Chasing Encounters

From London, Ontario (Canada) and background roots in Greece, Maria help us understand how not only education has been a doorway for opportunities and experiences in life but can be a site for oppression. While attempting to challenge patriarchy and hyper-capitalism, she warns us of dangerous conceptions of freedom of expression that further invisibilize marginalized people’s voices. Maria invites us to connect back to our communities to counter notions of competition, progress and development. She questions our role in society in relation to healing and spirituality as acts of resistance by being able to have real conversations with each other that address issues such as climate change and a sustainable future for our planet earth. Bio: Maria is an educator, facilitator, curriculum designer and researcher whose work centers on how to best create engaging and visionary learning and leading experiences that inspire creative, equitable, and regenerative change. She has significant experience working with trans