Calla Evans (she/her) was born and raised in the heart of traditional and unceded Syilx territory. She spent 20 years in Tkaronto (Toronto) before returning to the mountains where she now resides on the unceded and stolen lands of the Stz’uminus, Penelakut, Lyackson, and Halalt peoples, colonially known as Saltair, BC

While living in Toronto, Calla received her BFA (Hons.) in Photography from Toronto Metropolitan University and ran a celebrated photography business for almost two decades. Her photography documented the work of feminist organizations – both in Toronto and around the globe. She has collaborated with the YWCA Toronto, the Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic and the Daily Bread Food Bank to help visually communicate their impact and develop photography skills within their employees and clients. She was also a celebrated lifestyle and birth photographer. You can see some of Calla’s photography work here.

Calla returned to academia in 2017 to pursue an MA in Communication and Culture. Co-creation continued to drive Calla’s academic work and research approach. Her masters thesis explored the intersection of Fat Studies and Fashion Studies – and how those at the largest end of the fat spectrum experience a lack of access to social spaces due to limited clothing availability. Through this project, as well as her work with the Creative Communities in Collaboration research lab and the Centre for Fashion Diversity & Social Change, Calla gained a wealth of experience with community-engaged, participatory, and arts-based research methodologies. She continues to keep one toe in academia by pursuing a certificate in Evaluation for Social Change and Transformational Learning from Simon Fraser University.

Calla also works as a Digital Storytelling Facilitator at Re•Vision: The Centre for Art & Social Justice. In this role she is able to support others in amplifying their own voices and knowledges. She works to troubleshoot and problem solve, particularly in the area of digital systems and remote ways of working creatively and collaboratively. Calla holds many years of experience managing complex research projects involving community stakeholders and various qualitative methods. She is inspired to ask big questions around what we know and how we’ve come to know it.