Red Report Issue 3

Sunday December 13th

Surrey Street Council meeting

Weekly meeting of the Street Council reviewed the opening night of the Whalley People’s Resource Centre and decided to launch the Centre publicly.

Red Braid Coordinating Committee meeting

Bi-weekly meeting of the Red Braid CC, tasked with planning organizational work over the coming week.

Monday December 14th 

Praxis Committee

Weekly committee meeting to plan Red Braid’s internal and public education work. This week we prepared a syllabus on gender politics in the Cuban revolution for a member education class that we will hold in the new year.

Tuesday December 15th 

Maple Ridge Resistance meeting

Weekly meeting of a street community group in Maple Ridge. We had a small turnout because it was check week, but we were able to plan a holiday-themed dinner for the Maple Ridge Resistance meeting next Tuesday.

Wednesday December 16th 

Eviction Defense Network meeting

Weekly meeting of the Eviction Defence Network. We debriefed last week’s “No evictions! No slumlords!” picket and continued work on a general leaflet and newsletter for the campaign.

Eviction Defense Network outreach in Maple Ridge

We met with a tenant who called our hotline on Monday because she is experiencing harassment and being threatened with eviction by her building manager. We were also able to meet with five of her neighbours, who are experiencing similar difficulties.

Emergency fundraiser for the Whalley Centre

We launched an ambitious fundraiser with the goal of raising $12,000 by December 31st, in order to renew our lease and keep the Whalley People’s Resource Centre, which operates out of the Red Braid office, open throughout 2021 and beyond.

Thursday December 17th 

Bread, Roses & Hormones meeting

We met with a low-income trans woman, who is experiencing harassment from security guards at a local mall. Together we strategized how to fight back and decided to explore the possibility of lodging a BC Human Rights Code complaint.

Friday December 18th

Queer Youth Defense Network meeting

Weekly meeting of a small group of high school students, who recently formed the “Queer Youth Defense Network.” We talked about how to organize together in a way that feels safe and respectful. We also developed a survey we want to distribute to other queer youth to find out more about their needs and struggles.

Whalley People’s Resource Centre

The Whalley Centre is open every Friday from 11pm to 7am. It is run by the Surrey Street Council. This Friday two dozen people used the space to warm up, rest, or socialise, get hot food and drinks, dry clothes, harm reduction supplies, and first aid.

Saturday December 19th

Eviction Defense Network outreach in Maple Ridge

We returned to the apartment building in Maple Ridge where tenants are being harassed and threatened by their building manager. We distributed a newsletter we created specifically for the apartment, connected with six more tenants, and began to collect material needed to assist tenants in filing Residential Tenancy Board disputes.

New Member Education class

Bi-weekly education class held for new members of Red Braid. This week we discussed imperialism.

Publishing done in this period

Besides the various leaflets and local newsletters, we also published the following Volcano articles:

Listen Chen, Victims of police murder on trial: How BC’s IIO uses “mental health” to clear killer cops

Translation of Immigrant Self Defence: Only the struggle will give us documents by Gilets Noirs / Black Vests

Sean Phipps, Tenants Fear a “Return to Normal”: Resisting Evictions during and after the Pandemic