The Cascade, Volume 31, Issue 6

THE ART OF RUNNING THE WORLD 2

COURTS AND COURSES WITH NIKKI CABUCO 13

THIS PAPER IS ACTUALLY A PLANT POT 20

Championing women a little later than intended since 1993

Editor-in-Chief Brad Duncan brad@ufvcascade.ca

Production Manager Niusha Naderi niusha@ufvcascade.ca

Business Manager Stephan St. Amour stephan@ufvcascade.ca

Jr. News Editor Jayden Talvio Digital Media Manager Wilson Agyapong wilson@ufvcascade.ca

Culture & Events Editor Anisa Quintyne anisa@ufvcascade.ca

Arts in Review Editor Eva Davey eva@ufvcascade.ca

Features & Cover Rashneet

Illustrator Iryna Presley Illustrator Washington Reimer

Illustrator Carolina Talcan

Photographer Aryan Kathuria

Staff Writer Miraan Sahota

Managing Editor Kait Thompson kaitlyn@ufvcascade.ca

Creative Director Lindsey Roberts lindsey@ufvcascade.ca

News Editor Rachel Tait rachel @ufvcascade.ca

Copy Editor Aasha Khoyratty aasha@ufvcascade.ca

Features Editor Brad Duncan brad@ufvcascade.ca

Opinion Editor Emmaline Spencer emmaline @ufvcascade.ca

Sports Editor Teryn Midzain teryn @ufvcascade.ca

Production Assistant Brielle Quon Distributor Gurtaj Dhami The Shuffler Aaron Levy

Columnists Jinnie Saran

Columnists Nelson Frota Colares

CONTRIBUTORS

Emma Hones Matthew Iddon

Josiah Hansen

Sharon Strauss

Caleb Campbell

Andrea Sadowski

Gianna Dinwoodie

WWW.UFVCASCADE.CA

@UFVCASCADE

FACEBOOK.COM/UFVCASCADE INSTAGRAM.COM/UFVCASCADE

Volume 31 · Issue 6 Room S2111 33844 King Road Abbotsford, BC V2S 7M8 604.854.4529

The Cascade is UFV’s autonomous student newspaper. It originated under its current name in 1993, and achieved autonomy from the university and the Student Union Society in 2002. This means that The Cascade is a forum for UFV students to have their journalism published in an entirely student-run setting. It also acts as an alternative press for the Fraser Valley. The Cascade is funded with UFV student funds, and is overseen by the Cascade Journalism Society Board, a body run by a student majority. The Cascade is published every other Wednesday with a print circulation of 800 and is distributed at Abbotsford, Chilliwack (CEP), Clearbrook, and Mission UFV campuses and throughout the surrounding communities.

The Cascade is open to written, photo, and design work from all students; these can come in the form of a pitch to an editor, or an assignment from an editor. Pitch meetings will be digital for the remainder of the semester. Please email managing@ufvcascade.ca to be put on the assignment email list.

In order to be published in the newspaper, all work must first be approved by The Cascade’s editor-in-chief, copy editor, and corresponding section editor. The Cascade reserves the right to edit submissions for clarity and length. The Cascade will not print any articles that contain racist, sexist, homophobic, or libellous content. Letters to the editor, while held to the same standard, are unedited, and should be under 200 words. As The Cascade is an autonomous student publication, opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect that of UFV, The Cascade’s staff and collective, or associated members.

The Cascade is published on the traditional, unceded territory of the Stó:lō peoples. We are grateful to be able to work and learn on this beautiful land.

Who run the world? The Fair-er Sex

A letter to my younger self on International Women’s Day

LINDSEY ROBERTS

This past Wednesday was International Women’s Day, a day where the world is meant to celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. For me it was a day of reflection, and I thought about what it’s like to exist in this world as a woman, and what I have learned through the years.

I wish I could pass this knowledge onto my younger self. If I could speak to her today, I would tell her to be unabashedly proud of who you are. To never hold back, and be strong, but to remember that it’s okay to ask for help. Never let anyone make choices for you or tell you how to be. No one can tell you that you can’t do something. You are the keeper of your spark, and no one else should be allowed to dim it. And if I have learned anything, it’s that girls are fierce. We are powerful, and we have diverse ideas that can change this world.

Though I can’t go back in time and tell my little self these things, the best that I can do is to pass on what I can to the next generation of young women. Every day, women and girls are exposed to harmful messages: how to feel, how to act, how to look, and how to think. As I wind down my time at UFV and at The Cascade,

I am reminding myself that I have the duty in my next chapter to try and make a difference. I ask myself what is my role as a graphic designer in the world, and what if I hold the power to change these harmful messages? In reality, all of us do, regardless of our position or status. The smallest interaction can have the biggest impact. We all have the power to promote positive messages, to call out injustice and inequality, and to stand up against these harmful messages. Though women have made great progress in the world there is still so much more we need to do. These last few years alone we have seen a war on our reproductive rights, the Mahsa Amini protests in Iran, and still too little action on the epidemic of missing and murdered Indigenous women. It’s time to really make a difference out there

and reflect on the choices we make.

It's important to surround yourself with people who are your supporters and who you know will stand up for injustice. I am thankful for all the supportive and uplifting women in my life. I am inspired every day because of them, and can only hope I do the same.

I am also thankful for the opportunity to express my work through this publication and all that I have learned here. The power of free speech is a great privilege, and we shouldn’t take it lightly. These past two years at UFV have been a huge growing experience and I am so grateful for it. Never be afraid to take risks because it all might pay off in the end and open you up to things you never could have dreamed of! So long UFV, and don’t forget — who run the world? Girls.

5.....Manipulating

SPORTS

12..... Cascade's Check

12.....The NHL trade deadline

13.....Cascades basketball’s Nikki Cabuco

13.....Formula One gets rolling

CULTURE

14.....Jay Lang’s new book, Snake Oil

14..... Poetry readings with the Writer in residence

15.....The Cascade Kitchen

15..... Holidays & Observances

16.....Study Break

ARTS

17......Music: Cracker Island

17......Books: Sorry, Bro

18......Television: Daisy Jones & The Six

Photo provided by Lindsey Roberts

Senate recap: Budget 2023/2024

Tuition increases, language requirements, and the problem of persistent inequities

RACHEL TAIT

“Senate is the academic governing body of UFV, with the university president and vice-chancellor, Joanne MacLean, as the chair. They are responsible for making decisions on everything academic, including: approving new courses and programs, approving changes to programs, and setting entrance requirements and the academic calendar. The Board of Governors, which looks at the business side of the university, is advised by Senate on matters of mutual interest.

All at the university are welcome to attend Senate’s public meetings, held once a month. Senate makes decisions that impact the daily lives of both students and faculty. This article will recap the main agenda items of the hybrid Senate meeting on Friday, March 10, 2023.”

Jackie Hogan, chair of the senate budget committee, presented the recommended budget for senate and pinpointed that tuition fees will increase by 2% for domestic students and 4% for international students. There is also an anticipated increase in the number of international and domestic students enrolling at UFV in the upcoming school year according

to the consolidated budget plan draft for 2023-2024. The plan also shows that “international enrolments increased by approximately 25% in 2022-23 and are estimated to be at 93% of target.”

The budget plan also mentioned that out of total revenue, fees paid by students make up 47% and the budget plan shows this is “directly linked to annual enrolment plans. This revenue budget is up by $5.3M over prior year to $79.0M.”

A motion that was carried by

the board was the recommended changes for the “language proficiency requirements” for the Bachelor of Education program. The reason for this change is that they are being “lowered to reflect recent changes made by the BC Teachers’ Council to the Language Proficiency section of the teacher certification standards.”

The changes will include removing EDUC 441, which is for online learning and helps “build teacher candidate skills in relation to classroom

management, behaviour support, and trauma-informed practices” as well.

The one-credit course, EDUC 453 (literacy across the curriculum), will be taken out of the spring semester and that credit will be added to EDUC 420 (designs for learning elementary language arts), making it a four credit course.

Acting chair and president, Dr. James Mandigo gave his report, which called attention to the importance of International Women’s Day and the issue of gender inequities around the world.

Mandigo wrote,“we must never become complacent in our quest and support for universal gender equity for all.” Mandigo mentioned the bill to “ban state funding for gender equity studies and equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) programming for Universities in Florida,” which was introduced by Ron DeSantis, the governor of Florida.

Mandigo concluded that “it is important that we continue to advance our commitments towards Indigenization and EDI so that we can demonstrate to the world that this is what makes our communities thrive.”

UFV Flickr

NEWS BRIEFS

European Commission president thanks Canada at the House of Commons.

In a parliamentary meeting at the House of Commons on Tuesday, Mar. 7, Justin Trudeau called Ursula von der Leyen, European Commission president, an “inspirational leader who has been central to galvanizing support for Ukraine and its people.” Von der Leyen later addressed the parliamentarians of the House of Commons. She said that she perceives Canada as being “true friends” of the European Union amid Canada’s response to Russia’s invasion. Both Canada and the European Union are in support of Ukraine. Von der Leyen hailed Canada’s Operation UNIFIER, (an initiative launched in 2015 and designed to help train Ukrainian soldiers), for having “saved Ukraine in the first days” of the war.

UFV// Accessibility Lab: a new program for all students

Why the program was invented and how students can benefit from it.

JAYDEN TALVIO

Tara Corman and Phil Retief both work at the Academic Success Centre (ASC) at UFV, where Corman is the learning strategist and Retief is a peer tutor. The ASC is currently offering a new program, facilitated by Retief: the Accessibility Lab. Retief says that the purpose of the lab is to help students “explore adaptive technologies that can help them or aid them in their academic journey.”

Corman specified, “we wanted to make adaptive technology more available to all UFV students.”

The Accessibility Lab, less than two months old, currently runs out of room G126 at the Abbotsford campus on Tuesdays from 12-2 p.m., sharing a space with the Abby ASC. Chilliwack’s ASC is located in room A1204, and both Corman and Retief encourage students who attend the Chilliwack campus and are interested in the program, to book a peer tutoring appointment with Retief.

Brad Gushue “probably overdid it” ahead of curling championship

Canada skip Brad Gushue has been experiencing pain in his lower body at the Tim Hortons Brier. He thinks he sustained the injury while at training camp ahead of the Brier. As for where exactly the pain is located, Gushue told Gregory Strong of The Canadian Press , “one day it could be the groin or adductor. The next day it could be the hip flexor and the next day it could be the glute.” He added, “Sometimes it’s user error. When I slide properly, I don’t get any of the sharp pains.” As of Mar. 7, Gushue has won four of five games despite his pain.

- Jayden Talvio

Corman spoke of how the Accessibility Lab came to be: “Through the Academic Success Center… each semester we have an all-staff training day, and in

the fall we had one that included some brainstorming around different values and priorities for the Academic Success Centre. One of the topics was inclusive space and services, and Phil had written out on one of his Post-its, the idea of an accessibility lab. We carried it forward into meetings with the Centre for Accessibility Services and the Academic Success Centre coordinator, and they've been able to implement it into something that I think is quite innovative.”

Retief recounted a recent experience with a student who was struggling to read course materials the way they were presented by the professor. Through the Lab, they were able to identify a software that better supported the student, and made the materials more accessible. Students may face unique challenges in their academic journeys, but Retief knows that overcoming these obstacles can make “a huge difference… It's a great example of how it's been helpful for a student.”

The technologies that are currently available through the Accessibility Lab are Kurzweil 3000, Dragon NaturallySpeaking, and Read&Write. Retief can assist students in using Dictation in Word

for Microsoft Office, and is working with the ASC on getting Speech to Text and Text to Speech set up to “help students with these functions through the Accessibility Lab,” said Corman. She went on to say that some of the technologies that the ASC uses are “expensive if you do end up purchasing a license for yourself, but the ASC has student computers in both the Abbotsford campus and the Chilliwack campus, with Kurzweil and Dragon Speak downloaded onto them.”

The resources available in the ASC provide students the chance to try out some of these programs for free, “which saves them the cost of having to maybe spend money on a new program before they see how well it actually works for them,” said Corman. “We've tried to focus on other programs that are free or easily accessible for students… things that are already embedded in Microsoft Word, or things that are embedded within Mac products for Mac users.”

I would encourage students to come out, check it out, and just learn more about it,” said Retief. “There's a lot of technologies that can help students.

UFV // Professor Profile: Dr. David Dobson

UFV’s business professor talks podcasting, nature, and

MIRAAN SAHOTA

Dr. David Dobson, associate professor at the University of the Fraser Valley's School of Business, has started a new podcast series on YouTube called 'Conversations with Dr. David Dobson.' The series focuses on short conversations with people pursuing or obtaining PhD qualifications and discusses their work. I joined Dr. Dobson on a video call to delve deeper into what inspired him to start this podcast and the exciting aspects surrounding this new initiative. This article has been edited for clarity and flow.

Miraan Sahota: When did you record your first podcast, and what

conversation

was it about?

Dr. David Dobson: I recorded my first podcast with Dr. Nataly Levesque a little over a month ago; I knew her professionally from my previous work with the Administrative Sciences Association of Canada (ASAC). We discussed her work regarding social media and influencer marketing.

Sahota: What was the response to it?

The response was overwhelmingly positive, as I received over five hundred views on that podcast. It further encouraged me to continue the series and helped me realize that conversations like these help the research work of these people to

reach a much wider audience.

Sahota: What inspired you to start this series in the first place?

Dobson: That's a good question. So, during the pandemic, I couldn't invite people to physical classrooms as I did previously since most classes were online. I realized that although I asked many people from the local community, which was great, now, thanks to this new technological shift, I could speak with guests worldwide. I started by inviting people online to share their valuable experiences with my students. I could provide value for my students and the researchers to present their work globally. This initiative helped me improve my technological skills. I went from being very nervous

continued on page 5

- Jayden Talvio

the value of a good

continued from page 4

about recording a simple video to having these interesting conversations with people.

Sahota: What are the selection criteria for the guests? Is there a reason for the conversations being short?

Dobson: Most people want to learn about new things but need more time in the world's fast-paced environment. Keeping these conversations short helped keep the audience engaged and nudged the speaker to be more efficient in their message. I selected people who were primarily researchers, but I am now expanding this series by inviting people from business backgrounds.

Sahota: You have recorded close to 10 podcasts now. What have you learned from this experience, and how has your mindset evolved?

Dobson: I have noticed that calling my podcasts conversations rather than interviews helps reduce the stress levels of the interviewee and helps make better conversations. We exchange a few notes before the start of the podcast to get more familiar with the topic to be discussed and

the conversation itself. Thinking of it more collaboratively helps the process as well. Inviting people from different backgrounds, countries etc., is also essential to keep the conversations interesting for the audience. For example, in my discussion with Dr. Lenora Butler, we discussed how to run and successfully manage a nonprofit organization.

Sahota: I’d like to know more about you as well. Would you like to share some experiences regarding your personal life?

Dobson: I like spending time with my son on nature walks, exploring new trails, etc. I feel blessed to be residing in a beautiful place like British Columbia. In this computer-based, technologically rich environment, the need to unwind by feeling the sun and wind against your skin and experiencing nature is rejuvenating and energizing. It feels like being authentically connected to our environment. I always keep my camera on and make short videos to capture those moments of nature for the world to see.

Sahota: Have you felt that a good work-life balance has benefited your professional life?

Dobson: It has helped me a lot. It has taught me about the importance of learning from everybody and appreciating the hard work which everyone puts in. I have much respect for my students as well as the work they put in. Despite being a teacher, I am also a lifelong student. It is very humbling to realize that there is so much more to learn, and I have immense gratitude for being able to have these conversations and experiences.

Sahota: On an ending note, as a podcaster, what message would you like to share with your audience?

Dobson: Please watch these podcasts while keeping an open mind regarding your experiences. These guests contribute in many ways to us personally, towards the community, and in many more things. Your time and feedback mean a lot to them. Life is precious, so connect with the nature around you. It is perfect for helping

with the stress and anxiety many people face nowadays.

Dr. Dobson also has another channel, Positive Emotions, where he shares more experiences about his personal life with the audience.

Unless you live under a rock, you’ve probably seen something somewhere online about zoomer fashion muse and model Hailey Bieber’s fall from social grace; it has been fascinating to watch it play out in real time. For the well adjusted grass-touchers who are unaware, it all began in 2018 when Hailey married long time on-againoff-again beau Justin Bieber just a few months after he and long time on-again-off-again girlfriend Selena Gomez broke up.

Ever since, there has been an ongoing suspected “feud” between Hailey and Selena. Drama between the two has popped up in media cycles every few months. Recently, the spectacle came to a head when a screenshot of Hailey Bieber and fellow nepo-baby queen bee

Kylie Jenner making fun of Gomez’s eyebrows was shared to Jenner’s instagram story. If you’re thinking this all sounds like ridiculous middleschool pettiness among a bunch of privileged, wealthy adult women, you’re not alone. So why can’t we look away?

Gomez, who recently dethroned Kylie Jenner as the most subscribedto woman on Instagram, seems to be coming out as the clear champion in all of this. Thousands of fans on the internet have pledged their allegiance to Gomez as the victim of this controversy; the innocent lamb being dogged by vicious wolves in gold hoop earrings and bike shorts. Yet, in the last few weeks, Gomez too has been caught stirring up the pot; between commenting on TikToks about the situation, and referencing past beef between Bieber and Gomez’ BFF, Taylor

Swift, one could argue that Gomez has only been pouring gasoline on the fire.

Now Gomez is on a “self imposed” (read: damage control) social media cleanse, people have been recorded cursing out Hailey witch-hunt style at her husband’s show at Rolling Loud, and every headline that scrolls across my dashboard is a bleeding heart for poor, sweet, self-made millionaire Selena. It’s the bigger picture of it all that has me really interested; why are we as a culture so obsessed with infantilizing and villainizing adult women? Why do we love to pretend like we know a fraction of these people’s lives?

It’s hard not to feel like it’s a direct consequence of our tendency to dehumanize celebrities; we love to flatten these people into mirrors for our own opinions and obsessions. In reality, celebrity PR teams love to weaponize our projections. The echo

chamber of short-form social media has formed a centrifuge of simulacrum: separating stars from their humanity and transforming faux-relatable heroes to resented caricatures in a matter of weeks. In this scenario, Bieber has mapped out a dizzying trajectory from 30 under 30 it-girl to IRL Regina George.

Trying to make heads or tails of who is being manipulated and whom is manipulating in these stories may appeal to the inner Benoit Blanc in all of us, but when you get down to it, it really is all just noise and marketing; not to mention the vitriolic misogyny that tends to be drawn out of the public in these winner-takes-it-all campaigns. Instead of asking who the real bad guy is in these famous love triangles, we should be asking ourselves: Who says there has to be one in the first place?

Photo provided by Ashley McDougall

Emmaline Spencer — Opinion Editor

The meticulous marketing of the celebrity “ménage-à-trois”

I’m not saying she deserved it, but I’m saying the algorithm’s always maximized to your demographic KAIT THOMPSON

Lifestyle//

Canada//

Passwords, piracy, and prevention

Conversations around sharing accounts should lead to a deeper conversation about pirated content

MIRAAN SAHOTA

No more password sharing; the first thought for many regarding Netflix’s ongoing crackdown is that this move is wrong. We can see that they’re facing some backlash to the decision, and deservingly so; the uproar from some making it sound like the world is coming to an end. However, explore this perspective before you get your pitchforks and torches. A large population of Canadians are subscribed to at least one streaming service, if not multiple. According to Statista, Canadian residents spend, on average, over 4 hours a day watching television and listening to music, much of which is streamed.

Piracy is a global problem, and Canada is not an exception. The rise of streaming services has indeed changed the landscape of entertainment consumption. However, piracy remains a significant challenge in Canada, and the recent policy changes by Netflix

could exacerbate the problem. Several factors contribute to piracy in Canada, including the high cost of cable subscriptions, the limited availability of content, and the relatively low penalties for piracy. Additionally, Canada has some of the weakest copyright laws among developed nations, which makes it easier for pirates to operate without fear of prosecution.

Canada could address piracy issues in many ways: First, the government

could strengthen copyright laws and increase penalties for piracy, which could deter individuals from engaging in piracy and provide a stronger legal framework for prosecuting those who do.

Second, content providers like Netflix could work to make their content more accessible and affordable to Canadian consumers. More affordable legal content could reduce the demand for pirated content. Adding lower-tiered

and ad-supported subscriptions to attract users is a move Netflix is taking a chance on. The results of this gamble, however, are yet to be seen.

Third, individuals need to realize the impact of piracy on the entertainment industry and the broader economy. Educating the public may change attitudes toward piracy and reduce its prevalence, so campaigns that raise awareness of the harm caused by pirated content could make consumers think twice. The Digital-Piracy Dilemma argues that many consumers and experts alike may see piracy in the wrong light, and a change in perspective could be very effective in addressing that issue.

Piracy remains a significant challenge in Canada, and no simple solution exists. However, addressing the root causes of piracy and implementing a combination of measures, reducing its prevalence, and encouraging individuals to consume content through legal channels may be possible.

Illustration by Washington Reimer

SNAP SHOTS

A lonely old man’s lament

Dear Charles,

Yours are the only letters I seem to be receiving of late. Since calls for our advice dried up and you left for that accounting job to make ends meet, I find myself quite forlorn. I took up knitting, which I quickly abandoned upon realizing I’d knit three sleeves into one sweater — all on the same side. Hobbies have always been your strong suit, not mine. I’ve been spending a little more time on my phone, browsing the app store. Did you know you can order food to your home from convenience stores now? It’s as atrocious as what you get inperson, only you pay a little extra, have

to tip, and it’s a little more depressing. I’ve ordered the taquitos three times this week.

I’ve also been stemming the tide of loneliness with something called “Bumble,” which intrigued me, as you’ve referred to me as a “bumbling old man” for years. People sure love their acronyms these days. I don’t know what “dtf” stands for yet, but once I’ve cracked their code I’m sure conversing will become far more productive.

It’s clear these people need our advice more than ever. For now, I’ll sit in my chair and stare into the fireplace as I wait.

There’s one perk to working on campus that I don’t tell new folks about. It isn’t in our training materials, and it rarely comes up in conversation — but when I really need it, it’s always there. It might be one of my favourite things about working here. Let me set the scene. It’s nine o’clock. I’ve just said my goodbyes on my weekly radio show, played the final song, and put the system on autopilot for the night. I take off my headphones, look around… and there’s no one there. The Student Union Building is quiet and deserted. Only the soft sounds of music playing on the air accompany me.

For some, this might be unsettling — maybe even creepy — but for me, after so many hours spent burning mental energy being social and putting on a quality broadcast for my listeners, it’s almost therapeutic to be completely isolated for a while — to have no obligations to anyone, or anything. No need to read social cues. No need to respect quiet hours. Just… me, in whatever way my mind and emotions might shape that word.

And then I go home, to face the world again in the morning.

Recently, I joined in on a get-together day trip to the beautiful area that is the Squamish Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw for a walk and dinner with a group of experienced climbers.

I learned that a “walk” to climbers doesn’t mean a jaunt up a populated gravel path to a lookout; it means meeting on the side of the highway, traveling alongside it, then going down a wet slope with no real path. Not to mention having to find your way over slick rock, compacted dirt, loose logs, brambles, and the occasional trudge through the snow. It was a nice and

Punch buggy; no punch backs!

relaxing “bush walk” according to the climbers, who traversed the land with ease.

I never felt out of place or left behind.

I was slow, and I struggled, but it never bothered the group. They guided and suggested how to approach the “path” as they talked about the history of these routes, little known to anyone outside of the hiking community.

At the end of the journey, there was a cliff overlooking the sea. It was mesmerizing as we sat on smooth rocks, snacking on candied salmon.

It was a perfect Sunday.

Alfred Teryn Midzain

Have you met Humphry? My darling, Humphry, is a 2000 Volkswagen Beetle that seems to be in a perpetual state of falling apart. He’s full of quirks, and I just can’t give him up for a car that will cost me less money to keep on the road.

From the yellow duct tape on his front bumper to his custom Kirby license plate frame, I love him from headlights to tailpipe. My flower display is changed seasonally and is designed by my baby sister. The first addition to my car, before anything else, was Bertram,

a large rubber duck shaped stuffy that I won at a carnival game. It protects my car and is my companion when I go on long drives.

Humphry is full of stories and memories. Just seeing him can cheer me up. When I’m really down, I drive around just to see people point at my car and then punch the person next to them. Humphry is a bright yellow spot on my dreariest of days.

Emmaline Spencer

Emma Hones

Illustrations by Iryna Presley

MEET THE CANDIDATES

It’s election season for UFV’s Student Union Society

By Rachel Tait

UFV’s student governing body, the Student Union Society (SUS), is holding their annual election for 2023, with voting taking place between March 13-16. All the candidates were invited to interview with The Cascade to share their platforms and what they hope to achieve in their

positions if elected. We encourage everyone to check out all the candidates at the SUS Elections website for more information and official statements. The responses below have been lightly edited for clarity and flow.

Ashley McDougall (running unopposed): Bachelor of arts student studying economics and political science

Why do you want to be in this position?

I decided to run for President after gaining a lot of experience and leadership over my past two terms as Vice President External. I had a lot of success with my advocacy for a fall reading break at UFV, which is now being implemented for next fall, and so seeing the success of this — the success of our engagement on campus with our events such as Kickback — really inspired me to move forward in my student leadership by running for President. I also did get to see a lot of our current President, Nikiel, in his work, which really let me see the inside scoop of what the President does day-to-day. I do feel pretty prepared going into the role as well, given all this experience and my knowledge of the job.

Can you briefly talk about your platform?

A lot of my platform focuses on student engagement and building up our sense of community on campus. One of the main ways I want to do that is, after seeing the success of our Kickback event during the past two years, I want to host another Kickback in the winter semester to take place on the Chilliwack campus. Something I’ve noticed is that the Chilliwack campus is often forgotten about, and I think it would be really great to do a big event out in Chilliwack. I’m really looking forward to moving forward with that in the next term, as well [as] doing other events, or student rush night with the Abbotsford Canucks. I hope to continue with those events and focus on student engagement that way.

We have already been doing a lot of work at SUS on moving away from UFV being such a commuter campus. We want students to feel welcome to stay after class [and] hang out. We want there to be activities going on on campus. So I hope to promote less of a commuter culture and more of a community culture at UFV. I’m also hoping to work with our team on making transit to campus accessible through both the campus shuttle and also through working with local transit.

We also have something that I think a lot of people don’t really know about SUS. One of our programs is our Student Perks program, which [provides] discounts for students in the local communities. I’m looking forward to building up awareness about this program and building up our partnerships, so that more students are aware of the discounts they can get and so our partners feel like it’s a reciprocal relationship as well.

I hope to also still be involved in advocacy through our federal advocacy partner, the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA). Also, I’m hoping to — in the name of transparency with the SUS executives — hold office hours for students to drop by, if they just want to say ‘hi,’ or if they have a concern to bring forward. To provide an open space for students if they feel like they want to come forward with any concerns or even just meet us to build up that sense of connection between the SUS executives and students

SUS President

Ashley McDougall

Vice President Internal

Alana Awram (running unopposed): Third-year student majoring in political science with a minor in economics.

Why do you want to be in this role?

I would love the opportunity to serve as VPI because I’m really passionate about campus culture and making sure that the Student Union Society has a strong presence here at UFV.

Can you briefly talk about your platform?

As VPI I hope to work closely with the rest of the SUS executives to accomplish a wide variety of goals to provide for and represent students. Two specific goals I hope to get to work on are expanding SUS presence to UFV’s other campuses, and help clubs and associations get more exposure and engagement on campus.

Vice President External

Jayden Hovey (running unopposed): Fourth-year political science major

Why do you want to be in this role?

I have a big passion for policy and for governance. I think that Vice President External would be a great position for me just because I get to have that sort of connection with political entities, and other student organizations. I can help UFV and the student union to progress further with those organizations.

Can you briefly talk about your platform?

I’m a big fan of transparency and engagement. I definitely want to get more students involved and I want them to know what we’re doing at SUS. I know that my first few years on campus, I didn’t even know the student union existed... and I feel like that’s a problem where we’re not really getting that engagement. So I want students to know what [SUS is] doing. I want to put more things out there. I have an idea to lay out where student fees are going to — for every dollar that they’re paying… I definitely want the students to be aware of what’s going on. I definitely want to get involved more with organizations like CASA. That’s the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations and [I] definitely want to get UFV involved with what’s going on there and the decision making process.

I just want to help students get more government resources — get more student aid. There’s something called OER’s, which is open educational resources…it’s essentially free student resources and educational aids, like textbooks and things like that. I think that would be very valuable, especially for the students who struggle financially or have to worry about paying for very expensive textbooks. I think that would be very valuable to have.

Jayden Hovey

Alana Awram

Vice President Students

Moninder Grewal: Global development studies student

Why do you want to be in this position?

I want to bring more of a community feeling or vibe to UFV… I believe people come to UFV, study and go home but people don’t want to study 24/7. They want to chill, they want to relax, they want to have the feeling of togetherness. Also, raising awareness of [struggles that] international students face on a daily basis [at] university and outside university. And raising awareness about accessibility at UFV. Something that’s very impressive to me is accessibility, as I’m a student who has a learning disability.

Can you briefly talk about your platform?

What I hope to achieve is hopefully more people are aware of what resources are available for accessibility, but also having more events. That students feel like they’re together, like Kickback, but also when there’s no Kickback going on… having events once a week or something to keep the students engaged with community activities too.

Why do you want to be in this position?

Currently, I work at UFV International. I’m a global student associate and my position there is working with engagement, so I already have been working for over a year very closely with the whole SUS team. I really got to know a lot about the position and all the things that they do, and I took great interest in that because I really saw it as an opportunity to do all the engagement work that I have already been doing on a larger scale so I can reach more students. I feel like engagement is way more important than people think. I’ve had students come up to me, especially international students, saying things like, “I don’t know why I felt so lonely before,” and “this really gives me a sense of home,” or “it’s so nice seeing a lively campus.” So what I really wanna do is bring forth a more active student experience — for people to be proud of being UFV students.

Can you briefly talk about your platform?

So my main ideas surround having a lot of different types of events on campus. I want to have a second Kickback in the winter semester because I feel that’s the event that the students like the most. It’s the most requested. So I want to see it two times a year. And having more events in Chilliwack.

I [noticed] Chilliwack campus gets very neglected and it’s very hard for the communities and associations that we have to get out there. So one of my ideas is building this stronger bridge between both campuses and seeing more engagement there. So my idea of having a second Kickback would be having the second Kickback in Chilliwack.

I also want to have a physical space for clubs and associations. I feel like

Gabriella Wertheimer: Second-year political science student

Moninder Grewal

Gabriella Wertheimer

people that actually see their interest being represented on campus really makes them want to be involved, so having a physical space and not only on Instagram or something can really change the impact that it has. Also, having a crafts week together with the mental health week before exams, because I feel like when you do craft work, you really get your mind working and it really de-stresses you. I feel like [combining] that with this amazing program we already have would be a great idea. One more thing that I really want to do is have more cultural events — having the [greatest number] of cultures represented and [each] having their own little piece of home-away-from-home here at UFV, because I am an international student — I’m from Brazil — and I can say that I really found myself. I live on campus, so I live in university, I study in university, I work in university, and I feel like I got to know a lot of amazing international students [who] say sometimes that they have not been very well represented. Overall I feel like engagement has really improved since I’ve started as a student.

Student Representative at Large

Rashpinder

Why do you want to be in this position?

I have a family background [where] my parents, my grandparents are in political positions right now and I also want to go into politics. This is the right opportunity that I found for myself.

Can you briefly talk about your platform?

As the student representative at large, as it suggested, I’ll be representing students from different groups. Right now for international students, [the minimum is] twelve credits they must pay for. And it’s quite hard for them to pay such a big amount and do work as well, so [there] should be [a] minimum [of] 9 credits that are [the] legal requirement. And it’s also in most of the universities and colleges. It’s 9 credits minimum required. So I believe it should be in UFV as well. I just want to be the best inspiration for all of the other students, and serve the position at my best.

Singh Laicha: Third-year Business Administration student

Jashandeep Dhindsa: Associate of arts degree student with and interest in politics and government

Naman Tachilote: Fourth-year business administration student

Rashpinder Singh Laicha

Harsharndeep Singh Boparai: Associate of Arts degree student with an interest in politics and government

Varsity//

Welcome to the Cascades Check — an update on the University of the Fraser Valley Cascades Athletics

It’s award season for court sports, and multiple UFV Cascades squads have received recognition for their exploits throughout the 2022-23 Canada West season.

Starting off on the volleyball court, Gabrielle Attieh became the first Cascades volleyball player to win a major Canada West award, as she was named the Canada West Women’s Volleyball Player of the Year.

Multiple volleyball athletes were also named to conference All-Star teams, as Attieh earned Canada West First Team All-Star honours, while women’s volleyball teammate Natalie Lemoine-Sells was named to the Canada West All-Rookie Team for her stellar freshman season on the right side. On the men’s side, Nimo Benne earned a Canada West Second Team All-Star nod.

Moving on to the basketball court, Maddy Gobeil was named a Canada West First Team All-Star, moving up from a conference second team nod the previous season.

Meanwhile, the Cascades men’s and women’s golf teams are in full swing for their spring seasons. Both squads competed at the RMC Intercollegiate at the Reflection Bay Golf Club in Henderson, Nev. this past weekend with the women’s team capturing a fifth-place finish and the men’s team ending the event in seventh.

Individually, two Cascades picked up top10 finishes in the tournament. Emery Bardock shot a final score of +18 in the three-round event to secure seventh place on the women’s side, and Jacob Armstrong’s final tally of +7 landed him in ninth place on the men’s leaderboard.

Up next, the Cascades men’s and women’s golf teams continue their spring schedule by taking part in the Warrior Invitational hosted by Winona State University in Henderson, Nev.

Make sure to visit gocascades.ca to keep up with all the news, stats, and scores from the UFV Cascades.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok at @ufvcascades to stay connected with all our UFV teams.

Get involved and stay active on campus with UFV Campus Recreation — visit ufv.ca/ campusrec, or follow @ufvrec on social media, for more information and activity schedules.

Hockey//

The fascinating and feverish 2023 NHL trade deadline

Breaking down the biggest moves, and predicting their ramifications

JOSIAH HANSEN

One of the most active NHL trade deadlines in recent memory has come and gone, with most teams having made a transaction or two that established them as either a buyer or seller. With less than twenty games remaining on each team’s regular season schedule, general managers had tough decisions to make which resulted in some marquee names swapping jerseys.

The Boston Bruins, the most dominant team in the league, only losing 2 games since February, and recently reaching a historic milestone as the fastest team in NHL history to reach 100 points, traded to bolster their position as the juggernaut of the east, and to win a Stanley Cup. Bruins general manager Don Sweeney spent a massive amount of future draft capital this year, most in a 3-team deal in late February to obtain defenceman Dmitry Orlov and Garnet Hathaway from the Washington Capitals. Orlov is a legitimate top-pairing defenceman which is rarely traded for this relatively low price of a first, second, and third round pick. The Bruins followed this move up at the trade deadline by acquiring 28-year-old forward Tyler Bertuzzi from the Detroit Red Wings for another firstround pick. Bertuzzi will provide them with scoring depth as well as more physicality which is much needed in the playoffs.

The race for supremacy is murkier in the Western Conference, with the top five teams being separated by 5 points (at the time of writing). The Edmonton Oilers made the biggest splash to try and disrupt the gridlock, trading defenceman Tyson Barrie, multiple picks, and their most recent first-round draft selection Reid Schaefer to the Nashville Predators for their veteran defenceman Mattias Ekholm. This move is risky, mortgaging a significant chunk of the Oilers future for an upgrade that isn’t monumental long term. Especially when contrasted with the Bruins' trade for Orlov — arguably the Bruins paid less than the Oilers for a better defenceman than the Oilers got. It

remains to be seen if the deal will propel Connor McDavid and company to the top spot in the Pacific division.

On the opposite side of the standings from the Bruins and Oilers, the Vancouver Canucks made a move that left fans and analysts bewildered. The Canucks are a team not in contention for a championship any time soon. However, rather than trading older pieces for younger ones and draft picks — and freeing up salary cap space — they went the opposite direction. The Canucks made a deal with the Detroit Red Wings to bring in 25-year-old defender Filip Hronek in exchange for a second-round pick and a protected first-round pick they acquired when they traded Bo Horvat. From a value perspective, this trade is arguably quite good for the Canucks by adding a top 4 defenceman who’s early in their prime. However, it doesn’t make a ton of sense when you contextualize the Canucks’ salary cap situation. Hronek’s contract expires at the end of this season, and he’s due for a solid pay raise. The Canucks’ already have a tight salary cap, with the behemoth contracts of J.T. Miller and Oliver-Ekman Larsson. Trying to fit in a player that won’t put them over the cusp of mediocrity long term is fruitless. Of course, the Canucks could prove everyone wrong next year if Hronek rejuvenates the defencive core; a healthy Thatcher Demko returns to form; and their offensively gifted group of forwards continues to score at their current pace. It feels risky to bet all of that at the price of draft picks that could have been used to add to their bare cupboards of prospects.

These were just the tip of the iceberg for trades that will move the needle as we approach the playoffs. More casual fans of the league might be surprised to tune into the playoffs and see John Klingberg on the Minnesota Wild, Timo Meier on the New Jersey Devils, and longtime veterans Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko uniting to compete for a title with the New York Rangers.

Thus was the chaos of the 2023 NHL trade deadline.

Basketball// Nikki Cabuco reflects on her role inside and outside of the hash marks

Nikki Cabuco is the third-year starting guard for the UFV women’s basketball team. This interview has been lightly edited for clarity and flow

Nikki Cabuco scored 197 points this season, averaging 8.9 per game, and totaling 37 assists, improving her shooting accuracy both beyond and inside the 3-point line. But scoring and stat accumulation is secondary for the Child and Youth Studies student. Her primary objective is simply to celebrate the successes of her teammates while learning to recognize her own contributions internally.

If points and stats aren’t your top concern, what would you say your role is on the team?

I think I’m that positive upbeat person. My goal is to have the team be

Formula One//

in the right headspace and be together. So when we're in team huddles, I'm the positive booster rather than the analytical one. That's just not my role on the team. As a leader, I’d rather have those mini side conversations with all my teammates asking are you good? That fits my personality more. I'd rather know that all my teammates are in the right headspace, or that everyone's on the same page to win the game, rather than have my individual award. Really good defence — there's no stat for that.

What are the steps you want to take on for your next season with the team?

For the next couple of years, I want to have that confidence and hunger to want to score. I think I struggle with this because obviously to be a good shooter, you wanna take shots more in practice, find time to shoot on your off-days, or play one-on-one with my teammates like Maddie [Gobeil].

Three spectacles in Jeddah

TERYN MIDZAIN

The Formula One (F1) season blasted off with a dramatic and exciting Bahrain Grand Prix. To no F1 analyst’s surprise, Max Verstappen won the season premiere, with second driver Sergio ‘Checo’ Perez taking second place, giving Red Bull Racing a strong 1-2 finish.

The Red Bull Reign

There isn’t much more that needs to be said about Red Bull and Max Verstappen’s start to this year. They are dominant. Verstappen is at the height of his powers, and doesn’t have any ideas about slowing down. He made no mistakes in Bahrain, creating a comfortable gap early in the race. Even with an easy win, Verstappen’s radio chatter was all business with his engineer.

“It's only a sample of one (race), all the circuits are different but it's a great start for us to come out the blocks unlike last year when we were sitting here with zero points,” said Christian Horner, team principal of Red Bull about his team’s performance. “We came here determined to try and address that this year and we’ve done it in the best possible way.”

An intriguing aspect of Red Bull’s

current reign will be their second driver Sergio “Checo” Perez; a defensive driver who has shown he can defend his position well, and more importantly, Verstappen’s. Perez is the next car directly in Darth Alonso’s sights for podiums and race wins in the well-made, and heavily Red Bullinspired AMR23.

Fernando Alonso on the podium

Aston Martin and Fernando Alonso have been the talk of the Paddock since pre-season testing. They looked quick, and have remained quick into the premiere race. Alonso’s racing mind and technique showed with his clever and daring overtakes in Turn 4 and Turn 9, two of the more technical corners of the Sakar circuit. “This is just the beginning,” Alonso said after Round 1 in Bahrain. “This is not the final car; this is just the starting car of this concept that we changed over the winter.”

Aston teammate Lance Stroll’s P6 finish while still recovering from hand and arm surgeries, and foot fractures (yes all at once) is an amazing feat of athletics, and shows that all those years of finishing in the bottom positions could have been because he didn’t have a competitive car. But now Aston Martin does have a competitive car, battling to be the new member of the

Maddie is so analytical; she's amazing with that type of stuff. We'd watch [game] film by ourselves, and I would get her to send me clips of what I probably could have done [better] from a player's perspective.

I think it's finding that switch… wanting to be better for the team, but also better for myself. I want to find that mentality where I am thinking about myself, and not dismissing myself.

How do you balance school and basketball with the tough studentathlete schedule?

I feel I’d regret not playing all five years. It's a cool opportunity to play. I love my schooling. I love what I'm learning. When I have homework, it's not a burden to do homework. I love my degree. It's kind of nice that I’ve actually found a great group of girls who are my program friends who aren’t always associated with basketball.

Is there a synergy between the academic focus of Child and Youth Studies and your role with the team?

I can tell when people are getting beaten down a little bit inside. Being able to be that positive reinforcement for them. Especially since I am one of the veterans on the team.

“big three,” currently usurping both Mercedes and Ferrari, and launching into second place in the constructor’s championship.

A P3 or P4 finish in Qualifying on Saturday will place Aston Martin and Fernando Alonso in a great position to use the AMR23’s speed and Alonso’s technique to attack the Red Bulls.

Mercedes admits their concept is wrong

Whatever hopes Mercedes fans had for the Silver Arrows this year have been dashed early. The W14 is a step forward, but Mercedes is still two or three steps behind the competition. The W14 is still lacking consistent downforce to reach its projected racepace. Lewis Hamilton finished P5 some 50 seconds behind Verstappen, and George Russell arrived in P7 — not at all the race-winning performance that was speculated coming into 2023.

“Everything is bad," said team principal, Toto Wolff. “The single-lap pace is still good but in the race, we saw the consequences and to put it bluntly we are lacking downforce and sliding the tires and going backwards,” Later, he admitted that Mercedes’ philosophy and concept are wrong.

Engineering director, Andrew Shovlin said the team is looking at “radical changes” for the W14’s design,

assuring that potential upgrades are coming in the next few races as the gap from Red Bull to Mercedes will only grow larger between now and Imola — the traditional time when teams implement their first major upgrade packages in May. Otherwise, it may be too late for Mercedes to remain in the Big 3 this season.

Back to the races

Since its debut in 2021, Jeddah’s street circuit has been an exciting race with all sorts of drama along a stunning venue. Fast and technical, with highspeed straights and curvy bends lined by narrow and unyielding walls — it’s a track designed to challenge even the most experienced racer.

If there isn’t a battle in the top positions, the mid-field has the chance to provide the grittiest action. The teams will be close, and not just in Qualifying times — the tight walls of the track will pen drivers in. They’ll need to be precise and daring when overtaking — committed to their maneuvers. Backing out won’t be a safe option, and a mistake can be deadly. To watch the Grand Prix live, check out TSN or F1TV on March 19. For a post-race discussion, check out The F World, Mondays at 1 p.m. on CIVL Radio 101.7 FM, civl.ca, and on-demand on Spotify.

Bahrain kicked off the Formula One season at this weekend’s F1 circus.

TERYN MIDZAIN

Tanner Geringer/UFV Athletics

Anisa Quintyne — Culture Editor

UFV student Jay Lang’s journey in publishing

and more and more he takes away from her studies, and then it turns out that he's into drug dealing.”

Jay Lang, a UFV student currently pursuing her degree in the English Honours program, is a traditionally published author with 11 books under her belt since the start of the pandemic; winning BWL Best Seller for 2021 and 2022, Lang has been quite busy. Her novel, “Snake Oil,” is her newest release yet.

“Snake Oil” takes place at the University, and centers on a young woman who is committed to her studies. The main character is “young and naive [and] her parents have retired to Scotland, so she's here by herself and she's a hermit,” said Lang. “She meets this guy, who’s really good looking ... he beguiles her; he brings her into a web. [He] sweeps her away,

From the beginning, Lang always held confidence in herself and others; she remembered telling her group in a writing workshop she was in, “we're gonna get published. All of us are gonna get published within a year.” When they told her it was impossible, Lang replied, “No way. It’s gonna rock. It's gonna be great. Everyone’s gonna get published, we’re all gonna be there.”

Lang maintained this positive attitude, despite it taking longer than anticipated. “I started this journey thinking ... they're gonna love my submissions, and this is gonna be great. ... It took almost a year." As many aspiring authors understand, rejection

was an imminent factor, and it became part of Lang’s learning process as she exercised her voice in the creative field. The rejection letters were followed by a work that, once submitted, felt like an unyielding force of fiction that could surpass any opposing opinion.

“The biggest thing that I want people to get from this is please be resilient, and don't take [rejection] personally, because it honestly has nothing to do with you,” said Lang. “You just keep on going. Keep on submitting ... if you just sit there, you're going to be like everybody else — in that great big cattle call.”

If you’re interested in seeing Lang and her work up close and physical, her next book signing is at Clearbrook Library in Abbotsford on April 1st, from 12 to 2:00 p.m.

UFV writer in residence hosts Valentine’s Day poetry reading

HARJINDER “JINNIE”

On Feb. 14, UFV writer in residence, Rob Taylor, hosted a Valentine-inspired reading at the Abbotsford Campus; the audience was provided with a range of poems from Taylor and special guests who exposed them to the spectrum that love can contain: from romantic, platonic, to loving one’s own self.

Taylor’s readings focused on his love for his mother and wife, but also focused on parental love that exists between a parent and child. Taylor’s book, The News, includes poems written to his unborn child throughout the stages of its development and his wife’s pregnancy. These poems were powerful, as Taylor brought forth the feeling of unconditional love by putting into words, the experience of loving someone who he had not yet met.

Taylor’s poems don't just focus on the feel-good moments of parenting. In one

such poem, frustration from children overflowing a bathtub transformed to laughter and love that flowed into the room. To that end, his poetry read also explored love in the painful moments of life, as he shared one poem centered around his mother and her dementia — the love for someone even when you slowly become strangers. Taylor’s poetry was well-enjoyed by all, and the audience was provided a preview of his upcoming book.

Taylor wasn’t the only one who captured the audience. Poets like Bradley Peters — a former student of Taylor — also had the audience’s undivided attention. Peters’ poetry focused on love and humanity in the tough moments of life. Peters’ poetry revolved around prison and its difficulties, while bringing in the fresh perspective often missed on reflection, compassion, and humanity in the situation that is often forgotten. The audience was given emotions put to

words regarding a situation that holds a high-level of social stigma in society. Peters also brought research into his work, and included this aspect when talking to the audience before and after his readings, which further amplified his credibility and poetry.

This Valentine's Day reading was not the typical love and romance reading that comes to one’s mind when thinking about poetry and love in the classic sense, but there was something bigger to be said. The audience was exposed to the continuum of love, from romance to the self, but also the love that can be found in the mundane and the pitfalls of life. Love is all around us and isn’t always beautiful or stitched with butterflies, but can often be intertwined with pain, humour, and the everyday rush of life.

This event is not the only one that will be happening this semester, so for those who missed it or want more of these beautiful readings, there will be

another at the end of the term. Students are also encouraged to reach out to the writer in residence to gain feedback on their own writing, or to simply ask questions about the craft or career goals such as grad school.

BWL best seller talks her latest book “Snake Oil,” and her advice for aspiring authors

Rob Taylor and guests have a literary heart-to-heart on Abbotsford campus

SARAN

Illustration by Washington Reimer

Photo provided by Jay Lang

Holidays

Cascade Kitchen: Ube Butter Mochi

wIn honor of International Women’s Day, we’ll discuss the female crime of simply existing!

she argued, “whereas I feel like sometimes with girls, it’s written off.”

EMMALINE SPENCER

The Cascade Kitchen is a student-run food column that brings you budgetfriendly recipes and cooking tips. If you want to see your own recipe featured next, get started by reaching out to culture@ufvcascade.ca.

Ube is this purple potato with a warm vanilla sort of flavour. Butter mochi is a lot like a mix between a brownie and mochi; it’s soft and chewy, and it’s glutenfree! I started making this for some of my friends as a special treat during the summer. It was a way of sharing my culture and my love for them.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Bake Time: 60 minutes

Ingredients:

1 pound glutinous rice flour

1-2 cups white castor sugar

1 tbsp baking powder

5 eggs

1 can of coconut cream or milk

½ cup melted unsalted butter

1 cup ube jam

1-2 tbsp ube extract

Pinch of salt

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and grease a 9x9 baking dish.

2. Crack all of the eggs into a large mixing bowl. Beat the eggs.

3. Add in the butter, coconut cream, and desired amount of ube extract. Mix until well combined.

4. Add in the sugar and mix well. Batter should have a deep purple colour.

5. Add in the glutinous rice flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix until there are no lumps.

6. Pour half the batter into your 9x9 baking dish. Add spoonful drops of ube jam throughout the batter before pouring the rest in. Use a skewer stick or knife to gently swirl the jam in a little bit.

7. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately an hour. It will puff up a bit and have cracks on top.

8. Cool for 20 minutes before slicing and serving (It goes great with a scoop of ice cream!).

Women have been putting up with our crap since the dawn of time, but we only started celebrating them in 1975. Let that sink in; there are grown men older than our appreciation of women.

It took hundreds of years of abusing women to realize they deserve better than what we have given them. Sometime in the 19th century, a group of women died fighting for their rights in a textile company. Some fifty years later, the date of their riot, March 8, was first celebrated as Women’s Day in the United States.

In other words, women had to literally die so that half a century later we could say: “hey, they’re kind of pretty cool, actually.” Soon, countries started adopting the idea of a National Women’s Day. It wasn’t until 1975 when the United Nations (of mostly men) sat together in a room and officially named March 8 as International Women’s Day, a day to celebrate women; and what exactly are we celebrating?

The definition of a woman is quite the controversial topic in this era of social justice and alpha male podcasts. Furthermore, the very much bearded man writing this column has no business attempting such a delicate endeavor, for I know that no witty remark of mine could do it justice.

Regardless, for fourth-year UFV student Hannah Chernoff, this is a day worth remembering. “It’s important [...] because it is something I think can get lost in all of the issues and injustices in the world — and there’s so much,” she told me. “It’s a day when you’re provoked to think.”

Growing up in a family of strong female figures, Hannah often engages in discussions and reflections on gender, in side and outside of class. As we discussed the good and the bad of womanhood, she revealed to me the fair share of sexism she and her family have dealt with.

In her experience, the double-stan dards are easy to spot. When asked about the worst, she promptly replied: “being written off, not taken as seriously.” She then recalled her high school de bates, and how her passion would be mistaken for hysteria. “[Guys] can be emotional and reason able at the same time,”

This, however, is not restricted to social circles; the healthcare system, too, tends to write off women’s pain as an inconvenience rather than something to be treated. In one instance, when facing the excruciating symptoms of endometriosis, a doctor allegedly told Hannah’s mom: “sucks to be you — you’ll be in pain for the rest of your life.”

That said, women might have suffered under sexism, but they have also found strength through solidarity. “I feel a kind of kindredness and a lot of safety even with a woman who is a stranger,” Hannah revealed. To her, most women connect to one another through their shared experiences, building a sort of sisterhood with “unwritten rules of support,” as she called it.

Despite the growing discussions on gender and feminism, Hannah agreed we still have a long way to go, especially as individuals. In her perspective, we have accepted misogyny as a part of society too easily, and we have gotten too comfortable with it — we must question these things. In her words: “thinking about why is the most important thing.” Undoubtedly, when we named an International Women’s Day to celebrate women, that’s all we did — celebrate. Fifty years later, women still face the atrocities of sexism in all aspects of their lives.

Femicide is still a regular occurrence, fair pay is still a controversial topic, and women’s bodies are still treated as federal property. Meanwhile, involuntary celibates go on record to talk smack about women and call it being a “highvalue man” — all while reeking of their five-in-one body wash.

The truth is that we might not be able to define the concept of a woman, but we sure know how to take advantage of one. Either way, we shouldn’t need a dictionary entry to treat women as the human beings they are.

Thousands of years of history, and we had to come up with a date to do the bare minimum and treat women right for a day. Perhaps, on the next March 8, instead of chocolates and flowers, we could also give a crap. It’s a great gift: easy, cheap, and actually worth something.

& Observances: Be nice to a woman today and today only – International Women’s Day!

NELSON FROTA COLARES

Photo by Emmaline Spencer

Illustrated by: Carolina Talcan

STUDYSPORTS BREAK

Crossword: Classical Literature //

Made by Brielle Quon

ANSWERS:

Horoscopes //

Your weekly life predictions made by K. Thompson

Aries — Mar 21 to Apr 19

Communication is hard, Aries. This week it will be harder than normal; be intentional with your words, and try to slow it down.

Taurus — Apr 20 to May 20

Taurus, you’re all about self care. Lately you’ve been feeling let down by the people in your life; remember your roots, and put yourself first.

Gemini — May 21 to Jun 20

You’re feeling fired up and career-focused this week, Gemini — and impulsive. Don’t bite off more than you can chew.

Cancer —Jun 21 to Jul 22

You’ve been feeling unmoored and unstable, and it’s making you edgy. Don’t make any big decisions this week; stick with what’s familiar and comforting.

3. A semi-autobiographical novel about four sisters who navigate through the ups and downs of growing up

7. This novel follows a young girl as she comes to understand racial prejudice in her Alabama community as her father fights against it

8. An Ancient Greek epic comprised of 24 poems

Sudoku //

DOWN

1. This English novel is about a young man who desires to rise to a higher social class but learns that good character and a moral spirit are more important than social status

2. Published in 1813, this novel is about a man and a woman who are judgmental of each other, but they learn to overcome their biases and eventually fall in love

4. This novel follows the story of a homeless boy who befriends an escaped Black slave

5. A gothic-style novel about a scientist who creates a creature made of corpses

6. A literary work that focuses on Napoleon and the invasion of Russia in 1812

Leo — Jul 23 to Aug 22

You’re self-indulgent on a good day, Leo, but this week especially so. Try and keep your head down and stay out of the drama that’s swirling around you.

Virgo —Aug 23 to Sep 22

That goal you’ve been pursuing with classic Virgo intensity may require more compromise or time than you anticipated; patience is a virtue.

Libra — Sep 23 to Oct 22

It’s time to put your foot down and draw stronger boundaries, Libra; put your diplomatic disposition to good use.

Scorpio — Oct 23 to Nov 21

You’re feeling foggy and scatterbrained these past few weeks. Consider a change of scenery — or sprucing up your current environment — to combat the malaise.

Sagittarius — Nov 22 to Dec 21

This week you’re feeling a bit manic, and a bit sensitive to the moods of the people around you. Go for a walk or three and maybe you’ll feel better.

Capricorn — Dec 22 to Jan 19

You’re so overwhelmed lately that the smallest decisions are feeling heavy. Resist the urge to numb yourself with overworking. Take things one step at a time, and try to find a creative outlet!

Aquarius — Jan 20 to Feb 18

Aquarius, this week is all about selfconfidence. Your tendency to seek constant external validation isn’t doing you any favors, and it’s causing tension in your relationships; believe in yourself, and take back your power.

Pisces — Feb 19 to Mar 20

You’re feeling misunderstood and vulnerable this week, Pisces. Be guarded with who you open up to, and try to steer clear of emotionally draining situations.

Eva Davey — Arts Editor

Music

//

The Gorillaz Mellow Out On Cracker Island

The virtual band’s eighth studio album takes a trip to paradise.

The album’s marketing campaign is full of cult inspired imagery, and by the end of the first song you feel like you’ve had one cup of spiked Kool-Aid too many.

For those unacquainted with the band Gorillaz, here’s a crash course. What began in 1998 as a “virtual band” created by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett has since evolved into a sprawling multimedia art project that has lasted for over two decades. The band’s lineup consists of four fictional members: Murdoc, 2-D, Russell, and Noodle; all of whom have backstories that are expanded upon in music videos, comic strips, and the like. Together they’ve dabbled in a wide variety of genres, and collaborated with a dizzying array of pop icons, from Elton John to Snoop Dogg to Lou Reed. Their latest album, Cracker Island, is significantly more mellow than their previous work — and at times it’s a bit too mellow.

Having said that, the album’s opener, “Cracker Island” is anything but boring. It’s a pulsing funk roller-coaster of a song, fueled by a hypnotic Thundercat bassline. Albarn and Thundercat’s spacey vocals, combined with rambling lyrics about “the

collective of the dawn” make you feel like you’re being drawn into a pleasant trance.

Kofte and Chill Books //

The album’s energy takes a nosedive on the next two tracks: “Oil” (featuring backup vocals from the legendary Stevie Nicks), and “The Tired Influencer.” By the time we get to “Silent Running” the vibes are so chill they’re almost sleepy. Luckily the next song, “New Gold” brings the energy back up. The chorus (sung by Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker) is deliciously infectious. “Baby Queen” is a dreamy recount of Damon Albarn’s real life meeting with the Princess of Thailand adorned with psychedelic synths and echoey vocals. “Tarantula” is somehow both funky and melancholic in a way that works. Both songs are enjoyable, but the production is noticeably clean and radio-friendly, a sharp contrast from the grimy hip-hop sound of the group’s earlier work.

Speaking of their earlier work, the album’s eighth song, “Tormenta,” has officially usurped the most popular Gorillaz song “Feel Good Inc.” on Spotify. This is probably thanks to Puerto Rican superstar

(and Billboard’s Top Artist of 2022), Bad Bunny, whose smooth vocals are the perfect addition to this tropical track. “Tormenta” is probably the last high point on the album before “Skinny Ape” and “Possession Island” end the album with a whimper instead of a bang. For those craving a little more hip-hop, the deluxe version features tracks like “Controllah,” “Crocodillaz,” and “Captain Chicken.” After listening, it makes sense that those last two were cut from the final album, but in my opinion “Controllah” didn’t deserve to be snubbed.

Cracker Island, while a pleasant listen, isn’t the most ambitious Gorillaz album out there. The funkier, bassier tracks like “Cracker Island” and “New Gold” are sure to become fan favourites, and slower tracks like “Baby Queen” induce a feeling of pleasurable tranquillity. But between these high points, the album meanders. The synth-pop production blends many of the songs into a homogenous and flavourless smoothie. If this album is meant to evoke a vacation getaway, it does a decent job. But like all vacations, the longer you’re away, the more you start to wish you were back home.

Taleen Voskuni writes a heart-warming story of queerness and how that integrates with the deep cultural roots of Armenia.

GIANNA DINWOODIE

Taleen Voskuni, an Armenian author, writes her debut romance novel Sorry Bro, centred around protagonist Nareh “Nar” Bedrossian and her journey on the path to self-discovery: both of her heritage, and coming into her queer identity. Previously engaged to San Francisco tech mogul Trevor Milken, Nareh realises this is not the man she wants to spend her life with, and instead meets the mystical Erebuni at an Explore Armenia event her mother convinced her to attend.

I first encountered Sorry Bro by chance while scrolling aimlessly on social media and was immediately intrigued by the plot. A book about queer Armenians? That was not something you saw every day. I was so excited that I immediately preordered it and waited idly for it to arrive, hoping I wouldn’t be burned by yet another upcoming young adult (YA) novel. Finally getting to read this book was incredible, and everything I hoped it would be.

Voskuni’s writing style does the plot justice. The book is written from Nareh’s point of view, providing insight into her struggles with coming out in a traditional Christian orthodox Armenian family, but also her qualms with how she views her identity as she was not born in Armenia.

For generations, Armenians have had a large diaspora population due to various wars and migration, and Voskuni tackles the topic incredibly. “Explore Armenia,” in the novel is a week-long “conference” that includes a series of cultural events such as: Shourchbar (traditional Armenian choreography); and a cooking class where they make a variety of classic dishes like mutabal, kofte, sarma, and sini kofte; and a brandy tasting. Through these events, Voskuni highlights how a large portion of Armenians struggle to stay connected to their roots and how they are able to overcome their insecurities surrounding not feeling cultured enough. Also, Voskuni dealt with the intricacies of identity and culture beautifully, and did not shy away from “controversial” or heavy topics. Frequently drawing reference to genocide delicately and respectfully through different characters having a mature discussion about their different viewpoints

Nareh, in a fit of despair about Trevor, tells her mother she wants to try dating Armenian men again, and is convinced to go to these events to meet potential suitors. However, unbeknownst to her mother, she meets Erubuni instead and is taken aback by her intelligence and beauty. This part in the novel has to be my favourite, as from here we get a “will-they-won’t-they” situation, made more intriguing as Nareh is not out to the general community. She

faces internal struggle as she is unsure of Erubuni’s sexuality and is scared of the potential fallout that may occur if she tries her luck and finds out Erubuni is straight. Not only does Nareh discover that she may find her true love, but also discovers that she enjoys being surrounded by Armenian culture. I related to this, as Voskuni mentions how Nareh battles with feeling “Armenian enough” or “American enough” as she was born and raised in San Francisco, but still had all the culture of being raised by Armenian parents. I think it’s admirable of Voskuni to write about this relatable struggle of many diasporas as it contributes to how many Armenian readers raised outside Armenia can engage with the novel.

I particularly enjoyed the integration of casual Armenian dialogue and traditional proverbs at the beginning of each chapter — a dialect and proverbs that I spoke and heard coming from a similar background. It warmed my heart to see the inclusion of western Armenians and brought me near tears. It was also nice to see English translations of any Armenian dialogue for non-Armenian readers who may have picked this queer romance. Also, some characters spoke in “broken English,” which was humorous as it reminded me of some of my family members — many of which have English as their third or fourth language.

I confidently recommend this book. The characters were fleshed-out and unique in their own ways. I look forward to seeing what comes next from her and hope her next book is as good as this one. Even if you aren’t Armenian or aren’t on the LGBTQ+ spectrum, I still think this novel is worth the read. It is lighthearted, charming, and hard to put down.

Photo credit: Berkley Publishers

MATTHEW IDDON

Photo credit: Parlophone Records

No standing ovation for Daisy Jones & The Six

The much anticipated show leaves this viewer wanting more

EVA DAVEY

At the time of writing the show has yet to air the final four episodes

When I hear the words “book to screen adaptation” a shiver runs down my spine. I’ve been burned one too many times with adaptations, and when news came that hit book Daisy Jones & The Six was becoming a miniseries, I got nervous. The book became a personal favourite of mine, so how would I feel about the show? I tried to talk myself down and nurse the wound before it even opened: it will not be as good as the book, so just watch it and have fun! I was still disappointed.

The story is about the rise to fame for the fictional musical group, Daisy Jones & The Six, told through mockumentary interviews, with flashbacks to show the viewers what really happened. Both Daisy and The Six start out as separate entities until a popular producer comes along and puts them together like missing puzzle pieces to create a groovy ʼ70s rock & roll band. Viewers see Daisy go from party girl to lead singer, and The Six’s formation before they even make it to L.A. The story is full of soulful music, addictions, and the complications of love/sex in a time when all those things were glamorized for the rockstar lifestyle. The end result (spoiler alert) is the break up of the band following one of the biggest performances of their careers.

Right from the beginning it is clear that the show’s creators have sanitized the grit that made the novel such a page turner. I believe that the subdued partying and wildness is meant to make the rockstar lifestyle we see once the band is bigger more of a problem, so it can be used as a way to show their slipping control when getting lost in the scene. This cleanup is most clear in the titular character Daisy Jones (played by Riley Keough). A role such as this could easily be whittled down to a party girl groupie, but Daisy Jones is a bonafide rockstar in her own right. The quote which has become a viral TikTok sound is her talking about who she is as a person with “I am not the muse. I’m the somebody.” Yet, the show depicts a Daisy that is a bit too bright and too clean. Book readers meet Daisy as essentially an “it girl” with underlying vulnerability, but the show puts this softness at the forefront, which personally I feel subtracts from the journey the viewer will go on with the character.

The first three episodes feel incredibly rushed, with creators clearly wanting to focus on the group at the height of their fame instead of the build up to it. While this does make sense, I once again feel as though this

takes away from why the split was jarring, as seeing more of the formation made the drama even more wild and sad. Even episodes four through six seem to speed up much of the book's events, and even alter how some things take place (Karen and Graham for example) to make the show flow more smoothly. Except, I would argue that this isn’t the case, and instead the show so far feels jam-packed with things that don’t serve the plot enough for the audience to care about. I could talk all day about the disappointment of book to screen adaptation, but speaking to the show in its own right Daisy Jones & The Six still feels as though something is off.

Elements I did enjoy were the music (with some lyrics written by talent like Phoebe Bridgers and Marcus Mumford), the directing, and the subtle changes in some characters. Camila and Eddie so far have been my favourites; while not underused in the books, the show gives them more agency. Camila (played by Camila Morrone) is the glue that holds her husband’s band together, and she shines as a standout performance. While Eddie, in the book, is just a straight-up hater of other protagonist Billy Dunne, the show fleshes out exactly why there is such disdain there; and Josh Whitehouse’s portrayal is hilarious. Another aspect I loved was how connected the female characters are. On paper we know these women are supposed to stand together and on screen the sisterhood breathes fire into the show.

All in all I will still watch the last few episodes because it isn’t a bad show — it's just really, really mediocre. This could’ve been a hit if the creators took risks, but instead the show seems to be reaching for palatable. After watching you can catch me bemoaning along to the band’s lyrics, “We used to be somethin’ to see / Oh, baby, look at us now.”

Photo credit: Amazon Prime

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15, 2023

Note:

Some of these events require tickets, and most are online. If something catches your eye, take to the internet for more details, including those about social distancing measures for in-person events.

UFV Events

Sports Community Events

March

University Christian Ministries Weekly Meeting @ UFV, 5:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Campus Recreation Drop-in Pickleball @ UFV E150, 12:00 - 2:00 p.m.

Campus Recreation Fitness: Self-Care Yoga @ UFV E150, 12:10 - 12:50 p.m .

Campus Recreation Fitness: Zumba (Abbotsford) @ UFV E150, 4:05 - 4:45 p.m.

Campus Recreation Drop-in Cricket @ UFV E150, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Community Dinner @ Bakerview Church, 5:30 p.m.

Campus Recreation Fitness: Summit Circuit @ UFV E150, 11:40 a.m. - 12:20 p.m.

University Christian Ministries Weekly Meeting @ UFV, 5:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Campus Recreation Drop-in Inclusive Movement @ UFV E150, 5:30 - 7:00 p.m.

Campus Recreation Drop-in Futsal @ UFV E150, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Abbotsford Canucks vs. Ontario Reign @ Abbotsford Centre, 7:00 p.m.

Piper Down St. Patrick’s Day Dance @ Abbotsford Curling and Club Event Centre

Professional Learning Community: Culturally Responsive Pedagogy @ Online, 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Campus Recreation Fitness: Self-Care Yoga @ UFV E150, 12:10 - 12:50

CECE Career Coaching Drop-In Session @ UFV International Global Lounge B223, 1:30 - 2:30 p.m.

Campus Recreation Drop-in Spikeball @ UFV E150, 2:30 - 4:00

Campus Recreation Fitness: Zumba (Abbotsford) @

Campus Rec Culture

Campus Recreation Fitness: Summit Circuit @ UFV E150, 11:40 a.m. - 12:20 p.m.

University Christian Ministries Weekly Meeting @ UFV, 5:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Campus Recreation Drop-in Inclusive Movement @ UFV E150, 5:30 - 7:00 p.m.

Campus Recreation Drop-in Futsal @ UFV E150, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Campus Recreation Fitness: Self-Care Yoga @ UFV E150, 12:10 - 12:50 p.m.

CECE Career Coaching Drop-In Session @ UFV International Global Lounge B223, 1:30 - 2:30 p.m.

Campus Recreation Drop-in Spikeball @ UFV E150, 2:30 - 4:00 p.m.

Campus Recreation Fitness: Zumba (Abbotsford) @ UFV E150, 4:05 - 4:45 p.m.

Campus Recreation Drop-in Basketball @ UFV E150, 5:30 - 7:00 p.m.

Campus Recreation Drop-in Volleyball @ UFV E150, 6:00 - 7:30 p.m.

Campus Recreation Drop-in Badminton @ UFV E150, 12:00 - 2:00 p.m.

Campus Recreation Fitness: Spin & Strength @ UFV E150, 12:45 - 1:25 p.m

Campus Recreation Fitness: Body Blast @ UFV E150, 4:35 - 5:15 p.m. UFV Islamic Relief Club Team Meeting @ UFV A300, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m

University Christian Ministries Weekly Welcome Table @ UFV, 9:00 - 11:00 a.m.

Campus Recreation Drop-in Pickleball @ UFV E150, 12:00 - 2:00 p.m.

Campus Recreation Fitness: Self-Care Yoga @ UFV E150, 12:10 - 12:50 p.m.

Campus Recreation Fitness: Zumba (Abbotsford) @ UFV E150, 4:05 - 4:45 p.m.

Campus Recreation Drop-in Cricket @ UFV E150, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Campus Recreation Fitness: Summit Circuit @ UFV E150, 11:40 a.m. - 12:20 p.m.

University Christian Ministries Weekly Meeting @ UFV, 5:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Campus Recreation Drop-in Inclusive Movement @ UFV E150, 5:30 - 7:00 p.m.

Campus Recreation Drop-in Futsal @ UFV E150, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Campus

Campus Recreation Fitness: Self-Care Yoga @ UFV E150,

Campus Recreation Fitness: Zumba (Abbotsford) @ UFV E150, 4:05 - 4:45 p.m.

-

- 12:50 p.m.

Campus Recreation Drop-in Cricket @ UFV E150, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.

View our website for more details on current, local events.

Turn this newspaper into a seedling pot

Read, fold, plant, support pollinators, in that order

By Andrea Sadowski

Have you ever placed a seed in some dirt and watched it grow? This is one of the best ways to connect with nature and this planet we call home. I’m going to show you step-by-step how to fold this very newspaper you hold in your hands into a little seedling pot to house a seed during the first stages of its life.

Visit the Step to It booth at either the Early Earth Day event on the Abbotsford campus on March 22 or the Chilliwack campus on March 28 to pick up a sunflower seed of your very own to watch grow!

Step one: Gather your supplies; all you’ll need is this newspaper and a jar. You’ll also want a flat surface to work on.

Step two: Open the newspaper and take out a full page, which is technically four pages, but it’s one big piece of paper.

Step three: Fold this page in half, lengthwise.

Step four: Place your jar on the folded page, with the bottom of the jar sticking out approximately an inch. There should be an excess of newspaper beyond the mouth of the jar. Tightly roll the entire length of the newspaper strip around the jar.

Step five: Now you should have a cylinder of newspaper around this jar. Tightly scrunch in all the excess newspaper that isn’t touching the jar into the mouth of the jar.

Step six: Carefully remove the jar from the paper, place the newspaper pot on your flat surface and swish down the excess paper that you pushed up into the jar.

If you learn better with a video, visit the Instagram page @steptoitFraserValley where we have a reel of this whole process.

Remember to visit the Step to It booth at Early Earth Day to fill up your newspaper seedling cup with some potting soil and a sunflower seed! See you there!

Step seven: Add some potting soil and plant your seed!