Family Programs at Kitsilano Neighbourhood House

Posted on January 20, 2015 by HannahBarath

Family programs at Kitsilano Neighbourhood House start this week! Located just 25 minutes away from UBC by bus, the House offers five programs, four in their Kitsilano location and one, “My tween and me parenting program”, on the UBC Point Grey campus:

Family FUNdamentals program for parents with children 3 & 4: 6 sessions from Jan. 20 to Feb. 24, 1-2:30 p.m., $20/$15 Family Membership.
Expressive Art Group for Newcomer Pre-Teens (aged 9 – 12): 8 sessions from Jan. 20 to March 10, 4-5:30 p.m., $30/$20 Family Membership
Multicultural Women Support Program: 9 sessions from Jan. 23 to March 20, 10 a.m.-noon, $15/$10 Individual Membership
My Tween and me parenting program for parents with children 7 – 12 years old: 8 sessions from Jan. 24-March 14, 10 a.m.-noon, $15/$10 Individual Membership. Location: Acadia Park Commons Block (2707 Tennis Crescent)
Food Skills for Newcomer Families: 6 sessions from Feb. 6-March 13, 5-8 p.m., $15/$10 Individual MembershipAll programs provide free child minding and snacks.

The Kitsilano Neighbourhood House is located at 2305 West 7th Ave., Vancouver. For more details, please see the attached posters.

If you are interested in participating, please contact Patricia Paz at patricia@kitshouse.org or 604-736-3588 ext. 128. If you are in need of a subsidy please contact Patricia Paz for a subsidy application.

Sexual Assault Awareness Month 2015

Posted on January 12, 2015 by HannahBarath

January is Sexual Assault Awareness Month at UBC.

Sexual assault affects people of all ages, genders, and sexual orientations. Help end the violence by participating in one of many Sexual Assault Awareness Month events this January. Learn more about sexual assault, how to help prevent it, and the supports available for survivors. And don’t forget to wear denim on Denim Day, January 21, to show others you’re standing up against sexual assault.

We would like to highlight our keynote speaker, Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha. Her talk, “Strong Communities Make Police Obsolete” will take place on Tuesday, January 27 at 12.30 – 1.30pm at the Liu Institute of Global Issues. For full details regarding this event see our online events calendar or our Facebook event.

Please find a highlighted list of events during SAAM below. Read more for more information and events. If you attend or would like to follow what’s happening on social media, use and follow us at #saamUBC.

Thursday 15
- BARtalk #14: Feminism in the Media, hosted by AMS and Terry Project UBC. 6-7.30pm, at the Gallery Lounge.
Tuesday 20
- Anti-violence ally training, 10am-12.30pm. Contact Ashley Bentley at AMS Sexual Support Centre, sascprog@ams.ubc.ca to register.
- AMS SASC is screening the film Stalled, followed by a discussion with film-maker Megan Gardiner. 7-8.30pm, Irving K. Barber 261.
Wednesday 21
- Denim Day: Stand up for a respectful campus and ask the same of your friends. Wear denim, a Denim Day sticker, or both on January 21 to stand against sexual assault. Stickers provided by Access & Diversity, email students@ubc.ca
Sunday 25
- Place Vanier: Start Talking art show, Shrum Lounge 6-8pm. For UBC residents.
Tuesday 27
- Access & Diversity presents keynote speaker Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha, 12.30-1.30pm, Multipurpose Room, Liu Institute.
- AMS SASC, FUS and LFSUS are hosting a SAAM Showcase, 6-8pm, Agora Café.
Wednesday 28
- AMS Speakeasy: Art Speaks – #StartTalking art exhibition, SUB Art Gallery, 5-8pm
Friday 30
- Really? workshop: Anti-discrimination awareness response training, 3.30-5pm, Simon K.Y. Lee Global Lounge. Register at u@ubc.ca

For more information regarding events and to find resources related to sexual assault awareness, please visit students.ubc.ca/saam.

Intercultural understanding… through art!

Posted on January 5, 2015 by mkwatson

Post by Rachel Lee, Equity Ambassador and 3rd-year Sociology Student

At the start of a new year, everyone has something to look forward to…seeing your friends on campus, summer break, that concert you’ve been waiting forever for. Well here’s something to get excited about in March!

The UBC Equity Ambassadors are planning InterculturalU in celebration of the International Day to End Racial Discrimination, an event promoting intercultural understanding through your artwork!

Going beyond multiculturalism (i.e. co-existing different cultures), intercultural understanding focuses on making connections with, and increasing our knowledge of, each other’s cultures. In the past, InterculturalU included pecha kucha, roundtables, or panel discussions. This year, we hope to present an evening of art and awareness promoting understanding between the rich variety of cultures that every student brings to our campus. And we need your art to help make this possible!

Are you an artist in the broadest, most imaginative sense?
Are you passionate about ending discrimination and celebrating diversity using your art?

Complete an online submission form to showcase your artwork. The online submission process will close on January 19^th, 2015.

Here are just few of the possible mediums that your art could be: song, dance, drumming, photography, painting, sculpture, slam poetry, improv, stand-up comedy.

We look forward to all your submissions! If you have any questions please contact us at equity.ambassadors@ubc.ca.

The UBC Name Project – Mankirat

Posted on December 17, 2014 by HannahBarath

Mankirat

My name was uncommon in my own Punjab community at the times my parents named me. I’ve met people with the suffix ‘kirat’ like ‘Jaskirat’ and ‘Harkirat.’ but I have yet to meet another ‘Mankirat.’ My name means ‘setting your mind to something and working to achieve it,’ so it’s nice to have that inspiration when I’m doing school work or something.

When I was seven or so, I used to really hate my name, because kids in my school would always mispronounce my name, and say ‘MankiRAT’ instead of ‘Manki-rit,’ and then go ‘Haw haw, you have a ‘rat’ in your name!’ And so I would come home and demand to my parents that I get a name change immediately. I think I hurt my parents’ feelings a bit because their daughter disliked the name that they gave her. Now that I am grown up, I love my name because it allows me to share my culture when asked about its origin.

Emergency Financial Supports and Services at UBC and in Vancouver

Posted on December 2, 2014 by HannahBarath

“View west from Cypress mountain” by Casey Yee licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Post by Helena Zhu, Women Students Program Assistant, and Hannah Barath, Co-op Student Assistant at Access & Diversity

Finances can be tough especially around this time of the year. Student loans are running low and the seasonal break can be a stressful time for many. If you are looking for support there are a number of programs and services that might be a viable option for you here at UBC and in the Greater Vancouver Area (GVA).

Emergency Funding

If you find yourself in an emergency financial situation or faced with an unexpected expense, UBC has emergency funding that Canadian students can apply to. It will be counted as a university loan. You do not have to have student loans to be considered. International students can apply for funding in order to complete the current term or travel home in cases of family emergency. Unfortunately, long-term bursary funding is not available for international students, but you are encouraged to looking into funding in your own country. Should you wish to seek these options, you can contact your Enrolment Services Professional or make an appointment with an advisor.

Food Banks and Low-Cost Food

The Alma Mater Society has a Student Food Bank that provides emergency food relief to current UBC students. With a valid student ID, current students can receive up to one bag of groceries for individuals and two bags for families per visit, up to six visits per term. The AMS Food Bank also provides referrals to other Lower Mainland food banks. Note that the Food Bank is closed between December 17^th 2014 and January 5^th 2015.

There are many other food banks in the GVA. If you don’t know which location is closest to you, call the Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society at 604.876.3601. At the bottom of the page on this website you can find a list of some of the other food banks in the Lower Mainland. You can also check out the regularly-updated schedule of places that offer free or low-cost meals, which is compiled by the City of Vancouver.

Family Fun

Fun family activities don’t have to be expensive. There are several holiday themed activities in Vancouver that are free and family-friendly!

On Friday, December 5^th a big tree lighting ceremony is happening at Jack Poole Plaza from 5.30 to 7 pm. This free event will have live music and entertainment, but if you cannot make this date you can still see the trees until the first week of January. Another event to consider if you want to see Christmas lighting is the Trinity Street Christmas Light Festival. You can see the lights all through December (until 10 pm every day), but the recommended days to go are December 13^th and 20^th.

Many Christmas markets are expensive, but the fantasy-themed fair Imaginarius Fantasticus has free admission and entertainment for all ages. If you want to go, it’s at International Village Mall on December 6^th and 7^th between 12 and 6 pm. If you happen to be downtown on December 7^th, also make sure to check out the Rogers Santa Clause Parade.

Lastly, you can skate for free at Robson Square if you have your own skates. If you don’t you can rent skates (including helmet) are available for $4.

Gifts, Clothing and Other Resources

Low income families in Vancouver can register with the Lower Mainland Christmas Bureau between December 3^rd and 19^th. Gifts include toys, clothing and food vouchers. If you do not live in Vancouver the website also lists other Christmas Bureaus in the Lower Mainland.

New clothes are expensive, but there are alternatives. On the second floor of the Student Union Building at UBC there is a “free store”. There is a variety of clothing and other things available. Find it in SUB 245, where the AMS Resource Groups are located. Keep in mind that the SUB holiday hours may be different than during the academic year.

You can find a very thorough list of thrift shops in the Vancouver area and Lower Mainland (and many, many other resources) in the Single Mother’s Resource Guide made by Vancouver Status of Women. Also make sure to check out the Guide to Resources & Supports for Parents prepared by Single Parents on Campus. If you are looking for in-person support, consider the YWCA Single Mother’s Support Services or contacting your local community centre.

The UBC Name Project

Posted on December 2, 2014 by HannahBarath

Post by Lilian Higashikata, Equity Ambassador and 3rd-year Arts student

UBC is a large university with 58,284 students, of which 10,181 of the students are from 149 countries, supported by 15,171 staffs. On a campus with such incredible population, it’s very easy to feel lost in numbers and forget to see that the UBC community is made up of diverse individuals.

In a hope to remind the UBC community (including you and me!) that every one of us is unique, I decided to create a social media blog (inspired by the Humans of New York project) that highlights and celebrates what is one of the most basic parts of our identities – our names.

Through the Name Project I am inviting the wider UBC community to take some time to learn the meaning and stories behind our names and reflect on our diverse cultural backgrounds, heritages, and identities.

My hope is that participants and readers will be inspired to ask their peers about their names and be open to it leading to discourse on diversity, intercultural understanding, and ongoing learning about their own family background and heritage.

I will attempt to interview two to three people each week, and post their story and picture onto our Facebook page. If you see a girl in an Equity Ambassador hoodie with a camera looking for another person to interview, feel free to come say hi, and tell me more about yourself! My personal goals include making new friends and listening to more stories!

Dhrti

My name is pronounced ‘dretty.’ Kind of like ‘pretty’ but with a D instead of P. My friends came up with it because people find it so hard to pronounce my name. Whenever I’m in class and a prof is taking attendance and freezes, I raise my hand and say, ‘I think it’s me.’

My name ‘Dhrti’ is actually a Sanskrit name. Sanskrit is a really old language that dates back to 1500BCE, and it’s a root language for many other languages. My name means ‘joy,’ ‘happiness,’ and ‘command,’ and it’s also connected to a powerful Hindu goddess, Parvati. I haven’t met another Dhrti in my life, so I really love my name.

International Day of Persons with Disabilities

Posted on December 2, 2014 by mkwatson

Wednesday December 3, 2014 is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

The annual observance of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities was proclaimed in 1992 by the United Nations General Assembly resolution 47/3. The observance of the Day aims to promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities. It also seeks to increase awareness of gains to be derived from the integration of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life.

This year, the International Day of Persons with Disabilities will focus on the role of technology in creating enabling working environments and in disaster risk reduction and emergency responses.

UBC is recognizing the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on December 3rd. Free events are also happening around the City of Vancouver recognizing this day.

Memorial sites: places of remembrance and action

Posted on November 17, 2014 by mkwatson

Post by Hannah Barath, Access & Diversity Co-op Student Assistant

On December 6, 1989, an armed man walked into an Engineering class at l’École Polytechnique de Montréal. After forcing the men to leave he said he hated feminists. He shot the women in the class, and then beyond it. At the end of his killing rampage, he shot himself. In total 28 people were injured, and all of the 14 people killed were women. Following these events, Canada established December 6 as the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. The day marks the anniversary of the massacre and reminds us about acts of gender-based violence against women in Canada and around the world.

We honour the memory of these 14 women and all other women who have experienced gender-based violence every year through memorial services and sites. This year marks the 25^th anniversary of the tragic event at l’École Polytechnique de Montréal. Perhaps it is especially noteworthy that this is the first year that the annual December 6^th memorial service at UBC Vancouver will be held at a newly created memorial site in the Engineering Design Centre courtyard.

Considering the significance of this anniversary and the new memorial on our own campus, I have been reflecting on the purpose and importance of creating such memorials. In my opinion, the purpose of memorials are to create spaces for reflection, mourning, honoring, learning, and coming together as a community. With this in mind, I thought about how memorial sites, and in particular the one on our campus, can be places of remembrance but also places of action?

Gender-based violence is an ongoing issue, and the installment of this memorial site is one way that ongoing violence can be recognized and acknowledged each and every day. The physical location of the site also reflects that this tragic event is one that the Faculty of Applied Sciences identifies especially strongly with. Out of the 14 murdered, 12 were engineering students, the other two a nursing student and staff member of the school.

But gender-based violence is not an issue that is contained or relevant to only one Faculty or one gender. It is something that affects all people in one way or another. Regardless of the memorial’s location it is open and meant for all members of the UBC community.

The design allows this to be a place for reflecting and mourning, but it is also an open area that allows for social interaction and gathering, creating a place that lets us come together as a community and work for positive change. The 14 women who were killed are commemorated by a leaf-shaped table, which bears each of their names and the following inscription:

“On the 6th of December 1989, 14 women – 12 of them engineering students – were killed at l’École Polytechnique de Montréal because of their gender.

We mourn. We remember. We question. Together, we work for change”

I think that the last line is particularly important. December 6^th is the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. The line “together, we work for change” signifies that there are actions that have to be taken. The shooting at L’École Polytechnique is one example from Canadian history, but it is not an isolated event. Gender-based violence is something that is ongoing and a problem in our society. December 6 will mark 25 years since a lone man walked into a school and shot 14 women to death, because of their gender. But we must remember that gender-based violence manifests in many ways and it is something that is still very common.

So let this year be the first of many to come where this memorial site is a place not just of remembrance, but also one of action. I invite you to reflect on ways that you can work against gender-based violence in our society and to join one or more of the related December 6^th events that are hosted on campus.

14 NOT FORGOTTEN MEMORIAL SERVICE
Tuesday, November 18, 2014, 12:30 p.m.
The Wayne and William White Engineering Design Centre courtyard

PANEL DISCUSSION: AN EXAMINATION OF DECEMBER 6TH: 25 YEARS LATER
Tuesday, November 25, 2014, 12-1 p.m.
Simon K. Y. Lee Global Lounge, Media Room, Building 1, 2205 Lower Mall

T-SHIRT SILKSCREENING WORKSHOP
Tuesday, November 25, 2014, 7-9 p.m.
Place Vanier Residence, Boardroom

CANDLE VIGIL
Friday, December 5, 2014, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
SUB Main Concourse

Transgender Day of Remembrance

Posted on November 14, 2014 by mkwatson

Guest post by Mustari Tumpa, 2nd-year Arts student and Josh Macdonald, 3rd-year science student.

On Thursday November 20th we at UBC remember the individuals who have been killed as a result of transphobia (the hatred or fear of transgender and gender non-conforming people). If you’d like to take part in remembering them, there are a few events being held at UBC.

Between November 17th and 20th there will be a table at the SUB to provide information and raise awareness about transphobia and the Transgender Day of Remembrance.

On November 20th there will be a Candlelight Vigil at the SUB concourse between 11:00 am and 3:00 pm. Between 5:00 and 7:30 pm there will be a Memorial event at the SUB Art Gallery that will explain what the Transgender Day of Remembrance is all about. It’s also an opportunity for folks to share their experiences and listen to spoken word pieces and panel discussions.

And if you identify as trans or gender-variant, here few things that might help improve your experience at UBC which you may not know about.

You can find out how to update your gender designation by emailing access.diversity@ubc.ca
You can find out where you can access gender inclusive washrooms at students.ubc.ca/campus/sexual-orientation
You can address concerns about living on UBC residence by emailing information@housing.ubc.ca
You can find out how to update your legal name or add a preferred name for UBC’s records at students.ubc.ca/access

If your preferred name is different from your legal name you can use your preferred name on online courses or on Connect, by profs, classmates, and colleagues, and as the name called aloud at your graduation (it’s a part of the graduation application). However, you do have to use your legal name on official letters, transcripts, and the graduation program.

For more information visit students.ubc.ca/campus/diversity or students.ubc.ca/access.