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We have been filming the documentary Street Sisters: First Person Stories of survival & support from the Downtown Eastside for over 4 months now and have 8 months to go. Nine aboriginal women are telling their stories in a courageous, honest and compelling manner. Each of the women has identified personal goals they wish to achieve including getting clean and sober, moving out of the downtown eastside and having a life beyond poverty, addiction and disempowerment.

Each of the women has already changed in dramatic and meaningful ways. Having said that, we're not sure that this project is about their change … But it is most certainly about giving these women a voice, giving them power and giving them every opportunity to change. It is also about challenging prejudices and preconceptions and about how we, as individuals and as a society, must change how we look at aboriginal men and women and how we treat them (and have treated them).

Everyone associated with the project volunteers their time. The film crew works in a collaborative manner and consists of 3 aboriginal and 3 non-aboriginal members and the Aboriginal Women's Support Group is facilitated by 3 aboriginal elders: Marjorie White (former Executive Director of the Circle of Eagles Lodge Society, Leah Dan (Alcohol & Drug Counsellor at Anderson Lodge Women's Healing Shelter) and counsellor Sylvia Isaac. Author and Addiction's specialist Dr. Gabor Mate faciilitates monthly counselling sessions with the women and aboriginal actress, Tantoo Cardinal (Dances with Wolves), Chief Marilyn Slett (Heiltsuk Tribal Council) and Dr. Martine Reid (anthropologist and wife of Bill Reid) have shared their inspirational stories with the sisters. The Executive Producer of the film is Ric Beairsto who has over 30 broadcast documentary films to his credit including "Walking in Pain" and is currently writing/directing and producing the half hour dramedy on APTN, "Mixed Blessings." Film editor Rafi Spivak has worked on programs for broadcasters such as CBC, Bravo!CTV and HGTV, worked for industry leaders like the NFB and Paperny Films.

The filmmakers have not received any compensation and much of the project is self-financed. We have received 4 grants to date: $10,000 from the Vancouver Eastside Educational Enrichment Society; $10,000 from Vancouver Coastal Health; $1000 from the Institute for the Humanities at SFU; and $3000 from Kinetic Video and have invested at least $20,000 of our own money.

Unfortunately, we are not in a position to continue to fund the film and the project is in jeopardy of being interrupted or discontinued if we cannot secure funding immediately. While CBC has expressed interest in the project, which we pitched to them as a mini-series of 6 1-hour episodes, current economic conditions preclude any financial assistance from them or other broadcasters at the present time.

We urgently require $10,500 to continue filming for the next three months or $30,000 to complete filming. Beyond that, we require $15,000+ so that the women can attend weekly one-on-one counselling sessions for post-traumatic stress disorder that each of them suffer from as a result of the child sexual abuse and trauma they have suffered in their lives.

Please help us to continue this very meaningful and important project. We believe it will not only make a difference in the lives of nine aboriginal women but will go a long way to changing public perceptions within both the aboriginal and non-aboriginal communities.

Les Merson
Director/co-Producer

Gloria Wilson
co-Producer

Ken Villeneuve
Director of Photography

Beata Stolarska
Camera "A" Operator/Editor

Carrie Osborne
Production Coordinator

Patricia Massy
LifeSkills Coach