See-Me Street
Description
In See-Me Street: My Homeless Indigenous Journey, DerRic Starlight lays down the story of three years on the streets of Canadian cities. Known for his comedy and puppets, he walked away from the stage and the drinking life to confront homelessness and recovery head-on. What he found was a street Nation that taught him what survival really means. Through diary entries, raw stories, and stark black-and-white photographs, he pulls readers into the chaos and courage of street life -- the fights, the beatings, the bottles, and the surprising acts of kinship that kept him alive. This book is a powerful resource for general readers, outreach workers, and those exploring Indigenous perspectives and the social forces shaping life on the streets. It is available in both hardcover and paperback editions.
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Person
DerRic Starlight is a member of the Tsuut'ina Nation, with family ties to the Blackfoot Confederacy. He has worked as a comedian, puppeteer, screenwriter, and even a wrestling promoter with the Hart family. Inspired by Jim Henson, he started learning puppetry and storytelling as a teenager, later training in film and acting in Vancouver, Toronto, and Arizona. Since 1997, he has toured with his own cast of Native puppet characters and appeared in APTN productions, earning a Gemini Award for voice acting. In 2021, he joined The Jim Henson Company for the Calgary-based reboot of Fraggle Rock. Alongside these creative achievements, DerRic spent several years living on the street, where he began keeping the diary entries that became See-Me Street. The experience shaped both his life and his work, giving voice to stories that are too often overlooked.