As we begin to say farewell to 2020 are there some moments that brought you some joy? We are being bombarded with hashtags, slogans and bumper stickers that shine a light on everything that went wrong this year.
What about everything that went in the opposite direction? What about everything that made us reflect and begin to shift the way we listen and share? Is it too cliche to highlight all the good that we found? We believe no and in honour of 2020 almost coming to a close we would like to share a list with you of moments, precious gifts, experiences and events that made this year one not to forget.
By a list we mean a group of photos.
We couldn’t capture all the moments that warm all of our hearts but, here are some others:
- Consistently seeing faces on zoom each and every week
- Recognizing and acknowledging the unsurrendered Algonquin Territory of the Anishinaabe peoples that we move and sweat on
- Elevating the voices of members in Ottawa
- Times spent skating and racing on the Rideau Canal
- Ongoing conversations about inclusivity, diversity and equity
- Seeing and experiencing the growth of November Project and the work that needs to continue to make this community more inclusive
- Music
- Traverballing virtually
- Connecting with cities and November Project on a global scale through movement. Who would have known that you can connect with people in Iceland while doing a burpee in Ottawa?
- November Project Experience November Project Community Agreements Co-Leader Description
- Tagging for the first(and last) time in December
- Hosting our first and last ever virtual positivity award ceremony of 2020
- Strava challenges
- Guest leaders and guest blogs
- Babies, love and new roommates
- Coffee chats
Are there things missing off this list? Let us know what comes to mind when you think of all the good that 2020 brought.
Thank you for moving, smiling and handing out some virtual high fives with us this morning. We are grateful for our Wednesday mornings together whether they be while listening to some music or chatting over coffee.
Finally, we wanted to pass along a message from Dean in regards to the choice of music selection this morning.
I wanted to open this workout with Electric Pow Wow Drum by A Tribe Called Red. They blend instrumental music like hip hop, reggae and dubstep influenced dance music with elements of First Nations music, particularly vocal chanting and drumming. The first time I heard this music it grabbed my attention in a really strong way. I was living in Toronto at the time and the 2015 Toronto Pan Am and Parapan Am Games were approaching. I had an interview with a cyclist names Jaye Milley who was set to compete in the Parapan Am Games. He was one of three athletes included in the first promo video for the Games, with this song as the backing track. There was a lot to love about the promo. The event organizers wanted to put inclusivity right up front in how they promoted the Games. All three athletes in the video are para athletes.
You can listen to our playlist from this morning HERE
Here’s to bringing soles together,
Lauren and Liz
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- Read another blog from a different city. It could be one from last week or two months ago but find out what’s going on beyond Ottawa.
- Love music? Want to help us create some playlists? Send us a message. We want to hear what makes you smile or want to dance.
- Can you guest what’s happening next week?
