401 Main Street Vancouver Canada V6A 2T7 (604} 665-2289

BEING ALIVE CANNOT, MUST NOT BE MERELY SURVIVING

The Carnegie Newsletter has been published twice a month (with rare exceptions) 23 times a year since August 15, 1986. Its little sister publication, Help in the Downtown Eastside, has come out twice a year since 1991, with money to pay for printing that raised separately every year for those 21 years.

The Newsletter started with 12 pages in 60 copies, the first issue being run off on an old photocopier at Carnegie Community Centre in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. It had been typed up and laid out in a basement storage room, converted to an 'office.' The seed - a kernel of an idea- had been planted, small yet untested against the storms of the time . The years between then and now have seen the

Newsletter grow to 1200 copies per issue, and into a 16-28 page forum for our voices on matters of poverty, housing & homelessness, violence against women and the obscenity of over 125 women both missing & murdered in 15 years, the drug trade and the Four Pillars, the survival sex trade, !tee trade, development & gentrification, the marginalisation/ stereoty­ping of low-income residents, community events, cultural festivals, art, sports and other aspects of living in and among this stuff.

Everything except the actual printing - wri­ting articles, poetry, locally created graphic art, input, editing, layout, collation/stapling/folding and distribution is and has always been done by people volunteering. The money to pay for printing the Newsletter

has come mostly from funds raised through gaming- the licence the Carnegie Community Centre Association (CCCA) has to benefit from Bingo revenues and, for the last decade or so, casino revenues for charities. 4

Since the backers of Gordon Campbell got him into government, they have had their eyes and greed on the enormous amount of money to be made thru gambling They- the Fraser Institute et at - told him to instruct his government to start laying claim to the 40% of gaming revenues that was then legally the charities.

Restructuring of the Gaming Commission (GC) has been ongoing for over a decade, with each change in favour of limiting the amounts of money that go to the charity and increasing what the government just keeps

All organisations with licences have to be more specific in exactly what their money will be used for and submit applications meeting everchanging criteria - rules & regulations narrowing eligibility to the point that many programs & funded services are axed. It seems that not a few of the things cut have political overtones [or maybe i'm just being paranoid!].

For over two decades the Carnegie Newsletter has 'qualified' for gaming funds. This time someone or something somewhere in the bowels of the GC caused the CCCA's application for funding the Newsletter to be rejec~ed. Awareness of the current methods analysts at the GC use makes the reasoning suspect. The total amount approved for 2012 was $4000 less than the $60,285 received in 20 II but a) some genius knowing next to nothing about Carnegie increased funds for two programs and decided that two other programs were not structured to fit in some mental box; or b) someone whispering in the ear of said genius could fulfil what many ofthe greedy & sleazy have dreamed of- finally starving "that@#$% rag!"- by just overlooking it while redesigning our services. Ok- the CCCA is sending a letter making a benign

but (hopefully) convincing argument that we are here & know perhaps better than Your gracious bureaucrat how best to allocate funds for here. On the plus side it may just be a matter of providing details on the function and purpose of our paper; on the negative side it will only be a further delay until 'someone or something somewhere' gets blunt (at least honest) and says Hell will freeze over first! Either way it will take a few months to get our request for just letting us distribute the money received as it should be through whatever processes are there. In the meantime and retroactive to January 1, 2012 gaming funds cannot be spent on the Carnegie Newsletter.

What to do? Research for grants and funds available for alternative

media; inform friends and colleagues and ask anyone with a mind to to write letters of support for the Newsletter and send them to us at 401 Main, V6A2T7

The cost of producing the paper is about $1000 per month, give or take a hundred. Any donations, large or small, will help; each is tax-deductible and can be acknowledged in print, if there are no objections. Make cheques or money orders payable to The Ca roegie Newsletter.

Right now, with the March 1 '1 edition and a planned­for April 151 edition, the CCCA Board decided to go ahead even though there is no extra money .. to rely on our community to keep the paper afloat while all of us seek viable options for sufficient, annual funding.

This is just the beginning. Respectfully submitted,

PauiR Taylor, volunteer editor since '86

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Onward Carnegie Newsletter! By Rolf Auer

The Carnegie Newsletter is in danger of losing its funding. If it happens, then this very necessary, long­lived, extremely valuable resource will be forever lost to the vibrant Downtown Eastside community.

The late poet, writer, social justice fighter, and frequent Newsletter contributor Sandy Cameron- a de facto Poet Laureate of the Downtown Eastside­wrote a long, beautiful poem about the Downtown Eastside in one of his poetry books, B eing True To Ourselves, titled "One Hundred Years of Struggle." It opens with a quotation by famous social justice activist Bruce Eriksen: "We need to educate the people about their rights and how to fight for them." This idea is emphasized in the first line:

"The history of the Downtown Eastside

is a history of the struggle

for human rights." Those are purposes of The Newsletter: to inform

people of their rights, and to tell how to achieve them. The notable, well-known conclusion of Sandy's poem:

"Memory is the mother of community." Again, another purpose of The Newsletter: to keep

alive essential, important memories of the Downtown Eastside community: essential and important because these memories help the DTES preserve its identity (perhaps its most important function).

Is The Newsletter dangerous? By way of reply, here 's a quotation from Voltaire's Bastards, p.8, one of Canadian philosopher John Ralston Saul's books: "When we look around at the influence and strength of money, of armies, of legal officials, or indeed at the ease with which writers are silenced through censorship, violence and imprisonment, it seems that the word is a fragile blossom. But one step back

from this imme~iacy ~s enough to reveal the power ~ language. Nothmg fnghtens those in authority so ':/ much as criticism .... Language - not money or force - ~r~vides legitimacy. So long as military, political, rehg1ous or financial systems don 't control language the public's imagination can move freely about with ' its own ideas. Uncontrolled words are consistently more dangerous to established authority than armed forces."

The Newsletter is nothing if not a bastion of criti­cism .. Lifeti~e _volunteer. editor PauiR Taylor's many scathmg edttonals are-m themselves-evidence of that. Many others have likewise contributed.

So, for those considering the kismet of The Carnegie Newsletter, here are a couple of relevant quotations:

From Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice: "The quality of mercy is not strained

It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven ... It is enthroned in the hearts of kings

It is an attribute to God himself."

You who can affect the fate of The Newsletter: Please remember that when you determine the future of The Carnegie Newsletter, you affect the future of the Downtown Eastside community. be merciful.

Calling All Artists Writers, social activists, Concerned Persons

The Carnegie Newsletter is facing EXTINCTION. It will be closing unless we come up with some money to pay for printing in perpetuity. [When this letter was received] Money before March I 2 will be needed to pay for publication of the mid-month edi­tion. (DEADLINE = FLATLINE)

Our Newsletter has been the voice and conscience of Vancouver and beyond since 1986. It a lso has provided an encouragement and outlet for many ~u~ding talents - both graphic and literary. (Adver­tlsmg too!) Through many climates and pol itical tides the Newsletter has steered an even course by keeping us informed and aware.

Let us get together to support an institution that benefits the neighbourhood, the city and humanity in general.

Please get in touch w ith our editor, Paul Taylor, for further information. Call 604-665-2289 or email carnnews@shaw.ca Thanks

Wilhelmina Miles

how they do us

I was a director on the Vancouver/Richmond health board which was at the executive level run by wealthy white racist guys 'racist' because 3 First Nations' women on the board were marginalized ignored insulted and resigned

anyway the Downtown Eastside was in flames with epidemics among impoverished drug users who had the highest rate of hiv infections in the western world and more health money had been spent dealing with a dozen bee sting reactions on the USC campus than on the vast misery and deaths of the epidemics

then I attended a meeting with the top health officials from across the province and the money guy for the health board drew a pyramid on a blackboard depicting the rising hiv rate and the point at which 'saturation' would be reached and then the rate of new hiv infections would naturally decrease (until it would sometime later rise again)

but at the point of saturation with fewer new infections the health board could say it successfully reduced hiv without the board having to do anything or spend any more money on the hiv epidemic

actually "pandemic' which means out of control with no end in sight

I EXPLODED OUT OF MY CHAIR and ripped into that bureaucratic deception for what it was - a form of genocide

"genocide" was coined and defined by Rafael Lempkin who declared genocide wasn't the number of people killed but any group targeted for destruction like vulnerable drug users in the Downtown Eastside

eventually I was able against board executive pressure and more skullduggery to have a motion passed declaring Vancouve~s First Public Health Emergency which forced money loose for several initiatives but this is merely one example of how THEY do us

Bud Osborn

ope_oSf!.. Batt c~. -~ ·1

Where do I start? I · l ~ -Gutting Environment Canada and planning "sys­tem-wide legislative changes" to ensure pesky envi­ronmental regulations don 't get in the way of oi l, gas and mining projects, like the proposed Northern Gateway Pipeline - not to mention pulling Canada out of the Kyoto Protocol; -Slashing provincial health care transfer payments that wi ll see the federal portion of health funding reduced to record lows - setting the stage for the end of universal public health care; -Pursuing the Canada-EU trade deal that threatens to sacrifice Canadian jobs, further privatize our health care and public water systems, and even block Ca­nadian communities from enacting progressive "buy local" policies; -Attacking seniors with plans to increase the age of eligibility for Old Age Security- cutting back our public pensions and the essential foundation for re­tirement security; -Negotiating away the privacy and civil liberties of Canadians under a Security Perimeter deal with the United States that they refuse to make public; -Launching an austerity plan that will devastate the public sector and our public services while continu­ing to s lash corporate taxes and plough money into prisons we don ' t need, fighter jets we don't want. ..

Stephen Harper's government is steering Canada in the exact opposite direction most Canadians want and your voice is needed now more than ever.

We must come together as c ivil society to stop the destructive Harper agenda, reclaim our democratic rights and start rebuilding the better Canada we know is possible.

Maude Barlow, volunteer director Council of Canadians.

~tnetnbering "RiCKY

you were a powerful man a gentle man

in a world of competition you gave hope and humour your music struck deep your friendship touched my heart

Thank you. God bless you.

/rmiJ.~ ~1$' Chalk Pastels by Stephen Belkin

Month of March in the Art Gallery 3rd floor, Carnegie Centre

News From -the LibrarY VPL welcomes your ideas and your participation in

our Free-for-all series. We have developed a Con­versation Kit, packed with fun activities to get your creativity flowing. The Kit also contains interesting facts about the future of public libraries. Come into the Library and ask a staff member for a kit, fill it out and enter to win one of three prizes:

1. An exclusive guided tour of the Central Library green roof.

2. An IPOD nano 3. A bag of new books

New Books Can med itation heal the body as well as the mind?

For a fascinating discussion on the effects of medita­tion read The Mind's Own Physician: A Scientific Dialogue witlt tlte Dalai Lama on the Healing Power of Meditation, edited by Jon Kabat-Zinn and Richard Davidson. By inviting the Dalai Lama and leading researchers in medicine, psychology, and neuroscience to join in conversation, the Mind & Life Institute set the stage for a fascinating explora­tion of the healing potential of the human mind. This book presents a discussion addressing a range of vital questions concerning the science and clinical appl ications of meditation: How do meditative prac­tices influence pain and human suffering? What role does the bra in play in emotional well-being and health? To what extent can our minds actually influ­ence physical disease'? This book presents intrigu­ing research findings that shed light on the nature of

the mind, its capacity to refine itself through train- C ing, and its role in physical and emotional health. . )

Just as a photographer might shoot a photo through a coloured lens, Wendy Williamson skillfully holds up the filter of mania and depression for her reader to peer through in her memoir, I'm Not Crazy Just Bipolar. With heart-wrenching honesty and humour, she shows the effects of bipolar disorder on the mind body and soul of those who suffer from it. Despite Wendy's struggles, this is a not a book that brings the reader down, rather a road map for wellness and a vastly informative, yet entertaining, guided tour of bipolar disorder for those who don't understand it. With her perceptive self-awareness, the author is equa l parts comedienne and educator, and she tells the unbelievable highs and lows of her story with a c lear, grounded candour. Take the guesswork out of strength training and

understand the details of proper exercise technique, weight loads, and reps. The no-nonsense approach of Weight Training: Steps to Success by Thomas R. Baechle and Roger W. Earle has guided more than 200,000 readers to their strength training goals and it will do the same for you. Combining the experience of strength & conditioning experts Thomas Baechle and Roger Earle, this guide will max imize your de­velopment with a progressive approach to weight training using either free weights or machines. Learn which exercises target which muscles and how to perform each one correctly and safely.

Here's an innovative book for apartment dwellers and anyone who wants to grow food in small spaces, Vertical Vegetables and Fruit: Creative Gardening Teclmiquesfor Growing Up in Small Spaces by Rhonda Massingham Hart shows how easy and fun small-footprint food gardening can be. Low mainte­nance and big harvests are just two of the benefits of

using trellises, cages, hanging baskets, wall pockets, stacking pots, and multilevel raised beds to grow vegetables and fruit. Whether your soon-to-be gar­den is an alley, a balcony, a rooftop, or just a win­dowsill, master gardener Hart provides expert advic~ for construct ing the s ite, preparing the soi l, and planting and caring for vegetables and fruits to pro­duce a hearty harvest. From beans on a tepee to to­matoes on a wire archway, melons on a slanted fence to cucumbers on a trellis, kiwis on a c lothes­line to strawberries in a pot, there are simple grow­ing guidelines here to fit every gardener's favourite tastes and site.

Megan, your librarian.

5NOW WHIIT - M~ FaueN ANSeL l spot her in the near distance, seemingly extremely dazed and spaced out. My heart stops, skips a beat. I'm not sure why at first, then l am: I'm her keeper at the moment as part of the universal family. She is a shadow in the dull autumn twilit fog, desperate, dis­traught, wearing only a threadbare summer skirt, high heels, shouldering a small purse. I wrongly as­sume (maybe) that her entire worldly belongings are there; that this is how she travels, carries out busi­ness transactions and/or connections ... all vain as­sumptions as she staggers by me, invisible.

I catch her body trans lucent by the elbow as she stumbles towards a fall - she simply says thanks for caring enough, acknowledging I exist. But that's all as she stumbles, on her way to who knows where .. she was once a fair maiden, as I paint pictures in my dreamy state of mind. She desires no pity, I sense serenely (as ifl could actually read her thoughts) as ifthere were an ancient and eternal between her and I. I do not want to pry so I say no more, 'cause she's been around and knows the score. I feel that her heart is as torn as mine yet can't help but think that way down deep she is pure and divine.

I fall in love with this majestic idea, maybe because stops me from crying tears of helplessness knowing not exactly what to do to assist her as she wanders away. In the next instant she trips into yet another precarious stumble - shakingly unsteadily regaining a modicum of balance with sheer will power. Very impressive - this fallen angel's got spunk; she' ll survive her horrendous nightmares and current situa­tion some way, somehow. She turns around s lowly with squinting violet eyes gazing for me until our eyes meet, then lock for what seems like an eternity! We wave at each other, simultaneously realis ing that it's not goodbye- we'll see each other sometime soon, somewhere down the road; truth be to ld we are young or old eternity never ends (kindred spirits) ... .

Before she turns around to go on her way a grin on her lips transforms immediately nto a beaming smile then tumbles to the gritty ground. She takes the time to fire up a battered beat-up cigarette butt, angelic facia l features all aglow. I thought to myself, this is a young lady I wi ll forever want to know.

ROBYN LIVINGSTONE.

How Come?

In this topsy turvy time topsy turvy town and all the shit go in down I wanna know how come? how come we gotta live in fear? how come they give needles to the hypes give the material for smokin' crack with those pipes call it harm reduction- say what? poor little addicts, remember to pity them as they stomp and stab you for your cheque how come us old dudes ain't got the same rights

too o ld to fight so how 'bout a Taser for everyone over 45 maybe if we stay alive make it to 50 or 65 what is all this jive? I feel so sorry for those unfortunates feel like the O mega Man ol' Charlie Heston had it right shoot them muthafuckas down when they hass le you at night

Carey Whitbrich

sweet soul Music Ya, I listen to music, allatime music just wish young men today lissen to Mavis Staples and Ray Charles before they go off being ludicrous say what about li ttle Stevie Wonder and Otis Redding and Marvin Gaye

was a time it was love music nothin ' 'bout guns and bitches back then there was men didn ' t need to pull up their britches

now it ain't right ifthe music's tight don't matter if it's black or white you gotta dance to it make love to it groove it, move it, shake it 'til you break it

Now you can have your killaz don't g ive me as much thrill as Smokey s inging Tears of a Clown that's what brings it a ll down

Go 'head, play what you play I play what I heard on a better day and no way I'll pretend - - -I'll be playin' Sweet Soul Music

'til the very end

A I

Carnegie Community Action Project (CCAP)

Newsletter Read CCAP re orts: http://cca vancouver.wordpress.com

Can residents make a plan for the DTES without a hold on condos?

CCAP says no.

Read on to learn more about this important negotiation happening right now and watch for posters about upcoming city council meeting! We need your help!

As you probably know, a DTES local area planning committee is working "in partnership" with city planners to create a plan for the area. This committee has 30 seats and meetings started in February 2011 (See table of LAPP Committee members).

The first task of LAPP committee members is to edit a draft workplan that will go to council, possibly at the end of March. That workplan will include an interim rezoning policy and the LAPP committee is drafting this with the city staff right now. Will the policy be strong enough to hold back the avalanche of new upscale

restaurants, slow speculation, rent increases and displacement during the planning period? We won't know for a few weeks. Please watch for posters and flyers as we all may need to go to city council about this soon. If we don't show up in force for this last big stand for low­income people, the DTES could be unrecognizable soon with working class residents, services and all the good things about our community wiped out by rapid development.

CCAP will be pushing city hall to create a policy that does these 6 things:

1) Stop all rezonings. This includes the new condo towers

1

proposed at955 E Hastings (near Raycam) and 611 Main

Sequal 138 (Pan:ta:":g~e~s ~~:=::J Street (in Chinatown). Even if these projects have 20% social housing or affordaBULL housing in them, they still cause displacement.

2) Do everything possible to stop new condo projects during the LAPP. This includes condos at Pantages/Sequel 138 (near Carnegie). Even if these projects have 20% social housing in them, they still cause displacement.

3) Stop selling city property in the DTES. These properties can be used for social housing instead.

4) Stop giving businesses incentives like tax holidays, fa~ade grants and liquor licences because this encourages high scale businesses that exclude low-2

income residents to move in and makes it easier to sell condos.

5) Calculate the rate of change based on what people on welfare rate singles housing. This means

that all new low­income housing to replace the hotels should be at rates that traditional DTES residents can afford, i.e. do not count the $738/month new housing at Remand Centre as new social housing to replace the hotels.

6) Preserve industrial land for working class jobs. - WP

For more information call us at 604-839-0379

Market housing sur9ing ahead of social housing for s1ngles In 2005 the Downtown Eastside Hous­ing Plan said that privately owned housing like condos should be built in the DTES at about the same rate as social housing. City Council adopted this plan as official policy. The Carn­egie Community Action Project has just done a study of what has actually been built in the Downtown Eastside since 2005, and what is planned. If you look at the rate of change between 2005

and 2015, it is about 3 privately owned units for every one social housing unit for single people.

Projected rate of change if things are allowed to continue as-is: 24 to 1

Development Sequel Remand [moutu 121/125/147/138 Main 1424/54 W. Pender ~11 Main 955 E. Hastings ~8 W. Hastings rroTALS

!Non-welfare hsg: INon-LIC to LIC dev:

M k SH> SHat ar etwelfarewelfare

79 10 8 [71 ~4

12 73 53 100 146 t26 ~82 35 160 ~40 195 ~4

1035 124 to 1

If you lookjust at what is planned that will probably be open for residents af­ter 2014, the ratio is an astounding 24

to 1! Clearly the Downtown Eastside Housing Plan is not being implement­ed! CCAP wants the city to stop market housing until new self contained social housing to replace hotel SROs is avail­able for people on welfare, disability and basic pension incomes. If this doesn't happen more and more SRO residents will be displaced from their neighbourhood by high rents and closures. ~ JS

24:--a) non-low-income condos I apartments for every

1 welfare-rate social housing unit

-community - destruction

3

Woodward's area ripple effects - Low-income friendly space - "Zone of Exclusion", low-income people

not welcome culturally or financially Light industrial/ manufacturing I parking

lots & some class-neutral stores - Social housing -Closed, vacant , abandoned

123 Main $492K 138 Main $405K 147 Main $458K 205 Main $1 .05M 21 1 Main $906K 227 Main $454K 243 Main $1.04M 307 Main $471K 325 Main $455K 327 Main $1.38M

SRC 0 $~ • L<

$3

Lc 0\

Projected ripple condo developmen

75/mth or less

west rent is blw 75 & $425

west rent is er $425

Condo project proposed or under construction

tho Carn"!}ie Community Action Project 20 t1 Hotel Survey, "Upscale"

Anticipated effects of condo development based on the Woodward's example & early signs

Retail, restaurant, boutique, gallery that excludes low-income people

For a colour version of this map check out the "reports" section -='-'----of the CCAP website: http:/ jccapvancovuer.wordpress.com

Save On Meets Opposition DOWNTOWN EASTSIDE- Members of the DTES Not For Developers Coalition have raked a local restaurateur over the coals. Mark Brand, owner of several upscale venues including Save On Meats, showed up at a Coalition planning session at Carnegie Community Centre today. Brand stars in an Oprah Network 'reality TV' show entitled Gastown Gamble about his purchase and reopening of Save on Meats in the 'gritty' Downtown Eastside. In a promo for the show, Brand refers to the neighbourhood as "infamous" and calls his latest project "a business that encompasses real social values." He adds that "Maybe we're fuckin 'nuts, but we want Save On to be the place where everyone can eat, work and shop together." Members of the DTES Power of Women group and others in the crowd took exception to the claim, citing several experiences of rude treatment of low­income people at the hands of Brand 's staff. One audience member said low­income people feel villified and "treated like a piece of meat." Many called on Brand to lower his prices if he really wants to be accessible. The audience of about 100 cited ongoing problems created by the invasion of condos and high-end businesses including feeling singled out, disrespected and humiliated in

6

Anti-gentrification campaign mtg (VMC pic)

high-end stores, while older more affordable stores are being driven out by development and high rents. Quotes collected during the meeting by Raise the Rates' Jean Swanson include: "The DTES women's centre is completely surrounded by a doggy spa, art gallery and two fancy coffee shops." "Who can afford $45 entres?" "I went into a restaurant and the clerk came up to me and said there's a minimum charge." "I went into a place with my daughter and they made me feel like a piece of shit." "I'll be damned if I'm going to let a small business come into my community and tell me, 'you don't belong here."' "I don't feel comfortable going into a restaurant where I'm going to be scrutinzed and looked down on; it's because the people who work there don't live here." "I have to find a place where four litres of milk doesn't cost $7." -MB (VMC)

"Welfare Challenge" group challenges BC to match Alberta's disability rates

Raise the Rates, the BC coalition that challenged MLAs to live on the welfare rate of $610 a month issued a new chal­lenge today:

"We challenge the BC government to immediately raise disability rates to the Alberta level of $1588 per month," said Andrina Perry of Raise the Rates. "There is no reason for BC residents who have a disability to have their health is­sues compounded by trying to live on the mere $906 that they get in BC."

Raise the Rates wants the BC gov­ernment to increase all income as­sistance benefits, including those for single parents and single people, to levels that are adequate to live on.

"People with disabilities in BC are liv­·ing in poverty," said Robin Loxton of the BC Coalition of People with Disabil­ities. "We call on the BC government to

Contacts:

Raise the Rates:

immediately increase BC's disability rates."

"If BC copied the Alberta increase it means people with disabilities like me could go to the com­munity fitness gym for physiotherapy without taking the money out of our food budgets," said Brenn Kapitan. "It would mean I could get a massage for my inflamed joints, have a longer life expec­tancy and reduce my risk of cancer."

Alberta also increased the amount of earn­ings that people with a disability can keep from $400 a month to $8oo.

Jean Swanson, 604 729 2380

Bill Hopwood, 778 686-5293 (cell), 604 738-1653 '

7

CCAP Town Hall

CAN THE LOCAL AREA PLANNING PROCESS

STOP COND Friday, March 23 1 :00-2:30 PM Carnegie The~17.1r.~

n g

The DTES Local area planning process underway. City council will decide on an interim rezoning policy during the process. Can we push them to stop condos to stop the displacement of working class residents, stores and community?

Info: Wendy 604-839-0379 Info: https:/ /sites.google.comjsitejdteslapp/

Some websites to look at http://ccapvancouver.wordpress.com/ Virtually everything we're up to at CCAP gets posted on this blog. Click on the reports tab to read CCAP's reports, including the new 2011 report on SRO hotels

http://mlaonwelfare.com/ Website for the Raise the Rates welfare challenge. Check out updates on the challenge to do-what-Alberta-did!

http://dnchome.wordpress.com/ See the DNC website for updates on condo developments proposed for the DTES, and on the fight against gentrification and for housing and social justice

8

· Vancity vanC/Juver foundation

Support for this project does not necessarily imply Vancity or Vancouver Foundation's endorsement of the findings or contents of this newsletter

the goal of life is to be able to care to keep faith in ourselves and each other to trust and carry on as if we

weren't killing each other or making impossible demands imposing

/woMAN WORK restrictions on our inte lligence and , · • I've got the chi ldren to tend

integrity hampering our ability to live The meaning of life • The clothes to mend healthy and creative lives is obscured by advertising • The floor to mop

we take for granted the paving over of we may not be convinced ~ The food to shop the sacred earth trampled under of the supremacy of a product l Then the chicken to fry

the heavy wheels of transportation but if we watch television or We The baby to dry as we rush BACK read a newspaper or go o ut l got company to feed

home for replenishment and FORTH into the street things shout.at us ~he garden to weed to meet the world even as to be purchased and we are JUdged . 've got the shirts to press the world rushes forward by the ir quality and our taste and by the SIZe he tots to dress

to greet us offering choices of our bank accounts or that dwindle as we give up parts of our anatomy or our haircut

trying to surpass our daily limit and where we vacation and who god in all its forms and the manifestation we know that is powerful or famous

passes through us we strive to become ourselves we can fight it or allow ourselves powerful and famous

to be changed handing ourselves over and when we do to the requirements of the moment we find that meaning is not the re

clinging not to the limitati~ns of in the illusions of grandeur that convenience or conventiOn ~ these words once suggested

daring to be uplifted so we come to learn Brought to us by the proud sponsors of the hollowness of advertising

western c ivilization and monopoly capitalism and the emptiness of any v.ictory addiction comes in mutating forms that involves false prom1ses

in all shapes and sizes ) especially those that we make capable of matching to ourselves assured

the pickiest of receptors that it is not us only our addictions flll in our society that is

The cane to be cut I gotta clean up this hut Then see about the sick And the cotton to pick.

Shine on me, sunshine Rain on me, rain Fall softly, dewdrops And cool my brow again.

Storm, blow me from here With your fiercest wind Let me float across the sky Till I can rest again.

Fall gently, snowflakes Cover me with white Cold icy kisses and Let me rest tonight

the vacant places where inflated w ith greed we are trapped in negativity smothering us with meaning less Sun, rain, curving sky we think it will be enough choices that lull Mount~in, oceans, leaf, and stont

to till the gaping hole ~ur fretful yearning for transcendence Star .shme, moon g low that keeps us prisoners trading our souls for You re all that I can call my own

peering out thro ugh the walls temporary pleasures .. giv ing us I've got to open the shop of the barricades we have constructed our flimsy mix and match identities ~Harvest the crop

we tak~ w~at we think we ~eed Delanye Clean out the poo l nothmg 1s enough to retam Visit the jail

the original pleasure and there is Get to the school more pain than p leasure Teach all the classes

the world is crowded with seekers Pick up the mail falling off the edges there is not Lost and Found Raise food for the masses

much room for expanding outward 1 found a title that was lost. I've got children to tend wise ones turn their focus Th. · 1 h d. The clothes to mend IS t1t e was ere 1tary inward s releasing the need 1 lost it to the Dominion. for ritual actions and habits

and substances that alter the mind Neil Benson

to let in more light

I got to I got to I got to

Maya Angelou

My Memory of Chinese New Year in Hong Kong

I would like to share with you my memory of the Chinese New Year in Hong Kong. We had a big celebration- all schools and businesses were closed for one week. My father had a printing business and I liked to see him off work. One of the traditions of Chinese New Year was to

clean our house so we could start fresh in the new year. My mother did not want us to sweep the floor on the first day of the New Year because of the su­perstitious belief that this would sweep away the fortune. Every year, my father purchased some new plants believing that this would bring luck to our famj ly . My mother would make taro cake, white carrot cake, and water chestnut cake, in the hope that her children would grow tall and healthy like the rising of a cake. Candies and nuts were placed in every household.

My parents insisted that we eat together at supper on New Year's Eve with the superstitious beliefthat the eight of us would get a long well in the new year We were all given new clothes & new shoes for the New Year. My uncles and aunts came to our house on New Year's Day and, in return, we visited their houses the next day. Greetings like "Kung Hey Fat Choy" "Good Health," "Good Wishes" were ex­changed, and red packets were given to the children.

I liked Chinese New Year when I was in Hong Kong. I liked the food, I liked the greetings, I liked watching how relaxed people were during the holi­day season. The part that I disliked was when my parents, uncles and aunts discussed who was the smartest among our eight siblings. I felt anxious at that time; l was too young to understand that each individual is unique -we all have different talents. As mentioned earl ier, there was the superstitious

belief that a family would get along well if they ate together on New Year's Eve. Now we know that just eating together on New Year's Eve cannot guarantee a communicative family. Accepting ourselves and each other will make for better relationships. We do not need to take our differences so seriously; maybe a humourous approach can lessen disagreements.

I look forward to a healthy and successful relation­ship with my family in the Year of the Dragon.

Debbie Woon Lee

Are you sick and tired of the brutality the Enforce­ment Beat deals out on DTES residents? Come join

Vancouver Cop Watch. Everyday we walk the streets of the DTES, monitor­ing & recording the behaviours of the Downtown Eastside Enforcement Beat. Why should a community have to protect itself from the very Police sworn to protect the poor? Come to our Police Committee meeting every Friday evening

Call: 604-215-0026 Email: vancouvercopwatch@yahoo.ca

Letter-writing Workshops in support of the Carnegie Newsletter

Sunday, March 11, from II :30 a.m. to I :00 p.m. Saturday, March 17 from I 0:00 to II :30 a.m. Wednesday, March 28 from 6:30 to 8:00p.m.

All three workshops will be held in the Art Gallery on the third floor. Paper will be supplied, and pens will be available to borrow during the workshops.

Anatomy of selfishness 7.1 billion and more went out on a date, they screwed around a little and suddenly are eight, Tiger Arnold and Clinton can sure reel in their line, how that little 8 is now a bigger nine, all the things they taught you like how and who and when, a celebra­tion of sheer ignorance brings us up to ten, that en-

Very sad

in my little outside a lcove directly across the street from an entire ly upscale condo i hear and see many ignorant and degrading things from the anti-social mixers invading and occupying our downtown eastside community

like the other night an o lder man in rough thick clothes slowly moved a loaded shopping cart in front of the condo then he returned down the street to move his other 2 carts but when he was gone young anti-social mixers appeared and saw the 'abandoned' cart which they pawed through giggling and laughing at the contents tossing items and one said, " look at this!" and another pocketed someth ing then they continued their merry way

towards gassed town

finally the older man laboriously pushed his other 2 full carts behind the first one looked inside at the chaotic condit ion of his possessions saw what was missing stood up straight stared down the street in the opposite direction from the giddy

upscaled stared a long stunned time beside his violated home and

it was a very sad and shameful event

Bud Osborn

tertainment abuser Chns tlrown wno nas sworn w never hit a lady under 7, a round of drinks for those who let their attorneys speak and now we hit ELEVEN, this world of scum like killer PIG Monty ROBINSON who guzzles booze after another acci­dental killing-he only killed a couple of people he just can't help himself, then you get other cops copulating on the job well we just hit TWELVE, I once knew this hooker who was 12 years old how sad these things that have been, very next year she pumped out a child of her own and are now at THIRTEEN, how some people prefer heroin and Demerol Barbituates and morphine, those that can't rise to the occasion hey the selfishness will take con­trol ofthe situation as this world hit FOURTEEN, like Dorian Grey on Steroids men like to do the lift­ing, a once marvelous City has turned ugly and small yet no one has called to tell you we just past FIFTEEN, are you feeling the heat from the man above you exhaling to the beat starting to get a little crowded these are the problems the next ice-age will be fixing, I can't wear this painted on smile when I feel like vomiting by the way we just sailed into SIXTEEN, take your 2.3 days and your multiple chi ldren and don ' t forget that family image which to you means everything , this little island earth is be­ing torn apart for whatever it's worth the tally a mere formality we just hit SEVENTEEN, hoe many time have I told you to expect delays because delays don't like to be waiting, being unfortunate is the new IN yet being worth your weight in hate is worth a grin by the way were now at EIGHTEEN numbers and letters being combined at least that's what someone who is no-one a very infamous person whose name is ALFRED EINSTEEN, now see the hell you have done surrounded by underarms and breath that could prove to be the antitoxin for what you wi ll become, meanwhile we've just hit NINE­TEEN, even selfish-ness didn 't expect this much hell take a peek at reality you goddamn freak just how many make plenty? As I give DIAL-A -GUN a ring now I brought in none yet I am still a part of this thing maybe something I could have done this little horror story soon to be over little planet earth just hit the ANTI-JACKPOT yes you have hit TWENTY, I use to love numbers but the SELF­ISHNESS is even destroy my little bits of joy for division subtraction multiplication but no addition not ever again and miss progress and all the selfish­ness all of everything there is will never make us friends .... the end.

To Paul Taylor from Robert McGillivray

THE WRITER'S STUDIO: SFU AND THE CARNEGIE CENTRE MANUSCRIPT COACHING PROJECT for DTES WRITERS

Do you have a manuscript of at least 20 pages you are working on? Would you like to consult with an established local writer on ways to improve it?

Maybe you work in spoken word and are ready to prepare to make a cd?

Your manuscript can include poems and stories, fiction and non-fiction as long as the stories and poems relate in s ubject matter, place, or some other way to each other. Long works, or shorter works are both good. You need to be able to type your work, both to submit it and for any changes or new work that you submit to your Coach. You need to be free to consult with Coaches between mid-March and end of June to be eligible for this project.

DEADLINE TO APPLY IS: MARCH 16, 2012 BY 4 P.M

Your Coaches: Fiona Lam Joanne Amott Charles Demers HOW IT WORKS: Two manuscripts will be selected for each Coach. That is, two poetry manuscripts, two fiction and two non-fiction manuscripts, six writers in total. You will have three consults per month for each of April, May and June with your Coach. The times of each consult will be agreed between you and your Coach. You will have an opportunity to share your work with the Coaches at an public event, around the end of June.

HOW TO APPLY: I. You submit 20 pages of your manuscript 2. Your manuscript must be typed, double spaced, with page numbers. No handwritten manuscripts. 3. Font or print size must be no smaller than II pt. 4. Have your name, email address and/or phone number on the first page S. Any revisions, changes, or new work developed during the session with your coach must a lso be typed 6. All work submitted must be part of one manuscript or the parts must be related to each other, in other words,

you can only include stories, poems, or a mixture of each which all have a common thread of some kind. 7. Include a short biography and a list of where you've been published (if you have been), or any writing practice

or training you might have. Publication and training are not required or necessary to apply for this project. 8. You must be available by either phone or email for your coach to communicate with you. 9. You and your coach will meet three times a month to discuss your manuscript. 10. lfyour manuscript is chosen for this project, you will be advised by the end of the first week of April.

Where to send o r drop off manuscripts: Manuscript Coaching Project

Continuing Studies,

You can email questions to: manuscript2012@gmail.com

515 West Hastings, Van 6B 5 K3 DO NOT SEND MANUSCRIPTS BY EMArL PLEASE

Just Who Are You Anyway?

What do you rely on for your happiness?

Do you make your own happiness? Or do you wait for it to come to you? Do you create your own future? Or do you rely on Tarot readings .. on fortune telling? Do you blaze your own path? Or do you follow people around you? Do you work alone? Or do you prefer to run with the crowd?

These_are not right or ~r~ng answer questions. These are questions about who are you. Knowmg who you are IS Important for making decisions in your life.

Videha

Dear friends ..... terrible news .... we just cant lose our only real free press. left a donation yesterday ... ! am really sad .. .lfthe carnegie news letter folds will the carnegie comu­nity center be vunerable to losing the free pro­grams .. .! think so. l :1 111 sure there is gonna be one big resistance .. ... .

love she ila baxter

The Great Red Spot

"The great red spot of Jupiter, a giant vortex of gas over 25,000 miles wide, has remained intact since it was first discovered 300 years ago. ... Look at the nuclear arms race as a vortex arising

out of the greed of human beings who are isolated in their separate selves and do not feel the connection to other human beings. They are also feeling a pecu­liar emptiness and become greedy or anything they can get to fill themselves.

Hence, nuclear industries profilerate. Because they provide large amounts of money, the greed is so ex­tensive that such people do not care about what might happen due to their actions."

Michael Talbot - The Holographic Universe

The C.Newsletter is an Absolute necessity for resi­dents of the DTES. lt's absurd to remove its funding The Newsletter informs us as to what is happening at Carnegie: what is coming up, what activities we can engage in, etc. It allows us to share and offer a part of ourselves to others and let people know what is going on! (The Health Warnings are great!) This action by the Gaming Commission is worse

than censorship. They are actually removing peo­ple 's right to know what is going on in our commu­nity. What's next? - to remove DTES children from schools so they can' t read?!

Shame on you G.C. - keep us ignorant so we don ' t have a voice, so the rich can keep the status quo, so we (the masses!) don't revolt.

They are attempting to bring back the dark ages, when only the privileged could have information ­what's next - gouge out our eyes? -cut off our hands? -cut out our tongues?! This is just another attempt to weaken and disem­

power the poor and destitute. Mike McNulty

A helpful hint on how to rid your room/ residence of cockroaches: With masking or duct tape, tape your place wherethe wall meets the floor. This is a roach's favourite hiding spot. Do around stairs too!

Larry Two Bears

25 the carnegie newsletter has helped save my life I fled toronto for the downtown eastside as though all the furies in my life were chasing me and I began living here in 1986 not long after Paul Taylor published the first issue and Paul was the first person I met who not only encouraged my writing but inspired and befriended me and allowed me to work on the newsletter and since I'd never known real community or home the newsletter and all the knowledgeable writers and contributors who entered the newsletter office taught me about community aboutour unique and amazing shared history of resistance our fierce committed activists the brilliant satirical and imaginative artists and the truth-talking words of our many poets and it was through this incredible activity I discovered & was welcomed into a precious community and Paul Taylor, Sandy Cameron and others 1 met possessed and exemplified the vital and wondrous qualities of our community while the newsletter has insured the communication of information so important to us all for 25 years an accomplishment of fortitude courage and dedication I can scarcely imagine Paul is and has been my friend in so many ways ever since I first entered the carnegie centre and I have been glad when Paul and Lisa attended readings I've done and performances with bands in public venues to speak of the newsletter as the most important publication I know of and Paul Taylor the most extraordinary editor and fearless defender of our community with his writing I was at my last gasp when I arrived here and the newsletter introduced me to a life & place & friends never previously conceived or believed possible

I could not be more grateful

Bud Osborn

CafilegieC NEWSLETTER ·

401 Main Street, Vancouver 604.665.2289

THIS NEWSLETTER IS A PUBLICATION OF THE CARNEGIE COMMUNITY CENTRE ASSOCIATION

Articles represent the views of individual contributors and not of the Association:

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

- Margaret Meade

WANTED We acknowledge that the Carnegie Community Centre, and

this Newsletter, are occurring on Coast Salish Territory. Artwork for the Carnegie Newsletter

*Small illustrations to accompany articles and poetry; *Cover art -Max. size: 17cm(6 ~·)widex15cm(6.)high; *Subject matter pertaining to issues relevant to the

Downtown Eastside but all work considered; *Black & White printing only; *Size restrictions apply (i.e. If your piece is too large it will be reduced and/or cropped to fit; *All artists will receive credit for their work; *Originals will be returned to the artist after being

copied for publication; *Remuneration: Carnegie Volunteer Tickets. Please make submissions to Paul Taylor, Editor.

GET CLEAN Shower Up,.at the Lord' s Rain 327 Carrall St, just off Pigeon Pari< HOT SHOWERS. (towel, ·soap, shampoo (the works) & coffee) Monday, 7-10am, (ladies only!) 7am Tuesday, Wednesday.& Saturday

FREE DENTAL HELP 45SE Hastings: Monday & Friday; 9:30-12:30

Call604-254-9900 for information. Cleaning only ~t VCC is $35; Info: 604-443-8499

FREE LE«]iAL ADVICE UBC - Law Students l egal Advice Program All cases checked with la'N}'ers; confidential Drop-in: Tuesd~ys, 7- 9pm (ends 11/22111) Jill floor Art Gallery, Carnegie Ctr, 4{)1 Main

Next Issue SUBMISSION DEADLINE: I •. -· •

THURSDAY, MARCH 29TH .. 2012 DONATIONS · _ _ _. ... •r~ - ·

Margeret 0-$40, Libby 0-$75, Jenny K-$25, Sheila 8-$100 Harold 0-$100, Leslie S-$50, Bake Sale at BC Cancer-$405 Christopher R-$150, Phoenix W-$60, Wilhelmina M· $20, Patrick F-$1 0, Anonymous $20

carnnews@shaw.ca www.camnews.org http://camegie. vcn.bc.ca/newsletter http:tlharvesters.sfu.calchodarr

Jenoy Wai Ching Kwan MLA · WORKING FOR You

1070-16.11 Corrrn;;rcial Or. VSL JY3 Phone: 604-771r-0790

WEAPONS OF MASS OESTRUCTON • AIDS

POVERTY • HOMELESSNESS

VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN • TOTALITARIAN CAPITALISM • IGNORANCE and SUSTAINED FEAR