The Nest

AccessBC: Building Capacity to Mobilize

The Martlet, Rae Dawson — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 10:19:05 -0800

In this episode, AccessBC’s research lead Sara Sunderji and campaign coordinator Anahita Seraji sits down with Nest producer Rae Dawson to discuss AccessBC’s current campaign to address IUD insertion pain management in B.C. They talk about what AccessBC is and their goals, their four key asks of the BC Government during this campaign, and the important work of building capacity for uncertainty during advocacy work.

You can reach out to AccessBC here:
Website: https://www.accessbc.org/
Instagram: @access.bc

Transcripts for episodes of the Nest are available at martlet.ca.

The special February 26 Sex & Gender edition of the Martlet is available now in print at a pub box near you and online at martlet.ca.

Want to stay in the loop? Register for the Martlet’s e-newsletter here: https://martlet.ca/subscribe/

Interested in getting involved with the Martlet? Email info@martlet.ca to learn more about volunteer positions, or to pitch a story.

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Mayor Dean Murdock: Offering Hope for the Future

The Martlet, Rae Dawson — Sat, 20 Dec 2025 09:00:00 -0800

In this episode, Mayor of Saanich Dean Murdock sits down with Nest producer Rae Dawson to discuss the updated Shelbourne Valley and Quadra Mackenzie city plans, creating affordable and accessible housing, battling misinformation within municipal government, and the importance of having your voice heard by local councilors.

You can reach out to Mayor Dean Murdock here:
Email: mayor@saanich.ca
Instagram: @murdockmayor

Transcripts for episodes of the Nest are available at martlet.ca.

The December 18, 2025 edition of the Martlet is available now in print at a pub box near you and online at martlet.ca.

Want to stay in the loop? Register for the Martlet’s e-newsletter here: https://martlet.ca/subscribe/

Interested in getting involved with the Martlet? Email info@martlet.ca to learn more about volunteer positions, or to pitch a story.

Want to advertise with us? Email business@martlet.ca to learn about our extensive advertising opportunities.

UVic IACE: Becoming Stronger Together

The Martlet, Rae Dawson — Sat, 22 Nov 2025 10:00:00 -0800

Nest producer and Martlet Operations Manager Rae Dawson sits down with Lauren McLean, the LE,NONET Student Leadership Program Coordinator at UVic’s Office of Indigenous Academic & Community Engagement (IACE) to talk about support for Indigenous students on campus. In the words of IACE Executive Director Dr. Jacquie Green, IACE “works to support the success of Indigenous students at UVic by providing cultural and academic programming, including Elders in Residence, wellness circles, tutoring, academic advising and counselling, as well as experiential learning opportunities, financial aid, leadership and community development opportunities.” Rae and Lauren discuss opportunities for Indigenous students through IACE such as the LE,NONET program and Campus Cousins, reflect on the importance of accessing inter-generational community as a student, and how Indigenous students can find their “home away from home” at the First Peoples House.

You can find out more about IACE here:
Website: https://www.uvic.ca/iace/index.php
Instagram: @uviciace

Transcripts for episodes of the Nest are available at martlet.ca.

The November 20, 2025 special climate edition of the Martlet is available now in print at a pub box near you and online at martlet.ca.

Want to stay in the loop? Register for the Martlet’s e-newsletter here: https://martlet.ca/subscribe/

Interested in getting involved with the Martlet? Email info@martlet.ca to learn more about volunteer positions, or to pitch a story.

Want to advertise with us? Email business@martlet.ca to learn about our extensive advertising opportunities.

LampPost Victoria: Building Community is a Skill

The Martlet, Rae Dawson — Sat, 12 Jul 2025 09:00:00 -0700

LampPost Victoria Co-Founder Simon Larocque sits down with Operations Manager and Nest producer Rae Dawson to discuss LampPost’s venture into creating community connections in Victoria, B.C. LampPost Victoria is an event calendar platform for finding events, hosting events and regular meet-ups, and community cohort gatherings. They discuss what LampPost is and the inspiration behind it, tangible ways to build a community and make connections, and practicing stepping out of your comfort zone in an algorithmic world.

Find out more about LampPost Victoria here:
Website: https://www.lamppostvictoria.com/
Instagram: @lamppostvictoria
@simonlarocque_

Transcripts for episodes of the Nest are available at martlet.ca.

The June 26 edition of the Martlet is available now in print at a pub box near you and online at martlet.ca.

Want to stay in the loop? Register for the Martlet’s e-newsletter here: https://martlet.ca/subscribe/

Interested in getting involved with the Martlet? Email edit@martlet.ca to learn more about volunteer positions, or to pitch a story.

Want to advertise with us? Email business@martlet.ca to learn about our extensive advertising opportunities.

PEERS Victoria: Rights Not Rescue for Sex Workers

The Martlet, Rae Dawson — Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:00:00 -0800

PEERS Victoria Executive Director Leigh Elliot and Education Coordinator Sarah Smith sit down with Martlet Editor-in-Chief Sydney Lobe to discuss PEERS’ work as a resource society created by sex workers for sex workers in Victoria, BC. For 30 years, PEERS has been providing outreach, harm reduction, and education services for people in the sex industry. They discuss the on-the-ground services PEERS offers, the legal history of sex work, and PEERS’ work destigmatizing sex work, misconceptions around sex work, and how to support their organization.

Find out more about PEERS Victoria Resource Society here:
Website: www.safersexwork.ca
Instagram: @peersvictoria

Transcripts for episodes of the Nest are available at martlet.ca

The sex and gender edition of the Martlet will be released in print and online February 20, 2025! Check it on our website.

Want to stay in the loop? Register for the Martlet’s e-newsletter here: https://martlet.ca/subscribe/

Interested in getting involved with the Martlet? Email edit@martlet.ca to learn more about volunteer positions, or to pitch a story.

Want to advertise with us? Email business@martlet.ca to learn about our extensive advertising opportunities.

Teale Phelps Bondaroff: Seeing Beneath the Surface of Sea Cucumber Crime

The Martlet, Rae Dawson — Sat, 08 Feb 2025 09:00:00 -0800

World leading sea cucumber crime expert Teale Phelps Bondaroff and Martlet Editor-in-Chief Sydney Lobe discuss recent sea cucumber crime on Vancouver Island. Teale leads an international team of researchers with OceansAsia and his work on illegal fishing has helped draw attention to wildlife crime targeting lesser-known but important marine species like sea cucumbers and krill. Together they discuss what a sea cucumber is, the lucrative and organized criminal nature of marine wildlife poaching, and how individuals can make a big difference in marine conservation through focused action.

Find out more about Teale Phelps Bondaroff and his research here:
Website: teale.ca
Instagram: @tealephelpsbondaroff
Facebook: @tealephelpsbondaroff
TikTok: @tealepb

Transcripts for episodes of the Nest are available at martlet.ca

The next edition of the Martlet will be released online February 6, 2025! Check it on our website.

Want to stay in the loop? Register for the Martlet’s e-newsletter here: https://martlet.ca/subscribe/

Interested in getting involved with the Martlet? Email edit@martlet.ca to learn more about volunteer positions, or to pitch a story.

Want to advertise with us? Email business@martlet.ca to learn about our extensive advertising opportunities.

Campus Community Garden: Growing Food is a Radical Action

The Martlet, Rae Dawson — Sat, 28 Dec 2024 10:00:00 -0800

Juls Macdonell (she/him), assistant coordinator for the Campus Community Garden (CCG) at UVic, sits down with Martlet Editor-in-Chief Sydney Lobe to discuss the CCG. The CCG is an affiliate group of the UVSS who manages an urban agriculture and permaculture space on campus, hosts free educational workshops and fun events, and rents out plots. They walk through a verbal tour of the garden, the radical history of the CCG, and what volunteers have to gain from both the process and the product of gardening.

Find out more about the CCG and how to get involved here:
Instagram: @uviccampusgarden
Website: https://www.ccgardenuvic.ca/

Transcripts for episodes of the Nest are available at martlet.ca

The next edition of the Martlet will be released online January 9, 2025! Check it on our website.

Want to stay in the loop? Register for the Martlet’s e-newsletter here: https://martlet.ca/subscribe/

Interested in getting involved with the Martlet? Email edit@martlet.ca to learn more about volunteer positions, or to pitch a story.

Want to advertise with us? Email business@martlet.ca to learn about our extensive advertising opportunities.

Students of Colour Collective: Making Diversity Visible at UVic

The Martlet, Rae Dawson — Sat, 07 Dec 2024 10:00:00 -0800

Martlet Editor-in-Chief Sydney Lobe talks with Taha Qureshi, the coordinator for the Students of Colour Collective (SOCC) about what SOCC’s role is at UVic. SOCC is a student advocacy group that serves all racialized UVic students and works to promote and support cultural diversity on campus and in the Greater Victoria community. Taha speaks to who is a part of the SOCC, how to be an ally to students of colour by showing up, and the necessity of small movements to move the dial of change forward.

Find out more about the SOCC and how to get involved here:
Instagram: @soccollective
Website: https://soccollective.com/

Transcripts for episodes of the Nest are available at martlet.ca

The next edition of the Martlet will be released in print and online December 12, 2024! Check it out at the pub box or on our website.

Want to stay in the loop? Register for the Martlet’s e-newsletter here: https://martlet.ca/subscribe/

Interested in getting involved with the Martlet? Email edit@martlet.ca to learn more about volunteer positions, or to pitch a story.

Want to advertise with us? Email business@martlet.ca to learn about our extensive advertising opportunities.

The Climate Disaster Project: Thinking About Climate Change in a Human-Facing Way

The Martlet, Rae Dawson — Sat, 23 Nov 2024 10:00:00 -0800

In this episode of the Nest, Martlet Editor-in-Chief Sydney Lobe sits down with Sean Holman, the founding director of the Climate Disaster Project. The CDP is an international teaching newsroom based at the University of Victoria that works with people affected by climate change to share and investigate their stories. Sean and Sydney unpack what inspired the CDP’s beginnings, the difficulty and necessity of finding points of agreement in conversations about climate change, and the vital importance of centring survivor narratives in climate journalism.

Find out more about the Climate Disaster Project and how you can be involved on their website: https://climatedisasterproject.com/.

This episode is being released alongside the Martlet’s annual Climate Issue, which will be published on November 21, 2024. You can pick up a print copy on UVic’s campus and around Victoria, or peruse our digital edition on our website: martlet.ca

Transcripts for episodes of the Nest are available at martlet.ca

Want to stay in the loop? Register for the Martlet’s e-newsletter here: https://martlet.ca/subscribe/

Interested in getting involved with the Martlet? Email edit@martlet.ca to learn more about volunteer positions, or to pitch a story.

Want to advertise with us? Email business@martlet.ca to learn about our extensive advertising opportunities.