October 1, 2017 carnegie newsletter

NEWSLETTER

--

carnnews@vcn.bc.ca

401 Main Street, Vancouver BC V6A 2T7 604-665-2289 email: carnnews@shaw.ca Website/catalogue: carnegienewsletter.org

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Photo credit: Leonard Frank.

POWELL STREET GROUNDS - 1938 (10-15,000 gather)

OPPENHEIMER PARK - 2017 (2224 are remembered)

Oppenheimer

Park is Named for Who?

By Debra McNaught That city-block sized oasis of green we know as Oppenheirner Park began life in 1902 as th Powell Street Grounds, and around the turn of the last century it served - in a manner of speaking - as cutting edge "social media" in Vancouver. Consider a world where information options are pretty much limited to newspapers, the telephone and word of mouth. (For those of you currently texting your existence, that would mean actually standing in front of someone and talking with them). Radio hadn't even been invented yet. . So when something really big happened and word started to spread on the street, everyone on this side of town would head for the Powell Street Grounds so they could stand around, shouting happily or otherwise, trading information and rumours. When somebody important or famous died, a war ended, a new government happened, when there was a parade (lots of those), a protest, a riot, or marching drill to go to war, crowds gathered in the thousands; in later years the Asahi baseball team, the Powell Street Festivals, the Tent City, Aboriginal Day, HomeGround and a constant offering of other community events along with the programs offered by City staff (under direction of the Carnegie Board) - and it all happens in that big green square bounded by Dunlevy, Powell, Jackson, and Cordova. So why the name change - who was this Oppenheimer guy?

David Oppenheimer was the second Mayor of Vancouver, born in Germany in 1834. His father Solomon was a merchant, and during the political turmoil of 1848 many German Jews decamped for smoother waters. The family landed in New Orleans but in 1851 David and his older brother Charles were lured to the California gold fields, expanding their merchant roots by outfitting would-be prospectors with all they needed in their quest to ~trike it rich. When California tapped out, they journeyed on to Vi~toria and in 1~581859 cashed in on prospectors heading for the Caribou

gold fields in BC's interior. They began buying real estate in Hope (the embarkation point for the overland trek) and Barkerville; when that gold rush ended, they retreated to Vancouver, opening the city's first wholesale grocers at Powell and Cord ova, expanding their real estate holdings by buying property here as early as 1878. As the rumours of a national railroad began to solidify, Oppenheimer's civic activities accelerated and it was darned funny how the things he promoted just happened to increase his personal worth. In 1884, he was one of a group of local businessmen who lobbied Ottawa to change the CPR terminus from Port .Moody to Vancouver. Co-incidentally, he owned 300 , acres of land on Burrard Inlet, and more in Coal Har, bour, and at English Bay. The Oppenheimer's made a 路lot of money thanks to the CPR, not only via real estate but by supplying dry goods and groceries to feed 路the laborers as the railroad headed west to Vancouver. 路He became an alderman in 1886, and Mayor for four 路one-year terms starting in 1888. A tireless promotor of Vancouver's future, he urged the city to assist new industry, and continued "personally investing in many various developmental schemes." He planned out many of our streets and the sewer system, started and was first president of the Board of Trade, encouraged the formation of the BC Sugar refinery, is pretty much responsible for insisting Stanley Park be brought into existence, started BC Electric (which became BC Hydro) and just happened to own land along the tramcar routes he proposed. Like Jirnmy Pattison, who was elevated to Sainthood for driving Expo 86 on a salary of only $1, Oppenheimer declined a mayoral salary. The real money was of course on the backend. All that handshaking on all the business deals Jirnmy made because of new Expo contacts; same with Oppenheirner.

He even ran his Mayoral Office from his business premises. "These activities, which enhanced the value of his own real estate holdings, were so intertwined that it is frequently impossible to separate his interests as a municipal politician and as an investor and entrepreneur." Nowadays this is called 'conflict of interest" If you like the gung-ho version, David Oppenheimer was the best cheerleader this city ever had. After he died in 1897, his pals pooled their cash and had a statue erected on Beach A venue where Stanley Park begins. To me, he was just another opportunist that disguised his profit-making as civic boosterisrn.

Whatever its name, the park has been an integral part of the history of Vancouver and remains an important

green space for the DTES. During the Post Office Strike of 1938, the unemployed strikers were finally beaten -literally - from the old post office at Granville and Hastings (now the Sinclair Centre). After occupying it for a month demanding relief after the Federal government refused to do anything about their jobless plight, the unemployed marched en masse down Hastings to Our park, smashing windows and • tangling with cops-on-horses that chased them along, billy-clubbing anyone - including little old ladies - . that accidentally got in the way. The crowd that gathered there to protest the police brutality and Federal indifference on what became known as "Bloody Sunday" was estimated at 10,000 to 15,000.

The media relentlessly tries to pin Oppenheimer Park as a drug-infested open-air venue where the substance addled hold sway unless driven out by the cops or some festival or other. The park is pretty much always: busy, rain or shine, even if occupied mostly by depressed and soggy seagulls. A park in the rain can be soothing, and the giant trees provide a pleasing space to rest your eyes, a respite after all the concrete we are forced to march around on down here.

Before the weather turns go down to Oppenheimer Park and enjoy the sunshine and the colours of the leaves as they turn. You'll be in good company.

Quotes are from the Canadian Dictionary of Biography, Vo112.

~D17 A few days ago (as this is written) our community park got a sombre use with the planting of 2224 crosses. This's the number of people in the province who have died from drug overdose in the last three years. The first time crosses were planted was 1000 in the mid-90s when heroin of unprecedented purity was flooding in and 350 deaths was an all-time high -and a few years later with little done & 2000 stakes and now with synthetic opiates like fentanyl in most street drugs ODs have tripled.

The column from the last issue is reprinted to again make a case for getting someone special on Vancouver City Council. Events that led to our safe injection site got energy when Bud Osborn was on the Vancouver/Richmond Health Board. An Order of the Downtown Eastside recipient on City Council can only help us.

Vote?

People go door-to-door; set up information tables at different events, talk to others on the street, in coffee shops, at meetings, and say how good a particular person would be if elected. And a response from a number of people is "I don't vote." (or) "I don't believe in voting." That seems kind of weird, especially when the same person is quite ready to complain about all kinds of things that elected people have influence on.

Granted that cynicism is a healthy way to respond to outlandish claims of those promising miracles, but it's a lazy way to think when every attempt to do anything positive or even different is put down. We live in a democracy, which those, under repressive or malign military dictatorships yearn for - where you have a chance to say what you think without fear of Jailor death. Maybe think of having the right to vote as a responsibility to yourself. But what are the alternative ways of changing things for the better?

Electing someone you trust, agree with, believe will do whatever they can to make things important to you a priority - is this just too idealistic to pass the smell test? The political system in place in Vancouver isn't perfect ()r even ideal, but this is what we have to 'York with. Not having anything is supposedly anarchy, but that is a practical ~atter of brute force making it up as it goes along. Not very desirable if you aren't the one wielding the club.

Every so often someone comes along who can be voted for, not as a compromise or as the lesser of evils but someone who has shown by their life's work that human cardinal principles mean much more than making deals for selfish reasons.

The upcoming Vancouver City byelection is a case in point. People in this community are affected every day by political rules & regulations set up by elected officials. If you want or see the need to make changes in such things then voting for someone you can believe in is the first step. I urge everyone reading this to vote in the upcoming civic election - to make sure your name is on the Voters List and to exercise your franchise. Nothing changes by itself. If you don't vote (or just self-righteously refuse to) you give up your right to complain. Check out the candidates. But don't refuse to do anything. When evil wins it's because good people do nothing.

By PAULR TAYLOR

HERE WE COME!

The 14th Annual Downtown

Eastside Heart of the City Festival

Wednesday October 25 to Sunday November 5,2017

Thursdays Writing Collective at the 2016 Heart of the City Festival, Photo: Tom Quirk

Get ready for the ia'" annual Downtown Eastside Heart of the CIty Festival and twelve days of music, dance, opera, spoken word, cultural celebrations, film, theatre, workshops, gallery exhibits, conversations, public art, mixed media, art talks, history walks and more!

The theme of the 2017 Festival, Honouring Women of the Downtown Eastside, pays tribute to women from all walks of life in the Downtown Eastside past and present.

Highlights include:

Crow's Nest and Other Places She's Gone, the story of Blue and Rose, friends

who have always been there for each other; Summoning (No Words), an interactive sound installation

in response to global incidents of violence against women; the fabulous voices of Helen Duguay and Sara Cadeau in Women in the Round; the all-women Japanese drum group Sawagi Taiko in collaboration with the First Nations performance group Tzo'kam; Illicit: Stories from a Harm Reduction Movement, a communityengaged arts-based project telling personal stories that nurture dignity and hope; True Voice Theatre Project weaves together newly-created material responding to, exploring and inspired Dalannah

Gail Bowen, Renae Morriseau,

by the Festival theme; and jazz at Carnegie with Jazz Confluence: Carnegie Jazz Band with Brad Muirhead Quartet & Four Special Female Jazz Musicians.

Watch for more details in the next Carnegie newsletter!

For information

contact

604-628-5672

or www.heartofthecityfestival.com

The DTESHeart of the City Festival is produced by Vancouver Moving Theatre with the Carnegie Community Centre & Association of United Ukrainian Canadians working with a host of community partners.

Here is my take on poetry. Trying to understand poetry in a rational logical way makes us miss the gem the poet has left us. I need to experience the poem not understand it like the front page news in the Sunday morning paper.

I recently listened to a video with Lynda Barry in it and she talks of memorizing poetry to truly appreciate it. I ..never thought of that before, but I am going to make an effort to memorize the works of poets I adm ire or poems ;:> that speak volumes to me.

Recently at Kwantlen, I was given the task of writing a poem without using the letter E. I am new to poetry but I am finding that I have a journey to follow and "trouble" that engages my poetic integrity. I am finding my voice as a poet and I have always felt that for me to wrestle every little juicy bit of word out of my myself I must make a formal education of it. That doesn't mean we all run out and get a university degree in English in order to write, but at 51, I have decided that I want to formally study my craft and I get a great deal of joy out of this.

My experiences in the Downtown East Side show that amongst the misery of addiction and poverty there are all these poets walking around. The troubled soul is the fertile ground upon which we can find a voice that expresses the poetry in our spirit. Indeed, those without experience or trouble make for very artificial and shallow poetry.

Finding my voice is being courageous enough to speak my truth, in ways that present solutions to mutually exclusive double binds.

Antonin Artaud, suffered a great deal, as both a poet and dually diagnosed person. He was confined to mental hospitals in the 1940's for almost half his life. Given the history of the asylum, I shutter to think of what he experienced. Artaud, for me, stands as a formidable poet of this time because he suffered and I bet his poetry kept him alive. Patti Smith, Billeh Nickerson, and Lynda Barry, are just some of the poets I am learning about. It is a very exciting time in my life and [ am so very grateful for it. The following is an ode to Antonin Artaud: I think of this man, Antonin Artaud who thought of calico clouds with calm rolling words a man with a brain of too many things who thought of blackbirds flapping colossal wings . you shut your window and shut your door on the man of 1942 who could fill his own mind with stark lilting song of a witch's ballad or a cauldron of black magic / who thought of nothing but 'god as rational proof that who clung to grassy foothills and mountain pools could cast a thousand mandalas with a swift knock on wood Sunday, on a morning stroll a good psychiatrist had a mighty thought. This doctor said your brain is sick an old and void so not good for a soul I'll purloin a chunk of his brain right out that'll fix his furious and mad arrogant air now this man can stop thinking of too many things of birch saplings both milky and young, of misty morning grass and of radiant drops of sun and of roaring amaryllis by the hill and of a gibbous moon high up in a black night that is waxing too full a man with a brain of too many things now drools in slop this doctor brings. his future looks fatal and horribly numb No chanting to charm or to summon his luck That brilliant mind is so plainly blank That man with a wink is now boring as shit

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WHEN AND WHERE TO VOTE IN THE VANCOUVER COUNCIL BY-ELECTION

OCTOBER 2017

CITY

WHEN AND WHERE TO VOTE IN THE CITY IN THE VANCOUVER

COUNCIL

BY-ELE

Advance voting is on two days: Oct 4th and Oct 10th, 8am-8pm, at City Hall, 12th & Cambie.

General voting is on Oct 14th, 8am-8pm at any voting station. You do not have to vote at the station closest to your house - you can vote at any of the 50 voting station across the city. Complete list/map of voting stations: http://vancouver.ca/your-government/whereto-vote.aspx Vote by mail: if you have a physical barrier or you are absent from Vancouver on voting day, you can apply to vote by mail here: https://vancouver.ca/yourgovernment/vote-by-mail.aspx Election Office: 1st Floor, 450 W Broadway Vancouver, BC V5Y lR4

Who can vote To vote in the City of Vancouver by-election, you must: • Be 18 years of age or older on general voting day Be a Canadian citizen • Have liv~d in BC for at least 6 months immediately before voting day • Have lived in Vancouver for at least 30 days immediately before voting day (or have owned real property registered in your name in Vancouver for at least 30 days immediately before voting day) • Not be disqualified by law from voting You must meet all the above qualifications to be eligible to vote. Permanent residents who have not yet become Canadian citizens are not permitted to vote

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Registration Information If you voted in the provincial election, you're on the city voters list and can vote in the city election. You may also be on the list if you didn't vote in the provincial election. Go to this link to find out if you're registered: http://vancouver.ca/your -government/20 17 -byelection.aspx The City's elections office will mail each registered household a "flyer with important information about voting, including locations of voting places and a list of candidates:' If you're not yet registered on the list, you can still get on the list on the day that you vote.

Identification you will need If you're registering in person at a voting place, you need to provide two identifying documents to prove who you are and where you live, one of which must include your signature. Eg: Library card Driver's License BC Services card Status card

Credit or Debit card Income tax assessment Social Insurance card Student card

OCTOBER 2 IS WORLD HABITAT DAY

The United Nations has declared the first Monday of October of every year asWorld Habitat Day. The theme for World Habitat Day 2 October 2017 is Housing Policies: Affordable Homes.

• • •

The purpose of World Habitat Day is to reflect on the state of our towns and cities, and on the basic right of all to adequate shelter. It is also intended to remind the world that we all have the power and the responsibility to shape the future of our cities and towns.

This World Habitat Day will focus on promoting all levels of government and all relevant stakeholders to reflect on how to implement concrete initiatives to ensure adequate and affordable housing in the context of the implementation of the New Urban Agenda at all levels, as well as the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Carnegie Community Action Project recommends all three levels of the government to take active measures to end homelessness in British Columbia.

•

Immediately build enough modular housing to house all homeless people, including couples and families. They will pay for themselves in 4 years.

•

•

•

Do this before winter.

Preserve and upgrade SROsuntil new social housing is built Implement a rent freeze and tie rent control to the unit, not the tenant Provide funds to build social housing at 58 W. Hastings at 100% welfare/pension rate Raisewelfare. City says we need $600 for shelter just to pay for maintenance in social housing Need a provincial definition of social housing that overrides city definition and doesn't exclude low income people Fund tenant advocacy groups

Longer term: • Build 5000 units of good quality social housing that low income DTES residents can afford • Build 10,000 units of social housing that low income people can afford, per year, across the province • Change housing management models so housing is dignified and independent, not institutionalized and medicalized, and covered by the Residential Tenancy Act. • Make RTA changes that support tenants, including ending fixed term leases • Stop the privatization of BC Housing buildings

BEEDIE LIVING

CONTINUES

TO BULLDOZE

CHINATOWN

OVER VOICES

OF

COMMUNITY

On September 5, the Chinatown Concern Group (CCG) and Chinatown Action Group (CAG) organized Chinatown residents and supporters to attend the open house for Beedie's latest rezoning application for 105 Keefer.

housing and public community space. Beedie has shown that they only care about making the most profit possible, and they do not care about the low-income people of Chinatown who are being pushed out of the neighbourhood.

Despite CCGs and CAGs historic victory in June, when City Council yielded to community demands and rejected Beedie's rezoning application, the developer has come back again with their fifth development application for this site. This time, Beedie wants to build III units of luxury condos, but ZERO units of social housing.

CCG and CAG continue to demand that this site only be dedicated toward 100% social housing at welfare-pension rates and public, accessible, community and cultural space.

Beedie continues to stand in the way of what hundreds of community members and Chinatown residents want -- affordable social

Chinatown Action Group chinatownaction.org

Chinatown Concern Group chinatownconcerngroup.wordpress.com

PUSHING

BACK AGAINST

GENTRIFICATION

The proposed rezoning application for 728 to 796 Main St at the southern edge corner of Main and Union St has generated a lot of controversy.

The 1S-storey massive condo tower is proposed to replace the Creekside Student Residence (Single Room Occupancy Hotel), an empty lot, and the legendary Brickhouse Bar and restaurant. Citizen groups who are fighting the spread of gentrification worry that if approved this new development will change the face of Chinatown in a significant way. It will result in the expansion of the loss of more affordable housing in the area.

On Tuesday Sept 26th, Bonnis Property Development and the City of Vancouver hosted a second Open House, inviting the public to learn about the proposed development project.

Members of Chinatown Concern Group and Hogan's Alley Working Group attended the

IN CHINATOWN

Open House because of the concern about the impact of gentrification and how it's encroaching on their community.

The hopes and aspirations of Chinatown neighborhood are clearly articulated in "People's Vision for Chinatown: A community Strategy for Social and Economic Development". Members of Chinatown Concern Group and Chinatown Action Group carried out a meticulous community research study interviewing residents and listening to what they wish to see in their community.

Overwhelming, the majority of respondents worry about how community is becoming unlivable as the cost of housing soars. Their fear of losing affordable housing and commercial space to gentrification is real.

These concerns are shared by some members of Hogan's Alley Working Group who hope to see the return of the only Black community that Vancouver has ever had. What will be the impact of this neighborhood if massive condo towers continue to replace affordable rental and commercial place? More homeless, more tent cities, more deaths. Housing advocates are concerned about who will live there and what will happen to the legacy of this neighborhood.

Will regular folks afford to rent a unit at $2,500 a month, or buy these high-end market condo units?

"A gift to the city" Community Amenity Contributions (CACs) are in-kind or cash contributions provided by property developers when City Council grants development rights through rezoning. They are not a gift. They are a requirement. In a January 25th Georgia Straight article, Bonnis talks about how generous the corporation has extended a gift to the city: 'This is a multi-million dollar gift, and we think it's great to give back to the community in this way and basically, you know, show that we're building the community, not tearing it down:' In reality, the 19 micro units are a replacement of the 22 social housing units the community is losing. In its 2005 Downtown Eastside Housing Plan, the City of Vancouver called for keeping the rate of market housing development to

social housing development to 1:1. At the same time, the City's motto was "revitalization without displacement:' Planners recognized that if the rate of change is too fast, and market housing dominates, low income people can be forced out of their neighborhood through gentrification. The community would like to see this rate of change respected and allow more low-income renters to remain in their community.

Speaking to one of CCG members, I wanted to know what would make sense for the neighborhood. "Why are they proposing only 19 units?", Godfrey asked, "the community needs more affordable housing. We need at least two floors to house people who are displaced by gentrificatlon" Jimi Hendrix Shrine Victor Fodero, the owner of Creekside was a happy camper. He sold the building to Bonnis and wants to preserve the memory of the late star whose grandmother used to live in Hogan's Alley. Fodero-wants to tap into the potential tourism attraction that will bring in revenues when he builds a Jimi Hendrix statute onsite.

To most members of the Black community, it's a good idea but the community needs more than a statue. They would much rather have housing units, a community centre or a vegetable garden.

VOICES FROM THE COMMUNITY "I oppose the rezoning proposal. The stated objective of this proposal is to construct a profit maximizing commercial commodity which is, in fact, not in the personal interest of the community, its long term residents, and businesses. Indeed, it simply further heightens the very sociallydestructive and disruptive development of overt land and property speculation. In short, shortterm pain for some developers and so called 'investors' does not equal long-term, sustained growth of this community in question:' - William A. Um

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 Fridays11:15am for our weekly volunteer meetings! 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 2ND TUESDAY

The Carnegie African Descent Group (CADG) is pleased to invite you to a bi-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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Office: 2nd floor of the Carnegie, 401 Main Street. Vancouver Phone: 604-665-2105 Email: info@carnegieaction.org Website: www.carnegieaction.org

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

Residential-school survivor Harriet Prince, of the Sagkeeng First Nation near Winnipeg. participates in the walk.

PHOiQS IN !)A~RYlOYCX!THE CANADI;\t-l PRESS.

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Homelessness rates for Aboriginal people are the highest ever - urgent response is required.

Aboriginal people account for one-third (34%) of the homeless in Metro Vancouver - the highest proportion ever recorded - despite representing only 2.5 per cent of the region's population, according to a report released Sept 25 on Aboriginal Homelessness.

"This 2017 Homeless Count in Metro Vancouver underscores what we already know: that Aboriginal people are disproportionately affected by homelessness, and that fewer of them are accessing shelter," said Oavid Wells, Chair of the Aboriginal Homelessness Steering Committee (AHSC). "Low income urban Aboriginal people are struggling to survive in an environment where housing is unaffordable and the cost of living continues to climb."

"Three hundred years ago in England, even a hundred years ago, fifty - or in the France of the Ancien Regimethe peregrinations of my devious brother would have secured the family a title rather than criminal charges, You people. You people. Dip deep enough into the past of any noble family and there is a Bernard at the root. The founder with the dirty fingernails. The killer, No better, possibly a lot worse, than my brother."

Mordecai Richler, Solomon Gursky Was Here.

The report attributes the key causes of homelessness among Aboriginal people to social, systemic and historical factors. In addition to securing safe and affordable housing, it notes Aboriginal people face additional barriers such as poverty, racism, intergenerational trauma and migration from their home communities to urban centres. Metro Vancouver is one of the most unaffordable cities for housing in the world, adding to the systemic economic disadvantage facing Aboriginal Peoples.

"These realities offer insight into why Aboriginal peoples are overrepresented among the homeless population and should be essential considerations in any path forward," Wells said. "Intergenerational trauma has emerged as a central theme in much of the research on Aboriginal homelessness."

The Aboriginal Homeless Steering Committee is calling for a number of recommendations to be implemented, including the creation of an independent BC Homelessness Ombudsman office to support the interests of homeless individuals who effectively have no voice in the current system, as well as launching landlord educational campaigns.

"Setting goals to eliminate homelessness is unrealistic.

What is important to understand is that Aboriginal Peoples are disp~oportionately impacted and these numbers can be significantly reduced if appropriate social housing, supports and funding are provided to the Aboriginal community at least to create parity with mainstream society," says Kent Patenaude, President Lu'ma Native Housing Society.

David Wells, Chair of the Aboriginal Homelessness Steering Committee 604-209-4248 Patrick Stewart, l.u'rna Native Housing Society 778-246-1862

Jenny Kwan, MP Vancouver East NDP Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Critic 2572 E Hastings St Vancouver, BC V5K IZ3

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

Word Vancouver FestivalCarnegie Community Centre & Library Between 100 & 125 children (and a few adults) launched marbles down the Marble Run as Lisa David and Eva (library staff) simultaneously highlighted our Community Services, with the purple-hand-pointer, down the 3 main floors of different services, winding around the real marble staircase anchoring our Centre. (Top floor: Learning centre. Second floor: Food services for our community. First floor: Our library. - Marbles all reach the destination & Checkout!)

Eva created the "Verbivores Lexicon" with I0 I entries scribbled by adults and children. Visitors wrote their favourite verb onto 3D paper & could view it with 3D glasses. Highest incidence of an entered verb was PLAY (10%) Runners-up were EAT, RUN, READ. Surprisingly, the 3 entries for FIGHT had nouns appended to it: FIGHT EVIL. FIGHT FOR PEACE. FIGHT FOR THE RIGHT OF NATIONS. All from children, too.

The very first boy to enter a verb wrote BURP. We knew immediately that this is going to be fun.

Other honourable mentions were BITE, CLIMB, COOL, DANCE, DRAW, EAT, GO, HOP, JUMP, JUMP ROPE, KICK, LEARN, LIKE, LISTEN, LOVE, MOVE, PLAY BALL, PLAY TAG, PRESTIDIGITATE, PUNCH, QUANTIFY, READ, RAIN:BOW, RISK, RUN, SCRIBBLE, SIFT, SING, SIU, SKIP, SLEEP, SMILE, SPIN, SPRINT, SPIT, (BE)STRONG, TAG, THINK, TWIST, WALK, WATCH, WATCH TRAINS ...

Very interesting entries in Arabic, Bulgarian, Chinese, French, Korean and Russian. All of the contributors to the Verbivores Lexicon received a Ninja eraser & Ninja pencil. The Blue Ninja was the favourite. Blue Ninja children also volunteered , that blue was their favourite colour. Every parent wanted their children to choose the Black Ninja.

Too bad. Thoughtfully rebellious children would /: pause after a parental push for Black, then if they spoke out after that, they would invariably choose a Red Ninja. Interesting interactions!

P6 3~8 Chats about Carbegie Community Centre & , Lihraj-y Services. Brochures handed out. Paul 'I'aylor.nur ~ewsletter E~itor was there to engage WIth VISItorsInterested in Community publications

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"

from the Library Our feature events this month include a screening in the Theatre on Friday Oct. 13th at 6:30PM for "Homelessness Action Week" of the documentary, Lowdown Tracks. While the setting is Toronto, the theme is familiar as it follows the story of a crew of homeless musicians living in shelters, alleyways and roo~in? houses, and how they use their music as a cry for Justice. The soundtrack is said to be awesome.

We have another round of "Philosopher's Cafe" in the Learning Centre hosted by Randall Mackinnon. He asks, "What does a struggling artist need to nourish in order to flourish?" on Wednesday Oct. 18th, 6PM. And, for a hands-on experience join us for a Chapbook-making workshop on Saturday Oct. 7th at 2PM in the Classroom with author Ben Nuttall-Smith. Everything is free and drop-in.

To help nourish our artists, take a look: .Big Magic: creative living beyond fear (2015) by Elizabeth Gilbert. Gilbert explores the mystery of inspiration and how to let go of "needless suffering" and face down our fears to become even more creative.

Bored and Brilliant: how spacing out can unlock your most productive and creative self(20 17) by Manoush Zomorodi. A reassuring book that helps the reader harness boredom's hidden benefits and enhance "dream wonder" without resorting to distractions like tech gadgets and TV.

Perennial Seller: the art of making and marketing work that lasts (2017) by Ryan Holiday. A fascinating read full of pop culture anecdotes from Rick Rubin (p.roducer of Adele) to Harper Lee, who transformed a mixed-up manuscript of To Kill a Mockingbird into ?reat success. The foe s is on the creator understandmg the relationship between their audience and their work, to stand the test of time.

Re~l ,!rt~sts Don't Starve: timeless strategies for thr.lvlltg lit the new creative age (2017) by Jeff Goins.

This book reveals that artists should be able to thrive and succeed, and the author offers strategies and tools to g;t .ahead. without "selling out" and sacrificing one s integnty.

Your librarian, Natalie

You have original creatives and ideas; unfortunately, not everyone is capable of hearing or accepting them.

Choose well the ear that will receive your desires, your projects and your secrets.

-from Videha

DTES Small Arts Grants 2017-18 If you are an emerging artist from the Downtown Eastside with an idea for an original art project, then this program is for you!

Kirsty Morison - Ceramic Artist, 2017 OrES Small Arts Grant Recipient

What is this program?

The Downtown Eastside Small Arts Grants COTES SAG) program is a partnership between Camegie Community Centre and Vancouver Foundation. Our goal is to help emerging artists to develop their skills and increase the visibility of their artwork,

How can this program help me?

We support emerging artists develop their skills and increase the visibility of their artwork with grant awards ranging from $500 - $1000 to individual DTES artists. With this money, you can buy what you need to take yourart'to the next level!

Interested in finding out more information?

Bring your questions to an Information Session!

Saturday October 21, 1:00pm-2:30pm Program Room II (3rd Floor) The Carnegie Centre, 40 I Main St, Vancouver, Thursday October 26, 6:30pm-8:00pm Meeting Room n~ca?mat ct Strathcona Vancouver Public Library 730 E Hastings St, Vancouver,

Branch ,

Sunday November 12, 3:00pm-4:30pm Program Room Il (3rd Floor) The Carnegie Centre, 401 Main St, Vancouver, Contact Beverly Walker, Coordinator DTES Small Arts Grants e: dtesartsgrants@gmail.com p: 604-665-2213 w: vancouverfoundationsmallarts.ca

I

f: facebook.com/dtessag Thank you for your interest, I look forward to connecting with you soon!

The WHOLE TRUTH and Nothing!

Like a fashion show for insane asylum wear ~~me on, down we've got a straitjacket of all colours (if it doesn t exist we have that too) with clowns pretending to be businessmen yet when a severe anxiety attack knocks you down your head&spine ar~ kn~e-deep i~ pain there is no cure for you - empires like anything else do expire, clotheslined by a future that has no true need of me words to that effect pour out of every book I'm not in/written about that hidden burial ground of history Iguess it is better than being destroyed by mankind's fire, Like discovering new land or a new disease or worse we can try to blow up the sun anything ,:ith a n~utr?n bomb up its sleeves whatever truth we hide behind IS as evil as an Inuit milkshake (anti-freeze flavour) once again Iam mankind's vessel of shame, Itry.not to use, madness to draw people in like Norman Maine frol1}.'

A Star is Born Isee so much of him in so many of does it really make you happy to see a rich personstep in front of reality in this case let's say a bus (say ~he truth) Darwin the Apostle has incredib.le aim, unlike . this mother bird who has punched me m the head 3. times in one year her chicks are on top of a gas station her intention of keeping them from harm has been extremely made clear the last thing Iwan~ to do is dr~w some kind of fightlflight effect her audience has withdrawn like avoiding alertness that require activities a la cough syrup backwards lfed seventeen.years into an anxiety-high I achine, when unable to Improve your quality of life this point has not been taken lightly: first you fall down a flight o.f raz~r?la?es upon waking up you're an even bigger failure It IS.tl~e f~r certain lives to fade people love you but statistics bild you into a laugh instead of cry the truth is not heavenly-made those who want to make something of their lives must be heard soon. You can't change the past but you can alter history as lives dissolve&many hang on truly do not ask me what for... . .

I've heard of the rich hiring look-alikes for their scum kids in case of kidnapping & other petty reasons w~y mass graves are full, ifI.could ch~ge the ch~~nel I ~ lik to offer working asa human shield to political shit le, Trump or worse although I don t t hi111 k t h a t' s poslike

ps

sible USA networks beg for such evil ..dumptrucks of ignorance can also equal that with ex-Olympic cities that are now garbage but can always become lethal stupidity&greed as I've always thought this world sadly stood Like last meal requests being a book they can read then the quotation that fits them like the current 'bullet, noose or injection?' 9 out of 10 doctors the latter granted 'cause any way you're dead -a couple blocks that probably do exist downwards that is a mental health disqualification neighbourhood, like betting on better judgement the truth is so out offate&time almost a crime to bring it up such horrifically lame crimes like Altzheimer's satan you take unthreatening lives god r hope your file monitor blows up in whatever passes for your face, now the Minister of the Misled has declared anyone without-to-date picture id is a flight risk White cop Black kid 'does one in the leg sound unsound (8 bullets are almost 3 hattricks!) ... look at pictures cuz he lost his entire life no one is comfortable, like hitchhikers the poor are offered a hot meal & the young can easily be snatched the evil part of the truth is quickly forgotten by teenagers & the old ones no one cares about nothing means anything now we've got this fake news teaching the average person fuck all the bliad leading the brain-dead - side effects from even thinking the truth you do not want to know so many doorway living quarters with shopping carts for cars one year soon this truth thing will be forcefed Like a final meal becoming a hit of junk with all the slimings plus a gag order to go "Hey this is America we have the right to watch live executions" a very popular pastime networks learn happy endings were never very happy they've learned those are a blueprint for shows about to die, like cutting oxygen with fentanyl this brutality of kindness knows no bounds the truth shall kill you but hey you enjoy hell Ithink you will be very popular even when you expired soul is located in the Lost&Found The demise of the first black sheep upon a pause creeps ever so quietly not even a baby shall cry. Only god & the newly born know why.

By ROBERT McGILLlVRA Y The dumptrucks of silence shall keep pouring future Olympic sites & now the price of anything will be soaring the whole truth says goodbye.

"I'm one of the few people who lives what's called the low-life."

-Jeffrey Bernard

Do not simply believe what you hear just because you have heard it for a long time.

Do not follow tradition blindly merely because it has been practiced in that way for many generations.

Do not be quick to listen to rumors.

Do not confirm anything just because it agrees with your scriptures.

Do not foolishly make assumptions.

Do not abruptly draw conclusions by what you see and hear.

Do not be fooled by outward appearances.

Do not hold on tightly to any view or idea just because you are comfortable with it.

Do not accept as fact anything that you yourself find to be logical.

Do not be convinced of anything out of respect or deference to your spiritual teachers.

You should go beyond opinion and belief. You can rightly reject anything which when accepted, practiced, and perfected leads to more aversion, more craving and more delusion. They are not beneficial and to be avoided.

Conversely, you can rightly accept anything which when accepted and practiced leads to unconditional love, contentment and wisdom. These things allow you time and space to develop a happy and peaceful mind.

This should be your criteria on what is and what is not the truth; on what should be and what should not be the spiritual practice.

Seven Daysa Week I saw the great-granddaughter of the women of the woods at UGM once. She often frequents the woman centre. I couldn't help but stare. We could have been related somehow: a previous beauty donned in handme-downs. She lives in an SRO waiting to be reunited with the love of her life.

People look over her, "She's gonna die waiting." I hear the jealous sirens chiding her, looking to cheat her, wanting what she has for themselves.

I can still see beautiful, fairness, tells the truth and walks an honest life. She always looks at her brothers and sisters sleeping in the streets with a prayer in a hum of a whisper. Her Catholic Christian chant sounds like a Yiddish lullaby - a heartbeat of her mother's drum. &......-.

AnyaH J im G re e n Night at the Opera Thursday, Oct. 5 3:30 - 4:30 PM I Carnegie Theatre

?UCClN/,S FINAL J,lASTERPIECE The first 75 people will receive free tickets to the final dress reh~arsal of the opera, for Wednesday October 11 Presented by Vancouver Opera in collaboration with Carnegie Centre

-Frorn the Kalama Sutta, The Buddha (found in Normal gets you Nowhere by Kelly Cutrone) [Submitted by diane leClaire]

VANCOUVER INFECTIOUS DISEASES CENTRE

GET TESTED for HIV & Hep C FROM 1:80 ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 6 Main Floor in the Theatre, 401 Main Street For more information call 604-642-6429

Wade, my childhood best friend Different directions reunited It's good to see you again Your brothers missed you And loved ya all along It sure does feel good to be loved Who could ever forget Froggie?

GO'OI1C'rnon, Let's go to the rock show All the punks are gonna be there Wade can wear the pink & purple tie dyed shirt with solid black Ramones I'll wear the Golden Blondie In all the Glitter Glam Glory Anya H.

Carnegie6 NEW S L ETT E R

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

cRrnncwS@v<n.bc.<.

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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Indeed,

-Margaret Meade

tsLAP (law Students

Smallillustrations to accompany articles and poetry.

Coverart - Max size: 17cm(6 '1.")wide x 15cm(6")high.

Subject matter pertainingto 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 andlor cropped to fit).

All artists will receive credit for their work.

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

Remuneration: Camegie Volunteer Tickets

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DROP-IN Call 604-665-2220 for time

COMPUTER ADVICE Vancouver Community Network Cost-effective computer & IT support for non-profits VeN Tech Team http://techteam.vcn.bc.ca Call 778-724-0826 ext2. 705-333 Terminal Ave, Van

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.

WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION • AIDS • • POVERTY HOMELESSNESS • VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN • ABORIGINAL GENOCIDE • TOTALITARIAN CAPITALISM • IGNORANCE and SUSTAINED FEAR

Website carnegienewsletter.org Catalogue ca rn news@vcn.bc.ca entail carnnews@shaw.ca 604-665-2289 plione 401 Main Street, Vancouver

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