Meet Serene Carter

SERENE IS A QUEER WOMAN OF COLOUR, WHO HOLDS MANY INTERSECTING IDENTITIES THAT HELP HER BETTER UNDERSTAND THE COMPLEX SOCIETY AROUND THEM. THIS ENABLES SERENE TO FURTHER HER ACTIVISM WITHIN THE QUEER AND TRANS COMMUNITY.

Serene is the chair of Burnaby North Secondary's Gender and Sexuality Alliance, which is the largest and most proficient GSA within Burnaby. She is also the student chair student of the Burnaby School District LGBTQ committee and is the president of the District Student Advisory Council.

Within Burnaby North's Gender and Sexuality Alliance, the group holds a safe space for any youth and staff member in Serene’s school to join during the lunch hour. The group has conversations on how to better their school and school district's inclusivity and put in place safer policies and practices to avoid discrimination within their hallways. Serene is also part of running school-wide events such as Trans Day of Remembrance, International Day of Pink, International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia, and many other events.

Within her school, Serene has become a key liaison for the queer and trans community when it comes to extra circular, academic and social scenes. Serene primarily does most of the communicating with outside organizations such as Out In Schools, YouthCO, and QMUNITY.

(This profile was written in 2015)