Annual Action Report 2016-2017 Reflection & Action: OPIRG Guelph in the late 2010’s This year has been one of imple- to challenge the boundaries what a menting changes and moving to research symposium can be. improve how OPIRG engages in We’ve been able to expand our capacity Our Mission: projects throughout the communi- for outreach and further our efforts in ty and campus. We sought to do To bring about building relationships in the community all this to further our central and on campus, while maintaining old greater mission surrounding social and ones. While RadiOPIRG continues to environmental and environmental justice. blast current issues over the air waves, social justice A lot of this year has been focused we’ve started new and vibrant projects through research, on developing strategies and like RADICAL REELS and the People’s education and actions from conversations in History Project to further our objectives activism. previous years in the community. on education and research. For the 2016/17 year we set out to But in the wider world and here in continue our work to build deeper Guelph, it has been a challenging year. relationships and focus more of As the far right continues to grow on our energy and finances on the campus and community spaces across anti-racism, indigenous Where to find us: Turtle Island, OPIRG looks to develop solidarity and native sovereignty, new campaigns and resources to support 24 Trent Lane, and anti–poverty work that is directly affected communities. From happening throughout Guelph. University of Guelph overt and direct violence to the society This work has continued to grow which actively permits said violence Guelph ON and change over the past year, through more subtle forms of oppres- N1G 2W1* with bumps along the way, but we sion, our communities will resist. At have made strides to do better and OPIRG, we strive to serve communities 519-824-2091 build these processes into our here in Guelph and beyond in that opirgguelph.org bedrock. resistance. [email protected] With some transitions closing out As with previous years, OPIRG continued the previous year, we’ve continued build its internal processes, so as to forward with new and continued serve you better. Some of this work will successes. A successful year of the be present at our AGM, as we clarify and Speed River Project has been met fix older models and structures within with increased grant funding while OPIRG. We want to thank our amazing the Two Rivers Clean-up has Directors for all the work and passion continued to be a linchpin in our they consistently give to help OPIRG relationship with the community. grow! Without them, we’d not be the OPIRG Symposium has grown organization we are today. further and expanded its focuses 1 Who’s Behind the Scenes? BOARD OF DIRECTORS STAFF Adjowa Karikari Kiran Bhattarai All permanent and term staff Office & Speed River Project Aidan Lockhart are unionized with CUPE 1281. Coordinator This means along with other Baljit Mall staff and other OPIRG chapters, Brad Evoy - Organizational & we have a collective agreement David James Hudson Policy Development Coordinator that outlines the work Dawn Dietrich Mandy Hiscocks conditions and relationship with that staff have with the Lema Najibi Volunteer Programming & Board of Directors. Community Engagement Liz Homer Coordinator Malissa Bryan Melody Mikhail, Symposium Paul Stephany Coordinator Rachel Taylor Workstudy Students: Celeste Lopreiato, Emma Legere, Sarah Rotz Jessica Armah, Lauren Thompson Did you know that the OPIRG Board and Staff use Consensus for all Decision Making? Consensus is an inclusive and participatory model of decision making that the all groups at OPIRG use. It is a creative and dynamic way of reaching agreement between all members of a group. Read more here: http://www.seedsforchange.org.uk/ Activist Training—Workshops OPIRG workshops are fun, and free! Do you have an idea for a workshop you’d like us to offer, or one you’d like to facilitate? Get in touch with us! We have some funding to make it happen! Throughout the year, OPIRG and ensure that access to our Consensus decision- Guelph hosted numerous anti- resources were furthered in the making and Anti- oppression trainings with Malissa community. oppression are both Bryan—both for OPIRG but also mandatory workshops OPIRG Guelph has also supported due to an influx of requests from for active OPIRG mem- numerous workshops related to external organizations and CSA bers. If you are Guelph’s indigenous community. services for anti-oppression currently involved in Notably, this included a workshop training. These ranged in specif- on rattle-making and on building OPIRG, or would like to ic focus, but were all notably community available smudging kits. get involved, and have successful in their attendance not had these trainings and implementation. If you would like to offer or see a yet please get in touch type of workshop offered in the This year, the OPIRG Board with the Volunteer coming year, drop us a line determined to open up its own Coordinator. trainings to wider community members and supporters going forward, in an attempt to further the benefit of these workshops 2 Radical Resource and Zine Library The OPIRG Guelph resource library is dedicated to providing alternative and independent publications to our action groups, volunteers, community members, and University of Guelph students. We aim to carry books, zines, and periodicals that are not available in most libraries, particularly those from small and independent publishers. We achieve this through careful selection of materials, coordinating with the community, volunteers, staff, and board on acquisition decisions, and having our book collection available through the University library system TRELLIS. Over the last year, we’ve been working to integrate more of our collections into the Library system. Suggestions for new materials are always welcome! RadiOPIRG RadiOPIRG is our weekly radio show on CFRU 93.3FM, Guelph’s campus community radio station. We keep you updated on OPIRG activities and events; and play talks, interviews and music focused on environmental and social justice that you won’t hear on main- stream radio. RadiOPIRG continues to air on Thursdays on CFRU 93.3FM in the 12-1pm time slot. Tune in, or listen live or to the archives online at www.cfru.ca. Volunteers are always welcome – it’s fun, and no experience is necessary! All CFRU training is free but is not required to participate in RadiOPIRG. Let us know if you're part of a group or project focused on environmental and social justice and would like to come on the show. OPIRG—The Provincial Network OPIRG Guelph is one of the twelve Ontario-based PIRGs that participate as members of Ontario PIRG. Each OPIRG chapter has two seats on the Board of Directors of Ontario PIRG, which is incor- porated as a charitable organization. Ontario PIRG meetings are held at least twice yearly in per- son, one of which is the AGM. Membership in Ontario PIRG means access to great programming and development opportunities like the Public Interest Schools, Board Training Schools and Issue-based Network Meetings. This network provides the PIRGs with a valuable tool for sharing skills and experiences that make us stronger organi- zations. Any volunteer at an OPIRG can contribute to the provincial network! Each PIRG holds a portfolio which are designed to spread the responsibility for tasks amongst the chapters so that each chapter member can be involved with the running of the organization. Guelph holds the Financial and Archiving Portfolios. Want to know more? Just Ask! Provincial Board Members: Rachel Taylor (Chapter Board), Brad Evoy (Chapter Staff) 3 The Summer Institute During the summer of 2017 we partnered with the Guelph Resource Centre for Gender Empower- ment and Diversity to organize the 11th annual Summer Institute. For more information about GRCGED, go to grcged.com 2017 Workshops Re-Examining Allyship with Aboriginal People and Communities– with Maria Shallard and Cara Wehkamp Calling In and Resolving Conflict in Activist Communities – with Malissa Bryan Standing Rock to Six Nations: Land Defense Across Turtle Island– with Vanessa Gray, Myeengun Henry, Todd Williams, Kayla Sutherland, and Jaydene Lavallie Don't Just Stand There: Bystander Intervention – with Erin Crickett This Party is Bullshit: Nationalism, Colonialism, and Canada 150 – with Darius Mirshahi Monstrous Love: a workshop about relationships for lgbttiqq2s folks — with Kai Cheng Thom Self Care Tools for Activists — with Cee/illogik (Chris Bowen) If you’d like to facilitate a workshop during the 2018 Summer Institute, or if you’d like to suggest a facilitator or a topic, please email mandy at [email protected]. Action Groups—The heart of activism at OPIRG! Action Groups are made up of five or more people who choose to focus on a particular issue or area re- lated to social and environmental justice. Each Action Group receives funds, organizational support, training, space to meet and organize, and access to OPIRG's networks of student and community activists. All you need to start a group is an idea for a project or campaign that fits within the OPIRG mandate. We can help you to find other interested people to work with, and go over the proposal form with you. As of the writing of this report, Guelph Anti-Pipeline, Fossil Free Guelph, Migrant Justice Guelph and Stu- dents Offering Welcome are still active. If you're interested in getting involved with one of them, or in starting your own group, please get in touch with the Volunteer Coordinator at [email protected] Fossil Free Guelph Fossil Free Guelph is calling upon the university to freeze all new investments in fossil fuel compa- nies immediately and to divest completely from these companies in five years.