May 1, 2017 carnegie newsletter

MAY 1,2017'

t:aRrnre:.ie;~ NEVVSLETTER

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camnews@vcri_bcca

401 Main Street, Vncouver BC V6A 211 604-665-2.2.89 email: camnews@.shaw.ca Websitefcata1ogue: camegienewsktier~oro

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Join us for our Third Annual May Day Hootenanny Singalong Saturday May 6nd 7.00pm Unitarian Church (49th and Oak) 'Diversity and Inclusion - We're in the Same Boat!

Sponsored by the Splidarity Notes Labour Choir & the Unitarian Church's Social Justice Committee, in aid of the Carnegie Community Action Project & the Solidarity Notes. Tickets $15 or pay what you can.

With the participation ofCecilia Point (Musqueam welcome), Phoenix Winter (President, Carnegie Community Centre, MC), the Carnegie Choir, Gathering Place Choir, Newcomers Choir (Burnaby), Random Strings, St James Music Academy Fiddlers, Theatre Terrific Choir, Vancouver Folk Song Society, and the Solidarity Notes.

Poster by Murray Bush.

3

CARNEGIE BOARD ELECTIONS WILL BE HELD ON THURSDAY JUNE

1st 2017

IN THE CARNEGIE THEATRE @ 5:30 PM NOMINA TIONS

TO NOMINATE

FOR THE BOARD WILL BE HELD AT THE MAY 4TH MEETING

SOMEONE, YOUR CARNEGIE CARI) MUST BE DATED NO LATER THAN APRIL 4TH 2017 TO RUN FOR THE BOARD A PERSON MUST;

•

HAVE A MEMBERSHIP

CARD ,DATED NO LATER THAN APRIL 4th 2017

• •

BE OViR 16 LIVE OR WORK (paid or unpaid) IN THE AREA

•

BE AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE CENTRE

•

HAVE CONTRIBUTED

30 HOURS OF VOLUNTEER

CENTRE OR THE ASSOCIATION

WORK TO CARNEGIE

IN THE YEAR BEFORE THE ELECTION

• VOTE AT THE AGM ON JUNE

1st YOUR MEMBERSHIP CARD SHOULD HAVE

A DATE NO LATER THAN MAY 1

rh, 2017

TO

CARNEGIE NEEDS PEOPLE LIKE YOU

To All Candidates in the 2017 BC Provincial Election: Re: Access Barriers to Applying for Income Assistance We are writing to you as a candidate in the provincial election to collectively express our concerns regarding chronic and serious barriers Brit!sh Columbians face when attempting to apply for Income assistance. It is our hope that you will pursue this issue as it affects British Columbians in all corners of the province.

Barriers to accessing income assistance have been steadily worsening over the past several years as the Ministry of Social Development and Social Inno~ation (the Ministry) has increasingly moved to o~llne application processes. This has been coupled. ':Ith a corresponding reduction in the number of Ministry staff available to provide in person or over thephone assistance to those citizens applying for income assistance. By way of example, fourteen Ministry offices have closed "ÂŤacrossthe province since 2005, while other offices have reduced hours or have been replaced by generic ServiceBC offices. .

This under resourcing of the Ministry coupled WIth its insistence on an increasingly technological interaction with the public has led to the entirely foreseeab le consequence of downloading much of the responsibility to provide accessible services ontocommunity agencies, such as those signing this letter.

The latest iteration of the on line application process creates new and substantial barriers for those who either do not have access to a computer or lack the computer literacy necessary to navigate the online processes. Now, before someone can eve~ apply for assistance, they must complete the following steps:

*Create an email address (if applicant does not have one, which is the case for many older and/or more vulnerable applicants); *Create a My Self Serve account, and wait for an email confirmation link; *Create a 4-digit PIN; *Create a BCeiD user ID and password to log into My Self Serve account; Since its introduction in February, the latest version of the application process has prompted a flood of calls and emails to our office from advocates and individuals confounded by these new requirements.

With permission from the authors, we share the following excerpts: "The new application process simply doesn't work for many that need to access income assistance. I recently met with a client who is homeless and does not have a computer - the Ministry told him he was ineligible for in-person intake because our organization could assist him instead. This is despite the fact that our organization does not generally assist with the application process because we view it as the Ministry's job to assist, and because it is so cumbersome and time-consuming. My client nearly gave up applying for income assistance at multiple points, despite being eligible, and I know there are many people who, because they can't navigate the bureaucratic and technological hurdles, simply give up on the meager support available. In-person assistance is the only method that actually works for the majority of people who need these services."

- Daniel Jackson, Legal Advocate, Together Against Poverty Society, Victoria Our overarching message is that many applicants require in person assistance with the application process - and this help is simply not being provided.

Despite repeated assurances that there is now a "supported application" whereby applicants unable to use the on line application can contact the Ministry to request telephone intake, there is a complete disconnect between these assurances and the actual experiences of British Columbians attempting to access direct help from the Ministry. In person service are not being provided and wait times on the Ministry's centralized phone line have averaged over 45 minutes over the past six months.

We ask that all candidates commit to speaking out in favour of making income assistance accessible to those that need it by: *Providing timely in person individualized assistance to those that need it *Providing computers and Ministry staff at every

s

Ministry office for the purposs of helping applicants through the application process Modifying the online application to eliminate the requirement for an email address and BCelD We are calling for action of fully resourcing the Ministry to fulfil! its duty to the citizens ofB. C. Sincerely, BC Public Interest Advocacy Centre signatories] Abbotsford Community Services (Abbotsford) Active Support Against Poverty (Prince George) Carnegie Community Action Program (Vancouver) Dawson Creek Native Housing Society (Dawson Creek) 1st United Church Community Ministry Society (Vancou.)

Golden Women's Resource Centre (Golden) Nicola Valley Advocacy Centre (Merritt) Okanagan Advocacy and Resource Society (Vernon) Prince Rupert Unemployed Action Centre (Prince Rupert) Quesnel Tillicum Society, Native Friendship Centre SI. Paul's Advocacy Office at SI. Paul's Anglican Church Together Against Poverty Society (Victoria) c.

Jay Chalke, BC Ombudsperso

NEED TEe

Vancouver a place THE

Park

Learn more about how to use:

Park Field House

of mind

UNIVERSITY

Of

BRITISH

COLuMBIA

DTES POp-Up Tech Cafe: Bridging the Digital Divide

Android • iPhone • Tablets • iPads • Laptops • Email • Social Media • Other Tech Questions WHEN: Friday mornings from 10:30am -12:30pm WHERE: Oppenheimer

Library

learning Exchange

HELP?

Friday Morning Tech Drop-In @ Oppenheimer

Public

Every week since August 2016, the DTES Adult Literacy Roundtable, UBC Learning Exchange, Vancouver Public Library, and Carnegie Community Centre have been teaming up to provide free one-to-one technology assistance at Oppenheimer Park. From 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM each Friday morning, the Tech Cafe team set up their laptops, iPad, and Wi-Fi hotspot and get to work answering people's tech questions.

Over the course of the past eight months, we've had over 300 visits from people looking for help on a wide variety oftech topics - anything from how to sign up for an email account or send a message on Facebook to how to build a website or program an app. Some people come with a relatively simple problem, go away happy, and we don't see them again; others come back week after week with new puzzles for us to work through together.

Although similar programs are already provided at social organizations across the city, marginalized individuals may be less likely to access these institutional resources, either because they don't feel welcome, because it's too challenging to keep track of scheduled events, or because they simply don't know that these resources are available. We attempt to reduce these barriers by bringing our equipment and expertise to them at the same time and place each and every week.

We also employ two DTES community ambassadors to assist in running the workshops and making sure that everyone feels welcome.

Given the consistent turn-out and positive impact on the lives ofDTES residents, the Pop-Up Tech Cafe is anticipated to continue on throughout 2017 and expand to include more sessions held at homeless shelters and other non-profit organizations in the neighbourhood.

Kelty Roberts, Carnegie Librarian

Congratulations to our Volunteer of the Year 2017-

Diane Wood,

Senior Coffee Seller And of course our 4 special Merits: Raphael San Luis(Runner), AI Homenchuk(Pool Room), AI MacEachern (Oppenheimer Park), Debra McNaught (Second floor Reception, Board Member)! !!

A shout out to the beautiful Lisa David for the amazing origami party favors for our Volunteer Recognition Party. It was a beautiful touch made with a lot of love, and A LOT of time. Thank you Lisa for the extra special touch Q And THANK YOU to Gilles Cyrenne, for the gorgeous hand-carved awards each of our 4 special merits received. It was the most perfect representation of Carnegie. First time we've had such a special award Once again, thank you to ALL our volunteers. Volunteer Recognition Week was a beautiful celebration; it's one of the ways we want to acknowledge all the incredible efforts made by all of you. THANK YOU

Volunteers of the month April 2017

Deric lanes, wt. Room Gilles Cyrenne, Learning Centre Congratulations! !

Volunteer Committee Meeting Wednesday, May 10th @ 3:30pm Volunteer Dinner Wednesday. May 17th @ 4:30pm

Fentanyl I was in the ambulance last week on the way to Mount .

St Joseph Hospital. I had pneumonia. 1was talking to the ambulance driver and he said two people died in the ambulance that day and two others the day before.

He told me there is no heroin on the street anymore, that it's fentanyl. A young guy I knew, Marcel, died a few months ago from a fentanyl overdose.

If you want to live, beware. It's a war zone out there!

Don't buy dope because you never know if there's this poison in it. Life is too short!

MarIene Wuttunee

What have I recited or repeated throughout my life?

There's one word that comes to mind. "1 dunno."

Well actually two words, but 1like to play dumb. All my intelligence goes out the window, and people have no problem accepting me as stupid Stupid is as stupid does. What does that phrase mean really? The flag lady at the construction site wants me to go across the street. She's so bossy she gets my back up. I pretend I don't understand her and look forward with glassy eyes and then blatantly ignore her until she really starts yelling at me. "I dunno," I say, as if that solves everything.

Sometimes with rude people in the elevator, I'll pretend I don't ~peak English. "No speaka English." And their insults get turned back. They don't know how to react now. "1 dunno." But I do know, and I know very well that racism has its barbs unless it is deflected.

"1 dunno" but 1 do. But is "I dunno" really two words as it is written, or three words as it sounds? I dunno.

By PHOENIX WINTER

Notes on the Sacred

t

My hope is that people from different traditions can share with each other. These are dark times in which "fair is foul and foul is fair." We need each other.

I have learned something about the sacred, and something about resistance to injustice, from First Nations people.

When is the sacred? The sacred is saturated with being, as Mircea Eliade said. It manifests itself in the relationships of a living universe-I and Thou-intense like fire, inclusive Iike family.

Scott Momoday, author of House oJDawn, said the theft of the land was a terrible catastrophe, but the theft of the sacred was even worse - the replacing of a living relationship to the world with an I lIt relationship of objects, each with a monetary value.

The sacred was not part of the world I grew up in.

Th'at world was one of war, fragmentation and death.

But in the ceremonies of First Nations people, in the singing, drumming, dancing, and in the enduring resistance to imperial policy, I experienced a feeling of astonishment and awe that made me want to revisit aspects of my own culture.

In his book The Primal Mind the First Nations writer Jamake Highwater says that modem artists have re-

ceived inspiration from the caves of Altamira, and in his efforts to explain to Europeans the intensity of an aboriginal world view, he quotes Kandinsky on Cezanne, "he was endowed with the gift of divining the inner life in everything."

Camara Laye, an African writer, wrote a book callec The Guardian oJthe Word. In this book, he draws pai allels between some western art and the traditional A rican experience of being, of the scared. Camara Laye quotes from the European philosopher, Karl Jaspers, who talks of Van Gogh's paintings. "It seems to me that some secret spring of life is opened to us for a moment, as if the depths hidden in every existence were unveiled right before our eyes," Jaspers says.

Think of Van Gogh's "Starry Night" for example. Ca mara Laye goes on to say that in the traditional African experience "that secret spring of life is open, not for a moment, but constantly."

Then the Europeans came. The vision became blurred and Camara Laye wrote that Africa is now "a continent in quest of a vanishing spirituality" - or as Scott Momoday might say, a continent experiencing the theft of the sacred.

The culturally formed images of my relationship to the mystery, the ineffable, will not be the same as the images of a pe son from another culture, but we will both share the experience of astonishment, awe, humbleness and gratitude.

In November, 1988, there was a women's conference in Vancouver called "Women and Language Across Cultures." Out of that conference came an excellent book entitled Telling It, published by Press Gang in 1990. Jeannette Armstrong, a First Nations writer, speaks in the book and she says, "I have been just sitting, listening ... (and): .. I have started to ask some questions, not only of myself and of my people as a cultural group, but of my people as a people from this land, from this earth, and as living parts of this universe. And I think that when we start looking at what we are ... we start to speak the real language - and that real language is a language that is understood by babies, and is known between people as relationships.

That language has more to it than words. I think that when we begin to getto that point, then we can begin to cross these cultural, racial, social and class gaps."

We have much to share with each other in sisterhood in brotherhood. "

By SANDY CAMERON

CARNEGIE

COMMUNITY

ACTION

PROJECT

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w L TT

OUR HOMES CAN'T WAIT TO MAYOR: "WE DON'T WANT ANOTHER WOODWARDSI" MAY 2017

I

2017

fF.5F.1

RALLY AGAINST

GENTRIFICATION

& SOCIAL

MIX AT

58 W. HASTINGS On Tuesday,April 18,the Our Homes Can't Wait campaign (OHCW) organized a rally against gentrification and social mix at 58 W. Hastings.

Over 100 people attended to tell the City, "We don't want another Woodwards" and "We want Gregor to keep his promise!"

After promising that the site at 58 W Hastings would be used for 100% welfare/pension rate housing controlled by the community, the Vancouver Affordable Housing Agency (VAHA) is proposing to rezone the site for only 50% welfare/pension rate housing controlled by the Chinatown Foundation. OHCW has been working in good faith with the city on this project since last summer but virtually all parts of our community vision for the site have been ignored by the City.

The lot at 58 W Hastings has been the the long-term focus of a demand for social housing in the Downtown Eastside, including the Downtown Eastside Neighborhood Council's "TenSites" campaign, the Olympic Tent City in 2010. Most recently, the 58 W Hastings Tent City and the Our Homes Can't Wait Campaign. Yet. despite the persistent and long-term demand for housing on the site, only half of the units in the new development will be affordable to low-income people.

On August 2nd. at a packed meeting in the Carnegie Theatre, Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson finally agreed to the minimum demand of the Our Homes Can't Wait campaign: that the city-owned lot at 58 W Hastings should have social housing with 100% welfare/pension rents.

Through the Fall of2016, OHCW has met with the City to work on both the funding and operating of the site. In this process,we have emphasized the importance of resident controlled social housing and the need for 100% social housing at welfare/pension rate,

which we see as necessary,both as a means to provide enough housing units and as a means to slow down the social-mix gentrification process,which has been responsible for increased evictions and SRO conversions.

We have also pushed for 500 sq. ft units which we reduced to 400 in a goodwill compromise. but which planners have significantly undercut at 250 sq. ft. We also expected, based on early conversations, that the site would provide a total number of 300 units, which has since been reduced to 250 and now 222 units. As it stands, the City has only secured enough funding to subsidize half of the units (111units).

OHCW also wanted peer-run and cultural services and spaces on the ground floor but in December, OHCW discovered that the City was planning to lease three floors of the building to Vancouver Costal Health, without community consultation.

"Since the mayor promised social housing, they put us through hell." said Karen Ward.

VANDU board member. "We want housing without cameras and doctors. "We want housing with dignity."

Mrs. Kong TaLa senior citizen living in Chinatown also expressed her disappointment in the City. 'The mayor promised 100% social housing at welfare rates, but the current proposal is only 50%: said Tai. In each instance we feel that not only has the City failed to listen to these basic priorities put forward by the community, it has unanimously pushed through an opposing agenda for 58 W Hastings. OHCW opposes the development of another social mix building on Hastings.

Since Woodward's was built on the social-mix model. we have lost over 400 units of SRO Hotel units in a l-block radius to the West of 58 W Hastings. 228 units would barely make up for half the units we lost in the same area.

ACTIVISTS

CARRY PEST INFESTED MATTRESS TO MAYOR'S OFFICE

JACK GATES: IIHOPEFULLY WE'LLOPEN HIS EYEsAND E WILL DO 5 METHING FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ·LIVE INS OS."

Jack Gates and some friends took a gift to Mayor Gregor Robertson on April 25. It even had a big blue bow on it. But it wasn't something most people would like to receive as a gift. It was Jack's mattress punctured with mouse tunnel holes and smelling of mouse urine.

"LastOctober city inspectors came to the Regent and asked me to flip my bed over:' Jack told a media conference in front of the Regent on E. Hastings St. "And mice ran out of the mattress. Three or four inspectors were there. They said. 'we'll make sure your bed is taken care of...¡ The City Inspectors ordered pest control and a new mattress but didn't follow through to force the Sahota family. which owns the Regent. to get Jack a new mattress.

Jack's room is clean so he couldn't figure out why it was smelly. Then he turned the mattress over again this month and dead mice were hanging out of it.

'We're bringihg it to the Mayor as a gift to see if he'd want to sleep on this at his place:' said Gates.

Jack and his friends left the mattress and a sign saying. 'Would you sleep on this mattress.

GregorT in front of the Mayor'Soffice on the third floor of City Hall. The Mayor was evidently out.

Jack wants the city to enforce the Standards of Maintenance bylaw so no SRO tenants have to live with mice and vermin or with lack of hot water and heat. He also wants the city to put non profit management in the poorly managed SRO hotels like the Regent and Balmoral.

"We're all working on this together." said Jack. "the SRO Collaborative is working on this and we work with CCAPand VANDU and Our Homes Can't Wait to get better housing in the Downtown Eastside and to get the homeless housed."

DTES LOCAL AREA PLAN IS A DISMAL FAILURE & COUNCIL On April 11.City staff presented a 3-year progress report on the DTESLocal Area Plan to Vancouver City Council. But those who live in the neighbourhood or were involved in trying to create the plan were not heard.

The Downtown Eastside LAP Committee, including the low-income caucus, which worked for over two years on a DTESplan were not notified of the meeting. When CCAP's Jean Swanson wrote in and asked to speak at the Council meeting her request was denied.

The update ignores the Terms of Reference of the LAP.The purpose of the LAPwas to "ensure that the future of the DTESimproves the lives of those who currently live in the area, particularly low-income people and those who are most vulnerable: The 3-year update uses misleadinq statistics to paint a picture of the DTESthat downplays the failure of the plan, and the escalating homelessness crisis. For example: The social housing "targets" used in the update report are irrelevant to the DTEScrisis because only a fraction of new social housing is affordable to low-income people who are homeless or on social assistance. For example, last

DOESN'T WANT TO HEAR ABOUT IT

year the City of Vancouver said that 1.683units of new social housing are in development or have been built since 2012.

Yet based on research by CCAP,under 6% of the new social housing is guaranteed for people on welfare.

The report implies that binning and street vending will lift people out of poverty when people on welfare would have to make about $16,000 a year on top of welfare (which would be illegal) to escape poverty. The report implies that the City is helping binners and vendors, when, in fact. city workers and police harass and take stuff from vendors who don't move when workers tell them to; The report acknowledges that life expectancy is decreasing, but because the boundaries of the VCH DTESlocal health area go to Broadway and Nanaimo east of Clark, the statistics don't reflect the actual life expectancy in the neighbourhood. Life expectancy in the DTESis significantly lower. because homelessness causes shortened lives and because of the opioid crisis The report suggests that 3 housing proposals at 177W Pender, 58 W. Hastings and 124 Dunlevy will "address the urgent need for social housing" by providing more

than 500 units. But in reality, only a fraction of the new units will be for people on welfare and 124 Dunlevy is a replacement project so none of the units will be additional.

These 3 projects might provide enough to house only 15%of the homeless people in the DTES,without taking into account the need for SRO residents to get new decent housing too.

dUT( H OOR ,

HOMELESS

PEOPLE FORGOTTEN

RECORD HIGH

IN PROVINCIAL

ELECTION

HOMELESS

The 2017 Metro Vancouver homelessness count was released on April 10.The count found a steep increase in homelessness across Metro Vancouver with 828 more people identified as homeless in 2017compared to 2014, representing a 30% increase in homelessness and the highest number to date.

DESPITE

COUNT

In the City of Vancouver, there are now over 2,100 people who are homeless, an increase of almost 300 since last year, Aboriginal homeless has also skyrocketed, with 34% of all homeless people identifying as Aboriginal compared to 31%in 2014.

Despite this unprecedented homelessness crisis, none of the provincial parties have made any significant commitments to building social housing, rent control or increased welfare rates.The 2017 provincial election as it now stands, is a recipe for doubling the homeless population by 2020 - regardless of who wins. In the current trajectory, ever-growing homelessness will become a permanent. normalized feature of life in BC. The Vancouver count was up from 1803 in 2014 to 2138this year, verifying what is evident on the streets. "How can people who get welfare of $610 a month. with only $375 for shelter, afford to pay rent in Vancouver?"asked Lenee Son, coordinator with CCAP. "Anyone who loses a job, gets out of jailor foster care, simply can't afford rent on welfare and that is a provincial responsibility."

'The province acts as though it's building lots of social housing, but compared to the 1980s when an average of 767 units a year were built in Vancouver, the amount they are building now is rniniscule." said Jean Swanson. "With a vacancy rate of about half a percent. there is simply no place for low income people to move," 'The last two decades show that the market approaches, trumpeted by all provincial parties to the housing crisis does not work," said Maria Wallstam, community organizer with CCAP.'We need a drastic change in policy and a commitment to implementing rent control and building 10,000 social housing units a year"

CARNEGIE

COMMUNITY

ACTION

PROJECT 111:15AM EVERY FRIDAY

The Carnegie Community Action Project (CCAP)is a project of the board of the Carnegie Community Centre Association. CCAPworks mostly on housing. income. and land use issues in the Downtown Eastside (DTES)of Vancouver so that the area can remain a low income friendly community. CCAPworks with english speaking and Chinese speaking DTESresidents in speaking out on their own behalf for the changes they would like to see in their neighbourhood.

Join us on Fridays 11:15am for our weekly volunteer meetinqs: Downtown Eastside residents who want to work on getting better housing and incomes and stop gentrification are welcome to attend. Lunch is provided!

CARNEGIE

AFRICAN

DESCENT

GROUP III AM EVERY TUESDAY

The Carnegie African Descent Group (CADG)is pleased to invite you to a weekly lunch gathering at the Downtown Eastside Neighborhood House. Come. cook. talk and enjoy African dishes with us.The lunch will take place every Tuesdays.from 11:00am tilll:30 pm. The group has the same mandate as CCAP.but with particular focus on issuesthat Black and African Descent community members experience. DTEScommunity members who identify as Black and or as of African Descent are welcome to the lunch. For more information. contact: Imugab075@gmail.com

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CONTACT

US:

Office: 2nd floor of the Carnegie.

401 Main Street. Vancouver Phone: 604-665-2105 Email: info@carnegieaction.org Website: www.carnegieaction.org

vancity

Thank you to Vancity for supporting CCAP'swork. Support for this project does not necessarilyimply that funders endorse the findings or contents of this report

Learning from each other

By Lama Mugabo The idea to create an African descent kitchen lunch project was inspired by several conversations I had with people in the community. We felt it would be useful to meet as a group and discuss issues affecting black people in the city. Issues ranging from lack of adequate housing, to unemployment, mental health, drug addiction, racial profiling and the uneasy relationship with the police.

I want to honor and acknowledge the Coast Salish peoples who have welcomed us on their territory and allowed us to live here and continue to do the kind of community work that we are doing to enhance the quality of life in the neighborhood. For black folks, ever since Hogan's Alley was destroyed by the City of Vancouver, to build the viaducts in 1972, Black people lost their core. They no longer have a place they call home, like the Chinese and Chinatown or Indo-Canadians and South Vancouver. People of African descent and their supporters are now asking the city to do the right thing and restore Hogan's Alley, when the viaducts are tom down next year.

The black population in the (Downtown Eastside) DTES is diverse. It's made up of people from Africa, South America, the US, as well as Black Canadians who have lived in this country for generations. In recent years, the flow of immigrants comes predominantly from the African continent, as people make their way to the DTES in search for a better life. When they arrive in Vancouver, they quickly realize how the city is expensive and unlivable. Unlike other neighborhoods in Metro Vancouver, the DTES provides a variety of services like shelters, free meals and advocacy, services they cannot find in Surrey, Bumaby or elsewhere. They also find a very close, safe and friendly community.

The Downtown Eastside Neighborhood House welcomed us and allowed us to use their space to cook, share a meal and talk about issues that affect us. While everyone I spoke to thought, it was a great idea, getting people to show up has been a challenge. In a situation of extreme poverty, people live day to day. Few of them have phones or access to the intemet. Instead of sending an electronic reminder or a text, you must go where they are, talk to them and sometime, bring them along with you. Otherwise, you hand them a flyer and they say: "Great, this is fantastic. I'll be there." Between the time, you talk to them and the time your event ends, something inevitably comes up that prevents them from joining the group for a meal. The next time you see them, they say: "Oh, my brother, I'm so sorry. Right after you left, someone took me to find a shelter. When I finished, it was too late to come. Trust me, I'll be there next time".

Those who manage to join us enjoy the camaraderie and the support they receive from the group. One thing that quickly became evident is the fact that we didn't know much about each other. Because of our colonial background, lack of information, our interest is geared to Europe and North America. South Americans don't know much about Africa and vice versa.

In one of our weekly conversations, we listened to Raul Arboleda who comes from Colombia's coastal seaport city of Buenaventura and home of the country's largest port. "Everyone in my community is black. We love music, dance and football (soccer). Very few of us knew that Colombia had the third largest black population in the Americas, after Brazil and the United States. 10% of the population or at least 4 million Afro-Colombians actively recognize their own black ancestry, because of inter-racial relationswith white and indigenous Colombians.

We don't hear much about Colombia in the news, unless they are talking about the cocaine trade or peace talks

negotiations between the rebels and the government in Bogota government. As Raul talked about soccer as the national sport of Colombia, I recall the delight of watching South American style offootball, which has some affinity with African soccer. Their style is imbued with a little salsa and remarkable leg-work that inevitably bring fans to their feet. The history of black people in Colombia is marred by slavery and the racial discrimination that has dominated the political scene over the years. These conversations are very informative, we try to rotate the focus and give members an opportunity to educate us about their culture and history.

The weekly lunch meetings have been instrumental in strengthening the community. Some members have since found homes and others received job leads. People have commented on how the meetings have helped them solve problems they would have been unable to solve by themselves.

22nd Annual

n Saturday May 13; 2017 12-5pm Britannia Centre &, Napier Greenway Food Market", Artists Q Community Groups •• Music 0 Garden lnfo e Workshops $ Free Soup and Morel www.brltanniacentre.orq Britannia Community Centre 1661 Napier St Van BC V5L 4X4

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From the Library Thanks to a recommendation from one of library patrons, we are hosting a workshop artist and writer, Sandra Yuen MacKay on May 11th 6pm - 7:30pm in the Classroom.

Carnegie Theatre Workshop our regular with local Thursday It is called,

"Art, Healing & Mental Illness" as MacKay has written about her journey ofliving with schizophrenia and the healing process of creating artwork in the books,

My Schizophrenic Life: the Road to Recovery from Mental Illness and Chop Shtick. The presentation will include a powerpoint of her vibrant and stunning paintings! For more inspiration, check out: Art Heals: how creativity cures the soul (2004) by Shaun McNiff - An exploration of the benefits of art as therapy in the last thirty years. The author shares how artistic expression "can be a powerful means of personal transformation and emotional and spiritual healing."

A Memoir of Vincent Van Gogh (2015) by Jo Van Gogh-Bonger. Much has been written about Van Gogh and his suffering as an artist living with mental illness. This particular biography is written by his sister-in-law who devoted herself to preserving his memory and is a thorough study of his life.

Committed to the Sane Asylum: narratives on mental wellness and healing (2009) by Susan Schellenberg.

Artist, author and former psychiatric patient, Schellenberg promotes creative life possibilities and alternative therapy involving art.

Paint Yourself Calm: colourful, creative mindfulness through watercolour (2016) by Jean Haines. Painting o

can be meditative, and Haines leads the reader to solace and empowerment, without judgment or standards of perfection.

Your librarian, Natalie

MIDNIGHT RAMBLINGS It's pretty late and I can't sleep, I take a sip of my now cold tea. No sugar but just enough milk thank you very much I'm thinking too much, pondering upon the Mysteries of life. Like why Trump? Why Christy Cl ark? Don't they know the pipelines are going to kill the water and ground around it and fish, birds n animals then humans next? Or maybe, the rest of us have been wrong all along and maybe money does mean everything Why racism? Why do I have lupus? When I have Drive and skill to do more than I am able to. Why

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- May classes -

ACTING BASICS Monologues, Scenes, Character scenarios

May 6, 13, 20, 27 Saturdays 1pm-3:30pm in the Carnegie Theatre Breathe, body, voice.

Imagination, action, curiosity, emotion.

Flex, prepare, explore.

Workshops led by Teresa Vandertuin Free, everyone welcome!

For more info: 60,/-255-940 I thirteenofheartstiihotmail.com can't I be prettier and taller? Why didn't I take ballet when I had a chance as a teenager. Oh yeah, friends who I thought were cool, didn't think it was cool...

Why is there such hate in the world? Why residential schools - well that answer is obvious: because of the land grabs, land in allits glory & beautiful resources, Why does the North Shore municipality allow houses so high into the North Shore mountains? Look so ugly when I'm driving or on the bus crossing the Lion's Gate - it looks like the mountain has sores.

My feet get sore walking on cement, but feels strange to walk on grass! It's not weird? Grass is too lumpy,.

And 0 my God, watch out for dog poop Jesus people!

If you're going to have a dog carry those bags with you, will you?!

Why the hell did I leave my keys in the van again?

Speaking of cars - why did you have to break into my son's little old car? It took him so long to find it & so long to save up to buy it. And then it took even longer just save up money to buy thatstereo so he could listen to music. He got the car so he could make it to school

on time. Vancouver Film School... parking near Victory Square. His car didn't feel so special after that.

And every drive back.down Just cool didn't feel so anticipatory anymore. And then sitting in class, his Focus was outside for a Time.

Why drug addiction, why alcohol addiction? Telling me stories period too much reality. But this is the reality of the victims too. Victims creating victims.Taking it out on those you think have more, or at least having something that you want. But then again you don't really want it. something hard earned - costing maybe what $200 bucks sold for what 20 bucks? At least someone got a good deal out of it.

And they probably sold it $75 on Craigslist Well, I've got to get to sleep. Got to get up early catch a ferry to go visit family.

By the way, what happened to my son happened about maybe 6 years ago. But it still bugs me now That's my son. We've been through a lot together because I'm a residential school survivor. I wasn't the best parent but I work hard at it to be a good parent. He came out of East Van - the drive - not totally unscathed. He came from being a street tiger with his friends -to getting in trouble with the law, to my one day slipping a poster and he's done that; the United Native Nations was offering a multimedia program. So lucky for us it was a paid program.

From there he kept going throughout his own personal struggles. And then he applied for and was accepted into the Vancouver Film School. Paid for via student loan, which years later he still paying for. But he got a job! He is now a graphic designer.

Weird thing about being a mom. You still think about things that hurt the people you love. While most likely he's totally fine. And the people that break into other people's cars have no memory of it. Just another car.

Just another few bucks. While we have to drum up $300 deductible to pay for a broken window. After calling ICBC and waiting on hold forever. There are millions of people who think "why the hell do I have to pay $300 when it's someone else that broke my window" Each of them has their story. I do know this. After all, I worked for the Cedar Project. And I used to be on the committee for the missing and murdered women's March for February 14th for many years.

But then again we have our side of the story too ...

Kat Norris

NOW tHE BaD NEWS Look behind you so you know who you're driving over & you panicked & left the scene of a crime ...

The Minister of anti-Accountability wholehalfheartedly says we are the problem with only one person who can lead us away from even worse times: Step Right Up (in front of a SkyTrain (hey it happens)) Miss Christy Clark who built you & left out things like a conscience or soul while misery is in high demand, like the new generation not knowing HP Sauce from H.P.Lovecraft I can see you drinking I % breast milk before vomiting in front of loved ones -at least someone filmed it so you now have thousands of sick & unknown fans- like taking disgruntled people & winding them up they are angry as hell looking for a scapegoat to unleash mankind's hared on an easy target you can all agree to destroy Let's all watch the Revolution it'll make quite a noise when the political joke we call voting has closed for another business day those who were hoping for any change at all I guess a replica of Trump dumpster cannot happen a city burnt to the earth is not ok oh well let us uncover evil before it can be deployed, like having all memories stripped from an organic piece of humanoid you'd call it a brain drain logical conclusion jumping does not include jumping any kind of line to do otherwise is to• forfeit sanity & have your peers wondering if you're insane (no, not just yet. .. ) I am not the man with the answers so many questions inside my head like all these minimum wage slaves having every third Sunday off forever you're only making overtime for gravediggers so many fed up with this shit they are found the next missed shift all dead (how many follow new lotteries/large bets) displacement is what most participants shall win What's That Christy?! You're throwing in a brand new earl?

My clouded misinformed most foul opinion let alone questionable judgement makes my soul want to cower in a corner leaving both flesh & skin but I must hang around to find out is there a future or is there not (are thee fireplaces in Heaven -a stupid question that I'll never find out the answer to) just remember never to wake up again.

If you survive your vote still counts that is why my grandfather & so many others came to Canada & decided the Great War had to be fought, what was it I said before being told I had said too much does your conscience weigh you down like a ton of pure fentanyl added to an ocean liner bringing in tourists & almost I

pure speed take it from someone who's thrown away years in my private prison please vote for an honest representative you owe yourself that much if spilt blood were votes what can only be dreamed of, think of your children's future this is their world now hindsight being so ignored let alone left behind I can only blame my future which is grim To all those children I only hope they find true harmony with the compassionate that's never found as I get older I will admit whatever true love there is they avoid it like the plague look around yourselves & invest your time in what shall in time become one of your loves.

By ROBERT McGILLIYRA Y

"There are many ways to lie. There is only one way to tell the truth."

-Herman Melville

Humanities 101 Community Programme As it's the end of April, there were the Graduation Ceremonies for Humanities 101 at the Museum of Anthropology on the outer edge of the University of British Columbia. This was the 17th year, making it the the oldest programme of its kind in Canada.

[From its website: About Us] "Supported by residents ofYancouver's Downtown Eastside and Downtown South (DTES/South), it is sponsored by the University of British Columbia's Office of the Dean of Arts and private donations, largely from UBC alumni. Participants are people with diverse backgrounds&kowledge who are geographically situated in the DTES/South and nearby areas and are working to overcome obstacles and roadblocks-financial, institutional, educational, governmental, health and social.

Hum attracts education activists who are participants, alumni, volunteer teachers, facilitators and supporters, and is committ d to being responsive and situated.

Along with four free university-level courses which are grounded in relevant, interdisciplinary critical and creative thinking practices (Humanities 101 (2 terms), Humanities 201 (2 terms), Writing 101 (l term offered twice a year) and Writing 201 (1 tenn offered twice a year)), Hum also runs Public Programmes in theDTES /South initiated and led by participants and alumni: study groups, workshops and an alumnus-led documentary film series now in its tenth year. All past and current participants are invited to be involved in these ongoing Public Programmes as well as Hum's Steering Committee which meets regularly and guides all aspects of the Programme.

For some people, Hum is a catalyst for self-knowledge

that inspires and activates-if the moment's right, it can help to get momentum going. The courses are a dedicated time and space for inquiry and an opportunity to meet like-minded people who love learning.

This mix of people coming together, giving and taking knowledge, are in reciprocal relationships of learning based on their own expertise and also open to new visions. In class and in Public Programmes, there is a mutual flow and exchange of a variety of knowledge and responses to ideas, and this goes for everyone involved-participants, volunteer teachers and facilitators and staff. For participants, there are no pre-requisites, so you start where you are. Some have travelled through the eye of a storm in their lives, persevered and refuse to allow themselves to be restricted from education, further learning and ways of being."

It is pretty amazing with over a hundred people for the food/beverage gathering beforehand in the Haida House. We arrived early and unbidden thoughts of 'was this guy/couple/group just passing by and saw the free food" kept coming until it became obvious that only to regular students or faculty would any of us seem 'out-of-place.'

One old guy, speaking at an 'open mic' midway through the graduation ceremony and looking like he just wandered out of the Regent, introduced himself as a retired UBe professor & said "You all look completely normal. It's the students & faculty here that all look the same."

The giving out of certificates was the formal part, recognising the achievements of scores of individuals who had completed Humanities 101, 201 & Writing 101 & 201, as well as thanks to the many volunteers, mentors and staff. Awards were given to those who 'had distinguished themselves through their contributions, dedication and effect on their fellow students. It was in these special moments that the struggles & back-stories of people that the uniqueness of this kind of learning experience came through.

This piece is here to give kudos to & express admiration fot Margot Leigh Butler, Academic Director, Maureen Philips, Writing Coordinator & other staff whose secret identities I'll allude to as such because I can't write fast enough or be sure of spelling right...

Suffice it to say that the thanks & gratitude expressed by graduate after graduate was & remains heartfelt.

The next time Humanities 101 comes sniffing around for potential students, go for it. You'll be amazed!

By PAULR

TAYLOR

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Fishing For My Heritage I am a native Indian. I have shiny black hair and a light brown complexion. I was raised in a foster family from the age of three. and they formally adopted me when I turned 16. I was raised in a loving family of six with three brothers and one sister. The main reason I was placed in this family was I had exhibited symptoms of Cystic Fibrosis and two family members of the foster family had C.F.; therefore I would be in good care. After a few years, the symptoms disappeared. and I was in excellent health. The family that raised me is Caucasian and all have blonde hair.

Growing up in this family, I recall having a bubble bath when I was six and my Mom was washing my hair. I had all my favorite toys in the tub with me. My favorite toy was a small, hand-carved, red wooden totem pole that was given to me for a present on my fourth birthday. It came in the mail from an anonymous person. The pole had two figures on top of each other; a bear on the bottom and an eagle on the top. Strangely I received a small red wooden totem pole each year for my birthday. That day in the tub, I was holding the totem pole in my small hands when I innocently asked my mom, "When will my hair turn blonde?" She assured me my silky black hair was beautiful and that the family I came from all had beautiful black hair. That day in the tub I stared intently at the totem and became curious about my real family.

The curiosity remained as the years passed; each year for my birthday I received a beautifully hand carved totem pole with the same bear and eagle design. I collected them and placed them on my window sill beside my fishing poles. I was an excellent fisherman and it was my favorite pastime activity. I had a collection of thirteen totem poles when I finally sent for my child-in-care file from the Ministry of Children and Families. I was told that Government Ministry file would have bloodline information regarding my parents' full names and my place of birth. My adopted family had limited hearsay information about my birth family, so I hoped the file would answer some questions. When I received the file, I discovered it was censored, yet it had my mother's full name and my place of birth. The file was a good start; it told me I was from the Queen Charlottes and had my mother's full name. The file did not disclose my biological family history, nor did it expand on my heritage. It did tell me I am a Haida Gwaii native from the city of Masset on Queen Charlotte Island.

When I was 18, we went up north to Prince Rupert. My adoptive father had a fish farm south of Prince Rupert. and I was to help my brother build the fish pens. After a few weeks, we had a break and decided to go to the Queen Charlotte Islands to hunt game for a few days. When we arrived on the island, I called my. birth mom from the hotel and she gave me directions to her house. I felt nervous as I walked and thought of several-questions I might ask like. "Who is my father? Why did you put me up for adoption? What is my heritage?" I knocked on the door, and my mother answered. To see her for the very first time was a revelation, for I could see where I got the hair from. Her hair was long, smooth and silky. She had a nice smile and a soft voice and welcomed me into her comfy living room. We sat on the chesterfield and beside us on the table was a photo album. She showed me pictures of me when I was young and pointed to my father and showed me photos of special ceremonies like the potlatch after her wedding. Our conversation went on for hours.

She explained my father had died in a car accident shortly after I was born and that because she was a young, inexperienced mother she was unable to care for me as I was always sick. She thought it'd be best that I go into Ministry care.

As she spoke. tears came to her eyes and I consoled her by saying that is what a good mother does; she places her child in hands that will care when she cannot. She admitted that she was the one who sent me the totem poles and told me that even though we were apart she prayed for me and dreamed of me and carved the little totem poles with love, care and attention. Sending the totems to me was her way to keep a relationship with me. I was pleasantly surprised and said they were precious to me. She explained the meaning of the totem. The two animals were the clans she and my father came from. She is from the eagle clan and he was from the bear clan. She began to tell me stories of my heritage and explained that my heritage is embodied in special relationships with animal spirits. According to mom, my father's family lived in the Nass Valley south of Prince Rupert. For generations they fished alongside the bear. At one time, my great-great grandfather was saved by a bear after he fell down a cliff and could not move. A bear brought him salmon to aid in his healing. His side of the family has great regard for tile bear and has a respectful spiritual association with the bear spirit. She told me she is from the eagle lineage. a powerful lineage with deep mythological meaning. I was transfixed by what she told me as she said the relationship her family has with the eagle spirit is profound.

By Lance Furby juxpose@yahoo.com

Jenny Kwan, MP Vancouver East NOP Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Critic 2752 E Hastings St Vancouver,

BC VSK IZ3

T: 604-775-5800 F: 604-775-5811 Jenny.Kwan@parl.gc.ca

JUST IMAGINE You might have noticed a large, dilapidated, two storey, retro-yellow building (In the northeast corner of Gore and East Hastings. It has high narrow windows, some of which rise above the two entrances, which open onto Hastings Street. Constructed in 1949 as headquarters for the Salvation Army & used for many years to provide services to low-income people, it was later sold to the Gold Buddha Monastery which occupied the building from 1985 to 1993. Now it's owned

by Vancouver Coastal Health & used to store furniture They have been accepting development proposals for the site.

Just Imagine the creation, through renovation or redevelopment, o~an establishment which'd not only provide much-needed social housing, but would also have many rooms sufficiently soundproofed so that you could sleep undisturbed or express yourself at whatever volume without imposing on others. Musical instruments of many kinds, even loud ones like drums, horns & pianos, could be made available to those with the desire to use them. Many people facing personal challenges in their lives'd be given the opportunity to heal and to develop themselves. Sometimes the simplest solutions are the best. Sometimes all it takes is faith in ourselves and in each other.

[Excerpt from a longer piece in The Volcano, Spring 2017 & the photo was entered in the Hope In Shadows contest of The Megaphone. Text & photo by Priscillia Mays Tait]

An Essay - a word that might mean not in the form of poetry. Writing using sentences, grammar and other bits of standard English used to say what you want. It may come across as poetry depending on how a writer puts words together, but that's a different take on it.

This is a newsletter, not a place to publish your book or novel. A story will not be printed one chapter at a time, or a writer given a blank slate to serialize their musings. I don't want to intimidate potential writers or give a list, however long, on what is not okay.

The basic rules of the paper apply: No racism; No sexism, No bigotry; No personal attacks on members of the community. Something that can be published in the Carnegie Newsletter that you wrote, preferably on a topic or an outlook that readers can relate to. Something relevant: an example of distinction would be writing about the social implications of having a pet, rather than going on for pages about the colours of your fish or bird.

Again in this issue, as with the last few, essays by a number of writers both current and those who passed away, like Sandy Cameron. Sandy wrote about things in his life that were or could be in anyone's life with concomitant social issues naturally inherent. He'd see a whale and write about its beauty, magnificence, and awe-inspiring sight and, without missing a beat, include comments about human effect both internally & externally. Virtually every piece of his asks passionately for us, as readers, to think, to feel and to share.

Perhaps that can be the touchstone for all who will enter the daunting submission of written words: make your piece be your voice, written as you would want someone to talk to you. Be alive, think, feel & share.

The results can be awesome!

By PAULR TAYLOR

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We acknowledge that Carnegie Community Centre, and .; this Newsletter, are occurring on Coast Salish Territory. .. ':::~:::<-.~ .;.<

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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• • • • •

Small illustrations to accompany articles and poetry.

Cover art - Max size: 17cm(6 Y.")wide x 15cm(6")high.

Subject matter pertaining to issues relevant to the Downtown Eastside, but all work considered.

Black & White printing only.

Size restrictions apply (Le. if your piece is too large, it will be reduced and/or .cropped to fit).

All artists will receive credit for their work.

Oriqinals will be returned to the artist after being copied for publication.

Remuneration: Carnegie Volunteer Tickets Please make submissions to Paul Taylor, Editor.

The editor can edit for clarity, format & brevity, but not at the expense of the writer's message.

~ert issue: SUBMISSION

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

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AIDS POVERTY HOMELESSNESS VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ABORIGINAL GENOCIDE TOTALITARIAN CAPITALISM IGNORANCE and SUSTAINED FEAR

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