All posts by Manda Aufochs Gillespie

Manda Aufochs Gillespie is a writer. She’s the author of the Green Mama series of books (https://thegreenmama.com/books/) and the publisher of the award-winning website thegreenmama.com. She is also a mother, neighbour, and founder of Folk University (folku.ca) on Cortes Island.

The Awakeneers return to Folk U: A full length concert

On April 12th, guest host Sadhu Johnston was joined by the folk band Awakeneers for a full-length live concert. Kicking off an April tour on Cortes, the Awakeneers delighted listeners with their fiddle and harmony-centric tunes and sweet stories to boot! The live-streamed radio concert on Friday afternoon was a teaser for the community contra dance they led on Saturday night at Manson’s Hall.

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Folk U: Food Security from the Perspective of Farmers, Food Thinkers, and the Cortes Food Bank Coordinator

On April 5th, Max Thaysen, Sara Stewart, and Filipe Figueira joined host Manda Aufochs Gillespie for a FolkU Friday group discussion on food security and food systems. They chat about successes and challenges in food systems, both locally and globally, from the perspective of farmers, food thinkers, and one of the main coordinators of the Cortes Food Bank.

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CIA at Folk U: The Wild Island

On the March 29th replay episode of The Wild Island, created by the 2022-2023 Cortes Island Academy cohort, young journalists cover Cortes from different angles; Ro explores the island’s history with forestry, Finley unpacks the mystery of the abandoned cars in Carrington Bay, Sophie looks at the realities of coexisting with wild animals, and Seren and Sonia profile the Children’s Forest.

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CIA on Folk U – Cosmic Confidential

On the March 22nd replay episode of Cosmic Confidential, created by the 2022-2023 Cortes Island Academy cohort, journalists Rose and Zella dig deep into Cortes Island’s infamous coffeehouse drugging incident with their piece Psychedelic Soup. Kiana and Igor explore the possibilities and pitfalls of using psychedelics as medicine in their piece, The Psychedelics Journey.

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Folk U: Desolation Sound #5

The Cortes Island Academy (CIA) on Folk U Radio

What really matters most in the world? How will we help inspire the next generation of truth-seekers and truth-tellers? At the Cortes Island Academy we believe in the passion and skills of the people and wild places of this place and are proud of our youth who learned along side our community and shared their growing skills through journalistic podcasts, Elder Documentaries, Field Guides and unsung hero posters.

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