𧡠Another person in our community died today. π I knew him. π I had been helping him and his partner for the last few months. They were trying to exit out of homelessness. They were supported by outreach teams who had gotten them into a motel. #yyj 
Him and his partner have only been homeless for a short time. Since the start of the pandemic. He had his Red Seal ticket in the trades and wanted to get into housing, so he could go back to work. This was the tent that my mom bought them to replace the many, taken by bylaw.
I bought them a heater and I used to bring them propane and food and smokes once a week. To try to support them with basic human necessities until we could get them inside. They have gone through so much trauma over the last few years. π
Trauma from the streets from Police and Bylaw. Their shelters confiscated so many times!! He had over $1000 in fines from Bylaw. And their friends were dying all around them. πI remember how devastated he was that he missed a friends memorial because they were living in a tent.
When they finally got into a motel his sister died. Life and trauma donβt stop when your homeless. Infact the trauma piles up exponentially. And each day at 7 am the system will strip you of what little you have left. And leave you with less than nothing. And no one seems to care
I remember we talked about the toxic drug supply, and I told him that 80% of the people who are dying are our men and our boys. Our brothers and fathers. Our workforce. He was shocked and said he didnβt know that. Itβs almost like theyβre letting it happen on purpose he said.
The last thing he said to me as I was saying goodbye to both of them was βI love you.β I had only met with them about a dozen times. But I knew what he meant. He meant βthank you for helping us.ββ¦to which I said β¦.βI love you too.βππππππππ
I have a burning sadness in my chest. Itβs physically painful. πI canβt work or think or talkβ¦..ANOTHER HUMAN DIED IN OUR COMMUNITY TODAY!!! All while we pour money into increasing police and enforcing inhumane bylaws?! We are torturing people in our community. πItβs inhumane.
We need to change the system and itβs policies. We need to stand together!! We need to elect government officials who give a sh*t about HUMAN RIGHTS!! We need community leaders who are working towards solutions! Not dividing the community and creating more stigma and shame!! #yyj
Our friends and family need us to speak up on the injustices we see! We need to stop the suffering and the dying!πwe cannot keep pretending it doesnβt affect us?! Because I will tell you, today at least 50 people in this community have been deeply affected by my friends passing!
And the sad part is. This is only ONE of the MANY who have died in our community!! In Victoria alone we are losing 3-4 people A WEEK!! π Now try to imagine the trauma that our community is going through on a daily basis?! Itβs heartbreaking. π
@momsstoptheharm @CityOfVictoria @BeaconHillFolks @MarianneAlto @sarahpottsvic @isitt_ @deardubow @JeremyLoveday @CapitalDailyVic
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