In this episode of Me, Myself, and AI, Casey B steps back from the headlines and asks a quieter but more dangerous question: what happens when the rules that govern nations start to feel optional?

Drawing on her undergraduate studies in criminology and Caribbean studies, and approaching the moment not as an expert, but as a citizen of the world, Casey reflects on recent global events that echo the very case studies many of us learned about in school: violations of sovereignty, the use of force without clear international authorization, and the erosion of norms designed to prevent escalation.

Joined by her AI co-host, Jazz, the episode explores:

• What sovereignty actually means under international law

• Why the prohibition on the use of force exists in the first place

• How international legal frameworks are supposed to function — and where they often fail

• Why major powers are rarely held accountable in the same way smaller states are

• And why so many people feel a deep unease before they can fully explain it

This is not an episode about taking sides or predicting catastrophe. It’s about pattern recognition, the slow normalization of actions that international law was built to restrain, and the risks that emerge when legitimacy gives way to raw power.

At a time when global institutions are under strain, this conversation reminds us that international law doesn’t survive on treaties alone. It survives when people understand why the rules exist, and notice when they begin to fray.

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Key Sources & Legal Frameworks Referenced

Foundational International Law

• United Nations Charter (1945)

• Article 2(4): Prohibition on the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state

• Article 51: Limited right to self-defense

• International Court of Justice

• Nicaragua v. United States (1986): Landmark ruling on unlawful use of force and non-intervention

• International Criminal Court

• Rome Statute provisions on crimes of aggression, war crimes, and crimes against humanity

International Humanitarian & Human Rights Law

• Geneva Conventions (1949) and Additional Protocols

• Civilian protection, proportionality, and distinction in armed conflict

• Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes Against Internationally Protected Persons (1973)

• Protections for heads of state and senior officials

Regional & Multilateral Norms

• Organization of American States Charter

• Principles of non-intervention and sovereign equality

• Customary International Law

• State sovereignty, diplomatic immunity, and non-interference

Trade & Political Context

• North American Free Trade Agreement / USMCA

• Economic integration alongside divergent foreign-policy responses

• Illustrates how trade alliances can shape — and sometimes mute — political accountability

Supplementary Analysis

• United Nations General Assembly resolutions on use of force and sovereignty

• Academic commentary on enforcement gaps in international law

• Human rights reporting on civilian harm and extraterritorial use of force

In this episode of Me, Myself, and AI, Casey B takes a clear-eyed look at Universal Basic Income (UBI), not as a theory, but as a real policy idea tested in real places with real people.

Drawing on evidence from Ireland, Finland, Manitoba, Alaska, Ontario, and Canada’s COVID response, the episode breaks down what actually happens when people are guaranteed a basic income floor. The data consistently shows improvements in mental health, stability, and well-being, without large-scale withdrawal from work.

Rather than arguing for a one-size-fits-all cheque, the episode explores a more realistic model: updating ineffective and punitive income assistance programs into a guaranteed minimum income or top-up system, while keeping critical supports like disability in place. The focus is on reducing bureaucracy, removing fear and instability, and allowing people to work and earn on top of a stable income floor.

The episode also tackles common fears head-on government control, fairness, cost, and and reframes the conversation around system design, incentives, and how people actually behave in real life.

The central question isn’t whether people deserve support, but whether we’re willing to redesign systems that repeatedly fail to produce stability, health, or opportunity.

Source: Homelessness and Housing Insecurity Among Im/migrants in Canada: A Scoping Review”

Published in the Canadian Journal of Urban Research

In this episode of Me, Myself, and AI, Casey B explores what Canadian research tells us about housing insecurity and homelessness among immigrants and migrants — and why it looks different from mainstream narratives about the housing crisis.

Sparked by a personal moment — a former boss stepping into leadership at the New Canadians Centre — Casey brings a second-generation Canadian lens to a scoping review of over 50 Canadian studies. The research reveals that housing insecurity for im/migrants isn’t just about affordability, but about timing, visibility, trust, and fragmented systems that don’t speak to one another.

The episode unpacks hidden homelessness, the gaps between immigration and housing policy, and the intergenerational consequences of housing instability. It asks a deeper question: what would it mean to design housing systems that actually account for migration, rather than assuming stability?

Grounded in research, lived experience, and systems thinking, this episode moves beyond headlines to examine the structures underneath Canada’s housing challenges.

When the Vibes Are Off at Work

You can feel it before anyone says it out loud.

The side conversations. The tension in meetings. The quiet after certain people speak. In this episode of Me, Myself, and AI, we talk about what’s really happening when the vibes are off at work—and why it’s rarely “just personalities.”

Using peer-reviewed research from organizational psychology and workplace behavior, this episode breaks down how gossip and chronic negativity quietly erode trust, damage morale, and spread through teams like a social contagion. Studies show that negative gossip is linked to increased stress, reduced performance, lower organizational commitment, and higher turnover intentions (Kurland & Pelled, 2000; Wu et al., 2018; Küçük et al., 2025). Research on workplace incivility also finds that even low-level negativity reduces cognitive performance, collaboration, and psychological safety (Porath & Pearson, 2013; Leiter et al., 2011).

We explore how these behaviors influence entire workplace cultures—not just the people directly involved—and why organizations often underestimate the cost of “toxic talk.” We also talk honestly about what it’s like to work in these environments: why people stay silent, how gossip drains energy from teams, and the coping strategies employees use to survive when leaving isn’t an option.

Finally, we look at solutions backed by evidence. Can people who gossip or contribute to negative workplace cultures change? What actually works—training, coaching, accountability, leadership modeling—and where organizations often get it wrong. Research on civility interventions and emotional intelligence training shows that workplace culture can improve when negative behaviors are addressed directly and consistently (Leiter et al., 2011; West & Brassey, 2022).

If you’ve ever walked into work and thought, “something feels off,” this episode is for you.

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Key References Mentioned

• Kurland, N. B., & Pelled, L. H. (2000). Passing the word: Toward a model of gossip and power in the workplace. Academy of Management Review.

• Wu, L. Z., et al. (2018). The effect of workplace gossip on employee outcomes. Journal of Applied Psychology.

• Küçük, A., et al. (2025). Workplace gossip, loneliness, and turnover intention. Journal of Management & Organization.

• Porath, C., & Pearson, C. (2013). The price of incivility. Harvard Business Review.

• Leiter, M. P., et al. (2011). The impact of civility interventions on workplace culture. Journal of Applied Psychology.

• West, T., & Brassey, J. (2022). Addressing toxic workplace behavior. McKinsey Health Institute.

In this episode of Me, Myself, and AI, Casey B challenges the workplace myth that the best hires are the most outgoing, social, and familiar. Through research on cultural fit and the costs of homogenous teams, we uncover how organizations hurt themselves by choosing comfort over capability.

Casey highlights why shows like Netflix’s The Residence matter for representation. Uzo Aduba’s Detective Cordelia Cupp is brilliant, awkward, introverted—and exceptional. A character like this reminds us that excellence comes in many forms.

This episode is an invitation to rethink what talent looks like and to question who we overlook when we only hire those who feel familiar.

In this episode of Me, Myself & AI, we unpack why retreating from Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) isn’t a “neutral reset,” but a risk, for people, for culture, and for business. We explore what academic research reveals about the impact of microaggressions, lost diversity, and dismantled inclusion efforts. From real-world DEI rollbacks to data on firm performance and organizational health, we show how exclusion isn’t just a social problem, it’s a business problem. If you care about fairness and sustainable success, this episode is for you.

Sources:

Mihaylova, I. & Rietmann, K. — Diversity, equity and inclusion at a crossroads: a scoping review of the characteristics of workplace backlash (2025)

• ​ Hamza-Orlińska, A., et al. — Unlearning diversity management (2024)
• ​ Saha, R.; Kabir, M. N.; Hossain, S. A.; & Rabby, S. M. — Impact of Diversity and Inclusion on Firm Performance: Moderating Role of Institutional Ownership (2024)
• ​ Turi, J. A. et al. — Diversity impact on organizational performance (2022)
• ​ Kasih, E. & Ruslaini — The Impact of Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives on Organizational Performance (2025)
• ​ Østergaard, C. R. & Timmermans, B. — Workplace diversity and innovation performance: current state of affairs and future directions (2023)
• ​ Raddant, M. & Karimi, F. — The dynamics of diversity on corporate boards (2024)
• ​ de Souza Santos, R.; Barcom, A.; Wessel, M.; & Magalhaes, C. — From Diverse Origins to a DEI Crisis: The Pushback Against Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Software Engineering (2025)

In this episode of Me, Myself & AI, Casey asks a critical question:

Why are Black women across the United States being fired in such large numbers in 2025?

With her AI co-host J, she looks past the headlines and into the data, politics, and patterns shaping this moment.

🔍 What This Episode Breaks Down

1. ​ The Numbers: What the Data Actually Shows

• ​ Over 300,000 Black women pushed out of the workforce in early 2025
• ​ Black women’s unemployment rising to 7.5%, while white women remain around 3.5%
• ​ Largest Black–white unemployment gap since 2020
• ​ Federal job cuts hitting Black women disproportionately (Education, HUD, USAID, etc.)
• ​ DEI rollbacks in public + private sectors contributing to targeted losses

1. ​ The High-Profile Firings (Names, Roles, and What Happened)

• ​ Joy Reid — fired from MSNBC amid political pressure, diversity concerns
• ​ Karen Attiah — fired from The Washington Post over a tweet; union condemned firing
• ​ Dr. Carla Hayden — removed as Librarian of Congress under government shake-up
• ​ Lisa Cook — first Black woman Federal Reserve Governor; Trump moved to fire her over old mortgage claims; she is now suing
• ​ Letitia James — not fired, but under DOJ investigation seen as political retaliation
• ​ Fani Willis — federally scrutinized after prosecuting Trump; targeted but still in office

1. ​ Why Experts Say This Is Happening

• ​ Systemic Racism + “double discrimination” against Black women
• ​ Political retaliation against Black women in positions of oversight and power
• ​ DEI Backlash: intentional dismantling of diversity programs
• ​ Public-sector downsizing: going after departments with high Black female representation
• ​ Corporate retreat from DEI after 2020 commitments
• ​ Return-to-office policies disproportionately impacting Black women

1. ​ Historical Context

• ​ Backlash cycles after Black advancement (desegregation → tuition hikes; affirmative action → bans; DEI → rollbacks)
• ​ Black women’s long-standing pattern of being “first fired, last hired”
• ​ How removing Black women from leadership diminishes representation, advocacy, and institutional equity

1. ​ Why This Matters (and Why Canadians Should Care)

• ​ Public-sector playbooks cross borders
• ​ DEI under scrutiny in multiple countries
• ​ Black women’s job stability tied to community economic stability
• ​ What happens in the U.S. often signals where global equity trends are heading

📚 Key Sources Referenced in This Episode

Major News + Investigations

• ​ The Guardian — Interview with Joy Reid
• ​ The Washington Post Guild Statement — on Karen Attiah’s firing
• ​ ProPublica — Trump’s purge disproportionately affecting Black women
• ​ Reuters — Lisa Cook’s lawsuit and attempted firing
• ​ Capital B News — Political retaliation against Letitia James & Fani Willis
• ​ Inc. Magazine — Corporate DEI pullbacks + impact on Black women

Research + Data

• ​ National Women’s Law Center (NWLC) — unemployment statistics
• ​ NAACP — analysis of DEI rollback impact on Black women
• ​ BlackDemographics.com — jobless gap analysis
• ​ WABE/NPR — labor force exit data
• ​ TIME Magazine — structural reasons for Black women’s economic vulnerability
• ​ National Urban League — public-sector inequality reports

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Statements from Advocates & Officials

• ​ Karen Boykin-Towns, NAACP
• ​ Janai Nelson, NAACP Legal Defense Fund
• ​ Keisha Bross, NAACP economic policy
• ​ Gender economists & labor researchers quoted in TIME, NWLC, and Inc.

Finland’s former Prime Minister Sanna Marin once sparked a global conversation when she suggested a four-day work week. But can working less actually make us more productive?

In this episode of Me, Myself & AI, Casey B explores the truth behind the headlines — what Sanna Marin really proposed, the global results from shorter work week pilots, and what the data means for Canada and the U.S.

From Microsoft Japan’s 40 percent productivity boost to Iceland’s nationwide success and Canada’s own non-profit experiments, the evidence is mounting that less time at work can lead to better results, happier teams, and healthier lives.

Listen for the numbers, the nuance, and the future of work — and stay tuned to the end to hear where art meets analysis with Charita B music.

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🧾 Sources & References:

Sanna Marin’s Proposal (Finland)

• Reuters – Fact Check: Finland Not Adopting Four-Day Week Under Marin (2020).

• AFP – Fact Check: Finland’s PM Did Not Introduce Four-Day Work Week (2020).

Major Global Trials & Research

• Autonomy (2023). The UK Four Day Week Pilot Results: 61 Companies, 2,900 Workers — 92 % Kept the Schedule.

• Associated Press (2023). “UK Firms Stick With Four-Day Week as Revenue Rises, Burnout Falls.”

• Scientific American (2025). Coverage of Nature Human Behaviour cross-country study (141 companies in U.S., Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia, NZ).

• Investopedia (2025). “The Impact of Working a 4-Day Week.”

• Autonomy / Alda (2021). Iceland Trials: 35–36-Hour Week With Equal or Improved Productivity.

• Wired (2023). “Inside Iceland’s Shorter Week Revolution.”

• Microsoft Japan (2019). Work Life Choice Challenge: +40 % Productivity Reported.

North America (Canada & U.S.)

• 4 Day Week Global (2024). North America Pilot Report – 41 Organizations, 100 % Retention of Four-Day Schedule.

• 4 Day Week Global (2025). Long-Term Follow-Up – Burnout −69 %, Attrition −32 %, Revenue +15 %.

• Imagine Canada (2024). Internal pilot results: Well-Being +66 %, Sick Days −40 %, 94 % Retention.

• PRAXIS PR (Toronto). Canadian case study on client coverage and efficiency gains.

• American Psychological Association (2024). Work in America Survey – 22 % of U.S. Employers Offer Four-Day Option (up from 14 % in 2022).

• Kickstarter (2022). Official statement on permanent 32-hour week post-pilot.

• Bolt (2022). CEO Ryan Breslow statement and coverage in Built In & CNBC on maintained productivity and morale.

Policy Context

• U.S. Congress – Thirty-Two Hour Workweek Act (House Bill by Rep. Takano).

• U.S. Senate – S. 3947 (Introduced by Sen. Sanders, 2023).

Compressed vs. Reduced Hours

• Brussels Times (2023). Belgium’s Four-Day Law Sees Less Than 1 % Take-Up.

• Acerta Survey (2024). Low Adoption of Compressed Hours Model in Belgium.

• Newsweek (2023). “Belgium’s 4-Day Workweek Falls Flat.”

Critiques & Limitations

• Washington University in St. Louis (2024). Expert Analysis: “Don’t Believe the Hype About Shorter Work Week Benefits.”

• OECD Productivity Data (2024) – Hours Worked vs. Output Per Hour Comparisons for Canada and OECD Peers.

Equity, Health & Well-Being Evidence

• Public Health Reviews (2024). Systematic Review Linking Reduced Hours to Improved Sleep and Mental Health.

International Pilots & Funding Models

• Government of Spain (2022). SME Subsidy Program for 32-Hour Week Transition Pilots.

In this episode of Me, Myself, and AI, Casey B takes a clear-eyed look at what’s really happening to our climate, what “climate health” means, how Canada and Ontario measure up against the world, and which interventions actually work.

From the impact of plastic bag bans and electric vehicles to the carbon footprint of data centres and the promise of net-zero buildings, this episode explores the data behind the headlines, and what it all means for our future.

Sources:

• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) – AR6 Synthesis Report (2023)

• World Meteorological Organization – State of the Global Climate 2023 (2024)

• Government of Canada (Environment and Climate Change Canada) – Canada’s Changing Climate Report (2019)

• Climate Change Performance Index 2025 – Canada Profile

• IISD – The End of Coal: Ontario’s Coal Phase-Out (2015)

• Canadian Business – Reusable Grocery Bags vs. Single-Use Plastic Bags (2023)

• TD Economics – Lifecycle Emissions of EVs vs Gas Cars in Canada (2025)

• MIT Sloan – AI’s High Data Centre Energy Costs (2025)

• The Guardian – Data Centres and Emissions (2024)

• Climate Institute (Canada) – Climate Change and Heat Waves Fact Sheet (2024)

• Canada Green Building Council – Zero Carbon Building Standard

• International.gc.ca – Canada’s GHG Emissions and Per-Capita Context

• World Meteorological Organization Press Release – Global Temperature Records and Climate Indicators 2023

In this episode of Me, Myself & AI, Casey B dives into the growing wealth divide in Canada, where the richest 1% now control more wealth than the bottom 40% of families combined, and asks: is there a better way to structure our economy?

Through examples like Spain’s Mondragón cooperatives, Italy’s Emilia-Romagna co-op network, and the Nordic nations’ balance of innovation and equality, we explore what democratic socialism really means — and how it could work in a modern Canadian context.

Spoiler: it’s not about the government owning everything. It’s about people owning part of everything — through worker cooperatives, shared public wealth funds, and policies that make prosperity collective, not concentrated.

Casey breaks down:

• What “democratic socialism” actually means vs. common misconceptions

• Real-world proof that worker ownership can thrive

• Why innovation and equality aren’t opposites

• How countries like Sweden, Finland, and Norway turned equity into strength

• Practical next steps Canada could take right now

This isn’t about tearing down capitalism — it’s about fixing what’s broken and building an economy that works for everyone, not just the top 1%.

🧾 Show-Notes Sources

• Canadian Wealth Concentration: Parliamentary Budget Officer & Statistics Canada data — top 1% hold ~24% of national wealth; bottom 40% hold ~3.3%.

• Employee Ownership Trusts (Canada, 2023+): Canada Budget 2023 / Bill C-59 framework.

• Mondragón Cooperative Corporation: Federation of ~80,000 worker-owners, CEO-to-worker pay ratios typically 6:1 (range 3–9:1); survival rate ~97% over 30 years.

• Emilia-Romagna, Italy: Co-ops produce ≈ ⅓ of regional GDP; two-thirds of residents are members.

• Nordic Innovation & Equity: World Intellectual Property Organization – Global Innovation Index 2024 (Sweden #2 globally); OECD / UN data on inequality and productivity.

• World Happiness Report 2025: Finland #1 for 7 consecutive years; Denmark & Iceland follow closely.

• Norway Sovereign Wealth Fund: ~US $2 trillion assets; owns 1–2% of European equities; profits from publicly-owned oil reinvested for citizens.

• Research on Employee-Owned Firms: U.S. NCEO & UK Employee Ownership Association find higher productivity, wage equality, and survival rates.