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Showing posts from 2017

My 2017 : Year In Review

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This was a roller coaster of a year for me. I had the opportunity to attend a vast variety of events and meet some great new people. We saw intense political change in the world  - including the election of an NDP government (first one since I've been a grownup). It was also a year of loss - I lost 2 good friends in the early part of the year and then my dad in August. The latter half of the year has been difficult and I'm grateful for all of the support I've received during this time. It's also important to reflect on the past year - good and bad. 2018 will be a year of transitions and I hope, even better things to come.  Here we go: January The year started off big when my and our CUPE 2950 executive board met with new UBC President Santa Ono on the first day back after the break.  I attended two public education events - one the celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the BC Teachers' Federation (BCTF). Teachers had a huge impact on me growing up and a

Angela Davis: Imagine a World of Freedom and Justice

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A couple of weeks ago,  my pal Sussanne asked me if I wanted to go see Angela Davis with her. Um, duh. Cut to last week where our Intersectional Feminist book club took over UVA and headed over to the Orpheum for the event. As we entered the theatre we kept running into so many friends - one after the other! It was awesome.  We took our seats in row 3 - row 3!!  Cecelia Point came out on stage drumming her paddle song. She gave the territorial acknowledgement and spoke of her matrilineal heritage. She ended her greeting with thanking all of the revolutionaries - especially the women! The Wild Women of Turtle Island then came out to perform the Women's Warrior Song, to which we all sang along.  Angela Marie MacDougall (Executive Director of Battered Women's Support Services - shout out to CUPE 1936) came out to emcee the event and highlighted the diversity of the room. The Downtown Eastside Women's Centre, Massey Books, Black Lives Matter Vancouver, Black in Vancouv

Herstory In Focus and Megaphone Breakfast: Resilience In Action

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Last week I had the fortune of attending two great community events that highlighted the resilience and community vibe of the Downtown East Side.  Herstory in Focus: Downtown Eastside Women's Centre (DEWC) The Downtown Eastside Women's Centre is an inclusive facility that is there to assist women and children on the DTES of Vancouver. Herstory in Focus was their second annual gala event where women from the DEWC starred in their own fashion show at the Vancouver Art Gallery.  We were treated to the Wildflower Women of Turtle Island drumming in with Women's Warrior Song. Cecilia Point, from Musqueam gave the territorial acknowledgment to open the event. There was also a live auction and greetings from City of Vancouver Mayor, Gregor Robertson.  Carol Martin, a well-known activist and worker at the DEWC emceed the fashion show. She brought a sense of fun and empowerment as she described each woman who walked down the runway. She said that the DEWC helps builds thes

Who Are the People in Your Library? How an iPhone, some paper signs and tenacity turned into a project!

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People often talk fondly of libraries and their memories of them but rarely do we talk about the people who work there. October is Canadian Library month and I wanted people to know. I wanted people to connect library workers to the services and the libraries themselves. My social media game is pretty good - I enjoy sharing parts of my life with my friends and family and it's been no secret that I harbour an affinity for libraries and literacy so why not do something for library month. As I spoke with a number of library workers and allies over the past month, I reflected on my own connection(s) to "the library" and how it's been an important part of my life since I was little. My Origin Story (abbreviated): My ever-growing reading pile.... I've always been a reader. I learned to read at 4 years old. My earliest memories include my mom reading to me as a young child. I remember loving to turn the pages to see what happened next. I was ahead of my classmat