Sacred Social Justice

Torture Does not Fight Terrorism: Rally to Close Guantanamo & Bring Omar Khadr Home

2012-01-16T17:49:00.001-08:00

Close Guantanamo & Bring Omar Khadr Home, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

On January 7, a group of students from the local branch of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) organized a peaceful protest outside of the Alberta Legislature, calling for Canada to support closing Guantanamo and bringing child soldier Omar Khadr home.

I took part in a similar rally around two years ago, at Churchill Square.

Like many of the causes with which I am involved, this seems to be one that is very divisive. I am going to list the arguments that I have been encountering, and explain the rationale behind the perspective that Guantanamo should be closed and Omar Khadr should be be brought back to Canada for a fair trial.

Omar Khadr is a terrorist.
When someone is on our side, that person is a war hero; when they are on the other side, that person is a terrorist. One nation's terrorist is another nation's freedom fighter. Omar Khadr was a child soldier in a war (an illegal and unjust war, at that), and in a war, people get killed (which is one reason me and my cohorts protest against it). If Khadr's actions were criminal, he should be tried, then possibly convicted and sentenced. Instead, he has been languishing in a prison for ten years, without a trial.

Excuse me - he pleaded guilty.
What choice did he have? Since his own country, Canada, would not take him back to try him here, it was probably the only way Khadr and his lawyers felt he would ever see the light of day.

His whole family is a bunch of terrorists.
See my original point. Assuming this is true, it only supports the need for Khadr to be tried in Canada as a Canadian. Likely, at his young age he was under the influence of his family for whatever actions he committed.

He was old enough to know what he was doing.
He was a young teenager. Young teens can be open to influence and easily manipulated. A fourteen year old in Canada who commits murder is usually tried as a child (yes, a murder charge can be bumped up to adult court, but even still, he would not have been imprisoned indefinitely and subject to torture).

Do you think the majority of Canadians agree with your view?
I honestly don't know - I have never conducted a poll. However, that is irrelevant. How the nation conducts itself in this situation is the difference between a government that has a foreign policy that simply follows the lead of the US, or one that holds up values of international law and justice. You see, the use of torture against prisoners of war is illegal. It is also ineffective. A person will say anything to make the torture stop. So, a confession acquired through the use of torture is invalid, as far as I am concerned.

As well, Canada is the only country who has not taken back a citizen from Guantanamo. All of the other countries have taken back their nationals and dealt with them on their home turfs. I see no compelling reason why Canada should act any differently.

I know these are controversial issues and I don't expect everyone to agree with me. Nor am I saying that Khadr is innocent of any wrong-doing. What I and my cohorts are saying is that the way the Canadian government has done one of its citizens a disservice and by doing so, has tarnished Canada's image to the world.

Here is my full set of photos from the event.

A video of highlights from most of the speakers:

The short march around the Legislature pool:

Art for Awareness: Homeless Memorial Sculpture

2012-01-05T10:37:00.001-08:00

Sculpture for the Homeless, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

A new piece of public art was unveiled in Edmonton in November. It is a sculpture that honours those in the city who live their lives without adequate housing. Located just north of City Hall on 99 Street, it was created by local sculptures Keith Turnbull and Ritchie Velthuis. I finally got a chance to go and photograph the sculpture this week.

The cost of the sculpture was $40,000 - a price tag that made some cringe. They questioned the use of public funds in this manner, expressing doubt that such a piece of art can actually help the homeless.

While it is true that the agencies and shelters who help the homeless (and those at risk) are often underfunded, a piece of public art such as this tribute has its place.

First of all, it raises awareness of the issue. It is a visually striking reminder to anyone who sees it, that there are those in this affluent city who live either without adequate shelter or who are on the margins and one step away from such a fate. As well, people with direct experience of homelessness took part in the creation of the sculpture. Tiles designed and made by these people are featured prominently - and, they were paid for their contributions.

A memorial for men and women who have lost their lives as a direct result of not having a home is usually held in January. However, according to one of the organizers, this year the date is yet to be determined. The hope is to have the memorial outside at the sculpture.

Public art has been viewed with some skepticism lately, due to the unveiling of the Talus Dome on Fox Drive, which cost $600,000, was made by an artist in L.A., and which most people can't seem to figure out. However, sometimes the price is justified. The homeless memorial sculpture has value that goes beyond money.

A Movie Lover's Lament

2011-12-17T09:28:00.000-08:00

For a variety of reasons, I am going to remember 2011 as a year of loss and mourning.

This realization hit me as hard as ever last week when I strolled over to my local Second Cup to enjoy a cup of coffee and a book for a while. Before entering the cafe, I had a ritual - I would go next door to the Blockbuster and peruse the new releases, the foreign titles, and the special interest documentaries.

Blockbuster now sits closed and empty. I give it a fleeting glance as I enter Second Cup,the barristas greeting me by name.

Of course, I knew the writing was on the wall and I tried to give myself time to prepare. Blockbuster went into receivership in the United States some time ago. Still, there was hope for Canada. But then, a select number of Canadian Blockbusters closed down.

But not mine. No, it was still standing large and tall, filled with all kinds of movies I had yet to explore.

I felt ominous when my membership expired and I was not given the option to renew, being explained that the company was in receivership and as such the future was uncertain.

Then, the end came. It was announced that all Blockbusters in the city, and in Canada, would be closing. Closing out sales were held, and I purchased a few DVDs at rock-bottom prices. I felt choked up as I stood in line for the last time, looking around at the near-empty shelves, a film of some kind playing loudly on the large screen behind us.

How and why did this tragedy occur?

Internet killed the video store.

I contributed to this situation. The convenience and ease of renting movies on iTunes, as well as the low price and increasingly good selection of a Netflix membership all took their toll on how often I would physically go out and rent movies.

Still, there was just something about browsing through the aisles, making discoveries, and reading the covers. I would often leave with two or three - usually a new release or two as well as possibly something I had never heard of before, just to try something different.

One can browse online, but it doesn't feel the same. Lots of browsing online makes me dizzy in a way wandering around in a video store never did, even if I had no idea what I was looking for.

A generation will now be raised up not knowing what it is like to physically rent movies. And while this is definitely a first world problem, I will miss my pre-coffee ritual.

Of course, there is always the library.

A Step in the Right Direction - But Not Enough

2011-12-04T11:05:00.001-08:00

This past week, the Edmonton Public School Board approved a sexual orientation and gender identity policy. This policy was put in place to protect students, staff, and their families from bullying and harassment based on sexual orientation and gender identification. This was a needed move that is a step in the right direction.

However, it is not enough. The EPSB needs to adopt a zero tolerance policy towards bullying, regardless of its nature. I should know. I was bullied and harassed almost daily throughout the latter part of my elementary school days through junior high. If I was a student now, the school would take very seriously the anti-gay epithets that were hurled at me on a regular basis. However, what about simply being called a bitch? Or fat? Or the multitude of things I either cannot repeat in polite company (nor do I care to relive at the moment)?

Here is a concrete example. When my parents met with the principal of my school to discuss with him the things I finally broke down and told them concerning how my fellow students were treating me, he put much of the blame on me - in particular, he pointed to the fashion accessories I was fond of wearing (a leather-studded bracelet). He even had the nerve to speak of this to my face. "If this was my daughter's," he said, holding the offending cuff in his hands, "it would disappear." I stopped wearing the bracelet, but the bullying continued.

Flip to the present day. Let's say I am back in grade seven, and my pimply, awkward self was wearing a necklace or bracelet with a rainbow on it. The principal could not blame me and would have to take action, because the rainbow is a symbol concerning sexual identity (and in my case, my support of people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, questioning, and transgendered. However, the same cannot be said of my leather and metal studded monstrosity. Both accessories demonstrate my personality and individuality, and it is a human right to wear whatever I want. The main difference is that I am only fully protected by my school if I am wearing the rainbow.

Bullying attacks someone for being who they are. By its very nature, it is an act of prejudice and intolerance. It damages someone to the core of their being. Regardless of the reason why, it needs to be stopped. I comment the EPSB for their actions this past week, and I hope that it is indicative of a zero tolerance bullying policy across the board in the near future.

November Firsts: NaNoWriMo, Movember, and Maisie's

2011-12-01T08:55:00.001-08:00

November has come and gone, and with it. I like to think of myself as somewhat adventurous (being "somewhat adventurous" meaning something similar to one who likes to take "calculated risks" but that is a topic for another time) and decided to try a couple of new ventures during the month.

The month of November has two special designations. First, it is National Novel Writing Month (or, NaNoWriMo for short). Participants in NaNoWriMo have the goal of writing 50,000 words of fiction in the month. You can have an outline, but cannot have already started on the draft. It is literally literary madness. The theory behind NaNoWriMo is that everybody has a book inside of them - I don't doubt that, although I think 50,000 in 30 days is a lofty goal. More like insane. There is no time for revisions - you just keep writing for the sake of writing.

I did try this a few years ago, and didn't get very far. I did not have a clear enough idea of the novel I wanted to write, and I just could not think up enough original material on the spot under such pressure.

Perhaps I was under the influence of some kind of mania, but this time I did it. And, I was finished by mid-month. I had a very detailed outline and much of the research done beforehand. I will indeed spend some time revising it - December is supposed to be the month designated to that - but I may prefer some more hindsight before I attempt to work my way through the pages.

November is also "Movember," when men grow moustaches to raise funds for men's health, in particular prostate cancer. The guys who take part are called "Mobros" and us women are left wondering, when we see a man with a moustache, if it is for real or if it is temporary just for Movember.

Women can take part too. We're called "Mosistas." Obviously, we don't grow moustaches (although I am sure there are some gals out there who can rock the facial hair - except I don't think many would quit plucking and waxing, even for a good cause, so a friend of mine recruited me for her team - Chicks Without Nicks. We are four women who committed not to shave our legs for the entire month of November. Our team raised a total of $88 with me being the leader at a whopping $68. We didn't do as well as we had hoped, but a lot of people take part in Movember so there was a lot of competition. And hey - the more, the better. That's $88 to men's cancer that would not have been donated otherwise.

Plus, it was a lot of fun trying to encourage my friends on Twitter and Facebook to donate. One of my Twitter friends and I even got into a "hairy legs contest," posting picture of our unshaven calves for all to see. To view my pics, check out my page at the Movember site here. Truth be told, it wasn't all that bad - I have probably gone just as long, if not longer, at this time of the year without shaving my legs without noticing. However, I was told that I had guts for posting those photos. I really didn't think so - some of the men out there cannot grow good moustaches, and some who do look like pervs or porn stars, and if they have the guts to walk around looking like that, then I can show some leg hair. It was a great cause, and I look forward to doing it again next year.

As November drew to a close, Christmas decorations and music started popping up all over the place. As a life-long resident of Edmonton, I have seen many, if not most, of the events and attractions the city has to offer. However, I have never seen this: Maisie's Magical Christmas House.

Located way in the north end at 9619 144 Avenue, the house is a veritable wonderland, full of decorations, multimedia presentations, and lights galore - including ones that flicker in time to music. I felt excited like a little child as I walked around the huge area - besides the house itself, there must be at least two extra lots. This is all the work of a family, the matriarch of whom passed away in 2007. It was Maisie's wish that people be happy - this house is her legacy.

No photos can do the house justice, but I tried here.

Also, here is a video tour of the house:

Occupy Edmonton - Why We Should Care

2011-11-22T13:03:00.001-08:00

Occupy Edmonton - Nov. 20 2011, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

I attended most of The Parkland Institute's Fall Conference over the weekend. The topic dealt with the economy and the growing divide in society between classes, as well as attacks upon workers and unions. Much of what was discussed was in the context of the Occupy movement.

There could not be a more timely topic, as Occupy Edmonton has been holding strong for over a month now in the park owned by Melcor at 102 Street and Jasper Avenue. Despite a heavy snowfall and dramatically cold weather, a small group of campers have maintained at the site, having winterized (including putting up a military tent complete with a disco ball for entertainment shows).

Yet another deadline for eviction (I think this is the third) by Melcor has come and gone, with the Occupiers refusing to leave, offering up instead a list of demands.

This situation has brought about mixed reactions, even within the activist community itself. I met up with several long-time activists at the conference who felt that Occupy was a diversion from other, more pressing matters, like the dismantling of the Wheat Board. They also stated that Occupy doesn't seem to stand for anything, that its demands are not clear.

I respectfully disagree. First of all, it is just wonderful in general to see younger people standing up for something. At the various Occupy rallies and at the camp itself, I have met numerous people I have never seen before - and I have been kicking around the activist community for a good number of years now.

Secondly. if Occupy is accomplishing anything, it is raising awareness of the fact that the current economic system is not working as it should, in that corporations are getting breaks and exemptions that the common workers never gets. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer. That's the message I am getting.

I've also been hearing the arguments from a number of sides and political stripes that it is getting too cold to camp (so this is becoming a safety issue) and the fact that the group is on privately-owned land, and they should, in fact, occupy public land instead. These two issues (safety and private vs. public) are likely becoming the real diversions because Occupy is actually about more than just a camp itself.

Yes, safety is an issue, but these people are very passionate about spreading their message. And for those who say there is no message, I think the list of demands is pretty clear - lofty goals, yes, but clear nonetheless. As for the decision to be on privately owned land, I am going to go out on a limb here and suggest that Occupy Edmonton is making a statement that a corporation is not a person, as opposed to how said entities are treated legally and economically. However, if Occupy Edmonton does get evicted or chooses to leave that specific site, I know there is a Plan B (and C, and likely D).

Occupy is a global movement that will continue in one form or another. Maybe it will not change the world overnight, but there will be effects. We are witnessing one of the most important social movements of our time.

A New Home for Edmonton Activist Resources Online

2011-11-21T17:42:00.001-08:00

In 2005, I edited a book called the Edmonton Activist Resource and Contact Guide, written by local activist Radical Randy and published by the Edmonton Small Press Association. The Guide was a huge success, selling out regularly wherever it was sold at events or retail at places like Earth's General Store.

I hosted an online version of the Guide at RaiseMyVoice.com. It was updated regularly with new links, resources, and articles. Over the past few years, the site has expanded considerably and it was time for a home of its own and Radical Randy decided to learn how to make a website of his own.

EdmontonActivistResources.org is the result. At the site you will find:

A "Quick and Easy Introduction" section for novices to the economic and political forces dominating our modern world;

Glossary and discussions of terms those new to these areas may not be familiar with;

Short descriptions of the "free trade" treaties and international financial organizations Canada belongs to which have drawn so many protests;

The business organizations, front groups, and corporate-funded "think tanks" that have been instrumental in advancing the neoliberal agenda in Canada;

Short downloadable articles dealing with a wide variety of subjects for a quick overview of these topics

A wide-ranging listing magazines, radio and tv programs, and websites as well as Edmonton Public Library books, dvds, and cds providing alternative information on these public policy matters from that presented by corporate mass media;

Websites and listservs of Edmonton organizations working on social and economic justice, environmental, peace and other issues for those interested in becoming involved;

And, perhaps most importantly, a means for those involved in one part of this work for a better world to network with those working in other areas.

The description above was taken directly off the website.

Although I am definitely biased, the Guide is an excellent resource for anyone interested in learning about social issues and activist movements from a left-wing, often radical, perspective. It is not affiliated with any political party and is produced independently. I am proud to have been a part of it.

Hopes for Downtown

2011-10-25T18:50:00.000-07:00

Today, a public hearing was held into the proposed downtown arena. People representing different sides of the issue had a chance to address City Council and speak their minds.

As for me, I am not sure I have much to add to this, specifically. I am not against large developments in the downtown area per se, but I do have a problem with a funding structure that will finance a private business using taxpayers' dollars. So, I do have some concerns with the City entering into a deal with a billionaire who is out to make a profit.

That aside, I also have an issue with thinking that Edmonton absolutely, positively needs a project on the scale of the proposed arena in order to keep downtown alive and vibrant. I have a little observation: downtown Edmonton already is alive and vibrant. Sure, there are pockets that are not developed to their fullest extents, and a few places here and there that can seem a bit sketchy. But overall, there are always places to go, things to do, and events going on in the city's core. If we don't get a new arena, downtown is not going to crumble and implode. There is already a new art gallery, a new museum going up, and lots of revitalization in the area. Festivals and events take place galore. New businesses like coffee shops and cafes create excellent meeting places. Downtown Edmonton does not need to be fixed because it isn't broken.

Downtown has a lot of history and a bright future - with or without the arena. Fancy, shiny new things do not necessarily improve society. In fact, I am not sure enough due diligence has been given to the effects a project on the scale of the proposed arena would have on housing and other social issues in the area.

From reading this, you can probably guess I am somewhat leery of the whole thing. Not as someone afraid of change or who doesn't want to see downtown boosted to its maximum potential, as those against the project have been accused. Edmonton is about more than hockey and jumping on bandwagons just because someone slick is trying to sell us something and convince us that we need it.

My ideal downtown is a place of arts, of festivals, of music, and a place where issues like hunger and housing are dealt with effectively. Whether a new arena can help or hinder these goals remains to be seen - and a lot of it has to do with how it is financed, what it will do to surrounding property values, how badly it will congest certain areas, and how it will affect surrounding social organizations. There is too much that is simply not known and given the history of talks behind closed doors and potential done deals made without public input, I am not confident that City Council will let us know enough to make informed decisions or hold a plebescite.

In the meantime, I am going to enjoy downtown for the wonderful entity it already is.

Occupy Edmonton - Reflections on a Movement

2011-10-19T17:41:00.001-07:00

Occupy Edmonton, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

This past Saturday, Edmonton joined the growing number of cities around the world in the Occupy movement.

It all started on Wall Street in New York last month, when a grassroots group of individuals decided that they had enough of corporations getting tax breaks, bailouts, and other economic benefits not available to the average person, laden with taxes, debt, and other financial woes for which there are no subsidies or bailouts. The "occupation" involved camping out in the financial district of the city.

Soon, other groups of activists in other cities began doing something similar, in solidarity with the Wall Street campers, but also because this sort of economic unfairness happens all over. Corporations (and the people who run them) are only 1% of the population, while the other 99% pick up the slack.

October 15 was the Canadian day of action, and Edmonton saw at least 1500 people fill Churchill Square for a rally and march. Afterwards, around 50 or so people set up camp in a park on 102 Street and Jasper Avenue, where they remain as of the time I am writing this blog post.

The Occupy movement has taken a lot of criticism on two fronts: one, that is it is leaderless and two, that there is no clear agenda of what exactly people want. To address the first issue, a movement does not necessarily have to have a leader per se. A grassroots movement is exactly that - a group. Decisions can be made by consensus or in whatever way the group decides. The Edmonton model has been run via consensus.

As for the second, there are lots of things people tossed around as demands. Does a protest necessarily have to have one thing as a resolution? My summation, when asked, is that we need a more just economy that supports everyone, instead of putting corporate interests above all else. How that should come about - now, that is something that can have many different theories. There have been a number of general assemblies where the people involved in the camp discuss their strategies for effecting social change. I have not attended any of these, so I cannot comment further.

The same can be said of the peace movement, of which I am also a part. We all agree that war is wrong - how we achieve peace is where we have different ideas. We dialogue. It's all part of the process.

Occupy Edmonton is one of the largest rallies I have attended in around six years of attending, organizing, and participating in the activist scene. Obviously, a lot of people are concerned about the way our economy runs and it is not something to mock or ignore, whether or not solutions are immediately forthcoming.

In fact, I was recently asked about immediate, concrete results coming from a local protest. My answer is that the purpose of protests like marches and rallies is not to bring about immediate results. It is to raise awareness and to speak out. Again, this is all part of the process. It is a forum for expressing ideas and to educate others. People always ask me after events, even if they did not attend but see my photos and videos online, what the issues are. This brings the chance to educate. And then they tell me their perspective, and I learn from them.

There are always activists who get defensive when questioned about their motives, particularly because we have a tendency to get ridiculed for our actions and beliefs. It is unfortunately when lines of communication get muddied, but these experiences do not change the underlying reasons for the protest in the first place.

Whether or not Occupy Edmonton (or the Occupy movement in general) will have any long-term, lasting effects remains to be seen. However, it is a large-scale, bold example of free speech and democracy in action, and for that reason alone, should be encouraged.

To view my entire photo set from the march and rally, click here. For a video play list of all of the speakers and music, click here.

And a disclaimer: I was involved in some of the organizing of the Occupy Edmonton event on October 15 and sang at the rally.

Orchids: Mystery & Romance

2011-10-07T19:58:00.001-07:00

Orchids: Mystery & Romance, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

I love photographing flowers, and orchids are a particular favourite. Orchids have an incredible range of colours and their shape is sensual and compelling. Thus, I was thrilled to attend a preview of the new display in the Feature Pyramid of the Muttart Conservatory this afternoon.

Orchids: Mystery and Romance celebrates the 20th anniversary of the Orchid Species Preservation Foundation. The arrangements are colourful and unique, and feature stories and myths surrounding orchids. It runs from October 8-23. It's a short show because orchids have a short blooming season.

My favourite part of the exhibit is the rainbow made entirely of orchids. As well, there are numerous explanations of myths and stories about orchids from throughout history.

I can't imagine how many hours were spent putting this whole show together. I go to the Muttart on a regular basis, and this is definitely one of the most intricate shows I have ever seen there.

Getting Out There: Two Rallies, Two Issues

2011-10-01T08:52:00.000-07:00

I recently took part in two separate events on two topics important to me: peace and the environment. Despite experiencing a few recent personal challenges, I felt it important to get out and get vocal about the issues affecting our world.

The annual UN International Day of Peace flag-raising ceremony happened on September 21 outside of City Hall. I sang "I Only Ask of God," by Argentina singer/songwriter Leon Gieco. The rest of the program consisted of speakers, The Raging Grannies, and, of course, the raising of the flag, which says "Peace" in over 50 different languages. Here is the complete video playlist.

A few days later on September 24 was an international day of action on climate change. Moving Planet Edmonton was the local response, organized by Edmonton 350 (visit 350.org for more information). I performed "Butterflies and Rainbows," a song I wrote about the tar sands, and received one of the most interesting introductions ever at one of these sorts of rallies! Here is the playlist of all the videos from the event.

Diapers and Band-Aids

2011-08-18T12:37:00.000-07:00

I have written several blog posts before about some charitable actions being noble, but are ultimately short-term in their vision and scope. A band-aid, if you will. See Charity, Poverty, and Band-Aids, for example.

As someone actively working for social change, I am often torn between staying focused on the reasons for a certain need - be it food, afforible shelter, or access to medial attention. If we don't work on the underlying causes, then organizations like food banks and soup kitchens and shelters are just band-aid solutions to a greater societal problem.

However, at the same time, there are those in immediate need for something tangible. A person who is hungry needs food. This is why I have volunteered in the past with a mainstream charitable organization, Edmonton's Food Bank.

My latest dilemma involves a diaper drive for the single teen moms at Terra. A friend of mine on Twitter, @Sirthinks has organized a team of politicos to challenge a group of Edmonton realtors as to which group can raise the largest number of diapers. I have put his call below for reference.

Now, although this is supposedly a non-partisan endeavour, the only politicos involved thus far are from the PCs or Wildrose Alliance. As the organizer himself is very conservative by his own admission, it comes as no surprise that this group would be compased of his immediate contacts.

How did I get involved? I received a challenge to try to get the Left involved, particularly people from the NDP. So, I have been trying to garner support for this action, while at the same time failing to bite my tongue concerning the irony of this. People from the PC part are involved in an effort to help teenage moms. Wonderful, applause. However, it would be even better if their part would stop cutting social programs that help women and single mothers.

One of my Facebook friends, who is an outspoken activist for mothers and children, took this idea one step beyond, pointing out that if mothers - all mothers, regardless of age or marital status - actually had the necessary resources (financial and community/social) "to live beyond survival mode without constant scrambling, they might be able to buy their own diapers, or better yet, they may even have the community resources and support to use cloth or EC."

She continues that, "Diaper drives mostly mean we put money into the giant paper/chemical companies, with the spin off benefit of helping a few moms in a small way for a short time. It's yet another way to get good PR while funneling money into corporate hands. It's sticking a band aid on a gushing head wound."

I definitely think the single moms in Terra need diapers desperately. Giving some to them does not bother me in the least. But giving them what they need in the long term is so much more important - a social structure that will allow them and their children to live comfortably. This is why I would love to see political parties who are better able to provide that involved in this initiative. Otherwise, this whole campaign is just a conservative PR opportunity. It's a farce. If this is really a non-partisan effort, then some of us Lefties (or even, dare I say it, progressives and centrists) have to get involved.

Provide the band-aids while working on healing the wounds underneath.

Terra Association, in Edmonton, assists teen parents and young families overcome the hardships faced when unexpected pregnancies occur. Terra assists an average 600 clients and their children annually. These clients are teen moms, young dads and young families striving to make a better life for themselves and their children. Terra offers a broad range of services to assist these young people in reaching their goals. Like any other charitable organization, Terra requires the help of the community as a whole to provide these services.

For the past two years, Terra Association has held a diaper drive in Edmonton with the goal of raising 5,000 boxes of diapers. If you consider a baby can use up to 200 diapers per month, the number of diapers utilized by Terra clients can be in the area of 1.4 million per year. Terra’s goal of 5,000 cases of 24 diapers is 120,000 units, or just under 10 per cent of the needs of their clients. Money saved by these teens and young families can be put towards educational pursuits, rent, food and other incidentals babies require.

In 2009, Edmonton-Calder MLA Doug Elniski decided to challenge people, using social media tools, to fill his Smart Car with diapers for Terra. In six days we raised approximately 12,000 diapers for Terra. We did this utilizing social media, two phone calls, and one short meeting to plan the event.

Teaming up with the Realtors Association of Edmonton as we did in 2009, we offer the following challenge. Can a group of politicians from various parties and levels of government raise more diapers than a group of real estate agents? We believe, by putting partisan politics aside, utilizing our fundraising skills, and having some non-partisan FUN, we can raise in excess of 65,000 diapers and, at the same time, exceed the 52,000 units raised by realtors last year. Our volunteer public relations coordinator will plan small social events between where we would invite friends and the public to attend fun evenings and show their support for Terra by donating diapers as an entry fee. Once again, our internal challenge would be to do as much of the diaper and fundraising utilizing the various social media tools available to us, rather than conventional methods.

So far we have received commitments from Edmonton-Castledowns MLA The Honourable Thomas Lukaszuk, Minister of Employment and Immigration, Edmonton-Calder MLA Doug Elniski, Edmonton-Riverview Wildrose Party candidate John Corie, Edmonton-Rutherford Wildrose Party candidate Kyle McLeod, Edmonton-Manning Wildrose Party candidate Daryl Bonar, and Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood Wildrose Party candidate Wayde Lever. This team is being supported by public relations professionals, graduates of NAIT’s computer technologies program and other well respected Edmontonians.

To join our team, please contact me at jwinslow@shaw.ca or Doug Elniski, at edmonton.calder@assembly.ab.ca.

Remember, were it not for people like us, organizations like Terra Association could not do the work they do.

Blogs and More Blogs

2011-08-11T16:43:00.001-07:00

Most people who follow my work know I have more than one blog. This blog, Sacred Social Justice, started out by discussing local activist events from a faith perspective. I still write on that topic (especially where it concerns global issues, peace, the inner city, and other aspects of social justice), but it has grown to include reports on local events and general updates on various projects. I did not really see a point in starting up another blog just as a diary. Truth be told, I have many more interests and projects on the go besides ones just dealing with activism.

One of those interests is music from around the world, especially ethnic beats and singer/songwriters. Inside World Music is a blog that deals with this topic, particularly CD and concert reviews. I have just updated Inside World Music with my capsule reviews from the Edmonton Folk Music Festival.

Another major passion of mine is food. Over the past couple of years I have become more and more interested in the local food scene, especially independent restaurants and food served at events like festivals. I started taking photographs of my food and review restaurants (and other businesses and attractions) regularly at Yelp. This week, I started up another blog to tie everything together. Then I Ate presents food photographs and short critiques. I may also write about local food issues and newswhen inspired, but for now I wanted to keep it simple so that I can make sure it is updated regularly.

Catching Up

2011-08-08T20:30:00.001-07:00

This is a short post to bring everyone up to speed on my comings and goings. Well, some of them anyways. I've been attending a lot of local events as usual, including my two favourite summer festivals, the Servus Heritage Festival and Edmonton Folk Music Festival. For videos from both events, check out my YouTube channel that I am using to post Edmonton events separately from my usual one, which I would like to leave dedicated to activist happenings.

On the artistic front, I performed on June 18 at the Bikeology Festival under a tent in the pouring rain. As they say, the show must go on. You can catch the videos from it at my music channel on YouTube

One of my photographs was featured as part of the Visual Arts Alberta Association's member show "Energize," which was also part of The Works annual visual arts festival. I also became a member of Harcourt House, and have been working on some abstract paintings for the first time in over five years. I'll be posting the results of which in my gallery at deviantART, which has been updated with new photographs from my travels around central Alberta.

That's pretty much the long and short of it. I have been tending to update my YouTube channels and Flickr account more often than my blog. I'm also always posting on Twitter and will continue to use this blog to summarize what I am doing as well as present opinions on current events and causes.

Tape Recorders (for Robert Kroetsch)

2011-06-22T20:05:00.001-07:00

Robert Kroetsch and Paula, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

I found out a few hours ago that legendary Alberta writer Robert Kroetsch was killed in a car accident at the age of 83. I have the privilege of interviewing Robert three times, corresponding with him via email, and occasionally seeing him at literary events. His wit, dry sense of humour, and profound way of looking at life are the things about him I will most remember - in addition to his literary works, of course. This poem came to me as I reflected upon our encounters and his life, which, while full, was taken too soon.

Tape Recorders (for Robert Kroetsch)

That day between classes in a café
where iced coffee sat between us as
you discussed poetry and hornbooks
as I transcribed conversation to paper
via a malfunctioning tape recorder only
springing to life through a booming voice
filled with history and humour.

My stories were many, or so you said;
there was a need for a good romance
or tales of the itinerant writer in the big city.
Encouragement for my short verse and to
extend the length of my thoughts were remembered,
but short is my style and long is your wisdom.

You saw the dark corners you said
upon which I shed light, although I
think at times the batteries were weaker than
they should have been, just like in that old tape
recorder that memorialized your stream of
post-modern wit and broke once and for all
a few years later.

The new one works in a similar fashion but
never met you in a coffee shop alongside
your talkative host from whom you feigned sleep
as she ferried you to your next engagement,
a full schedule requiring extra energy.

If those stories come to life which you suggested,
I can only hope they will have meaning,
but forgive the brevity of my verses;
they could never rise to the standards
of my aspirations.

(c) 2011 Paula E. Kirman

Social Media and Advocacy in the Inner City

2011-06-16T10:00:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, June 15, I had the privilege of being invited to speak at the inner city discussion group of the Edmonton Inner City Health Research and Education Network (EICHREN). The topic of the evening was "Social Media and Advocacy," and the organizers felt that my work with Boyle McCauley News, my strong online presence (particularly on Facebook and Twitter), and passion for social causes made me an ideal person to share my knowledge.

Most of the people at the meeting were young doctors, medical students, nurses, and people involved in inner city organizations such as the Boyle McCauley Health Centre and George Spady Centre. They wanted to know how effective social media was and how they could use it in areas of advocacy with which they are involved, such as harm reduction, safe injection sites, and needle exchange programs. The group was split pretty much down the middle in terms of those who were familiar with social media, and those who had no idea how Twitter even worked.

I talked a little but about how I gave Boyle McCauley News a presence on social media and how such methods can be used for informing one's contact base of events and information. Besides some technical questions about how it all actually works, one of the main concerns was access. I pointed out that access to computers, as well as literacy (both towards computers and in the traditional sense) could be issues for certain groups in the inner city, such as the homeless. People who are not homeless but lower income may not own a computer. Some discussion ensued about allowing access to the Internet at various agencies, as it was felt that if the technology was available and a person was able to use it, they likely would.

Other discussion ensued about the efficacy of using social media over traditional kinds of advocacy (such as those done in person or writing physical letters as opposed to emails), citing Malcolm Gladwell's article in the New Yorker Small Change: Why the Revolution Will Not Be Tweeted.

Overall, EICHREN is a group that is just gaining momentum. How it will use social media and for what purposes are yet to be established. It already has a Twitter account. The fact that the people involved are interested in social media and asking the right questions shows promise for what is potentially a strong push for advocacy of inner city health issues.

Neighbourhood Festivals and Performing

2011-06-07T16:17:00.000-07:00

I love neighbourhood celebrations. They give me a good excuse to visit other 'hoods and check out what is happening on a grassroots level: the shops, music, and foods that make the area unique. This past weekend, I was involved with two such events: Heart of the City and the Highlands Street Festival.

Heart of the City is a huge deal in McCauley and beyond. It is two days featuring music and visual artists who either live, work, volunteer, or go to school in the downtown/inner city area. All of these talented people are brought together at Giovanni Caboto Park, where free live music is performed, art is displayed, interactive art is there for all to contribute to, and workshops are held. Despite a very chilly Saturday, the brave musicians took to the stage to appreciative (although, unforunately sparse) audiences. Sunday was much warmer, and the number of people in the park reflected the sunshine.

This was my fifth time performing at Heart of the City. For the past four times, I was a part of the Song Circle, held on Saturday morning. A group of three or four musicians, usually solo artists, take to the stage at once and take turns performing their songs. This year, I got my own set, which was for 20 minutes on Sunday morning/afternoon (I started at 11:55 a.m.). It was wonderful to perform four of my songs with the always skillful Mike Tully working the sound system. I also joined another musician, Theresa Lightfoot, on stage to play percussion earlier that morning during her set. As always, I brought my juggling sticks and even had the chance to juggle with another stick juggler.

I'm also involved with Heart of the City in another capacity: I am the editor of Boyle McCauley News, the community newspaper serving the communities of Boyle Street and McCauley. The paper is also one of the festival's sponsors, and in addition to financial support, we give the festival a lot of press. It deserves it - it is one of the biggest events that takes place in the area, and brings in people from all over the city.

In the meantime that Sunday, June 5, a smaller festival was taking place in the north Edmonton neighbourhood of Highlands. The Highlands Street Festival is an annual outdoor market featuring local merchants, food, music, and a kids' area. I had never been to the event before, although I am familiar with the historic buildings and businesses in the area. Anyways, that morning I saw a tweet from local blues singer Paula Perro, who was supposed to be performing with a few band members on the main stage, which was located in the alley behind Mandolin Books. A few of her band members had to bow out, and she was looking for a replacement.

As coincidence would have it, Paula was the MC for the morning/early afternoon at Heart of the City. She encouraged me to head to Highlands that afternoon, find the sound guy, and offer to play. So I did. Paula's band woes were worked out and she was able to make her set, but I ended up playing for a half hour before she took the stage, as there was a gap in the program. I also managed to take a look around at the vendors and other festival goings-on. It was small, but quaint, and I enjoyed being there.

Here is my photo set from Heart of the City and from the Highlands Street Festival. As well, I put together two video compilations from Heart of the City, from day one and day two.

I will be posting videos from my performances at both events on my music YouTube channel in the near future.

Of Sluts and Slutwalks

2011-06-07T09:04:00.001-07:00

Edmonton Slut Walk, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

The Edmonton Slut Walk took place on June 4. The protest raised a lot of controvery before it happened, for two reasons.

First of all, and most obviously, there was the name. Slut Walk. For those who don't know, the original Slut Walk took place in Toronto when a police officer made the unfortunate statement that if women did not dress like sluts, they would not get raped. The Slut Walk was created as a statement that women should be able to dress as they wish, go where they want, and be who they are, and that instead of blaming the victims, men should be taught not to rape.

A grassroots group of women in Edmonton decided to organize a Slut Walk here, and even though the background of its name was well publicized, it still raised eyebrows. There are those who do not want anything to do with an event with the word "slut" in the title, even if it upholding values they believe in like women's rights and no meaning no. The word "slut" carries with it all of the baggage of being a derogatory word for women, even if it is being used in a positive way. "Slut" has never had a positive meaning, and standing in the street holding a sign exclaiming slut pride is not going to change that.

But that really was not the point of the Slut Walk. It was to send a message that rape is wrong, and on that level, it was successful. As well, time was given to the fact that men are also raped and that not all men are rapists.

The other issue with the Edmonton Slut Walk had to do with the overwhelming response on the Facebook event page. More than 3000 people said they would be attending, which had the City of Edmonton somewhat worried about logistics. Originally, the protest was to start at the Legislature and participants would walk on the sidewalk to City Hall. However, thousands of people on the sidewalk is a bit much, and the City demanded $2000 from the organizers to close off the street. Not being in a position to cough up the cash, and not wanting to risk getting ticketed by ignoring the demand and just marching anyways, the Slut Walk's official line became that it would stay at the Legislature.

In the end, only about a tenth of the Facebook numbers actually showed up (which was a decent showing considering how unseasonably cold it was that morning). After about an hour of speeches, the Slut Walk moved to City Hall, mostly on the sidewalks. Mission accomplished.

Although I was a little aprehensive about the name at first, I enjoyed the Slut Walk and give kudos to the organizers for pulling the event together in the face of all of the challenges. The message that no means no and that victims are never to blame for rape came through clearly. Nothing is going to make me embrace the word "slut," but this was a case where the ends justified the means.

Here is my photo set from the event, a video showing the crowd and segments of some of the speeches, and another video of Kasia, the main organizer, reading a poem she wrote (language warning).

Charity, Poverty, and Bandages

2011-04-18T10:35:00.000-07:00

On April 13, I was invited to speak at a meeting of the West End Interfaith Coalition on Poverty (Weicop). Weicop is comprised of representatives from 12 churches of different denominations in the west end seeking to find solutions to issues of poverty and homelessness in the area.

I was asked to speak as a representative of the Boyle Street and McCauley area, through my work with Boyle McCauley News. There are issues concerning poverty and homelessness emerging in the Stony Plain Road area that are comparable to the inner city. And, as someone who walks between the worlds of downtown and the west end (my family home is not far from Stony Plain Road, I shop in that area often, and I used to edit another community newspaper in that area), the members of Weicop thought I would have some ideas about how to deal with thee situations effectively as citizens and with their churches.

In particular, I spoke of the need to educate and inform people about the inner city, to see the many wonderful events, attractions, and people who live here, as opposed to the way the area is often portrayed, focusing on crime, panhandlers, and negative stereotypes. By encouraging people to visit the area and spend time there, these perceptions and fears can be changed.

I was also asked about my recent work with Action for Healthy Communities as a Community Animator in McCauley, as well as the initiatives of the McCauley Connects Coffeehouse and Church Street Fair that were developed as a result.

The people at Weicop were dedicated, concerned, and compassionate Edmontonians who truly care about what is going on in their community. Many of them support organizations that deal with poverty and housing issues financially and with resources such as donating clothing or bringing in groups from their churches and preparing meals. These are all important actions that provide immediate relief to those suffering on the streets.

However, alone these actions are not enough. I implored them to go further and investigate the underlying reasons why social problems are becoming more prevalent in their area, as money alone cannot solve the issues.

Here is exactly what I said. “Giving money to a problem is a Band-Aid. You’ve got to look at the underlying causes as to why it is happening, and deal with it on that level,” she said. “Band-Aids stop the bleeding, but they don’t heal the wound. Do what you can as an individual, as a church, and as a city to deal with these causes.”

The bottom line is, when it comes to charity, give not only of your money and resources, but give of yourselves. Strive to find those underlying social causes to whatever issue you are confronting, and engage in activism to make it better. It isn't easy, but it is the only way to truly catalyse change.

Rallies and Elections

2011-04-18T10:03:00.000-07:00

Lots has been going on in the activist community over the past month. I helped organize and performed at the National Day of Action on April 9, to call for an end to Canada's involvement in all wars. A federal election is on the horizon, and we were calling for an end to the Conservative government, as we feel little will change if Stephen Harper remains in power. Here are photos.

The week prior, there was a Friends of Medicare rally, calling for a public inquiry into the shutting up of whistleblowers in the healthcare system.

The upheavals in the Middle East has promted a large number of rallies locally, as members of the local Syrian, Bahrainian, and Libyan communities have been rallying weekly for Canada to support their kinsmen in these respective countries. In fact, this past Saturday, there were two rallies going on simultaneously in Churchill Square! This was a first for me, and it was rather surreal. Here is a look at the rally for Libya and for Bahrain

I am really not sure why these communities are so fragmented - to me, it would make more sense to have one rally supporting all of the countries in the Middle East experiencing upheavals, like this one from late March to support Libya, Bahrain, Syria, Yemen, and Jordan.

Besides playing at the National Day of Action, I also performed at two eco-events. Water for Life was on March 25 and dealt with access to clean water for children around the world. Living Green 101 was yesterday at Beacon Heights, and was an alternative to Earth Day celebrations which were cancelled in Edmonton this year. I was a musical guest of Music is a Weapon, and the power for the amplification was generated by riding stationary bicycles. One of my Facebook friends suggested my music now be referred to as "heavy pedal!"

YOu can check out videos from these and other events at my YouTube channel (activism) and my other YOuTube channel (music).

Our Communities, Our Selves

2011-03-08T08:36:00.000-08:00

Preamble: I am involved with a local blog writing group made up of Twitter friends. Each month we write on a specific topic. This month's chosen topic is community.

When I first started contemplating this blog topic, I thought about what my fellow bloggers may write. Perhaps I am being presumptuous, but I expect a lot of the following: "I am a member of [religion/culture] and my community here in Edmonton has been so [wonderful/accepting/supportive/etc.]. I am so glad to be a part of the [religion/culture] community here. All hail my [religion/culture].

For me, it is not so simple. I walk between many worlds. As a result, community to me has many meanings.

Community can be contradictory.
Sometimes one's beliefs can run contrary to the dominant paradigm of one's presumed community. I am Jewish, but my open criticism of the State of Israel and support for Palestinian rights automatically puts me on the outside. As well, my political and theological leanings (which I won't get into here) also sets me apart from pretty much every major Jewish denomination for one reason or another. At the same time, we have to have the strength and courage to stand up for our beliefs, even when they fly in the faces of our communities. Just because you grew up being taught something, just because it seems like everyone else around you believes that thing, doesn't mean it is right - and especially, it does not mean it is right for you. I even wrote a song about it, called "Walls".

Community can be based on who you are and who you choose to be.
I wasn't born an activist. I became one through my own explorations of the world and current events. As a result, I am part of the local activist community. While most of us are part of communities based on aspects of ourselves beyond our control (such as our ethnic group), we also become a part of communities based on our life choices.

Community can be inherited and adopted.
This is very much in relation to my point above. I'm part of the Jewish community because I am Jewish. I was born Jewish. I'm part of a neighbourhood where I live, by virtue of the fact that I, well, live there (duh). At the same time, I am deeply involved in the McCauley and Boyle Street neighbourhoods because that is where my work and passion lie. Although I do not live there, I am adopted as part of the community. I wrote about this at length in April of 2010 in a blog post entitled "Defining Community", so I'll leave it at that rather than repeat myself. My views are pretty much the same now as then.

Community can remain static, or it can change with life choices.
Remember what I said above about living in one place, but working in another? Perhaps one day I will move. Some people convert to other religions. I know people who have jumped in head first into political or social activities. Our communities change as we do. Likely in our lifetimes, we will have some communities in which we stay and others into which we grow.

So that pretty much sums up my take on community. I'll be posting the links to my fellow blog group members' work as they become available.

Related Posts:
My lifelong community by @TamaraStecyk
Creating Community Throught My Feet by @Joanna_Farley
Blog Group Topic #3: Community by @lindork

Boyle McCauley News Has a Website!

2011-03-01T16:30:00.001-08:00

I spend a lot of time in the inner city. One of the major reasons is because I edit Boyle McCauley News, the community newspaper serving the neighbourhoods of Boyle Street and McCauley. The paper is an important source of news and information about the area, presenting many of the positive aspects of life there.

For the past five or so years, BMC News (as it is known for short) has had a presence on the website for the McCauley Community League. About a year's worth of papers were archived in PDF form, so visitors could download the paper to read.

2009 marked the 30th anniversary of the paper, and myself and my staff thought a good way to commemorate this milestone was to properly archive all of the past issues of the paper in microfiche. When we researched that option, we also saw that we could have all of the papers scanned and converted into PDFs that were searchable and could be incorporated into a project such as a website.

We reached the conclusion that a website that was stand-alone and featured an electronic version of current issues as well as a searchable archive was not only desireable, but necessary as a valuable resource not only for the community itself, but for anyone interested in the history of Edmonton's inner city.

After receiving a projects-based grant from Alberta Culture and Community Spirit's Community Initiatives Program, we embarked upon the task of putting the website together. Today, March 1, 2011, the site officially launched at www.bmcnews.org. The site does an incredible job of presenting the newspaper in a format that stays true to the print edition, but has its own unique aspects like the archive. It was developed as a group effort of myself, designer Vikki Wiercinski, programmer Derek Hogue, and the BMC News Board of Directors.

Bringing Edmonton's oldest community newspaper online is something which I have been involved with for a while. I developed and maintain BMC News' presence on Twitter and Facebook. This new website brings the paper completely into the modern age. I am looking forward to the community's feedback as we expand the profile of Edmonton's inner city.

An Activist Media Memoir

2011-02-14T11:26:00.000-08:00

Like many aspects of my life, I fell into activist media sort of by accident. As a freelance writer and photographer with progressive leanings, Edmonton’s activist scene intrigued me, yet was somewhat of a mystery. As far as I could tell, there was little documentation of what was going on. Since mainstream media can’t really be expected to report on events such as peace marches or conferences to any great extent, I knew an activist scene existed but elusively was out of sight. And for many, out of sight means out of mind.

When I finally made a concentrated effort to locate and become involved with local activist organizations, I found a plethora of information on the Internet, and shortly thereafter became a fixture on the scene. I remember at the first peace march I attended, asking for permission to take photos (which was granted). Still, I could not help but be concerned that some thought I was a CSIS agent in disguise.

Fortunately, with cultivating personal relationships comes trust, and I not only became welcome at events, but also started to be invited as well as to get involved with several organizations. This provides a unique perspective as being at once a media person and an organizer/participant. I don’t see a conflict, as much of my reportage consists of photo and video reportage with minimal editing, rather than written editorials. Usually what I write is descriptive, and simply discusses the details and purpose of the event.

From a technical perspective, juggling my equipment is one of the biggest challenges of my work. At most events I am usually carrying no less than one SLR digital camera (and occasionally a point-and-shoot as a backup), a mini-DV camcorder, a small tripod, and several rounds of extra batteries, tapes, and memory cards. I stopped using a separate camera bag a while ago, and opted to stuff everything into my backpack. Both cameras (still and video) are strapped around my neck, while the tripod is able to just fit into my pack. Otherwise, it is carried separately before and after the event, after I put my cameras away.

Running, weaving in and out, walking, jumping, and occasionally climbing, are the physical aspects of media coverage. I sometimes joke with my friends that while bungee jumping and skydiving are the extreme sports of choice for some, marches are mine. As well, since Edmonton is known for its long and brutal winters, dressing for the weather is a fact of life before outdoor events.

I try to get my work online as fast as possible after an event, especially during a busy time when there are multiple things going on at once. Photos are edited and uploaded to my website RaiseMyVoice.com, which also acts as a portal to the places where I also upload media. I use social media to its fullest extent, and get photos on Flickr and Facebook, while the videos go to YouTube. I then blog about the event with links to my uploaded media, which feeds through to my Facebook). I post direct links to the media on Twitter. Finally, I post to various activist listservs, usually those relevant to the event as well as broader ones intended for community use.

The importance of social media in activist journalism cannot be stressed enough. A media producer has the potential to reach an audience far wider than through traditional medias alone, if at all. Those seeking such kinds of reporting are also likely to be online and looking for reports from activist media, rather than channel surfing or reading corporately sponsored publications – inexpensive, easy to locate, but not representing all voices.

My goal is to provide complete, clear coverage of events so that those looking at photos or watching videos can get an accurate sense of what happened, the purpose of the event, and hopefully in that process, think about their own values and beliefs with regards to the theme or issue at hand.

Paula E. Kirman is an Edmonton-based writer, editor, photographer, musician, and activist. This article was originally written for the University of Alberta chapter of Journalists for Human Rights.

Boyle McCauley News: February 2011

2011-02-11T13:44:00.000-08:00

The first issue of Boyle McCauley News in 2011 is now online. Here is a look at just some of what's inside:

* Mary Burlie Park May Go
* Open East Edmonton Health Centre
* Seeking McCauley Balance
* McCauley Connect Coffeehouse Premiers
* Our Volunteers - Alistair Henning
* McCauley Cup and Family Day Celebrations
* Grand Manor Open House
* Cop’s Corner: Vacation Preparation
* Getting Animated About McCauley
* The Aging Brain
* Escape to Morocco
* Letters To The Editor
* Community League Updates

You can download the entire February 2011 issue as a PDF here.

Winter Wonderland and Wet Socks

2011-02-11T13:23:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday, I realized that my snow boots are not waterproof as I slogged through the slushy mess that was Chinatown and Giovanni Caboto Park. I endured hours of wet socks tormenting my cold, cramping feet (no doubt a leading factor in the flu that hit me this week).

But it was worth it (although I could definitely have lived without the flu part). The Lunar New Year celebrations in Chinatown were spectacular as always - loud and colourful. I especially enjoy the dragon and lion dances, and once again, my eardrums popped when the firecrackers were set off (I keep forgetting to bring earplugs). There were other Lunar New Year celebrations at indoor locations in Edmonton, but there is nothing like being outside in the winter right in Chinatown watching the community celebrate. Here are photos that I took as well as videos of the dragon dance, lion dance, and a business being blessed (listen to those loud firecrackers!).

Then, after a bowl of pho to warm up, it was over a few blocks to Giovanni Caboto Park to take in Common Ground. Common Ground was part of the Winter Light Festival, and featured a transformation of the park. Most of the snow was cleared away into huge windrows (which were being used as sled hills by children), with a Heritage Village with teepees, snowshoeing, African drumming, and more. In the evening, the park was alight with coloured lights and lanterns, and finished off with a community feast. Common Ground celebrated the different cultures represented in the McCauley area - Chinese, Italian, Aboriginal, and African - and demonstrated how much we have to learn from each other. Here are some photos.

So, last Saturday I indeed felt as though I walked through a winter wonderland. However, next time I think I will bring galoshes and a change of socks.

The English Teacher

2011-02-10T20:21:00.000-08:00

When I was in grade twelve I was still pretty clueless about what I wanted to do with my life. University registration deadlines were looming and while by this time I knew that I wanted to pursue higher education, I did not know in what.

Someone helped me make that decision, not by coercion or other means of manipulation, but by simply taking an interest in me and giving me a few nudges in areas of intellectual development.

I didn't know that Brian Jones was going to be such an influence in my life when I walked into English 30 on the first day of classes. One of the first units we studied dealt with existentialism. We analyzed a couple of stories out of an anthology. If I recall correctly, I tried to return the book, he asked me if I had read all the stories. When I answered no, he insisted that I hang onto the anthology for the rest of the term.

Mr. Jones was always very encouraging about my writing and interpretive abilities, even when being critical of my writing style, which was sometimes as clumsy and awkward as my teenage self. Still, I found myself more and more drawn to all thing literary, and finally made the decision to apply to the Faculty of Education, with a Major in English.

It turned out that my final year of high school was also Mr. Jones's final year of teaching. He retired at the end of the term and I never saw him again, but remember fondly his class, his encouragement, and him telling anecdotes about his past with his unmistakeable Welsh accent. One of my favourite photos if the one I have of my graduation day, me in my robe crossing the stage and Mr. Jones handing me my fake scroll (the real ones were mailed to us later).

I don't know if you're still out there Mr. Jones, but I want to thank you for everything. You are a large part of who I am today.

Related Posts
A Man to Admire by @TamaraStecyk
Inspiration Comes in a Healthy Package by @Joanna_Farley
Inspiration from a Miracle Baby by @JenBanksYEG
Inspiration by @Jasmine09
Blog Group Topic #2: Most positive impact on me by @lindork
Grandpa, it's time for change in Alberta by @sirthinks

Homeless Memorial & Rally for Egypt: From Local to Global

2011-01-30T08:32:00.001-08:00

Two Saturdays, in a row. Two events. Different causes affecting different parts of the world.

On January 22, I attended the Edmonton Homeless Memorial Remembrance Celebration. In its sixth year, the event seeks to honour the memories of people who have died in the past year as a direct result of having no home. Sadly, the number of people who are being honoured as doubled since the first event. This year, we remembered 57 people who died in 2010 (and this is a conservative estimate, as these are people whose identities have been confirmed by family members and social agencies). The memorial took place at Boyle Street Community Services - just a stone's throw away from the proposed downtown arena. In fact, there are numerous service organizations in that area. I can only hope and pray that the City honour its commitment to fight homelessness and poverty and not sell out to huge land developers. Here are photos from the event and a video featuring speakers and music.

It has been a week of revolution in Egypt, and yesterday cities around the world rallied for the people there who are being tortured and killed under the Mubarak regime. A rally was put together in Edmonton by a group of grassroots citizens, and despite the short notice and bitter cold, the turnout was excellent. Here is a video of some of the passionate chanting, and some photos.

Perspective From Afghanistan

2011-01-17T16:23:00.000-08:00

The local peace movement, in which I am actively involved, has been calling for Canadian troops to be brought home from Afghanistan pretty much since the war began. We say that Western forces have never been able to impart its values upon this ancient culture, and that we are looking at the country through the ethnocentric view of our own perspective. Further, we consider the current leadership in Afghanistan to be nothing more than a puppet regime featuring an unelected "president" and his warlord buddies.

But what do I know? After all, I have never been to Afghanistan. And neither have the people who constantly criticized my views. I have never even had a conversation with someone from that country.

Until today.

We've been hit with a deep freeze in Edmonton, featuring extremely cold temperatures and snow that comes up to my waist at some points. As a result, I have been taking more taxi cabs than usual. This afternoon, I almost could have made the bus, but opted for the quicker travel time a cab would provide, and hopped into the first one that was lined up outside of the hotel where I was having coffee.

The driver, it turned out after a few minutes of polite conversation, came from Afghanistan with his young family seven years ago. I decided to take a chance, and ask him the question I have always wanted to directly ask someone from over there: what do you think of Canada's involvement in Afghanistan.

His responses filled the rest of our 20 minute journey, and offered some profound insights from someone who knows that country first hand.

"Canada doesn't really have a choice than to be over there, because the US got involved and they are just following along," he said first. That Canada is simply following the US's marching orders is something we peace folks have been saying for a while.

What came next was another eye-opener for those who say we peace people have no clue. "The US does not want peace. No one over there believes that. If you ask an average person over there, most will say they do not want the US there and they do not trust the US. Everything in Afghanistan is about money and nothing happens without the knowledge of outside international forces."

He admitted that he hates the Taliban (in fact, this was the main reason he moved his family to Canada), but that he grieves for everyone who is being killed in Afghanistan be they from the US, Canada, or the Taliban because all of them are pawns by regimes (China, Russia, the US) who are making money off of the war. He also said that he is grateful for the good things being done by Canadian forces, but kept repeating how the "war" is all about money and that he is tired of people who know nothing about Afghanistan and its people saying what should be done over there.

So there you have it: an Afghan ex-pat says that we're there to follow the US under false pretenses, and that the people of Afghanistan do not want foreign occupying forces in their country. I plan to speak to this at the next peace rally. In the meantime: bring the troops home now!

Finding Shalom - An Artistic Journey

2011-01-08T13:25:00.000-08:00

My grandmother wanted to go to college, or so the story goes. I have never asked her myself. Of course, since women did not do that back then, she held her dreams inside and desired my mother to attend post-secondary education.

Which she did, but not the kind of which my grandma hoped. My mother trained as a legal secretary, in hopes of snagging a nice, rich, Jewish lawyer. She got my father instead. He was an elementary teacher in a ghetto school who was pursuing his doctoral studies in the evening.

For the first six years of their marriage, they lived in my mother’s parents’ duplex. Then, when he earned the right to put ‘Dr.’ in front of his name, my father found the position that moved him and my mom from their close community of Brooklyn, New York, to the wilds of Edmonton, Alberta.

‘Culture shock’ probably did not begin to describe the change. Being an Orthodox Jew, my father soon realized he was no longer in walking distance of the nearest synagogue. There were two kosher butchers, each purveying their own brand of inedible delights. My mother, who enjoyed television, was dismayed to discover only four channels at her disposal – one of them in French.

Moving back home after my father amassed enough of a C.V. to get a position at another university, preferably one in the East, was definitely a consideration. However, the digestive disturbances which plagued my mother en route to their new home turned out to be more than food poisoning or a touch of the flu. It was my older brother.

The 1960’s turned into the 1970’s, and a few years later I was born. The family was settled. My mother, forever doting and over-protective, was concerned about problems back home and decided it was best to stay put.

For a variety of complicated reasons, my brother and I never attended the local Jewish day school. I was the mystery of my elementary classes; the girl who always got to miss school to celebrate exotic holidays. The one who could never go out on Friday night; the one who had to turn down invitations to birthday parties because she could not eat the food being served. Still, I never resented who I was until the kids from the Talmud Torah, which only went up to grade six in those days, joined us in junior high and treated me as an outcast. On top of that, I was daily being stalked, verbally harassed, and beaten by a Lithuanian Jewish boy who came up to my shoulders.

Things were not much better with my non-Jewish classmates, even though it felt easier and more gratifying to use my experiences as a source of rebellion with my parents, who had done their best to raise my brother and I with their customs and traditions. I could no longer relate to the meanings that were behind all that we did as part of our heritage.

I turned to my few friends, my painting, my writing, my music. I wrote songs almost every day, and swirled colours of tempera on paper. My father gave me an old camera of his, and I started combing the neighbourhood, looking for subjects to photograph. The trees and the birds and the flowers became my best friends.

Eventually, junior high came to an end. A bad case of chicken pox made me miss my graduation. To this day, the group photo of the grade nine class of 1988 hangs on the wall in the school, without me. But I still have most of those photographs, those paintings and songs, and the scars from which my art flows.

Modern Proverbs

2011-01-08T13:13:00.000-08:00

Written by me during a bout of great cynicism.

Mothers don’t know everything;
Teachers know even less.

Poems do not have to rhyme,
Though if they do it’s not a crime.

Rabbis, pastors, priests, and preachers
Are not God, nor may they speak for Him.

The pain of loneliness stings less
Than the trauma of heartbreak.

Play hard to get,
And get nothing.

If I can’t miss what I don’t have
Why do I still long for it?

Only thank God for things you really
Think He would want the credit.

Music is in all things, all sounds,
All vibrations of voice, earth, air.

Books have the safest covers
To be between.

That said, life is meant to be lived,
Not only read about.

Trust is earned;
So is respect.

Own your mistakes;
Don’t blame others for your failings.

We may grow older and wiser
But discover there is more we don’t know.

Many long to travel abroad,
But how many have explored every nook of their own city?

When You're Strange - A View from the Inside

2011-01-07T09:18:00.001-08:00

Several of my friends on Twitter have committed to a monthly blogging schedule based on a specific theme. January's theme is racism and/or discrimination. At first I felt this was a topic to which I could add no real insight. After all, I am not a member of a visible minority, and as such have never encountered racism. I am Jewish, but have been fortunate enough not to have had to deal with anti-Semitism, at least not overtly.

This got me thinking that when racism or discrimination is the topic on the table, we often think of it in terms of what members of one group does to another. There is always some sort of cultural, religious, or racism differentiation. However, my own experiences have shown that discrimination can happen within the same ethnic group.

I grew up in a fairly traditional Orthodox Jewish home. As a result, it was always assumed that when my brother and I became of school age, we would attend the local Talmud Torah day school. As my older brother approached the time to register for grade one, it became evident this would not be the case. In those days, there was no transportation provided for children who needed a ride, despite my parents being told otherwise. My father, a professor at the University of Alberta, taught 8 a.m. classes and would not have been able to drive my brother to school every day. My parents desperately tried to work out car-pooling and ride share agreements with other Jewish families in our area, but to no avail.

Finally, it was time to register my brother for school. My parents enrolled him in the public school a couple of blocks away, and that is where he and then I attended for our elementary and junior high years. I was the only Jewish child in my class for the first six years of my school career, and I never felt strange. I knew I had customs and traditions that were different from the other kids, but it did not bother me at that time. My father often came to my classroom to make presentations about the Jewish holidays and share some ethnic food treats. At the same time, I enjoyed taking part in Christmas decorating and concerts. Yes, there were a few things I had to skip, like birthday parties on Saturdays (the Sabbath) and the annual hamburger barbecue (I ate no non-kosher meat at that time), but to put it in the vernacular, it was all good.

Then came junior high.

The Talmud Torah only went up to grade six back then. It was a feeder school for the school I attended, so when junior high came around so did a lot of Jewish kids. I was very excited that for the first time I would get to hang out with other people of my tribe. I would finally have Jewish friends! Or so I thought.

It broke my heart when the other Jewish kids would not accept me because I did not go to their school. They would not even believe that I was really Jewish. The irony is that I was still religiously observant at that time, while they obviously weren't given their dietary and weekend habits. I was severely taunted verbally by many of them, and physically by one in particular. I was an outsider in my own cultural group.

To this day, I still feel somewhat like an outsider in the Jewish community. I do have some Jewish friends and am involved in a few community activities, but I don't really consider the Jewish community to be mine. The community is very small and homogeneous, and when you are someone who has views that don't fit with the mainstream, you really stick out. It is almost as if one's Jewish identity is determined by outside forces like what school you went to, what family you're from, how much money you have, and your political beliefs.

While I still bear some of the scars of my youth, I have come to terms with myself and my identity. Developing the courage to stand up in the face of adversity I believe is one reason I became a social activist. It is why I cringe when I see others (either here or abroad) mistreated by a system, a nation, or a paradigm of thought. This has led me down some interesting and unusual paths both as a Jew and in general. Pressure and heat, when applied correctly, can create newness and beauty. If faced with a choice of an easy route or a struggle, I choose the struggle.

Related Posts:
Blog Group Topic #1: Racism/Discrimination/Stereotypes by @lindork
Discrimination and Helplessness by @JenBanksYEG
The Double Meaning by @TamaraStecyk
Racism, would it cease to exist without...? by @sirthinks
It's Not Me, It's You by @Joanna_Farley

Getting Animated About McCauley

2010-12-28T10:33:00.001-08:00

Group Shot
Originally uploaded by raise my voice

From September to the end of December 2010, I was contracted by Action for Healthy Communities (AHC) as a Community Animator in McCauley. AHC is a non-profit organization that supports community development by equipping community members to develop Community Initiatives. Through this process, leadership and capacity amongst community members is developed, leading to initiatives that enhance the overall health of the community.

My role as a Community Animator included working directly with a small group of community members to develop initiatives; serve as a facilitator to connect people with resources and information; and, to foster discussions and dialogues about issues of concern.

The first month of my contract was spent mostly doing research and fact-finding, including meeting with several community members individually as well as Jane Molstad, McCauley’s Revitalization Coordinator. An email list was established as an easy way to send out announcements and gather information. As well, a Facebook page for McCauley Community Animation was created also to disseminate information and act as a discussion forum.

Early in October, myself and two other representatives from AHC met with three community members: Gary Garrison, Wendy Aasen, and Anna Bubel. The purpose of this community dialogue was to identify areas of concern for residents, discuss possible initiatives, and clarify AHC’s role in the process.

One of the first initiatives stemmed from conversations I had with Gary Garrison, who was looking to organize a coffeehouse that would connect artists, writers, poets, and musicians. The challenges were the general organization of the event and finding a suitable space. A preliminary meeting using the Boyle McCauley News office was not successful. However, after connecting community members with Revitalization as well as people involved with the Heart of the City Festival, the first McCauley Connect Coffeehouse was born.

The McCauley Connect Coffeehouse took place on December 4 at McCauley Centre (formerly McCauley School). The evening featured live music performances on a professional sound stage, beautifully decorated tables with a winter theme, and free snacks courtesy of Multicultural Health Brokers. Gary Garrison served as MC. It was a modest start of what will hopefully be more coffeehouses in the future. In fact, two more are scheduled for February 19 and March 19, with the tentative location of the school. The long-term goal is for a permanent facility for artists to mingle over coffee, have live performances, and showcase their work akin to The Carrot on Alberta Avenue.

The other initiative stems from the fact that Church Street was recently designated a historical resource by the City. What better way to celebrate than having a street dance and moveable feast/potluck along 96 Street. Colleen Chapman (BMC News' other Volunteer Coordinator) is organizing this event which is tentatively anticipated to take place in July. She already has several of the major churches on board and a DJ for the dance. If you are interested in helping out, you can contact Colleen care of the paper.

All of the Community Animators with AHC periodically met together as a group. At our final meeting, we discussed what we learned the most personally from our experience as Community Animators. I said that my knowledge was reinforced of how much capacity, ideas, and talent there is in McCauley. I also said that I did my very best to actually listen to what people were telling me and do the best I could to answer people's questions and take seriously their concerns, even if there was nothing I could immediately do about these particular issues or requests. This is the kind of respect McCauley needs from all parties who do consultations and development activities in the community, otherwise it just becomes a top-down, empty exercise.

Being a Community Animator was also a great networking opportunity for my work with Boyle McCauley News. I met Clara Gladue, another Animator in McCauley, who now writes the Aboriginal-themes column Drum Beats. I also met an Animator from the local Salvadoran community who lives in Boyle Street, who may also be interested in contributing to the paper.

My contract ended at the end of December, but obviously the initiatives and discussions that got rolling during my time as Community Animator will continue. I will still occasionally send out notices of news and events via the email list, so if you would like to get on that you can send me your email address at editor@bmcnews.org. As well, the Facebook page is going to remain online.

I want to thank everyone who took part in the animation process, whether it was providing feedback online, taking part in one of our initiatives, or just providing encouraging words.

Part Two: Seeking McCauley Balance

A dialogue with a community member raised the following questions that she felt had never been addressed as a neighbourhood. These questions were presented online and answers are being gathered and organized for information and interest. If you would like to take part, please send your responses care of the paper to editor@bmcnews.org.

McCauley needs to strive for balance, especially a balance of the things that are important to people in the area, such as less concentration of social housing, a better spread of demographics, and the improvement of safety issues.

1) What does balance in McCauley look like?

2) What would have to change in order for us to get there? It would be interesting to see the points of agreement and disagreement, and to see what the variance is depending on how long someone has lived here.

3) What is “McCauley normal” (as compared to “normal” for other areas)?

4) There needs to be indicators of positive change and a way keep track of such information. What is the current direction of change in McCauley and is it the change we want?

5) We also need to gather success stories. Can you tell a success story from your McCauley experience?

Holiday Time Again

2010-12-27T08:39:00.001-08:00

Christmas has come and gone for another year. Like I do annually, there were a few holiday-themed events I attended.

As I was on my way to another event in McCauley, I noticed some reindeer outside of The Mustard Seed. Then, Santa appeared. Of course, I had to stop and take some photos. I wish the event had been better publicized - there really weren't that many people around.

The event I was heading to was the first Winter World Market held at McCauley Centre (the former school) and featured vendors from a variety of cultures as well as ethnic performances. The gym was quite full - again, it would have been great for more people to be there, but the first time for any event always has its challenges. Here are some photos.

Another first-time event I attended was the Bethlehem Walk, presented by West End Christian Assembly. It was an incredible performance recreation of Bethlehem in Biblical times, complete with period costumes and interactive displays. Take a look and you will see what I mean.

On our way back from the Bethlehem Walk, I made my annual visit to Candy Cane Lane. While not as shining and bright as in years past, there were a few new and original displays and most of the houses along the route put out at least some lights. Check it out.

My personal favourite Christmas event if the annual Nativity Display at West End Christian Reformed Church. Over 500 Nativity scenes from around the world are presented. I look at it like art, with so many different styles and mediums are used to communicate the birth of Jesus. Here are photos of a selection of Nativity scenes.

Finally, it was not a Christmas event as such, but just before the holidays the annual McCauley Cup took place at the skating rink in the McCauley neighbourhood. Members of the Edmonton Police play a hockey game against community members, mostly young people, and there is a hot dog roast. This is a wonderful opportunity for the police to be out and about in the community, in a very different role than usual. I made it to my first McCauley Cup this year and the game looked like a lot of fun! Here are some photos.

On a personal note, I have been spending part of the holidays doing an extensive cleanse and purge of my living space. I honestly do not remember the last time I have boxed, discarded, recycled, and vacuumed to this extent. So much for spring cleaning - I am far more productive when the lure of warm weather is not an issue.

Happy holidays!

Rally for Public Healthcare

2010-12-05T16:54:00.000-08:00

On December 4, around 500 people rallied at the Alberta Legislature to show their support for public healthcare. Speeches were presented from Dr. Raj Sherman and his lawyer, MP Linda Duncan, Friends of Medicare Executive Director David Eggen, and numerous other people who deplored any suggestion that Alberta's healthcare system may become two-tiered. Dr. Sherman's lawyer announced that he will be launching an investigation into the whisper/smear campaign against his client for speaking out against the problems in the healthcare system. Here are photos from the rally as well as a video of Dr. Sherman's speech.

REACH Rendezvous

2010-12-03T16:17:00.000-08:00

Earlier this year I became a Founding Member of the REACH Edmonton Council for Safe Communities. REACH is a community-based organization that seeks to improve safety in the city including crime prevention, harm reduction, working with other organizations, and citizen engagement.

On December 1, REACH held its first annual Rendezvous event at the Sutton Place Hotel. After a short time of food and socializing, several speakers talked about the importance of REACH and its mission, including Mayor Mandel and Fred Rayner, the chair of the board. Several youths performed original hop hop compositions and the keynote speaker was Mark Anielski, who spoke about the Economy of Happiness. In a nutshell - higher income does not always correlate with higher levels of happiness.

The event was well-attended (I am guessing about 100-150 people) and consisted of members, non-members, and people from various community organizations. I would encourage anyone interested in issues of community safety to join REACH and stay connected with its opportunities and findings over the next while. REACH has not been around long but it is growing.

Here are some photos from the evening.

George Galloway in Edmonton

2010-12-02T16:26:00.000-08:00

After a ban on him entering Canada in 2009, British Parliamentarian George Galloway recently finished a cross-country tour. He was in Edmonton on November 25 to deliver a talk entitled "Free Palestine, Free Afghanistan, Free Speech." The lecture theatre was packed with over 600 people eager to hear his message of peace as well as an elaboration of what went down last year when he was accused of being a terrorist because he provided aid for the Palestinian people directly to Hamas, the elected government in power in Palestine.

Galloway made it very clear that anti-Semitism is evil and that the Holocaust is one of the worst atrocities in history. He also emphasized that he does not support Hamas, but believes that when you are working for peace and providing aid, you have to work directly with the government in power. He is currently suing the Canadian government for defamation.

Rather than me go on about what Galloway said, you can view the videos from the event:

Introduction (Professor Yasmeen Abu-Laban)

Music (Paula Kirman & Maria Dunn)

George Galloway: Speech

George Galloway: Q&A

As well, here are some photos.

I am a member of the Edmonton Coalition Against War & Racism (ECAWAR), one of the local organizers of the event, as well as Independent Jewish Voices, one of the national organizers. In what has been the biggest audience of my musical career thus far, I was honoured to be asked to sing a song (along with the incredible Maria Dunn) to get the evening started.

In addition, this event had a personal connection for me for other reasons. An online friend of mine in England used to write to Mr. Galloway and rave about me, even sending him some of my music. He mentioned me on his radio show twice because of her - once in response to him asking the audience to send in names of famous Canadians, and the other time as part of a list of my friend's top five women. She also put together a mashup of one of my songs with one of his speeches.

As a result, when I approached Mr. Galloway after his talk, he already knew who I was - amazing, because the events described above happened around three years ago or so. And, he must meet a lot of people. So I felt very complimented.

Finally, when Mr. Galloway was banned from Canada last year, I felt so moved, that I recorded this video blog about the situation - and took a load of abuse, which led me to film a follow-up. I am so privileged to have had the opportunity not only to hear him speak, but to take part in the event.

Boyle McCauley News: Dec.-Jan. 2010/2011

2010-12-02T09:28:00.000-08:00

The December-January 2010/2011 issue of Boyle McCauley News is now online. This is our annual "Holidays" issue. Here is a look at what's inside:

* Church Street Awarded Plaque
* Twenty Years of Artspace Housing Co-op
* Christmas Cooking
* Grand Manor: Five Years of Support
* Homefest: About Music AND a Message
* Chanukah: Let There Be Light
* An “Enlightening” Holiday Gift!
* Cop’s Corner: ‘Tis the Season for Crime Prevention Tips
* Around the Rink
* McCauley Revitalization Update
* Letters To The Editor
* Community League Updates

Download the entire issue as a PDF here.

Rewriting a Country - Parkland Conference

2010-11-29T08:52:00.000-08:00

I attended the Parkland Institute's annual fall conference on November 20 and 21. I unfortunately was not able to make it to the November 19 opening plenary from Margaret Atwood, but I made it to most of the other sessions which dealt with various aspects of Canadian politics and policy from a progressive perspective (sorry about the alliteration - I actually always attempt to avoid alliteration).

The theme of this year's conference was "Rewriting a Country: Toward a Just and Peaceful Canada," which explains why several of the speakers were writers. Linda McQuaig, author of numerous books about public policy, and poet George Eliott Clarke finished off the two and a half days with his witty and humorous views of politics in Alberta over the decades. One breakout session that stood out for me dealt with human rights and dissent, particularly in light of the mass arrests at the G20 in Toronto.

Here are my photos from the conference.

God Loves Fags/Hugs Not Hate

2010-11-14T11:18:00.000-08:00

When the Westboro Baptist Church announced on its website last week that it was going to come to Edmonton to picket outside of a production of the play The Laramie Project on November 13, the city's GLBT community and other sympathetic activists knew they could not sit quietly.

Although members of the church, which is led by Fred Phelps and mostly consists of his immediate family, never showed, the counter-protest took place anyways. It was known by two names: God Loves Fags, as a response to the church's famous picket signs that read "God Hates Fags", and the more family-friendly "Hugs Not Hate."

Around 300 people showed up. Speakers included local politicians, GLBT activists, and even an estranged child of Fred Phelps who traveled all the way to Edmonton just for the rally. The entire event was organized in less than three days. What a cohesive and strong way to show that Edmonton does not tolerate hate.

The Laramie Project is a play about the 1998 murder of gay college student Matthew Shepherd.

Here are my photos from the protest as well as a video of Fred Phelps' estranged son Nate Phelps speaking.

Churchill Square Holiday Light Up 2010

2010-11-14T11:07:00.001-08:00

Churchill Square Holiday Light Up
Originally uploaded by raise my voice

I attended the Holiday Light Up in Churchill Square yesterday. This was my second time at the event, and I was looking forward to another spectacular fireworks show. And spectacular it was, despite the event running slightly behind schedule.

Different from last year was the placement of the tree - instead of being on the square itself, it was over at the west end of the street between City Hall and Churchill. The stage was also on the street in that location. This threw me off somewhat in terms of filming the fireworks, as I expected them to start in the sky over City Hall. Instead, they were along the east side of Churchill Square, like last time.

It also seemed a bit strange to be at a Christmas event, when it is barely mid-November. People on Twitter have been commenting that it seems Edmonton gets ready for Christmas earlier and earlier each year. I haven't really noticed, but I do find Christmas music being blared in cafes and stores to be annoying no matter how close to December 25 it is.

I took a few photos and filmed the tree light up and fireworks show. Enjoy!

Homefest 2010

2010-11-14T10:59:00.001-08:00

Homefest is an annual event presented by the Edmonton Coalition on Housing and Homelessness featuring music, poetry, art, and speakers to raise funds for and awareness of homelessness and housing issues. This year's event featured a fun and interactive children's area with storytelling, crafts, and clowns, as well as panels speaking about the experiences of homelessness from a variety of perspectives.

This year's art exhibit was expanded and included visual art (particularly photography, paintings, and mixed-media) that dealt with different aspects of housing issues. Photos from the late Leonard Martial were there (he was homeless and documented the streets), work from inner city youths and adults, and even a few of my pieces that were featured in Edmonton's Food Bank's Expressions of Hunger earlier this year.

As for music, a number of Edmonton's best folk and roots artists performed on three stages. The performance that stood out the most for me (and for others, as I gleaned afterwards from discussions) was "One Room," which featured singer/songwriters Bob Jahrig, Jessica Heine, Maria Dunn, and Joe Nolan performing songs they wrote to narrate photos taken 25 years ago by Sharon Nolan. Nolan photographed elderly residents of a downtown rooming house.

This was my first year attending Homefest, and I thought the connection between art/music and working on solving an important social issue was important. Here are my photos from Homefest.

Boyle McCauley News: November 2010

2010-11-10T09:52:00.000-08:00

The November issue of Boyle McCauley News is now online! You can download a complete copy in PDF form here. Below is a look at what is inside:

* BMHC Celebrates 30 Years
* Iris Court Squashed
* Community Walkabout Highlights Issues
* Help Through the Seasons
* New Manager for McCauley Apartments
* Unique Solar Electric System in McCauley
* Where’s Our Shack?
* Cop’s Corner: Avoid Unwelcome Visitors
* Plans for Boyle Street Community Garden
* McCauley Revitalization Update
* Letters To The Editor
* Community League Updates
* Dining Out: The Noodle Maker

Rise Up on CJSR

2010-11-05T09:30:00.000-07:00

CJSR FM88 is the University of Alberta's campus radio station. Each year around this time the station holds it "FunDrive" to raise the money to keep its alternative programming on the air.

One of these alternative programs is Rise Up, an independent news program focusing on revolutionary politics and activist happenings. It airs on Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. During the FunDrive, two of the shows were expanded to an hour.

I was privileged to be asked to be a musical guest on November 3. I performed one of my songs live ("Marching in the Street") - my first ever live radio performance (and I understand a first for the show as well) - and was interviewed about my involvement in Edmonton's activist community, particularly how I got involved and what issues stand out for me.

I was also asked about my work as an independent journalist covering the activist scene, particularly with my website RaiseMyVoice.com and tried to encourage listeners to get involved in media activism as well.

The show should be podcasted on its website some time in the future.

Norman Finkelstein Speaks in Edmonton

2010-11-04T09:16:00.001-07:00

On October 29, Dr. Norman Finkelstein made a return appearance in Edmonton. Dr. Finkelstein is an independent scholar from New York who is very passionate about his support for the Palestinian people and is highly critical of the Israeli government. He has taken a lot of criticism and setbacks both personally and professionally for his stance.

Here are photos of the event, as well as the video of his talk and the Q&A period that followed. As well, the videos are embedded below to watch right here:

Tar Sands: Pipelines and Birds

2010-11-04T09:06:00.001-07:00

Greenpeace and the Sierra Club recently held two major protests at Gazebo Park concerning the effects of the tar sands. The first was called "No Tar Sands, No Tankers, No Pipelines, No Problem" and took place on October 16. The event was concerning Enbridge's plans to run pipelines through indigenous land. Many speakers were Aboriginal and spoke about how the tar sands are destroying their communities. Here are photos and a video I put together of speakers and music.

On October 30, the Sierra Club organized the "Zombie Duck Rally." Syncrude was recently fined three million dollars for the deaths of 1600 ducks in their toxic tailings lakes. Less than two weeks later, more birds landed the tailings ponds of oil companies in northern Alberta. Participants dressed up as zombie ducks bemoaning the fate of their brothers and sisters. This was definitely one of the most creative environmental rallies I have participated in. I sang "Butterflies and Rainbows," a song I wrote over three years ago about the effects of the tar sands in Alberta. How said it is that little has changed. Here are photos from the event and the video playlist.

Edmonton Anarchist Book Fair 2010

2010-11-04T08:00:00.001-07:00

I attended the Edmonton Anarchist Book Fair during the Thanksgiving weekend in October. The EABF features speakers, workshops, and lots of info tables on a variety of topics from worker's rights to women's issues to ways of reorganizing society to be more equal and just. I don't always agree with everything presented, but I find all of these different perspectives thought-provoking.

As I have been doing for the past few years, I provided some musical background to the event. This year, the EABF took place in the Old Strathcona Performing Arts Society. The venue has an excellent stage and acoustics, but what made the gig even sweeter was teaming up with fellow activist musician Paul Folk to perform original and traditional folk and blues songs. Considering we never played together before nor rehearsed, the unity of our playing was incredible.

Here are some photos.

October 2010 Boyle McCauley News

2010-10-18T13:10:00.001-07:00

The October 2010 issue of Boyle McCauley News is online. Our theme is "Giving Thanks" and is loaded with articles and news from community members and organizations. To download a copy in PDF format, click here. And here is a rundown of the content highlights:

East Meets West: Three Days of Culture

Sacred Heart Church Under Construction

Calling All Creatives

McCauley Gets Animated

Ability and Community

St. Stephen’s Saved!

Community League Wins Appeal

EDLC BBQ

Cop’s Corner: Donations and Panhandlers

McCauley Revitalization Update

Letters To The Editor

Community League Updates

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Water is a Human Right

2010-10-15T08:56:00.000-07:00

This blog post is written as part of Blog Action Day 2010.

A few years ago I switched from buying bottled water to a reusable metal container. Water should not be treated as a commodity used by large corporations to make profit hundreds of times over while re-selling the same substance that is found dripping out of our taps.

While millions of people go daily without clean water, we buy it out of vending machines. We forget to turn off the faucet while we brush our teeth. We take showers for as long as we want, without fear of running out of this precious substance.

Access to clean drinking water is a human right. When those of us in a more fortunate position buys water, we are undermining this fact. We should not be supporting companies making billions off of such a simple, yet for some so elusive substance of sustenance.

I encourage everyone to buy a reusable container for water (and other beverages) - it will help the environment by using fewer plastic bottles, save you money (at two or three dollars a pop/water, a $20 metal bottle will pay for itself quickly), and stop lining the pockets of greedy corporations who have put a price tag on something almost as common and necessary as air.

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Social Media and Language

2010-10-08T16:22:00.000-07:00

The growth of the use of social media has changed the way some people speak and write. In some cases, new words have been entirely invented to reflect the use of a particular service, like Twitter. When I post to Twitter, I am "tweeting" and my post is a "tweet." Facebooking can refer to anything from updating one's status to adding friends.

Which leads to the next category of existing words that have been changed in meaning or usage. "Friend" can now be used as a verb ("I friended so-and-so on Facebook"). "Followers" may not mean there are creepy people following us around, but how many people are reading our tweets and blog posts.

Then there are abbreviations to add the illusion of laughter like the ubiquitous "LOL" and "ROTFL" (and countless variations) in addition to emoticons that are constructed by punctuation in the shape of a smiling or frowning face (again, with many variations to account for facial hair, glasses, and other emotions).

While some perhaps shudder at these inventions, one should not label such changes as disintegration necessarily. Change can be just that - reflections of the times. As society changes, so does its language. We don't speak Victorian English anymore, and there are numerous words that have changed meanings or connotations over time. For example, although it is technically correct, few people still use the term "gay" to mean "happy."

However, where there needs to be concern is related to the actual time and place of usage. It is appropriate to use these words when discussing and using social media (or other electronic forms of communication like texting and e-mail). If someone actually starts referring to making friends in real life as "friending" people, maybe he or she isn't really spending enough time away from the computer. As well, when people start saying things like "LOL" and "smiley face" during in-person (or telephone) speech, then there is potentially a problem when someone cannot express him or herself properly without the use of such enhancements.

Which begs the question of whether this is just laziness on the speaker's part or representative of an erosion of language. As someone with a wide social network both online and offline, I don't think such situations as described in the above paragraph are widespread yet. Verbal skills already vary from person to person based on culture (is English their first language?), level of education, and cognitive ability (which includes everything from general intelligence to whether or not a person has a developmental disability or brain damage).

How someone uses the language of social media will depend on how much time a person spends with social media and how important social media is to that person. Someone who is only a casual user of social media will of course not be speaking of tweets and friending the way someone who uses it for hours every day will. Also, younger people growing up in a culture of social media, who have not known a world without it (or at least were too young to remember) could potentially be more likely to do the verbal LOL-ing.

Another consideration apart from speech is written language. So far, I have not seen too many smilies or LOLs work their way into newspapers or magazines. I also don't think many teachers or professors would accept such things in a term paper. Unless, of course, the paper is about social media. :-) (Sorry, I could not resist.)

Still, we likely won't know how social media ultimately affects language on a long-term basis because it is so relatively new. Like MySpace (which is now mostly used by bands), Twitter and Facebook may eventually go out of vogue to be replaced by other services with their own vocabularies. In the meantime, I don't think the English language is suffering too much.

Peace in September

2010-10-07T08:45:00.000-07:00

Peace and related activist events tend to pick up in the fall, particularly since university is back in session. I had the privilege of taking part in two peace events in September.

September 21 was the annual UN International Day of Peace, which takes place in cities around the world. As always, it took place at City Hall Plaza, and featured the flag-raising ceremony. The peace flag features the word "peace" in 50 different languages. Elementary school students from St. James read their own writings about what peace means to them (and we were astounded at how profound some of them were). Two keynote speakers from the University of Alberta's Political Science Department offered insights into world events, and music was provided by Quetzala Maria Carson and myself. Quetzala sang a song called "Generations" that she wrote, while I sang a traditional Jewish hymn called "Hinei Ma Tov." It is based on Psalm 133 and is about peace and unity. It was fun giving the children (and everyone else) in attendance a lesson on how to pronounce the Hebrew to sing along. Here are my photos from the event as well as the video playlist on YouTube.

Less than a week later on September 25, the Edmonton Coalition Against War and Racism (ECAWAR) organized a rally for the National Day of Action to End the War in Afghanistan. There is usually a fall day of action called for by the Canadian Peace Alliance, but this year the CPA was late in getting the word out, so we had less than a week to pull a rally together. We succeeded. Though less time to publicize meant we had a smaller crowd at Gazebo Park, the media coverage was excellent. Two speakers from ECAWAR spoke about the need for Canada to not extend the mission in Afghanistan beyond 2011 (preferably to bring the troops home now), I sang a couple of antiwar songs, and then we opened up the stage for a moderated open mike. One more speaker from ECAWAR discussed against Canada taking a seat on the UN Security Council, which was an interesting talk. Here are my photos and the video playlist. As well, here is the article about the event from the Edmonton Sun.

Media Release: National Day of Action on September 25

2010-09-22T18:14:00.000-07:00

For Immediate Release

Edmonton Peace Activists Join in National Day of Action to End the War in Afghanistan
"Don't extend it. End it. Bring the Troops Home Now!"

Edmonton peace activists will be gathering at Gazebo Park (83 Avenue and 104 Street) at 3 p.m. on Saturday, September 25 to add their voices to the National Day of Action to End the War in Afghanistan.

The federal Harper government has been vague about its intentions towards Canada's role in Afghanistan beyond 2011, which is likely to be debated in the House of Commons very soon. Canada's peace movement wants to send a clear message to the government to bring the troops home now. September 25 is the first Saturday after Parliament resumes and the perfect time to demand that this costly war (which has already reached $28.5 billion - not to mention the human costs) providing legitimacy and support for a corrupt, warlord-led government end and not be extended.

The Day of Action was called by the Canadian Peace Alliance. Similar demonstrations will be taking place in cities across Canada. Edmonton's rally was organized by the Edmonton Coalition Against War and Racism (ECAWAR). It will feature speakers, music, and spoken word presentations. Funds will also be collected towards the legal fund for the G8 political prisoners.

For More Information:
Paula E. Kirman, ECAWAR
(780) 905-6094

Media Release: Five Years of Visual Activism

2010-09-18T21:34:00.000-07:00

Five Years of Raising Her Voice
Independent Photographer/Filmmaker Celebrates Five Years of Documenting Edmonton’s Activist Scene

In the summer of 2005, Paula E. Kirman was scouring the Internet, looking for a place to connect with Edmonton’s activist community with the goal of putting her lifelong interest in issues concerning peace and human rights into practical action. “I knew there was a scene going on, but it was difficult to find where they were or information about what they were doing,” she explains.

Kirman was able to connect with a few groups and started to showing up that fall to rallies, marches, speakers, and other events, with her camera. She began posting her pictures and videos online, just as a matter of personal interest to share with other activists. The demand for her work by the community was so strong that she began RaiseMyVoice.com, an internet portal to her work that features thousands of photos and videos from almost every major activist event and group in the city.

“I started posting my photos online on a free service. After my first peace march, the download rate was so high it crashed the site,” Kirman says. “I purchased a domain and hosting package, and put together a quick and dirty website, just to get my work out there.”

RaiseMyVoice.com celebrates five years this month, and has expanded to include the use of social media. Most of the photos are now hosted on associated sites on Flickr and the videos on YouTube. The YouTube videos have received almost 700,000 views and feature not only clips of rallies and marches, but entire speaker presentations. The Flickr site has grown into a photo blog not only of Edmonton’s activist scene, but the almost 12,000 photos are also of festivals, events, and general photos from Kirman’s artistic perspective.

Kirman is an avid organizer in the activist community in the areas of peace, community media, poverty/housing, and labour issues. She maintains the Twitter account @yegactivist to send out announcements of local activist events and links to her work, as well as doing the same with her own account @livingsanctuary and active Facebook presence. In the last couple of years, she has also emerged as a political singer/songwriter, often performing her original songs at protests and rallies. She continues to work at her activist photography and film making completely independently, putting in “an uncountable number of hours” without any funding or monetary support.

“What is happening in the activist community is part of our history as a city,” says Kirman, who works as a freelance writer, editor, and photographer. “No one has been documenting it, until now. Whether they agree or disagree, people are fascinated by it and it prompts a lot of discussions of the various issues at hand. It helps activists in Edmonton share what we are doing with the rest of the activist world, and gives those from outside our community a real education into what some of the issues are and what our events are all about.”

For more information/interview requests:
Paula E. Kirman
paula at raisemyvoice.com
(780) 905-6094

Stones (or, The Way Things Fit Together)

2010-09-06T18:43:00.000-07:00

A stranger handed me two polished stones today. One was in the shape of an arrow; the other, a heart.

When I was a child I used to collect rocks. I would walk in the river valley and local parks and pick up rocks that looked colourful or had an interesting shape. Sometimes I would rub a small stone or two against sandpaper to smooth it out. These mementos of my childhood are somewhere in a rusting tin can in the garage.

Today was like any other day. I had to go take some photos for work and grab something to eat, then ended up spending time with several different groups of friends along the way while visiting some river valley parks. At the last minute, I remembered I needed to grab a few things at a drugstore. I told my friend who was driving which store I wanted. Instead of going to the one closer to our homes, we went to a different one about halfway between the park we were coming from and our neighbourhood.

I picked out the items I wanted and followed my friend into the magazine aisle. Let me add that I rarely check the books and magazines in this particular store, but today I decided I wanted to buy a copy of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and this was where I was going to get it.

While I was browsing, and older gentleman asked me about the sticks I had dangling from my backpack. I explained that they were juggling sticks, how they are used, and how I entertain kids with them at parks and parties. Seeming amused by my juggling exploits, he reached into his pocket and pulled out several polished stones. He invited me and my friend to pick one each. I picked a limestone and quartz composite that is white with black flecks, and is in a shape resembling an arrow.

The man went into detail about how he collects stones and showed us other specimens from his pockets and around his neck, both from the river valley and beyond, in other parts of Canada. Some were actual semi-precious gemstones like amethyst and jade. He gave us tips where to find some good rocks when the river gets lower.

I commented that some of his stones looked like worry stones, and he said that was how he used them at times. I told him how I broke a worry stone once (and it was true - my anxiety-ridden self rubbed that poor stone until it was translucent and snapped). He gave me another stone that he said won't do that. Flat on one side, rounded on the other, when I took a closer look at it later I noticed it looks like a heart.

An arrow and a heart, slightly misshapen, given to me by someone who would only reluctantly tell me his first name. As I held those stones, I was taken back to those more innocent days of collecting rocks when I was a kid. And I ponder how these shapes and textures and the objects they represent reflect my life now. Finally, I look back at the day and how every event and every choice that was made, directly or indirectly put me in the path of this unexpected gift - a profound moment in my life that has left me with something tangible to ponder.

Boyle McCauley News: September 2010

2010-09-02T09:39:00.000-07:00

The September issue of Boyle McCauley News is now online. Here is a look at what's inside:

* Peas Be With You Garden is Now With Us
* BMHC Celebrates 30 Years
* Farewell to Berezans
* Fab Flowers
* Front Yard Finalist in McCauley
* Adult Learners to Lose Valuable Tool
* Our Reunion: A Learning Experience
* Cop’s Corner: Theft From Vehicles
* McCauley Revitalization Update
* Letters To The Editor
* Community League Updates
* Dining Out

To download the issue in PDF format, click here.

Eat, Pray, Love in Edmonton

2010-08-30T14:59:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. To summarize, without giving too much away, the book is a memoir of one year in the life of a woman who steps outside of her life and travels to three global locations where she learns a new language while finding pleasure in food, develops her spirituality despite doubt, and finds true love while continuing her spiritual journey.

This plan certainly worked for her and while I don't agree with all of her choices, has caused me to take inventory of my life. Going on a world tour is not practical for many of us, yet taking stock of our lives and finding new ways to develop is part of having an active, healthy life. So here are ways in which we can eat, pray, and love - right here in Edmonton.

EAT
I have this habit of "discovering" a certain kind of food and then trying it out at as many different restaurants as possible. The most recent example of this is pho, Vietnamese noodle soup. I'm addicted and have even picked up a few words of the language in the process. Slowly, I am moving onto banh mi (Vietnamese submarine sandwiches) as well as other kinds of ethnic delicacies. I sometimes feel like I travel the world with my mouth. Edmonton certainly has many wonderful restaurants from just about every culture: Indian, African, Latin American, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Japanese ... the list goes on. Try something new and discover something about that culture and your own tastes. My site at Yelp offers reviews of hundreds of restaurants (and other local businesses) to give you just a sampling of what's out there.

PRAY
Even if you have not darkened the door of a church/temple/mosque/fill in the blank for decades, it is never too late to get in touch with your spiritual side. Even though I come from a Jewish family, I always find it fascinating to visit a house of worship of another religion. It teaches me about that faith and sometimes helps answer questions I have about my own. Years ago, I helped to plant a church that combines elements of two of the major Abrahamic faiths - it still meets in west Edmonton. That is kind of extreme (and a lot of work) but getting together to pray, share, and worship with a few others in a home is another way to build fellowship. I also tend to view prayer and meditation as a personal practise and thus I often do that in private, or find spiritual elation in such solo activities as biking and long walks/hiking in the river valley. That whole social justice thing I am into? You got it - it is all part of how I practise my faith in a practical way in the real world. What do you believe? Live it.

LOVE
While a torrid affair with a sexy Brazilian might be a pleasant fantasy, it is not realistic for most of us. Besides, that is only one kind of love. Expressions of kindness towards those closest to us (family, friends) and those who are the most vulnerable in society (children, seniors, the homeless, those at-risk of becoming homeless...). Volunteer with an organization like the Boys and Girls Club, Youth Emergency Shelter Society, The Mustard Seed, Hope Mission, and Edmonton's Food Bank - these are only a few of the worthwhile places that need volunteers. As far as love in the emotional/physical sense goes - when you are active and involved your passion shines through, and it makes for a very attractive package to those watching. Just get out there and be involved and the rest tends to fall into place.

As a side note, I began reading the book before the film came out - even before I knew there was going to be a film. I am honestly not sure if I want to see it. I find that movies are never as good as their books. But I probably will eventually. For now, I want to concentrate on living life and finding my direction.

Privilege and Protest

2010-08-23T16:26:00.001-07:00

Protesters are often stereotyped as poor - after all, we're a bunch of semi-employed or unemployed hippies. How can we hold a job when we dress so slovenly? How can we find the time to organize if we work full-time?

This stereotype is, of course, false. Most activists I know work full-time in addition to organizing and attending events. Most make a comfortable living, though most are not what one would consider to be rich in the materialistic sense.

Here in Edmonton, there has been a lot of activism going on lately in a different sense than peace marches and pro-labour rallies. A group called Envision Edmonton has been working very hard getting a petition signed by enough people in the city to force a plebiscite on the the issue of whether or not to close the Edmonton City Centre Airport.

I am not going to get into the arguments about whether or not the airport should stay open, or whether or not there should have been a plebiscite in the first place. There has been enough debate in the social media world on both sides of the issue, most notable from Mack Male (pro-closure) and John Winslow (anti-closure).

Speaking on behalf of myself and a few others, there were those in the activist community who thought a plebiscite was the way to go. However, we were at a loss on how to get organized around taking on such a huge project. Getting tens of thousands of signatures on a petition is no small endeavour. So it does not surprise me in the least that several of the people behind Envision Edmonton are quite well-off individuals.

And, as someone who tends to rally for the poor and underprivileged, this does not bother me in the least. Wealthy people have a right to protest also. In fact, I find it rather heartening to see people putting their money behind a cause they believe in. However, there is another rub: many of the people involved in Envision Edmonton are of a Conservative political viewpoint.

While this is yet another point that can lose people in my activist cohort group, again, I counter: Conservative people have a right to protest also. Even when it is a cause that I don't agree with. That is part of living in a democracy. Except in this case, I do agree. So do other left-of-centre folks.

At first I thought this was cause for the Rapture to come. On second thought, it made me realize that people from opposite ends of the political spectrum to come together for a common cause. I am not sure those causes will come around often, but when they do, privilege and protest can go hand in hand.

Current Photo Exhibits

2010-08-23T15:48:00.000-07:00

On August 12, I attended the opening reception for the 2010 Open Photo Show from the Visual Arts Alberta Association. Out of over 300 submissions, 62 made the cut, and two of my pieces made it into the show. It runs until September 23 and is located in the Kaasa Gallery in the Jubilee Auditorium (downstairs) open from 10-4 daily.

I also have a solo exhibit at the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital. Called "Think Again," it features a variety of colourful, quirky, and sometimes unusual subject matter. The show is free and located in the Blue Curve Gallery (turn to your left after entering the main entrance and you'll walk right by it). It also runs until September 23.

This afternoon, I dropped off some photos that will be a part of the Kaleido Family Arts Festival September 10-12. The festival takes place on Alberta Avenue and the gallery is located in the old Alberta Cycle building on 92 Street and 118 Avenue.

Summer Festival Checklist

2010-08-23T15:12:00.000-07:00

Edmonton is known as a festival city, especially because of the concentration of major summer festivals that take place starting in late June through August. I try to make it to as many as I can, as they are fun, involve a lot of things I enjoy such as art and music, and are a great way to enjoy the city in the summer. Here is a rundown of what I did on my summer vacation (so to speak):

The Works Art and Design Festival: This year's festival was special for me, because my photographs (and one poem) were included in two exhibits (Expressions of Hunger at the Nina Haggerty Centre for the Arts and Diversity 2010, the annual members' show for the Visual Arts Alberta Association). The tribute to Gilbert Bouchard was especially moving. Photos

Edmonton International Street Performers Festival: I spent more time here than I have for several years. Most of the acts I saw were jugglers and clowns and geared towards a younger audience, but fun nonetheless. Photos

Taste of Edmonton: Although most of the restaurants are the same year after year, I always find something new to try. I found the portions to be bigger than in the past and the festival has gone environmentally friendly. Photos and more photos

Heritage Festival: Probably my favourite of all of the festivals, I try to go at least twice during the weekend. I love ethnic food, music, and dance, so I am literally in my element. This year, some of the highlights for me was delicious food from Afghanistan and Ethiopia and spending quality time at the Latin American pavilions. Photos

Edmonton Folk Music Festival: I grew up on folk music and having our own folk festival is something that makes Edmonton world-class. Not every city has one, and certainly not at the high level of ours. This year, I was excited to see Zachary Richard in concert, who is one of my favourite musicians from the Francophone world. I also had a religious experience seeing Melanie, one of the Woodstock performers, sing her classic "Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)". To read reviews of these and other specific performances, check out Inside World Music, my World Music blog. Photos

Fringe International Theatre Festival: More street performers and food - I used to just go to wander the grounds around Gazebo Park. This year, I went to three plays. "The Big Oops" was about a children's entertainer who finds herself unexpectedly pregnant and explores how she and her partner make decision on what to do. The play was presented like a children's television program, complete with catch phrases and musical cues. "War and Therapy" was written by Paula Caplan, who got in touch with me personally prior to her arrival in Edmonton. She was looking to get the word out about her play to Edmonton's peace community. Based on her own experiences as a therapist, the play explores the enduring trauma of soldiers returning from war. It was short, but powerful, and included a short discussion period at the end. Finally, "Hair" was at the New City Suburbs, a BYOV venue, and was incredible. The cast, many of whom are local theatre students, really nailed the music - which was performed by a live band. It was two hours of antiwar, hippy goodness. Photos

The city also has a number of community festivals that often feature art, music, food, and cultural displays. They are often worth visiting just as much as Churchill Square or Whyte Avenue. I am talking about Heart of the City, Eastwood Festival, East Meets West, and the Kaleido Family Arts Festival.

Photo Walking

2010-07-26T18:27:00.001-07:00

City Centre Market
Originally uploaded by raise my voice

On Saturday, I took part in my first organized photo walk. It was one of three such walks going on in Edmonton the same day, part of the Scott Kelby Worldwide Photo Walk 2010. I was part of Edmonton Group #3, a downtown walk from Rice Howard Way, to the City Centre Market, and then back to Churchill Square for Taste of Edmonton.

Rice Howard Way was full of great buildings and shapes, as well as some of the cars from the Honda Edmonton Indy that took place this past weekend. Heading down Jasper Avenue, I photographed many buildings - I found it interesting how I have been in this area many times, but suddenly everything takes on a different shape when I am looking to photograph it.

The Farmer's Market was an excellent place for shots, as always. I would have headed here anyways. Ditto for Taste of Edmonton, although I would not have gone back along 103 Avenue, which also made for some interesting architectural shots.

Although I arrived late, ended up getting separated from most of the other photographers in my group, and never had a chance to meet the leader (I opted to stay at Taste of Edmonton rather than venture to the restaurant for the get-together afterwards), I had a very memorable time and took many photos. In fact< it ook so many that I made a separate set for each area I was in, and put it all together under this collection.

River Valley Horse Show

2010-07-26T18:17:00.001-07:00

River Valley Horse Show
Originally uploaded by raise my voice

I am not a horse fanatic, but I do appreciate equestrian events from time to time. Due to the construction on the Whitemud, I haven't been able to bike down to the Whitemud Equine Centre in a couple of years to see any of the summer horse shows that go on. Thankfully, thanks to a combination of ETS and a free shuttle the City set up near the Quesnell neighbourhood, I managed to make it down on Sunday for the final day of the River City Horse Show. I'm always amazed by how high these huge horses can jump. I took some pictures and was thankful there was a concession set up for cold drinks. Iced chai never tasted so good - it was hot out! A woman ahead of me in line ordered a hot chocolate. Takes all kinds!

Whyte Avenue Art Walk

2010-07-19T10:54:00.001-07:00

Whyte Avenue Art Walk
Originally uploaded by raise my voice

The Whyte Avenue Art Walk is an annual event that I look forward to. Hundreds of working artists line the sidewalks, both selling their art and making at. I met many new and familiar faces, listened to some great music at the U22 stage in MacIntyre Park, and saw some incredible art in a variety of styles. I even bought something for the first time - it was a button with a cartoon on it of cookies and milk - the cookies all have different facial expressions. Trust me, it's going to look cool on my hoodie. The only thing I found unusual was how little photography there was this year. Lots of crafts, sculptures, painting, sketches, and mixed-media - but very few photographs. Here is my photo set from the event, and my iReport for iNews880.

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

2010-07-19T10:45:00.001-07:00

Edmonton Capitals vs. Yuma Scorpions
Originally uploaded by raise my voice

I went to my very first baseball game ever yesterday. It took place at Telus Field, between the Edmonton Capitals and Yuma Scorpions (Yuma is in Arizona). This was also my first time at Telus Field, and my first time enjoying a hot dog at a ball game (if you go to a ball game, you have to have a hot dog - I think it's a law somewhere).

Yesterday was my second time volunteering with Edmonton's Food Bank by helping gather donations of money and non-perishable food items. Most of the donations came as people were entering Telus Field. People were extremely generous - we filled up nearly three large boxes with food. Many people apologized that they did not bring food, but filled our jugs with money instead that will be used to purchase food hampers at Sobey's

After the game started, our table relocated to the second floor where people donated in between innings. We wrapped it up after the fifth inning. I am eager to find out how much money and how many kilograms of food were collected.

As for the game - I am not really into organized sporting events, but I always enjoy new experiences. It was interesting watching the fans - and at around $10 a ticket, I am surprised there were not more people there. Other than my co-volunteers, I knew absolutely no one there, which is another rare thing for me. It was a completely different slice of life.

Oh, and we won - 11-0.

Here is my complete photo set from the game.

Boyle McCauley News: July/August 2010

2010-07-18T10:05:00.000-07:00

The Summer issue of Boyle McCauley News is now online! Here is a look at just some of what is inside:

* New Mural Unveiled in McCauley
* U10s Fought the Law - And Won!
* In Memoriam: Frank Roccia
* A Skateboard Park in McCauley!
* McCauley Church Celebrates 100 Years
* BRAC II Report Accepted by Council
* ICYDA Withdraws From Boyle Renaissance
* Heart of the City Music Festival 2010
* Cans of Hope
* McCauley Revitalization: A cultural experience
* Letters To The Editor
* Community League Updates
* Dining Out

To download the entire issue in PDF format, point your browser to this link.

Protesting the G20 Fiasco

2010-07-09T18:29:00.001-07:00

The G20 took place in Toronto last week and with it came the expected organized mass demonstrations against globalization and its resulting effects of hunger, poverty, homelessness, and damage to the environment. What was not expected was the mass arrests, including street sweeps that took in people who had nothing to do with the protests. The reason? A few black-clad "anarchists" dubbed The Black Bloc smashed some storefront windows and set a police car on fire. More damage was done in the 2008 hockey riots in Montreal than here, and yet orders came from on high to arrest, detain, and suppress - including in areas designated as free speech zones. Perhaps the most shocking news came from those who were arrested and found themselves in cramped quarters with little food and water, denial of medical attention, no sanitation, and other deplorable conditions.

Vandalism (notice I am saying vandalism - not violence, as inanimate objects, not people were targeted by the Black Bloc) has a tendency to detract from the issues being protested. The media shifts its focus to that, and away from the issues being protested. As well, we heard little about the thousands of people who marched and protested peacefully, without incident.

As an activist, I found what happened in Toronto frightening. We do not live in a police state, yet the random arrests and conditions of the detention brings to mind Big Brother and gulags. With the sheer number of police available, it is astounding as to why the people really responsible for the vandalism were not dealt with immediately. There needs to be an independent investigation into the police actions to find out what went wrong and where. Over a hundred police officers from Edmonton went to Toronto (on our dime) - I personally would like to know what they were up to over there.

On Saturday, July 3, around 200 people took to the streets in Edmonton and marched from City Hall to Edmonton Police Headquarters in solidarity with those arrested during the G20. Here are some photos. As well, here is the video playlist of speeches and music.

Second Genocide Memorial Service

2010-07-09T17:54:00.000-07:00

Last year, I attended the dedication ceremony of a Genocide Memorial Garden. Rev. Audrey Brooks, clergy in the Unitarian Church, built a beautiful dry riverbed in front of her home for this purpose. We wrote the names of victims of genocide on stones, and placed them in the garden. Rev. Brooks has decided to make this an annual event, so on July 4 we gathered at her home again for prayers, meditations, readings, and personal tributes to victims of genocides from different cultures and walks of life. Lewis Cardinal began the service with a traditional Aboriginal prayer blessing the Four Directions.

Most of the service was led by Rev. Brooks, Mr. Cardinal, and Rabbi David Kunin from Beth Shalom Synagogue. People either placed another stone, or talked about the stone they place last year. Last year, I placed a stone for victims of the Holocaust (Jewish and otherwise). The Holocaust was brought up during a meditation about genocides that have occurred during history, so I decided not to re-dedicate the stone. I did say a few words on behalf of the March for all of the Missing and Murdered Women of Edmonton - the organizers were invited to attend but were unavailable.

Here are some photos from the event. I also had the privilege this year of performing a song with The Raging Grannies. Given the interfaith aspect of the event which dealt with human right, I could think of no better song to sing than "I Only Ask of God."

Spread The Words

2010-06-28T20:49:00.001-07:00

The Edmonton Public Library recently rebranded with a new logo and slogan: Spread the Words. To help grow public recognition of the new brand, EPL launched a sticker photography contest. Low adhesive stickers were distributed to anyone who asked for them at any library branch. The stickers were in several different colours from the new logo and featured different sayings. The contest was to place the stickers anywhere around Edmonton (legally, of course) and take a picture of them. The pictures were uploaded to the EPL's website, where the public could vote for them on a scale of one to five (five being the highest). The top ten photos went on to the final round, where the public could vote once for their favourite photo. The top three photos with the largest number of votes would be the winners.

I submitted several photos to the first round, and of the almost 200 photos submitted, two of them made it to round two. I was very excited to learn last week that one of my photos made it into the top three! I won a Sony eReader - an ideal prize for someone who loves books, but has limited space to continue buying lots of hard copies. I Have already been reading eBooks on my iPod Touch using Kindle software - I am happy I have something with a larger screen!

My winning photo was taken outside of Giovanni Caboto Park. I placed the red sticker with the saying "We're Bigger Than Our Buildings" on a rail on the outside gate of the park. You can see my photo and the other two winning photos here.

Guitars, Bikes, Vegetarianism, and Me

2010-06-22T18:06:00.000-07:00

I am going to refer to Saturday, June 19, as my Edmonton Mini-Tour. My afternoon started off at the Bikeology Festival in Beaver Hills House Park. Bikeology is an annual event that takes place during June (which is Bike Month) and features an equipment swap, cookies baked my solar power, smoothies created by the energy of riding a stationary bicycle, information tables from various organizations, and live music. I was the first act up, and played a five-song set that was solar-powered. I have attended the festival for several years now, but this was my first time performing there. The irony was that I could not ride my bike with guitar in tow, but I had a great time. Here are some photos and the video playlist from my set.

After I left Bikeology, I took a quick stroll through the City Centre farmer's market and also checked out some of the activities for Park(ed). 102 Avenue was shut down to cars for the day. It was great being able to walk right on the street and see the chalk art, spin class, games (I got hit by a water balloon!), and other such fun and frivolity. You can see some pictures in the same set as Bikeology.

Just slightly more than two hours after my Bikeology gig, I was on stage at the new location of Padmanadi for the grand opening of their second location. The place was packed full of people enjoying the delicious vegan buffet, which I also partook of after my set. The restaurant is located at 10740-101 Street and I recommend it for anyone who enjoys fine vegetarian cuisine. Here are some photos and the video playlist.

Pride 2010

2010-06-16T10:36:00.000-07:00

I really enjoy the annual Pride Parade. It's loud, fun, and colourful. It's about celebrating who you are in the face of discrimination. And, it's a great photo-op for those of us so inclined. Here is my photo set from the event. If you missed the parade, or would like to experience it again, I filmed the entire thing - it's around 22 minutes in length.

Heart of the City 2010

2010-06-14T14:59:00.000-07:00

The Heart of the City Music Festival took place on June 5 and 6. Expanded into a two-day festival, the free event in Giovanni Caboto Park featured non-stop live music, free art workshops, hula hoop demonstrations, an interactive art project (painting the letters making up the words "Heart of the City"), art and craft vendors, and more. This event is huge for the inner city, as it causes people from all over the city to visit the McCauley neighbourhood and come away with a more positive feeling about the area.

Here are some photos from day one and day two of the festival.

This was my fourth Heart of the City as a musician. Once again, I was part of the song circle. This is a video of me performing my song "The One Thing" and another of "Summer," a song about homelessness that was inspired by my work in the inner city.

I also filmed a number of the other acts. Here is the Playlist for Heart of the City 2010 on Boyle McCauley News' YouTube channel.

Boyle McCauley News: June 2010

2010-06-10T16:20:00.000-07:00

The June 2010 issue of Boyle McCauley News is online! Here is a look at what you can find on the pages:

* Premier Primavera a Blooming Success
* Community Action Dash 2010
* Downtown Arena Thoughts
* Heart of the City Lineup
* Revitalization Update
* Soccer Update
* Creating Balance
* Is your garage easy pickings for thieves?
* Letters To The Editor
* Community League Updates
* Dining Out

To download the paper in PDF, click here.

Emergency Rally for the Gaza Freedom Flotilla

2010-06-04T10:29:00.000-07:00

This week, cities around the world held emergency rallies concerning the Israeli attack on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla which has left around 20 activists dead and many more injured. Much of the outrage is directed at the fact that the flotilla was in international waters and was attempting to break through the siege on Gaza to deliver humanitarian aid in the form of food, medicine, and construction supplies.

There was a rally in Edmonton on June 1 at the Alberta Legislature. Around 500 people showed up. I sang two songs I wrote especially about the crisis in Israel and Palestine. Here is my photo set on Flickr. To watch footage from the rally, here is the playlist on YouTube.

Expressions of Hunger

2010-06-04T09:02:00.001-07:00

What is hunger? Expressions of Hunger is an exhibit organized by Edmonton's Food Bank that seeks to start discussions on that very topic. Earlier in the year, creative people in Edmonton were invited to submit poetry and photographs depicting what hunger means to them in five categories: emotional, physical, mental, environmental, and physical. Entries were posted on the Food Bank's website, and the public voted for the top three entries in each category.

Expressions of Hunger was launched at City Hall on June 1. I was privileged to have four photographs and one poem included in the exhibit. The media launch included speakers from the Food Bank, Mayor Mandel presenting a proclamation for National Hunger Awareness Week (which kicked off also on June 1), and a delicious lunch provided by Denny's. I was also honoured by being asked to sing "Summer," a song I wrote about homelessness which won in the Emotional - Poetry category to get things started.

For me, homelessness and other issues surrounding poverty go hand in hand with the concept of hunger. I work in the inner city and "Summer" was inspired by people I have met, things I have seen, stories I have learned. The character in the song is fictional, but her story has become universal for too many people. Several of my photographs were also taken in the inner city area and deal with similar themes. Hunger, in many of these cases, means more than just needing food to eat. These people hunger for all of the basic necessities of life, from shelter to appropriate clothing to medical attention. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, there is also the hunger to be accepted - a hunger to make eye contact with others, to say hello, to be acknowledged as being human.

Another major aspect of "Expressions of Hunger" for me is the merging of art and activism. To raise awareness of a social issue using art as the method is a powerful way to get a message across.

Here is my photo set from the event. John also took some really spectacular photos. To watch the media launch, here is the playlist on YouTube.

Expressions of Hunger will be shown at The Carrot Community Arts Coffeehouse (9351 118 Avenue) from June 7-23 and at the Nina Haggerty Centre for the Arts (9225 118 Avenue) during the Works Festival of Art and Design from June 25-July 7.

Squirrels Being Squirrely

2010-05-31T21:01:00.001-07:00

Squirrels Being Squirrely
Originally uploaded by raise my voice

I was playing with my new toy - a Kodak EasyShare Z915 - last week in Laurier Park. When I saw a couple of squirrels playing around a tree, I thought this would be the perfect chance for me to test out the 10x optical zoom of the camera. Alas, my subjects were too far away and the sun shining on the LCD screen made it impossible to see if anything I shot actually turned out. When I came home, I popped the SD card into the card reader on my computer, and nearly hit the floor laughing when I saw this. I had to crop it a bit to bring out the subject, but wow - I understand this sort of photo is difficult to take because squirrel love action only takes a few seconds. And here I got it by accident! Adding more humour is the photo I took right after the, ahem, dismount. The look on the female squirrel's face says it all.

No Mining in El Salvador

2010-05-31T16:39:00.001-07:00

No Mining in El Salvador
Originally uploaded by raise my voice

Members of the local Salvadorian community came together with activists today to protest the actions of Canadian mining company Pacific Rim. The company wants to expand its operations into El Salvador to develop a large gold mine. Metal mining is currently not permitted in El Salvador. Here is the full set of photos.

Two Rainy Weekends

2010-05-31T14:29:00.001-07:00

The last couple of weekends in Edmonton have been quite rainy. Although we desperately need the moisture, the weather has put a damper (no pun intended) on some of my outdoor activities. However, I still have managed to make it around to some events.

Hip Hop in the Park took place on May 22, and featured live, local hip hop music and graffiti artists. I could not stay long as it was very chilly, but here are some photos, including some shots of the surrounding downtown area, Shaw, and Hotel MacDonald where I escaped the cold and enjoyed a latte.

May 23 was opening day for the 2010 season of Fort Edmonton Park. One of my favourite Edmonton attractions, I decided to head down there. A lot of the events planned for the Victoria Day long weekend were postponed to the next day due to the weather. However, it was kind of nice having almost the entire run of the park to myself. I started a photo gallery for 2010 and will add to it with each visit.

A couple of days later I decided to take advantage of the fact my multi-attraction pass kicked in. I headed to the Valley Zoo to photograph the animals and test out my new camera - a Kodak Easyshare Z915. I needed a point-and-shoot with good zoom (it has 10x optical) to travel more lightly when I ride my bike. I am thrilled with the results. I got some excellent shots, and have started up a photo gallery for the season. I have to add that I am not a big fan of zoos, but it's there and I may as well go and see how the animals are doing.

It was quite the shock when I found out the guinea pigs were poisoned that night. The CBC asked if they could use a photo I had taken that afternoon. It was one of my favourites and has taken on an entirely different meaning to me in light of what has happened. Here is the story at the CBC's website.

Prior to going to the zoo, I pedaled my way through Laurier Park. I took a few photos, the most interesting of which involved a couple of squirrels, shot at a distance. But I think that is fodder for a separate blog post!

That same afternoon I also decided to cycle over the pedestrian bridge to Hawrelak Park, where I could not believe the blankets of baby Canada Geese to be found! I got some incredible photos.

I spent some of this past rainy weekend delivering the June issue of Boyle McCauley News to our volunteer carriers. On Sunday, I went to Make It Edmonton: The Handmade Revolution. Although I did not buy anything, I enjoyed looking at the beautiful, independently-made arts and crafts (especially the jewelry). Here are some photos.

Blooming Events in Edmonton

2010-05-17T18:46:00.001-07:00

City Centre Market
Originally uploaded by raise my voice

The City Market opened on Saturday. I took a stroll along 104 street and enjoyed checking out the fresh fruits, veggies, and flowers. This year, I am going to cave and get some jewelry - the rings of Munro Jewelry Design really knock my socks off. Except I don't usually wear socks in he warm weather. But I digress. A Chinese cultural festival was a highlight of the day, with dragon dancers and other performances. Here are some photos.

On Sunday, a gardening festival called Primavera took place at the Santa Maria Goretti Centre in the McCauley neighbourhood. Tomato plants and marigolds were flying off of tables, as well as other kinds of plants and flowers from Zocalo and a host of other vendors. The Italian Centre Shop had a table, as did numerous community and health organizations. Over 800 people attended - a huge success for a first time event. I took some photos here

It looks like spring in Edmonton is off to a blooming start!.

Exploring: Paul Kane Park

2010-05-14T10:43:00.001-07:00

Paul Kane Park
Originally uploaded by raise my voice

I've lived in Edmonton my whole life, but there are still nooks and crannies here and there I have not yet visited. Paul Kane Park is one of these places. I must have passed it dozens of times riding my bike north on 102 Avenue. It is tucked away behind the Anglican Parish of Christ Church, which I always pass on that route.

Instead of continuing to head north I turned left and entered the park. I was surprised at how big it actually was, with a huge decorative pool. Right now, the pool was filled with stagnant water of meltage from a recent spring storm, but I look forward to how it will appear when it is cleaned up. I also loved the landscaping - lots of trees and benches, and the long, paved path that runs throughout. Someone else on a bicycle was doing laps around the pool (and getting in the way of my pictures!), while couples strolled along.

I am not sure how much of a destination Paul Kane Park is in and of itself, but I will definitely take a few detours through it this summer.

A Weekend of Giving: Shine Youth Clinic & Homeless Connect

2010-05-10T09:17:00.000-07:00

I had another busy weekend. On Saturday, I gave two hours of my time performing with Music is a Weapon as part of the organization's Busk for a Cause. The cause this time around was the Shine Youth Clinic. The clinic operates on Saturdays out of the Boyle McCauley Health Centre and provides services free of charge to underserved youth up to the age of 25. On the corner of 104 street and Whyte Avenue I belted out some songs and even did a little bit of juggling. This was my first time busking and I have a lot more respect now for people who do this for a living. Over $1000 was raised for the clinic! Since I was busy performing, I was not able to take photos. Good thing that @sirthinks showed up and took some shots.

The first ever Edmonton Media Camp was also held on Saturday. It was an "un-conference" bringing together people from the worlds of traditional and new media, including journalists, PR people, and bloggers/social media folks. I was only able to make it to the last few discussion sessions, but it was great seeing some old friends and finally meeting a few people in person from Twitter and Facebook. Here are a few pictures I managed to grab.

Sunday was Mother's Day, but it was also Edmonton's fourth Homeless Connect event. Homeless Connect is held at the Shaw Conference Centre and brings free services, support, and supplies to people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. A lot of volunteer power goes into making the event happen, and although I was not able to volunteer on the day of, I did help with some preparations beforehand like sorting coats and supplies for the care packages given to all of the guests who attended. More than 1200 guests visited the event and I was able to come down to the Shaw for a while to take some pictures. There is going to be another Homeless Connect event this October - please consider volunteering.

First May Weekend

2010-05-04T09:40:00.001-07:00

Welcome to May (although by the weather outside today, you would never know it). Here is a quick look at how today's snow storm looks from outside my back door.

Fortunately, over the weekend we were a lot luckier weather-wise. Saturday, May 1, was International Worker's Day (also known as May Day) and Edmonton's march and rally started in Giovanni Caboto Park in McCauley, headed through Chinatown, and finished in Churchill Square. This year's march was organized by an ad hoc group of individuals, since the official May Week Labour Arts Festival was on hiatus this year. Still, the attendance was great (around 150 people) and the spirit was high. Here is a look at some photos and a short video.

While I was in Caboto Park waiting for the May Day march to get started, I got recruited for a drum circle. There is an organized drum circle that meets and practices regularly in the park. I started out on a large, Latin American drum that I had strapped around my shoulders, then switched to a cowbell - not just any cowbell, one with a long metal rod extending from it, with a thigh stirrup. We learned some basic drum patterns, as well as corresponding dance moves. It was a lot of fun, and I hope to do it again soon. Here are some photos of the rest of the troupe in action.

Sunday saw some rain off and on, but it stayed sunny long enough for me to check out the opening day of the Callingwood Farmer's Market. Located in the west end, Callingwood is the only Sunday farmer's market in Edmonton. A lot of children enjoyed the petting zoo. I thought there was a good variety of crafts, but did not see as many plants and produce as at other markets. I do plan to return, so maybe that will change as the season progresses. Here are some photos, which also include a few shots of The Dancing Guy, spotted as I headed for a quick shopping trip at WEM.

Yesterday, I decided to go on a little local adventure by taking the LRT for its entire route, back and forth. We parked at the Stadium, took the train to the new Southgate and Century Park stations, then went all the way north to Clareview, then back to the Stadium. I took a few pictures along the route, mostly shot out of the window, catching some interesting reflections. I especially found the north part of the city to be interesting, with its old buildings, junkyards, and street art. Here is a look.

Homeless Connect

2010-04-28T15:44:00.001-07:00

I spent a chunk of this afternoon at the United Way's InKind Centre. We were volunteering for Homeless Connect which takes place at the Shaw Conference Centre on May 9. Homeless Connect brings together businesses, organizations, and volunteers to provide valuable services to people experiencing homelessness (or are at risk) such as eyeglasses, dental care, long-distance phone calls, haircuts, and mental health services.

There is a lot of preparation that needs to be done before the event, and that is where I have been helping out. I have been distributing posters and cards, mostly in the McCauley area, to make people aware of the event (for both potential volunteers and guests). This afternoon, we helped sort personal care items for the care kits that are distributed to all of the guests who attend Homeless Connect (an estimated 1200). We then helped sort through coats donated for the United Way's "Costs for Kids and Families" campaign. The coats are all dry cleaned by Page Cleaners and then sent to the InKind Centre. We had to sort the coats based on size (Men's, Women's, Children's, Teens', etc.) and season (Spring or Winter). Spring coats will be given out at Homeless Connect.

I had a great time meeting Kristy Jackin, the InKind Centre's Program Coordinator, and learning about the work of the Centre. hHomeless Connect needs volunteers on the day of the event, so check out their website to learn more.

Boyle McCauley News - May 2010

2010-04-27T15:08:00.001-07:00

The May 2010 issue of Boyle McCauley News is now online. You can download a copy of the paper in PDF format here. In the meantime, here is a sneek peak at what's inside:

* McCauley Says Enough is Enough!
* McCauley School to Close
* Being a Good Witness
* Shop Talk
* A Dog Park in McCauley?
* McCauley Clean Up
* Call of the Wild
* Letters To The Editor
* Community League Updates
* Dining Out

From Global to Local - Rethinking My Activism

2010-04-19T09:04:00.000-07:00

I am someone who has been interested in the subjects of peace and human rights for as long as I have been able to think as an independent person. My life changed dramatically a few years ago when I decided to take concrete actions and stand up for my beliefs by becoming an organizer in the local activist scene. I have helped to organize, spoken at, and sang at countless events and demonstrations. I donate my skills as a website designer, photographer, and videographer - in the process, I have created an archive of Edmonton's activist scene. Regardless of where one falls on the political spectrum, this is part of the city's history.

Social media is also central to my activist life - in fact, last year I presented on social media for activists at Public Interest Alberta's annual advocacy conference. In fact, I recently created the Twitter account @yegactivist specifically for announcements about activist events.

While peace marches are fun and we all need to do our part to save the environment, a lot of the time there aren't tangible results. At least, not immediately. This has frustrated and burned out many an activist, who sees their efforts as futile. I am not one of these people, but at the same time I have also discovered that dealing with these large issues on a smaller, community-focused level is equally important.

Take, for example, poverty. Poverty is a serious issue, both worldwide and here at home. In December, I volunteered with the Edmonton Food Bank's Stuff-a-Bus campaign. Did we solve the issue of people not having enough to eat? No. But I am willing to bet that many families in Edmonton were able to have a nutritious meal thanks to the donations of money and food we collected.

In reflecting on my activism, I realize that community is a big part of what I do both professionally and personally. I've been involved with both of the city's street newspapers, helping people in poverty make money and develop skills. My work at Boyle McCauley News has made me into an advocate for the inner city. BMC News is so much more than a community newspaper - it is a community project with volunteers taking part in just about every aspect of the paper's existence, from operations to content to delivery. I joined the McCauley Community League

Most recently, I decided to get involved in the Capital City Clean Up as a block captain. I adopted the block upon which the Boyle McCauley News office resides and have gathered up enough volunteers to keep the block clean from May to September. Will this solve the world's environmental woes? No, but it will sure be great not to have litter flying around.

Since I absolutely cannot keep a guitar out of my hands, I had to find a way to set local social justice to music. And I found it. I've gotten involved with an organization called Music is a Weapon that raises both awareness and funds for different causes, locally and globally. I look forward to busking on Whyte Avenue, taking part in drum circles, and maybe even juggling my devil sticks in time to the rhythm of social justice.

Although I am hardly what one could consider affluent, I try to put my money where my mouth is, and joined the Edmonton Social Planning Council and Friends of Medicare while donating what I can to local charitable organizations such as the Youth Emergency Shelter and Habitat for Humanity. In fact, one of my goals is to take part in a Habitat for Humanity house build. While giving money is important, giving of my time lets me feel like I am making more of a difference.

I will continue to take part in events that deal with peace, the environment, and human rights. These are global issues that continually create a need to raise our voices to educate others either as they pass by on the street or hear about it in the media, and hopefully influence public policy. However, I will also be making extra efforts towards community and social justice in Edmonton. While I agree with those in my circle of activist friends who believe we need to be looking at the root causes of injustice, war, and poverty and trying to deal with those issues from the ground up, I have to disagree when local efforts are dismissed as being band-aids to larger problems. After all, a band-aid is supposed to help stop the bleeding and I see enough bloodshed around me to carry a first-aid kit at all times.

Defining Community

2010-04-14T14:36:00.000-07:00

I got into an interesting debate this morning with one of my more colourful Twitter correspondents. I stated that I considered myself part of a certain community. He at first interpreted this to mean that I was saying I lived there and pointed out to me (and the rest of Twitter) that I actually live in a different neighbourhood. I clarified that I am indeed part of this community even though I do not happen to reside there. I work there, in a leadership position of a community-based, non-profit organization. I am involved in community events. I am a member of the community league. I spend more time there than I do where I actually live. For these reasons, I consider McCauley to be my community.

This afternoon, I brought up this conversation with a friend of mine who is in the process of studying for her Masters in Library Science. She mentioned that this exact topic was discussed in one of her classes - the question of what exactly defines community. She said the outcome of that discussion was the conclusion that community is actually quite fluid. We can be a part of one or many communities depending on our life circumstances. We can consider our neighbourhoods, work, ethnic groups, and social activities to be communities in which we are involved.

I completely agree. I am a member of one community by virtue of the fact I live there. I am part of another because of my work and passion for the area. As an organizer and participant, I am part of the activist community. Through my activity on Twitter and attendance at several in-person meetups, I am part of Edmonton's Twitter community. My work as a writer and editor makes me part of that professional community. Even though I am not as active as I could be, I am part of a faith community.

Community defines who we are. We, in turn, define and identify the communities of which we are a part. Incidently, I am writing this blog post from my desk in my office in Little Italy. My co-worker, who is also with the McCauley Community League, has arrived and now I am talking to her about this issue. "We have adopted Paula. She *is* a member of this community," she says with a smile.

I love being a member of different communities. I hope I can make a positive impact in all of them. And I look forward to becoming parts of other communities as my life unfolds.

School Closures and the Inner City's Future

2010-04-11T09:57:00.000-07:00

This Tuesday, the Edmonton Public School Board is going to vote to close several inner city schools. The rationale is that the space to usage ratio is off balance, not enough students are enrolled, and these students' needs could be met elsewhere.

I can speak to one of the potential closures personally, since I am part of that community. In McCauley, the school serves a lot of immigrant families who have neither the resources (like, a car) or the time (because they work long hours) to shuttle their children to new schools. These families also want to keep their cultural communities together rather then be dispersed throughout the city.

McCauley is undergoing revitalization right now under the supervision of the City of Edmonton. Part of the plan is to get more young families to buy homes in the area. The EPSB is flying directly against the city's plans. Without a school it will be much more difficult to attract families with children. There is no public school within walking distance of McCauley, should McCauley School close.

Yes, the buildings are big, but the design styles of the time in which they were built was different. And frankly, they are beautiful. Why must be keep moving to the gated-community, white-picket fence mentality of architecture in everything? But most importantly, children and communities should not be punished just because the hallways are wide and the washrooms are large.

The EPSB is also flying in the face of education itself. Children who grow up in diverse, mixed communities do better academically and in life. Pushing children to the 'burbs or to more homogenous neighbourhoods may be more convenient for the EPSB but not for these kids or their families.

What exactly are going to be done with all these large, empty buildings anyways? Why not keep classes going, while utilizing all that extra space for other community-building resources like social organizations, daycare, or adult education classes? It makes no sense to me - the schools are too big and there are not enough students, so let's close them so they can sit empty. Now that is a total waste of space.

Schools are valuable and central to a community. They should not be closed. The EPSB should care more about children and communities than their arbitrary measurements and figures. It should stop commodifying education and community. Schools are not corporations and the bottom line of dollars and cents does not apply in the same way.

If Edmonton is to have a vital and vibrant inner city (rather than just acting as a dumping ground for the city's social problems) community schools have to stay. There is no other choice.

Why I Ride

2010-04-09T09:33:00.000-07:00

This is the time of year where I start riding my bike on a regular basis - or at least it was, until things took a chilly and snowy turn last night. In any case, I'll be back on two wheels once things settle a bit. Here is another one of my "Active Observer" editorials I wrote for Our Voice, this one from the June/July 2008 edition.

I have been an avid bicycle commuter for a number of years. Most of my riding takes place in the seasons where snow and ice do not render the ground too slippery for my comfort level. Still, I strive to get in quite a few months of two-wheeled bliss.

Sometimes I ride to get to work-related meetings and events, and sometimes I just hop on my 24-speed mountain bike and head to the River Valley, just for the fun of it. Cycling gives me the opportunity to get outside, get some fresh air, and get some much-needed exercise. It also gets me where I want to go, with reasonable speed and safety.

Cycling has taken on even more importance in my life through my involvement in the activist community. Bicycles and activism go hand in hand. Or, more accurately, bottom on seat. In addition to creating a more intimate interaction between myself and my surroundings, here are some reasons (both practical and radical) why two wheels are better than four:

Cycling is better for the environment. This one should be a no-brainer. As one of my favourite bicycle “bumper” stickers says: I get the equivalent of 1000 miles per gallon, and I don’t pollute.

Another no-brainer: it’s good for you. Fresh air. Exercise. The pleasure of wind blowing in your face while you watch people cooped up in their cars. A win-win situation all around.

A bike-centric lifestyle flies (rolls?) in the face of tradition. So many people associate bike riding with something little kids do. Seeing grown people riding around everywhere for utilitarian purposes (as opposed to performing tricks or racing) really shakes the dominant paradigm for these narrow-minded folks.

Cycling counters the materialism that runs rampant in our society. How? When I use my bike to take care of errands, I have to make some very conscious choices about where I am going to go, and what I am going to get. I can only carry so much and am limited by distance on any given trip. As a result, I buy less, spend less, and ultimately consume less.

Further to the point above, cycling saves a load of cash in the face of rising gas and oil prices. As well, I don’t have to worry about insurance or depreciation. The cost of the occasional repair or tune up usually comes nowhere near that of filling up an entire fuel tank on an average sized vehicle.

Of course, riding a bicycle everywhere, all the time, throughout the year is not a choice everyone makes due to various practical considerations. Even still, cycling can usually be incorporated into one’s lifestyle, assuming one is physically able to do so. Give up driving once or twice a week. Plan a weekly family ride through the River Valley. Ride, instead of drive, to errands of shorter distances. Bicycle-based lifestyles can build over time. Besides, it’s fun and addictive -- in a good way.

Paula is a freelance writer, editor, and photographer. She owns a driver’s license, but not a car.

Boyle McCauley News: April 2010

2010-04-05T20:25:00.000-07:00

The April 2010 issue of Boyle McCauley News is now online - here is a look at some of the contents:

* Future of McCauley School In Jeopardy
* Historic Gem Demolished
* How Safe is Our Neighbourhood?
* Gardening as a Family
* Letters To The Editor
* Guitar Donation
* Ghana Adventure
* Third Eco Station Open
* Community League Updates
* Dining Out

Download the entire issue in PDF format here.

Money Isn't Everything

2010-04-03T20:35:00.000-07:00

A letter to the editor in today's St. Albert Gazette has raised controversy and sparked heated responses both on the newspaper's website and on Twitter. The letter is called Higher-earning families part of St. Albert's appeal and was written by Chris and Karleena Perry.

The Perrys live in an upscale neighbourhood of St. Albert and are concerned about a Habitat for Humanity project going up in the city. Their letter is basically a rant saying that they deserve a better quality of life because they work hard and that having lower-income people around will reduce their quality of life and corrupt the children with drugs and a negative influence. I can almost imagine the Perrys throwing their arms up in disgust, exclaiming "There goes the neighbourhood!"

Besides being NIMBYs of the worst order, the Perrys are woefully mistaken on a number of issues. First of all, drugs are everywhere, especially in areas where rich kids have too much money and not enough to do. Secondly, the Perrys are doing their teenage son no favour by sheltering him. Children who grow up in diverse neighbourhoods and schools - both in terms of socio-economic levels and ethnicity - actually do better academically and in life.

I feel sorry for the Perry's son. I fear he has grown up with the idea that his money and possessions are what give him value. After all, the Perrys themselves say that their son had trouble fitting in at school - until his "friends" came over and saw their nice house and all the nice things he had. Not only does Junior not understand what the true value of a person is (such as how they treat the less fortunate - just as an example), but does not understand the true values upon which real friendships are based.

I grew up in a reasonably well-to-do family. I had trouble "fitting in." I thought the solution would be to acquire the same toys and designer clothes the other kids had. Although I shed tears and battled with my parents over this, they stuck to their morals and taught me that people who would be my friend based on what I have, instead of who I was, were not really friends after all.

What really offended me by the Perry's self-righteous sense of entitlement was the statement that they "deserve" to live in St. Albert. Working hard does not necessarily equal being wealthy enough to afford to live in a gated community. I know many people who work hard in often thankless jobs, particularly for various social agencies and organizations, and do not attain such material wealth. However, their contributions to society are priceless.

Chris and Karleena, having money does not make you better people. It does not make you immune to societal problems. It puts you in a position to be able to help others. The money and wealth of this world is fleeting and temporary. It is what you do with your resources and time that counts in the long run.

Today, I sent a financial donation to Habitat for Humanity and I look forward to some day being a volunteer on a build. Maybe it will even be in St. Albert.

Marching for Peace and Principles

2010-03-23T11:18:00.001-07:00

I originally wrote this editorial for the February/March 2008 issue of Our Voice with a few revisions to bring it up to date. I found myself contemplating this topic again after taking part in a number of actions over the weekend.

I spend a lot of time on Facebook. As a politically involved person, I take an interest in seeing what people list as their political beliefs on their profiles. I am astonished at how many people put “apathetic” as their response. As far as I am concerned, “apathetic” is pathetic.

In particular, I am talking about involvement in the antiwar movement. When it comes to working for peace, complacency is simply not an option. Our government’s foreign policy affects so many things, from where our tax money is going, to the basic immorality of imposing our standards and values on the people of another country (otherwise known as imperialism).

Sometimes, upon further probing, some of these “apathetic” people actually sympathize with the peace movement, but find it futile to get involved. In no particular order, here are some of the reactions I get from others when I tell them about my involvement with the peace movement:

Your actions won’t make a difference.
The 60s are over.
Why put yourself up for such ridicule?

Even amongst some peace people, complacency has replaced idealism. Some of the older folks who protested in earlier decades felt that their actions achieved nothing, and so they decided there was no point in continuing down the same path.

Wrong, wrong wrong.

A fundamental principle of life that hopefully we all should share is that it is important to stand up for what we believe in. Thus, it follows that if we believe in peace, we should make a stand. After all, people flock by the hundreds to attend the “Red Friday” pro-war rallies that are periodically held in Churchill Square. We, as antiwar people, should not be afraid to take as bold of a stand.

One way to take such a visible stand is by taking part in a peace march or rally. Major peace events are generally held in Edmonton twice a year -- in the Fall coinciding with the date that Canada invaded Afghanistan, and in the Spring when the U.S. invaded Iraq. Sometimes emergency actions spring up at other times, depending what is going on in different parts of the world.

However, the number of people in Edmonton who attend such events is rather small, likely for many of the same arguments mentioned previously. To the position that peace marches accomplish little, look at it this way: a peace march is visible resistance to war. It is a very public demonstration of one’s convictions, and sends a message to the government in a very “in your face” kind of way.

Other, quieter ways to protest against war include signing petitions, which nowadays is quick and easy since many of them are online. You can write letters to your Member of Parliament, or even to the Prime Minister himself. Postage costs nothing on letters send to the federal government.

Who is to say we are accomplishing nothing? Each individual has enough of a sphere of influence to make tangible changes in he world around him or her. I am pretty confident that I have gotten friends and acquaintances to reevaluate their positions, or at least think about certain issues a bit more than they normally would.

Pics'n'Vids: End the Wars of Occupation

2010-03-23T11:11:00.000-07:00

End the Wars of Occupation

An antiwar rally organized by the Edmonton Coalition Against War and Racism on the seventh anniversary of the invasion and war on Iraq. This event called for an end to all wars of occupation including Afghanistan, Haiti, and Palestine.

Pics:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/raisemyvoice/sets/72157623660605056/

Vids:

The Raging Grannies

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkEXXWRdXrY

Linda Duncan, MP

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Br7YVdA49UM

Paula Kirman (that's me - musical performance)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7KYzoASNNU

Peggy Morton, ECAWAR

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxv11rOm4XA

Dr. Tony Simmons, Athbasca University

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmlh6RC0s-Q

Fatiyeh Muwais, Past President, Palestinian Women's Association of Edmonton

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQ-c6lu8rwM

Also:

Join Together Alberta

Students, NGOs, unions, and citizens concerned about cuts to public services marched to the Legislature on March 20 demanding that the cuts end.

Pics:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/raisemyvoice/sets/72157623663914636/

Vid:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xX9VtIaKcfI

What Can I Do?

2010-03-18T15:09:00.001-07:00

Activism is about the power of one and the power of many.

Individuals who are plagued with a sense of hopelessness about the world sometimes feel that their own contribution is not enough. Whether they feel deficient in time, intellect, resources, or ability, the main underlying thought is, “What can I do?”

If you even have that thought running through your head, that is the first start. The desire to want to make the world a better place for all often carries with it feelings of hopelessness and frustration. That doesn’t sound very positive, but it is just a reminder that one person can’t do it all.

Still, one person can do a lot. Each of us has a sphere of influence that includes our families, friends, co-workers, and numerous other social networks in which we engage. We can motivate others and lead by example in the lifestyle choices we make.

Community is an important part of activism, and while we strive towards our goals as individuals, we also need to seek each other for support, the pooling of ideas, and, of course, to organize. Social networking websites like Facebook makes staying in touch easy, but we have to remember to hold on to our ideals even when we are by ourselves and the computer has been turned off.

Every movement starts with the individual decision to get involved. If we all sat around believing that we can’t make a difference then nothing would ever get off the ground. Never underestimate the power of one.

After all, activism is not an event, an organization, or a specific cause. It is a way of life, complete with both joys and disappointments. Not every rally or action has the results we want or intend. But being there and helping out sends a message to our own social circles and society as a whole. All we have to do is show up.

The Issues Behind the Issues

2010-03-17T10:29:00.000-07:00

Poverty and homelessness continue to be pervasive local social issues. There are numerous organizations engaging in important actions to try to deal with the needs of those affected. Many of the homeless or working poor in the city rely upon the meals, clothing, and shelter provided by these agencies.

However, most of these organizations – worthy though they may be – treat the symptoms of the problem, and not the underlying causes. A meal or place to sleep may serve someone’s immediate needs, but not in the long term. Those individuals who are mentally ill or dealing with addiction need to get the treatment they need in order to live stable lives. True, in these cases it is a two-way street: the person must be willing to make the commitment in addition to having access to the necessary services.

Yet this commitment comes with a cost. It is difficult to afford medication when one doesn’t have enough money to buy food. It is difficult to stay clean and sober when not having a place to live forces one to associate with their drinking or using buddies for support.

Then, there are those who are “working poor” – they have jobs that simply do not earn them enough to pay for all the necessities of life. We live in a city with no rent controls, have a minimum wage that no person could ever afford to live on, and are in a province experiencing a so-called “boom” that is resulting in increased housing prices due to the migration of so many workers here in search of a supposed better life.

Bandage solutions work for the moment, but as a society we need to work towards solutions that are more permanent. This can only be achieved by dealing with the root causes. Otherwise, poverty and homelessness will continue to rise and service organizations will be overly burdened beyond their capacity to handle the demand.

Access to Mental Health Care in Crisis

2010-03-16T07:58:00.000-07:00

Although this first appeared in the October 2005 issue of Our Voice (a street newspaper in Edmonton), it is every bit as relevant five years later, especially as closure of beds at Alberta Hospital are on the horizon and have been widely protested. The cost to see a psychologist mentioned in this article has been adjusted to reflect current rates.

It was a Sunday afternoon, and my friend ran out of his medication he uses for clinical depression. Although he has a full-time job, he was lacking the funds to purchase more, and too proud to tell anyone. Thus, he went about his business until Tuesday morning, when he felt a psychotic episode coming on. He headed to his doctor’s office, where after explaining his situation (with the hope that his doctor could give him some samples to tide him through), he was told he would have to return for an appointment in the afternoon.

With what was left of his good senses, my friend knew he did not have until the afternoon to wait, and went to the Emergency room of the nearest hospital. After explaining himself to yet another front desk person, he was informed it would be up to two hours before he would be able to see a doctor.

That was the final straw. A combination of frustration and deprivation of his meds led my friend to lay himself down on a grassy area outside of the hospital, and do some funky things to his wrists with a pocket knife. Ultimately, he was found by police, who, in essence, temporarily committed him by depositing him back inside the same emergency room -- probably saving his life. He was treated for his wounds, physically and mentally, and later released. The knife was confiscated.

Welcome to the land of universal health care. Mental health is part of this, yet appears to be far less universal. I guess the people he dealt with did not understand that a mentally ill person without his meds is a ticking time bomb. He did the responsible thing by seeking help, but it was only when he became a clear danger to himself that anyone took him seriously.

If my friend had gone to emergency with a broken leg or in the process of a heart attack, he probably would have received swift and immediate attention. But because he was not in obviously physical pain, nor going to immediately expire in front of everyone, he would have to wait his turn, along with people who come to emergency with trivial matters that can be dealt with as well at a walk-in medial clinic.

Access to mental health services can be difficult, not only for the low-income person, but just about anyone in need of affordable services. Although covered by Alberta Health, it can take up to three months to see a psychiatrist, like just about any medical specialist these days, especially for an initial appointment. Psychologists are easier to access physically, but financially out of the budget for all but the wealthy – the standard rate for an individual is $150 per 50-minute session ($160 for couples), according to the Psychologist’s Association of Alberta. Even those who operate using a sliding scale do not slide far enough down for low-income clients, especially those who require services on an ongoing basis.

Then there are services like The Support Network that offer walk-in help, but only for short-term intervention. Crisis lines are excellent places for people to vent, as long as they are not put on hold, which can happen due to high numbers of callers and low numbers of volunteers. Have you ever heard the joke about the person who calls the suicide hotline and is put on hold? It’s really not funny, and it happens in real life.

Mental health consumers need to be taken seriously when they turn up at hospital emergency rooms, let alone in their own doctor’s offices. Often, they are breakdowns waiting to happen, and there is nowhere else for them to turn. My friend, despite the cuts on his wrist, was lucky. How many aren’t?

Pens Give Power to the People

2010-03-15T16:32:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine online was having an argument with a very politically conservative American woman. When told she was not getting the full extent of the stories behind issues such as the war in Iraq, she gave a response that sent us both into hysterical fits of laughter. “Of course I get more than one perspective,” she said, totally serious. “I watch CNN and Fox!”

It’s a sad state of affairs when people think they actually have a choice, when that choice consists of essentially the same political and cultural view. Corporate media, or mainstream media as it is sometimes called, is part of our everyday way of life as we are inundated with major daily newspaper, television stations owned by media gurus, and radio that plays either top hits or the same tired songs over and over.

Community and alternative media provides another voice in society – often that of the people themselves. As the editor of a community newspaper, I encourage people to tell their own stories and report on local news and issues that are important to them. This is called ‘citizen journalism,’ and it puts the media into the hands of the people. By becoming the media, so to speak, individuals can offer a first-hand perspective and both express themselves creatively, while informing others.

'Community media' is not just a form of communication; it is a form of activism. When mainstream media covers activist events, for example – if they even show up, that is – often the reporters come early, leave early, and then report that there was hardly anyone in the crowd. When media is owned by corporations, or people intrinsically tied to corporations, there is only one perspective that can be told – that which is in the best interest of advertisers or the people pulling the purse strings. So when community media springs up in the form of blogs, zines, alternative newspapers, and even street magazines like the one you are holding right now, it automatically has an air of ‘subversive’ about it.

There are many ways in which people can become the media. Writing letters to the editors of local newspapers is a start, but often they will not print ones that provide a radically different viewpoint to the dominant one supported by the publication. Find a community newspaper in your area, and offer to contribute – for instance, we here at Our Voice are always looking for submissions.

Get online and start a blog, and comment about the issues that compel you. Take pictures, shoot video – the Internet provides inexpensive and easy ways to publish your work. When I saw the lack of coverage progressive and activist events were getting in terms of airtime, I started RaiseMyVoice.com, an independent, local media resource documenting these events in photographs and video.

Make a zine – a small, independent publication. It can be about politics, a poetry collection, or anything you can think of. Some zines are as simple as a few photocopied pages, stapled together. Others use desktop publishing software and are professionally printed. This is a great project where one can team up with others to share skills. You’ll be limited only by your creativity – and your budget.

While it may seem intimidating at first to get involved in community media, you don’t have to be a professional writer or photographer – besides, skills develop when they are used. So pick up a pen, and give yourself power. Become the media.

Originally published in the August/September 2007 issue of Our Voice, a street newspaper in Edmonton.

Disability Issues Affect Us All

2010-03-14T12:54:00.000-07:00

Originally published in Our Voice, a street newspaper in Edmonton, in the June/July 2007 issue.

Issues of access for persons with disabilities are something that should be of concern to everyone in society. Contrary to what some may think, accessibility issues do not just affect one segment of society. It affects all of us. Here are just some of the reasons why.

We are losing out on the voices of the disabled. When people are not able to access work, public forums, or other kinds of gatherings, we are missing out on the opinions and contributions of an entire group of intelligent, productive citizens.

We are putting money before compassion. We supposedly live in a technologically advanced, enlightened society, yet progress in accessibility has been slow and plodding. The reason is most likely the bottom line. Making all buses and buildings accessible costs money, possibly making costs exceed yearly budgets. However, access should be factored into these budgets in the first place. If the bottom line is more important to businesses and organizations than making sure everyone has access to goods and services, it makes us all look bad. We should be lobbying for accessibility - all of us.

Disability is more common than we may think. Between physical and mental conditions, I'm willing to wager just about everyone is related to, or at least knows someone who deals with a disability on a daily basis. As a result, this isn't an issue that is restricted to a very specific demographic. It's personal. And it can become even more personal at different times in life. Just ask anyone who has found his or herself in the role of caregiver for an aging and ailing parent. Accessibility issues affect caregivers also.

Disability can strike at any time. Life is fragile and can change in an instant. Accidents. Development of chronic illnesses (both physical and mental). Sure, everything may be all right now, but who knows what can happen ten, twenty years from now, or even tomorrow. Working for the rights of the disabled is not only the responsibility of everyone, it is also ensuring security for the futures of those who do not yet need these services, but eventually will.

I have heard of high school students taking certain life skills-type classes doing something called "disability for a day." They spend a day in the role of someone with a disability, by doing things like wearing a blindfold, putting duct tape over their mouths, or wheeling themselves around all day in a wheelchair. However, at the end of the day, they can take off the blindfold, rip off the tape (ouch!), or get up from the wheelchair - most likely with greater empathy for people who deal with these issues on a daily basis.

On a more positive note, according to an Edmonton Journal article published in April of 2007, employers are more eager to hire people with disabilities because of the labour shortage caused by the current oil boom. Hopefully, this will pave the way for employers to focus on the abilities rather than the disabilities, and encourage more workplaces and other locations to improve their access and facilities. In the meantime, everyone needs to be an advocate for disability issues.

Paula E. Kirman is a freelance writer, editor, and photographer in Edmonton. You can reach her at: starvingwriter@hotmail.com.

MEC Protest/More Music/Muttart

2010-03-14T11:44:00.001-07:00

The final event of Edmonton's second annual Israeli Apartheid Week took place last Saturday with an information picket outside of Mountain Equipment Co-op concerning the company's sourcing of goods from Israel. This is a very controversial topic as MEC has an ethical sourcing policy and is a popular retail outlet amongst activists. Here are some photos and a video explaining the views of the protesters, as well as the company's (written) response.

I keep forgetting to blog that I performed a few songs last month during the University of Alberta's International Week. Each noon hour in the Student's Union Building featured song and dance from around the world. My set consisted of a few songs from Argentina in both English and Spanish by the renowned singer/songwriter León Gieco: "The Land of Freedom/En El Pais de la Libertad", "Tema De Los Mosquitos", and "Solo Le Pido a Dios". As well, I also sang "Walls," a song that I wrote about the situation in Israel/Palestine.

Finally, in non-activism/journalism related news, I took a quick trip to the Muttart Conservatory last week to do some photography. I focused on taking as many close-ups of flowers and plants as possible. Have a look.

Finding Freedom

2010-03-12T09:18:00.000-08:00

Originally published in the May 2006 issue of Our Voice, a street newspaper in Edmonton.

Living in a (supposedly) democratic, prosperous society we sometimes take certain things for granted. Freedom is one of them. We have freedom of speech, the press, the right to assemble, the ability to choose our own paths in life: career, family, religion. Freedom means choices, and requires personal responsibility to make those choices.

For one, we need to be responsible and informed citizens. Why vote a certain way just because our families lean in that direction? I get shocked and amazed at anyone who does not keep up with what the serious issues of our society are, both locally and globally. We’re surrounded with so much media it’s a wonder we don’t get overwhelmed with information. But don’t limit yourselves to the major dailies and news broadcasts. Advertising-driven mainstream media may not be telling you the whole story. Research alternative news sources online – there is a plethora of magazines, radio broadcasts, and blogs -- we may be surprised at what we learn.

People have a tendency to participate in a specific faith just because we happened to be born into a particular religion. Even within major faith traditions, the way in which spirituality is expressed can differ greatly. Look at Catholics and Protestants – I’ve had people express to me that they cannot understand why these two groups are so theologically at odds since they are both “Christian.” All of us should read our Holy Books, whatever they may be, with new eyes. We should attend the services of other faiths, if for no other reason than to learn about why they believe as they do. We all need to find a way to express our spiritual selves that reflects your beliefs, even if they begin to divert from what we were taught in Sunday School.

Freedom is often discussed on a large, global scale in terms of the political system of a nation. But each of us can struggle with freedom in the smaller spectrum of our own lives. Think about the person who cannot read or write. Is that person truly free? Accessing the resources to become literate opens another door towards freedom and the chance to fully participate in society.

Those of us who are in bondage to an abusive relationship or family situation are also one step away from true freedom. Through a solid support network and access to community services someone can break those invisible, yet binding chains. Sometimes fear is the biggest barrier. People who are addicted also need support and help, yet many find that their lifestyle leads them to be alienated and abandoned. Often addicts do not have the resources to access treatment on their own.

Struggling with a major physical or mental illness can put stumbling blocks into one’s path. With a well-funded, functioning public health system, there is no reason why anyone should have to live a reduced quality of life just because of ill health. Access to doctors and treatment should be a basic human right. How sad it is that our provincial government wants to introduce legislation allowing for these essential services to be privatized. In this case, choice does not equal freedom – it equals repression for those who cannot afford to pay for a private system.

And then there are the “little things” including a child’s first words or steps; graduating from high school; falling in love for the first time; and learning how to drive. There are so many personal triumphs in life that we take for granted as being normal developmental stages that we fail to celebrate them or even connect them to the higher state of freedom.

Each one of us should find ways to enjoy life’s daily triumphs and help others who are stumbling along the road to freedom. We cannot confine ourselves to a world of predetermined thought patterns or ideologies. The cost of freedom is high; the cost of ignorance is even higher.

Paula E. Kirman is a freelance writer, editor, photographer, and website designer. For her, freedom includes bike riding, music, and pursuing interests of social concern. You can reach her at: starvingwriter@hotmail.com.

The Making of Milestones

2010-03-09T09:03:00.000-08:00

From the July 2006 issue of the street newspaper Our Voice.

How we define success for ourselves, personally and professionally, often determines our direction in life. Our careers, attitudes towards material wealth, and general priorities all revolve around the goals we set.

When it comes to goal setting and reaching, it’s really easy to just think of major events like graduation or landing a good job. While either of these examples of admirable, they are merely the end result of a bunch of sequential actions and accomplishments which led to them. The difference is that this forward motion – “baby steps” one might say – is often ignored on the way to the big prize.

Most people who can ride a bike remember when the training wheels came off for the first time. Likely, this move towards independence was celebrated with kudos from relatives. Maybe a picture or two were snapped as you rode down the street on two wheels for the first time. Something so important in our growth, but also a common experience amongst children. Yet much hoopla surrounds it.

And then as we get older, things change. We’re no longer cute little kids looking up to the adults in our lives with our tooth-missing smiles. The little triumphs we experience start to become less of a big deal. So we start to eye loftier goals, in the hopes of winning the almighty approval from our parents, peer groups, and ultimately from society. Sorts trophies, getting into university, and eventually making it in the corporate world become the end goals of a competitive world.

Here is where a level of marginalization occurs. There are many who have challenges making it difficult for one to attain a higher education, great job, nice home, and all the trappings that come with middle class life. In other words, people who are already marginalized due to social class, mental and physical challenges, and economic circumstances, at some point come to the realization that they cannot keep up with what they perceive is expected of them. These are people with a lot to offer, but it is too often overlooked.

On the flip side, sometimes people walk away from a comfortable life to pursue what they consider to be more important goals. These are the ones who go into humanitarian work, social activism, or even just living a scaled-back lifestyle at a slower pace for enjoyment and health, rather than the pursuit of money and power. Unfortunately, growing one’s own food, organizing an anti-war demonstration, or working for a charitable organization just isn’t held in as high esteem as being the CEO of a corporation and living in a luxury condo.

Milestones don’t have to equal money or achievement. They can be simple things, like making someone else smile. They can be personal – one does not always advertise that they have made it for a month without taking a drink. Or, they can be moments shared with important people in our lives. Birthdays and anniversaries don’t really matter to anyone outside of one’s immediate social circle anyways.

It isn’t wrong to want to “make it,” whatever making it means to you. Celebrate everything that life has to offer. Make a journal of your journey, so you can at least record your daily steps to read back at a later time in order to judge your progress. Sure, there will be big moments to share. But don’t ignore everything that happens along the way. Our “training wheels” will have to come off at many points in life, under various circumstances. Celebrate these moments and milestones.

Paula E. Kirman learned how to ride a bicycle as a teenager. You can reach her at: starvingwriter@hotmail.com.

Living As A Woman

2010-03-08T09:55:00.000-08:00

In honour of International Women's Day I present this editorial I wrote for the April/May 2007 edition of Our Voice, a street newspaper in Edmonton.

I’ve never been one for pity parties over getting a raw deal over things I cannot control The fact is, others who have a prejudiced mindset will find anything to use against someone else, be it their race, religion, sexual orientation, or gender.

However, on that last point about gender, there are some definite challenges that women face in society, both historically and in the modern day. I should know – I have a lot of first-hand experience living as a woman. So, let me give you an overview of a few of the realities of female life.

It’s Expensive. Sanitary products and other hygiene items cost a bundle over the course of a year, let alone a lifetime. Plus, we have to pay GST on all these goodies, which are mostly necessities. Please, donate tampons, pads, and other women’s sanitary products to a shelter – they are desperately needed. As well, women are the victims of deadbeat fathers as much as their children, since most of those out-of-pocket expenses of raising kids now has to be borne by mothers. Poverty affects women and children in deep and far-reaching ways.

It’s Painful. I’ll say three little letters with which I am sure you are all familiar: PMS. In fact, women are more likely to have a host of other uncomfortable conditions like Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), and various endocrine disorders because of our complicated hormone systems, like Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). Come to think of it, us gals can cover just about every letter in the alphabet with our medical woes. Oh, and let us not forget nine months of pregnancy followed by childbirth. Enough said.

It’s Not Fair. Women in many jobs and professions are still not earning as much as their male counterparts, for the same work. Plus, childcare, which is often not subsidized, and its associated costs take another bite out of that paycheque.

It’s Dangerous. From domestic abuse to sexual assault, women are far more likely to be the victim of a violent crime than men. Most attacks are perpetrated by someone the woman knows, and many occur in the woman’s own home.

It’s Depressing. More and more women are being medicated for mental illness and psychological problems, particularly depression. If you are wondering why, just take a look at all the reasons I have listed above. Combine that with trying to live up to society’s unrealistic expectations of beauty, of being a superwoman who easily balances home life with a career, and just dealing with the stresses of day to day life; and you have a recipe for burnout or worse.

Being a woman has many positive and enjoyable points as well. I am also not trying to elicit pity for myself or my female counterparts. But we need to look at society and all of the elements within through realistic eyes. And the reality is, women have a lot of challenges to deal with that are uniquely ours.

Paula E. Kirman is a freelance writer and editor. She has nothing against men, honestly. You can reach her at: starvingwriter@hotmail.com.

Food for Thought

2010-03-07T09:53:00.000-08:00

This originally appeared in the October/November issue of Our Voice, a street newspaper in Edmonton.

“Water is life” as the saying goes, but food is pretty important also. We depend on it for strength, sustenance, and in many cases, personal enjoyment. Cooking and eating can be very social activities. The relationship between food and health is not a new one; for years we’ve been bombarded in the media by reports of “good fats” versus “bad fats,” the benefits and drawbacks of various fad diets, and ways to prevent food poisoning.

However, there are other aspects to smart and healthy eating that is sometimes overlooked. In particular, where our food comes from and how it is produced can have an effect not only upon our physical health, but that of the food producers at the source. Farms are not always paid a fair price for their crops, and in some cases large seed corporations get dominion over the market of certain kinds of crops. Major chain restaurants (usually those of the fast food variety) employ cruel factory farming practises and unsafe slaughterhouses, where the animals not only die a horrible death, but employees risk life and limb. And now, our food, particularly produce, is being genetically modified into new creations, a process that calls into question bioethics and safety.

We can make choices about what we consume, based upon its impact on our health, the environment, and social justice. Here are some suggestions to bear in mind the next time you go shopping or dining out.

*Look for the TransFair logo when you purchase food items such as coffee and chocolate. Products certified by TransFair ensure that the farmers and workers have received a fair price for their products, and are also produced under environmentally-sound conditions. In fact, when you go out for coffee, ask your server for Fair Trade coffee. More and more cafés are serving at least one Fair Trade option -- if your favourite java spot doesn’t, ask them why. Ask them to provide a Fair Trade option.

*Purchase locally grown produce, wherever possible. Farmer’s Markets are excellent sources, and the produce tends to be organic (grown without the use of chemicals or pesticides). If you are a meat eater, you can often find locally raised, organic meat at Farmer’s Markets as well – animals that have been raised without the use of steroids.

*Speaking of meat, perhaps you should consider becoming a vegetarian. A vegetable-based diet has a lot less of a negative impact on the Earth, since it takes less energy to raise and harvest produce. As well, if done properly, a vegetarian diet can be more healthy because it has less transfat and you don’t end up ingesting all those hormones that were injected into the animal to make it plump and juicy.

*When you eat out, try to patronize local, independent restaurants, rather than big-name, fast food franchises. Fast food chains are some of the biggest offenders of utilizing factory farmed animals. Besides which, the food preparation is often unhealthy, full of salt and sugar and fat, designed to make one addicted. If you read Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser or Mad Cowboy by Howard Lyman (the “former cattle-rancher who won’t eat meat”), or see the movie Supersize Me, you may decide to never eat fast food again.

Bon appetit!

Paula E. Kirman is a freelance writer, editor, and photographer who has vegetarian inclinations.

Boyle McCauley News - March 2010

2010-02-25T20:10:00.000-08:00

Our March issue is now online. Here is a look at some of the contents:

* Happy 100th Birthday, Bissell Centre!
* Save Our School!
* Skating Party
* Lunar New Year
* Letters To The Editor
* A Family of Volunteers
* Revitalization Update
* 2010 Soccer Registration
* Community League Updates
* Dining Out

To download the entire version of the paper in PDF format, click here.