Hello, my name is Marla and I live inVancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and I am a student completing my teaching certification. In the fall of 2009 I will begin as a substitute teacher within high schools, with an eye of further exploring how I might enter the educational institution in a way that I will be able to collaborate with others for a revolution within. The educational process of becoming trained as a teacher has been both frustrating and revealing. Through this "training" I have become intimately acquainted with the tools used by the institution of education to maintain oppressive and highly unjust relationships and privileges within North American society.

My political work began many years ago as an angry youngster working against issues related to poverty and patriarchy in my home community. Currently, I am an active member of the local anti-war coalition StopWar.ca, the Olympic Resistance Network, and the Vancouver Participartory Economics Collective.

I am passionate (and sometimes obsessed) about reimagining the structure and role of the educational institution in society, as well as the organization and work of caregiving that is done within our communities. I look for and am interested in opportunities to do work on furthering the concrete vision of what the institution of education would look like and distinguish real possibilities for moving there. I also am interested in looking closer at the kinship sphere, more specifically the role and practice of caregiving within our society as well as designs for action that provide tools and supports for ending the patriarchal orientation of this sphere.

I enjoy stilt-walking, gardening, cooking and eating amazing food, travel, and the joys and frustrations of family, community, and community organizing. Finally, I am currently exploring my more dramatic side with the hopes of using theatre within the activist organizations I am a member of.