Jesse Wente delivers the personal and political in 2020 Harold Innis Lecture

On Mar. 18, 2021, Tzeporah Berman (BA ’92 Innis), internationally renowned environmental advocate and chair of the Fossil Fuel NonProliferation Treaty, delivered the Innis Alumni Lecture, “Pipelines, Politics, and Power: The Future of Fossil Fuels in a World on Fire,” moderated by Thomas HomerDixon, award-winning author and expert on the links between society, technology, and nature.

Through a personal story of trauma uncovered, Jesse Wente (HBA ’96 Innis, Cinema Studies), delivered “A Spot on the Brain: Trauma and Healing in the Age of COVID,” the inspiring 2020 Harold Innis Foundation Lecture. Exploring hidden traumas on the personal, national, and global level, and the urgent need to centre healing in the future, the Anishinaabe writer, broadcaster, activist, and arts leader offered further insights in his followup discussion and audience Q&A with Tanya Talaga (BA ’93), the Lecture’s Anishinaabe moderator and best-selling author.

On Apr. 15, 2021, Innis College and the Urban Studies Program presented “Planning the Post-COVID City: How Should We Build Back Better?” a panel discussion with alumni city builders, including Cherise Burda (BSc ’90 Innis, BEd ’92), executive director of City Building Ryerson; Steve Deveaux (HBA ’99 Innis), executive vice president at Tribute Communities; Kofi Hope (HBA ’06 Innis), co-founder and CEO of Monumental; Gregg Lintern (BA ’84 Innis), chief planner for the City of Toronto; and Judy Matthews (BA ’62), civic leader and former planner. Rahul Bhardwaj (BA ’87 Innis), president of the Institute of Corporate Directors, moderated.