In a world of rising cost and debt, calls for relief are growing stronger. Colin Ellis speaks with filmmaker Astra Taylor about her 2021 documentary "You Are Not a Loan," which looks at the power debtors possess that can change systems if they organize. They discuss how COVID changed the debt relief movement and how democracy is affected by people being forced to take on loans.

You Are Not a Loan clip credit: Courtesy of Astra Taylor.

In a world of rising cost and debt, calls for relief are growing stronger. Colin Ellis speaks with filmmaker Astra Taylor about her 2021 documentary "You Are Not a Loan," which looks at the power debtors possess that can change systems if they organize. They discuss how COVID changed the debt relief movement and how democracy is affected by people being forced to take on loans.
You Are Not a Loan clip credit: Courtesy of Astra Taylor.

Join Colin Ellis and Nam Kiwanuka for this podcast on documentaries and the stories they tell. They'll introduce you to filmmakers who give us fascinating takes on people, perspectives and what it means to be human.

Join Colin Ellis and Nam Kiwanuka for this podcast on documentaries and the stories they tell. They'll introduce you to filmmakers who give us fascinating takes on people, perspectives and what it means to be human.

Join Colin Ellis for this podcast on documentaries and the stories they tell. He'll introduce you to filmmakers who give us fascinating takes on people, perspectives and what it means to be human.

On Docs

Join Colin Ellis and Nam Kiwanuka for this podcast on documentaries and the stories they tell. They'll introduce you to filmmakers who give us fascinating takes on people, perspectives, and what it means to be human.

Join Colin Ellis and Nam Kiwanuka for this podcast on documentaries and the stories they tell. They'll introduce you to filmmakers who give us fascinating takes on people, perspectives, and what it means to be human.

How student loans, mortgages, and debt destabilizes democracy

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, carpenter Khaleel Seivwright found himself busy building shelters for unhoused people. He'd calculated that a person living in one of the structures he was making could act as a heat source. His tiny shelters would be a vital resource as winter arrived in the city and they had the potential to save lives.

But the City of Toronto took a dim view of his work. John Tory's government filed a court injunction against Seivwright and continued to criminalize those living in parks. The city's argument against the shelters was that the tiny wooden houses were unsafe, fire hazards for those who lived in them, and for the surrounding neighbourhoods. In protest, community activists organized rallies and placed signs on the small shelters stating, "Someone lives here. Please don't remove." They criticized the government for this move against unhoused people and its lack of action when it came to the housing and homelessness crisis.

The documentary "Someone Lives Here" captures Khaleel Seivwright's struggles to get the buildings certified as safe and his search for accountability from municipal politicians. The film won the Roger's Audience Award at Hot Docs. Zack Russell, the film's director, and Khaleel Seivwright, the subject of the documentary, speak to Colin Ellis and Nam Kiwanuka on this episode of TVO's On Docs podcast. They dissect the making of the documentary, how the tiny house project started, how the tiny shelters were made, and the public response to the initiative.

Donate to TVO: http://tvo.org/give

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, carpenter Khaleel Seivwright found himself busy building shelters for unhoused people. He'd calculated that a person living in one of the structures he was making could act as a heat source. His tiny shelters would be a vital resource as winter arrived in the city and they had the potential to save lives. But the City of Toronto took a dim view of his work. John Tory's government filed a court injunction against Seivwright and continued to criminalize those living in parks. The city's argument against the shelters was that the tiny wooden houses were unsafe, fire hazards for those who lived in them, and for the surrounding neighbourhoods. In protest, community activists organized rallies and placed signs on the small shelters stating, "Someone lives here. Please don't remove." They criticized the government for this move against unhoused people and its lack of action when it came to the housing and homelessness crisis. The documentary "Someone Lives Here" captures Khaleel Seivwright's struggles to get the buildings certified as safe and his search for accountability from municipal politicians. The film won the Roger's Audience Award at Hot Docs. Zack Russell, the film's director, and Khaleel Seivwright, the subject of the documentary, speak to Colin Ellis and Nam Kiwanuka on this episode of TVO's On Docs podcast. They dissect the making of the documentary, how the tiny house project started, how the tiny shelters were made, and the public response to the initiative.
Donate to TVO: <a href="http://tvo.org/give" data-ogsc="">http://tvo.org/give</a>

The carpenter who helped the unhoused survive winter

Whether it's in New York or Toronto, Chinatowns are being attacked by the forces of gentrification, development pressure, and much more. But communities are resisting this pressure to retain their intangible cultural heritage forged by the bonds of a shared history - often tied together by the historical racist policies of their new homes. Colin Ellis and Nam Kiwanuka talk with director Karen Cho and community organizer Rick Wong about how Cho's new documentary, "Big Fight in Little Chinatown," shows how people are mobilizing to save these places.

Donate to TVO: http://tvo.org/give

Whether it's in New York or Toronto, Chinatowns are being attacked by the forces of gentrification, development pressure, and much more. But communities are resisting this pressure to retain their intangible cultural heritage forged by the bonds of a shared history - often tied together by the historical racist policies of their new homes. Colin Ellis and Nam Kiwanuka talk with director Karen Cho and community organizer Rick Wong about how Cho's new documentary, "Big Fight in Little Chinatown," shows how people are mobilizing to save these places.
Donate to TVO: <a href="http://tvo.org/give" data-ogsc="">http://tvo.org/give</a>

Why are Chinatowns disappearing?

The Satanic Panic - a phenomenon of the 1980s and '90s - was a terrifying rollercoaster for all involved. Accusations of child sacrifice ruined lives as the public sought answers for why everyone suddenly seemed to have been victims of Satanists and Satanic rituals. Amplified by the Catholic Church, law enforcement and daytime TV, rumours of these cults made their way through fearful communities, creating a witch hunt for anyone believed to be part of alleged Satanic worship groups.

At the centre of this conspiracy was a book called "Michelle Remembers," a memoir published in 1980 by Canadian psychiatrist Larry Pazder and his patient Michelle Smith in which Smith's recounted false memories where she was abducted and tortured by a satanic cult in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.

The new documentary, "Satan Wants You," describes the experiences of the satanic panic, how the memoir (,Michelle Remembers,) sparked it, and exposes how a lie from a Canadian patient and doctor became an enduring myth. The film was featured at HotDocs and SXSW, and its filmmakers Sean Horlor and Steve J. Adams speak to Colin Ellis and Nam Kiwanuka on this episode of TVO's On Docs podcast. They dissect the chilling story and production behind "Satan Wants You," and the satanic panic phenomenon of the 1980s and '90s.

Stay connected to On Docs and TVO’s latest documentaries: https://www.tvo.org/

Listen to more TVO Podcasts: https://www.tvo.org/podcasts

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Follow Nam Kiwanuka on Twitter - https://twitter.com/namshine

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TVO Today is a trusted source of insight and information about life in Ontario and beyond. Our award-winning current affairs journalism, documentaries and podcasts explore relevant issues and inspiring solutions. Visit https://www.tvo.org for more.

Donate to TVO: http://tvo.org/give

The Satanic Panic - a phenomenon of the 1980s and '90s - was a terrifying rollercoaster for all involved. Accusations of child sacrifice ruined lives as the public sought answers for why everyone suddenly seemed to have been victims of Satanists and Satanic rituals. Amplified by the Catholic Church, law enforcement and daytime TV, rumours of these cults made their way through fearful communities, creating a witch hunt for anyone believed to be part of alleged Satanic worship groups. At the centre of this conspiracy was a book called "Michelle Remembers," a memoir published in 1980 by Canadian psychiatrist Larry Pazder and his patient Michelle Smith in which Smith's recounted false memories where she was abducted and tortured by a satanic cult in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. The new documentary, "Satan Wants You," describes the experiences of the satanic panic, how the memoir (,Michelle Remembers,) sparked it, and exposes how a lie from a Canadian patient and doctor became an enduring myth. The film was featured at HotDocs and SXSW, and its filmmakers Sean Horlor and Steve J. Adams speak to Colin Ellis and Nam Kiwanuka on this episode of TVO's On Docs podcast. They dissect the chilling story and production behind "Satan Wants You," and the satanic panic phenomenon of the 1980s and '90s.
Stay connected to On Docs and TVO’s latest documentaries: <a href="https://www.tvo.org/">https://www.tvo.org/</a>
Listen to more TVO Podcasts: <a href="https://www.tvo.org/podcasts">https://www.tvo.org/podcasts</a>
Subscribe to TVO Media Education Group newsletters: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&amp;redir_token=QUFFLUhqbHJqcWMyMmRqN3ZvMXh5R3dIRnNNUXVWU0trQXxBQ3Jtc0tsdGZlb25WdFRERmRZS2dUMTkwSkpTWm00bElzdFd6MmVpbno0QUIzV1lQazhEVVZGVFRmS2tFUkJfRVQ5QUpmaXUzRndsVE1aYXdXdjBHc2Zrbzl0NTYyZDBHVHUwcU13RXpxc0RZUlE0MkRBMjd3Zw&amp;q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tvo.org%2Fnewsletters&amp;v=3I3I3xhX1AE">https://www.tvo.org/newsletters</a>
Follow Nam Kiwanuka on Twitter - <a href="https://twitter.com/namshine">https://twitter.com/namshine</a>
Follow Colin Ellis on Twitter - <a href="https://twitter.com/ColinEllis81">https://twitter.com/ColinEllis81</a>
Get the TVO Today app: App Store: <a href="https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/tvo-today/id1616182112">https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/tvo-today/id1616182112</a>
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TVO Today is a trusted source of insight and information about life in Ontario and beyond. Our award-winning current affairs journalism, documentaries and podcasts explore relevant issues and inspiring solutions. Visit <a href="https://www.tvo.org">https://www.tvo.org</a> for more.
Donate to TVO: <a href="http://tvo.org/give" data-ogsc="">http://tvo.org/give</a>

How student loans, mortgages, and debt destabilizes democracy

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