Keynote speaker and performers
CHF Canada’s 2024 Annual Meeting is just weeks away. We have exciting updates to share about our lineup of speakers and performers. Along with dozens of engaging and inspiring workshop leaders and panelists, we will be joined by local performers and an inspiring keynote speaker who will highlight how co-operatives are building a better world.
Keynote speaker: Howard Brodsky (Opening Plenary)
Howard Brodsky, Founder and Chairman of CCA Global Partners, will deliver the keynote speech at the Friday Plenary Breakfast.
Howard Brodsky is a world leader of co-operatives and a prolific American entrepreneur. CCA is one of the largest co-operatives in the United States with sales of over $10 billion. CCA Global Partners services 20,000 childcare centers, 2,000 nonprofits, and over 1,000,000 independent family businesses.
Brodsky was the first American to be awarded the Rochdale Award, the “Nobel Prize of Cooperative Business” given every two years to an individual who has made the greatest impact in co-operatives worldwide. Additionally, he received the Business Leader of the Decade Award, Global Leadership Award by the World Affairs Council, and was inducted into the Cooperative Hall of Fame and the Entrepreneurial Hall of Fame.
Brodsky is the Global Chairman of the International Cooperative Alliance G20 Working Group and the Founder and Chairman of Cooperatives for a Better World, a worldwide non-profit that aims to scale the global cooperative movement. Brodsky is a published author, and his theory on business can be seen in the highly-rated TEDx Talks. Recently, he was invited to speak at the United Nations on the power of the contemporary co-operative. Brodsky holds a B.A. in Economics from Wesleyan University and received an honorary degree of Doctorate of Humane Letters from the University of New Hampshire.
Performers: Traycee and Zova Da Silva (Drag Performers)
Traycee and Zova Da Silva are incredible local drag queens from Winnipeg. In recognition and celebration of Pride Month, Traycee and Zova will dazzle us with their creative performances at the National Business Meeting and share a little bit about their own experiences.
Performers: DJ Lil Win (Local Social)
DJ Lil Win will keep attendees moving on the dancefloor during the Local Social at the Canadian Museum of Human Rights.
In 2000, Lil Win began her DJ career in her hometown of Flin Flon Manitoba, where she quickly learned to diversify her music lists by playing weddings, socials, and the local bar (yes there was only one). Incorporating her fandom for movies and television, her playlists are sprinkled with theme songs, famous movie quotes and soundtracks.
As an alumni student of Mama Cutsworth’s DJ Academy for All Women and Non-Binary Folks, she became a founding producer of Casual Friday, a monthly DJ night featuring other Academy grads. She is a licensed DJ and has performed on the main stage of the Winnipeg Fringe Festival (2016, 2017, 2018) and the Winnipeg Comedy Festival (2017-2018). She specializes in weddings, socials, and private parties. Her DJ name stems from a play on her last name, which has been a bit vexing to constantly spell out. It’s also a warm reminder of life in a small town; a place where last names are shouted enthusiastically on the street and in the bar.
Performers: Brian Clyne and Clifford Spence (Opening Plenary)
Brian Clyne is a proud member of the Pequis First Nation in Manitoba and has been sharing his culture through the art of dance. Over the past 32 years, Clyne has skillfully mastered the art of Indigenous hoop and traditional dance, which has carried him across the globe to share his culture. When Clyne was young, his passion for dance grew as he learned more about the art of Indigenous dance from his Uncle Leo (Sweetpea) Starr. With his hoop designs, he started incorporating animal shapes into his dance routines, adding a unique and creative flair to his performances.
Through his family and Uncle Leo’s teachings, Clyne found his true calling in dance. He continues to inspire and innovate, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in the art form.
Lawrence “Clifford” Spence has been sharing, preserving, and celebrating his culture and the art of hand-drumming for many years. As a member of different troupes or as a solo artist, Clifford has gained extensive experience performing at events in Manitoba, Canada, and around the world.