RPIRG’s 12th annual Apathy Into Action Social Justice Conference will be held January 25th and 26th 2019 in the Research and Innovation Centre (RIC) Atrium on the University of Regina Campus.
Friday sessions are all one hour drop-in style, and on Saturday we will have two full-day training streams to pick from.
Click here to register for Saturday Sessions!
Lunch, snacks, and coffee will be provided. On-site child-minding is available on Saturday January 25th. This event is FREE! Because space in the Saturday workshops are limited, we request that all participants register ahead of time.
Friday drop-in sessions:
10am: We Have to Talk About Consent! Hosted by Lynn Thera, Sexual Violence Prevention and Response (SVPR) Coordinator at the University of Regina
11am: Winning the Renewable Regina Campaign. Hosted by the Regina Blue Dot Movement
1pm: Addressing Racism on our Campus. Hosted by Heather O’Watch
2pm: McGill Student Strikes and Student Mobilization hosted by the Social Work Student Association from McGill University
Saturday Workshop Intensives:
Positive Space Training hosted by UR Pride Centre for Gender and Sexual Diversity
Saturday January 26th 10am-3:30pm
This training is part lecture, part discussion and part activity. The lecture consists of the foundational knowledge for LGBTQ+ communities and solidarity with these communities. The discussion will mostly revolve around the ways in which gender and sexuality are understood by the participants, along with some discussion about presented case scenarios. The activities range from self-exploration activities to role-play activities which generally allow people to explore their own biases and understandings of gender and sexually diverse communities.
Building Collective Action: Student Tools for Change Hosted by NextUp Saskatchewan
Saturday January 26th 10am-3:30pm
This full-day intensive will include TWO parts!
1) Leadership and Activism 101 with Manuela Valle-Castro
In this session we learn and unpack some of basics of organizing and discuss the challenges of activism under neoliberalism. What are some of the different ways of engaging in social justice and change? What are some of the characteristics of effective leadership? How do we build movements for social justice while addressing the presence of sexism, homophobia and white privilege? What are other students doing around the world to resist austerity and corporate influence in university spaces? We will also share some practical skills on how to plan strategies for particular goals, including how to build alliances, make decisions that are democratic and create accountability in our relationships.
2) Messing with the Media with Saima Desai
This session will examine who the heck is “the media”? And why couldn’t it be you? We’re yaught to believe that the media has a monopoly on truth and objectivity. People trust the mainstream media–Until they don’t. As activists, we’re often fighting with the media to try and get our actions and messages to reach the public. But what if you could just…Make your own media?
Click here to register for Saturday Sessions!
Conference Logistics:
Transportation:
In the interest of keeping this conference as sustainable as possible, please consider taking public transit or carpooling to the conference with your friends. Google Maps is a quick and easy tool to get a trip plan that suits your needs: https://www.google.ca/maps/place/University+of+Regina/@50.416701,-104.5940377,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x531ea090798fa7ab:0x47e1c32f9f870c24
Parking
FRIDAY: Parking is available in lot 2 (Visitor Pay Lot; $12.00/day) in front of the Dr. William Riddell Centre Building or at meters ($2.00/hr).
SATURDAY: You may park for free in lot 2 (Visitor Pay Lot). If you require accessible parking, there are metered stalls in front of the College West Building (also free on weekends). You can find maps of all parking lots at this link: https://www.uregina.ca/fm/parking/assets/images/page-pictures/Main%20Campus%2013Dec16.pdf
Dishware:
Mugs and cups will be provided at the conference. We strongly encourage you to bring your own water bottle for the day. Fair trade coffee and tea will be provided in the morning and there are multiple water fountains close to the workshop locations.
Food
For your safety, if you have not indicated any restrictions (especially food allergies) in your registration please email outreach@rpirg.org at your earliest convenience.
If you indicated you will be attending over the lunch hour, lunch will be provided for you. If you are only attending one workshop you are welcome to come eat with us and network over the lunch hour. Food options are very limited on campus on the weekends, so do not count on campus food vendors. We apologize for any inconvenience this may pose.
Accessibility
The building in which workshops are being held are equipped with an elevator, curb ramps from the street, and wheelchair accessible bathroom stalls.
The building is NOT equipped with an all gender washroom, however one is located in the next building over (Lab Building) on the first floor.
Workshop hand-outs and other materials can be made available in large-print. Copies may be requested in advance for anyone who learns best with time to prepare.