International Day of Disability – Reception, Dinner and Dialogue in Memory of Christine Karcza
On Wednesday, December 1, to celebrate the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the College is hosting three special events in memory of Senior Fellow Christine Karcza.
5:45 – 6:30 pm – Film preview and discussion
Massey alumnus Igor Samardzic will present a preview of the film Accessing the City in the Junior Common Room. There will be opportunity for discussion with the co-directors and mingling prior to the dinner.
Through immersive audio and visual capture techniques, this documentary presents audiences with a first-hand perspective into how persons disabilities experience urban life, and critically examines the systemic changes needed to improve accessibility in Canadian cities.
This project is being produced by Urban Fabric Media in partnership with the Ontario Association of Architects, and in association with Massey College and SW Productions.
Urban Fabric Media, co-founded by Igor and fellow UofT Planning alum Sean Grant, is a social enterprise that produces engaging multimedia content encouraging discussion and action on some of the most critical challenges facing cities in Canada and abroad.
Attendees are encouraged to contact the team at Urban Fabric Media (info@urbanfabricmedia.ca) if they would like to contribute to this project.
(This event is free and will have a cash bar.)
6:30 pm, please join us for a formal dinner celebrating International Day of Disability in memory of Christine Karcza.
Everyone is welcome to attend.
Cost: $27.25 + tax per person
Reserve your ticket below (Senior Fellows, Quadrangle Society members, guests)
For all other affiliations email the Porter: porter@masseycollege.ca
Please use the subject: Disability Day Dinner. In the message, please include: First and last name, phone, email, alumni year (if applicable), allergies/dietary restrictions. If you are bringing a guest, please share the same information for them. Our finance team will follow up on billing.
Cancellations must be 48 hours in advance, or the ticket price will still be billed.
8:00-9:00pm – Following the dinner, we will hold a special Dialogue.
Please join a panel discussion in honour of International Day of Disability focusing on accessibility, advocacy, and how the arts and filmmaking are integral to deepening our understanding of the experience and life of disability. Featuring Alum Igor Samardzic, Liv Mendelsohn and Mazin Aribi. Moderated by Junior Fellow Maddy DeWelles.
(Free event)
Have questions, please email porter@masseycollege.ca.
MASSEY MEMBERS: Please login using your registered Massey email to receive applicable discounts and offers.
Speakers
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Liv MendelsohnSenior Fellow, Massey College; Executive Director, Canadian Centre for Caregiving ExcellenceLiv Mendelsohn, MA, MEd, is the executive director of the Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence where she leads innovation, research, policy and program initiatives to support Canada’s caregivers and care providers.
Liv has a been a lifelong caregiver and has lived experience with disability. Her experiences as a member of the ‘sandwich generation’ fuel her passion to build a caregiver movement in Canada to change the way that caregiving is seen, valued, and supported.
Over the course of her career, Liv has founded and helmed several organizations in the disability and caregiving space, including the Wagner Green Centre for Accessibility and Inclusion and the ReelAbilities Toronto Film Festival.
Liv serves as the chair of the City of Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee. She has received the City of Toronto Equity Award and has been recognized by University College, University of Toronto and the Jewish Community Centres of North America for her leadership. Liv is a Senior Fellow at Massey College and a graduate of the Mandel Institute for Non-Profit Leadership and the Civic Action Leadership Foundation Diversity Fellowship program.
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Mazin AribiAccessibility and inclusion expert, community advocate
Mazin Aribi is a dedicated accessibility and inclusion expert. He has been advocating and advising on various accessibility related projects for over 20 years. His passion focuses on accessible transit, where he has served in various roles with the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) to improve public transit for persons with disabilities. Specifically, he has developed in-depth knowledge of both conventional and specialized transit systems and has served as the Chair and the Vice Chair of the TTC’s Advisory Committee on Accessible Transit (ACAT). Mazin also worked as an Accessible Transit Consultant at Stantec to perform audits of accessible subway stations and provide recommended improvements. His current role as the Senior Accessibility Advisor with ProHara, ensures the perspectives of persons with lived experience are at the forefront of all of the company`s disability & inclusion training programs.
Mazin is a community advocate and he is one of the founding members of the Ethno-Racial People with Disabilities Coalitions of Ontario (ERDCO), a non-profit organization that addresses the needs and issues of ethno-racial people with disabilities. At ERDCO, he was involved in making a documentary video about newcomers with disabilities coming to Canada.
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Igor SamardzicAlum, Massey College; Chair, Advisory Committee on Accessible Transit
Igor Samardzic (he/him) is an urban planner specializing in accessibility and inclusive mobility. His work explores how disability-forward design can transform public space, connecting accessibility with equity and belonging. He is currently a Project Lead with Cycling and Pedestrian Projects at the City of Toronto. A published author on inclusive urban design, he holds undergraduate and master’s degrees in Geography and Urban Planning from the University of Toronto (Trinity and Massey Colleges).
