The goal of this event was to inspire reflection on how we interact with and appreciate our oceans. The place of this open mic night within the larger symposium provided an opportunity for SOI Alumni to expand their network and continue to influence change. Canada’s Oceans: Towards 2020 was a coming together of policy makers and important oceans figures, with great opportunities for youth to make an impact.
Common Coasts: Stories from Canada’s Youth brought together young Canadians with experiences from each of our oceans, and offered a platform for youth to to share their stories about our oceans and have their voices heard. This event provided a sense of support among a like-minded community of youth who care about the environment and making change. Students were granted the opportunity to experience being on stage, practice their public speaking, storytelling, spoken word, or music in front of an audience. Storytelling is an intimate avenue for sharing knowledge, with the power to bring together a wider network of people invested in the environment.
This project was made possible by through financial support and guidance from the Alumni Grant sponsored by Parks Canada and the Students on Ice Foundation.
This project was put together by SOI almuni Mary Paquet (Arctic 2011) and Da Chen (Arctic 2017).
Mary Paquet
I am a recent graduate of the Environmental Visual Communications graduate program at the Royal Ontario Museum, and currently working with Students on Ice as Communications Assistant. With a Bachelor of Science in Zoology from the University of Guelph under my belt, I have a long term goal of making science more accessible and engaging for everyone through storytelling.
Da Chen
I am a recent graduate from the City Studies and Political Science Program at the University of Toronto Scarborough. I have worked for Parks Canada for the last 4 summers and is part of the 2017 Park Canada Northern engagement team. I was part of the 2017 Students on Ice Arctic Expedition and was also part of the Canadian Delegation at the 4th International Marine Protected Area Congress (IMPAC4) in Chile. I am passionate about both urban planning and nature and my goal is to bring more nature into the city and engage others about the importance of conservation and living a sustainable lifestyle. I am intending to pursue my master in Urban Planning in September and work towards creating more sustainable and inclusive cities throughout Canada.
