TRUE STORIES WITH NYA

My lovely guest Yaseen!

Yaseen is in his final year studying at York University, he is Egyptian-Canadian and also an artist. In this podcast we talk about living in Canada, what it means being Arab in Canada and the micro-aggressions he dealt with from white folks, we also talk about racism within the Arab community, and how he holds family and friends accountable when they make racist statements. And we also delve into our identity and our struggles with where we belong, our journey in our faith, and what Yaseen plans to do in the future!

Welcome my lovely guests Kautious & Kahi from Hawaii!

In this podcast, Kautious and Kahi discuss the political climate of Hawaii and what is happening in regards to the land disputes, the ripple effects of colonialism and how it is still present in Hawaii today. We delve into stereotypes and the dangers of viewing Hawaiians based on stereotypes, as well as their journey to becoming advocates for Hawaii, and educating folks through their podcasts.

My lovely guest Pamela Edmonds!

She is an artist and curator at the McMaster Museum of Art, through the years she has centered black folks in her work. In this podcast we talk about her journey to pursuing her passion for art and how she became a curator and artist, and what it is like being a black artist in Canada. We also delve into Canada’s history with black folks, what it means to be 50, growing up in Canada during the 70s up until the present, what is love in a romantic or platonic sense. And what being true to yourself looks like.

My lovely guest Amie!

Amie is a young Gambian and Swedish black woman, and in this podcast we talk about her experience with living in Sweden, how black folks are treated there, and whether she feels more connected to her Gambian or Swedish identity. We delve into the paralells between Canada and Sweden when it comes to how Black women are treated and how we are percieved. And discussing how we create our own beauty standards that do not align with eurocentric standards of beauty.

We cover questions about what our dating experience is like, whether we would live in Canada or Sweden for the rest of our lives, if we would raise our kids in these countries, and if we could move , where would we?

My lovely guest Salome!

My friend Salome is Colombian and is in her 4th year at McMaster studying History and Political Science. In this podcast we talk about Colombia, race relations in Colombia between Indigenous, white and Afro-Latinas in Colombia. We also delve into race relations in Canada, and what it means to be an immigrant in Canada, having to hear ignorant comments from white peers in lectures, and also the ways Salome has been critical of the people around her and herself when it comes to anti-blackness in the Latino community.

We also discuss our dating preferences, where our preferences came from and what Salome plans to do in the future!

My Dear guest Alan!

Dr. Alan Berkowitz is a New York State licensed Psychologist and independent consultant. Through his work he covers the following topics: effective drug and sexual assault prevention strategies, reducing prejudice, racial identity theory, multicultural issues, alcohol and sexual assault, men's responsibility for preventing sexual assault, developing alliances across differences, and understanding today's youth.

In this podcast we delve into his journey to being invested in doing the work he does currently, what growing up in the United States was like when he was growing up and if he sees parallels between that time and our present day. We also talk about Spirituality and what that looks like, and having an honest discussion about the question: how can I be a good ally? and what white folks need to do to not be so complicit when there are instances of racism.