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
Purpose Builds Confidence | Season 3 Premiere | PART 1
Feature Friday
Season 3 is here! In part 1 of the premiere, Aaliyah and Trev catch up on life updates and reflect on what they've learned from past seasons — then Aaliyah shares what led her to med school, how purpose fuels confidence, and why trying new things can change your whole trajectory. They also talk identity, ambition, community, and pushing past the fear of not “belonging.” We've got a great season of guests this year and can't wait to share with you the amazing episodes coming your way soon!
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S2E12: “Start Where You’re At” with Nevell Provo and Corvell Beals
Feature Friday
On the season finale of season 2, we’re honoured to have brothers and entrepreneurs Nevell Provo and Corvell Beals join the pod! The episode traces their journey growing up in North Preston, where basketball wasn’t just a game — it was a foundation. They break down how elite-level athletics, from Team Canada to NCAA competition, shaped their confidence, discipline, and willingness to take risks long before business ever entered the picture. Nevell and Corvell dive deep into their transition from sports to entrepreneurship, explaining how problem-solving, leadership, and...
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S2E11: "My Music Found My Audience" with Kye Clayton and Jody Upshaw | PART 2
Feature Friday
Our guests for this month’s Feature Friday are Kye Clayton and Jody Upshaw. Kye Clayton is a Halifax-based artist, producer, and certified audio engineer pushing the sound of Nova Scotia forward. As Manager of Youth Power and Innovation at Hope Blooms, he empowers youth through music and mentorship. A two-time ANSMA Award winner — earning the Lieutenant Governor Award and Portia White Youth Award — Kye has performed at the ECMAs, Nova Scotia Music Week, and Magnetic World Festival, and opened for Xzibit. Through his collective LDN and upcoming project Live by Faith, Not by Sight,...
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S2E11: "My Music Found My Audience" with Kye Clayton and Jody Upshaw | PART 1
Feature Friday
Our guests for this month’s Feature Friday are Kye Clayton and Jody Upshaw. Kye Clayton is a Halifax-based artist, producer, and certified audio engineer pushing the sound of Nova Scotia forward. As Manager of Youth Power and Innovation at Hope Blooms, he empowers youth through music and mentorship. A two-time ANSMA Award winner — earning the Lieutenant Governor Award and Portia White Youth Award — Kye has performed at the ECMAs, Nova Scotia Music Week, and Magnetic World Festival, and opened for Xzibit. Through his collective LDN and upcoming project Live by Faith, Not by Sight,...
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S2E10: "A Marble in Honey" with Nathan Simmons | PART 2
Feature Friday
Our guest for this month's Feature Friday is Nathan Simmons. Nathan is an actor of compelling presence and range, best known for his role as Elgin Williams on the supernatural horror-mystery series FROM. Hailing from the historical Black communities of East and North Preston in Nova Scotia, Simmons brings both authenticity and nuance to his craft. He graduated from the acting program at the Fountain School of the Arts in 2017, laying a solid foundation in theatre before making the transition to screen. Early in his career, Simmons distinguished himself in Canadian theatre,...
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S2E10: "A Marble in Honey" with Nathan Simmons | PART 1
Feature Friday
Our guest for this month's Feature Friday is Nathan Simmons. Nathan is an actor of compelling presence and range, best known for his role as Elgin Williams on the supernatural horror-mystery series FROM. Hailing from the historical Black communities of East and North Preston in Nova Scotia, Simmons brings both authenticity and nuance to his craft. He graduated from the acting program at the Fountain School of the Arts in 2017, laying a solid foundation in theatre before making the transition to screen. Early in his career, Simmons distinguished himself in Canadian theatre,...
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S2E9: "Turning Impulsivity into Possibility" with Damini Awoyiga
Feature Friday
Our guest for this month's Feature Friday is Damini Awoyiga. Damini is a student, an activist, a spoken word poet, and the former Halifax’s Youth Poet Laureate (2023-2024). Damini is the founder of Damini Creatives and the Afro-Indigenous Book Club, a book club created to encourage young people to read books written by Black and Indigenous authors and to share the realities and experiences of Black and Indigenous Canadians. Damini was the Junior Artist in Residence for Wellness Within, a community organization working for reproductive justice, prison abolition, and health equity;...
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S2E8: "All Things in Time" with Tyree Haley
Feature Friday
Our guest for this month's Feature Friday is Tyree Haley. Tyree Haley is a model, actor, and fitness coach with a deep passion for helping others unlock their full potential. Now based in Thailand, he runs a wellness retreat on the island of Koh Tao and teaches English part-time, supporting Thai locals in his community. Originally from Halifax, Tyree previously worked as an African Nova Scotian recruiter and served on the board of the Delmore “Buddy” Daye Learning Institute (DBDLI). He has also walked in New York, Paris and most recently Thailand Fashion Week respectively. Ty lives by the...
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S2E7: The Future of Black Land Ownership Starts Here | Shekara Grant & Curtis Whiley
Feature Friday
Our guests for this month’s double feature is Shekara Grant and Curtis Whiley! Shekara Grant has ancestral ties to both Cherry Brook and Weymouth Falls, two of over 50 historic African Nova Scotian communities in this province. She graduated from Dalhousie University with combined honours in Sociology and French and a Certificate in Intercultural Communications in 2019. In 2023, Shekara founded the Weymouth Falls Community Land Trust, a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide a platform for a vibrant community voice that stewards the land of Weymouth Falls by intersecting...
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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...
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!