Calgary Culture: The Perspectives YYC Podcast

This episode I speak with Babur Ilchi [https://baburilchi.com/international-day-of-action/]. He's a photographer, a podcaster, and most importantly an Uyghur. His people are under oppression by China and through their colonial actions, Babur believes his people are subject to a genocide. Our discussion highlights his roots in his culture and country. His work to highlight all the suffering of the Uyghur people. And he apparently likes pineapple on pizza. I mean... talk about controversy. If you're interested in learning more about the Uyghur peoples, check out his podcast Tarim Talks Podcast [https://www.thetarimnetwork.com/podcast]. *** Thanks, as always, to the Alberta Podcast Network for your support.

Alex Williams I met Alex a few months ago in our Podcast Brunch Club. He asked to interview me, and I asked to interview him in turn. He allowed me to appropriate his warm up routine for interviewing - a process that I think has really helped me to connect with my guests (for my other podcast) and which I am truly grateful. He’s also got a sandwich named after him. Which is pretty cool. However, he hates peanut butter so... I'm not sure we can still be friends. Look for him and his podcast My Wax Museum. I don’t know when OUR talk comes out - but you’ll just have to subscribe to his podcast to keep listening for that. Shameless plug. Here’s my chat with Alex and for now, the conclusion of this season of Perspectives YYC. *** This episode is brought to you by the Alberta Podcast Network [http://albertapodcastnetwork.com] - locally grown, community supported. The APN exists to provide support and community to local podcast initiatives here in Alberta. *** This episode's sponsor are CPA Alberta [http://cpaalberta.com/] - Chartered Professional Accountants are here to help you navigate your personal or business financial planning during the COVID pandemic; and The Calgary Foundation [https://calgaryfoundation.org] -  The Foundation facilitates collaborative philanthropy by making powerful connections between donors and community organizations for the long-term benefit of Calgary and area. In 2019-20,  Calgary Foundation saw $35.4 million in new contributions, had an asset base of $1.0 billion and granted $54.9 million to 996 charitable organizations. It is the strategic partnerships with our generous fundholders and effective nonprofits that enable us to do great work and build a vibrant community. The strength and value of a community foundation is reflected in a strong and sustainable charitable sector.

Caine Chow and I sat down last February to focus on her journey finding her authentic self. Her discovery of Womanhood. Her unique perspective both as a Calgarian, 2nd generation Chinese Canadian, and her own life experiences help me frame some of the questions about a world that I'm foreign to. Our first talk focused largely on her entrepreneurial energy in building Kokedama but also hinted at how much of that was tied into her being true to her emerging self. As we discuss, a "self" that has likely been present since her birth. Thanks to Caine for the time and as a caveat, the episode has been delayed through all of these world (and personal) changes so if you want to keep or catch up with Caine and where she is now, check her out on her instagram @thetransplanter [http://instagram.com/thetransplanter] *** This episode is brought to you by the Alberta Podcast Network - locally grown, community supported. The APN exists to provide support and community to local podcast initiatives here in Alberta. This episode's APN referral is to Repodcasting [https://www.facebook.com/repodcasting] - a project by cousins Lucia and Janet who ask what movies could have been with different casting choices and production events. You can check their conversations out on any streaming platform or head to albertapodcastnetwork.com [http://albertapodcastnetwork.com/] for their work and the ever-growing pantheon of Alberta podcasting content. *** This episode's sponsor is CPA Alberta [http://cpaalberta.com] - Chartered Professional Accountants are here to help you navigate your personal or business financial planning during the COVID pandemic.

Sasha Ivanovic. Programmer, Teacher, Creative Two years ago I met a very fascinating man who was really into computers. He showed up at an art show I put on and we struck up a conversation about technology and art. I then found out he was teaching at U of C and he gave me the opportunity to work with his students on building an art app. While it didn’t conclude in anything market ready, we’ve since kept in touch about that next opportunity to bring technology and creativity together. Sasha Ivanov talks to me about the tech world of today and his field of evolutionary computing. Warning - if you’re frightened of AI, algorithms, and computers in general, this will probably not assay any of your fears. But if we can get more people like Sasha running the show, I’m sure we can delay our inveitblae robot overlords for some time and keep making amazing interactive and expansive art together. *** This episode is brought to you by the Alberta Podcast Network, powered by ATB. The APN is a project created by Karen Unland to provide support and community to local podcast initiatives here in Alberta. Podcasts like Candian Podcast Award Winner Cross Pollination. A podcast focused on that buzz word it’s impact. What happens when you combine different fields, knowledge, and talents to create something new? Listen to Cross Pollination to find out.  Click on the Business and Marketing section on the Alberta podcast network homepage albertapodcastnetwork.com [http://albertapodcastnetwork.com]

On this episode I sit down with Alice Lam, an incredible entrepreneur and Calgarian motivated by culture and community building. We met through mutual friends Caleb and Kitty, owner and operators of Sought and Found Coffee Roasters [https://www.soughtxfound.coffee] in Crescent Heights. They told me of this mystical woman landlord who built night markets and backyard community parties and was scouring the city for like minded people to help stimulate arts and culture, even offering contacts through her property management career to access spaces for shows and events. I have since learned that her connection to the city is one that defines her. Everything she does is underlined by an innate desire to push calgary forward into the collaborative environment we all desire. Hear her vision for the city we live in, where she comes from and how her life has shaped her vision of what Calgary can be. Whether it’s working to develop neighbourhoods, building artists spaces, creating neighbourhood events [https://mailchi.mp/122f43e9a218/aboutflea], inventing a volunteer app (www.vollyapp.com [http://vollyapp.com]), apparently writing children’s fiction, administrating for the women’s march, advocating for the Chinese Canadian community [https://www.culturalcentre.ca], and the myriad other pieces of her resume… I think we can all agree on one thing: There cannot possibly be a way that this woman sleeps! *** This episode is brought to you by the Alberta Podcast Network [http://albertapodcastnetwork.com], powered by ATB [http://atb.com]. The APN is a project created by Karen Unland to provide support and community to local podcast initiatives here in Alberta. Podcasts like my new collaboration with Kyle Marshall: Kyle and Dave vs the Machine. Kyle, a foolish genius with a heart of gold, has created a machine that is hell bent on world destruction, unless we comply with its demand to watch movies and review them. Movies from a specific year. In the order in which they premiered each week. Our first season is 1999. If you’re interested in flashing back to an era before Y2K but full of ominous writing and bleak outlooks and doomsday itself… look no further than The Machine forcing us to watch Message in a Bottle. Seriously. We had to watch that piece of shit. And talk about it. On record. Find us on your podcast streaming platform. We’re apparently on instagram and twitter and stuff @kdvtm [https://www.instagram.com/kdvstm/] or find us on the Alberta podcast network homepage. www.albertapodcastnetwork.com [http://albertapodcastnetwork.com] *** Our main sponsor for this episode is the ATB Finacial Entrepreneur Centre [http://atbentrepreneurcentre.com]. Daniel had a dream to start his own electronic bike business in Alberta. Even though he had initial success on his own, he was having trouble finding a bank to help him. Then he saw the literal sign when he spotted ATB’s Entrepreneur Centre. With ATB’s help, he was able to expand his product line and e-store, and now has a successful online business. His story shows that when banking isn’t a barrier, great things can happen. To hear more about Daniel’s journey, visit atb.com/daniel [http://atb.com/daniel], or visit atbentrepreneurcentre.com [http://atbentrepreneurcentre.com] to learn how ATB can help you and your business.