By Stephanie Pollard
“I want all my children to have the things I couldn’t afford. Then I want to move in with them.”
-Phyllis Diller
Wind and sputtering rain didn’t stop guests from enjoying May’s First Fridays at RMG, which celebrated Durham’s young people.
From performances by the Durham Girls’ Choir and spoken word artist Jaylen Stark with the O’Neill C.V.I. dance group, to the Durham Youth Council helping guests brush up on their Canadian history, young people got the spotlight to remind everyone that of all the requirements needed to make a contribution, age isn’t one of them. Kyle Fitzgerald, Chairman for the Durham Youth Council, appreciated the gallery for highlighting the young people who get involved in their communities throughout Durham, and noted that progress comes from everyone working together.
“I think we ( baby boomers, Gen. X-ers, and millennials) can view each other a lot better, and I think events like this that bring all generations together are really what’s going to benefit our region most, because we can learn a lot from the older generation, and the older generations can learn a lot from us- it goes both ways,” he said. As if to prove Fitzgerald’s point, guests could take a look at what the kids were up to via Friday’s Film Feature ‘Hero,’ presented by Vincent Massey Public School.
Upstairs, performers and artists were in their elements as guests were introduced to four new exhibits: Saudade de Bahia (May 06, 2017 – June 11, 2017), ab Next (April 29, 2017 – September 03, 2017), Visitor Information (April 29, 2017 – September 19, 2017), and Abstraction: The Rebel Cause (April 22, 2017 – August 27, 2017), along with music by Emily Rocha, VINCE, and Jack of Hearts (Isabel). Food-wise, Gabriella Budani of Nourished on the Go, Oshawa’s very own vegan (!) restaurant, made an appearance to show her support and relieve Durham vegans of the where-can-I-go-for-lunch stress (16 Simcoe St. South).
“Well, there were no vegan options in all of Durham when we opened, so I knew there was lots of vegans around and I had a feeling they would be hungry, so I opened Nourished on the Go,” she said. Menu items include salads, soups, pasta dishes, and dessert – specifically a breakthrough full vegan vanilla cake.
Check out next month’s First Fridays on June 2 from 7- 10 p.m., where all things PRIDE take centre stage!
