On the cover this week, we have a few communities starting conversations about an issue we should all be talking about by now. Racism was the core theme of the Mayor’s Summit for Racial Inclusion, but some people felt left out of that discussion, so they started their own Local Inclusion Summit. 

We can’t do both of these events justice in one feature, but hope that by sharing some imagery from these parallel events, we can contribute to an ongoing dialogue. 

In this issue, we’re also covering an exhibition where two photographers converse through their medium, a neighbourhood discussion about human sexuality and an Improv comedy festival that wouldn’t exist without audience interaction. Our city is full of artists and thinkers with stories to tell, and we’re here to bring you into the conversation. 

For those on campus who don’t know where to talk about the hard stuff, we’re sharing information about the improvements to counselling services at the U of W. We’ve chatted with bus riders about transit cuts, and with visiting profs about Canadian buddy cop films. We’re hearing from the organizers of the Midnight Medicine Walk about their hopes for building community in the North End. 

These are more than weekly news stories — they’re all parts of an ongoing conversation being held by people in Winnipeg who are considering the world, their place in it and visions for how it could be better. 

That’s also why we hold space in every issue for the Comments section, which is entirely filled by volunteers — students and non-students alike — who have a story to tell about their views and opinions. Every issue is an open invitation to join the conversation, and if you’re not sure where to start, email Alana at [email protected] and she’ll help you out. 

If talking to strangers makes you nervous, we’re holding a Q&A session over the lunch hour this Monday (Sept. 28) where we’ll be discussing interview basics. Join us in the Uniter office to hone your skills and learn from the pros. 

We hope that you’ll read these stories and add your comments (if you’re online, but you’re also welcome to scribble all over this paper as well), and let us know what you think of our coverage. All of our contact info is at the bottom of this page. 

We look forward to hearing from you, and hope you enjoy the dialogue in this week’s issue. 

-Anastasia Chipelski, Managing Editor

Published in Volume 70, Number 3 of The Uniter (September 24, 2015)