Is This For Real?, a podcast about living as a Black person in Edmonton, has officially wrapped its first season. In the first season, Breaking the Blue Wall, host Oumar Salifou and guests explore policing issues in Edmonton.
The episodes cover many aspects of policing, including the recent release of the Community Safety and Wellbeing Task Force's recommendations, which is covered in the season finale with Irfan Chaudry. The task force was formed last summer "in response to protests and a hearing on anti-Black racism in the city." Since its launch in 2020, Is This For Real? also heard from Moe Tesfay "about his experience of police mistreatment as a veteran and local business owner," and many other Black Edmontonians who have been impacted by police.
Alongside Salifou is producer Nicholas Yee, a musician, designer, and photographer, and Avnish Nanda, a frequent contributor and civil rights litigator. Together, the team pledges "each season will centre around a different facet of Black life in the city."
The podcast is funded entirely by grants and community donations via Patreon. The Edmonton Community Foundation is one of the donors, with the intention "to give Black journalists a space to be able to tell stories that impact their communities." Those stories are available through the podcast's website, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube.
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