WATCH ABOVE: Tracy Nagai has the story about a Calgary producer who’s hoping some local artists can put the issue of violence against women centre stage.
CALGARY- The issue of violence against women is front and centre in the national conversation these days, with intense debate taking place online and on TV.
But a Calgary producer wants to see this talk turn to action and she’s hoping some local artists can set the stage.
When Kenna Burima gets in front of a piano, her big voice belts out a sad tale. She sings a song inspired by strength.
“So many of my female friends were starting to share really personal and heartbreaking but also really inspiring stories about their survival of sexual abuse or assault,” Burima said.
The intense dialogue comes after several high profile sexual assault and domestic abuse allegations.
More than two-dozen women have come forward claiming comedian Bill Cosby took advantage of them and former radio host Jian Ghomeshi is facing four charges of sexual assault.
“I think after the #yesallwomen hashtag back in May and the shootings down in California, I think that was a ground swell and I think there has been a building of momentum when talking about women’s rights,” Burima says.
She wants that momentum to grow and is using music to do it.
Next weekend, 12 female artists will perform at the event ‘Carol of the belles’.
Like all women, they know someone or have faced some kind of abuse or discrimination in their lives. Comedian Sarah Adams’, the emcee for the event is one of them.
“It took when i was heckled as a pregnant lady on the sidewalk in Calgary, by a man across the street. just fully heckled. hey pregnant lady blah, blah, blah. All of a sudden I felt very targeted,” Adams said.
Adams is in charge of bringing some humor to a heavy subject and it’s no easy task.
“There are ways comedy is the buffer between these sorts of hard issues and seeing some light in them. but it takes time to really contextualize how any of these things could really become a joke,” Adams said.
Although there’s still a lot of work to do, Burima says she’s noticed a difference in the discussion taking place and hopes more people will confront these tough subjects.
“It’s a difficult conversation to have. about rape, about sexual harassment, about misogyny, about feminism even. Once you start the conversation, it’s hard to stop it,” Burima said.
And it may just inspire change.
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