Blackout Podcast

Born and raised in Ottawa, Canada, Caleb Latreille has spent most of his adult life wandering across both the planet and creative disciplines. As a youth, he was a prolific writer, writing and directing for the theatre and becoming deeply involved in the North American zine scene of the late 1990s and early aughts.

After a move to Halifax, Nova Scotia, his work with paper shifted towards music: creating posters, fliers, and cassette booklets as a DJ/organizer and selling handmade mixtapes at local craft and record fairs; and to mail art, keeping ties with friends made through zines or while travelling across North America as a record collector, a hitchhiking banjo player, and an occasional roadie and tour manager.

A growing focus on DJing led to moves to Melbourne, Montreal, and Negril, and to music production and audio engineering. Eventually, buying a camera to document life at a volunteer-run recording studio in Halifax, he fell in love with photography and has since concentrated his efforts on portraiture. Owing to his past, youth culture and nostalgia are prominent themes in his work.  He is currently in the process of immigrating to Lusaka, Zambia.

Check his work out @caleblatreille

Courtney Baker is a self-love coach who helps women reconnect with their worth and remember they are the love of their own lives. Her approach is rooted in softness, honesty, and a deep belief that self-love is a radical, necessary act of reclamation. Not a luxury masked in bubble baths and overpriced coffee, but in fact, your birthright.

She works through 1:1 coaching, creating space for body neutrality, emotional healing, and those beautifully imperfect moments of growth. Her work gently guides people back to themselves, one breath, one boundary, and one brave step at a time.

Courtney is here for the messy middles, the quiet wins, and the magic that happens when we stop trying to be perfect and start learning to be present. She believes healing doesn’t have to be loud to be powerful, and that you definitely don’t have to do it alone.

Ken Oguzie is a dynamic and results-driven international trade and investment professional. He is the President/ Founder of Africa Canada Trade and Investment Venture based out of Nova Scotia, Canada, with partner offices across Africa. ACTIV is a boutique consulting firm specialising in trade and investment solutions, with a focus on promoting and facilitating Trade and Investment between Canada and Africa, across diverse sectors.

With over a decade of experience in the global trade industry spanning 4 different continents, 5 countries, Ken has a proven track record of driving sustainable growth, fostering international partnerships and bringing Economic development to the regions of his focus in sectors ranging from Energy, Agriculture, Infrastructure, Real Estate to professional services.

Under his leadership, ACTIV has expanded its global footprint, navigated complex market dynamics and delivered innovative trade and investment strategies that meet the evolving needs of businesses in Africa, Canada and worldwide. Ken is known for combining deep industry expertise with a forward-thinking approach to create long-term value for stakeholders. A skilled negotiator and visionary, Ken has successfully facilitated numerous large-scale Trade and Investment deals across various continents, making them a trusted leader in the sector. He is also a strong DEI advocate and provides advisory support to senior leadership of private and public sector organisations on inclusive leadership and workplace culture.

Learn more @activafr

www.activafr.com

Hailing from Kjipuktuk/Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, Jupiter V (they/them) is a queer artist, musician and creative crackerjack with a career spanning over a decade. Making a name with award-winning gig posters, they've gone on to illustrate for film, graphic fiction, children's literature and more.

Most recently, they worked with EVERYSEEKER Music and Arts Festival (2025 & 2026) and Nocturne: Art at Night Festival (2024), and is looking forward to publishing their second comic with Duck Prints Press in 2026. Jupiter also composed the original soundtrack for the hit PC game Bopl Battle, and has most recently released the album Last Dance with their synthrock band Minus World.

Find out more @jupiterv99

jupiterv.net

theminusworld.com

C Stone-Léon, a rapper/producer/curator residing in Halifax, NS.

He draws inspiration from underground and old-school sounds, citing influences like Westside Gunn, Roc Marciano, MF Doom, and The Alchemist. Collaborating with long-time friend French, they released Léon’s debut mixtape “Burning Bushes on Marble Floors” in January 2021. The lead single “Matilda” received recognition from Ghostface Killah, Redman, and Busta Rhymes.

Léon is the founder of DIRECTOR, a brand spanning music, film, art, and fashion, and has released 9 projects and various singles. His newest collaboration effort with Luke French & Ghostboyrj “Tokyo, Sayonara!” Is out now everywhere.

Check him out @cstoneleon

Teo Kim is a story-driven marketer and creator based in Halifax.

He shares the people, culture, and everyday life of Atlantic Canada through film, conversations, and community projects.

His work connects communities by blending marketing, storytelling, and culture into one cohesive voice.

Find out more @teokim.ca

Favour Ikitde is a Canadian based fashion creative whose work blends storytelling, style, and visual experimentation. Originally from Nigeria, Favour discovered his passion for fashion early, but only truly began expressing it after moving to Canada.

Through bold concepts, striking silhouettes, and intentional content creation, he has built a unique visual language that resonates with audiences across platforms.

Favour continues to explore the intersection of high fashion and everyday style, using his work to inspire others to create fearlessly and authentically.

Maral Porretta is a stylist and creative director who blends fashion, storytelling, and culture into everything she touches. Her work is rooted in authenticity and the belief that style is a language that connects people.

She built her career through content creation, community building, and a sharp creative eye that pulls from her experiences in fashion, entrepreneurship, and global travel. Her perspective is shaped by her Mongolian heritage, her time in the corporate world, and her commitment to showing up as her real self online.

Maral is also the founder of Club Kind, a new cultural café and laundromat concept opening in Halifax that’s designed to bring people together through creativity, good energy, and a sense of belonging. Her mission is to build spaces and stories that make people feel seen, inspired, and part of something bigger.

Prince Churchill is a multidisciplinary artist, designer, and creative director whose work transforms personal history into bold visual storytelling.

Adopted from Haiti after the 2010 earthquake, he channels themes of identity, resilience, and culture through his studio, Art By Prince.

His creations blur the lines between art, design, and emotion, transforming survival into a powerful form of expression.

Check him out @artby.prince

Dawn “Juan” Collins (she/they) is a multidisciplinary artist, musician, and community builder whose work bridges creative expression, holistic practice, and cultural dialogue. Drawing on decades of experience in social policy, trauma-informed care, and healing arts, Dawn integrates somatics, Indigenous wisdom, and spiritual practice into her performances and community offerings.

Her music and performance practice span jazz, Latin, rock, punk, Maqam and world-inspired collaborations, appearing at festivals and international exhibitions across Canada, France, and Egypt. Trained in vocal performance, Nada, Bhakti, and movement-based practices from Egyptian, Sufi, Yogi and lyrical dance, Dawn brings both technical mastery and deep emotional resonance to every piece she creates.

Beyond the stage, she cultivates spaces for reflection, dialogue, and embodied growth, honouring ancestral knowledge and the interconnectedness of all life. Based in Kjipuktuk, Mi’kma’ki, Dawn continues to explore the intersections of art, music, healing, and expansion, inviting audiences and communities alike to engage with creativity as a path to insight, compassion, and transformation.

Check her out @dawnyjuany