Convocation: Dave Meslin

Dave Meslin, journalist and grassroots activist, calls himself a "community choreographer." Meslin's activism started with guerilla-style street antics. Painting bike lanes directly onto the street, altering billboards, and hanging pictures of Bill Cosby and Bill Clinton over "Post no Bills" signs were all part of his repertoire. In 1998, he organized the first "Reclaim the Streets" demonstration in Toronto. Seeing hundreds of people dancing in the street without a permit was motivation enough to continue organizing. Watching the police shut down the party and arrest many of the celebrants was a motivation to explore new ways to organize. Chosen as one of the Top Ten Activists of the year by NOW Magazine in 2000, Meslin went on to form the Toronto Public Space Committee, successfully rallying a growing group of volunteers to wage war against the commercialization of public space. During the next five years, the Committee became one of the most effective unfunded non-profits in Toronto. In 2006, Meslin coordinated a project called "Who Runs This Town?", a campaign aimed at injecting some fun and creativity into the 2006 municipal elections in Toronto, including "City Idol," an attempt to get alienated citizens to explore and share their political ideas by competing for a spot on City Council in front of a live audience. Meslin believes passionately in getting involved in civic affairs, and demonstrates what can be accomplished through advocacy with dedication, imagination, and hard work. He seeks to build a culture of political engagement in our communities by offering an antidote to apathy. The title of his presentation was "Under the Surface: The Unlimited Potential of Community Organizing."