Chronicle 2018

I try to help out when things catch on fire,” says Taylor, summing up their* involvement in multiple communities within Newfoundland and Labrador. In fact, Taylor’s work begins long before the first sparks begin to fly. Taylor, who came out as a non-binary transgender person five years ago, says that their gender transition has helped them to bridge gaps between different organizations and to be more aware of the “middle space” that exists between entities. As a special projects co-ordinator in public engagement at Memorial University of Newfoundland’s (MUN’s) Harris Centre, Taylor is very much in the business of community integration and facilitation. Taylor is currently developing an arts innovation strategy for the university, focused on breaking down silos across faculties and bridging community organizations with MUN’s multiple campuses across the province. For example, MUN recently partnered with Unpossible, an arts organization that hosts non-competitive and fun creative events across the province for people of all ages and at all skill levels. Taylor has also been tasked with facilitating strategic development of a Restorative Justice in Education Resource and Research Centre at MUN. The Centre seeks to promote restorative justice in schools. Taylor explains that the practice of developing relational communities is a different way for teachers, students, parents and staff to connect with each other, recognizing that both harm and healing happen within community settings. Taylor’s work on this initiative includes collaborating with the university and non-profit organizations across St. John’s. “Taking a highly consultative approach is very important to the success of any initiative,” Taylor says. They emphasize the value of “bringing people By Katharine Brickman 2007 “

into a room, having conversations with them…making them feel listened to” in order to effect change.

Taylor’s most long-standing project at MUN is the creation of an interdisciplinary undergraduate capstone curriculum, expected to be offered for the first time in September 2019. Students will be able to enrol in an immersive, one-semester study of a community issue for credit toward their overall undergraduate program. The program would be co-taught by professors and community experts and is based on practices of co- created knowledge and dialogue. “I really appreciate what Havergal’s interdisciplinary course taught me about dialogue,” Taylor says, referring to a pilot course that was offered in their Grade 12 year. Taylor devotes their spare time to community leadership and reform. They are chair of the Inclusion Advisory Committee for the City of St. John’s and a director of St. John’s Trans Needs Committee and MUN’s Employment Equity and Diversity Committee. Taylor also served as co-ordinator of the St. John’s Pride Festival for two years and recently formed a crisis management team to remedy organizational difficulties that the festival has encountered. Taylor is also involved in community theatre, music and the local drag scene. They will be pursuing a PhD in the fall at MUN and their drag character – Doctor Androbox – will be releasing an album of original music in early 2019. “The common thread in the work that I do is acting as a connective tissue,” Taylor says. “Inclusive change is grounded in the thoughts and practices of many people, but this requires co-ordination and open dialogue.” *Taylor uses gender-neutral (they/them) pronouns.

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PHOTO: CYNTHIA DUNPHY (LEFT) MEGAN BATEMAN (RIGHT)