Dear Community,
Yesterday, I was devastated to learn of the violent attack that occurred in a Gender Studies class at Waterloo. My heart breaks for the students and professor involved, and I am wishing each of them a speedy recovery, and I am sending strength to the rest of the Waterloo community.
Unfortunately, we have many systemic wounds to heal - misogyny, gender based violence, anti-feminism, and hatred against 2SLGBTQIA+ communities are all on the rise, and this incident serves as a stark reminder of the devastating effects these belief systems can have.
Those of us in positions of power need to act - and quickly, with purpose - to ensure the buck stops here. We need to come together and engage in meaningful conversations, education, advocacy and action so we can build toward a society where each member can live without fear of such senseless violence.
We need this government to step up and treat gender based violence like the public health emergency it is.
Next weekend, Salsa on St. Clair returns to Toronto—St. Paul's, and I am looking forward to spending time at that festival (July 8 and 9) at my booth on St. Clair!
At our booth, we're going to need a few volunteers on hand to hand out our office swag and help folks sign petitions. It's going to be a great opportunity to meet your neighbours, and help celebrate the return of Salsa on St. Clair to our neighbourhood!
It's going to be a great time, and if you're interested in volunteering, we've divided each day into three shifts:
- From 11AM to 1PM
- From 1PM to 4PM
- From 4PM to 7PM
If you'd like to sign up to volunteer, you can do so at this link:
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER TO VOLUNTEER.
If you have donations to spare, please consider bringing them down to Marian Engel Park on Saturday between 11AM - 1PM! If you need some extra groceries, come on down no questions asked (we have tote bags)!
Time to get out your calendars and mark down everyone's favourite St. Paul's weekend: SALSA ON ST. CLAIR!
I'm looking forward to seeing everyone out and about for the festivities on July 8 & 9!
Each year across Ontario, thousands of lives are lost to overdoses. We need every level of government to prioritize implementing harm reduction strategies to combat these senseless deaths, and you can help.
As many of you know, Naloxone is a medication that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose, and these kits are FREE with training at participating pharmacies across the city. Together, we can prevent unnecessary deaths and work toward a more compassionate society that is safe safe for everyone.
Find a pharmacy with Naloxone kits near you, and make sure you can recognize the signs of an overdose.
In Solidarity,
Jill Andrew
Toronto-St. Paul's
