Climate Justice, Imperialism, and Palestine
2024-06-13 18:30 - 21:00 (America/Toronto) | Social Innovation Atelier, 95 Clegg St, Ottawa
Palestine is a climate justice issue.As we witness the genocide of Palestinians unfold in real time, it is essential that our movements broaden as we build toward a just future for all. That means learning about the connections between the struggle for climate justice and the fight against imperialism and settler colonialism, from Turtle Island to Palestine.Join Climate Justice Ottawa for an in-person screening of a webinar on Climate justice, imperialism, and Palestine and a community discussion on what the climate movement in Ottawa can do to contribute to the struggle for Palestinian liberation.We thank the Mauril-Bélanger Social Innovation Workshop (the Atelier) for providing the space for this event.#freepalestine #ottawa #climatejustice @climate4palestine

Antifascist Theory and Practice: A Double Book Launch for Three Way Fight and Genealogies of Antifascism
2024-06-14 18:00 - 20:00 | Ottawa Trans Library, 1104 Somerset St. West, Ottawa, Ontario, K1Y 3C8, Canada
An evening of discussion with Xtn Alexander, D.Z. Shaw, and Rob Luzecky.
Three Way Fight: Revolutionary Politics and Antifascism, edited by Xtn Alexander and Matthew N. Lyons, brings together more than thirty essays, position statements, and interviews from the Three Way Fight website and elsewhere, spanning from the antifascist struggles of the 1980s and 1990s to the political upheavals of the twenty-first century.
Three way fight politics argue that the far right grows out of an oppressive capitalist order but is also in conflict with it in real ways, and that radicals need to combat both. The three way fight approach says we need sharper analysis of far-right movements so we can fight them more effectively, and we also need to track ongoing developments within the ruling class, including liberal or centrist efforts to co-opt antifascism as a tool of state repression and system legitimation.
Aimed at a politically committed activist audience, D.Z. Shaw’s Genealogies of Antifascism: Militancy, Critique, and the Three Way Fight provides a snapshot of this evolving philosophy of antifascism that grapples with the theoretical and practical challenges presented both by recent events and by the historical foundations of North America’s settler societies.
Learning from the past to build a revolutionary antifascism for the present and future!
More about each of these books here:
Three Way Fight: Revolutionary Politics and Antifascism
Genealogies of Antifascism: Militancy, Critique, and the Three Way Fight

Harmony Circle for Palestine with Spiritual Advisor Albert Dumont and Friends
2024-06-17 18:30 - 20:00 | Online
Join us for a conversation about Palestine, between Spiritual Advisor and Elder Albert Dumont and Sarena and David from the United Jewish People’s Order / Morris Winchevsky School. You can find out more about them on their Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/WinchevskyCtr

After the formal conversation, we will open up the meeting for a Sharing Circle where all participants are invited to ask questions or share what is on their heart.

With this Harmony Circle, we want to create a safe space for people, especially youth, to:* learn more about the current genocide happening in Palestine* express their pain at the injustice of the situation* feel that they have a voice and are not being silenced* dive deep into the practice of unlearning and learning* create harmony within our communities

We will end the Harmony Circle with concrete social justice actions we can take to help. This is an invitation to do something in a time of great suffering, devastation and emotional turmoil.
To register for this free, online event, please fill out this Google form:https://bit.ly/4bMecFG

The event will take place over Zoom. A link will be sent to you the day of the event.
Session Standards:* This event is for people who are curious, open to learning and unlearning and believe in social justice* There will be zero-tolerance for violent, abusive, or racist comments* Everyone in attendance agrees that first and foremost, we stand to defend a human being’s right to live in a peaceful and secure space

Book Launch: A Communist for the RCMP by Dennis Gruending
2024-06-17 19:00 - 20:00 | Ottawa Mennonite Church, 1830 Kilborn Ave., Ottawa, K1H 6N3
Join us for the launch of A Communist for the RCMP, Dennis Gruending’s exposé of Canada’s nefarious and disruptive surveillance practices. Dennis will be joined in conversation by writer and a former Canadian diplomat Geoff White.
Monday, June 17 starting at 7:00pm
Ottawa Mennonite Church, 1830 Kilborn Ave., Ottawa
Refreshments will be served
In 1941, the RCMP recruited Frank Hadesbeck, a Spanish Civil War veteran, as a paid informant to infiltrate the Communist Party. For decades, he informed not only upon communists, but also upon hundreds of other people who held progressive views. Hadesbeck’s “Watch Out” lists on behalf of the Security Service included labour activists, medical doctors, lawyers, university professors and students, journalists, Indigenous and progressive farm leaders, members of the clergy, and anyone involved in the peace and human rights movements.
“The Canadian government has made exceptional efforts to erase or seclude documents related to decades of RCMP dirty tricks, but A Communist for the RCMP provides stunning insights into the nuts and bolts of the force’s infiltration campaigns. Dennis Gruending provides a rich and masterful narration of previously unseen informant files, creating an unrelenting account into the everyday work of RCMP infiltration… it is a must-read for anyone looking to understand the politics of RCMP spying.” – Jeffrey Monaghan, co-author of Policing Indigenous Movements: Dissent and the Security State
Dennis Gruending has written and edited eight books. He has worked as a print and television journalist and as a CBC Radio host. Gruending served as a New Democratic Party MP in the 36th parliament and was his party’s critic for the environment and for international development.

Cap Pollution: Making polluters do their fair share through policy and people
2024-06-19 18:00 - 20:00 | Impact Hub, 7th floor, 123 Slater Street, Ottawa, K1P 5H2
The oil and gas emissions cap is a key climate policy for Canada. Emissions released from the production of oil and gas are the largest source of pollution in Canada. Since 1990, oil and gas pollution has nearly doubled. Without the cap, oil and gas emissions will continue growing unchecked, further threatening our health, environment and economy.
Join us and our special guests for an in-person panel discussion on the impacts of fossil fuel pollution on our daily lives, and how you can take action in your community.
Mix and mingle with like-minded individuals on how we can push for more ambitious climate policies, and engage with our elected officials to keep Canada on track to meet its climate goals.
Event Details:
Date: Wednesday, June 19th, 2024
Time: 6 PM – 8:00 PM EST
Location: Impact Hub Ottawa, 7th Floor (123 Slater Street, Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5H2)
Panelist Details:
-Dr. Sehjal Bhargava (Public Health and Preventive Medicine and Family Medicine Resident Physician, CAPE)
-Skw’akw’as Lillian (Member and former chair of the Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Youth Council)
-Alex Stratas (co-president of Climate Justice Climatique uOttawa)
Light refreshments and snacks will be provided!

No Pride in Genocide On-line Teach-in
2024-06-19 18:00 - 20:00 | Youtube
This teach-in will make connections between the current genocidal attacks on the Palestinian people, on Indigenous people on Turtle Island, on people in Sudan, and on attacks on queer and trans people in Canada and beyond. Mainstream white homonationalist LGBT and Pride organizations in Canada have refused to support the call for an end to the Israeli genocide of Palestinians and instead support the genocidal Canadian state as well as corporations and banks that are supporting the ongoing destruction of Palestine. This teach-in is the lead in to our anti-genocidal, anti-racist and anti-fascist Abolitionist Pride of resistance and love while opposing those who believe Pride can be based on genocide.

FSIS Fundraiser Auction for Mutual Aid
2024-06-20 - 2024-07-02
FSIS is continuing to fundraise in support of a beloved grassroots Indigenous Auntie! We will continue auctioning off stunningly beautiful items (beadwork, clothing, accessories, health and beauty!) to raise money to cover their living and medical expenses. Show some love during solstice, Indigenous Peoples’ month and ‘canada’ day!
If you would like to send a financial donation – emt familiesofsistersinspirit@gmail.com

***This auction opens on Thursday, June 20 at 7:00 PM EST and will close Tuesday, July 2, at 12 pm EST.***

Auction Guidelines:
1. Bidding is open until ‘CLOSED’ is written on each post in the comment section.
2. Refresh “all comments” or “newest comments” to keep track of bidding.
3. If you are the winner, we will notify you on the post with further instructions.
4. Free pick-up available in east Ottawa (preferred). Shipping or Delivery extra.
5. Payment via e-transfer to familiesofsistersinspirit@gmail.com
6. Please notify if your name on FB is different from the name associated with your bank account.
7. If payment is not received within 72 hours, item will be offered to the second highest bidder.
Credit to Onaman Collective Auction 4 Action for direction on the above instructions.
‘Mutual Aid is Love’ graphic by @elisadoesstuff

Kidical Mass Ottawa Bike Ride - Alta Vista
2024-06-22 09:30 - 11:30 | Alta Vista Park, 1309 Randall Avenue, Ottawa, ON, Canada
Join us for a fun-filled bike ride in Alta Vista! This event is perfect for families or anyone looking to enjoy a slow ride. Everyone is welcome: participants of all ages, abilities, and caretaking responsibilities (that means you too grandparents, aunts, uncles, babysitters, and community members who love kids!). We will be travelling at a very slow pace. Whether your child is a pro on two wheels or just starting out, this event is perfect for riders of all ages, abilities, and skill levels.
Schedule
9:30 AM
Meet at Alta Vista Park: decorate bikes, dance, chalk, and bubbles
10:05 AM
Bike Ride Begins! We will ride in a loop through the community ending at the Alta Vista Farmer’s Market (2345 Alta Vista Drive).
11:00 AM
Post-ride gathering. Participants are encouraged to bring snacks, picnics, or money to spend at the market.

Details
Children must be accompanied by a responsible adult and are welcome to ride their own bikes or on board with another rider.
Bright colourful clothing and accessories are encouraged.
We will have some bike decorations, but you are encouraged to bring your own as well.
Sign-up is not required, but it is encouraged so we can get in touch if there are any updates to the event (e.g., weather issues, travel disruptions, etc.). SIGN UP HERE!
Let’s come together as a community, promote cycling, and create lasting memories. Mark your calendars and get ready for a wheely good time at Kidical Mass Ottawa!
We are also seeking volunteers and donations (prizes, snacks, bike decorations, and services including videography/photography and children’s entertainment). Are you a bike-friendly or kid-friendly individual or business that would like to be involved with this event? Please reach out to us at kidicalmassottawa@gmail.com.
The Alta Vista ride is the second one of our 2024 season. More information on our future rides, including “the big one” on September 21 (in collaboration with similar events around the world) will be shared soon. You can find all of the dates on our colouring page event poster – print your own copy, colour it in, and post it in your community. Tag us on social media too, we’d love to see the hard work of our local young artists!
About Kidical Mass
Kidical Mass is an international movement inspired by ‘critical mass’ events held to emphasize the number of people who want to ride bikes and to call for infrastructure improvements. Kidical Mass expands on that idea with a focus on children and families. These events celebrate the joy of biking asking cities to make streets safe for kids and therefore safe for everyone. We believe children should be able to safely and independently travel to school, parks, sports, and other destinations. With climate change already impacting the lives of children, safe streets for kids also means seriously addressing the climate emergency. There are measures – both big and small – that cities like Ottawa can pursue to make this possible.
What makes streets safer for kids?– A true Vision Zero strategy that focuses on proactive design action to eliminate road deaths and serious injuries. A key tenet of Vision Zero is that street design can ensure that when mistakes happen they don’t cause life-changing impacts.– Separated and wide bike lanes that provide access to children’s destinations like schools, libraries, parks, and community centres– Traffic calming features and reduced speed limits on arterials and residential streets– Car-free streets including parkways and school streets– Elimination of right-turns on red lights-Streets that address climate change by reducing private vehicle use– Vehicle size regulations and safety testing that includes the safety of people outside of the vehicle
About the Event Hosts
Bike Ottawa is a not-for-profit volunteer-based advocacy group. We believe riding a bike in Ottawa should be a fun, safe, and easy choice for all ages and abilities. We are committed to advocating for a vibrant and equitable Ottawa where active transportation plays an important role in year-round mobility.
For Our Kids Ottawa Gatineau is a community of parents, grandparents and families who are concerned about climate change. We organize family-friendly activism and information activities and provide a space to connect and take action together. We strive to be a welcoming place for all parents, guardians, grandparents, caregivers, and community members to connect and act together.
School Streets Ottawa is a coalition of local volunteers along with supporting organizations who advocate for kids to have healthy and safe ways to get to school. Our mission is to have more students using travel modes that are active, safe, and sustainable.
Alta Vista Community Association provides a forum where Alta Vista residents can dialog with each other and with the levels of government on matters affecting the quality of life in Alta Vista; and facilitates the work of committees and grass roots project groups endeavouring to improve the quality of life in Alta Vista.
Questions about the event can be sent to kidicalmassottawa@gmail.com

Film Screening: Israelism
2024-06-25 18:30 - 21:00 | First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa, 30 Cleary Ave, Ottawa
Join First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa for a screening of the 2023 documentary Israelism. The film follows the changing perspectives of Simone Zimmerman, co-founder of If Not Now and Eitan, a former IDF soldier, exemplifying sweeping grassroots changes among young Jews in response to Israel’s brutal treatment of Palestinian people. ​The screening will be followed by a panel discussion led by Professor Mira Sucharov.
Tuesday, June 25 – 6:30pm
Fellowship Hall, First Unitarian
30 Cleary Ave, Ottawa
“Two young American Jews – Simone and Eitan – are raised to defend the state of Israel at all costs. Eitan joins the Israeli military. Simone supports Israel on ‘the other battlefield:’ America’s college campuses. When they witness Israel’s mistreatment of the Palestinian people with their own eyes, they are horrified and heartbroken. They join the movement of young American Jews battling the old guard over Israel’s centrality in American Judaism, and demanding freedom for the Palestinian people. Their stories reveal a generational divide in the North American Jewish community as more young Jews question the narratives they were raised on.”

DARC's Big Gay Screening
2024-06-26 18:00 - 21:00 | DARC Microcinema, 67 Nicholas St, Ottawa, K1N 7B9, Canada
IT’S BIG! IT’S GAY! IT’S A CELEBRATION OF 2SLGBTQIA+ FILM, ONLY AT THE DIGITAL ARTS RESOURCE CENTRE! 🌈
DARC is excited to present a FREE screening of short films by queer Canadian artists in honour of pride month! As a proudly female and 2SLGBTQIA+ led organization, DARC is excited to showcase the work of queer Canadians and bring together the media arts community around an event celebrating and exploring queer stories. Don’t miss this opportunity to immerse yourself in the rich tapestry of queer narratives and show your support for talented artists from the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.

Nothing to Celebrate: Canada’s role as a settler colonial state from Turtle Island to Palestine
2024-06-26 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
To mark Indigenous Peoples Month, join CAPE for Palestine for a webinar on connections between settler colonialism on Turtle Island and the occupation of Palestine. Every July 1st, Canadians are told we should celebrate living in so-called Canada. But what is there to celebrate when we see Canadian officials continue to support a genocide? There is no cause for celebration. Nor has there been for years, as Indigenous leaders have highlighted Canada’s active and ongoing role in genocide against Indigenous peoples.CAPE 4 Palestine recognizes that as public servants, we have a distinct responsibility to hold our employer, the Government of Canada, to account and to understand how settler colonialism operates across borders. We must stand in solidarity with Indigenous peoples in so-called Canada and Palestinians fighting for liberation and freedom.

Collaborative zine making night at the Ottawa Trans Library
2024-06-27 18:00 - 21:00, 2024-07-25 18:00 - 21:00 | Ottawa Trans Library, 1104 Somerset St. West, Ottawa, Ontario, K1Y 3C8, Canada
Come work on zines with us as we work on the next issue of The Dragon Flyer, the Ottawa Trans Library’s community zine. Write, draw, scan, cut, and paste with us on our community zine or your own project, or just come hang out with us. We are collecting stories, jokes, poems, art, and more from the trans and non-binary community in Ottawa and our friends and families.
The zine workshop is a collaborative event to discuss, share, and work on zines together.
Come tell your story.We will provide paper, templates, and whatever art supplies we have. No experience necessary. All ages welcome, children under age 13 must be accompanied by an adult.
Masking and testing the day of the event is encouraged. Accessibility note: There are two stairs at the door entrance. We have a ramp we can bring out for the door on request. There’s a washroom but it’s not large enough for many mobility devices.

Pride CoffeeHouse
2024-06-27 18:30 - 20:30 | Little Victories Cafe, 44 Elgin St, Ottawa, Canada
Pride Event!
Performers needed! Members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community and allies welcome.
16+ event.
To attend or perform contact Jessica at youthsysnav@inuuqatigiit.ca. Registration and sign-up required.Brought to you by Inuuqatigiit, Odawa Native Friendship Centre and Tungasuvvingat Inuit
Featuring coffee service, pastry service

Pride Month: Embodying Love as Resilience - Author Kai Cheng Thom
2024-06-27 19:00 - 20:30 | Ottawa Public Library – Nepean Centrepointe, 101 Centrepointe, Ottawa, ON, Canada
Drawing from over 15 years of queer and trans advocacy, Kai Cheng Thom will offer a revitalizing perspective on the meaning of love in the program called: Embodying Love as Resilience.
Happy Pride!
Register it’s free : https://tinyurl.com/34h5ph26

Palestinian Tatreez Keychain Workshop
2024-07-02 18:00 - 21:00 | Kind Space, 400 Cooper St., suite 9001, Ottawa, ON, Canada
Join Oasis and @tatreez_by_yasmen for a Tatreez workshop at kindspace (400 Cooper street) on July 2nd, 6-9pm.
Everyone will create their own Palestinian Tatreez Keychain that they can bring home from the event. Please register here so we can bring the right amount of materials for everyone!
This will be a PWYC event and all proceeds will be donated to Sudan and Palestine relief funds. This event is masked, and masks will be provided at the door.

Support LCBO Workers! Keep LCBO Public!
2024-07-04 17:30 - 18:30 | LCBO, 953 Bank Street, Ottawa, ON, Canada
Support LCBO workers! Keep LCBO Public! Join us!

LCBO workers are on strike - join a picket in solidarity!
2024-07-05 00:00 - 2024-07-20 00:00 | Multiple Locations
The information below is sourced from Horizon Ottawa and Justice for Workers:

Horizon Ottawa:
Show your solidarity with striking LCBO workers by joining them on the picket!
OPSEU union members are standing up against the privatization of alcohol sales and fighting for more permanent work. Local workers will be striking at several LCBO stores across the city from 9am to 8pm – use locator tool to find a picket near you:
https://www.campaigndashboard.app/opseuregion4/
Justice For Workers:

The Ottawa LBED picket line finder lists picket options. Current priorities include 1980 Bank Street (just south of Walkley) and 1100 Polytek Street especially from midnight to 8am. Both sites have picket lines 24 hours a day, seven days a week. OPSEU 498 covers an area west of the city and has been operating a picket line at Terry Fox and Campeau (small plaza) daily starting at 10:00am.

The Justice for Workers LCBO toolkit continues to provide great resources for strike support.
LBED has its own email tool at KeepItPublic.ca plus lots more info and links about the strike. Talk to neighbours and friends about the importance of good jobs in every Ontario community, and the benefits of a crown corporation bringing in $2.5 Billion a year to pay for hospitals, schools and other services.

Palestine Solidarity Poster Sale at the Arlington Art Market
2024-07-06 10:00 - 15:00 | Arlington Art Market, Arlington Avenue between Bank and Kent, Ottawa, ON, Canada
11x17in prints of all 29 @flyers_for_falastin posters from the Posters for Palestine exhibition at @gongfubao will be for sale
All proceeds after production costs will go to the Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Committee to support their work in building a global mass movement to defeat Israeli apartheid
More Arlington Art Market info:
When: Saturday July 6
Where: Arlington Avenue between Bank and Kent, and on the Glashan Public School grounds
When: 10am – 3pm

Kebaowek Algonquin First Nation Takes Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission to Court to STOP the Near Surface Disposal Facility!
2024-07-10 11:30 - 13:00 | Supreme Court of Canada, 301 Wellington Street, Ottawa, K1A 0J1
As we know, the so-called Near Surface Disposal Facility (NSDF) at Chalk River is actually going to be an above-ground megamound for a million cubic metres of the nuclear industry’s radioactive waste. It’s located is to be less than a kilometre from the Kichi Sibi (Ottawa) River. Kebaowek First Nation says no: it is not a good solution for this toxic waste disposal for MANY reasons, BUT the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) approved it a few months ago with NO independent environmental or expert design assessment!

You are requested to join the Kitchissippi-Ottawa Valley and Ottawa chapters of the Council of Canadians at a support rally for Keboawek, on the opening day of this judicial review hearing:
WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2024, 11:30 AM to 1PMSUPREME COURT BUILDING301WELLINGTON STREET OTTAWA, ON K1A 0J1

There will be a media conference, followed by comments from Indigenous and community leaders.
NOTE: This is a FEDERAL COURT hearing but it has just been moved to Supreme Court building.

WHAT TO BRING: —> your homemade signs about Indigenous rights and nuclear waste concerns—> clothes for the weather—> a bagged lunch (or be prepared to have a late one)

INTERESTED TO CARPOOL from Renfrew County? Email to kitchissippiottawacocchapter@gmail.com if you have a ride to offer or if you need one.

CAN’T MAKE IT ON JULY 10th? Please please please donate whatever you can afford to help Kebaowek with the costs of taking on this court case. RavenTrust is a charitable organization that raises funds for Indigenous Peoples’ cases to “enshrine environmental justice” because “their victories protect us all.” Donations to RavenTrust for the Kebaowek case are tax receiptable: <https://fundraise.raventrust.com/give/587812/#!/donation/checkout.>

WANT MORE INFO ON THIS? Visit our website at <https://kovcouncil.wordpress.com/7000-generations-nuke-safe/> …If you can’t find what you want to know there, email us at the address above with your questions or post them below. Thanks, Miigwetch, Merci.

Miigwechiwendam: so grateful for the courage and determination of the Original Peoples of the Kichi Sibi watershed, who are defending their sacred river for all of us. CNL has to come up with a better design and location AFTER it does valid consultation with the First Nations who have never surrendered their homeland here.

Book Launch: Crossdresser // Accept Yourself Or Die
2024-07-11 18:30 - 20:30 | Venus Envy Warehouse, 329 Catherine St., Ottawa, Ontario, K1R 5T4, Canada
Join us for the launch of a double volume, two books in one, both by trans Ottawa-based writers!
About the book:
Imogen Reid’s Accept Yourself Or Die: From Mormon Missionary to Trans Punk travels from small-town Northern Ontario, to the Missionary Training Centre in Provo, Utah, to basement shows in Ottawa. It’s a story about staying stubbornly human in a world that wants to destroy you, and also about how weird it is going door-to-door trying to convert people to Mormonism.
Crossdresser: Growing Up Trans in the 1990s and 2000s, by Kat Rogue, explores what it does to a closeted trans girl to grow up saturated in the transmisogyny of 1990s pop culture and to come of age online, and how she managed to build her own relationship to femininity despite that. It argues that crossdressing, femme, and transness are more closely linked than some people think, and that Ace Ventura: Pet Detective really could have been great without all the transmisogyny.
The books are published by Sheer Spite Press back-to-back for a double gut-punch of heartfelt, angry, and funny reflections on transfemme coming of age.
Copies of the book will be for sale, but the event is free to attend.
Masks are required and will be provided if you need one!
The front door has a portable ramp (29″ wide). Once inside, the warehouse is a single level with concrete floors. The washroom door is 30.5″ wide, There is a support rail next to the toilet, and a wall-hung sink with space under it.

Solidarity Rally for Local 1541 Members
2024-07-15 12:00 - 14:00 | Best Theratronics, 413 March Road, Ottawa, Canada
Enough is Enough!
Come join Lana Payne, Unifor Nat President and Samia Hashi, Ont Reg Dir. in standing in solidarity with our siblings who have been on strike since May 1st.
Bring your flags, horns and whistles!
https://www.unifor.org/…/solidarity-rally-local-1541…
https://www.unifor.org/…/support-best-theratronics…

Cinema for Palestine: Fluid Frames from the Palestinian Diaspora
2024-07-18 18:00 - 20:00 | DARC Microcinema, 67 Nicholas St, Ottawa, K1N 7B9, Canada
DARC is honoured to present Cinema for Palestine, a screening of films from Cinema Politica’s Fluid Frames from the Palestinian Diaspora collection 🇵🇸
Join us on July 18th to watch the collection, curated by Palestinian filmmaker Muhammad Nour-Elkhairy, which features films that explore the refusal of right of return to the Palestinian homeland and the bitter irony of living inside Canada’s settler-colonial state.
Make sure to attend this FREE screening in the Microcinema to support Palestinian storytellers and independent filmmakers telling these important stories and sharing a look into the experiences of displaced Palestinians.

LGBTQ+ Book Club
2024-07-20 13:00 - 14:30 | 312 laurier Ave
A safespace for queer book lovers and readers!
We (usually) meet the 2nd and 3rd Saturday of every month, our Instagram:
(openpagesbookclub_)
posts the updates!

Harmony Circle for Palestine with Albert Dumont and Yipeng Ge
2024-07-25 18:30 - 20:00
Register for the event here:
https://forms.gle/NoHkLqvzhfwseScr5
EVENT DETAILS
Join us for a conversation about Palestine, between Spiritual Advisor and Elder Albert Dumont and Dr. Yipeng Ge, primary care doctor and public health practitioner. In November 2023, Dr. Ge was suspended from his medical residency at the University of Ottawa for pro-Palestinian social media remarks critical of Israel. A petition demanding his reinstatement received over 65,000 signatures, indicating widespread support for Dr. Ge and raising concerns about free speech and the right to criticize government policy without risking professional repercussions. You can read more about this here.
After the formal conversation, we will open up the meeting for a Sharing Circle where all participants are invited to ask questions or share what is on their heart.
With this Harmony Circle, we want to create a safe space for people, especially youth, to:
* learn more about the current genocide happening in Palestine
* express their pain at the injustice of the situation
* feel that they have a voice and are not being silenced
* dive deep into the practice of unlearning and learning
* create harmony within our communities
We will end the Harmony Circle with concrete social justice actions we can take to help. This is an invitation to do something in a time of great suffering, devastation and emotional turmoil.
To register for this free, online event, please fill out this Google form:
https://forms.gle/NoHkLqvzhfwseScr5
The event will take place over Zoom. A link will be sent to you the day of the event.
Session Standards:
* This event is for people who are curious, open to learning and unlearning and believe in social justice
* There will be zero-tolerance for violent, abusive, or racist comments
* Everyone in attendance agrees that first and foremost, we stand to defend a human being’s right to live in a peaceful and secure space

Emancipation Day March/Marche de Jour de l’émancipation
2024-08-01 11:45 - 13:00 | Human Rights Monument, 220 Elgin Street, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
August 1 is Emancipation Day, a time to reflect on the legacy of the enslavement of Black and Indigenous peoples in Canada, celebrate the strength and perseverance of Black communities across the country, and demand an end to ongoing anti-Black racism in Canadian society and in the federal public service.
The Canadian Association of Professional Employees (CAPE) and the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) will join the Black Class Action Secretariat (BCAS) and the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU) in a march from the Human Rights monument on Elgin Street in Ottawa to the offices of the Privy Council on the corner of Sparks and Wellington to demand accountability after recent reports detailing the persistent culture of anti-Black racism in the highest civil service office in the country. This is a critical moment in the fight against racism in our society.
Join us and bring your colleagues and friends!
Date: August 1
Location: Meet at the Human Rights Monument by Ottawa City Hall on Elgin Street to march over to the Privy Council offices
Time: 11:45 am
Other union members and members of the public at large are also invited to join in to show their solidarity for Black federal public sector workers.
***Le 1er août est le Jour de l’émancipation, une occasion de réfléchir à l’héritage de l’esclavage des Noir·es et des Autochtones au Canada, de célébrer la force et la persévérance des communautés noires partout au pays et d’exiger la fin du racisme anti-Noir·es dans la société canadienne et dans la fonction publique fédérale.
L’Association canadienne des employés professionnels (ACEP) et l’Alliance de la Fonction publique du Canada (AFPC) se joindront au Secrétariat du recours collectif noir (SRCN) et à la Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (Coalition des syndicalistes noir·es) pour marcher du Monument des droits de la personne, rue Elgin à Ottawa, jusqu’aux bureaux du Conseil privé, à l’angle des rues Sparks et Wellington, afin de demander des comptes au gouvernement à la suite de la publication de récents rapports détaillant la culture persistante du racisme anti-Noir·es à la plus haute instance de la fonction publique du Canada. C’est un moment crucial pour la lutte contre le racisme dans notre société.
Joignez-vous à nous et amenez vos collègues et vos ami·es!
Date : 1er août
Endroit : Rendez-vous au Monument des droits de la personne près de l’hôtel de ville d’Ottawa sur la rue Elgin pour marcher jusqu’aux bureaux du Conseil privé.
Heure : 11 h 45
D’autres membres de syndicats ainsi que le grand public sont également invité·es à se joindre à la marche pour manifester leur solidarité envers les travailleuses et travailleurs noirs du secteur public fédéral.

Asinabka Film & Media Arts Festival 2024
2024-08-06 16:00 - 2024-08-11 21:30 | DARC Microcinema, 67 Nicholas St, Ottawa, K1N 7B9, Canada
Celebrating Indigenous Arts in Algonquin TerritoryOttawa, Canada • August 6-11, 2024@ Club SAW, Arts Court Theatre & Studio, Gallery 101, DARC, Axeneo7
Asinabka Festival13th EditionAUGUST 6-11, 2024
Highlights:•.60+ Indigenous Films @ Arts Court Theatre• Opening Night Outdoor Concert & Film Screenings @ Club SAW• Art Gallery Crawl @ Gallery 101 / DARC / The Asinabka Office• Indigenous Music Showcase @ Art’s Court Theatre & Black Box Studio• Filmmaker Q&A’s, Artist Talks, Industry Events, and Free Events
The 13th annual Asinabka Festival is excited to present the best contemporary Indigenous film, music, and arts from Canada and around the world. The Festival takes place in person over 6 days and with 17 separate film programs, including 8 feature films, and over 50 short films.
The FULL SCHEDULE available on our website now!:asinabkafestival.org
See the following sites for accessibility and visitor information:https://asinabkafestival.orghttps://artscourt.ca/visitor-info-enhttps://g101.ca/gallery101https://axeneo7.qc.ca/en
Chi-Miigwech / Thank You to The Canada Council for the Arts for their ongoing funding and support. We’d also like to thank all of our festival partners including the Arts Court, ICCA, SAW, DARC, Gallery 101, AXENÉO7, CHUO, LiVE 88.5, Carleton University, Wairoa Festival, Ottawa Festivals, and the Embassy of Mexico.

Prisoners’ Justice Day 2024
2024-08-10 11:00 - 13:00 | University of Ottawa, 75 Laurier Ave East, Ottawa, Ontario, K1N6N5, Canada
Location: Room 215D, Jock Turcotte University Centre, 85 University Private (University of Ottawa), Ottawa

This year CPEP, the Millhaven Lifers’ Liaison Group, Mothers Offering Mutual Support, and OPIRG/GRIPO have come together to commemorate Prisoners’ Justice Day (PJD) with a teach-in about its history, how it has evolved, and how the demands could be met today.
We invite all members of the Ottawa communities to come and talk, share stories, experiences, and learn from each other.PJD has always been a day of mourning and somber reflection for some, and a day of action and inspiration for others. It is in this spirit that we invite everyone to come together with us, on this particular day.
Background:On August 10th, 1974, Eddie Nalon, a prisoner and advocate, died in the segregation unit at the Millhaven Institution (a maximum security prison built in 1971 just outside of Kingston, Ontario). His death sparked outrage among the prisoners at the penitentiary, as well as hunger strikes, and prison reform initiatives. On the one year anniversary of his death, the first Prisoners’ Justice Day was organized, sparking what has become an international day of condemnation and commemoration of deaths in custody and segregation, as well as national campaigns for prisoners’ rights across prisons. Many people around the world have been inspired by the political action of these prisoners and organized for a better world.
On August 10, 2024, we plan to commemorate and reinvigorate the struggle for prisoners’ rights inside and outside prisons, by talking about the history of PJD and what it meant for people then, how it has evolved over the years, what it means for people now, and what we want it to be moving forward. We also hope that this event can also serve as the first planning meeting for the 50th anniversary of PJD in 2025. If you are someone who thinks deeply about the carceral/police state, or are interested in how to get involved and explore alternatives to caging humans, we invite you to join us for a thoughtful discussion amongst community members.
We gratefully acknowledge that this event is happening on the unceded and unsurrendered land of the Anishinaabe and Algonquin people. We also acknowledge the overrepresentation of Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island in the criminal justice system. This system also disproprotionately affects many marginalized individuals and negatively impacts all communities.

Solidarity Softball
2024-08-11 14:00 - 17:00 | Brewer Park, Brewer Park, 210 Hopewell Ave, Ottawa, K1S 2Z5
Softball game to raise fund for the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund. This event includes the game and a social picnic after. Family and pet (well trained and leashed) friendly event! Bring your own picnic snacks, drinks will be provided.

Pride is Political: Community Care and Outreach
2024-08-12 12:00 - 18:00 | Kind Space, 400 Cooper St., suite 9001, Ottawa, ON, Canada
Community Care and Outreach Using Anti-Carceral Practices Within Anti-Violence Movements
12 PM – 2 PM
This workshop offers a collaborative space for participants to engage deeply with anti-carceral organizing and co-create effective strategies to counter systems that harm and oppress communities. It explores how institutional systems, including those that claim to offer care, can perpetuate harm and co-opt community-based initiatives and movements. By connecting these issues to broader social movements, such as Pride, the workshop fosters an interactive environment where participants can engage with the content, share their experiences, and collectively develop actionable strategies to advance anti-carceral and abolitionist goals, focusing on mutual support and care.

Co-create strategies to challenge harmful systems through anti-carceral organizing
Examine how institutions, including those offering care, perpetuate harm and co-opt community initiatives.
Emphasize mutual aid, support, care, and most importantly, joy in organizing

Access considerations:
😷 Masks required – designated area for eating/ masks off
♿️ Wheelchair accessible
💧 🍫 Water/ snacks available
👂 Peer support and space available

Re-politicizing Queer Activism: Perspectives on Collective Action and Radical Inclusion
4 PM – 6 PM
Speakers:
Mars and Caprice from Youth Services Bureau (YSB) Queer Youth Action Committee
Sinda Garziz from Centretown CHC/ LGBTQIA Newcomer Group
Menasheh from Queers 4 Palestine
Community Solidarity Ottawa
Join us for an engaging panel discussion:
“Re-politicizing Queer Activism: Perspectives on Collective Action and Radical Inclusion.”
This event will delve into the current state of community activism, advocacy work, rights-based movements, anti-fascism, and their intersections with queer activism.
Topics include:

Personal experiences of advocacy and the importance of global solidarity in local movements

Reflections, thoughts, and experiences from various activists
The current state of queer organizing and the challenges faced

Reflections on what works, what doesn’t, and how these movements intersect with other social justice causes

Strategies for organizing with diverse groups
The meaning of collective action, solidarity, and what liberation entails
Inclusion of migrant justice perspectives and reflections on representation in activist spaces
Strategies for engaging younger people in activism, centring queer joy and advocacy, and making activism more accessible

Join us to explore these critical issues and more in an inclusive environment.
