The Concordian - March 21st 2017

Concordia University’s weekly, independent student newspaper

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VOLUME 34, ISSUE 24 | TUESDAY, MARCH 21, 2017

 /theconcordian  @theconcordian

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High energy at SXSW

Two of our editors visit Austin to cover the film and music festivals. p.9

also in this issue

news

Narrowing in on police brutality p.5

life

Preserving French in Quebec p.7

arts

Going beyond a slave story p.8

sports

A recap of the Stingers season

opinions

p.18

Tackling race issues through film p. 21

news

NEWS EDITORS /// news@theconcordian.com SAVANNA CRAIG & NELLY SERANDOUR-AMAR ( @savannacraig @nellsamar03)

NATION IN BRIEF KATYA TEAGUE HEAD COPY EDITOR Canadian wins Global Teacher Prize Maggie MacDonnell, a Nova Scotia-born teacher, was awarded $1 million and the 2017 Global Teacher Prize, one of the most high-profile awards for teaching excellence, on Sunday, reported CTV News. MacDonnell has been teaching in Salluit, Que., the province’s second northernmost Inuit community for six years. According to CTV News, MacDonnell has established a job mentorship program, a community kitchen and attends suicide prevention training.

Prior to winning, MacDonnell told the Canadian Press she would use the money to start an environmental stewardship program for northern youth.

Corruption claims in Conservative leadership Conservative leadership contender Lisa Raitt called on the party to expel “cheaters and rule breakers” from the leadership race, and impose “significant” fines on their campaigns, reported CBC News. The statement, released on Monday, came amid a number of allegations of corruption from Kevin O’Leary’s and Maxime Bernier’s campaigns. The party removed 1,351 members from its voting list following a swift investigation into O’Leary’s claims of membership fraud, according to CBC News.

ELECTIONS

MeetthecandidatesforASFA’s2017elections

Between March 21 and 23, students can vote for who should run ASFA MEGAN HUNT CO-NEWS ASSISTANT The Arts and Science Federation of Associations (ASFA) elections are just around the corner. However, many students are still unaware of who this year’s candidates are, or how they plan to lead and improve Concordia’s largest faculty association. Luckily, The Concordian has got you covered. Here are the profiles of candidates running for VP positions for the 2017-2018 year.

Students in the arts and science faculty can cast their vote between March 21 and 23.

The answers have been edited for length and clarity. The Concordian reached out to Bianca Bruzzee, but she not provide answers before the deadline.

I wanted to run for president because we’ve made some great strides this year, but we’ve also encountered issues. I feel that ASFA needs to continue paving the way for itself by making additional and significant changes to its structure.

I've experienced ASFA from the viewpoint of Member Associations, and from the viewpoint of an Executive—I've also experienced it as an electoral officer. Because of this and having worked alongside MAs all year, I understand how both sides see each other, how they interact, what they need, and how to support them. I’m resolute to bringing forth informed policy changes on behalf of the rest of the ASFA team and with their input.

Francesco Valen

te

P o s it i o n : V i c epresident of fina nce Pro gra m: En g lish literature Year: 3

Why is he running?

It’s because of joining school politics that I consider this to be hands down my favourite year of university. The 2017-2018 year will, hopefully and sadly, be my last year at Concordia, and I think being a part of ASFA’s executive team will be the most rewarding way to go out.

Why should you vote for him?

Why should you vote for her?

science & fairs and Year: 3 public af s ie policy stud

Why is he running?

I chose the position because it’s a domain I am quite familiar with, and I love the idea of bringing people together to have a good time—it’s what I’m all about. When I can make others happy, I am happy too.

Why should you vote for him?

Concordia students should vote for me because their satisfaction is my number one priority, and I feel my previous experience will help us create ASFA events that will give students a way to unwind from the stresses of university and an opportunity to meet new friends. As VP of my student association, I enjoy the group dynamic and working alongside people who are just as excited about making our events successful as I am. Overall, I want to make ASFA better than when I arrived.

Chris Czich Position: V icepresident of social affairs Program: Communications Year: 2

Steven Tutino Position: Vice-president of internal affairs Program: English literature & theological studies Year: 4

Photos by Ana Hernandez.

strong-form and to really ensure that they serve their rightful purpose. 2) Creating an appointments policy to facilitate the appointments process within the federation. 3) Assuring that menstrual hygiene products are available for free on campus for students. 4) Supporting the creation of a family policy at the faculty level, and 5) Filling the position of advocacy coordinator.

My experience includes serving as VP of internal affairs and administration, which encompasses being a voting member of the Policy Review and Finance Committees. Additionally, I have taken on chair of the Advocacy and Internal Committees, voting member of the Policy Review and Finance Committees. I have been a CSU Councillor, a Member Association CEO o ra Sard and an A SFA Julie Sute DEO. My plans : A S FA for the upcoming Position year include 1) A president by-law reform that would make the litical gram: Po ity, o r P ASFA by-laws more commun

Obviously a literature student is not who you would typically expect to be running for ASFA’s VP of finance, but I hope to prove the stereotype wrong. This year, I had the privilege to be the VP of finance for CASE (Concordia’s Association for Students in English) as well as their councillor, where I sat on ASFA’s Finance Committee. I hope the student body will put their faith in me to fulfill the needs of this position.

Privacy and process hindering MMIW inquiry The list of victims’ family members compiled by the inquiry looking into Canada’s missing and murdered indigenous women had only 90 names on it as of Friday, March 17, reported The Globe and Mail. Commission lawyer Christa Big Canoe told The Globe and Mail the federal government won’t share the names of victims’ family members collected during a pre-inquiry because of privacy concerns. The inquiry also wants the process to be voluntary, and is relying on family members to come forward.

The commissioners will begin hearing testimonies from victims’ family members in May.

Why is she running?

Why is he running?

I chose to run because I have the best interest of the faculty and university at heart. I built my way up by volunteering for groups on campus, such as CUPS, the Co-op Bookstore, the Student Success Centre and the Multi-Faith Chaplaincy. I also volunteered for the JMSB CASE Competition and the Alternative Spring Break Program. I always want to accomplish new things and this, by far, is arguably the biggest thing I am embarking on, ever, at least in my academic and professional life.

Why should you vote for him?

I'm extremely involved in all my accomplishments here at the university, both personally and academically.

My involvement with Concordia has been extremely rewarding, and I want to strengthen bonds between member associations and make sure their voices are heard. I believe that working with MAs will help ensure a better quality experience for each respective department’s students.

MARCH 21, 2017

ELECTIONS

Say hello to the CSU electoral teams

Between March 28 and 30, students can elect their desired CSU representatives

NELLY SERANDOUR AMAR CO-NEWS EDITOR Undergraduate students will be able to cast their vote on either campus for their new Concordia Student Union representatives between March 28 and 30. Most candidates are teaming up to bring their mutual ideas to life. The Concordian spoke to them about their plans.

Team Connect

Team United Team United for CSU consists of two candidates so far: Eddy Kara, who is running for the position of general coordinator, and Amina Chemssy, who is running for the internal affairs coordinator position. The duo believe diversity is an essential par t of Concordia’s student community. “It is important to welcome and be open to diverse insights and opinions,” they told The Concordian. “Only together c an we ac hieve t hing s for

Team Connect for CSU consists of Asma Mushtaq, Alex Milton, Marcus Peters, Devon Leigh EllisDurity, Leyla Sutherland, Veronika Rydzewski, Mustafa Bokesmati and Thomas David-Bashore. The team believes they have a very strong platform that speaks to the immediate needs of students.

Projects such as updating the CSU website and advocating for international students are very important to them. Divesting and reinvesting in sustainability is also one of their main focuses.

“Our projects will improve student

life while continuing to implement sustainable and transparent practices within the union and updating documents and practices so that we are able to better serve students,” the team told The Concordian. The team plans to advocate for international students on campus and prevent future tuition hikes. They hope to improve student engagement within the union by having stronger, more accessible and transparent communication with students.

believe in their own future. They hope to strengthen relations

between the student organizations.

Photo by Ana Hernandez.

Concordia.” They plan on putting a Social Transparency Plan into effect, which they said will help with communication between students and the CSU. They will also put for ward an Act of Concordian Equality which will ensure they are inclusive to all students at the school—everyone will be treated as equals. They also want to build trust between the CSU and students. They will do this by creating different projects to motivate students to

Agunik Mamikonyan

the John Molson School of Business have not been represented well by the student union,” said Al Alaoui, who is running for the position of finance coordinator. Embrace ConU is focused on three particular projects, what they call “pillars.” First off, the team has a strong focus on students and wants to make the university a more welcoming space for students by funding more clubs, student projects and faculty associations. The second pillar focuses on the university com-

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WORLD IN BRIEF SAVANNA CRAIG CO-NEWS EDITOR

FBI investigates Trump-Russia relation The FBI will be undergoing an inspection to determine if associates of US President DonaldTrumphaslinksbetween Russia. James Comey, FBI Director confirmed the investigation, apart of a deeper inquiry into Russian interference in the US 2016 presidential election. The FBI does not typically discuss ongoing investigations, however, Comey was approved, considering this is a case of extreme public interest, according to CBC News. However, Comey did not say when the investigation will be completed "This work is very complex, and there is no way for me to give you a timetable for when it will be done," Comey said to the House intelligence committee on Capitol Hill in Washington.

Shaq believes the world is flat

Agunik Mamikonyan is running as an independent candidate for the general coordinator position.

“I didn’t want to make this election too political by being in a team,” she said. “I really want to make it about the students.” With the experience she has attained over the last few years, including being the general secretary for the School of Community and Public Affairs Students’ Association (SCPASA) and currently holding the position of vice-president of external and sustainability for the Arts and Science Federation

of Associations (ASFA), she believes she is qualified for the position.

“The role I had with the SCPASA definitely helped me with building my leadership role. I can offer direction, facilitation and I guarantee that my team will be well-organized,” she said. Mamikonyan wants to be further involved with the co-op housings, and bring more diversity and structure to the student union. During the next year, if elected, Mamikonyan said she will be transparent and dedicated to her work, her team and all students.

Embrace ConU Embrace ConU consists of candidates Omar Riaz, Soulaymane Al Alaoui, Gabriella Polanco, Carlos Vasquez, D’Anté Hanna, Émilie Leduc and Ahmed Badr. The group of students came together with the goal of representing all students from the Concordia Student Union.

“What makes us stand out is that we have a big stance on the lack of [faculty] representation in the CSU. We believe that, for the last three years, for example, the students from

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munity and creating a sense of belonging for everyone at Concordia through different events and ensuring more open communication with heads of departments with regards

to the needs of students. Finally, the group plans to concentrate on economic and ecological sustainability, and building partnerships that will help the CSU grow, according to the team.

During an episode of The Big Podcast with Shaq, Basketball star Shaquille O’Neal revealed to co-host John Kincade that he believes the Earth is flat. "I drive from Florida to California all the time, and it’s flat to me,” O’Neal told Kincade. He described the fact he thinks it is unbelievable that China is underneath the US, reported The Telegraph. O’Neal discussed the fact he believes satellite imagery, which proves the world is round, is fake. “Satellite imagery could be drawn and made up,” said O’Neal.

Britain to leave EU on March 29 Tim Barrow, Britain’s ambassador to the EU, notified the European Council President Donald Tusk that Britain will begin to leave the EU, on March 29. "We are on the threshold of the most important negotiation for this country for a generation," Brexit Secretary David Davis said. The European Commission is ready to initiate negotiations, reported the Times Colonist. "Everything is ready on this side," said commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas. By the end of May, leaders of the 27 other EU countries will convene to conclude negotiation guidelines.

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MARCH 21, 2017

CHARITY

CASA participates in 5 Days for the Homeless

Concordia students raise funds in support of Montreal homeless shelters

CHLOË RANALDI CO-NEWS ASSISTANT A group of executives from the Commerce and Administration Students’ Association (CASA) and a group of JMSB students braved the March 14 snowstorm by sleeping outside, hoping to raise awareness for the homeless people living in Montreal who face these winter conditions every year.

As part of the annual 5 Days for the Homeless campaign, participants slept on the corner of De Maisonneuve Boulevard and Mackay street in sleeping

live off of donations and from the generosity of the community.”

This winter marked Concordia’s 9th edition of 5 Days for the Homeless.

Since 2008, the Concordia group has helped raise more than $300,000 for local homeless charities.

This year, the team raised $11,1262.80 for the Dans la Rue and Chez Doris homeless centres, which cater to the Montreal downtown community, said LeDuc. Chez Doris is a day centre CASA took part in 5 for women in need, which Days for the Homeless provides meals and basic between March 12 and services, LeDuc explained.

17. Photo by Ana “Chez Doris has a number bags during the Hernandez. of volunteers and services winter storm that which help get these dumped more than women back on their 35 cm of snow on the downtown feet,” she said. region. The students relied solely Dans la Rue, which was founded on the generosity of the downtown by Father Emmett Johns, or “Pops,” in community between March 12 and 1988, caters to homeless and at-risk 17, using the money they raised on youth between the ages of 12 and the streets for food.

25 in the greater Montreal area.

“We feel that five days out of “It was very eye-opening,” our lifetime is not very much,” said Evan Pitchie, the CASA JMSB said Émilie Leduc, the executive president. vice-president of CASA, who slept “We have the option of going outside all five nights for the cause. home when things get tough, “We bring the bare necessities such but not everyone has that same as a backpack, an extra layer of opportunity,” Pitchie added. clothes, a water bottle—no money During the storm, between and no phone,” Leduc added. “We 2:30 a.m. to 4:30 a.m., Pitchie said

the team helped individuals who were stuck in their cars. “It was good exercise to keep us warm, and helped us raise even more donations for the shelters.”

“A lot of people assume that sleeping outside in the cold is the hard part, but what is most difficult for many people living on the street is the lack of social and human interaction,” Leduc explained. “They are often at the mercy of strangers and rely on our generosity—they are often ignored or avoided by people crossing the street to distance themselves.”

The 5 Days for the Homeless campaign was first introduced by the University of Alberta’s School of Business in 2005, and has since been undertaken by universities across Canada, Leduc said. She added that Josh Redler, a CASA executive, was the one who brought the campaign to Concordia nine years ago.

This year, the 5 Days for the Homeless opening ceremony was hosted at McGill University—the two schools take turns each year hosting the event’s opening ceremony. This year’s event was organized by Émilie LeDuc, Mackenzie Murray and Nour Hanna, all CASA-JMSB executives, along with 13 other CASA-JMSB executives.

“The issue of homelessness in youth is very important to us,” said Murray. “We want to address this problem and raise awareness and funds to help those who are facing this reality.”

The most popular programs at Dans La Rue are their education and employment services, said Michelle LeDonne, a development adviser at Dans la rue. “We offer several different employment opportunities for youth in Montreal, such as an alternative high school on-site and funds for students attending CEGEP.” “Dans la Rue has an RV van which goes out five days a week to provide individuals living on the street a warm spot, a meal and offer them assistance on mental health, healthcare or information about our day centres,” LeDonne explained.

The van visited the Concordia group during the storm on last Tuesday, offering the students food and shelter, Leduc said.

“We are touched to have this partnership with Concordia and their motivation for the cause,” LeDonne said.

For anyone who would like to donate clothing, food or money to the cause can visit www.5days. ca/schools/concordia-university.

POLITICS

Chief Justice McLachlin visits Concordia

Canada’s Supreme Court Chief Justice discusses pivotal moments in Canada’s history CHLOË RANALDI CO-NEWS ASSISTANT Canada’s first female Supreme Court Justice Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin, was invited to speak at Concordia on March 16.

In commemoration of Canada’s 15 0 t h bir t hday, Concordia’s Workshops on Social Science Research (WSSR) organized the talk with McLachlin to discuss her five defining democratic moments in Canadian history. McLachlin, who is the longest-serving Chief Justice in Canadian history, addressed hundreds of students, professors and alumni at Grey Nuns.

“My first choice is, not surprisingly, the Confederation of Canada in 1867. The creation of the new dominion of Canada was the quintessential defining moment of the country,” McLachlin said.

“These values established, from the beginning, Canada’s character, and a generation of people have expanded them.”

McLachlin identified three democratic values enshrined in the Canadian Constitution since its conception: democracy, federalism and respect for diversity

and minorities.

She said the second defining moment Canadian history was the decision of the judicial committee of the Privy Council during the Persons Case. “This case established that, in Canada, all citizens are equal,” McLachlin said. Prior to the Persons Case in 1929, only men were considered persons. The 1929 Supreme Court case ruled that women could also hold public office, she explained.

“The decision is seminal because it enunciated two principles that I believe are central to our Canadian democracy. First, all people are equally entitled to participate in democratic government.

S e c o n d , t h at C a n a d i a n Constitution enhances Canadian democracy, and [the Constitution is] a living tree capable of growth and expansion,” McLachlin said.

The third defining moment was the patriation of the Constitution and the adoption of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms in 1982, McLachlin said.

“This moment signaled true

independence for our country, the test of time,” McLachlin said. and reaffirmed the principles of “The Charter has become part of democracy, federalism and respect the Canadian identity. Polls tell us for minority rights inherent that Canadians take in the BNA Act in 1867, C h i e f J u s t i c e pride in the Charter and constitutionalized McLachlin discussed and see it as a funindividual and group rights what she believes are damental defining the five defining dem- element of Canadian ocratic moments in democracy.”

Can ad i an hi s t ory.

The Chief P h o t o s b y A n a J u s t i c e ’s f o u r t h Hernandez. defining moment was the recognition of the rights of Canada’s indigenous peoples. “ S e c t i o n 3 5 of t h e Constitution Act 1982, for the first time, guaranteed the rights of Canada’s indigenous people,” she said. Section 35 provides constitutional protection to the Aboriginal and treaty rights of Aboriginal peoples in Canada.

“In the years that followed, court decisions for all Canadians,” she said. fleshed out treaty rights and “Thirty-five years later, I believe indigenous rights, through judicial that most people would say that practices, economic activity and patriation of the Constitution was cultural and religious practices.” vital to our country’s democratic “ The Supreme Court held growth, and the Charter has stood that indigenous rights must be

respected, in the pursuit of fair and just reconciliation between Canada’s aboriginal peoples and the descendants of Canadians who came later,” McLachlin said.

The fifth defining moment of Canadian democracy was the decision of the Supreme Court of Canada during the Quebec referendum in 1995. This decision was regarding if Quebec could unilaterally secede from Canada, under Canadian and international law.

According to McLachlin, the secession reference was a landmark case on whether states or provinces could unilaterally secede from a country. Countries around the world have looked at it as a reference case.

During the question and answer period, McLachlin said she would love to see more minorities in more government positions.

“Justices are chosen from the senior ranks of the practicing lawyers of the judiciary, but we have only seen large numbers of minority cultures coming into the judicial ranks in the last decades,” she said. “So I am confident that, as time passes, this deficiency will be remedied.”

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POLICE BRUTALITY

The 21th annual police brutality march held on March 15. Photos

by Alex Hutchins.

Breaking down police brutality

Former SPVM officer discusses police training, Concordia student reflects on brutality SAVANNA CRAIG CO-NEWS EDITOR Protesters marked the 21st anniversary of Montreal’s annual police brutality protest by taking to the streets of downtown Montreal on March 15 to denounce brutality conducted by the Service de police de la ville de Montréal (SPVM) and other officers.

Since the march started in Montreal in 1997, similar marches have sprung up in cities across Canada and around the world, including in Nigeria, Spain, France, Mexico, Germany, England, Belgium, Portugal and the U.S. Many Journalists and concerned citizens who have documented police brutality have held the SPVM accountable for their actions. This includes the Collectif opposé à la brutalité policière (COBP), the organization that holds the annual police brutality march in Montreal.

Regardless of these watchdogs, tension between some citizens and SPVM officers persists.

Daniel Slapcoff, a first year Concordia student in film production, said he recently experienced an act of police brutality when he was hit in the face with a police shield.

At the time, Slapcof f was outside City Hall documenting protests surrounding federal anti-Islamophobia Motion 103.

The protest had been initiated by the Canadian Coalition of Concerned Citizens (CCCC) on March 4, with far-right group La Meute (the Wolf Pack) joining their ranks soon after. Left-wing activist group Action Antifasciste Montréal (AAM) counter-protested

the demonstration.

As members of La Meute and CCCC decided to disperse City Hall, Slapcoff said police began interfering to ensure the differing activist groups didn’t end up too close to one another. That’s when Slapcoff noticed some officers aggressively pushing protesters.

“They stopped us because they thought we were getting too close to the other group,” said Slapcoff, who was standing at the edge of the protest with the other journalists.

That’s when Slapcoff was hit in the face with the officer’s riot shield, knocking out his two front teeth.

Slapcoff said he had identified himself before the incident to the same officer who struck him.

“I went up to the policeman and said, ‘Don’t worry, I’m not going to try and cause any trouble. I’m just observing,’” Slapcoff said.

After the incident, Slapcoff said he took a photo of the officer to document his ID number—following this, he confronted the officer about his behaviour.

“Do you see what you did?

You just knocked my two front teeth—I had talked to you and everything,” Slapcoff recalled saying to the officer. While the officer asked Slapcoff if he wanted him to call an ambulance, he refused to apologize for hitting him.

“He said, ‘No, I just followed an order. That’s what I have to do,’” Slapcoff said. “I don’t know if that’s an official answer that he’s supposed to give or perhaps him just [being] mean.”

Although he has not officially decided to sue the SPVM, Slapcoff wants compensation for his teeth.

“I was stuck in the hospital for the

whole day after that,” he said.

“I have to get a two root canals and crowns,” he said. Yet, the root canals are only a semi-permanent fix. “In twenty years, I’m going to have to do it again.”

This was not Slapcoff’s first experience with police brutality.

When Slapcoff tried to intervene after witnessing police officers pushing some men outside of a bar, eight of the officers forced Slapcoff to the ground.

“They were pinning me on the ledge, on the side of the sidewalk and applying pressure points to my jaw,” he said. When the officers ID’d him, they made a racist remark about his Jewish name, Slapcoff added. “Then they fined me $150 for disturbing the peace,” Slapcoff said.

“At that time, I just let it go. I didn’t want to deal with it, but this time I feel like I kind of have to.”

Paul Chablo, the current chair of John Abbott College’s police technology program and a former SPVM officer with 30 years of service experience, said there is a common misconception of what defines police brutality.

“If an individual resists a police officer and tries to confront him physically, the police officer is allowed to use force—that is not police brutality,” Chablo said. “[However], any police officer who uses more force than necessary is considered or can be charged with excessive force,” he said.

“Police brutality is not when you go to a protest and you arrest someone and you throw them to the ground,” said Chablo, who was present at a few of the anti-police brutality marches while working

for the SPVM. “Police officers are allowed to use force to disperse an unruly crowd,” said Chablo.

However, if a police officer has restrained an individual and they are no longer resisting, but the officer is still using force, this qualifies as police brutality, Chablo added.

“The golden rule that [officers] are taught here is resistance equals force—the more the person resists, the more force you’re allowed to use,” Chablo said.

Chablo said so long as officers follow that rule and do not apply force to someone who has been restrained or has backed down, there will never be a problem.

“He could be accused in front of an ethics board, but he will never be found guilty.”

In his last years with the SPVM, Chablo worked as chief inspector for the public relations department.

Chablo said students in the police technology program are advised to be particularly mindful of the force they use, given the ease with which bystanders can record their actions. However, the level of force used should not be dictated by whether someone is filming or not, he added.

“If you are questioning the force that you are using because you’re being filmed, then chances are, you’re using excessive force.”

In John Abbot t ’s police technology program, students undergo three courses on conflict management, said Chablo. In these courses, students study conflict management, in particular, verbal judo—a persuasive technique used to convince the person to cooperate by convincing them that they contributed to the decision-making

process. This creates a situation where violence is avoided, Chablo said. “It’s conflict management and defusing tense situations.”

In these courses, students are also taught how to intervene legally and in a justified way to ensure they are not accused of intervening or making arrests based on race, gender or religion.

Students also undergo training on necessary force—how to use it and when it is permissible according to the law, Chablo said.

People may think they have become a victim of police brutality, but if they think back if they used resistance and the police responded with some type of force, it’s not necessarily police brutality, said Chablo.

“I’m not here to defend the Montreal police because ... they always have to be accountable for whatever they do,” Chablo said. “A police officer who will go out and commit an act of police brutality is doing it because his or her human emotions have taken over, and they are no longer following the rules. It’s very clear,” said Chablo.

The Concordian asked Slapcoff whether he believes training for SPVM officers should be revised.

Slapcoff said he does not know the details of how officers are trained, but he believes there could be better training, specifically regarding anger management. “I think if they’re given training to control their anger, it’s not working,” said Slapcoff. “And I think that there could be a million reasons for why a policeman acts like that, it’s so widespread there has to be something that happens.

There has to be a widespread change [to] their training.”

life

LIFE EDITOR /// life@theconcordian.com DANIELLE GASHER

MENTAL HEALTH

My personal experience with anorexia

One Concordia student talks about her struggles with body dysmorphia and self-esteem MINA MAZUMDER ASSISTANT LIFE EDITOR At 14, I was diagnosed with anorexia.

It all started during the summer of 2008. My family and I often visited the Old Port and went to see movies together. During these family outings, whenever I wore a tight-fitting T-shirt, my sisters and brother would comment on my belly fat. I started to feel extremely self-conscious. “You need to stop eating junk food because you are getting fat,” they would tell me.

Thinking back, yes, I had gained a bit of weight in my stomach area, but I wasn’t overweight. Yet back then, I was disgusted with myself. I would stand in front of the mirror and push my belly in, hoping it would just disappear.

People sometimes don’t realize how the things they say can hurt someone. I felt as if there was something wrong with me because of my obsessive thoughts about my body, my weight and my physical features.

I just wanted to feel “normal,” and feel good about myself. When I started grade eight that September, I slowly stopped eating—I used to skip breakfast and lunch. At night, I would only eat a small snack, like an apple or yogurt, just so that my stomach would not growl all night.

I used to admire the models in magazines, and I wanted more than anything to look like them. I wanted to be skinny—I equated that to being pretty.

I also equated skinniness to being healthy. But at 15, my family doctor told me my skinniness was far from healthy. At 5’2, I weighed only 90 pounds. “You need to start eating or else you’ll die,” he told me. That was my wake-up call. He made me keep a food journal to keep track of my eating habits, and to make sure I was eating.

He also advised my mom to watch me, to make sure I was eating three meals a day.

At that time, I was getting bullied at school.

People would say I was too skinny and ugly.

Those were the darkest days of my life. I felt frustrated when my mom started supervising me. However, even though she had never given me emotional support, I knew this was her way of showing she cared about me.

My brother used to call me names because I was skinny. My second sister was actively supporting my recovery, though.

The second wake-up call was when my eldest sister cried. “You are malnourished, I can tell just by looking at you,” she said. At that point, somewhere deep down, I knew I wanted to get better. I wanted to be in good health.

At 16, after over a year of following a

Graphic by Thom Bell.

strict food regimen, I attained a healthy body weight. I was eating healthy and exercising, so not only was I in my healthy weight range, but I was also getting fit. During my recovery, I started swimming. It was very therapeutic for me, a kind of escape.

I was proud of myself: I was eating well, exercising and overcoming the things that had been tearing me down. At first, it was hard to not hate my own body. After every meal, I felt fat. But when I started gaining a healthier weight, I looked at myself in the mirror, in a swimsuit, and I felt beautiful.

If there is one thing I’ve learned about my experience, it would be that life is short—it’s

better to live a long healthy life than die young because of anorexia. You should never feel ashamed of your body. You are beautiful.

Health is beautiful. Happiness is beautiful.

Always remember that you are not alone and that you are worthy.

If you are feeling down about your self-image, or experiencing obsessive thoughts about your weight, body or food, please speak up or call for help.

For psychological services at Concordia, please visit H-440 (SGW campus) or AD-103 (Loyola campus).

We have a sustainability policy – now we need sustainability plans!

Have your say and help shape Concordia’s vision of sustainability.

Join the consultation process – Fill out an online survey, send us your ideas or attend a session Find out more at concordia.ca/sustainability

MARCH 21, 2017

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LANGUAGE

The bigger picture of “Bonjour, Hi” Panelists discuss the importance of preserving French in Quebec and how to do it

Below: Mediator Jonathan Montpetit (far left), panelists Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois (left), Catherine Leclerc (center), Ariane Cayer, (right). Photo by Alex Hutchins.

MIA ANHOURY CONTRIBUTOR “This is very Montreal, braving a snowstorm to come talk about language,” said the panel mediator, CBC web journalist Jonathan Montpetit to the crowd of attendees.

Indeed, Montrealers powered through the storm on the evening of Tuesday, Mar. 14 to attend the School of Community and Public Affairs (SCPA) panel on the changing landscape of language in Montreal.

The panel featured Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, the co-spokesperson of Coalition Large de l’Association pour une Solidarité Syndicale Étudiante (CLASSE), Catherine Leclerc, McGill professor from the department of French language and literature, and Ariane Cayer, the former president of the Conseil National des jeunes du Parti Québécois.

The panelists discussed Montreal’s identity in terms of language, and ways the French language could be further protected in the province and across the country.

Nadeau-Dubois described Montreal as the “North American capital of the French.” He said, while the anglophone community has a historical and future role in contributing to the city’s culture and politics, Montreal’s culture is first and foremost francophone. NadeauDubois was involved in the 2012 Maple Spring student protests, and is now entering politics,

running for Québec Solidaire for the Gouin riding.

Leclerc, whose thesis focused on plurilingualism in literature in Canada, said while there are perceivable tensions between anglophones and francophones in Montreal, having coexisting languages “has a potential for incredible creation. Montreal is one of the rare places where you see reciprocity between these linguistic exchanges.”

She views the two languages as complementary rather than battling each other.

Nadeau-Dubois argued that, at the individual level, speaking and mixing many languages is an advantage.

Not only does it open more opportunities in the workplace, but it will also open up the individual to more cultures, he added. On the other hand, he said, at an institutional level, it is important to use one language to unify the institution for democratic reasons. Democracy is not simply about following the same laws—it also deals with the “sharing of a common public space and a common language,” said Nadeau-Dubois.

Leclerc argued that a language dies when faced with two elements. The first element is when it is only spoken in private realms. The second element is when people refrain from using a language because they

don’t believe it’s being used properly. Leclerc argued as long as public institutions function in the language that needs to be preserved, there is no real threat of losing that language.

Nadeau-Dubois said a common misconception about French Quebecers fighting to promote their language and culture is that they are the only ones fighting that battle. He said a large number of cultures around the world are facing the same battle, that are also “in a position of vulnerability vis-à-vis the American culture.”

The panelists also explored the tough labour market in Quebec for non-bilingual residents.

Cayer and Nadeau-Dubois agreed when it comes to the international labour market, speaking English is easier. But, “in Montreal, the language between an employer and an employee is French,” said Cayer.

Nadeau-Dubois and Cayer said francization, the process of integrating newcomers into Quebec by teaching them French and about Quebec’s culture, should be more accessible and accommodating, as a means of integrating immigrants into Quebec’s labour market.

The panelists also discussed the controversial Bill 101, also known as the Charter of the French Language. The bill, whose goal is to promote French culture and language, made French Quebec’s official language 40 years ago. Students must attend elementary

and secondary school in French, unless at least one parent completed their education in English. When it was first introduced, the bill was controversial. Leclerc argued “it’s still referred to as Bill 101, not law 101 ... It shows that, if it was authoritarian in intention, it never succeeded at being authoritarian, and to me that is not a problem. It works probably better not being authoritarian, but being simply the rebalancing of powers.”

“In the context of cultural pluralism, the use of a common language is of essence.

Globalization does not make the bill obsolete.

In fact, I think it makes it more pertinent than ever,” said Nadeau-Dubois, commenting on the usefulness of the bill today.

Cayer said federal law should further protect the language rights of francophones because, while francophones are the majority in Quebec, they are a minority in the rest of Canada. She suggested making Bill 101 quasi-constitutional to give it more significance.

While Montreal has come a long way in accepting Bill 101 and protecting minority languages, the panelists agreed there is still a lot of work to be done. They said Bill 101, today, is a safeguard against a global culture and new platforms like social media. Fighting to protect a minority culture is not a weakness Leclerc concluded. Rather, it translates into a “specific way of life and solidarity.”

arts

ARTS EDITOR /// arts@theconcordian.com TIFFANY LAFLEUR

FILM

Angélique: This is not another slave story The play sheds light on Marie-Josèphe Angélique’s questionable conviction

The play focuses on the last four years before Angélique's conviction. Jenny Brizard, who plays Angélique, wanted to portray the human side of her character.

PAULINE NESBITT STAFF WRITER Black Theatre Workshop has partnered with Table D’Hôte Theatre to produce the award-winning play Angélique, written by the late Lorena Gale The play gives new life to the real and forgotten story of an 18th-century African slave who was publicly hung for starting a fire that destroyed most of New France, what we now know as Old Montreal.

Marie-Josèphe Angélique’s conviction at 29 years old was based on unreliable evidence and her guilt remains questionable. Gale’s play creates a space for us to reflect on how black people have been and are still treated by authority figures and to question the

relationship between the government and the Black Lives Matter movement.

This story focuses on the last four years of Angélique’s life and the usual aspirations that young adults dream of. “I just want to show people that she was a strong and determined human being with goals and dreams, and who was sometimes nice and other times not,” said Jenny Brizard, who plays the protagonist.

“I’m not interested in telling the slave story—we know that one. So, if we’re going to dig a little bit deeper into this story, then we have to look at the people,” said Mike Payette, the play’s director. “For me, the core of this play is really the human condition and those people who are born into, or are privileged to be in a particular circumstance, and what they do with that ... it becomes a human story above all.”

Payette and Mathieu Murphy-Perron are Concordia grads who, in 2005, while still students, created Table D’Hôte Theatre, to increase the number of Canadian writers’ works being presented on Montreal stages.

Murphy-Perron said, over the years, they had considered staging Angélique: “We knew off the bat that to do it alone would be a disservice to the production and that it would be best if we were able to pool resources with some of the other fantastic companies in town.” He added that Black Theatre Workshop’s mission of fostering and promoting the black Canadian experience created “a seamless collaboration that has resulted in a perfect marriage of a very Canadian story and a very black story.”

The production will be the play’s Quebec premiere, and is being put on to celebrate

Montreal’s 375th anniversary. Many of the cast members are Montreal natives. Gale was born in Montreal and was a highly-respected actor and director.

“There’s been a lot of conversation happening about systemic racism, and those are good conversations to be having. We see racism in the judicial system when really it’s much deeper than that, since our institutions were built on white supremacy. So, when we sign petitions for a parliamentary commission on systemic racism, it is important to look at its beginnings in this country, and I think Angélique does that,” Murphy-Perron said.

Angélique runs until April 2 at the Segal Centre for Performing Arts. For more information, visit www.blacktheatreworkshop.ca.

FILM

Skull Island is a new take on an old tale

The latest entry in King Kong’s filmography is full of beautiful and gory entertainment

ROMINA FLORENCIA ARRIETA STAFF WRITER King Kong is one of the most iconic movie monsters, appearing in eight films since his introduction to the silver screen in 1933’s King Kong. His impact is still felt in film—the scene when Kong climbs the Empire State Building has been remade and parodied countless times.

Kong has come crashing back into theatres with director Jordan Vogt-Roberts’ Kong: Skull Island, an oddball in a monster-saturated market. There appeared to be no real demand for a new Kong film, especially since there has been no appearance of the character since 2005’s King Kong. But the film may well have revived the old sense of wonder for this king of the jungle.

The film stars Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson and Samuel L. Jackson and is set during the Vietnam War. Lieutenant Colonel Preston Packard (Jackson) and his troops are called upon to escort an expedition to the newly-discovered Skull Island, a primeval Eden where anything seems possible.

As the war is reaching its peak, there is a race to control this new, untapped island between the Americans and the Russians,

both after the valuable resources that might be present. Except, unbeknownst to either party, something big is defending the island.

As Packard’s troops enter the island’s airspace, their helicopters are attacked by a 100-foot-tall gorilla in a memorizing action sequence. King Kong grabs helicopters and smashes them against each other, killing half of the crew.

The survivors are now scattered around the island without any means to escape.

The film is visually stunning and shot on 70-millimetre film, a practice which is gaining popularity, as it allows filmmakers to create highly-contrasted images. There are a lot of vibrant colours, and the movie seems to be stylistically influenced by 2015’s Mad Max: Fury Road’s action sequences. The directors make the most of the film’s 1970s setting by choosing a musical score of classic rock songs which set a humorous tone.

The film creates a real sense of danger, as some of the main characters are killed off in an unexpected and often gut-wrenching ways. The movie opted for a realistic, more horror-oriented approach to King Kong.

Kong: Skull Island is a film for monster movie fanatics who have been disappointed by the family-friendly approach of movies like Jurassic World and Pacific Rim.

In this new, gory adaptation, Kong is back and ready to defend his island at all costs.

Every spring, Austin, Texas is home to one of the most diverse, collaborative, and inventive communities in the world: SXSW (South

by South West). The SXSW festival gathers a cluster of creative minds travelling from across the world to get together and celebrate art in all its forms. Whether it is through music, film or technology, this festival has panels, conferences, meetups, shows and events for its visitors to gain knowledge, network and party. It’s easy to feel an instant connection with the people at the festival, as you feel they are there for the same reason as you: to share your passion with as many people as possible. This year, The Concordian had the incredible opportunity to report on some of the events. Check out our coverage in the following pages.

SXSW Film

covered by TIFFANY LAFLEUR ARTS EDITOR

Gareth Edwards on success, failure and not giving up Rogue One director delivered final film keynote speech at the SXSW Festival When Gareth Edwards was a child, he knew exactly what he wanted to do when he grew up—he wanted to join the Rebel Alliance and help blow up the Death Star.

But then his parents told him Star Wars was actually a lie, created by film. Having to change his career path, Edwards decided to become a professional liar himself and make movies.

His name might sound familiar. Maybe it's because his first film, Monsters, which premiered at SXSW in 2010, did so well, considering its low budget. Or maybe it's because he directed Godzilla in 2014.

But if his name is familiar, it's probably because of his latest film, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, which grossed over US$1 billion worldwide and was nominated for both Best Sound Mixing and Best Visual Effects at this year’s Academy Awards.

Edward’s success is indisputable, but it’s not like he took the express

Edwards screened his first film, Monsters, at SXSW in 2010. Photo by Tiffany Lafleur.

lane from dreaming about filmmaking to being at the helm of multi-million dollar mega-blockbusters. That's something the director continually stressed during his keynote address at the SXSW Festival on March 13.

It wasn’t a straight line to success, and he nearly gave up many times along the way.

For all of his current success, Edwards remains humble. And funny. He’s a geek who grew up to direct the franchise he grew up with and who worked hard to achieve what he has. During his keynote, he spoke about the hectic nature of filmmaking, the unforgiving tight shooting schedules and of accidentally walking onto the wrong set. But the main point he wanted to stress to the audience was to continue working towards your dreams and goals until you achieve them.

Edwards said he wanted more than anything to emulate the trajectory of his hero, Steven Spielberg. He had a checklist he wanted to follow: make films with Dad’s camera, get into film school, make a professional short, direct his first movie.

But when he didn’t get to check off that last step of directing his first movie right away, Edwards felt as if he had failed. So he bought the new supercomputer of the era, running on the high-tech Windows 95, and started tinkering with visual

effects (VFX) software.

“I did lots of these silly things like animating dinosaurs and robots and putting them in my parent's driveway,” said Edwards. “And I'd go for job interviews in London and try to get directing work, and they would watch my short films and be very unimpressed. And then suddenly these robots and dinosaurs would turn up at the end and they'd go ‘well what are these?’”

The animations baffled the studio representatives. They were paying exorbitant amounts for professionals to create these realistic, ground-breaking animations, while Edwards could make the same high-quality productions at a fraction of the cost in his bedroom. What initially started as a fun experiment soon turned into a career. He soon earned a reputation at the BBC as the kid who makes graphics in his bedroom.

Although working in VFX allowed him to work in the movie industry, it also made him idle on his goal of directing a film. His fear of failure made him play it safe, and so, for a time, Edwards concentrated on buying the newest software upgrades, getting the latest lens and, ultimately, postponing his dream.

But in the end, his fear of failure was met head-on with his fear of never having tried. And so, with funding from a studio in London which specialized in low-budget feature films, Edwards launched into

making his first feature, Monsters, which screened at SXSW and launched his career as a filmmaker. He was eventually picked up by Legendary Entertainment.

Edwards shared a handful of funny stories during his keynote address, such as the time he rushed onto the set of Planet of the Apes instead of Godzilla, or how he was late to almost every meeting with potential production companies post-Monsters.

But perhaps one of the funniest stories he told was of how he picked the name for a planet in Rogue One. While on break at a well-known international coffee chain, the barista misspelled his name, writing ‘Scarif’ instead of ‘Gareth’ on his cup. And thus, the military planet in the third act of Rogue One was named.

Edwards also admitted to giving himself one cameo in Rogue One. At the end of the film, when Vader is wreaking havoc on the ship and killing everyone in sight, one guy runs down the hall, and pulls down a lever which launches a ship away, saving the entire rebellion. That guy was Edwards.

But for all of his jokes and quips, Edwards was serious about one thing: “Never ever, ever listen to anybody who tells you something is impossible, because if you never give up, you sometimes can join the Rebel Alliance and help blow up the Death Star.”

Virtual reality @ SXSW Displaying the best and brightest upcoming VR artists, companies and installations

The Positron Voyager chair rotates and tilts, allowing for the sensation of movement.

Photos by Tiffany Lafleur.

The buzz around virtual reality and immersive technologies has been building in recent years as more companies and individuals embrace this new frontier.

There is a scramble to see who can make it to the forefront of the medium, by creating ever-more poignant VR stories, more immersive technology and more impressive experiences.

The Virtual Cinema at the SXSW festival displayed some of the most innovative game-changers in this budding industry.

Included in the exhibition was NASA’s Mars 2030, in which the participant becomes an astronaut exploring the red planet’s rocky terrain.

Montreal-based company and industry leader Felix & Paul Studios was also in attendance, displaying several new works. These included Miyubi, their first immersive narrative experience, and Dream of “O,” a fantastical visual journey featuring Cirque du Soleil’s famous Vegas show, O. Though the Virtual Cinema exhibition had many works from well-known creators, there

From Montreal to Austin: Felix & Paul talk VR

The first time Felix & Paul Studios was at the SXSW festival was back in 2014, where they screened Strangers, one of their first virtual reality projects. Since then, the Montreal-based studio has become a leader in immersive storytelling.

Co-founders Félix Lajeunesse and Paul Raphaël, along with chief content officer Ryan Horrigan and director of sound design Jean-Pascal Beaudoin, held a panel discussion on March 14 on virtual reality (VR) production.

Their studios have become experts in cultivating presence-based storytelling, which, as Raphaël pointed out during the panel, doesn’t just ‘happen’ because you have the technology. A 360-degree film isn’t inherently immersive because it is 360 degrees. It is immersive because of the way the visual and auditory elements work together to make you feel present in the story.

“The first step, and the most important one, is to position the viewer inside of the scene,”

were also many newcomers: artists who knew the stories they wanted to tell could only be told through the VR medium.

Fistful of Stars is one such work. You are a space voyager floating in the infinite sea of stars in the Orion Nebula, and get to witness both the birth and death of a star.

“When I first started thinking about this piece, I wanted to make people feel as if they were going on a journey through the cosmos, and I wanted to make them feel as if they were floating in space,” said Eliza McNitt, the director. “Virtual reality was the only way for me to be able to tell that story.”

The work, which had its world premiere at SXSW, incorporates movement that shatters conventional immersive boundaries. It does this by coupling a VR headset with a Positron Voyager Chair, which rotates, spins and tilts to give you a sense of complete weightlessness.

It makes you feel as if you are actually floating in space rather than simply witnessing space.

Whereas Fistful of Stars eloquently and masterfully used the technological aspect

says Lajeunesse. “The way we place the viewer inside the scene will create the relation to the characters, to the story, so that’s really the most vital decision we have to make on set.”

In order to cultivate the abstract notion of ‘presence,’ a cornerstone of successful immersive works, the panelists spoke about building a bond between the audience and the narrative, making the viewer part of the film rather than a static spectator.

One of the challenges with 360-degree cinematography is that there is no single frame, since you can look around. However, there is composition, which can be separated into near field, mid field and far field. These fields add depth to the visual aspect of the medium.

According to Lajeunesse, the objects in near field are the most crucial, as they make the viewer feel integrated in the scene.

One of the complexities of immersive film is the audio component. In order to be successful, the audio aspect of a work must be taken into consideration at the beginning of the process.

In VR, sound cannot be an afterthought, and must be totally integrated into the production.

According to Beaudoin, sound is a pillar of the VR experience. Without good sound, the notion of presence is lost.

Interested in seeing some of Felix & Paul Studios’ newest projects? Head over to the Phi Centre in Montreal, where several of their works are currently being shown. Admission is free.

of the medium to tell its story, Notes to my Father grips the audience and emotionally invests them in the piece.

This heart-wrenching story tells the tale of a woman whose marriage to a stranger was arranged by her father. Except, when the marriage fell apart, she was sold to an Indian brothel, unbeknownst to her father.

Notes to my Father is a story of grief, love and reconciliation between a father and daughter. It is an emotional journey through pain, heartbreak and, ultimately, forgiveness.

Despite having a close relationship, neither father or daughter has ever spoken about what happened to her. Yet deep down, both know. Their silence speaks volumes to the pain they both feel.

Director Jayisha Patel said empathy is crucial in having an authentic, captivating experience. VR puts the viewer right into the setting, and so this complete immersiveness into the story creates an emotional bond between the viewer and the characters.

“I'd love for different survivor-led orga-

How can we prepare for the future when we don’t know what we’ll face? Enter speculative design: designing products, services or scenarios to address future challenges and opportunities.

Sci-Fi by Design: The Speculative Revolution, a panel discussion at SXSW on March 15, addressed the need to design for the future, today.

Moderated by Phil Balagtas from GE Aviation, the panel consisted of Ashley Baccus-Clark and Carmen Aguilar Y Wedge from HyphenLabs, a speculative design company, and Jake Dunagan from verynice, a global design-strategy consultancy.

“We have advanced as a civilization so far that we might be able to avoid the fate of the dinosaurs and deflect an asteroid if it were coming towards us,” Dunagan said. “That's an amazing accomplishment. But I think the big problem is that we are the asteroid.”

Eliciting an emotional response is the most effective way of getting people to seriously think about the future, said Dunagan. Hyphen-Labs and verynice both do this, but with different approaches.

Hyphen-Labs uses immersive technology to present possible futures. In the real world, products are often designed with a demographic in mind. Their latest VR work, Neurospeculative Afrofeminism, challenges today’s designers to consider wider demographics by developing virtual technologies and designs that take into account the security, protection and visibility

nizations to be able to see this and connect, so we’re planning on doing that,” said Patel, who specializes in narratives about women, women of colour and gender violence. “I'd like to reach out to survivor-led organizations in the U.K., U.S. and Canada and get them to create a dialogue.”

VR is a strong medium for its empathy-inducing abilities because, as a viewer, you are part of the story instead of a passive onlooker. When watching a film, if a character looks at the camera, it makes it seem as if they are looking in your general direction. But with VR, when a character looks at the camera, they are looking right into your eyes, because the camera is in fact a character in the story.

Both Fistful of Stars and Notes to my Father use the VR medium to its utmost potential. Though both pieces couldn't be more different, they both fully and masterfully conduct their storytelling in an immersive and interesting manner that leaves a lasting impression on the viewer in different, but no less meaningful, ways.

Using technology to shape and understand of, in this particular work, black women’s bodies.

Their designs include earrings that record police altercations and scarves that thwart facial-recognition technology.

In contrast, Dunegan fights against apathy and dismissal of the future by using installations that present hypothetical futures in an attempt to emotionally invest people. One such project , set in Hawaii, invited people to drink from water coolers containing various levels of plastic, representing ocean plastic levels in 1990, 2000 and the forecast for 2030.

The future might seem intangible, but we can use speculative design to start thinking about it now and ensure we steer towards a brighter future.

COLOSSAL Runtime: 1h50 Genre: Action, sci-fi, drama Director: Nacho Vigalondo Actors: Anne Hathaway, Jason Sudeikis In Colossal, a gigantic monster appears in downtown Seoul, South Korea, destroying everything in its path. With the world watching, helplessly waiting for the monster to materialize out of thin air again, washed-up party girl Gloria (Hathaway) notices something odd: the monster mimics her movements. She can somehow control it. When she realizes she is at the helm of this havoc, she tells her childhood friend Oscar (Sudeikis). Together, they have fun making the monster dance and fool around, confusing the millions glued to their televisions watching.

The tone during the first part of the film is light-hearted, in line with your run-of-themill romantic comedy. But it quickly takes on an unexpected dark tone for the second half.

The film’s strongest assets are its characters, their development and their relationship with one another. While Gloria slowly lifts herself out of the darkness of her old habits and alcoholic tendencies, Oscar embraces his vices, slowly allowing them to take over.

Colossal can't be classified to any one genre.

It flows between comedy, science-fiction, action and drama in a fluid manner that leaves audiences on their toes and unsure of what to expect. It is this unpredictability that makes the story so gripping. At times, it is extremely funny while, at others, immeasurably dark.

DRIB Runtime: 1h28 Genre: Comedy, drama, documentary Director: Kristoffer Borgli Actors: Amir Asgharnejad, Brett Gelman, Adam Pearson

Amir A sgharnejad is a Nor wegian Internet performance artist. At least that's what he calls himself. He's more of a provocateur who tests how far he can push boundaries, which typically ends with him getting beaten and bloodied after instigating physical conflicts.

His Internet fame caught the eye of an L.A.-based international advertising agency, who wished to use Asgharnejad’s talents for creating viral videos to promote Drib, an energy drink. Drib tells the story

of the events that followed and of the agency’s attempt at capitalizing on the Internet trend of stupid stunts going viral to reach their target market—boys aged 13 to 17. Asgharnejad agrees to work for this agency, intending to make it the stage for his next great performance. Facts and embellishments intermingle to create a hilarious docu-fiction that catapults the viewer into the heart of the pretentious L.A. marketing world. The clients are hard to deal with, the industr y’s actors are often finicky, and everyone has an ‘artistic vision.’ The story is a meta-satirical analysis, poking fun at the unglamorous reality of marketing, but also poking fun at itself. It is a movie filming people filming people, told from Asgharnejad’s point of view. Drib tries not to take itself too seriously, yet the ‘seriousness’ of the situation is what’s funny.

BILL NYE: SCIENCE GUY Runtime: 1h41 Genre: Documentary Director: David Alvarado, Jason Sussberg Actors: Bill Nye, Neil deGrasse Tyson Bill Nye the Science Guy inspired a generation of children to pursue science and think critically about the world. But who is Bill Nye? Who is the man who made topics like friction, gravity and electricity palatable to elementary school students?

Bill Nye: Science Guy takes a closer look at the man who made science fun. In the 90s, Nye noticed America had a bad relationship with science, and used his educational science show to help raise a generation of critical thinkers and science

advocates. However, the end of the show in 1998 left Nye struggling to fit in to the scientific community. Anti-scientific sentiment was still strong in America, with climate-change deniers disputing the established scientific consensus. Nye has made it his personal mission to counter the voices shaping a generation of scientifically illiterate children. Bill Nye: Science Guy is a documentary that allows a peek behind the curtain to see the real person behind the character, and explores where Nye ends and the Science Guy begins. It looks at how pained Nye is at the rising scientific illiteracy in America, and how he has made it his personal mission to turn it around and bring science back to the masses by eliminating one dissenting voice at a time through logic and the scientific method.

Discovering artists in the live music capital of the world

SXSW Music

covered by

Recommendations of up-and-coming artists seen at the SXSW festival in Austin

SANDRA HERCEGOVA MUSIC EDITOR

From left to right, Alex Kaye, Lianna Vanicelli, Dave Dionise and Mat Hofman of Valley Hush. Photos by Sandra Hercegova.

Across from the Hotel Vegas music venue was an outdoor performance by Valley Hush on March 13. I was intrigued by their experimental pop sounds, so I decided to walk over and check out their show. Valley Hush came all the way from their hometown of Detroit, MI to perform for the first time at SXSW. The band's lineup consists of singer-songwriter Lianna Vanicelli, guitarist Alex Kaye, bass player Mat Hofman and drummer Dave Dionise.

Vanicelli has been playing music for the past 10 years, and became the vocalist of Valley

VALLEY HUSH Hush when the band formed in 2014. “Our music is a lot of everything,” she said. “We like textured sounds so we use a lot of organic samples. It’s experimental pop, but it can vary—it’s the type of pop music that has a lot of meaning behind it.”

According to the band members, music is easier for them and the audience to get into when it has a deeper meaning. “I like to write about what I am struggling with in life, and I think everyone struggles. I struggle with money and jobs, love and relationships,”

JOSH CASHMAN Australian singer-songwriter Josh Cashman performed a soothing, romantic alternative-folk show on March 14 at the Hyatt Regency venue for SXSW. Cashman came all the way from Melbourne for his SXSW showcase. “This is such a worldwide-renown showcase and festival for up-and-coming artists, so [our team] applied for it, not thinking that we would even get it,” Cashman said.

Cashman has been taking advantage of the opportunity by scheduling shows in cities across the U.S. “We toured around America for three weeks before SXSW. It’s been a hectic month and a half,” he said.

The singer-songwriter has also been playing guitar since his early childhood. “I grew up in a house where we listened to music rather than watching television. That’s why I do music and that’s why music is a part of me,” he said. Cashman described his sound as soft, alternative folk with electronic textures. “Musicians usually describe that [their] genre is a mix of everything that you listen to over your lifetime, the things that you really like, and you pick and choose,” he said. According to Cashman, it’s all about taking elements from artists and genres he likes and creating his own kind of sound.

“My music is always changing. I’m releasing an EP later this year, and I’ve got no doubt that the next EP that I will release after that will probably sound a little different—every artist evolves,” Cashman said.

Vanicelli said. “The meaning of life is a big theme in our last album.”

Back in Detroit, Valley Hush has their go-to performance venue: “L Club!” they all said enthusiastically. “L Club is our favourite!

Shout out to L Club!” Kaye said. Yet the band is very eager to be playing outside of Detroit.

“Detroit is a small scene, and I think we have been playing for almost three years now so we are definitely ready to play more in other cities with more industry,” Kaye said.

That’s why Valley Hush will soon be

SHADOWPLAY

An alternative rock band all the way from New Jersey, Shadowplay consists of Andrew Corkery on vocals, Dan Holden on guitar and backup vocals, John Sellers on bass, piano and guitar, Jamile Wiggins on drums and Edward Flynn on bass. Flynn, unfortunately, could not make it to Austin, so Michael Brandt covered bass for the SXSW showcase. The band got to play at the Dirty Dog bar venue on March 14. Shadowplay has a classic alternative rock sound, with lyrics about self-reflection.

“Our music is about our life experiences with a twist of surrealism,” Corkery said. “It’s about accepting loss in your personal life, accepting it and seeing the beauty of it and moving on.” According to the band, their music is a cathartic. Although the band hails from New Jersey, they also consider themselves a Philly band, as they play a lot of gigs in Philadelphia. Corkery has also visited Montreal before. “I’ve been to that venue, it was pronounced like, ‘Orange Couch’?,” he said, referring to Divan Orange. “One of our favorite bands is the Montreal band Godspeed You! Black Emperor.”

moving to L.A to pursue their music. “We just got funding for touring purposes so we are ready to fucking... sorry. Fuck, whatever! We are ready to fucking do this!,” Hofman said excitedly. “We will be closer to Texas,” he said.

“But further from Montreal,” Vanicelli added.

The band is glad to have been in Austin for SXSW. “It’s a great festival—the opportunities here are really cool, and just to have five or six shows is a blessing. It’s cool to have one week where you’re playing a shit-load of shows,” Kaye said. “And in the same city—it’s kind of crazy,” Vanicelli added.

KEVLAR Rocking the stage at the legendary Dirty Dog bar on Sixth Street on March 14 was the hard rock-metal band Kevlar. Coming all the way from the small town of Erie, Pa., this was the band’s first time performing at SXSW. Kevlar consists of Kelci Margaret on vocals, Anthony Sanzo on bass, Nick Sanzo on drums and Jake Flaugh on guitar. Brothers Anthony and Nick started the band back in 2010. Flaugh joined the band five years ago, and singer-songwriter Margaret came on board two years ago. “They were looking for a new singer, and I have been a part of the band ever since and it’s been amazing,” Margaret said.

Their dynamic on-stage energy makes them great performers and a blast to watch. “We always try to put energy into our stage performance as well as in our records,” Margaret said. Kevlar recently put out a single called “Alibis.” “We worked with an amazing producer on it, and we put our whole heart and soul into that—we’re really in love with it,” Margaret said.

The band members said they were thrilled to be at the festival. “It’s a celebration of music, just to be in a town where people are all here for music and arts is incredible,” said Margaret.

music Nile Rodgers speaks to MUSIC EDITOR /// music@theconcordian.com SANDRA HERCEGOVÁ

the souls of a million strangers

SXSW hosted a keynote panel with the legendary composer at the Austin Convention Center Legendary music composer Nile Rodgers playing guitar riffs from his hit single with Daft Punk, “Get Lucky” (above). Singersongwriter Mobley opened Nile Rodgers keynote panel with an energetic performance (left).

Photos by Sandra Hercegova.

“When I was younger, my jazz guitar teacher, who is the single greatest influence on me—other than Bernard Edwards—asked me one day why I was studying with him.

‘Well,’ I said, ‘I’m studying with you because I want to play at concerts, I want to make records, I want to compose, do big orchestral works and films.’ He said, ‘Really? Is that the only reason why?’ I said, ‘Yeah.’ He said, ‘Oh that’s no problem, you could easily do that.’

I said, ‘Wow, really? How? And he said, ‘Play better,’” said Nile Rodgers.

Nile Rodgers is a legendary Grammy award-winning composer, producer, arranger and guitarist. He has released numerous hit records over the last four decades. He has greatly influenced popular music—he has over 200 production credits to his name. Rodgers has produced hit records for David Bowie, Madonna, Mariah Carey, Maroon 5, Britney Spears, Sam Smith, Pharrell Williams, Daft Punk, Michael Jackson and many others. He

is also the co-founder of CHIC, one of disco’s greatest bands.

On March 15, Nile Rodgers held a keynote panel at the Austin Convention Center as part of the SXSW festival. The panel began with a performance from experimental pop singer-songwriter Mobley. Originally from Austin, Texas, Mobley opened with an energetic performance. He jumped high up on the stage and as he landed, slammed on his drums. His high energy on stage, along with his talent, made for an unforgettable performance. Mobley will no doubt be a big star in the near future.

As Rodgers took to the stage, the press swarmed to the front row to get close-up shots of him. Rodgers began his speech by telling us anecdotes on how he discovered success in the music industry. “They told me that they wanted me to talk to you about discovery.

‘Really,’ I said. Discovery? My whole life

has been about discovery,” Rodgers said.

The musical legend beg an performing as a classical musician. “I played in the symphony orchestra at the various schools that I went to,” he said.

Rodgers never touched a guitar until he was 15. “But I could read music pretty well,” he said. “This gave me a huge advantage—when I started playing guitar, I was a really good music reader from the jump. That helped in my career because guitar players are notoriously known as bad music readers, even though they are amazing players.”

In the 1970s, Rodgers’ got his first job working for the children’s television show, Sesame Street. “I auditioned—they wanted a kid who could read the music for ‘People in Your Neighborhood,’ and ’Rubber Duck,’” he said. Rodgers read the music charts during the audition and got the gig, which set him off on an immense journey of musical and personal discovery.

“The great thing about music is that it’s probably just like the universe. We’re just like planetoids, asteroids, just out there spinning around and we’re bumping into stuff. And as we bump into stuff, our trajectory changes and that’s what happened to me,” Rodgers said.

It was in the early 70s, during his gig on Sesame Street that Rodgers met Bernard Edwards, who was a record producer, bass player, singer-songwriter and fellow member of the disco band, CHIC. “Bernard Edwards was amazing. He was such an incredible musician,” Rodgers said. “He had such a fine ear, and I decided that I wanted to go on the journey with him.” Rodgers then formed a band with Bernard Edwards called The Big Apple Band.

Both Edwards and Rodgers also worked as back-up musicians for a vocal group called New York City. “We had one hit record called

‘I’m Doin’ Fine Now.’ It did well,” Rodgers said.

Eventually, the band became The Jackson Five’s opening act, which solidified Rodgers’ lifelong friendship with Michael Jackson. “We became friends forever,” Rodgers said. “I kept bumping into all these wonderful people, and my life just kept expanding. I found that I wasn’t intimidated by stars. I was comfortable with them, and I had some kind of innate talent for being able to communicate with them,” he said.

Whether Rodgers is in the recording studio, conducting a symphony orchestra or producing music for multiple artists, all he wants to do is help as much as he can.

“There’s a certain love that I have for that musician, for that situation, because I think that music is the voice that I speak with,” Rodgers said. “And when I am working for you, I try to help amplify your own voice.

I try to help you become better than you were because that’s what my teacher used to always do to me.”

A great musical influence for Rodgers was his jazz tutor who tutored him when he was around 15 years old. “I just idealized this dude. He was incredible, such a great musician. His knowledge of harmony was just amazing—he taught me how to play that way. That’s the essence of my style,” he said.

During the panel, Rodgers told an anecdote about the day he complained to his jazz tutor about having to perform top 40 records during a show. “I’ve got to play these bullshit songs like, ‘sugar, sugar, ohhh honey honey’—it’s all lame stuff,” Rodgers said, recounting what he’d told his tutor.

Rodgers said his jazz tutor answered that any song that sells and gets to the top 40, top 20 or top 10 is a great composition. Rodgers then asked him, “how can you call, “Sugar, Sugar” a great composition?”

“And he said something that changed my life. He said, ‘Because it speaks to the souls of a million strangers.’” Rodgers said this quote was so profound to him. “I wanted to learn how to speak to the souls of a million strangers—it woke me up to the power of what we call pop music,” he said.

A youthful gathe ring of music e nthusia sts

Forty eight bands of all sorts of genres and styles played at The Blackheart bar over four days I was strolling down the Rainey Street Historic District, a street known for great music venues and parties during Austin’s SXSW festival. I noticed many young people with festival badges and music equipment gathering in front of The Blackheart patio—I was intrigued. As I entered the venue, I was soon greeted by Christopher Moon, the general manager of NoiseTrade, a PledgeMusic company.

NoiseTrade is a website that shares albums of up-and-coming artists for free.

Moon is also the music curator for the Clif Bar Bash, an event which took place at The Blackheart bar from March 14 to 17. Moon and his team were in the middle of preparing to showcase their much anticipated lineup.

This was Moon’s 18th year at SXSW and his third year curating music for the Clif Bar Bash music showcases. Moon is responsible for booking bands for this event alongside his team. “It’s a big team, but a resourceful team. We started organizing this event last fall in September,” Moon said.

Being a music curator involves a long process of music selection. “I must have listened to 400 to 500 different artists—I want to listen to their music and I want to know that it fits with the ethos of what we do at NoiseTrade, PledgeMusic and also our sponsors for Clif,” he said. “You want to make sure it’s high-energy, interesting, fun and that it’s going to be a good experience for everyone who comes out,” he said.

According to Moon, curating music is the best gig. “I get to choose 48 of my favourite

bands to come and play at a venue over the next four days, and at least at some point during each set, I can soak in a song or two from everyone—that’s pretty perfect,” he said.

Twelve different bands played each day at The Blackheart bar. Each band had their own distinct sound from either grungy pop-rock to alternative folk ballads. Some of the bands included Charly Bliss, Swimming with Bears, Communist Daughter and Temples, who all performed on March 14.

The outside stage inthebackyardofTheBlackheart music bar. Millie Gibson and Alex Sandberg, students from the McNally Smith College of Music, experiencing SXSW for the first time. Photos by Sandra Hercegova.

CHARLY BLISS AT THE BLACKHEART

First to perform on The Blackheart outdoor stage was pop-rock band Charly Bliss. They were hanging out by the stage before the show, so I passed by for a quick chat. The band had driven all the way from New York City to perform for the first time at SXSW. This four-piece pop punk-rockish band lconsists of lead singer and guitarist Eva Hendricks, Spencer Fox on guitar, Sam Hendricks on drums and Dan Shure on bass. “I think our music is very fun, it’s very poppy—we are influenced by pop and indie rock music,” Eva said.

The band agreed that performing in Austin for SXSW is a right of passage. “You’ve got to do it once,” Fox said. The band will also be releasing their new album, Guppy, on April

21. All the band members pointed out that the album name was Fox’s idea. As they did, Fox put his hands on his cheeks, feigning innocence and gazing off into the distance “There’s an underdog-y feel to our band and our trajectory, and I feel like the title sums it up really nicely,” Eva said.

Charly Bliss has been touring a lot lately—in fact, they played at Montreal’s Bar Le Ritz PDB back in January. “We are coming back in a couple of weeks,” Eva said. “We are playing with Operators in Montreal on April 1.” Charly Bliss then took centre stage and performed their first SXSW show with enthusiasm and high-energy.

Few venues truly stand out and capture the vibrancy and energy of Austin during SXSW—The Blackheart is one of them.

THE BLACKHEART’S BACKYARD Hanging out at The Blackheart’s backyard, I met up with McNally Smith College of Music students who came to SXSW as part of a music business class. Each student helped to set up the outdoor stage area.

Millie Gibson is a vocalist and performer with a vocal major and a minor in business.

“I came out here to venture opportunities and meet people and network,” she said.

“I have never been to Austin or SXSW, so I thought it would be a really cool opportunity to go with my class and fellow peers and see what was out here.” According to Gibson, the attending SXSW is part of their class mandate.

“When we come back from the trip, we are going to talk about our experience, what we learned, who we met and which shows we saw,” Gibson said.

Alyssia Kangas, is majoring in music business and, like most of her peers, this was her first time at SXSW. Kangas has been classically trained in music for the past nine years, she also enjoys jazz music.“I’m really excited to see Communist Daughter perform, I work at First Avenue bar in Minneapolis and I’ve seen them play there and they’re really

good—I’m also excited to see Agnes Sobel, Delta Rae and Lincoln Durham which is an americana style band,” said Kangas.

Alex Sandberg is an aspiring music promoter and photographer who is also majoring in music business. “I came here for networking.

Communication is key—you’ve got to meet these people face to face and make a name for yourself,” said Sandberg.

I also spent some time with Mary Elizabeth Wachs, a passionate singer-songwriter. “I have a big heart, I have big dreams. Part of what drives me as a musician is that I want to be able to share my personal life story with as many people that I can,” Wachs said.

Another student from the SXSW class was music business major and emcee, Alex Hall.

He has been making hip-hop music for nine years. “Me and my old rap crew, we didn’t have a good business sense,” he said. “I decided that that’s the one thing that we were missing, so I’m going to learn more about it so that we can do music full-time,” Hall said.

Each student had their own inspiring story, and they each expressed their delight at being at SXSW and how willing they are to make their musical goals come to life.

feature FEATURE

Spirituality and Sara Terreault

A pilgrimage through the life of a Concordia part-time professor

Sara Terreault is a parttime faculty member of Concordia’s theological studies department. Photo by Ana Hernandez.

“

I invite students to bring their experience and understanding into the conversation. You don’t check your beliefs at the door—you bring them in and learn how to look at them critically and in a historical context or cultural context.

KATERINA GANG COPY EDITOR As I enter the room where I will be interviewing part-time faculty member Sara Terreault, I can’t help but notice how strikingly different the rooms in the theological studies department look compared to other departments on campus.

The paintings on the walls and the many books on the shelves seem to mirror Terreault’s life, while the room’s beautiful wooden furnishings give a rich perspective of theology in contrast to the sterility sometimes prevalent in modern academia.

“God, the G-word—a naughty word in academia—you’re allowed to use it here and take it seriously and understand both historically and in contemporary contexts what that means for people,” Terreault said.

Terreault is a professor of theology and Irish studies. She has taught eleven different theology courses at Concordia, including a class on Celtic Christianity.

“I think something that distinguishes theology and makes it very rich and attractive to a lot of students is that we ask those existential questions while allowing a horizon of transcendence,” Terreault explained. “You’re allowed to ask questions that include ultimate questions.”

Terreault had not envisioned herself

teaching theology when she was younger.

Despite her Christian upbringing and lifelong involvement with the Church, Terreault initially planned to be an artist.

From the age of 13 to 19, Terreault apprenticed with painter Helmut Gerth, focusing primarily on watercolours. “I convinced my mom to get me these private art lessons, and I just took to it like a duck to water,” she said.

From there, Terreault enrolled in Dawson’s Studio Arts program, where she was able to practice studio art, including painting and sculpting. However, Terreault eventually pursued art history at Concordia—a decision influenced by her travels and year living in the UK. “I went to Europe and saw lots of art and loved it,” she said. “So when it came time to pick a major, I picked art history.”

Though spirituality and Christianity had been important parts of Terreault’s life, she became distant from this aspect of her identity when she started her undergraduate degree.

“At that time, religious things were, in that academic environment, uncool—and the worst of all was Christianity,” Terreault said. “I towed the fashionable line and sort of let that all go.”

But spirituality was never far from Terreault’s mind, she said, even if she wasn’t actively thinking about it. “I did a lot of literature and classics for electives,” she said. “They were all sort of sideways, backdoor ways of getting at that same sort of [theological] area.”

”

Terreault moved to California in 1988 when her husband was offered a job there.

She lived there for seven years, working as a stay-at-home mother for her two boys and running an in-home daycare part-time.

Terreault had a moment of spiritual clarity when she gave birth to her first child. “Having kids really helps you start thinking about what really matters, and I guess I just got the balls to say [spirituality] is what I really care about,” she said.

After being out of school 10 years, Terreault decided to move back to Montreal to complete her undergraduate art history degree and to pursue her graduate degree in theology at Concordia. She is now a part-time professor there, teaching on average one to two courses per semester.

Her favourite course to teach, she said, is THEO 234: Pilgrim Bodies, Sacred Journeys, which allows students to undertake personal pilgrimages or participate in an organized class pilgrimage. She has travelled with students to the Camino de Santiago de Compostella in Spain, across Ireland, and to the Kahnawà:ke Mohawk reservation to explore both Christian and Mohawk traditions of spirituality.

Terreault has undertaken many personal pilgrimages as well, particularly around Ireland and the UK. Her favourite pilgrimage, she said, was one she made to Iona in Scotland.

“I’m interested in those early Celtic saints—their lives and their wishes and dreams and values,” she said. “I really feel like there’s a kind of communion with them when I’m in places that they were in, or where they’re buried, or where others have walked towards them.”

Most of the pilgrimages Terreault does are on foot, though she said this does not have to be the case for everyone. “For some people, the journey is the whole thing. For other people, the end point is the whole thing—they might fly as close to their destination as possible and then take a car,” she said. “I would say, for me, it’s both.”

“There’s a lot that goes on when you walk long distances in a sustained way over days upon days. Physiologically, it changes the body. Psychologically, it slows you down,” Terreault said. “In a walking pilgrimage, the journey becomes part of the point, and it provokes existential questions and reflection.”

Teaching, and her ability to engage with students, she said, is what she is most proud of. “They are just wonderful people to hang out with, and when you get a sense that you’ve contributed something valuable to them, that’s pretty darn fulfilling.”

However, being a part-time professor has been challenging for Terreault. The hardest part, for her, is the lack of recognition and funding. “Funding, if you’re part-time, is a lot

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1. Terreault on the Pilgrim's Way to Holy Island of Lindisfarne, in northeast England, in 2016.

2. Terreault with her students from a pilgrimage class, at the Camino de Santiago de Compostella in northern Spain in 2001.

3. A class pilgrimage to the Kahnawake Mohawk reservation in 2016.

Photos courtesy of Sara Terreault.

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2.

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This article is part of a series of profiles on part-time faculty at Concordia. Our goal is to highlight some of the incredible work these professors do, while also shedding light on the difference in treatment between being part-time versus full-time faculty.

Several profiles will have accompanying videos on our website theconcordian.com. This series came to life with the help of Lorraine Oades, VP of the Concordia University Part-Time Faculty Association (CUPFA).

harder to get for research,” she said.

But the Concordia University Part-Time Faculty Association (CUPFA), she said, has been a saviour with regards to her research.

“CUPFA has simply been a lifeline in terms of allowing me to do research in these ancient pilgrimage places,” Terreault said. “They’re completely supportive of research, and there’s not much help for that elsewhere in the university unfortunately.”

However, Terreault still struggles. There are semesters when she is given no classes to teach at all. “It’s a small department, and courses have been cut over the last few years with budget cuts, so there are fewer offerings,” she said. “I would certainly love to teach more, but sometimes the courses just aren’t available.”

During these times, she said, finances can be a struggle. “Food bills and mortgage payments and things like that, you’ve got to meet them.” Though she’s thought about getting another job, she has no real plans to do so.

“This is what I love to do,” she said. “I’ve been lucky that I’ve been able to get enough that it keeps me going.”

The classes she teaches now attract a very diverse group of students—and that’s how she likes it. “If theology is about what it means to be human in all dimensions, then all the different disciplines have something to say to that question,” she said.

Terreault works hard to welcome and incorporate all students’ experiences and value orientations into her classroom, whether they are religious or not. “I invite students to bring their experience and understanding into the conversation. You don’t check your beliefs at the door—you bring them in and learn how to look at them critically and in a historical context or cultural context,” she said.

Terreault says her classes are widely popular. Interest in theology, she said, has become less taboo since her university experience in the 80s. Any given class she teaches will include students from many different departments.

“I would say it’s spread pretty evenly across the disciplines,” she said. “I think they find that balance between intellectual orientation and that sort of holistic orientation of theology which speaks to them in some way that’s valuable.”

Terreault said she always tries to bring her curiosity and care to the classroom. “I care about learning and I care about the students. I love them. I think I’m pretty open-minded, but at the same time, a pretty disciplined thinker.”

Outside of her Concordia classes, Terreault has worked as a spiritual and community animator for the English Montreal School

Board. In this capacity, she helped students tackle spiritual and existential questions, and incorporated each student’s spiritual and religious beliefs into counseling.

Unlike psychological counseling, which focuses solely on the individual, spiritual animation, she explained, focuses on students’ well-being in a wider community context. At the same time, it gives students the space to think about life’s big questions and what they mean to them.

“Some of my students, I would meditate with them. For some of them, they may want to pray,” she said. “It may, for some, have a religious component. For others it may not.

And it’s also a way to give them a space to sort of think about and act on those questions and concerns, and also a way of getting them involved in community action.”

One year, Terreault’s students put on a music concert and invited a retirement community to come watch. She says activities like this help grow students’ combined spiritual, personal and community identity.

Terreault said her work as an animator allowed her to work with students from a variety of backgrounds, from Judeo-Christian students, to Muslim students, to Sikh students and even irreligious students. “The school I worked in was complete diversityland,” she said about her work at Holy Cross Elementary.

“It was a wonderful, wonderful environment.”

Outside of teaching, Terreault enjoys gardening, travelling and going to art museums.

“I still love my art history,” she said. “There’s something about that combination of art and theology.”

Although it’s been awhile since Terreault has painted seriously, she said she hopes to get back into it in the future. “[My eldest son] has sort of gotten interested in painting, so he and I are thinking of setting up a little studio in the basement chez nous, and he’ll come over and we’ll do some painting together,” she said.

Still, spirituality plays a big role in her personal life. Terreault attends Church and engages in what she calls “classical practices revamped to fit [her] lifestyle,” such as meditation and fasting.

She said most of the things in her life are guided by spirituality. “I consider a lot of the things I do, both in the classroom and outside, spiritual,” Terreault said.

“Teaching and learning and connecting with students and discussion is really spiritually important to me,” she explained.

“The same goes with engagement with art and gardening and getting your hands into the earth—that whole generative, beautiful thing about gardening—I think it’s all pretty spiritual for me.”

sports

SPORTS EDITOR /// sports@theconcordian.com ALEXANDER COLE ( @AlexCole_80)

STINGERS

A busy season for the Concordia Stingers

With the varsity season over, it’s time to look back at the year that was for the Stingers

The women’s hockey team made it to nationals and the RSEQ final. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

ALEXANDER COLE SPORTS EDITOR Another U SPORTS season is behind us.

At Concordia, some teams enjoyed their most successful seasons in years, while others had a hard time picking up wins. No matter what sport you’re into, there were reasons to cheer for the maroon and gold this season, and now is a better time than ever to reflect on how the season went.

BASEBALL Led by veteran pitchers Sam BelisleSpringer and Dan Connerty, the Concordia Stingers baseball team went to their division final as well as nationals. While both pitchers started the year off slow, they came around by the end and were helped out by a strong offense, orchestrated by manager Howie Schwartz. The team finished second to McGill in their division, and ended the season with a record of 13-11. They lost in the division final to McGIll. WRESTLING Wrestlers Vincent De Marinis, Trevor Banks and Jade Dufour were consistent winners throughout the season in their respective weight classes. De Marinis picked up a gold at nationals, as well as the Brock, Western and University of New Brunswick tournaments. His teammate, Fred Choquette, won a bronze at nationals. Dufour won an individual silver at nationals for the women’s team. The women’s team did not place at nationals, however, the men’s team finished sixth, while the Brock Badgers won the tournament.

FOOTBALL It was an eventful season for the football team, who finished third in their division with a record of 4-4. Big losses against the Université de Montréal and Laval kept the team from making a name for themselves throughout the year. Quarterback Trenton Miller struggled at times in his sophomore season, and the team was unable put points on the board. Rookies like Samuel Brodrique helped pick up the slack on defense, however,

it wasn’t enough to beat the Laval Rouge et Or in the first round of the playoffs.

WOMEN’S HOCKEY The women’s hockey team had a slow start to their season, but picked up the pace towards the end. They finished with a record of 10-9-1 and played the Carabins in the first round of the playoffs. The Stingers pulled off the upset, sweeping the defending champs in two games. This was the team’s first conference final since 2005. Despite losing to McGill in that series, the team went to the nationals where they made it to the bronze medal game.

MEN’S HOCKEY Led by team captain Olivier Hinse and a new crop of rookies, the men’s hockey team finished the season with a 19-7-2 record and placed second in their division. They won their first playoff series in 16 years, but were eventually ousted from the post-season by the Queen’s Golden Gaels. Goaltender Philippe Cadorette made an immediate impact in his rookie season while forward Anthony De Luca led the team in goals with 24. He was also the highest-scoring rookie in U SPORTS this season.

The Concordia Stingers baseball team made it to the conference finals andnationals.Photo

by James Kierans.

The men’s basketball team finished off the year in the RSEQ semi-finals against UQAM. Photo by Ana Hernandez.

WOMEN’S RUGBY With the help of Frédérique Rajotte, Alex Tessier and Jenna Thompson, the women’s rugby team had another season to remember.

With a record of 5-2, the team finished third in the division and went all the way to the conference final, where for a second year in a row, they were defeated by the Ottawa Gee-Gees. The team went all the way to nationals in Victoria, B.C., but did not reach the medal round. Thompson led the team with tries this season with 12 while Rajotte finished with 11.

MEN’S RUGBY With many veteran players gone, the men’s rugby team was rebuilding itself this year. Craig Beemer took over as head coach just a few weeks before the season started and did everything he could to recruit and get his team together on time. Despite the large effort to get the team organized, the squad finished last in the division with a record of 1-6. The team lost in the first round of the playoffs. Julian Mackay Cantin led the team with three tries.

WOMEN’S SOCCER The women’s soccer team had a disappointing

season as they finished the year with a 2-10-2 record, finishing sixth in their division. Laura Lamontagne led the team with five goals and helped fill the gap left by Kaitlyn Fournier who left the team in the off-season. Teams like the Laval Rouge et Or and Université de Montréal Carabins proved to be tough tests for the team, and in the end, the team wasn’t able to get crucial wins down the stretch.

MEN’S SOCCER The men’s team finished one win outside of a playoff spot with a 4-6-2 record. The Stingers finished sixth in their division, but made progress in relation to last year’s team which finished with three wins. Goalkeeper Karl Gouabé was solid all season, and the team was able to get offence from multiple players. Sébastien Boucley, Amadou Lam, Abdallah Medouni and Gabriel Quinn Carranza led the team with four goals each.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL For the second straight season, the Concordia Stingers women’s basketball team finished fourth in their division with a record of 7-9. However, unlike last year, the team made it to the conference finals. In the semi-final, the Stingers knocked off the Laval Rouge et Or who were the third-ranked team in the country. In the conference final, the Stingers lost to the McGill Martlets, who went on to win the national championship.

The team was led by veterans like Marilyse Roy-Viau and Richelle Grégoire, as well as rookie guard Caroline Task.

MEN’S BASKETBALL The team finished their season with a record of 10-6 which was good enough for second place in their division. The Stingers were favoured to win their first-round match-up in the playoffs and go to the conference final. However, the Stingers were upset 81-71, by the Université de Québec à Montréal Citadins. The loss ended the team’s season, but there is reason to be optimistic.

The Stingers were the best defensive team in their conference and have the potential to make a run next year.

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OPINION

Deconstructing the Stingers football schedule A new division layout could create a tougher playoff road for Concordia

The Stingers now face the defending champion, the Laval Rouge et Or, twice.Photo by Ana Hernandez.

ALEXANDER COLE SPORTS EDITOR The Concordia Stingers football team are in the midst of off-season training to prepare for the 2017 season. The schedule for the upcoming season was recently released and after looking it over and giving it some thought, it’s certain this fall will be a tough test for the squad that sees most of it’s key players returning.

One of the reasons why the upcoming season will be tougher than past years is the absence of the Bishop’s Gaiters. The Stingers, who play in the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) division, have always played Bishop’s twice. However, due to poor

performances and the financial inability to have the same resources as other teams in the division, the Gaiters left the RSEQ for the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) conference, according to U SPORTS. Bishop’s was a team the Stingers could always win against. In 2015, the Stingers beat Bishop’s twice, 38-18 the first time around and 63-0 the second time. This past season, the Stingers won their two games against Bishop’s 50-34 and 36-6.

Now that Bishop’s is gone, there are only five teams in the division. A season is eight games which means the Stingers must now play every team twice—­this is where the schedule becomes tougher.

The Stingers share a division with arguably

the two best teams in U SPORTS football: the Université de Montréal Carabins and the Laval Rouge et Or. The Rouge et Or are defending Vanier Cup champs while the Carabins won it in 2014. Last season, the Stingers had a hard time against both teams, as the Carabins beat them 59-3 and the Rouge et Or beat them 38-17.

Now that the Stingers have to play both of those squads twice, it means half of their schedule will be against top-seeded opponents.

The Stingers have played those teams close in past seasons, so there is definitely potential to get some upset victories—especially if quarterback Trenton Miller returns to his rookie season form of 20 touchdowns in eight games.

A five-team division means only one

team will not make the playoffs—that’s why the games against the Sherbrooke Vert et Or and the McGill Redmen become crucial. The Stingers, the Redmen and the Vert et Or will most likely be fighting for the last two spots in the playoffs.

The Stingers play the Vert et Or in the second game of the season on Aug. 31 in Sherbrooke and then play them again on Sept. 30 at Concordia. Sherbrooke is a team the Stingers have struggled with over the past two years. In their 2015 debut, the team lost 37-0 to the Vert et Or and lost to them last season 37-17. If the Stingers want a playoff berth, they’ll have to overcome their struggles against Sherbrooke and bring their best effort.

Meanwhile, the Redmen are the Stingers’ cross-town rival. Both of these teams always play each other close, but the Stingers have been on the winning end of most of their recent match-ups. Going back to 2015, the Stingers won both of their games against McGill and went 1-1 last season.

These rivalry games, which take place at Concordia on Sept. 16 and at McGill on Oct. 14 next season, will have huge implications on the playoffs and winning them will be crucial for the Stingers.

The team has gone 4-4 in its last two seasons, but in each of those years, two of the wins were against Bishop’s. The upcoming season will truly be a test of what the Stingers are made of. However, it’s the same test for the Vert et Or and the Redmen. The division was already tough, but now it’s gotten tougher and that’s why it will be an interesting season to say the least.

RECREATION

More than just a game for your dog Ultimate Frisbee is a sport that requires speed, skill and precision

Graphic by Thom Bell.

NICHOLAS DI GIOVANNI ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR Yes, Ultimate Frisbee is a real sport, and no, it’s not like playing with your dog in the park.

At least those are a few of the things Luca Stabile, a McGill student from the West Island who plays on McGill's Ultimate Frisbee team, has heard some people say.

“It’s different than other sports,” Stabile said. “It’s still pretty demanding in terms

of athleticism, although people don’t recognize that.”

For many, Ultimate Frisbee, which is normally referred to as “Ultimate,” is just a sport they played in elementary or high school. But it’s a lot more serious than people think, according to Stabile.

“When you’re on the field, you’re literally sprinting,” Stabile said, adding the sport also demands a lot of cardiovascular strength.

Depending on the league, team size can vary from four-a-side or five-a-side to

the standard seven-a-side. In 4v4 and 5v5 leagues, they play the width of a football field, but in the competitive divisions, they play the whole length of the field.

In standard leagues, there is no time limit to a game, but rather, a team must reach a certain number of points agreed upon by the teams before the game, which is usually 15. Some leagues with limited time on a field may set a time limit, and Stabile said most games are like soccer, with two halves of 45 minutes.

Changing players on the f ly is allowed in recreational divisions, but in competitive leagues, players must stay on the field until a team scores a point.

This can mean some long shifts at times.

“There was one game for the McGill B team, we were on the field for 30 minutes,” Stabile said. “That was really brutal.”

The rules of Ultimate are pretty simple.

In fact, there’s only one big rule: don’t run with the disc. But, Stabile said there are a lot more technicalities than that. A defending player cannot make contact with a receiver, and players have 10 seconds to throw the disc.

There’s a catch to this handful of rules—there are no referees. Players must call the fowls that are committed against them. In competitive leagues, however, there are observers to settle disputes

between players.

“Some people who know all the rules will abuse them essentially, and people who know [the rules] less get taken advantaged of,” Stabile said.

Ultimate is not just a bunch of people throwing around a disc trying to score points, though—there are a lot of strategies players must learn.

“There are a lot of offensive formations that you run, similar to football, to get the disc up the field,” Stabile said.

In Ultimate, there are three different ways to throw the disc. There’s the backhand, the classic forehand throw known as the flick and the hammer, an overhead throw.

The sport is popular in Montreal as the main league in the city, Association Ultimate de Montréal (AUM), had more than 215 teams and 2,991 members in 2014.

Universities in Montreal are also forming teams to compete against each other, although not through U SPORTS. McGill, Concordia, Université de Montréal and Université de Québec à Montréal will all be competing in the AUM upcoming spring season.

If you want to get involved with Concordia’s Ultimate Frisbee team, you can visit www.concordia.ca/campuslife/recreation/intramurals/ultimate. html for details.

opinions OPINIONS EDITOR /// opinions@theconcordian.com DAVID EASEY

EDITORIAL

Calling for an end to police brutality This past week, Montreal was rocked by a protest against police brutality, which saw around 300 individuals march through the downtown core.

One of our news editors was on the scene and described how protestors were shouting anti-police chants while anti-riot police surveyed the participants.

The demonstration turned violent when protesters fired flares and smashed multiple police cars, according to our news article.

The annual protest was organized by the Collectif opposé à la brutalité policière (COBP), an organization founded in 1995 to oppose all forms of police intimidation and brutality in Quebec.

While The Concordian does not approve of the violent tactics these protestors used, we believe the police often abuse their powers in this province. We need to speak up about it.

Where do we start? Let's go back to 2016, when Radio Canada's Enquête discovered the Sûreté du Québec was systematically abusing Indigenous women in Val d'Or. The report uncovered how police officers would allegedly pick up these women from bars and force them to perform sexual acts. The police officers would then drive the women to the outskirts of town and abandon them in the middle of nowhere,

often in the middle of winter.

These allegations sent shockwaves through the province, and the provincial government in Quebec City launched an official investigation, according to CBC News.

In a reactionar y move, 41 police officers from the Sûreté du Québec launched a $2.3-million lawsuit against Radio-Canada, claiming the initial report damaged their reputation and defamed their public image, according to La Presse.

Since when is it okay for Quebec’s largest police force to sue RadioCanada for publicizing a report with clear evidence that uncovers a hidden truth? Isn’t the purpose of journalism to hold those in power accountable for their actions? The moment we ignore or refrain from reporting the truth, controversial or not, is the moment the public will no longer trust us.

On this note, we should also turn our attention to the wiretapping scandal involving the SPVM and two Montrealbased journalists in November 2016.

Information came to light revealing a judge granted the SPVM warrants to wiretap the phones of journalists Patrick Lagacé and Vincent Larouche,

according to CTV News.

The SPVM alleged the wiretaps were necessary in order to trace the source of the SPVM, meaning they thought one of their own officers was leaking information to Lagacé or Larouche.

Not only were the SPVM’s actions illegal, but also highly unethical. Spying on journalists by tapping their phones and tracing their informants is disappointing and disturbing. It makes our police force

look like they are trying to hide something.

We need to challenge the police’s authority and keep them in check at all times. In many ways, they are abusing their powers. We also need to be able to report on these issues without the fear of being persecuted for simply reporting the facts. Freedom of the press is vital, particularly when dealing with people in positions of power. If we can’t be the watchdogs, who will be?

Police put an end to the anti police brutality protest on March 15. Photo By Alex Hutchins.

HEALTH

The Montreal healthcare system is ripe with issues Scheduling conflicts and staffing issues are common to patients in hospitals KRIS MANCINI CONTRIBUTOR On Feb. 18, my 87-year-old grandmother slipped on ice outside her apartment, breaking her right elbow. I wish I could say that’s where the problems stopped.

After the fall, my grandma was rushed to the Montreal General Hospital. It’s unfortunate the Lakeshore Hospital was backlogged—it would have been a much shorter ambulance ride for her.

Once my grandma arrived at the Montreal General, she was placed in the ICU and had some X-rays done. Two days later, she was sent home with a temporary cast that looked like it was made out of a half-roll of toilet paper and a few bobby pins. What she didn’t know was that it would take over a week to have surgery, which was imperative because her elbow joint was broken and she had multiple fractures in her arm.

The surgery was scheduled at the Montreal General for Feb. 22. My grandma and my aunt headed down there only to find out, eight hours later, that there had been a mistake with the scheduling—no doctors were available to do the surgery. A whole day spent in a waiting room with a broken elbow, and a scheduling error pops up? Not a problem—my grandma will just have to sit in her apartment in pain and wait until

her surgery can be rescheduled.

According to an article in the Montreal Gazette in June 2016, 232 Montreal cancer patients had been waiting at least two months for surgery as of May 28. It’s clear I am not the only one experiencing issues with the Quebec healthcare system.

My grandmother was eventually scheduled to have her surger y eight days after the fall, on Feb. 26. After the surgery, she was sent home with my aunt who would look afterher for the next few weeks. The hospital arranged to have a CLSC nurse sent to her house for physiotherapy until her injury healed. Yet, a nurse never came because the hospital was backlogged, and nurses were scarce or none. There are private nurses you can hire for an average fee of $120 per hour, and that’s what my grandma did.

But $120 per hour for one hour, twice a week for two weeks is a lot of money

when all you have is one pension. After racking up a bill of $500, my grandma couldn’t afford it anymore. She arranged for free physio at the hospital once a week.

Now, I could write a long list of things that are wrong in the healthcare system in Quebec, but if you live here, you probably already know that .

Heck, if you’re reading this right now, I’m sure you’ve had an unpleasant experience with the system at some time in your life.

If you Google “Montreal healthcare system,” you can see for yourself how many negative articles come up regarding surgery delays and staff shortages. Now mid-March, my grandma has just begun her physiotherapy treatment at the Lakeshore Hospital. She has finally been treated by a nurse.

According to an article in the Montreal Gazette , “poor hospital organization is part of the problem, but so is a lack of flexibility on the part of doctors. While 90 per cent of hospitals can easily add nursing staff to cope with overflows,

75 per cent are unable to adjust doctor schedules on short notice.” It seems that scheduling conflicts and short hospital staff is a problem. One solution would be to create a long-term plan for the scheduling of more Quebec doctors into hospitals.

Based on the personal experience of my grandmother’s recent accident, scheduling at the Montreal General Hospital seems to be disorganized. If you ever have an accident and need emergency attention, I recommend you try to plan out the accident ahead of time.

Graphic by Florence Yee.

Kris' gr and Mancin mother. Pho to by K i. ris

MARCH 21, 2017

theconcordian

21

CINEMA

Get Out's terrifying reality of racism today How the film’s realistic portrayal of racism shakes audience members IMMANUEL MATTHEWS STAFF WRITER

*Spoiler Alert Ahead*

The new horror film, Get Out, which marks the directorial debut for comedian Jordan Peele, is making waves across North America.

It contains many unpredictable twists, as well as exceptional performances by stars Daniel Kaluuya and Allison Williams.

However, it is the film’s accurate depiction of racism that really got me thinking after I left the theatre.

In an interview with Fox 5’s Kevin McCarthy, director Jordan Peele, most notably known for being one half of the “Key and Peele” comedy duo, explained how "people need to know that this movie is from a black writer and director. It’d be a different movie if a white guy did it.” Why does the director's race matter, you may ask? It matters because this film highlights the marginalization of black people around the globe, which is best described and portrayed by someone who has experienced it themselves.

In the film, Chris (Kaluuya) travels to the home of his white girlfriend, Rose’s (Williams), parents, who live in rural New York state. From the moment they arrive, it is clear Chris’ skin colour (of which Rose’s parents had no prior knowledge of ) affects the way the parents interact with him.

While they do not directly acknowledge the fact that he is black, the father makes comments such as: "I would

have voted for Obama for a third term" and "How long has this thang been goin' on?" As Kaluuya explained in an interview with Fox 5, “acting different around a black person simply because they are black is a form of marginalization.” You don’t need to directly mention a person’s race to make them feel uncomfortable or out of place.

Personally, I can remember times when I have felt awkward because people thought it was necessary to acknowledge my race. Whether they directly pointed out my race, or acted in a way that somehow alluded to it, it just felt weird. Yes, my skin is brown, but I’m also a person with a personality. Do you really need to identify me by my race first?

For some reason, there are always people whose actions and speech reflect the race of the person they’re speaking to, similarly to how Rose’s father interacts with Chris.

Peele even explained how these actions are sometimes simply a way of trying to connect with the person. Yet, while their intentions may be harmless, it does not mean we shouldn’t point it out for what it is—racially-motivated behaviour.

As co-star Williams explained in an interview with Fox 5, “a lot of people don’t know, but just by saying something you

wouldn’t say unless you were talking to a black person, you’re isolating them, or at least giving them some indication that you’re identifying them as black.”

In my opinion, a Hollywood film addressing the issues that people of colour face, everyday, is extremely important. No matter what country or continent you live in, marginalized people go through very similar issues, whether it be through blatant discrimination, or in a less direct manner.

Throughout the film, Chris is noticeably uncomfortable with the way Rose’s family interacts with him. He attempts to talk to the family's two helpers—a maid and a groundskeeper—who happen to be black.

However, he notices they act in a bizarre manner. One example of this is when Chris attempts to greet one of the workers with a fist bump, but the man grabs his fist and looks at him awkwardly.

Throughout the film, it seems as though all of the black people who are surrounded by the white family, including the helpers and friends of the family who visit (some were black), have conformed to their mannerisms.

Here’s where the major twist comes in. The reason the black helpers act so

bizarrely is because Rose’s father, a neurosurgeon, perfected a way to transfer the consciousness of one individual to another, through brain surgery. The black workers on his property actually possess the consciousness of Rose’s grandmother and grandfather, while their own consciousnesses have been “sent to a ‘sunken place’” in their own minds, through hypnosis performed by Rose’s mother.

This twist deviates the film into a slightly more imaginative space, which is why the director said in an interview with Forbes that, though the story is “very personal, [it] quickly veers off from anything autobiographical.”

I think that it is our duty, as individuals seeking equality, to educate and speak out to those who may not understand what the issues with their actions are. We must be able to see someone acting in an inappropriate way and tell them what they’re doing is wrong. We need to talk about it. That’s why this film is so important.

Of course race is one of the first things you notice about a person. It’s right there in your face. But it’s the ability to interact and judge other individuals based on their character and actions—rather than their race or ethnicity— that demonstrates respect and open-mindedness.

Get Out has grossed $113.1 million internationally, on a budget of $4.5 million. It is still playing in theatres, and I encourage everyone to go see it—if you don’t mind sitting on the edge of your seat for 103 minutes, that is.

Graphic by Florence Yee.

etc

Fe a t u r e d C o n c o r d i a A r t i s t Nosberto J. Lou

El Orgullo - 24"x31"

My name is Nosberto J. Lou and I am a painter. I immigrated to Canada four year ago and I am originally from Guatemala, Guatemala city.

Most of what I paint and have been painting for the past 4 years has been figurative and representational work. What I find more interest and attraction to paint is the human figure. Specifically painting the human figure from observation.

What I also like to add in all of my works is my Guatemalan background or what I like to call it “flavor� from Guatemala, and I do that by playing with the color palette, introducing an object or objects from there or sometimes even the outfits the models are wearing are specific fabric patterns from there, and finally one thing I’ve just started to play around with is by using Guatemalan fabrics as backgrounds for my paintings.

I am always looking for people to paint, so if you are interested would like to sit for me send me a direct message on my Instagram account: @nosberto where you can see also more of what I do.

Chepe - 27"x20"

El Chato - 5'x3'

What's In Your Mind - 4'x3'

Yo - 18"x24"

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ASSISTANT OPINIONS EDITOR SANIA MALIK

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ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR JAMES KIERANS

PRODUCTION O ASSISTANTS EDIT NDEZ .comSPORTS EDITOR T n A PARISA FOROUTAN PHO HERN ncordia ALEXANDER COLE o JEN FARROW ANA @thec sports@theconcordian.com

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ASSISTANT NEWS EDITORS MEGAN HUNT CHLÖE RANALDI

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M co DANIELLE GASHER DAVID EASEY TC TAN CRISTINA SANZA ID U m m HI AL SIC T CO Concordia University’s GR NS SP ED life@theconcordian.com opinions@theconcordian.com editor@theconcordian.com A E li N T R O P I F TO sa HI L weekly, independent I A L RT S B O Co Ro Ba R gra REN CS E r UT nc spo EXAN EDI ph Fre mina bier, ORS DI wstudent CEOPINIONS ord newspaper TOEDITOR rts i D T e ASSISTANT LIFE ASSISTANT EDITOR c F g Q s@ YE OR R @t ER Alm oli, lore as st u e kl y i a U GR the E i he C AS de , ind niv Mu ahr, Nath ncia m Wa AP MALIK MINA MAZUMDER co OLE MANAGING EDITOR co TSANIA e rs nt 34,epISSUE nc Ar H H n a n A r NI SISTA n r c t 24 l I O ord ne u. ic i a L e r i e a i c ord CA VO VOL. CH M N GREGORY TODARO ws ende ity’s t h b la ian a, P , ian A CONTRIBUTORS S B L OL T S S . r E F pa 2017. nc . d . n I MARCH 21, 3 c L E c h P S A e t B o 4 L o o , B T ll i , pe S D OR m U m Hu eb AN managing@theconcordian.com . 7, , IS HE r I G TS E OR SIMia NE Anhoury, KrisJeMancini, T 20 SU ffr ssain e OU IO DC SS KA APHOTO ey ARTS EDITOR EDITOR 17. E 1 Matthews. bu ENImmanuel VA DITO M T 9 R Z O sin YA O OUR COVER THIS WEEK A C N P R N ess PO OV Y TIFFANY LAFLEUR NI ANA TE HERNANDEZ CO “B @t RP AGE AG E D I T ER lac R he O UE OR T KA PY Ephoto@theconcordian.com arts@theconcordian.com G AD R k PRODUCTION MANAGER H co rap Hi IS nc INO WE RE TERI DITO hic s“SXSW” OR VER ord t PAULINE SOUMET EK by o r y M ian VA BECC NA G RS FO ENZ TISIN F F .

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VOL. 34, FEB. 7, 2

Concordi weekly, i student n

The Concordian is hiring for next year!

Feel like running a student paper?

Editor-in-Chief

Ads Manager

Our Editor-in-Chief oversees every aspect of the paper, from production, to the articles, to the website. They also manage the team and keep the news cycle on point.

The Ads Manager seeks out potential clients for advertisements, be it in print, online or in videos.

Managing Editor

Production Manager

The Managing Editor maintains the office, is in regular contact with our business manager over finances and is second-in-command.

The Production Manager makes sure the newspaper is looking top notch, and manages a team of production assistants that help layout design.

Must be proficient in Adobe InDesign and Photoshop.

Got a knack for words and editing?

Editors

Copy Editor

Our editors pitch stories to writers, edit articles, and get to cover some super cool events.

Our sections are news, life, arts, music, sports and opinions. Knowledge of Canadian Press style is a plus.

Copy editors ensure articles that are published are looking clean, organized, grammatically on point and following Canadian Press style.

Are you a multimedia master?

Social Media Coordinator

Photo & Video Editors

The social media coordinator ensures we’re reaching the biggest audience we can on all of our social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. The coordinator also manages our website.

Our photo team captures the action at all the events we cover.

And sometimes, your photo will appear on our cover!

Our video team seeks out the best visually-oriented stories in our paper each week and turns them into a video masterpiece.

Whether it’s a package report on news coverage or a quirky streeter, creativity is a must.

Icons by Popcorns Arts.

Apply at applications@theconcordian.com

Attach a cover letter, cv and 3 samples of relevant work by April 21, 2017.