. Throughout the eight-episode journey, the Okanese First Nation (Cree) investigative reporter takes a glance into her father\u2019s harrowing experiences at a Canadian residential college within the Sixties. She uncovers deep abuses by the hands of faculty directors that led to childhood loss of life and maturity trauma\u2014outcomes that weren’t distinctive to St. Michael\u2019s.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nConnie\u2019s deeply private telling of this harrowing story has made a profound impression on<\/span> investigative journalism. On February 6, Connie and the <\/span>Stolen<\/span><\/i> crew gained an Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Award for the collection. This prestigious award honors the very best in broadcast, documentary, and on-line reporting as chosen by friends and fellow journalists. <\/span>Stolen<\/span><\/i> is the primary Spotify or Gimlet podcast to obtain a duPont.<\/span><\/p>\nFor the Record<\/span><\/i> caught up with Connie just a few days after the award ceremony to listen to extra.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nWhat was your response to discovering out you gained a duPont?<\/b><\/h3>\n
I used to be thrilled. And additionally sort of in disbelief. It\u2019s such an unimaginable award, and simply to have that sort of recognition for our podcast, it was simply so unbelievable and thrilling. I\u2019m nonetheless pinching myself.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nLooking again on the season, had been there any components of investigating, recording, or enhancing that stood out as notable to you?<\/b><\/h3>\n
This is a really completely different story for me, maybe as a result of it\u2019s such a private story. As journalists, we\u2019re typically suggested to not make your self a part of the story\u2014it\u2019s sort of a taboo factor. And in order that was actually a giant problem for me personally, to incorporate a lot of my private story and my father\u2019s household story within the podcast. But it additionally felt like the proper format for doing that, you realize? A serialized investigative podcast allowed us to actually discover all of the nuance and context that\u2019s so vital in understanding not simply residential faculties however tales about Indigenous individuals normally.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nSurviving St. Michael\u2019s<\/span><\/i> began out as this actually private story about my father and his expertise at a residential college\u2014I by no means imagined it will find yourself as probably the most complete investigations right into a single residential college. And what we had been capable of uncover in our investigation was staggering. One thought I had because it was occurring was, \u201cThis should have happened earlier.\u201d The window for accountability is shrinking, and the window for survivors is shrinking as nicely. Coming out of this, I really feel the urgency to maintain on telling these tales.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nThe jury recommended the collection for \u201cits consistent focus in pursuing the truth.\u201d What are your <\/b>hope<\/b>s <\/span>for mainstream media and its future concentrate on the realities Indigenous individuals confronted and nonetheless face?<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\nI began my profession over 20 years in the past when there was actually little or no curiosity in our communities and little or no understanding of the significance of our tales. And to be at this level the place now I\u2019m supported to share these tales on Gimlet and Spotify\u2014with the massive audiences and the flexibility to take a few of these massive dangers with our storytelling\u2014it seems to me like a dream come true and one thing that I simply need to proceed for so long as I can. There\u2019s been an enormous shift within the final 5 to 10 years, not simply by way of an understanding of how vital our tales are, but additionally that Indigenous individuals needs to be those to inform them. And clearly all of us need to maintain going. We know there are such a lot of extra tales.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nPodcasting is changing into an more and more accessible medium to traditionally marginalized creators. What would you prefer to see extra of popping out of Indigenous communities?\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n
I feel it\u2019s improbable that podcasting is now a platform for us to share these actually vital journalistic and investigative tales. What I personally would like to see extra of is a greater illustration of the range of our experiences. Obviously, as an investigative journalist, I\u2019m going to tackle a sure sort of story in a podcast like <\/span>Stolen<\/span><\/i>, however Indigenous individuals have a lot magnificence and humor, and an unimaginable tradition, and so many issues to share. I really feel prefer it\u2019s by no means been simpler to share a few of these components of our tradition and that range that exists in our experiences. But I\u2019d like to see extra of that\u2014extra laughter, extra celebration, extra sharing of the wonder and energy of our tradition.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nWhat are you as much as subsequent?<\/b><\/h3>\n
We\u2019re already onerous at work on Season 3 of <\/span>Stolen<\/span><\/i>! We\u2019ve already accomplished just a few recording journeys. Our crew is actually excited to maintain going. Like I stated, there are such a lot of tales from our neighborhood that have to be informed, and I\u2019m excited to shed a highlight on extra of them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nCatch the primary episode of the duPont-winning collection under.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n