Hello my name is Amy. One of the most generous people I know, Liz Richardson-Sugg, faces consistent and ongoing discrimination from the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB). Liz has dedicated her life to her students as a registered Early Childhood Educator (RECE), and her talent, dedication, warmth, and genuineness are evident to anyone lucky enough to work with her. In the last six years, she has faced complex and severe health challenges resulting in several physical disabilities. Her doctors have approved her to work in a school on a part-time basis as a RECE using her wheelchair or walker – but the Board is refusing to accommodate her. This prompted Liz to file a claim with the Human Rights Tribunal that the Board has broken the Human Rights Code. Guided by the Human Rights Tribunal Legal Support Centre, which offers human rights legal advice and support services to anyone experiencing discrimination under Ontario's Human Rights Code, Liz was told to seek private counsel because of how the Board has responded to her claim, making it impossible for her to continue without legal representation.

The WRDSB spouts meaningless diatribes about inclusivity yet fails to assist a brilliant and loving educator, denying students her unique gifts and spirit. They have rallied their troops, including many lawyers, to stop Liz from going forward with her fight. They are trying to intimidate her, hoping she will give up. She has told me countless times that this fight is not about money; it's about making change for people like her who are disabled but able to work with some accommodations but are denied. To change policies within the Board so people like her don't face roadblock after roadblock. My ask is to rally around her to help her make this change. Her lawyers feel she has a solid case, but Liz needs our collaborative support to move forward. I ask for anything you can give to help pay for the legal fees she will incur as she fights the good fight. To know my dear friend is to love her – she deserves so much support! She said recently, "I don't want anyone else to go through these difficulties; this is why I'm doing this."