Environmental and Urban Changemakers Podcast

Welcome back!

In this episode, Seth and Thereza welcome Mr. Mike Layton, a decade long politician in Toronto, to talk about his recent coupling with York University as the university's first Chief Sustainability Officer. Tackling issues like transportation and overall campus carbon-emissions, Mike Layton lays out the promises of change he hopes to bring as he heads the university's strides towards "positive change".

Thanks so much to Mr. Layton for taking the time to talk with us!

Hope you guys enjoy this special episode!

Welcome Back Listeners

Seeing as everyone liked the interviews so much, we decided to bring it back!

Today, we talk with Doctor Stephan Kipfer, who has recently published his book "Urban Revolutions" which brings together theorists such as Henri Lefebvre, Franz Fanon, and Antonio Gramsci and relates them to contexts around the world. We take a deep dive into several topics, conversing about the Canadian Indigenous conversation, the importance of democracy in urban revolutions, and so much more.

Thanks again to Dr. Kipfer for joining us.

Hope you enjoy!!

Hello Again Folk!

Welcome back to another ranting episode with Kaylea, Ash, and Seth where we talk about everything from Batman, our distaste for York University, and so much more.

On this episode we talk a bit about a specific story about an individual's struggles with getting help from York University's sexual help clinic. As this is a sensitive topic, we do want to inform everyone that these potentially triggering events are briefly talked about. If this is something you do not want to listen to, we suggest you skip that part.

But don't worry, there is plenty light and fun talk to go around.

Hope everyone enjoys!

In this episode, we talk about blood in its myriad forms, about peanuts, and about unlearning.

Unlearning in its various forms means generally that we reconceptualize the ways in which we make knowledge or the histories behind knowledge making.  There's also a bit about Environmental determinism, and the Toronto Islands.

Also, we tackle the all too serious topic of student mental health.  We talk about our own struggles with mental health in post-secondary schooling, and different methods we use to cope with it.

A continuation and conclusion from the last episode.  In this part 2, we tackle the finicky notion of societal racism, affirmative action, biracial identities, and more.

In Episode 2, we talk about a range of issues that interest and affect us.  These include printers, stripping, band names, the proper pronunciation of "gull", hurricanes and more.

We're back!  In this episode, the Changemaker's Podcast team introduces its newest member, Seth!  Trying out a new, unscripted, format, the three of us reminisce about our summers, the return to campus, and whatever interests us.

We also introduce a new segment called "Seth's Complaint Corner" wherein Seth complains about something.

In this episode, we are joined by the past president of BESSA and EUCSA, Ammon Cherry, as he sheds light on how to become a leader, a participator, or any other way to become a "Changemaker."  We will be speaking about clubs, events, seminars, and everything else a student needs to effect change both at school and abroad.

In our news segement, we will also have a lively discusison about the COP26 climate summit and all that was decided, and not decided, there.

Here are some helpful links that were discussed in the episode:

Centre for Sexual Violence: https://thecentre.yorku.ca/

EUC Calendar:  https://euc.yorku.ca/events/

Regenesis:  https://regenesis.eco/

On today's episode, we have two members of the Steering Committee for YU Fossil Free, Angela Dittrich and Sebastian Mather.  They will shed light on YU Fossil Free's campaign to have York University divest its shares in the fossil fuel industry.  As well, they will highlight the nature and effects of the money that postsecondary institutions have in the fossil fuel sector.

On the news segment, we discuss the evolution of natural gears and hydraulic springs in the arthropod world.  Also, cicadas are metnioned.

YU Fossil Free contact info:

Instagram

@yufossilfree

Facebook
@YorkFossilFree

Twitter

@YUfossilfree

Website

http://www.yufossilfree.ca/

Petition

https://www.change.org/p/york-university-president-lenton-bog-divest-from-fossil-fuels-and-invest-in-a-just-climate-safe-future?utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=custom_url&recruited_by_id=1701d500-76e0-11eb-bcaa-05807683e049

In this first episode of season 2 of Changemakers, hosts Kaylea Peres and Ashraf Hutchcraft discuss what are EUCSA and the EUC, and of the student strike at York.  With the help of Chair of EUCSA, Summer Solmes, we explain how the Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change, the newest faculty at York University, was created and what separates it from the other faculties; as well, she explains what the student association of the faculty, EUCSA is, as well as who is a part of it, what they do and how anyone can get involved.

Our next guest, Nathi Zamisa, former co-Chair of EUCSA and Masters student of Race and Racism, sheds light on the, not quite, avoided student strike that was the subject of much talk earlier this year.  With his insight, we will probe the nature of labour relations, the purpose of strikes, and just what causes organised withdrawal of labour to begin with.

For today, November 29 2020, we’re going to look at a topic that many of us as EUC students are currently dealing with full-throttle: learning. As university students and academics coming from a variety of different backgrounds and social locations, learning has different meanings to each of us. So I, your host Nathi Zamisa, will be joined by Ammon Cherry, the President and Chair of the Environmental and Urban Change Students’ Association of an informal conversation on how to learn in university, and why you should! Now, we know that you’ve probably already come to your own conclusions on the topic, so the point of this podcast is to look specifically at learning in the Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change of EUC, and some of the tips/trick we’ve picked up along the way that have helped you become the most successful student in EUC.

For November 27th, 2020, we at the Environmental and Urban Change students’ Association are switching things up, by foregrounding some knowledge and/or details that we’ve learned throughout our first and second years as undergraduates in the Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change. I - you host Nathi Zamisa - will be joined by our Chief Communications Officer Summer Solmes and our Communications Ambassador Ashraf Hutchcraft for a discussion about some of the issues that we’ve struggled with, and some of the comments and/or concerns raised by EUC students. Next, we’re going to see how that experience is different with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and we’ll look at how these challenges have changed and/or evolved, and how these changes are impacting students personally, professionally, and academically. Finally, we’re going to look at how you can “escape” First and Second year blues by following a rough guideline of “What to Fear in First & Second Year”, which is to be written and published in the Spring/Summer 2021/22 Term.

It is November 6th, 2020, and I - your host Nathi Zamisa - will be joined by a well-known face and outspoken voice for undergraduates back when the Faculty of Environmental Studies and Urban Change was the faculty of environmental studies; and a recent graduate that was accepted to and is beginning their studies at Yale, Abdeali Saherwala. From his thoughts and/or experiences as an undergraduate in class, to being a spokesperson for the Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change’s experiential education program; Abdeali leveraged the knowledge, information, and experiences he gained through the Faculty to join the pinnacles of academic prowess and inquiry amongst the American Ivy Leagues. EUCSA was lucky enough to get Abdeali to join us for a brief discussion on his decisions and thought-processes through his student-tenure at York University, and we’re hoping to uncover some of the underlying motivations and pressures that help shape Abdeali’s postgraduate path to Yale, and his goals/objective once he graduates.

Join the Environmental and Urban Change Students' Association (EUCSA) for our Annual General Meetings (AGM)! We'll go over our land acknowledgment, what the Faculty fo environmental and Urban Change (EUC) and EUCSA are, including what's changed and/or stayed the same. We'll go over a brief review out our constitutional mandates, and some key change to our constitution to hold us to account. We'll then revise the upcoming events for EUCSA in 2020/21, and conclude the AGM with an open discussion period with our fellow EUC peers!

The question for the discussion period are as follows:

1. How are you managing with COVID-19?

2. What do you want from EUCSA

3. What can EUCSA do for you in 2020/21?

4. What are your concerns with EUC?

5. What are your concerns with York University?

6. How can EUCSA make EUC and/or York University more sustainable in 2020/21?

Look forward to seeing you there!

If you don’t know, the Environmental and Urban Change Student’s Association - or EUCSA for short - recently went through a pretty comprehensive transition period this year, transcending the Faculty of Environmental Students to the Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change. My name is Nathi Zamisa, I’m the Co-Chair and/or Vice-President of the Environmental and Urban Change Students’ Association and I will be your host for today’s discussion.

So for today, September 30, 2020, I - your host - will be joined by the Dean of EUC, Alice Hovorka, (Experiential Education Coordinator) Rosanna Chowdhury, and (Recruitment and Liaison Officer) Alison Ozog of the EUC administrative body,  to explore what exactly the Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change is all about! Together, we’re going to look at some of the things that changed and stayed the same with the faculty. We’ll address the elephant in the room - the pandemic - and how it has impacted not only the faculty, but the resources available its graduate and undergraduate student bodies. What’s great about today is that we’ll get to hear first-hand what kinds of steps the faculty is taking to address the sum of challenges its faced with today, and how they’re responding to help both incoming and graduating students! Finally, we’ll take a look into what the faculty is looking forward to this year, and explore the motivations pushing them to make this year exceptional!

As of Today, September 18, 2020, BESSA (soon to be know as EUCSA) will be hosting a series of podcasts centred around the EUC undergraduate student experience at York University!

So why not start by setting-the-scene for the upcoming weeks/podcasts and telling you about what BESSA/EUCSA is, what we do, why, and for whom. We’ll start of by quickly touching on how COVID is impacting our student lives. Next, we’ll be looking at the faculty and who you want/need to know when you have any questions, problems, and/or issues/ we’ll follow-up that conversation by identifying some of the challenges members of EUCSA have experienced during our time as undergraduate students. From professional and academic development, to managing your social life and remembering to care for yourself; we’re going to talk about what life as an EUC undergraduate looks/feels like, and the tips/tricks and resources we use to overcome some of the challenges we face as students. And joining me for the discussion today is Ammon Cherry (Chair/President of EUCSA), Summer Solmes (VP of internal Communications/Chief Communication Officer, and Patricia (Trish) Macdonald (VP of Events/Chief Events Planner).