Archives for May 2013

Archive for May, 2013

A Life Reclaimed, photo exhibit at Nellie’s 40th Anniversary Open House

Posted on: May 31st, 2013 by Nellie's No Comments

A Life Reclaimed

An exhibition by Annie Sakkab
Text by James Wareham

Nellie’s 40th Anniversary Open House:
June 1, 2013. 1pm-6pm.

Press Release

Marking the 40th Anniversary of Nellie’s shelter for women and children fleeing violence, poverty and homelessness in Toronto, A Life Reclaimed by photographer Annie Sakkab will feature during the Riverside ‘Eats & Beats’ Street Fest in conjunction with the Riverdale Artwalk.

A photo exhibition involving women from the shelter, A Life Reclaimed strives to shed light on the hidden truth of gender-based violence that affects 1 in 2 women in every society, across every class and race, at every stage from infancy to old age.

Freezing moments of sadness and hope, it echoes the deep sense of abandonment and isolation of women forced into exile from their homes, while capturing their extraordinary resilience and the rebirth of their identity and empowerment. Women’s shelters like Nellie’s are vital harbors on this journey back to emotional and physical security.

Annie Sakkab is a documentary photographer who lives in Toronto. Born in Jordan, she has worked and resided in London, Rome, Dubai, and Amman. Her documentary practice investigates socio-cultural issues and questions of identity, and seeks to raise awareness on experiences of exile, uprooting, and displacement among marginalized groups. An honors graduate in Fine Art and Graphic Design, Sakkab’s photographs have been exhibited in Canada as well as abroad. Her work Non-spaces (1993) is part of the collection of the National Gallery in Amman, Jordan. Her recent series, Projections – Ghosts of Dubai’s Boom (2010), was exhibited in a featured group exhibition in the 2013 Scotiabank Contact Photography Festival in Toronto, Ontario.

*Please join us this Saturday June 1st at Nellie’s Community Support and Outreach Office, 754 Queen Street East, between 1 and 6pm to view A Life Reclaimed.

Farewell to Cindy Cowan

Posted on: May 29th, 2013 by Nellie's No Comments

It is with great sadness that I inform you that Cindy Cowan, former Executive Director of Nellie’s lost her long battle with ovarian cancer.

Cindy died on Saturday May 25, 2013. She will be remembered for her tireless work to improve women’s living conditions and removing barriers to safety and equity.

All Staff and Board members of Nellie’s are mourning the death of our former Executive Director.

Margarita Mendez
Executive Director

Cindy’s Obituary

Globe and Mail Article “An activist faces her own mortality after ovarian cancer diagnosis.”

Invitation to Nellie’s 40th Anniversary Celebration

Posted on: May 28th, 2013 by Nellie's No Comments

This Saturday June 1st we will be hosting a 40th Anniversary Community Open House & Drop-In as part of the Riverdale Street Fest. We invite you to stop by our Community Support & Outreach Office at 754 Queen Street East between 1 and 6pm to view some beautiful photos taken by photographer Annie Sakkab and meet some of Nellie’s staff and volunteers.

(click image to enlarge)

International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia

Posted on: May 17th, 2013 by Nellie's No Comments

I experienced teasing and bullying as a child, back in the day when everything happened in the non-virtual world. I can’t imagine what it would have felt like if my tormentors had access to the internet and social media! In Canada, recent incidents of cyberbullying have led to the suicides of young women like Rehtaeh Parsons, Amanda Todd, and Courtney Brown.

This year, the theme for the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia focuses on Cyberbullying with “Fight the Homophobia Web Virus.” This special day is celebrated every year on May 17th, which was the day, in 1990, that the World Health Organization removed homosexuality from their International Classification of Diseases. Over 60 countries are participating in the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia including Brazil, Turkey, and Cambodia. Canada will be participating in the Global Rainbow Flashmob in Toronto, during OUTShine, the first National Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) Summit.

For a full list of events taking place to mark the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia, you can visit the official website. Today we are encouraged to spread awareness and speak out about the increasing prevalence of cyberbullying. If you see something happening, you can document it in the new Acts of Homophobia Registry.

At Nellie’s we have supported many women who have experienced cyberbullying from abusers. In our summer programs, we teach children about the dangers of bullying. On the last day of her life, Courtney Brown posted this on Facebook: “Important fact: Every day teenagers take their lives because of bullying. So next time you wanna start something or say something or even start a rumor, think twice before you do! “

*Written by Nellie’s Social Justice Committee Member

What Does Nellie’s Mean To You?

Posted on: May 8th, 2013 by Nellie's No Comments

This year, 2013, marks Nellie’s 40th Anniversary. Over the years we have had the privilege of working with thousands of women, children, staff, volunteers, community members, and donors and today we want to hear from YOU about your experience with Nellie’s.

Take a moment to fill out this quick survey and tell us what Nellie’s means to you. The responses we collect may be used in our special 40th Anniversary Annual Report!

Whether you’ve been a volunteer, a donor, or have accessed our services, we want to hear from YOU! If you have any questions about this survey or how the responses will be used, please feel free to contact us at info@nellies.org. Thank you in advance for your participation!

Nurturing Ourselves Workshop Update

Posted on: May 7th, 2013 by Nellie's No Comments

This week at our Nurturing Ourselves Workshop the women made summer handbags. Although the project was intimidating to some of the women who had never sewn before, the facilitators offered support and encouragement throughout the process. As time passed the women began to feel more relaxed and eager to make their own unique creations, mixing various colours and fabrics.

During the workshop, the women had the opportunity to express their feelings of what it’s like staying at Nellie’s. They mentioned the staff are very caring, well-grounded, and have a deep understanding of the pain and struggles women go through when facing abuse and homelessness. The women said that having workshops such as this one help with healing and that it is empowering to learn something new, take on a task, and successfully complete it.

More than just a workshop, Nurturing Ourselves is a safe space for women to relax, unwind, and recharge after a stressful day. Living in a shelter isn’t easy for anyone and that is why it is so important to create opportunities for women to connect with each other and feel good about themselves. One of our residents had this to say: “I feel very good about myself today. I am fulfilled and happy that I got to learn a new skill which I can take with me when I leave the shelter. Thank you to the staff for caring so much about the residents here.”