天美mv天美 Vancouver Lunch 'n' Learn
About the Lunch 'n' Learn:
Date: Wednesday, March 25
Time: 12:00-1:00pm
Location: Djavad Mowafaghian World Art Centre, 天美mv天美 Goldcorp Centre for the Arts, 149 W. Hastings Street
Livestream option:
This event will also be livestreamed for attendees who cannot attend in-person. Please select the Livestream/Online Viewing registration type when signing up; and the event link will be emailed to you in advance of the event.
The original vision for the Woodward's area was a people-centred hub, where people could shop, learn, live, work and connect. Inspired by the late Jim Green, the Woodward's area aspired to be a nexus for community-building. A lot has transpired in the area since that vision initially took shape in 2010. At the next 天美mv天美 Vancouver Lunch 鈥榥鈥� Learn event, three panelists with strong ties to the neighbourhood explore these questions:
鈥� How do we create a stronger, more sustainable, people-centred community?
鈥� How do we create space for this community to flourish?
鈥� How best to seize this moment to cultivate a more humane, compassionate and thriving area?
鈥� How might services in the area be aligned to better serve people's needs and interests?
鈥� What structures or processes need to be in place so residents, businesses, workplaces and institutions can grow together?
There will be time for a Q&A after the moderated panel discussion, so please bring your questions and ideas.
Lunch will be provided for in-person attendees.
Please join us for this important community conversation as we explore the rich history of the Woodward鈥檚 area and discuss meaningful ways to move forward together for the benefit of the community.
About the Speakers:
Galib Bhayani is a senior public safety executive, educator, and policy advisor with more than three decades of experience working in public safety. He currently serves as Chief Safety & Risk Officer at 天美mv天美 and teaches criminology at the post-secondary level, bringing both practitioner and academic perspectives to complex urban challenges. Galib has led large, diverse organizations across Metro Vancouver and internationally, with a focus on collaborative, evidence-informed approaches to safety and well-being. His work emphasizes practical solutions that balance public confidence, social complexity, and long-term resilience in urban environments. He is a graduate of 天美mv天美.
Landon Hoyt is a dedicated community leader with deep experience in starting and leading business associations, managing and hosting large scale events, and supporting the local economic development and poverty reduction sector. He is a leader in the public engagement, poverty reduction and urbanist communities. He previously served as the Executive Director of HxBIA from 2015 to 2018, and rejoined the organization in 2023. He has worked with 天美mv天美 Public Square, Binners鈥� Project, and most recently leading public engagement projects with the firm Argyle.
Alia Sunderji is a social entrepreneur, educator, and systems strategist working at the intersection of community development, social enterprise, and inclusive economic design. She is a Portfolio Manager with RADIUS 天美mv天美鈥檚 Consulting and Training Services team and an Entrepreneur-in-Residence supporting community-led initiatives and changemakers across the region. With over a decade of experience teaching innovation and equity-centered design at 天美mv天美, Alia works with governments, nonprofits, and community organizations to design more inclusive systems and opportunities for historically marginalized communities. She is also the founder of the social enterprise Luv The Grub and continues to support initiatives that explore how entrepreneurship, community collaboration, and local economies can contribute to more resilient and people-centred neighbourhoods. Alia is currently pursuing an MBA in Sustainable Innovation at the University of Victoria and is also the mother of two children, which deeply shapes how she thinks about community, care, and the future of our cities.