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WHO WE ARE
The Full Story
As the pandemic emerged, it underscored the barriers and harms faced by underserved communities across the city. Street Cats YYC was created to bridge gaps in support, reduce stigma, and address the isolation impacting so many. We are a trauma-informed, inclusive, anti-racist, and anti-oppressive organization grounded in mutual aid, embracing a sex-positive, drug-positive, and anti-capitalist approach.
Vision
A caring, inclusive, and safe community working collaboratively to promote and support the health and well-being of people who use drugs, those who are unhoused or housing insecure, and individuals involved in sex work or the street economy.
Mission
Street Cats YYC is a member-based collective led by current and former drug users, dedicated to building sustainable, self-determined communities through advocacy, empowerment, mutual aid, and collective community organizing.
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Self-Determination
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We reject the criminalization of drug users. We believe that people who use drugs have the right to self-determination, defined as the freedom to govern our own destiny, control what we put into our bodies, and create institutions that serve our community.
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Solidarity
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We recognize that the same forces maintaining our oppression also oppress other marginalized groups. We stand in solidarity with all oppressed peoples.
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Healing Justice
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Love is the foundation of community healing. Through relationships built on trust, appreciation, and respect, we can heal from the histories of oppression that have torn our communities apart.
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Autonomy & Choice
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All life has value, and we oppose all practices and ideologies that devalue human life and agency, including forced or coerced treatment. We believe that living in a world free from oppression is a fundamental human right.
Values
Community-Grounded Leadership
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We reject hierarchical notions of power and affirm that all community members have the capacity to lead, share knowledge, and innovate in ways that serve the people. While we support individual rights and autonomy, we reject the ideology of individualism. We recognize that interdependence and solidarity are essential to abolition work.
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Sustainability
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We are dedicated to continuous development and advocacy for policy changes that empower individuals and eliminate systemic harms. We strive to build a shared and inclusive system rooted in community, facilitating education, advocacy, and well-being, and working to establish foundations that meet community needs.
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Education
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We aim to keep the public informed about social, economic, health, and treatment issues related to drug use. Together, we challenge stigma, combat misinformation, disrupt oppressive systems, and strengthen our community through education, collective action, and participatory research.
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Liberation
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We oppose the unjust harassment, assault, detention, and arrest of people who use drugs. We recognize the importance of taking proactive steps to ensure our activities do not unintentionally reproduce the oppression of the dominant system by neglecting the needs of pwud, women, Black and Indigenous people, disabled people, members of the queer community, and any other marginalized groups often denied a voice in decisions impacting them. We practice ongoing solidarity and remain open to feedback from all communities we engage. We are part of a community-first response committed to ensuring safety and liberation for everyone in the community.
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Power With, Not Power Over
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We are creating a space where all people can step fully into their power. We support each other in exercising our power in ways that amplify the power, visions, and development of others. We actively question and transform relationships where one person’s empowerment depends on the disempowerment, control, or coercion of another.
