streets are for people!
Streets are for People! was gang of civic-minded creatives determined to make Toronto a city worth calling home. Shamez Amlani, owner of La Palette, one of his staff, Kelsey Carrier, myself, and later our admin-minded friend Yvonne Bambrick were trying to make sense of the absurdity of our world. The early 2000’s brought SARS, 9 - 11, wars in Iraq and Afganistan and with them heady days of protests. We agreed on the root cause of so much of this evil. Cars. Private property on wheels, belching smog, occupying space is what's driving humans to commit murder in the form of war.
We organized parties in parking spaces, dances in construction zones, and giant parades. Our actions were inclusive events that invited people of all ages, ethnic backgrounds and economic status to break the law with fun, playful creativity.
under construction
artist / activist gang
Shamez Amlani, Michael Louis Johnson, Kelsey Carrier, & Yvonne Bambrick
Poster for the Alleyway Party 2014
Pedestrian Sundays
Kensington Market 2004 - present
a nice little piece on City News featuring SAFP co-founders Shamez Amlani & Yvonne Bambrick
blackout anniversary
various locations 2004 - present
video by Kevin Goes
Every year on August 14 we celebrate the blackout of 2003, the night when Toronto proved itself to truly be “Toronto the Good”. A picnic, a parade, a mass bike ride, an afterparty,…oh, and a mass of people reclaiming a major intersection for the masses.
alleyway party
Ossington Village 2011 - 2018
Lemon Bucket used to rehearse in my garage when we lived on Argyle. The neighbours started coming by with their kids to listen in. As we all got to know each other we decided to throw a party. We invited neighbours to open their garages, pull out their barbecues. People brought food and drink to share. Bands came and played. Nothing was for sale and a good time was had by all. We did it several years in a row, till many of us got priced out of the neighbourhood.