Wednesday, June 17, 2020

In 2019, Hart House hosted a Talking Walls exhibit in collaboration with the U of T Law’s International Human Rights Program (IHRP) for the release of the book, And I Live On: The Resilience of Rwandan Genocide Survivors of Sexual Violence.

Hart House podcasting hosts had a chance to meet with JD students enrolled in the IHRP clinic, India Annamanthadoo and Mehak Kawatra, to ask them more about their work on last year’s project, what motivated them to pursue a career in law, and their reflections on some of life’s bigger questions. While the focus of these conversations is on resilience, listeners should know the episodes discuss survivors of sexual violence.

India describes her travels in Rwanda as she shares stories of vulnerability, connection and empowerment.

Listen to: The West Meeting Room: Holding Space for Pain and Joy (SoundCloud) or read full transcript of interview (PDF)

Mehak shared insights about empowerment, emotional labour, and the vital role of stories in advocacy work.

Listen to: The West Meeting Room: Listening is Not a Passive Act (SoundCloud) or read full transcript of interview (PDF)

The Hart House podcasting team works collaboratively to produce compelling audio stories that focus on student experiences at U of T and beyond and features in-depth interviews and round-table discussions around social justice, language, identity and self-care centred on student voices from across U of T's three campuses.