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LOCAL NEWS

Laurier alumnus elected mayor of Waterloo

JAMES WINSLOW NEWS EDITOR

e new mayor of Waterloo is a former Golden Hawk.

In a tight race last week, defeating her opposition by just over 300 votes, Laurier alumnus Dorothy McCabe was elected mayor of Waterloo region.

For years, McCabe has worked as a government relations and municipal sector professional,

advising elected o cials at the municipal and provincial levels.

“Now, I’m at the decision-making table, so I’m thrilled,” McCabe said.

One of the rst items on McCabe’s post-inauguration agenda is to use public land around the RIM Park area to build a new a ordable housing development.

McCabe is interested in partnering with a non-pro t developer for the project.

Another top item on her list is to create an advisory council that hears from various community voices.

“Another thing I want to do is set up what I call the Team Waterloo Mayor’s Advisory Council … the idea behind it is to bring stakeholders from every sector in our community together,” McCabe said. e idea for such a council was borne from a desire to listen to groups who are most knowledgeable about a given topic.

“I don’t want to say that I have the answers. I have some ideas, but I really want to hear from all these di erent sectors,” McCabe said.

At a higher and more longterm level, McCabe wants to help cultivate eco-friendly politics and practices in the Waterloo region.

“One of the main reasons that I decided to run was regarding climate change. I really think we need to kind of push the agenda on climate change,” McCabe said.

One way she hopes to accomplish this is by exploring modi cations in the transit system.

“I would really like to look at reduced or eliminat[ed] fares for some populations, like youth in particular so we can get them in … build those future riders.”

McCabe said she is excited to nd out the answer to her campaign slogan, ‘what’s next Waterloo?’.

“Really thinking long term, it’s like what can we do? What can Waterloo do? We have so much potential. So that’s really exciting for me,” McCabe said.

McCabe also spoke about what she is fearful of as her inauguration approaches.

“What’s scary for me [is that] we’re still somewhat living through the COVID era,” McCabe said.

“If there’s something like that that’s on the horizon again, that’s something that really worries me.”

McCabe said one of the reasons such a prospect worries her is the struggle that small businesses went through during previous heights of the pandemic.

“I don’t know if they could survive another COVID experience,” McCabe said.

McCabe also has her eyes on issues concerning students in Waterloo. Among these are the need for safer roads, pedestrian outlets around the university district and unsafe student housing.

“I think that’s something we need to look at: that stretch from King to Westmount and how safe it is there and if there’s something we can do there to make it safer for pedestrians.”

Another transit-oriented goal McCabe wants to pursue as mayor is providing more bus service to alleviate some of the strains on the current system. e infamous GO line on University Avenue, for instance, in which students sometimes wait for hours, is a symptom of these strains.

“What can we do on that front to see if we can make transit a more e ective and e cient option for students coming in from out of town?” McCabe asked.

In her closing remarks, McCabe spoke on her excitement for her new position and a sense of comfort in her win.

“I’m really excited. It’s still very much setting in … I just feel in my gut that this is where I’m meant to be, so I’m thrilled to be here.”

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

CAMPUS NEWS

Islamic Heritage Month and Laurier experts

YASMEEN ALMOMANI

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

e Canadian government named October Islamic Heritage Month in 2007; marking a month of opportunity to learn about Muslims and their traditions, history, and culture, while also recognizing the importance of inclusivity and recognizing the unique challenges of racism and Islamophobia that Muslims face.

To commemorate this month, Laurier has held multiple events across campus. Laurier also posted an expert alert for Islamic heritage month to highlight a list of experts at the institution.

One of the experts, Ali Zaidi, an associate professor in Global Studies and Religion & Culture, has a focus on cultural globalization and Islam and modernity, among other things.

“Cultural globalization refers to the cultural e ects of the integration of the world that we’ve experienced in the mid to late 20th and 21st centuries,” he said. “…It refers to the ways in which cultures move through the world.”

Part of this is integration, but the other part can be resistance expressed against certain cultural products. e examples he provided are the globalization of American culture through fast food, movies, TV shows expanding to other parts of the world, or the popularity of falafel and shawarma in North America.

Zaidi also explained how there are certain perceptions of Muslims in the West regarding their dedication to religion.

“ ere’s this perception that Muslims tend to be very religious, more so than other communities and more observant than other communities,” he said. “ at may or may not be true, we need to actually do the research on this.”

Despite these perceptions, Zaidi prefaced a book by Stanley Fischer, that reveals Muslims are not di erent from other communities

“What I think we don’t recognize is the ways in which Muslims are not that distinctive from other communities.” e book, named Are Muslims Distinctive? Includes results from an international survey that shows Muslims having the same responses regarding multiple factors, such as political a liation. e only distinction is that Muslims tend to be more conservative with respect to sex.

Zaidi continuously researches religion, secularism, and the cultural side of globalization, while also delving into the role of hermeneutics in interpretations of religious texts.

When discussing Islam or a minority group such as Muslims, the topic of racism (and in this case, Islamophobia), is often brought to the discussion.

Another Laurier expert, Jasmin Zine, is a sociology professor at Laurier with her expertise including Islamic feminism, and contemporary manifestations of Islamophobia.

Zine explained how her most recent book, Under Siege: Islamophobia and the 9/11 Generation examines the ways in which a generation of youth navigated the world at a time when their identities were essentially under siege with the heightened era of Islamophobia in the aftermath of 9/11, the war on terror, and domestic security policies that targeted Muslim communities.

“Muslims were seen through a lot of stereotypes, as potential terrorists, radicals and so on. And that hasn’t changed, since 9/11, those particular stereotypes still exist. It’s easy to equate Islam and Muslims with terrorism as is done in a lot of anti-Muslim propaganda globally, not just in Canada or North America or Europe,” she said.

She is currently exploring the Canadian Islamophobia industry, speci cally looking at networks where Islamophobia becomes orchestrated in some cases through conspiracy theories. is builds on research from the US denoting the way that Islamophobic bigotry has been monetized.

“It’s a ected [the millennial generation of Muslim youth] in a number of ways, in terms of their sense of identity, belonging, citizenship, the way in which they are being surveilled, and now tend to surveil themselves,” she said.

Looking speci cally at students: on a micro level, there are services that they need on campus as Muslims.

“ ere’s certain services that Muslim students need on campus, and I think that universities are beginning to address that and have been for a while,” Zaidi said. “ is year, will be the rst time in many years when Ramadan will fall during the school year.”

Since Ramadan consists of fasting and eating meals at a certain time of day, Zaidi said that this could a ect students living on residence who would need to take food home from the dining hall.

On a macro level, looking directly at Islamophobia, Zine referenced education as a front for combatting any form of oppression.

Considering the two terror attacks that have happened in Canada, Islamophobia has become deadly and the response to it needs to be appropriate to the danger.

“When it comes to anti-Islamophobia education, there is a responsibility, I think, for all universities to make sure that relevant courses re ect education around Islam and Muslims and around Islamophobia more directly,” she said.

Laurier has several relevant courses, including Zine’s course on religion and global justice, and Zaidi’s courses on religion and global studies, as well as a unique Muslim Studies program at the university.

MARYAM AHRARI/ CORD PHOTOGRAPHY

Colleen James elected into regional council

ASHLEY BARRY LEAD REPORTER

On Monday, Oct. 24, Colleen James was elected to Regional Council.

In a historical moment, she became not only the first Black woman in the history of Waterloo Region to achieve this position, but also polled more votes than any other candidate running for Regional Council, obtaining 13,519 votes to secure her win.

“That, to me, said a lot. It said that people came out to support me, my leadership and commitment to the region, and that was very humbling. I thought we would do well, but to see that, it just kind of blew me away,” James said.

James was born and raised in Kitchener/Waterloo and began volunteering in the community at an early age. Her continuous community involvement was one of the factors that inspired her to run in this election.

“I was there as a teenager volunteering, so being involved in the community has always been something that is part of who I am. Now, the region and the cities have been calling for change in the ways decisions are being made. I just thought to myself, you know, if I don’t do this, I’m going to regret it,” she said.

It is a crucial time to invite positive change into the region as we have endured two years of uncertainty and unprecedented times with COVID-19. Cost of living has also become a serious hurdle for many, especially concerning housing.

“I got from the student perspective that finding a place to live and working to afford places to live is not easy. It’s never been easy, but right now, young people shouldn’t have that much pressure on them when they’re just trying to get through school,” she said.

Recognizing these issues is important when it comes to implementing decisions that can lead to change for the better of the community, but can prove challenging when disrupting things that have been in place for a long time, much like the challenges James faced on her campaign journey.

“Being a woman and being a Black woman who is running, there are things that I had to be very conscious of. I couldn’t go canvassing by myself, especially when it was getting dark outside, and we did face racism and discrimination at the door in various forms. We had to make some calls as a diverse team, in certain areas, and say we’re not going because I didn’t want to subject people volunteering to what was being said, and, you know, that that was the reality,” James said.

Although there were some members in the community that did not support James’ campaign, there was a community that became involved and supportive of the campaign.

“The ability for me to connect with people at the door really created that change in momentum. Aside from the bias, discrimination and some of the racism that was there, there was also people who were supportive at the door, and I was giving them some hope,” she said.

Two weeks from election day, James felt something big was happening.

“When people opened the door, their families would start cheering, and say, “you’re here!” I would be walking down the street, and people would honk or say they’re rooting for me, so support came from all aspects, and knocking on doors is the best way you will find out what people feel and think and what we can do better,” James said.

As Regional Council is responsible for expensive municipal services, such as sewage and water treatment, main roads, police, paramedics, public transit and garbage collection, James will be influencing the big long-term decisions and planning in the area.

“The key things that came up were housing, affordable homes and building homes, and for students, thinking about some of the services you may be accessing, you know, making sure that there are regional programs that are available for students,” she said.

Within making decisions and plans surrounding these services, James also strives for connecting with the large student population in the community.

“I’m about collaborating, networking, building relationships, and working more with student groups at the universities or the colleges because I think in order to build and grow this region, they’re a vital part of this conversation, and I don’t think that happens enough, and that’s why, you know, people say ‘well, I don’t know what the region does’, it’s because we haven’t done enough work,” James said.

Along with making an effort to include students in the conversation about issues in the region, James is pushing for social change by aiming to redesign how the region does things.

“I hope to address some of those political and social disparities that I see now by firstly building trusted relationships, making sure I continue to have equity-informed discussions and speaking to those whose voices haven’t been amplified before,” she said.

Creating change involves listening and collaborating with the community, supporting groups, organizations and individuals who are working to fix social and political inequality issues.

“I think that’s how you get to some of that meaningful change, because you’re going through a process where you’re inviting people in, and you’re having more conversations,” James said.

Another important factor is the council working together.

“Political and social change is going to come from redesigning how we do things––the models that have been used before don’t work anymore,” she said.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

THRIVE WEEK

Laurier holds Thrive Week with campus and online

MADALYN MOSTACCI

NEWS INTERN

This past week, the Laurier Wellness Centre hosted Thrive Week.

Thrive Week has been adopted by many post-secondary institutions across Ontario with the aim of strengthening mental health on campuses.

“I think it’s really important to do something good for your body and for your mind or whatever type of wellness you feel like [is] helping, I think that’s a priority …” Kayla Rischke, a third-year business administration student and peer wellness educator with the Laurier Wellness Centre, said.

Initiatives surrounding mental wellbeing for student bodies are greatly needed.

According to Ontario’s Universities, “The number of students on college and university campuses with identified mental health disabilities has more than doubled over the past five years.”

“There is definitely a heavy focus on the mental health of university students because there is a lot of pressure on us often…,” Rischke said.

Thrive officially came to Laurier in 2017 and now runs every Fall and Winter term.

“I think each year we’ll start gaining more traction and more people will know [Thrive] is going on,” Rischke said.

In-person events were held on the Waterloo and Brantford campuses for this semester’s Thrive Week, with online and asynchronous options available for accessibility.

All of these events were aimed the seven dimensions of wellbeing.

“Whenever we’re planning events with the Wellness Education team … we like to take into consideration all the seven dimensions of wellness; mental, physical, social, financial, spiritual, environmental and vocational … we try and combine at least two or more,” Rischke added.

Athletic classes were hosted by Laurier Recreation throughout the week.

Students were able to drop in on a variety of activities including yoga, rock climbing and glow-inthe-dark cycle fit.

Thrive also provided many food related events. Waterloo students were able to enjoy a free pancake breakfast and a make-your-own trail mix booth.

In addition, there was a food justice campus tour that informed participants on food sustainability at Laurier.

One of the featured events during Thrive week is Fresh Fruit Friday, which also happens weekly on campus.

“It’s held on the occasional Friday and we hand out fresh fruit to students. This helps us promote physical wellness by improving nutrition,” Rischke said.

Mental health was addressed through seminars, guest speakers and group initiatives. Workshops on self-care, mindfulness and coping with anxiety were held online, as well as an intro-level suicide intervention workshop.

“I think it’s really beneficial for students to know what to do if they’re in a situation where they know someone or have a friend who is feeling suicidal, or maybe they don’t know that they’re feeling suicidal, but they can look for those clues and know how to help,” Rischke said.

Haley Perlus, the Fall 2022 Thrive keynote speaker, gave an online lecture regarding mental strength. This gave insight on how to deal with unexpected, unnecessary and uncontrollable stress.

As a final take away from Thrive, Rischke added, “I think one thing I would really like students to know … is the importance of taking time out of your day to do something that helps with your wellness and not completely prioritising school … your wellness is more important.”

The Laurier Student Wellness Centre can be reached at wellness@wlu.ca and any feedback surrounding mental health can be submitted through the online mental health suggestion box.

SADIYA TEEPLE /CORD PHOTOGRAPHY

Laurier scientist leads fight against cancer

LAURA KAPRIELIAN

NEWS INTERN

Wilfrid Laurier University virologist and immunologist Stephanie DeWitte-Orr has made a significant discovery with the potential to revolutionize the method by which scientists search for and eliminate genes that cause cancer and viruses.

This new therapeutic technology is promising for the treatment or prevention of a wide variety of diseases and conditions including cancer, back pain and viruses like COVID-19.

Long dsRNA, also known as double-stranded ribonucleic acid, is the target of the research project’s attention.

When a healthy cell detects that it may have been infected by a virus, it will use dsRNA to help defend the body.

An infected cell will “put many different sequences in it, and those sequences can match protein sequences, so what happens is that we can control what proteins the cell stops making dependent on what sequences we put in our double stranded RNA,” DeWitte-Orr said.

“For a lot of these diseases, the cell is making too much of a protein. With this technology, we can make the cell turn off just those proteins from being made.

“Whatever sequence we put in our molecule can turn off whatever proteins in the cell which we would want to turn off ...Because we have such a long molecule we can put lots of different sequences in it so we can turn off more than one protein at the same time,” DeWitte-Orr said.

“Most of what we do with it is to activate [an] antiviral response called the Type I interferons (IFN-I), [which] stops viruses – but it does care what is in the sequence of the dsRNA just whether the dsRNA is there.”

This sparked the debate over whether or not order is important.

“It turns out that it does, and that we can regulate this sequence in addition to controlling what proteins the cell makes,” DeWitte-Orr said.

DeWitte-Orr discovered that a molecule also has a sequence, not that it is just dsRNA.

“This sequence matters, and we can control this sequence, and control what proteins the cell makes.”

“This is a platform technology which means this research could be imputed into so many different ways. You could put whatever sequence you want in the dsRNA. So that really opens up its application to pretty much any disease where the cell is making too much of something, this technology could help,” DeWitte-Orr said

This technology is in its early stages. The investigation into the discovery has not yet begun in its pre-clinical phase.

This therapy can be given in the form of an inhaler, and has shown to be useful for combating SARS-COV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

According to DeWitte-Orr, it could take anywhere from five to fifteen years for the treatment to become commercially available.

She recently applied for funding to conduct preclinical trials of the dsRNA technique on humans, which has only been viable in test tubes thus far.

Preclinical experiments with SARS-CoV-2 are the next logical step before human testing may begin. If that goes well, she’ll go on to human testing, which might take quite some time.

As for the future, they are “looking towards other viral diseases working on reducing influenza with this technology,” DeWitte-Orr said.

In addition, DeWitte-Orr hopes to launch pre-clinical trials evaluating the potential of their product to treat malignant tumors and lower back discomfort within the next year.

CONTRIBUTED IMAGE

CAMPUS NEWS

Exploring discrimination against LGBTQ+ students

ASHLEY BARRY LEAD REPORTER

A new study at Wilfrid Laurier University has found that discrimination against the 2SLGBTQ+ community likely leads to mental health and academic struggles for university students who identify as 2SLGBTQ+.

Thriving On Campus is the first study of its kind to interview and survey nearly 4,000 students from universities across Ontario, gathering the experiences, perceptions, wellbeing and academic success of students part of the 2SLGBTQ+ community.

The study also highlights the experiences of students who identify as 2SLGBTQ+ that are Disabled, Indigenous and BIPOC who are minority groups within the 2SLGBTQ+ community.

“This study is important because we need to have the information in order to know where we need to be putting our energies in terms of change,” Michael Woodford, a professor at the Faculty of Social Work said.

Woodford led the Thriving On Campus study and specializes in research about inclusion and exclusion of queer and trans individuals and how it affects their mental health.

“Part of the work that my team and I do around discrimination looks at microaggressions, which are everyday forms of discrimination that are subtle and are often unintentional, but it’s really important that we understand what their consequences are,” he said.

The report presents a vital source of information of the victimization of 2SLGBTQ+ identifying individuals and the microaggressions they experience on campus, including using incorrect pronouns, forms of documentation asking about gender and sex, receiving information about sexual health that is limited to cisgender bodies, non-accessible bathrooms, implying sex at birth is one’s real gender and negative messages or posts on social media.

“We have examples from students of where they’ve asked for particular pronouns to be used, and faculty have refused to do that, and then these students ask themselves, ‘is this really a space where I belong if my identities are not being respected?’” Woodford said.

Microaggressions are not the only form of discrimination 2SLGBTQ+ individuals face on campus, as the study reveals students reported being followed in a threatening manner, sexual harassment and verbal threats of bullying.

According to the report, nearly 12 per cent of participants in the study have been followed in a threatening manner, the highest rates being among students who are nonbinary at 19 percent and cisgender women at 17.1 percent.

For reported sexual harassment, cisgender women made up 22.7 percent of incidents, followed by nonbinary individuals at 17.7 per cent, and trans women at16.4 percent.

Additionally, the statistics for verbal threats show highest rates among trans men (27.8 percent), trans women (25 percent) and nonbinary individuals (23.4 percent).

These findings of discrimination and assault towards 2SLGBTQ+ have correlated to a decrease in positive mental health and difficulties with academic performance.

“If you think about the stress that goes into being an outsider on a campus––the feeling like you don’t belong, it takes a toll on people’s mental health and how you feel about yourself,” Woodford said.

When students do not feel safe to be themselves in an academic environment, they are likely to stop attending class.

“We found that across all forms of exclusion or discrimination that students who report higher levels of microaggressions tend to report lower levels of positive mental health and academic disengagement. If you don’t feel safe in class, you’re probably not going to those classes,” he said.

In some cases, high rates of victimization will lead students to consider leaving the university.

“The stressors students are under because the climate is hostile, unfriendly, and violent has consequences where students feel they need to leave the school to start all over again somewhere else,” Woodford said.

Although these accounts of students’ experiences with microaggressions are disheartening, this information is crucial towards creating an environment that is safe and promoting equality on campus.

“Universities have a responsibility to change the environment, and that’s why the campus climate programming that we do is really important, so we can ensure that we are really trying to work on eliminating microaggressions on a campus,” he said.

In recent years at WLU, the university has taken steps towards making campus an inclusive environment for 2SLGBTQ+ by introducing gender inclusive housing, accessible bathrooms, human resources partnering with the sexual violence and prevention support office, and the Rainbow Center.

However, there is room for improvement at WLU and universities across Ontario.

“We are really committed to trying to make change, and have been busy with another project that’s a follow up to the Thriving On Campus study where we’re mobilizing the findings, and helping campuses plan ways to make improvements,” Woodford said.

Woodford and his team continue to host webinars and virtual events to help participants learn, reflect and take action towards establishing a safer and more accepting campus environment.

You can find webinar recordings and information on the Thriving On Campus website: lgbtq2sthrivingoncampus.ca

SADIYA TEEPLE/ CORD PHOTOGRAPHY

AUTUMN LEAVES

A CORD AND RADIO LAURIER PLAYLIST

KINGSTON // FAYE WEBSTER

COMPENSATING //

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COME HOME //

ANDERSON .PAAK, ANDRÉ 3000

BREATHLESS ON DVD // ANTARCTIGO VESPUCCI

NO. 1 PARTY ANTHEM //

ARCTIC MONKEYS

HANG LOOSE //

ALABAMA SHAKES

I GOT YOU BABE //

BAHAMAS

SCENES FROM AN ITALIAN RESTAURANT //

BILLY JOEL

CHAOS SPACE MARINE //

BLACK COUNTRY, NEW ROAD

CERTAINTY //

BIG THIEF

ME AND YOUR MAMA //

CHILDISH GAMBINO

R U STILL THERE? //

CHRIS FARREN

DON’T THINK TWICE, IT’S ALRIGHT //

BOB DYLAN

EVERYBODY WANTS TO LOVE YOU //

JAPANESE BREAKFAST

THE GIRL //

CITY AND COLOUR

OPHELIA //

THE LUMINEERS

AND IT SPREAD //

THE AVETT BROTHERS

BIG YELLOW TAXI //

JONI MITCHELL

I DID SOMETHING WEIRD LAST NIGHT //

JEFF ROSENSTOCK

RIP YOUNG //

ISAIAH RASHAD

ARSONIST’S LULLABYE //

HOZIER

Sudoku

Dear Life

Dear Life is your opportunity to write a letter to your life, allowing you to vent your anger with life’s little frustrations in a completely public forum.

All submissions to Dear Life are anonymous, should be no longer than 100 words and must be addressed to your life. Submissions can be sent to dearlife@thecord. ca no later than Monday at noon each week.

Dear Life,

What’s the deal with group work? Why do I have to put my grades in the hands of people who for whatever reason never seem to be available or want to do any work? Every single time it happens I end up doing everything myself last minute. Please profs, make it stop.

Sincerely,

e weight carrier

Dear Second Cup in the Library,

I miss you so dearly, Please come back to me. Your delicious treats and soothing drinks Got me through many an exam season. And to the kind Second Cup sta , Who made me feel so welcome -- I think I miss you most of all. Sincerely, Underca einated

Dear Starbucks on campus,

Why is your line always so long? Sincerely, Unca einated

Dear Life,

WHY IS THE SUN ALREADY SETTING EARLY? Sincerely, Certi ed Autumn Hater

Maze

Name: _________________________________________________

Word SearchWord Search

B W S M P S C R U H D L E A V E S M Z M E J A R P A I N S T A G R A M Z P U M F X R O I H T F H M C M L X V O S I P O G K T R A Y A A A S G B O E I D M L O N E E I L R U J Y V I T T C A O A A T D T S T L J T D O Q I R X S V R S Y B G B T U O S U A R N Y X U I R H P L A S C R A W D M E G Z B G E Z O L D I L U U W L E X N S W F Y I I E W V W S L W E X I E K J M I R Y L S L M Y O T W S S K T N Q A Y N Q F Y V J V H G M R C A S Y G

Find the following words in the puzzle. Words are hidden and .

AUTUMN FOOTBALL HALLOWEEN INSTAGRAM LEAVES MARKET MAYOR MIDAS MOVIE MUSIC PLAYLIST POETRY PROTEST SHOES SPIRITUALITY VOTING

Created using Word Search Generator on Super Teacher Worksheets (www.superteacherworksheets.comVOLUNTEER WITH USCOME )

Arts & Life

ARTS EDITOR AMICHAI ABRAHAM arts@thecord.ca LIFESTYLE EDITOR CRYSTAL XUE lifestyle@thecord.ca

ACTIVISM

Is there a justification for Just Stop Oil?

AMICHAI ABRAHAM

ARTS EDITOR

e Just Stop Oil movement has recently been making waves in Europe, garnering worldwide media coverage. According to their website, their goal is ‘to ensure that the government commits to ending all new licenses and consents for the exploration, development, and production of fossil fuels in the UK.’ Many would call this a noble goal; however, Just Stop Oil and similar groups have been trying to achieve this through controversial means. e group has protested fossil fuels by blocking o roadways and spraying buildings associated with fossil fuels with orange paint. However, the protestor’s vandalism of valuable artworks has gotten the most attention from the media and the public. I interviewed University of Waterloo professor and art historian Bojana Videkanic about her thoughts on the art vandalism protests.

Perhaps the most cited instance of such protest occurred on Oct. 14 at the National Gallery in London. Two protestors, Phoebe Plummer and Anna Hollabd, threw tomato soup on the fourth version of Van Gogh’s Sun owers before gluing themselves to the wall next to the painting. ey then expressed the purpose of their action and the message they were trying to send. e painting itself wasn’t damaged as plexiglass protected it.

“ e social media and the news articles tended to foreground the act itself,” Videkanic said, “but they really didn’t show or talk about what [the protestors] were actually saying.” is is not only the case with Sun owers but also with many other famous and expensive works of art. e vandalism seems to be the primary focus of the public, leaving its actual purpose to the wayside.

With Sun owers, the protestors were making a point about the correlation between the cost of living crisis and the oil crisis. e soup was thrown at the painting because, as the protestors explain, many families can’t a ord to heat a can of soup.

Videkanic pointed out the neglected question, “Who owns these paintings?” going on to say, “Even though some of these institutions are “public,” they really aren’t as public as we would like to think [they are].” Art is supposed to be a public good that gives value to society. is isn’t the case, at least not currently. Fees are required for most art museums, an expense that many cannot a ord to pay.

Videkanic also mentioned the types of people with prestigious positions on art museum boards, “Most of the people who are emotionally, nancially and educationally invested in these institutions are also invested in extractive industries.” e individuals being ‘targeted’ by these protests are those who are perhaps most responsible for the current cost of living and climate crisis.

While she sympathizes with the young protestors’ message and their willingness to act, Videkanic ultimately deems the protest unsuccessful. By creating sensationalism through demonstration, they only draw more attention away from their cause.

Still, the protestors are asking an important question that should be discussed. After vandalizing Sun owers and gluing themselves to the wall, one of the protestors aloud, “What is worth more? Art or life?” Do we have an answer?

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Are you more concerned about the protection of a painting or the protection of our planet and people?!”

-Phoebe Plummer, climate activist

POETRY

The evolution of poetry and Instagram

JESSICA WYLES

ARTS CONTRIBUTOR

Poetry is an art form that has evolved over millennia and has been a cultural cornerstone of many civilizations. Whether it’s William Shakespeare and the sonnet, or Rupi Kaur and ‘Instagram Poetry,’ literature is subject to change. It seems that in the modern age, the types of poetry written have radically changed and social media has had a major in uence on the modern evolution of poetry. Professor, writer, and poet Tanis MacDonald said that the signi cance of poetry is the same as it was years ago.

“We’re still writing about what we want and wish, our important questions, about love and death, ideas we haven’t solved yet,” she said.

“[Poetry] reminds us that the privilege of reading means something.”

She emphasized the importance of language in poetry and the use of small spaces to support the intensity behind words.

Instagram poetry, a short form of poetry that’s developed within the last few years, has been met with con icting views in the literary world. MacDonald believes that criticism around Instagram poetry has been too harsh. “Instagram does all kinds of things, but if it introduces people to poetry, I don’t see anything wrong with that,” she said. “[a] perk of Instagram supporting poetry [is that it] gets more people reading.”

“People take stabs at poetry because they’re either gatekeepers, don’t want others to write poetry, or don’t like poetry,” Macdonald explained.

Although poetry has become intellectualized, MacDonald believes that poetry should be “an accessible experience” and recognized the popularity of Instagram’s attainable poetry. e popularity of Instagram poetry was sparked by now-prominent Instagram poet, Rupi Kaur, with her collection Milk and Honey. Kaur has been a preeminent force ever since, and MacDonald recognized that Kaur has in uenced more than just poetry.

“When her rst success hit she didn’t t into a category. She’s a woman of South Asian Canadian descent, there wasn’t room for her in Canadian Literature. She made space for herself, got a following, and Instagram is good for that.”

Kaur crafting that space also made room for more female poets, especially among people of colour. Kaur’s success inspired more people to share their voices through a new medium. Recently Kaur released Healing rough Words, a book of prompts. “I think books that o er instructional prompts remind people poetry is available to them,” MacDonald said. “Prompts remind us of our creativity.”

As poetry changes, Instagram has shifted towards accessibility, encouraging more people to be open to intense forms of expression. Poetic evolution continues to show us the power of language, and Instagram poetry is just the newest stage. e use of social media to promote poetry may be criticized, but, like any art form, poetry is and should be allowed to evolve.

MARYAM AHRARI/CORD PHOTOGRAPHY

Wild Writers Kitchener-Waterloo festival

AMICHAI ABRAHAM

ARTS EDITOR

From Oct. 28-30 the Wild Writers Literary Festival returned for another year of connecting Canadian writers and authors of all backgrounds and levels of experience. The annual event is hosted by The New Quarterly literary magazine. 2022 not only marked the 11th anniversary of the festival, but also a return to in person festivities.

I was fortunate enough to attend the main day of the festival and attend some wonderfully informative classes and presentations. Prior to the festival I talked to Eleni Zaptses who is the festival manager and the managing editor of The New Quarterly.

The festival took place at Balsillie School of International Affairs and featured dozens of professional writers, including a couple Pulitzer prize winners. I asked Eleni what the main goal of the festival was, “Since we’re returning in person for the first time [the goal is] reconnecting with the [Waterloo] community in person… that also includes students and all of the readers and writers locally.”

The festival garnered a strong turn out, however, what I found more profound was the desire of the festival goers to learn as much as they could from the experience. I asked Eleni if the festival expected attendees to be of a prevailing skill level. “There’s no prerequisites and that’s the interesting thing about the festival,” she told me. While experienced writers are welcomed, so too are amateurs. “You don’t have to be a professional.”

I was present at Luke Hathaway’s workshop The Poem as Mask.

As someone who dabbles in poetry, I found Luke’s ideas particularly refreshing. It gave me a different perspective on poetry and a desire to experiment a bit more next time I had the chance. I also sat in for a panel featuring Heather O’Neill, Carrie Snyder, and Tasneem Jamal giving tips about editing. These experienced professionals have unique insight when it comes to editing; their different experiences granted valuable advice to all aspiring writers in attendance.

I found everyone at the festival to be very friendly and excited to be attending. The speakers themselves were polite and genuinely concerned with helping more Canadian writers become successful.

There was a positive atmosphere that permeated throughout the day making the day a breezy and enjoyable experience.

I asked Eleni if we could expect another Wild Writers Literary festival in 2023. “That’s the plan! This is our 11th year and we’re continuing to plan full steam ahead for 2023.” She explained that for the organizers, there was a big learning curve when it came to readjusting to in person. However, she expressed optimism in how the foundation that was laid this year would benefit the 12th annual festival in 2023.

AMICHAI ABRAHAM/ ARTS EDITOR

The fog clears: Rust resumes shooting

JACK O’KEEFE

ARTS CONTRIBUTER

In a small church, notorious outlaw Harland Rust, along with his 13-year-old grandson, are surrounded by U.S. Marshall Wood Helm and bounty hunter Fenton “Preacher” Lang.

Finally closing in on the two, Harland’s grandson, Lucas, is to be hanged for the accidental murder of a local rancher, Rust: for freeing Lucas from death row.

Surrounded on every side, the outlaw decides the only way out is through a classical western shootout. Armed with his .45 Long Colt revolver, Rust cross-draws his revolver and cocks it.

It is said to be a “cold gun” by assistant director Dave Halls (meaning the gun had been checked to contain no live ammunition). Unfortunately, when it was fired, it killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

How the gun contained live ammo still remains a mystery with those involved blaming one another over the past year.

Matthew Hutchins, husband of Halyna Hutchins, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Alec Baldwin and the production of Rust in February, claiming that “aggressive cost-cutting practices” during the Rust production that endangered the safety of anyone on set.

Matthew was quick to place blame on Baldwin stating, “[Baldwin] recklessly shot and killed Halyna Hutchins on the set.” In response, Baldwin filed an arbitration demand stating he should take no financial losses over Halyna’s death.

After the fatal shooting, production was halted. Baldwin announced that he sincerely doubted Rust would ever begin filming again.

However, according to a statement by Matthew on Oct. 5, Rust will resume filming in January of 2023, with Matthew Hutchins acting as executive producer.

Matthew’s statement mentioned that the case against Baldwin for the wrongful death of Halyna would be dismissed and all original ‘key players’ from the production of Rust will remain on board. Withdrawing blame from Baldwin, Hutchins’ statement acknowledged that “Halyna’s death was a terrible accident.”

Baldwin’s attorney has said that “throughout this difficult process, everyone has maintained the specific desire to do what is best for Halyna’s son.”

Before the tragic accident, Rust was being shot at the infamous Bonanza Creek Ranch where films such as the Coen Brother’s Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018) and Dennis Hopper’s Easy Rider (1969) were filmed.

With the resumption of filming, the production will be moved out of New Mexico, suspected to resume in California.

The cinematographer taking Halyna’s’ position is still unannounced, yet there will always be a safety officer on set.

Although the production is moving out of New Mexico, the homicide investigation enacted by the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office will carry on.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

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