Chris Farias (they / them) is an award winning creative strategist, children’s storyteller, and popular TikToker with over 289,000 followers.
Some may know Chris as the person who asked for the gayest cake ever to celebrate their marriage to their husband, Jared. Now, they live in Ontario with a menagerie of animals (13 chickens, 11 parrots, 5 bunnies, 3 dogs, 2 guinea pigs, and a tortoise named Rock Hudson).
So it might surprise you that, for a long time, Chris felt held back — like they were unable to pursue their passions as freely as they wanted to.
That was then. Now, they’re living authentically and unapologetically.
Since learning to embrace what they call their inner unicorn, they’ve founded the Unicorn Rebellion, a creative branding agency that helps organizations discover their brilliant truth.
Chris has been a columnist for BizMagazine and the Hamilton Spectator, a correspondent for CBC Television, and a lecturer at Mohawk College and McMaster University.
They’ve been featured as a keynote speaker, discussion panelist, and master of ceremonies for large-scale public industry events and national conferences like the Marketing Magazine Conference.
At the NAYDO (North American YMCA Development Organization) conference they received the highest rating from audience surveys two years in a row.
Chris also hosts their own podcast Once Upon a Rain Cloud which is a collection of stories about family, friends & queer allyship.
Speaking Topics
Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging
Chris speaks to groups about how to be more inclusive in your organization or classroom from a 2SLGBTQIA+ perspective. As part of this session, Chris talks about:
- Understanding the difference between inclusion and belonging
- Using inclusive language
- The difference between sex and gender
- Understanding the queer community better
- Understanding “the bully,” how they operate, and what to do about them
- Understanding pronouns and their importance
- The difference between ally and accomplice
- Building trust in your community or organization
2SLGBTQIA+ Books in the Classroom
Chris reads 2SLGBTQIA+ themed books on diversity and inclusion and discusses how they can be used in the classroom.
- The importance of representation
- Breaking gender stereotypes
- Answering common questions teachers and parents may have or hear
Let Them Eat Gayke!
The essence of belonging is being accepted as a natural member of a group. So how do you not only include people, but make them feel like they truly belong? Through a personal journey that includes growing up queer in a small town, a run in with a totalitarian librarian, and the most famous cake in the world, Chris Farias walks you through the steps to make every space, a space for belonging.
Talks can be customized to suit the particular needs of your organization or community.
Testimonials
“Attendees at the 2015 NAYDO Conference on YMCA Philanthropy described Chris as dynamic, funny and energetic! Chris gave very purposeful, positive and thought-provoking information while keeping the audience engaged and laughing. Their workshop was the best seminar of the session – so funny and so relevant!”
— Mary Zoller
Operations & Conference Director, NAYDO
“Chris Farias delivered a keynote presentation to my camp staff team on the topic of belonging. As a keynote for 200 teens and young adults, they had their work cut out for them early on a Sunday morning. Chris did a fantastic job and had the staff laughing in their seats and crying with the personal and emotional stories they shared with us.”
— Shawna MacLellan
Manager of Community Outreach and Day Camp, YMCA of Hamilton / Burlington / Brantford
“From the moment Chris approached the stage until they exited the room, our conference participants clung to every word they shared. The message, the laughter and the energy… oh, the energy! Of the many talented speakers that I’ve had the pleasure of hearing over the years, I’ve never seen the level of humor, connection, and inspired experience that Chris delivers. Your audience will thank you.”
— Natalie Davison
Entrepreneur
“Our Department was lucky enough to have Chris as a keynote speaker at our annual staff retreat. From the first sentence, it was obvious our staff became comfortable. They customized the keynote to our needs, proactively addressed issues they knew would be of concern, and gave us all a few good laughs. You don’t get the same old pre-packaged, reused content. It’s truly unique and is infused with their engaging personality.”
— Sean Meister Communications Coordinator at McMaster University Department of Family Medicine
To book Chris Farias, contact Rob Firing at speakers@transatlanticagency.com.