In this episode, Nic and Lala reflect and mourn the ongoing genocide of Indigenous peoples, grieving the enormous loss of life following the recovery of 215 childrens’ bodies in Kamloops, and offer actionable ways that all settlers can work towards accountability for our complicity. Song of the week: Where Do We Go From Here by Solange
If all our faves are problematic, can they still be our faves? In this episode, Nic and Lala discuss the ethics of loving problematic art, humanizing artists, and the responsibilities of the audience. Song of the week: Moment of Clarity by Jay-Z
Our impact on the world around us can often feel intangible. While we know our lives are more than our labour or careers, the notion of legacy often gets boiled down to fame, popularity or being “known” for something--but what else is possible? In this episode, Nic and Lala offer their ideas on relationships and values as forms of legacy, and how the small ripples of our actions can cause massive waves of care for generations to come. Song of the week: I Was Here by Beyonce.
When occupying positions of authority, women and non-binary folks of colour are often said to experience imposter syndrome. But when our qualifications, skills, and expertise are constantly questioned, is it really that simple? In this episode, Lala and Nic use an anti-oppressive framework to discuss the contradictions of claiming authority and ceding power when we have so little to begin with. Song of the week: Boss Bitch by Doja Cat
In this episode, Nic shares some of her initial learnings on transformative justice, what it offers our movements, and how it has begun to resonate, challenge, and spark new reflections on addressing harm, achieving accountability, and holding onto our humanity. Song of the week: Oh Maker by Janelle Monáe
What does it look like, sound like, feel like to see the world through the eyes of your oppressors? When you see even yourself through their eyes? in this episode, Nic and Lala discuss what it means to look across rather than “up”, how internalized misogyny leaves us lonely, and more. Song of the week: Ideal Woman by Celeste
Friendship is a gift, offering us real opportunities to practice love, care, and accountability. But often, real friends are hard to come by, our ideas about friendship may not match reality. Seasons change, and so do we. In this episode, Nic and Lala celebrate the joy and power of one of the most sacred forms of relationship. Song of the week: Best Friend by Saweetie ft. Doja Cat
If guilt lets us know when we’ve done something wrong, why is it often referred to as a wasted emotion? Does guilt immobilize us or move us to take action? In this episode, Nic and Lala discuss the contradictions of guilt, the ways it intersects with ego and with ableism, and how to move from guilt to responsibility. Song of the week: Same Ol' Mistakes by Rihanna
Birthdays, holidays, anniversaries. While we may feel pressured to create picture-perfect celebrations for these supposedly sunny days, many of us find ourselves triggered, wrapped in grief, and wanting to hide. In this episode, Nic and Lala discuss trauma coinciding with celebration, and how to take care of ourselves on these complex occasions. Song of the week: Overwhelmed by Chloe x Halle
Do you know what your intuition looks, sounds, tastes, feels like? In this episode, Nic and Lala discuss healing our intuition as BIPOC in a white supremacist society, distinguishing between intuition and anxiety, and the blessings of learning to listen and connect. Song of the week: Nature by India.Arie.
In this episode, Nic and Lala process the recent white supremacist violence in the US Capitol, discussing how these same forces manifest in what is currently known as Canada, why Canadians are so eager to ignore the problems at home, and the energy shift BIPOC are experiencing in this moment. Song of the week: Earth Is Ghetto by Aliah Sheffield
We live in a society where separation, disconnection, and harm are the norm. This is a trauma culture that supports ongoing colonialism and genocide. In this episode, Nic and Lala discuss intergenerational trauma, cultural shadow work, and our collective responsibility to heal. Song of the week: The Sharecropper’s Daughter by Sa-Roc.
As adults, our relationships with parents might be edifying and supportive, but for others, painful remnants from the past can carry forward, weighing us down. In this episode, Nic shares what it’s meant to build empathy for her father as she heads into a new phase of life. Song of the week: Saturn by NAO
The most intimate relationship of our lives is the one we have with ourselves. But it is also the most complicated, and at times, the most painful. In this episode, Nic and Lala dig into the roots of self-hatred and trace paths toward healing. Song of the week: u by Kendrick Lamar
Most of us come to justice work with a deep sense of care and love for others. But often, inadequacy and the belief we’re not doing enough eclipses our ability to have compassion for ourselves - or each other. In this episode, Nic and Lala discuss the challenges of navigating vulnerability, performative allyship and shame. Song of the week: Pretty Hurts by Beyonce
Rest is one of our most basic needs, so why do we find ourselves resisting and outrunning it? And in doing so, how are we harming the sick and disabled folks among us? In this episode, Nic and Lala slow down and discuss balance, quieting the noise around us, and rest as a foundational part of healing and liberation work. Song of the week: Beautiful by India.Arie
Collective liberation requires all hands on deck, so what role do you play as you show up to do the work? How can we challenge hierarchies of power that lie even within our “safer” havens of care? In this episode, Nic and Lala lean on the teachings of Mariame Kaba who teaches us that everything worthwhile is done with other people. Song of the week: My Power by CHIKA
With all the ways we are harmed by dominant groups in society, we often expect the communities we build with other marginalized folks to be safe havens. So what happens when they’re not? In this episode, Nic and Lala discuss power and entitlement, examining our own complicity, and what it would take to build safer communities. Song of the week: Cold War by Janelle Monáe.
What would be possible if the men who don’t actively commit violence showed up to support survivors and oppose violence with everything they've got? In this episode, Nic and Lala discuss surviving the indifference of our communities, the layers of harm and betrayal caused by toxic masculinity, and why supporting men necessitates holding them accountable. Song of the week: Love Drought by Beyonce.
Black women show up for everyone, but who shows up for them? Who benefits from maintaining Black women’s oppression? And what do calls to #protectblackwomen mean in a world that gleefully maligns their pain and silences their voices? In this episode, Nic and Lala discuss patriarchy, Black women’s power, and the importance of knowing our history. Song of the week: Baby Girl by Chloe x Halle.
True to their mission of learning in public, Nic and Lala discuss their feelings about identifying as femmes, their understandings of femininity and who is excluded from it, and the rebellion of femme identity. Song of the week: Pynk by Janelle Monáe
Nic and Lala discuss detours on the road to sexual awakening and radical self-acceptance, exploring our own connections to our bodies, and the gifts that sexual liberation can offer us. This episode was live-recorded for Room Magazine's Issue 43.2, Devour . Song of the week: 6 Inch by Beyoncé.
We’re told to follow our dreams, and that if we can dream it we can achieve it. But what are dreams made of? What guides our dreams in the first place, and what if they aren’t aligned with who we really are? In this episode, we discuss escapism, wild dreams, envisioning new realities, and differentiating between the dreams that fuel us and the ones that waste our time. Song of the week: Cranes In The Sky by Solange
When tragedy dominates the news, the call to show up for those who are suffering is impossible to ignore. But when the news cycle moves on, too many would-be “allies” do too. So what would it take to build solidarity between our communities on a stronger foundation, outside of any news cycle? In this episode Nic and Lala discuss building trust, sharing generative space, and why strong boundaries must underpin all our of work. Song of the week: Superpower by Beyonce ft. Frank Ocean
Where were you in the fight for Black lives until this point? How did you uphold anti-Blackness, benefit from white supremacy, and profit off the destruction of Black bodies? And where was your care for Black people all along? In this episode, Nic grieves the traumatic loss of Black life and demands more from new-found allies in the Black Lives Matter movement. Song of the week: Freedom by Beyonce ft. Kendrick Lamar
Personal growth is an ethic that supports our healing and helps us become the people we want to be. So why does a growth mindset sometimes lead to burnout? And when does it become a tool of capitalism? In this episode, Nic and Lala discuss reimagining growth, honouring natural rhythms, and broadening our vision to support collective expansion. Song of the week: Jump Hi by Lionbabe ft. Childish Gambino.
Venus Retrograde is an astrological transit that asks us to reclaim the parts of ourselves that feel ugly, unloved, and unacceptable. In this episode, Nic and Lala trace the ways the Venus Retrograde cycle has impacted their lives, and discuss healing through meeting our pain and embracing our shadows. Song of the week: Love in the Dark by Jessie Reyez
During a pandemic, our families can become even more crucial to our survival - but they can also compound our stress and trauma. Can we always tell the difference? In this episode, Nic and Lala discuss untangling guilt from love, grieving loss, celebrating reconnection, and setting boundaries that serve us. Song of the Week: Same Ol' Mistakes by Rihanna
A racing heart, shaky hands, a sense of impending doom - fear can be one of our most overwhelming feelings. So how are we supposed to function when it becomes a centrepiece of our daily lives? In this episode, Nic and Lala discuss expressing, releasing, and soothing fear - and how to make space for moments when we feel we can’t work with it at all. Song of the week: Broken Clocks by SZA
In uncertain times, with so much beyond our control, is it possible to find steadiness? Can we continue to live and heal during a pandemic? In this episode, Nic and Lala discuss cultivating joy, groundedness, and presence while simultaneously facing the fear and grief of this moment. Song of the week: Beauty In The World by Macy Gray
