This may be my most lengthy post ever. But a lot has happened since I had something to really talk about. And this is it. Sometime in early fall, a combination of living and working in the DTES, participating in Sleep Out, the privilege of attending SVI Hollyhock and I’m not sure what other factors brought me to a moment of asking myself “what can I do?” What can I do about the socio-geographical place in which I find myself?…
I have a lot of words in me, and I always feel a bit awkward posting them here. You may notice a theme or two, though I try to keep the closer stuff to my self, and to my heart. Family gathering days are different after you lose a close family member. My mom told me she had a terminal diagnosis on her birthday two years ago. Her birthday was September 11th. She took her last breath in July of…
Just had a potential event venue renter ask me if we have more than one bathroom because they need gender separated bathrooms “for safety and security.” Both of our bathrooms are single stall/occupant and locking. I guess there are some people who want to feel the safety of only one variety of genitals that they also possess preceding/succeeding them in the bathroom they’re using? What? I couldn’t resist saying “I guess you could, but this being 2017 and all I…
I will regret this rawness tomorrow. Sexual violation is unforgivable. I’ve been a victim, closer than I would/will admit here. We are never the same. In a way, who we once were has died. We become something, someone else after this violence. Disproportionately male on female. But shaming to the death is not the objective. This is not the opportunity for change. The opportunity for change, I believe, is in dialogue. Yes it’s frustrating, and emotionally laborious, to explain our…
A little reminder that just because a candidate is proverbially “left”, it doesn’t mean they represent you and your values/perspective. It’s a wildly simplistic read, and it insults your right to choose your representation. Do not be shamed by this rhetoric. I think we’re incredibly fortunate to have a bevy of socially progressive options in our municipal spectrum. The problem is not that we have too many options. The problem is that 394,147 of us neglected to make a choice. And…
Holiday shout out to everyone who’s missing someone. Holidays take on a different meaning after loss. And even if you’re surrounded by family, friends and love, loss and/or separation brings with it an absence, of history, of possibility, and of occasion. I’m not a big fan of celebrating thanksgiving, or Christmas for that matter. The social and political impact of the history of these holidays is very much at the forefront for me. I prefer to celebrate the seasons, as…
Alright, I need to reframe this experience. What should you do if you walk past someone who is rolling around half dressed in a gutter, crying, at 11 at night in a rough-ish neighbourhood? Does it make a difference if they’re visibly a member of multiple vulnerable populations? What is the set of criteria for intervention? Can you help? Should you? How? I’m asking because I honestly don’t know, and I feel like I should know, that I need to…
There’s this thing, that’s going on for me, for the past year. The death of my mother. Which has an empathy shelf life, and is a strange thing to talk about/address. I had, in many ways, a really weird relationship with her – she was manic a lot of the time, in our last years together. I didn’t always comprehend her way of coping with the world, her approach. But I’ve come to understand that it’s a part of me,…
Some random thoughts on voting, because that’s what we do with this social media thing. Today, if you haven’t done so already, go out and vote. Vote because the simple act of taking a half an hour out of your day gains you membership to a club of engaged humans. It gains you social credit in a very special, participatory way. It entitles you to entry to an ongoing conversation. And it takes almost no effort at all. Vote because…
So the I-4 zoning proposal passed with unanimous approval!! Yay! This is my (lengthy in text) speech, in case you are curious. It’s targeted at city council comprehension – I’m working on a more accessible version for newcomers to the topic. Thanks for all the love and support!!! My name is Denise Brennan, I own and operate a business in Railtown. My business represents more than 30 small businesses and entrepreneurs who are directly affected by this decision. Vancouver needs…