Today was the most beautiful day I have spent in a long time... Although, I have had many beautiful days in recent memory so it may only be in the top ten. Having said that, it was a summer day in March (so how bad can that truly be?); full of wonderful company and sunny day activities (barefoot soccer and reading sprawled out on the grass anyone?). I have developed the first shadings of the perma-"dirty" feet of summer from running around sans shoes all day... ahhh <3. However my favorite thing about today was an opportunity I was given to hear Dave Meslin speak for two hours while sipping (free) ice cold beer.
Meslin is an amazing activist living in Toronto (although he identifies as a "community choreographer" i.e. a community organizer whom prides oneself on a creative approach to generating change), he was amazingly inspiring and amazingly motivating! He urged that bold and creative ideas CAN change the world and although the policies that dictate our government and therefore our daily lives seem permanent and static, the world IS malleable and the only limitation we have are the limitations we set for ourselves.Meslin founded the Toronto Public Space Committee in 2001 (check it out here:http://www.publicspace.ca/campaigns.htm) and since has initiated numerous projects and programs. His main focuses are public space, voting reform, democratic renewal, and biking. He has organized such movements as "Guerrilla Gardening" which basically entails transforming un-utilized public spaces around cities (think patches of sandy soil next to a fence) into flourishing gardens. He also spearheaded the "Downtown De-Fence Project" which is a campaign that urges people to remove old fences from their yards--taking down barriers to re-connect people with their communities. He even recruited hordes of volunteers to take down these fences at no cost to the property owners! Amazing! These are just two of many of the projects geared toward change that Meslin has created... to see more check out his website: http://meslin.wordpress.com/. You won't be disappointed!
And if that isn't enough you should also check out his sweet TEDx Talk (a deep passion of mine happens to be TED Talks... if you haven't tuned in yet, now is the time to start!).
Dave Meslin @ TEDxToronto: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuHNVYW4tW0
A light wind swept over the corn, and all nature laughed in the sunshine.
-Anne Bronte
Keep It Real & Keep It Green
Shauna
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