Just in time, an activist school at Ryerson
Ever since I have been at Ryerson, I've been wanted to establish an activist school and now we have finally succeeded. On June 28, if we can get enough people registered, the Gindin Chair and the Chang School for Continuing Education will co-sponsor an activist school called Community Engagement Course.
The 8 week program in July will cover two main areas, Invisible History of Social Movements and Transformational Strategies. A full program is below. I talked with Annahid Dashtgard from Anima Leadership about why we need this course
Judy: One of the reasons I initiated this activist school is that young people are always asking me about how we won certain battles in the 80’s and 90’s like abortion rights. I realize that even those of us that participated in those struggles don’t really take the time to discuss the tactics and strategies and what worked and what didn’t… Judy Rebick
Annahid Dashtgard:
I know. I was hugely involved in the anti-corporate globalization movement of the mid-90’s, and I’m watching what’s going on with the G8/ G20 protests now and I wonder what’s changed, what lessons were learned.
I know. I was hugely involved in the anti-corporate globalization movement of the mid-90’s, and I’m watching what’s going on with the G8/ G20 protests now and I wonder what’s changed, what lessons were learned.
Judy
Yes, activist training is often very narrowly focused on non-violent resistance or how to deal with legal issues but there is a wide range of skills like negotiating differences, working across political and cultural differences, keeping your head when someone makes you angry, that are not covered and I wanted to see a program that included those kinds of skills.
Annahid
I fully agree. I think that the gap between values and vision and actions in social movements is a big barrier to social change. I look around at how organizations and coalitions handle power and wonder: how are we leading the depth and kind of changes needed? A lot of time, the way we go about creating change is f**ked up. There’s remarkable history of social struggle in this country that most of us don’t know about. In bringing together history, theory, practice and skills is a truly unique opportunity. So, peeps, come on out for this cool course on DIY activism!
Starting June 28, twice a week for four weeks. Registration now open. Cost is $254.
Registration closes on June 21st . For More Information or to register contact: Anne-Marie Brinsmead, Chang School Arts at a2brinsm@ryerson.ca
Program:
he Call to Activism: Laying the Foundations
This first session will be an opportunity to meet and get to know one another, as well as an introduction to basic terminology, concepts and frameworks that will be referred to throughout the course. Lead: Annahid Dashtgaard, Anima Leadership
Section One: Learning from invisible history
Supporting Indigenous Struggles, Decolonizing Our Relations
Central to the Canada's history is the story of dispossession, assimilation, and genocide of the Indigenous Peoples who have lived on this land since time immemorial, and their continued resistance and survival. Thos sessions will look at an alternative narrative of history since contact, one that reframes Indigenous-Canadian relations and discusses facts and strategies of colonialism in a way omitted from mainstream education and media. Lead: Corvin Russell, Defenders of the Earth
African Canadians and the struggle against racism
This session traces the historic and contemporary struggles and politics of African Canadians to overcome the many manifestations of racism and other forms of oppression. From the formation of organizations such as the Sleeping Car Porters, to the more than 200 Black community organizations over the last 50 years in Toronto. Lead: Akua Benjamin, Black Action Defense Committee and Professor of Social Work, Ryerson
Struggles of the Labour Movement
This session will look at the contributions of the trade union movement as well as the tactics and strategies used over the years like strikes, occupations, political alliances and lobbying. Lead: Alan Sears, Professor of Sociology at Ryerson, formerly Labour Studies at University of Windsor
Lessons from the Women’s Movement
What is called second wave feminism was able to transform women’s role in society, this session will discuss the key elements of that success focusing on strategic lessons that are still valuable today. Lead: Judy Rebick, long-time feminist and CAW Sam Gindin Chair in Social Justice and Democracy at Ryerson.
Section Two: Transformational strategies-- Changing the world while changing ourselves
Working Across Difference and Navigating Conflict
In all of our work issues of power and privilege emerge. This workshop will develop skills for addressing issues of power and privilege skillfully. It will look at concepts of implicit or unconscious bias, triggers and self-awareness and empathy as foundational skills to address inequity. Annahid Dashtgard, Anima Leaderships
Spreading the word: Working with the Media
Communication is central to all advocacy whether the focus is organizing support, changing policy or both. This class will take an interactive approach to teaching some basic media skills including messaging, skills for different media and use of social media. Lead: Judy Rebick , journalist, founder of rabble.ca
Transforming Power: Effective activism
From the Indigenous movements in Bolivia who took political power to a poor people’s movement in Britain that have taken power over their own services and housing, this class will examine strategies for change from around the world that we can learn from here in Toronto. Lead: Judy Rebick
Tags:
ACTIVIST SCHOOL AT RYERSON
There are people who would like to attend this course but cannot afford the $254.00 dollars cost. Activists should be supporting the call for free post secondary education. The government has $1.2 billion to spend on security for the G 8/ G 20. The three levels of government have pledged millions to bring a one week mega sporting event to Toronto (2015 Pan American Games) yet many racialized students, lower income and other marginalized students struggle to continue post secondary studies.
Online course in how to be an effective advocate in Canada
For those who can and/or cannot attend the Ryerson course, see an online course on how to be an effective advocate in Canada at:
http://www.democracyeducation.net/Lessons.html
Hope this helps,
Duff Conacher, Coordinator
Democracy Watch
http://www.goodgovernment.ca
Activist school
I wish I could attend!! I hope you have a great turn out and perhaps I can attend the next course! Good luck!
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