Sfu's Vancity Office Of Community Engagement

There has been a lot of talk of how Canada is currently in a ‘climate emergency’. At the same time, the federal government’s purchase of the Trans Mountain Pipeline means that the expansion project will begin very soon. How does the construction of this pipeline impact the current state of our climate emergency, and what does this say about our governments’ priorities? Our host Am Johal talks to Kai Nagata of Dogwood BC about the implications of this expansion and how this shifts Dogwood BC’s efforts in holding our elected officials accountable. Kai Nagata is the Communications Director for Dogwood BC. The goal of the organization is to build a grassroots base of engaged citizens ready to take action outside of the existing political party system. You can learn more about Dogwood BC at https://dogwoodbc.ca.

Democracy is a term that’s been used, misunderstood, and taken for granted by many — so what does democracy really mean? Am Johal sits down with activist and filmmaker Astra Taylor to explore how people interpret ‘democracy’ and how we can better understand it. Astra is the director behind the film What is Democracy?, a documentary that tackles this question, alongside celebrated theorists and a diverse cast of folks from different walks of life. Together, they try to understand who gets to participate in democracy and what that means for our society from a place of curiosity and a search for deeper meaning. Learn more about the film and Astra’s newly-released book, “Democracy May Not Exist, but We’ll Miss It When It’s Gone”: https://www.whatisdemocracy.info/.

What does it mean to use and enjoy a city park on unceded Indigenous land? Am Johal interviews co-authors of “On This Patch of Grass: City Parks on Occupied Land” (Fernwood Publishing 2019), Matt Hern and Selena Couture, who wrote the book with two of their daughters, Sadie Couture and Daisy Couture. As a white settler family, they have lived near and around East Vancouver’s Victoria Park (AKA Bocce Ball Park) for years. Interrogating the concept of urban parks as colonial constructs, they investigate the land politics of this small green space with such a multiplicity of overlapping users and sovereignties. Full episode details: https://www.sfu.ca/vancity-office-community-engagement/below-the-radar-podcast/episodes/20-matt-hern-selena-couture.html Read the transcript: https://www.sfu.ca/vancity-office-community-engagement/below-the-radar-podcast/transcripts/20-selena-couture-matt-hern.html Find the book: https://fernwoodpublishing.ca/book/on-this-patch-of-grass Bio: Selena Couture is an Assistant Profess

On this episode of Below the Radar, Am Johal sits down with Darcie Bennett, the co-author of the Pivot Legal Society report "Project Inclusion". This report draws on interviews and research conducted with people across BC and highlights the way stigma around drug use and poverty has become embedded into current law and policy. Am and Darcie talk about the report and what steps can be taken to reduce the stigma around these issues so that these systems better serve people. You can read the full report here: http://www.pivotlegal.org/project_inclusion_full

Episode 18 features Baljit Sangra, a Vancouver-based documentarian and filmmaker. Baljit's latest documentary, "Because We Are Girls", is a powerful film that follows three Indo-Canadian sisters from Williams Lake, BC, who experienced sexual abuse by an older relative in their childhood years. Through an empathetic lens, Baljit shows the sisters’ laughs and struggles, as they seek to break the cycle of abuse and redress the wrongs within their family. Am Johal and Maria Cecilia Saba talk to Baljit about her approach to a complex story in a way that highlights her heroines’ humanity and the power of true sisterhood. Read more about "Because We Are Girls" here: http://vivamantra.ca/

Episode 17 features Hilda Fernandez, a clinical psychoanalyst and a grad student at SFU. Hilda was also the former president of the Lacan Salon, a group that meets bi-weekly to read and discuss the work of Freud and Jacques Lacan. On this episode, she talks to Am Johal about love and desire from a psychoanalytical perspective — the stages of love, how it is sustained and reinvented, and break-ups and the hatred that can come along with it. The Lacan Salon meets every other Tuesday from 7-9 PM in room 2205 at SFU’s Goldcorp Centre for the Arts. It welcomes participants from all academic disciplines and levels of experience. For more information, please visit their website: http://www.lacansalon.com/.

Episode 16 features Libby Davies, an activist and former Member of Parliament for Vancouver East. Libby spent the past four decades advocating for the Downtown Eastside community as a grassroots organizer, and an elected representative at the municipal and federal levels. She was also the first publicly out woman to be elected to parliament in Canada. SFU’s Melissa Roach and Jamie-Leigh Gonzales interview Libby about her newly released memoir, “Outside In”, covering her early days of community organizing, her experiences as a woman in politics, and representing her community’s concerns in Ottawa. Read more about “Outside In: A Political Memoir” here: https://libbydavies.ca/ https://www.straight.com/life/1231686/libby-daviess-memoir-outside-tells-grassroots-story-her-journey-downtown-eastside

This episode of Below the Radar features mother, entrepreneur, creative, feminist Madeleine Shaw. Many of us now find the topic of menstruation significantly less taboo thanks to the work of folks like Madeleine. As one of the cofounders of Lunapads, Madeleine has been normalizing menstruation for nearly three decades. Led by her creativity, she has more recently embarked on new projects including G Day, a national event series that celebrates the transition between childhood and adolescence in female-identified tween youth, and Nestworks, a work friendly family space that will shape a better understanding of a healthy work-life balance. To find out more check out these links: https://gday.world/ - don't miss the next event April 29th in Vancouver https://gday.world/simplysmashing2019/ http://nestworks.space/ https://lunapads.ca/ http://lunagals.com/

Episode 14 features Ginger Gosnell-Myers, a Nisga’a-Kwakwaka'wakw urban planner, researcher, and policy expert, who was the City of Vancouver’s first Indigenous Relations Manager. Ginger is currently completing a master’s degree in public policy at Simon Fraser University. She is in conversation with Am Johal and Jamie-Leigh Gonzales, reflecting on her work for the City bringing Indigenous policy-making to Vancouver, speaking to a need for greater access to services for Indigenous folks in the city, and for more meaningful engagement with — and acknowledgement of — First Nations’ governance at the municipal level. She shares her thoughts on building understanding of urban Aboriginal identity and Indigenizing Vancouver through increased political representation and the sustainable funding of Indigenous community planning. For more information and resources, Ginger recommends you check out: https://unya.bc.ca/ http://www.tsamiks.com/hoobiyee-tsamiks-edition.html (this year’s event has already happened, but it

Political Economist and SFU Geography Professor, Geoff Mann, joins Am Johal in episode 13 of Below the Radar. They discuss Mann’s two recent books: "In the Long Run We Are All Dead" and "Climate Leviathan" — co written by Joel Wainwright. For those who may not be familiar with Keynesian economics, Geoff Mann has a way of communicating concepts that makes them easily digestible for all audiences — even without a degree in economics. Learn more about the books and about the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives at the links below: https://www.versobooks.com/books/2245-in-the-long-run-we-are-all-dead https://www.versobooks.com/books/2545-climate-leviathan https://www.policyalternatives.ca/offices/bc Find Geoff on Twitter at @GeoffPMann.

Adrienne Smith joins Am Johal and Melissa Roach in conversation for episode 12 of Below the Radar. A poet and human rights lawyer, Adrienne has a passion for social justice and advocacy. They work to protect and uphold workers’ rights, seeking justice for trans and non-binary people. In this episode, they talk about the issues of misgendering folks in the justice system or in a workplace, and how the conflation of sex and gender can have dangerous repercussions on those who may not be out in their workplace. They also speak to the policy and accessibility issues of being a trans person within a healthcare system and what the geographical implications of healthcare can be for trans folks. Adrienne works pro bono for the Catherine White Holman Wellness Centre providing legal support to trans and gender diverse folks. To learn more visit: http://www.cwhwc.com/ www.transrightsbc.ca http://canadianlabour.ca/sites/default/files/media/WorkersInTransitionGuide-2011-04-EN.pdf Find Adrienne on Twitter at @VanAlias.

Episode 11 of Below the Radar features Stephanie Allen, a director of the Hogan's Alley Society, and Vice-president at Catalyst Community Developments Society and #46 on the 2018 VanMag Power 50 List. In this episode Am Johal and Stephanie Allen discuss affordable housing, the pros and cons of not-for-profit real estate development, the nature of ownership and property, along with a look at the fight for Hogan’s Alley and the recognition of the erasure of black culture from Vancouver through city development. To learn more, or get involved check out these links: www.catalystcommdev.org www.hogansalleysociety.org Or follow Stephanie on Twitter @builtjustice

Episode 10 of Below the Radar features Sharon Gregson, who works with the Coalition of Child Care Advocates of BC as the provincial spokesperson for the successful $10aDay Child Care campaign. Sharon Gregson and Am Johal discuss policy change and what is needed for sustainable child care in BC. Twice elected as a Trustee to the Vancouver School Board, Sharon’s advocacy for affordable child care stretches back over three decades. To learn more visit www.10aday.ca

Sarah Blyth joins Jamie-Leigh Gonzales for a conversation about the politics of illicit drugs. With an understanding of what it is like to make change from her experience as both a policy maker and a frontline worker, Sarah uses her voice to advocate for access to safe drugs for community members in the DTES. In this episode we take a closer look at what our politicians can do to acknowledge and respond to the opioid crisis. We also discuss the implications of legalizing cannabis for low income or homeless folks, and the importance of discussing these topics with youth. For more info visit: https://vancityoverdoseprevention.com/

SFU’s VOCE longtime partner, Megaphone Magazine, is featured in episode 8 of Below the Radar. Megaphone creates meaningful work for people experiencing poverty and homelessness. Each month they produce a magazine that looks at issues and events happening in our city with a local perspective. Along with the monthly magazine, the annual Hope in Shadows calendar is produced and sold by low-income and homeless vendors on the streets of Vancouver and Victoria to earn income and build community. This episode features Executive Director, Jessica Hannon, along with vendor, Peter Thompson in conversation with Jamie-Leigh Gonzales from SFU’s VOCE. Find out more about Megaphone at megaphonemagazine.com.

Hives for Humanity creates and supports opportunities to connect people back to the land through community and pollinators. They’ve been providing opportunities for people to engage in the therapeutic culture of beekeeping while supporting at-risk populations of people and pollinators since 2012. Episode 7 features community beekeepers, Sarah Common and Kevin Sleziak, in conversation with Am Johal. Full episode details: https://www.sfu.ca/vancity-office-community-engagement/below-the-radar-podcast/episodes/7-sarah-common-kevin-sleziak.html Read the transcript: https://www.sfu.ca/vancity-office-community-engagement/below-the-radar-podcast/transcripts/7-sarah-common-kevin-sleziak.html Read more about Hives for Humanity on their website: https://hivesforhumanity.com/ Bio: Hives for Humanity is a non-profit organization that encourages community connections through apiculture, more commonly known as beekeeping. Through mentorship based programming we create flexible opportunities for people to engage in the t

The Binners’ Project is a Vancouver-based initiative dedicated to advocating for waste-pickers in the city. Am Johal interviews Binners’ Project staff members Davin Boutang and Anna Godefroy about their beginnings and evolution as an organization. They discuss their Universal Carts Initiative, the Coffee Cup Revolution and how the project has grown in its capacity to create opportunities for binners, destigmatizing the work they do in diverting waste from landfills. Read more about Binners’ Project on their website: https://www.binnersproject.org/

"The way that I rationalize spending so much time in the theory world is because I think it helps train your intuition." Berlin-based artist Patricia Reed talks to Am Johal about the relationship between theory and practice in her work. Patricia gave a talk at SFU in October, "On Horizonless Futures." Watch the video recording from her talk in our audio and video gallery: http://www.sfu.ca/sfuwoodwards/community-engagement/audio-video-gallery.html Find more of Patricia's work on her website: http://www.aestheticmanagement.com/

From 312 Main and the future of public infrastructure in Surrey, to his “mad socialist period” in Dave Barrett’s NDP government. Am Johal interviews former city planner, MLA, and cabinet minister Bob Williams about his long and storied history of government work and community development in BC. Bob gave a public talk on the future of Surrey at SFU last fall. Check out the video recording here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgQJLv5eFt8&feature=youtu.be

“We don’t have time not to have women at the table,” says Ellen Woodsworth, our guest this week. Ellen is a former Vancouver city councillor and founder of Women Transforming Cities. She is interviewed by Jamie-Leigh Gonzales. They talk about the invisible labour of women, how women experience different social and environmental issues, the inclusion of women’s voices in governance, and how to make our cities women-friendly. Full episode details: https://www.sfu.ca/vancity-office-community-engagement/below-the-radar-podcast/episodes/3-ellen-woodsworth.html Read the transcript: https://www.sfu.ca/vancity-office-community-engagement/below-the-radar-podcast/transcripts/3-ellen-woodsworth.html Read more about Ellen’s work on the Women Transforming Cities website: http://www.womentransformingcities.org/ellen-woodsworth Bio: Ellen Woodsworth is the founder of Women Transforming Cities International Society and Co-Chairperson. She works to make cities work for self identified women and girls all over the world fr