Intergenerational activist storytelling project kicks off at Sadleir House

On Wednesday morning at Sadleir House—a community hub with its own rich activist history—we brewed coffee, made piles of nametags and programs, and put on a playlist of activist tunes. A grand experiment was about to begin in Nogojiwanong/Peterborough: some of the smartest, boldest, and most thoughtful folks in town were all going to be gathering in one room for an intergenerational activist storytelling workshop. The workshop kicked off a new Aging Activisms project: “Stories of Resistance, Resurgence, and Resilience in Nogojiwanong/ Peterborough.” The project brings together a dynamic group of folks in Nogojiwanong/Peterborough working for social change in diverse ways, with an equally dynamic group of students taking May Chazan’s 4th year undergraduate seminar on activism. As May described in the workshop program, “Our goals are two-fold: (1) to co-create a series of short videos […] that record our diverse stories of activisms and social change work, and (2) to make and strengthen our connections with each other, recognizing that these connections are themselves part of working toward a world that is a little fairer and safer for all.” This oral history of activisms will continue over several years, building a rich and dynamic archive of social change work in this community.

Check out these photos from Wednesday, the intergenerational activist cabaret and roundtable that kicked off the project.