Outreach
The Secret Sidekicks of Cape & Cowl was born out of amazing and selfless community members who noticed the non-business aspects of community support Cape & Cowl offers to the rainbow youth of Nova Scotia.
Funds donated into the Secret Sidekicks Fund goes right back out to local youth in the form of different outreach programs that Jay has created out of observing community needs and gaps in local services. Thank you so, so very much to those that have supported and continue to support these initiatives. You have made more of a difference then you know.
We are here to help youth now, when they need it, and support their parents and guardians navigate supports and connect them to other valued community resources.
If you need any guidance, or have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Stay Safe, everyone!
Love, Jay
To donate, send whatever you like to jay@capeandcowlcomics.ca and write any notes in the subject! Thank you again for supporting the rainbow youth in our community!
CARE PACKAGE PROGRAM
Care packages are bundles of comics, graphic novels, books, pins, and stickers that reflect the experiences of rainbow youth and show them they are seen and heard and to give them a boost of joy! We tailor each care package to each individual youth.
Care packages are usually around $35-$45, please donate what you like!
BINDER PROGRAM
Cape & Cowl has a FREE binder program for local trans and gender creative youth!!
Binders cost $35, please donate what you like!
To donate a binder, or sign up for one, simply message Jay at jay@capeandcowlcomics.ca
THE ASHER MACDONALD YOU FIRST AWARD
Submissions are open for the 2025 Asher MacDonald You First Award!
We give this award every year to a local 2SLGBTQIA+ youth in the community who shows exemplary action advocating for more love, inclusion, accessibility, and acceptance.
In the 2018 Wayves Magazine article honoring Asher by Mikaela Gorman, we remember Asher as “a selfless friend who loved unconditionally”, “a beautiful soul who never judged anyone”, “a survivor… who gave of himself and saved lives”, and a person who made others “better for having known his kindness and generosity”.
In 2019, we were so happy to award the awesome Caden Hebb, who showed us his authentic joy in being himself, showed a great example of hard work and dedication, and reminded us that we are collectively responsible for keeping our planet healthy.
In 2020, we awarded the amazing Sarah Brown who leads by example and has been winning awards since the age of six for showing people how to love compassionately, and for helping to educate her school on how to best respect people of all genders and gender identities.
In 2021, we were so excited to award the incredible Evey Sweeny who has many years of experience advocating not only for herself, but for other trans and gender expansive kids by running her own pop-up schools educating people on how to support queer youth all over Nova Scotia!
In 2022, we awarded the fabulous Marcus Carvery who has long loved using art as a space to express and validate queerness and gender fluidity. Their dedication to ensuring those around them feel respected and loved makes them a natural change maker, and their work at the Africville Museum provides incredibly important Black trans representation to our community!
In 2023, we were thrilled to award Ash Tomlik who is a young leader and advocate who promotes social justice, inclusivity, acceptance, and gender inclusivity in sports: “as a queer athlete, I try to promote change within my sport. Being inclusive to everyone I meet is a starting point for the change in sports culture that’s needed.” Ash’s approach is unique. It is strong, confident, kind, and genuine.
In 2024, we awarded the wonderful Elias Wood, who spent much of his time at high school and Mt. A University advocating about issues of queer inclusion and disability justice. He has helped in almost all areas of the university, from sitting on his residence’s committee as the diversity rep to holding the ‘Gender and Sexual Diversity rep’ multiple times. He organized with the queer student group, and even established his own non-profit to help support trans people in the Maritimes! Before going to Mount Allison University in New Brunswick, he helped organize his high school’s GSA, and sat on a queer board in his community!
The recipient will get a beautiful wooden laser-etched award and a monetary portion which they can donate to a local nonprofit or community initiative of their choice that is supporting 2SLGBTQIA+ youth in our community.
To nominate a youth for the 2025 Asher MacDonald You First Award, please send an email to jay@capeandcowlcomics.ca to tell us all about a youth in our local rainbow community that is doing something outstanding to help trans and gender expansive youth find and use their voice.
* Photo of Asher at Halifax Pride 2016 provided by Shaun Simpson, Photographer
