KBUT community radio Diverse Voices with Erica Nelson with host Stephanie Maltarich

                              

Diverse Voices - KBUT

On this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking and laughing a lot with Anna Le. We get to hear about her career as a fish biologist.

I realize I risk sounding like a fool sometimes, however, I didn’t learn how to fish till I was 31, and my outdoor adventures didn’t begin till I was in my mid 20’s. So to me, all fish looked the same and the conversation industry gets a little confusing...on so many levels but this episode speaks to hatcheries and fisheries.

While there’s something for everyone to learn on this episode, my target is for beginners to let them know it’s okay to not know everything about fish and various species at first. I also encourage you to keep at it and over time, you’ll start to understand different types of fish.

We discuss the fish spawn cycle and dating. Be sure to take the poll on this episode's instagram post. We also dive into the beauty in transgendered people and fish. Please note: I am not perfect, neither is Anna, and we still make mistakes. I’m always learning and even find myself fumbling through terms working in social justice. It’s work that’s ever evolving...it can definitely get awkward!

Basic Fishes With Anna Le - The Awkward Angler Podcast Ep 2 S 1

People of Color have been demanding racial justice well before 2020. Why did it take the murder of George Floyd for companies and CEOs to publicly take a stance on anti racism? And on the other side, why are some companies afraid to even speak out?

People of color have also experienced racism and discrimination within the workplace, so now that their companies are making statements, how are they being held accountable? 

This week we discuss “Performative Activism” that has been observed within the fly fishing industry that began around June 2nd, also known as Blackout Tuesday and we’ll discuss the impact we see today in the angling community.  This is a conversation between a Black woman and an Indigenous woman and we share our personal perspective and observations as avid anglers in this space. 

”Performative activism is a pejorative term referring to activism done to increase one's social capital rather than because of one's devotion to a cause.” (Wikki)

As we move into a new year, I would like to call in the outdoor industry to consider responding vs reacting and doing it authentically.

Black Square Tuesday With Dimeisha Dennis - The Awkward Angler Podcast Ep 2 S 1

This week, I had the opportunity to speak with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion practitioner Patricia Chau Nguyễn to discuss her 15 years in this industry and how it's evolved. We also get to hear about her first experiences fly fishing in October 2020.


Patricia brings great insight as an Asian American that has also immersed herself in Native American studies.

We cover important topics on gender diversity, decolonization, as well as complexity in representation. We also talk about our personal journeys coming into our own comfort with our own race.

This is important for all folx, especially those that are working on their anti racist journey, to hear different perspectives, whether you’re an individual or an organization.

Angling & Anti Settlerism with Patricia Chau Nguyễn - The Awkward Angler Podcast Ep 3 S 1

As I am getting to know my fisheries and watersheds, as well as my local fly shop better, I am recognizing there are some additional responsibilities as an angler when it comes to conservation and protecting the health of the fish. 

So often I hear solutions that “gatekeep”, meaning - the activity of controlling, and usually limiting, general access to something (Wiki) 

I observe guides and locals fix blame on newbies, social media, geotagging, spot blowing, and we’ll get into geotagging on part two. Join me and Marco Kamimura, Fly Fishing Guide and Fly Tyer, that speaks to his experiences in Iowa. We discuss the difference between gatekeeping and protecting vulnerable fisheries while advocating for change and being an agent of change for your home waters so that one day we won’t have to keep fisheries on the “downlow.”