Dear friends of CASSA:
We are delighted to let you know that our anti-poverty action conference at Ryerson University and our Equity Council in York Region inaugural event were both very successful. We will also be completing our collaborative effort with University of Toronto for a 4th year South Asian Studies course in early April. As we get closer to the South Asian Heritage Month (May 2010), a number of exciting events and activities are being planned and we invite your involvement and partnership. We would also like to welcome Auvniet Kaur Tehara, who has joined the Team CASSA as the youth engagement coordinator.
CASSA also invites all of you to the launch of our report on Health Equity and South Asians (based on four roundtables that CASSA organized in the past 12 months) on April 19th. We encourage organizations and individuals interested in getting involved in or supporting any of our projects to consider becoming members of CASSA. More details on all the events/activities mentioned above can be found in the newsletter. We thank all of you for your continued support and guidance.
Sincerely,
Neethan Shan
Executive Director
Trailblazers United: Presentations on History, Identity and Media – Mar.14: CASSA hosted a series of presentations on South Asian histories, identity and media, as part of Trailblazers United, a South Asian Youth Leadership Series on March 14th. These presentations were facilitated by students in South Asian studies class at the University of Toronto and provided an opportunity for the youth present (who came from diverse backgrounds) to learn about South Asian migration to Canada and the legacies of the exclusionary Canadian immigration system (history), how identity and racism are often linked (identity), and how the media machine perpetuates the idea that violence is inherent in South Asian communities (media). Thanks to the students who presented, and to the youth who attended! There are other leadership events upcoming - for more information please contact auvniet@cassa.on.ca
Anti-Poverty Action Conference – Mar. 22: CASSA organized the Anti-Poverty Action Conference: Agencies Exercising Agency in Poverty Reduction on March 22nd at the Oakham House, Ryerson University. More than a hundred frontline workers, managers, and executive directors of non-profit and social justice organizations, and students interested in community service attended the conference. The opening plenary, six workshops on: “The Color of Poverty”, “Poverty and Legal Rights”, “Poverty and Health Inequities”, “Poverty and Women’s Rights”, “Poverty and Youth Rights”, and “Poverty and LGBTTIQQ2S Rights”, and the keynote session reflected on contextual strategies for working with diverse groups of people living in poverty. The conference screened the documentary “Four Feet Up”, which narrates the odds of child poverty in Canada through the story of an 8-year-old boy Isaiah and also featured performances by Nomanzland, who focused on how people living in poverty can reclaim their spaces in our communities. We thank all the participants, speakers, panelists and volunteers who contributed immensely to make this event a success.
Release of Guide To Public Transit For Newcomers/Immigrants- Mar. 25:
CASSA released a handy pocket sized Guide to Public Transit for Newcomers and Immigrants in Peterborough on Thursday, March 25 at a conference organized by the Peterborough Partnership Council on Immigrant Integration (PPCII). This guide is a part of the work that CASSA has been doing in Peterborough through its Welcoming Communities Ontario (WCO) project. The full-colour guide (printed on recycled paper) provides readers will basics about taking pubic transit in Peterborough, the environmental and health implications of public transit, lists community resources, and most importantly, provides information about spaces for support if something happens to you on the bus. For newcomers and immigrants, access to public space including streets and buses, is an important part of feeling comfortable, healthy and safe in a community. This guide could not have been possible without local support, namely the Community and Race Relations Committee (CRRC), Peterborough Green-Up, Peterborough Transit, and others. If you know anyone in Peterborough who would be interested in this, they can pick up their copy at the New Canadians Centre on Sherbrooke Street. For more information contact anu@cassa.on.ca or visit http://cassaonline.com/wci2/projects/municipalities/153-wco-in-peterborough.html
UPCOMING EVENTS OF CASSA
Health Equity Report Launch – April 19th: CASSA will be launching The South Asians and Health Equity Report on April 19th at North York Central Library Auditorium from 10 – 1 pm. More details will be released shortly. For more information, contact Keerthy at keerthy@cassa.on.ca
Discussion Forum on Access to Trades for Newcomers – Apr. 24: The Newcomers’ Access to Trades Taskforce is organizing this forum on April 24th from 10 am - 1pm at The Ontario Federation of Labour Building, 15 Gervais Drive, Toronto. Free Lunch will be provided. The forum will help internationally trained trades people who want to take action on the barriers to employment by giving them an opportunity to discuss their concerns and connect with others who want to improve access to trades for ITT.
Click here to view the flyer and the form.
Please RSVP by April 20th to anita@cassa.on.ca or 416 932 1359 x13.
Fires of Resistance 3- May 9: The South Asian Youth Advisory Committee (SAYAC) will organize the 3rd Annual Fires of Resistance conference on May 9th. A planning meeting has already been held at Ryerson University on March 17th to work out a schedule for the day. This years’ conference will be more exciting then ever with more workshops and performances to look forward to, so mark the date in your calendars! Follow the conference planning on twitter - www.twitter.com/FoR3conference and on facebook - http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/event.php?eid=109172032443558&ref=nf, http://sasianyouth.blogspot.com, posters, and more! For info or to join the next meeting, email anu@cassa.on.ca
UPCOMING EVENTS OF OTHER ORGANIZATIONS:
METRAC Community Safety Audit - Spring Training – April 14th: The Metropolitan Action Committee on Violence Against Women and Children is a Community Safety Audit training on April 14th at Locke Library, 3083 Yonge St. (southeast corner of Yonge St. and Lawrence Ave.) from 6 – 8:30 p.m. For more information please contact Jessica Mustachi at 416 397 0258 or assistant@metrac.orgThe registration deadline is April 7, 2010.
International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination – April 11: York region Police is celebrating the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on Sunday, April 11, 2010 from 12pm to 4pm at Milliken Mills High School located at 7522 Kennedy Rd, Markham. There will be food, entertainment, community booths, music and cultural performances. Admission is free and all are welcome.
For further info please contact the York Regional Police Diversity and Cultural Resources Bureau at 1-866-876-5423 ext. 6028 or on email at 5665@yrp.ca
Film Screening of “1999”- April 9th & 11th : Selected as one of the Top 10 Canadian Films at the Vancouver International Film Festival 2009 and winner of the “Best Film Award (Midnight Sun)” at the Oslo Tamil Film Festival 2010, 1999 will now be screened as an “Official Selection” at the ReelWorld Film Festival 2010 in Toronto on Friday, April 9 at 5:00 PM and Sunday, April 11 at 2:30 PM at Canada Square Cinemas on 2190 Yonge St. (Eglinton Ave. West). This Indie film offers rare insider’s perspective on Toronto gang violence. To buy tickets and for more information, please contact info@1999movie.com.
Pathways to Employment at Humber – April 17: As part of Humber College's commitment to Employment Equity, the Humber Diversity Committee is hosting “Pathways to Employment at Humber” onSaturday, April 17th from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm at Student Centre (Building KX), 205 Humber College Boulevard. The participants will be provided information on how to apply for faculty & staff positions at Humber. Free child minding services are available. Please email njeri-damali.campbell@humber.ca to register.
Call for Volunteers: CASSA will be organizing a series of events to celebrate the South Asian Heritage Month in May 2010. There will be a May Day dialogue, a poster campaign, a community information display, a youth leadership retreat, and the 3rd annual Fires of Resistance conference. We are recruiting volunteers to support and contribute in organizing these events in various capacities. Volunteers will receive appreciation certificates and acknowledgment of hours/works.
A volunteer orientation will be held on Thursday, 15 April 2010, from 6 pm – 8 pm at CASSA board room (2401 Eglinton Ave. E., Suite 212, Toronto, ON M1K 2N8) to familiarize the volunteers with CASSA’s initiatives with regard to the South Asian Heritage Month, available positions, and what is entailed.
If you are interested in attending this orientation session, please RSVP by Wednesday, 10 April 2010 to nafisa.tanjeem@cassa.on.ca or 416-932-1359, extn. 11.
We look forward to meeting you at the orientation!
Call for Proposals:
Position: Project Consultant for Racialized Women and Youth Against Violence Project
Employer: Women’s Health in Women’s Hands (WHIWH)
Full Circle Leadership Training for Newcomer Women – April 14: Central neighbourhood House (CNE) is organizing this 8 month long leadership program with weekly seminars for newcomer women from April 14th. For more information, please call 416-925-4363 ext. 120.
Clearing the Path: Recommendations for Action in Ontario’s Professional Licensing System- Ontario’s Fairness Commissioner, Hon. Jean Augustine released “Clearing the Path: Recommendations for Action in Ontario’s Professional Licensing System”, outlining 17 specific recommendations to ensure that prospective doctors, engineers and other professionals do not face unexpected or unreasonable hurdles in getting certified in their respective fields. The recommendations are available at www.fairnesscommissioner.ca/recommendations.
Release of Chapter 7 of the POWER Study on women's health inequities and disparities in Ontario - on "Access to Health Care Services": The POWER Study ( Project for an Ontario Women's Health Evidence-Based Report), is producing a comprehensive provincial report on women's health. The report is designed to serve as an evidence-based tool to help policy makers, providers, and consumers improve the health of and reduce inequities among the women of Ontario. Educators can also use this report to teach about women's health, health inequities, population health, and health system performance. For more details on this chapter visit http://www.powerstudy.ca/webfm_send/125
YOUR INVOLVEMENT WITH CASSA
If you are interested in volunteering, partnering or becoming a member, please email Farhat at farhat@cassa.on.ca. Click here for more information about volunteering with CASSA. Click here to fill out a volunteer application form.
You or your organization can also become a member of CASSA, if you wish to support our mission/mandate. Please visit our website www.cassa.on.ca for details on our mission, vision, values and strategic priorities. The members will receive a regular update on various happenings in the social services/social justice field in Ontario's South Asian communities.
Annual Membership fee is only $10 for individuals and $20 for organizations. Joining as a member will also keep you informed of opportunities about jobs, volunteering and community events. Click here for more information about becoming a member of CASSA and its benefits.
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