Facilitated by: Mariam Waliji In this 90min facilitated conversation, we invite Early Childhood Educators to deepen their learning on the deep-rooted cultural norms that shape our institutions, classrooms, and relationships—often without us even realizing it. Building on the work covered in the Understanding Our Roots session, we will now work through how these dominant cultural patterns—such as perfectionism, urgency, either/or thinking, and power structures— can actionably be resisted and disrupted in education systems and early learning spaces. Through a shared learning experience, Early Childhood Educators will be invited to discuss what has come up for them in trying to shift these cultural patterns – what has worked, what hasn’t, where they feel stuck, and where they have successes to share. Through shared stories and experiences and facilitated dialogue we will unpack how to navigate implementing the changes we hope to see within the systems we work within. This session is designed for educators who are curious to explore different ways culture shapes our everyday practices—and who are open to the transformative power of awareness. Mariam Waliji has a passion for connection – whether it be with people, place, or community.Her years studying evolutionary genetics and ecology sparked questions about how local food systems and restricted access to well-grown food impact society in multifaceted ways; this encouraged her to work towards addressing inequities and barriers to access more broadly in our current systems. Her work with Pillar Nonprofit Network, and specifically past work with WOSEN(Women of Ontario Social Enterprise Network) allows her to reframe the definition of success for social impact organizations while creating space to explore what it means to have intentional, meaningful impact in community in long-term and viable ways. Through education, an emphasis on sharing narrative, an understanding of intersectional environmentalism, ongoing personal development, and a genuine connection with her community, she aims to encourage growth and power in a collaborative economy. Her hope is to participate in creating a more just, equitable and joyful future for us all. Pedagogical Focuses: Belonging - Engagment - Well-Being - Expression - Leadership Standards of Practice: Standard I - Standard II - Standard III - Standard IV Registration closes: October 2 at noon *Ticket types are based on the county you WORK in. While we welcome participation from outside of the Early Years sector, please note these learning opportunities are intended for early years professionals and the early years lens will be emphasized.