We may have been quiet on this front, but only because we’ve been so busy planning our upcoming events! When the organizers of Supercrawl invited us to be a part of this year’s festival we just couldn’t say no. So hold on to your hats: Steel City Stories is coming back two times this fall!

On September 13th, from 1 – 2 pm and 3 – 4 pm, as part of Supercrawl’s festivities, we’ll be showcasing 8 fantastic speakers talking about “Into the Wild.” This is a free event held at Mills Hardware at 95 King Street East.

And on November 1st we’ll be back to our regularly scheduled program, with “Moonlighting”! We’ll be back at First Unitarian Church of Hamilton and ticket info will be available soon.

Stay tuned for further details on next week’s speakers. In the meantime, check out our poster below, and take a look at our event info on Supercrawl’s website!

 

 

Our July event was all about how one experience can change your look on life. Whether it was a disaster that made you reevaluate your values, or witnessing something that challenged your previous perceptions, this event was all about how our speakers took the best out of unforeseen circumstances.

Renée Wetselaar returned from our April event to host Turning Point.

Chris Erl kicked off the night tying his educational experience at McMaster to the history of Hamilton, and the parallels he’s seen in his own life.

Maha Hossein described what it was like first coming to Canada, and the challenges she faced and overcame.

Jean Ryan talked about how her childhood self was torn between what various spiritual teachers told her, and how that framed her future perspectives.

Greg Tedesco told us his journey from being a Steel Town skeptic to a passionate community member and supporter of all things Hamilton.

Anne Kalonji shared the experience of her cross-culture wedding which incorporated Congolese and French traditions.

Kevin Makins wrapped the evening up by warning us of the dangers that come with being a home owner, and the saving grace of insurance.

Thank you to everyone who came out and enjoyed the event! It was yet another success thanks to all the support the Hamilton community has given us! We’ll be back soon…stay tuned for details!

Get to know your storyteller! Leading up to our event on Saturday we’re bringing you brief bios of our speakers. Here’s Greg!

Greg Tedesco is a proud Hamiltonian, social justice advocate and street outreach worker. A two time graduate from McMaster University in Political Science and Social Work, Greg is interested in issues around health, equity, inclusion and community development. Greg lives in the Strathcona neighbourhood with his partner Robyn and their golden retriever, Spencer. A hockey fan and amateur gardener on the side, Greg can often be found drinking coffee in one of Hamilton’s many great cafés!

Join us at the First Unitarian Church on July 5th to hear Greg and others tell true stories from their own lives, live without notes! Doors open at 7. Advance tickets available online (here!).

 

Get to know your storyteller! Leading up to our event on Saturday we’re bringing you brief bios of our speakers. Here’s Jean!

Jean Ryan was born in Brooklyn when New York had 3 major league baseball teams. Upon completing McMaster University’s Certificate in Creative Writing in 2008, she received the Awards for Academic Excellence. She is a professional storyteller whose memberships include the Storytellers of Canada/Conteurs du Canada, the National Storytelling Network (U.S.) and the Transformative Language Arts Network.

Join us at the First Unitarian Church on July 5th to hear Anne and others tell true stories from their own lives, live without notes! Doors open at 7. Advance tickets available online (here!).

 

 

 

Get to know your storyteller! Leading up to our event on Saturday we’re bringing you brief bios of our speakers. Here’s Kevin!

Kevin Makins is a pastor, storyteller, and good0things schemer who lives, loves, plays and prays in downtown Hamilton. He’s regularly a catalyst for local projects, ranging from art installations and conferences to church startups and the Yes We Cannon campaign. You can learn more at kevinmakins.com or follow along with his hijinks at facebook.com/kevinmakins.

Join us at the First Unitarian Church on July 5th to hear Kevin and others tell true stories from their own lives, live without notes! Doors open at 7. Advance tickets available online (here!).

Get to know your storyteller! Leading up to our next event, Turning Point, on July 5th, we’re bringing you brief bios of our speakers. Here’s Anne!

Anne is a former teaching assistant in the University of Poitiers law school (France), specializing in criminal and humanitarian law. She decided to take a break in her research on children and armed conflict to take care of her three girls. She identifies herself as an “in-between” after being raised between French and Congolese traditions in France, and living today between French and Canadian cultures. More a bedtime storyteller than a live storyteller, she still grew up under a palaver tree.

Join us at the First Unitarian Church on July 5th to hear Anne and others tell true stories from their own lives, live without notes! Doors open at 7. Advance tickets available online (here!).

 

Get to know your storyteller! Leading up to our next event, happening on July 5th, we’re bringing you brief bios of our speakers. Here’s Maha!

Maha Hossein has lived in Syria, Germany, Kuwait and Canada. She is an Agricultural Engineer and graduated as an Interpreter from Mohawk College only two years after she landed in Canada. Maha is involved with the Immigrant Women’s Centre in Hamilton and believes that learning new languages is important for immigrants, not only so they can be understood and play an active role in their newly adopted society, but also so that they can communicate their unique perspectives and experiences for the benefit of others.

Join us at the First Unitarian Church on July 5th to hear Maha and others tell true stories from their own lives, live without notes! Doors open at 7. Advance tickets available online (here!).

Get to know your storyteller! Leading up to our next event, coming up on July 5th, we’re bringing you brief bios of our speakers. Here’s Chris!

Chris Erl is a born and raised Hamiltonian pursuing a Master of Planning degree at Ryerson University. In addition to being a McMaster alum and candidate for Public School Trustee in Wards 1 and 2, Chris has served as the past chair of the Hamilton Pride Organizing Committee, a community organizer with Participatory Budgeting Ward Two and an executive board member with the McMaster Student Union. He lives in Strathcona with his better half, James, and his awesome roommate Parisa.

Join us at the First Unitarian Church on July 5th to hear Chris and others tell true stories from their own lives, live without notes! Doors open at 7. Advance tickets available online (here!).

 

We’re just under a month out from our next event, Turning Point, happening on July 5th, and our new posters are hot off the presses! We encourage you to save your seat in advance – tickets are available through our Upcoming Events and Tickets page. Stay tuned in the coming weeks as we introduce our speakers in preparation for what’s sure to be another great evening of storytelling!

Hi Hamilton!

If you’ve been scoping out our website recently, you may have noticed a new feature: slowly but surely, we’ve been adding podcasts of our live events to our Event Archive page! If you missed an event, are curious about what we’re about, or want to hear a favourite story again, be sure to take a listen! Check back regularly, as more podcasts are on their way…

We’re gearing up for our next event, Turning Point, happening on July 5th at the First Unitarian Church. We’re looking forward to another round of stories from these fine Hamiltonians:

Chris Erl, Urban Planning Student
Maha Hossein, Agricultural Engineer
Jean Ryan, Professional Storyteller
Anne Kalonji, Old Fashioned Maman
Greg Tedesco, Social Justice Advocate
Kevin Makins, Pastor & Storyteller

Tickets are already available online – check out out our Upcoming Events & Tickets page to reserve yours!