Giving hope is the sweeping purpose behind the existence of the Women鈥檚 Summer Fair and Flea Market on the Downtown Eastside.
For market coordinator Racquel Belmonte, it鈥檚 a hope borne out of caring for the women involved and giving those who struggle a way to earn money by showcasing their talents 鈥� whether it鈥檚 creating art, designing jewelry, making homemade jam or having an eye for picking out vintage clothing pieces.
鈥淲hat I wanted to do with the market when I got the job was work with these artists,鈥� said Belmonte who started working as coordinator this year, through the Downtown Eastside Women鈥檚 Centre. 鈥淭here鈥檚 so many artists who are so talented and create beautiful things and they don鈥檛 often get an opportunity to showcase that.鈥�
The Saturday market features women vendors and artisans and employs the community鈥檚 women to overlook everything from security to sanitation, to concession to peer coordinators 鈥� all roles that provide skills that serve as a leg up in entering the job market.
鈥淢y biggest passion within the organization is helping women get those skills back and get back out there so they can show the world, 鈥楬ey, I got this talent and I want you to see it,鈥欌�� said Belmonte. 鈥淚t鈥檚 exciting for me to see, so exciting, because we鈥檙e helping them do that. They empower each other, they run the show, they help each other out, they鈥檙e all friends.鈥�
The Women鈥檚 Summer Fair and Flea Market is in its second year and runs every Saturday until Sept. 29 on the 200 block of Columbia Street in partnership with the City of Vancouver. There are about 25 tables of artists and vendors every week, along with musical and dance entertainment and a kids play area.
The Downtown Eastside Women鈥檚 Centre, which is behind the market鈥檚 creation, is connected to many of these women as it operates a low-barrier drop-in centre and emergency shelter that supports up to 500 women on a daily basis.
鈥淥ur vendors are so thankful and so excited about the market. It鈥檚 such a beautiful thing to see,鈥� said Belmonte. 鈥淭his was created in response to the fact women in the Downtown Eastside community were being mistreated within other street markets. A lot of these women feel unsafe, are treated poorly and fall to many injustices, so it鈥檚 nice to be able to provide them a safe place because they need to earn a living, also.鈥�
The women鈥檚 market is also bigger than just one day a week; Belmonte plans to include art workshops that teach card-making and pottery and other opportunities to help further skills to, as she puts it, 鈥渒eep the conversation going.鈥�
Amanda Star was one of the vendors at a recent Saturday market. She sold a variety of jewelry that included delicate drop earrings and knitted bracelets. Star said her goal is to build up her skills so she can start selling on Etsy, the giant peer-to-peer website specializing in handmade items.
鈥淚 love art and I love any kind of crafts. Eventually, I made so many that I guess I can show them to everybody else,鈥� said Star. 鈥淭his market is a great opportunity. It鈥檚 amazing. It鈥檚 empowering. It lifts up my confidence and spirit 鈥� it鈥檚 my favourite market to go to.鈥�
Belmonte hopes others outside the DTES will see past its rough reputation to find beauty.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a stigma about the Downtown Eastside and I feel like a lot of people鈥� dehumanize it. They don鈥檛 give it a chance. The Downtown Eastside has one of the strongest senses of community I鈥檝e experienced and I don鈥檛 think a lot of people understand the love and support that鈥檚 within it,鈥� she said. 鈥淢y goal is to show people what is here. These women are working so bloody hard for it.鈥�
The market runs Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
@rebeccablissett
