About Cicely Belle
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About Cicely Belle ⭑
Cicely Belle Blain (they/them) is a Black, mixed, queer non-binary femme from London, United Kingdom now living on the lands of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh people. Their ancestry is a mix of Gambian (Wolof), Jamaican and English.
Cicely Belle is descended from a lineage of feminist educators, sparking their lifelong passion for justice.
As founder of Black Lives Matter Vancouver, Cicely Belle gained recognition as a Vancouver Magazine's powerful figure, BC Business's 30 under 30 and Refinery29's Powerhouses of 2020. Their impact expanded with Bakau Consulting Inc., touching thousands globally through speaking, equity consulting and education.
Notable feats include addressing the UN Summit, crafting the City of Vancouver's Intersectionality Toolkit and delivering UBC's 2020 graduation keynote. Cicely Belle teaches at Simon Fraser University, directs Ripple of Change Magazine, authored 'Burning Sugar' and serves on the Tegan and Sara Foundation board.
Here's what they offer:
We are Agents of Change: Diversity & Inclusion
We all have a part to play in moving towards communities that are dynamic in their inclusion and radical in their diversity; how do we come together to ensure no one is left out of the conversation? How can we inspire people to join us on this journey? How can we bridge social and cultural divides to empower and activate social justice? There is responsibility in taking action but so much richness and reward in a diverse community.
Words to Action: Inspiring Intersectionality
In this talk, Cicely Belle guides you through a thought-provoking journey. Using Kimberlé Crenshaw's intersectionality theory as a guiding lens, Cicely Belle explores themes such as power dynamics, privilege, unconscious bias, structural racism and patriarchy, delving into both theoretical insights and actionable steps for change.
Cicely Belle infuses their authentic lived experience into the discussion, offering profound narratives that challenge biases and inspire introspection. This keynote goes beyond awareness, providing a roadmap for tangible change, from fostering allyship to understanding and harnessing solidarity. Blain's message is a call to action, equipping audiences with the tools to actively contribute to a more just and equitable society. Prepare for an enlightening and empowering experience as Blain leads the way in dismantling oppressive systems and navigating the intersectionality of power, privilege, and progress.
Mobilizing hope
Cicely Belle shares their vision for a transformed future. Through a lens of hope, intersectionality and social justice, Cicely Belle brings both the visions and the tangible tools from years of fighting in both the streets and boardrooms for a better and more equitable world.
Towards Intersectional Pride
Embracing Pride through its historic origins as a protest against systemic violence towards Two Spirit, trans and queer people; this keynote offers tools for Collective 2SLGBTQ+ Liberation.
An Anti-Racist Approach to Media Literacy
How does media access shape what we see about the world? Whose stories are most suppressed by the realities of mainstream media? Big Media feels like an impossible system to crack which means those of us fighting for liberation and justice must take measures to reclaim control of the content we absorb and wade through the biased algorithms, racist conspiracy theories, election interference, and performative online allyship.
Reckoning with Power through an Anti-Racist Lens
Here Cicely Belle builds on fundamental anti-oppression teachings to discuss how systems of oppression intersect and overlap. Using anti-racism as a lens to evaluate power structures, this talk dives deep into topics like power, privilege, unconscious bias, structural racism and intersectionality and offers valuable teachings on allyship, solidarity and change-making from both a theoretical and actionable perspective.
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