Seen

In this episode, Nic and Lala process the recent white supremacist violence in the US Capitol, discussing how these same forces manifest in what is currently known as Canada, why Canadians are so eager to ignore the problems at home, and the energy shift BIPOC are experiencing in this moment. Song of the week: Earth Is Ghetto by Aliah Sheffield

We live in a society where separation, disconnection, and harm are the norm. This is a trauma culture that supports ongoing colonialism and genocide. In this episode, Nic and Lala discuss intergenerational trauma, cultural shadow work, and our collective responsibility to heal. Song of the week: The Sharecropper’s Daughter by Sa-Roc.

As adults, our relationships with parents might be edifying and supportive, but for others, painful remnants from the past can carry forward, weighing us down. In this episode, Nic shares what it’s meant to build empathy for her father as she heads into a new phase of life. Song of the week: Saturn by NAO

The most intimate relationship of our lives is the one we have with ourselves. But it is also the most complicated, and at times, the most painful. In this episode, Nic and Lala dig into the roots of self-hatred and trace paths toward healing. Song of the week: u by Kendrick Lamar

Most of us come to justice work with a deep sense of care and love for others. But often, inadequacy and the belief we’re not doing enough eclipses our ability to have compassion for ourselves - or each other. In this episode, Nic and Lala discuss the challenges of navigating vulnerability, performative allyship and shame. Song of the week: Pretty Hurts by Beyonce

Rest is one of our most basic needs, so why do we find ourselves resisting and outrunning it? And in doing so, how are we harming the sick and disabled folks among us? In this episode, Nic and Lala slow down and discuss balance, quieting the noise around us, and rest as a foundational part of healing and liberation work. Song of the week: Beautiful by India.Arie

Collective liberation requires all hands on deck, so what role do you play as you show up to do the work? How can we challenge hierarchies of power that lie even within our “safer” havens of care? In this episode, Nic and Lala lean on the teachings of Mariame Kaba who teaches us that everything worthwhile is done with other people. Song of the week: My Power by CHIKA

With all the ways we are harmed by dominant groups in society, we often expect the communities we build with other marginalized folks to be safe havens. So what happens when they’re not? In this episode, Nic and Lala discuss power and entitlement, examining our own complicity, and what it would take to build safer communities. Song of the week: Cold War by Janelle Monáe. 

What would be possible if the men who don’t actively commit violence showed up to support survivors and oppose violence with everything they've got? In this episode, Nic and Lala discuss surviving the indifference of our communities, the layers of harm and betrayal caused by toxic masculinity, and why supporting men necessitates holding them accountable. Song of the week: Love Drought by Beyonce. 

Black women show up for everyone, but who shows up for them? Who benefits from maintaining Black women’s oppression? And what do calls to #protectblackwomen mean in a world that gleefully maligns their pain and silences their voices? In this episode, Nic and Lala discuss patriarchy, Black women’s power, and the importance of knowing our history. Song of the week: Baby Girl by Chloe x Halle.