Is This For Real?

Is This For Real?
  • 4.8 (51)
  • DOCUMENTARY

Black ex-journalism from a place calling itself Edmonton. We take a local focus to societal issues like media bias, corruption, racism, class inequality, government failure, and police brutality.

  1. Ep. 22 – Very Significant Investments

    2023-05-06

    Ep. 22 – Very Significant Investments

    We ended up taking a bit of an unexpected pause due to the dynamics around police criticism given the officer deaths in March. In this episode we discuss how the officer deaths were politicized to further consolidate power and resources for police as an institution, and examine how institutional failures of police may have even led to these officer deaths.. Oumar had a with Hailey Yasmeen + Mae of the Asilu Collective, a grassroots abolitionist organization working towards policing-free schools in Ontario. Oumar talked with them about their approach to activism and education, a more holistic definition of abolition, and collaborating with other community groups to work around the system rather than in direct opposition. Useful Links Article about the police officer deaths in March Edmonton police say more people interested in joining force after deaths of officers Sohi calls Alberta adding police, crisis workers on transit a 'significant investment' Alberta government pushing to add 100 more police officers between Calgary and Edmonton EPS expands HELP, PACT teams and opens Integrated Care Centre City leaders will consider UCP request to transfer transit authority to Edmonton police No charges for Edmonton police constable who kicked Indigenous teen in the head Questions over video of Edmonton police arrest showing knee near driver's neck Alberta Sheriffs and Edmonton police execute nearly 3,000 arrests: province Asilu Collective Website Ottawa Students Speak Out: Cops Out of Our Schools! Report Connect With UsPatreonTwitterInstagram

    1h 17m

  2. 2023-02-23

    Ep. 21 – March On, Sheriffs

    We’re unraveling the current situation with policing downtown, where the province has deployed 12 sheriffs to the already heavily policed Chinatown area and self-identifying “liberal” politicians are more openly pro-police than ever. We also got to talk with an anonymous worker in the nonprofit sector, who shared some thought-provoking insights about the ways that organizations are set up to fail and why he will ultimately be leaving the sector.Useful Links What got funded — and what didn't — in Edmonton city council's budget debate Public Safety and Community Response Task Force  Sheriffs deployed to Downtown Edmonton in latest effort to improve safety: UCP, police Councillor Anne Stevenson is grateful for more police Edmonton’s Actions on Downtown and Transit Safety (Mayor Amarjeet Sohi’s Blog)Connect With UsPatreonTwitterInstagram

    1h 11m
  3. Ep. 20 – Can't Sit With Us

    2022-11-16

    Ep. 20 – Can't Sit With Us

    We’re diving into some ways that our system of governance tries to control or eliminate threats to their power. From a deliberately inaccessible public civic engagement process amid budget deliberations, to local pundits endlessly pushing for a return to the status quo when we never left in the first place. Oumar interviewed Calgary community organizer Taylor McNallie about the relentless attacks she’s faced from police and the media’s ignorance.

    1h 17m
  4. Ep. 19 – Decorum + Discrimination

    2022-10-31

    Ep. 19 – Decorum + Discrimination

    The theme of this episode is our society’s comfort with silent racism and covert discrimination. We’re diving into the fourth police budget increase of the year so far, the police DNA phenotyping scandal, Alberta's new premier, and the announcement that the provincial province will be providing $187M towards homelessness and addiction supports. Oumar also got to interview Nicholas Marcus Thompson of the Black Class Action lawsuit against the government of Canada, a landmark case that was recently elevated to the United Nations after the government tried to dismiss it.

    1h 34m
  5. Ep. 18 – Interview with the Councillor

    2022-09-28

    Ep. 18 – Interview with the Councillor

    Edmonton’s city council recently committed to funding the Chinatown Healthy Streets Operation Centre, a $15M hub meant to deploy additional officers into Chinatown. The vote passed overwhelmingly, with a number of councillors expressing valid opposition but voting in favour anyway. We had a chance to interview Edmonton city councillor Michael Janz about the decision, hear about his “insider-outsider” theory of change, and question whether meaningful progress can be achieved from within the structure of city council.

    1h 12m
  6. Ep. 17 – Inflated Importance

    2022-07-31

    Ep. 17 – Inflated Importance

    We're turning our focus to the devastation inflation that we've all be facing throughout this year. We're taking a look at a new study from the University of Calgary that outlines why inflation hits low-income households especially hard, record profits that companies like Loblaws are making during this time, and some incredibly cringe advice that the media is giving to consumers. We also have some on the ground reporting from the Pope's visit to Edmonton. We discuss the clearing of homeless encampments from the area surrounding the Sacred Heart church, the problematic messaging embedded into the Pope's activities here, and whether or not meaningful change can ever even be achieved through symbolic gestures.

    1h 8m
  7. Ep. 16 – Working Progress

    2022-06-17

    Ep. 16 – Working Progress

    We interviewed Ashlynn Chand about some great reporting she did on Amazon’s union-busting at the Nisku warehouse. We discuss our government’s alignment with corporate interests at the expense of workers and how politicians co-opt working class struggles. And we even detail some recent victories in the labour movement in Alberta.

    1h 34m
  8. Ep. 15 – Rotten Foundations

    2022-05-30

    Ep. 15 – Rotten Foundations

    Oumar and Nicholas discuss the recent school shooting in Texas and its relevance to Edmonton’s school resource officer program. We also discuss the violence and challenges in Chinatown, as well as the tendency from politicians and the community to support further enforcement of the same system that causes those challenges.

    56 min
See All (23)

4.8
out of 5
51 Ratings

About

Black ex-journalism from a place calling itself Edmonton. We take a local focus to societal issues like media bias, corruption, racism, class inequality, government failure, and police brutality.

Information

  • Creator
    Is This For Real?
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2023
  • Episodes
    23
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2020 Is This For Real Society
  • Show Website
    Is This For Real?