Solidarity Network, is for anyone interested to understand labour rights protections and the necessity of enforced health and safety regulations that respond to the reality of the climate crisis. More details on this workshop will be shared closer to the date.
This workshop is part of our learning series for WTC members. Tickets are free for members with a code and $10 for the public.
Examining the Role of Local Government in Truth & Reconciliation
A workshop to understand how to advocate to your local leaders to advance the TRC Calls to Action. To mark the 10 year anniversary of the publication of the TRC Calls to Action, join us to take a look at the important role local government has in advancing Truth and Reconciliation. This webinar will share highlights from WTC’s research into the progress BC municipalities are making on the Calls to Action along with successes and challenges they’re facing. We'll highlight takeaways from WTC’s report: The TRC Calls to Action in BC Municipalities: Progress, Barriers, and Opportunities to Accelerate Implementation.
All proceeds from our June workshop, "Examining the Role of Local Government in Truth & Reconciliation", will be donated to The Indian Residential School Survivors Society (IRSSS).
This workshop is part of our learning series for WTC members. Tickets are free for members with a code and $10 for the public.
Demystifying Local Government's Role in Public Transit
What can local government do to improve your commute? We're partnering with the folks at Movementto discuss local government and public transit including what local governments can do to improve our public transit systems, challenges facing our public transit system, and the importance of public transit from a gendered lens.
This workshop is part of our learning series for WTC members. Tickets are free for members with a code and $10 for the public.