Capilano Courier | Vol. 53, Issue 4 by Capilano Courier

VOLUME 53, ISSUE NO.4

DECEMBER 2020 CAPU'S ELDER ERNEST "ERNIE" GEORGE MAKES FINAL JOURNEY - IN(CAPSULE)ATED - HOLIDAY DRINK SPECIAL - IT'S IN THE COMMUNITY: HOW COVID AND GENTRIFICATION CHALLENGE CHINATOWN - INSIDE THE STUDIO: MÉTIS BANNOCK QUEEN - VIRAGO NATION - THE SHAPE-SHIFTING SANTA CLAUS - ACTIVISM FATIGUE - AFRAID OF AFFECTION - FIVE DISNEY+ IP’S TO ABSOLUTELY NOT PIRATE THIS HOLIDAY SEASON - A LUNCH POEM FOR ESMÉ, AGE 2 - HOROSCOPES - AND MORE

letter from the editor

I’ll Be Your Mirror ANA MARIA CAICEDO

Editor-In-Chief

As the semester comes to a close and the holidays approach, the thoughts that circulate in my mind are of family, home and academic struggles.

And I think the impact of being severed from the social circles we typically rely on is something that is underestimated and under-discussed.

This year has been unlike any other for me, as I’m sure it has been for you. It’s been months since I’ve seen my extended family, and with the pandemic worsening, I’m unsure that’ll change anytime soon, even for Christmas. I’ve spent Christmases away from my family before, but distance was always the thing keeping us apart. It’s strange now to think that my family is a 15-minute drive away, and the thing keeping us apart is this invisible virus.

Though I realize most people will be reading this after the fall semester has ended, I’ve compiled some resources I’ve come across while at CapU that may be helpful to you in the future if things are difficult:

I’m lucky to have been born into a family that loves me unconditionally. When my Bipolar Disorder has landed me in the hospital, my stepmom and dad have always been by my side, their gazes always soft and never judging. When I was working a dead-end job at a printing company that I dreaded coming in to every Sunday, I’d flee to my cousin Andres’ house on the weekends, where my baby cousin Caleb and the rest of their family would uplift me and provide some respite from my depression. I’ve always looked forward to every Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years because of our family gatherings. We play cards, dance to salsa and cumbia, and laugh so loud, so hard, and so long it feels like the house could erupt. My family has always been a refuge for me. Which is why it’s been strange not being able to consistently rely on their presence throughout this pandemic, where a spell of loneliness and desperation follows me day in and day out. This semester I’ve felt like I’ve just been perpetually trying to keep my head above water. As someone who is usually very active in school and life, I feel tremendous shame and guilt for my inability to perform as well as I have in the past. My responsibilities this semester total two courses and my role at the Courier, so manageable on paper it’s laughable. Yet here I am, struggling.

Counselling Services

Counselling Services at CapU are free for students. If you’re struggling I’d recommend making an appointment with Counselling Services by emailing counselling@capilanou.ca or phoning 604-984-1744. They may be able to help you navigate extensions and overdue course work (by, for example, providing a letter you can give to professors). 2.

Accessibility Services

If you have an ongoing medical or disabling condition, Accessibility Services can provide you with academic accommodations. In order to be eligible, you need to provide supporting documentation that essentially proves you have the condition. If you are unsure if your condition counts or if you don’t have documentation, I would still recommend making an appointment, as they can provide some guidance as to whether you are eligible and how to go about getting the documentation. Their number is 604-983-7526 and their email is access-serv@capilanou.ca. 3.

Capilano Students’ Union Student Advocacy

The CSU can provide advocacy services to individual students for issues like harassment, conflict, and academic grade appeals. For more information, you can contact the CSU’s Director of Advocacy Lori Kosciuw at lkosciuw@csu.bc.ca.

This is kind of embarrassing stuff I’m divulging here, but I’m writing it in case there’s anyone reading this and also struggling to “adapt.” You’re not alone, and I hope knowing that can bring you some relief.

I want to mention one more (hopefully) uplifting thing. During our proof night for this issue, Emma Sato (Art Director for the Courier) said something that made me pause. “It just hit me the other day that we’re doing all of this remotely,” she said. “Like, that’s incredible. Good for us.” When she spoke those words, I felt my shell of guilt and shame crumble.

While some of us at CapU have adjusted very well to this pandemic and the changes that followed, there are those of us who have not. For me (and many others), learning through a screen is extremely challenging.

Sometimes we trick ourselves into believing we are not enough, not doing enough, or not doing good enough. And sometimes all it takes to put those feelings to rest is someone to hold up the mirror for you.

Jaso n Ar kel l -Bo l es

@jasonarkellboles

editor-in-chief

features editor

Managing Editor

Arts & Culture Editor

news editor

Opinions Editor

associate news editor

Literature & Humour Editor

art directors

Staff Writer

Ana Maria Caicedo capcourier@gmail.com

Alisha Samnani manager.capcourier@gmail.com

Alisha Samnani news.capcourier@gmail.com

Bridget Stringer-Holden associatenews.capcourier@gmail.com

Emma Sato Sara Nguyen artdirector.capcourier@gmail.com

Sarah Rose specialfeatures.capcourier@gmail.com

Claire Brnjac arts.capcourier@gmail.com

Megan Amato opinions.capcourier@gmail.com

Sarah Rose

Joss Arnott

Staff Illustrator Valeriya Kim

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Alden Wallace Mackay, Alexis Zygan, Charlotte Fertey, Erik Ertel, Emma Mendez, Hassan Merali, Jason ArkellBoles, Jayde Atchison, Jaymie Marie, Lexi Mellish-Mingo, Shelley Ferguson, Sinead Grewcock, Tamia Thompson, Valeria Velazquez, Wen Zhai

CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATORS Alina Sandu, Amy Asin, Anais Bayle, Annika McFarlane, April dela Noche Milne, Coralie Mayer, Ethan Woronko, Grace Choi, Helen Cai, John Pachkowsky, Lillian Zhang, Lou Papa, Marissa Ouyang, Rhea Wong, Sharleen Ramos, Talia Rouck, Thea Pham

FEATURED ARTISTS

Aleksandar Jones, Danielle Adams, Geraldine Yaris, Jason Arkell-Boles, Nguyễn Quốc Huy Anh

Cover Art John Pachkowsky

COLUMNIST PORTRAITS Emma Sato

VOLUME 53 ISSUE NO.4

NEWS

FEATURES

CapU's Elder Ernest "Ernie"

Virago Nation

George Makes Final Journey

The Shape-Shifting Santa

In(Capsule)ated

Claus

CFA Anti-Racist Action Campaign

Universities Canada

CapU Expands Kinesiology

OPINIONS Place Your Pets

Idolizing Classic Literature is So

Degree

Last Century

Pandemic Rattles CapU Blues

Activism Fatigue

We Need to Have Higher

ARTS & CULTURE Holiday Drink Special

Standards 16

This Just In: Gender Doesn’t

It's in the Community: How

Impede the Ability to Lead

COVID and Gentrif ication

Afraid of Affection

Challenge Chinatown

Hands On: Learning How to Cook in a Pandemic

Spirals of Colours: Victor Vasarely's Optical Art

Inside the Studio: Métis Bannock Queen

COLUMNS Back Home

Coast to Coast

Maple Syrup Art

Perspectives on the Post24

WE'RE HIRING A COMMUNITY RELATIONS MANAGER AND BUSINESS MANAGER! Send your resume and a brief statement on why you want to work with us to capcourier@ gmail.com. INTERESTED IN CONTRIBUTING? Email capcourier@gmail.com INTERESTED IN ILLUSTRATING? Submit your portfolio or samples of work to artdirector.capcourier@gmail.com

Postmodern

HUMOUR Local Landlord

Disney+ IPs

LITERATURE A lunch poem for Esmé, age 2

One of Capilano University’s first Elders-in-Residence was Slá’hólt, Hereditary Chief of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation, Elder Ernest “Ernie” I. George. Sadly, Elder Ernie’s courageous fight with cancer ended on Nov. 11, 2020 at the age of 80. He is survived by his lovely wife Deanna “Dee” George of 62 years, 4 children, 11 grandchildren, and 15 great-grandchildren. 6

CapU’s Elder Ernest “Ernie” George Makes Final Journey Remembering a man who had woven stories into students’ memories and hearts SHELLEY FERGUSON Contributor VALERIYA KIM Staff Illustrator

There are many articles online about Elder Ernie’s life already. How he loved golf and worked in the golf industry for 40 years; how he was a champion canoer; how much he loved and cherished his wife, family, and friends. I encourage you to look them up, read them and learn new stories that you may not have heard before. However, I want to talk about what Elder Ernie means to the students. He was loved by all who knew him. Elder Ernie spent time in the Kéxwusm-áyakn Student Center and helped foster a sense of home to the space where Indigenous students gathered. The Elders-in-Residence Program brings together students that are starting on a new educational life journey with those who have a lifetime of experience and knowledge. Eleven years ago, this program brought Elder Ernie into our lives at CapU and he helped build a community that was meaningful to everyone. He shared his knowledge, his joy, and his heart with everyone every term. I have had many talks with students over the last three years about Elder Ernie and what comes up the most is a feeling of home. Elder Ernie had an incredibly gentle and warm nature that many students gravitated towards. He was always ready with a smile and with kind words of encouragement for students. “He represented my grandpa’s generation,” said current CapU student Crystal Henderson. “He very much reminded me of my grandpa.” I would agree that he was like a grandpa to many of us. Former Interdisciplinary Studies student Tyrone JoeMayes felt that Elder Ernie “represented a real-life example of someone with experience of the impacts of Canadian imperialism for anyone who [was] interested in that kind of stuff.” Joe-Mayes recalled “boxing,

canoe racing, drinking, hunting, and being a greatgreat grandfather” as some of his favorite topics of conversation with Elder Ernie. Elder Ernie frequently interacted with not only students, but with CapU faculty and employees as well. “One of the many things Elder Ernie shared with us over the years, [was that] it is how we connect and interact with people that is the most important thing in this journey we are all on,” said David Kirk, Indigenous Faculty Advisor and Instructor. “This interaction and connection needs to be done in a mutual and respectful manner. I will treasure the many teachings he shared with not only me, but with students and colleagues.” Many other employees have also expressed feelings of respect and affection for our beloved Elder Ernie. Personally, Elder Ernie was someone who instantly made me feel happier and safer by just being in the same room as him. He was someone that I could go to that was not technically my family, not a professor, nor a CapU employee. He was someone who was there because he wanted to share his knowledge and wisdom with the younger generations. On any given day, we would share mindless chit-chat, jokes, meals, play games, or attend ceremonies together. Having his love and support during difficult times was healing and a blessing that I will always cherish. Elder Ernie was an incredibly gentle man who was many things to many students and will be greatly missed by the CapU community. I will leave some chocolate out for you tonight. Love, ‘Your water girl’

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IN(CAPSULE)ATED

“That was a really fun project for me—I loved it,” said Tae Hoon Kim. “That was, I think, the moment where I started realizing I love being a photographer, but I wanted to do something. Have a role where we— where I could do a little more than just take photos for something.”

CapU’s digital publication aims to connect university community through storytelling ALISHA SAMNANI Managing Editor, News Editor NATHALIE TAYLOR Photographer

“Aside from just being abandoned looking at magazines a lot when I was in grad school, one of our capstone classes was a magazine class,” said Kim, adjusting his camera in a futile attempt to create a satisfying Zoom backdrop. “Are you recording audio only, or—?” A sigh of relief washed over the photojournalist’s face upon hearing that visuals were not being recorded. “I think [there were] eight people in my graduating class? We served as the editorial board for each other’s magazines,” reminisced Kim fondly. “[We would] pitch all the stories that would go in the magazine, and then actually go out and did them— you photographed or wrote the story.” The feelings that accompanied that project were shared amongst members of Capilano University (CapU)’s communications department, who wanted to go beyond reacting and responding to events. “We don’t always want to be telling stories about what happened in the past,” said Kim. “We want to be able to create and capture those moments as we’re telling the story.” “A lot of my job [involves] going to events— I’m reacting to things that are happening at those events and capturing images, and then those images are used for different materials—but [our team] didn’t really have an avenue...a project that allowed us to slow down and think deeper about a story.” The result was Capsule, a digital magazine produced by the university’s Marketing and Digital Experience team, where Kim serves as the digital magazine’s managing

editor. “I think one of the reasons that people were drawn to that name was that maybe this could be like a time capsule,” said Kim. “You know—like we’re supposed to capture what CapU was like at certain times throughout their history.” The 11 members of the Capsule team have plenty of experience producing humanfocused content. “There are so many strong storytellers on the team—there’s a lot of former journalists,” said Kim. Collectively, the team has produced work for publications such as The New York Times and Bloomberg News. “In our day-to-day work, we’re always [asking] ‘whose stories? How do we tell this story?’ We were always hoping for a channel that would allow us to go deeper than typical marketing teams.” Along with providing visuals for CapU media releases and print advertising, the award-winning photographer is often spotted around campus in his role as CapU’s Visual Media Specialist, capturing the day-to-day motions of the institution. “I think it’s a shame when the only time you hear from an educational institution is when there’s a success. ‘Here’s a person who won an award,’ and that’s it,” said Kim. “That is, of course, important for an educational institution to communicate— but as a team we decided pretty early on that we’re more interested in the why. This person got an award—but what was the journey that took them there?” Capsule provided a platform for the team to explore the nuances of the campus in ways

they previously could not. The team was originally set to launch the online magazine in April, but the pandemic shattered those plans. “There was a time where I was like ‘Oh well—I guess this project isn’t happening. Great experience working on these stories,’ but you know… it’s sad.” Devastated, the team soon began to piece together the remnants of their project. “Someone [suggested] Instagram,” recalled Kim. “It’s not a platform that’s really built for long reading, but we don’t have any other solution, so why don’t we try it?” It worked—the team’s instagram account has over 300 followers after only two months. The team launched the majority of their articles as Instagram Stories—something not usually seen in traditional media. “I strongly believe that publications that do stories the best treat photography and video as a whole separate story device. They’d have to be relevant, but they don’t have to mirror exactly what the words are.” Alongside longform content such as Life of an RA and Pandemic Graduation, the team also created a series called 60(ish) Seconds, where members of the CapU community are given a platform to discuss something they have intimate knowledge about. “Everyone has blind spots. Everyone has their [own] way of seeing the world,” said Kim. “Without the people, we’re just a collection of buildings on a piece of land with a name. It’s the [students, it’s the] faculty, it’s the employees who make up our community.”

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Capilano Faculty Association to Launch Anti-Racist Action Campaign Professor Michael Markwick launches campaign in his role as CFA Equity Off icer BRIDGET STRINGER-HOLDEN Associate News Editor APRIL DELA NOCHE MILNE Illustrator

The Capilano Faculty Association’s (CFA) new Anti-Racist Action Campaign is set to launch on Dec. 10, which is International Human Rights Day. It will continue through February—Black History Month—and run into Mar. 21, 2021, which is the International Day for Elimination of Racial Discrimination. “I’ve been involved in Human Rights enforcement since I graduated from Uof T... and I have never seen this kind of hatred before,” said Professor Michael Markwick. “[It’s important] to recognize how much suffering is taking place in our campus community as a result of discriminatory actions and practices and structures, and to refuse to look the other way.” Markwick was elected at the CFA Annual General Meeting in April. In August, he took his seat as the Equity and Human Rights Officer, where he works in areas of professional ethics such as work-safe practices and anti-bullying. The BC Human Rights Code’s first mandate is to foster a province where everyone is free to participate fully. “In the time I’ve been at Cap, in my own experiences, [being free to participate] can’t be taken for granted,” said Markwick. “There are definitely patterns of behaviour and structures of direct discrimination and systemic discrimination that racialize, marginalize, and exclude. And sometimes the price of that in terms of human health can be debilitating.” 1 0

The campaign is meant to create physicallydistanced spaces for faculty to have one-on-one conversations with trained professionals about equity at CapU. Throughout the campaign, community organizers who are specifically trained in decolonizing practices and anti-racist curriculum will be conducting antioppression training. “I think that too often we short circuit the process by asking people to have potentially heavy conversations without doing the work first of building our relationships with each other. I don’t see how that can be healing,” said Markwick. Markwick wants to identity patterns of direct and systemic discrimination at CapU and the CFA. “We can’t really be alive as a university until that respect for human dignity is alive.” Once the campaign concludes in March, it will be possible to decide what can be done about the identified priorities. A report and an action plan will be created, and then the faculty association will be able to discuss how priorities should be ranked. “I was really struck by an observation by a speaker at the Uof T dialogue,” said Markwick. “[They] observed that it is not okay for a university, for a classroom, to just keep rolling ahead while we have Black faculty members, Black students, Black staff, reeling from the murder of a Black man at the hands of police, or a Black woman at the hands of police.”

The Scarborough Charter was created with national input at the Uof T dialogue. Markwick believes that this is the time for an anti-racist campaign because “for the first time in the history of universities in Canada, [we will] have an accountability mechanism to give us specific guidance in terms of respect for human rights law.” His second reason is the recent election of a BC NDP majority government. Markwick believes that this is significant because of the thorough anti-racism platform outlined by the BC NDP, which includes universities and post-secondary education. “Standing up as a faculty association in our own anti racist action campaign will help the faculty association get it’s own thinking straight and in so doing also allow us to be of greater service to the university community,” said Markwick. Two of Markwick’s close friends will also be partaking in the campaign. Noga Gayle worked at CapU from 1997 until she retired in 2009. She was the first Black faculty member and gave this campaign her blessing, which was really important to Markwick. “I actually find it demoralizing that we haven’t figured out a way as a university to honour her. She was a groundbreaker.” Another of Markwick’s friends and mentors is Rosemary Brown, the first Black woman elected to the legislature in Canada. Her motto really resonated with Markwick. “None of us are free until all of us are free; that’s why we do this.”

CapU Becomes Member of Universities Canada Membership to national association provides opportunities to advance CapU’s Envisioning 2030 plan BRIDGET STRINGER-HOLDEN Associate News Editor SHARLEEN RAMOS Illustrator

Capilano University (CapU), previously Capilano College, officially got its university designation from the provincial government in 2008. On Oct. 28, CapU officially became a member of Universities Canada, an organization that provides a voice for Canadian universities nationally and internationally. “Universities Canada is a community of education and research leaders who collaborate together and it's an opportunity to now share with them, learn with them and to progress with them,” said Paul Dangerfield, CapU President. “To be able to see what different universities are doing in different jurisdictions is really exciting as well.” Becoming a member of Universities Canada allows CapU opportunities to become involved in their work, primarily at the executive level. Dangerfield sits on standing committees, and faculty are encouraged to participate as well. However, Dangerfield doesn’t consider this to be an onerous requirement, more so an opportunity that makes it worthwhile to join the organization in the first place. “The presidents from Universities Canada in the western region would all get together and talk about initiatives that they wanted to move forward with,” said Dangerfield. “And of course, we weren’t part of that and those conversations, so we were frankly missing out on a really important participation in education and research.” This was also the case at all levels of the executive who were missing out on those conversations and initiatives where CapU was not previously included. This process to join Universities Canada has been in the works for about four years. Dangerfield made it one of his goals to join this national association of universities when he first became president. “It’s not just about the membership,” he said, explaining that CapU’s key Envisioning 2030 goals supporting equity, diversity and inclusivity, as well as advancing truth and reconciliation, align with Universities Canada stances. “It’s having that advantage of other universities from coast to coast to coast and what they’re going to be doing. We can share and we can learn from them.”

“We needed to expand our degree offerings,” said Dangerfield, explaining that this needed to be done at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. "We had to make some significant shifts, and I’m really proud that we were able to do that and really grateful for the team that actually led us through that process because I believe that we’re a better university for it." The newest Bachelor Degree offering is the Bachelor of Kinesiology— formerly offered as a two-year diploma. Laureen Styles began her role as VP Academic & Provost in 2018, and that summer took over the application process. The application to Universities Canada falls under Styles' role, which consists of focusing on exceptional academic experiences in teaching and learning. There are multiple steps to apply, including a site visit—after which a university can be recommended for membership. The board of Universities Canada then votes to approve that University. “We’ve been a name for a number of years, and we have been evolving our university,” said Styles. “We’ve had lots of good progress, and this is that validation that we have met a range of university standards.” CapU needs to renew its membership every five years through a reaffirmation process to ensure that the standards continue to be met. As a member-driven organization, Universities Canada allows for connections between member universities to create common priorities that will benefit all constituents, which Styles described as learners and community members. “I think it also validates for faculty, for students, and for our communities that our university does indeed have a university standard of quality and governance that I think is very affirming,” she said. Styles also believes that this will create new opportunities and allow CapU to maintain the high quality of its academic programs. “I think the benefits for students may feel a bit intangible,” she said. “But, to me, this is also about quality and that external reviewers and we, through our self-assessment, feel that there is a validation that we have strong programs.” NE WS

CAPU EXPANDS KINESIOLOGY PROGRAM; OFFERS FOUR-YEAR BACHELORS ALONGSIDE DIPLOMA OPTION Kinesiology instructor Kyle Guay reflects on personal experience in undergraduate program ALISHA SAMNANI Managing Editor, News Editor ANNIKA MCFARLANE Illustrator

“I’ve always had a passion for teaching. I originally got into the human kinetics program to become a PE teacher,” said Guay. “I realized that my passion lied with educating adults versus high school students—I felt like I could have a greater reach or impact when it came to what they would then go out and do.” “I’ve been involved in sports all my life,” said Kyle Guay. “Anything my parents would let me—and even some they preferred I not try.” Guay’s accolades include over a decade of AAA minor hockey and the title of Senior Elite/Pro Provincial Cup champion in professional downhill mountain bike racing. “I wanted to know the reasons behind the different mechanisms that allow someone to compete at a higher level, train differently, [and] the benefits from training and sports rehabilitation.” Guay now uses his extensive sports background in combination with his technical knowledge to help other athletes achieve that same success. “I decided to work with athletes and help them get to where they wanted to be—back to the sport that they love and heightening their

quality of life.” During his time at CapU, an instructor helped Guay volunteer at Twist Sport Conditioning in North Vancouver—which eventually led to a job offer from the company, where Guay served as Director of Athlete Services. “I was able to practically apply the knowledge I was learning in the classroom into practice and be able to make the connection from the theory much easier. It honestly made my learning experience much more real,” explained Guay. “I started working with athletes from trampoline to motocross; mountain biking [and] motorcycle racing to squash athletes. The application is very widespread, which is kind of nice—It allows you to take your toolset and apply it to many different areas.”

Throughout his career, Guay has discovered just how wide-ranging the possibilities are for someone with a kinesiology degree. “It might be a general health and wellness population person that I’m working with: that’s rehabbing a back injury and getting them to partake in life pain-free and with no concern over that injury anymore. It might be an athlete who’s had ACL reconstructive surgery, and we’re getting them back to the sport that they love.” Guay has worked with numerous professional athletes, including some from the NHL and the CFL. However, the North Vancouver native is equally as committed to his hometown, where he works as a Strength and Conditioning Specialist at Level 10 Fitness. “A good example of that would be an aging population who would naturally lose muscle mass,” said Guay. “If we can get them to regularly partake in a strength training program, we’re going to offset some of that loss. When we offset that loss, they’re going to be able to have a greater quality of life and have a reduced chance of falling—which will obviously keep them happier and healthier for longer.” Five years ago, Guay decided to impart that knowledge upon students at Capilano University (CapU), as an instructor

in the School of Human Kinetics.“When you actually get to have a student on a treadmill and experience the physical assessments that we have in this industry, [and] then be able to link that back to the theory from the class, you really start to see their eyes light up,” said Guay. “Seeing that connection between the content is fantastic and one of the reasons why I love doing what I do at CapU.” CapU will be expanding it’s program in Fall 2021 to be offering a four-year degree as well as it’s original two-year diploma option. This expansion will be accompanied by a name change for the program—from Human Kinetics to Kinesiology. Students will be able to ladder into the new degree program upon its arrival. “Our students should be graduating with not just base level information, but relationships with people in the industries that they might be interested in going into,” said Guay. “They’re better aware of the steps that they need to take to be successful in a specific job because of discussions or projects where they’ve had to communicate with industry professionals. All students will have to participate in those classes—it’s not just an elective that you can choose to take.”

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Pandemic Rattles CapU Blues Volleyball Team Mental health among consequences of new COVID restrictions on sports JOSS ARNOTT Staff Writer MARISSA OUYANG Illustrator

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry ordered new lockdown measures that began on Oct. 7 that affected both the lower mainland and the Fraser Valley. All indoor contact sports were immediately suspended until British Columbia’s (BC) new lockdown measures were set to end on Nov. 23. Following the announcement, all Capilano Blues practices were suspended until further notice. The government's new orders included a complete moratorium on all social gatherings outside of an individual's core bubble— the small group of people with whom an individual spends the majority of their time; physical proximity is also a factor. The sixteen-member men’s volleyball team is part of the sport group two bubble, consisting of fifty students. If one member of a bubble tests positive, the entire bubble must quarantine. This saves closing the entire school, as only the individuals in the affected bubble go home. Clinching the semifinals in the fifth set of the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association’s (CCAA) national championship on Mar. 11-14 in New Brunswick, the Capilano University (CapU) Blues men’s volleyball team went on to win the championship; a straightset of three wins to none. This was the third time that a BC-based team won the championship, and the first time in the history of CapU to win it. However, the team did so in an empty stadium. “We walked into the gym and found out we weren’t allowed any fans there,” said David Dooley, Head Coach of the CapU Blues men’s volleyball team. The team returned to BC the next day elated about their win— only to be greeted by new lockdown measures. “We got on the plane the morning after the championship and... life hasn't been the same since,” said Dooley. “To go from seeing each other everyday to completely stopping contact—I can't really put how that felt that into words.” The team had an outdoor ceremony in August where they received their championship rings. However, they weren't able to formally practice as a team again until later in the fall. 14

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Six months later, the team was able to re-enter the CapU Sportsplex under new COVID-19 guidelines. The university's new regulations require students to fill out the Here and Healthy student daily health check whenever they are on campus. Students must also maintain a distance of two meters whenever possible and wear the approved personal protective equipment (PPE) as per provincial guidelines. Although the Sportsplex must be vacated once an hour for a fifteen-minute period to circulate fresh air, Dooley noted that the team was thankful to be able to use the gym at all. Assistant Coach, Simon Friesen, also noted, “I think everyone understands that in these times it’s necessary.” Typically, the team practiced four times a week and played games on Friday and Saturday. Now, the stark difference is proving difficult for the team. Friesen said that “just being able to get some physical exercise and start playing this sport that we all enjoy definitely had a big positive impact on people’s mental health.” However, Friesen also acknowledged that playing under the new regulations hasn’t been easy. “I think the mental energy and focus did drop,” he said. “We don’t really have a lot of things that we’re working towards [anymore].” After setting new BC records, the team found themselves floundering and attempted to counteract this by hosting scrimmages, but Friesen mentioned that it doesn’t fulfill the same competitive niche as real games do. The team was scheduled for their first game against Douglas College on Nov. 11, four days after Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry ordered new lockdown measures that affected both the Lower Mainland and the Fraser Valley. “We were all looking towards the game so much,” said Friesen. “We have a cross-town rivalry with Douglas, and it’s always a lot of fun to play them.” Despite everything that’s been thrown at the team, Dooley mentioned that volleyball during the pandemic has been “a bright light in the midst of darkness.” “We don’t really have that option to play any games, to get that competitive outlet,” said Friesen. “We were just kinda practicing and going through the motions.”

Geral d i n e yar i s

@jelladin F E AT URED A R T

HOLIDAY Café Bombón

AMY ASIN Illustrator CLAIRE BRNJAC Arts & Culture Editor MEGAN AMATO Opinions Editor SARAH ROSE Features Editor

CLAIRE BRNJAC Arts & Culture Editor

I didn’t become a coffee person until I started working at a kitchen store and realised how relaxing and almost ritualistic making coffee can be. Bombón, a Spanish coffee with espresso and condensed milk, is warm, sweet, and gives you the kick you need—perfect for holiday mornings. A shot of espresso (could be more or less depending on drinker’s preference.) Equal parts of condensed milk. To make a beautiful layered effect, pour in your condensed milk first. Make your espresso shots in your preferred manner, and pour on top of the milk to create two beautiful layers. For another punch of sweetness, add some whipped cream on top. Stir and enjoy!

JOSS ARNOTT Staff Writer

Malt

the

Month

MEGAN AMATO Opinions Editor

Winter means many things to me: chili hot chocolate, cozy nights with my candle collection, steaming cups of tea and whisky. My favourite peated scotch brings me the much-needed illusion of comfort on a cold night. However, there are those evenings when I’m feeling I need to combine my love of tea and whisky into a hot toddy. The honey, citrus, whisky and tea combination is loved by many but to amplify the sweet citrusy flavour, I like to use Korean yuzu tea. Trust me on this, just follow this recipe for hot tea and whisky bliss. 1 generous finger of your whisky of choice (Nothing fancy, I

prefer Ballantines in a hot toddy, but anything will do)

1 heaped teaspoon of blueberry honey 1 to 2 teaspoons of yuzu tea 1 teaspoon of tea (I prefer a rich malty Assam) 1 1⁄2 cups of water

A wee bit of cinnamon, nutmeg and star anise to taste Add the spice to the water in a pot and take it off the hob just before it boils. Add your tea and steep for three minutes. Strain the tea and spice (or use spice bags) and add your honey, whisky, yuzu and voila! 16

DRINk SPE CIAl!

r Yea olo eS l h t of ktai Coc

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Coco Lopez SARAH ROSE Features Editor

Christmas was invented for two reasons: to sell capital, and to drink enough liquor that the family racist’s “jokes” start sounding closer to a waterlogged Fisher price toy or a top 40 trap song (those are the same thing). I first encountered coquito in Florida while hopping around various Orange County Christmas soirées with my ex-boyfriend, where his Puerto Rican friend gifted me the Caribbean holiday nog inside a bottle of 151. Coquito means “little coconut” and tastes like Horchata but is almost entirely booze. There’s nothing little about it when you’re ending the night shirt-cocking in shades like an average patron of The Roxy or pokerstars.net. There’s no steadfast, traditional way to make coquito—but Coco Lopez hits hard and loose. It’s DNFW, like giving eggnog truck nuts. So, dump that gentrified overpriced custard sold as eggnog from Safeway straight down the sink and buckle up because tradition is just peer pressure from dead people. In the words of Andy Mineo, “pour me a glass of coquito, lost in the sauce, she went M.I.A.” 2 eggs 1 can condensed milk 1 can evaporated milk

Use the empty can of evaporated milk, and use that same amount of coconut milk and coconut cream 750ml bottle of Bacardi Añejo (4 year) is my vetted substitute

for the long dead 151. Don’t be fooled that regular white rum or spiced rum works.

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Ground cinnamon and nutmeg to taste In the words of Lopez himself, “Throw all of this into a blender and go apeshit.” This recipe will fill the bottle of Bacardi with leftovers.

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Hot Chocolate & the Folly of Man JOSS ARNOTT Staff Writer

Hubris can be a funny thing. Often, you don't even realize you’re flaunting God until it’s much too late to turn back. Take Icarus, the boy who sought to ride the wind on wings of wax. His intentions weren’t to ignore his father's instructions, just to be free. It’s human nature to seek perfection, but sometimes we all fly too close to the proverbial sun. My thoughts lingered on the story of Icarus as my friend and I sat slumped upon my kitchen floor, dizzy from sugar. We were each reeling from our fifth straight mug of experimental chocolaty goodness. We too had flown too close to the sun. My intentions were pure—or so I thought. I wanted to craft the ultimate hot chocolate. Alas, in the relentless pursuit of seeing if I couldcreate the cocoa Übermensch, I never stopped to ask: Should I?We found an answer, we felt the sun, and so too did we fall. In my mind, the perfect hot chocolate should conjure a feeling—a cold winter’s day beaten back by a warm fire. A blanket wrapped around your shoulders as you gaze out a window. A feeling of youth fleetingly remembered. I wanted to express the perfect hot chocolate, one that contained all of these feelings. The effort drove my friend and me into an insane sugar rush that nearly killed our stomachs—and us. In our search for greatness, I realized that it’s not the recipe that makes a good hot chocolate, it’s the people with whom you drink it. I had so much fun experimenting with my friend to come up with this recipe. We laughed, we cried, we swore off chocolate and then had some more. It certainly isn't a perfect recipe, but it’s crazy tasty. So try this out, or try to find your own perfect hot chocolate this holiday.

Whatever you do, dear reader, I wish you luck. Just beware of the sun. Ingredients for the perfect hot chocolate, for a two-cup portion: 1 3/4 cup of 2% milk 1/4 cup of heavy cream 50 grams of chocolate (we used a Lindt milk chocolate bar) 1 tbsp of brown sugar 2 tbsp of hot chocolate mix (we used the Tim Hortons brand)

Begin by warming the milk and the heavy cream in a pot on medium heat. When bubbles begin to appear at the edges of the pot, froth for a half-minute. Add the chocolate, hot chocolate mix and brown sugar, stir until homogenous (around a minute). Froth for another minute, then pour into an appropriate mug. Add marshmallows or spray whip cream if desired, sprinkle with a dash of the hot chocolate mix. Serve warm*. *A note of caution: Do not, under any circumstances, drink more than one serving.

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It's in the Community: How COVID and Gentrification Challenge Chinatown A new generation of Chinese-Canadian community leaders are working to protect Vancouver's Chinatown WEN ZHAI Contributor GRACE CHOI Illustrator

The pandemic has made life difficult for all, but it has disproportionately impacted communities like Vancouver’s Chinatown, which is situated in the Downtown Eastside, one of the poorest neighborhoods in Canada. This fall, the Vancouver Chinatown Legacy Stewardship Group (VCLSG) put forward a letter outlining certain measures the city could take to reduce the impact of COVID on Chinatown business and arts organizations, like increasing the frequency of street cleanings and investing in a community stewardship program.

VCLSG convened partially because of 105 Keefer, a development proposal first put forward in 2014 concerning a residential building in the historic Keefer Triangle. Initially a 12-storey residential building with 111 market residential units and 25 senior social housing units, the proposal was eventually whittled down to nine-storeys, with all social housing units removed. The project is currently waiting for approval of their rezoning permit to move forward.

The space that 105 Keefer is supposed to be built on is significant “Chinatown has been affected by COVID-19 more than other to the Chinese community because it borders the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen communities, because it was already hurting, basically. So, folks Gardens, Chinatown Plaza, as well as the Chinatown Memorial who were marginalized before the pandemic are being further Monument at the intersection of Columbia and Keefer St. marginalized,” said Kimberley Wong, co-chair of VCLSG. Founded in 2017, the VCLSG is a committee staffed with community members “The Memorial is actually a space that I think of my ancestors being dedicated to pushing back against the ongoing gentrification of at. It commemorates both WWII Chinese-Canadian veterans, who spaces by large companies. fought in the war without having citizenship or the right to vote, and also Canadian Pacific Railway workers,” Wong explained. “105 Keefer was a proposal to dwarf all those three things,” she added.

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For many community activists like Wong, 105 Keefer poses a and other racialized groups to help people of colour work with each threat of gentrification to working-class Chinese people in the other, instead of against each other. neighborhood. “I don’t think anybody would openly say they are progentrification,” Wong observed.“People will say they are pro-business, “People of color are stigmatized by the city of Vancouver because [the or pro-development and phrase it like that, because the businesses municipality] was created by the forces of white supremacy. And their are hurting in Chinatown.” goal is never to particularly give power back to the community, but rather manage what the community can and cannot have, depending VCLSG is composed of people from clan associations, non-profits, on what is favorable for them,” Wong said. and businesses, and is run by individuals like Wong, who co-chairs with Michael Tan, the youngest person ever to hold leadership in In the early 1960s, a freeway was proposed going straight through Chinatown. It was formed in the hope of bringing people to work Chinatown to make Greater Vancouver more easily connected at the together as one community amidst polarizing projects like 105 Keefer. cost of demolishing local communities. Part of that freeway proposal, the Georgia Viaduct, was built in 1972 and demolished Hogan’s Wong believes by ‘upgrading’ Chinatown, developers make it Alley, a neighborhood in Strathcona which was the epicenter of inaccessible for people who have no choice but to live there. One Vancouver’s Black community. “It exemplifies how Chinatown and of the biggest issues many businesses in Chinatown face is waste of other racialized and low-income communities have again and again all kinds on their doorsteps, including human waste. Wong believes not been served by the city of Vancouver.” this happens because there is a lack of infrastructure and not enough resources to ensure people have a place to live with dignity. “I am all The most immediate change Wong wants to see from the city of about housing first. I think that we should really prioritize housing Vancouver is to make consultation processes accessible to nonpeople first and then move on to other things,” Wong said, “things English speaking racialized communities. “It almost feels like you like drug abuse, sex work because of institutionalized racism, [and] have to have a mini PhD to understand planning language.” institutionalized poverty.” COVID-19 has also brought many accessibility concerns to VCLSG Wong’s ancestors first settled in Chinatown five generations ago. around how to equitably organize meetings online. “A lot of the “Chinatown before it was named Chinatown by British Imperial work that we do relies on relationships and trust. And it's very hard officers was a very marshy space…close to industry, close to pollution. to form that via Zoom,” Wong said, citing people who are old, have It was loud, there were a lot of pests, it was very wet and not very good internet access difficulties, those with visual or auditory impairments, for building on, so that was where they put all of the workers…all the and technology and language barriers. As a result, VCLSG has had racialized and low income people,” Wong explained. “And that’s no a difficult time getting the resources needed to ensure communities different now.” are safe and holding together, and to ensure elders living in isolation have access to food. Chinatown from the beginning was multiethnic and multicultural, populated by not just Chinese people, but other people from Asia. “It Post COVID-19, Wong wishes to see more businesses stay in was a community space that flourished out of resilience,” Wong noted. Chinatown. “A lot of vacancies in our neighborhood are really, really hard felt by the residents and the people who work and live in that Wong believes it is precisely because of this history that the community,” she emphasized. Ideally, Wong hopes to see Chinatown gentrification of Chinatown has become such a hot topic. Close to as a space for intergenerational knowledge sharing, where people can the city center, Chinatown is desirable to mostly affluent white upper- be amongst multi-generational families and learn about Chinatown’s class people who don’t understand the cultures nor the complex history and living culture. issues that exist in Chinatown. “There's a lot of really tactile instances of culture and heritage that are VCLSG tries to ensure the legacy of Vancouver’s Chinatown as a very fast slipping away from us,” said Wong. “All of the work is being neighbourhood that has significance for many diverse communities done because people care about their communities. But if there is no of colour. They work with municipal systems on behalf of Chinatown community to care for and to fight for, there’s no reason or way for us and work with local Indigenous Nations, urban Indigenous people to be here anymore.”

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Hands on: learning to cook in a pandemic One of Vancouver’s most notable culinary institutions has chosen to keep its hands-on cooking classes despite hands-off regulations CLAIRE BRNJAC Arts & Culture Editor ALINA SANDU Illustrator

Like all good cooking classes, the one I took at the Dirty Apron had a couple of elements of danger to it: the assortment of knives available for our use, the many grills, the burners on our stoves, and the fact that later that day Dr. Bonnie Henry announced a halt to all nonessential travel outside the Fraser Health region for two weeks due to the rising coronavirus cases.

The coronavirus has slowed down the Dirty Apron’s operations, as it has for most other businesses in Vancouver. Their catering service has been shut down due to the lack of events, and their cooking class capacity has been scaled down 40 percent to account for proper social distancing. Masks are enforced during demonstrations, though not required when cooking or eating.

The Dirty Apron, which has been open for eleven years in Vancouver’s Gastown, started as a recreational cooking school. It has since expanded to offer a catering service and a delicatessen, which serves an assortment of sandwiches, salads and soups. They have plans in the future to create a range of meals you can make at home, so you can get the feeling of taking a cooking class in the comfort of your own house.

Despite these limitations, there’s very little missing in terms of the overall experience. Tessa Turcotte-Novosedlik, our cooking teacher for the evening, commented, “I feel like I’m connecting with everyone still. Even though we all have masks on.” The table of five across from myself cheered over glasses of champagne when she showed off the finished dishes. Despite not being able to get physically close, there was a kinship between all of us based on our love of food, even in dark circumstances.

However, their cooking classes are their raison d’etre and it shows; the teaching was both charming and informative, the recipes printed out and neatly hung at our stations, and the food delicious. They have two options: a two-and-a-half-hour course called Demo and Dine, which has been suspended due to coronavirus, or a four hour class with three separate dishes. It was the latter that I took, a class centered around meat called “On the Bone - Braise, Roast and Grill.” The menu was seared lamb shanks, Korean short ribs, and baby back ribs, one after another. This was bracketed by a starting course, a flatbread with tomato relish and hummus, and a dessert, which was roasted almond ice cream. 2 2

We finished all three courses in just under five hours, from 5:30 to just past 10 pm. Just as I was leaving the Dirty Apron, Bonnie Henry’s orders came into effect. I had enough leftovers to last me until I could wrap my head around staying at home for another three weeks. Learn more about the Dirty Apron on their website, www.dirtyapron. com. The Capilano Courier recommends proceeding with caution due to the worsening COVID-19 pandemic and the recent B.C. Public Health Order.

SPIRALS OF COLOURS:

Victor Vasarely’s Optical Art Vicor Vasarely's Op Art exhibit at the Vancouver Art Gallery is a feast for the eyes JAYMIE MARIE Contributor

Optical illusions are one of the first art forms we see as children, usually in books like Magic Eye. There’s a sense of wonder that comes from suddenly finding a picture where there was once only colours. Victor Vasarely’s abstract works in the field of Optical Art (Op Art) provoke the same awe-inspiring reaction with their mesmerizing patterns and bright contrasting colours. From Oct. 17, 2020 to Apr. 5, 2021, the Vancouver Art Gallery (VAG) is housing a large collection of Vasarely’s pieces encompassing his later works in the 1960s and 70s. Bruce Grenville, a senior curator at the VAG, emphasizes how you don’t have to have an art background to engage with Vasarely’s art. “When kids come in, they come to look at Vasarely in ways that are a kind of a sophisticated way of looking, which is to marvel at how this thing can be constructed,” he reflected. The exhibition creates a game element that lets the viewer “play” with the world of Vasarely’s art and “create [their] own art based in [his] language.” Vasarely was a Hungarian-French artist with a background in graphic design, who was born in 1908 and came into the public eye in the 1950s. Europe through 1950 to 1970 was undergoing enormous social change. “There is a tremendous amount of things that happened in that time,” said Bruce Grenville, who is a senior curator at the VAG. “This is an artist who came forward with what was in many ways a sort of radical vision, but was also very human,” Grenville explained.

Vasarely’s experiences and desire to make art accessible relate and connect with some of the feelings our society is currently experiencing in this global pandemic. Grenville mentions how, “[Right now] we are given the opportunity to recognize the way that art can bring people together, where they can share their experience.” He elaborates that this idea is at the root of Vasarely’s art and how this “emerged out of [Vasarely’s] experience during [the Second World War], creating an understanding of the fragility of the culture that we live in.” Vasarely was known for having a utopian vision for the Op Art movement, and for wanting to make his pieces as accessible as possible, though this idea of universality does not come without critiques. Grenville stated that we should approach the idea of universality with caution because, despite the fact that Vasarely’s work can be enjoyed and consumed internationally, those with “different cultural histories, different experiences, will approach [Vasarely’s art] differently.” Tickets for Victor Vasarely can be purchased on the Vancouver Art Gallery’s website. The gallery is currently allowing visitors to book a time in advance and wear a mask while visiting. The Capilano Courier recommends proceeding with caution due to the worsening COVID-19 pandemic and the recent B.C. Public Health Order.

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the S tudio:

Jillian Brooks of Métis Bannock Queen shares how her family tradition of baking bannock and financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic collided to flower a business that nourishes Vancouver’s Black and Indigenous communities JOSS ARNOTT Staff Writer

When Jillian Brooks first moved to Vancouver fifteen years ago, her mother gave her a recipe book. Inside it were notes and recipes handwritten by her grandfather. Amongst the pages was his personal recipe for bannock, a type of quick fry bread made of unleavened flour. While her grandfather passed away in 2019, Brooks still uses his recipes to carry on that legacy in her own business, The Métis Bannock Queen. Brooks runs her business entirely on Instagram, as well as occasional pop up shops at local farmer markets around the Greater Vancouver Area. Her bannock flavours are seasonal, and her fall/winter options include plain, kohkosiwiyin picikwâs (bacon and apple), âpakosîsimîciwin wêchekaskosê (cheese and chive), and maskêkominâna osâwâpiy (cranberry and lemon) are available for $10-12 each ($13 for the vegan option). “It’s like celebrating his life through the recipe that he gave me,” Brooks added, mentioning how even during her grandfather’s funeral, the downstairs of the church was littered with bannock. This sense of tradition and family legacy is at the heart of Métis Bannock Queen. Brooks uses her grandfather’s recipe to share her heritage and support local charities such as the Hogan’s Alley Society and the Native Urban Native Youth Association. “A lot of my grandfather’s philosophy was to give back if you can,” said Brooks. “If you have stability

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in yourself and in your career, then it’s your duty as a human being to help others.”

JA: What’s the process involved in making your bannock? What’s the magic element?

JA: How long have you been baking bannock?

JB: Bannock is pretty simple, it’s only five ingredients: flour, 2% milk, margarine, sugar and baking powder. But the thing with bannock is every family has a different iteration of doing it. The Métis version of bannock is baked. Other nations will deep fry them, but fried bread is very different [from] bannock. Bannock is traditionally cooked over an open fire.

JB: I started [making bannock] in the summer for this business. But I’ve been making bannock since I was a kid with my family. JA:

How did Métis Bannock Queen start?

JB: The bannock business came out of a necessity due to COVID. The boxing gym that I used to coach at was not doing well financially. So, I started it as a means to raise money. I put some feelers out online and the response was quite incredible. You put good vibes out into the universe and they’ll come back to you. JA:

What makes bannock special to you?

JB: It’s my family and it’s my heritage, [these are] traditions that I’m passing on to future generations, and it’s just so calming and relaxing. Especially nowadays where everything is so unpredictable and you don't know what’s going to happen, it’s been very therapeutic for me. Also just learning more about my history and my culture. And learning more about my Grandfather’s side of his family who had always lived on Treaty 8 in Fort McMurray.

JA: What’s your favourite part of this business? JB: Bringing people together and educating them a bit about my Métis culture and history. I make sure that every post that I do, I do something about the bannock and the next post will be an educational post — talking about the medicine line or why sage is so sacred to my people,traditions that we pass through generations. JA: What’s the best way for people to get your bannock? JB: Instagram. People just message me privately and then I send them how they transfer the money and what options are available for flavours. I do pickups once a week every Friday between 6:30pm and 7:30pm. I work out of [a] kitchen called Bad Apple, on Hastings and Nanaimo.

Find Jillian Brooks on Instagram at @themetisbannockqueen.

A l e ksa n da r J o n e s

@aleks.designs

F E AT URED A R T

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V I R A G O N AT I O N : O N C U LT U R E , C O M M U N I T Y & CL A IM ING INDIGE NIT Y IN B UR LE S QUE They’ve come here to chew bubblegum and shake ass at colonial typecasting, and they’re all out of gum MEGAN AMATO Opinions Editor VALERIYA KIM Staff Illustrator

The enduring monuments of burlesque are clothed in the heartshaped pasties and tassels of Mae West and Dita Von Teese. Now, performers like Virago Nation, an all-Indigenous collective, are breaking the Eurocentric mould and colonial narratives to reclaim their Indigenous identity through the art of burlesque. Four years ago, Shane Sable posted online looking for Indigenous burlesque performers in the Vancouver community and pulled together a group looking to explore their Indigeneity on stage through humour, dance, performance, politics and culture. “We came together in the spring of 2016, initially as just a group of Indigenous people who also happened to perform Burlesque and thought, ‘Hey! You’re also Native, let’s chat about that!’” said Scarlet Delirium, one of the original six performers who would join the collective.

not feel awkward because they had a buddy to go to this new thing that they didn’t grow up with.” Burlesque first appeared in 16th century Italy, near the same time that the infamous Italian colonizer sailed across the Atlantic, kick-starting centuries of European imperialism and exploitation in what is now called the Americas. It became popular in North America in the late 19th century and began thriving in Vancouver in the 1920s with shows at colonial relics such as the Pantages Theatre (demolished in 2011) and the Orpheum. Today, burlesque shows are held in alternative establishments such as the Biltmore Cabaret, the Rio Theatre and the Wise Hall. Both RainbowGlitz and Scarlet Delirium began their burlesque journey by taking the Becoming Burlesque course put on by the Screaming Chicken Theatrical Society at the Wise Hall. The workshop was run by Melody Mangler and taught all the elements of burlesque, including movement, comedy, aesthetics, stage tech and name workshops.

Six months later, RainbowGlitz would join, and the group decided to name themselves Virago Nation after the Latin word describing women as strong, dominant warriors. “A Virago seems to have two meanings; the first is an ill-tempered or violent woman, the other is a woman of masculine strength or spirit—a female warrior,” said Scarlet Delirium. “Virago Nation leans towards the latter meaning. Scarlet Delirium first debuted in 2013 under the stage name However, we definitely will not put up with patriarchal nonsense, The Vermillion Viper. “I thought it was strong and powerful and which to some may come across as ill-tempered, and that is just commanded attention. Which it did, but I grew frustrated with fine with us.” Today, there are eight performers, including Ruthe constantly being asked what my ‘real name’ was, and I also felt, after Ordare, Shane Sable, Scarlet Delirium, Manda Stroyer, Sparkle Plenty, a time, that Vermillion Viper wasn’t an echo of who I was becoming RainbowGlitz, Monday Blues and Lynx Chase. as a performer,” she said, adding that her current stage name was pieced together from two different sources. “Scarlet was the title of RainbowGlitz explained that for many of the performers, their goal a high-school photo project in which I was a model, so that name wasn’t only reclaiming sexuality but recovering culture that many always stuck with me. Delirium is a fun and loopy character from The hadn’t grown up with. “It was supposed to be this community Sandman Series by Neil Gaiman. I thought the two together sounded support system,” RainbowGlitz added. “Not only to get together and beautiful and felt like me.” talk about their experiences in burlesque and the world in general but for them to come together and even just go to powwows together and F E AT URES 2 7

VIR AGO NATION

After learning to sew in highschool, Scarlet Delirium began to take RainbowGlitz studied fashion design at Blanche Macdonald Centre costuming seriously when she started doing burlesque as it was more where she hoped to gain the skills to start her own lingerie house. cost effective to make her own outfits. She graduated with a diploma However, the school had more conservative views and she struggled from CapU’s Costuming for Stage and Screen program in 2012, to get them to even teach her how to make lingerie. After she decided and despite the film-heavy focus, she has put her diploma to good to do burlesque professionally, she went back to Blanche for freelance use both in the film industry and burlesque. One of her favourite makeup. “I make probably 90 percent of my costumes at this point— outfits is a costume inspired by her family crest that she made for most of the underwear and pasties, sometimes the dresses,” she said. the orca routine. “It is a piece of what I consider to be burlesque “Anything with Indigneous designs are my actual designs that I drew regalia, honouring heritage and where I come from, the West Coast myself using the Haida artform, using my crest.” and my ancestors,” she said, then laughed when she talked about brainstorming the costume. “How the fuck do I be a sexy whale? I “I fell into burlesque. I did it for a queer, LBGTQ+ talent show they had had no idea how to do it, I didn’t want a tail as I would be flopping for the Vancouver community. I didn’t know I was doing burlesque,” around on stage.” she said, talking about her first burlesque show at 16. “I thought it was a cool thing with a showgirl outfit with hip-hop dancing. When “I think so many of my lessons came from Comedic Burlesque I finished, they were like ‘you’re really good, but can you wait until Dancers, mostly their facial expressions and how they really emoted. you’re 19, and it’s called burlesque.’” She took the words to heart. By I’m not a trained dancer and when I began this journey I didn’t have 2013, she wasn’t only performing burlesque but doing it professionally, much money to take dance classes,” said Scarlet Delirium, who describing her style as “Rainbow Goodness™” with inspiration from performed with Screaming Chicken Theatrical Society, The VanDolls the PussyCat Dolls, hip-hop and pop. and Boutique Cabaret before joining Virago Nation. “Eventually I focused on my version of emoting, connecting with each audience However, breaking into the burlesque scene wasn’t as easy as working member and making them feel like they're the only one who exists in for it and being good at it. RainbowGlitz shared that as an “overtly the whole room.” sexual” Indigenous woman in an art form that plays on coy glances and

" V I R A G O N AT I O N H A S A C L E A R M IS S ION: T O R E CL A IM INDIGE NOUS S E X UA LIT Y F R OM T HE T OX IC E F F E C T S O F C O L O N I Z AT I O N . " sly sexuality, the industry didn’t embrace her. “I am not a traditional safe space for Indigenous performers, but they also wanted to provide burlesque artist. I definitely don’t do classic burlesque at all. I’ve community resources and outreach. Now, Virago in collaboration never really played that coy card in my act. It’s not really me,” she said. with Diasporic Dynasty and The Geekenders as Showpony Studios, “When I came into the scene, they were mostly only doing classic have launched a crowdfunding initiative to take over the "Chicken burlesque or alternative burlesque, which was a neo-white version of Coop" studio. The studio would provide safe, community-driven what burlesque could be. The Vancouver community [had] more of space for rehearsals, workshops and even livestream shows for fans in an alternative rocker vibe, more so than inclusive.” Despite pop music the midst of the pandemic. being nearly shunned in the burlesque scene, RainbowGlitz was one of the few pussycat-style performers in Vancouver, which led her to “Community is a huge part of Virago Nation. We have had incredible be hired by The Geekenders as a stormtrooper in Star Wars burlesque opportunities to offer no-cost burlesque classes, nipple tassel classes, spectaculars. Beading drop-ins, shows/showcases all around Vancouver, and into smaller Indigenous communities—like Ft. St. James and Haida Due to the prevailing whiteness in the Vancouver burlesque scene, Gwaii,” said Scarlet Delirium. “An important aspect that leads Virago role models also tended to be white, and that was something Virago Nation is community building and uplifting and holding space for Nation wanted to change. Not only did they want to create a specific women to feel sexy in a supportive environment.” 28

VIR AGO NATION

" W E M AY A L L S H A R E T H E T IT LE INDIGE NOUS B UR LE S QUE A R T I S T, B U T N O N E O F U S H A S T H E S A M E S T Y LE OR T HE S A M E V IE W O N W H AT B U R L E S Q U E M E A N S . " “Virago Nation has a clear mission: to reclaim Indigenous sexuality from the toxic effects of colonization. That in itself is vastly different than a typical Burlesque Show, and because of the Virago Nation mission, I find that it feeds my soul, as opposed to my ego,” Scarlet Delirium added when asked about how performing with Virago Nation differs from other troupes. “I wish when I was growing up, I had a healthy representation of Indigenous Sexuality with the media or theatre or whatever I was taking in. I didn’t; none of us did. To try and create space for healthy sexual representation and a safe space for Indigenous Women to feel sexy is powerful in a way that a standard Burlesque is not.” Exploring identity on stage before joining Virago Nation wasn’t easy in a scene that valued traditional burlesque over others’ traditions. “I’ve always wanted to insert bits of my culture into my performance, but until Virago Nation, didn’t feel comfortable or supported in doing so,” said Scarlet Delirium. “Since the formation of the group and having a safe space to explore what that integration would be, I definitely use my Kwakwaka’wakw heritage in little ways throughout my performances. Whether it be traditional dance, family crest, a political opinion or just a showcase of artwork and formline within my costumes.”

culture. Using hip-hop and pop music in general and saying that I’m Black is the only thing I can do for that.” Overall, RainbowGlitz states that elders and members of their community have supported Virago Nation, but there have been some folks who confuse Indigenous colonial tradition with pre-colonial Indigenous tradition. “For me, that’s my biggest thing, always trying to teach people that as Indigenous people, we thought of our bodies as sacred but not precious. We thought of our bodies as scared, treated them well, but we never thought of them as being precious or [that] we had to hide it, cover it or it was considered a dirty thing—that was a very colonized point of view.” Even during COVID-19, Virago Nation continues to make a name for themselves internationally and has added two new members during the summer. “It’s always been evolving,” said RainbowGlitz. “We may all share the title Indigenous Burlesque artist, but none of us has the same style or the same view on what burlesque means...Whenever we have a year together, it’s forever changing, and the dynamic is always changing. You can’t really say anyone is the leader of the group because everyone takes that role when they need to.”

Virago Nation has four workshops available, including a beginners As a mixed-race woman with Haida (raven) Yalh’ jaanas, Squamish, class called Dangerous Curves; Decolonial Self Love; KISS: Keep It Musqueam, Hawaii’an and Black heritage, who also happens to Simple Showgirl: Striptease 101; and Not Your Auntie’s Craft Class: be a part of the LGBTQ+ community, RainbowGlitz has many Making Nipple Tassels! Keep an eye out for them as they launch a intersections in her identity to explore. Unlike some of the other digital platform in the spring where you can watch their performances performers who began exploring their culture with Virago Nation, online and their classes will be more accessible to those at home. You RainbowGlitz grew up surrounded by it. “I grew up with an can support Virago Nation by liking and sharing their content on Indigenous mother who I guess never gave me the option of not social media and by donating to help keep their classes low-to-no cost being Indigenous, or not growing up Indigenous, because that’s what for Indigenous women. my mom was. I grew up going to powwows [and] potlatches. I grew up with my culture,” she said, adding that exploring her Black identity You can find out more about these workshops, the Virago Nation was more difficult. “I come from slaves. I don’t really full-on have a performers themselves, and more on their website www.viragonation.ca. Black identity. [It] came from hip-hop [and] American Black

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The Shape-Shifting Santa Claus A Black man with a white beard and a soft pot-belly enters your home through the chimney in the middle of the night. What happens next? LEXI MELLISH-MINGO Contributor JOHN PACHKOWSKY Illustrator

Santa Claus is an old white man with a juicy belly and a habit of break and entering. Children love him because he gives them gifts and the parents do too. He’s a strange and special kind of weapon used to control children and uphold white patriarchy. It’s not like we haven't seen this archetype before. Every day, greedy developers exploit the land and marginalized people, while romanticized leaders approve pipelines and deny Indigenous communities access to clean drinking water. When it comes to the beloved Santa, there’s a slight plot twist. The story of this old white man is all about kindness and love for all children of the world. The holiday season is once again over-flowing with gluttony and consumerism, increasingly so with the pervasiveness of online shopping and Amazon. As we enter the second wave of COVID-19, spreading holiday cheer in the warmth of others' company is an idea that currently exists only as a memory. People are shutting their homes to loved ones—but somehow Santa still slides through. Despite the pandemic, as of Nov. 15, Santa and his elves have been setting up shop in malls across North America. It’s been 200 years since the Mall Santa was born, and he continues to be the torchbearer of this tradition. There’s no stopping Santa from spreading cheer this year.

how to talk to children and their parents to ensure the environment feels safe and welcoming. Santa Bob called before his shift at the Abbotsford Cabelas. His voice sounded warm and familiar, like a sugar-coated memory. He seemed genuinely excited to talk about his personal Santa journey. Since his retirement, Santa Bob has been a full-time seasonal Santa. Santa Bob has been well trained in the art of igniting the inner child, which he credits to the North Shore Santa School. Like the rest of us, Santa isn’t perfect. Yet, he is a character of importance for children around the western world and beyond. How his story is told directly affects future generations. “Having a job such as Santa, it’s not all about making money. If your heart's not in the right place, it’s worrisome,” said Rozmin. Over the phone, Santa Bob reflects on past experiences of children confiding in him, asking for the kind of things he couldn’t give them. “It’s not all laughs and giggles. There’s been times where I’ve shed tears with children,” Santa Bob explains. “Most of the time, it’s wonderful, but there are those one-offs that take your breath away. Sometimes you’ve got to take a few deep breaths to recompose yourself,” he says. “Some children wait all year just to talk to Santa Claus.”

“People think that being Santa Claus is just putting on your red suit and going to an event, but it’s more than that,” said head elf Rozmin Watson, co-founder of Hire a Santa. Hire a Santa offers Santa School in the lower mainland every year at the end of September. Due to COVID-19, Santa School was moved online this year. “Every few years, something different comes up and we have to be adaptable to it,” Rozmin explained.

When asked about the pandemic’s impact on photos with Santa, Santa Bob says safety measures are being taken, including sitting behind a plexiglass wall. “It’s positioned on a bench so that people can sit with the plexiglass behind them. I’m behind the plexiglass, so there’s proper social and physical distancing happening. It’s harder to hear the children at this point because of the plexiglass, but we’re making it work.” Although there will be no sitting on Santa’s knee, the line of communication between Santa and the children has yet to be severed.

In past years, the North Shore Santa school has taught santas-intraining how to embody the spirit of Santa Claus and learn the tricks of the trade. They learn how to walk, talk, and “ho-ho-ho” in a century-old octave. Santas-to-be have the opportunity to get their beard shaped, receive make-up tips and a professional headshot before graduating into the holiday season. Most importantly, Santas learn

COVID-19 is not the only major change that has had a global impact on the western world in the last year. The Land Back movement continues to pressure colonial governments across Turtle Island and the Black Lives Matter movement sustains through the fight for Black liberation and the defunding of the police. Santa was not present on the front lines, despite the abundance of Black and Brown children

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and youth fighting for their liberation. As the saint of all children, it’s a part of his job to hold compassion for them deep in his heart. Santa's survival in future generation’s minds should depend on the transformation of his narrative in a world that is fractured by inequity and violence. “Unfortunately, I haven’t seen many people of colour as Santa in BC, but I would absolutely love to see more Santa’s of Colour come in,” says Santa Bob. He seems genuinely concerned about the children who are unable to speak to Santa due to language barriers. Rozmin confirms that there aren’t many people of colour showing interest in the gig. “I haven’t received many resumes from people of colour, and if I do, I would not know on paper who they are. It wouldn’t make a difference to us because we have a wide range of different groups of people,” she says. Although it isn’t common in Vancouver, Rozmin explains, “Ontario [is] a bigger province, they do have all kinds of Santas. In certain areas, when you go to their malls, they have their own ethnicity of Santas that is in their neighbourhood.” Despite the lack of nonwhite Santa Clauses at Hire a Santa, Santa Bob asserts that “it doesn’t matter what colour you are or what religion you are, Santa Claus is Santa Claus.” With that, Santa Bob is on to something. Although the conversation ended there, it felt like a good start—but it isn’t enough. The western tradition of Santa Claus is taking its time adapting to change. Santas 3 2

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of colour should not have to be considered niche Santas, accepted exclusively in their own communities. Instead, the narrative continues to divert its attention from the systemic illusion it creates, all for the sake of fantasy. If there is a future for Santa Claus, it must be a story of a shapeshifter. One where our imaginations continue to grow, where we normalize the idea of BI+POC, transgender, non-binary and disabled folks embodying saints. When we are allied to “tradition,” we wear excuses like weapons of exceptional white patriarchy. For a tradition to survive, it must transcend. Despite the political realities of 2020, this disjointed civilization is just as eager to delve into a tale of patriarchal fiction because “it’s tradition.” There is no reason (yet) to boycott Santa Claus, but there is space for us to reflect on what parts of Santa we choose to carry forward and what we should leave behind. “Santa loves everybody equally, and everybody deserves to be loved equally,” preaches Santa Bob. If Santa is going to sleigh ride into the horizon with us, we all have a lot to learn. Dear Santa, This holiday season, we want you to be a shapeshifter.

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Place Your Pets Keep owners and animals together under one roof ALEXIS ZYGAN Contributor RHEA WONG Illustrator

After years of Vancouverites demanding a revamp of anti-pet housing laws, activists Jean Swanson and Peter Fry launched a motion on behalf of the Renters' Advisory Committee. They also urged the mayor of Vancouver, Kennedy Stewart, to address the lack of pet-friendly housing with the provincial government. On Oct. 15, the municipal government unanimously voted to stop discriminating against renters with pets. One property manager from Reliance Properties argued that some tenants are far too reckless to be trusted with animals. They worried that negligent owners will allow their pet to run wild, leaving behind a trail of stains and damages for the landlord to clean up. However, a negligent person is less likely to own a pet. Dogs crave affection, and cats, although more aloof, depend on a clean litter box. Also, through the process of training, a pet learns how to respect their space. Some landlords are concerned about how pet allergies will impact the health of other tenants, and that barking may trigger tenants who have been attacked by a dog. Thankfully, there are ways for pet owners to encourage good behaviour with positive incentives. However, training is no easy task and requires diligence. I have seen first-hand the tiring process of teaching a dog to stay down and listen to their owners commands. Maintaining a clean space prevents other tenants from being impacted by the pet’s odour and hair. In response to wear and tear concerns, humans can be rather destructive, notably sloppy party animals with no concept of cleanliness—a broom and a mop are unfamiliar to their repertoire. According to a Companion Animal Renter Study there is no notable distinction for damage recorded by tenants with pets versus those without. Many Vancouver residents have endured a loss due to the shortage in pet-friendly accommodation. I recently had a friend adopt two cats because their previous owner could not find housing that allowed animals. News outlets across the city have interviewed residents with heart-wrenching stories of abandoning their best friend. These first-hand accounts speak to the desperate and traumatic measures renters take in order to solidify housing in a precarious market that discriminates against pet ownership.

Twenty-five per cent of animals dropped off at the BC SPCA are attributed to the scarcity of pet-friendly homes. In an interview with Global News, the Vancouver Kitty Rescue (VOKRA) shared how they often receive phone calls about rehoming. A few people have even gone to the extent of abandoning their cats at VOKRA’s doorstep. Pets are one way to find companionship, improve mental health and lower blood pressure. Since lockdown, the BC SPCA has seen a surge of pet adoptions. This influx of adoptions instigated the BC SPCA to launch a pet-friendly housing campaign that included a resource to help renters advocate for themselves. On the rental site Zumper, pet-friendly accommodation comes with a higher price tag, with one-bedroom units ranging from $1,575 to over $2,000. In contrast, pet-free housing costs around $1000, and there are significantly more options for renters. Pet owners currently pay an extra pet deposit that accounts for the potential destruction caused during the tenancy. Statistically, 65 per cent of pet owners earn an annual salary of $50,000 so landlords can expect to receive a punctual rental payment. However, pet ownership should not be so intentionally barred from the working class, often the people who reap the benefits of it the most. Throwing a well-loved tennis ball to a dog in a park increases levels of serotonin and dopamine in the brain, and studies have even shown that pet owners visit the doctor less. Returning home from work to see one’s cat curled up in a ball, a dog with a smile, or rabbit joyfully hoping is a tincture for loneliness. Pets can be an expensive investment to one’s happiness, especially with emergency vet visits. Thankfully, the BC SPCA reduces barriers by offering subsidized pet check-ups for low-income residents. Despite outrage from rental companies, Vancouver should prioritize keeping pets and their owners together. No tenant should have to worry about eviction after coming home with a furry family member. Ontario has paved the way for Vancouverites by stating that rental agreements cannot exclude pets. This new motion successfully reduces barriers to long-term stable homes for pet owners in Vancouver and inadvertently benefits city dwellers’ mental health knowing they can adopt without the alarm of housing disparity when their lease runs out. OPINIONS

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Idoloizing Classic Literature is So Last Century We need to change the narrative on what makes a person “well read” JAYDE ATCHISON Contributor HELEN CAI Illustrator

Lockdown in March ignited the reading flame for many as they searched for hobbies to occupy their time while they waited for their sourdough to rise. Names like Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Dickens and Fitzgerald repetitively appear on lists that claim them as “must reads.” Throughout high school, we were given assignments based on white, cisgender, heterosexualpresenting male authors and taught they were the epitome of the written word. For generations, students have been skimming through beaten up copies of Beowulf, Lord of the Flies and A Tale of Two Cities. Sure, we may gain some insight into how syntax and writing style have shifted throughout the years, but should we be doomed to idolize these works until the world shrivels up and spits us out? I had high hopes for the journey I was to embark on when I was handed a torn-up edition of Catcher in the Rye in Grade Eleven. I had been told it was a pivotal book for teenagers but to my dismay, I was stuck reading the ramblings of a whiny angst-filled boy as he went through puberty. I couldn’t see what all the hype was about—was I supposed to sympathize with this asshole? I begrudgingly wrote my report and hoped the next “revolutionary” novel was more enthralling. Even when assigned classic literature written by a woman, such as Pride and Prejudice, I didn’t feel like I was learning much other than the importance of marrying before it was too late. Hopefully with the rising demand to publish more works from BIPOC authors, schools across North America will begin to recycle stale books that only serve to remind us how the upper class once lived. Once they rid themselves of these outdated ideas of intelligence, surely they can provide more relevant stories from

perspectives outside the white male normative. I took one English course in university in which the reading list included Assata: An Autobiography, The Autobiography of Malcolm X, The Spook Who Sat by the Door and other books written by authors of colour. It was the first time I devoured the pages of an assigned book as if my life depended on it. Instead of rolling my eyes throughout Robinson Crusoe, I was engaged and recommending these reads to friends outside of the course.

“Maybe being well-read is just a myth, and we should start discussing if someone is a well-rounded reader. ” I am not saying we should completely abolish this aspect of classic literature, but we do need to start investing in literature that represents the world we live in. Inserting Indigenous, Black, queer, neurodivergent and disabled voices into the classic vernacular and academia will enrich our minds and allow insight into worlds we might otherwise never be exposed to. If we introduce multiple voices into the academic narrative, we might witness a generation that has less racism and xenophobia. This would create more accurate representation for the students in those communities. Perhaps it is time to integrate books like Know My Name by Chanel Miller to teach teens the importance of consent from a sexual assault survivor—instead of idolizing alcoholic “tortured artist” Hemingway.

We need to revise what makes a well-read person— how can anyone be considered well-read if they are only sticking to one genre or author? Maybe being well-read is just a myth, and we should start discussing if someone is a well-rounded reader. Broadening our spectrum of authors, genres and time periods should be both encouraged and celebrated. Critics who claim that modern literature is not as beautifully written need to step out from the rock they’re living under and join the real world where authors like Zadie Smith and Toni Morrison exist.

some, it is hard to focus on vernacular that isn’t our own. If reading for pleasure is your jam, and you are reading what you enjoy, I think it’s safe to say you are well-read. Someone put time, love and dedication into those pages you’re turning, and that should never be shamed.

Throughout the years of reading challenges, I have self-imposed the need to continue reading classic literature. I wanted to be “well-read” and fit into an arbitrary tier of readers. I believed if I didn’t like the books, then I must not be smart enough. I often have a hard time getting through these books, taking three weeks to finish the same number of pages that might otherwise take me four days if it were a modern thriller. The idea that nodding off to century-old literature makes one unintelligent is ridiculous and outdated. We don’t use the same writing structures authors used to, and for

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ACTIVISM FATIGUE Meaningful activism means taking the time to learn about the issues you care about SINEAD GREWCOCK Contributor TALIA ROUCK Illustrator

“There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest.” — Elie Wiesel For our activism to have an impact, we need to allow ourselves time to learn, listen and digest new information. Often, before we can comprehend an issue, our news feeds are flooded with infographics demanding engagement for Black Lives Matter, #MeToo, disability rights, climate change and other civil rights infringements within Canada, America and across the world. If news of violence, abuse, or injustice filtered into our feeds feel irrelevant, we should pause to examine our privilege and learn more instead of sharing a post and moving on. Reading, listening, and starting conversations with ourselves and loved ones are more important than rapidly sharing posts. This can create meaningful change within closed circles of privilege, make it less likely for us to experience activism fatigue, and ensure our activism isn’t merely performative. Showing up for protests, speaking up when witnessing discrimination, changing hiring practices and policies, calling out racism in entertainment, challenging friends and families on their biases and redistributing wealth to charities and social movements when possible are some ways we can

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continue to advocate. Remember: it’s a movement, not a moment. The ongoing discrimination, violence, police brutality and systemic oppression carried out by white supremacy against Black people, Indigenous people, and people of colour is not new. The prevalence of the Black Lives Matter movement in June amid a pandemic made social media a battleground of addressing racism and prejudice within your workplace, family, friends and self. It came due to Black communities’ efforts in responding to police brutality—namely, the graphic viral videos and evidence following the murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor. George Floyd’s murder displayed how many white communities had ignored the ongoing trauma and violence that BIPOC communities had been voicing for years. For many, it took the viral graphic evidence to speak up and take action against racialized violence, abuse and inequality. However, many reacted by sharing the video of George Floyd’s death, causing more harm and trauma to

Black communities. Information on how to help hold his murderers accountable would have better served him without exploiting his death. Following their murders, a call to action came to post a black square for “Blackout Tuesday” to show solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and uplift Black voices. People flooded social media with black squares as they aimed to prove their allyship, clogging the #Blacklivesmatter hashtag, therefore silencing Black voices reporting from the front lines of protests. Acting before understanding the issue stunted folks’ ability to think critically, empathize properly with the circumstance, and caused more harm than it helped. We may not notice our own aggressions or microaggressions that are racially discriminatory or oppressive towards groups of class, race, religion, gender, ability or sexuality. Researching and finding leadership when uncertain can be an essential step in our ongoing learning. Remember to be respectful in these spaces and not demand more labour than has been offered—and to compensate when

possible. Activist Rachel Cargle has said, “I don’t want your love and light if it doesn’t come with solidarity and action,” pointing to the need to be more than an observer of activism, but to be participating within the movements you support. Activism fatigue can negatively affect our mood and ability to learn. I’d best compare it to the feeling of caring for a friend who’s gone through a breakup. Although time has been well spent supporting your friend, the emotional labour and compassion never leave you with a skip in your step. Activism fatigue works similarly, demanding your attention for every news

update, notification, graphic image, catchy video, or text from a friend sharing a “must watch” TikTok. To recharge energy, we must discover what makes us feel at peace with ourselves and others, and that could be some form of silence, meditation, selfcare practice or social setting. The goal is to engage with our emotions, allow ourselves to rest, and soothe anxiety so that when we effectively advocate for human rights and equality without impeding on who and what we are advocating for.

Our activism efforts should be ongoing as many people do not have the option to step away. It is also crucial for white folk to engage in education about our privilege and not lay the burden upon people of colour to do this work for them. For activists, we must remain engaged whilst caring for our mental health and well-being to meaningfully work for change to improve our own lives and others.

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We Need to Have Higher Standards Centuries of trauma led by the Catholic Church cannot be healed by a few statements EMMA MENDEZ Contributor CORALIE MAYER Illustrator

AS THE END OF OCTOBER NEARED, THE WORLD, ESPECIALLY THE CATHOLIC AND CHRISTIAN WORLD, WAS TAKEN BY SURPRISE AFTER POPE FRANCIS MADE INTERNATIONAL HEADLINES. In a year-old video, the head of the Catholic Church stated, “Homosexuals have a right to be a part of the family. They’re children of God and have a right to a family.” It was not necessarily this statement that shocked many, but rather his endorsement of same-sex civil unions, which many took to mean he also supported same-sex marriage. This was not the first time Pope Francis had made pro LGBTQ2S+ statements during or prior to his papacy. Yet, it’s hard to ignore the significance—or potential significance—these statements can have. While many celebrate his “bold” statements as progressive and a big step forward for the Catholic Church, not everyone feels the same. I fall into the latter group, but not for the reasons you may think. As a mixed-Indigenous, Latinx and Queer woman, I have my reasons for being critical. And while people may call me a hater, there are some things people should consider before they start singing the pope’s praises. With the significant role the Catholic Church played in the colonization and genocide of millions, the pope’s endorsement of civil unions and seemingly pro-LGBTQ2S+ statements are not enough to even begin the healing process for the LGBTQ2S+ community—especially for Queer BIPOC.

What does the Catholic Church have to do with colonialism, BIPOC and the LGBTQ2S+ community? Prior to colonization, the rise of Christianity, and the Catholic Church as a religious institution, many cultures around the world recognized and celebrated individuals of varying genders and romantic and sexual orientations. Although perspectives and community roles of these individuals varied—and still varies— from culture to culture, LGBTQ2S+ folk were respected and appreciated in their cultures and societies. But that all changed. The legacy of colonialism on the global LGBTQ2S+ community, especially Queer BIPOC, is the demonization of their identity and existence, and one of deep pain and trauma. A statement that takes no responsibility for the Catholic Church’s impact on Queer BIPOC and LBGTQ2S+ communities and makes no acknowledgement of their role in the spread of queerphobia is essentially useless. Throughout his career in the Church, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, now Pope Francis, has been known to make queerphobic statements. The Catholic Church readily supported him then, often by reaffirming religious doctrine and the word of God. Yet, in instances such as the one in October, the Church is quick to claim

that “he was misinterpreted.” The lack of inaction over the years has been discouraging, to say the least. The controversy and division between the Catholic Church and the Vatican make it evident that real progress and change—at least to the extent needed by the LGBTQ2S+ community—is not possible within the Catholic Church. This is not about God or one’s faith in higher powers. But about religion, Christianity and the Catholic Church

as an institution. One with centuries of suffering and blood on its hands and refuses to practice what they preach: to take accountability and responsibility. Our community deserves more than empty words and inaction. Our joy, our freedom to be, live, and love has been robbed from us for centuries. We’ve lost people through persecution and suicide. Queer BIPOC have been stripped of liberation in a million different ways— yet we are leaders in our communities. Stonewall, and what was the Gay Liberation Front, was spearheaded by mainly Black (and Latinx) trans women. The past shapes the future, so to say the past matters is an understatement. It is looking at the past and taking action to learn from it along with attempting to right injustices that we create a different future. A future where healing is possible more than ever and toxic cycles brought by colonialism are collectively broken. I want this future for our community and the collective. The question is, do you?

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THIS JUST IN: GENDER DOESN’T IMPEDE THE ABILITY TO LEAD In order to create gender equality in society, it needs to begin in the House f irst WEN ZHAI Contributor LILLIAN ZHANG Illustrator

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DUE TO GENDER STEREOTYPES PERPETUATED BY PATRIARCHAL SOCIETIES, WOMEN IN POLITICS FACE FAR MORE SCRUTINY AND HOSTILITY THAN THEIR MALE COUNTERPARTS. OFTEN, JUST DARING TO PARTICIPATE IN POLITICS IS THEIR ONLY CRIME. As a Twitter tourist one day in July, I came across a tweet criticizing a US congresswoman for comments taken out of context. It shouldn’t have surprised me because these last four years have shown anything goes in Trump’s administration. But human curiosity persisted, so I clicked on it and pursued the story. That’s how I was introduced to Alexandria OcasioCortez (AOC), the youngest woman to ever serve in the United States Congress. She was only twenty-nine when she took office in 2018, beating a long-term white male politician. Even as feminism becomes a household term, misogyny still prevails where gender rights and equality are most needed: politics. On July 23, AOC addressed senior congressman Ted Yoho after he verbally abused her on the steps of the Capitol and in front of the press. In the powerful speech, she called out the plague that is misogyny in politics, asserting that having a daughter or wife didn’t automatically make the congressman who accosted her, or any man, decent. Her critics completely misrepresented her speech, butchering her message about feeling fortunate that her father was not alive to see his daughter mistreated and humiliated by a congressman. AOC is daring and outspoken when she advocates for many issues, including Medicare for All and the Green New Deal. These were some of the reasons Yoho had the guts to blatantly call her “disgusting,” “crazy,” “dangerous,” and “fucking bitch” in front of the press. He was not alone in trashing a woman this way, and his actions are not an anomaly. Feeling entitled to power is prevalent among men across the globe. When women lead, many men see this as a threat to their own power and see women as rebels that need to be suppressed. They label women as too emotional and incapable of making rational decisions while expecting women to fit into gender stereotypes: meek and obedient. If they show determination, intelligence or critical thinking they are often called “nasty” and labelled radical. But after Donald Trump and Brett Kavanaugh, who can honestly say women are more emotional and irrational than men?

However, men aren’t the only threat to gender equality— internalized misogyny is often just as visible. The most recent reminders were BC Liberal candidate Jane Thornthwaite’s misogynistic comments sexualizing Bowinn Ma’s interaction with male colleagues and the three per cent increase in Trump’s votes by white women from the 2016 to 2020 elections. Leonard Franklin said, “When you’re accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression.” It’s important to remember that not all men have the same amount of privilege depending on race, class, sexual orientation, ability, etc.—but they have far more than their female peers. Intersectionality must be considered when looking at sexism because women of colour (disabled women, queer and trans women etc.) face far more obstacles than their white counterparts (or able-bodied, heterosexual, cis, etc.). Apart from AOC’s breakthrough, Kamala Harris became the first Black, South Asian, and female vice president-elect in the US. While all those who strive for gender equality are cheering, these moments themselves are the testimony that they are long overdue—especially considering women constitute at least half of the population. History has shown that despite male protest, women lead and they lead well. Gender bias has made it difficult for women leaders in modern societies to gain support. Yet, countries with women leaders, often much younger than their male counterparts, like Jacinda Ardern of New Zealand and Sanna Marin of Finland, are thriving and have been more successful in handling the pandemic. It is time to abolish gender stereotypes and misogynistic nonsense and recognize the power of women. Leadership positions should go to those qualified, and it shouldn’t be a boys’ club. It is great that we celebrate women who make history in politics, but we should strive for a future where their success is no longer celebrated solely as women’s success.

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Afraid of Affection How toxic masculinity stigmatizes intimacy between men

HASSAN MERALI Contributor LOU PAPA Illustrator

A recent Twitter post commenting on a picture of Joe Biden and his son, Hunter, caught my eye. “Does this look like an appropriate father [and] son interaction to you?” writes John Cardillo, a retired New York cop and Trump stan on Twitter. Below his caption was a black and white photo of Hunter and Joe Biden holding each other, Hunter looking at the camera while Joe kissed him on the cheek. The intended message is clear: it’s wrong for a father and son to be expressing affection this way. Initial reactions were predictable, some rejected the ridiculous idea that it’s not okay for fathers and sons to hold or kiss one another on the cheek. Others pointed out the obvious cognitive dissonance necessary for a supporter of Donald Trump to express outrage over inappropriate behaviour from a father when Mr. Trump has publicly sexualized his daughter on multiple occasions. To be clear, at the heart of the issue, it’s not about these two men being father and son. Nothing would have been said if the picture were of two women doing the same thing, whether those two women were mother and daughter or unrelated. I’m not saying the familial relationship doesn’t come into play—there is more acceptance for this display of affection because of the close relationship between father and son. But the underlying attitude of this caption is that there’s something fundamentally wrong about two men embracing intimately and kissing on the cheek. This very North American concept is relatively new. In the 19th century, when society was more gender-segregated and men were more likely to work side-by-side in physical labour, it was common to show affection with your guy friends in ways that might look strange to us today. The pathologizing of homosexuality changed our conception of it as something a person was, not an act they did. The rampant homophobia followed by a number of societal trends brought us to the touch-averse male friendships of the mid-20th century that this tweet seems to harken back to. Modern generations of men are generally more progressive, but these mid-20th century attitudes are still embedded deep within our cultural consciousness. 44

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Our society propagates a version of masculinity that goes beyond stoicism. It is one that stigmatizes intimacy between men to the point of policing physical touch: kissing, stroking, hugging beyond a rough embrace with slaps on the back, and touching beyond fist bumps and high fives are all taboo in male relationships. This toxic version of masculinity is one that rejects any and all things considered feminine. In its eyes, feminine traits are considered weak—the inference being that renouncing everything associated with femininity makes one masculine. This toxic version of masculinity—one that stigmatizes men expressing emotion as feminine and, therefore undesirable— is one I’ve written about before. Earlier this year, when my grandfather died, I wrote how men are still expected to feel and show little to no emotion and how that expectation crippled my ability to deal with my father’s death at a young age. While not uncommon, the expectation of growing physically distant from your father in a way you never do with your mother is almost universal for North American men. When a baby is born, nobody refuses to kiss it on the cheek if it’s a boy, and the same is mostly true through toddlerhood and childhood. Only when boys start entering into pre-pubescence and begin to transition into men does our society deem it inappropriate to be kissed on the cheek by other men. This is where the father and son aspect of the relationship starts to be influenced by societal pressures around male relationships. Nothing else changes in the relationship, but in prepubescent males, society sees the beginnings of a man. Fathers don’t stop loving their sons as they grow up or feel less inclined to express their love physically—the way they do changes. Even if they personally think that not kissing their son on the cheek is ridiculous, men feel protective and avoid doing so lest their son’s peers think less of him. Avoiding expressions of affection should no longer be seen as stoic or manly, because every time a father kisses his son on the cheek, real strength shines through: a father doing what he feels is right and best for his son—letting him know he is loved.

Nguy en Q u o c H u y An h

@hiim_cookie F E AT URED A R T

Back Home: The Epiphany

VALERIA VEL AZQUEZ Columnist

During the first couple of weeks that I was here in Mexico, I went to see a psychic. I wasn’t even the one who intended to see the clairvoyant woman—a friend asked me to accompany her because she was afraid to go by herself. I, curious about the mystical, said yes without hesitation. Of course, I asked how she knew about this psychic to make sure we weren’t going to be fooled by one of those carnival trickster fortune-tellers. She assured me, based on what her friends had told her, that this woman was reliable. Afraid of what the woman might tell her, my friend cancelled last minute. But the appointment was already made, and even though I was a little bit reluctant about going by myself, I figured I had nothing to lose. The woman told me a lot of things. She mentioned specific details about my love life, she gave me names of people around me and their intentions, and described certain relevant events of my life. However, the most important thing she talked to me about was my relationship with my family, more specifically with my father. Instead of telling me about my future, as one would expect, it was more like she was giving me advice on current worries I have. When it came to my dad's behaviours and attitudes, she described him as if she'd known the man all of his life. I couldn't stop crying when she said that there was a lot of trauma that I had been carrying and needed to heal.

This was the thing we spent the most time talking about. “You need to mend your relationship with him,” she said. “It’s ripped, but not fully broken yet. Talk to him, and if you can’t fix it together you need to fix it yourself, for you, so that you don’t go around carrying sadness and hurt.” I knew this already. I knew that if I tried, little by little, our relationship could improve, but I also knew how close I was to giving up on trying. What I didn’t know and couldn’t fully comprehend was how I could heal it myself without him being a part of the healing process. All this time, my purpose for coming to Mexico was to find alignment within myself—to become the best version of me that I could be by reconnecting to my roots and healing old wounds. But if the woman’s words were true, if I could heal things myself, then why was I even here? A few weeks after I heard the psychic’s words, I had an epiphany. I realized that sometimes the best thing you can do in order to heal yourself is to accept the fact that you might not be able to heal or fix every little thing in your life. Don’t get me wrong, I definitely believe that we can (and have to) do inner work in order to heal our souls from traumas, abuse and deep wounds. At least, I think I need to do this so that I can become my most authentic, happiest and truly aligned self.

However, part of the healing process is letting go of the need to heal those wounds by involving the people who took part in causing the wound in the first place. We need to let go of the control and the desire to make them recognize what they did. Most importantly, you don’t have to heal their wounds in order to heal yourself. I understood that my healing and connection with myself doesn’t depend on other people—it is only up to me. It doesn’t matter if someone apologizes a thousand times or never for the harm they’ve caused me. It’s me who decides when to forgive and let go of the burdens. In the end, forgiveness is not for the other people in my life, it’s for me. In order to find peace inside myself I have to forgive. I keep thinking of past partners I’ve had and with whom, for one reason or another, things ended. Every time one of these relationships ends, I forgive and let go. Sometimes it takes me longer than others, but I always forgive them, forgive myself, and release control and expectations on how the relationship should have been. I came to the conclusion that the same can be applied to every person I’ve had any type of relationship with. Just the way I’ve let go of people whom I once thought were my everything, I can let go of anyone else. In the end, I’ve come to forgive and let go of the anger, resentment and hurt I had towards my father and continue to love him with all my heart. I am finally at peace.

COLUMNS

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Coast to Coast: Homesick in the Maritimes

ALDEN WALL ACE MACK AY Columnist

Summer was coming to a close, and so was my road trip. I’d driven from Vancouver to Halifax—as far east as I could afford—and now I was sleeping on a couch at a friend’s duplex. Her name was Bridget, and once upon a time we used to live together in Vancouver. She was travelling as well, up from Australia, so she could relate to my travel bug. My crossroad blues. I told her, “I have a tendency to look back on the present moment, imagining what an older version of me might think about how I’m living now.” She said, “I do the opposite, constantly wondering if I’m letting down the kid version of me.” “Maybe the key is in taking the middle ground.”

my thoughts at the time were very sober. I “Oh, don’t worry about it. We don’t do that here.” was wondering what the hell I was going to do with my life, and what the good was I was going to miss the east coast, this alien of everything I’d done so far. Self-doubt land. I met many people across the country, was valid back then, in fact it gave some the lovely and the horrid alike. I saw places sound advice. I had more blessings than I more gorgeous than I could ever imagine, was aware of, yet I still couldn’t get out of and Lord knows I had my fair share of stories this funk. I spent a lot of time just looking to tell. My memory museum was going to at the ground. It seems like the more time need a new hard drive. that passes, the harder it is to dream. Maybe part of getting older is just learning to let go. In the morning I picked up the car, hit the Trans-Canada and didn’t stop driving for five days until I made it back to my mom’s About a week later I went to a mechanic to get place, bearded and in dire need of a long hot an oil change. It came with a complimentary shower. I looked like I’d never been to a city inspection, and when I came back to pick in my life. The front of the car was coated an up the vehicle, the lady at the desk told me, inch-thick with bugs and dirt. At the top of “Literally everything is seized up. Driver’s the porch steps I knocked on the door and side axle needs replacing. Control arm, too.” my mother answered it with open arms, just like she always had before. I asked her how this could’ve happened. “Have you lost weight?” she asked. “You look “Potholes, generally. Potholes and time.” like you’ve lost weight. Are you eating?”

Anyone who’s lived in Vancouver knows that the housing market is a nightmare. Growing up I used to hear fantastic rumours about people in other parts of the world working I thought back to all those countless “Not even in the door five minutes...” part-time jobs and still being able to rent backroad highways over the past few months, apartments. As I drove across the country rocketing over potholes, everything in the “I worry about you.” I kept wondering what it might be like to car airborne, coffee spilled across the dash. live somewhere else. I did have a home in “Yeah,” I said. “That makes sense.” “Can I put some laundry on?” Vancouver, somewhere I was undoubtedly welcome, but I was getting older and I knew She gave me a receipt with the total and said I had to leave. I just didn’t know where I’d go I could come back in the morning. I still had I didn’t find a new home that summer. or how. I’d driven through every province aspirations of seeing Newfoundland and Maybe all I had to show for this adventure save the northern ones, through all the major leisurely making my way back to the west were a few lines on my face and an empty cities and many small towns, but everywhere coast, but after this bill all I had in my bank bank account. Maybe such adventures are I went I was an outsider, welcomed only on account was $300—probably only enough only selfish in nature. Foolish, even. Can I the promise that I would soon be leaving. to hightail back to mom’s house if I lived off say I really learned anything at all? Was the rice and beans. Truth at home this whole time, right under “I don’t ever want to stop travelling,” I said. my nose like I’d always been told it was? I And with that I decided tomorrow would be don’t know. Meanwhile time goes on, and no Bridget laughed. “Me neither. But someday the day I’d leave. Back at the duplex I told one is waiting for me to make up my mind. we all got to get our shit together.” Bridget the plan. We watched a movie and drank red wine and philosophized until we In the Quran it says life is like walking on a both started yawning. She had to work in the tightrope. Middleway Buddhists preach of Sometimes when Bridget was working I just morning, so we said our goodbyes that night. a solace found in harmony, that when there hung out at the duplex, reading or meditating are two roads in life, take the third. Lil Wayne in my notebook. I’d been grieving over the Standing at the crossroads of her bedroom raps, “Life ain’t nothing but a long extended recent death of my grandfather so I said, “How will I lock the door tomorrow road. Keep driving.” I don’t know where life when I leave?” will take me, but whatever I do I’m going to follow my logical heart and take the middle road any chance I get. 4 8

"It seems like the more time that passes the harder it is to dream. Maybe part of getting older is just learning to let go."

COLUMNS

Maple Syrup Art: Becoming an Artist

JASON ARKELL-BOLES Columnist

I’m about to finish my art degree, so naturally, I’m lost. As an artist, trying to plan for the future can be daunting. So to give myself a little more confidence, I researched how past and contemporary Canadian artists worked towards achieving successful careers, copied their stories, noted some trends, and applied them to me: a soon-to-be art school graduate. However, it’s also important to understand that there is no guaranteed path to success— that’s not what this is. Instead, I wrote out all these ideas to give myself something to do after I finish school, or at least to have some semi-impressive sounding goals to tell my parents at Christmas. So if you’re a Canadian artist trying to figure out your next steps in life, take some of these ideas into consideration—hopefully the future will start feeling a little better. Start a gang (of artists)! Having a solid group of pals to make work with, exhibit with, or just to hang out with is probably the best way to stay consistently creative. Finding a group like this was hands-down one of the greatest benefits of going to film school. If you’re new to the city or don’t know that many creatives, finding a group could be as simple as frequenting local music venues, small galleries, or creative groups like CineWorks. Having a group to support you artistically can do wonders for your creative process, so find some artsy pals and keep them close, you’ll need them.

exhibition and touring small galleries can be a fantastic way to become established. If you don’t have a group at hand, submitting your work to arts and culture magazines or to small community exhibitions can be just as effective. There are plenty of ways to get your art out there, so do it! No excuses. Get smart! This is your chance to become a hot professor! If you’re interested in expanding your artistic practice, connecting with fellow artists and academics, or teaching, why not consider working towards an MA, MFA, or a PhD? This route is common for Canadian artists. Jeff Wall, Dana Claxton, and Brett Story all became professors as a means of sustaining their artistic careers. Not all of us know what we want to make right out of school, and that’s okay! Take your time, learn the histories, and gain a supportive academic community along the way. Write, alright? This could mean picking up articles for independent magazines, submitting essays to scholarly journals, writing gallery reviews, or maybe even some amateur journalism. I personally love the experience of writing; essays, reviews, journaling—I can’t get enough of it. Writing gives me an outlet to make sense of the world around me, and it gives me a platform to contextualize my artistic thoughts; that’s why I decided to take a shot at doing it semiprofessionally.

SHOW. YOUR. WORK! I can’t stress this enough! Yes, putting together an exhibition is intimidating. Yes, you probably feel like your work isn’t good enough yet. Just remember that everyone has these thoughts and you’re not alone!

It's also important to note that Canadians get an edge on this front. Being a smaller country, there are many local magazines that don’t get a lot of submissions; Discorder, Sad, and Montecristo are a few magazines in Vancouver. So if you like to write, give it a shot, you might find yourself a career.

In the small art ecosystem within Canada, it can be, at times, very easy to get your art out into the world. If you’ve got a good group of artist friends, putting together a group

Pick up a side-gig! With Vancouver prices being, well, Vancouver prices, working fulltime as an artist is becoming increasingly difficult to sustain—so try working a side

gig! While you won’t be living lavishly, a parttime job is a good way to stay afloat while you work on your art. Try something easygoing—think coffee shop, art supply store, or if you’re lucky, artist’s assistant. Of course, artists working in coffee shops are a huge cliche, but I feel like it gets a bad rep for what it is. I’ve been a barista twice, and I loved the job. Sure, it doesn’t pay great, but it’s a peaceful and relaxing position to keep up, and I always end the day with energy to work on something productive. So give it a try, live cheap, and take your time building your portfolio—it could pay off. We all know you can’t magically manifest a successful career as a visual artist, writer or film director—you have to work up to it. Still, it’s a confusing thing for me to comprehend, ‘working up’ to a career as an artist. There’s no ladder to becoming an artist, no surefire route one can take, it’s entirely ambiguous. And as artists in Canada, we don’t have a lot of role models to look up to, but that’s okay. What we have as a small country is the ability to create community. All of the recommendations I’ve listed above have one similarity, and that's working with, collaborating with, or just spending time around other people in the art community. So just remember that while the art scene in Canada may feel scarce, you’re not alone. The ideas I’ve laid out here are just a few of the infinite number of routes one can take to become a successful artist. You can try working in an artistic industry, seeking artistic grants, partnering with institutions, or designing products for sale— the possibilities are endless. What’s most important is that you take your time, explore different possibilities, meet as many artists as you can, and ultimately, try to form a better artistic community in Canada—you might end up finding success along the way.

COLUMNS

Perspectives on the Post-Postmodern: The End is Just the Beginning

TAMIA THOMPSON Columnist

Catastrophe in the human imagination is a repetitive force shaping our future before our eyes. The tiny rock we occupy within the vast multiverse is spinning into chaos and that knowledge acts as a cultural fuel. While the admittance of responsibility by largescale corporations is slim to none so far, the countdown to reduce emissions continues as we all watch and cross our fingers.

nature of creating something so destructive The pervasiveness of the atomic age onto and using it so relentlessly against humanity art is extensive—it predicted the social and nature has been the source of so many desensitization to everything that comes different works of art and music, beyond with disaster. Yves Klein notably made a disaster films. The metaphor can even be wealth of public remarks on how he would go found in the universe for which the popular about living in the destruction of nature that kids TV show Spongebob Squarepants is set. industry has created. “I will fill the valleys Bikini Bottom is underneath Bikini Atoll, a with mountains, then I will pour concrete coral reef in the Marshall Islands where 23 over the surface of all the continents,” Klein nuclear tests were done by the United States says in Ends of the Earth: Land Art to 1974. He The Anthropocene, our current era of greater (including the Lucky Dragon incident) from also at one point wrote to the president of the impact on the planet, became visible to us 1946 till 1958. Spongebob, Patrick, Sandy, International Conference for the Detection consciously when the cultural narrative and the rest are all supposed to be mutants. of Nuclear Explosions suggesting that “not in art changed to match it. The portrayal It’s a hypervisible yet passively-received piece only the explosions [of the ‘cobalt bomb’], of destruction in art is a fascinating and of history in the package of an eccentrically but the fallouts ought to be unalterably provocative topic to examine throughout positive cartoon. tinted in blue by my [International Klein history. Yet in the post-postmodern period, Blue] procedure”. Colouring an outlook of there’s a surge of responsiveness to global History and art inform each other in so anti-war sentiment in this letter, he made tragedy that characterizes this moment that many intriguing ways relating to the drama light of the most destructive weapon known we’re collectively experiencing. of social collapse. Learning about any to exist. ancient civilization or society can begin The cultural fascination we have with our own with uncovering more about how and what Living in the Anthropocene presents us with reckoning can be found in the popularity of they created artistically to explain their an array of opportunities to contribute to the classic horror movie Godzilla. While experiences with life and death. Cataclysmic the narrative of our era. Expressed creativity it wasn’t necessarily the only movie of its destruction is one of the oldest concepts in art and culture are all not only incredibly kind at the time, what we know to be true found in all forms of art and now climate important in the ways we document the of the King of the Monsters was that it was change has dramatically altered the ways moment, they are necessary for reserving actually a metaphor for nuclear warfare and artists create. The view we’ve come to have optimism as we descend into a climate radioactive fallout against Japan around of the human capacity for annihilation of crisis. Understanding the complexities of the WWII. In 1954, while the film Gojira was in the environment has become more active in doomsday we’re all scared of coming to is pre-production, a Japanese tuna fishing boat our imaginations simply through the idea of difficult, but through art we are taking more called Lucky Dragon No. 5 fell victim to the trying to beautify it and make sense of it. In interest in seeking a solution. From Sun Ra’s aftermath of nuclear weapons testing by the her essay, The Imagination of Disaster, Susan Nuclear War to Ai Weiwei’s Dropping a Han United States. The director of the film, Ishirō Sontag speaks on 1950s science fiction Dynasty Urn (1995), there are a myriad of Honda, saw inspiration in this and once movies and describes them as a “matter of fascinating examples of people giving the stated that he wanted to “make radiation quantity and ingenuity...concerned with the world art centred around the destruction of visible” through bringing to life a monstrous, aesthetics of destruction, with the peculiar the world as we know it. We can learn from terrorizing dragon that represented the beauties to be found in wreaking havoc.” this initial artistic response to the destruction senseless effects of nuclear war. Sontag’s words drive home the point that the the world has faced by planning efficiently manufacturing of an aggressive and beastly and sustainably in the ways we move forward, The point in time of when people started to unknown in fictive narratives comes from protecting what energy and life we have left. affect the Earth more so than the Earth affects the desire to place aesthetic value on chaos us is something that is highly debated, but the and the darknesses of living on an Earth that most commonly agreed-upon moment was we are unable to control. the creation of the atomic bomb. The chaotic

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COLUMNS

Jas o n Ar kel l -Bo l es

@jasonarkellboles Â5 4

F E AT URED A R T

LOCAL LANDLORD “VERY CONFIDENT” HE CAN RENT CONDEMNED SHITHOLE TO STUDENTS “FOR LIKE $1450” SINEAD GREWCOCK Contributor THEA PHAM Illustrator

Vancouver landlords have been hit hard during these uncertain and transient times. The pandemic has forced landlords across the lower mainland to cut back on building maintenance from 1 to 0 hours a week. Bigg Spenderton—a local landlord from Point Grey that owns several buildings in the East Vancouver area—told reporters on Monday that the rent freeze extension has been “truly devastating.” One of Spenderton’s properties is a quaint, illegal basement suite with exposed pipes and inadequate ventilation just off of Clarke and Hastings that has been left vacant for the past month. At $1450 per month ($1650 for couples), or 50-80% of a potential tenant’s income, Spenderton remains optimistic he’ll find a

desperate enough renter or a displaced punk band as soon as you can say CERB. “It’s well below the city’s definition of affordable housing at $1730,” Spenderton told the press. Fortunately, now that the eviction ban is over, he’s hopeful to once again resume evictions for “renovations” that amount to repainting the walls to hide mould stains and then adding $400 to the rent. The Craigslist ad for Spenderton’s suite reminds potential renters that the contact form is for interested tenants only and not just lonely souls looking for friendship in charismatic landlords. The ad reads, “charming 200 sq ft basement studio includes hot plate, decorative fist marks in the drywall and a 3-foot tall crawl/flex space that is absolutely haunted. No pets.” “It’s unfortunate, but it seems there’s no end in sight. It could be months until I’m able to show up unannounced to leave an out of order sign on the washing machine outside.” Thankfully, he’s still able to send mass emails to his other tenants in all caps reminding them that he still hasn’t fixed the heat. Spenderton, 52, says he’s vigilant of tenants who try to take advantage of him. “Using the unit’s curtains will be an addition to rent. My tenants need to think, what’s more important: money or the luxury of “free” darkness?” He says prospective renters looking for new doorknobs, drain plugs, insulation, or regular garbage disposal services should try AirBnb instead. As the holiday season approaches, the population Spenderton reportedly can count on the most between September to January is students. These are exactly the kind of people who won’t complain when Spenderton keeps the entirety of the damage deposit for having five secret roommates and several small nail holes in the wall. At the end of the day, this basement suite is situated in a beautiful metropolitan city that offers views at an affordable price, like a family of raccoons watching tenants sleep through a 2-foot well window. “It’s like hanging out with the Kratt brothers!” Spenderton added that despite the current public health crisis, he’s still working hard to ensure evictions continue on a timely basis without interruption. “With everything that’s happened, I’m only selling the plot to luxury condo developers next year for 20 million or so, I just can’t believe it.”

HUMOUR

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FIVE DISNEY+ IP’S TO ABSOLUTELY NOT PIRATE THIS HOLIDAY SEASON ERIK ERTEL Contributor ETHAN WORONKO Illustrator

Olaf’s Frozen Adventure (2017) Found as a playlist of videos on YouTube in double digit resolutions, this fun little short garnered a whopping 5.5/10 on IMDb. It’s one of many holiday specials that really capture the reason for the season by highlighting what we're all thinking: “How much longer can they milk this franchise?” Filled with song and dance, it’s bound to get four-year-olds and thirty-four-year olds wearing Pete Wentz armbands in the holiday spirit. As if that’s not exciting enough, it was also pulled from the preshow line-up for Coco in Mexico and the United States because audiences got visibly annoyed by how long it was. Rating – 240p

I’ll Be Home for Christmas (1998) It’s been on the DVD rack at your local Value Village since it came out, but don’t hesitate to bring it home tonight from The Pirate Bay because this late 90s flick doesn’t hold back. We’ve got the self serving but ‘loveable’ white boy protagonist who doesn’t understand other people’s feelings until the end of the movie. We also have the would-be girlfriend, if only the protagonist would understand that she has a life outside of his wacky schemes. We also have the dad, who promised the protagonist the keys to the Porsche if he can make it home for Christmas on time, so naturally it’s a mad dash across the country. I’ll Be Home For Christmas is the kind of movie that you watch as a kid and develop a crush on the cute lead, only to grow up and realize he was kind of a prick through the whole run time. Rating – 1.5 supercars with N’s on the back

12 Dates of Christmas (2011) Airing on ABC Family once between reruns of Hannah Montana, this Groundhog Day-esque rom-com is sure to knock your stockings off. Kate kicks off this straight to DVD adventure as a delusional NYC businesswoman still hung up on her ex. She gets set up on a blind date with the coach of a foster boys’ hockey team—the real pure and wholesome type, but of course she blows it. Kate’s in luck, because thanks to some wacky Christmas magic she gets to relive the same day 12 times. Rating – 12, the age of the average viewer who enjoyed this

Noelle (2019) If you’ve ever wanted to see Bill Hader “go out for cigarettes” at the North Pole in yet another flick about women cleaning up after the absolute mess left by white dudes, then pull up a two seeder on Rarbg right now because this might take a while. Santa heirapparent Nick dips from Santa duty to live off the grid in Arizona as a yoga instructor and the titular Noelle, his sister, takes over the family business as the first female Santa Claus. Yay feminism, or something. Rating – 3/5

The Christmas Star (1986) Shot in Vancouver with a film student budget, this holiday classic follows a capital C movie con man, convicted felon and Santa impersonator. Prison escapee Horace ‘McNickle’ finds himself in quite the McPickle somewhere between a West Van suburb and hallucinating a train ride where he has an existential crisis about dying alone while talking to his dead partner in crime. Even Wikipedia won’t acknowledge it was shot in this city. Rating – 5 imaginary stars

HUMOUR

A LUNCH POEM FOR ESMÉ, AGE 2 CHARLOTTE FERTEY Contributor ANAIS BAYLE Illustrator

I staggered and fell, picked up, again. It is sometime between light-time and dark-time And I sing a tuneless song Stumbling aimlessly around the house looking for nothing Frustrated by my lack of purpose Am I supposed to feel ambitious? I bumble through the dusty-light of the living room and I pluck a leaf from the African violet and put it in my mouth I lay back on the floor, my arms spread wide and wonder: Do they think I am hungry? Am I hungry? I want warm milk But they give me noodles with butter and salt and here I am Bibbed up like an old Parisian man and I spot some oranges and give them back their noodles and I wonder how they know it’s lunch time? Outside I see birds and nothing else matters.

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LIT ER AT URE

Virgo Aug. 24 - Sept. 23

Libra Sept. 24 - Oct. 23

scorpio Oct. 24 - Nov. 22

Sagittarius Nov. 23 - Dec. 21

Capricorn Dec. 22 - Jan. 20

Aquarius Jan. 21 - Feb. 19

Pisces Feb. 20 - Mar. 20

Aries Mar. 21 - Apr. 20

Taurus Apr. 21 - May 21

Gemini May 21 - Jun. 21

Whether you’re experiencing some philosophical revelations or you just found out kangaroos have 3 genitals, there’s bound to be lots of interesting information coming your way at this time. Focus on sharing your wisdom—tell other people what I just told you about kangaroos.

Give yourself the space and time to reflect on what you’ve learned not only this year, but in this lifetime. Zone out in the shower holding the Dr. Bronner’s bottle. Momentarily lose grip on reality in the seconds your paper basketball dances on the recycling bin rim. Poop intellectually.

If you were thinking that this is the perfect time to get money and stack paper to the ceiling, you guessed right. Avoid Boxing Day temptations later this month, keep being good with your money and keep being good to yourself.

Consider this: Xbox is like Android and PlayStation is like iPhone, in other words you are confusing. Also, consider your consumption habits and your relationship with material possessions. Clean your phone inside and out. Sanitize your case and delete old nudes.

Think about taking on some tasks that give you innate joy and change your perspective: Make a mixtape, attach car battery clamps to your nipples or rob a bank, bro. Whatever it is that you love, do that and with conviction.

Cancer Jun. 22 -Jul. 23

Pat yourself on the back for getting through this disastrous year, and congratulations on having little to no obligation to leave your house for like 10 months. Also, we’re all proud of you. Now explain how you intend on keeping this up once we’re allowed outside again.

Try going on a date or two this month. Open up. I’m an excellent wingman if you need it, but you have so many good qualities already. Like that time you single-handedly saved 30 puppies from an orphanage fire the day after you loaned me your Porsche.

Now that spooky season is over, it’s your annoying ass turn. “All I Want For Christmas” is for you to stop filling your emotional void with temporary fixes. Just call your grandma this season, you ingrate.

You might have been feeling like you’ve had to hold your cards closer to your chest than you would normally. To pass the time in this particularly uncomfortable time of the year, learn something new. Teach yourself Throat Baby on the piano or something.

Mars and Chiron will be hitting Aries this season, so physical healing and weakness may be in focus for you. Healthily exert energy where you must. Watch out for open manholes and inconveniently placed banana peels.

Don’t you miss hanging with friends and flirting with cuties? We may not know if social gathering has been ruined forever, but a wise man once said, “kiss me thru the phone,” and while you probably don’t have anyone to do that with, it’s a good mindset to possess.

leo Jul. 24 - Aug 23

Drop everything and go get yourself a refreshing non-alcoholic beverage. Clear your mind and remember what you’ve been neglecting. Did you leave the stove on at home? Did you kiss your pet goodbye this morning? Is there someone whose texts you haven’t answered in four days? 59

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capi lan o cou ri er VOLUME 53, ISSUE NO.4