Wild Spaces Summer 2025 Speaker Series

With support from The Teaching & Learning Commons and xéʔelɬ KPU Pathways one-time funding

All events are outdoors from 12:00-1:30pm at KPU Surrey, meet by the main courtyard pond.

Rain or shine!

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Select all events you wish to attend. All events from 12:00-1:30pm. Open to students, staff and faculty.

May 8 – Sonya Ballantyne (The Three Times Bono Saved my Life)*May 29 – Shannon Leddy (Indigenous Pedagogies)June 4 – Kristen Penhall (Pollinator Walk)

*Note that Sonya’s session includes a ~15 minute walk to Cougar Creek Park.

Sonya Ballantyne

Three Times Bono Saved my Life

Join KPU’s Indigenous Filmmaker and Writer in Residence for a walk to Cougar Creek Park. Sonya will share her new story “The Three Times Bono Saved my Life”, and we will engage in discussion on land-based connections and the importance of water. Note that we will walk from KPU Surrey to Cougar Creek Park as part of this session.

Bio: From her website, Sonya says: “I am a Swampy Cree creative Native based out of Winnipeg, Manitoba. I do not write about Indigenous girls of the past, I write about their present and our future.” She is an award-winning filmmaker, and the creative director and founder of Code Breaker Films. She works as a full-time freelance writer, and has been a panelist at San Diego Comic Con and was named a Barbie Role Model by Mattel.

Learn more about Sonya.

Shannon Leddy

Weaving Indigenous Slow Principles and Pedagogies

Shannon is the co-author of Teaching Where You Are: Weaving Indigenous and Slow Principles and Pedagogies, which uses the Medicine Wheel as a holistic framework in relation to the 4 Rs of Respect, Relevance, Reciprocity and Responsivity. Join us for a walk and talk on decolonizing education using place-based and land-based learning.

Bio: A member of the Métis nation, Shannon is a mother, artist, and writer. As an associate professor at UBC she created Decolonizing Teaching Indigenizing Learning with the help of two graduate students. She is passionate about contemporary critical Indigenous artists and examining colonial narratives and assumptions in conventional teaching.

Learn more about Shannon.

Kristen Penhall

Pollinator Walk: The Buzz About Bees

Come explore the wild and wonderful world of bees! Learn about the differences and commonalities of honeybees and native bees, how to identify common pollinators, and taste some delicious honey.

Bio: Kristen is an Apprentice Level Master Melittologist and is passionate about educating people about bees. When they’re not talking about bees they can be found on their hobby farm, in the mountains, or hanging out with their dog, Charlie.

Learn more about Kristen.