Resiliency Speaker Series

We’ve all been facing change in our lives in recent months.  Some of those changes have led to our re-evaluating the way we do things.  Some have provided challenges that are hard to cope with, like loneliness, isolation, restrictions, job loss, financial struggles, health problems, and family issues to name a few of the many kinds of stressthat you might be experiencing.Developing resilience can help you cope adaptively and bounce back after stress caused by changes, challenges, and setbacks. 

Ottawa Public Library has invited three professional speakers to give talks on resiliency.  Developing resilience is a very personal processas each of us reacts differently to stress and to trauma. What works well for one person may not necessarily work for another, which is one of the most important reasons why it is essential tolearn multiple techniques for enhancing resilience.  Join us for three inspiring evenings, two in English and one in French.  

Emotional Resiliency and COVID: An Intergenerational Indigenous Approach 

Speaker: WaneekHorn-Miller 

Tuesday, October 6, 7 pm 

WaneekHorn-Miller is a bear clan Mohawk Mother of three, and a graduatestudent in Indigenous Studies in Kinesiology at the University of British Columbia, where she studies Indigenous resilience and motivation. She hails from the communities of Kahnawake and Ohswekenand has worked as a sports commentator for CBC and APTN, and has become a strong advocate for sport, fitness and wellness. She has traveled extensively throughout North America as a motivational speaker sharing her journey from the front lines of the Oka Crisis to the Olympics with indigenous and non-indigenous audiences. As one of Canada’s few Indigenous Olympians, Waneekhas used her passion and experiences in sport to influence Indigenous and non-Indigenous leadership towards making Sportand Wellness a community-building priority.  

Le sprint de la vie! 

Speaker : BrunySurin (presented in French)

Tuesday October 20, 7pm

A talk on motivation and leadership. BrunySurinwill tell us of the difficulties he faced and the sacrifices he had to make to become the athlete we know today. BrunySurinretired after 17 years as a competitive athlete. Turning to the world of business, he started his own company and foundation. Brunydraws on his own experiences to inspire others. He emphasizes the importance of personal preparation and selfknowledge for success in life. He encourages us not to falter at obstacles, and to set goals and follow our dreams. In spite of all the obstacles he faced, Brunynever gave up. He believes that perseverance is the key to success, and sees his track record as a source of motivation. Brunyhas an impressively positive attitude and is widely considered a hero of Canadian sports history. 

Resiliency and Dealing with Change 

Speaker: Peter Katz 

Tuesday, October 27, 7 pm 

Change is the name of the game in today’s world. Change is also one of our highest sources of anxiety and one of our biggest emotional obstacles. Peter speaks to the heart of the emotions surrounding change and helps create an internal infrastructure to not only weather the storm, but to ride the waves of uncertainty to new opportunities, impact and innovation. 

Peter Katz isa JUNO-Nominated Musician & Storyteller.  Peter has evolved from a nervous first-timerat an openmic night into to a JUNO Award, Canadian Screen Award, and two-time Canadian Folk Music Award nominated singer-songwriter with five albums under his belt. He has toured the world for the past decade in support of his music, sharing the stage and studio with legendary musicians. Peter’s songs have been used in movies and TV shows such as Reign, Felicity, and Hello-Goodbye, as well as in CBC’s Olympic coverage in 2016.  A gifted storyteller, Peter infuses his presentations with songs which inspire audiences to create their own path, overcome obstacles, and find success in whatever they desire.As a speaker, Peter is a four-time TEDx fellow, who has given countless talks and workshops across Canada. 

If you wish to explore this further, you can borrow books, ebooks, audiobooks on resiliency from our collection.  Here are some titles to explore: