Unsinkable Events
Upcoming Events
April 25, 2026
Waves & Words: What Keeps Us Afloat
A Free youth writing workshop
April 25 @ 2 PM EDT [11am PDT | 12pm MDT | 1pm CST]
Virtual (Zoom) and In-Person
Hosted by Unsinkable with Poet2Poet and Just Be You, this hybrid space is for youth (16–30) to come together, get creative, and talk about real life.
Waves & Words is a writing workshop where we’ll be exploring themes like nature, resilience, and what it means to stay afloat. Using guided writing prompts and creative activities to help you put thoughts into words (no pressure, no “perfect writing” needed).
It’s a no-judgement zone that keeps a chill vibe so everyone can enjoy themselves.
We’ll talk about:
What being “unsinkable” actually looks like in real life
The hard moments—and what helps us get through them
How creativity can be a way to express what’s hard to say out loud
Join in-person or online—whatever works for you. And if you don’t want to share, that’s totally okay.
In person at Oak Park Neighbourhood Centre - 2200 Sawgrass Dr, Oakville
No pressure. No expectations. Just show up as you are.
May 6, 2026
From Individual Story to System Change
Mobilizing Mental Health Narratives Across The Spectrum
Wednesday, May 6, 2026 @ 12 PM EDT [11am PDT | 1pm MDT | 2pm CST]
Virtual (Zoom)
Unsinkable and Stepped Care Solutions come together to explore the full arc of mental health storytelling — from individual experience to institutional transformation.
Moderated by Afreina Noor, this fireside conversation brings together perspectives across the storytelling spectrum — from lived experience to systems design — to examine how narratives shape both personal healing and institutional change.
Together, we will explore:
How individual stories shape self-understanding and community healing
How narratives inform policy, care design, and population-level change
The cycle of knowledge: what happens after a story is told
How to mobilize lived experience into systems change without extraction
Why resisting a single, dominant mental health narrative matters
This conversation is part of Unsinkable@Work, where we build alliances with like-minded organizations to further Unsinkable's mission. Growing Unsinkable's thought leadership, brand awareness and credibility in the corporate and nonprofit ecosystem.
May 13-14, 2026
Converge Mental Health Summit 2026
Designing the mental health system we need
In-Person in Toronto, Ontario
Meet Hailey Hechtman, a compelling voice in lived-experience driven leadership who will be part of one of our new Convergence Spaces at #converge2026.
As Executive Director of Unsinkable, Hailey’s work centres on the power of storytelling to move people through shame, build connection, and foster a deeper sense of belonging. Her leadership is grounded in empathy, collaboration, and a strong belief in the value of shared humanity.
Hailey will help lead an interactive session that invites leaders to reflect on how their own lived experience shapes the systems they are working to change. This session will encourage participants to consider what shifts when those experiences are named with intention and brought into leadership.
Register for #converge2026 now to be part of this meaningful conversation.
May 18 2026
eMHIC Fireside Chat: Authenticity Over Algorithm
Why Real Stories Matter in Mental Health
May 18 @ 2:30 PM EDT [11:30am PDT | 12:30pm MDT | 1:30pm CST]
Virtual Webinar
We’re surrounded by narratives dressed up as stories; about mental health, health, wellbeing, and how to hack your way beyond any challenge - curated narratives shaped, shortened, or filtered for an outcome, an agenda, or an algorithm.
So, what happens when we see authentic storytelling in the midst of the endless impressions and return to something more human?
In this conversation, Hailey Hechtman (Unsinkable) and Jimmy (The Human Aspect) explore the power of storytelling as a way to connect, compared to narrative marketing as something we construct to persuade or simplify.
Because while narratives can inform, polarize and impact us, authentic stories, shared in someone’s own words, with all their nuance and contradiction, have the power to connect for us to shift how we understand ourselves and each other.
Sometimes, it’s as simple as someone saying “Let me share what I have experienced” in a way that makes us pause and listen more deeply. As we connect in this way, stepping out of our intellectual mindset, judgement softens, and new perspectives and insights come to us as we recognize our mutual humanity, and connect in a more emotional, human way.
This conversation will also look at how today’s digital landscape is shaping the stories we see and how narrative tellers fueled by big tech polarize society but also numb us all down.
Algorithms tend to reward what is fast, certain, and polarized, leaving little room for complexity, cultural context, or the reality that people and their experiences evolve over time.
In that environment, storytelling can easily become narrative-telling content: flattened, performative, and disconnected from the person it came from. But when we make space for authentic, lived experience storytelling, something else becomes possible.
Past Unsinkable Events & Webinars
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World Storytelling Day - Creating Connections: Light in the dark 2026
This collaborative gathering invites storytellers, listeners, and community members into a thoughtful space where lived experience is honoured and authentic dialogue is welcomed. Together, we'll explore how storytelling helps us navigate darkness, build connection, and foster collective resilience — and how deep, open listening can be its own form of light.
This event is about sharing our experiences of stories and storytelling, not the stories themselves. Real voices. Shared reflection. The human capacity to illuminate one another's paths.
Events in English and French
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Beyond the Body Check: Health Doesn’t Have a Look 2026
A Lunch & Learn for Eating Disorders Awareness Week
Presented in collaboration by Unsinkable and the National Eating Disorder Information Centre (NEDIC) Canada.
This conversation centers body misunderstandings and internalized stigma: how shame shows up in recovery, how harmful messages about weight, movement, and worth take root, how recovery is often non-linear and shaped by setbacks, shifts, and resilience, and why these experiences so often remain invisible.
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Unsinkable Quebec presents: Stories to heal history
Stories have the power to heal, bring people together, and transform.
An evening of storytelling, reflection, and dialogue on mental health at the intersection of identities, cultures, and lived experiences.
During this event, Unsinkable Québec will present its brand-new video project resulting from its storytelling workshops—a collective space where voices come together to repair, reimagine, and reclaim their stories.
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In My Own Words: Re-Defined x Unsinkable Documentary 2025
This film amplifies the lived experiences of newcomers to Canada, their resilience, challenges, and pursuit of belonging.
The documentary dives into what it means to start over in a new country, navigate stigma, and build community. These stories remind us of the courage it takes to rebuild a life and the healing power of connection in supporting mental health and well-being.
Newcomer youth face mental health challenges at 2.5x the rate of their peers. 26% report anxiety and 20% report depression. Yet, newcomers are 2.5x less likely to seek support because of stigma and systemic barriers.
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The 75% We’re Not Talking About: A Fireside Chat on Men’s Mental Health and Suicide Prevention 2025
In recognition of World Suicide Prevention Day, this special conversation centers the voices of men who have lived through mental health challenges and are now working to change the system—alongside a clinical expert offering practical insight and support.
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WAVELENGTHS: An Unsinkable Storytelling Showcase 2025
The very first live storytelling showcase from Unsinkable.
We’ve taken five fearless voices from the page to the stage. After two months of deep dives, edits, and heart-spilling moments, these storytellers are ready to share their lived experiences live and unfiltered. This is their graduation, celebration, and coming-out party all in one—and you’ve got front row seats.
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Beyond the Labels: Embracing & Supporting Your Loved One with BPD 2025
This webinar aims to challenge the stigma around Borderline Personality disorder and create a compassionate space for those supporting someone with BPD. Through personal stories and expert insights, attendees can gain deeper understanding on how to offer truly meaningful support. Join us for an open discussion that prioritizes the power of connection and empowers caregivers to make a meaningful difference in the lives of their loved ones.
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Unmasking Self-Care Myths: What Mental Wellness Really Looks Like
Join Unsinkable and GoodLife Fitness for a candid and powerful Fireside Chat: Unmasking Self-Care Myths: What Mental Wellness Really Looks Like in honour of Mental Health Week.
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Joy As Resistance: A Fireside Chat on Black Mental Health 2025
For far too long, Black mental health has been shaped by struggle—by the weight of systemic oppression, racial trauma, and the constant push for survival. But within that struggle, there is something just as powerful: joy.
This Black Mental Health Week, Unsinkable panelists engaged in a powerful Fireside Chat exploring how reclaiming joy can be a radical tool for wellness and liberation. In a world that so often tries to silence or diminish Black voices, choosing joy is a way of saying: we are here, we are whole, and we will thrive. -

Eating Disorders Awareness Week Fireside Chat 2025
This powerful conversation explores the complexities of eating disorders, self-worth, and recovery.
"Healing from an eating disorder isn’t about winning a battle with your body—it’s about learning to see it as a home, not a project."
Watch as our panelists share insights, lived experiences, and reflections on breaking the silence and reclaiming self-compassion.
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Blue Monday Webinar: A Lamplight Panel Discussion 2025
At the center of the discussion is Rosiel Elwyn’s groundbreaking paper, Fear of the Impaired Practitioner, Mandatory Reporting, and Clinician Suicide: A Lived Experience of Fitness to Practice Investigation as a Student.
Together, these leaders shine a light on systemic barriers and share a vision for building more compassionate and supportive spaces within academic and professional settings.
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No “Shoulding” On Yourself
Expectations: where they come from and how to break free. We all carry expectations—shaped by caregivers, friends, culture, and society. They tell us who we "should" be and what we "should" do. But when we fall short, we often end up “shoulding” on ourselves, spiraling into guilt and shame. In this powerful and transformative conversation, we dive deep into the origins of these “shoulds” and how to free ourselves from their weight.
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Fireside Chat: Prioritizing Mental Health in the Workplace
An insightful fireside chat in honor of World Mental Health Day. This year's theme emphasizes the crucial need to prioritize mental health in our workplaces. Hosted by Afreina Noor, Program Manager for Community Engagement & Partnerships at Unsinkable.
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Unsinkable’s 5 Year Anniversary Event
The Unsinkable community joined together to honour five incredible years of resilience, growth, and support for mental health.
We reflect on our impact, share powerful stories of triumph, and unveil exciting plans for the future.
Whether you've been with us from the start or are just joining our community, this celebration is for YOU. Together, let's continue to rise above, spread hope, and show the world that with resilience, we are truly Unsinkable.
Past unsinkable Youth Experiences
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The Mend Project Showcase: A Queer Storytelling Series 2026
Are you an artist? Or an arts appreciator? Then we’ve got something for you!
What’s MEND? Glad you asked! MEND is an art project where Toronto-based BIPOC 2SLGBTQIA+ youth artists will exhibit works that answer the questions: “What are you healing from?” and “What brings you joy?” The idea is that healing is a thread used to stitch our wounds, a mending so-to-speak – and we hold the sewing needle. That is to say, The MEND Project is a celebration of the joy that we intentionally cultivate in our lives.
We are cultivating a brave space for storytelling, community connection, and transformation.
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When Youth Grieve: Recognizing Our Reality An Unsinkable Youth Webinar 2025
Unsinkable invites you to a heartfelt and impactful webinar amplifying the voices of young people navigating grief. Through lived experience and professional insight, we’ll explore how resilience and pain can coexist — and what meaningful support truly looks like.
We’ll explore how grief uniquely impacts youth, the intersection of loss, identity, and resilience and what meaningful support looks like - from peers, families, and communities.
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The Mental Health Check-In: Navigating Back-to-School Together 2025
The back-to-school transition can feel like a tidal wave for young people and their parents alike. This 60-minute virtual fireside chat brought together youth, parents, and a mental health professional for a real, raw, and respectful conversation about what this season actually felt like, offering stories that made participants feel seen, practical tools to ease tension at home, and honest reflections from both generations.
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Breaking the Silence: Open Conversations on Student Mental Health 2025
Unsinkable and LaMarsh Centre for Child and Youth Research at York University present "Breaking the Silence: Open Conversations on Student Mental Health".
This insightful webinar by Unsinkable and LaMarsh Centre for Child and Youth Research at York University dove into the crucial role of peer support in student well-being through insights from those with lived experience. Catch the recording to challenge stigma and help create a more supportive community.
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KBI Mapping Our Futures Event 2024
Young people entering adulthood are facing unique and complex challenges that intersect with their mental health, and our panel and co-hosts Asante Haughton and Abbigale Kernyawill take a deep dive into the issues.
In-person live “Life Outside the Box” recording featuring Asante Haughton, Kritika Sharda and Barira Manzoor (Unsinkable Youth facilitators).
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Grief Event 2023
This event was aimed at harnessing the power of story to ignite conversations around the spectrum of grief and in turn, educating the community, challenging stigmas, and spotlighting the supports available to help young people.
This unique virtual and interactive experience allows participants to hear from diverse lived experiences, engage in interactive exercises, and gain access to a helpful interactive toolkit.
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Back-To-School Mental Health Event 2023
A youth-led mental health event that harnesses the power of story.
Whether in elementary school or graduating from college, youth are struggling with their mental health as they pursue education through political, social and community uncertainty.
This event is for young people looking to connect and relate to the stories and strategies of their peers, for parents to learn more about tips and strategies that can support their loved ones and service providers who are looking to learn first-hand from the experiences of youth.



