Celebrating Social Justice on Good Friday

The Edmonton Good Friday Outdoor Way of the Cross brings together members of the Christian social justice community, with a message for everyone, regardless of faith. Once again, this year's event had to be done in video form because of the pandemic, and once again I was happy to help with directing, filming, and editing. In the video, local leaders contribute reflections on environmental justice, homelessness, immigration and systemic racism, Indigenous issues, and more. The video will premiere on YouTube at 10 a.m. this Friday, April 2.

ANNOUNCING JEWISH EDMONTON STORIES ONLINE PROJECT

I am happy to announce that I will be working on the following project in collaboration with #YEGFilm and the cooperation of several community organizations. 

JEWISH EDMONTON STORIES ONLINE PROJECT SEEKS PARTICIPANTS

Jewish Edmonton Stories Online, a project for Jewish and non-Jewish Edmontonians alike to learn and connect with the stories and places of our community’s past, will launch in the fall of 2021. We are seeking remarkable stories and memories from interested members of Edmonton’s Jewish community that connect to a particular place in the City. Stories do not have to be submitted in a complete format. At this point, we're looking for story ideas and summaries. We will follow up with you once the stories are selected for sharing on our coming interactive storytelling website. Stories will be recorded via audio, video, and/or written transcription via an interview process.

We intend for the stories to represent diversity within the Jewish community, including, but not limited to elders, Sephardim and Mizrahim, women, LGBTQ individuals, and people with disabilities. All recording will be carried out safely with COVID-19 protocols in place. The storyteller will be paid a small honorarium. At this time when we are physically isolated due to COVID-19, it’s important to reach out in as many ways possible to connect and share our community’s knowledge, history, and experiences.

This project is being made possible with the support of the Edmonton Heritage Council, JAHSENA, WordsPicturesMusic.com, #YEGFilm, and the Jewish Federation of Edmonton. To share your story, or for more information, feel free to connect with us at stories@jewishedmontonstories.ca. Deadline for stories: March 1, 2021.

Fifteen Years of Radical Citizen Media

In September of 2005, I attended my first peace march, and afterwards launched what has become RadicalCitizenMedia.com to document progressive social movements and citizen engagement. 15 years later, it has almost 50,000 photos, 3400 videos with over 4 million views, and 4500 subscribers. And YouTube still won't monetize me, LOL! https://www.radicalcitizenmedia.com

Problematic Monuments: Educate, Don’t Celebrate

I've been investigating the Ukrainian far-right for a number of years, particularly a couple of monuments in Edmonton that pay tribute to Nazis. Here is an article I wrote for the Canadian Jewish Record about one in particular:

KIRMAN: Problematic monuments in Edmonton Force Us to Question Our Community’s Core Values

Why He Cries

I wrote this song almost 20 years ago. It’s a bit over the top, but I think it’s still relevant in light of current world events. You can give a listen here: https://paulaevekirman.bandcamp.com/track/why-he-cries

As the dawn brings a new day
Seems like no one has something good to say
Building walls around our hearts
Where’s the love when lives are torn apart?
Shouting names we can’t repeat
To those who we think are incomplete
And then somehow the truth gets masked in lies
And He watches
And we wonder why He cries

And we speak our words of hate
And we cast our cloak of fear
And we cut our hearts with pain
As our own demise draws near
And we neatly seal our fate
And no words of love we hear
And we beat and kill and maim
As He gently sheds His tears

Flip the channel to the news
It’s enough to give anyone the blues
I can’t bear to watch this pain
All this fighting just seems so insane
They say the war has to be won
But who wins when all is said and done?
Broken dreams, broken hearts, broken lives
And He watches
And we wonder why He cries

And we speak our words of hate
And we cast our cloak of fear
And we cut our hearts with pain
As our own demise draws near
And we neatly seal our fate
And no words of love we hear
And we beat and kill and maim
As He gently sheds His tears

It’s the way we choose to live
We can choose to take or choose to give
It’s what we have to demand
Come to grips with what we don’t understand
Never say it’s not their fault
They’re just acting upon what they’ve been taught
Bloody footprints on the ground and in our lives
And He watches
And we wonder why He cries

And we speak our words of hate
And we cast our cloak of fear
And we cut our hearts with pain
As our own demise draws near
And we neatly seal our fate
And no words of love we hear
And we beat and kill and maim
As He gently sheds His tears

And we rationalize our words
And we turn our heads in shame
And we think of all we’ve hurt
And we try to spread the blame
And we struggle with our deeds
And we try to hide our fear
And we’re sowing the wrong seeds
And He gently sheds his tears