[opirgyork] Goodbye to our Volunteer Coordinator, Victoria + Upcoming events!

[OPIRG York]

Hey Folks!

So big news - our Volunteer Coordinator, Victoria Barnett, is leaving her
position at OPIRG to move on to new and exciting things! There is a message
from Victoria below to everyone, including ways to stay in touch! OPIRG
York board and community wish her the very best in her new endeavours! And
give a huge thanks her for her work here over the past three years- we're
sad to see her go, but are wishing the best of luck moving forward!!

Other news- there are a lot of amazing events happening in Toronto (and
outside) this summer- we've missed a bunch of them, but there are many
coming up- so check out the events digest below with some of the upcoming
ones in the next few weeks. Hope you are all enjoying your summer, with
real summer-time weather, and hope to see you at some of the upcoming
events! Stay tuned to more happening at York soon, and for what's upcoming
in September as well!


-OPIRG York (Board and Staff)

****************
*TODAY'S DIGEST:*

*//////// OPIRG YORK \\\\\\\\\\\*
1. *Goodbye Message from Volunteer Coordinator, Victoria Barnett*
2. *July 15**: *Jane Finch Action Against Poverty (JFAAP) General Meeting
3. *DEADLINE July 24th: *Working Group Applications for 2015-16 @ OPIRG York
4. *Deadline July 17th: *Help Tools for Change Choose Its Workshops For
2015/2016

*//////// COMMUNITY \\\\\\\\\\\*
5. *July 16th: *Housing for All - Rally & March Organized by the Ontario
Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP)
6.* July 17-19: *The 2015 Toronto Anarchist Bookfair | July 17 - 19
7. *July 25th**:* 3rd Annual Black Creek Community Farm Festival


****************

*1. ** Goodbye Message from Volunteer Coordinator, Victoria Barnett.*

Hey Folks!

I can't believe how fast 3 years have gone by- it seems like I just started
working at OPIRG yesterday!

First and most importantly, I want to thank you all for everything over
these past 3 years - staff's role at OPIRG is to work for you folks-
students and community members, not the other way around. So I want to
thank you all for everything you've put into your work!! Through organizing
events, speaker series, film screenings, rallies and demos, trainings and
workshops, hangouts, social and fun events, artwork and design, painting,
photography and digital media, writing, reading, editing, nail-painting and
make-up sessions, amazing and heartening conversations, and so so so much
more - you all made (and still make) awesome stuff happen and I'm glad to
have been a small part of it!

I leave inspired by the many successes that have happened in these last
years- whether it be through passing BDS (Boycott Divestment Sanctions)
motions in support of Palestine at York, witnessing and being part of
people standing up for their rights and fighting against systemic racism,
homophobia, colonialism and more - against the university, security and
police, fellow classmate/professors, etc and winning, or seeing people
attend various trainings and 101's and really get something out of it,
building coalitions like Cops off Campus and the Gender Based Violence
Awareness group, challenging racist and classist student newspapers on
their continued stereotyping of the Jane-Finch community and working
alongside those community members to continue to oppose it, seeing unions
like CUPE 3903 strike and win some key demands, and so many more amazing
successes at York that I can't possibly name them all. All of
these successes were not, and never are without significant struggle and
issues - and I hope through those struggles, we all came out learning and
growing together - thats the main purpose I've seen the role of OPIRG to
be. And of course the amazing successes that have happened off-campus and
outside of York - it was awesome to work at an organization and be able to
be a small support for some of the amazing organizations and groups that
exist inside and outside of this city, some of the
amazing Indigenous solidarity efforts and groups, and so on. There is so
much that still needs to change and happen in the world and our communities
and I hope whatever connection you've had with OPIRG, it has given you
tools or drive to keep doing it!

I'm not the greatest writer- so this might seem like an awkward message (it
definitely feels like it to me as I write it!)- but I really just wanted to
say that its been amazing working with and getting to know so many of you.
I have learned so much from working with you and participating with you in
various struggles. Thank you for all of your love, support, advice
and inspiration!!
A few things- I want to highlight the amazing work that Jane Finch Action
Against Poverty does and encourage folks to get involved and attend
meetings - you should check out their info here: https://jfaap.wordpress.com.
Also if you're at York, get involved with OPIRG if you're not already --
come out to some events, or create your own working group - see how to
here: http://action.opirgyork.ca.

Finally, I'm leaving OPIRG as staff, but I'm not leaving the city - so I'd
love to stay connected with you all in whatever way works for you, and know
what you're working on and ways I can support or participate!! You can stay
in touch with me at: veegs42 at gmail.com! And please stay in touch!! Sending
lots of love and hugs to you all and thanks for letting me be a part of
your lives! I will be attending the OCAP  <http://ocap.ca/node/1235>Housing
for All rally tomorrow (July 16th) at 5pm <http://ocap.ca/node/1235>- I
encourage everyone to attend! And then later will have a picnic/hangout at
Christie Pitts Park if you'd like to join after 8pm.

Thanks so much again, and stay in touch,

Victoria

****************
*2. Jane Finch Action Against Poverty (**JFAAP) General Meeting*

*JFAAP* general meeting will be TODAY *July 15th at 6pm at Seneca College
in Yorkgate Mall (North West corner of Jane and Finch) Room 218/219 (2nd
floor of the mall).*
JFAAP meetings take place on the *1st & 3rd Wednesday of every month*;
new members are always welcome!


****************

*3. * *Working Group Applications for 2015-16 @ OPIRG York*




*Working Group Application Deadline for 2015-16 year is July 24th,
2015. Please send your applications to opirgyork at gmail.com
<opirgyork at gmail.com>.***Only digital applications will be accepted -
please contact us for any questions.*


*WHAT IS A WORKING GROUP? <http://action.opirgyork.ca/>**Working groups are
central to the functioning of OPIRG. They consist of a group of volunteers
who work on a specific issue pertaining to anti-oppressive, anti-colonial,
anti-imperialist, social justice and environmental issues. The working
groups are dedicated to enacting change on campus and/or in the broader
community, and function **autonomously. Working groups receive funding from
OPIRG and access to the OPIRG office. OPIRG York is committed to change at
York University but we ALSO envision larger community interaction. We want
to blend student organizing with grassroots activism to ensure broad social
and environmental change.*

The OPIRG York Board will approve new working group applications soon after
the deadline and members will be notified for a mandatory first meeting and
trainings – so please send in your applications of interest as soon as
possible- *DEADLINE IS JULY 24**th, 2015*.

If there is a social justice/political issue that you would like to work on
that isn’t represented start your own! We provide lots of support, funding
and outreach help to get your issue out there to the York community.

*Working Group Application Deadline is **July **24th, 2015*.
Please send your applications to opirgyork at gmail.com.
For more information on how to get involved with one of our working groups,
email opirgyork at gmail.com.


*TO APPLY:*Working Groups Application Package 2015-16
<http://action.opirgyork.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Working-Group-App-Package-2015-16.docx>
WG policies 2015-16
<http://action.opirgyork.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Working-Group-App-Package-2015-16.docx>
****************

*4. Help Tools for Change Choose Its Workshops For 2015/2016*

A project of Earthroots, Greenpeace Canada, OPIRG Toronto, OPIRG York, the
Community Action Centre of the Student Association at George Brown College
and OPSEU, Tools for Change helps people develop essential skills to work
for social, economic, and environmental justice.
Founded in 2010, we organize 18-20 trainings a year. Workshops typically
range from two hours to five hours in length, and are held in various
locations around Toronto, including the University of Toronto (St. George
Campus), York University, and George Brown College.

Each year we survey our allies and ask you what workshops you want us to
host. We prioritize organizing trainings on the topics that are most
demanded and needed from the Toronto activist community.

*Please answer the survey by Friday July 17th. *
<https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/goog_276037791>
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1yfypJdeWT7LkZp56ckuQz8qqEGoQUVnOHjeSTxkxvSc/viewform?c=0&w=1


****************

*5. ** Housing for All - Rally & March Organized by the Ontario Coalition
Against Poverty (OCAP)*

*Date*:  Thursday, July 16
*Time*: 5pm
*Location*: St. James Park
*Website <http://ocap.ca/node/1235> | Facebook
<https://www.facebook.com/events/118768041793634/>*


On July 16, as the Games are underway, we will be marching to put forward
the demands of communities impacted by poverty and a lack of decent,
affordable housing. If there is money to spend on circuses, then the
resources can be found to end the need for food banks, tackle the mounting
problem of homelessness and ensure that everyone has decent, affordable and
accessible housing.

Accessibility Van to follow march

*WE DEMAND:*

- Housing for All
- More Shelter Beds
- End Gentrification
- End Targeted & Racist Policing

Join us!


****************

*6. The 2015 Toronto Anarchist Bookfair | July 17 - 19 *

*Website <http://torontoanarchistbookfair.wordpress.com/> | Facebook
<https://www.facebook.com/events/1669485463279406/>*

The Toronto Anarchist Bookfair is only a week away! Join us for a weekend
full of anti-authoritarian activities, workshops, books, zines, food,
friends, and great conversations!
*Friday July 17 | 5 – 8pm | Bickford Park (Harbord and Grace). *

Come join us for games night at Bickford Park. There will be bocci and
soccer, frisbee and cards. There will be games and sports for those who
want to play and chilling out in the evening sun for those who don’t!

*Saturday, July 18 and Sunday, July 19 | 10:30am – 6pm | Steelworkers’ Hall
(25 Cecil Street).*


There will be a great selection of workshops this year, with presentations
from:

·       The Network for the Elimination of Police Violence – a network of
organizations coordinating community-based responses to police violence.
·       Michael Albert – an American activist and economist. He is a
founder of Z Magazine and ZNet, as well as the author of Parecon: Life
After Capitalism.
·       Cathy & Davyn Calfchild, Carrie Lester, Sigrid Kneave: Land
Defenders and Water Keepers from Toronto.
·       Radical Design School will be doing a whole day workshop on Pan-Am
resistance art-making: https://www.facebook.com/events/859287264106500/
·       Johann Hari – award-winning writer, journalist, has written for the
Independent and the Guardian & is the recent author of Chasing the Scream:
The First & Last Days of the War on Drugs
·       And many more!

*There will also be an amazing group of tablers:*

Ad Astra Comix; Late Bloom; Gay for Pay; Semo Distro; the Tower; Rebuild
Printing; the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty; Upping The Anti Distro;
Look Mum! Distro; aNaRCHo's Bargain Books; Great Work Express Distro;
Anarchist Black Cross; Sever Press; End the Prison Industrial Complex; The
Toronto Media Co-op; Test Their Logic; PM Press; Beehive Design Collective;
Common Cause; Justseeds Artists' Cooperative; Notes from Underground;
Women’s Coordinating Committee for a Free Wallmapu; Blue Heron Books; KW
Infoshop; AK Press; The Wheelhouse; From the Margins… and more!

*Want to help out? *From postering to childcare, please give us a hand!
Contact us at toanarchistbookfair at gmail.com

We are committed to making the Bookfair as accessible and welcoming as
possible: The Steelworkers’ Hall is wheelchair accessible; there will be
childcare and kids programming; there will be a People of Colour space. And
as always the Bookfair will abide by our Safer Space and Sexual Assault and
Consent policies (which you can read about on our website).

If you have other ideas or suggestions for improving the accessibility of
the event please let us know and we will try our best to accommodate you.

In Solidarity,

The Toronto Anarchist Bookfair Collective
*Email*: toanarchistbookfair at gmail.com
*Website*: http://torontoanarchistbookfair.wordpress.com/
*Facebook*: https://www.facebook.com/events/1669485463279406/

****************


*7. 3rd Annual Black Creek Community Farm Festival*

*WHEN*: Saturday July 25th, 2015
*TIME*: 12pm - 4:00 pm
*WHERE*: Black Creek Community Farm
4929 Jane street
*ADMISSION: FREE TICKETS! ( available July 2nd)*


​

-- 

-OPIRG York
--
www.opirgyork.ca
416-736-5724
opirgyork at gmail.com


*There are many ways to get involved at OPIRG. Apply to be a working
group: **http://action.opirgyork.ca/ <http://action.opirgyork.ca/> *Contact
opirgyork at gmail.com for further information.

*Get involved in our* *Radical Reading Room:
**http://action.opirgyork.ca/radical-reading-room/
<http://action.opirgyork.ca/radical-reading-room/>*

*Unsubscribe*: https://lists.resist.ca/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/opirgyork
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.resist.ca/pipermail/opirgyork/attachments/20150715/91f5cd2c/attachment-0001.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: 111.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 63530 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://lists.resist.ca/pipermail/opirgyork/attachments/20150715/91f5cd2c/attachment-0001.jpg>