🍉 VanGran4Pal Community Newsletter
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**Neighbours and Friends, **
Welcome to another edition of the newsletter! Thank you for being here. We were inspired to see over a hundred Jews and allies occupy the Confederation building on Parliament Hill in Ottawa this week. Lead by the Jews Say No To Genocide coalition, protestors took over the building’s entrance to demand that Canada stop arming Israel.
In that spirit, we’re not letting these short days and cold temperatures hold us back from community actions or attending amazing local events - and neither should you! We’ve got a couple of important Indigo actions this weekend, along with more events, a webinar and even gift giving ideas in today’s newsletter. As ever, please reach out to us if you have an event, idea or insight you’d like to share with our team or the VanGran4Palestine community.
Action Updates
The Giving Season
It’s that time of year when everyone hits the shops hard… So this is your friendly reminder that when you’re out gift-buying, do a quick check for blacklisted brands on disoccupied or BDS. There are lots of holiday markets and places you can support local, with some creators selling fundraiser items or even Palestinian wares. Or perhaps pick up some Nablus soap from the Soap Dispensary on Main Street; visit Soumak Boutique and pick up a Keffiyeh or grab yourself a Land Back sweater from Decolonial clothing co.
Now on the shopping frenzy flip side - we have just had Giving Tuesday. We know that especially at this time of year, it can be very hard to financially contribute, but if you are able to, there are many organisations worthy of your support. Sit back, do your research and get some of those year end donations in - Canadian charities like CJPME Foundation, Nisa Foundation and MSF offer tax receipts as well.
Please also scroll down to our Community Spotlight for a GoFundMe campaign - so many families are left struggling to even eat because of this horrific genocide and the criminal Israeli blockades of humanitarian aid. Watch this video on the cost of food in Gaza to get more context on the consequences of the ongoing genocide for those who have to keep going under siege.
Upcoming Events
Artist talks, workshops & performances - Saturday Dec 7th
Saturday Dec 7th
Access Gallery | 222 E Georgia St.đź•‘ 2:00 PM - 5:30 PMđź’« Free to attend | Bring a sewing project + reusable bag for workshops
Join us at Access Gallery on Saturday, December 7th for NEW FORMATIONS, an afternoon of artist talks, workshops, and performances from the NOW, NEVER residency cohort.
PROGRAM🏝️ Alex Gibson | Artist Talk | 2:00 pmArtist Alex Gibson explores queer placemaking from a Caribbean perspective, and the presence of Michael Morris and Vincent Trasov’s work as inspiration in their residency. Using archival material and images to reference Morris and Trasov’s Babyland performances—which mark a specific form of queer placemaking unique to BC—their presentation gives an overview of their residency work, with the hopes of examining new queer doors and ruptures in linear time.❤️‍🩹 Sidi Chen | Artist talk + care package workshop | 3:00 pmSidi Chen will host a talk about their exhibited projects as well as a workshop where they invite the participants to turn their project into care packages and discuss ways of community care. Participants are encouraged to bring re-usable shopping bags for the workshop.🥏 Rawan Hassan | Collective practice performance | 4:00 pmJoin us for Blue, a collected hue of martyrs, a participatory performance by Rawan Hassan.🪡 Holding Ground | Fibre workshop | 4:45 pmHolding Ground will offer a lightly supported workshop space - a place to practice together, sewing small pieces that share stories of care, which we will incorporate into a new work in the Spring, or which participants may take home with them. Threads, needles, embroidery hoops and scrap fabrics from their NOW, NEVER banner Stretching will be shared, and folks are encouraged to bring pieces of their own to work with.
**Boycott Indigo Action: December 6th **
Friday, December 6 @ 3pm


INDIGO ROBSONJoin @freepalestinebc and #Swifties4Palestine before Night 1 of the Eras Tour in Vancouver at Indigo-Robson for the Sarah Chapelle book signing! Santa’s elves have been working hard making friendship bracelets to trade with fans while sharing info about Indigo and its complicity in the genocide in Gaza.
#Swifties have a big heart and Santa knows they only need a little nudge to stop shopping at Indigo. Bring your favourite liberation-inspired bracelet or trade us for one of ours! We’ll be chatting and swapping beaded bling with our fellow fans. Can’t wait to see you there!
Boycott Indigo Action: December 7th
Saturday, December 7 @ 12.30pm
INDIGO SOUTH GRANVILLEJoin @vangran4palestine this Saturday, December 7th at Indigo South Granville to make some noise to remind Indigo they must stop funding the genocide in Palestine, and to demand HESEG foundation be delisted as a charity! Heather Reisman is the founder and CEO of Indigo Books, she has used profits from Indigo Books & Music Inc to establish the HESEG Foundation. HESEG is a Canadian charitable organization that typically spends an estimated $5M annually on grants and scholarships supporting volunteers enlisting in the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF). The Israeli government, whose soldiers enforce the violent occupation of Palestine, are currently engaged in the destruction of the Gaza strip.
The Palestinian solidarity movement in Canada has been calling for a boycott of Indigo since 2006. As the people of Gaza are currently facing genocide, we have a moral obligation to name and hold accountable companies that are aiding in the slaughter of Palestinians.
Learn more about Indigo’s involvement in the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza HERE.
Know your rights in the workplace - Dec 11th
Wednesday, December 11th 2024
7:00 PM
@apaccanada are hosting an information session with lawyers from Nelligan Law to help us better understand our Charter Rights as Canadians and their relationship with our workplaces. Given the reality that our community and allies are increasingly the targets of Anti-Palestinian Racism and increased efforts to silence and suppress our voices, including at protests and in professional settings, this will be an opportunity to better understand your rights so that we can all be more empowered advocates for Palestine.
Weekly vigil - Saturdays at Vancouver Art Gallery
Every Saturday at 5pm, you can join this community-led vigil and rally at the Vancouver Art Gallery. Stop by and support!
Tatreez and Tea for Gaza - Dec 14
December 14th, 12:00 - 3:00 PM
Surrey (Fleetwood Library)
From @gazan_in_canada: We’re excited to announce two upcoming Tatreez Circle events as part of our ongoing effort to raise funds for clean water access in North Gaza. Together, we’ll create meaningful, collective embroidery pieces to auction, with all proceeds supporting Cloverdale Langley for Palestine’s clean water initiative for 100 families in North Gaza.
🌟 Donation Details:
- $10 Minimum Donation (without a Tatreez kit)
- $25 Minimum Donation (with a Tatreez kit for home use)
đź”— Register Now: Visit the Linktree in @gazan_in_canada bio to secure your spot!
đź’§ Why it Matters:
Your participation directly supports access to clean water for families in need. Let’s stitch together for a purpose, weaving hope and resilience into every thread.
If you have questions or you are unable to find the link.. feel free to contact @gazan_in_canada
Join us to learn, create, and make a difference! Spaces are limited—register today!
Community Spotlight
This week for community spotlight we are highlighting a family that is currently in need in Gaza. Azhar is 26 years old and a mother of three children: Mila, 7 years old, Rayan, 5 years old, and Rakan, born in a tent, 7 months old. They currently do not have any shelter, their campaign has been inactive for weeks, and Azhar’s children have now become sick due to sleeping outside in the cold and rain. Azhar and her family could use any amount of donations, as they are currently without food, medicine, shelter, or winter clothing, and increasing market prices keep it nearly impossible to afford any of these basic human necessities. Some local activists have picked up her campaign, and are hoping by promoting it here some might be willing to give even a little this holiday season.
From Azhar:
“I have been displaced from my home since October 7 from one place to another, from tent to tent or to a place without shelter, and my children have no education and no toys. My children have the right to life. We need you to save my family. Our goal is to leave the Gaza Strip so that I can save my children in life and they can live a dignified life like the rest of the children in the world. Please help us.”
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With gratitude and in solidarity,
Your Neighbours
Van Gran 4 Palestine
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