WELCOME TO MOWAT - 2020-21 SCHOOL YEAR
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MOWAT CELEBRATES:
Latin-America History Month at the TDSB - April 2021
During the month of April, the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) proudly recognized Latin-America History Month. In April 2016, our TDSB Board of Trustees voted that April be designated as Latin-America History Month. The motion was a result of advocacy on behalf of TDSB students, educators, parents/caregivers as well as community organizations within LAEN-The Latinx, Afro-Latin-America Abya Yala Education Network. Together, hundreds of community members called for the TDSB to take up the work of addressing social inequities harming TDSB school families with ancestry from the Lands that are known in Western mainstream culture as Latin-America.
Since its creation in 2016, the planning committee has grown in its breadth, depth and scope, searching every year for more intentional ways of working in solidarity with Indigenous nations of Turtle Island (Canada) and ways to bring Elders, Knowledge Keepers, educators and families together to decolonize understandings of Latin-America. The Latin-America History volunteer planning committee is comprised of TDSB students, staff, parents/caregivers, community educators and activist. Committee members are pursuing intentional partnerships with the TDSB Urban Indigenous Education Centre, Dodem Kanonhsa among other community partners to ensure that there is a collective building of initiatives to achieve healthy, transformative, restorative, equitable, caring, culturally responsive and reflective educational spaces for all.
This year’s theme is entitled, “(DeColonizing) Latin-America History Month & Beyond: Learning together about our collective pasts, alongside our relatives of today, the Eagle, the Quetzal and the Condor.” Through the representation of the Eagle, the Quetzal and the Condor, April marks our efforts to go deeper into the histories/herstories/theirstories that have not been told through mainstream education narratives about Latin-America. The visual for our month depicts the coming together of the Eagle representing the Lands of North America, the Quetzal representing the Lands of Central America and the Condor representing the Lands of South America. During the month, we will learn about the large extent of diversity of human experiences found within Central and South America and those who claim ancestry to these Lands. Connections to Indigenous sovereignty and solidarity with other BIPOC communities within Turtle Island (Canada) will also be uplifted and highlighted as key elements of decolonizing education on Latin-America. Decolonizing Latin-America refers to a deep dive into teachings that will reveal many factual, but not wide known truths, such as why it is that Latin-America can also be referred to as Afro-Latin-America, Amerrique, Abya Yala and Pachamama, to name a few. The TDSB community at large will have the opportunity to learn about the diversity in languages as well, with over 500 languages spoken in Latin-America, including Popti, Garifuna, Quechua, Kuna, Nahuatl, Aymara Guarani, Spanish and French.
Continuing in our equity journey as a system and specifically connected to learning and unlearning narratives about Latin-America, the TDSB staff, community members and partners of the volunteer planning committee will curate and hold space for students to engage in artistic expressions, virtual youth-to-youth forums, virtual community circles, as well as offer the co-creation of culturally responsive and reflective curriculum, staff professional development sessions, data gathering related to addressing student and family needs arising from covid-19 and more! We aim to grow stronger as a TDSB community by sharing our stories of resilience, struggle and success, in relation to intentionally honouring and co-creating with the many territories and peoples over which the Eagle, the Quetzal and the Condor fly.
A PowerPoint is currently being created in order to provide information about the Latin-America History Month and will be posted to the TDSB public websites shortly and shared throughout the system through internal communication methods. Further selected winning posters and talent videos will be posted on the TDSB public websites after we announce and showcase the winning selection at our Latin-America Virtual Launch Celebration taking place on Wednesday, April 7th from 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm. Please join us! (URL: https://www.tdsb.on.ca/stream/LiveWebcast-LatinAmerica-HistoryMonth.html ).
In addition to the above information, we are excited to share daily quotes, and information that educators may use at their schools as part of daily announcements or as activities in their classrooms. The TDSB Professional Library resources link is also being provided to you. Please visit the Heritage/History Month website (Link: http://tdsbweb.tdsb.on.ca/equity/Heritage-History-Months/2020-2021 ). Further we are very proud to inform you that a calendar of events is being created and will be available to you to use as a continuous tool each day to learn about the traditions, culture and overall teachings of Latin-America History. Stay tuned!
Sikh Heritage Month at the TDSB: April 2021
Sikh Heritage Month is proudly recognized at the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) during the month of April. On March 22, 2016, the Board of Trustees voted to designate April of each year as Sikh Heritage Month, making the TDSB the first school board in Canada to do so. This designation matches the recognition by the Province of Ontario that proclaimed Sikh Heritage Month Act in December 2013.
This year our theme is Growing our Future: The Legacy of Sikh Farmers.
Sikh Canadians have lived in Ontario since the turn of the twentieth century. They have made significant contributions to the growth and prosperity of Ontario and their traditions and culture continue to be a vibrant part of every aspect of life of Canadians today. This includes many Sikh families who are engaged in farming throughout Canada. We are inviting all TDSB community, students and staff to join our virtual Sikh Heritage Month launch to recognize the contributions of Sikh Canadians. Join us for a remarkable afternoon of information and celebration on Tuesday, April 6 at 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm LIVE STREAM. Here is the URL: https://www.tdsb.on.ca/stream/LiveWebcast-Sikh-HeritageMonth.html
A PowerPoint is being created that will provide information about the Sikh Heritage Month. It will offer an insight about the culture and traditions of the kind, selfless and honourable heritage of the Sikh community. Also, a brief video message by Pardeep Nagra, Co-chair, Sikh Heritage Month Planning Committee (TDSB) is also being created. The video will provide an explanation of a selection of artifacts currently housed at The Sikh Heritage Museum of Canada, Mississauga, Ontario.
In addition to the above, we are excited to share informational quotes, fun facts and activities that may be used in schools by educators. These are available at the Heritage/History Month website: http://tdsbweb.tdsb.on.ca/equity/Heritage-History-Months/2020-2021
Further, we are very proud to inform you that two Sikh Heritage Month Toolkits with resources for the educators have been put together: one for elementary and one for secondary level. These toolkits are now available through the TDSB Professional Library. These will be available throughout the year. The link for the TDSB Profession Library is: bit.ly/PLSikhHeritageMonthGuide
UPCOMING EVENTS
1. We are pleased to announce that EnVision 2021 will launch on Tuesday, March 30 at 9 am with a livestreamed virtual theatre performance! In partnership with the Equity Team, Gender-Based Violence Prevention Program, and the Urban Indigenous Education Centre, this 3-day conference welcomes 2SLGBTQI+ middle and high school students and allies to participate in a series of sessions. Guided by the Multi-Year Strategic Plan, this year's annual EnVision Conference centers 2SLGBTQI+ Black and Indigenous activism and wellness.
The EnVision Conference provides middle and high-school students with the opportunity to honour and celebrate 2SLGBTQI+ communities, as well as discuss issues they face across Ontario and engage in anti-homophobia and anti-transphobia work. Students use various virtual platforms to ask questions and explore ways to celebrate gender and sexual diversity in schools and beyond.
EnVision is most appropriate for students identify as 2SLGBTQI+ and/or who are part of, or who want to start a Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA), Queer-Straight Alliance (QSA), Gender Justice Group, Equity Club or other groups of students interested in advocating for social justice and healthy relationships in schools.
Please share this opportunity with staff and students using the website https://www.tdsb.on.ca/About-Us/Innovation/Gender-Based-Violence-Prevention/EnVision-Conference
More information to come via the website.
This year the event is a one day, student-led, virtual experience, to be held on Friday, May 7th 2021, 9 – 3pm. Secondary school students will have the opportunity to experience Diaspora – The Power of You, with various keynote speakers, facilitation workshops, student mentors, students from Windsor and Detroit and more. Canada’s own Jeff A.D. Martin, motivational speaker, author, podcaster, mentor and social activist is one of the many keynotes to highlight the day.
The TDSB has been able to secure 50 student spots for this event and wishes to initiate the registration process with those most keen to attend.
Each full day attendee will receive a $1000 scholarship which can be applied to first year studies at the University of Windsor. This year, the student cost to attend will be covered by the Equity Department.
WELLNESS RESOURCES
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