People of Port Alberni are invited to hear from people with lived experience in the toxic drug poisoning crisis during an upcoming “Walk with Me” audio journey.
Participants will meet at the Roger Street North Island College campus in Port Alberni at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 28 and will take a guided walk through the neighbourhoods of Port Alberni, all while listening to powerful stories of the toxic drug crisis on wireless headsets.
Walk With Me is a project of the Comox Valley Art Gallery in Courtenay. It is an arts-based research project developed by a group of artists, outreach workers, researchers and people with lived and living experience.
Project director Sharon Karsten explained that the project started in 2019.
“When COVID hit, we were looking at the impacts of the toxic drug crisis but we weren’t really able to share that insight because we couldn’t meet in person in small spaces,” she said. “So we started meeting outside and we started walking with the stories that were given to the project. What started out of necessity became a core part of our project.”
Each walk lasts around 45 minutes and ends with a sharing circle.
“Everybody gets a chance to speak,” said Elder Barb Whyte, a traditional knowledge keeper within the project. “Everybody’s equal. So we all take turns and listen to each other. With all the voices sharing in the circle, we create a foundation for the community to share voices and opinions and concerns—to unite the community, in a sense.”
Walk With Me events have taken place all over Vancouver Island. There have been a few private Walk With Me events in Port Alberni for North Island College students and Island Health staff, but this is the first time a community walk has taken place. The Walk With Me team partnered with the Port Alberni Community Action Team (CAT) and spoke with Tseshaht First Nation and Hupacasath First Nation representatives to bring the event to the Alberni Valley.
Karsten says she is hopeful there will be more walks in Port Alberni down the road.
“The stories and the crisis is very heavy,” said Karsten. “But it seems like there’s a need in our communities for spaces where people can relate to one another, can share their stories and can imagine ways forward.”
Some of the stories come from frontline workers and family members. Some tell the stories of inter-generational trauma and residential schools. But Karsten says some of the stories also have hope.
“There are also stories with powerful change visions around the housing crisis, visions for how we as a community can come together to better support folks,” said Karsten. “So there’s a real mix of stories and wisdom that’s offered by those who are living this crisis directly.”
The audio journey on Nov. 28 is free, but space is limited and people are encouraged to register in advance at www.eventbrite.ca. A static listening option is available for those wishing to listen without walking.
To find out more about the project or look for an upcoming walk, visit www.walkwithme.ca.
