We are thrilled to extend our warmest invitation to IDEAfest 2023, Vancouver's annual one-day gathering of innovators, thinkers, creatives, and makers like yourself! This year's event promises to celebrate creativity and exploration as we come together to connect, inspire, and shape the future of our community. Our theme for our inaugural year is Change… It’s Up to US!
Event Details: Date: Nov 4th Time: 9:00 am - 4:30 pm
Venue: Community Room - Groove Nation (3000 Columbia House Blvd, Vancouver, WA
About IDEAfest 2023:
IDEAfest is a showcase of remarkable ideas and a platform for change, building upon the success of VANtalks as an annual event that highlights some of the best ideas and changemakers. Our mission is clear - to keep growing the connection builders and idea makers within our community.
The Vision:
"A SHOWCASE OF CREATIVITY AND EXPLORATION DESIGNED TO CONNECT THE INNOVATORS, THINKERS, CREATIVES, AND MAKERS OF OUR COMMUNITY."
In the spirit of creating a future-focused space, IDEAfest aims to provide the inspiration needed to accelerate our community impact. It is a day where dreams and hopes for our community are shared, and where imagination knows no bounds.
What to Expect:
Break the Silos: Connect and build relationships with individuals from diverse backgrounds who share your passion for making a positive impact.
Talk, Discuss, and Dialogue: Engage in meaningful conversations about the community we aspire to be and explore ways to collectively make it happen.
Be Inspired: Listen to local changemakers as they share their stories of how they are already making a difference in our community.
Connect Seeds of Ideas: Contribute to an environment that fosters the exchange, amplification, and implementation of transformative ideas.
IDEAfest 2023 promises to be a day filled with inspiration, collaboration, and boundless possibilities.
Our Speakers:
Dunia Garcia, Digital Marketer
Their Future Not Ours
In a world as diverse as ours, it's time for Vancouver, WA to shine! Let's come together, celebrate our unique cultures, NOT JUST ONE, and create events, training, and programs that reflect the voices in our community. Dunia will be sharing her vision for the future of a culturally connected Vancouver.
Joshua Jones: Partners in Careers Program Director
Reconstructing the Purpose of Privilege
Empowering communities for equality and growth. This approach leverages privilege for collective benefit, champions inclusive leadership, and welcomes discomfort as a catalyst for transformative change in community development.
Heidi Cody: Founder Climate Toothpaste
Using Minty Fresh Art Activism to Recruit Climate Volunteers
Climate Toothpaste combines art, design, activism and humor to educate new climate activists.
Ashley Blose: Mutual Aid Organizer
Solidarity, Not Charity! Vancouver Free Fridge Project Helps the Community Support Each Other
Vancouver Free Fridge Project (VFF) makes it possible for community members to give and take good nutritious food for free, completely anonymously, 24/7, in multiple Vancouver neighborhoods.
Debbie Nelson, Juli Peters, Sandi Christensen: Steering Team Members of Clark Neighbors Food Project
The Power of One Green Bag: Building Community. Sharing Food. One Green Bag at a Time
The Clark Neighbors Food Project has been building community and sharing food in Clark County since 2017. Created by neighbors to combat a growing divisiveness in the neighborhood and an erosion of a sense of community and civility, we focused on building connections between people. With a goal to make it easy for neighbors to connect to share food with those in need, the Food Project has grown community-wide from four volunteers to 125 independent neighborhood coordinators with 2000+ food donors who regularly supply high-quality food to food pantries and schools across the county.
Heidi Johnson Bixby: Entrepreneur
How to Change the World in 3 Steps:
Being a visionary takes rigor. Changing the world takes work. Keep at it. And remember, no one has ever changed the world by staying in their comfort zone. Heidi Johnson Bixby shares her journey - and the steps she took along the way - to help us all feel empowered to change the world in our own ways.
Agenda:
Coffee and Reception - Coffee reception and networking
Welcome - Welcome to IDEAfest 2023!
Networking - Get to know your fellow changemakers. Build your network. Break down silos.
Community inspiration and ideas share - Highlighting five local speakers utilizing a PechaKucha style of presentation to share their stories of impact and change to serve as an inspiration to others
Our Local Change Story - Heidi Johnson Bixby shares her story of “Change… it’s up to Us!”
Community Conversation: World Cafe - A dynamic dialogue-centered approach that creates a space for all voices to be heard and engaged around powerful questions about how we create the change we want to see
Main Speaker - Our keynote speaker will challenge and inspire us to make movement toward change.
It’s up to ME! - All group mixer for individuals to synthesize their learnings from morning together.
Lunch & tabletop discussions - Informal lunch and set tabletop conversations
Let’s get inspired… Ted talk shorts - Sharing Ted Talk videos and ideas to stimulate new thinking and ideas
Community crowdsourcing of ideas - All participants will search the nation, world, and globe for innovative ideas from other communities on how they have advanced change
Open Space: Let’s create our own agenda! - Open space is a place for the participants to host the conversations that they want to have. Participants will set the agenda for discussion and dialogue.
Closing: What will I do next? 15% solutions - What are next steps for change? People will be supported, networked, and given advice by other change leaders on how to craft the next steps.
Closing and Next Steps - Goodbye and next steps for continued change
Registration:
To secure your spot at IDEAfest 2023, please register here. Spaces are limited, so we encourage you to register at your earliest convenience.
Don't miss this unique opportunity to be a part of something special, to connect with like-minded individuals, and to contribute to the growth and prosperity of our community.
We eagerly await your presence at IDEAfest 2023! Together, let's shape the future we envision for our community.
