[van-announce] Change of Strategy from KYM!

[kymhothead]

kym here with an important update and strategy change re: Unity Hunger Strike!

as you all know, i have been making plans for a Unity Hunger Strike that would have seen us come together who were all fighting and resisting the Government and its cuts to 'the many' by fosucing on the Disibility Tragedy.

as a lot of you know, i have been planning to organise the creation of many Banners and Hang them in Oppenheimer Park for the start of the hunger strike.
we have been creating banners and its exciting to see the diverse designs, we are planning another workshop on December 14th at 11am, email me if you want to sign up as we have space for only 6-8 people.

In the last few weeks I have lost two of my main supporters due to a car accident and illness.
as some of you also knew, i have been struggling to heal a fissure lesion for the last month.  I had agreed to myself, my doctor and my herbalist that i would insure i got rid of that before fasting, as i needed to or it was not  a place to start a fast.  i needed to have it dealt with by now, last week actually, in order to not hurt myself too much in the fasting.  i wanted to fast to bring attention to this Crisis we are in, the deaths we are experiencing was but one sign as to the level of crisis we are currently in.
my plans to get rid of it and have it healed have been unsuccessful.  even though i have been resting, the stress of this whole process has hindered the healing.
because of these reasons, I will not be fasting.

I will still be mobilizing around Banner Making for the Rally we are now planning for January.  Bringing forward the amassing ideas the Disability Forum pointed too.
I will still be Putting Up Banners in Oppenheimer Park starting approximately Dec. 20th and encouraging by phone and email other community organizations to as well.  we must educate around the connection between the Olympics and the Horrific cuts to our social systems!

VSW and APC (Vancouver status of women and anti poverty committee) have had two meetings since the Disability Forum.  Since the Debrief after the Forum we have been trying to get a space for a strategy meeting the forum requested to happen in December, we will let folks know as soon as we find it. 
It is a little tough to find the right space as it is December and all...
We are looking at the possibility of late January to hold the Rally,
the date will depend upon what we all decide together, what will be the best time and to try and coordinate the timing with the amassing work and organizing going on in Victoria.  the Assembly To End Poverty in Victoria at the end of January beginning of February looks great!  also, we want to coordinate with unions!

Regarding The Banners: we are making them now for hanging for Educative purposes and for the Rally!.
I will be phoning Community Health Centers, Advocacy Groups, Unions: Nurses, Teaches etc..., and asking them to also do banners focusing on the connection between the Olympic Bid and the cuts to Disability, Health, Education etc...!

We are also currently seeking donations of  acrylic house paint  for banner making.  we need whites and dark bright colors, reds, blues etc., we are also looking for old bed sheets.
let kym know at 604-253-0613 for any donations.  

so, i believe we now know that we cannot do this alone and that together we can make change.

thanks so much to all of you who have been so supportive of me through out this process and for your honesty, it was a tough decision not to do the fasting.  yet, there is a Groundswell happening in this movement Globally and Locally and putting energy into the Rally's as well as the Educative Process through creative Banner Making well, there are many ways to educate and bring forward our agenda to the government in many "non violent civil disobedience" kinda ways!  We will start by shutting down the Reassessment Process altogether then move onto another issue on 'the list'. 
I am very excited by the energy going into Resistance Locally and Globally.

you will be hearing from me, bugged by me until this Reassessment Process is shut down, and we are just starting there!  this Disability Movement has the potential to bring us all together to make change!  Thanks to all of you!
peace, 
")kym
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