Engaged Flourishing: Moral Agency and the Power of Action in Troubled Times

Fostering strength and compassion in an era of complexity and change

In an age where we are flooded with images of suffering—from the front lines of conflict to the cries for justice on our social media feeds—it can feel almost impossible to stay open and hopeful. How do we flourish as human beings without turning away or numbing out? Is it possible to find well-being while staying engaged with a world in pain?

We believe not only that it’s possible, but that engaged flourishing is the only real path forward. Join Alex Nunn (Action for Happiness) and Dr. Elli Weisbaum, Terry Gardiner and Mikayla Redden (University of Toronto) on Tuesday, October 21 at 6:30 PM for an evening that blends practical tools and deep reflection on what it means to act with heart.

The evening will begin with an Indigenous framing of wellness and land-based grounding practice. Distinguished international guest speaker Alex Nunn will lead a experiential workshop, followed by an open dialogue and Q&A with Dr. Elli Weisbaum and Mikayla Redden, moderated by Terry Gardiner, Director, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Faculty of kinesiology & physical education.

In this session, we will:

• Deepen our understanding of what it means to flourish in a suffering world
• Explore how individual and collective actions can foster hope and meaningful change
• Connect with others who share a commitment to compassion and service
• Find balance between realism and optimism in engaging with today’s realities
• Learn practical ways to tune in, connect, and take action

Together, we’ll explore how moral agency can be a form of resilient, compassionate flourishing rather than a burden, and how we can learn to stay connected without losing hope – register today!

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Speakers:

Alex Nunn

Alex Nunn (he/they) is Head of Movement Building at Action for Happiness, a global movement of over 700,000 people committed to creating a kinder, happier world. With more than 20 years of experience in social change and wellbeing, Alex brings together deep practice and practical action. He is an ordained Buddhist in Thich Nhat Hanh’s Plum Village tradition, and his work integrates mindfulness, community, and activism. Alex is also an experimental musician, weaving creativity into his approach to culture change. He leads workshops worldwide on flourishing, compassion, and the power of deliberate action.

Dr. Elli Weisbaum

Elli Weisbaum (she/her), BFA, MES, PhD, is an endlessly curious human, which has led to her love of teaching and research. She has worked internationally facilitating applied mindfulness workshops and retreats across the sectors of education, healthcare and business. She is based at the University of Toronto as an Assistant Professor (teaching stream) in the Buddhism, Psychology and Mental Health Program (BPMH), at New College, with a joint appointment to the Department of Psychiatry, in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine. She is cross-appointed to the Dalla Lana School of Public Health in their Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (IHPME). She attended her first retreat with Zen Master and Nobel Peace Prize nominee Thich Nhat Hanh just after her tenth birthday, and has continued to train with his international Plum Village community. In March 2025, Elli received the designation of Dharma Teacher in the Plum Village Tradition.Her teaching and research focus on the intersection of contemplative practice, mental health, and organizational culture, with a commitment to creating conditions where individuals and institutions can truly flourish.

Terry Gardiner, RECE, MSW

Terry Gardiner is committed to care and compassion as core values and brings experience in education and community social work to his role as the Director of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education. He leads collaborative equity awareness building and implementation efforts across the wide ranging physical activity, sport and wellness spaces at the University and engages human centred inclusion and belonging within and across many communities. He has provided direct support and guidance to students, faculty, and staff on accessibility, anti-racism, and mental health and wellness. His work focuses on equity and inclusion as practice and human capacity building and he aims to offer mindful attention with intention to the full range of human experiences

Mikayla Redden, MLIS

Mikayla Redden, (she/her) is an Instruction and Information Services Librarian at the New College Library at the University of Toronto. Mikayla is Anishinaabekwe and Anglo settler. Though she is a member of Curve Lake First Nation, she was raised in Nogojiwanong (Peterborough). Her great-grandparents, Jack Jacobs and Edith Marsden, and their minor children were enfranchised under section 214 of the Indian Act, meaning they relinquished their Indian identities and assimilated into white settler society. The family was legally enfranchised until Bill C-31 amended the Indian Act in 1985. Mikayla’s grandmother made community in Hiawatha First Nation, a place she would come to spend summers with her children and later, her grandchildren. Mikayla credits her raising on the Michi Saagiig Nishnaabeg homelands and the voices of Indigenous kin perspectives she takes to her career, where questioning, rethinking, and dismantling are the tools of transformation for library systems and practices. She is passionate about storytelling, anti-racist pedagogies, and amplifying marginalised Knowledges.

About Action for Happiness

We are a movement of people taking action to create a happier and kinder world, together.

Our vision is a happier world, where everyone can thrive. The mission of Action for Happiness is to help people create a happier world, with a culture that prioritises happiness and kindness.

We do this by helping people get together regularly (face-to-face where possible) to learn evidence-based skills for happier living, feel a sense of belonging and commit to personal action to create more happiness, both for themselves and others. We have no religious, political, or commercial affiliations and welcome people of all faiths, religions and worldviews. Members of the movement make a simple pledge: to try to create more happiness in the world.

Our patron is the Dalai Lama.

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Join us for our Refreshment Social! 🍕🍕🍕FREE Pizza will be served from 5:30 – 6:20 PM 🍕🍕🍕

We would like to thank Action for Happiness, University of Toronto’s New College and Buddhism, Psychology and Mental Health Program, University of Toronto’s Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education, and BPSU (Buddhism and Psychology Student Union) for their collaboration on this event.