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The Intersectional Growth Peers (IGP) Pilot Program 2026

Graphic: Amber Abdiwahid

What is the IGP pilot program for 2026?

The DEEI-verse “Intersectional Growth Peers (IGP)” pilot program 2026 is a support and development initiative for people with experiences of discrimination (e.g., racism, ableism, sexism, transphobia, classism) who work as employees, staff, in leadership positions, as juniors, trainees, or in comparable roles.

Goal 1: To establish comprehensively supported and sustainable tandem partnerships in which experienced and less experienced individuals from these communities empower, educate, support, and exchange ideas with one another in order to strategically embed DEEI principles within their organizations.

Goal 2: To create a professionally facilitated and empowering network of peers with similar backgrounds who are often underrepresented in existing structures in Switzerland.

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What does the program offer, and when does it take place?

The IGP pilot program 2026 combines professional development, collective learning, community building, and self-care. It provides practical DEEI tools and skills, promotes empowerment through collaborative learning and healing, and opens access to strong, supportive DEEI-verse communities and networks.

The monthly check-ins between the IGP tandems are self-organized. In addition, DEEI-verse supports all participants with a curated program throughout the year:

The program is constantly being updated. Events in the Bern area and other locations will follow.

JANUARY

  • Date: January 31, 2026
    Time: 11:00–16:00
    Location:     Resilient Studios, Kreuzstrasse 24, 8008 Zurich
    Language: EN/DE/FR (French Sign Language interpretation)

    This kick-off event marks the beginning of our year together. We'll start with an introduction to DEEI-verse and the program, followed by opportunities to get to know each other, form IGP tandems, and build connections as a community. Vegan food will be provided with support from Solikaffee 💖

    Many thanks to the Resilient Studiosteam for the “peer mentorship” and DEEI-verse support 💖

FEBRUARY

  • Self-organized check-in between peer tandems

MARCH

  • Date: March 7, 2026
    Time: 11:00-16:00
    Location: Dynamo, Wasserwerkstrasse 21, 8006 Zurich
    Language: EN/DE (French translation available)

    Introduction to Roxanne Botman's individual career coaching (https://boldbeings.com/) for all IGPs.

    About Roxanne (press release):
    Roxanne Botman is a Career Confidence Coach, Design Thinking Coach, and People & Culture Consultant, and the founder of Bold Beings Coaching. She delivers transformational career coaching programs for experienced professionals who want to elevate their careers and earnings, and live life on their own terms, and works with organizations to design people-centered strategies that drive performance, productivity, and scalable growth.

    Together with her wife, she co-hosts the podcast Two Girls Strong, where she shares lived experience and insights on navigating how to live life on her own terms.

    ——————-
    Workshop “Care - From the individual to the collective” with La Collective Intersections (https://www.collective-intersections.ch/)

    About La Collective Intersections:
    Collective Intersections is an association that offers workshops about social inequities and discriminations. 

    The term "Collective" refers to the idea of ​​coming together. "Intersections" evokes the complexity of our identities. This name affirms our goal to create a more inclusive and anti-discriminatory world for everyone by collaborating. 

    About the workshop:
    In this workshop, we will try to dissect the meaning of "care". In an oppressive world, what does care look like? Where does the boundary between self-care and collective care lie? In this workshop, we'll discuss about it but also try activities relevant to care.

  • Date: March 21, 2026
    Time: 11:00-16:00
    Location: Resilient Studios, Eventspace, Kreuzstrasse 24, 8008 Zurich
    Language: EN/DE/FR (French Sign Language interpretation available)

    Interactive presentation by Alecs Recher on "protection against discrimination" in Switzerland.

    Alecs Recher, who grew up in the city of Zurich, studied clinical special education and social pedagogy as well as law and is currently pursuing a doctorate in health law. He gained practical experience in anti-discrimination law and in representing the interests of marginalized people, particularly through his long-term leadership of the legal advice and advocacy work of Transgender Network Switzerland, as co-president of Transgender Europe, and as a member of the Zurich City Council.


    Featuring a meditation introduction and Q&A with Amy (https://www.instagram.com/oum_yogaontheway/), yoga teacher and marketing manager from Koh Tao, Thailand. She has been teaching yoga since 2018 and brings over six years of experience and training in Vinyasa and Yin-Yang yoga from Thailand and Bali.

    She understands yoga as a unifying practice of movement, breath, and energy. Her classes are open to everyone – regardless of age, gender, or experience – and invite participants to bring body and mind into balance and share positive energy.

  • Self-organized check-in between peer tandems

APRIL

MAY

  • Date: May 20, 2026
    Time: 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
    Location: KWEER, Spitalgasse 14, 8001 Zurich
    Language: EN/DE (French translation available)

    With Atelier Igihozo (https://atelierigihozo.com/) & Kweerbar (https://kweerbar.ch/)

    Prior to the open mic, a virtual preparatory workshop with Dope Saint Jude (https://www.instagram.com/dopesaintjude/) will take place. In this workshop, IGP members and allies will learn how to artistically express experiences of discrimination. Registration is possible via email: info@deei-verse.com

    About Dope Saint Jude (press release):
    Dope Saint Jude is a Cape Town-born electrohip hop artist, producer, and storyteller whose work celebrates self-expression and challenges convention. Beginning her journey as a drag-king performer, she went on to craft a bold, self-defined sound that merges cultural critique with club energy. Her acclaimed EPs Reimagine, Resilient, and Higher Self explore identity, power, and freedom, earning placements in Netflix series, global ad campaigns, and the Oscarnominated film Nimona.

    Music scholar Professor Adam Haupt has credited her with “transforming South African hip hop by queering a genre that has been predominantly male and heteronormative,” a reflection of her impact not only as a musician but as a cultural voice reframing representation and possibility within African music. Known for her magnetic performances across South Africa, Europe and the US, she continues to reimagine what it means to be a queer artist from the continent one whose art moves between protest, healing, and joy.

  • Self-organized check-in between peer tandems

JUNE

  • Date: June 19, 2026
    Time: 10:00-17:00
    Location: Alte Kaserne, Technikumstrasse 8403 Winterthur, Room «Malen»
    Language: EN/DE (French translation possible)

    With Mona-Lisa Kole (Head of Migration Policy, FRIEDA – the Feminist Peace Organization) and meditation introduction and Q&A by Amy (https://www.instagram.com/oum_yogaontheway/), yoga teacher and marketing manager from Koh Tao, Thailand.

  • Self-organized check-in between peer tandems

SEPTEMBER

  • Date: September 23, 2026
    Time: 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
    Location: KWEER, Spitalgasse 14, 8001 Zurich
    Language: EN/DE (French translation available)

    With Atelier Igihozo (https://atelierigihozo.com/) & Kweerbar (https://kweerbar.ch/)

    Prior to the open mic, a virtual preparatory workshop with Dope Saint Jude (https://www.instagram.com/dopesaintjude/) will take place. In this workshop, IGP members and allies will learn how to artistically express experiences of discrimination. Registration is possible via email: info@deei-verse.com

    About Dope Saint Jude (press release):
    Dope Saint Jude is a Cape Town-born electrohip hop artist, producer, and storyteller whose work celebrates self-expression and challenges convention. Beginning her journey as a drag-king performer, she went on to craft a bold, self-defined sound that merges cultural critique with club energy. Her acclaimed EPs Reimagine, Resilient, and Higher Self explore identity, power, and freedom, earning placements in Netflix series, global ad campaigns, and the Oscarnominated film Nimona.

    Music scholar Professor Adam Haupt has credited her with “transforming South African hip hop by queering a genre that has been predominantly male and heteronormative,” a reflection of her impact not only as a musician but as a cultural voice reframing representation and possibility within African music. Known for her magnetic performances across South Africa, Europe and the US, she continues to reimagine what it means to be a queer artist from the continent one whose art moves between protest, healing, and joy.

  • Self-organized check-in between peer tandems

OCTOBER

  • Location: Café Revolution, PROGR | 014, Waisenhausplatz 30, 3011 Bern
    Time: 11:30 AM - 4:00 PM
    Language: German (French/English/Sign language interpretation available)

    with Atelier Igihozo (https://atelierigihozo.com/) and Zulu.

    Description:
    in the constant flow of vi*lence and de*th that these days have become synonymous with, relentless in their rhythm and smothering in how little space and time they leave us with to sit with our grief, this ceremony invites you to an embracing pause to do just that.

    pause. grieve. and be embraced.

    as these oppressive systems work to keep us out of breath, disembodied and exhausted from all that we have to carry, the focus of this grief ceremony will be rooted in somatic

    healing, soundbaths, written reflection rituals and other spontaneous remedial gestures that can arise from sharing a moment to feel our feelings collectively and communally.

    let us hold each other

    let us express our sadness openly and abundantly against the grain of the emotionless individualistic cracked face of the western paradigms of struggling

    let us birth rivers from our tears and guide it together to the sea

    *this event is for people who experience racism, with a priority to darkskinned people.

    *this event is open to all intersections within the BIPoC community.

    *this event has zero tolerance for queer phobia transphobia, ableism, classism, and other forms of discrimination. we take intersectionality seriously and will act accordingly.

    *this event is politically positioned as anti-colonial, anti-zionist and for the liberation of Congo, Sudan, Palestine and all land that bears the marks of colonialism to this day.

  • Location: The headquarters, Speichergasse 4, 3011 Bern, Studio 10, in the PROGR building in Bern (in the courtyard on the left)
    Time: 1-3 pm
    Language: German (French/English/sign language interpretation available)

    A personal, informal, sharing & caring, and mindful roundtable discussion with Devika Salomon, Vithyaah Subramaniam, Isabelle Logovi, Esengo, Noam Botero, Senad Gafuri, Martina Büchi, and our IGP and allies. You can register by emailing info@deei-verse.com.

  • Self-organized check-in between peer tandems

NOVEMBER

Who can apply?

Regardless of gender, age, origin, religion, sexual orientation and physical abilities, we warmly welcome all IGP members to our club and IGP program.

Applications are welcome from aspiring and experienced employees who experience racism, ableism, sexism or other forms of discrimination in their work environment and would like to work together to create more DEEI-friendly spaces and structures.

How can I apply?

Applications are submitted via the following form:

Become a sponsor for change:

For as little as 11 francs a month, you can become part of real change.

By becoming a sponsor with DEEI-verse, you give more than just financial support – you enable people with experiences of discrimination to have spaces for growth, connection and empowerment.

Your contribution helps tandem partnerships (IGP – Intersectional Growth Peers) , in which two people meet on equal terms, learn from each other and jointly bring DEEI principles – diversity, empowerment, equity & inclusion – into the world of work and the world at large.

Whether one-off or regular:
Every sponsorship strengthens our community.

Sponsorship models:

Mini-sponsorship: CHF 11 / month (enables, for example, materials for meetings)

Growth sponsorship: CHF 33 / month (covers exchange and workshop costs of one IGP person)

Empowerment mentorship: CHF 77 / month (enables coaching & expert input for one tandem person per year)

Peer partner: CHF 500 / (Financing of an IGP tandem for 1 month)

Network Builder: CHF 1,000 (Training & workshops for a tandem)

Change Ally: CHF 3,000 (full annual sponsorship for an IGP tandem including materials, coaching & support)

Thank you so much for being part of our DEEI-verse.

For more information, please contact Mạnh Nguyễn (fluid/he/him): manh.nguyen@deei-verse.com

The IGP pilot program is made possible thanks to the generous and empowering support of the Office for Combating Racism (FRB), the Winterthur Office for Urban Development within the framework of the “Action Days for Respect and Diversity”, “ici. together here.”, the Walter Haefner Foundation, the Fontes Foundation , and the Integration Office of the Canton of Zurich . We are incredibly grateful to these supporters and all private donors and sponsors.

Many thanks to Kweerbar, La Collective Intersections, baba news, MAXIM Theater for the mutually strengthening and generous collaboration.

Many thanks to the Resilient Studiosteam for the first “peer sponsorship” of DEEI-verse.