ECHO Canada

SAVE THE DATE

The ECHO Canada team would like to thank you for all of your hard work this past year. This is a formal invitation to our 2023 Annual General Meeting for the 2022 fiscal year. It will take place virtually on Thursday, November 9, 2023 at 7:00 PM.

We regret to inform you that the national organization of ECHO Canada has made the difficult decision to dissolve due to inactivity over the past year. At the 2023 Annual General Meeting, the Board of Directors will present a resolution to dissolve the national organization due to a lack of resources and an inability to sustain the organization long-term. You can learn more at our Annual Report here: https://www.canva.com/design/DAFxX9DsFq8/B2IwDWI1YKdDzVWtxOHe_A/view?utm_content=DAFxX9DsFq8&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=viewer

The resources and assets currently held by ECHO Canada will, upon dissolution of the organization, be relocated to AMS ECHO at UBC and/or ECHO Vancouver, as per a resolution of the membership.

To complete this process, the attendance voting members are mandatory. You will receive a separate email later this week if you are a voting member. Please be prepared to assist in voting on these matters so that the organization can be resolved. Thank you in advance for your support with this.

We look forward to seeing you there!

2022-2023 Annual Report Check out this A4 designed by Tasfia Ahsan.

📣 OPPORTUNITY ALERT 📣

ECHO Canada is now hiring for Marketing Coordinators and a Data Strategist on its National Board!

Looking for a role in marketing and social media outreach with a passionate, growing organization that focuses on community-based service, working towards a more sustainable future, bridging communities, and advocating for those systematically marginalized? Join our team!

💻 Head over to the link in our bio to apply.

**Applications are due by on Thursday, August 11th, 2022 @ 11:59PM PDT.**

Learn more about ECHO Canada here: https://www.echocanada.org/

Feel free to DM us for any questions!

🚨SAVE THE DATE! 🚨

ECHO Canada introduces: Friends & Family Picnic 💫

We are so excited to announce our first IN-PERSON event of the year! Come join ECHO on a summer picnic to get to know the team more personally ✨ We invite everyone to bring their friends and family to create meaningful connections and to meet some lovely new faces in the Vancouver community! Everyone is welcome to join!

RSVP here: https://forms.gle/EUa3dNFYwQua8MWk7 (Or link in bio!)

🚨 RSVP DEADLINE IS SATURDAY, JUNE 4TH @ 4:00 PM! 🚨

We cannot wait to see you all there!

📣 ANNOUCEMENT!

We are excited to present ECHO Canada’s IG Takeover! ✨ During certain dates, you will have the chance to get to know some of our team members here on our IG ! Our team members will be answering YOUR questions, whether it be about their roles in ECHO, they’re favourite TV show, and more. They will also be taking you through their agenda of the day.

Check out the timeline to see the team members’ takeover date!

We all look forward to answering your question and chatting with you all! 🤩

Today on April 22nd, we celebrate Earth Day! 🌎

We are facing a climate crisis that has posed adversities, and the global pandemic has intensified these effects. For example, social and economic inequalities prevent low-income communities from equally accessing healthcare systems. Without equal access to healthcare systems, the well being of low-income communities is exacerbated because environmental adversities and the effects of the global pandemic intersect with one another.

Sustainability is something that cannot be worked on alone. It is important to support your peers in order to achieve environmental justice.

Let's aim for a sustainable future for ourselves by emphasizing the importance of community engagement!

Source: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/04/climate-change-coronavirus-linked/

Today is National Siblings Day!

Grab your brothers and sisters, or your silbling-like friends, and catch up with them by eating a meal together, grabbing a coffee, or just having a simple chat!

After losing her two siblings, Claudia Evart (1995) founded National Siblings Day to signify the importance of siblings in our lives.

Source: https://nationaldaycalendar.com/national-siblings-day-april-10/

As we approach the start of April, we would first like to share Juana Tejada’s story and how she pushed for changes in the Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP) for mirgrant live-in caregivers.

After Juana was denied permanent recidency in discovery of a terminal cancer, a grassroots campaign under Juana’s name was launched to call on other caregivers going through a similar situation to seek support. With Juana’s advocation for changes in the LCP, the “Juana Tejada Law” was passed in April 2010.

The LCP is largely includes caregivers from the Philippines and caregivers under the LCP work in individual homes. In this setting, it is difficult for caregivers to practice their rights under provincial minimum employment standards. Caregivers under the LCP have often experienced disregulaged long work hours and abuse within these work environments.

Happy Women's History Month everyone! 💕Every March, we celebrate Women's History Month to recognize women's contributions and achievements throughout history.

During the current pandemic, this year's theme celebrates the continuous efforts of caregivers and frontline workers.

Watch out for our next post as we discuss about migrant justice and imperialism with the focus of Southeast Asian women.

Learn more about this year's Women's History Theme at https://nationalwomenshistoryalliance.org/2022-theme/

Hey folks! needs YOUR help to SHARE THE LOVE!

📣 E-transfer email has been CORRECTED!

Distro Disco is a mobile free store that distributes various material resources to unhoused neighbourhoods on Musqueam, Tsleil-Waututh, and Squamish territories (MST territories, 'Vancouver’). Donations are distributed through three mobile donation drives.

Many unhoused neighbours navigate through daily displacement and face many obstacles in the Vancouver area. Distro Disco holds monthly mutual aid donation drives to support unhoused folks who are in need of supplies!

A call out for priority items include:
- Lanterns
- Tents
- Sleeping mats
- Tarps

To donate supplies, DM our ECHO Instagram and we will organize a time to pick up your items.

For monetary donations, please E-transfer [email protected] with the note “Distro Disco”.

Here is a timeline of the donation collection period:
Donation period: FEB. 19 - MAR. 4
Donation Pick-up: FEB. 28. - MAR. 4 (DM ECHO to arrange a pick-up time)
Donation Drop-off: MAR. 5

Feel free to head over to ’s Instagram for more information! Let’s work together as a community to support unhoused neighbours in the Vancouver area!

📣 Hey folks! needs YOUR help to ✨SHARE THE LOVE✨

Distro Disco is a mobile free store that distributes various material resources to unhoused neighbourhoods on Musqueam, Tsleil-Waututh, and Squamish territories (MST territories, 'Vancouver’). Donations are distributed through three mobile donation drives.

Many unhoused neighbours navigate through daily displacement and face many obstacles in the Vancouver area. Distro Disco holds monthly mutual aid donation drives to support unhoused folks who are in need of supplies!

A call out for priority items include:
- Lanterns
- Tents
- Sleeping mats
- Tarps

To donate supplies, DM our ECHO Instagram and we will organize a time to pick up your items.

For monetary donations, please E-transfer [email protected] with the note “Distro Disco”.

Here is a timeline of the donation collection period:
⭐️ Donation period: FEB. 19 - MAR. 4
⭐️ Donation Pick-up: FEB. 28. - MAR. 4 (DM ECHO to arrange a pick-up time)
⭐️ Donation Drop-off: MAR. 5

You can also head over to for more information. Let’s work together as a community to support unhoused neighbours in the Vancouver area!

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone! 💕 We hope you all had a wonderful day dedicated to your loved ones and your friendships!

While Valentine’s Day is a day to share love with a partner, we invite you to think about this day through a new perspective.

MMIWG2S+ is a term used to describe the phenomenon of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and Two-Spirit people in Canada. MMIWG2S+ opens up conversations and makes us reflect on how Indigenous lives are erased in the media.

Meet the Marketing Coordinators, Angelika Alano and Opal Mugda ! ✨

As Marketing Coordinators, they manage ECHO Canada's social media accounts, create graphics and posters for upcoming events and social concerns.

Here are some more info about them:

⭐️Angelika is a 4th year UBC student from MST Territories “Vancouver, BC” (Richmond). Angelika loves to do art and loves content creation in general. She also enjoys watching Kdramas (her favourite is "Crashing Landing on You") and listening to KR&B. One interesting fact about her is that she is the “mom friend” of the group!

⭐️Opal is a 1st year BCIT student from Richmond, BC. She loves being outside doing outdoor activities and exploring the world! She likes to read and learn new things. One interesting fact about her is that she is a Youtuber from Thailand!

MEET THE TEAM!✨

We would like to take the time to introduce the lovely folks behind ECHO Canada!

Our team members work together to foster a safe community for everyone, especially for folks who have been systemically and historically oppressed and other marginalized groups.

Make sure to read the captions of our team members' post to get to know the members individually!💕

Meet the Directors of ECHO Canada! Our Directors contribute to the business, structuring, and operations of the organization (including hiring).

⭐️Minaho Chiew is a 4th year UBC student located in the MST Territories, “Vancouver, BC”. She loves being in the community with others, alongside watching anime and listening to podcasts. One interesting fact about Minaho is that she drinks more green tea than water.

⭐️Say hello to another Director at ECHO, Christopher McMullen! Christopher is a Consultant currently located in Montreal. Christopher enjoys bicycling, travel, photography, and reading. Christopher also enjoys watching movies (including anime!) and skating. One cool thing Christopher does for photography is that he likes to photograph using invisible light (infrared)! 

⭐️Last but not least, we have Coleen .ldy ! She's a 4th year UBC student from MST Territories “Vancouver, BC”. She loves learning new things and sharing knowledge! Coleen also likes to watch films from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. One interesting fact about her is she makes a playlist for almost every mood she has!

YOU HEARD IT HERE… We’re extending our Marketing applications! Apply to be a Marketing Director or Coordinator with 🤍 DON’T MISS OUT ON THIS OPPORTUNITY!

Deadline: Saturday, November 20, 2021 at 11:59 PM PST [Link in bio for more info]

📣 ECHO Canada is now hiring for a Marketing Director on its National Board, as well as Marketing Coordinators! 📣

Looking for a role in marketing and social media outreach with a passionate, growing organization that focuses on community-based service, working towards a more sustainable future, bridging communities, and advocating for those systematically oppressed? Join our team!

📝 Fill out the form to apply: bit.ly/echomarketing2021
🔎 Check out the full hiring package and position description for the Director (bit.ly/marketingdirector2021) and Coordinator (bit.ly/marketingcoordinator2021) positions
💻 Learn more about ECHO Canada: https://www.echocanada.org/

**Applications will close on Saturday, November 13th, 2021 at 11:59PM PST.
Feel free to message us with any questions!

3 DAYS LEFT TO JOIN ECHO CANADA 🤍

Join us as a National Board Director by Sunday, August 29th at 11:59 PM PDT.

Link in bio to apply!

You’ve got ONE WEEK LEFT to apply 🧡

On the fence about applications? Head over to our ‘HIRING’ highlight for FAQs, or DM us directly!

Apply to be a National Board Director by Sunday, August 29th at 11:59 PM PDT.

JOIN OUR TEAM!

⭐️ Do you care deeply about justice- and liberation-oriented causes?

⭐️ Are you passionate about moving towards a sustainable future?

⭐️ Are you looking to directly support local economies and advocate for voices who have and continue to experience systemic oppression?

ECHO Canada is now hiring Directors for its National Board.

APPLY HERE: http://bit.ly/echodirectors2021

Find the full hiring package and position description here: https://bit.ly/directorhiring2021

Learn more about ECHO Canada here: https://www.echocanada.org/

Applications are due by 11:59 PM PDT on Sunday, August 29, 2021.

Save the date! ECHO Canada is holding our Annual General Meeting on July 7th, 2021 @ 7PM PDT. Join us to meet the team, get involved, voice your opinions, and get the latest ECHO Canada updates!

Check out the event page for more details: https://fb.me/e/jscIN0sus

Join us in viewing Studio Ghibli's 'Princess Mononoke' followed by a community chat centred around environmental justice and sustainable action.⁣
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Movie Viewing: 4 PM PST⁣
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Group Video Chat: 6:30 PM PST⁣

RSVP Here: https://www.facebook.com/events/152624366789371
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Princess Mononoke (Japanese: もののけ姫, Hepburn: Mononoke-hime) is a 1997 epic fantasy film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki. The film stars the voices of Yōji Matsuda, Yuriko Ishida, Yūko Tanaka, Kaoru Kobayashi, Masahiko Nishimura, Tsunehiko Kamijo, Akihiro Miwa, Mitsuko Mori and Hisaya Morishige.⁣
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Japanese animator, director, producer, screenwriter, author, and manga artist Hayao Miyazaki's films often emphasize environmentalism and the Earth's fragility. Miyazaki is known for being critical of capitalism, globalization, and their effects on modern life.⁣
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Princess Mononoke is set in the late Muromachi period of Japan (approximately 1336 to 1573 CE), but it includes fantasy elements. The story follows a young Emishi prince named Ash*taka, and his involvement in a struggle between the gods of a forest and the humans who consume its resources. The term Mononoke (物の怪), or もののけ, is not a name, but a Japanese word for supernatural, shape-shifting beings that possess people and cause suffering, disease, or death.⁣
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(See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Mononoke)

(Image credit: www.ghibli.jp)

It was great to see everyone at yesterday’s Community Chat! ⁣
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A huge thank you to for leading a wonderfully insightful talk about happiness & success.
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If you are interested in leading a future Community Chat, just send us a message!

In today’s fast-paced world, you want to use every possible advantage to get an edge over the competition. The Happiness Advantage is something we can all leverage. Through his talk "Actionable Advice To Live a Happier Life", Sebastian Montenegro will share two approaches to achieving happiness: the Tetris Effect and the 20-Second Rule.⁣ Join us on Friday, February 26 at 6:00PM PST.
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"I am an international student from Mexico who is nearly finished with his 4th and last year at the UBC Sauder School of Business. Marketing and operations & logistics are the areas I am primarily interested in, but I also find the stories of successful entrepreneurs fascinating.⁣
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The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor taught me that success orbits around happiness, not the other way around. Accordingly, I tend to tackle every day and challenge with a positive mindset.⁣
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Some of my favourite hobbies include curating playlists on Spotify, goalkeeping, and reading. I am currently immersed in Barack Obama's A Promised Land, and next in line is The Uninhabitable Earth by David Wallace-Wells.⁣
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I love learning from and sharing my music taste and current reads with new people!"

RSVP on the Facebook event page: https://fb.me/e/1VNLVPqZA.

If you could change one thing in your community for the better, what would it be?

At ECHO Canada, we provide a platform for YOU to make the positive changes you wish to see in the world.

The change you want to make? We're the platform for you.

Apply now at: bit.ly/echoapply2021

For position descriptions, visit: bit.ly/echohiring2021

Hiring closes Friday, February 5 at 11:59 PM PST.

And don't forget to attend our Community Chat this Friday, January 29 at 6:00PM PST for an ongoing, collaborative conversation focused on strengthening community ties: https://fb.me/e/R7ZLmFNV

ECHO Canada welcomes you to our first Community Chat. Whether you are looking for a supportive space to share your thoughts; are on the search for a kind group of friendly faces; or simply want to sit back and relax while meeting members of your community — this is the place for you.
Join us this Friday, January 29 at 6:00PM PST for an ongoing, collaborative conversation focused on strengthening community ties, all while you eat your dinner or a snack. Here's the space to share your recent roses, thorns, and buds while connecting with fellow community members in a COVID-free, judgement-free space. Everyone is welcome!

Check out our page to RSVP and to learn more about Community Chats https://fb.me/e/R7ZLmFNV

WE'RE LOOKING FOR: Directors, Treasurers, Public Relations Officers, and Volunteer Officers.

Apply now at: bit.ly/echoapply2021

For position descriptions, visit: bit.ly/echohiring2021

WE'RE HIRING: Directors, Treasurers, Public Relations Officers, and Volunteer Officers. ⁣
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Gain valuable leadership experience, socialize with passionate teammates & positively contribute to your community!⁣
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Apply now: bit.ly/echoapply2021. ⁣
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Position descriptions found here: bit.ly/echohiring2021.

Many traditional spaces are based on ableist logic. Various barriers and wrongful assumptions limit opportunities for individuals to participate fully in community life. The collaboration of both disabled & non-disabled individuals in identifying and removing barriers, as well as the active consideration of the perspectives of disabled individuals, dismantles this ableist framework — contributing to a culture of empathy, inclusivity, & acceptance.

YOUTUBERS
Elsie discusses her experiences with accessibility spaces in academia: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC23kxu8Ul4OqFkq2inwxwqA/videos

Jessica Kellgren-Fozard openly discusses disability inclusion & accessibility supports: https://www.youtube.com/c/JessicaKellgrenFozard/featured

Lucy Edwards shares her experiences as a blind girl navigating daily life: https://www.youtube.com/c/lucyedwards/featured

Espen vlogs about his experiences with attitudinal barriers to accessible spaces: https://www.youtube.com/user/WaistHighView/featured

BOOKS
If At Birth You Don’t Succeed (Zach Anner) https://www.hpb.com/products/if-at-birth-you-don-t-succeed-9781627793643

Look Me In The Eye (John Elder Robison) https://www.hpb.com/products/look-me-in-the-eye-my-life-with-asperger-s-9780091926335-11437998

Haben: The deafblind woman who conquered Harvard Law
(Haben Girma) https://www.hpb.com/products/haben-9781538728727

It’s Just Nerves (Kelly Davio) https://www.hpb.com/products/it-s-just-nerves-notes-on-a-disability-9781941960066-32650664

PODCASTS
Breaking Dishes https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/breaking-dishes/id1462528351?uo=4 | https://open.spotify.com/show/6N6IpcLuyGg3446CcFsGas

Disarming Disability https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/disarming-disability/id1453438574 | https://open.spotify.com/show/7AqmGO6aC2nmRlYfonRcne

The Accessible Stall Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-accessible-stall/id1105184406 | https://open.spotify.com/show/5DIpNbLMsho88G19sb627m

Accommodation-based models are frequently used to protect the interests of institutions, rather than support disabled students. Frequent use of forced paperwork and disclosure to “prove” a disability are one step away from calling students who request assistance “cheaters.” ⁣All people have access needs and by upholding a system that prioritizes the needs of needs of white, cis, able-bodied neurotypicals, we continue to alienate and displace many important voices. ⁣
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Click the links below to learn about models for access-based approaches that ensure student autonomy in learning. These mechanisms avoid the categorization of disabled experiences as non-normative and do not place burden on disabled students for disclosure and self-advocacy.⁣
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(Note: Information presented in this post is thanks to a two-part Voices of Access and Disability in Higher Education webinar. Thanks to Heather McCain, Laura Yvonne Bulk, Deepi Leihl, Hannah Sullivan Facknitz, Vivian Ly, and Corin Parsons de Freitas for sharing their lived experiences.)

UNIVERSAL DESIGN LEARNING

The Three Block Model of UDL (Jennifer Katz): http://www.threeblockmodel.com/udl--gifted-education.html

About Universal Design for Learning: http://www.cast.org/our-work/about-udl.html?utm_source=udlguidelines&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=none&utm_content=homepage #.X2U6rpNKhQI
http://udlguidelines.cast.org/

ABLEISM IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Academic Ableism: Fighting for Accommodations & Access in Higher Education (Krys Méndez Ramírez): https://quod.lib.umich.edu/u/ump/mpub9708722/1:4/--academic-ableism-disability-and-higher-education?rgn=div1;view=fulltext
https://disabilityvisibilityproject.com/2019/09/23/academic-ableism-fighting-for-accommodations-and-access-in-higher-education/

Academia is Irreparably Ableist (Lisl Walsh): https://medium.com//academia-is-irreparably-ableist-925fb33721ff

READ

Disability Studies (Dan Goodley): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1j07_5IzVt0stlTsMRt2Y0EONBFaCfvrt/view

Anna's takeover is still going strong over on our Instagram story instagram.com/echocanadaorg & her answers are up on here too for all you tweeters: https://twitter.com/echocanadaorg.

Check it out!