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Event Organizing Kit Want to organize an event but not sure where to start? Missing some supplies? Check out our organizing guide! Get in touch with lea@sjcnl.org with questions or for help. Open Event Kit

Land Back Fest Community gathered with the Indigenous Activist Collective in Bannerman Park on July 1 to celebrate Land Back Movements and Indigenous Peoples. Thank you to everyone who joined! Why celebrate colonial genocide when we can come together to celebrate and demand the return of Indigenous lands to Indigenous hands!? Have a look at these beautiful people and learn what inspired them to show up. <3 Just click on the photos to enlarge them. read captions, and image descriptions.

statement < Back Statement in Solidarity with Palestine Jan 26, 2024 Free Palestine Action Team The Social Justice Co-op of Newfoundland and Labrador (SJCNL) Free Palestine Action Team recognizes that Canada and Israel are both settler colonial states built on stolen land. The struggle for social justice is not bounded by national borders; as we fight to dismantle colonialism in so-called Canada, we must also stand against colonialism abroad. In alignment with our principles of revolutionary care, we are committed to uplifting the voices of those most marginalized and we recognize that there is no justice or liberation without collective liberation. We organize in solidarity with the Palestinian people, whose struggle under a settler colonial system of domination has been ignored for too long. The Palestinian Territories—the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip—have been occupied by Israel since 1967. Israel imposes different legal, economic and security regimes on the people under its control based on their ethnicity, religion and place of residence. This system can only be described as Apartheid. Palestinians are denied many basic rights and freedoms, including freedom of expression, freedom of movement and the right to vote. The ‘Israeli-Palestinian Conflict’ is not a conflict between two equal nation-states. Only one side has an army, an air force, and a nuclear arsenal. Only one side has self-determination, sovereignty, and international recognition. Only one side has the unconditional support of the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany. To remain neutral in light of this asymmetry would be to uphold an unjust and unequal status quo. The Gaza Strip is a walled off piece of land smaller than the City of St. John’s but with more than 20 times the population. The majority of the 2.3 million Palestinians living in Gaza are UN-registered refugees, the descendants of people who fled or were expelled from what is now Israel when that country was founded in 1948. Since 2005, Gaza has been under an Israeli blockade, destroying the territory’s economy. People and goods cannot enter or leave Gaza without specific permission from Israel. The unemployment rate is over 40%, and the majority of residents rely on humanitarian aid. As our members have called out in the past , Gaza is essentially an open-air prison. Israeli attacks on Gaza killed more than 5,000 Palestinians between 2005 and 2022; over the same period, Palestinian militants from Gaza killed some 180 Israelis. On October 7 th 2023, Palestinian militants attacked Israeli communities and military bases near the Gaza Strip, killing some 1,200 people and kidnapping over 200. In response, Israel’s bombing campaign has since killed over 25,000 Palestinians, including over 10,000 children. The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) have indiscriminately struck homes, apartment buildings, mosques, churches, hospitals, schools, and bakeries. Israel has also imposed a severe blockade, preventing most food, water, and medicine from entering Gaza. The humanitarian situation inside the Gaza Strip is growing more desperate by the day as people run out of the basic necessities of life. One atrocity cannot be made right by committing another; Israel’s "war" on Gaza will only perpetuate a cycle of violence whose root causes remain unaddressed. True peace can only be achieved when there is justice, equality, dignity, and freedom for all people living in Israel and the Palestinian Territories, regardless of ethnicity or religion. The longer the bombing, siege and occupation of Gaza continue, the farther away this prospect becomes. The current Israeli government is the most extreme in the country’s history. Israeli political leaders and military commanders have made repeated statements advocating for the ethnic cleansing and genocide of Palestinians in Gaza. These statements along with the indiscriminate violence unleashed on Gaza form the basis of the South African case against Israel, under the Genocide Convention, that is currently before the International Court of Justice. We welcome Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s belated call for a “sustainable ceasefire”, but that is not sufficient. In spite of everything that has happened over the past 110 days, Canada remains a staunch ally of Israel, making all of us complicit in Israeli actions. The Government of Canada must end this complicity once and for all. We call on the Members of Parliament for Newfoundland and Labrador to demand an immediate and permanent ceasefire, a lifting of the blockade on Gaza, a two-way arms embargo on Israel, and an end to the occupation and colonization of Palestinian land: Ken McDonald (Avalon), Churence Rogers (Bonavista-Burin-Trinity), Clifford Small (Coast of Bays-Central-Notre Dame), Yvonne Jones (Labrador), Gudie Hutchings (Long Range Mountains), Joanne Thompson (St. John’s East), and Seamus O’Regan (St. John’s South-Mount Pearl). The world is watching, and failure to act now will not be forgotten. Free Palestine Action Team Social Justice Co-op of Newfoundland and Labrador In the spirit of truth and reconciliation, we wish to acknowledge that our website is hosted by Wix.com Ltd., a company we have since learned is headquartered in Israel. In solidarity with the Palestinian people and the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, we are currently pursuing alternative webhosting options. Previous Next

An Open Letter to the City of St. John's re: Eviction of Ms. Shirley Cox October 31, 2022 An open letter to the City of St. John’s: We are writing to express our grave concern and to protest the City of St. John’s decision to evict Ms. Shirley Cox from Riverhead Towers on October 31, 2022 . Ms. Cox, an 82-year-old woman who uses a wheelchair, has no other wheelchair-accessible and affordable housing options available to her . BACKGROUND: Ms. Cox called CBC Radio in an act of desperation, seeking help with an eviction notice she received from her landlord, the City of St. John’s. The City has not disclosed their reason for eviction to Ms. Cox. She believes it may be because she smokes cigarettes outside the main entrance of Riverhead Towers rather than in a designated smoking area. Ms. Cox cannot use the designated smoking area because the pathway to the area is not wheelchair accessible. CBC journalist Anthony Germaine and NDP MHA Jim Dinn have both visited Ms. Cox in her apartment, and both have publicly stated that Ms. Cox does not smoke in her apartment and that there is no discernible odor of tobacco in her home. MHA Dinn confirms that the designated smoking area would be very difficult for her to reach using her wheelchair. MHA Dinn has sought assistance for her from various community organizations, but with the current housing crisis, coupled with the scarcity of wheelchair-accessible affordable housing, finding an alternative home for her is unlikely. Ms. Cox has expressed that she will not be forced into a care home, which is her right as a competent, independent adult. She has also said that she likes living in Riverhead Towers as she has formed friendships there and that moving would isolate her from her community . She has also stated that she would be safer on the street than in a shelter, a fact that was verified by the Executive Director of “Solutions for Seniors,” an organization that the City recommended as a resource. Ms. Cox faces elevated risk of exploitation and physical or mental violence because of her disability, gender, and advanced age . Research suggests that women who are disabled experience various forms of abuse and violence at a rate of 50% to 100% higher than average. (Source: https://www.dawncanada.net/issues/women-with-disabilities-and-violence/ ) STATEMENT FROM THE CITY On Oct. 27th, in response to a request for information from Anthony Germaine (CBC), Councilor Ravencroft released the following statement on behalf of the City. “Regardless of circumstance, issuing an eviction notice is the most difficult decision with which staff in the housing division are faced. It is always our last resort, and it is not executed without proper consideration and due notice.” OUR RESPONSE “Regardless of circumstance…” Given the well-documented forms of discrimination that marginalize, exploit, and exclude Persons with Disabilities, women, people of advanced age, and people who live in poverty scrupulous regard must be applied to circumstances of Ms. Cox . She faces marginalization at many intersections (disability, gender, age, and socio-economic status) and each of these factors exacerbates the risk of harm she is facing . Careful regard must be given to these circumstances by the city when making decisions that impact her access to the basic need of housing. “It (eviction) is always our last resort.” We propose the following two alternatives to eviction : As a disability-inclusive landlord, the city can opt to address and correct the accessibility barrier that makes it impossible for her to access the smoking area to which all other non-disabled tenants have access. As a disability-inclusive landlord, the city can opt to work with Ms. Cox to identify an accessible alternative area where she can smoke with the same ease as can non-disabled tenants. Have either of these alternatives been attempted? “It (eviction) is not executed without proper consideration.” Given the absence of disability-informed, poverty-informed, and trauma-informed decision-making processes , it is our position that “proper consideration” has not taken place. CONCLUSION We believe that evicting Ms. Cox from her home is an extreme and unnecessary measure . Evicting Ms. Cox exposes her to grave risk of harm given her disability, age, gender, and socio-economic status , coupled with the lack of affordable and accessible housing available . The city’s refusal to disclose the reason for her eviction , further raises concern. If it is related to her smoking, the city has a duty to accommodate her by making the route to the designated smoking area accessible. We urge the City of St. John’s to re-consider evicting Ms. Cox from her home . This decision is generating discomfort and fear for Ms. Cox and among other vulnerable residents in our community who are worried about her well-being and about the precedent this sets. To those reading who share our concern , we ask that you email the city to voice your support for Ms. Cox and ask that they do not proceed with her eviction . You can reach all councilors by emailing council@stjohns.ca . Sincerely, Disability Justice Working Group The Social Justice Co-op of NL Email St. John's City Council

Anti-Capitalist x Activist Book Club Reading is Revolutionary! Join our bi-weekly book club and explore leading and classic theorists, practitioners, and visionaries through critical, communist, anarchist, and Indigenous lenses. ---------------- Every two weeks we read 20-50 pages or listen/watch 30-60 minutes of content. Meetings take place online on weekdays. Monthly schedules are determined collectively but generally run from 7:30 to 8:30pm NT/ 7:00 to 8:00pm AT. Upcoming Books Join AxA Book Club! First Name Last Name Email Submit Thanks for submitting! We'll be in touch Upcoming Books This Nonviolent Stuff’ll Get You Killed: How Guns Made the Civil Rights Movement Possible by Charles E. Cobb Jr. Past Readings/Content The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas by Ursula K. Le Guin The Ones Who Stay and Fight by N.K. Jemisin Autobiography of Malcolm X as told by Alex Hanley Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life, by Marshall Rosenberg How To Blow Up A Pipeline by Andreas Malm Let This Radicalize You by Kelly Hayes and Mariame Kaba Expect Resistance: A Field Manuel by Crimethinc How Fascism Works by Jason Stanley Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paolo Freire. Wretched of the earth by Frantz Fanon The Red Deal by The Red Nation Mutual Aid - Dean Spade (2x) Out of the Sun: On Race and Storytelling - Esi Edugyan Class Power On Zero Hours - AngryWorkers Warrior Life: Indigenous Resistance and Resurgence - Pam Palmatar Massey Lectures - Thomas King Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media - National Film Board Revolutionary Rehearsals in a Neoliberal Age - edited by Colin Barker, Gareth Dale, and Neil Davidson Can’t Pay, Won’t Pay - The Debt Collective This Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color - edited by Gloria Anzaldúa and Cherríe Moraga Pleasure Activism: The Politics of Feeling Good - Adrienne Marie Brown Policing Black Lives - Robyn Maynard The Land Back Issue - Briarpatch We Do This Til We Free Us - Mariame Kaba Border and Rule - Harsha Walia Study and Struggle Curriculum Fall 2020 , including full or partial readings of Are Prisons Obsolete - Angela Davis Pedagogy of the Oppressed - Paolo Freire Freedom Dreams - Robin D.G. Kelley We Are Our Own Liberators: Selected Prison Writings - Jalil Mutaquim Geographies of Racial Capitalism - Ruth Wilson Gilmore Combahee River Collective Statement Care Work: Dreaming Disability Justice, - Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha City of Inmates - Kelly Lytle Hernández Undoing Border Imperialism - Harsha Walia Freedom Is a Constant Struggle - Angela Davis Small Game Hunting at the Local Coward’s Gun Club - Megan Gail Coles As We Have Always Done - Leanne Betasamosake Simpso Caliban and the Witch - Sylvia Federici Radicalized - Cory Doctorow Settlers: The Mythology of the White Proletariat - J. Sakai. Struggle Within : Prisons, Political Prisoners, and Mass Movements in the United States - Dan Berger Capitalist Realism - Mark Fisher Utopia for Realists: The Case for a Universal Basic Income, Open Borders, and a 15-hour Workweek - Rutger Bregman The State and Revolution - Vladimir Lenin Planet of Slums - Mike Davis Women, Race, and Class - Angela Davis

Expectations of Directors of the Board of the Social Justice Co-operative The Board of Directors of the Social Justice Co-operative is a 9-person board responsible for ensuring the fiscal, legal, political, operational and administrative health of the organization. The focus of the board role is on building the capacity of the co-operative to sustain the operations of action teams, working groups, and other campaigns. While board members are not required to lead or participate in action teams, working groups, or other campaigns; occasional appearances at meetings of these groups are always welcome. The SJCNL board is a working board . This means that our board members work as unpaid staff for the nonprofit co-op since we do not yet have the financial resources to hire professional staff in most day-to-day positions. However, the SJCNL board is also a governing board , one that provides the leadership for the co-operative, consults with members and volunteers to shape strategic direction and co-operative policies, as well as provides financial oversight and ensures adequate resources for expenditures. Key responsibilities that our board fills on a monthly basis: - taking a leadership role in equity initiatives - keeping up to date financial records and maintaining synchronicity with the Co-operatives Act - maintaining the website and social media accounts - managing internal and external communications - reviewing, discussing, and approving new spending decisions or financial commitments - hosting monthly membership meetings - reviewing and approving membership applications - discussing any issues arising from organizing activities that could have legal implications for the co-operative, its board of directors, its staff, its membership, and its volunteers - overseeing the work of the SJC staff and supporting SJC staff in their work - reviewing and discussing proposed partnerships with other organizations - developing policy and other proposals for the consideration of members and volunteers While contributing to these collective responsibilities, there are individual expectations on each board member. Generally, it is expected that each board member: - Participate in a monthly board meeting . This usually requires reading agendas ahead of time, and preparing for any topics to which you will be required to speak - Participate in e-mail conversations on a weekly basis. In between monthly board meetings, the board does conduct some important conversations and decisions over e-mail. Board members can expect to have to reply to such e-mails 2-3 times per week. - Attend a minimum of 4 monthly general membership meetings per annum . These are open to all members, and a key opportunity for members to raise and discuss matters of importance to them. Board participation in these meetings gives board members a full understanding of the issues and realities of our members and volunteers, ensuring board activity is representative and supportive. - Assume at least one ongoing board responsibility . Each board member should take on some responsibility, outside of participation in meetings, in a least one portfolio area. Co-chair positions require extensive board coordination and staff liaising, as well as internal and external portfolios of responsibility, and the organization/facilitation of one co-operative committee (such as the equity team or the activities fund committee). Only the secretary and treasurer roles undertake daily and weekly tasks; as a result, these two roles do not entail organization/facilitation of a co-operative committee. Other portfolios may include: education and training fundraising governance and policy membership recruitment, onboarding, and support communications Altogether, board members can expect the time commitment of all of the above to be at least 16+ hours per month. This is not a hard rule, and rather an estimate to help board members set expectations.

Fund Reimbursement Are you applying for a community aid fund? Is the SJC holding funds for your org in trust? Have you paid out-of-pocket for supplies or services supported by SJC? Click the link below for the Expense Claim form for reimbursement! Expense Reimbursement Claim

Acerca de Individual Membership Form

Acerca de Organizational Membership Form

sign up to volunteer with the Social Justice Co-op (SJCNL) Volunteer with the SJC The true strength of the SJC comes from the many people who are involved in our movement, who give their time to organize, agitate, and educate. Resourcing a revolution requires a wide variety of skills and experiences and we would love to hear about how your passions and interests align with ours. We'd be grateful if you took a moment to complete this form to create a record of our skills, resources, interests/passions, needs, curiosities, and what we seek from the movement. This will help our Volunteer Coordinator better connect members and volunteers with one another, and with projects or needs among the movement. Check-boxes are to make the process low-burden, not to limit any answers. We've included an "other" option under checkbox questions, which we encourage you to use. <3 After completing the form, our Volunteer Coordinator will contact you for a more in-depth discussion on how to get involved!

Event details for Peace Love 'n Pride's 2023 Festival + 9th Annual Trans March Peace Love 'n Pride: Festival Schedule July 14 - 23 Below is the schedule for this year's Peace Love 'n Pride Festival, plus all of the Pride on Campus events hosted by MUNSU too. Check it out and plan the pride of your dreams! 🌈 📅 Friday July 14th 6 PM - 8 PM: Open Art Healing Space 📍Eastern Edge Gallery (72 Harbour Drive, St. John's) 8:30 PM - 11 PM: Fae Stories & Dance 📍Bannerman Park (Military Road, St. J ohn's) 🌧️ In case of bad weather will be held at 📍MUN Landing (1 Arct ic Ave, St. John's, UC 30 15) 📅 Saturday July 15th 12 - 2 PM: Bi Meetup 📍Ban nerman Park 🌧️ In case of bad weather will be held at 📍MUN Council Chambers (1 Arctic Ave. UC 2001) 🧃Snacks and refreshments will b e provided 2 - 4 PM: Polyam Meetup 📍Bannerman Park 🌧️ In case of bad weather will be held at 📍MUN Council Chambers (1 Arctic Ave. UC 2001) 🧃Snacks and refreshments will be provided 4 - 6 PM: Ace/Aro Meetup 📍Bannerman Park 🌧️ In case of bad weather will be held at 📍MUN Council Chambers (1 Arctic Ave. UC 2001) 🧃Snacks and refreshments will be provided 7 PM: Pride on Camp us Comedy Night 📍The B reezeway 📅 Sunday July 16th 1:30 PM - 3PM: Trans Community Feast & Clothing Swap 📍Eastern Edge Gallery (72 Harbour Drive, St. John's) 6 PM - 9 PM: Queer Dungeons & Dragons 📍 MUN Council Chambers (1 Arctic Ave, St. John's, UC 2001) Two Games Limited to 6 People per table. Register: tinyurl.com/w9xyc279 📅 Monday July 17th 1 PM - 3 PM: Pride on Campus Game s 📍The Loft a t MUN 6 PM: Community Event: BI POC Pride Panel 📍The Breezeway 📅 Tuesday July 1 8 1 PM - 3 PM: Pride on Campus Cl othing Swap 📍The Loft at MUN 6 PM - 9 PM: Healthy Relationships with Alice 📍 MUN Council Chambers (1 Arctic Ave, St. John's, UC 2001) 7 PM: Pride on Campus Movie Screening 📍The Breezeway 📅 Wednesday July 19th 9PM: Pride on Campus Karaoke 📍The Bre ezeway 📅 Thursday July 20th 8 PM Pride on Campus Pride Trivia and Drag 📍The Breezeway 📅 Friday July 21st 4 PM - 6 PM: Clean Air Workshop and 2SLGBTQIA+ Disability Community Conver sation 📍 MUN Landing (1 Arctic Ave, St. John's, UC 3015) All are welcome to attend 8 PM: Pride on Campus Concert Evelyn Jess, Swimming, Clare Follett 19+, $5 📍The Breezeway 📅 Saturday July 22nd 2 - 3 PM: Two Spirit & Indigiqueer Meetu p 📍 Virtual Zoom Room Email: indigenousactivistcollective@gmail.com for the invite 7 PM: Pride on Campus Queer Gala With Cabot Power Pay What You Can 📍The Breezeway 📅 Sunday July 23rd 2 - 4 PM: Forest Lesson s: Feeling Our Feelings With Fairy Frien ds Child Focused Meditation & Yoga Fairy Story-time with Sugars Arlowe Snacks and Refreshments Included Sensory Friendly Scavenger Hunt 📍 Bowring Park Amphitheater Area Park is Wheelchair Accessible! Visit facebook @peacelovenpride for full details and updates. Click on underlined events to visit the event page where you can RSVP and invite friends. Visit munsu.ca for full details and updates about Pride on Campus events. Peace Love n' Pride acknowledges the generous partnerships with Pride on Campus, MUNSU, CFS-NL, Eastern Edge Gallery, and Social Justice Co-op NL in creation of this festival. 9th An nua l Tra ns M arch Sunday July 16 Begins at Harbourside Park at Noon Visit Event Page Join Peace, Love, n Pride on Saturday to support community for the ninth annual March for Trans Rights, beginning at Harbourside park at noon. Since 2014, community members have come together yearly to march unsanctioned thru downtown St. John's in support of Trans Rights and access to gender affirming Health Care. You're invited to join community again as they take to the streets amid rising hatred in a show of love and resistance, demanding respect, equity, and care for Trans and Queer people. Trans Rights are under attack: What do we do? Stand up fight back! Want to volunteer to help with this year's Trans March? We'd love to have you! Just email socialjusticecoopnl@gmail.com to join the team. The SJC is a long time supporter of the Trans March and has donated some staff hours to help with coordination of this grassroots community effort <3

Get Involved! Join The Movement Get Involved: Welcome Come Say Hi! We are happy to provide a variety of ways to start getting involved, from our Monthly General Meeting to a personalized chat with our Welcoming Committee. We also have numerous monthly meetings and public events that anyone is welcome to come to! Lunch 'n Learn with Lea Join our staff, Lea, for lunch every week on Wednesdays for 2pm NT / 1:30 AT to say hi or discuss projects further. Email Us Monthly General Meeting Find out what we're up to! We meet online on the 3rd Thursday at 7:00pm NT/6:30pm AT every month Email Us Welcoming Committee Looking for the best place to volunteer your skills? Book a session with our Welcoming Committee! Email Us Get Involved: Programs Not sure where to start? We're here to help! Volunteer Form Help us get to know you better by completing our volunteer form & our Volunteer C oordinator will reach out to you. Community Calendar Subscribe To Our Calendar Become A Member The SJCNL is a not-for-profit, member-owned co-operative. Become a member and vote at our upcoming AGM! Join Get Involved: Welcome Donate You can help us keep momentum going by sponsoring our work. Independent donors allow us an uncompromising political voice! Over the coming decade, we will need to educate, advocate, and organize with as much courage, conviction, and independent funding as we can muster! Donate Here