[antiwar-van] M.E.L.A.: desi gathering (Summer 2006)

[harsha at resist.ca]

                 M E L A : d e s i   g a t h e r i n g
           My Experience Living as a south Asian (M.E.L.A)

                  Summer 2006, LowerMainland, BC.
                      (more details to follow)


As young South Asians, we find ourselves faced with particular realities,
challenges, and questions about our histories, our cultures, and our
identities. Our objective in organizing this mela is to facilitate a
platform in which to empower and inspire South Asian youth to dialogue on
and explore community social issues through self-expression, education,
and arts & culture.

The mela will include a variety of mediums through which young South
Asians express themselves and communicate through- visual art, films,
dance such as classical dance and bhangra, performances of hip-hop/tabla/
Asian underground/spoken word & poetry, discussion groups, workshops,
popular theatre, and educational panels.

In the mela, young South Asians will be able to exchange, debate,
critique, and explore different issues such as: what it means to be a
south asian youth, our experiences in the educational system, family and
peer pressures, the influence of popular culture, how we are represented
in the media, reclaiming cultural traditions, accessing
culturally-relevant services such as for women’s health, religion in our
personal lives and as a political reality, our roles and realities in the
labour force, sexuality, cultural taboos, violence, race,
social/economic/political histories of the subcontinent, globalization,
caste, environmental sustainability, civil rights in the post 9/11
climate, migration history of the South Asian community, peace in the
subcontinent, and much more.

We also hope to empower young South Asians through skills training in web
design, radio production, writing, public speaking, and performance art
which will encourage young South Asian youth to advocate for themselves.

Our community is diverse, culturally rich, and maintains strong ties to
South Asia, as well as diasporic ties across the world. We envision that
through the mela we will strengthen our ties across different religions,
regions and nationalities and define and create new political, cultural
and social spaces for young South Asians.

The cost of this gathering is pay what you can afford ($0-$20). Food and
snacks will be provided for free, free childcare will be available, and
there will be multilingual presentations with translation available.

Organized by a diverse group of young South Asians with the support of
community partners and organizations.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT
Email: mela at resist.ca
Phone: 604-682-3269 x 7237


[desi -- desi (de 'see), n. [Sanskrit des' ] 1. some one with south-asian
ancestry; of any one of the indic peoples; people of south asian ancestry
2. people who share a common history with origins in nepal, bhutan, sri
lanka, bangladesh, pakistan, guyana, trinidad, india and the diaspora.]