How to have a Compassionate City | Walter Sendzik | TEDxEdenHighSchool

[Music]

[Music] fitting that I’m standing in the middle

fitting that I’m standing in the middle

fitting that I’m standing in the middle of a circle and you’re gonna learn more

of a circle and you’re gonna learn more

of a circle and you’re gonna learn more about that as I talk about the

about that as I talk about the

about that as I talk about the compassionate City project I want you to

compassionate City project I want you to

compassionate City project I want you to imagine a city that’s not defined by its

imagine a city that’s not defined by its

imagine a city that’s not defined by its roads its buildings its parks but I want

roads its buildings its parks but I want

roads its buildings its parks but I want you to you imagine imagine a city that

you to you imagine imagine a city that

you to you imagine imagine a city that is defined by its inclusivity its

is defined by its inclusivity its

is defined by its inclusivity its diversity

diversity

diversity so the concept I’m going to be talking

so the concept I’m going to be talking

so the concept I’m going to be talking about today has the power to change

about today has the power to change

about today has the power to change community and redefine a city so I

community and redefine a city so I

community and redefine a city so I became mayor and when I became mayor I

became mayor and when I became mayor I

became mayor and when I became mayor I started to learn more about the issues

started to learn more about the issues

started to learn more about the issues that face communities not just in st.

that face communities not just in st.

that face communities not just in st. Catharines brought across the country

Catharines brought across the country

Catharines brought across the country we’re a midsize city issues like poverty

we’re a midsize city issues like poverty

we’re a midsize city issues like poverty mental illness addiction those things

mental illness addiction those things

mental illness addiction those things that happen in our community that we

that happen in our community that we

that happen in our community that we don’t really talk about often enough and

don’t really talk about often enough and

don’t really talk about often enough and when you look at how we change

when you look at how we change

when you look at how we change communities I had an opportunity to go

communities I had an opportunity to go

communities I had an opportunity to go to a couple of poverty summits and I was

to a couple of poverty summits and I was

to a couple of poverty summits and I was I was listening to those at the poverty

I was listening to those at the poverty

I was listening to those at the poverty summits talk about what we’re doing and

summits talk about what we’re doing and

summits talk about what we’re doing and how we’re trying to help those in our

how we’re trying to help those in our

how we’re trying to help those in our community we could talk about transit we

community we could talk about transit we

community we could talk about transit we could talk about affordable housing we

could talk about affordable housing we

could talk about affordable housing we could talk about the kind of help that

could talk about the kind of help that

could talk about the kind of help that helps people get back on their feet but

helps people get back on their feet but

helps people get back on their feet but I kept writing down this one line and it

I kept writing down this one line and it

I kept writing down this one line and it starts from within it’s this concept of

starts from within it’s this concept of

starts from within it’s this concept of starting from within and so when I came

starting from within and so when I came

starting from within and so when I came back I kept coming back to this simple

back I kept coming back to this simple

back I kept coming back to this simple line and what does starts from within

line and what does starts from within

line and what does starts from within mean so looking at community I started

mean so looking at community I started

mean so looking at community I started to see community as a circle and so when

to see community as a circle and so when

to see community as a circle and so when you look at the city of st. Catharines

you look at the city of st. Catharines

you look at the city of st. Catharines and you look at it from the perspective

and you look at it from the perspective

and you look at it from the perspective of a circle much like I’m in today ask

of a circle much like I’m in today ask

of a circle much like I’m in today ask yourselves I want you to

yourselves I want you to

yourselves I want you to was your eyes and picture a circle and

was your eyes and picture a circle and

was your eyes and picture a circle and who do you see in that circle your mum

who do you see in that circle your mum

who do you see in that circle your mum and dad your parents your brothers and

and dad your parents your brothers and

and dad your parents your brothers and sisters your friends your neighbors now

sisters your friends your neighbors now

sisters your friends your neighbors now I want to ask you about those who do you

I want to ask you about those who do you

I want to ask you about those who do you see the homeless person in that circle

see the homeless person in that circle

see the homeless person in that circle do you see the young mother who has an

do you see the young mother who has an

do you see the young mother who has an autistic child who hasn’t been able to

autistic child who hasn’t been able to

autistic child who hasn’t been able to go for dinner in a month do you see the

go for dinner in a month do you see the

go for dinner in a month do you see the older widowed woman who no longer has a

older widowed woman who no longer has a

older widowed woman who no longer has a family Network do you see the sex trade

family Network do you see the sex trade

family Network do you see the sex trade worker do you see the drug addict

worker do you see the drug addict

worker do you see the drug addict because they don’t see themselves in

because they don’t see themselves in

because they don’t see themselves in that circle and I’m sure a lot of us

that circle and I’m sure a lot of us

that circle and I’m sure a lot of us folks don’t see themselves in that

folks don’t see themselves in that

folks don’t see themselves in that circle as well so that brings us to the

circle as well so that brings us to the

circle as well so that brings us to the concept of compassionate City because as

concept of compassionate City because as

concept of compassionate City because as part of a compassionate City we are all

part of a compassionate City we are all

part of a compassionate City we are all inside the circle we stand inside the

inside the circle we stand inside the

inside the circle we stand inside the circle there’s no one who’s invisible

circle there’s no one who’s invisible

circle there’s no one who’s invisible there’s no one who’s marginalized and

there’s no one who’s marginalized and

there’s no one who’s marginalized and how do we use our sight how do we use a

how do we use our sight how do we use a

how do we use our sight how do we use a lens to ensure that we’re inside that

lens to ensure that we’re inside that

lens to ensure that we’re inside that circle so it starts with the lens of

circle so it starts with the lens of

circle so it starts with the lens of compassion we get up every day and we

compassion we get up every day and we

compassion we get up every day and we put a lens on on how we look at the

put a lens on on how we look at the

put a lens on on how we look at the world we got a lens of indifference we

world we got a lens of indifference we

world we got a lens of indifference we have a lens of apathy frustration anger

have a lens of apathy frustration anger

have a lens of apathy frustration anger there’s these lenses that we put on

there’s these lenses that we put on

there’s these lenses that we put on whether you wear glasses or not we put

whether you wear glasses or not we put

whether you wear glasses or not we put them on every day the compassionate City

them on every day the compassionate City

them on every day the compassionate City project is saying you can put on a

project is saying you can put on a

project is saying you can put on a compassionate lens every day and why did

compassionate lens every day and why did

compassionate lens every day and why did we choose compassion what is it about

we choose compassion what is it about

we choose compassion what is it about that word compassion is care plus action

that word compassion is care plus action

that word compassion is care plus action we all care for one another I see that

we all care for one another I see that

we all care for one another I see that every day as mayor we all care for one

every day as mayor we all care for one

every day as mayor we all care for one another but it’s the action part that

another but it’s the action part that

another but it’s the action part that has the opportunity to change how we

has the opportunity to change how we

has the opportunity to change how we think it has the opportunity to get to

think it has the opportunity to get to

think it has the opportunity to get to the root causes of poverty so the

the root causes of poverty so the

the root causes of poverty so the compassionate city project is about

compassionate city project is about

compassionate city project is about changing how we see one another

changing how we see one another

changing how we see one another it’s about how we interact with one

it’s about how we interact with one

it’s about how we interact with one another

another

another and I believe that that is the way that

and I believe that that is the way that

and I believe that that is the way that you can get to the root causes of

you can get to the root causes of

you can get to the root causes of addiction of mental health of poverty

addiction of mental health of poverty

addiction of mental health of poverty the cycle of poverty that is affecting

the cycle of poverty that is affecting

the cycle of poverty that is affecting more and more people in our community

more and more people in our community

more and more people in our community that is marginalizing more and more

that is marginalizing more and more

that is marginalizing more and more people that surround us through the

people that surround us through the

people that surround us through the compassionate lens you can make a

compassionate lens you can make a

compassionate lens you can make a difference because while I believe it’s

difference because while I believe it’s

difference because while I believe it’s important that we can give to an

important that we can give to an

important that we can give to an organization or that we can donate to an

organization or that we can donate to an

organization or that we can donate to an organization or we can retweet about a

organization or we can retweet about a

organization or we can retweet about a cause that we believe in there’s more

cause that we believe in there’s more

cause that we believe in there’s more that needs to be done and that starts

that needs to be done and that starts

that needs to be done and that starts with how you approach how you think

with how you approach how you think

with how you approach how you think about those beside you how you think

about those beside you how you think

about those beside you how you think about your neighbors your friends down

about your neighbors your friends down

about your neighbors your friends down the road but also those that are been

the road but also those that are been

the road but also those that are been largely marginalized to the point of

largely marginalized to the point of

largely marginalized to the point of being invisible

being invisible

being invisible so I’ll just share a quick story as

so I’ll just share a quick story as

so I’ll just share a quick story as mayor I’ve been talking about the

mayor I’ve been talking about the

mayor I’ve been talking about the compassionate City project for the

compassionate City project for the

compassionate City project for the better part of last year I had an

better part of last year I had an

better part of last year I had an opportunity to go away last year we went

opportunity to go away last year we went

opportunity to go away last year we went to nova scotia with my family and during

to nova scotia with my family and during

to nova scotia with my family and during that time there was a sweep in a part of

that time there was a sweep in a part of

that time there was a sweep in a part of our city the police went in and arrested

our city the police went in and arrested

our city the police went in and arrested a whole bunch of folks they’re called

a whole bunch of folks they’re called

a whole bunch of folks they’re called prostitutes they’re really sex trade

prostitutes they’re really sex trade

prostitutes they’re really sex trade workers and the paper had it on the

workers and the paper had it on the

workers and the paper had it on the front cover they were handcuffed and all

front cover they were handcuffed and all

front cover they were handcuffed and all across my social media feeds I started

across my social media feeds I started

across my social media feeds I started getting these tweets and messages

getting these tweets and messages

getting these tweets and messages Facebook messages in Halifax I’m

Facebook messages in Halifax I’m

Facebook messages in Halifax I’m thinking what’s going on in in my city

thinking what’s going on in in my city

thinking what’s going on in in my city get in contact with my staff and they’re

get in contact with my staff and they’re

get in contact with my staff and they’re saying mr. mayor the community is

saying mr. mayor the community is

saying mr. mayor the community is talking about how the police went in and

talking about how the police went in and

talking about how the police went in and arrested these women you got to do

arrested these women you got to do

arrested these women you got to do something about it I said let us sit for

something about it I said let us sit for

something about it I said let us sit for so I had an opportunity to come back a

so I had an opportunity to come back a

so I had an opportunity to come back a few days later and what it showed to me

few days later and what it showed to me

few days later and what it showed to me as I read through the feeds it was mr.

as I read through the feeds it was mr.

as I read through the feeds it was mr. mayor how is this a compassionate City

mayor how is this a compassionate City

mayor how is this a compassionate City when you’re arresting these men with

when you’re arresting these men with

when you’re arresting these men with these women mr. mayor how was you

these women mr. mayor how was you

these women mr. mayor how was you showing compassion when these women who

showing compassion when these women who

showing compassion when these women who are down on their luck are being put in

are down on their luck are being put in

are down on their luck are being put in jail mr. mayor how was this a

jail mr. mayor how was this a

jail mr. mayor how was this a compassionate City and the unique aspect

compassionate City and the unique aspect

compassionate City and the unique aspect of it is if this incident would have

of it is if this incident would have

of it is if this incident would have happened two years ago it would have

happened two years ago it would have

happened two years ago it would have been on the front page and then

been on the front page and then

been on the front page and then forgotten about the women would have

forgotten about the women would have

forgotten about the women would have been invisible but now because of the

been invisible but now because of the

been invisible but now because of the compassionate City project the community

compassionate City project the community

compassionate City project the community was saying how is that compassion we

was saying how is that compassion we

was saying how is that compassion we need to work with these women we need to

need to work with these women we need to

need to work with these women we need to work with the women to ensure that

work with the women to ensure that

work with the women to ensure that they’re brought back into our community

they’re brought back into our community

they’re brought back into our community that they are given the supports not put

that they are given the supports not put

that they are given the supports not put in jail given the supports to try and

in jail given the supports to try and

in jail given the supports to try and get their life back on track that showed

get their life back on track that showed

get their life back on track that showed that using a lens of compassion works

that using a lens of compassion works

that using a lens of compassion works because we were able to change and work

because we were able to change and work

because we were able to change and work with the Niagara Regional Police and

with the Niagara Regional Police and

with the Niagara Regional Police and social agencies to give the women the

social agencies to give the women the

social agencies to give the women the opportunity to get back on their feet

opportunity to get back on their feet

opportunity to get back on their feet to break the cycle of poverty that’s

to break the cycle of poverty that’s

to break the cycle of poverty that’s what compassionate City means and that’s

what compassionate City means and that’s

what compassionate City means and that’s what compassionate City is doing you

what compassionate City is doing you

what compassionate City is doing you have the power to look at community in a

have the power to look at community in a

have the power to look at community in a different way using compassion you can

different way using compassion you can

different way using compassion you can be the change you can make the change so

be the change you can make the change so

be the change you can make the change so my ask is this just imagine if st.

my ask is this just imagine if st.

my ask is this just imagine if st. Catharines was known as the most

Catharines was known as the most

Catharines was known as the most compassionate city in Canada or how

compassionate city in Canada or how

compassionate city in Canada or how about North America or the world how

about North America or the world how

about North America or the world how would you see and who would you see in

would you see and who would you see in

would you see and who would you see in that circle thank you

that circle thank you

that circle thank you [Applause]

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