Issue 14 ready for web

See the George Brown

powwow pg. 8-9 April 10 - April 23, 2017

New SA board Huskies aims for unity indoor after election soccer brings home gold pg. 2

pg. 7 GBC Student Newspaper • Founded 1982

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NEWS

The Dialog • dialognews.ca // April 10 - April 23

Students on why they voted in the elections

SA board split between Act Now and V3 Act Now takes four out of five executive seats, but the Student Association board overall is a split with V3 STEVE CORNWELL ASSISTANT EDITOR

After the votes were counted on election night, the Student Association (SA) board will be split almost evenly between Act Now and Values, Voices, Virtue (V3) slate supporters when their terms start on May 1.

The SA funds The Dialog.

Act Now took four out of five executive positions, with Mercedes Burrowes from V3 taking director of campus life by more than 200 votes over Act Now’s Brittney DaCosta.

In total, 10 candidates who supported the Act Now slate and nine candidates who supported the V3: Values, Voices, Virtue slate were either elected or acclaimed.

While the board is divided between the two slates, now that the election is over, the focus will be on finding common ground: what’s best for students.

“I’m not denying that the slate culture is there and we have different points, but at the end of the day our agenda is to help the students and take a leadership role on that,” said Riddhi Modi, who was re-elected as the director of communications and internal.

For Burrowes, working cohesively with her fellow board members means moving beyond the slates going forward.

“At this point our slates are done with and now we’re one team, and we need to work as a team to treat the students

and give them the best year we can,” she said. “It won’t work if we’re all on different pages.”

In a statement to The Dialog, DaCosta congratulated the incoming board of directors and told them to make George Brown College students proud.

Both slates also had instances of their posters falling or potentially being torn down during the campaign.

White said that as a Waterfront campus student, she was concerned that losing posters would make it harder for her to be recognized at St. James, and that she was relieved when she learned that she won over V3 candidate Mitchell Toye.

Following the election, White said that bringing the entire board together to discuss their expectations for each other will be important toward making the board cohesive.

“Tensions can get really high when you start competing for something, so it’s just giving everybody the space to voice their concerns and voice their frustrations and everything is beneficial.”

Three positions, health sciences, construction & engineering and Waterfront campus director, are vacant and will be open in a byelection in the fall.

Election night results Note: Double envelope votes not included, see dialognews. ca for updated count after April 10 and a full list of acclaimed candidates. If there is less than a five per cent difference in votes there will be an automatic recount.

Director of communications and internal Riddhi Modi (Act Now!): 602 - Leading by 125 votes Harjit Singh Dua (V3): 477

Director of campus life Mercedes Burrowes (V3): 611 - Leading by 211 votes Brittney DaCosta (Act Now!): 400

Contributions to The Dialog are always welcome. We request that articles be submitted as digital copies in plain-text (TXT) or rich-text (RTF) format.

Letters to the editor can be sent in an e-mail message to: dialog@sagbc.ca.

Images should be in EPS format for vector files or in TIFF format at 300 dpi for raster files.

Director of equity Sheldon Mortimore (V3): 514 Alex Stewart (Act Now!): 581 - Leading by 67 votes St. James campus director Calvin Bartholomew Soto (V3): 313 Francis Torres (Act Now!): 330 - Leading by 17 votes Community services representative Tisha Graham (V3): 73 - Leading by 39 votes Andrew Murrell (Act Now!): 34 Accessibility representative Yuseph Jackman (Act Now!): 417 - Leading by 138 votes Charlie Tookalak (V3): 279

Damiana Palmieri

Kirsten Danquah

“I’m graduating soon so what the candidates plan to do for alumni is what interests me the most, in terms of employment, further education, workshops, stuff like that. I want to make sure the right people get elected.”

“Because I felt that my voice needed to be heard, and I do go to this school and everything that happens here effects me in some way so I felt that my opinion does matter.”

Nikola Syhatheb

Saidah Vassell

“I voted because I think this gives the students an opportunity to enrich students’ lives, and we as students need to support each other because we’re all we have.”

“I met some of the candidates at the George Brown summer camp and they seem like really nice people. The stuff that they’ve been doing so far I’ve liked, so I figured I’d vote for them.”

Black students representative Zhorrah Grant (Act Now!): 263 Sabrina Mohammed (V3): 369 - Leading by 106 votes International students representative Kushagra Manchanda (V3): 316 - Leading by 7 votes Aman Sheth (Act Now!): 309

CORRECTION: An article in the last issue about the SA elections incorrectly identified Jasmyn St. Hilaire, who is the acclaimed Casa Loma campus director.

The photo caption in the article also reversed the two slates.

The Dialog regrets the errors.

EDITORIAL Managing Editor Mick Sweetman. . . . . . . communications@sagbc.ca Assistant Editor Steve Cornwell. . . . . . . . . . . . . . dialognews@sagbc.ca Online Editor Manseeb Khan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . dialogonline@sagbc.ca Art Director/Designer Anna Panamarenka. . dialogdesign@sagbc.ca Videographer Indira Ordaz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . dialogvideo@sagbc.ca Reporter-editors Philip Iver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Deshawna Dookie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Kelsey Rambaran . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Alex Resendes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Meng Ma. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

An Maria Avarachan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

REPORTER-EDITOR

Director of education Mitchell Toye (V3): 433 Tiffany White (Act Now!): 544 - Leading by 111 votes

FEEL FREE TO CONTACT US - dialog@sagbc.ca

CONTRIBUTING

DESHAWNA DOOKIE

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Dylan Konecny

Ad Sales Gabrielle Rubaine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . dialogads@sagbc.ca

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Contact The Dialog at: Room E122 - Casa Loma 142 Kendal Avenue Toronto, ON M5R 1M3 www.dialognews.ca Tel: 416-415-5000 ext. 2764 dialog@sagbc.ca

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NEWS

The Dialog • dialognews.ca // April 10 - April 23

EVENTS LISTING

// STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

Andrew Murrell has his foot in many doors Murrell finds balance between work, sports and school KELSEY RAMBARAN REPORTER-EDITOR

Between work, a full-time class schedule, being a student leader and playing varsity sports, Andrew Murrell has been a very busy man.

“In my first year I came to the school and was playing varsity baseball as a sport, and those two months you’re playing a baseball game pretty much every day after school, so just having that constant practices and games in my first year taught me how to balance more,” he said. “As I already developed that skill, each year I’d add more, so I added more until I was pretty much doing everything around school.”

In his three years at George Brown College (GBC), Murrell has played both baseball and basketball, works in the gym, is the community services representative for the Student Association (SA), all while balancing a full-time class schedule in the child and youth care program and a placement at a correctional facility for young offenders.

Murrell knew he wanted to get into the field from a young age.

“When I was 15 I left with a group of friends to go to Jamaica and we went and worked with an orphanage there, I guess I just happened into it, but once I was there I loved the connection with the kids and I decided that’s what I wanted to do for a living,” he said.

While he said he doesn’t know what he wants to do after school, he is enjoying getting to apply what he’s learned now in his placement.

“I’m not saying it’s not their fault that they’re incarcerated, but things happen that disadvantage them that other people in their scenarios may not have had. There’s a lot of poverty, there’s a lot of crime around, there’s not a lot of parents involved usually,” he said. “So, you just want to help them while they’re in there to further their education, to see

them get further. You don’t want to see them again as an adult come back into the penitentiary.”

Murrell, who is 22, said he is able build relationships and create bonds with youth as someone closer to their age that they can relate to.

“Kids are the most vulnerable part of our society and there aren’t as many people as you think protecting them.

Especially when you think of how many are out there homeless on the streets right now, not that many people are really campaigning that or championing that cause,” he said. “You can’t just rely on the older people to do it, so I’m really trying to get the young people involved because that’s our demographic.”

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Andrew Murrell applied his program’s lessons to the position of community services representative. Photo courtesy of the SA of George Brown College

At school, Murrell gets to apply his knowledge through his work as the SA’s community services representative.

“It’s right up my alley because community service work is what I love and that’s why I joined the program, and the fact that there was this oppor-

tunity for me to represent the community at the school was just an empowering position for me to do and solve a lot of the problems,” said Murrell, adding “Well, not problems, but I guess to further my own agenda at school and bring that work in.”

Murrell concluded by giving one piece of advice for students looking to give back to the GBC community.

“Don’t feel like you have to do it alone. Get involved, there are certain people who you can speak to, whether it be in student life or in the Student Association,” he said.

“There’s a huge network of people who are all trying to do the same thing and we need more bodies all the time, we need more help, so honestly, don’t feel like it’s a bad thing to give up yourself and be part of a team.”

SA Jobs Fair Tuesday, April 11 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Waterfront, Main Lobby

Wednesday, April 12 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Casa Loma, Student Centre

Thursday, April 13 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

St. James, Kings Lounge, R.150

Learn about upcoming job opportunities for the summer and fall semester.

Oasis Week Tuesday, April 18 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Casa Loma, Student Centre

Wednesday, April 19 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Waterfront, Main Lobby

Thursday, April 20 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

St. James, Kings Lounge, R.150

Join us between classes to get pampered and spoiled. Back massages, hand massages, prizes and more

End of Year Boat Cruise Memories Edition Friday, April 21 Leaving 6:30 p.m.

Returning 11:30 p.m.

The Burroughes, 639 Queen St W

Join us as we end another year on the water. $20 for GBC students and $25 for guests. Available at SA offices. St. James Room 147, Casa Loma E100, Waterfront 033

Niagara Falls Trip Sunday, April 23 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Departure from The Royal Ontario Museum, 100 Queen’s Park

Enjoy a Hornblower boat ride into the mist of the falls, take pictures in Niagara-on-the-Lake, and enjoy wine-tasting at an award winning winery (19+). You will also get lots of free time to explore the city and walk the always intriguing Clifton Hill. Book online at http://isx. ca/gbc/235/5.

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NEWS

The Dialog • dialognews.ca // April 10 - April 23

Islamic Awareness Week ends with public prayer Muslim Students Association clears up misconceptions about Islam DESHAWNA DOOKIE REPORTER-EDITOR

The week of March 20 was Islamic Awareness Week at George Brown College, where students from the Muslim Students Association (MSA) organized a number of events to educate students about the religion of Islam.

Their last event for the week was the Friday Jummah prayer, which was held at the Casa Loma campus main entrance on March 24.

Muslim students congregated at approximately 1:30 p.m. to hear Adel Esayed, the dean of the centre for construction, engineering and technology, lead the ceremony.

The Jummah prayer is held every Friday, and must be led by one person who will

offer a sermon as well as a prayer to follow. Esayed often leads the Friday Jummah for students to assist them in strengthening their religious values.

His sermons are often based on the actions that young people can take to contribute to society.

“I advise them to be good people, to do good deeds, and to help other people,” he said.

The prayers are not usually held in such a public space.

The regular prayer space are rooms C413 for men and C415 for women.

“Our theme was to kind of get the name out about Islam and tell people about Islam, which is otherwise put down and talked badly against in the media,” said Shahaab Khan, president of the MSA. Khan said the week helped

Students attend Jummah prayer held by Muslim Students Association as part of Islamic Awareness Week on Friday, March 24 at Casa Loma campus. Photo: Deshawna Dookie / The Dialog

to clarify many questions students had about Islam.

“They were really sur-

prised because they expected Islam to be a religion of terrorism, and really it isn’t, it’s

a religion of peace, and justice for everyone,” said Khan.

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SPORTS

The Dialog • dialognews.ca // April 10 - April 23

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GBC grad makes a major impact in minor hockey Sports and event marketing graduate Adrienne Middlebrook went to GBC to break through in her industry DYLAN KONECNY REPORTER-EDITOR

High-definition Sportsnet cameras are stationed all along the hockey arena in anticipation.

The championship game has all the fans in attendance nervous for the action that’s about to commence.

The teams are chock-full of young superstars in the making, and their whole season comes down to one final game for the championship in downtown Toronto.

It’s not the Toronto Maple Leafs fans are here for, but rather a game between

the top minor midget-class players in Ontario as they battle for the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) Cup. Watching it all from the crowd is one of the key organizers of the tournament, the Greater Toronto Hockey League’s (GTHL) manager of communications, Adrienne Middlebrook.

Middlebrook, who graduated from George Brown College’s (GBC) post-graduate sports and event marketing program in 2016, is now helping to oversee the tournament that spotlights some of hockey’s upcoming stars.

“I wanted to pursue a career in hockey more specifically,” she said. “I was already working in hockey at a skating school, but couldn’t seem to break further into the industry. That’s when I decided to go to George Brown,” she said.

The GBC grad is currently responsible for all aspects of the GTHL’s website, social media platforms, email newsletters and the project management of Breakout Magazine, using the skills and teachings from professors at George Brown.

The tournament takes

The Mississauga Reps take home the OHL Cup. Photo: Aaron Bell/OHL Images

the top teams of OHL draft eligible hockey players and pits them against one another in a grueling week-long tournament.

Peter Widdis, a sports and event marketing professor at GBC, is enthusiastic about the merger and the potential it creates.

“I​t ’s partnerships like this that add that much more credibility to both hockey league brands,” said Widdis. “The positive image transfer that happens mutually between the OHL and GTHL enriches their credibility and marketability to all stakeholders; fans, players, sponsors and community,” said Widdis.

Widdis had nothing but praise for his former student already making an impact in the industry at the amateur sports level.

“Adrienne was a true leader in and out of the classroom,” said Widdis.

“Her tremendous vision and drive to succeed in the sport and event marketing industry, especially the business of hockey, is exemplary. Adrienne is one to watch for her work on the GTHL brand.”

“I learned a lot at GBC,”

“You get into a rhythm and just keep going,” said Adrienne Middlebrook. Photo courtesy of Middlebrook

said Middlebrook. “How to effectively do a presentation was one which I credit in getting my job. How to properly network and make a connection was another big one,” she said.

The smaller staff that Middlebrook was working with at the tournament ensured that she was putting her training and skills to the test. Getting through the tournament meant going above and beyond.

Middlebrook said the entire week was nonstop. Staff

“I was already working in hockey at a skating school, but couldn’t seem to break further into the industry.”

would show up to start the day at 9 a.m. and would stay until the last game, which would be around 11 p.m.

“You get into a rhythm and just keep going,” she said.

The tournament final was a very close game. After the Toronto Nationals tied it up at 2-2 with 2:12 remaining in the third period, the game appeared to be headed to overtime. But Mississauga Reps forward Dennis Golovatchev fired the puck past Nationals’ goaltender Zach Roy for the game-winning goal with nine seconds remaining.

Well after the Reps defeated the Nationals, and the on-ice pictures with parents and family were over, Middlebrook could be found helping to pack up all the equipment to be brought back that same evening.

For Middlebrook, this season will remain special since it was the first year that she told the story of the top minor hockey players in the country’s largest league.

For the next few years she intends to follow along with a watchful eye as this group moves on to pursue their professional hockey aspirations.

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SPORTS

The Dialog • dialognews.ca // April 10 - April 23

The last five years have seen Huskies guard Ted Johnson (5) come out of his shell. Photo: Philip Iver/The Dialog

Ted Johnson ends his Huskies career with a bang Graduating veteran affectionately known for his dance moves PHILIP IVER REPORTER-EDITOR

It’s something remarkable when an athlete spends their entire five year college eligibility with a single program.

Men’s basketball player Ted Johnson is one of those special cases.

Five years ago, the 23-year-old joined George Brown straight out of Toronto’s Marshall McLuhan Catholic Secondary School.

His Huskies career has seen Johnson go from being reserved to a player beloved for his dance moves on and off the court.

“He was very quiet when he first came out, and slowly he became Ted the dancer that everybody’s come

to love,” said Huskies head coach Jonathan Smith. “He grew from there. Now he’s a vibrant personality.”

According to Johnson, it was a matter of comfort.

Opening up came with getting to know his coaches, teammates, systems and routines. “Now I won’t shut up,” Johnson said with a smile.

Getting there wasn’t always an easy process. While Smith and Johnson joined George Brown at the same time, there was no familiarity between them. Even though Smith said the coaches liked what they saw, that didn’t keep Johnson from receiving some tough love.

“He would always yell at me, but he said, ‘If I’m not on your back, then something’s wrong,’ ” remembered Johnson. “I took it as a good thing,

and our relationship got better over the years. We just became closer and closer.”

By the end of his Huskies career, Johnson was one of Smith’s most trusted players.

The 5’9” guard proved an elite bench option this season, providing a steady presence on both ends of the court.

Johnson’s lone regret was a lack of versatility early on, but it’s clear his game has come a long way from then to now.

“He’s always been one of those aggressive, offensive players but he’s really stepped up on the defensive end; his on-ball defending has been fantastic this year,” said Smith. “We’re proud of how he’s developed over the last five years.”

Individually, Johnson’s best season may have come last year when he posted career highs in minutes per game and points per game.

On a team level, it was this season’s journey to which he ascribed the most pride.

“Making it to provincials, going to the finals and going

to nationals (was) something I never thought we would accomplish but it happened,” said Johnson. “I stayed with the program, I was patient and finally got it and went out with a bang.”

Moving forward, Johnson is looking to turn his advanced diploma in business administration-finance into a career advising on financial matters.

Smith was confident that if he works as hard as he has the last five years, “success is not something that might come, it will.”

Johnson’s collegiate career may be at an end, but as longtime teammate Dejazmatch James remarked, “Once a Husky, always a Husky.”

“That’s a friend that we’ve all made for life,” said James.

“All of us are going to be friends for life now, whether you’re playing with us or not.”

“He was very quiet when he first came out, and slowly he became Ted the dancer that everybody’s come to love.”

SPORTS

The Dialog • dialognews.ca // April 10 - April 23

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Men’s indoor soccer wins OCAA Championships Defensive showcase sees Huskies take gold for first time since 2007 PHILIP IVER REPORTER-EDITOR

Third time’s the charm for George Brown College men’s indoor soccer.

After bronze medal finishes in the previous two Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) Indoor Soccer Championships, this year’s Huskies squad took home the province’s top prize. The victory marked George Brown’s first men’s indoor soccer gold medal in a decade.

Their performance gave credence to the cliché that defence wins championships.

The Huskies gutted out backto-back 1-0 victories on March

25, first against Fanshawe in the semi-finals and then versus St. Clair in the gold medal game.

Fanshawe proved a formidable opponent, requiring George Brown goalkeeper Milad Kahani to be sharp throughout the match. The back-and-forth affair looked to be headed to extra time, until Huskies midfielder/forward Zuheib Mohamed broke the deadlock in the game’s final seconds.

“We knew chances were going to come,” said Mohamed after the match. “It ended up coming at the end of the game, but we’ll take it.”

There were a couple hours interlude before George Brown faced the St. Clair Saints in the OCAA gold medal game.

For a number of Huskies veterans, St. Clair was an all too familiar opponent, having lost to the Saints in last year’s semi-finals.

This time around, that familiarity helped George

George Brown’s men’s indoor soccer team celebrates winning the gold medal game. Photo: Philip Iver/The Dialog

Brown game plan for what to expect.

“We knew how they were going to play,” said Huskies forward Shaquille Agard, whose six goals and constant offensive threat earned him tournament MVP honours.

“We knew they were going to press us and play the long ball, so all we did was counter that and try to finish our chances.”

Perhaps sensing that one goal might be enough, both sides played much of the final with an abundance of caution.

Tension briefly turned to jubilation when midway through

the second half, Huskies midfielder Behnam Fazili found forward Daniel Cunha all alone on the back post. The resulting tap-in put the Huskies on the board, but with plenty of time left on the clock.

From there, the game’s remainder featured George Brown’s best fortress impression. Goalkeeper Aris Efstathiadis stood on his head and the Huskies weathered a ceaseless Saints onslaught to preserve the 1-0 victory.

“Honestly, just the idea of all the guys with that medal at the end of the day, was enough

for me to push myself and not let anything in the back of the net,” said Efstathiadis.

Huskies head coach John Williams lauded George Brown’s hard work, calling it a much-deserved win. With this gold medal finish, coupled with earning provincial bronze during the outdoor season, Williams expressed confidence that his team is on the right track.

For Efstathiadis, the pathway for repeating as champions next year is clear.

“Exactly what we did this year.”

Clubs make up an important part of our community at GBC. Many students helped contribute to the growth of clubs this year.

Thank you to all new and returning club members who participated in a club, organized events, held meetings and contributed to improving the George Brown College community! We hope to see you at our Clubs Appreciation Night!

For more information about clubs contact our Clubs Coordinator at clubs@sagbc.ca.

STUDENTASSOCIATION G E O R G E B R O W N C O L L E G E

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ARTS & LIFE

The Dialog • dialognews.ca // April 10 - April 23

9th annual George Brown

powwow in pictures

STEVE CORNWELL ASSISTANT EDITOR

The Dialog • dialognews.ca // April 10 - April 23

ARTS & LIFE

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ARTS & LIFE

The Dialog • dialognews.ca // April 10 - April 23

Dancing with Ghosts tangles with taboos Author Emily Gillespie was inspired by experiences in mental health care system KELSEY RAMBARAN REPORTER-EDITOR

Dancing with Ghosts, Emily Gillespie’s first book, was inspired by her own experience and seeing others navigate the mental health care system. “(The book) was motivated by political frustrations and it was also in part motivated by frustrations with how the mental health system is set up,” she said. “It was inspired by these concerns that were

around me that I felt like I needed to contribute to.”

A part-time learning assistant and tutor at George Brown College (GBC), Gillespie also works with two organizations providing education and training around gender-based violence, as well as advocacy around disabilities and feminist issues.

Gillespie said she got into the field due to her experience going through the school system with disabilities. For the learning assistant and author, helping students with essays and other school work is a matter of, “helping them develop their confidence and skills to pull assignments apart,” she said.

Gillespie has a degree in gender studies, gender equality and social justices in English, and a master’s in disabilities studies. Using her education, she decided to tackle a narrative in Danc-

ing with Ghosts that doesn’t shy away from taboo topics in today’s society: rape culture and the mental health system.

“The conversation you’re going to have with someone about an academic journal is different than the one you’d have with your friends on Friday or with someone on the subway,” she said.

“So my education helped with that, because I was taking the ideas I was thinking about that I really wanted to cover and think through more in academics and was really able to play around with them in fiction.”

Gillespie finished her master’s in one year and felt that she didn’t explore everything she wanted to with it.

The book was a way for her to continue doing research and writing on something she is passionate about.

She began brainstorm-

Dancing with Ghosts cover illustration, published by Leaping Lion Books.

ing for the novel in January 2015 and writing a couple of months later in March.

Gillespie finished writing in August and following a period of editing, launched Dancing with Ghosts in March.

Gillespie’s characters, Patricia and Derek, are the main characters involved in an abusive relationship.

The book tackles what the situation is like from Patricia’s perspective, including the battle against herself.

Part of what she wanted to create in Patricia was a character that was critical

of other narratives which touch upon issues of domestic abuse.

“I wanted a really self-reflective, but struggling character,” she said. “I think something that was really important in creating (Patricia), was having a character that understood, that was struggling in staying in this relationship and the reader is probably going, ‘No, why haven’t you left,’ ” Gillespie said.

Dancing with Ghosts is published by Leaping Lion Books.

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ARTS & LIFE

The Dialog • dialognews.ca // April 10 - April 23

Enactus club helps women in St. Lucia with Girls Going Forward GBC club’s project helps women in St. Lucia battle high unemployment with their own body-scrub business MENG MA REPORTER-EDITOR

It was nothing short of exciting when a partnership was made between George Brown student Adonia Vlasis, Girls Going Forward, a program that facilitates skills-building workshops to empower young women, and the Ministry of Education of St. Lucia.

It all started with a small purchase made by a woman originally from the island at the YWCA in Toronto.

“One of her family members just happened to be part of the (St. Lucia) Ministry of Education,” Vlasis explained.

Vlasis, currently a thirdyear business student at George Brown College (GBC), is the program coordinator of Girls Going Forward, one of the initiatives of the Enactus club.

Girls Going Forward was started as an anti-bullying program by GBC’s Enactus club in 2012 and hosts business skills workshops at youth centres to inspire entrepreneurship for women.

“We’re trying to educate and show that if you have interests and hobbies that you think you’re very good at, you can turn that into a business and make it profitable for you and your family,” said Vlasis.

Girls Going Forward was expanded to St. Lucia in 2015.

After completing the series of workshops, some of the local women, including a library assistant Kemberley Constable, started a business called Tropical Bliss in Micoud.

Tropical Bliss is a health and beauty business that sells locally made body-scrubs, both in St. Lucia and in Canada, through the support of Girls Going Forward.

working on improving packaging and marketing for the company in St. Lucia.

“You have to make sure that the relationships you built remain strong with the people you work with, and that they trust you,” said Vlasis. “Ensuring communication stays constant within the pro-

11

“You have to be motivated number one, in St. Lucia right now the economy is really slow,” said Constable. “So you have to be motivated and determined.”

“There is a competitive The most recent census advantage in the market to data was released in 2015 by being an entrepreneur,” reathe government of St. Lucia, soned Vlasis. “We’re teaching in which they reported the them basic skills in annual unemploybusiness development rate was 27.3 ment and sales.” per cent of females Although Girls versus 20.5 per G o i n g Fo r w a r d cent of males. An contributed startestimate of 24,500 up funds and does St. Lucians was reweekly Skype ported to be unemcheck-ins with the ployed that year.

Tropical Bliss team, Vlasis realized, getting the business very quickly, the to take off in Miurgency to establish coud has been an Girls Going Foruphill climb. ward in the nation, “The market when she discovis higher in Canaered the difficulties da than it is in St. young women face Lucia,” explained when seeking work.

Girls Going Forward participants in St. Lucia (Left Constable, who “Sometimes you to right, top) Cindy Jno Baptiste, Brittney Mathurin, manages Tropical don’t know how Kemberley Constable, Timothea Mathurin Bliss and said get- (Bottom) Samuel Lee, Velinda Randolph, Nadege Doxey much of a difference ting sales still is her you can make by just and Adonia Vlasis. Photo courtesy of Vlasis biggest challenge. listening to some“Most customers one,” explained Vlaare either not interested, or gram and to also be quick on sis. “It’s the most important when we bring samples out your feet.” thing about the project.” they’d just sit there—nobody For Constable, the lesson Vlasis plans to pursue would buy it,” she said. on empowerment and finanproject management and Tropical Bliss currently cial independence was one marketing after graduation. runs a Facebook page and is she took to heart.

S c h o o l ’s o u t.

Ta k e a b rea k , rel a x & rec h a rg e.

www.neo c o f f eebar.c o m

12

ARTS & LIFE

The Dialog • dialognews.ca // April 10 - April 23

There’s no shame in using the SA’s food banks Student food bank staff are beacons of hope and support for GBC student ALEX RESENDES REPORTER-EDITOR

Sometimes making ends meet forces people to make difficult choices, as anyone who’s had to pick between making rent or paying a bill is intimately familiar with.

A particularly challenging crossroads is whether someone wants to deal with the stigma that often comes with accepting charitable aid. But at the Student Association’s

(SA) food bank at George Brown College (GBC), one client is pushing back against that stigma.

“Do I spend this, do I pay the rent, do I buy this food?” asked Richard Villavicencio, a fourth-semester business accounting student, considering the difficult decisions he and his family have faced.

“My kids, they are teenagers, they eat—a lot.”

Villavicencio, a recent immigrant from Mexico and father of two, faced more difficulties than most as he started his two-year program.

Without a social support network and with the expenses of raising a family while being unemployed due to fulltime studies—all while living with a disability—he found that the money he saved working back in Mexico City quickly ran out.

During a particularly difficult winter two years ago, Vil-

Richard Villavicencio checks out what’s on offer at the Casa Loma campus food bank.

Photo: Alex Resendes/The Dialog

lavicencio began visiting food banks in the city, but said he found a type of judgement he didn’t expect: from food bank staff.

In his experience with other food banks, Villavicencio felt that food suitable for his kids had been withheld because he doesn’t look like he has needs.

At George Brown, Villavicencio explained, it’s a different story.

The staff at SA food banks didn’t assume he was taking advantage of them because he dressed well, and they took pains to learn about the

particular needs of their clients.

The SA funds The Dialog.

In Villavicencio’s case, the staff at the St. James food bank learned about his family and ensured he could receive sufficient support to help his family out as well.

Villavicencio was adamant that shame or stigma shouldn’t prevent people from using the SA’s food bank. “It’s hard to go there. So I encourage (people) to go there. The people are nice, they’re not going to judge you, they’ll try to help you.”

Above all, Villavicencio is

thankful for the help he’s received, which is why he was glad to speak publicly about such a sensitive subject.

“It’s not easy to come here and say, ‘I’m using the food bank,’ right? But I like to recognize the work they’re doing, and say thanks to the staff at the food bank and also from all the departments.”

Vi l l av i c e n c i o p a u s e d , choosing his words deliberately.

“Thanks for being respectful, understandable, and really, from the bottom of my heart, I really appreciate it and my family does as well.”

Learn more about SA services.

Meet SA staff & board.

Learn about upcoming job opportunities for the summer & fall semester.

Waterfront, Main Lobby: Tuesday, April 11, 2017 11 A.M. - 1 P.M. Casa Loma, Student Centre: Wednesday, April 12, 2017 11 A.M. - 1 P.M. St. James, Kings Lounge: Thursday, April 13, 2017 11 A.M. - 1 P.M. Please visit www.studentassociation.ca/jobs for more information. Refreshments will be served.

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14

ARTS & LIFE

The Dialog • dialognews.ca // April 10 - April 23

Student chef serves up comfort food with a twist Kelsey Wong’s mac and cheese recipe elevates a simple dish in reach of those on a budget KELSEY RAMBARAN REPORTER-EDITOR

Student chef Kelsey Wong is a lover of mac and cheese.

And that’s exactly why she chose to showcase the cheesy classic as a budget-friendly meal option.

“I chose this because mac and cheese is my ideal comfort food,” she said.

Wong said she likes that mac and cheese can be done classically or can be elevated by adding different ingredients to it.

She is in the baking and pastry arts management program at George Brown College (GBC).

“I picked this program because I wanted to get into the baking industry and I also wanted to get the business side of things and I know George Brown offered that,” she said. “I heard lots of great things about it and I knew looking at the program itself that it was what I wanted to do.”

Wong has a degree in nutrition from the University of British Columbia and decided to come to Toronto for school because she fell in love with the city.

“I didn’t see myself following that career path of just lab work and I wanted to do something more handson and in an environment that you could chat and make those connections with customers, clients and your

co-workers,” she said.

Growing up, Wong cooked alongside her mother and later learned she came from a line of bakers.

“My family, a lot of them are teachers and lawyers, so taking the bakery aspect was kind of different, but then realizing ‘No, half of my family are bakers and have worked in the food industry.’ So it’s kind of like going back to your roots type of thing,” she said.

At GBC, she looks up to chef Diane Rayanark, who Wong said is hands-on with a sense of humour.

“Going into class we’re not super stressed,” she said. “We know there’s a lot of work to be done, but we know we can accomplish what we need to do because we have her by our side.”

Like most young chefs in the program, Wong aspires to open her own bakery one

Growing up, Kelsey Wong cooked alongside her mother and later learned she came from a line of bakers. Photo: Kelsey Rambaran /The Dialog

day. Wong knows that opening a business is difficult, and wants to take time to make sure she has the skills to make it work.

Roasted Chicken Mac and Cheese recipe Roasted Chicken 2 chicken breasts 2 tbsp oil 1 tsp salt 1 tsp pepper 1 tsp paprika 1 tsp garlic powder

“I want to kind of prepare myself for all those challenges that will definitely come up when opening up your own business,” she said.

Cost $12.95 for the whole dish

Method: 1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking pan with aluminum foil and spray with Pam. 2. Drizzle the oil on both sides of the chicken.

3. Season both sides of the chicken with the spices and then place in baking pan.

4. Bake for 30-35 mins depending on thickness of chicken.

Mac n Cheese 1 ½ tbsp melted margarine or butter 2 large slice of bread, crusts removed and cut into small pieces 2 ½ cups elbow macaroni ¼ cup margarine or butter 3 cups milk ¼ cup flour 1 tsp salt a dash of black pepper a dash of paprika 2 ½ cups grated cheddar cheese + ½ cup grated cheddar cheese

Method: 1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 1 L casserole dish.

2. Melt about 1 tbsp butter into a bowl and add the sliced bread pieces, mix to coat.

3. In salted boiling water, cook macaroni to just under al dente.

4. In a medium pot, melt butter and then add flour and whisk for about a minute.

5. Warm milk in a microwave for about 45 seconds.

6. While whisking, slowly pour in warm milk.

Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick.

7. Stir in salt, black pepper, paprika, 2 ½ cup grated cheddar. Remove from heat.

8. Stir cooked macaroni into the cheese sauce. Add chicken in pieces.

9. Pour mixture into prepared dish. Sprinkle remaining cheddar and bread crumbs over top.

Bake until browned on top, about 30 minutes.

FUN

The Dialog • dialognews.ca // April 10 - April 23

15

Medium Puzzle 7,169,905,170

8 5

9 4 6

2 2

4

7

5

9

6

7

// SUDOKU

1

7

7 9

3/15/2017

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Go back | Print | Help

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Colour ads and a variety of sizes are available.

Puzzle #1 for March 14, 2017

PREVIOUS ISSUE'S BestCrosswords.com ­ Puzzle #1 for March 14, 2017

5

SOLUTION

Across 1­ Dutch cheese, wrapped in red wax; 5­ Up to it; 9­ Personnel; 14­ Lotto­like game; 15­ Speaker's spot; 16­ ___ Is Born; 17­ CPR experts; 18­ Camaro model; 19­ Lerner's partner; 20­ Scatter; 23­ Vane dir.; 24­ Allow; 25­ What's left; 27­ Gettysburg general; 31­ Energy units; 33­ Serpents; 37­ Receipts; 39­ Earthlink competitor; 40­ This is fun!; 41­ In spite of; 44­ Yale students; 45­ Strike; 46­ Tranquil;

47­ All there; 48­ Colorful computer; © Web Sudoku 2017 ­ www.websudoku.com 50­ Aluminum­bronze coin of Iceland; 51­ Costa ___; 53­ Help; 55­ Short trader?; 58­ Pretentious display; 64­ Now you ___...; 66­ Ancient Andean; 67­ Top­drawer; 68­ ___ can of worms; 69­ Like Nash's lama; 70­ Supermodel websudoku.com/ 1/1 Sastre; 71­ Armed strongholds; 72­ Fiddling emperor; 73­ Sun. speeches; 3/30/2017 Puzzle #1 for March 29, 2017

Down Go back | Print | Help 1­ Barely managed, with "out"; 2­ Actress Moore; 3­ Formicary residents; 4­ Rock clinging plant; 5­ // CROSSWORD PUZZLE BestCrosswords.com ­ Puzzle #1 for March 29, 2017 Stop on ___; 6­ Mineral used as a weighting agent; 7­ Large cat; 8­ Edible snail; 9­ Shops want to achieve high ones!; 10­ General on Chinese menus; 11­ Suit to ___; 12­ Young deer; 13­ Gratis; 21­ 55- Sea off Greece; 27- Periods of history; Across Varnish resin; 22­ Magnetic induction units; 26­ Showy and cheap; 27­ Floating bombs; 28­ Name on 56- Goddess of Across discord; 28- King of pop?; 1- Room at the top; 57- Part of TNT; 29- ”Who’sa bomber; 29­ Join the cast of; 30­ Waterwitch; 32­ Dreadlocks wearer; 34­ Less outgoing; 35­ Old there?” reply; 6- Bury; 1­ Room at the top; 6­ Bury; 11­ finnish money; 36­ Rocker Bob; 38­ Morals; 42­ Pallium; 43­ ___ lift?; 49­ Invasive tumor; 52­ 60- Accomplished; 33- Calflength skirt; 11- Faucet; Faucet; 14­ Painter Uccello; 15­ 61- Given to loud talk; 34- PrefixSmidgens; 54­ Author Calvino; 55­ Beginning on; 56­ Seized vehicle; 57­ Ale, e.g.; 59­ Feminine with logical; 14- Painter Uccello; 64- ”Evil Woman” grp.; 35- Smallsuffix; 60­ Mai ___; 61­ Actress Skye; 62­ Lulu; 63­ Scottish loch, home to a monster!; 65­ CD gull; 15- Audacity; Audacity; 16­ Source of iron; 17­ 65- Ancient region of 381952 Gary Cooper 16- Source of iron; earnings; Conceit; 19­ Stutz contemporary;

1

4

5

1

6

4

1

7 3

// COMICS

17- Conceit; 19- Stutz contemporary; 20- Slalom curve; 21- ” The Time Machine” people; 22- Tropical American crocodilian; 24- Scandinavian capital; 25- Favorable termination of endeavors; 26- Remove chlorine from; 30- Fragrance; 31- Rata___ ; 32- Struck, oldstyle; 36- Mighty ___ a Rose; 37- Talk softly; 41- Ox tail?; 42- Got it; 44- Belief system; 45- Down source; 47- Division into segments; 51- Respire; 54- Estimator’s phrase;

Asia Minor; classic; 20­ Slalom curve; 21­ "The Time 66- Rustic; 39- Woe ___!; 67- Thesaurus Machine" people; 22­ Tropical wd.; 40- Restore confidence; 68- Slippery asAmerican crocodilian; 24­ ___; 43- Morales of “NYPD 69- Chopin piece; Blue”; Scandinavian capital; 25­ Favorable 46- Simpson trial judge; termination of endeavors; 26­ 48- And others, in Latin; Down Remove chlorine from; 30­ 49- Usual; 1- Basilica area; 50- Threesome; 2- Shooting marbles; Fragrance; 31­ Rat­a­___; 32­ 51- Waits; 3- Digits of theStruck, old­style; 36­ Mighty ___ a foot; 52- Turbulent; 4- Off one’s feed; Rose; 37­ Talk softly; 41­ Ox tail?; 53- ___ a high note; 5- Cabbage salad; 56- ”What I Am” singer 6- Not alfresco;42­ Got it; 44­ Belief system; 45­ Brickell; 7- ”M*A*S*H” soft drink; Down source; 47­ Division into 57- Drive___; 8- Uno+ due; segments; 51­ Respire; 54­ 58- Went through, as the 9- Leave empty; Estimator's phrase; 55­ Sea off paper; https://www.bestcrosswords.com/bestcrosswords/printable/Home,printable.sdirect?formids=loadSolution%2CpuzzleNumber%2CpuzzleDate%2CDatePicker%2Cform…

10- Edit; Greece; 56­ Goddess of discord; 59- Twiddling one’s 11- Mellow Mel; thumbs; 12- Bailiwicks; 57­ Part of TNT; 60­ Accomplished; 62- Article in Le Monde; 13- Lowly workers; 61­ Given to loud talk; 64­ "Evil 63- Boy king; 18- London greeting; Woman" grp.; 65­ Ancient region of 23- Frozen treats; 24- Resistance Asia Minor; 66­ Rustic; 67­ unit; 25- Ginger cookie; Thesaurus wd.; 68­ Slippery as ___; 26- Surrealist Salvador; 69­ Chopin piece;

"Crossword puzzles provided by bestcrosswords.com (http://www.bestcrosswords.com). Used with permission."

Down 1­ Basilica area; 2­ Shooting marbles; 3­ Digits of the foot; 4­ Off one's feed; 5­ Cabbage salad; 6­ Not alfresco; 7­ "M*A*S*H" soft drink; 8­ Uno + due; 9­ Leave empty; 10­ Edit; 11­ Mellow Mel; 12­

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