On some streets, the windows are empty with glass panes staring blankly onto the sidewalk, reflecting nothing but sky and passing traffic. But at the corner of Douglas and Johnson in downtown Victoria, the glass looks back.

From across the street, you see them: faces, large as life, gazing out at the city. Artists. Storytellers. Community builders. People whose work and presence have shaped the cultural fabric of this region. They’re not selling anything. They’re not asking for permission. They’re simply here taking up space, holding it, and offering a glimpse of the city as it could be.

This is #WeAreHere — a public storytelling project by Here Magazine that turns a downtown storefront into a vibrant, street-level celebration of belonging, culture, and community presence.

Why Here. Why Now.

Across Canada, downtown cores are in flux. Media spaces are shrinking. Empty storefronts multiply. Real belonging still feels out of reach for too many.

For years, Here Magazine has been publishing stories that amplify newcomer, Black, Indigenous, and equity-deserving voices across the country. But #WeAreHere marks a new chapter: taking those stories off the page and into the street.

Over the summer of 2025, we transformed a once-vacant corner into a living magazine cover: a series of large-scale portraits of local culture-shapers, artists, storytellers, and community leaders who have not only contributed to the magazine, but have also helped build the city’s cultural and civic life. Enlarged to the scale of a building façade, their portraits are impossible to ignore, which is the point, and a reminder that revitalization isn’t just about architecture or business — it begins with people. With presence. With visibility.

The Process

The project began in spring 2025 with a simple invitation: join us for a free community photo shoot. We called on contributors, creative collaborators, and longtime supporters of Here Magazine.

They came as they were.

For some, it was their first professional portrait. For others, it was a rare chance to be photographed exactly how they wanted to be seen by a team that understands the power of visibility on one’s own terms.

Each portrait was selected in collaboration with the participant, then printed at a scale that matches the significance of their presence. Today, they look out onto one of the city’s busiest intersections, a daily reminder that representation belongs not just in publications, but in the streets we share. And the storytelling doesn’t stop at the glass. QR codes placed beside each portrait invite passersby to scan with their phone, instantly unlocking the subject’s story, voices, videos, and articles that bring their experiences to life in their own words.

The result is an installation that doesn’t just look back at you, it speaks to you. Each image carries the weight of a personal story, but together, they form a chorus: We are here. We belong. And we’re just getting started.

Meet the faces of #WeAreHere

Creative Team

Photography: Tracy Guinchard
Design & Visual Concept: Alberto Cortés (Salchipulpo)
Installation & Fabrication: Better Print Victoria
Campaign Coordination: Fiona Bramble

Community Contributors: Melissa Badua; Runelle Tria and Z Tria; Kecia, Kadira, Kameelah, Kardian, and Kabir Hosein; Ramya and Vihiar Reddy; Tanmay, Manasi, and Agastya Shaha; Dominga Passmore; Griselda Martin; Megan Stuart; Asiyah Igbokoyi; Jinky Apayo; Mike Caparas; Kareece Whittle; Mohit Verma; Sandra Hough; Annette Beech; Sheelah Benedito; Angel Dizon; Aisha Choumou Bokhit; Daniela Pinto; Kaye Abellana; Mira Nurgaliyeva; Karen Park; Neha Sharma; and Meyen Quigley.

Funded in part by
Canadian Periodical Fund (Business Innovation Component), Department of Canadian Heritage

We are deeply grateful to our funders, creative collaborators, and the many community members who helped bring this project to life. We Are Here.