KEYNOTE SPEAKERS + CHANGE MAKERS

In the afternoons each day you will attend keynote discussions and two hour intensive workshops lead by incredible womxn we call change makers, with expertise in a wide range of topics.


Keynote | Sarah Britton of My New Roots

Sarah Britton is a certified holistic nutritionist, whole food chef, cookbook author, and the creative force behind the blog, My New Roots. Sarah believes that food is the most powerful medicine we have in this world, and the choices we make around eating ripple far beyond the table. Sarah is passionate about spreading this message, empowering people to be active participants in their own health and healing, and achieving optimum wellness through ecstatic living.

Keynote Topic | Keeping the Channels Open: Cleansing for Every Body

Great news everyone: if you have a body, you’re cleansing right now, naturally and consistently! The idea that our bodies need assistance to remove toxins from our systems undermines just how complex and amazing our bodies actually are. Let’s trust our bodies to do what they are designed to do for us. Let’s thank our bodies for their natural detoxifying capabilities, talent, and forgiveness!

The best way we can support our bodies to do their best work, is by keeping the Seven Channels of Elimination open. When these doorways are clear, our system can run at peak efficiently, keeping us in balance and feeling great. It’s easy and fun to take care of yourself. I’ll show you how.


Embodiment Facilitator | Tamina Pollack-Paris

With 21 years of professional experience extending from worldwide tours with Lady Gaga, dancing with Justin Bieber, American Idol, Glee and SYTYCD Canada - Tamina's life's practice is to support women into their bodies to live lives full of love, connection, authenticity, and POWER!

Workshop Topic | THE ELECTRIC WOMAN - Embody your greatest power through Dance

Every person on earth has two main energies inside them: masculine energy and feminine energy.

When you're in your masculine energy you take charge.

You lead, you direct, you manage the day-to-day details of life. 

You focus on your goals and you live from the mind.

 When you're in your feminine energy… you flow.

You're no longer serving life, you're letting life serve you—surrendered to the feeling, to the inner-trusting of it all. Your chest opens, your vision brightens, your belly warms—you are taken by pleasure, by movement, by that deep and effortless current.

But, it's only by balancing both of these energies—our masculine and our feminine—that we begin to thrive inside our greatest power.

As your Feminine Embodiment Mentor, I’ll teach you how to reconnect with this instinctive bodily intelligence through the transformative power of DANCE, so that you can reconnect with your purpose, your pleasure, your divinity, your self.


Change Maker | Vanja Vukelic of Merakilabbe

Vanja Vukelic, MerakiLabbe, is a mother of mystical paintings and narratives. Her highest vision is that of assisting the collective in evolution of human experience and healing. Guided by empathic resonance, sacred sight, and intimate connection with the Otherworld realm, she directs energy through embodied creativity and dream tending rituals as a way of emboldening individuals towards the discovery of their personal relationship with the subtle world and profound receptivity within the core of their soul. Her work is a sacred quest of a visceral passion in sparking the inner trust and intuitive gifts within the heart of humanity.

Changemaker Topic | Art and Consciousness : Tending The Hidden Realms

A two hour exploration on how to Honor and Embody the Living Images of the Soul. We will explore the link and our place within the  Subtle Reality, Physical Realms, and Dreamtime as a framework for rediscovery of deeply seated feminine creativity and  journeying beyond limitations. Over the course of the workshop we will learn how to communicate with Nature Spirits, delve into the Otherworld, immerse in tangible visioning practices, and journey into a 30 minute visual guided meditation to meet our Otherworld guide.


Change Maker | Tracy Komlos of Pangea Dreams

Tracy is the fearless leader of Pangea Dreams retreats, empowering women to embrace their passions, learn the skills to create a sustainable business, and positively impact their community.

Tracy is a startup consultant, photographer and branding expert, who knows what it takes to excel as a female entrepreneur. She brings her experience and knowledge to women who are ready to live the life of their dreams and connect to other women with fierce, entrepreneurial ambition. Tracy isn’t just teaching women to grow their business, she’s creating a global community of thought leaders who are lifting each other up through education, empowerment and collaboration.

Change Maker Topic | Branding & Finding Your Niche

Your brand can have a great logo, all the hip pantone colors, and a flowy, playful font, but if you don’t know who you’re creating it for, then it’s all for nothing. Aesthetics are just one part of the branding process, and in this workshop we’ll help you get clear on the rest. Discover your target audience, hone your brand voice, and find your niche in the crowd, so you can communicate effectively and make an impactful, profitable splash with your business or personal brand.


Change Maker | Chidiogo Akunyili-Parr of She Roars Africa

My name is Chidiogo Blessing Akunyili, which translates as ‘God (Chi) is gracious with blessings and my cup overflows’. I am the Founder of She ROARs - Reimagining Our Africa Rising — empowering women across Africa and across the world with tools needed to unleash their full potential and that of each other.

I believe we all have our super powers on this journey of shared evolution. Mine is as a storyteller and motivational speaker who aims to impact global narrative with the power of stories founded on the humanist African philosophy of Ubuntu — 'I am because you are. You are because we are’ — celebrating our shared humanity.

Change Maker Topic | Storytelling, the Stories we are Told, Those we Tell Ourselves and Those we Want to Tell

A workshop where participants have a chance to dive into stories that shape us, limiting beliefs, empowering beliefs, and together write stories we want to tell.

www.chidiogo.org


Change Maker | Kim Wheatley

Kim is an Anishinaabe (Ojibway) band member of Shawanaga First Nation Reserve located in the Georgian Bay region of Ontario. She is Turtle Clan who carries the spirit name  “Shkoden Neegaan Waawaaskonen” which translates to "Head/Leader of the Fireflower” She is the Mother of 3 daughters and also a proud grandmother of 2 granddaughters & 1 grandson.. Kim is a multi-award winning cultural consultant who has represented Canada internationally and locally in diverse circles of engagements. She utilizes Traditional stories, songs and teachings to generate meaningful relationships based on mutual understandings & respect for the earth.

Change Maker Topic | Re-building our Relationship to the Land

Kim will be discussing an exploration of relationship to the land through the medicine wheel teachings and sacred bundle interactions. This workshop will include the use of traditional medicines and traditional hand drumming and singing.


Change Maker | Megan Alexander, Regan Harney + Krista Schilter of Good Space

Good Space is a yoga + meditation studio in Parkdale, Toronto dedicated to movement + mindfulness. Believing that being good to each other and the world begins with being good to ourselves, their philosophies are:

  • Life can be tough. Yoga + meditation can help you through it.

  • Abundance will flow from a clear and attentive mind.

  • We do our best when we feel our best.

Change Maker Topic 1 | Liberate Your Three Lions

Consider for a breath or two that to access our heart from our lower chakras we must pass through the gates of the three lions: fear, anger, sadness. These lions live within our energetic body at our solar plexus serving as guardians of our heart. What if we were to feed these lions a diet rich in love and acceptance rather than a diet rich in neurosis and stories? This is transformative work that helps to recalibrate emotional energy. Together we'll anchor ourselves in the neutral channel - that which is stable - so we are better able to experience that which is changing and shifting. Expect vinyasa style movement and a firey kriya with mantra to come alive and reclaim and embrace the energy of misplaced emotions.

Change Maker Topic 2 | Movement as Permaculture

Brief Description: Exploring how movement mirrors Permaculture, we’ll move through a flow + guided meditation designed to promote strength, confidence, and self-sufficiency.


Change Maker | Alexandria Bipatnath

Alexandria is the founder of The Wholesome Conscious where she both educates and advocates on holistic health and wellness from an Indigenous perspective. She facilitates her various workshops on Indigenous knowledge through traditional teachings, culture, history, nourishing plant-based nutrition and physical activity. Alexandria entered the holistic community to re-connect and deepen her roots with the mind, body and spirit connection which coincide with Indigenous ways of healing. She also provides wholesome workshops on healthy eating, conscious living and Indigenous foods within her catering company. Alexandria caters events both within and outside the GTA at various events such as private gatherings, business meetings, conferences and Pow Wows!

Change Maker Topic | Holistic Health And Wellness: Traditional and Modern Practices from First Nations Peoples of Canada

Alexandria will be talking about the wellness of Indigenous peoples from traditional to modern times along with the medicine wheel teachings and the four states of being (physical, mental, emotional and spiritual). This workshop will incorporate Fancy Shawl Dancing as a demonstration.


Keynote | Jackie & Hillory Tenute

Otter Daughters made up of two generation of intergenerational survivors, Jackie and Hillory Tenute. Member of the Chippewas of Nawash First Nation, Jackie and Hillory are two Anishinaabe Kwe’ss from the Otter Clan and Thunderbird Clan, but reside in Ottawa on Algonquin Unceded Territory. As part of their dedication to furthering the recommendations as set forth from the final findings of Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC), Otter Daughters specializes in providing a safe space for educating the public in matters of reconciliation, decolonization, indigenous relations and mobilizing allyship through the use of indigenous-based methods of knowledge sharing and data collection. Otter Daughters seek to inspire constructive dialogue between indigenous and allies through workshops, consulting, strategic planning and facilitation of indigenous frameworks of understanding.

Keynote Topic | “Where do I sit?”: An exploration of settler-privilege and allyship in an Reconciliation climate

Lead by indigenous-owned consulting firm, Otter Daughters, this talk is intended to create a safe space of inclusivity to mobilize discussions on allyship and indigenous self-determination in a reconciliation-based climate. As First Nations, we are often asked “Where is my place as a settler and how do I move forward the ‘Reconciliation’ agenda?” With the intention to challenge settler privilege, this hour will be a combination of deconstructing myths, exploring opinions on what is ‘Reconciliation’ on Turtle Island (Canada) and examining how and when settler-allies should take a seat at the table. Our discussion will also encompass a hands-on exercise to provide participants with knowledge of proper handling of sacred medicines (e.g. sage, tobacco, sweetgrass and cedar).


Change Maker | Meghan Yuri Young of The Sad Collective

Meghan Yuri Young is a writer, and most recently TV personality, born and raised in Scarborough. She's been in the media industry for over a decade and has since branched off to focus on advocacy and the mental health community. Her goal is to promote happier, healthier lifestyles any way she can. She is also certified in Mental Health First Aid, ASIST and safeTALK.

The Sad Collective is a community who firmly believes in the power of vulnerability. We believe in the freedom of crying, the strength in admitting we’re not always fine and the courage to seek support when it’s needed. Instead of being ashamed of our feelings, we wear them proudly on our sleeve, because let’s face it, we can’t do this alone.

Change Maker Topic | Self Care 101: Keeping Up With Yourself

In this workshop we will touch on topics including, the true meaning of self-care, why mental health (illness to well-being) has become an important topic over the last few years, what a boundary is and how to communicate them. We will discuss, brainstorm take-home self-care strategies, dance, and meditate. I look forward to connecting with all of you!


vasanti.jpg

Change Maker | Vasanti Kea

Vasanti (Canada) embodies Tantra & Eros with a uniquely inspiring spark. She is a Tantric therapist, Sacred Sexuality Coach and Erotic Empowerment Guide.  Her path is vibrantly seeking of truth, using Tantra and Sexual expression as avenues of divine exploration. Her workshops, retreats and presence have empowered hundreds of people to awaken and heal through their own conscious Pleasure. The arts of Sexual Healing, Medicinal Pleasure and Conscious Relating are passion in her life. Infused with the sparkle of active meditation and Sacred Sexuality teachings, Vasanti inspires self discovery and safely guides people through re-claiming their body’s divine nature.

Change Maker Topics:

(1) Heart of Tantra

Open your heart with Tantra!

Tantra not only recognizes sexual energy, but celebrates and reveres the creativity and vitality it brings to our lives when it is fully embraced. We gather in this safe container to reclaim our birthright to sensuality and explore the many ways we can integrate consciousness, meditation and presence into our sexuality.

Through yoga flows, dance, breathwork and meditation, we journey deep into the Sacral centre and express the spiritual nature of our sexuality. By linking our Sacral centre to the joyful expansion of our Heart, we enter in contact with our divinity and say YES to the lusciousness of life.

(2) Tantric Goddess  

Awaken your sensuality & melt into sacred pleasure. Within every womxn is an inherent quality of deliciousness and divinity. Tantric practice allows us to access this often neglected piece of ourselves and allow our true nature to open up and blossom.

Our Sexual Energy is the most potent force in existence. It is pure Life Force Energy, Restorative and Regenerative Energy.


Shari.jpg

Change Maker | Shari Martin of The Evolved Life

With a strong desire to learn how to make my own soaps, lotions, lip balms for health reasons, The Evolved Life was started after receiving so much interest and positive feedback after gifting family and friends with my homemade products. When demand started to increase I thought I should start branching out with more products to appeal to a wide variety of tastes. The Evolved Life Products will now be called "Protocol" and will be geared towards specific skin conditions. 

Change Maker Topics:

During The Get Together The Evolved Life will be offering  2 - 2 hour Natural Craft workshops

(1) Soap Making

In this workshop you will learn how to make your very own natural soaps! The workshop will walk you through step by step how to do this using natural dyes and flowers

(2) Flower Infused Oil and Healing Salve

In second workshop I will teach you how to make Healing Flower Infused Oil and Healing Salve using all natural materials.


018_4417_Feb.jpg

Breathwork Facilitator | Jennifer Mansell

Jenn is an Expert on Body Intelligence, a Breathwork and Mindful Movement Facilitator, Somatic Coach and fierce female DJ. Her magic super power is bringing people together in safe spaces to have deep, immersive and expansive full body transformational experiences that incorporate movement, music, meditation and breathwork. She runs weekly meditation circles, monthly group breathwork journeys, facilitates and Dj's Ecstatic Dance Parties, and teaches workshops helping people to get out of their heads and into their bodies.

Workshop Topic: Breathwork Journey-Under the Stars

Come take a late night journey with Jenn to the deepest depths of your inner world and reach for the cosmos as you invite yourself into union with your breathe and body. Through the practice of Breathwork we breathe together following a wave of sound over the course of an hour to expand our minds, hearts and bodies. You will leave feeling connected to all things in a new way with a deep sense of groundedness, peace and insight.

Conscious Connected Breathwork is a safe and gentle process that encourages the participant to explore, experience, express and release tension and energy that may be trapped in their body. It is deeply healing, energizing and suitable for almost all people.


*Lineup subject to change.