Special Events
PRESIDENT'S PANEL
on Campus-Community Partnerships
May 14th, 2025 | 12:15 - 1:15 PM | Betty Andrews Recital Hall
Join MacEwan University’s President, Dr. Annette Trimbee, and some of the university’s valued partners for conversation on this year’s C2UExpo theme, “Partners in Place.” This moderated panel discussion will offer insights into thriving campus-community partnerships, exemplified in the ways that Edmonton’s premier undergraduate university and local influential organizations partner together to make positive impacts in the Edmonton region.
MacEwan is grounded in place. Located in the municipal ward O-day’min, the university is invested in the future of its community through key directions from its strategic vision and active engagement with non-profit and industry partners. Community-based research and experiential learning are essential for MacEwan; reciprocal relationships between the university and partner organizations in the region contribute to transformative educational experiences for its students and real-world impacts. MacEwan is also a vital contributor to the vibrancy of Edmonton’s downtown core.
In this session, panelists will discuss the value and positive impacts that campus-community partnerships can bring, how to build and maintain campus-community relationships, and emergent trends. The panel will share place-based learnings and demonstrated approaches that have led to meaningful partnerships.
Assistant Professor and Journalist Sheena Rossiter will moderate the panel, which includes:
Dr. Annette Trimbee
MacEwan University
President & Vice-Chancellor
Dr. Annette Trimbee is the sixth president and vice-chancellor of MacEwan University, and was recently reappointed to her 2nd term starting in August 2025. President Trimbee’s professional journey has taken her from the water’s edge to the city's core, bringing a wealth of experience and knowledge as a leader in both the post-secondary and the public sectors. Prior to joining MacEwan in 2020, Dr Trimbee served as president and vice-chancellor of the University of Winnipeg. She also had a distinguished, 25-year career with the Government of Alberta, including serving as deputy minister with Advanced Education and Technology as well Treasury Board and Finance. Dr Trimbee currently serves on the boards of Edmonton Global, World Universities Service Canada (WUSC), The Conversation Canada, and the Rideau Hall Foundation (RHF). In 2022, Dr. Trimbee received the Indspire Award in Education, and in 2024, received a WXN Top 100 Award recognizing her as one of Canada’s most powerful women.
Dr. Annemarie Leenhouts-Petrov
Winspear Centre
President & Chief Executive Officer
Throughout her career, Annemarie Petrov has focused on advancing the contributions that live music makes to our communities. The Winspear Project is the culmination of a lifetime of observing the need humans have to make and share live music. A native of Montréal, and a graduate of McGill University in French horn, she pursued her performance career in Europe until a call to join Symphony New Brunswick as General Manager. Subsequent posts included the National Arts Centre and Winnipeg Symphony. During her career, she has worked alongside such inspiring leaders as Trevor Pinnock and the late Bramwell Tovey. She developed the music outreach and education programs at the National Arts Centre, managed the Winnipeg New Music Festival, and operated a maverick interdisciplinary arts facility. In her current role, she has led a visionary strategic plan to create a state-of-the-art centre for music where everyone is welcome. It harnesses the power of music to build community and satisfy humanity’s search for meaning. Dr. Petrov currently serves on the Board of Directors as Chair of the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce, the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Arts Awards, and the Edmonton International Airports Business Advisory Committee. She is a founding member of the Edmonton Chapter of the International Women's Forum, a recipient of the Rozsa Innovation Award, the national Betty Webster Award, and holds an honorary doctorate from MacEwan University.
Kalen Anderson, MA MUP
BILD Edmonton Metro
Chief Executive Officer
Kalen Anderson is an experienced executive leader and effective manager with a personal and professional commitment to building sustainable partnerships, communities, cities and city-regions. Prior to joining BILD Edmonton Metro as Chief Executive Officer, she served as CEO of the Urban Development Institute – Edmonton Metro since 2021 and was previously the Vice President of Capital Planning and Chief Planner with the National Capital Commission and Planning Director and senior leader at the City of Edmonton. Collaborative decision-making, successful relationship building, and strategic communications are at the heart of her practice. A passionate and dedicated city builder who wants the best for the communities and clients that she serves, Kalen’s leadership is founded on a broad understanding of urban growth and development issues supported by strong political acumen, good governance processes, smart advocacy strategies, and an accountable and transparent management approach.
Jane Flower, MA MBA
Alberta Motor Association (AMA)
Vice President, Corporate Purpose
Jane Flower has nearly three decades of experience in brand strategy and management, marketing, communications, and community engagement. As Vice-President, Corporate Purpose, she provides oversight for AMA’s work around Climate & Environment, Inclusion & Belonging, and Corporate Responsibility all of which is heavily dependent upon mobilizing effective partnerships to create change. Jane is a passionate advocate for the power of purpose and is proud to help AMA advance its sustainable and inclusive business initiatives, its engagement with strategic partners, and its commitment to working with our communities to build a better future for the next generation of Albertans.
PRIDE VS. PREJUDICE
THE DELWIN VRIEND STORY
Film screening presented by Edmonton Community Foundation
May 14th, 2025 | 5:00 - 7:00 PM | Triffo Theatre
This session will feature a screening of PvP followed by a panel discussion exploring how the film was deeply rooted in community-based research and how that research continues to defend 2SLGBTQ+ rights today. Panelists will discuss the methodology and ethics of creating PvP, including the choice to build the creative team with predominantly 2SLGBTQ+ individuals. This approach amplified underrepresented voices and ensured the project authentically reflected the community's lived experiences.
Delwin Vriend never wanted to be a human rights activist, but in challenging his firing for being gay, he set in motion a chain of events that impacted the lives of LGBTQ+ people — not just in Alberta, not just in Canada, but around the globe.
Pride vs. Prejudice delves into the riveting narrative of the Vriend v. Alberta case, where Delwin Vriend, an unlikely hero, courageously battles against discrimination from a government determined to deny his human rights. Uncover the twists and turns that unfold as Vriend's pursuit of justice challenges societal biases, culminating in a ground-breaking Canadian Supreme Court ruling in 1998 that confronts prejudice and sets a transformative precedent for LGBTQ+ rights that is cited around the world.
.jpg)
PANELISTS
Darrin Hagen
Darrin Hagen is an award-winning playwright, author, composer, performer, and Queer historian, and is also the artistic director of Guys In Disguise. He has created over 40 plays, and dozens of published essays and articles, many dealing with the history of sexual minorities in Alberta. Pride vs. Prejudice The Delwin Vriend Story is Darrin’s first documentary film.
.jpg)
Michael Phair
Currently coordinator of Edmonton Pride Senior Group and a member of the Edmonton Queer History Project. In 1984 I was one of the founders and first chair of AIDS Network of Edmonton. From 1992 to 2007 I was an elected member of Edmonton City Council (first openly gay politician) and more recently was the Chair of the Board of Governors of the University of Alberta.
Andrew Paul
Andrew Paul is the Field Producer of Pride vs. Prejudice The Delwin Vriend Story and an award-winning writer and podcaster with 20 years of experience in journalism and non-profit communications. As a Marketing & Communications Advisor at Edmonton Community Foundation (ECF), Andrew oversees the production of the Foundation’s award-winning Thrive magazine and produces ECF’s national award-winning The Well-Endowed Podcast.
STILLS FROM THE FILM
BIG FIGHT IN LITTLE CHINATOWN
Film screening presented by FascinAsian Film Festival
May 12th, 2025 | 5:00 - 7:30 PM | Betty Andrews Recital Hall
All across the globe, Chinatowns are under threat of disappearing – and along with them, the rich history of communities who fought from the margins for a place to belong. Big Fight in Little Chinatown documents the collective fight to save Chinatowns across North America.
Big Fight in Little Chinatown is a story of community resistance and resilience. Set against the backdrop of the COVID pandemic and an unprecedented rise in anti-Asian racism, the documentary takes us into the lives of residents, businesses and community organizers whose neighborhoods are facing active erasure.
Coast to Coast the film follows Chinatown communities resisting the pressures around them. From the construction of the world’s largest vertical jail in New York, Montreal’s fight against developers swallowing up the most historic block of their Chinatown, big box chains and gentrification forces displacing Toronto’s community, to a Vancouver Chinatown business holding steadfast, the film reveals how Chinatown is both a stand-in for other communities who’ve been wiped off the city map, and the blueprint for inclusive and resilient neighbourhoods of the future.
Director: Karen Cho
Karen Cho (曹嘉伦) is a Chinese-Canadian filmmaker known for her socio-political documentaries that explore themes of identity, immigration, and social justice.
STILLS FROM THE FILM
PANELISTS
Yihua Zhang
Yihua Zhang is an organizer, facilitator, and artist based in Edmonton. As a Chinese-immigrant settler, Yihua cares deeply about the ways culture, connection, and relationship can bring community and lead to collective liberation. Yihua first started spending time in Chinatown to reconnect with their diasporic-identity, and has since then led several impactful initiatives such as the Chinatown Care Package workshops, Homeland art installation, anti-racism workshops, and peacemaking circles. Yihua looks towards futures where everyone can feel at home.
Jessica Mah
Jessica Mah has a deep and personal connection to Chinatown—a place that feels like home and holds strong cultural and community significance for her. It is also home to the Mah Society, where she is deeply involved through both personal and family ties. Over the years, she has contributed to projects and events that honour Chinatown’s rich history while supporting its growth as a vibrant, inclusive neighbourhood. A highlight of her involvement has been co-emceeing the Not Your Average Lunar New Year Banquet, where she has the joy of celebrating alongside some of the community’s most inspiring and passionate members. Whether partnering with local organizations, uplifting cultural traditions, or simply lending a helping hand, Jessica is proud to serve a community that continues to inspire her. She is honoured to be part of efforts that preserve Chinatown’s legacy while creating space for new stories, shared experiences, and a lasting sense of belonging for all.
Sarah Dotimas
Sarah Dotimas is a first-generation Filipina who has lived in Edmonton most of her life. She lived in the Philippines from 4-9 years of age and her earliest memories are of her life in her father's home town. Her observations would shape the person she is today. She saw how a community would thrive when people would come together and the opposite when they did not. She is passionate about Community Wellness and has worked and volunteered in Chinatown and the surrounding communities for many moons. Her recent work with RE:VITA, Heart of the City Music Festival, Rhizome, and CO*LAB Community {Arts} Laboratory keeps her busy these days.
Collaborative Music Performance:
A Model for Community-Engaged Artistic Scholarship
May 12th, 2025 | 5:00 - 7:30 PM | Triffo Theatre
Raymond Baril
Raymond Baril is Associate Professor of Music and Chair of the Department of Music at MacEwan University and was Director of the MacEwan University Jazz Ensemble for 37 seasons. Prior to his appointment at MacEwan, he taught with Edmonton Public Schools. He is in his 24th season as Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Edmonton Winds. Raymond remains a much sought after national clinician and adjudicator as well as a featured guest speaker at music education conferences across the country. Raymond continues to work as a professional saxophonist and woodwind specialist for pit orchestras in local and touring productions. He was a regular member of the Tommy Banks Big Band for 25 years and has appeared with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra on numerous occasions as a section member and soloist, as well as a guest conductor. He has released four CDs with the Edmonton Winds. In 2024, under his direction, the Edmonton Winds recorded their fifth CD to be released in the fall of 2025. In addition, Raymond has released CDs with the MacEwan University Generations Big Band and the MacEwan Big Band. Recently, Raymond received the Alberta Music Education Foundation recognition award for his longstanding contributions to music education in Alberta. In addition, he was inducted into Edmonton’s Cultural Hall of Fame 2018 and was recognized in 2016 with a Distinguished Teaching Award from MacEwan University. Raymond holds a graduate degree in conducting from Northwestern University and undergraduate degrees in both performance and education from the University of Alberta.
.jpg)
Allan Gilliland
Join us for a performance and panel presentation featuring the Edmonton Winds!
Community-engaged scholarship plays a pivotal role in bridging the gap between academic institutions and
community-based arts organizations, fostering mutual growth and understanding.
A community ensemble can provide the opportunity for a faculty to draw upon its resources with a primary focus on performing, visual and communication arts, and then to connect them with the outlet for participants to interact, learns and refine skills and share experiences that nurture a deeper understanding and respect by all parties involved. The faculty member or members have the potential to engage in meaningful research that supports their artistic scholarly activity, without altering their artistic practice.
The community-based music ensemble works collaboratively with the academy in artistic creation. There is also the potential for the student to be actively engaged in a work integrated learning environment that draws upon the mentorship from the academy and the community partner. It is the perfect tool for community engagement that creates a space where artistic expression, social interaction, shared experiences, and personal growth share the stage to create a positive outcome that builds valuable bridges between communities and the post-secondary academy.
MacEwan music faculty members Raymond Baril, Allan Gilliland and Paul Johnston, Associate Dean Rose Ginther, along with current students and members of the Edmonton Winds will speak to the value of their experience and conclude with a performance by the Edmonton Winds under the direction of Raymond Baril.