[opirgyork] Weekly Digest August 12th 2010

Fri Aug 13 13:28:29 PDT 2010

SAVE THE DATE: DisOrientation 2010 coming to YORK!

SEPTEMBER 24th TO OCTOBER 1ST 2010

Join us for a variety of TRAININGS, FILMS, SILKSCREENINGS, WORKSHOPS OF
ALLLLLLL KINDS!, CONCERTS!, CABARETS!, DIY BIKE REPAIR WORKSHOP! It's
going to be A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!

Check back www.opirgyork.ca soon for more details and the finalized schedule.

DisOrientation is a radically different, politically progressive, series
of events that will offer all students access and insight into the
exciting political and social justice spheres that exist at York
University. By bringing together a wide range of campus groups and
services, we are trying to draw the links between the many different kinds
of political, environmental and social justice based activism that exists
on campus.

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1) DROP G20 CHARGES! RESISTING THE CRIMINALIZATION OF DISSENT (Event)
2) Support the Barriere Lake Algonquins (Petition)
3) Uphold the Rights of Tamil Migrants aboard MV Sun Sea! (Action)
4) Seven Mohawks found guilty (Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory) (News)
5) SUPPORT FOR AUGUST 23rd G20 COURT APPEARANCE
6) ALL FOR SUBMISSIONS – Occupied Bodies: Women of Color Speak on Self-Image
7) Call-out for Performers for CWTP cabaret! (Call-out)
8) Submit and spread the word about AQSAzine Issue #4
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1) DROP G20 CHARGES! RESISTING THE CRIMINALIZATION OF DISSENT

Date: August 17th
Time: 6pm - 8:00pm
Location: Room 116, Wallberg building, 200 College Street, Toronto, ON

Speakers include Lesley Wood, Syed Hussan and AJ Whithers. Full list of
speakers and video statements to be announced!

For ten days at the end of June, the Police led a coordinated armed
assault against Toronto?s civilian population. Community organizers were
in particular targeted. Mobilizations for justice, for dignity and for
self-determination were infiltrated, harassed and intimidated. A Canada
wide response is at hand... as people fight to have the criminal charges
dropped and to continue the struggle against the G20's anti-people and
anti-environment policies. (Support the Legal Defence Fund!
http://g20.torontomobilize.org/support)

To understand why people mobilized against the G20 and how organizers were
targeted; to hear accounts of police brutality and repression; and to
understand the political nature of the bail conditions, the
criminalization of dissent and ways to support the people facing charges,
join us for an informative panel and discussion.

This event is focused towards activists, grassroots organizers and people
who are interested in knowing more and acting in solidarity with local
struggles and defendants.

Endorsers: Ontario Coalition Against Poverty | No One Is Illegal - Toronto
| Rainforest Action Network - Toronto | Common Cause - Toronto Branch | 
Students Against Israeli Apartheid - York

To endorse this event, please email abeeramajeed at yahoo.ca

Sponsored by: Hussan Freedom Committee, Ontario Public Interest Research
Group - Toronto

LESLEY WOOD is a Professor of Sociology at York University and a member of
the Toronto Community Mobilization Network and the Ontario Coalition
Against Poverty. Lesley will be speaking about G20 policies, police
violence during the summit and the role of global justice movements and
community struggles. Read her latest movement article at:
http://bit.ly/bT5LdB

SYED HUSSAN is a member of the Toronto Community Mobilization Network and
No One Is Illegal-Toronto. He was arrested on the morning of June 26, 2010
and held for 12 days. Hussan will speak about his arrest, bail conditions,
and the need for solidarity and ongoing organizing. Read statements from
No One Is Illegal at http://bit.ly/9xt45c and http://bit.ly/dkQ8hG

AJ WHITHERS is a member of DAMN 2025 and the Ontario Coalition Against
Povert (OCAP). OCAP is a grassroots anti-poverty organization that faced
increasing police repression following mass demonstrations in 2001. AJ
will be speak about the targeting of various community groups in 2001 and
during the G20 and the need to struggle against the G8/G20 policies in the
coming years. Read more at http://bit.ly/bKZfyu and
http://ocap.ca/node/904

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2) Spend 5 minutes to support the Barriere Lake Algonquins as they
take action to protect their inherent right to govern themselves according
to their customs!
On August 12, the Canadian and Quebec Governments are using the Quebec
police to impose the Indian Act election process.  The Algonquins of
Barriere Lake are boycotting!
Say NO to Canada's armed-imposition of an unconstitutional regime!
Send an online letter to the new Minister of Indian Affairs John Duncan
and Indian Affairs Quebec Regional Director Pierre Nepton
here: http://barrierelakesolidarity.blogspot.com/2007/10/blog-post.html
Call Minister of Indian Affairs John Duncan:   1-800-667-280, 613-992-2503,

---> If you can DONATE to or ENDORSE Barriere Lake's campaign, please
contact us:barrierelakesolidarity at gmail.com

For
BACKGROUND: http://www.barrierelakesolidarity.org/2010/06/harper-strahl-erasing-algonquin.html

PRESS RELEASE

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Barriere Lake Algonquins mount boycott of government-imposed election poll
in face of threats of arrest by Quebec police

Kitiganik, Rapid Lake, Algonquin Territory / - On August 12, the
Algonquins of Barriere Lake will protest and boycott a nomination poll for
Indian Act band elections that the Department of Indian Affairs is
unilaterally forcing on their community.

The Quebec Police, the Sûreté du Québec, will be guarding the polling
stations in the community’s territory and have threatened to arrest anyone
who tries to interfere or set up blockades.

After community members peacefully blockaded a federal government
electoral officer from entering the reserve on July 22, the Department of
Indian Affairs rescheduled the nomination poll for August 12.

“The Canadian and Quebec Governments are shamefully treating our community
like criminals for peacefully protecting our inherent right to govern
ourselves according to our customs,” says Tony Wawatie community
spokesperson. “The Canadian government is attempting to unconstitutionally
abolish our traditional leadership selection. They claim imposing this
regime is a democratic move, but the overwhelming majority of our
community members are opposed and want instead to maintain our own system
of government.”

The government officer is seeking nominations for a Chief and Council that
would be voted for in an election the Department of Indian Affairs has
planned for September 26, 2010. Barriere Lake is one of the few First
Nations in the country who have never been under the Indian Act’s
electoral system, continuing instead to operate under a Customary
Governance Code that they have used for generations.

During the July 22nd nomination meeting only 4 nominations were sent by
mail-in-ballot – and all from individuals who have never lived within
Barriere Lake's traditional territory.

“The Canadian government claims they are imposing Indian Act elections
because our traditional system doesn’t work, but it's in fact the
government's interference in our internal affairs that has destabilized
our governance,” says Marylynn Poucachiche, another community
spokesperson. “The real reason they are imposing band elections is to
sever our connection to the land, which is maintained by our traditional
political system. They don’t want to deal with a strong leadership and a
community that demands the governments honour signed agreements regarding
the exploitation of our lands and resources.”

Barriere Lake’s inherent right to customary self-government is protected
by section 35 of the Canadian Constitution and is enshrined in the United
Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. A May, 2010
report by the Standing Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples affirmed
that First Nations have the right to maintain control over their internal
affairs and be free to pursue their vision of customary government.

The Assembly of First Nations has passed a unanimously-backed resolution
condemning the government and demanding that the Minister of Indian
Affairs rescind the band elections, imposed through section 74 of the
Indian Act.

Under Barriere Lake’s customary governance code, participation in
leadership selections is open only to those band members who live in the
traditional territory and have knowledge of and connection to the land.

-30-

 Media contacts:

Tony Wawatie, community spokesperson: 819 – 860-4121

Marylynn Poucachiche, community spokesperson: 819-441-4923

To arrange interviews you can also email : barrierelakesolidarity at gmail.com 

NOTE: Attached is an August 10th letter addressed to federal and
provincial ministers from the Algonquins of Barriere Lake.

www.solidaritelacbarriere.blogspot.com
barrierelakesolidarity at gmail.com
514.398.7432

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3) Uphold the Rights of Tamil Migrants aboard MV Sun Sea!
No One Is Illegal - Vancouver

Approximately 200-500 Tamils have risked their lives in an extremely  long
and dangerous journey looking for a place where they can live in  safety.
We say: LET THEM STAY! No One is Illegal calls on all allies, fighters,
trouble makers and social justice activists to organize and fight the
racist and anti-immigrant sentiments and policies of the Canadian
government and society. Stay tuned for more information on how to support.

Read the full statement here: http://noii-van.resist.ca/?p=2151
Make this image your profile pic:
http://noii-van.resist.ca/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/boats.jpg

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4) Seven Mohawks found guilty (Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory)

Seven Mohawk protesters will have to wait until Sept. 27 before an Ontario
Court Justice will decide if they will serve jail time for their
involvement in heated clashes with police and the orchestrated blockade of
several roads in April 2008.

On Monday, Justice Geoffrey Griffin found seven of the 12 Mohawk
protesters guilty of mischief-related charges, while five were found not
guilty on all counts. Some of the accused were also found guilty of more
serious charges such as obstructing a peace officer and assault causing
bodily harm.

Continue reading: http://www.intelligencer.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2705186

For background details, visit http://www.ocap.ca/supporttmt/

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5) SUPPORT FOR AUGUST 23rd G20 COURT APPEARANCE

The 247 Support Committee works to ensure that the political targeting of
people for their involvement in the 2010 G20 People's Convergence end and
that all charges against the hundreds of individuals facing prosecution be
immediately dropped. The 247 Support Committee is part of the Toronto
Community Solidarity Network that is organizing a broad political and
legal defense in response to the Police violence of June 2010.

The immediate focus of the 247 Committee’s work is on providing support
and logistics around the upcoming August 23rd court date. If you or
someone you know would like to access the support of the 247 Committee,
please email us at 247.g20 at gmail.com. The 247 Committee is working to
organize billeting, rides, media and general support (food, outreach, and
resource referrals) for August 23rd.

If you need billeting or help with transportation to court on August 23rd,
please email the 247 Committee as soon as possible at 247.g20 at gmail.com.

If you are a representative of an organization planning to have a presence
at the court that day and would like to coordinate efforts, please contact
the 247 Support Committee as well at 247.g20 at gmail.com.

Following the August 23rd court date, the 247 Committee through the
Toronto Community Solidarity Network will continue its work in support of
all G20 defendants, assisting with:

• logistics around the future court dates;
• resource referrals and information about trauma and other psycho-social
needs;
• legal defence fundraising support and access;
• a way for G20 Defendants and members of the 247 Support Committee to
connect with each other, mobilize and organize

To hear about upcoming meetings of the 247 Committee or the Toronto
Community Solidarity Network and future events and organizing, please
join a low-traffic announcements list-serv at
https://masses.tao.ca/lists/listinfo/community.mobilize

In solidarity,
The 247 Support Committee

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6) ALL FOR SUBMISSIONS – Occupied Bodies: Women of Color Speak on
Self-Image Deadline October 15, 2010
I am soliciting essays for an anthology on women of color’s
self-image/body image as shaped by family, friends, media, society,
history, lived experiences, etc. I’m looking for smart, accessible, and
snappy personal narratives that also offer nuanced analysis of the
underlying constructs that affect how we perceive ourselves. Exploring
intersectionality of identities is extremely important. I particularly
want the voices of women of color that are not often heard to be
represented, such as trans* WOC, disabled WOC, queer WOC, WOC outside the
U.S., WOC with eating disorders, working class/poor WOC and fat WOC. Of
course, all the varied perspectives any woman of color can offer are
welcome.
This is an exciting project, as this topic has not been explored in depth
and including such a diverse collection of viewpoints before. The final
manuscript will be submitted to relevant independent publishers.
—— Some possible jumping off points include, but are not limited to:
		What images of yourself were instilled in you by your
parents/guardians/other family members when you were a young child? What
positive or negative encounters with adults as a child helped shape that
image?
		If you were born in a country other than the U.S. and then immigrated to
the U.S., how did the society in which you were born play a role in your
developing self-image, and what contrasts did you find difficult to
navigate between the two societies?
		How did the media you consumed as a child/teen shape your body/self
image today? How does it complicate it? How does the media you consume
NOW affect your body/self image?
		How did pressure from family and friends affect the way you perceived
yourself after you were old enough to take care of yourself?
		How did you feel about societal beauty and body standards as a teen? Did
you rebel, or conform by any means necessary to avoid confrontation?
		How has the globalization and dissemination of the Western beauty ideal
affected you and women of color worldwide?
		Debunk this: “in some cultures they ______”, – deconstructing a commonly
held belief about an ethnic group’s relation to body (such as the black
community supposedly being OK with fat).
		If you’re queer, how has being a queer woman of color affected your
self-image and how you desire your partner to look? If you’ve had
partners who were also women of color, did/do you gaze upon them with
the same critical eye you reserve for yourself? Why or why not?
		If you’re a trans* WOC, how was your perception of your gender identity
shaped? How has your self/body image changed over the years and have
there been any other shifts in your thinking about your self/body image?
How does being a WOC interact with your trans* identity? How does it
affect how other people perceive you and your gender?
		How has being a disabled WOC affected your body/self image? Do you feel
it’s a detriment or a positive part of your person? How did you come to
terms with your disability, or has it never been problematic for you?
		As a fat WOC, has weight shaped your self/body image your whole life?
Have you developed an eating disorder? Was it exacerbated by there being
virtually no resources for women of color, especially for fat WOC?
		Are you a sexual assault/rape survivor? How did that trauma affect your
view of yourself?
——- If your experiences overlap on any of the suggested jumping off
points, PLEASE feel free to explore that.
Guidelines:
		Deadline for submissions is October 15, 2010;
		Submissions should be saved in Word format or Rich Text, double spaced,
size 12 Arial or Times New Roman;
		500 to 5,000 words;
		Include RELIABLE contact information and a brief biography;
		Only e-mail submissions will be accepted, however, if you can’t arrange
that please contact me and we’ll work something out.
		Send submissions to: occupiedbodies at gmail.com;
		Again, the deadline for submissions is October 15, 2010.
Who I Am: The woman spearheading this project is Tasha Fierce, a
freelance writer who also happens to be a fat, queer, disabled woman of
color. I’ve written about race politics, fat acceptance, disability and
feminism in several zines, including Evolution of a Race Riot and the zine
I edited from 1998-2001, Bitchcore. I have contributed to Jezebel several
times, the fat acceptance blog Shapely Prose, the race & pop culture blog
Racialicious, and the feminist disability activism blog FWD/Forward. My
work has also been featured in The Huffington Post. I live, love and write
in Los Angeles, California. You can regularly read me at my own blog, Red
Vinyl Shoes (http://redvinylshoes.com/blog) and on Twitter as
@redvinylshoes.
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7) The Center for Women and TransPeople at York University is putting
together a Cabaret show for an OPIRG alternative Orientation/Frosh week
event called DisOrientation.

All kinds of performances are welcome- spoken word, dance, music, drag,
videos, djs...just to name a few. We welcome a diverse line-up and
encourage people from all genders, ages, ethnocultural backgrounds,
abilities and sexual orientations to apply.

We are still finalizing the date (either on September 24 or October 1st)
and an accessible venue. The eventwill be all ages, and either free or
sliding scale. Performers will receive anhonoraria.

Are you interested in performing?P lease send an email to
cwtpyork at gmail.comwith:
Group/performer names(s):
Short Bio:
Length and description ofperformance:
Tech info/needs:
Contact information: email, phone number(can we leave a message?), and
name of contact person.
Is there anything else we could assist you with?

The submission deadline is September 10.2010.

If you have any questions, please contact us at the above email.

**Please, let people know about this call-out**

The Centre for Women andTrans People ("the Centre") is a student-funded,
collectively run,volunteer-driven organization at York University. We are
a progressive,pro-choice, anti-racist, queer-positive, trans-positive,
feminist organization.

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8) Submit and spread the word about AQSAzine Issue #4
Ancestors and Descendants "Where'd you come from/Where are you going?"

Why Submit?

Because you cannot but know what your roots are, where you came from and
how you came to be. Because you cannot be present here without knowing
about "back there". Because you have yet to learn who your ancestors are
and what were their journeys. Because you want to carry forward the
stories of your great grandparents. Because you want to share your origins
with your children. Because sometimes its too painful to know and other
times its all that you know.

Because your history has been submerged, erased, disjointed or cut off
you. Because you want to understand how your present came to be. Because
underneath all the silence is a rich history of lessons learnt that would
be helpful in guiding you. Because you are proud of your lineage. Because
the question of where you are from is complicated and a simple answer
boxes you in. Because your history is multidimensional just like your
identity. Because you fear that you are losing your connection to home
through language, memories, stories. Because your descendants might have
all your struggles in common.

Types of Submissions:
· Stories (fiction or non fiction);
· Poetry;
· Artwork;
· Graphic arts;
· Photography;
· Visuals;
· Media reviews;
· Interviews
· Any other form of personal art or writing under 1,500 words

Confidentiality: Submissions will not be reprinted without the author's
permission. You can use your first and/or last name, a pen name, or even
remain completely anonymous. We want you to feel safe in making a
contribution.

Send us your submissions with short bio along with questions, resources,
information to aqsazine at gmail.com

AQSAzine is a grassroots zine open to 16-35 year old women and trans
people who self-identify as Muslim. It is a creative avenue for us to
express ourselves, share our experiences, and connect with others. We
strive to work from a feminist, anti-oppressive, pro-choice, queer and
trans positive framework.

Peace, love and hugs

AQSAzine Team