Speakers

2023 TEDxMaplesMetSchool

Jacob Kaufman is the Team Lead at the Amoowigamig public bathroom/Resource center. Located on the Thunderbird house property in Winnipeg. He also works as an Advocate and consultant for his unsheltered family across North America. 

Jacob grew up in the foster system in the 80s and 90s, and was sent from home to home. The last home he was sent to, abused him horrifically and he escaped there to be homeless at 14. On the street in East Vancouver he found his true family and they showed him the rules, how to survive and even how to thrive, as well as discipline and compassion. 

He now lives in Winnipeg and, with help, has pioneered a public restroom and resource center to offer his unsheltered family a dignified, free and safe place to use the restroom. Jacob attends city counsel meetings and sits on the board of directors at Main Street Project. He spends his days trying to make life a little better and safer for Winnipegs unsheltered. He strives to show people that there is always hope and lives by the philosophy “Treat people like people” everyday.

AnnMarie Baines, PhD, is an educator, researcher, and public speaking coach devoted to promoting self-expression, oral literacy, and community through inclusive education. She is known for her ability to facilitate kind, welcoming places for people to develop their voice, helping them believe their stories and ideas matter and learn to navigate inequities to become transformative leaders. As Founder and Executive Director of Bay Area nonprofit, The Practice Space, AnnMarie and her women-led team elevate underrepresented voices from youth through adulthood, utilizing Expression-Driven Teaching to facilitate brave spaces for storytelling, presentation, and debate. AnnMarie was trained as a special education teacher and started her career as a volunteer speech and debate coach for her high school alma mater.

Today, more than 20 years later, she still gives back to the program that developed her voice as a quiet Filipina who was initially petrified of public speaking. AnnMarie has held faculty positions at UC Berkeley and San Francisco State and was a program officer at the George Lucas Educational Foundation. She received her PhD in Learning Sciences from University of Washington and is the author of two books, including Amplify Student Voices: Equitable Practices to Build Confidence in the Classroom (2023).

My name is Kolby Alexander. I am a two-spirited Blackfoot indigenous individual. I currently have a passion for learning about gender barriers and constructs in our society. I also have a deep love for makeup and plan to turn it into a career someday. I grew up in small town 4 hours way outside of Winnipeg. With the way I grew up, It was difficult, I was judged, and harassed for being different. However this taught me to me more about the world at a young age then some grown adults, I asked questions, I took time to educate myself and learn more about the world. I want to take my experience, take my findings and take everything I’ve learned and share my experience with Gender Identity.

Sherry Mckay is an Indigenous Content Creator, Comedian and Influencer. She is Anishinaabe from Treaty 1 Territory of Sagkeeng First Nation with roots in Berens River and Sandy Bay. She is a mother of 4 residing in Winnipeg Manitoba.