DIDIHOOD ~ Issue 33

It's November!

This year has been something else and somehow, it is almost over. Now eight months into the pandemic, Didihood is spending time to figure out what the future of our events will look like. With so much uncertainty of social gatherings going into 2021, we're hoping we can continue offering events for our community. 

We're also entering the last month of our 2020 Mentorship Program. If you're interested in joining the cohort next year, stay tuned for more details next spring. We will also be looking into another virtual event at the end of the year, stay tuned for more details. And as always, stay safe Didis! 

Meet the Didi:

This month we're excited to feature HuffPost Canada's Ottawa Bureau Chief Althia Raj. With years of experience as a political journalist, Althia is also an author, podcast host and regular contributor on television.

How did you start covering politics as a journalist? What drew you to the industry?
It wasn’t planned. I wanted to be a foreign service officer. During my last year of undergrad at McGill University, I applied for an internship at CBC in Montreal over the summer. When I returned to Ottawa to do another internship (the Parliamentary Internship Programme), a recruiter from CBC in Toronto called and asked if I would be interested in working at the CBC. I started working in radio on Ottawa Morning as an associate producer and on The House. I always loved that show. When I was young, I would get up early on Saturday mornings to watch Fashion File with Tim Blanks and then listen to The House — which if you don’t know it is a one-hour radio program about federal politics. Eventually, I moved to the CTV’s parliamentary bureau to get television experience and then I got a job with the Sun Media/Quebecor chain as a print reporter on the hill. 

I’ve always loved politics, but more from an academic standpoint. I’m interested in public policy, the mechanism of government, the procedures of the House of Commons, Senate reform, etc. I was interested in partisan politics as a vehicle for the voters’ will to be expressed, as an important feature of our democracy. But I’ve never been a joiner, I like to watch and learn and question. I enjoy conveying why some things happen the way they do, and why other things don’t happen. It is a real privilege to have a front-row seat and be involved in the writing of the first draft of history.

 In the last few months, the Canadian media as a whole has been restarting conversations around diversity and lack of support for BIPOC journalists in many spaces. Politics itself has received its own level of criticism for being too white. Have you ever faced any barriers in this industry?
I’ve faced barriers as a woman, but I’m not certain it’s because I’m a woman of colour. There is still a lot of sexism and double standards. It is felt especially on social media, rather than in the physical work space these days. At the same time, I've had a lot of opportunities because I am a brown woman.

Broadcasters, over the past 20 years, have increasingly tried to represent the country Canada has become to itself. I’ve benefited from that. There is no doubt that the Parliamentary Press gallery is still very white. It is also mostly reflective of central Canadian urban voices. Diversity needs to happen on many levels. The more voices we have to help tell Canadians’ stories, the better our overall coverage will be and, I think, probably the result will be better government.

You've done everything from hosting a podcast to writing an e-book to interviewing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in a town hall. What's next on your dream list?
Hmm.. I don’t know. I’ve never asked myself that. I want to help tell meaningful stories. I hope I contribute to people’s understanding of Canadian politics. I want to be factual and fair. And hopefully, sometimes a bit entertaining (politics is fun after all!).

I enjoy the longer form of the podcast (ours is called Follow-Up, check it out!). During the COVID-19 pandemic, I’ve found personal satisfaction in helping be a voice for those who have felt voiceless, caught in the gaps of government programs or simply ignored.

At the end of the day, I think we all just want to make the world a better place. I’m working on a documentary right now about asylum seekers. There are a lot of Canadians in this country doing remarkable things and I genuinely just feel lucky to be able to elevate some issues forward. Maybe, one day, I’ll write a book.

Politics itself, especially with the upcoming U.S. election, has been quite interesting to say the least. Does it ever get overwhelming working this beat? If so, how do you deal with it?
There is a lot happening all the time and you need to be able to sort through things and prioritize. But it’s really fascinating. I get paid to learn and feed my curiosity. How great is that?

What would be your advice for Didis interested in covering politics in Canada?
If it’s something you love doing, it won’t feel like work and you’ll want to do it all the time. I have no golden piece of advice. Work hard. Be nice. Look where others are not looking. Don’t be afraid to swim against the current. Constantly question yourself, and then work harder.

What we're reading and watching:
Who What Wear recently put together a list of 10 South Asian fashion brands you should follow.

Amazon Studios also partnered up with Blumhouse in October to bring you some creepy movies for the holidays. Part of the line up was a South Asian cast production called The Evil Eye starring Sunita Mani, Sarita Choudhury and Omar Maskati. We suggest watching this one with your folks.

And in case you missed it, Pink Chai hosted a conversation on Unpacking Male Dominance in Desi Media. Watch the full video here.

— Arti Patel

Issue 33
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