Week of events include consent workshop and vigil for missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls
During the week of Oct. 2, the Community Action Centre (CAC) will host a social-justice based “DisOrientation Week”, to help students plug into anti-oppression and equity work.
Disorientation 2017, is themed around foundation and building up students and the community to tackle social issues. The week will feature events, workshops and peer drop-in sessions.
“School as an institution can be very alienating,” said CAC co-ordinator Michelle Pettis. “Coming together on equity issues right at the start of the academic year can be a good foundation.”
With similar weeks established by the Ryerson Student Union and the Ontario Public Interest Research Group at the University of Toronto, the CAC wanted to establish the college as just as dedicated to social issues including anti-black racism and Indigenous rights.
“Universities do disorientation, so this is us saying that college students care about issues too, and claiming that on the collective agenda right from the start.” said Pettis. “So I’m excited it’s coming together.”
The Student Association funds The Dialog.
Steff Pinch, the CAC’s assistant, describes the current political climate as one of division, tension and just an overall tough time in the world at large. Pinch said the CAC is looking to start a movement in the college by connecting students in different programs to what really matters.
The week includes a consent workshop, a vigil for missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls as well as a free education organizing meeting.
Pinch said students participating in disorientation week will meet other students who have different lived experiences; they explained that it is a great space for students to flex their anti-oppressive muscles.
“There’s a lot of learning that happens in the classroom, but there’s also a lot of learning that can happen outside the classroom,” explained Pinch. “The greatest learning I’ve done is from the community.”
For more information on Disorientation week, visit the CAC’s Facebook page: bit.ly/CACdisO-2017
