In November of 2001, a Youth Initiative was launched by the South Asian Women's Community Centre in Montreal to bring young South Asian women together in a safe space in which they could discuss their issues and work together for change. On December 13, 2002, we will have a huge youth (and young at heart!) party to celebrate this accomplishment. You are invited to join us from 9:00pm -1:00pm on this date at 62 Rachel Avenue East!



You might know our youth group us from some previous events. We launched the program last year with an evening to commemorate two of our South Asian sisters who were victims of sexist and racist violence respectively - Milia Abrar, a Dawson student who was murdered in and had acid thrown in her face by a stalker and Reena Virk who was killed by classmates who tortured her and used cigarette buts to burn "bindis" into her forehead. We also participated in building an Anti-Racist Picnic to reclaim Angrignon Park in protest against a hate-motivated assault that took place there. We have also participated in post World Conference Against Racism related conferences, protested against the institutions of global capitalism and imperialism, had art and anti-identity workshops, and participated in the annual Diverscite gay pride parade.



If you do not already know our youth group, please check us out at some of our upcoming events. We have two film discussion nights coming up here at the Centre. On Monday, November 25, 2002 from 6-8pm, we will be hosting a joint screening of a "Passage to Ottawa" with QPIRG McGill. This film depicts immigration from a child's point of view, from India to Canada. On Monday, December 2 at the same time, we will be showing some films in conjunction with the Dragon Roots Centre for Gender Equality (formerly the Concordia Women's Centre) on being Queer, being South Asian, and coming out. As well we have a series of workshops to keep an eye out for - one art workshop before the end of the year and a series in the new year called Project Rise-Up that will involve women to women skills building in such areas as popular theatre, union organizing, web design, and magazine publishing.



With the exception of our party, all events will take place at the South Asian Women's Community Centre at 1035 Rachel Avenue East, third floor (from Mont-Royal Metro Station - take bus #11 to the corner of Rachel and Cristophe Colombe) To register for any of these events, to volunteer for our youth initiative, and / or to get more information, please contact Heidi at 528-8812 or