The Edmonton Good Friday Outdoor Way of the Cross brings together members of the Christian social justice community, with a message for everyone, regardless of faith. Once again, this year's event had to be done in video form because of the pandemic, and once again I was happy to help with directing, filming, and editing. In the video, local leaders contribute reflections on environmental justice, homelessness, immigration and systemic racism, Indigenous issues, and more. The video will premiere on YouTube at 10 a.m. this Friday, April 2.
Showing posts with label videos. Show all posts
Showing posts with label videos. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 31, 2021
Monday, October 19, 2015
Combatting Hate at the Festival of Faiths
On Saturday, September 19, I was part of a panel on the topic of "Combatting Hate" at the first annual Festival of Faiths. Organized by youth affiliated with the John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights, the Festival of Faiths is intended to teach others about different faiths by people who practice them through information tables, panel discussions, and performances.
The Combatting Hate panel consisted of myself speaking as a Jewish person, as well as representatives from the local Muslim and United Church of Canada communities. It was moderated by a Unitarian Universalist minister.We discussed hate crimes in Edmonton and what everyone can do to help prevent such things from happening: ways to build interfaith understanding in our diverse society.
I was not sure what format the panel would take prior to the event, so I prepared some notes in the event that I had to give some sort of introductory talk. As it turned out, the panel was a discussion led by questions from the moderator, then the audience. I did, however, refer to my notes at several times when responding to questions. Here are my notes - I was clear in making it known I was speaking as a lay person. The event was hard-pressed to find a rabbi because the event was held on the Jewish Sabbath (steps are being taken to prevent this from happening next year).
1. There are no specific Jewish teachings on hatred and racism I am aware of.
2. We can look at the Old Testament, starting with the story of Adam and Eve, which shows that we are all connected, we all come from the same beginnings, and as thus are all equal.
3. There are passages in Isaiah and Proverbs that deal with how we treat people, but again, these are not specifically Jewish (other religions follow the Old Testament also).
4. However, one of my favourite, and best known, comments on how we treat each other is actually from the Talmud (oral law which was later codified in writing). The story of Rabbi Hillel - a rabbi who lived around the same time as Jesus. The story goes that a non-Jew came to Rabbi Hillel and said he would convert to Judaism if the rabbi could teach the man the entire Torah in the same time he could stand on one foot. Rabbi Hillel's response: "What is hateful, do not do to your fellow man. That is the whole of the Torah; the rest is commentary." (Talmud Shabbat 31a)
5. So, as a Jewish person, I find a solution, or preventative measure, against hatred is for us to dialogue and learn from each other about what our faiths and cultures really mean, to recognize the true teachings from ones that only serve the purposes of political leaders or others who seek power or operate on greed and envy, who use faith to try to reach those aims.
6. As a Jewish person, I feel we each need to lead by example, and to learn from our history. We are as prone as anyone to being perpetrators of hatred and prejudice. My mother told me stories of teachers at her Yeshiva (Jewish day school) expressing anti-Arab sentiments. There are Jewish jokes about the stupidity of non-Jews, for example.
7. There is a misinterpretation as to the meaning of Jewish people being the "Chosen People." It has been used against us, and by us to be against others. It doesn't mean we are special or better - it means we were chosen to receive the Torah. So, we need to also have a good understanding of our own faith and culture.Here is a video from the discussion - the battery in my camera died before the Q&A started: Here is a sound file of the entire panel discussion, including the Q&A:
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
Supporting Gaza from a Jewish Perspective
Below is a video blog I recorded about why I support the people of Gaza, from a perspective drawn directly from Jewish religion and history. The purpose of this video is to debunk claims that Jewish people who support Palestine are "self-hating Jews." The text of the video follows under the screen.
My name is Paula and I am with Independent Jewish Voices, on the national steering committee representing Alberta. Independent Jewish Voices is a national human rights organization whose mandate is to promote a just resolution to the dispute in Israel and Palestine through the application of international law and respect for the human rights of all parties.
IJV is made up of Jewish people (and non-Jewish supporters) from across the country. We come from different walks of life, levels of religious observance, professions, and ages, but the one thing we have in common is that we believe that the occupation of Palestine is wrong and must stop. Politically, we provide an alternative to organizations such as B'nai B'rith and the Canadian Jewish Political Affairs Committee which claim to speak on behalf of all Canadian Jews. They don't.
I want to talk a little about my perspective as a Canadian Jew. What I really want to say that what is happening in Gaza is not in my name. I am a Jewish person who grew up in an observant household. As such, I am one who takes the concept of Tikkun Olam (repairing the world) very seriously. I also, fortunately, have a tendency to like to question things, such as why a Jewish person – and our government - should have some kind of obligation to support Israel without question and why those Jewish people who speak out against the policies of the Israeli government are often branded as traitors and as self-hating Jews. The latter is utterly ridiculous because those of us who take a principled stand on the Middle East as Jews self-identify as such.
As a Jewish woman, I believe that my religion and history demands me to stand up for the rights of all. A friend of mine on Facebook recently posted a status update that really summarized the things that Jewish people learn through our education while growing up that support my position concerning the massacre in Gaza, so I am going to paraphrase that here.
From a religious perspective, when we look at the Jewish Scriptures, the story of Moses and the Exodus from Egypt teaches that a righteous person must seek to liberate people who are not free.
The story of Queen Esther teaches about fighting bigotry, oppression, and genocide.
The apocryphal story of Judah and the Maccabees teaches about the duty to resist an occupying power.
From our history, when we look at those who fought in the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, the Jewish Partisans, and the people who revolted in the Nazi concentration camps, it teaches about the need to honour people who are courageous enough to rise up against those who seek to destroy them, instead of just quietly awaiting their fate.
The actions of the righteous gentiles who saved countless Jewish lives during the Nazi Holocaust teach the necessity of opposing your own people when they are doing wicked things.
Finally, from the Talmud, the Oral Law of the Jewish people, we get the teaching from Hillel the Elder, who summarizes the commandments of the Torah, with one simple statement: “That which is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour. That is the whole Torah; the rest is commentary.”
And that's exactly it: the Palestinians are the neighbours in question in this discussion. I find it hypocritical that I could move to Israel tomorrow and get citizenship automatically, when people who have lived there for generations are denied the most basic of human rights.
I am not anti-Israel, I am not anti-Semitic, and I am not pro-Hamas, but I support Palestinian human rights first and foremost as a human, as a person, but as a Jew I feel very much called to take this stand, for the reasons I have discussed. Thanks for watching, and Shalom!
Thursday, July 10, 2014
Speaking Out Again on the Middle East
On Tuesday evening, July 8, I spoke at an emergency rally concerning the situation in Israel and Palestine, on behalf of the Edmonton Coalition Against War and Racism and Independent Jewish Voices. The rally was a call for peace and a protest against the collective punishment of Gaza in retribution for the tragic deaths of three Israeli teenagers last week. Below is the text of my speech, as well as a video of me speaking.
The Edmonton Coalition Against War and Racism condemns the collective punishment and violence against the Palestinian people by the government of Israel. We believe in the right to self-determination for all people without imperialistic interference, and this includes Palestine. We call on everyone to work for an anti-war government in Canada. There can be no solution without recognizing the rights of the Palestinian people. I am also the Alberta representative on the National Steering Committee of Independent Jewish Voices (IJV). Independent Jewish Voices is a national human rights organization whose mandate is to promote a just resolution to the dispute in Israel and Palestine through the application of international law and respect for the human rights of all parties. IJV is made up of Jewish people (and non-Jewish supporters) from across the country. We come from different walks of life, levels of religious observance, professions, and ages, but the one thing we have in common is that we believe that the occupation of Palestine is wrong and must stop. Politically, we provide an alternative to organizations such as B'nai B'rith and the Canadian Jewish Political Affairs Committee which claim to speak on behalf of all Canadian Jews. They don't. In light of the recent tragedies we are hearing more Jewish voices calling out for an end to the occupation, even within Israel itself. To quote Gideon Levy, who is a Jewish writer for the major Israeli newspaper Ha'Aretz: “In the Jewish state, there is no remnant of the biblical injunction to treat the minority or the stranger with justice. There are no more Jews left who marched with Martin Luther King or who sat in jail with Nelson Mandela. The Jewish state, which Israel insists the Palestinians recognize, must first recognize itself. At the end of the day, at the end of a terrible week, it seems that a Jewish state means a racist, nationalistic state, meant for Jews only.” My heart breaks at the recent, senseless, tragic murders of the three Israeli teenagers. It also breaks at the Palestinians who have been murdered by Israel in retribution, including a 16 year old who was burned while he was still alive. IJV takes the stand that all of these heinous crimes are the inevitable result of Israel’s brutal and illegal occupation of Palestine. In a press release that IJV issued last week, our spokesperson Tyler Levitan did not mince words. “Make no mistake, the burden of responsibility rests with the occupying power – Israel. The blood of these youth is also on Canada’s hands, as Canada’s government unconditionally supports Israel’s violent military occupation of the West Bank and siege of Gaza, which repeatedly fuels more violence,” he said. The bottom line is that the occupation is not only illegal and immoral, but bad for the futures of both Israelis and Palestinians. It is causing misery and death for both peoples, and they deserve better. It is time for Canada's government to stop supporting the policies of the Israeli government and to take a stand against the brutal occupation of the Palestinians. It is time for the Jewish community as a whole to open its eyes and accept that just because we have been oppressed does not give us the right to become or to support the oppression. We must stand up for the rights of all, including the Palestinians. Our religion and our history demands it. Finally, Canadians must put an end to the lawlessness of the Harper dictatorship which claims to stand for law and order but acts in defiance of international law - giving its support and even directly participating in illegal occupations, war crimes, collective punishment, use of banned weapons, and many other heinous crimes against the Palestinian people and humanity. Shalom.
The Edmonton Coalition Against War and Racism condemns the collective punishment and violence against the Palestinian people by the government of Israel. We believe in the right to self-determination for all people without imperialistic interference, and this includes Palestine. We call on everyone to work for an anti-war government in Canada. There can be no solution without recognizing the rights of the Palestinian people. I am also the Alberta representative on the National Steering Committee of Independent Jewish Voices (IJV). Independent Jewish Voices is a national human rights organization whose mandate is to promote a just resolution to the dispute in Israel and Palestine through the application of international law and respect for the human rights of all parties. IJV is made up of Jewish people (and non-Jewish supporters) from across the country. We come from different walks of life, levels of religious observance, professions, and ages, but the one thing we have in common is that we believe that the occupation of Palestine is wrong and must stop. Politically, we provide an alternative to organizations such as B'nai B'rith and the Canadian Jewish Political Affairs Committee which claim to speak on behalf of all Canadian Jews. They don't. In light of the recent tragedies we are hearing more Jewish voices calling out for an end to the occupation, even within Israel itself. To quote Gideon Levy, who is a Jewish writer for the major Israeli newspaper Ha'Aretz: “In the Jewish state, there is no remnant of the biblical injunction to treat the minority or the stranger with justice. There are no more Jews left who marched with Martin Luther King or who sat in jail with Nelson Mandela. The Jewish state, which Israel insists the Palestinians recognize, must first recognize itself. At the end of the day, at the end of a terrible week, it seems that a Jewish state means a racist, nationalistic state, meant for Jews only.” My heart breaks at the recent, senseless, tragic murders of the three Israeli teenagers. It also breaks at the Palestinians who have been murdered by Israel in retribution, including a 16 year old who was burned while he was still alive. IJV takes the stand that all of these heinous crimes are the inevitable result of Israel’s brutal and illegal occupation of Palestine. In a press release that IJV issued last week, our spokesperson Tyler Levitan did not mince words. “Make no mistake, the burden of responsibility rests with the occupying power – Israel. The blood of these youth is also on Canada’s hands, as Canada’s government unconditionally supports Israel’s violent military occupation of the West Bank and siege of Gaza, which repeatedly fuels more violence,” he said. The bottom line is that the occupation is not only illegal and immoral, but bad for the futures of both Israelis and Palestinians. It is causing misery and death for both peoples, and they deserve better. It is time for Canada's government to stop supporting the policies of the Israeli government and to take a stand against the brutal occupation of the Palestinians. It is time for the Jewish community as a whole to open its eyes and accept that just because we have been oppressed does not give us the right to become or to support the oppression. We must stand up for the rights of all, including the Palestinians. Our religion and our history demands it. Finally, Canadians must put an end to the lawlessness of the Harper dictatorship which claims to stand for law and order but acts in defiance of international law - giving its support and even directly participating in illegal occupations, war crimes, collective punishment, use of banned weapons, and many other heinous crimes against the Palestinian people and humanity. Shalom.
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
A Video Milestone
When I began filming Edmonton's activist scene back in 2006 (I began photographing it in 2005 but did not acquire a video camera until about six months later), I had no idea this would become something of a second career for me.
2013 marks two milestones for my videography. My main YouTube site broke the million view mark, and over this past weekend I uploaded video #1000. Yes, 1000 videos documenting peace marches, environmental rallies, political actions, and other events pertaining to social justice and human rights.
In the beginning, I was also filming and posting videos from festivals, cultural events, and other happenings around Edmonton. A couple of years ago I decided to dedicate the channel exclusively to activism and set up a second channel for music, culture, and festivals in Edmonton. I also have another YouTube channel just for my own music, which has over half a million video views and apparently I am quite popular in Argentina.
However, my "baby" when it comes to my film work will always be my activism channel, which I link up to my independent media site Radical Citizen Media, a photo and video blog of all things progressive, left leaning, and activist in Edmonton.
Just for interest's sake, I am on my third video camera, lost count of how many digital still cameras I have owned over the years, and regularly use my iPhone for photos and videos as well. I am sure those of you who own similar technology do as well. Anyone can become the media.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Raise My Voice Becomes Radical Citizen Media
In September of 2005 I attended a peace march. I brought a camera and took pictures. I posted those pictures online. This behaviour became a habit.
People looked at the photos. They looked a lot. So much, in fact, that the server I posted them on, crashed.
As a result, I purchased a domain and hosting plan. The website was called RaiseMyVoice.com and became a portal to the photos and videos I shot at rallies and events concerning human rights, social justice, the environment, women's issues, poverty, and a host of other topics, mostly from progressive and left of centre viewpoints.
After a while, the website became one of the largest historical archives of citizen engagement in Edmonton at such events. RaiseMyVoice.com needed to be updated more and more frequently, and required more categories, better organization, and a cleaner look.
This week, RaiseMyVoice.com got the overhaul it needed. It was such an overhaul that I decided to change the website entirely.
With the new look comes a new name: Radical Citizen Media.
There are more events organized by subject matter than ever. More categories. The videos are easier to find. Photo sets lost and broken have been found and fixed. The design is cleaner, navigation is easier, and updates now include embedded photos and videos.
I have been called Edmonton's Indymedia because of my commitment to documenting progressive and left-wing citizen engagement in Edmonton. That commitment is going to be met even better moving forward. Radical Citizen Media is now both a serious part of Edmonton's media scene and valuable historical archive.
Saturday, October 01, 2011
Getting Out There: Two Rallies, Two Issues
I recently took part in two separate events on two topics important to me: peace and the environment. Despite experiencing a few recent personal challenges, I felt it important to get out and get vocal about the issues affecting our world.
The annual UN International Day of Peace flag-raising ceremony happened on September 21 outside of City Hall. I sang "I Only Ask of God," by Argentina singer/songwriter Leon Gieco. The rest of the program consisted of speakers, The Raging Grannies, and, of course, the raising of the flag, which says "Peace" in over 50 different languages. Here is the complete video playlist.
A few days later on September 24 was an international day of action on climate change. Moving Planet Edmonton was the local response, organized by Edmonton 350 (visit 350.org for more information). I performed "Butterflies and Rainbows," a song I wrote about the tar sands, and received one of the most interesting introductions ever at one of these sorts of rallies! Here is the playlist of all the videos from the event.
The annual UN International Day of Peace flag-raising ceremony happened on September 21 outside of City Hall. I sang "I Only Ask of God," by Argentina singer/songwriter Leon Gieco. The rest of the program consisted of speakers, The Raging Grannies, and, of course, the raising of the flag, which says "Peace" in over 50 different languages. Here is the complete video playlist.
A few days later on September 24 was an international day of action on climate change. Moving Planet Edmonton was the local response, organized by Edmonton 350 (visit 350.org for more information). I performed "Butterflies and Rainbows," a song I wrote about the tar sands, and received one of the most interesting introductions ever at one of these sorts of rallies! Here is the playlist of all the videos from the event.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Homeless Memorial & Rally for Egypt: From Local to Global
Two Saturdays, in a row. Two events. Different causes affecting different parts of the world.
On January 22, I attended the Edmonton Homeless Memorial Remembrance Celebration. In its sixth year, the event seeks to honour the memories of people who have died in the past year as a direct result of having no home. Sadly, the number of people who are being honoured as doubled since the first event. This year, we remembered 57 people who died in 2010 (and this is a conservative estimate, as these are people whose identities have been confirmed by family members and social agencies). The memorial took place at Boyle Street Community Services - just a stone's throw away from the proposed downtown arena. In fact, there are numerous service organizations in that area. I can only hope and pray that the City honour its commitment to fight homelessness and poverty and not sell out to huge land developers. Here are photos from the event and a video featuring speakers and music.
It has been a week of revolution in Egypt, and yesterday cities around the world rallied for the people there who are being tortured and killed under the Mubarak regime. A rally was put together in Edmonton by a group of grassroots citizens, and despite the short notice and bitter cold, the turnout was excellent. Here is a video of some of the passionate chanting, and some photos.
On January 22, I attended the Edmonton Homeless Memorial Remembrance Celebration. In its sixth year, the event seeks to honour the memories of people who have died in the past year as a direct result of having no home. Sadly, the number of people who are being honoured as doubled since the first event. This year, we remembered 57 people who died in 2010 (and this is a conservative estimate, as these are people whose identities have been confirmed by family members and social agencies). The memorial took place at Boyle Street Community Services - just a stone's throw away from the proposed downtown arena. In fact, there are numerous service organizations in that area. I can only hope and pray that the City honour its commitment to fight homelessness and poverty and not sell out to huge land developers. Here are photos from the event and a video featuring speakers and music.
It has been a week of revolution in Egypt, and yesterday cities around the world rallied for the people there who are being tortured and killed under the Mubarak regime. A rally was put together in Edmonton by a group of grassroots citizens, and despite the short notice and bitter cold, the turnout was excellent. Here is a video of some of the passionate chanting, and some photos.
Sunday, December 05, 2010
Rally for Public Healthcare
On December 4, around 500 people rallied at the Alberta Legislature to show their support for public healthcare. Speeches were presented from Dr. Raj Sherman and his lawyer, MP Linda Duncan, Friends of Medicare Executive Director David Eggen, and numerous other people who deplored any suggestion that Alberta's healthcare system may become two-tiered. Dr. Sherman's lawyer announced that he will be launching an investigation into the whisper/smear campaign against his client for speaking out against the problems in the healthcare system. Here are photos from the rally as well as a video of Dr. Sherman's speech.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
God Loves Fags/Hugs Not Hate
When the Westboro Baptist Church announced on its website last week that it was going to come to Edmonton to picket outside of a production of the play The Laramie Project on November 13, the city's GLBT community and other sympathetic activists knew they could not sit quietly.
Although members of the church, which is led by Fred Phelps and mostly consists of his immediate family, never showed, the counter-protest took place anyways. It was known by two names: God Loves Fags, as a response to the church's famous picket signs that read "God Hates Fags", and the more family-friendly "Hugs Not Hate."
Around 300 people showed up. Speakers included local politicians, GLBT activists, and even an estranged child of Fred Phelps who traveled all the way to Edmonton just for the rally. The entire event was organized in less than three days. What a cohesive and strong way to show that Edmonton does not tolerate hate.
The Laramie Project is a play about the 1998 murder of gay college student Matthew Shepherd.
Here are my photos from the protest as well as a video of Fred Phelps' estranged son Nate Phelps speaking.
Although members of the church, which is led by Fred Phelps and mostly consists of his immediate family, never showed, the counter-protest took place anyways. It was known by two names: God Loves Fags, as a response to the church's famous picket signs that read "God Hates Fags", and the more family-friendly "Hugs Not Hate."
Around 300 people showed up. Speakers included local politicians, GLBT activists, and even an estranged child of Fred Phelps who traveled all the way to Edmonton just for the rally. The entire event was organized in less than three days. What a cohesive and strong way to show that Edmonton does not tolerate hate.
The Laramie Project is a play about the 1998 murder of gay college student Matthew Shepherd.
Here are my photos from the protest as well as a video of Fred Phelps' estranged son Nate Phelps speaking.
Churchill Square Holiday Light Up 2010
I attended the Holiday Light Up in Churchill Square yesterday. This was my second time at the event, and I was looking forward to another spectacular fireworks show. And spectacular it was, despite the event running slightly behind schedule.
Different from last year was the placement of the tree - instead of being on the square itself, it was over at the west end of the street between City Hall and Churchill. The stage was also on the street in that location. This threw me off somewhat in terms of filming the fireworks, as I expected them to start in the sky over City Hall. Instead, they were along the east side of Churchill Square, like last time.
It also seemed a bit strange to be at a Christmas event, when it is barely mid-November. People on Twitter have been commenting that it seems Edmonton gets ready for Christmas earlier and earlier each year. I haven't really noticed, but I do find Christmas music being blared in cafes and stores to be annoying no matter how close to December 25 it is.
I took a few photos and filmed the tree light up and fireworks show. Enjoy!
Different from last year was the placement of the tree - instead of being on the square itself, it was over at the west end of the street between City Hall and Churchill. The stage was also on the street in that location. This threw me off somewhat in terms of filming the fireworks, as I expected them to start in the sky over City Hall. Instead, they were along the east side of Churchill Square, like last time.
It also seemed a bit strange to be at a Christmas event, when it is barely mid-November. People on Twitter have been commenting that it seems Edmonton gets ready for Christmas earlier and earlier each year. I haven't really noticed, but I do find Christmas music being blared in cafes and stores to be annoying no matter how close to December 25 it is.
I took a few photos and filmed the tree light up and fireworks show. Enjoy!
Thursday, November 04, 2010
Norman Finkelstein Speaks in Edmonton
On October 29, Dr. Norman Finkelstein made a return appearance in Edmonton. Dr. Finkelstein is an independent scholar from New York who is very passionate about his support for the Palestinian people and is highly critical of the Israeli government. He has taken a lot of criticism and setbacks both personally and professionally for his stance.
Here are photos of the event, as well as the video of his talk and the Q&A period that followed. As well, the videos are embedded below to watch right here:
Here are photos of the event, as well as the video of his talk and the Q&A period that followed. As well, the videos are embedded below to watch right here:
Tar Sands: Pipelines and Birds
Greenpeace and the Sierra Club recently held two major protests at Gazebo Park concerning the effects of the tar sands. The first was called "No Tar Sands, No Tankers, No Pipelines, No Problem" and took place on October 16. The event was concerning Enbridge's plans to run pipelines through indigenous land. Many speakers were Aboriginal and spoke about how the tar sands are destroying their communities. Here are photos and a video I put together of speakers and music.
On October 30, the Sierra Club organized the "Zombie Duck Rally." Syncrude was recently fined three million dollars for the deaths of 1600 ducks in their toxic tailings lakes. Less than two weeks later, more birds landed the tailings ponds of oil companies in northern Alberta. Participants dressed up as zombie ducks bemoaning the fate of their brothers and sisters. This was definitely one of the most creative environmental rallies I have participated in. I sang "Butterflies and Rainbows," a song I wrote over three years ago about the effects of the tar sands in Alberta. How said it is that little has changed. Here are photos from the event and the video playlist.
On October 30, the Sierra Club organized the "Zombie Duck Rally." Syncrude was recently fined three million dollars for the deaths of 1600 ducks in their toxic tailings lakes. Less than two weeks later, more birds landed the tailings ponds of oil companies in northern Alberta. Participants dressed up as zombie ducks bemoaning the fate of their brothers and sisters. This was definitely one of the most creative environmental rallies I have participated in. I sang "Butterflies and Rainbows," a song I wrote over three years ago about the effects of the tar sands in Alberta. How said it is that little has changed. Here are photos from the event and the video playlist.
Thursday, October 07, 2010
Peace in September
Peace and related activist events tend to pick up in the fall, particularly since university is back in session. I had the privilege of taking part in two peace events in September.
September 21 was the annual UN International Day of Peace, which takes place in cities around the world. As always, it took place at City Hall Plaza, and featured the flag-raising ceremony. The peace flag features the word "peace" in 50 different languages. Elementary school students from St. James read their own writings about what peace means to them (and we were astounded at how profound some of them were). Two keynote speakers from the University of Alberta's Political Science Department offered insights into world events, and music was provided by Quetzala Maria Carson and myself. Quetzala sang a song called "Generations" that she wrote, while I sang a traditional Jewish hymn called "Hinei Ma Tov." It is based on Psalm 133 and is about peace and unity. It was fun giving the children (and everyone else) in attendance a lesson on how to pronounce the Hebrew to sing along. Here are my photos from the event as well as the video playlist on YouTube.
Less than a week later on September 25, the Edmonton Coalition Against War and Racism (ECAWAR) organized a rally for the National Day of Action to End the War in Afghanistan. There is usually a fall day of action called for by the Canadian Peace Alliance, but this year the CPA was late in getting the word out, so we had less than a week to pull a rally together. We succeeded. Though less time to publicize meant we had a smaller crowd at Gazebo Park, the media coverage was excellent. Two speakers from ECAWAR spoke about the need for Canada to not extend the mission in Afghanistan beyond 2011 (preferably to bring the troops home now), I sang a couple of antiwar songs, and then we opened up the stage for a moderated open mike. One more speaker from ECAWAR discussed against Canada taking a seat on the UN Security Council, which was an interesting talk. Here are my photos and the video playlist. As well, here is the article about the event from the Edmonton Sun.
September 21 was the annual UN International Day of Peace, which takes place in cities around the world. As always, it took place at City Hall Plaza, and featured the flag-raising ceremony. The peace flag features the word "peace" in 50 different languages. Elementary school students from St. James read their own writings about what peace means to them (and we were astounded at how profound some of them were). Two keynote speakers from the University of Alberta's Political Science Department offered insights into world events, and music was provided by Quetzala Maria Carson and myself. Quetzala sang a song called "Generations" that she wrote, while I sang a traditional Jewish hymn called "Hinei Ma Tov." It is based on Psalm 133 and is about peace and unity. It was fun giving the children (and everyone else) in attendance a lesson on how to pronounce the Hebrew to sing along. Here are my photos from the event as well as the video playlist on YouTube.
Less than a week later on September 25, the Edmonton Coalition Against War and Racism (ECAWAR) organized a rally for the National Day of Action to End the War in Afghanistan. There is usually a fall day of action called for by the Canadian Peace Alliance, but this year the CPA was late in getting the word out, so we had less than a week to pull a rally together. We succeeded. Though less time to publicize meant we had a smaller crowd at Gazebo Park, the media coverage was excellent. Two speakers from ECAWAR spoke about the need for Canada to not extend the mission in Afghanistan beyond 2011 (preferably to bring the troops home now), I sang a couple of antiwar songs, and then we opened up the stage for a moderated open mike. One more speaker from ECAWAR discussed against Canada taking a seat on the UN Security Council, which was an interesting talk. Here are my photos and the video playlist. As well, here is the article about the event from the Edmonton Sun.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Guitars, Bikes, Vegetarianism, and Me
I am going to refer to Saturday, June 19, as my Edmonton Mini-Tour. My afternoon started off at the Bikeology Festival in Beaver Hills House Park. Bikeology is an annual event that takes place during June (which is Bike Month) and features an equipment swap, cookies baked my solar power, smoothies created by the energy of riding a stationary bicycle, information tables from various organizations, and live music. I was the first act up, and played a five-song set that was solar-powered. I have attended the festival for several years now, but this was my first time performing there. The irony was that I could not ride my bike with guitar in tow, but I had a great time. Here are some photos and the video playlist from my set.
After I left Bikeology, I took a quick stroll through the City Centre farmer's market and also checked out some of the activities for Park(ed). 102 Avenue was shut down to cars for the day. It was great being able to walk right on the street and see the chalk art, spin class, games (I got hit by a water balloon!), and other such fun and frivolity. You can see some pictures in the same set as Bikeology.
Just slightly more than two hours after my Bikeology gig, I was on stage at the new location of Padmanadi for the grand opening of their second location. The place was packed full of people enjoying the delicious vegan buffet, which I also partook of after my set. The restaurant is located at 10740-101 Street and I recommend it for anyone who enjoys fine vegetarian cuisine. Here are some photos and the video playlist.
After I left Bikeology, I took a quick stroll through the City Centre farmer's market and also checked out some of the activities for Park(ed). 102 Avenue was shut down to cars for the day. It was great being able to walk right on the street and see the chalk art, spin class, games (I got hit by a water balloon!), and other such fun and frivolity. You can see some pictures in the same set as Bikeology.
Just slightly more than two hours after my Bikeology gig, I was on stage at the new location of Padmanadi for the grand opening of their second location. The place was packed full of people enjoying the delicious vegan buffet, which I also partook of after my set. The restaurant is located at 10740-101 Street and I recommend it for anyone who enjoys fine vegetarian cuisine. Here are some photos and the video playlist.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Pride 2010
I really enjoy the annual Pride Parade. It's loud, fun, and colourful. It's about celebrating who you are in the face of discrimination. And, it's a great photo-op for those of us so inclined. Here is my photo set from the event. If you missed the parade, or would like to experience it again, I filmed the entire thing - it's around 22 minutes in length.
Tuesday, May 04, 2010
First May Weekend
Welcome to May (although by the weather outside today, you would never know it). Here is a quick look at how today's snow storm looks from outside my back door.
Fortunately, over the weekend we were a lot luckier weather-wise. Saturday, May 1, was International Worker's Day (also known as May Day) and Edmonton's march and rally started in Giovanni Caboto Park in McCauley, headed through Chinatown, and finished in Churchill Square. This year's march was organized by an ad hoc group of individuals, since the official May Week Labour Arts Festival was on hiatus this year. Still, the attendance was great (around 150 people) and the spirit was high. Here is a look at some photos and a short video.
While I was in Caboto Park waiting for the May Day march to get started, I got recruited for a drum circle. There is an organized drum circle that meets and practices regularly in the park. I started out on a large, Latin American drum that I had strapped around my shoulders, then switched to a cowbell - not just any cowbell, one with a long metal rod extending from it, with a thigh stirrup. We learned some basic drum patterns, as well as corresponding dance moves. It was a lot of fun, and I hope to do it again soon. Here are some photos of the rest of the troupe in action.
Sunday saw some rain off and on, but it stayed sunny long enough for me to check out the opening day of the Callingwood Farmer's Market. Located in the west end, Callingwood is the only Sunday farmer's market in Edmonton. A lot of children enjoyed the petting zoo. I thought there was a good variety of crafts, but did not see as many plants and produce as at other markets. I do plan to return, so maybe that will change as the season progresses. Here are some photos, which also include a few shots of The Dancing Guy, spotted as I headed for a quick shopping trip at WEM.
Yesterday, I decided to go on a little local adventure by taking the LRT for its entire route, back and forth. We parked at the Stadium, took the train to the new Southgate and Century Park stations, then went all the way north to Clareview, then back to the Stadium. I took a few pictures along the route, mostly shot out of the window, catching some interesting reflections. I especially found the north part of the city to be interesting, with its old buildings, junkyards, and street art. Here is a look.
Fortunately, over the weekend we were a lot luckier weather-wise. Saturday, May 1, was International Worker's Day (also known as May Day) and Edmonton's march and rally started in Giovanni Caboto Park in McCauley, headed through Chinatown, and finished in Churchill Square. This year's march was organized by an ad hoc group of individuals, since the official May Week Labour Arts Festival was on hiatus this year. Still, the attendance was great (around 150 people) and the spirit was high. Here is a look at some photos and a short video.
While I was in Caboto Park waiting for the May Day march to get started, I got recruited for a drum circle. There is an organized drum circle that meets and practices regularly in the park. I started out on a large, Latin American drum that I had strapped around my shoulders, then switched to a cowbell - not just any cowbell, one with a long metal rod extending from it, with a thigh stirrup. We learned some basic drum patterns, as well as corresponding dance moves. It was a lot of fun, and I hope to do it again soon. Here are some photos of the rest of the troupe in action.
Sunday saw some rain off and on, but it stayed sunny long enough for me to check out the opening day of the Callingwood Farmer's Market. Located in the west end, Callingwood is the only Sunday farmer's market in Edmonton. A lot of children enjoyed the petting zoo. I thought there was a good variety of crafts, but did not see as many plants and produce as at other markets. I do plan to return, so maybe that will change as the season progresses. Here are some photos, which also include a few shots of The Dancing Guy, spotted as I headed for a quick shopping trip at WEM.
Yesterday, I decided to go on a little local adventure by taking the LRT for its entire route, back and forth. We parked at the Stadium, took the train to the new Southgate and Century Park stations, then went all the way north to Clareview, then back to the Stadium. I took a few pictures along the route, mostly shot out of the window, catching some interesting reflections. I especially found the north part of the city to be interesting, with its old buildings, junkyards, and street art. Here is a look.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Pics'n'Vids: End the Wars of Occupation
End the Wars of Occupation
An antiwar rally organized by the Edmonton Coalition Against War and Racism on the seventh anniversary of the invasion and war on Iraq. This event called for an end to all wars of occupation including Afghanistan, Haiti, and Palestine.
Pics:
Vids:
The Raging Grannies
Linda Duncan, MP
Paula Kirman (that's me - musical performance)
Peggy Morton, ECAWAR
Dr. Tony Simmons, Athbasca University
Fatiyeh Muwais, Past President, Palestinian Women's Association of Edmonton
Also:
Join Together Alberta
Students, NGOs, unions, and citizens concerned about cuts to public services marched to the Legislature on March 20 demanding that the cuts end.
Pics:
Vid:
Sunday, March 14, 2010
MEC Protest/More Music/Muttart
The final event of Edmonton's second annual Israeli Apartheid Week took place last Saturday with an information picket outside of Mountain Equipment Co-op concerning the company's sourcing of goods from Israel. This is a very controversial topic as MEC has an ethical sourcing policy and is a popular retail outlet amongst activists. Here are some photos and a video explaining the views of the protesters, as well as the company's (written) response.
I keep forgetting to blog that I performed a few songs last month during the University of Alberta's International Week. Each noon hour in the Student's Union Building featured song and dance from around the world. My set consisted of a few songs from Argentina in both English and Spanish by the renowned singer/songwriter León Gieco: "The Land of Freedom/En El Pais de la Libertad", "Tema De Los Mosquitos", and "Solo Le Pido a Dios". As well, I also sang "Walls," a song that I wrote about the situation in Israel/Palestine.
Finally, in non-activism/journalism related news, I took a quick trip to the Muttart Conservatory last week to do some photography. I focused on taking as many close-ups of flowers and plants as possible. Have a look.
I keep forgetting to blog that I performed a few songs last month during the University of Alberta's International Week. Each noon hour in the Student's Union Building featured song and dance from around the world. My set consisted of a few songs from Argentina in both English and Spanish by the renowned singer/songwriter León Gieco: "The Land of Freedom/En El Pais de la Libertad", "Tema De Los Mosquitos", and "Solo Le Pido a Dios". As well, I also sang "Walls," a song that I wrote about the situation in Israel/Palestine.
Finally, in non-activism/journalism related news, I took a quick trip to the Muttart Conservatory last week to do some photography. I focused on taking as many close-ups of flowers and plants as possible. Have a look.
Friday, November 27, 2009
World March for Peace and Nonviolence
On October 2, a group of marchers in New Zealand decided they would go on a worldwide peace march. November 21 was Canada's day for the march, and Edmonton held a march in solidarity. Some of the reasons for this march include:
• Because eliminating wars and violence means leaving human pre-history behind and taking a giant step forward in the evolution of our species.
• Because we are accompanied by the voices of the hundreds of generations that came before us who have longed and worked for peace.
• Because with 10% of what is spent on arms, we can end world hunger.
• Because a “world without wars” is an image that opens the future and seeks to become reality in every corner of the planet, as violence gives way to dialogue.”
The Edmonton event saw around 100 people march from Laurier Park/Buena Vista to Hawrelak via the pedestrian bridge. A rally followed with music and speakers. Here is my photo set.
Here are videos that I shot at the event:
The March (0:33)
Raging Grannies (2:37)
Rev. Audrey Brooks (4:30)
Letter from Mayor Mandel (1:23)
Me singing "I Only Ask of God" (4:13)
Krystal Dos Santos singing "Redemption Song" (3:44)
Peter Johnston from the Alberta Green Party (4:44)
Linda Dunca, MP Edmonton-Strathcona (6:06)
Naomi Rankin, Communist Party of Canada (2:02)
Unitarian children singing "Shalom Chaverim" (1:39)
Raging Grannies sing another song (1:59)
Finale: "Let There be Peace on Earth" (1:24)
The march will end in Argentina on January 2.
• Because eliminating wars and violence means leaving human pre-history behind and taking a giant step forward in the evolution of our species.
• Because we are accompanied by the voices of the hundreds of generations that came before us who have longed and worked for peace.
• Because with 10% of what is spent on arms, we can end world hunger.
• Because a “world without wars” is an image that opens the future and seeks to become reality in every corner of the planet, as violence gives way to dialogue.”
The Edmonton event saw around 100 people march from Laurier Park/Buena Vista to Hawrelak via the pedestrian bridge. A rally followed with music and speakers. Here is my photo set.
Here are videos that I shot at the event:
The March (0:33)
Raging Grannies (2:37)
Rev. Audrey Brooks (4:30)
Letter from Mayor Mandel (1:23)
Me singing "I Only Ask of God" (4:13)
Krystal Dos Santos singing "Redemption Song" (3:44)
Peter Johnston from the Alberta Green Party (4:44)
Linda Dunca, MP Edmonton-Strathcona (6:06)
Naomi Rankin, Communist Party of Canada (2:02)
Unitarian children singing "Shalom Chaverim" (1:39)
Raging Grannies sing another song (1:59)
Finale: "Let There be Peace on Earth" (1:24)
The march will end in Argentina on January 2.
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