Colour Me Queer is a community-based photography project conceptualized by prominent Queer activist and Photographer Arnab Banerji with stories from queer-identified community models. Organized in partnership with ASAAP, this project recognizes the role of pride, shame, self-esteem and body politics in how we negotiate sex and interact with partners. Personal stories of pride, resilience and love from South Asian queer-identified models are depicted through narrative and photographed by Arnab.
We were happy to be a part of this important project and support this work by providing art direction and design for the postcard campaign.
Tonight is the launch party for the Colour Me Queer project, along with a screening of ASAAP’s new PSA “Protect Your Love”:
Thursday May 31, 6pm–10pm
ASAAP Party Room at 120 Carlton St. Toronto
For more information or to join the movement, visit www.asaap.ca
11:08 am • 31 May 2012 • 4 notes
Statement of solidarity with the Québec student strike
As organizers, activists and members of marginalized communities we are well aware of our governments’ austerity agenda, directly attacking the working class and poor, women and children, disabled folk, racialized and Indigenous peoples and students. We know our governments are becoming less interested in the welfare of our society, as we continue to experience the effects of cuts to social services, community programs and, most recently, accessible education.
On May 22nd, 2012 more than 400,000 students took to the streets of Montréal to commemorate the 100-day mark of the movement for change spearheaded by students in Québec. As a vanguard in the struggle for accessible education, Québec has demonstrated to the rest of Canada that people power can and will change policies at the state-level. Students have been on strike and out on the streets for more than 100 days and continue to form larger and stronger contingents to demand accessible education for all.
The Public is proud to support the ongoing struggle of the Québec student movement. The call for accessible education also requires a direct critique of current government spending, on all its levels. The money is there; cuts to education are indicative of the state’s skewed priorities. Our communities have been put on the back-burner for long enough.
What started as a student strike to address student debt has now grown to a nation-wide movement against the criminalization of dissent. We believe in the power of direct action, and the right for students and supporters to protest and demonstrate in public.
We support the efforts of organizers and activists as they present clear demands around accessible education, environmental sustainability, financial transparency, an end to police brutality and the right to free speech. We will demonstrate in solidarity and wear our red squares with pride as we continue to connect our struggles and fuel this movement as it spreads nation-wide.
Here in Toronto, student unions, organizers and outraged communities have called for actions across the city. We invite you to join us at any of the following events, connect with us to learn more about the issues and ways to get involved or drop by the studio at any time to pick up your own red square.
Events of interest in Toronto:
Pots and pans rally/noise demo
Wednesday May 30, 8pm at Dufferin Grove Park
Support rally
Tuesday June 5th, 8:30pm at Queen’s Park
Student Solidarity Network meeting
Thursday June 7th, 6:00pm (Location TBD)
*Add yourself to the Student Solidarity Network by emailing campaigns@cfsontario.ca
Nous irons jusqu’au bout,
The Public
(En français)
Comme organisateurs, activistes et membres de communautées marginalisées, nous sommes bien conscients de l’ordre du jour d’austérité établi par nos gouvernements, attaquant directement la classe ouvrière et des pauvres, des femmes et des enfants, les personnes handicapé(e)s, gens de couleur; les peuples autochtones et les étudiantes. Nous savons que nos gouvernements sont de moins en moins intéresés par le bien-être de notre société, alors que nous continuons à ressentir les effets des réductions des services sociaux, les programmes communautaires et, plus récemment, de l’éducation accessible.
Plus de 400.000 étudiants sont descendues dans les rues de Montréal le 22 mai 2012 pour célébrer les 100 jours de la grève étudiante québécoise.
Ces étudiants et étudiantes ont démontré au reste du Canada que le pouvoir du peuple peut changer les politiques au niveau de l’État. Les étudiants on été grève et dans les rues pendant de plus de 100 jours et ils continuent à former des manifestations de plus en plus fortes pour exiger une éducation accessible à tous.
The Public Studio est fier de soutenir la lutte du mouvement étudiant québécois. L’appel à l’éducation accessible exige une critique directe des dépenses du gouvernement actuel à tous ses niveaux. L’argent est là; les coupures à l’éducation démontrent de priorités obliques de l’État.
La grève étudiante au Québec a devenu aujourd’hui un mouvement à l’échelle nationale contre la criminalisation de la dissidence. Nous croyons en la puissance de l’action directe, et le droit des étudiants et sympathisants à protester et de démonstrer en public.
Nous soutenons les efforts des organisateurs et des activistes, car ils présentent des demandes claires sur l’éducation accessible, la protection de l’environnement, la transparence financière, la fin de la brutalité policière et le droit à la liberté d’expression. Nous allons démontrer dans la solidarité et porter nos carrés rouges avec fierté et nous allons continuer à relier nos luttes et alimenter ce mouvement car il se propage à l’échelle nationale.
Ici, à Toronto, les syndicats d’étudiants, les organisateurs et les communautés outragés ont appelé à des actions à travers la ville. Nous vous invitons à nous rejoindre aux événements a travers la ville, a apprendre plus sur les problèmes et comment nous joindre en solidarité , et de nous visiter pour prendre votre propre carre rouge.
1:46 pm • 30 May 2012 • 5 notes
May is South Asian Heritage Month in Canada, and to celebrate, CASSA held a gala dinner on May 12th. The dinner featured boards from the Brown Canada Exhibit (which we were happy to design!), awards, performances and (everyone’s favourite thing) a buffet dinner! Here are some photos, taken by Imagine Digitally. For the full album, click here.
4:34 pm • 23 May 2012
Over the last four weeks, we’ve been really happy to welcome a new member to the family here at The Public: the very talented design intern Maria Piñeros, from the York-Sheridan design program.
Maria’s been working closely with us on our ongoing people’s history project and has created pieces celebrating May Day, Take Back the Night and the AIDS walk. Last week was her final one here with us, but we’re already missing her!
4:14 pm • 23 May 2012 • 2 notes
This is Matthew Thomas, 17, and the stellar skateboard he designed especially for us here at The Public!
Matt is an aspiring artist and designer, currently going to school at the Oasis Skateboard Factory, an awesome alternative school and social enterprise that runs across the park from us at the Scadding Court Community Centre. Matt created this board for us in his classroom-based workshop, walking us through a creative briefing, finding out what inspires the work that we do, coming up with the concept and design and executing it on a board that he built himself. It was great to be on the other side of the creative process (for once!), and we couldn’t be happier with the piece Matt produced for us.
Matt is working on his own line of art-based skateboards and fingerboards called Sakie, so get in touch with him through the Oasis Skateboard Factory now before he hits the big time and has a eager mob of skateboard collectors knocking at his door.
And here at The Public, we’re happier than ever to be continuing our partnership with the Oasis Skateboard factory. Earlier this spring, Sheila gave a talk at the school, and we’ve been hosting Lou, a very talented co-op student, once a week. In the coming two months, Sheila will be guest-editing the Oasis Skateboard Factory zine, Slo_Skate, just in time for the group to distribute on their class trip in New York City!
We <3 the Oasis Skateboard Factory!
2:43 pm • 12 May 2012
May is South Asian Heritage Month, and we’ve been working closely with the Council of Agencies Serving South Asians on its promotion and the launch of the Brown Canada project. Our friends over at CASSA have been (very) busy organizing a series of events this month, which we’re honoured to be a part of:
Asian and South Asian Heritage Month Reception at Toronto City Hall
May 14th, 5pm–7pm. Members’ Lounge, Toronto City Hall
The Chinese Canadian National Council Toronto Chapter (CCNCTO) and the Council of Agencies Serving South Asians (CASSA) invite you to attend a reception at the City Hall to celebrate Asian and South Asian Heritage Month. This year our panel and speakers will speak about our theme: “Our Stories, Our Histories”. We will also discuss the role of the City of Toronto in regard to our theme.
The panel discussion and reception will be held in the Members’ Lounge, City Hall at 5 pm followed by a networking reception with refreshments.
The agenda for the reception is:
5:00–5:30 Reception and Greetings by CNCCTO and CASSA
5:30–6:20 Panel Discussion — “Our Stories, Our Histories”
6:20–6:40 Questions and Answers
6:40–7:00 Networking and refreshments
To confirm your attendance, please RSVP to Nadia Wasti at nadia@cassa.on.ca or 416-932-1359 ext. 16 at your earliest convenience.
Young South Asian Women Reclaiming Space in the Media — A Workshop!
May 22nd, 5-7pm. Don Montgomery Recreational Centre 2467 Eglinton Ave East Toronto.
Sheila will be facilitating a workshop for the South Asian Women’s Action Collective (SAWAC). In this free workshop, we’ll deconstruct the ways in which mass media is used to perpetuate colonialism, racism and gender-based violence, and start to shift the conversation into our own reclamation of this space. By the end of the session, participants will have laid the groundwork to explore the use of independent media (eg. podcasting, video-making, blogging and zine-making) in defining our own narratives and creating space for the world we want.
Please email hadia@cassa.on.ca to register. This workshop is open to women between the ages of 16-30 only. Food and Tokens will be provided.
2:30 pm • 11 May 2012
Happy May Day! We’re off to the potluck and seed planting at Queen’s Park and then the rally and march. If you see any of us, ask us for a postcard! They’re for you to share with friends and allies.
2:35 pm • 1 May 2012
