The Sister(s) Strain

Back with another round of their Care to Share campaign- The Sisters Strain interview 5 of Chatham-Kent's Anti Human Trafficking Coalition members to find out more about what services they offer the community. We learn more about IPV and HT- what it is, what are the signs and how can we help keep our loved ones safe.Karen Hunter is the Executive Director of the Chatham- Kent Women's Centre. **Karen also interviewed for the Sisters other two films- "Unhoused: Communities in Crisis" and "This Women's Work" so you'll hear how her work is affected by the housing crisis and also her thoughts as a women in the modern working world. These podcasts are long form directors cuts of the on-camera interviews conducted by The Sisters Strain for their documentary film "The Coalition". This project was made in partnership with the Chatham-Kent Anti Human Trafficking Coalition and the Chatham-Kent Coordinating Committee to End Violence Against Women

The Sisters Strain hosted the Red Carpet interviews at Blood in the Snow Film Festival Thursday November 20th, 2025 in Toronto! Join them as they meet many of the talented filmmakers from this years festival lineup.Come along for the fun AND FLASHING LIGHTS as we hear what the best of Canadian Genre filmmakers have to say about their selected projects and being a part of the fabulous Blood in the Snow Film Festival- and meet the festival director himself- Kelly Michael Stewart!!!Go find these talented filmmakers, give them a follow and find out how YOU can catch their films in a future screening!Thank you to this years filmmakers:@[email protected] @[email protected] @darcy_qm @filmcherryontop@prasannaJpaul @alexmasciotramilstein_film@tammysalzl @[email protected] @shrimpfriedricefilm @sangtheproducer@pagemanproduction@victoria_l0ng @[email protected]@michpriske @lizwallace5@donationsthefilm @mikecoshmedia@nashtheslashdoc& Griffin CorkShout out to the talented flash mob performers from TMU:@brennanbielefeld@[email protected]@angiegarciaofficial@chayajacobs_@sanaasulls@3than3dwards1520@kieranprouty@samuelsharrettAlessia Halewood, Sarah Rogers, Alanna Romero-Pashe, Matthew Laughton, As well as the Humber film students who helped film:@markchinch@gleamandglimpseJessica Pace, Elizabeth Vaughan & Chernyshova KristinaAnd The Sisters thank Filmmaker and friend, Daniel Turres, the writer and director of Thursdays World Premiere screening of FRESH MEAT film- for a fun filled week of working together to bring Sankofa Squares First EVER Flash Mob to life!!We’ll be sure to share the flash mob footage soon. For now enjoy these interviews!!Listen here, find us on Spotify at The Sister(s) Strain or watch the video on Youtube :)

For the final episode of our 5 part "Care to Share" series, we sit with Chatham-Kent resident Tammy Gross. Tammy shares with us her lived experience as a mother who has had two sons who've struggled with substance abuse disorder-one of whom passed from the condition. We didn't know Tammy prior to this conversation- and so we learned a LOT during this episode. Some moments we're quite heavy to hear, as such this episode will be a little more quiet and contemplative as we discuss the realities faced by those with loved ones who struggle with addictions.As always we urge you to "Care to Share" this conversation so we can all learn the facts before forming an opinion!

The fourth podcast in our 5 part "Care to Share" campaign, this week we talk with Brian Knowler- a local police veteran, author, motivational speaker and mental health advocate. We discuss his personal journey with substance abuse, the importance of considering the housing crisis through a trauma informed lens, and clarify certain legalities of the Canadian charter rights. We hope you will follow along and #caretoshare this information so we can all get more informed before forming an opinion!

Episode number 3 in our 5 part "Care to Share" campaign is here! This week we talk with Leslie Raitt, a Chatham-Kent citizen who has a loved one who has struggled with addictions and houselessness. We invite her to share about hers and a bit of her sons journey as he has found his way to recovery. Leslie talks with us about her and Renee from R.O.C.K. joining together to create a support group for loved ones called "Holding Hope".We hope you will follow along and "Care to Share" this information so we can all get more informed before forming an opinion!

The second podcast in our 5 part "Care to Share" campaign, this week we talk with Jordynne Lindsay who is part of the Chatham-Kent Ontario Health team, our community Drug Strategy Coordinator and also works closely with R.O.C.K. Missions. We talk all things harm reduction- what it is, why it's necessary to our community and who mandates it!We hope you will follow along and "Care to Share" this information so we can all get more informed before forming an opinion!

The first in our 5 part "Care to Share" campaign, this week we talk with Renee Geniole from R.O.C.K Reach Out Chatham-Kent. There have been so many questions and concerns swirling around our community in light of the encampment movement and bylaw proposals. We sat down with Renee to learn a little more about R.O.C.K.- where they get their funding, what their funding is intended for...and even the pressing remark on community members minds- How much does Renee make as the Director of R.O.C.K?!We hope you will follow along and "Care to Share" this information so we can all get more informed before forming an opinion!

Summer is almost here and so it seems like the perfect time to do a final episode to punctuate the first season of The Sister(s) Strain. The Sisters are hard at work on multiple documentary film projects. They will share with you a few summer reading recommendations and hopes to return next season with many new faces and voices to share. Stay curious this summer, stretch outside your comfort zones and live your fullest!!Summer Reading List:A Return to Eros by Marc Gafni & Kristina KincaidCunt: A Declaration of Independence by Inga MuscioInvisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado PerezPussy: A Reclamation by Regina ThomashauerVagina by Naomi WolfThe Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan

There has been a LOT of talk about this floating around the internet as of late and the Sisters took their time to really contemplate the issue and to dig a little deeper for a few unique perspectives on it. Why are we seeing this shift, how are social media and masculinity influencers affecting it and what work do we need to do face it as a society?! Join us for a dialogue on Season 1, episode 9 of The Sister(s) Strain!Look for the currently unpublished but hopefully coming soon book titled "Men Without Men" by Angelica FerraraA few positive on-line influencers:@heybrotherco@everforwardclub@whiteribbonaust@nextgenmen@[email protected]@professor_neil@jeffperera

Season 1, Episode 8 of the The Sister(s) Strain invites in special guest, actress and filmmaker, Ann Pirvu. The ladies discuss women in comedy, the need for our media to represent/promote a wider array of unique perspectives/voices, and how to be authentic to your truth and intentions as an artist. Although there were more stats and data about the current climate of women working in the comedy genre there was simply not enough time to discuss them all during this episode. Attached are resources where you can continue further reading for yourself!The conversation shares some inside info into the female led comedy series Ann stars in titled “Poly is the new Monogamy” written by Cat Hostick, that is currently available on Hollywood Suite. https://hollywoodsuite.ca/series/poly-is-the-new-monogamy/Ann also shows off the newly released comic book she created with her husband, “Doctor Awesome Woman” now available through Vortex Comics:https://vortex-comics.myshopify.com/products/doctor-awesome-woman-volume-1-issue-1?_pos=1&_sid=e0d3c734a&_ss=r&fbclid=IwY2xjawKZcsdleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHlsjJoC2T83u0Jd9ZwPKoitvYkyBzGNoxG5JWw3M7UcQoh67ldgjmHmFtBZW_aem_YAnZ_smrWoOeHHojdBA8gg&sfnsn=mo

Episode 7 takes a deep dive into the meaning of words...one word more specifically...CUNT! While the sisters explore the lost meanings of many female oriented words and our societies current attachments to them, they'll be focusing on the etymology of the word cunt and where it has most notably appeared in our literature. You can't believe everything you have come to know about the words you use...Suggested subject matter books:CUNT: A Declaration of Independence by Inga MuscioVagina by Naomi WolfThe Female Eunuch, Sex & Destiny, The Whole Woman by Germaine Greer

Episode 6 is a personally MONUMENTAL one!!! As we gear up for Mothers Day this weekend the Sisters Strain get to celebrate the coming birth of their beautiful creative baby!! Their Directorial debut feature film "Call of The Blackbird" is set to release next Tuesday, May 13th on streaming platforms all over the World!!Tune in to hear the story of how this film came to be and the fears they overcame to conquer this dream of theirs <3

Season 1, Episode 5 is a fun one...and perhaps a bit brazen...as The Sisters do best hehe Patriarchy loves to take points of feminine pride and turn them into an insult. Today we're reclaiming one of them...PUSSY!;) Join us on this pleasure-filled podcast and take your curiosities further by following the resource links provided/reading the books suggested below:Books:Pussy: A Reclamation by Regena ThomashauerVAGINA by Naomi WolfInstagram:@themerakiproject

Season 1, Episode 4 is a topic very near and dear to The Sisters hearts- the pursuit of female filmmaking. Studies show that the number of males and females studying filmmaking is at an even divide so why are the numbers of women directing films so low??!! The sisters will take you on a journey through time, exploring the past, present and hopeful future of female filmmakers!Links attached provide resources to stats/discussion material heard in this episode. Here are some recommended books on the subject:1)Backwards & In HeelsThe Past, Present And Future Of Women Working In Film by Alicia Malone2) The Female Gaze: Essential Movies Made by Women by Alicia Malone3) The Wrong Kind of WomenInside Our Revolution to Dismantle the Gods of Hollywood by Naomi McDougall Jones

The Sisters are joined by their long time friend Meg as their first guest! The ladies explain why their group chat is titled "Daddy Issues" and dig into the deeper meanings behind the expression-where it came from and what it presently represents-in our society.

Menstruation is a topic the sisters are very passionate about! As they wrap up a period product campaign they've been conducting for the month of March they share a few things they've learned along the way and shed some light on global period inequity stats. A few resources they used for this episode:The book "It's Only Blood: Shattering the Taboo of Menstruation" by Anna Dahlqvist A MUST READ!!!!!https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9903918/https://www.gavi.org/vaccineswork/nigerian-activists-take-period-poverty#:~:text=In%20Nigeria%2C%20an%20estimated%2037,also%20pain%20medication%20and%20underwear.https://www.ujaas.in/blogs/period-poverty-in-india-understanding-the-issue-solutionsFrom our passion to our pen,~The Sisters Strain~

The Sisters Strain host their introductory podcast episode in which they share more about their twin bond, dig into the reasoning women struggle with self-compassion and encourage more women to forge strong bonds of sisterhood.

No one despises a woman standing fully and firmly in her truth, taking up space, and using her voice, like a misogynistic man who believes women owe him their youthful beauty and exist entirely to appease his superficial/patriarchal male gaze...We we're so excited to launch the intro to our upcoming podcast, finally pressing record on the feminine conversations we discuss daily, eager to share in hopes we can start more dialogues with other like minded individuals. All with the purposes of learning, growing and expanding our minds together. Only to have an individual leave a crude remark on our Youtube about our bodies not looking they way they think they should/the way we used to in our youth. We read the comment, looked to each other and then immediately headed to our podcast room to press record on the moments after. So- here is an early release episode as a little taste of what is to come from The Sister(s) Strain. We may not always get it right and we may not always be perfectly positive but we promise we will be honest, authentic, raw, real and unfiltered. To read more of our words head over to our substack https://substack.com/@sistersstrainEnjoy this bonus episode and we look forward to our April release!

Coming Soon!!!Join your favorite, feisty, feminist filmmaker duo in this fun yet informative dialogue on all things the feminine experience!