[opirgyork] Weekly Digest November 18th 2010

[OPIRG York]

Hey OPIRGer's!

Hope everyone is doing well!

Want to start off your exam/holiday season with some critical thinking 
and challenging your own position in society, power, privileges and 
oppressions?
We are having a 2 part Anti-Oppression training session open to 
everyone! The first two hours will be a "101" type that will go over the 
basics, followed with a more in depth analysis of anti-oppression 
principles. Join us for either session!

Join us:
Thursday December 2nd, 2010
12pm to 4pm
Student Centre RM. 313

Email aruna at opirgyork.ca to RSVP!

Love,
OPIRG @ York

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1) Trans Day of Remembrance Events: Tomorrow 12-6:30pm
2) Join us for the launch of Todd Gordon's new book, Imperialist Canada
3) Public lecture with: Noura Erakat On “The Palestinian Refugees and 
the Middle East Peace Negotiations
4) Immediate release of MV Sun Sea passengers Status for All Stop 
Immigration Bill C-49
5) *EMERGENCY DAY OF ACTION* Stephen Harper wants to extend the war in 
Afghanistan:Tell him: DON'T EXTEND IT. END IT!
6) Investigative Journalism 101 with Tim Groves of the Toronto Media Co-Op
7) Film Screening: Lumumba (Friends of the Congo)
8) Trans Film Night: "TWO SPIRITS": Free Film! Free Snacks! Free Talk!
9) Students for a Free Tibet Presents: Film screening of "Leaving Fear 
Behind"
10) South Asian Youth Media Campaign
11) UPCOMING CLINIC FOR PEOPLE CONCERNED ABOUT DISCRIMINATORY TREATMENT 
DURING THE G20
12) Asian Arts Freedom School: A Drag Cabaret: My Baby's Got a Secret
13) Black Talk: Sexuality and Us
14) The Tamil Studies Conference: Dimensions of Culture: Spoken Word
15) Granny Boots: Q-Lit! Spoken word night!
16) THE DR. CHUN LIBRARY PRESENTS: WORDS OF RESISTANCE: OPEN MIC
17) Amplifying Voices: A dialogue with South Asian LGBTQ+* community members
18) REVERBERATIONS: Community, Healing & Social Activism through Music
19) 20 YEARS OF THE ONTARIO COALITION AGAINST POVERTY (OCAP): 20 Years 
of Fighting to Win
20) Public Sector Unionism, Austerity & the Left
21) THRIVE: WOMEN'S VOICES RISING!

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1) Trans Day of Remembrance Events: Tomorrow 12-6:30pm

Join us for a day of remembering and commemorating:

12-2PM ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION:

Join us for a round table discussion on trans organizing in university 
settings
with Trish Salah, Syrus Ware, Savannah Garmon and Ruth Bramham as they 
discuss
their experiences, work and thoughts! Trish Salah is speaking about her
experience organizing with the Trans Feminist Action Caucus with CUPE 
3903 and
the work she's done in creating policy to protect trans union members and to
create the Trans Fund Committee. Syrus Ware is talking about his experience
working at the CWTP at U of T and transitioning there before the Centre 
itself
had transitioned. Ruth Bramham is discussing her experience as a long 
time York
employee and trans activist and Savannah Garmon is talking about her
experience negotiating many different campuses as a trans woman, and the 
need
for unity and solidarity amongst trans activists. Following their talks 
we will
have a moderated discussion on the current state of trans organizing on 
campus
and how to continue advancing our struggles. (SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE 
INFORMATION
ON OUR SPEAKERS)

LUNCH AND CRAFTING: Thursday November 18th , 2-4pm

Come help us make flags for the trans day of remembrance vigil!!

This event is a collaboration between:

-Centre for Women and Trans People at York (CWTP)
- Sexual Assault Survivor's Support Line( SASSL)

TRANS DAY OF REMEMBRANCE VIGIL: Thursday November 18th, 4:30pm

Join us as we read the names of those who were killed by transphobic 
violence,
share stories of transphobia that were submitted to us by folks in our
community and have an open mic where folks can share experiences, 
thoughts and
feelings.If you want to submit your own experiences in writing email
cwtpyork at gmail.com or go to wwww.transdayofremembrance.wordpress.com.

In addition to commemorating these murders and other acts of violence 
against
trans people, we will be asking folks to make commitments to fighting
transphobia on campus by signing up for a trans 101 training offered by the
Centre for Women and Trans People or by joining our Trans Ally Committee or
Trans Committee to help advocate for more rights and recognition for Trans
folks at York.

This event is a collaboration between:

-Centre for Women and Trans People at York (CWTP)
- Sexual Assault Survivor's Support Line( SASSL)
-Trans Bisexual Lesbian Gays Allies at York (TBLGAY)
-Centre for Human Rights

ABOUT OUR ROUND TABLE SPEAKERS!

DR. TRISH SALAH is a Montreal-based writer and a teacher at the Simone de
Beauvoir Institute, Concordia University and in the Department of 
Sociology at
Bishops’. She writes poetry, fiction, and criticism and her work has 
appeared
in a wide range of publications, including most recently, Sexing the 
Maple: A
Canadian Source Book, and the online journal Drunken Boat. Recent 
performance
credits include Le Mois de la Performance, GenderCrash, The Scream in High
Park: Her Poetics, Cabaret In Transit and Poets Against the War. Her 
first book
of poetry, Wanting in Arabic, was published by TSAR Books in 2002 and 
she has
writing forthcoming in Atlantis and in Canadian Theatre Review.

Dr. SAVANNAH GARMON is presently a postdoctoral researcher in the Chemical
Physics Theory Group at the University of Toronto. She has worked as a 
teacher
and a published researcher during her career in physics. She is also a 
writer
and an activist on various social and political justice issues, as well as a
writer of fiction. At the University of Toronto she works as an organizer in
the campus trans community through the Trans Inclusion Group at the 
Centre for
Women and Trans People. She received her Ph.D. in physics from the 
University
of Texas at Austin in 2007.

SYRUS WARE is a Black, Gay and Transgendered visual artist and educator who
believes in using visual art for stimulating resistance and mobilizing 
towards
social change. He is the Program Coordinator of the Teens Behind the Scenes
program in the education department at the Art Gallery of Ontario.
As a visual artist, Syrus has been producing visual art in Toronto and
Vancouver for the past 12 years. He works within the mediums of painting,
installation and performance art to challenge systemic oppression and to
suggest a different view of the world in which he lives. Syrus’ work 
explores
the spaces between and around identities; acting as provocations to our
understandings of gender, sexuality and race.

Syrus has a specialist degree in Art History, with a focus in Medieval 
Art from
the University of Toronto and an Honours B.A. in Visual Studies. He 
holds an MA
in Sociology and Equity Studies from the University of Toronto.

Syrus has worked several years in the fields of community education and
advocacy, HIV/AIDS prevention and community education within the Ontario
prisoner’s justice community. He is the author of the groundbreaking study
“Assessing the HIV/AIDS Service Needs of Trans Communities in Toronto”,
published by the AIDS Committee of Toronto in 2004.

 From 1998-2002, Syrus was the coordinator of the University of Toronto 
Centre
for Women and Trans People, then known as the U of T Women’s Centre.

Syrus is also a founding member of the Prison Justice Action Committee of
Toronto, and helps to organize the Prisoners’ Justice Film festival and
Prisoners’ Justice Week. Syrus is a program committee member for Mayworks
Festival, and is a past board member of the FUSE magazine. He has helped to
initiate the Trans-Fathers 2B course at The 519 Community Centre, and is a
member of the Gay/Bi Trans Men’s HIV Prevention Working Group for the 
Ontario
AIDS Bureau.

RUTH BRAMHAM WAS Born in Birmingham England in 1944, apparently male, by the
time she was five she had realised there was something drastically wrong.
Growing up in post war England was not the time to reveal she was 
anything but
a boy, something she was sharply reminded of when caught dressing as a 
girl by
her parents.

A verbal skirmish with the family doctor sent her deep into the closet, into
marriage and emigration to Canada in 1968. The closet door did not open 
again
until 1977. It nearly closed permanently two years later when, after 18 
months
of “psychotherapy” at the Clarke Institute Gender Identity Clinic in
Toronto, she attempted suicide—obviously unsuccessfully.

Since then her faith in God has strengthened in leaps and bounds. 
Coupled with
a super-sized dose of patience, she was able to survive through the 
trials and
tribulations of being outed in, and ousted from, her church, then losing her
family and friends because she refused to give up the ridiculous notion that
she was a woman.

After a serious illness in late 1992 that nearly killed her, she threw 
caution
to the winds and began full time transition in March 1993. Despite the 
efforts
of the Clarke Gender Clinic to delay her, finally she was sent to the UK for
her surgery, paid for by Ontario Government Health Plan, which took place in
November 1995. Her journey and second rebirth was complete.

Living in London Ontario, it was a struggle to maintain her strength and
financial independence. During the 1990s recession, she spent 3 years on
welfare, unable to find work. Ruth had been trained as a Construction 
Project
Manager, work she really loves. Unfortunately after transition no one would
hire her, which eventually led to opening her own business. She only met 
with
minor success. Eventually she moved back to Toronto in 2001. Since then 
she has
had three jobs, twice being forced out after someone discovered she was TS.
Consequently, she has struggled to find affordable accommodation, eventually
sharing her current home with two other TS women. In 2007 she finally 
found a
welcoming employer in York University where she now coordinates building
renovations and accessibility projects as the campus “goes green”. She is
also on York U’s SexGen Committee and involved in York’s participation in
Pride Toronto.

Ruth has been involved in trans advocacy work for well over 25 years, 
usually
behind the scenes and avoiding the spotlight. She served two terms as trans
representative on the National Council of Affirm United, the United Church’s
LGBT support network. She’s now back for a third term as a director.

Currently she is working to raise the issues of discrimination and ostracism
that occur in some congregations of the United Church. The goal is to 
have the
church formally recognize trans people, just as the church recognized and
embraced gays and lesbians in 1988. She has been appointed to the 
Trans/Gender
Identity Task Group set up by the UCC General Council last year (2009). Ruth
represented Affirm United at the 2007 and 2008 Transgender Religious Summits
held at the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley California, and again in
Washington in 2009. She recently returned from Berkeley having this time
represented the United Church at the 2010 conference.

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2) Join us for the launch of Todd Gordon's new book, Imperialist Canada

Thursday November 18, 2010
7pm
Latinada Bar and Restaurant
1671 Bloor St. West (on the south side, between Keele and Dundas West)

Imperialist Canada exposes Canada’s imperialist past and present, at 
home and across the globe.
Todd Gordon interweaves histories of indigenous dispossession in Canada 
with the cold facts of
Canadian capital’s oppression of peoples in the global South. The book 
digs beneath the surface
of Canada’s image as global peacekeeper and promoter of human rights, 
revealing the links between
the corporate pursuit of profit and Canadian foreign and domestic 
policy. Drawing on examples from
Colombia, the Congo, Sudan, Haiti and elsewhere, Imperialist Canada 
makes a passionate plea for
greater critical attention to Canada’s role in the global order.

Praise for Imperialist Canada:

"This outstanding book will change the way all of us think about 
Canadian history, culture,
and political economy. Documenting Canada’s oppression of indigenous 
peoples at home, and the
plunder, racism and violence of Canadian multinationals abroad, Gordon 
shows that Canada’s
elites are part of a world power structure built on colonialism, racism 
and dispossession.”

— David McNally, York University, author of Another World is Possible: 
Globalization and Anti-Capitalism

"A tour de force, a must-read for anyone concerned with bringing about a 
new world without capital.”

— Henry Veltemeyer, St. Mary’s University, author with James Petras of 
Globalization Unmasked: Imperialism in the 21st Century

"Imperialist Canada provides crucial insights into the new forms of 
Canadian imperialism. Rather
than blindly endorse the mythologies of ‘peacekeeper’ and ‘good 
neighbour’, Gordon dissects the
grim realities of the Canadian state and capitalism.”

— Greg Albo, co-author (with Sam Gindin and Leo Panitch) of In and Out 
of Crisis: The Global Financial Meltdown and Left Alternatives

Light refreshments will be provided.

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3) Marking the Annual International Day of Solidarity with the 
Palestinian People,

Palestine House is pleased to present a public lecture with:
Noura Erakat

On “The Palestinian Refugees and the Middle East Peace Negotiations”

Thursday 18 November 2010 at 7:00PM
University of Toronto (main campus) Sanford Fleming Building ,
10 King’s College Road
Room 1101

Noura Erakat is a Palestinian human rights attorney and activist. She is 
currently an adjunct professor
of international human rights law in the Middle East at Georgetown 
University and is the
US-based Legal Advocacy Coordinator for Badil Center for Palestinian 
Refugee and
Residency Rights. Most recently she served as Legal Counsel for a 
Congressional Subcommittee in the House
of Representatives, chaired by Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich. She has 
helped to initiate and organize
several national formations including Arab Women Arising for Justice (AMWAJ)
and the U.S. Palestinian Community Network (USPCN). Noura has appeared 
on Fox’s
“The O’ Reilly Factor,” NBC’s “Politically Incorrect,” MSNBC, and 
Al-Jazeera Arabic and English.
Her publications include: “Litigating the Arab-Israeli Conflict: The 
Politicization of U.S. Federal Courts”
in the Berkeley Law Journal of Middle Eastern and Islamic Law, “Arabiya 
Made Invisible:
Between the Marginalization of Agency and the Silencing of Dissent” in a 
Syracuse Press anthology,
and “BDS in the USA : 2001-2010,” in the Middle East Report. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hn3eTcYlUCA

For further information, please visit www. Palestinehouse.com or 
www.caiaweb.org

This lecture is endorsed by:

Ontario Public Interest Research Group at York
The Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid (CAIA)
Student Against Isreali apartheid ( SAIA) York University
Committee for Democratic Palestine
Coalition of the Palestinian left
The Canadian Arab Federation (CAF)
No in Our Name - Jewish Voices Against Zionism (NOIN)
Independent Jewish Voices (IJV) Canada
Toronto Coalition to Stop the War
Communist Party of Canada
The Holy Land Awareness and Action Task Group
International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network (IJAN, Toronto )

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4) Immediate release of MV Sun Sea passengers Status for All Stop 
Immigration Bill C-49.

 >> come join a mass-flyering action at Yonge & Dundas Square <<
...
Saturday November 20, 2010
11am - 1pm
Yonge & Dundas Square
look for the flags.

The new Harper plan to jail refugees, Immigration Bill C49, is based on 
a few lies.

Lie 1: Canada has a generous refugee system so people who are indeed 
refugees can get here.
Lie 2: That there are some refugees breaking the law, who are criminal.
Lie 3: That the law is too weak to stop these criminals and must be changed.

In fact,

Truth 1: Canada's takes less refugees then Germany, the United States, 
Pakistan or Lebanon.
Truth 2: It is legal to leave a country on fake documents, on rafts, 
ships, planes or foot. Not only is it legal,
it is honored, celebrated and often necessary.
Truth 3: It is actually the other way around. These people are not 
criminals, but the conservative
government wants to make it so that they are.

Stop the Lies.
Release MV Sun Sea passengers.
Stop Immigration Bill C-49.
Fight for Status for All.

WHAT IS IMMIGRATION BILL C-49?

C49 is a new immigration bill which would make it legal to jail any 
group of refugees that a minister decided was a 'smuggling incident'.
No one has told us what a smuggling incident is, and we are told to just 
accept this law.

If Bill C49 becomes the law, the minister can throw anyone applying to 
be a refugee in prison for a year and take away their health benefits.
Even if the regular refugee determination system decides
that the person is a "refugee" - at any point during the next five years 
- a minister will be able to just cancel this decision.

In fact under this Immigration Law being discussed in parliament right 
now, people who have been given papers saying they are refugees have
to wait over 7 years to get a Canadian passport.

For more information, check out the NOII-Toronto website for the Stop 
C-49 Action Alert: http://toronto.nooneisillegal.org/node/495

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5) Stephen Harper wants to extend the war in Afghanistan.
Tell him: DON'T EXTEND IT. END IT!

*EMERGENCY DAY OF ACTION*
Mass leafleting and picket
...Saturday, November 20 at 1:00 p.m.
Yonge-Dundas Square, Downtown Toronto

TTC: Dundas

Stephen Harper's Conservatives are now planning to extend Canada's 
mission in Afghanistan - for the third time
since the war began in 2001. But a clear majority of Canadians oppose 
the mission, and want the troops to come home now.
Thousands of Afghan civilians have been killed, along with 152 Canadian 
troops, in a conflict that has lasted longer than World War II.

It doesn't matter if the mission is "combat" or "non-combat". NATO 
forces continue to prop up a corrupt, undemocratic
government dominated by warlords and drug lords - and against the will 
of the Afghan people.

Please join us for this emergency day of action to help us demonstrate 
our opposition to the war in Afghanistan.
Don't let Harper extend the war. Tell him: Don't extend it. End it!

Organized by the Toronto Coalition to Stop the War
*Help us organize the event: join our weekly meetings every Friday at 
6:00 p.m. at Trinity-St. Paul's Centre, 427 Bloor Street West (room to 
be posted).

The Toronto Coalition to Stop the War is Toronto's city-wide peace 
coalition. Comprised of over 70 labour, student,
faith and community organizations, TCSW is one of the largest member 
organizations of the Canadian Peace Alliance.

Please donate! Make cheques and/or money orders payable to TCSW Canada 
and mail to:
TCSW, 427 Bloor Street West, Box 13, Toronto ON M5S 1X7

info at nowar.ca | nowar.ca | 416-795-5863 | Twitter.com/TorontoCSW

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6) Investigative Journalism 101 with Tim Groves of the Toronto Media Co-Op
Sunday November 21st
12pm to 3pm
Centre for Spanish speaking peoples
2141 Jane Street (south of wilson)

BASICS Community News Service will begin hosting public workshops to 
help working-class activists develop the
skills necessary for people's journalism. It is our hope that these 
workshops will evolve into journalism training
modules, and further, into a fully developed School of People's Journalism.

Our first workshop will be with investigative journalist Tim Groves from 
the Toronto Media Co-Op. Tim will show us
the ins and outs of basic investigative journalism. This is a beginner's 
workshop, so familiarity in computers and
internet browsing should be sufficient background to participate.

FREE ENTRY (but a donations basket will be passed around to support our 
work)

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7) Film Screening: Lumumba
Date: Monday November 22, 2010
Time: 2-4:30pm
Location: 307 Student Centre

...The Congo Research Group presents its first event, welcoming all 
interested to come learn about one of the worst ongoing conflicts in 
African history.

The film Lumumba accurately depicts the clutches that Belgium had on the 
Congo. It also exposes the European and American forces
that were behind the imperialism which still affects the Congo today. 
The film was sure to specifically implicate the U.S., rightly
so, in the murder of Lumumba. It also lets us in on the problems that 
were present with the inner conflict of the Congo: local
elite politicians working for foreign interests.

A “Friends of the Congo” Lumumba t-shirt will be given away at the film 
screening.

Light refreshments provided.

Congo Connections:
Did you know… that the uranium that was used in the nuclear bombs 
destroying Hiroshima and Nagasaki came from the Congo supplied to the US 
by the Belgian Government ruling the Congo during that time?

Did you know... Israeli businessmen make their money in minerals in the 
Congo and support the Israeli govt that kill the Palestinians?

Did you know… that US-backed dictator Mobutu’s shock troops were 
Israeli-trained Special Presidential Division who killed hundreds of 
students at a Congolese university in 1990?

Did you know … that the conflict in Afghanistan, with its US-backed 
dictator Hamid Karzai, is a resemblance to the Congo as its mineral 
wealth is a new site of exploitation for foreign corporations and 
government?

Did you know… that the chair of Harvard Aids Institute, Maurice 
Templesman, was allegedly involved in the assassination of Lumumba and 
is the blood diamonds mogul for De Beers?

Did you know… that Citibank New York gave rebels in Congo (RCD rebel 
group) $7 million loan that they used to purchase weapons and kill 
civilians in the Congo?

Did you know…that Congo holds anywhere from 64% to 80% of the world’s 
coltan reserves, more than 30% of the world’s cobalt and is the world’s 
largest supplier of high-grade copper?

Did you know…that foreign corporations continue to exploit the Congo and 
have been the engine of the conflict that kills forty-five thousand 
Congolese each month?

Did you know…that in the past decade more than 5 million Congolese have 
died due to the conflict?

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8) Trans Film Night: "TWO SPIRITS": Free Film! Free Snacks! Free Talk!

The Trans Inclusion Group hosts a FREE screening of: “TWO SPIRITS”

co-hosted by the Women and Gender Studies Student Union
Everyone welcome. Allies welcome.

Date and Time:
Monday November 22, 2010
6pm-8pm
FREE

Location:
William Doo Auditorium
45 Willcocks st.

TWO SPIRITS: In 2001, 16-year-old Fred Martinez was brutally murdered 
near his hometown of Cortez, Colorado.
Two Spirits is a compelling documentary about a life that was cut short 
for a Navajo teenager who was nádleehi -
person with both masculine and feminine essences. The film is more than 
a story of what it means to be poor,
transgender, and Navajo, but also looks at the lives of the friends, 
family and larger community of Fred Martinez,
reaching beyond the violent act that ended with his murder, and 
exploring issues of gender, spirituality and sexuality.

When, in his early teen years, Fred begins to express his femininity, 
his mother and family members understand
who Fred is based on their traditional Navajo beliefs. They feel pride 
in being related to someone who has been gifted.
What is tragic is how dominant society has much more narrow views on 
race and gender.
What do we do to end these tragedies? How do communities heal loss?

Fred Martinez will not be forgotten. Two Spirits shows regard to the 
horror of Fred's death but also
unveils this story in a way that unearths deeper value and gives greater 
meaning to this young life.
Featured is rare archival footage and photography of the American 
Southwest, and a score by Navajo composers.
The film and the education and outreach efforts of the Fred Martinez 
Project are poised to play a role in
deepening and expanding the ongoing national dialogue about 
self-identity, gender, freedom of expression, and human rights.
Two Spirits will touch viewers and rally viewers around honouring those 
who remain true to themselves, and embracing
the potential for diversity, dignity, beauty, and strength.

dir.: Lydia Nibley
rated:unrated (2009)
language: English
* regretfully the film is not available closed-captioned *
<65 min>
website: www.twospirits.org

Open community discussion afterwards.
** This event is part of “LINKED OPPRESSIONS: Racism, Homophobia, and 
Transphobia” organized by the Equity
Students Student Union, Women and Gender Studies Student Union, LGBTOUT 
and The Centre for Women and Trans People UT **

** TRANS DAY OF REMEMBRANCE EDITION **

This screening is part of The Centre’s week long series of TDOR 
programming (Nov.15-22). Check the website for full details and updates.

CONTACT INFO:
womenscentre.sa.utoronto.ca
womens.centre at utoronto.ca
416-978-8201

Vegan & nut-free meal/snacks (ingredient list available)
For accessibility accommodations contact: tig.action.toronto at gmail.com

Post-event a DVD copy of TWO SPIRITS will be available through The Dr. 
Chun Resource Library (a social justice library and
joint project with OPIRG Toronto located at The Centre for Women and 
Trans People).http://library.opirguoft.org/

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9) Students for a Free Tibet Presents...
Film screening of "Leaving Fear Behind"
Monday November 22nd
6pm to 730pm
Student centre RM. 313
York University

SFT at York Presents the Political Prisoner Dhondup Wangchen's Film 
"Leaving Fear Behind"
Filmmaker Dhondup Wangchen has been in prison for 6 years for making a 
movie.

Before the 2008 Beijing Olympics him and Golog Jigme Gyatso, a monk, 
interview 108 Tibetans about their thoughts on
China being given the opportunity to hold the Olympics.

With surprising openness and with their courage they spoke out and 
showed their faces. The openly spoke of their opinions on
the 2008 Beijing Games and of the Chinese Government. The interviewed 
Tibetans risked everything just in the hopes that H.H.
The 14th Dalai Lama would see their faces.

Dhondup Wangchen smuggled the tapes out of the country and now we are 
showing you the faces of the Tibetans he interviewed.
Dhondup Wangchen has since been arrested and sent to prison. He has 
spent the last 6years in prison for making this film.

For more information:

Go to the links below for more information or contact sftcanada.com.

http://www.studentsforafreetibet.org/article.php?id=1674
http://leavingfearbehind.com/node/46
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article6978798.ece

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10) South Asian Youth Media Campaign
Monday November 22nd
5pm to 1130pm
Council of Agencies Serving South Agencies
212-2401 Eglinton Ave East

Brown and Proud: Anti-Racism/Anti-Violence Video Contest

A group of South Asian youth from Malvern are organizing a video contest 
that focuses on anti-racism, anti-violence and anti-bullying.
This contest is open to youth between 14 -25 years from the Scarborough 
area and the contest deadline is October 29th, 2010.
Participants need not be South Asians, the video/infomercial be relevant 
to racism, bullying and related violence fa...ced by
South Asian (ie racialized) youths. The top prize winners will win a 
cash prize of up to 300$ and the winning entry will be
featured on CASSA’s website as well as at possible CASSA and affiliated 
events. There is also a chance for the infomercial to be
featured on television. High school volunteer hours will be provided. 
visit www.cassa.on.ca/video-competition for contest details
or contact the Youth Engagement Coordinator, Hafsa Zarook

This Youth Media Campaign is the last and most ambitious youth-led 
project in CASSA's (Council of Agencies Serving South Asian)
Trailblazers Youth Leadership series, which has already seen the 
implementation of two youth-led violence prevention community
projects since its inception. Thirteen outstanding youths from different 
neighborhoods in Scarborough, who received leadership
training through the Trailblazers program, are now leading the way 
forward in bringing awareness to the various types of violence
faced by South Asian youth. These youth-led projects have created a 
space for youths from racialized communities to come together
and start conversations about the types of violence affecting their 
communities due to racism, bullying, xenophobia and homophobia.
Most importantly, these discussions have been focused on prevention and 
engagement.

Get Involved! Make a video and Make a difference. Join our Youth Media 
Campaign - let your message be heard!

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11) UPCOMING CLINIC FOR PEOPLE CONCERNED ABOUT DISCRIMINATORY TREATMENT
DURING THE G20
hosted by the HUMAN RIGHTS LEGAL SUPPORT CENTRE
TUESDAY NOVEMBER 23 at 10 am or 5 pm
This session will assist people who are thinking about filing a human
rights application under the Human Rights Code about their treatment
during the G20.

You may have been treated in a discriminatory manner if the police or
other G-20 authorities treated you negatively and differently because
of your race, ethnic origin, place of origin, citizenship, age,
gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion or creed, or
family/marital status. The session is also for people who had needs
related to a disability, or related to another Code-related factor
such as age or gender, if those needs were not recognized and meet by
the police, for example, during the G-20.

The Human Rights Legal Support Centre (HRLSC) is holding two
"application clinics" on Tuesday, November 23. One session is from
10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Another session will be from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Both sessions are identical - there is no need to attend both
sessions. The clinics will be held at 180 Dundas Street West on the
8th floor.

These "hands-on" and practical sessions are designed to assist people
to make their own applications to the HRTO. The sessions will include
a brief overview of the Human Rights Code and the HRTO Application
form itself. This will be a group session, followed by an opportunity
for people to speak briefly with lawyers from the HRLSC about their
own matters.

To register for either session, please call: 416-314-6266 or
1-866-625-5179. You can register by email at:
karen.mcneilly.hrlsc at ontario.ca. For more information, please visit:
http://www.hrlsc.on.ca/en/g20summit.htm.

Questions about human rights and the G20 events in Toronto: Do you
have questions about your legal rights under the Code?

What human rights protection do I have under the Ontario Human Rights Code?

Ontario's Human Rights Code gives every person in Ontario the right to
be free from discrimination in employment, in housing, in services and
in facilities, and in entering into contracts. The Code protects
equality rights – the right to be treated equally without differences
based on personal characteristics such as race, gender or disability.
Ontario's Code protects you against discriminatory treatment by public
authorities, including police services.

The Code does not protect your constitutional rights under the
Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, such as freedom of assembly
and association, freedom of expression, the right to be secure against
arbitrary search and seizure or arbitrary detention and the right to
speak to a lawyer. To find out more about your constitutional rights,
go to: www.cba.org/bc/public_media/rights/200.aspx

If you think that you experienced discrimination in respect of your
treatment by police services or by any other service provider during
the G20 events, keep reading to find out more about your rights.

Any person who has experienced discriminatory treatment may apply to
the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario seeking a remedy for the
discrimination. The Tribunal's role is to resolve individual
applications through mediation or by conducting a hearing to decide if
what took place was in fact discriminatory. The Tribunal can make an
order against a person or body if discrimination is found to have
occurred. The Tribunal's process is designed to be easy to navigate.
Information and forms are available at:www.hrto.ca

The Human Rights Legal Support Centre offers legal advice and
assistance to people bringing a human rights application to the
Tribunal. For information, go to:www.hrlsc.on.ca

The Ontario Human Rights Commission is responsible for public
education about human rights. Among other powers, the Commission can
conduct a review or inquiry into issues involving human rights in
Ontario. Visit: www.ohrc.on.ca/en

Does the Human Rights Code protect me against discrimination by a
police officer?

Yes, the on-duty actions of municipal police (such as the Toronto
Police) and Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officers are generally
covered by the Ontario Human Rights Code as policing "services". A
detention centre may also be considered a facility that is covered by
the Code.

Discriminatory treatment by a municipal or OPP officer, or by any
person in authority in a detention centre, for example, can be the
subject of an application to the Human Rights Tribunal.

A person could file an application to the Human Rights Tribunal if he
or she believes that something happened during the G20 events that
subjected him or her to discriminatory treatment in the "service" of
policing.

What exactly is discrimination under Human Rights Code?

Discrimination is about equal treatment. Not all unfair or inhumane
treatment is covered by the Human Rights Code. For example, if you
believe that you were held by police during the G20 events without a
logical reason, this will not, in itself, constitute a violation of
your right to equal treatment in services under the Code. Without
evidence of discrimination, you could not effectively challenge your
detention by applying to the Human Rights Tribunal. There may be other
legal steps that you can take in this situation.

Discrimination is negative treatment that is tied to certain personal
characteristics that are listed in the Human Rights Code as prohibited
grounds of discrimination, such as race, age, disability, or gender.

Discrimination happens when a person is treated differently and
negatively on the basis of a ground of discrimination prohibited in
the Human Rights Code.

Discrimination can also occur if a service provider, such as a police
officer, fails to consider the special needs of a person, if those
needs are linked to one of the Human Rights Code's prohibited grounds
of discrimination, such as disability. A person whose special
Code-related needs are not accommodated has not been treated equally,
even if offered the same treatment as others.

Discrimination can occur even if a service provider, such as a police
officer, does not expressly form the intention to discriminate.

What are the prohibited grounds of discrimination that apply to
service situations like policing?

Race, colour, ancestry, ethnic origin
Place of origin
Citizenship
Creed (religion)
Age
Gender, sexual orientation and identity, pregnancy
Marital status, family status
Disability

Examples of Possible Human Rights Complaints from the G20

You asked for and were denied access to necessary medication or
assistive devices while in detention.
You were the target of racist comments or homophobic slurs by a police 
officer.
You were subjected to sexual taunts or sexual touching by a person in
authority while in detention.
You were sexually propositioned by a police officer or by person in
authority while in detention.
You were treated differently and negatively by a police officer
because of your sexual orientation while in detention.
You were targeted and subjected to different negative treatment by
police officers because you are francophone from Québec.
You were targeted and subjected to differential negative treatment
because you are a young single person.

How do I file an Application under the Human Rights Code?

If you decide to file a discrimination application at the Human Rights
Tribunal because of something that happened to you during the G20, you
must do so within one year of the discriminatory event.

The application form will require you to show how you were treated
differently than others, or subjected to negative treatment, because
of a personal characteristic that is associated with a prohibited
ground of discrimination. In other words, your application must
clearly explain the connection between a personal characteristic
recognized by theHuman Rights Code (such as your ethnic origin or
race) and the negative treatment you experienced.

The application form will also ask you to identify the remedy or
redress that you would like the Human Rights Tribunal to order if you
are successful in proving that you were subjected to discrimination.

What remedies can be ordered by the Human Rights Tribunal?

The Human Rights Tribunal has the power to order a very wide variety
of remedies to compensate you if you are successful in proving your
discrimination claim. As an applicant, you may request monetary or
non-monetary remedies.

Monetary remedies can include compensation for special costs that you
incurred as a result of the discrimination, such as health care costs,
as well as compensation for lost wages. The Human Rights Tribunal can
also order that you receive a financial award for the emotional impact
of the experience of discrimination.

Non-monetary remedies can include more long-term or systemic changes,
such as mandatory policies to apply to special detention centres or
special training of police officers.

Can I file a Human Rights application if I am also suing the police in
the courts or if I am a member of group application to the courts
arising out of the G20 events?

If there is some overlap between your lawsuit and the matters you are
raising in a Human Rights application, the Human Rights Tribunal might
delay dealing with your complaint or might not deal with it at all.

Your right to make a Human Rights application may be affected if you
start a lawsuit in Small Claims Court or the Superior Court, where you
could raise discrimination-related issues in your lawsuit. You may
have to choose between whether to raise your discrimination issue in a
lawsuit only, or in a Human Rights application only. This decision
will depend in part on what you want to achieve. It is important to
know that the Human Rights Tribunal can order systemic remedies beyond
what can be ordered by a court. If you have a potential overlap issue
of this nature, it is recommended that you consult with the Centre or
with a lawyer or a legal clinic to obtain legal advice that is suited
to your particular situation.

Contacting the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario

You can download an application form on the Tribunal's website at:
www.hrto.ca/hrto/?q=en/node/32

The Tribunal's website includes all of the required forms and
information about bringing a discrimination application, including an
information guide to the application process
at:www.hrto.ca/hrto/?q=en/node/30 and an Applicant's Guide
at:www.hrto.ca/hrto/sites/default/files/New%20Applications1/ApplicantsGuide.pdf

Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario
655 Bay Street, 14th floor
Toronto, ON M7A 2A3
Local : (416) 326-1312
Toll Free : 1-866-598-0322
TTY (Local): (416) 326-2027
TTY (Toll Free): 1-866-607-1240
Fax: (416) 326-2199
Fax (Toll Free): 1-866-355-6099
www.hrto.ca

Contacting the Human Rights Legal Support Centre

The Human Rights Legal Support Centre is able to provide legal
assistance to people who file an application to the Human Rights
Tribunal of Ontario. The level of service the Centre is able to offer
depends on each case. All services provided are free of charge.
Service is available in over 140 languages.

If you believe that you experienced discrimination during the events
of the G-20, you can contact the Centre to obtain legal advice
including advice about your options in seeking a legal remedy.

The first step is to go to the Centre's website at: www.hrlsc.on.ca.
You will find information to help you determine if you want to pursue
a discrimination application. For specific legal information and
assistance, contact the Centre through its telephone inquiry lines:

Human Rights Legal Support Centre
Tel: (416) 314-6266
Toll Free: 1-866-625-5179
TTY: (416) 314-6651
TTY Toll Free: 1-866 612-8627
www.hrlsc.on.ca

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12) A Drag Cabaret: My Baby's Got a Secret
Tuesday November 23rd
730pm to 930pm
Tallulah's Cabaret, Buddies in Bad Times Theatre
12 Alexander Street

Asian Arts Freedom School Presents......

A Drag Cabaret
MY BABY'S GOT A SECRET

...When: Tuesday, November 23rd
Doors opens at 7pm
Show Starts at 730pm

Where: Tallulah's Cabaret
Buddies in Bad Times Theatre
(Venue is Wheelchair Accessible)
12 Alexander Street

Cost: $5-10 Sliding Scale. No one turned away at the door because of 
lack of funds.

----Co-Directed By---

Yaya Yao aka Buttersnake and Patrick Salvani aka Ms. Nookie Galore. You 
can call her Ms. Nookie Galore for short. Got it?!

----Starring-----

Afi Browne as......... ZACHARY MONEY BAGS "money is my middle name"
Daneila Lechet as......DD KING
Megha Eswaran as.... KRISHNA
Chase Lo as............ Jes
Mat Bowen as.......... ?
Heidi Cho as............ CANTSTOPME KANDICE

----Featuring-----

LAL - http://www.myspace.com/lalforest
-
CHASE TAM
-
RAIN CHAN'S "REM" - Eventual Ashes play reading about a queer asian
women pop rock band.
Dramaturgy and Music by Gein Wong.
-
and
-
ILL NANA - http://illnana-dcdc.com/default.aspx

----FABULOUS MERCH TABLE----

ELISHA LIM
GEIN WONG

If you would like to sell your creations at the Fabolous Merch Table, 
please contact freedomschool.secrets at gmail.com by Monday, November 15th.

My Baby's Got a Secret is an 8-week Asian Arts Freedom School Drag, 
Music, Dance and Theatre Program for youth of colour held at
the 519 and at fu-GEN Theatre Company.

For more information on Asian Arts Freedom School please visit
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=8229086153&v=info
and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8ie9CSMExU

For more information on the performance and/or the theatre program, 
please contact freedomschool.secrets at gmail.com

This project is presented in partnership with Eventual Ashes, the fu-GEN 
Asian Canadian Theatre Company and the 519 Community Centre.
It is supported by the Ontario Arts Council, the Canada Council for the 
Arts and the City of Toronto.

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13) Black Talk: Sexuality and Us
Wednesday November 24th
530pm to 830pm
York University

This year YUBSA has planned a series of discussions, debate and forums 
that shine a light a various aspects of the Black
community while challenging and attacking stereotypes. All panels will 
featured variety members of the student community
discussing the current state of affairs in the community as it related 
to us in today’s society.

DISCUSSION FORUM TWO: Sexuality and us

A panel discusses the idea of sexuality and it’s affect i...n the Black 
Community posing the questions: Do we keep
it on the down low, though so many seem to want to know? How is 
homosexuality viewed in the Black community and how
does secrecy affect us as a whole? Can you tell the difference between 
the woman and the "video hoe"? Are black
women overly sexualized in the media? Are black man sexual deviants? 
DON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE!

SPEAKERS: York University Black Student Alliance, LTGB, more to be announced

DATE: Wednesday 24th November 2010
TIME: 5:30pm-8pm

Food will be made available.
Everyone is Welcome!!!

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14) The Tamil Studies Conference:

Dimensions of Culture: Spoken Word

Time/date: Wednesday November 24 at 6-8pm
Location: The Centre for Women and Trans People at UofT (563 Spadina 
Avenue, Rm 100, North Borden Building)
Hosted by: The Tamil Studies Conference
Like the many colours of a crystal, only visible with light shining 
through, so are the dimensions of culture,
visible only to those willing to explore. The Tamil Studies Conference 
presents the “Dimensions of Culture”
which will be an evening ...showcasing performances of spoken word 
followed by a discussion. It will seek to
explore the meaning of culture and the many dimensions that exist within 
it. Come and Join us. Share your work.
Everyone is welcome. Light refreshments provided.

Wheelchair accessible
Queer positive space

ABOUT THE HOST: Tamil Studies Conference

SIXTH ANNUAL TAMIL STUDIES CONFERENCE 2011Parimaanam: Images, 
Embodiments and ContestationsOver 70 scholars,
writers, artists and activists from universities including University of 
Bergen (Norway), University of Chicago,
Columbia University, Eastern University (Sri Lanka), Harvard University, 
Jamia Millia Islamia University (New Delhi),
Jawaharlal Nehru University, John Hopkins University, Leeds University 
(England), University of Manitoba, McGill University,
University of Morelos (Mexico), University of Otago (New Zealand), 
University of Pennsylvania, Peradeniya University (Sri Lanka),
Princeton University, Ryerson University, Stockholm University, 
University of Toronto, and York University will participate in this 
conference.
ALL ARE WELCOME

info at tamilstudiesconference.ca

Website:http://www.tamilstudiesconference.ca/

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15) Granny Boots: Q-Lit! Spoken word night!
Wednesday November 24th
10pm
Melody Bar: Gladstone Hotel
1214 Queen St. West

Spoken word is powerful, revolutionary, challenging and sexy, dammit!

Showcasing speakers: Kim Katrin Crosby
Chase Tam
Aemilius Ramirez
Parul Provocation Pandya

With music by the amazing Ayo Leilani!!!!!!
And so many others!

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16) THE DR. CHUN LIBRARY PRESENTS

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 25, 2010
EVENT: WORDS OF RESISTANCE: OPEN MIC
TIME: 6-8pm
LOCATION: The Centre for Women and Trans People at UofT

DESCRIPTION:

CALL OUT FOR PERFORMERS AND NON-PERFORMING PARTICIPANTS
Poetry night around themes of gender, gender violence, and transphobia. 
Inspired by TDOR and the 16 Days Against Gendered Violence.
Open mic and potluck. Open to cisgender performers as well.

A few suggested topics to think about & perform your piece on:

What is the connection between gender roles and transphobia? What is the 
connection between patriarchy and transphobia?
Why do trans women experience double violence?
What kind of body rituals do you have in the morning? How does changing 
your rituals affect your day? Does it change your day?
How did you come out as trans? What kind of issues did you have to 
negotiate? What did “coming out” feel like?
Have you ever witnessed or experienced trans- and/or gender-related 
violence? What did witnessing violence done
upon someone else inform you about your own gender & gender privilege?
Can non-trans men experience gender violence and transphobia?
How do class and race play into gender violence? Does everybody 
experience gender violence and transphobia equally?

Final idea: come perform your gender! You can do this through song, 
poetry, spoken word, ritual,
make-up, costume, or a combination of these elements.

--------------------------------------------------------------

17) Amplifying Voices: A dialogue with South Asian LGBTQ+* community members

Council of Agencies Serving South Asians (CASSA) is inviting South Asian 
LGBTQ+ people to attend a community dialogue
to share experiences and the obstacles faced while accessing social 
services. The discussion will explore topics
such as inclusion and positive space within a social service environment 
and how service providers can better
serve the South As...ian LGBTQ+ community.

A similar dialogue will take place with Service providers as well. The 
ultimate goal of this initiative is to have
improved services for South Asian LGBTQ+ community members. Input, 
feedback and information derived from these dialogues
will help with the development of a resource booklet for service 
providers and frontline workers. The booklet will be
launched at a forum (Dec 14th 6:30-8:30pm, Save the Date!) featuring a 
panel of South Asian LGBTQ+ community, activists and Service providers.

Date: Thursday Nov. 25th, 2010
Time: 6:30pm – 9:00pm
Location: Room 201, The 519 Church Street Community Centre (519 Church 
Street, Toronto)

Dinner and TTC reimbursement will be provided
For more details and RSVP contact Keerthy - keerthy at cassa.on.ca; 
416-932-1359ext 11.

*LGBTQ+ = Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Transsexual, Queer, 
Questioning, Intersex, Two-spirited, Allies and more

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18) REVERBERATIONS: Community, Healing & Social Activism through Music

Friday, November 26 from 7:00pm - 9:00pm

Location:
3rd Floor Student Lounge, Factor Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, 
University of Toronto
246 Bloor Street West

Join Roy Hirabayashi (founder and excecutive diirector) and PJ 
Hirabayashi (artistic director) of San Jose Taiko,
in a conversation about music, activism, and connections across 
boundaries. San Jose Taiko is the 3rd oldest taiko
(Japanese big drum) ensemble in the US, born out of the Asian American 
movement of the 1960's.
More more information about San Jose Taiko: http://taiko.org/

Roy and PJ will be joined by special guest Kiy...oshi Nagata, founder 
and artistic director of Toronto's Nagata Shachu,
as well as the stronghold of the city's taiko presence for three decades.
More information about Nagata Shachu: http://www.nagatashachu.com/

This is a FREE event organizing by the Raging Asian Women Taiko Drummers 
(RAW), supported by the Toronto Arts Council,
San Jose Taiko, and the Arts and Social Work Research Initiative (ASWRI) 
of the Factor Inwentash Faculty of Social Work
at the University of Toronto.

FaceBook event page:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=160164357354226

About RAW:
Raging Asian Women will set your heart pounding! RAW is a diverse 
collective of East and South-East Asian women carrying
on the North American taiko drumming tradition and promoting social 
justice while making music. The group integrates
rhythm and movement to show a powerful expression of its members' 
experiences as Asian-Canadian women. RAW believes in
the power of collective creation and collaboration, and is continually 
working to develop innovative artistic ideas.

For more information, please contact young at ragingasianwomen.ca or visit 
http://ragingasianwomen.ca/

--------------------------------------------------------

19) 20 YEARS OF THE ONTARIO COALITION AGAINST POVERTY (OCAP)
20 Years of Fighting to Win

Saturday November 27th, 2010
Cecil Street Community Centre - 58 Cecil Street, Toronto
6:30 pm – 1 am

Sliding scale - $0 to $100

Community Dinner, Re-enactments, Music, the OCAP Awards, Toasts and Roasts.

Twenty years ago in November, the founding conference of the Ontario
Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP) took place.

On November 27, at the Cecil Street Community Centre (58 Cecil
Street), we will be holding a party to remember the long road we’ve
traveled and celebrate our visions for the future. We invite everyone
to join us on this momentous celebration!

OCAP has fought its way through two decades in which capitalism has
been on the offensive and great problems have emerged in our movements
around building and sustaining effective resistance. Along the way,
we’ve made some mistakes but made many more victories, friends and
high placed enemies. Through all we’ve done, our strength has been in
our mobilization of poor communities to fight back and demand their
rights.

Over the years, thousands of times, we forced welfare bureaucracies to
provide the benefits they tried to hold back. We prevented evictions
and deportations, forced cheating employers to pay up and made local
authorities repair the public housing units they willfully neglect.

OCAP acted to challenge the abandonment of the homeless. We opened
closed shelters and occupied empty buildings to demand they be made
into housing. We resisted the welfare cuts of Mike Harris and
challenged their perpetuation by Dalton McGuinty. We were at the
forefront of efforts to ensure the poor had access to the Special Diet
and we helped transform it from a barely known $6 million program to
one paying over $200 million a year to poor people around the
province.

OCAP fought on a range of fronts and won victories at a time when they
were not easy to obtain. However, our greatest gain has been to
ensure that the notion of collective resistance has not only been kept
alive but has gained ground in the face of the neoliberal drive to
destroy past gains and the expectations that were created alongside
them.

As we look back with some pride on our history so far, we realize that
these first two decades were only a warm up for the bigger fights
ahead. This year, Toronto hosted the G20 with its plans for inhuman
global austerity. Not by coincidence, as this vile gathering took
place, we also saw the largest mass arrests in the history of Canada.
The period that is now opening up will be one in which resistance will
be at a premium and
OCAP has some contributions ahead of it in this regard. Their plans
for austerity will not run smoothly. People across the world are
going to fight back and we are more than ready to be part of that
fight.

Right now, we are rallying poor people across Toronto and beyond to
defend their right to the Special Diet and to demand the raising of
social assistance rates. We have recently brought on another OCAP
organizer from within the Somali Community in Etobicoke to help expand
our work there. We have a new person in our office working to increase
our ability to deal with the growing abuses of the welfare system as
it saves money by denying people and families their right to basic
income. We are looking to move into a bigger office at a more visible
location to help increase our base in the hard hit downtown east end.
All of this means that, as we mark twenty years of fighting back, we
need the help of our friends and allies to obtain the resources we
need to get bigger and stronger at a time that requires it. If you can
make a contribution, it will be greatly appreciated.

Come and celebrate 20 years of OCAP on November 27th!
Thanks for all your help and support now and in the future.

Ontario Coalition Against Poverty
www.ocap.ca / 416-925-6939

--------------------------------------------------------

20) Public Sector Unionism, Austerity & the Left
Monday November 29th
3pm to 6pm
Student Centre RM. 321
York University

Austerity measures stemming from the global financial crisis threaten to 
undermine public sector unions and the services they provide.
The unions, however, have failed to politicize the crisis along class 
lines, and by extension, to the Left. This is leading to
situations like the Toronto mayoral election where union activity was 
opportunistically used to motivate an anti-union conservative populism.

If anything, this crisis reveals that the connection between public 
sector unionism and the Left has become unclear.
This is a problem that cannot be solved by simply reconsidering union 
strategy pragmatically; its solution depends on working
through and clarifying the history, ideology and politics that underlie 
how public sector unions and the Left presently relate.

This teach-in with leading Canadian labour analyst Sam Gindin will 
explore the present crisis, its meaning and how we might get
beyond it. His recent piece with Michael Hurley, titled The Public 
Sector: Search for a Focus
(online at www.socialistproject.ca) considers how union activity could 
be changed not only to meet the challenge of austerity,
but also to reignite the Canadian Left.

------------------------------------------------------------

21) THRIVE: WOMEN'S VOICES RISING!

SAT, DEC 11
9:30 am to 3:00 pm
Metro Hall
55 John Street
(King & John, 2 blocks east of Spadina)
Speakers, workshops, discussion
RSVP with registration form: thrive.forum at gmail.com OR 
www.surveymonkey.com/s/3YRM95V

FOOD provided. ACCESSIBLE space. ASL and CHILDMINDING available (let us 
know by Nov 22nd). FREE.

Consider violence on a continuum or a spectrum - this means that in 
addition to the physical, financial and emotional violence that
women* face and resist, but also the violence of racism, colonization, 
degraded environments and institutions. Join the THRIVE coalition
for THRIVE: Women's Voices Rising!, a forum on violence, organizing to 
mark the 16 Days of Activism Against Gendered Violence.

On Saturday, December 11th, join community members and frontline workers 
for discussion circles, speakers, workshops and the opportunity
to create spaces for dialogue, for conversation about gendered violence 
including the ways women resist.

Forum Outline:
9:30 am to 10:00 am - registration
10:00 am to 11:00 am - Opening + Panel
11:00 am to 12:00 pm - Discussion Circles
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm - lunch
1:00 pm to 2:00 pm - Workshops
2:00 pm to 3:00 pm - Closing

Participants can expect to speak about racism and decolonization, mental 
health, substance use, sex work, and much more. We will
close the day with movement and/or sounds based activities to ground 
ourselves in this difficult work. Hear about issues and campaigns.
Connect with other community members and activists.

For more information and to RSVP, register with the attached form at 
thrive.forum at gmail.com

*we have a trans inclusive understanding of women

Also: THRIVE presents the exhibit "Fabricating Violence: Fabric of 
Change: from November 25 to December 10 at the Raging Spoon
(761 Queen Street West); launch on November 25, from 7 to 9 pm.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Thrive-Womens-Voices-Rising/117475858314892#!/event.php?eid=102190086519445

About THRIVE:
THRIVE, the Multicultural Women’s Coalition Against Violence and 
Oppression, is a coalition of diverse women advancing a movement to
end violence and oppression against racialized women and their 
communities by developing analyses and strategies to combat violence
against racialized women and providing training, community-based 
research and political advocacy with and for racialized women.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Thrive-Womens-Voices-Rising/117475858314892

About the 16 Days of Activism:
The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence is an international 
campaign originating from the first Women's Global Leadership
Institute sponsored by the Center for Women's Global Leadership in 1991.
http://16dayscwgl.rutgers.edu

-------------------------------------------------