Downside Up

"Fuck! We're all here! Share!" - a youth in Downside Up



At work on my break yesterday, I was in the staff room reading the paper, and this picture caught my eye because I thought I recognized the location. A similar place is one of my favourite "secret" places to go off to sometimes.

Anyway, I read the article and it was about how this man made a documentary on local homeless youth. There was a screening tonight, so some Bible study friends and I went.

The documentary was about nine people, all under 25ish, who live on the streets. Its about their opinions, their experiences, their dreams. I placed my favourite quote from the movie at the top of this post. He was talking about how silly it is that our country has the money and resources, individuals have the money and resources, but there is still extreme poverty in Canada and huge inequities.

What tugged on my heart the most was that I recognized one of the women in the documentary from my high school. I know her by name. She was in my Grade Nine French class, and was one of the few people nice enough to talk to me. Because it was a lower level course, as in, the "smart" kids took a higher level of French in Grade Nine, there were a lot of rambunctious sex-obsessed boys in that class, and I was harassed a little. As a scared little girl fresh out of private Christian school, this was terrifying. But she was one of the people who took me under her wing. It was because of her and a couple other compassionate girls that I didn't dread that class every week.

Seeing her there, this person I would have never guessed would ever end up in that situation, really made me hurt for her. It also helped me realize that the stereotypes we put on street people are stupid.

Another thing that really stuck out for me was one guy talking about how hurtful it is to ask someone for change only to be entirely ignored, and how low that makes him feel. I know I've ignored street people asking for change before. And now I'm really sorry I have.

Anyway, the documentary is being sold in a local cafe starting tomorrow. I'm definitely picking one up. Its definitely worth showing people. Its a fantastic film.