Brown Canada

Brown Canada is looking to audition actors for a series of vignettes based on the Komagata Maru incident and related themes of exclusion, questions of belonging and unspoken/unknown histories, among others. Firstly, we are looking for actors to either perform at different venues across the province: 4 performances across Toronto, and 5 outside of Toronto. These projects will be performed at various times from May to July 2012.  We are also looking for actors to perform in our final performance, which will take place at the end of June.

Staff at CASSA would set up the performances and facilitate the community dialogues following the performances. We do have a small budget and can provide compensation for the development of the work and pay travel expenses for the actors.

Actor/Performer:

• Interest or experience in theatre
• Interest in Canadian South Asian history
• South Asian identifying preferred

For more information, please call or email Deena Hai: 416 932 1359 extn. 14  / deena@cassa.on.ca

 webpage: browncanada.ca

facebook: browncanadaproject

youtube: browncanadaproject

tumblr:  browncanada

 Brown Canada is a community-led  history project to encourage South Asian communities to create and document their histories in Canada creatively, through writing, video, interviews, art, theatre or other means.  Our collective entry point for this project is through the Komagata Maru incident of 1914, when a ship of South Asian people was denied entry into Canada due to restrictive immigration policy known as the continuous journey regulation. Through this project, we will be creating an interactive website, offering educational & creative workshops, producing a short video as well as seeking to tour a short theatre piece to raise awareness of the incident and spark community dialogue within Ontario.

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Volunteer Postings “Brown Canada” Community Animators for Sikh, Tamil and Indo-Caribbean Communities

Volunteer Position: Community Animator - Project: Brown Canada - Documenting and Creating South Asian Histories in Canada Duration: Immediate Start - June 29, 2012 Compensation: Honourarium-based

Brown Canada is a 2-year comprehensive South Asian history project that seeks to document and create history from a diverse range of perspectives that fall under the ‘South Asian’ umbrella. During this project, we will be creating a comprehensive website with photos, videos and articles, creative and digital storytelling workshops, resource booklets, a DVD, as well as a memorial website and youth-led play dedicated to exploring histories of the Komagata Maru.

CASSA is looking to fill three Community Animator positions. The Community Animator will be responsible for gathering content and mobilizing interest in the Brown Canada project within a specific South Asian community or experience. We are currently seeking animators to work with people identifying as Sikh, Indo-Caribbean and Tamil.* The project aims to document intersecting identities in each theme based on contributors’ preferences and self-identification. The Community Animator will be expected to create and obtain content for the Brown Canada website and DVD’s primarily through interviews with community members in the form of video, photography or written submissions.

Responsibilities: -act as a liaison between Sikh/Indo-Caribbean/Tamil Community and overall ‘Brown Canada’ project -research and compile information with regard to specific community -Assist Brown Canada’s Outreach Team with community outreach and volunteer recruitment/coordination -coordinate interviews and record oral histories of community members -use creative art/media such as video, digital storytelling, and creative writing to encourage story-telling -obtain informed consent from all individuals and groups interviewed, ensure permission forms are signed -Submit articles, photographs, stories to the project manager within the week they are completed so that they can be shared on the Brown Canada website -other administrative duties as assigned

Qualifications:

-Self-identification with the communities specified (e.g Sikh or Tamil and/or Indo-Caribbean) -Knowledge or interest in the above South Asian communities along with community contacts interest and/or experience in areas of South Asian history, issues, politics or activism -Enthusiastic about learning and sharing knowledge

-Interest in arts, media, research and writing -Ability to work effectively independently and in a group -Good verbal and written communication skills -Knowledge of anti-oppression analysis -Ability to work under tight deadlines*In addition to documenting the Sikh, Tamil and Indo-Caribbean communities, the Brown Canada project is also interested in documenting communities and experiences that include but are not limited to, people identifying as Bangladeshi, Indian, Muslim, Pakistani, Punjabi, Mixed-Race, LGBTQ, Women, Disabled, Workers, Artists, Cultural workers and Healthcare providers. Please contact anita@cassa.on.ca if you are interested in working with any of these communities or any others that are not listed.

How to Apply: Please submit your résumé and cover letter by May 9, 2012 at 5 pm, either: By Mail to:

Anita Khanna, Project Manager CASSA, 2401 Eglinton Ave. East, Unit 212 Toronto, ON, M1K 2N8

Or by Email with one email attachment if possible: hr@cassa.on.ca

CASSA is committed to employment equity & encourages applicants from members of equity seeking groups. While we appreciate all responses, only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

sawac:

What’s gender and race got to do with dating?

Free workshop for young South Asian women 

When: May 8th. 5-7pm 

Where: 2467 Eglinton Ave East Toronto, ON 

ASAAP (Alliance for South Asian Aids Prevention) will be presenting a special workshop for young South Asian women that will be informative, creative and collaborative. Participants will have the opportunity to develop team scriptwriting and acting techniques to create compelling skits around the issues of gender, race, sexual health and how they may play a role in romantic relationships. A “talk show” forum will conclude the workshop where participants will have the chance to give feedback on the skits and share solutions to help us all move forward to create respectful and healthy relationships.

Please email hadia@cassa.on.ca to register.

This workshop is open to women between the ages of 16-30 only. Food and Tokens will be provided.

Check us out on: http://sawac.ca/

Check ASAAP out on:  http://asaap.ca/

See you all there!

“LEGACIES OF THE KOMAGATA MARU”
An Evening of Poetry of Resistance
Spoken Word & Performances
Performances by participants of Brown Canada’s Creative Workshops

Call for Event Planning  and Outreach Volunteers Brown Canada Project

About the “Brown Canada” Project:

Brown Canada is a 2-year comprehensive South Asian history project that seeks to document and create history from a diverse range of perspectives that fall under the “South Asian” umbrella. During this project, we will be creating a comprehensive website with photos, videos and articles, creative and digital storytelling workshops, resource booklets, a DVD, as well as a memorial website and youth-led play dedicated to exploring histories of the Komagata Maru.

1) Call for Event Planning Volunteers:

We seek a committee of dedicated volunteers to assist the Event Planner with the various logistical responsibilities involved in:

a)     Setting up a series of community dialogues taking place across Ontario that will also feature a theatrical piece;

b)     Coordinating contents and logistics relating to a Brown Canada exhibit that will tour within the Greater Toronto Area during South Asian Heritage Month in May and;

c)      Planning and overseeing the final Brown Canada event in June.

Our core team will consist of about 6-10 volunteers who will work out of the Council of Agencies Serving South Asians (CASSA) office, located at 2401 Eglinton Ave. E., Suite 212 in Toronto. Occasionally these volunteers will also work from home.

We will also have teams of 3-5 volunteers located in various cities outside of the Greater Toronto Area to assist with the setting up of the theatrical play and community dialogues component of this project. These cities (tentatively) include Hamilton, Kitchener/Waterloo, Windsor, London and Ottawa.

All volunteers will report back to the Event Planner for the Brown Canada Project, Shameela Zaman

Skills Required:

• Excellent communication and outreach skills
• Experience with social media and networking platforms such as Facebook, and Twitter is an asset
• Event planning experience is an asset
• Must be able to work independently and with a team
• Must be able to follow orders, work within a limited time frame and under tight deadlines

Time Commitment:

Members of our core team are expected to commit 5 – 7 hours per week at the CASSA office, with the possibility of extra hours at home.

Members of teams located outside of the GTA are expected to commit 2-5 hours per week. These hours will increase as the event date draws nearer in each city.

How to Apply:

If you are interested in joining the event planning committee, please email Shameela Zaman at shameela@cassa.on.ca by May 4^th at 12pm.

2) Call for Outreach Volunteers:

We seek a committee of dedicated volunteers to assist the Outreach Coordinator with the following responsibilities:

a)     Setting up a series of outreach events and workshops within the Greater Toronto Area, on the Brown Canada Project

b)     Attending various Outreach Events for South Asian Heritage Month in May, and general community events in June to set up Brown Canada booth

c)      Engaging with community members to elicit participation in activities including creating community collages, art activities, documenting oral histories and assisting at community workshops

Our team will consist of 6-10 volunteers who will work out of both community venues and  the CASSA Office located at 2401 Eglinton Ave. E., Suite 212 in Toronto. 

All volunteers will report back to the Outreach Coordinator for the Brown Canada Project, Krittika Ghosh

Skills Required:

• Excellent communication and outreach skills
• Experience in doing outreach in the South Asian community
• Arts based experience including photography, painting, graphic design
• Knowledge of organizations, cultural groups, student groups and other resources in the South Asian community in the GTA
• Must be able to work independently and with a team
• Must be able to follow orders, work within a limited time frame and under tight deadlines
• Knowledge of a South Asian language such as Tamil, Bengali, Urdu, Punjabi an asset
• Access to a vehicle would be an asset (but not required)

Time Commitment:

Members of our core team are expected to commit up to 5-7 hours per week which could include weekend and week nights.

How to Apply:

If you are interested in joining the event planning committee, please email Krittika Ghosh at  krittika@cassa.on.ca  by May 4^th at 12pm. 

Application Deadline:   Monday, April 30, 2012

Timeline: Immediate start date – June 29, 2012

Budget:  $4000 allocated

*Honorarium granted

Project Background:

Brown Canada is a community-led  history project to encourage South Asian communities to create and document their histories in Canada creatively, through writing, video, interviews, art, theatre or other means.  Our collective entry point for this project is through the Komagata Maru incident of 1914, when a ship of South Asian people was denied entry into Canada due to restrictive immigration policy known as the continuous journey regulation. Through this project, we will be creating an interactive website, offering educational & creative workshops, producing a short video as well as seeking to tour a short theatre piece to raise awareness of the incident and spark community dialogue within Ontario.

Purpose of the RFP:

We are looking for individuals or organizations with members that might be willing to develop vignettes based on the Komagata Maru incident and related themes of exclusion, questions of belonging and unspoken/unknown histories, among others.  We would hope that the vignettes could be performed in different venues across the province, around 4 performances across Toronto, and 5 outside of Toronto. These projects will be performed at various times from May to July 2012. Staff at CASSA would set up the performances and facilitate the community dialogues following the performances. We do have a small budget and can provide compensation for the development of the work and pay travel expenses for the actors.

Qualifications:

• Strong artistic merit
• Interest or experience in theatre
• Interest in Canadian South Asian history
• Ability to work efficiently and meet tight deadlines
• South Asian identifying preferred

TO APPLY:

Please send us a CV and a brief proposal  (100 to 200 words) detailing your idea for a performance.

  PROPOSAL ELEMENTS:

It is expected that the submitted proposals will cover the items specified below:

1. CV detailing experience and qualifications of applicant
2. Necessary skills, experience and or interest in theatre and South Asian history
3. Estimated overall timeline of the project, indicating how soon the individual can commence writing

** Any questions should be submitted by e-mail no later than April 28, 2012

 Interested candidates should submit a proposal by  Monday, April 30, 2012 at 4 pm, by either: 

1. Emailing deena@cassa.on.ca and providing your application. 

1. Or delivering your application by mail or in person to:

Deena Hai, CASSA

2401 Eglinton Ave. East, Unit 212

Toronto, ON

M1K 2N8

 CASSA is committed to employment equity & encourages applicants from equity seeking groups.

While we appreciate all responses, only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

 Please re-share! 

Do you want to learn more about your personal and community history?

Have you ever wanted to interview an elder, a relative or community member to learn from their experiences and document their story?

Not sure where to start? The Brown Canada Project invites you to attend:

Sharing Our Stories: A Workshop on How-to Interview & Document South Asian Histories in Canada

CASSA’s Brown Canada Project presents an interactive skills-building workshop that will give you the tools to conduct personal interviews to document our communities’ histories.  The workshop will be facilitated by Nayani Thiyagarajah the director of the groundbreaking documentary “Shadeism” and Sailaja Krishnamurti, professor of Humanities & South Asian Studies at York University.

WHEN: Monday, April 23^rd from 6:30-8:30pm

WHERE: The 519 Community Centre, Room 106, 519 Church Street Toronto
Wheelchair accessible space.

WHY?  Because our her/histories matter! 

For more information and to RSVP, Please contact Krittika Ghosh at krittika@cassa.on.ca or call (416) 932-1359 x18 

Join us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/browncanadaproject
Check us out on tumblr: http://browncanada.tumblr.com/

Brown Canada is a community-led project documenting, creating, and sharing South Asian histories in Canada. Our collective entry point is through the Komagata Maru incident.  The Brown Canada Project is based within the Council of Agencies Serving South Asians (CASSA) 

  Refreshments will be provided!

Brown Canada Project Seeks Submissions

Brown Canada is a community-led project documenting and creating South Asian histories in Canada. Our collective entry point is through the Komagata Maru incident of 1914. 

This project seeks to create a participatory and comprehensive website, a play on the Komagata Maru, creative and digital storytelling workshops, DVD and resource booklets, and intergenerational and cross-cultural dialogue.

We call all writers, researchers, artists, activists, scholars, educators, community organizers, students, youth, and interested and excited individuals to be a part of this project, and to learn, tell and create South Asian history on our own terms. 

Join us in documenting the history of South Asian immigration to Canada by submitting a post to the Brown Canada website.  Submissions can include scanned photographs, brief essays, poetry, video, art-work and other formats. 

We are looking for submissions from people of various South Asian identities including but not limited to people identifying as Bangladeshi, Indo-Caribbean, Indian, Muslim, Pakistani, Punjabi, Sikh, Tamil,Mixed-Race, LGBTQ, Women, disAbled, Workers, Artists, Cultural workers and Healthcare providers. 

Topics on the submission are diverse ranging from issues such as isolation, discrimination, acculturation, racism, creating ‘community, sexism, homophobia, resistance etc.  Please include a brief bio and your contact information with your submission. 

We are accepting submissions on an ongoing basis and the FIRST round of submissions is due by Monday, April 16^th 2012.   We will be posting submissions onto the Brown Canada website as they are received. 

Please Email submissions to Krittika Ghosh at krittika@cassa.on.ca

Unfortunately, due to illness, this workshop series will be starting on Monday March 5th, and NOT Feb 27. If you would like to attend, but haven’t yet applied, please send an email to: shaunga@cassa.on.ca

Legacies of the Komagata Maru: Letters to Our Elders

FREE workshops for self-identified youth of colour and Indigenous youth

Monday evenings, 5-8pm || March 5 - Apr 9, 2012

Including workshops on various forms of storytelling (writing, digital, theatre, movement, oral and visual) and anti-racist arts education

Culminating in a collective stage performance with opportunities to travel with the performance to various communities

between April - June

377 Dundas Avenue (across from the AGO)