The Green Majority – August 14, 2009

Blackout party

Six years ago, Ontario and eight northeastern U.S. states lost their power for two days due to cascading power failures. Today, the event lives on with the emergence of conservation-minded blackout parties in popular culture. On today’s show, we speak with Michael Lewis Johnson of Streets are for People to talk about what, where, and why the parties are happening. hear more…

—–
Torontoist – August 12, 2009

It’s back to black

Last year Shamez Amlani, one of the co-founders of Streets are for People, along with nine other community groups, organized a massive party in celebration of the fifth anniversary of the Toronto blackout. It was a momentous evening, which culminated with an impromptu parade at Bloor and Spadina that, for a brief moment, turned the intersection into a public square.

This year’s event is once again organized by a broad coalition of various groups coming together to, as Amlani puts it, find the “collective spirit that we’re all in this together.” read more…

—–

NOW Magazine – October 15, 2008

Attitude adjuster

Critical Mass guru Chris Carlsson lives to overthrow money. read more…

—–

Toronto Star – September 29, 2008

Street cred at stake in Kensington debate

Organizer Michael Johnson used a trumpet, a marching band and capes in each party’s colours to introduce the federal candidates at Kensington Market yesterday for the first debate in Trinity-Spadina. read more…

—–

National Post – September 22, 2008

Pedestrians enjoy one for the road

Pianist Andrew Frontini leads “The Pairs” band as part of International Car Free Day celebrations on Queen Street yesterday. see more …

—–

Dailymotion – August 14, 2008

Fifth Anniversary Blackout Party

Video of temporary reclamation of Bloor & Spadina to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the 2003 blackout. read more…

—–

Spacing Toronto – July 15, 2008

Rethinking city streets at Streets are for Picnics

If streets weren’t lined with cars, what would you use them for? This is the question Streets are for People has brought to the fore with public events such as Streets are for Picnics, which took place on Sunday at Bathurst’s construction site between Dupont and Bloor. read more…

—–

Toronto Star – July 14, 2008

Urban rebels take back part of the city’s asphalt jungle

The older woman looked suspiciously at Shamez Amlani’s packed-to-the-brim rickshaw. “What are you doing? she asked. “I’m going to a picnic? Amlani said. read more…

—–

Torontoist – May 17, 2008

Tall Poppy Interview: Shamez Amlani

Restaurateur, bike activist, and petanque enthusiast, Shamez Amlani is the most recognizable member of Streets are for People!, the organizing force behind Pedestrian Sundays Kensington. Amlani is a seriously playful advocate for car-free attitudes. read more…

—–

Spacing Toronto – April 25, 2008

Who is listening to the public’s petitions?

On Tuesday afternoon, interventionist group Streets Are For People! celebrated Earth Day by presenting their contentious petition to the Ontario Legislative Assembly. To celebrate the occasion, an enthusiastic group gathered at Kensington Market, and with flags, drums, rickshaws and petition car in tow, made their way to Queen’s Park. The goal of the affair: to get the word out to politicians, “that not one more dollar go to promote, support, or perpetuate car culture.” read more…

—–

Torontoist – April 23, 2008

No Cars Go?

In one of the more surreal moments from Streets are for People’s Tuesday visit to Queen’s Park, Rosario Marchese, the NDP MPP for Trinity-Spadina, donned Captain Planet–style superhero digs, made with a few go-get-’em words about public transit, and took flight into the Legislative Assembly’s inner chamber to save the known universe. read more…

—–

Torontoist – April 22, 2008

PhotoTO: Reclaim Earth Day!

Several hundred environmentalist activists marched through downtown Toronto on Sunday on “Reclaim Earth Day.” The exuberant parade called on the Harper government to implement an about-face on climate change policy and to implement the Kyoto Protocol. read more…

—–

blogTO – April 20, 2008

Earth Day March Reclaims the Streets

Earth Day brought back some of its good old environmental activism, as Toronto Climate Campaign and Streets Are For People staged a rally at Yonge-Dundas Square at noon today.

Over 300 people filled the public square that, ironically, is devoid of much greenery. They called on the Harper government to implement Kyoto, introduce mandatory emission reductions and support green energy. read more…

—–

blogTO – April 12, 2008

Petition-Car to Queen’s Park: Cars Suck

With over 4,000 signatures on their petition-car, Toronto activist group Streets Are for People! is ready to deliver their anti-car petition, in automobile and paper form, to MPP Rosario Marchese. Supporters will gather on Earth Day, April 22nd, to push the motorless car in a parade from Kensington Market to Queen’s Park. read more…

—–

The Green Majority – July 6, 2007

Removing cars from urban spaces

Shamez Amlani and Kelsey Carriere, co-founders of Streets are for People in Toronto’s Kensington Market, speak with Jordan Poppenk about their car-free Pedestrian Sundays, which have recently expanded to Mirvish Village Business Improvement Area as well as a third neighbourhood. hear more…

—–

NOW Magazine – June 7, 2007

City ‘crats flip at pancake event

As a bike advocate with a reputation for telling it like it is, Michael Louis Johnson says he just couldn’t let Ontario Power Generation (OPG) “hijack” last week’s Bike Week group commute and pancake breakfast at Nathan Phillips Square.
read more…

—–

City News – May 28, 2007

Kensington Market: Pedestrian Sundays

Often portrayed as a romantic liberator, allowing us to whimsically escape everyday drudgeries and explore new literal and figurative roads, the car has come to symbolize something much more oppressive in the big city environment..
read more…

—–

The Green Majority – April 27, 2007

Reclaim Earth Day

Coverage of Toronto’s Reclaim Earth Day rally, including musical performances by Streets are for People!’s Michael Louis Johnson. hear more…

—–

The Annex Guardian – April 12, 2007

Pedestrian movement afoot in more neighbourhoods

An idea that was born on the streets of Kensington Market will soon be expanding to some of its northern neighbours.

Pedestrian Sundays, where the streets are closed to vehicular traffic for regular festivals, will be starting up in Mirvish Village and Baldwin Village this summer.
read more…

—–

The Green Majority – February 23, 2007

Consulting “the Goracle”

Jordan Poppenk speaks with Michael Lewis Johnson from Streets are for People about their new campaign, I’ll quit smoking if you quit smogging. hear more…

—–

The Coast (Halifax) – February 8, 2007

Street magic

Making Great Streets Conference re-imagines what could be possible on Quinpool. Or Spring Garden. Or anywhere.Pritchard says [Streets are for People] is an inspiration to their cause: “They’re actually doing something to make a difference on the street, as opposed to just talking about it. They are able to take over the streets in a playful, humorous and creative way.”
read more…

—–

NOW Magazine – September 28, 2006

A tale of two street parties

Activist fete full of invention, while stale city bash stalls on Dundas. It saddens me to think that the Starbucks cappuccino giveaway the day before created a far greater buzz in Yonge-Dundas Square than the city’s underwhelming Car Free Day fest.

Scene change: same day, same time, Queen West. Using laws designating bicycles as road-bound vehicles, Streets Are for People activists host parking meter parties. Replacing Buicks with blankets in a half dozen “squatted” parking spots along the street, they deposit the requisite $1.50 in the slot and place the printed stub on the “dash” of parked bikes.
read more…

—–

Globe and Mail – September 25, 2006

Anti-car activists leave city’s efforts in the dust

Dr. GridlockThe car, argues Michael Louis Johnson, a member of the local activist group Streets Are for People! who wears a fedora and a grey beard, is “a vehicle propelled by violence.”"Not just to get the oil and stuff,” he said on last Friday’s International Car Free Day. “It’s a vehicle propelled by thousands of tiny little explosions.”
read more…

—–

NOW Magazine – September 14, 2006

Dude, don’t tow our art!

Copper blows off locals and has Kensington green machine hauled. Augusta avenue is buzzing. The garden got towed! How do you tow a garden? Well, it’s a little easier when it’s planted in a car.

Since the end of June, there’s been one less parking space in Kensington Market.
read more…

—–

For more information please email us.