call to action
Why ChangeUp 2015 Happened: ChangeUp 2015 was the Inspirit Foundation’s first national conference. It brought together our growing network of change leaders to share opportunities and discuss the challenges of living in a diverse society. We know that we are all better, stronger, and more effective when we work together. We know that as a country we are in the midst
of some important social and cultural changes. And we believe our network of leaders has vast experience in creating alliances to address these challenges. We think now is the time for action. And we’re ready to help unite a movement of young people who want to tackle these pressing social and cultural issues.
What Happened at ChangeUp 2015: On September 17, 2015, 82 delegates from across the country met in Toronto at the Ismaili Centre — one of six global centres focused on peace-building. Over the course of three and a half days, delegates came to know one another, spoke with experts working at the forefront of some of the toughest social and cultural issues, and reflected on the challenges of working to build stronger communities in a pluralistic society. From an evening with Truth and Reconciliation Commissioner Marie Wilson and Aboriginal artist Lee Maracle to conversations with journalist Kamal Al-Solaylee and Active Voice Lab founder Ellen Schneider, delegates were encouraged and inspired to dream big for the country.
On the conference’s last day, delegates developed a roadmap for change. They shared what they had debated, questioned, and learned from one another and from conference speakers. They identified important themes and issues, and discussed how to face those challenges and improve our country. In the following pages you can read the delegate’s Call to Action that emerged from these discussions. They intended for their document to inspire conversations and action.
How this Call to Action was created The Call to Action is a product of the collective effort by ChangeUp 2015 delegates. Delegates drew from discussions and conversations they had during the conference and highlighted topics and issues they felt were the most pressing and important for the country. They worked in small groups to articulate the issues and identify possible solutions, which they then shared with the delegation for further input. The document came together after several weeks of online collaboration and with the help of a team of4 peer editorsfeedback . The final product, the Call to Action, is a document that should inspire all Canadians to work towards a better, more inclusive Canada.
Special thanks to our peer editors; Ashraf Rushdy, Lina Chaker, Rachel Malena-Chan, and Zachary John.
A note from Inspirit Foundation: This Call to Action is the product of ChangeUp 2015 delegates’ call for a more pluralist and inclusive Canada. It is the voice of 82 young people who are committed to building that Canada. The Inspirit Foundation is committed to championing the voices and ideas of young people. We’re grateful for the time, trust, talent and thoughtfulness that they brought to this document. We hope to honour the spirit and content of the Call to Action in our work moving forward.
The Delegates Call to action How We See Canada and the World Today We are your young leaders. Our challenge is to consider our unique roles as diverse individuals while we seek out and create opportunities to work together. We are drawn together by our shared values, our overlapping goals, and our united sense of urgency to address a number of issues, which we’ve outlined in what follows. We are a generation on the brink. We experience global challenges like no one before us. Yet we are alive, and here, at a moment of incredible potential. We are connected. We are aware. We are committed and ready to embody our values. We choose to work together, recognizing and embracing our differences. This document contains the framework for our vision of a more inclusive and pluralistic society. It is the vision of a generation ready to lead the transition required to achieve it. Our vision includes a commitment to continue difficult conversations premised on safety, courage and the principles of open discussion. Our dialogue should be creative, participatory, and empowering. By design, it should serve to break down, rather than reproduce, the systems we seek to dismantle. In their place we want to continue to build up new ways of working together, tending to emerging infrastructure and strengthening vital relationships. So join us. Train us. Mentor us. Fund us. Teach us and support us. Listen to us. We are ready. ChangeUp! Our framework for change prioritizes these areas: 1. Redefining accessibility 2. Including diverse identities 3. Co-creating civil society in shared public spaces 4. Embracing immigrants and refugees 5. Recognizing the roles of indigenous peoples 6. Transitioning to environmental justice 7. Advocating for gender equality
8. Storytelling through media, the arts, and journalism 9. Reforming education systems & curricula
Redefining Accessibility We have a social system that segregates children, youth, and ultimately whole groups along many lines. One of these is a false binary of “abled” and “disabled”. We are growing up separated in our social spaces, unable to learn about each other, and prevented from opportunities to blend together our unique talents and capacities. This prevents us from achieving our potential and becoming united participants of a whole society. In a rapidly globalizing world, our predecessors have, and are struggling to, cope with the diversity of the human race. Large narratives have collapsed, and society has come face to face with the real breadth of who we are. We have a choice at this time to each day become more inclusive, more understanding, more empathetic, and more appreciative of each other, or to suffer, as did the generations before us, the consequences of neglect. We envision a world where universal access is the default and the norm. We need to move away from a system that separates people with different needs and instead teaches youth how to share their gifts and support others to do the same regardless of differences in ability, seen or unseen. Our education system can be an important means of community outreach. By teaching youth how to support one another, we are teaching them how to build strong, healthy communities. As young leaders, we can effect this change by contributing to a shift in public narrative and dialogue surrounding ability. We demand support services that are integrated into our everyday world, so that people who need these services are not required to search for them. We endorse eliminating all use of the word and concept of “disability.” We urge schools that we work and study
in to start teaching languages such as American Sign Language and Braille. We encourage each other to grow. Finally, we can offer solidarity and support to communities with different accessibility requirements.
Including Diverse Identities We are concerned that current conceptions of “identity” can be distracting and can create barriers to understanding. Our current systems of identification worry us, as it results in “othering” individuals who are different, leading to feelings of isolation and a lack of belonging. Society is in a moment of re-design; we see old social structures and patterns of life collapsing around us. Due to societal advancements, humans are now able to imagine moving away from decisions based solely on selfish survival, and our approaches to community building must reflect this advancing awareness. We want to move beyond the notion of “tolerating” diversity, and truly accept and embrace the added value others bring to society. We want to move towards honouring the experience and tradition of one’s personal narrative as a means of community building. This approach seeks to connect with individuals and understand them on their own terms. We recognize community as important to the physical, mental, and spiritual well-being of all members of society. We believe in a Canada that celebrates more cultural events and non-Western holidays. We see a Canada composed of healthy communities — a Canada that cares for individuals, provides for their meaningful interaction, and offers a sense of belonging through a shared set of values. We wish to see Canada move away from the politics of identity, and instead, embrace a more hopeful, optimistic approach to diverse communities. We believe this shift will result in more open, empathetic, and accessible communities. As this shift occurs, we think it is critical to focus on access points to safe and inclusive interactions between members of these communities. We believe that it is critical to instill these ideas of acceptance of the diversity of people in all Canadians but specifically put an emphasis on the next generation. If the young can be taught to
embrace all people no matter their “differences”, then they will grow up without the mentality of “other-ing” people. Only then will everyone be Canadian and not divided into sub-groups. We call on young leaders across Canada to abandon fragmenting notions of identity and work towards reducing the amount of ‘othering’ that takes place. Inspirit and our wider community can help us by committing to the creation of meaningful opportunities for people to feel like they belong together.
Co-Creating Civil Society in Shared Public Spaces The lack of meaningful engagement between communities creates a feeling of isolation in even the densest multicultural cities. People refer to “food deserts” but, often, we are facing more “place deserts” where citizens live in an atmosphere of disengagement and disconnection from their cities and the people that live in their cities. We recognize the importance of inspiring everyday Canadians, composed of intersections between different groups, from religious and ethnic minorities to the LGBTTQ2AAI1 communities, to the dominant groups in society, to collectively reimagine and reinvent public spaces as the heart of every geographic community. We imagine a Canada where public spaces undergo a collaborative transformational process that allows citizens to contribute to the physical, cultural, and social identities that define a place; a Canada that supports its own ongoing evolution in order to be a place where people can engage in meaningful dialogue on the basis of mutual respect and understanding. We call on young leaders across Canada to prioritize the social and cultural importance of lively neighborhoods with inclusive public spaces by co-creating quality public spaces that contribute to people’s health, inclusion, happiness, and well-being. We also ask that Inspirit and others in our community help us by 1 Some find the term LGBTQ restrictive, and so in an effort to be inclusive, we’ve chosen the term LGBTTQ2AAI for this document, which stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transexual, Transitioning, Queer, 2 Spirited, Asexual, Ally, and Intersex. Read more about these terms in the “Queer Glossary” over at http://qmunity.ca/ learn/resources.
supporting the collective reimagination of spaces and hubs for all to collaborate and interact. In those spaces, we ask for a commitment to strengthening the connection between people and the land that they share and promoting local processes of indigenization through programming and events.
Embracing Immigrants and Refugees Migrants and refugees in many regions of the world are being forced off of their land, or voluntarily leave, seeking a just and secure home. Canada has land, and we can easily afford to invite more people to work with us in building a strong country. However, the size of this land, and its potential, are irrelevant if we bring others into a weak and divided country. We are concerned that many policies at the federal level promote a divisive Canada rather than a welcoming new home for immigrants and refugees. Recent examples like the Zero Tolerance for Barbaric Cultural Practices Act (Bill S-7)2 , the Strengthening Canadian Citizenship Act (Bill C-24)3, as well as the Anti-terrorism Act (Bill C-51) 4 lead us to conclude that we are moving further away from, not closer to, democratic principles. We believe in a Canada that is not driven by fear, but by strong values and high ideals. Only by appealing to the best in all of us can we create a safe and expedient process for those seeking refuge, and a welcoming and dynamic home for the newcomer. We call on young leaders across Canada to organize against unwelcoming, racist legislation that compromise our democracy such as Bill C-24, Bill S-7 and Bill C-51, and to demand, through every available channel, that our country act with justice. Our voices need to be part of public conversations and our values need to be reflected in our society. Inspirit and our wider communities, including government, immigration and refugee service providers, and the general public, 2 Bill (S-7) is described in detail in this release put forward by the Candian Bar Association http://www.cba.org/CBA/submissions/pdf/15-25-eng.pdf 3 Bill (C-24) is described in detail in this release put forward by the Canadian Bar Association https://www.cba.org/CBA/submissions/pdf/14-22-eng.pdf 4 Bill (C-51) is described in detail in this release put forward by the Canadian Bar Association http://www.cba.org/CBA/submissions/pdf/15-15-eng.pdf
can help us to educate new Canadians about Indigenous histories and cultures by creating spaces where the exchange of cultures, traditions, and practices is celebrated.
Recognizing the Roles of Indigenous Peoples We acknowledge that many people who identify as Indigenous5 do not identify themselves with Canada or as Canadian. This causes a divide between the people of Canada and the Indigenous communities across the nation. We endorse any action that furthers reconciliation between the Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Canada. For this tension to dissipate it is critical for Canadians to acknowledge and work to address ongoing discrimination and systemic barriers, and to help fix the damage done by past wrongs. If change does not occur, Canada faces the threat of another generation of young people divided. We want to see the Indigenous communities reconcile with the Canadian people and work together to create a better country. For this to happen we urge the people of Canada to adopt the Calls to Action recently put forward by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission6. We strongly believe it is important that these Calls to Action are widely publicized and made known to all Canadians. We want to see movement towards strengthening and unifying the voices and needs of Indigenous peoples in the political sphere. For example, some delegates suggested that a political party ought to be developed which comprises of Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples that centres upon these concerns, as they should be priority issues for all Canadians. We call on young leaders all across the country to take an active role in fighting for Indigenous issues and to work across 5 We chose to use the term “Indigenous” throughout this document because it is inclusive of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples and because it is is less evocative of colonialism than the term 'Aboriginal,' which is a construction of the Canadian government (in Section 35 of the Constitution). The word “Indigenous” acknowledges the original peoples of these lands, rather than referring to an identity or citizenship recognized or defined by a colonizing government. 6 The Calls to Action put forward by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission can be found at this address http://www.trc.ca/websites/trcinstitution/File/2015/Findings/ Calls_to_Action_English2.pdf
communities to ensure that the concerns of Indigenous peoples are central “Canadian� issues. We ask Inspirit, and other organizations around the country, to commit to supporting the work of young Indigenous leaders and to advocate within their networks for the adoption of the TRC’s Calls to Action.
Demanding Environmental Justice Climate change poses a great threat to the creation of a more inclusive and pluralistic society. In the next decade, we will need leadership in the transition to an environmentally and socially just way of living together. We are at a critical moment and, as young leaders, we commit to addressing environmental degradation and the inequity it produces. We envision a shift in the public conversation about our collective responsibility to this planet, and to each other, towards a mindset of collective socio-economic responsibility and stewardship of the environment. We urgently want to see a global transition to a clean energy economy that emphasizes renewable resources. Our vision is for a Canada that acts as a global leader by supporting environmentally displaced peoples, and by investing to support vulnerable and resource-dependent populations through subsidies, training, and education. We encourage young leaders to use education as a primary tool for shifting public narrative about climate change, and urge decision-makers to embrace and respect Indigenous land and water rights and title. Inspirit and our wider community can help us by supporting educational initiatives addressing our relationship to the environment, and by amplifying the Indigenous voices and ways of knowing at every opportunity.
Advocating for Gender Equality Gender inequality is a foundational challenge to our society. While significant progress has been achieved through feminist movements to date, the power of patriarchy still pervades our lives. For example, instead of creating a culture of consent, we continue to see victims
blamed for the actions of perpetrators, resulting in misplaced interventions that only reinforce patriarchal notions of femininity and masculinity. These challenges not only undermine the health, dignity, and safety of women and girls, but also that of boys and men, and particularly those who identify outside of the reinforced gender binary. We imagine a more inclusive and pluralistic society where gender is conceptualized fluidly, diversely, and equitably. We want alternative narratives about female sexuality, and a commitment to the health of female and trans* communities. We believe changes in the education system and media are critical for changing the narrative around gender equality, and we want to see a greater diversity of gender representations in these spheres of influence. As young leaders, we can advocate for gender equality by understanding the health needs and stigmas surrounding trans* people and others whose stories are not reflected in traditional gender roles across the spectrum of gender identities. We also call upon Inspirit and our wider community of allies, to support educational projects and media that reflect and promote diverse expressions of gender and sexuality.
Storytelling through Media, the Arts, and Journalism The media, the arts, and journalism exert considerable power in shaping how we perceive the world around us. This power can be used to engage Canadians in ongoing conversations that ultimately lead to a more diverse, inclusive, and relevant cultural environment. Over the next decade, we want to further the dialogue about the influence of media and the arts, and look for ways to use them to drive social change. The media and the arts play an important role in building community and legitimizes the struggles and lived experiences of minorities. Rather than engage in sensationalism, we envision media that collaborates with storytellers to share local content that is transparent and accountable to the public. Nationwide, we want to see Indigenous and minority content prioritized. We believe that pluralistic, diverse and truthful content that represents our current
social reality will only come about as a result of participatory, inclusive and reflective processes. We, as young leaders in media and the arts, commit to telling stories that are honest, uplifting and inspiring. We call on young leaders to: engage in traditional media sources, support artistrun centres and galleries at the local and provincial levels, and encourage public participation in the arts to expand their visual literacy as they experience culture first hand. Inspirit can facilitate this work by investing in structures that support storytellers and we encourage our wider community networks to enable those using media and the arts to further difficult discussions about social change issues in Canada.
Reforming Education Systems & Curricula We believe that our education system, from pre-kindergarten to university, is complicit in producing ongoing inequity in Canada. We believe that changing the culture of inequity starts with modifying our educational system. We envision a Canadian education system that promotes openmindedness, diversity in thoughts and opinions, and tolerance for ambiguity. Our goal is to move away from our static provincial public education system and towards a more holistic, inclusive, fluid, and participatory model. We believe the current attitude of teaching is one that hinders creativity and is limited in its development of critical thinking skills. Education should encourage creativity and help build communities, both locally and globally. We want a curriculum that teaches the
histories and current realities of Canada’s diverse cultural and social communities (including but not limited to Indigenous nations, Black Canadians, Francophone Canadians and linguistic minority groups, Japanese Canadians, religious communities, and immigrants) in a respectful manner that acknowledges and promotes redress for past injustices. It is important that our education system acknowledges that Canada is a pluralist society and teaches youth how to discuss and negotiate differences in a meaningful and respectful way. An updated curriculum should also introduce students to the world religions and viewpoints. We are concerned that in isolated communities, youth may have limited to no exposure to religions other than their own, enforcing one spiritual view. We believe it is important to instill in youth an understanding of religious freedom and openness to others’ views even if they do not align with one’s own beliefs. Finally, we wish to see changes to the structure of education. The system should take a holistic approach to transformative teaching and learning. We do not want to continue on the path of “one point”, checkmark expectations. Instead, we would like to see new methods that adapt to the different needs of youth and how they learn. We call on young leaders across Canada to work together to raise awareness about the need for educational reform, to seek a diversity of thoughts and opinions, and to develop a tolerance for ambiguity in all the work we do. The Inspirit Foundation and our wider communities can help us by connecting young leaders to educational institutions and policy-makers so that we can all support efforts to educate young citizens about our society in a participatory manner.
Concluding Thoughts This document came together out of a weekend of discussion, and over and over in our conversations, we found ourselves coming back to the theme of supporting one another. The work of creating social change takes times. We cannot do it alone. But we believe it is important work that is worth doing. As we work toward a more inclusive society, we must continue to support each other by coming together in dialogue as young change-makers. We need to transform the spaces where difficult conversations are held so that they are conducive to bravery. We need to equip our communities with the skills to discuss and negotiate differences in a critical but respectful manner. We need to seek out authentic ways to welcome secular individuals into spiritual places and religious individuals into secular spaces, to
move beyond labels to understand the nuances of difference, and find ways to push boundaries while still supporting one another. Our dream is that a decade from now, we will see stronger communities mentoring their young leaders to address the challenges we’ve identified, and others that are sure to arise. We are grateful for the work of Inspirit and its partners, and ask that they continue to bring us together at local, regional and national levels to support each other as we work to address our toughest social and cultural issues. We are stepping into our role, and we’re ready to ChangeUp.
Conference snapshots Thursday, September 17, 2015 Keynote lecture with Truth and Reconciliation Commissioner Marie Wilson and Aboriginal artist Lee Maracle on approaches to reconciliation, challenges to achieving it, and how individuals, organizations, and the government can contribute to reconciliation. The conversation was moderated by award-winning journalist Rachel Giese.
Friday, September 18, 2015 Smudging and opening ceremony with Indigenous elder Diane Hill to welcome everyone to the traditional territory of Mississauga of New Credit.
Ryerson Associate Professor at Ryerson’s School of Journalism and author Kamal Al-Solaylee in conversation about writing truths and the challenges of crafting narratives that are both personal and political, and which cross cultural divides.
A workshop on negotiations and leading difficult conversations with author and Trampoline Hall host, Misha Glouberman.
Activist and Ryerson’s Director of the Centre for Indigenous Governance Hayden King in a highly-charged conversation with delegates on the barriers standing in the way of reconciliation.
Journalist Marina Jimenez exploring the idea of cultural conflict. In a wide-ranging conversation, delegates discussed the on-going refugee crisis from Syria, how the media portrays crises, the role of individuals and governments in responding, and the experience of newcomers to Canada.
Former Chief of Ontario’s Human Rights Commission and former Toronto mayor Barbara Hall in conversation with Desmond Cole, a Toronto based journalist best known for his Toronto Life story on the controversial practice of police carding of racial minorities. The pair discussed systemic racism and the role of protest and grassroots activism in addressing it.
Saturday, September 20, 2015 The Business of Change panel featured Sara Lyons of Community Foundations of Canada, founder of Apathy is Boring Ilona Doughtery, and Inspirit Foundation’s Director of Social Finance and Impact Investment Jory Cohen. With the help of moderator Tim Brodhead, former CEO of the J.W. McConnell Family Foundation, panelists and delegates discussed business models, social finance, entrepreneurship, and finding resources to sustain social innovation projects.
Build Your Own Sessions, or BYOS, had over 20 delegates running sessions on issues ranging from their experience as religious minorities, what it was like to come out to friends and family, and how it felt to arrive as an immigrant in Canada. Delegates also discussed the important role of youth mobilization, how mental health drives social progress, and best practices for engaging young professionals.
Workshop with Ellen Schneider of Active Voice Labs examines how to create compelling narratives and communicate stories for different audiences.
LeadNow’s Lyndsay Poaps discuss the challenges of leadership. She shared lessons on the importance of setting realistic expectations, building partnerships, and encouraging collaboration.
Amanda Sussman of the Art of Possible Consulting examines the tools and techniques to get things done and how campaigners use different techniques to make change happen.
Sunday, September 21, 2015 Delegates worked in small groups to identify key areas of focus and draft the Call to Action. Delegates voiced their own views, but also took care to address the concerns, hopes, and goals of communities not represented in the room.
The ChangeUp Delegates: From geography to religion to ethnicity, in many ways, delegates at ChangeUp 2015 reflected Canada’s diversity. Some delegates were recent immigrants and some came families that had lived on Turtle Island for centuries. A few delegates had just started university and others were more than ten years into their careers. There were delegates who practiced Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Sikhism, Hinduism, Judaism, indigenous spirituality, as well as those who were spiritual, not religious or held secular beliefs. Some delegates came from small, rural communities and some came from Canada’s largest cities. The one thing they had all in common was a commitment to creating a more inclusive and pluralistic Canada. ChangeUp delegates were all involved in projects working to address Canada’s most pressing social and cultural issues. Some were addressing climate changes. Others were working towards reconciliation. Some were fighting religious discrimination, and some were trying to improve the equity of healthcare. Delegates brought a wide range of experience, expertise, and interests to the conference and their conversations. The delegates name, province of residence, and the Inspirit partner organization they are involved with are listed.
Akeesha Footman, Ontario, Native Canadian Centre of Toronto Allie Shier, Ontario, Canadian Race Relations Foundation Allison Myggland, Nova Scotia, 4Rs Youth Movement Alyssa Lalani, British Columbia, Ismaili Youth Community Amarjit ‘Amar’ Mangat, British Columbia, BC Rainbow Alliance of the Deaf Ashley Tardif-Bennett, Quebec, Apathy is Boring Ashraf Rushdy, Alberta, Baha’i Community of Canada Bernadette Bernard, Nova Scotia, Mount CARES Brandon Bong, British Columbia, Many Faiths — One Common Thread Carl Juilus ‘CJ’ Yabut, Ontario, Culturelink Christine Boyle, British Columbia, Fossil Free Faith Christopher Lee, Ontario, YSI Collaborative Craig Commanda, Quebec, Wapikoni Mobile Danielle Nazarewich, British Columbia, Abbotsford Community Service Darla Contois, Ontario, New Canada Conference David Mutuku, British Columbia, Inter-cultural Associations of Greater Victoria Davida Bentham, Saskatchewan, Canadian Roots Exchange Diandre ‘Dee’ Thomas-Hart, Manitoba, Canadian Roots Exchange Erica Daniels, Manitoba, Story, Money, Impact Erin Millar, British Columbia, Discourse Media Esther Maloney, Ontario, Spirit of Social Change Gianni Castiglione, Ontario, University of Toronto Secular Alliance Gurdeep ‘Gugan’ Sidhu, British Columbia, Abbotsford Community Services
Harman Dhillon, Alberta, Karma Grows Helen Mo, Ontario, Our Whole Society/ The Elements Experiment
Munira Abdulkadir, Alberta, John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights
Isabella ‘Issy’ Redgate, Nova Scotia, Mount CARES
Muriam Fancy, Ontario, 4Rs Youth Movement
Ivan Arturo Escobar, Quebec, Canadian Roots Exchange
Mursal Ashrafi, Ontario, Ismaili Council for Ontario
Jermaine Henry, Ontario, Young Spirit Circles
Nafisa Kassam, Ontario, Ismaili Council for Ontario
Jerushia Allin, Ontario, Recipe for Harmony Project
Natalya Melnychuk, British Columbia, Fraser Basin Council Diversity Project
Joella Cabalu, British Columbia, Story, Money, Impact Jordan Skipper, Manitoba, Ka Ni Kanichihk Inc Jordan Leibel, Saskatchewan, Story, Money, Impact Jordan Miller, Ontario, R.E.A.L Leadership Development Karima Hayat, Quebec, Ismaili Council for Quebec and Maritimes
Natasha Sidi, Ontario, Canadian Race Relations Natasha Collishaw, Ontario, Baha’I Community of Canada Neeva Sandhu, Ontario, Seva Food Bank Omer Ismael, Ontario, AVNU
Kevin Lee, British Columbia, Truth and Reconciliation Panel
Prajwala Dixit, Newfoundland, Community Sector Council Emerging Leaders,
Khaiam Dar, Ontario, University of Toronto
Punit Virk, Alberta, United Nations Association of Canada
Kiera Hamilton, Ontario, Kinship
Rachel Malena-Chan, Saskatchewan, Upstream
Killa Mitchell-Atencio, Nova Scotia, North End Changemakers
Rachel Courey, Manitoba, Siloam Mission
Kimberly Harvey, British Columbia, Urban Indigenous Community
Rana Salah, Quebec, Atwater Digital Literacy Project
Kimberley Bear, Saskatchewan, Nipawin Oasis Community Cooperative Centre
Rebecca Beaulne- Stuebing, Ontario, 4Rs Youth Movement
Klara Longfellow, Quebec, Girls Action Foundation Libby Thomas, Alberta, John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights
Sara Anderson, Ontario, KAIROS Sarah Forrest, Ontario, Regent Park Focus Stephenie White, Alberta, iHuman Youth Society
Lina Chaker, Ontario, One Voice
Svetla Turnin, Quebec, Cinema, Politica
Lindell Smith, Nova Scotia, North End Changemakers
Sydney Erais, Alberta, Faith and Spirituality Centre, University of Calgary
Lindsey Bond, Manitoba, Jumblies Theatre Lundi ‘Jean’ Karhibahaza, New Brunswicks, East and Central African Association for Indigenous Rights
Sydney Ducharme, Ontario, Native Women’s Association of Canada Syed Gilani, Ontario, Muslim Chaplaincy, University of Toronto
Manija Jan Ali, Ontario, Ismaili Council
Thamina Jaferi, Ontario,
Manveer Sihota, British Columbia, Whole Society Conference
Theodore ‘Teddy’ Syrette, Ontario, 4Rs Youth Movement
Mariana Carrera, Nova Scotia, Canadian Race Relations
Yaasir Dayani, Ontario, Ismaili Council of Ontario
Megan Chandler, Nova Scotia, Kinship
Zachary John, Ontario, TRACKS Youth Program
Megan Paulin, Ontario, Jumblies Theatre
Zahra Rajwani, British Columbia, Ismaili Council of Canada
ChangeUp Speakers: ChangeUp 2015 speakers represented a diverse range of backgrounds, areas of interest, and skill-sets — artists, philanthropists, journalists, academics, and activists. Through presentations, group dialogue, and one-on-one interactions, ChangeUp speakers helped delegates navigate some of Canada’s most pressing social and cultural issues. Speakers drew upon their own experiences working at the frontline of these issues to discuss a wide range of topics, including Reconciliation, Tackling Systemic Issues, Bridging Divides, Storytelling, and Social Innovation. a
Barbara Hall, Former Chief Commissioner of the Ontario Human Rights Commissioner
Desmond Cole, Journalist
Lee Maracle, Author
Marie Wilson, Commissioner, Truth and Reconciliation Commission
Amanda Sussman, Principal Strategist, Art of Possible Consulting
Ellen Schneider, Founder Active Voice Labs
Hayden King, Director for the Centre of Indigenous Governance, Ryerson University
Ilona Dougherty, Founder, Apathy is Boring
Jory Cohen, Director of Social Financing and Impact Investing, Inspirit Foundation
Kamal Al-Solaylee, Director of Journalism, Ryerson University
Lyndsay Poaps, Executive Director, LeadNow
Marina Jimenez, Journalist
Misha Glouberman, Author
RACHEL GIESE, JOURNALIST
Sara Lyons, Director, Strategic Initiatives, Community Foundations of Canada
Tim Brodhead, Former President and CEO of the JW McConnell Family Foundation
Artists-in-Residence Inspirit Foundation recognizes art is a powerful way to share stories and narratives. In this spirit, we commissioned two artists-in-residence for ChangeUp 2015. Both artists were requested to create a piece of work that was inspired by the conference. The two artists attended the three days of ChangeUp. They sat in on sessions, spoke with delegates and speakers, observed, questioned, and listened. At the end of the conference, they introduced their work to the conference. Jenna Tenn-Yuk, Poet-in-Residence Jenna Tenn-Yuk is a spoken word artist, public speaker and storyteller based in Ottawa, Canada. She was a Vancouver 2014 Biennale artist-in-residence and member of the 2010 Canadian
Festival of Spoken Word Wild Card Team. Jenna is a graduate of the Carleton University journalism program and has written for Huffington Post and the Ottawa Citizen, and has a master’s in women’s studies from the University of Ottawa. She shares the scars from her past as a way to connect with people’s stories and hearts through poetry, music, and journalism. Carlos Delgado, Visual Artist-in-Residence Born and raised in Colombia, and currently living in Toronto, Carlos Delgado uses his art to promote diversity and multiculturalism. He has been nominated as a two-time finalist for the TELUS and Toronto Arts Foundation’s Newcomer Artist Award. He is committed to using art as a tool for community engagement and change.
Living Our Truths and Sharing Our Stories
What do I have to offer and learn?
by Jenna Tenn-Yuk
How can we bridge the divides fracturing our people and country?
“It’s important for us to share our stories.”
How can we connect, work together and bring change to Canada?
A powerful moment that left the room silent
We learned from many incredible activists, writers, teachers, artists and change-makers
When one person gathered the courage to speak publicly Sharing her personal story to a room full of strangers
Exploring reconciliation, racism, storytelling, leadership and dealing with conflict
A beautiful and brave example of reciprocity, learning and understanding a valuable perspective
Digging into our past and thinking about space, inclusion and displacement
There is power when we step out and share our stories
Whose voices are heard? Who’s taking up space? Why was there only one person of colour on a panel discussing racism?
Allowing light to enter our journeys of truth, discomfort, uncertainty, healing and reconciliation.
We explored these spaces, like reconciliation
The Inspirit Foundation vision of an inclusive and pluralist Canada started three years ago
But what happens when half the truth is missing? Reconciliation involves both parties
When they wanted to give young people the opportunity to make change on issues of prejudice and discrimination
It’s an on-going, individual and collective process
Bridging divides between diverse people, groups and communities.
Respectful relationships grounded in equitable institutions sharing power
71 young people from across the country came together to connect, share and learn at the inaugural ChangeUp Conference on Mississauga-New Credit territory
But what does it take for people to actually listen?
Passionate delegates with unique gifts and perspectives
People bleeding on the floor, a toddler washed ashore? Why do we have to see and hear these heartbreaking stories to actually care?
Listening, asking questions and having conversations on tough social and cultural issues in our country for understanding and transformation
These issues aren’t new, like racism and carding
These spaces make you realize you’re not the only one fighting for a better Canada --
It’s controversial, upsets people and makes them go to places they don’t want to go --
Out of many, one people.
Like white privilege.
But no one said this would be easy, asking ourselves:
And it’s not just overt, but subtle and all around us
What is my truth? Where do I fit?
We don’t like to acknowledge these systemic forms of racism.
Understand your power, offer allyship
This is really hard work
Use your influence in places where you can make a difference
And sometimes, you have to take a step back, cry or watch Judge Judy
Show unity on a variety of issues and listen -It’s always in your interest to listen Like the delegates who chatted with Desmond Hall for two hours after his talk And some stayed up until 2am exploring race, sexuality and other intersectionalities We need to make a lot more space for many groups and bridge divides with different communities. And have we built this country on a cracked foundation?
Knowing when to say yes and realize, you can’t take everything on and build a movement by yourself Self-care and collective care are crucial Surround yourself with people who support you and help you take care of yourself You and your well-being matter. And as we move forward, let’s recognize, embrace and value our diversity Each one of us has something powerful to bring to the table
Let’s contemplate whose voices have built and are building this nation
A unique piece of the puzzle
Who has power? Who’s going to run this country after the next election?
And you don’t have to be standing in front of a crowd to make a difference
Another white heterosexual man? How surprising.
There’s so much expertise and respect in our midst.
But what about our diverse and pluralist country?
What role can you play?
Look around this room -- a rich tapestry of gifts, voices and experiences
How can you unveil the clouds of secrecy, the unspoken stories within and around you?
Let’s name them, share them, value them and learn from them
Fighting against systems of oppression that leave individuals hidden and forgotten
We need better representation. We’ve only touched the tip of the iceberg Stories, gifts and experiences that have yet to reach the surface of ways we can connect and work together There is power when we meet one another with open hearts and vulnerability Moments of reflection and cleansing to live in the heart and spirit than simply the head.
We’re all teachers and have something to share Find these stories and tell them Dig deep within yourself and allow the transformation to happen Even if it’s messy, uncomfortable and painful And do not allow another voice to be silenced -- especially your own.
the Inspirit Foundation The Inspirit Foundation launched in 2012 with a vision of a more inclusive and pluralist Canada. To support and better clarify our own vision, we travelled across the country to listen and learn from young people from different backgrounds and beliefs. We were inspired by the thoughtful, creative, and collaborative approaches they used to address the issues and challenges facing their world. These cross-country conversations helped refine our focus and direction. Over the next five years Inspirit is planning to support young people who are addressing the issues of prejudice and discrimination.
We want to support, convene and champion powerful ideas that foster learning, inclusion, and collaboration. We will do this by encouraging young people to use different methods and tools of expressing themselves and encouraging social change including media products and platforms, activities, arts and culture, programs and events, and research and publications. We believe our diverse society will be stronger when we build bridges between our wide range of backgrounds and beliefs.
www.inspiritfoundation.org
October 2015