Renjie Butalid

The life & times of a young person interested in social change

Archive for the ‘Featured’ Category

TEDxWaterloo – Tomorrow Started Yesterday

Posted by renjie On February - 18 - 2010

After months of hard work, we’re coming down to the wire with the organization for TEDxWaterloo, finally happening next week on February 25 at the Gig Music Hall in downtown Kitchener – and we’re definitely super excited!!!

On a personal note, it’s been quite the journey for me from my initial blog post on a possible TEDxWaterloo event last summer, to opportune meetings with an amazing group of people who are equally as passionate about ideas worth spreading. Credit for putting TEDxWaterloo together really has to go to the entire team of volunteers behind the event, who have collectively given hundreds of hours of their time, energy and commitment towards making TEDxWaterloo a success.

Our diverse range of speakers, all of whom are well recognized and respected in their fields, are also giving us their time and energy because they truly believe in sharing their ideas and experiences with the broader community.

We will be live webstreaming the entire event beginning 2pm EST on February 25 at www.tedxwaterloo.com. All of the TEDxWaterloo Talks will be made available online after the event.

For more information on TEDxWaterloo, please visit: www.tedxwaterloo.com

TEDxWaterloo Speakers

Terry O’Reilly – Advertising visionary and host of the CBC award-winning radio series “The Age of Persuasion“.

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Philip Beesley – Professor at Waterloo Architecture creating vastly complex ‘living’ environments that can breathe and feel.

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Raymond LaFlamme – Founding Director of Waterloo’s Institute for Quantum Computing whose insight changed Stephen Hawking’s mind and theories about our universe.

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Paul Saltzman – Beatles photographer and two-time Emmy Award winning film & television producer-director.

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Caroline Disler – A master of translation with working knowledge of ancient languages including Sumerian, Akkadian, Edomite, Ancient Hebrew, Egyptian, Sanskrit, Latin and Greek.

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Madhur Anand – Internationally recognized scientist, poet, and professor of Global Ecological Change at the University of Guelph.

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Michael Sacco – Chocolatier and social entrepreneur promoting the diversity of production of organic cacao through a structure defined as “horizontal trade”.

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Darren Wershler – Canadian experimental poet, non-fiction writer and cultural critic.

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Marty Avery – A connector and catalyst whose strategic approach offers remarkable insight into the human side of business.

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Amy Krouse Rosenthal – New York Times best-selling children’s author, radio host and creative filmmaker.

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Below is a video segment of Jaclyn and I discussing TEDxWaterloo that appeared on the Waterloo Region Record website, courtesy of Philip Bast.

The full interview with Chris Meidell of Waterloo Tech TV can be found here.

TEDxWaterloo on The Record from Renjie Butalid on Vimeo.

Popularity: 22% [?]

Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics

Posted by renjie On February - 15 - 2010

Im definitely getting the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics fever, after watching the (at times) visually stunning opening ceremonies on Friday, Jen Heil’s silver medal win in the women’s moguls Saturday (she didn’t lose gold, she won silver), and yesterday’s golden boy Alex Bilodeau breaking Canada’s dry spell of no gold on home soil since the 1976 summer Olympics in Montreal.

In case you missed it, watch Bilodeau’s gold medal run in the men’s moguls here.

I even went as far as giving in and buying a Vancouver 2010 sweatshirt at the Eaton Centre in downtown Toronto earlier this afternoon. Im glad that I did however, because the Olympic Torch was on display at the Eaton Centre and I was able to get a photo with it. I have to admit, a part of me was disappointed when I missed the Olympic Torch relay when it passed through the Toronto/Kitchener-Waterloo area at the end of December (I was out west in Cranbrook, BC for the holidays then), and I missed it again when it passed through Cranbrook, BC at the end of January (I was back in Waterloo already).

GO TEAM CANADA!!!

Of course, I would also like to express my heartfelt condolences and prayers to the friends and family of Nodar Kumaritashvili, the luger from Georgia who died in that horrific Olympic training crash just hours prior to the start of the opening ceremonies. Shame on CTV for needlessly showcasing video footage of the horrific crash, sensational journalism at its worst.

Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics Photos Courtesy of the Toronto Star

Popularity: 25% [?]

Waterloo Lecture on Social Innovation (full video)

Posted by renjie On February - 11 - 2010

This blog post originally appeared on SiG@Waterloo’s blog on February 2, serving as a quick recap to the Waterloo Lecture on Social Innovation. David Yoon and Hilary Abel also have their take on the evening. Feel free to leave other blog post recaps of the Waterloo Lecture in the comments section. That said, the video of the Waterloo Lecture on Social Innovation featuring Adam Kahane is now online and I have re-posted it from the SiG@Waterloo website below.

I am currently reading Adam’s book, “Power & Love: A Theory & Practice of Social Change”, and will post a book review and my thoughts when I am done. My review of his first book, “Solving Tough Problems: An Open Way of Talking, Listening, and Creating New Realities”, can be found here.

On Wednesday January 27, over 200 people gathered in the packed atrium of the Centre for International Governance Innovation in Waterloo, Ontario, for the Waterloo Lecture on Social Innovation featuring Adam Kahane. A further 150 people were able to join us online for the live webcast of the Waterloo Lecture.

A social innovator, once praised by South Africa’s Nelson Mandela, we were pleased to have Adam Kahane join us to deliver the Waterloo Lecture on Social Innovation and to launch his new book, “Power & Love: A Theory & Practice of Social Change”.

As a partner with Reos Partners, an international organization dedicated to supporting and building capacity for innovative collective action in complex social systems, Adam has worked with a diverse range of colleagues and organizations in more than fifty countries on a variety of challenges all over the world. Some of these challenges include addressing critical developmental issues in the transition from apartheid in South Africa; implementing the peace accords that ended the civil war in Guatemala; reducing child malnutrition in India; unblocking political stalemate in the Philippines; as well as accelerating the shift to a low-carbon economy in Canada.

At the Waterloo Lecture on Social Innovation, Adam drew on his experience with leading multi-stakeholder change processes to offer practical guidance for effectively balancing power and love, two-always present, usually polarized, often undiscussable-drives.

All tweets with the #waterloolecture hashtag can be found here

Photos from the Waterloo Lecture on Social Innovation can be found below.

Posted via email from renjie’s posterous

Popularity: 30% [?]

My take on carpe diem

Posted by renjie On February - 9 - 2010

Photo courtesy ahisgett on Flickr

My absolute favorite quote in the world that captures my passion for life:

“Those who dare to discover the ocean must have the courage to leave the shore”
- Andre Gide, French author and winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, 1947.

Seize every moment, cherish every relationship and try your best to not live with any regrets. Enjoy what you do and the company you keep, for life is too short to be taken too seriously.

Enjoy the ride!

Posted via email from renjie’s posterous

Popularity: 27% [?]

A tribute to Sigma Chi brother Jeff Aho

Posted by renjie On February - 8 - 2010

Sigma Chi Wine & Cheese, January 2007: (L-R) Kiran Narayansingh, Matt Colphon, Michelle Zakrison, Levi McCulloch, Jeff Aho, Swiss Nanton Gill, Renjie Butalid

It is said that nothing brings family together more than weddings and funerals.

This could not be more true for the Theta Psi chapter of the Sigma Chi fraternity at the University of Waterloo, who lost brother Jeffrey Aho last week. Outside of Sigma Chi, Aho truly had an impact on Greek university life, the Engineering Society, as well as student politics on the University of Waterloo campus as a whole. I was privileged to have known Aho, as a brother, friend and colleague, having worked with him when we were both on student government at UW several years ago, and more closely as a brother when he pledged and joined Sigma Chi close to three years ago. (I joined Sigma Chi in April 2005)

Henry Kissinger, former US Secretary of State, once said that University politics are vicious precisely because the stakes are so small”. This could not be more true of Aho, who truly embodied the principles and steadfastness of student politics, even right up to the very end when it was revealed that he was indeed behind the @fakefedspres twitter account.

Although there were times when we did not see eye to eye on issues related to governance policy and business operations of the Federation of Students, I have always had a deep respect for Aho and his well-thought out and reasoned arguments, and often sought out his advice on such matters. Rest in peace brother Jeff Aho, I truly hope that you have found the peace that you were always searching for. You will be missed.

Guard well and strong arms around you.

In hoc signo vinces,

Renjie Butalid

Memorial Service – February 8, 2010

Sigma Chi brothers at Theta Psi’s 20th Anniversary, March 2007

A memorial service for Jeff Aho has been organized by the Theta Psi Chapter of the Sigma Chi fraternity at the University of Waterloo. It will be held on Monday, February 8, 2010 at 7pm on the UW campus.

Details below.

In accordance to Jeff’s wishes, a secular memorial will be held for friends and family to honour his life. The ceremony will commence on Monday, February 8 beginning at 7pm in the Festival Room of South Campus Hall at the University of Waterloo.This is meant to be a celebration of his life providing the opportunity for friends and family to reminisce and rejoice. The atmosphere is intended to be similar to that of Wine and Cheese, one of Jeff’s favourite events. Hors d’oeuvres will be provided and formal attire is encouraged. Wine and drinks will be available from a cash bar.

A memory box will be present at the ceremony for loved ones to share stories, photos, and other memorabilia to later share with the Aho family. Jeff’s Fraternity brothers will take part in the White Rose ceremony in accordance with his wishes.

A similar memorial service will be held in Jeff’s hometown of Thunder Bay later this week. His obituary can be found online (http://www.erbgood.com/Obituary.php?id=5078)

Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone touched by the loss of Jeff.

Strong Arms,

Theta Psi Chapter of Sigma Chi

Time: 7pm

Date: Monday, February 8, 2010

Venue: Festival Room – South Campus Hall, University of Waterloo

Posted via email from renjie’s posterous

Popularity: 65% [?]

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About Me

Location: Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

I am a 20-something young person keenly interested in learning how transformative social change happens, and passionate about building resilient communities. I also have a strong background in student and youth engagement, and I am convinced that young people have the power and opportunities like never before to affect positive change in the world.

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