We Day – MSS celebrates joys of empathy

M’CHIGEENG—We Day Manitoulin was held May 11 at Manitoulin Secondary School (MSS) in M’Chigeeng and what a day it was! We Day, formerly Free the Children, was founded in 1995 by Canadian Craig Kielburger, a child’s rights activist. We Day is held in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom and was initiated to empower, educate and inspire students.

Isaac Goose and Sandi Kuntsi, MSS students, served as hosts for the occasion that was organized by the school’s SHARE/Go Green committee. The event was attended by Island students from Grade 7 to 12 who were inspired to take action for social causes in their communities.

“We want,” said Ms. Kuntsi, “to inspire you to take action against poverty both globally and locally. You can create social change here at home.” She went on to outline some of the activities that the committee had done, including collecting 1,490 cans of food for the food bank, planting trees and collecting used batteries. “SHARE,” she added, “creates lasting memories and makes a positive difference in the world.”

The We Day program featured guest speakers, videos and dancers and began with a video featuring keynote speaker Spencer West. Mr. West lost his legs from the pelvis down when he was five years old, but that has not stopped him. He has spoken at many We events about facing his challenges, has climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, written a best-seller about his life and starred in a documentary shown at the Toronto Film Festival. Mr. West has helped many to overcome obstacles and create change.

Next in line was a video featuring the world renowned musicians, the Kenyan Boys’ Choir, followed by SHARE members asking the audience to jump up and learn the We Day Manitoulin Dance.

“Remember those moves,” Ms. Kuntsi said, “cuz we’ll be dancing more later. For our first stellar performance of the day,” she went on to say, “I would like to introduce Danny Lamb. He has shared the stage with acts such as Mother Mother, Trooper, Marianas Trench, Fefe Dobson and David Wilcox. Danny is here today to help you realize that music can be a powerful tool to bring positive change.”

Mr. Lamb is a musician with the band The Association. He has spina bifida/hydrocephalus and has had brain surgery, including a shunt that broke twice, that put an end to his love of soccer. “I had lost everything that made me who I am,” he said, but a Rotary trip to Brazil changed that. He became an ambassador for spina bifida and his music led to the WE movement. Mr. Lamb showed his prowess with a soccer ball while talking to the students and explaining that music bridges the gap between people.

The next guest welcomed to Manitoulin was rapper A. Persona who is also a songwriter and you tuber on a mission to ignite moments of optimism and joy one rhyme at a time. She left the Philippines to move to Canada and suffered alone from high functioning depression for a long time. She drops a tune every Tuesday on YouTube and has had sold out concerts in Toronto and Niagara Falls while she works on a university degree in math. “Thank you for the good vibes Manitoulin Island,” she yelled out as she finished her segment.

Next in line was Ellie Maxwell of Evansville. She is a 10-year-old with a beautiful voice. Accompanied by Alex Baran of Providence Bay on piano, Miss Maxwell dedicated two songs, including Somewhere over the Rainbow, to “all those children who dream of a better life.” As Ms. Kuntsi said, “even though she’s small, her talent is through the roof.”

Ashley Rose Murphy is no stranger to We Days as she has spoken at many of these events over the years. Ms. Murphy is the granddaughter of well-known Islanders Keith and Kathy Size of Sandfield. She is a public speaker and is enrolled in the theatre program at York University.

“I am HIV positive,” Ms. Murphy said. “I was born with it. My late mother was a drug addict and an alcoholic. We both had full blown AIDS. I was considered terminally ill, and then the amazing Murphy family came along. I am the second oldest of 10 kids. I was told I was HIV positive when I was seven-years-old.” Ms. Murphy faced discrimination when people learned that she was HIV positive. This made her want to speak out.

“At age 10,” she said, “I started speaking out at small conferences and then We Day asked me to speak in Ottawa. I found my voice through speaking.” Ms. Murphy has spoken about her condition and the obstacles she overcame in Kenya, Ethiopia and will soon journey to Ecuador.

“Yes,” she went on to say, “I have gone through a lot, but I am still here. I urge you to speak out about what you are passionate about. You can do anything you put your mind to.”

Ashley Quackenbush, an Islander and former MSS and SHARE alumni, also spoke at the seminar. She has worked with WE for many years and is an advocate for mental health.

“I share my mental health journey through music,” said this Worth Living organization D.J. “For years, I have struggled with depression and anxiety.” She was sexually abused by her D.J. and struggled every day. Things reached a summit in 2013 when Ms. Quackenbush fell apart and attempted suicide as she just wanted the pain to end. “Don’t be like me,” she said. “Seek support. Today, I know that it is okay to not be okay. Reach out to family and friends for help. Don’t be afraid to accept help.”

Errol Lee was the next performer. He has won many awards for his music song writing and dance as well as child advocacy. He sang his song We Care and told the audience, “Everyone who has embraced the stage has inspired hope. Brave men and women have changed the world.” Mr. Lee also introduced his son Shay, also a musician. The duo had a special message for the students. “We can do more together when we work together. Think of all we can do together. We can make the world a better place. Together we can do all things.”

Patrick Voo also performed at We Day. He is from Barrie and is a motivational speaker, an actor, fashionista and ultra-marathoner with 20 marathons to his name. His message to the students was to take “small steps to big dreams. It is all about small steps. Sometimes we try to take too big a step. If you want to become a leader, be a champion for someone who is lonely, for recycling. The values that you clothe yourself with are more important than the clothes you wear.”

The next performer was young singer Em Jordan who has just released her single House of Cards. She enacts her music to raise awareness about spina bifida and also so that others with the condition will know that they are not alone.

Marnie Brown, the executive director of Manitoulin Family Resources (MFR) outlined the programs of this organization and spoke of the poverty in Manitoulin communities. She remarked that the World Health Organization (WHO) states that poverty is the single largest detriment to health. She went on to say that 499,415 people used a food bank in Ontario in 2017 with one in three people being children. She made special mention of the MSS Scare Away Hunger Drive and said that the Stuff the Bus campaign that the schools did was the largest campaign she had ever seen. She also talked of the MFR Christmas Hamper Campaign where volunteers prepare 842 food hampers. Ms. Brown told her audience that the fastest growing demographic on Manitoulin is homelessness. Like the other speakers, Ms. Brown also had a message for the students. “Volunteer at a food bank,” she said. “Be part of a food drive. Listen to a friend.”

The final performer was a Bryce Mastelko, an athlete, musician and MSS alumni. He is presently at Laurentian University and shared his love of music with the students and faculty.

Ms. Kuntsi closed We Day Manitoulin by asking the students to “remember today as the day you were inspired to make a difference to your community. Any action is big to someone.”