Non-profit advocating for diversity, inclusion and belonging in tech expands Canadian footprint.
June 1, 2022 (Toronto, Ontario): QueerTech, a Montreal-based non-profit that empowers the 2SLGBTQ+ community to access the tech industry, advance their careers, and launch tech businesses is bringing its initiatives to Toronto this June.
QueerTech creates safe spaces that allow members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community to achieve their personal and professional goals, feel a sense of belonging, and thrive in the tech industry. Since launching in 2016, QueerTech has connected over 7,000 of its members to hundreds of community and corporate partners. The non-profit has now set its sights on expanding beyond Montreal, starting with a series of inclusive activities designed to unite and inspire the 2SLGBTQ+ tech community in Toronto.
“We are very excited to grow our community and expand QueerTech to Toronto,” said Naoufel Testaouni, Co-Founder and CEO of QueerTech. “This expansion is a huge milestone for QueerTech and the 2SLGBTQ+ in Toronto and Canada. Our goal is to see increased Queer representation within the tech industry as a whole, and we know that Toronto’s tech ecosystem is pivotal to bringing lasting change for the Canadian tech industry.”
The launch officially kicks off with QueerTech’s PrideHacks hackathon, on June 16. Wealthsimple, a partner of QueerTech since 2020, will host the three-day event at its headquarters in downtown Toronto. The hackathon will convene members of Toronto’s tech ecosystem to build and implement technology solutions for non-profit organisations that serve the 2SLGBTQ+ community. All genders and sexual identities are welcome.
“Working with Rainbow, Wealthsimple’s 2SLGBTQ+ Employee Resource Group, to identify community organizations like QueerTech that are catalyzing intentional, meaningful, and impactful change, is an integral part of our commitment to creating opportunities for queer professionals in tech," said Shavonne Hasfal-Mcintosh, Director, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Wealthsimple. "Events like PrideHacks have had an incredible impact on the 2SLGBTQ+ community, and we're thrilled to be partnering with QueerTech again to officially bring this event to Toronto's tech ecosystem."
Following the hackathon, QueerTech will host a series of meetups and socials for Toronto-based techies. The organization will also host their annual QT Qonference (November 10-11), a national conference that convenes QueerTech members (QTs) and partners.
For more information, visit www.queertech.org.
About QueerTech:
QueerTech is a Canadian non-profit that empowers 2SLGBTQ+ community to access the tech industry, advance their career in tech and launch tech businesses. QueerTech has thousands of engaged members and hundreds of community and corporate partners that benefit from purpose-driven and solutions-oriented workshops, training, programs, job fairs, hackathons and events that provide career opportunities, build capacity, safe spaces, and support where LGBTQ2S+ voices are heard. Breaking down barriers, QueerTech empowers 2SLGBTQ+ in tech to achieve their personal and professional goals, feel a sense of belonging and to thrive in the tech industry with pride. As the most comprehensive resource for 2SLGBTQ+ in tech, visit our website to learn more and get involved: www.queertech.org
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Media contacts:
Laetitia Harty,
Publicist, MMRP
laetitia@mmpr.ca | 514.796.4854
Juanita Leon
Wealthsimple Communications Team