Everything is Workable

Sustainability Culture with Abigail Chicken

This week’s guest is Abigail Chicken, a member of a corporate sustainability team. It’s Abby’s job to think about conservation and environmental action, but her care and interest in these things was something instilled in her during childhood. In this episode she talks about the importance of stepping up our game in little ways to be part of a solution, a solution that she says, isn’t ever going to come from one single source.

Collective action is needed, of course, but we also need to really change our habits and consumerist way of life if we’re going to make the cultural shift necessary to save our common home, ourselves, and all the other living things with which we share this planet.

You can connect with Abby thought twitter by following her account @baby_chicane

Visit www.kaitlynschatch.com to see more of my work in the world.

Truth & Reconciliation w/ Grace Heavy Runner

Today I welcome back a previous guest on the show, Grace Heavy-Runner to talk about Reconciliation and what that means for us individually, and ultimately, on a wider scale, for the country. Grace’s view is both insightful and thought-provoking. She speaks of the crucial first step towards reconciliation—acknowledging the truth, including the pain of it, and for her, the role that grieving played in her path of healing. On this path was also reconnecting with her own and other Indigenous practices, and learning to speak out fearlessly for change.

Regardless of our cultural identity or on what side of history our ancestors may fall, Grace emphasises the importance of reconciliation as a community movement, in which we all must play a part.

You can listen to Grace’s radio show at CJSW 90.9 fm’s website: https://cjsw.com/program/indigenization-across-the-nation/

Visit www.kaitlynschatch.com to see more of my work in the world.

Waking up to Privilege w/ Chris Brecheen

CN - contains swearing.

In this episode I collaborate with writer Chris Brecheen. He shares his journey of waking, and how he has cultivated awareness of the intersections of his experiences of both privilege and marginalisation.  He shares how he regulates himself in online interactions by taking people in good faith, while also not policing the reactions of others. Largely, he talks about the ongoing work of noticing, whether it’s his own or others’ privilege or marginalisation, and being open and willing to learn.  He also also shares some excellent guidance for anyone who has found themselves thrusts into the spotlight of ‘Internet Fame’—emphasising, possibly unsurprisingly, the importance of self-care when it comes to the balancing act of your personal and private life, and the responsibility that comes from having an online following.

You can learn more about his work and connect with Chris through his website www.chrisbrecheen.com

Visit www.kaitlynschatch.com to see more of my work in the world.

How to be an ally w/ Lyn Langille

Today’s episode is a collaboration with a previous guest on Everything is Workable, Lyn Langille, on how to be an ally. The first piece of guidance she gives is the importance of understanding that being an ally isn't something we choose for ourselves. It is something we earn, and to earn it we must do the work of educating ourselves—learning to see the world from another person's shoes, even when we have not walked in them, and learning to see the limitations of our experience. She expands this to include working with people who share the same privileges but are not doing the same work, or think they are, but perhaps haven't gotten as far. No matter who the person is, she says, we can ask 'What is their story?' as a reminder, that until we listen, we can never know.

Lyn Langille is the co-founder of Calgary Trans-Hub and does advocacy and educational work. You can find out more by visiting www.calgarytranshub.com

Visit www.kaitlynschatch.com to see more of my work in the world.

Self-care w/ Jennifer Harkness

Today’s collaborator, to discuss the importance of self-care, is Jennifer Harkness. As a licensed mental health counsellor and registered art therapist specialising in anxiety and trauma, she has a great deal of experience with self-care both professionally and personally. Whether it's the burn-out of compassion fatigue or the overwhelm of vicarious trauma, she offers great insight and guidance for self-care. Her simplest instruction, that 'a little is a lot', is about taking time to notice and meet the needs of our bodies—Stay hydrated, get a good night's sleep, and eat well. And she goes on to explain how this applies even when it comes to being of service. Just because we can't solve all the world's problems, doesn't mean that the littlest thing we do isn't worth doing—learning to change our perception, to understand the value of even the smallest act of kindness, is also self-care. Jennifer Harkness runs workshops on self-care and has presented at various State and National conferences, agencies and schools.

For more detailed information or to connect with Ms. Harkness, visit www.courageoushearthealing.com

Visit www.kaitlynschatch.com to see more of my work in the world.

Embodiment, Love & Liberation w/ Lama Rod Owens

This episode is a collaboration with Lama Rod Owens, one of the co-authors of 'Radical Dharma'. He brings his deep study and practice of the dharma into everyday life, and shares with me his reflections not just as a Buddhist, but as a Black queer man in America. In our conversation, Lama Rod brings it back again and again to the importance of doing our own work. He does not shy away from confronting the ways in which we sometimes use our experiences of marginalisation to avoid looking at how we are privileged. He also speaks strongly about how love galvanises us, rather than anger, but “our anger is actually pointing us to our woundedness”, which is to say, where we need to be doing the work of love.

To find out more about Lama Rod visit www.lamarod.com

Visit www.kaitlynschatch.com to see more of my work in the world.

Dismantling Racism w/ Michelle Puckett

Today’s episode is a collaboration with returning guest Michelle Puckett about some of the ways we, as white folk, can go about dismantling racial biases. Racial justice is at the forefront of the work Michelle does, work she says always requires that she come back to herself, all the time, in all ways. It is only through doing our own work that we can heal the wounds held and caused by our ancestors. Michelle Puckett is a co-founder and faculty member of the Creating Freedom Movement, a popular education movement committed to fostering and supporting leaders working towards a beloved community.

To find out more visit www.creatingfreedommovements.org

Visit www.kaitlynschatch.com to see more of my work in the world.

Being a Good Ancestor w/ Jack Saddleback

In today's collaboration with Jack Saddleback, a Cree, Two Spirit transgender man, he speaks about the importance of recognising our own intersectionality as part of creating a better world. Through embracing this multiplicity within himself, as well as being encouraged to volunteer as a child, he connected with what he describes as 'a need to make it better'. Now, as an adult, whether he is working with Indigenous communities or those from a settler background, everything he does is informed by the poignant and necessary question: "How can I be a good ancestor?"

You can connect with Jack and find out more about his work at www.jacksaddleback.com 

Visit www.kaitlynschatch.com to see more of my work in the world.

A New Approach

Everything is Workable is evolving! A new approach and a focus on how we can be effective agents for change.

To find out more about my work in the world, visit www.kaitlynschatch.com

Season Finale!

This is the last episode of the third season, in which I reflect on the many wonderful conversations I had and wisdom I was able to share with you since January. I'm taking a sabbatical but you can keep up with my blog and other projects through my website www.kaitlynschatch.com —where you can sign up to my monthly wrap-up email and leave a tip to support the show.