Alberta teachers are coming together to drive equity, inclusion and antioppression in the profession.
Provincial Diversity Equity Networks (DENs) are teacher-led networks that support members of systemically excluded and equity-rooted communities in advancing inclusion and antioppression through collaboration, shared resources and a sense of belonging. Three provincial DENs are being piloted for the 2025/26 year to offer Alberta teachers spaces of support and connection.
The DEN descriptions below were provided by DEN members.
Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA)
The Alberta Teachers’ Association Gender and Sexuality Alliance (ATA GSA) exists to create a safe, welcoming and empowering space for 2SLGBTQIA+ teachers and their allies across Alberta. We foster connection, affirm identity and advocate for equity through education, professional learning and collective action. Our work includes provincial outreach to isolated educators, capacity-building through professional development, and supporting teachers in navigating oppressive systems safely and collaboratively. We champion intersectionality and strive to accept, affirm and uplift the voices and experiences of marginalized educators, including those who are Two-Spirit, racialized or living with disabilities.
The ATA GSA builds partnerships within the Association and beyond, acting as a consultative body, a creator of resources and a hub for collective learning. We aim to connect GSAs across the province, document our histories, and celebrate queer joy through events, storytelling and shared learning. Through newsletters, conferences, public education and research initiatives, we strive to diversify the ATA membership and representatives, raise awareness of career pathways and foster a more inclusive profession and society.
Membership is open to all active or associate ATA members.
Teachers with Disabilities (TWD)
The Teachers with Disabilities (TWD) DEN is a provincial network that provides a safe and brave space for teachers with disabilities.
TWD meets regularly to provide mutual support for teachers who identify as having disabilities and their strong allies. TWD focuses on support and strategies that enable teachers with disabilities to thrive in their work and amplify the voices of teachers with disabilities as strong contributors to public education.
The primary goal of the TWD is accessibility: the opportunity to access equitable conditions, services, supports and work environments when they are needed without facing barriers. The TWD advocates for and promotes accessibility within schools, workplaces and at Association events. To balance and sometimes challenge clinical understandings of disabilities as individualized deficits, the TWD supports and is guided by the social model of disability, which focuses on the elimination of barriers, and the rights-based model of disability, which works to ensure the human rights of people with disabilities are routinely met.
TWD strives for and contributes to accurate and positive representations of people with disabilities in all educational contexts.
Membership is open to all active or associate ATA members.
Together We RISE: Racialized Teachers’ Circle (RISE)
Visibility matters. This network isn’t just about support; it’s about action, transformation and justice. Together, we will not only lift each other up but also help reshape the structures we work within.
The Together We RISE: Racialized Teachers’ Circle is rooted in a powerful vision: to build a community of connection, strength and empowerment for racialized educators. Our goal is to create a space where members feel seen, valued and supported, not only by one another but also by the broader Association.
The RISE DEN will work to amplify the voices and experiences of racialized teachers within the Association, confronting systemic barriers head-on while pushing for inclusive practices that uplift everyone. Professional development will be a component of our work, offering mentorship, leadership opportunities and career-building pathways that specifically address the unique challenges and strengths of equity-deserving educators.
Membership is open to active or associate ATA members who identify as racialized teachers, as well as allies.
For information on these DENs and their upcoming meetings, please reach out by email.
ATA Gender and Sexuality Alliance
ATAGSA@ata.ab.ca
Teachers with Disabilities
TWD@ata.ab.ca
Together We RISE:
Racialized Teachers’ Circle:
RISE@ata.ab.ca
