[opirgyork] OPIRG AGM Info + Event Listings!

[OPIRG York]

Hi Everyone,

OPIRG York has its Annual General Meeting next *Tuesday, April 9th at 1pm*.
It will be held in Room 313 Student Centre. All OPIRG York members and
community members are welcome to attend, and to vote for the next Board of
Directors! There will be a free lunch served! Please come and learn more
about OPIRG York's initiative last year, and about what will be upcoming
for the 2013-14 School Year!!

Please check out below, a list of some upcoming events at York by our
community partners and allies, as well as some community listing events
that are upcoming in the next few weeks! Hope your exams and end of terms
papers/studies are going well- and please do stop by OPIRG York for a
de-stress, and rejuvinate, and to visit the staff!!

As always, you contact us at OPIRG York any time about ways to get
involved, and help out, or if you are interested in other issues that we
can help connect you too. Feel free to stop by the OPIRG York office at
449C Student Centre anytime during regular office hours (Mon-Thurs. 10-5pm)
to chat!

-OPIRG York
--
www.opirgyork.ca
416-736-5724
opirg at yorku.ca



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*In this email:*
*
*
*YORK NEWS*

*(1) April 3rd Community meeting: How to build a movement for affordable
public transit*
*(2)
I'm a Mad Student. Get Over It!
*
*
(3)
Critical Approaches to South Asian Studies Workshop*
*(4) ❛IN THE MOOD…❜*
*(5) CHRY 105.5 Summer 2013 Internships *
 *
*
*COMMUNITY NEWS*

*(1) Call for Submissions to Mad Pride Toronto 2013*
*(2) Vote No Save Our OPIRG*
*(3) Refugee Rights are Human Rights*
*(4) Confront Sexism! Confront Misogyny! MRAs Not Welcome!*
*(5) If A Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front *
*(6) Mining Resistance Art Build*
*(7) East and West Sides: April 7 - 8: No Tar Sands in Toronto - Stop Line
9!*
*(8) Mangos with Chili: the floating cabaret of two spirit, trans and queer
people of color*
*(9) Ghadar Movement: A Living History *
*(10) #May1TO, May Day: Solidarity City! Status for All! Decolonize Now! *
*(11) Apr. 7-8: Defend Ron Plain of Aamjiwnaang against CN Rail Suit *
*(12) New Dates* OCAP Community Organizing Course Spring 2013*
*
*
*YORK NEWS*

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*April 3rd Community meeting: How to build a movement for affordable public
transit*

*
*

*Jane Finch Action Against Poverty Community meeting*

** **

*How to **build a movement for affordable public transit*

** **

*When: Wednesday, April 3, 2013, at 6:00 pm*

** **

There has been a lot of talk about public transit these days. Plans are in
place to build new transit in parts of the city. What do you think of
public transit? Are fares affordable for you? Are there other ways to pay
for public transit? The Free and Accessible Transit Campaign (part of the
Greater Toronto Workers’ Assembly), believes that transit should be a right
for all people in Toronto. Fares should be reduced and eventually phased
out. Ordinary people need to have a say on how we plan transit.****

** **

Come and talk with activists from the Free Transit Campaign at the Jane
Finch Action Against Poverty meeting on April 3rd! Help us build a movement
for affordable public transit.****

** **

*When: Wednesday, April 3, 2013, at 6:00 pm*****

*Where: Yorkgate Mall, Black Creek Community Health Centre, 2nd Floor*****

** **

Light dinner will be served****

Childcare provided****

TTC tickets available****

** **

** **

*Jane and Finch Action Against Poverty [JFAAP]*****

*janefinchactionagainstpoverty at gmail.com*****

*jfaap.wordpress.com*****


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*“I’m A Mad Student. GET OVER IT!”*

*
*
*Date:  Thursday at 2:00pm until Friday at 4:00pm*
 *Location: Health Nursing Environment Building 140, York University*
*Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/372096746239995/*
The Mad Students Society, Critical Disability Studies Students' Association
and YFS Access Centre Presents:


In lieu of the rising presence of stigma busting on campus and mental
health awareness campaigns, Mad students will talk back and offer their
agenda on psychiatric oppression inside and outside of the academy. This
event will showcase perspectives of Mad-identified students, and Professor
David Reville from Ryerson’s School of Disability Studies. On Thursday,
April 4th mad students will take the stand, and on Friday, April 5th they
will be joined by mad professor, David Reville.

There will be free vegan cookies and coffee. :)

Samples of themes being presented are:

- Their own lived experience and narratives as psychiatric
consumers/survivors/ex-patients, Mad-identified individuals, crazy people
and so on.
- The importance of Mad consciousness, history and community
- The intersections of oppression and help
- The use of language and Mad identity
- Alternative perspectives to biomedical understandings of madness
- Combating discrimination and/or sanism
- Acknowledging barriers in accessibility and accommodations
- Psychiatric oppression and the “anti-oppressive framework”

*ASL interpreters are available for the 4th, we are still working on
securing interpreters for the 5th. Live captioning will also be available.

* Poster was designed by the lovely and talented Sarafin.
*
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*Critical Approaches to South Asian Studies Workshop*
*
* Date: Friday 9:00 am to 6:00 pm
Location: 305 Founders York University
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/586066128070673/


The YCAR South Asian Studies Workshop will offer an intimate forum for
exploring research and methodological issues in the study of South Asia and
South Asian Diasporas.

The workshop, which is being organized by YCAR’s South Asia Research Group
(SARG), will be a step towards building a network of scholars, artists and
community organizers working on South Asia and South Asian Diasporas at
York University and in the GTA.

Panel 1: Anti-colonial and Self-Determination Struggles in Contemporary
South Asia
Panel 2: Cultural productions and South Asian Studies: Epistemologies and
Representations
Panel 3: Gendering South Asian Studies
Round table: Who is the native informant?

Full workshop programme: http://www.yorku.ca/ycar/Events/SASW_programme.pdf

This event is sponsored by the York Centre for Asian Research (YCAR), The
Department of Political Science and the Faculty of Graduate Studies,
Department of Sociology, all at York University.

For more information or to RSVP to attend (before 1 April 2013 please),
please email sargyork at yorku.ca or visit
http://www.yorku.ca/ycar/Events/south_asia.html
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❛IN THE MOOD…❜
==>Stressed out from end-of-term exams, essays and deadlines?
==>Take a quick break and join us for a self-love making session!

==> The workshop is FREE and open to 30 registrants. Please email:
foco.cwtp at gmail.com to confirm attendance.

Organized by the Centre for Women and Trans People, Access Centre and
Feminists of Colour Organize
Facilitated by Carlyle Jansen

DESCRIPTION
Self-pleasure is a topic loaded with myths, shame, fear and sometimes even
pain, yet we desire it to bring learning, joy and pleasure. Learn how to
overcome the challenges and embrace more ecstasy. Discover erogenous zones
and pleasure strokes to add to your repertoire, whether a novice or veteran
of the self-pleasure experience. Find out what toys work best for different
purposes, a variety of desires and diverse bodies. You deserve it!

▶Don't forget to get your raffle ticket at the beginning of the workshop to
enter a draw at the end for Good For Her pleasurable prizes!

ABOUT THE FACILITATOR
Since discovering orgasms in her late 20s, Carlyle Jansen has been
passionate about education for everyone. She founded Good For Her in 1997,
a sexuality shop and workshop centre where everyone could feel welcome and
included, especially those who traditionally did not feel represented in
sexual spaces. In 1996, the Good For Her team created and produced the
Feminist Porn Awards. An eco-feminist, she believes in empowering people
with knowledge to make the best choices for themselves. She is excited to
presenting at York!

▶The workshop is open to folks of all genders with the focus on womyn and
trans people.
▶Snacks will be provided.

*DATE & TIME: Tuesday April 16, 2013 | 3PM-5PM
LOCATION: Student Centre, Rm 430, York University, Keele Campus, 4700 Keele
St

▶The location is wheelchair accessible via east elevator through the staff
door entrance beside the Pagoda restaurant in Student Centre. Email:
foco.cwtp at gmail.com for access needs.*
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*CHRY 105.5 Summer 2013 Internships *

CHRY is a community-based, non-profit, volunteer run radio station that has
been serving the North Toronto community
for 25 years. We believe in professional and guided programming that
reflects the diverse issues and cultures in the
surrounding areas. Our mandate is to provide alternative programming such
as music, especially Canadian music, not
generally heard on commercial stations. Although students play an important
role in programming, we also provide
access to members of the community at large.

To view Sumer 2013 May-August Internships, please click here:

http://opirgyork.ca/sites/opirgyork.ca/files/print/INTERNSHIPS%20summer%202013.pdf
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*COMMUNITY NEWS*

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*Call for Submissions to Mad Pride Toronto 2013 – PLEASE SHARE WIDELY*

Monday, July 8 to Sunday, July 14
www.madprideto.com

Mad Pride is an arts, culture, and heritage festival created by psychiatric
survivors, consumers, mad people, folks the world has labeled “mentally
ill”, and those in solidarity with us.

Mad Pride is about:
• remembering and participating in mad history
• challenging discrimination
• advocating for rights
• affirming mad identities
• developing and empowering mad communities
• having fun!

Our lives and contributions are valuable and need celebration!

Do you want to host a consumer/survivor-driven event, performance, talk,
presentation, film, or panel discussion at Mad Pride Toronto 2013? Please
let us know via our event submission form – which will be available on our
website at www.madprideto.com or by calling Tina at 416 926-9762 x 245.
Contact: events at madprideto.com

Do you want to submit to our second juried Art Exhibition? We invite two
dimensional, sculptural, or time-based art submissions from psychiatric
survivors, consumers, and mad people. Contact: Martine at
martinematthews at soundtimes.com

If you are a consumer/survivor and would like to display/sell your art,
crafts, buttons, t-shirts, knitting, zines, books, music, baked goods or
promote your blog, website, group, network, idea, consider requesting a
table at the Mad Market. Contact: outreach at madprideto.com

Deadline: Friday, April 26th, 2013

Do you want to get involved in making Mad Pride Toronto 2013 happen? Check
outwww.madprideto.com for more information on joining the Mad Pride Toronto
2013 Organizing Committee and to complete a Statement of Interest.

http://csinfo.ca/bulletin/Bulletin_483.pdf


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*Vote No Save Our OPIRG Carleton- APRIL 3 & 4*
TODAY!!  From 9:00 am to 9:00 pm

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/440840969337294/declines/

OPIRG-Carleton is a student run centre for social and environmental justice
on campus.
OPIRG receives $3.42 levy per semester from full time students, refundable
during a 5-day opt-out period. Vote no to eliminating OPIRG's levy on April
3 & 4!

Website: https://votenosaveopirg.sqsp.com/
Twitter:https://twitter.com/VoteNoSaveOPIRG
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Vote-No-Save-OPIRG/578543008837542

Polling Locations:

Atrium (2) polling stations
Loeb Tunnel (2) polling stations
Residence Commons (2) polling stations
Southam Hall (1) polling station
Tory Building (1) polling station
Tunnel junction between Stacie/Herzberg (1) polling station
Minto Centre (1) polling station
Athletics (1) polling station

www.cusaonline.ca/referendum

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*Refugee Rights are Human Rights*
Canada's Refugee Rights Day

Exhibition: Thursday, April 4 to Sunday, April 14
Opening reception: Thursday, April 4 @ 6 pm

The gala opening of romarising Canada Photo Exhibition preceded by
presentation and conversation about Canada's changing refugee policies and
the Roma community. Presented by the Canadian Civil Liberties Association
and the Toronto Roma Community Centre.

PROGRAM
6:15 - 7:15pm
Panel discussion "Refugee Rights are Human Rights"

In recognition of Canada's Refugee Right's Day - presented by the Roma
Community Centre and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) (as
part of CCLA's Conversations About Civil Liberties series) - panel
discussion with Professor Sean Rehaag from York University's Osgoode Hall,
Viktoria Mohacsi, former Member of the European Parliament and project
coordinator of the Roma Community Centre's Legal Clinic

7:15 - 7:30 pm
Slide Presentation- A Community Struggle for Justice
Presented by Gina Csanyi-Robah
Executive Director of the Roma Community Centre

7:30 - 9:00pm
Gala opening and Reception for romarising Canada Photo Exhibit

by Chad Evans Wyatt. romarising / Opre Roma is a community based education
initiative to cultivate hope and build the capacity of Canada's Roma
community to fight racism and prejudice, while helping to break down the
barriers of negative Gypsy stereotypes and misconceptions about Romani
people. To learn more about the project.

About the photographer
Born in New York City, Chad Evans Wyatt moved with his mother to Paris,
France, where he grew up. Photography as artistic experience took a huge
leap when he began visits to Central Europe twenty years ago. The
marginalisation and torment of the Roma there reminded him of his own roots
in the Civil Rights Era of the US.

romarising seeks individuals who have achieved, despite the pressures by
society. This work began in the Czech Republic, and now has finished a
second stage in Poland. The goal is romarisingV4, to include the Visegrad
countries. To be accomplished this spring, in Hungary and Slovakia.

The RCC invited Wyatt to exhibit results from the first stages of
romarising in Europe. Although his visit will be of short duration, he
hopes to include some portraits of Canadian Roma in this exhibition.

--
Need to know:
- Doors open at 5:50
- Free admission
- Accessible on demand via portable ramp; washrooms not accessible

Tasty refreshments (non-alcoholic) with Zatoun oliveoil+za'atar dipping.

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Confront Sexism! Confront Misogyny! MRAs Not Welcome!
*
*
*Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/512657565446618/?ref=2*
*
*
*Date: Thursday 6:30 pm *
*Location:
Ramsey Wright Zoology Laboratory Toronto, Ontario*

On April 4th, the Men’s Issues Awareness Society (MIA), a student group at
the University of Toronto, will be hosting their next event. A campus based
offshoot of the innocuous sounding Canadian Association for Equality, these
campus based Men’s Issues Groups are cropping up on campuses across the
country and proliferate the rhetoric that the hardships men deal with are
the result of feminism and the growth of women’s rights. While young men do
deal with suicide and incarceration, as women do, these issues are not the
result of feminism or victories for the women’s movement, and it is
disingenuous for them to claim as such.

Focusing energy on supposed false accusations of rape while 1 in 3 women
will be sexually assaulted in their life is unacceptable. Claiming that
incest could be seen as a positive thing if women weren’t socialized into
seeing themselves as victims, as one of their event speakers did, is
disgusting. To suggest that issues of equality for men and women are on a
level playing field is to deny the historical and continuing societal and
institutional oppression of women, the prevalence of gender based violence
against women and the double burden of domestic and paid labour, amongst
other things.

Previous events of the MIA have included author of “The Myth of Male Power”
Warren Farrell, who stated “before we called it date rape and date fraud,
we called it exciting” and Professor Janice Fiamengo, who suggested that
women's studies programs have a political agenda that has negative
consequences for men. Their event on April 4th includes the authors of
“Speaking Misandry: The Teaching of Contempt for Men in Popular Culture”
and “Legalizing Misandry: From Public Shame to Systemic Discrimination
against Men" and may seem innocent enough to some, but is part of a larger
effort to indoctrinate men (and some women) into understanding men’s
troubles as the result of women’s achievements, and not through the lens of
capitalism and patriarchy, white supremacy and heterosexism.

Meanwhile, the University of Toronto has been quite accommodating to the
Men’s Issues Awareness campus chapter, despite their targeting and online
harassment of female members of the University of Toronto community. When
students and community members confronted the event where Farrell was
invited to speak, the University defended the Men’s Issues group’s right to
free speech, while campus and Toronto police shoved and assaulted
protestors.

If the University of Toronto administration plans to do nothing while this
group spreads hatred against women, we will not do the same. They can
continue to hold their events, but we will be there every single time to
confront them!

No Sexism here! Misogyny not Welcome! MRAS Go Away!

Thursday April 4th
Meet at 6:30 PM
Ramsey Wright Laboratories
25 Harbord Street
*Meet at the corner of Harbord and St. George street*
* Look for the banners and flags*

* We know that everyone has different ways of confronting this shit, and we
hope that participants in this event can respect how individuals decide to
resist*

If you belong to a campus or community organization that would like to
speak at the demonstration, please contact opirg.toronto at gmail.com

For more information on Men's Rights Activism:

http://linchpin.ca/content/Anti-oppression/Towards-Militant-Feminist-Movement-Confronting-Men
’s-Rights-Organi

http://rsmtoronto.wordpress.com/2013/03/19/denounce-the-mras-defend-womens-rights-build-the-revolutionary-students-movement/

http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/michael-laxer/2012/12/mens-rights-movement-cafe-university-toronto

http://socialistworkercanada.com/2012/11/07/why-mens-rights-groups-are-wrong/


-OPIRG York
--
www.opirgyork.ca
416-736-5724
opirg at yorku.ca



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*If A Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front *
*
*
*Location: *252 Bloor Street West, OISE Room 5150
*Date:* Thursday 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/119645741560530/?ref=2

Free film screening. Followed by discussion with Sara Falconer, prison
justice organizer (ABC).

***Nominated Best Documentary Feature, 2012 Academy Awards***

In December 2005, Daniel McGowan was arrested by Federal agents in a
nationwide sweep of radical environmentalists involved with the Earth
Liberation Front-- a group the FBI has called America's "number one
domestic terrorism threat." For years, the ELF—operating in separate
anonymous cells without any central leadership—had launched spectacular
arsons against dozens of businesses they accused of destroying the
environment: timber companies, SUV dealerships, wild horse slaughterhouses,
and a $12 million ski lodge at Vail, Colorado. With the arrest of Daniel
and thirteen others, the government had cracked what was probably the
largest ELF cell in America and brought down the group responsible for the
very first ELF arsons in this country.

IF A TREE FALLS: A STORY OF THE EARTH LIBERATION FRONT tells the remarkable
story of the rise and fall of this ELF cell, by focusing on the
transformation and radicalization of one of its members. Part coming-of-age
tale, part cops-and-robbers thrilller, the film interweaves a vérité
chronicle of Daniel on house arrest as he faces life in prison, with a
dramatic recounting of the events that led to his involvement with the
group. And along the way it asks hard questions about environmentalism,
activism, and the way we define terrorism.

Following the film screening we will have a discussion with Sara Falconer.
Sara is part of the collective that produces the Certain Days: Freedom for
Political Prisoners Calendar (www.certaindays.org). As a member of the
Toronto Anarchist Black Cross, she helps produce www.4strugglemag.org, an
online and print zine of writings and analysis by and for political
prisoners and their supporters.

Accessibility: || FREE || wheelchair accessible space || snacks provided ||
films will be captioned || address any other accessibility needs to
external.apus at gmail.com ||

Cinema Politica UofT is an initiative of the Graduate Students' Union. We
screen films that challenge conventional narratives and that explore
under-represented stories. Our film screenings aim to engage students and
the community in critical issues surrounding equity and environmental
justice. We seek to accomplish this by following each screening with a
discussion about how the content of the film relates to our own experiences
and what action we can take collectively.

Cinema Politica UofT also receives support from:

Association for Part-Time Undergraduate Students (APUS)
www.apus.utoronto.ca

Visit the Cinema Politica U of T website for our full film schedule:
www.cinemapolitica.org/uoft

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Mining Resistance Art Build
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/448451851907336/?ref=2
*
*
2 ART BUILD DATES:
Sunday April 7th, and April 14th, 1-6pm
Whippersnapper Gallery - 594B Dundas St W

All are welcome to take part in an art build to create street theater
props, paint banners, stencils, and contribute to ongoing campaigns against
the destructive actions of Canadian mining companies in Canada and abroad.
Spring Into Action is a month long series of events organized by Mining
Injustice Solidarity Network. A number of major mining companies have their
annual shareholder meetings in Toronto between the months of April-May. The
materials created through this art build will be brought to shareholder
meetings to confront shareholders and execs on the devastating impact of
their operations on local indigenous communities and the environment. For
those that are less familiar with mining issues, we will have an informal
teach-in as we build. No art or building experience necessary! You'll learn
as you go!

http://mininginjusticesn.wordpress.com/2012/03/30/artbuilds-2/

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*East and West Sides: April 7 - 8: No Tar Sands in Toronto - Stop Line 9!*

*Location*: East Side Civic Center/ Davenport-Perth Neighboughood Community
Center
*Date:* April 7 at 2:00pm until April 8 at 9:00pm
East Side - Sunday, April 7, 2 p.m.
East York Civic Centre, 850 Coxwell at Mortimer, NW Corner

The East En Against Lin 9 has invited three leading activists in the
struggle against tar sands pipeline to present the issues;

* Ron Plain of Aamjiwnaang First Nation (Sarnia) has helped his people wage
a 30-year struggle against the damaging effects of Line 9 and oil industry
pollution. He faces a CN Rail legal suit resulting from Idle No More
protests.

* Sabrina Bowman is climate campaign coordinator for Environmental Defence,
which has aided residents across Ontario to voice concern over the Line 9
project.

* Ian Angus has written several books in defense of the world’s peoples
against the effects of climate change and for swift action to bring it
under control.
________________________________
West Side - Monday, April 8, 7:00 p.m.
Davenport-Perth Neighbourhood and Health Community Center
1900 Davenport Road
(both spaces are wheelchair accessible)

Panel of speakers followed by discussion on the issues and on building our
movement. Special guest: Ron Plain of Aamjiwnaang First Nation

For more info: EastEndNoTar at gmail.com.
WestEndNoLine9 at gmail.com.
__________________________________

Enbridge Corp. wants to equip its "Line 9," a pipeline running across
Toronto, to carry tar sands oil (diluted bitumen or "dilbit"). Highly
corrosive dilbit would be pumped through the 37-year-old pipe at high
temperatures and pressures, with a high risk of spill.

Three years ago, dilbit pumped through another aged Enbridge pipe ruptured
in Michigan , with devastating impact. The effects were lasting: escaped
chemicals sickened residents, while tar continues to foul waterways.

A spill in Toronto could poison rivers that feed into our water supply.

Meanwhile, exploitation of the tar sands escalates climate change, posing a
threat to all the world's peoples.

Toronto City Council has spoken up. Councilors voted unanimously to demand
information on Enbridge's plans and intervene in regulatory hearings.

We need to speak up too. Make your view know to elected officials and join
in spreading the word: Stop Line 9!

Parking and wheelchair accessibility is available. Childcare needs will be
met. If you have other special needs, please contact us.

Photo: Ruptured tar sands pipeline in Kalamazoo, Michigan, 2010
Twitter:#EastEndNoTar
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*
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*Mangos with Chili: the floating cabaret of two spirit, trans and queer
people of **color*

Mangos With Chili:
the floating cabaret of two spirit, trans and queer people of color bliss,
dreams, sweat, sweets & nightmares

Come to a breathtaking evening of healing and transformative performance by
and for two spirit, trans and queer people of color!

After six years, Mangos With Chili returns to Toronto, for two nights of
performance, presenting amazing work in theater, performance art, dance,
hip hop, burlesque, and spoken word. Don’t miss this life changing night of
healing, transformation, testimony, and booty.

**2 Nights, 2 Performances, 2 different locations**

$20-$10 dollars, sliding scale, no one turned away for lack of funds (WE
REALLY MEAN IT!!!)

Sunday, April 21 - 8PM - The Tranzac Club 292 Brunswick Avenue (19+,
accessible, open bar, and the fabulous Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha's
Birthday!)

Monday, April 22 - 8PM - The Palmerston Library 560 Palmerston Ave (All
ages welcome, childcare available, accessible)
Facebook event here: https://www.facebook.com/events/165935390228236/

We acknowledge that this event takes place on stolen, unceded and occupied
Mississauga of New Credit/ Three Fires Conspiracy Indigenous land and
acknowledge that settlers benefit from occupying Indigneous land.

We will have ASL translation, details coming soon!

Featuring performance by:
Micha Cardenas
Juba Kalamka
Natro
Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha
The Lady Ms. Vagina Jenkins
Manish Vaidya
Ms. Cherry Galette

Access info about venues:
In order that beloved community members and performers living with chemical
injury can attend, please come fragrance free. Good information about how
to do this is here:

http://www.brownstargirl.org/1/post/2012/03/fragrance-free-femme-of-colour-realness-draft-15.html
.

Leaving off cologne, perfume and essential oils for the evening is a great
place to start.

ASL is still being finalized, but we have the intention of providing ASL at
both shows

About Mangos With Chili

Mangos With Chili is a nationally touring, Bay Area based arts incubator
committed to showcasing high quality performance of life saving importance
by queer and trans artists of color to audiences in the Bay Area and
beyond. Our goal is to produce multi-genre performances reflecting the
lives and stories of two spirit, queer and trans people of color (TSQTPOC)
and speaking out in resistance to the daily struggles around silence,
isolation, homophobia and violence that TSQTPOC face. Mangos With Chili’s
multi-genre productions present work in the disciplines of dance, theater,
vaudeville, hip-hop, circus arts, music, spoken word and film.

More than a performance incubator, we are also a ritual space for two
spirit, queer and trans communities of color to come together in love,
conversation and transformation. Our goal is to present high quality
performance art by TSQTPOC, but so much of our work is also about creating
healing and transformative space through performances that are gathering
places for community.

Mangos With Chili was founded in 2006 by Cherry Galette and Leah Lakshmi
Piepzna-Samarasinha, two trailblazing artists with significant performance
experience and honors to their names. Mangos With Chili began as an annual
touring cabaret of queer and trans people of color performance artists,
with the goal of creating a cultural institution that would build the
careers and visibility of TSQTPOC artists. Since inception, Mangos With
Chili has developed the work of over 125 queer artists of color, produced
four national tours and created an annual season of Bay Area programming
consisting of 3-4 productions that run for several consecutive nights for
Bay Area audiences. In 2013 we remain North America’s only traveling
TSQTPOC cabaret, and have a strong legacy of work on which we continue to
build.

Mangos With Chili has featured at world class theaters, underground
performance spaces, universities such as Brown, Oberlin, Swathmore,
Amherst, Smith, Reed, American University, Georgetown, Berkeley, Mt.
Holyoke, Humboldt State University, UT Austin, and many, many more. We have
received positive media coverage from the SF Bay Guardian, the SF
Chronicle, The SF Appeal, Bitch, Feminist Review, Hip Mama, Aorta, and
Make/Shift magazines, and weeklies and alternative press across North
America.

*==============================*
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*
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*
*
Ghadar Movement: A Living History
Friday and Saturday, 12 and 13 April 2013 // York University
*
*
On the centenary of the Ghadar Movement, a conference is being called at
York University in Toronto to honour and remember its history, and its
contemporary relevance to the revolutionary struggle of people of the
Indian subcontinent.

The conference is being organized in collaboration with the Ghadar
Centenary Committee Toronto. It is sponsored by the Faculty of Graduate
Studies, South Asian Studies programme, Department of Political Science,
York Centre for Asian Research and CUPE 3903, all at York University.

Keynote Speakers:
Maia Ramnath is a visiting scholar at New York University and is author of
Haj to Utopia (2011) and Decolonizing Anarchism (2012)
Friday, 12 April 2013 | 6pm to 8pm | Founders Assembly Hall | Founders
College | York University

Harsha Walia is a grassroots activist, Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre,
Vancouver Unceded Coast Salish Territories and author of Undoing Border
Imperialism (2013)
Saturday, 13 April 2013 | 4 to 5pm | Harry Crowe Room (Room 109, Atkinson
Building) | York University

Film Screening:
Rex vs. Singh, a film by Ali Kazimi, John Greyson, Richard Fung
Friday, 12 April 2013 | 4pm to 5pm | Harry Crowe Room (Room 109, Atkinson
Building) | York University

Theatrical Performance:
Santaap by Ghadar Centenary Committee Toronto
(Written by: Gursharn Singh and Directed by: Hira Randhawa)

The conference programme is available here: Programme

For more information, please email: yorkughadarconference at gmail.com.

Transit and driving directions as well as a map of the campus, can be found
here: http://maps.info.yorku.ca/keele-campus/.

*==============================
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*#May1TO, May Day: Solidarity City! Status for All! Decolonize Now! *

Join us in the streets for our 8th Annual May Day of Action!

5:30pm, Wednesday May 1st, 2013
March starts at Toronto City Hall

On facebook: www.facebook.com/events/306795326114626
Videos from previous year: http://bit.ly/MayDayTOVids
On the web: http://toronto.nooneisillegal.org/MayDay2013

For seven years, you have marched on May Day to celebrate and invigorate
migrant justice struggles in Toronto. On May 1st, 2013, let's take to the
streets once again to build a Solidarity City. Solidarity City is a unified
struggle for: Respect for Indigenous Sovereignty; Status for All; an End to
Imperialism and Environmental Destruction; an End to Austerity and Attacks
on the Poor and Continued Resistance against Patriarchy, Racism, Ableism &
Homo/Transphobia.

Pipelines, tankers, mines, and so-called development projects are being
forced onto the lands of Indigenous nations. Harper, like every Prime
Minister who came before him, refuses to respect the sovereignty of
Indigenous peoples and continues to neglect his treaty obligations, as seen
in Omnibus Bill C-45.  In the face of this and more, land defenders across
Turtle Island continue to resist in powerful and inspiring ways.  As we
look towards an exciting summer of action and resistance fueled by the Idle
No More movement, this May Day let us honor all ongoing decolonization
struggles and commit to continuing our support for Indigenous sovereignty.

The past year has seen the implementation of C-31, dubbed the Refugee
Exclusion Act, further criminalizing migrants and expanding the detention
and deportation machine. Jason Kenney announced the creation of a
designated countries of origin, a racist, two tiered system under which
refugees get fewer rights based on their place of birth. This past
November, many of us honored our communities and confronted Minister Kenney
when he showed up in Toronto. On May 1st, let us take to the streets to
build community alliances and resistance once again.

Exploitative temporary worker programs continue to expand and many migrant
workers continue to meet deportation, injuries and in some cases death.
Workers are being forced to pay thousands of dollars to get jobs in Canada
for which entire families go in to debt, yet no provisions exist for status
on landing. Since Harper came into power, over 72,000 people have been
locked up in immigration detention. In December we rallied in solidarity
with security certificate detainees Mohammad Mahjoub, Mohamed Harkat and
Mahmoud Jaballah and all those locked up in immigration detention. This May
Day let us take to the streets to end detentions and deportations and to
call for freedom to move, freedom to stay and freedom to return!

On February 21st, Toronto City Hall reaffirmed its promise to providing
services to residents without full immigration status. We will continue to
build a Solidarity City where communities work together to ensure justice
and dignity for all residents. The history of Access Without Fear in
Toronto is a long one and on May Day let us march to celebrate our
victories and commit to continued struggle.

In the face of austerity, climate destruction, colonial and capitalist wars
and interventions here and across the world that push people out of their
homes, let us fight for status for all. Status for All is the struggle for
self-determination, just livelihood, housing, food, education, healthcare,
childcare, shelter, justice and dignity for all people, with or without
immigration status.

Coordinated by a coalition of community groups including No One Is Illegal
- Toronto, May 1st Movement and Ontario Coalition Against Poverty.
Endorsers include Camp Sis, Casa Salvador Allende, Educators for Peace and
Justice. Health for All, OPIRG York. Rhythms of Resistance - Toronto,
Socialist Project, Toronto Haiti Action Committee, Toronto New Socialists,
Women's Coordinating Committe for a Free Wallmapu [Toronto] and more. To
endorse the event, fill out this form http://goo.gl/qysPS

*JOIN MAY DAY!*

- Organize a contingent: bring a group of people from your class,
organization, neighbourhood, or union local to this demonstration, bring
your demands, banners, flags and signs.

- Help fund a bus, food, transit tokens, ASL, and materials for the day. If
you or your organization or union local can make donations of money or
in-kind, please help us make this day as participatory and accessible as
possible. Cheques can be made to No One Is Illegal and mailed to 260 Queen
Street West, PO Box 60006, Toronto, ON M5V 1Z8. Please put May Day in the
memo line and email nooneisillegal at riseup.net to let us know.

- Build the movement: add your organization to the list of endorsers for
this day of action. Fill out this form http://goo.gl/qysPS

- Get the word out. Call, text, and email your friends. Share the facebook
events, or better yet, start your own! Make sure to tag everything,
including pictures and videos after, with the hashtag #May1TO.


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*Apr. 7-8: Defend Ron Plain of Aamjiwnaang against CN Rail Suit*

Ron Plain of Aamjiwnaang First Nation could face $200,000 in legal
penalties and indefinite detention for participating in an Idle No More
blockade on his people’s land in Sarnia.

Ron is the only Idle No More participant in all Canada who has been hauled
into court. He is a prominent opponent of Enbridge’s Line 9 tar-sands
project. Ron needs the support of all friends of Indigenous rights and
ecological justice.

Hear Ron speak at two “No Tar Sands in Toronto - No Line 9!” meetings,
April 7 and 8. Funds will be raised toward Ron’s legal expenses.

East End: Sunday, April 7, 2 p.m.
East York Civic Center - 850 Coxwell at Mortimer, NW corner

West End: Monday, April 8, 7 p.m.
Davenport-Perth Neighbourhood Health Civic Centre
1900 Davenport Rd., west of Symington

The article below presents more background on this case. It explains, in
part:

– The Aamjiwnaang blockade of a CN Rail crossing was conducted peacefully
in consultation with police and civil authorities and was taken down
voluntarily by common agreement.

– Ron Plain did not take part in setting up the blockade and had no
authority to take it down.

– The judge had previously worked for CN as a lawyer and expert witness but
did not disclose these facts when he acted on CN’s charges against Ron.

– This judge refused to receive extensive evidence that CN has no permit
for the rail crossing where the blockade was held and thus had no right to
demand its removal.

Scapegoat for a movement? Ron Plain struggles to fight charges for Idle No
More action
By Ethan Cox
http://www.t.grupoapoyo.org/node/183

Of all the myriad and varied actions, blockades and events which have taken
place since the Idle No More movement came together late last year, only
one has resulted in charges being laid. This is the story of the only
person in the country facing legal consequences for his role in Idle No
More, and his efforts to raise enough money to pay for his defence.

On December 21st of last year members of the Aamjiwnaang First Nation,
located near Sarnia, Ontario, began a peaceful blockade of CN tracks as an
expression of solidarity with Chief Theresa Spence's hunger strike and the
broader Idle No More movement.

On the morning of the 22nd they were served with an injunction ordering
them to dismantle the blockade by CN police. Later that day Ron Plain, a
member of the Aamjiwnaang First Nation, arrived home from a trip and became
the spokesperson for the blockade.

Plain is now the only person in Canada charged as a result of Idle No More
related actions, and faces catastrophic fines, which he says would cause
him to lose his house, and even the possibility of indefinite detention.

Raul Burbano, a Toronto based organizer, has launched an IndieGoGo campaign
to raise funds to help Plain cover his rising legal fees.

"I got involved in helping Ron because I'm very concerned with the
criminalization of dissent," said Burbano. "I think this is a clear case of
such criminalization, where the courts are being used as a tool against
peaceful protesters who want to bring attention to community issues."

With ten days left the campaign has raised only $3,528 of a goal of
$10,000, which itself would only cover a fraction of the legal fees Plain
will incur if the case drags on. Burbano however remains hopeful that the
public will come through to help Plain defend himself.

"I think if people know about his story, they'll be moved to support him."

In an interview with rabble, Plain explained that after arriving, he
advised the mostly young members of his community to move the blockade from
one crossing to another to nullify the injunction and force CN to seek
another one.

"The judge who issued this injunction, David Brown, had not only worked for
CN in the past as a lawyer, he had also been an expert witness for them.
The ties to CN are twofold and deep, and yet he failed to disclose this
past relationship with CN, which he was required to do."

The first injunction which was served on the 22nd ordered the blockaders to
appear in court on the 24th of December if they wanted to appeal, otherwise
they could appear in court in Toronto on the 27th.

"It was all very strategically done. There was no way we could find a
lawyer on two days notice on Christmas eve. On the 24th, Judge Brown upheld
his injunction and expanded it to apply to the tracks where we were at that
point. He also ruled that if we wanted to appeal on the 27th we would have
to give the CN lawyers twenty-four hours notice. Of course there weren't
twenty-four working hours between then and the 27th, because of the
holiday, so it was impossible for us to appeal."

At the hearing on the 27th Judge Brown changed his injunction from an
immediate injunction to a thirty day injunction. This meant that taking
down the blockade and immediately setting it up again would no longer
satisfy its terms.

At the same hearing, according to Plain, Judge Brown publicly complained
that police were not enforcing his injunction, and suggested that the OPP
and Sarnia police ignore the recommendations of the Ipperwash inquiry,
which they had been following, and which called for police to not interfere
with blockades.

On January 1st Plain says he received an email from CN's lawyers telling
him he had to appear in court in Sarnia the next day, along with his band
chief and the chief of police in Sarnia.

"Everyone agrees that I had no obligation to go. This was an email, from
CN's lawyers, giving me barely twelve hours notice. But I did, and in
twelve hours I produced 250 pages of government documents which show that
the tracks are there illegally. This isn't a land claim issue, in a land
claim there is a dispute over ownership, here there is no dispute. No
permit was ever issued to cross that road, and that makes the crossing
illegal. But I was not allowed to present this evidence in court."

CN has now dropped the charges against the chief and council out of a
desire to maintain good relations with the band. This leaves Plain alone,
facing the prospect of dire consequences.

Because the charge is civil contempt of court, a complaint brought by CN,
Plain cannot be sentenced to jail. However he can be ordered to pay a fine
of an indeterminate amount and to pay the legal fees incurred by CN. He can
also be sentenced to indefinite detention, if CN argue that they fear he
will repeat his actions and he needs to be jailed to prevent him from
blockading their tracks.

At the hearing on the 2nd of January CN offered to drop the charge, if
Plain would agree to donate $5,000 to a charity of their choice, an offer
he refused. According to Plain, the Sarnia judge, whose name Plain could
not recall, then warned him that if he didn't accept the CN offer, he would
be forced to pay their legal fees which could be as high as $200,000. For
Plain this was a clear indication that the judge had already determined his
guilt, and had prejudged the outcome of his case.

He says the judge told him that the blockade was coming down that day no
matter what. Plain then tried to explain that he had no control over the
blockade, which he didn't start and wasn't responsible for. The decision to
remove it had to be made by the community.

That evening, in consultation with Sarnia police, Plain was able to
negotiate a face saving means of removing the blockade. Nevertheless, he
remains at the mercy of the justice system.

"CN objected to my request for a fall court date, and insisted on May 24,
which is now the date of my next hearing. None of my lawyers are available
on that date, so we'll petition for a fall trial. We will also be filing a
complaint against Judge Brown for failing to disclose his past
relationships with CN, and filing to have the injunction quashed because it
was illegal. But at the end of the day I am still in contempt of a court
order, even if that order is illegal and is quashed, I still violated a
court order."

Plain says that Canadian Auto Workers President Ken Lewenza intervened on
his behalf with higher ups at CN, getting them to agree to drop the case if
Plain signs an agreement not to block any rail tracks, something Plain is
unwilling to do.

"If my community decides to block the tracks, I will stand with my
community. I can't sign a paper saying that I won't."

Ron Plain Fundraising Report:
An indigogo page, sponsored by the Latin American and Caribbean Solidarity
Network raised a $4,798 for Ron Plain’s legal defense – about half of the
$10,000 goal Fund-raising will continue at the Toronto area anti-line 9
events on April 7 and 8, who’s proceeds will be donated to Plain, and at
which he will be appearing. You can also watch APTN's video report on this
story, and a video of the blockade itself.
Source: Rabble.ca
Twitter: @EthanCoxMTL
*
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*New Dates* OCAP Community Organizing Course Spring 2013*
*
*
**New dates: due to the Provincial Budget and a busier than usual April,
we've had to push back the community organizing course by 3 weeks - to
start now on Saturday, April 27th. If you are interested, see how to apply
below!

OCAP COMMUNITY ORGANIZING COURSE – CALL FOR PARTICIPANTS
April and May 2013

Following the great success of our first Community Organizing Course in
October 2012, OCAP is holding a second course to offer people some of the
knowledge and skills they will need to mobilize in their communities to
resist poverty and austerity.  Since the last course, OCAP has been on the
front lines of some major fights against social cutbacks and homelessness
and the second course will benefit from these experiences.

DATES: 4 consecutive Saturdays – April 27th, May 4th, 11h, and 18th
TIME: 2-5pm, followed by a meal each week.

Childcare and transportation costs will be provided and the location will
be wheelchair accessible. An exciting four week children’s program is in
the works!

COURSE OUTLINE:

Week 1 (April 27th): A brief introduction to OCAP. How do capitalism
and colonialism work? How do they  produce poverty? What is the
austerity agenda and how is it playing out in our communities?

Week 2 (May 4th): How does the law and the welfare system regulate
the poor? How does OCAP organize actions to defend people under attack
by these systems?

Week 3 (May 11th): How can poor people use disruptive action to
defend themselves and win victories? How are effective campaigns and
actions organized?

Week 4 (May 18th): Histories of anti-poverty resistance in Toronto.
Presentations by course participants.  What have we learned and how
are we going to take that knowledge into our communities?

This course is for people who want to fight back.  Those who participate
will be presented with ideas and methods that OCAP has developed over more
than twenty years of organizing in poor communities.  We can offer
knowledge and skills that they don't teach in schools and you won't get
from the newspapers. We intend the sessions to be lively, engaging and
informative. The opinions and proposals of those who attend will be vital
to the success. If you are interested in being part of this course,
contact OCAP as soon as possible.  We want to stress that all who agree to
participate should make a serious commitment to attending all four
sessions.  Please don't reserve a spot, unless you can make that
commitment. Space is limited to allow for maximum engagement with
participants.

How to apply:
**Please email or call us with the following information AS SOON AS
POSSIBLE:

Name:
Email and/or phone contact:
What do you hope to get out of the course?
What area of Toronto will you be coming from?
Do you need childcare?
Do you have an accessibility concerns?
Send to: the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty at: ocap at tao.ca /
416-925-6939

*
*
*
*

==============================

*There are many ways to get involved at OPIRG. We currently have 8 OPIRG
York working groups:*
Art For Justice, Justice is Not Colour Blind, Students for a Free Tibet, YU
Free Press, Environmental Justice York, Progressive Filipino Canadians for
Community Empowerment and Development (PFCCED), Students Against Israeli
Apartheid, and the Vanier Prison Support Line working group. You can contact
Victoria Barnett, our volunteer coordinator, about ways to get involved in
these working groups: victoria at opirgyork.ca.

*We also have three different collectives: *PrOPIRGanda Radio, Radical
Reading Room and PrOPIRGanda Zine- see the callouts below. You can contact
us about ways to get involved in these collectives: opirg at yorku.ca.
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