Literacy Live!
ENCOURAGING youth TO FIND THEIR VOICE THROUGH POETRY, SHORT STORY, & SCRipt WRITING
PAST SPEAKERS
Who?: Dave Meslin
What?: Dave Meslin is a writer, activist, artist, and community organizer who inspires better engagement between governments and citizens. He formed the Toronto Public Space Committee that in 2005 was chosen as the "Best Activist Group" by both EYE Weekly and NOW magazines. Dave appears as an expert on political engagement in national media. His TED talk about apathy has more than 1.5 million views and his 90-second video clip from the 2016 federal election coverage, using colourful stacks of Lego bricks to explain how our voting system fails us, has over 2.5 million views on Facebook alone. Dave is now a part-time resident of Grey Highlands and in 2021 he organized the 9th Line Kite Festival with over 2000 attendees and is a part of a national campaign to lower Canada's voting age to 16! Follow his activism and community work on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or check out a copy of his book Tear Down: Rebuilding Democracy from the Ground Up
Who?: John Cardillo Jr
What?: John Cardillo Jr is a local filmmaker, photographer, and activist. He began his film career at age seventeen by creating Senior Year – Canada’s first feature film made solely by high school students. John lead 125 students from five local high schools in the creation of this film and all of its proceeds were donated to a local shelter for abused women and children. In 2019, John and the Collingwood Youth Centre Film Production Team released No Home In Sight – a full-length documentary about the invisible problem of youth homelessness in his local area. The documentary was a rousing success that garnered a tremendous response from his community. Following a weekend of sellouts, the production raised $20,000 that went directly to helping at-risk and homeless youth in his community. More recently, John has been involved in a series of initiatives, including the development of the Collingwood Youth Centre's Youth Council. Follow John and his work on his website or Instagram
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Who?: The Town of Collingwood
What?: The Town of Collingwood supports local not-for-profit, charities, and volunteer-based groups and organizations through financial and in-kind facility grants. 5th Street is a proud recipient of the 2021 Community Recreation and Culture Grant. Learn more about the Town of Collingwood and future grant opportunities by following them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube
Who?: Tourism Simcoe County
What?: Tourism Simcoe County supports the enhancement of culture and tourism in the area by funding programs and initiatives like Literacy Live! To learn more about grant opportunities and deadlines, visit the County of Simcoe's website. Follow Tourism Simcoe County on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube
Who?: Collingwood Public Library
What?: The Collingwood Public Library (CPL) is more than just books. They provide free community programming to all residents, as well as physical and virtual spaces for people to grow, discover, and connect. Sign up for a Library card today and learn more by following CPL on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube
Who?: Collingwood Youth Centre
What?: The Collingwood Youth Centre (CYC) works with youth to create a safe, relaxing, and respectful environment that celebrates youth culture in all its diversity. They off all kinds of cool things for you to do, including a technology center, a recording studio, a culinary kitchen, video games, and tons more! Learn more about CYC programs and community work by following them on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.