OUR HISTORY
How It All Started
The DSS Team at its humble beginnings.
Dignity Seniors Society was originally the Dignity House Advisory Committee (DHAC) which was founded as a Master of Social Work practicum of Alex Sangha in September 2012. The Progressive Intercultural Community Services (PICS) Society was a non-profit partner during our infancy and early establishment.
The initial mandate of the DHAC was to develop affordable housing for Gender and Sexual Minority (GSM) seniors and allies in Vancouver. In 2018, the DHAC applied for, and secured, society status under the BC Society Act forming Dignity Seniors Society. The Board of the Society worked hard through 2017/18 to develop a strategic plan that would be effective over the short term, and target the long-term goals of the organization, such as developing 2SLGBTQIA+ seniors’ housing projects.
DSS would like to thank all the people and organizations (see Partners) that have generously given their time and resources over the years to make DSS possible.
You can read our founding report by Alex Sangha here.
Our Iconic Logo
The emblem concept is very simple. It features a stylized home surrounded by a rainbow. The doors are open in a gesture to welcome everyone. The purple color signifies seniors and elders.
The logo was created and generously donated by local award winning graphic designer, Vinay Giridhar. Vinay completed the Digital Graphic Design Program at Vancouver Community College and a Diploma in Classical Animation at Vancouver Film School. You can contact Vinay at vinayg2007@gmail.com.
Language + Terminology*
At DSS we use the term 2SLGBTQIA+ as an inclusive acronym to represent the communities that we serve.
We have placed ‘2S’ at the beginning of “LGBTQIA+” to acknowledge the importance of the Two-Spirit members of our community during the ongoing process of reconciliation in Canada. DSS asks all directors and volunteers to commit to learning about the history of residential schools and the effects of colonization on the Indigenous peoples of Canada, and the country as a whole. We use 2S as an umbrella term inclusive of LGBTQIA+ Indigenous and Indiqueer people.
We sometimes use the term ‘queer and trans’ as a substitute for 2SLGBTQIA+ to simplify language, and where specific identifiers are not required; although we acknowledge that some older adults experience the word ‘queer’ as a hurtful, derogatory term from their lived experience.
We honor the fact that many of the seniors in our communities fought hard to get the acronym LGBT recognized in society. We are respectful of this, while acknowledging that the language and terminology used to represent our communities is continuously evolving.