Reproduce Her Justice

We are ending Season 2 on a high note! This episode is all about Indigenous joy, culture, traditions and everything that Coral and Joni love about being Indigenous! This conversation with Coral Madge– Founder of Big Bear Moccasin and member of the Dene Nation, is dedicated to all of our Indigenous community members. Joni and Coral are shining light on the joy in celebrating their Indigenous identity, and the challenges that come along with it. Because of colonization, our people have been left with intergenerational trauma that we work tirelessly to heal from. We hope this episode helps you in your healing journey by listening to Coral’s story, and their love for being Indigenous people. 

If you want to hear about:

• Coral’s family traditions and the importance of food. 

• How he started beading at 17 with his mother.

• Coral’s long history of family beaders. 

• What it means to be two-spirited and the connection to his Indigenous culture.

• His journey to owning his true identity as a two-spirit individual while having parents in leadership of an unhealthy church. 

• What Coral loves most about being Indigenous. 

Then tune in to this episode!

*We would like to kindly inform all of our listeners that Coral is no longer associated with his family.

We wanted to get a better understanding of what role police officers play in helping keep our vulnerable women safe in Surrey, BC. So we brought on Samantha Grey– Program Director/Human Trafficking Project Lead at Surrey Women’s Centre to have this discussion. Samantha shared what exactly police officers are currently doing that is in fact helping racialized and vulnerable women, and in what ways they need to improve. 

If you want to learn about:

• How racialized women living in a domestic violence situation are being helped by police officers.

• What the SMART van is that The Surrey Women's Center created to help domestic violence survivors. 

• The role that officers play in community safety for vulnerable women.

• Steps to pressing charges against an abuser.  

Then tune in to this episode!

Domestic violence is a situation that many women are unfortunately in, and those closest to them want to help but just aren’t sure how to go about it. To have this conversation we brought on Dr. Juanyetta Beasley–  an author, public speaker, event facilitator who has led SNIWWOC’s domestic violence workshops, a Registered Nurse (RN) and a Doctor of Health Administration (DHA), a mother, and survivor of domestic violence. Dr. Juanyetta brings valuable insight not only as a medical professional but also as someone who was once in an abusive relationship. She understands what victims of domestic violence are generally thinking and feeling, and how challenging the healing process is for survivors of gender based violence, especially as a black woman. 

If you are a survivor of domestic violence and would like to learn about:

• What Dr. Juanyetta’s healing journey looked like.

• Dr. Juanyetta’s advice for women who are starting their healing journey. 

Or if you are a family member, friend, or colleague of a domestic violence survivor and want to learn what steps you can take to help them during their healing journey, 

Then tune in to this episode!

Experiencing domestic violence is something no one expects nor is prepared for. For women of colour, seeking legal assistance is the last thing we want to do for many reasons. Fear and lack of confidence in the legal system are definitely some reasons to name a few. We brought on Rosa Elena Arteaga, Director of Clinical Practice and Direct Services at Battered Women’s Support Services (BWSS), to walk us through the steps and process racialized domestic violence victims can expect to take when accessing legal help. 

If you are a BIPOC woman in a domestic violence violence situation or you know of a loved one in this situation and would like to learn:

• How you can best prepare yourself prior to taking legal action.

• What the process of accessing legal help looks like, and what to expect.

• The advice Rosa would give to women that are scared and anxious to take the first step in getting legal help against their gender-based violence assaulter. 

Then tune in to this informative episode!

Rosa also shares 

• What BWSS is doing to help reduce barriers for women of colour and their families in order to access justice, that other organizations can also implement.

• The change in policies and actions she would like to see on both a political and legal level to help survivors and their families. 

Women of colour are expected to excel beyond their non-minority counterparts while accepting less pay and recognition for their work. Boma and Joni are speaking with Angela Marie Macdougall– The Executive Director of Battered Women’s Support Services (BWSS) to unpack this issue. Angela gives us her perspective on why BIPOC women continuously experience microaggression and barriers to career development in the workplace no matter the industry or role, and how colonialism has played a part in this. 

As a bi-racial Black woman in a leadership position, Angela shares:

• What allyship means to her. 

• How corporate leaders can become true allies to their BIWOC team members.

• What she recommends that companies should implement inorder to create safe spaces for women of colour. 

Lastly, as an Executive Director, Angela expressed what she hopes to see change in the workplace when it comes to the treatment of BIPOC women.

If you are a person in leadership and are looking for insight on 

• How to create equality and a safe space for women of colour in your organization 

Or you are a BIPOC woman looking for advice on 

• How to overcome racial barriers at your workplace

Then tune in to this episode!

This episode contains triggering topics related to colonial police violence against Indigenous community members. If you have lost a loved one to colonial violence please get the help you need by visiting the resources linked below. And if this topic is too heavy for you, then please feel free to skip it. Your mental health matters to us. 

Joni gave Laura Manson a safe space to share her story for the first time about the devastating incident that happened to her brother Julian Jones. As a result of police violence and colonialism, Julian Jones was shot multiple times by police officers resulting in his death on February 27, 2021. 

And once again, no justice was served for our innocent Indigenous people. 

Laura was brave enough to walk us through the aftermath of this heartbreaking news. She explains what her and her family were experiencing mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Laura also tells us about her on-going fight for her brother's justice, what her healing process has been like and the pain that she is currently working through. 

If you want to get more informed about the police violence happening towards Indigenous People by listening to Julian Jones' story from his sister– Laura Manson, then tune in to this episode. 

Resources For Mental Health Support:

Indigenous Women are the foundation of every Indigenous Community. Joni is joined by the Matriarch herself– Marilyn James. As a member of the Sinixt Nation, Marilyn is known for her matriarchal leadership and fight for her people. She will not end her fight against The Canadian Government until they give her people the necessary recognition for their stolen land. Marilyn shares what it means to be a Matriarch and the responsibility you take on to care for the land. She goes on to share how the power and guidance of matriarchal leadership in every Indigenous community can help heal their people. 

Marilyn also expresses her hopes and dreams for the Sinixt land, community and particularly the young Sinixt people. 

If you are interested in learning about the power of Matriarchal Leadership in our Indigenous Communities and what it means to be a Matriarch from the matriarch herself, then tune in to this episode!

The Michel Callihoo Band is a displaced Nation in so-called Canada that is without land. Why? Due to enfranchisement that was not collectively agreed upon as a Nation. We brought on Brandy Callihoo to give us the details regarding the history of the Michel band’s enfranchised experience and what land loss meant for her family. She opens up and shares vulnerable moments from her childhood, as she remembers witnessing her father crying as he watched the Prime Minister of “Canada” on TV acknowledging the wrongful acts towards our Indigenous Community and recognizing that it was in fact a Genocide.  

Brandy expresses what she hopes to see in the future for The Michel First Nation. 

If you would like to learn about how The Michel Callihoo Band was Enfranchised and how the people of this nation have been impacted by it then tune in to this episode.

This conversation is all about the overturn of Bill C-31 and how Jeannette Vivian Corbiere Lavell along with other courageous Indigenous women stood up to the Canadian government to fight for Indigenous women's rights. Jeannette was one of the many Indigenous women who fell in love and married an individual who was outside of her Indigenous community and was faced with the tragic news that she will be losing her status card as a result. Our community of Indigenous women have been neglected and disregarded when it comes to the laws set after colonization. But this was something that Jeannette was not willing to let slide. She stood up and fought for her right as an Indigenous woman to keep her Indigenous identity and Indigenous rights regardless of who she chooses to marry. Jeannette walks us through her journey in getting Bill C-31 overturned, and Dawn–her daughter, recalls what it was like growing up in a household where she watched her mother fight for something  that was bigger than herself. Jeanette was fighting for all Indigenous women and their children. 

Although the overturn and revision of Bill C-31 was a huge milestone, there is still much needed work to be done. Jeannette Vivian Corbiere Lavell gives us her best piece of advice to Indigenous women who are continuing this work today. *You don’t want to miss this!. 

If you want to get a clear, in-depth look at how Bill C-31 was overturned by Jeannette Vivian Corbiere Lavell, who was one of the Indigenous women responsible for this monumental moment in Indigenous Women’s History, then tune in to this episode!

Dr. Unjali Malhotra–Medical Officer at The First Nations Health Authority (FNHA), joins Boma and our co-host Angela, to discuss the barriers that newcomers to so-called “Canada” experience when trying to access healthcare, sex education, and contraceptives. Dr. Unjali Malhotra gives great examples of how newcomers can prepare for doctor visits and teaches us what your rights are as a patient. Being a newcomer in itself is challenging enough, the healthcare system should not be on your list of concerns but it is, particularly for racialized newcomers. We debunk a few common misconceptions that menstruators have about contraceptives and more!

If you are a newcomer to so-called “Canada”, a BIPOC menstruator or currently pregnant and want to learning about:

• Your rights as a patient, and how to prepare for your doctor visits.

• The various contraceptive methods available to you. 

• The basic knowledge you should know about an Intrauterine Device (IUD– one of the contraceptive methods). 

• What your contraception rights are after postpartum. 

• The importance and process of a Papanicolaou test, also referred to as a “pap test”, along with your rights during this test.

And Dr. Unjali Malhotra’s advice on how to effectively communicate your rights to medical professionals when your opinions and rights as a patient are not being respected by them. *Super informative*

Then tune in to this episode! 

In Part 2, Boma brings in a registered counsellor– Dr. Lisa Gunderson, to have a psychological perspective on the topic of cultural connection to Black and Indigenous women’s hair and how it’s impacting the mental health of our racialized women. 

If you are interested in hearing about: 

• How hair discrimination has and is negatively impacting the mental health of our Black and Indigenous children and adults. (Especially those with Afro-textured hair). 

• The anxiety triggers that women of colour have about their natural hair. 

Or Dr. Lisa’s advice to women of colour on how to feel less isolated, and overwhelmed when it comes to rocking our natural hair to work, shopping for natural hair care and styling products, and qualified stylists. 

Then tune in to this episode! 

Boma and Joni are talking with entrepreneurs and advocates, Simone Wright– Founder of Parting The Roots, and Lisa Kenoras– Founder of Sacred Flair, on all things hair! But they’re not talking about the basics, oh no. This conversation dives deep into the history and culture of our Black and Indigenous women's hair. Each person shared their individual hair journey and what that looked like for Simone and Boma as black women, and for Lisa and Joni as Indigenous women living in so-called Canada. 

If you want to learn about:

• Childhood hair-care traditions from Black and Indigenous women.

• The significance that Indigenous and Black women's hair holds in our communities. 

• Lisa’s traumatic hair salon experience that inspired her to start Sacred Flair.

• Simone’s journey to healthy hair after years of using toxic hair products.  

• How European beauty standards have negatively impacted Black women's health.

• BEST hair advice that Simone and Lisa have ever received!  *You don’t want to miss this.

Then tune in to this episode!

In this final episode, hosts Boma Brown and Joni Oldhoff are wrapping up the first season of Reproduce Her Justice! Boma and Joni chat about the way forward, reflect on the previous episodes, and wondering where to go from after this point in regards to changing the world for the better.

If you would like to donate to SNIWWOC please click the click below!

In this episode, host Boma Brown is talking to Vasundhara Seli and Ojistoh Henhawke, who are pop culture fanatics. In this day and age, pop culture has such a big impact on almost every aspect of people’s lives, especially in the sector of gender and women of colour. This conversation talks about the impact of pop culture on women of colour, how it looks in film, TV, etc. and most importantly, representation.

If you would like to donate to our organization today, please click the link below!

In this episode, hosts Boma Brown and Joni Oldhoff chat with Sacha Ouellet, who is an Indigenous activist, artist, aunty and community leader. This conversation consists of what ‘home’ really looks like, finding ‘home’, reconnecting with yourself, your surroundings, your land, body, and spirit, as well as telling a bit of her own life story.

If you would like to donate to our organization today, please click the link below!

In this episode, hosts Boma Brown and Joni Oldhoff introduce what SNIWWOC is as a whole organization. SNIWWOC stands for Support Network for Indigenous Women and Women of Colour. SNIWWOC confronts barriers that limit access to healthcare and full reproductive choice for Canadian BIPOC women, two- spirit, and non-binary people. We operate from a holistic and integrated service model addressing the social, cultural and political realities of this community. All our services are free and include: peer support, one-on-one counselling, career counselling, a dental hygiene clinic, grocery delivery and cards, hygiene kits, monthly events and corporate training sessions. This episode discusses the history, origins and outlook of SNIWWOC as an organization.

If you would like to donate to our organization today please click the link below!

In this episode, host Boma Brown is talking about maternal health solutions, with a lens on decolonization, with guest speaker Claire Campbell-Williams. Claire is a health expert in multiple fields - health educator, advocate, doula and birth keeper. Boma and Claire talk about how decolonization looks in birth context. The conversation is about how to locate a doula, what doula’s can provide, safety in births, and including your culture during childbirth.

If you are passionate about helping improve the lives of Indigenous women and women of colour, in Canada, support us! Your support will go towards supporting our monthly events, resources, and programs.

If you have the skills or expertise it takes to solve this issue, volunteer with us by clicking the links below.

In this episode, hosts Boma Brown and Joni Oldhoff are joined by Bobbi-Dee Schultz. Bobbi-Dee is talking about her experience with racism in today’s healthcare world. Being a black woman, and giving birth - are two things combined that are so disregarded in the healthcare system. Bobbi-Dee, Boma & Joni chat about maternal mortality, balck women’s mistreatment in the healthcare system & overall, including Bobbi-Dee’s birth story.

If you are passionate about helping improve the lives of indigenous women and women of colour in Canada, support us! If you have the skills or expertise it takes to solve this issue, volunteer with us by clicking the links below!

Your support will go towards supporting our monthly events, resources, and programs.

In this episode, hosts Boma Brown and Joni Oldhoff are talking to Rita Dhamoon, a professor at the University of Victoria, who is ever so passionate about identity/difference politics and power, and how it shapes the institutions in these generations in the past, and today. Topics go from discussing multiculturalism, race power, critical race feminism and more.

SNIWWOC offers a variety of free programs such as counselling, peer support, groceries, domestic violence support groups, and more, that may normally be inaccessible to women of colour due to low income or isolation.

If you would like to donate to help racialized and Indigenous women get access to our services please click the link below!

In this episode, hosts Boma Brown and Joni Oldhoff are discussing the 60’s scoop and women’s health with 60’s scoop survivor, Elaine Kicknosway. They are discussing the horrific incidents regarding residential schools and Indigenous children, the intergenerational trauma that comes along with this, and how much it impacts this society as a whole.

If you need support, you can access SNIWWOC's counselling programs and The Indian Residential School Survivor Society by clicking the links below. 

In this episode, hosts Boma Brown and Joni Oldhoff are speaking with Dr. Modupe Tunde-Byass about anti-black racism and the impacts on reproductive health. Topics being discussed include anti-black racism and how it affects reproductive health today, doctors thinking black people have “supernatural pain tolerance”, false beliefs white people have around the medical system, and overall how much racism, discrimination, poverty and other structural and systemic inequalities impact the mental, physical and emotional health of ALL Black women in Canada. Dr. Modupe brings these topics to light and speaks on what needs to be done better.

If you would like to donate to SNIWWOC please click the link below.

In this episode, host Boma Brown is chatting with Elder Rose Henry and discussing the impact of residential schools and Canada’s history of injustice towards Indigenous people. Elder Rose was born to residential school survivors. Today’s episode has conversations that discuss violence, abuse, and trauma that might be emotionally destabilizing. Take care of yourself and if you need support, there will be links here in our show notes to SNIWWOC’s counselling program and The Indian Residential School Survivor Society (IRSSS).