Unsilencing Stories

In this episode, you'll hear Lenae Silva talk to Lucas Akai and Esther Cheung about exposure to trauma. Lenae talks about a recent experience where she saw a child receiving Methadone treatment and how it made her reflect on her past. Lucas, Esther and Lenae begin to review the stressors and Lenae discusses how her financial situation has gotten worse. Lenae also explains that she considers t...

In this episode, you’ll hear Lenae Silva talk to Lucas Akai and Esther Cheung about the impact of death and trauma on peer workers. Lenae discusses the amount of loss and trauma faced by her community and how this stress has resulted in PTSD and impacted her substance use. Glossary: BCCDC: The BC Centre for Disease Control CAI: Community Action Initiative CAT: Community Action Team CMHA: Canadian...

In this episode, you’ll hear Lucas Akai and Esther Cheung interview Lenae about her precarious housing situation and its impact on her career as a peer worker. She explains how housing instability, combined with insufficient pay, creates fear and anxiety for her on a daily basis. Glossary: BCCDC: The BC Centre for Disease Control CAI: Community Action Initiative CAT: Community Action Team CMHA: Ca...

In this episode, you’ll hear Lenae Silva talk to Lucas Akai and Esther Cheung about her new trajectory in peer work, as she is feeling burned out and unfulfilled. Lenae discusses the stigma she experiences as someone who uses substances, and how she feels this leads to lack of respect in the workplace.   Glossary: BCCDC: The BC Centre for Disease Control CAI: Community Action Initiative CAT: Commu...

In this episode, you’ll hear Lenae Silva talk to Lucas Akai and Esther Cheung about the lack of standardized financial compensation for paying peer workers. Lenae discusses the importance of fair payment and the need for flexible scheduling and work environments for people who use substances. Lenae also explores the lack of clear job descriptions for peer workers and the lack of career advancement...

In this episode, you'll hear Lenae Silva talk to Lucas Akai and Esther Cheung about her personal substance use and how it affects her daily life. Lenae discusses how personal stressors can create burnout as a peer worker, and how she manages that burnout to continue her work.   Glossary: BCCDC: The BC Centre for Disease Control CAI: Community Action Initiative CAT: Community Action Team CMHA:...

In this episode, you'll hear Lenae Silva talk to Lucas Akai and Esther Cheung about tokenism and representation as a peer worker. Lenae talks about the continued focus on peer workers trauma, which does not provide a wider view of their lives and careers. They discuss how this leads to burnout and a lack of upward trajectory for peer workers in their careers. Glossary: BCCDC: The BC Centre fo...

In this episode, you'll hear Lucas Akai and Esther Cheung interview Lenae Silva for the first time. They discuss the impact of Covid-19 on peer workers’ careers and personal lives, as well as the  increased need for harm reduction workers. Lenae also discusses the lack of career development offered to peer workers and how this is a major barrier to those working in this field. Glossary: BCCDC...

In this episode, you will hear Peter Eugene speaking with Joseph Unterschute in Cranbrook, B.C. about Joseph’s cousin Travis Paxton who experienced a fatal overdose. 

In this episode, you will hear Joseph Unterschute and Peter Eugene speaking in Cranbrook, B.C. about Peter’s experience with his own non-fatal opioid overdose. 

In this episode, you will hear Cameron Westcott interviewing Cameron Gauthier in Cranbrook B.C. about Gauthier's uncle who experienced a fatal opioid overdose. 

In this episode, you’ll hear Colin Goddard interviewing Shane Mathis in Cranbrook, B.C. about Matthis' friend Scotty from Windermere, B.C., who died of liver disease related to alcoholism. 

In this episode, you will hear Ben Vanloon speaking with Amy Goodon in Cranbrook, B.C. about her friend Brendan who experienced a fatal opioid overdose.  

In this episode you will hear Rihanna Lopez speaking with Stacey Andrew in Cranbrook B.C. about Stacey's ex-boyfriend who experienced a fatal overdose.

In this episode you will hear Santana Jones speaking with Roland Soobotin in Cranbrook B.C. about his childhood friend, Frank, who died of alcoholism at age 49. 

In this episode, you will hear Roland Soobotin speaking with Santana Jones in Cranbrook B.C. about her ex-partner, Craig, who died of an opioid overdose at age 28. 

In this episode, you will hear Jerome Desmarchais-Vogt speaking with Marianne Ryan in Cranbrook B.C. about her friend Jarred who both died from an opioid overdose.  

In this episode, you will hear Shane Mathis interviewing Colin Goddard in Cranbrook, B.C. about his friend who died from an opioid overdose or drug-related accident. 

In this episode, you will hear Cory Hirt interviewing Jaime Berg in Cranbrook, B.C. about her ex-partner Timothy Atkinson who died from an opioid overdose in Edmonton, Alberta.

In this episode, you will hear Sydnee Trasca interviewing Clinton Gravelle in Cranbrook, B.C. about his cousin who died from an opioid overdose. 

In this episode, you will hear Clinton Gravelle interviewing Sydnee Traska in Cranbrook, B.C. about her uncle who experienced a fatal overdose. 

In this episode, you will hear Myles Toddington and Bowe McDonald speaking in Cranbrook, B.C. about Bowe’s friend John who experienced a fatal opioid overdose at age 22.   

In this episode, you will hear Bowe McDonald speaking with  Myles Toddington in Cranbrook, B.C.  about Myle’s friend Steve who experienced a fatal opioid overdose. 

In this episode, you'll hear Rachael McKerracher in Fort St. James, B.C., speaking with Juls Budau, a harm reduction worker based in Prince George, B.C.. Budau speaks about their mutual friend, Blair Lauren, who died at age 34 in Montreal, QC in November 2021.

In this episode, you’ll hear Loriana Cahoose speaking with Ramsey Whitfield in Prince George, B.C. about his friend Riley who experienced a fatal overdose at age 38.