CENTRE FOR GENDER + SOCIAL JUSTICE

Check Out National Aboriginal History Month Happening Throughout June!

2011-06-06T13:08:00.000-04:00

Public Talk on Local Michi Sagiik Anishinaabe History and Contemporary Realities with Rick Beaver
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
7-9pm
Peterborough Public Library – Auditorium

Rick Beaver is an internationally-recognized Mississauga Ojibway artist and trained biologist from Alderville First Nation in Ontario. He has been painting professionally for more than 30 years and is an avid conservationist. His passion for nature, combined with his native heritage, is exemplified in his unique celebrations of its flora and fauna. He is the proprietor of Sweetgrass Studios located at his birthplace on the Alderville First Nation in Ontario. His diverse involvements include consultations in aboriginal tourism, the arts, cultural history and environmental management. He has been a tour guide and host for “Spirit Walks”, an aboriginal tourism initiative for First Nation communities and partners where his artistic and communication skills have helped establish these venues. He has served as a member of the design team for the Canadian Canoe Museum in Peterborough, Ontario and was awarded the Governor General’s commemorative medal for community service in 1993. Rick Beaver has appeared as a personality on television and radio, has been an illustrator for many publications and has been a strong promotor of cultural history and environmental management. Currently Mr. Beaver serves on the board of the natural heritage site the Alderville Black Oak Savanna and is involved in design work for a number of Canadian manufacturers. Rick Beaver is a 2011 Honorary Degree Recipient from Trent University.

Language Nest - Wii-Kendimiing Nishinaabemowin Saswaansing
June 12, 11-12pm
Ernie and Florence Benedict Gathering Space
First Peoples House of Learning, Gzowski College, Trent University

Culture-grounded Ojibwe language playgroup
email: nishsawin@gmail.com
facebook page: Nishinaabemowin Saswaansing

Club Native Film Screening
Thursday, June 23, 7-9pm
The Cannery Art Centre (168 Hunter St W)

A film by Tracey Deer, Produced by Rezolution Pictures & National Film Board of Canada, 2008

On the Mohawk reserve of Kahnawake, located just outside the city of Montreal, Canada, there are two firm but unspoken rules drummed into every member of the community: Do not marry a white person and do not have a child with a white person. The potential consequences of ignoring these rules―loss of membership on the reserve, for yourself and your child―are clear, and for those who incur them, devastating. Break the rules, and you also risk being perceived as having betrayed the Mohawk Nation by diluting the “purity” of the bloodline.

In Club Native, filmmaker Tracey Deer uses Kahnawake, her hometown, as a lens to probe deeply into the history and present-day reality of aboriginal identity. Following the stories of four women, she reveals the exclusionary attitudes that divide the community and many others like it across Canada. Deer traces the roots of the problem, from the advent of the highly discriminatory Indian Act through the controversy of Bill C31, up to the present day, where membership on the reserve is determined by a council of Mohawk elders, whose rulings often appear inconsistent. And with her own home as a poignant case study, she raises a difficult question faced by people of many ethnicities across the world: What roles do bloodline and culture play in determining identity?

Club Native is a candid and deeply moving look at the pain, confusion and frustration suffered by many First Nations people as they struggle for the most important right of all: the right to belong.

Winner of BEST Canadian documentary at DOXA Documentary Festival 2008, Vancouver

Winner of BEST Canadian documentary at Terres En Vues Media Arts Festival, Montreal

Trailer available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rPi1RG3m1Q
Clip available at: http://www.nfb.ca/film/club_native_excerpt/
Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=28533718952

Tour and Talk on Indigenous Studies/SAGE Community Garden
Monday, June 27, 6:30-7:30pm
Next to the Tipi – First People’s House of Learning, East Bank, Trent University

Join us for a talk and tour of the Indigenous Studies/ Supporting Aboriginal Graduate Education (SAGE) gardens at Trent with Christine Sy.

******

CRRC at Ode’min Giizis!

Arts Activities for Families with Ode'min Giizis Festival Artist-in-Residence Mel McCall
Saturday, June 4, 10-1pm
Cannery Arts Centre (168 Hunter St W)

CRRC warmly invites you to participate in the Community Arts workshop in partnership with Ode'min Giizis. Please feel free to come out and make materials for your organization and/or your family and friends to participate in the Community Procession!

Fun and Free for all ages!
for full schedule, artist bio's, how to get involved and more visit us at okw-arts.ca

Cross Cultural Musical Collaboration at IndieGenius Outdoor Concert
Saturday, June 18
Hunter Street Café District

Musical collaboration and residency between the Indigenous Nations of Zimbabwe, Mohawk and Yaqui. Musicians Chaka Chikodzi (marimba), David R Maracle (flute and percussion) and Gabriel Ayala (classical guitar).

Bimaadiziwin: the Art of Living in a Good Way
Guided tour of Robert Houle’s multi-media installation “Paris/Ojibwa

Friday June 17, 9:30am-2pm
Art Gallery of Peterborough

We will enjoy a guided tour provided by CRRC of Robert Houle’s multi-media installation “Paris/Ojibwa”. In this exciting work, the artist re-imagines a grand 1845 Parisian room in which two different cultures, Ojibwa and Parisian, make contact....what could happen?

Please join us at the Community Procession on Saturday, June 18 at 10:00am!

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

Many thanks to our generous co-sponsors: Ontario Public Interest Research Group (OPIRG), Kawartha World Issues Centre (KWIC), the Centre for Gender and Social Justice (CGSJ), Department of Indigenous Studies – Trent University, Trent Central Student Association

For more information on National Aboriginal History Month programming, please visitwww.racerelationspeterborough.org/

For more information about Ode’min Giizis, please visit okw-arts.ca/festival/

Trent Queer Collective (TQC) open letter on Queerlines

2011-04-14T14:44:00.003-04:00

Hello all,

We'd like to know what you thought about Queerlines.

As you may have seen there were a few letters in the Arthur this week speaking against some of the content, and some people have taken to chalking and postering campus about it as well. Some controversy is not unexpected (it happens every year), and the anonymity of is is understandable to avoid attacks, but that breaks down the opportunity for dialogue. �We (the TQC hub) would like to foster some dialogue, however, so that we can address what people liked or didn't, and perhaps make some changes for next year.

So, how did you feel about Queerlines this year? �Did you love it? �Did you hate it? �Did you even read it? �Do you feel at all unsafe because of the backlash? �Queerlines is meant to be representative of our queer student body, but of course being a submission-based supplement it will never really be able to represent everyone (unless everyone submits, but I don't think we'd have the budget to print that tome); do you feel Queerlines does a good job of representing a piece of the community? �If you didn't feel represented, did something stop you from submitting something yourself? �Do you have any thoughts on how we can work to represent a broader range of the community?

If you have an opinion, either critical or commending, we'd love to hear it. �Rest assured all responses will be kept anonymous unless permission to identify you in any capacity is explicitly given.

Sincerely,
The TQC Hub

NOURISH PETERBOROUGH

2011-04-02T18:37:00.000-04:00

You're invited to:
YWCA Peterborough, Victoria and Haliburton presents
Nourish Peterborough:
A celebration of community, food security, and social justice
at the newly renovated
Market Hall of Performing Arts (336 George Street North)
Wednesday April 13th, 2011
starting at 6:00 pm, and ending at 9:00 pm
Come out for an evening of local food, music, theater and documentary film! Dinner provided by Food Not Bombs and Come Cook with Us. Enjoy a community meal to the sounds of Newmarket based traditional folk musician Roseanne Speckert, and Toronto based folk/indie artist Abigail Lapell. Local legend Gillian Turnham presents her all new theatrical performance exploring the themes of frontier, seeds, development and fertile spaces. The evening will conclude with a presentation of the much anticipated Nourish Peterborough, a documentary film that follows ten unique community groups from Peterborough who are advocating for food security and sovereignty. These are programs that have a substantial influence on many people’s lives, though many of them go overlooked and/or underfunded. Nourish Peterborough provides a platform for these organizations, giving members, participants, volunteers and staff, a louder voice in our community. This is community member Emily Blondin-Doan’s first film.
Check out the blog at
www.nourishpeterborough.ca
for more information
this is a FREE non-profit event, donations accepted
Funding for this event has been generously provided by the YWCA of Peterborough, Victoria and Haliburton; the Market Hall Innovation Fund; the Centre for Gender and Social Justice. Thank you!

RESIST Featured in The Arthur

2011-03-26T14:08:00.000-04:00

RESIST!

Karolyn Givogue

On March 21, 1960, approximately 300 Black Africans gathered peacefully, chanting “Izwe

Lethu” (our land) and “Afrika,” in a rally against the pass laws and the apartheid regime of South

Africa. Robert Subukwe, leader of the Pan African Congress (PAC) – a Black African liberation

movement -- informed the commissioner of police that PAC was embarking on a non-violent

campaign. When protestors approached the police station, officers opened fire on the crowd of

demonstrators. At least 180 Black Africans were injured and 69 were killed in the township of

Sharpeville. Despite investigations, none of the police involved in the killings were convicted.

The Sharpeville Massacre, as this struggle and the brutal response of police is known,

prompted international condemnation of the apartheid system in South Africa. It also led to the

proclamation of the March 21 International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

Oftentimes, on this commemorative day, we are reminded that every person has the right to be

free from racial discrimination and harassment and that these rights are enshrined under human

rights legislation in Canada.

In honour of IDERD this year, the Community and Race Relations Committee of Peterborough

(CRRC) took up the complexities of human rights legislation by hosting a public talk at the

Benedict Gathering Space in the First People’s house of Learning entitled Beyond “Rights

Talk” and Inclusion Campaigns: Grounding equality struggles in Indigenous peoples liberation

movements. The talk was given by Trent Alumni Paula Madden, author of African Nova Scotian-

Mi’kmaw Relations – the first book written on African/Indigenous relations in Canada. Paula

shared words about her current research on Rights Legislation in Canada and the United States

from 1945-1985.

While I can’t recreate Paula’s sophisticated argument here, I can say that I get the gist of it:

human rights talk ultimately works to pacify social unrest and to divert political energies

into controlled arenas where the outcomes are inconsistent and difficult to enforce. Human

rights have been used as a means to dispirit people from taking up direct action organizing, by

presenting itself as the rightful and infallible avenue for seeking justice. This pathway also leads

people to rely on those in power to define, uphold and enforce human rights.

An excellent example of how some of this work was shared by a participant in the circle

at the talk: The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) of Ontario, Canada. The SIU emerged in

response to the pervasive lack of public confidence in the policing system and the integrity of

a process where police officers investigated other police officers when citizens are injured or

killed. The public outcry escalated in 1988 when two Black men were shot and killed, one in

August and one in December, by Toronto and Peel Region police forces. In response to mass

mobilizations in protest of discrimination and lack of accountability the SIU was formed. The

SIU is responsible for investigating injuries, deaths and sexual assaults experienced by citizens

at the hands of police. The ineffectiveness of the SIU is widely known, with reports hitting

mainstream media detailing bias, complacency and lack of due process. And rather than taking to

the streets, people continue to rely on a system of reporting and investigation that is inadequate,

with no opportunity for appeal or recourse.

So what does it mean to address injustices through state sanctioned avenues where those with

power continue to call the shots, and through the very institutions that systemically oppress

marginalized groups? Ultimately, human rights are enshrined by the state because they protect

the state, contribute to the pretence of benevolence, and close down pathways towards mass

mobilizations and struggles for decolonization. And what does that mean when oppressed groups

themselves are struggling for equity? Paula made no pretence of having solutions, but the first

step is one of grounding struggles in Indigenous liberation movements.

So Paula’s work begs the question, are you engaging in struggles for social justice that are really

about upward mobility? On who’s back? The Civil Rights movement was one where people

of colour, particularly African Americans, sought civic recognition and rights – including land

rights. This struggle engaged the state, thereby reproducing the legitimacy of the state’s terms

of engagement. The movement then became complicit and engrained in settlerhood because,

rather than seeking out negotiations and building solidarity with Indigenous communities, the

supremacy of the colonial state was maintained. When one fights for rights and protections that

serve and bolster the colonial state, then you become complicit as a settler.

So, if IDERD is a reminder to everyone to make active efforts to challenge and eliminate all

forms of racial discrimination in our daily lives and in our communities, then we must take

responsibility to think critically about human rights and the ways in which they are mobilized

while focusing our energies on grounding our struggles in decolonization movements in

solidarity with Indigenous peoples.

Israeli Apartheid Week 2011

2011-03-22T12:09:00.003-04:00

Peterborough Coalition for Palestinian Solidarity Presents:

Israeli Apartheid Week 2011

Monday, March 21^st

One session, two speakers:

Why is there no peace in Palestine? Feyzi Baban

Olive Oil Activism in Palestine and Beyond. Anne Meneley

LEC Pit 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Israeli Apartheid Wall & Checkpoints

Trent Faryon Bridge 4:30 pm

Tuesday, March 22^nd

Film Screening -- Leila Khaled: Hijacker

GCS 115 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Wednesday, March 23^rd

A Passage of a Jewish Boat to Gaza: Two Peoples-One Future. If Not Now, When?

Presenters: Glyn Secker and Lillian Rosengaarten

LEC Pit 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Thursday, March 24^th

One session, two speakers:

Egypt’s Revolution and the Middle East. Gavin Fridell

An Introduction to the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions Campaign. Suha Jarrar

2:30 pm – 4:30 pm CCN M2

Friday, March 25^th

No Fiddler on the Roof: Queer, Feminist, Jewish Arts and Activism of Palestinian Solidarity

Presenters: Zach Ruiter

5:00 pm – 7:00 pm location TBA

Saturday, March 26^th

Cultural Night

The Recipe & Poetry

10:00 pm at Sapphire Room --137 Hunter St West.

Full schedule and more information will be available soon at

www.peterboroughcps.blogspot.com

www.peterborough.apartheidweek.org

If you have any questions or would like to make a DONATION to PCPS or IAW, please contact peterboroughcps@gmail.com

RESIST: A CGSJ Column featured in The Arthur

2011-02-06T18:08:00.000-05:00

Caribbean Culture and Homophobia – Boom Bye Bye in a Batty-Boi Head!

Olufunmike Banks Devonish

After leaving the Caribbean for North America, and attending an institution as diverse as Trent University, my region’s homophobic mentality has become more salient than ever. Not surprisingly, much of the literature about the issue of homophobia makes reference to the Caribbean region. The most heart-wrenching part of this is that having been immersed in such a culture where the word was used both loosely and derogatorily, it is difficult, although not impossible, to alter your casual speech.

At the core of the region’s homophobia and anti-gay regiment is religion. The region boasts Christianity and has developed its doctrine around the biblical references to the importance of heterosexual relationships for the effective reproduction of human race. Homosexuals are continuously under criticism by Christian councils, and by the majority of citizens in their islands. The bible is used as a tool of oppression against homosexuals with the belief that the only way to heaven is through heterosexuality. Therefore, they are often forced to either deny religion altogether or claim heterosexuality while still maintaining homosexual relationships.

Homophobia in the region, however, extends past the church. Popular culture openly embraces and promotes homophobia in the Caribbean region. Countless songs blatantly preach to listeners that “man to man is so unjust” and that “batty man fi dead”! The music resonates through the islands and its fast-paced tempo adds to enraging listeners and promoting violence. These include Buju Banton’s popular hit song “Boom-bye bye in a batty boi head”. Although this song has been banned from some radio stations, even more explicit songs continue to fill the airwaves in the region and even here in North America – a continent boasting advances in gay rights. This is ironic because to be able to publicly display their sexual orientation without the fear of being killed, many homosexuals in the Caribbean feel the need to migrate to more accepting countries like some in Europe and North America. However, even there they are faced with criticism and are shunned by other heterosexual migrants from their country or region of nationality and lambasted by the dancehall and reggae loving followers.

Homosexuals and heterosexuals seem to have different perspectives on the root cause of homosexuality where homosexuals are more likely to attribute sexual orientation to innate, biological, and thus, unchangeable characteristics. But the very idea of wanting to find a cause implies the desire to find a treatment or a cure for homosexuality under the umbrella of diseases.

In my opinion, the religiosity of the Caribbean should be questioned if we continue to contribute to the oppression of a group of people. Throughout history, the black race has sought out religion to help cope with oppression and the cruelty of the world. Religion offered a sense of hope for a better tomorrow and I would like to argue that without it, distress and a sense of helplessness would have ensued.

Christian councils and religious-boasting individuals in the Caribbean learn to be more accepting of all individuals regardless of his/her sexual orientation as they have been of people of various races and ethnicities. I suggest that the prudent efforts to fight for homosexual rights extend past the Canadian border and into areas where the voice of homosexuals are silenced.

On A Roll!

2010-11-25T14:07:00.002-05:00

Hi friends! Guess what? Guess what?

The Centre's finished hiring and we've built a GREAT team. It was a lot of work to make these decisions because there were a lot of amazing applicants. In fact, the whole hiring process was so full of excitement and promise, and we're glad to have met everyone we interviewed.

Already, the Centre's on a roll with project ideas. We're throwing around ideas about film screening for AIDS awareness, as well as putting together talks for International Human Rights Day. We'll be sure to give a better update about our new staff and ideas soon. But for now, just a brief update, ok?

Talk again soon!

-Chris

Steering Collective Member

ATTENTION!

2010-10-20T19:10:00.002-04:00

The Centre for Gender and Social Justice is hiring 4 new positions for the school year!

We are currently looking to fill the positions of...

2 of these positions will be open only to OWSP-eligible students, and 2 positions will be open to TIP students, out-of-province students and community members.

The positions will run from mid-November until early April (the end of classes), with breaks for school holidays. Hours will be 8 hours per week, at $11.45/hr.
Please send your application by email to centreforgsj@gmail.com The deadline for applications is November 6th 2010. Applicants must be available for training on the 13th and 14th of November for training.

Applicants are asked to submit responses to the following questions along with a resume. The Centre is committed to the belief that life experience is just as relevant as work experience, and recognizes the ways that certain people may have more limited access to employment experiences. Working towards an accessible hiring model, applicants may choose to provide a letter outlining your relevant knowledge and experience instead of a resume along with the responses to the questions.

APPLICATION QUESTIONS

What does gender justice mean to you?
How do you understand and experience oppression? How do you challenge oppression in your daily life?
What life experiences, skills, activism, work history, etc. do you have to bring to the position? (If you are not submitting a resume, please elaborate on your answer to this question. Also, please relate your responses to the specific needs of the position to which you’re applying.)
The Centre has been engaged in the process of shifting its structure and its space away from being a women’s only space to being a space for people who experience gender oppression. With this change, the Centre takes as one of its priorities services and space for trans people. Why is this important to you? What ideas do you have for being accountable in this respect?
The Centre is developing a broader commitment to anti-racist activism, and working on confronting a history of institutionalized whiteness. How do you see yourself working towards this goal?
Please give us an outline of some creative ideas that you have related to different aspects of the position(s) that you are applying for.

If you feel like this application process is a barrier for you, please contact us before the deadline to make alternative arrangements.

The Centre has an employment equity policy that considers applications from people from marginalized groups over others, so, where applicants are qualified, preference will be given to persons from groups who face systemic barriers to employment.

We regret that our current office space is currently physically inaccessible.

Volunteer and Outreach Coordinator

2010-10-20T19:06:00.000-04:00

Purpose: To actively recruit, direct, and support volunteers and volunteer initiatives. To attract members to the Centre and promote skill and knowledge sharing within the community through coalition building with allied student and community groups.

Roles and Responsibilities:

run campaigns to recruit volunteers
place volunteers according to their interests and skills
maintain good relationships between staff, steering collective members and volunteers; volunteer direction and appreciation
organizing meetings between various groups on diverse topics with Centre-based and community groups
coordinate monthly general meetings for the Centre’s staff and steering collective, as well as volunteer meetings
keep the website and google calendar up-to-date with upcoming events and meetings
coordinate working groups based around various topics and interests
update the Centre’s referrals and resources and maintain a newslist of allied groups and organizations
collaborate with staff and steering collective to run the Centre office; answering phone calls, returning phone messages, responding to and organizing e-mails, planning and facilitating meetings, keeping things tidy, etc.
commit at least 3 hours a week to working in the office
attend all staff meetings

Qualifications and Skills:

must identify with the Centre’s mandate
must be committed to anti-oppressive ideology and practices
very strong written and oral communication skills
experience managing and coordinating volunteers
experience coordinating or facilitating meetings and workshops
leadership; ability to motivate others in an encouraging and positive way
experience working independently, including thinking creatively
ability to work collaboratively
knowledge of, and commitment to, principles of gender justice
knowledge of the Trent and Peterborough communities
strong interpersonal skills
basic administrative skills, such as web literacy, filing, record-keeping, minute-keeping, etc.
dependable and reliable

Education and Youth Outreach Coordinator

2010-10-20T19:05:00.004-04:00

Purpose: To expand the function of the Centre to include educational and youth-directed programming and networking. To increase public visibility and awareness about gender and social justice issues, and research emerging issues in our communities.

Role and Responsibilities:

implement a strategy to build connections with local youth
outreach and networking with high schools and youth organizations
work to make the Centre, and its resources and working groups accessible to youth
perform a needs assessment for Peterborough’s youth regarding gender and social justice issues
act as the Centre’s representative on local youth-oriented committees
research how volunteering at the Centre could count towards Mandatory High School Community Service hours
work with the Publicity and Media Coordinator to develop educational campaigns and innovative delivery strategies
review and report on gender and social justice issues affecting our community and broader communities.
collaborate with staff and steering collective to run the Centre office; answering phone calls, returning phone messages, responding to and organizing e-mails, planning and facilitating meetings, keeping things tidy, etc.
commit at least 3 hours a week to working in the office
attend all staff meetings

Qualifications and Skills:

must identify with the Centre’s mandate
must be committed to anti-oppressive ideology and practices
very strong written and oral communication skills
experience working with youth
excellent interpersonal skills
great organizational and time-management skills
experience working independently, including thinking creatively
ability to work collaboratively, maintaining transparency and good communication
knowledge of, and commitment to, principles of gender justice
knowledge of the Trent and Peterborough communities
dependable and reliable

Fundraising and Finance Coordinator

2010-10-20T19:05:00.003-04:00

Role and Responsibilities:

collaborative management of all financial matters, including payroll, honoraria, funding requests and bill payments with other staff and the steering collective.
collaboratively designing the Centre’s budget in November with new staff and steering collective members
manage that budget and keep record of all financial transactions throughout the year using microsoft excel and google docs, as well as bookkeeping and filing systems
fundraise for the Centre and specific events through grant writing and funding requests
complete the Centre’s taxes and remittances
plan and coordinate creative and innovative ways of fundraising for the Centre
assist in fundraising campaigns supported by the Centre
apply for the Canada Summer Jobs grant for the Centre’s summer positions and any grants that may help the Centre improve its services
collaborate with staff and steering collective to run the Centre office; answering phone calls, returning phone messages, responding to and organizing e-mails, planning and facilitating meetings, keeping things tidy, etc.
commit at least 6 hours a week to working in the office
attend all staff meetings

Qualifications and Skills:

must identify with the Centre’s mandate
must be committed to anti-oppressive ideology and practices
very strong written communication skills
experience with finances, including working with spreadsheets and basic math skills
great organizational and time-management skills
experience working independently, including thinking creatively
ability to work collaboratively, maintaining transparency and good communication
knowledge of, and commitment to, principles of gender justice
knowledge of the Trent and Peterborough communities
strong interpersonal skills
an interest in grant-writing and fundraising, and an awareness of the Centre’s direction and needs
dependable and reliable

Publicity and Media Coordinator

2010-10-20T19:04:00.000-04:00

Purpose: To promote the Centre, its events and services through a variety of media including posters, press releases, email and web design. Coordinate various events, workshops, working groups, and publications addressing topics and issues related to anti-oppression and gender justice in the Peterborough and Trent communities.

Role and Responsibilities:

design and distribute (with the help of volunteers, occasionally) promotional materials, including posters, press releases and other publicity materials for events and campaigns
regularly update the Centre’s website and public google calendar, and maintain e-mail contact with other groups regarding upcoming events
start and maintain a column on behalf of the Centre in the Arthur
start and maintain a bi-weekly radio show on Trent Radio
coordinate the publication of an annual self-representation publication in the Arthur and encourage the development of other publications, such as zines, with the help of volunteers
organize and implement numerous smaller gender justice and arts-related events such as photoshoots, art exhibits, coffee houses, open mics, film screenings or art workshops
general postering for awareness, art and education
coordinate picture and/or video recordings of Centre and allied community events
collaborate with staff and steering collective to run the Centre office; answering phone calls, returning phone messages, responding to and organizing e-mails, planning and facilitating meetings, keeping things tidy, etc.
commit at least 6 hours a week to working in the office
attend all staff meetings

Qualifications and Skills:

must identify with the Centre’s mandate
must be committed to anti-oppressive ideology and practices
very strong written communication skills
knowledge of web design and maintenance
experience in designing and distributing publicity materials, as well as writing press releases, is an asset
experience with written publications including editing and layout
leadership; ability to motivate others in an encouraging and positive way
experience working independently, including thinking creatively
ability to work collaboratively
knowledge of, and commitment to, principles of gender justice
knowledge of the Trent and Peterborough communities
strong interpersonal skills
basic administrative skills, such as web literacy, filing, record-keeping, minute-keeping, etc.
dependable and reliable

Aspirations

2010-09-24T15:44:00.002-04:00

sticker campaigns
a compiled list of potential actions
the creation of a SECRET IMAGE
conception of centre staff as community support team
chalking!
let's get a universal remote!
BE PREPARED
give out mock awards
take the time to find the "not evil at all approach"
critical mass!
reclaim as response to things!

Ideas for Campaigning

chalking
radio audio art thing
flyers
bake sale
soap boxing
ACTIONS
poster for the sake of it

WE WANNA BE A RESOURCE. WE WANNA PROVIDE THE INGREDIENTS FOR ACTION.

Positions Upcoming!

2010-09-23T16:30:00.000-04:00

Hey guys. We still haven't heard from OWSP, but we're working on 6 job descriptions, 4 of which will be OWSP funded, and 2 of which will be directed towards TIP students, out-of-province students and community members. They'll all be for 8 hours a week at $11.85 an hour. If any of these job titles interest you, stay tuned for the job descriptions and deadline to follow.

we need

a VOLUNTEER AND OUTREACH COORDINATOR,

a TRANS OUTREACH COORDINATOR,

an ACCESSIBILITY COORDINATOR,

a PUBLICITY AND MEDIA COORDINATOR,

an EDUCATION AND YOUTH OUTREACH COORDINATOR

and

a FUNDRAISING AND FINANCE COORDINATOR.

The Centre's Dis-O Workshops are...

2010-09-20T12:37:00.001-04:00

Friday, September 24th
2pm
Senior Common Room
Sadleir House
ORGANIZING AND OUTREACH
Wanna make things happen? Wanna change something, try something new, talk to people about what's important to you? These things can be tricky. Power dynamics, disagreements and all our very different experiences can play into miscommunication and the stumbles that tumble activism everywhere. If you're interested in learning about anti-oppressive practices, consensus decision-making and grassroots activism, come to this workshop with ideas and an open mind. Snacks provided.
and
Friday, September 24th
5pm
Hobbes Library
Sadleir House
COME AS YOU ARE ORDERING PARTY
Come As You Are is a Toronto-based sex store that offers educational workshops and outreach tools, along with great quality sex toys and a variety of gender empowerment tools not available anywhere in Peterborough. The Centre has allied with them to provide free shipping and handling and 30% off their online catalogue! So here's the plan. Come to Hobbes Library with cash and lots of sexy ideas. Pick out as much as you want and we'll order it for you, to be delivered anonymously to the Centre's office. Entirely anonymous, fun and friendly, and affordable! What could be better? Check out their website in advance, if you like.

FLYERZ. checkit.

2010-09-10T20:54:00.001-04:00

Take Back The Night and reCLAIM Alley Walk

2010-09-10T20:49:00.001-04:00

TAKE BACK THE NIGHT

SEPTEMBER 16th

beginning 7pm, starting out from Victoria Park (Murray & Water)

reCLAIM ALLEY WALK

SEPTEMBER 16th

beginning around 9pm, also starting from Victoria Park (Murray & Water)

“A woman walks alone down a dark, deserted street. With every shadow she sees, and every sound she hears, her pounding heart flutters and skips a beat. She hurries her pace as she sees her destination become closer. She is almost there. She reaches the front door, goes inside, collects herself, and moves on forgetting, at least for tonight, the gripping fear that momentarily enveloped her life.” (from the Take Back The Night website)

Take Back The Night started in Philadelphia in 1975. It began as a response to the murder of a young microbiologist, Susan Alexander Speeth. This spawned a number of international marches, the first and largest of which was a march in Brussels that coincided with the International Tribunal on Crimes against Women in 1976.

Peterborough’s annual Take Back The Night march will begin at Victoria Park at 7 pm, taking to the streets and returning to St. Paul’s Church for refreshments and an open stage full of performances, speeches and stories. Organized by Kawartha Sexual Assault Centre, this year’s Take Back The Night is said to be inclusive and all are invited to attend.

Take Back The Night has generally been a women- and children-only event. This has been so in order to provide space for women to feel safe and unthreatened by men and masculinity. In the 70s and today, the pursuit of women-only space has been an important feminist challenge to dominant forms of patriarchy that often silence women and conceal women’s experiences. Especially in relation to street violence and the sensation of fear at night, women-identified and female-bodied people are very often victimized. Take Back The Night acts to reclaim spaces that are often threatening.

Women-only spaces are still important, but are certainly not uncomplicated. What, for example, constitutes a “woman”? This question came to the fore in feminist circles at the Michigan Women’s Music Festival when the organizers decided that trans women were not actually women, and therefore were not allowed to attend or perform at the festival. This may have been one of the more prominent examples, but this debate has always been a part of feminist struggles. In relation to taking back the night specifically, it is important to realize that women and female-bodied people are not the only people to experience gendered violence and fear on the streets at night. Lesbians, bisexuals, gay men, trans-identified individuals and queers of all sizes and shapes are also endangered on the streets. Street violence is also racialized in our communities, so that people of colour of all genders and sexualities are also made to feel unsafe walking on the streets at night. It is important to realize that all of these struggles are intertwined and thus, must be challenged together in order to be overcome. The exclusion of men and male-identified people from feminist struggles in general can also be problematic. Recently in Waterloo, an organization that provides shelters for abused women and children has decided to boycott Take Back The Night for this reason, stating that “men are critical to ending violence against women” and should thus be included in the march. (from The Record)

In response to Take Back The Night, but not in contrast or competition, the Centre for Gender and Social Justice is holding its second annual reClaim Alley Walk. reClaim is inclusive of all genders and sexualities and strives to recognize the intersections of race, class, ability and sexuality, along with gender, in creating unsafe spaces on the streets at night. On a tour through the dark (yet beautiful) alleys of Peterborough, attendees are invited to share stories, poems and songs about their experiences of empowerment or fear on the streets at night. This walk will begin after the festivities following the Take Back The Night march, and all are encouraged to attend and/or support both events.

UPDATES

2010-09-08T17:26:00.004-04:00

DisOrientation's website is up!
http://disorientation.webs.com/
Complete with full list of events. There's a pamphlet thing out too, around campus I believe, but if there are any changes, they'll be up on the website.

The Centre's office just got a paint job!

Thanks to a long-standing member of the activist and wall-painting community, Mason Mccoll!

Incidentally, this guy also found time to write TWO WHOLE ARTICLES for issue 0 of the Arthur, Trent University's finest reading material, which can be found in bus stops, cafes and campus colleges everywhere. So be sure to check that out.

huh.

2010-08-26T10:56:00.000-04:00

wtf.

the best thing is their facial expressions

Dis-O Update

2010-08-26T10:31:00.000-04:00

Hlo Hlo!

Dis-O is going to be epic good. Here are some of the included things so far.

Alternative Campus Tours
Discussions on food security and access
Vegan meals
Self-Defense
Come As You Are ordering party
Mandolin Workshop
genderTalk
Silkscreening
Writing Workshop
Decolonizing Gender & Sexuality
talking about Racialized Space
a Community Fair
a Cabaret
a huge concert
and a partridge in a pear tree

Well. Not that last one. But it's pretty awesome. And that's running from the 23rd to the 24th of September. STAY TUNED.

In addition, I hear rumors of a dance party happening in support of the Student Co-op on Thursday, September 16th in the Sadleir House Dining Hall! Maybe just maybe there'll be a kick-ass dj.

Dis-O Planning Under Way!

2010-08-25T13:32:00.004-04:00

Hey guys! There's a Dis-O meeting today and I'm pretty excited. So far, from my own corner, I know that The Peterborough Poetry Slam is planning on hosting a Writing Group Workshop at some point, and The Centre is thinking of a number of options, including an ordering party from Come As You Are and a workshop on sex positivity. Maybe. We'll see. I'll keep you posted!

HAPPY @WEEK, EVERYBODY!

2010-08-22T14:35:00.000-04:00

Best idea ever. A couple of go-getters around town have set up a BRILLIANT festivus of Anarchist discussion, film screening, dancing and eating! Check out the calendar for basic details. Here's the sum of the parts:

@-WEEK
At the end of June, the elite threw a party in Huntsville and moved it to Toronto. Both cities were militarized and occupied and in Toronto’s case, by 19,000 law enforcement. And who are the “bad guys”? Those pesky ‘anarchists’!

Demonized and vilified by the media, imprisoned by the State on conspiracy charges, hated-on and scapegoated by ‘allies’ on the Left, what better time to hold a week of events celebrating and explaining t...he ever-misunderstood Idea: anarchism.

Brought to you by...
OPIRG, Food Not Bombs Peterborough, Garden 579, Artspace, Have You Seen?, Throwing Away Crap Productions, We Live Here Too, Free Society, Luther Blissett, Ptbo House...
In free association with your friendly neighbourhood anarchists.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sun, A-22
1:00 – Opening Potluck @ Armour Hill Pavillion

2:00 – @-curious? Workshop / Discussion @ Armour Hill Pavillion
A discussion of key concepts, ideas, etc...
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mon, A-23
5:30 – G20 Court Solidarity Action in Peterborough

6:30 – Food Not Bombs @ City Hall

8:00-10:00 – Film: “Enraged” @ Artspace
A film by Eyal Eithcowich about Anarchists Against the Wall, a direct action Palestinian solidarity group.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tues, A-24
Events
6:00 – Workshop / Discussion: Decolonizing Anarchism and Re-Rooting Anarcho-Indigenist Practice @ the Ossia
A workshop / discussion led by Karolyn.

7:00 – Film: “Afropunk” @ the Ossia
A film exploring race identity within the punk scene.

9:00 – Testament (London, ON), Gillian Turnham, Fraser @ the Ossia
Anarchist and spoken word / performance poetry.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wed, A-25
6:00 – Community Potluck @ Garden 579

7:00 – Food Politics & Anarchism Discussion @ Artspace

8:00 - 10:00 Film: TBA @ Artspace
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thurs, A-26
9:00 – Inner Beauty Contest @ The Gordon Best Theatre
Pre-registration is required. Pre-register by calling 705-772-2665. Ask for Luther Blissett.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fri, A-27
2:00 – 4:00 - Vegan Brunch / Workshop:
Development of Social Theory @ Ptbo House (852 George St. N.)
Workshop on Development of Social Theory (an investigation of @nswers)

6:00 – Critical Mass Bike Ride @ Congregate Across from City Hall

8:00 – Film: "The Potentiality of Storming Heaven" @ Artspace
In Dec 2008, the killing of a young anarchist (IN GREECE!! - left that out on the flyer) sparked an insurrection that left the nation burning for months into 2009. This film gives a brief look at this time.

8:45 – Discussion: Anarchism & Violence @ Artspace
A curious (and often spurious) association given it's the State that kills 24-7... What place does violence have in the struggle for social change and anarchism?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sat, A-28
6:00 - 8:00 - Film: TBA @ Art Space

With Revolutionary Joy… We Dance and Destroy (Radical Dance Party)
9:00 - 11:00 – Indictable Mischief, Twisted Fister @ The Spill (Punk)

11:00 – DJ Go Go Ghoul @ The Spill (Dance / DJ)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sun, A-29
1:00 - Closing Potluck

2:00 - Closing Discussion
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Summer's almost over...

2010-08-10T13:39:00.001-04:00

...and things are motoring along. Right now, here's what the Centre's up to:

renovation! well... a paint job, anyway, and a couple new pieces of furniture. It's going to be GLORIOUS.
reworking the staff manuals. the last one was beautiful, but now a lot of the language is out of date, and since we've restructured the hierarchy (as in, trying to actively remove it and level out our governance), we have to work those new guidelines into the manual.
finishing up the new policy. this is something people involved with the centre put a lot of work into the year before last. so we're just finishing it up, polishing it, and making sure its accessible for review.
looking forward to both ISW and Dis-O (with OPIRG and others) and all the new and returning students!

so yeah! keeping busy. IN ADDITION, you should all know (whoever looks at this from time to time) that we're hoping to hire for 6 whole positions starting in September! So keep your eyes peeled.
Cheerio for now!

Summer Office Hours Starting Next Week!

2010-07-09T14:23:00.002-04:00

Starting July 13th, the Centre's office at Sadleir house will be open every Tuesday and Thursday from 10am to 12pm. If these times aren't good for you, feel free to e-mail or phone and leave a message, and we'll try to arrange another time for you to stop by.

Deadline E X T E N D E D

2009-09-23T18:27:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone!!

The deadline for applications has been extended to OCT 9 at 6pm. See posts below for details on how to apply for the two work positions:

Trans Outreach and Accessibility Coordinator
Fundraising and Finance Coordinator

Or to apply be on the Steering Collective, a volunteer position.

Apply: STEERING COLLECTIVE Membership

2009-09-07T16:28:00.001-04:00

The Centre is accepting applications from students and community members to be on the Centre's Steering Collective.

The Steering Collective is a volunteer-based board that supports the Centre in its work and guides decision-making. Positions on the Collective run from September to April, with the option of continuing over the summer.

Role and responsibilities:

Attend bi-weekly meetings
Available over email for feedback, support, and decision-making
Supporting the Centre's events
Taking on a portfolio of self- directed or collaborative projects and administrative tasks ex) event planning, poster-making, office hours, creative projects, running or overseeing a working group
Support the Centre in implementing its new mandate

The Centre encourages applications from individuals from marginalized communities, including but not limited to queer and trans-identified folks, indigenous people, people of colour, immigrants, single mothers, people with disabilities, and members from other marginalized communities to apply. Regrettably, the Centre is not currently a physically accessible space. Preference will be given to people who experience gender oppression and other intersecting oppressions.

To apply, please submit answers to the Application Questions, posted below in the hiring post.
APPLICATION QUESTIONS are due OCT 9 and can be submitted via e-mail at CentreforGSJ@gmail.com or in person at the Centre office [Suite 202, Sadleir]. Please include with your application an indication of your availability for interview.

Contact centreforGSJ@gmail.com with questions or to arrange an alternative or accessible application process.

Hiring fall 2009- Applications

2009-09-07T15:45:00.000-04:00

The Centre is hiring for a remining two positions:

TRANS OUTREACH AND ACCESSIBILITY COORDINATOR
FUNDRAISING AND FINANCE COORDINATOR

Job descriptions are posted in blog entries below, please use them as a guideline for applying.

To apply for either position, please submit a resume + answers to the application questions to the Centre's Hiring Committee. Applicants have the option to apply without submitting a resume, and to elaborate on question 3 of the application questions instead.

RESUME + APPLICATION QUESTIONS are due OCT 9 and can be submitted via e-mail at CentreforGSJ@gmail.com or in person at the Centre office [Suite 202, Sadleir]. Please include with your application an indication of your availability for interview.

Positions run from October to April and are approximately 10 hours a week (at least 6 of which are dedicated office hours) at above minimum wage. The Centre encourages applications from individuals from marginalized communities, including but not limited to queer and trans-identified folks, indigenous people, people of colour, immigrants, single mothers, people with disabilities, and members from other marginalized communities to apply. Regrettably, the Centre is not currently a physically accessible space. Preference will be given to people who experience gender oppression and other intersecting oppressions. The Fundaising and Finance Coordinator position is open to OWSP students and Trans Outreach and Accessibility Coordinator is open to community members, non-OWSP students, and out-of-province and international students. Only applicants selected for interview will be contacted.

Alternative + accessible application options can be arranged on request.

APPLICATION QUESTIONS:

Please answer the following questions in as much detail as possible, in any style or format:

1. what does gender justice mean to you?
2. how do you understand and experience oppression? how do you challenge oppression in your daily life?
3. what life experiences, skills, activism, work history, etc. do you have to bring to the position? (if you are not submitting a resume, please elaborate on your answer to this question)
4. the centre has been engaged in the process of shifting its structure and its space away from being a women’s only space to being a space for people who experience gender oppression. with this change, the centre takes as one of its priorities services and space for trans people. why is this important to you? what ideas do you have for being accountable in this repect?
5. the centre is developing a broader commitment to anti-racist activism, and working on confronting a history of institutionalized whiteness. how do you see yourself working towards this goal?
6. please give us an outline of some creative ideas that you have related to different aspects of the position(s) that you are applying for.
7. what are your criticisms of the Centre? what changes would you want to make in your role as staff?

If you feel like this application process is a barrier for you, please contact us before the deadline to make alternative arrangements.

JOB POSTING: FUNDRAISING AND FINANCE COORDINATOR

2009-04-16T18:17:00.000-04:00

Purpose: Organize fundraising campaigns in support of the Centre and its events. Manage the Centre’s finances, including the budget, bills, and payroll. Support staff and Steering Collective in organizing campaigns, workshops, and events by assisting with booking and publicity.

Role and Responsibilities:
1. Collaborative management of all financial matters, including payroll, honorariums, funding requests, payments and bills, and payroll, with other staff and Steering Collective.
2. Collaboratively designing the Centre’s budget in September with staff and Steering Collective members. Managing the budget and keeping record of all financial transactions throughout the year using Microsoft Excel and bookkeeping and filing systems.
3. Designing and maintaining budgets and keeping track of the financials for larger events and conferences
4. Fundraise for the Centre and specific events through grant writing and funding requests
5. Plan and coordinate creative and innovative ways of fundraising for the Centre
6. Assisting in fundraising campaigns supported by the Centre
7. Grant writing for the Canada Summer Jobs Grant for the Centre’s summer position and any other grants that the Centre may access to improve its services
8. Supporting staff and the Steering Collective in organizing for events and campaigns
9. Outreach to youth and high schools
10. Commitment to accessibility: making the Centre, its space, events, publications, and services as accessible as possible
11. Work collaboratively with the other Coordinators and Steering Collective; collective responsibility for the Centre’s operations and accountability
12. Commit at least 6 hours a week to working in the Centre office
13. Responsibility to attend all core Centre meetings, and commitment to attend other Centre and community meetings relevant to the position

Qualifications and Skills:
1. Must be OWSP eligible
2. Must identify with the Centre’s mandate
3. Must be committed to anti-oppressive ideology and practices
4. Experience organizing small and large events
5. An interest and experience in the arts
6. Experience coordinating or facilitating workshops
7. Leadership experience
8. Experience working independently
9. Ability to work collaboratively with other staff and volunteers
10. Knowledge of, and commitment to feminist principles
11. Knowledge of, and commitment to the Centre
12. Knowledge of the Trent and Peterborough communities
13. Strong interpersonal skills
14. Experience in budgeting and managing finances, knowledge of Microsoft Excel
15. Organizational and time management skills
16. Dependable and reliable

JOB POSTING: TRANS OUTREACH AND ACCESSIBILITY COORDINATOR

2009-04-16T18:14:00.000-04:00

Purpose: To work to strengthen connections between the Centre and trans communities at Trent and in Peterborough by planning and implementing educational campaigns, and running events and workshops addressing transgender issues. To facilitate advocacy and awareness of issues of accessibility in the Trent and Peterborough communities and within the Centre as a service and space, including the advancement of trans access and activism.

Role and Responsibilities:
1. Sit on Peterborough’s Trans Events Committee and contribute to its functioning
2. Continue to play an integral role in the Centre’s process of becoming a gender justice collective, advance the Centre’s accountability to trans communities
3. Network with TransMission, TQC, the Sadleir House Accessibility Committee, the Peterborough Coalition Against Poverty (PCAP), the Decolonization and Anti-Racism Coalition (DARC), the TCSA’s Gender Issues Commissioner and Equity Commissioners and other groups and individuals working around issues of accessibility
4. Organize for Trans Day of Remembrance to occur in November of 2009
5. Compile resources and implement workshops and events on issues of accessibility
6. Run campaigns on gender justice, trans issues, and issues of access; public awareness and education
7. Coordinate trans health projects at Trent and in the Ptbo community, including: surveys, trans needs assessments, maintaining a directory of trans positive service providers and businesses
8. Coordinate surveys and needs assessments of spaces and services to evaluate and advocate for accessibility
9. Organizing creative ways to overcome or explore issues of accessibility and barriers to access
10. Facilitating workshops with experienced individuals or groups: trans healthcare providers training and trans sensitivity (trans 101) workshops for student and community groups
11. Represent the Centre on the Sadleir House Accessibility Committee
12. Outreach to youth and high schools
13. Commitment to accessibility: making the Centre, its space, events, publications, and services as accessible as possible
14. Work collaboratively with the other Coordinators and Steering Collective; collective responsibility for the Centre’s operations and accountability
15. Commit at least 6 hours a week to working in the Centre office
16. Responsibility to attend all core Centre meetings, and commitment to attend other Centre and community meetings relevant to the position

Qualifications and Skills:
1. Must be trans-identified and/or someone who faces barriers to access, or a strong ally with demonstrated knowledge of accessibility and trans issues
2. Must identify with the Centre’s mandate
3. Must be committed to anti-oppressive ideology and practices
4. Knowledge of Trent and Peterborough community organizations
5. Experience organizing and running events
6. Leadership experience
7. Experience working independently
8. Ability to work collaboratively with other staff and volunteers
9. Knowledge of, and commitment to gender justice and issues of accessibility, including trans issues
10. Knowledge of, and commitment to the Centre
11. Strong interpersonal skills
12. Organizational and time management skills
13. Basic administrative skills, including bookkeeping, filing, and basic web and computer skills
14. Dependable and reliable