Work at CSI for the day with our new Lounge Pass!
Join Us
Log In
News

It’s a wrap for the Annex Film Series!

  • Categories Member Stories
Audra Williams

Audra Williams

Over the past six months, CSI Annex has been home to a film series on topics of social justice and social innovation. The events provided the community to learn not only from the films themselves, but also from each other during the post-screening conversations.

They films+dates were as follows:

Now that the series is over, we checked in with Colin Scheyen, the organizer and curator of the series, to ask what his thoughts were on how the series had gone, and what is coming up next.

1. How many films in total where screened during the series?
In total we hosted 6 screening events and showcased 10 films and 1 interactive documentary.

2. How did you choose the films?
We did an open call through the CSI networks and the DOC Institute networks. In total, approximately 30 films were submitted and I selected 10 films that met our “IDEA” criteria. IDEA stands for themes of exclusivity, diversity, equity, and accessibility.

3. Were there any surprise crowd favourites?
Every film we screened received a positive response from the audience. After viewing the films, people engaged in lively conversations with the filmmakers and non-profit organizations who are dealing with the issues that the films discuss.

4. What films did you each find most informative?
Each film was informative in its own way. I enjoyed every one of them. However, I really felt that the audience did most of it learning through the discussions that took place afterwards. It really solidified the idea to me that films don’t change the world; people change the world. Films and art are there to spark conversations and it is through those conversations that we change the world.

5. Any plans to do another series?
This season has come to a close. We will review over the summer and then decide how best to continue this series.

Keep Reading
CSI Spadina in the ground floor kitchen, looking out towards the lounge and meeting rooms. In the foreground is a kitchen counter, with waffles, toppings, and glasses of coffees and teas. In the background, CSI CEO Tonya Surman is speaking into a microphone on the left. In the middle and on the right, a variety of people stand and sit, listening to her speak.
Who Are Our Community Animators?
Member Stories, Programs
One of the keys to CSI's magic is our Community Animator Program (CAP) and, specifically, the Community Animators themselves! Through this program, we've worked with more than 1,000 exceptional individuals who have each brought a little something different, and a little sparkle, to our spaces. And we're so glad to have had them in our community, because we've learned that each and every one of them has some exceptional talents, skills, and experiences to offer the world!  
Third floor lounge of CSI Spadina. In the foreground is a light blue loveseat sofa. In the background, we see two people working separately at coworking desks and tables. On the ceiling is a chandelier; to the right, a progress Pride flag.
What Pride Means to Us
Staff
The CSI staff team includes Pride veterans, newcomers, and everywhere in between! This year, as we celebrated Pride in our spaces and with our member community, we turned to our staff team to learn what Pride means to them. Some experienced it for the first time this year and were awash in the joy; others delighted in the fact that Pride remains such a fun celebration decades later. Others noted the increasing corporatization, which draws our attention away from the central premise of Pride - a protest.
whai header
Women HIV/AIDS Initiative on Collective Action and Community Change
Member Stories, Reports & Studies
CSI is many things - a coworking space, a non-profit organization, and a launchpad - but, first and foremost, we are a community. A community of innovators, of changemakers, of neighbours, of people putting people and planet first. And the awesome work that our members do, each and every day, never ceases to amaze us! So of course, we do our best to highlight our members whenever possible. Recently, we had the pleasure of sitting down with Molly Bannerman, Director of Women HIV/Aids Initiative (WHAI), a community-based response to HIV and AIDS among cis and trans women in Ontario. Below is an edited summary of our chat, where we discussed the work of WHAI and their latest Collective Action Community Change report.
Become A Member
Learn About Membership