Our event starts at 11 am on the 2nd floor of the Koffler House (569 Spadina Avenue). Social 10:45am – 11:00am.
This Simcoe Day long-weekend Sunday, join us for a potluck lunch! Come share your food, stories, experiences and insights!
When you RSVP on Meetup, please indicate, in the comments section, what you intend to bring: main dish, salad, dessert, or drinks. Thank you!
Every week we gather to be inspired, entertained, motivated and build our secular community in Downtown Toronto. Our core values are: People are more important than beliefs. Reality is known through reason. Meaning comes from making a difference. Human hands solve human problems. Be accepting and be accepted. Check out our website: www.torontooasis.org.
Our event starts at 11 am on the 2nd floor of the Koffler House (569 Spadina Avenue). Social 10:45am – 11:00am.
The human genome contains about 3 billion base pairs of DNA. Not only does the genome contain the instructions needed to develop a living, breathing, human being, but it can also reveal insights about our shared history. In recent years, studies examining DNA from both living humans and ancient remains have revealed much about the history of our species including our migration from Africa to other parts of the globe, our interactions with other human species, and how related we actually are to each other.
Ryan Zhang
Our featured speaker, Ryan Zhang, will discuss some of the most interesting and surprising findings from human genetics research in recent years. In addition, he will also discuss what this research shows about our ancestry, the concept of race, and our cultural and ethnic origins.
Ryan Zhang graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science degree from the University of Toronto majoring in Human Biology and minoring in History. He is currently a second-year student of the Environmental Technology Program at Georgian College and aspires to become a professional in the environmental field when he graduates. He is intensely curious and enjoys keeping fish, learning about nature, listening to history podcasts, and obsessively reading Wikipedia articles for fun.
Jess Bootsma will do the Community Moment. The Community Moment is a chance for one of our own to share their journey, thoughts about life, or something personal about themselves. It could be light and silly or it could be emotionally heavy. Either way, you’ll learn more about a valued person in our community. Interested in presenting your own Community Moment? Contact Tania at 416oasis@gmail.com.
Our event starts at 11 am on the 2nd floor of the Koffler House (569 Spadina Avenue). Social 10:45am – 11:00am.
Demographics in the 21st century are becoming more secular – and quickly. In response to these changes, communities around the world are avoiding traditional institutions, like religion, and instead searching for a more fitting system that follows our changing needs and values – communities like Oasis.
Aaron Taylor
This week’s speaker, Aaron Taylor, is visiting from Calgary where a similar group is growing rapidly. He will be sharing his experiences, what brought him into this work, and to trade ideas and insight with you.
Aaron Taylor grew up near Toronto and currently lives in Calgary, Alberta. He was raised a Jehovah’s Witness and uses his experience to relate with others who have lost faith, friends or family in the same way. Armchair philosopher, music lover, and family man, Aaron has plenty of stories and something in common with everyone.
Our event starts at 11 am on the 2nd floor of the Koffler House (569 Spadina Avenue). Social 10:45am – 11:00am.
Michelle Edmunds
This Sunday Michelle Edmunds will do a presentation about dominant and non-dominant groups and social location. She will present the Power Flower activity to demonstrate the disparities in power and influence through a political, cultural and societal perspective. We will have the opportunity to participate in the Power Flower activity to better understand social location, power, privilege and influence for those not equally represented in Canadian society.
Privilege does not mean those in the dominant groups do not struggle or face adversity. What will be considered is the imbalance between people who score low in the Power Flower vs. those who score high and how this can affect an individual in the non-dominant group and their journey through life, while facing and overcoming obstacles that dominant groups do not experience.
Michelle has been involved with diversity and inclusion training for over a decade. One of the topics under inclusion is the Power Flower.
Catherine Francis will do the Community Moment. The Community Moment is a chance for one of our own to share their journey, thoughts about life, or something personal about themselves. It could be light and silly or it could be emotionally heavy. Either way, you’ll learn more about a valued person in our community. Interested in presenting your own Community Moment? Contact Tania at 416oasis@gmail.com.
Our event starts at 11 am on the 2nd floor of the Koffler House (569 Spadina Avenue). Social 10:45am – 11:00am.
Dan Cooperstock
This Sunday, Dan Cooperstock will lead a group discussion on Nuclear Power versus Energy Sources, after we watch a 17-minute TEDx talk by Michael Shellenberger, titled “Why renewables can’t save the planet” which raises some fascinating issues.
Dan Cooperstock is the Toronto Oasis Treasurer, an atheist Quaker, and a software entrepreneur, writing and selling software for churches and charities.
Our event starts at 11 am on the 2nd floor of the Koffler House (569 Spadina Avenue). Social 10:45am – 11:00am.
This Canada Day long-weekend Sunday, join us for a potluck lunch! Come share your food, stories, experiences and insights!
When you RSVP on Meetup, please indicate, in the comments section, what you intend to bring: main dish, salad, dessert, or drinks. Thank you!
Every week we gather to be inspired, entertained, motivated and build our secular community in Downtown Toronto. Our core values are: People are more important than beliefs. Reality is known through reason. Meaning comes from making a difference. Human hands solve human problems. Be accepting and be accepted. Check out our website: www.torontooasis.org.
Our event starts at 11 am on the 2nd floor of the Koffler House (569 Spadina Avenue). Social 10:45am – 11:00am.
Moses Klein
One way to understand the purpose of a secular community organization such as Oasis or the Humanist Association of Toronto, is to provide the community-building functions often associated with a religious congregation but without the religion. What is that role? In his talk, our featured speaker, Moses Klein, will explore the need that people may have for a quasi-religious community. Based on the experiences of our organizations, we will consider how well a shared secular humanist philosophy can provide the basis for such a community.
Moses Klein grew up in Toronto. After studying mathematics and philosophy at Yale University and the University of Wisconsin, together with other travels, he returned to Toronto in 2005. Since 2009 he has been teaching mathematics at a high school for international students. He has been active in the Humanist Association of Toronto since 2005, and currently serves as the group’s Spokesperson.
Lunar Bloom
Our guest musicians will be Lunar Bloom (https://www.lunarbloomband.com/). Lunar Bloom is an all-female indie-folk trio with voices that weave seamlessly in and out of harmony. The three ‘blooms’ are long time friends, and have been collaborating together as music makers for 2 years. Pulling inspiration from other artists, they create a sound that has the quirkiness of Regina Spektor, the sweet innocence of Dala, and the witchy appeal of Florence and the Machine. Their music features dynamic range and honest story telling.
This week Aseema Singh will do the Community Moment. The Community Moment is a chance for one of our own to share their journey, thoughts about life, or something personal about themselves. It could be light and silly or it could be emotionally heavy. Either way, you’ll learn more about a valued person in our community. Interested in presenting your own Community Moment? Contact Tania at 416oasis@gmail.com.
Our event starts at 11 am on the 2nd floor of the Koffler House (569 Spadina Avenue). Social 10:45am – 11:00am.
Alex Beckmann
In Part I of his talk at Toronto Oasis (June 2nd), our featured speaker, Alex Beckmann, gave us an overview of the Big Bang – what we know about it, how it happened and some of measurable traces of the Universe in its very early stages of life. In Part II of his talk, Alex will address the following questions: What can we learn about the early Universe from particle physics? How constant are the constants? Can vacuum have energy and can there be many of them? And finally, what can we learn about the Universe from ourselves?
Alex studied physics in Kharkiv, Ukraine. He did his Ph.D. in theoretical physics in String and Field Theory. He taught physics at the high school and university levels in Ukraine and Germany. Alex currently lives and works in Toronto. His work in Toronto is in IT and involves cloud-based solutions for markets, investment banking, and research. However, Alex still enjoys teaching physics!
Cassie Norton
Our featured musician will be Cassie Norton. Cassie Norton is the music director of Toronto Oasis and a Toronto-based singer-songwriter. She is a classically trained violinist/folk leaning tunesmith with a punk rock heart. She has recorded two full length albums, Little Strength (2009) and Quiet Wilderness (2010). She teaches a variety of private and ensemble classes at Regent Park School of Music, and at her private studio. Check out her website: www.cassienorton.com
Our event starts at 11 am on the 2nd floor of the Koffler House (569 Spadina Avenue). Social 10:45am – 11:00am.
Arnd Jurgensen
This Sunday our featured speaker will be Arnd Jurgensen. In his talk Arndwill examine the deterioration of international law as a means of stabilizing the international order since the end of the Cold War.
Arnd grew up in Germany, received his BA at NYU and MA and PhD from the University of Toronto in Political Science. His research has focused on issues related to development, environment and democratic governance. He has taught in the faculties of Applied Sciences and Engineering, interdisciplinary studies and currently teaches courses on international relations and U.S. Foreign Policy at the University of Toronto. He is also active as an environmental activist and musician.
Jessica Stuart
Our guest musician will be Jessica Stuart (https://jessicastuartmusic.com/). Vancouver born, Toronto-based multi-instrumentalist/songwriter, Jessica Stuart has spent much of the last decade touring the world with her award-winning jazz-pop trio, The Jessica Stuart Few. As an accomplished vocalist, guitarist and koto player (13-stringed traditional Japanese harp), Stuart has been praised for her on-stage charm, musical chops, and signature song writing style. Described by The Globe & Mail as “endlessly charismatic”, Jessica has been likened to a modern-day Joni Mitchell with lyrics that describe the joys and challenges of the human experience, delivered in a catchy, but musically adventurous package.
Some of Stuart’s recent career highlights include a Top 40 single in Japan, a “Best Album” designation in the international Independent Music Awards, festival performances in Australia, Germany, China, Japan and North America ,and regular rotation on airwaves around the globe, from the BBC to the CBC.
Coming off of the release of single “Fukue’s Theme Part I” that accompanied a record-breaking viral CBC documentary about the artist herself (3 million views and counting), Stuart is excited to be releasing an indie-pop single this summer under the new project name JESSA.
This week Anna Popovitch will do the Community Moment. The Community Moment is a chance for one of our own to share their journey, thoughts about life, or something personal about themselves. It could be light and silly or it could be emotionally heavy. Either way, you’ll learn more about a valued person in our community. Interested in presenting your own Community Moment? Contact Tania at 416oasis@gmail.com.
Our event starts at 11 am on the 2nd floor of the Koffler House (569 Spadina Avenue). Social 10:45am – 11:00am.
Alex Beckmann
The Big Bang – what do we know about it and how did it happen? Do we have any measurable traces of the Universe in its very early stages of life? What does the word “Inflation” mean outside of financial markets? Our featured speaker Alex Beckmann will address these questions in his talk.
Alex studied physics in Kharkiv, Ukraine. He did his Ph.D. in theoretical physics in String and Field Theory. He taught physics at the high school and university levels in Ukraine and Germany. Alex currently lives and works in Toronto. His work in Toronto is in IT and involves cloud-based solutions for markets, investment banking, and research. However, Alex still enjoys teaching physics!
Kid Grit
Our guest musician will be Kid Grit. Kid Grit’s folk songs are quiet and pensive reflections of a life lived. From the depths of isolation possible in a digital age, to the heights of exaltation, living and growing up in nature. His music travels through the processes of life and how we heal, through gentle whisperings, swelling warm harmonies, and sometimes painful personal admissions – attempting to find peace and truth in the smallest of things.
