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Inclusivity in the Media Sector with Ginella Massa

In this episode, Ginella Massa, a Canadian television journalist and news anchor on CBC’s Canada Tonight, is interviewed by the CPI’s associate producer Gabrielle Pyska, and Lexi Freehill, a student in MRU’s Journalism and Digital Media Program. Together, they discuss issues of inclusivity in the media sector including representation, allyship and self-advocacy. This interview was a part of Mount Royal University’s fourth annual International Women’s Day Event, where students and faculty spoke to a variety of female voices and leaders.
GUEST: Ginella Massa
Ginella Massa is a Canadian Screen Award-winner best known as Canada’s first hijab-wearing television news reporter, local anchor, and national host. She is currently the host of CANADA TONIGHT WITH GINELLA MASSA airing weeknights at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on CBC News Network. 
Massa made history in 2015, believed to be the first television news reporter in North America to wear a hijab on-air when she was hired as a Video Journalist for CTV News in Kitchener, Ontario. She made international headlines again after anchoring the evening newscast at CityNews Toronto in 2016. 
With over a decade of experience in news, behind-the-scenes and on-air, Ginella has worked for both local and national news outlets, in television and radio. Her on-air credits include CTV News, CityNews, Newstalk 1010 and Rogers TV. Her writing has been published by The Globe and Mail, The National Post, Chatelaine, and Refinery29 Canada. 
 
Raised in Toronto, Massa graduated with an Honours BA in Communication Studies from York University, and has a diploma in Broadcast Journalism from Seneca College.

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Media and the perception of mental health

In this episode, Taylor Charlebois talks with Suraya Aziz to discuss her diagnosis and the stigma she’s faced. Aziz struggles with a series of mental health issues and is still working hard today to better understand her diagnosis. Aziz speaks on how she has occasionally had a hard time talking to people about her mental health as a result of stigma.

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Exploitation in the film industry

In this episode, Kae Burnett speaks with those working in the film industry and have seen first hand the exploitation many suffer. The industry has overworked employees and has even been said to not care about financial penalties as many companies earn in the billions.

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Discrimination behind mispronouncing personal names

In this episode, Emily Marsten talks with Rachelle Valenzuela on the racism behind English speakers purposely mispronouncing or “nicknaming” people of color names. Valenzuela is a Mount Royal University student who moved to Canada from the Philippines as a child. Since moving to Canada she has dealt with a constant mispronunciation of her name, Rachelle, where many people would constantly refer to her as Rachel, even after correction.

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Making Kananaskis accessible for everyone

In this episode, Ethan Ward speaks with Don Carruthers Den Hoed who is a research associate at the University of British Columbia where he leads the Canadian parks collective for innovation and leadership. The two discuss accessibility of parks and protected areas in Canada and how user fees along with other barriers play a role in making the outdoors less accessible.

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Indigenizing the Canadian health care system

In this episode, Jazmine Canfield spoke with Tara Horril and Dion Simon, Stephanie Vandevenne about how Canadian healthcare providers ultimately can create an environment in the medical scene that’s far more culturally safe to Indigenous peoples. Vandeveen discusses the racism she experienced seeking medical support as a young mother, while Horril talks about her 10 years of experience as a nurse, with Simon, a medicine trail coordinator who teaches about cultural resources to students and staff.

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Memes and misinformation

In this episode, Sam Chipera spoke with Niamh Hernandez about how alt-right ideologies bloomed in one of her closest friends thanks to the negative influence memes had on his political outlooks. Back in high school, Hernandez discusses how one of her closest friends followed the alt-right pipeline as memes began to influence his political world views. She talks about the reality of how memes and social media platforms easily spread misinformation and the difficulty of tackling such a reality.

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Urban food insecurities

In this episode, Eric Tanner sat down with Julie Van Rosendaal to confront the growing issue of food insecurity in Calgary, as green-roots begin cropping up to give Calgarians meals. They discuss that while the state of widespread food security may seem grim, many grass-roots organizations, businesses and communities are looking to tackle this growing issue to make nutritious meals and ingredients accessible, no matter an individual’s income.

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Abortion rights do not equal access: a conversation with the women fighting for access

With only three places to access surgical abortion in Alberta and all of them being in the major cities of Calgary and Edmonton the fight for rural access is a constant battle. In this episode, Samantha Lafleur speaks with Autumn Reinhart-Simpson, Lauren Lagoutte & Chantal Parkinson about the abortion access issues Albertans are facing. All three women have helped people across the province find appropriate abortion resources.

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The need for Basic Universal Income

In this episode Marin Peake-MacAlister speaks with Hart Richards on her experience after losing her job as a preschool teacher as a result of the pandemic. Peake-MacAlister and Richards discuss how a universal basic income could have been Richards’ saving grace during her times of extreme stress.

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