It’s About Trust is an evening to celebrate the people and the ideas of Toronto Metropolitan University, and to mark the midpoint of the Global Migration Institute’s flagship research program, Bridging Divides.
Part talk series, part happening, the evening brings TMU scholars, alumni, and friends to the TIFF Lightbox stage for a series of sharp, personal talks. It is built to do three things at once: celebrate TMU’s researchers and graduates as public thinkers, move the ideas of the Global Migration Institute beyond the academy, and remind a room of 300 why trust is the connective tissue of any society that hopes to welcome newcomers well.
It's About Trust is hosted by award-winning journalist Jeyan Jeganathan, and features a lineup of leading scholars and notable TMU alumni, including: Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish, Anna Triandafyllidou, Andrew Parkin, Anatoliy Gruzd, Sierra Lefave, Jennilee Austria-Bonifacio, Zhixi Zhuang, and Mary Rowe.
Responses and planning are no longer available for this event.
The talks will be followed by a reception, offering an opportunity to connect with the speakers and fellow attendees and continue the conversation. We look forward to seeing you there!
Reserve your seat now (external link) Speakers Jeyan Jeganathan | Your Host
Jeyan Jeganathan is an award-winning journalist and host of TVO’s flagship current affairs program, The Rundown. He previously worked as a host and field producer on The Agenda, reporting on all things Ontario. When he’s not chasing stories across the province, he’s shooting hoops, hiking the province’s trail system, or hanging out with his cat and dog (both named Rufus, because he believes in chaos and confusing his vet).
Izzeldin Abuelaish
Izzeldin Abuelaish is a Palestinian physician, five-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee, and internationally recognized human rights activist known as the “Gaza Doctor.” The first Palestinian physician appointed to a staff position at an Israeli hospital, he has dedicated his life to treating Palestinian and Israeli patients alike, viewing healthcare as a bridge to peace.
Educated at Cairo University, the University of London, and Harvard, he founded the Daughters for Life Foundation to advance education and health for Middle Eastern women. Dr Abuelaish is Professor Emeritus at the University of Toronto, and Distinguished Visiting Professor, KU Leuven, Belgium, where he is Founder, Inspirational leader and Co-director of the Global Institute for the Study of Socio-Endemic Diseases, Hatred, Health & Peace. He is the author of the acclaimed memoir I Shall Not Hate.
Anna Triandafyllidou
Anna Triandafyllidou is a leading sociologist, CERC Laureate, and the Scientific Director of the Global Migration Institute and the Bridging Divides program at Toronto Metropolitan University. She also serves as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Immigrant and Refugee Studies.
Her research focuses on nationalism, migration, and the governance of cultural diversity. Triandafyllidou has held prestigious academic positions across Europe and North America, including a Fulbright Scholarship at New York University and leading the Cultural Diversity program at the Global Governance Programme. In recognition of her prominent contributions to migration scholarship, she was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Liège and elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada.
Andrew Parkin
Andrew Parkin is Executive Director of the Environics Institute and a Sessional Lecturer at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, University of Toronto. A political sociologist, he holds a PhD from the University of Bradford and completed a Killam Postdoctoral Fellowship at Dalhousie University.
Parkin is an authoritative spokesperson and widely published author on Canadian public policy, education, and federalism in both official languages. His executive leadership spans key policy organizations, including as Director of the Mowat Centre, Director-General of the Council of Ministers of Education Canada, and Associate Executive Director of the Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation.
Anatoliy Gruzd
Anatoliy Gruzd is a Professor at Toronto Metropolitan University’s Ted Rogers School of Management and Director of Research at the Social Media Lab. A computational social scientist, he investigates online networks and public discourse, developing tools to analyze how social media influences communication, collaboration, and the spread of misinformation—including pro-Kremlin propaganda surrounding the Russia-Ukraine war.
In recognition of his innovative contributions to social media research, Gruzd was named a Canada Research Chair in 2015 and inducted into the Royal Society of Canada’s College of New Scholars, Artists, and Scientists in 2017.
Sierra Lefave
Sierra Lefave (also known by her traditional name Wewebaasin Memengwaa) is a researcher, entrepreneur, and advocate focused on Indigenous economic development, self-determination, and corporate-government relations. Currently based on Manitoulin Island, she leverages education to advance equity and support community-led initiatives.
Drawing on a diverse background in commercial media, journalism, photography, and corporate event management, Lefave applies her industry experience and research insights to mentor professionals and expand opportunities. Across her work, she bridges diverse knowledge systems, challenges established structures, and fosters equitable pathways for communities to lead and thrive.
Jennilee Austria-Bonifacio
Jennilee Austria-Bonifacio is a writer, community worker, and founder of Filipino Talks, a program bridging educators and Filipino families. She holds an MA in Immigration and Settlement Studies from Toronto Metropolitan University and has completed prestigious writing residencies, including at the Banff Centre and DISQUIET International.
Her debut novel, Reuniting With Strangers, was a Toronto Book Award finalist, CBC Best Book of 2023, and longlisted for Canada Reads 2024. A widely published author and mentor, Austria-Bonifacio received the 2025 Golden Balangay Excellence Award in Arts and Culture for her advocacy and leadership in the Filipino-Canadian community.
Zhixi Zhuang
Zhixi Zhuang is Professor at TMU’s School of Urban and Regional Planning. She serves as Associate Director at the Global Migration Institute and Founder/Director of DiverCityLab. Her research focuses on global migration, ethnic place-making, and equity-based urban planning.
Through community-engaged and arts-informed research, Zhuang examines how immigrant communities shape urban and suburban landscapes. Her leadership roles include serving on the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning’s Global Planning Education Committee, as Associate Editor of the Journal of Planning Education and Research, and on the Board of the International Association of China Planning.
Mary Rowe
Mary W. Rowe is a leading urban advocate and CEO of the Canadian Urban Institute (CUI), where she expanded the national platform’s international network to collaborate on critical urban challenges.
Her executive leadership spans major North American civic institutions, including serving as President of Ideas That Matter, leading post-Katrina neighborhood rebuilding in New Orleans, and acting as Executive Vice President of New York’s Municipal Art Society. A Senior Fellow with Shorefast and host of CityTalk, Rowe is a prominent writer and frequent contributor to global city-building forums, including UN-Habitat and the World Urban Forum.
Presented by: Date October 22, 2026 Time 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. ET Location TIFF Lightbox | 350 King St W, Toronto Cost $26 Accessibility