August 15, 2021 Carnegie Newsletter

Page 1

401 Main Street Vancouver Canada V6A 2T7

(604) 665-2289


The Carnegie Community Centre Association is the non-profit society that is the members voice in the Centre. Membership is $1 a year, open to virtually all people who use its services and want to contribute to the life of the Downtown Eastside community. The Board of Directors is an elected body of members who work with both City staff and with the many other groups and organisations in the neighbourhood. Structure includes a 10-15 member Board and several committees. These include Volunteer, Library & Education (including the Learning Centre), Seniors, Program (including Cultural Sharing), Oppenheimer Park, Community Relations and Finance. A member of the Board is involved in 3 committees, each meeting once a month, and attends Board meetings.

Carnegie Community Centre Association

Nomination Meeting for those willing to run for election to the Board of Directors.

Thursday September 9, 2021 5:30pm

401 Main Street

Those on the list of nominated candidates are asked, in reverse order, if they are willing to stand for election. If yes, their eligibility will be confirmed. To be eligible for election as a director, a person must: ./ Live or work (paid or unpaid) in the area; ./ Be an active member of the Centre; ./ Be a member of the Society for a minimum of 60 days immediately prior to the election; ./ Be over the 19 years of age; and ./ Have contributed 30 hours of volunteer work to the Carnegie Community Centre or the Carnegie Community Centre Association in the previous year [Due to the pandemic and restrictions on volunteering over the last year, this may be relaxed.] Please consider being a Director! Those attending this meeting must have purchased their membership card no later than August 26,2021 in order to nominate someone. To be eligible, every nominee must have purchased their membership card no later than August 7,2021


THE 6TH ANNUAL SANDY CAMERON MEMORIAL WRITIIN6 CONTEST Sandy was a writer and poet and an historian emeritus who traced the years of struggle for social and economic justice in the life of the Downtown Eastside. He contributed his thoughts and feelings on subjects as diverse as class and whale watching but tied everything to our ongoing ideation on social justice. This contest is to honour him and all who use the written word to express themselves. This is for writers and poets who identify with the struggles of the Downtown Eastside, who see and feel passion in living with spiritual, mental, and physical yeamings. It may be with wealth (too much or not enough), housing (too luxurious or not good enough), homelessness (seeing people or trying to ignore reality), both sides of addiction in the drug trade, the sex trade, "free" trade, community, women (murdered, missing what it is to be safe and creative), children and growing, festivals, ceremonies, memorials, special people and their contributions (past, present) all you do to make your life meaningful both now and towards the future. Whew! Prizes will be awarded for each category. 1St, 2nd & 3rd will be $100, $75 and $50 respectively. Additional non-cash prizes for entries deserving recognition. Guidelines for Writing Contest. 1. . Writing must be the original work of the person submitting the contest entry & not fiction . . 2. If plagiarism is recognised the work will be disqualified and returned. Contact information for the writer must be provided with each contest entry. Essays: This means writing in sentences, with grammar and structure attempted. Poetry: All forms accepted. Must use the same font (typeface) throughout Subject is open to the individual author. It can be about most anything relevant to readers. In the words of Sam Roddan "[It] must have a bite. It must create some kind of disturbance, a turmoil in the heart, a turbulence of memory and feeling," The length of the essay can be 250-700 words, basically what can be printed on 1 page of the Newsletter. Poetry of whatever length, but no more than can be printed on 1 page. Deadline for submissions is noon on September 15, 2021. Results will be announced at a special event during the Heart of the City Festival (early November). Each writer may submit only one essay and/or one poetry entry. Submit your work on paper to Camegie's front desk or email it to carnnews@shaw.ca with contact info The theme for this year's Heart of the City Festival is "Stories we need to hear." Your essay and/or poetry can reflect the need of your telling and the need of others to read or hear it.


People in B.C. who use toxic illicit drugs and are at risk of overdosing or dying will soon be able to access alternative drugs, the minister of mental health and addictions announced Thursday. During a news conference, Sheila Malcolrnson said the expanded safer supply program will help save lives by offering a substitute to poisoned street drugs to reduce overdose deaths. She said the new policy will allow people who have been clinically assessed to have access to prescribed alternative drugs, like oral opioids, as a way to replace drugs that could be laced with potentially deadly fentanyl.

Coun. Jean Swanson hands out free drugs including meth, heroin and cocaine to people outside the Vancouver Police Department offices in the Downtown Eastside on Wednesday. (Ben Nelms/CBC) Vancouver's Coun. Jean Swanson criticized the new policy on CBC's The Early Edition Friday, two days after she joined drug activists in front of the Downtown Eastside's community police station to hand out pre-tested packets of heroin, meth and cocaine to users at the demonstration. She said the province's plan lacks input from drug users themselves and that having to go to a clinical setting to be assessed before being supplied is a challenge for people who don't have access to a phone. "The folks that I work with at VANDU [the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users] and Drug User Liberation Front [DULF], say that they don't think it'll work very well. It's too bureaucratic. It doesn't cover stimulants. It probably doesn't cover folks who just use occasionally. And it's not going to meet the need," she added. Swans on likened her actions to those of Vancouver activists who years ago illegally set up supervised injection site to pressure governments to act. Now, these sites are a government-sanctioned and critical for keeping people alive when so many drugs are laced with lethal poison. "If two groups that don't have a lot of resources like DUFL and V ANDU [can] distribute safe drugs, having them all tested, then why can't the government that has billions in its budget do the same thing?" said Swanson.


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Join Carnegie Elder in Residence Les Nelson for "Our Park" offsite at Andy Livingstone Park every Wednesday/Sunday 2:00·6:00pm tVO'UOHf, wl'laJ1'ilf!

THE OUR PARK PROJECT A communlty-based art and harm reduction project in ANDY UVINGSTONE PARK on the unceded homelands of the xwmaekWClYam (Musqueam), S!sw~u7mesh {Squamish} and sallwtltat{Tsteit-Waututh) Nations. Join artist SYLVAN HAMBURGER and elder LES NELSON art and screen-prlnting workshops in the park fiNery WEDNESDAY & SUNDAY, 2-6PM all summer tong!

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MAKE A PRINT MEET A NEIGHBOUR SHARE A STORY THE OUR PARK PROJECT aims to connect and support the many communities that use Andy Uvingstope Park. Through peer engagement and communlty-based art, the prOject invites neighbours to meet, create and share their stories side by side

EVERYONE IS WELCOME

FIND US IN THE PARK!

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From·the Library

Sections I & II

I'm writing this before the impending heat wave, and it will be reaching you once the worst of it has passed. I hope you managed to stay cool and hydrated for the worst of it! It is actually Prison Justice Day today and so I send my support to those who are meeting in Trout Lake this evening to remember prisoners who have died unnecessary deaths; for more info about their work visit prisonjustice.ca. On August 12th and 13th from 9:00PM10:30PM the Central library, in partnership with DOXXA Documentary Film Festival, will be screening films outdoors at the South Plaza (the corner of Robson and Homer St.). The theme of the August 12th screening is "Earthly Matters" which is a collection of films exploring nature and environment. Among the five short films that will be screened are Lichen, a film that dives deep into the incredible world oflichen through the lenses of science and poetry, and Menaptwi (Smoked), wherein an Indigenous Knowledge Keeper explains the task of smoking fish. On August 13th the theme is "Feeling at Home" (after this past year I think we're all experts in this regard). "Feeling at Home" is comprised of six short films including To: You, To Night - an "experimental reflection on dislocation, immigration and language" that takes the viewer on a night walk through the streets of Vancouver, and Joe Buffalo - a portrait of the Indigenous skateboard legend of the same name that illuminates his life story as a esidential school survivor, athlete, and community hero. For more info see events at vpl.ca or come chat with one of us library staffers. In addition to the screenings at the Centrallibrary, Carnegie library will be screening a movie of your choice at some point in the nearfuture. Come by the library to vote on which NFB film you would like to see - and we'll fill you in on the dates as soon as they're ironed out. All the best, lzzy

Section I How I dread the thought of surgery. At this point there is no choice in the matter, but that does not ease my trepidation. The sounds of monitors, in particular the heart, capture my attention, though only briefly. I am acutely aware of my shaking body as my appointment with the knife drawers nearer. My mind is engrossed in apprehension while the regional anaesthetic is given and preparations made for, then followed by, incisions. Although I cannot see beyond the draped barrier, I can feel the tugging -- no pain, just a pulling sensation. Afterwards, I hear the frightened cry of my newborn daughter. Although the moment is precious, my mind and body return to the movements beyond the drape. I cringe as my huge incision is sewn and stapled shut. Section II This time, fear and anxiety are minimal. This is a planned intrusion into the world of my unborn child. More drug is added to the epidural, as my body is still sensitive to the touch of the anaesthetist's hand. This caesarian-section is my decision. I feel more in control and more confident. This time my body does not shake and my mind is quite alert. Smiling faces and reassuring voices help me feel safe. The tugging does not seem to last long at all. When I hear the startled cry of my newly delivered son, I am pleased that all is well. The operating room continues to be busy, as both mother and baby are attended to. I hardly notice the threading motions beyond the barrier. I am overwhelmed with joy and peace, as well as the surety that for my baby and for myself, I have made the best choice.

© Jacqueline Angharad Giles


Environmentalists are mother earth's favourite children. They are heartbroken to see our forests destroyed, water polluted, lands left in a mess. Oceans and seas are filled with garbage, wastes and plastics. They would like to see restoration and return of panoramic views of scenery of the clean, pristine water, forests, and spectacular mountains. Please protect the rainforests, rivers and oceans to let all beings live. They are gifts from Mother Nature. Please share the Earth with all beings and live in harmony with other forms oflife. We must live sustainably and not lose our humanity over the dollar. Support wildlife conservation and their habitats. Governments are responsible for legislations, policies and regulations to prosecute the offenders. The laws should be enforced to maintain and protect sustainability of natural resources and wealth ofthe countries and peoples. Don't let the offenders ruin the habitats of the animals, birds, the beautiful landscapes and the pristine rivers and waterways. Don't leave behind a mess and pollution. Greed for power and money is evil. Corruption is evil. Corrupt politicians and greedy executives of big mining, timber, oil and mineral companies are making billions of dollars. They are destroying the forests/ the homes of many living animals and birds. They also ruin the families of indigenous peoples by exploiting their natural resources, their self-sufficient life and land cultures. Help the forest indigenous people by taking the greedy companies to court. Choose our planet over profit. Save our climate. Don't use products like palm oil that is produced at the expense of the forests. Extracting minerals, metals and drilling for oil enrich only the big corporations and the few selected local elite. The general population is still poor. Environmental activists are nature's guardians and protectors. They are doing a very meaningful, essential and necessary work. They earn our respect for devoting their Iives to their love of nature. They risk their lives doing their work. They face death threats, assaults and execution. Melancholy and human suffering are caused by the thoughts of greed. When we are content with what we have, we will increase our happiness and satisfaction. By JAMES PAU

DATE: SATURDAY AUGUST 28 TIME: 4-7 pm PLACE: Beaconsfield Park, 3215 Slocan Street behind the Italian Cultural Centre Join us for a celebration of Earle's new book-he will be reading and singing from "Questions to the Moon." Books will be available for sale (special deal $12 for past and present choir members). Earle's choirs, Solidarity Notes, Highs & Lows and Inchoiring Minds will also be singing. During (aVID a picnic means bring food and drink for yourself but not for others, and the expectation is that you'll be double vaccinated. The park is large enough to allow everyone to stay comfortable distances apart. We'll be taking down names and phone numbers for contact tracing too. Bring a chair to sit on, something to nosh on and drink, and join us for an entertaining summer-end event. Penny Goldsmith, Owner Liizara Press (pu blisher@lazarapress.ca)


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