A book of life stories of seven women who have triumphed over addiction, poverty, and illness in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside has won the George Ryga Award for Social Awareness in BC. George Ryga was a BC playwright and a writer who's work was both deeply political and empathtic to the struggles of women, the poor, and native people. The editors of In Plain Site: Reflections on Life in Downtown Eastside Vancouver, set out to create a space for the voices of women who are seldom heard on their own terms. The editors interviewed seven women, transcribed the tapes, and then reviewed the stories with the women. An excerpt from one women's story from In Plain Sight is available online on the Tyee. The woman, Pawz, says, "Down here a lot of crap happens to a lot of people, it's not just me. If this story applies to you, don't lose hope."