Bearing Witness
Piya explores how observing experiences of trauma can change people
This episode was originally published on November 1, 2019.
Observing other people's experiences of trauma can breed understanding and spur action. But it can also have a profound impact on the person who's watching. This week, Piya asks: How does bearing witness change you?
Here are the stories from this week's episode...
TRC Honorary Witness grapples with feeling like a 'fraud' after observing testimony
Nick Noorani was chosen to be an Honorary Witness at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. His role included observing stories of residential school survivors, first hand. He tells Piya how the experience far outweighed what he'd read about Canada's history... and why he feels at a loss over what to do with this knowledge now.
Man who captured video of Charlottesville attack still dealing with the aftermath
On Aug. 12, 2017, Brennan Gilmore was among the people protesting racism at the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Va. By chance, he was also filming the scene with his phone when a man drove a car into the crowd, killing Heather Heyer. He tells Piya how his decision to publish the video made him the target of conspiracy theorists, leading to ongoing harassment.
Why a retired teacher is choosing to dedicate her life to ending child detention centres in the U.S.
After 30 years as a teacher in Maine, Mary Dunn is now retired. But she's still working hard, dedicating herself to tackling family separation and child detention centres in the United States. She tells Piya about how her visit to a controversial shelter galvanized her mission, and the personal costs that have come along with immersing herself into activism.
A former war photojournalist explains why he quit covering conflict zones
For years, photojournalist Eros Hoagland documented conflict zones around the world, from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to the drug wars in Mexico. But over time, he grew weary of what he was witnessing, and skeptical of conflict photography's worth. He tells Piya about the political and deeply personal reasons why he decided to quit shooting conflict altogether.