April 2, 2019

theconcordian

CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY’S WEEKLY, INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER

 /theconcordian  @theconcordian  @theconcordian  theconcordian.com

VOLUME 36, ISSUE 25 | TUESDAY, APRIL 2, 2019

Out of the shadows Local hip hop artists collaborate in a charity show for the Philippines Music p. 10

also in this issue...

news

More security on campus

life

p. 3

arts

sports

D&D club's new Following your An emotional web series p. 7 artistic gut p. 9 end of career p. 13

opinions

Misrepresentation in the media p. 15

news

NEWS EDITORS /// news@theconcordian.com IAN DOWN & MIA ANHOURY ( @IanDown1996 @mia_anhoury)

ELECTIONS

Meet the new ASFA team New executive elected for 2019-20

DIONA MACALINGA CONTRIBUTOR The Arts and Science Federation of Associations’ annual general elections are over and there's a new team who will be taking over the office this year. Meet the members of ASFA’s new executive:

recognized by TMX when she was named as one of Canada’s Next 150 Leaders.

Ever since she was young, Lam found joy in cooking. “My father owns a restaurant and cooking is something that brings us together,” she said. She plans on pursuing a culinary certificate in her hometown.

“I decided to run because I deeply care about the issues regarding sexual harassment, mental health and discrimination,” she said.

Although she is new to the incoming executive team, El Hebri is looking forward to working with and getting to know them. “The best thing to do is to be open, compromise, and adjust to gain the best outcome,” she said.

and Statistics Member Association (MSSA).

She started as VP of Internal Affairs before her appointment as MSSA’s president from the last by-elections.

With her interest in programming, Yang recently co-hosted a VBA Workshop with MASSA’s VP Social Louis-Landry Mwizero for beginners that was a success with JMSB students. VBA is a programming language of Excel that stands for Virtual Basic for Applications, a practical asset for any business student to have.

As a member of Concordia’s Co-operative Education program, Yang has hands-on financial experience from multiple internship positions as an accounting assistant and data analyst. “There’s no standard procedure for MAs when they’re making a budget,” Yang said. As finance coordinator, she plans on using her skills to train all MAs’ finance executives with basic knowledge on finance.

Evan Lee

General Coordinator Lee co-ran Model UN and participated in civic engagement clubs at his high school in New Jersey. “That’s where I found my passion for politics, my interest for international relations,” he said.

Lee said that, oftentimes, students find themselves with no mentor to guide them, but he is always eager to help students find the perfect balance between academic and social life. When asked what is his proudest achievement, he said it would be setting a good example in a family with two younger siblings, the youngest being six. “Being a good role model for them is one of the biggest things for me,” Lee said.

During his first year at Concordia, Evan Lee became an ambassador for the university’s Political Science Student Association (PSSA) to help other first-year poli-sci students learn about the events and workshops happening at the university. He later became an independent councillor at the Arts and Science Federation of Associations (ASFA) and is now ASFA’s incoming general coordinator.

As general coordinator, Lee hopes to change students’ apathy towards university politics and encourage them to get involved in student life, as well as to use ASFA’s resources.

Michelle Lam

Communications Coordinator Originally from Toronto, Michelle Lam is a communications and economics student at Concordia, and the incoming communications coordinator at ASFA. Previously, Lam was an independent councillor at ASFA along with fellow Momentum for ASFA members Evan Lee and Tori Smith-Ayotte.

She presently works as the marketing director for the student-run magazine John Molson Business Review and the ASFA Journal Editorial Board. Lam is also involved in the events and leadership committee at Grey Nuns.

Before studying at Concordia, Lam was the communications officer for the Toronto District School Board Student Senate and chief marketing officer at Toronto International Affairs.

Her impressive efforts in the community were

Richard Mayer

Internal Coordinator Third-year philosophy student Richard Mayer is ASFA’s incoming internal coordinator.

He began his political involvement at Concordia as the communications director for SoPhiA, a student association representing the university’s philosophy undergraduates. Mayer then became SoPhiA’s member association’s (MA) representative in ASFA’s council. He later transitioned to the executive level where he became the first person appointed as the federation’s consul last winter.

“There is currently a large sprawling movement sanctioned by ASFA to reform a lot of the communications practices and internal methodology,” Mayer said. “I saw first hand the internal procedures of ASFA, and while I’ve always enjoyed student politics, it’s very frustrating that its elite mentality is bogging that change,” he added.

As internal coordinator, he plans on breaking ASFA’s current corporatist attitude by giving the student body more room for representation.

Maryam El Hebri

Mobilization Coordinator Maryam El Hebri is a fourth-year history student and ASFA’s incoming mobilization coordinator.

Running independently, she defeated Momentum’s candidate, Ryan Simonyik 235 votes to 116.

This is El Hebri’s first experience with ASFA. In her spare time, she has volunteered at community organizations such as West Island Palliative Care, YMCA, and Miriam Home and Services, a centre for people with intellectual disabilities.

Tori Smith-Ayotte

Student Life Coordinator Sociology student Tori Smith-Ayotte is ASFA’s incoming student life coordinator. Appointed thrice as a Frosh leader, Smith-Ayotte spent six hours a day from June to August preparing ASFA’s 2018 multi-day event Froshifornia Dreamin.

Sitting on multiple committees at ASFA, SmithAyotte is engaged in the duties of an independent councillor and consul for the federation as well.

As student life coordinator, she wants to promote a sense of community for students by helping MAs plan their orientation events.

“We study one thing, but we have so many interests,” Smith-Ayotte said. She enjoys attending a variety of social events held by different student associations, from camping trips with the geography department to wine and cheese parties. “And you can actually do all those little things if you knew what MAs have to offer you,” she said.

“There’s very low involvement from the students to come to our events,” Smith-Ayotte said. "People don’t have a sense of school spirit when it comes to ASFA.” She hopes to change this by fulfilling the student body’s requests on academic and social events and she welcomes suggestions for next year’s Frosh and Halloween parties.

Janet Yang

Finance Coordinator Janet Yang is an actuarial mathematics student and soon-to-be ASFA’s finance coordinator. For the past year, she has been heavily involved in Concordia’s Mathematics

George Manolakis Academic coordinator

Following the completion of his first degree in human relations, George Manolakis is currently in his first year of political science at Concordia. Manolakis’s experience as a student is what motivated him to run for ASFA. “Having been a student in the arts and sciences for many years, I have seen first-hand the academic issues facing students, including myself, and this is what inspired me to go after this opportunity,” he said.

Although Manolakis wasn’t previously involved in student associations, he said “I have always enjoyed and have often had the occasion to help others.”

“As a new executive who is not a member of Momentum, I plan on working with them in a collaborative effort to make the voices and issues of the students heard,” Manolakis added.

With files from Ian Down and Mia Anhoury.

Photos by Walid Jabri and @PeterandParkr.

APRIL 2, 2019

ELECTIONS

Results from ASFA general elections Momentum for ASFA wins five of seven seats JAD ABUKASM ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR The results for the Arts and Science Federation of Associations’s (ASFA) general elections were released on Sunday. Momentum for ASFA won five seats out of seven, all unopposed.

ASFA’s new executive team consists of Evan Lee (general coordinator), Janet Yang (finance coordinator), Richard Mayer (internal coordinator), Tori Smith-Ayotte (student life coordinator), Michelle Lam (communications coordinator), independent candidates George Manolakis (academic coordinator) and Maryam El Hebri (mobilization coordinator). Gabriel Barrios-Obando and Balbina de la Garza were elected as independent councillors.

Students also approved a referendum question that restructures the executive team in A SFA’s by-laws and allows executives to vote in council. Previously, the mobilization coordinator and the general coordinator were represented by one executive, the advocacy and executive coordinator. Marguerite Rolland, ASFA’s current advocacy and executive coordinator, said it would be preferable to separate the advocacy and executive mandate since both roles were too much for a single coordinator to handle.

The sustainability mandate has been divided between the student life coordinator

CITY IN BRIEF An 85-year-old woman died after being hit by a car on the corner of Jean-Talon St. and de Lorimier Ave. during Friday rush hour, according to The Montreal Gazette.

Police said neither alcohol nor speed were the cause of the collision.

A boil-water advisory was issued on Saturday in Anjou, according to CBC. The advisory suggested to boil the water for at least one minute before consumption. Children should be monitored or washed with washcloths to avoid swallowing, according to the advisory.

and the finance coordinator. According to the policy, sustainable practices would be embedded in every action from ASFA. The Loyola mandate will be absorbed by a standing committee composed of one member from each Loyola member association.

The referendum question asked whether students agreed to give executives a vote in ASFA council meetings. It also asked whether students agreed with the creation of an assistant coordinator for

frosh and elections. “ T hank you to t he hard wor k ing current exec team, the ASFA council and the students for inspiring my team and I to run and continue to build a better future for ASFA,” Smith-Ayotte wrote in a Facebook post. “To all Arts and Science students, we can’t wait to work for you to help you find your place and community at Concordia.”

This year, 541 students voted in the elections, compared to 459 in 2017.

Allegations of harassment on campus Concordia increases security after student files complaint

Concordia has increased security on campus after a student spoke publicly about two times she was harassed at school by strangers in the last month.

Concordia student Lisa Komlos was approached on campus by two different men on two separate occasions, who complimented her with a sense of urgency.

The compliments were followed by a line of questioning about her personal information. According to Komlos, the men also tried to isolate her from the crowd in both instances.

In a statement released on Saturday, the university said they increased security on the Sir George Williams campus and they are “committed to fostering a safe and respectful environment.”

Concordia is in contact with the police.

“We are in touch with our colleagues at McGill and UQAM to ensure a coordinated response,” said Fiona Downey, university spokesperson.

Komlos was walking to her class through the Engineering, Computer Science and Visual Arts Integrated Complex (EV) when the incidents occurred.

In the video posted to her Instagram, Komlos describes the men as “aggressive” and “angry” when she told them to leave her alone. “I was feeling unheard, frustrated, and frankly, I was annoyed,”

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JAD ABUKASM ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

Graphic by Zeze Le Lin.

SECURITY

MIA ANHOURY NEWS EDITOR

theconcordian

said Komlos about the first incident, which happened on March 11. “I finally got away from him and went about my day thinking that this was just another daily occurrence of harassment.”

Komlos realized the encounters were scripted and rehearsed during the second incident on March 26. “It is because of situations like these that I purposely never take the same route to my class,” she said. “Having a routine makes you predictable, and being predictable can make you vulnerable. It is exhausting having to always be on alert.”

The public ser vice announcement Komlos made now has over 152,000 views.

“I felt that it was my duty as a woman to come forward with this story,” she said.

“I wanted to share these encounters so that I could warn others to keep their eyes open.”

Ko m l o s i s i n c o nt a c t w it h t h e university's security department to identify one of the men who approached her. The man was caught on video surveillance footage.

Over a dozen women from Concordia reached out to Komlos with similar stories on campus after seeing the video. “There was also a flood of responses from other women sharing their personal experiences with sexual harassment and sexual assault,” she added.

People who feel unsafe or are harassed on campus can call Concordia security at

(514) 848-3737 option 1. A Safe Walk program is also available on campus. Find more information on the security department’s website.

Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante shuffled her executive team on Friday to promote a greener economy, which she considers a municipal priority, according to CBC. Plante said the city should always be conscious of environmental impacts when making decisions regarding transportation, economic development and the development of the territory.

Montreal taxi drivers had to abruptly cancel their protest on Friday after a driver harmed himself on live TV, according to CTV. The driver cut his arm with a sharp object before showing it to t he c amer a dur ing a li ve interview with an LCN reporter.

Taxi drivers were protesting against CAQ’s Bill 17, which would facilitate ride-hailing services, such as Uber, to operate in the province.

Graphic by @sundaemorningcoffee

Photo by Mia Anhoury.

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APRIL 2, 2019

ELECTIONS

Three visions for the CSU

RiZe, Cut the Crap and New Community discuss their plans for next year MINA MAZUMDER ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR Three slates are running in this year’s general election for the Concordia Student Union (CSU).

Online polling for the CSU’s elections will be held from 9 a.m. on April 2 to 9 p.m. on April 4.

The general coordinator is the leader of the executive team that governs policies related to all undergraduate students.

Christopher Kalafatidis, the general coordinator candidate for Cut the Crap, said he would focus on fixing the sanitary conditions of bathrooms, implementing an online opt-out system, and extending the nomination period for elections. Cut the Crap is “a statement saying ‘lets get things done,’” he said. The bathrooms “are a symbol of the most obvious problem that Concordia students see,” he said, adding he would like to see renovations and maintenance.

Kalafatidis would also implement fixed election dates so students are aware when to vote each year. “Right now, we have to wait for our CEO, which is always a point of last-minute, and everything is in chaos,” he said, adding that he wants to extend the nomination period from one-to-two weeks to three months. “This would encourage democracy and it would encourage competitive elections.”

Giving students the right to get their money back from fee-levy groups is a priority for Kalafatidis. Fee-levy groups are student-run organizations around Concordia that help students socially and financially. Currently, students must reach out to each group individually to get their money back. “We would create a system in collaboration with [fee-levy groups],” he said. “If it was online, you could check a bunch of boxes.”

Cut the Crap’s goal is to put students first. “I think you should vote for Cut the Crap because we are standing for the students who are never considered in elections,” he said. “We are the only slate to consider the rest of Concordia.”

M a r g o t B e r n e r, g e n e r a l coordinator candidate for riZe, said “this [position] is extremely close to my heart and almost everyone who I care about has been affected by these issues.

I believe the university should be a safe space for students.

I really want to advocate for students everyday and have that be my job.”

The name riZe is a reference to Maya Angelou’s poem “Still I Rise,” but it also stands for rising

up against oppression and all forms of discrimination.

Berner wants to make sure international students get an affordable health plan and that mental health services are affordable for all students. “We would provide more health insurance surrounding mental health, so that people have coverage and it doesn’t break their bank to go and [pay] for a therapist,” she said.

Finally, Berner wants to help student associations fight against unpaid internships and be an institutional support network that can give students the resources they need. “Everyone should be paid for their labour,” she said.

Ber ner feels she is f it to be ne x t year ’s C SU gener al coordinator bec ause of her e x p er ien ce on co un c il , t h e Concordia Food Coalition board and as an Independent Jewish Voices executive. “I also have personal lived experience, which is really important for this job,” she said. “I’m a survivor [and] I will fight absolutely for the things I believe in.”

Marcus Peters, the general coordinator candidate for New Community, has also been on council for two years and is the current academic coordinator of the Sociology & Anthropology St udent Uni on . He w a s t h e CSU Loyola coordinator in the 2016-17 academic year and he was previously on the board of the Hive Café and Concordia University Television.

Their slate name was created to reflect their three goals: fossil fuel divestment, shutting down international tuition hikes, and advocating for the survivors of sexual assault. “Our platform is mostly built around three projects that will have sweeping impacts [...]

What we will be doing is creating a new community,” Peters said.

Peters joined the fossil fuel divestment campaign when he first arrived at Concordia in September 2013. The campaign’s goal is to push the administration to fully

NATION IN BRIEF JAD ABUKASM ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR Ontario will open its first cannabis stores on April 1, six months after the federal government legalized the recreational consumption of marijuana, according to Bloomberg.

However, as of Friday, only 10 stores received the necessary licenses to open. The most populous city in the country, Toronto, will only have one store open by then.

Chris Kalafatidis, Cut the Crap candidate. Photo by Gabe Chevalier.

Marcus Peters, New Community candidate. Photo by Sam Kaiser.

On Wednesday, the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) tabled its secularism bill in an attempt to achieve religious neutrality in the province, according to CBC. The long-awaited bill will ban public workers in positions of authority from wearing any religious symbols.

This includes teachers, police officers, crown prosecutors and government lawyers.

A report by the Human Rights Watch indicates that a missing Quebec woman in western Africa was kidnapped and taken to Mali, according to CTV. Edith Blais and her traveling companion have been missing since January. They were travelling from Burkina Faso to Togo to do volunteer work with an aid group when they went missing.

Around 50 people gathered in Regina to call out Canada’s involvement with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), according to the Leader Post.

Organizers of the protest condemned NATO for violently imposing Western standards in other countries.

Margot Berner, riZe candidate. Photo by Gabe Chevalier.

divest from fossil fuels and any other toxic industries. “We became the first campaign in Canada to pressure the university to start to divest in fossil fuels,” he said.

Peters wants to re-create the health and dental plans, as well as expand mental health services for students. As for advocating for survivors of sexual assault,

Graphic by @sundaemorningcoffee

“we would want to work with the Sexual Assault Resource Centre and develop a very thorough and well-vetted policy on harassment and assault,” he said.

Making students more aware of the benefits of fee-levy groups is a better option than allowing students to get their money back, according to Peters. “Before we

have a discussion of online optouts, we would look at educating the student body as a whole.”

Peters said his experience and vision is what stands out from the other general coordinator candidates. “I don’t see projects of the scale that we are proposing being incorporated in any of the platforms,” he said.

M E E T T H E I N D E P E N D E N T C A N D I DAT E The academic and advocacy coordinator candidate, Jane Lefebvre-Prevost, who stands on a single-person slate called No More Slates, is running independently. She wants to bring awareness to certain flaws she believes exist in the electoral system. “By moving away from a slate mentality, we can limit political nepotism in our institution and further encourage electors to research their decision so as to have the representatives who truly represent the will of the student populace,” she said.

Lefebvre-Prevost wants to help lowincome students through specialized bursaries based on financial need and identity —such

as one for trans students and another for Indigenous students—rather than academic merit. “These students need a subsidized tutoring system that would allow them to afford to improve their grades without financial penalty,” she said.

Lefebvre-Prevost recommended that students “research the candidates who are running, listen to them speak, and most importantly see if they listen,” she said. “Then vote for the candidate that you believe will advocate for the needs of all students, not just the few, and who will truly represent the will of the undergraduate body.”

Photo courtesy of Jane Lefebvre-Prevost.

APRIL 2, 2019

STUDENT POLITICS

Enough is enough for FASA

Fine Arts students vote to disband from provincial student association

theconcordian

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WORLD IN BRIEF JAD ABUKASM ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR Donald Trump threatened to shut down 3,200 km of the U.S. border if Mexico does not cooperate in halting the flow of illegal immigrants, according to Reuters.

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said he will not quarrel with Trump, instead opting for welfare handouts to combat poverty.

Theresa May’s Brexit deal was defeated for a third time in Britain’s House of Commons on Friday, according to Reuters.

May had pledged to conservative lawmakers on Wednesday that she would leave office if the deal passes.

Slovakia elected its first-ever f e m a l e p re s i d e n t , Zu z a n a Čaputová, on Saturday, according to Agence France Presse. Čaputová, an environmental lawmaker, won 58.4 per cent of the vote, defeating the many years of populist trend in Slovakia.

Cities across the world turned their lights off on Saturday at 8:30 p.m. to mark Earth Hour, according to the Associated Press. Having started in Sydney in 2007, Earth Hour has reached 180 countries across the globe to call for greater action against climate change.

Graphic by @sundaemorningcoffee

Graphic by @sundaemorningcoffee

IAN DOWN NEWS EDITOR Concordia’s Fine Arts Student Alliance (FASA) voted to disband from its provincial student association last week.

In FASA’s general elections, fine arts students approved a referendum to formally cut ties with l’Association pour une solidarité syndicale étudiante (ASSÉ).

Students were given three options on the ballot: disaffiliate from ASSÉ, move for ASSÉ’s dissolution at the association’s next congress, or remain paying members.

“The desaffiliation is immediate,” said Clara Micheau, FASA’s finance coordinator.

“By our members choosing disaffiliation, we are no longer part of ASSÉ and therefore can’t attend the next congress.

The fee levy collected twice a year for FASA’s ASSÉ membership will no longer be collected, as of fall 2019.”

The now-failing coalition was once called “Quebec’s most militant student association” by Le Devoir . Founded at the University of Sherbrooke in 2001, ASSÉ was born out of the protests of the Summit of the Americas in Quebec city.

The association was at the centre of the Coalition large de l'Association pour une solidarité syndicale étudiante, a union of several student associations at the forefront of the 2012 Maple Spring protests

against tuition hikes. At the time, Québec Solidaire’s Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois was the coalition’s spokesperson.

With the departure of FASA, ASSÉ’s members include 24 university student associations and nine CEGEP student associations. FASA became a member of the association through referendum in 2014. Fine arts students currently pay $1.50 per semester into the association.

FASA published a guide leading up to the vote, explaining the referendum question to students. “The dismantlement of ASSÉ would create a hole, which will take a few years to fill, and it is an inconvenient political period for our community to have an unstable ground,” the guide reads.

“That said, ASSÉ’s inactivity cannot be overlooked.”

In par ticular, the guide criticized the association for not doing more to join the current mobilization against unpaid internships. In September 2018, ASSÉ launched a campaign against the commercialization and privatization of education. Michaud said FASA took this as a sign that the association had lost touch with its members. “The commercialization and privatization of education is a current and extremely concerning problem. However, it’s not what associations across Quebec have informally chosen to mobilize against. In 2018-19,

students in Quebec have been going to assemblies to discuss the issue of unpaid internships and vote for strikes. You can’t claim to be one of the biggest national combative unions but decide to choose a different issue than the one discussed by student groups.”

ASSÉ previously discussed dissolving at a congress in February 2018. However, the association’s members did not have the necessary mandate from their student bodies to vote to dissolve. Instead, members moved to hold a national assembly in fall 2018 to discuss restructuring the association. It is unclear whether or not the meeting took place.

“For several years, especially since spring 2015, ASSÉ has been an organization that, despite the immeasurable contributions of many militants, no longer seems fit to respond to the needs of its members,” the motion of dissolution read. In April 2015, the association’s entire executive team was impeached. This happened after the association suggested its members organize a strategic withdrawal from the austerity protests rather than continue protesting.

Currently, four of the association’s eight executive positions remain vacant.

This is a decrease from the executive’s seven vacancies in 2018.

Documents from the Feb. 2018 meeting

show that ASSÉ was collectively owed around $308,000 from its members.

Only eight of 46 members had paid their full fees. At the same meeting, members unanimously voted to suspend three members who had not paid their fees or attended meetings since joining in 2016. These were l’Association étudiante de littérature comparée de l'Université de Montréal, l'Association étudiante du Collège d'Alma, and l’Association étudiante d'histoire de l'Université de Montréal.

The situation has worsened since then.

According to FASA’s handout, only two member associations, including FASA itself, have paid their fees in full. Given ASSÉ’s precarious financial situation, the handout reads “Our decision is conclusive of ASSÉ’s future.” FASA’s financial information is not available on its website.

Michaud said that if ASSÉ does dissolve, “A committee might be established to discuss the building of a new student union. FASA is interested in the committee and has planned to examine this idea in its upcoming meetings.”

The vote comes just months after the dissolution of the Concordia Student Union’s (CSU) provincial student association, Association pour la voix Étudiante au Québec.

ASSÉ did not respond to a request for comment.

life

Broken Pencil

LIFE EDITOR /// life@theconcordian.com ALEX HUTCHINS ( @alexhutchinns96)

PROFILE

A local hub comes back to life The Verrillo family revamps a bar in Villeray

Le 1370 Bar Villeray opened its doors on Wednesday, March 27. Photo by Mackenzie Lad.

KAYLA-MARIE TURRICIANO COPY EDITOR While Le 1370 Bar Villeray may be a new project for the Verrillo family, the resto-bar business isn’t. Pasquale “Pat” Verrillo has been in the business for over 40 years. Starting at 12 years old, he worked in the reception hall of a church as a waiter. The now 62-year-old has since worked his way up and has owned eight bars and restaurants—or a combination of the two—both in Montreal and Italy.

The building’s owner reached out to the Verrillo’s when the previous owners abandoned the bar last August. “It was kind of a dump,” said Damiano, one of Pat’s two sons. “There was garbage everywhere, the basement was dirty.

It was a ‘what are we getting ourselves into?’ kind of thing. But after a couple of days of cleaning, we really saw the potential in the place.”

Once they got the keys, the process of tearing it down and building it back up to the family’s taste began. Pat opened the doors to Le 1370 Bar Villeray (located at, you guessed it, 1370 Villeray St.) for the first time Wednesday, March 27, along

with his sons, Damiano and Daniel. In Pat's words: “It was an expected one.”

“This was a place that was very dear to my heart because I used to hang around here and I grew up two streets away,” Pat said about the bar, which was called Le Taverne Villeray back in the day. “When I was younger, I used to sit at a table—that table right there,” he continued, motioning to a table a few feet away. “Not exactly that one, but that’s the spot.”

Despite it being a big project to take on, it’s nothing new for the Verrillo family.

“Every year, we give ourselves a project, whether it’s renovations in our house or something exterior, and I guess this year, this was our project,” said Damiano.

The bar now has a cozy, ambient atmosphere, and a whole new design.

The tiled ceiling is covered in painted red roses, and the middle section is a square of ultra-glossy black ceramic tiles. All the walls are painted black, but a wall of windows facing the street is perfect for summer and will add another element to the bar’s ambiance.

“It was a bond between myself, my father and my brother,” said Daniel, in regards to taking on this project. Daniel was able to work with his family and

Pat poses with one of his sons, Damiano, with whom he opened the resto-bar.

Photo by Mackenzie Lad.

finally experience what his dad has been doing for decades, so he said the project meant a lot to him. “What’s different about this is that we got to experience [...] this business with him,” said Daniel, comparing it to the stories Pat would tell him about the resto-bar business.

As a carpenter, Daniel was a big part of the hands-on side of the project, adding wood touches to bring out a rustic feel.

Eclectic by nature, the bar is also a cool spot to hang out, watch sports, play pool, and jam to live music or the variety of music booming through the speakers.

“We are going to try to do things that other bars don’t do. We are going to do comedy nights, game nights, Latino nights—different events to get different types of people to come here,” said Damiano. “Everyone is welcome to come.” In particular, they hope to cater to young people by implementing a student discount, seeing as Damiano is a student himself and it’s the first thing he asks when he’s out in the city.

“People were more excited for [the bar] to be opened again. For most of the locals here, this was their main bar,” said Damiano. “People got used to the place, so when it just closed unexpectedly, a lot of them were like ‘where do we go now?’”

While helping out with renovations at the bar, Damiano is also completing an undergraduate degree in economics at Concordia, as well as holding down a job.

“I don’t really have that stay-at-homeall-day day off. I always lived by ‘If you want something in life, you have to put the effort in,’ no matter where you start or what age you’re at.”

“It’s the beginning of our rodeo and we’re going to try to make this work and that’s it,” said Daniel. While it may be the beginning of this rodeo, it’s surely not their first.

For more information about theme nights or events visit Le 1370 Bar Villeray’s website.

Leave women alone in public. Everywhere.

End of story.

ALEX HUTCHINS LIFE EDITOR In the past 72 hours, it has come to the student body’s attention that men in their early 20s have been approaching and harassing women on the downtown Concordia campus, according to the Montreal Gazette. Concordia student Lisa Komlos posted an Instagram video on Friday, March 29, detailing two of her experiences with men who first complimented her, then followed her through the lobby of a building on campus. The incidents, occurring within two weeks of each other, prompted Komlos to make her video, since the different men in both instances seemed to follow the same script.

“He started with a compliment, and then he started asking me tons of personal questions.

And basically was trying to get me alone with him,” said Komlos, in her video. “He was very pushy about it. Very aggressive. He didn’t pick up on any of my social cues trying to let him know that [I was] uncomfortable with this. He wasn’t listening to me saying ‘No’ many times.”

Since the video was posted on Friday, Komlos has received a wave of support, as well as other students sharing disturbingly similar experiences. On Komlos’s Instagram page, the story highlight titled “PSA responses” had over 15 people respond, recounting the same experience around Concordia, McGill, Dawson, and UdeM, all within the last few months.

Raising awareness about the ongoing harassment, both on and off university campuses, that women experience all too frequently is incredibly important. And this conversation extends far beyond educational institutions. As we saw with the split response to Gillette’s ‘The best men can be’ ad, a lot of people (mostly men) are unwilling to engage in conversations that directly address toxic masculinity, let alone admit it exists.

On Sunday, I woke up to an article in The New York Times about a young woman named Samantha Josephson in South Carolina who was found dead after getting into a car she mistook for her Uber. Last week, my 18-year-old sister Savanna called me at 2 a.m. from Toronto in a panic. She said her friend EKat had to literally jump out of her Uber, while it was still moving, because the driver refused to stop and let her out. EKat said she felt uncomfortable from the beginning, and that he wouldn’t listen to her when she asked to pull over. Words cannot express how thankful I am that Savanna and EKat are safe, and I wish I could say the same for Samantha Josephson.

I could go on and on and on about the staggering number of friends who have experienced sexual harassment or violence.

I could write a dissertation unpacking internalized patriarchal structures and how they hindered my ability to come to terms with my own history of sexual violence.

I could praise Concordia’s administration for acknowledging Komlos’s experience and for spreading awareness about the pertinent issue of campus safety. But I won’t. Just fucking leave women alone. At school, on the street. Everywhere.

Graphic by @sundaemorningcoffee

APRIL 2, 2019

theconcordian

7

COMMUNITY

Rising beyond tabletop fantasy nerdom

Get to know Concordia’s RPG Club and learn why Dungeons and Dragons is for all FERN CLAIR CONTRIBUTOR While many of us are familiar with the name Dungeons and Dragons (D&D), few can say with confidence what the tabletop, fantasy roleplaying game entails.

Concordia Roleplay Game (RPG) Club opened up about what D&D means for them and how it has risen from ‘nerdom’ to a highly popular game with the immense success of a weekly D&D livestream web series, Critical Role.

On March 4, Critical Role launched a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter for an animated short of its original campaign with a goal of $750,000 in 45 days. In 45 minutes, the Kickstarter reached over $1 million. By the end of the day, it reached $4 million; and in eight days, $9 million.

It currently sits at over $11.1 million, with another 22 days left.

Joe Harris, a member of the RPG Club, said this amount of support is not surprising.

“So many people are willing to contribute to something that makes them happy.”

Critical Role is what introduced Harris to D&D, which he now plays regularly with friends via Skype. “I can't imagine a day where I don't only look forward to playing D&D, but also seeing my friends who live 5 provinces over,” he said.

According to CNBC, Critical Role is the 15th most successful Kickstarter in the website's history, and is now the most funded TV/ film project. The previous project, Mystery Science Theatre 3000, finished at $5.76 million.

Alex Fourneaux, a founding member of the RPG Club, has witnessed a rise in D&D's popularity over the nine years he's been playing. “In my experience, the culture has gone from ‘that game we're supposed to make fun of but know nothing about’ to a hugely popular game that everyone in my generation has heard of,” he said. Fourneaux explained that Critical Role is a major reason why D&D has become so popular. “I'd say about 60 per cent of our members who are new to the game, learned about it through Critical Role.”

Another popular D&D series is The Adventure Zone, a podcast which released a comic book of its campaign in 2018. It became the first graphic novel to top The New York Times’s fiction bestseller list, and came in third place overall. Michael Luger, a member of the RPG club, was introduced to

D&D through The Adventure Zone, and said that The Adventure Zone and Critical Role made the game more appealing. “D&D is a great medium for cooperative storytelling while injecting a ton of humour. It’s a recipe for a good time.” said Luger.

Aida Blimine Chupitt, another member of the RPG Club, said a reason why Critical Role is successful is because of the 5th edition of D&D, which is by far the most accessible platform. Chupitt said people love Critical Role because it breaks down boundaries and the cast brings in diverse guests, voice actors and celebrities, such as Vin Diesel and

Deborah Ann Woll. “I recognized celebrities/ actors and thought ‘Wow they like D&D! I didn't think this kind of person would like such a nerdy thing.’ It really broke down the idea that only a certain type of people can play D&D.” The Critical Role animation, now a 10-episode series, will air in 2020. The series is aiming to appeal to a larger crowd and introduce D&D to hundreds, and Concordia's RPG Club is excited to welcome anyone who wants to join them on the journey.

Graphic by @sundaemorningcoffee

MENTAL HEALTH

Taking prescription stimulants to get ahead Students are stressed, overworked, and turning to study drugs for help JACOB CAREY ASSISTANT LIFE EDITOR As final exams approach, most students will take every measure available to boost their grade in the last weeks of school.

Finding seats in the library feels like a game of musical chairs, desperate students resort to pulling all-nighters, and those with access to prescription stimulants sell their excess pills with ease.

According to the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse (CCSA), stimulants are typically used to help those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. These drugs are labelled under different trade names, such as Ritalin, Concerta, Adderall and Vyvanse. While prescribed in varying medical contexts, these drugs all increase dopamine levels and make it easier to pay attention.

While the drugs were originally created in part to treat ADHD, prescription stimulants have become more mainstream since students started using them to improve their studying habits. Students report increased awareness and longer attention spans when on these prescription drugs, allowing them to complete assignments or study at a quicker pace.

“I like that I’m able to maintain focus on the task at hand,” said a Concordia student who said they have used prescription stimulants to help them stay focused while studying. “These days, the human attention span is worse than a goldfish's.

With all these distractions that we have at

our fingertips, it helps you to stay motivated and alert without wasting too much time procrastinating.”

In 2017, Statistics Canada conducted a general population survey on drug use amongst Canadians. The data found that 2 per cent of Canadians over the age of 15 used a stimulant in the past year, and 6 per cent of those who reported using a stimulant were between the ages of 20 and 24. Of the original 2 per cent who reported stimulant use, 19 per cent were Canadians over the age of 15 who also reported problematic use of stimulants. Within the 19 per cent Graphic by Ana Bilokin.

of those who reported problematic use, 41 per cent were between the ages of 20 and 24. This statistic represented the highest amount of usage of all age ranges studied.

This age range also encompasses the majority of university students.

“Students feel a lot of pressure in the final weeks of school,” said a first-year medical student. “They’re expected to juggle studying for multiple exams at once and have deadlines to meet.

They see these drugs as a quick ‘hack’ that makes them more productive and focused.”

While students may use prescription stimulants as a “cheat” for their studies, they may not be entirely at fault. Some students blame their use of drugs like Ritalin or Adderall on unrealistic scholarly expectations set by universities and CEGEPs. A single three-to-four hour final exam can range anywhere from 20 to 70 per cent of one’s final grade. Most of these exams are also cumulative, meaning students may be questioned on any material they’ve learnt since the beginning of the semester. In many cases, this includes over 20 lectures, dozens of PowerPoint slides, and hundreds of pages of material.

“The first time I took Adderall was for a class that I was very close to failing,” said a McGill science graduate. “I had heard everyone talking about it and having that extra edge and wanted to try it out for myself. I ended up getting 90 per cent on the final exam.”

While study drugs may not have immediate side effects, long-term effects can be very damaging. Through frequent use, the effects of the drugs diminish and cause users to increase their dosage. According to the CCSA, long-term users can quickly develop a dependence on stimulants, which can lead to increased irritation and paranoia, among other things.

“I started taking Adderall when I first started university,” said a long-term user who considers himself addicted. “I realized that it was the only way I’d be able to keep up with my studies. Truth is, now I can’t open up a book without it.”

Author’s note: Due to the sensitive nature of this article, interviewees will remain anonymous to protect their identity.

arts

ARTS EDITOR /// arts@theconcordian.com CHLOË LALONDE

FESTIVAL

Experimental films showcase materiality FIFA Expérimental displayed a wide variety of artistic short and feature films

OLIVIER DU RUISSEAU STAFF WRITER Concordia University has been contributing to one of the most creative aspects of FIFA (Festival International des Films sur l’Art) for years now. Its FIFA Expérimental portion, dedicated to experimental films of all kinds, was held on campus at the J.A. de Sève Cinema between March 23 and 24.

Nicole Gingras, the programming director of FIFA Expérimental, said the 37th edition of the event “rendered the materiality of images and the ephemeral nature of shared experiences.”

Those elements could be appreciated in the entire two-day selection, but most notably in the program From eye to ear, on Saturday night. The program’s six films either showed the aesthetic effects of the physical manipulation of the filmstrip itself, or deconstructed the viewer’s perception of the materiality of the images before us.

Louise Bourque and Guillaume Vallée, both Canadian experimental film directors who had contributed to each other’s projects, were present at the theatre to discuss their works with the public.

Bourque, a veteran of the experimental film scene in Canada, presented her most recent project, Bye Bye Now. The artist used old black and white photos of her father who had just passed away and brought life to them with sound and colour, giving texture to the film and animating her family history. It emphasized how images can be associated with vivid memories, as if sometimes the photos’ subjects were interacting with the viewer directly.

Also related to family, was Vallée’s mesmerizing Le dernier jour du papillon lune, narrated by his young son, William. The voice of the infant raising questions about death and the meaning of life accompanied the colourful images of a butterfly’s life. Vallée, who studied animation and studio arts at Concordia, said he became inspired by a visit to the Butterflies Go

Nicole Gingras (right), the programming director of FIFA Expérimental, invited Belgian artist Anouk De Clercq, to present her oeuvre at the festival.

Free exhibition at the Montreal Botanical Garden with his son. That’s where he saw a luna moth, or papillon lune, and wanted to capture it for a movie. “I learned that the luna moth only lives as a butterfly for one day,“ he said. “It inspired me.”

The moth then became a metaphor to illustrate his son’s growing insecurities about life and death. “I used 72 photograms and manipulated them, changed their form, their colour,” Vallée said. The butterfly’s constantly changing colour and textures made some of the most beautiful images of the program.

The last guest to to be featured that night was Kim Kielhofner, a video, drawing and collage artist from Montreal. She presented the longest film of her career, Whose Language You Don’t Understand, which lasted 62 minutes. It was the only feature film of the program. Kielhofner took the public on an eclectic journey as she narrated her thoughts about language, images, and representation, referencing the book of the same title by Austrian writer Marianne Fritz. She divided her film into 12 sections, based on the 12

sections of the book. Extremely intellectual, the sometimes-repetitive and monotone narration, serving the purpose of recontextualizing the book’s ideas, lost some of the audience. Nonetheless, it brilliantly demonstrated the artist’s collage talents and called for an interesting discussion on the limits of language.

Gingras, who teaches in the studio arts department at Concordia, has greatly contributed to the evolution of FIFA Expérimental since she started working at the festival in 2003.

Encompassing many techniques, styles and subjects, the selection aims to showcase “works

by Québécois, Canadian and international artists, presented in cinemas, but also in exhibition contexts,” she said.

“For every edition of the festival, I also want to highlight the work of one artist, by creating a monographic program specifically for them,” Gingras said. “This year, I wanted to focus on Belgian artist Anouk De Clercq, because her oeuvre touches on architecture, animation, weightlessness, memory, and luminous phe-

nomena, all of that in black and white.”

Many of the experimental films De Clercq had been making since the 1990s were shown at the J.A. de Sève Cinema prior to From Eye to Ear. “If I look at the quality of the interactions between the artists and the audience at the screenings, the reception has been very good,” said Gingras, regarding her impressions of the weekend. “[During the festival], the J.A de Sève Cinema of Concordia offers a diversity of experiences, physical and poetic, and the projectionists who work there are conscious of that,” Gingras added.

“The FIFA Expérimental screenings only being held in a few consecutive days in the same room, it creates a sort of microcosm, ideal for meetings and exchanges between the artists and the public.”

As the biggest experimental film event in Montreal, FIFA Expérimental is a unique feature, allowing the public to connect with exclusive and beautiful works. To learn more about FIFA, visit their website: artfifa.com.

GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR EXAMS!

GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR EXAMS! Good luck with your exams and final projects.

After the exams, enjoy the summer break.

If you are graduating, I look forward to seeing you at spring convocation.

Good luck with your exams and final projects.

After the exams, enjoy the summer break.

Alan Shepard If you are President graduating, I look forward to seeing you at spring convocation. alan.shepard@concordia.ca

Alan Shepard

T19-54767

CONCORDIA.CA

APRIL 2, 2019

THINK-PIECE

The art of knowing when to give in

theconcordian

9

Happening in and around the White Cube this week…

What does art mean, and why should it matter to non-art students?

CHLOË LALONDE ARTS EDITOR POP-UP EXHIBITION: ICEBREAKER

ICEBREAKER is a multidisciplinary, onenight exhibition featuring the work of over 30 of Concordia’s emerging undergraduate artists. The exhibition will include drawing, printmaking, painting, photography, sculpture, installation, film and performance in the university’s spacious Black Box Theatre.

When: April 3 from 6 to 10 p.m.

Where: Black Box Theatre, EV OS3-845 (Basement) Admission is free.

CONVERSATIONS IN CONTEMPORARY ART: DEAN BALDWIN

Graphic by @sundaemorningcoffee LIZ SPINOZZI CONTRIBUTOR I have always been able to draw. As a matter of fact, I have always been able to look at an image and redraw it identically. I recall getting a perfect grade for my replica of Vincent van Gogh's Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear. For those unfamiliar with this painting, it's the one where, as hinted in the name, he has his ear freshly cut off and wrapped in an undoubtedly unsanitary bandage framing his face.

Art class was always taken for boosting my grade point average and never for releasing creativity, which I insisted I lacked. That is, until I realized that the art I was making was not raw and unfiltered like the pieces I encountered at the VAV Gallery, during the Sites of Embodied Silence vernissage on March 14.

As one of the 10 exhibits in the Art Matters Festival running until March 26, this was my first experience with artwork and artists who create as a need to function in their everyday lives. Berirouche Feddal, one of the artists in the exhibition, said, "I put all of my imagination into artwork as a way of digesting my emotions and facing what I'm going through, show it to the world, then move on." He added that without this process, he cannot take his mind off his inner turmoil, as "art is liberation."

I realized that art is a lot more intimate than that, which is not something that can be taught at school.

Being raised by a hockey coach and playing the sport myself, my coping mechanisms fall to competition, so naturally, I could not grasp this level of vulnerability.

I also felt the need to specify that I was not an expert as to justify my 'incorrect' interpretations.

However, I recall looking at a particular piece and saying, “that’s an image from American Horror Story,” to which someone behind me replied, “exactly, I didn’t think anyone would see that.” That someone was Dougy Herard, the artist.

The artist’s validation stopped my justifying. I did not associate his piece with his original message, which Herard said was to “convey false representation of Haitian culture as the movies and media does.”

However, I did become more comfortable vocalizing my interpretation.

ZACH LUMBROSO CONTRIBUTOR As an aspiring comedian, I was taught that seeking new ways to trigger your creativity and discover your mind and body is essential to your growth as an actor. This is why I decided to attend and write about Exploring the Intuitive Creative Process, led by Jacqueline Van de Geer in collaboration with the Art Souterrain and Art Matters festivals on March 16.

When I told Van de Geer that I was writing this piece from the point of view of a non-artist, she answered by quoting German artist Joseph Beuys, “Everyone is an artist.” It is a concept that she lives by: “There is inspiration and creation in everybody.”

The four-hour workshop first asked participants to explore their impulses through instinctive movement. This wasn’t anything new to me, as it is most of what I do in my elective theatre classes at Concordia... something I usually find quite boring. Only this time, there was one significant difference, I was surrounded by artists. Formerly overweight, I’m still not completely comfortable with my image and work involving the body is super

intimidating and challenging for me.

Van de Geer began by saying that this initiative was “to offer an afternoon where the brain is kind off and less important for a change.” After the movement work, she proceeded to a creative writing exercise where she would give us the beginning of a sentence that we would then have to finish, spontaneously. The journalism student in me could not conceive how one could write anything without thinking it through.

As the workshop proceeded, I realized that again, no one was grading me. I was able to give in, particularly in the creative writing portion where I was pleased to see that I could rise to the occasion. A difference remained, however—the other artists seemed to be at ease with showcasing their restless imaginations.

I learned, throughout this event, that art can be as simple as reproducing an image with a pencil. But it is also much more. Art is introspection, as Van de Geer described herself, “It’s a way to discover yourself, your impulses, and your instincts. It aims at opening people’s minds to themselves and others and encourages difference.”

Van de Geer despises a ver y “result-processed” approach of art.

Dur ing the wor k shop, she quoted composer Erik Satie, “All great artists are amateurs.” An amateur is someone who does art or anything else simply for the love of it, which is what makes them so good at it, she explained.

We believe if more people attempted to understand the deeper meaning of art, or just allowed themselves to be vulnerable and speak without fear of judgement, amateurs like us would not have to question, “does art matter?” It does, plain and simple.

Concluding the 2019 Conversations in Contemporary Art is time-based artist, Dean Baldwin. Baldwin lives and works in Montreal, focusing on installation, performance, and photography. According to the Facebook event page, the talk will explore the artist’s search for a collective that “elevates and underscores our relations. His [work] is the happy chaos of making things happen from the things to hand.

When: April 5 from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

When: VA building, VA-114 Admission is free.

RESPONSE TO JET DU BAS DIT AA L’EAU GUET AVEC L’INVISIBLE BY MARIE-DOUCE ST-JACQUES Local, sound-based artist, Alexandre St-Onge, will work in collaboration with Marie-Douce St-Jacques, an interdisciplinary artist, to engage in an improvisation-based dialogue, “guided by the various performative traces collecting in the exhibition spaces over the past month,” as stated on the Facebook event page. St-Onge’s performative installation, Jet du bas dit AA l’eau guet avec l’invisible will be at the Leonard and Bina Ellen Art Gallery until April 6.

When: April 6 from 3 to 5 p.m. Where: Leonard and Bina Ellen Art Gallery Admission is free.

The event will be held in French.

FILM SCREENING - AFTER THE WAR WITH HANNELOR - A BERLINER WAR CHILD'S TESTIMONY FROM 1945 TO 1989 The Concordia German Language Student Association will be screening a touching documentary filmed and directed by G. Scott MacLeod. The event will conclude with a talk led by the director himself.

When: April 8 from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Where: Concordia Hall Building room H-1070 Admission is free.

Graphic by Ana Bilokin.

music

MUSIC EDITOR /// music@theconcordian.com SIMON NEW

COVER STORY

Flows for Philippines Montreal’s music community performs for relief efforts IMMANUEL MATTHEWS ASSISTANT MUSIC EDITOR On Sunday, March 24, local Montreal artists performed at École Privée to help raise money for relief efforts in the Philippines following a devastating typhoon in 2018.

While the artists may have taken a pay cut to perform at the charity event, the cause behind the show made it well worth it.

The event was organized by the McGill University Filipino Asian Students Association (MUFASA), the McGill Association of North American Born Asians (MANABA), and McGill graduate Chuong Trinh, a.k.a. Waterboii, one of the night’s performers. It was their love for music and passion for helping others that spurred the idea for Bahay, the name of the event, which means “home” in Tagalog, one of the Philippines’s official languages.

While the event took place late on a Sunday evening—far from an ideal night to attend a show—the renowned Montreal club began to fill up at around 10 p.m. With up-and-coming artists including Qi Yama of the art collective KAJ, Waterboii, Dev, Gxlden Child and more-established local rapper Lou Phelps set to hit the stage, the energy in the tight-knit venue grew by the minute. The perfectly-timed smoke machines and bright lasers added a vibrant aesthetic to the mysteriousness of the club’s dark, gloomy walls.

As Abdou, a DJ from KAJ, curated the playlist from around 10:15 p.m. to 10:45 p.m., the crowd began to move. By the end of the set, his eclectic, unique sound had clearly impressed, as the dancing crowd filled any remaining space on the dance floor.

Minutes later, only a focused eye could have spotted the nonchalant movements of Qi Yama, who appeared gripping a mic behind Abdou and the elevated DJ booth. Then, he let the crowd have it.

Qi Yama began to flow with an energy that surprised some, given his calm demeanor.

His melodic bars rang throughout the small

Qi Yama spits his bars from behind the booth. Photo by Alan Healey-Greene.

room, as some peered upwards in search of the catchy tune that mysteriously appeared.

His set was short and sweet, as if not wanting to give away his secrets. As he wrapped up, Qi Yama descended from the stage to a booth nearby, leaving some slightly confused, and most wanting more.

Around 11:45 p.m., following a bustling set of hip hop hits from Netherboii, frequent collaborators Dev and Gxlden Child joined on stage for more intense sets. As Dev took centre stage and Gxlden Child joined the DJ behind the booth, Dev’s questions to the crowd had them shouting back full-force.

“How are y’all feeling tonight?” Dev asked the crowd, through an autotune-laced mic. The answer was muttered and matched his intensity—likely due to a mixture of alcohol and excitement.

“The producer of this song is my boy and he’s Filipino. Shoutout to the Philippines, man,” Dev said.

As his set progressed, Dev performed each song with the same energy as the last, his body gyrating with passion. While it seemed like he could go on for hours, it was Gxlden Child’s turn.

The rapper switched from bopping to performing centrestage. He took Dev’s place and carried out his setlist with a more gloomy, melodic sound.

When it seemed like the crowd gave all the energy they had to give on a Sunday night, they were resurrected by a performance from Waterboii, one of the organizers of the event.

Waterboii performed his entire set from the dancefloor, with the crowd forming a circle around him, essentially creating a 30-minute moshpit.

The ambience quickly shifted to that of a pre-2016 XXXTentacion show, with distorted trap instrumentals and raging vocals. Waterboii’s energy was infectious, as he bounced off of the crowd members and belted lyrics at top volume.

As Waterboii’s set came to an end and the mosh pit dispersed, it was time for the night’s

final performance. Lou Phelps, a household name in Montreal hip hop, brought his funky, bouncing musical style to the Bahay event. As the attendees rapped along to the lyrics of his notable tracks like “Come Inside” ft. Jazz Cartier and “What Time Is It?!” ft. Innanet James, Phelps's infectious smile effectively emanated an aura of good vibes.

“I knew what had happened [in the Philippines], and that’s why I was so honoured to be asked to perform for the event,” said Phelps in a later interview.

“I have a few friends that are from the Philippines, also.”

The event raised over $2,000 towards relief efforts in the Philippines, a feat Waterboii hopes to surpass in the near future.

“Pretty neat for a first time, but we plan to make bigger, better events in the future,” Waterboii said. We all believe in the potential of events like this, and we want to push communities to support a cause, and create new concerts for different audiences.”

Quickspins RICH THE KID

his listeners. His beats are all enjoyable head-boppers. His features, from Young Thug to Ty Dolla Sign, Big Sean and more, are sporadic among the tracklist. This forces listeners to hear what Rich the Kid can offer on a solo track, followed by a featured song, and repeat. The rapper’s voice and flow are similar on every song, but he assured that fans will have a pleasurable album to listen to in the car with the windows down, just in time for summer.

LOGIC

7/10

THE WORLD IS YOURS 2

Interscope

Rich the Kid’s sophomore album offers the same type of tracks its predecessor did—mindless trap rap. However, the Atlanta rapper and Rich Forever signee doesn’t try to act like he has anything else to offer

 TRIAL TRACK: Fall Threw” feat. Young Thug & Gunna  STAR BAR: “Woke up, pop a bean / that’s my everyday routine / On a PJ, sippin’ lean / smokin’ dope with Charlie Sheen” – Lil Pump on “Rockets.”

- JACOB CAREY, ASSISTANT LIFE EDITOR

album, Everybody . Gone are the quickfire ve r s e s a n d b o o m - b a p b e a t s t h a t h e mastered early. Instead, Logic trades his rapping for bad singing and lyrics corny enough to make Hopsin seem like Tupac.

This isn’t a rap album—it’s a pop-crossover travesty. Listening to it was a more difficult experience than tr ying to beat a Dark Souls game blindfolded. Don’t listen to it. I did, and I think the world deserves better.

1/10  TRIAL TRACK: Baby

SUPERMARKET

Visionary Music Group Supermarket is not only the worst album of Logic’s career, but the worst album I’ve heard in years. This awful excuse of a project inhibits all the bad habits Logic has been pushing since his mediocre third

 STAR BAR: “Come get me, but don’t hit me / I smoke weed, so I’m trippy / Get litty, get gritty / Rick Sanchez, get schwifty” – Logic on “Lemon Drop” — LOUIS PAVLAKOS, STAFF WRITER

APRIL 2, 2019

SHOW REVIEW

theconcordian

11

Wash and set The mask stayed on, Leikeli47 went off

LOUIS PAVLAKOS STAFF WRITER In front of a packed crowd at Le Belmont, a masked figure took the stage. Those who know Leikeli47 knew what to expect. Those unfamiliar with the rising artist might have been taken aback by the balaclava covering the rapper's face throughout her entire performance.

Since 2010, the mysterious rapper has yet to show her face. The level of secrecy behind Leikeli47 is not unlike that of MF DOOM’s. The only difference here is that we know who MF DOOM is; Leikeli47’s entire existence remains an enigma.

47’s sophomore album, Acrylic, was released to positive critic and fan reception. Her performance largely consisted of songs off the new project as well as her debut effort Wash & Set. Before 47 got on, the opening act, Yung Baby Tate put on an electric performance beaming with personality, charisma, and a powerful voice that commandeered her overtly sexual songs. The young rapper

PREVIEW

Leikeli47 in the mask like DOOM. Photo by Louis Pavlakos.

had a short set, but the energy she built up prepared the crowd for what would turn into a wild show.

As the crowd started piling in after Tate’s performance, the lights dimmed and the crowd began roaring. 47’s DJ prepared the room to welcome the headlining act; moments later she appeared on stage.

A small venue and a tight crowd made it no issue for fans to lose control as Leikeli47 performed her biggest songs such as “Girl Blunt,” “Top Down” and “Attitude.” All around

me were a myriad of fans dancing and chanting lyrics as if their lives depended on it. It was a concert, sure, but at the heart of the event was a community of like-minded individuals looking to release all their stress in a night that shook the building more than a soon-to-be-divorced couple rigorously bickering at 2 a.m.

The show hit a new peak when 47 began her performance of “Post That,” a rap song shrouded by a bounce-heavy instrumental that could prompt anyone

to bust a move in the most inappropriate setting. Aware of the effect this song has, 47 invited a man in the crowd to strike a pose and show off his best dance moves. Following that, she started letting more people storm the stage so they could dance their heart out to what might have been the most communal concert of all time.

A good performer can be seen from a mile away. You can tell by their energy, charisma, and effort put into the flow of the show. Leikeli47 has all of that, bar none. When she wasn’t rapping, she spoke words of wisdom and peace to the crowd.

Her voice could easily be that of a preacher leading an early Sunday morning sermon.

Leikeli47’s concert consisted of building a small community within the small spaces of a dark bar, thumping bass that had my ears ringing for days after, and a largely charismatic performer who knows exactly what makes her crowd tick. Despite all the craziness, there was still a sense of warmth to be found. As 47 closed her concert with “Money,” she informed the crowd that she would be back before they answered with Olympic-esque chants and cheers.

Fire it up

Earl Sweatshirt to bring a unique freshman class to Corona SIMON NEW MUSIC EDITOR Thebe Kgositsile, known as Earl Sweatshirt, is about to set the Corona Theatre ablaze on Thursday. After having released one of 2018’s standout, original rap records, Some Rap Songs, Kgositsile embarked on a tour with a name as long as it is apt: “Thebe Kgositsile Presents: FIRE IT UP! A TOUR STARRING EARL SWEATSHIRT & FRIENDS FT. BBYMUTHA, NA-KEL SMITH, LIV.E, MIKE & BLACK NOI$E.” With the release of his newest album, Kgotsitsile notably distanced himself from the stage name that eponymized his extraordinary shock-rap come-up in 2010 with Odd Future. He views Earl Sweatshirt as a project or a persona that shifts and changes with his collaborators. On this tour, Kgositsile has collected not only his friends that helped Some Rap Songs to be the poetic, singular project that it was, but his associates that have helped shape his persona over the years.

Nobody on this bill can make a bigger claim to shaping Kgositsile’s current sound than MIKE. The New York rapper with flows wise beyond his years shares a lot of energy reminiscent of early Earl. At 20 years old, MIKE has headed sLUms, a New York-based crack squad of lo-fi literate rappers that have had the Kgositsile co-sign since near its inception. Kgositsile shouts out members from the group throughout Some Rap Songs, and their musical influence is undeniable.

He cites brevity as his tool for the raw humility that characterizes his latest album. MIKE and his crew are known to have little in the way of hooks and filler to spread their message thin. He developed his style in the image of Earl Sweatshirt; now Kgositsile has partnered with MIKE for what should be a rap masterclass.

Detroit-based producer Black Noi$e has previously toured with Kgositsile and represents another wave of upcoming artists defining their sound. Noi$e met Kgositsile through Queens-based collective World’s Fair, and hails from Detroit by way of Nova Scotia.

Noi$e comes at hip hop from a hardcore background, and is sure to bring pure grit to the decks.

Earl is headlining his tour as Thebe Kgositsile.

Liv.e clocks in at the opposite end of the spectrum. With a golden voice, she raps and sings over electronic-leaning R&B production that veers into experimental territory closer to MIKE’s.

Na-Kel Smith is a skater and designer that is known for his association with Odd Future, as well as his recent starring role in Jonah Hill’s film mid90s. On Earl Sweatshirt’s 2015 album I Don’t Like Shit I Don’t Go Outside, Smith gave a gut-wrenchingly raw verse memorializing his friend. Smith got news of his death while he was on LSD at Kgositsile’s studio, then wrote and recorded the verse on the spot.

It remains a defining moment of the Earl Sweatshirt discography. Smith dropped his debut album Twothousand Nakteen laced with the kind of trap-driven braggadocio that every good rap show needs as an opener.

Chattanooga, TN rapper bbymutha is another name sure to turn up the heat. The self-acclaimed “antichrist of female rap” has an over-the-top, oversexual, vibrant aesthetic that is as innovative as her sound is classically southern.

If it wasn’t apparent, this show isn’t one to miss. It is expected to showcase a wave of massively creative underground artists under the image of Earl Sweatshirt. Even if Kgositsile is moving past the moniker to find himself, it served as a vehicle to unparalleled artistry that was able to take hits and make mistakes along the way. If Earl’s friends can follow in his footsteps, Corona is in for a treat.

sports

SPORTS EDITOR /// sports@theconcordian.com NICHOLAS DI GIOVANNI ( @n_digiovanni)

PROFILE

Closing a Stingers career

Championship in his last season is bittersweet for Ricardo Monge

Monge won the Stingers male athlete of the year. Photo by Mackenzie Lad.

ALEC BRIDEAU ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR A month ago, Ricardo Monge led the Concordia Stingers men’s basketball team to the Réseau du Sport Étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) title. He had a 19-point performance over the UQAM Citadins, concluding his career in the league with a first championship.

Few players can say they concluded their career by winning a championship.

Monge's last season with the Stingers is hard to describe.

“It was definitely amazing,” Monge said. “[There were] a lot of ups and downs, but in the end, we were able to achieve our goal and there is no better feeling. It’s also bittersweet because it was potentially my last year playing competitive basketball.”

Monge began his career with the Stingers in 2014-15, when he played 13 games. The

Gatineau native said he was ready for the challenge of playing university basketball after three years at John Abbott College.

“I came in with a class of eight rookies, so there was a lot of playing time competition,” Monge said. “The biggest adjustment was probably the physical aspect of the game.”

When head coach Rastko Popovic, recruited Monge, he saw a hardworking player and a great teammate.

“He was coachable and had a great attitude on the floor,” Popovic said. “He was always positive, and these are the kinds of things we’re looking for at the point guard position.”

Monge’s development has been impressive during his five years at Concordia. The point guard finished every season with more points than the last, as he went from 106 in his first to 248 in his last. Monge had few expectations when he started at Concordia and simply focused on his game.

Rastko Popovic (left) instructs Monge during the RSEQ final on March 2.

Photo by Mackenzie Lad.

“I just came prepared to outwork everyone else and earn my minutes,” Monge said. “I was also lucky that the starting position [was good for his height], so I was on the floor a lot as a rookie. It helped my development as a player.”

Popovic said he always told Monge that he had the work ethic to have these kinds of results. The head coach explained that Monge is committed and wants to get better every season.

“He’s motivated and that’s something huge,” Popovic said. “He’s not somebody we push every day to be in the gym. He arrived here as a young point guard, and ended up leaving [with] a lot of awards. He had a tremendous career here at Concordia, and I am so proud of everything he’s done so far.”

After nominations to the all-rookie team in 2015 and the second team all-star in 2018, Monge earned RSEQ honours for a third time this season. He received all-Canadian honours and was the MVP in Quebec university men’s basketball conference this year.

“I don't think anyone out there is playing for awards, but it's always nice to be recognized for your sacrifices,” Monge said. “I think the success came from years of work and all the confidence that the coaching staff and my teammates had in me.”

According to Popovic, these are well-deserved awards for someone, who, five years ago, arrived at Concordia with low expectations. The head coach said that Monge will be an amazing role model for Stingers players.

“Everything he does, he does it well,” Popovic said. “He has a tremendous story, and I think everybody needs to know about how great it is. I just call myself lucky to have been his coach for the last five years, as he also helped me to be a better coach and I’m so thankful for that.”

COLOUR COMMENTARY WITH NICHOLAS DI GIOVANNI After Montreal Canadiens forward Paul Byron suffered a head injury in a fight against the Florida Panthers’s MacKenzie Weegar on March 26, it’s time to revisit the debate about fighting in hockey.

Probably the most violent contact sport besides boxing and mixed martial arts, fighting has been part of hockey since its inception over 100 years ago. Things change over the course of a century, including t h e r u l e s o f h o c ke y, s o w h y i s fighting still a part of the game?

It’s because hockey players are way too traditional.

Byron injured Weegar with a hit to the head on Jan . 15 , and was suspended for three games.

Weegar suffered a concussion but returned to the line-up on Feb. 2, missing only four games. In the first meeting between the Canadiens and Panthers since, the six-foot tall, 200-lb Weegar challenged the five-foot, nine-inch tall, 163-lb Byron to a fight early in the first period.

With a clear size advantage, Weegar landed an uppercut, which knocked Byron down, and he missed the rest of the game.

The Canadiens are in the middle of a playoff hunt and can’t afford to lose their assistant captain. Was the fight really necessary? I don’t think so, since Byron already served his three-game suspension. Weegar and Byron fought because of the NHL’s ancient “code,” the unwritten rule that players have to stand up for themselves or their teammates with a fight.

It’s an unwritten rule that comes from the dinosaur ages of hockey. It’s completely unnecessary in today’s game, and needs to be phased out in order to avoid injuries . Habs forward Andrew Shaw told Arpon Basu of The Athletic that the code is “a thing that hockey players do.”

How about this: don’t do it—it’s not worth it. There’s ongoing research about concussions and how it affects the brain long-term. Unlike a broken bone or a pulled muscle, effects of concussions can linger, and for some players, it could last years.

Like We e gar, and likely now Byron, I suffered a concussion in February while playing hockey, and it sucks. My opponent only received a two-minute minor for the check to the head, and wasn’t suspended, but I didn’t go after him the next time we played.

Going after an opponent to avenge a previous injury is childish. I’m sure Weegar didn’t intend to hurt Byron, but the whole situation could have been avoided if there was no fight.

APRIL 2, 2019

theconcordian

13

SKIING

An emotional day to end Alex Harvey’s career Cross-country skier moved to tears at the finish line in Quebec City ANNE-SOPHIE JOBIN CONTRIBUTOR On March 23, world champion cross-country skier Alex Harvey won a silver medal in the second-to-last race of his career in Quebec City.

Thousands of spectators were there, most of them to encourage their renowned Canadian athlete.

"It's just crazy for me to end my career like that in Quebec with two podiums during the World Cup finals,” said 30-year-old Alex Harvey during a press conference on March 24, according to Radio-Canada.

“Because it's been a rock-and-roll season for me, it has been difficult.”

Harvey started skiing when he was three years old. He is a five-time International Skiing Federation World Championships medalist and made more than 31 World Cup podium appearances.

“Of course, it’s sad to see him perform one last time, but I am happy with everything he accomplished,” said his father, Pierre Harvey, who also used to be a champion cross-country skier. After Harvey crossed the finish line, the father and son broke down into tears. “I am really happy with his career and I am happy to see that people like cross-country skiing because of Alex.”

“It means a lot to us, from the bottom of our hearts, because we have been following him for a very long time,” said Carole Drouin, Alex’s step-mom. She added he will now begin a normal life by getting married this summer, and will study law at the Université de Laval.

Alex Harvey (#11) gets emotional after crossing the finish line and is met by his father (right). Photo by Anne-Sophie Jobin.

“It will leave a huge void but we're really happy for him.”

For most Canadians, Har vey represents a source of pride in the world of cross-country skiing. It’s only fitting he got to end his career at home.

“I want to thank the crowd,” Harvey said during the press conference. “I think that without the thousands of people who were there during the weekend, I probably would not have skied like that.”

Throughout the crowd, signs and banners supporting Harvey could be seen.

The buzz of the crowd and the sound of bells designated for Harvey created

an emotional and patriotic atmosphere.

Harvey’s retirement is really something that touched Canadians, and this event was the peak of his success.

“I came here today to cheer for Alex,” said Nathalie Langevin, a Quebec City resident. “I think that being here today, everyone on the edge of the track like this, it gives the athlete a lot of strength. We need to encourage our athletes; it's people who represent us all over the world. I find it important to be here today.”

For most Canadians, Alex represents pride in the world of cross-country skiing.

His career ended on a high note, with two

podiums over the weekend, a gathering of people to celebrate his success, and a championship in his home province.

“The most important thing is to believe in yourself and to believe that it is possible to reach a high level in our sport,” said Harvey. “Even though the World Cup circuit is in Europe 99 per cent of the time and that Scandinavian teams are the best, there are still some young Canadians who are able to win.”

While Har vey has made his mark on cross-countr y skiing, Canadians are ready to welcome a new athlete to honour his legacy.

BASEBALL

Baseball's return reminds Montreal of past love Mayor Plante supports a project to bring a team back, but with no public money

BEN FRASER STAFF WRITER

Brewers 2-0. The game was a great defensive and pitching battle, and in the bottom of the seventh inning with the bases loaded, second baseman Eric Sogard’s single scored Toronto's only two runs.

In the grand scheme of the game, the score served only as the backdrop to the ever-increasing interest in professional baseball’s return to the city. While the

attendance was relatively low compared to past games, the game was on a Tuesday night, with the Canadiens playing at the As the Toronto Blue Jays concluded Bell Centre at the same time. their pre -season at the O lympic Both games in the Olympic Stadium Stadium on March 26, Montreal once demonstrated Montreal’s love for baseball. again showed why the MLB has a During a spectacular opening ceremony future in Quebec. that showcased the past, appearances The crowd of 22,502 fans witnessed were made by for mer E xpos Javier the Blue Jays defeat the Milwaukee Vasquez, Quebec-born pitcher Dennis Boucher, all-time Expos wins leader Steve Rogers, and former manager Felipe Alou.

“It’s always great to be back here with former players and teammates and people that I haven’t seen for years,” said Steve Rogers, who pitched for the Expos from 1973 to 1985. “This is the real deal. You can start to translate the interest in Montreal [to] the ability to support a team.

It’s really remarkable.”

The ceremony also featured appearances from local amateur baseball organizations. Since the Blue Jays began their annual series at the Olympic stadium in The Blue Jays take part in training prior to their game at the Olympic Stadium. Photo by Ben Fraser.

2014, the MLB has noticed this passion.

A group of investors led by businessman Stephen Bronfman has expressed interest in building a new stadium for the team at the Peel Basin.

Mayor Valérie Plante was thrilled to see the games were a success. “People know I'm not the most knowledgeable person about baseball with its scoring and historic players, but I'm passionate about sports, and I understand sports’ role in people's lives,” said Plante in a press conference during Tuesday's game.

P lante and t he c it y w ill supp or t t h e o n g o i n g p r o j e c t to ge t a te a m back to Montreal, so long as it is privately funded. “Now the groups aren't asking for a cent , so we're going to support them, as long as Montrealers don't give money directly,” she added.

With another successful trip, the Blue Jays now move on to the regular season, and baseball fans in Montreal are left wondering; are serious strides going to be made to bringing baseball back to Montreal? Until then, many Montrealers will be cheering for the Blue Jays , and waiting to cheer for their E xpos once again.

opinions OPINIONS EDITOR /// opinions@theconcordian.com SANIA MALIK

EDITORIAL

China’s censorship doesn’t have a place at Concordia On March 26, Concordia University held a conference led by the Montreal Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies (MIGS), where Dolkun Isa, president of the World Uighur Congress, spoke. Isa is an Uighur activist who often speaks at conferences highlighting the ongoing human rights violations Uighur Muslims in China face.

Kyle Matthews, Executive Director of MIGS, told The Concordian: “Before the event, we started to see reports in the media that showed [the] Chinese government and some Chinese students disrupting any events about human rights abuses involving the Uighur or the Tibetans. We were kind of concerned about that and thought our event would get cancelled.”

While the event wasn’t cancelled, a day before it took place, Matthews received an email from the Chinese consul general in Montreal. In the email, Matthews was asked for an urgent meeting to discuss the event and their point of view. Matthews ignored the email, but on the day of the event, he found out that the Chinese consul general was pressuring different people in Montreal to cancel the event.

Matthews decided to ignore the email, and the event still took place with two security officers present to ensure there were no disruptions. In an article by La Presse, the Chinese consul general admitted that he

ELITISM

Graphic by @sundaemorningcoffee

pressured Montreal to cancel the event, saying students shouldn’t be exposed to terrorism. “He made some very bizarre references to the Christchurch terrorism case in New Zealand,” said Matthews. “It didn’t make sense because our speaker wasn’t some member of the far right; he’s actually a Muslim Uighur minority from China.”

This idea of linking Uighur Muslims to terrorism isn’t new—in fact, China has claimed they are dealing with threats and violence from separatist Islamist groups in Xinjiang, but human rights groups argue differently. In 2009, riots in Xinjiang’s capital, Urumqi, killed 200 people, most of whom were Han Chinese—numerous attacks have occurred since then, according to BBC News. Human rights groups argue that this violence erupted from China’s oppression of Uighur Muslims, and these violent events

were used by the Chinese government to crack down on Uighur Muslims in February 2017, according to the same source.

Evidence highlights that more than 1 million Uighur Muslims in China are detained in what resembles a “massive internment camp,” according to BBC News. In these camps, detainees are forced to learn Mandarin Chinese, renounce their Islamic faith, and swear loyalty to the Communist Party of China and President Xi Jinping, according to the same source.

At first, China ignored the camps’ existence—but in October 2018, Chinese officials legalized “education camps” with the goal of eradicating extremism, according to Vox. Instead of referring to these detainment centres for what they are, the Chinese government has called them “re-education” centres that are meant to fend off terrorism, according to

BBC News. Millions of people have disappeared, and Uighur Muslims are under surveillance, according to Vox. Not only that, but officials say these “re-education” centres offer classes on topics such as Chinese history and culture, and have said that inmates are “happier” after their imprisonment, according to CNN. Yet, various camp survivors have said they were physically tortured for the purpose of brainwashing, were sleep deprived, isolated without food and water, and were subject to waterboarding, according to Vox. It is difficult to know every detail of what Uighur Muslims are currently going through, as China’s lack of freedom of press hinders journalists’ ability to report freely. “What’s deeply troubling is that China is exporting its authoritarianism to Western countries,” said Matthews. “This is the third case of Chinese political interference in events happening at Canadian universities. One was at the University of Toronto, one was at McMaster, and now Concordia comes to number three.”

We at The Concordian believe this situation further highlights how urgent it is for us to discuss what is happening in Xinjiang. We’re proud of our university for offering its security services to ensure the conference took place. The ongoing violation of human rights for Uighur Muslims in China is an issue that must be continuously spoken about. Censorship has no place in Canada, or in Canadian universities—we at The Concordian hope to see this conversation continue and bring change.

Classism at Concordia must end

One student’s experience with an elitist event and how it unfairly targets vulnerable students HENRY LOVGREN STAFF WRITER Concordia has a classism problem. Higher education should be a place where students from various backgrounds have the opportunity to obtain an education and pursue their dreams, regardless of their socioeconomic status. Universityfunded events should at a minimum not impose additional barriers to those who are already struggling to pay for their degree.

Although scholarships and financial aid do mitigate some financial constraints, higher education remains an ivory tower requiring financial means to scale. Beyond the textbooks and tuition, Concordia should work at eliminating obstacles preventing students from participating in extra-curricular activities by ensuring money provided to clubs is spent appropriately. These additional funds could be used to help offset the cost of financially unstable students and allow greater access to the abundance of academic extracurriculars.

One extracurricular activity I participate in—a non-profit, CSU-funded organization—didn't get the memo. I'm not naming the group because I know there is potential to grow and I am still involved.

But this example applies to all groups because classism affects other campus

organizations as well.

The organization-that-shall-not-be-named sends students to conferences throughout Canada, and sometimes the world to partake in debate and policy simulations. They are academically challenging events that help broaden the mind of participants.

A vital component of these conferences is a gala that occurs on the penultimate evening. These social gatherings are essential as they allow students to network and relax with their peers from various universities.

Unfortunately, the organizers didn't seem to understand the meaning of accessible. I noticed this initially when the Facebook invitation for the party stated that those who didn't wear gala attire would be turned away and admission cost $35. As I read the post, the combination of both the admission fee and dress code gave me an uneasy feeling.

Graphic by @sundaemorningcoffee

We were already expected to wear "western business attire" throughout the four-day conference, a significant financial burden for many. Adding "gala attire" to an increasingly expensive, yet theoretically accessible, event for an evening felt like an insult to injury.

I am fortunate to come from a family that could afford the standard attire for the conference, however, neither my parents nor I have the funds to buy a tuxedo. Thankfully, I managed to get in the event with the same clothing I had worn throughout the weekend.

But what about those unlike me? Students who don't have financial support from their parents, or who already spent money on clothing? What options did those who couldn't afford gala attire (or who managed to make it in, like me) have? Thankfully, I wasn't the only concerned person as I heard murmurs of discontent about the admission requirements.

Nonetheless, the post remained online until after the gala.

We will never know how many people didn't attend because they feared being turned away at the door, a repulsive display of elitism that doesn't belong anywhere, let alone at an academic event. This is the nature of classism.

It is hard to notice if one isn't suffering from it, but once apparent, the remarkable apathy of others towards it is startling.

Perhaps admission to the gala would have been cheaper if the organizers didn't choose Le Windsor—featuring a ridiculously extravagant ballroom in downtown Montreal—as the venue. A dissatisfied executive in the organization told me the cost of renting the space went well into thousands of dollars.

Why didn't they choose a cheaper venue (Le Windsor ended up being too large for the small number of attendees anyway) and use the money saved to help financially-challenged students?

Although I did not see anyone get turned away, I know Le Windsor staff were instructed to enforce the dress code, and allegedly scrutinized one participant's attire before she was waved through by a friend. As students, do we want our collectively funded groups to prevent students from participating in academic programs based on the thickness of their wallets? I fear what is to come if we don't tackle classism head-on; all injustices, including economic ones, are worthy of attention.

APRIL 2, 2019

the art of being single W/ KAYLA-MARIE TURRICIANO

theconcordian

15

DISCRIMINATION

An environment of Islamophobia

Nationalism, bigotry and political apathy encourage hate rhetoric against Muslims

Don’t give up on finding your person In the last issue of The Art of Being Single, I spoke about ghosting and how it suck s because it leaves you with many unanswered questions about the situation and yourself. It leaves you feeling defeated. But ghosting isn’t the only thing that can make you question yourself or someone’s behaviour towards you while building a relationship. You know what else sucks? Breadcrumbing and haunting.

If nothing else, I hope this column is at least teaching you some new things. According to Urban Dictionary, breadcrumbing is “when the ‘crush’ has no intentions of taking things further, but they like the attention.” So they’ll keep messaging you and being all flirty but things will go nowhere. Haunting, on the other hand, is a little like ghosting but the ghoster is keeping indirect contact, usually by liking your posts on Instagram or viewing your Snapchat stor ies, even though they have your number but never message you.

You know why these possibly suck even more than a simple ghost? It’s the fact that you’re constantly being reminded. You’re constantly being reminded that you never got any answers .

You’re being reminded of the awful feeling of being ghosted in the first place. You’re constantly being bombarded with the idea that you’re flirt-worthy but not relationship-worthy. You’re being reminded of a failed relationship, the good moments (if any) you spent with the other person, the chemistry you thought was so intense a scientist somewhere in Antarctica could feel it amidst the blistering cold.

You begin to think it’s normal, that anything that doesn’t result in ghosting, breadcrumbing or haunting is a miracle. You might even begin to believe that love doesn’t—and c an’t—e x ist, if this is what the dating scene is all about.

You know what sucks about it all? You begin to give up.

But don’t. No matter how hard it is to believe, there has to be something, someone out there for us that won’t leave us hanging . So no mat ter if you’ve been ghosted, haunted or breadcrumbed for the first, third, 64th time—don’t give up on finding love.

Graphic by @sundaemorningcoffee

HUSSAIN ALMAHR STAFF WRITER Following the Christchurch mosque shootings in New Zealand on March 15, people continue to mourn the 50 victims that were slain. Among the victims was Hamza Mustafa, a 16-year-old aspiring veterinarian, Arif Mohamedali Vohra, a man who wanted to see his recently born grandchild, and Abdelfattah Qassem, a pillar of the community. That day, the victims just wanted to pray in peace.

Those affected by the shooting were just people who wanted to practice their faith during Friday prayer, be with their community, and return to their loved ones afterwards. But all of that was taken from them. At the forefront of the shooting is a rhetoric of hate and dehumanization of Muslims that is pervasive in politics and in the media. A framework has been perpetuated that situates Muslims as people who need to be regulated, managed and kept at a distance from Western countries.

Images of Muslims portrayed across media depict a monolithic group, uniquely oppressive culture, and lack any history besides a nebulous idea of a universal Islamic theology. In their theorization, political pundits paint an image that discounts the vastness of Islam, opting to create a fictitious idea of a uniform ideology that all Muslims share.

Conservative commentator Ben Shapiro— who allegedly inspired the shooter before the attack on the Islamic Cultural Centre in Quebec City—argued in a PragerU video, makers of popular conservative “educational” videos, that there are more “radical Muslims” than people believe. Shapiro clearly argues that that there is a collective radical movement throughout the Muslim world, that hate America and the West.

Al Noor Mosque, the primary target of the shootings, refutes this idea; worshipers come from diverse backgrounds, like India, Pakistan, Palestine, UAE, and people born and raised in New Zealand. Each person embodies a rich history of Islam, that differs in practice, theology and lifestyle. Islam is

only a part of their identity. As Muslims, we are as multifaceted as any other people; we have different interests, aspirations, dreams, and we don’t always agree with each other.

However, the media’s narrative eradicates the nuance and diversity in Muslim people’s lives.

Rhetoric, foreign policy and media coverage create a narrative that dehumanizes Muslims, enforcing an image unrepresentative of people’s lived experiences. The New York Times columnist Bret Stephens, infamous for his notion of “the disease of the Arab mind,” illustrates the unnuanced, ahistorical analysis of Muslim majority countries that is prevalent in popular discourse, a type of analysis that hinges on geopolitical strategy.

In an article published in September entitled “To Thwart Iran, Save Idlib,” Stephens sets the stakes for the battle of Idlib, a besieged city in Syria, listing ways countries will suffer from the battle of Idlib: “Europe, which could face yet another refugee crisis even as the effects of the last are felt in the resurgence of the far right.” In this strategic framework, Muslims are blamed for the rise of far right bigotry that in turn discriminates against Muslim people. With no dramatic flair, Stephens calls for the bombing of the Syrian Air Force, discounting the fact that civilians will be killed in the process. Muslim people seemingly have no agency in this worldview—we are merely a small part of a grand strategy that Western nations develop under the advisement of “experts” who have tangential knowledge of the diversity of the Muslim world.

The strategic rhetoric and analysis conducted on Muslim countries blames the rise of the far right in Europe on refugees, a supposed problem that intersects economics, culture and demographics, rather than analyzing the roots of the far right. Politicians and pundits stoke Islamophobia—as well as other forms of white supremacy—as a means to gain power. Moreover, policies are implemented as a method to gain economic and political power over Muslim countries.

The rise of hateful rhetoric revealed deep-seated forms of white supremacy.

Nigel Farage, one of the champions of Brexit, and many others in the leave campaign, trafficked in anti-Muslim bigotry, using “swarm” imagery to frame refugees and migrants travelling from Muslim majority countries to the UK. Brexit emboldened bigots and brought anti-immigrant rhetoric to the forefront. The normalization of white supremacy rhetoric has tangible negative effects on Muslims living in Western countries.

In the EU-MIDIS II, a report by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights about Muslim discrimination, 27 per cent of respondents have experienced some form of harassment for being Muslim, while 39 per cent of the respondents felt some form of discrimination five years before the study. In another European report by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, it is stated that hate crimes committed against Muslims typically increase after a terrorist attack and target Friday prayers. Both reports also mention how hate crimes are underreported due to the lack of trust in the effectiveness of the policing system and lingering feelings of shame. The hate Muslims are facing is well known to government agencies, however, people are seemingly supporting or apathetic to the injustice.

We are faced with increasing hate against Muslims and it is important to remain vigilant against forms of white supremacy. This process does not stop at voting; we also need to hold politicians and public figures accountable for their words, actions and policies they implement. It is not enough for politicians to talk about immorality of discrimination—their stance should be reflected in the policies they implement.

Beyond the realm of electoral politics, there needs to be a radical shift in the way Muslims are depicted. Muslims are diverse. We span many countries, and have different ideologies. It is not on Muslims to share their stories to help white audiences understand that we are people. The power rests with people who have influence on media, academics and foreign policy.

Rest in peace to all the victims affected and condolences to their families.

20 theconcordian 16 theconcordian

APRIL 3, 2018 APRIL 2, 2019 Graphic by Zeze Le Lin. Graphic by Zeze Le Lin.

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Advertising manager

Production team

\\ Soliciting Soliciting advertisements advertisements from from local local businesses businesses and and other other \ associations within within Concordia Concordia associations \ Working with the production manager and and social social media media \\ Working with the production manager coordinator to ensure smooth activations coordinator to ensure smooth activations

\\ Layout Layout the the newspaper’s newspaper’s content content to to ensure ensure readability readability and and an an \ aesthetic design design aesthetic \ Experience with Adobe Adobe InDesign InDesign and and Photoshop Photoshop highly highly \\ Experience with recommended recommended

Responsibilities include: include: Responsibilities

Responsibilities include: include: Responsibilities

Please send send your your CV, CV, a a cover cover letter letter and and three three relevant relevant samples samples of of your your work work to to Please applications@theconcordian.com no no later later than than April April 15, 16, 2019.

2018. applications@theconcordian.com

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF KATYA TEAGUE MAGGIE HOPE editor@theconcordian.com editor@theconcordian.com

The Concordian’s team theconcordian's team

MANAGING EDITOR MANAGING EDITOR CANDICE PYE ALEXANDER COLE managing@theconcordian.com managing@theconcordian.com PRODUCTION MANAGER PRODUCTION MANAGER LOREANNA LASTORIA LOREANNA LASTORIA production@theconcordian.com production@theconcordian.com SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR PRODUCTION ASSISTANT MATTHEW COYTE HYACINTH WOURMS online@theconcordian.com

LIFE EDITOR LIFE EDITORHERCEGOVÁ SANDRA ALEX HUTCHINS life@theconcordian.com life@theconcordian.com ASSISTANT LIFE EDITOR ASSISTANT LIFE EDITOR MIA ANHOURY JACOB CAREY

OPINIONS EDITOR OPINIONS EDITOR SANIA MALIK SANIA MALIK opinions@theconcordian.com opinions@theconcordian.com ASSISTANTOPINIONS OPINIONSEDITOR EDITOR ASSISTANT TYSONBURGER BURGER TYSON

ARTS EDITOR ARTS EDITOR CHLOË LALONDE MAGGIE HOPE arts@theconcordian.com arts@theconcordian.com

PHOTOEDITOR EDITOR PHOTO ALEX HUTCHINS MACKENZIE LAD photo@theconcordian.com photo@theconcordian.com

ASSISTANT ARTS EDITOR ASSISTANT ARTS EDITOR DAISY DUNCAN CHLOË LALONDE

PHOTO ASSISTANTS PHOTO ASSISTANTS GABE CHEVALIER KIRUBEL MEHARI HANNAH EWEN MACKENZIE LAD

HEAD COPY EDITOR VICTORIA LEWIN COPY EDITORS JULIET BOOKER CONTRIBUTORS KAYLA-MARIE TURRICIANO Matthew Almengo-Raymond, KATELYN THOMAS Nolwenn Bouillé, Eloise Carolan, copy@theconcordian.com Sara Chahrour, Zachary Cook, Sophia Delafontaine, Ian Down, Nick Gertler, Alissa Muller, BUSINESS MANAGER Samsara Rainville, Erica Rizzo, FRANCIS LADOUCEUR Kayla-Marie Turriciano business@theconcordian.com

BUSINESS MANAGER ADVERTISING MANAGER ORENZO PORPORINO BILAL QADRI GRAPHICS EDITOR business@theconcordian.com advertising@theconcordian.com GRAPHICS EDITOR WEDNESDAY LAPLANTE ZEZE LE LIN graphics@theconcordian.com NEWS EDITORS graphics@theconcordian.com NEWS EDITORS BOARD OF DIRECTORS music@theconcordian.com ASSISTANT MUSIC EDITOR ADVERTISING MANAGER IAN DOWN GRAPHIC ASSISTANT ÉTIENNE LAJOIE NATHALIE LAFLAMME IMMANUEL MATTHEWS ORENZO PORPORINO MIA CANDICE ANHOURYPYE ANA BILOKIN GRAPHIC ASSISTANT DAVID EASEY ASSISTANT MUSIC EDITOR advertising@theconcordian.com news@theconcordian.com ALEXA HAWKSWORTH news@theconcordian.com MIA ANHOURY HUSSAIN ALMAHR SPORTS EDITOR VIDEO EDITOR ORENZO PORPORINO ASSISTANT NEWS EDITORS NICHOLAS DI GIOVANNI ASSISTANT NEWS EDITORS SANDRA HERCEGOVA BOARD OF DIRECTORS MINA MAZUMDER directors@theconcordian.com HEAD COPY EDITOR sports@theconcordian.com HUNT NATHALIE LAFLAMME video@theconcordian.com JAD MEGAN ABUKASM SPORTS EDITOR VALERIA CORI-MANOCCHIO SAVANNA CRAIG MATTHEW LAPIERRE NICHOLAS DI GIOVANNI ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR VIDEO ASSISTANT COPY EDITORS MILOS KOVACEVIC news_assistants@theconcordian.com ALEC sports@theconcordian.com BRIDEAU ARIANNA RANDJBAR KATERINA GANG DAVID EASEY KYLEE ROSS GREGORY TODARO ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR REBECCA LUGER directors@theconcordian.com MATTHEW COYTE CONTRIBUTORS: Anne-Sophie Jobin, Ben Fraser, Fern Clair, Diona Macalinga, Henry Lovgren, Hussain Almahr, Liz Spinozzi, Louis copy@theconcordian.com

MUSIC EDITOR SIMON NEW MUSIC EDITOR music@theconcordian.com CALVIN CASHEN

Pavlakos, Olivier du Ruisseau, Zach Lumbroso

Concordia University’s weekly, independent Concordia University’s student newspaper weekly, independent student newspaper VOL. 35, ISSUE 25 APRIL 3, 2018.

VOL. 36, ISSUE 25 APRIL 2, 2019.

OUR COVER THIS WEEK “Petites-Mains atelier” OUR COVER THIS WEEK Photo by Mackenzie Lad.

“Out of the shadows”

Press photo.

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COME TOUS OUR FOLLOW ONWEEKLY  STORY MEETING AT COME TO OUR WEEKLY THE LOYOLA CAMPUS PITCH MEETING CC-431 FRIDAY ATAT THE LOYOLA CAMPUS CC-431 12:00 P.M. FRIDAY AT 12:00 P.M. PITCH. WRITE. EDIT. PITCH. WRITE. EDIT. Editorial office Editorial office St. W 7141 Sherbrooke 7141 Sherbrooke Building CC - 431St. W Building CC Montreal, QC- 431 H4B 1R6 Montreal, QC H4B 1R6 (514) 848-2424 (514)7499 848-2424 ext. 7499 ext.