Please join the First United community and friends in a celebration:

Party in the Park

When: Saturday, June 4th from 1pm to 5pm

Where: McLean Park in Strathcona (Keefer & Heatley)

Spend an afternoon with friends & family, enjoy live music, see artisans at work, children’s activities, historical presentations, and barbeque lunch.

The Downtown Eastside Power of Women Group is launching the In Our Own

Voices writing project in June 2011.  After a six-week period of intensive

writing, we are ready to share our stories about hope, struggle, love and

resistance in the Downtown Eastside.

During the month of June 2011, you will find twelve exclusive stories from

In Our Own Voices on the Vancouver Media Co-op. A new story will be posted

every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday starting on June 6th. Week one will

feature the journeys that have brought women to the Downtown Eastside,

week two will draw attention to child apprehension and violence against

women, week three will explore daily life – from working the street to

police brutality – on skid row, and week four will highlight ongoing

issues of homelessness and poverty in our neighbourhood.

The stories will be available here:

http://vancouver.mediacoop.ca/author/dtes-power-women-group

In Our Own Voices includes writings by B, Charlene, Courtney, Debbie V,

Diane, Joan Morelli, Karen Lahey, Madeline A, Pat, Pearly May, Shurli

Chan, and Stella August. The project is facilitated by Harsha Walia and

edited by Harsha Walia, Nassim Elbardouh, and Dawn Paley.

Support for “In Our Own Voices”

“The stories of the Downtown Eastside must be told and who better to tell

them than the women of the DTES – the incredible beauty of the area must

be revealed in the writing of these women.”

– LEE MARACLE, acclaimed author of Ravensong, I am Woman, Bobbi Lee-Indian

Rebel, and Bentbox.

“The publication of these voices is vital, as we enter into yet another

phase of capitalist austerity, poor-bashing, and victim-blaming. Speaking,

witnessing, and storytelling are perhaps the strongest tools we have to

resist a system meant to keep most people weak and passive. These voices

from the Power of Women Group are resistance in action. Heed them. The

path to freedom starts here.”

- WAYDE COMPTON, author of After Canaan, Performance Bond, Bluesprint, and

49th Parallel Psalm.

“Courageous and honest, the Downtown Eastside Power of Women Group shares

hard stories of survival. Voicing their experiences, these women keep

alive the possibility of justice and love in community. Listen, tremble,

and learn.”

- RITA WONG, award-winning author of sybil unrest, forage, and monkeypuzzle

Linked here: http://vancouver.mediacoop.ca/newsrelease/7375

About the Downtown Eastside Power of Women Group:

We are a trans-inclusive group of women who live in the Downtown Eastside

of Vancouver, Coast Salish Territories, the poorest off-reserve postal

code in Canada. We are or have been homeless; living in shelters and on

the streets. Many of us are single mothers or have had our children

apprehended due to poverty; most of us have chronic physical or mental

health issues; many have drug or alcohol addictions; and a majority have

experienced sexual violence and mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional

abuse. For Indigenous women, we are affected by the racist legacy of

residential schools. We are from all walks of life, surviving in extreme

poverty and building a family with each other.

For more information about the DTES Power of Women Group:

DTES Power of Women Group on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/?sk=group_95044879752

Email: project@dewc.ca or Phone: 604 681 8480 x 234

On Saturday, June 4th at 6 pm the Downtown Eastside Centre for the Arts will be hosting a fundraising dinner in the  generously donated home of one of our supporters. There will be an incredible and delicious menu prepared by a local gourmet chef. There will also be a musical performance and presentations about the Downtown Eastside Centre fo the Arts

Tickets are $100 per person and all the proceeds will go to benefit the work of the Downtown Eastside Centre for the Arts.

Call or e-mail Mel Lehan for information and tickets for this amazing meal!  Because it is in a private home, tickets are limited.

Thank you for your support!

Contact: Mel Lehan - 604-842-4657

mel.lehan22@gmail.com

SONGS OF MAHALIA JACKSON

Friday, April 15 @ 8 pm

St. Andrew’s Wesley Church, 1022 Nelson

TICKETS: Firehall Arts Centre Box Office 280 E Cordova 604-689-0926   $25 general seating, $40 reserved seating www.firehallartscentre.ca

Dalannah Gail Bowen

The “Songs Of Mahalia Jackson” featuring Dalannah Gail Bowen, and this year’s Juno nominated group The Sojourners with musical director, Grammy-nominated keyboardist Michael Creber will bring to life some of the most familiar songs made famous by the well-known gospel singer. The evening’s presentation will include old standards such as “He’s Got The Whole World In His Hands” and “His Eye Is On The Sparrow” to more modern gospel songs such as “In The Upper Room” and more.

On October 26, 1911, a child was born who would change the face of gospel music for all time. Born in New Orleans and living most of her life in Chicago, Mahalia Jackson is considered by many to be the greatest gospel singer of our time. Her vocal style, resounding passion and her devotion to the church left an impact on everyone who heard her by recognizing her as the single most important influence on modern-day gospel.

Her many recordings continue to be popular with audiences; young and old alike.

The Songs of Mahalia Jackson is a fundraiser for two important organizations in the Downtown Eastside.

-The Downtown Eastside Centre for the Arts http://www.decentreforthearts.com/

-Downtown Eastside Arts Trust Fund of the Community Arts Council of Vancouver http://www.cacv.ca/

The focus of these organizations is to provide artistic opportunities to the members of the Downtown Eastside community.

This musical tribute to Mahalia Jackson is a celebration of gospel music and Mahalia’s legacy. With an all-star cast, this concert is sure to inspire and uplift with a showcase of the best of the  “Songs Of Mahalia Jackson.”

Where: The Interurban 1 East Hastings Street

What: A series of artworks from individual artists, as well as group works from women in the Downtown Eastside community. The drum group Harmony of Nations  will perform and speakers from Women’s Memorial March Committee.

Exhibit runs Feb 7th to Feb 12th from 12-5pm.

Where: The Interurban- 1 East Hastings Street

What: Great food, and of course art and arty things. Some of the artists featured are; Garnett Tobacco, Ben Houstie, Richard Tetrault, Laurie Marshall, Carl Simeon, Diane Jacobs, Diane Wood, Ali Lohan, Pat Davitt, Famous Empty Sky,Karenza Wall, Alannah Atley and the WISH Aboriginal Program,and many more.

Hope to see you there!

Two weeks of commemoration events starting Jan 30 2011

Annual Women’s Memorial March on Monday, February 14 2011.

Highlighted events below are hosted by the Downtown Eastside Centre for the Arts

Sun Jan 30: Women’s sweatlodge ceremony from 2-6 pm. By the DTES community garden (Hastings between Columbia and Main). Women-only sweat, open to all women. Followed by feast at Aboriginal Front Door (384 Main St)

Month of Feb – Community Archival Display, 3rd floor Carnegie Centre (Main and Hastings). Carnegie is under construction and the 3rd floor is regrettably not wheel-chair accessible.

Wed Feb 2 – Women’s Talking Circle at DEWC (302 Columbia) 5 – 8 pm. Dinner served at 5pm. Open to all self-identified women residents of the DTES.

Thurs Feb 3 – Art Auction Fundraiser at Interurban (1 E. Hastings) from 6 – 9 pm

Fri Feb 4 – Craft Night at WISH Drop-in 6 pm. Open to members of WISH Drop-in.

Sat Feb 5: “Women’s Expressions” Art Opening at Interurban (1 E. Hastings) from 4-6 pm with drum group Harmony of Nations and speakers from Women’s Memorial March Committee. Exhibit runs Feb 7th to Feb 12th from 12-5pm.

Sat Feb 5 – “Honouring Our Women”: Poetry Night, Carnegie Centre (Main and Hastings). 7 pm

Mon Feb 7 – “Native Women: Power, Beauty, Resilience” at Aboriginal Front Door (384 Main St) from 2-6 pm. Open event for everyone to attend. Speakers, food, traditional Grandmothers and Mothers will drum.

Tues Feb 8 – BWSS Women’s Craft Night at DEWC (302 Columbia) 5 – 8 pm. Dinner served at 5pm. Open to all self-identified women residents of the DTES.

Wed Feb 9 – “Strength, Survival, Sisterhood”: Launch of DTES Power of Women movie, speakers from DTES, screening of “Finding Dawn”. Vivo Media Arts Centre (1965 Main Street). Doors at 6pm. Free and open to all.

Thurs Feb 10 – Fundraiser at Langara College with Film Screening including “Finding Dawn”. Cosponsored by ReelCauses.

Fri Feb 11 – Night of Music at W2 (151 W.Cordova) w/Bitterly Divine, Murray Porter, Faith Nolan, Little Hawk & more. Doors at 7pm. Given limited space, event is for the DTES community only. We invite DTES agencies wishing to reserve free tickets for their members to email us at endingviolence@bwss.org.

Mon Feb 14 – 20th Annual Womens Memorial March. Noon in Carnegie Theatre for families, friends, and DTES residents, 1 pm march starts at Main and Hastings – all welcome.

http://missingwomen.blogspot.com/

http://womensmemorialmarch.wordpress.com/

The NightHawk Aboriginal Arts and Music Festival is the Downtown Eastside Centre for the Arts contribution to Bright Light, the City of Vancouver’s Olympic and Paralympic public art program.

Bright Light brings together the creative energy of fourteen arts organizations in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside to animate the historical heart of the city with outdoor performances, video projections, urban planning demonstrations, social events and a parade.

For more information
http://bright-light.ca