Stories Within Us

In this episode, I speak with mother, activist and founder of  Niitsítapi Water Protectors, Latasha Calf Robe. Latasha shares her story as to what it means to be a Blackfoot mother and woman. We examine how motherhood can be fierce. Motherhood can be empowering. Motherhood can be a push for activism. 

Latasha also shares with us her work behind the Niitsítapi Water Protectors and provides guidance for mothers who want to see positive change in their communities for their children but might not be sure where to start. 

About Latasha Calf Robe:

Latasha Calf Robe is from the Kainaiwa First Nation and a member of the Blackfoot Confederacy. She is the founder and co-lead of the Niitsítapi Water Protectors (NWP) a grassroots collective of Niitsítapi water and land protectors. It was formed in response to the threat of recent coal development projects within Blackfoot traditional territory.

Latasha holds a business degree from Mt. Royal University with a focus on Entrepreneurship & Social Innovation. Latasha currently works as the program manager for 'Map the System Canada,' a global competition that asks students and educators to think differently about social and environmental change. Latasha has also worked as an Indigenous Prosperity Builder for the Institute of Community Prosperity as well as Organizer / Facilitator of Niitsítapi Resiliency and Empowerment Discussion Group. And she was the recipient of the 2017 Calgary Aboriginal Youth Achievement Award.

Latasha is from a family of  storytellers, her father was a well known storyteller and Latasha continues the tradition. Her book, Niitsippooktsistaanitsi (My Braids), is about Siipisaahkomaapi (Night Boy)—a traditional Blackfoot boy. In this story, he shares his world with his family, and the meaning and gifts of his three braids.

Latasha is a mother of three beautiful Blackfoot children who she raises with her partner. 

Follow/Support Niitsítapi Water Protectors:

Web: www.niitsitapiwaterprotectors.com

IG: @niitsitapiwaterprotectors

Twitter: @NiitsitapiWater

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NiitsitapiWaterProtectors

In this episode, Lana Bentley and I dive deep into the mental health challenges that our kids are facing. We look at gender roles and how they play into mental health, as well as gender identity and how that is changing within the realm of mental health. Lana has an extensive depth of knowledge in mental health, gender roles, and how to best meet the needs of the most vulnerable members of our populations. 

Finally Lana explores how we don't want to go back to normal and why we need to demand a better normal—within mental health, the economy, and our communities. This is one episode that I cannot recommend highly enough to parents, educators, health care providers and all those currently working with children and youth. 

About Lana Bentley:

Lana Bentley is a registered social worker with a bachelor's and master's degree in social work from the University of Calgary. She spent much of the early years of her career working in the area of mental health as a family and group therapist. Lana managed a psychiatric inpatient unit and psychiatric emergency room for children and youth at the Alberta Children’s Hospital. She has taught in the post-secondary system for nearly ten years. 

Her passion for effecting change led her to pursue leadership positions in healthcare and human services. Lana is currently the Director of Program Strategy at YW Calgary—the largest and longest serving women’s organization in Calgary.

Volunteering in the community is important to Lana and she shares her time generously. Over the years, Lana has been involved with housing initiatives, mentorship for young professionals, domestic violence prevention efforts, and free drop-in counselling programs. Lana is committed to ensuring our community is safe and accessible for all. She is currently the Vice—chair for the SHARP Foundation, a Calgary-based non-profit organization committed to providing a continuum of care to those living with HIV or at the highest risk of contracting HIV.

Finally, Lana is running for Ward 6 Councillor for Cagalry—Elections are October 18, so everyone listening in the Calgary areas needs to make sure they get out and vote—She is running on a platform of a "strong and inclusive community where we all thrive together." 

Connect with Lana Bentley:

Web: www.lanabentley.ca

IG: @lana4ward6

Twitter: @LanaBentleyYYC

In our first episode of Season 4, I speak with Counselor and Registered Social Worker, Karen Turnock. Karen provides strategies on how we can pause, acknowledge, and embrace our own mental health—whatever state it may be—as we head back into this school year. Part discussion, part interview, part therapy session, Karen provides an open and safe space for us to dive deep into the mental health challenges working moms have faced over that past year and a half. 

About Karen Turnock:

For 20 years Karen Turnock has provided counselling services to women facing unexpected or difficult life circumstances. Much of this work has been in health care settings working with women at all stages of life

 She is a Registered Social Worker with a Clinical Specialization in good standing with the Alberta College of Social Work. Karen received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Saskatchewan and her Bachelor of Social Work and Masters of Social Work degrees from the University of Calgary.

 ​Karen specialize in working with Women's Issues and have a Certification in Maternal Mental Health as well as EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) for trauma.  She enjoys keeping up to date on the most effective therapeutic interventions including CBT for anxiety and mood changes, grief counselling, Gordon Neufeld’s Attachment/Developmental approach as well as connection-based models for parenting and relationship issues.

On a personal note, Karen is a mama of two fabulous daughters and has been married for over 15 years.  She was born and raised on the prairies and feels at my best when she gets outside into open spaces. 

Connect with Karen Turnock:
Web: https://www.karenturnock.com
IG: @karen.turnock.counselling

Resources:
Alberta Mental Health 24/7 Confidential Line: 1-877-303-2642
Book: What Happened to You: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing by Oprah Whinfrey and Dr. Bruce Perry

Connect with Lisa:
Web: http://lisabush.ca
Video (how I actually spent my first day back to school): https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=313711243884291&ref=watch_permalink

In our final episode of the Alberta Leaders Series, I have the opportunity to speak with Alberta Leader, Shamair Turner. In this episode, Shamair shares with us her personal journey last spring when she felt the calling to enter politics. Shamair shares with us her thoughts on activism, "You can exist as an activist in many ways … In the communities that I exist in and in the spaces that I'm in, I'm always a voice." She also explains how we —now more than ever—need to be paying attention to our leaders. 

About Shamair Turner:

Shamair Turner is a risk and insurance professional, who is currently running for Edmonton city council in Ward Karhiio with a grassroot campaign and a platform centring people, innovation, affordable housing, and business growth. She believes in making the best decisions that both support and protect Edmontonians while ensuring that smart financial decisions and climate action are part of every plan. She has been an advocate for supporting BIPOC women in politics and recently hosted Transforming the Table: the benefits of broadening the view. It was an event featuring women with a variety of experiences and perspectives to increase engagement in local non-profits, media literacy, and Edmonton City council. 

She is a first generation Canadian born and raised in Edmonton.

Connect with Shamair Turner:

Web: https://www.shamairturner.com

Twitter: @ShamairT 

Facebook: @shamair.turner.citycouncil

 IG: @shamair.turner

Resources:

Searching for Izena: https://www.ywcaofedmonton.org/izena/

Today's episode is with Alberta Leader, MLA Janis Irwin. In this episode, Janis shares her thoughts on advocacy and how it's essential that we continue to speak up for all individuals in our community. She shares with us her thoughts on leadership, advocacy, and how leadership is interconnected with all those around us. 

About Janis Irwin:

Janis Irwin is MLA for Edmonton-Highlands-Northwood. She is currently the Official Opposition Deputy Whip and the Critic for Women and LGBTQ2S+ Issues.

Prior to serving as an MLA, Janis devoted over a decade to the field of education, where she worked for Alberta Education as the Senior Manager, Social Studies, and then as the Executive Director for High School Curriculum. She started her career working in rural Alberta as a high school teacher and as a vice principal.

Janis holds a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Alberta and a master’s degree in education from the University of Calgary. Over the years she's served as a board member for several nonprofit associations, and has volunteered with a number of organizations. Janis enjoys an active lifestyle and spending her spare time running and biking and exploring Edmonton’s beautiful River Valley.

Connect with Janis Irwin:

Web: https://www.albertandpcaucus.ca/your-mlas/janis-irwin
FB: @JanisIrwin
Twitter: @JanisIrwin
IG: @janis.irwin

In this episode with Albert Leader Rajah Maggay, we explore the link between mental health, wellbeing, and leadership. Rajah uncovers how our current lack of parity in politics is affecting women's everyday lives. She explains the unique perspective on safety, mobility, and community that women in political spaces offer.

Rajah explains that our current political system was created for men by men and gives us very concrete ideas as to what we need to do as women to support women currently running for office. She also provides insight into the political system and current  issues that women need to be raising with our elected officials. 

About Rajah Maggay:

Rajah Maggay is a Research and Policy Advisor for the City of Edmonton. She is the co-founder of political DIVAS, A peer support group for racialized women in politics as well as the Vice Chair of Research Parity YEG, an Edmoton based multi partisan nonprofit working towards gender parity in politics and public office. Rajah is the Co-Chair of Searching for Izena, A grassroots project to commemorate the centennial of the first women being elected to Edmonton City Council. 

For the past five years, she has volunteered on the Health and Wellness Committee for the City of Edmonton Youth Council. She's assisted with multiple mental health initiatives and research in community-based solutions to youth issues. 

Rajah is a Second Generation Filipino-Canadian, raised by a network of strong women She and her family have lived in Edmonton for over 20 years. 

Connect with Rajah Maggay:

Twitter: @RajahMaggay

IG: @rajahmaggay

Resources: 

ParityYEG: https://www.parityyeg.ca

ParityYEG: @ParityYEG

Political D.I.V.A.S: @politicaldivass

Today's episode is with Alberta Leader, Dr. Muna Saleh. In this conversation, I speak with Muna about our stories as mothers, women, and educators. You will learn about the danger of the single story and how—as individuals—we might try to categorize ourselves and others into one box. Dr. Saleh shares with us how she intentionally disrupts this single story narrative, whether it's through her research, her interaction with her students, or using humour on her Twitter feed.

We also speak to difficult stories. And why it's so important as adults not to minimize difficult conversations with our children or students. But at the same time, we must provide a way forward with our stories, we must provide an element of hope and action. Finally, Dr. Saleh speaks to stories that have been planted within us, and that grow within us, often without our knowing. Narratives such as being the "good" mother, the "good" daughter, the "good" teacher. And how we can recognize them and—with the support of other women—re-story our own personal narratives.

About Dr. Muna Saleh:

Dr. Muna Saleh is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Education at Concordia University of Edmonton. Drawing upon her experiences as a Canadian Muslim woman, mother, educator, and researcher, Muna’s doctoral research was a narrative inquiry into the experiences of Canadian Muslim girls and their mothers. Prior to graduate studies, she was an elementary and secondary school teacher and leader. 

Her research interests include multiperspectival narrative inquiry, mothering and motherhood, conceptions of curriculum, familial curriculum-making, and research alongside children and youth with disabilities and their families. She is the authour of, "Stories We Live and Grow By: (Re)Telling Our Experiences as Muslim Mothers and Daughters."  

Dr. Muna Saleh is a mother, wife, daughter, writer, researcher and advocate.

Photo Credits for Dr. Muna Saleh: https://www.instagram.com/fo_photography/ 

Resources:

In this episode, Dr. Muna Saleh offers a wealth of resources on women's stories, education, and feminism. Below are some of the resources mentioned today. 

Books

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, "We Should All Be Feminists" 

Sara Ahmed, "Living a Feminist Life" 

Dr. Bettina Love, "We Want to Do More Than Survive"

Dr. Muna Saleh, "Stories We Live and Grow By: (Re)Telling Our Experiences as Muslim Mothers and Daughters"

Ted Talk:

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, The danger of a single story 

Today's episode is with Alberta Leader and mayoral candidate for the city of Calgary, Jyoti Gondek. In this conversation, Jyoti gives us a behind-the-scenes look into municipal elections,  and why municipal elections matter to our day-to-day lives as women.  Jyoti provides examples as to how the current campaign system and the current fundraising process are barriers to women running and winning. She also shares how we—as working moms—can change it. 

We are going to look at Jyoti's innovatie perspective on balance and lack of balance. Specifically, what happens to cities when they are developed without female leaders and female input. Why our current political climate tends to be polarized, and why political balance is key to us moving forward. And finally, Jyoti shares with us her honest and vulnerable perspective of personal work/life balance and the unexpected benefits that come from a lack of balance. 

About Jyoti Gondek:

Jyoti Gondek is currently serving Calgary city council as ward 3 councillor. She is running for Mayor in the upcoming municipal election on October 18, 2021. If elected, she would be the first woman to serve as mayor for the city of Calgary, since its  incorporated in 1884. 

Jyoti Gondek holds an undergraduate degree in sociology and criminology, an MA in organizational sociology that examined corporate social responsibility, and a PhD in urban sociology that provided insights into the struggles of urban-rural hybrid areas. She was the Director of the Westman Centre for Real Estate Studies at the University of Calgary’s Haskayne School of Business before taking office in 2017. For 12 years prior, she provided research-based consulting services ranging from creating complete communities to fostering healthy corporate cultures. Jyoti also has private sector experience in financial services and public sector experience as a policy analyst.

Jyoti has been recognized for her contributions to community through the 2012 Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal and the 2016 Angus Reid Applied Sociology Award. She is Mother. Leader. Businessperson. Wife. Citizen. Friend. Daughter. Problem solver. Entrepreneur. 

Connect with Jyoti Gondek:

Web: https://www.jyotigondek.ca

Facebook: @JyotiGondek

Twitter: @JyotiGondek

IG: @jyotigondek

Today's episode is with Alberta Leader, Dr. Gabrielle Lindstrom. In this conversation, I speak with Gabrielle about resilience and her research findings on resilience.  We look at the differences between Indigenous and non-Indigenous perspectives of resilience. Gabrielle explains concepts of walking with integrity, creating ethical spaces, and how much of this has to do with our relationship with ourselves. This is a beautiful and timely conversation for those of us who might be feeling weary or disconnected.

About Dr. Gabrielle Lindstrom:

Dr. Gabrielle Lindstrom (née Weasel Head) is a member of the Blackfoot Confederacy. Her teaching background includes instructing in topics around First Nation, Métis and Inuit history and current issues, Indigenous Studies (Canadian and International perspectives), Indigenous cross-cultural approaches, and Indigenous research methods and ethics. 

Her dissertation research focused on the interplay between trauma and resilience in the postsecondary experiences of Indigenous adult learners. Other research interests include meaningful assessment in higher education, Indigenous homelessness, intercultural parallels in teaching and learning research, Indigenous lived experience of resilience, Indigenous community-based research, parenting assessment tools reform in child welfare, anti-colonial theory and anti-racist pedagogy.

Resources:

Dr. Gabrielle Lindstrom, "Looking Back While Moving Forward: A Narrative Journey Toward Self."

Betty Bastien, "Blackfoot Ways of Knowing: The Worldview of the Siksikaitsitapi." 

Today's episode is with Alberta Leader, MLA Rakhi Pancholi. In this conversation, I speak with Rakhi about the significance of accessible, affordable, quality child care. Rakhi explains how this is a primary factor impacting working moms' ability to be successful in their careers. She provides us with some staggering statistics and shares with us what we need to be doing to get women back into the workplace after the devastating effects of the pandemic. 

This is a conversation I encourage you to listen to and share it with everyone. Simply put: we need to elect leaders that allow women to thrive. This episode explains why. 

About Rakhi Pancholi:

Rakhi Pancholi is the MLA for Edmonton-Whitemud and Children's Services Critic. As a lawyer with a focus on  labour/employment and education law, she has experience working with the Alberta School Boards Association and was the senior legislative consultant for Alberta Education. As an MLA she continues to advocate for Alberta students and families and what needs to be done to make their lives better.

Rakhi has also been very involved in a number of volunteer organizations in Edmonton, including ParityYEG, the Humane Animal Rescue Team, the National Education Program Committee, and the Women’s Legal Education & Action Fund. She has also volunteered her services as a lawyer, providing legal advice to low-income clients.

Rakhi lives in South Edmonton with her husband, two children and her rescue dog. She has an undergraduate degree from the University of Alberta, and a law degree from the University of Toronto.

Connect with Rakhi Pancholi:

Web: https://www.albertandpcaucus.ca/your-mlas/rakhi-pancholi

Facebook: @rakhipancholiedmontonwhitemud

Twitter: @pancholi_rakhi

IG: @pancholi_rakhi