CALL FOR INTERVIEWEES

We are seeking thirty (30) local women and gender diverse people to participate in confidential interviews about their experiences during the pandemic. Read on to learn more!

“Creating Space: Precarious Status Women Leading Local Pandemic Responses” is a collaborative, two-year project out of York University that brings together research units, researchers and partners, working on issues of equity, diversity and inclusion to advance a feminist response to the impacts of COVID-19 through systemic change.

The project, funded under Women and Gender Equality Canada’s Feminist Response and Recovery Fund, aims to centre precarious status women’s experiences to support self-determination and accelerate systemic change to reduce gender-based violence, promote workplace health and safety and increase economic security.

PerSIStence Theatre has been named a subgrantee researcher and has hired St John’s based playwright Leahdawn Helena to conduct confidential interviews with thirty (30) local women and gender diverse people about their experiences during the pandemic.

Each interviewee will receive an honorarium ($50) for their participation.

These interviews will be recorded, compiled, and archived through York University, at which point Helena will curate a collection of monologues based on twelve to fifteen (12-15) of these interviews.

This collection will be premiered in a public reading with community members (different from those who are interviewed) at the First Light Centre for Performance and Creativity on International Women’s Day, March 8, 2024.

You are probably wondering, what exactly does “precarious status” mean?

Under this project, “precarious status” intersections may include, but are not limited to:

• age
• mental and/or physical health, illness and disability
• immigration and/or citizenship status
• refugee status
• job, career, vocational status
• housing status
• geographic location
• domestic, family, and marital status
• gender and sexual diversity
• racial and ethnic diversity
• financial, economic status
• front-line and essential work during the pandemic
• anyone identifying as a member of an “at risk” population or community

If you are willing to chat about your experience during the pandemic, please contact Leahdawn Helena at leahdawn@persistencetheatre.com with the subject line “Creating Space Interview.”
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It would be helpful if you would include a few lines about yourself in your message, and whether you would prefer an in-person or online interview. Those chosen to participate will be contacted directly by Leahdawn.