Support Shaista: Transformative Justice in Action
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Overview
We are raising $10,000 to cover Shaista’s legal costs as well as her mental, spiritual and emotional labour in confronting harm in our communities and in the performance ecology.
Funds from this campaign will also go to folks who have come forward to give testimony about their time at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre. So far over 20 people have come forward to Shaista with their statements/testimonies. Embracing a transformative justice process that centers the needs of those who have been harmed, the funds from this campaign will go to supporting folks on their terms.
More Information Here
Detailed Summary
On May 27, 2020, Shaista Latif, a working-class artist and activist of colour whom we admire, whose work is rooted in community and social justice, came forward about harm she experienced while in a romantic relationship with another member of the queer/arts community (“X”). Shaista’s letter detailed both her experiences of harm and her unmet efforts to have a community-based transformative justice process for accountability. The full text of the open letter that Shaista wrote is here .
As a result of this public statement, X filed a $35, 000 defamation lawsuit against Shaista.
Shaista has attempted to get X to drop the lawsuit. Additionally, members of the queer and/or arts community came together to ask X to drop the lawsuit, drafting a letter that was ultimately signed by 243 community members. Unfortunately, the lawsuit is still pending.
In addition to this lawsuit, Shaista has also been working hard to responsibilize Buddies in Bad Times for their harmful behaviour towards marginalized and racialized people. She is helping to create a mediation process to address these harms and create radical institutional transformation that is community led and supported. We recognize and support this work by Shaista.
X is an artist who has been contracted by Buddies in Bad Times for several years. The company’s silence regarding X’s abuse was in character with treatment that Shaista and other people of colour had experienced at Buddies in Bad Times in the past.
After reading Shaista’s open letter, several people approached her with their stories of how they were mistreated at Buddies. She has taken on the task of calling-in Buddies in Bad Times for their harmful behaviour, specifically toward BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Colour) and other marginalized artists, and is engaging in a mediation process to address these harms and create radical institutional transformation.
This work has been at a major emotional and mental cost to Shaista. All while she has to engage a lawyer to defend herself, despite her income sources, such as performing and conducting workshops, all disappearing due to COVID-19.
We are asking the community to help raise $10,000 for:
1. Shaista’s legal fees
2. Shaista’s living expenses
3. Support for the 20 plus artists who are organizing with Shaista, providing statements and testimony.
Let’s show our support for Shaista, our comrade, colleague, and friend, who generously and consistently provides us with knowledge and advocacy. She has been doing this taxing work without compensation - we hope we can step up and support her now.
Please donate and spread the word.
We are raising $10,000 to cover Shaista’s legal costs as well as her mental, spiritual and emotional labour in confronting harm in our communities and in the performance ecology.
Funds from this campaign will also go to folks who have come forward to give testimony about their time at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre. So far over 20 people have come forward to Shaista with their statements/testimonies. Embracing a transformative justice process that centers the needs of those who have been harmed, the funds from this campaign will go to supporting folks on their terms.
More Information Here
Detailed Summary
On May 27, 2020, Shaista Latif, a working-class artist and activist of colour whom we admire, whose work is rooted in community and social justice, came forward about harm she experienced while in a romantic relationship with another member of the queer/arts community (“X”). Shaista’s letter detailed both her experiences of harm and her unmet efforts to have a community-based transformative justice process for accountability. The full text of the open letter that Shaista wrote is here .
As a result of this public statement, X filed a $35, 000 defamation lawsuit against Shaista.
Shaista has attempted to get X to drop the lawsuit. Additionally, members of the queer and/or arts community came together to ask X to drop the lawsuit, drafting a letter that was ultimately signed by 243 community members. Unfortunately, the lawsuit is still pending.
In addition to this lawsuit, Shaista has also been working hard to responsibilize Buddies in Bad Times for their harmful behaviour towards marginalized and racialized people. She is helping to create a mediation process to address these harms and create radical institutional transformation that is community led and supported. We recognize and support this work by Shaista.
X is an artist who has been contracted by Buddies in Bad Times for several years. The company’s silence regarding X’s abuse was in character with treatment that Shaista and other people of colour had experienced at Buddies in Bad Times in the past.
After reading Shaista’s open letter, several people approached her with their stories of how they were mistreated at Buddies. She has taken on the task of calling-in Buddies in Bad Times for their harmful behaviour, specifically toward BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Colour) and other marginalized artists, and is engaging in a mediation process to address these harms and create radical institutional transformation.
This work has been at a major emotional and mental cost to Shaista. All while she has to engage a lawyer to defend herself, despite her income sources, such as performing and conducting workshops, all disappearing due to COVID-19.
We are asking the community to help raise $10,000 for:
1. Shaista’s legal fees
2. Shaista’s living expenses
3. Support for the 20 plus artists who are organizing with Shaista, providing statements and testimony.
Let’s show our support for Shaista, our comrade, colleague, and friend, who generously and consistently provides us with knowledge and advocacy. She has been doing this taxing work without compensation - we hope we can step up and support her now.
Please donate and spread the word.
Fundraising team: Team Legal Fund (2)
Team Legal Fund
Organizer
Toronto, ON
Shaiesta Latif
Beneficiary
Alison Wong
Team member
Sedina Fiati
Team member
