Tapestrywith Mary Hynes

Ijeoma Oluo talks to host Mary Hynes about race — namely, how hard and needed those conversations are. Oluo, author of So You Want to Talk About Race, discusses where these conversations go wrong.

When Bryan Stevenson was asked to come up with a seven-word bio for a public appearance recently, he offered this: "Broken by poverty, injustice, condemnation. But hopeful." He is the author of Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption.

Throughout Canada, physical distancing restrictions are lifting and more people are venturing out and visiting friends and family. But trying to be a good person in the new normal can be challenging and disorienting. Philosopher Alice MacLachlan and moral psychologist Azim Shariff offer some ethical guidance.

When you’re feeling trapped or demoralized by the pandemic, scholar Joy Clarkson says fictional characters on quests — like Frodo Baggins from Lord of the Rings — can inspire bravery. Clarkson says it’s more than wilful blindness; having a vision of heroism can be a guide in hard times.

In our new COVID-19 world, decisions that were once easy — going to the park, visiting friends and family — are suddenly more complex and morally fraught. Philosopher Alice MacLaughlin and moral psychologist Azim Shariff offer some ethical guidance. Plus, a new addition to our Soundtrack for the Soul

In the Before Times, Mary Hynes and Brian Goldman were work pals. We called Dr. Goldman to talk about our Soundtrack for the Soul — the playlist of songs giving people life right now — but the script went out the window and the two started talking from the heart.

Frodo Baggins, Odysseus, Dante. Three characters on epic, dangerous quests. According to scholar Joy Clarkson, reading stories like theirs can inspire strength and courage in people during hard times. Plus, we check in with BC salon owner Tanya Sullivan — before and after the pandemic shutdown — and discover what music is keeping her afloat.

Nehal El-Hadi believes the power of smell can be better-harnessed to create a mood, evoke memory and maintain a connection to people and places.When her first child was born, she reached for sandalwood, a scent that reminds her of her birthplace in Sudan, in hopes of instilling a love for it with her daughter too.

Blue Jays baseball commentator Jamie Campbell used to joke with fans that if someone wanted him to call their Jays-loving relative, he would. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, he’s made it a daily ritual to phone fans across the country.

Mary speaks to her work pal Dr. Brian Goldman about pandemic life and the music that’s lifting his spirits. Blue Jays announcer Jamie Campbell calls elderly fans during the pandemic to ward off loneliness. When Nehal El-Hadi gave birth to her first child, she reached for the sandalwood oil to pass on a connection with her Sudanese culture.

The seven member boy band, who sing and rap mostly in Korean, share a coming of age story in their lyrics that has their fans thinking about representation, self-esteem and hope.

Normally, Melaw Nakehk'o lives in a townhouse in Yellowknife with her three boys. But when the Northwest Territories implemented self-distancing measures in response to the coronavirus, Nakehk'o took it as a cue to gather her sons and her parents together ━ and head into the bush.

Korean boy band BTS has legions of devoted fans known as ARMY. In her documentary, CBC producer - and self-professed ARMY - Jane van Koeverden explores why the connection between BTS and its fans is so deep. Hint: their loyalty is based on much more than just catchy music. Escape room owner Ibrahim Faruqui talks about the importance of play during the pandemic. Stan Halbesma, owner of a rural Manitoba grocery store, offers music for the soul.

It began as a piece of investigative journalism into so-called miracles — visions of the Virgin Mary in Oregon and Medugorje. But it turned into a harrowing chapter of Randall Sullivan’s life… and the skeptic became a believer.

We revisit an unforgettable interview from 2006 with journalist Randall Sullivan as part of our Tapestry@25 celebrations. Sullivan began investigating purported miracles — sightings of the Virgin Mary — as an assignment for Rolling Stone magazine. It took him from a trailer in Oregon to the hillsides of Medugorje and eventually led to a harrowing chapter of his life… that turned him from a skeptic to a believer. Plus a new addition to Tapestry’s Soundtrack for the Soul.

As a Baptist minister and youth advocate, Khristi Adams says that young black women and girls often struggle with the belief they can’t be anything but fierce. She’s the author of Parable of the Brown Girl, in which she chronicles her experience working with black girls coming of age.

Shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic began, Dene artist Melaw Nakehk’o packed up her three sons, left their home in Yellowknife, and set up camp with her parents along the Dehcho River. She says physical distancing in town left her feeling disconnected, but isolating on the land gave her family an opportunity to reconnect with their traditional lifestyle and each other. Khristi Lauren Adams is an ordained Baptist minister and youth advocate who has devoted her life to working with young black women and girls. She says they often struggle with the belief they can’t be anything but fierce. She works to help them feel ‘seen’ and cultivate their self-acceptance.

Trying to work, parent, home-school the kids, put three meals on the table every day, keep the house clean AND keep your sanity in check? Ann Douglas is a writer who specializes in parenting issues. She offers moral support and honest advice to parents struggling during COVID-19 isolation.

If this were a normal Ramadan, Imam Sikander Hashmi would be inviting people into his mosque every night for prayers and the communal fast break. Instead he’s been advising people how to make their own home mosques.

Author and parenting expert Ann Douglas offers her signature blend of compassion and practical advice to parents struggling to care for their children during COVID-19 isolation. Sikander Hashmi is an imam and community leader in Kanata, ON. He shares how he is guiding his community through Ramadan celebrations despite physical isolation.

At this time of physical isolation and uncertainty, music can offer a powerful balm. Tapestry is crowdsourcing songs that will lift your spirits and calm your nerves.

When COVID-19 struck, Aisha Ahmad recognized very few people around her had lived through a large-scale disaster. Despite being a professor of political science, she found herself acting as an online counsellor, sharing wisdom she earned living in conflict around the world.