Proud of CFI Canada in Montreal
As National Executive Director, I have the privilege to engage with members, volunteers and supporters across the country. It’s something I very much enjoy and appreciate. This weekend I was warmly received by a fantastic group of people who also followed through to impress me deeply with their passion, energy and vision. What an amazing group of people.
Joan Bancroft, Badr Hadrioui and a team of volunteers stretching to Ottawa, Peterborough all put together a great demonstration of that vision. Summing up the experience, Joan said, “This little community of ours is a powerhouse…three consecutive days of CFI/Pride programming and you all gave of your time and yourselves to make it so impactful. Think of what we can accomplish by next year? I think of how our community can grow, the friends we’ll make and the conversations our work together will start. Change, on a societal/interpersonal and individual level can be difficult to measure-we can’t always know when/if/how an “intervention” (exposure to a text, interaction in a conversation, attendance at a lecture) will lend itself to a change in attitude or belief, but it matters that we try. It matters that we show up, that we engage ourselves and others in difficult and important conversations. I commend and thank you CFI Montreal, and our support and leadership in Ottawa and T.O- for showing up, and for embracing me. On to the next!”
On a personal level, I was very interested to meet people from diverse backgrounds such as a secularist interested in Human Rights from the UK, a theist who is very opposed to blasphemy laws and others who have their individual reasons for caring about the work that CFI Canada does. I frequently ask others, “Why is CFI Canada the most important place?’ and every time I meet people, I hear the many reasons and ways that people care about the organization and other people. Humans and Individuals really do matter so much.
Eric Adriaans