Our collection of speakers represent a wide variety of ages, backgrounds, and experiences. Geographically, they span from Ireland to L.A. They are city councillors, grandmas, TV celebrities; they are firefighters, property managers, and high school students.

They are former producers of national television shows, TEDx presenters, Chicken Soup for the Soul contributors, the subjects of Canadian Screen Awards Best Documentary Program nominees.

They are recent inductees into the membership of the Order of Canada. They create charities; they sit on the boards of organizations that make sweeping changes. They are influencers of national legislation, featured guests on Bell Let’s Talk specials and TVO’s The Agenda. But they are more than their collective accomplishments; they are you and me—people living their stories.

They are not peddlers of hope; they are proof of hope. They have discovered purpose in their narrative, and this is a powerful example for those going through similar experiences.