WINTER(safety)FEST SPEAKERS
2:00PM: WINNING STRATEGIES FOR DESIGN CHALLENGES
Alex will share what he has learned from connecting developers, architects, communities and cities through an online challenge-based platform. His wisdom will guide students to develop and submit competitive projects to challenges like our Urban Planning Design. This round table session will allow plenty of time for questions. Students, parents, and community welcomed.
About the speaker
Alex Brogantz was born for the real estate industry; Raised in an engineering family and attaining a BSc in Engineering then going on to build his place in the industry for over 15 years locally and internationally. His analytical mind paired with his background in engineering has garnered recognition in commercial real estate. Through site & development analysis as well as asset/business strategy consultation, Alex has embedded himself as a central role in many development projects.
His forward thinking drives his passion to take real estate developments into the future from incorporating new technologies for efficiency and sustainability to streamlining processes. Alex has built many meaningful partnerships with both the government and entities such as United Church, Lutheran Church, Archdiocese Church for revitalization efforts and attaining community goals. Founding EveryUrban is a result of an over decade long journey in the industry and identifying gaps in the market long over due to be filled in order to develop a new generation of smart communities crucial for the betterment of the future.
2:30 PM - 100 YEARS OF WARREN PARK ROADS
A historical look at the development of what is now known as Warren Park, and the roads within it. Elisabeth will be sharing photos and knowledge from Heritage York's archives.
About the speaker
Elisabeth van Rensburg is a community resident with a special interest in the local history of what's now known as the Valley/Warren Park. She sits on the Board of Directors for Heritage York (@heritageyork) and runs the @humberhistoryan instagram account where she shares stories of the Valley and surrounding areas.
3:00 PM - COMMUNITY STORYTELLING, PT. 1 NEIGHBOURHOOD MAPPING
Everyone experiences cities in very different ways based on their histories, lived experiences, and identities. Through an individual neighbourhood mapping exercise, we will draw maps of your neighbourhood that highlight places that are important to you, your family, friends and neighbours, including the ways in which you move through your neighbourhood. We will then share our personal maps with the larger group and learn about our different experiences of the neighbourhood from each other.
About the speaker
Sneha Mandhan (she/her) is an urban planner, architect and educator with an interdisciplinary practice in planning, urban design, architecture, design research, and community engagement. She collaborates on city building and engagement projects with Monumental Projects, People Design Co-operative, and the Department of Words and Deeds.
She teaches graduate courses in urban design at the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design at the University of Toronto, and holds a Master in City Planning from MIT, and an undergraduate degree in architecture from NIT, Bhopal.
Her work focuses on exploring and incorporating culture into the planning and design of cities. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Planning at the University of Toronto, where she is working to discover and share the stories of banquet halls as important sites of cultural celebration for the South Asian diaspora in the Greater Toronto Area.
3:30 PM - COMMUNITY STORYTELLING, PT. 2 MONOLOGUE-WRITING
The relationships between our bodies, our diverse identities, our emotional experiences, and our communities are complex and multifaceted. Through a monologue-writing exercise, we will creatively and expressively engage with these relationships between who we are, what are stories are, and what our experiences of ‘home’ is. We will end by sharing our stories with the larger group, a beautiful and powerful way to connect more with each other and learn from each other’s experiences.
About the speaker
Amrita Kumar-Ratta (she/her) is a social researcher, storyteller, community curator, and educator. Her work is rooted in principles of intersectional feminism, anti-oppression, and transformative justice; her areas of interdisciplinary knowledge and practice include: gender, sexuality, and health; justice, equity, and inclusion (JEDI) strategy; community engagement, mobilization, and curation; and transformative arts education.
She is currently pursuing a PhD in Human Geography at the University of Toronto. Her research explores, unpacks, and gives voice to the sexual & reproductive lives, experiences, and advocacy efforts of Punjabi women in Peel Region in Ontario and the Lower Mainland Region in British Columbia.
Amrita is the Founder & Creator of Shades of Brown Girl, a global storytelling community for South Asian women and femmes. She was previously Project Lead for the Diversity & Inclusion Charter of Peel Initiative spearheaded by the Regional Diversity Roundtable in Peel Region. She has worked as a consultant, collaborator, and advisor for organizations including (but not limited to): Centre for Social Innovation, YWCA Canada, Centre for Global Health Solutions, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto and York Region Labour Council, and the Mosaic Institute. She continues to be an active member of numerous planning committees, advisory groups, and community initiatives in the Greater Toronto Area and beyond.
She can be reached at amrita.kumar.ratta@mail.utoronto.ca. You can also find her on twitter at @i_amrita_.
For more information about Shades of Brown Girl, check out our Instagram @shadesofbrowngirl.