Black History Month: The Journey to Radio Producer, Health, Changing How Kids Learn About BHM – Shemroy Parkinson- CHIP Conversations

Hello everyone! I know it’s a bit late but I am proud to share with you the special Black History Month episode of CHIP Conversations! For the second episode, I spoke to a well-known Canadian radio on-air talent and producer, Shem! We talk about his career, Scarborough, health and wellness, and why Black History should be celebrated more than just one month out of the year! This is a great episode filled with some meaningful conversations and topics. Please watch the video below (closed captions on screen) or read below and see some of the photos I took of him. If you’re reading this via Google Chrome, you can also translate this page. Please feel free to like, share, and subscribe to the channel while also following the blog on social media (TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook) to stay informed of highlights from this episode and future episodes!

Tagan: I’m here with you Shem today. Thank you for your time.

Shem: Thank you for having me, man

Tagan: Can you start by giving a quick Intro about yourself

Shem: My name is Shem, Shemroy Parkinson. I work as a producer primarily as well as an on-air talent at KISS 92.5, here in Toronto. I’ve been doing this job for now 12 years… Malvern…Check the hat always love me, Scarborough. Love Malvern. Born and raised. Scarborough all day, every day. Absolutely. I’m blessed. I’ve got a great life. We all have things that we can complain about of course, but I will not. I got my health for the most part, So yeah. I’m good

Tagan: I know you for where we are right now, KISS 92.5, The Roz & Mocha show! I don’t know if it’s the biggest show in Toronto if it’s a show in Canada, but it sure feels like it right? And I’ve seen your work. It’s hilarious, it’s engaging.  I’ve seen your career grow as well from the outside.

I just wanted to ask you, what inspired you to even pursue this and how did you even get to this stage? like the position you’re in right now? Because you’re assistant production…

Shem: I’m the assistant program director of the radio station and the executive producer of the Roz & Mocha show.

It’s kind of crazy so… (Tagan: flex on them) (laughs) Yeah a little bit. Flex on them a little bit. No, it’s crazy I took criminal justice and law in school. That’s where my degree is and I had always wanted to do some sort of performance or broadcasting. I’d always thought that that’s what I wanted to do. Most people don’t know this… I wanted to be a soap opera actor. Like a soap opera actor, I was into the whole like I used to watch passions and… Passions!? Come on man! Passions, General Hospital, you know, the Young & Restless. It used to be my thing right there right!?

So I always wanted to I always really wanted to be an actor. I thought that’s what I wanted to do I thought I also wanted to be a singer as well and it just didn’t sort of work out that way. You know how it is? When you tell your parents, especially my Guyanese parents, I want to be an actor and they’re like right…Okay. Well, do something practical. Go get a law degree, or to be a doctor, or whatever. So I did that and I enjoyed it. It was cool. But I think after my degree I did well in school… It wasn’t like I flunked or did anything bad. I did well in school. 

But I think afterwards I said to myself now you know what, I want to go pursue…You know this dream of broadcasting in some way shape or form. I wanted to do that so I did. I enrolled at Humber College and I did the post-graduate program which was like eight or nine months. Shoutout to Humber who did that and then I interned. I begged to come to KISS like I begged the powers that be here to come here. I’ve grown up listening to this radio station. You know we’re talking the days of well you know Mad Dog and Billy when they were here, of course, Roz & Mocha who’ve been here for 15 years and counting and I just worked my way up honestly, that’s really what it is.

I just came in here with the mindset that I was gonna get to a certain point and I’m still working. I never look at it “Look at me, I’ve arrived” and you’re right, I’m on one of the biggest shows in this country with the Roz and Mocha show and I’m eternally grateful to be on the show and work on the show.

Tagan: We make sacrifices as kids of immigrants. But, was there a time when you felt like maybe you weren’t sure or you didn’t see anyone that related to you being Afro-Carribean, Guyanese?

Shem: I mean, yeah. I will say that my parents never discouraged my dreams. My parents were never like no don’t do that. They just wanted what was best like all parents. Yeah, representation matters. I think growing up you didn’t see a lot of people within proximity of myself who were achieving stuff in the entertainment world but now look at it. Some so many people look just like me and just look just like you who are thriving and doing incredible things and they are absolutely… inspirational.

Tagan: The reason why we’re here today Shem is for CHIP conversations. So CHIP is the acronym and motto I live by “Challenging hardship into perspective.” So that’s just kind of how my life has been and throughout the years I’ve been talking to different people, different areas, different industries but you know they made a name for themselves or making name for themselves but they’ve also experienced challenges and hardships but to overcome that they’ve kind of gained a new perspective.

So I wanted to talk to you about you, have there been any hardships or challenges that you’ve encountered or dealt with whether it be in the radio industry or whether it be in your personal life Is there anything you feel comfortable talking about?

Shem: Yeah, definitely challenges I’m a Black man, breaking news, right!? You know how- you know the negative stereotypes that come with that and you sometimes people throw some obstacles or the world those obstacles in front of you. I do my best to try to overcome that but I also recognize that I’m incredibly privileged that I have had both my parents, a strong support system that has allowed me to overcome that and not use that necessarily as a reason to not succeed but I’m also aware and it’s important to know that there are so many people who don’t have that right? And they struggle and then they may go down a different path.

I’ve had my struggles I have struggled with insecurity and insecure about my weight. As I look – I’m literally like if you were to do a side-by-side of Shem in 2019 and 2024 (that’s age man) that’s double me. So you know I got work to do but if you were to look at my other sort of struggles, yeah I mean I’ve been divorced which is an emotional struggle for me, and for a while it made me feel insecure about who I am as a person. There was a little while where I felt like my career was a little stagnant and so I struggled with feelings of self-worth got me thinking, you know where am I? Am I talented? Am I  good enough to do this? More recently I lost my grandmother last year which is tough you know from an emotional standpoint for sure.

You know I had built relationships like anybody else. I’ve had broken tough friendships and so I’ve had some setbacks but you know I also think that these things have happened to help me grow. I didn’t even know my strength until I went through some of these challenges so I consider myself to be pretty resilient. I try my very best to not allow… Let’s just say societal things or barriers sort of get in my way. But again, it’s important to know not everybody can do that And I don’t say that as some weird flex I said to say you need to have a little bit of empathy for people who aren’t necessarily able to overcome things as quickly.

I never take this stuff for granted despite going through some crappy things that really could have made me say not forget it. I try to remind myself what’s the alternative. Sure, I can give up I could say nah forget it. I don’t want to do anything. I’m done. Screw me, forget it. But who’s that screw? Screws me. You don’t screw anybody else. Just me. So I refuse not to look at my potential.

Tagan: That’s awesome. I’m happy that you have that mindset. Because we wouldn’t be getting the stuff that you put out. And I know it may be something small to you but trust me that the stuff that you do for other people, even if they don’t- you don’t know, you made such an impact. So I’m happy that I’m about certain other things. Obviously, no one is perfect for you. You gotta do what you gotta do. I mean as long as you are working towards something.

Shem: the other thing I would say is you know being on the Roz & Mocha show and I’m gonna sound like a homer when I say this but it’s the truth we just got back from a trip a show trip to Jamaica and Walking through the airport and having people recognize us, well Roz & Mocha, but me being there as well It’s kind of cool I have been recognized and at the resort seeing people come up to us and like and be like nervous to talk to us like to me that I mean again not nearly to the extent a famous as my co-workers but it’s just it’s sort of weird to be that anybody would ever be starstruck to meet me. I’m a very regular dude so it’s sort of it’s very flattering when people will say, DM, or call in and it’ll be like “Yo you change my life” or “You know you I listen to you every day” or I am there or they recite things that I’ve said on the radio years ago back to me as things that have helped them in their own life like to me that’s it almost makes me a little bit emotional thinking about it because there is such power there’s such intimacy in that right and the fact that anybody would hold on to something. I’ve done or said on the radio or TV. It’s pretty remarkable.

So when those moments have happened where you run into a listener or fan who’s just so excited to see you. Excited to take five minutes to talk to you I do cherish and appreciate those moments 100%. And two things first you just talked about people recognizing you I want to say I DMed you. Like we don’t know each other before this!

Tagan: I remember I hit you up and I’m like this guy’s probably going to leave me on read. Obviously, he sees the follower count and is like alright, whatever but you responded! I was like holy sh… I told my sister I was like “Yo this is real bro”. 

Shem: See I appreciate that that’s so funny for me to hear though because like firstly to look at your follower count to decide whether you’re worth that’s crazy. Like I think that’s stuff- I know that happens. I just think that’s so utterly ridiculous. You know kudos to you because doing this stuff. You’re right. A lot of times I was in that position 12 years ago where you’re you know you’re trying to talk to people trying to reach out, and quite frankly a lot of people in the media communication industry are snobs and don’t respond.

I don’t see the purpose in not responding to somebody. I just don’t see I like- Who the hell am I? That I just shouldn’t respond to somebody right? Like especially someone who’s come to me respectfully. I can say “Hey look man Tagan, I don’t have time sorry can’t” but even if I didn’t have the time let’s head into the time you make the time right. You just make the time and you appreciate people who are trying to do great things and you’re trying to do something really great. You are doing great things. Why the hell would I not? Why would I not say let’s do this? you’re right is the end of my work day we’re filming this. You know what time I start I started early right (2:30). But that would like to me you know this is about but this is cool for me as well like selfishly right like although I’m your guest. This is also cool for me to kind get here and talk to somebody as young as is hungry and who’s trying to do something greatly doing great things. It’s cool for me as well. So I know that you appreciate it but selfishly this is also cool for me to kind of do. So I appreciate you even reaching out.

Tagan: Thank you and I know you’re doing great things. Off the Record, I saw you’re talking about your students too. You are putting people on so I’m just saying it’s not just me that appreciate what you’re doing so thank you for that. 

Tagan: I do want to ask you like is there anything like goals or anything like that? You are maybe in the next couple of years or something like that always kind of hope to achieve? Or just go with the flow?

Shem: Honestly a little bit of both. I wouldn’t say go to flow it’s gonna go with whatever life throws my way and I’ll be ready for it. I have goals. I have career goals. I would love to be in the Roz & Mocha show for as long as I possibly can but you know the show is not gonna be on forever. What happens to me after the show? Which was already gone for 15 years right now. We do another 15, 20 years but what’s next for Shem after that? So I think about stuff like that for sure I’ve got financial goals.

Shem: I don’t ever want to feel like I’ve arrived, not yet. I am too young for that too young to feel like I’ve already arrived. I don’t do anything else not- to be stagnation is death and I’m all about like what’s next but I also think that sometimes that can be a flaw of mine.

Tagan: Okay, how so?

Shem: Because I rarely take a second to just stop and say “Okay, cool.” I made it now like I’ve done something good. I’m always trying to achieve what’s next and I know I need to sometimes pause take a second and say oh you know what? I did well today. I’m happy with that. I don’t do that enough. I would encourage anybody who’s listening to this right now I would encourage yourself to do that. Gotta take a second to appreciate the work that you do. I don’t do that enough and that’s something that I really want to make sure I do more of. 

Tagan: I genuinely don’t do that. Until you actually just said that right now I’m like…

Shem: I think that’s a Toronto thing. Honestly. I don’t know what’s wrong with Toronto is such a grind culture, hustle culture “Go go go” try to change the next thing nobody takes the second just be like (breathe) Alright, cool. And I think it’s so important to do that for your mental health as well right?

Tagan: 100% mental health is wealth.

Tagan: We kind of talked about this again off-screen as well but while we’re filming this during Black History Month, I do want to ask you being of the culture, why do you think Black History Month is so important? Why do you want or why do you think other people should embrace learning about black history also appreciating the culture itself?

Shem: So yeah, well Black History is Canadian History right? I’ll speak to Canada. I’m not gonna talk about America. It is Canadian history and oftentimes time it gets sort of separated but that’s also a lot of time it gets whitewashed and it doesn’t get focused. I find especially in schools so much of Black History it’s just probably the lens of slavery. We’re just slaves all we hear about is what slaves we were some people have made incredible inventions and pioneers that we don’t even celebrate. Schools especially spend so much time on slavery which obviously you should but there are people like Jean Augustine, there are people like George Crum, by the way, who invented potato chips…Who doesn’t love potato chips, Angela James, they’re people who have done great things and don’t ever get celebrated and I feel like you know February is way too short of a month. We should be celebrating all year round because it’s part of Canadian History. So while I’m glad that we have a hyper-focus on it during a month in a year it still needs to be something that is taught right throughout the year because it is important.

It is part of the culture and you know speaking to you talk about culture. Sometimes it’s tough for me to talk like what is the culture? What does that mean? My culture my respect for you whether it’s Black Culture even if that’s like we’re not a monolith if you don’t all have the same culture right Guyanese, Trini, Jamaican… Trinidad, Bajans, or whatever, we all have our own thing and then you know those issues of colorism right my experience as a darker Guyanese person is not the same as somebody light skin person with fair skin. You’re Sri Lankan Tamil and you were saying off-air you were saying he doesn’t look Tamil and I’m sure those can be different experiences right?

So I think when it comes to culture and just sort of respecting anything it’s a just matter of educating yourself. I think we all need to learn and listen a little bit more and try to show my best respect for all cultures quite frankly by listening and learning and when I don’t know shut up and listen. 

Tagan: That’s facts. And by the way, if you haven’t done so already watch his KISS Recap, the Black History Month one. I was like how does this guy do it? How do you feel about doing that? 

Because there are certain ones like I feel maybe you have a song in mind and you write it to that, especially for the monthly recaps. because if you don’t know he does these monthly recaps for KISS but for Black History Month it was beautiful and it was- you were talking like some of the people you were mentioning before what they were doing when you’re saying potato chip I remember that.

Shem: That Black History Month video is special to me. I do monthly recaps where I recap things that happen in pop culture at the end of every month the Black History Month one we did that last year. Came out last year. Yeah, it was man like it feels to know the impact of that song has had and videos had like I can’t even tell you how many teachers and Educators and principals who’ve reached out who’ve said hey we’re gonna use this over is this good to use this during our Black History Month celebrations I didn’t know that would have that impact when we wrote that song.

Tagan: We talked about the impact of the song. we talked about how you’re doing this. I also want to mention that you and your co-host Mocha, are constantly repping Malvern.  Yup. That hat he’s wearing. You see it on this, on the clips that you post online. Obviously, make you do check out this race between Shem and Mocha. Oh. And was that in Malvern by the way?

Shem: That was at the… I’m gonna say this the Olympic Center up around Morningside & 401. Yeah, Mocha’s my guy. Love and shoutout to Mocha. Of course, that race was uh.. that was something. but yes, watch the race first then go watch the basketball and see me get my redemption.

Tagan: You know what that’s also kind of a bigger win because that’s an international W.

Shem: That’s a fact! It was Jamaica! You know I was in a button up and I beat him. Mocha and I we both talk a lot about growing up in Scarborough and being in Malvern and just as you know I feel like everybody who grows up in Scarborough kind of has that sort of chip on their shoulder. Right? We grow up feeling like we have something to prove and feel it’s sort of embedded in all of us and I’m definitely like that.

But I don’t look at it as a negative right? I look at that more as a real motivator that’s something that pushes me and makes me want to go out there and do things and push and then grind and work hard. So I I love I love being from Malvern. I feel like so many people have this negative connotation of what it means to be from Scarborough, from Malvern in particular, and the things that I do in my daily life with work or even how I act personally and you know with my relationships is designed to make sure people recognize that I want people to say to themselves, “oh yeah” like he did great things, won an Emmy award or whatever and that and he’s from Malvern and they know that because you know the people who- most people who diss and crap all over Scarborough/Malvern have barely ever stepped a foot in it and don’t know anything about the people that are there.

We’re not some of you the second sub-human set right? We work hard we grind and I love the culture. I love the people in Scarborough. Love the people in Malvern. And yeah I appreciate it and I’m happy to take it wherever I go.

Tagan: I think we I said this before Scarborough for Toronto, brings the culture, the food, the people, the mindset that- everything that we do, we just don’t do it for ourselves. We do it for our community and we do it for everybody else too.

That’s why we’re doing this interview right now too so that you can actually benefit from it and can take something away. So I do want to thank you for that and I think you kind of almost mention the resiliency that you have from Scarborough, having that thing.

Shem: I think it’s like a blessing and a curse. You know we talk about it but it kind of pushes us to constantly go for more and do more but we also have to remember to kind of relax a bit. I think you know something that I’m guilty of and I have been for such a long time we spend so much time hustling and grinding and doing this. You don’t ever take a second to just be like I’ve done good here and really start to appreciate you know what what we do daily and I think it’s it’s unhealthy to kind of get caught up in the sort of hustle culture and never take a step back and appreciate what you have done. And again, I’m a hypocrite I struggle with that all the time. I do struggle with that. That’s something that I’m trying to learn as I get older to slow down a bit and appreciate the stuff that I’ve done and appreciate that I’m not saying revel in it but maybe revel in it a little bit. And recognize that not everything has to be a grind hustle, it’s not healthy. It’s just it’s not it’s not a healthy way to live. It doesn’t make me cooler you know to not sleep.

I never understand people really who are team no sleep I don’t sleep at all. I struggle with sleep. I would love to get more sleep, you know get your rest. It’s not cool to be tired. It’s not cool to be you know hustling all the time at night and not enjoying the fruits of your labor. So I think that it’s important to have that balance. The real cool people find a healthy balance. 

Tagan: 100 percent! But there are gonna be days because honestly like we’re both kind of hypocrites because we’re both like running on no sleep.

Shem: Totally man. Four hours of sleep but we’re also gonna have those days where we’re gonna relax and going to appreciate life.

Tagan: Before we get out of here I do want to ask, do you have any final thoughts for the viewers at home watching this and any final messages you want to share? 

Shem: I would say you know really just sort of take time to be kind to yourself I feel like we spend so much time judging ourselves and being judgmental of ourselves. Most importantly where that I know for myself but I’m my own harshest critic and I think it’s important to sort of take a step back and realize that you’re doing your best. So I say that, it’s gonna sound cliche but it’s so important to protect your mental health. It is important this physical body doesn’t work the same way if my mental health is not right. You know and if your mental health is not right so really take the time to find that balance in terms of enjoying your life. 

And you know working hard and just being kind man like it takes nothing to just be kind to people doesn’t cost anything. It just really doesn’t you know and if you don’t get anything nice to say then just shut up. Just shut up. Just shut up. It doesn’t cost you anything to just be kind to people. We are all way more alike than we realize you know and if we just take a second to get out of your own way, get out of our own hate…

Tagan: So thank you so much I appreciate you doing this. This is CHIP Conversations. Check it out and subscribe to the channel. Also if you don’t like watching videos or you depend on reading for accessibility issues or any translation, visit the blog post chiplifestyle.com. You can follow Shem on Instagram and X. If you would like to follow the blog for more CHIP Conversations and other engaging content, make sure to visit the site regularly and follow on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook!