Although we often consider fashion to be trivial, the clothing we wear speaks volumes to those around us, most of it subconsciously. An Armani suit on Bay Street communicates wealth and power. A dolly dress on a young girl communicates innocence. And sometimes what we wish to communicate gets misinterpreted by the viewer. Muslim, Mennonite, and Indigenous women in Canada know clothing’s possibilities for empowerment and challenge all too well. Hear three women share their experiences and expertise on what their community’s dress means to them, and navigating Canadian society.

LAURA MORLOCK, PhD

Laura Morlock is a scholar of religious dress whose work focuses on gender narratives, identity construction, and the way minoritized women use dress to communicate with the dominant society. Her forthcoming book Seaming Canadian: Religious Dress, Multiculturalism, and Identity Performance looks at public battles over women’s bodies through Muslim, Sikh, and Mennonite head covering controversies. Far from being the threat to gender equality many imagine these communities to be, she shows how they in fact consistently advance human rights for all Canadians. Dr. Morlock holds a PhD in Religious Diversity in North America from the University of Waterloo and is a lecturer at Ryerson University’s School of Fashion and Wilfrid Laurier University’s Anthropology Department.

EVANGELIA KAMBITES

Singer – Songwriter, Actor, Dancer, Multi-instrumentalist. Graduate of Queen’s University (BAH); & Randolph College. Winner of the Jessie Award for Avenue Q; META Award for Adventures of a Black Girl.

Panelists

Sahver Kuzucuoglu holds a Masters Degree in Religion and Culture, a second MA in Cultural Analysis and Social Theory, and is currently a PhD candidate in Religious Studies at Wilfrid Laurier University.  Born in Kitchener to one of the first Turkish families in the region, Sahver has worked for many years as Interpreter/Translator in the settlement of new Canadians in Southern Ontario fueled by her passion for volunteerism, community, decoloniality, pluraversality. and intercultural dialogue. Her current research areas include Turkish Cultural Studies, Sufism, experiences of the invisible minority, as well as the identity negotiation of the ‘minority within a minority.’ 

Melissa Hammell is a writer, speaker, and community connector. She has lived in Ottawa, Peterborough and Kitchener-Waterloo and is proud of her Anishinabe and European mixed heritage. She has three energetic young children who share her love for drumming and singing. Melissa has over 20 years of experience working with urban Indigenous communities. As the owner and lead facilitator at Pine Gum Studio, she designs and facilitates local community events and engagements. She is also the Vice President of First Peoples Group, a circle of Indigenous consultants that specializes in cultural awareness training, relationship building and project management for a diverse group of clients across the country. Melissa volunteers for several community organizations and serves as President of the Board of Directors for Tewegan Housing for Aboriginal Youth.

THANK YOU TO OUR EVENT SPONSORS!

GOLD

• Laura Morlock ∙ Real Estate Agent ∙ Re/Max
• Vision Care ∙ Listowel
• Resonance ∙ Where spirit and style meet
• Home & Company Real Estate
• The Family Tree Consignment ∙ Wingham

SILVER

• Jennifer Anderson ∙ Real Estate Broker ∙ Royal LePage/Hiller Realty
• Stacey Clarkson ∙ Real Estate Broker ∙ Kempston & Werth
• Cathie Szmon (Broker of Record) & Sue Fowler (Broker) ∙ Peak Select Realty
• O’Grady’s Clothing & Accessories ∙ St.Marys

BRONZE

• Pick a Posie ∙ Blyth
• The Jewellery Box ∙ Exeter
• La Osa ∙ Stratford
• Listowel Pharmasave ∙ Listowel
• The Carriage House Suites Inn/Airbnb
• Cait’s Cafe ∙ Goderich
• Shear Talent Hair Design ∙ Goderich
• Anstett Jewellers ∙ Goderich
• Simply Celebrate You ∙ Listowel
• Long & McQuade Sound Sponsor