Friday Opening Ceremony

Friday Opening Ceremony

7:30-7:40 PM – Welcome and land acknowledgement by emcee Ben Akuoko
7:40-7:50 PM – Ceremony Opening by Indigenous Elder Marsha Ireland

Speaker Bios

Ben Akuoko is a public speaker, entertainer, and multidisciplinary creative whose work lives at the intersection of art, storytelling, and social impact. Ben dabbles in acting and composing hip-hop, R&B and Afrobeat music.  Ben uses creativity as a powerful tool to connect, challenge, and inspire diverse audiences.

Holding a Master of Social Work, Ben brings a unique blend of professional expertise and artistic expression to his practice, weaving lived experience, music, and narrative into conversations around identity, disability, race, and culture. As the founder of Brightside Scope, Ben is known for delivering engaging, thought-provoking discussions that center accessibility, representation, and seeing possibility where others see limits.

Whether on stage, behind a mic, or in a community space, Ben’s work invites people to reflect, feel, and ultimately see the bright side of things.

Marsha Ireland is a proud member of the Oneida Nation and Turtle Clan, a wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, who has dedicated her life to advocating for her community. With the guidance of the Creator, she has developed Oneida Sign Language and travelled across Turtle Island to share it, support Deaf First Nations, and provide Land Acknowledgements in her language, earning recognition as an educator and Elder.