Volume 43, Issue 7

Downtown Daycare to Close in July

Parents and Concordia Community Fighting for a Solution

Autumn Darey

On a cold November morning, parents helped their smiling children up the steps inside the Centre de la petite enfance (Early Childhood Centre) Concordia, located inside the Grey Nuns building. The children were ex cited to be back at their daycare, unaware of the stress weighing on their parents' shoulders.

The daycare and board of dir ectors, which is made up of parents of current and former daycare at tendees, received a letter on Oct. 19 about the space being repossessed. Other parents were told during the annual general assembly on Nov. 10.

A repossession is different from an eviction because it infers personal use of a property, mean ing it will not be used for another business. Repossession of a prop erty can be done with a notice to the leasee of at least six months.

The announcement came as a shock. Parents and directors thought they were still in conver sation with Concordia about find ing a new location. The loss of the daycare would leave 80 children without care, and many parents without essential support to con tinue their work at Concordia.

CPE Concordia, which has been in operation since 1979 and in the Grey Nuns building since 1981, was the only downtown childcare centre for Concordia

employees until 2019, when the Concordia Student Union opened their centre. The CSU, however, prioritises undergraduate stu dents. During its 43 years in oper ation, the daycare has nurtured hundreds of children.

The Link spoke to a group of six parents trying to find a solu tion before the repossession on July 1, 2023. They believe that a seven-month timeline to find a new location up to government standards, along with renova tions, is a nearly impossible task.

The parents explained they had to wait to get into the daycare for anywhere from two to three years.

Max Bergholz, parent and as sociate professor in the history department, said that Concordia has used the availability of child care, which McGill, Université du Québec à Montréal and Univer sité de Montréal all have, to attract people to work at the university.

“The daycare is able to pri oritise staff, who can ask for daycare positions when negoti ating,” Bergholz explained, say ing that some parents negotiate a daycare spot for their children as part of joining Concordia. He added that Concordia is “against its own best interest” to lose such an important resource to bring people to the university.

As of publication, Concordia still lists the downtown CPE on its list of childcare centres, along with the Loyola CPE—which can accommodate up to 14 children— and the CSU daycare.

When reached for comment about the closure, Concordia spokesperson Vannina Maestracci said that portion of the building “is needed for academic activities ori ginally planned for that space.”

Maestracci also said that Con cordia has been “communicating with the CPE for a year concern ing this project” and that while they looked at various options, “none were feasible[.]”

When asked about the feasibil ity of other options, Bergholz said that Concordia’s ‘non-feasibility’ reply makes it seem like the CPE “was aware that this decision was going to be made” and that the dir ector of the CPE and the board of directors agreed to it. He and the other parents stated they did not.

According to a document pro vided to The Link by the board of directors at the CPE, the daycare received 1 million dollars an nually from the provincial gov ernment. Concordia provided an additional $50,000 yearly has since the mid-2000s, as well as the space in the Grey Nuns building.

Since the story broke, various people both at Concordia and

outside of it have been voicing support for the parents and the CPE. Pamela Carson started a pe tition which has received over a thousand signatures since it was launched late last week.

Maestracci’s email ended in saying that the university regrets that there are “no other possibil ities to keep the daycare within Concordia premises given the limited and suitable space we have in our downtown campus.”

The Link has also learned that the daycare at Loyola, CPE Les Pet its Profs, was renovated between May and October 2021. Concordia was able to relocate the daycare for renovations by placing the chil dren into the Jesuit Conference Hall, and “divided the larger spaces into smaller areas using partitions and then fenced off an area outside as a temporary play space.”

“What kind of values is Con cordia upholding right now?” asked Varda Nisar, a Ph.D. can didate and public scholar at Con cordia. “If they have been trying to promote their image as very inclu sive and everything, [the closure] really attacks some of the most marginalised people.”

She added that those with kids have a lot of responsibilities and par ents have survived the last two years without much support as their kids stayed home due to COVID-19.

The Link reached out to the Equity office, only to be referred to Concordia spokesperson Van nina Maestracci.

While the director and staff of the daycare did not comment publicly, the parents stressed how important they are to them and their kids. The staff greeted the children at the door starting in May 2020 when they first re turned after provincial lockdowns ended. They helped the kids un bundle during the winter and then dressed them back up when they went outside for activities and to go home.

Arwa Hussein, another Con cordia public scholar and Ph.D. can didate, recalled how her son, when upset, cried for one of his favourite daycare staff members, Deborah.

Varda Nisar said that for those who moved to Canada and do not have family here, the staff are integral. “They are the only people who know my kid more than me, who know [...] exactly what she likes, how she sleeps, how she eats. My mother doesn't know my kid more than them.”

The parents hope they will be able to find an alternate location for the CPE. Knowing their chil dren are cared for would allow those who teach at Concordia to continue the work they came to the university to do.

PHOTO AUTUMN DAREY

Concordia’s Branding Tainted by a Dead Man's Horrific Past

Fed up Design Students Take the Reins on a Project to Present a Rebranding to the University

Hannah Vogan

Trigger warning: This piece contains mentions of pedophilia, sexual abuse and incest.

Plastered behind Andrée

Uranga was a Zen Den post er. A colourful 8 1/2 by 11-inch sign riddled with tranquillity-in ducing leaves labelled, “Zen Den: Find Wellness On Campus.” To many, it is no different from other advertisements posted by the uni versity on campus. To those with a keen eye for the history of typ ography and typefaces, it is poor visual communication.

Uranga pointed at the Zen Den poster behind him, “[Con cordia is] promoting peace and quiet with the typeface of a rapist and an abuser.”

Uranga and Ankine Apardian, both passionate third-year design students and Concordia Design Art Student Alliance executives, are working to revive the organ ization, which had been dead for two years due to COVID.

One way they plan to rekindle DASA's once-burning flame is by implementing a rebranding project to replace Concordia's primary type face: Gill Sans. "This whole thing has to be redone," said Apardian.

Gill Sans was created by Ar thur Eric Rowton Gill in 1926. This prominent and notorious figure in the design and art world spent most of his years in the United Kingdom. He is known for his sculptures, drawings, type faces and his involvement in the Arts and Crafts movement. He is also, however, remembered for

the pedophilic sexual assaults on his two daughters, exposing him self to children, having incestuous relationships with his sisters and engaging in acts of bestiality.

In Fiona MacCarthy's biog raphy “Eric Gill,” the bibliographer and cultural historian mentioned how Gill's obituaries labelled him as one of the "most influential fig ures of his period."

Yet, Gill's work was very sex ually-driven and explicit. His most notable works were based on his nude daughters' and sis ters' bodies. Gill's sculpture, Ec stasy, was designed after his sister Gladys, someone Gill had been having incestuous relations for most of his life. For this, among many other reasons, Gill's work is considered controversial and unsettling to many.

The United Nations Education al, Scientific and Cultural Organiz ation has recognized Montreal as a city that is thoughtful of design.

“In granting Montreal with this title, UNESCO is acknow ledging the city's creative po tential in the design disciplines, based on the strong concentra tion of talent here as well as the commitment and determination of the Ville de Montréal,” reads Design Montreal’s website.

Apardian and Uranga do not understand how a univer sity, rooted within an official UNESCO city of design, would

not research the material they are using for their branding.

The use of Gill Sans as Con cordia's typeface dates back to around 2006, after an effort to modernize their previous logo. Concordia representative Van nina Maestracci said the word “Concordia” is in its own custom typeface. Every other letter or symbol that the university uses falls into the Gill Sans font family. Concordia adapted this typeface after focus groups were conducted with students and alums.

The signs and posters around campus aren’t the only documents that utilize Gill Sans. All things pub lished by Concordia are composed in Gill Sans, meaning territorial acknowledgements, apologies; mental health and sexual violence policies are all examples of essential resources spoiled with Gill's touch.

"It would be surprising [if the university did not know], con sidering we are talking about an academic establishment. It would be strange if they didn't really re search the material that they are putting into their branding," said Apardian about the university's knowledge of Gill Sans history.

However, at the time of the rebranding, Gill's disturbing past had already been made public for 17 years, after MacCarthy's biog raphy blew up the public’s previ ous perception of Gill.

“There was no knowledge on

our part of the history of the creator then, nor did it come up in conver sations around this redesign. The typeface, a tool and technology to achieve communications goals, was chosen based only on visual expres sion,” stated Maestracci.

Alison Reiko Loader, a parttime professor that teaches critic al visuality and design justice to third-year design students, sat at a table answering questions and chatting alongside her colleagues: first-year part-time typography and visual communication Pro fessor Pata Macedo and Philippa Langshaw, the department chair of design and computation arts, who teaches the second year en vironmental sustainability and collaboration course. Langshaw spoke with us through the speak er of Loader's phone.

The design professors con versed about how much time has elapsed without anyone rec ognizing the error—primarily given how long and tedious the branding process is.

“Clearly, they were not trained by design faculty,” Loader said of the designers who implemented Gill Sans at Concordia.

“Definitely not because they would have heard this,” added Macedo. “Because it is something that first years learn, it is not just Eric Gill, it is a part of their train ing where they learn about a hist ory of a typeface,” added Loader.

Concordia's Visual Identity Throughout the Years

Macedo thumbed through a thick book of typefaces and briefed the assignment she gives to first years. Her students are required to present the history of a typeface. She showed Blackletter, a font wide ly associated with the Nazi party, demonstrating how typefaces can hold associations and evoke emo tions in those who see them.

"The point is, it is in our branding, even though it may seem insignificant and a small thing," Loader said. "It is still vis ual communication to the world."

DASA's plan to rebrand the university began when Macedo taught Apardian and Uranga. Macedo was and is very forward about the Gill Sans controversy. The first-year design students are taught to take design seriously as it is a service exchange for, in this case, a typeface representing a company. The passion for this project was instigated when they could see the same passion beaming through their teacher.

The rebranding initiative led by DASA is expected to surpass the duo's time at Concordia.

DASA plan is still in an embry onic state and is anticipated to take its time. As they are carefully build ing a case to explain and present to Concordia, starting with the typeface being terrible and why it is immoral. They also intend to give historical background and context about other rebranded or ganizations that ditched Gill Sans. Following their presentation, they will propose a rebranding project.

Finally, DASA will not only re quest for the font to be dissolved by the university but will addition ally provide alternative typefaces to replace Gill Sans.

Concordia would not be the first to replace the tainted type face; the organization Save the Children and the television net

work BBC both modified their use of the typeface because they no longer wanted to be associat ed with a pedophile.

Uranga and Apardian hold this project dear to their heart as the two don't understand why a next-generation university would employ a typeface designed by a man who committed such vile acts. They believe that the font does not conform with the image Concordia is trying to communicate.

This next-generation image Concordia strives for is relayed through its posters sprinkled throughout campus, which high light the nine-steps Concordia is taking in the direction towards being a next-generation uni versity. Some steps are contra dictory when Concordia chooses to persist with using Gill Sans.

“Double Our Research,” writes Concordia in the first of its nine-step plan, and “Embrace The City, Embrace The World: Achieve public impact through research and learning” in the seventh. Leaving hypocrisy to stick out like a sore thumb to teachers and students after the university’s lack of research into the origin of Gill Sans. The ninth and final step is “Take Pride: Celebrate successes and be pur poseful about building a legacy.”

Apardian stressed that using this typeface alone can be a telling legacy to design organizations as “someplace that has never heard of Concordia before. [There might be] a designer who has the type of eye for this kind of stuff, and notices that. There are im mediate associations you make–it is not a nice association.”

“You walk down this hallway. You actually see the pillars of what it means to be a next-gen eration university. I don't think [Gill Sans] fits into any of those,”

Uranga added. “It's everything but next-generation.”

Concordia has also adopted a “sustainability action plan,” which includes long-term vision as well as five-year plans.”

With one of the focus points as part of this plan being research, Concordia is in a compromising situation when they decide to maintain a typeface, solely be cause of its visual components rather than surface-level infor mation which can be uncovered with a single Google search.

"How can we be inclusive if we aren't going to be thoughtful about questions about what kind of design we use?” asked Loader. “It is right in our branding."

According to Uranga, Con cordia cannot bear the sash of sustainability without factoring in all the rings that go into it. “You scrap the idea of social sus tainability when you continue to use the typeface Gill Sans created by Eric Gill,” he said.

DASA is pushing to get Con cordia to comprehend how un sustainable it is to keep a typeface braided into such controversy. Uranga explained that, when studying design, you are taught that design is not only about communicating through your work. Instead, it is about the ves

sel in which you communicate through. At Concordia, that ves sel needs to be sustainable, em phasized Uranga.

Apardian noted that getting Concordia to ditch Gill Sans will be a tricky battle considering the debate around separating the art from the artist.

“[Eric Gill] was also a sculptor, and in that sense, he was a design er and an artist. And as designers, we always make sure to create a big distinction between art and design,” Apardian described. “We are not just creating for expres sion; we are creating to represent values, we are creating to repre sent people, and we are creating to represent an institution […] This is not a matter of being able to separate an artist from his art. It's about a design that we are sticking on the face of universities.”

Langshaw elaborated that typ ography is not something every one understands and, typically no importance is placed on it.

Langshaw, Loader and Macedo avoid using the font whenever they can. All three of them have it blocked from their computers. Macedo turned down a job employing her to use the typeface because she refused to work with Gill Sans; she said she walked out happily too.

“It would be nice not to be em barrassed about a typeface with a history,” mentioned Macedo.

“You shouldn't have to turn down work because you [don't want to work with a typeface],” added Loader.

Loader remarked on DASA's rebranding idea, saying the uni versity could start by acknow ledging its wrongs and then gradually fizzle out the font's presence. “They can change their typeface on their website, on new things that are printed, like their every new magazine,” she said. “They can introduce other type faces—because there is no reason why you can only use one.”

With all the hope DASA has for this project, Apardian and Uranga believe a rebrand ing would be a victory for the university, Concordia's design reputation and a victory for sus tainability. Concordia can only benefit from this project, as it would further prove to faculty and students how willing they are to be a sustainable next-gen eration university.

“If we want to be contem porary, inclusive and work with diversity, then why not just switch?” Langshaw said. “It is not just the font itself—we are pro moting a behaviour.”

“The point is, it is in our branding, even though it may seem insignificant and a small thing, it is still visual communication to the world.”

—Alison Loader

No to International Intervention

Haitian Community Objects to Canada’s Role in Haiti Crisis Myrialine Catule

Three rows of chairs were placed in a half-circle. Around 15 Haitians and other supporters were waiting for the assembly to start. Forty-five minutes later, the animator took the mic and asked, to the few people sitting in front of him, “what should we do to get more people in our event?”

On Nov. 12, the organization Solidarité Québec-Haïti led a group discussion with commun ity members for the third week at the Saint-Damase church lo cated in front of Crémazie Blvd.. This old church was transformed into a Haitian community centre named La perle retrouvée.

Everyone in this room had Haiti in mind. Many community members voiced their concerns about the humanitarian crisis in the country and to denounce the role played by the international community that led to this stage. They were strongly motivated to mobilize more people to the cause.

According to the head of the United Nations integrated office in Haiti, Helen La Lime, the multi dimensional crisis in Haiti pushed the country into humanitarian dis aster. During the last few months, citizens have been taking over the streets of the country, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry. After the assassina tion of President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021, Henry took on some of Moïse's responsibilities. Since then, the population has been protesting for a fairly elected government.

Organized crime has become out of control. Gangs are seizing roads, restraining economic activ ities, and kidnapping and raping civilians, according to a report from the UN integrated office in Haiti. Moreover, the increase of fuel price announced by the government trig gered a gang war with the Haitian National Police in the past weeks. This led them to take control of many key installations in Port-auPrince, such as the Varreux oil ter minal. Then, to give more firepower to the police, Henry purchased mil itary artillery from Canada.

In addition to this uptick in violence, the report indicates that inflation exploded to 30.5 per cent in July. This put low-income fam ilies in a difficult situation, as they couldn’t afford basic necessities. Furthermore, an outbreak of chol era has returned in the country af ter three years without any reported cases, according to UNICEF.

The threat of an occupation was looming over Haiti when Prime Minister Henry asked for help from

the international community to re-establish peace in the troubled country on Oct. 7. That being said, invading the island was not unani mous among world leaders.

China’s UN representative, Geng Shuang, affirmed that sanc tions were needed for the gangs and an embargo should be ap plied on small arms, weapons and ammunition intended for crim inal use, but he disapproved of a military intervention.

Many other political leaders are denouncing the corruption of Haiti’s government. On Nov. 4,

“They make us believe that it is impossible for Haitians to find a solution by themselves,” Sully added. “We need to support what’s being done in Haiti [instead of try ing to impose our decision].”

Historically, Haiti has been subject to multiple foreign mil itary invasions. Many interven tions were justified as bringing back peace and stability. These actions, however, left the country in a worse state than before.

In 1915, the United States oc cupied the country until 1934. Afterwards, UN peacekeepers oc

The Core Group, composed of Brazil, Canada, the European Union, France, Germany, Spain and the United States has been meddling in Haiti’s politics for 19 years. Core Group is responsible for urging Prime Minister Henry to take the reins in 2021.

“There is no respect for Haitian sovereignty from Canada and the United States,” said Scholl-Diman che. She strongly denounced the imperialist guardianship of the Core group, opposing yet another occupation in Haiti.

would be strongly condemned by people and that it was not the solu tion. For him, Canada should only play a light supporting role.

On Nov. 9, the cabinet of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau published a report highlighting “the need to support a Haitian-led solution to the current situation [and] facilitate access for the de livery of humanitarian assistance to those affected, solicit contri butions for Haiti, and hold those responsible for the unrest to ac count through sanctions.”

Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly announced that Canada will impose sanctions on “Haitian pol itical elites who provide illicit fi nancial and operational support to armed gangs.”

“The one who caused the problem cannot be the solution,” said Jennie-Laure Sully, member of Solidarité Québec-Haïti. A murmur of agreement echoed in the church after her statement. She explained that she could not imagine that the international community could bring a real sense of help to Haiti after all the harm and damage done to the country in the past.

cupied the country from 2004 to 2017. Many cases of sexual abuse were reported during this period. Interventionists were also blamed for causing the spread of cholera, which developed into an epidem ic, killing around 10,000 people, according to the UN.

Canada interfered in Haiti’s af fairs without being called out for way too long, denounced Solidar ité Québec-Haïti. “The first insult to Haitian sovereignty from the Canadian government was the creation of the Core Group,” she said. She recalled that no Haitian participated in the Ottawa Initia tive on Haïti meeting in 2003.

“Haiti has been the first Black country to gain independence, which is one of their greatest achievements and one of their big gest burdens,” said Frantz André, spokesperson for the Commit tee of People Without Status and member of Solidarité QuébecHaiti. He explained that Haïti is being shown as an example to other countries who are still under imperialism to restrain them from requesting their independence.

André was surprised when representatives of the federal gov ernment reached out to him. They wanted his opinion on Canada’s actions going forward. André said his answer was that occupation

Since the second half of the 20th century, the Haitian com munity in Canada has kept grow ing. According to Statistics Can ada, 165,095 Haitians lived in the country in 2016. Keeping that in mind, what should Canada do to alleviate this well-established com munity in our society ?

Solidarité Québec-Haïti be lieves that Haitian problems should be handled by Haitians. The organization will be holding another meeting on Nov. 26 to brainstorm about what they can do to amplify the voice of Hai tians. Community members are invited to participate.

GRAPHIC MYRIAM OUAZZANI

TRAC Under Fire for Inaccessible General Assembly

At-Risk Populations Are Still Fighting for Equal Access to Meetings

Sophie Dufresne

Michael Iantorno, a Con cordia PhD student who is immunocompromised due to a chronic illness, attended Teaching and Research Assistants at Con cordia Union’s general assembly over Zoom on Nov. 9.

He specified that although he is willing to join meetings in-per son, he joined TRAC’s GA virtu ally to see how accessible it was for those who are not. “I’m glad I went, but disappointed about the results,” he said.

“

meetings. However, in light of the several requests for a virtual meet ing option TRAC received, they complied in an updated statement.

In their most recent statement, TRAC explained the GA would be hybrid; however, they claimed they could not “offer equal access to the meeting for those who at tend via Zoom” due to a lack of “technological [and] human re sources.” This stemmed from a lack of organization and know ledge about hybrid meetings,

To Iantorno, it is unaccept able “to not even strive for equal access [...]. You should design accessibility at the forefront of events.” He added that people who are already marginalized should not be responsible for en suring accessibility to events.

The purpose of TAG’s open letter was not “to simply wag a fin ger at TRAC,” explained Iantorno.

“We were trying to call them in.”

own mission statement.”

On Nov. 7, Technoculture, Art and Games Research Lab pub lished an open letter—drafted by their student membership, of which Iantorno is included—to TRAC denouncing the union’s statements concerning their stance on hybrid meetings.

In TRAC’s original statement, they announced their GA would only be in-person due to the diffi culties that lie in organizing hybrid

— Brock Dishart

claimed Concordia doctoral stu dent Brock Dishart, who volun teered for TRAC’s mental health action committee last year.

Dishart, who is also a student representative for TAG, explained how after reading TRAC’s two statements, it appeared to them as though accessibility is not a matter the union believes is necessary to consider when planning meetings.

The research lab members have successfully run several hy brid meetings over the past few years, he added, and were willing to share their expertise with the union on how to make meetings accessible to everyone.

Iantorno said TAG has yet to hear back from TRAC.

Sam Thomson, President of TRAC, explained that hybrid meetings are imperfect, “espe cially [for] an organization with limited resources.” People who at tended the GA online were able to vote and “make interventions,” he added, “but sometimes, because of the contingencies of technol ogy and the spaces we’re in, it is

harder [for online members] to participate [in hybrid meetings].”

According to Iantorno, the sound quality was awful and no audio transcription was provid ed. He added that he had to ab stain from all votes because by the time he raised his hand to vote in favour of a motion, the votes in opposition were already being counted.

“The quality of participa tion was much lower [for people over Zoom] and I don’t think they could equally participate,” Iantorno said, clarifying that his internet connection was not the source of the problem.

TAG’s open letter highlighted that “[a]ccessibility is not an afterthought,” and reminded the

union of its mandate “to build […] a society that […] ensure[s] everyone is able to contribute to their fullest potential.”

“It seems clear to me,” said Dishart, “they do not think they have to respect their own mis sion statement.”

“If we learned anything from the pandemic—and we’re still in the pandemic—[it’s that] these events need to be hybrid and they need to be accessible,” Iantorno said.

Dishart emphasized that since 2022 is the deadliest year on rec ord in terms of COVID deaths in Quebec, TRAC should ask organ izations such as TAG for help on how to run hybrid meetings.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Protesters stand in solidarity with the women of Iran on Parc Avenue, Montreal, on Nov. 19.

The demonstrators' action in the picture refers to the first sentencing to death by Tehran court of a person arrested for taking part in the pro tests in Iran.

The rally was one of many occuring world wide in support of women's rights, sparked by the death of 22 years old Mahsa Amini at the hands of the Iranian Morality Police.

The Link is bringing back Photo of the Week! Submit your photos to photo@thelinknewspaper.ca

They do not think they have to respect their

GRAPHIC NADINE ABDELLATIF

PHOTO ANDRAE LERONE

Movie Review

Nisha Platzer’s back home: a Level of Intimacy Rarely Seen on Screen Concordia Alumna Chronicles Communal Grieving in New Documentary

Jaime Kerr

“It’s scary but kind of fun at the same time,” Sara replies.

This level of respect is ad mirable and, more importantly, allows back home to capture a level of intimacy rarely seen on screen. The film’s most emotional episode is visually nothing more than a hastily shot conversation between Josh’s friends. Immersed in warm lights and wine, they re count the night of Josh’s suicide; the sincerity with which they do so would be hard to come by in traditional documentaries.

Non-traditional to the core, Platzer also experiments with film processing techniques through out. She immersed film in sea water and concocted a unique film developer out of plants from nearby mountains as a testament to Josh’s favourite haunts. Platzer explained she even mixed some film strips with Josh’s ashes.

soul through these objects left behind. Even more profound, though, are the conversations, the pained expressions, the shared laughter that happen over these documents.

S ixteen-year-old Josh Platzer lost his life to suicide in 1999. His death ruptured the lives of a tight-knit group of Vancou ver teens, his parents and his 11-year-old sister Nisha Platzer. She left B.C. to pursue an under graduate degree in communica tions studies at Concordia and honed her skills in experimental filmmaking, only returning years later to seek specialized medical treatment. The only practitioner of this treatment, Platzer learned, was Swan—the mother of Josh’s best friend Sam.

It is from this initial encoun ter that Platzer’s latest docu mentary back home takes root.

Selected by Cannes Docs for its Docs-in-Progress Canadian Showcase, the film had its world premier at the 2022 Vancouver International Film Festival.

Filmed over the span of five years, this project follows Platzer as she reconnects with Josh’s cir cle of friends—a world she did not have access to in younger years. Electing not to interrogate the causes behind Josh’s death or preach about the nature of sui cide, the film instead centres con nections forged in the aftermath of trauma and highlights the pro cess of shared grieving.

Platzer explained in an inter view with The Link that she had never intended to make a film about Josh. What began as a ser ies of recorded conversations with Josh’s loved-ones took on cine matic potential when Platzer asked

to film the first meeting of Josh’s friend group in over 17 years.

By the time Platzer started col laborating with producer Joella Cabalu, she had already accumu lated three years of footage. The long-term nature of this docu mentary is a testament to Platzer’s respect for its subjects.

“These were people who were teenagers for the most part when they lost [Josh]. It was a tragedy and trauma for them as well. I wanted to really be delicate and avoid retraumatizing anybody,” said Platzer. “I’m building rela tionships with them because I want to be in their lives, not just because I want to make a film about them.”

For Platzer, it was necessary to ensure the filming process was never intrusive and that Josh’s friends felt comfortable enough to recount their stories on their own terms. Consequently, back home’s interviews can hardly be categor ized as intrusive. Avoiding trad itional journalistic camerawork, Platzer’s shots linger on hands, mouths and the background details of her immediate surroundings.

When Josh’s friend Sara is first introduced, no title cards appear on screen, and the audience is greeted with shots of ferns, fences and the crossed legs of Sara and Platzer as they sit in the grass. Sara laughs, commenting on Platzer’s continuous filming.

“Do you want me to stop?” asks Platzer.

This is where the magic of back home lies. While at first it feels like the audience is intruding upon something not meant for them, the warmth and vulnerability on display—including by Platzer her self—invites viewers to share in the grieving process with them.

That’s not to say that the film is only carried by the strength of its emotional subject matter. back home is a visual feast thanks in large part to Platzer’s use of film. Gor geous 16mm shots fire off countless nerve endings. Sky-dominating mountains, bare feet balanced on train tracks, and bus rides down industrial corridors all equally ooze colour and depth.

“You have these really physic al representations of place, of [Josh] and his actual body in the materiality of the film,” said Platzer. “That produces these dif ferent textures and patterns on the emulsion and you can kinda see that throughout.”

Despite these tributes to Josh’s life and memory, it can’t be de nied that back home’s emotional core rests in the relationships Platzer forges with Sara, Swan, Sam and other loved ones Josh is survived by.

Throughout, Josh rarely des cends from his almost mythical status. With photos of a skinny, red-headed youth, Nirvana CDs, a stolen copy of The Catcher in the Rye, letters to friends detail ing hypothetical bank robbery plans, Platzer does a fantastic job of conveying a volatile, sensitive

There is only one scene in which footage of Josh appears. Platzer shows her parents a never-beforeseen home movie of him as a tod dler. Her mother and father watch their round-faced, ginger-haired son roll across picnic blankets spread on the lawn. They laugh as he puts toys in his mouth and splashes in a kiddie pool. The silent footage continues—their eyes be tray the weight of their memories.

In the end, that’s all back home really is. There is no soaring cath arsis, no tear-stained confronta tions or revelations from the past. Instead, the film slowly but con sistently pummels viewers with quiet moments of grief, joy and connection. By the time the cam eras stop rolling, the wound of Josh’s death remains open—per haps even more raw than before— but it is a pain bared together.

COURTESY JEREMIAH REYES

COURTESY JULIA PEPLER

Harold R. Johnson’s Philosophy of Storytelling

Author Delivers Impactful Swan Song with The Power of the Story

Claire Helston-VanDuzer

Harold R. Johnson (19572022), a member of the Montreal Lake Cree Nation, was an Indigenous writer and law yer, who served in the Canadian Navy. His 2016 book Firewater: How Alcohol is Killing my People (and Yours) was a finalist for the Governor General's Award for English-language non-fiction.

Originally from Molanosa, Sas katchewan, Johnson studied at Harvard Law school, after which he returned to Canada and man aged a private practice for years. Eventually, he was made crown prosecutor of Saskatchewan.

Released in October 2022, The Power of Story: On Truth, the Trickster, and New Fictions for a New Era, details Johnson’s phil osophy of storytelling. Drawing from Indigenous ways of know ing, Johnson asserts that every thing—personal lives, careers, histories—can be conceived as a story, and that misunderstand ings between people arise from conflicting stories.

The Power of Story is the last book Johnson worked on before he passed, and it is quite the leg

acy to leave behind. This text re counts a meeting between John son and a multi-faith ecumenical society who asked him to speak on the power of storytelling. Re cited around Johnson’s outdoor fire, these individual stories are what the book is made up of.

In Johnson’s eyes, everything is a story, and the capability of changing one’s story is something to be cherished.

Often focusing on his own experiences and culture, he tells stories of his Indigenous upbring ing, and uses his understanding as a crown lawyer to provide many lenses through which to view the topics he discusses. Though much of the subject matter in this novel can be quite serious, Johnson’s calming way of writing lends his stories an optimistic tune, while not omitting the facts.

This matter of fact approach to storytelling is aided by the work’s conversational setting. Speak ing to his guests around the fire, Johnson often asks them to refill his tea, and notes their reactions to his stories. He punctuates the end of each story by communi

cating with his guests, and by proxy the reader as well. These indirect asides to the reader work together to create a well-balanced conversation between the reader and Johnson. By asking questions directly to his guests, the reader is placed in the conversation.

When he asks questions, add ing comments and reassurance, Johnson creates natural pausing points in his book that allow for self-reflection on what he is say ing. These pausing points are important, especially consid ering the subject matter at hand. About halfway through his book, Johnson recounts stories about the colonization of the Americas and explains, “The main reason Europeans stumbled upon the Americas in search of perfume and spice is because they stank and their food was rotten.” He then takes a pause, addressing his guests reaction: “I see a few people squirming. It's not com fortable to hear negative stories about your history.” It is these opportunities for reflection in his writing that allows for John son’s book to read so cohesively

while being thought-provoking. He takes the time to address the subject matter he's writing about, and gives readers a helping hand

educative as he describes his pos itionality in the social contracts where his stories take place.

He maintains the power of stories throughout his book. He explains that everyone is in charge of their own story, and their own storytelling. In using these stor ies, he acts out life lessons that he shares with his guests in effort for them to become storytellers as well. He punctuates the end of a story near the end of the book with: “It's your story, your jour ney. You are a good storyteller, you can take the plot from here forward and create your master piece.” The beautiful symbolism associated with stories here allows for creativity and imagination to flourish for those wishing to take a page from Johnson’s book and begin their own storytelling.

in digesting it.

Johnson covers many topics in his book, ranging from childhood anecdotes to stories about the mis treatment of his people. In telling his own story, he demonstrates his multifaceted philosophy of story telling. His coherent recounting is

Clear and telling, this final work by Johnson is education al, cohesive and a very intrigu ing read. The Power of Story: On Truth, the Trickster, and New Fic tions for a New Era was published by Biblioasis and can be found on their website.

It’s In the Bag: Indigenous Business Scales New Heights

When a Pandemic Hobby Becomes Its Own Business

Marianne Liendo-Dufort

U

pon walking into Kel Tech Gear’s studio, rays of light shine through windows on all three walls of the room. Shelves packed with stacks of diverse tex tiles are propped up against one wall and towering rolls of fabric taller lean against them, not too far from a couple of sewing machines.

Owner and founder Kelsey Deer started her bag-making busi ness amidst the pandemic from her home in Kahnawá:ke. At the time, she was working in a local clothing shop as a seamstress and was eventually let go as she was not deemed an essential worker.

“I made my first real bag in August 2022,” said Deer. It was the Dog Training Treat Bag. After posting it on her Instagram ac count, it gained enough visibility to reach Toronto—where a deter mined individual was insistent on purchasing it for his girlfriend.

“My business was not real ly planned at that point,” Deer recounted. “It was for fun, I had the summer off, I was just making stuff.” This customer nonetheless

encouraged her and ended up be ing her first sale. Three months later, she officially launched her business on Instagram.

Via word-of-mouth, Kel Tech Gear witnessed its followers and clientele gradually flourish. When the business began, 90 per cent of the customers were Kahnawá:ke locals. Since Deer advertised her merchandise on her social net works, it was mainly her personal followers and community mem bers who shopped at her business.

“I got one order, maybe a year ago, from California,” Deer said. The order was for another Dog Training Treat Bag, which is now her best-selling mod el. “Now, almost all my orders come from California.”

As her business grew and her customer base expanded outside her immediate community, Deer was forced outside her comfort zone. She needed to find ways to get merchandise to her new inter national customers. “I didn’t want to ship anything because it was daunting,” she explained.

Deer would originally only send the invoice to her customer once the item was shipped. This system was worrisome to her. “What if I send it and they flake on me and they don’t pay the invoice?”

In August 2021, Deer switched from manually managing the or ders to upgrading her online busi ness—and it changed her work flow. “It gave me so much free time to put into the business.”

The system change also al lowed her to reconsider the pricing and materials of her prod ucts, ultimately upgrading the quality of her products. “In Feb ruary, I shut my website down for three weeks and I ordered a bunch of new [fabrics and webbings].”

“If I’m charging more, I want to have the best,” Deer insisted. Her newer models are made of nylon in stead of polypropylene. Consequent ly, the cost of fabric has increased–from $9 to $21 per meter—and the quality of her products.

Thanks to these upgrades in the price and quality of her prod

ucts, Deer has been able to pay herself a decent wage of $20 per hour—more than twice her hourly wage at the beginning of Kel Tech Gear. High quality and hand-craft ed products are costly, especially for small businesses who don’t have access to the same resources as the big brands in the game.

“For that price, I would’ve paid the same for [brands like] Patagonia or North Face,” said Viviane Pham, a Kel Tech cus tomer. She owns both a duffle bag, a now discontinued product, and the chalk bucket. Pham was intro duced to Deer’s company through the bouldering gym Bloc Shop, as the gym had placed a bulk order for her climbing bags.

Wholesale orders help en sure long-term revenue for Deer. Breadhouse Climbing, one of Kel Tech Gear’s first clients, sells cus tomized chalk bags produced by Deer. Co-owner Eli Dannenbaum admitted that his lack of sewing skills forced him to find someone to make the bags.

“We wanted everything made locally, instead of made abroad,” Dannenbaum said. “They are slightly more expensive [than big name brands] but are still worth it, as they’re hand made.” He also said he loves the variety of colours, their volume, and especially the diverse ways they can be attached to a climbing harness. “They’re just fantastic,” he emphasised.

“I don’t make a lot of money at all,” admitted Deer. Her website celebrated its one-year anniver sary this summer. “[The annual revenue] was 17 or 18 [thousand] on the dot.” This amount does not include her sales made at markets, like the one at the Kahnawá:ke powwow or the Indigenous Win ter Market, which can generate $400 to $800.

“I’m just so happy that people actually buy my stuff,” said Deer. “I’m able to do this and people sup port my business.” Kel Tech Gear has grown to be profitable enough for her to live off its revenue. “It’s a dream come true, honestly.”

COURTESY INGRID PAULSON

PHOTO MARIANNA LIENDO-DUFORT

Stingers’ Weekend Wrap-Up: Nov.

18-20

The Hockey Playoff Preface and Basketball Storylines

Let’s talk Stingers…

Women’s Hockey: Currently first in the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec

What a week it was for Stingers hockey. The women’s team faced fierce competition from adversaries the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees and the Université de Montréal Carabins. Both of these opponents muscled their way into top-seeded positions in the standings, and put up a fight against the Stingers. Con cordia prevailed in both matches, winning 2-1 and 2-0, respectively. This boosted the women’s team up the RSEQ table, where they secured the top dog status, accompanied by a number two ranking in U SPORTS.

The team thrived on all facets of their strategy, from offensive prow ess to defensive might, skilled special teams strength and continuous goal tending from Alice Philbert.

Next game is against the Carleton Ravens on Friday, Nov. 25 at 7:30 p.m..

Men’s Basketball: Currently first in the RSEQ standings

Where the women’s team han dled the woes, the men’s team im proved to 4-0. Another comeback win on the campaign, this time against Laval. Concordia trailed 47-31 at halftime, only to mount the victory, clawing and climbing their way back. Guard Sami Jahan exemplified this late game hero ics, collecting 13 of his team-lead ing 21 points in the second half. The sport of basketball is broken down possession by possession.

Throughout the year, this men’s team has showcased players who stepped up in key moments. A 4-0 start is incredible, but will it per sist moving forward?

Next game is against the UQAM Citadins on Saturday, Nov. 26 at 4 p.m..

Men’s Hockey: Currently third in the Ontario University Ath letics East division

The men’s team encountered familiar foes throughout their weekend. They were defeated by the Université de Québec à TroisRivières Patriotes 4-0 on Nov. 19, only to bounce back by vanquish ing the McGill Redbirds in the Corey Cup game 5-0. The McGill game was a much-needed re lief from the UQTR succession, as Concordia had played against the Patriotes three straight times.

Women’s Basketball: Currently fourth in the RSEQ standings

The season of woes continued for the women’s team on Nov. 19, losing to the Université de Laval Rouge et Or 79-75. The narrative of this season has not changed, the experienced players make an impact with the rookies struggling to become acclimated to the competition. Point guard Areej Burgonio tallied 33 points on 13 makes through her full 40 minutes of play. Veteran for wards Serena Tchida and Gretta

SCOREBOARD

MEN’S HOCKEY

L 4-0 vs. UQTR Nov. 19

W 5-0 vs. McGill Nov. 20 Corey Cup

WOMEN’S HOCKEY

W 2-1 vs. UdeM Nov. 18

W 2-0 vs. Ottawa Nov. 20

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

L 79-75 vs. Laval Nov. 19

MEN’S BASKETBALL

W 83-79 vs. Laval Nov. 19

Conor Tomalty

GRAPHIC MARILOU BRICKERT

Concordia Cheerleading: Lifted to New Heights

Cheer is About More Than Appearances

Valentine Alibert

F rom inexperienced to poised for competition, the Con cordia cheerleading team has evolved tremendously in recent years. The team has raised their level of commitment and aspira tions to new heights.

“This year is the first year where we are really at our peak,” said Monica Knaapen, co-captain of the team. Captains Fatouma Guindo and Knaapen have seen the team grow over the years since their arrival when the group was formed in 2017.

The cheer team is not yet registered at a competitive level, but they are training hard to reach this goal. Outside the three weekly practices endured by the group the captains dedicated time to create routines and mixes.

Knaapen and Guindo have care fully selected new recruits to at tain their competitive ambitions.

Participant selections were not based solely on the criteria of confidence, attitude and dedi cation. The cheer team expressed that being a good cheerleader goes beyond appearances and is far from the stereotypes por trayed in American movies.

“Yes, that’s great if you are a good dancer, if you’ve had cheer experience, if you’re a gymnast, but we look at people who are humbled. People who are ready to step up and help other team members,” said Knaapen.

In addition to cheering for the football, basketball, soccer, and hockey teams at Concordia, the cheer team devote their time seek ing collaborations with charities.

Last year, Knappen part nered with a women's shelter in Montreal to provide necessity products and with a children's foundation to distribute toys for Christmas, explained Guindo.

Concordia Cheer helped two non-profit organizations in 2021: Chez Doris and La Rue des Femmes, in 2021. Both collectives aim to pro vide products and services to vul nerable and unhoused women.

Concordia Cheer planned to continue this work in 2022. The team has raised money external ly, for example, with associations such as JOVIALMTL who organ ize events and parties to help bring clubs and communities together.

Captains had the option of recruiting a plethora of commit ted candidates this year. Over 100 cheerleaders took part in the Sep tember try-out, a record broken since the club's inception.

The captains chose 28 students to make up the team. Wanting to diversify the strengths of the team, the captains selected gym nasts, dancers and other athletes capable of stunting. Guindo her self was a dancer before starting

cheerleading and she explained that cheer has a dance compon ent that she finds compelling.

“Cheerleading is really athletic, and a lot of people don’t recognize it as being a sport, when it actually is. It goes so unnoticed but there is so much to it,” said Knaapen. The cheerleaders proved this with their five-minute performance during the halftime of the Stingers foot ball game on Oct. 29.

The cheerleading team has not finished progressing. Even if it is the last year for the two captains, they will leave a skilled team com prised of important values and commitment to charitable causes.

“We’ve seen how our team has grown since it started,” said Knaapen, with Guindo adding, “and it is going to continue, even after we go.”

Try-outs are planned in Janu ary. For people who want to get involved, they can send a message to the Concordia Cheer Insta gram account.

PHOTO VALENTINE ALIBERT

CHEERLEADER LANDS A JUMP IN THE ARMS OF HER TEAMMATES. PHOTO VALENTINE ALIBERT FATOUMA GUINDO (LEFT), MONICA KNAAPEN (RIGHT) AND THEIR TEAM ENTER THE FOOTBALL FIELD BEFORE THEIR PERFORMANCE, MONTREAL, OCT. 29 2022. PHOTO VALENTINE ALIBERT

Black Queers on Wheels

A Safe Space Tailored to Black Queer Artists on Wheels

Joyce-Phil Mbayi

Black Queers on Wheels is a sports collective created by and for Black people in the LG BTQIA+ community wanting to practice “art on wheels.” The term was coined by the founder them self, Aman Chevalier, in Montreal.

The collective was initially started by Chevalier in late sum mer of 2020. They put a callout on Instagram inviting people of all skill levels of skateboarding or other wheel-related sports for a meetup at Jeanne-Mance Park. The gathering was successful and the participants were predomin antly Black queers. Chevalier then took the initiative to create Black Queers on Wheels with the goal to foster a safe and inclusive environ ment specifically tailored to Black queers. The collective had its first official meetup at Parc des Royaux.

Chevalier grew up in Ottawa before moving to Saguenay, to Quebec City and then to Montreal. They have experienced firsthand the differences in the skateboard ing scenes in these various places. They described the Montreal skat ing scene as “white, straight and elitist.” Chevalier explained that after the callout on Instagram, the overwhelming number of re sponses made it feel necessary to start this organization.

“It was really clear that it was mostly Black queer people who wanted to [participate],” Chevalier explained.” I felt like there was a need in the community for a space specific for that. Because [...] being queer isn't enough. Being white isn't enough. Being a woman isn't [enough], all [the intersections] together were important for me.”

“Skateboarding is of the World,” said Neftalie Williams in an article by Larry Lanza. Williams is a soci ologist that uses the lens of skate boarding culture to explore global concerns of race, diversity, identity and youth empowerment. He fur ther explained how every social issue that affects the world con sequently affects the skateboarding community and industry.

Social media videos portray older tattooed skaters teaching younger kids to ride down a halfpipe. The skating community is arguably advertised as open and welcoming to people of different levels and backgrounds.

When skateboarder Rashad Murray was asked if he had seen or experienced racism within his own skate community, Murray’s

response revealed another truth. He explained that although no one had called him any harsh slurs, he would experience microaggressions that would make him uncomfortable.

Chevalier attested to similar experiences of discomfort. “I felt a little bit like a zoo animal some times or that I had to perform or prove myself,” they said. Further more, as a masculine presenting person, Chevalier noticed how that appearance gave them privil ege, which was further unsettling.

Intersectionality is especial ly important in order to cater to the needs of those affected by everything and anything that can marginalise people such as race, gender, sexual orientation, class, physical ability, etc., as explained by Bridie Taylor of WomanKind Worldwide. For this reason, col lectives like Black Queers on Wheels are essential.They provide a space for marginalized peoples to gather and an opportunity to build a community of people who share similar experiences.

Chevalier expressed that organizing and maintaining a collective is difficult. Although there is a demand for activities and spaces like Black Queers on Wheels, the issue lies in getting involved. When asked what strug gles they faced as the sole organiz er, they explained, “It was difficult managing a fund and the social responsibility that comes with the Instagram account.”

This unfortunately led Cheva lier to be overworked and, with time, they decided to take a break from managing the collective, in cluding obtaining funds and event

organization. Although there were other participants who offered to work with them on the project, it was challenging to arrange meet ings that could accommodate everyone’s personal commitments. “As much as I tried to get more people involved, there was simply a lack of engagement, especially on social media,” they said.

Chevalier advises that for those who struggle to get more involved you must trust your ideas. Despite there being a community of people who would like to engage and par ticipate, there seems to be some thing holding them back.

“The beauty of having a lot of intersecting identities is that often your experience informs a lot of what you're about to say, and it's most likely going to be a really good idea,” Chevalier said. Their idea im plies every lived experience brings a different perspective to the con versation. This communication is vital towards creating a safe space for everyone, especially within the skateboarding community.

Chevalier, as of now, is not sure if they want to continue with Black Queers on Wheels, marking now an opportune mo ment for Black queer-skaters and non-skaters alike to step forward and continue to build on the or ganization’s moral foundation. Black Queers on Wheels has the option to branch out into collab orative projects with other col lectives and organizations, all it needs is a kick and a push in the right direction.

GRAPHIC MYRIAM OUAZZANI

Meghan Markle Is a Diversity Hire

Exploring the Equity, Diversity and Inclusivity Initiative of the British Monarchy

Sandra Mouafo

I have always had a disdain for celebrity culture. Even in my early teens, I would throw around the fact that even Beyonce poops. The imagery alone never failed to create a silence I relished in.

“Their power relies on the col lective interest we give them,” I would constantly emphasize.

Imagine if we all collective ly stopped caring about the Kar dashians. No more likes, no more views, just the block option from that one Black Mirror episode. Im agine if we, as humans, could over come our obsession with futility and collectively agree on something. We would be unstoppable. Ending the monarchy is no different.

I didn't care for the royal wedding, the headlines or that infamous Oprah interview with the Duchess of Sussex. Although I will admit the memes were of quality. Still, everything I have learned about the royals, I have learned against my will.

When Duchess Meghan Mar kle’s social justice warrior public relations arc inserted itself on my Twitter timeline, it just didn't sit well with me. I never doubted that her experience with the royals was anything short of, well, slaveish. Yet every single narrative, whether in the form of tweets, headlines or reels, seemed to exist as a dichotomy.

Markle was either a victim or an assailant, a devil or an angel, the whistleblower or the silenced. Yet, to me, she came across as an op portunist who got in over her head by marrying into colonialism. Was she not aware of who her husband was? Could she have not simply been an opportunist selfish person until it didn't serve her anymore?

It wasn't until her podcast, Archetypes, came out that I could finally formulate the reason for my lack of enthusiasm for Markle: she reminds me of colourism in its most glaring and unequivocal original presentation.

“As you move along the colour spectrum, the darker you are, the less important, beautiful, viable or all of those things that society has imposed upon based on that notion of [white] supremacy,” ex plained Dr. Joy DeGruy, a social work researcher and personal hero of mine. “The anti-Blackness started with the idea of the Black er you are, the less human you are, so Black people then become not fully human beings, so everyone's distancing themselves from that,” she added in the same Good Mor ning America interview.

The history of colourism dates back to slavery. Enslaved women who were violated, raped and im pregnated by their master would birth children whose humanity was almost recognized due to their proximity to whiteness. These chil dren would get to work indoors, doing more domestic work rather than field work—hence the term “house slave”—and would some times obtain a basic education that further elevated their status with in the hierarchical organization of slavery. They would then be sent

couldn't relate to them, despite ad miring their talent and resilience. I simply cannot trust them to hon our the intersectionality of the ex periences we allegedly share.

I was watching a house slave smile and wave at me from the house. Shouting about injustice from the rooftop, whip in hand, still fresh with blood. The field is too unbearable an environment for me to focus on anything but the rhythm of the blood drops dripping at the hand of privilege.

I also couldn't help but laugh

the theoretical principle of not be ing exclusionary. Diversity is what allowed Markle into the palace.

Inclusivity is about intention. “We can’t find people of colour but we would hire them if we could find them,” is a familiar rhetoric that exemplifies inten tion when it comes to things like an equitable hiring policy, for in stance. It is where you get points for participation despite how little work you have put into your performance. Inclusivity is what allowed Markle to gain visibility.

EDI is stuck in the liminal space between what it is and what it could become. And so is Meghan Markle.

Markle’s targeted demograph ic seemingly shares in her novel subjugation to racial violence.

She has become the proverbial di versity hire—the honorary house slave. Suddenly, injustice is no longer a sad theoretical concept Markle could send thoughts and prayers to, but a reality to be ex perienced first hand on the daily. I am sorry for anyone that goes through it, royal title or not. But

back home to rule and whip their own mothers and kin as a way to disown their racial identity. They would literally slap the Black off of everyone, including themselves.

Looking at Markle is like looking at a house slave. Watching her story unfold on my timeline was like look ing at a house slave get the education a field darkie like me couldn't have dared dream to have. And her pod cast is the whip used to put the rest of us field slaves in line with the mas ter's agenda. Not due to its content or guests, but to the very nature and context of its existence.

As I listened to her and Mariah Carey speak about their experi ences, I was content with the hu mility and self-awareness that was present in their exchange. But I couldn't shake the notion that I was listening to a talented multi millionaire and an equally rich actress married to blood money. Both successful, in part, due to their proximity to whiteness. I couldn't shake the reality of ampli fying more rich Black folks. I just

at the panic on the face of the masters who had reluctantly let her in. It was ever so reminiscent of all the empty Equity, Diversity and Inclusivity initiatives prom ised to us but never delivered by institutions and conglomerates all over the world. And the resulting dissatisfaction of all the slaves in the system, whether they lived in side or outside the house.

This is because the equity aspect of EDI is the one that re quires an intersectional, decoloni al and anti-racist lens. It is the as pect that looks at the macroscale and systemic issues. This needed anti-oppressive consideration is why equity is often forgotten or replaced with a false notion of equality, which undermines di vergence and co-existing oppres sions, otherwise known as inter sectionality. Equity was the aspect that forced Markle to reappropri ate her blackness.

Diversity is only the tokenism aspects of collaboration. It does not require inclusiveness, but merely

But equity is the only place where Markle could have hoped to find true job satisfaction.

Equity is the part that requires you to ask your employees of colour if they are happy. It requires you to scrutinize the distribution of resour ces and to face biases of its alloca tion. It is taking a long, hard look at our systems and reforming them in every way that is not conducive to the better. Few people want to do that. Few people are willing to be told of the racism they must address, especially not the royal family.

Like a persistent cough that goes on too long and that we've attributed to allergies for the four changing seasons, the idea of get ting the diagnosis of racism and facing it head on seems more terri fying than merely denying its exist ence. And just like colourism, EDI is a form of internal affliction that re-heirarchizes society on the false premise of inherent, rather than constructed, differences. EDI is ad dressing symptoms rather than the root cause of oppression.

to allocate Markle as much care as I do for those, like me, who spent their lives on the fields, is simply too much to ask. My compassion is otherwise occupied.

Fundamentally, the rich have no incentive to resolve problems they profit or benefit from, and plenty of incentive to not do so.

Nevertheless, Markle's case raises important questions. Can EDI ever truly work in a context where colourism and other col onial mindsets remain dominant? Can someone who married into and benefits from the reiteration and celebration of colonialism ad equately value the importance of its abolishment? Are their voices the ones to center when speaking about the Black experience and its many injustices?

Is healing the system truly possible from inside its house?

GRAPHIC NADINE ABDELLATIF

Being Immunosuppressed in a Supposedly Post-COVID World

How the Removal of the Mask Mandate Puts Those With Autoimmune Diseases at Risk

Nico Ha-Ko

Many people might not think twice when seeing the status of immunosuppressed people mentioned in headlines, as they may not be or know someone who is afflicted by an autoimmune disorder. However, that doesn’t stop COVID-19 from drastically changing the lives of those who have either a suppressed or com promised immune system.

Before 2020, I was considered healthy. I had some issues with anxiety, but physically, my im mune system was strong. I wouldn’t get sick any more often than the average person.

That changed in March 2020, when the pandemic first hit, and I started realizing that something was not right with my body. As the months continued, the constant stress of the pandemic caused my symptoms to worsen until eight months later, at the height of the

pandemic in December of the same year, I was hospitalized. I didn’t know it at the time, but I had a chronic autoimmune disease that caused certain parts of my body to attack itself. It is treatable, yet not curable, meaning I will be on medication that suppresses my im mune system until the end of my life. As the years continued, and as

I was accepted to Concordia’s eng lish literature program, my iden tity as an immunosuppressed per son lived in the back of my mind.

However, when the mask man dates were lifted, I grew more anx ious. I continued to wear my mask because it makes me feel safer; eventually, I noticed I was one of the only people still wearing one. I

noticed the hand sanitizer stations slowly run out of disinfectant; rare ly do they get refilled. I try to avoid all public outings, the only excep tion being when I attend class, but the occasional dirty looks I get from other passengers on the metro for wearing a mask make me feel self-conscious. I considered getting a pin notifying those around me of my status as an immunosuppressed person, though I’m not sure if that would make a difference.

My mom has asked me to consider online university class es, but I have a strong-minded nature that makes it hard for me to give up on a goal after I set eyes on it. I wanted to graduate as a Concordia alumna, and it’s hard for me to stray from that path, even after restrictions were lifted. The only difference for me now is that I worry every time I need to interact with classmates

Library Rooms Are Not Chill Spaces

Some of Us Have Actual Work to Do

Autumn Darey

Afriend told me McGill offers individual study pods, phone booth-like spaces where one person can work in sound isolation. I’ve been wondering if they’d help keep people from using study rooms as chill spots between classes.

Every year, I deal with the same issue: trying to find a space to do group work or to attend video meetings. You would think the group workspaces at the library would be ideal, yet I continuously run into people reserving the room and using it as a private place to chill for an hour or more at a time.

At this point, I’m not sure if I’m more upset at the people wasting these spaces that are supposed to be for collaborative work, or at Concordia for not providing enough private study spaces. These limited spaces get scooped up days or even weeks in advance, so if a meeting time gets moved, finding a space becomes a struggle.

When people book rooms, they have 15 minutes to show up or forfeit their slot. While many seem to have groups of students studying, preparing presentations, or otherwise working, others have

one single person scrolling on their phone. Those are the people who irritate me. While I’m left doing laps at the library, looking for quiet spaces in different buildings, some students use group workspaces as zen dens. Concordia, for its part, does state such rooms must be used by two or more people at a time. Of course, students with dis abilities are exempt from that rule, as they should be.

If people need a place to chill, they can usually find a space in the Grey Nuns reading room. The basement in Faubourg also has spaces if they’re looking for a place where they can still talk but isn’t as crowded. There’s also the option of sitting in the main part of the library: on the upper floors if you want a serene environment, or on the lower floors if you don’t care about people using their outside voices in study areas.

Despite the number of build ings Concordia owns, the univer sity seems to have limited spaces for students to hang out, especial ly if people are using study spaces to relax between classes.

One recommendation I have for Concordia is to use codes on the digital pads outside each room to tell if someone actually showed up for their slots. When coming in, students could type in a code confirming that they showed up to their reservation, encouraging people to cancel their reservation if they’re not going to use it.

Last winter, I had a phone interview with someone based in Toronto right after my class end ed. I managed to find a quiet cor ner on the tenth floor of the Hall building. I did my best to keep myself away from crowds and the sounds of people moving in and out of classes. Thankfully, this floor was far less occupied than the other floors, but I still wish I had somewhere I could have gone for 30 minutes to take the call.

If you’re ever upset or side-eye ing someone for taking a video call in the library, try not to blame them. They probably tried to get a private room for the meeting, but someone needed a private space to watch TikTok for a few hours.

in close quarters. I flinch when ever someone coughs near me, praying that it’s not COVID-19 and that I won’t catch it. The pandemic has affected my life, as I am constantly worrying for my health. It’s exhausting.

I’m not writing this because I’m mad at those around me for no longer wearing masks, I’m writ ing this because I feel deep-seated frustration for being left behind as the rest of Concordia moves on from COVID-19. I also feel as though my plight is not being taken seriously by academic ad ministrators. Many of my profes sors have been a saving grace for me, all being very understanding and respectful when I notify them of my situation. Words of support go a long way, especially to those who have a compromised or sup pressed immune system and may feel isolated in this supposedly post-COVID world.

GRAPHIC PAUL-EMILE LANDEZ

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Athletes Need to be Held Accountable

one of the UQTR hockey players had created an Instagram account rating women on a scale of one to ten. Each post also provided personal information about the women, such as date of birth and cultural background accompan ied by details of intimate relations the creator had with some of these women. The account actively post ed content from Aug. 22 to Oct. 30.

cause what may seem obvious to most people is clearly nonsensical to this individual.

When the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières Patriotes men’s hockey team took to the ice at home against the Concordia Stingers on Nov. 11, their opponents hurled insults towards the bench—deservedly so, following the controversy sur rounding the Patriotes. The com ments were not solely because of what one player did to gather this unwanted attention. Rather, such comments were triggered when a teammate was permitted to play days after his initial suspension.

On Nov. 7, TVA Nouvelles re leased a report indicating that

UQTR was notified about the account first. In response, the player was prohibited from play ing with the team. The university proceeded to enact measures that would protect victims from com ing into contact with the perpetra tor—a decision made and assured to be in the best interest of the students. This is yet another occa sion where a higher education in stitution pats itself on the back for implementing a Band-Aid solu tion for sexual misconduct—only for them to revoke the suspension when the Patriotes started losing.

The story’s hearsay compon ent is common knowledge, yet is unspoken throughout the league and media attention alike. This being said, as it currently stands, that player is active on the roster of the UQTR team. A failure on the part of the faculty at UQTR. The inexcusable offences that have presented themselves within the game of hockey, specifically from the men inside the game, are deplorable. This situation further promotes the idea that athletes should receive far more education on how to be a decent person, be

Furthermore, UQTR has neg lected to take proper precautions to protect the victims of this in cident. Stating that measures to prevent victims and the perpetra tor coming into contact with each other have been enacted is not enough. This hockey player may still have his image plastered on many UQTR posters and social media platforms. His name still is adored and celebrated in each article it appears in. The point is, he is not invisible. His identity may be concealed but for those involved, he still is a constant re minder of the trauma they faced.

This incident is an example of a university coveting the prowess from a defending national cham pionship title over the protection and support of those who were af fected by this player’s actions. The promotion of the idea that if a play er contributes to a winning team, they become untouchable, is a scary truth exercised regularly by higher education. His punishment is a mere slap on the wrist in compari son to what should have transpired.

This line of reasoning is im moral. High-profile athletes can not be put on a pedestal for their elite play and admired for how well they showcased this talent on the ice when they have acted so repre hensibly. The player did something wrong. As punishment, he does not deserve to play.

Volume 43, Issue 7

Tuesday, November 22, 2022

Concordia University Hall Building, Room H-645

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The Link is published fifteen times during the academic year by The Link Publication Society Inc. Content is independent of the university and student associations (ECA, CASA, ASFA, FASA, CSU). Editorial policy is set by an elected board as provided for in The Link ’s constitution. Any student is welcome to work on The Link and become a voting staff member. Material appearing in The Link may not be reproduced without prior written permission from The Link Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters 400 words or less will be printed, space permitting. The letters deadline is Friday at 4:00 p.m. The Link reserves the right to edit letters for clarity and length and refuse those deemed racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, libellous, or otherwise contrary to The Link ’s statement of principles.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2022-2023: Voting Members: Caitlin Brady-Lomoth, Caroline Marsh, Diane Yeung | Non-Voting Members: Rachel Boucher, Adam Gibbard, Colin Harris,

creative director coordinating editor interim managing editor co-news editor interim co-news editor features editor fringe arts editor sports editor opinions editor community editor copy editor photo editor video editor graphics editor business manager operations manager computer technician distribution

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OPEN

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AUDE SIMON

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TYPESETTING by The Link PRINTING by Hebdo-Litho.

CONTRIBUTORS: Valentine Alibert, Myrialine Catule, Autumn Darey, Nico Ha-Ko,Claire Helston-VanDuzer, Joyce-Phil Mbayi, Sandra Mouafo, Myriam Ouazzani, Hannah Vogan, Andraé Lerone. House Ads: Adam Gibbard Cover: Marilou Brickert, Ivan de Jacquelin

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