There are many misconceptions surrounding those living on the Downtown East Side (DTES). Two Paycheques Away unlocks new perceptions of spirited and resilient individuals from the DTES by sharing their stories as told during their visit to the barber. This initiative lends a head start to those taking a next step and rebuilds bridges and relationships among Vancourites of all walks of life.

Alysha Osborne

Alysha has been in the hair industry for 11 years. She started her career in salons and moved into barbering in 2011. While living in Gastown she became friends with some downtown eastsiders and began seeing the way they were being treated from others. Having experience with addiction in her family, she decided to start 2 Paycheques Away.. to change the stigma around addiction, homelessness and mental health on the DTES. "We’re all born the same and something as simple as 2 paycheques can make all the difference."

Mihailo Subotic

Mihailo uses photography as a means for story telling. 2 Paycheques Away.. has been an eye opening new project on the misconceptions surrounding the residents of the DTES. By telling each unique individual's experience through portrait photography, Mihailo has been able to capture the transformations and share the stories of the spirited and resilient individuals of the poorest postal code in the country. All from a visit to the barber.