The Panther Podcast
The Panther Podcast, in collaboration with Nelson Mandela Park Public School (Toronto District School Board) in Regent Park in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, is a production and creation of the Protégé Panther Project for Self-Defense (PPPSD). As an extension of the revolutionary consciousness building work of the PPPSD (work that is grounded in the teaching and learning philosophies, methods and practices of the original Black Panther Party for Self-Defense) the Panther Podcast (PP) works collaboratively with our younger grade 8 comrades in their development as People’s journalists, People’s researchers, People’s skolaz and People’s storytellers. This is the self-defense and defense-of-the-collective-self aim of the Panther Podcast; to produce People’s Journalists People’s researchers, People’s skolaz, and People’s storytellers for the People. The PP is a revolutionary, liberatory, educational intervention. Our comrade’s first storytelling project is the story of Regent Park. Regent Park is a public housing project built in the late 1940s and located in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Historically it is one of the largest public housing projects in North America and the largest in Canada. In recent years however it has undergone considerable gentrification. As a racialized community, and like similar communities across the city, across Canada and across the world Regent Park has, and continues to face everyday, systemic and institutional racism and oppression in ways that are historical, colonial, and ongoing. For the community itself, the name Regent Park means pride, resistance, defiance, inspiration, hope, solidarity and joy and love for the community and the collective self. It is a name and meaning that many oppressed peoples globally have come to know and have come to be inspired by. It is no accident that the name of the local school was re-named Nelson Mandela Park School to honour the anti-apartheid freedom fighter and the struggle for liberation. Nelson Mandela himself attended the re-naming ceremony at the school on November 17th, 2001. On December 6th on the morning following Nelson Mandela’s death on December 5th our very first original set of inspirational grade 5, 6 and 7 comrades recited a condensed recital of Mandela’s ‘I am prepared to die’ speech which he delivered in court from the defendant’s dock during the ‘Rivonia Trial’ in Pretoria, South Africa, on April 20th,1964 at the memorial in the school which all of the local, national media broadcasted to the city, the nation and the world. Our comrades by doing so performed and intervention by reminding everyone who had gathered or who were watching live the history of Mandela’s revolutionary stance and what he was ’prepared to die’ for. The Panther Podcast’s story of Regent Park is a story told and developed through the everyday experiences and perspectives of our grade 8 podcrew comrades, Julissa, Fatima, Briana, Princess and featuring Aazenhil and Kebron who are all community members and (at the time) students at Nelson Mandela Park Public School. Other Panther Podcast founding organizing members, collaborators, contributors, guides, knowledge carriers, participants and supports include, Stan Doyle-Wood, Alok, Lisa Smart, Paul Cross, Nichole Leveck, Michelle and Shane Wallace. Huey P. Newton the co-founder of the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense once said that ‘unity comes with consciousness’. We agree with this. We think that it is important to note therefore that this a finding-our-voice, coming-to-voice and coming-to-consciousness process and project which is reflected in each of the coming episodes beginning with our first introductory episode facilitated by our Panther Podcrew member Lisa Smart: From this point onwards we will be uploading an episode each month. We want to give a shout-out of respect also to The Transitional Year Program (TYP) and the Critical Studies in Equity and Solidarity program (CSES) in New College at the University of Toronto for continuing to bring support and for continuing to work in genuine solidarity with us. CONTACT: thepantherpodcast6@gmail.com The Protege Panther Project for Self-Defense (c) All rights reserved
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Episodes
Wednesday Nov 20, 2024
Wednesday Nov 20, 2024
In this episode of the Panther Podcast, the Crew continues their interview with our collective member Lisa Smart, discussing life, society, and the Regent Park community. They explore gentrification, community changes, policing, and the education system. Lisa shares her experiences growing up in Regent Park, highlighting the community's strengths and the negative perceptions from outsiders. The conversation touches on racism, class, culture, and the impact on their lives.
Wednesday Aug 07, 2024