resisting
an alternative orientation booklet
2018 / 2019 Social Justice Centre
LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT
This booklet was created‘ on the overlapping unceded, ancestral, and stolen
e e w w e lands of the xkmkkkkkymkmx m 0 - k y m (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and
Tsleil-Waututh Nations. These lands are sovereign and unsurrendered. The
creators of this booklet live, learn, and love on these lands known as “Vancouver,‘ e e w w e British Columbia.” Our university occupies the lands of the xkmx m ,mmkmym 0 - k y m. This booklet is authored by social justice-oriented and decolonizing groups at 1. Land acknowledgement 1 UBC and in our local community, and edited by the UBC Social Justice Centre. We recognize our complicity in the settler colonial project as a majority non- 2. UBC Campus Tour 2 Indigenous group of students. 3. Musqueam Nation Introduction 4 In this alternative orientation package, we aim to provide a map for the 4. UBC’s Colonial History 5 engagement of incoming and returning students and community members of UBC, especially since youth and students are commonly written off as apolitical 5. Situating Ourselves 6 and apathetic. Through this alternative orientation, we provide a platform for student movements and innovative groups to reach out to the UBC community. Trans Mountain pipeline struggle 6 Everyone has a place and role in working towards a more just world. Where do Housing Crisis 8 you see yourself fit? What needs to change for our space to fit you? UBC is a vibrant community of organizers and activists, and what follows is Upcoming Elections 10 our attempt to showcase some of this. It is important to note that many projects SASC Closure 13 and groups exist beyond what is presented in this booklet ––there is so much to discover, it would be futile to claim exhaustiveness here. Mining Justice 14 As members of university community who experience a broad diversity of Education is a Right 15 intersecting oppressions, it is important that our movements recognize the importance of building alliances and solidarities. This booklet is an embodiment 6. Radical Clubs on Campus 16 of these movement-to-movement bridges. We need to work together where we Resource Groups 16 can. The university and the university community is complicit in many of the Support 20 systems of oppressions and violences they create, which we are trying to bring to light and fight to dismantle through our collective organizing. In particular, Indigeneity 22 Indigenous peoples are disproportionately and most often on the frontlines of Art 25 these violences and resistances. We must reflect upon how our presence works to preserve a settler colonial status quo, and we must listen to our Indigenous Environmental Justice 28 comrades for ways we can act and organize as allies, for ways we can center Indigenous voices in the movement to decolonize the university, and for way Social Justice 30 we can be allies to Indigenous resurgence. We want to recognize that youth Vancouver Organizations 32 and student movements have not always been inclusive, and often continue to exclude most marginalized communities, especially Indigenous folks, people 7. Upcoming Events 33 of colour, women, queer, trans and non-binary folks, folks with disabilities, others, and particularly where these identities overlap and intersect. We must continuously act to resist and reverse this trend. 1 UBC CAMPUS TOUR MUSQUEAM
NATION
INTRODUCTION‘
e
e
w w e
x m 0 - k y m (Musqueam)‘ speaking people. We have always moved
e e w w e throughout our traditional territory using The x m 0 - k y m (Musqueam) the resources it provides for fishing, people have been here as long as there hunting, trapping and gathering. Today, has been land to live upon. We have lived we are a strong, growing community of in the area of our present location for over 1,300 members. We live on a small thousands of years, and our traditional
portion of our traditional territory, known territory occupies what is now Vancouver
‘ ‘ as the Musqueam Indian Reserve, located
and surrounding areas. Some of our w e south of Marine Drive near the mouth of s yem (ancient histories) describe Ongoing histories of colonialism, Globally, UBC’s is part of a X the Fraser River. Despite the devastating the landscape as it was over eight neoliberalism, and imperial capitalism hegemonic system that contributes impacts of residential schools, colonial thousand years ago. have influenced the role of institutions to widespread violence against
laws banning our ceremonies, and other like universities. Universities are an marginalized communities. For
The name Musqueam relates ‘ back to e e e attempts to assimilate our people, we w example of an institution that has example, as we will delve into later,
the flowering plant, m 0 - k y , which have remained strong and distinct. Our been shaped by these socio-political the resource extraction industry ‘
grows in the Fraser‘ River estuary. There w e lands and waters continue to support our systems, but have also historically has a palpable presence on the UBC is a sX yem that has been passed cultural and economic practices while contributed to their dominance. campus --especially since the creation
on from generation to generation that serving as a source of knowledge and
‘ of CIRDI (Canadian International
explains how we became known as In being part of a university e e
w e memory, encoded with our teachings and Resource and Development Institute, ‘ w
the x m 0 - k y m – People of the community, we invite you to reflect e e
e laws. formerly Canadian International
w on how this space and the knowledge ‘ ‘ ‘
m 0 - k y plant. ‘ Institute for Extractive Industries and e e e production that occurs within it We are traditional H nq min m manufacture hegemony and uphold Development). This is an industry that systems of oppression – UBC is fundamentally exists to perpetuate complicit in perpetuating imperial dispossession of Indigenous nations Taken with permission from the Musqueam website. Learn more at and destroy their sacred land and https://www.musqueam.bc.ca and colonial violence, both locally and globally. water. Locally, these systems dispossess As members of the UBC community Indigenous nations, specifically the we are also complicit in the violences Musqueam peoples, for example that the University upholds (to varying through UBC’s 1922 ‘Great Trek’ that degrees). We invite you to reflect on demanded Musqueam land for the UBC your positionality and your experiences campus. They also act to determine on this campus, and we call you in to which bodies and which ideas are join the myriad spaces of resistance present, visible, and welcomed in and and decolonization, both on and off this amongst university spaces. campus.
4 5 Despite the continued opposition Finally, the pipeline expansion from Indigenous nations, and the project is fundamentally unsafe, as latest court decision, the federal the Burnaby fire department has government still plans to use tax stated that they cannot put out a fire dollars to complete the pipeline. at the Trans Mountain tank farm if it is Trans Mountain Pipeline Struggle Thus, Trudeau has shown a blatant expanded. This tank farm is in close The Kinder Morgan Trans However, on August 30th, the disregard for Indigenous rights vicinity to Forest Grove Elementary Mountain Pipeline Expansion project Federal Court of Appeal delivered a and sovereignty, and reconciliation School and SFU, both of which would is a proposed project that would twin huge blow to the pipeline project by with Indigenous nations, choosing have no protection should a fire start. the existing 65 year old Kinder Morgan ruling in favour of First Nations and instead to perpetuate Canada’s Despite the court win, the pipeline, which runs from Edmonton quashing the federal government’s neocolonial extractivist paradigm. struggle continues, with resistance (Treaty 6 Lands) to Vancouver (Coast approval of the pipeline expansion. The project also demonstrates against the pipeline is taking place Salish territories). The project would The courts said that the government the Trudeau government’s lack of on multiple fronts, led consistently triple the pipeline’s capacity to deliver failed to adequately consult with commitment to achieving Canada’s by Indigenous nations, elders and bitumen to Vancouver, and result in a Indigenous nations, thus violating (inadequate) climate change targets, leaders: Tiny House Warriors are seven-fold increase in tanker traffic. Canadian law, as well as international since it relies on the expansion of building houses in the way of the The project has been met with law (United Nations Declaration of the tar sands (and the human rights pipeline in Secwepemc territories intense opposition from Indigenous the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, violations that accompany it), and (interior B.C.), and Protect the Inlet nations, as well as municipalities, UNDRIP, and International Labour thus further entrenches our reliance and the Kwekwecnewtxw Watch which resulted in Kinder Morgan Organization, ILO, Convention 169) by on fossil fuels. This summer, Eastern House are leading the way on Tsleil- suspending construction and not getting free, prior, and informed Canada experienced record- Waututh territories (so-called threatening to stop the project. In consent (FPIC) from all Indigenous breaking heat waves, and over 600 Burnaby). On Burnaby Mountain, response, on May 29th, the Prime nations that would be impacted – wildfires burned B.C., threatening there have been around 300 arrests, Minister Trudeau’s federal liberal the majority of which did not give communities and creating with folks who are getting arrested government offered to purchase the their consent to the Trans Mountain dangerous air quality conditions now facing a minimum of 14 days existing 65-year-old infrastructure for pipeline. In addition, the court ruled throughout much of the province. in prison. A nation-wide student $4.5 billion dollars – more than 3 times that the government’s initial approval These wildfires and intense heat resistance is also being launched what it would cost to provide clean of the project ignored the effects serve as warning signs of what is to this fall. drinking water to all First Nations of increased tanker traffic, so the come if we do not take meaningful Join the movement! Stand in reserves in Canada. The entire federal government must now redo action for climate justice. solidarity with Indigenous nations! construction process of the expansion the federal approval process and In addition, the project is Resist Canada’s neocolonial project is estimated to cost upwards of environmental evaluation before dangerous to the sacred land extractivism! Decolonize! No $15 billion dollars of taxpayer money. it can proceed with construction. around us - a bitumen spill would pipelines on stolen Native lands! be catastrophic to the ecosystems, Water is Life! and the increased tanker traffic further endangers populations that are already threatened such as the Southern Resident orcas and salmon. Get involved: + Protect the Inlet has organized + Many student groups on the Kwekwecnewtxw Watch campus are involved in anti- House, which is grounded in pipeline resistance + including: spirituality and Tsleil-Waututh Vegans Of UBC, Common Energy protocol. Find out about direct UBC, UBCC350, Indigenous action and support work at Leadership Collective, Students protecttheinlet.c for the Salish Sea, and the UBC 6 Social Justice Centre 7 It is worth noting that there is no at-risk populace that is being pushed physical housing shortage in the city; further to the margins of society as there are roughly 25,000 vacant their community, both geographically homes and condominiums owned. and socially, becomes increasingly The issue is that wealthy homeowners fragmented and exclusionary. housing crisis can afford to leave their properties Vancouver’s lack of housing unoccupied as mere property Vancouver’s housing market is in a This means a longer commute affordability is a key issues in this investment and speculation, thus October’s municipal election, with state of crisis and the city ranks among (the average being 40 minutes) limiting the supply of homes. While the least affordable cities in the world. and consequently less time for mayoral and city council candidates this is only one of several contributing across the board responding to the Housing prices are skyrocketing, rent socializing, studying, and other factors to unaffordability, it is a is the highest in Canada, with one of activities. The situation is not much housing crisis. Left-wing parties such clear example of how ill-conceived as the Vancouver Greens, OneCity the lowest vacancy rates (0.5%), and better for students living on campus government policies benefit investors the homeless population has grown in private accommodations, since and COPE are proposing more and upper-income consumers at populist policies and greater wealth 30% since 2014 and is still climbing. university residencies are exempt the expense of average citizens who Over 50% of Vancouver’s population from the BC Residential Tenancy redistribution by introducing higher cannot afford such high price points. property taxes or a “mansion tax.” is living in rental housing and of these, Act, leaving campus student renters Current renters also face the threat 30% are living in inadequate housing, unprotected by provincial policies On the other hand, right-wing parties of forced eviction under the guise such as VisionVancouver and NPA are whether it’s due to the condition, that limit rent increases to 4% per of renovations or improvements, size, location or cost of the unit. year. Often referred to as ‘University advocating for pro-market policies commonly known at “renovictions” to increase supply and reduce taxes. The impact of the housing crisis of Building Construction’ for its since landlords are able to hike on UBC students are significant. For constant development, UBC has up rates between tenancies. failed to provide the basic necessity example, due to the high-price of Point The issue of affordable housing Grey and other neighborhoods near of affordable housing to its students. UBC should be responsible for housing goes hand in hand with displacement campus, many students must forego and gentrification. Gentrification is the proximity in favor of cheaper rent. their students at an affordable rate, but like most development corporations, social and economic transformation of UBC is looking to maximize profits low income neighborhoods to attract through luxury market housing and and appeal to the middle and upper- commercial growth. The university classes. This process results in higher kj added only 750 new student housing property values, taxes and rent that the units this past year - not nearly enough lower-income residents cannot afford, Get involved: to lodge the 6,000+ students that resulting in displacement that drives them out of their own neighborhoods. + The Vancouver Tenants still remain on the campus Union and the Single Room housing waitlist. Gentrification disproportionately affects people in more desperate Occupancy Collective circumstances, such as seniors, are reshaping the city in those with addictions or disabilities, organizing for renters rights, sex workers, the homeless, and the housing affordability and First Nations communities whose livability rights and titles to their unceded +Check out Carnegie traditional territories are too often Community Action Project ignored. The effects of gentrification and Our Homes Can’t Wait ’s in Vancouver is perhaps most clearly newest campaign: 58 days visible in the neighborhood of the for 58 W Hastings
Do you live in UBC or on University Municipal Elections Endowment Lands? In October, all municipalities in the Greater Vancouver Area are holding municipal elections. Election day is Saturday October You can’t vote for any of the races except for school 20th 2018, and advanced voting will take place October 10-17. board. You also can’t vote on advanced voting days. This election will select: 1 mayor, 10 city councillors, 7 parks board Instead, go to either the AMS Nest or University Hill commissioners, and 9 school board trustees. While local elections Secondary on election day. may seem insignificant compared to provincial or federal elections, Why can’t you vote in any of the other races? University they can dramatically shape the city that we live in by addressing lands don’t technically count as Vancouver, even though problems we are dealing with, such as housing rights, affordability the same problems that face Vancouver will afflict students and sustainability. just as much as other city residents. Confused? Outraged? Vancouver’s local parties include: the Coalition of Progressive Join the SJC’s campaign to bring democratization to Electors (COPE), OneCity, Vancouver Greens, Vision Vancouver, campus. the Non-Partisan Association, Yes Vancouver, Coalition Vancouver, ProVancouver, as well as independent candidates. get involved Social Justice Centre has two ongoing campaigns, a non- partisan general get-out-the vote campaign, as well as a partisan campaign to support COPE (check out their platform at www.votecope2018.ca, with highlights that include a 4 year rent freeze, mansion tax, free transit, minimum wage of $20.62, and reconciliation with substance). 10 11 Proportional Representation Referendum SASC closure: WE SAVED THE B.C. and Canada’s current voting Both the BC NDP and the federal system is called First Past The Post Liberals (current parties forming SASC IN JUNE -- LETS KEEP IT SAFE (FPTP), where you vote for you government) campaigned to increase candidate in your riding, and the democratization and end FPTP, FOR THE FUTURE one with the most votes is elected. but only the BC NDP have followed However, there are some significant through, and they are doing so Earlier this summer, on June 22nd, the AMS announced it drawbacks to this voting system, as with a referendum on proportional would cut support services provided by the Sexual Assault it leaves many ‘wasted votes’, and representation. The referendum will Support Centre. This decision was then reversed five days later allows parties that have the minority of occur by POSTAL BALLOT between after a backlash from the student community that included 2184 votes to have a majority government. October 22 and November 30. signatures on an online petition. During that time survivors and their allies took to social media to share their thoughts on the The referendum will ask two questions: closure. Students and survivors expressed unfamiliarity in the UBC Do you want to switch to proportional representation? service SVPRO (Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Office) that was intended to take on the role of support services Rank three proportional representation systems: from the SASC. Students expressed concern about whether SVPRO would have their best interests at heart, particularly in light of its close affiliation with the university. Rural-Urban Mixed Member Dual Member Proportional: Rural Following this outcry, the AMS has apologized and repealed Proportional: Proportional: Voting ridings use Mixed Voters get two votes: their decision. However, an apology is not enough. The five-day stays the same for rural Member Proportional one for their rding (like closure left emotional damage, and feelings of mistrust and regions, but other ridings (see above), and urban/ FPTP), and one for a betrayal among UBC community. double in size and elect semi-urban ridings use regional candidate. The 2 representatives. One the single transferable Is the SASC a part of your safe university environment? The regional MLAs represent elected representative voting system to elect several ridings together, SASC is still vulnerable to arbitrary, non-transparent closure wins if they have the a team of MLAs in a and are elected based on your student government. Support the SASC’s independence most votes in that region multi-member district. the proportion of votes a (similar to FPTP), and the Voters rank candidates from the AMS, to prevent any future closure. second is chosen so that party receives. on their ballot, and votes Survivor and student resistance is what saved the SASC this the number of seats a for losing candidates or summer. Check out the Resource Group’s open letter to the party has is proportional surplus votes for winning AMS on the Talon, and the promises the AMS has made since. to the votes the party got. candidates can be transferred to the next This cannot happen again. ranked candidate on the ballot. Get involved The UBC Sustainability Collective, UBCC350 and the UBC NDP are considering doing a get-out-the vote campaign in 12 support of Proportional Representation. 13 Mining justice
14 15 Resource Social Groups Justice
The resource groups are a part of your student Centre union (the AMS) yet we function autonomously from the elected government, as a check to their decisions (see what they tried to do to the SASC The Social Justice Centre is a resource group this past June) and to to empower and organize for that works toward progressive social change, students who face marginalization and oppression. inclusivity, and equity through a survivor- We try to be critical of the university, our community, centric, harm reduction, radical, feminist, the AMS in working towards a more socially just decolonial, anti-oppression framework. We learning environment locally, regionally and globally. operate through horizontal structures and The resource groups are a community that includes: consensus-based decision-making to engage students in and provide tools for activism, and + Women’s Centre promote discussions of social justice issues. + Pride Collective We invite you to join our radical imaginings + Neurodiverse Pathfinders and work with us to enact alternative futures based on resistance, relationships, reciprocity, + Student Environment Centre community, trust, love, allyship, and solidarity. + Colour Connected Against Racism + Social Justice Centre We meet weekly in the resource lounge to We are often working together as a collective, discuss our projects and organizing on and building connections and allyships across off campus. We welcome you to drop in to our diverse initiatives. Come find us at in our chat, learn, exchange, contribute and get offic es, or in the resource lounge, at the 2nd involved. Check us out on Facebook (UBC floor of the nest, in the northwest corner of the Social Justice Centre) or shoot us an email building (Room 2102). We also host the Free Store ([email protected]) and the Free Library. The door is always open.
16 17 The Women’s Centre The Pride Collective The Women’s Centre exists The Pride Collective is a to support anybody of the UBC non-hierarchical organization, community and beyond who we invite all members of share intersecting histories of the LGBTQIA2S+ (and their sexual and colonial violence, respectful ally friends) to classism, ableism, racism, hang out in the Pride Lounge homophobia, transphobia (and whenever the nest is open. so on). Specifically, we exist to One need not be a UBC support anybody that has faced student to be a member of gender-based oppression and the Pride Collective. We work has experienced, will experience, hard to keep our lounge a safe or is experiencing womanhood. Its Coordinators recognize hangout/study space for all that patriarchy is only one (important) aspect of an interlocking members of the LGBTQIA2S+ system of power and oppression, that safe spaces are not community. Specifically, we aim to make our space safe for guaranteed, and that continual efforts to maintain openness, Two Spirit, BIPOC, ace, intersex, and trans members of the respect, and honesty are crucial for anti-oppressive organizing LGBTQIA2S+ community. We are committed to a decolonial, and ways of relating to one another. The Centre strives to anti-oppressive, intersectional feminist, and collective provide a space for community-building, discussion, sharing, philosophy. Our goal is to centre these values in all of the and resistance. We offer couches, brochures (with information outreach work that we do. about resources), event posters, menstrual products, safer We run weekly discussion groups where we socialise sex products, pregnancy tests, a library of feminist literature, with friends, offer solidarity and support, share resources, microwave, food, and kettle. We also offer consciousness and sometimes offer snacks. The discussion groups that raising sessions, as well as various community events. we run include Trans and Gender Identities (TaGI), Ace Space, People Lover’s Weekly (PLoW), and many others. An updated list of our discussion groups can be found on our website: http://www.prideubc.com, or on our facebook page Neurodiverse Pathfinders @prideubc. If you identify as queer but don’t feel like one of Neurodiverse Pathfinders is a our discussion groups fits, feel free to pitch one to us -- as Resource Group focusing on building a long as a discussion group upholds our values and you’re safe space for neurodiverse students, willing to facilitate it, we’re always open to one more. If you’re in the form of both our physical office new to Pride, and not sure where to start, our weekly social space (open to members) and more dinner “On the QT” is the place for you! metaphorically by fostering a community In order to keep all members of our community safe, we do of people that support each other, firmly ask that anything shared within our discussion groups encourage personal growth, and aid in remain within the discussion groups. This includes sharing navigating the issues faced by disabled who attended, names and pronouns used during these students at UBC and in the world at large. meetings, etc.. Additionally, we ask that these meetings only On the latter front, we seek to advocate for be attended by those who identify with, or are questioning, neurodiverse and disabled students with the identities discussed during the meetings. Discussion the support of the other Resource Groups groups are the only time when the door to the Pride Lounge and the AMS. will be closed. You can find us in our office in the Resource Lounge, and at our website 18 http://ndpathfinders.weebly.com. 19 SASC Established in 2002, the Sexual Assault Support Centre (SASC) is committed to the education, support and empowerment of anyone affected by sexualized violence. As an intersectional and anti-violence organization, no one is turned away regardless of their gender identity, the type of violence experienced or their legal status. We provide crisis/short term emotional support, legal, medical, and campus-related advocacy and accompaniment, support in accessing accommodations and concessions. The SASC offers various resources including: Free education and outreach Volunteer programs Safer sex and menstrual products Community lending library Healthier Masculinities program Including a men’s circle, volunteer program and events. The work we do at the SASC is inextricably linked and indebted to the ongoing struggle against violence in all its forms - against patriarchy, colonialism and supremacy. The SASC believes and acknowledges that sexualized violence cannot be removed from these systemsof oppression. This belief informs all that we do. The SASC is located on the unceded, ancestral and traditional lands of the Musqueam Nation. We are on the 3rd floor of the AMS Student Nest, and our hours are 8 am-10 pm. 20 21 Indigenous First Nations Studies Leadership Students Association Collective (FNSSA) The Indigenous Leadership Collective is a group of ambitious Arts student who self-identify as Indigenous. The ILC was created because
FNSSA is a student-run club on the unceded, ancestral Indigenous Arts students felt like there was a lack of or it was difficult to
and occupied‘ territories of the speaking e e e find an Indigenous community within the faculty. The group is dedicated w w xʷmx məθ 0 -kʷ kə y ̓əy m m (Musqueam) peoples, the People of the River to foster all types of leadership skills, as every individual expresses these Grass for First Nations and Indigenous Studies students, and for skills in their own way. In the past, the Indigenous Leadership Collective anyone interested or passionate about Indigenous issues and facilitated or participated in culturally relevant activities that nourish decolonization. Our goal is to provide an accessible, inclusive, Indigenous thought, practices and spiritually. In addition, the ILC has and safe space for all students to come together to learn, discuss, socialize and organize decolonial events. Unlike other academic become a community for Indigenous Arts students to mobilize against clubs on campus, FNSSA has an open-door policy, we don’t require the invasive and harmful colonial projects that the Trudeau government an application or resume to get involved. If you want to be a part has been perpetuating or attempting to forcefully assemble on our lands. of FNSSA, in whatever capacity, with whatever time commitment For instance, members are able to collectively come together to attend (or lack-there-of), we will find or create a spot for you. If you are protests against the pipeline as well as participate in the Women’s March. interested in getting involved, send us an email at fnssa.ubc@gmail. As Indigenous students, it often difficult to focus on studying while our com. communities are fighting against gendered colonialism and capitalism and the ILC provides support for all of us to work through our emotions together and continue to engage with dialogue that is so important for the deconstruction of these projects and mindsets, while also keeping The Journal of First up academically. The group is also focussed on academic achievements and we often study together. Outside of UBC course work, we have also People’s Writing created an LSAT study group for the September and November LSAT test. The ILC is a group that actively bridges other communities programs (JFPW) that are available to students or the Vancouver community and just ensures that students have peer support when they attend. For example, x na lm x s χi:ls, the Journal of First People’s Writing we attend volunteer and workshop sessions hosted by UBC Medicine (JFPW) is an open access, student-run, and peer-reviewed Garden or attend Longhouse lunches together, create podcasts with undergraduate journal created by students at the University CiTR, go to movie night ect. Throughout the summer session, a lot of of British Columbia. JFPW publishes academic and creative programming has revolved around attending events together within
submissions by students from across Turtle Island, and is the Vancouver area such as a medicine making workshop, celebrating
edited on the unceded, ancestral and occupied‘ territories of aboriginal day at Trout and having picnics.
e e w w e the speaking xʷmx m əθ 0 - kʷ k ə y y̓ə mm (Musqueam) This year, the group has plans to continue being involved with activism peoples, the People of the River Grass. If you would like to on and off UBC campus. We are also carving out space for academia and make a submission for our 2019 edition, or you are interested in making weekly study sessions. We hope to remain social and continue getting involved as an editor please email firstpeopleswriting@ to attend fun events together! We are also organizing philanthropic gmail.com, or visit www.firstpeopleswriting.com opportunities for the members to participate in. 22 23 Vilma Almendra Indigenous Hatch Art Gallery Exchange Project The Hatch Art Gallery is UBC’s only student run exhibition With the increasing rise of threats and even space. The Hatch Art Gallery aims to stimulate the exchange assassinations against land defenders, social justice of art and ideas between artists, students, and the broader advocates, and Indigenous leaders in different parts of campus. More specifically, The Hatch curatorial strategy is the world, we are left with the question of what actions we one that includes, and prioritizes works and exhibitions that can take to show support and solidarity for the people and are critical and thought provoking. The upcoming exhibition movements that defend their territories and their undeniable schedule for 2018-2019 features shows that explore issues such right to a healthy environment, political representation, and as the struggle for rights and survival in occupied recognition of basic human rights. The Vilma Almendra Palestine, the representation of bodies from a diverse range of Indigenous Exchange project seeks to weave networks of artists and topics, the hybrid identity of millenial immigrants, the support and solidarity through mutual learnings between role of visual art in addressing climate change, and showcases Indigenous leaders from different origins facing similar of queer art forms and spaces. Art has been intimately tied to challenges battling colonial, neoliberal, and extractivist power and is today readily commodified in capitalist and colonial agendas in their own territories. societies. The dissemination of alternative, anti-oppressive art Vilma Almendra is an Indigenous Nasa leader and and ideas can provide opportunities for challenges of hegemonic activist from Colombia who has been invited to Coast Salish power structures and belief systems. territory (Vancouver) to meet with ‘The Butterflies in Spirit’- The Hatch Gallery is located on the unceded, ancestral and -a theatre collective of Indigenous women related to missing traditional lands of the Musqueam Nation. We are on the 2nd and murdered Aboriginal women and girls in Canada. floor of the AMS Student Nest. Our opening hours are from Vilma’s visit is intended to open up a conversation about September to May, Monday to Friday, 12pm to 5pm. transnational solidarity in the social, cultural, and territorial contexts of Indigenous peoples across the Americas. Vilma will stay in Vancouver from October 21--28 and will be giving a series of talks and discussions about Indigenous processes of resistance in Colombia and Latin America. Visit the Social Justice Centre facebook page for more information and details. Ignite Ignite Journal is an academic platform for undergraduate students interested in engaging with interdisciplinary critical scholarship, and students from all academic backgrounds are encouraged to apply. We acknowledge that theory is, and has always been, an integral aspect of anti-oppression work. In this edition of Ignite, we aim to break the perceived activism-academia binary by recognizing critical scholarship as a form of consciousness raising - and the ways in which that in itself is a form of activism. Additionally, we will be accepting applications for the Editorial Board until September 30th and encourage students of all backgrounds to apply. We are excited to be a part of the 2018 reignition! 24 25 The Talon is operated by a horizontally-structured and consensus- driven editorial collective of current students who produce and
publish content on the occupied, unceded, traditional, and ancestral
territories of the Coast Salish peoples, specifically the Skwxwú7mesh‘
e e w w e (Squamish), sel’íl’witulh (Tsleil-Waututh), and x m 0 - k y m (Musqueam) nations. The Talon was established in the summer of 2014 to fill the void of critical, independent student media within the University of British Columbia context. Though the various members of the editorial collective have different interests and experiences, we are all dedicated to anti-oppression organizing and passionate about social change and justice. We also firmly believe that there is no such thing as true ‘journalistic objectivity’ – any publications claiming to lack an ideology are tacitly endorsing the status quo. Through The Talon, we aim to stimulate discussion centered on social justice and offer an accessible, critical perspective on local and global issues affecting UBC students and the greater community. As we strive to be an anti-oppressive and responsive organization, we welcome any feedback you may have, including call-outs, concerns, critiques, questions and suggestions. For general enquiries, if you are interested in joining our editorial collective or volunteering, we can be reached by e-mail at [email protected]. If you would like to learn more about participation opportunities and submission guidelines, please visit the submission page on our website, thetalon.ca/ submissions/. While we try to reply to e-mails as quickly as possible, we are all busy students and we do receive a high volume of enquiries about The Talon. Thanks in advance for your patience!
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Follow us on Twitter: @CiTRradio Like us on Facebook: CiTR Radio 101.9FM 26 27 Students for Mining Justice & Protecting the Land Conference UBCC350
We are a group of law school Activism, taking place at the UBCC350 is a political climate action group that graduate and undergraduate law school. We have invited and aims to use the power of collective action to promote students working to bring are receiving three Indigenous climate justice. Through our campaigns, we advocate awareness around mining women land defenders –– injustices to UBC campus, Ysidora Acuña, Angélica Choc for government action on climate policy, political and building a movement and Kanahus Manuel–– and engagement, institutional climate leadership, among youth, students and the many other speakers to offer environmental justice, and Indigenous sovereignty. university community around critical insights onto the issues of We are committed to climate action on and off campus, ending extractivism, resource mining injustice and protecting and aspire to question the patriarchal, capitalist, and imperialism and corporate land. Our website: https://www. colonial system that perpetuates climate inaction and unaccountability. We aim to protectingtheland.ca/ highlight the role of our local, ensures that some communities disproportionately Please join us in attending this feel both the negative impacts of resource extraction and national governments in free conference. If you would industries, and those of climate change. allowing mining injustices or like to contribute your thoughts, occur, and we act in support and art, reflections, performance on Our campaigns for the upcoming year including solidarity with land defenders mining injustice and defending opposing the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion and water protectors worldwide. land please contact us at rsvp@ (through letter writing, rallies and fundraisers for As Indigenous peoples, protectingtheland.org. especially Indigenous women legal challenges), continuing to advocate for UBC to 2SQ and trans folks, are often on divest from fossil fuels and creating dialogue around the frontlines of these resistance the need for a swift and just transition to renewable movements against violence and energy in Canada. For more information, contact human rights abuses, we work to center the voices of these [email protected] or check out our website communities and individuals. ubcc350.org. This October 25th and 26th, we are organizing Protecting the Land: A Conference on Students for the Salish Sea Mining Justice and Legal Kanahus Manuel Kanahus Ysidora Acuña Ysidora
28 Angélica Choc 29 GRSJUA Solidarity for The Gender, Race, Sexuality & Social Justice Undergrad Association is a space for GRSJ students Palestinian and folks interested in social justice to plan events on campus, such as “Chatting over Chocolates,” and Human Rights “What to do with your GRSJ Major/minor.” In April, we hold one of the largest student-led conferences at UBC called the F-Word, an intersectional feminist Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR) and anti-oppression conference that includes UBC had a strong presence on our campus for workshops from various grassroots organizations more than a decade. We are a social student-run in the Vancouver area, student panels, and artwork. organization and advocacy group, with our mandate Visit our Facebook page for more information and being to uphold the rights and freedoms of the meeting times @ GRSJ Undergrads. Palestinian people within and beyond Palestine in the face of human rights violations, and all forms of racism, discrimination, misinformation and misrepresentation – wrongs that we hope to right in whatever way we can through information workshops, cultural nights, and other social justice oriented actions in UBC and the Greater Vancouver community. We strive for justice Progressive for all indigenous peoples’ rights to their lands and freedoms, from across the globe, with our specific Jewish Alliance focus of course being on Palestinians and Palestinian diaspora. We are a student-led organization committed to creating an We pride ourselves on our inclusivity and never- alternative Jewish space at the University of British Columbia. wavering mandate to always stand for human rights Independent from Jewish institutions, we engage in open discourse around subjects such as Israel-Palestine, Jewish over everything else – to not be swayed by societal religion, ritual expression, inclusivity, and intersectionality. We or corporate pressures who are not concerned with advocate for an end to the Israeli occupation of the West Bank prioritizing human rights. and Gaza and recognize that not all criticism of Israel is anti- Please visit our Facebook page for our events, and semitic. We derive meaning from historic and contemporary give us a message if you are interested in joining as an Jewish learning and embrace the plurality of Jewish experience executive member or volunteer. We are always hiring, and identity to move with our allies towards a more equitable and look forward to strengthening our ties with the future for all. UBC community. If you are interested in becoming a member, or want more information on political, ritual, and social events, please email [email protected] us at [email protected]
30 31 Vancouver Tenants Union The Vancouver Tenants Union and communities experiencing (VTU) is committed to building the housing crisis and support a transformative movement for the founding of other tenants for housing justice and housing unions and resistance groups; and rights for all people: people who solidarity across movements as we do not own property, people who work for a more just society. rent, people who do not have Join the Vancouver Tenants stable housing, people who are Union and help us build this homeless. Our core values define movement together. We are only us and all the actions we take, the as strong as our members are, and policy change we pursue, and the we need all hands on deck to move revolution we create together. Our us towards our goals. Our goals values as an organization include are to: oppose gentrification and the following: housing as a human resist the developer tide flooding right; the rejection of corporate our city; change policy at all levels ownership and the support of of government to benefit tenants; initiatives like cooperative housing, create a force of tenants across all land trusts and other alternatives barriers and identities; empower to private ownership; opposition tenants to organize and fight to displacement in the forms of injustices to protect themselves gentrification, renovictions, rent from the threats, intimidation, increases, illegal evictions, and and bribes that lead to the loss of the tearing down of tent cities; their homes; connect and share the commitment to examining resources and strategies with other our values, tactics and strategies organizations and groups who to align with real and deep share common values and goals; decolonizing work; support for and work to shift consciousness raising the welfare, pension and and public opinion on the challenges disability rates to a level where of living in this city as a tenant. people can afford to live in their community, a higher minimum Find us at: https://www. wage, and the campaign for a living vancouvertenantsunion.ca/ wage; solidarity with tenants in other municipalities, provinces SRO-C Thank you UBC Social Justice Centre for helping us to grow the Downtown Eastside SRO Collaborative in the last 2 years. Your support helped us to do 3 really big things: 1) force City Hall to shut down and start expropriation of the 2 worst hotels in our neighbourhood 2) start up the Vancouver Tenants Union and 3) give tenants in our community a voice. UBC students, a first step for you: join the tenants union! Solidarity :) http://dtescollaborative.org 32 33