We invite you to a commemorative event in recognition of the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.
We’ll gather on Friday, December 6, 2024 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. at Togo Salmon Hall – Room 118. This year’s theme is: Remember, Reflect, Resist.
The commemorative event will be followed by a memorial walk around campus. You are welcome to register for either events or both.
Commemorative event:
Date: Friday, December 6, 2024
Time: 12 p.m. – 1 p.m.
Location: Togo Salmon Hall – Room 118
Program details: Opening remarks by Dean of Engineering Heather Sheardown, music by pianist and McMaster Engineering student Aidan Lao, drumming by Kindred Spirits, a panel discussion, video tribute and closing remarks by McMaster Chancellor Santee Smith – Tekaronhiáhkhwa. Refreshments to follow.
A downloadable captioning tool will be available.
Panelists
Jessica Bonilla-Damptey
Jessica Bonilla-Damptey is a Latinx/Indigenous woman from El Salvador, living and raised in Hamilton. She is the mother of two, Tia of four (soon to be five) and Madrina of three. She is often involved in community-based projects and believes that it is important to include children in those projects. Hikes, dance parties, sorbet, being in water and in hammocks are some of her favourite things.
A graduate of the School of Social Work, Indigenous Studies and Health Studies Programs at McMaster University, she is committed to and works towards creating a world free of violence and oppression. Jessica is on the executive of the Ontario Coalition of Rape Crisis Centres (OCRCC), is the Co-Chair of the Woman Abuse Working Group (WAWG), a Steering Committee member for the Hamilton Anti-Human Trafficking Coalition (HAHTC) and is the Director of the Sexual Assault Centre (Hamilton and Area) – SACHA.
Anabelle B. Ragsag
Anabelle B. Ragsag is a mother and feminist scholar originally from Mindanao, Southern Philippines. She is pursuing her PhD at McMaster University’s School of Social Work. She examines the politics and technology of social assistance and its impact on Asian Canadian solo mothers. This year, Anabelle completed her residency at the Sherman Centre for Digital Scholarship and her two-year Stephen Lewis Social Policy Fellowship. She is in her second year as a PhD Fellow convening Social Work Student Caucuses.
She was nominated for the 2022 YWCA Hamilton Women of Distinction Awards. Anabelle wrote for or was featured at CBC Hamilton, the Hamilton Spectator, TVO, and Rappler, a Nobel Prize-winning newsroom in the Philippines, for her work in community organizing within Asian Canadian communities. She co-founded Filipinas of HamOnt in 2020. She considers her time at the University of the Philippines for her BA and Masters as formative in her social justice education.
Medora Uppal
Medora Uppal (she/her) has dedicated her career to advancing social justice and gender equity. She is a dynamic leader, a creative problem-solver, and a tireless advocate for women, gender-diverse people, and families. From 2011 to 2022, she served as the Director of Operations at YWCA Hamilton, focusing on the development of high-quality programs and services, strengthening organizational capacity, and adapting YWCA Hamilton’s programs and services to best meet the community’s needs.
Medora has played an active leadership role at community planning tables across a variety of sectors. She has served on the boards of Today’s Family, the Sexual Assault Centre Hamilton & Area, and has chaired the Equity Advisory Council of the Greater Hamilton Health Network, the City of Hamilton’s Early Years Equity and Engagement Advisory Group, the Women’s Housing Planning Collaborative Hamilton, and the Women Abuse Working Group.
Medora was appointed as CEO of YWCA Hamilton on December 1, 2022. Her transformational leadership has led to the expansion of YWCA Hamilton’s housing and gender-based violence services; programs to advance economic opportunities for women; and the development of improved gender-based healthcare, , new capital projects, and a new child care centre.
She has been recognized for her tireless work with YWCA Canada’s esteemed Carolyn B. Bray Award in 2019, and before joining YWCA Hamilton, she was a recipient of a YWCA Hamilton Woman of Distinction Award in 2010.
A virtual live stream option via YouTube is available. Please register with the form to receive the link closer to the event.
Memorial Walk:
Date: Friday, December 6, 2024
Time: 1:15 p.m. – 2 p.m.
Location: Outside of Togo Salmon Hall – Room 118, following the commemorative event
Following the commemorative event, we will hold a memorial walk to honour the victims of violence against women. The walk will begin at Togo Salmon Hall and proceed to various spots on campus, totaling approximately 45 minutes. During the walk, we’ll pass by red dresses hung to symbolize Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQI+ people. If you are participating in the walk, please dress for the weather.
Engagement activities leading up to December 6:
The significance ofDecember 6
On December 6, 1989, 14 young women at École Polytechnique in Montreal were murdered in a violent act of misogyny. This year marks the 35th anniversary of the attack, and together, we will reflect and commit to taking a stand against gender-based violence. The presence of McMaster community members is vital as we honour victims and survivors, past and present.
About the REDress Project
Red dresses hung around campus from December 2 to 6 are part of the REDress Project, an installation begun by Jaime Black, a Winnipeg-based artist, in 2010. Originally placed in downtown Winnipeg, red dresses have since been displayed in installations across the country as a way of drawing attention to the ongoing crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQI+ people.