In this episode, Fechi Onyegbule, Chloe Kemeni, and Notisha Massaquoi join us to discuss uprooting anti-Blackness in mainstream gender justice movements, designing GBV support systems to centre Black survivors, and creating communities of healing.

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CONTENT NOTE

This episode discusses anti-Black racism, misogynoir, and gender-based violence. Although there are no descriptions of sexual violence on this podcast, any conversation about sexual or gender-based violence can be hard to hear. Listen in a way that feels safe for you. If you need support, there are resources like sexual assault support centres in your community that you can reach out to. See our list here of supports available by province.

Another resource we love is We Heal Together: A Colouring Book for Black Survivors, from TMU's Consent Comes First and Carlton University's Sexual Assault Support Centre. Created in collaboration with Casandra Fullwood, with illustrations by artists Ashanti Fortson and KeZna Dalz.

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FURTHER LEARNING

Roots and Resistance is a great webinar by Yamikani Msosa on the connections between sexual violence, state violence, and healing from collective and individual sexual abuse and trauma for Black survivors.

For more learning, see Courage to Act’s Resources for Gender Justice Advocates to Challenge Anti-Black Racism.

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ABOUT OUR GUESTS

Chloe Kemeni (she/her/elle) is currently a law student at McGill’s Faculty of Law. Chloe graduated from the same university with a major in Sociology and a minor in Gender, Sexuality, Feminist and Social Justice Studies, where she heavily participated in student government while spearheading equity initiatives on campus. For the last 6 years, Chloe has dedicated her time to supporting and developing racial justice campaigns, social policy development, and sexual violence prevention.

Fechi Onyegbule (she/her) is a first year student at Toronto Metropolitan University pursuing a career in psychology and social innovations. While attending Holy Cross Secondary in St.Catharines, Ontario, she co-founded Project Breakaway, an organization aimed at confronting the issue of gender-based violence and sexual assault within local school communities. Fechi is also a proud member of High School Too, which organizes with high school students to advocate for better consent education in secondary and elementary schools.

Dr. Notisha Massaquoi (she/her)  is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health and Society at the University of Toronto, Scarborough, with a graduate appointment in the Factor Inwentash Faculty of Social Work. She holds a BA in Psychology from Western University and an MSW and PhD in Social Justice Education from the University of Toronto. Her early career established several organizations which served Black communities in Canada, including Africans in Partnership Against AIDS, and Taibu Community Health Centre. She designed the health and research programs and served for two decades as the Executive Director of Women's Health in Women's Hands Community Health Centre in Toronto – the only Community Health Centre in North America that provides specialized primary healthcare for Black and racialized women.

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CONNECT WITH POSSIBILITY SEEDS

Want to follow our gender justice work? Connect with us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, and visit our website at possibilityseeds.ca.

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TRANSCRIPT

Read the episode transcript here.

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CREDITS

Created by Possibility Seeds. Project team: Farrah Khan, Emily Allan, Anoodth Naushan, Laura Murray, and Chenthoori Malankov-Milton. Produced by Vocal Fry Studios. Graphic design by Kitty Rodé with elements from Arzu Haider.