S2E6: “If You’re Committed to the Legislation, What Are You Doing to Get There?” | A Conversation on Environmental Racism and the Fight for Justice with Vanessa Hartley
Release Date: 06/27/2025
S2E6: “If You’re Committed to the Legislation, What Are You Doing to Get There?” | A Conversation on Environmental Racism and the Fight for Justice with Vanessa Hartley
Feature Friday
Our guest for this months Feature Friday is Vanessa Hartley! Vanessa Hartley is an 8th-generation Black Loyalist descendant, born and raised in Shelburne, Nova Scotia. Her work and volunteer efforts demonstrate a deep commitment to Black history, Community Engagement, and Environmental Justice within her home province. Hartley began her career at the Black Loyalist Heritage Centre in 2019, serving as Program Coordinator and Visitor Experience Supervisor, where she developed a love for Black history and Community Engagement. After completing her education, she returned to her...
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S2E5: "Find Your Tribe" with Alfred Burgesson
Feature Friday
Our guest for this month's Feature Friday is Alfred Burgesson! Alfred Burgesson is an entrepreneur committed to driving inclusive innovation, economic growth, and social impact. Recognized as a 30 Under 30 Innovator and Top 50 CEO by Atlantic Business Magazine, a Changemaker by Globe and Mail’s Report on Business, and the recipient of the Public Policy Forum 2025 Emerging Leader Award. He is the Founder & CEO of Tribe Network, a thriving community for racialized entrepreneurs and innovators, providing access to capital, coaching, and networks to help them start, build, and scale...
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S2E4: "Take the Stairs" with DeRico Symonds
Feature Friday
Our guest for this month's Feature Friday is DeRico Symonds! DeRico Symonds is a 8th generation African Nova Scotian currently employed with the African Nova Scotian Justice Institute as the Director of Engagement and Justice Initiatives. DeRico Symonds is the founder and President of Ignite Consulting, as well as a founding member of two non-profit organizations, ACCE (Arts, Culture, Community, Economics) and GC902 (Game Changers 902), a social justice advocacy group based in Halifax. DeRico has been awarded the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Century of Service Award, the Irving & Ruth Pink...
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S2E3: "More Than Just an Athlete" with Daneesha Provo
Feature Friday
Our guest for this month's Feature Friday episode is Daneesha Provo! Daneesha’s journey has been all about growth, purpose, and impact, and she is excited to see where it takes her next. Right now, Daneesha is taking some time away from basketball to focus on family, enjoy life, and really be present in this chapter. After years of dedicating herself to the game, playing at the highest levels, traveling the world, and pushing through the ups and downs, she’s embracing a new balance. One of her biggest priorities is building her basketball academy. She’s always believed in using...
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S2E2: "Let Your Light Shine No Matter Who Gets Blinded by It" with Angelina Simmonds
Feature Friday
Our guest for this month's Feature Friday, as well as first guest of season 2, is Angelina Simmonds! From North Preston, Angelina spent much of her early life as an athlete including basketball and competitive swimming. Competing provincially and nationally, and holding records in Nova Scotia. Driven to uplift women and girls through empowerment and confidence-building, Angelina founded Black Girls Pillow Talk (BGPT) in 2023 to create nurturing and encouraging spaces for young Black girls to share their lived experiences, prompt the healing of intergenerational...
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S2E1: The Shift: Growth, Gratitude, and Fresh Perspectives
Feature Friday
Season 2 of Feature Friday is brought to you by the Supporting Black Canadian Communities Initiative administered by the Black Business Initiative. In this episode, hosts Aaliyah Arab-Smith and Trevor Silver dive into the vision and mission of Feature Friday, share what’s in store for the new season, and let you know how to get involved. They’ll also update you on what they’ve personally been up to this year! For years, Feature Friday has been a platform dedicated to amplifying voices, sharing experiences, and celebrating the achievements of ANS (African Nova Scotian)...
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Bonus Episode: Experience is the Key to Knowledge
Feature Friday
Join us for this bonus episode brought to you by the Youth Climate Action Fund, where the ONE team of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) Ambassadors—Josh Paris, Sarah Yehayes, and Leah Khisa—share their experiences in raising awareness about climate change within African Nova Scotian communities in Nova Scotia. Their goal is to engage you in a dialogue around 'green jobs', a crucial step to help close the employment gap for Black individuals and African Nova Scotians aged 18 to 35 in our province. In this episode, Rodney Small, Josh Paris, Sarah Yehayes, Leah Khisa,...
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Episode 12: "Not everyone approaches Black students with love" with Ashley Hill
Feature Friday
Our guest for this month's Feature Friday is Ashley Hill! Ashley Hill is an African Nova Scotian woman, creator and social entrepreneur. With over 10 years of combined experience working in corporate and non-profit industries, she has led strategy, fundraising, donor engagement, community outreach, student engagement, program evaluation and program development. She's inspired to serve Black students as they shape their way forward to being young trailblazers, and to be a guide to changemakers who want to launch non-profit organizations. As the Founder of The PREP Academy, a...
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Episode 11: "It Takes Two to Tango" with Chaz Samuel
Feature Friday
This episode is brought to you by Burchell Wickwire Bryson LLP, a group of common sense lawyers whose clients appreciate our approachable style, practical advice and broad range of expertise. To learn more about what they do, head to their website: www.bwbllp.ca/ or call them at (902) 423-6361. Our guest for this month's Feature Friday is Chaz Samuel! Chaz Samuel was born and raised on the island of Antigua. He moved to Halifax in 2018 to pursue a Bachelor’s of Commerce at Saint Mary’s University. From a very young age he fell in love with basketball. He played collegiate basketball at...
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Episode 10: “You’re Not Doing Anything Until They Can See It” with Lindell Smith
Feature Friday
Lindell Smith is a lifelong resident of the North End Halifax, and a proud father. Co-founder of Center Line Studio, a non-profit recording studio for youth who want to express themselves through art and music. In 2016, Lindell was elected as City Councillor for District 8 Halifax Peninsula North. Lindell has been a member at large on The Council on African Canadian Education (CACE), which is a provincial advisory council that provides advice and guidance to the Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development on educational programs, services and funding for African Nova Scotian...
info_outlineOur guest for this months Feature Friday is Vanessa Hartley!
Vanessa Hartley is an 8th-generation Black Loyalist descendant, born and raised in Shelburne, Nova Scotia. Her work and volunteer efforts demonstrate a deep commitment to Black history, Community Engagement, and Environmental Justice within her home province.
Hartley began her career at the Black Loyalist Heritage Centre in 2019, serving as Program Coordinator and Visitor Experience Supervisor, where she developed a love for Black history and Community Engagement. After completing her education, she returned to her community to support adults with different abilities. Seeking further growth, she joined the Tri-County Regional Centre for Education (TCRCE) as a Community Outreach Coordinator, which led her to The PREP Academy as Community Engagement Lead.
Her dedication to community service has been recognized, notably in 2021 when she was awarded Provincial Volunteer of the Year, representing the Municipality of Shelburne. She chaired the South End Environmental Injustice Society (SEED) from 2019-2022, an organization recognized for its efforts in fighting environmental racism in historic African Nova Scotian communities. Hartley also volunteered for the Association of Black Social Workers (ABSW) as the Rural COVID Community Coordinator, part of the ABSW/HACC Covid response team. Additionally, she was the Community Regional Researcher with the Delmore "Buddy" Daye Learning Institute, developing research for an Afrocentric Framework for Recognition of Prior
Learning.
Furthermore, Hartley was the Project Manager for the Provincial Environmental Racism Panel and was a research assistant to Dr. Ingrid Waldron's research project, "Genes and Geography: Disparities in Cancer Incidence and Outcomes in a Black Canadian Community. She also worked as the African Nova Scotian Student Support Worker at Lockeport elementary and high school and is currently the Active Living Coordinator for the Municipality of Barrington.
Vanessa Hartley is also the co-founder and president of the Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ), a community-based board established from the historical Bill C-226, aiming to redress environmental harms and injustice in her hometown of Shelburne, Nova Scotia.
It was a pleasure hosting the inspiring Vanessa Hartley on our Feature Friday this month!
Show notes:
00:00 - Introduction to Vanessa Hartley
8:20 - What is environmental racism?
13:45 - Vanessa on the research she’s doing
17:00 - The history of environmental racism in Shelburne
26:30 - Vanessa on navigating government to help the community
33:25 - Vanessa on her family history
36:55 - Who inspires Vanessa
44:15 - Vanessa on gratitude
46:35 - Vanessa on what she values most
48:14 - Vanessa’s advice
49:45 - Vanessa’s five year plan
54:35 - Vanessa’s spiritual journey
59:25 - Environmental racism in the news
1:07:32 - Vanessa on her identity
1:15:00 - One word checkout!