Hi friends and neighbours,

I really thought I would be spending this newsletter talking about Carney's speech at Davos, widely and largely uncritically lauded for saying the quiet part out loud, and then half a dozen ICE agents in Minneapolis pinned an ICU nurse named Alex Pretti on the ground and shot him ten times in the back. Pretti's murder came the day after a general strike that saw tens of thousands in the street on one of the coldest days of the winter, planned in response to the murder of Renee Good a mere two weeks ago.

Pretti and Good are likely names you've heard of, but they are just two of nine people murdered by ICE in the first 26 days of the year. None of the other victims—Porter, La, Dominguez, Cruz, Diaz, Lunas, and Núñez—were white. It's awful that this is what it took to break through, but something seems to be shifting. DHS ghoul-in-chief Greg Bovino is leaving Minneapolis and maybe his job; the American Federation of Government Employees (Pretti's union, which also represents border patrol officers) is calling for the resignation of Kristi Noem and Stephen Miller; moderates left and right are signing onto Abolish ICE as the compromise position. All while whistles continue to blare through the Twin Cities, wielded by citizens refusing to back down in the face of deadly threats from the terrorists on the US government's payroll.

Some of the organizing in Minneapolis has involved the reactivation of networks built during the George Floyd uprisings. A lot, maybe even most, has been the work of ordinary people who saw their neighbours being kidnapped and said not on my watch. Margaret Killjoy, reporting from Minneapolis, has called this movement leaderful. It is decentralized and democratic and everyone leads, everyone acts.

I truly believe that the notion that most people don't care is right-wing propaganda. The careful security practices that pundits are accusing of being the work of professional insurrectionists is actually the result of a deep-seated care for communal safety. The dizzying scale of block after block rising up to deliver supplies, information, funds, and bodies at a moment's notice is not evidence of an all-powerful centralized anarchist cabal, but rather the thumbprints of the same collective love that sets up meal trains, chaperones school trips, and funds community theatre. And the understanding that this love can be harnessed—without institutions, without leaders—to mobilize a city to defend itself rests on the back of decades of activists pushing to advance the idea of mutual aid, which laid the groundwork for this kind of revolutionary care.

Glued to the news this weekend, I kept asking myself whether Toronto would have risen to the occasion the way the Twin Cities did, but now I think that is maybe the wrong question. ICE definitely didn't think Minneapolis was capable of such a response, that's why they went there in the first place. Maybe Minneapolis didn't know, either. A better question to ask is, what can we do now, here, to strengthen our muscles for caring and for seeing each other's humanity, so that when the time comes turning away seems unfathomable?

Toronto is buried under twenty inches of snow and there are only seven warming centres open. It is frostbite weather, and the city is busy preparing to close two shelters in May to make way for condo development, losing 560 shelter beds at a time of rapidly rising homelessness. We wag our fingers at American cruelty and sell them the armoured cars they need to wage their campaign. There are so many ways we are failing our neighbours, in all senses of the word, and so many opportunities for us to do better.

Call your councillor and ask them to keep the shelters open; call your MP and ask them why we're exporting equipment to be used for the supply of concentration camps; send some support to Darryl Richardson, who broke a hip when Toronto police attacked anti-fascist counterprotestors a few weeks ago and had to undergo major surgery. Then find something to show up to, offline, face-to-face. You'll feel warmer for it.

Jenny

Events this week

Tuesday, January 27, 2026 🔗

3PM — Wires of Coloniality: A Century of Telephone in Palestine (19 Ursula Franklin St, AP246)
Hearing Palestine - This talk addresses telecommunications infrastructure in Palestine-Israel by exploring its development since its establishment during the British colonial period. Tracing the evolution of telephone infrastructure over the past century arguably reveals not only patterns of resemblance, reemergence, and continuity in power relations, but also the cumulative impact of infrastructural injustice over time.

5:30PM — Defending Your Victory Rally (361 University Ave)
Cycle Toronto - The Province is appealing the decision that protected Toronto’s bike lanes. On the eve of the Cycle Toronto v. Ontario appeal hearing, come together to defend this victory.

6PM — Major Transit Station Areas Zoning Town Hall – East York (777 Bloor St W)
City of Toronto - The City of Toronto is updating zoning by-laws near major transit areas (near subway, Go, and streetcar stops) to allow for higher density. Join a town hall to hear more about changes and provide feedback.

6:30PM — Toronto Police Accountability Organizing Meeting (Available upon registration (St Clair & Bathurst))
Toronto Police Accountability Coalition - TPAC is holding two meetings to talk about the past 25 years of the group, the current situation, and the future of the group. All who are interested in changing policing in Toronto for the better are invited to join and help chart a better way forward.

6:30PM — Harm Reduction Advocacy Open Meeting (College St United Church)
Harm Reduction Advocacy Collective Toronto - A working meeting open to all, including newcomers to HAC! Work will focus on developing a financial working committee, working on mission vision and values statement, and the political education/teach-in organizing committee to advance harm reduction.

7PM — Fear of a Black Nation Book Club (504 Oakwood Ave)
A Dutty Boukman Book Club - Groundings in Little Xaymaca Study group is back and the first book of the year will be Fear of a Black Nation: Race, Sex, and Security in Sixties Montreal by David Austin.

7PM — Civic Meetup - Designing a Shared Data Future for the Arts Sector (Hybrid)
Civic Tech Toronto - Civic Tech Toronto's weekly meetups bring together Torontonians who want to improve the city through design, tech, and data. This week, hear about the DNA Project and its effort to design a shared, public-interest data ecosystem for the arts sector. Followed by project breakout sessions.

7:30PM — Re-imaging Climate Education for a Living Future (Virtual)
Environmental Education Ontario - What would it mean to teach for regeneration in climate education? In this session, Maria Vamvalis shares insights from research on holistic climate justice education.

7:30PM — Extreme Wildfire Events in Urban Environments (Virtual)
Cinema Politica Danforth - Extreme wildfire events in cities and towns are increasingly common. Are we developing strategies to deal with these events when they happen? Join this online panel and discussion for a timely look at the dangers of climate-changed wildfires, how we can reduce the risk, and how to adapt before it’s too late.

Wednesday, January 28, 2026 🔗

9:45AM — Cycle Toronto v Ontario Appeal Hearing (130 W Queen St)
Cycle Toronto - Join Cycle Toronto in person at the Ontario Court of Appeal to show support for evidence-based decision making and the rule of law and to defend bike lanes. Zoom link also available.

1PM — Disability Without Poverty January Townhall (Virtual)
Disability Without Poverty - Join this townhall to hear about Disability Without Poverty’s continued effort to build a national advocacy community around disability justice and how you can get involved in pressuring the Liberal government to improve supports for people with disabilities.

2:30PM — The Stop Urban Agriculture Workshop (601 Christie)
The Stop - A hands-on learning session for community members seeking connection to food, to nature, and to each other. Session one covers house plant care and propagation – come meet your neighbours this winter!

4PM — Wayfinding: Privacy (1RG)
1RG - Wayfinding is a conversation series about navigating the tensions of tech in modern life. The first event will address the theme of “privacy” and feature a conversation between Parker Higgins and Jenny Zhang on how to re-envision our relationship to digital privacy and renew our sense of optimism about engaging with other people online.

5PM — Wednesdays 4 Palestine (Danforth and Pape)
Wednesdays 4 Palestine - Every Wednesday afternoon in East Toronto. Flags and signs are provided.

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 — Hopeful Speculations Book Club: Monk & Robot duology (Virtual)
The Climaverse - A community-building space to connect over speculative fiction and read our way through the dark. Come prepared to discuss the Monk and Robot duology by Becky Chambers and how to chart our way to brighter possibilities.

6PM — Tenant Organizing Training (The 519)
Toronto Centre Tenant Union - TCTU is a group of renters in downtown Toronto who organize together and support each other. Join the next tenant organizing training/orientation to learn how how tenants can stand up against bad management and rent increases.

6:30PM — Fund the Frontlines (5650 Hurontario St)
Peel Elementary Teachers’ Local - PDSB senior leadership tried to force cuts to front-line student supports quietly, without trustee or union consultation. Show up to the PDSB Board Meeting to protect student supports and demand transparency and accountability at a time of increasing provincial interference.

7PM — AI Data Centres and Their Impact on Communities (Virtual)
ClimateFast - Want to learn more about AI data centres? What are the environmental, social, and community-level impacts of AI data centres in Ontario? Hear from two expert tech scientists oh what AI data centres are and how they work.

7PM — Parkdale Housing Justice Network Monthly Meeting (Capital Espresso)
Parkdale Housing Justice Network - Come join this monthly open meeting to learn about PHJN’s work in the past year and find out how to get involved. Bring new and gently used winter clothing and packaged snacks to be distributed during outreach in the neighbourhood!

Thursday, January 29, 2026 🔗

7AM — Seasons of Care Workshop (STACKT market)
The Seasons Collective - A design workshop exploring women’s health, community care, and collective storytelling.

8:30AM — Climate Coffee - Toronto (CSI Spadina)
Climate Coffee Toronto - A monthly coffee meet up for anyone working in or interested by the climate spaces, for like-minded individuals to catch up about projects across climate tech, impact investing, and more. Part of the global Climate Coffee series.

11:30AM — Building a Culture and Practice of Community Care on Campus (Daphne Cockwell Complex)
TMU Office of Social Innovation - Featuring disability justice scholar and care collective organizer, Dr. Loree Erickson, and collective care artist–researcher and TMU alum, L. Morris, this conversation and workshop will take up how we care for one another in university.

3PM — Climate disinformation is getting smarter. Are local governments ready? (Virtual)
Canada’s National Observer - Climate mis/disinformation is no longer confined to social media or fringe corners of the internet. Join CNO to examine how climate mis/disinformation is spreading, why local politicians are increasingly vulnerable, and what can be done to respond.

4:30PM — Candlelight Vigil for Hind Rajab (Yonge & Bloor)
Toronto Beyond War - Two years ago, Hind Rajab was trapped in a car in Gaza, surrounded by the bodies of her family, begging for help as Israeli forces closed in. Come gather as a community in grief, in rage, and in love to honour Hind’s life, to say her name out loud, and to demand justice at the very doors of those responsible.

5PM — Know Your Rights Workshop (Lawrence Heights Community Centre)
A Dutty Boukman Book Club - This workshop will address the Toronto Police’s long history of brutality and harassment against Black and Indigenous communities, to build with Black Youth, Aunties, Mothers, Activists and Families using abolitionist principles. Also hear about the recent Class Action against TPS for their Carding practices.

6PM — Fabric and Craft Supplies Swap Fundraiser (163 Stirling Rd Unit 167)
Alysia Myette - A PWYC fabric and craft supplies swap with proceeds going to the West End Community Action Network in support of mutual aid.

6PM — Major Transit Station Areas Zoning Town Hall – Etobicoke York (86 Montgomery Rd)
City of Toronto - The City of Toronto is updating zoning by-laws near major transit areas (near subway, Go, and streetcar stops) to allow for higher density. Join a town hall to hear more about changes and provide feedback.

6:30PM — Higher Education Organizing Meeting (College Street United Church)
Socialist Project - Come help build the sectoral-wide organizing strategy for the higher education sector. This meeting will be focused on creating a Solidarity Pact for higher education workers, featuring lessons from the Toronto Airport Workers Council.

7PM — Four Our Kids New Year Welcome Call (Virtual)
For Our Kids - Join this Welcome Call to find out more about the For Our Kids network and how to take climate action together this year. Come out to connect, chat, meet other parents and ask any questions about For Our Kids.

Friday, January 30, 2026 🔗

2PM — 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.

2:15PM — Queer Scarborough On Zine (UTSC (SICIEEIL))
Queerborough - This zine workshop approaches zine-making as a queer archival and pedagogical practice rooted in place. Centering Scarborough, come explore how queerness is lived and remembered outside of downtown cores and institutional archives. What does Queer Scarborough mean to you?

5:30PM — Jam3itna Arab Social Gathering (Downtown Toronto)
Palestinian Youth Movement - The PYM invites the Arab community in the diaspora to join in for a social evening of culture and community. Jam3itna is made to bring Arab youth together through music, performances, coffee, food and great people!

7PM — Community Fridges Zine Workshop (Mischief Makers)
Community Fridges Toronto - Mischief Makers and Community Fridges Toronto are joining forces to bring you: Cut, Fold, Organize, a community zine-making workshop. PWYC, come an evening of creativity, connection, and DIY storytelling for collective action.

Saturday, January 31, 2026 🔗

12PM — Mega Book Swap (32 Lisgar St)
Glad Day Bookshop - The Mega Book Swap is a place to get books for free or cheap. You can swap your books for books or you can buy tickets to exchange for books. This Book Swap is for everyone and (almost) every kind of book!

1PM — Protecting and Advancing Public Universal Health Care (Virtual)
Canadian Unitarians for Social Justice - Come hear about the Canadian Health Coalition and their provincial and territorial counterparts who are fighting to defend universal health care and fend off the threat of privatization. Get involved in supporting this fight!

1PM — Celebrating Autistic Expression (401 Richmond St)
Tangled Arts - An artist talk and film screening with artist Kat Singe reflecting on their journey towards depicting complex mental states through fibre sculpture and moving image. Followed by a screening of three short video works that illuminate the inner workings of an Autistic mind and a facilitated Q&A. Virtual option available.

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 — Construction Workers’ Industrial Organisation Congress (Virtual)
Construction Workers’ Industrial Organisation - Come join the fight to unite all construction unions across Canada into one industrial union to strike together against the attacks on worker interests!

2PM — Noname Book Club Toronto – Nervous Conditions (24 Cecil St)
A Different Booklist - Noname Book Club connects community members both inside and outside carceral facilities with radical books to build community through political education. For January, join in to read Nervous Conditions by Tsitsi Dangarembga.

2PM — Blooming In Community (TBA)
Adornment Stories - Join a joyful and grounding gathering that uplifts he mental wellness of Black queer and trans communities.

6PM — Tenant Organizing Training (Virtual)
Democratic Socialists of Canada - This 2 hour session teaches practical skills you can immediately use to start organizing your neighbours and other tenants in your city. Learn how to prepare for a campaign, chart a building, develop a power analysis, have effective conversations with your neighbours, and much more!

7PM — The Day Iceland Stood Still (Friends House)
Leo Panitch School for Socialist Education - A special screening of a film that answers the question, what if every woman simply took the day off? In Iceland, on October 24, 1975, 90% of the women of Iceland refused to work, cook, or take care of the children and brought the country to a standstill. Discussion to follow.

Sunday, February 1, 2026 🔗

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.

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.

11AM — Gaza Square (371 Wallace Ave)
Davenport 4 Palestine - Davenport 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!

12PM — Brigid’s Bazaar for Palestine (It’s OK* Studios)
Irish 4 Palestine - Irish4Palestine Toronto invites you to join us this St. Brigid's Day for a beautiful afternoon of music, food, art, culture and solidarity. All proceeds will be going directly to support Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, Aclaí, and Modern Childhood Kindergarden.

3PM — Harm Reduction Book Club: Care Work (College St United Church)
HAC Reading Group - In January Harm Reduction Advocacy Collective will read Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha‘s Care Work, a special essay collection on disability justice, organizing, and history of activism in Toronto.

6PM — The Revolution of 1936-1939 In Palestine Reading Group Part 1 (Available upon registration)
Palestinian Youth Movement - A special 2-part book club on Ghassan Kanafani’s “The Revolution of 1936-1939 in Palestine”. The first session aims to provide relevant context and background for understanding Palestinian revolutionary history (covering pages 10 - 34 of the PDF).

7PM — Queer Self-Defense (Tallulah’s Cabaret)
Queer Self Defense Toronto - This self-defence class is tailored specifically for the queer community! No registration is required. A place for anyone to learn precious skills that ultimately make you more confident and your loved ones safer.

Monday, February 2, 2026 🔗

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.

7PM — DSA Orientation (Virtual)
Democratic Socialists of Canada - In this one-hour session, you will listen to a brief presentation outlining the DSC's mission, structure, and activities, and learn how to get involved in your local Chapter. Followed by discussion and Q&A.

Down the road

Tuesday, February 3, 2026 🔗

11AM — Learning from the Land (Virtual)
6PM — Major Transit Station Areas Zoning Town Hall – North York (5110 Yonge St)
6PM — Organizing in Critical Times (Virtual)

Wednesday, February 4, 2026 🔗

2PM — Labour Organizing Workshop (York Lanes Mall)
5PM — Wednesdays 4 Palestine (Danforth and Pape)
5:45PM — Doorknocking for Palestine (Available upon RSVP)
6:30PM — Know Your Rights: Empowering Youth to Understand Policing in Schools (Virtual)

Friday, February 6, 2026 🔗

7PM — Organizing Amazon book launch (College St United Church)
7PM — PHP4P Community Meeting (Available upon registration)
1PM — The Rise of Climate Denialism & Use of Social Media Webinar (Virtual)
2PM — Fridays 4 Palestine (Yonge and Bloor)

Saturday, February 7, 2026 🔗

11:30AM — Free Clothing Swap (The Hub)
1PM — BDS Leafletting (900 Dufferin St)
6PM — The Revolution of 1936-1939 In Palestine Reading Group Part 2 (Available upon registration)

Sunday, February 8, 2026 🔗

10AM — Virtual Tech Worker’s Coalition Coffee (Virtual)
11AM — Sundays 4 Palestine (Bathurst and Sheppard)
11AM — Gaza Square (371 Wallace Ave)
1PM — Friends and Families for Safe Streets Peer Support Meeting (401 Richmond St W, Room 375)
1PM — Strong Towns Toronto’s Monthly Meeting (The 519)

Monday, February 9, 2026 🔗

6PM — Major Transit Station Areas Zoning Town Hall – Scarborough (150 Borough Dr)

Tuesday, February 10, 2026 🔗

12PM — Fund Our City Rally (Toronto City Hall)
12:30PM — Weekly Phone Zap for Palestine (Virtual)
5PM — East End Acts Monthly Vigil (Main and Danforth)

Wednesday, February 11, 2026 🔗

5:45PM — Doorknocking for Palestine (Available upon RSVP)

Thursday, February 12, 2026 🔗

2PM — Regional Assessment: The Path to More Efficient, Effective and Trustworthy Project Decisions? (Virtual)

Friday, February 13, 2026 🔗

7PM — Notes Toward a Digital Workers’ Inquiry book launch (Friends House)
2PM — Fridays 4 Palestine (Yonge and Bloor)

Saturday, February 14, 2026 🔗

1PM — BDS Leafletting (900 Dufferin St)

Sunday, February 15, 2026 🔗

10AM — Virtual Tech Worker’s Coalition Coffee (Virtual)
11AM — Gaza Square (371 Wallace Ave)
2PM — Introduction to Socialism (Available upon registration)
2PM — Revolutionary study series: Marx on the metabolic rift (427 Bloor St W)

Tuesday, February 17, 2026 🔗

8PM — Social Production of Science Reading Group – Module 4 (Virtual)
9PM — DSA Orientation (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.