Mic Drop: Here's why The Current is giving a voice to Canadian youth
We’re trying something a little different on Fridays this summer
When was the last time you really listened to a teen — without interrupting?
Well, that's the only option for adults tuning into Mic Drop, a CBC Podcast that takes us into the secret world of the Canadian teenager. Each episode features young people speaking candidly about their hopes, fears and frustrations, using only their first names or pseudonyms.
The podcast is the brainchild of Shari Okeke, a 20-year veteran of broadcast journalism who noticed our youngest citizens rarely get any airtime. To her, that's a shame. Many teens told her things their parents had no idea they were even thinking. Their stories are laced with insights beyond their years.
We hope listeners will appreciate this window into the minds of young Canadians. You can hear excerpts of Mic Drop on Fridays throughout the summer on The Current.
"It's amazing what you will hear when you listen. I mean really listen," says Okeke.
Tune in with a teenager. Perhaps it will spark a conversation you didn't know you needed to have.
Where can I hear more?
Because Mic Drop was originally a podcast, you can stream or download the entire series now. Here's a quick look at all seven episodes.
Evans grapples with growing up far away from his father. Fiona chops her locks to unveil the person she'd always wanted to look like. Aliyah comes to terms with all the different sides of herself.
Ava's doing everything she's supposed to and yet some people stare at her face without looking her in the eye. Melissa confronts homophobia in her private high school. Whitney loves makeup but many cosmetics companies don't offer her shade.
Layla navigates offers of drugs and alcohol at school. Olivia goes down a dangerous path. Gerry follows his dream to rap over parents' wishes.
Gabe and Tristan are identical twins who are both facing stress — but they couldn't be more different. Sara and Emily learn a lot about friendship after dealing with mean girls in a group chat.
Moving between mom's house and dad's house has Eve wanting to just move OUT. Ben's juggling pro soccer dreams, school demands and the temptation to party. Sarah's living between Korean and Canadian cultures.
Gary looks back on his darkest and scariest times and talks about suicide prevention. Blake and Emma each suffer from complicated mental health issues but their friendship is getting them through.
From homelessness to high school degree: one teen talks rebuilding her life by building skateboards in an alternative school. Raven, another teen, says she took herself out of a broken home and built a better family for herself.
Download episodes from the series here, or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.