July Anti-Oppression Events at Mariposa Co-op

In July of 2014 T.O. Philly co-sponsored this series of interactive workshops and discussions at Mariposa Food Co-op. Though some of these events were specific to Mariposa, all covered material about the nature of co-ops and Philadelphia in general. All events were free to attend and took place in Mariposa's Upstairs Meeting Room, at 4824 Baltimore Avenue in West Philly. 

For more info on what's happened at Mariposa Co-op now, email education@mariposa.coop.

Sunday, July 6, 2014 • 5:30pm–7:30pm
Film Screening & Discussion
Come watch a popular movie about race, racism, food and a neighborhood not unlike West Philly! There will be delicious snacks, good conversation and good company.

Sunday, July 13, 2014 • 2pm–4pm
Interrupting Isms: Responding to Micro-aggressions Before They Go Macro
With Morgan FitzPatrick Andrews
Do racism, sexism, ableism and other forms of prejudice play out in the places where we work? Of course they do! But these “isms” are usually unintentional behaviors (sometimes called “micro-aggressions”) taught to us subtly by the world around us. This interactive workshop will identify some common micro-aggressions and practice how we can respond when they arise.

Saturday, July 19, 2014 • 2pm–4pm
Discussion: Race, Racism & Our Co-op
To build an organization that is as diverse and inclusive as possible, we have to make time to talk about how the values of oppressive systems tend to arise in that organization—and what we can do about it! Mariposa Co-op staff members Clarice Bailey and Laura Smoot co-facilitate this discussion about race, racism, power and privilege. 

Tuesday, July 29, 2014 • 7pm–8pm
Communicating Across Ability & Disability
With Marianne Gellert-Jones
Marianne Gellert-Jones from the HMS School for Children with Cerebral Palsy will a discussion about speech, communication, and eating based on her 25+ years of working with people with neurological and cognitive disabilities.  

Wednesday, July 30, 2014 • 7pm–8:30pm
Co-ops & Social Justice Book Club
Want to know more about co-ops, justice and social change?  Come join this collaborative study project about the intersection of food cooperatives and social justice organizing! This month we are reading Collective Courage, a history of African American cooperative economics by Jessica Gordon Nembhard. Email education@mariposa.coop to join in.

SAVE THE DATE: T.O. Philly teams up with LGBTQ teens at the Attic Youth Center this summer! Come to the Attic's Expo on August 7th, 2014!

MEANINGS OF JUSTICE:

What does “justice” mean today? 
What could it mean tomorrow?
Led by Mika Taliaferro
PART 1: Wednesday May 21, 6:30-9:00pm
PART 2: Wednesday May 28, 6:30-9:00pm
WHERE: The Rotunda, 4014 Walnut Street
RSVP: Email "tophilly@gmail.com" 
or call 267-282-1057. 
Sliding scale tuition—no one turned away

Join us for this 2-part workshop exploring individual, societal and possible definitions of “justice”.

In the first session we will investigate recent news stories with “justice” featured in the headline. Participants will create pieces of Newspaper Theatre to reveal how the word is used in today’s media and society at large.

In the second session, we will work to re-imagine “justice." To start, we will use Image Theatre to sketch out our own pictures of a more just world. Once we establish a vision of the world we are striving for, we will explore new definitions of “justice” to discover which collective usages will best support the transition.
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Mika Taliaferro first fell in love with Theatre of the Oppressed in 2009, when she attended a workshop at Bread & Puppet Theatre in Vermont led by a fellow apprentice. Since then, she has trained, interned and volunteered with several T.O. organizations including Theatre of the Oppressed Laboratory (TOPLAB), Theatre of the Oppressed NYC, People's Theatre Project and, upon moving to Philadelphia, T.O. Philly! Mika holds a BA in Theatre from Wesleyan University where she focused on the intersection of theater and social justice.