Guest Presentation by Dr. Waziyatawin

Guest Presentation Dr. Waziyatawin

 

What Does Justice Look Like?
INDIGENOUS STRUGGLES IN THE ERA OF HYPER-EXPLOITATION AND CLIMATE CHANGE
We live in an era in which the problems arising from treating Indigenous Peoples as expendable and the land as a resource to exploit are becoming more apparent every day. As industrial civilization desperately seeks to squeeze every last drop of oil from the earth and mine every last resource, Indigenous homelands remain the targets. Further, as the planet warms and becomes increasingly toxic, more species go extinct and ecosystems collapse, threatening the survival of all life on the planet. In this crisis situation, how do we educate Indigenous people and communities about a course of action that will support our survival? In exploring the links between decolonization and justice, this presentation will contend that the possibility of Indigenous survival and resurgence rests in our capacity to recover our sustainable ways of being and to engage in fierce, uncompromising protection of our homelands.
Waziyatawin is a Dakota writer, teacher, and activist committed to the pursuit of Indigenous liberation and reclamation of homelands. Waziyatawin comes from the Pezihutazizi Otunwe (Yellow Medicine Village) in southwestern Minnesota. After receiving her Ph.D. in American history from Cornell University in 2000, she earned tenure and an associate professorship in the history department at Arizona State University where she taught for seven years. Waziyatawin currently holds the Indigenous Peoples Research Chair in the Indigenous Governance Program at the University of Victoria.
CO-SPONSORED IN PART BY THE COLLEGE OF NEW CALEDONIA-BURNS LAKE AND THE SMITHERS BRIDGING COMMITTEE
BIOGRAPHY
Dr. Waziyatawin
You are invited to attend a free presentation of “What Does Justice Look Like?”
Pre-Register for your free seat now
When: March 20th from 6:30-9 pm.
Light snacks and beverages.
Wet’suwet’en Dance Group
Where: NWCC Smithers Campus
3966 2nd Ave
CONTACT
Molly Wickham
250.847.4461 x.5806
mwickham@nwcc.bc.ca
Guest Speaker Dr. Waziyatawin

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April 22nd, 2012. Earth Day 2012 – No Pipelines, No Tankers! National Day of Action!

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Earth Day 2012 – No Pipelines, No Tankers!

Organize in your community for this National Day of Action

On April 22nd, Mother Earth Day, we will be organizing rallies as a public display of growing opposition to 3 major pipeline projects in BC.  These pipelines are Enbridge’s Northern Gateway Pipeline proposal, the expansion of Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain Pipeline, and the construction of Pacific Trails Pipeline by Apache, Encana & EOG Resources.

These three pipelines threaten to:

– Drive the unsustainable expansion in the tar sands and fracking for shale gas

– Undermine local communities right to say no

– Cross hundreds of salmon-bearing rivers and streams, the Great Bear Rainforest and mountainous and landslide-prone-land where spills could spell ecological disaster and affect livelihoods

– Increase tanker traffic and the risk of a spill in B.C.’s ecologically sensitive coastal waters 

What better way to spend Earth day, a day to inspire awareness and appreciation of the Earth’s natural environment. Mark April 22, 2012 on your calendars, start organizing to hit the streets, rally together and make some noise!

Let’s have our collective voices heard:

We stand against pipelines and tankers

We stand up to Big Oil and Gas

We stand with local & Indigenous communities

We stand up for future generations

Solidarity actions across Canada and beyond are welcomed.  Locations of actions happening across the country will be posted shortly.

Plan a rally: If you interested in helping plan a  rally in your community, please contact hgrewal@canadians.org

Endorse this call to action: If your organization or group would like to endorse this call to action, please contact aharden@canadians.org

The Harper Government suggests that the opposition to Enbridge’s proposal is either a small minority, foreign interests, or “some” First Nations. They are ignoring the Save the Fraser Declaration signed by over 100 indigenous communities, as well as opposition by the Union of BC Municipalities and most recently the Terrace, Prince Rupert and Smithers City Councils. There is also growing opposition to the Kinder Morgan pipeline expansion and Apache’s gas pipeline proposal.  In the spirit of the global Occupy Together movement, it is time for us to get off of our email and social networks, take a pause from writing letters and signing petitions, and make our opposition visible by collectively taking to the streets! Let’s show Harper and his corporate partners that the issue is not foreign-funded environmental groups. People are standing up to foreign investors, shareholders and CEOs that put profit ahead of the interests of local communities and the environment.

We hope to see you join us on April 22nd as we say together, to all levels of government, NO!

Allies – No One Is Illegal hosts March Against Racism on March 18, 2012

March 18: Community March Against Racism

Posted by admin on Feb 16th, 2012

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COMMUNITY MARCH AGAINST RACISM:
Celebrate our courage!

Sunday, March 18th, 2012 at 2pm.
Starting at Clark Park (Commercial and 14th)
Ending at Grandview Park (Commercial and Charles)
Vancouver, Unceded Coast Salish Territories

Family-friendly festivities! Bring your neighbours, banners and drums!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/386441891373362/
Download Poster colour or black & white. Flyer colour or black & white

 

March 21, the International Day for the Elimination of Racism, marks the anniversary of the 1960 Sharpeville Massacre in South Africa when police opened fire on hundreds of South Africans protesting against Apartheid’s passbook laws, killing 67 and wounding 186. Collectively, we join friends and allies around the world to mark this day and to speak the truth about racism.

We know of the historic injustices this country was founded on, including the forced confinement of Indigenous children in residential schools and Japanese children in internment camps.

Today, we urgently need a renewed anti-racist consciousness as examples of institutional racism abound:
* Mass criminalization and incarceration under the new crime bill, human smuggling bill, and proposed anti-terror legislation
* Tragedies of missing and murdered Indigenous women and communities like Attawapiskat across these colonized lands
* Restrictions on immigration and family sponsorships but expanding exploitative temporary worker programs
* Bailing out banks while communities of colour live in poverty
* Corporate destruction on Indigenous territories from pipelines in Alberta and BC to Canadian mining operations across Africa and Latin America
* Involvement in military occupations from Afghanistan to Palestine

Racist stereotyping and scapegoating permeates the media, education system, policing institutions, and workplaces. We are outraged at the white supremacist hate crimes of groups such as Blood and Honor in our very own neighbourhoods, and the general silence surrounding this horrific example of violence.

We encourage our friends and allies to be pro-active in countering racism. Join us in solidarity and resistance on March 18th to celebrate the dignity, strength, and resilience of our communities.

For more information email noii-van@resist.ca or call 778 885 0040
http://www.nooneisillegal.org