Shaping the Narrative
Activity Overview
Episode publication activity over the past year
Episodes
Wrapping Up Season 4
28 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this short but sweet season finale, we reflect on season four and the many ways that stories are all around us. Instagram @shapingthenarrative Jo...
Storytelling through Events with Leanna
14 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Can you tell a story through your events? Leanna, the co-host of Shaping the Narrative (and a professional Event Producer by day) answers that questio...
A Story Within a Story? Book Club Discussion: Homebodies by Tembe Denton-Hurst
31 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This season we’ve been determining that stories are EVERYWHERE but can stories even be found within stories? In this episode we dive into the incept...
The Art of Brand Storytelling with Ashley
17 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this solo episode, co-host Ashley (a graphic designer by day) breaks down her branding process and how storytelling is used to tell a brand's s...
Stories are Everywhere
03 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to season 4 of Shaping the Narrative! In this episode, we introduce the topic of our season "Stories are Everywhere" what constitute...
Speaking for Ourselves: The Power and Importance of Own Voices Storytelling
29 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In the season finale episode, we break down the concept of Own Voices storytelling that started as a hashtag by Corinne Duyvis to identify diverse b...
Exploring Black Women's Lives and Friendships in the Vibrant World of Harlem: A Deep Dive into the Hit TV Series with Chid of BWDIK
15 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this special episode we were guests on the "But What Do I Know?" podcast with host Chid Suzan where we discuss the the Black female frien...
Breaking Barriers: Women of Color on Substack and the Future of Digital Publishing
01 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Are you on Substack yet?! Substack is THE platform for writers, readers, and digital publishers. We've been using this platform for over 6 months...
From Page to Screen: Adapting 'Disorientation' to Film with Elaine Chou - Exploring Asian American Identity and Representation
17 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we chat with author Elaine Chou about her book Disorientation. Elaine shares the process of adapting her novel into a screenplay as w...
The Art of Drag and Trans Storytelling with Makayla Couture
03 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we chat with Makayla Couture, a public figure, Drag Queen, actress, and producer. We learn about her experience on Canada's Drag...
Film and TV Quiz Questions, Testing our Knowledge on BIPOC Pop Culture
27 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is all about Film and TV quiz questions, testing our knowledge on BIPOC pop culture. We thought we’d close this season in a fun and new...
The Meaning of Black Love in Storytelling
13 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is all about the meaning of Black love in storytelling. The portrayal of Black love in storytelling and Hollywood in particular has evolv...
Reimagining the Sex in the City Reboot
30 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is all about reimagining the Sex in the City reboot. Sex in the City was one of the biggest tv shows of the late 90s-early 200s, whether ...
Book Adaptations, Diversifying White Books for Film and TV
16 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is all about book adaptations and diversifying white books for film and TV. You probably don’t realize how many of the movies and tv sh...
Top TV shows with Black Female Leads
02 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is all about TV shows with Black female leads. We answer who was the first Black female lead on TV? And how does Hollywood portray the si...
History of the New York Times Best Sellers List
28 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The New York Times Best Sellers List is the pinnacle of best selling book lists in North America. How did this iconic best sellers list begin and how ...
A Discussion on Dead Dead Girls and Writing a Series with Author Nekesa Afia
14 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Nekesa Afia is a local Toronto author who is currently working on her mystery novel series. We recently read the first book in her series "Dead D...
Representation of BIPOC People in Horror
31 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Horror movies have alway been very white with any BIPOC characters usually killed off within the first few minutes. In this episode we chat about how ...
Celebrity Book Clubs
17 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It seems like every week, a different celebrity announces that they've started a book club. In this episode we chat about their relevance, which ...
We're back! Podcast rebranding and other announcements
03 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
THE PODCAST IS BACK!! and we are here to chat about all things storytelling. Listen to learn about why we took a break and where we're headed. I...
Rest as Resistance
27 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We live in a capitalist society that tells us we are not valuable unless we are consistently producing, but this is not sustainable. Rest is part of p...
Reality TV, Bingeworthy or Cringeworthy?
20 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Reality TV! you either love it or hate but either way, you've watched it... why is that? in this episode we attempt to answer this question and s...
Tapping into your Confidence with Coach Carey
13 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
How can you tap into your confidence? What tools can you use to create and maintain self-confidence? These are some of the questions we ask Coach Care...
Set Boundaries, Find Peace
06 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We both kicked off our 2022 by reading Nedra Glover Tawwab's book "Set Boundaries, Find Peace a guide to reclaiming yourself". We gaine...
Trans Advocacy, Resilience and Joy with Moka Dawkins
29 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What does Trans advocacy and allyship look like? In this episode we discuss these topics with Moka Dawkins who is a Black and Indigenous, 2-Spirit, tr...
Navigating Interracial Friendships
22 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Navigating interracial friendships can be ~ weird ~ sometimes you feel like you can't speak up or like you need to assimilate to fit in. How can ...
Afro-Indigenous Identity, Authentic Advocacy and Activism Burnout with Shanese Steele
15 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What does authentic advocacy look like for Indigenous communities? how do we make space for Afro-Indigenous identity? and how do we prevent burnout wh...
Analyzing your Dreams and Dream Work
08 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode we talk about our dreams, dream work and the meaning behind certain aspects of dreams. We suggest you get a dream journal to record ...
Building Wealth with Eboni Elle
01 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Are you intimidated or overwhelmed about money? In this episode we talk to @eboni.elle about understanding your finances, tips for building wealth and...
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
25 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The term D.E.I gets thrown around a lot lately, but what does it mean exactly? In this episode, we chat about the different approaches to D.E.I work a...
Healing your inner child, Mindset work and Getting Unstuck with Hazel Antiporta
18 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Are you having a difficult time adjusting after the last few years? maybe you're trying to reimagine a new path?In this episode, we learn how to ...
Fan Fiction, Fandom and the Characters We Wished were Black
11 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode we talk about the meaning of fan fiction and fandom and whether or not we have ever belonged to one before. We also discuss characters...
Representation in Film and TV, Black Creatives and Body Advocacy with Aisha Fairclough
04 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Aisha Fairclough is a television producer, body image advocate and diversity consultant. She has produced content for OWN Canada, HGTV, Food Network, ...
What is Blackfishing?
25 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Blackfishing is on the rise yet again! and we want to talk about it. In this episode, we break down the term coined by journalist Wanna Thompson expla...
Women in Podcasting, Storytelling and Shared Experience with Ritzy P
18 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Ritzy is a creative director, graphic designer and an advocate for diverse voices with common themes of non-linear career path, normalizing mental hea...
Reflecting on Past Relationships, Embracing Singleness and Dating Nightmares
11 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Valentine's Day is around the corner and we want to talk about LOVE! More specifically, our past relationships and what we've learned from t...
Say Her Name Campaigns, Lauren Smith-Fields and Missing White Woman Syndrome
04 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode we discuss the untimely death of Lauren Smith Fields and the mishandling of the investigation into her death. How the media portrays B...
Acknowledging Your Value and Goals for 2022
28 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We are one month into the New Year and taking a minute to step back and assess our goals. In this episode, we talk about how we've been undervalu...
Engagements, Marriage and the Wedding Industrial Complex
21 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Weddings are a billion dollar industry in the USA alone and can be stressful to plan. With Leanna recently getting engaged, we wanted to chat about ou...
Eco-Friendly Events, Starting your Eco Journey and Social Sustainability with Romina
14 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Romina is a sustainability consultant, environmental expert and advocate that helps businesses implement eco-conscious initiatives. In this episode, w...
Intersectionality and Creating Inclusive Spaces with Charlotte Nurse of Juno College
07 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Charlotte Nurse is the VP of Programs at Juno College. They ensure all of Juno's students are set up for success from day one, and are always ope...
Insecure Coming to an end, Issa Rae and the Representation of Black Women in Media
24 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Insecure is coming to an end, and it's bittersweet. Issa Rae has carved out space for Black women in the media like we've never seen b...
Women in Politics with Dr. Jill Andrew MPP
17 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Dr.Jill Andrew is the MPP for Toronto St.Paul's and the first Black Queer person to be elected to the Ontario legislature. She shares with us her...
Why the #FreeBritney Movement Initially Failed Intersectional Feminists
10 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When we treat what happened to Britney Spears as a singular experience we erase women of color and other marginalized groups who have had the same exp...
Sex, Pleasure and Consent with Samantha Bitty
03 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Samantha Bitty is a sexual health and consent educator, content creator, public speaker, workshop facilitator, and overall badass. In this episode, we...
Astrology basics and How to read your birth chart
26 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Could you tell someone more than just your sun sign if they asked? Do you know the significance of your North Node? In this episode, Leanna gives a br...
Book Discussion: You Exist Too Much with Zaina Arafat
19 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We chat with Zaina Arafat author of You Exist Too Much and READ 13 of the Cove Collective Book Club. We ask about her writing process, her advice fo...
What is Weaponized Incompetence?
12 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The concept of Weaponized Incompetence blew up on TikTok recently and it had us thinking about how it's shown up in our lives.What is weapo...
Fatphobia and Body Confidence with Brinta Ponn
05 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Ashley & Leanna sit down with Brinta Ponn to discuss Fatphobia, her experiences as a woman of color influencer in this space, and ways to boost yo...
Expanding a small team, BIPOC women-owned business and creative writing with Kitishia-Trista
29 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We are so excited to announce that Kitishia will be joining Cove Collective as our Communications Director. She is an artist and writer based in Toron...
Halloween, Costumes and Appropriation and All Things Scary Season
22 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Are you a Halloween fan? do you have horror movies lined up and a costume picked out? In this episode, we chat about all things Scary Season! True Cri...
Fast Fashion and Finding Your Personal Style
15 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What is fast fashion? How do the clothes we choose to wear affect other people and the planet? How do you figure out what your personal style is? In t...
Event Planning vs. Event Consultancy with Alicia Jenelle
08 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What is the difference between Event Planning and Event Consultancy? and when do you know if you should hire either? we sit down with Alicia Jenelle, ...
Big Friendship, Maintaining long-term friends and Friendship versus Relationship
01 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Big Friendship by Aminatou sow and Anne Friedman, hosts of the Call Your Girlfriend podcast inspired us to dig deep on the topic of friendship. We dis...
Reflections on One Year and the Best of the Podcast
10 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
ONE YEAR OF THE COVE CORNER PODCAST!! In this episode, we are wrapping up year one with some reflections and clips of some of our favorite episodes. ...
Book Club Book Discussion: DOMINICANA by Angie Cruz
01 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
40 freaking episodes ya'll!! In this episode, we sit down to chat about READ 12 of the Cove Collective Book Club (one whole year of reading toget...
Mental Health, Rebirthing during Quarantine and Breaking Stigmas in Asian Communities with Vera
27 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A lot of re-birthing and passion projects have come out of quarantine, including "Talk Therapy with Vera". We sit down with Vera Cheng...
Travelling as a BIPOC woman
20 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What's it like traveling as a BIPOC woman? is it safe to travel alone? do white women have it easier or worse in some countries? What about the a...
Manifesting, Mindset and the Power of Affirmations
13 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Wait... isn't Manifesting a white people thing? NO! it isn't, it's real and it's available to ALL of us. As BIPOC women we need to...
Book Club Book Discussion: The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris
02 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we discuss and review READ 11 of the Cove Collective Book Club: The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris. This novel explores wha...
Spirituality vs. Religion, and an industry co-opted by whiteness
23 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Would you consider yourself to be religious, spiritual, or neither? In this episode, we unpack our relationships with spirituality and religion, dis...
Camp Cove Making Waves, the virtual retreat for BIPOC women
16 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When we think of Camp Cove, we think of fluidity, connection, movement, and change. In this episode, we dive into the inspiration behind our upcoming ...
Conversations with Creatives Featuring Gloria C. Swain
09 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we chat with Gloria about her experiences as a Black woman in the visual arts community as well as her experiences as a senior and ho...
Book Club Book Discussion: Carry a Memoir of Survival on Stolen Land by Toni Jensen
01 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we discuss Toni's powerful and poetic memoir about what it means to exist as an indigenous woman in America, told in snapshots o...
Disability Justice with Krystal Kavita Jagoo
25 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Krystal Kavita Jagoo is passionate about equity, as can be seen from her writing and arts programming work. Her articles and visual art, "Univers...
Race and Homophobia
18 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It's Pride month! and we want to talk about the intersections of race and Queerness. We discuss how homophobia might look different for ethnic mi...
Celebrating Indigenous Histories with Talks With a Fox Podcast Host Andrea True Joy Fox
11 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We sit down with Talks With a Fox Podcast host: Andrea True Joy Fox to learn about her experiences as a Black Foot woman, Indigenous Heritage, and the...
Book Club Book Discussion: The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters by Balli Jaswal Kaur
01 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We chat about READ 09 of the Cove Collective Book Club: "The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters" By Balli Jaswal Kaur. This was SUC...
Black People Go to Therapy Too, with Jhanelle Peters
28 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Jhanelle Peters is a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) and the Mental Health Clinician for the Toronto Raptors! (yes👏🏽) we sat down with h...
Coversations with Creatives Featuring Mo Bofill
21 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
As two BIPOC creatives, we wanted to have conversations with other BIPOC creative women. This episode is the first of our new series called 'Conv...
Being sober or sober curious
14 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This was a personal conversation for both of us. Alcohol has had different meanings in both of our lives and our journey to sobriety and/or a sober cu...
Decolonizing Storytelling with Gelaine Santiago
07 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What does it mean to decolonize your marketing and storytelling? How can you honor your heritage through your business? How are Asian businesses and e...
Book Discussion: How to Pronounce Knife by Souvankham Thammavongsa
01 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we’re discussing READ EIGHT of the Cove Collective Book Club: How to Pronounce Knife by Souvankham Thammavongsa. This collection of...
Self Confidence for Women of Color with Sheena Yap Chan
23 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Sheena Yap Chan is a keynote speaker, coach, podcaster, consultant, and author on building self-confidence. We chat with her about the increase of ant...
The Joys of Sex Work
16 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Santina, otherwise known as @fatfabblackfemme_ is a Queer biracial sex worker based in Halifax. In this episode, she shares how we can be allies to th...
White People and Cancel Culture
09 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What is cancel culture and why have we become so obsessed with it? more importantly.. how come it affects BIPOC communities the most while white peopl...
Book Discussion: The Office of Historical Corrections with Danielle Evans
01 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We sit down with Danielle Evans! author of "The Office of Historical Corrections" and READ 07 of the Cove Collective Book Club. We ask her a...
What is Misogynoir?
19 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Misogynoir is a term coined by Moya Bailey in 2008 that addresses the specific misogyny faced by Black women because of the intersections of their rac...
What does modern anti-semitism look like? And Solidarity between Black and Jewish communities
12 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Jess Burke is an activist who focuses on anti-oppression and the inclusion of antisemitism in progressive spaces and practices. She shares with us the...
Book Club Book Discussion: Sister Outsider Essays and Speeches by Audre Lorde
01 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we’re discussing READ SIX of the Cove Collective Book Club: Sister Outsider Essays and Speeches by Audre Lorde. This collection of ...
The importance of Black stories and the Black Women Storytellers we wish we learned about in school
19 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Black womxn and femmes have always been incredible storytellers, though most of us have gone through the bulk of our educational years without ever he...
Race and Relationships with Dr. Aminata Cisse
12 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In honor of Valentine's Day, we're talking about relationships... not just relationships, but Race and the impact it can have on our romanti...
Book Club Book Discussion: Marriage of a Thousand Lies by SJ Sindu with the hosts of the Brown Girls Read Podcast
01 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we sit down with the co-hosts of the Brown Girls Read Podcast to discuss READ 05 of the Cove Collective Book Club: “Marriage of a...
The Rise of the Social Media Activist
29 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
uWe can all agree that 2020 was A MESS! but it was also a transformational year for inner healing and community building. Though many souls expanded a...
Decolonize your Money Mindset with Vicky Auf der Mauer
15 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of the Cove Corner podcast, we talk to Vicky, intuitive life business and money mindset coach (otherwise known as your rich Indig Aunt...
Book Club book discussion: Hood Feminism by Mikki Kendall
01 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
ooh child READ FOUR was a good one! Hood Feminism by Mikki Kendall unpacks white feminism in a way we haven't heard before. This conversation cov...
Our Hair Journey
18 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Let's chat about hair! Whether you're at war or living Nappily Ever After (a great movie BTW) with your hair, know that we hold space for yo...
Advancing Diversity in Academia with Project Empower Circle
15 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode we sit down with Nikoo and Pallavi, the creators of Project Empower Circle. They share the story of how they met, how Project Empower ...
Book Club book discussion: The Death of Vivek Oji
01 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Ashley and Leanna sit down to discuss READ THREE of the Cove Collective Book Club: The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi. A powerful story of love, ...
Women of color in business: Shravani Salgaonkar founder of ChangeSpark
21 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we sit down with the founder of ChangeSpark Shravani Salgaonkar. Change Spark is an organization that uses fashion as a form of advoc...
Why is Pop Culture so white?
14 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever sat through a movie and halfway through you think... wait... where the F*ck are all the Black people? because we have! Why IS pop cultur...
Book Club book discussion: Abandon Me by Melissa Febos
29 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today we're chatting about READ TWO of the Cove Collective Book Club: Abandon Me by Melissa Febos, a Queer author of Native American descent. Aba...
WAP Women Against Patriarchal-ideology
15 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
There's some feminists in this house, and we want to talk about WAP; Womxn Against Patriarchal-ideology. Why is it that men can rap/ sing/speak/p...
Book Club book review: Wandering in Strange Lands by Morgan Jerkins
01 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today we're chatting about READ ONE of the Cove Collective Book Club: Wandering in Strange Lands by Morgan Jerkins. A story on the Great Migratio...
Meet the Founders
13 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
You're probably wondering, who the hell are Ashley and Leanna? and why should I listen to this random podcast? Well.. we are two Black and bi-rac...