Yesterday I went to the park with my mom to walk my dog. The few times that I've been there during rush hour (right before or after the 9-5 grind), I have been surprised to find an awesome community of dog walkers. This group hangs out twice a day, knows the neighbourhood gossip, and is quite friendly to new comers. They water the trees, pick up garbage, and keep the park free and safe. The dog walkers all have friendly dogs, who are only interested in playing with each other. They are only in the park at certain hours, and are perfectly willing to leash their dogs when a person feels threatened. Unfortunately not everyone likes the dog walkers.

There are a few concerned citizens that find this community group a menace. A few days ago a letter was posted on the tree, addressing their so-callled vagrant activities. Their accused crime; leaving their dogs off the leash. The unsigned letter writer expressed their concern that the park was unsafe to old people and children. This is not a new problem in the city, and it has recently received attention from City Hall where they had a record breaking public consultation, whose results "are scheduled to go forward to the City’s Parks and Environment Committee at its July 4, 2007 meeting, and pending the outcome, onto City Council for endorsement at its meeting of July 16, 2007."

Upon receiving this letter the dog walkers of my local park suddenly became mobilized as a community group. People were talking about strategies! Community events! Press releases! It was really cool to witness my neighbourhood actually coming together. Unfortunately, the dog walkers' response to the opposition party was met with a call to the cops. No tickets were issued, but it stirred more strategizing. What will happen next? Will dog owners rebel and face possible legal action? Will they throw a BBQ? There has been talk of a potential Dog In (think of the Love Ins of the 60s) in the works. Either way something big is going to happen. The dog walkers are definitely a neighbourhood political force not to be reckoned with!

To read more about the People, Dogs, and Parks campaign check out their website here.


Update

After a great talk with Ms. Michelle from Youth Action Network, I had a few revelations. Michelle probed me to question the power relationships behind the conflict. While the park complainer signed their letter anonymously, one can draw some conclusions based on the identities of the dog walkers, and how that shapes that public space. The dog walkers are majority white folks, and most often men. The letter writer expressed her concern for elderly and children using the park, but one thing I have often noticed when walking my puppy is that many new immigrants in my area are afraid of dogs. Elderly, children, and those who are scared of dogs have the right to park space too.

I think what our neighbourhood really needs is an off leash area. The closest one from my house is a 30 minute walk away. There are 3 different parks close walking distance from my house, and none of them have official off-leash areas. Also there is the Beltline trail, which is a favorite for dogs and dog walkers to go off leash. I feel like the Beltline has got to be leash free, but maybe if we were to have one specific park area, that would help avoid further problems.

.... just some new thoughts.

There is a new workshop in the mix. I have been tossing out some emails as of late, brainstorming for a possible workshop for Youth Action Network's Anti-Racist Summer Series training. I proposed doing a workshop with a similar theme to the my call out for the King Kong Remix Project. The idea is to capture samples of oppressive media and remix it in away that subverts the underlying message, exposing it for what it is. Another example of an anti-racist video mashup is artist Jackie Salloum's piece called Planet of the Arabs, an Official Selection at the 2005 SUNDANCE Film Festival. Check it out below:

Jackie's work is just one example of the powerful process of remixing video! Her work samples a series of popular movies, showing the high incidence of stereotyping of anti-arab stereotypes. By highlighting this trend, and remixing it in a spunky sardonic fashion, Jackie has reshaped the film landscape bringing the chickens home to roost.

Through this workshop youth would learn about media literacy, racism, as well as gain solid video editing skills. With new Flash-based video editing software like Jumpcut emerging, it is becoming increasingly easier to sample and edit video online without the aid of software or other fancy equipment.

I feel like this workshop has the potential to go around the world, having youth from different countries upload their media, creating multiple reinterpretations. Right now it is just in the dreaming stages, but it is about to come to fruition very rapidly. I am excited for the emails of support I've received, and it looks like it will be going ahead next month, with the potential to be repeated across the globe!

Update!

This workshop is now scheduled to happen in mid-September. Keep checking back for more details!

We have just received a communiqué from our indigenous friends in Oaxaca who are with the Consejo Indigena Popular de Oaxaca, (CIPO) asking for urgent support.

On Sunday June 17 their community was attacked by another community supported by paramilitaries. Up to now six people have been killed and several others detained.

There is a protest in the region over clearcutting the Yyusuni forest. The community of San Isidro wants to prevent the erosion of the forest and preserve the water for irrigation. They were peacefully protesting the clearcutting of the trees when they were viciously attacked by the paramilitaries and the Municipal government. In addition to the six people killed, others have been detained and tortured.

In a tactic typical of previous dictatorships in Latin America, the State authorities said they would release the detainees if seven leaders of the San Isidro community would turn themselves in. This list includes our friend Dolores Villalobos Cuamatzi who was a speaker at the conference “Building Power: Social and Political Transformations in Latin America” that took place in Toronto at Ryerson University on April 13 and 14, 2007.

The lives and well being of these brothers and sisters are in danger. We already know about the previous experience with repression in Oaxaca. Action and solidarity from abroad can play a role in saving lives and protecting communities from further tragedies and repression. The individuals involved in this attack must be held responsible for the repression and killing of the people of San Isidro of Oaxaca.

We need a rapid solidarity response to help and save lives in Oaxaca. Please send an e mail or fax to one of the addresses below to:

- Urge the Mexican governments, Federal and State levels, to put an immediate halt to repression and paramilitary activities
-Request a just investigation of the facts and bring people to court regarding the torture and killing of the people of San Isidro Aloapam
-Ask the governments of Mexico, Federal and State, to ensure that the agricultural conflict in the region is dealt with peacefully and in conformity with the affected communities
Emails and faxes can be sent to the addresses in the list below. Phone calls can be directed to some of the people in the list. At the end of this message are instructions on how to send donations.

In Solidarity
On behalf of the “Building Power: Social and Political Transformations in Latin America” organizing Committee

Judy Rebick and Carlos Torres

List of Mexican entities to address the Solidarity Campaign

Rafael Evira Quesada
Titular de la Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales, SEMARNAT
Teléfono: 5628 0602 al 05, Fax: 56-28-06-43, Red: (Red 300,349 Red de Voz: 10901)
E-mail: c.secretario@semarnat.gob.mx .
Blvd. Adolfo Ruiz Cortínez 4209 Col. Jardines en la Montaña. C.P. 14210. México D.F.


Ignacio Loyola Vera
Procurador Federal de Protección al Ambiente, PROFEPA
Teléfono: 26-15-20-95 54-49-63-00, Fax: 26-15-20-41
E-mail: iloyola@profepa.gob.mx
Oficinas Centrales: Ajusco 200 CP 14210 Col Jardines en la Montaña, Distrito Federal, TLALPAN

Salvador Anta Fonseca
Gerente regional en Oaxaca de la Comisión Nacional Forestal, CONAFOR
Sabinos 402, Oaxaca de Juárez, Oaxaca. Colonia Reforma
Teléfono: 01 951 5187210, E-mail: conafor@conafor.gob.mx

Presidente FELIPE DE JESÚS CALDERÓN HINOJOSA
Residencia Oficial de los Pinos Casa Miguel Alemán, Col. San Miguel Chapultepec, C.P. 11850, México D. F., Tel: +521 (55) 27891100, Fax: +521 (55) 52772376
felipe.calderon@presidencia.gob.mx


Lic. Eduardo Medina-Mora Icaza,
Procurador General de la República
Av. Paseo de la Reforma #211-213 Col. Cuauhtémoc, Delegación Cuauhtémoc. México
D.F., C.P. 06500
Para enviar correos en línea: http://www.pgr.gob.mx/index.asp


Jaime Mario Pérez Jiménez
Presidente de la Comisión Estatal de Derechos Humanos
Domicilio: Calle de los Derechos Humanos no. 210, Col. América, C.P. 68050, Oaxaca, Oax.
Teléfonos/Fax: Lada (951) 503 02 20, 503 02 21, 513 51 85, 513 51 91, 51351 97
Correo electrónico: correo@cedhoax.org


LIBERTAD A LOS/AS PRESOS/AS INDIGENAS DEL CIPO-RFM "VIVA LA AUTONOMÍA" visite nuestra pagina: www.nodo50.org/cipo Consejo Indígena Popular de Oaxaca "Ricardo Flores Magón", CIPO-RFM. Calle: Emilio Carranza 210, Sta. Lucía del Camino Oaxaca, México. tel: +(951) 51-78183 y +(951) 51-78190 mail: cipo@nodo50.org, mujercipo@hotmail.com, los_magoneros@hotmail.com
PARA DONATIVOS A NOMBRE DEL CIPO-RFM: Banco Nacional de México, SA. Domicilio Hidalgo # 821. col.Centro, Oax. C.P.68000, Sucursal Oaxaca, No. 120, Suit: Banamex: BNMXMXMM, Cuenta: 002610012077451770

Last Saturday at the Youth Action Network board meeting I got to meet this really good dude named Leo. Leo is originally from México, and has been living in Toronto for the past few years. He is super involved with youth, queer, and new immigrant activist groups, and is mos definitely a welcome edition to Canadian society. Unfortunately for us, the government of Canada doesn't agree and has sent deportation orders. Leo tells us more about his story,

It's time for me to take action in order to obtain my permanent residency based on Humanitarian and Compassionate Grounds. On January 2007 I submitted my H&C (Humanitarian and Compassionate Grounds) application; unfortunately we know that only about 5% of these applications are successful. On March 2007, my PRRA (Pre Removal Risk Assessment) began, which would make my removal order from Canada effective. Even H&C would not make this order ineffective. This would happen by September 2007 at the latest, and I don't want to wait until the last minute to take action. You know that I love Canada! I feel Canadian already a piece of paper do not will tell me if I belong or not to a Country where I feel my home.

Leo is gay and proud, which is something which doesn't have quiet the same level of acceptance in México. I was talking to Leo yesterday and he told me that there is a whole community of gay Mexicans living in Toronto. It is so awesome that Toronto can provide a safe place for gay immigrants who face persecution in their home countries. If you are interested in supporting Leo please check out his website, or email him for more information on how you can give your support. You can also come out to his event:

Let Leo Stay Campaign

On Thursday July 12th
at the 519 Community Centre (519 Church Street, Toronto, ON.)
from 6:30 to 8:30 pm
Please come out in support and solidarity.

Program:
6:30 pm Photography Exhibit
7:00 pm Film Screening
7:30 pm Forum