Sexual violence survey
Give Get Out a chance
Really Really, at the MiST
Marie Henein at Hart House
A story of hard work
News, page 2
Opinion, page 4
Arts, page 5
Features, page 8
Sports, page 11
Professor’s posts found not sexual The purpose of posts by professor Peter Collins were determined by the university to be misconstrued ALICIA BOATTO NEWS EDITOR Allegations made against University of Toronto’s psychiatry professor Peter Collins’ online posts resulted in the university asking him to be more mindful of his social media content. According to Collins, the intended context of the posts was misconstrued. “As with all personnel matters the university does not discuss the particulars of individual cases. We are aware of the situation and we have dealt with this matter through the appropriate channels,” stated U of T’s vice-provost academic programs, Siobhan Nelson, in an email to The Medium. Brought to the attention of The Medium by Danny Tuff, victim of sexual abuse, a series of Facebook posts were made by Collins detailing references to suicide, molestation, and sedating individuals. However, in an interview with The Medium, Collins stated that he has often used the posts referenced in classes he teaches. One post featured Winnie the Pooh leading Piglet into the woods with no pants was used to
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Tuff stated he was concerned if a patient of Collins came across the posts. demonstrate that majority of abductions are committed by someone the victim knows, according to Collins. “Some of those things [Tuff] is complaining about I will show in my PowerPoint presentations to demonstrate a point in my lectures,” Collins
explained. A post alleged by Tuff to have mocked a suicidal individual was a photo of Collins bringing a pizza to a man about to jump off a bridge and Collins was called by the police to talk the man to safety successfully.
Another post featured an image of a nurse holding a syringe with the caption “You can’t sedate stupid.” Collins defended the post saying that “Stupid is not a psychiatric diagnosis or a medical condition.” The professor stated that he has been told by
the chair of psychiatry to be more mindful of his online posts and acknowledged he’d be careful about the posts he will be making in the future. “As far as I was concerned, my Facebook page was not publicly accessible, but lesson learned,” he stated. Tuff claimed his main concern with the posts was that if any patients of Collins or people that he’s helped have seen the posts, they may lose their ability to trust others. Collins works as an assistant professor at U of T and as a forensic consultant for police cases and with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Collins and Tuff met back in 2013 when the RCMP called Collins to consult on a police case in Newfoundland, where Tuff claimed to have valuable information and witnessed evidence, but Collins and the RCMP concluded this to be inconclusive and that Tuff ’s testimony was not substantial. The interaction resulted in Tuff allging that Collins unfairly assessed him and both Collins and the RCMP discredited him. Collins continued on page 2
Kathleen Wynne speaks at Hart House Wynne addressed the importance of the #MeToo movement, possibilities of electoral reform, and free tuition MENNA ELNAKA MANAGING EDITOR
The Hart House Debates and Dialogues Committee hosted Ontario’s premier Kathleen Wynne on March 1st, who addressed issues like the #MeToo campaign, the tuition fees of post-secondary education, and the electoral system. The committee’s chair Aceel Hawa moderated the discussion with the premier. Asking how to balance between believing the victims of any form of harassment, like the #MeToo campaign, while ensuring fairness toward the cases, Wynne stated that they first have to believe the people coming forward, then start a process to validate the claims. “It’s a very hard thing to do. It’s a very hard thing to do to come forward and to talk about something that you’ve been carrying for a very long time,” the premier said. “And
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Wynne emphasized the importance of still conducting investigation in the #MeToo movement. so, I think that we have to default to believing people when they come forward and they share experience. But then we have to have a way to verify, to validate that experience.”
The premier also cited some challenges facing the sensitive stories of victims, including when and when not to become public, asking who knows what exactly, and then how
to deal with the issue once it’s public. “And I think that’s where, as a society, we’ve gotten—there’s been some confusion,” she explained.
“But I honestly believe the principle has to be that we believe people who come forward, and then immediately have a process followed in order to validate and respect the survivor and figure out what the mediation is.” Another issue pointed out by Hawa was the university administrators claiming to raise fees because they’re not getting enough funding. The government responded to them initially by saying the issue is in the bureaucratic growth and inflammation. Wynne stated that the government’s goal is to have as many students as possible enrolling in a post-secondary education. According to Wynne, there will be constant debate about what the government is capable of providing in terms of support and funding, as well as how funding formulas should flow. Wynne continued on page 3
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THE MEDIUM 03.05.2018
Students get sexual violence survey The survey means to assess student experience on campus
February 22nd, 2018 Police Assistance Campus Police attended Kaneff building for a student experiencing medical distress. The student was escorted to the Health and Counselling Centre. February 22nd, 2018 Police Assistance Campus Police attended the library for a student experiencing medical distress. The student was transported to hospital. February 23rd, 2018 Break & Enter Campus Police attended McLuhan residence for a break and enter. The students reported that a male they did not know entered their residence unit and removed some items. The door of the residence unit had been slightly ajar to allow smoke to clear from cooking. Peel Police also attended and are investigating this incident. February 25th, 2018 Police Assistance Campus Police attended residence for a student experiencing an allergic reaction. The student was transported to hospital. February 28th, 2018 Police Assistance Campus Police attended a residence for a student experiencing medical distress. The student was transported to hospital. February 28th, 2018 Soliciting A female was reported to Campus Police for soliciting on campus.
February 22nd, 2018 Theft A laptop left unattended was stolen from a cubicle in the library. February 22nd, 2018 Police Assistance Campus Police attended the RAWC for a student that was injured during a basketball game. The student was transported to hospital. February 24th, 2018 Robbery In the early morning of February 24th, thefts in residence occurred when an unknown male gained entry to a McLuhan townhouse that was open and accessible. Peel Police attended and this incident is under investigation. No other units were affected. February 26th, 2018 Robbery On Monday, February 26, an unknown male entered a Putnam Place residence through an open door, seeking a specific individual. The suspect threatened the individual with a weapon. It is believed that the two individuals knew each other. Peel Regional Police are actively investigating the incident with the assistance of UTM Campus Police. There is also an increase in Campus Police patrols around residences. February 28th, 2018 Fraud Parking office informed Campus Police about a fraudulent parking permit located on a car. The owner of the pass was unaware that the pass was fake.
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Students have until March 26th to complete the survey. AYESHA TAK COPY EDITOR The University of Toronto’s fulltime undergraduate and graduate students received a mass email on February 26 asking them to complete a survey on sexual violence on campus. This survey has been administered by CCI Research, a social survey research and analysis company, on behalf of the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development, colleges, private career colleges and universities in Ontario, according to the press release on U of T News. The Medium spoke with vice-provost, students and sociology profes-
sor Sandy Welsh regarding the survey. “It is very important for students to fill out this survey, so the faculty and administration can better understand the experiences of students on campus,” stated Welsh. According to Welsh, the university wanted to better understand the experiences of students on campus, and the survey is just “one way of reporting what’s happening on campus.” The survey is overlooked by the Sexual Violence Climate Survey Advisory Board, which is com-posed of U of T faculty, administration, along with students from the undergraduate and graduate level. The Health Sciences Research Ethics Board at
U of T looks at the survey’s adherence to uni-versity ethics protocol. The purpose of the survey, as Welsh mentioned, is to be able glean results from the data that translate to improved programming and policies for students on campus who are experiencing sexual violence. There are resource and support centre on all U of T campuses, built to help those who experience a form of sexual violence, such as the tricampus Sexual Violence Prevention and Support Centre, located at DV 3094G on the UTM. According to the mass email, participation in the research is voluntary and students have until March 26 to complete the survey.
No ties to trafficking proven
These reports are those that have been released to The Medium from Campus Police 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 8477.
Collins was previously cautioned for sensitivity THERIDGEWOODBLOG.NET/PHOTO
Collins continued from cover Tuff claimed his interaction with Collins was unprofessional and proceeded to file a complaint with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario and the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Newfoundland. The college of Newfoundland found Collins not responsible for the complaints filed. According to a report by the college of Ontario, which met with Collins in 2015, the college “cautioned, in person, regarding his conduct during the interview with Mr. Tuff, including his lack of sensitivity to Mr. Tuff ’s distress, his confrontational approach, and his combining of roles,
and his self-disclosure during the interview.”
The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario cautioned Collins about approach regarding his meeting with Tuff Collins has never received disciplinary action from the college, U of T, or any of his employers regarding the nature of these complaints. The psychiatry professor has since deleted his Facebook account and the aforementioned posts.
The group is persistent in meeting students off-campus but have not been charged for trafficking. ALICIA BOATTO NEWS EDITOR As of Monday, February 26, the religious group previously reported to have been approaching students about a female god, has no confirmed ties to sex trafficking. The Medium has reached out to all authors of the initial social media posts describing the allegations and received no response confirming ties to illegal activity. At the University of GuelphHumber, similar posts were circulating with the religious group ultimately being removed from campus by security for trespassing.
The group was referred to as members of the World Mission Society of God. This particular group was confirmed at Guelph not to be related to sex trafficking after reports were filed with campus police. According to the website of the religious group, “The Church of God carries out the Holy Spirit Movement to restore the truth and faith of the Early Church all around the world. It is less than in 10 years from the beginning of the overseas mission that the Churches of God have been established throughout the world.” At U of T, no official report has been filed according to Terry Mc-
Quaid, the executive director of personal safety, high risk and sexual violence prevention, despite student accounts of being approached by group members. Similar posts were shared in New Jersey, which were later also proven to be a hoax. The group’s site also lists all the locations the group is based throughout North America and other continents. Currently, the group has church centres in Toronto, Edmonton and Vancouver. The Medium will continue to update this article as more information becomes available regarding the group’s activities on campus.
03.05.2018 THE MEDIUM NEWS
Free tuition for all will be unlikely
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»IF YOU RAN FOR UTMSU,
WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE?
CODIE MCLACHLAN/THE CANADIAN PRESS
Krishan Duvey 2nd year, Management
Tanisha Kumar 1st year, Social Sciences
“Add more food options.”
“Open the library 24/7 during midterms.”
Moksh Pachisia 1st year, Commerce
Samantha Balajadia 1st year, CCIT
“One 24 hours food place.”
“More study spaces.”
Almost 400 people came to Hart House to hear the Premier speak. Wynne continued from cover
“But the contract we have in Ontario is that we want as many people to go to college and university as possible. We want as many young people to have access to post-secondary education. And that includes training as well, that includes skill trades, and includes college and university […],” she said. “So, what that means is that there will continue to be tuition fees. There will continue to be an increase in tuition from time-to-time because of increasing costs, because of inflation.” As of last September, free tuition was to be provided for students from families who earn $50,000 or less. Four out of five students were to be eligible for free tuition if their families earn between $50,000 and $80,000. Families with an income of $80,000 or higher were to receive 30 per cent off of their tuition. Regarding the pos-
sibility of free tuition for all students, the premier repeated what she’d told The Medium back in February 2017; that free tuition for all students is not possible. “If we said no, we’re going to provide free tuition for everyone, that would limit the percentage of the students who could go because there would be a limited resource and it would mean that you wouldn’t have the participation rates that we [currently] have,” she said. The premier mentioned last year that the tuition changes of September 2017 would help around 210,000 students in Ontario. With the provincial elections approaching, one of the audience members asked about electoral reform, which had been one of the Liberal campaign points back in 2015. Canada’s prime minister Justin Trudeau announced last year that reform was not possible, because there was not a clear choice among the peo-
ple toward another electoral system. According to the premier, after serving as a member of the selective committee that was part of the electoral reform discussion, she understood that “there’s no one system that’s going to guarantee citizen engagement. And there’s no one system that would necessarily be free from partisan bias.” “So, I think that the deeper and more problematic question is why the people think that government doesn’t matter. Why do they think that their vote doesn’t matter […],” she said. “If everybody voted, it will make a huge difference. If young people voted, it will make a huge difference. Young people vote in very small numbers, so I think that’s the question you’ve got to answer.” Almost 400 people attended the event at Hart House’s Great Hall, which comes just three months before the provincial elections which are set to take place on June 7th of this year.
BLM activist speaks at UTM
UTMSU and UTSU campaign dates align
Yusra Khogali spoke at a closed event for Black History Month
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The campaigning period for both unions will overlap. KAYVAN AFLAKI
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Khogali was a key figure in removing police presence from Toronto’s gay pride parade. SAHIBA SHAH
UTMSU hosted Yusra Khogali, Black Lives Matter Toronto co-founder, for their “Being Black in the Ummah” event on February 25th, meant to discuss the intersectionality of black and Muslim identities. Apart from being an activist, Yusra Khogali is also a writer, performance artist, and community organizer. She is also the co-founder of the Black Liberation Collective, which is a U of T student movement that uplifts black students’ voices and stands against anti-blackness
on campus. She criticized the 2016 UTSU executive team of being “anti-black” during a town hall meeting meant to address UTSU’s treatment towards U of T students of colour. In 2016, Khogali also co-organized atwo-week occupation outside Toronto Police Headquarters to protest the police shooting of Andrew Loku. The same year, Khogali also took part in protesting the presence of police at Toronto’s Pride Parade. The protest resulted in the absence of uniformed police from the 2017 Toronto Pride Parade. Khogali is known for her activist work with Black Lives Matter To-
ronto, and controversial statements. Media was not permitted to the event as it was “closed to black identifying folks only.” “We have prioritized this event to black-identifying students, it is meant to be a healing space for students to share their experiences. In order for a healing space to take place, students expect that whatever they share will be kept in the space,” stated VP equity Sagal Osman in an email to The Medium. Osman did not respond for request to comment regarding the turnout for the event.
The Spring election dates for the UTMSU and the UTSU campaigning period will overlap this year, according to details released by the UTSU. UTMSU’s campaign period will run from March 12th to the 22nd, while UTSU’s campaigning period will run from March 19th to the 26th. Last year, the two unions had their election period coincide due to a miscommunication resulting in tensions, as dates for the elections are typically established separately. The election schedule was approved at UTSU’s February 11th board meeting, according to the union president Mathias Memmel. Minutes from the UTSU’s board of director meeting from February 11th reveal that UTSU’s 2018 election dates were “selected with the election dates of other divisional student societies in mind.” The meeting minutes
go on to state that “[Memmel] did the necessary work to ensure that the election dates are compliant with the Associate Membership Agreement with the UTMSU.” The meeting minutes report that the nomination period for UTSU are slated to begin on March 5th and will last until March 16th. The UTMSU’s nomination period, also beginning on March 5th, will wrap-up nearly a week earlier, on March 9th. UTMSU’s president Salma Fakhry did not respond to The Medium’s request for comment regarding the upcoming elections. According to their website, the voting period for the UTMSU elections will last from March 20th to March 22nd, beginning at 9 a.m. and concluding at 6 p.m. each day. Comparatively, the UTSU voting period is slated to begin at midnight on March 26th and will conclude on March 28th, 2018 at 6 p.m.
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MASTHEAD EDITORS Editor-in-Chief Mahmoud Sarouji editor@themedium.ca Managing Editor Menna Elnaka managing@themedium.ca News Alicia Boatto news@themedium.ca A&E Kassandra Hangdaan arts@themedium.ca Features Mahnoor Ayub features@themedium.ca Sports Vanessa Cesario sports@themedium.ca — Photo Olivia Adamczyk photos@themedium.ca Design Mirabelle Eze design@themedium.ca Copy Ayesha Tak copy@themedium.ca Online Meg Sharpley online@themedium.ca ASSOCIATES News Fatima Wasif A&E Keena Al-Wahaidi Paula Cho Features Jessica Cabral Marium Faisal Sports Amrish Wagle Photo Chen Gong Yasmeen Alkoka Copy TBA GENERAL STAFF Webmaster Florence Cao web@themedium.ca Distribution Manager Alison Ross distribution@themedium.ca Ads Manager Mayank Sharma ads@themedium.ca Cartoonist Anthony Labonté COPYRIGHTS All content printed in The Medium is the sole property of its creators, and cannot be used without written consent. DISCLAIMER Opinions expressed in the pages of The Medium are exclusively of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of The Medium. Additionally, the opinions expressed in advertisements appearing in The Medium are those of advertisers and not of The Medium. All articles published in print are also posted on our website themedium.ca LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters to the editor will be edited for spelling, grammar, style and coherence. Letters will not exceed 700 words in print. Letters that incite hatred or violence and letters that are racist, homophobic, sexist, or libelous will not be published. Anonymous letters will not be published. MEDIUM II PUBLICATIONS 3359 Mississauga Road, Room 200, Student Centre, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6 themedium.ca
To contribute, email editor@themedium.ca
Inclusivity and diversity in Get Out Get Out is an important film that few Oscar voters thought best to look away from In lieu of the Oscars being this past weekend, and finally bringing the awards season to a close, there were reports circulating online about the film Get Out. In an interview on Vulture with 14 voters a part of the Academy, an anonymous voter said that they “had multiple conversations with longtime Academy members who were like, ‘That was not an Oscar film.’” In another interview with The Hollywood Reporter, another anonymous Oscar voter said the following: “what bothered me afterwards was that instead of focusing on the fact that this was an entertaining little horror movie that made quite a bit of money, they started trying to suggest it had deeper meaning than it does, and, as far as I’m concerned, they played the race card, and that really turned me off.” Honestly, whichever opinion you have about the film, whether you liked it or not, it’s ridiculous to have completely shunned the film because it didn’t fit the “Best Picture” formula. To completely boycott the film, and to say it “played” the race card is kind of like saying that Shape of Water played the “love card.” Yes, Get Out played the race card. of course it did, the central theme of the entire film is race. There is no avoiding it. The film took race and gave you a horror film that wasn’t
shock scares, or dangerous freaky demons with looks that haunted you. It used reality to scare its audience and bring the viewers to an understanding of what it means to live as an African-American today where racism is embedded into systems and language. It also was reported that individuals who made these claims didn’t even watch the film. Okay, it’s enough to completely discredit the film because of the so-called “race card,” but to make an assumption about a whole film without even watching it, and making bold claims about it, is completely unfair to the filmmakers who dedicated their mind and work to the film. Get Out was a film that I personally believe did bring something fresh to the genre of horror films. Whether a film is horror, drama, comedy, or other, it does not matter. The core of judging a film’s Best Picture worthiness should be whether it delivers a good story that impacts an audience. In years past, and especially this year, that is what these films have done to its audiences. When I went to go see Get Out there were people frightened and standing up to leave the theatre. The film elicited a reaction that I have never seen in a theatre before. People were literally moved and affected. A dis-
cussion was created about the point of view of an African-American individual in a society where racism flows everywhere. Get Out is a film that understands the current African-American experience and brings you into the perspective of that experience. Regardless of whichever accolades it will receive, it’s a completely disrespectful and frankly downright inappropriate to say a film is not “Oscar worthy” or “plays the race card,” without even viewing it or giving it a chance. I truly do believe that filmmakers trust their audiences. A great film does trusts its audience to dissect and understand various themes without having to explicitly explain it to them. Get Out was a film that relied heavily on its audience to understand its themes. It comes back to the belief that we all fail at being open-minded at times. Whether it’s about film or anything else in life, it is imperative that we remain open-minded and stay critical, so that we can grow and be respectful to one another. We can have different views. However, ultimately different views rely on the respect to at least understand an opposing view. That’s why I have an issue with Oscar voters claiming that Get Out is not Oscar-worthy or
pulls the “race card,” because it feels that there wasn’t even an attempt to understand the themes of the film or even just the film itself—which does it a disservice. It is a film about race that is a discussion that needs to be happening right now. Racism is a long way away from being squashed, and this film gives everyone a perspective that lets its audience empathize with the African-American experience, even partly. To be completely shunned or not even viewed by the elite purely based on race is part of the problem the minorities continue to face as they push their way into the industry. This is what deters diverse voices being included. Get Out has and will continue to stand the test of time, and will show these anonymous voters who make blind claims, that it is time to be diverse and inclusive on screen and behind the camera— something Jordan Peele has wonderfully done.
YOURS, MAHMOUD SAROUJI
CORRECTION NOTICE The February 26 article “UTMSU and UTMAGS among fee hikes” has been corrected.
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Consent: It’s really, really important Theatre Erindale’s sixth production brings issues of college sexual assault to the forefront RACHAEL MASIH Paul Downs Colaizzo’s Really Really opened at the MiST Theatre this past Thursday. The play, which is directed by Michael Bradley, focuses on issues of consent, violence, and sexual assault on college campuses. The story traces the lives of two main characters: Leigh (Lucy Morgan), and Davis (Kyle McDonald) through a stomach-churning story of rape, intoxication, and deception. We enter the story during the aftermath of Davis’ tunnel of love party—a party without cameras. After the party, Davis’ friends Johnson (Soykan Karayol) and Cooper (Jake Settle) itched to know what went down that night. Davis leaves them with a simple and unsatisfying answer: he doesn’t know. Meanwhile, Leigh remembers it in crisp detail. In a heated argument with her boyfriend and father of her child Jimmy (Eric Gordon) over the events of that night, Leigh recounts the gruesome story of what really happened behind the locked door of Davis’ bedroom. The rumour mill churns with the story of Davis’ rape accusation and
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Theatre Erindale’s college drama focuses on issues of consent, violence, and sexual assault. divides the characters based on their belief of what happened. Leigh’s best friend Grace (Khira Wieting) gives a speech at a conference entitled the Future Leaders of America, wherein she raises ideas about “Generation Me.” This is a generation that asks, “How do I make this work for me?” The notion that Generation Me claims invincibility
by twisting the truth casts a shadow over the motives of the characters to believe what suits their interests. The whole story seems black and white until Leigh’s sister Hayley (Rachel Lebovic) comes to visit with a striking nonchalance. Hayley waltzes in wanting to talk about movies and boys. Hayley describes her sister’s circumstance as a “convenient trag-
edy,” alluding to a secret about Leigh’s pregnancy. Small inconsistencies that are planted throughout the story muddies the truth. Although it becomes clear that Davis has a streak of violence and is fully capable of committing the crime he’s accused of, we can never know for sure if the accusation is true or fabricated for personal gain.
Really Really gripped me from the get-go and kept me captivated the entire time. The show dealt with heavy topics that have been on the forefront of everyone’s minds. In our world today, there is a flood of fearless women, in all professions, coming forward to the media about their experiences with sexual assault. The show confronts the issue of sexual abuse from all angles: the refusal to believe it, intoxication, consent, the advantages and disadvantages of holding privilege, the guilt associated with being a bystander, and more. The show forces the audience to step into the heads of each character and see the situation from a fresh perspective. Despite the serious content, the play captured the perfect balance between drama and comedy. Settle and Wieting had me in stitches as Cooper and Grace. Cooper being a hyper-sexual, crude, frat-boy type, and Grace, a high-strung closeted Christian. Both actors added a great deal of humour to the piece, while maintaining complex multi-faceted characters. Really continued on page 7
Wishing you long and sweet dreams Figures of Sleep at the Art Museum goes above and beyond the biological necessity of sleep PAULA CHO ASSOCIATE A&E EDITOR Figures of Sleep, an international exhibition at the U of T Art Museum, sets out to provide a visual representation of how the idea of sleep is becoming more about the social and political interferences that negatively affect it. Today’s globalized technology makes it possible for 24/7 connectivity. Nowadays, sleep is more of a burden than something done for peaceful respite. The artists of the exhibition intend to portray the new meanings of the often-neglected and unexplored topic of rest. I observed the exhibit as part of a guided tour by curatorial assistant Pegah Vaezi. The first work in the entranceway of the gallery is a towering photograph by human rights activist Jasmeen Patheja. The photo depicts a woman sleeping on grass in the middle of a park while two men in the background overlook her. Vaezi conveys that Patheja intended for her piece to connect sleep in public spaces with social constructs and violence against women. Her work visualizes how sleep, the seemingly most
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Ron Mueck’s portrayal of a frail old woman under a blanket is one particularly memorable work. shared and necessary of all human acts, makes women vulnerable. In addition, a tape of contemporary dancer James Phillips emulating poses of dance marathon hopefuls further illustrates how sleep is not simplistic in function. Phillips is shown juxtaposed to black and white photos where the depression-era marathon participants slumped over their loved ones, exhausted, for support. In contrast, Phillips attempts
to maintain the same poses without a secondary body for support. His muscles tremble under the strain of the contrived and unnatural postures. One of the most memorable works for me was Ron Mueck’s portrayal of a frail old woman sleeping under a thin, cream-coloured blanket. Her tangled grey head of hair rests upon a white pillow. The hyperrealism of the piece is chilling. She is sculpted in a fetal position and the fragility of her
realistic facial features convey a sense of exhaustion and isolation. Upon closer observation, it seems her eyes are only barely closed, leaving whether she is trying to lose consciousness or maintain it up to viewer interpretation. On the same idea of consciousness versus unconsciousness, On Kawara’s postcard project titled “I Got Up” questions if sleeping itself is indeed an action we are aware of
doing. On Kawara mailed a postcard from where he lived in Halifax to the same address in Stockholm, Sweden every morning and part of the collection from 1973 is on display. He obsessively documented the exact time he woke up everyday on the postcard, by writing “I got up at 8:34AM,” for example. This timestamp represents the moment he became conscious again, after sleep. Lastly, Gabriel Orozco chose the mass produced medium of a digital photograph to question the notion of home. His photo depicts a sleeping bag on leaves and Vaezi tells us that because he was nomadic for most his life, Orozco intended to redefine home, and convey how sleeping and the home are very interrelated. Similarly, I interpreted Liz Magor’s threedimensional piece portraying a sleeping bag inside a log to explore human dependency on the digital sphere and materialistic things, and what society would look like if humans were left to sleep and fend for themselves in the natural world. The Figures of Sleep exhibition ran until March 3.
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THE MEDIUM 03.05.2018
T’Challa pledges to Wakanda forever Marvel’s Black Panther is an emblem of unity that opens the door for films just as glorious as its story MAHMOUD SAROUJI EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Black Panther is Marvel’s newest studio film to have taken the box-office to soaring new records. The film has taken the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) to a world far different, unique, and spectacular than any of the studio’s previous films. It immerses you into the new, yet ancient and beautiful nation of Wakanda. A small warning here that spoilers do follow past this paragraph. UTM, I implore you to watch this film as many times as you possibly can. Directed by Ryan Coogler, the film follows the events that occurred in Captain America: Civil War where T’Challa’s (Chadwick Boseman) father, the previous king of Wakanda, is killed at the hands of Klaw (Andy Serkis). Following this devastating event, T’Challa, also known as the Black Panther himself, returns home to take his place as the new rightful king of Wakanda. Being the fresh new face of Wakanda, he faces the challenge of living up to his father’s legacy in the eyes of the various tribes that make up Wakanda. Yet his most important challenge is when Erik Killmongerer (Michael B. Jordan) challenges T’Challa’s position as king, and places the fate of Wakanda and the world at risk. T’Challa uses
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Ryan Coogler’s use of camera angles adds a unique artistic element to the film. his abilities and his full power as the Black Panther to defeat his foes and secure the safety of his people in a world that knows little to none about what makes Wakanda as special as it is. Let’s begin with the director himself, Ryan Coogler. Black Panther is only his third film, and each one has been critically acclaimed. Coogler’s first film, Fruitvale Station, which also starred Michael B. Jordan, was released at the Sundance Film Festival and blew audiences away. A few years later, Coogler directed and co-wrote CREED, the Rocky Sequel that also became critically acclaimed. Coogler,
with both those films, and now Black Panther, has brought the auteur back into big budget blockbuster films. Black Panther is so different because not only did he co-write it, he applied his specific style of filmmaking to a type of film where the attribution of film to director wasn’t prominent in the MCU. Watching Black Panther, there is an understanding that it is a Coogler film. Coogler’s camera has become so crucial to the style he brings to his film. One important camera technique he uses that’s gradually becoming attributed to him is the use of a continuous rotating Steadicam
around two or more characters engaging in dialogue. The camera follows a character until they meet with the other characters, and begins to move around them continuously as they continue their conversation. Coogler used this technique in CREED just before Adonis Creed was about to go to the ring for his penultimate fight, and brought it back here to Black Panther. Only few directors in the MCU have become prominent figures to know that their Marvel film is attributed to them. James Gunn with Guardians of the Galaxy, and Taika Waititi with Thor: Ragnarok are examples of directors
in the MCU that have brought their style and techniques to the Marvel films they directed. Now, into the world of Wakanda. Costume design is spectacular. World design is even more intricate and breathtaking. The characters themselves each bring a breadth of complication and layers to them that allow for a film that isn’t just good vs. bad. This formula used in many other of Marvel’s films is thrown out, and suddenly the good and bad is complicated in Black Panther. Beginning with the most prominent characters of the film, other than T’Challa, we have Shuri (Letitia Wright), Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o), Okoye (Danai Gurira), Ramonda or the Queen Mother (Angela Bassett), W’Kabi (Daniel Kaluuya), M’Baku (Winston Duke), and Everett K. Ross (Martin Freeman). An essay could be written on the brilliance of each of these characters. Each character listed previously brings to Wakanda a uniqueness that is drastically different than the supporting characters of other MCU films. Reason being is that, well, none of these characters are supporting, they’re all just as crucial to saving Wakanda as is the Black Panther himself. Without the support of the women of Wakanda, T’Challa has nothing. Panther continued on page 7
The time has come for Shalini’s writing The process of self-publishing is difficult, but Shalini Nanayakkara has done it with The Time Has Come KASSANDRA HANGDAAN A&E EDITOR KEENA AL-WAHAIDI ASSOCIATE ARTS EDITOR
Who can say that they’ve published a book at the age of 12 years old? This feat is something that Shalini Nanayakkara, a fourth-year English and PWC student, can boast. She is the current editor-in-chief of the English undergraduate journal With Caffeine and Careful Thought and has works published in UTM publications such as Slate, and The Medium, as well as the University of Toronto Quarterly. The Medium sat down with Nanayakkara to glean insight into her experience in the publishing industry. When commenting on her studies in English literature, and how it has affected her writing, Nanayakkara said, “I hope to become an English literature professor and be a parttime novelist. I can’t imagine a world where I’m not writing and putting my work out there.” Nanayakkara later described a unique aspect of studying English literature: “Doing a degree in English literature has helped build my confidence in writing. It allowed me to read a great variety of books I never would have touched otherwise, Nanayakkara continued. “I get to forge my own path [in the English department]. I feel at home in this degree […] that’s really at the heart of it. I enjoy every-
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Nanayakkara published her first book at the age of 12 years old. thing I do and that makes me want to succeed.” Nanayakkara also noted that studying English literature has expanded her exposure to different literatures that she would not have noticed on her own. “Even writing academically has helped because you have to be concise, so you’re not too flowery in your writing,” she added. In the past, Nanayakkara has worked on two research opportunity programs in the English department. In these roles, Nanayakkara has refined her creative and concise writing skills. Nanayakara’s science fiction book, The Time Has Come, was published when she was just 12 years old. At the point of publication, Nanayakkara said that she had been writing her entire life. She recalls juvenile memories of creating a makeshift book by
stapling her childhood drawings and stories together. The Time Has Come has elements of fantasy. The story centers around teenagers plopped into a fictional planet. The teenagers are granted a year to reverse climate change, war, and animal abuse. “If [the teenagers] don’t succeed, Earth will be destroyed. [It is very] dramatic, I know, but something that I think about very often in my writing and my English literature research as well,” Nanayakkara said. In terms of the self-publication process of the book, Nanayakkara stated that she did not find the process difficult. Her father, a writer and a professor by profession, who owns a printing press, helped her through the process. With its own ISBN number and Amazon purchasing page, The Time Has Come was picked up by a book-selling company in Sri Lanka.
“All I had to do was write the book and then have my father take the manuscript to a printing press he already worked with,” Nanayakkara said. Nanayakkara then stated that the tough part of the process was marketing The Time Has Come. Without a community of writers guiding her, Nanayakkara did not have the same marketing leverage other budding authors can pool from. “I think the biggest hurdle is getting noticed by the right agent when you’ve never been published before,” Nanayakkara continued, “After you have an agent, at least you have someone batting for you.” By the time Nanayakkkara had published The Time Has Come, she realized that she loved “being immersed in [the writing].” Writing, it seemed, was the where she found happiness and strength. All it took was a laptop
and one idea that struck a cord. “I said ‘Today, I’m going to write a story that’s going to change my life,’” she continued, “That’s so dramatic—I was 11 years old. I sat down and started writing and that was probably the happiest time of my life, because I was just writing the story that had been in my head for a long time.” However, the publishing industry is riddled with new challenges. As Nanayakkara observed, the publishing industry is trying to reimagine the process of publishing with the rise of online forms of publications—such as e-books and self-publishing. “There’s so many avenues the everyday person can take to get their work noticed, without going through the elite gateway of traditional publishing,” Nanayakkara said. Through the academic internship that she received through the PWC program, she was able to land an internship at CookeMcDermid, a publishing agency in Toronto. Working at the agency exposed her to how publishers seek out manuscripts, as well as checking out how writers and publishers come together. On March 9, Nanayakkara will be presenting a conference paper at the University of Ottawa. The paper talks about the role of fantasy when tackling issues surrounding the environment. This coming September, Nanayakkara will start her studies at UBC, completing a masters in English literature.
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Family, strife, and achieving peace Panther continued from page 6
His sister for example, who leads the science and technology of the entire Wakandan Nation, is the reason T’Challa has all his gadgets and mainly his suit. His suit is designed and engineered by Shuri, and so is the rest of Wakandan technology. Okoye, the general of the King’s army, is quick, agile, intelligent, and knows how to fight battles. Nakia, a spy from one of the other tribes in Wakanda, who also happens to be T’Challa’s ex-lover, is a spy whose aim is to help other African nations and give them what they don’t have access to W’Kabi, though he blindly allows Wakanda to be placed in peril, is Okoye’s lover and leads his tribe and supports T’Challa through most of the film. M’Baku, though he challenges T’Challa for the throne, understands the importance of Wakanda, and though he strikes fear into his opponents, he has a heart and soul that is willing to protect Wakanda and his people before letting anyone get to it. T’Challa himself is a flawed and young king, who still doesn’t know what it means to be a king. Though, he can lead, and is a fearless panther with a heart for all he loves and protects. Agent Everett K. Ross, though he’s brought to Wakanda purely by accident to save his life, he doesn’t fail to take a step back in this nation and follow the lead of the people who make Wakanda what it is. Shuri and Agent Ross work in tandem with each other during crucial turning points of the film. Every character in this film is so essential to the safety of Wakanda that the term “supporting characters”
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The Wakanda nation was beautifully depicted by the production team. is redundant here. T’Challa needs the strength and the courage of the women and men in his nation to save their beloved nation. The MCU has been known to have a so-called “villain” problem, where usually they follow a specific formula that always ends in their demise. There’s a central villain, with the aim to take over the world and destroy it, and then they’re plummeted to their doom by the superhero. This is something audiences have taken note of and is probably the biggest complaint about the current MCU. However, Erik Killmonger has taken that formula, scrapped it, and has become one of the greatest villains in the MCU. Erik Killmonger is an ex-military member who was born and raised in Brooklyn, whose father was killed by T’Challa’s father, T’Chaka. Killmonger’s father was T’Chaka’s brother, making Killmonger T’Challa’s cousin. He’s angry because Wakanda has taken away something from him that
can never be brought back. He grew up on the streets, with no family, and was left to fend for himself for so many years until he knew he had to go back to Wakanda to get his revenge and be where he belongs, on the throne of Wakanda. Killmonger isn’t a villain whose purpose is to take over the world, he comes with the intention to save the world, to give away the secrets of Wakanda to help the world from its issues, so that no child, mother, or father ever has to live the life he did. Killmonger recognizes that Wakanda can save the world, whereas Wakandans don’t want the world to know who they are because they fear that they’ll be conquered and everything they worked so hard for will be taken away. Though Killmonger has his good intentions, his execution is with rage and revenge, and these two things lead to his demise. Killmonger is not necessarily a bad guy, nor is T’Challa necessarily a good guy. T’Challa does have
to face Killmonger in the end which turns out to be a fight sequence that is vastly different from many others, however in this fight sequence there is the recognition the T’Challa wants to help Killmonger, while Killmonger wants Wakanda to help the world. A complicated villain created a complicated understanding of what it means to be the “bad guy”. Though Killmonger hurt people, he was no different in the end than T’Challa, who, by way of tradition, wanted to keep Wakanda away from the rest of the world and let them fight for themselves, even though Wakanda has the tools to save people. Killmonger wanted Wakanda to save the world with tools unique to them. Killmonger as a villain teaches us that good intentions accompanied by rage, can only lead to demise, but with patience, unity, and one’s ability to hear each other, can there be a powerful strength that allows us to grow and flourish as beings. Killmonger and T’Challa’s final scene is
breathtaking as they both watch the Wakandan sunset; the one thing Killmonger has always wanted to do. In this moment, there is nothing but raw human empathy, and beauty in the world of Wakanda. Black Panther is beautiful. Wakanda is splendid and gorgeous. The characters each bring a breadth of fresh air to this genre of film. Coogler is an auteur who has changed what it means to create these blockbuster films. This film brought Africa to the world, and treated its characters as powerful, humble, and complicated, in such a beautiful way. Black Panther allows African culture to be put on a big screen and celebrated. Coogler introduces the film in a way that makes you think a formula will be used, but quickly alters your perception, and brings you into a universe vastly different than its predecessors in the MCU. Wakanda, and this film, will be in my heart forever, and my hope is that films like this continue to be brought to the screen rather than being these rare moments of celebration. Films like Black Panther teach us about unity and my hope is that this film has opened doors to many films just like it. Before ending this, I do want to make an honourable mention to Rachel Morrison, the cinematographer for the film who has worked with Coogler before, and is an Academy-nominated cinematographer for Mudbound, the first woman to ever do so. Her work is beautiful and it would do her a disservice if she wasn’t mentioned. Coogler and Morrison have brought us a treasure that will be cherished forever. Black Panther forever. Wakanda Forever.
Behind the publication Say no and go ASYA TWAHIR
This past Monday, UTM Scribes hosted the club’s first publishing panel. The event featured a casual discussion about authorship and publishing. Three published authors, Suzannae Sutherland, Catherine Lo, and Shalini Nanayakkara, comprised the panel. Sutherland is an editor at HarperCollins Canada, Lo is a teacher by profession, and Nanayakkara is currently a fourth-year English literature and PWC student. The questions directed at the panelists included inquiries about the difficult parts of the process, potential pitfalls, well as general advice regarding the publishing process. Each speaker has published at least one novel through traditional routes or by self-publishing and had enlightening answers to the 10 questions that came up during the event. Sutherland attended UTSG, with a major in English and a minor in book and media studies. To date, she has published three novels for teens; her most recent being Under the Dusty Moon. She currently works as a children and young adult (YA) novel editor, and remarked on how being on the other side of the desk, as it were, has shaped the way she approaches the publishing process.
Lo has authored two YA novels including the not yet released How It Ends. She attended Queen’s University for English and history and went on to pursue teaching college; after which, she worked as a teacher. Nanayakkara developed and pursued her love for writing at a very early age. By the age of 12, she had self-published a science fiction novel called The Time Has Come. She is currently studying English and PWC at UTM. During her university career, she has continued to work, in some way or another, with books and publishing. The panel also discussed the benefits and drawbacks of both traditional publishing and self-publishing. Where traditional publishing is often a reliable way to put ones work out in the public eye, it can take a long time. Finding an agent with whom one has an amicable relationship, willing to represent the kind of work that one writes can take a lot of unanswered emails. On the other hand, the rewarding sense of control that self-publishing potentially provides can be accompanied by challenges, requiring devoted research and practice of formatting, negotiation, and marketing of or about one’s novel. Some advice that found its way into most of the answers of the panelists was a plea to potential authors
to persistently pursue their dream. Publishing a novel is a lengthy process that requires time management, mountains of editing, and an outgoing attitude. In addition, one should have a strong circle of trusted peers to read and critique, as well as the thick skin to be able to engage in many rounds of editing of their once assumed complete work. This publishing panel offered a realistic and enlightening look into the process of becoming a published author, from concept inception to the official launch of the novel. This is partly due to the question of attendees that each addressed a different stage, from what to do after writing a first draft, to how to approach the situation if the cover work of the novel doesn’t seem to match its content. However, in some sense, this is also due to the diverse backgrounds of the panelists, which was of benefit to those asking questions. After attending the panel, it is important to take the advice of these panelists: read and write as much as time allows you. Attend meetings and workshops in the literary world. Join clubs like UTM Scribes that facilitate discussion and provide the opportunity for small-scale publishing. Take advantage of all the services and associations that a university campus like UTM has to offer.
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Really Really is produced by the fourth-year TDS class. Really continued from page 5
The fourth-year theatre and drama studies students performed excellently. Not once was I pulled out of the psychic space. Even though the roles they played were those of college students, I could not imagine them any other way. Rachel was Hayley, Soykan was Johnson, and Eric was Jimmy. The actors became their characters. I commend Peter Urbanek for his set and lighting design. The beautiful set rang true for the sons and daughters of wealthy parents. I especially enjoyed the MiST with blue and red lighting for the Future Leaders of America Conference. Even though the set was stagnant, the audience was transported into a completely
new venue. I would also like to acknowledge Michelle Vanderheyden for her costume design. The outfits of the characters revealed elements of their personalities and suited them well. Wellesley Lee, the sound operator, did a great job at intensifying and muting sounds which added realism to the piece. Really Really was phenomenal from performances by the actors to all the backstage hands contributing to making the show a success. The play was emotional, light-hearted, and incredibly funny. I highly recommend it. Theatre Erindale’s Really Really runs until March 11 at the MiST Theatre.
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The many roles of lawyer Marie Henein The Hart House Debates and Dialogue Committee invited Canadian defence lawyer Marie Henein SHARMEEN ABEDI STAFF WRITER
The February lecture for the Hart House Speaker series featured Canadian criminal lawyer Marie Henein. The defender, who is famous for defending former CBC radio host Jian Ghomeshi and former Ontario attorney general Michael Bryant, recalled how after a friend told her about the event being sold out, she thought, “U of T sure misses me.” As the highprofile lawyer discovered that Hart House had been advertising the event as being a discussion about the #MeToo movement, she commented, “Well played, Hart House debate committee.” Henein revealed that she had been avoiding the discussion on the #MeToo movement due to the way some opinions and voices are not heard. She noted the importance of patience and taking a pause before voicing opinions. Henein questioned the role based on which she was invited as a speaker. Was she, Marie Henein, the defence lawyer? The business-person? The feminist? In her mind, they are consistent
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Henein spoke about the #MeToo movement and the responsiblities that accompany it. and reconcilable. For Henein, this role division is part of the problem. “We women are never quite right, never quite whole. Some aspect of us needs explaining,” she stated. So is the #MeToo movement a good thing
or a bad thing, she asked. “That’s a simplistic question,” she said, but the one question that everyone wishes to talk about. Henein highlighted how there will be stories that we accept, and stories that we will not accept
as true. “None of that undermines the purpose of this movement,” she added. Henein acknowledged the controversies surrounding herself, specifically after the Jian Ghomeshi trial.
Ghomeshi was initially charged with four counts of sexual assault and one count of overcoming resistance by choking, and was later, in March 2016, acquitted of all charges. She therefore acknowledges many people thought that she would be opposed to the #MeToo movement. Henein said that these people could not be more wrong. According to her, these opinions arise from a basic misunderstanding of the role of the lawyer in the criminal justice system. “A lawyer defends a client. They do not defend a crime,” she said. She firmly stated that defending a client charged with sexual assault does not make her a supporter or proponent of sexual assault. “The #MeToo movement is, in my opinion, a necessary social awakening,” she stated. She compared it to Black Lives Matter, and how these movements can reveal an ugly reality about society. She related the #MeToo movement to broader issues of gender inequality, such as the United States presidential election and the criticisms of Hilary Clinton based on her being a woman. Henein continued on page 10
Still haunted by the ghost of capitalism past? UTM researcher Erin Tolley discusses photographer Philip Decker’s exhibit “Liberty in the Fields?” MAHNOOR AYUB FEATURES EDITOR
Last Thursday, the Historical Students’ Society at UTM hosted U of T graduate student in historical studies and speaker Erin Tolley, for a discussion titled “Seeing Capitalism’s Ghosts: Labor, Migration, And Human Rights in the 20th-Century United States.” Tolley, who has spoken about her research at institutions both in the United States and Canada, explores how capitalism has been constructed through the global labour migration program, and attempts to understand these themes in the context of visual culture. The discussion was centred around a prospective chapter from Tolley’s dissertation project, which as she says, “[It] very broadly, discusses ideas about racialized citizenship in the post-World War 2 U.S. and how that intersects with labour migration.” The primary focus of her research is on Latin American migration from Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America. Her project is orga-
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Tolley’s discussion was grounded in an exhibit by photographer Philip Decker. nized around ideas of citizenship and what it looks like in the post-World War 2 period. “I titled the lecture ‘Seeing Capitalism’s Ghosts’ because we are going to be looking at a particular methodology that has been used to look at the history of migrant labour, and that is
photography,” says Tolley. The discussion was grounded in an exhibit that was put together in the mid-1980s and, as Tolley explains: “[It] was put on in conjunction with two things that are fairly significant in U.S. migration history. One, the passage of the law, Immigration Re-
form and Control Act of 1986, and this was a law that was one of many attempts to solve the problem of undocumented immigration to the United States.” And second, the exhibit, according to Tolley, was also put on in conjunction with debates surrounding the law’s passage in the
context of the 100th anniversary of the Statue of Liberty’s dedication, “Which is seen as a symbol in the United States of being a welcoming country,” says Tolley. The exhibit, called “Liberty in the Fields?” was put together by a photographer named Philip Decker. As Tolley discusses, the implications of Decker adding the question mark in his title, was to question if the workers in the field are free and to what extent are they free? “The exhibit is organized around particular Mexican workers in the Southwestern U.S. and Haitian migrant farm workers working near the Eastern shoreline. So, this basically takes us back to the early 20th century, and raises questions about how free were child laborers in the early 1900s? And what is perhaps constant in the way capitalism treats migrant working subjects,” says Tolley. As the historical studies researcher notes, in approaching this topic and in general in academia, “They like for you to embed your work in theory.” Labour continued on page 10
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The crusade against a broken system UTM hosted Yusuf Faqiri for a speaking tour discussing race, Islamophobia, and mental health MARYAM FAISAL ASSOCIATE FEATURES EDITOR
A January 2018 article in the Toronto Star titled, “A broken system is harming those with mental illness,” detailed Soleiman Faqiri’s last moments in a Lindsay, Ontario prison before he died. Faqiri died in a solitary confinement cell, before which officers were involved in handling him and holding him down with leg irons, according to the coroner’s report. Soleiman Faqiri died on December 15th, 2017 in Central East Correctional Centre in Lindsay, Ontario. The coroner’s report stated that he had 50 bruises on his body, a lot of them a result of blunt impact trauma. With 20-30 guards involved in his death, both of Faqiri’s hands and legs were tied, he was pepper sprayed twice, and had a spit hood on his body. Soleiman Faqiri was also diagnosed with schizophrenia 11 years before his death and was waiting to be transferred to the Ontario Short Centre for Mental health but he “never made it there,” said Yusuf Faqiri, his brother. His family tried visiting him four times in the eleven days Soli was in custody. As part of this year’s Islam Awareness Week theme, Virtues of Justice, the UTM Muslim Students’ Association in collaboration with the Afghan
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Hosted by UTM MSA and ASA, Yusuf Faqiri is behind the #JusticeforSoli community campaign. Students’ Association at UTM hosted Yusuf Faqiri, who is behind the #JusticeForSoli campaign, along with community leaders Ibrahim Hindi and Rabia Khedr to discuss the intersections of race, Islamophobia, and mental health. After the event, The Medium sat down with Yusuf Faqiri to learn more about the campaign and where it is headed. “It has been nearly 15 months
since Soli’s death yet the answers remain just as obscure as they did the days after he died,” said Faqiri. His family’s search for closure seems to be nowhere in sight. The Kawartha Lakes Police Service [KLPS] determined that “No grounds exist to process criminal charges against anyone who was involved with Mr. Faqiri prior to his death.” They still haven’t been given a rationale for the decision.
During the event, Faqiri talked about “The lack of accountability and are seeking answers as to why charges haven’t been pressed against the guards who took Soli’s life.” Accountability has been the focus of the #JusticeForSoli campaign. “Anyone who lives in this province and is following this story, needs to be concerned,” He emphasized. “He needed a bed and a doctor, instead he got fists and hand-
cuffs.” As Yusuf Faqiri emphasized, this happened to Faqiri’s family and if those who committed the crime are not held accountable, it’s hard to say it won’t happen again, “We need to build awareness because this can’t happen again.” When asked about what the campaign aims to achieve in the long-term, Faqiri said, “We want change in the prison system when it comes to treatment of mental illness—we don’t want another Soleiman.” According to the Speaking Tour’s discussion, people with mental illnesses require to be in facilities that cater to their illness and offer therapy and support, which did not happen in Soleiman’s case. “The police, by not pressing chargers, are effectively saying that it’s okay to do this to someone,” Faqiri commented. The internal investigation is still ongoing, but there seems to be no progress or updates given to the family. Faqiri and his family, as he said, will not stop fighting for accountability and will continue to speak out about this. He stated: “Thankfully, more people are talking about this and we’re going to continue the pursuit. Real change happens from the ground up.” More information can be found on the campaign’s facebook page.
This year, make algorithms great again The UTM PSLA’s February Current Affairs discussion explored the politics of artificial intelligence NATALIE NG
As artificial intelligence seeps through from every corner, it also spills into news stories that have painted pictures of a subordinate human future where AI may take over the labour market, leaving humans jobless. As technology develops at an exponential rate, for their February Current Affairs discussion, the Political Science and Pre-Law Association at UTM attempted to investigate the influence of AI on society and politics, in the context of immediate personal effects AI may have on us. The discussion began with exploring how AI is now used in social media and contributes to the spread of fake news by curating user-specific content, in effect controlling the relationship between the nominees and the voters. The discussion also touched on the rapidly advancing technology enabling the rise of AI, which in a way may lead to a reduced emphasis on skill development for humans, as we may become dependent on them for survival. Looking at how AI can manipulate us through social media, a writer for The Independent, Vyacheslav W. Polonski stated in their August 15, 2017 article titled “How artificial intel-
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The discussion explored how artificial intelligence can be used to influence election results. ligence conquered democracy,” that “there is evidence, for example, to suggest that AI-powered technologies were used to manipulate citizens in Donald Trump’s 2016 election campaign. Polonski continues to describe how under the help of the “data science firm Cambridge Analytica [to generate] an extensive advertising campaign to target persuadable voters based on their individual psychology.”
Expanding on this, our group discussion pinpointed that as we are under surveillance through social media, where all our personal information and interests are being monitored online, we are exposing ourselves to the risk of losing privacy and freedom to government control, large corporate companies, and malicious hackers. As described in Polonski’s article, framing this development within
the political context, such as when analyzing elections, voters are being treated like consumers to receive “different messages based on predictions about their susceptibility to different arguments.” He further states, “The paranoid received ads with messages based around fear. People with a conservative predisposition received ads with arguments based on tradition and community.” As a result, we are
being manipulated by the content that we favour on social media, making us susceptible to strategic persuasions from politicians that use the technology of AI to track our pattern of online activities. On a societal basis, the Current Affairs discussion addressed how AI is changing how our brain works. We no longer employ as much effort to strengthen memory consolidation and to build critical understanding of matters since information is readily available to us. Foraging for information and memory consolidation may have been replaced by the practice of simple clicking onto Google. As society increases its reliance on AI, we may be withdrawing the opportunity from ourselves for exploring new and challenging subjects outside our comfort zone. The conversation also explored a common phenomenon that may have affected many of us deeply, and that are the changes in our communication skills. Due to our dependence on technology, such as social media for communication, the ability to communicate effectively in real life may deteriorate as we lose the sense of how to talk comfortably and professionally in front of people. Artificial continued on page 10
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In the fields: a blast not from the past? Labour continued from page 8 Tolley continues to say that embedding work in theory in some way, “is usually very productive, so I’m working with a theoretical approach called spectropolitics.” As Tolley explains, spectropolitics is a reference to ghosts and hidden things. She adds, “This sort of theoretical framework is used by scholars who look at how things like globalization and neoliberal capitalism affects populations and makes them marginal in some ways.” As she discusses marginalization further, Tolley says, “This can be marginal in the sense of the one per cent who are high above us all and quite wealthy and who we don’t get to see as much as the working class. But also, those working class laborers whose labor is usually pushed to the margins.” Spectropolitics, however, is concerned with seeing the ways those populations at the bottom exercise forms of political power. “And people who work with this concept say a few things about how that power works,” says Tolley, adding, “There’s the vein of this scholarship that says [pictures] that you are going to see are solely enactments of power and agency and shows these people exercising agency.” On the other hand, as she elaborates, “There’s another strand of this scholarship that says given the migrant workers and the working class in general’s position, they are
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Decker’s exhibit is centered around Mexican and Haitian migrant workers. not capable of exercising power in a completely involved way.” Tolley attempts to approach these questions from adopting the middle ground, and says, “In doing so, I’m trying to think about the ways in which the images that you’re going to see today perhaps give these marginalized, ghost-like populations ways of exercising power, but in ways that are always bound by the capitalism that they work within.”
In thinking about images from Philip Decker’s “Liberty in the fields?” Tolley explains, “[I am] using a concept that has been developed in citizenship studies called the third space of citizenship. That is used to talk about populations that don’t have the full rights of citizenship.” Through this approach, Tolley says, “Undocumented workers are usually a primary focus,” along with other marginalized populations that may
be “excluded from the full privileges of citizenship.” The images presented in the exhibit are portraying two populations primarily, Mexican migrant workers and groups that were called “Haitian Boat people,” who were photographed when working in Maryland. As Tolley explains, with all sorts of migrant streams, the patterns and timings for their movement can be explained by a combination of eco-
nomic and political motivations. “Decker’s exhibit is doing two things. It is allowing the populations that are represented to critique the structure in which they work and live, by showing U.S. citizens what is often missing and hidden by the capitalist structure,” says Tolley, and “The second thing is that Decker’s work is also saying something larger about how 20th century capitalism works.” A central theme in the exhibit is the parallel between how the capitalist structure has sustained migrant working conditions from the past century into the present. “He accomplishes this [...] by showing images of labor we usually don’t see. I’m sure many of us eat fruit. such as grapefruit and oranges every day, but we rarely see the work that goes into picking them.” After discussing convenience in hiding working conditions and a seemingly inter-generational pattern of work being established, Tolley further adds, “As consumers, I mean I’m guilty of this too, but when I pick up an orange, I don’t think if this was picked by someone who was paid adequately, or came here with any sort of support or was an undocumented worker.” Decker’s images then, along with the information we have now, allow us to question if capitalist working conditions have really changed or if we are observing continuity, only in a different form.
A digital mob mentality Critical thinking Artificial continued from page 9
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Henein, of Henein Hutchison, received her Bachelor of Law from Osgoode Hall Law School. Henein continued from page 8 Everything from her clothing to her tone of voice was relentlessly judged. “She may not have shattered the glass ceiling, but she certainly shone a light on it. We couldn’t ignore it,” Henein mentioned. The lawyer pointed out that here in Canada too there has never been a female Prime Minister for a whole term. She voiced her indignation saying, “I just wish rather than telling us how in touch they were with their feminist side, they would step aside.” Turning her focus to the criticisms of the #MeToo movement, Henein stated that the main concern was
that allegations could destroy a man’s reputation and deny him due process. Henein dismisses these criticisms saying that due process is something that belongs in criminal court, not among people’s opinions. “There is no such thing as a court of public opinion.” While allegations may ruin a person’s image, there are no real stakes in public opinion because there is no real deprivation of liberty. So, what is the real complaint here? She asked, answering that it has to do with the reactions to the allegations. “The reaction is immediate and swift on social media,” she said. Henein remarked that the problem is the “digital mob mentality” that we have. We need to pause
and take a breath before we form an opinion. “We need to figure out what this new means of communication is and how we can harness it productively,” she explained. Shifting back to #MeToo and Hollywood, Henein said that firing the actors or directors is not the solution. Instead, we need to ask the question, how is this behaviour allowed to persist? Most large studios and casting agencies have been silent on the issue of how new practices can be implemented and where to go from here. Henein therefore emphasized that getting rid of the offenders must be accompanied by meaningful inquiry and change.
The convenience that internet has brought to us such as through online shopping for almost everything, from buying clothes to ordering food— people no longer need to see each other in real life. The discussion pointed out that as the internet emphasizes mainly video and audio content, increased focus on the senses of sight and hearing can even be used to distort our views of the world. This can be seen in propaganda and promotional videos that extremist groups have used to coax people into becoming followers by glorifying their views and actions. As Fortune writer Jonathan Vanian emphasized in his February 21, 2018 article titled “4 things everyone should fear about artificial intelligence and the future,” AI can now be used to create realistic content that can be used for malicious purposes. He described in his article, “Advances in AI have led to researchers creating realistic audio and videos of […] figures that are designed to look and talk like real-life counterparts. For instance, AI researchers at the University of Washington recently created a video of former President Barack Obama giving a speech that looks incredibly realistic, but was actually fake.” Vanian continued, “This leaves us with concerns about the risky effects
that can be produced by the people [that] create ‘fake news reports’ with fabricated video and audio.” With our increasing dependence on internet, our sense of critical thinking may erode owing to the power of AI with the ability to create realistic content. This advancement of technology, as the discussion notes, may lead us to become more susceptible to the opinions presented by so-called “experts” presenting false “evidences” without consciously challenging them. The discussion group came to a consensus that our future will inevitably be dominated with AI, and we are in a stage of transition where AI is becoming the basis of the function of our society. Questioning how we can face the future with this realization, the group suggested that we may need a group of advocates to raise awareness about AI and take actions, such as signing petitions that prevent big companies and governments from developing and using destructive AI software for military and weaponry purposes. The group also emphasized the importance of introducing critical thinking and computer science in elementary and secondary education. As the group reflected, we may need to equip ourselves with a keen eye for catching the use of AI for malevolent aims and its role in political and social change.
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The keeper chronicles: Aaron’s edition Aaron Peters began playing rep soccer at the age of fifteen and aspires to play at the professional level VANESSA CESARIO SPORTS & HEALTH EDITOR
Hard-working. Determined. Passionate. These are some of the ways to describe Aaron Peters, captain of the varsity men’s soccer team. Peters is originally from Brampton where he attended Bramalea Secondary School. He is currently in his second year at UTM and is enrolled in the life sciences program. It was not until the late age of 15 that Peters began playing soccer competitively. He always had a passion for it, despite starting his athletic career as a basketball player. Peters was named captain before the start of this past outdoor season—something uncommon for a second-year. As is every athlete’s dream, Peters’ goal is to play at the professional level. He plans to pursue this dream to its full extent. He is relentless and trains every day to improve and better himself as a player. If he isn’t at soccer practice or training in the HPC with his teammates, he’s in the gym training on his own. Peters describes himself as the
NIV TURECKI/THE MEDIUM
Peters started his athletic career as a basketball player, but later switched over to playing soccer. most vocal member on his team. As the goalie, it is an important quality to have as he has full view of the entire pitch. He did not start out his UTM soccer career as a goalie however. During his first year he played as a centre-back. “Being a centre-back
did help. It improved my touch quite a bit,” Peters says. It also allowed him to gain perspective from a player’s point of view and not just a goalie’s. Being a goalie is accompanied by a lot of pressure from spectators, coaches, and players. Peters explains that only through practice
and experience of being in net will someone become better at managing this. Goals will be conceded. This is something that is inevitable. As Peters says, “That’s what everyone remembers us for—for all the mistakes we do. Either the mistakes or the saves. That’s it. Nothing in between.”
He continues, “You’re either the hero or the villain.” As a centre-back, he knew that he would have the support of his fellow defenders or his goalie to fall back on if he made a mistake. This is not the case as a goalie; you are the last man back. Although being a goalie comes with a lot of added pressure, Peters is thankful to have teammates that support each other. They don’t tear each other down and no one has a big ego, according to Peters. He speaks very highly of his teammates and says, “Everyone is level-headed and no one really thinks they’re the superstar of the team.” Being a member of the soccer team has definitely enhanced Peters’ university experience. Without soccer, he says he probably would not have made the friendships he did. When asked to give advice for any newcomers entering UTM he says, “You want to make sure you have no regrets. So, make sure to join clubs, talk to people, ask that person out, do whatever.” Your years in university will go by so quickly and as Peters says, “Have no regrets and make sure to live in the moment.”
Headphones in, volume up, world out According to BASES, music is said to improve a person’s performance while working out at the gym YASMEEN ALKOKA ASSOCIATE PHOTO EDITOR
You’ve laced up your shoes, stretched your legs out, and plugged in your headphones. Music blasts in your ears and suddenly you are running with ease. Your feet hit the ground in sync to every beat and you can feel your adrenaline soar every time the chorus plays. Based on research from the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES), listening to music before a workout has shown to “act as an effective stimulant that can optimise arousal level and psychological states.” Do you ever feel like you can’t bring yourself to start working out until you turn on some music? That’s because it injects you with motivation. It changes your mood and inevitably your mindset. BASES research has also shown that “music improves exercise performance by either reducing perceptions of fatigue or increasing work capacity,” typically resulting “in higherthan-expected levels of endurance, power, productivity or strength.” When you listen to music while exercising, you don’t focus on how tired you are and you tend to push yourself
YASMEEN ALKOKA/THE MEDIUM
Listening to music prior to a workout stimulates arousal and psychological states. harder. This effect starts with the rhythm, melody, and harmony of music, but also includes the cultural impact and the associations you make with a song or artist. If the background music doesn’t sync up with your movements, it provides “distraction and enhancement of positive feelings” and “perfor-
mance-enhancing” benefits. Essentially, when you aren’t focused on the beat of a song, it blends into the background of your mind and allows you to focus. BASES research also touches upon music that does synchronize with your movements. It provides the same benefits as asynchronous music, but specifically for “repetitive endurance activities.” For example, music
that is out of sync to your movements can help keep you relaxed during distance running, while in sync music helps keep you motivated during treadmill walking. It has been considered in the past that your heart rate during exercise is what determines your preferred music tempo, but BASES research shows that the relationship between the two
is “nonlinear” and is “characterised by a series of inflections.” As discussed, the preferred tempo usually depends on the type of exercise or the associated meanings with the music, not necessarily your heart beat. Music stimulates a more intense workout especially when there is a connection to the cultural background, age group of its listeners, and if it is accompanied by motivating lyrics. Let’s take for example PARTYNEXTDOOR’s remix for “That’s What I Like” by Bruno Mars. As a mainstream song in pop culture that is often played on the radio, there is a sense of familiarity involved. To add onto that, the lyrics say “Jump in the Cadillac (girl, let’s put some miles on it). Anything you want (just to put a smile on you). You deserve it baby, you deserve it all, and I’m gonna give it to you.” These lyrics are positive, make us feel good, and infer that there is movement involved—putting “miles” on the car. So, while the beat of the song already pumps you up for your workout, the associations with the song itself help push you even further. Crank up the jams and break a sweat. Music is a positive addition to exercising and is proven to be effective—now we know why.
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THE MEDIUM 03.05.2018
Yogilates: a yoga and pilates hybrid Yogilates is said to focus on the strength of pilates and the flexibility and breathing of yoga AMRISH WAGLE ASSOCIATE S&H EDITOR
Yoga, found in writings as early as the Upanishads, dates back to the Vedic age, approximately 500 – 600 BCE, and focuses on enlightenment through a lifestyle focused on spiritual mindfulness as well as mental and physical health. The fundamental theory supporting the branch of Hatha Yoga reflects a modern consensus that physical health and balance is a prerequisite for cognitive performance and success. This underlying algorithm is accomplished through Hatha Yoga’s division of eight-fold paths to perfect health. Although modern practice makes use of only two: breathing and posture. In a similar vein, Joseph Pilates describes his invention of pilates as “the art of controlled movements.” With conviction in the interdependence of physical and mental health, pilates uniquely emphasizes the mindbody connection in its concentration of posture, strength, and flexibility. Overall, pilates focuses on improving one’s strength of core, or the area between the shoulders and pelvis. Yogilates functions as a natural fusion of these two disciplines, incorporating the benefits of both. While adopting the emphasis on core muscles from pilates, it also retains the breathing and postures of yoga. Unbeknownst to many students,
BRUCE MARS/PEXELS
Yogilates is a fusion of the core engagement of pilates with the breathing and postures of yoga. the RAWC offers free group fitness classes such as Zumba, indoor cycling, full-body workouts focusing on cardiovascular and muscular fitness, and the aforementioned, yogilates. In fact, last Thursday, the RAWC held its routinely scheduled yogilates class from 6:10 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Dance Studio. The class environment maintained a quiet mindful atmosphere throughout, with ambient music in the background. Participants made use of yoga mats to proceed with their hour-long exercise as an instructor
guided them through several introductory yogilates poses. The class started with a warmup of gentle floorbased movements and eventually moved into core strength and stretching work, while finishing off with slightly more challenging standing postures. Some of these included the popular downward and upward facing dog. The former is used to stretch the shoulders, arms, hamstrings, and calf muscles. The latter pose stretches the chest, lungs, abdomen, shoulders and strengthens the spine as well as arms
and wrist. Both, however, are used to improve posture and relieve fatigue by rejuvenating the body. Others included the chair pose, a high lunge, shoulder-stand, warrior two pose, boat pose, Viparita Karani, Half Lord of the Fishes, the corpse pose, child’s pose, and intense forward-bending pose. The posture emphasized most throughout the class was the sun salutation. This is a patterned succession of several poses that yields many benefits including improvement to one’s posture, balance, blood circulation,
stimulation of several internal organs such as respiratory system, spinal nerves, lymphatic system, and toning of the digestive tract, spine, neck, shoulders, arms, legs and not to mention its strengthening of the heart. Scientific studies have provided welldocumented support for its benefits, as well as its link to reducing weight loss and even preventing hair loss. As a whole, the sun salutation is known to emphasize the interconnection of mind and body to introduce serenity and a subsequent boost of energy levels to sharpened levels of awareness. The majority of class participants demonstrated competent performance of all poses, exhibiting quite a healthy and loyal following for UTM’s group fitness classes. The consistent thematic message from the instructor was self-awareness of one’s pace and comfort zone. In fact, according to her, “We’re told to always give it our 110 per cent, although there is no such thing.” We can only contribute 100 per cent of our efforts to any endeavor and “our 100 per cent changes from day to day.” According to her, this capacity is influenced by stress, emotions, and our psychological and physical wellbeing within the specific space and time. She highlights one of the ultimate messages of yoga, proclaiming the importance of being self-aware of one’s limits, strengths, and who we are as a whole.