Absolute Poverty
“Trickle-down theory - the less than elegant metaphor that if one feeds the horse enough oats, some will pass through to the road for the sparrows.”
John Kenneth Galbraith, undated
Absolute poverty is defined as living on the equivalent of US$2 a day or less. In 2002, 43% of the world population lived on this little. This money has to cover the basics of food, shelter and water. Medicines, new clothing, and school books would not be on the priority list.
When almost an entire population lives on this little, it is unsurprising if undernourishment is high, education levels are low, and life expectancy short. In both Nigeria and Mali, 9 of every ten people survives on less than US$2 a day.
South America has a relatively small poor population, yet 39 million people have less than US$2 a day in Brazil.
Territory size shows the proportion of all people living on less than or equal to US$2 in purchasing power parity a day.
First days in Barecelona!!!
The first days in Spain were sunny and warm. With 2 weeks of subterranean painting ahead of us we took the opportunity to paint with some nutty locals and absorb as much vitamin D as our dermis could handle. Barcelona was once the undisputed European capital of street art but 3 years ago everything changed when the city cracked down on the thick layers of paint, millions of posters, pieces, tags and poems.. removing them and leaving behind millions of square feet of blank canvas for the dirty quick stuff that is now the Barcelona graffiti underground. Through this transformation the boys and girls who have stuck to it during this evolution have developed a beautiful and raw style of painting which is full of life and sort of nail biting urgency. I painted on a strange block wall with 6 others while a cricket game sent duct taped tennis balls whizzing passed my head… fear of death has always produced the best art in my opinion! It is a strange way to work that most artists rather avoid; you paint over me and i paint over you.. no worries, hesitations or ego (as little as possible). It is a strange place to navigate as one must be free from worries, fear of judgment or disastrous results. Take it as you wish .. i thought the day was an awesome success!
Viva Mistakeism!
patrick evoke
evocal@gmail.com
Blitz up in Moose Factory!
SWB partnered up with Power Camp National (www.powercampnational.ca/) and the Cree Village Ecolodge (www.creevillage.com/) to host a Blitz Film Camp in Moose Factory, Ontario.
The experience was incredible as three 30 sec. PSAs were created for the National Video Competition on Stop Racism!. Working with youth from Moose Factory was an eye-opening experience to the number of barriers young people face living in the North. Physically isolated and culturally oppressed, the group of youth we worked with took time to open up but eventually spoke out about their realities. Although the films they produced were incredible, the conversations we shared around the process was what moved me the most.
In examining some of the core systems that oppress them as aboriginal youth, they began to conceptualize what alternatives would look like. At the top of the list was a project where elders would teach and share vital cultural knowledge and history to them and other youth on the island. As Kurt said: “They got what they wanted to get done with the Residential schools” and Jalene built on that by identifying the need to reconnect with their heritage saying: “We need to have programs for youth so we can learn about our history.”
So we are hoping to be back in Moose Factory by March 2008 and support the youth their to build up their community on their own terms.
To check out the films they made, visit www.youtube.com/swbblitz
BLITZ! Hater Blocker: Anti-Racism Film Camp 2007
Blitz! is our 3-day intensive film camp where youth explore issues that affect them through the medium of filmmaking. This time around 4 crews of youth aged 12-17 each defined an aspect of racism that they wanted to address.
On the first day the group engaged in a discussion about racism, oppression, identity and culture, led by Chris Kang and Sabri Essa. Afterward, they broke into their film crews and started to brainstorm themes to use as the basis for their short films. “What I love about Blitz”, said Kate Fraser, one of the co-ordinators, “is that as soon as participants throw an idea out to their crew, it immediately begins to take shape as a film. It’s a really tangible way for young people to encourage ambition and address these very complicated issues with their peers.”
“Executive Producers” (EPS) gave workshops on every element of filmmaking. They included Len Cervantes, a producer at MTV Canada, Tina Santiago, a producer for Canadian Film Centre, Mark Valino, an editor at Much Music, and Tiffany Hsiung, an award-winning independent film writer/director. Each E.P. took on a film crew to mentor them through the entire process from concept, to pre-production, production, to post-production.
Once the ice had been broken, and the youth started talking about these social realities that young people are rarely given the opportunity to voice their insights on, the process of turning their opinions and experiences into a film was an unstoppable force. One group even managed to make two films in the 3 day workshop, the first time in Blitz’s history! Filmmaker Tina Santiago said: “the energy was amazing. It’s always so refreshing to work with such eager youth. Can’t wait until the next one!“
The workshop ended with 5 amazing films and a feeling of accomplishment among the participants.
“BLITZ was an amazing experience”, said Ameera McIntosh, “I was able to work with wonderful people of different ethnic groups to create something with a sense of how racism affects us everyday.”
Check out the films created, including Ameera’s directorial debut, by clicking here: www.youtube.com/swbblitz.
Check back for info about our Film Festival in the new year!
Safe Spaces Clubs in Nairobi on the Rise
SWB Intern Jamie Macbeth has partnered with the young female participants of the Mathare Youth Sports Assoication to develop a series of forums where females can connect, share their ideas, struggles and successes and discuss what they want for their communities. The project is a fusion of an Arts Collective, Self-Defense Classes, Yoga, Sexual Health Education, Leadership and Life-Skills development workshops. The Safe Spaces Club has grown into seven zones of the Mathare Valley slum and the young female participants have started to take ownership of the initiative.
Safe Spaces also offers opportunities for female youth to participate in an urban exchange across Nairobi with our partner Carolina For Kibera, as well as a regional exchange with our partner in Ramotswa, Botswana, the South East District Youth Empowerment League.
Currently SWB is in the process of hiring local youth to manage the project.
Remix Project and Concrete Hoops - The Rio Deal.
Daily Updates visit: remixtobrazil.blogspot.com
For the first time at the end of November, The Remix Project, Concrete Hoops, and Schools Without Borders in partnership with IBISS(Brazilian Institute for Innovations In Public Health) will be coming together to run a series of projects in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro.
The Remix Project is arranging to bring down recording equipment to help setup a community studio with IBISS’s Soldiers Never More program, an initiative that works to offer alternative employment opportunities to youth involved in Rio’s drug gangs. Concrete Hoops will run a pilot basketball clinic inside South Americas largest public housing complex, Conjunto Dom Jaime Camara, which houses over 80,000 people. Schools Without Borders has helped to bring these groups together and is committed to setting the foundations for sustainable programming around music production and basketball for youth.
The social initiative includes participation in South Americas largest hip-hop gathering, The Hutuz Festival, where the youth of Remix will be performing live in front of 8,000 people, and the Concrete Hoops leaders will be participating in the festivals three-on-three street basketball tournament.
This will be a great opportunity(WHY) for these organizations to work directly in some of the most socially excluded neighborhoods of Brazil. It is the first time a partnership of this nature comes to be, where a group of completely youth-led organizations sees the benefit of working together and investing in other communities around the world as a united front.
Community Mapping in Rural Tanzania
Rosanna Ho has just returned home from working in collaboration with a local Tanzanian
organization called Orphans and Vulnerable Chidren’s Care, (OVCC) to
promote youth engagement. Currently, they are establishing a soccer
league where youths come together to play and learn useful skills to
share with the vulnerable community.
Taking cues from the “strategy-game-play” drawings used by the youths
during their soccer matches, a similar “mapping” methodology can be
used to collectively discuss the spaces, infrastructures and social
networks that define the community, its needs, and potentials.
Rosanna has also undertaken a micro-credit initiative using chickens as the principal investment for entrepreneurship development in the community.
Detailed information on Rosanna’s project can be found at Http://www.RosannaHo.blogspot.com.
Rosanna is currently developing the next steps to her work with OVCC in Tanzania. 
Barcelona Art Projects
Hi folks. My name is Patrick Evoke, SWB helped me get to this deck over-looking the Gracia district of Barcelona so I could participate in a number of brilliant events.
Firstly, I´ve been working in the CCCB- Centre for Contemporary Culture, installing a site specific mural for an art event that is opening up here on November 26th. Working with my cohorts, Derek Mehaffey and Juan Carlos Noria for the past 10 days we have put together a piece made of freestanding paintings, images painted directly on the wall as well as a series of mobiles that speak to the theme of the Exibition: Babylon.
After everything wraps up on Sunday at the CCCB I will be working with a local group, RAI, to create a mural with a team of youngens. Please stay posted for images, links and stories of my travels.
Peace!
