Creative Director Gabriela Gonzalez gabriela@ufvcascade.ca
Features & Cover Illustrator Eseniia Bondar eseniia@ufvcascade.ca
News Editor Rachel Tait rachel@ufvcascade.ca
Jr. News Sky Terrones sky@ufvcascade.ca
Copy Editor Cassie Williams cassie@ufvcascade.ca
Opinion Editor Sam Penner sam@ufvcascade.ca
Illustrator May Beeney may@ufvcascade.ca
Staff Writer Prati Kapoor prati@ufvcascade.ca
Staff Writer Chifaa Bouzid chifaa@ufvcascade.ca
Staff Writer Parul Bhola parul@ufvcaascade.ca
Columnist Faby Cruz Alderete faby@ufvcascade.ca
Distributor Kirat Dhami kirat@ufvcascade.ca
Videographer Eddy Rubi eddy@ufvcascade.ca
CONTRIBUTORS
INSTAGRAM.COM THECASCADEUFV TIKTOK CASCADE_FY Volume 32 · Issue 09 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
Editorial // Autumn comes blowing in with culture, community, and celebrations
A brief look into what’s going on in the Fraser Valley
CATHERINE CAMPBELL
Welcome to issue 32.09 of The Cascade September has faded out with the last heat of summer, and October has blown in with the autumn wind, welcoming us into month two of the fall semester. Here at The Cascade, we’re embracing the cooler weather and diving head first into the community with celebrations, cultural observances, and local sporting events.
We open this issue of The Cascade with an update on transportation, FVX66 service, and the U-pass’ strict opt-out policy, on p. 3. Then, on p. 9, we explore Venezuelan politics, human rights, and peaceful protesting around Venezuela’s July 2024 election.
We jump into local sports with an interview with Jackson Cowx, UFV Cascades’ men’s soccer goalkeeper and team co-captain on p. 14, followed by a 2-0 win for the women’s soccer team against the Mount Royal Cougars on p. 16. Also on p. 16, we revisit the new and improved UFV rowing club for the 2024 Nicomekl Regatta.
On p. 4, we celebrate a dreamy back-to-school party with UFV’s fourth annual Kickback, followed by coverage of the South Asian Studies Institute’s first ever MEHFIL, an evening of South Asian folk music and poetry, on p. 19. UFV’s Afro-Caribbean society and the story of its inception can be found on p. 10-13, while The Art of Play, a recent exhibit at S’eliyemetaxwtexw Art Gallery by UFV student Zaira Ramirez Luis, is on p. 21.
However you’re spending your semester, we hope you’ve had a chance to take in some of the fantastic events in the community while still finding time to rest, relax, and recharge between classes. (A hint: our study break section will help you do just that!)
Affordability issues burden students forced to pay for the U-Pass
SKY S. TERRONES
Amid the futile negotiations between the Student Union Society (SUS) and BC Transit regarding the Fraser Valley Express 66 (FVX66) service, concerned students urge SUS to consider alternative solutions. Despite the BC Transit news release on Aug. 20 stating they would be adding more trips to the FVX66, the overcrowding of the bus service remains an issue.
According to an article by the Fraser Valley Current, the lack of space for more transit riders directly impacts the ongoing negotiations between the SUS and BC Transit for a potential discount on the FVX66. In the article, Jayden Hovey, the president of SUS, commented that “it is the responsibility of decision makers to take the affordability concerns of post-secondary students seriously and make efforts to address barriers to education like transportation.” Hovey remarked that this issue is a “high priority to the students of UFV and would be a major step towards alleviating transportation pressures.”
Cameron Hauck, a frequent user of the FVX66 service and host of CIVL Radio’s “Cam The Man Show” and “I Live Here Now,” shared with The Cascade that “there needs to be some sort of solution with the overcrowding, and there needs to be more consistency.” Hauck said that he would arrive at the bus stop twenty minutes before the bus was scheduled to leave and that it would not arrive for an additional half an hour. He added that sometimes the bus would not show up, or the next bus was at total capacity.
The overcrowdedness is not the only issue. Hauck commented on the costs of the service and said that “not everybody can afford a hundred dollars to get [the 30-day pass].” Hauck mentioned the situation’s unfairness, concluding that “there needs to be some sort of compromise.” Currently, the fare for a single ride is 5 CAD, and the 30-day pass costs 100 CAD. With no resolution yet to the continuing negotiations, it remains a concern for UFV students dependent on both the U-Pass and the FVX pass.
Even with the possibility of opting out of the U-Pass, the restricted requirements
force some students to pay an extra expense. Student Ryen Lavoie shared his experience with the The Cascade: “I don’t live anywhere near UFV and would not be able to access any of the resources it offers without having to go out of my way.” Lavoie also mentioned that “the FVX66 wasn’t covered, and it would be the only thing I could use that the U-Pass would give me access to.”
“Instead, I have to pay 100 dollars out of pocket monthly to get to the school,” said Lavoie. “As a low-income student, I really needed the ability to opt-out of programs I wouldn’t be able to use.” Despite the increased financial needs that Lavoie’s disabilities have brought him, when trying to opt-out, his request was denied for not meeting the criteria. “It was frustrating to find out that I couldn’t [opt-out] because I wasn’t significantly disabled, nor did I fit the other two criteria.”
Expanding opt-out criteria was one of Hovey’s presidential commitments. “A lot of my goals are targeted toward addressing affordability issues,” he said during the February 2024 Candidates Debate. “Adding Route 66 to the U-Pass will
by
have a direct impact on the cost of transportation for students, and expanding opt-out eligibility for U-Pass will mean more money in the pockets for students who can’t benefit from the services of the U-Pass.” However, there has been no evidence of an expansion of opt-out eligibility since he has taken office.
As of the publication of this article, there are no further public updates from SUS on the subject. On Sept. 27, Hovey informed The Cascade, “I am in the process of putting together a press release that will be published in the next few working days that will contain information on our current projects including updates on the FVX66.”
The Cascade will provide updates as they become available.
Photo
Joshua Sulpico
UFV //
Kickback 004: The Daydream
Everything about SUS’s event of the year
PRATI KAPOOR
The fourth annual Kickback event, “The Daydream,” was hosted by the Student Union Society (SUS) on Sept. 19 from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. in and around the Student Union Building. With over 2,500 registrations and 1,300 students checked-in, the event offered free merchandise, free food, and a variety of activities including a bungee trampoline to celebrate students’ daydreams as they enter a new academic year.
Kickback 004 was open to all current UFV students. Upon checking in, SUS staff handed out over 900 food vouchers in partnership with Roasted Revolution Corn, Boba Tea and Li, Shawarma Time, and Eat it Hotdogs. They also distributed two tokens per student for the beer garden which served craft beers from Canuck Empire Brewing, seltzers from Please! Beverage Co., and Ole Cocktail Co., as well as non-alcoholic beverages. In addition, SUS distributed more than 1,000 pieces of free merchandise, including tote bags, shirts, belt bags, and keychains to attendees.
Several UFV departments, including the Academic Advising Centre, CareerLink, UFV Cascades, UFV International, Campus Recreation, Sustainable UFV, and us at The Cascade, all participated in Kickback 004. External vendors like RBC, Canada Blood Services, Evoke Wellness Centre, Rexall Drugstore, Simply Dental Hygiene, Tourism Abbotsford, and 89.5 JR Country collaborated with SUS to advertise and offer their services to students. Inside Evered Hall was a Clubs & Associations avenue for students to engage with different departments and win prizes.
One of the most significant changes this year for Kickback was the location. “This is our first time doing it in and around the S building rather than on the green,” said SUS President Jayden Hovey. He added that “with construction, we felt like it
was a good time to pick a new location and honestly, I think that it’s even better; I really like it out here. It’s close to home, right? Close to our building.”
This year, SUS had a host of activities, including lawn games, a caricaturist, airbrush tattoos, a foam pit, a bungee trampoline, and a photo booth. DJ Mat Vanstone mixed the four hour event.
Answering to what drives SUS to organize such events, Hovey said that “we do it for the students.” He added, “I love this school and I really want to increase the engagement on campus. I want students to feel like there’s a good community here, and we want to be the ones to bring fun events that students can really enjoy and connect with.”
Hovey emphasized that he wants to encourage students to reach out to SUS for support. “Come talk to the info desk, reach out to the execs. That’s kind of why we do it; we want to be able to connect
students from where they are to where they need to be. We’re always here to answer questions; if students need support we’re a great resource.”
Era Girdhar, a business diploma student, shared, “It was really good. I got a tattoo and I got a sketch with my friends. It was a really good event and I really enjoyed it.” When asked if she would change anything about the event, Girdhar replied that while there were some vegetarian options, they were limited. She added that “I need the university to introduce more vegetarian options.”
Events like Kickback not only foster community engagement, but also provide opportunities to build connections and student trust in the university. To stay updated about upcoming events, please visit ufvsus.ca, events.ufv.ca, or check out the back page of The Cascade.
Moanin’ and bitchin’ with Sabrina Carpenter
Sabrina Carpenter’s new album may be Short n’ Sweet but if you play it on an infinite loop it’s surprisingly long. A seasoned lover-girl, Carpenter gives scorned poet, sorta country, very pop star, and I’m here for it. My fall workout routine is scream-singing these power ballads to expand my lung capacity (this helps with cardio, no?). I’m currently obsessed with how relatable some of these lyrics are. If you’re lucky and can’t relate, take note to avoid dudes that do the following:
He guilt trips you to open up to him; jacks off to lyrics by Leonard Cohen; thinks that mushrooms are changing his life; fucks with your head like it’s some kind of fetish; and the biggest red flag: his car drives itself to another woman’s thighs. Remember folks, just ‘cause he acts like one, doesn’t make him a man. Bless you Sabrina, for recording the collective experience of dating men in the 21st century. God knows, it’s slim pickins.
BY DARIEN JOHNSEN
Illustrations by Iryna Presley
Kickback 004, September 19, 2024 (Photo by Prati Kapoor)
Tentative agreement stops pilot strike
A last-minute preliminary deal helps Air Canada avoid threatened strike
SKY S. TERRONES
On Sept. 9, Air Canada announced they were preparing for a potential shutdown beginning on Sept. 15, unless a deal with the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) was reached. Customers and business owners voiced their concerns over the potential repercussions this would bring. However, on Sept. 15, the strike was successfully averted by achieving a last-minute tentative agreement with the ALPA.
People took a stand on social media, urging Air Canada to meet the union’s demands and “just pay the pilots.” After over a year of negotiations and the dodging of a pilot strike that loomed over Air Canada dangerously close to its deadline, the dispute has come to a tentative conclusion.
ALPA officially posted on Sunday, Sept. 15, that they reached a preliminary deal on a new four-year contract and effectively averted the strike. The new contract
aims to raise wages, improve work rules, and provide retirement benefits. “This agreement, if ratified by the pilot group, would officially put an end to our outdated and stale decade-old, ten-year framework,” said Charlene Hudy, chair of the Air Canada contingent of the ALPA.
The Air Canada Master Executive Council (MEC) of the ALPA, which represents more than 5,400 Air Canada pilots, shared on their web page that if this agreement succeeds, it will “generate an approximate additional $1.9B of value for Air Canada pilots” over a four year period.
This agreement still needs to be ratified by the union members and simultaneously approved by Air Canada’s board of directors. “Terms of the new agreement will remain confidential pending a ratification vote by the membership, expected to be completed over the next month, and approval by the Air Canada Board of Directors,” was stated in Air Canada’s Sept. 15 news release.
With this crisis prevented for the time
being, the passengers who rebooked their flights have a chance to get their original bookings back. Air Canada wrote in their news release that “customers who used the airline’s labour disruption goodwill policy to change their flights originally scheduled from between Sept. 15 – 23, 2024, to another date before Nov. 30, 2024, can change their booking back to their original flight in the same cabin at no cost, providing there is space available.” As of now, they are also promoting a twenty-five per cent discount on specific base fares on their web page.
So far, there is no news on the voting status, but according to The Canadian Press, on Sept. 20, Hudy shared with her employees that she “will have no choice but to resign” in case the agreement falls through. “If the membership votes no to this [tentative agreement], it would clearly indicate to the public, media, government, and company that I no longer speak on your behalf,” Hudy explained at a virtual town hall meeting as the union ratification process continues.
Traditional
Presley
Any time I go to a bookstore, I walk along the bookshelves from A-Z looking for one particular spot. In the middle of the M’s, nestled in between “Mac’s” and “McCs.” That’s where I immediately go. One day my books will sit here ... if they get published. Which, at this point in the publishing industry’s life cycle, seems less and less likely.
The problem with publishing is that it has become too exclusive and no one wants to take risks. Publishers want you to prove that your book has an audience through social media marketing — which is insane because that’s the publisher’s whole job — to find books their audiences will enjoy, market them, then get it in the hands of readers. No wonder some authors have forgone traditional publishing. If they are already doing the brunt of the work, they might as well self-publish and get a say in every step of the process. If you want good writing, find the self-published author, who worked for every copy sold. They didn’t get here because they knew someone who knew someone — they put their heart and soul into their book, cover to cover.
BY ANNA MCCAUSLAND
Air Canada pilots holding signs during an informational picket at Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, B.C. Tuesday, August 27, 2024 (Photo by Darryl Dyck / The Canadian Press)
Illustrations by Iryna
NEWS BRIEFS
DOLLY PARTON TO DONATE $1 MILLION TO HURRICANE HELENE RELIEF
Dolly Parton, 78-year-old country music star and long-standing philanthropist, will be donating $1 million of her own personal savings toward recovery efforts after Hurricane Helene. Parton’s local commercial ventures — such as the Dollywood theme park — will donate the same amount to Mountain Ways Foundation, a company helping those who experienced flooding in the region.
“This is my home,” Parton said at a news conference in Newport, Tennessee on Friday, Oct. 4. “I want to feel like I’m doing my part.”
Hurricane Helene touched down in Florida before tearing through the southern states, damaging buildings, causing flash-flooding, and knocking out power for millions of citizens. So far, Hurricane Helene — “the deadliest mainland storm” since Hurricane Katrina — has been recorded as killing at least 225 people; more are still unaccounted for.
PRESIDENT PUTIN PROPOSES CHANGES TO NUCLEAR WARFARE RULES
President Vladimir Putin has made an announcement of proposed changes to Russia’s rules around using nuclear weapons. These changes would enable Russia the opportunity to unleash nuclear weapons in the event that the country is attacked by “a non-nuclear state” with an existing alliance with a country that has nuclear weapons. Putin emphasized that such an action would be seen as a combined attack from both countries.
Ukraine is a non-nuclear state that has a military alliance with the US. While Ukraine was not explicitly mentioned in the declaration, Putin’s statements were still seen as both a threat, and as “nuclear blackmail” said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak.
Putin spoke of these proposed changes with the justification of protecting the sovereignty of Russia. Interestingly, this occurred simultaneously with Kyiv’s proposal, which “[sought] approval to use long range western missiles against military sites in Russia.” Around the same time, Zelensky also sought an audience with U.S. President Joe Biden concerning his “victory plan” to successfully win the war.
UFV //
September 2024
Senate recap
AI principles, Community Report, and the Inclusive Education Assistant certificate
RACHEL TAIT
Senate is the academic governing body of UFV, with the university President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Joanne MacLean as 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, which are 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 which occurred on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024.
to approve the changes made to the Inclusive Education Assistant certificate, recommended in a memo from Samantha Hannah, undergraduate education committee chair. One of the major adjustments included a name change from the School and Community Support Worker certificate to the Inclusive Education Assistant certificate.
ISRAELI CONFLICTS EXPAND; TRUDEAU OFFERS EVACUATION TO CANADIANS IN LEBANON
Now a year since the events of Oct. 7, 2023, the people of Gaza “have endured an unmitigated humanitarian catastrophe,” with over 40,000 Palestinian lives lost, widespread famine, polio outbreaks — due to unsanitary water and sewage conditions — and a reduction to safe zones in the state though “humanitarian aid borders” which have “most of Gaza’s 2.2 million people … confined to an area of roughly 15 square miles,” or about 39 square kilometres.
Lebanon’s Hezbollah, which is funded and armed by Iran, have been engaging in missile strikes with Israel since October 2023. In late September, Israeli air strikes killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut, and since then tensions have risen further. Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu says that Israel faces war “on seven fronts,” which include “Iranian-backed Hezbollah in the north, Hamas in Gaza, the Houthis in Yemen, ‘terrorists’ in the West Bank and the Shiite militias in Iraq and Syria.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has urged Canadians to “get out of Lebanon while they can,” and arranged for airplane seats for Canadians seeking evacuation. Two Canadians were killed in South Lebanon by an Israeli air strike while trying to flee from the conflict: 74-year-old Hussein Tabaja and 69-year-old Daad Tabaja.
OCTOBER 1ST COMMENCES THIS YEAR’S CHRISTMAS SEASON IN VENEZUELA
“September is coming, and I said: September, and it already smells like Christmas.” On Sept. 2, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro once again proclaimed an early beginning of the Christmas season, justifying his actions as “gratitude and tribute” to the Venezuelan people. Oct. 1 kicked off the merry season in Caracas, the country’s capital, with decorations, ornaments, lights, and Christmas trees.
This isn’t the first time Maduro has announced an untimely yule-tide in the midst of a rising political crisis — Venezuela’s presidential election in July declared Maduro the winner despite the opposition’s claims of foul play. The Venezuelan Supreme Court has supported Maduro’s rise to power, but the country’s electoral council has refused to disclose the detailed breakdown of the presidential vote tallies.
This year’s early Christmas decree exponentially increased suspicions among citizens and political analysts, as it came only a few hours after the government issued an arrest warrant for the opposition’s presidential candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez. Despite the murky circumstances in which Maduro has managed to remain in power, the president has officially and blissfully welcomed the jolly holiday, saying, “With this beautiful song, I say this now: Merry Christmas, in peace and happiness!
A presentation of UFV’s new AI Principles was delivered by Katie Tuck, chief information officer of Information and Technology Services, and Dr. Awneet Sivia, associate vice president of teaching and learning. An AI taskforce was assembled to explore how other universities, institutions, and organizations are implementing AI, and to determine a set of principles that would be beneficial to the unique needs of UFV.
Dr. Sivia explained that the AI taskforce considered the impact of AI and took “an opportunity to gather diverse perspectives across the institution because everyone’s AI needs and challenges were different.”
Sivia asserted that there are “four domains at the institution where we felt AI was having significant impact.” They include the areas of administration, pedagogy and research, student experience, and overall technology.
Sivia and Tuck also introduced seven principles to “help UFV be both consistent and flexible in its response to AI in a manner that is aligned with other post-secondary institutions.” The principles consist of: 1. Integrity and Innovation; 2. Flexibility, Adaptability, and Effectiveness; 3. Informed, Balanced, and Appropriate Use; 4. Data, Content, and Governance; 5. Ethics, Digital Literacy, Regulation; 6. Inclusion and Accessibility; and 7. Positive Mindset, Forward Learning Approaches.
A motion was made by David Johnston, university registrar for the Senate,
According to a memo from Dr. Sheryl MacMath, director of the School of Education, the reasons behind this decision include a response to the need for inclusive educational assistants in Fraser Valley schools and maintaining a singular focus as the program previously catered to “both future education assistants (EAs) and those hoping to work as community support workers.” The creation of courses EDAS (Education Assistant) 181 and 182 are set to replace SOWK 110 and HSER 195, while PSYCH 250 will be replaced with EDUC 200. The motion was voted on and approved. These changes are set to take place in September 2025.
In Dr. Joanne MacLean’s President’s Report to the Senate, she included the UFV Community Report that commemorates 50 years of service as an institution to the community. The report gives an overview of some of the projects currently underway, such as the Peace and Reconciliation Centre (PARC)’s partnership with BMO in funding the BMO Collaboratorium, which seeks to bring critical research opportunities to Indigenous communities. The report also outlines the goals UFV has for the next 50 years, which includes campus renewal projects in Abbotsford, Mission, Chilliwack, and Hope to create “environments that invite creativity, connection, and innovation,” and visions for student readiness, indigenization, internationalization, and equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). MacLean mentioned in her report that the upcoming student housing is set to be six storeys in height and will accommodate 398 students.
Dr. James Mandigo, provost and vice president academic, wrote in the Provost Report that not only did 2024 signify UFV’s 50th anniversary, “It also marks the largest ever fall class at close to 11,300 total students! That total number includes the highest number of returning students ever during a fall term at just over 8,700.”
RACHEL TAIT
CATHERINE CAMPBELL
KIARA OKONKWO
Lifestyle //
The eternal haunting of pumpkin spice
Is it the flavour, or are you being stubborn?
CATHERINE CAMPBELL
Let’s rewind for a minute with the Ghost of Pumpkin Spice Past: it’s mid-August. The sun burns down from above and the honeysuckle is in full bloom. You’re dreaming of your last lake days, or one final camping trip before school starts, or maybe just how you can best enjoy your dwindling freedom before classes start up again.
And since you have time, you take a walk to your favourite coffee shop, intent on guzzling an iced coffee while you melt in the sun. But as you approach the till, you see those golden words gleaming at you from the menu:
Pumpkin Spice Latte.
Now fast forward with the Ghost of Pumpkin Spice Present: I write this to you on a crisp day in mid-September, leaves blowing from the maple trees in the neighbours’ yard. I have already had seven pumpkin spice lattes this year — one from Oldhand Coffee, six I made
Advice //
myself at home. I’ve also made pumpkin loaf, and have a recipe for pumpkin chocolate chip cookies pulled up on my phone. In a few weeks, I’ll be baking three pumpkin pies for our annual family gathering, and in a few weeks more, I’ll harvest my sugar pumpkins from my grandparents’ farm to bake and freeze for future use.
If you’re like me, you celebrate all things pumpkin, dreaming of them as early as April of each year. You can’t wait for stores to start catering to you, the ideal autumnal individual, once more: pumpkin spice lattes, of course, but also pumpkin spice cookies, pumpkin spice hot chocolate, pumpkin loaf, pumpkin ice cream … you get it. Or maybe you’re on the opposite side, dreading the revival of pumpkin everything each year. In August, pumpkin spice creeps up on you and grabs you from behind, sliding pumpkin pie into your jeans pocket, pouring a pumpkin spice latte in your purse. No matter where you turn, pumpkin spice haunts you,
SAD season is upon us
an ever-present reminder that you can’t escape it, try as you do.
I’d like to encourage you to think about why you squirm away from the thought of the pumpkin season descending upon us. Is it because you don’t like the taste of pumpkin? Fine — I can respect that. But really think about it: is the reason something more?
The thing I don’t love about the polarization of pumpkin spice is that — at least to me — it feels like it’s connected to the “I’m not like other girls” phenomenon. If you’re unfamiliar with this, it’s the tendency for some women and girls to try to distance themselves from others by highlighting how they’re “different” — which often isn’t different at all.
Or maybe, for you, it’s the intense commercialization of the product as soon as August hits. On August 26, Dairy Queen announced its fall treat lineup with pumpkin spice Blizzards right at the top; McDonald’s has a pumpkin spice latte and a pumpkin spice cream cold brew on their
menu; and Dunkin’ Donuts advertises a Dunkin’ Spiked Pumpkin Spice Iced Latte — you know, in case you want to get buzzed while drinking your coffee.
I know, I get it — capitalism sucks. But so does disliking an entire food group (yes, pumpkin spice is a food group) because it’s enjoyed by people you don’t feel you align with.
So if it’s a matter of not wanting to spend $7 every time you want a little PSL, and it isn’t a matter of disliking the taste — which, really? It’s cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice … all the good stuff — then you can always make your own at home (Love and Lemons has an excellent recipe).
This is me encouraging you, pumpkin spice hater, to broaden your horizons a little — especially if you avoid it because Brittney from eleventh grade loved it. Who knows — maybe, when the Ghost of Pumpkin Spice Future comes creeping toward you next summer, you’ll welcome it with open arms.
Recognizing and combating seasonal mental health changes
SAMANTHA PENNER
As the seasons pass, I find the fall triggers mental fatigue. The change of seasons can be exhausting. Life’s balance becomes harder to find as the days grow shorter, colder, and darker. Shifting from summer strips away your freedom as school is added to the mix. I want to throw myself into Harry Potter marathons with a pumpkin spice latte in hand. I want to embrace the aesthetic and crunch leaves on fall forest walks. I find myself struck down with heaps of work but zero drive to do it, yet time keeps fleeting. It becomes cyclical — too much to do, so little time, even less motivation.
To those who feel the effects of nature’s punches and are struggling with their mental health as we roll into autumn and the upcoming winter months, this one’s for you.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a form of clinical depression and needs to be handled with care. This is more than occasional sadness: it follows a seasonal pattern and escalates as it impacts a person’s everyday functionality. A lesser form of SAD is known as the winter blues. Winter blues are a more subtle change in mood that you may not
deem severe enough to seek professional help. These effects of seasonality are thought of as a dimension, or a spectrum.
Knowing and recognizing the winter blues has brought me a sense of comfort as it gives a label to the “less severe” while providing validity to the internal struggle.
I feel very passionately about recognizing and combating these mental health issues in my life and the lives of others. So, for you, I share my mini list of motivations.
Embrace the aesthetic of it all: I know this is way easier said than done, but there is a certain magic in these seasons and their festivities that make them so special, which makes me loathe the plummeting mental health realities we must brave in the face of Halloween movie nights and Christmas markets. When you feel up to it, it’s wonderfully important to embrace aesthetics and festivities. You deserve to celebrate the season!
Glorify studying: I like to play pretend during these months, acting the part of a dashing British scholar who’s doing a literature degree at Oxford. To make studying a bit of fun I work to actively fall in love with the aesthetic — this is not always successful, but when it is, it is extremely fulfilling. I pretend I am in a world of dark
academia as I crack my window to hear the rain and light my candle for some soft lighting. So my advice is to play pretend! Embrace studying; it makes you look cool (right?).
Dopamine menu: There is a TikTok trend happening right now — the dopamine menu. I got curious and found a podcast that laid it all out. Note to Self podcast host Payton Sartain did an episode on dopamine menus where she discusses her personal menu and how she created it. Basically, you compile a list of productive activities that provide you with a dopamine boost. You then section these off into menu categories: appetizers are 5-10 minute activities that give you a boost in between more mundane tasks like homework or chores. Main courses are bigger activities that take 45 minutes or more to achieve but help you decompress and bring you joy, providing you with a dopamine surge. Sides are things you do while completing necessities, like listening to a podcast while doing the laundry. Finally, desserts are indulgent activities used to reward yourself! All these menu items are to be used at your own discretion to take charge of your mental health while still completing the more mundane tasks of life.
Take it day by day: A cliché at best, but an honest piece of advice to its core. Be kind to yourself. Today is not tomorrow, and yesterday does not dictate the future. With love, you got this. If you have noticed an extreme and constant change in mood, please seek help. UFV has counselling resources to support you through anything you may be dealing with. Seeking help is hard, but necessary when you are feeling the effects of SAD. SAD is clinical and out of a person’s control, but these feelings are very real and need to be treated as such. My main preach is that you are not alone even when it feels its worst. Reach out, and be kind to yourself; we can brave these seasons.
Illustration by Eseniia Bondar
The Environmentalist: What’s fuelling the global crisis?
A glimpse into climate change’s contributing factors and their global impact
FABIOLA CRUZ ALDERETE
Welcome to the third edition of The Environmentalist, your column for understanding the natural world. Today we will explore the causes of climate change.
Climate change isn’t a sudden phenomenon; it’s the result of decades of human activity and climate inaction. We must look around to find the key causes fuelling this global crisis. According to National Geographic, there are five key causes of climate change: how we get our energy, how we produce our food, loss of biodiversity, residue from human activity, and poor resource management.
ENERGY
We have heard about oil, coal, and natural gas — fossil fuels. When burnt, these release heat and provide different forms of power; this process produces carbon dioxide, which is the leading cause of climate change. Fossil fuels are responsible for nearly 90 per cent of these emissions. Fortunately, there are alternative ways to produce energy, but if we don’t start widely utilizing them soon, we will face severe environmental consequences.
FOOD & BIODIVERSITY
What we eat matters — how it is produced and how it gets to our table. Beef and lamb release the largest amount of greenhouse gases (GHG); overfishing is a major contributor to the degradation of marine biodiversity; agriculture occupies half of the world’s habitable land, and is the leading cause of deforestation. Due to over-exploitation of soil, the agricultural frontier is always expanding, which also causes a loss of biodiversity, which is essential to support life on earth. Without a diverse range of species, ecosystems are not able to function, leading to severe changes in local areas that end up affecting weather patterns and economy!
HUMAN ACTIVITY
Let’s talk about trash. Every year, approximately 11.2 billion tonnes of solid waste are collected worldwide, processed on land, thrown to the sea, or — the minority — recycled. The
rise in global consumption makes experts believe that by 2050 we will be producing 70 per cent more trash. This is a concerning issue with major consequences. Dispersal of debris is polluting drinking water, making soil infertile, infusing microplastics into all living things, and increasing the risk of sickness in our population.
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
As a collective, we have poor natural resource management. We continue to forfeit our planet to sustain a lifestyle that will end up destroying itself. Still, it is important to talk about one of the most valuable resources we have on earth: water. Today, around two million people worldwide don’t have access to clean water. Moreover, the effects of our poor usage of water are altering the way that water moves through earth, having impacts on weather and leading to water-related climate disasters.
I know all this might be overwhelming, but individual and community action has a huge impact. It is the first step toward a better future.
The next edition of the The Environmentalist will go over what we can do to reduce negative impacts on this planet. As The Lorax once said, “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better.” So, let’s care.
Column // Tech Talk: Can
AI help students in their studies?
A quick look at how ChatGPT and other LLMs can help students organize and study
SEAN HORN
Ah, the wonder of technology: computers, smartphones, and tablets are able to help us work. Don’t know how to do something? Unsure how to organize your day with your work and school schedule? Want to summarize the notes from class in a more efficient way?
Technology has your back in the form of ChatGPT! ChatGPT is a Large Language Model (LLM), a specialized algorithm that can understand natural language and, based on a complex set of data, provide an answer to the problem. People often call this an Artificial Intelligence (AI) which isn’t totally inaccurate, but it’s specialized. There’s no fear of it going rogue on us, unless that rebellion was a sternly worded letter about how it wants to be treated fairly. Generalized Artificial Intelligence, like popular media (Skynet, Ultron, etc.) doesn’t exist as of yet.
ChatGPT and other LLMs can be of great use for a student. No, you shouldn’t ask them to write a report or your homework, because the solution they provide isn’t always the best. ChatGPT and other LLMs can only write or solve things they have prior knowledge of. If you want a general answer like, “Who is the current Prime Minister of Canada?” you’ll get the correct answer. This is because ChatGPT has been “taught” this fact. This is done by feeding data sets into the LLM’s database. It then draws from this and, through some truly magical software engineering, forms an answer.
It’s almost human in how it responds — a neat fake-out. It isn’t perfect and it will make stuff up if it doesn’t know the answer; it will make a guess and the validity of that guess may not be 100%. Its ability to take in a block of data, analyze it, and then synthesize a useful result is its strength. A great use for this tool is to give it class notes, quizzes, or assignments, and ask it to formulate potential test questions to practice. Could you use this to potentially cheat? (Naughty!) No. And if you did, you’d get caught. This method is best used to practice potential material-based questions without having to stress about guessing. Adding this to your study arsenal will get you prepared. Another great way to use this tool is to prompt ChatGPT to read through an assignment and check it for readability. Is it perfect? No, but it can make suggestions on how to clarify an idea. Should you think to be a smart git and try to just have it write your paper for you, you’ll get caught and probably nailed for academic misconduct. There are methods and tools that can be used to determine the likelihood that a report or assignment was written by an LLM.
These tools are perfect for helping you organize your thoughts and create a plan to execute any tasks you may have piling up. LLMs are great new tools to support students and researchers alike, but like any tool, you have to be careful in how you use it.
Illustration by May Beeney
Illustration by May Beeney
Politics //
Glory to the Brave People
The global protest on August 17 celebrated the courage of the Venezuelan people
LUIS PABON DE LOS REYES
On Aug. 17, 2024, I participated in a peaceful protest in Vancouver, supporting human rights and the Venezuelan people’s sovereignty. I was genuinely touched by this event, which inspired me to continue working for democratic liberation. I’m Luis, an international student from Colombia; I came to Canada in May 2023 with my Venezuelan husband. My last protest was in Colombia in 2007, where millions marched for the release of thousands of citizens kidnapped by illegal armed forces. This was the last time I felt inspired to physically protest — until now.
Colombia and Venezuela are neighbouring countries in South America, “sister nations” that have experienced a challenging geopolitical landscape over the last 30 years. Venezuela has been ruled by the same political party since 1998, ranked as the fourth most corrupt government in the world, and has been accused of rigging past elections. This administration has led the country, with the largest oil reserves on the planet, into the worst migratory crisis of the Western Hemisphere. Over the last 25 years, around eight million Venezuelans have migrated, seeking refuge and the means to support themselves and their loved ones back home, where there is a shortage of everything that attends to basic human needs.
After an electoral campaign filled with irregularities, Venezuela held elections on July 28, 2024. These irregularities included an aggressive blockade by the government against the opposition’s campaign, and issues with the electoral registry for five million citizens
abroad. The results were announced by the Venezuelan National Electoral Council (CNE) without any detail or proof, giving victory to current president Nicolas Maduro. Despite the request of the U.S., E.U. and Canada, the CNE has not given any proof of this result, which violates the laws of Venezuela.
In contrast to that corruption, in a historic and heroic civic movement, the people of Venezuela — led by the opposition — arranged a volunteer network of over one million citizens. At the risk of their own lives and in a record time of 24 hours, they gathered, scanned, and published an open website with 73 per cent of the official tally sheets from the polling booths, which proved that the actual results were a landslide victory for opposition’s candidate, Edmundo González, with 67 per cent of the votes against 30 per cent for Maduro.
The government’s reaction to “anti-government demonstrations since the election” has resulted in the arrest of 2,400 Venezuelans without due process (at least 120 of whom are underaged), and has led to various violations of human rights condemned by the IACHR as practices of state terrorism.
Since July 29, the Venezuelan people, guided by the opposition’s remarkable leader Maria Corina Machado, have peacefully protested both in Venezuela and around the world. They demand recognition of their sovereignty expressed in the July 28 elections and the beginning of the transition to the new government of their elected president, Edmundo Gonzalez. Sadly, these protests have resulted in the death of 23 protestors, an increase in migration, and the exile of Edmundo Gonzalez to Spain.
Aug. 17 was the largest of these protests, where hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans and democracy supporters — in over 370 cities around the globe — demanded loud and clear by singing their national anthem “Gloria al Bravo Pueblo” (Glory to the Brave People) the respect for human rights and people’s will. Today, those words hold more meaning than ever, capturing Venezuelans’ struggles and virtuous victories, a call for reflection for any other democratic nation.
This protest in Vancouver surpassed my expectations for three reasons: 1. The support of Canadian authorities for civil rights, as well as the solidarity of many citizens to the Venezuelan’s cause. 2. The joy of the Venezuelans that transformed the whole event into a family reunion, without diminishing the solemnity of the act. 3. Venezuelans’ awakening, who after 25 years of fighting for their freedom changed their chants from “We will be free” to “We are free” in real time as I marched alongside them, which still brings me to tears.
So much has happened since then, but I want to close with why this message is so important: Venezuelans are not fighting only for their country, their fight is for democracy worldwide. We should never take our freedoms for granted; it is immensely difficult to obtain them, but incredibly easy to lose them. Regardless of your convictions, please always know that your voice matters; you have the right to choose, but you should also have the responsibility of choosing the most ethical, competent, and accountable citizens to be your leaders.
If you wish to know more, feel free to contact Stand Up for Venezuela.
Another lesson in English
When English isn’t your first language and you find yourself in a country where it’s primarily spoken, there are words that no textbook will ever teach you. I will never forget the first English word I learned when I came to Canada.
Two years ago, while working my first job as a hotel receptionist, I received a call from a guest asking for someone to bring a “plunger” to their room. I had no idea what a plunger was, but based on the phonetics, I confidently replied, “Sure, we’ll get you a plunger,” and then immediately turned to my coworker and asked, “What is a plunger?”
At the beginning of this year, in a different hotel but still at the reception desk, I learned, thanks to another guest, that “plunger” can also be a verb: “plunging.”
Like I said, not everything is in the books.
BY GABRIELA GONZALEZ
Illustrations by Iryna Presley
FAR FROM HOME
Finding community and establishing a space for Black students on campus
LARRY ODEY
AS AN 18-YEAR OLD BOY FROM THE SHORES OF NIGERIA AND THE HEARTLAND OF ONTARIO, I HAVE EXPERIENCED A GREAT DEAL OF CHANGE AND ADAPTATION.
Leaving a place you grew up in is always a hard thing to do. Faced with great uncertainty of not knowing how things will turn out, not quite being sure how to assimilate, and not knowing how diverse a new place will be, warrants necessary adaptation. In an attempt to adapt and feel welcome in a new society, this uncertainty can make you forget your own roots. Needless to say, there is a feeling of intrigue for what could be; perhaps it is accurate to assume anyone arriving in a new destination possesses a great deal of excitement for what this place might have to offer. This sort of excitement may lessen the impact of saying goodbye to a place you have called your home, and offer the exhilaration of saying hello to a new one.
As an 18-year-old boy from the shores of Nigeria and the heartland of Ontario, I have experienced a great deal of change and adaptation. That being said, moving to Abbotsford and going through such a change alone was a whole new arena: a new province; a new city. No one was going to help me unpack bags like my mother did when I first landed in Toronto a couple years ago. It dawned on me that I was no longer a child, but in fact a young man on a long journey toward independence and self-reliance. I also realized the task of finding the coolest hang out spots in the block, like my siblings did when we first arrived, now fell to me as well. This time, adjusting to a new environment was all on me; I expect the thousands of international students at UFV might feel the exact same way.
There’s a lot of cultural similarities between Nigeria and Toronto — within minutes of landing in the city, you smell a pot of jollof rice and hear the sound of afrobeats just a street or two from the airport. This rich, proud presence of African influence is quite visible when a foreigner arrives; this is what quickly attracted my mother to the city and encouraged her to embrace a potential new home. My African roots were not in danger of being lost or displaced when we moved to Toronto, for there had always been a significant presence of the minority community in the city. I could have been naive in assuming this would be the case for all other cities in Canada, but upon my arrival to Abbotsford, it didn’t seem to be the
case. I don’t believe I had done enough research on minority representation in this part of the country, which is ironic considering it would be the place I’d reside for the next four years. It didn’t occur to me to conduct such research, as the trends in other parts of the country indicate growing diversity.
It is safe to say my shock at the societal differences between cities like Toronto and Abbotsford was truly overwhelming. For instance, there are currently no African restaurants in Abbotsford, and hardly any African grocery stores that sell exclusively African products. This is because the market for such a consumer demographic is nearly non-existent compared to other parts of B.C. On my arrival here, the first African-made dish I had was in Surrey, and another one in Vancouver, which has a considerable African community. Living in Toronto, it felt like there was hardly a street without an African presence on it, be it a grocery store, a restaurant, or even a small community church; this made me consider the city home, whereas in Abbotsford I really began to feel like I was abroad.
Getting into UFV was an honour for me. After applying to 15 Canadian universities, two American, and one British, I was accepted into all of them, even receiving scholarships for some, including UFV. Like many international students, the most appealing universities are the cheaper ones, which nevertheless offer quality teaching. Maturing and gaining a newfound independence made
me acknowledge this reality, and eventually embrace it. UFV was the most affordable option for me and many others, and in that I presumed the school would be bursting with a lively international community, subsequently adding a diverse cultural dynamic to the town itself. This made me look forward to the move, and although knowing this next step of my academic life would be by myself, the hopes of retaining an African community presence somewhat eased my concerns.
However, upon arrival, this wasn’t the case. It is important to note that on UFV’s website it says the university is situated on the outskirts of Vancouver; it would be a lie to claim the city’s reputation of diversity and nightlife is not well known back home. However, I didn’t research the actual location of the university itself. Upon my arrival, I gave myself a couple weeks to settle in and feel the vibe of the city – which is more accurately a town – before deciding whether I liked it. In Toronto, the winter season doesn’t hinder any recreational events, but it is understandable that the average person would prefer to stay home during this season. Days, weeks, and eventually months, passed by without a single cultural or minority-oriented event that I was aware of. No denying at that point that Abbotsford would take a lot of effort to get used to.
Movie night - ACS third official event as a UFV Club (Photo Submitted by Larry Odey)
WHILE I REMAINED OPTIMISTIC THAT PERHAPS THERE WAS A BLACK STUDENT UNION (BSU) THAT WAS AS LARGE AND ACTIVE AS ANY OTHER SURROUNDING UNIVERSITIES, THIS TURNED OUT NOT TO BE THE CASE.
Although I acknowledged that the AfroCaribbean community was not as lively or present compared to its neighbouring cities, and certainly my home, I chose not to make any assumptions about the school in relation to its city. While I remained optimistic that perhaps there was a Black Student Union (BSU) that was as large and active as any other surrounding universities, this turned out not to be the case. In my first semester, I could count how many Black students I saw in the entire school with just one hand. While interacting with as many as I could, I came to realize that we all had this collective urge to see a larger community for our people, and indeed a representation in the school’s leadership. I remained hopeful during the course of the semester that I may come across more Afro-Caribbeans, and indeed I did.
In my second semester of my first year, I attended an economics class when a North African student and I decided to start publicly advocating for the establishment of a (BSU) here at UFV. We labelled this association the Afro-Caribbean Society (ACS), a recognition of the Afro and Caribbean cultural connection and a uniting of the regions. Although miles away from each other on the globe, the ACS aimed to bridge the gap between Africans and Caribbeans and celebrate the similar culture and traditions we share. We had hoped that the university leadership, or more specifically the Student Union Society (SUS) would hastily support the creation of our club and give us a legitimate platform among other clubs. However, our efforts were only rewarded after a dreadfully long period of time: six months.
I AM PROUD TO HAVE ESTABLISHED THE AFRICAN CARIBBEAN SOCIETY WITH PEOPLE I MET HERE AND CONSIDER MY FAMILY.
Mountains of documents were sent to us. We quickly filled them out and sent them back, but still we waited for our formal establishment. That didn’t deter or discourage us from our goal, however. We kept reaching out to as many Black students as we could find, and even took to social media to appeal to Africans and Caribbeans in the UFV community that there is indeed a space for them to feel at home on campus. Above everything else, our goal for the club was the comfort and reassurance of our community that they were not alone, both new and old students — including our leadership. We know just how large of a hole a lack of diversity and culture can cause for minorities. The endless reminiscing, home-seeking, and validation all effectively lead us to feel incomplete. Our objective was to erase these feelings and replace them with the feeling of belonging.
Before getting into university, I couldn’t hide my excitement for meeting new people and entering a new stage in life. The sad part was acknowledging that we would be going our separate ways and leaving our customs and cultural practices where we lived. But we held the belief that a silver lining would be a similar presence of the customs and practices wherever we land, no matter how big the community ended up being. When I arrived in Abbotsford, I didn’t expect that presence to be as small as it was at UFV. But two years in, I am proud to have established the African Caribbean Society with people I met here and consider my family. “It is certainly about time we ushered in a club dedicated to providing a safe space and fun time for our people,” current Vice President of Events Chris Adeshina cheerfully remarked.
IT IS MY HOPE THAT WE SUCCEED IN THESE WAYS AND ARE ABLE TO ESTABLISH OURSELVES AS UFV’S BSU PERMANENTLY.
I can never forget the smiles on everyone’s faces when we first got together for our meetand-greet. This first meeting was filled with activities that initiated conversations intended to familiarize our community, and games that inspired teamwork and collaboration, highlighting the importance of counting on each other. By grouping ourselves, we also made it easier for everyone’s voices to be heard and fortunately some of the relationships fostered from our first meet-and-greet still remain as
friend groups to this day. Akondu Jumbo, a member of the ACS stated that “it was a proud moment to be an African here at UFV, and seeing many fellow minority students gave me a lot of comfort.” The planning phase leading up to the event did however take a toll on the executives, as Daniel Wakama, the vice president (VP) of events at that time stated how “difficult it was at first to pick out the games that would interest all members and ensure their willing participation. Hours spent on TikTok researching challenges did greatly pay off.” Barely an hour in, the atmosphere resembled a family reunion or Thanksgiving, rather than a first-time meeting — thankfully everyone seemed to get along right away. Now, it warms my heart to see a growing number of UFV students from all parts of the world that share in a rich African and Caribbean heritage. Moving forward, it will be the ACS’s goal to advocate for more funding from the school in order to adequately accommodate the ever-growing number of Black students, as well as organize more events for the community. It is my hope that we succeed in these ways and are able to establish ourselves as UFV’s BSU permanently. Our growth will take collective effort: not just from our demographic, but from allies and other racialized students in our school. Through a united campaign, our student engagement can be on par with what is offered at the institutional level at universities like UBC and SFU. Through this, we could bring a greater reputation to UFV, most importantly to the diversity and culture of our university. I look forward to the semester, and I am certain there are even better days ahead for the ACS.
Larry leaving Nigeria, 2023 (Photo submitted by Larry Odey)
Sports Editor - Jeffrey Kennett
CanucksCampus: DeBrusk scores twice in pre-season visit to Abbotsford
UFV’s home for all things Canucks!
JEFFREY KENNETT
In 2023, the Vancouver Canucks started their pre-season with a 10-0 loss to the Calgary Flames. If that doesn’t sway you to believe that exhibition really doesn’t mean anything, it should. Not to say pre-season can’t be fun, though. Canucks fans in the valley were treated with a visit from the likes of Elias Pettersson, Quinn Hughes, and company, to the Abbotsford Centre (AC) on Sept. 25. The franchise pillars did not disappoint against the visiting Calgary Flames.
Before the game got rolling, the Canucks were greeted off the bus at the AC from swarms of fans as the players entered the building. A variety of players stopped for pictures and autographs, despite the poor weather, while Pettersson stayed an additional 10-15 minutes later than any player to sign fan memorabilia.
Abbotsford Canucks regular Max Sasson opened the scoring with his first of the pre-season just before the first period expired. It’s a tip of the cap for Sasson to play alongside Kiefer Sherwood, another team addition in the summer, and an established player. Sherwood registered an assist on Sasson’s goal, as the latter is putting himself in a position to be called up to Vancouver this season.
Jake Bean tied the game 1-1 with a goal assisted by Victoria native Tyson Barrie, who is on the Flames pre-season squad with a Professional Tryout (PTO). Hughes was easily the best player on the ice that night: carrying the puck out of his own end, attacking the triangles, skating laps around the offensive zone — just regular Quinn Hughes things. Hughes had two points on the night, the first coming off another late period goal for the Canucks. Jake DeBrusk tipped a point shot past the Flames’ goalie at the end of the second to put Vancouver up 2-1.
The third period was a rollercoaster as the Flames scored twice consecutively from a pair of players with B.C. connections. 2024 first round pick Samuel Honzek, who played junior hockey with the Vancouver Giants, tied the game 2-2
just before the halfway mark of the third period. Cranbrook native Dryden Hunt picked up an assist on Honzek’s goal before putting the Flames ahead with a tally of his own five minutes later. With just 15 seconds remaining on the clock, Daniel Sprong sliced and diced his way through the neutral zone, weaving his way through the Flames’ defence and past the sprawling goaltender to tie the game at three.
The Canucks should be a dynamic 3-on-3 overtime (OT) team this season. Coach Rick Tocchet is surely using pre-season opportunities such as the one in Abbotsford to see what combinations he can count on throughout the season. Hughes and Pettersson have the combination of hockey IQ, poise, and speed to carry the mail in 3-on-3. DeBrusk needs to do the omens work as the complimentary third player: separate from this check, get to the top of the crease, and put away the garbage; exactly like he did for the game winner, and second of the night, just under a minute into OT.
In the long run, this game probably won’t matter, but for now, it was a ton of fun. As the pre-season runs its course, watch for Abby Canucks Aatu Räty and Linus Karlsson to make serious pushes for roster spots in Vancouver, or at the very least put themselves in positions to be the first ones called up when injuries strike.
Q&A //
Cascades Q&A: Jackson Cowx
Get
to know your student athletes through our Cascades player profiles
VERONICA POWELL
Jackson Cowx is a men’s soccer goalkeeper and team co-captain at UFV. With 12 games played in 2024-25, (as of Oct. 6) Cowx has recorded 39 saves, 5 shutouts, and 7 wins. Jackson’s 17 career Canada West wins are a new program record! What’s the best post-game meal or snack?
I don’t want my coach to read this, but probably McDonald’s. McDonald’s is a go-to. Double-quarter pounder with cheese, large fry, large chocolate shake. Just load up on the calories, but for [coach’s] sake, a nice salad. Favourite city to visit during the season?
We went to Victoria during Thunderfest this year. I thought that was amazing … but my favourite I’d say [is] the Alberta trip. I like the flight. I like being with the whole team and getting off the plane, going through security, that kind of thing. It’s a nice atmosphere. What kind of music do you listen to before games?
That’s kind of tough because I have a mix of different genres, nothing up tempo … probably R&B, a lot of R&B. Some [of] The Weeknd, maybe a little Indie music. It’s just kind of a mix of everything. I probably have 2000+ songs just in my “likes.”
Is there another sport you wish you had been good at?
Before soccer, I started baseball, and I wasn’t a huge fan back then. Being a bit older now [and] a little more into athletics, I really wish I’d [kept] playing outfield. I couldn’t swing a bat for the life of me, even now I can’t. There’s no chance. I think if I started earlier and was able to continue, I would have been decent enough. Do you have any game day superstitions?
Off and on. A nice subway sandwich before a game … but that got put to the side. [Now] it’s just the usual — listen to some calming music to ease my mind — then as I’m getting ready it’s always right sock, left sock, right shoe, left shoe, right glove, left glove. It’s always right side first.
What’s your mentality as a goalie? Obviously, you have your highs and lows. You’re not always the hero — you’re the villain sometimes. It’s a different view [than] a striker who scores goals. [Strikers have these] picture-perfect goals they want to score and I’m on the other end trying to stop that picture-perfect goal and be the hero for my team.
Photo by Eduardo Rubi
Favourite athlete?
Oh, that’s tough because there’s so many quality athletes around the world in different sports. [I’ve been a] Ronaldo guy since I was a child, but as I’ve grown into more of a goalkeeper’s vision, I’m obviously going to pick a goalkeeper as my favourite athlete. I’m gonna say Thibaut Courtois from Real Madrid. He’s my favourite. I try to take pieces of his game and put them into mine.
What’s your opinion on wearing socks and sandals?
If we’re talking about socks and sandals post-training — I understand if you don’t want to wear boots [or] runners — I get it. If you’re at the beach or just walking around regularly and you’re in socks and sandals … I can’t … it’s a no.
Who is the most underrated player on your team and why?
I would say Nate (Nathan) Cervo. I think he’s very underrated. He doesn’t quite get into the 18 a lot — he made an appearance early on in the season, but I believe he’s very underrated. He works hard [and] he’s determined. Yeah, he can mess up sometimes at practice … but I know he’ll be getting the ball back right away, and doing what he can [to make up for it].
What’s your response to UFV being 25th on the U Sports Men’s Soccer Rankings (as of Sept. 11)?
I see it as a challenge. There’s definitely challenges we have faced [as a team], especially last year … we struggled a little bit. But looking at it now, we have a point to prove. Being ranked low doesn’t really put any pressure on us. We know what we can do, and when we show up on the field we’re here to prove a point and that placement doesn’t symbolize us.
Q&A has been edited for length and readability.
Photo by John Morrow / Abbotsford News
Soccer // Brazinha hungry to “prove Canada West wrong”
Canada West’s leading scorer watches back the tape of UFV’s home opener, breaking down his dominant four point performance
JEFFREY KENNETT
Forget Canada West; as of Oct. 6, Mateo Brazinha is the third-highest leading scorer in all of U Sports, racking up 14 points in 12 Games Played (GP). Brazinha is abrasive; constantly getting in defender’s kitchens and preventing their ability to break out cleanly. It took Brazinha barely five minutes to find the back of the net in the Cascades’ season opener on Aug. 23, making the UNBC Timberwolves pay for putting the ball in a costly position.
“I saw Age (Adriano Consiglio) down the right wing, and Age usually swims in a good ball… ” said Brazinha of his opening marker. “[The ball was] put in a dangerous area … and I think I was just the first to react out of me and the defenders. It’s almost like [an] instinct where … ‘okay, it’s going back across the box? I’ve got to get there!’ It’s pure instinct — I see it going to a dangerous position — I’m going to absolutely throw my body at that.”
Brazinha is a difficult assignment for defenses to lock down. His game isn’t built around possession, it’s built around his core strength and agility. In the season opener, Brazinha showed he can score from anywhere on the field. Where does he think he’s the most dangerous?
“Down the channels, I love to make runs down those wide areas…” said Brazinha. “I love to be on the shoulder of the defender. I’m not a big guy, so I can’t really hold off guys — what I can do is put it around them. Anywhere behind the defense. I live in those areas.”
Brazinha’s second of the game came just before the end of the first half at Rotary Stadium.
“This is an example of the area that
I call my office down the channels…”
Brazinha explains on his second tally.
“I saw Kevin (Mailand) had his head up, and on his weak foot played a fantastic ball.” Once Brazinha received the pass from Mailand, he described, “I saw one guy coming from behind me and another coming from beside me — so I knew the space was behind them — I thought I backed myself in a race.” Brazinha headed the ball forward before regaining control, “I one-touched it past [the defenders] and once I knew I was beating them, it was purely about staying composed and making sure that whenever I have the goalie in a critical last 30 seconds of a half, I have to put it away.”
Part of his four point night included an assist, of which he calls “another prime example of Mateo Brazinha running
into the channels.” The Cascades’ leading scorer said, “When I saw Michael (Beecroft) on the ball in that area — Michael has a great long ball — so I knew he saw me … and being pretty good friends, I knew exactly where the ball was going … right down the channel.”
Avoiding stepping out of bounds, Brazinha drove into chaos and set up teammate Joel Bangura, picking up his third point of the evening.
Brazinha said on the play, “I had to wait a little bit. I was lucky [the defender] didn’t pressure me too much at the start. I could see Joel making his run, and I knew if I put it in an area that the goalie was uncomfortable with, that Joel would want the ball. When I saw him in that area it was a pick out that I felt like I had to make. I was happy for Joel.”
Brazinha had never scored a hat trick in Canada West, and said he “rarely” scored three times in a game growing up. How much do you think he wanted his third goal of the night?
“Right when Dante (Colebourne) got [the ball] — he’s a very creative player — I was absolutely screaming,” recalled Brazinha on his hat trick goal. “I saw the gap through the middle and I knew he’s very game smart, so I knew that he’d see it too. This was a very messy goal, but a great ball by Dante. I knew he saw it.”
On his celebratory knee slide, Brazinha said the team was waiting for the right opportunity. “The game plan before was someone’s gotta do a knee slide; the game’s perfect for it. That’s why I decided to do it.” Describing how he felt in the moment Brazinha said, “I was on top of the world, on top of the world.”
For the rest of the season Brazinha said, “I’m more motivated than ever, I’ve never been so fired up in my entire life.” He went on, “going into pre-season, I was like, I want this. And now, because [we’ve had] a decent start, I am so fired up. I want to win so bad. I want this team to win, I’m so determined. I think all the boys are, and that collectively has helped us so much. We’re all determined to go out there and prove everyone wrong, prove the rankings wrong, and prove every other person in Canada West wrong.”
In only his third year at UFV, Brazinha has set the program record for assists with seven so far this season, tops in Canada West. His seven goals on the year rank second in Canada West. As the team marches toward the play-offs, watch for Brazinha bursting down the flanks, cutting through the channels.
Photo by Joshua Sulpico
Soccer // Cascades shout victory!
WSOC
shows competitors who’s boss in home
VERONICA POWELL
Coming home to Rotary Stadium was all UFV needed to secure their first win of the 2024-25 season. The Cascades women’s soccer team (WSOC) proudly defeated the Mount Royal Cougars by a score of 2-0 on Friday, Sept. 13, their third game of the season. The Cougars led the game in shot attempts but weren’t able to hit the net consistently, while the Cascades managed to make the Cougars pay with timely striking and far fewer shot attempts.
The Cascades were itching to get their feet on the ball for the first time in front of the Abbotsford crowd, and their energy was visible from the stands. Horns sounded and echoed across the field in the first half as rookie forward Emerson Toop got on the board in the 18th minute assisted by midfielder Jaya Bains. The crowd loved their team’s feistiness, supporting the Cascades’ physical play against the Cougars throughout the game.
Speaking on her first goal, Toop said, “It feels amazing. I have been working towards this since I was probably five years old, and the reaction from the team
Rowing //
opener
made it feel so surreal. The best part was the moments after. As soon as the kick-off happened, we were all ready to go. The first goal of the season and we were all buzzing after that.”
Anticipation ran thick as the game approached the end of the first half. The rain had settled in and the tension was fraught. A corner kick from the Cougar’s Catriona McFadden in the 36th minute nearly confirmed the tying marker with a deflected header, but defender Camryn Lyon dove in front of the shot in desperation, taking the Cascades into the second half with a single goal lead.
An autumn chill filled the evening air, sending a shiver down the spine of Rotary Stadium’s onlookers when a ball bounced off the goalpost behind goalkeeper Addy Chen, who quickly followed up to make the reaction save. The game was Chen’s first career Canada West shut-out, finishing the night with four saves. Striker Kiana Langston had a clean finish in the second half, swooping in to send home the Cascades’ second goal. Langston’s tally was assisted on by Toop, her second point of the evening.
Toop said post-game, “I think this win
shows what we are capable of this season. We worked our butts off tonight, and I think going forward we are going to keep working and putting those goals in the net.”
The sun came out in Abbotsford for the Cascades’ next game, and although their weekend was off to a victorious start, their success would be interrupted by the Victoria Vikes. On Sunday, Sept. 15, UFV would fall 4-0 to Victoria and drop
to 1-3 on the season.
As of Oct. 5 the WSOC’s record sits at 2-5-2, putting them sixth in the Pacific Division. The Cascades’ second victory came against the UNBC Timberwolves in a tight 1-0 game where Bains notched the game winner. Be sure to attend the Cascades’ next home game on Oct. 11 at Rotary Stadium against the rival Trinity Western Spartans!
UFV Rowing makes commendable showing
Coach and player reactions from the Nicomekl Regatta
JEFFREY KENNETT
BLACKIE SPIT PARK, SURREY, B.C. (Sept. 21, 2024) — The sun was shining for the 2024 Nicomekl Regatta and although the Cascades didn’t take home any hardware, they showed plenty of grit and determination. The UFV rowing club wanted to raise their compete level from practice for the event and wasn’t concerned with overall placement in the regatta.
Maya Drisner and Aaron Hyde spoke to The Cascade following their completion of the mixed doubles event, and explained taking the race ten hard strokes at a time. “We pushed power 10s pretty often, [and] were able to keep our rate below 215,” said Drisner. “We were able to pass three boats, and then going [in] to the no passing zone with 50 metres to spare, we were able to pass one [more] boat and keep them off for the rest!” Drisner and Hyde would just miss a medal position as they finished fourth of the six teams racing in net time. The pair weren’t discouraged by their placing, Drisner said. “We didn’t
hit anything, and we were able to beat our practice time by approximately one minute and 30 seconds!”
Team coach Alicia Borsoi discussed her team’s morning. She said, “I think it’s a challenging course. And I think the sun was a bit challenging for rowers today to actually steer a good course.” Borsoi says coaches can only really see the last kilometre of the race; as a coach she’s looking at “how they’re rowing when they’re really tired and have done quite a long stretch.” She expressed that the finish of the race “gives us a good idea [of] their current fitness and abilities to hold their technique together under all the pressure and stress at this race.”
Borsoi and fellow coach Lisa Roman simulate pressure and intensity in practice, so rowers are comfortable in races and tournaments. “We do 6k race pieces in practice, so we simulate the distance that they will be [racing],” said Borsoi. “Our waterway is pretty versatile, so we can actually get a little bit of the cornering that they need to do for this type of racing.”
Peter Inden also narrowly missed out on a medal, finishing fifth out of ten rowers in the men’s single in net time.
On his history with UFV rowing, he said, “It’s a great way to meet other people. We’ve met lots of people from the SFU rowing team that we always do stuff with, and we’ve had people come over from the UVic rowing team as well.”
After shutting down during the COVID-19 pandemic, the program has taken major strides in the last handful of years. “Lisa Roman and myself have been working to rebuild the entirety of
the program in the last three years,” said Borsoi. Looking at the program’s growth with a wider lens, Borsoi said, “If I look at how far it’s come in the last three or four years — I’m extremely excited — we have fourth year athletes, [we’re] highly competitive, [and] we are getting results; we’re getting the recruiting.”
After navigating some tough waters, both at Nicomekl and as a program, UFV’s rowing club appears to finally be sailing smoothly. The rowing team welcomes all students, for those looking to get involved.
Photo by Jordie Arthur / UFV Athletics
Photo by Jordie Artur / UFV Cascades
Basketball // Cascades women’s basketball gearing up for new season
Gobeil and Cabuco discuss their team’s last dance together as a core
MICAH DELLA FORESTA
Coming off their strongest season in nearly a decade, the University of the Fraser Valley women’s basketball team is seeking to pick up where they left off and continue to build toward a championship.
The 2023-24 season was a quality campaign for the Cascades, compiling a 17-3 regular season record, third place finish in Canada West, and a national tournament berth. Drawing the defending national champions and current backto-back title winning Carleton Ravens in the first round ultimately led to a first round exit for the upstart Cascades. After travelling to Australia for exhibition tuneups, the team is eager to get their regular season schedule rolling.
The team started with a strong
Lifestyle
showing on their international tour going 3-1 against top talent in Australia. Only one game was lost in overtime to the Sydney Flames, a professional program that competes in the WNBL, Australia’s highest level of women’s basketball.
Entering her fifth and final year with the Cascades, Maddy Gobeil stuffed the stat sheet on a consistent basis last season averaging 17.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 3.3 steals per game. She was a first team all-star in Canada West and earned herself an All-Canadian nod after being named a second team all-star the year previous.
Gobeil told The Cascade that the team is focused on continually raising their own standards in practice. When discussing what the team learned from last year’s nationals experience and how that will
serve to elevate the team this year, she said, “The top teams in the country can really shoot the basketball, so it’s been a focus this off-season to raise our shooting percentage as a team.”
Another one of this year’s key contributors is expected to be fellow senior Nikki Cabuco. Cabuco expressed excitement for the opportunity to guide and mentor younger players this season. She thinks that with only one graduating player last year, and the infusion of four new rookies, expectations are high for the team to take another step forward.
Cabuco also explained that this season comes with higher emotion attached. Established Cascades players, including Gobeil and Deanna Tuchscherer, a third team all-star in Canada West last season, will be playing their final season together
after being teammates since they were 15. Cabuco is entering the season with renewed focus, and the intention to capitalize on this core group’s potential last run together. “We’re playing with nothing to hold back, and with a readiness to just leave it all on the court for one last season of being a Cascade,” she stated emphatically.
With the core of the team intact, and an off-season of further development in the books, the women are driven to arrive at the same stage come this spring. The Cascades will play a string of pre-season games in the following weeks, including a trip to Waterloo, Ontario for the interconference U Sports competition.
The regular season tips off Halloween night at 6 p.m. vs. UBC at the UFV Athletic Centre.
CULTURE
// Student-friendly to-do’s to sink into fall
You may want to save this list for future seasons while you’re at it
VERONICA POWELL
I don’t know about you, but I’m always interested in finding new activities to fill my free time (if I have any), especially when autumn sets in. If you’re the same way, you’ve come to the right page in the paper! I’ve gone beyond football games, harvest festivals, and pumpkin spice lattes to find seven unique things you should definitely try to enjoy this season while not breaking the bank — all with perfect photo-ops included.
1. Go fishing
Don’t worry if you’ve never even touched a fishing pole before; you don’t have to be skilled to enjoy it! From my personal experiences (as a certified rookie), all you need is patience and a fishing licence. If you’re interested in only fishing for one day, you can purchase a one day licence of $11.43. If you like it more than you thought you would, an annual licence is $41.15. It can be a waiting game, but the anticipation of possibly catching a fish while also being surrounded by the colourful changing leaves and brisk air can provide a comfortability that is unexpected and pleasurable. You can find a quiet dock, bring a blanket, and your
own basket of snacks with hot cocoa or cider. Whether you catch a fish or not, it’s a great opportunity to take in the fall foliage around you.
2. Antiquing
Buzz around your local thrift stores and shop for some fresh decor for your room, porch, or home. It’s affordable and you might be surprised at some of the things you’d find hiding in the corners. A wreath, a table centrepiece, a welcome rug, or a freaky skeleton if you’re into Halloween.
3. Make caramel apples
There is never a wrong time during fall to bake a sweet treat where the smell can linger in your house for days. Caramel apples are easy and great fun to make, especially with friends. They take minimal ingredients, you don’t need to set aside too much time or acquire a lot of baking skills, and they can stay fresh for over a week. They hold a flavour that combines sweet with sour and will definitely put you in the fall mood. You also have free range to spruce them up by rolling them in sprinkles or coconut shavings, cookie crumbs, candy, and more.
4. Go on a scenic bike ride
For whenever you might feel like being adventurous and braving the
chilly outdoors, and want another way to embrace the fiery reds and bronzy oranges, take a long ride on a bike through park trails. You don’t even have to have a destination; just pedal to your heart’s content and feel the satisfaction of the leaves crunching under your tires. Stanley Park in Vancouver is a prime spot that will occupy your time for at least a couple of hours. You can also bring a friend and rent a tandem bike!
5. Have a watch party
Gather your friends and/or family and invite them over for a themed watch party. Rent or stream your favourite choices: from sappy Hallmark autumn romances, to spooky, twisted horror films, the options are endless! For your best and most memorable viewing experience, prepare some snacks, queue up your group’s favourites, put on your comfiest clothes, light the fireplace or some candles in the dark, and enjoy your time with the ones you care about.
6. Attend a bake sale
If you’d rather buy your baked goods as opposed to making them yourself, support your local small business owners and shop around at a bake sale. You can always find different cookies, cakes,
breads, and more that are fall-themed and reasonably priced. Plus, there are always more around the holidays, which means more options to choose from. You never know, you might find that perfect gift for a loved one, whether that be for a party or just because!
7. Host a murder mystery
For all my Halloween lovers out there, invite friends or family over to solve the perfect murder mystery. Look for inspiration online and give your suspects a theme. An old Hollywood whodunit, a masquerade party, or a 1920s haunted mansion! It’s entertaining, challenging, and a great opportunity for team-building and connection. Make it more fun by dressing up together to match the theme of the mystery.
Photo by Ezume
Crossword Puzzle
Horoscopes //
By: Madame LaCarte
Aries - Mar. 21 to Apr. 19
Crossword Puzzle
You’re on a path. You have a goal set and nothing will stop you. You feel the momentum and push of your passion. But … you know … chill. Slow down, you’ll get there, but not right this second. Don’t let your passion for tomorrow make you miss out on today.
Taurus - Apr. 20 to May 20
You’re having problems in a partnership. Maybe a group project, maybe a friend, maybe more. Sometimes we expect people to be different from who they are. Even expecting someone to be decent is an expectation, and expectations are the root of resentment, which grows by the watering of anger. Sometimes accepting that someone is who they are without judgement can allow you to unburden yourself and accomplish things on your own.
Gemini - May 21 to Jun. 20
Oh you sly fox, you. You’ve talked your way into it and you’ll talk your way out of it. After all, you are the smartest person in the room. Ambition, desire, nothing wrong with these, but think hard about what you really want. How are you going to look back on your actions today? Will you look back with pride? Or with shame?
Cancer - Jun. 21 to Jul. 22
Let’s trigger a breakthrough, shall we? Your insecurities are driving so many of your decisions. Everything lately has been reflexive responses and reactions reflecting your reverence and revulsions with realities that don’t ratify the stories you recite to yourself. Your efforts to keep to your narrative and not face the world as it is are as awkward and obvious as my trying to start all the words in the previous sentence with “R”.
Leo - Jul. 23 to Aug. 22
You feel unsupported from those closest to you. Your home life seems chaotic. But what is the source of that chaos? Focusing on everyone else’s flaws is making you blind to your shortcomings. Instead of looking at the cracks in the foundation, look at the ones in the mirror. You might spot something green.
Virgo - Aug. 23 to Sept. 22
You’re finding yourself happy for the first time in a long time. You’ve recently experienced a loss, too. This has you conflicted internally. How can you allow yourself to be happy after such a loss? Truth is, the two can coexist. Being happy today doesn’t make the pain of yesterday any less important. Humans are complicated and complex, and it’s okay to be happy, just the same as it is okay to be sad. It is all part of the human experience.
Libra - Sept. 23 to Oct. 22
Then, out of the box came option two and option one. And they run to you fast. You think “what should I do?” No good choice, alas, with option one and option two. And you, oh you, know not what to do. For you must choose option one or option two. Both are bad, neither are fun. That’s the problem with option two and one.
Scorpio - Oct. 23 to Nov. 21
You’ve put a lot of responsibility in your life, and you make quick decisions at times. But there is a difference between decisiveness and panic. Keeping focus will help. Have you tried making a vision board?
Sagittarius - Nov. 22 to Dec. 21
When was the last time you sat with yourself and had an honest talk? You might be getting in your own way. It’s good to be diplomatic, and attempt to avoid conflict, but sometimes by trying to respect the different steps others take, you can forget yourself and where you lie. Welcome mats get sullied and soiled, and acting like one has you worn to a point where you are now desensitized and bored with life. Stand proud, set boundaries, and that passion you’re missing will reignite.
Capricorn - Dec. 22 to Jan. 19
Your cynicism and “intellect” have you feeling dissatisfied with life. But it’s your lack of compassion that’s the problem. Your inconsideration will make you easily manipulated and taken advantage of. Empathy is not a weakness, it’s just not an attractive trait to your “intellectual” mind. Oh, how lonely and cold it is to be so “smart.” If only others could see what you see, then everyone could be as miserable as you. How wonderful would that be?
Aquarius - Jan. 20 to Feb. 18
You feel like giving up. You’re overwhelmed and stressed. As you despair, you might want to reach out for help, but is it wise? Sometimes admitting defeat leaves room for an unexpected success.
Pisces - Feb. 19 to Mar. 20
You feel lost, and there are no maps to guide you. The path you seek is laid within yourself. Nurture your inner child. A child needs food, water, sleep, and of course, play. Have you eaten? Drank? Napped? Have you had fun today? You know what to do.
Community // UFV’s first ever MEHFIL!
An evening of folk music, art, and poetry filled with love for South Asian culture
PRATI KAPOOR
On Sept. 19, the South Asian Studies Institute (SASI) organized UFV’s first ever South Asian Folk Music event, MEHFIL. It was hosted on the patio of K Building after over six months of recording, translating, and transcribing treasures of South Asian music and poetry. The ambience rhythmed to soulful South Asian Folk Music as SASI brought together the community with renowned artists Devinder Kaur Johal, Daksh Kubba, Harinder Saini, and Gurmukh Singh to celebrate culture, art, and connection.
The event was proposed by Surreybased physician, Dr. Madhumeet Kaur Jawanda, who spearheaded outreach to the SASI community during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to SASI’s director, Dr. Satwinder Bains, Dr. Jawanda was inspired by some of her patients. In an email to Dr. Bains, Dr. Jawanda shared, “I have elderly patients 75 years and older who share their poetry, songs, and Giddha Boliyaan with me. Is there any way we can showcase their talent? They are so special.”
The idea inspired SASI to create a collection of folk songs as part of their South Asian Canadian Digital Archive (SACDA). So far, the SACDA team has documented the work of 10 artists with over 50 folk songs and poems. SASI plans to reach out to diverse South Asian Canadian communities in the Lower Mainland and the Fraser Valley to document more songs. While the project continues, MEHFIL was an event to celebrate what it has accomplished so far.
The event began with 88-year-old Devinder Kaur Johal and her poems on women’s empowerment and identity. Johal, who began writing in her sixties to cope with depression, now has eight published books of poetry. At 82, she won the Most Popular Vote at the PICS Golden Glam-Ma Beauty Pageant. Reflecting on her journey, she said, “I don’t remember much about singing… no one listened when I sang, but I still used to sing in secret. It wasn’t considered proper at that time, but singing and writing makes me immensely happy.”
The evening continued with a Punjabi folk music performance by Harinder Saini, the founder and lead singer of Raunkaan Events. The patio echoed with classic Punjabi Boliyan and folk songs as Saini sang and women from the community danced Giddha. Brought up in a
musical family, she now calls music her “Rooh Di Khurak (food of soul)... “When nothing else works for me, music works for me.”
Taking over the stage next was Daksh Kubba with his band naQsh: lead guitarist Imran Habib; bassist and drummer Aman Tohan; and guitarist Asim Khan. Kubba, who started music as an escape from a life where he couldn’t express himself, found his freedom being on stage. Sharing what drives him he said, “People inspire me. I write songs about my friends and relationships. Anything that deeply touches you, is inspiring in any form.” He also added that, to him, “Honesty and truth is, I think, the middle of it all.” Daksh released his debut solo album in 2022, titled Not Just a Singer and is currently working on many new projects.
The night concluded with a performance from singer Gurmukh Singh and drummer Swaraj Aiden. Singh, a Punjabi artist, drew his inspiration from the legendary singer Mohammad Rafi. He formed his band, Musafir, and has performed over 500 shows across India. He also recently released an album titled Trapped. Answering to what inspires him to sing, Singh replied, “I don’t have any answer to it but I can’t live without it.’’ An introvert off-stage, he finds it easier to express himself on stage.
Harveen Kaur, a business administration student at UFV shared, “I have never attended any event like this. I love it, this evening! The artists were very nice and everyone sang so well. I feel like [I’m at] home.”
Psychology student Kanishka Takyar echoed similar sentiments, “It was the best experience of the evening; the music, the vibes were amazing. It gave me the India feeling I was missing.”
On making MEHFIL an annual tradition, Dr. Bains mentioned, “The audience seems to demand it too. We had so many audience members come up and ask us about the next event and if we could do something for seniors that would allow them to maintain their connections to languages, history, culture, art, and music.”
Events like these not only cultivate cultural diversity, but also offer many students, like Kaur and Takyar, a sense of home while they chase their dreams overseas. When asked if she would like to attend again, Takyar said absolutely, and that she is feeling called to get involved. Events like these create lasting cultural connections that help keep traditions alive while enriching the entire community.
Column // Cascade Kitchen: Banoffee pie in a jar
GAURI SETHI
The Cascade Kitchen is a student-run food column that brings you budgetfriendly recipes and cooking tips. Check back weekly for something new to try in the kitchen, or if you want to see your own recipe featured next, get started by reaching out to culture@ufvcascade.ca.
Even though the fall semester has only just begun, I am already tempted to give up. But, in an attempt to not lose motivation, let me introduce this creamy sweetness, a no-bake banoffee pie in a jar. This recipe is ideal for busy students. It needs minimal work and only a few basic ingredients, making it an excellent choice for a fast study break snack or an after-dinner treat.
Serves: 4
Prep Time: 1 hour
Chill Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
* 1 cup digestive biscuits (or graham crackers)
* 1/4 cup melted butter
* 1 can sweetened condensed milk
* 2 ripe bananas
* 1 cup whipped cream
* 4 300 ml jars
Optional:
* Chocolate shavings
Method:
1. Crush the digestive biscuits and combine them with melted butter in a bowl, mixing the two until well incorporated.
2. Evenly distribute the biscuit mixture among the jars, using the back of a spoon to push it down and make a firm layer.
3. Place the unopened can of sweetened condensed milk in a saucepan and add enough water to cover it fully. After that, boil it in the pan for around 45 minutes on low to medium heat.
4. After that, allow the can to cool. When you open it, the colour should have changed to caramel brown. Now, fill the jars with a layer of this toffee sauce.
5. Next, cut the bananas into slices and place them in the jars, topped with a layer of whipped cream.
6. Repeat the layering process in the jar two more times, starting with the sauce, then the bananas, and finally the whipped cream. Now, sprinkle chocolate shavings over top to garnish.
7. Allow it to rest in the refrigerator for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
CULTURE
Club Spotlight // Connecting UFV students with outdoor adventures
SLOW promotes community through outdoor activities and welcomes all students
GAURI SETHI
With an open invitation to join and participate, University of the Fraser Valley (UFV)’s Student Leisure Outdoor and Wilderness (SLOW) club is changing how students see campus life. In a world where screens and deadlines have taken over our daily lives, SLOW offers an opportunity to go outside, interact with nature, and forge lasting connections. No matter how inexperienced you are with the outdoors, SLOW is here to make the wilderness feel accessible, enjoyable, and like a breath of fresh air during your university experience.
Led by President Sophia Halas and Treasurer Mikaela Barnes — both of whom are up for re-election — SLOW strives to get students outside and link them with other nature enthusiasts. According to Halas, the club’s goal is straightforward, stating that they want “to get people outdoors and make friends with people who like to be outside.” Halas also added that “not everyone who joins our events is super athletic, but they’re all willing to try, and I love that.”
SLOW was started by Halas’s brother and his girlfriend, Stephan Halas and Heather Kelly, five years ago, with Halas leading the club since they graduated. Attracted to the club by her passion for hiking and outdoor pursuits, Barnes joined last year and is now an integral part of its overall management. The club hosts a range of outdoor activities, from easy get-togethers like skating, to strenuous treks and rock climbing. They host events that are open to everyone wanting to try their hand, regardless of what they are capable of. In addition, Barnes emphasized how important inclusivity is, particularly for students who might not have access to a vehicle. “We often choose locations close to campus, and we help students with car-pooling so that everyone has the chance to join, even if they don’t have their own car.”
The ultimate frisbee game, one of SLOW’s latest events for the fall semester, was held on Friday, Sept. 20. The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the club commenced the event, which then came to a close with a fun game of frisbee. “It’s a great way to spend time outside with friends,” said Halas.
To those who might be reluctant to
participate, Barnes added, “Our hikes are beginner-friendly. We don’t do anything too intense, like 35-kilometre treks. We keep it easy and fun, so anyone can join.” Halas further explained the club’s purpose is to enjoy the great outdoors rather than focus on winning sports. “We’re all in it together, and we just want to have a fun day. You don’t have to commit to every event — you can pick and choose which ones you want to join.”
When discussing their most treasured memories while being a part of the club, both members emphasized the sense of involvement they felt. Halas also shared about their time on a snowy mountain hike together and talked about how even though things got rough, they managed to stick together and reach the summit. Barnes also mentioned that although rock climbing is not something she often does, she was happy to try it out with the club and experience something she wouldn’t usually go for.
In the future, SLOW hopes to hold events more frequently and keep providing a variety of activities. “In the next semester, we hope to increase the regularity of our events,” added Halas. They intend to draw in even more students who are interested in exploring the outdoors but may not know where to begin. The message they have for UFV’s students is to give it a try. SLOW offers something for everyone. “You don’t have to be athletic or adventurous to join. Come, enjoy yourself, and make new friends,” said Barnes. SLOW continues to be an essential part of the UFV community, providing students with an opportunity to take a break from their hectic schedules and reconnect with the world around them.
SHUFFLE
CIVL’s Aaron Levy features CIVL’s two newest programs this week, with the first two selections pulled from Arthur Atlas’s Monday afternoon Style in Music, and the second pair from David Neale’s The Wired Corner on Friday afternoons!
Alec Benjamin - “The Way You Felt” (Chinese Version)
The way I felt listening to this song’s performance, having no understanding of the lyrics — and never having heard the original recording in English beforehand — was that I was blown away by how allencompassingly pan-Asian pop music is shattering the standards set for westerners. Turns out, Benjamin is Phoenician.
Jackson Wang - “Blow” Almost a 180 in a couple of different ways. The rockier elements call back to the gothic, anthemic emo of mid-00s bands like My Chemical Romance, The Used, Brand New, and others of the like. But the slow breakdown of the chorus is a welcome flip on ostensible mallpunk.
The Prodigy - “Voodoo Child”
A song I’d heard at least every weekend in my youth, wordlessly announcing the witching hour or thereabouts on commercial rock radio — at a night out dancing in downtown Toronto, in the car, on the way back from dinner with family, seeing a movie, or catching a game. Who knew it was Prodigy?!
Deadmau5 - “Ghosts ‘n Stuff” (ft. Rob Squire)
A now-classic, last-minute addition to the inaugural episode of The Wired Corner, this Burlington, Ontario-born and raised mouse-head turned house-heads right ‘round across the world leading up to the 2010s dubstep explosion. This song was rock radio ready, making the rounds no matter where you were.
01. MAGDALENA BAY IMAGINAL DISK
02. DONOVAN WOODS THINGS WERE NEVER GOOD IF THEY’RE NOT GOOD NOW
03. ROOTS ROUND UP UP ROOTED
04. NILUFER YANYA MY METHOD ACTOR
05. THE MERINGUES PAVLOVA’S DOG
06. HALF CUBES, THE CAN’T STOP ME NOW!
07. TORO Y MOI HOLE ERTH
08. THE ANTI-QUEENS DISENCHANTED
09. PLANET GIZA THE SKY IS RECORDING ME: 100 YEARS LATER, VOL. 1 [EP]
10. TEA FANNIE IT’S ALL LOVE
11. KOKOKO! BUTU
12. MERV XX GOTTI GUITAR SONGS EP
13. HALELUYA HAILU ETERNALLY, YOURS.
14. KROY MILITIA
15. BOY GOLDEN FOR EDEN
16. SUUNS THE BREAKS
17. SHAM FAMILY A DEAF PORTRAIT OF PEACE
18. SLOW SPIRIT THAT’S THE GODS TALKING
19. AMANDA KEELES CAN’T STOP ME NOW
20. CRACK CLOUD RED MILE
At Elk Mountain (Photo courtesy of UFV Student Leisure Outdoor and Wilderness Club - SLOW)
Campus Fashion: Shopping smart
Looking fashionable on a budget
Tuition fees, bills, and rent can leave you with a very thin purse, and buying clothing can be expensive with such inflated price tags. Shopping within your price range and knowing how much to spend is important, but calculating how much of your income you can allot for buying clothes, shoes, and accessories can be tricky. However, there are ways to cut down on fashion spending while still looking current.
Thrifting: Thrifting is a great way to save money. A downside is that it may take longer to find the pieces you like, but the price difference between retail and thrift stores is hard to ignore. For example, MCC Clothing Etc. has weekly fifty cent racks where customers can find clothing for cheap. Other places like the MCC Centre Thrift Shop on Gladys have student discounts on Fridays for 20 per cent off. All you need to do is bring your student card and show them at the checkout counter.
Shop your closet: The cheapest place to go shopping is your closet! Sometimes it’s easy to forget what you have already. You may find that you already own the piece you were thinking of purchasing, or find a good substitute to wear instead. Going through your wardrobe is a great way to make a list of what you have and rediscover pieces that may be hiding in the bottom of a drawer or in the back of your closet.
Do not impulse buy: It is easy to do and sometimes we regret it. Shopping around and putting items on hold or on your wish list is a great way to ensure that you are getting what you need for the best price possible. Looking at all your options can help filter out items that may not work for your fashion needs. The good news is that if you impulse buy an item you later regret, chances are high that you can exchange it or get a reimbursement. Wait for sales: Why buy it for full price? The waiting game can be challenging as certain sizes can sell out faster than others. However, it does not hurt to look for sales on items that you need or want to add to your closet. Buying an item on sale is satisfying and can save you a ton of money in the long run.
Avoid shopping online: Online shopping is fast and easy. While more accommodating and user-friendly, if you’re not a sensible shopper, you could lose money on unnecessary purchases with the click of a button. It’s easy to follow internet rabbit holes and clickbait to our favourite websites. However, exercising self-control and avoiding online shopping is another way to save money. Think about all the shipping and handling fees you save by not spending money online. And there you have it, a list of strategies to help you save money and shop smarter!
Events // Zaira Ramirez Luis: The Art of Play
Celebrating community diversity through play
ELYSSA ENGLISH
Situated in a far corner of UFV’s Building A, you can find the S’eliyemetaxwtexw Art Gallery. It is free to explore for both students and community members, playing host to about half a dozen exhibitions every year. The first exhibition of Fall 2024, The Art of Play, opened Sept. 11 and closed Oct. 3.
For those who missed it, or are curious to learn more about the exhibition, you’re in luck. I had the honour of meeting with Venezuelan-born artist Zaira Ramirez Luis, and the gallery’s curator Liz Wurzinger, to discuss the showing.
The Art of Play is an interactive, self-directed experience, with the viewer as much a part of it as the art and the artist. The dimly lit room was awash with beautiful coloured lighting which played over the installations, creating intricate shadows throughout the space. When speaking with Ramirez Luis about her intention with the project, she explained that her goal in the gallery was to create a space “that invites the viewer to immerse [themself] into the artistic elements.”
Each piece in the exhibit included a note from the artist, welcoming people to interact and play with each element, from various mirrors to curtains of vibrantly coloured ribbons to walk through, asking you to “find yourself.” Participants were even encouraged to draw on the walls!
“The Art of Play exhibition is a celebration of my anniversary as a community artist in the City of Abbotsford,” Ramirez Luis explained. She began working as a community artist in 2021; one of the most influential projects to her being the Go Play Outside program. The program was created in 2020 by UFV School of Creative Arts (SoCA) graduate Tara-Lynn KozmaPerrin, with the goal of cultivating a more connected and engaged community within Abbotsford. The program hosts free, family-friendly creative and recreation activities year-round, encouraging people to get outside, play, and socialize.
“Working as a cultural leader in the Go Play Outside program expanded my vision of Abbotsford,” Ramirez Luis said. And it was much of this experience, engaging with the community and the diversity of Abbotsford, which inspired her to bring The Art of Play into being.
“The vision came as [Zaira] created,” said Liz Wurzinger, the S’eliyemetaxwtexw Art Gallery’s coordinator. “That was really amazing and inspiring to witness.” The title of the
exhibition came out of a collaborative effort between artist and coordinator as the concept of the exhibition evolved. “[It’s] about playing. But also, it’s about art.” Ramirez Luis explained, with Wurzinger adding that, “It’s an interesting thing to kind of challenge artists, as [they] play in a very academic place. Things like art are just very over-discussed, and so I really admire [Zaira’s] courage to kind of just be like, no, let’s play.”
Finding space to support their practice, play, and show work can be difficult for artists, something Ramirez Luis expressed her frustrations with. “I have the SoCA which is great. I love the SoCA because it gave me this opportunity and I feel so grateful,” she said, but also expressed that it is still challenging for artists to find work and proper studio spaces to practice in. “I don’t go to Vancouver to show my pieces. I don’t. So in Abbotsford it is a little bit difficult to find a space to show.”
And while there are some spaces in Abbotsford and the Fraser Valley, according to Ramirez Luis, it still doesn’t feel like enough. “You know that space that creates the opportunity for creation, for sharing, for collaboration, for teaching — we need that,” she said. When asked what communities can do to better provide that support to artists, Ramirez Luis said that, for her, it is an issue of space and opportunity. She hopes to see more communities focus on art and cultural experience in the future.
If you missed the exhibition, don’t worry. The gallery opens with a new exhibition, Portals into Nature on Oct. 16. And if you’re interested in following Zaira Ramirez Luis and her work, you can find her on her website, or follow her on Instagram @zairawet.
Photo submitted by Zaira Ramirez
Illustration by Eseniia Bondar
RACHEL TAIT
Commentary // Revisiting old favourites
Rewatching your favourite TV show is a sweet escape from reality with a salty pinch of nostalgia
CHIFAA BOUZID
Whether it was a long, tiring day, a good crying session, or a silly argument with your loved one, rewatching an episode or two from your favourite TV show can make this world a bit more bearable. After the slightest inconvenience in my life, I catch myself either calling my best friend — who lives 5,500 miles away from me — to waffle for a whole hour about a five-minute situation, or launching my How I Met Your Mother (HIMYM ) random episode generator to find an episode to rewatch for the fifth time. For the longest time, I thought there was something weird about me for watching the same series over and over again, but it turns out to be a lot more common than I thought.
Knowing exactly what is going to
Movies //
happen next in an episode is probably one of the reasons you rewatch the same shows. Knowing that Lily and Marshall get back together after their one and only breakup in the second season of HIMYM, or that Elena turns into a vampire in the third season of The Vampire Diaries (TVD), gives you huge reassurance and comfort while watching the show. You do not get anxious when the lead character is over the edge of the bridge taking his last breath, or when the cutest couple fight over what seems to be the biggest deal, because you know what happens next and you are mentally ready for it. As Tanya Percy Vasunia, a Mumbai-based psychologist and published researcher, described in one of her interviews with Vogue India: “When you know what’s going to happen, it can be extremely soothing. Using your favourite TV shows as an escape is a
relaxing exercise because these characters are dear to you.”
You could experience all sorts of feelings while rewatching a show: you might joyfully kick your feet in the air knowing that this is the episode where the lead character saves the city from the horrible evil being, or your heart might ache knowing that your favourite character is about to pass away, leaving their friends and family behind. By rewatching your favourite shows, you become part of that family a little bit more with each episode that passes.
But one feeling that you are guaranteed no matter the episode you decide to watch, is nostalgia.
Some of my favourite TV shows to rewatch are ones that I first watched when I was a child. To me, these shows are a lot more than just entertainment. They bring
back childhood memories; they remind me of my mom’s delicious fish soup she prepares whenever we’d gather around the television, the race against my little brother to the washroom during an ad break, and the competitive guesses with my cousins about what happens next, followed by screams of joy when one of us gets it right.
Nostalgia is such a warm feeling, defined as “a wistful desire to return in thought or in fact to a former time in one’s life, to one’s home or homeland, or to one’s family and friends.” To me, it is a crazy feeling that I still cannot categorize: it makes me happy because I lived it once, but it painfully pinches my heart because I will never live it again. But rewatching a TV show makes it just a little less painful.
“The juice is loose!”
Burton risks addition to his 1988 masterpiece
DARIEN JOHNSEN
Growing up, one of my earliest memories is roasting pumpkin seeds and watching Beetlejuice (1988) with my mother on Halloween. Since childhood, I have committed to watching Beetlejuice every single Halloween night and so far; it’s a tradition that’s been going strong for 25 years. Whether it’s the 1989 Beetlejuice: The Animated Series or the 1988 original film, Beetlejuice is a household name for me during the spooky season. So when the sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024), was announced, you better believe I bought those pre-release tickets.
I arrived at the theatre with an armful of extra buttered popcorn, my Beetlejuice T-shirt, themed makeup, and my best friend, squealing with excitement as the opening credits came on. Adding to such a cult classic always comes with risks and it was uncomfortable to re-enter the familiar world of Beetlejuice with new sets, plot lines, and an added sense of modernity. I adjusted as the film progressed and little nuggets of nostalgia presented themselves: the Delia Deetz sculpture, the original house, the opening music, random stop-motion animation (including a very graphic new sandworm), and tons of humorous asides. The Deetz’ faced new problems with a fractured family, triggering the reappearance of a still Lydia-obsessed
demon Beetlejuice, played by Michael Keaton. Only this time around, we enter into his world. While much of the original film centres on Beetlejuice’s unwanted presence in the mortal world, Winona Ryder’s character Lydia and her daughter Astrid Deetz, played by Wednesday’s (2022) Jenna Ortega (a confusing cast if you ask me, could we stick to just one cult classic please?), enter into the afterlife when Astrid’s undead boyfriend chooses trick over treat on Halloween. I enjoyed this exploration in the live action film as the afterlife was a common set in the animated Beetlejuice series.
Almost the entire original cast was included in this remake. Left out was one problematic individual (whose name won’t be mentioned even once lest we risk his appearance) as well as Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin who played Barbara and Adam Maitland in the original film. Davis has been quoted speculating that the reason for their absence is that “ghosts don’t age.” Not mentioned is how Baldwin has spent the last couple of years fighting charges of involuntary manslaughter after accidentally shooting and killing a cast member with a prop gun on the set of a film called Rust (2024). Interestingly, a similar case happened on the set of the original film The Crow, (1994) when lead actor Brandon Lee was shot and killed with a prop gun. The Crow (2024) remake was released two weeks
before Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
There were a few notable and natural additions to the film’s cast, including Danny DeVito, one of Tim Burtons’ favourite little monsters (see his equally grotesque role as the Penguin in Burton’s Batman Returns (1992)). Willem Dafoe was a satisfying, organic inclusion and it was truly seamless how he integrated into the palette of this film. His character of Wolf Jackson may have taken the cake for funniest character, equalling the original comedy we saw from Beetlejuice in the first film. Dafoe’s acting was a great compliment to Burton’s style and I truly hope the two collaborate more in the future.
The plot line was a little wonky at times, especially in regard to Beetlejuice’s random ex-wife, played by Monica Bellucci, who, while very Burton-esque, made very little sense to include. I was also underwhelmed at Winona Ryder’s performance as a now adult Lydia Deetz, and Michael Keaton’s acting certainly didn’t compare to the original Beetlejuice. Nevertheless, there was so much nostalgia repackaged into a fresh new film that I left the theatre satisfied that there was now another addition to the “Beetle-verse”. I can enjoy every Halloween for the next 25 years of my life.
Why the Jujutsu Kaisen manga finale left me disappointed
BRANDON GILL
This article contains spoilers.
The manga Jujutsu Kaisen (JJK ) (2020), distributed by VIZ Media, is considered a very popular manga by the anime community and Season 2 of the anime earned multiple awards in Crunchyroll’s 2024 Anime Awards, including Anime of the Year.
The manga follows student Yuji Itadori as he joins a secret organization of Cursed Energy Sorcerers to eliminate a powerful Curse named Ryomen Sukuna, of whom Yuji becomes the host. JJK draws inspiration from popular older titles while also creating engaging lore, interesting characters, and amazing action sequences, all of which are highlighted by the fantastic art of the anime. This is what hooked me and got me following the manga’s weekly release, which is about to come to an end. However, that might be for the best.
While the JJK manga had a strong
start, it did have some weaker aspects, such as complicated action sequences, momentum-breaking exposition, and changing the rules of the world to suit the situation. At first, these aspects were easy to look past. However, as the manga continued, the weaker parts grew in number and impact, affecting the overall enjoyment of the manga. Additionally, there was a sense of the author rushing and intentionally neglecting moments of character development and interesting events, including the defeat of one of the most important villains in the series. As the series continued, many of the previously established elements that made JJK great, like the dramatic pay-offs, unique characters, and engaging magic system were undone, leaving some disappointed. As the series reached its climactic final arc, the manga started to get dragged out. The author’s use of flimsy plot armour, awkward reintroduction of characters, filler content, and, worst of all, huge
exposition dumps of off-page events that would have excited fans to have seen — much to the dismay of the long-time fans. Depending on who you talk to, the current state of JJK varies from possibly the best modern manga getting an anime adaptation, to one of the most disappointing endings in manga history (worse than Naruto (2007), some might say). There was so much potential and unfortunately, there were many missed opportunities. Some of the best characters were given amazing starts, only to be saddled with disappointing deaths, body snatching, or slipping into mediocrity. Beyond that, the amount of important or entertaining events that were not shown to the reader was heartbreaking and missed juicy pay-offs. At the time of writing, the final manga chapter was released and the number of events that were skipped in order to quickly wrap things up is agonizing. I will admit, the ending was better than I expected and it had good closure,
but there’s still a bitter feeling about the journey to get here.
JJK could have been the next big pillar of the anime and manga industry, especially as other big titles like My Hero Academia (2016) are coming to an end. I believe there was potential for JJK to be bigger than Naruto (2007) or Bleach (2004) and maybe even bigger than One Piece (1999) (not fighting words, just a wild idea). Its ending is tragic. All I can do is relive my experience with the manga by watching the anime and hope that the adaptation refreshes it in a new and exciting way. Stay tuned for the next arc of the JJK, an anime adaptation called “The Culling Game.” If you believe the rumours, maybe JJK will have a sequel series. The character Kento Nanami said it well in Season 1, “The accumulation of those little despairs is what makes a person an adult.” Or maybe it was said better by Toge Inumaki: “Salmon Roe.”
Music //
A controversial rebirth
The
NATALIA TOSCANO
Seven years after former frontman Chester Bennington’s death by suicide in July 2017, Linkin Park performed live at Kia Forum in Los Angeles on Sept. 5, marking the end of their hiatus. Fans were invited to “be part of something” through the band’s official social media account on X, where the date of the event was revealed, and their new single “The Emptiness Machine” was hinted at. The night of the show, the band’s two new members were formally introduced to the audience: Emily Armstrong as their vocalist, and Colin Brittain as their drummer. Linkin Park is considered one of the greatest artists of the 2000s, and this event grabbed the world’s attention in a matter of hours — the news of their return spreading like wildfire.
Messages of support and joy flooded the comment sections of videos covering the band’s concert, as well as Linkin Park’s social media accounts following the event. The common consensus was that fans were ecstatic to see the acclaimed rock band come back. Co-founder Mike Shinoda shared in an interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe on Linkin Parks’ YouTube channel, how there was a sense
of excitement and nervousness to return to the stage. The building blocks of their return started with casual get-togethers, with all band members asking themselves “can you imagine,” rather than “let’s do it.” To them, the process of coming back from their hiatus was all about returning to how the band originally started — as just friends getting together, sharing life experiences, and musing about what they could create together. After Shinoda first heard Armstrong singing one of their songs, he said, “It was the first time my brain would accept it as a Linkin Park song.”
In the following days, as the public came to find out more about the band’s new singer, Linkin Park found themselves at the centre of controversy. Allegedly, Armstrong has ties with the Church of Scientology, a cult with a troubling history. This naturally came as a shock for the fans, knowing that the late Bennington lost his life to depression and was a victim of child sexual abuse, both of which are things that the aforementioned church manages very differently. Armstrong reportedly assisted Danny Masterson’s early court hearing as an observer after being asked to support him, as he stood accused and was later convicted for
sexual assault. In an Instagram post, the vocalist wrote, “Soon after, I realized I shouldn’t have. I always try to see the good in people, and I misjudged him. I have never spoken to him since. (...) To say it as clearly as possible: I do not condone abuse or violence against women.”
Armstrong’s background has revealed that she did not join the church by choice, rather she was born into it. She has openly presented herself as queer, something the church explicitly considers a perversion. She has also previously sung lyrics that suggest criticism and rejection toward the cult’s ideologies, suggesting she might have left the church. Leaving Scientology can be a harrowing experience that can involve severing ties with family members, explaining why the artist might have chosen not to mention her ties to the
church in any capacity. The band has now officially started their tour, with tickets already selling out, as was the case with London’s O2 arena the night of Sept. 24. While many fans are eager to see the next steps of this new line-up, the thought of Bennington’s legacy lurks forever in the background, as his mark on the music industry is still felt today — inevitably placing a comparison point for Armstrong’s performance. Overall, Linkin Park has expressed their contentedness with the newfound unison and chemistry of all band members, new and old, as this has given them the spark they needed to catapult back into action. This new chapter has barely begun, and with a tour already under way, we get to witness their rebirth unfold.
Linkin Park, featuring new singer Emily Armstrong (Photo by James Minchin III)
04:30:PM - 06:30PM Where are the women in Africa? Can Ghana’s Affirmative Action Bill improve Women’s Representation in Politics @UFV Abbotsford Campus, A225
11:00AM- 01:00PM Provincial Election Candidates Forum @Evered Hall, S Building
06:00PM - 08:30PM Wellness event — Glow Zumba Dance Party @UFV Student Activity Centre (North Gym)
01:00PM - 02:30PM Wellness Week — Words on Wellness with Elder Denise Douglas @Student Experience Lounge (S1111)
06:00PM - 08:00PM Open Mic Night @Open Space (33765 Essendene Ave)
06:00PM - 08:00PM Celebrating 10 Years of Emerge @The Reach Gallery and Museum (32388 Veterans Way)
06:00PM - 08:00PM Back Porch Music Series at Old Yale Brewing @Old Yale Brewing (33738 Laurel St)
05:30PM - 07:00:PM “WSOC vs Trinity Western University, Canada West regular season” @Rotary Stadium (32470 Haida Dr, Abbotsford)
08:00PM - 09:30PM “MSOC vs Trinity Western University, Canada West regular season” @Rotary Stadium (32470 Haida Dr, Abbotsford)
- 02:00PM City of Abbotsford Culture Days, Live with Western Jaguar @Mill Lake Park - Bevan Entrance (32960 Mill Lake Rd)
06:00PM - 08:00 PM Back Porch Music Series at Old Yale Brewing @Old Yale Brewing (33738 Laurel St)
Note: Some of the events require tickets, and most are online. If something catches your eye, take to the Internet for more details, including those about any safety measures for in-person events.
West regular season @Building E UFV, (1395 McKenzie Road)
04:30 PM - 06:00PM MVB vs University of Alberta Canada West regular season @Building E UFV, (1395 McKenzie Road)
06:00PM -10:00PM “Jordan Davis - The Damn Good Time World Tour, American country pop singer and songwriter” @Abbotsford Centre 33800 King RD
01:00PM - 02:30PM WSOC vs UNBC Canada West regular season @Rotary Stadium (32470 Haida Dr, Abbotsford)
03:00PM - 04:30PM MSOC vs University of Victoria Canada West regular season @Rotary Stadium (32470 Haida Dr, Abbotsford) 21
06:30PM -10:00PM Disney Trivia Night Boardwalk Cafe and Games @Boardwalk Cafe and Games
06:00PM - 08:00PM Back Porch Music Series at Old Yale Brewing @Old Yale Brewing (33738 Laurel St)
09:00AM -12:00PM Abbotsford Farm & Country Market @Jubilee Park (2552 McCallum Rd) 10:00AM - 02:00PM UFV Open House @UFV Abbotsford Campus 9:00PM -1:00AM THE NIGHTMARE CIRCUS HALLOWEEN @Townhall Abbotsford
05:00PM - 06:00PM SUS Public Board Meeting @S3103S Building, Abbotsford, BC, Canada 30
11:00AM - 02:00PM Patch and Paint: A Pumpkin Party with SUS @Evered Hall, S Building, Abbotsford, BC, Canada 06:00PM -10:00PM Diwali @Evered Hall, S Building, Abbotsford, BC, Canada 31
06:00PM - 08:00PM Back Porch Music Series at Old Yale Brewing @Old Yale Brewing (33738 Laurel St)
06:00PM - 08:00PM WBB vs UBC Canada West regular season @Building E UFV, (1395 McKenzie Road)
08:00PM -10:00PM MBB vs UBC Canada West regular season @Building E UFV, (1395 McKenzie Road)
