November 1, 2009, carnegie newsletter

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NOVEMBER 1, 2009

6th Annual Downtown Eastside Heart of the City Festival

October 28 to November 8, 2009

The 6th Annual Downtown Eastside

Heart of the City Festival Wednesday, October 28- Sunday November 8 , 2009 More than 80 events at over 25 locations throughout the DTES

With twelve exciting days of music, theatre, film, poetry, forums, workshops and art shows, the 6111 Annual Downtown Eastside Heart of the City Festival celebrates the creative and committed artists, residents and activists who thrive in our community.

We have a fabulous week of activities that you don't want to miss! Here are some highlights •

On Mon Nov 2 the Carnegie Village Choir will have an Open House from 1pm-3pm, followed by a special Cultural Sharing at 5:30pm with guest drummers and a feast. And for a special treat, we have invited the fantastic Sandy Scofield Band to play at 8pm. Joining Metis artisUsinger/composer and award-winning Sandy Scofield are genius guitarist Steve Nikleva and world touring bassist Brian Minato in an evening of dynamic and original rock, pop and rhythm & blues. Carnegie Theatre. Free

Other exciting events during the second week of the Festival include -• Medicine Wheel Workshop at the Aboriginal Front Door on Tues Nov 3, 10am with Lorelei Hawkins, a Crafts Workshop with Sue Blue at 1:30pm, and on Wed Nov 4, 1pm, Story Sharing Circle with Karenza T. Wall, • on Tues Nov 3 come to Living Stories, lpm in the Carnegie 3m floor Learning Centre and Dalannah Gail Bowen and Friends will perform at Bpm, InterUrban Gallery, 1 E. Hastings, · on Wed Nov 4, 6pm join the Community Play Revisited, followed by the not-to-be-missed traditional Aboriginal vocals of lskwew at 8:30pm, Carnegie Theatre· and see a few of the magical and musical performers of the DTES on Thurs Nov 5, Bpm at the InterUrban Music Showcase, 1 E. Hastings. Free

The final weekend finds the Festival celebrating the Downtown Eastside community at-• We Call It Home, a group art show at Gallery Gachet on Fri Nov 6- at 5pm a parade leaves Oppenheimer Park and goes to the gallery at 88 E. Cordova for the opening reception, 6pm-9pm, · on Sat Nov 7, 3pm, join us for a special tribute with An Afternoon with Bud Osborn, Carnegie Theatre, · at 8pm attend Illuminating the Four Corners, an outdoor spectacle with DTES poets in windows and balconies, music from rooftops and streetcorners, popcorn, and projections of photographic portraits onto buildings at Main and Hastings, · and we end the 2009 festival on Sun Nov 8, lpm with the Urban Barn Dance with Russell Shumsky and Three Potato Band, Ukrainian Hall, 805 E. Pender. Pay what you can.

For all event details, pick up the Festival Program Guide at the Carnegie Front Desk. For information call 604-628-5672 or www.heartofthecityfestival.com

Presented by Vancouver Moving Theatre with the Carnegie Community Centre & the Association of United Ukrainian Canadians, working with over 25 community partners.

CARNEGIE COMMUNITY CENTRE ASSOCIATION *Program Committee: Tuesday, November 3'" at 4pm (Association Office) *Volunteer Committee: Wednesday, November -fh at lpm (Classroom IT, 3nl floor) *Finance Committee: Wednesday, November ,lh at 4pm (Association Office) $CCCA Board of Directors: Thursday, November s'h t 5:30pm (Theatre) *Publications Committee: Friday, November 61

h at Jpm (Association Office)

The Ode to Life

I would like to meet a lion face to face

I 'm not afraid of any of their race

If he roared at me I'd roar right back

I'm not afraid of him, big and fat.

He may be the king of the jungle,

He may be fierce and strong,

Perhaps he isn't so dumb as they say,

Maybe he can play ping-pong.

But i f I should see a cub. I would run and hide

And if the cub had roared at me I would have cried.

I 'm afraid of little things but big things I do not fear

And if I tangled with a baby lion I would shed a tear.

Paul Taylor (age 9, grade 4)

Clutter Support Meeting Sunday, Nov 15, 6:30- 7:30pm, Classroom 2

with Ingrid S and Heather B fa cilitating

This letter was read in part at the opening ceremonies of :.j the Heart of the City Festival at Carnegie. ""' · On Wednesday, I must be in Victoria for the sitting

of the Legislative Assembly so I am unable to attend the opening of th is year's Festival. I regret that I'm not able to bring this message in person. Once again, the Festival wi ll offer a great and va­

ried program of arts, culture and heritage activities that showcase the stories, diverse skills and talents that exist in the Downtown Eastside. Th is year's theme, Illuminating the Four Corners recognizes the importance of the intersection of Hastings and Main Streets as a central point for the neighbourhoods that make up the Downtown Eastside. The Festival is a timely reminder that the const itu­

ency of Vancouver-MI. Pleasant is home to a great many artists, actors and musicians and is well served by small galleries and performance spaces. As I said in the Legislative Assembly on M onday,

the community I serve has the highest percentage

of people working in the arts and cultural sect or in Canada. [Emphasis added.) There are over 250 art· ist studios and 3R exhibition centres including artist­run centres and commercial galleries. There are many artists, musicians, actors and writers engaging in innovative ideas and who struggle to make rent and access studio space and performance venues. Artist-run centres and live t heatre offer original works and are crucial to holding public discussions, artist talks and the publication of emerging ideas which contribute to the public sphere of Being. Arts and culture nourish the heart and soul of the

social and spiritual fabric of communities and are significant contributors to both local and provincial economies. Every dollar invested returns $1.36 to the provlllce.

I send my warmest wishes for another successfu l fest ival and want to let everyone involved in creat­

ing the productions that I truly appreciate the ir gifts to our community.

Sincerely,

Jenny Wai Ching Kwan MLA

News rrom the LibrarY

New Books What's your power animal? Steven Farmer believes

that we all have an inner power animal that we can call on for help, to develop a greater sense of per­sonal and spiritual power. Read Power Animals: How to Connect with Your A nimal Spirit Guide ( 133.9) to find out more.

Rushing headlong into contemporary China's busi­ness world, journalist Oliver August finds himself joining in the hunt for China's most wanted man. lai Changxing is a self-made bil lionaire on the run from corruption charges, and August introduces us to him and others, as he puts it, "in the midst of head­spinning self-transformation". Read Imide the R ed Mansion: On the Trail of China's M ost Wanted Man (364.13) to find out more.

Confucianism is one of the world's great religious traditions, and has made a significant contribution to the moral, phi losophical and spiritual history of hu­mankind. Understanding Confucianism is a short, illustrated guide to the key themes of Confucianism, tracing the course of the religion from its origins in ancient China to its place in society today. The Beatles: Paperback Writer (78 1.57) is a collec­tion of the best writing on The Beatles by rock jour­nalists, cultural commentators, scholars and bio­graphers, alongside personal contributions from the Beatles themselves. Th e New Age of Adventure (91 0.4) features the best of I 0 years of writing from National Geographic Adventure magazine. Brave gunfire with Sebastian Junger to interview Afghanistan's greatest warrior, travel to the ends ofthe earth with Peter Matthiessen, kayak the Grand Canyon with David Quammen, and hitchhike across the Sahara with Michael Finkel. Random Acts of poetry This month. local poet Brad Eran was at the Carne­gie centre doing a Random Acts of Poetry book gi­veaway. He handed out 10 books in the library and another 15 in the centre. He also donated a book to the library- thanks, Brad! For more on Random Acts of Poetry, in which 31 poets committed random acts of poetry across canada, see http://national­random -acts:o f-ooetry .b logspot.com f

Beth, your librarian

the writer's studio presents the 2nd annual

DTES Writers Jamboree with DTES writers (we mean yo u!)

November 19th & 20th, 2009 at the Carnegie Centre

Special guests: Nancy Lee. Timothy Taylor, David Beers, Fiona Lam, Melissa Edwards. Joanne Arnott, Michael Turner, Addena Sumter-Frietag, Michelle Benjamin. Elizabeth Bachinsky. Bonnie Nish, Evelyn Lau, Betsy Warland, Gill ian jerome, Charles Demers and Cathleen With. All eHn ts are f REE!

From 1-3 each day arc mini-writing consultations with an experienced edi tor. Get feedback on 2 pages of your writing but sign up in advance at the Library as space is limi ted: from 3-4 & 4-5 each day there are Round Table discussions on Polishing, Ups & Downs, Writing our own stories and Publishing. From 7-8:30 on Thursday we'll have Special Guest read ings; from 5-5:30 on Friday will be an info ses­sion on how to submit your work to an upcoming anthology of DTES Writers; from 7-8:30 on Friday will be Jamboree Readinl!s- By You! Gust sign up)

/ Ji,;.,,....-=:J'J'II.

The Neighbourhood Writing Contest prsented by

the SFU Writer's Studio with Geist magazine

You could win Publication in Geist! One hour of editing time with a professional editor! An invitation to read your winning story at the Writers ' Jamboree (3 winners will be announced)

The rules Contest deadline is November 10, 2009 Only writers who live in tbe DTES may enter 500 words maximum on the theme '·Neighbourhood" -true story, fiction or poetry. Entry is FREE.

All entries must be dropped off in person at the Carnegie Library.

\

Carnegie Theatre Workshop

End of the year Reading of a full-length play

Sat Nov 21, 12:30-4:30prn Fri Nov 27 , 6-lOprn

Need a library card for the Carnegie Reading Room !

- more details in next newsletter-

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Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre Society ELDERS presents

Christmas Craft Fair Crafts, Jewellery, c lothing, baked goods, door prizes,

an available concession and of course more .. . All proceeds wi ll go towards the Elders Program

Saturday & Sunday, Nov 21 & 22, 10am- 5pm VAFC Gym, 1607 East Hastings (251-4844 ext.308)

GOOD WORDS FOR AFRICA A Scrabble benefit in support of the Grandmothers to Grandmothers campaign of the Stephen Lewis Foun­dation & the Douglas College Uganda Project.

Money raised for this project goes to help grandmo­thers in Uganda raising kids orphaned by AIDS. The idea is to be part of a local team, the Downtown Eastside Winners, get pledges from friends/family to get sponsorship for games of Scrabble played. The event is on Saturday, November 7, from 1- 4pm

in the Douglas College cafeteria in New Westminster and travel to & fro can be arranged. If you want to enjoy an afternoon of fun, entertainment, food, p~izes

and laughter, call Colleen Gorrie or Delanye Azriel at 665-2220 and join their team. As the poster says:

'-~e're not looking for great Scrabble players; We're lookine for ereat oeoole to olav Scrabble.

Compassionate Communication Classes Ever have the experience -of being fuliy heard?

Want understand ing about your triggers? Tired of arguing and not getting anywhere?

Join Atltene to explore and learn ski lls in effective communication.

8 weekly classes starting T uesday October 27th. 6 to 7pm

in C lass room 11 on the 3rd floor of Carnegie

CUltural Sharing Every Monday 5- 9pm

in th e Theatre (need drummers!)

Oppenheimer Park Community Art Project "In Our Backyard" Art Show

2nd Annual Exhibition at Gallery Gachet November 6 - 29. 2009

The Opening Night Reception is on Friday, Nov.6"' with a procession starting at the Park at 5pm and

going to Gallery Gachet at 88 E Cordova for 6pm.

For more information and/or to Volunteer, contact Ali & Carrie at 2 11 Dunlevy St, 604-665-221 0!

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With the Games now so close, harsh reality is setting in Many in B.C. are questioning whether hosting the Olympics was such a good idea after all

By Gary Mason Published in The Globe and Mail, Salurday, Oct. 17. 2009

There comes a point in the runup to every Olym­pics when those living in the host city and surround­ing environs begin questioning whether it was such a good idea after all. Many in B.C. have arrived at that juncture.

The cheers that went up six years ago when Van­couver-Whistler was awarded the 2010 Winter 01) mpics have long since faded. Now, with the Games less than four months away, reality is starting to set in.

The Games don't happen without considerable sac-

~ •

rifice on the part of the local citizenry. There are also moral challenges and ethical considerations along the way that make people question the essen­tial nature of the Olympics.

The Vancouver Organizing Committee recently released its updated transportation plan. Its message to most everyone living in Greater Vancouver was simple: your daily commute into the city is about to change, dramatically. Even though the Olympics won't start unti l Feb. 12, some roads in the city will be closed next month. And during the Games, you

won't want to even think about driving downtown. Those who aren't attending the Games because they

either have no interest, couldn't afford a ticket. or weren't lucky enough to get their hands on one­which would constitute about 95 per cent of those living in Greater Vancouver- aren't likely to be thrilled about having their lives inconvenienced for several months for a party they're not attending.

Then there are the costs. The price tag of an Olym­pics is at ways an issue. But it becomes even more of one when the provincial govemment sponsoring it and under.vriting some of its costs suddenly finds itself in a financial jam and has to start slashing funding for social programs and things like high­school sports. You want to create Olympic resent­ment? That's a good way to start.

There are few thri lled either about proposed legis­lation that would give the police authority during the Games to enter the homes of people living within designated Olympic zones and to seize any signs being publicly exhibited that promote a competitor of a Games sponsor.

What country are we living in again? Meantime, businesses are being asked to donate

employees to work for V ANOC during the Games. This, at a time when many of these companies are just now crawling out from underneath the carnage of the recession and when word is leaking out that VANOC is paying millions of dollars in bonuses to its own staffers. Huh? How does that work?

Those are just a few of the things likely bothering people as the Olympics near. But clearly we arc in the throes of a pre-Olympic funk. You can feel it. The Innovative Research Group recently surveyed

3 416 Canadians on line about the Olympics- in­ciuding 549 in B.C. Asked if they were excited about the coming Games, 71 per cent of British Co­lumbians said they were either not very excited or not excited at all. Only nine per cent said they were very excited. That compares to 54 per cent of Cana­dians who were either not very excited or not excited at all and 14 per cent v. ho said they were very ex­cited.

Then the pollsters asked people if. based on what they had read, seen and heard about the benefits and costs of the Olympics, they thought it was a good idea. In B.C., only 20 per cent said it was a good idea. Forty-two per cent said it was a mistake, while 36 per cent said they wouldn't know until after the

Games were over. (Two per cent didn't know). Canada-wide, the numbers are a little better. Only 19 per cent feel the Olympics were a mistake, while 3 I per cent said it was a great idea and 44 per cent think we won't know until after they're over. (Six per cent didn't know). Greg Lyle, managing director of Innovative, told

me yesterda) he was shocked by the results. "We thought that, by and large, most people in B.C. would have thought the Olympics were a good idea;' he said. "But clearly there are not many peo­ple gung-ho about it. I suspect there's a few things at play here but in the end we're talking about an event that is only going to be enjoyed by a few."

In my view, it's too early to say whether playing host to the Games was a good idea or not. We have­n't seen the final balance sheet. We haven't seen the final medal count, either. In the end, that may have the greatest influence on how we ultimately feel.

LThe conclusion reached in the last paragraph may have been what saved this piece from the round file (garbage can). Or maybe this is wha1 Mason's edi­torial board (read owner) at the Globe and Mail watered down or even re-wrote. The benefits of the Olympics are financial if you're a sponsor and po­litical if you're part of the government. Virtually every Olympic ad has Campbell's leering grin as either a part of it or the main focus. Ed.)

Olympic Fever?! Burning Emotion?! NOT! 1,... By Rolf Auer

On Saturday, October 17, Globe and Mail colum­nist Gary Mason wrote an article titled, "With the Games now so close, harsh reality is setting in,'' sub­titled, "Many in B.C. are questioning whether host­ing the Olympics was such a good idea after all.'' In it are some startling statistics: 71 per cent of British Columbians asked said they were either not very excited or not excited at all (by the Olympics). Then the pollsters asked people if, based on what they had read. seen and heard about the benefits and costs of the Olympics, they thought it was a good idea. Forty-two per cent said it was a mistake. In a nut­shell, people in BC generally aren't very happy just now with the Olympics.

This semiment was aptly expressed in a letter to the editor in The Vancouver Sun on October 19, 2009 by Alastair llaythornthwaite: "For the 20 I 0 Olympics. residents of BC are experiencing despot­ism reminiscent of Roman emperors who, with vast resources diverted from public needs, built personal palaces or staged elaborate 'sporting' events. The livelihood of the citizens was ignored. Roads were closed to accommodate imperial narcissism, holi­days declared by imperial decree and tax levies im­posed to pay for the spectacles .... The 20 I 0 Olym­pics give us a foretaste of a Canadian police state. All your rights will be respected as long as you do not have the temerity to exercise them. Just shut up and pay."

Of course. no sooner had the lone-critical-voice­in-the-wilderness Mason article appeared than the Can West Olympic/Campbell propaganda machine sprang into action. On October 20, 2009, The Prov­ince had emblazoned across the top of its front page a picture of a grinning Gordon Campbell wearing a 20 I 0 scarf and with a 20 I 0 torch. Beside this was the headline "OLYMP IC FEVER." You'll have noticed that in the title of this article there is a"?!.' after this phrase. That's because in chess, this nota­tion, when it appears after a move, means "question­able."

The Vancouver Sun, also part of Can West, fol­lowed suit. On October 23, 2009, it showed a large front page picture of a runner carrying the first 20 I 0 torch lit in Athens with the headline, "BURNING EMOTION." (You'll excuse me for being emo-

tiona! here, but 1 had to restrain the urge to barf. could have gone with "CARRYING THE TORCH" but '·BURNING EMOTION"?! !think that' s over the top.)

Then there v.ere the 1.000,000 bright red Vancou-ver 20 10 mittens. Made by the Bay, they were plugged by The Vancouver Sun i~ a h~1ge ~ront p.age picture on October 20, 2009. 1 d1d a l.lltle uw~sttga.t­ing and found that the Bay cut 1 ,000 Jobs ear her th1s year. ("!Judson's Bay Co. to cut I ,000 Canadian jobs," CTV.ca, February 4, ~009) So, chances ar: those mittens weren't made 111 Canada. And here s the neat part: in nearly every photo op, every person (Campbell, runner in Athens, even Secretary of the UN) is wearing them! Yeah, like, we're against sweatshop labour. and no, we didn't know where these mittens came from. Didn't Santa's elves make them? (Mind you, I'm not saying that these ARE sweatshop products. I've no real hard evidence to prove that.) [Editor 's note: The Cowichan Natio1~ has a c~py­

right, a registered trademark. on the umque des1gns and patterns of its line of sweaters, scarves and tou­ques. All dignitaries coming to the Games are get­ting gifts of these products, but guess what: the gov­ernment and Vanoc are not employing any Cowich­an persons in the production, display or sale of these

items. The government and Vanoc have in fact hi­jacked the design and are having these items mass­produced in another cpuntry where labour is cheap and working conditions are abhorrent. Rolf has his integrity to honour in saying he has no direct proof of the mittens being made in a sweatshop, but inves­tigative reporters uncovered the, shall we say "ex­propriation" of this Cowichan product - I 00% Ca­nadian!??- and reported it in a television news story. One further problem ensued with the virtual censorship of any further information from all major media, but the truth of it can be found online at both CTV and The Globe and Mail.]

Premier Gordon Campbell and Vanoc CEO John Furlong visited New York to go to the United Na­tions. Furlong's purpose there was to get the UN to pass an Olympics truce resolution (which is sort of a tradition now, and a kind of means of cessation of hostilities worldwide while the Olympics are on). It 's\\ hat he said that got my attention:

'·Canada recognizes the power of sport to build sustainable communities, to advocate for equality, to foster social inclusion among young people and to contribute to a global culture of peace." (''Canada holds otT supporting move to give IOC status at UN.'' Vancouver Sun, Steven Edwards, October 20, 2009)

Let's dissect this statement clause by clause. "Canada recognizes the power of sport to build sus­tainable communities ... '' Let's take the 2008 Bei­jing Olympics as one example of the Olympics in motion. Regarding sustainable communities, during the nine years from 1991 to 1999, household demoli­tions and/or relocations directly affected 640,000 people, or roughly 70,000 persons annually. The average for the period encompassing the Olympic Games preparations (2000-2008) is nearly 2.3 times higher: approximately 165,000 people were being displaced annually. (Fair Play for Housing Rights, Centre on I lousing Rights and Evictions)

" ... to advocate for equality ... " Could Mr. rurlong explain why some of the funding for the Paralym­pics was cut, and how this promotes equality?

•· ... to foster social inclusion among young peo-ple ... " Free speech zones are much the topic of discussion in Vancouver these days. People right­fully argue that everywhere is a free speech zone. China tried something similar with its 2008 Beijing

Olympics' protest zones. Of the 77 applications to use the zones, 74 were withdrawn. two suspended, and one vetoed. Some people who made the appli­cations were jai led; others were "disappeared." It 's safe to say that this does not '· foster social inclusion among young people" who would be most likely to use such zones. (http://cn. wik ipedia.org/wiki/Concerns _over _the_ 20 08_Summer_Oiympics#Protest_pennits_and_zones)

" ... to contribute to a global culture of peace." ·'Governments may fiercely compete for the honour of hosting the world's premier sporting event. But for minority groups and the poor, the Olympic Games have been anything but a windfall. A new report by the Geneva-based Centre on I lousing Rights and Evictions (COHRE), a U.N.-funded agency, says that gentrification and soaring real es­tate prices linked to the Games have displaced more than two million people in the last 20 years." ("RlGllTS: Millions Displaced by Olympic Games", IPS, Am Johal, June 7, 2009)

Mr. Furlong couldn't have put it any better if he was one of the Ministry of Truth's operatives from George Orwell 's 1984.

GLOBAL: Put women at core of climate change debat~

Women are being excluded from the debate ov~ climate change, despite being most at risk; govern­ments should do more to ensure their situations and views are represented, campaigners and experts say.

So far, climate change negotiations have responded poorly to the effects on women, activists say. And while global policies advocate a gender perspective, and including women in environment and develop­ment efforts, few governments have incorporated such policies into their national plans. "Extreme events and environmental degradation be­

come a women's issue because we are responsible for providing for the whole community," said Anna Pinto, programme director with the Centre for Or­ganisation, Research and Educat ion (CORE), based in northeastern India. "If the rice yield is bad, men have to migrate, find a

job and send money back, whi le women have to en­sure the day-to-day survival of the helpless. "When the environment degrades it becomes more

of a women's problem. These issues need to be gen­derised on behalf of everyone," she said.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon last month called for women to have a greater role in climate change debates. "The special perspective of women is often overlooked in global discussions on climate change," Ban told an event on women's leadership held in New York.

Climate change-related weather events claim be­tween two and three times a many female as male victims, according to the Asian Development Bank (ADB). "Women arc prone to more danger," Robert Dobias,

the A DB's senior adv iser on climate change, told lRIN. "It's the clothes they wear. Maybe they wi ll

run back and get the kids. They are often not in pub­lic places where information surfaces about disas­ters," he said at the sidelines of recent climate­change negotiations in Bangkok.

Excluded from adaptation "Well-designed, top-down approaches to adaptation

can play a role in reducing vulnerability to climate change; yet they may fail to address the particular needs and concerns of women," said Christina Chan. senior policy analyst for CARE International.

In Africa. women farmers produce up to 80 percent of the cont inent's food, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

llowever. because most women work in the subsis­tence sector, they cannot take part in market-based adaptation schemes, according to Rose Enie, from Women for Cl imate Justice (GenderCC). Campaigners say such omissions mean women will

continue to be bypassed by resilience-building initia­tives - including access to land, credit. support ser­vices, new technolog ies and decision-making. In addition. women are particularly overlooked when it comes to the development of environmentally friendly technology that can be used in their daily activities. said GenderCC's Ulrike Roehr. "Men tend to look at big-scale technology, while needs for smaller-scale technology, such as energy­efficient cooking stoves, are not taken into consid­eration," Roehr told IRIN. "These are the technolog ies which help in reducing women's double and triple burdens, having benefits not only for em issions reduction, but also for pov­erty reduction and health," she said.

Alternative energy Women and the communities they look after could

be big losers in schemes being considered by gov­ernments to mitigate the emission of g reenhouse gases, activists say. These include plans to preserve forests, so trees can absorb and store carbon in the air. The UN's Reduc­ing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) scheme, for example, will see large areas of land closed to women who had h itheno depended on the fuel, medicine, food and fodder they could find there, said Jeannette Gunung, director of Women Organising for Change in Agriculture and Natural Resource Management (WOCAN).

"When the resource becomes of central imparlance, women have little voice in decision-making and are denied access," she said . Yet environmentally friendly solutions, such as the

usc of biogas -flammable gas produced by the fer­mentation of organic material - as an alternative and

cleaner source of energy than firewood, arc avail­able, Gunung said. "Once planners put ru ral women's needs as a prior­

ity, they will come up with solutions that involve sustainable forest management and alternative energy resources," s he said.

www.peacewomen.org sam'@peacewomen.org +

I I 212 682 1265 + I 212 286 82 I I

• • • • • Bully : .... a true and very present Story

Gang raped sleeping in Jericho Park. Too long. Then a home.

I A bull charges towards me in my rental. I don't call it home. Two more join in. They batter me, Laugh at me. A battering ram ... with no bruises to prove.

I A batter for their recipe to destroy. My life they try to kill. If not me. Then deny. And say it is all me. Not them. But I KNOW Elder Abuse when I hear

I Old Bitch, Old Bag, Old Biddy, .... " Put the old bite! back out on the STREET" Wonder where Whore and Slut came from. "Everyone hates you, we all want you to leave" They said it ALL, (M IN US OLD) to the 18 year ol too .... when she made a temporary boundary.

I Who wi ll help me, believe me not them? Will I die there? I heard them say they might have

to do another hit! Hit song Hallelujah inspired by me, but Cohen

won't come. He's busy. Waiting for the Coyote pack to protect me aga in.

I Or the Choir of poets. Or the Music of the Spheres. Or YOU.

Beth Buchanan

Carnegie Community Action Project (CCAP) Newsletter

I Find us in the Carnegie Association office (604-839-0379) Nov 1, 2009

Residents suggest solutions to Downtown Eastside problems

Published Oct 24, Jean Swanson, Vancouver Sun Blog. Edited for the NL by wp: Last month I wrote about our mapping process. The DTES, it turns out, has lots of good qualities like acceptance, empathy, 5000 units of good social housing, needed and appreciated services, and a sense of community that other neighbourhoods would die for. Michael Geller responded, basically saying, yes but what do residents say about the public perception ofthe area as "four blocks of hell"; what should be done with drug dealers and to increase safety, other than to build more housing.

Last Monday CCAP assembled about 30 low income DTES community leaders and asked them what they thought the bad things about the DTES were and how they would address them. What was interesting to me is that Geller's perceptions of the bad things about the DTES were not the same as the 30 people at our workshop. According to these residents, who live in SROs, social housing, co-op housing,

and on the street, the two worst things in the DTES were gentrification/condos and police brutality-two things that the average person who motors through the area on the way to work probably wouldn't even think of.

To deal with the gentrification issue, they suggested that we "lobby like crazy,'' and get the city to agree that condos couldn't be allowed unless affordable housing was built. Maybe then developers would add their voice to the need for social housing in the (Continued on page 2)

(Continued from page 1) DTES. They also wanted to create a community story to educate developers and buyers and to have community solidarity to push all levels of government to provide more social housing.

To deal with police brutality our community leaders suggested that mandatory police training should include how to keep peace, empathy, and a shift to valuing life rather than property. They wanted Native peacekeepers on the streets. And they suggested that DTES residents could train the police about the community. One person said police should be given a list of people who are severely addicted and mentally ill and told DO NOT ARREST because they will be further traumatized by choke holds and jail.

Media and photographers were also listed as bad things about the neighbourhood. Folks at the workshop thought the public perception (that Geller referred to) was driven by the media who unfairly portray all the bad things about the area, and not the ways people are struggling for changes that will improve the community. One person suggested, bitterly, "We could be the media and show up at their houses and film their kids." Others said residents could lead more DTES tours, strike a conunittee to react to misinformation, write letters to the

2

editor, and educate people on the street about their rights to privacy.

As for drug dealers and users, people phrased that category of bad things as " forcing drug users outside." It was a priority for 3 people. Their suggestions included open more lnsites and smoke rooms; more harm reduction which they said was education to care for yourself, better supplies to stop spreading disease, ending poverty and homelessness which makes people vulnerable, getting rid of the black market for drugs and opening up culturally appropriate centers where people can practice their traditional cultures and values.

Another bad thing about the neighbourhood that people mentioned more than drug issues was security guards who force homeless people to move and harass shoppers and pedestrians in Gastown and Tinseltown stores. There was anger about the Business Improvement Associations when they lobby against desperately needed new housing and hire the security guards. Systemic poverty, racism and harassment and non-resident drinkers who spill out of bars and hassle and abuse residents were also on the list of bad things, with some suggestions for how to deal with them.

CCAP will be making a full report on our consultation process soon and you'll be able to see it on our website: ccapvancouver. wordpress.com.

Don't rely on outsiders to organize your community

A famous community organizer came to the Downtown Eastside on Sept. 25th. But guess what? He didn't tell us how to organize our community. His name is John McKnight and his official title is Professor of Education and Social Policy and Co-Director, Asset­Based Community Development Institute at North-western University in

· He said Barrack Obama was

McKnight at Japanese Hall his student years ago. But when he got here he said, "The wisdom is in your community and not from the outside."

McKnight spoke at a community forum at the Japanese llall. Almost the first thing he said was that he had read the Carnegie Community Action Project's mapping report and it was the "best single asset map I have ever seen." He then proceeded to list all of the

3

DTES community assets set out in the report.

Then he talked about how important the image of a community is in whether or not, or how it can change. He said the image is created by the media, funders and health and service agencies. But he stopped short of saying that there are too many health and service agencies in the DTES.

McKnight also talked about a structure that he says enhances resident power. He said that resident based organizations where members do the work and aren ' t paid should form an association of associations. No agencies. schools, libraries, business or government representatives should be part of this association for at least 2 years, he said.

Then they could be invited to attend and speak but not vote. "Don't think about partnership and collaboration," he said.

McKnight suggested a planning process where people from the neighbourhood and associations spend 2 days defining everything they need to make the neighbourhood better. Then they decide which things they can do themselves, which require themselves and help from outside and which require (Continued on page 4)

(Continued from page 3) all outside help to get done.

McKnight also talked about a "culture of giftedness." This culture says to each resident, "This is a place where we know you have a gift, and we need it.., ''Everyone who is paid,"' said McKnight, "shouJd say ' no one deals with me without me understanding their gift.'"

The meeting was organized by organized by the UBC Learning Exchange and the Building Communities Society. Of about 80 people who attended onJy about 15 raised their hands to say they were DTES residents.

Tills may be because the event was on the day after cheque day and people were notified by email rather than posters.

I found the talk really interesting and valuable in the DIES context although I trunk McKnight probably underestimates the power of the dominant culture and the need for decent housing and incomes as a prerequisite for a healthy community. He also said that in one neighbourhood study, all the money put into social and human services and housing subsidies would have been enough to bring the low income people up to the poverty line. I am uncomfortable with this kind oftillnking because it leads to undermining universal social programs and replacing them with right wing voucher systems where the poor have to compete with the wealthy for health, education and other services and they still have very little money. - Jean Swanson

Join CCAP gentrification tour Walking Tour SITES OF EMPOWERMENT & Gentrification Tour with CCAP Saturday October 31, 11:30am- lpm Start at the Carnegie Centre front steps and visit some of the best loved places in the area according to the stories of low-income DTES residents. Contemplate how these key sites give us clues as to how to build a vision for a safe, healthy and affordable low-income neighbourhood and how tills future is threatened by gentrification. CCAP is building consensus within the low-

I

4

income community for a vision of the Downtown Eastside that hopefully the city will adopt. Visioning reports and information on gentrification can be found on their blog: \\ W\\.ccapYancom er. wordpress.com. All proceeds to CCAP. $10 for non­residents, low-income people free.

CCAP accuses city of erasing the DTES and the city responds

The last Carnegie Newsletter had a copy of a letter sent by CCAP to the mayor. The title was "Downtown Eastside Erased from City Maps." Here are some selections from the CCAP letter:

"This may seem like a small quibbly thing for you, but for Downtown Eastside Residents, it is a big thing. The City has been putting out maps that have erased our neighbourhood. To be specific, page 4 and 5 of the city's March, 2009 Social Indicators and Trends report had no DTES and has divided the DTES into Strathcona and Downto-v.n. This also happens on pages 31, 35, 40, 44 and 58 .... The DTES has already been included in this article about children in the Vancouver Sun .... Displacement is really happening. In 2009, CCAP's hotel

5

survey found an additional 800 hotel rooms between 2008 and 2009, lost to rent increases beyond what people under the LICO can afford. The success of

HASTINGS· SUNRISE

Woodwards has driven up land values in the area, which makes it more difficult for DTES residents to secure their tenure here. We hope council will help us take another path, one that recognizes the rights of low-income people to not be displaced from their historical community because land has suddenly it has become more valuable .... We ask (Continued on page 6)

(Continued from page 5) you to have your staff put the DTES back into maps about city neighbourhoods. We aren't gone yet and don't plan to go!! Thank you."'

Since that letter was sent, the City has responded. Here are a few paragraphs from the letter. To see the full letter go to the CCAP blog: www.ccapvancouver. wordpress.com

Dear Wendy, I am writing to address the concerns you raised in correspondence to Mayor and Council dated October 9. 2009, regarding the 2009 Social Indicators Report.

The Social Indicators Report relies on data provided by Statistics Canada census files that are produced every five years as the census is completed. The census data are widely recognized as a key source of statistically valid demographic information and forms the basis for a wide range of planning and social policy work.

Census tracts are the units of data we receive from Statistic Canada. and the tracts have geographic boundaries that are strictly defined by the federal government. These boundaries do not always match what Vancouver citizens and the City view as neighbourhoods. We also use the larger 'local area' geographies that the Planning Department has employed since the 1960's ... We recognized that there is often misunderstanding between the terms "local area", neighbourhood", and

6

"community" and that this can be confusing to the reader. In response. we highlighted the use of Statistics Canada geographies, our methodology (and the availability of other information on the DTES and other neighbourhoods) ...

... You are right to note that the vancouver.ca/communities page presents a number of local areas as "communities" which can be confusing. There are also instances where residents refer to local areas as communities (e.g. "the Grandview Woodlands community") which further blurs lines. We are reviewing the City's web pages and will consider your feedback.

I very much appreciated the presentation by you and Jean Swanson to City staff on September 15 on the mapping research that CCAP has undertaken. CCAP's qualitative approach to research and quantitative approaches like the Social Indicators Report are often complementary ... Yours truly, David McLellan, General Manager, cc Mayor and Council and Planning Staff.

____ ..... ___ .,. __ ====--- ~

--=~

Look for more DTES erasure, it's happening.

What do you think about this vision for the DTES?

CCAP organized 3 planning days with 25-40 DTES residents in the last 4 months. It was attended by residents who live in social housing, hotels, outside and in shelters. We wanted to come up with a draft vision for the neighbourhood as a starting point and take it out to some open community meetings to see if the community supports it. What do you think about the vision? We'll have a community meeting about it soon.

Our vision is to:

Honour the Coast Salish people on whose unceded traditional territory the DTES resides.

Celebrate our strong community of urban Aboriginal and low-income people of many ancestries, abilities, cultures, health conditions, genders, ages and sexual orientations. Put people ftrst and welcome all who advocate for affordable low-income housing and

appreciate our community values. Ensure low-income people have affordable homes

and access to resources to meet our needs. Unite in fair processes and act in peaceful and necessary ways. to expand our abilities,

overcome adversity and protect our community.

(Continued on page 8)

7

Here are our values according to the residents at the planning days. They put these into order of importance.

Working for justice and the community Community

Respect for each other and nature DTES sovereignty

Acceptance/non judgmental Cooperation

Diversity Creating places of sanctuary

Caring Unity

Compassion Intergenerational

Harmony Empathy

And here are their priorities for housing also in order of importance:

Housing for homeless Communal housing

Intergenerational housing (for couples, children, people with disabilities and elders)

Replacement housing for people in hotels Supportive housing

Co-ops Independent living housing

If you agree or disagree, we want to hear from you. CCAP will make opportunities for you to speak in public about this soon.

Vancity Support for this project does not necessarily imply Vancity's endorsement of the findings or contents of this report." - wp

8

IIUMANITIES 10 1 DOCUMENTAR IES November 2009 Carnegie Theatre SATURDAYS at 6PM

ov. 14: 6pm-8pm Films include:• Dignity and Grace, The Story of the Eramosa Community Plav -an Ontario community play spearheaded by Dale I !ami !ton that sparked a movement across Canada; • Something from Notlling , telling the story of Run­away Moon theatre 's Enderby and District Commu­nity Play that inspired In the Hearl o,(the City: the Downtown Eastside Community Play; ·Bringing S hadows Into Ligfll. Cease Wyss ' film about the making of Vancouver Moving Theatre's community arts project We're All In This Together: The Shadows Project - Addiction and Recovery; · and Jumblies Theatre's community play Cups for Eve1yone, and Oh the World wilf Grow Younger which explores the history of Toronto 's Jewish Le ft and Camp Naivelt, a socialist, secular Jewish sum­mer communi ty. &pm A Big, Big Picture: Art for Social Change Around the World Join Jud ith Marcuse, an artist and activist, who will talk about her exciting work with Vancouver's International Centre of Art for Social Change. As part of her talk. Judith will show Des­peratar, a documentary about the first International Ea11h Symposium held in Vancouver that saw 300 delegates from 23 countries gather for arts for social change. I lear how the arts reconnect people with themselves and others, and why people participate in community arts. 9 pm Stock Characters: The Cooking Show and P 0 WE R Elaine Carol of MISCELLANEOUS

Kits Classics

Presents

Music of the Americas Elizabeth McBurney on flute, Johanna Hauser on clarinet, and Michael Strutt on guitar perform works by Pujol, Cervantes, Barcos, and Cardona.

Friday, November lih, 3:00PM

Productions - an East Vancouver community en- Elizabeth McBurney is a member of the Vancouver gaged organization that collaborates with culturally Opera Orchestra and teaches at the Vancouver

Carnegie Theatre

diverse multi-barriered youth - presents and dis- Academy of Music; Johanna Hauser directs the Kits cusses Demo Reels of two documentaries that pro- Classics+ Worlds Beyond concert series and teaches vide insight into the artistic process of the MIS-CELLANEOUS Productions at Place des Arts; Michael Strutt directs the string Nov. 21 The WHO Flu Scam program at Douglas College, teaching guitar at UBC.

.. N_o_v.-2B_M_o_N._E_Y_r._:.4_LK._ s ____ .,. .. I14Choose Lu':t---------• Women's Health Collective Health advice? ~ Owned and operated by the Vancouver at 29 West Hastings Street, Hurting? Birth control? Vancouver, B.C. VGB 1G4 s· k d or' ed;l c • -.

IC an . an't qWt:' 604 974 0610 Can't ask mom? Hot Aash?

Cru:nps? Mnrvl c: .... nno<:~ www.womenshealthcollective.ca

Vancouver Women'! Health Collective

Thanb-you to Oppenheimer Park Staff for supporting the Oppenheimer Park Homeless Band/ Oppenheimer Park Music Program throughout the last year. Your good thoughts toward the project made it into a great program and allowed us to play in and around the community. Thank-you also to everyone who asked us to per­

form. While we weren't always ready. we pulled up our socks and played anyway. The Heart of the City Festival, Gallery Gachet, the Homeground Festival, the Vancouver Foundation through their Neighbour­hood Small Grants Project, Dalannah Gail Bowen and the Downtown Eastside Centre for the Arts who opened up space at the InterUrban Gallery after Op­penheimer Park closed, the Carnegie Centre Board and Staff, and Fred, Oppenheimer Park volunteer all deserve a big round of applause: Colleen Carroll and Roberta Robertson for supplying instruments, and others in and outside our community who gave them The By Kids For Kids Circus at the Four Sisters

Housing Co-op provided an opportunity to play re­cently. And to all the participants, who took up new instru­ments, rappers and metal guitarists, amateurs and pros, thank-you all for participating in the Oppen­heimer Park Music Jams and Band performances. It was a blast! You 've all made it happen by your sup­port and interest.

The Music Program will see everyone again in the New Year in the new activity space at Oppenheimer Park.

Rudolf

Religious Truth TAOISM: Shit happens. BUDDHISM: If shit happens it really isn't shit. HINDUISM: This shit has happened before. ISLAM: If shit happens it's the will of Allah. CATHOLICISM: Shit happens because you deserve it. PROTESTANTISM: Work harder or shit will happen. MATERIALISM: Whoever dies with the most shit wins! ATHEISM: I can' t believe this shit! JUDAISM: Why does this shit always happen to us? RASTAFARIANISM: Let's smoke this shit!

Submitted by Videha

a bright light sparkles on your soul one shift, leading to many, that eventually make up a lifetime of a life worth living. All is worthy, the path, the not knowing, the acceptance, and the understanding. none would be any good without the other. the good red road

However I think there is a larger reality here. We both ( my sis and I ) come from a middle class back­ground, and yet our parents were clueless about raising us.

Victims of alcoholism, patriarchy, co-dependency and abuse. I find more healing and airing of the same issues that affect us in the Carnegie than we can find anywhere else. Although our demography is different, the stories I see in the Carnegie News­letter are us. And I find more brothership in reading the stories here than I ever get in AA (I am an em­ployed biologist, and alcoholic). The reality of generations of abuse and dysfunction

are all upon us, whether homeless, drug addicted, or closet fully-employed alcoholics. I fully support the work you do, and see no difference between me and those on the steps of Carnegie. (except circumstance and scale) Somehow life just pushed me into shelter way more ( my dad spent 2 yrs in rehab in the downtown east­side even though he is a lawyer with the city of van). 1 am them. I am an addict. There is such a social conversation that needs to happen about our genera­tional roots of addiction and poverty, representation and heal ing. I offer the poem. And ask you how else I can help?

Deep bow, Tascha Stubbs

Tascha, your email address got deleted. Please contact the Newsletter & Paul.

Subject: Tips to Prevent Swine Flu Dr. Vinay Goyal is an MBBS,DRM,DNB (lntensiv­

ist and Thyroid specialist) having clinical experience of over 20 years. He has worked in institutions like Hinduja Hospital, Bombay Hospital , Saifee I lospi­tal , Tata Memorial etc. Presently, he is heading the Nuclear Medicine Department and Thyroid clinic at Riddhivinayak Cardiac Centre, Malad, India.

The following message given by him, makes a lot of sense and is important for all to know:

The only portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/ throat. In a global epidemic of this nature, it's almost impossible to avoid coming into contact with HI N I in spite of all precautions. Contact with Ill N I is not so much of a problem as proliferation is. While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of HI N I infection. in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development of sec­ondary infections, some very simple steps, not fully highlighted in most official communications, can be practiced (instead of focusing on how to stock N95 or Tamiflu):

1. Frequent hand-washing (well highlighted in all official communications).

2. "! lands-off-the-face" approach. Resist all tempta­tions to touch any part of face (unless you want to

bathe or s

QUlCKREADS The book club for people who don't have time for book clubs. Whether you're short of time, learning to read English, or if you just prefer short books, then this is the book club for you I Wednesdays from November 18, I I am, · Learning Centre

3. Gargle twice a day with warm sal t water (use Lis­terine if you don't trust salt). Ill N I takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Sim­ple gargling prevents proliferation. In a way, gar­gling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected one. Don't underest imate this s imple. inexpens ive and powerful preventative method.

4. Similar to 3 above, clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water. Not everybody may be good at Jala Neti or Sutra Neti (very good Yoga asanas to clean nasal cavities), but blowing the nose hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral population.

5. Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C (Amla and other citrus fruits). If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption.

6. Drink as much of warm liquids (tea, coffee, etc) as you can. Drinking warm liquids has the same ef­fect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive. proliferate or do any harm.

JIMMY DEWAR

Tire A rt of the Savvy Cartoon

Carnegie's Art Gallery on the 3'd floor is host to a show/presentation of stuff by the Evil Dewar. For the whole month ofNovember, there dozens of savvy & astute cartoons with all manner of seemingly respon­sible and straightforward scams in the spotlight. SEE!

The Promising Scale Time is a weapon no one escapes, it destroys entire continents & defines new landscapes, it's the ulti-mate in mass destruction, with it comes power to close doors there are simply no interruptions. every war has its beginning but its end is unwritten. except all forgotten names that get limited respect at least it's free or no one would pay attention, now hell is freezing & alii get is a pair of worn-out mittens novi-··· ·· on the promising scale this rates about minus one t -thousand -Not acceptable! No not at all : I like prom1 ises being scaled back and which are dependent on f.l f) any & all interruptions, speaking of which THIS JUST IN they are gratuitously vile - anger might be a side-effect show, this is the world's eldest profes­sion; new signs pop all the time asking for direction~ - I have prayed & hoped that their 9/ 11 is our 20 I 0! " Then again My! I low the mighty shall fall. .. I seek repentence from that last sentence but one by one t1inble ~eco~ehs und?ne bek~iev~ hme it hadppens to

11 us adll ~.

t egms wit a mmor s ' 1rm1s , turns own a goo wishes (thank the Satan/God Icc Cream family). I'm not the one who has to refurnish as I'm on a solitary mission of sorts - when you're the only one listening to what you have to say how is it that time to abort is aborted? Yeah, I wanted to be somebody, not even a war for the likes of me so keep piling on the misery I'm not completely blind I know war is our biggest­selling commodity now let's put those good inten­tions back to work: anything standing, Bring it down WW3 is in town to paint this city blood-red what no lifeboat let alone a room at the inn I'll be the one who floats or drowns even the funemployed are get­ting in on this one as I make a B-line for the punch bowl liquidity is now fu lly in control now have you ever caught a break or did it drop to the ground? Your fans hate you your fanmail must be scanned & detonated too like a ton of confidence , not quite shredded, lands on top of you how appalling wait the invisible man & his army are willing to help break the fall , I'll just close my eyes like a scary movie when I was 5 so the next catastrophic event (or 2) shall shake up & shape up the next generation's point of view (if there's any view to point to). Like wanting to be an Islamic Enforcement Officer or wage negotiator in S.America 'good fate now don't be late What a Deal! The landlady I talked to said 'this will be great.. .' on the promising scale it's

still hovering around minus a thousand .. . where the hell is Saint Minus when you need him?!? llelll guess till the next time I confess.

By ROBERT McGILLIVRAY •·we have no hearts & we have no souls .. we're all scarecrow people & we've got a lot in common with you ya know·· -Andy Partridge

STRONG WORDS 1 care, you care, we share, hands up, passing out but spreading it around, holding ground; not giving up, not giving in, just dreaming big beyond the fringe, respecting change though far from limitless (keep that in mind). Look around but watch your behind, stay with the program and never, ever waver, press on persistence of, for, in pursuit of the ideal where your time is all , where you always set the agenda. Make it your game, your rules, with all this above board involving extreme accuracy and remember -no one gets hurt. Protest yet play it safe; courage folks ' cause change is in the wind. Respect your elders and their always sage advice. Trust your partners, neighbours, as if you march in a line pressed shoulder to shoulder in the heat of the moment and go beyond dignity to commit to a real­istic vision with hope, expressing with many voices your opinions, your power. Sometimes/often progress is stilted, stagnant, static, stalled but don't let that get you down .. I still hear the ringing bells of freedom, even though their dig-nity - for us- is at times beyond reason. . . 1\ I ways vote for your ideals, that dream, that VISIOn, elect your slate, your side that can delegate without deep divisions. Remember to trust your judgment,_ stay on the straight and narrow with the least possi­ble revision. Oh yes! Elect your leaders as they deign to be called, addressing us the multitude with plaudits and platitudes, some true, some true, mak­ing up our minds as well as theirs. It's us, it's them, it's whoever, whatever (who knows what); just raise your voices, be strong with pleading persistence- we' re not going anywhere. anytime_ soon, so when making dire decisions of life-altenng change, keep us in the back of.. maybe better for you in the front and centre; forget us not.

ROBYN LIVINGSTONE

Prime Example 'The history written so far is a history of kings and monarchs. It should be thoroughly overhauled and completely rewritten - rewritten in the interest of humanity and the universal well­being of the human race. If the chronicles of history merely describe who succeeded to the throne and when, who plun­dered the neighbouring countries or kingdom, and who be­came a minister, they will be of no importance whatsoever, nor, indeed, of any interest to the common masses. If human beings are to profit from the study of the annals of history, they must reflect the weal and the woe, the hopes and aspi­rations of the masses.' (AFPs-4)

A SAVAGE AND RECURRING HISTORY

Unfortunately, the brutal history about 'Columbus Day' is not widely known, yet it stands as a microcosm of a ruthless exploitation and terrible genocide that has happened almost everywhere. Around the globe, local people have been vis­cously attacked by invaders. Here is the basic formula:

1) Intimidate, terrorise and kill as many native people as possible. In the US, the nabve Americans were hunted, burned alive, cheated, raped and by and large decimated until this once proud community of people was reduced to a mere few. 2) Commandeer all their treasures and resources. The Euro-Americans quickly turned not just the Americas, but lands the world over, into their own backyard and pillaged those places for their resources. 3) Impose a dominant culture and language. In the US, the brutal history for centuries is that the dominant white population would systematically abduct newborns, infants and small children of native populations- all done to exterminate the native culture. They would put such children into military camps, and not allow them to speak their own language or learn the history of their people. Plus those innocent kids would be sexually molested, indoc­trinated into the way of the dominant group, converted to Christianity and arrested, beaten, and tortured if they spoke out. Their parents were left to cry in misery. This happened all the way up to the 1950's. 4) Humiliate the local people - break their morale - and impose a huge inferiority complex. The US Federal government and armies taught the native people to look upon themselves as sub-human. And not just in the US, but in so many colonized lands, the dominant European invaders forced local people into this degraded outlook. 5) Use the native people as a free or cheap labour force.

6) Finally, wipe away their history and hail those who defeated them. Such a formula has been applied by the dominant European

culture(s) all over: Australia, South Africa, the United States, Canada, Mexico, Philippines, Brazil and wherever the Euro­peans went such as Zimbabwe, Vietnam, Bolivia etc. Almost everywhere,.time and time again, they conquered the people and imposed their own language and culture, and lett the native people sunk in feelings of inferiority and woe.

Christopher Columbus is the 'grandfather' ot this hemous trend. The European explorers tried hard to do this in India but they could not get complete success. Otherwise India would have been much different. Instead it is one of the only countries still intact after the arrival of 'explorers'.

So this is not a one time event. Over and over again, native peoples have been crushed by an invading dominant culture. By years of false history and the manipulation of cultural values, people were led to believe that the European culture is the uppermost. Thafs why the Christian religion became so dominant all over the globe. And the celebration of Columbus Day stands as perhaps

the so-called crowning jewel of this horrific aspect of human history.

COLUMBUS DAY STILL SHINING

Yet, year after year, in the US and throughout the so-called New World, Columbus Day is revered as a national holiday with big parades and fancy events. Government offices are closed, banks shut down, the Post Office is closed- all done in honour of Christopher Columbus. Again, awareness of the horrors created by Columbus is

growing, but there remains far more unawareness than awareness. Certainly, no government is prepared to charge Columbus with a crime{s).

GOVERNMENTAL APOLOGIES ARE COMING

'Canada's apology follows a similar one by Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to the Aboriginal peoples in February of this year. Like in Canada, young Aboriginals were taken from their families, often by force, and sent to schools and homes where they were often abused, exploited, and prevented from speaking their language or practicing their way of life. The United States has a similar legacy, but has yet to apologize.'

The US Federal government is 'considering' apologising for these actions, and in fact a committee in the US Senate did issue an apology on Aug 10, 2009, stating, 'Apologizes on behalf of the people of the United States to all Native Peo­ples for the many instances of violence, maltreatment, and neglect inflicted on Native Peoples by citizens of the United States.' Why are such apologies and recognition needed? A proper

history is needed to give respect to those who have been treated as downtrodden as well as to ensure such atrocities are not repeated.

By seeing Columbus not as a hero but rather as an aggres­sor, no sane person will appreciate his misdeeds wherein one human group destroyed another. Just as no one appre­ciates Hitler, similarly Columbus and his fellow invaders can­not be glorified. Their true colour will be seen for what it is. This will not be the victory of one race but rather the victory

of morality and neo-humanism.

MUST FIGHT AGAINST ALL SUCH EXPLOITATION

The ruthless exploitation of native peoples is common. 'Break their backbone - make their situation pathetic- bring economic and cultural ruination - lead them into the depths of addiction, frustration, and despair - and on the top make

' scientific studies' that prove that this is a genetic phenome­non, not a social one.'

This is the systematic way native populations have been exploited - and Columbus is the forefather of all such exploi­tation. Indeed the very journals of Columbus and his fellow explorers stand as proof of what vile acts and atrocities they committed. There is no denying their history. Awareness is beginning; their anti-human ways are being

recognised and overturned, step by step. 'Human culture is one, though there are some local varia­

tions in its expression. But a particular group which is moti­vated by socio-sentiment to exploit others tries to destroy the local cultural expressions of other groups. It forcibly imposes its language, dress and ideas on other groups, thus paving the way for exploitation by paralysing those people psycho­logically. This is how people guided by socio-sentiment per­petuate exploitation in cultural life.' 'This is occurring throughout the world. Is it not your noble

duty to save these simple and persecuted people from ex­ploitation? Certainly it is. Those of you who did not under­stand this before, now do understand it clearly; or you will come to understand it later from others. Human beings must be saved. Why should innocent people be forced to live like sacrificial lambs? This must not be tolerated ... Hence it is the bounden duty of every rational person to save innocent peo­ple.' {NH-LOI)

The days of glorifying Columbus are coming to an end and he will be charged with the real crimes he committed. That will set a tone that all people should be respected and remind our humanity that local people should be protected. By rewril· ing this history to reflect the truth, such crimes will not be repeated in the future.

Only by writing such a history will human beings one day prove not only to this world but to the entire universe, that the Creator was justified in creating human beings.' {AFPS-4)

[Quotations are from the writings of P.R.Sarkar.]

~-=====~----------~

GET CLEAN! Shower up at the Lord's Rain

There is a shower facility at Gospel Mission, 327 Carra II Street (just off Pigeon Park). There

are towels, soap, shampoo- the works! & Coffee

Monday 10am-3pm; Tuesday Ladies only 1-4pm Everyone 7 - 8:30am

Friday 10am- 3pm; Saturday7- 10am lei on parle Francais; Hablamos Espanol

604-665-2289

THIS NEWSLETIER IS A PUBLICATION OF THE CARNEGIE COMMUNITY CENTRE ASSOCIATION

Articles represent the views of individual Contributors and not of the Association.

Editor: PaulR Taylor, C onation & distribution crew: Bill, Liu Lin, Harold, Mary Ann, Miriam, KeUy, Videha, Rolf, Priscillia, Robyn, Nick, Jackie, Matthew, Ida, Nicole, Lisa.

I apologise for the quality of these photos. Computer crash lost all files.

I

-"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. • -Margaret Mead

. . ' ~·:: . We acknowledge thai Carnegie Community Centre, and this Newsleffw, are occurring on Coast Salish Territoly.

:-... : ~ .. . ~ . . . . . . .. . ' - .

Next issue is Monday, November 16

SUBMISSION DEAniJNE Thursday, November 12

AJK MOVING LTD.

• •

I •

10 °/o Discount Offer Valid for all Camegie Members

Good 'til Dec. 31, 2009!

phone: 604-875-9072 WANTED

Artwork for the Carnegie Newsletter

Small illustrations to accompany artides and poetry Cover art -Maximum size: 17cm(6 Y.") wide x 15cm (6' ) high

- l • ... . . . • I

Subject matter relevant to issues pertaining to !he Downtown Eastside, but all work considered Black & White printing only Jenny Wa1ChmgKwan MLA

Working for You 1070 - 1641 Commercial Dr, VSL 3Y3

Phooe: 6M-l1.Y790

TIM STEVENSON ~ ... CITY COUNCILLOR SERVING THE COMMUNITY

WITH PRIDE City Hall, 453 W ll~ Ave, V'5Y 1V4 Phone: 604-873-7247

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Size restrictions will apply (i.e. if your piece is too large, it will be reduced and/or cropped to fit; All artists will receive credit for their work; Originals will be returned to the artist after being copied for putll'lcation; Remuneration: Carnegie Volunteer tickets .

Please make submissions to Paul Taylor, Editor .

CEEDS folks -$60 2009 DONATIONS: Barry ll.-$150, Libby 0.-$70, Rol A.-$50, Margaret 0.-$40. Jenny K.-$25, Sue K.-$30, Michael C.-$50, Jaya B.-$100, Christopher R.-$180, 1lel L -$25, Greta P.-$25, Leslie S.-$25, Harvey B.-$25, Sheila B.-$20, The Ed!Je -$200, Wilhelmina M.-$50 Anne P.-$50 Priscillia -$5 Anonymous $1510

a thousand crosses in _op_p~nheimer park

when eagles circle oppenheimer park we see them feel awe feel joy feel hope soar in our hearts the eagles are symbols for the courage in our spirits for the fierce and piercing vision for justice in our·souls the eagles bestow a blessing on our lives

but with these thousand crosses planted m oppenheimer park today who really see them feel sorrow feel loss feel rage our hearts shed bitter tears these thousand ·crosses are symbols of the social apartheid in_our culture the segregation of those who deserve to live and those who are abandoned to die

these thousand crosses silently announce a social curse on the lives of the poorest of the poor in the downtown eastside they announce an assault on our community these thousand crosses announce a deprivation of possibility for those of us who mourn here the mothers and fathers and sisters and brothers the uncles, aunts, grandmothers and grandfathers the sons and daughters the friends and acquaintances of those members of our community

of a thousand dreams of a thousand hopes of a thousand yearnings for rea l community lost to us but memorialized today

brought finally into a unity here in this community park this park which is the geographical heart of the downtown eastside these thousand crosses are a protest against the abandonment of powerless and voiceless human beings

these thousand crosses speak to us resoundingly collectively to warn us that to abandon the wretched the miserable the scorned the scapegoated makes a legitimate place for abandonment in our society and this abandonment will go right up the social-ladder but to truly care for lives at the bottom will make a place for care and this caring will ensure that no one be aban~oned

these thousand crosses represent the overdose deaths of drug addicts who are not the only drug addicts in our society but only the most visible the most naked because the poorest but these thousand crosses reveal a culture pretending to be about life and health and hope but permeated with death and disease and despair these thousand crosses bear witness not to a culture of care and freedom but of carelessness and addiction

any one of these thousand crosses_ could easily represent my own..death doctors at st. paul's hospital asked me after an overdose why l was still alive? and that is a question each moment puts to us a question each one of these thousand crosses puts to each of us why are we still alive? for what purpose? our purpose is to live in community and community is care care for one another care for those least able to care for themselves care for all care in action and there is no one to care if you do not care there is no one no one at all to care if I do not care but it would be a betrayal of these thousand who have died to call them victims to victimize them in death because in truth they are martyrs these thousand crosses symbolize the lives and deaths of a thousand martyrs the word martyr means one who bears witness one who suffers misery for a long time one who is killed or persecuted

for adherence to a belief an enculturated belief that pain the pain of trying to live in this abusive abandoning crushing and excluding socio-economk system that this pain must be individually managed the erroneous belief that suffering can be relieved outside real community outside care

these thousand crosses of these contemporary martyrs bear witness not only to their drug overdose deaths but to the uncounted deaths in the downtown eastside deaths of drug addicts from suicide and aids

and so we are all abandoned if one is abandoned so we are all uncared-for if one is not cared for

but ifwewouldSpeaK: of real health and of true community we must let these thousand crosses direct us toward those aboriginal tribal communities and other real spiritual communities where when one individual behaved destructively the entire community gathered and asked one question what is wrong with us? wh~t is wrong with us that this member o"f our community should behave in this way?

but in our culture we reverse this spiritual truth and blame the individual solely for his or her fate and the perpetuation of this _lie costs us costs us the lives these thousand crosses represent costs us how many more thousands of lives? costs us in so many many ways

and from this moment here in this community park this park of great care where the streets and alleys and hotel rooms of the downtown eastside the killing fields of the downtown eastside are transformed into living testimonies and memorials of those who have brought us together today in oppenheimer park where children play birds sing young people create and seniors gather these crosses are planted like seeds in our hearts

what will be the fruit these seeds bear? will it be a stronger commjtment to compassion and justice for every member of our community?

costs us heavily

a commitment to those most disabled? most abandoned?

a commitment to do whatever is necessary to prevent a thousand more deaths by drug overdose in the downtown eastside?

will these thousand crosses these thousand seeds these thousand memorials burst forth into new life for those who will not have to become a martyr to our social madness around drug addiction but will care burst forth in our hearts in our lives in a new way for the sake of others and for the sake of ourselves? I believe these crosses these seeds are already bearing fruit hope hope stands right now right here in this park at this moment hope is standing here hope in each cross hope in each of us

when these thousand crosses are planted in this park who really see them are awakened are called forth to community to care and who really see these thousand crosses are called tG- be hope soaring in the hearts of those for whom hope is gone soaring in courage and blessing as when eagles circle oppenheimer park. Buo OsBORN