FOR US BY US!: Exhibition

The Check-In Podcast: By and about equity-seeking McMaster University students
October 16 – October 26, 2023
Reception & Panel Discussion: Thursday, October 19 | 6-8PM

FOR US BY US! tracks the start-up of The Check In, a student-driven podcast series led by BIPOC and sexual and gender diverse students at McMaster. As digital artist-activism, the project intervenes in movements for justice and equity by giving space to student experiences rarely reflected in mainstream media. The exhibition’s aesthetic reflects the project’s attention to agency, independent voice, playfulness, experimentation, and transparency. In pod clips, student guests lead the frank telling of stories from their everyday lives as queer women of colour, trans people, and Asian diasporic artists. The visual documentation reflects a cinema verité approach that prioritizes capturing moments over technical fetish. The exhibition is an intervention in taking up space, courageous storytelling, and intentional listening, aiming to spark rigorous, informed discussions regarding equity and justice in the broader Hamilton/McMaster community.   

During the panel discussion, guests discussed their experiences being on the podcast and shared their thoughts on the themes covered in their respective episodes. 

  • Documentation from the Opening Reception and Panel Discussion
  • Documentation from the Opening Reception and Panel Discussion
  • Documentation from the Opening Reception and Panel Discussion
  • Documentation from the Opening Reception and Panel Discussion
  • Documentation from the Opening Reception and Panel Discussion
  • Documentation from the Opening Reception and Panel Discussion
  • Documentation from the Opening Reception and Panel Discussion
  • Documentation from the Opening Reception and Panel Discussion
  • Documentation from the Opening Reception and Panel Discussion
  • Documentation from the Opening Reception and Panel Discussion
  • Documentation from the Opening Reception and Panel Discussion

The Check-in production team and Exhibition Creator-Curators 

Dr. Paula Gardner (she/her): Co-Producer, Faculty Advisor, Funding Acquisition  
Stephen Surlin (he/him): Co-Producer, Sound Production and Editing, Promo Photos  
Serena Walk (she/her): Co Producer, Guest outreach, PR and administration, Sound production  

Thanks to our Advisors

Pulse Lab faculty members Dr. Selina Mudavanhu
and Prof. Carmela Alfonso-Laganse 
McMaster African-Carribbean faculty association 
And deep gratitude to renowned podcaster Chenjerai Kumanyika for training, advisement, and encouragement! 

Thanks to our Funders! 

Asper Foundation (Asper Chair), funding
and Pulse Lab support 
McMaster University 
SSHRC ROADS ARB funds