Brock Human Rights & Equity, Gender & Sexual Violence Support & Education team, the Student Justice Centre, the President’s Advisory Committee on Human Rights, Equity and Decolonization, and Sexual Violence Prevention Committee are proud to present a series of events from November 25th to December 10th. They aim to open discussions, expand education, and commemorate the tragedies that these 16 days represent.
Significant Dates
International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women
This important day is supported by the United Nations, World Health Organization, Council of Europe, and many other international organization. It was created to create awareness surrounding violence against women and girls, “one of the most widespread, persistent and devastating human rights violations in our world today [that] remains largely unreported due to the impunity, silence, stigma and shame surrounding it.” – UN.org
To view international initiatives, social media resources, and international gender-based violence support, visit the following websites:
International Day of Persons with Disabilities
United Nations passed a resolution to observe and promote disability awareness in 1992. Previously, it proclaimed the international year of disabled persons in 1981 to emphasize the equalization of opportunity and prevention of disability. This long decade lasted from the year 1983 to 1992 after which the United Nations declared 3rd December as the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
The National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women
Canada’s national day of commemorating and remembering the Polytechnic massacre in Montreal that occurred on December 6th in 1989. The National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women is about remembering those who have experienced gender-based violence and those who we have lost to it, and how to take action.
In Canada and around the world, women, girls, 2SLGBTQQIA+ (two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, asexual, plus) and gender diverse individuals face unacceptable violence and discrimination. Gender-based violence in Canada has also been magnified and amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic. There have been reports from police services, shelters, and local organization of an increase in calls related to gender-based violence across Canada during the pandemic. – The Government of Canada
Additional websites and information:
International Human Rights Day
Human Rights Day is observed every year on 10 December — the day the United Nations General Assembly adopted, in 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). The UDHR is a milestone document, which proclaims the inalienable rights that everyone is entitled to as a human being – regardless of race, colour, religion, sex, language, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. – UN.org
International Human Rights Day information and resources:
GSV & SJC Event Line Up:
Gender & Sexual Violence + Student Justice Centre Tabling
Date & Time: Wednesday, November 22nd and 29th from 9am to 12pm
Location: MCA Hallway
Join us in taking a stand against gender-based violence during the 16 Days of Activism! Our dedicated Gender and Sexual Violence and Student Justice Centre student staff invite you to our engaging and informative tabling events.
📅 Dates: Wednesday, November 22nd and 29th
⏰ Time: 9am to 12pm
📍 Location: Mackenzie Chown A-Block Hallway
At our vibrant and welcoming table, you’ll discover a wealth of information, resources, and goodies aimed at raising awareness about gender-based and sexual violence and other types of identity-based harms. Whether you’re a student, faculty or staff member, or a valued community member, we welcome you to stop by, grab a snack, and chat with us!
Our knowledgeable team members will be on hand to answer your questions, provide information on workshops and events, and guide you on how to access the support you or others may need.
Let’s come together to create a community that stands against gender-based violence, fosters inclusivity, and supports survivors. Your presence matters, and your engagement can make a difference!
It’s not just a table—it’s a movement for change. We look forward to seeing you there! 💙 #EndGBV #16DaysOfActivism
Gender & Sexual Violence + Student Justice Centre Team Tabling
Date & Time: Wednesday, November 22nd, 9am to 12pm
Location: MCA Hallway
Join us in taking a stand against gender-based violence during the 16 Days of Activism! Our dedicated Gender and Sexual Violence and Student Justice Centre student staff invite you to our engaging and informative tabling events.
📅 Dates: Wednesday, November 22nd and 29th
⏰ Time: 9am to 12pm
📍 Location: Mackenzie Chown A-Block Hallway
At our vibrant and welcoming table, you’ll discover a wealth of information, resources, and goodies aimed at raising awareness about gender-based and sexual violence and other types of identity-based harms. Whether you’re a student, faculty or staff member, or a valued community member, we welcome you to stop by, grab a snack, and chat with us!
Our knowledgeable team members will be on hand to answer your questions, provide information on workshops and events, and guide you on how to access the support you or others may need.
Let’s come together to create a community that stands against gender-based violence, fosters inclusivity, and supports survivors. Your presence matters, and your engagement can make a difference!
It’s not just a table—it’s a movement for change. We look forward to seeing you there! 💙 #EndGBV #16DaysOfActivism
Roots & Resilience Workshop
Date & Time: November 24th, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Location: Rankin Pavillon 215
Join us on Friday, November 24th from 1-3 pm in Rankin Family Pavilion (RFP) 214-215 for a workshop on Roots & Resilience!
Participants are welcomed to engage in an educational workshop focused on decolonizing Black hair and fostering resilience within Black hair culture and identity. This workshop will explore frameworks aimed at deconstructing prevailing stereotypes about Black hair and navigating the intricate relationship between Black hair, identity, and culture. This conversation will centre on empowering our Black community to thrive within institutional spaces by fostering resilience in discussion while celebrating our hair culture.
All students, staff and faculty are encouraged to take part in this conversation to deconstruct stereotypical narratives surrounding Black hair. This is an invitation for Black students to discover resilience in both professional and institutional settings while embracing their cultural hair identity.
Participants will also be entered into a giveaway to win a $50 gift card!
If you have any questions or accessibility requests, please reach out to us at sjc@brocku.ca
Check out this event on ExperienceBU: https://experiencebu.brocku.ca/event/249276
A Panel on Palestine: Decolonization, International Law, Gender, Media and Solidarity
Date & Time: November 27th from 7:30-9:30 pm
Location: TH 325
Please join us on Monday, November 27th at 7:30 pm for A Panel on Palestine: Decolonization, International Law, Gender, Media and Solidarity.
Starting with our commitment to decolonization, this panel presents experts working in a variety of areas to analyze the roots of the current crisis.
About the Panelists:
Dr. Michael Lynk, University of Western Ontario, UN’s 7th Special Rapporteur on Palestine: https://law.uwo.ca/about_us/faculty/michael_lynk.html
Michael Lynk is Associate Professor at the Faculty of Law, Western University, in London, Ontario and has taught courses in labour, human rights, disability, constitutional and administrative law. In March 2016, the United Nations Human Rights Council appointed Professor Lynk as the 7th Special Rapporteur for the human rights situation in the Palestinian and his UN reports have been widely cited. He writes on international law respecting the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territory.
Dr. Abigail Bakan, University of Toronto, an expert on Israel and Palestine: https://politics.utoronto.ca/faculty/profile/295/ ; http: //www.bloomsbury.com/ca/israel-palestine-and-the-politics-of-race-9781780765327/
Abigail B. Bakan is a Professor in the Department of Social Justice Education (SJE) at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, cross-appointed to the Department of Political Science, and an affiliate with the Anne Tanenbaum Centre for Jewish Studies. Recognized as a scholar in the fields of citizenship and anti-oppression politics, her research explores intersections of gender, race, class, political economy and citizenship. Abigail Bakan teaches in the areas of interdisciplinary approaches to research, relationships between theory and practice/praxis, and intersectionality and global politics. Her recent book, Israel, Palestine and the Politics of Race (co-authored with Yasmeen Abu-Laban) explores questions of race, identity and power.
Shree Paradkar, Race & culture writer at Toronto Star: https://www.thestar.com/users/profile/shree-paradkar/
Shree Paradkar (Puh-raad-keur) is a Toronto Star social and racial justice columnist where she writes on issues of oppression, including race, gender and Israel-Palestine. She is also the country’s first internal ombud in a newsroom, a position created to develop an anti-racist newsroom and to make newsrooms less hostile to journalists of marginalized backgrounds. As the 2018-2019 recipient of the Atkinson Fellowship in Public Policy, Shree went around the world in search of success stories on education without oppression. She is the winner of two Amnesty Awards for Human Rights reporting and the Racial Justice in Media award by the Urban Alliance of Race Relations. She has been a journalist in Toronto, Singapore, Bangalore and Mumbai.
Patty Krawec, Indigenous author and activist: https://www.transatlanticagency.com/clients/speakers/patty-krawec/);
Patty Krawec is an Anishinaabe/Ukrainian writer and speaker belonging to Lac Seul First Nation in Treaty 3 territory and residing in Niagara Falls. She serves on the board of the Fort Erie Native Friendship Center and sings with the Strong Water Singers, a hand drum group. She is the cohost of the Medicine for the Resistance podcast and in November 2021, after three years of personal fundraising, cofounded the Nii’kinaaganaa Foundation with journalist Nora Loreto and Blackfoot activist Terril Tailfeathers. Nii’kinaaganaa challenges settlers to pay their rent for living on Indigenous lands and then disperses that money to Indigenous people and organizations who are building their communities in a variety of creative ways. Patty worked for a sexual assault crisis center for four years, supporting victims through the medical care and collection of evidence after an assault. Following that, she obtained a degree in social work and went on to work in child protection for 16 years where she was also an active union member and served on her union local’s executive for several years before taking an early retirement. Her work has been published in Sojourners, Rampant Magazine, Midnight Sun, Yellowhead Institute, Indiginews, Religion News Service, and Broadview. She posts podcasts and essays with some regularity on multiple substacks. Her book, Becoming Kin: An Indigenous Call to Unforgetting the Past and Reimagining Our Future will be published in September by Broadleaf Books. She lives on Twitter as @gindaanis. Find her online at daanis.ca
Sponsors
Hosted by the President’s Advisory Committee on Human Rights, Equity and Decolonization, and co-sponsored by the MA in Social Justice and Equity Studies, the PhD in Interdisciplinary Humanities, the Social Justice Research Institute, and the Centre for Women’s and Gender Studies. With thanks to the Human Rights and Equity Office.
If you have any questions and/or accessibility requests, please contact us at: sjc@brocku.ca
RSVP for this event on ExperienceBU: https://experiencebu.brocku.ca/event/248839
Healthy Relationship Workshop
Date & Time: November 27 from 6-8 pm
Location: P2P room (TH128A)
This event is a part of 16 Days of activism against Gender-based Violence against Women, girls and 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals. Come and participate in our Healthy Relationship Workshop on November 27th! This event is designed to help you improve your understanding of various aspects of relationships. Snacks and drinks will be provided! During the workshop, we’ll cover essential topics such as communication styles. We’ll explore effective ways to initiate relationships and provide guidance on navigating the challenging process of breakups.
After the workshop, we will offer a self-care bag-making session! You’ll have the opportunity to craft your own self-care bag, complete with items to help you relax and recharge.
RSVP for this event on ExperienceBU: https://experiencebu.brocku.ca/event/248694
International Perspectives (Gender and Sexual Violence Workshop Series)
Date & Time: November 28th, 5 – 6 pm
Location: Online, please RSVP on ExperienceBU
Join us for a workshop reflecting on how gender & sexual violence affects multiple cultures, intercultural communication, and dating. This workshop involves two components. A 30-minute Brightspace online module to learn about consent, receiving disclosures, and sexual violence support, and a 1-hour Microsoft-Teams seminar to discuss what you’ve learned in Brightspace, and engage in some experiential activities.
For access to Brightspace, please register on Experience BU for the workshop at least 1 day before the scheduled workshop. We suggest that you please complete the Brightspace module before the Teams Seminar to be able to actively engage during the seminar.
RSVP for this event on ExperienceBU: https://experiencebu.brocku.ca/event/238354
Mindfulness and Meditation Workshop for 2SLGBTQIA+ folks and allies
Date & Time: November 29, 2023; 5.30pm to 7.30pm
Location: Rankin Family Pavilion, room number 216 (Research Impact Hub)
Join us for a Mindfulness and Meditation workshop with Dr. Pauli Gardner (Associate Professor, Health Sciences) and the HRE-GSV team on November 29th in Rankin Family Pavilion, room number 216 (Research Impact Hub) for 2SLGBTQIA+ folks and allies.Folks can join around 5.30 pm and connect with each other at the beginning.
The Mindfulness and meditation session will be from 6-7 pm and there will be some time for debriefing towards the end. Free snacks will be provided.
This workshop is open to 2SLGBTQIA+ identifying folks and allies!
RSVP for this event on ExperienceBU: https://experiencebu.brocku.ca/event/247495
Consent & Disclosure (Gender and Sexual Violence Workshop Series)
Date & Time: November 30, 12 – 1 pm
Location: Online, please RSVP on ExperienceBU
Join us for a workshop about consent, sexual violence, Brock’s policies, and how to receive a sexual violence disclosure. This workshop involves two components. A 30-minute Brightspace online module to learn about consent, receiving disclosures, and sexual violence support, and a 1-hour Microsoft-Teams seminar to discuss what you’ve learned in Brightspace, and engage in some experiential activities.
For access to Brightspace, please register on Experience BU for the workshop at least 1 day before the scheduled workshop. We suggest that you please complete the Brightspace module before the Teams Seminar to be able to actively engage during the seminar.
RSVP for this event on ExperienceBU: https://experiencebu.brocku.ca/event/238214
Right to Gender Affirming Care Workshop
Date & Time: November 30th from 10am-12 pm
Location: TBD
Join us on Thursday, November 30th from 10am-12 pm to learn about the Right to Gender Affirming Care!
This workshop is facilitated by Meech (SJC) and Celeste (NFCHC). The session will focus on the current procedures set in place at Brock for Gender affirming care as well as highlighting where Brock can improve and do better. This will be followed up with information on how to receive gender affirming care outside of Brock and Quest.
This will be an information filled workshop followed by a debriefing where students can unwind by creating their own self care baskets and participating in other relaxing activities. The SJC staff will be around in case students have any further questions regarding the material talked about during the workshop.
Participants will also be entered into a giveaway to win a $50 gift card!
If you have any questions or accessibility requests, please reach out to us at sjc@brocku.ca
RSVP for this event on ExperienceBU: https://experiencebu.brocku.ca/event/249278
Take a PAWS from Studying
Date & Time: Nov 30th @ 1:30-3pm (6 dogs available)
Location: Market Hall (away from the food area)
Join us on Thursday, November 30th from 1:30-3 pm in Market Hall to Take a Paws From Studying!
As students, we understand the pressures of academics and the stress that comes with constant studying and deadlines. To provide a much-needed mental health break, we are bringing in a group of certified therapy dogs to our campus.
These friendly and loving dogs are specially trained to provide comfort, affection, and a sense of calm. They are gentle, approachable, and have a remarkable ability to uplift spirits. Whether you’re a dog lover or just in need of a stress-relief session, this event is the perfect opportunity to step away from your studies, relax, and enjoy some quality time with these adorable four-legged therapists.
The event will take place in a serene and comfortable spot on campus, ideal for unwinding. Feel free to drop by anytime during the event hours to pet, play, and cuddle with the dogs. This is your chance to take a breath, de-stress, and connect with fellow students who share the same challenges. Remember, taking care of your mental health is as important as your academic success. So, let’s take a PAWS, enjoy some tail wags, and recharge our minds with the joyful presence of our furry friends.
If you have any questions or accessibility requests, please reach out to us at sjc@brocku.ca
RSVP for this event on ExperienceBU: https://experiencebu.brocku.ca/event/249279
Sport Mismanagement: Negligence and Betrayal in a National Sport Organization (16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence)
Date and Time
Friday, December 1 2023 at 1:00 PM EST to
Friday, December 1 2023 at 2:00 PM EST
Location
Brock University
Rankin Family Pavilion, room RFP 214/215 1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way, St. Catharines, Ontario
Description
Guest speaker Wegadesk Gorup-Paule will discuss Sport Mismanagement: Negligence and Betrayal in a National Sport Organization on Friday, Dec. 1 at 1 p.m. in Rankin Family Pavilion room RFP 214/215. Light refreshments will be provided beginning at 12:30 p.m.
Wegadesk, which means North Star in Mi’kmaw, is a 12-time national champion and world record setting Olympic-style high diver. Currently, Wegadesk is a self-represented plaintiff in a class action lawsuit aimed at repairing systemic shortcomings in the Canadian sport system that allowed him and other child athletes to be abused by a known and protected pedophile who worked for decades as a head coach of the Canadian national high diving team.
Wegadesk’s talk will examine systemic negligence and betrayal within his national sport organization, his quest for justice for his Nation, and remedies he is seeking to better protect and support child sexual abuse victims in sport in Canada.
This talk is part of a series of events for 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. It is being organized by the new Sport Management Equity and Diversity Action Committee and is co-sponsored by the Human Rights and Equity Office and Gender and Sexual Violence Support and Education Centre.
RSVP on ExperienceBU: https://experiencebu.brocku.ca/event/249496
Cocoa Night & Chill Movie Night
Date & Time: December 1st from 7pm-9pm
Location: Lofts Theatre
Join us on Friday, December 1st from 7-9 pm in Lofts Theatre for Cocoa Night & Chill, featuring the movie Bottoms!
Take some time from studying, grab some hot cocoa and enjoy the viewing of Bottoms. We will be providing movie themed snacks including popcorn, candy and chips.
About Bottoms
Bottoms is a 2023 American satirical teen sex comedy film directed by Emma Seligman, who co-wrote it with Rachel Sennott. Its plot follows two high school senior girls who set up a fight club as a way to hook up with cheerleaders.
The film stars Sennott, Ayo Edebiri, Ruby Cruz, Havana Rose Liu, Kaia Gerber, Nicholas Galitzine, Miles Fowler, Dagmara Domińczyk, and Marshawn Lynch.
Click here to watch a trailer of the movie.
If you have any questions or accessibility requests, please reach out to us at sjc@brocku.ca
RSVP for this event on ExperienceBU: https://experiencebu.brocku.ca/event/249282
International Day of Persons With Disabilities
Date & Time: December 4th from 11:30am-2 pm
Location: Pond Inlet
Join us on Monday, December 4th in Pond Inlet for a celebration of International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD)!
There will be two keynote presentations and a celebration of the Accessibility and Inclusion Recognition Award recipients!
About Danielle Peers
Danielle Peers (they/them) is a community organizer, an artist, and an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation at the University of Alberta. They are also a Canada Research Chair in Disability and Movement Cultures (SSHRC, Tier II). They were a Vanier and Trudeau scholar throughout their PhD at the University of Alberta, and a Banting Postdoctoral scholar at Concordia University in Montreal. Danielle uses critical disability theories to study disability movement cultures: from the Paralympics, to inclusive recreation, to disability arts. Their research builds on their experiences as a Paralympic athlete, parasport coach, a filmmaker, and a dancer . Danielle is co-director of the Just Movements CreateSpace, which takes arts-based and disability justice approaches to generating and sharing knowledges about bodies in motion.
For more information, visit their site here: http://www.daniellepeers.com/
The second speaker will be announced soon!
If you have any questions or accessibility requests, please reach out to us at sjc@brocku.ca
RSVP for this event on ExperienceBU: https://experiencebu.brocku.ca/event/249302
Anti-Ableism and the Media: An Intersectional and Interactive Workshop
Date & Time: December 5th from 6 -7 pm
Location: TH 253
This event is a part of 16 Days of activism against Gender-based Violence against Women, girls and 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals. Come join us for an intersectional and interactive workshop where we will be talking about anti-ableism, the role of media in creating narratives surrounding disability and it’s connection to sexual violence. We will be offering space for dialogue throughout the workshop, as well as tea, hot chocolate and snacks!
RSVP for this event on ExperienceBU: https://experiencebu.brocku.ca/event/249237
Talking about the Taboo: Embracing your Menstrual Cycle
Date & Time: December 5th from 5-6 pm
Location: RFP 214-215
Join us on Tuesday, December 5th from 5-6 pm in Rankin Family Pavilion (RFP) 214-215 to Take about the Taboo: Embracing Your Menstrual Cycle!
This is an empowering workshop where we dive into a conversation often shrouded in silence: the menstrual cycle. This inclusive and supportive space is designed to break the stigma and foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of menstrual cycles through interactive discussions, activities, and shared experiences.
We will discuss how you can embrace your menstrual cycle, break barriers, and how we can foster a more inclusive and understanding society for all those that menstruate.
Participants will also be entered into a giveaway to win a $50 gift card!
If you have any questions or accessibility requests, please reach out to us at sjc@brocku.ca
RSVP for this event on ExperienceBU: https://experiencebu.brocku.ca/event/249288
Intersections of Injustice: Centering Queer and Trans Voices
Date & Time: December 6th from 11am-1 pm
Location: TH 253
Join us on Wednesday, December 6th from 11am-1 pm in TH253 for a powerful event that centers queer and trans voices in the discussion of gender-based violence.
This panel aims to center the voices of trans and queer artists and activists to share their insights about newly prominent forms of gendered violence. Unpacking the moral panic now unfolding against trans and queer youth, (including the One Million March 4 Children and the anti-trans legislation in Saskatchewan and New Brunswick) panelists will discuss the differential harms faced by QTBIPOC communities. Despite these attacks, we center our capacity for joy and strength in mobilizing resistance through activism, art making and building co-conspiratorial relationships.
Learn more information about our panelists and moderator on ExperienceBU!
If you have any questions or accessibility requests, please reach out to us at sjc@brocku.ca
RSVP for this event on ExperienceBU: https://experiencebu.brocku.ca/event/249296
In Memory and Solidarity: Ecole Polytechnique Remembrance Ceremony
Join us on December 6th from 9am to 9:45 am in Rankin Family Pavilion Atrium for a Memorial Vigil, honoring the 14 young women tragically murdered at Polytechnique Montréal and remembering all innocent lives lost to and impacted by violence against women.
Let us unite in reflection and commitment to create a safer world for everyone.
Agenda
Gather & view memorial displays
8:45 AM – 9:00 AM
Opening Remarks
9:00 AM
White Ribbons will be distributed
Memorial Speech & Moment of Silence
Attendees encouraged to view posters of the 14 women killed during the Ecole Polytechnique massacre.
Reflections and Open Mic
9:20 AM
Attendees are invited to share brief reflections, thoughts, or messages of support for survivors and those affected by gender-based violence.
Closing Remarks
9:28 AM
Ways to honour the victims of this tragedy on December 6:
– Wear a white ribbon. You can make one at home or order one online.
– Observe a moment of silence at 11:00 am.
– Attend a vigil in your community.
– Today and throughout the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence (from November 25 to December 10), add your voice to the conversation and share the ways you are being part of the solution to end gender-based violence. Use the hashtag #16Days.
– Learn more about the 16 Days of Activism Against GBV campaign and how to get involved.
– Attend other HRE events during the 16 Days of Activism, and afterwards as well.
To learn more about this National Day, please visit this website.
If you have any questions and/or accessibility requests, please contact us at: sjc@brocku.ca
RSVP for this event on ExperienceBU: https://experiencebu.brocku.ca/event/249620
Screen Printing Totes & Tees
Date & Time: December 7th from 5-8 pm
Location: Pond Inlet
Join the Student Justice Centre (SJC) and Gender Sexual Violence (GSV) teams on Thursday, December 7th to Screen Print pre-made designs from 5-8 pm pm in Pond Inlet! During this event, students can select up to 2 different designs to screen print on a Tote Bag and/or T-Shirt. All of the screens have been pre-made and designed with affirmations and calls to action related to ending Gender and Sexual Based Violence.
We will provide supplies such as T-Shirts, Tote Bags, and the ink/screens for students and community members to use! Participation is free.
*While Supplies last.
If you have any questions or accessibility requests, please reach out to us at sjc@brocku.ca
RSVP for this event on ExperienceBU: https://experiencebu.brocku.ca/event/249297