Peterborough, ON – From September 13th to 18th 2021 

OPIRG Peterborough is excited to present our annual DisOrientation Week! All are Welcome! Dis-O Week is an alternative orientation meant to bring new students and the community together and explore the political side of university life. 

OPIRG Peterborough has been organizing Dis-O week since 1999, and year after year, we bring community members together to share knowledge, build collective power, and shape the vision for a better collective future. 

With all that has happened in the past two years, we believe that we are at a critical juncture for social movements. As we adapt to the pandemic and those in power push for a return to a harmful status quo, the call for a conscientious and politically active populace grows louder. 

To answer this call, we invite you to come together at DisOrientation 2021, and join us in dreaming of a better tomorrow for all beings, human and more-than-human. The hope is to inspire people to get engaged in change-making by holding space for community organizations and individuals to connect, learn, and take action through a variety of events, activities and workshops. 

Nicola Koyanagi, the Coordinator at OPIRG Peterborough, remembers her first Dis-Orientation Week fondly: “I started going to DisO week when my older sibling was studying at Trent. It was such an exciting experience for me to get to know different community organizations and have meaningful discussions with people who share similar values of social and environmental justice! Every year I look forward to re-connecting with the community through these events. I am so grateful to be a part of this year's DisOrientation Week!"

For this year’s offerings, we have a total of 19 events. We are especially grateful to host Understanding Intersectionality and Indigenous Women and Girls with Disabilities with Dr Lynn Gehl on Wednesday at 7 pm; Let’s Practice: Embodiment and Healing Shame for BIPOC folx with Yami Msosa on Friday at 3 pm; as well as Understanding Awaadiziwin (knowledge/culture) and its role in achieving Bimaadiziwin (life) with Joe Pitawanakwat where he will be discussing disease pathology, life, culture, knowledge, and how to engage in reciprocal relationships with medicines themselves, and our roles and responsibilities to Aki, the land. 

We have also connected with local community organisations to put on engaging events that aim to educate, build community, and sustain solidarity. These events include well-loved features from the past, such as the Farm to Table Tour hosted by the Trent Vegetable Gardens and the Seasoned Spoon, a screening of Whose University is It? by Arthur Newspaper, and the famous Free Market giveaway. 

In addition to these, we will also be hosting new events like Conscious Settler 101 with Settlers Taking Action and Responsibility at Trent (START), Virtual GAYme night with the Trent Queer Collective and Trans Peer Outreach, Housing Rights Education with the Peterborough Community Legal Centre and many more.

From workshops to socials, DisOrientation Week 2021 has something for everyone. All events will be free of charge, with a gift basket raffle filled with locally sourced goodies at the end of each day to show our gratitude to attendees. 

In accordance with public health guidelines, most events will be virtual with a few select events being held in person with Covid-19 guidelines in place. Registration will be handled online via OPIRG Peterborough’s Eventbrite and Facebook. As capacity is limited at some events, get your tickets while they’re still hot! 

OPIRG Peterborough is committed to guaranteeing accessibility and safety in all that we do. More information about OPIRG Peterborough, our programming and DisOrientation Week can be found on our website and social media accounts.  

Thank you so much for reading and we look forward to seeing you there! 

If you have any questions or comments, please get in touch with us at opirgevents@gmail.com. 

In Solidarity, 

Simone Zhu 

Special Events Coordinator 

OPIRG Peterborough