On this week's collected, connected conversations (the eighth in our summer series): part one of our pandemic ponderings. A disease that's thrown many into disarray, COVID-19 has come up often on this podcast. And for good reason: disproportionately afflicted with health care gaps, Indigenous peoples' vulnerability made them the subject of dire predictions from the outset of this pandemic. Featured voices this podcast include (in order of appearance): • Dr. Jason Pennington, Assistant Professor of Medicine, University of Toronto; Scarborough General Hospital staff surgeon; joint strategic lead in Indigenous Health, U of T Faculty of Medicine • Dr. Lisa Richardson, clinician-educator, University of Toronto division of general internal medicine; joint strategic lead in Indigenous Health, U of T Faculty of Medicine • Mary Jane McCallum, Professor of History at University of Winnipeg • Brock Pitawanakwat, York University Associate Professor of Indigenous Studies • Ken Williams, assistant professor with the University of Alberta's Department of Drama • Candis Callison, Associate Professor in the Institute for Critical Indigenous Studies and the School of Journalism, Writing and Media at UBC • Kim TallBear, Professor in the Faculty of Native Studies at the University of Alberta and Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Peoples, Technoscience & Environment

// CREDITS: Creative Commons music in this episode includes "Hot Soup On Cold Days" and "Rest" by PC III, and "Reservoir Sunset (Full Synth Mix)" by Axletree. Our opening theme is "Soda Machine" by Kabbalistic Village; our closing theme is "Nocturne for Anastasiya" by Vlad Cuiujuclu.