Full Schedule
2025 Making a Life, Making a Living Conference / Conférence Se faire une vie, gagner sa vie
Wednesday, November 12, 2025
Schedule at a Glance
Pre-Opening Tour
Time: 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Facilitator: Lewis Cardinal
Tour: kihcihkaw askî – Sacred Land
Location: Whitemud Park, 14141 Fox Drive NW, Edmonton
Conference Registration
Time: 2:00 p.m.
Location: Matrix Hotel – Desk outside elevators
Opening Night Program
Time: 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Location: Matrix Hotel
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5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Live music during registration and guest arrival
Musicians: Evan Westfal & Emmet Michael
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6:00 p.m. – 6:40 p.m.
Indigenous Opening Ceremony – Led by Elder Richard Jenkins
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6:40 p.m. – 6:45 p.m.
Welcome & Introduction – Cheyenne Mihko Kihêw (they/them), M.C.
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6:45 p.m. – 7:15 p.m.
Keynote Speaker: Chris Cochrane
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7:15 p.m. – 7:50 p.m.
Other opening remarks and transition to networking
Evening Networking & Social
Time: 7:50 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Live Music: Emmet Michael
Activity: Informal networking
Late Night Event
Kiki Money BALL
Time: 9:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.
Details: Plans in progress — more information to come
Day 2 – Thursday, November 13, 2025
Location: University of Alberta
Join us for a full day of learning, connection, and community-building, featuring keynote speakers, concurrent sessions, and social events.
Poster Exhibit (All Day)
Location: Poster Area
Featured Poster: Building 2S Entrepreneurial Ecosystems: Centering Land, Identity, and Storytelling
Presented by: Angelina Lamy
Schedule at a Glance
Morning Keynote
Time: 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
Location: Room TBD
Welcome by: Dr. André McDonald, M.C.
Keynote Speaker: Shelly-Ann Skinner, Uplift Black
Concurrent Sessions – Morning Block 1
Time: 9:45 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.
Concurrent sessions in Rooms A, B, and C
Break: 10:45 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Coffee and transition to next session
Concurrent Sessions – Morning Block 2
Time: 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Concurrent sessions in Rooms A, B, and C
Lunch: 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Afternoon Keynote
Time: 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Location: Room TBD
Welcome by: Dr. Anne-José Villeneuve, M.C.
Keynote Speaker: Rafaël Provost, Ensemble
Concurrent Sessions – Afternoon Block 1
Time: 2:15 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.
Concurrent sessions in Rooms A, B, and C
Break: 3:15 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Coffee and transition to next session
Concurrent Sessions – Afternoon Block 2
Time: 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Concurrent sessions in Rooms A, B, and C
Concurrent Sessions – Afternoon Block 3
Time: 4:45 p.m. – 5:45 p.m.
Concurrent sessions in Rooms A, B, and C
Evening Social Events
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Happy Hour / Cinq à Sept
Time: 5:45 p.m.
Location: La Cité francophone
8627 Rue Marie-Anne Gaboury (91e Rue), Edmonton, AB T6C 3N1 -
Evening Gathering
Time: 7:45 p.m. – Close
Location: Evolution Wonderlounge
10220 103 St NW, Edmonton, AB T5J 0Y8
Day 3 – Friday, November 14, 2025
Locations: Morning Matrix Hotel & Afternoon University of Alberta
The third day of the conference continues with dynamic keynotes, rich discussions in concurrent sessions, and a celebratory evening event to close out the week.
Poster Exhibit (All Day)
Location: Poster Area
Featured Poster: Building 2S Entrepreneurial Ecosystems: Centering Land, Identity, and Storytelling
Presented by: Angelina Lamy
Schedule at a Glance
Morning Keynote
Time: 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
Location: Room TBD
Welcome by: Dr. Reisa Klein, M.C.
Keynote Speaker: Ivan Coyote
Concurrent Sessions – Morning Block 1
Time: 9:45 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.
Concurrent sessions in Rooms A, B, and C
Break: 10:45 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Coffee and transition to next session
Concurrent Sessions – Morning Block 2
Time: 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Concurrent sessions in Rooms A, B, and C
Lunch: 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Afternoon Keynote
Time: 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Location: Room TBD
Welcome by: Naoufel Tessaouni, M.C.
Keynote Speaker: Shalini Sinha
Concurrent Sessions – Afternoon Block 1
Time: 2:15 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.
Concurrent sessions in Rooms A, B, and C
Break: 3:15 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Coffee and transition to next session
Concurrent Sessions – Afternoon Block 2
Time: 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Concurrent sessions in Rooms A, B, and C
Concurrent Sessions – Afternoon Block 3
Time: 4:45 p.m. – 5:45 p.m.
Final set of concurrent sessions in Rooms A, B, and C
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MANGO : A Community Mouvement Happening
Time: 6:00 p.m. -7:00p.m.
Artists: Sika Valmé and AMOÛGIVAN
Join us for a multidimensional experience centered around Mango, a collaborative presentation by Sika and Amougivan. This happening blends music video projection, autobiographical storytelling, and collective movement to explore queer entrepreneurship, artistry, and growth at the intersections of identity. Through guided choreography and participatory performance, we’ll create space for French, English, and Haitian Creole vocabulary to flow. Rooted in diasporic experience, Mango reflects on hybridity and the joy of choosing a path that honours all parts of who we are. All bodies and abilities are welcome. Come ready to groove, witness, and co-create.
Day 4 – Saturday, November 15, 2025
Location: The Matrix Hotel
The final day offers time for reflection, storytelling, and meaningful closure.
Poster Exhibit (All Day)
Location: Poster Area
Featured Poster: Building 2S Entrepreneurial Ecosystems: Centering Land, Identity, and Storytelling
Presented by: Angelina Lamy
Schedule at a Glance
Concurrent Sessions – Morning Block 1
Time: 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
Location: Room A
A series of presentations followed by Q&A
Break: 9:30 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.
Coffee and transition to next session
Concurrent Sessions – Morning Block 2
Time: 9:45 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Location: Room A
Continued presentations followed by Q&A
Closing Keynote
Time: 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Welcome by: Laurabel Mba, M.C.
Keynote Speaker: Paulete Poitras
Closing Ceremony
Time: 12:00 p.m.
Indigenous Elder Richard Jenkins
Lunch & Farewell