We are excited to introduce Wendy Pedersen, CERi’s new activist-in-residence for January to April 2023. Wendy Pedersen is the Founder and current Executive Director of the Downtown Eastside SRO (Single Room Occupancy) Collaborative Society, which is a community organization that aims to combat Vancouver’s expedited gentrification and its resulting issues, such as the large displacement of people into homelessness due to rising housing costs.

This blog is Written by Moe Nadeau (she/her), a previous Resource and Environmental Management master’s student and a participant in CERi’s Community-Engaged Research Funding Program. It is a reflection on key learnings gained through her master’s degree studying Ethical Space in land use planning.

This guest blog is co-authored by Simran Purewal, Research Associate, SFU Faculty of Health Sciences, Paola Ardiles Gamboa, Senior Lecturer, SFU Faculty of Health Sciences, and Evelyn Encalada Grez, Assistant Professor, Department of Labour Studies. The authors worked on a research project with funding in part through CERi’s Community-Engaged Research Funding Program.

This blog features the voices of the Walk With Me project team members Sharon Karsten, Project Director and Community Engaged Researcher, and Christopher Hauschildt, Peer Researcher and Operations Coordinator.

Empowering individuals and communities to believe in their potential to make a positive impact on the world around them is what drives Khari Wendell McClelland’s work. As a creative facilitator, musician, and resident of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside for nearly 20 years, McClelland’s strong desire to improve the community is what has led him to become CERi’s latest Artist-in-Residence.

This Q&A with Tara Mahoney and Jesi Carson is an inside look at some of the big ideas and questions that will be explored at the Participedia-CERi Summer School on Radical Democracy. Tara Mahoney, (Ph.D.) is the research and engagement coordinator and postdoctoral fellow at SFU’s Community-Engaged Research Initiative (CERi). Jesi Carson, Participedia’s Design Technology Lead, is an award-winning design researcher and interaction designer specializing in community engagement and creative facilitation.

In this Q&A, explore how radical democracy is relevant today and take a glimpse at some of the ideas and concepts that will be covered by Participedia-CERi Summer School.

Meet Dr. Evelyn Encalada Grez, CERi's Researcher-in-Residence, who specializes in Labour Studies and is the co-founder of Justice for Migrant Workers. Dr. Grez's latest project, The Myth of Canada, sheds light on the exclusion of internationally trained physicians in British Columbia and the impact of immigration, labor, and place of origin on who gets access to professions in Canada. Her community-focused research aims to challenge the discrimination of migrant workers and promote awareness of the injustice and inequality happening in Canada.

What makes journalism “real” journalism? Why is it that journalists from the Global South are not taken as seriously as Western journalists? Furthermore, what makes someone a journalist? These are a few of the questions being investigated by Bruce Mutsvairo, CERi’s researcher-in-residence from January until August 2023.

We are currently facing an environmental disaster within the Fraser watershed, one of the greatest Salmon rivers in the world. Salmon runs in the Fraser River have reached unprecedented lows, and multiple species are deemed threatened or at risk of extinction. Despite ongoing efforts, practices that put Salmon at risk, such as development, deforestation, and overfishing, continue. Further, due to global warming, the temperature of the Fraser has been steadily increasing, creating conditions that are progressively lethal for Salmon. Elder Rick Bailey is sounding the alarm. Are we listening?

This blog is co-authored by Cari Randa-Beaulieu, MA candidate, SFU Department of Gerontology, and Habib Chaudhury, Professor, Department of Gerontology, and Emma Avery, Urban Planner & Communications Specialist with urban planning, design, and research consulting firm Happy Cities.

The article underscores the emotional toll of community-engaged research on 2S/LGBTQ issues and advocates for the crucial role of allies in alleviating this burden. A personal story highlights how allyship, exemplified by a supportive city councillor, led to positive changes in addressing transphobia and sexism at a fitness facility. The article emphasizes the broader application of active allyship in research, promoting inclusivity and ethical principles.