FEBRUARY 15, 2025 carnegienewsletter.org
C`a_Ei|ELargi ed N EWS LETTE R
carnnews@vcn bc ca
401 Main Street Vancc>uver Canada V6A 2T7
(604) 665-2289
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This list of both fiction and non-fiction books by local black authors was created by VPL's reading experts in celebration of Black History Month.
Sol.O ART SIIOW Montana King FAmous CARNEGIE cEFTR\E -3RD FLooR FEBRufiRY 1 - 28, 2025
GRIEF CIRCLE GUIDEBOOK
As well as THE ART OF DYING February 14 -27 Montana will be available for group tours and talk of this show. Contact snoopyvmontana@gmail. com
LISTENING POST 382 Maln Street, Open Mon Tues 12-4 : Wed closed : Thur Fri 12-4
ZERO-BLOCK SOCIETY holds a weekly Grief Circle facilitated by Ronnie on Tues-
days 5-7 drop-in and ear acupuncture and 7-9 Grief Circle: Everyone Welcome!
Dear Members of the Board of the Carnegie Community Centre Association, Thallk you for your letter_to City Counch uiquiring about the status of the Regent and Balmoral developments. !t was forwarded to staff to facilitate a response. The City recogm.zes that bctth sites have historically been places of harm and trauma for many community members, and the dell.very of safe and dignified social housing on ttiese sites is a key priority.
The Regent has been leased by the City to BC Housing, who have carried out remediation on the buitding and are preparing plans for rehabilitation and coriversion to self.contained social housing. The design for the building is weH underway, and the City I.s working wi.th BC HOLising to explore options for social servi.ng spaces in the ground floor commercial unit.
The demolition of the Balmoral Holet tompleted in 20Z4 a.ltd the City is finalizing terms to enter Into a lease with BC Housi.ng to rec:evelop the site as social hous7.ng together wi`th the adjacent cl.ty-owned Sites. In parallel, BC Housing is advancing the building design. In the
inteiim, the site wi.ll be temporarily activated by Carnegie Community Centre as a hub for community gathering and culturally safe cictivities until constructT.on begins.
The City provided the land for both the Regent and the Balmoral sl.tes, and the Provl.nce is responsible for delivering the projects and securing capital fundl.ng and operating subsidies. Bcith sites have previously been identified as priority projects for the Province. At the Regent redevclopment, aH units wiH rent at the shelter component of income assistance. At the Balmoret` development, a minimum of one third of the units are targeted to rent at the shelter coniponent of income assistance, with a goal to exceed this requirement by maximizing affordability on all the units.
Delivering housing at the Regent and Balmoral sites are key prioriti.es for both the City and Province. As the project lead, BC Housi.ng is responsible for delivery and wilt communicate timelines and funding details as they are confirmed.
If you have further questions about the interim actl.vation at the Balmoral, please don't hesitate to contact me. Thank you,
ifeJ#-BoxpJody Bourgeau
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or@vancouver.
City of Vancouver, Arts, Culture a Community Services Social Operations 310 -814 Bichards Strec>l
Vancouver. Briti§h Columbla V6A 3A7 Canada
vancouver ca
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ln late January, Mayor Ken Slm announced that he plans to stop new supportlve houslng in Vancouver and dramatlcally alter the Downtown Eastside (DTES) Local Area Plan that
has preserved low property values and encouraged social housing for the last ten years.
We wrlte to set the record straight as members of the Order of Canada with years of experlence living, working and volunteering in the Downtown Eastside.
The DTES Local Area Plan, intended to last for 30 years, was co-developed by the Gty and a local planning process with representatives from the DTES's dlverse groups, cirganlzatioris and
buslnesses. They came up with a plan that moves toward a liveable and supportive place for all its middle and low-Income residents, local businesses and services.
The plan is worklng as Intended
The no-condominium zoning and 60/40 rule in the
Oppenheimer Distrlct are keeping land prices down so social hc)uslng is financially feaslble.
Research by UBC Assistant Profession Kum Kamizaki shows that 41 social housing buildings have
been bullt, acquired c)r are in progress in the DTES Allowing market towers in the DTES woijld
enrich developers and incentivize SRO owners to evict thousands of low-Income people Into
homelessness, The Plan requires that all soclal housing buildings in the DTES except Chinatown and ndustrlal
areas must have at least one-third of units renting at social a5slstance shelter rate ($500 a
month today). This strategy ensures that low-income people are not excludecl from social housing.
Calllng for a pause on "net new" supportive housing in Vancouver is exactly the opposite of
what we need. The city has already abandoned 144 units of supportive housing (Larwill Place, Little Mountain) in 2024 with 96 more (Aneki Place, Skeena House) c>n the chopping block for
2025. Why? Because the city isn't renewing land leases or finding new sites for supportive modular buHdings, land leases aren't being renewed. 3,500 pec)plc are on social assistance with
no fixed address, and more homeless seniors and others are not on social assistance. We
desperately need housing that rents for $500 a month so people don't have to live on the street. Livlng on the street means people are vulnerable to criminals and have to sleep in front of stores which is nc>t fair to them or to lc)cal busmesses. Not having housing is bad for physical
and mental health, personal safety. life expectancy and the health of a commuriity as a whole. Services are concentrated in the DTES where people need them to live` Imagine being homeless
and having to carry your belc)ngings across the city to get to a doctor's appointment, or to get a
desperately neecled free meal.
More supportive housing is needed throughout Vancouver, the region and the country to provide services llke meals, connections to mental and physical health, harm reduction, and
llfe skllls help. Stopping the construction of supportive housing in Varicouver won't create it in
other places and will condemn Vancouver's homeless to die c}n the supportive housing waitlist. Housing
should
be
available
to
everybody
who
needs
it,
available
in
thelr
own
neighbourhoods at $500 a month which is all that people can afford who live on social assistance, disability and basic seniors' pension.
Conflating criminal activity, supportive housing and people living in poverty misdirects blame. It
avoids the real solutions: public policies, resc)urces, and housing that people can afford. These would enable all Vancouver citizens to live fulfllling, healthy lives.
We all need to press our political leaders fc)r more supportive housing and an end tc) hc)melessness.
In the long run, this will cost far less than paying for homeless shelters, hospital care, mental health hospltalization, or Jail.
-Michael Clague, Libby Davies, Terry Hunter,
Donald Macpherson, Jean Swanson. Savannah Walling
Dear Mayor Sim:
January 30, 2025
Re. Call for a freeze on new supportive housing in Vancouver.
Dear Mayor Sim:
I am writing to express disagreement with your announced intention to call for a pause on `net new supportive housing' in Vancouver This will set-back efforts to build the supportive housing thls city needs quite apart from the need for such housing elsewhere in the region. Specifically, we pointed out that the supportive housing approved by the City in the Downtown Eastside Oppenheimer District is wc)rking. The prohibition on market condominiums, the requirement that
private rental developments have to Include 60 percent social hou§ing, and that at least onethird of units must rent at social assistance rates (currently $500) is the best assurance that low Income people will not be living on the street.
I also take issue with the unfortunate language you are quoted as using, blaming the "poverty industrial complex" for the desperate conditicins in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. This kind of statement disparages the people and clrganizations who work every hour of every day to trlage this tragic situation, a situation they have not created. It has been created by the abiect failure of governments, Includlng Vancouver Those who suffer most, who are the vlctims are the residents of the Downtown Eastside, those who live on the streets and those who live, work and have businesses in the neighbc)urhoods of the DTES. They struggle mightily to maintain community amidst the failures of public policies, public funds, and political leadership.
Putting a pause on supportive housing in Vancouver makes it a pawn in avoiding responsibilities all local governments must accept. It will ensure that homelessness will not only continue to be visible in the Downtown Eastside. It will be increasingly visible throughout the city. Michael Clague Co-chair, Downtown Eastside Local Area Plan (2014)
The house was packed on the night of Januar}' 3oth. Passionate DTES residents and allies from arciund thi` city filtered into `hi' Carnegie Theatre in a line that stretched out ctf the building. Volunteers and staff scrambled to gather additional chairs from around lhi` centre to seat the i5o-strong town hall crowcl. Wendy Gaspard, a neighbourhood musician, aclivisl. and Winlcr's hotel fire survivor kept the rc)om entcrlained and calm with 7o's folk ballads. She \vas accompanied
•
UBC professor Kuni Kamizakiwho spoke about
research he has done that shows how the Oppenheimer District zoning has kept land values steady in the neighbourhood whilc the surrounding art'a has skyrocketed in value. This is because the Oppenheimcr District essentially doesn't allow condos and I.equircs new buildings to be al lcasl 6o% social housing, reducing t]ie amount a landlord can charge tenants and the amoui`t {he}i can afford to then pay for the land.
by guitarist Sean Farrell.
This has stalled the wa`'e of gentrirication that is Everyone \`Jns lheri-to share their fruslralions with
currently s``.irling aroui`d Woodw'arcls. Kuni also
V:`ncouver Ma}'or Ken Sim's <innouncement at the
sho\`'ed that there is d pretty balanced mix of incomes in the buildings built in the last decade \`.ith a slant toward the people \`'ho need housing
januar}r 23r(I "Save Our Streets Forum", \`'hi're he
announced plan to "Revitalize the DTES." This is in
most. 44% of units drL` shelter rate, 28yo are HILs
slight contrast to Couiicilor Rebecctt Bligh's effort to "Uplift lhe DTES," ``.hich we've been lalking uboul a lot o\`er the last vear and this town hall was originally
(reming to households making $4ok-Sio7k/year), and 28°/o at low-end of market (about Si5oo for a
planned lo discuss.
one bedroom place).
Makeda Martin, aka "Momma Bear", opened the event with a passionate and rhythmiL` land acknowledgement. I read out a speech that was shared by Jean Swanson that explained the situation we find ourselves in, with a mayor who wants to pause new supportive housing development, break up the DTES, and address certain crime with not housing and regulated drugs, but more police. In her absence, the audience sustained n long applause of gratitude for her unwa`rering work and leadership for housing justice.
CHP member Lavem Kelly MC'ed the event and
•
Bev Ho, a chinatown organizerwho works with Yarrow, wrapped up the panel by talking about how expensive condo developments in Chinatown have increased property values and rents so much that Chinese semors feel less and less welcome in the neighbourhood. The.v are rapidly losing community spaces that are affordable on a senior's t)asic-pension. She talked about how government used to bi`ild affordable public housing before the `9os, and needs lo return to that with a focus on intei.generational. culturally appropriate housing.
introduced the 3 panelists:
•
City councilor pete Fry who spoke about the potential type of buildings city hall is pushing for lhc DTES; 2o-3o Storey towers renting a[ mostly market ralc. He acknowledged that the provinc`c` wants to work with the city to build deeply
Following this was a raucous rendition of the Trojan Horse story, written and directed by Max Campbell, that depicted the developers and their political friends planning a di`ci`plive Siege on the D.1`ES. A large cardboard horse wns rolled onto the stage and "Odysseus", played by Max, handpicked "brave
affordable housing and improve hcallh services, so he doesn.t understand why the mayor would want
warriors" from the audieilce to enter the horse>
to ,.eject that.
including \`'estbank, Holbum, and Low. Tide Properties, son ol` Chip \\''ilson.
When confronted with the choice to let this speculative horse past the walls and into the neighbourhood, the audience shouted "NO!", forcing the horse to retreat with its tail between its legs.
We finished the event by opening up to the audicncc and asked:
"What is a change that would improve the DTES? "More housing" •`Community safety starts \`rith dignified and
affordable hou sing" "Getting rid of police" "No more homelessness; safe suppl}'"
"What is something special about the
"Housing, harm reduction, more help for the poor,
DTES„
less gentrificalion, community centres" "An actual universal income and proper liveable
"Communitv that takes care of each other" "All kinds of people, young and old, families and seniors froin all kinds of social and cultural backgrounds bringing their cultural practices ``'ith tllem." "Supportive"
housing; mental health support" "Listening to people and getting feedback every onc€ in a while" "Slop cily hall froi]i sabotaging affordable housing; real help needed" "More accessible housing no\v. Can't wait;
"l`he spirit tif 1_he people. Best coinmunily for caring."
"Lots of love"
rccrealional prc)grams for the diverse residi`nls here
"Community unity, posilive like minded goals,
that are suslainable" "Keep the DEOD plan. We nccd more suppoi.live
consistency"
"How generous people are"
"Hidden gems/diamond in the rough"
housing, not less" "Compassion and dignity for my rellov,' kin, housi`d
and unhoused; less inonc.\J for police harassment fint
/
"l`he sociallyawarecommunily" "People don't leave each other behind. They help. They
more housing stock" "Social housing for all"
organize. DULF, VANDU elc." "The resources are stretched thin but community never
"Safety structural building codes on the existing
withholds from each other"
buildings (enforce, implement, mandate)" "More affordable housing and food/shelter options
"Resilience and community"
"The people! Community! This is our home. We live here!""People are receivecl as just whci they are at that
molnent" "Rich history of community building and action by the
for unhoused people" "Everyone being able to have a home; a specific plan to protest this change; supportive and social
housing" "Self contained housing for all in the DTES at rates
people" "Strong sense of coiiimunity and kind care"
eaL`h can afford; more trees and birds; treatment on
"Its a great community. No one goes hungry. People
demand for all who need it; healing centre and canot landing at CRAB park; space I.or Indigenous and
care about each other" "Get food and help for needed items" "That we are one big family that watch over each other" "The vibram community! Kind, smart caring people everywhere" "Vlhnt I love: we look after each other"
"Its affordable"
other cultural practices" "Stc)p trying to profit off the land; help people
remain in their community and keep their stuff."
Will the city stop allowing supportive housing to be
t)uilt? Will city staff rccommcnd that the DTES Area
Plan be scrappcd and 3o story rental towers bc allowed in the Oppcnheimer area?
These are two things that could happen later this month. The C.amcgie I-Iousing Prujccl (CHP) is gcaring up to spctik out fiir the D'I`ES neighbourhood find l`or suii|)(trtivi' housing.
The ni:iyor announi`c`d late last month that hc w:inls to pause "the c()n`truc[i()n of licl ni`w si`pporti\re h(iusing units in Vanccluvc`r .... " \l'ith 3()oo pi`ople on lhc supporti`.c' hoi]sing wziit li*[, anLl about 4ooo
``.ho are homi`lcss in lhii cit}r I his pl:in cuuld
condemn thous:inds t(t dii. t)n the housing wait list.
Already thi` ABC City Council is allowing supportivi`
modular housing (o he lost when their land leases are up.144 units arc gone with over Goo more due to
Be on the lookout for posters and linessagLnH for a DTES demoi'rstra on on Feb 26th!
close by 2o31.
The Mayor's code phrase for possibly putting 3o
Add to this, the Mayt]r also announced that he wants
story Lowers in the DTES is "Updating the DTES
ttt use city land to build a 5o st()ry rental towei` in the
Area Plan to c`nc`ouragi` a mix of housing. businesses
West End for peopli' earning $9o,ooo to Sl94,ooo a
and scrviccs." Right now the plan stops condos in
the Oppenheimer area and requires private rental
}'car. People in this income group can af`ft)rd rental housing in rilgular market housing. Plus using city
housing to includii 6o pi'r ci`nt social housing. In thc`
land for richer peoplc. means it cant bc used for low
riist of the DTES, buildings are I.estricted to about 12
income folks. LTsually whi`n thi` city allows profit
stories. If 3o story to\`'ers arc. allowed (38 and 39
milking dcvclopcrs to ha\'e very high buildings, it
story towers arc already proposed for E. Hastings
requires that 2o pcri`ent (]f thi` units rent at below
iicar Raycam), property valui.s would incri`asc a lot
market rents, but not in tlris c`ity owned building.
and privatcl SR() tjwncrs could sell the housing ol last resort bc`ft]re homc`lc`ssonss, lca\'ing low incomc`
It almost sccins as if the Mayoi-is tr}ring [o drive low
rcsidc`nts facing homclcssncss. Plus, with higher
incomc` pc`oplc out (}f thi` cit}r, even though there is
property values, desperately needi'd social houisng will be harder for non profits to build because land
no place for them to go and no h(iusing they could
will cost so much.
afford.
• I=1igiLiilit} I Please note tliat this prt)gram is lim-
TTheT:Icti[cCo-Ijearnin£EngraErementisa6-week
ited to artists residing in the Greater Vancou\,'er Regional Distrjct or Metro Vancou`'cr. Prlority ls
program designed to explore non-\'isual communicntion appr{raches in contemporary art spaces T\\ o
gil i`n to arlis[s v lici ideiitify' as Blii]d. DeafB] iud,
artists with a tactile practice will be in\'ited to ex-
with a tactile art practice. Indigenous artists With
plore and exchalige knowledge abttut navigating the ctmtempcirary art world through touch. This paid
Host Nation` (Musqueam, S{Tuamish` and Tslell-
program sumorts artist par[icipants to work collaborative-l}' u ith grunt gallery staff to deepen their undc`rstanding of access challcnges and possibilities for nnon-visual al`d noi`-audito-r} contemporar}' all practices Toge`hcr, we :tim to iniprove support rt`T nonvis`lal arts workers, artists. and visitors. Arc }.ou a non-visunl` Blind` low-vislon` or partially
sighted artist. musiclon, makcr` or knowledge keeper with a tactile art pl actice?
grunt galler}J is oITei mg a 6-week engagemeiit for two lactile artists to e.`plore alid e`cliai`ge kno\+-
]edgi` `tibiit`t ]" igatiiig the contemporary art u i`rld through touch. 'lThis piid progiam pro\'ides access to galler} staff, operatioii`. and ortpoftimit}' for Collaborative lcariiitig. Together, \t'e Dim to ii`iprove siippoil t.t)r `ion-\'I`ual ai.L} workers. ailis[s` and visitors.
Key details reETarding the 20:5 l`actile Co+earning
Engagi`ment Prograni;
• Artist Fee: $2`000.
• Dead]irie for applications: Mai`ch 14, 2025, by
midnigllt. • Ho\\' to appl}J: Submit ,\'oiir artist CV. aiiswer I 0
.`hort questions, :ind incliide sup-porting materials I.elated to .Your tactile practice (vi€` email or Goc>gli` for',\). • Appl}i al
grunt.ca/tactile.
• Q`lestjoiis or Access Needs? Please emiiil, acpi'c-¢1gri`iit.cactraccessic/`,'grunt.ca,
• ]iiterested in appl}'ing? visit oi[r u ebsite for additittnal details: grunt.ca/tactile-co-Ie<irn ii`g-
el`gagemei`t or chei`l oiit gi`imt`s e`Jci`ts pagi` at gI.\mt .ca/c\ i`;nts to rL`serve } tiur spot l`or an
ONLINE INFORMATI()N SESSION on Wediiesday, Marcll 5th`
P€]rtiall}' Sighted. Low-Vision, or Nor-Visual low \'ision tir \`tio idcnllf}7 as non-vis,iial from
Watituth) with a tactTle art pr€ictice are also I)riorjtize(1.
Grunt galler}r is at 350 E 2nd in `7fl|]i`ouve|.
BREATHING WITH THE FIRE WITHIN
When there are still migrant children in the cages!
Who's accountable? Who's to cure? Or the gatekeeper? Have you been asthmatic? Knowing
The family doctors who refuse to follow-up, and refer
That there are macro-problems & micro-
When one becomes pained, disabled, broke, depressed
Plastics, organisms, asbestos, chemicals Climate change crises, politics, wildfires
The exploited, sick, and tired, old, do not have shelter
Around ready to choke, poison, and kill
While malls and stores are closing. Empty condos
Knowing that any sharp smell, toxins can be
Vertigo inducer. Cough starter. Weezing agents
Ammonia, mildew, mould, sour piss, sewage Burning oil, riot molotovs, cop pepper sprays
Stray bullets. Atomic bomb. Nuclear wastes
Second-hand smoke from ciggies, pipes, puffs From marijuana, blunts, hash, vapes, hard drugs Pollution, cars, fumes. and such can shut the lungs Deadly viruses, bacteria
Weakened. Traumatised by the pandemic & the politics
Infection. Inflammation
Still, money rules everything, Unashamed corruption ln our systems, religions, offices, policies, politicians
ln the pandemic, neglect + deaths were guaranteed:
The economies are not sustainable. Not cris`s tested
The systems placed under bad leadership, neglect
Have closed hearts and doors to those who are in need Police brutality. Solitary confinement. High lawyer fees
Families can not get justice when their beloved dies Get injured. Sad. IIled Disabled Bullied. Stressed Discouraged to live. Expedited to MAID in an eye blink
Cost effectiveness, yet, who decides a life's value? When Anti-Asian racism skyrocket, targeting seniors Pushing them in the gutters, telling Asians to go home Also, many migrant workers uniustly exploited, fired Damned. Deprived of ictbs and shelter in this Artic cold
For the asthmatic, old, with weak Immune systems
They were essential workers when needed. but now
COVID-19 tragically took the li-ves of millions, more
They are the scapegoat to all post-COVID19 stresses
Global shutdown, lockdown, or new world order?
Many migrants got sick so we wouldn't be in workplaces
Invasions by imperial nations. Empire vs
ln farms, greenhouses, slaughterhouse, processing plants
Machmeries, armies; drones, spies
empire
technologies
Yet, clinics, hospitals & marts could not find supplies
Hospitals. Nursing homes
Clinics
Custodial positions
On importation, immigration, foreign investors, women
Masks, sanitisers, PPEs were gone, none. Expired
How dependent, addicted are the 1 st world? Fair trade?
Imported. Low-quality. Low grade. Cheaply made
Toilet paper. daily needs, produce, luxuries, comfort
Coast to coast, crisis to crises. Calling
Coffee, chocolate, tobacco, sugar. oil, cotton. food
Grasping
For air Supplies. Support. Funds. Calmness. Staff
The question. where were the unions in protecting
Pencils, erasers, computers. Cheap sources & labour Nurses. Careglvers. Cleaners. Farm workers Workers
And guaranteeing all workers' safety? No PPEs prior
lnvestors, the rich, the fake rich, the nouveau-riche
Months before the lockdown. The news already global
The shlpments, the global market, oil rigs, supplies
Local. The viruses went viral. Still mandatory umon dues
While workers were forced to work in unsafe conditions
ln hotels, food services, greenhouses, butcher places Hospitals, nursing homes, custodial positions, more
lt was almost a wipe-out, an erasure A betrayal! Of the working class` disabled, and marginaljsed sectors
Of our seniors, friends, loved ones, of our human rights Necropolit`cs in the fancy name of 'Essentialism'. yet
Low-wages remain for many workers, migrants, disabled Injuries after injuries. The overdose crisis More trauma
Lack of benefit packages, housing, access to care, Rx Multitasking; extra work, no extra pay, taxes, motherhood
Oh, the many workplaces that are not safe, secured--ln politics, trade, policies, exchanges, medical offices
The sea cans Of consumption, corruption, demands Human trafflcking. Borders. Prisons. Contrabands
Ruled by cartels, pirates, drug lords, bureaucrats' Porn hubs. Women for the incels. Mail-order brides
Cheap plastic products, Processed food. Poison. Drugs Our lands` water, air, outer space are contaminated, too With misinformation, spies, hackers, hate, vain, Ignorance The rise of fascists. Their rich sympathjsers. Their allies
Banning Pectples Books burnt. Stealing lands, waters They banned the Indigenous, Black. Coloured, Truth What intelligence js that? How evll is that? How nazi? Amidst the already lying, burning, at-war, in-crises world
Have you been asthmatic? Still, we are breathing alive With our fire deep in ourselves, we will never be eradicated!
Under capitaljsm. Under tyranny. Legalised slavery Legallties. Legal
Majority, Minority. Illegal. IIlegalities
Where are the values? Morale? Strength and health?
- Mldred Grace German
The Trauma of communism: Lasting Legacy of Suffering
A
The 20th century \`/'as marked by the rise and fall of communist regimes, leaving in their wake a trail of devastation, trauma, and sufi.erii`g. The citizens of`these countries, from the Soviet Union to China, Cai]`bodia, and Eastern Europe, endured unimagina-ble hardships, forced labor. and brutal repression. The trauma inflicted upon these individuals and communities has had lasting effects, shaping their lives, families, and societies for generations to collie.
Tlie sheet-sca]c of tlie ati`ocities colniiiitted by com -mut`ist I.egiiiies is staggering. Estimates suggest that bctwcen 100 alid 150 millioii people lost their
lives as a dii-ect result ot` communist policies aiid actiolis. This staggering figure is a gI.im I.e]iiinder
of tlie bru-tal efficieiicy with \`liich communist regjliics cruslied dissent. eliiiiimtcd opposjtioii. and exploltcd tl`eir cltizeiis. Coiilltlcss more \\i'ere
tolfured` iliipris-oi`ed, alid foi.ced into laboi. camps.
wliere they were subjected to inhumaiie conditloils. starvation` aiid brutal treatmeilt.
The Soviet Union's gulags. China's laogai, and Cambodia's S-2l prison arejust a few examples of the countless sites of siiffering and death. The trau-
ma experienced by those who survived these camps is immeasurable, with many suffering from what would later be recognized as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Be}Jond the camps, entire societies were traumatized by the constant fear of arrest. torture. and execution. The pcrvasive atmosphere of siispicion and paranoia created a culture ot` silence, where individuals were reluctant to speak out or express dissent. This cli-mate of` fear had a profo`ind im-
pact on fainil}' rela-tionships, community dynamics, and social cohe-sion. Trust was broken. and the bonds that held soci-€ties together were severely strained.
The tra`ima inflicted by comiiiuiiist regimes has also had intergenerational effects. Children and
grai`d-ch i]dren of sur\i i\'ors often inherited the emotional scars of their ancestors, struggling with anxiety, de-pression, and a deep-seated fear of authority. In some cases, the trauii`a was so severe that it was passed down through generatioiis, becoming a cul-tural legacy of suffering.
In the at`termath of communism's collapse, many countries struggled to come to terms with their traumatic past. Some, I ike Cambodia, established trjbuna]s to prosecute those responsible for atrocities. Others, like Poland, created museums and ine -mortals to honour the victims. Howevcr3 in many cases, the trauma remains unaddressed, leaving deep woimds that continue to fester.
The legacy or commui`ist traulm serves as a stai.k reiiiiiidei. of` the dangers of totalitarianism a]id the
jmpoila]icc of pi.otecting humn rights and deiiioci.atic fi-eedoms. As we I.eflect on the suffering eiidui.ed by the citizeiis of commuiiist counti`ies. we miist also {icknowledge the I.esilieiice ai`d coui.age of those wlio sui-vi\Jcd aiid i`esisted. Theii-stories
serve as a testaliient to the liumali spirit's capacity' to en-durc even the most uiiimagii`able hardsliips. Bill 11.
Carh
NEWSLETTER |i
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Wii=i.knov,'IcdgethatcarnL`gji>CommunitycilitrL',.ind this News/ef(er, are occurring on Coast Salish Territory.
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THIS NEWSLETTER IS A PuBLICATION OF THE
cARNEGiE coMMUNrry CENTRE AssocIATioN Articles represent the views of individual contributars and not ot the Association.
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