The ThunderBlogs

Upon entering 119 Pender St., the marble floors glisten beneath the light of the circular chandelier overhead.  The tungsten light cast a soft yellow glow to the polished lobby and complemented a set of gold elevators.  Opposite the gleaming elevator doors towered an ornate marble staircase paired with carved wooden banisters.

Ascending to the first floor, the light transitions to a harsh fluorescent hue. The naked, bleached drywall and the scent of fresh paint told of ongoing renovations. Suite 103 sat at the end of a split hallway.  The door of suite 103 opened to the raucous office of the Pivot Legal Society, a legal advocacy group that works for the interests of Downtown Eastside residents.

Four cluttered desks were arranged in two columns, the only order to an otherwise disorderly workspace. A smaller office was situated adjacent to the desks, adorned by large paned windows and a slightly ajar door that exhibited bright red walls within.

The small office revealed itself to be more of miniature conference room, with a circular table, four chairs and a coffee maker. The occupant of this office was Paul Ryan, a slender man with pale skin and blond hair. He is director of Hope in Shadows, a project that encourages Downtown Eastside residents to submit photos of DTES and its residents as part of a contest to win place in its annual calendar.

Mr. Ryan said the project came about because non-residents would frequent the neighborhood and take photos of residents without consent and sell them for profit.  The project is designed to empower Downtown Eastside residents with a way to disseminate more accurate visuals of their neighbors and their neighborhoods.

Downtown Eastside residents are provided with a camera and consent forms they must return once all their photos are taken and other residents are hired to sell the completed calendars. Once the calendars are sold, the residents are allowed to keep the profit as part of the project. The remaining costs are divvied up on taxes, framing and street vendor licensing. The project is subsidized by Pivot Legal Society.

“The project helps people with confidence in going to get a new job.” Mr. Ryan said, “The better their self esteem is the more confident they are at trying to get a new job. And more awareness equals more interest.”