People First Media program archive
Header

Scandals involving politicos may point to a wider problem

November 14th, 2013 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on Scandals involving politicos may point to a wider problem)

Columnist Mitchell Anderson writes that along with Rob Ford, Canada’s political leadership has hit rock bottom while ‘dumbing down democracy’

picture 510Fresh from the reality TV spectacle of the Senate scandals, Canadians have been offered a new series, the Rob Ford crack cocaine video saga. But there haven’t been resignations in shame or hasty retreats to “spend more time” with one’s family. The response seems to be ‘nothing to see here…move on.’ Rob Ford, for example, has said, “I have no reason to resign.” His popularity, meanwhile, seems to actually have increased. (more…)

, ,

‘The explainer’ looks at life in a highly mediated society

November 7th, 2013 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on ‘The explainer’ looks at life in a highly mediated society)

Michael Wesch says the power of today’s technology to change our relationships and culture is unprecedented

picture 508Kansas State University professor Michael Wesch starts with a simple premise, according to his bio at National Geographic: all human relationships are mediated by communication. Change the medium of communication, and you’ll change the relationship, much as the printing press transformed the world 500 years ago. (more…)

Solidarity witness shares observations about protests from around the globe

October 9th, 2013 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on Solidarity witness shares observations about protests from around the globe)

“The failure of electoral politics to address what’s really at stake means an increasing number of…issues are destined to be resolved through various forms of protest and civil disobedience”

picture 491

Before photographer and essayist Christopher Grabowski moved to Canada in 1992 he was part of “a social movement that started as a protest and that successfully transformed the society by non-electoral and mainly non-violent means—the Solidarity movement in Poland.” Grabowski writes in The Tyee that “Although I’m not exactly experiencing déjà vu, much of what I am seeing and reading now is beginning to look familiar. And that makes me hopeful.” (more…)

, , , ,

Poet calls men to action to prevent violence against women

October 3rd, 2013 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on Poet calls men to action to prevent violence against women)

Jeremy Loveday’s YouTube message implores men to speak up and act against sexual violence, generating thousands of views, links from political leaders, and some controversy

picture 505Performance poet, community builder, change agent. Those are the words Victoria poet Jeremy Loveday uses to describe himself on Twitter and Facebook. And recently, with one YouTube video, Loveday has drawn on all three of those callings.

Masks Off—A Challenge to Men [opens to video] is a passionate call to action from a man, to other men, to end sexual violence against women. As noted in the Victoria Times-Colonist, “the video’s appearance online is timely given recent reports about the use of chants advocating rape at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax and the University of B.C. during frosh events, but Loveday penned the poem months ago.” Loveday wrote the challenge to men for the annual Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event in Victoria in May 2013. (more…)

, , , , ,

‘You Should Have Stayed Home’ tells a story of G20 violence and detentions

September 26th, 2013 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on ‘You Should Have Stayed Home’ tells a story of G20 violence and detentions)

Award-winning play is based on one citizen’s experience after being swept up by the Toronto police response to G20 protests—which constituted the largest peacetime mass arrest in Canadian history

picture 504You Should Have Stayed Home (aka #G20Romp) is a play about Tommy Taylor’s experience over 48 hours at the 2010 G20 weekend in Toronto. While trying to return home from his first ever protest as a law-abiding citizen at the “Free Speech Zone” at Queen’s Park, Taylor was swept up in a mass arrest, caged with 40 other people in a ten foot by twenty foot cage and denied drinking water until he passed out from dehydration. (more…)

, , ,

‘Mind Your Mind’ is focused on an anti-stigma message

September 19th, 2013 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on ‘Mind Your Mind’ is focused on an anti-stigma message)

Unique resources-focused project recognizes the appeal of visual content—as well as formal and informal sources of information sought by youth who need help

picture 502The province of Ontario is supporting an innovative program that helps youth with mental illness access the information and resources they need to manage their condition.

The province is providing ongoing funding to mindyourmind, a province-wide mental health program of the Family Service Thames Valley. The program works with youth to develop resources and coping tools that help manage stress, crisis situations and mental health-related problems. The resources are designed to reduce the stigma of mental illness, and increase access and use of both professional and peer-based community support. (more…)

, , , ,