***This is a work in progress
– due to take flight Sept 2023 at the Vancouver Fringe! Book now!***

“The role of the artist is to make the revolution irresistible.” ~ Toni Cade Bambara

The Pigeon and The Dove is a powerful new lo-fi folk opera (and potential podcast) about Pigeons! Well, really, it’s about housing insecurity and people experiencing homelessness. A mix of comedy, social justice, and dark yet danceable tunes.

Much like the homeless and the housed, the pigeon and the dove are, in fact, the same damn bird. ‘They’ are ‘Us’. Through celebrating the lowly pigeon, we will explore how perception affects the support we offer those experiencing homelessness and how we may prevent this global crisis on a local level. Inspired by the works of Buffy Sainte-Marie and Dr. Gabor Mate, Vancouver singersongwriters Reid Jamieson and Carolyn Mill use a mix of music and comedy to explore the tipping point, where we go from housed to homeless, with a wider variety of causes than we might think. With cycles of lighthearted vignettes about the much-maligned pigeon, related insight from local housing advocates, and dark but danceable songs reflecting on the many roads one can take to end up on the street. By singing these stories we may find them easier to hear. But really, it’s about pigeons. Prepare to be amazed by this fascinating bird of lost paradise as we take an eye-opening journey of perception, with a bird’s eye view of those living on the street.

Want to contribute to this work of art? Become a Patron of Reido https://www.patreon.com/reidjamieson |
You can also make a one-time donation via paypal.me that will give you access to the vault and more if that works better for you.  https://www.paypal.me/reidjamiesonmusic
or etransfer to reidjamiesonband (at) gmail (dot) com.

Partial proceeds of the live show will go to various local charities supporting kids aging out of foster care. Disproportionately represented on the streets, supporting their path to a positive future is a valuable opportunity to create real change. Join the mailing list to stay up to date on this project.

DEAR GOVERNMENT FOLKS,
Wanna deal with people experiencing homelessness but don’t know where to start? Solving it via prevention makes the most sense, and may seem overwhelming. Like most things, start where we are. These will make life better for those on the street, and also for businesses and citizens who just want the problem to stay off their doorstep.

1. provide AFFORDABLE HOUSING. even better – UBI – Universal Basic Income. We can afford it by fairly taxing the 1%. If that’s a problem for you, maybe let someone more ethical run for office.

2. provide more public WASHROOMS, including ones with SHOWERS, and LAUNDRYfacilities. When was the last time you hired anyone who hadn’t bathed in a week?

3. provide STORAGE LOCKERS throughout the city with 24 security. This will give people the confidence to go out into the world without clinging to everything they own.

4. Do not allow buildings to remain VACANT for more than 6 months at a time. hire more STREET CLEANERS. pay them well.

5. DECRIMINALIZE DRUGS. Not fair to have the rest of us on big pharma addictions and then judge self medicators. Just leads to more non-white folks in jail and that needs to stop.

6. Create free produce stands where folks can score vegetables and fruit that might be otherwise wasted, as well as fresh water and herbal teas. Not all will take advantage but those that do will have a chance to thrive.

7. Ensure free preventative and restorative dental care to all. When was the last time you hired anyone who was missing front teeth??

8. Provide well informed COMMUNITY CONCIERGES at street level to help people access all the different supports/financing available to them, rather than one item/office at a time. People with dyslexia, mental health issues and or languages barriers struggle to access funding and support via forms and websites. Meet them on the street with all the options.

9. create a separate OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE for all of this so that corruption is discouraged.

Sure these all require staffing, consider it job creation!

the rest of us… Dont vote for your own needs and interests if you are already secure in your life. Vote for the vulnerable. Not just property. VOTE like someone’s life depends upon it…cuz it does.

In order to truly help those who need it most, governments and organizations need to offer intermediary workers to help people navigate services. Those who have dyslexia, mental health issues, poor tech or language skills, have been discriminated against, or just have too much on their plate already, often struggle with forms and bureaucracy. This is where support breaks down. We need a real person to interview the applicant, with compassion and curiosity, to help find all of the support they are eligible for (funding, training, housing, counselling), from various departments, and then directly help them apply. These helpers should come to you or be easy to access. They should be on the streets and at the library, refered by friends and family members, they would be well versed in navigating the system so you don’t have to be. Without this missing link, many who need help most will not receive it. Share this with your government representative and local organizations. Help is out there, but many cannot access it without help. This is the missing link. #communityconciergenow