[van-announce] Fri Nov 21 Public Forum

[Harsha]

This event is part of a a week-long activities to mark over one hundred
years of South Asian presence in Canada and to commemorate the 100th year
anniversary of the Continuous Journey requirement.

For a full listing of events visit: http://southasianevents.blogspot.com/

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Friday, Nov. 21
Public Forum and Exhibition of Community Publications
Vancouver Public Library, 350 West Georgia
6:30 – 8:30 pm. Doors @ 5:45.

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Kabir Joshi-Vijayan on the “The Myth of the Model Immigrant". Kabir is a
Grade 10 student from Toronto. He has been active in working-class and
low-income immigrant communities, is a coordinator of the Toronto Haiti
Action Committee, and also a co-producer and co-host of a radio program.

Dustin Rivers on "Building Solidarity". Dustin is a Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish)
youth writer and artist. Fueled by generations of injustice, he searches
for an authentic Indigenous way to create lasting change and
decolonization for his people. He has worked at Redwire Native Youth Media
and is featured in the film "Olympiad" on the impact of the 2010 Olympics
on indigenous peoples.

Contacts: Sunera Thobani, Harsha Walia, Indira Prahst.
Co-sponsored by Vancouver Public Library and Siraat Collective.
Email southasianevents at gmail.com or call 778 885 0040


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South Asians first arrived in Canada at the end of the nineteenth century,
and by 1908, approximately 5,000 were reported to be resident in British
Columbia. That year, the Canadian government introduced the Continuous
Journey requirement seeking to prohibit further South Asian migration into
the country. In 1914, Gurdit Singh, a Punjabi, chartered the Komagata Maru
and a group of 376 South Asians passengers sailed to Canada to challenge
this racist law. Although they were forced to return to India, they dealt
a serious blow to the 'Keep Canada White' policies of the white settler
society.

A group of South Asian academics, activists and community groups have come
together to organize a week-long series of events in November (17- 23),
2008, to mark over one hundred years of South Asian presence in Canada,
and to commemorate the 100th year anniversary of the Continuous Journey
requirement. These events will pay homage to the struggles waged by South
Asian communities in the past, celebrate our achievements, and build
alliances as we face the challenges of the 21st century.

We would like to acknowledge that we reside on the lands of the Indigenous
peoples / First Nations and support them in their ongoing struggle for
self determination from racist settler-colonialism.