Volume 47, Issue 18

The Independent Student Newspaper of the University of Toronto Mississauga since 1974

Issue 018 Volume 47 February 22 2021

themedium.ca

UTMSU U-PASS REBATE

PROTECTING YOUR DATA

On February 18, 2021, the University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union (UTMSU) announced that all eligible UTM students will be given partial refunds for their U-Pass mandatory fees.

Now more than ever, people are spending large quantities of time on the internet. As a result, it is also a lot easier for hackers to get a hold of personal information and data and pass it off on the internet, becoming permanently ingrained in the matrix.

>> U-PASS continued on page 03

>> PROTECTING DATA continued on page 07

ON AND OFF THE FIELD To commemorate Black history month here in North America, The Medium’s Sports section will be listing some of the most dominant and influential Black athletes of the past two decades. >> ON AND OFF continued on page 12

NEWS

Mississauga Mayor calls for province-wide paid sick leave option Isik Vera Senel News Editor

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n January 20, the Mississauga City Council approved a motion put forward by Mayor Bonnie Crombie in favour of supporting small businesses and low-income workers.

The motion emphasized the importance of supporting small businesses that have been negatively impacted by Covid-19 lockdown restrictions. The council urged the provincial government to reconsider the pandemic regulations that are actively contributing to the challenges smaller businesses are facing in Ontario.

>> SICK LEAVE continued on page 02

ARTS

COMMENT

The Cecil Hotel comes to life in Theatre Erindale’s immersive audio series

Reflecting on the implications of the Indian farmers’ protests

Hana Khan Staff Writer

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he Cecil Hotel stands tall, looming over a dark and dreary downtown Los Angeles. On the outside, the building seems like any other hotel. But for those who know the hotel’s grisly history, the “Cecil” is a character all on its own.

The hotel has been home to many gruesome deaths since its creation in 1924. For decades, its walls have been notorious for their mysterious and supernatural aura. And while the Cecil has always exuded this aura, the 2013 vanishing of Canadian student, Elisa Lam, has vaulted the hotel to unparalleled notoriety, inspiring countless conspiracy videos and a half-dozen documentaries. Now, in late-February 2021, it’ll be the focus of a new audio drama from the cast and crew of Theatre Erindale.

Written by award-winning playwright David Yee, and directed by multiple Dora Award winner, Nina Lee Aquino, the cecil hotel is a five-part audio series presented by fourth-year Theatre and Drama Studies students

from UTM and Sheridan College. The Medium spoke with two cast members, Myles Botten and Tanisha Sinclair, to learn more about the upcoming audio series.

As Botten explains, the cecil hotel wasn’t always in the plans. “The crew had originally planned to perform a different David Yee piece.”

That’s because, initially, Yee tried writing a play that captured the emotions and conditions of the pandemic.

Once it became clear that the pandemic wasn’t stopping anytime soon, Yee ditched his original project and set about writing five new pieces for an audio series, all set at the infamous Cecil Hotel.

While the directional change was unexpected, Sinclair cherished the chance to act in an audio drama. “I knew it’d be an incredible opportunity to work with David and Nina, so right from the season announcement, I hoped to be cast in the play,” says Sinclair.

“Once it got turned into an audio drama series, I became even more excited. I knew professional voiceover experience would help broaden my versatility. I’ve always wanted to get more voiceover experience before graduating—so it really worked out for the better!” >> ERINDALE continued on page 08

Aroni Sarkar Associate Comment Editor

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ince last September, more than 250 million protestors have crowded the streets of Delhi to overturn three new agricultural laws set forth by the Indian government. Deemed the largest protest in human history, protestors are calling to have the government repeal the three laws that would leave the sector volatile and farmers themselves vulnerable.

About 58 per cent of India’s approximately 1.3 billion population find agriculture to be their primary source of income, making up the largest voting bloc of the country. The handling of these protests is a central political issue for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government as its implications could affect the next general election in 2024.

The new laws lack the safeguards that should accompany any deregulation this massive, including safety nets and regulatory frameworks that protect farmers against market volatility. These have been recommended consistently by the government’s previous legislation but oddly not for these laws. One of the laws also prevents farmers from suing or taking private companies to court if they violate contracts, once again making it clear that there are no protective measures in place for farmers. >> PROTESTS continued on page 04

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NEWS

Editor | Isik Vera Senel news@themedium.ca

Ontario is ahead of schedule in the provincial vaccination program Despite facing vaccine shortages earlier this year, Ontario is expected to begin the second phase of vaccinations in March.

Isik Vera Senel News Editor

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fter the approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines in December 2020, the Canadian government began to establish large-scale vaccination programs. The development of these vaccinations and the subsequent immunization programs have provided Canadians with much-needed hope, implying that the end of lockdown regulations might be near.

Both vaccines have been endorsed by Health Canada and are predicted to be around 95 per cent effective after receiving both doses.

At the beginning of the new year, Canada faced a vaccine shortage which began on January 26 and continued into February. According to CTV News, the shortage was caused by the high demand for shipments on an international scale. However, the missed shipments are expected to be restocked in March, and citizens are look-

Mississauga Mayor calls for province-wide paid sick leave option

ing forward to learning what the next step will be for the provincial and federal governments.

According to the Government of Ontario website, around 16,000 vaccinations are delivered daily, and more than 200,000 individuals have been administered with both dosages as of February 20.

The provincial government plans to continue on the three-phase vaccine distribution plan, which began mid-December 2020. Due to the limited supply of vaccines, the first phase prioritizes vulnerable members of the community and the people in their immediate circles. These initial doses of the vaccine will be administered to long-term care and retirement homes.

“A professor at the University of Toronto discussed the university’s potential role in administering Covid-19 vaccinations.”

In the meantime, the government is working on increasing vaccine stocks in preparation for the second phase, which was initially scheduled to begin in April. This phase focuses on providing vaccinations for frontline workers, the elderly population, and other high-risk individuals.

In light of the recent increase in vaccine supplies, the second phase is expected to proceed earlier than planned.

Mayor Crombie revealed that employees experiencing Covid-19 symptoms still go to work due to inadequate paid sick leave opportunities.

Isik Vera Senel News Editor >> SICK LEAVE continued from page 01

Kelly Sikkema/unsplash.com

The council also requested the provincial government to provide employees with adequate paid sick leave opportunities, as lowincome workers are less likely to have access to such benefits.

At a press conference on January 27, Mayor Crombie revealed that while “40 per cent of Canadians have access to paid sick leave, only 10 per cent [of] low-income workers” are provided with the same option.

“The lack of paid sick leave is a glaring gap in our Covid-19 response, and it’s time that we tackle this issue head-on,” stated Crom-

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bie. “Dr. Loh, as well as other medical officers of health, have been calling for paid sick leave for months.”

Crombie’s initiative to establish adequate and equal access to paid sick leave is supported by the Mississauga Board of Trade and United Way Greater Toronto, a non-governmental social service organization.

Crombie stated that she found the Canadian government’s Recovery Sickness Benefit program insufficient. Individuals can only apply to receive the benefit after becoming sick and, even then, are not guaranteed the funding.

“It’s only $450 after tax which is below minimum wage [and is] certainly not enough to live on in the GTA,” stated Crombie.

The Mississauga mayor revealed that individuals experiencing symptoms of the novel coronavirus were still going to work as they did not have access to paid sick leave opportunities, putting even more lives at risk.

Crombie called on the provincial and federal governments to take immediate action to mend this socio-economic disparity.

“Please step up and make this a guarantee for the duration of the pandemic,” said Crombie. “A new system needs to be in place so that workers can make the right choice and stay home without losing their wages.”

“Phase Two is set to begin as early as March,” read a report by CBC News. “This phase will add more vaccination sites, including municipally run locations, hospital sites, mobile vaccination locations, pharmacies, clinics, community-run health centres, and aboriginal health centres.”

By August, the government plans on making the Covid-19 vaccines broadly available to the entire Ontario population.

The Ontario government’s immunization plan states that 19 hospitals throughout the province will serve as vaccination clinics.

However, as supplies increase, additional public health locations are expected to become vaccination sites.

In an interview with U of T News, Dr. Salvatore Spadafora, a professor at the University of Toronto, discussed the university’s potential role in administering Covid-19 vaccinations.

“Although we will not be receiving a supply of the vaccine or delivering it ourselves, U of T is offering space for vaccinations as needed—just like the City of Toronto has done with the immunization clinic in the Metro Toronto Convention Centre,” stated Dr. Spadafora. “It might also be possible for our health profession students—in medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and the like—to assist in some manner.”

While the details regarding U of T’s part in the provincial vaccination program are currently unknown, more information is expected to be released by the city and the university administration soon.

While Covid-19 cases have been reportedly decreasing in the Peel Region, the mayor argued that we must keep our guards up and continue to follow Ontario’s province-wide stay-at-home order. With multiple variants of the novel coronavirus emerging across the globe, the possibility of a third wave is more threatening than ever.

“We must continue to be vigilant and take preventative measures, including not going to work if experiencing symptoms.”

We must continue to be vigilant and take preventative measures, including not going to work if experiencing symptoms. However, this is not a viable option for many low-income workers today. By establishing province-wide paid sick leave, employees won’t have to choose between their health or their income.

“It is one of the best investments we can make to help us reopen and begin the longterm economic recovery of the GTA and the entire country,” argued Crombie. “We cannot wait for this any longer.”

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UTMSU will issue partial refunds for 20212022 U-Pass fees Eligible students will receive $95.00 in their ACORN accounts by February 28.

Razia Saleh Contributor >> U-PASS continued from page 01 In collaboration with the UTM Association of Graduate Students (UTMAGS), the UTMSU released a membership advisory discussing their agreement with MiWay, Mississauga’s public transport agency.

“Due to the ongoing pandemic and the decrease in student riders, MiWay has agreed to a $95.00 rebate for students who were charged for the U-Pass service during the Fall/Winter 2020-2021 school year,” read the advisory.

As a result of the novel coronavirus, 83 per cent of classes have been moved online in the past year. It is also advised that students don’t go to campus unless for extenuating circumstances.

The $95.00 rebate will be sent to all eligible student’s ACORN accounts. U of T will apply the refund to unpaid charges on ACORN, and students who don’t have any charges will be sent a direct deposit or be asked to submit a refund request to info. studentsaccount@utoronto.ca.

Any students who only attended classes in the Fall semester will be eligible for the partial refund, but the money return will be less. As stated on the UTMSU U-Pass rebate statement, “To ensure that the money is returned to you in a timely manner, transferring the rebate via ACORN is the most efficient way.”

Moreover, the UTMSU has decided to suspend the 2021 Summer U-Pass program for any students planning to take classes during the summer.

Instead, “The UTMSU will be administering transit bursaries from May to August to support undergraduate students who choose in-person or hybrid summer classes,” continued the union’s membership advisory.

The UTMSU transit bursary will be advertised during the Spring and Summer 2021 terms. Plans have yet to be decided for the Fall/Winter 2021-2022 U-Pass program and are scheduled to be announced in April to ensure proper measurements and planning take place.

With the ongoing pandemic challenges, UTMSU is striving to find the best solution for students to get the most of their education and resources at UTM. The rebate will be applied to students’ ACORN accounts no later than February 28, 2021.

Julia Healy/The Medium For more information, students are encouraged to visit the UTMSU website and contact the U-Pass program (upass@utm. ca) for additional assistance.

Advertisement sponsored by the UTMSU.

MASTHEAD EDITORIAL BOARD

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COMMENT

Editor | Aya Yafaoui comment@themedium.ca

Editor-in-Chief Paula Cho editor@themedium.ca Managing Editor Ali Taha managing@themedium.ca News Isik Vera Senel news@themedium.ca Comment Aya Yafaoui comment@themedium.ca Features Elizabeth Provost features@themedium.ca A&E Chris Berberian arts@themedium.ca Sports Sarah-May Edwardo-Oldfield sports@themedium.ca Photo Julia Healy photos@themedium.ca Design Tegwen McKenzie design@themedium.ca Copy Melissa Barrientos melissa@themedium.ca Alexis Whelan alexis@themedium.ca Online Yasmeen Alkoka online@themedium.ca

ASSOCIATES Sheryl Gurajada, News Aroni Sarkar, Comment Danica Teng, Arts Paige France, Arts Pearla Hariri, Features May Alsaigh, Features Hayden Mak, Photos

STAFF Webmaster Vladyslava Diachenko web@themedium.ca Videographer Gabriel Saavedra videographer@themedium.ca To CONTRIBUTE, email editor@themedium.ca @TheMediumUTM

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Reflecting on the misogynistic and conspiratorial responses to the Indian farmers’ protests Instead of trying to shut down protesters, wouldn’t it be more productive for the government to work on listening and winning back the trust of farmers?

Aroni Sarkar Associate Comment Editor >> PROTESTS continued from page 01 How are the farmers supposed to trust the government when laws are designed to take away their protections by violently repressing them with cruelty? Sleeping protestors have been reportedly beaten by the police, internet and social media accounts have been suspended, electricity and bathroom access for protest camps restricted, journalists rounded up and arrested, and protestors tortured and sexually assaulted in jail.

The most bizarre situation to unfold amid all this was the over-the-top, rushed, and dramatic response to social media posts made by Rihanna and Greta Thunberg. Rihanna shared a CNN article reporting the internet cuts in New Delhi and captioned it with a simple question: “Why aren’t we talking about this?!” Soon after, climate activist Greta Thunberg shared that she stood in solidarity with the farmers and shared a toolkit for those wanting to sign petitions or get involved.

The response was immediate. While much of the Indian diaspora praised Rihanna for shining light on such a monumental event in human history, an army of pro-government and right-wing fanatics criticized them within hours and spread baseless conspiracy theories alongside extremely misogynistic comments about them.

Within hours of Rihanna’s tweet, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs released a statement criticizing celebrities of foreign countries of “sensationalism” and spreading “neither accurate nor responsible” comments that promote “propaganda” against

the reputation of a country. Police in Delhi investigated Thunberg’s post, claiming it to be an international campaign to damage India’s reputation. Nationalist trolls even had the audacity to hail Chris Brown, Rihanna’s ex-boyfriend, for assaulting her in 2009 by praising him on social media and making signposts of his picture. One news anchor made a racist and Islamophobic comment about her name by asking whether her name was actually “Rehana.”

Indian celebrities soon joined in too.

Sportspeople like legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, badminton player Saina Nehwal, musical icon Lata Mangeshkar, and actors like Ajay Devgn and Akshay Kumar (who has honorary citizenship to Canada) were seen parroting the Ministry of External Affairs’ statement with hashtags like “IndiaAgainstPropaganda.”

Most notably was the series of tweets by Bollywood actress and right-wing nationalist Kangana Ranaut. Ranaut called Rihanna a “porn star” trying to make money off the “terroristic activities” taking place in the country. She made comments about her skin colour, her character as an influencer, and baseless accusations about her being a “communist” that wants to help China take over.

Her tweets ran side by side with other baseless conspiracy theories about Rihanna and Greta Thunberg being puppets of the Khalistan movement and being funded by terrorists. Ranaut even accused Jagmeet Singh, leader of the National Democratic Party of Canada, of being a terrorist supporter after Rihanna followed him, claiming to be a “porn singer’s friend” and have “Khalistan in his head.” These conspiracy theories were so viral that the Delhi Police and the Home Ministry registered a case against “unknown people” that are hellbent on “destroying India.”

The absurdly dramatic social media response to Indian farmers’ protests has exposed the problematic pattern of right-winged and nationalist groups responding to different and independent opinions with abuse and violently misogynistic threats. Rihanna is no political figure and did not make any explicitly political statement—she simply asked a question. Why was there a need to respond at all, especially by the government? Why was a national government so rattled by a question posed by her that they had to coordinate social media posts with Indian celebrities?

The aggression of the Hindutva, or today’s extreme nationalists in India, has declared certain tenets, which include the mandatory hate of Muslims and Pakistan and blind worship of Prime Minister Modi and his policies.

Anyone that questions it, protests against it, or even comments about it are immediately labelled anti-national.

Although these protests have been labelled as the “farmers’ protests,” it crosses religious, caste, and socio-economic lines in a desperate plea to urge the government to protect the backbone of the nation. There is no doubt that agricultural laws in India needed reform as farmers have a painful amount of debt and a jarring history of suicides, and that one way to improve their economic situation would require liberalizing the sector and giving more reign to the free market. However, this would be a method that denies democratic due process and the recognition that this sector is made up of vulnerable human beings. This method is neglectful and irresponsible. Instead of trying to shut down internal and foreign voices, wouldn’t it be better and more productive to concentrate the government’s energies on listening and winning back the trust of the farmers?

features

From geographies of exclusion to inclusion: Examining urban to rural migration among highly skilled immigrants Larry Lau Contributor

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he Desmond Morton Research Excellence Award is awarded annually to a talented researcher for their phenomenal achievement in their chosen field at UTM. This year, the award was bestowed to Professor Kathi Wilson from the Department of Geography, Geomatics, and Environment. Professor Wilson is renown internationally as a leader scholar in health geography, and Indigenous and immigration studies. Her research on urban to rural migration among highly skilled immigrants was the focus of her submitted project for the award.

When Professor Wilson first arrived at UTM, she believed she would continue focusing her work on Indigenous health studies. However, during her research, Professor Wilson realized that contemporary inquiry in her field lacked in many domains. “A lot of the work in geography was strictly quantitative, engaged with naïve adoptions of Indigenous knowledge, and lacked first-hand perspectives,” says Professor Wilson. The existing knowledge base at the time was limited in terms of Indigenous understanding. Furthermore, Professor Wilson explains that research conducted on Indigenous studies “overlooked the importance of urban spaces.” With this in mind, she began studying the health of Indigenous people in urban environments, simultaneously challenging the existing methods of researching Indigenous knowledge.

Currently, Professor Wilson’s research focuses on immigrants and the “geographies of exclusion.” With the support of Professor Ian Orchard and Professor Ulrich Krull, and with the formation in 2004 of the Healthy City Stewardship Centre, an organization that collaborated with UTM to improve Mississauga public health, Professor Wilson found new inspiration. With these community connections and ideas in mind, she began exploring ways of settlement and integration for immigrants, and how place, location, and social determinants shape their health.

Through her research, Professor Wilson identified a fallacy in the existing understanding of immigrants’ health decline, particularly the Healthy Immigrant Effect. Previously, researchers hypothesized that the phenomenon

of immigrants’ health falling below the level of the Canadian population occurred roughly 10 years after their arrival. However, “data from the Canadian Longitudinal Survey to Immigrants has shown the decline happens much earlier,” says Professor Wilson. Interestingly as well, the health of certain immigrant groups, such as those from South Asia, drop more significantly than others. With new inquiries and insight, Professor Wilson set off to identify the factors in the Mississauga and Peel regions that contributed to immigrant groups’ health decline.

“Professor Wilson’s research shows the immense difficulty for immigrants to succeed in an unwelcoming environment.”

A crucial explanation of immigrants’ health decline relates to the geographies of exclusion. “Recent work has brought the idea of geographies of exclusion forward to examine how spaces and places are central components to excluding individuals,” explains Professor Wilson. Immigrants may feel and be perceived by others as out of place when they arrive, especially in places unwelcome to newcomers. As a result, often, immigrants are presented with fewer opportunities. Notably, it is observed that immigrants have the tendency to be underemployed, working jobs below their skill level, which results in menial wages.

Immigrants tend to require a longer time to reach the income level of locals with the same skills and attainments. This time spans upwards of 10 to 15 years.

The degree of exclusion extends to many domains. Professor Wilson’s research also considered qualitative components of exclusion, most notably exclusion “through things not only related to economic barriers, but also sociocultural barriers that immigrant populations face.” Immigrants’ accessibility to healthcare, among other public services, also comes to question. Additionally, the presence of language barriers was also investigated through Professor Wilson’s study on the inclusion of minority linguistic groups.

In one of her research papers, Professor Wilson investigated the economic barriers faced by immigrants. Certain newcomers could not accept some of the more dangerous jobs be-

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Editor | Elizabeth Provost features@themedium.ca

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cause they lacked health coverage, while others needed to take multiple jobs at a time. Likewise, some immigrants were forced to take on jobs to make ends meet, often settling for something below their level of expertise.

Regarding immigrants’ employment prospects, Professor Wilson realized there was more to this than meets the eye.

Over the past five years, Professor Wilson shifted her focus on urban exclusion to the potential of rural inclusion. She realized that the extreme difficulties faced by newcomers integrating into urban environments have caused some immigrants to seek employment opportunities out of city centers. This coincided with the aging population in rural areas stemming from the “exodus of young adults” to urban environments—a phenomenon becoming progressively apparent. The loss of skilled labour in rural areas has created an opportunity for those regions to facilitate immigrant inclusion.

The Rural Employment Initiative (REI), organized by the Newcomer Centre of Peel, is one of the projects focusing on employment for newcomers. “The goal of the initiative is to connect talented internationally trained professionals with employment opportunities in rural areas,” says Professor Wilson. She contends that the REI is not “just about helping people move from one place to another.” The REI’s also works to create a sustainable society that attracts newcomers and retains them.

In 2016, Professor Wilson used the funds provided by the UTM Research and Study Activity Fund to jumpstart her research project, “An Exploratory Study of the Health Impacts of Changing Settlement Patterns of Immigrants in Peel Region, ON.” In this ongoing study, 50 immigrants considering relocation to rural areas were divided into focus groups, and their concerns and requirements were explored. Additionally, a survey was conducted on the boards of trades and governments of rural towns in Ontario to explore the conditions of relocating immigrants to those areas.

Through studying the results of the focus groups, Professor Wilson identified the key challenges in relocating immigrants to rural towns. She notes that immigrants were deeply concerned about the lack of information about these towns, service and education needs, and the uncertainty of rural areas being any more inclusive than urban areas.

There were also several reservations expressed

by the immigrants planning to relocate, with three particularly consistent concerns. Firstly, the affordability and availability of housing was the most reoccurring concern observed among immigrants. Next, the availability of public transit in rural towns was imperative to immigrants as they feared they would not have private transit available to them, resorting to public transit systems completely.

Lastly, it was observed that immigrants feared communication would prove challenging with the existence of language barriers.

The surveys yielded vital results. Using the responses, Professor Wilson identified the demand for skilled labour in responding rural areas, potential barriers to integration of immigrants, and the respondents’ perception of those barriers to integration. This helped determine the readiness of responding towns in accepting relocating immigrants, “not only from an infrastructure perspective, but in terms of social supports.”

“We do not need a giant leap, but small steps, such as including that one person who speaks a different language in our day-to-day socialization.”

At the hands of globalization, the number of immigrants is increasing and will continue to do so in the foreseeable future. Professor Wilson’s research shows the immense difficulties for immigrants to succeed in an unwelcoming environment. But those difficulties can cease to exist if we put some effort into accepting newcomers and create a nurturing space where they are treated equally and given the same opportunities. We do not need a giant leap, but small steps, such as including that one person who speaks a different language in our day-to-day socialization. Slowly and steadily, we can create a welcoming environment that prompts newcomers to put down roots, expanding our community.

The Desmond Morton Research Excellence Award will continue to facilitate Professor Wilson’s efforts in creating this welcoming space in the Peel and Mississauga regions. Her ambitions are imperative to a sustainable Canadian economy. As a country that advocates for immigration and equal opportunity for all, there is still a lot of work to be done.

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U of T Ph.D. student Jordan Foster discusses social media’s inclusivity, algorithms, and future potential.

The promises and perils of social media Anna Povorozniuk Contributor

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ocial media is everywhere. It follows you from the early morning when you wake up and check Instagram, to lunch break when you retweet a video of a funny dog, and into the night when you scroll endlessly through TikTok videos. All of us, without a doubt, have felt the impact of social media on our lives. But has social media impacted societal functioning as well?

Jordan Foster is a graduate student in the sociology Ph.D. program at the University of Toronto St. George. He grew up with social media platforms blossoming around him and, as a curious undergrad, he began asking questions about social media’s role in society. As a graduate student, he got to transform those questions into research. His research studies focus on culture, consumption, and class politics, with a particular emphasis on how “taken-for-granted” trends and social media platforms emphasize and reproduce existing inequalities.

Social media has changed the landscape of our society in the past couple of years; there is no question about it. “It’s something that a lot of us are thinking about,” says Foster. His main

concern is how social media has changed social visibility and how we view the status of others. “Social media has changed the rules of sociality, how we interact and engage with one another,” continues Foster. Analysing this shift allows us to understand how inequality functions on social media. We have to ask ourselves who succeeds on social media and, most importantly, who doesn’t to understand the full dynamics of the issue.

For instance, popular applications like TikTok promise that anyone and everyone can achieve popularity on their platform.

However, Foster disagrees that all users have the same amount of visibility on the app. “In my perspective, based on my industry contacts, there is a notion that the [social media] algorithms unquestionably favour some users over others,” Foster explains.

“When TikTok was developing, their algorithms were actively working against its minority users, disabled users, overweight users, or any user that was perceived as ‘unattractive’ by the app.”

Thus, the playing field on the platform is not levelled, and users who have certain characteristics are less likely to become popular, no matter what TikTok would like you to believe.

This is a grim observation, but Foster highlights that although it might be more difficult for some people to achieve a large following, these social media platforms still carry a lot of potential to drive positive change. Such positive change includes bringing more representation to minority groups who have largely remained invisible in the past. “My concern is that more often than not, these inclusive potentials are undermined or very-short lived,” says Foster. “I am very excited about the diversity that I have seen in the past years, but I approach this excitement with caution.”

In our day-to-day use of social media, we may not take the time to reflect upon the accessibility of social media platforms. While other users, such as those with visual or hearing impairments and minority groups who lack representation and content relatable to them, experience severe discrimination on these platforms.

Algorithms tend to complicate this potential for visibility and inclusivity. There is very little information available to the public on how these systems work. “The applications themselves have been very silent about this question,” Foster explains. When asked, social media giants tend to give a vague response, saying that the content that is most engaging will perform the best. The issue is that the social media algorithms determine which content is shown most, meaning that the engagement achieved by each post is predetermined.

So, how do influencers or “micro-celebrities” tie in all of this? “Influencers play a role in the economy of social media,” Foster explains. His research focuses on how influencers affect

users’ beauty and lifestyle decisions and how they sometimes, often unintentionally, reinforce the existing inequalities. As algorithms tend to favour a certain type of influencer, the top creators remain relatively homogenous and embody the existing social privileges. Statistical models also observe that racial disparities occur on social media. For example, on TikTok, numerous users have expressed their concerns about discrepancies in the treatment of white and non-white creators.

At the root of it all, social media is dependent on the needs and wants of its users. Foster notes that “Today, social media users are increasingly looking for authentic content or, at least, content that appears that way.” That’s how TikTok skyrocketed in its popularity almost overnight—it quenches the thirst for authentic yet relatable content. However, not all content that is presented by internet personalities is a reflection of reality, as we all want to present the best version of ourselves online. But often, users disregard the understanding that social media only provides a mere glimpse into someone’s highpoints in life. This misunderstanding changes how we perceive ourselves and each other. “Influencers can produce unrealistic expectations—not just about the things that we should have in our lives, but our lives in general,” says Foster.

This is why hiring an influencer to promote a company’s products is so appealing to many brands and has become a popular marketing strategy—after all, influencers’ main appeal is their lifestyle.

When they are advertising a mascara, blanket, or detox tea, influencers are also promising their followers that buying this product will bring them closer to their lifestyle or make them more conventionally attractive. This is a false promise, but an effective one as it plays deeply into the insecurities of influencers’ audiences.

It’s easy to perceive social media influencers as poor leaders, but the issue itself is not black and white. After all, influencers’ sponsorships and brand deals are their livelihoods. Foster brings up his contacts in the industry, stating that many of them would not intentionally deceive their followers or negatively impact their mental health. “Many of them are incredibly well-meaning and work with the brands that they genuinely believe have good products,” Foster explains.

Influencers are just people, and their ability to work in this industry depends on their ability to produce engaging, authentic content. Although that content might set unrealistic expectations of beauty and lifestyle, it can also work in a positive manner while bringing more visibility to societal issues. “There’s a push for real representation of beauty on social media platforms, mainly on Instagram,” Foster says. “Influencers have the potential to work in an opposite direction, resulting in greater self-esteem and boost their followers’ confidence. All the potential is there.”

The Covid-19 pandemic changed all aspects of our society, and it should come as no surprise that influencers felt the change as well. At first, many were quick to call it “the end of influencers as we know it,” as major brands ended their sponsorships with influencers. “It was very uncertain in the beginning,” says Foster. In reality, once the initial panic settled, it turned out to be the complete opposite. Influencers are now reporting that their revenue has increased as all eyes are now on screen. Influencers had to adapt their content to be pandemic-friendly, keeping in mind travel restrictions, limited gatherings, and restricted social interactions. Internet celebrities had to tap into their creativity like never before.

The pandemic has also increased the number of users consuming content. TikTok, gaining the most popularity during the pandemic, now has 1.1 billion users, which is almost 100 million more than Instagram. This again can be explained by the ease of access to authentic content and the platform’s addictive features—once you start scrolling, the content never stops. “We can see other platforms are adjusting to compensate for this shift,” Foster explains. “Take Instagram, for example. They introduced Reels to compete with TikTok.” Foster believes that the landscape of social media is changing as well as user behaviour.

When asked about the future of social media, Foster says, “I really hope that social media can bear its democratic and inclusive potential. I really want to see it happen.” He firmly believes that social media has what it takes to increase representation and provide better inclusivity as well as visibility. It might be a difficult process, but an attainable one. “I do really hope that this is the direction we are heading towards,” Foster concludes. Creating this safe and inclusive space requires two things: acknowledging the current marginalization on social media platforms and holding social media corporations accountable so major reforms can continue to foster this space.

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How the new age of technology has introduced a new vulnerability—personal data and identity theft.

Jyoti Kalsi Contributor >> PROTECTING DATA continued from page 01 What can we do to protect our personal information today? This is an important question we must ask ourselves as we navigate our day-to-day lives with the internet and smart devices at our fingertips. Because we are spending so much of our lives online, it is essential that we know how to keep our online footprint clean.

Professor David Lie, from the University of Toronto’s Department of Electrical and Computing Engineering, presented a lecture, called “A look at security and privacy on smartphones,” on November 25, 2020, as part of the Schwartz Reisman Institute guest speaker series. In this talk, Professor Lie explained how while it is convenient to have an application for just about everything, this also leaves us vulnerable to personal data and identity theft.

Professor Lie also reminded us how we unknowingly grant developers access to our data. When we download a new app, we are asked to grant permission for our location, camera, microphone, and storage—most often accepting without thinking twice.

Why do some users grant permission so easily? Individuals will most likely grant permission because they want a feature that requires access to a certain phone facet and/or believe that the app won’t work altogether without this access. On the other hand, why do some people deny these permission requests? People often deny these requests because they feel more secure knowing they can grant access if they change their minds afterwards. Others deny these requests because they believe that the app doesn’t need this information or that there isn’t a good enough reason as to why the app will need this particular data. It is important to be aware when we make these decisions and only give access to our personal information and programs when necessary.

Professor Lie’s lecture also highlighted that it is not only individual hackers that can gain access to our personal data but also large corporations that can compromise our data.

As technology continues to be increasingly integrated into our daily lives, many users have fallen victim to hackers and data threats. In 2018, Facebook had a security breach that exposed around 50 million users and their personal data. This raised a lot of questions about what media companies are doing to protect users’ private information. Google’s terms and conditions transparently outline its data collection practices.

The corporation’s many platforms have the ease of access to track each of its consumers—even to greater extents with consumers using its services on an Android device due to the inherent integration of the Google products.

Alexander Cybulski, University of Toronto iSchool Institue Ph.D. candidate, says that when creating an account, “it is always good to have a two-factor authentication to make sure that it is harder for hackers or people to get your personal in-

Tobias Tullius/unsplash.com

How to protect your personal information online formation.” It is also significant to note that it is not just hackers who would want your information. Individuals in our lives, such as friends and family, may have ill intentions to get access to your personal information. However, data theft has now become more difficult to do, as Cybulski explains how most of our information is now in an encrypted state. “This means that if someone wants to steal data, and they have physical access to your phone, and they copied the information, they wouldn’t be able to open it unless they had the password or encryption key to decode it,” says Cybulski.

It is important to note that the type of technology you have also plays a factor in how likely you are to experience information or identity theft. Having a newer phone such as an iPhone or Android device made after 2016 will allow your data to be more secure. This is because major technology companies have recently emphasized in their brand ethics and manufacturing processes their prioritization of data security.

“As technology takes over our daily lives our right to privacy should begin with keeping certain information off of the internet.”

Privacy protection is key, and governments are taking action to protect citizens and their information. On the Government of Canada website, the re-vamped Privacy Act highlights privacy protection measures in Canada. The measures work with different regimes to be proactive and educative in overseeing conformity to privacy laws.

As avid users of technology, we must keep our personal information safe. As mentioned previously, it is vital to have two-factor authentication when creating internet accounts to impede hackers from guessing our passwords. Moreover, it is essential to create strong passwords and change them regularly. But it is also important to remember that we have to consider what we want to put online because once it is there, it remains there forever, no matter what we do to try to erase it. In terms of protecting our privacy, Cybulski says, “the most important thing we can do to protect the confidentiality of data on our phones is to always make sure that all of the applications that you are using are up to date.” This exists “so that the app can fix patches and vulnerabilities in the software.”

As technology takes over our daily lives our right to privacy should begin with keeping certain information off of the internet and potentially out of the hands of hackers. Because of the uncertainty of these cyber attacks, the more we are protected, the better. The internet is permanent—both in its information and in its role in society. It’s here to stay, and for this reason, we should prepare to guard ourselves against its consequences.

Photo/Christina Modern Christopher Ott/unsplash.com

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Arts

Editor | Chris Berberian arts@themedium.ca

The Cecil Hotel comes to life in Theatre Erindale’s immersive audio series

The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel falls into its own rabbit hole of digital breadcrumbs and inconsistencies This four-part series eschews compassion for conspiracy theories.

Hana Khan Staff Writer

Olivia Sierakowski Contributor

>> ERINDALE continued from page 01 But as with everything Covid-19-related, various logistical issues arose when it came time to coordinate the production.

Botten explains how rehearsals were sometimes difficult to navigate with everything being virtual. “When dealing with technology to this extent, there’ll always be problems as anyone who’s attended a Zoom lecture can attest,” says Botten. “During production, there were near-constant problems with people’s Wi-Fi dropping out or losing lines because the microphone didn’t pick up what the actors were saying.”

Despite the technological issues facing the cast and crew, Sinclair expresses the team overcame them. “The technology caused a lot of setbacks, but we were all patient and had a sense of humour and lightheartedness. We dealt with it in ways that didn’t add any extra stress.”

Botten echoes this sentiment, saying, “Our fantastic director, Nina, was there for us at all times. Her generosity and magnificent mind helped us through any hurdles and made this the best production I’ve ever been a part of.”

And it was through this perseverance and collaboration that the cast and crew brought the cecil hotel to life. Botten and Sinclair both express their gratitude and excitement for the project.

“With the cecil hotel, you can expect laughter, heart, original music by the wonderful Michelle Bensimon, goosebumps, suspense, and some damn fine acting by our wonderful cast,” says Botten.

Meanwhile, Sinclair hopes audiences can come away appreciating the amount of effort and enthusiasm the cast and crew put into this show.

“I know people will enjoy all the incredible performances because every one of us gave it our all to make this audio drama series a special one,” says Sinclair. “This show is a wild ride with much to unpack, so I really hope people can listen again and pick up on the hidden gems in the writing as well.”

A new 30-minute episode of the cecil hotel drops every day between February 16 and 20.

You can find tickets to the audio series here.

One ticket gives you all five episodes, which will be available online until April 9.

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hat happened to Elisa Lam? That’s the question director Joe Berlinger asks in his latest documentary miniseries—Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel—which explores the 2013

Theatre Erindale/Facebook. A handful of the talented artists delivering the audio series, the cecil hotel.

disappearance of 21-year-old UBC student, Elisa Lam. Produced by Ron Howard, Netflix’s latest true crime hit aims to uncover the Cecil Hotel’s dark and eerie history and establish a plausible explanation surrounding Lam’s disappearance.

The series opens with the events of January 31, 2013—the last day Lam was seen alive. >> CECIL HOTEL continued on page 09

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Capturing the elusive magic of Studio Ghibli

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>> CECIL HOTEL continued from page 08 That afternoon, she had visited a local bookstore and later called her family as standard procedure. However, the next day, her family never heard from her.

“The “Cecil” was also home to two infamous serial killers...”

Detective Tim Marcia of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) says in the first episode: “I remember feeling instinctively that this wasn’t going to end well.” Marcia’s fears eventually came true. Almost three weeks after Lam became a missing person, on February 19, her body was discovered inside one of the rooftop water tanks.

Lam’s story still garners worldwide attention eight years later, as many people still question what happened. Berlinger’s newest Netflix series promises the whole truth, but for most of its runtime, fails to deliver.

Throughout the series, we hear actor voiceover of Lam’s archived blog posts from Tumblr. The tone in the beginning is conventional, likely familiar to younger viewers. We learn Lam wanted to travel across the American West Coast, find her purpose in life after graduation, and meet new friends along the way. But soon, the voiceovers cease, and ominous music plays to signify the hotel’s entrance into this tragic story. From there, the narrative wrestles between two storylines: the hotel’s past and the modern investigation of Lam’s disappearance.

The first episode effectively narrates the hotel’s history. What was once an opulent, respectable establishment had become a skeletal structure of itself, a hot spot for transient individuals living on nearby “Skid Row.” The hotel’s residents included the unwanted of society: ex-convicts, the impoverished, and people suffering from mental illness and addiction.

The “Cecil” was also home to two infamous serial killers: Jack Unterweger and the “Night Stalker.” As author and local guide Kim Cooper says in the series, “the Cecil Hotel was where serial killers let their hair down.”

But for all of its theatrics, the show does little to impress viewers. The story feels exploitative rather than truth-revealing or compassionate for Lam and her surviving family. The hour-long episodes spend most of their runtimes unearthing conspiracy the-

ories and interviews from “internet sleuths,” who pounced after the LAPD released surveillance footage of Lam’s last moments in the hotel elevator. Whether rational or paranormal, the show explores all conspiracy angles, crossing the line of responsibility and ethical truth.

One internet sleuth, John Sobhani, went so far as to have someone film and touch Lam’s gravesite at the Burnaby Cemetery in BC and post it online. That detail, and additional commentary in the series, questions not only his relevance to Lam’s story, but the level of respect for another human being’s tragic death.

Berlinger ends each episode with a sensationalized cliff-hanger, only to be instantaneously resolved by the last installment.

In the second episode, the LAPD couldn’t confirm whether the surveillance footage was altered. The web sleuths who scrutinized the footage noted this and the jumbled time code. However, the fourth episode dismisses any theories after the LAPD states they slowed down the elevator footage to help identify her.

Another conspiratorial cliff-hanger was the manner in which Lam’s body had been found. Santiago Lopez, a maintenance worker at the Cecil Hotel, claims that when he checked the water tank, the hatch was open.

But one police officer later reported the hatch lid was initially closed. But how could Lam be in the tank if the hatch was closed? Could it have been murder?

The show drags this “conspiracy” out until the fourth episode, which explains away the inconsistencies as misinformed gossip.

Lopez, the man who discovered the body, always reported the hatch was open.

Similar to how the hotel bagged up all of Lam’s belongings the day she didn’t check out, the show’s conclusion felt rushed. Sadly, the series’ spotlight shone on the hotel’s bloody past and not on Lam’s memory.

The only redeeming praises this documentary earns is in its attention to mental health and the devastating effects that can occur when an individual doesn’t receive proper support and treatment. If someone had had the empathy to assist Lam during her duress, this story—and her life—could’ve had a different conclusion.

Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel deserves the same rating as the real-life Cecil Hotel on Google reviews: 2.5 out of 5 stars.

t’s odd to explore another world and still feel at home, but this is the feeling that Studio Ghibli films create. With its charming animation, magical characters, resonating soundtracks, and meaningful messages, it’s no wonder that Ghibli is among the most beloved animation studios in the world.

Studio Ghibli is a Japanese animation studio founded in 1985 by directors Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, and producer Toshio Suzuki. With over 20 feature films and hundreds of international awards, the studio boasts an impressive catalogue, including titles such as Spirited Away (2001), Princess Mononoke (1997), Howl’s Moving Castle (2004), and Ponyo (2008). Even without watching these films, you’ve likely seen the iconic mascot “Totoro”—a giant rabbit-like creature from My Neighbor Totoro (1988)—somewhere on the internet.

While beautiful animation exists in all sorts of styles, there’s an alluring and comforting charm within Ghibli’s imaginative worlds. It’s easy to spot one of their films through their endearing character design and soft animation style. But these films also share something deeper than their colourful exterior.

The overt magical adventures thrust upon the characters reveal the magic of everyday life that we often forget. Ghibli films show us the love of unbreakable bonds, teaches us life lessons, and shows appreciation for the smallest of sensory things—whether it’s the crackle of cooking eggs and bacon or the slight breeze while you lie on a grassy hill listening to the radio. Combine that with the excitement of fantastic talking cats, magical spells, or faceless spirits, and you get an immersive escape and the basic formula for a Studio Ghibli film.

However, if it were this simple and formulaic, Ghibli wouldn’t have stood out in the first place. No one understands this better than Goro Miyazaki, son of Studio Ghibli’s cofounder and director Hayao Miyazaki.

Within the Studio Ghibli collection, if there’s a film that feels different or doesn’t quite fit in, chances are it was directed by Goro. His films, Tales from Earthsea (2006) and From Up on Poppy Hill (2011), didn’t seem to reach the same level of earning success or critical acclaim as other Ghibli titles. Which brings up an important question: “What makes a Ghibli film?”

“I wish somebody could give me an answer,” says Goro Miyazaki.

There’s immense pressure being the son of arguably Japan’s most acclaimed director, and Goro Miyazaki continues to struggle in 2021. His latest release, Earwig and the Witch, has so far generated harsh criticism and controversy. The controversy stems from being the first film to stray from Ghibli’s signature hand-drawn animation, instead opting for 3D computer-generated imagery.

While the animation style is a massive change from what Ghibli fans are used to, this

Earwig and the Witch/imdb.com

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wasn’t the problem many people had with it.

Many reviewers online claimed that Earwig and the Witch was still missing the “soul” of a Ghibli film. Fans felt disconnected from the plot and characters. Despite being skillful in its own way, the film seemed to have failed in the aspects where every other Ghibli film succeeded.

“All of the right elements come together to whisk you off on a magical adventure that feels like another home.”

This brings us back to that undefinable, almost ethereal feel of a Ghibli film—a feeling that resonates with its audience long after each movie has ended. But their elusive quality makes these films so hard to perfect and imitate. The imagination of a wider world within our own is difficult enough to create, but the studio achieves it with an established aesthetic that fans admire and swoon over, no matter how many times they watch it.

As all the right elements come together to whisk you off on a magical adventure that feels like another home, perhaps that’s the heart and soul of Studio Ghibli. Perhaps not. Perhaps we might never truly know what makes a Ghibli film, a Ghibli film.

10 How our flat screens are helping flatten the curve TV writers aim to influence social behaviour through storytelling.

Paige France Associate Arts Editor

hile many people suspected Covid-19 would creep into our TVs and influence show plotlines, it’s actually television that’s impacting how we view the pandemic. For decades, TV has traditionally been an escapist medium. But a growing number of producers and executives are now dismissing this ideology, given the pandemic’s continued prevalence.

And as we’re seeing on our screens, these executives are using the medium not only to entertain—but inform—audiences to help curb the pandemic.

This wasn’t the first time Hollywood has stepped in to share safety messages with their audiences. Writers have been enlisted to deglamorize smoking and, in the sociopolitical field, Will & Grace has been acknowledged for positively shifting the view of gay marriage.

Neal Baer, a pediatrician-turned-TV-writer for ER, stresses the media’s power to change audience opinions using public health storylines. He and Harvard School of Public Health have spearheaded the campaign to popularize designated drivers in TV shows to reduce drunk driving. Baer and others are recruiting medical experts to promote this morale-focused storytelling, now encouraging viewers to wear masks and get vaccinated. “That’s what we do as writers. We have our characters persuade each other all the time,” said Baer during the Writers Guild of America on January 13. “We don’t want to lose viewers because we’re seen as preaching something or telling them what to do. Rather, we want to integrate it into our stories like it’s natural, like life.”

Linda Ong, CEO of the cultural consultancy firm, Cultique, helped launch this initiative. “This investment is only going to pay off if we pay attention to what’s happening on the screen.

If people want to get back to production faster and stay in production [...] then it’s in our best interests to normalize this behaviour.”

First-responder programs such as Grey’s Anatomy and Chicago Med have accepted the brunt of this responsibility because of the environments the shows encompass. Tim Minear, the co-creator of 911, addresses the decision to embrace the pandemic. “If we pretend like it’s an alternate universe where this thing hasn’t happened, we’d quaint ourselves into irrelevance.”

For non-medical shows, the decision to write the pandemic—or its eventual aftermath—into plotlines has sparked debates over Zoom meetings between Hollywood executives. On one side, shows such as Black-ish, Shameless, and You intend to reflect our current reality and give COVID-19 a recurring role. J.J. Philbin has noted that her series, Single Parents, has recently opted to integrate Covid-19, hoping to illuminate pandemic-induced challenges to fostering relationships and child rearing. Originally, she thought mask- and latex glove-wearing scenes would seem jarring. However, it now feels “disingenuous” without them.

On the other side, shows such as American Horror Story and Veep aren’t interested in depicting Covid-19’s devastating effects. The former’s showrunner, Ryan Murphy, ironically, claims he’s steering clear as he hopes to portray hope, beauty, and romance rather than the darkness we are presently enduring. David Mandel of Veep echoes this sentiment, insisting his desire to keep the drudgery of everyday living far away from viewers.

Ampere Analysis—a research firm specializing in media trends—has projected a 60% delay in scripted television programming worldwide. While it’s likely that more and more writers will opt to wedge Covid-19 into their show plotlines, the desire to do so is mixed among executives.

Promoting healthy social behaviours through TV toes the line between bringing awareness and being tiresome. As future shows incorporate pandemic-related themes, there’s a good chance we won’t escape the Covid-19 at home, even if that’s our intention.

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A conversation with Chloé Castrucci on Through the Cracks Evangeline Yeung Contributor

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n January, the English & Drama Student Society (EDSS) unveiled a unique playwrighting competition.

Writers had only 48 hours to craft a play from scratch, which had to include various prompts such as a flashback, a secret plan, and even a toy dinosaur. A few days later, after many submissions, the EDSS crowned a winner: Chloé Castrucci for her script, Through the Cracks.

Through the Cracks follows two childhood best friends, Hailey and Andi, who grow apart as they become young women, only to re-connect after a freak accident. The story explores friendship and loss, the lengths we’ll go to maintain our connections with others, and the emotional tolls of social distance.

Castrucci is currently in her second year, pursuing a Specialist in Theatre & Drama Studies and a minor in Creative Writing. Recently, The Medium had the chance to speak with Castrucci about her play, its themes and inspirations, and the message she has for readers.

The Medium: Thank you for joining me this afternoon! If you had to pick a favourite scene from your play, which would it be and why?

Chloé Castrucci: Thank you for having me! This is the hardest question ever (Laughs). Out of all the scenes it has to be toward the end of the play where Andi and Hailey overcome their irreconcilable years of distance, and the mess that comes from miscommunication.

In this scene, I feel that Andi’s lines might resonate with what we’re all going through right now in this pandemic. We

can grow through this together, picking up the broken shards from our childhood, and re-connecting despite the distance that often comes with adulthood.

TM: How did the various prompts influence your writing process?

CC: It would’ve been impossible to write in 48 hours without prompts. One of the first prompts, “a flashback,” focused my attention on the different upbringings and attitudes of the protagonists. Eventually, it became a back and forth between future and past tense as Andi and Hailey grow up into different versions of themselves, maturing together despite the distance and eventually falling apart throughout the play.

The “missing key on a typewriter” prompt helped me formulate the central motif: the barriers and misunderstandings that come from letter writing. Even though Andi and Hailey were only a mile, block, or fence away, sending letters lost some meaning that they’d get face-toface. This enveloping technique evolved into a brain-web of ideas, unlocking the antagonism between the characters.

I want to emphasize my gratitude and appreciation to the EDSS for helping inspire this play. The clues and prompts all helped with initial planning and quickened the writing process.

TM: Where did the title, Through the Cracks, come from?

CC: Through the Cracks came from an image of those crackling land-line phones we had back in the day, when there wasn’t SMS or internet available. The cracks connote the lasting impressions of childhood memories, how they seep through the mind into adulthood, and signify how small betrayals can build up into larger offences over time.

TM: What are the most noteworthy themes present in your play?

CC: Creativity, bravery, and perseverance are fundamental to the story. The toy dinosaur can symbolize how kids witness the world as having endless possibilities, which we as adults can never experience with the same sense of awe and innocence. The play also explores human connection, how our relationships come and go yet intersect and influence our perspectives on life.

TM: If your play was adapted into a Hollywood movie, what aspects might you add or change?

CC: As a movie, I’d definitely add nuance to the timing and pacing of scenes. For instance, I’d include more flashbacks to the toy T-Rex to solidify its symbolic nature as more than just a “gift.” Maybe I’d turn one of the children into a dinosaur and deliver a jump-scare just for fun!

Using film cuts or digital technology, I could further blur the lines of time and reality, having an adult Hailey talking to an 8-year-old Andi, explaining what she meant, admitting regrets, describing how she wishes she acted in the past.

TM: What is the sociocultural context of the story and do you have a message for the world today?

CC: The play occurs in modern times, somewhere in the middle of Canada, to exhibit the here and now. We’re all sharing the same social sphere. We’re all existing in the present. By appreciating our common ground, we can better handle past barriers and isolation. For that to happen, hope and desire for contact must exceed any resistance, obstacles, or riffs we have from our past.

sports & health

Editor | Sarah-May Edwardo-Oldfield sports@themedium.ca

CHIACTRIC SY

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DRUGS

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Here’s why psychiatric drugs can be a hit or miss for some people Duaa Nasir Contributor

D

espite the prevalence of mental illness in today’s society, many people struggle to find a method of treatment that works for them. However, for others, a pill every night is enough to ease their day-to-day functioning.

Why is this?

A recent study, led by Helen Wong from Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, suggests that protein kinase, AKT, and biological sex may play a role. This study was published in the journal eLife on December 16, 2020.

“The ultimate goal is to find the kink in the armor of mental illness—the proteins in the brain that we can specifically target without impacting other organs and causing side effects,” Charles Hoeffer, an assistant professor at the Institute for Behavioral Genetics, told ScienceDaily. “Personalization is also key. We need to stop hitting every mental illness with the same hammer.”

AKT may play a role in certain mental illnesses, such as autism, schizophrenia, and

post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This protein exists in three forms: AKT1, AKT2, and AKT3. AKT1 and AKT2 seem to be important for learning and memory, while AKT3 seems to be important for the brain’s growth and development. AKT2 is found only in astroglia, star-shaped brain cells, and may be related to brain cancer.

“These subtle differences could be really important if you wanted to personalize treatments for people,” explains Marissa Ehringer, an associate professor who worked with Hoeffer on part of the research.

Several medications, such as antidepressants and mood stabilizers, alter AKT’s activity. AKT is also involved with synaptic plasticity: the ability of the brain to strengthen neural connections in response to an experience.

“Let’s say you see a shark and you’re scared and your brain wants to form a memory. You have to make new proteins to encode that memory,” explains Hoeffer.

This study examined how male and female mice responded to the loss of various forms of AKT. Male mice without normal AKT1 had a harder time replacing older memories than male mice with normal AKT1. For female mice, this was not a problem. Males without

normal AKT1 also experienced slightly more anxiety-like behaviours than males with normal AKT1. Again, for females this was not a problem.

“We found the difference between males and females to be so great it became the focus of our work,” says Hoeffer. “It was like night and day.”

Hoeffer suspects that other proteins in the brain may function similarly and may also function differently in males and females.

This is important because throughout history many scientific experiments and clinical trials have only examined males. According to an article from The New York Times, researchers often avoided using females for experiments due to the impact of fluctuating hormonal and reproductive cycles: “Name a new drug or treatment, and odds are researchers know far more about its effect on men than on women.”

Hoeffer acknowledges the need to be aware of sex-specific differences when treating mental illness: “To help more people suffering from mental illness we need much more knowledge about the difference between male and female brains and how they could be treated differently. This study is an important step in that direction.”

Recent study highlights the importance of personalization when it comes to the pharmacological treatment of mental illness.

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The Most Influential Black Athletes of the 2010s Some of the world’s most influential Black athletes do more than just dominate in their respective sports.

Robert Bui Contributor >> ON AND OFF continued from page 01

Usain Bolt To kick things off, Usain Bolt of Sherwood Content Jamaica has been the most commanding force in short distance running—not only in the past twenty years but arguably of all time. Bolt is a world record holder for three separate events (100 metres, 200 metres and 4 x 100 metres relay). But extending beyond the world of sport, Usain Bolt has also created the Usain Bolt Foundation dedicated to “create opportunities through education and cultural development. Investing millions of dollars into community development projects that enhance the health and education of the young people involved.”

Most recently, his foundation contributed just under three million in support of rural areas facing the challenges of online learning amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Serena Williams

Photos/Multiple Sources

Next amongst our mentions is tennis superstar Serena Williams. Winning her first Grand Slam title in 1999, Serena Williams went on to win 22 more during the 2000s and is still currently sitting within the top 15 players on the WTA tour at the age of 39. While certainly a fighter on the tennis court, she also fights a bigger battle against inequality. She told CNN that the day she stops fighting for equality will be the day she’s in her grave.

Naomi Osaka

LeBron James

One athlete Williams has inspired is Naomi Osaka, who has said that she dreamed to play Serena in a final of a Grand Slam. Osaka showcased her support of the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020 by wearing a different black mask into every one of her matches at the U.S. Open on her way to the championship. Each mask had the name of one of several African Americans who have been killed by police in the U.S. She also withdrew from the Cincinnati Open before officials chose to support her cause by postponing the event for a day amidst the police shooting and killing of Jacob Blake and George Floyd.

The final name we’ll mention is possibly the biggest: LeBron James. Accumulating four NBA championships and four Most Valuable Player awards, LeBron James has dominated basketball over this past decade. However, as a young adult entering the NBA right out of high school in 2003, the expectations for greatness had already begun. Amidst all the criticism and ridicule, James has done a lot of good outside of his sport. The LeBron James Family Foundation helped open a school, housing complex, and community center in his hometown of Akron, Ohio. His mission was to create generational change.

Beyond his foundation, James acts almost as an ambassador for NBA players when there are issues at hand. In 2018, Fox News told LeBron to “shut up and dribble” when he voiced his opinion on racial inequality, police shootings, and the President’s response to the injustices at the time. James responded by saying he will not shut up because of what he means to the youth that look up to him.

Sadio Mane and Marcus Rashford Moving onto the world of soccer, Liverpool’s Sadio Mane and Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford have had a huge impact on society in recent years. Sadio Mane, while winning the UEFA Champions League in 2019 and winning the Premier League title in 2020, has also funded a hospital and built a school in his home village in Senegal. In the province, the World Bank estimates that 70 per cent of families live in poverty. Mane stated that he wanted to build this hospital and school to give people hope.

Similarly, Marcus Rashford has been working hard on issues in the United Kingdom. Growing up in poverty himself, the 23-year-old Manchester star helped to ensure free school meals were provided to children outside of the school year. He also called on the British government to increase the value of food vouchers for struggling families.

As Black History Month comes to a close, it’s important that we acknowledge and celebrate the accomplishments, the contributions, and the impact of these athletes. In a time when representation is key, these superstars have established themselves in and out of their respective sports as role models for young Black people around the world.