[opirgyork] Upcoming Events + AGM & Board Nominations
OPIRG York
opirg at yorku.ca
Thu Mar 27 11:58:57 PDT 2014
Hey Everyone!
Check out the awesome list of upcoming events (some TONIGHT!). Also check
out the job posting for the Palestine Booklet Coordiantor, and our upcoming
Annual General Meeting information- it will be held April 7th from 1-4pm in
RM 430 Student Centre - lunch will be provided! Also the deadline for Board
applications is next Monday- swo don't forget to submit yours on time!!
If you're interested in volunteering, or have any questions, please get in
touch with Victoria, at victoria at opirgyork.ca. We always are in need of
volunteers! And stop by the OPIRG York office anytime -- Room 449C Student
Centre!
-- OPIRG York
****************
*TODAY'S DIGEST:*
1. *OPIRG York 2014 - 2015 Board Nominations + AGM Information*
2. *TONIGHT: *Book Launch - Capitalism on the Edge: the Crisis that came
the crisis yet to come
3. *JOB POSTING: *Part-time Palestine booklet project coordinator-
Deadline April
7th
4. *TONIGHT*: Movie Night - What Would Jesus Buy?
5. *March 28:* Ali Mustafa: Truths About the Syrian Revolution
6.* ONGOING*: Premier Wynne: Scrap the new WSIB policies that will increase
injured worker poverty!
7. *April 2014*: Latin American and Caribbean Solidarity Network’s (LACSN)
6th annual Solidarity Month – April 2014
8. *March 30*: Toronto Anarchist Black Cross Letter Night - In support of
local prisoners
9. *April 1*: Cinema Politica Toronto premiere of SILENCE IS GOLD
10. *April 26*: SAVE THE DATE: Social Justice Discotech: AMC Fundraiser
Future Design Lab Toronto! + AMC Detroit Info.
****************
*1. **OPIRG York 2014 - 2015 Board Nominations + AGM Information*
*NOMINATION * for the York Public Interest Research Group Board of
Directors is open to any OPIRG member with the support of at
least 15 member signatures. All York students who have paid
their student fees and have not opted out of OPIRG York’s levy
fee are members of OPIRG York and are eligible for nomination.
We especially encourage women, people of colour, trans-‐people,
queer people, members of different departments and faculties,
disabled individuals, working class and union members and diverse
religious and cultural communities to run, in order to have a
Board that is representative of the diverse student population
at York.
*CANDIDATES * for the Board should be members (students or
community members) who:
▪ Have demonstrated commitment to social & environmental justice
and working within an anti-‐ oppression framework
▪ Are able to responsibly and fully participate in consensus
decision making
▪ Are committed to attending weekly 2 hour Board Meetings
▪ Are committed to devote at least 2 hours a week in
office/resource centre hours
▪ Are willing and able to take responsibility for maintaining one
portfolio
▪ Are willing and able to take responsibility for the
organizations financial accountability and board’s collective role
as representatives of the collective interests of student
membership, employer and policy maker
▪ Have sufficient time and interest to prepare for and participate
actively in the above duties, along with other responsibilities,
like general meetings, committees, programming, working group
involvement/coordination
*TO NOMINATE* yourself or someone you believe has the commitment,
interest, time and ability to be a good Director, submit a
completed Nomination Form (attached below) between March 17th -
March 31st, 2014 to the OPIRG York Office (Rm C449 Student
Centre). The deadline for nominations is 5pm, Monday March 31st,
unless the CRO decides to extend the nomination period.
*DEADLINE *to apply is Monday, March 31st at 5pm.
*TRAINING * for incoming board members will include attending Board
training sessions that are scheduled for May 4th and 5th at
OISE. Training is mandatory.
*THE ELECTION* of the board shall happen at the Annual General
Meeting of OPIRG York, to be held on Monday April 7th , 2014
at the GSA (Student Centre Rm 430) from 1 – 4pm. All nominees
to the board shall introduce themselves to the membership and
an election will be help to determine the board members for the
2014-‐ 2015 term.
For more information please come by the OPIRG York office or
contact OPIRG York’s Chief Returning Officer Rinchen Lama at
opirgyorkcro2014 at gmail.com. Copies of the nomination form and more
information about OPIRG York are available in the OPIRG York
office, Rm C449 Student Centre.
*Annual General Meeting Information:*
*Date*: Monday, April 7, 2014
*Time*: 1-4pm
*Location*: RM 430 Student Centre (GSA)
*Offers*: Free lunch and childcare subsidies available
****************
*2. **Capitalism on the Edge: the Crisis that came the crisis yet to come*
*By Mostafa Henaway -- booklet launch in Toronto*
*Date*: Thursday, March 27th
*Time*: 7pm
*Location*: @Tranzac, 292 Brunswick (just south of Bloor)
*Space is wheelchair accessible
*Speakers announced, see info below!*
Join us in celebrating the release of Mostafa Henaway's booklet
'Capitalism on the Edge' and an evening of strategizing and reflection
on the economic crisis and our responses.
Speakers will include:
*Mostafa Henaway: Mostafa is the author of the zine, Capitalism on the
edge: the crisis that came the crisis yet to come. He is a writer and
community organizer at the Immigrant Worker Centre, and active with
Tadamon! Montreal. He was a member of the Ontario Coalition Against
Poverty, working to organize with taxi drivers for better work
conditions.
*Liisa Schofield: Liisa is an elected organizer with the Ontario
Coalition Against Poverty. She works on both the 'Raise the Rates
Campaign' to raise social assistance rates in Ontario, as well as the
'Downtown East Fightback' in Toronto against gentrification and for
housing and services. She is also a fimmaker.
*Representative from Justicia for Migrant Workers: (J4MW) is a
volunteer driven collective committed to organizing with and for
migrant farm workers (irrespective of status), their families and
social movements in respective countries of origin. As an autonomous
grass-roots community group, we see ourselves as part of the
radicalization of the existing labour movement and fully support
workers, principally racialized and excluded migrant workers, in
taking leadership in their own struggle as Canada shifts toward
controlled labour migration to subsidize its economy.
*Kelly O'Sullivan: Kelly is president of CUPE Local 4308 as well as
chair of CUPE Ontario Healthcare Workers sector. She is a long time
rank and file organizer and community activist.
----------------------
Capitalism on the edge: The crisis that came and the crisis yet to
come is an essay examining the changing nature of Canadian capitalism
in the midst of the current global economic crisis. This text
fundamentally challenges the ongoing claim by the Canadian political
and economic elite that Canada has fared well during the financial
crisis.
Instead, there are warning signs that the Canadian economy is
teetering on the edge of its own ruinous financial crisis: the country
is facing unprecedented concentrations of extreme wealth alongside
growing poverty rates, while our economy is increasingly dependent on
resource-driven capitalism, ongoing colonialism and precarious
low-wage work. Beyond economics that enforce growing wealth
disparities, Conservatives continue to attack social rights, public
institutions, labour unions, and indigenous people.
Released by Howl! Arts Collective
http://howlarts.net/mostafah
Howl Arts Collective is a Montreal-based collective of cultural
workers, artists and activists working for social justice via artistic
expression.
Cover graphics by Seth Tobocman / design by Nazik Dakkach / printing
by Jesse Purcell of justseeds
****************
*3. **JOB POSTING: Part-time Palestine booklet project coordinator*
The Palestine booklet is a joint initiative between the Toronto Public
Interest Research Group, York Public Interest Research Group, Peterborough
Public Interest Research Group and the Graduate Students’ Union at the
University of Toronto. This booklet is meant to assist those engaged in
Palestine solidarity organizing by sharing strategies for organizing campus
based divestment campaigns, resisting backlash, building cross-movement
collaboration and learning lessons from past campaigns.
We are looking to hire an individual to coordinate the production of this
booklet, including interviewing organizers, researching the history and
tactics of Palestine solidarity work, writing and editing content, and
bottom-lining layout and distribution of the booklet.
This is a part-time, temporary, three-month position. More details on the
employment terms are available below.
*QUALIFICATIONS*:
A strong background in writing and editing publications. Experience with
alternative publications and alternative media is considered an asset.
A strong background in research, especially related to social movement
organizing
Experience with graphic design software, including Adobe Indesign and
Photoshop.
An explicit, integral and dedicated commitment to anti-racism and
anti-oppression
Familiarity and experience with Palestine solidarity organizing in North
America, and knowledge of the history and tactics of this movement
Ability to prioritize work and manage numerous tasks simultaneously
Self-directed and able to take initiative and meet deadlines in a dynamic
work environment
Strong written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills
Strong organizational and time management skills
OTHER ASSETS:
Capacity for basic website maintenance or HTML skills.
Knowledge of the PIRG network and its structure
Experience coordinating projects, campaigns and events
Familiarity with other divestment campaigns
*RESPONSIBILITIES*:
With the support of the participating organizations, this position would be
responsible for:
Talking to organizations and individuals involved in campus Palestine
solidarity organizing throughout Canada and the U.S.
Researching the history, strategies and tactics of different Palestinian
solidarity groups, including how groups have dealt with backlash, and
prioritizing information beneficial to current organizing.
Compiling all information and writing booklet chapters
Editing and layout of the booklet
Distributing the booklet to all relevant organizations and creating a
website for the material to be available online
Coordinating a launch for the booklet for Summer/Fall 2014
*Employment Terms:*
This is a part-time temporary staff position with 20 hours per week at a
rate of$15/hour, for a period of three months. The applicant would
preferably be living in either Toronto or Peterborough, but accommodations
can be made for applicants living in other cities. This work environment
will have little day-to-day supervision.
*How to Apply:*
Applicants must provide a resume, cover letter and three references (with
phone numbers). As this job requires writing and design experience, all
applicants are asked to submit a writing sample and a sample of their
design work, if applicable. We welcome the contributions that individuals
from marginalized communities bring to our organizations, and invites
aboriginal people, people of colour, women, gays, lesbians, bisexuals,
trans* people, queer people, single parents, members of ethnic minorities,
immigrants and disabled people to apply. We encourage applicants to
describe the contributions and experience that they, as individuals who
identify with marginalized communities, would bring to this position in
their cover letter. Applications that do not include all the above
requirements will not be considered.
*Deadline for Submissions: *Monday April 7, 2014, 5PM
*Position Start Date:* Monday April 28, 2014
Please e-mail all applications to: palestinesolidaritybooklet at gmail.com
Only those selected for an interview will be contacted. No phone calls
please.
Please direct any questions about the application process
topalestinesolidaritybooklet at gmail.com.
****************
*4. **Movie Night - What Would Jesus Buy?*
*WHEN*: Thursday, March 6th, 5:00pm - 7:30pm
(Come early or late, leave early or late, it doesn't
matter. Just come!)
*WHERE*: York Lanes (Room 305)
(Across from Cuccinetta, beside Appletree Clinic and the
pharmacy.)
*WHAT*: Free Food, Discussion, Interfaith Prayer
Regenesis and the SCM have teamed up again for a movie night this Friday!
It will be at 5:00pm in York Lanes (Room 305). We will be watching a
documentary called "What Would Jesus Buy?", on the disturbing trends of
consumerism.
The location is a little hard to get to but we will be postering directions
from all the major entrances to York Lanes. Access to the upper floors of
York Lanes is right in front of the Cuccinetta, beside the Appletree Clinic
and the pharmacy.
****************
*5. **Ali Mustafa: Truths About the Syrian Revolution*
*Date*: Friday, March 28th
*Time*: 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm
*Location*: OISE Auditorium, 252 Bloor Street West
Hosted by the Syria Solidarity Collective
This friday at the OISE auditorium, the Syria Solidarity Collective
presents: "Ali Mustafa: Truths About the Syrian Revolution"
How do we understand Ali Mustafa as an embedded journalist with a unit of
Rebel fighters in Aleppo? How do we understand his work as a rescue worker,
crossing the boundary from observing to participating in the struggle of
the Syrian people? Ali's commitment to the Syrian Revolution forces us to
examine the political context of his death and ask what solidarity duties
was he fulfilling. While many of us have been stepping back, Ali's fearless
courage urges all of us to step forward and fulfil our own solidarity
duties towards Syria.
Ali was killed as part of the Assad regime's policy of a collective
punishment and scorched earth policy which has destroyed Aleppo and other
cities all across Syria. Assad's tactics of collective punishment include
but are not limited to bombing, the use of Hunger as a weapon of war, and
torture including torturing many people to death. At the same time, the
Assad regime has mastered whitewashing its crimes in the name of
Anti-imperialism, in the name of Resistance, and in the name of Palestine.
Ali was killed while participating in a revolution which has been made
invisible.
Ali was an internationalist, committed to justice and freedom around the
world such as in Egypt, Palestine, Brazil, and here. Ali's death was
specific, he was killed as part of a process of violence which by his
documentation and rescue work he was trying to stop. In death Ali joins the
internationalist martyr Rachel Corrie, Syrian filmmaker Basel Shehade who
was killed with a camera in his hand, and Hassan Hassan, actor and
well-loved Syrian-Palestinian from the heart of Yarmouk camp.
Speakers include Yasser Munif and Jens Hanssen.
****************
*6. **Premier Wynne: Scrap the new WSIB policies that will increase injured
worker poverty!*
The Workplace Safety & Insurance Board (WSIB) is trying to radically change
the workers’ compensation system in Ontario, at the expense of all workers.
It is attempting to push through a series of policies that, if passed, will
ensure that fewer injured workers will be entitled to compensation, and
those who are entitled will get far less. And costs that should be paid by
employers will be downloaded onto working people by pushing more injured
workers onto social assistance.
This approach is fundamentally wrong and profoundly unjust. All workers
deserve to be protected if they get hurt at work. These policies, though,
go the other direction – they take away protection and restrict
compensation. Because of this, the draft policies must be scrapped now.
*PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION* to Premier Kathleen Wynne, asking her to hold
true to her poverty reduction platform by stepping in to stop these
regressive policies from being implemented.
Share the link to send a strong message to the Premier that we want justice
for injured workers!
http://www.change.org/en-CA/petitions/premier-kathleen-wynne-scrap-the-new-wsib-policies-that-will-increase-injured-worker-poverty#
****************
*7. **Latin American and Caribbean Solidarity Network’s (LACSN) 6th annual
Solidarity Month – April 2014*
*Food and Water Sovereignty*
sovereignty:
• The absolute and independent authority of a community, nation, etc.; the
right to autonomy or self-government.
The Latin American and Caribbean Solidarity Network’s (LACSN) is excited to
announce its 6th annual Solidarity Month – April 2014 .
This year’s themes are food and water sovereignty. Our conversations will
focus on understanding what is food and water sovereignty? How communities
and nations ensure their access to nutritional food and clean water today
and in the future. And, looking at how communities and nations in Latin
America and the Caribbean have responded to the commodification of food and
water?
The commodification of food and water happens when basic human needs are
seen as things to be bought and sold for profit. increasingly, corporations
are taking control of food and water resulting in increased food and water
insecurity for most of the world’s population, the proliferation of
genetically modified organisms, the privatization of water, corporate land
grabbing and unsustainable agricultural practices which has resulted in the
destruction of the environment.. This has been and continues to be resisted
globally!
Please join us as we discuss, debate and strategize together and continue
to vision and build food and water sovereignty!
*SAVE THE DATES:*
March 29, 2014 Earth Democracy, w/ Vandana Shiva
OISE Room 2214 6:30 p.m.
https://www.facebook.com/events/297917117024699/
Friday April 4 & 5 Honouring Our Waters
https://www.facebook.com/events/268807699952529/?context=create
April 11-13 International Festival of Poetry of Resistance
April 12 FMLN Celebration Victory
United Steelworkers Hall
25 Cecil St (College St/Spadina Ave)
6:30pm
April 13 LULA LOUNGE- Celebrating Resistance
https://www.facebook.com/events/274173986078408/
April 16 DECOLONIZING ANTI-RACISM CONFERNECE
Senate Chambers N940 Ross, York University
11:00-12:00 – Indigenous Sovereignty & Settler Narratives
April 21 Food Sovereignty- Forum
April 25 Political Mobilization- Forum
https://www.facebook.com/events/223409547867725/
For more information please email us at:
lacsncanada at gmail.com
****************
*8. **Toronto Anarchist Black Cross Letter Night - In support of local
prisoners*
*Date*: Sunday, March 30
*Time*: 6:00pm - 8:00pm
*Location*: Beit Zatoun, 612 Markham St., Toronto
Join the Toronto Anarchist Black Cross for our monthly night of
conversation and letter writing.
This month we'll be writing to local prisoners including wrongfully
convicted anarchist prisoner Nyki Kish, and recently sentenced American G20
prisoners Richard Morano, Kevin Chianella, and Joel Bitar. We will also be
writing to Rebecca Rubin - who was extradited from Canada and recently
sentenced to 5 years for Earth Liberation Front-related charges.
Accessibility: This child-friendly event is FREE and a vegan meal will be
provided. Beit Zatoun is two steps from street level and washrooms are
located in the basement. A mobile ramp is available for the entrance
stairs.
Next month, join us to write to Palestinian prisoners (date TBC).
Thanks as always to Beit Zatoun for their generous support in letting us
host letter nights in their space!
For details on these cases:
http://freenyki.org/
http://notorontog20extradition.wordpress.com/
http://supportjoel.com/
http://www.greenisthenewred.com/blog/rebecca-rubin-elf-sentenced/7576
****************
*9. Cinema Politica **Toronto premiere of SILENCE IS GOLD*
*Date*: Tuesday, April 1st
*Time*: 7-10pm
*Location*: Bloor Cinema, 506 Bloor St. W
**Join us for the Toronto premiere of SILENCE IS GOLD, a film that explores
the state of free-speech in a corporate dominated world. This screening is
co-presented with the NFB - National Film Board of Canada, MiningInjustice
Solidarity Network, protestbarrick.net and Point of View Magazine. Sakura
Saunders and guest speakers will be in attendance.
SILENCE IS GOLD
Julien Fréchette / Canada / 2012 / 77 ' / French / S.T. English
What are the limits to freedom of speech? Can we put a price on our spoken
and written words? Following the 2008 release of the book Noir Canada,
author Alain Deneault, his co-writers and his publisher, Éditions
Écosociété, grappled with these questions – at great personal expense –
after being sued for defamation in Quebec and Ontario courts by two large
Canadian mining companies. Deneault and his publisher fought back, becoming
entangled in a seemingly never-ending spiral of judicial proceedings.
Silence Is Gold is a thriller of a documentary that tells their story, set
against the backdrop of the Canadian justice system. We follow the complex
procedural twists and turns, eagerly anticipating a resolution that is
repeatedly delayed.
Filmmaker Julien Fréchette’s camera and questions lead us through this
little- understood legal territory without judging or wading into the
merits of the cases. His gaze is both subtle and attentive as he tactfully
immerses himself in the story, initiating a dialogue with Alain Deneault,
who becomes the protagonist of the film. Silence Is Gold raises crucial
questions about Canada’s role and responsibilities in the global mining
sector, the limits of free speech and equitable access to the Canadian
justice system.
cinemapolitica.org/bloor
****************
*10. **SAVE THE DATE: Social Justice Discotech: AMC Fundraiser Future
Design Lab Toronto! + AMC Detroit Info.*
*Time & Location*
Saturday, April 26, 9am-6:30pm
Bento Miso, 862 Richmond St. W., Unit 100, Toronto
*Summary*
Discover how to use design and technology to map out and build more just
and sustainable visions of the future!
*Description*
This one-day social justice-focused skill-sharing extravaganza will host
numerous design and technology discovery stations. This will be devoted to
hands-on, DIY, Do It Together, collaborative design, making and hacking,
hardware and software collaboration stations and skill-shares. Bring your
ideas for a better world and we’ll show you how to:
*Tackle a problem using design thinking
*Design your own poster in Photoshop
*Screenprint
*Map a community’s stories and resources
*MORE!!
*Note these may/will change and expand- it is based on proposals we receive
and what skills folks are willing to share.
There will be a registration fee/registration process- we are developing
this process and will post as soon as details are available.
*PROPOSE A SKILLS-SHARE:*
If you are an artist, designer, skills sharer, creator, connector,
transformer, or anything else awesome, please get in touch and let us know
what skills you might be willing to share- and invite others you know to
offer their skills as well!
CONTACT Victoria at:
veegs42 at gmail.com.
Proceeds will go to the Social Justice Open Studio in Toronto and the
Future Design Lab that will be hosted by the Allied Media Conference in
Detroit in June 2014. (June 19-22nd).
*****
Read about Bento Miso’s diversity and inclusiveness policy (
https://bentomiso.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/201628406-Diversity-and-Inclusiveness-Statement)
and the accessibility of the space (
https://bentomiso.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/201818783-Accessibility).
Please email veegs42 at gmail.com to request ASL interpretation (We will do
our best to make this happen but have very limited access to funds) or any
other accessibility requirements. Written documentation/resources will be
made available as much as possible.
******
*REGISTRATION for the Allied Media Conference in Detroit, June 19-22, 2014*
https://store.alliedmedia.org/2014reg
The AMC offers sliding scale registration so that the conference can be
accessible to as many people as possible. Please support the AMC by giving
generously with your registration contribution. The true expense of the AMC
is $125 per person. We will consider the registration amount you pay in
excess of $125 as a tax-deductible gift to Allied Media Projects.
--
-OPIRG York
--
www.opirgyork.ca
416-736-5724
opirg at yorku.ca
*There are many ways to get involved at OPIRG. Apply to be a working
group: **http://opirgyork.ca/working-groups
<http://opirgyork.ca/working-groups>*
Contact victoria at opirgyork.ca for further information.
*We also have two collectives: *PrOPIRGanda Radio and the Radical Reading
Room. You can contact us about ways to get involved in these collectives:
opirgyork at gmail.com.
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