Where is the Support?

We NEED to make it better

2011-10-21T11:57:00.001-04:00

I am deeply affected by the recent suicide of 15-year-old Jaimie Hubley from Ottawa, ON. Jaimie faced ongoing homophobic bullying and was treated cruelly in his high school because he was gay. He was made fun of because he chose figure skating over hockey. He tried to start a Rainbow Club, but the other students tore down his posters.
How many youth will need to be murdered by homophobia before people start to change?

My work focuses on LGBTQ youth homelessness in Canada.
I devote my life work to LGBTQ youth and to making Toronto a safer, more accessible, and supportive city for LGBTQ homeless youth. I’m very aware that we still have a lot of work to do. We need to invest more money into programs for LGBTQ youth, especially LGBTQ youth who are homeless. We NEED to STOP the homophobia and transphobia that throws 25-40% of youth out of their homes. We NEED to STOP the homophobia and transphobia that then kicks the same youth out of the shelter system, and we NEED to STOP the homophobia and transphobia that makes them then fear their lives on the streets. WE NEED TO STOP THIS NOW.

It is not okay that youth experience homophobia and transphobia in their homes, in school, in the shelter system, on the streets. WAKE UP, Canada.

We keep talking about how it gets better. Well, it’s time now that WE MAKE IT BETTER. Too many young people are dying because of hate. We need to implement strategies that will lead to change. People need to be educated. Homophobic slurs are not okay, no matter how busy you are (as a teacher or frontline worker), you need to STOP these incidents for occurring every single time.

We all need to stop and think about Jamie’s death.
We need to reflect and think about how to become a more accepting society.
Let’s start with the basics and learn about love.
Let’s teach each other how to ACCEPT love and authenticity.
It seems so simple, doesn’t it? Yet, as a society we have failed on every level.
So, let us start anew, because I believe that it can get better. We just need to put our hearts into this.

-Alex ilona Abramovich

The Lesbian Gay Bi Trans Youth Line: 1-800-268-9688 askus@youthline.ca http://www.youthline.ca
Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868

Dismantling the binary

2011-05-15T20:19:00.003-04:00

We live in a highly structured world. Everything related to what we have come to know as human nature is controlled by the structure that we call society/patriarchy. There is almost nothing more structured (in society/patriarchy) than the gender binary system; a system dominated by the structure of power. From the moment we are born we are assigned either to the female or male gender category based on the doctor’s first glance of our genitalia. Very early in life we are also taught that almost every single thing is consigned a gender within the binary (e.g. toys, games, sports, objects, clothing, music, movies, books, etc).

Beginning at birth, the structural control of gender grants us minimal choice in deciding or even knowing who our authentic selves are. I argue that because we are born into this meticulous organization of gender power, we are socially and culturally shaped and constructed in ways that are beyond our control. Those of us who search for ways to look beyond gender-normative discourses produce deep ontological threats and are often silenced and/or considered deviant. Furthermore, there is a type of gender surveillance that occurs in our culture. This gender surveillance is most apparently manifested in the pathologization of gender and in the pressure our culture places on people to constantly find ways to fit into normative gender categories.

The structural organization and power that constitutes the gender binary system is used to control and oppress women and people who do not fit into the binary. In other words, the gender binary is constructed to privilege an idealized and unattainable male body and oppress all other bodies. From this perspective, the prescription of the gender binary system on bodies reinforces patriarchy. I view the gender binary as a type of prison system that we are born into (Goffman, 1961; Flax, 1990). The people who break free from the prison and discover that they do not fit into the binary are seen as the outlaws in need of capture and repair.

It is time we begin to problematize hegemonic discourses of gender and question "gender". We must also interrogate the tensions that exist between trans discourse and feminist theory and discuss how the two schools of thought can work together to enhance human understanding. Let us all begin dismantling one of the most powerful structures that we human beings have created...

HOUSE CALL

2010-12-10T16:20:00.003-05:00

HOUSE CALL is a series of community conversations that will travel to different parts of Toronto in an effort to build a diverse movement to create a shelter for homeless LGBT youth in Toronto. Some of these conversation will be hard. Some of these conversations will be full of joy, full of pain, full of memory and full of hope. Some of these conversations will be historic.
All of these conversations are conversations we need to have.

The HOUSE CALL conversations have three purposes: Record, Relate & Renovate.

Record
We come together to build a record of our histories & hopes.

Relate
We come together to build a movement and make new friends and allies. We respect and listen to each other, even if it’s uncomfortable or scary.

Renovate
We come together to build a new shelter that reflects the needs and dreams of lesbian, gay, bi, trans, transsexual, transgender, two-spirit and queer youth.

On Thursday December 9th, 2010 we had the first HOUSE CALL community meeting, which will be a series of conversations that we will have in different parts of Toronto in the coming months.

Here is what the event looked like:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
7:00 Welcome

7:05 Short film ("Out on the Street") & presentation on why we need an LGBT shelter in Toronto by Alex Abramovich,
with some brief examples of LGBTQ shelters in America.

7:25 Record & Relate Round 1 (see details below)

7:55 Record & Relate Round 2 (see details below)

8:20 Whole Group Open Mic

8:40 Wrap-up & What You Can Do To Stay Involved

9:00 End

Record & Relate Options

We really want to give people different ways to Record & Relate their experiences, their passion, their fears and their hopes. You can choose to do any of the below options:

Art & Craft Area (hosted by The People Project)

Video Booth (hosted by Deviant Productions: Lali Mohammed & Vivek Menon with Leo Zuniga)

Audio & Podcasting Corner

Blogging, Endorsing, Writing and/or Online Surveys

Focus Group Discussion: Why we need an LGBT youth shelter (facilitated by Aniska Ali)

Focus Group Discussion: Dreaming & Prioritizing Possibilities (facilitated by CC Sapp)

Focus Group Discussion: Logistics like Location, Size, Partnerships and More (facilitated by Curtis Norman)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The evening was well attended with people who helped spark the movement.
It was quite magical to see so many people advocating for such a necessary cause, especially on such a cold night in December when a service like this is so essential in our city.

I look forward to as many of these meetings as we need until the proper support is provided for LGBTQ youth who experience homelessness in Toronto.

Yours in solidarity,
alex

National Forum on Homelessness

2010-11-01T08:40:00.002-04:00

I recently had the opportunity of presenting at the National Forum on Homelessness in Montreal. The Forum invited community based organizations, public institutions, and elected representatives from all over Canada to exchange on different important themes regarding homelessness. Over a day and a half, a large group of people exchanged ideas and thoughts on practices of intervention.

I presented on the panel entitled “Using Art in Intervention”. My talk focused on the power of Digital Storytelling and how research has traditionally viewed people who are homeless as the “subjects” in research, rather than the “experts”. I spoke about our culture’s obsession with controlling which people are granted the authority of being acknowledged as producers of knowledge and how only certain people are given such authority. However, when you put a video camera or a digital camera in the hands of people with lived experiences of homelessness and you ask them to show you what they know, to give a glimpse into the real world experience of homelessness, a lot of powerful things happen:

-It recognizes people with experiences of homelessness as the “experts” of their experiences and allows their lived experiences to inform strategies for solutions to homelessness;
-It validates those involved in sharing their stories as the “knowledge makers”;
-It interrogates the traditional research notion of ‘us’ and ‘them’;
-It encourages solidarity building
-It reflects the diversity of experiences, bodies, and voices in homelessness;
-And of course it helps break down people’s stereotypes of homelessness.

I suggested that whether you are using art or digital storytelling with participants in your research or as an art therapy tool in social service programs, the process of art making and/or digital storytelling for individuals with lived experiences is therapeutic and empowering. It encourages self-expression, communication, exploration, and social justice.
But, as much as I encourage the use of art and digital storytelling with participants, I think it is crucial for researchers to spend time thinking about authenticity and how to be more authentic in their work.
I believe that in a journey as personal as digital storytelling, researchers and social support providers need to think about what they are asking people to share and be willing to share their story as well.
It’s time for our culture to shift how it understands what knowledge is and who is given the power of producing it.
I would like to see more storytelling from those with lived experiences of homelessness and more listening from our society, because maybe when that happens, we will actually be able to come up with strategies to end homelessness.

it gets better

2010-10-05T20:33:00.004-04:00

There have been a number of recent teen suicides in the LGBTQ community.
This has really broken my heart and the hearts of many.
In response to these tragedies, Dan Savage started the "it gets better" project as a way to give a little hope to teens everywhere.
Sadly, LGBTQ teens are 4 times more likely to commit suicide in comparison to heterosexual teens.
Homophobic and transphobic bullying are an everyday reality in high school's across the nation. And at the end of the day, countless teens have no place to go, but back "home" to family situations that are often filled with bullying and abuse.

It's important that we come together as a community and find ways to make our city more supportive and safe for all youth, and that we encourage youth to fully be who they are.
Youth need to know that it does get better...and we need to make it better.

I created a short video for youth, as my contribution to the "it gets better" project:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nc27rq_0N_g

Let's all be part of this much needed shift...

Pride with Youthline - 2010

2010-07-14T10:17:00.009-04:00

Pride was fantastic this year!
I danced through the parade on the Youthline float...in between 2 giant cardboard printouts that read:
"There are NO emergency shelters for LGBT youth in Canada"
and
"1/3 of homeless youth are LGBT"

I am so thankful that Youthline helped raise awareness to the growing issue of LGBTQ youth homelessness and the lack of support available here in Toronto.
It was a wonderful experience to finally spread this message at such an important event. I can only hope that amongst the crowds of thousands of people squirting water guns and dancing to music....that this message was heard. I can only hope that someone focused their camera lens onto the words and walked away thinking about this. Because here in this beautiful city of Toronto...25-40% of the homeless youth population are LGBTQ and we still don't have a specialized emergency shelter - shame.

ShOUT "Unconference"

2010-02-09T21:54:00.003-05:00

Queer West Motto – Building a Community
Strengthening the City
ShOUT “Unconference” A Participant-Facilitated Discussion

Out on the Streets: Queer, Young and Homeless in Toronto

Queer West is launching the First new ShOUT Queer Youth Forum event on Wednesday February 24, 2010 @ Masaryk-Cowan Community Centre (Parkdale). You're Invited.

ShOUT is a monthly Open Space technology “Unconference” A Participant-Facilitated Discussion, designed For and By Queer Youth and Young Adults, including their friends and allies in West Central Toronto Ontario.

Mix and Mingle with our panelists and the six members from the Beehive Collective, who worked hard putting tonight’s event together for you. All Generation-Y volunteers. The Queer West Board of Directors will also be present. Philip Cairns, Jaclyn Isen and Michel F. Paré.

There will be Art Show and Works by Ilona Abramovich
The SHOUT evening is Free and Wheelchair Accessible. Vegetarian food, cupcakes and green tea, will be provided.

Wed. Feb 24 event runs from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm at the Masaryk-Cowan Community Centre
220 Cowan Avenue (Toronto Parkdale)

Unconference topic
Out on the Streets. Young, Queer and Homeless in Toronto
Some LGBT youth find their sexual orientation an additional barrier within already limited services for homeless.

-Short film screening (problem, research being done, solutions? Support?)
– Reframing “home” in queer terms
-Community kinship as queer family
-Where’s the support from Toronto AIDS/HIV Organizations?

Guest Speakers:
Disclaimer: Please note that participation in ShOUT! Queer West Youth and Young Adult Program does not necessarily reflect the sexual orientation or gender identity of its participants in any particular way.

Biographies:

Ilona Abramovich

Ilona Abramovich is a PhD student in the Adult Education and Community Development program at the University of Toronto – OISE.

Her research interests focus on LGBTQ youth homelessness, youth culture, and support services. The main question that drives Ilona’s work and passion is “where is the support?” She strives to find where the support is for LGBTQ youth who are homeless in Toronto and to help share the voices of a population of people who are often silenced and unheard.

Abramovich is interested in arts-informed research and media activism and is always thinking of new ways to spread awareness and hope.

She paints on canvas, wood, and concrete – using acrylics, spray paint, nails, wire, and screens. Ilona is inspired by pink skies, observation, and hope. Her Web Site: http://www.ilona6.com/

Max Baru

Max Baru was born in Moscow on November 4th, and currently resides in Toronto Parkdale .

Baru is a member of Parkdale Street Writers group (A weekly writing workshop for Street Youth). His work focuses on contemporary fiction, and explores unconventional romance, issues of identity, and gender as well as attempts to distort social perceptions. Baru’s work often contains undercurrents that reflect his views on mental health issues, and although often presented through a dark motif emphasizes self-preservation. Baru is currently a volunteer at Dandyhorse (Cycling) Magazine and most recently his poetry has been featured by the Hot-Sauced Words poetry reading series. Baru was an attendee at our Queer Expressions a night of Poetry and Spoken Word at The Press Club on January 24, 2010

“Writing for me has been a band-aid as much as it has been a way to communicate. It’s been dangerous and comforting, a way to slow down, connect, live many places, genders, and hair colors. It lets you revolt in your own unique way and thank the ones dear to you in the most personal way. Working with the Parkdale Street-Writers has been a thrilling experience.” said Max Baru

Brian McCurdy

Brian McCurdy 25 Parkdale, a former street youth will be tonight’s Facilitator . McCurdy is an active member of many communities and projects, including the AGO Youth Council, Culture Shock youth arts project, a group at The North York Griffin Centre for LGBTQ youth with disabilities, Laidlaw Foundation’s Youth Engagement Program, the Bring Back the Don project in Regent Park, Queer West Arts Collective and is an artist who has participated in a number of art and theatre projects and shows. He won a Toronto Lesbian Gay Bi Trans Youth Line Creative Activism Award in 2007.

Emily Pohl-Weary
Toronto author Emily Pohl-Weary grew up and still lives in the city’s west end. She’s currently writing a four-issue girl pirate comic (illustrated by Willow Dawson). Her young adult mystery novel, Strange Times at Western High, was published by Annick Press in the fall of 2006. Emily started art/lit hybrid Kiss Machine magazine in 2000. A slim collection of her poetry, Iron-On Constellations, was published in late 2005.

Her first novel, A Girl Like Sugar, was released in 2004.Pohl-Weary currently coordinates a free weekly writing group for west-end Toronto youth called Parkdale Street Writers. She also facilitated writing workshops at Evergreen Youth Shelter and Street Outreach Services in 2007 for Toronto Youth Street Stories /Youth Pathways Project, an arts-based research study conducted through the Centre for Mental Health and Addiction and University of Toronto, which focused on issues of ethnic and sexual diversity, drug use, and mental health faced by youth living in high-risk environments on or close to the street.

She is currently working on a new novel, a film script, and is completing a Master’s Degree in Fine Arts at the University of British Columbia. Visit Her Web Site: http://www.emilypohlweary.com/

Xpressions Against Oppression: Judy Shepard

2010-01-28T10:36:00.007-05:00

Matthew Shepard (1976-1998)

Yesterday evening I went to York University to listen to Judy Shepard (the mother of Matthew Shepard) give a talk.

In October 1998, at the age of 21 Matthew was tortured and murdered in Laramie, Wyoming because he was gay.

Matthew was murdered for being gay.

He was murdered because of pure hatred.

Matthew's murder brought world-wide attention to the issue of hate crime legislation.

His murder also instilled much fear into the gay community and caused a lot of people to hide deeper in the closet.

Matthew's story has pierced many hearts and changed many lives.

After his murder, his parents Judy and Dennis co-founded the Matthew Shepard Foundation and became strong advocates for LGBTQ rights.

When I heard that Judy would be coming to York U to speak, nothing was going to stop me from being there.

She started her talk by reading her victim impact statement from the trial.

Tears and emotion overwhelmed the room.

In front of us all was this beautiful human being...this beautiful mother...with all her words and struggles...with all her energy and strength...full of compassion and love.

She told us about Matthew, about his coming-out, about their family, and the pain they have all been through. She also spoke about the Matthew Shepard Foundation, human rights, and America's struggle to catch up.

"Educate, educate, educate...we need to educate one another"

What really hit home was when Judy spoke about the need to educate people in every situation we enter. The need to always be true and honest to ourselves...to not hide and to not be shameful.

This of course made me think of my research. People often ask me what my PhD is all about...I've noticed that when I say "youth homelessness" I get smiles and words of encouragement, but when I say "LGBTQ youth homelessness and the lack of support available" I get silence, maybe a little smile, and when I add "homophobia, transphobia and hate" in there, I get absolutely nothing. Sometimes it's easier to go with the first scenario, but by doing so I'm not being honest and I'm certainly not educating. I believe that no matter how hard the reaction, how ignorant your audience, in being honest every single time with a motive to educate...we will achieve this.

She spoke about making things personal every single time in order to educate people.

"We need to make it personal...the personal gets through to people...

people understand the personal"

Judy also spoke about families and how we are not always born into the family that we belong to, but that there is a family out there for everyone...these words really brought tears...as I looked around I could not believe the amount of people crying...the amount of families broken.

Broken families because of an incapacity to understand the human heart.

Throughout the evening I kept thinking that the world should hear her words, her honesty, and compassion. What a difference it might make if people listened to Judy's message.

I am thankful for having heard Judy speak, as I'm sure everyone was; this was evident by the standing ovation she got from the audience both as she entered and exited the stage.

May we never stop this fight for social justice and equality.

May we never lose hope.

May we always be honest and true to who we are...and may hate crimes end.

Thank you Judy for your words...for keeping on...and for fighting this fight.

Peace,

-Ilona

Knowing

2009-11-05T18:58:00.004-05:00

"The value of the answers will come from the goodness of the questions"

Spent some time with this city and these thoughts.

Finding questions with value.

People with answers.

Reading in between every line these days.

Starting with something as basic and complicated as a map.

Mapping out the next four years.

A document with impact.

Research with voice.

The flavor is in the phenomenon.

And these things take time.

Learning language and clarity.

Definition and data.

Goodness and repetition.

All in the voice...

Week 2-the beginning

2009-09-22T21:50:00.006-04:00

A new project is bursting at the seams...

I've been thinking about this for the past year.

Preparing, thinking, putting it all together...

and now this heart is exploding with passion.

I will expand on "Where is the Support?" and the focus will be driven by a critical analysis of the shelter system in Toronto.

Exploring the issues of discrimination, violence, homophobia and transphobia...I will do an in-depth investigation of the "discrimination policies" and "anti-discrimination training" of organizations offering "support" to youth who are homeless.

The voices of LGBTQ youth who are homeless will speak loudly and will be heard throughout the nation.

Arts will be used to inform the work and the public.

Most importantly...LGBTQ youth who are homeless will inform the public.

It is my hope that the knowledge gained will be used to develop a necessary plan of action that will help to improve the shelter system and support services so that there is in turn support available.

So we no longer have to ask "Where is the support?"

I will use this space as a way of recording the process and sharing the progress.

I will use this as a tool for knowledge translation,

with the hope to engage in a dialogue about this work with the public.

A new project birthed from an old project...a never ending project...

and this is just the beginning.

heard.

2009-08-21T19:35:00.003-04:00

Always searching for ways to spread awareness. Ways to get people to not only listen, but really hear what this is all about. A wonderful social justice reporter from the Toronto Star listened carefully...

Please read this important article: http://www.thestar.com/living/article/682938

And now we must ask ourselves why we aren't taking care of our youth.

In this place of all places.

In this rich country - Canada.

This rich city - Toronto.

Sweet sweet Toronto.

The city that thousands and thousands of people travel to.

Tour buses stroll along the streets.

People giving speeches about all the beautiful things we have to offer here.

Yet, we aren't taking care of our youth.

This really is a problem.

We need to raise awareness. We need to write letters to the city.

We need to speak loudly about this...as loud as we can...until this is resolved.

And what about the parents of these youth?

What about the laws around child abuse?

Since when is it ok to throw your children to the streets for being courageous enough to be who they are.

Why does honesty breed hate?

Maybe it's time we really start thinking about this...

Podcast-Where is the Support?

2009-07-02T17:47:00.003-04:00

I have started a podcast called "where is the support?"

Every few weeks, I will be interviewing various support services, researchers, academics, and people with stories to tell about homelessness.

With this podcast I hope to share and discover knowledge regarding the issues of youth homelessness.

The first podcast is an interview with the executive director at the Ali Forney Center and is available on my website.

You can listen or subscribe to my podcast on my website: www.ilona6.com, under the "news" section.

Thank you for listening..

Hope in the city...of New York

2009-05-27T17:54:00.005-04:00

Took a trip to New York the other week.

New York in May is always my favorite.

Right before the summer rush. Before the heat hits the city.

Went over to the Ali Forney Center and met with the executive director.

He answered a lot of my questions and provided a lot of really informative insight into the shelter system and the issues that LGBTQ homeless youth face.

The Ali Forney Center is named after a young man named Ali Forney who was queer and homeless.

Ali was murdered on the streets of New York

In the late 90's numerous youth who were queer and homeless were murdered on the streets of New York.

In honor of Ali and in hopes of letting his legacy live; the Ali Forney Center came to be.

It was a beautiful sunny Friday afternoon when I went there...

a peaceful place with bright yellow and blue walls.

I waited in the front lobby area and chatted with a friendly volunteer and a youth who had never met a Canadian before!

Sitting in that chair, chatting, looking through various pamphlets that were there to offer support and guidance for youth who had just come out and for families of youth who had just come out...I felt quite emotional.

What a place this was. What a beautiful place this was.

I had found the place that offers the "support" I had been searching for in Toronto.

Here it was...in New York City...

I will be starting a podcast on youth homelessness.

For more information on my visit to the Ali Forney Center stay tuned for my first podcast to be posted in the near future...

spring.

2009-04-09T15:55:00.004-04:00

the sky is lifting.

with flowers.

and sun.

trees all around.

and dreams like spring.

dreams like spring lift me from sleep.

a new expression.

or frame.

these thoughts are framed on the walls of my mind.

on display. in my mind.

a path that leads to an opening with no end.

i am not ending.

and this is never ending.

a film with exposure.

and words that explode out of my chest.

true beauty in the sixth.

soon the leaves will grow and gather.

green like shelter.

and on the subway. from the window.

i wonder how many people notice

these homes that have been built by the dirty river.

i wonder how many people notice.

and some mornings on the subway

in the quiet

as we ride across the bridge

i want to scream "wake up everyone and look where people are living"

i want to shake the subway

and wake these walls that cover

the exposure.

or something along those lines.

along those lines.

i am lifted.

without

end.

used.

2009-03-10T09:26:00.004-04:00

working towards the working.

and in this city. with these people.

between those lines. beneath their shadows.

i sink deeper.

and in the rain. i walked forever.

bridges and rivers.

i found houses, where no one was looking at all.

no one was looking.

i was screaming.

in between the water and land, there are houses with doors.

bridges and dirt.

people build homes.

this city is useless.

and in the rain i walked so hard.

the bridge felt like a dream.

and my fingers bled.

camera drenched.

rain poured.

and people need to see

the truth

about this all.

people need

this truth..

because this city is becoming

useless.

listening.

2009-02-22T20:54:00.002-05:00

"to me, you are still nothing more than a little boy who is just like a hundred thousand other little boys. and i have no need of you. and you, on your part, have no need of me. to you, i am nothing more than a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes. but if you tame me, then we shall need each other. to me, you will be unique in all the world. to you, i shall be unique in all the world..." (the little prince)

these 3 days..

2009-02-14T17:04:00.005-05:00

3 days to flying to 3 days..

and people will gather

and speak

talk