Embark Sustainability Society

Community Kitchen: စားနပ်ရိက္ခာ နှင့် အာဏာ - လူထုအတွက်စုဝေးပွဲ
2025-11-26 17:30 - 21:30 (America/Vancouver) | SUB Community Kitchen – SFU Burnaby, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, British Columbia, V5A 1S6, Canada
Community Kitchen: စားနပ်ရိက္ခာ နှင့် အာဏာ – လူထုအတွက်စုဝေးပွဲ

Date & Time
Wed, November 26, 20255:30 PM – 9:30 PM PDT

Location
SUB Community Kitchen, room #2125 (SFU Burnaby)

Register now

How does our relationship to food change in the face of militarization? In this community kitchen, Burmese students Aung Chan Pyae and Phone Min Thant invite us to explore this question through the lens of the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Myanmar.
As we prepare Burmese dishes together, our facilitators will share stories and insights on how militarization has disrupted food systems, livelihoods, and daily survival for Burmese communities. Together, we’ll reflect on what access to affordable and sustainable food looks like amid systemic displacement, scarcity, and resistance.
We’ll be making:

ကြက်ဥချက် (Egg Curry) – Served with rice
ဂေါ်ရခါးသီးဟင်းခါး (Chayote Soup)* – Served with rice
အုန်းနို့သာကူ (Coconut sago) – Dessert

* The Chayote Soup is a dish containing shellfish (shrimp powder). Please let us know of any dietary restrictions and/or food allergies in the registration form ahead of the event.

AGENDA

Introductions and Housekeeping
Cooking and Activities
Eating and Discussion
Wrap-up and Clean-up

Whether you’re a seasoned chef or new to the kitchen, all are welcome! This event is first-come first-serve until we reach capacity, so we encourage you to register and arrive 10 minutes early. Thanks and see you there!✨

Land Acknowledgement
This event takes place on the unceded homelands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish), səlil̓ilw̓ətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), and kʷikʷəƛw̓əm (Kwikwetlem) Nations.

ABOUT THE FACILITATORS

Aung Chan Pyae (William) (he/him)Aung Chan Pyae (William) is a third-year Beedie student born and raised in Myanmar (Burma). Since coming to Canada in late-2022, William has been actively involved in the Canadian Food and Beverage Industry, having worked at various restaurants across Metro Vancouver. He has also been enthusiastically engaged with Beedie, having taken part in numerous case competitions, community initiatives, and projects. Outside of academic and professional career, William has a profound love for cooking, a hobby he has pursued since he was a child back home. As someone who has seen Myanmar’s conflicted political situation first-hand, William will be combining his love for cooking with his aspirations to introduce Burmese cuisine to the SFU student community.
Phone Min Thant (he/him/they)Phone is a third-year (Honours) student in the SFU School for International Studies who was also born and raised in Myanmar (Burma). He serves as the Food Justice Coordinator at Embark Sustainability Society, where he plays a leading role in organizing and administering community-oriented food justice-related events alongside the Food Justice Collective. His academic research interests and works include Southeast Asian politics and diplomacy, armed conflict studies, defence and demilitarization affairs. He also actively participates in the policy realm, having authored two policy briefs on various topics. His past experience includes being a research assistant for the Research Network for Women, Peace, and Security (RN-WPS). Currently, Phone is also serving as the Arts & Culture Editor at the Peak student newspaper and as a lead tutor (and site coordinator) for the Friends of Simon Tutoring Program.

Event Accessibility

Embark Sustainability events are free and open to Embark Sustainability members which includes Simon Fraser University undergraduate and graduate students, as well as Embark Sustainability Associate Members.
This event will be held indoors at the SUB Community Kitchen, room #2125 of the Student Union Building (SUB), SFU Burnaby. Accessibility details include:

Attendees are free to opt in and opt out of activities as suits their needs throughout the event, including exiting and re-entering the event space.
Some appliances and counter areas of this room are not accessible when using a wheelchair or other mobility aids. The dining/lounge area is accessible when using a wheelchair or other mobility aids.
We aim to host a scent-free space. Please refrain from wearing scented products in attendance of this event.
Unfortunately, we cannot provide ASL interpretation at this time. We will be providing written recipe instructions.

We aim to make our events accessible to as many of our community members as possible. If we can take further action to make this event accessible to you, please contact Embark Sustainability’s Director of Engagement at engagement@embarksustainability.org.

Health & Safety
Participants who register are agreeing to release Embark Sustainability Society from any liability related to COVID-19. Masks are optional but encouraged.

Community Agreement
By registering to attend this event, you are agreeing to be respectful when listening to and communicating with others, and be mindful of the space you are taking up amongst your peers.
Embark Sustainability does not tolerate violence or aggression against others on the basis of race, ethnicity, place of origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, religious affiliation, or ability. Please also refer to people using the introductions they provide and do not assume pronouns/gender/knowledge based on someone’s name or appearance.
If these agreements are broken by someone, we will have to ensure the safety of our community members by removing them from the event.

Questions
If you have any questions about this event, please contact Embark Sustainability’s Food justice Programs Coordinator at food@embarksustainability.org.

Register for this Event
get reminders & event details now

Community Kitchen: Rooted in Soil, United in Struggle
2026-01-28 17:30 - 21:30
Community Kitchen: Rooted in Soil, United in Struggle

Date & Time
Wed, Jan 28, 20265:30 PM – 9:30 PM PST

Location
SUB Community Kitchen, room #2125 (SFU Burnaby)

Register now

ABOUT THE EVENT

What does it mean to be Rooted in Soil and United in Struggle? Join us with Salma and Samia for a community kitchen that defines and bridges the shared agrarian struggles between Indonesia and Rwanda.
Indonesia and Rwanda both have predominantly agrarian economies, yet food insecurity, displacement, and the exploitation of farmers amoung several other forms of oppression are rampant within these nations. As they share their favourite Indonesian and Rwandan recipes, Salma and Samia will guide us in a discussion about this joint struggle to emphasize the importance of building international solidarity towards food justice.
Let’s cook, eat, and reflect together on how land, food, and collective resistance connect our struggles across borders.
We’ll be making:

Nasi Uduk & Ayam Goreng (coconut milk rice with fried chicken)
Isombe (cassava stew with rice)
Mizuzu (fried plantains)
Es Cincau (iced grass jelly drink)

All dishes are Halal. Please let us know of any dietary restrictions and/or food allergies in the registration form ahead of the event.

AGENDA

Introductions and Housekeeping
Cooking and Activities
Eating and Discussion
Wrap-up and Clean-up

Whether you’re a seasoned chef or new to the kitchen, all are welcome! This event is first-come first-serve until we reach capacity, so we encourage you to register and arrive 10 minutes early. Thanks and see you there!✨

Land Acknowledgement
This event takes place on the unceded homelands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish), səlil̓ilw̓ətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), and kʷikʷəƛw̓əm (Kwikwetlem) Nations.

Event Accessibility

Embark Sustainability events are free and open to Embark Sustainability members which includes Simon Fraser University undergraduate and graduate students, as well as Embark Sustainability Associate Members.
This event will be held indoors at the SUB Community Kitchen, room #2125 of the Student Union Building (SUB), SFU Burnaby. Accessibility details include:

Attendees are free to opt in and opt out of activities as suits their needs throughout the event, including exiting and re-entering the event space.
Some appliances and counter areas of this room are not accessible when using a wheelchair or other mobility aids. The dining/lounge area is accessible when using a wheelchair or other mobility aids.
We aim to host a scent-free space. Please refrain from wearing scented products in attendance of this event.
Unfortunately, we cannot provide ASL interpretation at this time. We will be providing written recipe instructions.

We aim to make our events accessible to as many of our community members as possible. If we can take further action to make this event accessible to you, please contact Embark Sustainability’s Director of Engagement at engagement@embarksustainability.org.

Health & Safety
Participants who register are agreeing to release Embark Sustainability Society from any liability related to COVID-19. Masks are optional but encouraged.

Community Agreement
By registering to attend this event, you are agreeing to be respectful when listening to and communicating with others, and be mindful of the space you are taking up amongst your peers.
Embark Sustainability does not tolerate violence or aggression against others on the basis of race, ethnicity, place of origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, religious affiliation, or ability. Please also refer to people using the introductions they provide and do not assume pronouns/gender/knowledge based on someone’s name or appearance.
If these agreements are broken by someone, we will have to ensure the safety of our community members by removing them from the event.

Questions
If you have any questions about this event, please contact Embark Sustainability’s Food justice Programs Coordinator at food@embarksustainability.org.

Register for this Event
get reminders & event details now

Community Kitchen: For Migrant Justice, with Migrant Activists
2026-03-25 17:30 - 21:30
Community Kitchen: For Migrant Justice, with Migrant Activists

FARMWORKER AWARENESS WEEK: A CONVERSATION ON MIGRANT WORKERS’ RIGHTS ACROSS TURTLE ISLAND

Date & Time
Wed, Mar 255:30 PM – 9:30 PM PDT

Location
SUB Community Kitchen, room #2125 (SFU Burnaby)

Register now

ABOUT THE EVENT
Join us in celebrating and honouring Farmworker Awareness Week with migrant activists Evelyn Encalada Grez, Gabriel Allahdua, and Aaraón Díaz Mendiburo!
We’ll be cooking, eating, appreciating, and discussing staple foods in migrant workers’ diets throughout Turtle Island while raising awareness of farmworker rights and working conditions. This special Community Kitchen will unite migrant workers and the SFU community together in active resistance against the structural injustices faced by migrant workers and their families.
We’ll be making:

Traditional Mexican Mole with chicken (mushrooms for vegetarian substitute), served with rice pilau
Stew with green figs and ground provisions (Vegan), served with rice
Jelly with sour cream

Please let us know of any dietary restrictions and/or food allergies in the registration form ahead of the event.

AGENDA

Introductions and Housekeeping
Cooking and Activities
Eating and Discussion
Wrap-up and Clean-up

Whether you’re a seasoned chef or new to the kitchen, all are welcome! This event is first-come first-serve until we reach capacity, so we encourage you to register and arrive 10 minutes early. Thanks and see you there!✨

Land Acknowledgement
This event takes place on the unceded homelands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish), səlil̓ilw̓ətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), and kʷikʷəƛw̓əm (Kwikwetlem) Nations.

ABOUT THE FACILITATORS

Evelyn Encalada Grez (she/her)

Meet Evelyn
Evelyn is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology and the Labour Studies Program at SFU. She is the co-founder of Justice for Migrant Workers (J4MW), a collective that has been at the forefront of the migrant farmworker movement in Canada for over 20 years. She is an award-winning scholar and organizer that specializes in transnational labour-migration, migrant justice, and community-engaged research.

Gabriel Allahdua (he/him)

Meet Gabriel
Gabriel is a former migrant farm worker from St. Lucia, an island in the Eastern Caribbean. For almost a decade, he has organized with the (J4MW) collective. He was an Activist in Residence (AIR) at the University of Guelph, the first person to hold that position, which brought activists and researchers together.
Gabriel is currently an Outreach Worker working with migrant workers across Ontario and Education and Mobilization Officer with the Association for the Rights of Household and Farm Workers (DTMF).

Aaraón Díaz Mendiburo (he/him)

Meet Aaraón
Aaraón is an academic and filmmaker that has followed migrant workers and their families for over a decade. His research deals with health, education, employment, social representation, and intercultural relations issues of agricultural migrants to Canada, their families, and both their communities of origin and destination. As an independent documentary filmmaker, he has directed and produced Migrant Mother (2020), Matices: “Temporary” Migration in Canada (2011), and Migrants: Those who come from within (2007). He is currently working on his fourth documentary about activism on cannabis destigmatization in North America.
Aaraón is also a professor in the anthropology bachelor’s program and in the master’s Mexico-USA program at the Center for Research on North America – UNAM / Researchers (UNAM). He has further taught in the master’s migration studies program at the Universidad Iberoamericana. He is a level-I member of Mexico’s National System of Researchers.

Event Accessibility

Embark Sustainability events are free and open to Embark Sustainability members which includes Simon Fraser University undergraduate and graduate students, as well as Embark Sustainability Associate Members.
This event will be held indoors at the SUB Community Kitchen, room #2125 of the Student Union Building (SUB), SFU Burnaby. Accessibility details include:

Attendees are free to opt in and opt out of activities as suits their needs throughout the event, including exiting and re-entering the event space.
Some appliances and counter areas of this room are not accessible when using a wheelchair or other mobility aids. The dining/lounge area is accessible when using a wheelchair or other mobility aids.
We aim to host a scent-free space. Please refrain from wearing scented products in attendance of this event.
Unfortunately, we cannot provide ASL interpretation at this time. We will be providing written recipe instructions.

We aim to make our events accessible to as many of our community members as possible. If we can take further action to make this event accessible to you, please contact Embark Sustainability’s Director of Engagement at engagement@embarksustainability.org.

Health & Safety
Participants who register are agreeing to release Embark Sustainability Society from any liability related to COVID-19. Masks are optional but encouraged.

Community Agreement
By registering to attend this event, you are agreeing to be respectful when listening to and communicating with others, and be mindful of the space you are taking up amongst your peers.
Embark Sustainability does not tolerate violence or aggression against others on the basis of race, ethnicity, place of origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, religious affiliation, or ability. Please also refer to people using the introductions they provide and do not assume pronouns/gender/knowledge based on someone’s name or appearance.
If these agreements are broken by someone, we will have to ensure the safety of our community members by removing them from the event.

Questions
If you have any questions about this event, please contact Embark Sustainability’s Food justice Programs Coordinator at food@embarksustainability.org.

Register for this Event
get reminders & event details now

Community Kitchen: Wild Gastronomy: 'Foraging' the Path to Plant-forward Eating
2026-06-17 17:30 - 21:00
Community Kitchen: Wild Gastronomy: ‘Foraging’ the Path to Plant-forward Eating

EXPLORING CLASSIC AND MODERN CULINARY TECHNIQUES WITH WILD, PLANT-BASED FOODS

Date & Time
Wed, Jun 175:30 PM – 9:00 PM PDT

Location
SUB Community Kitchen, room #2125 (SFU Burnaby)

Register now

ABOUT THE EVENT
We are excited to be joined by Chef Oliver as he takes us on a culinary journey to wild gastronomy! He’ll be walking us through classic and modern techniques and philosophies of a plant-based kitchen, which involve zero waste, wild food foraging and locavorism. You can look forward to:

Getting to know how a top-tier culinary team operates in plant-forward, sustainable eating
A surprise three-course, Michelin-worthy dinner prepared by Chef Oliver
An opportunity to improve your knife skills

About Wild Gastronomy
Wild gastronomy is a seasonal foraging practice that elevates hyper-local plants, fungi, and game into fine culinary experiences. Relative to this practice is locavorism, a diet that prioritizes food that is grown, harvested, and produced within a specific local geographic area. Together, wild gastronomy and locavorism celebrate regional food traditions while encouraging greater awareness of seasonal cycles, biodiversity, and the ecological relationships that shape local food systems.

AGENDA

Introductions and Housekeeping
Activities
Eating and Discussion
Wrap-up and Clean-up

Whether you’re a seasoned chef or new to the kitchen, all are welcome! Please let us know of any dietary restrictions and/or food allergies in the registration form ahead of the event. We strongly recommend registering as soon as possible, as we have a limited capacity of 20 spots available for this community kitchen.

Thanks and see you there!✨

Land Acknowledgement
This event takes place on the unceded homelands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish), səlil̓ilw̓ətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), and kʷikʷəƛw̓əm (Kwikwetlem) Nations.

ABOUT THE FACILITATORS

Oliver Vimos (he/him)

Meet Oliver
Over the last four years, Oliver has honed his craft in a variety of kitchens, but for the past two, he’s been at Hummus X Hortense—a 1-Michelin-star vegan restaurant that recently ranked #10 in the world for vegetable-focused dining! True to his plant-forward philosophy, everything he teaches celebrates the whole ingredient: from root to flower, seed to stem, nothing gets left behind. Get ready to see food in a whole new way!

Event Accessibility

Embark Sustainability events are free and open to Embark Sustainability members which includes Simon Fraser University undergraduate and graduate students, as well as Embark Sustainability Associate Members.
This event will be held indoors at the SUB Community Kitchen, room #2125 of the Student Union Building (SUB), SFU Burnaby. Accessibility details include:

Attendees are free to opt in and opt out of activities as suits their needs throughout the event, including exiting and re-entering the event space.
Some appliances and counter areas of this room are not accessible when using a wheelchair or other mobility aids. The dining/lounge area is accessible when using a wheelchair or other mobility aids.
We aim to host a scent-free space. Please refrain from wearing scented products in attendance of this event.
Unfortunately, we cannot provide ASL interpretation at this time. We will be providing written recipe instructions.

We aim to make our events accessible to as many of our community members as possible. If we can take further action to make this event accessible to you, please contact Embark Sustainability’s Director of Engagement at engagement@embarksustainability.org

Health & Safety
Participants who register are agreeing to release Embark Sustainability Society from any liability related to COVID-19. Masks are optional but encouraged.

Community Agreement
By registering to attend this event, you are agreeing to be respectful when listening to and communicating with others, and be mindful of the space you are taking up amongst your peers.
Embark Sustainability does not tolerate violence or aggression against others on the basis of race, ethnicity, place of origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, religious affiliation, or ability. Please also refer to people using the introductions they provide and do not assume pronouns/gender/knowledge based on someone’s name or appearance.
If these agreements are broken by someone, we will have to ensure the safety of our community members by removing them from the event.

Questions
If you have any questions about this event, please contact Embark Sustainability’s Food justice Programs Coordinator at food@embarksustainability.org.

Register for this Event
get reminders & event details now

Community Kitchen: Let's Talk Black Food Sovereignty
2026-07-30 17:30 - 21:30
Community Kitchen: Let’s Talk Black Food Sovereignty

THE RIGHT TO FOOD, CULTURE, AND LIBERATION

Date & Time
Thursday, July 305:30 PM – 9:30 PM PDT

Location
SUB Community Kitchen, room #2125 (SFU Burnaby)

Register now

Featured Image: “Impromptu barbecue on Lock St. in Port Dalhousie c. 1940. Photographer: Harry Harper” | Source: St. Catherine’s Museum Blog

ABOUT THE EVENT
How is food connected to freedom, resilience, and collective care? Join us for a community kitchen honouring American Juneteenth and Canadian Emancipation Day, where we will explore Black food sovereignty through the interconnected histories of land, labour, and liberation across Black communities in the United States and Canada.
Let’s celebrate the richness, creativity, and care embedded in Black food traditions across borders, including:

Soul food traditions shaped by the ingenuity and care of enslaved Black communities who transformed scraps and limited resources into nourishment, culture, and tradition
African Nova Scotian communities that relied on deep knowledge of farming, fishing, foraging, and food preservation to sustain generations on minimally fertile land.

Food has long been tied to Black memory, community, cultural preservation, and collective life. Together, we will explore what Black food sovereignty means today, and how food continues to serve as a powerful site of history, community, and collective care.
About Juneteenth & Emancipation DayCelebrated annually on August 1, Emancipation Day marks the abolition of slavery in Canada and across much of the “British Empire.” June 19 or “Juneteenth” marks the delayed enforcement of emancipation in Texas more than two years after the U.S. Emancipation Proclamation. Together, these histories remind us that the abolition of slavery did not guarantee true liberation, dignity, safety, land, or justice. Through the lens of Black food sovereignty, this community kitchen creates space to hold these histories while engaging with the ways food continues to nourish resistance, memory, and collective care in the present.

We’ll be making:*

Mac and Cheese
Fried Chicken & Fried Cauliflower
Honey Butter Cornbread
Seasoned Greens (cabbage from our Learning Gardens)
Sweet Potato Pie

*Please let us know of any dietary restrictions and/or food allergies in the registration form ahead of the event. We strive to accommodate participants’ dietary needs to the best of our ability, but please note that no recipe adjustments will be made to any of the menu items. Thank you for your understanding.

AGENDA

Introductions and Housekeeping
Activities
Eating and Discussion
Wrap-up and Clean-up

Whether you’re a seasoned chef or new to the kitchen, all are welcome!

Thanks and see you there!✨

Land Acknowledgement
This event takes place on the unceded homelands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish), səlil̓ilw̓ətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), and kʷikʷəƛw̓əm (Kwikwetlem) Nations.

ABOUT THE FACILITATORS

Purity Onoyemeakpo (any/all pronouns)

Meet Purity
Purity is a Mechatronic Systems Engineering student at Simon Fraser University with a strong interest in how technologies of all kinds shape communities, ways of life, and the environment. They are deeply engaged in issues related to climate equity, land and food sovereignty, mining, militarization, and anti-imperialist movements. Purity has been a community organizer for several years, contributing to organizing efforts with Canada Philippines Solidarity for Human Rights, Simon Fraser Public Interest Research Group, Embark Sustainability Society, and Access to Media Education Society. They currently serve as the Relations Officer on Embark Sustainability’s Board of Directors.

Marie Haddad (she/her)

Meet Marie
Marie is an SFU graduate student and Coptic Egyptian who serves as the Director of Engagement at Embark Sustainability Society, where she develops and leads inclusive, community-focused initiatives. Before taking on this role, she spent five years as a student organizer dedicated to advancing equitable and sustainable education, uplifting marginalized communities, and championing intersectionality, anti-oppression, and anti-racism. As the inaugural VP of Equity and Sustainability at the SFSS and a former SOCA Executive, Marie helped drive landmark joint campaigns such as the creation of the Black Student Center, 15 Black Faculty Cluster Hiring initiative and SFU’s multi-million-dollar fossil fuel divestment campaign. She also led B.C.’s first unanimously passed policy on Palestinian Liberation and BDS at the SFSS, which was later adopted as a bylaw.
In her Master’s research in Communication Research for Social Change, Marie is committed to documenting and preserving the histories, stories, and organizing legacies of marginalized communities at SFU, ensuring their contributions are remembered and accessible to future generations. She remains deeply committed to building strong communities and fostering transformative change.

Event Accessibility

Embark Sustainability events are free and open to Embark Sustainability members which includes Simon Fraser University undergraduate and graduate students, as well as Embark Sustainability Associate Members.
This event will be held indoors at the SUB Community Kitchen, room #2125 of the Student Union Building (SUB), SFU Burnaby. Accessibility details include:

Attendees are free to opt in and opt out of activities as suits their needs throughout the event, including exiting and re-entering the event space.
Some appliances and counter areas of this room are not accessible when using a wheelchair or other mobility aids. The dining/lounge area is accessible when using a wheelchair or other mobility aids.
We aim to host a scent-free space. Please refrain from wearing scented products in attendance of this event.
Unfortunately, we cannot provide ASL interpretation at this time. We will be providing written recipe instructions.

We aim to make our events accessible to as many of our community members as possible. If we can take further action to make this event accessible to you, please contact Embark Sustainability’s Director of Engagement at engagement@embarksustainability.org.

Health & Safety
Participants who register are agreeing to release Embark Sustainability Society from any liability related to COVID-19. Masks are optional but encouraged.

Community Agreement
By registering to attend this event, you are agreeing to be respectful when listening to and communicating with others, and be mindful of the space you are taking up amongst your peers.
Embark Sustainability does not tolerate violence or aggression against others on the basis of race, ethnicity, place of origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, religious affiliation, or ability. Please also refer to people using the introductions they provide and do not assume pronouns/gender/knowledge based on someone’s name or appearance.
If these agreements are broken by someone, we will have to ensure the safety of our community members by removing them from the event.

Questions
If you have any questions about this event, please contact Embark Sustainability’s Director of Engagement at engagement@embarksustainability.org.

Register for this Event
get reminders & event details now
