[van-announce] Feb. 14th VSW-Dream Seeds Event: Daring to Love: Celebrating Our Roots and Skies

[mia amir]

**Please forward widely. Apologies for cross-postings!**


Dear family, friends, allies and supporters, we are thrilled to invite you
to an event co-produced by LEAP & the Dream Seeds Project...

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Daring to Love: Celebrating Our Roots and Skies


Saturday, 14 February 2009

7:00 – 10:00 pm

Rhizome Cafe

317 East Broadway

Vancouver - Coast Salish Territory

An evening to remember, celebrate and affirm the love we have struggled for
and nurtured in our lives as peoples resisting oppression.

This event is FREE.

We welcome and celebrate all genders, and especially encourage two-spirited
and womyn-identified Indigenous folks and folks of colour to attend.

Male-identified allies, we want to see you there too!

Bus tickets and on-site child care will be provided.

Please bring photographs or other memorabilia that signify the presence love
in your lives. We will build a community altar together. And don't forget
your dancing shoes!

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Traditional Opening by:

Cease Wyss

Cease Wyss/T'Uy'Tanat is an artist, educator, patron of the arts, activist,
mother hailing from the Sko-Mish-Ul7h Nation. She coordinates the Good Food
Box, a program to make fresh fruits and vegetables available to the
community. She is also a traditional healer and herbalist.

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With special guest performers:

becks

becks is a 20 year young aspiring singer/songwriter. born in oakville
ontario, she spent most of her life traveling before ending up in vancouver
bc.  becks writes songs about her real life experiences. becks is also a
part of dream seeds and recently began an internship at youthco.

Chelsea Johnson

Chelsea Johnson has visited the Cross Roads, she spoke to the Devil. Four
years ago; hunched over the Black Keys, smoking a Cigarette with the Blues
Harp in his back pocket, He asked her, " You wanna sang?". As she sat down
to share his stool and cigarette he whispered," use your power, take your
responsibility". With songs like, "Ruby Red" " Loins Mane" and "Runs in the
Family". She must have been using her powers right.  You can see her
spraying her talent along the East Vancouver strip at different venues. Or
check her out on line at East Vancouver Network of love. Spreading herself
widely she as sung with many local Vancouver Artist; Story Teller, The
Silks, Ramona Lisa's Project, Cr Avery Band, TOFO, and her latest project
Chelsea Johnson and The New Ones. With guitar and the Dirty Blues Chelsea
Johnson opens herself up and shares with all of us. "There is only Life,
Lived, Set to music, rendered into words"- Christopher John Farley.

Crystal Smith

My name is Crystal Smith and I am from the T'simshian and Haisla Territory.
I am 18 years old and have been writing for 6 or 7 years. I write about
nature, personal and aboriginal struggles and a hope for the future. I have
been recently writing love and political poems. I have been published in
magazines such as Redwire and in school papers as well. I'm honoured to be
asked to perform by  LEAP and the Dream Seeds Project.

Nadia Chaney

Nadia Chaney believes the sublime centre of the universe can be found at the
heart of every moment. She works as a poet, emcee, musician, arts-
empowerment facilitator, social justice activist, text editor and writing
coach.  She performs with three Vancouver based bands:  in.stead,  an
all-female acapella hip hop experiment, _yourself, a drums and vocals
improvisational duo, and BPM, a dirty fusion of bhangra, dancehall and hip
hop.  For more details look up byanydreamsnecessary.com

Vanessa Richards

Vanessa Richards, born in Vancouver, is an interdisciplinary artist with a
foundation in writing, music, live art, theatre, and collaboration.  In 2007
Richards was nominated for a Jessie Richardson Theatre Award and in
April/May 2008 she appeared in The Violet Hour by Richard Greenberg at the
Belfry Theatre, Victoria.  She sings in a quartet called Radiant Sound. They
make spare and luminous interpretations of mid-century and modern song. She
is an active member of the Robson Park Community Garden and Chair of the
Working Arts Society.  She earned an MPhil in Creative Writing from Cardiff
University, UK. Her poetry and critical works are anthologized in the UK,
Holland, United States and Canada. Her most current work in online at
http://vanessarichards.wordpress.com/

and...OPEN MIC!

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To RSVP, please contact: Cynthia Oka, LEAP Coordinator 604-255-6554 or
leapcoordinator at vsw.ca


Because we are warriors

Raising, healing, giving life

And daring to hold within us

the hope


For a more just world,

a world where

love is more

possible.

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About LEAP:

The Leadership Empowerment Activism Program (LEAP) is a multi-year
initiative of the Vancouver Status of Women that offers training in
anti-oppression, workshop design and facilitation to women facing systemic
marginalization, particularly indigenous women and women of colour.
Beginning in summer 2009, LEAP will deliver a comprehensive workshop series
for both program participants and our community at large.  Participants will
also receive ongoing support in designing and delivering their own
workshops, as well as in developing public educational resources. Through
LEAP, women will have an opportunity to connect deeply with each other,
build individual and collective analysis, develop tools for empowerment, and
envision strategies for radical, community-based transformation.

About Dream Seeds:
The Dream Seeds Project is a five-month empowerment program for young women
aged 15 – 29. The program curriculum is based on the anti-oppression
empowerment model, which strives to holistically connect the way our
personal experiences are shaped and affected by the systems of power in our
world. This model encourages us to develop strategies of resilience and
resistance that help us to make change in our lives and take action in our
communities. Through Dream Seeds participants gain skills in facilitation,
conflict transformation and community building; as well as skills and tools
that they define as important to self-growth.

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We also encourage folks to come out in support of the Women's Memorial March
that is taking place earlier that day (Feb. 14) from 12:00pm - 5:00pm
starting at Carnegie Centre at Main & Hastings. The march remembers and
honours women who are missing or have been murdered in the Downtown
Eastside. Let us be witnesses and allies with this community in their
incredible act of love.