Stories Within Us

with Lisa Bush

Conversations with writers, poets, educators, activists, artists, and researchers whose work is questioning, disrupting, or altogether transforming how we view ourselves and each other.

Stories Within Us explores how our lived experiences—and the process of sharing those stories— has the power to connect, heal, and change.

Welcome to Season 7

S7:5 Changing the world with better stories with Natalie Meisner

March 22, 2023

When Natalie Meisner started her career in theatre, she was cast for roles that didn’t represent the women she knew or the women she wanted to become. So, Natalie started writing her own plays. In today’s episode, poet, playwright, and professor Natalie Meisner discusses the importance of LGBTQ2S+ representation in all stories. Natalie shares how comedy can be a catalyst for social change and how her book, Double Pregnant: Two Lesbians Make a Family, lifts the veil of silence around fertility and pregnancy while making us laugh at the same time.

S7:4 Parenting in the age of AI with Leslie Salgado

March 8, 2023

In the second episode of our two-part series, journalist, photographer, and AI researcher Leslie Salgado guides me step by step through AI ethics, ChatGPT, and parenting in the age of AI. Leslie explains, “Their world is going to be heavily influenced by AI… For me it’s not about prohibiting or denying that reality. It’s about educating them and educating ourselves.”

S7:3 Healthy expression of emotions with Leslie Salgado

February 22, 2023

In the first episode of our two-part series, journalist, photographer, and AI researcher Leslie Salgado and I dive deep into the world of emotions. Leslie shares the importance of releasing our emotions and trusting what our emotions tell us. Leslie speaks to her solo exhibit, Emotions Allowed, and explains how the inspiration came while observing people around her during her morning commute.

S7:2 The art of living wild with Heidi Barr

February 8, 2023

Author Heidi Barr shares how to live with intention and the importance of ceremony, rewilding spirituality, and contemplating the wild silence.

S7:1 Writing and healing with Wakefield Brewster

January 25, 2023

Calgary’s Poet Laureate, Wakefield Brewster explains the intersection of art and healing. Wakefield and I discuss unlearning, why communication is essential, and how art has the potential to soften the blow of heavy messages. Wakefield speaks about getting our thoughts out on paper—even the darker ones. Finally, Wakefield shares his early experience as a classically trained musician and how that shaped his future with poetry.

S6:6 This year’s takeaways: relationships, rest, and being illogical

December 28, 2022

In this solo episode, I look back at the year and share my thoughts on parenting (one might think I have it figured out by now, however, that’s not the case), rest, and embracing the illogical.

Today’s episode is full of resources for those who might be in the midst of parenting chaos, yearning for rest, or wanting to embrace their more intuitive, creative side.

S6:5 Education as a human right with Dr. Wing Kar Li

December 7, 2022

Neuroscientist and public school advocate Dr. Wing Kar Li examines the current state of Alberta’s public education and explains what we should be paying attention to right now. Wing discusses how current policy is moving Alberta public education backwards & why education should be a top priority when in next year’s election.

S6:4 Body image, health, and consent with Dr. Angela Grace

November 16, 2022

Dr. Angela Grace discusses how body image is a social justice issue, how consent is far more complex than saying yes or no, and how our current health curriculum has the potential to cause harm, “Once you start treating the body as an object rather than an experience, the significant problems start to happen.”

S6:3 ADHD in women and girls with Shannon Smith

October 26, 2022

In the second episode of our two-part series, photographer Shannon Smith and I dive into our lives with ADHD. We discuss how ADHD presents as parents, as creatives, as women. How neurodivergent folks tend to mask and the repercussions of masking. Finally we explore the beauty of being neurodivergent, specifically as it relates to our work and lives as creatives.

S6:2 Breaking toxic parenting cycles with Shannon Smith

October 12, 2022

Photographer Shannon Smith and I discuss how parenting patterns run deep and stopping toxic cycles is sometimes like looking off a cliff into the abyss. How certain environments can cause us, and our kids, to mask. How Shannon and I both are unlearning relationship patterns and learning how to re-parenting ourselves. How art is going to save our world—seriously it is—and how as artists we live in the grey zone. We’re inquisitive, curious, and this is exactly what the world needs more of.

S6:1 Nurturing our Gender Diverse Kids with Anna Murphy

September 28, 2022

Political-minded powerhouse for 2SLGBTQIA+ and women’s issues Anna Murphy shares how parents & educators can create spaces our gender diverse kids need. She speaks to what needs to be done for gender diverse kids in Alberta’s schools, communities, and beyond. And provides us with next steps to fighting back against global stripping of 2SLGBTQ+ rights.

TW//

self-harm, suicide