A look at UTSU’s AGM
Both sides to every story
The art of capitalism
The solution to the stigma
Biking our way to a cure
News, page 2
Opinion, page 5
Arts, page 7
Features, page 11
Sports, page 15
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Appellate Board proposed at UTSU’s AGM UTSG and UTM students will vote this Thursday on bylaw amendments with the ruling of the CRO.” “After you’ve exhausted those processes, [you can] file a further grievance to something we’re calling the Appellate Board. That’s just an opportunity if somebody really feels that a decision has been made in bias or they haven’t been heard, they now have a body to do so,” Memmel added.
ALICIA BOATTO ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR UTSG and UTM students will convene to vote on new bylaw amendments and restructuring of the union’s use of finances in UTSU’s annual general meeting this Thursday. APPELLATE BOARD According to Mathias Memmel, UTSU’s VP internal, in an interview with The Medium, an establishment of the Appellate Board will be among the amendments proposed in the meeting. “The jurisdiction of the Appellate Board shall be limited to the hearing of appeals of disciplinary decisions from the Grievance Officer, the Elections and Referenda Committee, and the Executive Review Committee,” states this year’s AGM agenda. The Appellate Board is designed to hear grievances raised against UTSU after all other methods for fil-
MAHMOUD SAROUJI/THE MEDIUM
The AGM will take place this Thursday in U of T’s OISE auditorium. ing grievances have been completed. “You can bring grievances in a variety of forms, such as grievances against directors or the organization
as a whole, and that gets heard by our speaker of the board, or you can bring a grievance against an executive, and that goes to the Executive
Review Committee,” said Memmel. “You can bring grievances in the context of elections, if you feel there’s bias in an election or disagree
APPELLATE MEMBERS The board would consist of four “Class A” members, who are members of the student union enrolled in the Faculty of Law and have not held elected office within UTSU. Three students classified as “Class B members” will be appointed to the board as well. The agenda dictates that these members have to be enrolled in first-entry programs, would need to have a minimum of two years of study, and should not have held a previously elected position in UTSU’s executive office. AGM continued on page 3
UTMSU campaigns for National Day of Action “What would you do if you didn’t have to pay for tuition?” asked a poster in Davis DARA SALAMAH UTMSU campaigned for the National Day of Action last week through posters in the Davis building asking UTM students, “What would you do if you didn’t have to pay for tuition?” UTM students scribbled their responses on the poster, some of which included taking more courses, opening up their own businesses, investing, buying art supplies, buying books so they can learn at their own pace, saving to support their families, and focusing more on studies rather than on their jobs. “We posed this question to induce thoughts around what students would do with the enormous amounts spent on tuition, to imagine what their lives would actually be like if they could spend their tuition money on something else,” stated UTMSU’s president Nour Alideeb in an email to The Medium. Alideeb explained that U of T students pay the highest tuition in Canada, and that every year U of T’s Governing Council votes in favour of a three to five percent increase of tuition fees. Alideeb added that UTMSU
OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM
Student responses included taking more courses, investing, and opening up their own businesses. wants to call for a fee freeze in addition to asking for new funding models to be presented to the Governing Council for review. “UTMSU is taking a multifaceted approach to tuition fees,” she said. “We are engaging in opportu-
nities to talk about free education on provincial and federal levels, but we’re also hoping to start a new campaign after the day of action, calling on U of T to Freeze the Fees.” Alideeb stated that UTMSU
knows there are solutions and that free education is possible. “We know that tuition fees won’t disappear overnight, but we want to actively work towards the reduction and elimination of tuition fees, the removal of interest on exist-
ing student loans, and converting loans into non-repayable grants,” she said. “We are named one of the best universities in the world, right?” she added, “So why stick to the status quo? When we identify problems, we should actively seek solutions.” Alideeb stated that UTMSU is working with the Association of Part-time Undergraduate Students and the Scarborough Campus Students Union to get an Academic Amnesty on the National Day of Action, which allows students “to be excused from class on that day without being penalized,” since they will be granted a right to academic accommodations. “UTMSU has a one goal for the National Day of Action […]. That one goal is to bring as many students out as possible, because we can do amazing things in numbers,” said Alideeb. A rally is expected to take place at U of T on the National Day of Action on November 2 with participation from all three U of T campuses.
10.24.2016 THE MEDIUM NEWS
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Finances to be discussed AGM continued from cover
October 13th, 2016, 10:40 AM Theft under $5000 UTM staff reported his parking pass stolen from his unlocked car in P9.
October 19th, 2016, 10:30 PM Break and Enter Campus Police received a report of a break and enter in a residence unit. Video game consoles were reported stolen. Investigation continues.
These reports are those that have been released to The Medium and do not necessarily constitute an exhaustive list. Students can contact the UTM Campus Police at 905 828 5200, Peel Regional Police at 905-453-3311, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
CFS passes motion to lower threshold
The AGM agenda outlines that the members of the Appellate Board will hold office for one year, and that during their time on the board, they are not permitted to run for the elected office of UTSU’s executive team. “We really want robust grievance mechanisms so that we can deal with them internally before they go to the admin,” Memmel added. UTMSU’s president Nour Alideeb did not respond to The Medium’s request for comment on the agenda, as of press time. BOARD REMOVAL PROCESS Other amendments made to the bylaws include Bylaw 10, which outlines the conditions of the board of directors removal from office. In 2015, a board member could be removed for missing three consecutive meetings or any four meetings during their overall term. In the 2016 amendment, the member can be removed if they have “failed to send regrets for two missed meetings, failed to attend three consecutive meetings or any four meetings, regardless of sent regrets, and failed to attend any three meetings of a committee they sit on.” As well, the removal of an executive will request two additional conditions. In 2015, the removal of an executive required an occurrence of a 75 percent majority vote by the Board of
Directors to hold a referendum, and a five percent vote by the members of UTSU for the board to hold a referendum. According to the Bylaw Amendments, the 2016 amendment also requires that “a motion to impeach an Executive may be moved by any member of the Board. The motion must specify the misconduct of which the Executive in question is accused, and be sent to every member of the Board at least ten (10) days prior to the Board meeting at which it is to be considered.” The final condition states that a motion for impeachment can be put forth by any member of the board “on the condition that the Executive Review Committee has recommended.” UNION’S FINANCES Another issue the meeting will focus on is the use of the union’s finances. “One of the main things we want to focus on this year is the Union’s finances and what was perceived to be some structural problems. You’ll notice that in our audited financial statement, in comparison to last year, there’s a shift in terms of how we’re reporting some things but not others,” Memmel said. “For example, if you look at the books last year, the UTSU has a $14-million-year budget, which sounds like a lot of money, when in reality the majority of them is the Health and Dental plan.”
“We still include the Health and Dental plan, it’s just separate so you can still get a better idea of the areas in which we spend money on versus what is not already designated towards other things,” Memmel explained. Memmel also stated that after paying for fixed fees, such as general meetings and elections, there is little room to use their budget for events or equity and outreach initiatives. “We have to ask ourselves the question: Do our expenses align with our values? And that’s a conversation that we want to bring to the AGM and hope that our members engage in.” Memmel said. In terms of the UTSU’s financial audit, Memmel cited a desire for transparency as the motivations for the restructure. “We’ve added further breakdown in some categories, such as HR expenses, so you can clearly see what we’re spending on executives versus our other staff. And that’s really just an accountability measure, that’s something that’s really important.” During the last academic year, three AGMs were held due to the failure to ratify the board. Only one general meeting has been planned for the 2016-2017 year, unless more members wish to put forth additional motions, according to Memmel. The AGM will take place this Thursday at 6 p.m. in U of T’s OISE auditorium.
U of T faculties take action OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM
The motion needs further approval in CFS general meeting. KASSANDRA HANGDAAN NEWS EDITOR ASSISTANT WITH NOTES FROM MENNA ELNAKA NEWS EDITOR
The Canadian Federation of Students passed a motion in its national general meeting on October 6 to decrease the threshold amount of signatures required for a referendum on the students’ CFS membership. Bilan Arte, the national chairperson of CFS, explained in an email to The Medium that their executive team started an examination of CFS’ bylaws this past summer. According to Arte, among the proposals put forward in the meeting, one suggestion was to “equalize the amount of petition signatures needed to certify and decertify membership with the federation.” The current threshold required for a referendum regarding CFS membership is 20 percent of student signatures. However, Arte stated that the CFS has decided to propose a 15 percent threshold instead. “While it is still normal for many unions or similar organizations to have different processes to join and to leave, we’re listening to students’ concerns and chose to propose a 15 percent threshold for both petitions,” Arte said. The required threshold was one of the concerns addressed in UTSU’s
letter to CFS on September 19. The letter was signed by several other student unions, including Ryerson Students’ Union, Cape Breton University Students’ Union, University Students’ Union of Regina, Carleton University Students’ Association, OCAD SU, Kwantlen Student Association, Laurentian University Students’ General Association, Laurentian Students’ Union, and UBC Students’ Union Okanagan. Another proposal put forth in the meeting was the creation of a national constituency council, which, according to Arte, would be the first time in the federation’s history. “[The council would] provide a forum for elected constituency [representatives] across ten unique and complex identities and experiences held by our membership across the country,” Arte said. He added that it would include all levels and types of students. Arte stated that the goal of this council would be to discuss social justice and the equity work for the student movements. “I’m proud of these recommendations, but of course it is up to students to review every motion at the national meeting and decide what they want from their student movement,” Arte said. Both motions will be considered for further approval in CFS’ general meeting in November.
OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM
Women and Gender Studies Institute’s letter received over 200 signatures from faculty members. MENNA ELNAKA NEWS EDITOR U of T’s Women and Gender Studies Institute released a statement last week condemning the recent transphobic and anti-Black incidents that have been taking place at U of T, and called for the university to detail their plan to prevent similar incidents from happening. “Hate speech should not be tolerated under the banner of free speech,” read the statement. “Racist and transphobic harassment and hate speech are against U of T’s Statement on Human Rights (2012), the policy on Freedom of Speech and its Statement on Equity, Diversity, and Excellence.” In an interview with The Medium, Joan Simalchik, associate chair of the Historical Studies Department and
WGS coordinator, said the letter was signed by over 200 faculty members within two days. “The WGS is a program that is committed to safe, positive learning environments, and the statement is part of going into that and building more and more,” said Simalchik. “So when threats occur the way they do and the way they did last year against feminist professors and students, we think the only real antidote to fear that threats cause is by building solidarity and support.” Michelle Murphy, a U of T professor in the department of history and WGS Institute, stated in an interview with The Medium that their aim is to offer a response that “goes beyond condemnation of the statements and affirmations of principles of equity and diversity.”
Murphy explained that the question that needs to be brought to attention is what can the university do, not just in a reactive way, but also proactively, to offer a supportive place that is free of threats for the trans and the Black community, the non-binary gender, and the queer, in addition to people of all kinds. “What we think we’d like the university to put in place is not just responding to hateful incidents, but a more robust ongoing university effort to really make different kinds of spaces where students and faculty can work with support,” said Murphy. “So that’s the difference between being reactive and proactive; that’s really one of the things we’re hoping the university will step up and do.” WGS continued on page 4
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Peterson warns America of Bill C-16
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Controversies rose following Peterson’s “transphobic” comments in his YouTube lectures. WGS continued from page 3 The letter also stated that faculty and U of T members are committed to challenging racism and transphobia. It explained that the institute supports other students and faculty who are against these “unacceptable” and “hostile” conditions. “[Our goal is to] make sure that when threats come against members of our community—our students, faculty, and staff—we have a responsibility to support them as a whole, as a group, institutionally, and not have it seem as an individual issue,” said Simalchik. “It’s a social and political issue, and we’re clear in understanding that, and that the best way to infer is to rally together.” In two of his YouTube lectures in September and October, U of T psychology professor Jordan Peterson
refused to recognize genderless pronouns, which incited controversy, a rally against him, and another rally supporting what he said as part of being free speech. Peterson wrote an opinion piece last Tuesday on The Hill, an American political website informing readers of news in Congress and the White House, warning America of implementing a similar legislation as that of Canada’s Bill C-16. He addressed a legislation passed in New York called The New York City Human Rights Law, which, according to Peterson, fines citizens up to $250,000 for “mis-gendering”. In his piece titled, “Canadian gender-neutral pronoun bill is a warning for Americans,” Peterson wrote, “Bill C-16, and its legislative sisters, are particularly insidious constructions.” He stated that New York City
protects a non-exhaustive list of 31 gender pronouns, while Facebook offers users a choice of 58. “Are the denizens of New York now legally required to employ a new pronoun for each of these many identities?” Peterson wrote. “How are they supposed to keep track of who’s who? And who is going to distinguish between mistakes and criminal action or intent?” He also wrote that, in his opinion, gender pronouns are part of the “PC game”. The comments and events that followed his comments in lectures have sparked controversy within the U of T campuses, and have also gained national coverage from CBC, The Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, and others. The people “talking” about U of T has reached over 90,000, as well.
United Way aims to raise $69,000
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A plant sale and BBQ raised $1,186 to help children in need. FARHAT AMINI Last Tuesday, United Way began their 2016 campaign at UTM with a plant sale and a BBQ, raising a total of $1,186 to help children in need. This year’s staff and community cochair for the United Way campaign, April Forbes, stated in an email to The Medium that approximately $724 was raised from plant sales, and the BBQ had accumulated over 200 students and raised $462. Both events raised a total of $1,186 for their $69,000 goal. The plant sales were run by Marianne Kalich and Brenda Pitton, members of UTM’s greenhouse team.
The BBQ featured messages given by interim vice-president and principal Ulrich Krull, United Way representative, Raj Chandegra, and Wali Shah, a UTM alumnus and advocate for United Way. They each spoke about the difference a dollar can make in helping shape the lives of others. According to Forbes, their goal is to reach donations by staff and faculty at UTM through payroll deductions and donations from students from events run by various departments and clubs. “The second goal, but just as important, is to raise awareness and bring to light the fact that poverty
does exist in the Peel Region,” stated Forbes. “It may be hidden, but it does exist, and as a leader in this community, UTM is trying to do its part to support this great organization in their efforts.” “The very child who may be helped by United Way today could turn around and become a UTM student tomorrow, [and we want] to help them get there,” Forbes said. The campaign will run until December 31, holding many different events including the Great Pumpkin Carving and Costume Contest, an Early Years Centre Art Sale, and a Bowl-A-Thon.
Maintenance in CCT FARHAT AMINI WITH NOTES FROM DARA SALAMAH UTM has been experiencing elevator disruptions in several buildings over the past few weeks, including CCT and Davis. Elevator four in the Davis building has been out of service since October 6, with no date scheduled as to when it will be running again. The CCT elevators have experienced several breakages over the past few weeks. In an email to The Medium, the executive director of Facilities Management & Planning, Paul Goldsmith, stated that the CCT elevators have had 15 notifications since February 2016.
Four incidents were listed against the CCT elevators in the past few weeks, as they continue to experience breakages due to heavy use. “In the last six months, four incidents were listed against elevator one and two incidents were listed against elevator two,” Goldsmith said. In a follow-up interview with The Medium, he added that the CCT elevators are the most heavily-used elevators in UTM, contributing to the frequent notifications. Goldsmith said that UTM has a maintenance contract with OTIS El-
evator Company, which carries out inspection and maintenance quarterly and annually. He explained that in the case of a mechanical issue with the elevators, the FM&P would immediately call OTIS, and within four hours of the phone call, a technician from OTIS would arrive to assess the situation, report the problem, and determine how long it will take to fix. When asked why the CCT elevators have yet to be repaired, Goldsmith said that it is “on the part of OTIS”. “All operations and maintenance for elevating devices are governed by the Technical Standards and Safety Authority, which administers and enforces technical standards in Ontario,” Goldsmith said. He clarified that in previous years, the campus staff were able to reset the elevators themselves without having to call a technician, but now the delayed time is caused by all the safety precautions that the technician takes before allowing an elevator to run actively. According to Goldsmith, the issues pertaining to the CCT elevators are due to problems with the circuit board and the controllers, which have been replaced by newer pieces. Goldsmith added that if continuous repairs are needed on the same piece of equipment, a complete replacement of the whole unit will be authorized. Students are able to get information as to what elevators are out of service on the Building Access Notice Board, which is on the FM&P’s website.
10.24.2016
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The dangers of biased reporting Failure to accurately recount both sides of an event damages integrity I feel like this horse has been beaten to death by now but I want to talk about Jordan Peterson. Shockingly, I’ve had a few friends who actually haven’t heard about what happened. So, I’m going to give a quick recap for those of you who haven’t been following the story. Psychology professor Jordan Peterson refused to use proper gender pronouns, stating “I don’t recognize another person’s right to determine what pronouns I use to address them. I won’t do it.” Naturally, this sparked tons of debate and controversy, which led Peterson attending a rally for free speech. While he was trying to make his point, several students against his point stood behind him and started shouting “Shame!” or “Transphobe!” When Peterson took to the mic to speak to the crowd, white noise drowned him out from students trying to silence him. This rally only caused more controversy. It wasn’t just the fact that students were trying to silence him. Transgender students were filmed attacking journalists and the videos were uploaded to YouTube. Another YouTube video posted by Mattthecatrobinson showed a few minutes of the rally where viewers can see a free speech advocate get called “a fucking retard” by someone off camera who’s trying to shut him down. Allegedly, members of BLC were also shouting racial slurs at those who took the mic in agreement with Peterson. According to comments left on social media by those who attended – namely UTSU’s Facebook post – Yusra Khogali of BLM hurled racial slurs at those in attendance. Particularly disturbing was the alleged use of the word “coon” by Khogali, a BLM member. In light of all this, U of T is currently trending on Facebook. This shouldn’t surprise anyone given that this has been happening for the past few weeks and everyone seems to have an opinion. However, my main point about all this isn’t necessarily what Peterson said. It’s about the one-sided, strategic reporting of our student unions that irk me. This isn’t to say that I don’t have an opinion on the matter. Do I agree with Peterson’s decision not to use these gender pronouns? No. Even when news of this first came to light, I thought his decision was inevitably going to cause a problem. And that’s exactly what it did. After the rally, transgender students at U of T began expressing their concern of threats targeted at them and their community. What started off as one man’s refusal to consider the trans community took an even worse turn when his
comments acted as the catalyst for threats against that very same community. Denio Lourenco sent a letter to students earlier this month listing demands that he and several others wanted from the university. Lourenco even shared some of the threats he was receiving on Facebook in Vice’s article, “U of T Prof Ignores University’s Demand He Use Students’ Preferred Gender Pronouns”. The article states, “The current political climate is rapidly changing and soon there will be a time when the western world wakes up from its shackles and smites down people like you with perfect hatred,” warned one Facebook message shared by Lourenco. “It won’t be tolerance and kindergarten-land tomorrow. There will be blood. Be very afraid.” These threats obviously pose a serious problem for those in the trans community. In retrospect, Peterson may not have seen the damage his comments would cause down the line. But the students he refused to acknowledge saw these threats coming a mile away. And regardless of whether he or not he anticipated the weight of his comments, these threats turned his comments into hate speech. No one should have to be afraid to come to school because a professor of all people refused to include everyone. There is one thing that Peterson appears to know about, though, which is the value of free speech. Drawing back on Lourenco’s letter, it went on to state “Peterson states his disapproval of the mandatory anti-discrimination and antibias training that the University of Toronto has mandated for its HR professionals, an opinion that he was not asked for by anyone.” While I understand where Lourenco is coming from in saying this, his comments are more detrimental than he may think. To simply state that an opinion is invalid because no one asked for it is doing the very thing Peterson tried to discuss in his rally. Yes, Peterson’s comments were damaging and the inevitable cause for threats against the trans community. But, it’s just as damaging to attend a rally for free speech in an attempt to silence those who believe in free speech. This leads into the meat of my argument. The student unions’ strategic, one-sided reporting on these events have angered a lot of people, myself included. UTSU’s Facebook post addressing the rally stated that, “Tuesday’s rally was marred by bigotry and violence, and the Campus Police refused to intervene when they knew of and saw trans folks being assaulted. This
is intolerable.” Now, my first issue with this is mentioning how trans people were the ones assaulted and how no one intervened. While this may be true, footage showing a trans person assaulting a journalist isn’t mentioned anywhere in the post. Now, I’m far from claiming that one trans person’s actions speak for the whole community. Obviously, that community would condemn the assault as well. But not talking about the exceptions on both sides equals biased reporting. I understand the union’s desire to place emphasis on the transphobic threats. But neglecting to inform students of violence committed by members of these defended groups is nothing short of biased. It’s also insulting to assume that students – the very students who attended the rally – aren’t aware of what’s going on around them. The Facebook post was quickly shut down by those who commented on the unreported. Comments ranged from calling UTSU a joke of a student union, labelling them as biased, and calling them liars. I’m not trying to say that some people won’t be upset regardless of what you put. Opinion pieces and especially news articles are always subject to heated debate. But to blatantly ignore key details in a public post opens the door for public outcry. One of the saddest things this kind of reporting does is destroy the chance for discussion. Biased reporting or recounting of events only serves to ignore those who disagree with an obvious agenda. It also contributes to the backlash these communities receive. The rally was heated – everyone had something to say and very few went about it in a civilized way. Placing blame on campus police, the university, and those on the opposing side only shines a brighter spotlight on anyone whose actions weren’t called into question like everyone else’s. Pretending that actions went unnoticed contributes to the anger and distaste currently placed against these communities. Everyone get heated. Everyone gets opinionated. Everyone does or will do something regrettable in their life. To admit fault is more admirable than denying a mishap ever occurred. It also opens the door for communication rather than having students get worked up over ignored facts. I am in no way saying that the trans community deserves the threats they’re receiving. They also did not deserve an institution that is doing very little to protect their rights and address their concerns. They deserve respect just like the rest of us. One person’s misunderstanding of the community or the
definitions within it does not warrant blatant disregard for the entire community. It also doesn’t give students the right to send threats to those within the community for the sake of “defending free speech.” Peterson’s comments also shouldn’t have the power to bring 60-year-old right-wingers out of the wood work to leave online comments like, “This never would have happened in university 40 years ago!” Yeah, it’s almost like the world is evolving to include those who were once shunned and mistreated for decades. But this dangerous recounting of events serves the union’s agenda. By leaving out this kind of information, it’s obvious students will get upset over the biased reporting. If anything, it paints these communities in a negative light and that’s the danger. With these communities already being targeted by those who misunderstand them, the union has a duty to properly represent them. In a comment left on UTSU’s Facebook post, Michael Lane wrote, “Yusra Khogali stood there sprinkling glitter on Lauren Southern. Granted, it was just glitter, but if the roles were reversed it’d be treated as a micro-aggression and deemed intolerable.” That’s the danger of this one-sided reporting. All it takes is one person on the opposing side to say, “Well, if the tables were turned…” to get a heated conversation going about how they were being mistreated. And where is the report on that? Now the trans community, the very one that the union wanted to protect, gets placed under even heavier fire. It’s unacceptable for the trans community to go through the amount of hate that they do or to be misunderstood to the point of threats. But this rally wasn’t a onesided argument and to portray it as such is insulting to the students who know both sides of the story. It’s important to get both sides of the story to avoid any unnecessary hatred or anger towards either side of the argument. Actually, it’s crucial.
YOURS, MARIA CRUZ
CORRECTION NOTICE The Oct. 16 article, “We humans are ‘born to be explorers’ has been corrected. Bruce Poon Tip’s last name had been cited as Tip rather than Poon Tip, and the annual event was mistakenly referred to as bi-annual. The article “VAM supports society of local talent” mistakenly referred to the artist Huan Chen as male.
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Yes, being an artist is a real job We need to stop assuming that people in the arts aren’t going to make it in this world My brother, in first year, as he was waiting to talk to his TA, was asked by a fellow student what program he was in. He replied, “Linguistics,” and then another girl was asked the same question. She responded “Psychology.” Both of them then became subject to the question of our lives, “Well what kind of jobs are you going to get in those fields? Are you looking at the job market now? What are you doing?” Now let’s spin this around for a minute. If you’ve read a few of my previous op-eds, you’ll know that I’m in criminology, but have no intention of going into that field. I’m going into film. Wild. Now say I was my brother in this situation, and I responded with, “Cinema studies” as my program. I think we all know what the response would have been. “Cinema studies? That’s not a job. You can’t get money out of that. How do you expect to live?” This mentality is seriously a problem that, as a photographer, I need to
address. Going into the arts does not mean that I will not find work. There is this common misconception that people who pursue work in the arts are in over their heads, and are only trying to turn hobbies into jobs. Okay, let’s get one thing straight here. People who pursue arts careers are definitely making an impact on your life. Let’s look at advertisements for example. When you’re at the bus stop, in the mall, at work, on Facebook, at the theatre, and you see an ad for a product, how do you think those ads are made? Do you think an engineer or a doctor designed the ad? Or maybe a pharmacist photographed it? Maybe someone pursuing a legitimate career made them? If you haven’t realized it yet, the answer is no. Who did? Yes, that’s right. The people that we thought would never make money if they pursued a career in the arts!
What I’m trying to get at is that the arts are everywhere, and in this day and age, we need to stop downplaying it as an illegitimate career choice. This is more than just people who are “achieving their dreams”. These are people who made a decision to pursue a career in a field they love, and have a passion for. The one thing about the community in the arts is that we all
My goal in my life is to ensure that I achieve happiness by doing what I love, not what you think will grant me the most money. know that we aren’t in the field for monetary value, we’re in it to make a difference. There is a shared passion within this community of artists. Artists around the world have made impacts on their communities, gov-
ernments, and society through their work. Artists like Ai Weiwei and JR Artist have made significant impacts on the world through the art that they produce. You know those short videos that summarize issues around the world in a minute and thirty seconds? You know, the ones from AJ+, CNN, the New York Times. Or how about those short VICE documentaries? What, did you think that these companies just asked anyone with a camera and basic editing skills to make it? Come on now, the people who make these videos are artists; it takes an immense amount of skill to learn how to plan, shoot, and edit a video so that all of us scrolling through our feeds have some form of way to watch the news without watching it for two hours. Those who pursue a career in the arts are not simply “achieving their dreams”. No, we’re people who are pursuing our passions, our love for what we do. People pursuing careers in the arts are doing it for themselves,
and for you. We want to create and let the world be exposed to our creative work. Just because it seems unconventional gives no one the right to label it as illegitimate. What I want to do in my life has nothing to do with yours. My goal in my life is to ensure that I achieve happiness by doing what I love, not what you think will grant me the most money. At the end of the day, yes, we need money to pay a variety of bills and such, but that won’t stop me from working in a field that may not be as stable as “professional” work. If I haven’t been able to convince you that a job in the arts is just as legitimate as a job in any “professional” work, then go watch the credits of a Marvel movie that you’ve recently seen. Then tell me there is no work in the arts.
Mahmoud Sarouji Managing Editor
10.24.2016
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The aesthetic appeal of capitalism New exhibition at Blackwood Gallery approaches capitalism from a creative perspective HAILEY MASON A&E EDITOR Capitalism is a topic of global controversy. North America has an insatiable greed for wealth and commodities, a greed that reinforces capitalism and capital flow daily. As ritualistic consumers, we import and trade in excess—but who profits from these exchanges? Equally challenging as the role of capitalism is the problem of representing it aesthetically. How do we convey the intricacy and convolution of this economic structure? The artists of Blackwood Gallery’s new exhibition, I stood before the source, address this dilemma. I stood before the source features prints, photographs, video clips, sculptures, performances, and other forms of conceptual art that seek to address and define capitalism as an aesthetic entity. The exhibition is currently on display in Blackwood Gallery, UTM’s e|gallery, and the Bernie Miller Lightbox, a billboard display outside the Davis Building on campus. Beyond addressing the aesthetic function of capitalism, I stood before the source focuses on the concept of accumulation—namely, various
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UTM’s e|gallery features “75 Watt”, a choreographed depiction of roboticized factory labourers. scenes of accumulation that occur in a capitalist society, such as airports, data centres, factories, and trading hubs. Moreover, the exhibition wishes to bring forward the invisible “behind-the-scenes” aspects of capitalism into the direct vision of society. Rather than offering an explicit critique of capitalism, the artists simply attempt to organize and catego-
rize various forms of capitalistic effects and production. The exhibition behaves as a repository of different capitalist means. Blackwood Gallery hosts I stood before the source with a stark arrangement. Scaffolding lines three of the four gallery walls. Art pieces hang on the walls and rest on desks in the space below the scaffolding.
Pieces also line the walls alongside the scaffolding. Stairs on both ends invite guests to climb onto this makeshift second level and examine the prints and photographs that hang there, while also viewing the lower level from a different perspective. As I entered the gallery, I walked towards the first print on the left: “The Plague” by Carole Condé and
Karl Beveridge. This piece is an archival pigment print that depicts the setting of an airport. The scene features cut-and-paste images of political figures throughout time, including Adam Smith, Karl Marx, and Rachel Carson. At the forefront of the image are corporate individuals. Their placement in the frame represents the dominant position of contemporary capital. Moving towards the back, the individuals shrink in proportion to the scene. Here you’ll find the Medici Bank of the 15th century, among other historical figures. A floating stream of frogs cuts through the centre of the image, ending in the bottom right corner. The stream alludes to the Biblical plague of frogs. This piece is busy. Your eyes flit from one person to the next, never resting in one spot for long. The image has no identifiable focal point, as the figures and objects move sporadically across the scene. The longer you look, the more details you pick up. When I stepped towards this painting to examine it closer, a voice spoke from behind. “Watch your step,” she warned.
Capitalism continued on page 8
Putting a new spin on classic plays Director of The Caucasian Chalk Circle discusses his creative process at Theatre Erindale ADELAIDE ATTARD Making his first appearance as a director at Theatre Erindale, ted witzel is in the process of directing Bertolt Brecht’s The Caucasian Chalk Circle. The play will be the first performance of Theatre Erindale’s 2016/2017 season. The Medium sat down with witzel to discuss his methods of directing. The Medium: Have you directed for Theatre Erindale in the past? ted witzel: No, but I’ve worked with a lot of student groups before, especially when I was doing my M.F.A. at York University. I’m here because David Matheson was interested in bringing in a new sort of work. I’ve noticed a lot of period plays happen at Theatre Erindale. You won’t see that in The Caucasian Chalk Circle. TM: What inspired you to direct The Caucasian Chalk Circle? Do you have any ties with this production? tw: David had already chosen [the play] and was looking for a director. It’s not a play that I picked. I do have
TED WITZEL/PHOTO
ted witzel is the director The Caucasion Chalk Circle, the first play of Theatre Erindale’s season. a lot of ties to Bertolt Brecht, though. When I was at U of T St. George, Brecht’s granddaughter was one of our teachers. We got along really well and became really good friends. She directed some of the work I’ve
done in Toronto, and asked me to direct some of her stuff in Germany. I actually lived on Brecht’s daughter’s couch for a whole summer in Germany. I was forced in second-year theater
school to read The Caucasian Chalk Circle, and it didn’t make sense to me until I read his early plays. When I met his granddaughter, I learned a lot about Brecht’s sense of play and sexuality, so she helped me become
more familiar with his techniques and intentions. TM: How does the crew function? Do you work as a team or lean towards working individually? tw: We work very much as a team. Because of the size of the show, we really need the team to be coordinated. We almost always have three rehearsal rooms going at the same time. I’m in one doing scene work, Paolo Santalucia, an alumnus, is working with the musicians, and one of the coaches is doing tutorial work on character development in another room. I also have to trust that this team can handle this show. My attitude when it comes to directing is that I can’t approach everything myself. Actors will ask me “What line do I move on?” and I will say, “Make me an offer.” There are 80 characters here. I can’t come up with three choices for each character. We work together to make choices that are the best for the overall play. That’s how we work as a team. Teamwork continued on page 10
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Documenting decades of art Documentary series reflects on Toronto’s art scene
REWIND ADELAIDE ATTARD
MARYAM RADWAN/THE MEDIUM
Collective City captures the diversity of Toronto’s art community in a series of eight installments.
KEENA AL-WAHAIDI Last Tuesday, the art and art history program at UTM and Sheridan premiered Collective City at Sheridan College’s Trafalgar campus. Collective City is a documentary series by Caroline Birks, Richard Mongiat, and David Sylvestre. It consists of eight episodes on early art galleries and exhibitions from the late 1980s to present-day Toronto. Collective City intends to re-invent our understanding of the art community in Toronto. What’s unique about this series is its emphasis on Toronto’s history of fine art. Focusing on these collections not only revisits this rarely exhibited form, but also glamourizes it in extensive new ways. One installment of the series, “The Red Head Gallery”, discusses the Toronto-based art collective called Red Head. Founded in 1990, this group’s gallery endeavours to provide a reasonably-priced studio for
emerging artists to establish their work. Red Head prides itself as an alternative to commercial-based art galleries around the city. With 17 artists showcasing their pieces in the studio, the group’s passion for artistic freedom could not be more prevalent. Red Head ultimately creates a space for low-budgeting artists to compete among the city’s promotional exhibits. This motivation emphasizes the beauty of self-expressive art. Collective City demonstrates many similar art shows and collectives like Red Head. MUD, featured in the third video entitled, “MUD”, is an art show that was launched in 1994. Curated by painters, MUD enlightens its audience on the absence of young artists in Toronto’s art scene. Nicole Collins and Anda Kubis, the painters behind MUD, did not anticipate the success of their opening night. They speculated that Toronto art lovers had warmed up to the idea of recognizing emerging painters, no
matter the space they occupied. After finding an office space with three floors on the east side of Yonge and Adelaide, Collins and Kubis filled the space with amateur works of 20 new Toronto artists. The meaning behind Collective City is profound, yet simple. The notion that Toronto’s art scene could find inspiration from emerging artists seemed radical 20 years ago. But maybe that’s just what Toronto’s art community needs—radical, free-flowing artistic movements that rock the city in a never-before-seen kind of way. The amateurism included in these collectives intend to prove exactly that. Watching them grow throughout this project and seeing new artists redefine the professional norm in Toronto is inspirational. This might not have been the idea Collective City started with, yet its result poses an idea more unique than any commercial art gallery could bring to the city.
Since its debut in 1975, The Rocky Horror Picture Show has remained a cultural phenomenon. This cult classic contains forward sexual content, as it’s a film about exploring sexualities, both intentionally and unintentionally. Although no direct nudity is present, everything from the song lyrics to the costumes are charged with sexual innuendos. The film begins with bright red lips, mouthing the words to “Science Fiction, Double Feature”, the first of many songs in this film. These red lips become the symbol of this glam-rock, Bowie-esque classic. The first scene opens with a wedding. Janet Weiss (Susan Sarandon) and her partner Brad Majors (Barry Bostwick) attend. Janet catches the bride’s bouquet and barely minutes later, Brad proposes. After the theatrical number between Janet and Brad, “Dammit, Janet”, this all-American couple is more than happy to be engaged. On the way back from the wedding, their car gets a flat tire. Janet and Brad wander through the heavy rain towards a castle in the area, in hopes of borrowing a phone. Their simple request turns into a night not soon forgotten. The owner of the castle is Dr. Frank ‘N’ Furter (Tim Curry), an eccentric transgender scientist who houses a cast of original and peculiar characters. Riff Raff (Richard O’Brien), an Igor-esque character, greets Janet and Brad at the door. He leads the couple to a room where people in colourful costumes and tap shoes perform a dance number to “Time Warp”—the Rocky Horror anthem. After the song, Janet and Brad are introduced to Dr. Frank ‘N’ Furter. Frank ‘N’ Furter first appears in the
antique elevator in nothing but a black robe, corset, thigh-high stockings, and sparkly platform pumps. This is one of Curry’s most iconic roles, for obvious reasons. After a slew of colourful theatrics and lots of levers, buttons, and switches, Dr. Frank ‘N’ Furter’s creation, Rocky (Peter Hinwood), comes to life in the pink-tiled laboratory. Emerging from a tank of rainbow water, a muscular, blond-haired, blue-eyed man in shiny gold briefs unravels. Frank ‘N’ Furter gets his wish: the perfect playmate. Things become complicated after this. The guests in the house begin to systematically sleep with each other, marking the beginning of sexual openness and the end of chastity for Janet and Brad. No character goes unnoticed in this film. Although the plot can become lost in the throes of sexual play, costume changes, and catchy songs, all unanswered questions become clear as the film progresses. And what’s a mid-1970s film without murder? Ice picks, sci-fi laser beams, and water initiate death throughout the movie. Non-fatal violence comes forth in the film, as whips and crotch-kicking cause harm to certain characters. The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a parody of the old-fashioned, haunted-house horror genre. Dr. Frank ‘N’ Furter’s castle shelters the strange, the unwanted, and the pure. This glamrock cult classic was the first of its kind to explore androgyny, sexuality, and relationships, making it one of the most memorable films of its time. So, give yourself over to absolute pleasure. Grab a costume and some black eyeliner as you openly explore your individuality alongside Dr. Frank ‘N’ Furter and his odd cast of friends.
Performative lecture dominates opening reception Capitalism continued from page 7
I looked down at a puddle of chalky, black dust. The splatter of dust hugs the wall below the Condé and Beveridge image, reaching out towards the room. I learn that the black dust is an installation piece by Darlene Montgomery and Public Studio entitled “The One and the Many”. The black dust in question is toner ink, a material composed of polymer (a carbon-based substance). Carbon is a key element to this piece. It’s described as the epitome of mimesis, as carbon replicates nature and manipulates its basest meanings. Carbon causes both creation and destruction towards its surroundings. Montgomery explores this idea of life and death through the lens of capitalism, using toner ink to represent carbon, its most commodified form. Last Wednesday was the night of Blackwood Gallery’s opening reception for I stood before the source. On this evening, Keith Hennessy offered a performative lecture as an extension of the exhibit. His lecture was
a theatrical representation of his political, economic, and social judgments. He began with a discussion of the richest dancers and artists in Canada. He spoke casually to the audience, encouraging us to participate in a discussion. He also invited audience members to communicate with each other on our perceptions of neoliberalism. Hennessy’s lecture was more than a political discussion, however. It was a performance—a chance to explore dramatic and physical representations of the economy through stage demonstrations and dance. Several times, Hennessy paused in his speech, pulled a white balaclava over his head, and retreated into a doorway, where he would face away from the audience and shout accusations about the deplorable state of modern economy and politics. He then returned to his lecturing position, removed the mask and continued with his discussion as if nothing had happened. I interpreted this as a critique of society’s need for anonymity. Individuals feel more com-
fortable arguing an opinion behind a metaphorical mask. Hennessy shared three clips from “Turbulence”, a contemporary dance that he scripted, choreographed, and performed. He defines it as “a dance about the economy”. The dance behaves as a physical response to the modern economic crisis. It features dozens of dancers who move in indescribable patterns throughout each segment. The stage is littered with props, the most iconic being a gold blanket and a large, dangling trapeze that hangs from the ceiling by thick ribbons and rope. In each segment, the dancers writhe, twist, rotate, or simply remain motionless. Their movements are unsynchronized and unsystematic. There is no pattern nor organization to this performance. Interestingly, the performers move without a soundtrack. The only instance of sound occurs during a segment in which a blaring noise, similar to feedback from a speaker, underlies the dancers’ movements. Their hyperactivity in this scene offers an appropriate parallel to the
sound. This piece is subjective. It’s a performance that undoubtedly relies on individual interpretation. The chaotic nature of the movements, setting, and soundtrack were unsettling, paralleling the disruptive behaviour of the economy. One notable scene of consumerist greed occurs when two performers fight over a wooden chair, each with their hands locked on the legs, pulling it back and forth. The camera then pans out to reveal the pair standing on a hill of similar wooden chairs. Hennessy is an engaging performer, to say the least. His demonstration was a unique characterization of the economy. This performative component of I stood before the source adds another layer to the many perspectives on capitalist culture. UTM’s e|gallery also includes a piece belonging to this exhibition. Revital Cohen and Tuur van Balen’s “75 Watt” fills the small gallery in the CCIT Building. “75 Watt” projects a video of factory labourers on the back wall. In the video, workers
move systematically on the assembly line, creating a white object that resembles the skull of a cow. A raised platform juts out perpendicularly from the projection, holding a line of these objects. The video on display is a choreographed performance that depicts labour. The object of the workers’ creation serves no purpose, existing solely for demonstrating its own production. This video represents themes of mass-manufacturing and the robotic movements that labourers adopt while working on an assembly line. The video offers an accurate vision of human mechanization for consumerist purposes. The exhibition is a grand undertaking. Its staggering amount of art pieces, multiple locations, and underlying political, economic, and social motivations exist as part of a vast project, one that takes time to absorb. I stood before the source is on display at Blackwood Gallery, UTM’s e|gallery, and the Bernie Miller Lightbox until December 3.
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Hart House brings innocence to light Raconteurs Storytelling gives a voice to members and victims of Canada’s justice system NICOLE SCIULLI On Friday October 21, Raconteurs Storytelling hosted their talk, “Architects of Justice: Stories from the Justice System” at Hart House. Speakers shared their personal and professional stories about the legal system. The talk focused on access to justice and its flaws, and the changes being done to improve the system. Raconteurs Storytelling is a monthly event series that features people telling their true, personal stories. These stories emphasize the importance of the human experience. The powerful connection between the speaker and audience is poignant, as sharing stories helps create a sense of community between the group. There were five storytellers at Friday’s event: Scott Cowan, Aurina Chatterjee, Paul Copeland, Mandi Gray, and Jagmeet Singh. Some stories were funny, and others were sobering. But all touched upon how the legal system had either failed them or their clients in the past. They also discussed a need to change a system that is often corrupt. Each storyteller brought something informative to the stage. Cowan, a criminal defense lawyer from Goderich, Ontario, talked about his experience representing a client in Nunavut. Nunavut is a young territory with a population of only 32,000, making legal help hard to find. Cowan represented a young man named Henry (name changed at the discretion of the client), who shot five people that attempted to break into his house after a fight had bro-
NICOLE SCIULLI/THE MEDIUM
Five storytellers share their experiences with the legal system at Architects of Justice last Friday. ken out between them. Henry killed three people. Before the deaths, Henry called 911, and the operator assured him a police officer would be there immediately. The police arrived 10 minutes after the shooting. Henry was held in custody for two years because there was no one to represent him in court. Therefore, he could not have a trial. Details about the crime were also unclear, as forensic pathology in Nunavut is scarce. The court depicted the deceased as mere drunks, while in reality, they all had criminal records. The original observations said the deceased were unarmed, but it was later discovered that one of the men had a golf club with him.
Cowan’s story emphasized that isolated communities in Nunavut have poor access to justice, and often leave cases unresolved because of the lack of authority involved. Nunavut therefore needs to develop an improved source of legal representation and an improvement in bail terms and forensics. Singh, a deputy lawyer and a politician for the Ontario New Democratic Party, spoke about bail terms and the rights for freedom. His story was about a young man he represented who was involved in a sexual assault case with a group of other people. Since the young man was a minor and was on strict bail terms, Singh made it his mission to talk to
him so he could build the best defense possible. The young man ended up having an acquittal on the case. Singh talked about how providing the best defense for criminal trials is important, because as a democracy, it is our duty to fight for freedom. Singh explained that a large percentage of people in jail are innocent, and people should not be held prisoner for crimes they didn’t commit simply because they don’t have enough money for bail. The law should not incarcerate the poor, but should build a rehabilitative system that provides justice for the innocent. The speaker I found most riveting was Gray. Unlike the others, Gray is not a lawyer. Rather, she is a Ph.D.
student at York University who is a victim of the legal system. Gray was sexually assaulted by an executive member of her union. Her trial lasted a year and a half, in which her school provided no legal representation nor procedure for sexual assault. Police officers treated her case as juvenile. She endured trials that were invasive of her personal life; Gray had to visit court every six weeks, and the man who assaulted her wanted a copy of therapy sessions and information on her sexual history. When the trial was finished, it was almost two years later and the man was finally found guilty. Gray did not feel like she won. She felt haunted by the ordeal and the process that it took to receive “justice”, which was too long and required sacrificing her personal life to an experience she relived every day. Currently, the man is being considered for an appeal. As a woman, I find it appalling that people who claim intolerance to sexual assault and tell women to speak up do not believe those who come forward. The justice system shouldn’t prolong serious cases like this. They should make it their duty to provide adequate representation. That way, victims of similar crimes can find peace and move on, while the guilty receive rightful punishment. Architects of Justice provided an honest insight into the legal world. But there is hope, as the evening’s storytellers proved. There are people who seek to improve the legal system and protect the innocent by following their morals.
Slam poetry from inside the dollhouse Trio of Toronto-based slam poets define the meaning of “thick skin” at Toronto Poetry Slam RACHAEL MASIH Last Friday night, I entered The Drake Hotel Underground for a night of poetry. Hosted by the Toronto Poetry Project, The Ragdolls took the stage as part of the bimonthly Toronto Poetry Slam event. The Ragdolls are a trio of Toronto-based slam poets. Their collective includes Londzo Drury, Twoey Gray, and Cassandra Myers. The event was hosted by David Silverberg. He was funny, dynamic, and created a positive energy in the room for poets and audience members. The stage was flushed with red lighting, the music pounded, and the overall energy that night was exhilarating. The evening began with an open mic. Only five people were allowed to participate, so not everyone had the opportunity to perform. For those who were randomly selected, their poetry was inspiring. These performers set the stage for the night, kicking off the event with great talent. The open mic was followed by the first round of slam poetry. Five judg-
STEFANIE PHILLIPS/THE EYEOPENER
Toronto Poetry Project featured The Ragdolls at last Friday’s bi-monthly Toronto Poetry Slam. es were picked from the audience, and 12 participants who signed up to be in the draw were picked out of a hat. Although the first round was long, the passion in the performers was evident. The audience was snap-
ping, clapping, and one poem even warranted a supportive hiss. The evening’s winner was Justus Forall, who took home the first-place title. Upon completion of the first round, the long-awaited Ragdolls
performance began. I took a few moments to speak with them before the show began. Gray described the group as “an all-female, queer, and youth collective who tour and tell their stories”. She explained that
they met at the BAM! Toronto Youth Slam and discovered that their “creative juices flow better when [they’re] being encouraged by one another as opposed to competing with one another.” Drury expanded on this by sharing how “[they] slam[med] against each other, but ahead of time, [they] asked each other for help.” When the trio took the stage, they performed a piece entitled “Thick Skin” from their newly released book of slam poetry, Hand Stitching for the Thick-Skinned. The piece dove into what “thick skin” meant for each of them. With Drury on guitar and all three on vocals, their spoken word possessed a distinct musicality. The poems were stunning. The Ragdolls are a talented group of individuals who undeniably own a unique, collective voice. They’re amazing role models for young girls, as they embody the idea of female unity and never allow the maledominated poetry arena to block their ambitions. Myers described the event as “kind of like [their] graduation.”
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Characters behind the clothing SAAD GHAZZAWI As an avid follower of fashion, I began to notice different styles on campus. Some students follow trends and oth-
ers follow designers, keeping track of shows and events. To share these styles with the rest of UTM, I interviewed four students on their interest in fashion. Each has something differ-
ent to say, demonstrating the diversity of style this campus has to offer.
The additional two interviews can be found online.
OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM
Arianna Hoard wears an oversized green knit sweater with black pants. Arianna Hoard is a first-year psychology student. When we met, she wore a forest green knit sweater, black jeans, and brown leather boots. She blends basic items together, creating an interesting outfit that allows her to stand out. The Medium: What got you into fashion? Arianna Hoard: I always loved playing dress-up, and I always liked being creative. I have a creative side, so being able to express myself through clothing is an interesting thing I figured out how to do throughout my life. I’m constantly changing my style. TM: What influences your style? AH: Honestly, the queer commu-
nity. They usually have really good style. Being queer myself and having queer friends that are hipster, you can probably tell that I’m a little hipster too. Also, Tumblr. TM: Do you have a favourite brand or designer? AH: I actually prefer thrift shopping, because I usually find a lot of cool things. It’s like treasure hunting, so it’s more fun, and I save money. It’s also better for the environment, because I’m really against factories and products made outside Canada. I try to keep everything local. TM: Do you have a favourite piece? AH: This green sweater. TM: How does the season affect
your style? AH: Autumn is my all-time favourite season. The fashion in autumn is my favourite, because I can dress with big, oversized knit sweaters, boots, and wool socks. I can be more free and comfy. TM: What are your thoughts on fashion on campus? AH: It’s very diverse, because the culture is very diverse. There are a lot of different people and styles coming in that I’ve never been exposed to before, because I’m from such a small town. Here, I feel like I can represent my own style more freely because it’s more accepted, whereas in my hometown, I had to dress a certain way or be ridiculed.
ABDULLAH NASSER More often than not, people find it hard to confide in people they know. Whether it’s out of fear or the belief that their problems aren’t worth a loved one’s time, most people find it easier to keep their issues to themselves. However, sometimes people find it easier to confide in strangers. Chris Gethard’s podcast, Beautiful Stories from Anonymous People (more often referred to as Beautiful Anonymous), is built upon this very idea. Beautiful Anonymous is an ongoing podcast where Gethard accepts hourlong calls from anonymous strangers. They are given 60 minutes to discuss whatever they please. After their allotted time is up, the phone call automatically ends. However, callers are free to hang up any time before the hour’s over. Gethard, on the other hand, is not. Some calls begin with the stranger filling Gethard in on their day, while others start with a specific story or joke. Regardless of how the interaction begins, the calls generally head down an emotional path. The first episode begins with a male caller engaging in small talk with Gethard. He discusses how prior to the call, he concluded a 30-minute work break, finished his work, and was now leaving the building to take a short walk. By the end of the episode though, Gethard encourages the man to scream at the top of his lungs (in what seems to be a public place) about how he will accomplish his life goals. While not every episode features intense yelling in crowded areas, most calls hit a point where the conversation
transitions from small-talk to therapy. Listening to this podcast, you suspect that callers dial in hoping to unload any emotional baggage. At first, they may think it’s too inappropriate to do so in front of thousands of listeners, yet they eventually end up airing their burdens to the world. This is mainly due to Gethard’s sympathy and inclusion. The episodes that don’t feature cathartic meltdowns or touching truths compensate by placing Gethard in conversation with someone who inevitably educates him about a onceforeign topic. One caller highlights the misconceptions and truths about PTSD, explaining why soldiers suffer from it. In another episode, a man from a Jewish background talks about his experience with balancing religion and family, as well as his thoughts on some of Judaism’s practices. When Gethard becomes the student, rather than the mentor, he isn’t afraid to ask questions and dive into the specifics of the subjects. Beautiful Anonymous is a diamond in the rough. Few things are as therapeutic as listening to two strangers help each other with their problems, with one sharing insight on the other’s situation in ways that the other might never have considered. As someone who finds themselves constantly lost in internal monologues while working or worrying about small issues, this podcast is a godsend. Sometimes it helps to listen to other people’s problems rather than worry about your own. Who knows? You might even learn to cope with your own problems through those of another person.
A new outlook Teamwork continued from page 7
OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM
Jared Lund wears a black t-shirt and black jeans, complemented by several rings.
Jared Lund is a third-year DEM student. He demonstrates confidence through his clothing. Lund also accessorizes with rings; a Versace ring on his thumb grabs attention and complements his clothing choices. The Medium: How did you get into fashion? Jared Lund: Growing up, all my friends were into the latest Nikes. I think that’s where it began. I grew up between Toronto and Detroit, so those cities influenced me. [My interest] started with Nike, then moved onto Adidas, Air Jordan, and New Balance. My interest in shoes is what led to my general interest in fashion. Once I found out I had an
interest, I started going out of my way to develop it by going online, reading magazines, and keeping up with runway shows. TM: Who is your favourite designer or brand? JL: That’s a tough one because I think certain brands are good for certain things. I can say I love Nike, because they make many models of shoes that I like. I’m not so much interested in couture fashion. That being said, I do follow some runway shows. I like where Gucci and Balenciaga are going right now. But as for brands that are applicable to me personally, I like Off-White and Adidas Y-3—more contemporary
stuff. TM: What is your favourite piece that you own right now? JL: Probably my big wool Armani jacket. I like wearing it over my clothes in the winter. TM: How do you see your style changing with the season changing? JL: I look forward to winter from a style perspective, because I feel like I can wear more stuff. During the summer, it’s hard to wear more than shorts and a t-shirt. But when it gets colder, I’m more easily able to express myself. I prefer wearing jackets, hoodies, and scarves. I prefer that style.
TM: Is there anything during the rehearsal process that has frustrated you or challenged you? tw: It’s just such a huge show. Brecht was asked in an interview, “How long does it take you to make a show?” and he answered, “One more week than I have.” That’s how I feel. But the good thing is, I love working with students. I love their willingness and enthusiasm and energy and commitment. The most frustrating thing is that it’s such an interesting and exciting script, and we only have seven weeks. I wish we could work through it in more depth. That way could be even more nuanced. We only get 25 hours a week. It’s insane. TM: Have you made any significant creative decisions in this production that you feel are worth mentioning? tw: Just about everything. Fifty percent of the props are mentioned in the script, and 50 percent are my choice. The revolving stage is a significant artistic choice. I felt after reading through the script that it’s such a road trip. There are a lot of changes in time in the play. Because of these changes in time, I felt like the play was asking
for a revolving stage. The circled stage can help us tell the story of time in the play. Brecht also gives us room to make choices based on what we know about the characters. Every character and scene has a bunch of those choices attached to it. TM: What do you want the audience to take away from this production? tw: I don’t ever like to say that an audience should learn something from what I’m doing. When I direct, I’m trying to refine questions, but not provide answers. This is a play about resistance. The audience is given the opportunity to twist their ideas of morality. This is a play about covering your own ass in dire situations. In tyranny, you have to make sure there is food on your plate before you worry about anyone else. Tyranny makes every man for themselves. We aren’t often faced with the question of, “What are the hardships people actually face in violent situations?” and, “What does it actually cost to resist?” I think we all behave more selfishly than we like to admit to ourselves, so I think this play will make the audience think differently about these types of tyrannical situations. The Caucasian Chalk Circle will premiere at Theatre Erindale on October 27.
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Mental health: let’s ditch the stigma The solution to the stigma surrounding mental health is to speak out and find support FARIDA ABDELMEGUIED
Despite notable advances being made in the conversation on mental illness, the stigma surrounding it still exists. Whether it’s diminishing the importance of mental health, shutting down people who attempt to vocalize their struggles, or the depiction of mentally ill people as dangerous or unpredictable, the negative implications are still prevalent. The trivialization and stereotyping of those who suffer from a mental illness continues to contribute to the development of the stigma. Such stigmas may lead to bullying, ostracization, unemployment, and the denial of vital services such as housing. It also makes it increasingly difficult for those who struggle with mental health to express that and seek help. Although the stigma is prominent in Canadian society and globally, statistics on mental health within Canada are quite staggering. According to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, one in five Canadians suffers from an addiction or mental health problem during any given year. Additionally, people aged 15-24 are the most likely to struggle with mental health or sub-
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The statistics regarding the mental health of Canadians are quite staggering. stance abuse as compared to other age groups. Moreover, nearly 4,000 Canadians commit suicide annually. Recently, famed musician Kid Cudi publicly announced that he was checking himself into rehab for depression and suicidal urges. Fans commented with their support and urged those who are struggling with
their mental health to seek help. But it was interesting to see that Kid Cudi’s public expression of his struggle encouraged others to come out and share their stories. More specifically, he opened the door for men to talk about their mental health, which is a group whose mental wellness seems to be neglected due to rigid stereo-
types of masculinity. The rise of the hashtag #yougoodman consisted of contributions to the conversation on mental health, race, and masculinity. In terms of resources available at UTM, the Health and Counselling Centre offers short-term professional counselling services, in addition to referrals if long-term care is
deemed necessary. Other organizations, such as the SEC, UTM Peer 2 Peer, the AccessAbility Resource Centre, and Campus Police are also available for advice or guidance. According to their Facebook group, UTM Peer 2 Peer is a group aiming to help students participate in weekly one-on-one sessions with trained peer leaders where they can discuss any issues they are facing. Every week, they hold a mental health positive space on campus to raise awareness of mental health issues. The group aims to actively work towards lessening incidents regarding mental health, and alleviating the struggles of those who experience a mental illness. Allison Gomes, UTM Peer 2 Peer’s president, stated that the “biggest barrier [that students with mental illnesses] face is how others would perceive them […] For some reason, there’s such a stigma around mental health, and we need to start shaking it off; but the key thing for students who want to speak up is that you’re not alone […]. Realizing something is not right and wanting to change it is a huge step in the right direction.” Health continued on page 14
The journey from South Bronx to UTM Contreras’ CV includes being a (failed) drug dealer, author, and a U of T sociology professor MANPREET MINHAS UTM’s assistant sociology professor Randol Contreras didn’t always view academia with high regard. Originally from the South Bronx area, Contreras grew up where the growing drug trade tempted many, as it seemed to be the easier route to becoming rich. “I got bombarded with all these images while I was growing up—television advertisements with the luxury cars, I was watching the shows with the featured big yachts, and then became socialized into thinking this is what I should want,” Contreras said. Contreras wanted to achieve the overall American dream, comprising of a “big house, fancy car, and lots of expensive things.” He witnessed some of his family members and friends attain the American dream with the help of the flourishing crack era. This is what he thought would bring him happiness when he first started selling crack cocaine. Unfortunately, Contreras was not particularly successful in the drug
Randol Contreras is an assistant sociology professor here at UTM. “I have a friend who saw the path dealing business. “Drug dealing is hard; I mean [it’s] I was headed in and she didn’t want a misconception that it’s the easy way me to end up in prison,” he said. This was the beginning of his acaout,” Contreras said. He was struggling—but luckily, his demic journey. Contreras was fascifriend came to him with life-chang- nated by the study of sociology, as ing advice, bringing him an applica- this was the one subject that helped him gain a deeper understanding of tion for community college.
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his life within the South Bronx. “A lot of times you sort of just fall into the subject—you sort of see a fit between the way you see the world and the way the material explains the world,” he said. “I just loved sociology in the sense that it explained how people become who they are.”
He considered the larger political, economic, and communal forces to comprehend why the people in his life were making certain decisions. This passion led Contreras to pursue a Bachelor’s degree after his completion of community college. While attending school, he still lived in the South Bronx and kept in touch with his neighbourhood. As Contreras continued to pursue an academic path, his friends sank deeper into the drug market, and would say that he was “losing it” every time he stumbled over seeing crack. However, his educational background resulted in him being the negotiator whenever his friends argued over politics or sports. “When I first got to grad school, a lot of the students and professors came from upper middle class backgrounds, so we didn’t share much in terms of experiences,” he said. He still belonged with his South Bronx community—however, he had to familiarize himself with the whole graduate school environment. Gangs continued on page 14
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Beyond the classroom: internships UTM offers internship courses, where third- and fourth-year undergraduate students work for 100-200 hours of high quality, unpaid, university-sponsored work. Several departments offer these academic internship courses, including biology, CCIT, economics, and professional writing and communications. The Medium spoke to students currently enrolled in academic internships about their projects and what they do on a daily basis.
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Internships are a chance for students to determine whether they have an interest in a particular career, and can also use the opportunity to build a professional network. MAHNOOR AYUB ASSOCIATE FEATURES EDITOR The Experiential Education office at UTM has recently widened the opportunities available to students for experiential learning. Through programs focusing on academic internships, research opportunities, and community-engaged service learning, the office “aims to enrich the undergraduate education experience by promoting and nurturing unique opportunities and approaches to learning both within and outside the classroom.” Melissa Berger, the community outreach coordinator at the EEO, comments, “By promoting strong relationships between community partners, faculty, students, academic studies, career exploration, and community involvement through academic and outreach experiences, we can broaden the scope of what it means to study at UTM.” PEY: FLORENCE CAO Florence Cao, a fourth-year student pursuing a double major in computer science and professional writing and communications, started a programming internship at the beginning of May. Her role involves automation
development. “The learning that you do during an internship is incomparable to the learning that you do in school,” says Cao. “I’ve had the opportunity to utilize my knowledge from a variety of courses and expand on that knowledge ten-fold.” Cao also emphasizes how, with a programming internship, the work you do has an immediate impact on the company’s products. When asked about opportunities she has had to meet experts and professionals in the field, Cao says, “The company that I work at provides many opportunities for interns to benefit, including a ‘Summer Speaker Series’, where professionals speak about their role in the company. I’ve had the opportunity to hear from people in both a field I’m familiar with and in fields I’m unfamiliar with, [such as business and management].” “This experience has taught me a lot of technical and transferable skills,” says Cao. “I’ve reached a point where I can claim to have ‘advanced’ knowledge of Python, a language I’ve been using for three years.” Cao also mentions she has acquired essential research and debugging skills.
BIO400: MUNA ABSHIR Muna Abshir, a fourth-year student pursuing a molecular biology specialist, is enrolled in the BIO400 course series, which is a part-time, unpaid, 200-hour work placement that allows students to apply biology content and skills. Abshir started her internship this September at the Credit Valley Hospital pharmacy as a research assistant. Although her role will primarily focus on understanding the computerized drug distribution system, she will also gain insight into the clinical role of a pharmacist within a hospital setting. Abshir’s internship is at Credit Valley Hospital within the Inpatient Pharmacy department. She is
involved in a time-study with the Oncology department, where she is evaluating the efficiency of IV lines being primed by technicians and nurses. So far, Abshir has been helping with data collection until the project is approved by the clinical educator at the hospital. “It is really interesting to see how work is actually done, because learning the theory in school and seeing how the hospital system works is very different,” says Abshir. “You can see how each person has a different role, but they all work together, and that also shows you all the different things you can do and help with.” Abshir says her role involves her helping out at the pharmacy and arranging medications according to the inventories, and then sorting them for patient collection after receiving their prescriptions. She says although the experience has only just begun, she is beginning to see the different avenues her project can take. “A clinical pharmacist focuses on providing patient care through the use of medication, but other roles involving management and regulation all play a significant role in keeping everything running smoothly.” Abshir comments that the in-
ternship can get very busy, which, although challenging, has been a stimulating learning experience for her. “We don’t get these experiences in the classroom, which is why experiences like these are so important. Especially for the sciences, we don’t normally learn how all our courses can be applied in a real-life setting.” She also says that “The management skills and communication skills I will be able to gain from this experience will hopefully complement my scientific and technical knowledge, which will increase my likelihood of being employed in a similar setting after graduation.” Abshir also mentions that while gaining skills for being employed after graduation, the process of understanding what you want to do is also equally important. “These opportunities give you the chance to experience how people work after they complete degrees and courses similar to yourself. “Although I was fairly decided about going into pharmacy in the future, this experience will hopefully show me the different streams I can go into and [prepare me] for the work I will be doing,” she says.
learn how to better translate things from technical to business terms, because you have to talk to some of the customers in layman terms, as opposed to technical, so it is important to be able to translate between the two to help the customers understand. TM: How do you hope it will help your career? MS: I think it will give me an advantage when applying for jobs, because it’s different from going to school, where you only learn mainly in theory. Here, I am building things that are actually being used by peo-
ple and affect them, and I think that’s definitely something important. Also, here I get to work with a lot of people, which is something you don’t get a lot of practice with in school. This experience is also teaching me how to deal with customers. TM: Do you have any advice for anyone that wants to apply for an internship? MS: Definitely mention projects you’ve worked on in your resume, and be ready to talk about them in an interview. They can be course projects—they don’t have to be big and amazing, and they can be little
things. Also [in an interview], mention any extracurricular activities you’ve done, [aside] from talking about your projects. They’ll also want to know a lot about that—they don’t belittle them. Also, the final thing would be to try and think about what you want to do. It might be hard to find a posting that will match that exactly, but just try and have a general idea. If you’re really not sure, try and be open to a lot of things. Personally, I didn’t know what I wanted to do, and taking on this job helped me figure out the kind of direction I want to go in.
“I think that it is essential for undergraduates to get a feel for their field,” says Cao. Regarding programs such as internships, job shadowing opportunities, or departmental jobs, Cao says, “This ‘foot-in-the-door’ not only gives you first-hand experiences, but it also helps you decide if a particular job is right for you. Luckily for me, I’ve discovered that I love this field and I look forward to continuing [in] the field of computer science.”
PEY: Maram Salamony OLAYEMI MORGAN Maram Salamony, a third-year computer science specialist with a chemistry minor, is currently partaking in a PEY internship with Moneris Solutions. With its headquarters in Toronto, Moneris Solutions is one of the larger Canadian companies responsible for processing and acquiring debit and credit card payments before giving the information to the bank. The Medium: What do you do on a daily basis? Maram Salamony: I do two
things. The first is [that] I’m currently helping to develop a program that some of our teams use to track integration or our work with customers. Another part of my work is to support people who are trying to use our solutions to develop their own solutions. We get calls and emails from these people, and I respond to them and try to help them solve their problems. TM: What are your goals for this internship? MS: One thing I want to learn is how to manage my time better when doing several things. I also want to
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Psychology: Shefkate Imeri JESSICA CABRAL Shefkate Imeri is a fourth-year student completing a double major in biology for health sciences and psychology. Her internship is based at the Infant and Child Developmental Services of Peel. The Medium: What does the Infant and Child Developmental Services of Peel do? Shefkate Imeri: They offer services to children who are aged 0 to 6 years, who have developmental disabilities or are at risk for delays later in life. They assist children who were born premature, have autism, Down Syndrome, or fetal alcohol syndrome. They help with those types of things. TM: How did you become involved with this internship? SI: I’m taking a course, PSY442, which is “Practicum in Exceptionality in Human Learning”. All of the students enrolled have placements, and this is the placement I got accepted to. TM: Did you apply for this position? SI: First, [students] apply for the course, and once we get accepted into the course, then [the professor] gives you a selection of placements. You apply to your top five placements, and the professor matches each student with a placement. We all submit written requests about why we want our top placement, and the professor makes that decision. Luckily, I got my top pick.
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An internship may include meeting with professionals, clients, and observing screenings. TM: What are you responsible for at your internship? SI: There are a lot of infant development counsellors, occupational therapists, and many other professions there that I meet with. I have gone on visits to clients, observed their screenings, and things like that. TM: How many days a week do you attend your internship? SI: It’s kind of flexible. The commitment is four hours per week, so then it depends on you. Sometimes
I go once a week, sometimes I go two or three times a week, depending on my supervisor’s schedule and my schedule. There are a lot of people who work there, and I have to meet with all of them at one point or another, so we schedule in advance. If they’re only free one day, [then] I have to come in and meet with them for even half an hour. Other people in my class usually attend their internship once a week, for four hours. TM: What do you do on a daily
basis at your internship? SI: I visit the clients. Two weeks back, I was attending a consultation with a little girl who is a year old and has Down Syndrome. The physiotherapist was doing exercises, monitoring her muscle tone, and I was observing how she did that. Last week, I had a home visit with a child who has microcephaly. Last Tuesday, I attended a forms clinic. That is basically a session for parents to attend, and we assist them
in filling out the forms and applications to receive funding from the government for their children. The money goes towards things [that] the children need, like special diets and special equipment. TM: How is this internship relevant to your program? To your career goals? SI: Since this is a psychology course, it’s relevant to my program. I learn about human disability, developmental delays, and all the legislation involved. It is related to my career goals because I want to work in this field and work with children. For example, for occupational therapy, if they work in pediatrics, they work with children who have developmental disabilities. TM: Would you recommend that other students do an internship? Why? SI: I definitely would. The things you learn in the course, you can apply in your internship, and vice versa. My internship helps me understand the course better, and it is really good practical experience. Plus, if you want to apply to things like teachers college, or programs that require you to have real working experience in a certain field, I think this is a good way to get that experience. In the internship, you learn responsibility. The supervisor gets to know you better and can [act as] a reference later on. A lot of the people who work at [The Infant and Child Development Services of Peel] actually took [PSY442] at UTM.
Is the Great Barrier Reef on life support? Despite the recent obituary, Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is still alive—for now MARIUM FAISAL Australia’s Great Barrier Reef stretches for over 2,600 kilometres. It is larger than the Great Wall of China and is the only living thing on earth that is visible from space. Recently, the reef has been subject to death sentences and obituaries— but the reality is that the situation is a lot more complicated than a simple time-of-death label. Two weeks ago, Rowan Jacobsen of Outside Online wrote an obituary which claimed the Great Barrier Reef died this year. It was shared by 1.42 million people, including myself. At first, I thought this was astounding. I thought a large number of people were concerned about the environmental impact on the world heritage site. However, as passionate as we can get about the environment, a lack of knowledge makes us susceptible to catchy headlines. Scientists and social media immediately slammed the article for doing more harm than good. While it may be renewing interest in the bleaching of corals, it’s also allowing people to forget about the reef, as it is still “alive”, and move on to other issues. Jacobsen put responsibility on the Australian government and climate change for killing the reef. While the explanation for why the reef is dying does involve both political and environmental causes, it should be noted that the reef is in danger, not
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Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is one of the seven wonders of the natural world. dead. According to other various news articles opposing the obituary, one headline states, “[It] is in great trouble. But it’s way too soon for obituaries.” Claiming the reef is dead hurts efforts being made to save this massive, complex ecosystem. While widespread bleaching of the coral is a serious growing issue, a preliminary government report by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
states that 22 percent of the reef had died from the bleaching, but threequarters survived. Bleaching occurs when warmer water temperatures, pollution, or increased exposure to sunlight causes the coral to forcefully eject the algae living in its tissues. The algae are the coral’s prime source of nutrition, and also the reason for their colour. This causes the coral to forcefully remove the algae, consequently starving the
coral and turning it white. Corals can survive a bleaching event, but are under a lot more stress. The Queensland government has come under a lot of fire by environmental experts. From providing controversial mining licenses—which result in significantly more carbon dioxide due to the eventual burning of the coal—to climate change and increasing pollution from farmland chemicals, not enough initiative
is being taken to rescue a sick and highly vulnerable ecosystem. According to the New Scientist, the largest coal mining project was approved this year: three licenses would permit Indian-based mining company Adani “to extract coal from the planned Carmichael coal mine in the Galilee Basin.” In addition, the port adjacent to the reef would be expanded to make room for extra traffic, which may throw debris into the reef, and damage it. Greg Hunt, the former Australian federal environment minister, received extreme backlash for going against his international responsibility to protect the Great Barrier Reef. According to the New York Times, the Australian government removed a chapter describing damage to the Great Barrier Reef from the UN report about the impact of climate change on World Heritage sites. Their reason? Further exposure of the damage to the reef would affect tourism. Instead, the Union of Concerned Scientists have published the chapter on their website to bring to light the damage being done to the 1,400 miles of reef along the Australian east coast. According to The Guardian, nearly $13 billion is being spent to save the Murray-Darling basin of Australia. The Great Barrier Reef, home to over 5,000 living species, deserves the same attention, if not more.
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After UTM, “What do you want to do?” Last week, Susy Martins shared her story and the skills that were vital to her success HALEY WEST
Last Tuesday, UTM’s Alumni Association and U of T’s Affinity Partners presented a Backpack to Briefcase lecture, where Susy Martins, assistant vice-president of Global HR Shared Services at Manulife Financial, shared her story and the skills she believes helped her to achieve success. Martins is from a small town in southwestern Ontario. She attended the Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario for her undergraduate HBA degree. While in university, she took advantage of various opportunities, such as an international exchange to Barcelona for a semester, and reaching out to the alumni department for job experience opportunities. According to Martins, you don’t need a concrete answer to the important question of “What do you want to do?” But you do need to be able to communicate what you’re looking for in an employment opportunity. It is important to have some criteria for what you’re looking for in a job, especially something you can easily communicate to a prospective employer. Martins knew that she wanted to work internationally, where she could interact in multiple languages, and especially work with industrial companies—companies that do some-
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Last week, the Backpack to Briefcase lecture took place, featuring Manulife Financial’s Susy Martins. thing. Following her undergraduate degree, Martins worked in customer services at the company 3M, before going on to complete a Financial Management Program with General Electric. She then completed her M.B.A., again at the Richard Ivey School of Business, and decided she wanted to work with a Canadian company, leading her to Manulife. Martins emphasises that she took every job and opportunity she had
seriously, while keeping an eye on the future. Every opportunity is a chance to learn new skills, broaden your working knowledge, and lead to new and exciting experiences. Martins says, “You have to think about what you are trying to achieve […] your job’s important if you make it important.” One of the skills which Martins believes has most helped her throughout her career is her ability to “package”. Properly packaging your work
is necessary to make sure that what you’re doing is important to other people as well. For example, making a PowerPoint presentation to demonstrate what you’ve done and the transferrable skills you have developed is a way of clearly expressing your contributions to the company. “Another [skill] that I think is really career-enabling, and career-limiting if done badly, is taking feedback,” says Martins. As Martins says, if you do not take
feedback well, then people notice. Feedback is all about perception, so even if you don’t agree, it’s still another person’s perception of the events, and it is important to take that into consideration. When discussing the hiring of fresh university graduates, Martins says that while these individuals come to the company with a strong desire to do a great job, once they start working, “They’re trying to put sparkles on it.” Martins says she doesn’t want sparkles; she just wants them to complete the main task she assigned to them. As a manager, Martins is responsible for ensuring that individuals concentrate on the important part of their assignments—this is a large part of setting your brand. Setting your brand involves consistently executing your duties at a high level and on time. If you consistently have high integrity, then that is the person you are seen as by your peers and supervisors. This reliability will define your success: by being consistent in your delivery, people will know what to expect from you in the workplace. “[You’ll] have a mistake here and there—everybody makes mistakes— but if you are able to execute your tasks 99 percent of the time, then that other one percent will be forgiven. It won’t chip away at your brand unless it becomes a trend.”
Recounting the horrors of gang culture Gangs continued from page 11 During the 1990s, the Mexican Mafia (La Eme) exerted their authority over all the other Mexican gangs in Southern California. This prison gang was able to enforce their rules on the streets. “If you didn’t listen to them, they would kill you once you reached prison,” said Contreras. The Mexican Mafia operates within the prison system, and some members get released at times, but eventually end up back in jail. “If one gang is selling drugs, you
have to pay their gang a drug tax. If you don’t pay them a drug tax, they put a green light on your gang, which means all the other gangs in Southern California have to attack that gang on sight.” His current research involves the Mexican gangs of East Los Angeles, known as the Maravilla. The study here is tougher than it was in the South Bronx. Contreras doesn’t have the same access to information, given that he’s not from the local neighborhood. The gang members don’t trust him. “One of the guys that trusts me
says that sometimes the others don’t trust me, and think I’m [a part of ] law enforcement,” he said. Contreras shaves his hair to make sure he doesn’t blend in with the African Americans who are the Maravilla’s rivals. The rivalry between the African Americans and Mexican Mafia is based on racism and the need to overpower the other in the drug business. There have been strict rules enforced by the Mexican prison gang that no member can associate with the African Americans. These rules are placed “to cre-
ate this hatred towards them, so it makes it easier for the Mexicans to attack them on sight and mark their territory with the drug business,” said Contreras. Contreras has used his past connections to explain life towards criminality. “If some of these individuals were born under different conditions, they could have [succeeded] far in life,” Contreras said. He added that it becomes hard for the individual to re-integrate back into society once stripped of basic rights. “They call it having the mark of the
criminal.” Contreras often does not recommend students work on ethnographic crime. “It’s dangerous work, especially if you don’t come from the community you’re studying,” he said. “Before, I saw the world through the individual, like we just make choices. [But] sociology taught me that those choices are shaped. Is everyone who grows up in that environment going to be a drug dealer? No. But it increases the chances that someone will.”
There is a need for society to shift its views Health continued from page 11 Gomes said the best advice that she could provide was to “talk to others, whether it’s a friend or a counsellor […]—to find yourself support. It is a hard thing to do initially, because a lot of the time, one feels very lost and alone when dealing with mental health.” A UTM student, who asked to remain anonymous, shared her experience with mental health. Regarding the overused statement, “It gets better,” the student stated, “If I had a dollar for the amount of times I heard that during my ongoing battle with depression, I could pay off my
tuition. I didn’t believe it would ever get better. I had two of my closest friends commit suicide, and a terrible home life. “Before I knew it, I started skipping class and withdrawing into myself; I wanted my life to end. I kept it all in, and as my grades slipped and social life began to suffer, I nearly did end it. And that scared me. I decided it wasn’t fair on my friends to be kept in the dark about my feelings, as I often appeared upset, so I ended up telling them. And that was the best thing I did. It saved my life,” she said. “Of course, it wasn’t an overnight thing where my depression magically disappeared.
It’s been a constant rollercoaster of emotions. But I am a work in progress. I know I can become better.”
“I kept it all in, and as my grades slipped and social life began to suffer, I nearly did end it. And that scared me.” —UTM student UTM student and advocate for mental health issues, Maika Seki, a fourth-year biology specialist, talked about her own struggles with
mental health. “I have definitely been in a place where I felt ashamed and embarrassed about talking about my anxiety,” she said. “It took me a while to come out to my friends and family, but it gets easier with every person that you tell, and I learned that people will oftentimes surprise you.” She also discussed the benefits of talking to someone about your mental health. “Letting people know what I deal with has allowed me to maintain more honest relationships, and this line of communication and trust is especially important when I need their support most.” When asked for advice, Seki said,
“If you feel hesitant about speaking about your mental health because you fear an insensitive response, ask yourself if these are people who contribute positively to your wellbeing. I have learned that the best people in your life will love, accept, and support you unconditionally, and they will be glad that you told them.” There is a need for society to shift its views on how mental health is perceived and addressed. Mental health is something that everybody struggles with at some point, and there’s no shame in reaching out for help.
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Pedaling to cure children’s cancer UTM’s BioTech Investment club aimed to raise $15,000 for children’s cancer with bike ride event JESSICA CABRAL
After raising $12,500 last year in support of curing children with cancer, UTM’s BioTech Investment club is back and ready to get pedalling for their second annual Inside Ride fundraiser event. In 2007, the Coast to Coast Against Cancer Foundation launched Canada’s first indoor cycling challenge as an innovative way to raise funds for children with cancer, and in 2009, they reached $1 million in donations through this initiative. The foundation directs all donations towards the local community and nation-wide charities dedicated to curing childhood cancer. For UTM’s upcoming Inside Ride event on October 26, participants must compete in teams and cycle on stationary indoor bikes, provided by the Coast to Coast Against Cancer Foundation, for intervals of five minutes. Each rider is required to raise a minimum of $100. Prizes will be awarded to teams with the highest fundraising, furthest combined total biking dis-
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The Inside Ride is an innovative way to raise funds for children with cancer. tance, and best costume. According to the Inside Ride event website, the UTM-based event is hoping to raise a total of $15,000. Zain Shah, a second-year graduate student of the UTM MBiotech program and current co-president
of the BioTech Investment club, explains that the idea for this fundraiser emerged from the co-presidents prior to him. “[Last year], as a team, we reached out and connected with the organization. [We] realized
that the Coast to Coast Foundation has never collaborated with U of T. It is very common for them to go to other campuses across Canada to hold this event, but it has never been held at any of the U of T campuses before. That was something
unique [and] we weren’t expecting that at all,” Shah says. Why indoor cycling, and not some other form of fundraising? Due to the academic-intensive nature of the MBiotech program, the club believed that the Inside Ride would be a perfect way to combine physical activity with raising money for a health-care related cause. “A lot of us are going into the pharmaceutical world, so [the event] completely ties in full circle, because 100 percent of the money raised goes to children with cancer and their families,” Shah says. “So we just thought it was an awesome initiative, and it being physical at the same time is a bonus for us.” Reflecting back on their first Inside Ride, Shah believes that the BioTech Investment club approached the organization of the event much differently than last year. With advanced planning, and the partnership with the Coast to Coast Foundation already established, the team was able to dedicate their time to acquiring a bigger venue for this year’s event. Cancer continued on page 16
UTM’s Eagles will soon take flight UTM’s Varsity Eagles lose 2-1 in their final game of a disapointing 2016 OCAA campaign GUSTAVO SILVA On October 19, UTM’s men’s varsity soccer team fought hard against the Sheridan Bruins. Although the game resulted in a 2-1 loss for UTM, this match was different. Players felt connected to the fans and vice-versa as the season came to a close. The Bruins played an offensive formation, far different from their usual defensive stance. This kept the Eagles on their toes, specifically UTM’s Eddy Dabire. Dabire and Sheridan’s Jean Francis Mkomo had an intense face-off during the game. In the 30th minute, Mkomo shot the ball just inside the 18-yard box, where Eagles keeper Josh Bowman made a fantastic save. This was followed by Dabire kicking the ball out of the penalty area. The defense also did a good job of keeping Mkomo offside. In the 41st minute, Mkomo thought he scored a header inside the penalty box, which only resulted in an offside call. Even though the score remained 0-0 at the half, the game’s second half still had some action. Mkomo made
DELANEY ROMBOUGH/THE MEDIUM
The UTM Eagles lost 2-1 in their final game against the Sheridan Bruins. two goal attempts with a header, but couldn’t follow through due to Bowman’s consistent pressure. Sheridan scored the first goal in the 75th minute, but their celebra-
tion didn’t last long. Dabire’s quick thinking soon brought the game to 1-1. Dabire got the defense to pressure Sheridan as soon as the ref blew the whistle, which left the Bruins
scrambling for help. But the 80th minute gave the Bruins a lucky break in the penalty area. “It felt incredible to see the whole team comfortable with each other.
We have definitely made an improvement from the beginning of the season,” Bowman says. “Sheridan had a hard time piercing through the back […] every goalkeeper loves his defenders.” The men’s varsity soccer team is full of new energy. Rookies make up most of the team, and despite not making the playoffs, the team has done an amazing job. One of the biggest things the Eagles needs to focus on now is connecting with other teammates and learning from one another. “It’s just a question of improving mentality; we need to play every game as [if] we have nothing to lose,” says Corey Baker, one of UTM’s assistant coaches. Next season, Baker expects to have a stronger squad, with better chemistry amongst the players. Xiuneng Wang, UTM’s varsity rookie who moved up from the DLeague this season, has enjoyed his time with the varsity squad. “I expect myself to improve a lot, put in a lot of hours, and ultimately get better.” Eagles continued on page 16
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Annual Inside Blues win in finale Ride event Cancer continued from page 15 “Last year we were unable to get a bigger location, so we were limited to the presentation room, [which] limited our number of attendees. But now we have the entire pub and a lot of people coming. We have been promoting it for a while now,” Shah explains. Shah adds that faculty members attended the event last year, and one of the teams included the campus police. Pravaen Birk, a second-year criminology and sociology double major at UTM, says he’d heard of the Inside Ride through his high
school, but never participated in one himself. “I think this is a really good opportunity to have fun while raising money. And the best part is that you get to do it in a team setting. Whether you grab your friends, your classmates, or just other students willing to donate, you get the chance to bond while biking and to support the cancer charities within our own community,” Birk says. Riders will mount their bikes for UTM’s second annual Inside Ride event on October 26 from 6-8 p.m. in the Blind Duck Pub.
Time for the indoor season Eagles continued from page 15 The outdoor season may have come to a bitter end, but Giovanni McDonald,
It’s just a question of improving mentality; we need to play every game as if we have nothing to lose. UTM’s assistant coach, believes that the indoor season will help the team
ready themselves for the next outdoor season. “The indoor season will help us build off of the mistakes we made in the outdoor season. And it will also advance the players’ fitness, since it’s a much faster game,” he says. “If we find a way to combine their elite fitness with our plays, I’m sure our offense will be able to get much more results in the upcoming outdoor season.” Fans should expect this squad to grow and become the top team in our division. UTM has talented young players who will only get better. Time is the only thing that stands in the way of this team becoming a powerhouse.
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U of T’s Varsity Blues won their final game against the Waterloo Warriors in a score of 38-7.
ERIC HEWITSON SPORTS EDITOR In the final game of their 2016 OUA football season, the Varsity Blues beat the Waterloo Warriors 38-7 on Saturday, October 15 at Varsity Stadium. The Blues won only their second game of the season, finishing off the year 2-6. Prior to the game, the Blues coaching staff celebrated the departure of 19 graduating players with commemorative gifts. In what was the final game of Marcus Hobbs’ university career, he went 15-for-26 for 348 yards and one touchdown. The 240-pound quarterback from Mississauga also rushed for a touchdown. Hobbs’ favourite target, Anthony Naccarato, had three receptions for 111 yards. He also returned five
punts for 86 yards, earning Player of The Game. Naccarato opened up the scoring six minutes into the contest, returning a Waterloo punt 61 yards. UTM’s Adrian Bernard was a leader of the defensive side of the ball all year, and in the final game with nothing to gain or lose, put his body out on the line and grabbed a fumble deep in Warriors territory, which eventually led to a one-yard touchdown run. UTM’s TJ Morton faked a punt late in the third quarter, running for the first down that led to another one-yard rushing touchdown. “I think overall the team didn’t meet their expectations, but we left feeling like we did our thing—not what we expected to do, but we finished strong,” says fifth-year head coach Greg Gary.
The coaching staff is sad to see their graduating players leave after building strong relationships for the past five years, but they’re excited to welcome a new recruiting class to fill their lockers: “This is the recruiting class that I was part of, this fifth one until now, so seeing that group leave is very special to me. This group really had their way with the culture, and did their own thing developing the program,” said Gary. He adds, “I’m really going to miss all 19 of them.” The Blues will now enjoy a couple months off where they’ll work out as a team before their winter practices start in January. The players train for many more months than just the two months spent on playing games. For many, the new season is just beginning, even though the CIS playoffs have begun.