Tuning in to Y Station: Episode III

This Tuning in to Y Station roundup not only spotlights content keeping our team engaged and inspired, it also celebrates International Women’s Day with can’t-miss facts about the COVID-19 gender gap, perspectives from women in politics and gender inequality in unexpected places. Get ready to tune in!

Chosen by Chris Henderson, Chief Strategist

Podcast: CBC Q with Guest Rupi Kaur

No doubt, you have heard of Rupi Kaur, one of the most celebrated poets of the last 10 years. Her work is prolifically shared on days like International Women’s Day. However, few people know her beyond her poetry. In this unguarded interview with CBC’s Q in December 2020, Rupi Kaur shares her writing process, her 2020 experience, and the battles she has faced, even as one of today’s most popular literary voices.

Chosen by Jenny Black, Brand and Content Strategist

Article: “The Deadly Truth About a World Built for Men – From Stab Vests to Car Crashes” by Caroline Criado-Perez

Did you know that when a woman is involved in a car crash, she is 47% more likely to be seriously injured and 17% more likely to die than men? The simple fact is that crash-test dummies are based on the “average” male and thus, cars are designed with their safety in mind.

This is just one surprising area of everyday life featured in the article with glaring inequality. You won’t want to miss learning about the rest.

Chosen by Dayna Tumbach, Project Manager

Article: “What This Writer Learned about Looking Ahead and Planning for Disasters” by CBC Radio

Instant gratification is becoming the norm and whether it comes to our finances, our health, our communities or our planet, it’s easy to avoid thinking ahead. The consequences of this need for immediacy are stark. Deadly outbreaks spread because leaders failed to act on early warning signs and companies that fail to invest stagnate and fall behind. Now more than ever, all of us need to know how we can make better long-term decisions in our lives, businesses and society as a whole.

Bina Venkataraman sees the way forward. A journalist and former adviser in the Obama White House, Bina helped communities and businesses prepare for climate change and learned firsthand why people don’t think ahead—and what can be done to change that. In The Optimist’s Telescope, she draws from stories she has reported around the world and new research in biology, psychology, and economics to explain how we can make decisions that benefit us over time. 

Chosen by Alana Williams, CEO & Partner

Article: “The Secret, Essential Geography of the Office” by Paul Ford

Working from home, I love not having to commute, wearing whatever I want and being able to cook a mid-day meal—but this thoughtful article about the ‘human geographies’ within shared office spaces and places really stuck with me. It articulates the urge I’ve been feeling to return to an office and foster a connection with my coworkers; that I’ve been missing the “pathways, memories, art, people who came and went.”

Chosen by Ann Gordon-Tighe, Strategist

Podcast: Searching for Izena by YWCA Edmonton and ParityYEG

Searching for Izena is a podcast series by the YWCA and ParityYEG examining Edmonton’s history of women in municipal leadership roles. The year 2021 marks the 100-year anniversary of the first woman elected to Edmonton’s City Council, and it’s been a bumpy ride for women at City Hall since that time.

Each episode of Searching for Izena delves into the political culture, social change, and a bit of the hot gos’ that swirled around each woman as she held office. This podcast is a great way to get to know a bit more about this city we call home and to better understand the obstacles womxn have and continued to face when entering public life.

Chosen by Tracy With, COO

Podcast: Dare to Lead with Brené Brown Episode: The Dangers of Toxic Positivity, Part 2 of 2

While you can’t go wrong with any episodes of Brené Brown’s podcast, her conversation with Dr. Susan David, author of the bestselling book Emotional Agility: Get Unstuck, Embrace Change, and Thrive in Work and Life, is truly insightful. From how to lead from a place of awareness to strategies for building emotionally agile teams, the constant thread here is psychological stamina.

Chosen by Anthony Fisher, Junior Associate

Podcast: The Fridge Light by CBC Podcasts Episode: Billion Dollar Baby: The Rise and Fall of Orbitz

The year is 1997. You reach into your mini-fridge and you pull out not a Coca-Cola or a Pepsi, but what most closely resembles a consumable lava lamp. Orbitz, a drink with suspended particles, was an emerging popular beverage that was eventually discontinued. This CBC podcast explores the marketing strategy of Orbitz and its quick decline.

Why did such an imaginative drink fail and what is its lasting legacy? It also provides a brief glance into the food science needed to create such a unique beverage. This podcast will give you a dose of 90’s nostalgia as well as provide an inside look into the beverage industry.

Chosen by Cameron Dykstra, Senior Research Associate

Article: “The COVID-19 Gender Gap” by Kristalina Georgieva, Stefania Fabrizio, Cheng Hoon Lim and Marina M. Tavares

There is little doubt that women have been disproportionately impacted by the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, which threatens to undo 30 years of gains in women’s economic opportunities across the world. This blog from the International Monetary Fund breaks it down and highlights the importance of implementing policies to promote an inclusive post-pandemic recovery.

For its part, the Government of Canada has announced a Task Force on Women in the Economy to address issues of gender equality in the wake of the pandemic—which features a membership entirely of women experts.  

Chosen by Jillian Nason, Director of Client Services

Blog: Office of Sarah by Sarah Jackson

In honour of International Women’s Day, I dedicate my contribution to one of the many fabulous women in my life and an incredible local entrepreneur, Sarah Jackson. Sarah is the owner of Office of Sarah, an Edmonton-based design company and her blog of the same name brings me joy.

From tips for breaking societal norms to insights into her creative process, I hope you enjoy Sarah’s blog as much as I do!

Chosen by Emily Mack, Senior Associate

Article: “Girls CAN Do Maths: The Little Girl Who Helped Britain Win WWII” by Felicity Baker

Journalist Felicity Baker takes a closer look into her family history and discovers the amazing contribution her grandma made to the Battle of Britain as a little girl by using her math skills.

This story serves as reminder that there’s a long history of women in science (many still unknown) that has shaped and paved the way in this industry for women today and into the future.