Community Houses, Rebel Junction, Status For All!

Contents of our newsletter, for those who've not seen it, or who might like to copy it
or link to it. 300 copies are now in circulation, and we've got a few more to distribute.

COMMUNITY HOUSES

Toronto is seeing the end of some long-standing collective houses in 2011, like the Gild and DuSpa in the Annex, while others like the Mudhouse on Manning Ave remain, and others are forming. One collective in the Dupont/ Gladstone area are opening up a community space in their ground-level storefront. They’re looking to host free info, zines and media, workshops and readings, and musical events. We hope to see more from these efforts in the future.

Combining communal and residential modes is important. It brings people together, connects our everyday lives to empowering possibilities, and makes creative space and activity affordable. It shifts us from isolated consumer lifestyles to an integrated, communal, producer culture. Even knitting circles and book clubs are rad. We can integrate respectfully into residential neighbourhoods while providing positive personal and social engagement and activity.

Do you have a community space in your home? Do you host projects or events? Organized or informal, big or small, we’d like to hear about it. Email us and we can feature it in our newsletter and/ or on our blog.

REBEL JUNCTION

Rebel Junction is a new community space, social enterprise, and African Diaspora-inspired thrift store, 183 Queen St E at Jarvis. It’s independently founded and run by Anika Jarrett and Destinie Adelakun, two young women looking to give back to their community. It is an indie response to the need for cultural and youth development programs in the downtown core.

RJ is looking to inspire, connect and enable youth, artists, community organizers and entrepreneurs, to design socially responsible retail, events, and programs, and help build progressive, accessible creative spaces and small businesses. RJ is offering summer internships (apply by July 01st), giving youth opportunities to work individually and collectively, run retail and creative projects, and develop career goals. They’re also looking to connect with organizations and programs to build their reach and capacity, and help develop sharing of knowledge and resources

Events include an intern/ volunteer recruitment in June/ July, open house events and fundraisers, and an official launch projected for late 2011. Check out the internships, info and more at rebeljunction.tumblr.com.

Let Alvaro Stay/ Status For All!

The ‘Let Alvaro Stay’ campaign mobilized a large community in support of Alvaro Orozco, demanding that Toronto and Canada recognize his community, his life and work, and his rights to safety and status. He won permanent resident status but hard work remains. We support the efforts of No One Is Illegal and others in questioning an unjust immigration system. Check out toronto.nooneisillegal.org/node/609 for more info.

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And a bit about us, and our listings which you can view here; just click 'Calendar' at the top of the page. The feedback has been great and we're looking good for the July edition.

CN JUNE / Newsletter and Outreach

Community Noise’s first newsletter is out and seems to be a success. 300+ copies are being distributed; Bloordale, Bloorcourt, Dundas West, Kensington/ U of T/ Annex, other locales, and through our friends’ zine and media distros, with good feedback so far. We’ve uploaded the pdf for folks to check out and perhaps help print or distribute. Let us know if you’d like some copies, or to make some copies!

With distribution we’re also doing outreach for projects and venues – people who’d like to promote themselves in our space, or who’d like to offer up their space, or collaborate on projects. We’re looking to shake out the spring and welcome summer with a reception/ dance party/ maybe an acoustic show, at the end of June. And to get a move on bigger, more complex events in July and onward. Stay tuned?

Other June goals include keeping up the outreach, building our online listings, getting a wordpress website going, eating our veggies and staying rad.

Check out the uploaded newsletter and let us know what you think!