Truthsgiving 2020: A Virtual Festival to reimagine Thanksgiving

The Art Gallery of York University is working in partnership with artists Amoya Reé, Keosha Love and The Poet MJ on Truthsgiving 2020, a one-day virtual festival taking place on October 10th from 2-8 pm that reimagines and redefines thanksgiving by challenging its colonial roots. Deconstructing the mythology that has shaped the holiday in Canada and the United States, this day of workshops and performances will shine a light on the suppressed histories and enduring legacy of imperial/settler genocide and oppression. Powered by Our Women’s Voices.

Truthsgiving will begin with a discussion facilitated by The Poet MJ that will explore strategies for decolonizing Thanksgiving. This discussion will be followed by three separate workshops. The first will be led by Sylvia Plain a member of Aamjiwnaang First Nation, a water walker and founder of the Great Lakes Journey, who will facilitate a workshop on Indigenous food sovereignty. Abdifatah Hussein a spoken word poet, Black Muslim youth advocate and founding member of Hidaayah House, will lead our second workshop on decolonizing BIPOC mental health and well-being. Our final workshop is on radical healing and gratitude and will be facilitated by Sincerely Shyy, who is a Toronto-based wellness practitioner, spoken word poet and educator.

The workshops will be followed by a performance showcase featuring a phenomenal lineup of artists including musician and educator Mahlikah Awe:ri, spoken word poet Lul Yoseph, Reggae singer Kirk Diamond, and Keylah.

SCHEDULE:

2pm – Open Discussion with The Poet MJ: What does Thanksgiving mean to you? Exploring strategies to re-define and decolonize Thanksgiving

3pm – Workshop by Sylvia Plain: Land Defenders & Indigenous Food Sovereignty

4pm – Workshop by Abdifatah Hussein: Decolonizing Mental health and Wellness

5pm – Workshop by Sincerely Shyy: Radical healing and Gratitude for BIPOC

6-6:30pm Intermission: Surprise DJ Guest & Raffle Contests

6:30-8:00- Performance showcase featuring Mahlikah Awe:ri, Lul Yoseph, Kirk Diamond, Keylah & Surprise DJ Guest.

For press inquiries, please contact Allyson Adley: aadley@yorku.ca

http://AGYU.art

Acknowledgements: The AGYU is committed to anti-racism. We work to eradicate institutional biases and develop accountable programs that support Black, Indigenous and People of Colour. This program developed out of a new AGYU initiative that is focused on supporting artists who are active in the fight for social justice and the struggles for Black and Indigenous liberation. As community leaders, in recognition of their ongoing contributions to the field of art and activism, the AGYU invited Amoya Reé, Keosha Love and Jayda Marley to envision a Community Resource Program in support of Black and Indigenous artists. As an art institution AGYU is committed to leveraging our resources to enhance and amplify the voices of artists whose practices are dedicated to advancing the fight against systemic white supremacy. And we want to offer our support to Black and Indigenous artists in a manner that is determined by leading members of our community.

The Art Gallery of York University (AGYU) is a public, university-affiliated, non-profit contemporary art gallery supported by York University, the Canada Council for the Arts, the Province of Ontario through the Ontario Arts Council, the City of Toronto through the Toronto Arts Council, and by its membership.

In recognition of our place on the traditional territory of numerous Indigenous Nations, the Art Gallery of York University thanks the Wendat, Haudenosaunee, and Anishinaabek who have and continue to care for this land. This land is the subject of the Dish With One Spoon Covenant and Wampum between the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, the Three Fires Confederacy (the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi), and other allied nations in an agreement to share land and its resources.

AGYU promotes 2SLGBTQIAP+ positive spaces & experiences and works towards being barrier free.