Volume 25 Issue 1: A World of Colour

A World of Colour

Say Her Name PG. 5

Rev. Ellis, BLM, and Us PG. 10

VOLUME 25 ISSUE 01

Advocacy, Equity, and TWU PG. 11

09 23 20

MEET THE

TEAM SBR

LETTER FROM THE

EDITOR

Be grateful for what you have, and be there for your peers who may not have the same walk of life. God has placed us in this beautiful earth in exchange for our stewardship and love that we must express to others.

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Even though these have been some of the strangest summer months the world has experienced in a long time, there is beauty in the experiences that we may have had. As we dive back into this peculiar school year, our team hopes to deliver the strongest, and most thought-provoking content we can.

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As I was unable to introduce myself as Editor-In-Chief of Mars’ Hill Newspaper, Vol. 25, I will give a brief introduction of my vision for the publication I am ever-grateful to serve for.

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I am a fourth year major in history with a minor in elementary school physical education. It’s a weird mix, I know. If my ambition of becoming a top dog in the sports media industry does not work out, I plan on becoming an elementary school teacher in British Columbia’s lower mainland. I plan on broadening the scope of Mars’ Hill this year. This publication has avoided the use of multimedia for far too long, I am here to mobilize the changes that need to happen.

Our team has worked incredibly hard to give you, the student body, a publication that draws your thought and interest.

“Enjoy this moment, and have fun with it. Uh-huh-huh-huh.” - Kawhi Leonard

Cover photo by Olivia Francis-Akolo featuring Justinah Adeyanju.

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See more of Olivia’s work on instagram @oliviangelic @OsaniiDesign MARS’ HILL

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MEDIA ADVISOR: Loranne Brown 22500 University Drive, Langley Twp, British Columbia, Canada V2Y 1Y1 marshill@gmail.com marshillnewspaper.com IG @marshillnewspaper Twitter @marshillnews facebook.com/marshillnewspaper

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Mars’ Hill is a student publication of Trinity Western University located on the traditional ancestral territory of the Sto:lo people. Floated with funds raised by the Student Association, Mars’ Hill seeks to be a professional and relevant student publication, reflecting and challenging the TWU community, while intentionally addressing local, national, and international issues.

MISSION TO MARS

The mission of Mars’ Hill, as the official student newspaper of Trinity Western University, is to inform and entertain its readers, cultivate awareness of issues concerning the TWU community, and provide a forum for purposeful, constructive discussion among its members in accordance with the Community Covenant, Statement of Faith, and Core Values of the University.

EDITORIAL POLICY

Mars’ Hill encourages submissions and Letters to the Editor. Mars’ Hill reserves the right to edit submissions for style, brevity, and compatibility with the Mission, the Statement of Faith, the Student Handbook, and the Core Values of the University. Anonymous authorship of any material may be granted at the discretion of the Editor-in-Chief. Opinions expressed in Mars’ Hill belong to the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the editorial board, Trinity Western University, its officials or its Student Association.

CONTRIBUTORS

Sydney Dvorak Dany Lombardo Rev. Dr. James Ellis III Jericho Cui

Olivia Francis-Akolo James Tseung Andrew Samuel Alex Walker

DECLASSIFIEDS SUBMIT YOUR OWN AT MARSHILLNEWSPAPER.COM/DECLASSIFIEDS

test Klaine. That’s it. That’s my declassified.

Follow us on Instagram @23lowbubble How long until there’s more C2B drama?

“DOES ANYBODY HAVE A CAMERA HERE?” Toby Flenderson My younger sister is thinking about coming to Trinity so if anyone meets her please be kind thank you Shout out to OneTWU. You guys rock!

I want Chord Overstreet from Glee to be my ring by spring Wishing Erin O’Toole a quick and speedy recovery Does anyone else miss Riley Voth on campus or is it just me?

Y’all who wished for more parking... you happy now? don’t forget to water your friends !

Rest in power, Ruth Bader Ginsburg. You legend.

Sarah Kate is the ultimate networker w/o knowing she’s networking Question for Tyler Jones: where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Tyler’s answer: still posting bad golf scores, and yourself?

If you are 5’11” or taller, Love Jesus, play piano and/or guitar, love to travel, have passion + drive, likes movies, and can make me laugh ... please submit resume here Taco taco Late work is never great work Anyone know when construction season will be over??

Those who have their animals on zoom, thank you I wonder if the egg person is still here “DJ Khalid another one bites the dust” Shout out to the first year who joined our conversation about open toe shoes, join again soon - your friends in the apartments

Build the Northern Corridor You say “the office or B99” but I say “the office or parks and rec” Turning down the brightness on my lap top so my prof can’t see me switching screens and not paying attention to class

And what-all God is my plug Eiii Bob Kuhn wouldn’t let this happen Kyle Penner should have won dorm skits

Bro

Marshill staffs this year are full of positivity and warmth <3

Shout out to TWUSA for making such an effort to resume usual activities in a safe and fun fashion

I’m making a playlist to properly say goodbye to 2020 now accepting contributions

Joe Biden is from Scranton

Young dumb, young young dumb and broo-oke

does anyone else have zoom-mute paranoia?? like i’m checking every other minute to make sure my sound is off normalize contributing to mars hill

The Atrium has become TWU’s most electric environment TWUSA app is basically Christian Mingle

normalize contributing to mars hill normalize contributing to mars hill pLeAsE TuRn yOuR cAmErA oN Anyone else pin the video of cutest person in your zoom class, or is that just me?

Mars’ Hill editors reserve the right to edit or reject submissions based on content and/or length. A printed submission does not necessarily reflect an endorsement of any kind, nor does it necessarily reflect the opinions of Mars’ Hill staff, the student association, or that of the University.

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NEWS A PLACE ON THE MAP: TWU’S NEW ADDRESS AND THE UNIVERSITY DISTRICT GRACE GIESBRECHT To “put something on the map” is to give that something notoriety, fame, or recognition. But what about simply changing the name on that map?

On September 11, 2020, Trinity Western University (TWU) announced its new address at 22500 University Drive. University Drive, and by extension the University District in the Township of Langley (TOL), are the first outward signs of TWU’s expansion past its original campus in Langley. The steps taken to create this district, however, were not without controversy.

Though TWU runs other campuses in other cities (including Richmond, Bellingham, and Ottawa), the University District is the first physical expansion of the Langley campus since its creation in 1962.

A vision for the district has been in place since 1997.

According to former TWU President Bob Kuhn—who commented on the district in 2014 — the vision for a world-class University District that would be comparable to those at UBC or SFU requires more space: “We don’t want to change the community by going up, instead of broadening.”

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Environmental groups voiced concern over this intrusion into the ALR, warning of more such developments to follow in its wake. “It would be a negative precedent to start having these kinds of small zonings allowed throughout the ALR,” said Doug Mcfee of the Salmon River Enhancement Society.

“The University District will allow for the expansion of TWU and create a hub of higher learning that will solidify the Township’s reputation as a centre for education and training,” said TOL Mayor Jack Froese.

“Allowing Trinity Western to develop to its full potential and creating an integrated university community in the surrounding area will help Langley students receive an excellent foundation close to home, attract international students looking for a high-quality education, bolster employment, and strengthen our economy,” said Froese.

TWU and the TOL benefit mutually through their partnership. The Langley Events Centre was built through it, and TWU is the TOL’s third-largest employer.

The University District was approved by the TOL in 2013. It includes 375.6 acres of land, stretching from Fort Langley to the Langley Events Centre. Though beneficial for the growth of both communities involved, 70 percent of the land in this district is part of the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR).

Despite public concern over land in the ALR in the proposal, the project was approved by the TOL. It then caught the attention of the regional district of Metro Vancouver, which argued that such “dense, residential development” was not suitable for the site. Metro Vancouver sued the TOL, and the matter was taken up before the supreme court of B.C. under a question of jurisdiction. The TOL won the right to make such a decision within their borders, and proceeded with the University District.

The ALR is “a provincial zone in which agriculture is recognized as the priority use. Farming is encouraged and non-agricultural uses are restricted,” according to the Agricultural Land Commission (ALC).

These reserves are found throughout B.C., as far north as Fort St. John and throughout the lower mainland. Without the protection of the ALR, farmland is lost to urban development and production of local produce declines.

TWU’s new address is not solely a new name for the university’s place on the map. It is the first tangible step in a years-long process to create a University District in protected agricultural land. Ironically, the land required to preserve the rural feel of the campus and avoid building upwards must use actual rural land. Though a positive move for the growth and development of TWU and the TOL, it sets an unusual precedent for land use in the ALR.

COLUMN: FEMINIST NEWS

SAY HER NAME SYDNEY DVORAK

On March 13, 2020 Breonna Taylor, an Emergency Medical Technician, was shot and killed by police in Louisville, Kentucky. In the middle of the night, police entered Taylor’s apartment because of a no-knock warrant, suspecting her apartment as a part of a narcotics operation. However, neither Taylor nor her boyfriend were named in the warrant, and the suspect allegedly involved in the drug ring had already been detained. Police officers John Mattingly, Brett Hankison, and Myles Cosgrove fired more than twenty rounds into the apartment, eventually killing Taylor in her hallway. Breonna Taylor had no criminal history, and she was unarmed.

Justice for Breonna Taylor has yet to be achieved: the Kentucky Attorney General has not announced whether criminal charges will be filed against the officers who killed her, over 185 days later.

The murder of Breonna Taylor captured the attention of people around the world, and it fueled the fire of antiracist and feminist activists. Yet, what about the women whose deaths go unnoticed by the public; whose unjust killings do not receive world-wide attention?

According to Kimberle Crenshaw, the executive director of the African American Policy Forum, Black women have the highest rates of homicide in the United States. Crenshaw told NPR, “It is the reality of living life in a Black body that makes you more subject to police violence. Now, if that body happens to be gendered as something other than male, it also makes you vulnerable to being misremembered.”

It is the intersection between gender and race which must be considered when discussing anti-Black police violence, according to Crenshaw. Looking at the patterns of the past, murders of Black men receive more national and even international attention. If her death had not been directly between the murders of Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd, people would likely not be saying Breonna Taylor’s name. In 2014, Crenshaw started the #SayHerName social media campaign to remember Black women who died at the hands of law enforcement.

More recently, with the murder of Breonna Taylor and the many Black Lives Matter protests, the #SayHerName campaign has been putting a spotlight on Black women’s lives taken by police.

The #SayHerName movement began when Crenshaw realized “a Black woman has been killed and no one is saying her name.” Make sure their names are said, and that they are not forgotten.

“It is the intersection between gender and race which must be considered when discussing anti-Black police violence.”

Known victims killed by police since 2013: Priscilla Slater, Breonna Taylor, Atatiana Jefferson, Crystal Ragland, Pamela Turner, Nina Adams, Latasha Walton, Brittany McLean, Angel Decarlo, April Webster, Tameka Simpson, LaJuana Philips, Dereshia Blackwell, Cynthia Fields, LaShanda Anderson, Shukri Ali Said, DeCynthia Clements, Crystalline Barnes, Geraldine Townsend, Sandy Guardiola, India Nelson, Charleena Lyles, Jonie Block, Alteria Woods, Morgan Rankins, Deborah Danner, Korryn Gaines, Jessica Williams, Deresha Armstrong, Laronda Sweatt, India Beaty, Kisha Michael, Sahlah Ridgeway, Gynnya McMillen, Bettie Jones, Barbara Dawson, Marquesha McMillan, India Kager, Redel Jones, Raynette Turner, Ralkina Jones, Joyce Curnell, Kindra Chapman, Sandra Bland, Nuwnah Laroche, Alexia Christian, Natasha McKenna, Yuvette Henderson, Sheneque Proctor, Iretha Lilly, Latandra Ellington, Yvette Smith, Michelle Cusseaux, Tracy Wade, Aura Rosser, Ariel Levy, Angela Randolph, Dawn Cameron, Shonda Mikelson, Kyam Livingston

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COLUMN: WHAT THE HONK?

WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER MONICA RAWLEK ELIZONDO “We’re all in this together” It is a constant refrain we have all grown accustomed to in these uncertain times.

It is important that Canada as a country be united in our fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Both provincial and federal governments have promoted unity, but some methods are more effective than others.

WHAT THE HONK IS A SNAP ELECTION? EMMA DYKSTRA Welcome back to “What The Honk,” a column dedicated to helping you understand Canadian politics. We will define terms and situations that come up in the Canadian political sphere and help keep you up to date on what is happening in the true north strong and free.

What the honk is a snap election? It’s an election called earlier than it would have been scheduled. They can be called at the federal or provincial level whenever a leader sees a unique political opportunity or a difficult issue is at hand.

In the past, snap elections have been called in Canada for political gain. The most famous snap election in Canadian history happened in 1958 when Prime Minister John Diefenbaker held an election nine months after he was elected. The election turned his minority government into the largest majority government the country had ever seen.

There are whispers of a federal snap election coming this fall. The Conservative Party of Canada has just elected a new leader (Erin O’Toole), and historically incumbent parties tend to call snap elections after a leadership race to gain more seats while the opposition is disorganized. But that can backfire quickly, leading to a loss of seats or even a loss of power.

Premier of B.C. John Horgan just called a snap election for October 24, meaning B.C. residents could have to visit the ballot box twice this fall.

To paraphrase Michael Scott, “Snip snap snip snap. You have no idea the physical toll two potential snap elections can have on a country.”

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The Canadian government responded to COVID-19 in many ways, including the implementation of the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), the Canadian Emergency Student Benefit (CESB), the Canadian Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS), among others. Each of these programs have different eligibility criteria, but all aim to keep our economy open and as close to normal as possible during these unprecedented times. During the months of COVID-19, Trudeau has frequently been critiqued for his fiscal policies. One article published by CBC projected that COVID-19 has cost the Government of Canada over $920 billion if we take into account health and safety measures, tax liquidy support, and direct government support. In the short term this may be good for the individual business or citizens but it puts us in a place where we will be in greater debt than ever before in history.

In an attempt to stimulate the economy, programs like CERB had unforeseen adverse effects. Initially, CERB helped the economy. However, over time, it seems as though programs such as CERB and CEWS are not enough. Government stimulus may serve to “prop up” the economy to transition out of recession but a capitalist economy cannot be built of government intervention. Expansionary fiscal policy, if nothing else, gives consumers the confidence to start spending money again. This confidence, however, will be undercut in the face of excessive government debt.

Federal debt is cause for concern for many Canadians, particularly at a time when it seems that Canada as a country is spending well beyond its means. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Fraser Institute had already projected that Justin Trudeau would accumulate some of the highest national debts of any Prime Minister in Canada’s history. Months after the initial lockdown, this most certainly appears to be the case.

As government debt increases, questions concerning a repayment plan come into consideration. People across our nation are struggling financially as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is why this emergency funding was made available in the first place. However, as we continue to live life in these uncertain times, decisions have to be made in regards to paying down our national debt. The federal government is accumulating debt and, historically speaking, increased government debt inevitably leads to an increase in taxes for Canadian citizens. It is estimated that the federal government will run a $343 billion budget deficit this year.

Lower taxes today will lead to higher taxes for tomorrow, even if the economy levels out. It is important in times of global crisis and recession that governments plan for the future of our country; balancing individual stability with federal fiscal responsibility. Tax breaks, wage subsidies, and emergency benefits have been greatly appreciated across the country, but they leave uncertainty about the future of the nation’s finances. However, we must consider whether the possibility of these negative outcomes is a better alternative to doing nothing at all. Being “all in this together” today may put a wedge in the relationships of Canadians tomorrow.

ARTS & CULTURE

THE ART OF THE SPIRITUAL BYPASS CARTER SAWATZKY

On June 14, two days after Rayshard Brooks was shot in a Wendy’s drive-thru, Atlanta megachurch pastor Louie Giglio, Chick-Fil-A CEO Dan Cathy, and rapper Lecrae sat down for an “honest conversation about race and the Church.” Giglio proposed the phrase “white blessing” as a possible replacement for the (apparently polarizing) concept of “white privilege.” Giglio said to his audience: “we understand the curse that was slavery, white people do. And we say that was bad, but we miss the blessing of slavery, that it actually built up the framework for the world that white people live in and lived in.”

In doing this, Giglio inserted familiar spiritual concepts into the conversation in an attempt to ease the white conscience bruised by charges of complicity to systemic racism. Rather than deal with the complex antiracist work that is recognizing and unpacking the joint nature of privilege and oppression, Giglio preached a message which implied that slavery was somehow divinely ordained. Or worse, that white people were meant to reap and enjoy the benefits of BIPOC exploitation. #WhiteBlessing trended on twitter. It was a public reckoning for evangelicals; a sign that evangelicism at large was searching for prettier and more palatable words for ugly realities. After swift online backlash, Giglio released a video apology on Twitter saying, “to be clear, I don’t believe there’s any blessing in slavery, to the contrary.”

Instead of a prevailing song of the summer, we had successive crises of the summer. Instead of Old Town Road replaying in our heads, we had Bonnie Henry’s “Few Faces, Open Spaces” one-liners, All Lives Matter rebuttals, and protest slogans as our summer earworms. As many of us remained socially-isolated with crisis after crisis presented on our media feeds, our spiritual impulses were heightened and sensitized. An onslaught of social emergencies––collective uncertainty, acute manifestations of white supremacy, limited access to sacred spaces––called for urgent spiritual relief. Religious leaders needed answers and they needed them quickly––hence the art of the spiritual bypass.

The concept of spiritual bypassing was first introduced in the early 1980s by psychotherapist John Welwood while responding to a common phenomenon he saw in his Buddhist community. He astutely observed how they tended to “use spiritual ideas and practices to

sidestep or avoid facing unresolved emotional issues, psychological wounds, and unfinished developmental tasks.”

To be clear, spiritual perspectives need not completely be discarded in conversations of social justice; they can be insightful and even illuminating. For many, Christian spirituality is vital to processing and interpreting life’s issues. The problems arise, however, when spiritual ideals are elevated to a level that denies lived experiences: it is an ill-equipped prescription of overly-simple spiritual anecdotes for nuanced social issues. Regardless of the initial intention, the use of spiritual ideas in conversations of social justice can come across as a coping mechanism to avoid feeling the full force of an emotion or situation.

Conjuring up terms like “white blessing” makes it easier to digest the brutality of North’ America’s colonial history. It is easier to suggest nation-wide repentance than it is to reckon with reparations. It is easier to say to ourselves that we cannot help our racist tendencies because we “have fallen short of the glory of God” than it is to actually participate in antiracist work. It is easier to face Black trauma by suggesting that “we are all sinful” than it is to truly consider how the vast majority of institutions were built with white heterosexual men in mind. It is easier to glaze over suffering by repeating that “God is in control” than it is to fight for overdue justice efforts.

Instead of enhancing the discussion at hand, a spiritual bypass functions as a useful detour away from uncomfortable confrontations.

More often than not, spiritual bypassing serves as a long-term strategy for neglecting unaddressed issues. The result is not the spiritual enlightenment of those who happen to be listening. Instead, spiritual bypassing repeatedly demeans, suppresses, and ignores the deep wounds and discomforts that come with injustices. The bypasser effectively avoids the real issue, feigns interest, gestures towards religious ideals, and dodges the demand to make much-needed changes.

It all raises many questions: is justice work a distraction from the gospel message? Are Christians addicted to bypassing the pain and anger of oppressed groups? What might it look like to face trauma without the recurring impulse to spiritually bypass the problems?

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#OSCARSSOPERFORMATIVE MAKENA WARDLE In recent years, The Oscars have fallen under deep scrutiny for the lack of diversity and representation found within both their nominations and board members. Early in September of 2020, The Oscars revealed new guidelines for the Best Picture award, which aim to lead the prestigious awards show into more inclusive territory.

In 2015, the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite circled the internet, resulting in both boycotts of the show and a call to action for more inclusivity within nominations. Though this was not the first time The Academy had been called out on its prejudice, the movement finally led to a significant increase in diversity within the annual event. The Oscars even set a goal to double the amount of female and historically oppressed members included in the voting process over the three years following the virality of the hashtag.

Recently, The Oscars announced their latest step towards inclusivity.

In order for a film to qualify for the esteemed Best Picture award in 2024, the movie must meet at least two out of four possible inclusion requirements, aiming to recognize more women, LGBTQ+ folks, and BIPOC in the industry. The lengthy list of qualifications is summarized well by The Washington Post: “A) that a film’s story, lead actor or ensemble prominently feature underrepresented groups; B) that those working behind the scenes do the same; C) that the production include paid internships and training for for those who are underrepresented; and D) that a movie’s release team have “multiple in-house senior executives” from among underrepresented groups.”

Though the guidelines seem progressive, some critics are questioning if the new rules will actually have any true implications. Time Magazine pointed out that even if a film fails to meet any of the new criteria for a Best Picture nomination, it will “still qualify for 22 of the 23 categories at the Oscars.” The Washington Post noted that 11 out of the 15 past Oscar winners would meet the first two criteria, and therefore would still qualify for the coveted award.

It is difficult to say whether or not these new criteria will have any significant impact on future nominations for the Best Picture trophy.

Though we should recognize the guidelines as an attempt at increased representation, it is necessary to ask the question: is this really progress, or is it merely performative justice?

HAMILTON: COMMEMORATING AMERICAN HISTORY IN A TUMULTUOUS HOUR EMMA DYKSTRA

While 2020 has exposed many faults within the world, this doesn’t mean that doom and gloom reign free. One of the few moments of unadulterated bliss was the release of Lin Manuel Miranda’s Broadway production of Hamilton on Disney+.

Hamilton is a critically-acclaimed rap and hip-hop musical that tells the story of founding father Alexander Hamilton while simultaneously reimagining the birth of the United States, giving credit to forgotten members of the narrative. The musical features famous historical events and people in American history, providing a complex and fairly-accurate narrative of how the country was born. It first premiered Off Broadway in February of 2015, and opened on Broadway later that year. The musical was a smashing success, bringing in record-breaking box office sales. Tickets to see the original cast in New York ranged around $10 000 in some instances. It was the hottest musical that year, receiving a record 16 Tony Awards nominations and taking home 11. Anyone who caught the show with its original cast was considered lucky. The original cast retired and a national tour began in March of 2017. Permanent performances were staged in the United States in New York and Chicago, and another overseas in London, England.

“Hamilton commemorates the creation of the United States while also celebrating American diversity during a time of reckoning and protest.”

Like all live performances, Hamilton ceased performances and tours after COVID-19 reared its ugly head. Performing arts suffered and continue to suffer, while live performance enthusiasts are left to be entertained by older taped musicals and critically-acclaimed films.

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COVID-19 led to the decision that a film of a live performance with the original cast of Hamilton should be released on Disney+ on July 3, 2020. The film was set to be released in theatres in October. However, with the absence of ticket sales and lack of theatre being consumed by the general public, it was decided that the film would be released earlier. Not only did the pandemic cause the reschedule, producers also believed that a release on Independence Day weekend would boost viewership. They were right: the Disney+ app was downloaded 266 084 times that weekend, a 72 percent increase from the previous month’s downloads.

However, Independence Day weekend was not the only thing happening at the time of the release––it was also released as the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement grew in strength and momentum. Hamilton offers a timely reminder of the oft-forgotten players of American history. The musical remembers America as built by a diverse mosaic of people of all backgrounds and races, which had been––and often still is––tragically silenced and ignored throughout American history lessons. All of the main cast members are played by Black or Latino performers which proves to be a fascinating cast as the characters they played were all historically white and slave owners. Nearly 70 percent of all roles played on Broadway are cast for Caucasian performers.

Hamilton made way for more contemporary music on Broadway, but also sought to make up for the lack of BIPOC in theatre through an enthralling show of diversity.

Hamilton commemorates the creation of the United States while also celebrating American diversity during a time of reckoning and protest. Its release on Disney+ during the height of the BLM movement and around a controversial Independence Day made the audience reception radically different than it would have been any other year.

But at the end of the day, it was a gift to have the widely celebrated musical available on a streaming platform for all to see.

BTS: BREAKING RECORDS AND BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS NYSSA MORGAN South Korean idol group BTS made history on August 31 when they became the first Korean act to have a number one single on the Billboard Hot 100 chart with their first fully English-language song “Dynamite”. Channeling the charm of ‘70s disco pop, BTS delivered a much-needed burst of energy in the hopes of reminding fans of the little things that make life worth living.

“The answer lies in the lack of radio and media play by the xenophobic music market in the U.S.” The catchy single topped Spotify’s Global Top 50 chart and rose to number one on the iTunes charts in over 100 countries. It also set a YouTube record for the most views in 24 hours with a whopping 101.1 million views. After years of sold-out stadium shows, shattering countless records, and landing four consecutive No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 chart along the way, BTS has accomplished more than most artists could ever imagine in their careers. This, however, begs the question: how is “Dynamite” the only single to reach the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 charts, despite BTS’ glaring global success?

The answer lies in the lack of radio and media play BTS recieves by the xenophobic American music market. For years, BTS has fought for legitimacy in the eyes of Western gatekeepers, be it radio programmers, journalists, or casual music listeners. They have had to work twice as hard as their peers at every juncture, and yet they continued to one-up themselves in the face of adversity.

“They’ve had to work twice as hard as their peers at every juncture, and yet they’ve continued to one-up themselves in the face of adversity.”

BTS is well-aware of this uphill battle. The group’s leader, RM, opened up in a recent interview with Reuters saying, “Since we’re aliens to the music industry for America, we don’t know if there’s a place for us or not.”

While BTS was able to achieve the number one spot with fewer spins than most Western artists, radio is still music’s largest and most influ-

ential market in the U.S. According to Nielsen Music data, over 240 million Americans aged eighteen and over still listen to the radio each month. That is a greater number of users than any other device, including smartphones. The inclusion of radio airplay within the Billboard Hot 100 metric, however, keeps the major charts bent in favour of English-language music due the gatekeeping in the industry.

Radio programmers are looking for songs which listeners can sing and rap along to, yet they do themselves a disservice by excluding bands with large fan bases like BTS. The main reason the pop group was able to top the Billboard Hot 100 chart without significant radio play was due to their powerful fandom known as ARMY. Made up of loosely organized but highly dedicated fans from all over the world, ARMY has long realised that one way to ensure the success and visibility of their idols within Western media is through sales and streaming. “Dynamite” logged nearly 34 million U.S. streams and over 300 000 sales in its first week—the biggest digital sales week for any artist in nearly three years.

“The fact that “Dynamite” is completely in English, however, left no room for the usual protests of language barriers and lack of understanding from the general public.”

With incredible numbers like that, there is clearly a massive audience for these Korean superstars. Yet, BTS is still denied opportunities from radio programmers due to fear of losing listeners by playing non-English songs. The fact that “Dynamite” is completely in English, however, left no room for the usual protests of language barriers and lack of understanding from the general public. At this point, the refusal of radio programmers to place them on an equal plane with the most successful English-speaking pop artists is willful ignorance.

If radio rarely plays non-English global hits, listeners won’t be aware of those songs. But if radio does take that chance, listeners will have the chance to appreciate a whole new world of music. BTS’ songs are undeniably catchy and there is plenty of content to enjoy even without a thorough understanding of Korean lyrics. BTS’ member, Suga, put it simply: “You’ll like BTS music if you listen without prejudice.”

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REV. ELLIS, BLACK LIVES MATTER, AND US TYLER JONES

While many of us were blown away by the murder of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, Black people in the United States felt the familiar sting of this normalized inequality.

Since the 2012 shooting of Trayvon Martin, not to mention the country’s legacy of oppression, the list of unarmed people of colour whose lives have been taken at the hands of law enforcement continues to grow. As we all know, the wrongful killing of Floyd sparked a massive response resulting from the pressure that has been mounting not only since 2012, but all throughout history.

In the wake of the most recent incidences of documented race-based violence, I reflected on the implications of these events. At the end of all the overwhelming buzz, I realized that I was not only in a spot where I needed to listen to minorities, but that I did not feel capable of spearheading dialogue about racial injustice.

With that in mind, I decided to go to TWU’s University Chaplain and Director of Student Ministries, Reverend Dr. James Ellis III, to chat about the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement and related issues.

The beginning of my conversation with Rev. Ellis (his preferred title) was lighthearted in nature. He is pretty cool. You should get to know him. We discussed the various locations he has lived, studied, and worked in. Born in Okinawa, Japan, his father was a member of the United States Air Force. After living abroad for the first four years of his life, his family relocated to a military base in Maryland, just outside of Washington, DC, where they settled longterm.

“Being in a military-influenced family, there was a level of discipline that we were expected to uphold in my home. I was taught gratitude, grit, and respect.” Rev. Ellis acknowledged the favourable standing he had when compared to some of his peers at the time, which taught him to not take life for granted or treat others as less than himself.

He explained: “I went to high school during

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the height of the 1980s crack epidemic. Violence was rampant [in Maryland] … and claimed some of my friends. From elementary and high school to university, I knew people whose families were decimated by guns or drugs. My best friend being killed on his way home from church at age 13 was hard to deal with.” Rev. Ellis shared that the United States’ response to violence in urban communities is disheartening. “When someone shoots up a school full of white children in the suburbs, new laws and preventative polices are passed and the nation mourns. When Black kids in mostly urban settings are terrorized by violence every day of their lives, the nation barely pays attention. And yet people still think that whiteness and organized supremacist behavior are myths.”

While the Reverend’s message may be hard to process, his first-hand account of this should be taken seriously. Our conversation forced me to reflect on some of my decisions and the unjustified power my societal status holds among my peers.

When asked about the mental toll of incidents like that of George Floyd, he said that it was quite difficult. “As an African American… living in Canada has been especially challenging during this time.”

Rev. Ellis noted his inability to see family due to the closed border and how draining it was discussing these race and justice issues this summer, all while earning his doctorate and defending his final project via Zoom, back in Michigan at Western Theological Seminary.

“There have been violent protests, which have sadly diverted the attention of many.

While violence is always wrong, we should be stimulated with empathy.” Rev. Ellis stated that there needs to be a general understanding that Black people are sick and tired of these instances of racism in all its forms, which they are subjected to daily. “In many ways, [systemic racism] takes a toll on your psyche simply due to the fact that there is, spoken or unspoken, a different set of rules that apply to you

that privileges and exempts whites. All you want is a truly equal playing field.”

As the conversation shifted toward the role of law enforcement in society, Rev. Ellis shared that he is not in favor of defunding the police and stressed the importance of not demonizing those you disagree with.

“Those advocating for traditional policing are not the devil, neither are those who champion that the police should be defunded. As far as I’m concerned, police are vital and yet seeing cases like the murder of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, as examples, easily illustrate that drastic reform, training, and accountability are needed right now.”

“In this time of discord, the Church must be an extension of Jesus’ hands and feet. We must cohesively mobilize to protect the vulnerable.”

When the topic of “bad apples” within police forces came up, Rev. Ellis simply responded by saying that it is unacceptable to tolerate people with guns who have sworn to “serve and protect” turn out to be heartless. “It is a matter of life and death,” he said.

Rev. Ellis went on to explain his response to racism as one that is without hate. “I respond with love, but some of us have a tendency to act as if Jesus Christ’s response to any sin was subdued, sugar-coated, and politically correct. That’s not the Jesus I see… I see Jesus flipping tables while openly confronting injustice.” Rev. Ellis also mentioned those who twist the name of Jesus to support their own bigotry, remarking that they only gain steam because the Church is often so silent and complicit.

Rev. Ellis proceeded to discuss the role of

the global Church around these matters. “All [people] are born in sin … racism and violence will no doubt continue until Jesus returns, but that doesn’t abdicate Christians from the calling, in words and deeds, to stand firmly against them.” Rev. Ellis was quick to assert that he is not an expert on diversity, however, he does think that behaviour is tied directly to thoughts. “We read books (and Scripture) that stimulate the mind, but faith without works is dead…we can talk about how faithful we are, but where is the fruit?”

He went into his work at TWU knowing that a large portion of his role involves helping students to walk faithfully with the Lord. With the differences in socioeconomic status at TWU, Rev. Ellis indicated that collaboration among believers is one of the most vital actions we need to take nowadays. “In this time of discord, the Church must be an extension of Jesus’ hands and feet. We must cohesively mobilize to protect the vulnerable.”

When asked about allyship in relation to Christ-like behaviour, Rev. Ellis is firm in not seeing Jesus so much as an ally, but as a liberator, which is quite different. “God values everyone. [People] deserve a degree of dignity and respect, so I do not want to be treated like a project [due to the colour of my skin]. I want to be valued and respected, celebrated.

Jesus came to take over every area of life, not sanction us to act like spoiled, divisive kids.”

We continued to dive into the conversation of Christ-like allyship. “Relationships matter, which means the proximity for relationships also matters. Join hands together, be each other’s keepers, encouraging the body of Christ to boldly participate in the coming of God’s Kingdom.”

As our discussion came to an end, Rev. Ellis presented an important challenge. “While a Christian institution like TWU has its perks, superiority manifests itself in the form of cliques.”

I nodded in response while assuming I knew what he was going to say next, however, he was about to hit the nail on the head.

“We associate ourselves with people who are mostly like us.” He went on to declare that while it is fine to enjoy life together in homogenous circles, variety is critical in the people, places, and discussion we frequent. Diverse experiences help reveal our blind spots in order to enjoy true growth in Christ in ways the comfort of sameness never will.

“Christian circles need to capture the spiritual connection we have together. We have so many debates about things that do not matter … and what matters most, because it requires that which we don’t want to relinquish, we hardly ever tackle.”

As our student body can agree on the salvation that we have gained through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, students at TWU must recognize that varying perspectives ought not scare us away from conversation that holds depth. There is so much work that can be done to foster community for all not only at TWU, but in every circle of life. The time is nigh for real change in society, but that begins with individuals choosing to let God transform them from the inside-out.

COLUMN: TWUSA LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT: ADVOCACY, EQUITY, AND TWU

DANY LOMBARDO, TWUSA PRESIDENT 2020-2021 This summer has brought about many questions around race and equality. Inevitably, the social and cultural context that we live in calls us to examine and question our role and place in this conversation.

I am no expert on race and inequality, nor can I speak for the people who have been harmed and oppressed throughout history. Nonetheless, as a Christ follower, the Trinity Western Student Association President (TWUSA) President for 2020-2021, and member of society, it is my duty to advocate and represent all students. To be honest, as I write this article, I fear saying the wrong thing or being seen as using my ethnicity, being Mexican, to make a point.

I also believe we, as followers of Christ, are called to be faithful and courageous, not perfect and safe. The Bible is clear about our role to pursue justice, fight for the oppressed and be merciful (Micah 6:8).

TWUSA operates on three foundational pillars: events, services, and advocacy. Advocacy, in my experience, is the least mentioned aspect of TWUSA. But what does advocacy even mean? According to Merriam Webster’s dictionary, it is “the act or process of supporting a cause or proposal.” Indeed, it is the role of student associations around the world to voice students’ concerns and ideas. While advocacy is less flashy than TWUSA’s events or services, it is a vital and foundational pillar.

Furthermore, our Hospitality Policy is a governing document of TWUSA, and it indicates that we, as the student association, have a biblical mandate to love and show hospitality to all students. In particular, we must show hospitality to students belonging to visible minorities.

This summer, Bethany Haynes, Vice President of Student Relations (VPSR), and I were approached by several students who wanted Trinity Western University (TWU) and TWUSA to take action in regard to discrimination and racial inequality. After meeting with several students, it became evident that our school, like many institutions in North America, has major shortcomings in supporting students of different ethnicities. Unfortunately, many students feel like the colour of their skin hinders their experience at TWU. Because of this we have developed some proposals to make our campus more hospitable.

While we understand that these are small steps in a long journey, they are steps in the right direction—to uphold our biblical mandate to love and welcome one another.

Equity and Hospitality Committee: Our Hospitality Policy has tremendous value and importance. This year we will be able to elaborate on how we show hospitality to students. Previously, TWU did not have a set space or avenue for students to voice their experiences of racism. For

these reasons, Bethany and I decided to open the Equity and Hospitality Committee. The purpose of this committee is to have a space where students can share their experiences and get the appropriate resources and help. We will be inviting Dr. Jennifer Adkins, TWU’s new Vice President of Excellence in Diversity and a member of the university’s Executive Leadership Team, to join the committee.

Cultural Intelligence (CQ) Training: In our meetings, the students we spoke with asked that TWU improve training for staff and faculty so that they are able to understand and navigate differences.

The Global Engagement Office (GEO) is currently training Student Life in Cultural Intelligence (CQ) this fall. CQ is a widely recognized program that helps people understand how to navigate difference and diversity. TWUSA partnered with GEO this year and asked both the Staff and Faculty Associations to make CQ training mandatory. Something to highlight is that although the word culture is often used to describe different cultures between countries, culture is a shared set of values, assumptions, and beliefs that one group has that distinguishes it from another. Therefore, culture is not limited by geography:, it includes generational, racial, gender and socioeconomic differences.

Foundations curriculum: We met with the Vice Provost, Dr. Laurie Matthias, to see how Foundations 101 could incorporate material to help students embrace diversity. Both Transitions programs and the Office of the Provost have included material that seeks to help students understand and embrace difference this fall.

Culture clubs: One of my biggest highlights as the humanities representative on TWUSA last year, was coordinating a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the GEO to support cultural clubs on campus. Both GEO and TWUSA will support cultural clubs through increased funding, mentorship and networking. Through the MOU, clubs can receive up to $700 from TWUSA for events and $500 for operational costs from GEO. We as TWUSA are here to serve the student body. Our VPSR, Bethany Haynes, is the Ombudsman––a mediator that advocates and connects you with the right resources to support you. If you or someone you know has or is experiencing racial discrimination, we are here for you. Please reach out to me, Bethany Haynes or any of our TWUSA council. If you have any questions or concerns, I am happy to have a personal conversation on this topic.

We understand this is a complex topic and we want to walk alongside you on this. Please refer to our website (twusa.ca) if you want to be a part of the Equity and Hospitality Committee this fall.

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OPINIONS TWUACC: ORIGINS AND ALLIES OLIVIA FRANCIS-AKOLO

Like many great ideas, Trinity Western University’s Afro Caribbean Club (TWUACC) was born out of a conversation and a desire to fulfill a need. The extensive origin story of the Afro-Caribbean club boils down to the need for a space for Black students at Trinity Western University (TWU) to gather and celebrate one another, as well as bond over our shared experiences—both the good and the bad, while learning about our cultural differences.

We felt the need to be restrictive of our initial vision due to TWU’s predominantly conservative political climate. This was supplemented by testimonies from several Black alumni students who told us about the many attempts they had made to start a club like this during their time at TWU. In all honesty, we were scared of offending people by establishing this club.

We shifted the focus of our club from creating a space for Black students to gather, to being culturally educational and open to anyone who wanted to be in community with us. This was not much of a sacrifice at all, and we were more than happy to incorporate both functions. However, when we first started it was really more of the latter than the former, which was not much of an issue considering the vast majority of students that attended our events were Black anyway.

At the time our club was formed, the Black members of our student body were primarily either African or West Indian so coming up with the name “Afro-Caribbean Club” didn’t prove to be a challenge. Additionally, we felt that we had to come up with a name that was more culture-friendly rather than racially exclusive. The last thing we wanted was to come off as segregationists, and our track record shows we have been welcoming of people from all ethnic and cultural backgrounds. In hindsight, avoiding usage of the word “Black” in our name saved us a lot more backlash than we may have received if we had chosen to do otherwise.

Upon officially starting the club, the student community was surprisingly supportive and welcoming of us, as a lot of you have either at-

tended our events or follow us on social media. Our most supportive allies have been Richard Taylor, Reverend James Ellis III, Maryo Matias along with the Spartans/Agape dance crews, Chef Wain, Chef Tanya and Mona from Sodexo, Vicki-Lyn from External Relations, ICP (Intercultural Programs), and TWUSA (Trinity Western University Student Association).

As a culture-based club, we want to do our best to support other culture based clubs on campus. This looks like helping to promote other clubs’ events on our social media pages and attending their events whenever we can. Doing this has helped us foster relationships and connections with students from other cultural backgrounds, as well as strengthen the reputation of our club.

While working towards allyship with other cultural communities on campus, we also strive to be better allies within our own community. The sum of the Black students that attended TWU, at the time we formed TWUACC, were either African or Caribbean. However over the years, as the population of Black students on campus grew, so did the diversity of students from different Black communities. Before we knew it, there was a significant number of Black students on campus that identified as neither African nor Caribbean, and we have made it our job to be more inclusive of them. We want them to feel welcomed and know they can relate to the club outside of simply being Black.

The establishment of TWUACC as a club was a team effort. From the nominal and hypothetical conception, the formation of our founding executive team and to the collaborative efforts of our community — mentors, Richard Taylor (faculty advisor), members, and our peers — who form pillars of support for TWUACC. Credit must also go to our incoming executive team who have taken up the mantle of stewarding the progress and evolution of TWUACC, and on behalf of the outgoing executive team, we could not be prouder of the work they are already doing, and we could not have left TWUACC in better hands.

ALLYSHIP: RECENTERING ANONYMOUS

As human beings, we tend to focus inwards and try to keep ourselves comfortable. The same sort of thing can happen when trying to be a good ally. As a queer person, there are behaviors I have observed that I would categorize as poor LGBTQ+ allyship.

Many people hold to the idea that queer folks are easily offended and thus avoid asking important questions, like whether their language makes someone uncomfortable or is hurtful. Questions like these are important to bring up in any relationship, whether it be professional or between friends. However, there are also questions that can easily be Googled; why ask your transgender friend what “FTM” means when you can just look it up? There is a balance, and part of being a good ally is knowing when and when not to ask questions––everyone’s boundaries are different.

Another part of being a good ally means being a good ally consistently, not just in front of folks you know are queer. Look around you–– how can you tell if someone is a part of the LGBTQ+ community?

You can’t––everybody expresses themselves in different ways. Not all gay men are flamboyant, not all bisexual folks cuff their pants, and not all transgender women are into makeup. The LGBTQ+ community is not a secret society that is somewhere out there. They are your

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friends, family, colleagues, coworkers, bosses, and that random guy who walks his cat on a harness every morning. Be visible, bold, and stable in your allyship.

Christians, you cannot be an ally if your theology excludes your queer friends, family, or acquaintances. This means, you cannot be a safe person for them if you believe in the “I love you, but…” approach, which hurts people and pushes them away. This is not allyship, it is holding someone at arms’ length and telling them that you cannot love them for who they truly are. In addition to this, we need to stop offering celibacy and heterosexual relationship as the only option.

Stories like Jackie Hill-Perry’s and Rosaria Butterfield’s belong to nobody else but them – recognize these individuals’ journeys, but do not let them be the only models of queer Christians.

Allyship is a lot of work and what it requires can seem daunting. However, if you can be somebody with a loving heart who also makes space without making it all about yourself, that is priceless to those who need it. Just remember that it is not about you. It is ultimately about getting educated, listening with an open heart, and doing the work queer folks ask you to do.

YOU CAN’T BE AN LGBTQ+ ALLY —AND NEITHER CAN I CHRISALEEN CIRO

Throughout my four years at Trinity Western University (TWU), I got the question, “how can I be an ally to the LGBTQ+ community at TWU?” over, and over, and over again. I have provided a variety of answers over the years, but the past few months have forced me to interrogate my definition of allyship.

Most significantly, I have recognized that the instinct to categorize people as either ally or not, is almost entirely unhelpful. It puts some people on a pedestal and demonizes others. It even allows some people to take on the title of “ally” without being recognized by the community they intend to serve.

So, then, if “ally” is not an identity, and maybe not even a role, what is it? Put simply: ally is a verb.

“Ally” should not be a declaration that you speak over yourself. Rather, it is a mindset of radical hospitality and right-relationship that you allow to compel every action and every space you enter. Allyship is not something that you are, it is something that you do. Moreover, I believe it is something that defines everything that you do.

Here are four actions that can help you live like an ally for the LGBTQ+ community at TWU. On modelling rest: For decades, the first readers of the creation narrative, the formerly exiled Israelites, and God’s people called out of Exodus, did not have autonomy over their rest. Sabbath was a gift to the formerly enslaved community. Imagine what it would have felt like, as a politically marginalized first-century reader, to hear about a God who spoke beginning into being, triumphed over the chaotic deities of the deep, and who also rests.

Rest is a radical repudiation of consumerism and grind culture. Rest is integral to any form of anti-oppressive practice.

I recognize that this task that I am setting before you––that all actions should come from a place of radical, Biblical hospitality––is a big one.

Therefore, you will not be equipped to meet it if you are not embracing God’s gift of rest, especially amid deadlines, community involvement, and newfound independence.

So yeah. Consider this permission to go take a nap.

On being vocal: One thing that I hold onto from my early understanding of allyship is that being an “ally” is not a silent position. The duties of allyship require vocalizing your support for the LGBTQ+ community, incorporating LGBTQ+ perspectives into your classroom discussions, and calling out harm you see perpetrated against LGBTQ+ members of the community.

For me, an integral part of manifesting my vocal allyship is holding the theological perspective that God affirms LGBTQ+ people, their participation and leadership in the global Church, and the sanctity of their love. Others, including some LGBTQ+ Christians, argue that it is possible to be an ally and believe that queer Christians should be celibate. While I affirm and remain committed to walking with my LGBTQ+ friends and family who have chosen that path for themselves,

I also believe that it is important to remain critical of supposedly “safe” spaces where this is the only portrayal of Chrisitan queerness.

On interrogating your own gender and sexual identities: You, dear reader, are made in the image of God. As you probably know, these words are ripped straight from the first pages of the Bible.

The next words are, “male and female,” God created them––demonstrating that, from the beginning, God was interested in femaleness and maleness, and that Their image exists in both.

This is a profound and intensely mysterious truth. We do not really know how the original authors imagined gender. Gender performance changed radically throughout the Bible and continues to change throughout history. Therefore, in the pursuit of radically hospitable allyship, I suggest that you think critically about your own experience of your gender and your sexuality. Frankly, the worst thing that can happen is you learn a little more about the way God created you.

Here are some questions to get you started: has your gender, or another’s perception of your gender, ever held you back from doing something you desired or felt God was leading you to do? How does your gender influence your perception of God? Once you have begun to think about these questions for yourself, begin asking them openly with friends and family.

Even if your friend-group and family is majority straight, I think you will be surprised at the diversity of thought, insight, and experience regarding gender. Begin to take note of what jokes are being made.

Be attentive to the relationship between gender and emotional (or even physical) violence in your community. Most importantly, do not mistake a “majority” straight or cis group with an entirely straight or cis group. You never know who might feel affirmed and seen if you talk openly about your gender experience, or if you speak up against a crude joke.

On educating yourself: Finally, remember that your learning about queer experiences of faith is not, in the (paraphrased) words of Rachel Cargle, “self-improvement work.” If your “allyship” begins and ends with reading some queer theology texts, it probably is not allyship. Yes, read Torn by Justin Lee, but also educate yourself on the resources available in the TWU community. Be a safe person for gay people to come out to and, in the mean time, meet some other gay people. Ask your professor if you can write on a topic relating to queer theology, or how educators and employers can support queer students, or queer contributions to art or music. Normalize professors reading the hospitality and inclusivity section of the syllabus out loud, so new students know that this is a conversation generations of TWU students have been having in preparation for their arrival.

If more of us allow every action to come from a desire for right relationship, radical inclusion, and biblical hospitality––including every updated syllabus, every dorm meeting, every issue of Mars’ Hill, every paper topic, every TWUSA budget––we stand a chance of creating a community that is defined by Shalom. We will belong to a beloved community.

And no one will need to call themselves an “ally” anymore.

MINORITY, BUT NOT MINOR

JERICHO CUI

What is the definition of allyship? Merriam Webster defines it as “the state or condition of being an ally: supportive association with another person or group”. My name is Jericho, and as an international student at Trinity Western University (TWU), I am blessed by the friendships I have built with students, faculty and staff from other cultural backgrounds. In my experience, those relationships can be considered allyships. It is true that beginning and maintaining an allyship between two different cultural backgrounds is challenging. It is also true that there are terms like “majority” and “minority” created to categorize different groups of people. Personally, I disagree with terms

such as these, as each person—regardless of race, gender, wealth, cultural background, social status, etc.—is born with equity. To maintain a healthy and valuable allyship, there needs to be a willingness to explore and respect different cultural aspects, as all cultures have their equal and unique value. Fundamentally, allyship is the belief of equity among all individuals, and it is a crucial call that God has given us as Christians, God’s Children. Am I considered a minority in this blessed TWU community? I am not, I am just a person whose name is Jericho and from a Chinese cultural background.

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ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: JAMES TSEUNG WHAT INSTRUMENTS DO YOU PLAY? I usually play the drums, vibraphone, and marimba. I also play keys, electric guitar, and bass for fun. I used to play trumpet and cello as well, however, since I came to Canada, I don’t have access to them so I’m not able to play them now.

During COVID, I have been learning to play the flute for fun and improving my skills in mixing which can improve the overall sound quality of my music.

ARE YOU A ONE-MAN SHOW? DO YOU WRITE, SING, PLAY, AND PRODUCE YOUR SONGS ALL

BY YOURSELF? Yes, I do everything most of the time. It is simply because I didn’t know any people in this field when I first started; I had no choices but doing them all by myself, and it continues since then.

But I also welcome any collaborations as there is a chance for unique and exciting chemistry with different people.

WHAT IS YOUR NAME? James Tseung, or James T if you like.

WHAT IS YOUR MAJOR AND YEAR? I’m a 3rd year music major in percussion.

WHEN DID YOU FIRST START MAKING MUSIC? I wrote my first song at the age of 14. I then arranged it using Garageband and published it on my YouTube channel.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU? My friends, Jacob Collier, Khalil Fong, Michael Jackson, Miles Davis, The Beatles, and more.

TELL ME ABOUT YOUR MOST RECENT SONG, “ I JUST WANT TO FEEL SICK ABOUT YOU” AND HOW IT CAME ABOUT. I wrote this song last year when protests in Hong Kong had just begun. The whole story behind it is like this: my best friend had some emotional issues to deal with about his ex, we had been talking about it, but after things happened in Hong Kong, we just couldn’t talk about it because the whole Hong Kong thing was too big

that it covered all the other sadnesses in our lives. Instead of missing her, he just wished that she could survive and not be arrested or shot by the police.

WHAT SONG ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF? WHY? “Lullaby” from my EP “From Midnight To Dawn.”

I am quite satisfied with the arrangement, but most importantly is that I have received messages from my friends saying that they felt calmed after listening to it. The concept of the EP is a journey of encountering someone, hitting it off, but having to leave at the end. It is close to my heart as that is my experience in leaving my friends because of me graduating and coming to Canada. Our way to hangout was usually to go out somewhere nice at night and have drinks in the park or pier. The EP starts with a heart-warming feeling, like when you are connecting with someone on a deeper level and find out their beauty in their soul. It ends with a bitter feeling of looking at the sunrise when you were just staying up all night having a good time as it means that it must come to an end.

WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH IN THE FUTURE? Keep making music that moves people.

Where can people listen?

Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Bandcamp, Soundcloud, or simply just go to my YouTube channel “James T,” all links are there. You can also follow me on Instagram @jamtea_ for more musical content.

ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT: ANDREW SAMUEL Schmidt (admissions counselor). He handed me the flyer and I saw the tuition cost and tossed it in the trash. My mom decided to hold onto it because you never know what could happen. I had a couple of D2 and D3 offers. I emailed a couple of schools in Canada and got tryouts with University of Calgary and University of Alberta and did really poorly in both and both coaches were not interested in me. I ended up coming out to TWU for an ID camp and the coach wasn’t really interested in me. I was really bummed that I wasn’t going to play university soccer anywhere.

However, out of nowhere Mike emailed me asking if I found a place to play and asked me to not commit for a month because he wanted to see where I would fit in the squad. I ended up taking the opportunity because my mom was very keen on me going to TWU and also the fact that God would provide an opportunity for me to play in Canada.

HOW DID YOU FIRST GET INVOLVED WITH SOCCER? When I was six, I moved to Canada from Malaysia, the 2006 World Cup inspired me, and I saw Zidane play and that’s where I fell in love with soccer. I first started out as a striker and then they slowly started moving me back. By the time I was 17-18 I was a centre back/holding mid and then when I came here, I was a free-roaming midfielder and now I mostly play as a winger.

HOW DID YOU FIRST HEAR ABOUT TRINITY WESTERN UNIVERSITY AND THE SOCCER PROGRAM? Trinity Western University (TWU) was my last choice of school. I was ready to go to South Carolina at a small school. I first heard about TWU in 2017 because I went to a Toby Mac concert at my church.There was an intermission and I went to check out the Trinity booth. I met Jonathan

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WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST SOCCER-RELATED ACCOMPLISHMENT? Improving as a leader and being the captain of every team I’ve been on since I was 13. It helped more off the pitch than on the pitch. Being a leader on the pitch translates into so many other aspects of life. Whether it’s from your professional life to social life to having a day-to-day conversation.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU TO BE A SPARTAN? It comes with a lot of responsibility and being the largest Christian school in Canada is a statement.

I’m going to represent this school, the student body, and God. This pushes us to a higher standard to show how we’re different from any other school in Canada. A soccer player at TWU is different from one at another university because of our morals and how we handle ourselves. There definitely comes a sense of responsibility.

WHO IS YOUR FAVOURITE SOCCER PLAYER AND WHY? Currently, Ngolo Kante––he’s been my favourite since he showed up at Leicester. He doesn’t have the greatest skills but he is willing to work harder than anyone on the pitch. His stats are so consistent, game after game, year after year.

HOW HAS COVID AFFECTED THE SOCCER SEASON AND HOW DO YOU PLAN TO ADAPT TO IT? Our U Sports season was cancelled and so we’re not competing for anything, so that’s a shame.

We’ve been allowed to do contact as a team and that’s a result of our diligence. Right now we’re split into 2 groups of 16 but we can’t mingle with the other group. Some guys don’t get to see the rookies and they can’t build that relationship with each other. It’s been tough socially. We just can’t really be a team off the pitch––we’re a brotherhood and we’re meant to spend more time together off the pitch. Hopefully we’ll be able to play some exhibition games here and there.

WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS THIS YEAR AS A STUDENT AND ATHLETE? Academically, I want to be the best student that I can be and at least want to maintain my GPA. I want to be more involved in my classes and step out of my comfort zone. With my student leadership role, I want to be the best that I can in that with running intramural soccer. I have an opportunity as an internship with Cole in Sparta this year which means being able to learn from him.

I think he is one of the best strength coaches in the country. I want to be able to train consistently and put in extra work outside of training and being able to have fun with it at the same time.

DO YOU PLAY ANY OTHER SPORTS? Basketball is my favourite other than soccer, in high school I ran track and cross country and played badminton as well.

SPORTS

A HISTORY OF PROTEST IN SPORTS LUKE RATTRAY

This summer saw a world pandemic that led to the cancellation of professional sports leagues across the globe. Fans rejoiced from home when sports eventually resumed, but the industry took another brief pause when athletes took a stand against the racial injustices that have occurred throughout the history of the United States. This was not the first time the public witnessed professional athletes protest against certain social justice issues. In fact, there have been numerous times athletes have used their platform to inspire others, or have taken initiative to create change themselves.

One of the more recent protests came when Colin Kaepernick, a former quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, took a knee during the United States’ national anthem on August 26, 2016. Kaepernick knelt for during the anthem because of systematic racism and discrimination of minorities in the United States. Kaepernick’s initial action was met with booing and jeering from the crowd, followed by criticism from media and fans. Despite this, some other NFL players supported Kaepernick, and the movement has since grown into other leagues.

We have seen entire teams in the NBA locking arms and kneeling during the national anthem Going back further, on March 12, 1996, Denver Nuggets’ Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf chose not to stand for the national anthem because of the history of oppression of BIPOC in the United States. As a result Abudul-Rauf was suspended by the NBA for one game. Afterwards, both parties were able to come to an agreement in which Abdul-Rauf was allowed to close his eyes and look downwards during the anthem.

Not everyone took a liking to Abdul-Rauf’s actions; two DJs even trespassed into a Denver mosque and began playing the national anthem with their trumpets. Even more so, five years later, Abdul-Rauf’s house was burned down by arsonists in Gulfport, Mississippi.

The Olympics have often been a time for countries to showcase the incredible athletes that they have. However, in 1980, the event saw one of the largest protests in sports history when the US and 65 other nations decided to boycott the Summer Olympics in Moscow, Russia.

On March 21, 1980, President Jimmy Carter declared that the United States would boycott that year’s Olympics if Russia did not withdraw her troops from Afghanistan during the Soviet-Afghan war. Other nations such as Japan, West Germany, China, Philippines, Chile, Argentina, and Canada did not send any athletes to those games. Allies of the United States such as the United Kingdom, France, and Australia supported the boycott, but left the final decision to the country’s respective athletes to choose whether or not they would participate in Moscow.Those who did participate competed under the Olympic flag.

One other noteworthy Olympic protest came during the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City when Tommie Smith and John Carlos won gold and bronze respectively in the 200 metre race. While they were on the podium, they raised their fists and put their heads down throughout the duration of the anthem in recognition of racial discrimination in the United States. The protest began when all three men on the podium,including silver medallist Peter Norman of Aus-

tralia, chose to wear pins on their shirts that read “Olympic Project for Human Rights.” As they walked off the track, Smith and Carlos were booed by the crowd and were eventually removed from the US Olympic track team, receiving heavy criticism for their actions when they arrived home. Norman showed support for Smith and Carlos, and did not compete in another Olympics, despite him qualifying 13 times over in the Olympic trials for the 1972 Summer Olympics.

In 1961, the Boston Celtics were on top of the basketball world. The team had won numerous championships and had multiple Hall of Famers on the roster, including that season’s MVP, Bill Russell. That being said, prior to an exhibition match, Russell and other Black teammates were denied service at a restaurant in Lexington, Kentucky. Afterwards, the Celtics decided to protest their next game. Protesting their game was extremely rare to see at the time because Black athletes were expected not to complain publicly about racial inequality.

This did not stop Russell, and he ended up becoming an advocate for racial integration in a time when racial segregation was prevalent in the United States.

“Athletes have the ability to utilize their platform on an even bigger stage than the court or field because at times, the issues become bigger than the sport in which they are playing.”

In 1947, Jackie Robinson made history when he was the first Black man to make the leap to Major League Baseball. This was revolutionary because Robinson broke the colour barrier which was a part of the league for over 50 years. As a result, Robinson received harsh criticism from opposing players and his own teammates. It should be noted that Jim Crow laws were prominent at the time and prevented Robinson from using the same hotels and facilities as other teammates. However, this did not distract Robinson, as he went on to win numerous awards, including a World Series, an MVP, and Rookie of the Year.

These protests and the athletes behind them have the ability to inspire generations of people because the issues they target are still relevant. Athletes wield a tremendous amount of say because of their fanbase and influence on culture. Athletes have the ability to utilize their platform on a bigger stage than the court or field because at times, the issues become bigger than the sport in which they are playing. Sports is one of the few places in which people of all colour, backgrounds, and religions are able to come together and set aside their differences in order to celebrate their teams in a mosaic that captures human connection at its purest.

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MESSI TO LEAVE BARCELONA. . .

EVENTUALLY LUKE RATTRAY

Year in and year out, FC Barcelona is considered to be one of the top the top clubs in world soccer. This, in part, comes from having one of the best players in the world, Lionel Messi, who has been with the club for the entirety of his career. Messi has gone on to win 10 La Ligas, four Champions League titles, and six Ballon d’oRs. Messi has achieved success at every level, and his trophy cabinet backs this up.

Messi’s frustration with the club is at a high right now, having been eliminated from the Champions League three years in a row in dramatic fashion. Barcelona is also in a financial crisis due to recent transfers that the club has made. These transfers, such as Ousmane Dembélé, Philippe Coutinho, and Antoine Griezmann, have not lived up to their price tags, which the club bought for a combined €385 million.

However, this August proved to be a turbulent time at FC Barcelona; the team crashed out of the Champions League quarter finals due to an 8-2 thrashing at the hands of Bayern Munich. Contrary to popular belief, this was not the first time in which Barcelona had crashed out of the Champions League. Last season, Barcelona went up 3-0 against Liverpool and ended up losing their second leg game 4-0.

The 2017/2018 campaign also saw Barcelona crash and burn, this time to Italian club AS Roma, when they blew another three goal lead, having been 4-1 up on aggregate.

These major developments resulted in Messi handing in a transfer request to the club on August 25. Immediately, there were multiple teams interested in Messi, of which English giants Manchester City were the favourite. There was miscommunication as Messi believed that he could leave Barcelona on a free transfer due to a clause in his contract, but that expired on June 30 prior to him handing in his transfer request. For now, the only way to have Messi on a different team is if a club pays Messi’s release clause, which is €700 million.

“Messi’s frustration with the club is at a high right now, having been eliminated from the Champions League three years in a row in dramatic fashion, and also how Barcelona is in a financial crisis due to recent transfers that the club has made.”

Despite this, Messi’s contract with Barcelona ends next summer in June 2021, where he could potentially hand in another transfer request and could leave on a free transfer. I believe that he will do just that if Barcelona fails to win the Champions League this upcoming season. Messi, 33, is now at the tail end of his peak and will likely only have a few more years to try to win as many La Ligas and Champions Leagues as he can. For me, the most likely place I can see him going is Manchester City. City has one of the best squads in Europe with incredibly wealthy owners, and one of the best coaches in world soccer.

It is without a doubt that if Messi goes there, he will win trophies, both individually and team. This would also answer the question: could he do it on a cold rainy night in Stoke?

CLIPPERS IN CANCUN TYLER JONES

On August 8, 2020, the Portland Trail Blazers were defeated at the hands of the Los Angeles Clippers. At the time of the loss, the Blazers were working towards earning the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. As the Trail Blazers were unable to defeat the Clippers in their early August matchup. After the game, Bleacher Report posted a quote from the Trail Blazers’ franchise player, Damian Lillard. To contextualize, Lillard’s quote referred to the Clippers’ players laughing after he missed two free throws near the end of the game.

“I sent [Patrick Beverley] home before … Paul George just got sent home by me last year in the playoffs.” (Per Chris Haynes) Of course, Lillard’s post-game comments were referring to the two current members of the Los Angeles Clippers, Paul George and Patrick Beverley, being eliminated at the hands of the Trail Blazers in previous years.

While Lillard’s comments after the loss seemed sour, the Clippers immediately took to social media after Bleacher Report posted the quote. As expected, Lillard’s comments were only met with more slander from Beverley and George. Beverley and George’s comments referred to Lillard, who was fighting for a playoff spot alongside the rest of the Trail Blazers, possibly losing out on an opportunity to make it into the playoffs. Beverley, a notorious trash-talker in the NBA, commented about the upcoming vacation plans that the Blazers would be making due to the lack of basketball that would be played once the playoffs came around. The statements made by these members of the Clippers would soon come back to bite them.

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Over a month later, the Los Angeles Clippers blew a 3-1 series lead to the Denver Nuggets. While the well-earned victory by the Nuggets cannot be taken away from them, the Clippers posted a pathetic performance in game 7 of the series. Basketball fans witnessed Kawhi Leonard run at the hoop with no hopes of getting a routine bucket while Paul George dented the side of the backboard on a last-ditch three pointer to make their final game against the Nuggets any closer. The Clippers, who were heavily favoured by many to win it all this season, looked apathetic as they saw their chances in securing a championship vanish.

“Even though Patrick Beverley suggested Cancun in August, the closure of borders in North America will not allow that. Instead, the Clippers and Trail Blazers should look at the possibility of a golf trip.”

While the Clippers’ hopes of winning their first championship are now gone, new doors have opened up for the team as they head into the offseason. That’s right, the Clippers can now join Damian Lillard and the Trail Blazers on their vacation. Even though Patrick Beverley suggested Cancun in August, the closure of borders in North America will not allow that. Instead, the Clippers and Trail Blazers should look at the possibility of a golf trip.

Karma is real, and the Los(e) Angeles Clippers just got a dose of that.

Enjoy your offseason, boys.

HUMOUR RESIDENCE HALLS AS DAYS OF THE WEEK ALEX WALKER

Like Monday, Jacobson is a new beginning.

However, neither quite live up to what you hope they would be. On Monday, you’re assigned more homework than you expect. In Jacobson, the automatic lights in the study rooms will shut off halfway through your cramming sesh and encourage your already burning desire to nap.

Skidmore wants to be Jacobson as it too looks like a colourful shoe box, and Tuesday tries to be Monday by being a “meh” day at the start of the week. But a Skidmore dorm is only the half-baked cocooned caterpillar to Jacobson’s butterfly, and Tuesday is Monday’s unnecessary sequel that does not improve on its predecessor.

Robson looks like a rectangular marshmallow. It’s fat, like the word “Wednesday.”

Nobody dislikes Robson or Wednesdays really. But who remembers what they did on Wednesday? “I...uh...had class I guess.

Dorm meeting, yeah, did that for sure.” What do you do in Robson? “Oh, you cook, and, like, enjoy your cathedral-sized room.” What else? “Um…”

“Never-ending.” “Inconveniently placed.”

“Whose idea was this?” These are all thoughts people have about Thursdays and Northwest.

Unpredictable. Sometimes scary. Could be gross. Could be kind of homey. McMillan is the Russian Roulette of buildings. The smells.

The items in the hallway. Good? Bad? You just never know. Same goes for Fridays. Will I have a wild night and regret all my life choices? Perhaps. Will I stay home and regret all my life choices? Maybe. The possibilities are terrifyingly endless.

You get there. You say, in the Kool-Aid Man voice, “Oooooh yeeeaaah.” The fun starts and it doesn’t stop. You’re so happy to be there. Anything could happen. Except homework. Or sleep. And then you stop and realize that the place is kinda convoluted and janky. The 8/9s are just carpeted tunnels. And the North is hardly connected to the rest of the building. And the 6/7s are so dark they look like the hipster version of hobbit-holes. There’s a reason every day isn’t a Saturday, and there’s a reason Douglas is the cheapest building to live in.

Relaxing. Cozy. And that lighting? It gives me hope for a better tomorrow. Fraser is cool...but also coming apart at the seams.

It would probably be safest if it followed through with its “Building that Cried ‘Fire’” routine and actually burned down. Just like Sunday, Fraser is restful but at the end...of its lifespan.

SiX wAyS tO Be tHE PeRfEcT aLLy NYSSA MORGAN

1. Sharing Instagram posts that definitely donate $1 to very legitimate and very real organizations: The ideal way to support any movement is by doing the bare-minimum. The less effort, the better! So, go on, keep sharing those super helpful posts that are absolutely changing the world, all while barely lifting a finger!

2. Watching Queer Eye: Nothing says supporting gay rights like quoting Johnathan Van Ness and serving looks with a cute french tuck. Yas queen! Slay! You did it! You’re an ally!

3. Adding #BLM to your dating profile: The perfect way to let your Tinder date know you’re super woke is throwing in a socially conscious hashtag. It’ll definitely fit in next to the “here for a good time, not a long time” bio, and the pictures of you and that fish you caught that one time.

4. Using a tote bag: If you know, you know.

5. Watching one foreign-language movie with subtitles: Not only does this make you super cultured, but it absolutely prepares you to speak on any issue regarding any country ever.

Oh, but don’t mention the fact you were on your phone half the time—not everyone understands that reading words is hard sometimes.

6. Naming your new plant a “female” name to promote feminism: You’re a great ally so you know naming your car or your left bicep after the hot babysitter you had growing up would be insulting to women. Now, you only save those feminine titles for living objects like a houseplant. For example, Eleanor’s a great option.

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DIJON KIZZEE

BRADLEY BLACKSHIRE

SUSIE JACKSON

DARNESHA HARRIS

DAMIAN DANIELS

ALEAH JENKINS

DANIEL SIMMONS

JORDAN DAVIS

ANTHONY MCCLAIN

JEMEL ROBERSON

ETHEL LANCE

SGT. JAMES BROWN

JULIAN LEWIS

CHARLES ROUNDTREE JR.

MYRA THOMPSON

DARIUS SIMMONS

MAURICE ABISDID -WAGNER

BOTHAM JEAN

CYNTHIA HURD

REKIA BOYD

HARITH AUGUSTUS

DEPAYNE MIDDLETON -DOCTOR

TRAYVON MARTIN

RAYSHARD BROOKS PRISCILLA SLATER

JASON WASHINGTON ROBERT WHITE

SHARONDA COLEMAN -SINGLETON

EARL MCNEIL

CLEMENTA PINCKNEY

MARCUS-DAVID PETERS

TYWANZA SANDERS

DORIAN HARRIS

KALIEF BROWDER

STEPHON CLARK

FREDDIE GRAY

RONELL FOSTER

WALTER SCOTT

DAMON GRIMES

NATASHA MCKENNA

JAMES LACY

RUMAIN BRISBON

CHARLEENA LYLES

TAMIR RICE

JORDAN EDWARDS

AKAI GURLEY

TIMOTHY CAUGHMAN

TANISHA ANDERSON

ALTERIA WOODS

LAQUAN MCDONALD

DEBORAH DANNER

CAMERON TILLMAN

ALFRED OLANGO

DARRIEN HUNT

TERENCE CRUTCHER

MICHAEL BROWN

CHRISTIAN TAYLOR

KAJIEME POWELL

JAMARION ROBINSON

MICHELLE CUSSEAUX

LIONEL MORRIS

DONNELL THOMPSON JR.

DANTE PARKER

JAQUYN O’NEILL LIGHT

JOSEPH MANN

WILLIAM GREEN

PHILANDO CASTILE

JOHN NEVILLE

ALTON STERLING

MICHAEL DEAN

JAY ANDERSON JR.

ATATIANA JEFFERSON

ANTRONIE SCOTT

BYRON WILLIAMS

BETTIE JONES

ELIJAH MCCLAIN

QUINTONIO LEGRIER

JALEEL MEDLOCK

COREY JONES

DOMINIQUE CLAYTON

SAMUEL DUBOSE

PAMELA TURNER

DARRIUS STEWART

STERLING HIGGINS

SANDRA BLAND

ROBERT FORBES KAMAL FLOWERS JAMEL FLOYD DAVID MCATEE JAMES SCURLOCK CALVIN HORTON JR. TONY MCDADE DION JOHNSON GEORGE FLOYD MAURICE GORDON CORNELIUS FREDERICKS STEVEN TAYLOR DANIEL PRUDE BREONNA TAYLOR BARRY GEDEUS MANUEL ELLIS AHMAUD ARBERY

EZELL FORD AMIR BROOKS JOHN CRAWFORD III ERIC GARNER JERRY DWIGHT BROWN VICTOR WHITE III MARQUISE JONES RENISHA MCBRIDE JONATHAN FERRELL GABRIEL WINZER KAYLA MOORE COREY STINGLEY

WILLIE RAY BANKS KENNETH CHAMBERLAIN SR. CLETIS WILLIAMS ROBERT RICKS DANROY “DJ” HENRY JR. AIYANA STANLEY-JONES LAWRENCE ALLEN OSCAR GRANT JULIAN ALEXANDER MARVIN PARKER DEAUNTA FARROW SEAN BELL KATHRYN JOHNSTON TIMOTHY STANSBURY JR. ANTHONY DWAIN LEE RICKY BYRDSONG AMADOU DIALLO JAMES BYRD JR. NICHOLAS HEYWARD JR. ELEANOR BUMPURS EDWARD GARDNER ELTON HAYES MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. JIMMIE LEE JACKSON JAMES EARL CHANEY LOUIS ALLEN MEDGAR EVERS HERBERT LEE EMMETT TILL GEORGE STINNEY JR.