Karl Subban

KARL SUBBAN is the bestselling author of How We Did It: The Subban Plan for Success in Hockey, School and Life, speaker and award-winning educator. A school principal for many years, he is also a director of the Greater Toronto Hockey League and the Herbert H. Carnegie Future Aces Foundation. Subban was awarded an honorary doctorate of education by Lakehead University in 2022. He is a certified Maxwell speaker, coach and a trainer. His second book, The Hockey Skates was published in September 2023.  Karl’s upcoming title, Raise Your Roof: The Hidden Power of Potential, will be published in April 2025. He lives in Toronto.

Speaking Topics

Karl speaks to a range of audiences, and has keynotes tailored to students and educators, as well as the general public.

Raise Your Roof: The Power of Potential

For more than three decades, Karl Subban has been honing his proven approach to building resilience, increasing perseverance, mastering goal setting—and bringing out the best in everyone. Every year we get bigger, but not necessarily better. Older, but not necessarily wiser. We’re not always set up for success, and despite our best efforts, we can get stuck in a place where we don’t think it’s possible to dream, let alone dream big. As a coach, educator, author and father, Subban knows that understanding and believing in our own potential are key to making changes that matter and bringing purpose to our lives and those around us. Packed with proven strategies for leaders, parents and educators, this keynote will inspire audiences to create meaningful change, realize goals and find fulfillment. The power of potential is at your starting line, not your finish line.

Developing Potential 

For Educators

Teachers plant seeds in the mind, body, and soul of young people, and they don’t often see the fruits of their efforts.  An example for me was Mr. Kangas, my very first teacher in Canada. He was the primary reason why I wanted to go to school.  He pulled me up when I was feeling down, and he wasn’t aware of it until I wrote about him in my first book, How We Did It. He saw me, valued me and made me feel special. His impact on me made me realize that in order to be effective, a teacher must know their students, care about their students, and inspire their students.

Every student has potential and, as educators, we must help them to reach it. Remember, we can only reach our potential through growth. We will explore two primary ways to empower growth in our student leaders:

  1.  Creating a growth empowering environment
  2. Developing as a growth empowering leader

Potential is having the capacity to develop into something in the future. The potential of the school is directly related to the potential of the students and the staff.

It Always Seems Impossible Until It is Done

For Students

My student keynote will focus on my own journey; sharing stories and lessons learned working in my three worlds as an educator, hockey dad, and coach working with youth in several sports, including coaching the men’s basketball team at George Brown College and being a hockey coach in the Greater Toronto Hockey League for approximately ten years.

My aim is to provide students with tools and frameworks to inspire them reach their unlimited potential. This talk will encourage students to reflect upon the following:

  • Is your dream your dream?
  • The power in your beliefs
  • Facing and working through challenges and adversities
  • Focus more on possibility not performance
  • Using the 4T’s to take effective action (Time, Task, Training and Team)
  • Navigating distractions
  • Building confidence and overcoming fear and failure
  • Are you teachable, coachable, and likeable?
  • Do you want to be good, or do you want to excel?
  • You must FOCUS to make it.

To book Karl Subban, contact Rob Firing at speakers@transatlanticagency.com.


Miranda Newman

Miranda Newman is a journalist, editor, and author. Her debut memoir-in-essays, Rough Magic: Living with Borderline Personality Disorder was an instant national bestseller. Miranda’s award-nominated feature and opinion pieces have appeared in The Globe and Mail, Chatelaine, The Walrus, Broadview, and more.

Miranda holds a bachelor of journalism from Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly, Ryerson). In 2022, she completed a fellowship at Yale University’s program for recovery and community health and went on to mentor incoming fellows. Miranda speaks regularly on topics related to mental health, psychology, and trauma at events across North America.

Speaking Topics

What does recovery from mental illness look like?

“What are your recovery goals?” This question was posed to Miranda Newman shortly after her third stay in psychiatric intensive care. It was a question that was both simple and daunting. Unlike recovering from physical illness, mental health recovery is harder to conceptualize and rarely linear. Was recovery fewer panic attacks and thoughts of self-destruction? Longer periods between hospitalizations? The ability to return to full-time work?

In this talk, Newman explores the complex and often storied reality of mental health recovery. Informed by her lived experience recovering from borderline personality disorder, an often fatal mental illness typically viewed as untreatable, and her fellowship at Yale University’s program for recovery and community health, Newman examines the best and worst practices in community-based mental health treatment, unpacks social attitudes toward mental illness, and highlights gaps in policy. A talk rooted in hope, Newman reminds audiences that recovery isn’t the sole responsibility of the individual. It takes a village to help a person recover from mental illness. 

Supporting mental health in the workplace

Miranda Newman worked herself to the point of hospitalization. Twice. All the evidence of mounting burnout was there: poor sleep, panic attacks, missed deadlines, weight loss, irritability, and extreme emotions. But with no workplace mental health support and fewer coping skills, Newman just kept working until her suicidal urges grew so powerful that inpatient care was her only option.

In today’s fast-paced and high-pressure work environments, mental health challenges are increasingly common. According to the Canadian Psychological Association, at least 500,000 Canadians miss work due to mental illness every week, with an estimated cost of $51 billion annually. Unfortunately, the Canadian Mental Health Association notes that just 36 per cent of employees feel comfortable discussing a mental health concern with a manager.

Supporting mental health in the workplace can improve productivity, employee satisfaction, staff retention, and teamwork. In this talk, Newman offers strategies to foster mental wellness in the workplace. From accommodation, to education, to implementing wellness programs, Newman’s talk will equip audiences with the ability to make a meaningful impact on the mental health of those around them and address mental health concerns before they become crises.

Videos:


Eliza Reid

Eliza Reid is a bestselling writer, public speaker, gender equality advocate, cofounder of the acclaimed Iceland Writers Retreat and former first lady of Iceland. She was born and raised in Canada but has lived in Iceland for over twenty years. Eliza’s first book, Secrets of the Sprakkar: Iceland’s Extraordinary Women and How They Are Changing the World, was an instant bestseller in Canada and Iceland, a New York Times Book Review Editors’ Pick, and translated into numerous languages. Her first novel, an Iceland-set mystery called Death of a Diplomat (Death on the Island in the U.S.), will be published in spring 2025. 

From 2016 to 2024, Eliza served in the unofficial role of First Lady while her husband was President of Iceland, during which time she acted as patron of numerous organizations and was named a United Nations Special Ambassador for Tourism and the Sustainable Development Goals. A memoir of her time in the role is set for publication in 2026.

Passionate about inclusion, belonging, and equality, she wielded her influence through poignant op-eds, a compelling TEDx talk, and dozens of keynote addresses to audiences of hundreds around the world, including presidents and royalty. In addition to public speaking, Eliza Reid is an experienced moderator and has interviewed celebrities, including politicians and other world leaders such as Hillary Rodham Clinton, Ashley Judd and internationally-acclaimed authors Louise Penny and Anthony Horowitz. Her advocacy in the field of gender equality has been praised by U.S. President Joe Biden, Canadian Governor General Mary Simon, and numerous others. She has also received awards from the Better World Fund, Meet in Reykjavík, and the Institute for South Asian Women. 

Eliza has degrees from the University of Toronto (Trinity College) and Oxford University (St. Antony’s College). She lives in the outskirts of Reykjavík with her husband and four children.

Eliza’s Speaking topics

  • Secrets of the Sprakkar: How to Bring Gender Equality Within Reach, and Why That’s Important for Everyone

What do a fishing captain who dabbles as a standup comedian, a group of middle-aged women who swam across the English Channel, and a small-town Canadian who unexpectedly became First Lady all have in common? They are all women in the tiny Nordic country of Iceland, the country closest in the world to closing the gender gap. Iceland has a word – *sprakkar –* that means “extraordinary women” and this informative and funny talk, which is based on Eliza’s bestselling book *Secrets of the Sprakkar <https://www.simonandschuster.ca/books/Secrets-of-the-Sprakkar/Eliza-Reid/9781982174064>*,

shares their stories and those of many others who are making a difference in their communities by being positive role models. Be reminded how building greater equality will benefit everyone in society, and be inspired to continue your vital work making a positive difference in the world by nudging things in the right direction. (Spoiler alert: Eliza herself is the unexpected first lady of this description)

  • The Bend in the Road: How to Make the Most of Unexpected Opportunity

Eliza’s memoir of her time as first lady is set for publication in 2026 and this talk is based on much of that content.

Eliza Reid grew up in small-town Canada and met her Icelandic husband, Guðni Jóhannesson, at graduate school in England. When she gave fate a push by contriving to win a date with him in a raffle, she never imagined that spontaneous decision would lead her to becoming First Lady of Iceland almost two decades later, after a whirlwind seven-week campaign on her husband’s first foray into public office. 

Incorporating insightful behind-the-scenes moments from life in the world of global leaders; from having tea at the White House with the Bidens, to poignant moments such as  attending Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral, navigating  volcanic eruptions and living through a global pandemic, this talk examines how Eliza navigated her public but undefined role, and used it to upend expectations about first ladies.

Although it’s entertaining and provides a glimpse into an unusual world, this talk is really about inspiring people to make the most of unexpected opportunities, to be forces for positive change in the world. It’s for everyone who strives to write their own fairytale, and subvert the expectations others might impose on us. 

  • Storytelling for leadership and change

Everyone has a unique story. Paying attention and harnessing the wisdom of your journey can enhance how you move through the world—the type of organization you run, the children you raise, the people whose lives you’ll impact.

This workshop is designed to help you make sense of your story and sharpen your observation skills to better understand the stories that continue to unfold around you. It will help you to tease out the special details of a life and how to use those details to inspire, inform, and connect with others, putting your story to work to bring out the kind of change you want to create in your company or community.

  • General talks in the sphere of travel & sustainability

I have delivered numerous keynote speeches on travel and sustainability at industry events and was named a United Nations Special Ambassador for Tourism and the Sustainable Development Goals in 2017. I can adapt speeches to suit a broad range of audiences and explore a variety of topics. Often using Iceland as a case study, I can speak to how travel and tourism are economic drivers in a country; the challenges and opportunities that tourism brings, and how Iceland is a leader in sustainable tourism and has (unusually) a generally positive view of tourism among its local population. 

More broadly speaking, travelling and discovering new places and meeting new people has the potential to bridge divides and bring us closer together. I have travelled extensively, much of it solo, and can share some of the stories I have heard and adventures I’ve had on the road, and what that has taught me about communication and cooperation in other facets of life. 

Testimonials

“She shared many heartfelt messages, leaving an indelible impression as one of the most empowered, driven, and inspiring women I have ever met.” 

—Lilian Atho, CEO and Founder Real Time Global

“I had the great privilege of recently attending a speech by Iceland’s former First Lady, Eliza Reid. She was funny, smart, insightful, and entertaining.  She didn’t hit a homerun; she hit a grand slam.”

—Jean Becker, Former Chief of Staff to George H.W. Bush

“Her energy, intelligence and integrity are so inspiring and most of all, I love how real she is. When you think of a First Lady you don’t expect someone to be so warm, unpretentious and personable.”

—Amy Skelding, Managing Partner at Finn Partners Travel

“Ms. Eliza Reid captivated our group of over 100 lawyers and their spouses with her stories of life in Iceland and extraordinary women in Icelandic history, but the best aspect of her presentation was the message that equality in authority and parity in opportunity are possible and within reach.  Eliza’s approachable style and comfortable delivery, sprinkled with humor and playful wit, capture and sustain the attention of the audience.  She is a delightful, entertaining and empowering keynote speaker for any meeting or conference.”   

Steve Quattlebaum, 2023 National President of The American Board of Trial Advocates 


Rebecca Hosey, DC, MS, PA-C

Dr. Rebecca “Becky” Hosey is a licensed chiropractor, physician assistant, speaker, and writer, with degrees from the University at Albany, New York Chiropractic College, and the Le Moyne College Physician Assistant Program. With many years of unique clinical experience, her expertise is in the fields of pain medicine and psychiatry. A life-long learner, Becky has a strong passion for education and has held several academic positions, including Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine.

Becky was diagnosed with Sjögren’s Disease in 2015, and stage four endometriosis in 2021 after years of undiagnosed and severe symptoms. She began sharing her story to inspire others, and is currently writing a memoir documenting her experiences and advocating for patients with chronic illnesses. Becky is a regular speaker in the general public and medical community, and her work is centered around empowering patients to advocate for themselves. In her work with medical professionals, she focuses on the importance of leading with empathy, and on the vulnerability of the patient experience, which can be easily overlooked in the current medical model.

She has appeared on numerous podcasts, news interviews, and has partnered with several autoimmune organizations to share her story. Becky has also been the keynote speaker at various events. She has many published articles, and is a regular blog writer. Becky is the recipient of the 2024 Autoimmune Advocacy Leadership Award (the Autoimmune Association) which was presented during a reception in Washington D.C. She has participated in healthcare reform lobbying while in the Capitol, and during New York State Legislative meetings.

Awards & Honors:

Autoimmune Advocacy and Leadership Award (Autoimmune Association 2024)

Summa Cum Laude Graduate (Le Moyne College 2009)

William G. Allyn Award (“Commemorating Strong Academic Performance, Exemplary Professionalism, Leadership & Community Service” 2008) 

Phi Chi Omega National Chiropractic Honor Society Member (2000-2003)

Clinic Class Representative (New York Chiropractic College 2003)

Speaking Topics

Becky’s keynotes can be tailored to medical professionals or the general public.

Medical Ableism

There has never been a more dire time for the reimagining of disease, especially in light of the growing population suffering from chronic illness and disability. With infrequent discussions occurring in medicine and society, Becky educates and empowers audience members on health related prejudices, and how to eliminate these detriments.

Oh, The Medical Humanity…

An engaging presentation for medical professionals and students alike. Audience members join Becky on a journey through her personal medical mystery to ultimate diagnosis, followed by a discussion of medical humanities and the importance of incorporating these concepts into to everyday practice in order to understand the vulnerable patient perspective.

The Stigma of Health Provider Sickness

A rarely discussed and little- known phenomenon of the unique stigma a medical provider experiences when chronically ill. Becky candidly shares her own personal struggles, as well as uncovering the unwritten truth in modern medicine that healthcare providers are expected to remain healthy, or suffer the consequences of failure.   

Self-Advocating on Your Health Journey

An informative talk for attendees to learn about the importance of self-advocating while navigating medicine. Audience members will discover that healthcare is a consumer based industry, with no greater service more important than their own well-being. Participants will learn to get the most out of their health visits, and how to become empowered patients. 

Sjögren’s Disease: It’s More than Dry Eye & Endometriosis: The Silent Pain.

These individual disease presentations are vital for healthcare providers to learn about two common, but misunderstood conditions. Significant research gaps exist in medicine with respect to women’s health issues, which makes health providers unprepared to properly care for patients. Becky delivers both the patient and provider perspective, as well as essential information that will leave audience members feeling confident and prepared for their next patient encounter.  

Connect with Becky on Social Media:

Facebook

Instagram

YouTube

Medium


Elisabeth Burks

Elisabeth Burks (she/her) brings over 20 years of experience at the intersection of culture and commerce, driving revenue and relevance for cultural icons like John Legend, global brands like Samsung, and entertainment giants like Sony Music and TIFF. As a visionary strategist, she guides organizations and leaders through the challenges of boardrooms and the marketplace—delivering transformational insights and strategies for leadership, business growth and cultural relevance. As founder and CEO of Known Entity, Elisabeth specializes in creating cultural and commercial strategies that move markets and mindsets. Elisabeth holds an EMBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management and the Schulich School of Business, and a B.A. in Media and Cultural Studies from The New School in New York City. A proud mother and wife, she is a sought-after public speaker and moderator and a passionate advocate for youth and social impact.

“Elisabeth’s extensive experience is distinguished as a unique and trusted advisor for top-tier businesses. Her specialized expertise provides a compelling strategic vision on how to harness cultural trends to drive commerce in today’s fragmented market. Her approach, equally strategic and sincere, is both refreshing and inspiring.” —Veronica Gaik, Executive Director, Brand Sales & Partnerships at TikTok Canada

Elisabeth Burks Speaking Topics

As a sought-after speaker and moderator, Elisabeth is equal parts advisor, strategist and motivator. Elisabeth delivers more than just inspiring keynotes—she develops workshops and seminars tailored to help organizations impact culture and the bottom line.

Leveraging Culture as a Competitive Advantage
Learn how to build and sustain cultural capital, transforming relevance into long-term commercial success.

Strategic Workshops on Aligning Purpose with Profit
Interactive sessions that equip teams with strategies for meeting consumer expectations while driving ROI.

Tailored Training on Navigating Emerging Trends
Seminars designed to decode and apply cultural shifts to leadership, branding, and marketing strategies.

Designing Commerce Around Culture
Learn the step-by-step process of connecting cultural movements to product innovation and market leadership.

Building Teams for a Culture-Driven Future
Unpacks how cultural movements and consumer trends are reshaping organizationz and how businesses can stay ahead by aligning their leadership strategies with cultural shifts.


Sharon and Randi

Since the 1970s, Sharon, Lois & Bram have been family-entertainment superstars across North America and beyond. Over the course of their 45-year musical journey, Sharon, Lois & Bram produced dozens of recordings and compilations, as well as three award-winning, best-selling children’s books. Together, the threesome appeared in many of the most prominent venues in the United States, as well as every major concert hall in Canada. They were Goodwill ambassadors, received countless awards, sold millions of albums worldwide and starred in two critically acclaimed television series (The Elephant Show and Skinnamarink TV). They are widely recognized as the most beloved children’s entertainers of all time.

 Sharon Hampson and Bram Morrison performed as a duo for more than 20 years after Lois Lilienstein stepped away from live performing. The Sharon, Lois & Bram tiktok has made them social media darlings with over 37M+ views and 188,000+ followers.

When Bram retired from touring at the end of 2019, Sharon’s daughter, Randi, joined Sharon as a live performer, and recently produced and sang on the JUNO-nominated album, Sharon & Bram and Friends, as well as writing three picture books for Penguin Random House, Sharon, Lois & Bram’s Skinnamarink, One Elephant Went out to Play, and Peanut Butter and Jelly

 Now Sharon and Randi are continuing to share the music of Sharon, Lois & Bram, performing in both live and virtual settings as A Sharon, Lois & Bram Singalong with Sharon & Randi. Just as Sharon, Lois & Bram brought happiness to four generations of children and their grown-ups, Randi and Sharon are now bringing their own live performances, featuring stories, music, memories, and life lessons, to a new generation of adults and children.

Speaking topics and performances

 A Sharon, Lois & Bram Sing Along with Sharon & Randi

This singalong gathering is a real family affair featuring Sharon & Randi, Randi’s son Ethan and her beau, Jim. Singalong highlights include such beloved Sharon, Lois & Bram favorites as “Tingalayo,” “Hey Dum Diddeley Dum,” “She’ll Be Coming Round the Mountain,” and, of course, “Skinnamarink. Guaranteed to be a fun, interactive time for children, their families and the young at heart.

Randi and Sharon in the classroom

Randi and Sharon play games, sing songs, teach finger play and make music with classes and children from JK-grade 4.

Behind the Scenes and Life Lessons with Sharon & Randi

Listen in on captivating conversation and stories of tours, TV, parties, and behind-the-scenes peeks. Sharon also shares her personal journey dealing with breast cancer, the loss of her husband, Joe, then partner and friend, Lois. This will be poignant, fun, infused with laughter, inside stories and of course, always singing. This can be an intimate event with a Q&A or a keynote address. 

Finding your Child Spirit Workshops for Teachers

Sharon & Randi will delight educators by singing and reading from their three best-selling children’s books, and teaching songs and gameplay to their educator audience. Participants will reconnect with their child spirit by engaging in literary and musical activities they will take back to their classrooms. This will be a fun hour of singing, dancing and laughing, that consequently teaches about memory, food, rhyme, counting, patience, coordination, cooperation and so much more.


Matthew Dawkins

Matthew is a Jamaican award-winning author and poet whose writing explores subject matters including adolescence, race, nationhood, and mental health. His short story about a brave and relentless Black girl is featured in the forthcoming THE ANNETHOLOGY, a collection of Anne of Green Gables re-imaginings (Acorn Press, 2024).

In Matthew’s debut YA novel UNTIL WE BREAK (Wattpad Books, 2022), a Black ballet dancer grapples with grief after a potentially career-ending injury and the death of her best friend. Matthew is currently at work on an adult novel about queerness and masculinity in World War II–era Jamaica.

His work has been featured in Westwind Poetry, Indolent Books, Pinhole Poetry, and in advertising campaigns for Western University and IKEA. Matthew was the 2022-2023 Student Writer in Residence at Western University, where he graduated with a B.A. in Arts and Humanities and English Literature.

Selected Speaking Topics

Spoken Word
In his performances, Matthew combines traditional poetic forms with contemporary subject matters such as adolescence, race, ecology, nationhood, and mental health. His engaging style is influenced by Toni Morrison and Amanda Gorman, and encourages audiences to snap, hum, and nod along. Matthew’s poetry is suitable for ages 16 and up.

Moderating
Matthew is an avid reader, interviewer, and moderator with a passion for exploring the intersection of literature and diverse cultural experiences. His B.A. in English Language and Literature, as well as his lived experience, equip him with a deep understanding of the realities of diverse youth, particularly within the Jamaican/Caribbean and immigrant communities. Matthew’s insightful questions and ability to create a welcoming atmosphere allow audiences to engage deeply with topics such as identity, belonging, and culture. His passion and intention ensures every event is thought-provoking and enlightening.

Your Voice is a Key – Start Opening Doors
For Matthew, classrooms represent more than just homework and required reading; they are spaces where problem-solving skills and creative thinking are developed. In this session, Matthew uses interactive storytelling exercises to empower students, helping them refine their voices and showcasing how their passion and ideas can make a real difference. This workshop is ideal for students ages 12 and up.

In Defense of Storytime: Why We Need More Art in Schools
Matthew’s writing career can be credited to approximately ten staff rooms; worth of teachers who not only sharpened his talent but also supported him with resources. His experience forms the bedrock for this discussion on the significance of deliberately fostering creative talent among young people. In this session, Matthew will underscore the transformative power of a strong arts education and explore how and why adults, mentors, teachers, and administrators can support students’ creativity.

The Art of Self-Care
In this session, Mathew facilitates a brave space to help professionals explore the therapeutic benefits of creative writing and reconnecting with their inner artists. Through a series of hands-on activities, organizations will learn how to use art as a tool for self-care, stress relief, and personal growth. This session will leave teams feeling refreshed, inspired, and ready to tackle professional and personal challenges with renewed creativity and resilience.

To book Matthew contact Léonicka Valcius at leonicka@transatlanticagency.com


Riley Yesno

Riley Yesno (she/her) is a queer Anishinaabe scholar, writer, and commentator, from Eabametoong First Nation and Thunder Bay, Ontario.

She is highly sought after for her words and analysis— called an “Indigenous powerhouse” by the Toronto Star, “one of the brightest young minds in Canada today” by jury members of the Canadian Journalism Foundation, and “a rising intellectual giant by the University of Toronto.

She has been a contributor and commentator for some of the largest media outlets in Canada and the world, including the New York Times, BBC World News, The Globe and Mail, and CBC National News. Riley has also travelled the globe speaking at internationally renowned institutions and events, including the UN climate negotiations, the Stockholm Forum on Gender Equality, TEDx stages, and many others.

She has taught Indigenous governance at Toronto Metropolitan University and is completing her PhD at the University of Toronto, where she is studying Indigenous / Canadian politics and is a Vanier Scholar. Riley is at work on the proposal for her first book of non-fiction, which will look critically at reconciliation in Canada, interwoven with her lived experience.

SPEAKING TOPICS

Beyond Reconciliation
It has been almost ten years since the Truth and Reconciliation Commission released its Final Report and launched Canada’s reconciliation project into the country’s political and social consciousness. What progress has been made? Where have we failed to take action? In this talk, Riley charts the trajectory of reconciliation from its inception to the present— highlighting Indigenous people’s critiques and the work we must all do to go beyond reconciliation as it has been pursued to date.


The Future is Indigenous
Too often, Indigenous people are wrongly viewed as ‘past people’— stuck in a time of pre-colonization and unable to adapt to the modern world. In this presentation, Riley shows that Indigenous people are, contrary to this racist belief, one of the most adaptable people out there— surviving apocalypse after apocalypse and adapting to every change brought on by colonization— Indigenous people have never let up on their commitment to realizing futures where we all thrive. Drawing on a concept called ‘Indigenous Futurism, ‘ Riley will explain how Indigenous art and activism are writing the story of a bold new future— today.


Indigenous Queerness: The Colonizers Brought the Closet
Over the past few decades in North America, the term ‘two-spirit’ (2S) has been increasingly recognized. As a queer Indigenous person herself, in this talk, Riley aims to break down what ‘two-spirit’ means, where it came from, and common misconceptions of the identity. She will also highlight how colonization has impacted all of our understandings of gender and sexuality and challenge audiences to decolonize their relationships to gender and sexuality as well— whether you’re Indigenous or not.


#LandBack
How did an internet joke turn into a rallying call for Indigenous action that spans across the continent? This is the story of Land Back: Building off of a longstanding history of refusal of the settler-colonial status quo, Land Back has become a point of connection for supporters of Indigenous self-determination and, increasingly, for those who see Indigenous leadership as the world’s greatest hope against climate destruction. This talk will outline how Land Back came to be and how it fits into the larger story of Indigenous contestation, provide examples of Land Back in action, and suggest ways we can all take part in the growing movement.


Lessons in Youth Leadership
Riley was only sixteen years old when she started taking up prominent leadership roles in Canada and around the world. From the Prime Minister’s table and UN negotiating rooms to grassroots youth movements, she’s learned many lessons about what it means to be a truly strong and honourable leader. Drawing on these experiences and teachings from an Anishinaabe worldview, this talk asks audiences to deeply consider questions like: How do you define leadership? How do you move through challenges with integrity? Is leadership about having a seat at the table, or should we be challenging the idea of ‘the table’ altogether?


Transforming Education for Indigenous Peoples
In Canada, we know that public education is not serving Indigenous people in the way it should, even as the statistics improve from year to year. From the closing of the last residential school in 1997 to now, Indigenous people continue to have high school graduation rates far below our non-Indigenous counterparts, and Indigenous representation in higher learning is even further behind. How do we overcome this? How can we decolonize the classroom— both the physical environment and the learning approach— so that all students not just pass, but feel empowered and seen by their education?


Murdered and Missing: Canada’s Failure to Protect Indigenous Women, Girls, and Queer People
The Final Report of the National Inquiry into Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people was released to the general public in 2019, but it had been a conversation in Indigenous communities for much longer than that. In this talk, Riley traces the history of injustice against Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people from the onset of colonization to now. The goal is to look beyond the data and the public reports and ask bigger questions like: How can we build communities and worlds that truly value non-violence, consent, and accountability?

To book Riley, please reach out to speakers@transatlanticagency.com


Prince Shakur

Prince Shakur – author, journalist, podcast host, video maker, and educator – is a radical voice in today’s literary and cultural landscape.

With his thought-provoking articles in prominent publications such as Teen VogueAfropunkCatapult, and Vice, Prince explores queer culture, the impact of police and prison systems, diasporic representations in film, and the captivating inner lives of black icons. Notably, his career has been widely celebrated and recognized by GLAAD, The Hurston/Wright Foundation, and the Society for Features Journalism for his impactful media work.

His debut memoir, When They Tell You To Be Good, was described as “… a searing account of self-discovery amidst the unyielding weight of structural oppression.” (Publishers Weekly).

It was named one of TIME Magazine‘s Most Anticipated Books of the Fall.

Beyond the written word, Prince Shakur harnesses the power of visual storytelling. He collaborated as a writer, co-producer, and lead actor in BEFORE I DIE, a short film about two childhood friends on the precipice of an event that promises to reshape their lives. He has attended several prestigious artist residencies, including Sangam House, Studios of Key West, Norton Island, Atlantic Center for the Arts, and La Madison Baldwin.

As an organizer, he brought racial justice issues to Ohio University as a student organizer and writer. While in Seattle, he defended worker rights as a boycott organizer and then worked as a bank teller at Compass Housing Alliance for people without housing. Since then, he has participated in numerous environmental actions/movements, including Standing Rock; organized cultural events, protests, and abolition trainings as a lead organizer with Black Queer and Intersectional Collective; raised funds to support migrant caravans support efforts at the US/Mexican border; and organized against fascism through art and political action.

Prince, the host of the Black anarchist podcast “THE DUGOUT,” has a decade-long history of grassroots organizer. He brought racial justice issues to Ohio University, defended worker rights in Seattle, and worked as a bank teller at Compass Housing Alliance from 2014 to 2016. His activism extends to environmental movements like Standing Rock, cultural events with Black Queer and Intersectional Collective, fundraising for migrant caravans, and organizing against fascism through art and political action.

Since 2023, Shakur has served as an adjunct at Lehman College and a writing instructor for various queer/BIPOC writing organizations on memoirs, Black history, archival, and radical narratives. He is additionally a vital source for writing resources and reflections online as the founder of Millennial Writer Life, an Authortuber, and a political commentator to a TikTok following of over 8,000.

To book Prince, please reach out to speakers@transatlanticagency.com


Petra Molnar

Petra Molnar is a lawyer and anthropologist specializing in migration and human rights.

A former classical musician, she has been working in migrant justice since 2008, first as a settlement worker and community organizer, and then as a researcher and lawyer. She works on digital border technologies, immigration detention, health and human rights, gender-based violence, as well as the politics of refugee, immigration, and international law. Petra also works on issues around knowledge production, decolonial community work, and strategies of resistance in migrant justice.

Petra has worked all over the world including Jordan, Turkey, Philippines, Kenya, Colombia, Canada, and various parts of Europe. She is the co-creator of the Migration and Technology Monitor, a collective of civil society, journalists, academics, and filmmakers interrogating technological experiments on people crossing borders. She is also the Associate Director of the Refugee Law Lab at York University and a 2022-2023 Fellow at the Berkman Klein Centre for Critical Internet at Harvard University.

Petra is the author of numerous academic and popular press publications on technology and migration and one of the first and leading international voices on these issues. Her work has been widely featured in The Guardian, Al Jazeera, and the New York Times, among others, and she is frequently quoted in international and local media as well as various policy briefings at the national and international level including frequently speaking at various institutions within the United Nations. Her first book, Artificial Borders (The New Press 2024), chronicles high-risk technological experiments and their impacts on people crossing borders.

Petra holds a Juris Doctorate from the University of Toronto Faculty of Law, a Masters of Anthropology from York University, Centre for Refugee studies, and an LL.M in International Law from the University of Cambridge.

Selected Speaking Topics

SUBSTANTIVE TOPICS:

Border technologies and their human rights impacts

AI lie detectors in airports, algorithms placing refugees in detention, drones patrolling sea and land crossings, robo dogs at borders. There are just some of the examples of various border technologies being tested out across the world. What are the human rights implications of these technologies? Why are mobile communities used as testing grounds for these experiments? What can we do to better understand the lived experiences at the sharpest edges of technological innovation

Other topics of interest:

  • International human rights and refugee law – a primer
  • Impacts of immigration detention and carceral technologies
  • Gender based violence, surveillance, and new forms of oppression

FOR GOVERNMENTS AND PRIVATE SECTOR:

Regulating new technologies from a human rights perspective

As states and the private sector increasingly develop and deploy new automated technologies, surveillance, and other projects relying on big data, what can effective and meaningful accountability look like? What are some of the ethical implications of using high risk technologies and what are the current conversations around governance (such as the EU’s upcoming AI Act?). What responsibilities do private actors have to ensure that whatever products they are developing meet human rights standards across the world?

Other topics of interest:

  • Human rights impact assessments – what are they and how can they help?
  • International organizations and their roles in developing new technologies
  • Bridging the gap between technologists, human rights workers, and affected communities

RESEARCH AND PROJECT DESIGN:

Working with community, from the ground up

What counts as expertise and why? Why are perspectives from affected communities often relegated to the sidelines, if not outright silenced? Working from a participatory perspective when designing projects, implementing technologies, and strategizing advocacy and policy direction requires framings which center an analysis of power, history, and systemic violence against marginalized groups.

Other topics of interest:

  • Workshop on how to work with the media and developing advocacy strategies for community groups and human rights activists
  • Security training when developing human rights research projects
  • Participatory action research methodology (centering community groups)

To book Petra Molnar, contact Brenna English-Loeb at brenna@transatlanticagency.com.