Speakers
Dr. Amit Arya
Keynote
In this keynote, Dr. Amit Arya will explore the critical role of equity, cultural safety, and anti-racism in palliative and seniors care, with a focus on supporting grief and bereavement. By examining the complex challenges faced by racialized and marginalized communities in accessing care, Dr. Arya will provide insights into the practical steps clinicians can take to foster inclusive and respectful environments. This session will address systemic barriers, explore community-centered approaches, and highlight innovations in integrating anti-racist principles into care.
Mal Rose
Speaker
Grieving While “Ungrievable”: 2SLGBTQIA+ Grief in a hostile world
Drawing on past research from figures like Judith Butler and Achille Mbembe, this talk examines and invites inquiry into how the larger context of societal and cultural determinations of what and who is “grievable” affect 2SLGBTQIA+ grieving experiences
• How societies may design themselves around “grievability” and picking “others” to align against
• Accessing grief as a radical act of hope and rehumanization in the face of dehumanizing oppression
• What people of all backgrounds can learn about supporting themselves and others in grief from 2SLGBTQIA+ grieving experiences.
Colleen Belle
Speaker
In this session, Colleen will explore the topic of, "Intercultural Competence and How Best to Support Newcomer Immigrants through Grief and Bereavement."
Coming Soon
Speaker
Bio
Dr. Amit Arya
Dr. Amit Arya is a Palliative Care Physician with extensive experience across hospital, home care, and long-term care settings. He currently serves as the Medical Director of two outreach teams that provide enhanced supports to ten long-term care homes in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), offering specialized palliative care services and capacity building to improve health outcomes for seniors. His work is grounded in a deep commitment to health equity, ensuring that vulnerable seniors, particularly those from marginalized and racialized communities, receive high-quality, culturally safe care.
Dr. Arya is a Lecturer in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Toronto and an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at McMaster University. He has served as a board member for the Canadian Society of Palliative Medicine and Canadian Doctors for Medicare, where he championed policies that promote equitable access to healthcare for all Canadians, including seniors in long-term care.
Known for his advocacy of culturally safe palliative care, Dr. Arya regularly conducts workshops on cultural safety, anti-racism, and the profound impacts these issues have on palliative and long-term care. He is passionate about addressing the systemic barriers faced by racialized and marginalized communities in accessing equitable healthcare and strives to advance these efforts in both clinical and academic settings.
In recognition of his dedication to improving seniors' care, palliative care, and long-term care, Dr. Arya has received several prestigious honors, including an Award of Excellence in Creative Professional Activity and an Award of Excellence in Social Responsibility from the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Toronto. He has also been awarded an Award of Excellence from the College of Family Physicians of Canada and was recognized by the Toronto Star as a "Change Maker" for his significant contributions. Dr. Arya’s advocacy extends to education, research, and policy development, with notable coverage in print and broadcast media. He frequently presents to medical students, physicians, interprofessional colleagues, and the public, focusing on the importance of health equity, cultural safety, and advancing palliative care in long-term care settings.
Mal Rose
Mal Rose (they/she) is a Grief Educator and Advocate, End of Life Doula with Certificate, Artist, Writer, and Speaker who has come to view life as a constant state of grieving. Their work, in part co-created and co-researched with its participants, is an at once critical and creative exploration of the role of grief, and the consequences of its suppression, in culture, systems, policy, media, art, and community. Their professional education, and lived experiences as a multi-violence and near-death experience survivor are gifts that allow them to profoundly understand the role grief plays in our ability to make choices, repair conflict, and form secure relationships. They craft spaces for organizations, social movements, groups, and individuals to bring grief to the forefront of the creation of just, ethical systems, and cultures of care.
