On this, the international Day of Pink - a day of celebrating diversity and for standing up against bullying, discrimination, homophobia and transphobia in our schools, workplaces and our communities - it's only fitting to have reflection from someone who's been there.

"A Community Fit for Children Interim Update: Results of the 2010 Early Development Instrument and Kindergarten Parent Survey for Waterloo Region" was shared with members of the Alliance for Children and Youth at its most recent meeting.

As someone lucky enough to be a mere observer of the criminal justice system and not a participant, my curiosity was peaked when I heard a young offender (let's call him Henry) speak about his experiences and the wisdom gained as a result.

From Prison to a Place Called Home: A Forum for Federally Sentenced Women - Remarks given by Alison Pedlar at the event on Wednesday January 25, 2012.

For awhile, this past weekend, I thought I was in a parallel universe. Something wasn't making sense. I was reading an article in The Record about the drug treatment court that was launched several months ago to work with those whose addictions have led them to commit crimes.

Who could turn down an invitation to an event called "Cookies and Crime Prevention"...... ? Community events often use the lure of food and edible goodies to draw out attendees. I fell for that trap when I asked to be a guest speaker for the Victoria Park Neighbourhood Association (VPNA) AGM last week! That's really only half the truth....

Whatever stereotypes you might have about youth and drugs and alcohol...... just put them aside for the moment. Youth, like any other group in our community, are affected by drugs and alcohol. While many will experiment with this or that drug and drinking, still more are motivated to use because of physical and/or emotional pain until it becomes a problem. How to help? How to intervene? How to prevent? 

One of the best ways to better understand and address the issues and challenges facing youth and substance use is to learn from them.

Each year, the Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council, along with its many partner organizations, sets aside a day where the focus is to simply say "hi" to people with whom we interact. It's a simple concept that builds on the notion that it's harder to victimize or stigmatize another person when you see them as worthy of a greeting. Much like the 'golden rule', it asks us to acknowledge another's humanity by simply saying hello to them with a genuine smile.

It's a bird, it's a plane.... no, wait... it's Say Hi Gal and Say Hi Guy! In recognition of Crime Prevention Week across Ontario, Waterloo Region will be visited by these caped crime prevention crusaders to remind us that we all have a role to play in crime prevention and it can start with an act as simple as saying Hi!.

It’s that time of year again. Time for that little film festival that grew. Time for “In The Mind’s Eye: Issue of Substance Use in Film + Forum”.