The Human Challenge

"It's this really complex feeling where you're feeling culture shock to what's supposed to be your own culture," says John-Paul Chalykoff, Indigenous performer and Assistant Professor of Anishinaabe Studies. Inspired by his mother and grandmother, the last relative in his bloodline fluent in Anishinaabemowin, John-Paul comes on The Human Challenge to talk about his journey reconnecting to his Indigenous language roots, and how his puppet, Baabii, helps others do the same. Watch this episode on Youtube: https://youtu.be/6odDWcRJTUI The Human Challenge is an award-winning podcast, hosted and produced by Vanessa Ferlaino. The Human Challenge recognized by Amazon Music and ACAST as an Indie Podcast Amplifier. Tune In: Youtube Amazon Music Spotify Apple Podcasts iHeart Radio | Airing on Rogers TV Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With Palestinian parents, Noora Sharrab had to fight long and hard to push past their traditional “Walk By The Walls” mentality to embrace her Palestinian identity. Questioning her experiences crossing into Palestine at a young age and challenging what she learned in her early education, she was called to pursue the truth of her people’s history throughout university. While completing her Master’s Degree, a door was opened — a door that she couldn’t close. It led her to face the harsh reality of the millions of Palestinian refugees scattered across refugee camps. Noora started a non-profit to provide education scholarships and programming for these women. Eventually, this would lead her to launch SITTI Soap, a social venture that helps Palestinian women refugees earn equitable income. SITTI Soap pays fair wages to these women, who hold cultural practices and traditional wisdom, like Tatreez patterns and olive oil soap pressing, to make apparel, accessories, bath and beauty products, and more. Each product tells a story of Palestinian culture and roots. With the organization expanding, Noora continues to show her children the injustices that exist in the world, and to never stop fighting for change. Noora reminds us that we all have a voice. Cinematography by: Abdulhadi Alkassem Recorded at SITTI Soap The Human Challenge is an award-winning podcast, hosted and produced by Vanessa Ferlaino. The Human Challenge recognized by Amazon Music and ACAST as an Indie Podcast Amplifier. Tune In: Youtube Amazon Music Spotify Apple Podcasts iHeart Radio | Airing on Rogers TV Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Despite what his parents told him, at the age of four, Seth Compton knew he was not a girl. But it wasn’t until the age of 43 that Seth made the biggest decision of his life — to transition from female to male. In this episode, Seth shares the personal, social, professional, and medical factors that shaped his decision, and also the people that inspired him — including mainstream media personalities like Ellen Degeneres, other community members, and most importantly, his wife and two kids. Seth believes his journey is different because he had a lot more support than many others who choose this pathway, especially as a child. In 2019, Seth founded OUTLoud North Bay as a community centre for 2SLGBTQ youth in Northern Ontario. Seth’s new book, “A Life In Two Halves,” is on pre-order now! The Human Challenge is an award-winning podcast, hosted and produced by Vanessa Ferlaino. The Human Challenge recognized by Amazon Music and ACAST as an Indie Podcast Amplifier. Tune In: Youtube Amazon Music Spotify Apple Podcasts iHeart Radio | Airing on Rogers TV Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As we mark National Indigenous Languages Day on Turtle Island, Shirley Horn shares her residential school story, growing up in not one, but two residential schools. She would return years later to Shingwauk Hall after it became a university to pursue her education, become first chancellor, and then Chief of The Missanabie to help return land back to her community. In this touching episode, Shirley talks about her life healing the trauma that came with the residential school system, reconnecting with Indigenous culture, and her longing for Indigenous language. Learn more about her life in a new children’s book, “Shirley: An Indian Residential School Story,” written by Joanne Robertson. Available now! Special thank you to Children Of Shingwauk Alumni Association and Algoma University. This episode was recorded in The Elder Room at Shingwauk Anishinaabe Students Lounge at Algoma University. Cinematography by Shae Mclurg. The Human Challenge is an award-winning podcast, hosted and produced by Vanessa Ferlaino. The Human Challenge recognized by Amazon Music and ACAST as an Indie Podcast Amplifier. Tune In: Youtube Amazon Music Spotify Apple Podcasts iHeart Radio | Airing on Rogers TV Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“I just never felt safe,” says Jessica Compton, after running away from a young life of kidnapping, abuse, and sexual assault. Deciding it was best she take care of herself, she lived on her own at the age of 16, working and paying her bills. During this time, drugs and alcohol numbed the pain, but lead to arson, assaults, and eventually, incarceration. “The cell saved me,” she says. “I saved myself.” After prison, she graduated college to be a correctional officer, and spent almost fourteen years as a youth worker, supporting aggressive youth, before founding Trees Of Stars, an arts and culture non-profit. But because of her criminal record, she worked in construction for almost eleven years before being able to work in her profession, while she waited for her pardon. Her new book, Bits And Pieces, is a peer-support memoir, and available now. It took Jessica eleven years to be pardoned. Eleven years of putting the Bits And Pieces together again. Eleven years to find freedom. The Human Challenge is an award-winning podcast, hosted and produced by Vanessa Ferlaino. The Human Challenge recognized by Amazon Music and ACAST as an Indie Podcast Amplifier. Tune In: Youtube Amazon Music Spotify Apple Podcasts iHeart Radio | Airing on Rogers TV Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.