Events

Friday December 1, 2023 – 12:00pm to 1:00pm MT

What are Canadian Stories?

As we diversify our storytelling landscape across multiple disciplines in arts + culture, how does our definition of Canadian Stories evolve?

What does it mean to be Canadian, and tell our unique stories as members of various diasporas? And as guests on Turtle Island?

Tune into this intriguing conversation with Vicki Van Chau, Sue Goberdhan, Aretha Greatrix and Nina Sudra!

SAVE THE DATE and join us!

PANELISTS

Vicki Van Chau  |  Filmmaker & Executive Director at AMAAS

Vicki Van Chau 周倩瑜 (she/her) is a Chinese-Vietnamese Canadian filmmaker, media artist and cultural worker based in Mohkinstsis/Calgary on Treaty 7 territory. She was the Programming Director for EMMEDIA Gallery & Production Society where she co-founded the PARTICLE + WAVE Media Arts Festival and is currently the Executive Director for the Alberta Media Arts Alliance Society (AMAAS). She has consulted for other non-profit art organizations including the CanAsian Arts Network, and recently curated an exhibition at Fort Calgary titled “Culture & Kin: Reclaiming the Chinese Narrative through Contemporary Art” that will be on display until May 2024.

She is an active arts community member and volunteer and has sat on the Board of Directors for the Untitled Art Society (now known as The Bows), EXPOSURE Photography Festival, AMAAS, Calgary Underground Film Festival and co-founded the Calgary Chinatown Pop-Up Movie Club. In 2022, she received the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Emerging Artist Award and was inducted into Avenue Magazine’s Top 40 Under 40. In 2023, she received the Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Medal for her contribution to the arts & culture in Alberta.

Sue Goberdhan | Theatre Creator & Artistic Producer at Azimuth Theatre

Sue Goberdhan is a Scarborough-born, Edmonton-raised theatre creator and administrator. She is an Artistic Producer at Azimuth Theatre, Interim General Manager at Rapid Fire Theatre, and Administrative Director for Theatre Alberta’s Artstrek. Over the last theatre season, she has also received Catalyst Theatre’s Confluence Fellowship, where she debuted CHUMP: a play celebrating her spicy, colourful Indo-Caribbean heritage. Writing credits include CHUMP, Marnie Day (Could Be Cool Theatre); Almost Heroes (Igneous Theatre Productions). Select performance credits include CHUMP (Could Be Cool Theatre); E DAY (Serial Collective); Nightcap Cabaret, Scenes from the Sidewalk (Plain Jane Theatre). 

Aretha Greatrix | Program Director at Dreamspeakers Festival Society

Aretha Greatrix is a James Bay Cree hailing from the Kashechewan First Nation, specifically the Albany Band, but her journey has taken her beyond her roots to the vibrant city of Edmonton, Alberta, where she was born and raised. In 2005, she embarked on her academic journey by obtaining a Certificate in Digital and Interactive Media, laying the foundation for her exploration into the dynamic intersection of technology and communication.

In 2012, Aretha reached a milestone in her education, graduating with a Bachelor of Applied Communications in Professional Writing Degree from Grant MacEwan University. Undeterred by the challenges of academia, she continued her pursuit of knowledge, and in November 2023, she is set to graduate with a Master of Arts in Communication and Technology from the prestigious University of Alberta.

Aretha’s academic pursuits align with her deep interest in the reconciliation process, and her master’s research focuses on examining the effectiveness of this vital societal endeavor. This reflects her dedication to understanding and contributing to the ongoing dialogue surrounding reconciliation.

Beyond the academic realm, Aretha is a dynamic entrepreneur, serving as the owner of Ready Up Productions Inc. Her foray into content creation and streaming, which began in 2020, showcases her adaptability and keen understanding of the digital landscape. Through Ready Up Productions Inc., she brings creative visions to life, demonstrating her commitment to pushing the boundaries of storytelling and technology.

Aretha Greatrix’s impact extends beyond her professional ventures. In 2016, she was rightfully recognized as a Cultural Ambassador, receiving the Women of Inspiration Award from the Canadian Business Chicks. This honor acknowledged her outstanding work in mentoring youth in filmmaking, highlighting her commitment to fostering the next generation of creative minds.

In summary, Aretha Greatrix is a multifaceted individual whose journey encompasses education, entrepreneurship, and community engagement. Her story is not only one of personal achievement but also a testament to her dedication to exploring, understanding, and contributing to the evolving landscapes of communication, technology, and reconciliation.

Nina Sudra | Producer, Writer & Director at Butterfly Typhoon Pictures

Nina Sudra is a filmmaker working in the industry for over 25 years. She is committed to creating dialogue about social issues revolving around the multicultural experience. She has embraced her passion of filmmaking and storytelling as a powerful tool to build bridges between people of different ages and cultures. Nina has developed and created films through the National Screen Institute and the National Film Board of Canada. Her films have travelled the globe, been broadcast internationally and touched many lives. These works have encouraged conversations between a varied spectrum of people; from children in impoverished villages to graduate students in universities. Nina’s films have received national and international accolades and have won several awards. Recently Nina has directed a documentary called “Bridging the Gap” about refugee and newcomer families navigating the school system. It has been picked up by Moving Pictures Distribution. She has also released a short film “Travels with Miranda” which was filmed in Cuba along with a documentary she co-produced called “The Gateway” about hip hop culture in Calgary. Currently she is directing a documentary called “Gandhi’s Threads” and is developing a feature narrative comedy called “My Heart is a Marshmallow.” 

Wednesday November 29, 2023 – 12:00pm to 1:00pm MT

Do you need to increase and diversify your workforce, staff, contractors, membership, programming and audiences?

Would you like to know how to authentically connect with underrepresented individuals and communities?

Then join us for this special event, that will publicly launch our “Guidelines for Engaging Equity-Deserving Organizations and Anti-Racism, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility Expertise“.

An important tool for our cultural sector, that’s been collaboratively created by equity-deserving organizations and individuals from underrepresented communities in specific regions across Canada.

DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE COPY

PANELISTS

Samantha Kaine  |  CEO, Directrice Exécutive, I.M.P.A.C.T

Samantha Kaine is a Jamaican-Canadian, award-winning independent film and television creative producer, mentor, and AR-EDIA leader committed to the advancement of emerging under-represented voices and talent. Throughout her production career of 20+ years, Samantha has successfully advocated for fair, safe, and equitable access to funding and work environments. In 2020, she founded I.M.P.A.C.T, a national, Federally incorporated non-profit organization to combat systemic and anti-Black racism, that serves a growing group of 100+ members across Canada. As a board member, Samantha brings extensive expertise in championing talent, innovation, and excellence, while advocating for proper and truthful representation on screen. She currently sits on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Independent Screen Fund (CISF) for BIPOC Creators and is actively involved in four of Telefilm’s committees: Diversity & Inclusion Working Group, Diverse Languages Subcommittee, Authentic Storytelling, and Industry Advisory.  Most recently, Samantha partnered with I.M.P.A.C.T members to write The Producer Pledge that was signed by 175 production companies and raised $300,000+ that allowed BIPOC producers and creators to survive and thrive during the COVID-19 lockdown. She has created several successful programs, including a foundational building program in French “Empowering Black and Racialized Women” in partnership with the University of Montréal and CBC/Radio-Canada, to help Black female-identifying university students establish themselves in Quebec’s television industry. With her articulate leadership, Samantha steers complex conversations and transforms organizations by integrating inclusion into mindsets and behaviours.

Nilesh Patel | Producer, Roaming Pictures Inc.

For over 20 years Nilesh Patel has focused on producing the stories of us coming together. Through his company, Roaming Pictures, he has focused on supporting the development of racialized creatives in film & television. His first broadcast work, the one hour narrative 7 TO 11 INDIAN was broadcast nationally on Citytv in 2004. From there he produced a series of dramas for CityTv. Following this he directed the multiple award winning documentary feature BROCKET 99 – ROCKING THE COUNTRY (preserved in the National Archives of Canada). This provocative film explored racism in Canada,specifically towards Indigenous peoples. During this time he completed his MFA in Film at Concordia (MFA2014) where he focused on gender roles of men and women through his WHAT IS A MAN? series of short documentaries. Nilesh is currently producing OUT OF THE STANDS and #SKODEN for Telus Originals and TVO and EXODUS 72 through Arts Council funding, while also continuing to advocate for racial equity in our film and television industry.

Karen Remoto | Co-Founder & Programmer, FascinAsian Film Festival

Karen Remoto is one of the co-founders and Programmers of FascinAsian Film Festival in Winnipeg. She has worked in the film industry for over ten years as a freelance sound recordist and participated in three award winning 48-Hour shorts along with various features (I Propose We Never See Each Other Again After Tonight, Winner and Deaner 89).  Karen was the Production Coordinator for Winnipeg Film Group from 2019-2021 and has worked with several non-profit organizations such as Freeze Frame Festival and Artbeat Studio. In 2023, she wrote the contemporary rock opera The Mansplaining Division which premiered for the Manitoba Underground Opera at the Pyramid Cabaret. She also teamed up with other Filipinx creatives for Marissa Bellemit’s Winnipeg Pag Ibig, performance film for Plug In ICA this past summer.  Her artistic collaborations focus on highlighting women/non-binary and BIPOC individuals to express their creative, personal stories within the local community.

Tuesday October 10, 2023 – 12:00pm to 1:00pm MT

October 10 is World Mental Health Day; an international day for global mental health education, awareness and advocacy against social stigma.

Join us as these experts discuss the specific needs of IBPOC artists + creatives, and provide practical ways for us to empower our mental health.

PANELISTS

Reena Samra  |  Founder & Owner, BIPOC Healing & Wellness Centre

Reena (she/her) is the founder and owner of BIPOC Healing and Wellness Centre, a culturally-informed private counselling centre in Edmonton that specializes in therapy for BIPOC grief and racial trauma, and is committed to addressing race and culture in the therapy room. Reena graduated from the University of Calgary with a Master’s degree in Social Work with a Clinical Specialization in Trauma-Informed Practice. Reena is a settler on this land, as a child of immigrants from Punjab, India, who holds multiple intersecting identities of privilege and oppression. As a BIPOC therapist, she has been working for the past decade to center BIPOC mental health, through her commitment to bringing decolonization, anti-racism, intersectional feminism and social justice into her therapy supports for her community. Reena is an activist and advocate for the BIPOC community, through starting spaces for BIPOC grief healing and for support and psychoeducation for newcomer, immigrant and refugee survivors of trauma and sexual violence. She was recognized with Edify Edmonton’s Top 40 Under 40 2021 Award for her work with immigrant and racialized folks. Reena is currently pursuing a Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) through California Southern University, studying the impacts of racism, racial trauma, and racial grief on mental health. Reena is also a faculty member of the Trauma-Informed Yoga Psychology School through Canmore Counselling, and utilizes trauma-informed yoga and meditation to decolonize therapy. Reena is passionate about deepening people’s connections to their mind, body, soul, spirit, and emotions, and thus is holistic and collaborative in her practice. In addition to her specialties in racial grief and trauma, immigration and culturally sensitive counseling; she also specializes in working with sexual violence survivors, childhood abuse survivors, and other complex trauma and PTSD.

Sherani Sivakumar | Registered Provisional Psychologist

Sherani is a Registered Provisional Psychologist with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Alberta and a Master of Counselling in Counselling Psychology from Athabasca University. She understands how difficult it may be to exist in spaces where people feel they can’t bring their authentic self. Whether it is because it hasn’t felt safe for them or because they are exploring their identity, navigating life transitions, or managing mental health concerns might impact their ability to do so. She strives to create a therapy space that invites, embraces, and uplifts all parts – mind, body, heart, and spirit to show up authentically. Sherani also shows up as her authentic self in her work – gentle, warm, collaborative, and compassionate. She practices with a culturally responsive and socially just lens, which means she considers how cultural identity, values/beliefs, worldview, and positioning influence overall well-being and interact within the therapy space. Sherani holds various intersectional identities, such as being Tamil and a daughter of immigrants. These intersections and her lived experience impact her passion for supporting BIPOC communities to heal from culturally diverse challenges. Her hope for her clients is to be seen, heard, and supported in accessing culturally responsive therapy services. She embraces cultural humility and a relational stance so therapy can be a safe(r) space to process life’s difficulties in a way that prioritizes trauma-informed, equitable, anti-oppressive and decolonial values. She works from an integrative-eclectic approach drawing from Narrative Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Attachment-Based Therapy and Somatic Based-Therapies. She has been involved in the mental health field for the past decade in various roles, working with children, youth, adults, and families. My experience includes supporting children and youth’s development in a school, group, and community setting, anti-sexual violence advocacy work, supporting survivors of sexual violence and working with other professions to support young people who have experienced marginalization and abuse/neglect.

Nasim Switzer | Certified Canadian Counsellor (CCC)

Nasim is a mixed-race Certified Canadian Counsellor (CCC) who works from a culturally informed, neurodiversity-affirming, and intersectional lens. She specializes in working with folks who have anxiety, who have experienced trauma, or are struggling with interpersonal relationships in their lives. Nasim is honoured to support her clients and she enjoys supporting parents, whether that is during the perinatal period or later. A lot of her clients come to her because they would like to break inter-generational cycles and they want to show up in a different way for their own children. She creates a safe space for gentle healing, where people can be their authentic self, where their strengths can be noticed and celebrated, their difficulties witnessed, and where the cultural factors of their circumstances are understood and an important part of our work. Together, she works with her clients to feel safe and empowered in the world again, connected to themself, their values, and their goals. Nasim has training in perinatal mental health, compassion-focused therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, as well as couples therapy. She also incorporates evidence-based practices, including somatic experiencing, narrative therapy, family systems, and acceptance and commitment therapy.

Soni Dasmohapatra | Consultant, Educator & Arts Practitioner

Soni is a passionate consultant, educator and arts practitioner who uses yoga and somatics as pathways of self discovery, healing and artistic creation. Soni has built her career for over twenty years in the sectors of government, higher learning, non-profit, public education and philanthropy, across Canada and Internationally. Currently she is a sessional instructor at MacEwan University, Arts and Cultural Management Department. Soni,  has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Alberta, a Masters in  Public Administration (MPA) from the University of Victoria and a certificate in gender studies and  human rights from Oxford University, UK.  Soni, has been involved in the Alberta arts, cultural and Heritage sector since she was a child. She is a trained classical Indian Kathak dancer and yoga teacher. She has been a cultural administrator in the areas of Canadian Heritage and Arts in Alberta and Ontario. Check out her UNESCO article on Arts Education in a Post National State.

A Micro-Conference & Networking Event presented by Warner Bros. Discovery Access Canada

Thursday September 21, 2023 – 4:45pm to 7:30pm MT

On September 21, 2023 we empowered IBPOC Content Creators at the 2023 Calgary International Film Festival!

This event was inspired by our ongoing partnership with CIFF, and the value of intentionally gathering IBPOC Content Creators in industry-specific settings.

We created a special space to celebrate, and kicked things off with a hilarious panel on The Power of Humour in Storytelling, featuring Cherish Violet Blood (Scarborough), Cody Lightning (Hey, Viktor!), and moderated by Telly James (Indian Giver). Our amazing speakers shared how they use comedy to shape their stories.

We followed up with a fun, friendly and casual networking event + happy hour for IBPOC Content Creators and Alberta’s industry – cabaret style!

This was a FREE EVENT and included 1 drink ticket and appetizers.

view our event photos!

WATCH APTN’S STORY ON THE POWER OF HUMOUR IN STORYTELLING!

READ & LISTEN TO CJWE’S STORY ON THE POWER OF HUMOUR IN STORYTELLING!

PANELISTS

Cherish Violet Blood | Actor, Storyteller & Activist

Actor, storyteller, and activist, Cherish Violet Blood is a proud Blackfoot woman whom hails from the Kainai Nation, or Blood Tribe Reserve #148 in Treaty 7 territory located in southern Alberta. Currently residing in Toronto, Ontario, Cherish is a professionally trained and well recognized performing artist with active followings in the national Indigenous and international theatre communities. Cherish has performed all over North America, Australia, New Zealand, and Scotland. Select credits include creator/performer in Material Witness (Spiderwoman Theatre La Mama, NYC), creator/performer in Making Treaty 7 directed by Michelle Thrush in Calgary, AB. the lead role in Deer Woman, a new play that has been touring internationally by Tara Beagan, and most recently, awarded the Canadian Screen Award for actress in supporting role for her role in Scarborough. As a natural comedian Cherish has hosted many album release parties for artists such as Iskwe, LAL, and Fiver, as well as for community events and numerous fundraisers.

Cody Lightning | Actor, Writer & Director

Cody Lightning, is an established actor originally from Alberta, Canada and is a member of Samson Cree First Nation in Maskwacis. Lightning grew up in Los Angeles with his mother, celebrated actress Georgina Lightning, who moved there in the 1980s to pursue a career in Hollywood.  He displayed artistic talent early on landing his first role at just 5 years of age.  From there he went on to become one of Hollywood’s top Native American child actors of the 90s decade.  Lightning has worked with some of Hollywood’s top actors like Johnny Depp, Joseph Gordon Levitt, Marlin Brando, Don Cheadle, Bradley Cooper, Zoey Deschanel, Luis Guzman and Chuck Norris.  Throughout his teenage years Lightning continued to work in the film and TV industry travelling extensively across the USA and Canada.  His experiences have enabled him to develop a unique ability to relate to people from all backgrounds and have shaped him into a remarkably diverse talent.  Additionally, Lightning has experience working in improv, theatre, stand-up comedy, executive producing, public speaking and mentoring.  Having spent almost a quarter decade of his life in the entertainment industry, now at the age of 36 Lightning possesses a broad range of impressive talent.  Lightning’s directorial debut “Hey Viktor!”, which he also co-wrote and acted in, premiered at Tribeca in 2023.

Telly James | Actor & Our Moderator

Telly James is a talented actor known for his captivating performances on stage and screen. With a passion for storytelling, Telly has honed his craft over the years, bringing to life a wide range of characters with depth and authenticity. His natural charisma and dynamic range have earned him critical acclaim and a loyal following of fans. Telly’s dedication to his craft is evident in every role he takes on, and he continues to push the boundaries of his abilities with each new project. With a bright future ahead of him, Telly James is a rising star in the entertainment industry. 

PRODUCED WITH THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF

Wednesday August 31, 2023 – 12:00pm to 1:00pm MT

Join us for a Creatives Empowered (CE) Community Conversation!

This is a safe and confidential space for members of the IBPOC community in Alberta’s cultural sector; film, television, media and the arts.

We want to hear from you:

What challenges and issues are you experiencing in your work as IBPOC?

What questions do you have?

What kind of advice / guidance would help you navigate these challenges and issues?

Are there specific types of professional development / assistance you would love to experience through Creatives Empowered? 

And how can we create spaces for ourselves that are free of racial and unconscious bias?

This event is designed to be an open, empowering and decolonized space to share and discuss.

To ensure a positive experience for all, space is limited.  And open to folks of all experience levels – from emerging to established.

This event is for members of Creatives Empowered (CE). If you aren’t a CE member yet, CE offers free lifetime memberships to individuals and organizations living and working in the colonial boundary known as Alberta, that self-identify as Black, Indigenous and People of Colour / racialized. Check out our Vision, Mission and Values (scroll down) and if this resonates with you, you can easily sign up for membership here.

Thank you for your time and for connecting!

In solidarity,

Creatives Empowered

Thursday March 23 2023 – 12:00pm to 1:00pm MT

This was an incredible opportunity for emerging IBPOC talent to seek invaluable advice from established producers + content creators, and get answers to questions about producing, writing and directing content their own content. The questions explored were:

+ How can an emerging producer find a mentor to help them advance their career aspirations?

+ How did you take that step from being an emerging producer to an established one? Who helped you in your path and what advice would you give to someone who wants to take that leap?

+ How do you approach people/individuals, (not non-profit organizations), to finance your production? And what do you normally say to them? + How do I work with and negotiate a broader community outside of my own immediate Indigenous community?

+ How can I get involved in the industry, writing specifically, with little to no experience?

+ How do I learn about script writing and how it is different from prose or poetry without getting a formal education? + How does an emerging director find the producers that align with their style, vision, goals and passions?

Tuesday February 21 2023 – 12:00pm to 1:00pm MT

Every day is a day to acknowledge Black Excellence, and Creatives Empowered is celebrating Black History Month with a powerful event that will explore how we can empower Black artists + creatives and their work in Alberta.

PANELISTS

Jenny Steele | Producer, Director, On-Air Talent and Dancer / Choreographer

Jenny Steele is a quadruple threat: Producer, Director, On-Air Talent and Dancer/Choreographer. Her media career started in front of the camera, hosting entertainment programs that brought her face to face with countless celebrities, including George Clooney, The Rock, and Sarah Jessica Parker. Soon Jenny was producing and co-creating her own programs, leading production teams that took programs from concept to completion. Her work has been broadcast on almost every Canadian network, including E!, CTV, CityTV, CBC, OMNI, The Biography Channel and Sportsnet.

Over the past two years she has concentrated on Impact Documentary production, developing projects that are entertaining, thought provoking, and empowering. She still balances her producing career with her work as a Television Personality, Host, Actor and Voice Artist. She’s appeared in numerous commercials, the TV shows, Heartland and Jann, the theatrical feature film, Left Behind and she landed principal roles in the movies, From Italy with Amore and Key To Love. Jenny is thrilled to continue her passion for storytelling and to help bring important and impactful stories to life.

Nauzanin Knight | Writer, Director and Producer

Nauzanin Knight is a Canadian woman of Caribbean and Middle Eastern descent. Her nuanced stories reflect the uniqueness of her heritage as well as her international life. She strives with every project she undertakes, whether fictional or factual, to draw attention to pressing social issues and influence the current discourses of society.

Nauzanin completed her MSc at University College London, in the UK, and began her career in creative writing, publishing her non-fiction book “State Terrorism in Iran: understanding the case of the Iranian Bahá’í Community”, before directing her attention to film projects.
 
She went on to write, direct and produce films like #SHADESOFWORTH (2021), an exploration of self-worth and beauty in Black women; My Lyric I Never Knew, about a young singer who decides to debut a song i that will expose her turbulent past and forced adoption of her child (CBC Canadian Reflections, American Indian Film Festival 2019, National Screen Institute Film Festival 2019); Precarity, a short documentary about the lived experience of Temporary Foreign Workers in Alberta (TELUS Optik, On-Demand); ColorBlind (2022) a Romantic Comedy on the theme of the paramount importance of the elimination of racial prejudice; and, is in the process of directing “White Sands” (development phase) with the National Film Board of Canada, on the origins of White Supremacy in the first Black Slave Society in Barbados. Outside of her own projects, she held the position of Story Editor on CityTV’s Hudson & Rex Season IV (2021-22).

Nauzanin is a Women in the Director’s Chair (WIDC; 2020), Whistler Film Festival Doc Lab (2019), BANFF Spark Accelerator for Women in the Business of Media (2020), and Rogers Sports & Media/ReelWorld Level-Up Writer’s Program (2021) Alumna. She is currently participating in the CinFam LIMITLESS program, for select BIPOC women creators with a feature or series in development.

An ardent believer in contributing to the vibrance of her community at the grassroots, Nauzanin serves as a board member and EDI chair of Alberta Media Production Industries Association (AMPIA). She also facilitated the digital storytelling workshop series Empowering Black Girls (EBG) organized by Action for Healthy Communities in Edmonton, Alberta, designed to empower Black youth to share their stories through filmmaking.

Contributing to the societal discourses around diversity and inclusion in the film & television industry is of utmost important to Nauzanin. She designed, led, and published“Building Inclusive Networks in the Film and Television Industry” (2022) to further this aim.

Nauzanin is Executive Producer of 1844 Studios, a film production company which is dedicated to fostering international artistic collaborations and exposing striking stories which tell us about the universality of human emotion despite diversity of human experience. 

Donna Knorren | Photographer

Donna Knorren is an aspiring cinematographer with an adventurous spirit, and a freelance photographer, who is passionate about capturing people of colour and showcasing them in their best light.

Ado Nkemka | Musician and Writer

A.N. is a musician with a distinct dark timbre and in-your-face vocals. Based out of Calgary, AB, her sound is inspired by late 90’s and early 00’s pop, rock and R&B. 

In 2020, she released a short DIY EP titled Forbidden Fruit. Two years later, she participated in SOCAN’s Equity X Production Mentorship Program and made her festival debut at Sled Island 2022!

With the support of Calgary Arts Development, she’s currently working with Toronto-based producer James Bunton on a guitar-driven pop-rock record (fall 2023) that explores life as a first-generation Canadian, love/lust/connection, grounded fearlessness, and stepping into your power. She is currently working on a coming-of-age play inspired by this record, as a part of Chromatic Theatre’s 2022-2023 Playwright’s Unit cohort.

As a part of the 2022-2024 Artist as Changemaker Residency cohort, she’ll also be spending time working in collaboration with The Alcove Centre for the Arts (through Mount Royal University’s Trico Changemakers Studio), in order to increase the capacity of local artists to showcase, learn and explore their art.

Toyin Oladele | Artist, Arts Professional and Project Manager

Toyin is a motivated, creative, and results-focused arts professional, and project manager with over a decade of experience working in the arts, culture, & heritage sector. In various roles, Toyin oversees the development, delivery, and evaluation of a range of programs, projects, and partnerships focused on elevating the cultural landscape and supporting artists and culture workers from all backgrounds.

Toyin is an advocate for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion especially in the arts, and is passionate about mentoring numerous newcomers from diverse countries and professional backgrounds. Toyin founded the Immigrant Council for Arts Innovation (ICAI) in 2019. ICAI is a nonprofit society that aims to remove barriers for newcomers and immigrants who are seeking to continue careers in the arts in Alberta. Toyin consults for cultural and arts organizations across Canada and the United States of America including the City of Calgary.  She is a member of the Community Working Group on Equity Diversity, Inclusion and Access for Calgary Arts Developments and currently serves on the board of Calgary Young People’s Theatre (CYPT), Contemporary Calgary, Chromatic Theatre and CARFAC Alberta.

Thursday December 15 2022 – 12:00pm to 1:00pm MT

Our last event of 2022 is inspired by our curator and moderator, Althea Cunningham.  We’ll unpack the complex intersections of gatekeeping and colonialism in our cultural sector, and explore how this directly affects the work of IBPOC artists + creatives within the colonial boundary known as Alberta.

This event is specifically for artists + creatives who self-identify as Indigenous, Black and People of Colour (IBPOC), and is a safe and open space to discuss this important topic.

PANELISTS

Christine Frederick | Executive Director, Dreamspeakers Festival Society

Christine Sokaymoh Frederick is an urban Cree-Métis with decades of experience in multiple artistic disciplines. She is Executive Director and producer of the Dreamspeakers International Film Festival and the Rubaboo Arts Festival. She was the first Indigenous Associate Artist of the Citadel Theatre and first Indigenous board member of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and the first Indigenous Chair of Edmonton Arts Council, former Vice Chair of the Alberta Foundation for the Arts and has sat on the executive of the Indigenous Performing Arts Alliance. She’s attended the University of Alberta, the Banff Centre for Arts, and the University for Peace (Costa Rica). She served on the committees for the ᐄᓃᐤ (ÎNÎW) River Lot 11∞ one of the first Indigenous Public Art Parks. She recently performed in the Rez Sisters at the Stratford Festival and in Bears at the Citadel Theatre, produced/performed in a dance theatre double-bill national tour of Bears by Matt MacKenzie and her own play Minosis Gathers Hope. In 2021 on behalf of the National Arts Centre, she produced the global Indigenous showcase for the 2020 Dubai World Expo. She currently serves on the Advisory committee for the City of Edmonton Indigenous Artist in Residence program and recently joined the national advisory committee for the National Arts Centre’s Creation Fund. She is the recipient of the 2007 Esquao Award in Arts, and the 2016 Mayor’s award for Excellence in Artistic Leadership and the 2022 Queen’s Platinum Jubilee medal. 

Kijo Eunice Gatama | Performer, Actor, Clown & Dancer

Kijo Eunice Gatama is an Edmonton-based theatre performer, actor, clown, dancer, and emerging artistic director. Co-curator and producer of Fear The Festival, a horror film festival centring around elevating explorations by self-identifying members of IBPOC artists, as well as co-founder of Shakespeare’s Hunnies, an emerging artist blog. As a playwright, Gatama strives to create theatre that explores family dynamics, comedy, and Queer Afro-Canadian experiences.

Wunmi Idowu | Multidisciplinary Artist, Choreographer, Filmmaker, Performer & Producer

Wunmi Idowu is an award-winning multidisciplinary artist, choreographer, filmmaker, performer, and producer and the Founder and Director of Woezo Africa Music & Dance Theatre Inc. For the past 16 years, the arts organization has been passionately dedicated to bringing the history of African culture to the masses through traditional and modern modes of performing arts, including dance, music, theatre and storytelling. By pushing for increased visibility of ethnically and culturally diverse artists in Alberta, Wunmi hopes that perceptions will shift around who participates in the arts. Through dynamic, cutting-edge work that captures the imagination of a range of audiences, she curates programs, events and productions to enhance the creative economy in Alberta, empower communities and perpetuate the movement for instilling social change for African, Caribbean and Black artists.

Mboya Nicholson | Jazz Pianist

Edmonton jazz pianist Mboya Nicholson believes in the timelessness and beauty of swing and the blues; and how it can express the different dynamics of living.

Mboya spent his childhood taking classical lessons and also trying (with futility) to figure out jazz piano. The family record collection included everything from Paul Robeson to South African singers, to Nigerian drumming; and from Bob Marley to Andre Watts’ 1963 recording of Liszt and Chopin. “All these things were fodder for my imagination as a child. Nobody told me I shouldn’t be able to understand any of it because I was small. I listened and, wondering how and why things sounded the way they did, I listened some more, of my own accord. But jazz resonated with me, and defined me more than anything.” At a young age he was listening to Duke Ellington, Erroll Garner Thelonious Monk and more. “I distinctly remember, all of a sudden, Thelonious Monk died when I was eight. I remember being conscious of that. We had all those records in the house, so I was aware of who he was prior to that happening.”

After high school, Mboya studied at Grant MacEwan Community College (now MacEwan University), studying with celebrated Alberta jazz pianist Charlie Austin, who showed Mboya the intricacies of jazz piano, and also helped him identify some things he had taught himself, and how to expand on them.

In the 1990’s Mboya was a fixture on the local jazz scene, performing for the Jazz City Festival, as well as producing concerts including tributes featuring the music of Fats Waller, Duke Ellington and a centennial tribute to Paul Robeson. In the late 1990’s, the Francis Winsepar Centre for Music asked him to perform a jazz concert for young children during their grand opening festivities. And in 1998, the Edmonton Jazz Society asked Mboya to play a post-show reception for the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra’s first performance in Edmonton.

In 1999, Mboya moved to New Orleans, soaking up as much of the music and the culture as he could. While there, he studied at the University of New Orleans, (UNO) where he obtained his bachelor and masters degrees in music. During the years in New Orleans, Mboya studied with jazz legends, Ellis Marsalis and Harold Battiste.

In 2005, Mboya moved to Toronto, and was writing string arrangements and a commission, for ArsMusica, directed by Colin Mendez Morris. In 2016, he returned to Edmonton, where he performs solo and with a trio, and currently teaches at MacEwan University.

Tololwa Mollel | Author

Tololwa Mollel is an author of over 20 internationally published children’s books, in English and in Swahili, the national language of his native country Tanzania. Among his books are the award-winning The Orphan Boy, My Rows and Piles of Coinsand Big Boy. Tololwa’s writings have been translated into various African, European and Asian languages. He is also author of several plays, writer of stories for performances, and a performer of stories, in solo storytelling/story performance, or with co-performers.

In 2017, Tololwa edited HOME: Stories Connecting Us All , a freely available eBook in honor of Canada 150. It consists of 124 multicultural personal and community stories. From that experience, he learned much about the need and potential for diversity in writing in Canada. Between 2015 and 2017 bi-weekly, Tololwa shared on an Edmonton-based Swahili radio program, stories he created for Swahili-speaking listeners in North America and beyond. Tololwa has been a member of various theatrical and literary organizations such as the Editors Canada, Alberta Playwrights Network, Theatre Alberta, Playwrights Guild of Canada; Young Alberta Book Society where he served on the board, the Writers Union of Canada, and the Writers Guild of Alberta, where he served as president. He is also a writing instructor for youngsters for YouthWrite since the organization was founded in 1996.

Outside his professional artistic practice, Tololwa has worked on community arts projects and work at: Africa Centre; Action for Healthy communities; and Rising Sun, a barrier-free theatre group for adults with developmental and other disabilities.

Althea Cunningham | Musician, Multidisciplinary Artist, Writer, Actor, Arts Educator & Producer

Althea Cunningham, is an award winning Canadian musician. A multidisciplinary artist: writer, actor, arts educator and producer. On The Verge, her Neo-Soul EP was independently released in 2010, to critical acclaim and has had international airplay and featured artists spots. Her original music has been heard on: Black Souls Rhythms Radio, Time Trippin Radio, Bowl of Soul Radio and The Key of A (CBC) to name a few. As an Arts Educator she has influenced minds for fifteen years mostly across Western Canada.

Favorite theatre roles include: Ensemble; Working directed by Kate Ryan for Plain Jane Theatre, Bird Girl; in Seussical for Western Canada Theatre directed by Samantha Macdonald. Muse; for The National Ice Theatre of Canada directed by Allison Maclean, Azizi; for The Francis Winspear Centre For Music directed by David Hoyt and Elizabeth; The Vibrator Play directed by Amy DeFelice for Trunk Theatre.

Producing credits include: live music events across Canada (2007- 2017) and On The Verge CD. Co-producing include: Sunkiss To Death (2023) it will be her first exploration of producing theatre. She graduated with honors from Grant MacEwan University Theatre Arts Program.

Dabbling in television and film she hopes to increase her presence on screen. In film, she has played the leading role in The Invincible Jayson Garvey (2020) written and directed by Melanee Murray-Hunt, an afrofuturist story about current issues. This talent can be seen on screen in The Invincible Jayson Garvey playing at Film festivals globally.

Wednesday November 30 2022 – 12:00pm to 1:00pm MT

The land is an important foundation for all Indigenous communities. An artist’s connection to place is often critical to the artistic process.  In this discussion we will explore what connection to place means for Indigenous artists + creatives, and how everyone can acknowledge the land in their practice. Save the date and join us online!

PANELISTS

Tim Kenny | Master Communicator: Collaborative, Creative, Catalyst

Timothy (Tim) Kenny is a mixed-race, non-status, Indigiqueer man who grew up in Edmonton’s community housing projects. His maternal Indigenous lineage comes from the Jean Baptiste Gambler #183 First Nation in Calling Lake, Alberta.

Tim is a proud graduate of Mount Royal University (MRU) in Calgary, Alberta —where he received his undergraduate degree in Public Relations (PR), with a Minor in Indigenous studies in Spring 2019. Tim is currently undertaking his master’s studies at University of Calgary, in a land-based interdisciplinary module that specializes in Traditional Blackfoot Ways of Knowing and Being.

In Fall 2015, Tim joined the team at Iiniistii Treaty Arts Society to help birth the launch of REDx Talks: Canada’s First International Indigenous Speakers Series. As the Head of PR, Media and Communications for the organization—he worked to bring the story, heart, ceremony and mandate of REDx Talks into the cultural conversation. In 2016, he also helped bring Indigenous musicians and their craft to the Canadian forefront with his PR and publicity work for Calgary’s JUNOfest Indigenous Showcase.

Since 2016, Tim has worked in Canada’s Federal Public Service and since 2019 he has been employed as a full-time permanent employee. He’s worked on various Indigenous communications initiatives such as National Indigenous Peoples Day campaigns, Indigenous Reads, Words Matter, and the award-winning Protect Our Elders Campaign. In 2020, Tim also did a short stint at the Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) Secretariat to work in the funding and engagement unit—related to external contributions for the 2021 MMIWG 2SLGBTQQIA+ National Action Plan.

In early 2021 Tim participated in a discussion panel, along with other Indigenous communicators, for Royal Roads University’s 2^nd Annual Conference on Communications Ethics, while also diligently working to make his MRU Library, award-winning, undergraduate thesis publicly available.

Tim is passionate about Indigenous issues including the intersections of gender, race, terminology, art, humanities, culture and identity — and he is proud to lend his voice and continued support to these areas.

Jodi Calahoo Stonehouse | Indigenous Innovator, Storyteller, Wave Maker & Producer

Jodi is Cree and Mohawk from Michel First Nation and the current Executive Director of the Yellowhead Indigenous Education Foundation. She holds a BA from the Faculty of Native Studies and is completing an MSc with the Faculty of Resource Economics and Environmental Sociology at the U of A. She also works with the Edmonton Shift Lab, a social innovation lab on anti-racism which has drawn positive attention from across the country, is the founder of Miyo-Pimatisiwin Productions and also the producer and broadcaster of an award-winning Indigenous radio program called Acimowin. She was instrumental in building strong community engagement as the consultation lead to erect the Wahkotowin Lodge, an Indigenous Legal Lodge at the University of Alberta and the first of its kind for any post-secondary institution in Canada. She is co-producing a series called Love Medicine: interviews with Indigenous and non-Indigenous wisdom keepers, elders and inspired individuals whose stories remind us that love is indeed the most powerful of all medicines.

Tarene Thomas | Indigenous Artist & Writer

Tarene Thomas is a Cree, Gitxsan, Tahltan, and Haisla writer from Enoch Cree Nation and the Northwest Coast of B.C. She holds a BA from the University of Alberta, and an MFA in Creative Writing from UBC. Her work examines the world through an Indigenous feminist lens, whilst critiquing the institutions she works inside of. Tarene fuses together the personal and political while telling stories of sadness, joy, rebellion, and refusal. 

Lana Whiskeyjack | Multidisciplinary Indigenous Artist and Digital Storyteller

Lana Whiskeyjack is a multidisciplinary treaty iskwew scholartist from Saddle Lake Cree Nation, Treaty Six Territory, Alberta. Guided by her grandmother’s advice, “Go to school, travel, and see as much as you can. Then return home to share what you learned, but do not forget where you came from.” After graduating high school, the young mom moved to Red Deer to attain her Art & Design diploma, then moved to Ottawa with her growing family, attaining B.A. (Honours) and M.A (Canadian Studies) degrees. The story continues with returning to work near her home community and attain her doctorate degree at University nuhelot’įne thaiyots’į nistameyimâkanak Blue Quills (UnBQ) in iyiniw pimâtisiwin kiskeyihtamowin, the first Indigenous owned and operated educational institution in Canada. Prior to 1970, UnBQ operated as Blue Quills Indian Residential School, where two generations of her maternal family attended.

Lana’s research, writing, and art explores the paradoxes of what it means to be nehiyaw (Cree) and iskwew (woman) in a Western culture and society; and, how she and other Indigenous peoples are reclaiming, re-gathering, and remembering their ancestral medicine (sacredness and power). Her art is passionate and expressive, born from the deep roots of her culture, history, and intergenerational relations. Through the examination of sometimes difficult subjects, her art reflects the intrinsic beauty of her interconnections with the earth, nêhiyawêwin (Cree language) and wahkohtowin. 

Lana brings her leadership and knowledge in nêhiyaw (Cree) arts-based practices, community-engaged research and scholarship into her role as an assistant professor in the Women’s and Gender Studies Department, Faculty of Arts, University of Alberta.  Her decolonizing learning and being at UnBQ grounded within nêhiyaw (Cree) ceremony, nêhiyawêwin (Cree language) and nêhiyaw worldview is foundational to her creativity, research, teaching and community service practices. Her current research projects explores issues re-matriation, (re)connecting to the spirit of nêhiyawêwin; and, nêhiyaw diverse gender worldviews and rites of passage.  

Lana is featured in a documentary by Beth Wishart MacKenzie, Lana Gets Her Talk (2017) that explores how she uses art as ceremony in confronting and transcending historical trauma and reconciliation. For more information please see http://pikiskwe-speak.ca/

Nigel Robinson | Curator & Moderator

Nigel is a Denesuline organizer, radio host, and humorist from Cold Lake First Nations. As a former student of Humber College in the Comedy: Writing and Performance program one of Nigels main interests is exploring Indigenous culture through humour. Currently this looks like making memes and practicing stand up comedy. Nigel hosts a radio program called Acimowin on CJSR 88.5.

Wednesday October 26, 2022 – 12:00pm to 1:00pm MT

To cultivate means to acquire or develop, and to harvest means to collect or obtain for a future use.

Since the summer of 2020, equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) has become ‘top of mind’ throughout the cultural sector, and a priority in funding.

Who is cultivating and harvesting EDI, and the money that’s available for it?

And is the equity-seeking community actually being empowered in the process?

Join us for an insightful discussion as we explore these questions, and the complex issues that can arise from this important work, with our incredible panelists Jordan Baylon, Soni Dasmohapatra, Dinu Philip Alex and Pam Tzeng.

We also collaborated with Canadian Cinema Editors to turn this enlightening conversation into a Podcast – have a listen!

PANELISTS

Jordan Baylon | Artist, Community Worker & Consultant

Jordan Baylon (they/she/he) is a second generation PilipinX artist, critic and community worker imagining justice and abundance for equity-deserving peoples within the spaces of all our relations: personal, communal and societal. As an artist, Jordan’s explores queer and racialized identities as liminal spaces: both and neither; between, across and through; both inside and outside; and both literal and imagined. Jordan’s community practice leverages a decade of experience in the non-profit arts and culture sectors, where they developed their critical lens around equity, anti-racism and systems change. After many years navigating institutions, Jordan now devotes their interest and attention to working at grassroots alongside equity-deserving individuals and communities. 

Recent work:

• The City of Calgary – Indigenous and Anti-Racist Equity Analysis of Calgary Granting Programs (with Thulasy Lettner, Tapisa Kilabuk, Kinya Baker, Erin MacFarlane)
• Calgary Arts Development – EDIA Audit (with JD Derbyshire & Steve Williams)
• Chromatic Theatre – General Director
• The Calgary Foundation – Racial Equity Audit (with Thulasy Lettner, Kinya Baker, Evans Yellow Old Woman, Erin MacFarlane)

Soni Dasmohapatra | Consultant, Educator & Arts Practitioner

Soni is a passionate consultant, educator and arts practitioner who uses yoga and somatics as pathways of self discovery, healing and artistic creation. Soni has built her career for over twenty years in the sectors of government, higher learning, non-profit, public education and philanthropy, across Canada and Internationally. Currently she is a sessional instructor at MacEwan University, Arts and Cultural Management Department. Soni,  has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Alberta, a Masters in  Public Administration (MPA) from the University of Victoria and a certificate in gender studies and  human rights from Oxford University, UK.  Soni, has been involved in the Alberta arts, cultural and Heritage sector since she was a child. She is a trained classical Indian Kathak dancer and yoga teacher. She has been a cultural administrator in the areas of Canadian Heritage and Arts in Alberta and Ontario. Check out her UNESCO article on Arts Education in a Post National State.

Dinu Philip Alex, MSc, B’Arch | Founder & Chief Disrupter of Next Evolution Ventures

Alex is a disruptive strategist motivated by breaking the system for the greater good. He has a background of implementing change at a root level and creating an atmosphere of cultivating and transforming ideas into viable solutions that create efficiencies, challenge the norm, and prepare for the future.

Through his almost 15 year career with the City of Edmonton, he found himself getting more involved in the organizational development and transformation work to ensure the service lines are relevant and optimized to meet the needs for the future. 

He has been actively involved in developing  several strategies, creating innovative analytical models, revamping and restructuring several operational services to ensure job clarity, job satisfaction and increased employee morale. 

In his position as Branch Manager, Alex was also on the steering committee for the Smart Cities Challenge. He received the Culture Commitment Award under the category of Excellence in 2018.

He has also been nominated for the City Manager’s Award for Leadership Excellence in the past.

He is inspired by his young son, an aspiring hockey player, who keeps him in touch with his values of doing good for others through innovative thinking and action.

Pam Tzeng | Choreographer, Performance Maker, Movement Educator & Arts Worker

Pam Tzeng 曾小桐 (she/her) is a second-generation Taiwanese-Canadian choreographer, interdisciplinary performance maker, movement educator and arts worker based in Mohkínstsis Treaty 7 Territory. Pam takes pleasure in extremes to craft honest, visceral and animated performances about the politics of the body with objects and costumes. Led by her embodied curiosities, she graciously traverses charged thematic territories to reveal and empower unseen truths. 

Pam is a commitment to offering the breadth of her experiences, creativity and intelligences to the work of anti-racism, anti-oppression and conflict transformation in the arts and cultural sector. As 2022-23 Artist in Residence with Dancemakers (Toronto), she is focused on researching conflict transformation from an artistic and embodied lens. Currently, Pam is also an advisor with the Canadian Dance Assembly, faculty and practices of care weaver for the Rozsa Foundations REAL Executive Leadership Program, a member of the Cultural Instigators – a collective of artist activists visioning an anti-racist future for Calgary and part of Calgary Arts Development’s EDIA working group.