People, Power, and Change

Join legendary organizer Marshall Ganz and Mayor Olivia Chow, one of his former students, for a conversation on leadership, democracy, and organizing for change.

Hosted in partnership with the Institute for Change Leaders and moderated by Toronto Star political columnist Martin Regg Cohn, this event will explore Ganz's latest book , and how collective action is more vital than ever.

We are committed to hosting an inclusive and accessible event for everyone. Please indicate any accessibility needs you require in the registration form.

In this free public event, Marshall Ganz will share insights from his latest book, with Mayor Olivia Chow and moderated by Toronto Star political columnist Martin Regg Cohn.

Time: 12–1 p.m.

Location: Sears Atrium (George Vari Engineering and Computing Centre, Third Floor - 245 Church St, Toronto, ON M5B 1Z4)

Books will be available for purchase at the event.

Following the book talk, join us for a hands-on workshop led by Marshall Ganz and facilitators from the Dais and ICL. The workshop is free. Purchase of People, Power, Change is encouraged.

Marshall Ganz is Rita T. Hauser Senior Lecturer in Leadership, Organizing, and Civil Society at the Harvard Kennedy School. A long-time organizer and teacher, Ganz works with the Leading Change Network and dozens of other grassroots groups in the United States and around the world to develop critically needed organizing capacity.

Olivia Chow was elected Mayor of Toronto in June, 2023. A former New Democratic Party MP for Trinity-Spadina, she previously served six terms as a Metro Toronto councillor, and as a school trustee. A sculptor and activist, teacher and counselor, she was also a Distinguished Visiting Professor at Toronto Metropolitan University, where she founded the Institute for Change Leaders on campus. She studied religion and philosophy at U of T, fine art at OCAD, and graduated with a BA from Guelph University.

Martin Regg Cohn is a political columnist at the Toronto Star. He is the founder of the Democracy Forum at Toronto Metropolitan University, and a Senior Fellow at the Dais. A foreign correspondent for 11 years in Asia and the Middle East, he was also Foreign Editor and a Parliamentary correspondent. He is also a Senior Fellow at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the University of Toronto.

The Institute for Change Leaders (ICL) | Institut des leaders du changements (ILC) equips people from all walks of life with the cutting-edge leadership, story-telling, and concrete organizing skills to win transformative and sustainable progressive change, using the model of legendary organizer and Harvard professor Marshall Ganz. 

The Dais is Canada’s platform for bold policies and better leaders. The Dais is a public policy and leadership think tank at Toronto Metropolitan University, working at the intersection of technology, education and democracy to build shared prosperity and citizenship for Canada. Visit us at dais.ca.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Sears Atrium, George Vari Engineering and Computing Centre, 245 Church Street, 3rd Floor, Toronto, Canada