[van-announce] Upcoming Panel: Settler Colonialisms, Queer Activisim, and the Pinkwashing of Israeli Apartheid

[QUAIA Vancouver]

***Please Forward Widely.  Apologies for cross-posting.**
*
*
*
*SETTLER COLONIALISMS, QUEER ACTIVISM, AND THE PINKWASHING OF ISRAELI
APARTHEID*

*Date & Time: *Thursday, May 2,* *7:00-9:30pm
*Venue: *SFU Harbour Centre, rm. 7000
*Address: *515 W Hastings St.
<https://maps.google.ca/maps?oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&q=515+W+Hastings&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=0x548671785f76f787:0x9d5b8f2a2369f85c,515+W+Hastings+St,+Vancouver,+BC+V6B+1L6&gl=ca&ei=nCV6UdekCcX2qQHOkIHAAw&ved=0CDEQ8gEwAA>
*Cost: *Free

**Please scroll to the bottom for detailed accessibilities information**

**We recognize that we do this work on unceded Coast Salish Territories,
the lands of the Musqueam, Skxwú7mesh-ulh Úxwumixw (Squamish), Stó:lo, and
Tsleil-Waututh peoples***
*
Lately, you’ve probably been hearing words like pinkwashing, settler
colonialism, and homonationalism. Maybe you heard that there were a bunch
of queer and trans folks wearing hedgehog masks and holding pink signs
about Israeli apartheid at the Queer Film Festival. Or you’ve wondered what
queer solidarity for Palestine looks like? And how radical queer and trans
folks can support Indigenous struggles on Turtle Island or what the
connections are between Canadian and Israeli settler colonialisms? Ever
wanted to figure out how we can resist pinkwashing and build genuine
movements of solidarity that resist all forms of colonialism and
occupation? Or perhaps you just want one of those really cool QuAIA
bandanas?

With the help of some fabulous speakers, QuAIA Vancouver is putting on a
panel to discuss some of these very questions, share great info, engage in
some discussion and help build radical queer and trans communities.*

Facebook event:* https://www.facebook.com/events/112139772318988/*
Website:* http://quaiavancouver.wordpress.com

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

Speakers include:*

- *Mike Krebs* is an Indigenous activist of Blackfoot, Cree and european
descent. Based in Vancouver, he has previously been active in Palestine
solidarity organizing.**

- *Nada Elia* is a Diaspora Palestinian. Both of her parents were expelled
from Jerusalem in 1948, she was born in Iraq, and grew up in Beirut,
Lebanon. A professor of Global and Gender Studies, Elia is a
scholar-activist who serves on the Organizing Collective of the US Campaign
for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel, and writes and speaks
about BDS as a strategy to end Israel's apartheid practices and policies.
Her current research is about the gendered aspect of resistance, including
the denunciation of Pinkwashing, Israel's attempt to tout its (Jewish)
gay-friendly record so as to distract from its violations of the human
rights of the Palestinian people.*

We’ll keep our website <http://quaiavancouver.wordpress.com/> and Facebook
event page <https://www.facebook.com/events/112139772318988/?fref=ts>up-to-date
as we receive additional speakers’ bios.
*

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

This panel will explore the intersections between Israeli and Canadian
settler colonialisms and Israel’s campaign of attempting to pinkwash its
brutal occupation of Palestine.

By appealing to global LGBTQ communities to support the Israeli settler
colonial state at the expense of Palestinians, Israel is actively engaging
in the pinkwashing of apartheid and occupation.

As queers, trans folks, and allies, we are outraged by the appropriation of
queer and trans struggles for liberation in order to obscure, excuse, or
justify state violence and colonialism. As radical queers committed to
anti-colonial struggles and all forms of oppression, we also stand in
solidarity with Indigenous struggles against ongoing colonialism here on
Turtle Island. When we come out against settler colonialism in all its
forms and against Israeli apartheid, we interfere with the myth making that
is vital to upholding Israeli and Canadian colonial regimes.

Please join us to learn how you can resist this state-sponsored hijacking
of our community’s voice, and raise your own voice with ours to say “No
Pinkwashing in Our Name!” Oh and there may also be some of those amazing
bandanas, possibly even with glitter!

Queers Against Israeli Apartheid is part of a growing international
movement – led by Palestinians – against Israeli apartheid, occupation and
colonialism.*

Endorsed by:*

Canada Palestine Association (CPA)
Voice of Palestine
Samidoun: Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network
Boycott Israeli Apartheid Committee (BIAC)*
*
Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights UBC (SPHR UBC)
*
****Accessibilities Information*****

Please email us if more information needs to be added and/or if you have
questions/feedback: quaia.vancouver at gmail.com**

- Room 7000 is on the 7th floor, with elevator access, and is wheelchair
and scooter accessible as are the washrooms.
- Gender neutral and gendered washrooms are on the same floor as the room.
- Floor plan for the venue and room:
http://www.sfu.ca/mecs/harbour+centre/floor+plans.html<http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sfu.ca%2Fmecs%2Fharbour%2Bcentre%2Ffloor%2Bplans.html&h=vAQHcfGmi&s=1>
- ASL-English interpretation is confirmed.
- There will be designated seating space in the room for folks with limited
mobility and for Deaf people, folks who are hard of hearing, and others
with barriers to accessing audio.
- Amplification via mics and speakers will also be provided.
- A specific donation jar will be available for QuAIA to build an ongoing
Accessibilities Fund.
- Donations are completely voluntary and any donations will be greatly
appreciated!
- In order to reduce the impact of electromagnetic transmissions (EMT) on
folks with EMT sensitivity, we will be asking that attendees turn off their
cell phones if possible, or place them in a designated area.
- We are creating a scent-reduced environment for this event. For more
information on how you can help with this, check out these resources:

Myths & Facts about Chemical Sensitivity:
http://www.peggymunson.com/mcs/myths.html

How to be Fragrance Free: http://www.peggymunson.com/mcs/fragrancefree.html

Fragrance Free Femme of Colour Realness Draft 1.5:
http://www.brownstargirl.org/1/post/2012/03/fragrance-free-femme-of-colour-realness-draft-15.html