“My wishes for 2017, I would like to get a job at the minimum wage. When I work at the downtown street market I hope they allow me to do harm reduction. I would also like a receptionist job at the women’s centre. I would like a receptionist job because I like communicating with people. I wanted to do a legal secretary job and I also wanted to take a security guard course at the Justice Institute when I was younger.

“For the government to solve homelessness they need to increase welfare rates, there needs to be more night shelters and there needs to be more apartment buildings with less rent. The hopes I have for my street paper are that more people buy Megaphone and the [Hope in Shadows] calendar.

“I don’t have any fears for 2017, I’m excited for the new year, Megaphone is great because I can work anytime I want when I’m free. One year from now I would like to be working at the street market, working in harm reduction, or working as a receptionist.

“My message to readers of Megaphone is that they should read more and learn about the Downtown Eastside and be more knowledgeable. Someone told me that the two months before Christmas more people buy magazines, there are lots of customers because they buy them as gifts.

“They should buy the magazines to give them as gifts to their family and friends!”

Teresa sells Megaphone at Nanaimo and Hastings in Vancouver.