Stolen Sisters: 500 Missing/Murdered Women

Workshop Description
The main objective of this workshop is to address violence against Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit and Métis) women, in particular, racialized, sexualized violence, that is, violence perpetrated against Indigenous women because of their gender and Indigenous identity.

This type of violence typically occurs in the public sphere, where societal indifference often leaves Aboriginal women at greater risk. 

Workshop Presenter: Theresa Sims (CEO of Native WOW)

“In order to know the person, you need to know the family.”

Theresa’s father was Delaware and her mother was Upper Mohawk.  She has been a volunteer, Board Member, staff member since the Friendship Centre movement was in its infancy.

She has worn many hats, Court Worker, Literacy Coordinator, Healing and Wellness, Health Outreach and Executive Director.  An area where Theresa has excelled is online training for cultural teachings.  The Ontario Native Literacy Coalition has archived the cultural teachings and the thanksgiving address that she developed and delivered to the 26 Aboriginal Programs in Ontario.

As a resource person, Theresa has worked in the Penitentiaries in Kingston as a teacher, counselor and traditional healer.  She continues to work as a traditional resource person for:

• Ontario Native Literacy Coalition
• Regina Saskatchewan’s All Nations Hope conferences
• Ontario Provincial Police, Aboriginal Relations Team
• Ontario Police college
• Past President of Ska: na Family Learning Centre
• Vice President /Treasurer of The Ontario Native Literacy Coalition
• Board member of Indigenous Education Coalition
• Chief Executive Officer for the Native Women of Windsor
• Elder for Wayne State Native Students
• Elder for Native American Indian Association in Detroit
• Elder for American Indian Health and Family Services in Detroit

“One thing that is always consistent is to make a difference.  I hope in some small way, I can give someone else choices to make a difference in their life.  Some did that for me, and I hope I can do the same for someone else. 

Nya: weh, Thank you”

Buttons for Inequality

Workshop Description

Let's brainstorm, design, create and press 1.25" pins that share thoughts on and solutions to inequalities.  

Boutons pour l'inégalité 

Remue-méninge, conception et création des broches de 1,25" qui partagent pensées et solutions sur les inégalités.  

Workshop Presenter: Michelle Soullière (Broken City Lab) 

Michelle Soullière is a new generation multidisciplinary artist, educator and arts administrator living and working in Windsor, Ontario. Her practice is collaborative, research based and community engaged. Michelle is a founding member of Broken City Lab and has worked for Media City Film Festival, Windsor Public Library, University of Windsor, Arts Council Windsor & Region and National Film Board of Canada. Aside from her position as Cultural Animator for the Ontario Arts Council, she is also currently Artiste-en-résidence at École Secondaire L’Essor. Michelle’s passion is building community and encouraging civic engagement in Windsor with a focus on socially-engaged and feminist practices.

Gender Bending 101

Workshop Description

This workshop will examine the complex relationship that gender bending has with social justice.  Through hands-on discussions and activities, students will be introduced to the challenges that rigid definitions of sex and gender pose for society.

Workshop Presenter: Kael Sharman (GECDSB) 

Kael Sharman has been a high school teacher for 13 years.  He has been an active member in the GSA for staff at the Greater Essex County District School Board since its inception.   Recognized locally and provincially for his work on supporting transgender people, Kael has led workshops on transgender issues for local high school students at the GSA conference (GECDSB) and fellow educators at the Provincial Leadership Conference (OSSTF).  Dr. Sharman is the recent recipient of a PhD on the topic of Gender, Class and Curriculum at W.D. Lowe Technical Secondary School, 1923-1973.

Canada: Where Your Vote Doesn’t Always Count

Workshop Description:

Students are often told that in Canada your vote is your say and that when it comes to voting all Canadians are treated equally.  Using recent examples such as the Harper government's new electoral legislation as well as its actions in the last federal election, this workshop will explore how Canada's political system operates and how Canadian's and their votes as well as many of their political parties are not equal in practice.   

Workshop Presenter: Enver Villamizar (GECDSB)

Enver Villamizar is an Occasional Teacher with the Greater Essex County District School Board. He was a candidate in the Federal Elections in the riding of Essex and has been politically active since he was in high school. His main work has been to involve the youth in politics and in defending the rights of all in society.

Equity on Wheels: Exploring Disability

Workshop description: 

A fun and interactive workshop exploring disability at home and overseas, what is an inclusive community, how can me make our school and international communities inclusive and accessible for all

• Fostering a greater understanding of the challenges that people with disabilities face in developing/conflict countries through exciting stories, videos and personal testimonials from people with disabilities in Uganda.
• The importance of having a voice, giving a voice to others and being an advocate for those without a voice
• Disability is NOT inability, incredible strides by persons with disabilities in our local community for full participation and inclusion
• Fun and interactive activities to increase understanding of disability, inclusion, empowerment 
• Learning what you can do to create equity for persons with disabilities, Activism 101!

Workshop Presenters: Dane Macri (OCT), & David Robbins-Singh (Project Coordinator ALSO)

 Bio: Dane Macri

Dane Macri is an educator, advocate and activist who has traveled to Haiti and Uganda working to create equitable opportunities for impoverished families, former child soldiers and people with disabilities in developing countries. His passions for equity stem from his own experiences overcoming a speech impediment. He initiated the "Give a S#@%" project for accessible toilets for persons with disabilities in Uganda and coached wheelchair basketball for landmine survivors. Dane is a graduate of the Faculty of Education at the University of Windsor, a member of the Advocacy Project in Washington DC and currently works for Community Living Windsor. 

Bio: David Robbins-Singh

David Robbins Singh aka 'Squeaky Wheelz" is a comedian who has traveled all across Ontario and Michigan performing his hilarious stand up routine, making light of disability and pretty much anything else in his comedic path of destruction. Dave's wit and clever analysis of society forces the audience to think critically about injustice while simultaneously laughing at the absurdity of discrimination. He is a communication student with a lot of experience in community development, such as his work with Assisted Living Southwestern Ontario.

How Much- And Of What- Is Enough?

Workshop Description

Both equity and equality are important values, but neither are of ultimate importance.  Equity—fairness,-- if it is confined to procedures, can still lead to harmful outcomes.  The rules of poker are fair, but players can still lose everything.  Likewise equality.  People can be equally good or equally cruel, equally rich or equally poor.  The point is—equity and equality need to be grounded in a deeper understanding of what makes life ultimately good or bad.  Since we are not self-sufficient but need things from nature and relationships with other people in order to live and flourish, the deeper understanding of what makes life ultimately good or bad should focus on what we need from nature and what sorts of relationships with others are best.  It is only when we can answer the question of what we need for a good life and how much we need of it that considerations of equity and equality become clearly connected with social justice.  The workshop will lead students through a series of exercises and focussed discussions that will allow them to discover, on the basis of their own experiences, what is of ultimate importance to life and how much each of us needs of it.

Workshop Presenter: Dr. Jeff Noonan (University of Windsor) 

Dr. Jeff Noonan is a Professor of Philosophy at the University of Windsor.  He served as the Head of the Department for eight years, during which time he had numerous opportunities to visit area secondary schools.  He was also a founding member of the Centre for Studies in Social Justice at the University and the Windsor Worker’s Action Centre in the city.  He was formerly co-editor of the journal Studies in Social Justice.  He has been an activist in the union and socialist movements for more than twenty years.  He has published three books and more than three dozen academic articles, in addition to articles for various alternative media.  He also maintains an active blog at www.jeffnoonan.org      

Standardized Testing: Is It Fair?

Workshop Description: 

This session will look at the concerns about standardized testing, the effect the testing regime is having on our school system, and the impact it has on all students.  There will be an opportunity to discuss and analyze the topic, as well as answer questions such as “Does standardized testing improved academic achievement?”.

Workshop Presenter: Dr. Larry Glassford (University of Windsor) 

Dr. Larry Glassford teaches history and social studies in the B. Ed. program at the University of Windsor. He also teaches social science curriculum at the Masters of Education level. He has published articles and reviews in the areas of citizenship education, and the history and politics of Ontario education. Prior to coming to the Faculty of Education, he taught history, English and politics at both Sandwich Secondary School, and Belle River District High School, here  in the Windsor-Essex region.

The Rich and The Rest of Us: Why Income Inequality Will Define Your Generation

Workshop Description:

Income inequality is all the rage, kicked off by the occupy movement and maintained by ludicrously high CEO salaries and outrageous wealth statistics. However, most of the data is American.  Its a little known fact that the situation is almost as bad in Canada.  If you want to find out what income inequality is and how its affecting Canada, Ontario and Windsor, you'll have to attend this session.

Workshop Presenter: David MacDonald (Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives)

David Macdonald is a Senior Economist with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.  He heads the Centre’s Alternative Federal Budget project that takes a fresh look at how the federal government could build a better Canada.  David is a frequent media commentator on national public policy issues.

Threads of Contradictions: Ethics and The Global Apparel Industry

Workshop Description: 

This experiential workshop is designed to cultivate consciousness of the labour realities within the global apparel industry. The workshop considers the recent garment factory collapse in Bangladesh, contextualizing the incident within transnational advocacy networks seeking justice for workers in the global south. The facilitator will invite participants to reflect on their position within the global garment commodity chain and to develop activist strategies that they may want to explore in their schools and wider communities.

Workshop Presenter: Dr. Fran Cachon (University of Windsor)

Fran Cachon is an adjunct professor in the department of sociology, anthropology and criminology at the University of Windsor, where she earned her Ph.D. in sociology with an emphasis on social justice. She is currently teaching 38-321 (Seminar in Social Justice) and exploring embodied pedagogies for critical education. Her dissertation considered the under researched transnational lives of Mexican migrants in Canada, highlighting the importance of embodied transnationalism (the intimate, material and corporeal social-spatial relations from which the practices of transnational engagement are produced). She is a long-time social justice activist and board member of the Global Resources Centre/Ten Thousand Villages Windsor.

50 + Proud: Challenges Faced by our LGBTTIQ Elders

Workshop Description:

What are some of the challenges that our LGBTTIQ elders have faced in their lifetime?  Why do so many of them fear that they will have to go back into the closet? What are 10 things you can do to be an Ally?  The workshop will include activities and visuals that will challenge the stereotypes and myths about LGBTTIQ people.

Workshop Presenters: Paulette Kupnicki, Julie Leadbetter and Lorraine Sayell (Windsor Pride) 

Bio- Paulette Kupnicki

Paulette has been retired for the past 6 years.  She was originally a teacher but spent 27 years working in the field of gerontology both at Centres for Seniors Windsor and through Windsor Parks and Recreation. 

She is a proud mother of 4 amazing adults ranging from 45 years old to 36.  She and her partner, Ginny, have just celebrated 32 years together.

She believes strongly in volunteerism as an opportunity to give back to her community!

 Bio- Julie Leadbetter

Julie Leadbetter has been active in the Windsor and Michigan LGBT community since 1985. From Coffee Socials, MCC Board of Directors, and Phone Line volunteer to Windsor Pride Community Board of Directors, AIDS Committee of Windsor Board of Directors, the Legacy Club, and performing at Pride Week with her trio Me, Her and Her, Julie has had a busy and varied history of social activism. She retired from teaching in June 2012 and enjoys being a trainer with the 50+ Proud Diversity Training initiative.

Bio- Lorraine Sayell

Although statistically most people know by age 14 whether or not they have a gender identity related issue, Lorraine Sayell didn't "figure it out" until she was in her early sixties.  She has since totally embraced her true self, worked on her physical transition, become a volunteer at the Windsor Pride Community Education and Resource Centre as an advocate for all transgender, transsexual and gender variant people and is now enjoying life as an "older" woman." 

Systemic Racism in Education: Are All Students Equal?

Workshop Description

Racism remains a barrier, often invisible, for many students’ access to educational achievement. Although Ontario prides itself on its excellent education standards and resources, it must be recognized that there are inherent problems in our educational system. There is insufficient development in the areas of inclusiveness and empowerment of all children. 

Hands-on discussion and activities throughout the workshop will provide outlets for exploring this difficult topic. Participants will also explore how health and development are negatively impacted when children are socialized into a system of oppression.

Workshop Presenters: Shantelle Browning-Morgan (GECDSB) & Natalie Browning-Morgan (OCT)

 Bio- Shantelle Browning-Morgan

Shantelle Browning-Morgan was born and raised in Windsor, Ontario. She is a teacher at Westview Freedom Academy. She began teaching with the Greater Essex County District School Board in 2001. In December of 2011, Shantelle was awarded the Governor General's Award for Excellence in Teaching History for her work in piloting an innovative course at Walkerville called The History of Africa and Peoples of African Descent and for contributing to the development of materials--African Canadian Roads to Freedom, elementary and secondary curriculum documents-- which highlight the history of African Canadians in the Essex Kent region. This is the top teaching honour in all of Canada. In 2009, she was a member of a team of teachers who helped pilot the Native Studies courses in various secondary schools. Shantelle takes great pride in community involvement, particularly around issues of social justice and Black history. Shantelle is the Secretary of the Essex Count Black Historical Research Society and she’s also involved in other organizations including: Friends of Women’s Studies, the African Youth Diaspora Conference, and Sister to Sister Think W.I.S.E. She is the mother of three children. 

Bio- Natalie Browning-Morgan

Natalie Browning-Morgan is a project coordinator for the Opening Doors for Abused Women campaign at Windsor Women Woking with Immigrant Women (W5). Natalie is a graduate of the University of Windsor, and has earned her Honours BA in Family and Social Relations/Social Justice , and a Minor in Women's Studies. She has also earned her BA in Education in the primary/junior division. Natalie has developed a passion for social justice, learning and sharing knowledge. She believes that diversity, equity, and inclusion work together to create communities where all individuals are afforded the opportunity to reach their highest potential. Throughout her life Natalie has been involved in volunteering with, and working for many non-profit organizations in Windsor and Essex County. She has been involved with Teachers for Tanzania, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, African Diaspora Youth Conference, Take Back the Night, The Welcome Centre and much more. 

Student Activism and Our Experience

Workshop Description:

Students from the University of Windsor Palestinian Solidarity Group will explain their group's experience initiating the first ever Canadian university referendum to have their student council boycott companies involved in violations of human rights in occupied Palestine. The presentation will inform participants on the actions to hold the referendum itself and what the reaction from local, national and even international sources to this student initiative for social justice says about our society's views towards youth participation in politics.

Workshop Presenter: Mohamed Almoayad, Hossam Sleiman, Redeemer Gorges and Alaa Bondok (University of Windsor’s Palistinian Solidarity Group)

Bio- Mohamed Almoayad

Mohamed Almoayad is a Political Science student at the University of Windsor who founded the Palestinian Solidarity Group in 2011 and served as its president for several years. He is half Palestinian with most of his family on his mother's side living under Israeli military occupation in the West Bank of the Palestinian territories. As a student activist, he was elected multiple times to the University of Windsor's full-time students' union before initiating the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions referendum and being the main spokesperson for the campaign. 

Bio- Hossam Sleiman

Not available at this time.

Bio- Redeemer Gorges

Not available at this time. 

Bio- Alaa Bondok

Not available at this time.