Stand with Ukraine

VALU CO-OP is joining the world community in condemning the war on Ukraine and its people by the Russian government.

We call on the immediate end to war and a commitment to peace. We stand in solidarity with all Ukrainian people and Russian citizens organizing against this war. Thousands of Ukrainian people have already been killed and thousands of Russian citizens have been arrested protesting Russian imperialism and war crimes.

We are watching with increasing concern at the reports that Africans and Asians are being arbitrarily detained, held up at borders, and prevented from fleeing Ukraine into neighbouring countries in Europe. 

We also join the Arab and Middle Eastern Journalists Association (AMEJA) in condemning the racist news coverage that ascribes more importance to some victims of war over others. This coverage and support for only some victims of war is white supremacy. 

We call on the Government of Canada to provide immediate aid and support to all those displaced by the war in Ukraine and other wars across the world. We call on all governments to actively contribute to international efforts to bring peace.

Today, we are launching a series of anti-war campaign materials with 100% of proceeds benefiting organizations supporting the refugees of the war in Ukraine. 

Our first set of designs are created by VALU member Jonny Sopotiuk in honour of his Ukrainian ancestry and feature the free font Peace Sans, created by designers Sergey Ryadovoy (San Francisco, CA) and Ivan Gladkikh (Saint Petersburg, Russia).

You can purchase these anti-war materials on the VALU shop. Please reach out to info@valucoop.ca for bulk orders or organizational partnerships.

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Democratically operated by our artist-members, the Vancouver Artists Labour Union Cooperative (VALU CO-OP) is a values-driven unionized workers cooperative that believes in empowering artists and cultural workers through fair, secure, and flexible employment that supports artists to do what they do best—make art.

We produce high quality, sustainably made campaign materials and creative services at our Chinatown Studio. We strive to do our work and organizing in an intersectional and anti-oppressive framework that supports our members’ needs, and which contributes meaningfully to our communities.