It’s true. We’re learning to plan ahead, and are incredibly grateful for the support and volunteer time of some really incredible individuals. Here are some highlights of what’s to come at our dinners:
MARCH 25TH – Patti Powell will be leading music. Patti leads Acapellaboratory: East Van’s Acapella Community Choir. And rumor has it, she’s got some fantastic tunes!
By popular opinion, we won’t have a guest speaker this month. Hoards of people have been saying, “we want more time to talk to one another”. So instead we will have some discussion topics, and some facilitated mingling, and more time for you all to do your thing! RSVP now.
APRIL 29TH – Our guest speaker will be Bruce Alexander. Bruce is a well known public intellectual and professor emeritus at SFU. His latest book, called “The Globalisation of Addition: A Study in Poverty of the Spirit”, focuses on the importance of creating communities and social structures of belonging and care.
MAY 27TH – At our last dinner before the summmer, Rueben George will be joining us to share stories of his life and his work protecting the coastal waters from tankers and oil. Rueben is Coast Salish, from the Tsleil-Waututh Nation, and is a long time activist and leader. He worked previously for the United Religions Initiative.
If all goes well, that same evening we will be joined by Sara Kendall and some members of the Cultural Medicine Cabinet Choir.
Lots of good stuff coming up! And amid all of it, we will keep imagining what the fall will look like, and moving toward making it happen.
For now, RSVP for March. Send this email along to friends, family, collegues, and neighbours. And I will hope to see you soon.
Love, Chris.
Get Involved!
I know some of you are WAY too busy as it is. For those folks, don’t read this. But last month many people said, “I’m looking for more ways to get involved!” If that’s you, there are no shortage of worthwhile initiatives to connect with, who would be thrilled to have you share your time and talent. This project is only one of them. But we’d love to have a few volunteers help set-up, speak, and clean-up for dinners. If you’ve got a bit of time and energy for this, let Chris know.
Stand up for the Coast
The Heiltsuk First Nation, Forest Ethics, the Dogwood Initiative and others are coordinating a No Tankers rally for Monday, March 26th at lunchtime at the Art Gallery. Bill McKibben (from 350.org) and Art Sterritt, both incredible speakers, will be there to share stories. Find out more about the rally here.
And read more about the Save the Fraser declaration, signed by more than 100 First Nations opposed to the pipelines and increased tanker traffic.
