April 17: Book Launch - More Than One Street

Hi all!  Some of the work I’ve been doing in my PhD is coming to fruition in this book launch!  So excited to share this collaborative project with the world. If you can’t make it and would like a copy of the book please let me know!  Just $15 a copy!

More Than One Street Book Launch

Sunday April 17th 7-9pm               Solstice Cafe 529 Pandora Avenue

Street-involved youth work with UVic researchers to create book project

Interacting with police. Dealing with the death of a friend. Finding a place to crash. These are just a few of the topics explored in More That One Street, a collection of art, stories, poetry and resources written by and for former and current street-involved youth, in partnership with three researchers from the University of Victoria. Its launch will be celebrated with an evening of spoken word, music and celebration at the Solstice Cafe, 7pm Sunday, April 17.

The More Than One Street book is the work of the collaborative project of the same name. What began as a research project, funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, exploring how youth living close to or on Victoria's streets think about and care for their bodies and their health blossomed into a fruitful collaboration between former street-involved youth and a University of Victoria research team. Meghan Ignatescue, Meagan Gabriel, A Strong Man and Eva Masek Graham met regularly with anthropologist Lisa M. Mitchell (PhD) and her graduate students Marion Selfridge (PhD(c)) and Thayne Werdal (MA) to discuss their experiences of life on the street and how to share this with the larger public. The project's final phase offered a chance for the youth to work with the researchers—and each other—to develop resources that might be of assistance to street-involved youth.

"Creating this book was like riding a rollercoaster. Just when we thought we were finished, we went for another loop around the track. The process was full of laughter, tears, and so much cheese. I hope that the finished product, which contains little pieces of all of us, is a beacon of hope and inspiration. Both for current/former street youth, and everyone else who comes across these pages." Meghan Ignatescue

The youth researchers were the driving force behind the book, imagining its existence, writing all of its content, creating all of its artwork, and doing all of the layout themselves. The UVic research team was on hand to provide encouragement and support.  More Than One Street hopes that this book will shed light on youth’s diverse perspectives,  including the stories they tell about the experiences that brought them close to the street.

“We are really excited to showcase talented youth at our Book Launch!  We’ve invited youth with experience of the street and other talented musicians and spoken word artists to come and perform. It should be an excellent evening and we hope all kinds of folks will come to check it out!”  Marion Selfridge

Media contacts:

Marion Selfridge (Social Dimensions of Health) 250 857 4784 or marions@uvic.ca Lisa Mitchell (UVIc Dept of Anthropology) lmm@uvic.ca