Beyond the Pursuit of Happiness

Our University of the Streets Café public conversations are much like any you’d have with friends or family around a dinner table, except with more people, more points of view, and slightly more structure. Conversations are hosted by a volunteer moderator who is there to welcome everyone and keep things on track. To get things started, there’s a guest, or sometimes two, who get the ball rolling by sharing their ideas, experiences and questions. After that, it's all up to the participants.

What are the limits we identify in our individual capacity to take significant social action? In this public conversation we will consider how we identify, perceive and act upon a life of purpose - whether that occurs through our careers, volunteer commitments, personal relationships or otherwise. What actions lead to measurable impact and are there identifiable flaws in our opinions and beliefs? If so, how do we move past these?

Guest:
Peter Hartman is a speaker, consultant and teacher who enjoys a life of personal empowerment development. Using positive thinking principles, he shares common sense approaches to create prosperity for individuals, collectives and organizations. For more than 6 years, he has encouraged audiences to redefine their assumptions about how life should be. Drawing from science, philosophy, and spirituality, he aims to be a catalyst to powerful yet simple understanding. You can reach him at peterpaulahartman.com and happyforachange.com

Juniper Belshaw fundraises and facilitates at COCo (the Centre for Community Organizations), and is a Master’s student in Human Systems Intervention at Concordia University. With a background in nonprofits such as Head & Hands, Project 10, and Dans la rue, Juniper is passionate about creating community-based solutions to society’s toughest challenges. She is happiest surrounded by people, with music on, getting real about feelings, social change, and what’s for dinner (and she believes the three are linked)

Moderator:
Anurag Dhir has since 2011 been the Community Engagement Coordinator at McGill University’s Social Equity and Diversity Education (SEDE) Office. He helps local community organizations develop mutually-beneficial collaborations with McGill students, faculty and staff that address community needs while impacting teaching and learning at McGill inside and outside the classroom. He is a Masters of Arts candidate in the Faculty of Education with a focus on developing youth mentorship training and programs from an anti-oppression and anti-racist perspective.

Accessibility info: Café Aux Deux Marie is on the ground floor. Washrooms are on the main floor. The women’s washroom includes a wheelchair accessible stall equipped with a grab bar.