| The Downtown Eastsite (DTES) has a vibrant arts and culture community and two long-time writers from the neighbourhood spoke with CFRO to share more about their art. At one time, poet Gordon Bird was homeless and then became seriously ill with pneumonia. He then found himself in a shelter; as he worked to get back on his feet he applied for a job with Mission Possible (MP), an organization that works to empower people with meaningful employment believing it will transform their lives. Today, Bird, describes just that: after working in the MP Program “Neighbors,” he is now housed and is looking forward to developing a treatment program for others. Then Jim Sands gives CFRO a rundown on storytelling, its history and importance in a changing world. Sands was the most recent artist in residence at the DTES Heart of the City Festival and when he is not writing or making music, he is the resident Santa up at Grouse Mountain. |
