🌿 November CreativeMornings Winnipeg

This Is Not My Mountain – Creating Growth Where Grief Once Lived

Featuring Dorota Blumczynska (speaker)
📅 Friday, November 21, 2025
📍 Launch Coworking (Exchange District)
🎨 Global Theme: Growth

Grief has a way of reshaping us — quietly, relentlessly, and often against our will. Yet within that reshaping, something remarkable can take root: growth.

In our November event, This Is Not My Mountain – Creating Growth Where Grief Once Lived, Dorota Blumczynska invites us into an intimate and deeply human conversation about loss, resilience, and the courage it takes to rebuild after everything falls apart.

With raw honesty and poetic grace, Dorota shares her journey through displacement, violence, and devastating grief — including the loss of her mother — and the unexpected ways healing has remade her life. This is not a story about triumphing over pain, but about learning to live beside it; to find tenderness amid the wreckage, and to create meaning where none seemed possible.

Dorota reminds us that trauma does not define us — our becoming does. Her words offer both solace and strength for anyone who has faced a mountain that felt insurmountable and wondered if they could ever move beyond it.

Come listen. Feel. Remember. You are not alone.

🌱 About Dorota Blumczynska

Dorota Blumczynska is a storyteller, leader, and lifelong advocate for belonging. Born in Poland and raised in Winnipeg after her family arrived as refugees, Dorota has spent her life working to make communities more just, inclusive, and compassionate. She is the CEO of the Manitoba Museum and the former Executive Director of the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization of Manitoba (IRCOM).

Her work is rooted in the belief that stories — especially those born from struggle — have the power to heal and to grow something beautiful from what was once broken. Dorota brings that same spirit to every conversation, reminding us that growth is not always upward or easy — sometimes it’s simply the act of choosing life again, one breath at a time.

🎟️ Join us:
Friday, November 21, 2025
Launch Coworking, Exchange District
Doors open at 8:00 AM | Talk begins at 8:30 AM

Free coffee, warm community, and inspiration to start your day — always.

CreativeMornings Monthly Theme of GROWTH

Our theme for November is GROWTH. It was chosen by our Sacramento chapter in California, illustrated by Amber Rankin, and presented by Adobe.

Creativity demands growth. Not the kind that can be measured with a ruler. It’s about taking stock of your character. Who’s ready to chase wild possibilities and meaningful progress? We must unlearn the need to be perfect and busy. Remember how to play and get our hands dirty again.

THANK YOU ADOBE!!

Adobe has been our Global Partner for ONE YEAR! 
Our global partner Adobe is all about helping creators grow. They know that creativity takes time, persistence, and community.
Big thanks to Adobe for supporting connections and conversations at CreativeMornings chapters around the world AND especially in support of the Winnipeg chapter!

** What to expect at a CM Winnipeg event (beside inspiration and fun)**

8:00am Arrival and check in -- grab a coffee, a breakfast treat and make a new friend (or just smile at someone while making a cool nametag)

8:25am Refill coffee and settle in for a great event!

8:30am Welcome to CreativeMornings and listen to our featured local performer

8:45am Community creative engagement activity -- introvert approved (and introvert friendly!)

9:15am Intro of Headliner (speaker)

9:30am Wrap up and exchange contact info with your new friend!

We aim to have the event wrapped up by no later than 9:45am.

Join us on October 31st (in costume, if you please! ) to explore the CreativeMornings monthly theme of SOFT with our headliner, Carmen Puente! It is also Latin American Heritage Month and we’ll have Latin American music and energy infusing our event.

We are meeting at Launch Co-Working in the Exchange District at 8am on Hallowe'en (Oct 31) and would love to see you there!

A Soft Force: Creating Possibility from the Latina Immigrant Experience
This talk offers a heartfelt reflection on the immigrant journey of Latina women in Canada, exploring how cultural roots and personal resilience help shape our path through change, challenges, and growth.

Blending personal narrative with collective insight, Carmen Puente invites the audience to rethink resilience-not just as endurance, but as an act of self-compassion. Through stories of identity, adaptation, and empowerment, this talk highlights how Latina women not only seek opportunities but also learn to create them, while embracing tenderness, creativity, and leadership along the way.

About Our Headliner: 
Carmen Puente is a Venezuelan-born business administrator with a Master’s in Business Management. She immigrated to Canada in 2013 with her husband and baby, seeking a better future Now working at RRC Polytech supporting newcomer integration, Carmen is deeply passionate about helping others thrive. As founder and Executive Director of the Training and Empowerment Women Congress MB, she leads with heart – creating opportunities for immigrant women to grow, lead and believe in their dreams again. 

Our theme for October is SOFT. It was chosen by our Victoria chapter in British Columbia, Canada and illustrated by Leah McInnis.

The world feels hard in so many ways. Soft is gentle, empathic, and vulnerable. But being soft is not a weakness. It is a sign of deeper strength. Having the courage to walk through life without armor. 

Let’s snuggle up and let down our guard.

Join us on Friday, September 26th at 8am at Launch Co-Working (Exchange District) for a inspiring morning on the CreativeMornings theme of BLOSSOM! Our headliner is Tedi Gilmartin – super thrifter, RRC Polytech alumna, and content creator.

Blossom: The Year I Learned I Could Create My Own PathTedi is a content creator celebrated for her Manitoba thrifting expertise, playful personality, and dynamic creativity. By day, she works as a content marketing specialist for a multi-billion-dollar company, and by night, she’s a creative photographer behind billboard campaigns, a videographer, and an editor passionate about storytelling-driven video content.

Over the past year and a half, Tedi has stepped fully into her creative confidence, growing her audience, taking her freelance work to new heights, and partnering with local brands. 

In this talk, she shares the lessons learned from starting fresh, leaning into her strengths, and embracing the unexpected seasons of life. It’s a story about growth, resilience, strength in community, and discovering that sometimes the moments we think will end us are exactly the moments that allow us to truly blossom.

Exploring our CreativeMornings Global Theme

Our theme for September is BLOSSOM. It was chosen by our Pereira chapter in Colombia, illustrated by Edwin Morales, and is presented by Adobe.  

Every blossom is an act of becoming. The quiet force of roots pushing through the dark, the slow unfurling of a bud, a sudden burst of color. But plants don’t blossom on command. Each flower requires the right amount of sunlight, water, and nourishment across the cycle of the seasons. 

To truly blossom, you must take the risk of opening up. This is your season. You deserve to be seen. Offer your abundance of color and creativity to the world! 

Ask yourself, “what within me is ready to blossom?” “What can I nurture to help others do the same?”

Here

Don’t be discouraged that it is already AUGUST! Don’t be sad that there are already Halloween decorations in stores. Instead, embrace the opportunity to wander in the wild of you and celebrate our August CreativeMornings theme of NOMAD.

Get nomadic with CreativeMornings Winnipeg at 8:00am on August 22nd at the Exchange District CUBE stage (corner of King and William Streets). We encourage active transportation!

EVENT DETAILS (we try to end the event by 9:45am)

**Please bring a lawn chair or folding chair to sit on as seating on picnic tables is limited.**

8:00am – Gather at the CUBE for coffee and catching up

8:30am – Event starts – welcome and intros, local musician plays, we get to know each other (Raise your hand if….)

8:45am – Creative Engagement (introvert friendly!)

9:00am – Our Speaker rocks the stage: Daniel Hidalgo

9:30am – Wrap Up!

Our theme for August is NOMAD. It was chosen by our Ulaanbaatar chapter in Mongolia and illustrated by Oyuna Bold.

Some people feel compelled to travel from place to place. To live outside the confines and constraints of a permanent address. Others have no choice but to leave home in search of a better life. A nomad embraces discomfort and welcomes the unknown.

Whether you’re racking up frequent flyer miles or navigating a change in your creative career, remember that motion fuels imagination. Wander. Wonder. Repeat.

Our August 22 Speaker: Daniel Hidalgo

Daniel is a single father and foster parent. He is the lifetime product of the child welfare system. Currently, Daniel is employed as an action therapist, where his focus is on the advocacy and support of indigenous kids in care. He has always been employed in the human/social services field. He was also briefly a fire paramedic for the city of Winnipeg and has been actively involved in many of our cities altruistic group in a leadership capacity as a volunteer captain/medic. These groups include Mama Bear Clan, OPK, and Drag the Red. He is also the Vice President of the Manitoba Harm Reduction Network.

Daniel created his own grassroots non-profit volunteer group called “CommUNITY204”. The group is composed almost entirely of youth and adults that have been, or currently are in CFS. Their goal is helping the marginalized community with access to basic human needs (water, appropriate clothing, hygiene products and food), harm reduction / minimization, assurance of safety (through crisis intervention, peacekeeping, safe walks, and search parties), Collaboration with other groups with the same mission (Thunderbirdz, OPK, Anishiative, MBC, BLM) relocation of residency, and furniture donations/pick-ups. Most recently Daniel was fortunate enough to be awarded as a finalist for the 2020 CBC Manitoba Future 40, amongst the top selection for the Social Activism Volunteerism Category.

Go ahead – put on your favourite band t-shirt (you know the one!) and join us to celebrate the spirit of PUNK at our CreativeMornings Winnipeg June event on June 20th at 8am at Launch Co-Working (Exchange District on Lombard).

*ASL interpretation is available at this CreativeMornings Winnipeg event.

Our theme for June is PUNK. It was chosen by our Bologna chapter in Italy and illustrated by Cristina Portolano. 

Your creativity can save you.

What you gonna make?

What you gonna change?

Wake up. Wake up. Wake up!

Our JUNE headliner is Janelle Desrosiers!

Talk: Inherently Punk: An Indigenous Feminist Creation

What if the most radical thing you could do was be fully, unapologetically yourself, at work?

For entrepreneurs like Janelle Desrosiers, being punk isn’t about style or music but about rejecting systems that were never built for us. It’s about creating new ways of doing business, leadership, and life - ways that make space for care, community, and collective power.

In this talk, Janelle shares the story of founding Bloom + Brilliance, queer, intersectional and Indigenous feminist design studio rooted in values that challenge colonial and capitalist norms. Thirteen years ago, when no workplace felt safe or sustainable, she built her own. Not just to survive, but to thrive and to offer others that same chance.

We’ll explore how cultivating your gifts can be a form of resistance and a way to bring joy, safety, and opportunity to others. Real self-actualization isn’t individual, it’s in service of the collective.

This is more than a talk about design. It’s a blueprint for reclaiming what business can be.

Meet our Speaker: Janelle Desrosiers

Janelle Desrosiers is an AuDHD Michif and French-Canadian Two-Spirit designer and entrepreneur. As an advocate for the intersections of Indigenous resurgence, neurodivergence, mental health, and motherhood, she is on a journey of decolonization and divesting from sick systems. 

She is also the founder and creative director of Bloom + Brilliance: a queer, Indigenous, and intersectional feminist-led design agency. They build beautiful brands, websites and strategies for Indigenous and intersectional feminist entrepreneurs, community leaders and organizations as they change the world. 

Join us at Launch Co-Working Space in the Exchange District!

** What to expect at a CM Winnipeg event (beside inspiration and fun)**

8:00am Arrival and check in – grab a coffee, a breakfast treat and make a new friend (or just smile at someone while making a cool nametag)

8:25am Refill coffee and settle in for a great event!

8:30am Welcome, info about CreativeMornings and listen to our featured local performer

8:45am Community creative engagement activity – introvert approved (and introvert friendly!)

9:00am Intro of Speaker(s)

9:30am Wrap up and exchange contact info with your new friend!

We aim to have the event wrapped up by no later than 9:45am so you can get back to your vehicle before your parking runs out. However, CreativeMornings guests also have free access to Launch Co-Working public spaces on the day of our events, so feel free to hang out for the morning or the day!

Join us on Friday, May 23 at 8am at Launch Co-Working (Exchange District) to explore our global CreativeMornings theme of REVIVAL!

Our featured speaker is Donavan Robinson, successful entrepreneur and founder of the playful and colourful space of Pop CoLab. Please plan to join us for a post-event tour of Pop CoLab, led by Donavan.

Note: This CM WPG event will have ASL Interpretation available.

Our theme for May is REVIVAL. It was chosen by our Fort Worth chapter in Texas and illustrated by Mariell Guzman.

Featured Talk – “Creative by Nature: A Revival of Curiosity, Connection & Play” by Donavan Robinson

Pop CoLab is all about reviving curiosity, creativity, and connection — especially in the workplace.

In this talk, I’ll take you on a personal journey of rediscovering the power of play and why I believe the world is overdue for a play revival. From burned-out teams to overly serious adults (yes, even the creative ones), we’ve lost touch with the simple joy of making, laughing, experimenting, and connecting without pressure.

But here’s the truth: we’re all creative — we’ve just forgotten how to access it. Play isn’t just fun, it’s how we learn, connect, heal, and create.

Together, we’ll explore what it means to play your way, how to find your play profile, and how reviving play can unlock creativity, purpose, and possibility — in your work, your team, and your life.

Meet our Speaker: Donavan Robinson

Donavan is a dynamic entrepreneur, community builder, and passionate advocate for creativity and neurodiversity. With a deep commitment to uplifting diverse voices—particularly Indigenous and neurodiverse entrepreneurs—he has dedicated his career to designing spaces and experiences that foster playful innovation, genuine connections, and meaningful storytelling.

As a proud RRC Polytech grad and the co-founder and creative mind behind ventures such as Pop CoLAB, Made Here, The Good Will Social Club, A Little Pizza Heaven, Vantage Studios & Print Shop by Vantage, Donavan champions the transformative power of play in entrepreneurship and corporate cultures, emphasizing wellness, inclusivity, and joyful engagement. His expertise spans strategic consulting, experiential marketing, content creation, and mentorship, always centered on building vibrant communities.

A proud Red River Métis citizen and vocal ADHD advocate, Donavan leverages lived experiences and extensive industry know-how to empower entrepreneurs at every stage. Whether through hosting podcasts, curating dynamic workshops, or crafting unique brand stories, he consistently drives meaningful impact, helping others unlock their full potential and bring big ideas to life.

Above all, Donavan’s mission is clear: to ignite creativity, foster belonging, and inspire everyone to embrace the adventure of playful, purposeful entrepreneurship.

** What to expect at a CM Winnipeg event (besides inspiration and fun)**

8:00am Arrival and check in – grab a coffee, a breakfast treat and make a new friend (or just smile at someone while making a cool nametag)

8:25am Refill coffee and settle in for a great event!

8:30am Welcome, info about CreativeMornings and listen to our featured local performer

8:45am Community creative engagement activity – introvert approved

9:00am Intro of Speaker

9:30am Wrap up and exchange contact info with your new friends!

We aim to have the event wrapped up by no later than 9:45am so you can get back to your vehicle before your parking runs out. However, CreativeMornings guests also have free access to Launch Co-Working public spaces on the day of our events, so feel free to hang out for the morning or the day!

For this event, please plan to join us for a post-event tour of Pop CoLab!

Yes! You!

Want to be part of an amazing volunteer team? If you have been to a CreativeMornings event, you know how much fun we have – and with our growth in attendance, we need more volunteers for day-of-event teams as well as some behind-the-scenes roles.

If you are interested in considering a volunteer role, join Yemilo (one of our amazing volunteers) on Monday, April 28th at 5:30pm on Zoom (details below) to hear more and ask questions. If you aren’t able to attend the online meeting, please email winnipeg@creativemornings.com and we’ll get you linked with Yemilo.

Everyone is welcome!

Topic: CM – Volunteer Info Session
Time: Apr 28, 2025 | 5:30 PM (Winnipeg)
Join Zoom Meeting:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88193053231?pwd=yWUEKDVtTuS9oCVMtNpPljBRrzzobJ.1
Meeting ID: 881 9305 3231
Passcode: 268515

Join us on Friday, April 25, 2025 at 8am at Exchange District Launch Co-Working space for an exploration of our CreativeMornings global theme of CROSSROADS!

Our events are free and we celebrate diversity. Join us for free coffee, breakfast and inspiration!

At our April event, we will be welcoming our speaker, Roberta Landreth, along with a local performer and a fun creative engagement activity (introvert friendly!).

The Creative Crossroads: Choosing Abundance Over Scarcity by Roberta Landreth

As a freelance designer, you might think that the most significant crossroads are the moments when you leave the structure and security of your day job to become an entrepreneur. Or maybe when you choose where to direct your focus when it comes to client work. These choices are important, however, the most important creative juncture is one you must face every day—the choice between an abundance mindset and a scarcity mindset.

This is a decision you make continuously, and it’s just as important to hone as your craft itself. An abundance mindset is crucial for navigating the challenges you face as a creative. It’s the mindset you need every time imposter syndrome creeps in, when you worry you’ll never land another gig, or when you fear your creative well will run dry. It’s the choice you face when you start comparing yourself to others instead of celebrating their wins or choosing to collaborate.

The abundance mindset is choosing to believe that creativity is an infinite resource—just as boundless as your own capacity to imagine. If you can train yourself to embrace abundance, your creativity becomes truly limitless.

Meet our Speaker: Roberta Landreth

For nearly a decade, Roberta has had the pleasure of collaborating with many fabulous and eclectic clients. Roberta is a Winnipeg born, multiple-award-winning, graphic designer, working primarily in the music industry. Her designs are widely celebrated, notably earning a JUNO, Four WCMAs, and two Covenant Awards . In March of 2022 Roberta was nominated for her second JUNO award. Roberta has now worked on the album artwork for over 200 albums, on posters, merch and other graphics with artists such as The National. Natalie MacMaster, Big Wreck, Ani Difranco, Luke Combs, Jully Black, Serena Ryder, the Bros. Landreth William Prince, Dan Mangan and many many more.

Though best known for collaborations with artists — her diverse and eclectic portfolio also includes branding and identity work for multiple music festivals and conferences, consulting for corporate advertising campaigns, and artwork for book covers and wine labels. Some Major projects of note are the 2021 through 2025 Festival artwork for Winnipeg Folk Festival, 2017-25 artwork for Break Out West, The National Arts Centre, Canadian Independent Music Association, Festival of Small Halls, Canmore Folk Festival, LOWISA and the Manitoba NDP. Roberta has recently illustrated herfirst children’s book “ You Came From My heart”, and won the “Word Award” prize for best book cover of 2021 for her work on “The Neighbours are Real and Other Beautiful Things”. When she isn’t at her desk she is chasing her son around the neighbourhood, or her husband on tour around the world.

Roberta credits the music scene in Winnipeg to finding happiness and fulfillment in her work “its a vibrant, close-knit community where we all support each other creatively. This city is passionate about the arts and I feel extremely thankful to be a part of it.“

Join us on March 21 at Launch Co-Working in the Exchange District to explore the CreativeMornings global theme of PARALLEL! Doors open at 8am for networking and breakfast. Our event is free and everyone is welcome! Scroll down for agenda overview.

*All CreativeMornings Winnipeg events offer ASL interpretation.

Talk Title: Creating Spaces to Belong: The Parallel Stories of Two Meg(h)ans

As writers and storytellers, Meghan Malcolm (they/she) and Megan Kiyoko Wray (she/her) have spent their lives searching for reflections of themselves in the stories around them—only to realize that true representation often requires creating the spaces and narratives they longed for. Their journeys parallel in many ways: both grew up feeling underrepresented in media, both found community through storytelling, and both have worked to build spaces where others can feel seen, valued, and understood.

Meet our Speakers: Meghan Malcolm and Megan Wray

Meghan, a queer writer, founded Willow, a bookstore and community hub that grew from a self-publishing project into a beloved gathering space. With a mandate of sharing stories to “find and lose yourself” in, Willow championed diverse books and fostered a space for inclusive events like queer open mics, drag performances, and community workshops.

Megan, a queer, mixed-race Japanese Canadian writer, has spent years uncovering the histories that shaped her family and community, confronting the intergenerational trauma of wartime incarceration and dispossession. Through her work with Mata Ashita: An Intergenerational Writing Circle for Japanese Canadians, she has found—and now helps create—a space for connection, healing, and shared stories.

Together, Megan and Meghan will explore the power of representation, the intersections of their journeys, and how storytelling can be an act of both self-discovery and community-building. Join us as they reflect on the parallels between their paths and the ways creativity fosters belonging.

Meet our Musician: Raine Hamilton

Resonant, acoustic chamber folk with an otherworldly edge, and a lyric presence that cuts deep. Prism-clear vocals + strings. Anchored in the ancient mountains, reaching out beyond the earthly. 

Raine is part prairie songstress, part storyweaver; Each song has a story, delivered between songs with humour and grace. Raine invites deep love of the violin into the singer-songwriter genre, writing for violin and voice, as well as for guitar and voice. Joined by cello and upright bass, expect string arrangements that push and pull, that move as they console.

Art is for everyone, music is for everyone. Raine often performs alongside an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter, making their concerts accessible to the Deaf community. Raine is great with kids; Ask them about their songwriting workshops. 

SOUNDS LIKE: A string quartet + Sarah Harmer + Joni Mitchell

https://www.instagram.com/rainehamilton/

What to expect at a CM Winnipeg event (beside inspiration and fun):

8:00am Arrival and check in – grab a coffee, a breakfast treat and make a new friend (or just smile at someone while making a cool nametag)

8:25am Refill coffee and settle in for a great event!

8:30am Welcome, info about CreativeMornings and listen to our featured local performer

8:45am Community creative engagement activity – introvert approved (and introvert friendly!)

9:00am Intro of Speaker(s)

9:30am Wrap up and exchange contact info with your new friend!

We aim to have the event wrapped up by no later than 9:45am so you can get back to your vehicle before your parking runs out. However, CreativeMornings guests also have free access to Launch Co-Working public spaces on the day of our events, so feel free to hang out for the morning or the day!

Join us on Friday, February 28 for a special CreativeMornings WPG event in partnership with MB Tech Week and Tech Manitoba! CreativeMornings WPG is excited about how technology can augment creativity and we have a unique opportunity to visit our fantastic partner, New Media Manitoba, at their new Studio Lab XR at 201 Portage (NW corner of Portage and Main).

**ASL Interpretation is available at all CM WPG events.

To explore the CreativeMornings Global theme of LAYERS in February, we will be joined by our headliner and RRC Polytech grad, Daniel Blair of BSD XR, as well as performers The Domicans!

Location and Parking for the event: Studio Lab XR is in the lower level of 201 Portage. There is street parking on Albert and streets in the West Exchange in easy walking distance as well as the Albert St parkade and a surface lot directly behind 201 Portage. You can also park on the East side of Main or South Side of Portage and access the underground concourse to 201 Portage.

Talk Title: Layers of a Life – Creativity, Business, Parenthood, and the Future by Daniel Blair

Life is built in layers—sometimes overlapping, sometimes colliding, always shaping who we are. As a creative entrepreneur, I navigate the space between innovation and execution, balancing the weight of running a business with the responsibility of raising a family. Each layer—building technology, fostering imagination, shaping a company, and shaping the next generation—comes with its own challenges and insights.

In this talk, I’ll explore the interplay between creativity and strategy, the tension between ambition and presence, and how embracing the layers of our lives can help us build not just companies, but futures. Whether you’re an artist, a leader, a parent, or all three, this conversation is about how we integrate, rather than separate, the many roles we play.

Introducing our Headliner: Daniel Blair

Daniel Blair is a dynamic and innovative leader in technology and digital media. As the founder and Chief Technology Officer of BSD XR, he has been at the forefront of creating innovative research projects in areas like AI and spatial computing for various industries, including construction, defence, aerospace, mining, and utilities. His passion for innovation and commitment to excellence have earned him recognition as an award-winning entrepreneur and software developer.

Daniel’s influence extends beyond his company. He is the chair of the board for the Interactive Digital Media sector council, New Media Manitoba, where he guides the growth and development of Manitoba’s interactive digital media industry. In 2023 Daniel joined the board of directors for the Virtual World Society to help drive their mission of ethical thought leadership and responsible application of emerging technology. Dan is also a proud graduate of RRC Polytech.

Meet our Performers: The Domicans

The Domicans are an international Irish folk duo who play the music that they love. Originally from County Offaly in Ireland, Anlon met Ashtyn in Galway back in 2019 and they have been making music together ever since. Through a mutual love of artists like Christy Moore, The Pogues and Lisa Hannigan, The Domicans join together to create a soundscape of Irish tunes that have audiences tapping their toes and singing along. Their sets provide an authentic Irish pub experience for listeners without having to leave Manitoba!

Event Overview

Haven’t been to a CreativeMornings WPG event before? Here’s a quick overview of our format:

8:00am Arrive – COFFEE and BREAKFAST TIME!

8:30am Welcome / Intro to CreativeMornings

8:40am Performers bring their fantastic energy!

8:50am Community Creative Activity (introvert approved)

9:00am Headliner talk and Q and A

9:30am Wrap up and head into your day feeling inspired!