Do you know about Creative Mornings? →

On the first Friday of every month, this amazing event happens. If you are reading this from some other part of the world outside of Vancouver I promise there is a chapter there. Google it, and let me know what you find.

Tina Roth Eisenberg moved to New York from Switzerland and wanted to connect with people, she is a designer from a family of entrepreneurs and wanted to build community in her new neighbourhood. She quickly figured out that if you invite people to an evening event in New York you will be passed over for something else so she decided to create a breakfast gathering. That was over 15 years ago and it is now a global movement for creative people to meet, connect and inspire one another.

This is my version of the story, you can find out more about Tina here.

I have been involved with the Vancouver chapter on and off over the past 7 years I have lived in Vancouver as a volunteer and as an audience member. I highly recommend checking out your local chapter, you will meet like-minded people and get out of the house too.

So much thought and planning go into each year’s topics and to find people in local creative communities illiterate about the topic is another insurmountable act of planning.

Today I got to enjoy Lance Odegard a wonderful talk connecting spirituality with creativity. Lance is a poet who began his talk by paying homage to his Dad’s esoteric way of always being himself no matter the circumstance. He showered us with stories and photos about the person who helped bring him to this planet and then through poetry and prose he drew connections between spirituality and creativity that saw me shedding a tear or two during his talk.

Each month a postcard is created for the speaker and today the past year’s worth of speakers’ postcards were given to the audience. When was the last time you wrote someone a postcard? Want to start with me?

July 1

A birthday for Canada, mine is in 4 days and a lot of mixed feelings.

June saw the overturning of Roe v Wade and a conceal carry gun law be enforced in the US.

Here in Canada we are still learning so much about the residential schools and the 60’s scoop.

I have been reading and doing my best to become an ally. It is really hard to wrap your head around where the world is right now, it’s hard to feel a part of it, hard to know where your community fits.

I feel like we need to trust each other again, see the good, believe in the good, random acts of kindness go a long way. Holding a door, offering a smile, showing some kind of acceptance of each other is something I want to celebrate other than the birth of this nation.

People are hurting as a nation and we are knee deep in climate change.

I spend my days looking for the helpers and doing my best to be one.

Fred Rogers said that, when you are in times of crisis look for the helpers.

Find a way to be one too, we are all in this together.

Party on the Pavement. April 2

It’s that time of year again and I am hoping to make this an annual event.

Please come by if you are in the neighbourhood on April 2, 1-3 pm, at Jim Deva Plaza at Davie and Bute.

This is my third neighbourhood small grant and I would love to see you there. Special thanks and a big shout out to Gordon Neighbourhood House for continuing the opportunity for Neighbourhood Small Grants.

So come on by, grab a piece of chalk and draw on the pavement with me.

While you are at it say Hi to a new friend.

Finding facts.

During a time of crisis, it can be hard to find out what is exactly going on. It is important to check your source and know that the content is accurate, timely and true. You can check metadata, every digital file has a time stamp. There are many credible news sources out there and you need to find one that works for you.

Here is some information I have been gathering. If it is helpful for you, that is amazing, if not no worries.

All I ask in return is that you share here what is helpful for you in the comments.

Here are some key points of information that are useful for me.

Ukraine, a country located in eastern Europe, is the second-largest on the continent after Russia.

The capital is Kyiv (Kiev), located on the Dnieper River in north-central Ukraine.

A fully independent Ukraine emerged only late in the 20th century, after long periods of successive domination by Poland-Lithuania, Russia, and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (U.S.S.R.). Ukraine had experienced a brief period of independence in 1918–20, but portions of western Ukraine were ruled by Poland, Romania, and Czechoslovakia in the period between the two World Wars, and Ukraine thereafter became part of the Soviet Union as the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic (S.S.R.). When the Soviet Union began to unravel in 1990–91, the legislature of the Ukrainian S.S.R. declared sovereignty (July 16, 1990) and then outright independence (August 24, 1991), a move that was confirmed by popular approval in a plebiscite (December 1, 1991). With the dissolution of the U.S.S.R. in December 1991, Ukraine gained full independence. The country changed its official name to Ukraine, and it helped to found the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), an association of countries that were formerly republics of the Soviet Union.

President: Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Area: 603,548 km²

Founded: August 24, 1991

Population: 44.13 million (2020) World Bank

Official language: Ukrainian

For me the major news outlets are key.

BBC

CNN

NYT

Then I look to a couple of other sources in photojournalism because photos can tell an entire story.

VICE

NYT

It is also important to help any way you can, that begins with your everyday routine. If you see someone struggling to find their way on the street or maybe they look confused on the bus, ask if they need some help. I do this all the time. You might think it’s strange or weird but you have no idea how much relief it can provide. For those few moments, someone will not feel so alone and remember we are all here to care for one another.

Fred Rogers always taught the children that in a time of crisis there will always be helpers, so look for the helpers. That is the opportunity we have now, to be helpers, in any way we can. Help someone else know that they are not alone and do what you can to help. It is why we are here, we are meant to connect, to create community and to extend ourselves beyond our bubble.

How to help

I choose not to post this week because I felt it was important to stop tooting my own horn, stop scrolling and figure out a way to help instead.

If you are interested here is how you can help too.

Forest Fires in BC. Donate through the United Way.

Or however you choose, these are my suggestions only.

If you choose to help please do what is right for you.

Help Haiti.

Help Women in Afghanistan.

These are some of the ways I reached out to help.

Find what works for you and do that. I am only letting you know what I did this week instead of posting and scrolling. I looked for ways to get more educated and ways I could help.