CRACKS IN THE CONCRETE CONFERENCE
// PANELS
DAY 1
DAY 2
Connect(ing): Strategies In Conflict Resolution & Disagreement
Cultivat(ing) Your Inner Creativity to Build Financial Security
Preserv(ing) Identity, Culture, & Connection through Art
Navigat(ing) a Pandemic World as a University Student
Keynote
Moderated by Boma Brown
Join 20+ speakers who will share their expertise and perspectives in a variety of in-depth panels and workshops.
Coastal Research, Education, and Advocacy Network (CREAN) are excited to host our 7th annual conference - a weekend of collaboration, creativity, curiosity, networking, and interactive discussions. Through hosting the #CracksintheConcrete Conference, CREAN hopes to spark interest in under-researched topics, strengthen research and education networks, and provide information to youth in an inclusive and accessible manner
//KEYNOTE
To Be Announced
Bio
//SCHEDULE
📄 Download PDF
//SPEAKERS
Angie Osachoff
Influenced by her family’s history in Uganda and India, Angie has been active in human rights, humanitarian issues and informal education for the past 20 years. She has written and delivered workshops on children and armed conflict, international humanitarian law and many other subjects related to human rights.Currently, Angie Osachoff (nee Mapara) is the Senior Regional Program Manager in BC for Equitas; the International Centre for Human Rights Education.
Sharmarke Dubow
Sharmarke Dubow is a former refugee who fled civil war in Somalia at the age of 8, and spent 20 years seeking safe haven until Canada offered a home in 2012. Sharmarke cast his first vote on October 20, 2018, and at the same time was elected as a Victoria City Councilor. Sharmarke’s passion and commitment to diversity, inclusion, and building equitable, inclusive and compassionate communities and his work for marginalized communities earned recognition and respect as a community leader and a voice for bold and courageous policies. His outstanding activism has garnered him various awards and recognition including the Victoria Community Leadership Awards in 2017.
Rose Henry
Rose Henry is originally from Tla’amin Nation. She is a residential school survivor, and her family has resided in Victoria for the past 34 years. Eight months in Saanich and thirty-two years between North Park, Quadra Village, Cook Street Village and Fernwood.She has spent her time here attending school and helping build a better community by contributing to participating at round table discussions and getting involved with multiple board of directors for public community service agencies like Together Against Poverty, The Victoria Native Friendship Centre, Vancouver Island Human Rights Coalition and the Capital Region Race Relations.
Kecia Larkin
Kecia Larkin is from the Kwa'Kwa'ka'wakw & Pikanii Nations. She has lived in Unceded
Territory of the local first people, off and on since 5 years of age. She is a 50 year young
mother of two adult children. Kecia spent over 3 decades on the frontlines of HIV and
related issues, as an educator, support and resource. In the past 10 years Community
Based Research has been part of her learning, work and knowledge translation. She is
involved as a knowledge keeper in one project right now and enjoys learning. Kecia has
enjoyed keeping plants alive, learning cultural arts and crafts has been a few of her
COVID coping mechanisms.
Nika Naimi
● Nika joined Equitas in October 2020 as an Education specialist. She has previously worked in the cybercrime and cyberbullying prevention sector and as served as well as a Spiritual Care, Guidance and Community Involvement Animator in schools. Also, she currently teaches at Polytechnique Montréal about cybercrime and cyberbullying, is co-chair of the education committee at Montréal en action and co-hosts a radio show about digital intimacy and relationships called “En toute intimité” on 102.3 FM, Radio Centre-ville. Nika holds an M.A. in Culture and values in Education from McGill University and a B.A. with specialization in Psychology from Concordia University. She has also lived in French Guiana where she did volunteer work among the indigenous populations.
Moussa Magassa
● Moussa Magassa is the human rights educator at the University of Victoria, where he focuses on enhancing understanding of, and commitment to, the university's human rights and equity goals, increasing diversity and creating a fair and inclusive work and study environment at UVic.
Naina Kansal
● Naina is the Co-Founder of Tapri- Chai Junction and Entrepreneur Success Manager at Startup Canada
● @miralovemora
● @miralovemora
Nerissa Allen
● Nerissa Allen is the President of the Black Business Association of BC. Her organization is on a mission to address this imbalance, providing Black entrepreneurs with the tools and resources they need to achieve entrepreneurial success. By achieving this goal, they’ll help to create jobs and boost the broader Canadian economy.
Saad Shoaib
Saad Shoaib is the Vice President External Affairs of UBC Alma Mater Society.
Kelsey Ferrill
● Kelsey Ferrill is a grad student at Royal Roads University pursuing her Masters of Intercultural and International communications. She also sits on the Board of Directors for the Moebius Syndrome Foundation (@MoebiusSyndromeFoundation) and works closely with @PositiveExposure which is an organization that uses the arts to create a more inclusive, equitable world for all. Advocacy is Kelsey’s #1 passion; it is what sets her soul on fire and gives her purpose. She really wants to spread the message of acceptance and inclusivity and most importantly, not judging anyone on appearance alone.
Stephanie Dahling
● Stephanie is a forth year Social Work student at the University of Victoria. She also holds a Social Service diploma through North Island College. She currently coordinates CREAN’s afterschool program. In this role, she liaises with teachers and administrators in school districts across BC.
Anureet Lotay
Anu is a PhD candidate at the University of Victoria in the department of Anthropology. Her PhD research looks at the intersections of migration, reproduction, gender and race by examining the anthropology of pregnancy loss in the Punjabi Canadian diaspora. She is also the Research Manager at CREAN. Anuhas carried out a number of community-based research projects in Victoria, BC over the past 13 years, across many disciplines including: health, media, housing, indigenous languages, and more. She also provides workshops and training on: diversity, anti-oppression and anti-racism, career planning, reproductive health and justice, and other topics.
Araba Etrew
Araba is the Coordinator of the Black Student Support Centre at Simon Fraser University. She is a political scientist, gender, and human rights advocate with several years of experience and skills in policy research analysis and advocacy, negotiations, development programming, communication, monitoring and evaluation. She has worked in the academia as well as in domestic and international development sectors on issues of good governance, sustainable development, social inclusion, gender equality and human rights. Ms. Etrew holds a Bachelor of Art degree in Political Science with Sociology, Master of Art in International Affairs both from the University of Ghana, and a Master of Art in Communication from Simon Fraser University, Canada.
Nawang Yanga
Nawang is recent grad of York University's Master's in Health Policy & Equity where she focused on TB among Tibetan refugees in India & Indigenous communities in Canada. Nawang is also involved in building Stop TB Canada's TB Conquerors group.
Rose Prieto
Rose is the founder of New Stone Age Cabochons, a business specializing in designer cabochons for jewellers and designers.
