Celebrating Twenty Years in the Waterloo Region
Yesterday Shandi and I took a short drive past 239B Cedarbrae Ave, Waterloo, the first place I moved to when I came to Ontario on May 2, 2002.
I've now been in the Waterloo Region for twenty wonderful years.
Some highlights:
- Working in Sanitation and Distribution at local manufacturing giant, Schneider Meats from 2002-2006
- Completing my B.A. in Philosophy in 2005 at the University of Waterloo
- Meeting Shandi at Campus for Christ in fall 2006
- Completing my M.A. in Philosophy in 2008, also at the University of Waterloo
- Marrying Shandi at Waterloo M.B. in 2008
- The new family I gained through that marriage, including my fantastic sisters-in-law, wonderful cousins and loving Oma
- Winning a spot on 2009's Waterloo Region 40 Under 40 for my advocacy with housing rights in the Region
- Moving to Kitchener Centre and joining the NDP Electoral District Association in 2008
- Running for MP in Kitchener-Centre in 2011, coincidentally also on May 2.
- Having the opportunity to live in Elmira, one of the many small towns in the Waterloo Region from 2012-2014
- The Amazing Team at Grand River Hospital, including Dr. Husein, who, saved my life from a 25lb tumour. Also coincidentally, the second of the two surgeries he did was on May 2, 2015
- The generosity and friendship that came from two of the churches I've attended, Waterloo MB, who once gave us a car when the one we had had just broken down, and Nexus KW, who was there for me during my health crisis and has supported us in tangible ways ever since.
And finally,
- The friendship of the hundreds of people I've met in this community. There are too many to name individually, but I'll never forget how the community showed up at a Fundraising BBQ that spanned two backyards while I was in the hospital - it was a wonderful mix of all of my favourite communities, from the local housing and anti-poverty networks, to my faith communities, to my political friends of all stripes. If you were there, or even if you weren't, if you've been a part of my life in the Waterloo Region over the past 20 years, THANK YOU!
COMING LATER THIS WEEK FOR PAID SUBSCRIBERS:
Medical Aid in Dying and Supports for Disabled People: How the Conservatives will Capitalize on a Divided Disability Community