Embrace Equity in Nogojiwanong/Peterborough
This year's International Women's Day theme is Embrace Equity in Nogojiwanong/ Peterborough. We will be hosting two free, community events - a March 8 Rally and a March 9 Hybrid Community Event.
The Rally
On Wednesday, March 8th (International Women's Day) we will be hosting a rally from noon-1pm starting downtown at Peterborough Square Courtyard and traveling North along the sidewalks of George Street to Confederation Park, across from City Hall. Once we reach City Hall, Town Ward City Councillor Joy Lachica will speak, and local poet Emily Clarey will do a short reading.
Free to attend, registration is encouraged. Eventbrite link here.
The Hybrid Community Evening Event
Free to attend, registration is encouraged. Eventbrite linked here.
On Thursday, March 9th we will be holding a hybrid community event from 6:00pm - 8:00pm at the Peterborough Lion’s Community Centre at 347 Burnham Street Peterborough, ON K9H 1T5, featuring Cheyenne Sundance.
Doors open at 5:30 pm, featuring an acoustic set from Shannon Roszell followed by the Ragin' Grannies and a banner-making activity with Niijkiwendidaa Anishnaabekwewag Services Circle (NASC).
We will be commencing the event with an opening drum from Janet McCue and a poetry reading from Sarah Lewis.
Janet McCue is from Curve Lake First Nation. She is a longtime leader and advocate who dedicates her time to raising awareness for social justice, empowering the Aboriginal community, providing education to local schools and museums and supporting those marginalized by poverty. Janet was inducted into the Peterborough Pathway of Fame for Community Betterment and has received 2 Civic Awards for Community and Cultural Betterment for Peterborough. She is also a recipient of the YMCA Peace Medallion.
Sarah Lewis (she/her) is an Anishnaabe Kwe (Ojibwe/Cree) spoken word artist, activist, musician, community organizer and mother. She has ancestral roots in Curve Lake First Nation, Ontario as well as Pukatawagon, Manitoba. She was appointed as Peterborough’s inaugural Poet Laureate in 2021 and has been featured on CBC Arts, Global News, and stages across the world.
Sarah utilizes poetry as an act of resistance, giving voice to the resurgence of Indigenous communities and how Indigenous people are reclaiming their identities, culture, strength and sovereignty. She encourages other aspiring poets to speak their truth, and to envision a decolonial society where sexism, the patriarchy, capitalism and racism do not exist.
The keynote speaker is Cheyenne Sundance, the owner/executive director of Sundance Harvest and a full-time farmer of a three location-farm spanning three acres across southwestern Ontario. Her CSA is produced by over 20 farmers who she directly and closely mentors. Cheyenne Sundance started her farm in 2019 due to a lack of awareness of fair pay and discussion on a diversity of concerns of equality in agriculture from the worker, youth, Black and women’s lens. Cheyenne Sundance is the inaugural president of the National Farmers Union Black, Indigenous and People of Colour caucus. She has also successfully started up the Sundance Harvest Black Business and Farm sister incubator program and its sister - which is fully subsidized for new Black farmers. Cheyenne has no previous farming or educational experience as she left high school. Cheyenne has never worked on a farm before starting Sundance Harvest at 22. She has true working-class roots and a deep interest in workers' rights, community land trusts and the idea of the commons for the betterment of all.
Free to attend, registration is encouraged. Eventbrite linked here.
Masks are strongly encouraged and will be provided at the door.
The Community
This event is brought to you by the Kawartha World Issues Centre (KWIC) and the Kawartha Sexual Assault Centre (KSAC), with community partners including the Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan- Peterborough Chapter, Champlain College, Community Race Relations Committee of Peterborough, Diverse Nature Collective, Fleming College, Green Up, Lady Eaton College, New Canadians Centre, OPIRG Peterborough, Peterborough Lion's Community Centre, Professor Stephen Hill, Soroptimist International- Peterborough, The Centre for Women and Trans People, The City of Peterborough, The Seasoned Spoon, The Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Society, Trent Oxfam, Trent University Gender and Social Justice Department, Trent University School of the Environment, and Trent WUSC- SRP.
The Artwork
We are honoured to be working with local artist Star Daughter Woman in using her piece, "Grandmothers Teachings" for promotional materials for this year's event. Courtesy of the artist, here is a statement providing additional information about the piece:
"24” x 30” acrylic on canvas.
“She carries a strong message within her to pass along to the next generation.”
I had a dream about this piece. The woman is holding her braid to the young kwe’s cheek while she also holds up her hair to the elders cheek. It’s a part of a story, and one of the few I actually remember from a dream, and this was the ending. The copper colour is used to enhance the piece and engage the viewer as you walk past and see the change in colour. I used copper because it represents our skin and the changes in tone just like copper changes.
IWD 2023 campaign theme: #Embrace Equity
"We can all challenge gender stereotypes, call out discrimination,
draw attention to bias, and seek out inclusion.
Collective activism is what drives change.
From grassroots action to wide-scale momentum, we can all embrace equity.
Forging gender equity isn't limited to women solely fighting the good fight.
Allies are incredibly important for the social, economic, cultural, and political advancement of women."
Show the world your huge embrace. Strike the IWD #EmbraceEquity pose to show solidarity.
Share your #EmbraceEquity image, video, resources, presentation, and articles across social media using #IWD2023 #EmbraceEquity to encourage others to help forge an inclusive world.
Learn more at: https://www.internationalwomensday.com/theme
History of International Women's Day
by Yolanda Ajak (KWIC blog post, 2012)
International women’s day was initially celebrated by and later adopted by the United Nations to be celebrated on March 8th during International Women’s Year in 1975. Shortly after, in 1977 the U.N General Assembly endorsed a declaration to implement a United Nations Day for Women’s Rights and International Peace, to be recognized by nations in accordance with their national traditions. The aims and objectives in implementing this resolution were to increase awareness on the vital role of women in peace efforts and development, with aims to end discrimination and achieve women’s full and equal contribution to the world.