Lowdown Tracks: A Celebration of Music and Survival
Please join us at Toronto Reference Library for a free showing of the documentary Lowdown Tracks, a panel discussion and performances by a couple of the musicians who appear in the film. This timely and relevant documentary highlights a pressing social issue in Toronto. Just today there's been a report released Mental Health Care for Homeless Youth which again highlights the tragedy and impacts of homelessness. Every winter, hundreds of volunteers help staff Out of The Cold programs at various churches, synagogues and other centres.
Lowdown Tracks is a powerful documentary exploring the world of Toronto's homeless musicians. Along with the film screening and live performances by some of the film's musicians, there will be a panel discussion moderated by Kira Heineck (Toronto Alliance to End Homelessness) with street nurse and activist Cathy Crowe, Councillor Joe Mihevc and Andre Hermanstyne (Ve'ahvta). CDs will be available for purchase (cash only).
The event will happen on Thu Apr 13, 2017, 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm, in the Elizabeth Beeton Hall, Toronto Reference Library. It's free and all are welcome.
Courtesy of In Sync Media Lowdown Tracks DVD
Toronto Public Library has a wide variety of information about homelessness in a variety of formats. Begin your search with keywords; some suggestions follow. Once you have looked at a few items, you can'then click on specific hyperlink subject headings or authors if you wish.
Suggested keywords
- Homeless
- Homelessness
- Housing policy
- adding in either 'Toronto' or 'Ontario' to any of the above
1988 Toronto Star Archives photo
Some suggested books
All Our Sisters; Stories of Homeless Women in Canada by Susan Scott who interviewed more than 60 women facing homelessness across Canada. Their stories include personal histories of abuse, addiction and violence, as well as systemic conditions of gentrification, a paucity of affordable housing and a lack of social services sensitive to women's needs.
Better Must Come: Exiting Homelessness in Two Global cities by Matthew D. Marr reveals how social contexts at various levels combine and interact to shape the experiences of transitional housing program users in two of the most prosperous cities of the global economy, Los Angeles and Tokyo.
Coming of Age: Reimagining the Response to Youth Homelessness in Canada, by Stephen A. Gaetz, highlights innovation in solutions to youth homelessness, drawing from research to outlining a framework for addressing the crisis and identifying evidence-based practices that can be adapted to local contexts.
The Culture of Homelessness, by Megan Ravenhill, shows that despite an extensive literature on homelessness, there is surprisingly little work that investigates the roots of homelessness by tracking homeless people over time. Incorporates intensive interviews with 150 homeless and formerly homeless people as well as policy makers and professionals working with homeless people.
Dying for a Home: Homeless Activists Speak Out, by Cathy Crowe, brings us the voices of ten homeless activists advocating for change. The word 'homeless' conjures up many stereotypes, but rarely does it suggest bravery, courage, charisma or intelligence, qualities demonstrated by each of these determined individuals.
Finding Home in the Promised Land: A Personal History of Homelessness and Social Exile, by Jane Harris, outlines a journey through the wilderness of social exile after a violent crime left her injured and tumbling down the social ladder toward homelessness – for the second time in her life – in 2013.
Homelessness: How to End the National Crisis, by Jack Layton and Michael Shapcott, addresses homelessness from its roots, in order not only to understand the problem, but to find workable solutions. With a combination of rigorous research, compelling personal anecdote and analysis, Homelessness offers insight, perspective and proactive solutions to a seemingly intractable crisis.
Homelessness, Housing and Mental Illness, by Russell K. Schutt, notes that homeless people, many of whom suffer from serious mental illnesses, are often socially isolated on the streets or in shelters. This book describes a carefully designed large-scale study to assess how well people do when attempts are made to reduce their social isolation and integrate them into the community
Homelessness and Health in Canada, by Manal Guirguis-Younger et al., explores the social, structural and environmental factors that shape the health of homeless persons in Canada. Covering a range of topics from youth homelessness to end-of-life care, the authors outline policy and practice recommendations to respond to the ongoing public health crisis.
Housing First in Canada: Supporting Communities to End Homelessness by Stephan Gaetz, Tanya Gulliver and Fiona Scott, shows that Housing First has proven to be a realistic, humane and effective way of responding to homelessness. This book examines how the approach has been applied in Canada, providing a framework that explains the core principles of the approach, as well as how it works in practice.
Poverty, Regulation and Social Justice: Readings on the Criminalization of Poverty, by Val Marie Johnson and Diane Crocker, critically evaluates how state and private practices have increasingly come to over-regulate people with severely limited economic resources, and understands this regulation as part of the dynamics of liberal capitalism.
Shattered Mosaic: How Canadian Social Structures Cause Homelessness, by Mary Ellen Donnan, explains how members of our population are made more vulnerable through social structures, prejudice and neglect so that Aboriginal people, newcomers and people with radicalized identities (among others) are less likely to be able to house and feed themselves.
Some suggested DVDS
Home Safe: by Cathy Crowe et al. (Skyworks Charitable Foundation, 2009) Home safe Toronto focuses on the children and families who experience poverty and homelessness in one of Canada's most prosperous cities. Researched and produced with the children and paren'ts who appear in the film, it reflects their experiences and thoughts about what it will take to end poverty and homelessness.
Lowdown Tracks: by Shelley Saywell. (Bismari Film Productions, 2015) This film documents and celebrates the music and survival of musicians who have experienced homelessness.
Shelter from the Storm: by Michael Connolly. (Kinettic Video) Toronto Disaster Relief Committee’s work with the residents of Tent City shantytown to prevent their eviction is documented.
1991 Toronto Star Archives photo
The Toronto Reference Library Humanities and Social Sciences Department on the 2nd floor has an in-depth social issues and Toronto collection. It includes a wide variety of magazines and journals, many government reports and as well as vertical files of older newspaper articles on homelessness.
Suggested government documents
* Breaking the Cycle of Homelessness: Interim report of the Mayor’s Homelessness Action Task Force
* Homeless Voices
* Mayor’s Action Task Force on Homelessness
* Mental Illness and Pathways into Homelessness: Findings and Implications: Proceedings and Recommendation
* Multi-year Shelter Strategy for the City of Toronto
* New Shelter Standards
* State of the Disaster, Winter 2000: A Report on Homelessness in the City of Toronto
* Taking responsibility for Homelessness: An Action Plan for Toronto: Overview and Recommendations
* Toronto Report Card on Housing and Homelessness
1983 Toronto Star Archives photo All Saints' Church Out of the Cold program
One thought on “Lowdown Tracks: A Celebration of Music and Survival”
Thank you, Bill, for highlighting what promises to be an interesting and informative program about an important social issue.