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W2 Soul Gardens Public Art Project in Vancouver Downtown Eastside (DTES)
Soul Gardens Public Art Project
Event Details
Time: July 5, 2011 to September 21, 2011
Location: W2 Media Cafe, DTES locations
Event Type: project, exhibition, workshop
Organized By: W2 Woodwards
Event Description
Soul Gardens is a W2 community public art project that investigates the cultural history of the Downtown Eastside as told through stories of food, gardening and community.
A collaboration between five muralists and five artist researchers, the project draw heavily on individual and shared narratives within founding DTES cultural groups including the Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh, and Musqueam Nations, and African, Chinese, Japanese and European settlers. In addition to a large public mural, Soul Gardens will create a dynamic online interface inviting individuals to share recipes, stories, photos and other information about how food has played a role in shaping their experience of Vancouver.
Muralists: Jordan Bent, Indigo, Scott Sueme, Melanie Shambach, Take5. Researchers: Wayde Compton, Lani Russwurm, Anne Marie Slater, Sid Tan and Cease Wyss. Project Coordinators: Irwin Oostindie, Lianne Payne.
Look here for further event updates on the project as they are announced, including long table dinners, recipe card collections, and public talks and workshops on cultural heritage and community history.
With support from the City of Vancouver’s 125th Anniversary Grants Program and the participation of the Government of Canada. Artwork design: Jordan Ben
AHA MEDIA is very proud to help support the W2 Soul Gardens Public Art Project!
Below are photos from a recent meeting at W2 Media Cafe
W2TV: Canada Day Redress Rally 2011
Sixth Annual Canada Day Redress Rally Monument to Chinese Railway Workers and War Veterans in Vancouver
The following screenshot photos are from Sid Tan’s video below:
Below is a photo of Libby Davies, Vancouver East MP speaking
Below is a photo of Vancouverite Gim Wong, a Second World War Air Force veteran and Canadian-born son of two Chinese head-tax payers. Last year on July 1, Wong did a trial run on his motorcycle to Craigellachie, B.C. This year, he left Mile 0 at Beacon Hill Park in Victoria in June on a cross-country ride to raise awareness, promote support, and take a petition asking Ottawa to compensate Chinese-Canadians for the $23 million collected from head-tax payers by paying $21,000 to each survivor and by starting a compensation negotiation process for descendents.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOIMHVsqp1A
Below is a photo of Irwin Oostindie of W2 speaking
Below is Cease Wyss and Kat Norris
Below is Gim Wong
Below is Sean Gunn
Thanks to Head Tax Families Society of Canada for organising folks and W2 Media Cafe for hosting the luch and cabaret. Food was from Foo’s Ho Ho.
Thanks to Kat Norris, Cease Wyss, Karin Lee, Gim Wong, Roy Miki, Sean Gunn, Jordan Paterson, Andrew Lau, Trevor/Matt Chan (No Luck Club) and Irwin Oostindie who spoke and/or performed in the afternoon program. Special thanks to the HTFSC volunteers and W2 staff and volunteers who made this an amazing and fun day.
W2TV: Raise the Rates MLA Welfare Challenge
Coast Salish Territory – 600 block Powell Street in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver BC. Near the local office of the BC Ministry of Housing and Social Development.
On May 26, 2011, a group named Raise the Rates launches the MLA Welfare Challenge. A Challenge to BC MLA’s to see if any will live on the province’s rate of $610 for a single person.
Raise the Rates states an MLA accepting the challenge would be engaging in real action reseach and gain some understanding of what life on welfare is like.
It has been 25 years since Vancouver MLA and later Speaker of the House Emery Barnes spent 7 weeks living on the welfare rate of the time. Among those issuing the challenge to MLA’s is Constance Barnes, daughter of the late Mr. Barnes and a CoV Parks Board Commissioner. She explained with pride her father’s act to support a raise in welfare rates.
Based on his experience, Emery Barnes stated that the welfare rate for a single person without disabilities should be $700. That is 25 years ago and equivalent to $1,290 today, more than double what is the present welfare rate.
Bob Hopwood of Raise the Rates states they will provide MLA’s support and advice and work with them to ensure the month is a valuable and insightful experience.
As the legislature is in session until June 2, Raise the Rates states after that would be a good time to start with July 1 being the latest. MLA’s have until June 16 to respond. Raise the Rates commits to provide $610 to one MLA from each party and link them to people on welfare to hear their stories and experiences.
As MLA’s determine the welfare rates, they should be able to survive on them as 90,000 BC families and individuals do. Along with the MLA Welfare Challenge, Raise the Rates also has demands as Jean Swanson explains.
By taking the challenge, MLA’s would find current welfare rates for most does not provide enough for nutritous food or adequate shelter let alone hygiene or transportation.
The average rent for a one bedroom apartment in Vancouver is $1,012 a month. Even in the lowest rent area of Vancouver the average rent is $805 a month. Raise the Rates is a coalition of over 20 organisation in BC concerned about poverty and nomelessness in the province.
For W2TV, Sid Tan reporting from the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver BC.
AHA MEDIA Livestreamed Human Rights and Media Matters forum at W2 Storyeum in Vancouver
From Georgia StraightBy Staff, December 9, 2010A public forum called “Human Rights and Media Matters” is being held tonight (December 9) at W2 Storyeum in Vancouver.
Georgia Straight editor Charlie Smith is moderating the discussion, which is being cohosted by the Association of Chinese Canadians for Equality and Solidarity Society, the Chinese Canadian National Council, and the W2 Community Media Arts Society.
The panel features B.C. Civil Liberties Association executive director David Eby, Downtown Eastside activist Tami Starlight, antiracist activist Harsha Walia, and UBC history professor Henry Yu.
Here’s the live stream from April Smith of AHA Media.
Below is Sid Tan, organizer of “Human Rights and Media Matters” forum at W2 with Irwin Oostindie watching
Below is Tami Starlight, Henry Yu, Charlie Smith and David Eby
Below is a photo of AHA MEDIA’s Mac with Nokia N97 mini and Nokia N8 smart cameraphones
Below is Nokia N97 mini livestreaming
Below is filming with Nokia N8 and livestreaming Nokia N97 mini
Below is David Eby and Harsha Walia
Below is Peter Davies of AHA MEDIA filming with a Nokia N8
Below is Tami Starlight with Henry Yu
Below is Charlie Smith, Editor of Georgia Straight
Below is Sudha Krishna asking a question
Below is Miraj Khaled asking a question
Below is MLA Mable Elmore for Vancouver-Kensington
Below is Sean Gunn
Below is Lani Russwurm, Stephan and Miraj
See all “Human Rights and Media Matters ” livestream at http://qik.com/ahamedia/videos
AHA MEDIA to livestream at Human Rights and Media Matters: A Public Forum on Media Responsibility at W2 on Dec 9, 2010 7pm-10pm
Livestreaming of the event will be provided by AHA MEDIA
You can view it at http://www.qik.com/AHAMEDIA for our livestream videos
On the eve of International Human Rights Day, a public forum on “Media Matters and Human Rights” will be co-hosted by ACCESS Association of Chinese Canadians for Equality and Solidarity Society, the Chinese Canadian National Council and W2 Community Media Arts Society.
Time: Thursday, December 9 7:00pm – 10:00pm
Location: 151 West Cordova, Vancouver
Moderated by Charlie Smith, editor of the Georgia Straight, the members of panel are:
David Eby – lawyer and currently executive director of B. C. Civil Liberties Association
Tami Starlight – anti-oppression activist and a founder of the Downtown Eastside Neighbourhood Council
Harsha Walia – anti-racist, migrant justice, human rights activist and women’s advocate
Henry Yu – historian, educator, writer and UBC associate professor of history
By donation. No host bar and light refreshments available.
We look forward to seeing you this International Human Rights Day.
Please RSVP via Facebook event
Phone W2 at 604-689-9896
or email
w2tv@creativetechnology.org
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