Community Meeting (April 18): Community engagement through comics (Althea Balmes)

Description

Presenter: Althea Balmes

Notes

Video Recording

  • Komik (comics)
  • long history of komiks in the Philippines
  • many American influences on the comics
    • partially due to American GIs who came to the Philippines
    • made stories that by nature of the situation in the politics and economy of the Philippines, it has always been a political act — celebrating the culture and telling their stories but also criticising foreign powers
  • Kwentong Bayan: Labour of Love
    • literal translation: community stories
    • tell stories and have political awareness
    • tell stories about caregivers in a way that hasn't been told before
    • empowering caregiver workers in Canada
    • had to learn the ins and outs of the caregiver program
      • had to challenge assumptions and biases about the program and migrant workers
    • gathering of elders
      • meet with caregivers and allies who will provide support and guidance on how these stories are told
      • collaborate on stories being told through our lived experiences and perspectives
      • reciprocal relationships, invited to and participating in each other's events
      • it's not just about the subject or the researcher, but building a community with different types of people, also crossing intergenerational boundaries
      • learn about issues that matter to them and to the community and the reasons why they matter – and when we can, help out
    • workshops and clinics
      • workshop covered
        • why should they support refugees
        • why is their situation as migrant workers different from someone who is coming as a refugee
      • clinics
        • tax clinic
        • self defence class
          • in partnership with Combat Science: Warrior Arts of Asia
          • useful for caregivers who live with their employer and who's home/work becomes a dangerous place
      • lots of power in learning about how they build community
    • Advocacy and Leadership training at George Brown
      • for caregivers
      • helping caregivers transition to another job/career
      • caregivers have a hard time getting education or getting Canadian credentials
      • practical and theoretical curriculum
    • Community presentatio