No matter what your politics, we respect those that speak up for what they are passionate about. Speaking up is certainly nothing new to East Vancouver residents who are politically minded and do voice their opinions whether it be in a traditional or not so traditional way. Which brings us to an interesting event we stumbled across happening at Bandidas Taqueria on January 20th. They are hosting an event called Fireweed which is a community art show and fundraiser to raise funds for a “variety of organizations which serve people and environments most vulnerable to policy changes that are likely to result from a Trump presidency.” They have chosen a number of organizations to support including the ACLU, NAACP, Planned Parenthood, League of Conservation Voters and are open to suggestions from the community as they plan to choose 10 in total. If you come for dinner on January 20th, you can vote for which organizations you’d like to see receive funds. Bandidas Taqueria will be donating 100% of their profits from the sale of food and drinks on January 20th. They also have a line up of visual artists that will be displaying art in response to the US election. The art will stay in place for a month after the event in the event you can’t make it out on January 20th.
Outside of the art, there will be lots of great food throughout the day. Being that East Van has some politically minded folks, they are expecting a bit of a wait, so we hear that Hardbite Potato Chips has donated plenty of snacks for those waiting for a table. Plus, lets hope for no rain, as there will be sidewalk chalk so you can turn their front sidewalk into a community art piece. During the evening, there will be musicians and performing artists and 3 DJs spinning tunes. For dessert, you can expect an Earnest Ice Cream scoop counter from 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm. All proceeds from ice cream sales will also be donated alongside Bandidas’ profits. If you want to be a part of the event, but don’t have time to sit and eat, you are invited to grab a burrito for take-out. The event runs all day from 9:00 am to 1:00 am so lots of time to stop by and support.
We quite like the symbolism of the name of this event. Fireweed we’ve learnt is a vibrant plant and one of the first species to grow after a forest fire or environmental devastation. Its appearance is one of the first signs of regeneration and rebuilding. Bandidas Taqueria states “We want to act with our community to build hope, defend the marginalized, use our privilege to effect social change, and work towards prevention of further crises. Because we want to focus on regrowth rather than despair, we’ve dubbed the event ‘fireweed.'” If you are interested in having your art displayed or wish to support the event generally, you are invited to contact bandidastacos@gmail.com.
An interesting show that has our attention is coming to 
The Britannia Art Gallery regularly exhibits art work, but each June they exhibit work of an aboriginal artist(s). They are now seeking submissions from aboriginal artists wishing to showcase their work. The Britannia Art Gallery is located within the Britannia Library thus is a dual purpose space which is also used as a Reading Lounge. In June, the gallery will host a reception for the chosen artist(s) and publicize the event. The artist will receive a small honorarium of $200 in total, shared if more than one artist. The artists are welcome to sell their work, but responsible for their own sales. If you wish to apply, visit the link for 
We are big fans of trying and learning something new. With the New Year, we tend not to make resolutions but instead sign up for a class or workshop. We also start each year with a list of new places to check out whether it be a new coffee shop, brewery or restaurant. In recent months, we’ve learned to make the perfect pie crust with the French sisters at The Pie Shoppe, we also learnt how to make some great new appetizers from Caren McSherry at Gourmet Warehouse and most recently learnt how to make chocolate at The Soap Dispensary of all places. We recently featured some DIY classes by The Wood Shop which are now sold out until March, so lots of you are looking for things to do/make yourselves. With that in mind, we’ve set out a variety of workshops/classes coming up this New Year in case you wish to take a stab at trying something new, or just brushing up on something you haven’t done in a while. There’s lots going on close to home. Here’s some of what we found in and around East Vancouver:
On January 12th, you are invited to a night of stand up comedy with the aim of raising funds for two great organizations, Union Gospel Mission and Covenant House. 
If you have yet to catch Story Story Lie, you are in luck it now has a regular monthly gig at 
NorthWest Comedy Fest and Just For Laughs have teamed up with SiriusXM to bring you 
The 
ILiveInEastVan.com 