Leadership Series

In episode 8 FCRJ Director Awino Okech speaks to Shereen Essof, from Just Associates (JASS). The conversation explores what it means to reflect on and practice feminist leadership, responding to multiple crises around the world in collective ways, and grappling with loneliness in leadership.

Shereen Essof is a Zimbabwean feminist, popular educator and organiser.  Shereen’s work is grounded in her engagement with womxn in social movements, community-based organizations and cultural collectives. She strives to understand power inherent in the interlocking nature of oppressive systems and from that understanding, to imagine, organize and build towards liberated futures. Shereen has published widely including: Shemurenga: The Zimbabwean Women’s Movement 1990-2000. Weaver Press; My Dream is to be Bold: The Work to End Patriarchy. Pambazuka Press and Feminist Alternatives; Searching for South Africa: The New Calculus of Dignity. UNISA Press.  She currently serves as Executive Director of Just Associates (JASS), a global feminist movement strengthening organization that equips and strengthens the leadership and organizing capacity of women leaders and their organizations in Mesoamerica, Southeast Asia, and Southern Africa.

Interviewer: Awino Okech

Interviewee: Shereen Essof

Produced by: The Feminist Centre for Racial Justice

Music: Broken RNB Instrumental by The Audio Way, freesound.org; ⁠Inn Ann⁠ by Daboor; ⁠Snoopy⁠ by Sandy Chamoun

In episode 7, Lydia Ayame Hiraide speaks to Dr. Leanne Betasamosake Simpson about Indigenous modes of resistance against settler domination across Turtle Island. Leanne and Lydia talk about transnational social movement organising, land, solidarity, and creative strategies for resurgence. 

Leanne Betasamosake Simpson is a renowned Michi Saagiig Nishnaabeg scholar, writer and artist, who has been widely recognized as one of the most compelling Indigenous voices of her generation. Her work breaks open the intersections between politics,  story and song—bringing audiences into a rich and layered world of sound, light, and sovereign creativity. Working for two decades as an independent scholar using Nishnaabeg intellectual practices, Leanne has lectured and taught extensively at universities across Canada and the United States and has over twenty years experience with Indigenous land based education. She holds a PhD from the University of Manitoba and is member of Alderville First Nation.

Leanne is the author of eight books, includingA Short History of the Blockadeand the novelNoopiming: The Cure for White Ladies which was short listed for the Governor General’s Literary Award for fiction and the Dublin Literary Prize.This Accident of Being Lostwas a finalist for the Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize and the Trillium Book Award. Her new project, a collaboration with Robyn Maynard,Rehearsals for Living, is a National Best Seller and was short listed for the Governor General’s Literary Award for non-fiction. Leanne is also a musician. Her latest releaseTheory of Icewas named to the Polaris Prize short list, and she is the 2021 winner of the Prism Prize’s Willie Dunn Award.  

Lydia Ayame Hiraide is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Feminist Centre for Racial Justice.

Interviewer: Lydia Ayame Hiraide

Interviewee: Dayna Ash

Produced by: The Feminist Centre for Racial Justice

Recording, editing: Lydia Ayame Hiraide

Additional editing, transcription, design: Ellan A. Lincoln-Hyde

Music:Broken RNB Instrumental by The Audio Way, freesound.org;⁠Inn Ann⁠ by Daboor;⁠Snoopy⁠ by Sandy Chamoun

Content warning: This episode contains mentions of sexual and anti-LGBTQI+ violence.

In episode 6 Lydia Ayame Hiraide speaks to Benedicta Oyèdayọ̀ Oyèwọlé about intersectional disability justice.

Benedicta Oyèdayọ̀ Oyèwọlé is a young woman with a disability, who works and lives at the intersection of gender, disability, and sexuality. In 2022, she spearheaded a first-of-its-kind study into the lived experiences of LGBTQI+ persons with Disabilities in Nigeria with the Women’s Health and Rights Initiative (WHER).

Lydia Ayame Hiraide is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Feminist Centre for Racial Justice. In this episode, Lydia asks Oyedayo about the WHER Initiative, the current legal and social climate for activism in Nigeria, and the importance of storytelling.

A brief explainer for the acronyms mentioned in this episode:

• UPR: The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a periodic review of the human rights records of all 193 UN Member States.
• UNCRPD: The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) is an international UN human rights treaty intended to protect the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities.
• SSMPA: The Same-Sex Marriage Prohibition Act (SSMPA) was signed into Nigerian law in 2014. The purpose of SSMPA is described as prohibiting marriage between persons of the same sex – but its effects are much broader. 
• CEDAW: The Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) is an international treaty adopted in 1979 by the United Nations General Assembly.
• End SARS: #EndSARS is a social movement and series of protests against police brutality from organisations such as the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in Nigeria.

Interviewer: Lydia Ayame Hiraide

Interviewee: Benedicta Oyèdayọ̀ Oyèwọlé

Produced by: The Feminist Centre for Racial Justice

Recording, editing: Lydia Ayame Hiraide

Additional editing, transcription, design: Ellan A. Lincoln-Hyde

Music:Broken RNB Instrumental by The Audio Way, freesound.org;⁠Inn Ann⁠ by Daboor;⁠Snoopy⁠ by Sandy Chamoun

In episode 5 Lydia Ayame Hiraide speaks to Dayna Ash about art, politics, the notion of ‘borders’ and creating space.

Dayna Ash is an intersectional feminist, performing artist, published writer, playwright, and the founder & Executive Director of Haven for Artists; a cultural feminist organization working at the intersection of art and activism. She was named one of the BBC's 100 most inspirational Women in 2019, and her recent filmCourage, won Best Experimental Film in Montreal Independent film festival 2022.

Lydia Ayame Hiraide is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Feminist Centre for Racial Justice.

Interviewer: Lydia Ayame Hiraide

Interviewee: Dayna Ash

Produced by: The Feminist Centre for Racial Justice

Recording, editing: Lydia Ayame Hiraide

Additional editing, transcription, design: Ellan A. Lincoln-Hyde

Music:Broken RNB Instrumental by The Audio Way, freesound.org;Inn Ann by Daboor;Snoopy by Sandy Chamoun

Conversations with Feminists

In August 2023, the Feminist Centre for Racial Justice partnered with Just Associates to deliver our first feminist movement builders school in Mexico City with participants from Latin America. Episode 4 captures a discussion with some of the participants in the school.

Conversations with Feminists

In episode 3 guest podcast producer Ellan Lincoln-Hyde makes a call to The Lady Imam, Dr. amina wadud in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. They discuss qist (justice), terminology, identifying with feminism and making activism and academia would together through intersectionality.

Interviewer: Ellan Lincoln-Hyde

Interviewee: amina wadud

Produced by: The Feminist Centre for Racial Justice

Recording, editing, transcription, design: Ellan A. Lincoln-Hyde

Music: Broken RNB Instrumental by The Audio Way, freesound.org

Conversations with Feminists

In episode 2 of the FCRJ Podcast, FCRJ Founding Director Awino Okech sits down with Ruby Zelzer to discuss her work at Reimagine Redefine, tackling systemic racism within the UK's healthcare system. The conversation delves into topics such as health disparities, maternal care inequalities, the absence of race-related data, and the importance of global collaboration to combat racial injustice in healthcare.

Interviewer: Awino Okech

Guest: Ruby Zelzer

Produced by: The Feminist Centre for Racial Justice

Recording, editing, transcription, design: Ellan A. Lincoln-Hyde

Music: Broken RNB Instrumental by The Audio Way, freesound.org

Conversations with Feminists

In episode 1, FCRJ Founding Director Awino Okech speaks to activist Phumi Mtetwa, from Just Associates (JASS). The conversation covers feminist popular education, activism and academia, the August 2023 JASS Movement Building Schools, and what’s been cooking in the global body politic.

Interviewer: Awino Okech

Interviewee: Phumi Mtetwa

Produced by: The Feminist Centre for Racial Justice

Recording, editing, transcription, design: Ellan A. Lincoln-Hyde

Music: Broken RNB Instrumental by The Audio Way, freesound.org