S The Silhouette Thursday, April 6, 2017
NEWS TALKING BACK Anti-racism initiative talkback dicusses ways to fight racism in Hamilton Page 5
ARTS & CULTURE TASTY HamOnt food blogger on how to make a successful food blog or Instagram Page 17
SPORTS GIVING BACK Three Marauder atheletes nominated for the Les Prince award Page 23
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The Silhouette
Volume 87, Issue 27 Thursday, April 6, 2017 McMaster University’s Student Newspaper
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Sasha Dhesi Steven Chen news reporter Emily O’Rourke features reporter Alex Florescu news@thesil.ca news editor
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The Silhouette welcomes letters to the editor in person at MUSC B110, or by email at thesil@thesil.ca. Please include name, address and telephone number for verification only. Letters should be 300 words or less. We reserve the right to edit, condense or reject letters and opinion articles. Opinions and editorials expressed in the Silhouette are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the editorial board, the publishers, the McMaster Students Union or the University. The Silhouette is an editorially autonomous newspaper published by the McMaster Students Union. The Silhouette Board of Publications acts as an intermediary between the editorial board, the McMaster community and the McMaster Students Union. Grievances regarding the Silhouette may be forwarded in writing to: McMaster Students Union, McMaster University Student Centre, Room 201, L8S 4S4, Attn: The Silhouette Board of Publications. The Board will consider all submissions and make recommendations accordingly.
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To borrow from a Matchbox Twenty song, let’s see how far we’ve come. The image above is the last edition of Volume 1 of the Silhouette. The school year ended much earlier, meaning March 12 was the last issue. The paper was four pages and the articles were significantly shorter.
WINDING DOWN This is the final issue of Volume 87! We will continue to publish content on thesil.ca. Volume 88 gets underway in early June. We also accept submissions for the summer issues, and story pitches can be directed to thesil@thesil.ca.
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, April 6, 2017
The Silhouette
| 3
News
MEET THE VEEPS
The incoming Board of Directors plan to focus on accessibility, space and inclusion on campus MADELINE NEUMANN/PHOTO EDITOR Alexandra Florescu Features Reporter
On April 1 and 2, incoming Student Representative Assembly members voted in the new McMaster Students Union vice presidents. Preethi Anbalagan was elected for vice president (Administration), Daniel D’Souza for vice president (Finance) and Ryan Deshpande for vice president (Education). The newly elected vice presidents will be joining president Chukky Ibe on the 2017-2018 Board of Directors. For the first time, the entire Board of Directors belong to a marginalized minority, something reflected in the focus on diversity and inclusion in all the vice president-elects’ platforms. Preethi Anbalagan, vice president (Administration) Anbalagan’s platform includes multiple points about how to support the SRA, part-time managers and associate vice presidents employed by the MSU. Among the points that stand out is the centralization and accessibility of resources. She plans to increase accessibility to resources for the SRA and make herself more accessible by centralizing information pertinent to both groups. She hopes that
the shared resources will foster collaboration between members with similar platforms and goals. She also plans to focus on helping SRA members stand up for their opinions, plans to run skull-building workshops for SRA members to work on strengthening their voice. Anbalagan also plans to initiate a summer conference style orientation for part-time managers and the SRA. The orientation will replace the existing MSU Retreat. Another major focus for Anbalagan is safety on campus. She wants to create a formalized online training module for how to contribute to a safer campus and to expand bystander intervention training to more reps and students on campus that will be running large Welcome Week events. Off-campus students also have a place on Anbalagan’s platform, as she plans to pilot events and social gatherings in areas of high commuter population prior to welcome week and to increase visibility of campus services and the SRA during Welcome Week. Daniel D’Souza, vice president (Finance) D’Souza’s platform complements Anbalagan’s programming for off-campus students
well, though this is more of a minor point for D’Souza. Instead, D’Souza plans to focus on affordable food and space, experiential work opportunities and diverse programming and outreach. D’Souza plans to address two longstanding campus issues that students care about: space and affordable food. D’Souza hopes to convert the unused space at TwelvEighty to create a joint restaurant and lounge and coffee shop similar to the model other universities already use. D’Souza also plans to cut some of the most non-profitable endeavours of TwelvEighty’s expenses, such as some Thursday club nights that have been poorly attended in the past. D’Souza hopes to use the free nights and decreased cost of renting TwelvEighty to encourage diversity programming. As for food, D’Souza wants to stock Union Market with fresh groceries through Farmstand during non-operating days in the summer and fall and an outside source in the winter. D’Souza plans to foster a partnership with the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce to increase opportunities for students in chamber events and local business. He hopes to use the MSU job portal to advertise for these jobs. While the point
would help find experiential work opportunities for the SRA, it is not readily apparent if any jobs will be created for students with other interests. D’Souza also emphasizes bystander intervention training and stresses that his goals for diverse programming and the potential use of the John Hodgins Engineering building field for on-campus concerts will not come to fruition unless this training is in place. Ryan Deshpande, vice president (Education) Deshpande takes an evidence-based approach to his main platform points, which are education, safety, diversity and food security. After seeing the data from the Academic Services Review survey, he plans to lobby for revised exam scheduling and to enforce the assessment ban through an anonymous appeals process. Among his points are podcasted courses and extended library hours, although Deshpande was not specific in how he would approach these points. Additionally, Deshpande will tackle the syllabus repository that students passed in the January referendum. Deshpande also plans to lobby for accessibility, focusing
on advocating for the university to use deferred maintenance funds to increase physical accessibility on campus. He also plans to work with Ibe to improve bus shelters and Wi-Fi on campus and increase the number of gender-neutral washrooms. Deshpande plans to revisit the conversation about an Indigenous course requirement and to advocate for Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe flags on campus. Similar to his fellow vice presidents, Deshpande wants to push for all undergraduate students to be trained in sexual violence prevention during Welcome Week. He also plans to lobby for expanded OHIP and UHIP coverage to include healthcare costs associated with a response to sexual violence. Deshpande’s food security platform point includes the implementation of a food security analyst, readily available allergy information, increased Kosher and Halal options and improved local food opportunities. The incoming vice presidents all have platforms that complement each other and their president-elect, promising a cohesive board of directors set up well to succeed in their upcoming term. @alexxflorescu
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NEWS
Thursday, April 6, 2017 | www.thesil.ca
Transportation troubles? The future of Light Rail Transit remains murky as gridlock continues in City Hall Steven Chen News Reporter
There is an emerging concern that delays to the Hamilton Light Rail Transit approval may result in cancellation of the entire project. Last week, Hamilton city councillors met for 13 hours to discuss issues related to the LRT, with the hopes of garnering provincial approval for an environmental assessment. This approval serves as a prerequisite to signing a master agreement with Metrolinx to improve the coordination and integration of public transportation in the Hamilton and Toronto areas. One outcome of the meeting was that the Bay Street stop was rejected from the LRT route. Overall, however, the council discussions will only lead to more delays in the LRT process. The ultimate decision that came from the meeting was to table the updated environmental assessment for the next meeting, which will be held on April 19. “The councillors want more information, and more opportunity to discuss. The truth is, after eight hours of meeting continuously, it starts to lag in productivity and focus,” said Aidan Johnson, councillor for Ward 1. “It became clear to many of the counselors that the extra information and discussion they needed in order to clarify their own ideas about LRT would best happen in a fresh meeting on another day.” The duration and scope of the LRT project demands the review of a report that is lengthy in nature. The 1,400 page report details precisely how LRT will be laid out, and all the details about where the tracks will lie and the impact on Wards 1-4 both during the building phase and after it has been running. This is so city councillors may evaluate if there are substantial consequences to the local Hamilton environment. While ecology is definitely an aspect that is considered, the environmental assessment entails for much more, such as the bearing of LRT on the city environment, the build form of the city, and livability of the city. Ward 4 Councillor Sam Merulla recently made waves with his
“The councillors want more information, and more opportunity to discuss. The truth is, after eight hours of meeting continuously, it starts to lag in productivity”
The next LRT meeting will take place on April 19. C/O CBC HAMILTON
Aidan Johnson, Ward 1 Councillor claims that the project may be in jeopardy. He is concerned that delays with the LRT proposal will eventually lead to a withdrawal of funding for the project. He has coined several of his colleagues as a “gang of 10”, who are using the pro-LRT argument simply as a means of gaining political attention, without a genuine regard for following through with LRT. He warns that this may lead to the loss of the $1 billion provincial investment in infrastructure across the lower city. “If their intent was to defer and delay for the sole purpose of making the project better, I would have no issue. But I realize that their strategy has more to do with a politics with no intent of ever supporting [LRT] and for that I say shame on them,” Merulla said. The reality is that the $1 billion provincial investment enriches Hamilton infrastructure in ways beyond the LRT. The withdrawal of this funding due to these delays may have greater consequences. “To gain attention for a project [such as LRT] that they believe is not popular and then waste the money because it is a train to nowhere that does not improve their constituents’ lives,” noted Merulla when asked to describe what he believed was going on. With another council meeting set in place for April 19th, it will take at least a few more weeks for the environmental assessment to be finalized. We have yet to see whether these delays will prove hazardous to the overall LRT transport system projected to be complete by 2024.
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NEWS
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, April 6, 2017
| 5
Working to end racism
Local groups collaborate to critically look at racism which exists in Hamilton and how it intersects with other issues Emily O’Rourke News Reporter
In collaboration with several other organizations, McMaster Womanists have taken on a bottom-up approach to addressing racism within the city of Hamilton through the Anti-Racism Action Initiative. The Anti-Racism Action Initiative is a grassroots, discussion-based series of events hosted by the McMaster Womanists meant to tackle the various intersections of race and community issues. The first event took place in late Nov. 2016 and gathered over 250 people to discuss their experiences of racism in Hamilton and to incorporate them into a report that outlines over 30 demands of Hamiltonians regarding racism within their city. The first event was held in response to the shortcomings and criticisms of the Sept. 26 Anti-Racism Directorate’s community consultation, in collaboration with McMaster Indigenous Students Community Alliance, Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights, McMaster Muslims for Peace and Justice, The Presidents Advisory Council on idling an Inclusive Community, New Generation Youth Centre and the office of Councillor Matthew Green. Held at the Central Hamilton Public Library, the Anti-Racism Action Initiative served as a more accessible venue for community members and students to discuss their experiences of racism and xenophobia within the city of Hamilton. The event was set in focus group discussions surrounding a series of topics, and amplified the voices of community members by allowing them to use their lived experiences to draft strategies for the change they would like to see in the community. Demands of this report surrounded topics including the intersectionality of disability, carding and police brutality, anti-Indigenous racism, community backlash, labour discrimination, hate crimes and gentrification. On March 31, the Anti-Racism Action Initiative held a Community Report Back, an event that gathered
The Anti-Racism Initiative uses dicussions with marginalized groups to inform their recommendations. MADELINE NEUMANN/PHOTO EDITOR
over 150 people to discuss the full report summary from the first Anti-Racism Action Initiative event, in addition to community updates of race related happenings in the city. Taking form through discussion groups assigned to each topic in collaboration with the Hamilton Community Legal Clinic, the Report Back allowed the community to decide what the next steps were. “Staying involved and making sure that the demands that came out of the initial report are being worked on is a good step,” said Sarah Jama, co-president of the McMaster Womanists and co-planner of the event. “But also making sure that we’re staying informed on what’s going on locally and globally is important. The issues of racism are always tied to broader concepts of colonialism, imperialism and can’t be removed from larger contexts.” Following the event, Jama released a statement to her Facebook page regarding an
incident with a security guard that occurred during the Anti Racism Action Initiative Community Report Back. As noted in her statement, during the event, a security guard allegedly refused entry to individuals who came to the event late and refused reentry to individuals who stepped out briefly, including Jama’s mother, although the McMaster Womanists had booked the space. The security guard allegedly told community members and volunteers that if they left the event or came to the event late, that they would be refused entry, without the knowledge of the organizers. Jama’s mother, who had volunteered to help with child minding at the event, had left the event briefly. Upon her return, she was denied entry, but had returned to the event to supervise the children in attendance amongst the traffic of individuals leaving. The security guard had allegedly yelled at Jama’s mother in front of the children in the
room, asking her to leave the library despite a white ally explaining that Jama’s mother was a volunteer. The security guard then allegedly threatened to call the police because they were afraid that Jama’s mother was being aggressive. Jama noted in her statement that they will be filing a formal complaint against the security guard, and stressed that the issue with the security guard, not the Hamilton Public Library. The McMaster Womanists are to review the minutes from each table discussion from the Anti-Racism Initiative Community Report Back and will assign the demands noted within each discussion to various community groups and activists who will take on the responsibility of accomplishing them. The group plans to reconvene next spring to update the community on the work that is being done. @emily_oro
“Making sure that we’re staying informed on what’s going on locally and globally is important. The issues of racism are always tied to broader concepts of colonialism, imperialism and can’t be removed from larger contexts.” Sarah Jama, Co-president McMaster Womanists
6 |
FEATURE
Thursday, April 6, 2017 | www.thesil.ca
by Scott Hastie
Spent. Technology has changed education. From online resources to course management, post-secondary education has been reshaped by the internet and computers. Among the many affected areas is critical reflection. McMaster University is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to try to address this. In 2013, McMaster University created the Learning Portfolio. According to a 2013 Learning Portfolio Working Group report, the project aimed to “enhance the experience of undergraduate and graduate students at McMaster” by creating an online resource where students could track both academic and extracurricular experiences. Students would create online portfolios for themselves, documenting learning goals and reflecting on their experiences. What has ensued in the four years since its creation are a series of changes and, more recently, a struggle between the university and the McMaster Students Union. The MSU has asked for the LP project to be discontinued, but the university
continues to make changes to try to push the LP as an important tool for students.
How the LP came to be The LP idea is a “major… initiative arising from Forward With Integrity” which is a 2011 letter from Patrick Deane that outlines priorities for the university moving forward. The idea comes from a group called the Student Experience Task Force. A SETF document dated July 12, 2012 introduces the project as a way to capture the entire student learning experience,
while encouraging mentorship and personal critical reflection. The LP is part of the Teaching and Learning branch of Forward With Integrity, along with the MacPherson Institute (formerly known as McMaster Institute for Innovation and Excellence in Teaching and Learning). “For a lot of us, it means connecting all the dots in the learning process, taking learning as a holistic entity; what’s happening in the class, in courses, across courses, co-curricular activities and professional volunteerism,” said Zafar Syed, associate director, educational technology at the MacPherson Institute. “It’s a way of capturing and connecting all the various
inputs that you’re getting and making meaning out of that.” The McMaster LP is a part of the larger higher education trend towards e-portfolios, an umbrella term referring to digital portfolios. E-portfolios have been a part of higher education academia since the early 2000s and education academics are optimistic about the tool’s ability to facilitate reflection and authentic learning experiences; ideas that are at the centre of McMaster’s goals for their own LP. The LP launched in Sept. 2013. According to the press release, “[r]oughly 3,000 students, primarily in first year, [would] create portfolios as part of their course work.” The purpose of this was to introduce students to the tool, not to mandate its use, as research has shown that e-portfolios have to be student-driven to be successful. Syed says that many programs have introductory courses that use the LP.
McMaster has spent $135,000 over three years to fund “learning portfolio fellows”; professors who “developed research proposals that study the utility and effectiveness of the Learning Portfolio”.
Mixed results In the past four years, the project has used a number of different tactics to encourage student engagement with the tool. After two years of the LP being hosted by Desire2Learn, the same company that manages Avenue to Learn, the university adopted a different e-portfolio software: PebblePad. “A number of people who started using [the Desire2Learn tool] had found that challenging. It wasn’t doing the kinds of things they were wanting to do with this process,” said Syed. PebblePad is not without its own challenges. The Student Success Centre provides links to four sample learning portfolios. Within these samples, there are pictures that are cut off and pixelated, text that overlaps and garish backgrounds colours. The samples look like blogs rather than an academic tool. When asked about what measurables MacPherson uses to determine the success or effectiveness of the project, Syed said the nature of the LP makes that difficult. They can track the number of users and number of uploads, but they do not know how much of the content is related to course requirements. There is no way for the university to track if students are using the LP after an introductory course. “Some of that information is probably difficult to determine because the portfolio belongs to the individual. We can’t go in there and ask them
“If you’re going to measure it as ‘have we achieved the goals that we put in front of us?’, I think, in some cases I would say yes”. Zafar Syed, Associate Director Educational Technology, MacPherson Institute
FEATURE
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, April 6, 2017
Department
Annual Contract dates
2013-14
Desire 2 Learn (D2L) - Learning Portfolio
University Technology Services
November 1st - October 31st
Pebble Pad -Learning Portfolio
University Technology Services
August 1st - July 31st
Funding from Forward with Integrity
MacPherson Institute
-120,000.00
Learning Portfolio Fellow
MacPherson Institute
98750
98,750.00
2014-15 101,556.00
2015-16
| 7
2016-17
56,905.01
60,265.92
99,313.00
159,000.00
45,000.00
45,000.00
45,000.00
26,556.00
201,218.01
264,265.92
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACCESS REQUEST - MACPHERSON INSTITUTE / UNIVERSITY TECHNOLOGY SERVICES
‘oh you created this thing, what it is for?’” said Syed. Despite some hiccups, Syed is positive about the LP so far. “If you’re going to measure it as have we achieved the goals that we put in front of us, I think, in some cases I would say yes. If the goal was to get more people exposed to and using this process, I think there’s been quite a bit of success.”
“There are profs who have told us that not only has it not improved the experience but it’s made the experience worse for students in the classes”
one has a different perception of what it is, it’s hard to make forward progression because everyone has this unique thing in their mind that we can’t agree upon,” said Monaco-Barnes. At the heart of the issue for Monaco-Barnes is cost, and he has not received a clear answer on what the university is spending.
Justin Monaco-Barnes, MSU President
Good idea, poor execution
Evaluating the costs and effectiveness
MSU president Justin Monaco-Barnes paints a much grimmer picture. Each year, the MSU makes recommendations to the university on funding. Monaco-Barnes says the MSU is recommending that the university cease to operate the LP, citing consultation with students and professors about the effectiveness of the program. “There are profs who have told us that not only has it not improved the experience but it’s made the experience worse for students in the classes. It’s hindering some students’ learning experiences. These are signs to me that something needs to be addressed,” Monaco-Barnes said. Conversations about the LP have been taking place throughout the past few years. A committee meets to discuss the project and how to move forward and improve the project. Monaco-Barnes and vice-president (Education) Blake Oliver sit on this committee, representing students, along with other university staff. Their experience has not been positive. “Some of the feedback we provide doesn’t seem to fully translate into next steps, which can be frustrating at times for us, considering this program is meant for the students that we directly represent,” he said. The president says the MSU agrees with the importance of the different issues that the LP tries to address, like critical reflection and mentorship. He believes that the LP lacks specific direction. “There needs to be a target. Is it leadership, is it mentorship, is it reflection? The way it is now, it’s so convoluted that every-
Through a Freedom of Information and Protection and Privacy Act request, the Silhouette was able to obtain a variety of costs since the beginning of the project. To date, the university has spent $710,789.93 on the project. They are also currently paying for software they do not use, as they signed a contract with Desire2Learn and abandoned it in favour of PebblePad. A cost breakdown can be found above. Determining a true cost of the learning portfolio project is difficult. The LP is housed under the MacPherson Institute, and according to the university, employees are not specifically tasked with working with the e-portfolio, therefore the labour costs are not available. The university has developed pilot courses in an attempt to engage students with the LP. Two of these courses were Social Science and Humanities 2LP3, run in 2013 and 2015 respectively. The costs to develop and run these courses are unknown, and both courses ran for only one term. McMaster has spent $135,000 over three years to fund “learning portfolio fellows”; professors who “developed research proposals that study the utility and effectiveness of the Learning Portfolio” according to a press release on Forward With Integrity’s website. It is equally difficult to evaluate the project’s effectiveness because of the lack of both statistics available and goals for the LP. One original target has changed. “There was talk initially that every student should have
“There needs to be a target. Is it leadership, is it mentorship, is it reflection? The way it is now, it’s so convoluted that everyone has a different perception of what it is” Justin Monaco-Barnes, MSU President
this and that it would be across the whole system. That’s a very high-level goal that requires resources and set up. I don’t think we’re there,” Syed said. MacPherson and the MSU both rely on anecdotal evidence from students and professors to inform their stance on the project. It is unclear what the next steps for the project are, as one side says it can be effective because some students and professors have had positive experiences, while the other side claims the opposite.
A time for critical reflection The current Board of Directors’s term is up, but the LP struggle will not end with their tenure. Monaco-Barnes says he will be discussing the LP with the incoming president, as addressing the project is a priority. Syed says MacPherson will continue to work through “user-case examples” to find out what the next steps are. But is ending the project a possibility? Given that the university’s belief in the Learning Portfolio stems from the university president’s vision letter, this seems unlikely. Abandoning the project without an alternative means the university would leave behind a stated goal of their president. The university will continue to foot the bill for a project whose legitimacy has failed to be proven in four years of existence.
@Scott1Hastie
PRESIDENT’S PAGE
April 6, 2017 | thesil.ca
ings: my Vice Presidents. Shaarujaa, Ryan, and Blake have been such a huge part of my life this year. Though often operating in the background (aside from Blake, who has dominated this President’s Page all year), these three individuals truly are the heart and soul of everything we have accomplished this year. They picked me up when I was down, supported me when I needed assistance, and encourJUSTIN aged me through tough times. I couldn’t have asked for a better MONACO-BARNES group of friends with whom I President shared this journey. When people ask me what president@msu.mcmaster.ca I will miss the most about this 905.525.9140 x23885 role, the first thought is always my Board. From Ryan’s red Just over one year ago, I was beard, to Blake’s weekly Brockelected the McMaster Students ville News updates, and yes, even Union President on a platform Shaarujaa’s stuffed dog “Willow”, of environmental sustainability, additional space on campus, and most importantly, the idea of change. “Be The Change” was my campaign slogan, and it was a concept I worked hard to embody during this presidency. Of all of the great accomplishments that were achieved this year with the help of countless individuals, the most surprising change I witnessed was that of myself. This year gave me the opportunity to experience something that was immensely bigger than myself, and I have grown significantly as a person because of it. Although this year was full of challenges and opportunities, successes and failures, highs and lows, I was able to get through each one alongside an incredible group of human be-
these are the moments that will stay with me forever. It’s not very often you get to work with your best friends each and every day, on issues you all care so much about. These three were able to challenge me, teach me, and inspire me every day for a year. I am a better person because of it. To the student body... Thank you for believing in me, and most importantly, thank you for being the change each and every day. As we part ways at the end of this month to embark on the new horizons that lay ahead, I know that you three will always be with me in some capacity. I
can’t wait to watch your lives develop, and to tell stories of what we accomplished as a team. To the undergraduate student body: thank you from the bottom of my heart for allowing me to represent you to the best of my abilities each and every day. You gave me your trust by electing me into this position, and that is something that I never took for granted. Everything I did this year was done with you in mind, as well as future generations to come. I believe it is important for leaders to leave an environment better than it was when they first got there, and together, we have done just that. Thank you for giving me this great opportunity, thank you for believing in me, and most importantly, thank you for being the change each and every day.
MSU_McMASTER
MSUMcMASTER.ca
@MSU_McMASTER
/MSUMcMaster
TEXT ‘MSU’ TO 71441
The President’s Page is a space sponsored and used by the McMaster Students Union (MSU) Board of Directors (BoD) to communicate with the student body. It functions to highlight the Board’s projects, goals, and agenda for the year, as well as the general happenings of the MSU.
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, April 6, 2017
EDITORIAL
| 9
Editorial
“Hello, I must be going”
My time here is up, but I’ll always bleed Silhouette red Scott Hastie Editor-in-Chief
Tradition dictates that the last editorial is a farewell from the Editor-in-Chief, or Executive Editor, as it was known when I started. As my first Executive Editor wrote in his sendoff piece, “I would like to depart from that tradition in no way at all”. My Sil story starts in 2011. I picked up my first paper in the Commons building after the Vanier Cup win and I was hooked. The product had a style to it, with inside jokes that I wasn’t totally a part of yet, but I was desperate to understand. It wasn’t until then-Sports Editor Fraser Caldwell and I followed each other on Twitter and he asked if I wanted to write. I would never have joined the Sil if my boy Fraser had not sent me a message. I was hired as a paid staff for the 2012-2013 edition and I was in the tank for the Sil culture. I loved the history of the place and I wanted to know everything. The staff indulged
S The Silhouette
me, and told me all the stories, ranging from the late nights to boardroom fights. Six years later, and a lot has changed. I am the last Silhouette staff member to have ever contributed to the broadsheet era, and I realize that most readers won’t know what broadsheet is. We used to be the size of a Toronto Star or Globe and Mail. It was stupid; we stayed up until 3 a.m. (at least) most weeks to make the product. The line between stupid and fun is a thin one when you’re working with your friends doing something you love for the first time in your life. I was one of those kids who felt no gratification through education. I thought a lot of it was meaningless, and that my work wasn’t making any kind of a difference. And shit, I was only writing about sports, so I know it wasn’t earth-shattering journalism. I knew people were reading, though. Coaches would make comments, I’d get the odd tweet about a piece. It wasn’t always positive and it shouldn’t have been. I got things wrong or came down too hard
on something. The thing with print media is that it’s permanent, and you have to learn to live with the mistakes. The Silhouette provided something that I hope all students can find during their undergrad: a home. I threw myself into the paper and followed university sports passionately and no one ever asked why I cared so much about something that few students are even aware of. They embraced it. I’ve outgrown this home, and that’s okay. Someone else can move in. I need new challenges and a change of scenery. I just hope wherever I go next, I’ll be lucky enough to meet the people who are as accepting and passionate as the Sil staff I’ve worked with. Father Time is undefeated, and my time at the Silhouette is up. That’s okay; I’m happy with what I’ve done. Every hour I’ve spent here – especially the ones spent missing class – has been worth it. In the words of Gord Downie, “If I had a wish, I’d wish for more of this.” @Scott1Hastie
Thank you! To the readers, writers, photographers, videographers, haters and everyone in between. We couldn’t make this whole thing happen without you. Enjoy the summer and see you next year!
to Big. to burnt piss.
to Big Endings. It’s weird to know that it’s all over.
to Motown high fives.
to endometriosis.
to good dates.
to the youth, racing to have kids.
to all my friends and All My Friends.
to no hot water in DSB.
to Al Legault, and moving on. If you ever have to host an event in Montreal, try New City Gas. Nice spot!
to the Thursday Cosmic Shift.
to signature scents.
to return of the strep.
to the OG Beauty and the Beast soundtrack.
to 7 a.m. fire scares.
to Volumes 83, 84, 85, and 87. What a run. to good karma.
to broken washing machines.
to being too caught up in life to read an Instagram caption. to 4 a.m. choreographed dancing.
to cute armpits. to A.C., for setting me straight when I wanted to bail. to the Volume 87 staff. All I wanted was a team who loved the Sil and had fun making #content. I couldn’t ask for anything more. Maybe fewer dad jokes, but I get it, my music taste is shitty. I’ll miss this group, and I can’t wait to see what happens next. You stay you.
to your ex-best friend changing her status to in a relationship... with your ex-boyfriend. Who updates Facebook relationships? to Murphy’s Law. to Hara Estroff Marano. to sorting through applications. to the Learning Portfolio.
1011 King Street West, Westdale Village 905.546.0000
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HUMANS
Thursday, April 6, 2017 | www.thesil.ca
What is something about McMaster that surprised you? I think the thing that surprised me most about McMaster is how attached I’ve become to it in the last three years. I expected it to be somewhere I would come to learn and maybe attend a few group or club meetings before going. I didn’t think I’d take much away from coming here besides my education. And, to be fair, my first year at university was like that - I didn’t feel much attachment to the school or the people here. However, that has definitely changed for me now. I think a lot of that shift came from going outside of my comfort zone and developing more close friendships. My friends have helped me to learn a lot both inside and outside the classroom; I really can’t imagine life at McMaster without them. I was actually reflecting on this the other day, because I found myself looking forward to coming to school on Monday, which is something I’d never experienced before. I think a lot of it comes from the fact that at school I get to study subjects I genuinely enjoy and spend time with friends I care about. Don’t get me wrong - I do enjoy weekends! But I found myself surprised by how much like home Mac had come to feel over the past three years, and how different my perspective is compared to a few years ago.’
matters more is why you’re friends, because that’s what decides whether or not you stay that way.
Sama Anvari Health Sciences III
If you could go back and say something to your first-year self, what would it be? I know you can’t possibly imagine yourself feeling comfortable here, or knowing your away around (especially with your terrible sense of direction), but it will happen! Except for TSH basement - that will always remain a mystery to you, so try not to go there alone. Also, you probably think 30 pages of notes is a lot...you ain’t seen nothing yet. Don’t worry though. You’ll be okay. Yung Lee Photo Reporter
How are university friendships different than high school? I think it really depends on the nature of the friendship. Sometimes it’s sad to think about all the people you were close to in high school, but at the same time people change and develop different interests. I also think a lot of high school friendships are based on superficial commonalities, such as having the same classes together, as opposed to genuine connec-
Laura Savoie Anthropology and Archeology IV
tions. In university, I think it’s often a lot harder to make friends, so the close ones you do make happen because there’s something deeper there. That being said, I’m still best friends with my best friend from high school, so I think it really depends. Another difference is that in university, you are exposed to a lot more people. Because of this, you’re able to meet a more diverse array of people, and can surround yourself with great friends that support you and make you happy. I think
I’ve also been very lucky to make some of my closest friends here - I don’t know if everyone has that experience in university. Overall, though, I think that in terms of lasting friendships it’s not necessarily important when the friendship happens - what
Have you seen change in yourself over the last four years?
university at a later age, my perspective is definitely different than younger people who often want to live on their own. I came to university when I was 28. So, I had already been out on my own and I had already had a career. I have been to school previously and university experience was much more demanding than my previous careers and schools. Sometimes younger people stay at home and take that for granted because it is hard when you have to pay your way through school and paying rent. However, I do see how it would be to their advantage because it’s quite a freeing experience. Living on your own and creating a network of support system other than your family is very important as well.
I started part time because I was working full time and I had to balance the two lives. I soon realized that I wanted to invest more time in school to finish more efficiently, but also to get the full experience of university and my education. So, I did full time in my third year and that really changed the experience of McMaster - it provided me with full flavour of the environment and the community. If you were from Hamilton, how would have your experiences been different?
GAGANGEET KAUR/ PHOTO CONTRIBUTOR
I probably would’ve been able to achieve higher grades in school because I would have been able to invest more time. I wouldn’t have had to worry so much about work, school, and the financial aspect so much. Having that family support here and not having them so far away from me would have been great too. I do see the other side to this as well. Since I came to
What is one thing you would have done differently in the past? It was a hard choice to come back to school because I have been to college twice before. I went to Anthropology and Archeology from massage therapy. It was a totally different industry, but I noticed lots of
crossover between the two. If I could change something, it would have been coming to university sooner because I didn’t think that I would be able to do it right out of high school. In high school I was told that I had learning disabilities and it let people guide me in more practical aspect like trades. I wish I had the strength and self understanding to do it a few years earlier. Yet, I think that my experience as an older student is invaluable and I wouldn’t trade it. I think it’s amazing to work with such an amazing and diverse age group of people. I mean, there are people who are 18 and then there are people who are 60 and who are coming back to get their education. So you’re never too old to get educated.
facebook.com/ HumansOfMcMaster
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, April 6, 2017
The Silhouette | 11
Opinion More flexible health coverage? Additional options would help those in financial need
C/O RICK CORDEIRO Danya El-Ahmed Contributor
The mental health resources at McMaster have been extensively discussed many times. I will not go into that, so I will not explain why I not only chose but was recommended, to see a private counsellor. In just one semester, I had paid over 2,000 dollars for counseling referred to by my previous doctor. The claim I submitted with all the receipts in the hopes that the McMaster Health Plan will cover me was denied. All the original receipts that I could have used for taxation purposes were gone. On top of that, a new medication change, which I had been delaying but was inevitable, was ridiculously expensive. $95 for just 30 pills. Thankfully, McMaster’s health plan does cover prescriptions.
I honestly do not know how I will pay for any of this after I graduate. On top of my general student worries about what I will do with my future, I am worried about how I will pay for my prescriptions. I was considering graduate school, but that does not guarantee the health coverage I need. If I can barely juggle my illnesses at the undergraduate level with all the support I am getting, how will I, at the graduate level, with possibly fewer resources available? My experience made me think about the barriers in our health care system. With the stresses that the academic environment provides and the financial burden tuitions impose on students, I could not avoid seeing the many systemic barriers based on socioeconomic status. Inequalities based on
socio-economic status are so entrenched in our society that it has become the acceptable norm to many. After bringing up an article that talked about expensive private clinics for the elite in Toronto, some responses I got were along the lines of, “What’s wrong with that?” A common logic progression I’ve heard states that if one can afford tests that not covered by OHIP, these can then help you get the care you need that will be paid by OHIP. But look at the health gaps our population faces because of this two-tier system. Biomedical ethics that preach justice as a necessary pillar for public health care means the human right to accessible medical resources, despite income or status as stated in the WHO Constitution, becomes secondary. Those who
With the stresses that the academic environment provides and the financial burden tuitions impose on students, I could not avoid seeing the many systemic barriers based on socioeconomic status. can afford to progress can. I have read that counselling is partially covered, but accessing that information is often complex, inaccessible or difficult to comprehend. That’s why I found out too late that
the McMaster plan only covered for clinical psychologists. I can’t afford Ph.D. professionals. A possible solution is providing community connections with counselors that would be partially covered for students who demonstrate financial need. I believe having a conversation about a more flexible McMaster health care plan can help overcome some of the inequalities that many students face. Extending the Extended Health Care Coverage for students at the same $110 who are not privately covered and who cannot afford many of the resources that should be accessible might be a step towards closing the income-related health gap.
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OPINION
Thursday, April 6, 2017 | www.thesil.ca
Adding up the benefits
McMaster should help rectify the gap in mathematics knowledge for arts degrees
C/O MCMASTER FACULTY OF SCIENCE Rachel Katz Managing Editor
On Mar. 23, the Ontario government announced a plan to make financial literacy a component of the new curriculum for the Grade 10 Careers course. This is welcome news. I entered university with next to no understanding of finance, personal or otherwise, and could have done without the onslaught of BuzzFeed-style personality quizzes doled out in my careers class. The announcement to rectify this knowledge gap at elementary and high school levels is a commendable one. The idea of incoming first years understanding how to manage their finances is appealing. But this announcement and this commitment to change at the high school level are not enough. Students are taught from an early age to be afraid of anything related to math, numbers and even simple arithmetic. This is presumably because, for generations, teachers have been taught to be afraid of doing, and, for that matter, teaching math. That has real, tangible effects and nowhere is this easier to spot than in teachers’ colleges. In an effort to equip student teachers with basic numeracy skills, some universities are scrambling to develop crash courses and last-minute reviews. Queen’s University is creating a new class on essential numeracy skills for all primary school teachers. Lakehead University distributes a mandatory two-hour math competency exam for teachers aiming for Grade 1 to 10 classrooms where calculators are prohibited and, according to a Toronto Star
report, about one-third of students fail the test the first time around. While McMaster does not have a specific education program, many grads see teaching as a career they wish to pursue following their undergrad. But if those prospective teachers are pursuing teaching from humanities or social sciences, they are potentially lacking in both math skills and confidence. The average Bachelor of Arts degree does not require students to take multiple, if any, mathematics courses. This means that the last math courses they took could be as far back as their final mandatory Grade 11 math class. Couple that with the infuriating stereotype that arts students pursue reading and writing because they can’t do more advanced arithmetic, and the university is setting future teachers and future students up for failure. This is pervasive at McMaster. From Welcome Week presentations and cheers to the deans of Faculty of Humanities dedicating their speeches at awards ceremonies to jokes about arts students’ poor math skills, the myth that humanities and social sciences students are neither smart enough nor dedicated enough to excel in mathematics is offensive and hurtful. As a student whose program bridges humanities and science disciplines, this is particularly upsetting. I was required to take a university level math course for my degree. During the time that I was in Math 1M03, I had to block out jabs from peers in both STEM faculties and my own to remind myself that I could pass a math course.
It’s fantastic that the Ministry of Education wants students to graduate to adulthood with some basic financial skills in their tool belt. As these math review courses in education faculties at various universities become more entrenched, I think we will see a difference both in teachers’ and students’ confidence in their math skills. But before that happens, we need to see a lot of changes on a lot of levels of administration.
At the university level, undergraduates in arts programs don’t need to hear the jokes about how bad they are at math. They don’t need to hear them from their peers and they absolutely do not need to hear that from the heads of their faculties. It’s insulting. It’s condescending. And it perpetuates a wide range of other stereotypes about gender and demographics that are more numerous and complicated than I can address
in one article. Math is hard, sure. But so is reading over 100 pages of courseware a week. So is writing so many essays a semester that you develop a formula for two, three, four thousand word papers. Academic challenge shouldn’t be scary. And no one should make that clearer to students than their teachers, no matter the level of education.
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EVENTS CALENDAR Light Up the Night When: April 6, 2017 Where: McMaster University To celebrate the end of class, the McMaster University Alumni Association, the McMaster Students Union and the Student Success Centre have partnered to create a truly awesome experience. We will Light Up the Night with thousands of bulbs strung between campus buildings and trees, culminating with a fireworks show at 10 PM. The third annual year-end block party will feature carnivalesque rides, games and food. Ride the Gravitron, have fun with friends in the Para-Trooper, or take in the view from the Ferris wheel. Stroll the street playing the midway games and enjoy traditional carnival food. In addition, Light Up the Night will boast a main stage, as well as a side stage. Special musical guests will include Jazz Cartier and Fateh on the main stage, with even more talent on the
side stage. In addition, the annual Last Lecture with Q&A in Burridge Gym will feature comedian, actor and writer, Sabrina Jalees.
Exam Drop In
This is a free event, all McMaster students & alumni are welcome. Please note, a McMaster University student card will be required for access to the free food vendors and for ride admissions.
Where: MUSC 230
Light Up the Night Afterparty When: April 6, 2017, Doors at 10:00PM Where: TwelvEighty Bar and Grill Join us for the LAST CLUB NIGHT of the year! This Thursday we’re having our first ever post-Light Up The Night club night! Featuring DJ Lowkey! $4.25 dometic beer and $4.25 rails. Cover is only $2 before 11PM and $4.50 after! Doors open at 10pm - don’t miss it. #ThirstyThursday
When: April 11, 2017 at 05:30PM until April 23, 2017 at 05:30PM Every semester the Chaplaincy centre staff provides a relaxing space, beverages, and cookies during exams. This semester we will be adding fresh fruit and fruit juices as a healthy alternative. Students are then able to take a break and recharge before getting back to studying and or getting back to writing exams. This is a free event and all are welcome to drop in at any time start time is 5:30 pm and end time is 9 pm. Dates April 11, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23. See you there!
DID YOU KNOW? The David Braley Sport Medicine & Rehabilitation Centre is OPEN to ALL McMaster Students and the services are COVERED under the MSU Health Insurance Plan PHYSIOTHERAPY DAVIDBRALEYSPORTSMED (905) 525- 9140 ext. 23575
conveniently located on campus
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CHIROPRACTIC @McMASTERSPORTSMED
SPORT MEDICINE PHYSICIANS OSTEOPATHY
ORTHOTICS
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www.marauders.ca/sportmed
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OPINION
Thursday, April 6, 2017 | www.thesil.ca
Peter George: champion of the McMaster experience
C/O ANDREW BAULCOMB David Moore Contributor
Much has been written about Peter George’s 45-year career at McMaster that culminated in an unprecedented three terms as president and vice-chancellor. I am one of many who think of him first in terms of contributions he made to benefit of students. He was Dean of Social Sciences when I came to McMaster and it was with his encouragement that a few of us came together to found the Social Sciences Society in 1988. He understood the potential for the MSSS and encouraged us to build an organization in
our faculty that would serve students well as other faculties had done before us. Ours continues its tradition of service to this day. When his appointment as president was announced in late 1994, his very first media interview included an unequivocal commitment to build a new student centre. He called it “a moral responsibility of the University.” Students had been paying capital fees since 1988. Those of us who had been project advocates for years had found our champion. The path forward to build much needed, non-academic student space was fraught with
challenges. Peter put his reputation on the line and led the external fundraising campaign seeking millions of dollars for what would eventually be the MUSC and the DBAC to build on the commitment students had already made with continuing contributions and mitigate additional student costs. Governing is about making difficult decisions and the calls he had to make were not always popular. After a decision about the student centre’s location was made publicly before it was shared with student leaders, he stood before the SRA and took his lumps – for the better part of an hour. He understood how keenly the issues were felt and
the importance of not letting a short-term disagreement derail long-term benefits to students. It was one of the defining moments that made the MUSC possible. During his 15 years as president, Peter was a fixture at student and alumni events. He revelled in celebrating their achievements. He was not born an extrovert, but early in his career, he learned the art of mixing with varied audiences and put that ability to good use on campus and in wider areas for the benefit of our university. McMaster has announced that the new Centre for Living and Learning will be named in Peter’s honour. By both
MOVIE NIGHT Free
FOR
sheer size and the scope of its mission, it is worthy to bear the name of one of McMaster’s most remarkable leaders. After conferring an honorary doctorate on Peter last Friday, Chancellor Labarge remarked that until the next convocation in May he would be the lone member of the Class of 2017 – a man in a class by himself. Those of us who have known Peter well for so many years knew how right she was a long time ago. David Moore is a former president of both the MSSS and MAPS. He has been president of the MSU Alumni Association since 2001.
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LAST CLUB NIGHT OF THE YEAR ONLY AT TWELVEIGHTY!
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1ST ANNUAL YEAR-END LUTN CLUB NIGHT FEATURING DJ LOWKEY
THURS.APRIL 6 TH DOORS 10:00 PM $2 .00 BEFORE 11PM $4 .50 AFTER 11PM $4 .25 DOMESTIC BEER $4 .25 RAILS
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The Silhouette
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, April 6, 2017
| 17
Arts & Culture Gorgeous grub for your Instagram 17K followers strong, Taste of Hamilton shares how to run asuccesful food blog and Instagram C/O TASTE OF HAMILTON
St. James’ Eatery’s Bacon stuffed short stack with caramelized bananas.
Tater tots, calamari and slow roasted ribs from Brux House. Adrianna Michell Contributor
The growing food scene in Hamilton demands to be documented. With the influx of chefs and restaurateurs making the city their new home, foodies have followed in line to lend their voice. Instagram has become the preferred platform to share dining experiences and exciting innovations taking place from King Street East to West. Whether it’s cookie dough on in ice cream cone or one of Hamilton’s many coffee shop masterpieces, the @tasteofhamilton duo Jenn Leeming and Brittany Dinallo have archived the best of what the city has to offer, or as they put it, the most “drool-worthy”. Launched in 2015, Taste of Hamilton has since built a
community of 17,000 followers. They often feature their followers on the page and invite fans of their account to collaborate in exploring the city’s culinary culture. For someone hoping to build a successful Instagram page or social media network, Dinallo offers some insight into what is necessary to cultivate a foodie community. “We like to involve people from the community and the [pictures] that they’ve taken, and give them a little bit of the spotlight as well,” said Dinallo. Including followers in the creation of the feed can also help to foster deeper engagement with followers. Taste of Hamilton sources photos that users have tagged with their own #tasteofhamilton hashtag. This works well when covering new, trending restaurants that
followers of other accounts may start searching for. Collaboration with followers is vital to generate growth, Dinallo says. “If it’s just me showing you… at a point [you ask], how deep can the engagement really go beyond just maybe… a comment. But the second you actually have people thinking of you when they’re sitting down at a restaurant to eat, I think that’s when you’ve actually proven [you have]a deeper meaning, and a deeper value… with your fans.” Dinallo also suggests being strategic in the use of new features on the app, like stories or Instagram’s newly released gallery feature. For a feature to be useful, it needs to add value to the experience of the viewer, which Taste of Hamilton has seen with their use of stories. Instead of a single, static image,
the account has used stories bring followers into the dining experience virtually. Taste of Hamilton has been working on creating a website where they can further connect with Hamilton’s foodie community. To them, using a website as a destination for those interested content posted on Instagram allows for more information, and an opportunity to explore an event or idea in greater detail. Students who want to create a platform may find the needed time investment daunting, but the Taste of Hamilton team manage to balance full-time jobs and keeping their Instagram up to date. They credit their ability to balance their heavy workload to their cooperation and time management skills. “[You] just have to have
a good partner,” Dinallo says. “You really need the discipline… that career-drive to kind of keep it going. Otherwise it can become a hobby, and then it can become a fad, and then it can go away.” As the Hamilton culinary community continues to expand, more Instagram accounts and other media platforms will be able to carve out their space in foodie conversations; however, Dinallo suggests finding a unique take on what may become an over-saturated foodie scene. “To be the second to market isn’t always necessarily the best strategy… But, if you can find a unique angle and a different way in that adds value that no one else is doing or someone else isn’t really doing well, then you can carve out your own territory.”
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A&C
Thursday, April 6, 2017 | www.thesil.ca
The Young Artists of (a Gentrified) Hamilton MADELINE NEUMANN / PHOTO EDITOR
Rife with homegrown talent, Hamilton has undergone a transition from blue collar steel town to a revitalized entertainment hub with a thriving arts and culture scene. But one person’s revitalization is another’s gentrification, and Hamilton locals and newcomers find themselves at odds about what changes mean to the city and those who reside in it.
Michelle Yeung A&C Reporter
Critics of gentrification argue that the hike in Hamilton’s real estate market has displaced lower income households from their own neighbourhoods, all the while replacing districts of hardware stores and thrift shops with new lofts and trendy restaurants. On the other hand, supporters suggest new investments will bring more opportunities for those in the city, particularly for the young creatives of the arts and culture scene. But how, exactly, has gentrification affected those in the city, particularly the “young creatives” it supposedly benefits? What is Hamilton’s elusive arts and culture scene really like from the inside?
C/O MICHELLE YEUNG
Sahra Soudi
For most of her childhood, Sahra Soudi lived in Dundas, a predominantly white constituent community within Hamilton. As a Somali-Canadian, she did not grow up with people who looked like her. She still recalls a particular instance where someone spilt burning coffee on her Somali-Egyptian mother, who wears a hijab due to her Muslim faith. They only responded with a facetious and unapologetic “oops”.
Today, the multimedia student uses art as a means of expressing her experiences as a woman of colour. From selling totes, stickers and buttons adorned with her artwork at art crawls and O’s Clothes to creating her first zine for the Hamilton Feminist Zine Fair, Soudi tells her personal narrative through the marriage of art and activism. Although Soudi is now a member of Hamilton’s inner art circle and considers it a friendly and welcoming space, she did not always feel encouraged to participate. “I can name maybe two [notable artists on Hamilton’s art scene] who are Black… Kareem Ferreira [and] Stylo Starr. The lack of representation has a lot to do with [my feelings of discouragement],” she said. “[Rarely do people encourage] Black, Asian [or other racialized] children to be artists. It’s a very hegemonic, white-dominant scene… same with music, you don’t see a band that is solely people of colour here.”
“It’s a very hegemonic, white-dominant scene… same with music, you don’t see a band that is solely people of colour here.” Sahra Soudi
Hamilton artist and Muntlimedia student
Although forging her own path in Hamilton’s art scene has not been easy, Soudi accredits inclusive art spaces like Casino Artspace and HAVN for supporting aspiring artists in their communities. For instance, HAVN will be adding Soudi into their collective, where she hopes to curate and create narrative-based art that is telling of experiences of marginalized communities. While Soudi agrees that some changes have brought opportunities into the city, she wonders who these opportunities are for. Recently, there has been a divide between the youth of Hamilton and newcomers. Although she grew up in Hamilton, she now feels uncomfortable walking down King William Street. She doesn’t feel as though she belongs with the patrons of the new, upscale restaurants. Despite current feelings of unease, Soudi plans to stay in her hometown for the foreseeable future. “I’ve been [in Hamilton] for so long… it would be hard to leave it in the state that it’s in
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www.thesil.ca | Thursday, April 6, 2017
and start somewhere else completely new,” says Soudi. “My goal is to create more spaces for people who don’t have that avenue to express themselves through art. I think being who I am, looking like I do and entering predominantly white spaces [like the arts and culture scene in Hamilton] is pretty cool and radical. I want to show others that you can exist in a scene that wasn’t necessarily made for you, and that you can thrive within it.”
Steve Good
An avid cyclist and coffee aficionado, Steve Good has been a part of Hamilton’s arts and culture scene and as a barista for nearly eight years. For five of those years, Good worked at Café Domestique (now closed), a cycling cafe in Dundas that harmoniously combined his passions for biking and coffee. Currently, he works at Smalls Coffee, a tiny coffee take-away spot located on Cannon Street East. Good’s long-time involvement with Hamilton’s coffee scene provided him with an in to the rest of the arts and culture community. Through meeting customers who are often young artists and musicians, Good has become a frequent patron of art spaces and performance venues throughout the city. As such, he’s seen first-hand how rising rent due to gentrification has priced out local businesses and spaces for artists to collaborate, replacing them with bars and restaurants. “The opportunities that bars and restaurants offer are not necessarily available or desired by artists because that just isn’t their kind of space,” said Good. “When you have affordable spaces, there’s a higher likelihood for performance… and currently, the arts and culture scene has been suffering due to
the lack of these spaces.” Critics of gentrification have drawn correlations between new coffee shops and rising rents. Good believes this to be a general rule in a society that follows trends; when something becomes cool, as coffee culture did, it becomes a product of capitalization. Good has only seen inclusivity towards the community from within the coffee industry. However, he also recognizes his privilege as someone who could benefit from gentrification as he works in the service industry. “It’s a double-edged sword… gentrification is basically the commodification of cool and does not necessarily benefit the people who put the neighbourhood where it is, which is unfortunate,” he said. “I do feel a little guilty for participating in the coffee aspect of the arts and culture scene when injustices — such as people losing their businesses or art spaces — are taking place… but my take is that we can’t just sit and complain… it’s important to adapt. It is unfortunate that businesses are hurting and people are being priced out…but what is there to do? We just have to [keep these people in mind, help when we can], and adapt together as we move forward.”
“The opportunities that bars and restaurants offer are not necessarily available or desired by artists because that just isn’t their kind of space.” Steve Good
Barista Smalls Coffee
Sam Anderson
There are few people in Hamilton’s arts and culture scene who don’t know Sam Anderson. As the eclectic drummer of alternative rock outfit Good Anya (recently renamed Reader), Anderson is known around town as much for his talent as for his infectious charisma. Besides playing in his band, the musician moonlights as a photographer who shoots exclusively on 35mm, often of his girlfriend Hannah Clark who is also an artist. Within the arts and culture community, gentrification has already made its mark. Rising rent has caused many local galleries and art spaces to close. Anderson even experienced this first-hand. He moved out of the apartment he shared with Clark on James Street North as the rent increased twice within a year. Besides spaces like Casino Artspace and HAVN, which Anderson praises for their inclusivity of budding artists, he sees empty studios on James Street that have become exclusive to those who have money. “To me, the saying ‘art is the new steel’ is bullshit because nobody actually cares about the arts… we’re selling an image of art but we’re not actually selling any art. We’re selling real estate,” said Anderson. “A lot of places have become a rich person’s hobby, while people around the city work their whole lives trying to make spaces that are just being forgotten.” Anderson stresses that people must consider those less fortunate, who are unable to live in new condos atop restored old building. While Hamilton advertisements focus on the Bayfront, Locke Street and King William Street (he considers King William to be the scary epitome of gentrification), he urges people to look beyond the
smokescreen. With venues like Baltimore House closing down and people moving away, the arts and culture scene has come to a lull. Anderson believes this is only temporary, but that it will take a group effort to have the arts and culture scene pulsing with cohesiveness and liveliness once again. “It can’t just be one person… it has to be everyone working together, doing their art while working towards the same thing. That is something that in Hamilton has always been and will always be happening,” he said. “A lot of young creatives are leaving Hamilton for Toronto; if that’s their thing, good for them. For me, I want to stay and fix what’s in front of me instead of leaving it behind. I might be able to do my own thing around the world at some point, but I’ll always come back.” Despite the challenges that come with being a young artist in Hamilton, members of the local art scene are working to help their community adapt to fit artists’ needs as their city changes. Soudi, Good and Anderson all wish to continue creating spaces for their work. They hope that in the near future, they can create an art scene that is even more inclusive then what Hamilton’s current neighborhoods can offer.
“A lot of young creatives are leaving Hamilton for Toronto; if that’s their thing, good for them.” Sam Anderson
Drummer Good Anya/Reader
@mich_yeung
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Thursday, April 6, 2017 | www.thesil.ca
Culinary Class Act
A&J Sugarbowl Local confectionery corner store offers large selection of sweets for your summer stay-cation Daniel Arauz A&C Editor
What it is Growing up in Hamilton, summer break has always been synonymous with downtown trips, a waltz through the farmers’ market with my parents and promises of sweet treats after we’re all done. Ice cream, chocolates, candy and specialty sodas were my first sugar servings of choice, but As I grew older, my go-to treat was bubble tea. The Taiwanese soy milk tea beverage served with tapioca bubbles, grass jelly or pudding needs no introduction for most urbanites, but it was still a novel treat for a kid who spent his youth mostly confined to the suburbs. As I explored more, I soon stumbled upon A&J Sugarbowl. While I first was excited to finally find a cup of bubble tea under $5, I soon found a treasure-cove of all my favourite summer sweets. A&J Sugarbowl is located on 124 MacNab Street North and features a gigantic selection of desserts and snacks, ranging from a wide selection of specialty chocolates, bubble tea, Chapman’s ice cream, flavoured cotton candy, popcorn, egg waffles, crepes and funnel cake. How to get there from Westdale/Ainslie Wood Take any bus from campus to Main at MacNab. Walk towards King Street East, through the MacNab bus terminal station. If you decide to walk down James Street North, proceed until you reach the Cannon Street West intersection. Walk west along Cannon until you reach MacNab Street North. A&J will be right on the corner. If the weather is too warm, you can also walk through Jackson Square, through the food court, and into the Hamilton Farmers’ Market. Exit the market through the glass doors facing York Boulevard and MacNab Street North intersection. Cross the street and walk down MacNab Street. A&J will be on the corner of the MacNab and Cannon intersection.
Price range $5 to $10 will cover almost all of your sugary cravings at A&J. Bubble starts at around $3, and goes up to around $6 for large slushie bubble teas. Three scoops of ice cream is still only priced at $2.96, with sundaes and banana splits still under $6. Even the more decadent desserts are still priced between $8-$10. Must-order item I find myself walking through the door most often craving a Coconut or Mango milk bubble tea. If I’m looking for something more refreshing than sweet, they thankfully allow you to customize the original milk tea recipe with four different types of tea. If you are bringing a group, I highly recommend splitting some of the more delectable items on the menu, including the dessert ice cream waffles, homemade churros or the funnel cake with ice cream. Why it’s great While there are many nearby James Street North locations to indulge in some seasonal foods, I would argue that and A&J should be one of your primary choices this summer. Their menu truly has something for everybody. It is centrally located if you are out for a full day of downtown plans, but it has also has a laidback, inviting atmosphere for those in need of a place to stay a while. It is open late hours with readily available seating. The service is always warm and friendly, and they even provide a couple board games, inviting patrons to stay a while and enjoy their desserts (and their air conditioning). A&J is more than just a convenient spot to get your sugar fix. To me, it embodies everything that excites me about summer. Cold drinks, big scoops of ice cream and every one of your favourite name brand confectionaries and sharing those all with your reunited group of hometown friends.
Brownie waffle with ice cream. C/O INSTAGRAM @AJSUGARBOWL
Strawberry-banana nutella french toast.
Mango fruit bubble tea.
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GAMES
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Thursday, April 6, 2017 | www.thesil.ca
A RESEARCH STUDY ON CHANGES IN DRINKING OVER TIME AMONG YOUNG ADULTS
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investigating changes in drinking over time among young adults.
To find out if you are eligible, call 905.522.1155 ext. 39009 or 39712 OR email: beta@mcmaster.ca Version 1.0 August 17, 2016
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, April 6, 2017
The Silhouette | 23
Sports More than just student-athletes
With the school year winding down, three Marauders are using their platforms as student-athletes to make a positive impact in their community Lauren Beals Sports Reporter
For swimmer and fourth-year biology student Victoria Giglio, staying busy is just a way of life. “I find that by keeping busy and doing multiple things, it helps me take a break from a previous task, said Giglio. “If I am feeling overwhelmed, it allows me return to something with a better mindset.” The coach of the Dundas Seahawks Special Olympics swim team, a Mac Athletes Care executive and a Physical Activity Centre for Excellence aquatics program volunteer, Giglo certainly has lots of opportunity to switch up what she is working on. But she also has a chance to use her own experience in the pool to make a positive impact for others. “I think that sports and community service definitely teach some of the same lessons,” said Giglio. “As a veteran on a team and in a leadership role volunteering, I can provide my knowledge and experience to younger athletes and community members. It has made me a better leader, and given me the ability to work as a group towards a common goal.” Giglo was one of four McMaster students nominated for the Les Prince award, an annual title given to varsity athletes demonstrated outstanding community service. Nominated by their respective coaching staff, each nominee has spilt their time representing Mac on the field and off, contributing to volunteer initiatives in the greater Hamilton area. This year the Les Prince Award was presented to women’s hockey team captain Michelle Biehl, in honor of her outstanding contributions to the Hamilton community. Biehl has been an active supporter of several community initiatives including Boys and Girls Clubs kids to campus trips, Think
Third-year Lydia Hicks was one of four Marauder athletes nominated for the Les Prince award for community service. C/O FRASER CALDWELL
Pink to benefit breast cancer, and the the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport Succeed Clean program. But finding the balance between community work and sport can be difficult, especially with the stressors of everyday academic life. For fencer and third-year biochemistry student Chris Zhang, figuring out a system that works is an ongoing process. “Like any other student, that perfect balance is something I’m consistently trying to achieve,” said Zhang. “I don’t think I’ve found it yet. I find it difficult to assign strict priorities because my sport, my volunteering and my academics are all very important to me… It is the difficult choices we make in these experiences that define the type of experience we have.” When he isn’t leading the sabre team to team a silver
finish at the Ontario University Athletics championships, Zhang has looked to define his time at Mac by volunteering with the Good Food Box program and the Good Shepherd Christmas Toy Drive. He has also organized fencing demonstrations for the Hamilton community, and worked with Mac Athletes Care throughout the year. “Sports and community service have provided me with an opportunity to look at life from a different perspective,” said Zhang. “it gets very easy to get lost in a world of studying, testing and grades… volunteering with causes I believe in is a chance to try and step out and try to make the world a better place… [it reminds me] that there is more that can be learned in life then what [we are] simply taught.” Another alumna of the Mac Athletes Care program, Lydia
Hicks has her earned her fair share of life lessons. “When I find activities that I really love, like rugby and Mac Athletes Care, it’s pretty hard for me to say no to them,” said Hicks. “I think [it] has actually allowed for better time management for schoolwork, because they force me to be productive and get work done in the time gaps that I have. I actually find that when don’t have activities in my week… I’m less productive and I procrastinate more!” A third-year Psychology, Neuroscience and Behavior student, Hicks doesn’t have much time on her hands to waste. But the days she has spent interacting with community members has taught to cherish the simpler things in life. Whether it is sports or volunteering, for Hicks, it all comes down the human connection. “Everyone goes through his
or her own personal battles, and it’s important to establish some sort of network of support to fall back on when you need it,” said Hicks. “On the rugby team, I have amazing teammates and coaches, and we are always there to listen and support each other whenever we need it. [With volunteering] I’ve had the chance to establish some really great connections with youth who are going through struggles of their own. Even if it’s just a small conversation with someone, that can be an opportunity to help them to get through… and potentially make their day a little bit brighter.” For all they have done, the McMaster community is certainly a little brighter for this year nominees. Let’s hope they stay busy.
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Thursday, April 6, 2017 | www.thesil.ca
Tweedle focused on Ottawa
After taking home a bronze medal at nationals, track and field star Jeff Tweedle now sets his sights on the Canadian Track and Field Championships in July Eamon Hillis Contributor
When a season comes to an end, and an athlete is forced to reflect, the sense of accomplishment or failure they feel is often determined solely by the outcome of a single championship event. For McMaster’s Jeff Tweedle, this event was the U Sports Indoor Track and Field Championships in Edmonton, Alberta between March 9-11. Tweedle qualified in both the 1000m and 1500m, and entered the meet as a top-three seed in both events. His chances at a national medal were as promising as they were precarious, and he knew this well. In the 1000m, Tweedle’s first event of the competition, he chose to move to the lead early and to dictate the pace from the front. In choosing this strategy his goal was to force the rest of the field into an uncomfortable pace and to nullify the kicks of some of the faster finishers. His strategy worked well. Tweedle crossed the line in third place with a time of 2:25.85, capturing his first national medal as a Marauder. “I’m very happy with how the 1000m turned out,” Tweedle said. “I thought I executed a pretty solid race plan and I was able to hold on for third place. My goal was just to get out in the front, race hard, and see what happens. I came in as confident and as fit as I’ve ever been.” With only 24 hours of rest after his medal winning performance, Tweedle found himself back on the track to try again in the 1500m. Surprisingly, the race’s narrative unfolded similarly to the previous day. As is the case in many championship races, especially as the distances get longer, runners are reluctant to take the lead early because it requires more energy. When Tweedle found himself leading the race from the start however, he embraced the opportunity and committed to pushing the pace. With a lap to go he lost his lead and ultimately faded to a fifth place finish. “In the 1500m I felt that I didn’t pick a winning strategy,” Tweedle said. “I kind of got pushed out to the front and instead of easing up to poten-
tially get tripped up by the pack I decided to go to the lead. I felt I had some of the best speed in the field, and if it came down to a kick I would have a good chance.”
"My goal was just to get out in the front, race hard, and see what happends. I came in as confident and as fit as I've ever been." Jeff Tweedle McMaster track and field Going in, McMaster’s track and field head coach Paula Schnurr believed that Tweedle’s best opportunity at medal was in the 1500m. Far from being disappointed in her athlete’s performance however, she understood the uncertainty of outcome that comes with championship racing. “Something that became quite evident over the weekend was that Jeff was fearless,” Schnurr said. “He was definitely a more mature runner this time around, and going out hard to take the lead was something that he wasn’t afraid to do. It is often only hundredths of a second that separate the finishers in those championship races. Anybody can win at that level, so you just have to put yourself in a good position. Racing continues to be a learning experience for everyone, and I don’t think it ever stops being that.” Schnurr is an accomplished middle-distance runner herself. The former Marauder is a twotime Olympian in the 1500m and enjoyed a long and successful career on the international circuit. Her unique perspective grants her the ability to mentor Tweedle as very few can. “[Coach Schnurr] has a wealth of experience,” Tweedle said. “It is great to have a coach who has been to where you have been so often before. She’s raced in so many big championships herself that she can tell you about what it’s like. We have a great relationship that is very back and forth.” Tweedle has now complet-
Jeff Tweedle captured a bronze medal in the 1000m event at the U Sports Track and Field Championships. C/O LINDA TWEEDLE
"I believe he possess the qualities that will allow him to succeed in the championship races." Paula Schnurr Head coach McMaster track and field
ed his final season of indoor track and field as a Marauder, but has chosen to return next fall for one semester in order to compete in cross country. For now he is staying focused on this summer’s outdoor season. The Canadian Track and Field Championships will take place July 3-9 in Ottawa, where he hopes to prove himself as one of the nation’s best young stars. Schnurr spoke highly of Tweedle’s dedication to the sport and
believes he has the talent and disposition to compete at the very highest level one day. “He’s one of those athletes that is so easy to coach,” Schnurr said. “He’s willing to do all the little things before and after practice, and based on his growth over the past three years I believe he possesses the qualities that will allow him to succeed in the championship races.” @theSilhouette
SPORTS | 25
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, April 6, 2017
University sports going online? As competitive video gaming becomes more popular at the professional level, it may be only a matter of time before it becomes prominent at the OUA and U Sports level Cullum Brownbridge Sports Editor
There are a number of McMaster students with childhood memories of playing video games for extended periods of time. Playing alone, with your friends on a split screen or against players across the globe, video games have made a similar impact to this generation of students as sports have. Just as professional athletes are paid to play a game they enjoy, plenty of people wish they could play video games as a living. Enter the industry of competitive video gaming, also known as Electronic Sports, which has grown in popularity as the internet has become faster and more accessible on a global scale. With games such as League of Legends, DOTA 2, and Overwatch each having their own professional leagues with a dedicated fan base, the tag of a professional eSports player has become a reality. Along with the professional scene, collegiate leagues have also enjoyed a rise to a lesser degree. While there is no established league within U Sports or the Ontario University Athletics conference, McMaster’s League of Legends manager Zoila Ricciardone hopes that one can be established soon. “Over the next few years, we are hoping to gain more support from the university, both from the students and the institution itself,” Ricciardone
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said. “We are currently working with the [McMaster] Athletics and Recreation department so that we can be recognized as an official varsity team by the university.” A growing number of schools are starting to take eSports seriously, meaning there is a growing possibility for the OUA and U Sports to start hosting tournaments for eSports. On March 24 in the United States, Illinois College announced an expansion to their athletic program to include eSports, which will include two co-ed teams that will participate in established collegiate leagues. Currently, the League of Legends team at McMaster University participates in uLOL Campus Series, an intercollegiate league that includes
schools from both the United States and Canada. From the preseason to the playoffs, Mac competes with other schools from October to May of every year, and is continuously ranked based on their performances. The schedule for McMaster’s League of Legends team presents challenges that are unique to eSports teams and shared with traditional varsity sports. “The biggest challenge as a team was getting together to practice during the week,” Ricciardone said. “There are a few reasons for this, some of which also apply to other varsity teams including schedule conflicts and academic obligations. A challenge specific to an eSports team is the lack of decent internet access during the week. McMaster’s Wi-Fi is not always
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the most reliable, and bandwidth is almost always taken up in student housing.” The team still manages to meet up at least four or five times a week for scrimmages against other schools, in-person meetings and regular season and tournament games on the weekend. Even with these challenges, they has done considerably well this season. The team was able to finish third in the Eastern division, playing against top teams from the University of Toronto, New Jersey Institute of Technology, and State University of New York. Their next tournament takes place from May 12-14 at an invitational tournament in Toronto. McMaster undergraduate students recently approved the creation of a new Student Activ-
ity Building to be constructed on campus. This space could include a gaming room. If so, this would provide more opportunities for McMaster eSports teams to get better and compete with the best teams from North America, while also giving Mac students the chance to relax from school and interact with fellow students through video games. “In the end, our main goal is to generate hype around each of our competitive teams so that we can foster a community of people with similar interests,” Ricciardone said. Perhaps it is not a matter of whether or not eSports will become established at McMaster and the OUA as a whole; it may be a matter of when. @Curtains1310
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Thursday, April 6, 2017 | www.thesil.ca
Dedication, passion, motivation These are just a few of the qualities that Andrew Richards manifests, both on and off the court Camila Stupecka Contributor
With the summer break around the corner, students are winding down in hopes of a quick and painless exam season. This is not the case for third-year outside hitter Andrew Richards and the rest of the McMaster men’s volleyball team. A week after Mac’s bronze medal performance at the U Sports national championships, the team is back at work preparing for a new season, getting ready to come back stronger and more polished after their summer training. With the team losing key players like Danny Demyanenko and Andrew Kocur next year, Richards and his fellow teammates have major leadership roles to fill. “I like to think I have some leadership value on the team [too],” said Richards. “In terms of sport, we’re pretty good athletes, and [my leadership] would never come from telling people how to play a game but rather as a motivational leader. As I’m getting older, I hope I can be one of those guys that leads the team in the right direction, and I think I can do that.” His leadership skills were even acknowledged in April of 2016, when he was one of the first students ever to receive the Wilson Leadership Scholar Award, given to those who show potential and drive for change as future leaders. “The Wilson Award has given me the opportunity to expand my leadership potential,” said Richards. “Outside of sport this year, I was involved with Mac Athletes Care, which allows varsity athletes to connect with youth in the Hamilton Community.” His contributions to the community don’t stop there. Richards started Suited for Success, an initiative on campus to connect the Hamilton community with access to professional attire. The campaign managed to deliver over 200 articles of clothing to those in need. Even though he is known today for his leadership in the community and as a fierce attacker on the volleyball court, Richards started his athletic career in competitive tennis although quickly realized that volleyball was his true passion.
“I realized how important it is to cherish when you can play.” Andrew Richards Third-year outside hitter McMaster men’s volleyball “When I played tennis, the schedule was crazy. I spent a lot of time away from home. I wanted to be part of the youth life, [spend time] with my friends,” said Richards. “I got into volleyball because of my older brother, [who plays] for the Guelph Gryphons. When I watched him play, I thought it was the coolest thing to do. And as soon as I started playing, I didn’t regret anything at all. It became my passion.” Richards soon made his debut in volleyball, dedicating himself to a sport that had captured his attention almost instantaneously. His dedication and skill made it possible for him to gain prominent status as a player and a leader on teams like the junior national volleyball team in Canada. Moving forward, Richards began to establish his volleyball roots at McMaster as part of the men’s volleyball team. His passion is constantly thriving and growing. Even in the face of injury, when a stress fracture in his left tibia last season left Richards off the court from the start of the regular season until the following year. “That was probably the hardest thing I went through,” said Richards. “I came here to play volleyball [but] I had to sit and watch because I was on crutches. [I realized] how important it is to cherish when you can play and take recovering and taking care of your body seriously.” His volleyball career was only strengthened by this temporary delay and today Richards excels not only on the court but as a dedicated and passionate leader throughout the community. As a player, as a leader and as a part of the McMaster and Hamilton community, Andrew Richards truly is an inspiration. @theSilhouette
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