Activism Through Documentation

Back in September, I was the keynote speaker for a workshop hosted by the John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights for the organization's youth group. My topic was documenting activist events through photography and writing (particularly blogging and social media). Here is a video of my talk, as well as my notes.
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Event Documentation: Activism Through Writing and Photography

Introduction

• The photos you are seeing are part of the Art + Activism exhibit at Visual Arts Alberta, featuring my photos and two activist painters until November 26 (10215 112 Street).
• Introduce myself: multimedia artist working in the areas of journalism (writing and editing), photography, videography, social media consulting. Made a conscious decision to apply my skills towards activism, because I did not see a lot of progressive events covered in mainstream media, and no one seemed to be documenting much.

Why document?

• To have an historical record
• To protect yourself/colleagues by having recorded details that the memory may otherwise lose
• To share your movement and experiences online and connect with like-minded groups/individuals and grow beyond your borders
• Helps build grassroots community locally and beyond through the sharing of resources.
• Helps attract others to the movement by presenting who you are and what you do. Pictures (and videos) speak volumes beyond just written descriptions (but writing is important too, as we will discuss later).
• Be the media: cover important gaps in coverage. Citizen journalism is a “thing” - there are unprecedented opportunities in today's world for our voices to be heard.
• For yourself: just like there are those people who always take pictures at family gatherings, events and protests can make important memories for us as well.

Photography

• Can be an issue of access/privilege (equipment – you need a camera, and ideally you need a computer)
• However, one does not need a fancy camera – a smartphone/tablet can suffice. Technology has come a long way.
• Most phones can also take video, most cameras (DSLR and point-and-shoot) can take video, and some video cameras can also take decent stills.
• Benefit of the above: items can be shared immediately via data or wifi (be careful about eating up data plan). You can even edit in your phone or tablet now with apps.
• Instagram & Flickr, Facebook & Twitter – all places to post immediately. Don't forget to tag and add hashtags. Tags are like keywords; hashtags use the # symbol and also work as keywords that can be clicked on to be taken to materials using that same term. Eg. #yeg in Twitter for Edmonton-related posts.
• Photos should tell a story. Include backdrops, crowds. Don't always focus in one individuals without context or else you end up with photos that look like they could have been taken anywhere. Eg. Festival photo of family on grass that could have been taken anywhere.
• No issues taking photos at and posting photos from public gatherings on public space. However, respect it if a colleague does not want his/her photo taken and posted. Could be a job-related issue, family issue etc. Or, maybe they just don't like their picture being taken. Legal issues vs. moral/ethical issues in this case err on the side of caution.
• Children: if singled out in a photo, always a good idea to get permission from parents/guardians. Again, morality/ethics should take precedence over legality.
• Police/law enforcement can be photographed. They, nor anyone else, have the right to tell you to delete photos.
• I'm not a lawyer – my information comes from my experience and what I believe to be true, but don't take anything I have said here as legal advice.
• Editing: I try to shoot in a way that would require minimal editing, if at all, afterwards. Depends what you are trying to do. Documentation, to me, means being true to what I see, so I don't want to change or enhance it much. You can crop and make some adjustments right in your phone. Most computer operating systems come with a basic photo editor (as well as a video editor).

Writing

• Captures the moments, describes them, another way of sharing information.
• Photo captions/descriptions
• Blogs: Wordpress, Blogger. Wordpress is better for making full-fledged websites. If you just want a plain blog, Blogger might be more intuitive to use for some.
• Facebook posts: keep succinct, add hashtags (a more recent development on FB)
• You don't have to be an English major or wonderful writer.
• Be descriptive, be succinct.
• Letters to the Editor at newspapers – don't be surprised if you don't get published or it gets edited way down. Keep as short as possible – increases chances of getting printed.
• Contributions to activist websites. Usually are hungry for submissions because they can't pay.
• Work as a team; have someone edit your work
• Be careful what you write: “say it and forget it, write it and regret it.” Nothing ever really permanently vanishes from the Internet (eg. Deborah Drever). You don't want something coming back at you down the road.
• Published work online usually has a unique link that can be shared on social media.

Best Practices

Photos: General (this can be applied to video as well)

• Seems like common sense: make sure batteries in phone and cameras are charged.
• Carry charger and battery packs for phones.
• Some camera batteries are proprietary; have a spare (if economical) and/or make sure it is charged in advance.

Photos: Instagram

• Good descriptions
• Lots of hashtags
• Settings to share on other social media like FB and Twitter

Photos: Facebook

• Don't tag people who are not in photos. Pet peeve of many; good way to get defriended.
• Respect it when people don't want to be tagged. Easier now that people can remove tags themselves.

Photos: Flickr

• Same as the above with regard to descriptions, keywords, sharing, adding people (the equivalent of tagging).

Writing/Blogging

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• Keywords
• Have someone else edit your work
• Fact check
• Share links to your work on social media

Raise My Voice Becomes Radical Citizen Media

In September of 2005 I attended a peace march. I brought a camera and took pictures. I posted those pictures online. This behaviour became a habit.

People looked at the photos. They looked a lot. So much, in fact, that the server I posted them on, crashed.

As a result, I purchased a domain and hosting plan. The website was called RaiseMyVoice.com and became a portal to the photos and videos I shot at rallies and events concerning human rights, social justice, the environment, women's issues, poverty, and a host of other topics, mostly from progressive and left of centre viewpoints.

After a while, the website became one of the largest historical archives of citizen engagement in Edmonton at such events. RaiseMyVoice.com needed to be updated more and more frequently, and required more categories, better organization, and a cleaner look.

This week, RaiseMyVoice.com got the overhaul it needed. It was such an overhaul that I decided to change the website entirely.

With the new look comes a new name: Radical Citizen Media.

There are more events organized by subject matter than ever. More categories. The videos are easier to find. Photo sets lost and broken have been found and fixed. The design is cleaner, navigation is easier, and updates now include embedded photos and videos.

I have been called Edmonton's Indymedia because of my commitment to documenting progressive and left-wing citizen engagement in Edmonton. That commitment is going to be met even better moving forward. Radical Citizen Media is now both a serious part of Edmonton's media scene and valuable historical archive.

Orchids: Mystery & Romance

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.

Homefest 2010

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.

Norman Finkelstein Speaks in Edmonton

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:

Current Photo Exhibits

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.

Photo Walking

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.

Whyte Avenue Art Walk

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

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.

Spread The Words

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

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

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

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.

Expressions of Hunger

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

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

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.

A Weekend of Giving: Shine Youth Clinic & Homeless Connect

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

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.

MEC Protest/More Music/Muttart

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.

Family Day Photos

February 15 was Family Day, a civic holiday here in Edmonton, which made for a long weekend. On Family Day I headed to two events - the Global Village at Churchill Square (a presentation of the Winter Light Festival folks) and the annual skating party at McCauley Rink.

The day before was Valentine's Day, but for people who use a Lunar calendar, it was the start of the New Year. Here are some photos from the celebrations in Chinatown, as well as a short video. 97 Street was totally shut down for most of the afternoon, so that the lion dancers could make their way to all of the businesses, bringing blessings for the new year.