Part 4: Zero

Zero women of colour or Indigenous women have ever held a seat at Edmonton City Council. Before 2021, only 21 have ever tried to break this final glass ceiling at Edmonton City Hall. In Part 4, the Searching For Izena Project travels the world, including heading to India and Kenya, to investigate why our city has never elected a women of colour or Indigenous women to council. You’ll hear directly from many of these women about the discrimination and challenges they faced, why diversity matters in politics and what they think needs to change in Edmonton to finally breakthrough this remaining barrier at City Hall. Will 2021 be the year for this historic development? We are hopeful. At least eight women of colour have already registered to run in this October’s municipal election. A special thank you to the Searching For Izena volunteers for their dogged and determined efforts producing this episode. None of this information was easily available before their hard work compiling the data and telling these women’s important stories. While the women you are about to meet in Part 4 of the Searching For Izena Project may not be in any history books, they are brave trailblazers we want you to get to know, celebrate and remember.

Guests: Dr. Syeda Hameed, Nafisa Bowen, Taz Augustine, Danisha Bhaloo-Shivji, Sandra Muchekeza and Beatrice Ghettuba

Music: Lyra Brown
Art: Deanna Bains

Searching For Izena is a year-long grassroots project organized by YWCA Edmonton, Parity YEG and several past and present Edmonton City Councillors. Thanks to our generous sponsors the Edmonton Community Foundation and Edmonton Heritage Council. Thanks also the Edmonton Public Library, Edmonton Archives, the Adams Agency, Ryan Jespersen and countless volunteers for their help bringing this project to life. For a full list of supporters and more information about the project, head to: searchingforizena.com