Tag Archives: Shalaka Jadhav

CKMS Community News, Newsroom, Shows

CKMS News – 2021-01-28 – On the road to unionization for academic workers at the University of Waterloo

Leave a comment

Host: Shalaka Jadhav

One of many ongoing and underlying issues that the pandemic has brought attention to includes workers rights, safety, and wages. Across various workplaces, the importance of unions in giving workers a collective voice in the workplace has amplified, and this extends to the students at an institution we may not often think of: the University of Waterloo, and its student workers.

In this segment, I’ll be in conversation with Lynne Sargent and Nicolay Videnov, students who are part of the Committee to Organize uWaterloo, a grassroots campaign to unionize the academic workers at the University of Waterloo.  Their interviews are complimented by Graham Cox, a researcher and organizer at the Canadian Union of Public Employees, referred to as CUPE during this show.  With over 700,000 members, CUPE is Canada’s largest union. CUPE represents 70,400 workers spanning 233 collective agreements in the post-secondary education sector.

To learn more about Organize uWaterloo, check out organizeuw.org.

—

This program is a part of the “Local Journalism Initiative” grant program and is funded by the Community Radio Fund of Canada, the Government of Canada, and the CKMS Newsroom.

Check out the archived versions of  this program and other episodes on radiowaterloo.ca/news., and other stories commissioned under the Local Journalism Initiative at canada-info.ca.

You can  follow us on twitter @RadioWaterloo. If you want to get in touch with comments, or ideas about stories to cover, email us at news@radiowaterloo.ca.

Music for this episode was courtesy of Dylan Prowse.

CKMS Community News, Newsroom, Shows

CKMS News – 2020-12-24- Local Connections with the 2020 Indian Farmers’ Protest

Leave a comment

Host: Shalaka Jadhav

In the last few months, infographics on the 2020 Indian farmers’ protest have been circulating across social media, with little large scale media coverage on the issue.  These are a series of ongoing protests against legislation passed by Parliament of India, led by Prime Minister Modi, in September 2020, which does away with the “mandis system”, which sets a minimum set price; this minimum set price allows for more predictable incomes for farmers, which is especially important when the impacts of climate change are already unraveling. Not only is the legislation being contested, but also the way it was pushed through, as there was no substantial consultation with the farmers unions.

These acts of farmers’ and workers’ resistance have been noted to be the largest protest in recorded history, with over 250 million farmers and workers across India going on strike against agricultural reform that leaves farmers at the mercy of corporations.  For this segment, I will be in conversation with three community members:

  • Asha Virdee, a graduate from the University of Waterloo’s Faculty of Environment, who has worked locally on farms;
  • Zabeen Khamisa, a PhD candidate at the University of Waterloo studying socio-political movements through digital ethnography; and
  • Jodi Koberinski, member of the Waterloo Regional Food Systems Roundtable, and a PhD candidate at the University of Waterloo, studying commodification, and how food commons are a mechanism to develop economic structures.

Together, they will consider the importance of these farmer strikes globally, and why we need to consider the parallels and relevant to Waterloo’s regional food system.  These considerations touch ecological concerns, the interconnectedness of our food systems, and ultimately, why farmers rights are everyone’s rights.  

If you’re interested in supporting these efforts, Asha Virdee has offered up the following organizations, which are linked below:

  • Khalsa Aid, an international NGO with the aim to providing humanitarian aid in disaster areas and civil conflict zones around the world. 
  • United Sikhs, affiliated with the United Nations, is an international non-profit, non-governmental, humanitarian relief, human development and advocacy organization.
  • Sahaita.org, a non-profit organization committed to educating, supporting and uplifting the underprivileged members of society. 

—

This program is a part of the “Local Journalism Initiative” grant program and is funded by the Community Radio Fund of Canada, the Government of Canada, and the CKMS Newsroom.

Check out the archived versions of  this program and other episodes on radiowaterloo.ca/news., and other stories commissioned under the Local Journalism Initiative at canada-info.ca.

You can  follow us on twitter @RadioWaterloo. If you want to get in touch with comments, or ideas about stories to cover, email us at news@radiowaterloo.ca.

Music for this episode was courtesy of Dylan Prowse.

CKMS Community News, Newsroom, Shows

CKMS News – 2020-12-24 – Reflecting on 2020 in Kitchener-Centre with MPP Laura Mae Lindo

Leave a comment

Host: Shalaka Jadhav

Adapting, evolving, and bringing attention to the importance of rebuilding, Member of Provincial Parliament Laura Mae Lindo, representing Kitchener Centre as a member of the Ontario New Democratic Party, spoke to key moments in 2020. 

She speaks to the year’s accomplishments for her office, including forwarding Bill 196, Seniors’ Advocate Act, 2020, which would move to establish a seniors’ advocate as an independent, non-partisan officer of the Ontario legislature, “fueled by the amazing work of frontline healthcare workers… and on a personal note… how important it is to me to care for our elders, who brought us everything, are holders of such wisdom”. 

Laura Mae is also proud of the End Police Violence policy paper, the importance of which was echoed by the marching of over 20 thousand community members in support for the movement for Black lives. Laura Mae notes the challenges with navigating the pandemic as a new politician, reflecting on key turning points for Kitchener-Centre, including how the pandemic has allowed for emergent conversations around equity, particularly anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism.

Her message to constituents includes reflecting on how we may have grown through this year, and to build gratefulness amongst the chaos.

 

From the Office of Laura Mae Lindo, MPP Kitchener Centre:

“Laura Mae Lindo, Member of Provincial Parliament for Kitchener Centre, is a respected activist and educator who holds both a Masters and PhD in Education. Her commitment to building inclusive communities both within and outside of educational environments is grounded in her knowledge of how to put anti-oppression theories into practice.

Laura Mae is a knowledgeable advocate for the rights of women and girls, a respected ally to marginalized community members, and, most importantly, a courageous public speaker on issues often left unaddressed in the mainstream. Laura Mae is the Official Opposition Critic for Anti-Racism, and Citizenship and Immigration.

The Leader of the Official Opposition appointed her as Chair of Official Opposition’s first Black Caucus, to collaborate with Black communities and allies to address systemic anti-Black racism in Ontario.”  

—

This program is a part of the “Local Journalism Initiative” grant program and is funded by the Community Radio Fund of Canada, the Government of Canada, and the CKMS Newsroom.

Check out the archived versions of  this program and other episodes on radiowaterloo.ca/news., and other stories commissioned under the Local Journalism Initiative at canada-info.ca.

You can  follow us on twitter @RadioWaterloo. If you want to get in touch with comments, or ideas about stories to cover, email us at news@radiowaterloo.ca.

Music for this episode was courtesy of Dylan Prowse.

CKMS Community News, Newsroom, Shows

CKMS News -2020-11-30 – KWAG curator Crystal Mowry on new exhibit “Black Drones in the Hive” – Part Two

Leave a comment

Host: Shalaka Jadhav

On the centenary of the first-ever exhibition of the Group of Seven painters, KWAG is premiering Deanna Bowen’s “Black Drones in the Hive” as the cornerstone of fall programming.  This curatorial choice serves to break up with the narrative that the Group of Seven has served around terra nullius, and bring visibility to the narratives and intersections between Indigenous, Black, and settler stories.

This interview serves as part two of two with Crystal Mowry, senior curator at the Kitchener Waterloo Art Gallery, uncovering Deanna Bowen’s “Black Drones in the Hive”.  In part two, Crystal will dive into some of the curatorial choices that bring the exhibit to life, the unlikely patternicity that links some of Kitchener’s historical characters to themes in the exhibit, and the evolving role of art spaces in supporting collective movements beyond the gallery.

Black Drones in the Hive is on view at KWAG until 28 February 2021.

—

This program is a part of the “Local Journalism Initiative” grant program and is funded by the Community Radio Fund of Canada, the Government of Canada, and the CKMS Newsroom.

Check out the archived versions of  this program and other episodes on radiowaterloo.ca/news., and other stories commissioned under the Local Journalism Initiative at canada-info.ca.

You can  follow us on twitter @RadioWaterloo. If you want to get in touch with comments, or ideas about stories to cover, email us at news@radiowaterloo.ca.

Music for this episode was courtesy of Dylan Prowse.

CKMS Community News, Newsroom, Shows

CKMS News – 2020-11-19 – KWAG curator Crystal Mowry on new exhibit “Black Drones in the Hive”

Leave a comment

Host: Shalaka Jadhav

On the centenary of the first-ever exhibition of the Group of Seven painters, the Kitchener Waterloo Art Gallery (KWAG) is premiering Deanna Bowen’s “Black Drones in the Hive” as the cornerstone of fall programming.  This curatorial choice serves to break up with the narrative that the Group of Seven has served around terra nullius, and bring visibility to the narratives and intersections between Indigenous, Black, and settler stories.

This interview serves as part one of two with Crystal Mowry, senior curator at the Kitchener Waterloo Art Gallery, uncovering Deanna Bowen’s “Black Drones in the Hive”.  In part one, Crystal will talk about her role as a curator slash co-conspirator, share some of the themes of this timely exhibit, and reveal some behind the scenes stories that illustrate the journey of bringing these works together.

You can learn more about the exhibit from the artist herself, on Nov 26.  KWAG is hosting Montreal-based artist Deanna Bowen discussing her solo exhibition, Black Drones in the Hive, in conversation with Crystal Mowry herself.

Black Drones in the Hive is on view at KWAG until 28 February 2021.

—

This program is a part of the “Local Journalism Initiative” grant program and is funded by the Community Radio Fund of Canada, the Government of Canada, and the CKMS Newsroom.

Check out the archived versions of  this program and other episodes on radiowaterloo.ca/news., and other stories commissioned under the Local Journalism Initiative at canada-info.ca.

You can  follow us on twitter @RadioWaterloo. If you want to get in touch with comments, or ideas about stories to cover, email us at news@radiowaterloo.ca.

Music for this episode was courtesy of Dylan Prowse.