To bring in a new year, and to highlight social justice projects, campaigns and initiatives in 2011, QPIRG Concordia — your campus-community link for social change – presents a week long New Year’s Revolution. The activities include:
* Monday, January 17, 1pm: Activism 101 Workshop New or curious about social justice organizing and issues, check out this workshop.
* Monday, January 17, 3pm: Community-based Social Justice Research Workshop Learn how to make classroom learning relevant to the broader community.
* Tuesday, January 18, 2pm: Radical Walking Tour of Concordia We will walk around the campus and learn learn about food politics, gender liberation, corporatization and campus space, environmental justice & sustainability, and labour politics.
* Wednesday, January 19, 4pm: Panel: The Real History of Concordia: from Computer Riots to Corporatization Learn more about Concordia’s rich activist history that the administration won’t put in their brochures.
* Thursday, January 20, 5-9pm: Working Groups “5 à 7” & QPIRG Open House Learn more about QPIRG’s more than 25 Working Groups, who campaign, organize and network on a wide variety of social and environmental justice issues; event includes food and drinks.
All events are FREE and wheelchair accessible. Welcome to all, students and non-students alike. More info below.
MONDAY, JANUARY 17, 1pm
ACTIVISM FOR STUDENTS 101
@ QPIRG Concordia (1500 de Maisonneuve Ouest, #204)
“I don’t believe in charity. I believe in solidarity. Charity is so vertical. It goes from the top to the bottom. Solidarity is horizontal. It respects the other person. I have a lot to learn from other people.” – Eduardo Galeano
QPIRG Concordia presents monthly sessions about activism and community involvement for students. These sessions are meant for anyone who is curious or interested in getting more involved in their community, and engaging in social and environmental justice issues. “Activism for Students 101” will include an overview of collectives, groups, organizations, campaigns and projects that people can join or volunteer, as well as answer any questions participants might have about social justice organizing in the Montreal context. We will also discuss QPIRG’s anti-oppression, grassroots organizing framework.
The next workshop will take place this MONDAY, JANUARY 17 at 1pm at 1500 de Maisonneuve West, #204 (beside the Guy-Concordia metro). Welcome to all, students and non-students, community members and people curious about activism. No need to register. The workshop will last approximately 90 minutes.
INFO: https://www.qpirgconcordia.org/?p=533
MONDAY, JANUARY 17, 3pm
COMMUNITY-BASED SOCIAL JUSTICE RESEARCH: VISIONS & METHODS
@ QPIRG Concordia (1500 de Maisonneuve Ouest, #204)
“Knowledge itself doesn’t make change for the better, it’s people with knowledge that do.”
This year, QPIRG Concordia presents monthly sessions where we discuss and explore the idea of community-based social justice research. We will present a model of “social justice research” rooted in principles of accessibility, popular education as well as rigor, while at the same time critiquing prevailing ideas of what constitutes “knowledge work”. We will also share many examples of community-based social justice research projects and methods.
These workshops are intended both for students aiming to link their learning beyond the classroom, as well as for community members who want to continue to develop their own research methods and visions as part of their organizing work.
The next workshop will take place this MONDAY, JANUARY 17 at 3pm at 1500 de Maisonneuve West, #204 (beside the Guy-Concordia metro). Welcome to all, students and non-students, community members and people curious about activism. No need to register. The workshop will last approximately 90 minutes.
INFO: https://www.qpirgconcordia.org/?p=537
TUESDAY, JANUARY 18, 2pm
RADICAL WALKING TOUR OF CONCORDIA
@ QPIRG Concordia (1500 de Maisonneuve Ouest, #204)
Come learn more about social justice struggles at Concordia University and beyond. Topics include: The 1969 Sir George Williams Computer Center Riot; The 1970 Santhanam Affair; The 1987 Day of Action Against Tuition Hikes; The 2002 Netanyahu Riot/Uprising on Campus; and more.
As well, learn about food politics, feminism, gender liberation, corporatization and campus space, environmental justice & sustainability, and labour politics.
The walking tour will begin in the QPIRG space at 2pm, and move to other areas of campus shortly afterwards. The tour will last approximately 2 hours. Please confirm you’re attending at info@qpirgconcordia.org
INFO: https://www.qpirgconcordia.org/?p=713
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 19, 4pm
THE REAL HISTORY OF CONCORDIA: FROM THE COMPUTER RIOTS TO CORPORATIZATION
@ 7th floor of the Hall Building (1455 de Maisonneuve Ouest)
Co-presented by: Free Education Montreal, QPIRG Concordia, Uberculture & the People’s Campus Coalition
Concordia has a rich activist history that the administration won’t put in their brochures. Over the years, diverse students have come together to fight for their vision of the university, and won. The Real History of Concordia will host speakers with fresh perspectives on the 1969 Computer Center Riot & 2002 Netanyahu uprising as well as the successful battle to freeze tuition in the 90s.
A discussion on future directions of student activism at Concordia will follow. Concordia was originally founded to provide accessible education to working class Montrealers. Knowing the history of our university will help us protect its legacy of social justice and accessibility.
Panelists: David Bernans, Sabine Friesinger & David Austin
INFO: https://www.qpirgconcordia.org/?p=716
THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 5-9pm
WORKING GROUPS “5 à 7” & QPIRG OPEN HOUSE
@ QPIRG Concordia (1500 de Maisonneuve Ouest, #204)
Welcome to all! Our space is wheelchair accessible. Childcare available on-site (please let us know in advance).
Come by the QPIRG space between 5-7pm to learn more about the 28 Working Group that QPIRG Concordia actively supports. Working Groups are the heart of the QPIRG, and work on a diverse range of issues, campaigns and projects related to social justice.
Our Working Groups include: Autonomous Social Center * Certain Days Political Prisoner Calendar Committee * Collectif Opposé à la brutalité policière (COBP) * Dignidad Migrante * Haiti Action Montreal * Indigenous Solidarity Committee * Justice for the Victims of Police Killings * Montreal Childcare Collective * Open Door Books *
People’s Commission Network
* Prisoner Correspondence Project * Project X
* QTeam
* Rad School * Re-Con
* Solidarity Across Borders * Sound Team * Ste-Emilie Skillshare * TAPthirst * Anarchist Tech Support * Dany Villanueva Support Committee * Ethnoculture * Montreal Anarchist Bookfair
Collective * Not In Our Name * Parc X Citizens’ Committee * Radical Reference * Résovélo
* Right to Move
For more information about Working Groups, visit: https://www.qpirgconcordia.org/?page_id=9
followed by: QPIRG OPEN HOUSE (7-9pm)
Stay in our space from 7-9pm for food & drinks, and to learn more about QPIRGs projects, campaigns, resources and working groups in an informal setting. An open invitation to QPIRG working group members, volunteers and allies, as well as anyone interested in learning more.
INFO: https://www.qpirgconcordia.org/?p=737