Inside the London Premiere of Vancouver-based documentary series Ana Falastini

On May 25, Palestinian-Canadian filmmakers Dalia Al Ahmad and Rawan Ramini came to Western University’s Conron Hall to premiere their Vancouver-based documentary series “Ana Falastini.”  The event brought upwards of 100 community members together and featured surprise performances from the Asala Dabke group and the debut of the Palestinian Threads of Diaspora project in London. The filmmaker duo showed three episodes of their five-episode documentary series, each discussing a specific part of Palestinian identity through interviews in both Arabic and English. Part 1 — History “To be a Palestinian is politicized.”  The first portion of the documentary opened with members…

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Canadian Hearing Services workers concerned about community impact as strike enters ninth week

Workers for Canadian Hearing Services (CHS) are still on strike, with their Employer refusing to come to the bargaining table or exchange demands. “The community is suffering because of it. Eight weeks is a long time for us on the line but I’m sure it feels a lot longer for our community who have been without their mental health counsellors, without their audiology services, without their sign language interpreters for their doctor’s appointments,” said Amanda Seavers, CUPE 2073 picket captain. The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) 2073, which represents 206 workers across the province and 10 in London, filed…

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“We can’t be in Gaza – but we can be here”: London rally echoes global march to rafah

LONDON, ONTARIO — “We can’t be in Gaza – but we can be here,” shouted members of the Canadian Palestinian Social Association (CPSA), a local community organization dedicated to celebrating Palestinian culture and raising awareness about the ongoing genocide committed by the Israeli occupation. The rally, held outside MP Peter Fragiskatos’ office, was one of many acts of international solidarity as thousands of activists across the globe mobilized for the Global March to Gaza. On June 12, around 60 people gathered at the rally, holding signs, keffiyehs, and Palestinian flags under the cloudy London sky. The event was co-organized by…

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Open Letter: This Emerita prof Supports Divestment

Dear President Shepard, I would like to thank you for the generous offer to attend a dinner with retired faculty from Western: it is an important gesture to remember former professors and our contributions. Normally, I would be looking forward to seeing familiar faces and reminiscing with colleagues about our days on campus. However, under the circumstances, I must decline your invitation.  It is impossible for me to enjoy a celebratory meal with Western colleagues when our Palestinian colleagues in Gaza are enduring a brutal famine deliberately imposed by an occupying power which is actively supported by your Administration. How…

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Go Eat a Flower: Full Circle Cooking Episode Two

It’s springtime, and Antler River is a mosaic of bright, beautiful flowers. If you’re anything like me, your first thought is: “How can I get a free meal out of this?” In fact, many common flowers in Southern Ontario are edible and I’m going to show you two simple ways I like to eat them.  First is a simple preparation that can be used to make most edible flowers (or anything in your fridge) delicious. Most of all, I like to use it for dandelions, whose flesh turns tender and jammy once fried. It’s a beautiful thing I look forward…

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We all go to the library

We are witnessing a slow but consistent creep of social services breaching public libraries across Canada. The London Public Library hired a social worker to provide addiction and mental health services to library patrons. The Toronto Public Library provided food bank services during the COVID-19 pandemic because food banks had closed. Some people in Hamilton have called for opening safe injection sites outside their libraries.  None of this is good or should be celebrated.  Public libraries have expanded their services beyond lending books to the public, offering a range of additional resources and programming. The London Public Library offers educational,…

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