Molly Damiani

Hello Everyone, My name is Molly Damiani. I am thrilled to be joining the 2021 MDP cohort. I grew up on the outskirts of a small town in Nova Scotia, on the unceded, traditional territory of the Mi’Kmaq People. I have since lived in Trento (Italy), Toronto, and Ottawa. I am lucky enough to be spending this summer living and working on a 4-acre island on Lake of the Woods, before officially moving to Winnipeg this fall.

I graduated from Carleton University in 2016, with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree in Political Science and Women’s and Gender Studies. I also completed a Graduate Diploma program in Social Organization Development this past year at Saint-Paul University.

Upon completing my undergraduate degree, I worked for non-governmental organizations in Ontario and local government in Nova Scotia.  I interned with Amnesty International Canada, where I coordinated their human rights college for youth interested in organizing and mobilizing for social change. Most recently, I managed a knowledge exchange project, titled Wìdjìwàgan - Sharing Our Stories: Tools for Social Innovation, with the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples (CAP), that looked at Traditional Knowledge and social innovation.

Inspired by my work with CAP, Amnesty International, and my rural upbringing, I decided to pursue a master’s degree, that would allow me to critically explore community and economic development in connection with reconciliation, particularly as it is experienced and implemented in rural and remote spaces. I feel truly honoured and privileged to be part of this group of educators, administrators, and students. I am looking forward to shaping my conceptualization of development through course work and practicums, and getting to know the other grad students.

In my free time, I can be found in the company of friends, painting, playing the ukulele, chasing after my dog, Lupa, and being active outdoors.