Hello friends and neighbours,

Happy new year, and I hope you were able to get some rest the past few weeks. Unfortunately 2026 is already on notice, opening as it did with the illegal US airstrike on Venezuela and subsequent kidnapping of their head of state. I was pretty disgusted (though not surprised) by the reactions of various Canadian elected officials: the conservatives practically salivating over imperialist aggression and the liberals meekly mumbling about international law without ever mentioning what happened or who initiated it.

I spent much of the weekend doomscrolling over this, along with the rest of the Anglo internet, which of course helped absolutely nothing and nobody. It was a pretty stark reminder that social media is a terrible arena for processing fear, anger, and grief, and in times of chaos and uncertainty it's best to get offline and focus on the things we can do. Above all, despair and paralysis are the enemy.

I want to highlight the community solidarity rally this weekend at Nathan Philips Square, which is a counter-protest to the same white supremacist losers who tried to take over Christie Pits in the fall and got thoroughly outnumbered. Let's do it again! If you can't make it out to that, there's also a virtual event about learning from the anti-eviction movement in Venezuela, which seems timely. Also, the City of Toronto is going through its budget process right now, and Social Planning Toronto has a ton of events for how to get involved. There's always something that's in our power to influence.

Thanks for showing up.

Jenny

Events this week

Tuesday, January 6, 2026 🔗

6PM — What’s Wrong with Line 6 (Jane/Finch Centre #50A)
Jane Finch Action Against Poverty - The newly opened Line 6 is nearly half the speed of the Finch West bus, despite billions. Come for a public meeting to discuss LRT speed and reliability and what the community can do about these challenges.

6:30PM — Harm Reduction Advocacy Open Meeting (College St United Church)
Harm Reduction Advocacy Collective Toronto - Join HAC Toronto for its monthly organizing meeting, featuring a screening of the documentary Takeover: How We Occupied a Hospital and Changed Public Health Care. There will also be discussions on the recent shift in the toxic drug supply and the devastating rise in fatal ODs.

7PM — A Labour of Love Book Launch (25 Cecil St)
Toronto Workers’ History Project - From a small rural village in Jamaica to the negotiating table, this book traces the extraordinary journey of Herman Stewart and his journey to become a leader in the broader labour movement and the Jamaican-Canadian community.

7PM — Civic Meetup - Data Advocacy with Maps (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, François Lebas will share about recent initiatives that strengthen the case for the arts through data-driven advocacy. Followed by project breakout sessions.

7:30PM — The future of the NDP, and who will lead it (Virtual)
Rabble - The federal NDP will pick their new leader at the end of March. Rabble’s team of panelists looks at the race and breaks down the major issues, endorsements, and events of the campaign so far.

Wednesday, January 7, 2026 🔗

5PM — Sudan Teach-In (First Student Centre, Room 313)
York Federation of Students - While Sudan faces one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world, the violence is being ignored. Join this teach-in exposing the genocide being carried out by the RSF and the global powers profiting from mass killings.

5:30PM — Bikechain Volunteer Orientation (230 College St)
Bikechain - Bikechain is an educational bicycle repair space serving the University of Toronto and the public, offering a variety of free services to students. Come by to learn about how to volunteer at Bikechain – all welcome, no experience required!

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.

6:30PM — RIGS Grief Skill Building & Discussion Group (452 College St)
Radical Intersectional Grief Support - An in-person skill building and discussion group around navigating grief, for people impacted by the drug poisoning crisis. PWYC – trades welcome.

7PM — Budget 101 (Virtual)
Social Planning Toronto - Social Planning Toronto’s Budget 101 workshop will provide an overview of the City of Toronto's budget process and of effective advocacy strategies.

Thursday, January 8, 2026 🔗

4PM — Extraction: The Frontiers of Green Capitalism (170 St George St)
U of T Institute for Environment, Conservation and Sustainability - Will green capitalism save us from the climate crisis? Clean technologies are growing sites of capitalist investment, but the supply chains that produce these technologies require significant resource extraction. This talk addresses this dilemma through the lens of lithium, which plays an essential role in decarbonizing one of the most polluting sectors: transportation.

7PM — Parkdale High Park 4 Palestine Community Meeting (Hybrid)
Parkdale-High Park for Palestine - First PHP4P community meeting of 2026! Come re-group with your neighbors to discuss new and ongoing solidarity initiatives for Palestine. All are welcome, please bring a friend!

Friday, January 9, 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.

Saturday, January 10, 2026 🔗

11:30AM — Free Clothing Swap (2660 Eglinton Ave E)
Scarborough Environmental Association - Whether it's a new fit for yourself or a loved one, drop by this clothing swap to find something unique. Family friendly event, all welcome!

12PM — Learning From the Tenants’ Movement in Venezuela (Virtual)
ILPS Canada and Off the Defensive - As a part of a series on "Building an Anti-Imperialist Neighbourhood Struggle", come hear from Rigel Sergent, the spokesperson for Movimiento de Inquilinas e Inquilinos, an anti-eviction movement in Venezuela.

12:30PM — No to Hate: Blame Billionaires, Not Immigrants (Nathan Philips Square)
Community Solidarity Toronto - Come out for a community rally in support of immigrants to counter-protest those who want to scapegoat them for all the problems caused by capitalists and oligarchs. Say no to hate!

12:30PM — Willowdale Repair Cafe (5120 Yonge St)
Repair Cafe Willowdale - Bring your small appliances, clothing, housewares, and computers that need some care and learn how to repair items from community volunteers.

1PM — Naloxone Training with Cupid Local (Houndstooth)
Cupid Local Toronto - Do you carry Naloxone? Do you know how to use it? Have questions? Join Cupid Local on the second Saturday of every month for Naloxone training. Get this life-saving medication in your hands and out on the streets!

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!

Sunday, January 11, 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 — 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!

12PM — My Life As A Cyborg (292 Brunswick Ave)
Toronto Zine Library - A compilation zinemaking workshop. The purpose of this zine is to document digital existence at a cultural turning point — where being offline is no longer an option and we are asking what it means to be human.

2PM — Toronto Aces and Aros Open Discussion (The 519)
Toronto Aces and Aros - Come chat with others under the ace & aro umbrellas. People are invited to bring ideas of what they'd like to talk about (or just come for the conversation).

Monday, January 12, 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.

Down the road

Tuesday, January 13, 2026 🔗

5PM — East End Acts Monthly Vigil (Main and Danforth)
6PM — Social Media for Grassroots Advocacy (Virtual)
6PM — StreetKnit Project Meeting (103 Bellevue Ave)

Wednesday, January 14, 2026 🔗

7PM — Civic Meetup - Open Data Infrastructure for the Performing Arts (Hybrid)
5:45PM — Doorknocking for Palestine (Available upon RSVP)
6PM — Technologists for Democracy Monthly Volunteer Meeting (Virtual)

Thursday, January 15, 2026 🔗

7PM — Deputation 101 (Virtual)
7:30PM — NINE HOURS NOW! The Battle for a Shorter Working Day, 1872 (25 Cecil St)
6:30PM — Higher Education Organizing Meeting (College Street United Church)

Friday, January 16, 2026 🔗

7:30PM — NINE HOURS NOW! The Battle for a Shorter Working Day, 1872 (25 Cecil St)
10AM — Housing Advocacy Workshop (Virtual)
1PM — Getting Shift Done: Applied Psychology for Environmental Impact (Virtual)
2PM — Fridays 4 Palestine (Yonge and Bloor)

Saturday, January 17, 2026 🔗

7:30PM — NINE HOURS NOW! The Battle for a Shorter Working Day, 1872 (25 Cecil St)
9:30AM — Scarborough Winter Duck Watching (Bluffers Park)
11AM — Scarborough Winter Duck Watching (Bluffers Park)
1PM — BDS Leafletting (900 Dufferin St)

Sunday, January 18, 2026 🔗

10AM — Virtual Tech Worker’s Coalition Coffee (Virtual)
7PM — Sudan, Remember Us Screening (Redwood Theatre)
11AM — Gaza Square (371 Wallace Ave)
1PM — On Labour Zionism Part 1 (Virtual)
2PM — Revolutionary study series: Capitalism and economic crisis (427 Bloor St W)

Monday, January 19, 2026 🔗

12:30PM — Weekly Phone Zap for Palestine (Virtual)
2PM — Budget Town Hall 2026 (Virtual)

Wednesday, January 21, 2026 🔗

7PM — Civic Meetup - Mining public datasets (Hybrid)
5:45PM — Doorknocking for Palestine (Available upon RSVP)
6PM — Community Art Social (2660 Eglinton Ave E)

Friday, January 23, 2026 🔗

7PM — Toronto Association for Peace and Solidarity AGM (TBA)
2PM — Fridays 4 Palestine (Yonge and Bloor)
6:30PM — Earth’s Greatest Enemy Premiere (1006c Bloor St W)

Saturday, January 24, 2026 🔗

7PM — Cybernetic Circulation Complex Book Launch (502 Bathurst ST)
1PM — BDS Leafletting (900 Dufferin St)

Sunday, January 25, 2026 🔗

10AM — Virtual Tech Worker’s Coalition Coffee (Virtual)
11AM — Gaza Square (371 Wallace Ave)

Monday, January 26, 2026 🔗

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.