Vancouver's Downtown Eastside 30th Annual Women's Memorial March

This episode documents Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside 30th Annual Women's Memorial March. The march, which first took place on Valentine’s Day in 1992, commemorates the women who have either been murdered or gone missing in the DTES.

Family, friends and their supporters reflect upon lost loved ones and despite the odds stacked against them, bear testimony to the fortitude of the community.

One of the women speaks of a family member missing since 1989, another woman of the 7 police cars that arrived at her front door one evening, claiming that her singing on her front step, was disturbing the peace.

The event is organized and led by women from the neighbourhood because women, in particular Indigenous women, face violence in its various forms on a daily basis.

Taking place in the heart of the Downtown Eastside, at the intersection of Main and Hastings, right outside the Carnegie Community Centre, a focal point for those who live there, this is a 5 1/2 hour event of which, approximately one hour is presented in the video.

In the present day, the Downtown Eastside faces multiple issues all of which have been exacerbated by COVID 19. Amongst these are housing, health; including overdose, mental health and the impact of the pandemic, poverty and homelessness, indigenous reconciliation and policing.

Future episodes will include representatives from various organizations: civic, provincial and grassroots, addressing the task at hand.

The work to be done is not to be underestimated yet the resilience and determination of community members, not commonly recognized, continues to grow. As well as these individuals, we will also be hearing from those who live in the community and call it home.