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It is with profound sadness that The 519 shares that one of our employees, Sasha Hashi (she/her/they/them), passed away suddenly this weekend. Sasha was a beautiful soul and much beloved at The 519 and in the community. We are all devastated.
A proud Black trans woman, Sasha was heavily involved both within The 519 and the city’s trans communities, including leading the Trans March for two years.
Sasha joined The 519 in November 2017. She started out as a front desk casual staff member and then joined the management/exempt team as our Assistant, Organizational Development in 2018. They were instrumental in leading our employee orientation and supported our various recruitment processes over the past number of years. Recently during COVID-19, Sasha was providing assistance in the Newcomer department to coordinate and assign intakes of new clients to the team. She was also a member of The 519’s Black Collective. They were passionate, clear, and steadfast in their contributions in helping shape its work to support Black 2 Spirit, queer, and trans communities.
Sasha was a valued and cherished member of The 519 staff family, and she will be profoundly missed. The 519 extends its deepest condolences to our teams, Sasha’s friends, and her family.
Salat al-Janazah on February 12
Unity Mosque will host a virtual Salat al-Janazah, the Islamic funeral prayer, for Sasha on Friday, February 12, 1 pm ET. We will be sharing the details and directions on how to join in the coming days.
A Celebration of Sasha’s Life
The 519 will be working with colleagues and friends of Sasha to plan and host a virtual celebration of her life; to honour her kind and generous spirit, and their amazing community contributions and impact. Details will be announced as soon as they are available.
Sasha (left) along with Delphi at the Trans March 2019
Grief Support for The 519 Program Participants
Drop-in counselling sessions will be available to The 519 program participants who are particularly impacted. Sessions can be arranged for by contacting the Front Desk at Info@The519.org or 416-392-6874.
Grief Support for Community Members
Bereaved Families of Ontario
- Provides peer mutual support through one-on-one phone or video calls, group supports, and virtual activities, to anyone who is bereaved.
- To access any of these supports email: programsupport@bftoronto.ca or call 416-440-0290 (ext. 102).
- For more info: bfotoronto.ca
Centre for Grief and Healing
- Staff are available Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5pm.
- Peer Support Group (ages 18+) is being held virtually via Zoom, Tuesdays, 6:30 to 7:30 pm.
- Individual Support Sessions (ages 6+) are held throughout the week over the phone or via Zoom.
- For access to any of these supports, email: info@bereavedfamilies.ca, or call 905-848-4337.
- For more info: bereavedfamilies.ca
Grief, Bereavement, and End-of-Life Supports
We have also compiled a list of resources available online and by phone to support community members through their experiences of grief, bereavement, and end-of-life. Click on the title above to view.
Mental Health Supports
Trans Lifeline (24/7)
Trans Lifeline is a trans-led organization that connects trans people to the community, support, and resources they need to survive and thrive. Available 24/7.
Call: 877-330-6366
Family Services Toronto
Offering virtual walk-in counselling services weekdays from 9 am to 6 pm. Sessions will last 50 minutes, open to folks 18+. Intake lines open weekdays, 9 am to 6 pm. A counsellor will call back between 11:30 am and 6:30 pm.
Call: 416-585-9618
Woodgreen Community Services
Over-the-phone walk-in counselling (first-come, first-served basis) on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Intakes from 4:15 to 6:30 pm.
Call 416-645-6000 (ext.1990) to request an intake by leaving a message with your name and a call back number. An intake worker will contact you to complete a brief intake and schedule a session. For more detils, email: info@woodgreen.org or visit woodgreen.org.
