SOCIAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE

The Social Justice Committee ended 2013 with a number of different activities, including three different blog series, a community forum and participation in social justice events. In addition, the Social Justice Committee reviewed the Terms of Reference for the committee, and the Accessibility Committee completed their Terms of Reference and Work Plan for review by the board. The Social Justice Committee also reviewed the calendar dates, which include cultural and social justice days, for the Nellie’s Calendar to be released in January 2014.

The blogs written this quarter covered Women’s History Month, Women Abuse Awareness Month and the December 6^th Vigil. In October, the Women’s History Month blog focused on bringing attention to the women who make a difference in the community who are not always recognized in today’s history books. In November, the Women Abuse Awareness Month blog addressed broadening the definition of violence and including systemic forms of violence that women experience, including poverty, homelessness, racism, classism, homophobia, transphobia, sexism and ableism. The December blog focused on the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against through the experience of a woman at the December 6^th vigil.

Nellie’s was also busy this quarter participating in and hosting social justice and community events. In October, two members from the Social Justice Committee attended the Right to Housing Community Forum, which brought together activists, advocates, community workers, policy experts and people with lived experience to discuss the fight for the right to housing. In November, Nellie’s Social Justice Committee hosted a community forum for Woman Abuse Awareness Month called “Women of Nellie’s Speak Out.” The evening was led by the women who participated in the WEAV Group and Women on the Move Group and included a demonstration by Wen Do. The women shared their own stories through poem, song and speeches to raise awareness of violence against women. Nellie’s also attended the December 6^th vigil.

The Social Justice Committee is also looking to conduct research on Best Practices for Social Justice Work. The research will help to identify key issues and trends in Social justice Activism, develop a list of Best Practices for Social Justice Work, inform how Nellie’s engages in Social Justice Work and increase Nellie’s impact on Social Justice Issues in diverse ways. During this quarter, an outline for the project was created, and the Committee is in the process of finding a placement student to conduct the research.

The final newsletter for the year was also completed this quarter. The newsletter looked at how Nellie’s has done Anti-Oppression/Anti-Racism work over the past 40 years and how it continues to be embedded in the organization’s structure, policies and programs.  Moving forward into the New Year, the committee brainstormed a list of Social justice themes for the upcoming position paper. Themes included: Criminalization of Women, Immigration, Indigenous Women, Harm Reduction and Gender Expression. We look forward to choosing a theme in the New Year and continuing the work in social justice!