N. Jamiyla Chisholm - Journalist & Author of The Community: A Memoir

In this episode of Footnotes on Crime, we are joined by N. Jamiyla Chisholm, journalist and author of The Community: A Memoir, a powerful and deeply personal account exploring identity, memory, family, and the hidden complexities within community life.Through her work as a writer and reporter, Jamiyla brings a fearless and compassionate voice to stories that sit at the intersection of lived experience, social history, and personal truth.About the EpisodeHow do we tell the truth about the places and people who shape us?Drawing on both investigative rigour and emotional honesty, Jamiyla reflects on writing about her own past, confronting difficult truths, and navigating the responsibility of telling stories rooted in real lives and intimate histories.Memory, Identity, and NarrativeIn this episode, Jamiyla Chisholm shares insight into the process of transforming her own and her mother's lived experience into narrative, and how this can become a powerful tool for reckoning, healing, and social reflection.Our conversation is candid, searching, and deeply moving, challenging how we think about truth not only in writing, but in how we understand ourselves and the communities we come from. One not to be missed.What We CoverThe story behind The Community: A MemoirWriting memoir through interviews with her motherMemory, identity, and contested truthsEthical responsibility when telling personal and communal storiesThe intersection of reporting and lived experienceHow storytelling shapes understanding of place and selfIdentifying cult behaviour Why This Episode MattersThis is more than a conversation about memoir. It is an exploration of how stories help us confront hidden histories, reclaim voice, and examine the narratives that define us.N. Jamiyla Chisholm offers a profound perspective on truth telling, identity, and the courage it takes to write honestly about the worlds we inhabit. Purchase books on AmazonPlease note - Footnotes on Crime is an Amazon Affiliate / Associate - Commission is earned on purchases made using these links.Paperback (Amazon) - https://amzn.to/4bVhx7WHardcover (Amazon) - https://amzn.to/4e1ytL9Audiobook (Amazon – with Audible Subscription) - https://amzn.to/4tmCzCa Visit www.footnotesoncrime.com for more information about the podcast, or to sign up to our newsletter and become one of our Footprints.Sign up to Audible* - Select 1 audiobook a month and enjoy unlimited podcasts with Audible Standard at £5.99 per month - https://amzn.to/3OewMzASign up to Riverside FM** - Riverside is the AI-powered platform that lets you record, edit, repurpose, and distribute studio-quality content as easily as if you had a crew behind you. Sign up today - https://riverside.sjv.io/9VVebW*Commission paid by Amazon**Commission paid by Riverside FM / Impact