Education

https://cupe.ca/indigenous-black-and-racialized-cupe-women-and-non-binary-members-are-you-ready-wild

Applications are now open for the first ever national Women in Leadership Development program

Our time is now! Break barriers and dive into leadership in our union and our communities.

Women in Leadership Development (WILD) is a feminist leadership and skills-building union education program designed for Indigenous, Black, and racialized women and non-binary members of CUPE.

WILD is designed to support you as you strengthen your skills in feminist leadership, thinking and acting strategically, communicating with confidence, taking risks, and building relationships across regions and sectors. The program begins with your lived experience, uses collective learning and will encourage you to step into leadership in ways that feel authentic and sustainable. Together we will build capacity and help you become the creative and courageous leaders our movement needs!

WILD began as part of the Anti-racism Organizational Action Plan of CUPE Ontario in 2022. In 2025, National Secretary-Treasurer Candace Rennick announced that WILD would become a national program. And that time has COME!

If you are a CUPE member in good standing and answer yes to the questions below, we welcome you to apply!

• Do you have lived experience as an Indigenous, Black, or racialized woman or non-binary person?
• Are you new to activism or do you have leadership experience?
• Do you want to make a difference in your community?

About the program:

• An online orientation session
• Two in-person weeklong sessions
• A mix of in-person and online learning sessions (1-2 days)
• One-on-one and group mentorship
• Development of an innovative leadership project
• Lifetime connections!

If you are a woman member who is not Indigenous, Black or racialized, you may be interested in Women Breaking Barriers, CUPE’s 9-hour workshop on women’s oppression, politics and social change. For more information and to see when this and other courses are being offered in your region, consult our Union Education catalogue.

For more information and to apply, please click on the link for your region.

Note: if you need accommodations to complete this form, contact WILD@cupe.ca on or before March 26, 2025 to allow for proper response time.

• Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/vqK6YumeR7
• New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/yVfUUzNKxm
• Ontario: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/Sxh7n3Jkg1
• British Columbia will be offering WILD soon. Stay tuned!

2026 Anti-Oppression Training: Microaggressions
Wed, January 28th from 4:00pm – 6:00pm
On Campus: Register in advance for location
Facilitator: Dr. Neivin Shalabi

Microaggressions can be hard to recognize, difficult to name, and even harder to respond to in the moment. However, their impact is real and lasting. Join us for an anti-oppression presentation focused on understanding what microaggressions are, how they show up in our workplaces, classrooms, and union spaces, and why they matter.

This session will offer shared language, practical tools, and space for reflection, with a focus on how we can intervene, support one another, and build accountability without blame. Whether you’re new to these conversations or continuing ongoing anti-oppression work, this is an opportunity to learn together and strengthen our collective commitment to a more inclusive, respectful, and safer union for all members.

Register to reserve your seat. Room location will be provided upon confirmation of registration.
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/b8t4LLvIR2u7CeEp-XRxwg

Join us in solidarity!!