ACCELERATING IMPACT

SFU’S VANCITY OFFICE OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT 2016–2017 CREATIVE ENGAGEMENT IN: CONTENTS

Message from the Director 4 ›› ARTS AND CULTURE A Year in Review 5 Capturing Our Stories 5 For a Muse of Fire 6 ›› SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE TBD Project / Living on Shared Territories 6 REDx Talks 7 Film screenings with Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers and Banchi Hanuse 7 ›› URBAN ISSUES Willie Thrasher and Linda Saddleback Film Screening and Concert 10 EMMA Talks 10 Libby Davies: Reflections on a Life in Politics 11 Truth and Reclamation: Teaching Squamish Language at SFU 11 Megaphone 12 Woodward’s Community Singers 12 WHO WE ARE Salish Singing and Drumming Workshops 13 Binners’ Project 13 Mash Up 14 SFU’s Vancity Office of Community Engagement is an educational, cultural and Project Limelight 14 community-building resource that engages the public sphere, the local community and the Downtown Eastside neighbourhood. 312 Main: Knowledge Mobilization Project 15 The Office supports creative engagement, knowledge mobilization and public By the Numbers 15 programming in the theme areas of arts and culture, social and environmental justice, and urban issues through public talks, dialogues, workshops, screenings, performances and community partnerships. SFU’s Vancity Office of Community Engagement provides community educational opportunities for local residents, access to artist talks and cultural events and builds partnerships with community organizations. The Office opened in December 2010 and engages over 9,000 people per year. Working with students, faculty and community, the Office is committed to long term relationship building and creative collaborations between the university and the community, in all its diverse formations and recognizes the arts as a catalyst in social change and transformative community engagement.

IMAGES: Sawagi Taiko drummers (cover), Barrio Flamenco open rehearsal at the InterUrban Gallery (right)

2 3 MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR

As SFU’s Vancity Office of Community of Community Engagement reaches six and a half years, our team continues to be challenged by the complex work of community and university partnerships towards a vision of systems change. Our partners have been extraordinary to work with and the co-production of programming and projects has been a collaborative exercise from the beginning. SFU was also host to C2UExpo this past year, ’s largest university-community engagement conference that had over 500 participants. SFU’s Vancity Office of Community Engagement was heavily involved in producing the Cultural and Community Mash Up, an evening of arts, culture, and community that featured many of our partners. This past year saw vital conversations and projects occur along our three theme areas of social and environmental justice, urban issues and arts and culture. Next year, we are particularly excited about the establishment of a satellite office (Knowledge Mobilization Project) in the 312 Main building. We will be part of the second floor co-working space and in preparation have had many conversations with other universities that are involved in similar projects, particularly Concordia A YEAR IN REVIEW University. We look forward to new partnerships and programming related to this project in the coming years. Highlights from SFU’s Vancity Office of Community Engagement In the Spring 2017 semester I taught a course on social justice and community and our community partners engagement in the School for Contemporary Arts. We are now exploring opportunities to develop partnerships for community-driven research. This year, we partnered with The Tyee on an extended series regarding the fentanyl overdose Capturing Our Stories crisis, written by Jackie Wong — a long-time collaborator with the office in facilitating Over the summer we partnered with SFU graduate liberal studies student Shawk our Community Journalism partnership with Megaphone magazine. We are also Alani and the S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Moving Ahead Program to deliver a series of photography producing a documentary on the overdose crisis that will be completed in Summer workshops to young Syrian children who recently arrived to as refugees. 2017 for classroom and public use. We are also partnered on programming related The goal was to create a storytelling space, to allow the children to take hold over to The Vienna Model exhibit on housing at the Museum of Vancouver. The dynamic the narratives that define them. interplay and integration between community partnerships, teaching and research is where the value of this office will be fully realized within the university and The project aimed at giving them the tools and information to explore the use community context. of imagery and artistic expression to tell the stories of their lives. The first two workshops covered some of the basics of photography, including framing, angles, What began as a one person office now has four dedicated staff. SFU students and lighting, exposure, subject, distance, and depth of field. After the second session, alumni Samaah Jaffer, Fiorella Pinillos and Melissa Roach have done extraordinary each of the students were provided with their own disposable film camera with 27 work this past year, as Lucia Pecnikova and Andrea Creamer have moved on to exposures, and had a two-week window to capture images of their lives. Thereafter, other positions and graduate schools respectively. As we continue programing and they reconvened for a session on art show curation. Capturing Our Stories: An strengthening our partnerships, we are developing plans for financial sustainability Exhibition of Syrian Children’s Photography opened at Interurban Art Gallery on for the office going forward. August 31 and was open to the public from September 1 to 10.

Am Johal Director Highlights that are accompanied by this symbol have associated videos that can be found in our Audio and Video Gallery at sfuwoodwards.ca.

IMAGE: Capturing Our Stories photography workshop

4 5 True Voice Theatre Project REDx Talks The True Voice Theatre Project’s For a Muse of Fire brought humour and heart to REDx Talks is a non-profit speaker series, curated by Cowboy Smithx alongside SFU. Staged on July 18, the story was set on the number 20 bus, inspired by lived Creative Producer Rio Mitchell, which expresses and embodies Indigenous experiences of community members of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside and a little worldviews from elders, teachers, youth and allies. Our office partnered in hosting bit of Shakespeare. The script was a collaborative effort of the cast members of the the very first REDx event in BC on November 17. The series brought an impressive community theatre group which brings together residents of the DTES, “including lineup of artists, writers, educators and entrepreneurs to the unceded territory of the those who have experienced homelessness or are currently vulnerably housed.” The Coast Salish people, including Cris Derksen, Jerilynn Webster, Carol-Ann Hilton, Dana piece — exploring diversity and community issues like homelessness — was directed Claxton, Ryan McMahon, and Tłakwasikan Khelsilem. In addition to the incredible by Luisa Jojic and produced by Creativa International. speakers, the evening featured performers, and an intertribal feast of Indigenous cuisine prepared by Chef Shane Chartrand. True Voice Theatre Project is a continuing Creativa International project that Jojic heads, facilitating free, weekly community-engaged theatre workshops for youth and adults. In 2016, SFU’s Vancity Office of Community Engagement supported a series of workshops were held at the SFU Woodward’s campus in partnership with our office. Film screenings with Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers and Banchi Hanuse TBD Project / Living on Shared Territories A series of short films by Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers The To Be Determined theatre project brought together people from the DTES and and Banchi Hanuse were screened on November SFU communities for two weeks to create a collaborative performance piece that 9. Following the screenings of Hanuse’s Cry they took to the street in early November 2016. Led by italian artists-in-residence Rock (2010), Uulx - The Scratcher (2015), and Ippolito Chiarello and Alessandra Pomarico, the group explored 2016’s DTES Heart of Tailfeathers’ Bihttoš (2014), Mavericks II, Dr. the City Festival theme, “Living On Shared Territory”, as well as what “home” meant Esther Tailfeathers: Blood Reserve (2015), to each individual. Versaearcolonion (2016), and Radio Check (2016), the filmmakers spoke about their works on a panel The TBD project was sponsored by Musagetes Foundation, Vancouver Italian Cultural moderated by Sarah Hunt. The panelists included Centre, and SFU’s Vancity Office of Community Engagement and co-presented by Dory Nason, Raymond Boisjoly, and Tarah Hogue. SFU’s School for the Contemporary Arts, Creativa International, DTES Heart of the City Festival, Super Cool Tuesdays, and Megaphone Magazine. A further theatrical collaboration between True Voice Theatre Project and SFU theatre professor Ker Wells’ third year theatre class culminated in a public performance on December 1.

IMAGES: TBD final performance (above left), Coastal Wolfpack at REDx Talks (above right), Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers (lower right)

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Willie Thrasher and Linda Saddleback Film Screening and Concert Inuk singer-songwriter Willie Thrasher and his singing partner Linda Saddleback performed to a captivated audience at SFU on November 18. The concert was preceded by the premiere screening of The Recording of Willie Thrasher, a documentary produced by the Office and directed by Adam O. Thomas. Willie Thrasher is an Inuk singer-songwriter from , . At the age of five, Thrasher was taken from his family and sent to a residential school where he was isolated from and forbidden to practice his Inuvialuit culture. In the mid-1960s, he drummed for The Cordells, one of the first rock bands. One evening, a stranger recommended that the group tap into their Aboriginal roots, instead of the charts, for inspiration. This prompted Thrasher to write songs about his life, people, and the environment — as heard on his 1981 record Spirit Child. Libby Davies: Reflections on a Life in Politics EMMA Talks Former MP Libby Davies was in conversation with Am Johal and Jackie Wong as they delved into her four decades of experience in politics. An active member in the EMMA Talks is a mini art festival and speaker series with the core purpose East Vancouver political scene since she was 19 of bringing important stories by women-identified writers, activists, thinkers, years old, Davies got her start when she became “I don’t think people realize... storytellers, makers and doers, from the periphery to the public. This includes Two- involved with the Downtown Eastside Residents how much this neighbourhood Spirit, trans and gender non-conforming folks. This year featured talks by Rebecca Association (DERA) in the early ‘70s. Over the span has permeated all political Solnit, Sarah Hunt, Maneo Mohale, Carmen Aguirre, Melanie Matining, Andrea Warner, of forty years, Davies has gone from community discussion in this city. ” Kinnie Starr, Jackie Wong and Astra Taylor. organizing in the Downtown Eastside to six terms in - Libby Davies EMMA stands for Engaging Monologues Mutual Aid. The donations collected by Parliament representing the Vancouver East riding. EMMA are divided 50/50 between the speakers’ choice of cause/project/individuals The conversation covered the practical and pragmatic realities of political and the tech and support staff. All EMMA Talks are recorded and available for compromise and the importance of staying engaged in the political process even viewing on emmatalks.org. when change seems so far away. Libby Davies talked about both maintaining idealism and taking a principled approach to politics in the face of power relations that seem to be hardwired against low-income people. She gave real world examples of community assets that were built up through years of community organizing.

Truth and Reclamation: Teaching Squamish Language at SFU The first cohort of the Squamish Language Immersion Program at SFU completed their first year this May. The founder of the program, Khelsilem, spoke on the importance of language reclamation, sharing the lessons learned from running the full-time adult immersion program, which is creating 15 new language speakers per year. The talk covered the development and implementation of the curriculum, classroom strategies, and the results of this groundbreaking program. Following the presentation, Khelsilem engaged in a conversation with artist/illustrator Julie Flett, city councillor Andrea Reimer and a student from the 2016–2017 cohort, Charlene George. The conversation was moderated by Am Johal.

IMAGES: Maneo Mohale at EMMA Talks (left) Willie Thrasher in concert (above centre), Tin Can Studio at EMMA Talks (lower centre), Jackie Wong, Libby Davies, and Am Johal (above right)

10 11 Megaphone Salish Singing and Drumming Workshops Megaphone’s seventh annual literary edition, Voices of the Street, was launched on In partnership with the SFU Office for Aboriginal Peoples, we’ve continued to host May 16 during an evening of readings and storytelling. Eight of the writers published a series of monthly Salish Singing and Drumming Workshops during the Fall and in Voices of the Street shared their heartfelt, funny, and inspiring creative works Spring semesters. The drop-in workshops are with a room full of of friends, family, and community members. Many of the readers led by composer, producer, and traditional Lil’wat “Over the years I understood were alumni of the Community Journalism 101, a course that SFU’s Vancity Office singer Russell Wallace, who teaches social songs, what it meant to share of Community Engagement offers twice a year in partnership with Megaphone. The drumming and dance. “Many of the participants knowledge and encourage five-week introduction to journalism is an inclusive opportunity open to individuals have not sang [Salish songs] before,” said Wallace, other people to sing.” who have been impacted by poverty. The Office also partnered on a panel event, “and this workshop serves as a basis to find your - Russell Wallace Changing the Story on Homelessness, on April 12 based on Megaphone’s solutions- inner singer and let them out in song with other focused series, to open up a conversation around strategies and approaches to BC’s people.” Wallace has been singing for his entire homelessness crisis. life and teaches Salish music that he learned from his mother. He explained that his mother pushed him to teach and share the songs, which she was forbidden from Woodward’s Community Singers sharing in residential school. Woodward’s Community Singers has brought together residents, students, staff, faculty, friends, and neighbours since December 2009. Every Thursday, the Sky Binners’ Project Room of the PHS Community Services Residences at the Woodward’s complex is Every year, binners in Vancouver divert millions of recyclables from entering landfills, filled with song from gospel, folk, popular, and contemporary traditions. There is and the Binner’s Project is working towards making binning more sustainable. This no cost, audition, experience, or obligation required to join. Weekly, between 25 and local social and economic initiative is dedicated to working with and for binners, to 35 individuals come together for a dose of improve their economic opportunities, reduce the stigma associated with binning, collective joy. and to support diversion of waste in Vancouver. Binners’ Project “fosters social and economic inclusion, builds community resilience and stronger networks, and Vanessa Richards founded Woodward’s engages on sustainability issues.” Their programs empower binners to work in an Community Singers in 2009 while working informal economy, while building community from the bottom up. Until recently, as SFU’s director of Community Engagement when the group outgrew the space, SFU’s Vancity Office of Community Engagement through the Arts as the university prepared to provided space for the weekly binners’ meetings. On May 23, the Office co-hosted inhabit the Woodward’s campus. Richards is a panel discussion on the work of the Binners’ Project and the future of binning in an interdisciplinary artist and facilitator with Vancouver. a foundation in music, writing, performance, and collaboration. Richards continues to be the choir’s director, while working in community- based arts and urban regeneration. She is currently working with the 312 Main Project as Director of Community Engagement. IMAGES: Jessica Hannon speaks at Changing the Story on Homelessness (above left), Vanessa Richards performing at Mash Up (lower left), Russell Wallace leading a Salish Singing and Drumming workshop (above right)

12 13 KNOWLEDGE MOBILIZATION PROJECT

312 Main This exciting social innovation and co-working space will allow the Office to expand and build on its current programming in this new space. SFU’s Knowledge Mobilization Project at 312 Main Street will build on the collaborative and inclusive vision for this building and fits very closely with our existing work at Woodward’s. We hope that a long term engagement here will also mean a larger presence for relevant SFU faculties and departments in the future as well. We will be moving some of our community programming here including Salish singing and drumming workshops along with public discussions and arts performances. Mash Up The Community and Cultural Mash Up reception was a special evening for C²UExpo participants, featuring some of SFU’s cultural and community partners. The night included creative forms of engagement by Gen Why Media, Tin Can Studio, Megaphone and Binners’ Project; performances by Culture Saves Lives, Jim Byrnes and Tonye Aganaba, Hard Rubber Orchestra, Charles Demers, Mitcholos [AKA] Łapḥsp̓at̓unakʔi Łim̓aqs†i, Woodward’s Community Singers, Sawagi Taiko and Tzo’Kam. The evening also included a PechaKucha showcase on community engagement presented by various C²UExpo delegates. BY THE NUMBERS Project Limelight EVENTS PEOPLE ENGAGED Project Limelight is a free performing arts program for young people, ages eight to fifteen, living in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, PUBLIC EVENTS Strathcona and Mount Pleasant. Their mission ON-SITE is “to inspire confidence, enthusiasm and 68 6,207 passion while creating a community of support for young people through participation in the performing arts.” SFU’s Vancity Office of COMMUNITY PARTNER Community Engagement has partnered with MEETINGS AND WORKSHOPS Project Limelight Society by supporting and 286 ON-SITE AND OFF-SITE 3,380 providing a performance venue for their annual performances for the past five years, including Wonderland (2012), There’s No Place Like Oz (2013), Mirror, Mirror (2014), The Chocolate Total engagement = 9,587 people Factory (2014), Eastside Story (2015) #Fairytale (2016), and Off the Hook (2017).

33 new video lectures 3 short documentaries

IMAGES: Mash Up in the Fei and Milton Wong Experimental Theatre (above), The cast of #Fairytale (below)

14 15 AM JOHAL DIRECTOR E [email protected]

FIORELLA PINILLOS PROGRAM COORDINATOR E [email protected]

SAMAAH JAFFER PROGRAM ASSISTANT E [email protected]

MELISSA ROACH COMMUNICATIONS ASSISTANT E [email protected]

149 West Hastings St. Vancouver, BC, V6B 1H4 T 778-782-9817

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