YAND

YAND is Reset’s two-day experiential education series focused on relational repair, anti-hate practices, and navigating conflict. Hosted in 2025 at the Nia Centre for the Arts, the series brought together 200+ participants through workshops, panels, performances, and rest activations.

• Day 1: Navigating Conflict in Community explored tools and mindsets for engaging with tension in ways that preserve relationship.

• Day 2: How We Co-Create Anti-Hate Spaces focused on designing physical and cultural spaces that reduce harm and foster belonging.

YAND stands for Yes And—a principle from improv that invites us to stay in relationship, build on what’s offered, and co-create possibility even in tension. We chose the name because it reflects a core truth at the heart of community work: we can acknowledge harm and choose repair, we can face difference and remain connected.

The idea for YAND emerged from Reset’s experience designing spaces where people practice relational skills—especially in moments of conflict or discomfort. As disconnection and division deepened post-pandemic, we saw a need for something more intentional. YAND is our response: a container for experiential learning at the intersection of care, justice, and social health.

In a time of rising division and distrust, we saw an urgent need for spaces where people could practice conflict navigation, accountability, and care. YAND created a container for honest conversation and collective unlearning—reframing anti-hate work as something deeply relational, not just ideological. It was also an opportunity to deepen our approach to justice by investing in the conditions that make real repair possible.

YAND was brought to life by a deeply collaborative team, each stewarding a vital part of the experience:
Adil Dhalla-Kim (Program), Genevieve Melito (Operations), Christie Wong (Marketing), Joshua Fernandes (Care), Wilson Lin and Karim Rizkallah (Production), and Jessica Campbell (Design).

We’re also grateful to our organizational collaborators whose partnership helped ground YAND in community: Nia Centre for the Arts, Growing Tkaronto, JAYU, and Oakwood Vaughan Community Organization.

YAND was funded $37,000 through Canadian Heritage’s Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Program, which supports initiatives that foster intercultural understanding and challenge systemic discrimination. The funding allowed us to offer the program for free, ensuring accessibility for those most impacted by hate and disconnection.