No Public Meeting Tonight; Poetry on Saturday

As mentioned in our last email, there will be no public meeting tonight at the library. Our team was downtown yesterday hosting a Community Action Meeting at Qayqayt Elementary for renters who want to take action on improving the rights of tenants who lose their homes because of new construction and developments. The meeting was excellent, with many atteends volunteering to join the campaign and attend the city hall meeting on June 10th to speak on the issue.

Just as a reminder, here's the list of buildings that we believe are most likely to be impacted by redevelopment because of the province's recent "Transit Oriented Development" legislation. If you live in any of these buildings, email us as we could really use your support rallying tenants in the region.

Poetry and Panel Reading at Wildfires Bookstore

However, if you're craving some kind of housing related event this week, Amal Ishaque, a close friend of the tenants union, is hosting a panel discussion and poetry reading titled Housing Justice, Racism, and Social Engaged Art this Saturday June 1st at 7pm at Wildfires Bookshop in New Westminster. Wildfires Bookshop at 712 12th Street, right across the street from Wild Thyme and just a few blocks up from the Thirsty Duck.

Featuring amazing Chinese, South Sudanese, Kenyan and queer Muslim local organizers who will make connections between gentrification in Chinatown, working with elders, housing insecurity in New West, anti-Blackness, racial justice and how art can be a catalyst of both resistance and empowerment. Poetry and visual art will also be shared.

Spots are limited so you will have to RSVP by either emailing wildfiresbookshop@gmail.com or visiting the event page on Wildfires Bookshop's website.

Organizers would like you to know that in order to protect elderly and immunocopromised members of the community, this is a masked event. Masks will be provided at the door.