I first met rapper Cadence Weapon, also known as Rollie Pemberton, while I was working at MuchMusic in Toronto. I remember that my colleagues and I were very excited by the idea of Canada’s next big rap star being a teenager from Edmonton. Since that time, Cadence Weapon has created five albums, served as the poet laureate of Edmonton and won the prestigious Polaris Music Prize for his album Parallel World in 2021.

Last year, Rollie wrote about his struggles with an exploitative record label contract, an issue he also explores in his new memoir, Bedroom Rapper. After reading what he was going through during a years-long setback, I’m in awe of his ability to keep being brilliant, successful and creative without regrets or bitterness. In this episode, I speak with Rollie about his unwavering belief in his art and how he perseveres.

Links:

Subscribe to my newsletter: www.endoftheday.ca

Instagram: www.instagram.com/at_the_eod

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ateod

Bedroom Rapper by Rollie Pemberton

Twitter: @cadenceweapon

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Brittlestar, or Stewart Reynolds, is known as the Internet’s Favourite Dad. Stumbling into becoming a content creator as a second career, he has been making viral videos for almost a decade. His videos channel his comedic dad persona while touching on poignant and explosive topics–for example, calling out anti-vaxxers.

In this episode, I ask Stewart for advice on how to be very public with opinion, and personality, in a world that is not always hospitable to hot takes (yes, I’m looking at you, social media).

Relevant links:

Subscribe to my newsletter: www.endoftheday.ca

Instagram: www.instagram.com/at_the_eod

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ateod

Brittlestar on Twitter: @brittlestar

www.brittlestar.com/

Brittlestar Video - “Reasons Not To Get The Vaccine”: https://twitter.com/brittlestar/status/1371187206388338693

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Anti-Indigenous racism is built into the foundation of Canada. The more truthfully we face that fact, the better we can take up our ongoing obligation to combat it (if you’re non-Indigenous, like me, I’m looking at you).

But when it comes to having conversations about Canada’s colonial past and present, it can be hard to know where to start. I asked two educators to join me today, who each have expertise in doing this with different audiences.

Our first guest is Kelly Brownbill, who teaches workshops with the goal of healthy, equitable relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people and communities. Our second guest is Madelaine McCracken from the First Nations Child & Family Caring Society, whose work is geared towards children. Between the two of them, I hope you get lots of actionable takeaways today.

Resources:

• Kelly Brownbill’s Website
• First Nations Child and Family Caring Society
• Educational Resources on the FN Caring Society website
• GoodMinds.com First Nations, Métis and Inuit Books
• Assembly of First Nations : Dismantling the Doctrine of Discovery

Relevant links:

Subscribe to my newsletter: www.endoftheday.ca

Instagram: www.instagram.com/at_the_eod

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ateod

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Last fall, a woman was sexually assaulted on public transit in Philadelphia. And there was a ton of social media disbelief – how could other passengers just sit there and not do anything?

That’s why I reached out to Julie Lalonde for my podcast. Julie is a women’s rights advocate and public educator, and she’s been teaching bystander intervention for over 10 years.

In this episode, Julie gives us life-changing tools for how to react when we witness harmful behaviour, whether it’s violence, hate crimes, catcalling, or online abuse. Ultimately, her tools are about creating safe communities and once I learned them, it changed the way I saw everything.

This episode references sexual assault and gender-based violence. Please listen with care.

Resources:

• Assaulted Women’s Helpline in Ontario: 1-866-863-0511
• OutsideOfTheShadows.ca (Julie’s public service announcement on stalking for survivors and their allies)
• ShelterSafe.ca (One stop website for all the women's shelters in Canada)
• PSA for the Stand Up training
• Canadian Women’s Foundation
• Sistering, multi-service agency for at-risk, socially isolated women and trans people in Toronto
• Anduhyaun, shelter and transitional housing serving Toronto’s Indigenous women and children
• Resilience Is Futile: The Life and Death and Life of Julie S. Lalonde

Relevant links:

Subscribe to my newsletter: www.endoftheday.ca

Instagram: www.instagram.com/at_the_eod

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ateod

Julie’s Twitter: twitter.com/JulieSLalonde

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Eliza Reid is the First Lady of Iceland. However, I know her from twenty years ago, when we were friends living in the same university dorm.

Clearly, Eliza’s life has taken twists and turns, so I wanted to talk to her about how to jump into a whole new kind of life–which is what she’s done by learning a language and culture and starting over in a different country.

We also talk about Eliza’s new book called Secrets of the Sprakkar: Iceland’s Extraordinary Women and How They Are Changing the World, and what we may be able to learn from Iceland.

Relevant links:

Subscribe to my newsletter: www.endoftheday.ca

Instagram: www.instagram.com/at_the_eod

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ateod

Eliza’s book: Secrets of the Sprakkar: Iceland’s Extraordinary Women and How They Are Changing the World

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When it comes to bots, trolls, and conspiracy theories, I have many questions. So many, it’s hard to know where to start. And if I don’t understand what’s been designed to trick me, how will I break it down for my kids?

Luckily, I stumbled upon a book called, Can You Believe it? How to spot fake news and find the facts, by journalist and author Joyce Grant. In this episode, we talk about how to teach kids to navigate online misinformation while they are learning to process the world around them. What I’m learning from Joyce is that the lessons we need to give our kids are actually good for all of us.

Relevant links:

Subscribe to my newsletter: www.endoftheday.ca

Instagram: www.instagram.com/at_the_eod

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ateod

Joyce’s Twitter: twitter.com/JGCanada

Can You Believe it? How to spot fake news and find the facts: kidscanpress.com/products/can-you-believe-it

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The Great Resignation is an indication that many people are questioning their work. Is this how I want to spend my life? Is my work meaningful to me?

These are questions that Nana aba Duncan, Garvia Bailey and I have asked ourselves many times. We founded the Media Girlfriends podcast company in 2020. It was a scary leap but also a natural evolution.

In this episode, I speak with my closest colleagues to discuss career trajectories and how to make work meaningful.

Relevant links:

Subscribe to my newsletter: www.endoftheday.ca

Instagram: www.instagram.com/at_the_eod

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ateod

Garvia’s Twitter: twitter.com/garveyschild

Nana aba’s Twitter: twitter.com/nanaaba

mediagirlfriends.com

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How can we confront our own toughest life experiences? And is it wise to do so? In her new book, Run Towards The Danger, filmmaker, writer and activist Sarah Polley examines her own scariest life experiences.

In this episode, Sarah and I talk about how telling your stories may change your relationships, the radical transformation of motherhood, and having support in place before diving into your past. There’s some heavy stuff in this episode but it’s not without laughs.

Mental Health and Mindfulness:

What is mindfulness? Mindfulness programs by the Centre of Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto (CAMH) https://www.camh.ca/-/media/files/community-resource-sheets/mindfulness-resources-pdf.pdf

Crisis Resources in the Greater Toronto Area from CAMH https://www.camh.ca/en/health-info/crisis-resources

Where to get help in Canada–Resources from Sunnybrook Hospital’s Department of Psychiatry https://sunnybrook.ca/content/?page=psychiatry-crisis-resources&rr=gethelp

Relevant links:

Subscribe to my newsletter: www.endoftheday.ca

Instagram: www.instagram.com/at_the_eod

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ateod

Do you know about The Period Purse? Learn about menstrual equity and donate today https://www.theperiodpurse.com/

Sarah’s twitter: twitter.com/realsarahpolley

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