Hi friends and neighbours,

When I started this project back in May, it was after a couple of months of research and interviewing organizers in the city to learn about their experiences. Having dipped into and out of activist spaces a few different times in my life, I felt sure that good work was happening in the city—it always is—but I no longer had a good sense of the overall ecosystem or how to plug in. The political trends we had been observing throughout the last few decades have accelerated so much in the past five years and organizers have had to adapt over and over again to meet the moment. I figured that if I was struggling to make sense of the landscape, then others would be, too.

This project was initially conceived of as a stop-gap. The more I spoke to folks the more I found out about inspiring initiatives and efforts I wasn't hearing about anywhere else, and it frustrated me that this information was so inaccessible. A calendar seemed like the most obvious solution.

Almost immediately after launch it grew into a bigger undertaking than I was expecting. Since May I have posted 1,296 events from 525 organizers. On average there are 38 events a week, with four weeks featuring more than 60 events. These were all in the fall, though I wouldn't read too much into that; as the project grew, so did the number of sources I was pulling events from.

Twenty organizations were recorded as having hosted more than 10 events in that period. The prize goes to Davenport For Palestine, who put on an incredible 58 events. They have three weekly meetups in addition to one-off trainings and orientations, and their stamina is awe-inspiring.

342 groups only put on one public event, whereas the top 10% most prolific hosts put on almost half of the events total. Just under 10% of the organizers I listed were actually coalitions of groups that came together for one-off events and dispersed again.

All these numbers are approximate, of course, because I only post events I find out about in time, but the approximations still tell me a couple of things:

1. My initial assumption was correct; there are thousands of people in the city working every day to make the world more kind, more just, more humane. Unpaid, unasked, simply because it is the right thing to do.
2. My difficulty parsing the landscape was not a fluke. This calendar is useful precisely because efforts are often siloed, and the amount of work required to make sense of what's happening is directly related to this disaggregation.

Disaggregation is not necessarily a bad thing. Decentralization and redundancy create resiliency. Capitalism operates on a logic of efficiency, but good community is inefficient. Toronto is a city of a thousand communities, and that's what I love about it. But if we want to beat back the dystopia that the billionaires and their sycophants are desperate to usher in, we need to be more organized than we are, and more organized than they are by far.

I am truly grateful to all of you who have joined me on this experiment so far, whether you've been here since day 1 or whether you signed up yesterday. I absolutely love when people tell me they went to something they wouldn't have found without Show Up. (This actually happened once at an event that I was hosting where the person didn't know that Show Up is my project, and they were somewhat taken aback by my utter delight.)

We also can't forget that showing up is only the first step. I know I am not alone in pondering the conundrum of long-term strategy, and I am wrapping up this year with more questions than answers in the hopes that you will ponder with me, too.

The newsletter will be back on January 6th, 2026. The website will of course still be online, and the RSS feed, calendar feed, Bluesky bot, and Fediverse bot will keep ticking, though I probably won't be adding a ton of new events in the next few weeks. If you've found this newsletter helpful in any way, above all I would love for you to share it with a friend or a neighbour or a colleague or a stranger.

I hope you can get some rest over the darkest days of the year. We have work to do when the light starts coming back.

Jenny

Events this week

Tuesday, December 16, 2025 🔗

11AM — Ontario Pre-Budget Collective Submission (Virtual)
York Region Food Council - Consultations and pre-budget submissions are important opportunities to share your voice on how the government should address poverty and food insecurity. Join other individuals and organizations to draft a collective York Region-focused budget submission for the provincial government!

5PM — Civic Hacknight - 10 Years of Civic Tech Toronto (Hybrid)
Civic Tech Toronto - Civic Tech Toronto's weekly hacknights bring together Torontonians who want to improve the city through design, tech, and data. tech, and data. This week, the Civc Dashboard team will give an update on what they’ve been up to and how you can get involved. Followed by breakout group sessions to work on projects.

5PM — East End Acts Weekly Vigil (Main and Danforth)
East End Acts for Palestine - East End Acts will be meeting weekly on Tuesday afternoons to remember the thousands of men, women, and children murdered by the zionist state. Join your east end neighbours as we gather in solidarity to mourn & honour our martyrs, demand an end to the genocide in Palestine, and an end to Canadian complicity in the ongoing atrocities.

6PM — Healing our Humanity: Doctors Resist Apartheid (Virtual)
Drawing Wisdom - Colonial violence hurts the world from every angle. To heal the world we must resist colonialism in every way. Join a heartfelt and humble conversations with two physicians who are striking down colonial walls in every space they enter.

6:30PM — Rent Grant Program Info Session (Virtual)
Ontario ACORN - Bill 60 is coming. Join Ontario ACORN to walk through what’s coming, what it means for tenants, and most importantly, we’ll talk about the win-win solution the government didn't even consider.

6:30PM — Mining Injustice Solidarity Network Orientation (Virtual)
Mining Injustice Solidarity Network - Fired up about mining injustice, Land Back, and global solidarity organizing? Join Mining Injustice Solidairty Network for a New Member Orientation to learn how the collective works and how to get involved.

6:30PM — Harm Reduction Social Meeting (College St United Church)
Harm Reduction Advocacy Collective Toronto - A social meeting with the harm reduction community with some extra treats from the food working group. There will be a brief meeting at 7pm to hear ideas about what you’re hoping to see in the coming weeks at HAC - from teach-ins, workshops, organizing actions, follow ups we missed, social ideas, etc!

7PM — West End Community Action Network Winter Clothing Drive (Houndstooth)
West End Community Action Network - A special fundraiser edition of Rockin’ Good Time Bingo to benefit West End Community Action Network. Bring winter clothing and join a fun night of bingo!

Wednesday, December 17, 2025 🔗

12PM — Urgent Briefing on Health-Care Privatization (Virtual)
Ontario Health Coalition - The treat against public health care in Canada is at an all-time high. Join Ontario Health Coalition for an urgent briefing on the highly orchestrated propaganda campaign by pro-privatization forces in Canada and learn how to fight for public health care.

5PM — Art & Chat (2 Carlton St)
Women’s Health in Women’s Hands - Join for a crafting session to create community, chat about mental health, and learn more about the Ontario Structured Psychotherapy (OSP) Program. Paint a tote bag and make some jewelry with friends!

5:30PM — Ubuntu Christmas Party (163 Queen St E)
Ubuntu Black Trans, Non-Binary and Gender Diverse Collective - Come out, celebrate, and enjoy the vibes with Ubuntu’s Black trans, non-binary, and gender diverse community! Let’s close the year with joy, connection, and good energy.

5:45PM — Doorknocking for Palestine (Available upon RSVP)
Davenport 4 Palestine - Davenport 4 Palestine is doorknocking in the neighbourhood to mobilize neighbours in support of a real arms embargo. No experience is necessary, you'll be paired up with a seasoned doorknocker. RSVP by emailing at davenport4palestine@gmail.com.

6PM — Monthly Resilience Reads (248 Ossington)
West Neighbourhood House - Share the joy of reading, while building climate resilience knowledge. Neighbours are invited to discuss a book they are reading, tell stories, and empower each other to explore community-driven solutions.

6PM — Harm Reduction Kit Making (168 Bathurst St)
Trip Project - Learn what goes in a Harm Reduction kits and help make batches of different assortments. Come hang out and learn how to make your own kits! All supplies will be provided along with snacks, TTC tickets, and good vibes.

6:30PM — RIGS Grief Skill Building & Discussion Group (452 College St)
Radical Intersectional Grief Support - In-person grief support group for people impacted by the drug poisoning crisis. Pay what you can – trades welcome!

7PM — Who’s Afraid: Sameer Project Fundraiser (438 Queen St W)
We’re Afraid - A literary series which invites readers and audience members to think about who gets to be afraid, what precisely we fear, and where that comes from. Proceeds for this reading will benefit the Sameer project.

7PM — International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers (The 519)
Maggie’s Toronto - The International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers is a universal vow of love and rage, remembrance and resilience, reflection forged into action. All sex workers in the GTA are invited to come by, enjoy a catered dinner, and vibe out with your community.

Thursday, December 18, 2025 🔗

9:30AM — Breathing Lands Court Support Request (361 University Ave)
Raven Trust - Treaty No. 9 First Nations are standing to defend what was never ceded: their sacred role in caring for this land. Ontario is trying to strike down their right to decide what happens on their territory. Support the Breathing Lands defenders and pack the courtroom with solidarity.

6PM — Chat & Craft (Scadding Court Community Centre)
The Green Line - A fun hands-on PWYC zine workshop. Learn how to make your own zine, connect with others and share stories while you craft.

6PM — Building Collective Power (Virtual)
Muslim Legal Support Centre - This seminar offers a practical session focused on organizing, advocacy tools, and strategies to drive meaningful change in your workplace.

Friday, December 19, 2025 🔗

12PM — Annual Winter Solstice Dinner (1499 Queen St W)
PARC Toronto - A long-standing PARC tradition rooted in community to share a hot meal, music, laughter, and a sense of belonging. A night about family (chosen and found), creativity, and creating space to forget daily struggles, even if just for a little while. Members and friends welcome.

3PM — Fridays 4 Palestine (Yonge and Bloor)
Fridays4Palestine - Come show your support for Palestinians every Friday at the Israel Consulate. Stand up for human rights and say no to genocide.

5:30PM — Armed By Design: A Propaganda & Revolutionary Art Event (Available upon registration (Toronto))
Eglinton-Lawrence & Don Valley for Palestine - Come learn about revolutionary art and propaganda from Palestine to Cuba to Mexico and beyond; discuss the intersection of art, organizing, and people’s movements with a panel of artists, and participate in a screen- and lino-printing workshop.

6PM — Kababayanihan: Fundraising Concert for Typhoon-Struck Filipinos (468 Queen St W)
Migrante Ontario - Let's come together to support Filipino communities in the Philippines who are still recovering from Typhoon Tino and Super Typhoon Uwan. All proceeds for this concert will go directly to relief and rebuilding efforts in the hardest-hit areas.

Saturday, December 20, 2025 🔗

1PM — BDS Leafletting (900 Dufferin St)
Davenport 4 Palestine - Join Davenport 4 Palestine for the weekly BDS leafleting campaign at Dufferin Mall. Meet outside south entrance and buddy up – no experience necessary!

2PM — Caribbean Community Study Circle (A Different Booklist)
Caribbean Solidarity Network - As 2025 comes to a close, come gather, connect and discuss community priorities for the upcoming year. Celebrate a community oriented towards collective liberation and help plan for 2026. DJ on site, food will be served!

3PM — Cuba Rising Fundraising Event (24 Cecil St)
Toronto Forum on Cuba - Join a fundraising event to raise funds to help Cuba’s relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa. The event will feature a cultural prgraom, a Cigar raffle, and more!

3PM — Winter Solstice Series: Weaving Dreamcatchers (Tommy Thompson Park Nature Centre)
Toronto and Region Conservation Authority - During this 2-hour workshop, Algonquin Métis visual artist, educator, and Knowledge Keeper, Diane Montreuil will share teachings and Indigenous Ways of Knowing surrounding the winter season and the solstice. All materials will be provided.

8PM — SubLunar Winter Solstice Gathering (116 Spadina Ave)
Ripple Community Collective - A Winter Solstice celebration that doubles as an emergency winter aid collection for our unhoused neighbours. DJ & Live flute all night - bring a winter aid donation and receive $5 off your ticket. Collecting clean, good-condition winter essentials! Men’s items especially needed.

Sunday, December 21, 2025 🔗

10AM — Virtual Tech Worker’s Coalition Coffee (Virtual)
Tech Worker's Coalition Canada - Drop by for a virtual coffee hour on Sunday mornings to chat with fellow tech workers about what’s on your mind and to learn more about the Tech Worker’s Coalition. TWC considers anyone who is involved in the production and maintenance of digital technology to be a tech worker, whether you are a bike courier working at a food delivery app service, a designer, a software engineer, a product owner, a data labeller or a content moderator. Hope to see you there!

11AM — Gaza Square (371 Wallace Ave)
Davenport 4 Palestine - Daveport 4 Palestine invites you to come hang out at Gaza square on Sunday mornings with hot chocolate and coffee, buttons and posters, lawn signs and colourful chalk. Come say hi and meet your fellow neighbours/organizers as they make their presence known and continue to build safety in their community!

11AM — Sundays 4 Palestine (Bathurst and Sheppard)
Sundays4Palestine - Weekly counterprotest to the Zionist community that comes out to celebrate the ongoing genocide in Palestine. Flags and signs provided.

12PM — Civic Tech Toronto Holiday Party (1RG)
Civic Tech Toronto - ​Come celebrate a great 2025 of Civic Tech Toronto! Hang out, reflect on the year that's passed, look ahead to the one to come, and (as ever) have a great time doing it.

4:15PM — Winter Solstice Storytelling by the Fire (Harbourfront Centre)
Miigwech Collective - An enchanting, intergenerational celebration of the Winter Solstice through stories, song and Indigenous teachings. Take part in a traditional smudge ceremony, learn about the sacred Medicines and explore the beauty of Indigenous traditions.

Monday, December 22, 2025 🔗

12:30PM — Weekly Phone Zap for Palestine (Virtual)
Toronto Zaps For Palestine - Join with organizers from coast to coast in calling, emailing, and faxing demands to elected officials for a full two-way arms embargo to stop Canada's complicity in the genocide.

5PM — Students for Queer Liberation Radical Drop-In (UTSU Student Commons)
Students for Queer Liberation Toronto - Open to students and non-students alike. Masks required. The drop-in is an open space for fellow anarchists, leftists, and radicals to hang out, meet like-minded folks, discuss leftist and anarchist books/zines, explore OPIRG TO's resource library, enjoy snacks with friends, and build community.

Down the road

Tuesday, December 23, 2025 🔗

9AM — Trial of Faith and Climate Action protestor Canon Michael Van Dusen (92 Front St East)
5PM — East End Acts Weekly Vigil (Main and Danforth)

Monday, December 29, 2025 🔗

12:30PM — Weekly Phone Zap for Palestine (Virtual)

For the full up-to-date event listing, visit the Show Up Toronto website. If you find this newsletter useful, I would love for you to:

• Forward it to a friend
• Tell me if you go to an event
• Send me other organizing events in the city I may have missed

You can reach me by replying directly, or by emailing organize@showuptoronto.ca.