INTERVIEW WITH MAHLET CUFF BY CHRISTINA HAJJAR
CH: Can you speak to how the project got started and why you were interested in this work?
MC: The idea came when I was walking down Sargent with my mom and I saw these two dudes approach us and they didn’t move out of the way but we moved out of the way. I was like why did I move out of the way? They came towards us; we made eye contact. I just kept thinking, why do we keep doing that? It kept happening over and over again for a couple weeks and I thought about all the times that I move out of the way for people, especially men and white people.
I thought about the other ways people take up space, like within my job and school. I decided to talk to non-binary folks, queer folks, people of colour, QTBIPOC, people with disabilities, and women about the ways that they navigate that and occupy spaces. This project is about reclaiming that space.
CH: How does the interview aspect of this project inform the work?
MC: Certain stories really stuck out to me, but I’m also interested in hearing other people’s reactions. I hope other people are able to relate to them too. It has a domino effect and creates empowerment. If you want to take up more space, do it in your own time when you feel the most comfortable.
I was talking to Megan Linton and their experience with using a cane. I wouldn’t imagine that people would be so gross about it. Sometimes I don’t even realize how taking up space is so important for other people. She just wants to walk around and get from point A to point B. She doesn’t need people to stare at her and say “ooh, cane,” or “why do you have a cane?” She had to make a whole instagram post to explain, “don’t talk to me about my cane.” People shouldn’t have to do that. I shouldn’t have to say, “don’t stare at me because I’m black.” Things that aren’t necessary have to become necessary because people can be terrible.
CH: There are so many stories you’ve collected about people’s experience with public space—what was that like and will you be doing anything further with the interviews?
MC: Femisphere [on CKUW 95.9fm] keeps giving me the platform to do stuff like this so that I can meet people and share their stories and have companionship with different people in the city who are doing all this amazing work. I underestimated Winnipeg when I was younger. The people you meet, maybe you don’t see them all the time, but acknowledging that they’re a good person, that I understand their stories, and that we have a common ground—it’s about friendship. It’s about people. Of course it sucks not to be around my family as much, but I think, mom, I love you—but I need to do this work, because I think it’s valuable and needed.
Playing the interviews on Femisphere will be great because it’s a community radio station. I love radio because you don’t know who is listening to it. My mom and grandma listen to it and they love it, but we need the mayor to listen to it, or someone who has never thought about taking up space or learned about feminism. Anyone can listen, just like the photos in window, anyone can see them.
CH: Can you say more about how the photographs’ physical presence at window lends to the work?
MC: I think it’s super cool that people are just passing by. There’s no label or name next to it so people can have their own imagination about what it might be about. People who are involved in the photos can also walk by and be like, “ooh it’s me up there,” which definitely has power too, to take up space in downtown Winnipeg in an area that is very businessy and expensive. I can post them online and people can share them, but to have physical space, people can try to understand what those photos represent and what the stories behind them are.
CH: Can you tell us about other upcoming projects or future goals? How can people keep up with your work?
MC: I want to make a collective called “On-air, Off-air Collective” for women, queer people, non-binary folks, trans folks, and two-spirit people, to come chill together and talk about favourite radio shows and podcasts. I know people’s lives are super busy, so I think people could be as committed as they want to be. I want it to be more like a party than a meeting. My instagram handle is @mahlet.c.
