Douglas MacLellan

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Onwards and Upwards

37 images Created 14 Jan 2015

CANADA, Windsor. 2012 to 2017. 'Onwards and Upwards', also known as 'Colour and Light', is a long term documentary project about the former members of Occupy Windsor. I was curious about the people would do after Occupy.

Occupy Windsor emerged from the Occupy movement in 2011. Windsor’s particular Occupy lasted longer than most and was modest in size; at its peak there may have been 50 people and 35 tents. I photographed nearly every day and in the end produced with the help of two Occupiers a handmade book called ‘Informal Gathering of Heart’.

Windsor, Ontario is a blue collar automotive city that is south of Detroit, Michigan. It is Canada’s sixteenth largest city, has the second highest rate of unemployment and according to Statistics Canada, has the greatest income distribution between rich and poor neighbourhoods.

The heart of the story is about human companionship and rising above personal poverty.

The group is a mixture of street people, activists, organizers, anarchists, academics, unionists,dreamers. Virtually all have a co-operative line of thinking, that is to say they are on the left of the political spectrum, tending towards socialism although there are a few communists and Marxist-Leninists.

It is a local story that covers sensitive issues such poverty, unemployment, street people, panhandlers, protesters, substance abuse and mental health issues.

Much of the photography takes place at meetings and public rallies or demonstrations. There is a core group that shows up at many functions. New people come and go while sometimes regulars remain on the sidelines for a while. There are competing groups and for its small size there are many disagreements--almost always along political grounds-- and so they stay stay in “silos”. Most are aware of this situation.

I am close to many of my subjects. Paul and Mireille are my closest friends. I would trust Richard, Ron and Vaughan--formerly homeless men with substance abuse issues--with handling my money or chaperoning my daughter.

Long term stories are challenging in that over time and with more knowledge things become less straightforward than originally thought. I change points of view as I get to know difficult people over time; acquaintances become friends after I learn and care more about their personal stories. I do not always agree with their politics and often I take a break as the politics becomes overwhelming and discouraging. I always return though--in my heart I like what they are attempting and grateful for their trust.

‘Onwards and Upwards’ was chosen as the title for this submission because I see a lot of positive good work emanating from this group. Much of it is personal development related and overall this will benefit our community. This work is for them and I hope they find it inspiring, good spirited and helpful.7
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  • Moving day for Windsor Workers' Education Centre from the downtown core. Assistance from Richard, Rockin' Robbee, Dave, Mike, Katherine, Mireille, and Paul.
    139_MAD2017025N310.jpg
  • Windsor, Canada, 2013. Mary Garvey reads at OPRIG House at the University of Windsor after an Idle No More round dance. Idle No More, a Canadian aboriginal movement, is reaching out to students.
    140_MAD2013002N0162.jpg
  • Windsor, Canada, 2014. Ucal, an adult student, is deep in thought near the end of a People's School class at Windsor Workers' Action Centre. The People's School is an experimental polular education initiative for the downtown Windsor community.
    MAD2014002N0082.jpg
  • Windsor, Canada, 2012. Rockin' Robbee,a musician, is protesting the actions of a particlular city councillor. The councillor has him banned from City Hall but it appears the ban has been lifted and Rockin' waits to see if he will be removed from the chambers.
    MAD2012025N0023.jpg
  • Windsor, Ontario, 2013. Paul Chislett, board president of Windsor Workers' Action Centre (WWAC) is deep in thought about the case of a Polish woman's tempoary foreign worker permit. WWAC is a workers' rights organization.
    141_MAD2013004N0121.jpg
  • Windsor, Canada, 2013. Natasha, not her real name, talks wiith a friend at Mario's Reataurant. Natasha is a dancer who encountered employment problems with an employer under the temporary work program.
    142_MAD2013009N0504.jpg
  • Windsor, Canada, 2014. Vaughn, street name "Gramp pa" attends the inital meeting of panhandlers and community activists in  response to a pejorative column in the local daily newspaper calling panhandlers "pests" and "vermin".
    MAD2014018D0411.jpg
  • Windsor, Canada, 2014. Ian Clough, in costume, speaks with Terrence Travis aka Tea Jai of Bloomsfield House prior to the Mayworks Windsor 2014 press conference at Artcite Inc. Clough is a member of the May Day organizing committee that is planning a novel approach to the annual event.
    143_MAD2014014N0245.jpg
  • Windsor, Canada, 2012. Rockin' Robbee, a musician, speaks with Victoria Cross, his lawyer, outside Windsor City Hall. Rockin' is hoping to overturn his banishment from city hall  after his personal protest against a city councillor.
    MAD2012025S0008.jpg
  • Windsor, Canada, 2014. Two students in Mireille Coral's(background) adult high school class record an interview at University of Windsor CJAM radio for an upcoming communuity news program.
    MAD2014017N0140.jpg
  • Windsor, Canada, 2014. Laura Chesnik, Cuban Canadian Friendship Association Windsor (CCFAW), listens to Javier Domokos, Cuban Counsel General to Canada, at the annual CCFAW meeting at Artcite Inc. The meeting is the closing event for the annual Mayworks Windsor Festival--"a Festival of Labour, Arts and Community".
    144_MAD2014017N0260.jpg
  • Windsor, Canada, 2014. Howard Pawley, former premier of Manitoba, Victoria Cross, a lawyer and Angela Fitzpatrick, a woman who is the subject of a city tax matter, discuss a point at a Property Tax Arrears Citizen's Committee meeting at Windsor Workers' Action Centre.
    145_MAD2014002N0040.jpg
  • Windsor, Canada, 2013.Three ex-Klinec Manufacturing workers pose beside their former place of employment and prior to an action wherein supply trucks are to  barred from entering. Klinec is a third tier automotive supplier. The employees were offered a wage rollback in a take it or leave it offer. They are owed substantial termination pay from the company.
    MAD2013008N0329.jpg
  • Windsor, Canada, 2012. Richard Dalkieth, an Occupy Windsor member, poses as an "angry Indian" in front of the hotel where Prime Minister Harper will  sign the International Bridge Crossing agreement. The "Fire the Liar's" protest is a union initiative.
    MAD2012019N0090.jpg
  • Windsor, Canada, 2014. Richard Dalkeith, foreground, and Rockin' Robbee, with flag, are two former members of Occupy Windsor and are attendingr the annual May Day march. Occupy Windsor dissolved in 2011 but the various members are still actively involved in local community and political issues.
    146_MAD2014015N0621.jpg
  • Windsor, Canada, 2014. Emily Davidson, foreground and Lauren Whalen, with loud speaker, march with others down Oulelette Avenue during the annual May Day march and rally.
    147_MAD2014015N0585.jpg
  • Windsor, Ontario. 2013. A man stands behind a poster during a  supply disruption action at Klinec Manufacturing, a tier three automotive parts supplier. Ex-Klinec workers are owed substantial termination pay from the company.
    148_MAD2013008N0231.jpg
  • Windsor, Canada, 2012. Rob McGuffin, right, listens at Windsor Workers' Action Centre (WWAC) to  a Jamaican migrant worker telling his story about a work place accident. Interpares, a Guatemalan human rights organization, is on fact finding and awareness cross Canada tour and makes a stop at WWAC, a workers' rights organization.
    149_MAD2012034N1038.jpg
  • Windsor, Canada, 2013. Paul Chislett,  left, speaks with former Klinec Manufacturing employees, all non-union, during a supply disruption action. The workers are told on the previous Friday to accept a wage decrease or leave. Canadian Auto Workers Local 444 and other unions support the workers who show up on Tuesday at the plant and together prevent supplies from entering and products from leaving. Union and employee representatives negotiate with the owner and mangement for seperation papers and cheques.
    MAD2012028N0089.jpg
  • Windsor, Canada, 2013. The annual May Day March has a novel "Living Museum" concept where historical union envents are re-enacted along the route. About three hundred people marched south down Droulliard Street from Riverside to Drouilliard Park.
    150_MAD2013012N0364.jpg
  • Windsor, Ontario, 2013. Mireille Coral holds a pro labour sign during the procession of the annualMay Day march. The annual march has a novel "Living Museum" concept where historical union envents are re-enacted along the route.
    MAD2013012N0222.jpg
  • Windsor, Ontario, 2013. A re-enactment of a famous Canaidan labour scene featuring a police officer hitting a worker is one of several novel features at the annual May Day March in Windsor.
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  • Windsor, Ontario, 2013. Darryl Gallagher, centre, is taken away by an actor portraying a police officer in a labour history re-enactment  at the annual May Day March. Gallkagher is also one of the event organizers.
    MAD2013012N0260.jpg
  • Windsor, Canada, 2014. Lauren Laplante, right, helps Lindsay Whalen with her letterpress run during a workshop at the Windsor Printmakers Forum. The workshop is part of the larger annual Mayworks Festival.
    151_MAD2014015N1467.jpg
  • Windsor, Canada, 2014. Emily Davidson puts ink on a letter press during a printing workshop at  Windsor Printmakers Forum as part of her Neighbourhood Spaces residency. Neighbourhood Spaces, a Windsor community art program, invited Davidson, a political artist from Halifax, Nova Scotia, on the basis of her proposal.
    MAD2014015N1389.jpg
  • Windsor, Canada, 2014. Emily Davidson, a Neighbourhood Spaces resident artist, speaks at the Mayworks Windsor 2014 press conference at Artcite Inc. Neighbourhood Spaces is a community art program; Artcite Inc. is an artist run gallery.
    152_MAD2014014N0270.jpg
  • Windsor, Canada, 2014. Jess, a street musician, sings a song at the Unviersity of Windsor campus radio station. The program host, a social justice activist,  has local street musicians playing live every month.
    MAD2014014N0029.jpg
  • Windsor, Ontario. May, 2013. Travis Reitsma, a university student and social justice activist, sings at a restaurant during the concluding event of the annual May Day March festivities.
    MAD2013012N0453.jpg
  • Windsor, Canada, 2014. Jess, a street musician, listens to Travis Reitsma, a university student, play her guitar on Ouellette Street in downtown Windsor. Jess had seen Reitsma  on stage and asked him to play a song-- a role reversal of sorts.
    153_MAD2014021N0044.jpg
  • Windsor, Canada, 2014. Four people talk after a two hour question and answer period at the annual Cuban Canadian Freindship Association Windsor meeting at Artcite Inc. The event is part of the Mayworks labour arts festival.
    154_MAD2014017N0276.jpg
  • Windsor, Canada, 2014. Collette Broeders, an artist, Bernard Helling, an arts administrator, and Susan Gold, an artist, talk during a reception of the Mayworks Windsor 2014 exhibition of "Mechanize" at One Ten Park gallery. The opening also features a coversation about next year's Mayworks program.
    MAD2014015N1344.jpg
  • Windsor, Canada, 2014. Trevor Malcolm plays a keyboard instrument as Jeff Noonan, a philosopher, and Susan Gold, an artist, listen to a friend at the opening reception of "Dignity of Work" at Artcite Inc., part of the month long Mayworks Windsor 2014 festival.
    MAD2014015N0824.jpg
  • Windsor, Canada, 2012. People pose for the local media at the start of the Education is a Right for All rally and march (also known as Windsor Casserole.) The event is in support of a large, ongoing Quebec students' strike.
    155_MAD2012015N0539.jpg
  • Windsor, Canada, 2014,. Len Wallace, a musician and academic, plays accordion at the start of the annual May Day march. Wallace, a well known Windsor labour supporter, performs workers' themed songs and places them in a historical context.
    MAD2014015N0544.jpg
  • Windsor, Canada, 2013. Mireille Coral asks Paul Chislett, her partner, to dance after a Peoples' School class at the Windsor Workers' Action Centre. Coral started the Peoples' School, an experiment in popular education, as a response to high unemployment and low wages in Windsor.
    156_MAD2013033N0212.jpg
  • Lindsay Whalen holds her first letterpress print during an emily Davidson workshop. Davidson is a Neighbourhood Spaces artist in residence. Coates is the president of Wndsor Printmakers Forum, location of the workshop.
    157_MAD2014015N1414.jpg
  • Paul Chislett, centre, and others help move hay at the end of May Day festivities at the frst ever labour Village. May Day is part of May Works Windsor 2014.
    MAD2014015N0791.jpg
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