ABOUT US
Learn about who we are, why we do this and the people behind Get REAL
Our Story
Get REAL began as a small student project in 2011, at Western University. As O-Week volunteer leaders, we saw excellent results combatting homophobic, transphobic, and racist language and attitudes one-to-one with our first year students: countless students changing their language within a matter of days, and countless others coming out to us and telling us they felt comfortable being themselves. We wanted to see if our approach – friendly, honest, diverse, and personal-story driven – could be translated into a workshop for some of our old high schools, and the idea for Get REAL was born.
Our People
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One of the founding members of the organization, Chris got involved in Get REAL because of the success he was having speaking to first year students about homophobic, transphobic, and racist language during his time in the Western Orientation “Welcome Week” program. He found he had an ability to get through to kids who reminded him of himself at a younger age by sharing his own experiences of friends coming out to him, embracing his own differences as a Black man adopted from South America, and learning from others to be a supportive friend. He helped found Get REAL as a small student group with three other friends, and has been a leader in the organization ever since.
Chris currently oversees fundraising, sponsorship, finances, legal, social media, web development, merchandise, new partnerships, events, the university chapter program, and is one of the lead speakers at the organization, having spoken everywhere from Ted X Youth, to Amnesty International’s youth summit, to 20,000 youth at We Day Toronto. Born in Lima, Peru, Chris currently lives in Toronto and loves playing drums, listening to podcasts, reading biographies, and consulting with younger organizations looking to make an impact on the world.
Chris - he/him
Marley - she/her
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Marley Bowen is the dynamic force behind Get REAL’s expansion over the past three years, and a proud leader of the organization. Hailing from Gros Morne, Newfoundland, Marley got involved with Get REAL while she was in university on the east coast, because she felt like her high school environment wasn’t a place that people felt comfortable coming out and being themselves.
After coming out as gay herself, she wanted to give back and help others who may be struggling accepting their sexuality. After flying to Toronto for a high school speaking tour, she took on the second ever full-time staff position and has been growing the program ever since. Her unwavering optimism and unparalleled work ethic has enabled Get REAL’s workshop program expand to one of the largest in Canada, impacting 8 provinces (and 3 states), and over 150,000 young people to date.
As Executive Director, Marley manages all of the organization’s workshops, keynotes, and other speaking engagements year-round, in addition to being a prolific speaker herself. She is the key player in Get REAL’s social media growth, merchandise designs, fundraisers, and new partnership development -- really, anything that helps the organization grow. Her instincts for the Get REAL brand have helped define the organization internationally, and carve out its unique place in the LGBTQ+ non-profit landscape, and her fearlessness and her belief in the organization’s results have navigated Get REAL through the many challenges a non-profit organization faces.
Born in Newfoundland, Marley currently lives in Toronto and loves exploring the city (good food and hip coffee shops), spinning, meeting new people, and spending far too much time at the dog park with the newest (and furriest) member of her family.
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Wren Bond is our Education & Corporate DEI Manager. A genderqueer educator with a Bachelors of Education degree from Mount Saint Vincent University, Wren first joined Get REAL as a speaker having seen firsthand the need for 2SLGBTQ+ inclusion and education in classrooms and schools.
Wren brings with them multiple years of teaching experience, an in-depth and evolving understanding of intersectionality, anti-oppression, and 2SLGBTQ+ realities, dedicated involvement with queer youth, and leadership and coaching positions in and out of schools.
As a millennial who grew up without queer role models they desire to spread queer joy and empower students to be who they are and fight injustices of all kinds.
An athlete and hospitality industry veteran, Wren is also passionate about advocating for trans and queer inclusion in these and all spaces. Wren currently lives in Tkaronto and loves cycling around the city, taking care of their houseplants, camping with their partner, and cuddling with their dog, Shark.
Wren - they/them
Monica - she/her
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Monica Henao is our Content Manager and Lead Speaker. She is a Media Communications graduate from the University of Guelph-Humber and has brought her multifaceted experience to Get REAL.
Born in Colombia, and raised in Canada, Monica embraces all parts of her identity and wants youth to do the same. Her passion for human beings - hearing their stories, their experiences, their struggles, & their triumphs gives her the drive to continue to create and amplify content that highlight the voices we don’t hear everyday.
In her downtime, she loves to hang out with her family and friends, rollerblade, play basketball, watch sunsets, travel and dance in her living room.
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Bio coming soon!
Courtney - she/her
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An ardent learner and community builder, Courtney has been speaking with The Get REAL Movement for over a year. In that time she has reached thousands of students, staff and parents across Canada.
Courtney is passionate about working with people to help them understand the world around them. She uses her story and experiences as a Black woman in the 2SLGBTQ+ community growing up in predominantly white neighbourhoods to explain the intersectionality of discrimination and inspire listeners to make positive changes for themselves and those around them.
“Getting to speak with young people across Canada, as well as parents and teachers has been the ultimate privilege. I have always wanted to have a more direct impact on communities and getting the chance to be in the classroom (even virtually) and speaking with students has been so special and rewarding to me.”
When not speaking with Get REAL, Courtney works for another non-profit as a program coordinator, where she supports student volunteers in their goal to provide free music education programs to vulnerable children across Canada.
Laur - they/them
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Clem has been a Get REAL Speaker for the 3 years, and has spoken to hundreds of students across the country. Working at Get REAL and the connections made with the students has allowed Clem to learn so much about himself and the power of vulnerability. Outside of Get REAL Clem is a francophone cultural activities coordinator for one of 12 fully French school boards in the province of Ontario .
“I hope that by sharing my story, this will empower all those who hear it to re-learn empathy and ways of helping others. I am so thrilled to meet you all, and hope that together we get to plant seeds of change for the future!” - Clem
Clem - he/him
Impact Report 2024
Get REAL’s Impact Report 2024
Click here to read all about our journey last year and the wonderful community behind it all!
We are proud to be a Buy Social Canada Certified Social Enterprise.
We are focused on selling with impact and part of the growing movement of community capital creators.
Our Board of Directors
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Jay Brewster - he/him
I proudly support the work that the Get REAL Movement does to reduce 2SLGBTQ+ discrimination, racism, and bullying in schools, summer camps, and workplaces. I did not come out until later in life and have dealt with years of self-hate, rejection, and loneliness. Something I would never wish on anyone. These workshops create safe spaces where youth are encouraged to be proud of who they are and to live their life as authentic selves. It creates opportunities for growth by learning from others' lived experiences. It focuses on building empathy, dispelling stereotypes, and showing that we all face challenges. I hope that we can all learn to be a little kinder, after all, we are more alike as humans than we are different.
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Lauren Vandervoort - she/her
Get REAL is inviting young people to create a more kind and inclusive world. Since its founding in 2011, I have been proud to support their mission and watch the team grow to reach thousands of youth on a personal and impactful level. Now a parent myself, I'm so happy to be a part of a movement that is making the schools and communities that she'll live that much more positive, safe, and accepting.
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Matthew LeBlond - he/him
I’m proud to support the work that the Get REAL Movement does because it educates, mentors, and empowers youth regardless of their own sexuality, creating allies along the way. I remember being in the closet, and feeling so alone and alienated. The Get REAL Movement helps start the conversation to create a supportive environment for youth and encourages being yourself.
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Andrew McGuire - he/him
I couldn’t be happier to support Get REAL. It’s very difficult to put into words the kind of impact the Get REAL program has on young people, and specifically those who are struggling with their identity. I believe that there aren’t many things more important than a sense of community and belonging, especially for young adults, and Get REAL provides that for those who need it most. Hearing people describe the impact Get REAL has had on their lives is inspiring, motivating, and highlights the importance of this organization. The core values of Get REAL have shaped the way I live my own life, and I’m honoured to have played a role its development.
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Chelsey Roy - she/her
Chelsey first got involved with Get REAL in 2019 during a business strategy session hosted at her workplace, and hasn't looked back since. She brings her experience as a lawyer and business owner to the board of directors, and is proud to work with such a dedicated and passionate team in furthering Get REAL's mission across Canada.
Chelsey hails from Bathurst, New Brunswick, and is a lawyer and forensic consultant working at one of Canada's largest advisory firms. She is passionate about soccer, Marvel movies, universal basic income, free tuition, and good coffee.
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Steph Rebello - she/her
I’ve been lucky to witness the rocket ship that is Get REAL for the past 3 years. They lead with kindness, and are unafraid to speak boldly about the need for justice, equity and a community that holds space for all identities. Working with and alongside Marley, Chris and the rest of the board, I am constantly floored at the level of humility, humor and compassion. The entire Get REAL community of facilitators, staff and partners are committed to dismantling exclusive and disempowering spaces, and educating folks on how they can and should embrace differences. I am so proud to support the growth of this organization in any possible way.
Our Partners
Get REAL is fortunate to work with corporate and organizational partners who care deeply about supporting the work that we do.
Who we partner with:
We partner with companies who align with our values as an organization, who show a genuine commitment to helping us fulfill our mission, and who have been vetted and approved by our Executive Team and our Board of Directors.
Why we partner:
Our partners are a core part of Get REAL's impact and success, both through funding and amplification of our work (Workshops, Chapters, After-School Program, Speaker Training, and our Summits), as well as inviting us into their workplaces to provide education and promote acceptance, in the form of staff trainings.
What our partnerships look like:
Partnerships with Get REAL take many forms, but they all help achieve one or more of these goals: to increase funding for our core programs, to expand our ability to reach further into communities and schools, and to ensure 2SLGBTQ+ inclusion is a priority within corporate cultures in Canada.