Woodstein Media Podcast Episode 17: United Way’s Kristin Crane discusses living wage, universal basic income, food insecurity and more

This episode features a conversation with Kristin Crane, director of Social Research & Planning for United Way Perth Huron, about the living wage, which leapt over $3 from $17. 55 to $20.70 when the most recent calculation was announced in November 2022. The numbers used in this discussion are from the area in which this podcast is produced: Perth and Huron County.

Woodstein Media Podcast Episode Nine: Sam Tecle discusses what the call to Defund the Police means

This episode features a conversation with Sam Tecle about what is meant by the call to defund the police. Tecle works with Success Beyond Limits, a collaborative, youth-led, community-based movement providing youth with holistic support to complete their education and experience success in their lives and Jane and Finch Action Against Poverty, a resident-led grassroots coalition of community residents, activists, workers, organizations working to eliminate poverty. He is also an Associate Professor in the Sociology Department at Toronto Metropolitan University. His research and scholarly work span the areas of Black and Diaspora Studies, Urban Studies, and Sociology of Education.

Episode Five: Roshan James talks about deconstructing normality through art and poetry

On episode five, artist and poet Roshan James talks about how her creativity has helped her deconstruct societal norms, allowing her to turn everything she was taught on its head and re-examine it to find out what little things might have been true or make sense and could be helpful to carry forward and what things are just the chaff that needs to go into the wind.

Stratford 2SLGBTQIA+ community discuss actions to counter rise in hate-related crimes & incidents: acculturation

After homophobic vandalism was discovered at Sirkel Foods in Stratford on the morning of Nov. 1, a meeting was planned at the Stratford Pride Community Centre (SPCC) to allow the community to discuss their feelings, thoughts and fears with representatives from Stratford Police Services, City of Stratford council and the Stratford City Centre Business Improvement Area (BIA).

This is the final installment in a series of articles documenting the discussion of how police investigate hate-motivated incidents and what the city and the public can do to help make the community more welcoming and inclusive for all people.

Stratford 2SLGBTQIA+ community discuss actions to counter rise in hate-related crimes & incidents: education

After homophobic vandalism was discovered at Sirkel Foods in Stratford on the morning of Nov. 1, a meeting was planned at the Stratford Pride Community Centre (SPCC) to allow the community to discuss their feelings, thoughts and fears with representatives from Stratford Police Services, the City of Stratford council and the Stratford Downtown Business Improvement Agency.

This is the second in a three-part series of articles which discuss how police investigate hate-motivated incidents and what the city and the public can do to help make the community more welcoming and inclusive for all people.

From seedling to sauce, the life of a Dragon’s Breath pepper plant Part 2

This is the second in a series of articles that will follow a Dragon’s Breath pepper plant from seedling to bottles of Sorry Sauce’s Award-Winning Cherrynobyl extreme hot sauce. Well, to be more precise, visits to the Garden of Apologies and the Greenhouse of Extreme Regret to view the progress of this pepper plant allow for Sorry Sauce owner, Erik Begg, to share his triumphs and challenges in crafting new and unusual hot sauces.

Stratford Pride Community Centre set to open in June

It’s official. The Stratford Pride Community Centre will have a physical location opening June 1. with the help of two significant grants – $30,000 over three years from TD Bank Group and another $20,000 this from United Way Perth-Huron – and its own fundraising efforts.

It will provide a unique service with a wide catchment area because southwestern Ontario does not have any large LGBTQ2S+ groups with consistent year-round services.