This issue of the Renfrew-Collingwood CommunityNews is full of the many wonderful people, events and programs happening in our neighbourhood!
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In this issue:
Why I love Renfrew-Collingwood
Windermere students expose water injustice
Community engagement through arts and culture
Join the Social Culture Club
Art Institute of Vancouver Multicultural Carnival
Find your Hygge
Do you have a local story to tell or an event to share? We’d love to hear about it! Email rccnews-editorial@cnh.bc.ca.
The deadline for the February 2017 issue is January 10. We welcome story submissions from 300 to 400 words long. Accompanying photos must be high resolution in a jpg file at least 1 MB large and include a photo caption and the name of the photographer.
“Young girls don’t have to look a certain way to be happy.”
Just as Strong: A film by the Windermere Girls Group. Source: Youtube
Last school year, the Windermere Secondary Girls Group watched the film Miss Representation, which provoked a strong reaction, writes Marisol Petersen, the community schools team coordinator for the Windermere Family of Schools.
The group was dismayed by the ways in which girls and women are being portrayed in such hypersexualized ways. They were also disappointed by the fact that female athletes and politicians are not treated the same way their male counterparts are in the media.
In response, the group asked if they could make a movie. The students – from Grades 8 and 9 – came up with the concept and key messaging they wanted their film to be about, assigned each other roles and set about filming all aspects of Just as Strong.
A community filmmaker, musician, visual artist and educator, Sarah Van Borek, was hired to help the Girls Group edit their film.
Their concept was simple but brilliant. The girls put signs up over the four front doors of Windermere – Beautiful, Average, Strong, Weak—and asked students to go through the door that reflected how they felt about themselves.
Ann in Grade 12 chose the door Average because she’s not confident in herself.
Zoe in Grade 9 also chose Average because she doesn’t see anything special about herself and she blends in with the crowd.
Mary Ann in Grade 9 chose Strong because she’s decided to be strong to overcome challenges in her life.
Rachel in Grade 12 chose Beautiful because everyone is beautiful in their own way.
The girls are now touring Just as Strong to local elementary schools with the hopes of getting our youth to think critically about what they see in the media and to continue the conversation.
“You are strong and beautiful just the way you are.”
Preorders for the book were sold at this year’s Renfrew Ravine Moon Festival. Photo by Kaitlyn Fung
BY EMILY CHAN AND KAITLYN FUNG
Over the past three years, Still Moon Arts Society has been producing a book to share memories about our beloved local Still Creek, which runs through the heart of the Renfrew Ravine. Artistic director Carmen Rosen started the project to chronicle the amazing stories of our neighbourhood and, together with her team, has gathered numerous stories from residents of various ages, experiences, cultures and length of time living in Renfrew-Collingwood.
From childhood memories in the ravine to the celebrated return of the salmon to our waterways, the book will feature the many experiences of art, nature, stewardship and more from Still Creek, as well as the community that has made it blossom. The stories have now been curated into a book that can be enjoyed by families, children, elders and everyone in between.
A preview of Still Creek Stories. Cover design by January Wolodarsky Cover design by January Wolodarsky
Everyone involved in the project was so proud to take preorders for the book at this year’s Renfrew Ravine Moon Festival in September. After the years of story collection, it is an honour to share the incredible stories about Still Creek and Renfrew Ravine, some of which were previously forgotten, unheard or lost, and others that had yet to be discovered.
The book will be launched in January 2017. If you are interested in learning more about the project and preordering Still Creek Stories, you can visit squareup.com/store/still-moon-arts-society.
This project has been the culmination of many peoples’ hard work, thoughtful comments and heartfelt commitments to making these stories heard. It also could not have happened without access to the beautiful, rugged, loved, exquisite piece of nature that is Still Creek.
A big note of appreciation to everyone that has loved and protected the creek, therefore allowing this project to come to life.
Copyright (c) 2016 Renfrew-Collingwood Community News
Happy new year!
Renfrew-Collingwood Community News 