Black Health and the Humanities network members Rianna Raymond-Williams and Chantal Victoria Bright discuss how their participation is shaping their research in an episode of Rianna’s podcast, Ree Speaks. Click here to listen and subscribe.

Rianna explains the reasons she began the podcast: “I decided to start a podcast to document my doctoral journey. I’m using the podcast as a space to enhance my creative practice, particularly in audio production, which I hope to use during my research journey to bring some of my data to life. I have a background in journalism, so it seemed like a natural progression from presenting stories in a written format to hosting a conversation.

The podcast also gives me the opportunity to document my research journey and to speak with a range of academics, activists and creatives like Chantal about their work, which I feel is really important. Ultimately, Ree Speaks is my chance to challenge traditional means of knowledge production through hosting conversations about race, education, health, and so much more.” 

In the episode, Rianna and Chantal reflect on what they learnt from the first and second workshops, their aims and motivations for their research, how they’ve incorporated storytelling as a research method, and their hopes for the future as early career researchers. 

Chantal explains: “I decided to pursue the PhD route because of my passion about environmental and global water issues. I wanted to know how access to water affects women specifically. The creative process has very much been a part of my PhD, as storytelling and narration is a part of my methodology. In addition, turning some of the stories that I will gather in my research into fictitious stories will inform the third part of my children’s book series, Janjay.”

Both Rianna and Chantal mention books they have authored in the podcast. Rianna’s edited collection explores sexual and reproductive health, and Chantal’s is a children’s book about water security.

Janjay and Janjay goes upriver, by Chantal Victoria Bright. Fiction, suitable for ages 9-12. Order the Janjay children’s book series here.

More Than Talk: Perspectives of Black and People of Colour (BPOC) working in Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) in the United Kingdom (UK), edited by Rianna Raymond-Williams and Lama El Khamy. Order More Than Talk here.