Praxis Makes Perfect

In this episode we feature 2 interviews with international students at York University and talk to them about the pressing equity issues that international students face. The first interview is of Ibukun Oyewole, REI's placement student, by Carol of the Education team at REI. Following that, Ibukun interviews another international student, Aarohi Vankudre.

In this new episode of Praxis Makes Perfect, we sat down with Lisa Brown, YU's new Strategist and Engagement Specialist for Black Inclusion to talk about York's Black Inclusion Framework and Action Plan.

In this first installment on our 2-part episode on the 16 Days of Activism against Gender based Violence, Carol from REI talks with Jessica Thyriar from the Centre for Sexual Violence Response, Support & Education about the campaign. Jessica also recounts the 1989 Montreal femicide and talks about the annual memorial that takes place to remember the 14 women who lost their lives. This episode will be followed by a discussion of York's Policy on Sexual Violence and the law of consent in Canada with REI's Case Management team.

In part 2 of our episode on Caribana, the REI team delves into issues of consent in the context of the MAS (short for masquerade referring to the carnival or festival). Because sexuality and sexual expression figure prominently in the liberatory celebration that is the MAS, the issue of consent (specifically, women's consent) tends to get misunderstood by revelers (usually male participants). Although this is an ongoing issue that women at MAS have been pushing back against, there might be some progress in terms of the openness of some men to acknowledge some acts, that may have been portrayed by them as acceptable in the past, as sexual harassment. Join Lisa, Melissa, Carol and Christine as they unpack sexuality, consent and MAS, and where Carol gets schooled on terms like "catching a bubble" and then some. Christine's adorable baby's coos in the background earns this episode a PG rating.

In this episode, the REI Team discussion led by Melissa Theodore with Carolina Ruiz and Christine Sinclair provides listeners with a valuable Caribana 101. While many will recognize the parade and the celebration of Caribbean culture, what are the origins of Caribana or Carnival? Join the REI team as we delve into all things Carbina and hone in on the politics of Caribana as relates to Black inclusion. This episode has a part 2 (coming soon) where the team will discuss how sexuality figures prominently in the celebration that is Caribana. The team will attempt to unpack the complex meanings of sexuality in the parade, from liberation and empowerment to protest, and yes, even commercialization. (We told you it was complicated!)