EAWLC 东西联学社

English Social Conversation
2024-05-08 20:00 - 21:00 (America/Toronto)
This Month’s appetizer topic:

Share a good memory of your food experience. It could be a dinner at home, a gathering at a picnic, a meal in a restaurant, or a cooking experiment… Any foodies story is welcome!

Register here.

Have you ever wondered what to talk about in a social conversation? Or, as an immigrant, do you sometimes feel it is difficult to join your local co-workers’ conversation because you don’t know the people or things they are talking about, or you have some everyday questions that you would like to know how local people would think or deal with? Or do you just want to find a safe, relaxing and friendly environment to talk to some native English speakers and enjoy a pleasant conversation?

Judith Lawrence and her native English-speaking volunteer team are kindly facilitating Social Conversations to address those questions for you at the East and West Learning Connections. They come from all walks of life. We are delighted to have a group of open-minded, friendly, and fun people as our facilitators! You are welcome to bring questions of interest to the breakout rooms. We try to keep a ratio of facilitators to participants at a maximum of around 1 to 4 in every session. Learn more…

EAWLC Dialogue on ‘Sight’: From Darkness to Sight
2024-05-06 19:00 - 20:00
East and West Learning Connections is honoured to have a legendary eye doctor as a guest speaker to talk with our audience, and present a movie about his fabulous life stories!

Register here.

Learn more about the event and the speaker.

EAWLC Dialogue with Ed Shiller: Adventures of a Journalist and Social Justice Advocate
2024-04-27 19:30 - 21:00
East and West Learning Connections is very much delighted to bring to our audience this interesting conversation with a retired American journalist, author, publisher, and adventurous social justice advocate since young!

Time: Saturday April 27, 2024 at 7:30-9 P.M. (Eastern time)

Register here

Ed Shiller, now based in Toronto, is an engaging speaker with a host of fascinating reminiscences of his work for civil rights and social justice while a student at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore in the early 1960s. In his subsequent career as a journalist for prominent news agencies like the New York Times and Reuters , he covered major international stories, and crossed paths with many of the world leaders of the day. Ed will begin the dialogue with a brief account of some of the lessons he has learned about the deep-seated causes of racism and how best to overcome them. Where the discussion goes from there, however, is up to you, So, please feel free to interrupt Ed at any time to ask a question or make a comment. You never know where a “Dialogue with Ed Shiller” may lead…learn more

Lunch Coaching Hour for Business Communication, 2024
2024-04-25 12:00 - 13:00
Session #2: Small Talk and Everyday English. Register here

Time: April 25, 2024 at 12 – 1 P.M. (Eastern Time)

Due to popular demand, we are delighted to announce the return of the renowned communication trainer, Ric Phillips, for workplace culture and business communication coaching! We are also grateful that he agreed to deliver 7 sessions in total throughout 2024.

As participants from last year’s sessions can attest, Ric explains cultural and psychological rationale behind Western business practices, essential for gaining trust and credibility to thrive in Canadian business culture. He is also particularly effective when breaking down real-life challenges. In this year’s series, he will cover a range of topics in everyday business scenarios, from small talks, to making great impression with management, and from public speaking to presentation skills. For those of you who are also looking to advance your careers, he will also share expert advice on how to build a team and improve leadership skills. Learn more.

Reading for Culture with Emma 2023 ：History of English
2023-12-06 19:30 - 21:00
English literature professor Emma Gorst will lead us to read articles fromrecent magazines, newspapers or online resources, and facilitate discussionson various social and cultural topics.

Theme of this month: History of English

Reading for Culture with Emma 2023: The Articles & Questions

EAWLC Book Talks with Sheila White : The Letters Postmark Prejudice in Black and White
2023-12-02 19:30 - 21:00 | Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, Toronto, Ontario, M4T 1Z9, Canada
Our Book Talks program invites an author, a translator, or an avid reader to talk about a book and facilitate discussions.

Join us for a thought-provoking evening with author Sheila White exploring The Letters, a novel based on the true story of her parents’ mixed marriage in Toronto in 1947 at a time when racist attitudes tried to keep Blacks and whites apart!

The Letters: Postmark Prejudice in Black and White – EAWLC Book Talks with Sheila White

East&West Dialogue with Ric Phillips and Wayne Henshall
2023-11-25 19:00 - 21:30

EAWLC Lunch Hour for Business Etiquette Coaching: Effective Writing Tips for Business
2023-11-23 12:00 - 13:00

EAWLC Lecture: The Talent and Charm of Wei-Jin Female Literati
2023-11-03 20:00 - 21:30
EAWLC Lecture: The Talent and Charm of Wei-Jin Female Literati /

Reading for Culture with Emma 2023: The Articles & Questions
2023-10-04 19:30 - 21:00 | Free online, https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEtcOqupj0pHtY_Zp_rH8rruxsJbsMiqWem
This Fall, Professor Emma Gorst will lead us to read articles from recent magazines, newspapers or creditable online resources, and facilitate discussions on social and/or cultural topics of interest.

EAWLC Sci-Fi Pot Luck Evening / 秋日科幻阅读聚餐会：科技与人性的交织
2023-09-30 18:00 - 20:00 | Party Room, 30 Greenfield Ave, North York, Party Room, 30 Greenfield Ave, North York, toronto, Canada
东西联学社热情邀请您参加秋日科幻阅读聚餐会！在金黄的落叶与寒风渐起之际，与志同道合的朋友们一同探索几本引人入胜的科幻小说。这个秋天，让我们一同踏上科技与人性交织的思考之旅，追寻秋夜星空下的无限可能！
自助聚餐+线上线下读书分享

EAWLC Sci-Fi Pot Luck Evening: The Intersection of Technology and Humanity

EAST AND WEST LEARNING CONNECTIONS warmly invites you to the Sci-Fi Book Sharing and Gathering! In between the Chinese traditional Moon Festival and Canadian Thanksgiving, let’s enjoy each other’s home-made food, company, explore captivating science fiction novels, and embark on a journey interwoven with technology and humanity!

EAWLC Lunch Hour for Business Etiquette Coaching: Body Language in the Boardroom
2023-09-28 12:00 - 13:00
This Fall, we proudly bring the renowned communication skills trainer Ric Phillips to our audience for workplace culture and business etiquette coaching!

Ranked #13 Communication Professional in the World by Global Gurus 2022, Ric specializes in Leadership Development, Business Consulting, Public Speaking, Customer Service, Team Building, Executive Coaching, and Corporate Training. He will come to the East and West Learning Connections to share his expertise, and answer audience's questions.

In this session, Ric will start with a presentation on body language, then open the floor for all questions on communication skills, either interpersonal or at the corporate level, that you have had when dealing with work, school or day-to-day life.

Free online English event, translation transcripts of different languages available

Time: Thursday September 28, 2023 at 12 - 1 P.M. (Eastern Time)

Zoom registration link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0oc-qppzgsHdywJIUwMf_uTEGxCcrajls-

• We encourage you to frame your questions beforehand in a concise manner with necessary details but without disclosing personal information to make the most out of the coaching hour. You are also welcome to send your questions to us at info@eawlc.org, and we can ask Ric on your behalf, while not disclosing your identity. Depending on the time, questions may or may not be taken at the meeting.

Coach Profile

Ric Phillips is an executive communication coach and corporate trainer who helps anyone communicate simply, clearly and confidently. With a background in Sociology, Psychology, Coaching and NLP, he is the creator of 3V Communications™, a company that uses a holistic system to synchronize and sharpen interpersonal and professional communication skills. Ric is the Executive Director of the NCCA (Nat’l Communication Coaching Assoc. of Canada) and a Senior Staff Member and Instructor with YEDI (York Entrepreneurship Development Institute). He is a part-time teacher at York University and just completed his MBA.

He has taught business communication skills seminars locally at Seneca College, University of Toronto, Brock University, Schulich Executive Education Centre and York University, and outside of Canada in China, Russia, Israel, France, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Japan and the United States. He is a frequent conference speaker, and TEDx speaker on the topic of the “Long Life of First Impressions.”

Ric is an author, expert in communications, public speaking techniques and body language analysis, frequently called upon by the media to provide pundit opinion and advice on businesspeople, politicians and celebrities.
More about Ric can be found at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/communicationcoach
Twitter: @CommCoach
Ric's TEDx Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuG-BHquAHU
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Ric-Phillips/e/B071L861J8
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@RicPhillips
Key Communication Skills for Managers Video Masterclass: https://3vcoachric.com/

Professionals or business owners, parents or students, everyone is welcome! For inquiries, please send an email to:
info@eawlc.org
Thanks!

• Please consider to support us by volunteering, donating, or participating in our endeavour to help people of different heritages break cultural barriers and get connected. Together, let’s make learning and connections happen!

East&West Dialogue with D.D. Jackson and Andy Milne: Two Canadian Juno Award-winners Now Based in the States
2023-03-31 08:00 - 09:30
At our East&West Dialogue, guest speakers from Different cultural backgrounds share their life experiences, insights, and have a dialogue with our audience. In this first dialogue of Season 2023, we are thrilled to have D.D. Jackson and Andy Milne, two Juno-winning jazz pianists, composers, and band leaders, to reflect on their multi-ethnic racial identities growing up in Canada and living in the United States, and how these experiences have impacted their approach to their art.
Professionals or homemakers, parents or students, everyone is welcome!

Time: Friday, March 31, 2023 8 – 9:30 P.M. Eastern Time

Free English event, with Chinese and other selected language caption

Venue: online Zoom meeting
Zoom registration link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0rcuqgrDssG9FlFjkSqH8Q3vqlEFf3QF3z

Reading for Culture with Emma: The Western Literature Book Club at EAWLC
2022-12-07

East&West Dialogue
2022-11-22 08:00 - 17:00, 2022-09-30

5 poets Breaking Into Song
2022-11-19

East&West Dialogue: Transitioning from University to Career
2022-11-17 19:30 - 21:00 | Free online, https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEtcOqupj0pHtY_Zp_rH8rruxsJbsMiqWem
Sisi Ye and Michelle Shi, from Ottawa and Toronto, respectively, both graduated from McGill University, and have stayed in Montreal to develop their career paths. The two young, promising career women will come to our East&West Dialogue and share how they have evolved, their work-life balance, as well as feelings and experiences they have had throughout the journey.

Free online English event, with Mandarin interpretation
Time: Thursday, November 17, 2022, at 7:30 – 9 P.M. Eastern Time
Zoom registration link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEtcOqupj0pHtY_Zp_rH8rruxsJbsMiqWem
Room will open 15 minutes prior.
For inquiries, please contact info@eawlc.org. Thanks!
Guest Speaker Bios
Michelle Shi is a program manager, entrepreneur, and artist based in Montreal. Currently, she works at Shopify, where she builds policy and tooling to support the App Store and Partner ecosystem. Michelle graduated from McGill University and has held positions at Bell, Coca-Cola, Universal Music, and Connect & Go. Outside of work, Michelle is co-founder of an art collective, where she makes jewelry and takes part in other creative projects. She is also the keyboard player of her newly established band, Modern Lizards. She gets excited about bringing communities together, learning new skills, and working remotely around the world.

Sisi Ye is a marketing professional based in Montreal, QC. After having graduated from McGill University in 2016 with a Major in Marketing, she continued expanding her expertise in that field through working across several industries including food delivery and e-commerce. She is currently the Senior Brand Manager at Athena Club, a direct-to-consumer personal care company based in NYC. A curious person by nature, Sisi is always looking for new things to learn about, interesting experiences to try, and the next adventure to embark on. In her personal time, Sisi enjoys discovering new cuisines, staying active, and spending time with her cat.
Everyone is welcome to join us, and have a dialogue with the two vigorous, versatile young professionals with great leadership!

EAWLC Lecture
2022-11-12

East&West Dialogue with Faith Fang and Christina Wang: Across Arts and Sciences
2022-10-14 19:00 - 20:00
On Oct 14, East and West Learning Connections will host a dialogue with Faith and Christina, two college students whose experiences cross arts and sciences as their interests blend or co-exist. What is their actual experience pursuing their passions in diverse fields? What could it mean for younger students who are now looking for their own direction? Join us to hear and share.
English dialogue with simultaneous interpreting in Chinese on Zoom.
Open for free to the public. Everyone is welcome!

Guest Speakers
Faith Fang
Faith double majors in mechanical engineering and violin, exploring the worlds of both technology and technique. Through diverse experiences of conducting dark matter research, propelling industrial sustainability, and collaborating with world-class musicians, Faith combines the adaptability of the arts with a foundation in engineering to foster meaningful innovation.

Christina Wang
From winning international technology hackathons to being a UI/UX designer at StartPlaying Games (a Y-combinator company) and debating for five years, Christina has learned the value of interdisciplinary thinking in problem-solving. Her topic will discuss how art can make complex scientific knowledge accessible to audiences who are alienated by age, the difficulty of the topic, illiteracy, and culture. Art acts as a bridge to inclusive, equitable technology.

Time: Friday, October 14, 2022, at 7-8 P.M. EST (6-7 P.M. CDT)
Zoom registration link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcsdO-hrDsiEtYBKBvWEL4oG8gk-_n1usl3

Space is limited. First registered, first served.
Zoom will be open 20 minutes before the start time. The official program will start at exactly 7:00 PM. Please kindly come early if you need to learn how to enter a separate room for simultaneous interpretation in Chinese.

For inquiries, please contact info@eawlc.org. Thanks!

东西联学社之“东西对话”：在艺术与科学之间

在琴棋书画与专业学习之间，学生该怎样平衡?
艺术和理工，最终会分道扬镳，还是可并驾齐驱?广博与专精，如何取舍，取舍的时机又如何?π型学习者究竟体验怎样?这些都是很多家长和同学共同关心的话题。10月14日晚，分别来自德克萨斯的Faith Fang和多伦多的Christina Wang 这两位在校大学生将分享自己跨界学习的切身体会。两位有杰出表现的同学仍在孜孜探索，她们希望这些探索与经验能够帮到后来人，并在切磋中与大家相互激励。

嘉宾简介
Faith Fang 今年大四，学习机械工程与小提琴演奏双专业。大学期间，她曾参与实验室的暗物质研究，实习中，参与可持续发展的相关项目，也在世界一流音乐家指导下，学琴不辍。她希望探讨在艺术和工程方面，共同的发展如何创造意义，如何发现创新的机会。

Christina Wang 曾在国际技术骇客马拉松大赛中获奖，后在 StartPlaying Games(一家 Y-combinator 公司)任用户界面设计师。她也有多达五年的辩论经验。Christina 体会到跨学科思维在解决问题中的价值。
她在对话中侧重讨论如何利用艺术手段，让因年龄、内容难度、文化障碍等因素受局限的群体，有机会学习复杂的科学知识。她认为艺术是帮助科学达到包容性和公平性的有效桥梁。

对话时间： 2022年10月14日，周五每周东部时间晚上7:00到8:00 （中部时间晚上6:00到7:00）

Zoom注册链接：
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcsdO-hrDsiEtYBKBvWEL4oG8gk-_n1usl3

免费英文活动，提供普通话同声传译。位置有限，先报先得。

为保证对话准点开始，我们将在东部时间当天下午6:40提前打开会议厅。请需要了解如何进入中文翻译室的听众，尽早进入，熟悉操作按钮。

无论您是成人还是孩子，都欢迎来和我们一起学习、交流。如有任何问题，请发邮件至 info@eawlc.org。谢谢！

EAWLC Dialogue with Martin Copeland II
2022-10-06

East&West Dialogue with Tony and Jane Preston: A Western Couple Met and Lived in Asia
2022-05-21 19:30 - 20:30
East&West Dialogue is our monthly program where guest speakers of different cultural backgrounds come as volunteers and share their life stories, knowledge, thoughts, and have conversations with our audience. We hope this individual-level communication will promote mutual understanding among people of different heritages, and the experiences of guest speakers can help the audience, mostly but not limited to first-generation immigrants, to live in their new country with a bit more ease and grace. For that, we truly thank our guest speakers for their time, expertise, and warm hearts for immigrants!

In this month of May, Canada’s Asian Heritage Month, we are very delighted to have Tony and Jane Preston with us to have an interesting dialogue about their living experiences in both East and West Asia. As westerners, from the UK and Canada, respectively, how did their paths come across in Asia? What was it like to live there? Did they have any cultural shocks? What are some unforgettable moments? What does “Asian heritage” mean to them? How has their time in Asia influenced their views of the world? What suggestions may they have for immigrants to live graciously in Canada and the UK?
Please join us in the dialogue with Tony and Jane, listen to their interesting stories, and get their answers to all of the above questions and more!
Free English event
Time: Saturday, May 21, 2022, at 7-8:30 P.M. (Eastern Time)
Venue: Online Zoom meeting
Please click below link to register:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYoduuurzgjHNzSKjHtbg_GwDFLbfakXQ8_
Zoom meeting will open 15 minutes prior.
Guest Speaker Bios
Jane P. Preston
Jane was born in Saskatchewan. Growing up as a farmland girl, Jane earned her Master of Education (Curriculum Studies) and a Doctor of Philosophy (Education Leadership and Administration). She worked as a math and English classroom teacher in Canada, Taiwan, Egypt, and Kuwait for many years. Later she became an Associate Professor at the University of Prince Edward Island, teaching leadership, research, and theory courses to graduate students. She conducted research about educational leadership, Indigenous issues, and international students.
During her time as a teacher, professor, and researcher, some of her most valuable educational experiences happened while living overseas and meeting people, visiting novel places, and learning about cultures. She believes that life is meant to be a social experience, and it is through spending time with an other that we learn the most.
Jane has written a book entitled “Joyful Retirement: A Holistic Approach.” She has published seven book chapters, and many articles in journals, magazines, newsletters, and technical reports.
Tony Preston
Tony was born and raised in Devon, England. When he was 17, he joined the British Royal Air Force, and worked in various countries from Sweden to Hong Kong. During his time in the military, he was employed in many disciplines, from engineering to technical author. After 22 years, he retired and managed an English pub before being recruited by a multi-national company to work in Kuwait after its liberation from the Iraq invasion. From a workshop manager to the Chief Engineer & CEO of the company, Tony worked closely with Kuwaiti and other nationalities including Syrians, Egyptians, Australians, Indians, Americans, and Canadians.
During his time in Kuwait, Tony met and married Jane, and together they had their son, Zachary. Upon leaving Kuwait, the family moved to Canada. Jane returned to university, and Tony built the family home. Once the house was built, Tony became a Canadian citizen. Then he was employed by the Government of Canada, Department of National Defense as an infrastructure construction manager.
After nine years, the family moved to Prince Edward Island, where Jane was employed at the university. Now retired, Tony’s life revolves around supporting the family, gardening, and playing the stock market.
Professionals or home-builders, Parents or students, everyone is welcome to meet with Tony and Jane, and have a dialogue with the lively, fun couple!
For inquiries, please send an email to info@eawlc.org. Thanks!

East & West Dialogue with Samantha Kaine and Ian Steaman: Voices of Under-represented Community in Film and Television
2022-03-25 19:30 - 21:00
The first East & West Dialogue of Year 2022 is coming! In the monthly dialogue, guest speakers of different cultural backgrounds come to the East and West Learning Connections as volunteers, share their life experiences, thoughts, suggestions, and answer questions from the audience. With deep gratitude to the guest speakers, we hope these individual-level dialogues can promote mutual understanding among people of different heritages, and help immigrants learn more about Canadian society, people, and culture.
This month, we will meet Samantha Kaine and Ian Steaman, two talents of Black heritage in the Film & Television field. Let’s listen to their interesting stories, and see how they have broken the barriers for themselves as well as for their under-represented community in a slowly diversifying industry.
Guest Speaker Introduction
IAN STEAMAN is a reformed music industry executive turned award-winning TV writer who began his career working with many chart-topping and critically acclaimed artists including De La Soul, Queen Latifah, Big Boi of Outkast, and T-Pain while working at record labels in New York.
A 2019 graduate of the Bell Media Prime Time TV Program at the Canadian Film Centre, Ian has worked on various shows including CBC’s Pretty Hard Cases and Take Note, a brand new family half-hour for NBC’s Peacock TV as well as developing his own workplace comedy, Deadstock in conjunction with CBC Television. He is also a winner of the 2020 Telefilm New Voices Award and a finalist in the 2022 WGC Screenwriting Awards.
https://iansteaman.com/
SAMANTHA KAINE is a Jamaican-Canadian, award-winning independent film and television creative producer, advocate, mentor, and alumna of the Cineplex Entertainment Producers’ Lab Program at the Canadian Film Centre. She is also the Founder and CEO of the Independent Media Producers Association of Creative Talent – I.M.P.A.C.T, a national, member-based non-profit organization created to combat systemic and anti-Black racism by breaking down barriers and opening the gates for producers who are of Afro descent, Afro-Indigenous descent and who identify as Black, of all intersectional identities, to create a fair, equitable and a truly representative film, tv, digital media, and music industries.
Samantha has more than a decade of experience in the Canadian and Quebec Film, TV, and Media Industries. As the owner of Red 11 Productions Inc, her producer credits include the award-winning short films Willing to Lie and The Women of Alpine Road and she developed, co-wrote, and produced the six-part TV docu-series, Offbeat Roads – The Danakil Diaries that sold to numerous territories internationally including France, Brazil, Hungary, and Israel.
https://www.impact-aptcmi.org/
Professionals or home-makers, students or parents, everyone is welcome to join us, and have a dialogue with our inspiring guests Ian and Samantha!
Time: Friday, March 25, 2022, at 7:30-9 P.M. (Eastern Time)
Cost: Free
Language: English
Venue: Online Zoom meeting. Please click below link to register.
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUtcu-gqTgvEtCPMCyofmi6xGK7x8fS7B1b
For inquiries, please contact info@eawlc.org. Thanks!

Poster designer: Erica Liu

5 Poets Breaking Into Song #3
2021-12-10 19:00 - 21:00
Brought to you by national poet laureate George Elliott Clarke
At the East and West Learning Connections
With debut of the song of special guest Leonard Cohen’s poem
And 4 remarkable poets and 2 stunning musicians!

Time: Friday, December 10, 2021, at 7-9 P.M. (EST)
Free Online event to the public
Zoom registration link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZApduCurz4jHNY2Cb1hp0DqIRIJrdgQu82A
Floor will open at 6:45 P.M.
For inquiries, please send email to: info@eawlc.org.

(Poster designed by Shirley Chen )
Poets:
Paul Zemokhol has unpardonably forged two chapbooks and one full-length book. In this fabrication, he has been aided by Luciano Iacobelli and abetted by George Elliott Clarke.
Luciano Iacobelli is a Toronto poet, publisher, and visual artist. He is the owner and editor of Lyricalmyrical Press, specializing in handmade poetry chapbooks. He was also a founder and owner of Quattro Books, which issues novellas.
Amatoritsero Ede won the All Africa Okigbo Prize for Literature–for his first book–in 1998; his second book was a Nigerian Literature Prize nominee in 2013. In 2004, he won second prize for the inaugural May Ayim Award. Prof. Ede teaches English lit at Mount Allison U.
George Elliott Clarke was the 4th Poet Laureate of Toronto (2012-15) and the 7th P.L. of Canada (2016-17). He’s writ 7 collections, 5 verse-plays, 5 story-suites, 4 epic tomes, 3 verse-novels, 3 libretti, 1 children’s work, and 1 title each in Chinese, Italian, and Romanian.
Special guest star Leonard Cohen (1934-2016) was a global superstar singer/songwriter, novelist, and poet. His honours are legion: Induction into several musical Halls of Fame, plus the Order of Canada at top rank, plus winning 3 Grammys, a Genie, a Juno, the Glenn Gould Prize, the Governor-General’s Performing Arts Award, and the Prince of Asturias Literary Prize (Spain), etc. Cohen also won—but refused—the 1968 Governor-General’s Literary Award for Poetry.
Composer & Singer:
James Rolfe’s music has been performed by ensembles, orchestras, choirs, and opera companies in Canada and abroad, and recognized with a Guggenheim Fellowship, the Jules Léger Prize, and Dora and JUNO Award nominations.
Pianist:
Juliet Palmer’s music has found its way to a highway off-ramp, a swimming pool, a boxing ring, and to concert halls across North America, Europe, and Oceania. From Aotearoa New Zealand, Juliet makes her home in Toronto.
Co-Hosts: Giovanna Riccio and Jovial Si
Sponsors: George Elliott Clarke & East and West Learning Connections
Everyone is welcome. Let’s mark this holiday season together with shining poetic, musical spirits!

East&West Dialogue: The Healing Creativity
2021-11-26 19:30 - 21:00
This will be the last East&West Dialogue in the year 2021. A monthly program (except for the winter and summer breaks) at the East and West Learning Connections, the Dialogue promotes life experience sharing among people of different heritages. In this session, Urban Hero Honey Novick, and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medalist Ruth (Ruth) Stackhouse will tell their life stories, the ups and downs, achievements, challenges, and their passion about the Mad creativity!

Time: Friday, November 26, 2021, at 7:30 – 9 P.M. (Eastern Time)
Venue: Online
Cost: Free
Language: English
Zoom registration link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0pdu6prTorHdZgGW-H8DjH5JDlcrx2gAH4
Floor will open at 7:15 P.M.
For inquiries, please email us at info@eawlc.orrg. Thanks!
About the Guest Speakers
A 2021 Urban Hero, People’s Choice Award winner in the Arts, Honey Novick is a singer, poet, songwriter, and voice teacher. She grew up in a Jewish family in Toronto and is practicing Buddhism after some life-changing experience related to the Japanese culture later on. Her song and poems have been translated into French, Japanese, Spanish, Greek, and Urdu. She has published 11 books, 8 CDs, and numerous articles in magazines and anthologies. Her latest chapter book is “Bob Dylan, My Rabbi”. Honey is also the editor of “POEMDEMIC”, a project of the Friendly Spike Theatre Band for which she has been a supportive volunteer for over 20 years.
www.honeynovick.com
https://www.thestar.com/local-toronto-city-centre/news/2021/10/25/urban-hero-artist-honey-novick-uses-her-talents-to-encourage-creativity-in-a-marginalized-community.html
Ruth (Ruth) Stackhouse bears a unique name that stands for ‘double mercy’. As the founder and director of The Friendly Spike Theatre Band, Ruth has helped create and present many productions throughout the course of the company’s thirty-year-plus trajectory, helping people with mental health issues and other disabilities in acting and play creation. She holds an Associates Degree from The American Academy of Dramatic Arts, an Honours BA from The School of Disability Studies, Ryerson University, and a Master’s degree from The School of Critical Disability Studies at York University. Her work toward a Mad/Disability Culture is recognized by the City of Toronto Access Award, and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal.
www.friendlyspike.org
Everyone is welcome to join our guest speakers in the dialogue, and spend a winter Friday evening in warmth, eye-opening and uplifting spirits!

5 Poets Breaking Into Song -Live
2021-11-05 19:00 - 21:00
(Poster made by Shirley Chen)
Enjoy poetry in music, among friends in a theatre in Downtown Toronto (beer available at the bar)!
Or, relax on the couch, have some wine, and listen to the poems and songs through the live streaming on our YouTube channel!
Thanks to national poet laureate George Elliott Clarke, the East and West Learning Connections are co-hosting this exciting in-person event for the first time since the year 2020.
Time: Friday, November 5, 2021 (7-9 PM. EST)
Venue: Tranzac Club Main Hall, 292 Brunswick Ave @Bloor, Toronto
Maximum in-person attendees: 50 attendees, must show proof of full COVID vaccination.
Tickets available at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/5-poets-breaking-into-song-tickets-196724677807
Click here for live streaming on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_FfnYxypY0
For inquiries, please send emails to info@eawlc.org. Thanks!
The Poets
Ayesha Chatterjee grew up in India and is the author of two poetry collections.
Luciano Iacobelli has penned 6 collections, crafts handmade books for Lyricalmyrical Press, and co-owns Quattro Press.
Giovanna Riccio has authored 3 books. Her philosophical elegy, “The Archivist”, just won the AICW’s Venera Fazio Award.
Lisa Richer has inked 2 books, including Nautilus and Bone, winner of the National Jewish Book Award for Poetry.
Banoo Zan is the founder of Shab-e She’r (Poetry Night); sacredly secular, liberatingly rebellious, her 3 books lyric proverbs.
The Composers
Emily Hiemstra, David Jaeger, James Rolfe
The Singers
Emily Hiemstra, James Rolfe, Karen Usha
And The Pianists
Adam Hu, Juliet Palmer
Sponsors:
George Elliott Clarke
East and West Learning Connections
League of Canadian Poets
Host: George Elliott Clarke and Jovial Si
Poster Design: Shirley Chen
Everybody is welcome to spend the beautiful evening together with us, either in the theatre or on YouTube!

East&West Dialogue: FROM PIAZZAS TO PARKAS -- ON ITALIANS BECOMING CANADIANS
2021-10-29 19:00 - 20:30
In collaboration with the Writers’ Union of Canada, we are thrilled to have three Italian- Canadian writers as guest speakers to discuss their stories of immigration. Woven into their stories will be the personal, social, historical, and political factors that influence how an Italian immigrant may “become” Canadian and what “being Canadian” means for the various generations.

Generations of immigrants to Canada have multi-faceted experiences. The discussion will hit on issues such as tensions and conflicts with the dominant Anglo-Canadian or Quebecois culture, discrimination, and negative and positive stereotyping of Italian-Canadians. Among Canadian immigrants, generational tensions cannot be avoided and our guests will consider conflict between first generation parents and children: how second and third generation Italian-Canadians differ from the former and how the latter connect to and express their Italian heritage. As writers, they will read briefly from their works and also share ideas on how authors express their heritage and why language and labels matter.

Time: Friday, October 29, 2021, at 7 – 8:30 P.M. Eastern Time
Language: English
Cost: Free
Online Zoom meeting. Please click below link to register:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEsd-mhrTgsHtV-l7C-UyzUIelufUiaFS2_
Room will open at 6:45 P.M.
For inquiries, please email at info@eawlc.org.

About the Writers

Antonia Facciponte is an author and an MA Candidate at the University of Toronto. Her poetry has been published in various prominent literary magazines, including Exile: The Literary Quarterly, The Northern Appeal, Libretto Magazine, and ACTA Victoriana. Antonia’s first book of poetry, To Make a Bridge, was recently published by Black Moss Press.

Francesco Loriggio was born in a small town in Calabria, one of Italy’s southern regions, and migrated to Vancouver with his family in the mid-1950s. He studied at UBC and received his PhD from UCLA. He taught at the State University of New York (Albany campus) and then at Carleton University, from which he retired, as Professor Emeritus, in 2008. As a scholar, essayist and translator, he has published extensively in a variety of journals and anthologies in Canada, the US, and Italy, edited essay collections, and published translations in both Italian and English.
He is a past president of the Canadian Society for Italian Studies (now the Canadian Association for Italian Studies). In the Italian community of Ottawa, where he has lived for most of his life, he has served, in various capacities, in the National Congress of Italian Canadians and in the Dante Alighieri Society.

Giovanna Riccio is a graduate of the University of Toronto, where she majored in philosophy. Her love of poetry is her inheritance from a gifted, autodidact father who penned his own verses. She is the author of Vittorio (Lyricalmyrical Press, 2010), Strong Bread (Quattro Books, 2011), and Plastic’s Republic (Guernica Editions, 2019), and her poems have appeared in national and international publications and numerous anthologies. Her work has been translated into Italian, French, Spanish, and Romanian. Giovanna is the 2021 winner of the Venera Fazio Poetry Prize.
giovannariccio.com

Everyone is welcome to this fascinating panel discussion. Bring your own questions, and have a dialogue with our guests!

EAWLC Communication Skills Walk-in Clinic
2021-09-30 20:00 - 21:00
Personal communication skills coach Eleanor James will be sitting in the clinic, and welcome our audience to ask questions they have when dealing with co-workers or bosses at work, peers or teachers in school, or neighbours, acquaintances, or even strangers on the street. Things like how to make small talk, how to approach people, asking questions, dealing with difficult people, or diffusing situations, and being generous.
Eleanor will share her expertise, experience, and perspective to help especially immigrants make their own decisions based on a good understanding of the culture, social norms, and customs here, plus maybe some little witty words or doings to ease the situation!

Time: Last Thursday evening of the month from 8-9 p.m. (Eastern Time)
For Fall 2021, it’s September 30, October 28, and November 25.
Cost: Free
Language: English
Venue: online Zoom meeting. Please click below link to register for each session.
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAvcuCrqjMvG9OHx-8OQu8UeHm92kWWGboi

Facilitator Bio

After university for a degree in Literature, Eleanor James worked in television production including a series that won three Emmy Awards. That was followed by several executive roles with broadcasters, including ten years spent as a production executive, helping to launch HGTV and Food Network Canada In the countless days working with talented yet not necessarily the most agreeable people, Eleanor’s practical know-how with inter-personal communication gained her popularity in the industry and was often admired and studied by young colleagues. It triggered the start of her coaching career. She is certified by The Coaches Training Institute (CTI), and the National Communication Coaching Association of Canada (NCCA). She is also a Designated Communication Coach/Trainer with NCCA, and a member of the International Coaches Federation (ICF).

Message from Eleanor:

Inter-personal communication means how we speak to each other. We’ve all been spoken to with harsh words from others, and perhaps done it ourselves. We all know what it feels like: that it’s hurtful, harmful to relationships, and damaging to loyalty and productivity. It’s a perfect example of unskilled inter-personal communication and it’s unnecessary and bad for business. The importance is to bring clear understanding of the value of skillful personal communications, at work, at home, and in the community. There’s a better way and all it takes is the willingness to polish the skills. “Becoming skillful with your interpersonal communications makes life easier. I’m not kidding about that.”

Professionals or home-makers, grown-ups, or young students, if you have a personal communication question or problem to tackle, this will be a good place to seek advice. We encourage you to frame your questions beforehand in a concise manner with necessary details but without disclosing personal information, and bring them to the clinic to make the most out of the consultation time. Please note we will not do any recordings. However, the clinic is open to the public, and all participants will get to listen to the questions and answers.
You are also welcome to send your questions to us at info@eawlc.org, and we can ask Eleanor on your behalf while not disclosing your identity. Depending on the time, questions may or may not be taken at the clinic.

For inquiries, please send email to: info@eawlc.org.
Thanks!

EAWLC Dialogue with CBC Music Executive Producer: Say Yes with Kai Black
2021-09-24 19:30 - 21:00
What if your life plan is different from the plan life has for you? At age 15, Kai Black learned he was going blind. What has he learned over time?… that we must let go of the life we planned and accept the one that is waiting for us. “Just say yes to new experience” offers Kai, who is now an Executive Producer at the CBC, an exciting career creating award-winning projects. Hear his story, with engaging audio and video of some recent projects.
Time: Friday, September 24, 2021, at 7:30 – 9:00 P.M. (Eastern Time)
Cost: Free
Language: English
Venue: Online Zoom meeting. Please click the below link to register:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIkc-ioqTwrHdE7m-91qmPYi-KM1Jr1K92b
The floor will be open at 7:15 P.M.
For inquiries, please send an email to: info@eawlc.org. Thanks.

Guest Speaker Bio:

Kai Black is an Executive Producer at CBC Music. Over the 20 years at the CBC, he has created original radio shows, podcasts, TV specials, and contests, including the award-winning initiative ‘Volkswagen Beetle Roadtrip Sessions,’ and the ‘TD Rock Your Campus’ contest. He is also the leader behind The creation of the CBC Music Festival that has engaged tens of thousands of concertgoers.
Kai is legally blind. He studied classical guitar performance and landed in broadcasting by happy accident. Today Kai is a charismatic team leader at the CBC, recognized for his mentoring activities, and passion for authentic engagement both with audiences, colleagues, and stakeholders. He works to find ways to include more people with disabilities in media, spearheading the creation of the first paid placement program for people with disabilities at the CBC.
The East and West Learning Connections is very much honored to have Kai with us. Let’s listen to his fabulous life stories and music projects, and have a free dialogue with him. It is surely to be a beautiful, uplifting evening!
Professionals or home-makers, grown-ups or young students, everyone is welcome!

The English Conversation @EAWLC
2021-09-15 19:00 - 20:00
