This episode includes two separate conversations about queerness across geographies, with a focus on folks who’ve come to Toronto from different places. First, Ty Sloane talks with artists Cole Alvis and Jay Northcott about how their queerness has shifted from place to place. Next, we hear from Brendalee Cox, in conversation with nNaomi Bain and leZlie lee kam who came to Canada from the Bahamas as a refugee. She talks about both the challenges and opportunities she’s found here.
About our guests
Cole Alvis (she/her) is a 2 Spirit Michif (Métis) artist based in Tkarón:to with Chippewa, Irish & English ancestors from Turtle Mountain. She is one of the leaders of lemonTree creations, manidoons collective, AdHoc Assembly and stewarded the Indigenous Performing Arts Alliance from 2013 – 2017. This winter, Cole is calling on the women in her matriarchal line to remember together their Michif ancestors.
Jay Northcott is a multidisciplinary artist; director, playwright, burlesque dancer, and producer. Jay works to decolonize their art and practice with storytelling, movement, and gesture to create a foundation for their work. Their goals: to make you cry and piss yourself at the same time, they want to bleed, break, grind, make money, fuck, fight and blow some shit up. With their Post-Britney2007/Hyperpop Aesthetic, Jay develops techniques and experiences that questions: Why theatre is still relevant.
My name is Brendalee Cox and I am a proud black rainbow lesbian woman from the Bahamas. My partner and I came to Canada in 2015 because of discrimination and fear of being harm and outed. My country is very religious and do not tolerate LGBTQ+ relationships. I became a LGBTQ+ newcomer advocate in 2016 after going through a challenging Refugee process and this became my new career. I am a Social Service Worker in the field of Addiction and Mental Health and currently employed at The Neighborhood Group as a Peer Leader with the Rainbow Connect Program.
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Read the full episode transcript here (coming soon), and find the episode (and subscribe to the podcast) on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher.
Intro and outro by leZlie lee kam and Ty Sloane, featuring music by Jessie Tollefsen. Sound editing by Denardo Hepburn, with support from Maddie Bautista. Podcast logo by Paul Dotey.
The Youth/Elders Podcast features personal stories, lived histories, and candid conversations between queer youth, queer elders, and lots of folks in between – for more information and to sign up for podcast updates, visit the podcast’s homepage.
