3rd Eye Street Media was born from years of struggle on the streets during the pandemic,
facing daily stigmatization and social exclusion. This initiative is fueled by the frustration
and anger from my personal experiences and the stories of others like me. We’re
dedicated to sharing ground-level perspectives on issues like systemic inequities,
housing instability, and societal exclusion of those in poverty, with mental illness, or
substance abuse problems. Our goal is to challenge the societal divide and inspire
change through the stories of resilience from our community.
Mission: To bring humanity to Ottawa’s marginalized communities, offering a raw, unfiltered, ground-level perspective on poverty and homelessness. By fostering compassion and understanding, we aim to bridge the divide between the realities of life on the streets and
the perceptions of mainstream citizens and
decision-makers. Thus, inspiring meaningful
connection and change.
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minimize socio economic discrimination and fight stigma
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Contribute towards a common goal of ending poverty and homelessness
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Provide a non judgemental publishing platform for everyone !
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Provide a comprehensive view of issues that relate to poverty and homelessness so that everyone has a chance to be heard .
Vision: we envision an Ottawa where those with lived experiences drive the policies and programs affecting their lives, fostering understanding, equality, and compassion.
Values: Empathy, authenticity, inclusion, and resilience.
Why Third Eye Street Media?
Amplifying Voices: We publish art, news, media, and personal stories created by individuals directly affected by poverty and homelessness.
Raising Awareness: We challenge misconceptions and combat misinformation by sharing authentic, in-poverty perspectives.
Advocating for Change: We represent the experiences and opinions of the homeless and low-income population on issues that impact them, influencing public policy and societal attitudes.
Judgment-Free Publishing: We ensure that every voice is heard without fear of judgment or prejudice. Our content is created with the utmost respect and sensitivity.
Creating Social Impact: We fill a crucial gap in the media landscape by providing a platform where the voices of the homeless and low-income population are not just heard but valued.
Collaborative Approach: We work closely with local artists, journalists, and community organizations to create inclusive and impactful content that resonates with a broad audience
About me
My name is Sarah O’Connell-Austin .I’m an artist, veterinary technician, writer, activist, and mother. Since 2020, I’ve faced chronic housing instability and homelessness in Ottawa. These experiences shape my advocacy and artistic vision. 3rd Eye Street Media is my way to channel the struggles I’ve faced into something positive so that I can show my son our struggles and hardship aren’t in vain. That through these challenges we might benefit others, because the streets are getting more crowded every day. My connection to poverty activism runs deep. My grandmother, Dorothy O’Connell, was Ottawa’s “poet laureate of the poor” and a trailblazing advocate for low-income families and public housing tenants. Her work inspires me, and I’m determined to keep her legacy alive through my efforts. In 1968, Dorothy co-founded the Ottawa Tenants’ Council after moving into social housing. She helped establish Ottawa’s first community legal clinic, the Dalhousie Community Health Clinic, and the Ottawa Women’s Credit Union, which provided financial access to low-income women. As the first non-lawyer appointed to Ottawas legal aid board and also on the Ontario’s Social Assistance Review Board, she helped shape provincial social justice policies. She sparred with city leaders, advocated nationally on issues of poverty and housing, and worked closely with progressive figures like Mayor Marion Dewar. I’m determined to have her legacy be remembered by this city. It lives on through the institutions she built, her writings, my family, and her lasting impact on social justice in Canada. Honoured by the monument in her honour on the lawn of Ottawas city hall. The Dorothy O’Connell award for anti-poverty activism monument by c.j.fleury.
Who "we" really are ?
We are the ones who fall through the cracks.
The ones denied services because we “don’t look homeless enough.”
The ones who can’t shop in the same stores as everyone else because we “look too homeless.” They never say it outright, but we know.
We are the ones left and forgotten on the street because we’re “too hard to get ahold of.”
We are made to feel like lesser parents to our children, or lesser children to our parents, because of our circumstances.
We are the ones who experience loss after loss, without a single moment to regain composure.
We are criticized for not being “equipped” to succeed, as if our chronic condition is a choice.
We are made to feel shame for our struggles, as though this is something we’ve done to ourselves, when the fault lies not with us, but with all of us.
We are victims—of circumstance, of chance, of systemic failures, of housing shortages, of discrimination.
We are a society within your society, but so far removed from it.
We are the people who sit on the ground.
The ones who have nothing but would still jump at the chance to help someone in need, no matter the cost.
We are misunderstood.
Misrepresented.
Mistreated.
We are the broke.
The hungry.
The sad.
The drug-addicted.
The mentally ill.
The vagrants, the drifters, the “ground-sitting degenerates.”
We are the chronically unstably housed, unstably loved, and unstably medicated people of Ottawa.
Every single member of our streets has endured more hardship than anyone should ever face in a lifetime.
And every injustice committed against us fuels the fire burning inside me—
a fire that will never go out.
I find inspiration in every story I hear on the street.
Every person who has experienced homelessness or housing instability carries a story powerful enough to break your heart.
I think of all the people I’ve met, all the people I know.
Their stories are the same, yet uniquely theirs:
Hardship.
Pain.
Heartache.
Loneliness.
Fear.
Exposure.
Hope.
Resilience.
Disaster.
Bad luck.
Constant battles.
Adversity.
Loss.
Chaos.
Instability.
Stigmatization.
The odds are stacked against us, the expectations placed on us almost impossible to meet.
We are stripped of the tools we need to survive—mentally, physically, emotionally.
You can see the struggle etched on our faces, the wear and tear of the streets visible to anyone who cares to look.
But what people don’t see is the real battle.
We are the ones sitting street-side, silently fighting against poor mental health, addiction, survival, separation from family, loss of safety, loss of comfort, loss of hope.
And while we struggle, we are made to feel like failures for needing help.
We are treated with disdain and ignorance on a daily basis, cast out by our own community at the exact moment we need them most.
And yet, still, we smile as you pass us by.
Did you smile back at a homeless person today?
We are the chronically unstably housed and homeless individuals of Ottawa.
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