STREET HEALTH LAUNCH: BLAST OFF.
September 20th, 2007
The phenomenal turnout today at the REPORT LAUNCH and EXHIBIT OPENING made me fall in love with Toronto all over again. Even though the subject was grim, the news tragic.
Over 250 of us gathered at the Church of the Holy Trinity: media, politicians, advocates and members of the homeless community to hear the STREET HEALTH REPORt statistics, to discuss 13 policy recommendations and to view and listen to STREET HEALTH STORIES photo + sound exhibit.
The full report is now available on-line at www.streethealth.ca
And the 8.5 minute film, STREET HEALTH STORIES, will premiere on CBC News: Sunday this weekend (check local listings).
Also check out the Toronto Star front page story that kick-started the day today.
A massive turn-out at historic Church of the Holy Trinity.
A moving thank you to our heroes, the Street Health nurses.
Susan.
Nancy.
Jess, one of the four artists.
Ontario Minister of Health, George Smitherman, listening to Rook.
NDP Party Leader Jack Layton and Adrienne and Meghan, 2 of the artists.
Erika, Meghan, Xzavior, Calysta, Jess and Kate.
The I WAS HERE team. (with a few of our colleagues missing! I think I saw Dawn behind video camera at this moment, and where was Alice!!?)
And a big shout out to Orla, Michael, Branden, Jenn, Jane, Donna, Jacques who all spent long hours to get this up and running. And a big thanks to Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael’s Hospital for sponoring the build of three beautiful light-boxes. And great pix from Jag. so thanks all!
Entry Filed under: Mental Health, Participatory Media, Photobloggers, Social Networks, Street Health Project, The Hospital, Uncategorized, media coverage
2 Comments Add your own
1. adam | September 28th, 2007 at 6:00 pm
The photos are quite arresting, especially when you listen to the stories. I listened to all of them but remember looking in the eyes of the sweet but crazy man as he described being stabbed with scissors and stones being dropped on his head, Ola with the deep voice talking about loneliness, Heather talking about life on the edge, this woman who has had every disease in the world compounded with car crashes, bike crashes. There is a sadness, a horror, a poignancy in all of this but the images and voices give voice to all of these people whom we see all of the time but never talk to. They reminded me of a guy that I have known for years, a Vietnam vet, completely blasted with drugs and PTSD. Sweet as the day is long, gentle and good hearted, thoughtful and kind, but adrift in the city. He lived for years in the Rosedale ravine, then I didn’t see him for a long time after he was hit and run over in a hit and run accident. He has moved up off Bloor Street to Yonge and St Clair as I think that he is camping out somewhere in the Avoca vale or upper Don Valley. The last time I saw him, he told me that he had been diagnosed with Lou Gehrigs Disease. Who knows but life is such a bitch sometimes when you actually listen to these stories. I walked out of Holy trinity back through the Eaton centre where there was a lady talking to herself loudly as she outlined the confines of an invisible box in which she finds herself.
I don’t know how you have held yourself together in all the research and writing that you have done because behind all of thise statistics that you have formulated are the stories of these men and women.
2. commonspace&hellip | March 24th, 2008 at 11:30 pm
Challenge. Change. Conversation. Revolution.
Whatever it is that I do for a living today, it all started with community video. Five years as portapak toting video activist in the early nineties gave me deep roots. It sparked DIY entrepreneurship and hacking. It taught me
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