Canada: Breakout: No One’s Free Until We Are All Free!

On Sunday March 7th 2010 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada 200 women, men, and children gathered at the Manitoba Legislative Building rallying to improve the lives of women, locally, nationally and globally.  At the march, themed “Breakout: No One’s Free Until We Are All Free!”, participants carried “break-out tools” including crowbars, lock picking devices, skeleton keys and butterflies, to symbolize the need for a collective process of dismantling the systems, attitudes, beliefs and institutions that oppress women.

The rally began with a reading of our demands, which were followed by a chorus of “Feminists, Viva!” The Winnipeg Radical Cheerleaders, a group of feminist performance activists who are smashing patriarchy, one pom-pom at a time, kicked, jumped and chanted about reproductive justice, the feminist revolution and the Winnipeg WMW demands. The march was then kicked off by Judy Wasylycia-Leis, a Member of Parliament who has been key in fighting for women’s rights, making health-care more accessible and obtaining funding for community programs.

Chanting and singing in English, French and Spanish, we took to the streets calling upon the community and government to take action to meet demands regarding violence against women, urgent anti-poverty measures, common good and access to resources, peace and demilitarization, (dis)abled women’s rights and the rights of Indigenous Women.

Following the march was a feminist fair, with over 15 different feminist and women’s organizations sharing information with the community. This provided an opportunity for the community to network, share strategies for action, share our struggles as well celebrate the important work women are presently engaged in. Petitions regarding Missing and Murdered Aboriginal Women, the definition of sexual assault used by the Winnipeg Police, anti-privatization of Winnipeg’s water and the WMW demands were passed around and will be presented to various levels of government.
The event was a great success with high energy and excitement as well as much needed rage. Aside from a confrontation with a disrespectful police officer who would not let us march right away due to a lack of a number of police present, the event brought together the community and revived the feminist energy in our city as well as raised awareness through local media coverage.

for more information: femrev.collective@gmail.com

http://www.uptownmag.com/2010-03-11/page5501.aspx

http://www.globalwinnipeg.com/ages+celebrate+International+Women/2652422/story.htmlm