Wish You Were Here, Wish Here Was Better (WYWH, WHWB) is a mobile public event series that makes space for people impacted by the ongoing overdose crisis—and its cascading systemic issues of precarity, houselessness, and criminalization—to mourn, while providing opportunities to imagine and work towards a more just future.

From October 3–9, a van, wrapped in commissioned artwork by Les Harper, will pop up daily at various locations across Mississauga and Brampton, starting at the UTM campus. The van will serve as an anchor for visitors to share reflections, and ask questions about grief, survival, and possibility. The event series will culminate with a community feast.

The project is organized by community organizer and scholar Zoë Dodd, artist Les Harper, writer Theodore (ted) Kerr, and curator-scholar Ellyn Walker.

WYWH, WHWB features both public-facing events, and semi-public events developed with, and for, program partners and their community members. Public events include:

Monday, October 3, 2–5pm
UTM campus, Five Minute Walk near CCIT Building
Van pop-up with activities and printed matter. Food and refreshments provided.

Wednesday, October 5, 10am–4pm
UTM campus, Five Minute Walk near CCIT Building
Van pop-up with activities and printed matter.

Wednesday, October 5, 6–8pm
URGENT ARCHIVES: A Show and Tell with Zoë Dodd, Theodore (ted) Kerr, and Anu Radha Verma
Daniels Faculty room 230, University of Toronto St. George campus, 1 Spadina Crescent
Food and refreshments provided.

Thursday, October 6, 2–5pm
UTM campus, Five Minute Walk near CCIT Building
Van pop-up with activities and printed matter. Food and refreshments provided. 

Friday October 7, 3–5pm
Overdose Response Training with Peter Leslie
Kaneff Centre room 108, UTM campus
Food and refreshments provided.

Saturday, October 8, 1–4pm
Community Feast
Huron Park Community Centre
Food and refreshments provided.

Many of us have lost friends and loved ones. If you would like to gather, mourn, and honour in community please join us.

The event will include performances by jingle dancers, and drummers. Food and non-alcoholic drinks will be provided. Everyone is welcome to prepare spirit plates (meals dedicated to the people we are mourning). Food will be provided, but we welcome you to bring a favourite dish for someone you’d like to honour, and to share it with others.

WYWH, WHWB includes resources, zines, and a series of six postcards—featuring work by Dionne Brand, Zoë Dodd, Les Harper, Theodore (ted) Kerr, Cedar-Eve, and Abdi Osman. These print materials will be available for pickup at the van, as an invitation to learn, reflect, and write a postcard letter to a loved one. View the full suite of postcard images below.