BeCause & Effect

Amber Clark-Wesley, Board Chair of The Pitikwé Skatepark, talks about how she got involved with Pitikwé and her work creating a safe, inclusive, and welcoming space for youth to feel a sense of belonging in downtown Winnipeg. We talked about downtown revitalization, systemic barriers, intergenerational trauma, and working with partners and colleagues to reform systems and structures of oppression, and improve the outcomes for indigenous youth experiencing those systems.

Today's guest on the BeCause & Effect Podcast is Brigette DePape, Climate Planner at Narratives Inc. (https://narrativesinc.com/) Brigette and her family are also finalists in the Live Net Zero Challenge put on by Canadian Geographic, where they're challenged to reduce their carbon footprint and live as close to net zero emissions as possible. Read more about her experience here: https://canadiangeographic.ca/live-net-zero/households/depape-rodriguez Brigette stopped by the CJNU Studios to talk about her work with Narratives, how she finds motivation to continue fighting for what she believes in, and how the average citizen can contribute to reversing the climate catastrophe.

Stephanie Scott, Executive Director of the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, joins us to talk about her work with the NCTR (http://www.nctr.ca/) and the importance of collecting and preserving Survivors' stories and the effect of Indian Residential Schools on our country. On March 14, the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) and its host, the University of Manitoba announced a $5 million lead gift from The Winnipeg Foundation to support the building of a new permanent home for the NCTR.

Today’s guest is the 5th and final episode highlighting filmmakers from the Cinematoba program, in partnership with the National Screen Institute. Alice Teufack is the filmmaker behind the film Grand Frère about André Doumbé, a Cameroonian refugee and Franco-Manitoban. Alice and I talk about André’s life and legacy, her decision to completely change careers from the world of finance to the world of filmmaking, and the experience creating her first documentary film for Cinematoba.

Today’s guest is Hilary McDonald, an archeologist and photographer by trade, and she’s the 4th filmmaker in our series of conversations with Cinematoba filmmakers, whose film We Haven’t Yet Said Thanks is available now, at www.wpgfdn.com/ Hilary and I talk about her film that she shot in her hometown of Flin Flon. We talk about the mining industry and how that culture permeated the town, the arts scene up there, and how her film combined the themes of generosity, change, industry, globalization, with respect and gratitude for the land.

Today’s guest is Jessica Landry, screenwriter, director, and filmmaker who wrote and directed the Cinematoba film Testament, which debuted at the Cinematoba Film Festival back in September. Jessica and I talk about her powerful film Testament, her creative process, generosity, generational trauma, religion, guilt, mentorship, and so much more.

Today’s guest is Faustina Dalmacio, who is one of five filmmakers selected for the first ever Cinematoba Film Fest, a partnership between The Winnipeg Foundation and The National Screen Institute. Faustina’s film is called After School, and it’s about two young sisters who have an after-school adventure, and how their community helps them when they lose their way. We talk about her experience growing up in a Filipino immigrant family, her approach to Cinematoba as a first-time-filmmaker, and how she conveys the themes of family, generosity, and community in her film.

In this episode, filmmaker Carolyn Gray talks about her Cinematoba film, Escape!, which is based on a true story, exploring the unique bond between an unlikely duo, Dean, a cancer survivor and magician, and Phil, a child struggling with his own illness. Together, their bond creates real magic. We also talk about her process, her origins, why she chose Dean to make a short film about, and how his story profoundly affected her artistic career.

In this episode, we meet Ama, a remarkable 16-year-old pursuing a health-sciences degree. Originally from Ghana, Ama shares her journey to Canada, highlighting the challenges she faced growing up, and her desire to make a difference in healthcare. Ama's childhood experiences with frequent illnesses and hospital stays served as a driving force behind her aspiration to become a doctor, particularly one who could help children in need.

In this episode, we speak with Tarun, a young videographer and content creator, pursuing his passion for videography and photography. Tarun started experimenting with engineering projects and eventually found his interest in electronic and tech-related fields through his involvement in CanU. https://canucanada.org/storiesgala/

In this episode, we dive into the inspiring journey of a young athlete, Guneet, who has demonstrated remarkable leadership and determination in her pursuit of success in lacrosse. The conversation begins with Guneet sharing her childhood experiences and how her love for sports, particularly lacrosse, was sparked at a young age. She discusses her initial struggles in the sport, her decision to try out for Team Manitoba, and the motivation she drew from the Canada Summer Games.

In this episode, we follow Abigail's inspiring journey from Nigeria to Canada at the age of 11. Abigail candidly shares her challenges and adjustments to a new country, school, and culture, highlighting how these experiences shaped her resilience and determination. She emphasizes the importance of saying "yes" to new opportunities, leading to her exploration of various afterschool programs and STEM-related activities. To hear more stories like Abigael's, join us for the CanU Stories Gala: http://www.canucanada.org/StoriesGala

Salena Starling's journey is an inspiring example of resilience, leadership, and the power of using one's story to drive positive change. She is determined to continue making a difference in the lives of Indigenous youth in foster care and to raise awareness about critical issues facing Indigenous communities in Canada. To hear more stories like Salena’s, join us for the CanU Stories Gala: http://www.canucanada.org/StoriesGala

In the past three episodes we’ve discussed topics that can be divisive; the trustworthiness of our institutions, a sense of belonging where being inclusive can sometime result in exclusivity, and the environment where peoples’ understandings of climate change often differ. So today we want to engage our panel around the key elements necessary to having constructive and safe conversations, as most peoples’ experiences vary.

This episode discusses the state of the environment, how we talk about it, and how the impacts of human activity and sustainability practices are core to the long-term health of the planet and its inhabitants. This episode highlights voices in the sector who are working to make a change, and discusses how to get the climate emergency on the upcoming election agenda. Guests include Julia-Simone Rutgers from The Winnipeg Free Press/The Narwhal, Ron Thiessen from CPAWS, and Marshall Birch from Nature United.

A sense of belonging reflects an individual’s social and environmental connections. Prior to the pandemic Winnipeggers experience an overall sense of belonging, but that figure plummeted in 2022. In episode two, we highlight different communities with varying perspectives on how to build a more inclusive Manitoba and what reforms they want to see.

Why X Matters is a four-part, limited series podcast that explores civic engagement by unpacking The Winnipeg Foundation’s Vital Signs® 2022. Join us each Thursday in September to hear from experts on the topics of Trust in Institutions, Sense of Belonging, The Environment, and The Empathy Deficit. Welcome to Episode 1 of Why X Matters. Our first episode explores the decline in trust in institutions amongst Winnipeggers, what it’s like to navigate a culture of increased scrutiny and mistrust, and how institutions can help restore trust.

Today’s guest is Ashley Seymour, Executive Director of Volunteer Manitoba. Ashley and I talk about community connection, Manitoba’s passion for volunteering, and how to make a difference in your community by volunteering not just money, but time and talent as well.

Today’s episode I have the honor of speaking with Salena Starling. Salena is President of Community of Big Hearts, and she’s an 18-year-old indigenous woman that’s also sharing her story about spending her entire life as a youth in care. We talk about her experiences as a youth in care, her family’s generational trauma, and how she’s helping to foster reconciliation through her work with Community of Big Hearts.

Demian Lawrenchuk, Executive Director of Food Matters Manitoba, talks about their work reconnecting with Northern Manitoba’s Indigenous communities, building capacity and food security in these regions, and the logistical challenges of the global food system for remote communities.