Our guests for this month’s double feature is Shekara Grant and Curtis Whiley!

Shekara Grant has ancestral ties to both Cherry Brook and Weymouth Falls, two of over 50 historic African Nova Scotian communities in this province. She graduated from Dalhousie University with combined honours in Sociology and French and a Certificate in Intercultural Communications in 2019. In 2023, Shekara founded the Weymouth Falls Community Land Trust, a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide a platform for a vibrant community voice that stewards the land of Weymouth Falls by intersecting opportunities for growth and development with historical preservation of its cultural identity and assets. In addition to her work with the land trust, Shekara is pursuing a Masters in Sociology where she has been able to read and write primarily about African Nova Scotian and Indigenous relationships to property, land and justice. Her thesis will take a Black sociological approach to understanding and describing African Nova Scotian cultural identity beyond race and locality.

Curtis Whiley is a sixth-generation African Nova Scotian from Upper Hammonds Plains. With over 13 years in public service, he currently serves as Director of the Land Titles Initiative. Curtis holds a Bachelor of Commerce and an MBA in Social Enterprise Leadership. As the founder of the Upper Hammonds Plains Community Land Trust, Curtis leads efforts in land stewardship, affordable housing, and economic empowerment. He sits on the boards of the Canadian Network of Community Land Trusts and the Ecology Action Centre. A passionate advocate, Curtis is committed to building equitable and innovative solutions that facilitate community-led transformation.

It was a pleasure to host this month’s Feature Friday episode with two incredible community trailblazers, Shekara and Curtis!

Show notes:

00:00 - Introduction to Shekara Grant and Curtis Whiley

9:55 - Land titles in community

18:45 - Curtis on starting a community land trust (CLT)

27:10 - Navigating communication centred around the community land trusts with community members

31:55 - The ins and outs of a community land trust

40:10 - Determining membership in a community land trust

47:15 - Looking at other CLTs in North America for inspiration

54:00 - The colonial nature of land titles

57:00 - Shekara and Curtis’ goals for their CLTs

1:16:20 - Where does funding come from?

1:26:55 - The future of CLTs

1:32:35 - One word checkout

Our guest for this months Feature Friday is Vanessa Hartley!

Vanessa Hartley is an 8th-generation Black Loyalist descendant, born and raised in Shelburne, Nova Scotia. Her work and volunteer efforts demonstrate a deep commitment to Black history, Community Engagement, and Environmental Justice within her home province.

Hartley began her career at the Black Loyalist Heritage Centre in 2019, serving as Program Coordinator and Visitor Experience Supervisor, where she developed a love for Black history and Community Engagement. After completing her education, she returned to her community to support adults with different abilities. Seeking further growth, she joined the Tri-County Regional Centre for Education (TCRCE) as a Community Outreach Coordinator, which led her to The PREP Academy as Community Engagement Lead.

Her dedication to community service has been recognized, notably in 2021 when she was awarded Provincial Volunteer of the Year, representing the Municipality of Shelburne. She chaired the South End Environmental Injustice Society (SEED) from 2019-2022, an organization recognized for its efforts in fighting environmental racism in historic African Nova Scotian communities. Hartley also volunteered for the Association of Black Social Workers (ABSW) as the Rural COVID Community Coordinator, part of the ABSW/HACC Covid response team. Additionally, she was the Community Regional Researcher with the Delmore "Buddy" Daye Learning Institute, developing research for an Afrocentric Framework for Recognition of Prior
Learning.

Furthermore, Hartley was the Project Manager for the Provincial Environmental Racism Panel and was a research assistant to Dr. Ingrid Waldron's research project, "Genes and Geography: Disparities in Cancer Incidence and Outcomes in a Black Canadian Community. She also worked as the African Nova Scotian Student Support Worker at Lockeport elementary and high school and is currently the Active Living Coordinator for the Municipality of Barrington.

Vanessa Hartley is also the co-founder and president of the Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ), a community-based board established from the historical Bill C-226, aiming to redress environmental harms and injustice in her hometown of Shelburne, Nova Scotia.

It was a pleasure hosting the inspiring Vanessa Hartley on our Feature Friday this month!

Show notes:

00:00 - Introduction to Vanessa Hartley

8:20 - What is environmental racism?

13:45 - Vanessa on the research she’s doing

17:00 - The history of environmental racism in Shelburne

26:30 - Vanessa on navigating government to help the community

33:25 - Vanessa on her family history

36:55 - Who inspires Vanessa

44:15 - Vanessa on gratitude

46:35 - Vanessa on what she values most

48:14 - Vanessa’s advice

49:45 - Vanessa’s five year plan

54:35 - Vanessa’s spiritual journey

59:25 - Environmental racism in the news

1:07:32 - Vanessa on her identity

1:15:00 - One word checkout!

Our guest for this month's Feature Friday is Alfred Burgesson!

Show notes:

00:00 - Introduction to Alfred Burgesson

2:50 - From Ghana to Cape Breton to Halifax!

6:40 - Family values for Alfred

8:05 - Alfred on taking risks in life

12:30 - Alfred on finding your tribe and starting Tribe Network

21:50 - Alfred on dealing with imposter syndrome

27:20 - What does success look like at Tribe for Alfred?

34:20 - Strategic collaboration over competition

36:20 - Where does Alfred see Tribe in 10 years?

40:15 - Alfred’s experience with the ANS Lab committee

42:55 - One word checkout with Alfred!