Stories are powerful things – they can build empathy and connection, they can share valuable information and add insight to “statistics,” and they can spur people to action.
It was with that in mind that the Victoria Foundation has launched its refreshed Vital Victoria Podcast, with host Lucky Budd. Sitting down in May with nurse practitioners Sarah Jesshope and Lynn Guengerich, Budd explored the important role and history of nurse practitioners in the local community – timely, as the region grapples with access to health care for residents.
And last week, Budd welcomed Jill Van Gyn from Fatso Peanut Butter, who shared her powerful story – from getting sober in 2010 and earning a post-graduate degree in International Development in 2015, to becoming CEO of Canada’s 18th fastest-growing startup for 2021.
A local author, historian and longtime musician, podcast host Lucky Budd specialized in oral history while earning his Master’s in History from the University of Victoria. That passion for people and their stories are at the heart of the Vital Victoria Podcast.
Interviewing people from across Greater Victoria who are working to create a vibrant, caring community for all, Budd opens each episode by getting to know his guests and how they came to do what they do, before taking a deeper dive by drawing in relevant statistics from the Vital Signs report.
“The more people hear one another’s stories, the more we can relate to one another,” Budd reflects. “The more we see what we have in common, the more bridges are connected.”
History on display
More of those local stories are explored in a new exhibition from the Maritime Museum of BC, a Victoria Foundation grantee and a hosted organization.
Queer at Sea: Tales from the 2SLGBTQ+ community explores the stories of some members of the queer and trans communities and their connections with the province’s maritime history: “Their deeply personal reflections allow a glimpse at the many ways that orientation and identity have played into their experiences of life at sea. Each person has a unique story, each has moments of triumph and discrimination. What they all share is a passion for life around or on the waters of the coast – from marine recreation to decades-long maritime careers and everything in between.”
Queer at Sea is on exhibit through Nov. 5.
Take the Victoria’s Vital Signs Survey today!
Residents from throughout the region are encouraged to fill out the brief – but important – Vital Signs Survey July 4. Under this year’s theme, “What does community mean to you?” the survey will create the foundation for the 2022 Victoria’s Vital Signs report, which, in conjunction with additional local research and statistics, measures the vitality of our region, identifies significant trends and assigns grades to issue areas that are critical to local quality of life.
Survey respondents also have the opportunity to enter a draw for a variety of prizes, including a night at the Magnolia Hotel, gift cards to the Bay Centre and Country Grocer, HarbourCats tickets and more! Find the full list of prizes here.
READ MORE: What does community mean to you? Victoria’s Vital Signs wants to know!