Read. Watch. Listen. introduces you the personal side of our faculty, staff and alumni. Participants are asked to answer three simple questions about their reading, viewing and listening habits – what one book or newspaper/magazine article is grabbing your attention; what one movie or television show has caught your eye; and what album/song, podcast or radio show are you lending an ear to.
Today, Geography professor Chantelle Richmond, Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Health and Environment, takes her turn on Read. Watch. Listen.
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Read. Seven Fallen Feathers: Racism, Death, and Hard Truths in a Northern City, by Tanya Talaga
I am troubled by the general lack of awareness Canadians have about the human rights violations experienced by Indigenous Canadians. This book describes the deaths of seven Anishinabe teens in Thunder Bay Ontario, who moved to the city to attend high school. By detailing the tragic experiences of these seven victims, Talaga illustrates how prevalent our colonial past is in the present-day realities of Indigenous peoples. She shines a brilliant light on the depth of racism endured by Indigenous people in Canada, and especially so within Ontario’s justice system.
Watch. Call the Midwife
While this show focuses primarily on birthing, it wrestles with a range of human experiences connected to mothering, family and the birthing process in post-war London. This includes love and friendship, poverty and infectious disease, birth control, the National Health Service, and so much more. For me, it is a feel-good show that supports at least one good cry per episode.
Listen. Nicki Minaj – Starships
When I’m out on a long bike ride or run, I am so thankful when this song feeds into my earbuds. It brings the smile back to my face and keeps my legs pumping when I might otherwise call it a day.
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If you have a suggestion for someone you would like to see in Read. Watch. Listen., or would like to participate yourself, drop a line to inside.western@uwo.ca.