Joy Silver a retired elementary school teacher and a trainer of the Spirit Play How do we choose to live our lives? Joy Silver explores what being spiritual means to you. She explains us how the Spirit Play Methodology of telling stories can be used to model universal values and respect our interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part. The stories can inform and inspire all children of all faiths to act in the world with compassion, to recognize what we have in common; and to understand our differences. An Interview with Joy Silver Video:...

Vancouver Park Board Commissioner and liaison to the Kerrisdale Community Centre Interviewed by Colin Booth, Aryan Etesami, Keiko Honda & Barb Mikulec  Photographed by Noriko Nasu-Tidball Q1: The KCC is one of three centres that you are the Park Board Liaison, What do you see for our particular community centre in the next five years? KCC is very unique in the sense that it has great history, a well used library, swimming pool and skating rink. The community is very diverse but very different than the other community center that I advocate for. For instance whereas I am fighting diligently for Strathcona Community Centre to make sure that their breakfast program that feeds up to 200 hungry children daily is funded and acknowledged I also bring the awareness to the Vancouver Park Board that the swimming pool at Kerrisdale is in desperate need of repair and will need ongoing maintenance. The rink is also a big piece if infrastructure that needs to be addressed. I know that seniors play a huge role in all that you do in Kerrisdale so we need to keep that in mind as we move forward with any planning and programming. I would also like to see more community gardens in the area as it gets families, seniors and youth out working together. I think it is not really my place to say specifically what Kerrisdale Community Center should be in the next five years, my job is to listen to the people that frequent, work and staff the centre and bring those thoughts back to the board and staff. Q2: How can the City of Vancouver help to make affordable, accessible and sustainable early childcare? Early Care and Learning is one of my main priorities as I feel being...

Trina Moran UBC Faculty of Arts Interns A Staff Writer for Kerrisdale Playbook   As a fourth year Arts student, I decided to take on an internship to utilize the skills and experiences I have gained from my years as a UBC undergraduate. As a staff writer intern for the KCC, I have been given the task of creating a platform for the stories of the beacons of the Kerrisdale community. Everyone that I have the pleasure of interviewing is enlightening with their pride of their community, their role in it, and how their work and role impacts others. Hailing from New Westminster, BC, I appreciate the firm presence of community within Kerrisdale and believe that it is quality that sets it apart from other communities in Vancouver. Being a theatre major, I realize the importance of everyone’s role in a community and how they are like the pieces of a puzzle. Every piece is unique, but it is as a whole do we see the true image. When Trina is not writing articles for the KCC e-Newsletter or doing UBC student related things she is an avid theatre attendee, actor, playwright, director, actor, bartender, coffee drinker, delicious food enthusiast, yogi, dinosaur impersonator, and amateur...

Community Centre board member, international relations guru, and fellow coffee shop explorer, Dr. Don Munton has made many significant impacts on his community. Born and raised in Vancouver, Don holds a Ph.D in International Relations with a focus on environmental policy, Canadian foreign policy, and international security. Don has recently retired from the International Relations program at the University of Northern British Columbia. Today, Don enjoys being an active board member at the Kerrisdale Community Centre dealing in particular with the community centre program, its fitness facilities, and the pool

The road is life and is a dilligent and long one….I was in awe of him; he is truly an inspiration. ~ Editor-in-Chief Alcvin Ryuzen Ramos Shakuhachi Artist (Japanese Bamboo Flute Musician and Teacher) Interviewed by Editor-in-Chief Photographed by Noriko Nasu-Tidball Q:   Could you please tell us your cross-cultural backgrounds? What was your upbringing like in Japan (as non-Japanese ethnically speaking)? How did you feel being “gaijin” in Japan? What is your identity now? A: My parents are from the Philippines but I was born in Japan. We lived on a US military base but made frequent visits outside to be with Japanese friends. I was very young so I don’t really remember too much about Japan so I had no conceptual understanding of what a gaijin was. I moved to the US when I was about 6 and went to school there completing university. I returned to Japan after university to study shakuhachi for the first time, which is when I understood more deeply what a gaijin was. Although I have a western mindset, my spirit has always been Asian with a particular affinity to Japan. I moved to Canada in 1997 and have since attained my Canadian citizenship. But I feel that I am more a citizen of the world that is open and loves learning about other cultures and traditions. But there is something in the centre of my spirit that is Japanese. Q:  When made you first realize you wanted to pursue a career in Shakuhachi master? Who were the early influences? A: My major in University was Eastern Comparative Religious Studies and I was originally attracted to the monastic life and/or academic life and was headed that way. But when I first heard the shakuhachi flute, I wanted to go to Japan to study...

‘To Do What One Loves’: An Interview with Paul Tavai-Latta   ‘To Do What One Loves’: An Interview with Paul Tavai-Latta Interviewed and written by Trina Moran On a drizzly (typical) Vancouver day, Paul Latta dons a red Hawaiian print shirt and sunglasses as he zips around the Lower Mainland to one of his many busy dance studios, one of them being based here at the Kerrisdale Community Centre. Hailing from Rarotonga on the Cook Islands, Paul is dedicated to teaching, performing, and managing Polynesian dance through his dance school, Paul Latta Dance Studios, and his dance company, Paul Latta Show Productions. From his productions and performances Paul Latta is well-known for his authentic dance performances in traditional authentic Polynesian costumes and for being an international Polynesian dance champion. Upon moving to Canada when he was six years old, Paul mentions that as a child Polynesian culture, which included dance is all that he knew and struggled that during his childhood in Canada there was nowhere for him to pursue this particular passion. However, Paul discovered tap dancing and instantly became fascinated by the sounds and synchronized rhythms of it which he related to the intense drumming of Tahitian dance. During his studies in tap dance & stage performance Paul learned the business side of the dance world. In this included a vast knowledge of: staging, bookings, lights, theatre, commerce, television, media, and all other commercial aspects. As well, Paul quickly learned some of the negative aspects of show business such PR aspects, awards vs. jealousy, and financial aspects. Paul describes this experience as ‘[learning] at a young age how to deal with the good with the bad.’ As a young adult Paul studied at the Brigham University, Polynesian Cultural Centre in Hawaii and received his Master...

  Interviewed and written by Trina Moran Photographed by Noriko Nasu-Tidball Near the corner of West 41st Avenue and Maple Street lies Gem Chocolates. Radiant in its chic white and deep sky blue hue, this artisan chocolate delicatessen is owned and run by foodie and chocolatier, Glenn Knowles. Behind the counter Glenn is accommodating, approachable, and is a wealth of knowledge about each and every product in store. Whether he is behind the counter constructing an original Gem collection for a customer, in his candy kitchen crafting award winning caramels, or simply making the best hot chocolate of you will ever taste, Glenn is a chocolate mastermind and his creations are so delicious they could be criminal!                   Gem Chocolates opened on December 19th 2011 and quickly thrived under the Holiday demand for sweet treats as presents. Previously Gem Chocolates was only available through third parties and online. Today, Gem Chocolates is proud to say that it has settled its roots in its Kerrisdale location and has already gained numerous regular clientele. As well, Gem Chocolates has shipped chocolates as far as eastern Canada, Florida, Virginia, New York, California, Japan, Hawaii, and Brazil. After many years of working in finance and securities in both Canada and abroad, Glenn felt that he had to pursue another passion in life. Glenn notes that he was always a foodie and was interested in the culinary arts. After learning of an online chocolatier school, École Chocolat, (http://www.ecolechocolat.com/chocolate-program.php), Glenn found his passion: Chocolate. Needless to say, after much practice and recipe perfecting, Glenn was on his way to being one of the top chocolatiers in Vancouver. When deciding to become a commercial business, Glenn spawned the name ‘Gem’ in congruence with his two children: Eamon and Madeleine. Glenn’s chocolates consist of...

A former Chief of Musqueam Band Interviewed by Keiko Honda, Editor-in-Chief Photographed by Noriko Nasu-TidBall Videotaped by Rosanna Goncalves “What was your take home...

Steve Stanczyk Interview by Barb Mikulec Steve Stanczyk is the artist chosen to work with the Kerrisdale community to make a mural for the entrance to the KCC centre. Steve has always been interested in art, from elementary school through high school. He started making paintings as a teenager and has kept it up until today. He attended Emily Carr University of Art and Design in Vancouver and The Cooper Union School of Art in New York City. He also received a diploma in Digital Art and Design from Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, BC and before studying at TRU, he studied Fine Arts and Art History at The University of the Fraser Valley in Abbotsford, BC. Steve taught painting in the Saturday Program at The Cooper Union School of Art in New York along with teaching photoshop and digital art with Gateways Learning Centre in Abbotsford and art history and painting at Abbotsford’s Reach Gallery Museum. His art practice consists of working in a diverse range of themes and mediums, including painting, drawing, printmaking, photography, sculpture, digital design, video, installation art and other mixed media. Steve’s portfolio includes both experimental and abstract work along with more traditional paintings such as landscapes and portraits, and also works that have been commissioned. His exhibition history includes exhibited my art in three shows at The Cooper Union, including exhibiting and selling one of his silkscreen prints in a fundraising exhibition at the Arthur A. Houghton Jr. Gallery, with other New York artists, including students, teachers and alumni such as Hans Haacke. Steve has also exhibited art in several shows in Vancouver, including the Pendulum Gallery on West Georgia St and at The Reach Gallery Museum in Abbotsford, BC. Along with completing painting, graphic design and photography commissions, Steve has also painted several large–scale public murals on both canvas and on walls for different businesses, organizations and communities. An amazing thing...

With music and lyrics by JEANNIE CORSI and featuring vocals by JANET OXLEY Photographs by Noriko Nasu-Tidball   “The two friends with boundless passion for music, Jeannie Corsi and Janet Oxley, finally completed what they started 37 years ago. Their music has it all: drama, comedy, romance, friendship, spirituality, happiness, community, and values. The 9 original pieces of music and lyrics written by Jeannie and sung by Janet are quite magical, highlighting the joy of their collaboration and their long, loving friendship. They do put their hearts in it!! Watching them perform together is a refreshing, encouraging, and moving experience. Their faces are full of graceful smiles and humor, as well as their life struggles. Their genuine happiness appears so natural in their music that you will remember that life is beautiful indeed. I was in awe of the music and their personalities, which are unique and full of vigor and creativity—absolutely first-rate. I am sure everyone will agree! I am proud and excited to bring their nine original pieces to our 1st Annual Community Engagement Celebration event scheduled in September 2012. Please stay tuned, everyone!”  ~Editor-in-Chief   An Interview with Jeannie Corsi & Janet Oxley VIDEO by Rosanna Goncalves   BIO: Jeannie Corsi – composer and...

  Photographed by Noriko Nasu-Tidball   Aryan Etesami I would like to begin by saying how I sincerely appreciate the opportunity that Kerrisdale Community Centre has awarded me here to express myself to the wonderful people of this great community. At first glance, I am a third year student at the University of British Columbia currently pursuing my post-secondary education in the field of Psychology. Based on my educational background, it may be evident how much I love to get to know and interact with new people of all walks of life. Also coming from a family of Persian descent, it is even more interesting for me to meet and learn about people of different backgrounds so to compare their amazing cultures, to find out the beauties embedded in each of them and realize the astonishing similarities that give meaning to the oneness of all humanity. I believe that it is only through interaction and communication with others that you will truly be able to know yourself. And as obvious as it may sound, you can only understand the meaning behind life and be able to fully enjoy it, if you know who exactly you are. To me, life is a never-ending journey to discover your own self through committing to new experiences and meeting new people that will shed more and more light into your inner realm. In today’s modern world, fortunately, our lives involve many chances to encounter new people and new experiences that we may sometimes take this opportunity for granted. Meanwhile, many of us become too busy with the hassles and stresses of everyday life that we may forget to realize the importance of quality communication and interaction with the people around us. This is why I consider it essential for...

Meet Our President = Interviewed and Written by Shahbanno Bhatti   Photographs by Noriko Nasu-Tidball   I interviewed Oscar Bisnar, the chairman of the Board at the Kerrisdale Community Centre.  Oscar has been involved with the Kerrisdale Community Center society for the past four years, starting out as a committee member.  He has a Sociology and Master of Education degree from UBC.  Oscar retired from teaching after 35 hardworking years.  ??????Travelling all around the world, he has come to the conclusion that Vancouver is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. His hobbies include woodwork and fitness.  He often comes to Kerrisdale to use the fitness room.  ??????Oscar would like to see some improvements in the community center.   One of the things the Board plans is to have the new facilities for the swimming pool and arena.  However, there are issues with this development, as the community center is against the brick financial wall of the city and Park Board to get funding for it.  Moreover, one of Oscar’s main focuses being the President is to do Succession planning to motivate and encourage new board members to take up leadership positions.  He believes that it is one of the main components to achieve success in an organization, as the transitioning phase of appointing new board members runs more smoothly.   The community center consists of a diversified Board of individuals.  The center conducts elections every year electing new members for a two year term.  The current board consists of 4 newcomers as well as 15 members who have been working on the board for various years. Here is a brief introduction of the highly-engaged and high-functioning Kerrisdale Board.   Note: The summary information below comes from a brief self-report questionnaire in which...

Beauty Comes From Movement Interview with contemporary filmmaker Daniel Conrad Daniel Conrad, a filmmaker and writer, has Masters degrees in cinema and molecular immunology. He makes dance films and documentaries. His dance films look at the human organism confronting the alienated modern city and the natural wilderness. His documentary films focus on the aesthetic response, one of the most universal human traits. What awakens our sense of beauty? My personal response: Everything that makes life “beautiful” involves movement. The seasons, the tides, growth, development, aging, change. This coming Fall at the Centre, we will screen some of his dance films, followed by a discussion. So come and meet the director and stay tuned for the film screening! ~ Editor-in-Chief  To watch movie trailers: http://www.rhodopsin.ca/films_en.html   Q: When did you first start getting into films? Does your science background help you make films (and how so?)? A: I started life as a wilderness photographer. I wanted to understand life, in the broadest sense. When I had accumulated more questions than answers, I went to graduate school to study molecular immunology. This gave me a sense of the structures of emergent systems. I then went to a second graduate school to study cinema. This was not such a change for me: I had been studying all my life, and these formal periods of specialization allowed me to look more deeply. In film school, I studied Eisenstein, whose first training was in architecture and civil engineering. There is biology in all of my films, sometimes explicitly. Q: To what extent your movie comes from a very personal place? How did you get the idea to write the scipt for “Accdent by Design”? What sparked your creation? A: I wanted to know what makes things beautiful. It’s a question that should be easy...

  About Artist Noriko is Japanese born, and moved to Canada in 1990.  She took up photography in 2009, beginning with an SLR camera.  Noriko has studied under and worked with different photographers including noted local photographer, Yukiko Onley.  She has worked taking photographs for a series of events.  Noriko currently lives in Vancouver with her husband and daughter. My Photography  I have used digital cameras in my photography.  Modern digital cameras are very easy to use for taking technically good photographs.  However, as my interest and understanding of photography has grown, I have begun to appreciate how photographs can capture the feelings and thoughts of a photo’s subjects.  I find that a camera can create images that are very interesting, and the viewer can have a deeper understanding of the subject.   Daily life, Chinatown Vancouver, 2011* *This photograph appeared on the National Geographic website as an editors choice as one of the top photographs submitted to them that day.     Rememberance day, vancouver, 2011     Vancouver fashion week, 2011     From street, Harajyuku, Tokyo, 2011       Untitled, Vancouver, 2011     Untitled, 2011     Joy, Vancouver, 2011   Flow, Wakayama, 2011   In the dust, Wakayama, Japan, 2011   Harvest time, Wakayama, 2011   Musician, Vancouver, 2011   Noh performance, Vancouver, 2012   Noh mask, 2012   Untitled, Vancouver, 2011 Untitled, Vancouver, 2011   Hot afternoon, Maui,...

“An action-packed year has taken Creativity and Innovation Expert, LINDA NAIMAN aroud the globe consulting key business leaders. Using art-based learning and coaching, her insights and methodologies are drawn from the multi-disciplinary perspectives of business management, art, design, and social science research. Here, an acoount of her last 20+ years. When people do something for a long time, there’s reason.”  ~ Editor-in-Chief~ Linda Naiman is a long-time resident in the Kerrisdale community and founder of CreativityatWork.com and co-author of Orchestrating Collaboration at Work. She has been featured in theGlobe and Mail, Vancouver Sun, and Canadian Business Magazine. To find out more about coaching for creativity and innovation: visit Creativity at...