Ca i 'iie'" i e ~ NEWSLETTER g

401 Main Street, Vancouver BC V6A 2T7 604-665-2289

C R U CH ~ c:tte.s

AUGUST 1, 2014

carnnews@vcn.bc.ca carnnews@sbaw.ca www.carnnews.org

I-r's IAI<ES A VilL/.ICE To RAISE A PRoTEST, J:T TAicE.S A PR..oT6STToSAVE A CONMUtliTY.

Protesters at Oppenheimer Park vow to stay & fight for low-income housing The protesters want to negotiate with the City and remain at their camp. installed at Oppenheimer Park in the DO\,\ ntown Eastside.

Brody Williams in the longhouse they built at Oppenheimer Park. Photo: Vah;ntina Ruiz Leotaud T he leaders o f a group of some 40 people who are camping at Oppenheimer Park, in the Downtown Eastside.

headed to C ity Council on Tuesday to negotiate their housing conditions. "This is not a camping trip," said Lawrence Houle, one of the campers, who has been living at the park since last fall. "We need a permanent home, that's what we are fighting for." At 9:00a.m. they arrived at City Hall. As soon as the Council meeting started, they circulated a motion with their

de mands. Mayor Gregor Robertson responded by saying that it is the provinc ial government's duty to provide solutions for housi ng problems. Robertson a lso requested the protesters to move to a private meeting with Coun­cillor Kerry Jang and City Manager Penny Ballem. Before they moved to another room, Audrey Siegl, former resident of the Downtown Eastside and member of the

Musqueam Indian Band, repeatedly asked: "Can you stop the eviction notices?" "There's no eviction notice, It is public land , and obviously we need to make sure that the whole community is

able to use that land, and that's our primary concern. Anyone who is on the land right now has access to housing, anyone who needs that help and support can get that," the Mayor responded .

The discussion heated up, with both parties maintaining their positions. A couple of hours later. when the meet­ing with Jang and Ballem was over, the campers said they were going to work together with the City in order to push the other two levels of government for funding. Neither Jang nor Ballem could be reached for comment at the time. However, according to information published on Wednesday by Metro, Jang said later that the C ity is committed to fix urgent problems like the unsanitary con­ditions of some SROs. Jang didn't mention anything about the campers' presence in the park. However, the protesters said they areal­

lowed to stay there as long as they remove the tents and other structures. Washroom facilities will remain open for them. but no temporary to ilets are going to be installed as they demanded.

5 The City of Vancouver had already issued a notice on Saturday. It said that all campers had to remove their tents

from the park by early Sunday . That notice was immediately co untered by another eviction notice issued by the protesters themselves, some of whom were of Haida and Musqueam descent. They asked the City to remember that they hold the Aboriginal Title for the whole area where the City is based. and that local officials should "'cease any attempts to remove people or thei r belongings" from the park.

Buying time Representatives fro m town hall visited the site Monday night. They stayed on the premises for some time, then tal ked to both Brody Wi ll iams, a camp organizer from the Haida Nation, and Wendy Pederson, a long-time Downtown Eastside activist. "That bought us some time. At least 24 hours," Williams said at the moment.

When approached by the Vancouver Observer to comment on the campers' demands and s ituation, one of the of­ticial s declined comment and asked media to contact the C ity' s communication office. Councillor Kerry Jang had previously told CKNW that outreach workers are there to make sure "that those who

have really poor housing or substandard housing can go somewhere e lse first before they are moved out." Rena Kendall-Craden, spokesperson for the City of Vancouver, said in the same story that people are working

with BC Housing and the Evelyn Saller Centre to give temporary shelter for the campers. She noted that the Downtown Eastside local area plan w ill result in improved living condit ions at existing SROs.

Mice, bed bugs and cockroaches at SROs Not all people who are camping at Oppenheimer Park are homeless. Even the camp's organizer, Williams, adm it­ted that he has a home, but he added that he's staying there to support the housing cause which he has been fight­ing for over a decade. " I've been going to the meetings over and over. I've hoped for the best but they just talk and talk,'' Wil liams said . Still , he was moved to action, especially after learning that the number of people sleeping on the streets grew com pared to 2013's count. "They are not going to move us away that easily ... We are here to create pressure for subsidized housing," Wil-liams added. • As a way to justify their de mands, Lawrence Houle said: " I've lived in three (SRO) hotels and they al l had bed bugs, cockroaches. wolf spiders, and also mice and rats making holes through the walls. I caught 28 mice in one month."

Houle moved to Oppenheimer Park in October. Not even the winter cold could convince him to go back to an SRO or a temporary she lter. " ! can't live in a place like that, getting bitten at night. I had to go s leep somewhere else," he said.

By Valentina Ruiz Leotaud ("Vancouver Obsen,er)

What's so Funny About Being An Artist in the DTES?? An exhibition of cartoons by Jim Dewar

I really ef\ioycd tl1csc insightful and hilarious cartoons. The show was divided into ~1 tl1cmcs: Community, Gentrification and Survival. The different aspects of life down here arc examined in a

slyly witty and humorous way. All his squiggly characters look like nobody specific down here yet somehow manage to convey tl1e essence of what we look like to him.

The opening night on July 5m happened to be tl1c same dar as Isabel Ramiriz mem01ial and many otl1cr events such as Rocking Girls so I was pleasantly surprised to sec such a good turnout for the reception. Mike Richter's lovely guitar playing added a gentle background while people cxan1incd each cartoon and sometimes broke into laughter when tl1ey perused cert.-'lin ones. I particularly like "Chickens in the

BackYard" which was poking fun at our homeless problem in comparison to the chickens tl1at ended up homeless after people couldn't lake care of tl1em anymore! The plate of goodies was consumed early on and they were delicious tl1anks to our wonderful cafeteria staff.

As I went tlu·ough tl1e works, I realized tl1at t11cse cartoons arc also a history of our neighbourhood as they examine all tl1e tl1ings tl1at have been happening to this Community in the past few years.

Jim's work will be showing in botl1 the "Sununer Show" at Interurban Gallery in August and at tl1c Oppenheimer Art Show in September at Gallery Cachet. jim will continue to illustrate life in tl1e DTES and be making a book of the best of his work. His work is regularly published in tl1e newsletter regularly.

Meanwhile look for Ius latest cartoon about tl1e Tent City wllich is being unveiled right in tllis very publication, our very o'vn Carnegie Newsletter.

Thank you to everyone that came to tl1e show and watch out for tl1is up and coming DTES artist in the future. Also tl1anks to the DTES Sm'Arts grant program which jim was lucky enough to receive tllis year.

By Adrienne Macallum

Hon. Rich Coleman Minister Responsible for Housing Room 128. Parliament Buildings Victoria, BC V8V 1 X4

OPEN LETTER RE: HOMELESSNESS IN VANCOUVER AND OPPENHEIMER PARK ENCAMPMENT

Dear Min ister Coleman.

l write to you today to bring forward the cases of multiple constituents who are homeless and currently camping in Oppenhe imer Park. Campers have compiled a list of names of 40 people who are currently homeless and camping at the park. l have spoken with many of these constituents directly and provide their information to you in order to assist with urgent placement in appropriate housing. The composition of this group of people is di­verse . To give you a glimpse of the make-up of the campers; they are singles. couples. men and women, seniors; some are individuals with di sabiliti es or seri ous chronic illnesses; some have struggled with addictions. There is an expectant woman who is expecti ng to deliver her baby later this year.

As you know, the costs of homelessness- the persona l costs to individual health and we ll-being. as well as the cost to the province and to supporting organi zations & charities- are enormous when compared with the alterna­tives. The constituents that! spoke with talked about the extraord inary barrie rs that they have faced in securing housing including: poverty; the very high market rent rates in Vancouver when compared to their lim ited or fixed incomes; health challenges that restrict their ability to accept some units; very long wait t imes to access BC Hous­ing or other affordable housing developments; as well as substandard housing conditions, such as mould and bed­bug infestations. Many that l spoke w ith are Aboriginal , and some have been looking for a home for years.

Simi larly, some campers said that seeking a temporary placement in emergency shelters is not always an option that works for every individual; some of the concerns raised included concerns about heal th and safety; concerns about maintaining sobriety where a different neighbourhood setting would be more appropriate; and the relative lack of shelter spaces where a couple can remain together. One Aboriginal man said that shelters remind some elders of their traumatic res idential school experiences, showing a clear need for expanded cu lturally appropriate shelter facilities.

In coming together, the campers are seeking relative safety and support with and amongst each other. One mem­ber of the community, a woman, said of the encampment: " When we are together, we are safe". There is strong support within our community for the campers, and for the need to provide long-term solutions that would address the housing situa~ion of the campers and others in similar situations.

l understand that City of Vancouver elected officials recently met with campers as well, and have indicated that they believe that responsibility for providing housing is an issue of provincial jurisdiction. T here is no question that an effective approach to ending homelessness requires the partnership of all levels of government via a long term comprehensive strategy. For the immediate present, l appeal to your Ministry to provide urgent ass istance. Offers of secure, affordable, and appropriate housing would go a long way to ensuring the well-being of these constituents. I am committed to working cooperatively in any way possible to ensure that individuals facing homelessness in our community are able to access housing in a timely manner. I look forward to your response.

Sincerely, Jenny Kwan, MLA Vancouver - Mount Pleasant

cc: Shayne Ramsay, CEO BC Housing

VANCOUVER INFECTIOUS DISEASES CENTRE

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Friday, August 15, 1-3 PM Carnegie Theatre

The 'New' Americanadian Way!?! The young man who is the creator of this piece. who

goes by the YouTube handle StormCloudsGathering (l have no idea of his real name) is truly one of the a reatest heroes of You Tube. His earliest videos were t:>

shot by him, with a camera on a st ick, while walking his infant to s leep in the woods. To anyone who has been following his work, it is

more than clear that he is making these videos to fight for the ri ghts of his children and if he so bl essed, for the rights of his chi ldren's children.

He's fighting for you. too. "Regardless of where on this planet you live, and no matter what your nationality, the fact that the indefi­nite detention provisions of the NDAA are still on the books, should disturb you on a fundamental leve l. If not, give it three minutes. "The National Defense Authorization Act, which was passed in 2012 and extended in 201 3 and 20 14, au­thorizes the US military to arrest anyone, anywhere on the planet, to deny them access to a lawyer, and to detain them indefinitely without at trial. Furthermore the U.S. government claims the right to do all of this in secret. "The right to a fair trial is gone, &without the right to

a fair trial, you have no rights at a ll. "Of course some would argue that the NOAA only

taraets enemies of the United States, as if this some-"" how would make it ok, but that defense doesn't hold

water. (A nd by the way the NDAA does apply to US citizens.) "It doesn't matter who the law c laims to target, and it

doesn't matter under what conditions the politicians claim it can be used. If you don't have the right to a lawyer. ami you don't get your day in court. and if the government isn't even obligated to disclose the fact that they dragged you from your house in the middle or the night. then who is going to make sure this isn't abused? The soldiers? The politicians? Come on. "The power to make someone disappear without a

trial is the power to make up any excuse that's con­venient. Evidence is only needed if you have to prove your case in court. That's why we have courts. "The protections codified in the constitution were put

there for a reason, but at this point it looks very much as if America is going to learn that lesson the hard way. "Land of the free right? "You can put your hand over your heat1 and celebrate

something that no longer exists, or you can be honest with yourself. "That mi ght be a bit painful. No one wants to believe

that their kids are going to live under a military dicta­torship. No one wants to see th is coming, So most people put their head in the sand. "Those who don't, a lways start with one question: What can we do? "The first thing you need to understand is that our problem is psyc~o logical, not material. You have the means to take your power. And you don't need a set of specific instructions. You don't need someone to hold

your hand & expla in your role. You don't need some­one to give you permission. What you need, is to turn off your tv, turn off your radio, put down the iPad, and ask yourself if you're go ing to be able to look your grandchildren in the eyes and tell them honestly that you did everything in your power to turn this around. "Are you going to push this out of your mind because

it's uncomfot1able, or are you going convert that dis­comfort into a driving force? "I'll tell you this much: If that thought itches in the

minds of enough people, we'll figure out a way to scratch it, & If that driven feeling is fully establ ished in your heart, you' ll find a way to make it spread. " If you want a practical starting point to take acti on

on the NDAA , get in contact with ... the People Against the NDAA (PANDA). Dan Johnson (the founder) is one of those driven peo­ple who are making a difference.

New branch head welcomes all to

The corner of Main & Hastings may intimidate some but Natalie Porter knew this was the area she wanted to work in. Last month, Porter became the head of the Vancouver Public Library's branch at the Carnegie Community Centre. "This was my one and only long­term career gpal- to be here," said Porter. "I think librarians naturally love to serve and share and find resources and be a part of a community, and this is the ultimate place if you're passionate about community. The centre itself, connecting in with all the different services, learning all the different opportunities that are here - there's so much going on." Carnegie Community Centre is often referred to as the living room of the Downtown Eastside. The library inside is no different and works closely with the cen­tre for events and initiatives. "The space itself is a quiet refuge where people can come," said Porter. "They don ' t have to justify why they're here." Tall shelves and long wooden tables welcome every­one to grab a book and wind down. There are three

computers for public use, limited to half-an-hour ses­sions as there are often lineups. Patrons love puzzles, and generous stacks of photocopied sudoku puzzles and crossword pages from newspapers are made available by branch staff near the library's entrance. Porter said some popular choices are DVDs, westerns, sci-fi and Chinese kung fu novels.

ft can be difficult for residents without permanent addresses to acquire a VPL card, so a special Carne­gie Reading Room card bypasses this and allows in­dividuals to borrow materials from the branch. Staff also try to be flexible with overdue books.

"We try to accommodate people where they're at," said Porter.

Porter started off as a library assistant with the YPL in 2006 and later pursued studies at the School of Li­brary, Archival and Information Studies at UBC. She worked as a community librarian at the VPL for three years before switching to her new position as Carne­gie's branch head.

Originally from Ontario, Porter was initially intimi­dated by the area when she moved to Vancouver in 1996, but that soon changed after experiencing the area as a community librarian.

"At first glance it might seem quite harsh and raw," she said. "At the same time, after hanging out here, it's a place of deep empathy and love and really vi­brant in the sense that people know each other, and perhaps they've been here for quite some time." She stressed the importance of listening. "Instead of com­ing in with great ideals to change, just be really open to people's stories." Popular events include health fairs in the alley, book giveaways on Friday afternoons due to the huge amount of donations received by the YPL as well as visits by many local authors. The branch is always interested in new innovations to serve the interests of the community. " l actually feel really humbled to be here," said Por­ter. "I think it's a privilege to be here to be a part of people's stories and experiences. I'm excited to see how everything evolves."

[Chris C wrote this for the Courier but here, all we have to do is see Natalie smile! Ed.]

raise shit- a downtown eastside poem of resistance

"tht: mvth of the frontier is an invention that rational­izes th~ violence of gentritication. and displacement"

NEIL SM!TII

"prominent amid the aspects of this story which have caught the imagination are the massacres of innocent peoples- atrocities committed against them and. among other horritic excesses, the ways in which towns, provinces, and whole kingdoms have been entirely cleared of their native inhabitants"

"these pioneers in the gradual gentritication of the downtown eastside say their hopes for a middle-class lifestyle are undermined by the tenderloin scene down the street" BARTOLOME DE LA CASAS, 1542

- DOUG WARD 1997

there is a planetary resistance against consequences of globalization against poor people being driven from

land they have occupied in common and in community for many years

and while resistance to and rapidity of global gentrification differs according to specific local

conditions we in the downtown eastside in the poorest and most disabled and ill

community in canada are part of the resistance which includes the zapatistas in chiapas, mexico the ogoni tribe in nigeria and the resistance efforts on behalf of

and with

the laval as in haiti the minjung in korea the dalits in india the zabaleen in egypt the johatsu in japan and these are names for the flood the abandoned the outcasts the garbage people the homeless poor and marginalized people

and gentrification has become a central characteristic

of what neil smith perceives as "a revengeful and reactionary

viciousness against various populations accused of

'stealing' the city from the white upper classes"

and this viciousness and violence

brought to the downtown eastside by friendly predators such as builders planners architects

landlords

bankers and politicians is like violence brought to our

community by other predators by johns and oblivion seekers by sensationalizing journalists

by arrogant evangelizing christians predators like developers and real estate agents who remind me of no one so much as gilbert jordan the serial killer who came down here repeatedly and seduced bribed and bullied I 0 native women into drinking alcohol until they wer

dead and one woman revived after a night with jordan though pronounced dead on arrival at st. paul's hospital described jordan as "a real decent-looking person very mild-mannered a real gentleman he looked like a school teacher white shirt and tie

was the word words against the power of money and law and politics and media words against a global economic system the word "hebrew" originally designated not a racial class but a social class of despised drifters and outcasts who existed on the margins of middle

eastern cultures and those advocates those ancient hebrew prophets said

"the wealthy move the boundaries and the poor have to keep out of the way the poor spend the night naked, lacking

clothes with no covering against the cold tht: child of the poor is exacted as

security from the city comes the groan of

the dying and the gasp of the wounded

crying for help damn those who destroy the huts o f

I the poor plundering their homes instead of

building them up those who tear the skin from off our

people who grind the faces of the poor who join house to house who add field to field

1 I trusted him" unti I there is room for no one but them ' those who turn aside the way of the

I. and in our situation in the downtown

eastside the single weapon we wield

1 like the weapon native indian prophets like the weapon ancient hebrew prophets used in situations of vicious

displacement and threatened destruction of their

communities

afflicted who trample upon the oppressed"

and the native prophets of the americas who said

"when these times arrive we will leave our homes like dying deer the land will be sold and the people will

be moved and many things that we used to have

in this land will be taken from us we have been made to drink of the bitter cup of humiliation they have taken away our land s until we find ourselves fugitives,

vagrants and strangers in our own community our existence as a distinct community seems to be drawing to a close our position may be compared to a solitary tree in an open space where all the forest trees around have

been prostrated by a furious tornado"

we have become a community of prophets

in the downtown eastside rebuking the system and speaking hope and possibility into

s ituations of apparent impossibility

a first nations man recently told me he had come to the downtown eastside

to die he heard the propaganda that this is on ly a place of death, disease

and despair and since his life had become a hopeless

misery he came here specifically to die but he said since living in the downtown eastside what with the people he has met and the groups he has found he now wants very much to live

and his words go di rectly to the heart of what makes for real

community a new life out of apparent death and this is what we speak and live with our words our weapons

our words like bolts of lightning in a dark night lighting our way our words like tears like rain like cries like hail

from our hearts fee ling with each other in our suffering

for each other our words angry as thunder exploding in the ears

of those who would ignore or dismiss or inflict

upon us what they in their ignorance think is

best for us our words defiant as streetkids in a

cop's face our words brilliant and beautiful as the rainbow

I saw spanning our streets our words of resistance and comfort and

commitment

like mountains our words prophetic on behalf or the hard-pressed poor our words buttons t-shirts fliers inserts

newsletters pamphlets posters spraypaint slogans stickers

placards speeches interviews essays poetry songs letters

chalks paints graffiti

for as one prophet said

"when all is dark the murderer leaves hi s bed

to ki II the poor and oppressed"

jeff and muggs and eldon and kathleen and frank and

maggie and carl and Iori and duncan and margaret and

mark and sonny and ken and fred and shei la and Liz

and lora and terri and ian and chris and f bob and leigh J and jen and shawn and darren and ~, sarah and irene and cathy and ann and lorelie and nick and

I

linda and john and lorraine and joanne and judy and

allison and sharon and deb and marg and dan and jean and

don and libby and carol and lou and dayle and mo and

barb and ellen and sandy and tom and luke and gary

and travis and bruce and paul and deidre and jim and

lisa and so many others

our words and our presence create a strange and profound unity outraged at each other disappointing each other misinterpreting each other reacting against each other resenting each other unhealed wounds dividing us when to be about unity is to be caught in a crossfire of conflicting ambitions understandings

perspectives

still our words and our presence create a strange and profound and strong

unity as in memory of the long hard nerve-

wracking battles for the carnegie centre against the casino for crab park against brad ho lme for zero displacement bylaws against hotel evictions for poor people li ving in \.VOodward's against condominium monstrosities and for our very name . -the downtown eastside removed from city maps the most stable community and

neighbourhood in vancouver suddenly disappeared but recovered through struggle our name reclaimed but the meetings the pressure

the downtown eastside community besieged and beleaguered strung-out and dissipated running on constant low-grade burn­

out fever

meetings and meetings and meetings a dozen fronts to fight at the same time deal with one and a dozen more appear another dehumanizing media story or a new condo threat a hundred needs crying out all at once a hundred indiv iduals with emergencies crying for a response sirens and sirens and sirens construction noise automobile mayhem ad isabled population a poor and ill population criminali zed up against globalization pressure cooker emotional atm osphere excruciating questions and dilemmas so much happens so fast how much compromise? how to organize? w here to fight? more sirens and screams and break-ins welfare cuts more murders and suicides more bodies on the sidewalks and in

alleys and parks space and places for poor people

shrinking and the ambiguities of advocacy the rumours the well-founded paranoias the political manipulations exploitations confus ions deliberate

obfuscations ' and seduction of the gentrification

system the backroom deals somewhere else in office towers and government office meetings and more meetings and yet beneath the ostensible reason for attend ing another goddamned

meeting is that which tru ly holds us together holds and has held every real

community together

love

not as passive abstraction or a commodity privatized

but love as fiery personal and collective social

justice passion

I. love as in our publ~c ce~eb~ations

love as in our publ1c gnevmg love going past fatigue again love taking risks in the face of

uncertainty love as stubbornness sticking to

community principles love as willingness to go one more

length to make one more leaflet love sitting down together one more

time love saying hello to hate and fear and

goodbye love as resistance, tolerance and

acceptance love for this poor beloved community reeling from global upheavals love taking on the consequences of a syste

producing more wounded more damaged more excluded more refugees more unemployed and never-to-be-

employed and love's immense capacity to care and love as courage

like the other day near main and hastings

an old white man headed across hastings

in the middle of the block traffic roared and blasted in both

directions the man was using a cane and moving

very slowly his eyes fixed somewhere beyond it sure looked like he'd never make it but would become another vehicular maiming or death

down here and then a native fellow waiting at the bus stop like a matador dodging furious bulls

. dodged into the traffic and stopped it using his body as a shield and escorted the old white man safely to the curb

words and courage and love and hope and unity

if only we had the means for self-determination instead

"the real estate cowboys ... also enlisted the cavalry of

c ity government for ... reclaiming the land and quelling

the natives, in its housing policy, drug crackdowns, and

especially in its parks strategy, the city devoted its

efforts not toward providing basic services and living

opportunities for existing residents but toward routing

many of the locals and subsidizing opportunities for

real estate development" wrote neil smith about the lower east

side of new york

sounds familiar, literal like the day the police showed up on

horseback to patrol the I 00 block of east hastings horses on the sidewalk where some of the most ill and suffering

human beings most drugged and drunk and

staggering human beings slipped and stumbled through the huge

horse turds left laying on the sidewalk

I remember attending a kind of gentrification summit

called by a vancouver city planner to examine the city's victory square

redevelopment plan david ley, j eff sommers, nick blomley

and chris olds reached a similar conclusion the plan does nothing to prevent displacement and gentrification but when recently remmded ofthis

verdict the city planner still pushing his plan

- said

"I don't care if god and david ley ... "

and that's just it the necessity for heeding the prophetic blast and rallying cry

de livered by larry cam pbell n ow the provinc ia l coroner in the carnegie centre last s umm er

aga inst itself against panhandlers and prosti tu tes

"raise s hit," he said 1 raise shJt

rais e shit against the k ind of "urban cleans ing" gentri ficat ion un leashes it's a war against the poorest of the poor 1,000 overdose deaths in the d owntown easts ide in 4 years highest rate and number of s uic ides in

vancouver lowest life expectancy for both men and

women fatal epidemics of aids and hepatitis c and lack of humane housing identified as a major fac tor in all this vio lence ag ainst us

raise shit w hen a friend o f mine, a gay na tive

man, tells me "I'll try anything to get a decent ho me I'm gonna become a mental case I'll even go into an insti tution if it' ll

help me g et a decent home"

raise shit when both y oung peopl e and ha rd core

addic ts e ither de liberate ly infect themselves

with hiv or take no precautions to prevent infection

so that they have a better chance a t ob ta ining housing, income, health care

and meals

rais e shit w hen a city cop in a newspaper column

says "the locals were at the ir best lighting

and howling" and calls drug addicts "vampires"

raise s hit when a n extre mely influen tia l north

american theore tic ian of displacement, george

kelling is brought to vancouver by the bus iness people and the police to d efin e and divide o ur com munity

w hen a city planner in w ith th e convention centre scam

says "the voters o f vancouver can eas ily live with

20 to 25,000 homeless people and not even notice"

and when I think of rais ing s h it I think of this basketball team I o n ce

played on composed o f middle-aged beat- u p

alcoho lics and addicts from the streets who'd been sober for awhile and we entered a c ity recreatio na l

league against teams that were younger, stronger, faster, healthie r a nd

more skilled and though we lost most games by a

large margin we determined that no matter what the score each hotshot team we played would

know by their fatigue and sweat and bruise~ that they had been in a game that they were up against an opponent we knew we couldn't out jump or

outrun those teams but we sure could raise shit better than they could and amazingly we actua lly won a few

games·

to raise shi t is to actively resist and we resist w ith our presence with our words with our love with our courage

we resist person by 'person

1 square foot by square foot room by room building by buildi ng

. block by block

we res ist because we are a communi ty

' of prophets , of activists, of advoca tes, l of volunteers, and agency workers

j and we, you and !. us j are all.that stands between

, the umque vulnerable troubled li fe­giving and death-

attacked community of the downtown eastside

we are all that stands between our vast community

and those who would gentrify and displace and replace it replace with greed the singular leadership we have here where it is said we lack a single dynamic individual leader but we have the most powerful leader there is the most effective leader we can have in this grave s ituation our community

I. our community its elf

has emerged as our leader the downtown eastside community

itself

1 leads us

l and it is to our credit that this is so for it is from our

I h . , prop ellc, courageous, confl ictual and

1 loving

: uni ty

lthat our community raises sh it

; and resists

BUD OSBORN 2001

Raise Shit - Social Action Saving Lives is the story of the years-long struggle to open lnsite, an accepted & 'legal' Safe Injection facility -the first on the North American continent. The book's authors are Susan Boyd, Donald MacPherson and Bud.

From the LibrarY The Library is excited to announce that, in col~abora­tion with local organizations Hives for Humamty and the Hastings Urban Farm we will be offering a DTES Seed Library in the branch for anyone to take, share and donate seeds, as well as a big addition to our book collection on bees, bee-keeping and pollinators.

To celebrate, we wil l be hosting a special event on Wednesday August 61

h, 6pm to 7:30pm in the Car­negie Theatre that will include honey-tasting a~d readings from Mark Winston (author of Bee Time · Lessons from the Hive), and community gardener, Jim McLeod. Due to the recent passing of Neil Benson, who was a member of this community and took care of the bees this event and col lection will be dedicated to him. Please join us in honouring his memory, while learn­ing about the miracle of bees, and how to make our community more sustainable. Our bee book library will include, Attracting Native Pollinators: Protecting No~th America's bees and butterflies by Xerces Soc1ety. The Backyard Beekeeper by Kim Flottum. Homegrown Honey Bees: An absolute beginner's guide by Alethea Morrison. The Rooftop Beekeeper: A scrappy guide to keeping urban honeybees by Megan Paska. Wisdom for Beekeepers: 500 tips for successful bee-keeping by James E. Tew. .

Your Carnegie Librarian, Natalie

N~pier St@ C mercml Ori II\: At 20

"Get Back to Active" Program

•small Class Sessions Oftcrcd to Anyone With Existing \t1uscle. Bon~ or Body lnjuri<!s.

*FREE i 1~jur) assessment and exercise program by ce11ified personal trainer.

*Get back to being your active selt1 Get help with issues such as arthritis. osteoporosis, muscle degeneration or aches and pains with a personalized exercise and stretching regimen.

Tuesdays, 12-1pm Thursdays, 10-11am

Starting Aug 5, Carnegie Centre, Classroom 2 Facilitated by NCSA Certified Personal Trainer For more info, Contact Mary Ellen at 604-665-3005

Munich beer garten Sweaten

never been there but can taste smell feel froth

of good german beer trailing down my beard, neck

straight into my svbversive Celtic Soul

like the taste of a 1000 sweet Persian kisses

J A Douglas

The Serpico Effect

In I 971 director Siuney Lumet made the ti lm Serpico starrin5 AI Pacmo. It was based on a non­fiction book by Peter Maas that detailed a New York cop's fervent comr"'litment to his job. for which he received a salary that he considered sufficient remu-

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neration. His problem was. he didn't take bribe mon­ey, figuring it would compromise him when it came to doing the job. He was resourceful and courageous­the first one through the door kind of cop. Being first through the door eventually got him shot in the face.

His colleagues. almost to a man, despised him. He likely was set up by them to be murdered - for they knew he was often first through the door. It 's an abso­lute miracle he wasn't killed. If he had been killed, the Knapp Commission hearings into police corrup­tion would likely not have taken place. The investiga­tion, barely in its nascence, would have died alon(J with Serpico.

0

Now what's interesting is, to this day, cops generally have a low opinion of Frank Serpico. He wasn't just hated by fellow officers at the time who felt threat­ened by his complete disregard for the holy Blue Wall; oh no, apparently cops nowadays still hate the man. He's the most famous police officer of the 20'" Century and to those of us who aren't cops, he's an icon of integrity and bravery. But to many cops, too many cops, he's a bum and a

rat because he cared more about the average citizen than he did about crooked policemen.

And the police wonder why we don' t think the world of them? Next time a cop gives you a hard time for no reason,

ask him, "When AI Pacino got shot in the face in Serpico, did that make you happy or sad? It made me sad. Something tells me it made you happy." Then turn around and run away, while yelling "Don't shoot me, Chipperfield!" (The comprehension of that last sentence depends on your having read the previous newsletter.)

By DAN PAGE

A t L t. Photo by Casey Bowman

Na ura Pab-,

To keep moving & grooving, to find the energy or to wander around in a stunning quandary of confusion, when your body says 'No. I am physically burnt out & shot for the time being; I need some serious down­time pretty please' however my mind says 'No way: you can do this! You can drag yourself off the floor and get a move on!' (to who knows where) 'otherwise you might miss something really really good!'Better outside; maybe better inside- it's summer, people. Not too far off are the rain & cold & relentless mon­soons, and flash floods arrive, seemingly forever .... . So try real hard to get the lead out and experience something mind-blowing other than televisionsmart­phonescomputers- better to experience something real, alive & true, unforgettable creating fond pleasant memories for a long, long time. How good does that sound to you?! Could be a great new beginning after recharging your internal, kinetic. frenetic batteries set outm on a brand new course of exploration, adventure and transcendental enlighten­ment. Enjoy your new journeys and many happy re­turns .. bon voyage .. happy landings .. bon appetite!

ROBYN LIVINBGSTONE

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Cuts To The CBC Part Two:

J /

In tht: last few weeks. Hubert Lacroix. the CEO of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, has an­nounced some brutal cuts to the CBC.

"I'm sorry about the cuts." I've told 2 or 3 people. But the CBC isn't a progress ive organization. So I don't feel too sorry."

In recent years the CBC radio and t.v. stations have said little or nothing about the terribly low wel­f~re rates and the pitiful disability and old age pen­SIOns that people have to live on. Also as far as 1 can recall, it's never said a word in recent years about the massive debts that young people are burdened with when they exit from universities. I met one young mam who came out of a community colleoe owino

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$12,000. This is a terrible way for young people to start their

adult life. The CBC won't touch this topic with a ten foot barge pole. So when Lacroix, a lawyer an­nounced his cuts, I said, "Sorry, but not too sorry." Yer a woman I'll call Gladys disagrees with me on

this issue. Gladys is a sixtyish female marooned in a Vancouver apartment. Two successive strokes have sidelined her and she can't really walk on her own. She loves CBC and thinks my views on this topic are just plain wrong.

"I can't get through the day without CBC Radio," she says. People like Michael Enright and Anna Mari_a Tremonti are certainly enlightened." (In my prev1ous story on the CBC I mentioned Tremonti but forgot Enright). Also Gladys points out that radio m?rning_ hos_t Jian Ghomeshi has dealt sensitively w1th top1cs l1 ke gays, lesbianism and the transgen­dered.

"I also love some of the young men on CBC tv, ~specially Evan Solomon and Ian Hanomansing. You JU~t don't get t~ese people on other stations." I agree w1th part ofti11S. Yet I can't forget Jian Ghomeshi interviewing an American mother of a soldier whose

son had died in the Iraqi War. The whole interview seemed to justify the NATO invas ion of Iraq in 2002. I felt for the mother and her dead son. Yet I thought back then that the invasion of Iraq was a crime. I still do.

Also at times the CBC acted as a publicist for the war in Afghanistan. I opposed this was completely though I fe lt badly about the close to 160 Canadian soldier<> who died there.

Then there's Evan Solomon whom Gladys ad­mires. Once upon a time Solomon had the American progressive and author Noam Chomsky on his Sun­day morning show. This hasn't happened in years. To­day Solomon has an afternoon show on t.v. and his guests won't disturb any mainstream audience. Nei­ther will any of lan Hanomansing's reporting.

Finally Gladys points to the music that CBC's Ra­dio Two station used tp lay like classical music. Yet CBC has already cut playing classical music s from 24 hours a day to about five hours. (I may have exag­gerated the number of hours classical music was played since some of the night time was given over to new wave pop music. Still class ical music was played in the past a lot more than five hours a day).

Last Gladys and others point out that C. B.C. is not the same as CB<; radio. I agree. as the very conserva­tive cultural critic Robert Fulford said in effect, "T.V. is the most conservative medium there is." C. B.C. t.v. lor instance, has headlined business people like Kevin O'Leary. If people like O'Leary had had their way, C. B.C. wouldn't exist.

Also let's not forget C.B.C's treatment or atti tude to the DTES and the poor in general. Last winter the Vancouver C.B.C. put on a Food Bank day where protestors from the DTES showed up. This Food Bank Day was an insult to poor people who need food banks because of the very low cheques they get from the governments of Canada.

The C.B.C. always refers to the DTES as "Can­ada's poorest postal code."

Now I've written letters to the Harper government denouncing cuts to C.B.C. Yet C.B.C. doesn't inspire much loyalty in me these days. When l think of it these days I'll paraphrase Churchill's famous saying about democracy. "The C.B.C. is the worst broadcast­ing system of all, until you look at all the other t.v. and radio stations."

By Dave Jaffe

We have recently revised the Carnegie Community Centre Conduct & Consequences Policy. The changt!s made reflect our desire to give patrons a clear message as to why they are being asked to leave and when they can return. We have also reduced the number of consequences requiring patrons to "see security coordinator" . The policy was supported and approved by the Carnegie Community Centre Association at the Board Meeting on July 3, 2014 and is effective im mediately.

CARNEGIE COMMUNITY CENTRE: BARRING GUIDELINES

T he fol lowing are guidelines for use by Carnegie Security Staff in dealing with misconduct or a disregard for the rules of Carnegie . These policies were approved by the Carnegi e Community Centre Association (CCCA) Board ofDirectors on December 6. 2001 and have been fil ed with the C ity of Vancouver in March. 2002. These policies were amended by the CCCA Board and Directors on July 3. 20 14 and have been prepared in accordance with the Carnegie's " Guiding Principles".

The penalties listed here may be more or less severe depending on c ircumstances and will increase with repeat offences. Other inappropriate behaviors not covered here will be dealt with at the discretion of staff.

CONDUCT CONSEQUENCE: Not allowed in the building

I. Behaviour indicates a lcohol I drug use. One day.

2. Consuming a lcohol I drugs on premises. One day.

3. Dealing in drugs on the premises. One month.

4. Participating in drug activity & seeks entrance. One day.

5. Non-threatening, disruptive behaviour. One day.

6. Verbally abusive and/or harassment. One day.

7. Escalated verbal abuse and/or harassment. One week. •

8. Verbal threats or threatening behaviour. One week.

9. Fighting on premises. One month minimum.

I 0. Common Assault on premises. Two months minimum.

11. Sexual Assault or Abuse. One year- police involved. 12. Sexual offences involving children. Permanently- police involved. 13. Wilful damage to property. Two months and pay-back arrangements made.

14. Gambling. One day.

15. Theft. Determined by situation and if police involved.

16. Refusal to leave for one of the above. Must see Security Coordinator.

REVIEW AND APPEALS A person who has been barred from Carnegie for longer than one day must make an appointment to speak with th Sec uri t:y Coordinator. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the incident, ensure you have an understanding o the rules of conduct and decide the date on which you may re-enter Carnegie. A person may bring an advocate if preferred. The Security Coordinator will review decisions and consider appeals by the person affected. The final decision is with the Centre Director or Assistant Director.

For Further Information: Sharon Belli, Assistant Director: 604-665-3545

IUBC ! I~ · _._ .. ...... _" ... ., ..... , v Hum

Arts & Humanities Humanities 101 Community Programme offers three free university-level courses for people who live in and around the Downtown Eastside and Downtown South. The courses are for people who have encoun­tered financial and other barriers to university educa­tion and who wish to expand their intellectual hori­zons in an accessible, challenging and respectful envi­ronment. Applicants must have a love of learning, basic literacy skills and be willing to attend classes, complete assignments and participate in group discus­sions. Applications for these non-credit courses are accepted not on the basis of past academic history, but on applicants' desire and ability to be part of the Hum I 0 1 Programme.

Classes take place at UBC Point Grey campus on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, beginning in early September. You can apply for an eight month inter­disciplinary course where you will study a different subject in the at1s and social sciences each week, in­cluding history and politics, at1, music, architecture, philosophy, literature, sociology, first nation studies, economics, gender studies, popular culture and more. Or you can apply for a three-month long, hands-on writing course where a new genre and style of writing will taught each week. Participants receive school supplies, student cards, bus tickets to get to and from class, meals, and child care if needed. I

Please attend the upcoming information and applica- l tion sessions for more details on how to participate in I tht:;_programme. Lnformation is also available at humanitieslOl.arts.ubc.ca

Carnegie Centre, Main and Hastings St. (top floor classroom) J

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Saturday August 16, !lam for Hum 101 & Hum 201 Tuesday August 19, I lam for Writing Thursday August 28, 11 am for Hum 101, Hum 20 1 & Writing

Gathering Place Community Ctre, 609 Helmcken St. Saturday August 16, lpm for Hum 101 & Hum 201 Tuesday August 19, I pm for Writing

Vancouver Recovery Club, 2775 Sophia St. Wednesday August 20, llam for Hum 101, Hum 201 and Writing

Crabtree Cornero, 533 East Hastings St. (3'd fl . room) Wednesday August 20, 1 pm for Hum I 01, Hum 20 I and Writing

Downtown Eastside Women's Centre, 302 Columbia St. (women only) Thursday August 21, I pm for Hum 101, Hum 20 I and Writing

Humanities 101 Community Programme Dr. Margot Leigh Butler, Academic Director Paul Woodhouse, Programme Coordinator Alison Rajah, Writing Coordinator Wit Steele, Programme Assistant Michelle Turner, Programme Assistant Madeline Gorman, Programme Assistant tel. 604-822-0028 Programme Office: #270 Buchanan E, 1866 Main Mall, U.B .C. Vancouver, B.C. Canada V6T 1Zl Web-

site: http://humanities1 01.arts.ubc.ca/

.. - .... "' .... : 'Ill I 'lit_,

Opening Receptwn: Wednesday Aug. 6, 2014 7 - 10 pm

ln te-ru~·ba .-. Gallery 4'\. )

:..~. .. ·.', \ · . ·:3 ,1-:Cu /erf :>•Jr j?.tk ,lji Yh!t .. artJ . : 3

The DTES Small Arts Grants Summershow exhibition will showcase the work of34 DTES artists from Aug 6-16th at Interurban gallery. Take in paint­ings, chinese cultural opera, photography, video, sculpture, textile and feather work, and balloon art performance! Opening night is Aug 6th from 7-1 Opm. Free and all are welcome.

So It is Time So it' s time Eighteen-twelve all over again Those pesky Yanks L'Anglais, the Red Coats. Yan ·Kee in Mohawk that tongue Etait l 'enemie Howsoever things were fragmented

in the Day Plus s;a change, plus le m¢me chose.

Some nation s did, and do not recognize the 49111 Parellel still

No reasonable division Except in those European courts. Separation of peoples by imaginary lines

on pieces of paper Only read by engineers and potentates ...

Wilhelmina Miles I '

People Bashing Hurts Our Soul

Why do Vancouver people live th is way? And yet ... it's not really our place to say.

Gossip must not be used by word of mouth. Like in the North to West and East or South.

Do we bash others to make them happy? Or does it make their Jives feel crappy?

It's only adding too much strain, And never blocks the hurting pain.

Why should the very rich and poor, Knock them down to the very floor?

Humans were meant to be the same, Different colors must have no shame.

It's not only animals that we are harming, We pollute the Earth with global warming.

Many people seem kind of strange, There is no time to make a change.

We are people of the human race, Just like the song 'Amazing Grace.'

If only we could make things meet, God help me to practice what I preach.

• © OJ Bruce

NEWS FROM OPPENHEIMER PARK -DTES COMMUNITIES!! BACK YARD

Oppenheimer Pari:? is excited to announce the 7th Annual Oppenheimer Pari:? Community Art Show!

Applications at Carnegie Info Desk Deadline: August 1, 2014

The theme this year is CROSSING BOUNDARIES. We are currently see!:?ing artists, artisans and crofters who are interested in participating in the show! If you have any questions, contact Kay/Carrie/Sandy at oppar!:?artshow@gmail.com or

Carnegie Centre for more infol

Affliction Finder The silence is ringing bells never before rung ·tis the everyday of the common man today he shall swing as his mo11al coil is hung like overdosed underdogs out­performing the cheaters This evil is not ne~v & never has, like blaming the poor for overpopu lat1~n yeah & we also helped create camps for concentration I day theatre will be equal parts good & evi l but we wi ll be in different rooms ours is the poverty/poetry class, .. looking back is what I do best'' so said the Aflliction Finder pondering on whose head shall his elbow rest evil just got into town this night pure evil has never used class, like being released as when he put a\.vay his falsetto smile drives the multitudes to him yet to mock him poverty & infestation of rotting souls was jus t the beginning of his way our torment is his joy & paramount to his rapture & delight, he feeds off our energy & fear The Affliction Finder has made a I iving out of bad news the dead know better but we are still very un­clear: " do the letting down ' round here" this is his calling and it is very very clear in this overheated night, his litter of introduction is full of .sin s? much we have not seen the likes of such mass1ve d1seases does he bring turmoil and the sounds of children & dogs whimpering - now that is his thing, li ke his open casket afterglowish charm the Affl iction Finder found us now he shows off all levels of harm he is a showoff The best intentions of the D.T.E.S. wi II soon be old stories of how we fought him off but even when he loses we won' t mean a bloody thing, That ancient soil was ours he doesn' t g ive a shit '·i f money were to be thrown in the sewer how long be­fore the various ailments begin this non-neglectable nor refundable creature'' in volatile form like an exor­cism puppet show this patch of land is ours to much evil please fuck-off please, he wears the crowns of empty-hearted kings when Martha&theVandellas told us to dance he commanded us to do nothing like a pesticide butter & ink remover sandwich just enough poison to get you on those worn-out knees, ' l constantly hear the cries of our people to many cranes & to many strollers nothing is ever equal same as these churches and their sky high no land tax stee­~there is nothing to compare unless you live in Death Valley screw you we are those other people, Like an outpouring of emotion from our curious leader ' I have met bette r-versed winos & they are not

cursed' myseJf·J consumc410ml ofmethadone' am I any cleaner but the Affliction Finder bathes in blood as the ManlnTheMoon can only watch & cry, He dispenses cancer with racism and slavery \.V ith world wars yes the carnage club social event of the fisca l year would open wide its doors as for the used & thrownaways w ho really cares do the A.F. a favour walk as far as you can then fall down & die!, like ar­sonists helping firefighters keep their jobs of course these minor victories are also irritations now is in­timidation the sincerest form of insinuation does the Affliction Finder a lways somehow win? like declar­ing war on Vatican City or parading around the Mid­dle East in your birthday suit the Affliction Finder never said anything about being pretty now there's a mourning of weather predicting as the magnified world of our colour & shame is and will always be a s in , inside your bag of torment/turmoil & other tidy shames your disruptive audience dispersal choir have chosen to settle a few scores so they pulled out one o f a thousand pieces of paper (they a ll had your name) & now it 's your turn for a dressing down, the more mis­ery you create toughens that opencasketafterg/ow .. give us a chance just one more you never know may­be just maybe the harmony of no armies might just be a hit in this and every s ingle town: We shall see-

By ROBERT McGILLIVRAY

"Who that wrestles with us strengthens our nerves and sharpens our ski ll ; our antagonist is our helper."

-Edmund Burke

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401 Main Street, Vancouver V6A 2T7 604-665-2289

THIS NEWSLETTER IS A PUBLICATION OF THE CARNEGIE COMMUNITY CENTRE ASSOCIATION

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

• • • • • • • • •

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WANTED Artwork for the Carnegie Newsletter

Small illustrations to accompany article:; and poetry . Cover art- Max size: 17cm(6 %")wide x 15cm(6")high . Subject matier pertaining to issues relevant to the Downtown Eastside, but all work considered . Black & White printing only Size restrictions 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 publication. Remuneration: Carnegie Volunteer Tickets

Please make submissions to Paul Taylor, Editor.

COMPUTER ADVICE Vancouver Community Network Cost-effective computer & IT support for non-profits VCN Tech Team http:/ltechteam.vcn.bc.ca Call778-724-0826 ext2. 705-333 Terminal Ave, Van

(Publication is possible only with now-necessary donations.)

DONATIONS 2014 Elsie McG.-$100 Robert McG.-$80 Terry & Savannah :$100 Margaret D.-$40 Leslie S.-$175 Dave J.-$19 Sharon J.-$35 Christopher R.-$100 Bob & Muggs -$300 Sharman W.-$76 Michele C.-$100 Carnegie Seniors Support Group -$300 Catherine C.-$100 Yukiko T.-$30 Vancouver Moving Theatre -$100 Downtown East Village Pride -$50

"Nev~r doubt th2t ::1 .~mall group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, 1t is th<.: 1.ml) thmg that ever has." -Margaret Meade

We acknowledge that Carnegie Community Centre, and this Newsletter, are occurring on Coast Salish Territory.

FREE. Do not pay for this paper. Next issue: SUBMISSION DEADLINE

TUESDAY-AUGUST 12TH

August 15, 2014 wi11 be the 28'h anniversary of the Carnegie Newsletter.

Jenny Wai Ching Kwan MLA Working for Y ou

1070- 1641 Commercial Dr, VSL 3Y3 P hone: 604-775-0790

WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION ·AIDS -PdVERTY -HOMELESSNESS -VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN -TOTALITARIAN CAPITALISM -IGNORANCE and SUSTAINED FEAR