Community Engagement | AHA Media

DTES films in the Vancouver Short Film Festival on October 28-29, 2010

October 13, 2010 ahamedia Leave a comment

A few films in the Vancouver Short Film Festival centred around issues affecting DTES residents include:

– Most Liveable City is a documentary that set out to explore water fountains in Vancouver, but discovered the lack of water accessibility in this community highlights an even greater issue: water as a human right. Director Fiona Rayher of the Pull Focus Film School. Playing in the Emerging Filmmakers screening, 7:30pm on October 28

– Christian Malo’s Addict gives an insight into a day in the life of a meth addict. Playing in the Emerging Filmmakers screening, 7:30pm on October 28.

Pigeon Park Savings by Laurie Kindiak is a documentary on the only financial institution available to the 4000 low-income residents in the Downtown Eastside.

Festival info:

VANCOUVER SHORT FILM FESTIVAL

October 28-29, 2010

Vancity Theatre, 1181 Seymour Street & Davie

Info, tickets and passes at www.vsff.com

Categories: AHA Media, April Smith, Community Engagement, Downtown Eastside, DTES, PHS, PHS Community Services Society, Pigeon Park Bank, Portland Hotel Society, Vancouver, Vancouver Downtown Eastside

Women and Food: A Vancouver Historical Perspective

October 13, 2010 ahamedia Leave a comment

Tuesday October 26, 7 PM to 8.30 PM @Vancouver City Hall. 12th & Cambie, Council Chambers (3rd floor)

Women of diverse backgrounds have long played an important role in the history of food in Vancouver. Though their contributions have not always been recognized, women have had an integral role in shaping local businesses, workplaces, industries, families, and ethno-cultural communities through the cultivation, production, distribution, preservation, and sharing of food and cuisine.

Guest speakers:

Meeru Dhalwala (Vij’s-Women and Indian Cuisine),
Cease Wyss (A First Nation’s Perspective),
Tracey McDougall (Hogan’s Alleys Vie’s Chicken and Steak House),
Edith Tuner (Gulf of Georgia Cannery: Women and Cannery Work),
Shirley Chan (Eating Stories: Laying It All on the Table),
Devorah Kahn (Women and Farmers Markets) and
Councillor Andrea Reimer

Categories: AHA Media, April Smith, Community Engagement, Vancouver

2010 Homeless Connect Events in Vancouver

October 13, 2010 ahamedia Leave a comment

October 10 – 16 is the fifth annual Homelessness Action Week

World Homeless Day is October 10. Add your voice to the call for a national, affordable housing strategy and contact your MP.

Check out the calendar of events for the week. Here are a few highlights:

Join us and Be a Champion to Stop Homelessness on Tuesday, October 10th.
The City of Vancouver is sponsoring a Homeless Connect Event at W2 Storyeum on October 15.
A Homeless Connect Event is planned in New Westminster and the week will end with the annual fundraising dinner hosted by the New West Homeless Coalition. Click here for more information.
Burnaby is planning events every day from Sunday to Thursday. Click here for more information
The Tri-Cities is hosting a World Café – Homelessness in the Tri-Cities on October 14.

October 13th

What: The Gathering Place Homeless Connect
Where: 609 Helmcken Street
When: 11pm – 2 pm

Homeless Action week provides a unique opportunity to educate and make people aware of the issues around homelessness including the impact of living with mental health and addictions. Our main focus during this week is to host a one-stop shop called Homeless Connect where hundreds of individuals are connected directly with service providers and activities such as haircuts, foot soaks, hearing tests, gently used runners and much more.
For information about this event please call 604-665-2391

October 14th

What: Broadway Youth Resource Centre’s 11th Annual Open House
When: 1:00pm to 5:00 pm
Where: 691 East Broadway Street, Vancouver

This year’s celebration coincides with Vancouver’s Homelessness Action week, and we’re asking those attending to bring a non-perishable food item, or a pair of new socks.
Come out and celebrate 11 years of service at Broadway Youth Resource Centre.

October 15th

What: Vancouver Homeless Connect Event
Where: W2 Storyeum, 151 W Cordova
When: 10:00am – 3:00pm

Come out and be connected to services related to health, housing, employment, tenants rights, and income assistance. Enjoy the live entertainment and stay for haircuts, massages, foot soaks, acupuncture, food and much more!

Categories: AHA Media, April Smith, Community Engagement, Downtown Eastside, DTES, Harm Reduction, Homelessness, Housing, PHS, PHS Community Services Society, Portland Hotel Society, Vancouver, Vancouver Downtown Eastside, W2, W2 Community Media Arts, W2 Events, W2 Storyeum

AHA MEDIA at Woodwards community Thanksgiving dinner where today is proclaimed Vancouver Street Soccer League Day on Mon Oct 11, 2010

October 11, 2010 ahamedia Leave a comment

AHA MEDIA was pleased to attend the Woodwards community Thanksgiving dinner on Mon Oct 11, 2010

Below is Peter Davies of AHA MEDIA with Dennis, a resident of Woodwards SRO

The Woodwards Atrium was beautifully transformed to a gorgeous dining room setting

Irwin Oostindie of W2 Community Media Arts with daughter

Below is Mayor Gregor Robertson with Patrick and Robert of Team Vancouver for Street Soccer

Below is Sarah Blyth with Jim Green speaking about Team Vancouver for Street Soccer that went to Brazil for Homeless World Cup 2010

Mayor Gregor Robertson proclaiming Vancouver Street Soccer League Day on October 11, 2010

AHA MEDIA filmed at Downtown Eastside March for Women’s Housing on Sat Oct 2, 2010

October 2, 2010 ahamedia Leave a comment

ANNUAL DOWNTOWN EASTSIDE MARCH FOR WOMEN’S HOUSING

SATURDAY OCT 2 @ 2 PM AT DTES WOMEN’S CENTRE (302 COLUMBIA)

October 1 2010, Vancouver, Coast Salish Territories- In response to the persistent violence of poverty and homelessness, women in the Power of Women Group of the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre are organizing the “4th Annual March For Women’s Housing” to demand safe and long-term affordable housing.

According to Priscillia Mays, an organizer of the march “There is a perception that governments are now dealing with the homelessness crisis, but the recent solutions are all band-aid ones. All of us are someone’s sister, someone’s daughter, someone’s mother. We have the right to safe and affordable housing, not just shelter beds. Without safe and affordable housing, many women are forced into unsafe and violent situations, leading to the ongoing unacceptable tragedy of women being murdered.”

A report released by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives and Social Planning and Research Council of BC earlier in September 2010 found that, according to BC Housing’s own service plans and data, there an overall net increase of only 280 new social housing units over the past five years. Over 1550 of the so-called “new” supportive housing units are actually renovations and replacements of existing housing stock rather than additional low-income housing.

According to Beatrice Starr, an Indigenous elder and organizer of the march “We call on the municipal, provincial, and federal governments to commit to ongoing funding for new social housing; to place a moratorium on low-income housing conversions to condos in the DTES; to stop criminalizing the poor through police harassment and aggressive ticketing; and to put our needs for basic survival before corporate developer profits.”

In the midst of this housing shortage and affordability crisis, community groups are redoubling efforts to secure the promised affordable units at the Olympic Village (Millenium Water). While the initial development plan promised that 66% of the units would be affordable, that number has now been reduced to less than 10% and a majority of the promised units remain empty. In the lead-up to February 2011, the one-year anniversary of the Olympic Tent Village established at 58 West Hastings, a separate campaign will work to attain a moratorium on the sale of the promised units and will openly establish a Tent City at the Athletes’ Village under a general call to “Reclaim Housing.”

Anne-Marie Monks, a 60-year old woman with disabilities, states, “Why is it so hard to treat us as human beings? The government has the ability and the capacity—but not the political will—to ensure the elimination of poverty. I challenge any politician to switch places with me. Sleep in the alley, stand in a food line, and live off $6 a day; then perhaps you will understand our pain. No more empty talk.”