Red Love Monday: Monica and Dinah

Every Monday, Dating Politics features leftie couples who’re shaking the laws of lust and motion while saving societies in crisis and motion. Based on the novel by Russian Rev Alexandra Kollontai, Red Love Monday is about love on the other side and inside the class struggle.

If you and your partner are lefties and want your stories posted, check out the Underground Notes and let me know. I’ll transmit the questions.

Monica and Dinah

She: Dinah, Coordinator of the Filipino Nurses Support Group (a group that organizes Filipino nurses to practise their profession in Canada). Member of SIKLAB (an overseas migrant workers organization).

She: Monica, 1. Philippine Women Centre of B.C. (member organization of the National Alliance of Philippine Women in Canada), Community Organizer, organize Filipino women and their families to address their issues as women workers of colour in Canada. 2. Grassroots Women, Community Organizer, organize working-class women to address their daily issues under imperialism with a long term perspective of achieving women’s liberation! 3. Tinig ng Masa Radio Collective, Coordinator. Bringing the People’s Views on Philippine-Canadian News to the masses.

Active Turf: Vancouver, BC, Canada and beyond.

Side by side in the struggle since: Summer of 1999.

The Meeting of Two Worlds: Through mutual friends going on a camping trip.

The Great Leap Forward (stimulating the activist):
Dinah: I was inspired by the other organizers in the Kalayaan Centre. I understood what they were calling for such as rights for workers, especially because I came here under the Live-in Caregiver Program and I witnessed all the struggles and experiences of each worker. I got inspired to do something.

Monica: I saw an ad in the SFU school newspaper asking for young Filipinos who were interested in learning about their roots. I was and have been rooted in the Filipino community in our struggle for social and economic justice ever since.

Anthem: “How Did You Know?” by Gary Valenciano

Battle cry:
Dinah: Makibaka! Huwag Matakot!* The People United Will Never Be Defeated!

Monica: Serve The People! A Woman’s Place is in the Struggle! Proud to be a Freedom Fighter!

Why she activates her world: Monica is down to earth. She is humble to everyone and dedicated to the community since 1996. She is smart, understanding, easy to talk to and is very helpful. She is also a joker between the two of us.

Why she activates her world: Dinah has a frankness that I can always appreciate. She has unlimited common sense and a worker’s attitude that I learn from every day. She also does not hesitate to challenge me to change or improve.

What activates their world: Seeing the work that can be accomplished when a group of like-minded, positive, and creative people get together to strive for social change.

The Long March: To help prepare for revolution and peace (in that order!)


*Advance the struggle! Do not fear!

Red Love Monday: Laarni and Murray

Every Monday, Dating Politics features leftie couples who’re shaking the laws of lust and motion while saving societies in crisis and motion. Based on the novel by Russian Rev Alexandra Kollontai, Red Love Monday is about love on the other side and inside the class struggle.

If you and your partner are lefties and want your stories posted, check out the Underground Notes and let me know. I’ll transmit the questions.

Laarni de los Reyes and

Murray Martin

She:  Laarni de los Reyes, B.C. Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines and the Philippine Women’s Centre of B.C.

He:  Murray Martin, B.C. Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines

Active Turf:  Vancouver, B.C.

Changing the world since:  1999

The Meeting of Two Worlds:  At a BBQ, completely non political.

Anthem:
Laarni:  “Kaisa Ka” (Unity of Women) by Teatrong Bayan, the cultural group we met during our exposure trip to the Philippines

Murray:  “Wake Up” by Rage Against the Machine

Battle cry:  The People United Will Never be Defeated!

Why she activates his world:  Laarni truly cares about other people.  She is very passionate when she gets connected to a cause.  She has an open mind and will change her position if she thinks she is wrong.  Laarni is also very curious and doesn’t presume to know it all.

Why he activates her world:  Murray is thoughtful, intelligent and open-minded.  I love his sense of adventure and he is always questioning traditions, rules and authority.

The Long March:
Laarni:  To continue learning from each other and from people living in all parts of the world in order to build international solidarity.  To resist economic injustice and inequality.  And to advance the rights and welfare of marginalized Filipinos in Canada and abroad.

Murray:  To keep working for a world where human needs are met and are not dependant on how much money someone has.  We hope to travel more.  Not in the standard vacation sense but similar to our Solidarity trip to the Philippines that allowed us to learn how organizers resistance is being carried out against tyranny and greed.  Personal plans: to keep learning from each other and take life as it comes.

Quirks outside the picket line:
Laarni:  Reading, traveling, hanging out with friends.

Murray:  There’s life outside the picket line?  Just kidding, but we like to travel, read and other standard boring things.

Red Love Monday: Julie and Neil

Every Monday, Dating Politics features leftie couples who're shaking the laws of lust and motion while saving societies in crisis and motion.  Based on the novel by Russian Rev Alexandra Kollontai, Red Love Monday is about love on the other side and inside the class struggle.

If you and your partner are lefties and want your stories posted, check out the Underground Notes and let me know.  I'll transmit the questions.

Julie Nieto and Neil Castro 

She:  Julie “Julay/Juls” Nieto, Secretary-General of the Philippine Women Centre of Quebec

He:  Neil Castro, Secretary-General of Kabataang Montreal

Side by side in the struggle since:  2006

Active Turf:  Cote-des-Neiges, Montreal, Quebec

The Meeting of Two Worlds:  Met at the Ipagpatuloy: Living the Storm! First Quarter Storm Conference in 2005, in Vancouver, B.C....

Anthems:
Juls:
• Dakilang Pakikibaka* (Neil's version)
• Buhok** by Grace Nono

• A Millie by Bambu
• My Folks by Carlo Sayo & Dagamuffin

• Determined to Rise by Dagamuffin

• Mabuhay Revolution by Peace Pipe

• Get Up, Stand Up by Bob Marley

...I could go on really, but I'ma stop here!

Neil:
• Imagine
• Dakilang Pakikibaka

Battle cry:

Juls:
• Chant: Makibaka! Huwag matakot!***
• Motto: A woman's place is in the struggle

Neil:

• Chant: Kabataan Lumalaban!****

• Motto: Serve the People

Why she activates his world:  She is very creative with a big caring heart. She refuses to conform to the norm, especially when it comes to style! She is very passionate when it comes to expressing herself on behalf of the people and doesn't need a megaphone to lead chants at a rally. Sometimes I think that she and Tala*† are going to be more like sisters than mother and daughter coz of their close bond.

Why he activates her world:  His commitment & passion to serve the people, I'm always inspired when I hear him speak at a conference/press con/community forum/workshop/discussion group... but even more so when it empowers the people! Neil could totally be a one man band... really... he sings, plays guitar/bass guitar/piano/percussion. Although I'm not sure if he can do that all at once. Neil is a lot of fun! Especially as a Tatay.*±

The Long March:  To be the living study of a revolutionary Filipino family in Canada

Quirks outside the picket line:  We love walking around Cote-des-Neiges being with the masses. We constantly download TV shows/movies. We love kicking it with Tala and teaching her things like the “Isang Bagsak!”*‡

Neil has a Tatay dance which is almost as good as the KM dance, and makes cheesy Titoˆˆ jokes... ya'll know what I'm talkin' bout!

                                          -Juls                                                                             

Juls loves to knit everything for everybody and when she's in deep concentration her head tilts and her lips curl up to her nose!

                                          -Neil                                                                            

* Great Struggle

** Hair

*** “Advance the struggle! Do not fear!”

**** “Youth Rise Up!” or “Youth Stand Up!” or “Youth Resist!”

*† Their fiercely cute daughter!

*± Father

*‡ “One Big Clap!” Executed when a group or collective has come to a point of unity

ˆˆ Uncle, from the Spanish Tio

Red Love Monday: Denise and Carlo

Every Monday, Dating Politics features leftie couples who’re shaking the laws of lust and motion while saving societies in crisis and motion.  Based on the novel by Russian Rev Alexandra Kollontai, Red Love Monday is about love on the other side and inside the class struggle.

If you and your partner are lefties and want your stories posted, check out the Underground Notes and let me know. I’ll transmit the questions.

Denise Valdecantos and Carlo Sayo

She: Denise Valdecantos.  Chairperson, The Philippine Women Centre of B.C.

He: Carlo Sayo.  National Chairperson, Filipino-Canadian Youth Alliance-National.

Active Turf: Vancouver, B.C., Canada

Changing the world since: April 2003

The Meeting of Two World Outlooks: Met the first time at Under the Volcano Festival  in August of 2002. While attending a women’s conference in November later that year, she saw him wearing a shirt that said, “Men of Quality Respect Women’s Equality.” She left for the Philippines 2 weeks later, and they e-mailed and texted until she returned to Vancouver in April 2003.

Anthem: Toss up between Stevie Wonder’s “Sunshine of my life” and “I’ll Cover You” from Rent.

Battle cry: “Makibaka! Huwag Matakot!” **

Why she activates his world: “I am always inspired by her creativity and compassion. Most often, I find she is the first to volunteer to help someone in need. She’s also more good natured and fun than I am.”

Why he activates her world: “His hard work and commitment to serving the people. I love his creativity, thoughtfulness and watching him perform poetry.”

The Long March: A bundle of revolutionary children --who will grow up to change the world in their own way.

**Advance the struggle!  Do not fear!"

“Well hello. What’s your dogma?”

No activist has ever said that to me as a pick-up line. Then again, no apolitical charmer has ever asked me what my sign is either. Should that situation ever happen to any left militant, a scientific love profile based on ideology* would come in handy to determine whether or not your dogma is compatible with his/hers’ dogma.

So I made one.

The Communist

Why we love them: As Vanguards of the proletariat and champions for a classless society, Communists are all about uniting and rolling with their motley crew, the workers of the world. It’s cool; they have nothing to lose but their chains.

Make them want you: Drop the books every so often and change the world. You can always interpret it in the process.

Big Shots: Karl Marx, Che Guevara, Pablo Neruda.

The Socialist

Why we love them: Who doesn’t love them? The ultimate social butterflies, Socialists are the life of any party, organizing cooperatives while crushing capitalist structures.

Make them want you: Remember, sharing is caring. Dismantle consumer private property and push for socialized health care, childcare, education and the means of production. Society will increase its productivity and wealth, allowing the masses plenty of time for more intimate and frisky social affairs.

Big Shots: Vladimir Lenin, Albert Einstein, Rosa Luxemburg, the editors of the Monthly Review.

The Feminist

Why we love them: Independent, assertive, sassy and sexy! Aside from being fearless, trailblazing spitfires, Feminists are revolutionary strategists, aware of themselves as works-in-progress, thus taking the super-sisterhood high road along the clumsy highway to emancipation.

Make them want you: Stay in the kitchen.  Be honest, to her and to yourself especially if you’re vacillating between patriarchal cowardice and struggling to be the liberated man (liberated from patriarchal cowardice that is). This isn’t just about attracting the Feminist—it’s about doing a tremendous favour to the world, to women and to yourself.

Big Shots: Alexandra Kollontai, Ninotchka Rosca, Simone de Beauvoir.

The Organic Intellectual

Why we love them: Astute in the praxis towards a more conscious society, Organic Intellectuals can easily translate Marx’s Critique of Hegel’s Philosophy of the Right, but they have enough humility—and humanity—to sleep on flattened cardboard boxes with striking workers and admit they don’t know everything or anything really.

Make them want you: Eschew elitist cliques, fraternities, sororities and refuse to be a YES person for the status quo. Seek knowledge outside the cushy ivory towers of academia and learn amongst the lower rank of the class divide. Organic Intellectuals know that lower organs (socially and physically) are more exciting than upper organs.

Big Shots: Antonio Gramsci, Carlos Bulosan, Frederick Engels.

The Liberation Theologian

Why we love them: They may not be able to split the Red Sea or raise the dead, but they will die for your sins and for the people.

Make them want you: Love thy neighbour. Ditch mass and Sunday school and actually be with the masses either in the cocoa fields of Brazil or at a battered women’s shelter. Stand up against the Man as David did against Goliath and say your prayers every night (you’re excused from attending church, but God can still see you).

Big Shots: Gustavo Gutierrez, Paulo Freire, Jesus.

The Anarchist

Why we love them: As the extreme sports-nuts of left movements, Anarchists are unpredictable, adrenalized empiricists always ready for a showdown either through direct action or civil disobedience.

Make them want you: Keep up, but keep away. Enjoy the perks that come with political flings (spontaneity and individualism) but lower your red love standards. Anarchists detest systems, government, states and ideologies of any kind and believe that no person truly belongs to anyone.

Big Shots: Pierre Joseph Proudhon, Mikhail Bakunin, Emma Goldman.

*I haven’t covered all progressive doctrines, just some of the biggies.