The ThunderBlogs

Inside Blenz café in Yaletown on a drizzly Sunday morning, dozens of photographers clutched Canon Powershot S90s and free lattes, waiting to hear the next theme of the second annual 12×12 Vancouver Photo Marathon. Finally, a volunteer pulled a slip of paper out of a top hat: “Expendable,” she said. “Expendable?” a participant said. “I need a dictionary!”

This was the fourth hour of the marathon, in which participants received a roll of film with 12 exposures, and over the course of 12 hours, were given 12 themes to be interpreted and photographed in sequence. Participants traveled all over Vancouver before returning to the café once an hour to hear the next theme. But because they only had 12 exposures, photographers had to think before they shot.

“Digital cameras have diminished the art of photography,” said Morten Rand-Hendriksen, creator of the event. “Professional photographers used to set up a shot for hours. They couldn’t just ‘spray and pray’, or take a bunch of shots and hope one turned out well.”

The participants all seemed to welcome the shift out of their comfort zone. Sherry Lu, a SFU molecular biology graduate, said she had never used film before. For the “expendable” theme, Lu collected disposable cotton balls smeared with neon make-up from Shoppers Drug Mart. The bright colours popped against the charcoal brick exteriors of Yaletown.

While most participants rushed around the city in the rain, at least one marathoner managed to stay dry. Kenny Louie, a software developer, only takes photos using Lego figurines as models. He sat at a wooden table, staring intently at his box of Batman and Indiana Jones figurines. Eventually, Louie decided to imitate the movie poster for The Expendables, crafting a Lego Sylvester Stallone and a pack of brawny henchmen.

Although the marathon had prizes, the atmosphere was uncompetitive. The café was packed with photographers chatting and collaborating. There was a constant stream of Twitter messages between them, as well as a frequently updated set of Flickr photos. Both of these sites were visible on a large touch-screen computer. A time-lapse camera attached to the ceiling would become a photo diary of the day.

“It’s all about building community,” said Cathy Browne, a first-time participant who is 90 per cent blind. “I’m here because of social media. We all are.” To Browne, photography is about “translating a point of view. My photographs show the world the way I see it. If they’re a little out of focus, well, that’s the way I see it.”

All the photographs taken at the event will be displayed at the Vancouver Photo Workshops gallery starting Oct. 16.

Gene Coffeebar
Sunday, September 12th
11:03am

Converse sneakers tucked beneath thick-rimmed glasses.  Plaid shirts.  Art mags.

Free range organic eggs breakfast wrap, $5.50.

A pie-sliced building with minimalist décor and detached coolness.  A designer barista stands at the counter tending to a steady stream of customers.  On occasion she abandons her post to collect dishes.

Concrete floors intersect with white walls.  A small refrigerator is stocked with glass bottles of water.  Condensation forming along the windows that provide a panoramic view of Mount Pleasant’s three corners – Community centre meets coffee bar meets porn theatre.

A disaffected crowd with the occasional out-of-place patron.  Students. Young couples.  Beards.  Long wooden tables where strangers sit elbow-to-elbow on white stools and bench seats.  Accompanied by designer lattes, customers are fixated on their Macbooks, their textbooks, their novels.  A man with a camera draped around his neck browses through Google Images.  Password protected, free wireless.

Wet cars idle at red lights.  Clinking-cups-on-saucers.  Classical music whispers in the background.  A shrill operatic voice interrupted by a loud sneeze.  A man reading “What the Bleep do We Know” looks up for a moment, a heightened sense of awareness fuelled by organic, fair trade coffee.

A pair of children sit across from each other. The young boy adjusts his messenger bag.  The girl flips through the pages of “The Usborne Little Book of Chocolate.”  They share a cookie and sip on San Pellegrino.  Dad steals a photo with his iPhone and Mom brings them a plate with two croissants.  She promises the other patrons, “Don’t worry, they’re well trained.”

Vancouver’s vibrant West End was buzzing Saturday as thousands attended the 7th Annual Davie Day street festival. Over 130 vendors and entertainers lined Davie Street from Burrard to Broughton, adding additional colour to a backdrop of rainbow flags and bright storefront canopies.

From the west-facing windows of St. Paul Hospital’s top storey, area residents could be seen below, moving through side streets to and from the festivities. The drumming of samba beats carried upward.

“The West End is lousy with festivals,” said Rob MacDonald, a hospital porter and long-time area resident. “But that’s part of what gives these streets so much character.”

On the ground, crowds gathered around dance troops to take pictures and clap along with the music, while dog walkers stopped to sample baked goods and receive head massages. Children, lined up for face painting, held tightly to helium balloons. One man with a rainbow mohawk browsed booths while munching on popcorn.

Nearly every store and community centre on Davie Street had its own booth. Outside of the West End – Coal Harbour Community Policing Centre, volunteers in yellow shirts led kids through a safety-skills obstacle course made of pylons and hula hoops. Across from them, a smoke shop displayed a table of bongs. Hung from it was a sign that read: “Smoke More, Bitch Less”.

The West End Business Improvement Association holds the event annually to help promote local businesses, yet it welcomed outside contributors. Independent farmers sold produce, while artists from the Stanley Park Painters Circle displayed their work. One busker, Daniel Nimmo, approached organizers just as the event was starting to ask if he could promote his Fringe Festival play. They found a space for him to perform right in the centre of the action.

“All of these festivals are the exact same,” 29 year-old Angela Mader was overheard telling her friends. Clearly she hadn’t seen Nimmo. “But I guess that’s why I keep coming back”, she said.

By afternoon, light rain barely slowed the event. Many couples shared umbrellas. One man walked with a newspaper draped over his head. He seemed unfazed.

In fact, it was the weather that spurred one area resident to attend Davie Day. “I wanted to go hiking, but there’s rain,” said Jonathan Ali. “I knew there would be something fun to do around here instead”, he said of his West End neighbourhood, “and so I came down here.”

Despite being a 30 minute drive from the Downtown Eastside, a visible homeless population roam about in Marpole amidst the ethnic restaurants, chain coffee shops, banks, and grocery stores on Granville Street between 60^th and 70^th Avenue.

On this cloudy Saturday afternoon, Rick Hofs sat against the brick wall of the Royal Bank of Canada branch on the corner of Granville Street and 70^th Avenue.  He watched the passerbys as he smoked his cigarette.

Hofs spoke in a slow, calm manner as he told his story.  He exposed a set of brown teeth with large missing gaps.  Hofts is originally from Hope and came out to Vancouver to find employment a few years ago.  He worked as a carpenter, but could no longer work when he began having seizures.  He said has had numerous blood tests done, but he is not yet cured.  “I’ve had so many blood tests, I almost have no blood left in me!” Rick joked.

Hofs compared himself with other homeless people who sometimes come from Downtown.  He said that the “guys from Downtown” usually cause a “ruckus” and are often on drugs.  “I don’t do that,” Rick said with bloodshot eyes.

A group of homeless men chatting boisterously on benches in front of the Safeway parking lot.  Hofs said that they have been drinking for the past few hours.  He advised others, especially young women, not to go over there, as they will most likely be subject to their “verbal abuse”.  “You don’t deserve that,” Hofs said to this student journalist.

A woman sat in front of the Liquor Store entrance that shouted, “Spare change?”, whenever someone walked by.  Hofs told me that he likes to take on a more passive approach than this woman.  “I mean, I’m here. You know why I’m here,” he said.

When asked if he is able to make a living in the neighbourhood, Hofs shrugged and said, “I survive.”  He likes it here in Marpole, describing it as a real “community.”

A woman drops off a bag with oranges, apples, and a big bottle of V8 juice. When asked who the woman was, Hofs shrugged and said it was just someone in the neighbourhood.

Hofs said he regularly hangs out here, up against the north wall of this Royal Bank of Canada branch.

Friday morning in September, traffic chugged on methodically at the intersection of Kingsway and Nanaimo, on the edge of Collingwood neighbourhood in East Vancouver.

On the southeast corner of the street, bright, fluorescent lettering stands out on billboards against the grey concrete and littered sidewalk advertising the sale of new condos that would be built on the same land: “ALL ONE BEDROOMS UNDER $299,000…PHASE 1 95% SOLD. THIS VIEW THAT PRICE.” The signs illustrate a bright twinkling downtown cityscape at night set in front of Vancouver’s iconic north shore mountains, turning an otherwise two-dimensional ad into a working man’s fantasy. There are no other high-rises in this part of the city–yet; but The Wall Group is looking to change that. Eventually a 22-storey building and a mid-rise will be built on the site the developer is dubbing Eldorado to reflect the history of the neighbourhood. According to the developer’s website, a 396 square foot studio would cost someone about $850 per month.

The Eldorado Motor Hotel, just south on Nanaimo, is visibly vacant from the street, patiently waiting to be demolished. Bare windows reveal hallowed out rooms.  And up above another high-flying billboard mingling with the low-lying clouds reads, “If You Lived Here You Would Be Home By Now! (LOL).” Change is in the air.

Sitting on a portion of cracked cement by the new realty office, Quoc Pham, doesn’t think he’ll notice a difference when the three buildings are gone and a new project begins. Wearing an Adidas sweatshirt and jeans, Pham cradles a tallboy Budweiser can in his tattoo covered hands that he bought at the Eldorado liquor store. “I’ll still be able to do this,” he grins while taking a drink.

Pham says he grew up in the Collingwood neighbourhood but finds himself at the corner mostly everyday.  He says he currently lives near the 29th Avenue SkyTrain but likes to sit and drink or wander around.

As the rest of Collingwood gets ready for a facelift proposed by the city set to begin in the next few years, calling the project Norquay Village, turning single family homes into a dense living space, this corner leads the transformation, and with it a landscape of abrupt change in this traditionally over-looked, multi-ethnic community.

The paved road to the University of British Columbia Farm guided a constant stream of motorists, cyclists and pedestrians to the weekly Farmer’s Market. Student volunteer, Arthur Krumins, greeted visitors at the gate and the music of the Grist to the Mill Ceilidh band’s banjos welcomed them inside on the chilly Saturday morning.

Toddlers stumbled carrying giant nectarines, adults warmed up with mugs of coffee and dogs slept on the grass in the picnic area. Regulars Jan Smith and Gwen Boyle, a local artist, sat on picnic benches. They chatted in between bites of jam sandwiches on fresh bread. Smith said the Guatemalan Maya gave her the bread recipe last year, but her attempt tasted differently.

Maximo Morales sat under the Maya Community Garden Project tent. He peered at customers from beneath the brim of his straw hat and smiled to welcome those who approached him. He said him and his family immigrated from Guatemala and Mexico. Before the garden his adjustment to Canada was difficult. “But things are better now,” said Morales.

Morales leaned forward in his chair and folded his rough-skinned hands on the table. He said the Maya culture is rooted in farming. The six families plant corn, beans, squash and flowers in the garden and eat what they grow, he said.

Sharing suits the Maya culture. They teach others about farming by giving tours and accepting volunteers, said Morales. “Anyone can join us, help us,” he said.

Seven-year-old Yamanik arrived with her family to help in the garden. “I like to plant the seeds. It’s fun,” she said and chased a younger helper around the tent.

Yamanik may be too young to realize that she is participating in a conscious effort to allow her community to embrace their Maya and Canadian cultures simultaneously. She is just having fun and can because the Maya Community Garden Project suits the University of British Columbia Farm’s vision. Market volunteer, Lauren Wright, said it is to raise awareness about sustainable agriculture.

Yamanik will be able to continue having fun in the garden as long as the farm’s vision remains a relevant part of the University of British Columbia community. But the housing developments on the south campus and debates over the farm’s land use point to an uncertain future.

Joe is probably not the only homeless person in Vancouver. According to Streetohome Foundation, there are about 3,700 homeless people in Vancouver.

On Sept 9 evening, when the hustle bustle at 47^th and Fraser was reducing, Joe was sitting on a bench at a street corner, pleading with the passers-by “Any change, please?”

Reluctant to talk at first, he said he does not have a name and later identified himself as Joe. He does not have a place to call home and is living like this for the last 30 years in Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver. That particular night he had a plan to go to a friend’s place somewhere in SW Marine Drive but he did not tell the name of the friend or his exact address. At other times, he said, he passes the night wherever on the street-side he likes.

He said he does not know his age and later said he is 57. “I don’t know. I have lived day to day in this jungle. I guess I am 57.”

He lighted a cigarette and added, “I just wandered; and I don’t know from where and when I came here.”

He said he is a born Canadian. He was born in East Coast. His six brothers are living in the East. According to him, they are into fishing and probably “surviving.”  Joe is never married. His brothers know he is somewhere in Vancouver but not exactly where.

Dressed in a worn-out jacket and jeans, Joe said he has no idea whether the government has opened any place for homeless people. But he said the government provides some money for people like him. However, he has never got the money. “The government gives money if I can work but I cannot work,” he said, and showed a long scar on the wrist of his right hand. He could not recall how it happened.

When he was young, he was also into fishing in the East. He used to earn enough for a survival. He said he had to quit it and become jobless as “there are no more fish in the East.”

Joe does not look like a mugger as portrayed by some websites like virtualtourist.com where beggars, homeless and junkies have been called a security risk in Vancouver.

Nicole Adams, director, Communications and Community Relations, Streetohome Foundation, says she had no data to support that homeless people are a security risk in Vancouver. “I have no data on this,” she said.

At 8:30, when night started prevailing, Joe  was still asking “Any change, please?” And, sure, he needs change.

The Vancouver Art Gallery steps on Robson and Howe are a teeming centre of life in downtown Vancouver. On any sunny afternoon, one is likely to see groups of street punks smoking pot, elderly men in suits playing chess and a variety of international vendors selling handmade art wares. Protest abounds in this location and it is frequently home to more than one demonstration a day.

On Friday afternoon, a small crowd of Latin American men and women attempted to grab the attention of this busy area with a hand-painted banner that read, “Support Hunger Strikers in Chile”. Many pedestrians simply ignored them, swatting away the pamphlet being offered and clutching their shopping bags instead. Yet, reassuringly, some accepted the leaflet and buried their faces in it while trudging through the busy Robson street foot traffic.

The protest was led by Waldo Fernandez, a Chilean immigrant who has been living in Canada for three years. He explained that the demonstration was on behalf of the over 30 indigenous Mapuche prisoners in Chile who have been on hunger strike since mid-July. The prisoners are demanding full repeal of the anti-terrorist laws under which they were sentenced. A remnant of the Pinochet dictatorship, the laws allow for lengthy detainments, restriction of defence access to evidence and masked witnesses.

Surrounded by throngs of people rushing by with their headphones in and lining up to try the newest food carts on the sidewalk, Fernandez’s persistence was impressive. “Help the Mapuche people,” he repeated to every passing pedestrian. When asked if Vancouverites were responsive to his cause, he shrugged and said, “To some extent… But the most valuable thing about Vancouver is that we are allowed to protest here.” He emphasized the importance of educating Canadians about Latin American issues, since “they receive everything from the main media.”

The Mapuche prisoners became an international news story when four Chilean opposition MPs joined the hunger strike on Thursday. BBC and Reuters have covered the issue, but it has yet to be picked up by a major Canadian news outlet. “There are so many Latin Americans here, but the main media doesn’t show it,” Fernandez said.

Fernandez lamented the lack of Canadian coverage, as he sees similarities between the Mapuche and First Nations people. His group, the Mapuche Solidarity Collective, identify their location as “Unceded Coast Salish Territory”, rather than Vancouver. “The same thing happens with the indigenous people here,” he said. “It’s about the land. The same thing happens all across America.”

For more information, visit http://mapuche.info (and use Google Translator if you don’t speak Spanish).

On a recent drizzly September Saturday, a group of teens clustered in front of the brick-coloured Net Loft on Anderson Street. They loudly talked among each other while milling about excitedly despite a lack of coherent direction. Each of them wore matching white t-shirts with a stylized “Shinerama” graphic on the front and a mosaic of blue corporate logos on the back.

The socialization soon ended and they set about their task: asking passersby for donations to fight cystic fibrosis in exchange for a shoeshine, a Shinerama sticker, and a free hug.

“Like pepper on eggs guys,” a blonde girl in jeans and flip-flops said to the others.

Two girls moved off and planted themselves outside the Public Market for a few second before breaking into an a capella version of Donovan’s “Mellow Yellow.”

A young volunteer and his guitar claimed one of the wooden benches ringing the open area at the corner of Anderson and Johnston. His acoustic song seamlessly fit in against the background of bagpipes, electric guitars, and pan-flutes supplied by the Island’s buskers.

Another group thrust its collection of  homemade signs at passing cars while a young man’s combination of a head-to-toe orange spandex jumpsuit and a frantic mix of jumping and waving attracted attention.

I’m approached by Beth who tells me she heard about the event on Facebook and encouraged a few of her fellow dorm residents to attend as well. The corners of her lips draw in and her eyes gaze down as she recounts how she lost a sister to CF and had another friend currently fighting the disease.

“It’s a way I can give back to them,” she said before renewing her smile with an embrace of a passing Italian tourist.

One of Beth’s friends, Grace, takes over and recited the event’s highlights: Mayor Gregor Robertson officially declared today Shinerama Day, 17 other universities were participating across Canada, and Shinerama had volunteers spread out across the city throughout the day.

Most hesitated when approached by Beth and Grace’s gang: understandable as most were wearing sneakers or canvas shoes. But the combination of enthusiasm, a hug, and a good cause won most over to drop some change in the box.

Shinerama is held annually across Canada in support of the fight against cystic fibrosis.

Welcome to the first annual launch of the ThunderBlogs, a writing hub for the UBC School of Journalism’s intrepid first-year beat reporters. From Kitsilano coffee shops to the bustling Punjabi Market in Vancouver’s Sunset neighbourhood, follow our student bloggers as they hit the streets and explore the ins and outs of Vancouver’s many diverse communities.