“Politics” can feel like a dirty word.
But for Black Canadians, political representation adds a layer of complexity often clouded by unspoken barriers and systemic silence. A lack of research into the experiences of Black Canadian politicians has left their stories untold.
However, podcast production company Media Girlfriends seeks to change the narrative with Black on the Ballot. The podcast is the companion project for a groundbreaking January 2025 report — the first national survey and archival research on Black Canadians in politics.
In the report, Black Canadians who ran for office were surveyed about their experiences and challenges. Out of those surveyed, half of respondents experienced some form of discouragement from running for office.
Media Girlfriends launched the series’ first episode on Jan. 15, giving listeners an inside look at Black politicians’ stories and struggles in Canada.
The Charlatan spoke with Media Girlfriends co-founder Garvia Bailey, who also worked on Black on the Ballot, to discuss the significance of increased discourse in reshaping the Canadian political landscape.
The Charlatan (TC): What makes Media Girlfriends a good fit to share the experiences of Black Canadians in the political landscape?
Garvia Bailey (GB): It very much is in line with what we do as a company. When we started Media Girlfriends, our main goal was really to tell as many stories as we could that we felt were not getting as much attention. The fact that there is this groundbreaking research, and we could actually animate it through our storytelling skills as podcasters and as journalists, was a perfect marriage. It just made perfect sense.
TC: Why is podcasting the ideal medium to deliver research on this topic?
GB: What we’ve done as a company is a lot of knowledge translation work, which means that we are taking big concepts and big studies and animating them for the public through real people and real stories. I think it’s something academia could do a lot more of. Why have this research regular Canadians can’t access or understand? This was a way to use the human voice. It’s a true path towards trying to understand each other and where we’re coming from. Audio lends itself to intimacy.
TC: What were the challenges in producing a podcast in an under-researched area?
GB: To me, it’s like, “Let’s make the bed so that folks can lie in it.” I think it’s a challenge, yes, but you get to be on the ground floor of setting it so that other people can listen and take in vital information about our democracy. It’s a sin that we haven’t asked folks these questions before and that this research is so scarce in Canada. Yes it’s a challenge, but really, it’s an opportunity.
TC: Why is there a lack of research in this specific realm in Canada compared to the U.S.?
GB: The people who get to tell the stories and have their stories told are usually the ruling class, right? That’s why there are such major gaps in whose story is told and how it enters into historical records of who we are as Canadians. I think that there’s a shift happening. We have to tell everyone’s story if we’re going to do it right. I think we live in a system that is really hard on marginalized voices, so it’s nice to be part of something that is maybe shifting that narrative and creating space.
TC: What is one important message about resilience you want listeners to take away from Black on the Ballot?
GB: If you’re thinking about becoming politically active, regardless of who you are and where you’re from, just go for it. Be brave, be courageous, do the thing. We’re at a time right now where democracy feels like it’s on an unsure footing sometimes. I feel like we need as many different voices and perspectives as possible. That’s what I want people to walk away with.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
