I Am Not Invisible – Panel Discussion by The Disabilities and Human Rights Group

(three concentric flames, outermost green, middle blue, innermost yellow)
Social Development Centre Waterloo Region
Kitchener Public Library logo (graphic of three folded rectangles, coloured green, blue, purple, arranged orthogonally to form a six-pointed object)

The Disabilities and Human Rights group, in partnership with Kitchener Public Library and the Social Development Centre Waterloo Region, is proud to present I Am Not Invisible, a panel discussion to shine the light on the living experience of young people with invisible disabilities, their challenges, successes, and accomplishments.

What: I am not Invisible: See Me, Hear Me

Where: Kitchener Public Library, Central Branch, Auditorium

When: Saturday, 3 December 2022 at from 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm

About one in four Ontarians live with a disability and face various types of accessibility challenges in their every day life (Government of Ontario, 2019)

Globally 1 in 7 of us live with a disability. And of those, 80% are invisible. That is 1 billion people who are living with a non-visible disability. (Hidden Disabilities)

Join this important discussion!

About the Disability and Human Rights Group

The Disability and Human Rights (DHR) Group is a forum for educating, raising awareness and advocating for meaningful change.

Do you have an invisible disability? Are you an ally? Join our voices for greater accessibility.

Find more information about the DHR at http://www.waterlooregion.org/disabilities-and-human-rights or email admin@waterlooregion.org.

Media contact: Charles Nichols <nicholscharlesedwin@gmail.com>

December 3rd, 2022 United Nations International Day for Persons with Disabilities:

Not all Disabilities are Visible (theme 2022)

In 1992 the United Nations proclaimed December 3 as the International Day for Persons with Disabilities.

The annual observance of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) was proclaimed in 1992 by the United Nations General Assembly resolution 47/3. Celebrated on December 3 around the world, IDPD mobilizes support for critical issues relating to the inclusion of persons with disabilities, promotes awareness-raising about disability issues and draws attention to the benefits of an inclusive and accessible society for all. UN agencies, civil society organizations, academic institutions and the private sector are encouraged to support IDPD by collaborating with organizations for people with disabilities to arrange events and activities.

Rural Rainbow Ride, 6pm on Wed 31 Aug 2022 at Northfield Station

25K Rural Rainbow Ride | 6PM Wednesday August 31 at Northfield Station | Ending at Central Station. Approx 2 hrs. | All Are Welcome | No Cost | In response to comments made in a recent Woolwich Council meeting, we are bringing some pride from the city to the township to show support for LGBTQ2+ folks in Woolwich.

25K Rural Rainbow Ride

When: 6:00PM to 8:00pm on Wednesday 31 August 2022
Start: Northfield Station Map 1
End: Central Station Map 2

All Are Welcome
No Cost

In response to comments made in a recent Woolwich Council meeting, we are bringing some pride from the city to the township to show support for LGBTQ2+ folks in Woolwich.

See Andrew Jacob Rinehart’s post on Instagram

Route

Image of map showing bike router and text that says 'St. Jacobs, Conestogo, Snyder's Flats Conservation Area, Bloomingdale, Northfield Station (Start), Kiwanis Park and Pool, Rosendale, University of Waterloo, Conestoga College Waterloo, Laurier, Bingemans, Waterloo, Central Station (end), Kitchener'.
Rural Rainbow Ride Route

Rally to Stop NATO, 4:30pm Tuesday 28 June 2022 at Waterloo Square

Stop NATO (illustration of a person in the style of Picasso's Guernica holding a Stop sign and a broken NATO plane, all on a red background)Today is start of NATO summit, join Tamara Lorincz at Waterloo Public Square to say stop the war, stop NATO!

Tamara Lorincz writes:

Hello everyone,

A friendly reminder that I will have a small rally “Stop the Weapons, Stop the War, Stop NATO” on Tuesday, June 28 from 4:30-5:30 pm at the Waterloo Public Square. Map

This action is in solidarity with the actions taking place across Canada, the UK and Spain during the NATO Summit in Madrid.

Yesterday in Madrid, 20,000 people were on the streets saying No to NATO.

It is because of NATO that the war in Ukraine is raging, that Canada has increased military spending by 70% over the past 7 years and will increase it another 70% over the next 5 years, why Canada is not joining the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, why Canada is buying fighter jets, attack helicopters, armed drones and warships.

NATO’s militarism and military spending is the greatest threat to people and the planet.

Please join me! See more details below and here: https://peaceandjusticenetwork.ca/stopnato/

Tamara

Pro-Abortion Rally, 7pm Wed 29 June 2022, Clock Tower, Willow River Park

SHORE Centre writes:

We are angry, outraged & heartbroken about the fall of Roe v Wade. Now more than ever, we need to be loud in our support of abortion rights and access! Join us to rally on June 29 @ 7PM – Clock Tower in Willow River Park (formerly Victoria Park), we can raise our voices together📣

What: Pro-Abortion Rally
When: 7:00pm, Wednesday, 29 June 2022
Where: Clock Tower, Willow River Park Map

Illustrations of protest signs with the text "Bans Off Our Bodies", "Abortion Is Healthcare", "Proudly Pro-Choice", "Abortion is a Human Right", and the Shore Centre logo+wordmark

Statement from SHORE Centre:

2022-06-24

Kitchener, ON – As the news of the fall of Roe v Wade spreads, we are standing with you all in anger, grief, and outrage that anyone believes they can regulate our bodies and restrict reproductive healthcare. We grieve with all those who have spent their lifetimes fighting for abortion rights. Today the Supreme Court has actively chosen to abandon women, trans and non-binary people. Abortion access, which was already limited, will become near impossible for many – Indigenous, Black and racialized people, queer folks, those with disabilities, those living in poverty and those facing other marginalization will continue to face increasing barriers to access. We know that this devastating decision will impact not only those seeking abortions in the US but will also impact attitudes, stigma, and access in Canada.

SHORE Centre is here for you. Our counterparts across the country are here for you. We are grieving too, but we will never stop fighting. You deserve bodily autonomy. You deserve judgement-free abortion access. Today we rage together – and let us keep that fire burning as we speak loudly and clearly that abortion is healthcare. We know there is a lot to process, and we are currently organizing a rally for the evening of Wednesday, June 29th where we can gather and raise our voices together. More details to come. Take good care of yourselves.

For interview and inquires please contact:
TK Pritchard, Executive Director at director@shorecentre.ca

About SHORE Centre

Sexual Health Options, Resources & Education – SHORE Centre was founded in 1972 to provide all residents of our community with sexual health information and support. Today we offer medical services including birth control, medication abortion and related care, counselling, outreach, workshops, trainings and other educational activities. SHORE Centre operates physical services in Waterloo Region and Guelph and provides virtual care in various underserved areas of the province.

Say No To Encampment Evictions – Rally 5:30pm Wed 22 June 2022 at Speakers Corner

Say No To Encampment Evictions | Say Yes To Housing | Rally + March | Bring Your Signs | Stand In Solidarity with Our Unhoused and Vulnerable Neighbours | Wednesday June 22 5:30pm | Speakers Corner King & Benton | Downtown Kitchener

Download the poster (272 KB)

Say No To
Encampment Evictions
Say Yes To Housing

Stand In Solidarity With Our Unhoused and Vulnerable Neighbours
Stand In Solidarity With Our Unhoused and Vulnerable Neighbours
Rally +
March

Bring Your Signs


Wednesday 22 June 2022 | 5:30pm
Speakers Corner | King & Benton Map
Downtown Kitchener

May Day Rally – 3pm Sunday, 1 May 2022 at the Waterloo Region Courthouse

May 1 | Kitchener-Waterloo Rally | 1:00pm
What: Kitchener-Waterloo Rally
When: 3:00pm – 6:00pm on Sunday, 1 May 2022 iCal
Where: Waterloo Region Courthouse
Location: 85 Frederick Street, Kitchener, Ontario Map
More info: Workers First | The Ontario Federation of Labour

It’s time for a $20 minimum wage, decent work, affordable housing, paid sick days, well-funded public services, livable income support for all, climate justice, and an end to racism and oppression. Join us!

The Council of Canadians writes:

There will be an Ontario Provincial Election on 2 June 2022. The Council of Canadians, along with a wide range of other community groups, are joining with the Ontario Federation of Labour for a day of action calling for a $20 minimum wage, decent work, affordable housing, well-funded public services, livable income support for all, livable income supports, and climate justice! There will be speakers, food trucks, tables and information from our Chapter and others, and we expect that participants from London and Guelph may also join our event. If you live in Kitchener-Conestoga, Kitchener-Hespeler, or Cambridge, you might want to particularly encourage friends, family and neighbours to join you to hear about the programs and initiatives we need to expect our next government to provide, such as significantly improving funding to our public healthcare and education systems in Ontario, as well as a return to valuing and safeguarding our environmental greenspaces, waterways, groundwater and precious farmland.

You’ll find more information about the Kitchener Waterloo Rally at Kitchener-Waterloo Rally & Carnival of Resistance. If you have friends and family in other parts of Ontario, you may want to share the link with them, so that they could participate in rallies that will be held near them as this is a province-wide event.

I hope you’ll come out and say hi to us at our table, enjoy the spring weather, and get to know others in our community.

Marilyn

For information on current issues and actions of local and national interest, see Kitchener-Waterloo Council of Canadians on Facebook.

For the foreseeable future, KW CofC will meet online using Zoom, the third Wednesday of every other month from 7 to 9pm. A reminder with agenda will be sent several days ahead.

E-mail: kw.cofc@gmail.com (KW Council of Canadians)

Waterloo Peace Vigil: End the War in Yemen – 2pm, Saturday 26 March 2022

#CanadaStopArmingSaudi | 7 Years of War on Yemen | Day of Action | End the War in Yemen | March 26 2022 | #DayOfAction4Yemen #YemenCantWait
What: Waterloo Peace Vigil: End War in Yemen
When: 2:00pm to 3:00pm, Saturday 26 March 2022
Where: Waterloo Town Square, 75 King Street South, Waterloo Map

World Beyond War

  • Website: https://worldbeyondwar.org/
  • Twitter: @worldbeyondwar
  • Facebook: @worldbeyondwar

    • Global Strike For Climate, Noon on Friday 25 March 2022

    What: Global Climate Strike: People not Profit
    When: Friday, March 25th, 2022 , 12pm (~1hour)
    Where: Waterloo Town Square, 75 King Street South, Waterloo Map

    Global Climate Strike: People Not Profit (black letters over a globe, all on a yellow background)
    https://fossilfreeuw.ca/
    Join us to stand up against those who are profiting off of climate chaos. On Friday, 25 March 2022, people worldwide will be striking from school and work to demand that the climate crisis be confronted as the emergency that it is.

    Rules: Please make sure that you follow local and regional COVID-19 safety protocol in your area. We recommend wearing a mask and remaining physically distanced throughout the event.

    Climate Strike Waterloo Region

    Fossil Free UW

    Canada-wide Day of Action #StandForPeace #NoWarWithRussia, Saturday 5 February 2022 at Noon

    Tamara Lorincz writes:

    Hello KW Peace,

    In solidarity with actions planned across the US led by Join CODEPINK and our allies at the Day Of Action February 5 2022 codepink.org/02052022 | No War with Russia over Ukraine! Negotiate Don't EscalateCODEPINK and across Europe (including outside the NATO headquarters), we are calling for another Canada-wide Day of Action #StandForPeace #NoWarWithRussia for this Saturday, February 5. the entrance of the Kitchener Farmers Market from 12-1pm. If anyone is free and wants to join us that would be great. Canada and NATO are fomenting a war with Russia over Ukraine. Canada is now spending $340 million to militarize the conflict instead of investing in social welfare at home and abroad.

    Canada has just sent a warship, special forces, more soldiers and more financial assistance to Ukraine and the Trudeau government and mainstream media ramping up the war rhetoric.

    In Kitchener, I will be standing at the entrance of the Farmers Market, 300 King St, from 12:00-1:00 pm, please join me if you can.

    If you can’t make it, please take a photo of yourself holding a sign with #StandForPeace and share it on social media with the hashtag and we will circulate it.

    List of action, graphic, statement etc: Voice of Women | La Voix Des Femmes (on stylized globe logo) | Canadian Voice Of Women For Peace (below logo)https://vowpeace.org/
    Send your photo to: info@vowpeace.org
    Read our statement: https://www.foreignpolicy.ca/ukraine
    Sign and share the petition: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/ukraineconflict

    In solidarity and have a good weekend,
    Tamara

    Canada-wide Day of Action | #STANDFORPEACE | In solidarity with the International Day of Action| Saturday, February 5 (2022) | In cities across the country. | Organize or find an event near you; vowpeace.org | #NoWarWithRussia | #NeutralityForUkraine | #CanadaOutOfNATO | Canadian Voice of Women For Peace (with logo) | #PeaceNotWar (with logo)

    CANADA-WIDE DAY OF ACTION: #StandForPeace #NoWarWithRussia #NeutralityForUkraine #CanadaOutofNATO

    Saturday, February 5

    Join us for an emergency rally part of a Canada-wide day of action to #StandForPeace. If you are alarmed about the escalating danger of a US-NATO war with Russia over Ukraine and are opposed to Canada sending weapons, soldiers and special forces to Ukraine. Join us in calling on Canada to stop militarizing the conflict and to engage in diplomatic negotiations for a political solution and a lasting peace. On Saturday, bring a sign, help us distribute leaflets and urge our neighbours to stand for peace. Take a photo and share are our graphic #StandForPeace on social media.

    See CODEPINK call out #PeaceWithRussia #NoWarWithRussia: https://www.codepink.org/02052022

    Maamawi Revisited, 7pm Wed 8 Dec 2021

    Maamawi Revisited

    Wednesday December 8th

    7:00 PM – 10:00 PM
    Divest Waterloo and Faith & the Common Good are partnering with Terre Chartrand and Heather Majaury of Pins and Needles Fabric Company to present an evening of music and storytelling on December 8th in the Victoria Park Pavilion, as the culmination of the Maamawi Revisited project.

    Maamawi is an Ojibway word meaning “bringing together” or just “together” as it applies to things that are alive water, plants, animals, birds and fish and humans.

    Maamawi Revisited has created opportunities for local emerging Indigenous artists to connect with the land, local knowledge keepers, musicians and mentors, and with each other to grow and create together.

    December 8th will be an evening of “bringing together” of storytelling and music that will feature Rene Meshake and musical performances by the artists who participated in this project.

    Rene Meshake is an Anishinaabe elder, residential school survivor, visual and performing artist, award-winning author, storyteller, flute player, and a Recipient of Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee Medal. He  shares his love of the Ojibwe language through his stories, poetry and spoken word performances.

    Tickets are free (and required); please register here as space is limited to comply with COVID protocols. Donations will be accepted at the door to support Pins and Needles Fabric Company – an Intersectional Inter-Arts Collective in Waterloo Region – to provide programming for Indigenous youth.

    Thank you for your ongoing support for Divest Waterloo and for your part in our collective action to raise awareness and engage our community on issues related to climate change, our pursuit of a low carbon economy, and our movement towards a just and sustainable future. We hope that you and your loved ones are well, and look forward to a time when we can gather again.