1
00:00:02,331 --> 00:00:05,273
20 years ago, I was here

2
00:00:05,581 --> 00:00:09,042
and easily any one of those 
women could have been me

3
00:00:09,042 --> 00:00:13,814
and it's just by luck and not design 
that I'm here and I have my children.

4
00:00:13,814 --> 00:00:17,017
And it was because of women in 
the community who looked out for me

5
00:00:17,017 --> 00:00:21,588
and helped keep me safe 
in a really hard time.

6
00:00:21,588 --> 00:00:25,626
And so, I march now, 
cause some of them are gone

7
00:00:25,626 --> 00:00:29,730
and because taking up space 
and holding our presence here is so important.

8
00:00:35,469 --> 00:00:37,671
Tiffany Drew

9
00:00:37,671 --> 00:00:40,407
Angela Jardine

10
00:00:40,407 --> 00:00:43,696
Tanya Holyk

11
00:00:44,711 --> 00:00:47,892
Sherry Irving

12
00:00:48,415 --> 00:00:50,566
Inga Hall

13
00:00:50,751 --> 00:00:53,362
Diana Melnick

14
00:00:53,824 --> 00:00:55,789
Debra Jones

15
00:00:55,989 --> 00:00:58,071
Wendy Crawford

16
00:00:58,225 --> 00:01:01,072
Andrea Borhaven

17
00:01:01,134 --> 00:01:03,036
Cara Ellis

18
00:01:04,898 --> 00:01:07,386
Carrie Kosky

19
00:01:07,801 --> 00:01:10,202
Dorothy Spence

20
00:01:10,771 --> 00:01:16,376
We acknowledge this film was made on the traditional territories of the Coast Salish People.

21
00:01:16,376 --> 00:01:21,968
The Burrard, the Musqueam, the Tsleil-Waututh 
and the Sḵwxwú7mesh. 

22
00:01:24,092 --> 00:01:33,790
My name is Janet Pete, and I've lived here in 
the Downtown Eastside off and on for 40 years.

23
00:01:35,128 --> 00:01:39,817


24
00:01:39,909 --> 00:01:42,547
I feel like I've been here a long time.

25
00:01:42,763 --> 00:01:46,736
I've lived down in the Downtown Eastside 
for very many years.

26
00:01:46,736 --> 00:01:50,172
It's probably one of the most 
honest places in the world

27
00:01:50,172 --> 00:01:54,385
and a lot of people have 
a really hard time with that.

28
00:01:55,816 --> 00:01:58,552
My friends here are like my family.

29
00:01:58,552 --> 00:02:02,661
And one important aspect I found out 
is that you'll never starve down here.

30
00:02:03,123 --> 00:02:08,695
Downtown Eastside is accepting, and the 
Downtown Eastside is home to a huge cross-section

31
00:02:08,695 --> 00:02:11,245
of diversified people 
with diversified interests.

32
00:02:11,999 --> 00:02:17,256
And, um, I've never been afraid 
of the Downtown Eastside.

33
00:02:17,671 --> 00:02:20,540
When I first got down here I was very lost

34
00:02:20,540 --> 00:02:27,400
and today I can honestly say 
with being part of this community that

35
00:02:27,400 --> 00:02:31,193
I have a lot of support like family, 
through my sisters' love and support.

36
00:02:31,885 --> 00:02:35,580
I have had an opportunity 
to go back to school,

37
00:02:35,580 --> 00:02:39,159
which I mean I would have never had 
an opportunity to do had I not lived here.

38
00:02:39,159 --> 00:02:45,199
and I've made great friends and, um, I expect that I'll
probably have the Downtown Eastside as my home

39
00:02:45,199 --> 00:02:46,596
for the rest of my life.

40
00:02:49,703 --> 00:02:55,575
It's like I belong here, you know, 
and, uh, I fit right in, you know?

41
00:02:55,575 --> 00:03:00,244
And, uh, I do a lot of work there 
you know with the Power of Women

42
00:03:00,244 --> 00:03:04,265
and marching and you know 
and things like that.

43
00:03:29,342 --> 00:03:35,281
This film is not another alley diary.

44
00:03:37,851 --> 00:03:42,398
This film presumes no happy endings.

45
00:04:02,393 --> 00:04:05,297


46
00:04:05,312 --> 00:04:08,949
Last year, during the 2010 winter olympics

47
00:04:08,949 --> 00:04:15,141
over 5 thousand people marched to honour 
women who have died as a result of violence

48
00:04:15,141 --> 00:04:21,123
or who have gone missing 
in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver.

49
00:04:34,007 --> 00:04:37,244
<\VOICEOVER> Since its beginnings 20 years ago

50
00:04:37,244 --> 00:04:44,844
the Women's Memorial March has become the 
longest running march in recent Canadian history.

51
00:04:56,429 --> 00:05:04,377
The March began in 1991 when a woman 
was found murdered on Powell Street.

52
00:05:10,146 --> 00:05:14,748
I recall Phillippa Ryan, 
who passed away last year,

53
00:05:14,748 --> 00:05:24,258
telling us how the first few years 
of the march brought out only a handful of women.

54
00:05:25,150 --> 00:05:32,394
The women marching had objects 
thrown at them from passing cars.

55
00:05:52,363 --> 00:06:00,281
Women began disappearing from Vancouver's 
Downtown Eastside as early as the 1970's.

56
00:06:00,281 --> 00:06:09,878
But community members raising the alarm 
were ignored by the police and officials.

57
00:06:10,171 --> 00:06:34,828
Hart-Bellecourt and Lisa Muswagon-- please clarify>

58
00:06:34,828 --> 00:06:40,934
Undeterred, women in the neighbourhood 
organized persistently.

59
00:06:40,934 --> 00:06:45,238
The issue has now started to receive 
international attention

60
00:06:45,238 --> 00:06:54,581
with the release of Amnesty International human rights
reports and condemnations of Canada at the United 
Nations 

61
00:07:01,073 --> 00:07:05,592
My Indian name is Shining Eagle Woman

62
00:07:05,592 --> 00:07:10,297
and we seen eagles up there 
and those are our ancestors

63
00:07:10,297 --> 00:07:18,616
and our sisters letting us know, they know what 
we're doing down here for them in this world.

64
00:07:23,216 --> 00:07:29,582
<\VOICEOVER> The Memorial March is planned by the 
Annual February 14th Women's Memorial March C'tte.

65
00:07:29,582 --> 00:07:34,448
The March follows a similar pattern each year 
as described by Marlene George: 

66
00:07:34,771 --> 00:07:39,199
We gather in a circle 
usually at Main and Hastings

67
00:07:39,430 --> 00:07:42,974
Often there's a prayer 
said at that time,

68
00:07:43,051 --> 00:07:47,633
and then, um, we'll start 
with the elders lining up

69
00:07:49,002 --> 00:07:53,746
or the family members 
followed by the elders

70
00:07:53,792 --> 00:08:04,451
then when we stop at, um, the hotel sites or the places, 
the alleys where women were murdered or last seen,

71
00:08:04,451 --> 00:08:08,988
our elders will go over and do 
a smudge ceremony at the site,

72
00:08:08,988 --> 00:08:15,362
and leave either a red rose for murdered women 
or a yellow rose for the missing women.

73
00:08:15,362 --> 00:08:21,868
The memorial banner it's 
96 pounds of 18x20 inches,

74
00:08:22,529 --> 00:08:28,221
and that was created by women 
and men in the community.

75
00:08:29,129 --> 00:08:34,714
<\VOICEOVER> Christianne created the design for 
the Women's Memorial March. 

76
00:08:34,714 --> 00:08:40,820
I was thinking, how can we get a design 
that would combine the colours of the march

77
00:08:40,820 --> 00:08:43,337
the purple and yellow

78
00:08:43,614 --> 00:08:48,080
but it's valentine's day so of course 
the ribbon heart came very easily

79
00:08:49,095 --> 00:08:55,970
When you walk, uh, along this street here, 
you walk into, uh, the money district,

80
00:08:56,139 --> 00:09:00,140
within like three blocks, 
so its very surreal,

81
00:09:00,140 --> 00:09:06,346
when you walk through the streets here and then find 
that this is a place where women can just go missing.

82
00:09:06,346 --> 00:09:08,715
And nobody pays any attention.

83
00:09:08,715 --> 00:09:17,123
So this particular neighbourhood, area, is where 
a woman was thrown from the window, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,

84
00:09:17,123 --> 00:09:21,521
out of there, yeah it 
was the 5th floor

85
00:09:22,429 --> 00:09:29,502
and, uh, and this spot will be something, a place 
that will be added to the Memorial March this year.

86
00:09:29,502 --> 00:09:32,272
I think it's of particular 
significance this year

87
00:09:32,272 --> 00:09:35,842
because of the inquiry 
into the missing women,

88
00:09:35,842 --> 00:09:41,448
and that the report from the vancouver police which stated 
that they were taking some responsibility

89
00:09:41,448 --> 00:09:46,619
for what happened; and yet as we've continued 
to see women, uh, being killed

90
00:09:46,619 --> 00:09:51,758
you also see that the death of this woman 
inspired the community to come together,

91
00:09:51,758 --> 00:09:59,666
and that we saw hundreds and hundreds of people from this 
community gather and honour this particular young woman,

92
00:09:59,666 --> 00:10:03,112
Ashley [Machiskinic].

93
00:10:04,204 --> 00:10:09,843
<\VOICEOVER>The tragedy of missing and 
murdered women is paralleled across the country,

94
00:10:09,843 --> 00:10:15,975
and memorial marches in honour of 
the women are held in various cities.

95
00:10:19,052 --> 00:10:24,891
Family members and activists have 
organized a walk for justice

96
00:10:24,891 --> 00:10:31,838
to press the federal government for an inquiry 
into missing women along Highway 16,

97
00:10:31,838 --> 00:10:37,669
now called the Highway of Tears.

98
00:10:44,377 --> 00:10:49,682
In the past decade, there have been a number 
of high profile convictions,

99
00:10:49,682 --> 00:10:56,189
including of former provincial 
court judge David William Ramsey,

100
00:10:56,189 --> 00:11:00,094
and serial killer Robert Pickton. 

101
00:11:01,494 --> 00:11:06,633
I think the systemic violence against women 
is not an anomaly.

102
00:11:06,633 --> 00:11:12,264
It's not a phenomena that one man 
has done this horrific thing.

103
00:11:12,264 --> 00:11:20,874
I think it is, um, a result of the systemic, um, attitude towards poor women.

104
00:11:21,858 --> 00:11:27,820
We also march for the women 
that have died of other causes like, um,

105
00:11:27,820 --> 00:11:30,890
some women die from 
being homeless on the street.

106
00:11:30,890 --> 00:11:35,428
Some people, or women die from overdoses.

107
00:11:35,428 --> 00:11:41,551
Some women die from not having access 
to proper medical care.

108
00:11:53,413 --> 00:11:57,450
Numerous of women have been missing.

109
00:11:57,450 --> 00:12:04,490
And the years that I have been down here 
and seen these women go missing

110
00:12:04,490 --> 00:12:11,197
hurt me so I'm here to be a support 
of all the working girls,

111
00:12:11,197 --> 00:12:14,872
the families, and watch over the kids.

112
00:12:17,272 --> 00:12:20,045
Sandra Amos George

113
00:12:21,343 --> 00:12:23,179
Ramona Lisa Marie Wilson

114
00:12:23,548 --> 00:12:25,474
Peggy Snow

115
00:12:25,905 --> 00:12:27,406
Nellie Spence

116
00:12:27,499 --> 00:12:28,623


117
00:12:28,761 --> 00:12:30,532
Marilyn Moore

118
00:12:30,609 --> 00:12:32,418
Rose Peters

119
00:12:32,418 --> 00:12:34,153


120
00:12:34,153 --> 00:12:35,874
Sarah deVries

121
00:12:35,997 --> 00:12:37,549
Lisa Francis

122
00:12:37,965 --> 00:12:40,052
Connie Rider

123
00:12:42,791 --> 00:12:50,792
<\VOICEOVER> Who are the missing and murdered 
women whose names we invoke? 

124
00:13:04,484 --> 00:13:10,990
Describe myself? A very strong woman 
that doesn't take a whole lot of shit.

125
00:13:10,990 --> 00:13:15,762
I was a very active heroin user, 
every kind of drug user,

126
00:13:15,762 --> 00:13:22,534
um, for about 27 years, 
28 years, um, yeah.

127
00:13:23,626 --> 00:13:30,343
Then I got clean and sober, because, I don't 
know why I got clean and sober, I just did.

128
00:13:30,343 --> 00:13:37,750
I mean, it, I, you know, I was 44 when 
I cleaned up, when I got clean and sober.

129
00:13:37,750 --> 00:13:44,390
So it's certainly not um, i don't expect it, I absolutely 
don't expect them to get clean and sober.

130
00:13:44,390 --> 00:13:50,354
But I don't expect workers 
to tell me that they can't.

131
00:13:51,231 --> 00:13:58,371
A lot of the missing women, um, I actually 
did jail time with, actually did drugs with.

132
00:13:58,371 --> 00:14:04,177
I think that's one of the things that um 
separates me from a lot of the workers,

133
00:14:04,177 --> 00:14:07,319
is because I'm one of the women.

134
00:14:07,319 --> 00:14:10,783
All the Downtown Eastside women 
are lumped into one,

135
00:14:10,783 --> 00:14:21,007
but they're women, they're absolutely living, breathing 
women that each have an individual character.

136
00:14:21,961 --> 00:14:27,633
Um, but, you know, we're talking about dead, 
definitely murdered women,

137
00:14:27,633 --> 00:14:31,907
and we should definitely 
put that one day.

138
00:14:31,999 --> 00:14:36,948
But you know what, we have over 300 other days 
to think about the women that are still living,

139
00:14:36,948 --> 00:14:44,474
think about the women that are still 
homeless, and living in poverty.

140
00:14:54,952 --> 00:14:55,452


141
00:14:55,452 --> 00:14:55,952
Stretch

142
00:14:56,348 --> 00:14:57,124
skin

143
00:14:57,324 --> 00:14:57,990
hold

144
00:14:57,990 --> 00:14:58,887
blood

145
00:14:58,948 --> 00:14:59,616
lay

146
00:14:59,662 --> 00:15:00,705
land

147
00:15:00,844 --> 00:15:01,344
learn

148
00:15:01,434 --> 00:15:02,745
shame

149
00:15:02,745 --> 00:15:03,507
taught to pray

150
00:15:03,507 --> 00:15:05,160
wake

151
00:15:05,160 --> 00:15:06,272
broke

152
00:15:06,272 --> 00:15:07,005
choke

153
00:15:07,005 --> 00:15:08,107
bruise

154
00:15:08,107 --> 00:15:09,108
taste

155
00:15:09,108 --> 00:15:10,309
white boy

156
00:15:10,309 --> 00:15:11,344
spit

157
00:15:11,344 --> 00:15:12,451
pull

158
00:15:12,451 --> 00:15:14,379
pay.

159
00:15:21,887 --> 00:15:25,844
Jacqueline McDonell

160
00:15:25,951 --> 00:15:28,772
Dianne Rock

161
00:15:28,987 --> 00:15:31,896
Heather Bottomley

162
00:15:31,973 --> 00:15:34,830
Andrea Josebury

163
00:15:35,014 --> 00:15:38,161
Jennifer Furminger

164
00:15:38,776 --> 00:15:41,239
Helen Hallmark

165
00:15:42,208 --> 00:15:45,263
Georgina Papin

166
00:15:46,524 --> 00:15:49,182
Heather Chinnock

167
00:15:49,182 --> 00:15:56,198
<\VOICEOVER> The only way to understand the heinous 
violence committed against missing and murdered women

168
00:15:56,198 --> 00:16:03,029
is to understand the lives and the struggles of those 
women who continue to survive in this neighbourhood

169
00:16:03,029 --> 00:16:08,401
under the same circumstances every day. 

170
00:16:08,801 --> 00:16:17,560
 the issues are that are really harsh are addictions 
and homelessness are the number one issues outside my door.

171
00:16:17,560 --> 00:16:23,516
I am a volunteer and a survivor 
of abuse when I was a child,

172
00:16:23,516 --> 00:16:28,221
And what I can see is that there is 
a higher concentration of mentally ill persons

173
00:16:28,221 --> 00:16:30,523
who live on the Downtown Eastside.

174
00:16:30,523 --> 00:16:41,000
I have many friends that are 
living with HIV, AIDS, Hep C.

175
00:16:41,000 --> 00:16:45,424
I've been clean for a year since February,

176
00:16:45,424 --> 00:16:50,910
and I am trying to quit smoking 
this year I'm trying but, I don't know.

177
00:16:50,910 --> 00:16:53,646
I've been a survivor of 
the residential school,

178
00:16:53,646 --> 00:16:57,283
and they've silenced me 
while I was in school,

179
00:16:57,283 --> 00:17:02,388
but since I've been with the Power of Women 
I've broken the silence.

180
00:17:02,388 --> 00:17:13,344
I protest for housing, violence against women, 
police brutality, apprehension of our children.

181
00:17:14,267 --> 00:17:18,170
I currently have some issues with the Ministry 
of Children and Family Development

182
00:17:18,170 --> 00:17:22,542
concerning housing issues, and that turned 
into a whole bunch of other issues.

183
00:17:22,542 --> 00:17:26,178
I've been in the Downtown 
Eastside since 1996,

184
00:17:26,178 --> 00:17:36,644
and, uh, to me it is the family oriented district 
in Vancouver to the lonely and the homeless.

185
00:17:37,890 --> 00:17:44,869
<\VOICEOVER>The Downtown Eastside is one of 
the oldest neighbourhoods in the heart of Vancouver.

186
00:17:45,131 --> 00:17:52,204
It includes Chinatown, where several 
thousand Chinese seniors reside.

187
00:17:52,204 --> 00:17:59,211
As well as the Oppenheimer district, which was 
home for many Japanese Canadians

188
00:17:59,211 --> 00:18:06,617
prior to their internment 
during World War Two.

189
00:18:06,755 --> 00:18:13,753
Cynthia Low talks about the historic significance of this 
community as a cultural meeting place.

190
00:18:13,753 --> 00:18:23,703
And as early as the 50s 60s and 70s there was really 
only certain spaces that were allowed to Chinese people.

191
00:18:25,037 --> 00:18:30,042
The values and the politics that was 
established in those days have carried on

192
00:18:30,042 --> 00:18:39,518
and become sort of a meeting place, um, for Chinese 
seniors and Aboriginal people to I think to be allies.

193
00:18:39,518 --> 00:18:47,827
<\VOICEOVER>Today, Vancouver's Downtown Eastside is 
known as the poorest off-reserve postal code in Canada.

194
00:18:47,827 --> 00:18:54,368
Approximately 16,000 people reside within 
these 2 square miles. 

195
00:18:54,706 --> 00:19:03,943
Unfortunately, it's becoming less and less 
of a choice that fits one's pocketbook.

196
00:19:03,943 --> 00:19:09,081
The land, everything down here 
is extremely overpriced

197
00:19:09,081 --> 00:19:13,958
and the developers have been 
allowed to get away with it.

198
00:19:14,220 --> 00:19:19,225
<\VOICEOVER> Lack of safe and affordable 
housing is one of the primary issues,

199
00:19:19,225 --> 00:19:26,453
with average rentals under 100 square feet, 
with no bathrooms, and no kitchens.

200
00:19:27,099 --> 00:19:34,465
The neighbourhood is also home to an open 
drug trade and a visible survival sex trade.

201
00:19:34,465 --> 00:19:40,413
One third of sex workers say they 
have survived an attack on their life.

202
00:19:40,413 --> 00:19:44,050
Of the 4,000 intravenous drug users

203
00:19:44,050 --> 00:19:50,726
90% are infected with Hepatitis C, 
and 30% with HIV.

204
00:19:53,526 --> 00:19:58,364
You know, if you look at the alcoholism 
and the drugism and all that right,

205
00:19:58,364 --> 00:20:03,069
but once you get past all that, there are 
actually beautiful people down here, you know?

206
00:20:03,069 --> 00:20:08,250
But there's so much stigma 
and judgement on people,

207
00:20:08,250 --> 00:20:10,851
and it's really sad because 
you know we're all human beings.

208
00:20:10,851 --> 00:20:14,246
And not everybody down here is 
a drug addict or an alcoholic.

209
00:20:14,246 --> 00:20:21,287
You know, people have problems here, and 
people outside this area they have problems too,

210
00:20:21,287 --> 00:20:24,536
and they deal with it in 
their own fashionable way.

211
00:20:24,890 --> 00:20:28,594
If you look at the ripple effects 
of the residential school

212
00:20:28,594 --> 00:20:31,130
and just how it isolates us

213
00:20:31,130 --> 00:20:33,699
It isolates me from my own body.

214
00:20:33,699 --> 00:20:37,536
It isolates me from my 
own identity from who I am.

215
00:20:37,536 --> 00:20:41,803
It, um, it's almost like ripping your 
skin off of you and you know

216
00:20:41,803 --> 00:20:45,922
you kind of live in disassociation for years.

217
00:20:46,245 --> 00:20:50,416
Every, all the struggles that our people 
are going through right now

218
00:20:50,416 --> 00:20:52,719
this is where everybody ends.

219
00:20:53,088 --> 00:20:56,555
<\VOICEOVER>Despite being overly researched 
and deeply pathologized,

220
00:20:56,555 --> 00:21:03,150
the Downtown Eastside remains invisible 
to most of our society.

221
00:21:04,196 --> 00:21:08,934
Is there one thing that you think people don't know about 
the Downtown Eastside that they should know?

222
00:21:08,934 --> 00:21:14,061
Yeah, that everyone's got a story, you know, 
everyone's got an angle.

223
00:21:14,707 --> 00:21:17,330
<"And I Cry" performed by Dalannah Gail 
Bowen> People living in misery.

224
00:21:18,515 --> 00:21:22,715
People lost and alone.

225
00:21:22,715 --> 00:21:26,452
I'm just trying to get by.

226
00:21:26,452 --> 00:21:29,688
I ain't got a home

227
00:21:29,688 --> 00:21:35,023
and I cry

228
00:21:35,023 --> 00:21:37,670
and i cry

229
00:21:37,670 --> 00:21:41,339
and i cry

230
00:21:41,339 --> 00:21:43,068
and i cry

231
00:21:43,068 --> 00:21:45,604
There's blood in the alleys,

232
00:21:45,604 --> 00:21:49,496
blood in my breath

233
00:21:49,942 --> 00:21:53,746
Theres the blood of my sisters

234
00:21:53,746 --> 00:21:58,184
and no one asks why

235
00:21:58,184 --> 00:22:15,822


236
00:22:34,499 --> 00:22:42,061
For women in the Downtown Eastside 
who are Aboriginal or Chinese, um,

237
00:22:42,061 --> 00:22:49,327
you know, working or poor, 
lack of access to education, um,

238
00:22:49,327 --> 00:22:52,738
having had a lot of 
crisis in their lives

239
00:22:52,738 --> 00:22:57,570
or not having had the opportunity 
to reach their potential,

240
00:22:57,570 --> 00:23:03,282
I think all the barriers 
add to their marginalization.

241
00:23:03,282 --> 00:23:10,690
The fact that they're poor women is huge, um, I 
think is probably the biggest systemic discrimination

242
00:23:10,690 --> 00:23:12,547
that they encounter.

243
00:23:12,547 --> 00:23:17,429
There are barriers that we put as a society, 
place in front of people.

244
00:23:17,429 --> 00:23:24,494
There isn't a day that goes by that i don't see 
a woman being handcuffed and taken somewhere.

245
00:23:25,156 --> 00:23:32,470
So now we're talking about the police officers 
getting involved with "violence against women".

246
00:23:32,470 --> 00:23:36,248
You have to really look at it 
with a different angle now.

247
00:23:36,248 --> 00:23:40,953
We're talking about men 
and violence against women.

248
00:23:40,953 --> 00:23:44,290
Has anyone really talked about 
the police officer being the men?

249
00:23:44,290 --> 00:23:48,727
Giving them the suit to wear,

250
00:23:48,727 --> 00:23:53,232
guns, tazers, the power 
to misuse the power?

251
00:23:53,232 --> 00:23:55,095
Why doesn't anybody ever 
question that fact?

252
00:23:55,741 --> 00:24:00,572
<\VOICEOVER> The disturbing reality is that 
nothing we are seeing < OR SAYING?>today

253
00:24:00,572 --> 00:24:05,146
will come as a surprise.

254
00:24:07,546 --> 00:24:12,320
Rachael Davis

255
00:24:32,905 --> 00:24:37,217
Serena Abotsway

256
00:24:37,448 --> 00:24:40,513
Tamara Chipman

257
00:24:40,636 --> 00:24:43,395
Fern Charlie

258
00:24:44,103 --> 00:24:46,514
Mona Wilson

259
00:24:46,652 --> 00:24:49,288
Nancy Clark

260
00:24:49,688 --> 00:24:52,491
Cara Ellis

261
00:24:52,891 --> 00:24:55,898
Patricia Johnson

262
00:24:56,729 --> 00:24:59,230
Marnie Frey

263
00:24:59,707 --> 00:25:01,506


264
00:25:05,337 --> 00:25:11,747
I just want to set a challenge to the 
politicians, lawyers, the physicians,

265
00:25:12,270 --> 00:25:15,084
the people in authority

266
00:25:19,391 --> 00:25:23,677
to take an oath to protect the children

267
00:25:25,969 --> 00:25:29,747
to protect our family here on earth.

268
00:25:33,132 --> 00:25:36,101
In the words of Audre Lorde:

269
00:25:36,101 --> 00:25:40,539
"If i didn't define myself for myself

270
00:25:40,539 --> 00:25:43,264
I would be crunched into other 
peoples' fantasies for me

271
00:25:43,849 --> 00:25:48,402
and eaten alive".

272
00:25:49,248 --> 00:25:55,587
Um, I was a part of this community, like, 
I lost myself in this community,

273
00:25:55,587 --> 00:25:59,158
but I eventually found myself down here.

274
00:25:59,158 --> 00:26:02,861
My one suggestion to you people 
is to get rid of that attitude

275
00:26:02,861 --> 00:26:04,384


276
00:26:04,384 --> 00:26:07,933
Get rid of that belief, 
come down here, socialize,

277
00:26:07,933 --> 00:26:10,992
phone me, feel free to call me.

278
00:26:10,992 --> 00:26:14,657
I'm willing to take you out and about 
and go for coffee and do whatever.

279
00:26:34,226 --> 00:27:13,740


280
00:27:13,740 --> 00:27:19,371
<\VOICEOVER> Those of us who come to 
support this space with the best of intentions

281
00:27:19,371 --> 00:27:23,276
soon realize we are the ones being taught.

282
00:27:23,276 --> 00:27:26,845
But it can happen, and you want to be, 
you want to do something,

283
00:27:26,845 --> 00:27:29,569
and then you discover that it's 
actually already being done,

284
00:27:29,569 --> 00:27:36,955
that people are already, um, involved in 
their own way of expressing justice for women.

285
00:27:36,955 --> 00:27:46,598


286
00:27:46,598 --> 00:27:53,138
<\VOICEOVER> In the middle of daily protests, grit, 
grime, and sensationalist media headlines,

287
00:27:53,138 --> 00:27:58,343
is an extremely vibrant community  

288
00:27:58,343 --> 00:28:25,537


289
00:28:25,537 --> 00:28:44,228
Hello, hello, 

290
00:28:45,090 --> 00:28:51,615
I do volunteer work, and help people out, 
and help some senior old people out.

291
00:28:54,599 --> 00:29:04,242
I'm First Nations Aboriginal, Italian, 
I'm Chinese, I'm East Indian,

292
00:29:04,242 --> 00:29:07,713
and I would like to change

293
00:29:07,713 --> 00:29:14,054
the point of view that the outside world 
has looking in on the Downtown Eastside.

294
00:29:14,824 --> 00:29:18,861
I help a lot of street kids, which is 
one of my favourite things to do.

295
00:29:19,061 --> 00:29:24,763
The most important thing I feel really blessed 
to belong to is the Power of Women Group.

296
00:29:24,763 --> 00:29:30,251
It's a group of women that have 
come together from all walks of life,

297
00:29:30,282 --> 00:29:35,507
um, and they've undergone 
their own, um, journey.

298
00:29:35,507 --> 00:29:41,013
Um, I am a, I am a mom. 
I'm unfortunately not a grandma yet.

299
00:29:41,013 --> 00:29:44,716
I am a resident of the Downtown 
Eastside and very proud of it.

300
00:29:44,716 --> 00:29:49,755
Myself and Harsha's group the Power to 
Women Group, try to deal with many issues

301
00:29:49,755 --> 00:29:51,156
of the Downtown Eastside.

302
00:29:51,156 --> 00:29:56,094
And I enjoy it so much, I wouldn't want to be, 
um, a resident anywhere else.

303
00:29:56,094 --> 00:30:02,879
And the quality that I love and I 
hope never disappears, is solidarity.

304
00:30:04,002 --> 00:30:09,708
Together we all make up the Downtown Eastside 
and I'm proud to be part of the hood. Peace out!

305
00:30:09,708 --> 00:30:12,425


306
00:30:22,487 --> 00:30:30,752
<\VOICEOVER> This film is a tribute to the resilience 
and the generosity of women in the Downtown Eastside.

307
00:30:31,029 --> 00:30:40,978
These women daily survive conditions that few of us 
could imagine, let alone endure. 

308
00:30:44,209 --> 00:30:50,308
Women all around the world 
are suffering. It has to stop.

309
00:30:55,554 --> 00:30:59,324
<\VOICEOVER>To women in the Downtown Eastside:

310
00:30:59,324 --> 00:31:04,296
With every heartbeat you carry dignity

311
00:31:04,296 --> 00:31:09,472
In every breath we see your humanity.

312
00:31:09,472 --> 00:31:13,757
With every step we join you

313
00:31:13,757 --> 00:31:17,855
so you may walk free of violence and injustice.

314
00:31:42,086 --> 00:31:44,547
 I sing this song,

315
00:31:44,547 --> 00:31:50,979
and all of those who have come before, before.

316
00:31:50,979 --> 00:31:57,115
Who have come before, before.

317
00:31:57,115 --> 00:31:59,158
Working to break free

318
00:32:34,920 --> 00:32:38,882
Hey

319
00:32:38,882 --> 00:32:41,520
Yeah

320
00:32:42,566 --> 00:32:44,989
Hey

321
00:32:48,851 --> 00:32:51,966
Don't ya hold me down no,

322
00:32:52,289 --> 00:32:55,220
don't you see that I am flying?

323
00:32:56,758 --> 00:33:02,043
I slip from your grip cuz I am free

324
00:33:04,703 --> 00:33:07,848
Don't ya hold me down no,

325
00:33:08,333 --> 00:33:13,572
don't you see that I am flying?

326
00:33:13,572 --> 00:33:19,030
I slip from your grip cuz I am free.

327
00:33:19,030 --> 00:33:24,138
This world is just a world

328
00:33:24,138 --> 00:33:28,062
These bricks are made to fall

329
00:33:28,062 --> 00:33:30,523
a  broke through 
your facade and so can we

330
00:33:30,523 --> 00:33:35,492
so can we

331
00:33:35,492 --> 00:33:39,114
this world is just a world

332
00:33:39,114 --> 00:33:43,573
these bricks were made to fall

333
00:33:43,573 --> 00:33:45,709
the  broke through your facade

334
00:33:45,709 --> 00:33:47,459
and so can we

335
00:33:47,459 --> 00:33:49,796
so can we

336
00:33:49,796 --> 00:33:51,296
I said prison break

337
00:33:51,296 --> 00:33:57,853


338
00:33:57,853 --> 00:34:01,000
prison break...