[Wamvan] WAM! Vancouver value statements--please review

[Joanna Chiu]

Hey everyone,

During the past couple months, the WAM! Vancouver Organizers have been
working on hashing out the kind of values that will inform every aspect of
WAM! Vancouver's work (including discussions on the listserv).

We've agreed that we fully support the value statements already established
by WAM! International. <http://www.womenactionmedia.org/> These statements
are available for review at this link
<http://www.womenactionmedia.org/about/values/>and are also listed below:

In order to better serve Vancouver's community, Vancouver organizers have
also decided to create three additional value statements. Please review
these statements and let us know if you have any questions or suggestions.
These statements are meant to be specific, and information on our broader
commitment to anti-oppression and accessibility is available on our
blog<http://wamvancouver.wordpress.com/accessibility-and-wam/>.



*WAM! Vancouver values: *


   - *Indigenous Land*:  WAM! Vancouver acknowledges that the City of
   Vancouver occupies unceded Coast Salish Territory, specifically the land of
   the Skwxwú7mesh, Xwméthkwyiem, and Tsleil-Waututh peoples.  WAM!
   Vancouver aims to incorporate the history of colonization of Aboriginal
   peoples, as well as the traditional knowledge of these groups, into all of
   its activities.


   - *Choice:*  WAM! Vancouver supports women’s reproductive rights without
   condition.  WAM! Vancouver therefore supports a woman’s full and
   unqualified access to abortion, and reserves the right to exclude persons or
   organizations who aim to infringe upon this right in any way at any WAM!
   event or within any WAM! space (including the listserv).


   - *Sex work/prostitution:* WAM! Vancouver supports the dignity of current
   and former sex workers/women in prostitution and advocates for their
   safety.  While individual members of WAM! Vancouver have a wide range of
   opinions regarding the legalization, decriminalization, or abolition of sex
   work/prostitution in Canada, as an organization, WAM! Vancouver does not
   advocate for any one approach. Any discussions about sex
   work/prostitution in WAM! Vancouver spaces (including the listserv) or at
   WAM! Vancouver events shall abide by WAM!'s core values, and not infringe
   upon the dignity of any person.

**
*WAM! International and WAM! Vancouver values: *

   - WAM! constantly seeks to remove barriers to entry. All individuals
   aligned with our mission & vision are welcome and encouraged to participate


   - WAM! is intergenerational, anti-racist, pro-economic-justice,
   trans-welcoming, queer-friendly, pro-immigrant, anti-abelist, interfaith,
   and supports size diversity


   - WAM! belongs to the communities we serve. All WAM! leaders are stewards
   in service to these communities.


   - WAM! believes that institutions can only be changed when pressure is
   applied from the inside and from the outside.


   - WAM! believes that social change can be fun, and encourages creative,
   positive, inclusive action.


   - WAM! welcomes the next generation of leaders now, while integrating the
   lessons of previous generations.


   - WAM! is concerned with all kinds of media, including news,
   opinion-making, social networks, film, theater, television, music, video
   games, and more.

**
Again, let us know if you have any questions! You can email WAM! Vancouver
directly at *wamvancouver at gmail.com. *

If you're interested in joining the WAM! Vancouver Organizing Committee,
stay tuned! We are working on putting together training and orientation
sessions for new organizers, so that new organizers will be able to join us
in putting on next year's conference and other events/programs.

Take care!

Joanna


-- 
Joanna Chiu

Freelance Writer and Editor
Masters of Journalism candidate
Columbia University
www.joannachiu.com <http://www.joannachiu.com%20>
twitter.com/joannachiu
Ph: 917 767 6145
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