Happy 2nd Birthday to the On Canada Project!
I launched the project on June 1, 2020. It is a labour of love, a community response to the pandemic and a love letter to the world we deserve.
In June 2020, I recorded some voice notes that I replayed this morning for the first time. It shared my excitement and my fears. My modest hopes for what we would achieve (we would surpass my goals within a matter of months #humblebrag). The common theme in these recordings was prayers that I wasn't making a huge mistake and continuously giving myself permission to try. Permission to trust my gut, take a leap of faith and step into the unknown even though I was scared. That woman on those voice notes sounds like a completely different person, even though it has only been two years.
I share this because two years into this project, look at the space we take up. Yes, we. Not just me, not just the incredible people who make this project work but you as well. Who OCP is, the space we take up, and the conversations we continue to have on our grid are a testament to both the people behind the grid and the ones engaging with it (aka you).
In two years, we built this. We all contributed different insights, perspectives and talents to get us here, and it genuinely fires me up to think of where we'll be two years from now. Not just as a project and community, but what our communities and country will look like with our ongoing engagement and commitment to disrupt the status quo.
When I listen to those recordings of myself from 2020, I'm surprised by how consistent our overall purpose and vibe have been since the jump. Even then, it was clear that our greatest strength would have to be community and that we had to strive to create a braver space rather than a safer one. My voice notes would also stress that I, the recovering perfectionist, had to let go of my urge to strive for perfection and not let the fear of messing up stop OCP from showing up.
I understand now that I was designing the project to be imperfect because no one is perfect. Instead, I focused on ensuring the project and the work we do would be open to growing, learning, and evolving and not letting fear stop us from leaving our comfort zone.
I hope this is clear to our community, but if it isn't, I'm happy to reiterate it. This project wants you to feel more informed about issues so you can take action and champion change. We want to activate compassion and solidarity and mobilize folks into taking action. We want to model that you don't have to be perfect to show up in solidarity, but you do have to commit to continuous learning. The role we hope to take up is your friendly neighbourhood nerd/ your most informed friend, who works alongside you to disrupt the status quo.
The truth is, On Canada Project isn't the solution to the issues facing our world; you are. We're just excited to be part of your story, just like you are part of ours.
For our second birthday, we have two wishes:
Participate in our democracy
Ontario: Vote!
Everyone else: Email your elected reps about an issue that matters to you.
Financially Contribute/Become an Ambassador and Member of On Canada Project
Ontario, let's ditch Doug together:
1️⃣ June 2 is Election Day 🗳 Download the elections Ontario app so you can get easy access to specific information about you and the candidates in your riding — you can also find out about when to vote and what you need to vote 💡
2️⃣ Use your voice and platform to get friends and family to vote👯♀️👯👯♂️— share this to your stories, make voting plans with friends, text the group chat, message the family WhatsApp — it costs nothing and could change everything.
3️⃣ Links to Strategically Vote 🔴🟠🟢 and save us from the darkest timeline
Can't vote in the Ontario Election? You can still participate in our democracy!
Head to www.oncanadaproject.ca/FindYourRep and email your elected officials! Tell them about an issue that matters to you (climate, education, healthcare, truth and reconciliation etc.,) and ask for an update on what the government is currently doing, what they (as your rep) are currently doing, and ask if they feel like they're doing enough.
Why we want you to buy us a (birthday) coffee ☕
We've created a subscription plan via Buy Me a Coffee to bring you high quality information, while ensuring that OCP can continue to inform and create change sustainably.
Our tiers are priced differently but giving us more money won't give you more benefits -- that just didn't feel aligned.
By subscribing to our Buy Me a Coffee, you will become a member of On Canada Project and an ambassador. In addition, you will be able to:
Keep On Canada Project Free & Accessible to All
Access Our Private Discord Community (June 2022)
Gain Subscription to the Inner Circle Newsletter
Get Quarterly Discounts to Merch
Vote on Content We Create
Get Invites to Quarterly Team Meetings
Gain BTS Access to OCP Team
Unlock Exclusive Q&A Features
What you are saying about OCP?
“The way I view, share, and articulate information changed after discovering OnCanadaProject. It’s a valuable resource for not only Canadians, but for the world. Supporting in this way is the least I could do :)”
“This is hard work and you do it REALLY WELL. You curate information and communicate it in a way that is easy to understand AND ACT UPON. I am continually inspired to know better and do better.”
“On Canada project is a great way to disrupt the status quo and we’re happy to support the cause. You’re amazing, keep up the good work (or good fight, we should say)!”
“This account and the work you do is so important! Thank you for providing perspective and voice for those who often can’t, and motivating me to get more involved. I know that’s not your job, but a byproduct I really appreciate as I continue to learn and grow.”
“You guys have been my pandemic-era news haven! Happy to contribute what I can. Keep up the amazing content! Keep up the well placed profanity- love it all!”
“You and your content is one if a kind. I admire the fact that you are leading extremely difficult conversations worth love and empathy. We need to have some very difficult and ugly conversations. Thank you for all you do.”
