An interview with Ana and Ame-Lia
The power of a shared vision.
When you’re surrounded by diversity (across sectors, perspectives, professions, and lived experiences) but united by a shared vision, you feel more empowered.
This was the key takeaway shared by Ana Mendez and Ame-Lia Tamburrini of Building Resilient Neighbourhoods. In this short interview, they speak to their passion for sustaining momentum in social programming, strengthening neighbourly connections, and advancing climate preparedness, and their eagerness to do this amongst so many like-minded changemakers.
“I’m motivated. I feel inspired by what’s going on here, and I have a mix of both excitement and also a little bit of ‘there’s a lot of work to do’. But knowing that we’re in it together makes a huge difference in terms of mustering up the energy to keep going.”
This interview is part of a collection of interviews emerging from Living Together 2025: Connecting housing, social health, and resilience.
Living Together 2025 was a two-day ‘collective action’ symposium that convened over 200 housing experts, public health professionals, municipal planners, architects, place-based community organizations, emergency management professionals, senior government policymakers, academics, and students.
We are deeply grateful to the many attendees who took the time to share their reflections and insights in brief interviews. From student research assistants to housing operators, policymakers, and public health practitioners, these voices capture the rich diversity present at the symposium.
