The Silhouette - VISION - March 24, 2022

Thursday, March 24, 2022 | Volume 92

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Celebrating Black voices and culture

The Silhouette

INSIDE:

NEWS: BSA MacChats are back! // PAGE 5 FEATURES: What spaces are available for Black students? // PAGES 10-11 HUMANS: Glenda van der Leeuw // PAGE 26 A&C: Celebrate Black history month with BIPOC Music Series // PAGE 29 SPORTS: Following-up on McMaster Athletics’ racism allegations // PAGE 33

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The Silhouette

Volume 92, VISION Issue

Thursday, March 24, 2022 The Silhouette | McMaster University’s Student Newspaper

Looking back . . . 2019

The Importance of Black Futures In 2019, we did our very first Black History Month issue, Black Futures.

Unforutnately due to Student Choice Initiative and COVID-19, we haven’t had the chance to do another physical copy. Well, that changes now with this year’s edition of VISION.

Andrew Mrozowski editor-in-chief | eic@thesil.ca Derrick Chappell digital media specialist | dms@msu.mcmaster.ca Adrian Salopek managing editor | managing@thesil.ca Graham Wyndham-West online editor | online@thesil.ca Christina Osadchuk production editor | production@thesil.ca News

Elisa Do Amarah Hasham-Steele news staff writer Abonti Nur Ahmed news staff writer Kate O’Melia news@thesil.ca news editor

news reporter

Features features reporter

Novera Shenin

features@thesil.ca

Diya Ahmad Ana Mamula opinion staff writer Kimia Tahei opinion staff writer Hadeeqa Aziz opinions@thesil.ca opinion editor

opinion staff writer

Arts & Culture arts & culture editor Nisha Gill arts & culture reporter Subin Park arts & culture staff writer Sarah Lopes Sadafi humans of mcmaster staff writer Esther Liu artsandculture@thesil.ca Sports sports editor

Legal Acknowledgement

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Opinions

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The Silhouette welcomes letters to the editor in person at MUSC B110, or by email at eic@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.

Jovan Popovic

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Land Acknowledgement

Acacia Lio

Multimedia

Yoohyun Park Jessica Yang Daisy Thang

production coordinator production assistant production assistant

production@thesil.ca

social media coordinator online@thesil.ca

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How you can support the McMaster Ukrainian community The McMaster Ukrainian Students’ Association tells us how we can support their community during this time Kate O’Melia News Staff Writer n the few weeks since Russia’s initial attack on Ieffects Ukraine, citizens have been devastated by the of war. It’s not only affecting the more

than two million forced to flee their home, but also Ukrainian people around the world who worry for their country and families.

As the number of involved countries rises, including the addition of the famously neutral Switzerland joining on Feb. 28 when it declared it would be freezing all of its Russian assets, Ukraine remains under attack from the Russian military.

From March 7 to 9, the Ukrainian Students’ Association held a booth educating students on how McMaster can show support for Ukraine during these times. Along with their in-person outreach, MUSA has also been posting education information online. Jessica Aranyush, a MUSA member and Laryssa Pichocki, the vice-president social for MUSA, helped to collect signatures and provide resources at the booth.

The main focus of their work was getting students to sign and send letters to members of parliament and members of provincial parliament. They called for both military and humanitarian assistance, encouraging them to attend information sessions and donating to the cause.

YOOHYUN PARK/PRODUCTION COORDINATOR

“If you are able to donate, donations are great.

We’ve been told monetary [support] is more important right now, just due to there being lots of fights, but even [if you’re not able to donate] just reaching out to any Ukrainian students you know.”

Laryssa Pichocki

VP Social of MUSA

Kate O’Melia/News Staff Writer

“If you are able to donate, donations are great. We’ve been told monetary [support] is more important right now, just due to there being lots of fights, but even [if you’re not able to donate] just reaching out to any Ukrainian students you know . . . And then don’t always ask students about explaining the whole war to [you] because you know, a lot’s going on. Do your own research,” said Pichocki.

Pichoki mentioned that it’s also possible to show support at rallies that have been happen-

ing around Canada and that MUSA has been posting the dates. The latest student support night at the Ukrainian Canadian Congress in Hamilton was on March 7.

“I think [the student support night] was really good for solidarity and just support in general. Even the young people and older people that attended said it was really good to have that solidarity,” said Aranyush.

While the Ukrainian students find support in each other and the Hamilton-Ukrainian community, it is still difficult to go through school or work knowing what is happening half a world away.

“I think anyone who’s been affected by war in general, not just Ukrainians, I think your life kind of shifts all of a sudden . . . [For] me directly, my grandparents are still there. Literally everyone except my parents. So, it’s like now I wake up and school’s put on the backburner and instead of that I’m kind of waking up to the news every day,” said Aranyush.

News coming out of Ukraine has also high-

“I think anyone who’s been affected by war in general, not just Ukrainians, I think your life kind of shifts all of a sudden . . . [For] me directly, my grandparents are still there. Literally everyone except my parents.

So, it’s like now I wake up and school’s put on the backburner and instead of that I’m kind of waking up to the news every day.”

Jessica Aranyush MUSA Member

lighted how Black immigrants and Ukrainians of Colour are having more difficulty leaving Ukraine as they are facing mistreatment when they are able to leave. The MUSA shared an educational post in support of Black Ukrainians along with resources for Black, Brown and Slavic Ukrainians.

The most recent rally shared by MUSA took place on Saturday, March 12. To show support right now, you can educate yourself on the evolving situation through reliable, unbiased news sources and keep up to date on new ways to support the McMaster Ukrainian community by following MUSA online.

The Silhouette | 3

The National Society of Black Engineers reflects on its history and present McMaster NSBE’s current president met with its first president to discuss the history of the organization and where it is today that the scholarship is that perfect bridge,” said Both Falade and Abraha Abraha.

Amarah Hasham-Steele reflected on the fact that Due to NSBE’s outreach and support work, News Reporter Black engineering students have greater access there were very few other to communities and resources at McMaster. he National Society of Black Engineers Black students in their is an American organization with nurespective programs and merous pre-college, university and alumni “I like to describe that chapters both throughout the United States Falade pointed out that and beyond. The goal of the organization, as scholarship as the missing explained by the website, is to empower more NSBE McMaster allows Black Black students to enter engineering and to find puzzle piece in terms of our success in the field. students in engineering to The website explains that NSBE was mission statement. We do originally started in 1975 but that it has grown find and connect with one a lot of the pre-work [or] significantly since then, beginning at only six members and currently featuring around another. outreach work and then 31,000.

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On Feb. 28, NSBE at McMaster posted an interview between Mosana Abraha, current president of NSBE McMaster and Tolu Falade, co-founder of NSBE McMaster. Falade and Abraha took turns asking one another questions about the significance of NSBE and, more generally, about the experience of being a Black student in engineering.

Falade started up NSBE McMaster in 2010.

According to Falade, the 2010 NSBE National Convention was held in Toronto, which was the first time the convention had been held outside of the United States. Falade had been encouraged by friends and family to get involved with the conference, which then kickstarted her involvement with NSBE.

Master, she was struck by how consistent the goals of NSBE have remained over time.

“They’ve been pretty constant in terms of what we’re doing now and that mission statement is still the same,” said Abraha.

“They’ve been pretty constant in terms of what we’re doing now and that mission statement is still the same.”

we do a lot of the work for students currently in university. But I find that the scholarship is that perfect bridge.”

Mosana Abraha

President of NSBE McMaster

Mosana Abraha

President of NSBE McMaster Falade and Abraha also discussed the new NSBE McMaster Chapter Entrance Award, a scholarship that will be awarded to Black Canadian students entering McMaster engineering programs. NSBE McMaster has a fundraising goal of $62,500; reaching this goal would allow them to provide $2,500 per year to several Black engineering students.

PHOTO C/O McMaster Univeristy

Falade and her co-founder attended the conference as volunteers and found the experience to be energizing and impactful.

According to Falade, she left the convention feeling certain that this was a space McMaster needed. So, she and her co-founder developed the McMaster chapter in response to that.

When asked about her goals in founding NSBE McMaster, Falade emphasized the importance of community in education. Both Falade and Abraha reflected on the fact that there were very few other Black students in their respective programs and Falade pointed out that NSBE McMaster allows Black students in engineering to find and connect with one another.

Abraha noted that, when she asked Falade about her goals when founding NSBE at Mc4 | NEWS

NSBE McMaster has a fundraising goal of 62,500 dollars; reaching this goal would allow them to provide 2,500 dollars per year to several Black engineering students.

As of March 11, the award has received $30, 250 of donations online, from 41 different sources.

“I like to describe that scholarship as the missing puzzle piece in terms of our mission statement. We do a lot of the pre-work [or] outreach work and then we do a lot of the work for students currently in university. But I find

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, March 24, 2022

PHOTO C/O NSBE McMaster

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BSA MacChats are back!

From relationships to entertainment and wellness, BSA invites Black students to relax and chat with different editions of the MacChats series Elisa Do News Editor n a school of over 30,000 students, how do Iabout you find community? Sometimes it might be connecting with those who share the

same interests and passions; sometimes, it can be about finding a bond in shared experiences.

Created about two years ago, McMaster University’s Black Students’ Association recognized the minority of Black students on campus and aimed to create a community where all Black students can connect with one another.

Ashley Assam, BSA’s president, explained that the importance of creating unique spaces for Black students lies in the uniqueness of Black experiences in the first place.

Ashley Assam, BSA’s president, explained that the importance of creating unique spaces for Black students lies in the uniqueness of Black experiences in the first place.

“There’s no secret that Blacks people have been marginalized for a very long time, especially given everything that happened a couple years ago with all these cases of police brutality and obviously the murder of George Floyd. It definitely took a hit on the community and I feel like having a space is necessary because Black students also face these mental health challenges that have to do with their own experiences, but [these] don’t often go addressed or they will need to get addressed by someone else who understands their experience,” said Assam.

One of the events that BSA has been hosting is called MacChats. MacChats invites Black students to get together for casual conversations. Usually, a theme will be announced for each MacChats discussion, but students are not limited to speaking about those topics only.

This winter semester, BSA has hosted a total of three MacChats so far with varying themes. This includes conversations about relationships, sports, entertainment and well-being.

Assam explained that during these events, BSA members will pose a number of questions to the group and allow students to carry their own conversations. With limited capacity for in-person events, ‘MacChats’ have been held on Zoom so far and breakout rooms are often used for people to divide into smaller groups.

Although MacChats serve as a space for casual conversation, Assam shared that MacChats help cultivate deeper, meaningful

PHOTO C/O Black Students’ Association

conversations as well. For example, in their first event about relationships, there were discussions about what it means to engage in relationships with other races as a Black person.

Some of these discussions may be more sensitive or up for debate, Assam explained, but what’s important is that BSA wants everyone to learn from each other.

“The whole purpose is not to like shut down other people’s ideas; it’s just a place for you to voice your opinions and also kind of learn from other people and learn about what

“The whole purpose is not to like shut down other people’s ideas; it’s just a place for you to voice your opinions and also kind of learn from other people and learn about what they think,” Ashley Assam

President of McMaster’s Black Students’ Association they think,” said Assam.

With its unique role on campus, BSA acts as a social group where students can relax and bond with one another during events like MacChats, but Assam added that BSA is also there to help Black students succeed. BSA will often share resources to help connect Black students with opportunities in hopes of helping them feel supported throughout their time at McMaster.

To Assam, BSA is about having a safe space with this special community.

“BSA really just means having a commu-

nity of people on campus that truly just want the best for you. So, what we tried to do with BSA is let every Black student know that you don’t have to be any way — any certain way.

You don’t have to adhere to any stereotype. You don’t have to look a certain way just to exist as who you are. [Y]ou’re free to be who you are

“BSA really just means having a community of people on campus that truly just want the best for you. So, what we tried to do with BSA is let every Black student know that you don’t have to be any way — any certain way. You don’t have to adhere to any stereotype.

You don’t have to look a certain way just to exist as who you are. [Y]ou’re free to be who you are and we accept you as who you are and we want to see you succeed,” Ashley Assam

President of McMaster’s Black Students’ Association

The Silhouette | 5

Failures of equity in nursing How nursing fails to accept and equip a diverse range of students Abonti Nur Ahmed News Staff Writer healthcare is a highly selective field ItiventoCanada, pursue. Unfortunately, within such a selecprocess of picking students, the student

body is not fully representative of the population it’s supposed to help.

Tsinat Semagn, the president of the Canadian Black Nurses Alliance McMaster, shared how the small number of Black students present within her nursing cohort at McMaster leads her and her Black friends to become hyper-aware that they are among the only Black students in the program.

“The number of Black students in the McMaster site in my year is 4 out of 120 students, which is 3.3 per cent. This is the total number of students who were enrolled in the basic fouryear Bachelor of Science in Nursing program in 2019,” said Semagn.

“The number of Black students in the McMaster site in my year is four out of 120 students, which is 3.3 per cent. This is the total number of students who were enrolled in the basic four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing program in 2019,” Tsinat Semagn President of the Canadian Black Nurses Alliance McMaster Nursing students participate in care scenarios three to five times per semester depending on their classes. Yet, within her three years as a nursing student, Semagn said that only once was a Black person used for these kinds of case studies.

“A lot of these scenarios are white people.

There are a few Indigenous people but you rarely see diversity. There are very, very few Black patients represented in these care scenarios. I think I can only remember one time where we actually had a scenario, in my entire three years and we do three to five per semester, every semester . . . A week ago I did my first Black patient,” said Semagn.

Over a long span of time, these disparities in learning can lead to disparities in the healthcare provided to Black patients.

“In healthcare, there are studies that show that white physicians and healthcare professionals have this perception of Black patients, that Black people are stronger [and] don’t experience pain the way that other races do. So that of course affects their care,” said Semagn.

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JESSICA YANG/PRODUCTION ASSISTANT

Within the health sciences program, to encourage equitable admissions, McMaster created the Equitable Admissions for Black Applicants process. It allows for self-identifying Black students to have their applications processed by a panel of Black faculty members, alumni and students. This came to be implemented because the faculty of health sciences noticed that Black students were underrepresented in the program.

However, an admissions process like the EABA is not offered to nursing students. Moreover, nursing is one of the only faculty of health science programs that do not have a supplemental application.

“On top of [grades and the CASPR test], having a supplementary application where we are talking about life experience and bringing more of us and what we have to offer . . . being able to articulate that as a written [component] would be beneficial. They can see that this person has a lot to offer,” said Semagn.

Semagn noted that McMaster doesn’t promote a lack of diversity on campus. Instead, the university only mentions there are ways in which they can improve and allow for a more diverse atmosphere.

“I don’t know if I could say that I feel like McMaster as a whole is adding to [racial biases in the education system]. But I do know that there are some things that they are not doing — that they should be doing — to promote diversity,” said Semagn.

Programs like nursing at McMaster serve as an example where Black students are disproportionately underrepresented. In a field where lived experience affects patient care, lack of diversity fails to prepare them for the populations that they will meet in the future.

It is up to universities, to decide to listen to the

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, March 24, 2022

students and patients around them to better the systems they have created.

“I don’t know if I could say that I feel like McMaster as a whole is adding to [racial biases in the education system]. But I do know that there are some things that they are not doing — that they should be doing — to promote diversity,” Tsinat Semagn President of the Canadian Black Nurses Alliance McMaster

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Advance your career with this option McMaster from Continuing Education ElevateYourSkills allows students to gain professional learning alongside their degrees, helping students increase their chance for jobs

Elisa Do News Editor

Amarah Hasham-Steele News Reporter he ElevateYourSkills option at McMaster Tto gain Continuing Education enables Mac students professional learning alongside their degrees. ElevateYourSkills an accessible and flexible way for students to gain career skills in a wide variety of areas.

Lorraine Carter, director of McMaster Continuing Education, explained that, with the competitiveness of the job market, this option can equip students with the tools that they need to succeed professionally. Carter also added that the option was particularly built with students in mind.

“Now there is great attention by industry, employers [and] government on not only academically prepared students but also students who have a practical skillset when they graduate. This idea of elevating or enhancing the skills that you can utilize shortly after graduation is what ElevateYourSkills is all about,” said Carter.

“Now there is a great attention by industry, employers [and] government on not only academically prepared students but also students who have a practical skillset when they graduate. This idea of elevating or enhancing the skills you can utilize shortly after graduation is what ElevateYourSkills is all about,” Lorraine Carter Director of McMaster Continuining Education

Carter emphasized that traditional university education, which often includes more theory-based learning and less practical knowledge, is also incredibly valuable for academic enrichment and skill development. She further emphasized how academic skills are even more valuable when complemented with practical skills.

“If we think about, for instance, the social sciences and the humanities, they cultivate many important skills, but they can be hard to articulate. Whereas, if you are an English student or history student and you can complement your studies with courses and programs that are focused on career development, then I think you are in a better and easier place to leap forward and secure work that is ideally meaningful for you,” said Carter.

Michael Foster, a communications student at McMaster, completed a digital marketing certificate through McMaster Continuing Education. As a fourth-year student applying for jobs now, Foster is glad he did the program.

One of the greatest benefits, Foster said, was being able to put the theoretical knowledge he learned from his communications classes into practice. “[T]here were some aspects that I got taught through communications that complemented the different technical skills [in digital marketing] such as search engine optimization or digital marketing strategy, market analysis or Google ad campaigns and how to properly write different captions, closed captioning and blogs for different companies . . . I thought it was really, really good to understand that, while also understanding my theoretical side, so I can put everything into my best practice,” said Foster.

The number of courses that a student takes for their certificate depends on their area of professional study. For Foster, he took five courses which he finished in about two years, all of which he took online.

The flexibility to study online and use the courses in his certificate as electives towards his communications degree helped Foster complete the certification alongside his busy schedule.

Now, as he is about to graduate and enter the workforce, Foster said that he is getting a lot of job interviews and believes the extra certificate has helped prepare him for the job market.

“When I first went into my certificate program, I was looking at the industry and how future jobs in my industry are kind of difficult to come by at the time. [I] saw what the requirements were for those jobs and I promised myself that after my undergrad I don’t want to

The flexibility to study online and use the courses in his certificate as electives towards his communications degree helped Foster complete the certification alongside his busy schedule. try and get any big education again for another two years. I just want to go into the workforce, start making good money and certainly get a name for myself in the work experience. So, as I was looking for what these jobs needed, I realized my degree is kind of missing some of these things,” explained Foster.

Given that completing an extra certificate is not something everyone does, Foster emphasized that doing so was a way to stand out in the workforce and be ahead of other competitors.

“It helps when [employers] are scanning through your resume and see your technical and theoretical skills that come from your undergraduate degree,” said Foster.

Foster encourages students to consider the ElevateYourSkills approach especially if their degree does not directly lead them to the workforce.

“If you’re a person who is kind of looking for a route that’s not necessarily given to you directly through [your] degree program, look to expand, look to create your own path because there are options out there and ElevateYourSkills is one of them. It helped me out a lot and it gave me a little insight into the real world.

That helped me get to where I am today,” said Foster.

Interested in learning more about ElevateYourSkills and how you can get a career certificate alongside your degree?

Visit: mcmastercce.ca/elevateyourskills.

The Silhouette | 7

ElevateYourSkills

Get Career Ready Before You Graduate Optimize your time at McMaster by earning a professional certificate as part of your undergraduate degree.

Learn more today!

Use your electives toward an online certificate or diploma program at McMaster Continuing Education Gain hands-on skills and experience from industry experts Stand out in today’s competitive job market

mcmastercce.ca/ ElevateYourSkills

MARCH IS

CAREER MONTH! Are you graduating soon? Already a Mac alumni?

Mark your calendars and join us all month long!

MARCH SUN

6

MON

7

2022 TUE

WED

THU

FRI

SAT

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13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

March 22nd Linked in Lab March 24th The Power of Informational Interviews March 25th Accommodation and disclosure in the workplace March 31st Building Career Confidence: Crafting a Resilient Mindset

In addition to the dates we've highlighted above, find the full event listing and register at www.oscarplusmcmaster.ca/ or on our website at alumni.mcmaster.ca under ‘Event Listings’

ALUMNI

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Black students for Black students: Creating spaces to thrive in 2022 and beyond The activism of Black women on campus to foster community and create a culture of inspiration for future Black students Novera Shenin Features Reporter feel like you belong here has always been Toa luxury for some.

This might be hard to believe, as with a

couple of searches on Instagram it does not take long for a Marauder to discover at least one club, organization, or activity they may wish to affiliate themselves with. However, much of the accessibility that we often take for granted in our digital age did not come without the efforts championed by those who were the most excluded in the first place.

Student-led organizations on campus, when properly acknowledged and given the resources, serve as valuable hubs for networking opportunities, academic and professional guidance and social interactions. While such goals may be the intentions of allowing students to congregate like this, unfortunately, this is historically not reflective of the experiences of Black students at McMaster.

Consequently, there continues to be a need for Black students to have access to the same caliber of resources as their peers. These must be initiatives which are institutionally afforded, that acknowledge and take into consideration the unique cultural positionalities of Black students and Black students with intersectional identities.

Fortunately, there are already students working to create, secure and maintain concrete spaces for Black students at McMaster even after they graduate.

cycle, this initiative has worked to increase the number of Black students within the class of 2025.

Aside from her extensive involvement in the BBA, Samson has regularly volunteered as a peer supporter to marginalized students for McMaster Students Union’s Women and Gender Equity Network and continues to extend her events experience within WGEN as an events co-coordinator.

Samson is currently completing a thesis with the department of psychiatry and neurosciences on first episode psychosis and cannabis use disorder among racialized youth.

She hopes to explore how Black youth can hold conversations around this culturally sensitive topic with loved ones and get the empathy

Bethel Samson Recognizing the lack of diversity in her program, Bethel Samson is a fourth-year health sciences student who decided to take action and address these concerns.

“When I walked into my cell biology course as a first-year health sci, the first thing I noticed was the lack of Black students. Considering [that] my cohort, like others, will go on to impact the future of healthcare, it was vital to me that there be students who represent Canada’s diversity,” said Samson.

The lack of representation in McMaster’s health sciences program prompted Samson to create the Black BHSc Association in collaboration with her peers in 2020. Serving as a co-founder and events coordinator, Samson and co-leaders of the BBA advocated to create equitable admissions for Black applications within the health sciences program with the goal of increasing the acceptance of Black students.

Samson’s work within the BBA successfully crafted an application stream into the health sciences program for Black students only, named the Equitable Admissions for Black Applicants. EABA provides a process where applications would be reviewed by an all-Black admissions committee. Having successfully been implemented within the 2021 application 10 | F E AT U R E S

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, March 24, 2022

and proper care they need. Aspiring to work in healthcare, Samson intends to address the neglect Black communities face within the healthcare system.

“I want to continue to grow our resiliency as a community. I want a future where if a Black patient comes in, they feel comfortable first and foremost. I hope in the future, Black firstyears do not have to go through the feelings of isolation and feeling like their behaviors are overly observed like I had to,” explained Samson.

Samson hopes for the continued diversification of Mac’s student body to include the voices of more Black students in all facets of McMaster.

PHOTO C/O Bethel Samson

S Malikca Lawrence Malikca Lawrence is a second-year arts and science student also heavily involved in activism for Black students on campus.

“My first year was entirely online. I didn’t know anybody [or] any clubs and had no way of making connections that allowed me to feel a part of the Mac community. But then this year, I discovered a whole host of Black clubs I didn’t even know existed and I immediately felt a sense of community,” said Lawrence.

To empower first and second-year students who share feelings of alienation upon returning to campus in person, Lawrence decided to work as the vice president events for Blackspace, a club for Black women and non-binary folks to connect, collaborate and uplift one another.

An avid reader who spent much of her time volunteering and working with libraries in her hometown, Lawrence brings her passion for books to facilitate a book club within Blackspace where students can connect through the works of Black authors.

Lawrence also extends her desire to create community by working with the Black Student Association, a hub for Black students to con-

nect to professional and academic resources and opportunities.

Being of Jamaican descent, Lawrence stays connected to her Caribbean cultural roots by outreaching on behalf of McMaster Association of West Indian Students. She is responsible for booking spaces and reaching out to other Black organizations for MACAWS events.

Notably, Lawrence is extensively involved with a new tiered initiative, the Black Student Mentorship Program. The organization serves as a portal to connect Black students seeking guidance with a Black mentor, be it undergraduate students connecting with grad students or grad students looking to connect with professors.

Lawrence expressed how as a Black woman, she has often observed Black students and their lived experiences being overlooked in academia, a vicious cycle which marks the start of countless systemic cultural and academic barriers Black students will go on to face within their academic careers. Being able to offer a wide range of options for Black students to be able to choose the direction of thier academic, professional and social growth is important to her.

“Talking to past students who never had these clubs, we created these spaces because we felt isolated. I hope to continue the work people before me have started and I see myself as one day being president of one of these initiatives that I am a part of and perhaps even start something new. It’s all about catering to what is lacking in the community,” explained Lawrence.

“Talking to past students who never had these clubs, we created these spaces because we felt isolated. I hope to continue the work people before me have started and I see myself as one day being president of one of these initiatives that I am a part of and perhaps even start something new. It’s all about catering to what is lacking in the community,” Malikca Lawrence

Second Year Arts & Science Student Looking forward to being involved in healthcare and working with Black folks, Lawrence hopes to continue to study how the past of the Black diaspora continues to shape the current Black experience.

PHOTO C/O Malikca Lawrence

PHOTO C/O McMaster University

T h e S i l h o u e t t e | 11

The McMaster Students Union

PRESIDENT’S PAGE NOMINATIONS ARE NOW OPEN FOR

SUBMIT YOUR PLATFORM TO THE EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT BY MARCH 29TH | 12:00 PM ASSISTANT@MSU.MCMASTER.CA

VICE PRESIDENT Administration | Education | Finance

SIOBHAN TEEL

CHRISTINA DEVARAPALLI

Vice-President (Education)

Vice-President (Administration)

vped@msu.mcmaster.ca | 905.525.9140 x24017

To understand the basics of the Vice-President (Education)’s role, there are three main areas of focus: university affairs, municipal affairs, and provincial & federal affairs. At the university level, the VP Ed and the AVP University Affairs set priorities based on student feedback and a lobbying agenda established through our Student Representative Assembly (SRA).

Broadly speaking, the university affairs department provides guidance to the institution about policies, practices, and spending, to better align with the student experience. Within the municipal affairs portfolio, the VP Ed and AVP Municipal Affairs plan and promote tenant rights events, make delegations to Hamilton City Council, and advocate for student safety within the city. In short, municipal affairs help bridge the gap between students and our municipal leaders. At the provincial and federal level, the VP Ed works with a respective Associate Vice President as well as lobbying organizations like OUSA and UCRU, to bring student concerns directly to MPPs and MPs. We provide detailed policy recommendations – such as the elimination of interest on student loans - and offer recommendations to both the province of Ontario and the government of Canada during their respective budget creation cycles. Beyond working with the three portfolios, the VP Ed also supervises the MSU’s Research and Policy Assistants, to oversee the creation and articulation of student-driven advocacy objectives for future years.

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JEGANIYAH JAYACHANDRAN Vice-President (Finance)

vpadmin@msu.mcmaster.ca | 905.525.9140 x23250

vpfinance@msu.mcmaster.ca | 905.525.9140 x24109

The Vice-President (Administration) role is one that supports and empowers students, organizations, services, and clubs, to maintain safe(r) spaces and become stronger resources within the McMaster community. The VP Admin oversees day-to-day internal operations, such as the oversight of the MSU’s student-run services, while providing support and guidance to the managers and executives therein. As an employer of hundreds of students, there are considerable human resources commitments for the role, but it is well supported by HR professionals and associated staff, to help with the daily operations of the MSU. In addition to the VP Admin’s HR responsibilities, the role also has operational policy and financial planning elements, to ensure stability inside MSU services. Also, the VP Admin helps maintain the growth of the MSU through assessing and developing administrative structures, such as transition and training for staff and volunteers.

Outside of the MSU, the role is heavily involved in the planning of Welcome Week, alongside partners in the University, especially the Student Success Centre. Personally, my favourite part of the role has been giving back to the McMaster community which has supported me for years. Serving students as they navigate their academic and personal lives in an unpredictable time has been highly rewarding. I’m glad to have been a part of an organization that provides extensive representation and advocacy on behalf of the student body.

The Vice-President (Finance), oversees the day-to-day finances of the MSU, including those of its business units, peer-support services, and over 300 ratified MSU clubs. Although financial knowledge is a benefit to the role, it is not a requirement. Working closely with the Accounting Department and the Director of Finance, the VP Finance will approve purchase and reimbursement requests, review monthly financial statements, and ensure fiscal compliance within approved budgets. In addition, the VP Finance summarizes and presents the previous fiscal year’s audited statements to the SRA and compiles the following year’s capital and operating budget requests from department managers. The VP Finance evaluates applications for various student support funds, including Services Special Projects, SRA Special Projects, Clubs Special Projects, Clubs Funding, Sponsorships & Donations Committee, Student Life Enhancement Fund (SLEF) & Undergraduate Student Initiatives Fund (USIF). In this capacity, I often had the chance to connect directly with students seeking funding to support club, faculty, or individual initiatives, advocating for affordable fees and overall providing support. Personally, I really enjoy the opportunity to be involved with Welcome Week planning and re-structuring. The time I spent on those committees was a highlight for me. As an overall support person within the MSU, with a strong financial lens, the VP Finance is a great opportunity for student leaders to represent the interests of students and student life at McMaster.

The President’s Page is a space sponsored and used by the Board of Directors of the McMaster Students Union (MSU) 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.

DENVER DELLA-VEDOVA President

| Thursday, March 24, 2022 1 612| F| EPAT | Thursday, February 10, 2022 R EUS R I DEESNwww.thesil.ca T ’S PAG E www.thesil.ca

CHRISTINA DEVARAPALLI Vice-President (Adminstration)

SIOBHAN TEEL Vice-President (Education)

JEGANIYAH (JJ) JAYACHANDRAN

Vice-President (Finance)

Editorial

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The Russia-Ukraine war is absolutely troubling You likely don’t need to worry about World War III though Andrew Mrozowski Editor-in-Chief Russian invasion of Ukraine has been Tyouhegoing for over a month now and before ask, yes, this is an all out war against the

country.

I know that a lot of people have lost a lot of hope recently. Obviously, there is still the overarching presence of COVID-19 (yes folks, the pandemic is STILL a thing), then the so-called “Freedom Convoy”, now this? No it isn’t an easy time and our hearts go out to Ukrainains around the world who are suffering because of the Putin regieme.

I, like many people, were scared that World War III was going to happen because of this.

I, like many people, even looked up to see if Canada would likely conscript soldiers and how I’d be able to get out of it.

I understand the sentiment of people saying that “this is too much for them” and that they can’t follow the news because of their mental health. I was the same way when COVID-19 hit in 2020. I deleted my news apps off my phone because I couldn’t handle the constant reminder of thwat was happening. It stressed me out.

I understand that a lot is happening right now, but we also need to recognize how privledged we are to be living in Canada and the protections we have. We’re lucky that a country

PHOTOS C/O President of Ukraine. Right: President of Russia.

can’t just try to take us over. And if that were to happen, we’d have help.

Ukraine does not have this luxury. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been pleading with NATO countries to send aid and while they’ve been providing supplies and setting sanctions on Russia, this is the extent of it.

The common rhetoric? They don’t want to start a world war with Russia.

For those who don’t know their history, wars 100% have happened this way before.

One of the reasons World War II roped in Great Britain and France was because Germany invaded Poland. Fast forward 82 years and NATO coutries are holding their breath to see if Putin will attempt to invade any of Ukraine’s neigh-

...

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bouring countries — including Poland.

Those who are worried about World War III happening have to be cognizant of the fact that nobody wants a world war when nuclear weapons are involved. Hiroshima and Nagasaki are two reminders of this.

Yes, history repeats itself, but we have the chance to ensure that doesn’t happen this time.

For those locally who are affected by this, we have amazing resources in our community, all of which can provide you with support.

This Editorial is commemorated to all those who have lost their lives to this war. A war that didn’t need to start. A war that innocents on both sides are suffering from.

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Opinion Systemic barriers that Black people face in obtaining high-quality education This is where societal change to fight racism in academia begins Hadeeqa Aziz Opinions Staff Writer there is any hope to overcome racial Itofprejudice in modern society, it is important gauge the nature of discrimination and

stereotyping. Questions that come to mind revolve around the roots of systemic issues that create these seemingly unavoidable circumstances for racialized groups — especially Black individuals.

Early twentieth century America successfully manipulated the general public into believing that African Americans were “mentally inferior” and “simple-minded” through various media ventures. Today, society is excellent at wrongfully labelling Black individuals using terms such as aggressive, violent, lazy and disrespectful.

Centuries after the abolishment of slavery, one look at the political and professional workforce will tell you that society is still not fully capable of looking past the colour line — let alone acknowledging it.

Though racial equity gaps are not all rooted in education barriers, these barriers serve as a vehicle to ensure the persistence of these gaps through time. In a society where the allocation of opportunities is becoming more and more dependent on knowledge and education, individuals who lack access to it are at a great disadvantage.

This is merely one of the many reasons racism and discrimination against Black people are systemic. Until root causes such as education barriers aren’t addressed, the white politician’s call for diversity, public statements on racism and renaming streets will serve as nothing more than political stunts.

Standardized test scores have shown gaps in educational achievements between White and non-Asian minority students, but the primary debate we face is interpreting these results.

The foolish presumption that guides these discussions is that equal opportunities exist for pursuing education. Therefore, any gaps must be a function of a deliberate lack of effort and disregard for learning.

Here’s an idea: instead of blaming a child’s unwillingness to learn, try examining the (intersectional) barriers that may prevent that child from having access to an adequate education.

Socioeconomic status shouldn’t determine students’ opportunities or disrupt efforts for equal opportunities, but we find ourselves in a world where it very much does.

The relative lack of Black people in the workforce sheds light on the socioeconomic inequalities faced by many Black communities.

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JESSICA YANG/PRODUCTION ASSISTANT

The relative lack of Black people in the workforce sheds light on the socioeconomic inequalities faced by many Black communities.

Within these communities, you will find barriers that include a lack of access to learning materials, resources, connections, skilled teachers, study environments and of course, active discrimination.

Many education systems still thrive off racial and ethnic inequities within academic achievements, whether it’s disproportionately streamlining Black youth into lower education tracks, perpetuating racial stereotypes through their behaviour or treating Black children as threats inside education settings.

Now here’s where the cycle begins (yet another insight into the systemic nature).

One may presume that a lack of Black representation in influential sectors of society implies that it’s dominated by privileged non-racialized groups — and this is completely true. When these elitist academics dominate their fields of study, minorities are expected to embrace inferiority to comfort white fragility.

A power imbalance exists that favours whiteness. Ultimately, Black students may find

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, March 24, 2022

it impossible to create their own identities because they have been conditioned to see themselves as an extension of whiteness, rather than individuals. They are conditioned to accept and remain within their cycle of educational detriment, creating the same circumstances for future Black generations.

As much as society loves to gloat about the progression of racial discrimination, in many ways, it’s stuck.

The obvious solution simply seems to be not to look past colour and not see it at all. The problem with this is that it creates a colourblind system where the struggles and inequalities of Black people aren’t acknowledged. How can you expect to arrive at solutions for problems that are a symptom of said inequalities?

Instead, an equitable approach where these barriers are acknowledged and steps are being taken to alleviate them may be helpful.

For higher education institutions, this may look like introducing more programs such as the McMaster Black Student Success Centre, where specialized help is provided in the form of scholarships, mental health resources and events that bring the community together.

Creating more opportunities for Black students to enter the workforce at a professional level can help break the cycle for future Black generations as well. A systemic issue can only be solved through systemic solutions.

If only society emphasized that instead of renaming statues and pancake syrups.

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Should medical schools preferentially admit students interested in rural practice?

Medical students from rural backgrounds can help resolve the inequities of the Canadian healthcare system

PHOTO C/O Luis Melendez, Unsplash

Diya Ahmad Opinions Editor hile the Canada Health Act has always W maintained that all Canadians should have equal access to healthcare, the unfortunate reality is that this ideal is far from the truth.

Although many Canadian cities have sufficient doctors for their population, the same cannot be said for rural communities.

Comparatively studying the doctor-per-capita ratios between urban and rural communities exposes a harsh inequity.

Comparatively studying the doctor-per capita ratios between urban and rural communities exposes a harsh inequity.

In fact, the country’s overall value for doctor-per-capita is one in 450 while rural areas average one doctor for every 3000 residents.

Clearly, there is a severe problem in our current healthcare system that needs to be resolved. Unfortunately, this statistic cannot be taken at face value and the snowball effect that is a result of this inequity must be studied.

Due to limited access to healthcare,

individuals living in rural areas are more likely to have a significant disease burden. What this means is by the time someone in a rural community can see a doctor, their disease has progressed even further leading to higher rates of chronic disease and poorer mental health.

If you take a step back and really look at the problem, you notice that by allowing this population to go underserved, the Canadian healthcare system is essentially shooting itself in the foot. They are manifesting a sicker and more expensive population, in concordance with their healthcare needs.

By now, I’ve hopefully illustrated the dire need for a solution. My proposition? Increase medical school admissions for students with a rural background.

Studies have shown that when students who come from rural communities are admitted into medical schools and ultimately become physicians, they are more likely to practice in rural areas. Unsurprisingly, medical schools that have noticed and applied this phenomenon in their admissions strategies have seen benefits.

The Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine visits undergraduate students in rural areas who have an interest in healthcare and guides them through the admissions process. By providing guidance to students from a rural background and linking them to residencies in rural areas, OHSU has proven successful in filling the gap.

This is especially impactful when you consider that over 50% of medical residents in

the United States end up practicing in the state they trained in.

It’s undeniable that one possesses an innate connection to the community that they grow up in. This connection to serving rural communities is one that is best understood by students who have lived there and have the drive to give back to those exact areas.

The medical community should look to advance the practice of culturally competent care — care that meets the cultural and social needs of diverse communities.

The medical community should look to advance the practice of culturally competent care – care that meets the cultural and social needs of diverse communities.

Where better to start than the medical schools themselves?

Other plans, such as incentivizing doctors to practice in rural areas with higher salaries have proven expensive. Rather, medical schools should commit to leveraging the passion that already exists in so many students that have a better understanding and connection with Canada’s rural areas.

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When rules and policies are not enough Enforcing diversity is a step to promote equity, but a true belief in its importance goes a much longer way Ardena Bašić Opinions Contributor and laws are meant to be imposing in Rcantules order to keep society safe and avoid significonflicts. However, they are often used as

potential solutions to prevalent societal issues.

One instance is the use of the Rooney Rule in the National Football League, meant to avoid discrimination in hiring coaches and other senior vacancies in the organization. This rule is reflective of many efforts to increase inclusivity for people of colour, but ineffective in creating an internalized motivation for change.

This rule should serve as a reminder that unless we truly believe and desire for the advancements we are making, any external forces will be futile.

This rule should serve as a reminder that unless we truly believe and desire for the advancements we are making, any external forces will be futile.

The Rooney rule was created in response to the struggles faced by minority coaches and professionals in landing senior rules within the NFL. Essentially, teams are now required to interview ethnic-minority candidates for head coaching and general manager jobs and interview women for any business front-office position that opens in the league.

Although the number of minority coaches increased by 6% in the first year of conception, it is very volatile. For example, in 2018, there were 8 head coaches of colour. But, in 2019, there were only 4.

What are the actual implications of this rule? Yes, minorities are more involved in the interviewing process. But teams are not required to take this rule any further.

In other words, teams could just add someone of colour to their interview roster with no intention of hiring them. A rule does nothing to make change if the people following them are not committed to ensuring it leads to what it is meant to — in this case, increasing the number of minority professionals within the organization.

This is a sports-related example of how people are the real drivers behind change in the NBA. Those of colour represent barely 3% of the NFL’s head coaches but make up approximately 43% of those in the NBA. This was achieved through being “aggressive” about creating an inclusive culture and focusing on relationships with the people involved. By working with those within the organization and creating an environment where diversity and inclusion principles were internalised, significant change was able to be made.

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YOOHYUN PARK/PRODUCTION COORDINATOR

Such rules have implications in other areas as well. Consider the job hiring process, wherein there are laws that organizations must follow to avoid discriminatory practices.

Yet, again, these only go so far and are highly subjective. Consider a manager deciding whether to hire a man or woman of the same qualifications. Although illegal and unethical, the manager could easily say that the woman was less of a ‘fit’ for the organization to cover up sexist prejudices.

If one does not truly believe in the purpose and desired outcome of a rule or guideline, is it not actually effective.

If one does not truly believe in the purpose and desired outcome of a rule or guideline, is it not actually effective.

As in the case of the NBA, these shortfalls can be reconciled by focusing on people, alongside intangibles like culture and overall environment. For example, if a firm really believes in a diverse team where everyone is treated equitably and fairly, then just hiring practices will be natural as opposed to simply forced by law.

Having people with these internalized values is important, but it must be further fostered by organizations’ cultures, missions and values.

If the people do not align with the firm or vice versa, then there will just be further conflict hindering them from achieving any goal, let alone overall equity.

Of course, internal motivation is not

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, March 24, 2022

enough. It must be matched by tangible action as opposed to symbolic gestures.

Of course, internal motivation is not enough.

It must be matched by tangible action as opposed to symbolic gestures.

Firms are increasingly supporting workers of colour by leaving partners who have shown racist behaviour, contributing to Black Lives Matter movements and clearly communicating with their minority workers.

Overall, rules act as limitations, constraints and restrictions on society. So how can we expect them to free society of racist and other discriminatory burdens? We should be focusing on the foundation of society — its people — and the environment in which we live to catalyze true change and foster an equitable, inclusive world.

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The barriers faced by Black women in music A discussion on the underrepresentation and stereotyping of Black women in the media

PHOTOS C/O Kristopher Harris. Right: Matt Batchelor.

Ana Mamula Opinions Staff Writer hen I was little, there was rarely any diverW sity in the music I listened to or the shows I watched. Most of the media I consumed high-

lighted White women such as Hannah Montana and Zoey 101.

Although I may have been partly to blame for what I chose to watch, the music and television industries were to blame as well. Later on, I remember how much I loved shows like That’s So Raven and it wasn’t until I reflected that I absorbed the lack of diversity in these industries, especially when I was a young child.

Although today we have many A-List Black female artists like Beyonce, Rihanna, SZA, Willow Smith and more, it’s still a prominent issue.

Black female artists do not receive the same recognition as White female artists.

Even employment in these industries is an issue, as there are more White individuals working in the industry than Black.

“We are supposed to accept what we are given because to be Black in this industry is thought to be even more of a privilege for us than for white artists,” stated VV Brown, a British indie pop singer-songwriter.

The lack of diversity and inclusion when it comes to Black females in the music and television industries runs deep. Often, the music industry won’t even accept more than one Black female artist at “the top,” pitting women against one another and creating competitiveness among fans as well.

Moreover, it can be seen as a societal issue, since these companies predominantly advertise with images of White females. This can make Black female artists feel left out and

“We are supposed to accept what we are given because to be Black in this industry is thought to be even more of a privilege for us than for white artists,” VV Brown Indie Pop Singer-Songwriter the lack of advertisment can impact their popularity. For example, it wasn’t until 2018 that a Black woman, Beyonce, headlined Coachella for the first time.

These societal issues can lead to the prolonging of stereotypes about Black women.

These societal issues can lead to the prolonging of stereotypes about Black females.

bold.

It is important in helping fight stereotypes and underrepresentation to see Black women such as Nicki Minaj and Beyonce in positions of leadership. However, there is still a lot of work to be done, especially in the music and television industries, to undo the damage caused by past underrepresentation and stereotyping and foster true inclusivity.

there is still a lot of work to be done, especially in the music and television industries, to undo the damage caused by past underrepresentation and stereotyping and foster true inclusivity.

I myself have heard artists such as Nicki Minaj, Beyonce and Rihanna speak upon the struggles they face being Black women in the industry.

Nicki Minaj specifically, has spoken about constantly having to defend her image and how it is important for women like her to not become timid or confined in what society believes is right. In her messaging to her fans, she tells them to actually embrace the stereotype.

She encourages them to be loud, confident and

T h e S i l h o u e t t e | 19

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Give a listen to our latest playlist, CFMU’s Top 30 Chart for March 2022!

With music by Basement Revolver, Haviah Mighty, Black Country and more! https://spot.fi/3JhKNEY

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Horizontal 3. Implemented in Ontario as of September 22, 2021 5. Coronavirus Disease (abrv.)

7. ________ yo hands!

10. Chief _________ _________ of Health 11. Do me before you come onto campus 14. Y’all should stay ________ feet apart (plz) 17. Click your heels three times and say there’s nothing like...

19. Had COVID or got your vaccine? Congratulations, you’ve got these!

21. Going to a restaurant? Might need to complete a _____ form 23. Piece of equipment used for severe COVID cases 26. Imagine a video platform for school...but worse. What do you get?

27. Got these? Don’t come anywhere near campus or the general public 28. Flatten the what?

Hours of Operation

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Vertical 1. International organization that declared a pandemic in March 2020 2. Attached to your radius and ulna (keep ‘em clean!)

4. Epidemic of a global scale 6. If you have symptoms, you stay in your home. This is called...

8. Nice way to say ‘stay away from me’ 9. You have chronic diseases, and then _______ diseases 10. Wear this indoors (or else) 12. Can be gooey, can be wet, and always keeps your hands smelling like cheap tequila 13. The city where it all started 15. Herd _________: A population’s ability to reduce risk of spreading the disease 16. Government dept. that deals with the health and safety of the public 18. Pfizer made one, Moderna was responsible for another 20. The virus is of this type 22. _______ Mrs.VanderTramp 24. No in-person classes? No problem! Just access this platform 25. We’ve had a few of these (and have started the fourth)

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The Silhouette | 5

Humans of McMaster: Glenda van der Leeuw Esther Liu HOM Staff Writer he Silhouette: Please introduce yourself.

T Glenda van der Leeuw (GvdL): I am Glenda

van der Leeuw. I am a student counselor with McMaster Student Wellness Center and a registered social worker.

Last summer, you ran a program called “You Belong in the Room” [with McMaster University’s Student Success Centre]. How was it?

GvdL: I decided to facilitate “You Belong in the Room” for Black students to create a safe space for them and talk about imposter syndrome from a Black lens. [In the program] we talk about how that sometimes hinders our drive and, often, how our confidence is really harmed when we have self-doubt . . . We’re really trying to stress with students that yes, of course the system is broken. We can all acknowledge that.

[But] what do we do from here? In order for those systems to be corrected, dismantled or fixed, there needs to be leadership spaces for racialized people in those spaces.

“Yes, of course the system is broken. We can all acknowledge that. [But] what do we do from here?

In order for those systems to be corrected, dismantled or fixed, there needs to be leadership spaces for racialized people in those spaces.”

support is really valuable. Our wellness is so important, especially when we’re experiencing racism. We need a space to talk about these things and unpack them. That’s where community really steps in. Community support is so, so important to thriving. It’s where we learn, feel safe and also where we can acknowledge how to navigate these spaces. I’m learning from my past and sharing it with the students in a way we can reflect so they can take away something from these experiences and use it to their own advantage.

“Our wellness is so important, especially when we’re experiencing racism.

We need a space to talk about these things and unpack them. That’s where community really steps in.

Community support is so, so important to thriving.”

What are your goals, both personal and related to your work?

GvdL: I always strive to reach my own potential. I have my own imposter syndrome and underlying doubts. We talk about the upper

limits that, sometimes, we are afraid to reach.

We each have to reflect on our upper limits, our fears and how we can confront them. So, I think I want to do some speeches talking about that in conjunction with anti-Black racism. In terms of the students, the students are just amazing.

That’s really what I want to do with my own role: use my experiences and create a platform for them to share and express whatever they would like. I’m hoping with Black X-Scape, students will further explore what they need and be able to showcase their skills.

Have there been any experiences that really stand out to you?

GvdL: We talk about celebrating your achievements, something that really internalizes confidence. It prepares you for the next challenge.

When you reflect back on all of your skills, your assets, what prepared you for this moment.

When I think about that, I feel overall just happy with myself and my drive despite the struggles and barriers I’ve overcome. This last year at McMaster has been a whole new journey for me.

I’m really excited to see what McMaster has in store, to expand on the potential and go from there. Not to mention, I’ve really enjoyed learning from my Black elders. Listening to them has created positivity for me and informs how I’m moving forward, understanding my role as a learner and as a leader, developing further understanding and honouring our identities.

That’s what I aim to do in my space: honouring students’ intersectionalities, their whole identity. It’s so important to live completely in your own identity and be confident.

Another part of the program and my work was learning how to manage the stressors from discrimination. I hope to empower our students [to] learn to love and value their own identity.

I’m hoping this group will give a lasting confidence, highlight their value and the unique strengths they bring. Altogether, it also relates to courage. Recognizing your own value can be the instant courage when we’re afraid to take action. It motivates students to seize opportunities and encourages them to step out of their comfort zone to transcend the lack of diversity and racism that’s keeping them down.

Since “You Belong in the Room” has ended, have there been other, similar programs?

GvdL: We’ve established the Black X-scape. It’s a support group for students that centers mental health. It’s only been running for the last couple weeks and it’s a drop-in. When I first facilitated “You Belong in the Room,” I saw these conversations needed to be furthered. So, we created this space where students can reclaim their mental health and have discussions about the barriers they’re experiencing. It’s all students, a lot of shareable knowledge. That comfort, that 26 | H U M A N S O F M C M A S T E R

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PHOTO C/O Glenda van der Leeuw

Arts & Culture

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Understanding variations within the Black experience Intersections between Blackness, culture and self-acceptance are essential in constructing individuals unique experiences Ahlam Yassien A&C Contributor s an Ethiopian woman in Canada, I haven’t A had the opportunity to think concretely thought about my identity and what my

identity means to me. Instead, my identity has been constructed through experience and at least, for myself, experiences of self-hatred and acceptance were intrinsically intertwined.

For example, as a child I begged my parents to allow me to cut my hair and perm it, not because I hated my hair but because I felt it would be easier to manage and would make it stick out less in public. Nonetheless, my hair remained long and curly, in part because I did genuinely like my hair long even if I felt my frizzy hair made me stand out, but also because hair is a prized possession in my culture.

So, on one end my culture encouraged me to value my natural hair while on the other it also taught me my worth was directly connected to my hair. However, the desire to have straighter hair has been promoted in many Black communities and myself alongside other Black women have been simultaneously fighting for different kinds of acceptance which were all rooted in confronting anti-Blackness, whether that be acceptance from our White peers, from within our culture or from within our own communities.

When I found myself styling it to appear more similar to the hair of those around me, I fell into a hamster wheel of self-hatred as my hair lost its volume and curl, making me feel as if my worth had also decreased. The desire to remain valuable in my culture was clashed with my desire to fit into Western culture.

These experiences of trying to reconcile cultures as well as ideas of self-hatred and self-acceptance are common for many Black folks.

“Since I was a kid my parents have always reminded me to love and embrace my country, my history and my culture. Ethiopian culture is very religious and is all about celebration — celebration of life, culture, family and God. However, my [culture] also categorizes their own people . . . an example is like skin color.

They’re always uplifting and loving lighter skin tones more than darker skin tones. Body shaming and sexism are also common,” explained Beemnet Feleke.

Though it’s also worth noting that while many Black folks have these shared experiences of self-hatred and discomfort, the experience of being Black is still felt differently across groups.

For myself, the desire to remain beautiful both within and outside of my culture had been at the forefront of my struggle with self-hatred

YOOHYUN PARK/PRODUCTION COORDINATOR

and self-acceptance but my experiences as an Ethiopian Black woman are certainly different from the experiences of many others not only within the Black community but within my own culture as well.

For example, in certain Caribbean communities, anti-Blackness rhetoric is so heavily ingrained in the culture and history it often goes unnoticed. Consequently, children grow up maintaining and enforcing it in their communities.

“Throughout her childhood, [my mother] was taught that if you were of lighter skin and had looser curls, that you were “prettier” or

These experiences of trying to reconcile cultures as well as ideas of self-hatred and self-acceptance are common for many Black folks.

project my feelings and perceptions onto other classmates and friends, which, unbeknownst to me, was [perpetuation of ] anti-Blackness. Now, as a young adult, my perceptions of Blackness have changed drastically. I hope that with the knowledge I have today, I can educate others in hopes of eradicating texturism, featurism and colourism,” explained Donelle Peltier.

It’s also important to note it is not the fault of these cultures themselves but rather the result of the White supremacy and colonialism that run rampant in many histories. Interrogating anti-Blackness remains an important goal within and outside of the Black community.

While sharing these experiences can help with this and highlight diversity within the Black experience, they still only paint a fraction of the full picture, a picture which may never be entirely clear. However, that doesn’t mean sharing these experiences is any less important, particularly because of the essential part culture plays in upholding and denouncing anti-Blackness.

superior than others who didn’t have these characteristics. She was also taught that one with Eurocentric facial features had “nice” facial features. Unfortunately, as a child these notions were passed on to me as well. I used to

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Creating a more inclusive world, one book at a time

The Art Gallery of Burlington is creating a more inclusive world with their new book clubs Emma Shemko A&C Contributor osted and facilitated by Jasmine Mander, H the Art Gallery of Burlington’s new Echo Black, Indigenous and People of Colour book

club works to create a safe, inclusive and accessible space for marginalized folks. The club prioritizes the lived experiences of BIPOC folks through reading and discussion of critical texts written by BIPOC authors.

Currently the curatorial assistant at the AGB, Mander has worked at a number of art organizations over the years, including Hamilton Artists Inc., where she coordinated Incoming!, an initiative to address and support the needs of newcomer, immigrant and refugee artists.

Mander is passionate about uplifting BIPOC voices and she wanted to create such a safe space for BIPOC folks to talk about their experiences and ideas, where they felt they could bring down their walls and share openly without fear of being judged. “[The book club] is an opportunity to come together, discuss as a group and unpack ideas. It’s like learning together . . . Maybe you see somebody who looks like you and there’s this sense of guard that’s just dropped. And then, the more you get to know the people in the group, the more times people voice their opinions or their stories and really express themselves, you just grow more and are confident in being able to discuss your ideas,” explained Mander.

Echo’s reading list consists mainly of memoirs and personal accounts of BIPOC authors.

“And then, the more you get to know the people in the group, the more times people voice their opinions or their stories and really express themselves, you just grow more and are confident in being able to discuss your ideas.”

Jasmine Mander

Curatorial Assistant, Art Gallery of Burlington & Facilitator of Echo Mander hopes book club attendees can see their experiences represented and feel seen and heard when reading these stories.

The book club is geared towards youth aged 16-25, with the idea of facilitating the sharing of knowledge between generations and encouraging conversation around how 28 | A R T S & C U LT U R E

BIPOC communities move forward with these histories.

“A lot of the work and the knowledge that I’ve gained, I feel is super important to pass on to this next chapter in this next generation. You’re passing on the knowledge. All the work that you’ve done is not lost, but you’re investing in the youth so that you’re providing them with spaces, mentorship and support,” said Mander.

At its heart, Echo is about creating safe spaces and part of that is ensuring the club itself is as accessible as possible. The monthly sessions are held online, eliminating the need for a commute. The online environment also allows participants to leave their cameras off and participate as much or as little as they wish.

Mander also wanted to move away from the constraints of the average book club, encouraging readers of all levels and experiences to join and removing the usual obligation to finish the book before attending. Echo is about the quality of discussion over the quantity of books read, so participants are welcome to join monthly discussions even if they’ve only read a few pages.

“I try to think about myself as a participant, I try to think if I was entering this conversation, how would I navigate it? . . . Part of that, for me, is encouraging people to be able to come and go in space as needed, based on their energy levels,” said Mander.

Additionally, Mander recognized the increasing cost of books might pose a barrier to some and to ensure Echo does not become a financial burden, a free physical copy of each month’s book will be mailed to registered participants a month in advance. Participants are encouraged to sign up as early as possible as space is limited.

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, March 24, 2022

JESSICA YANG/PRODUCTION ASSISTANT

The Echo book club is meant to be an inclusive space for all BIPOC community members and allies, offering the opportunity for them to learn and grow with these stories and to feel part of a community.

“One of my key phrases and one that I always like to repeat in my mind over and over again is this: I want BIPOC folks to feel like they can go from a place of just surviving to thriving.

I want to see that happen. And so this [book club] is my way of contributing a space to my community,” said Mander.

“I want BIPOC folks to feel like they can go from a place of just surviving to thriving.

I want to see that happen.

And so this [book club] is my way of contributing a space to my community.”

Jasmine Mander

Curatorial Assistant, Art Gallery of Burlington & Facilitator of Echo Echo will be launching April 25 at 6:30 p.m. with the discussion of Eternity Martis’ They Said This Would be Fun: Race, Campus Life and Growing Up.

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BIPOC voices at the heart of Hamilton Arts Council’s music series Hamilton Arts Council celebrates diversity in local talent through BIPOC hART Music Series

PHOTO C/O Hamilton Arts Council

Subin Park A&C Reporter second annual Black, Indigenous and Ted hePeople of Colour hArt Music Series presentby the Hamilton Arts Council took place on

March 22 at Bridgeworks with a pay-what-youcan ticket. Supported by the Ontario Arts Council and funded by the Royal Bank of Canada, the music series showcased diverse emerging artists from the greater Hamilton area and Six Nations of the Grand River.

The concert featured Lil’ America, a Salvadoran-Canadian songwriter and singer; Luckystickz, a songwriter, steelpan aficionado and Berklee College of Music alumni; Nezqwik, a band inspired by a variety of genres and artists and Keith Silvers, a singer-songwriter.

DeShaun Jones, a music industry consultant, artists and repertoire rep and producer, returned to curate and host the second annual BIPOC hArt Music Series. He has been in the music industry for about 20 years, working with record labels, radio stations and distribution companies in various capacities from grant writing to artist consultation.

Throughout his work, his primary goal has always been helping emerging artists. The music series perfectly aligned with this vision and he looked forward to introducing folks the wide range of artists in their community.

“The main focus has always been with helping independent artists with artist development or building their music packages,” said Jones.

“The main focus has always been with helping independent artists with artist development or building their music packages,” DeShaun Jones

Curator and Host of the BIPIC hArt Music Series Jones describes the BIPOC hArt Music Series as not only a platform to showcase local, up-and-coming talent, but also a place to share diverse culture within the community.

This year, through sound, dance, performance and costumes, more emphasis was placed on cultural appreciation and education compared to last year. “[The artists will] be able to give the audience a little bit more education and entertainment in regard to the background of that artist . . . It’s really exciting to see more than just an artist coming up there and playing their instrument and singing a song,” explained Jones.

Being able to hold the concert in-person was another significant advantage in contrast to last year’s music series, which ran from Aug. 19 to Aug. 22, and occurred virtually due to COVID-19 restrictions and guidelines. The physical and live artist-audience connection is

much stronger and fulfilling when facilitated in a physical space. However, the live connection was a crucial factor missing in most music and concert events during the past three years.

“We are now able to allow people to come in and experience the music and artists live and interact with them, which is really important for the artists in their development,” said Jones.

For those who could not attend the music series in-person, the event was pre-recorded and will be broadcasted during Hamilton Arts Week occurring from June 9 to 17.

The continuous support from the community and organizations is what allowed the BIPOC hArt Music Series to return for its second run. As the demand for more diverse representation continues to increase, the music series will evolve to find better ways of showcasing BIPOC talents and stories.

For any student musicians or artists, Jones shares advice to remain determined, persistent and most importantly, true to who they are.

“Stay true to your narrative. I always say music is the by-product of an artist’s story or even the art overall because an artist, let’s say a painter, when they paint, they are being inspired as well as being a conduit for things they have gone through in their life,” said Jones.

Efforts are being made by community leaders and organizations, like the Hamilton Arts Council, to make opportunities for self-development and collaboration more accessible for artists and performers. The BIPOC hArt Music Series, and other opportunities and events alike, will hopefully continue driving change and increasing representation in the music industry in Hamilton and beyond.

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A bootcamp for Black-identifying youth entrepreneurs New Blk-Owned Hamont and BACEL training program celebrate helping Blackowned businesses grow Subin Park A&C Reporter lk-Owned Hamont, started in June 2020 by Bcontinues Ashleigh, Alexandria and Abygail Montague, to model what it means to celebrate,

showcase, explore and support Black-owned businesses through the new Black Youth Entrepreneurship Hub: Trailblazer bootcamp.

BYEH: Trailblazer bootcamp was created in partnership with Black Business and Professional Association’s Black African and Caribbean Entrepreneurship Training Program. Trailblazer is an 8-week program, running from March 5 to April 14, for Black-identifying entrepreneurs aged 18 to 39.

As part of the program, attendees will have the chance to hear from guest speakers, mentors and coaches on topics such as marketing, sales, supply chain management and many more. The cost to sign-up is $200, however, the fee will be reimbursed by the BBPA upon successful completion of the curriculum.

Trailblazer consists of bootcamp and workshop days. Bootcamp days will explore multiple areas of business operation and management.

In contrast, the weekly Workshop Wednesdays will delve deeper into more specific topics covered during the bootcamp and are optional and free for the campers. The public can also attend the workshops for a fee of $25.00 per session. Registration can be done through BlkOwned Hamont’s Eventbrite. “[The workshops] give the large community an opportunity to see what it is that we are teaching in our cohort program . . . We also saw it as a great opportunity for folks who may not yet be sold on the bootcamp that they could give these workshops a try,” said Ashleigh Montague.

In addition, the program offers mentorship and networking for participants.

“What we’re hoping the business owners will take away are new skills they can use to tap into their business for growth, resources they can take away and apply to their businesses for growth, as well as, hopefully an expanded network,” said Montague.

The idea for Trailblazers came about last summer. The Montague sisters behind BlkOwned Hamont wanted to address barriers for Black business owners and they conducted a feasibility study to better understand the existing gaps. From February through June 2021, the Montague sisters connected with over 100 business owners in Hamilton and ran a focus group.

The results of the survey and their focus group showed a need for Black business owners to develop skills, have greater access to resources and build networks. The sisters also found most of the Black Hamilton business owners were young, in the age group of 17 to 45.

The findings of the study led to the first Blk-Owned pop-up market in August 2021.

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PHOTO C/O Lohifa Pogoson Acker

“What we’re hoping the business owners will take away are new skills they can use to tap into their business for growth, resources they can take away and apply to their businesses for growth, as well as, hopefully an expanded network,” Ashleigh Montague

Blk-Owned Hamont Co-Founder Efforts to launch BYEH began shortly after.

In total, 11 entrepreneur and business owners signed up to the pilot program and the reception has been overwhelmingly positive.

The feedback form after the first bootcamp day revealed the participants enjoyed being able to engage in the program in-person, felt safe to share their experiences and enjoyed hearing from the speakers and facilitators.

“It was just so amazing to hear that our hard work over the last year was for something positive,” said Montague.

Aside from the Trailblazer program, BlkOwned Hamont has organized numerous markets and grown drastically over the past year.

Through counsel with their advisory team, lawyers and consultants who helped conduct the feasibility study, Blk-Owned Hamont launched their social enterprise, BMRKT, to continue highlighting local businesses while continuing Blk-Owned, which will continue to

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, March 24, 2022

“It was just so amazing to hear that our hard work over the last year was for something positive,” Ashleigh Montague

Blk-Owned Hamont Co-Founder focus on education, advocacy and research.

During Black history month, Blk-Owned Hamont also organized a merchandise box in partnership with McMaster Innovation Park.

Purchase of one vendor boxes allows folks to support up to nine business owners in the greater Hamilton area. It has been a success and they have already sold over 90 vendor boxes. The organization released Black History Month hoodies as well, designed by Aaron Parry, a McMaster alumnus. The colours in the BLK logo are representative of various skin tones.

Coming soon, Spring Ting market is scheduled to be held in St. Catharines on April 10.

It is open to vendors in the greater Hamilton and Niagara regions. In May, they are hoping to organize a party event on James Street North. It will be in collaboration with local Black-owned storefronts.

With all the work Blk-Owned Hamont has done and is continuing to do, the Montague sisters continue to be at the forefront of change in support of local Black-owned businesses.

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Mochii the puppy helps socialize McMaster Who’s a good boy?

Max Adams Community Partnerships Assistant n March 18, 2022, McMaster’s Student WellO ness Centre hosted an event with Mochii the Shiba Inu puppy. The event took place in PGCLL 201 and over 40 students attended.

Mochii captured the hearts of students after several other recent visits to campus.

Mochii captured the hearts of students after several other recent visits to campus.

The Silhouette spoke to Mochii’s owner, Willis Grunwald, a second-year humanities student about Mochii and the positive reaction from students.

Willis originally wanted a bigger dog, but because he’s moving into an apartment, he settled for something smaller. He considered getting a yorkie, a dachshund, or a shiba inu.

After searching for breeders, Willis met Mochii. “[The breeder] took him out, and I was like, that’s my dog,” Willis stated after describing how he felt when he first saw Mochii.

PHOTO C/O markchen627, Reddit

PHOTO C/O markchen627, Reddit

PHOTO C/O markchen627, Reddit

PHOTO C/O markchen627, Reddit

“[The breeder] took him out, and I was like, that’s my dog,” Willis Grunwald Mochii’s Owner

Mochii got his name from Willis’ experience working at a hibachi restaurant. Mochi is a Japanese rice cake dessert, which is quite fitting for the Japanese dog breed.

Willis never anticipated Mochii’s visits to campus would elicit such excitement.

“I was just trying to socialize him,” said Willis.

Little did Willis know, Mochii was helping McMaster students too.

“Single handedly (pawdedly?) carrying the mental health of every mac student rn,” wrote user comedownmachiine on Reddit’s r/ mcmaster.

“Single handedly (pawdedly?) carrying the mental health of every mac student rn,” u/comedownmachiine Reddit User

Photos of Mochii have circulated on Mochii’s Instagram, on McMaster’s social media channels and on Reddit’s r/mcmaster, In only a few days, @snoofin.mochii has amassed over 400 followers on Instagram and

features some of Mochii’s cutest photos.

Mochii also made an appearance on McMaster’s Instagram, which generated over 6,100 likes.

“Mochii should be our mascot,” commented Instagram user @_aaryaravi.

“Mochii should be our mascot,”

Mochii even received a professional photo shoot, and the results are adorable.

If departments within the university are holding events with Mochii and Willis, does that mean that Mochii actually is now an official McMaster icon?

One thing’s for sure, we cannot get enough of Mochii!

@_aaryaravi

Instagram User

T h e S i l h o u e t t e | 31

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Sports Follow-up on the systemic review of the Black student-athlete experience

It’s been two years since the allegations so, what has changed? members of the Marauders.

“Sure, I think that the “Just one of the horrible situations that school has been taking Black athletes have found themselves in goes Sava Jankovic way back to 2014, I believe. Essentially, a Sports Reporter some steps to reduce the student athlete wished to discuss a problem he had within the squad and arranged a meeting systemic racism within the with personnel higher up. However, when he ust under two years ago a McMaster Uniarrived at the meeting, nobody was there to versity student athlete, Steven Archachan, sports department, which welcome him or speak to him. He was left alone was accused of tweeting racist posts on social in the situation and had nobody to help him,” media, which provoked a mass reaction to get is good news.

For instance, said Serbeh. the player off the team. Although Archanan Although there’s plenty that McMaster was kicked off the lacrosse team, there are still the Black Athlete Student can still work on to improve the experience many issues surrounding McMaster athletics of Black student-athletes and the way that and systemic racism.

Body has been formed, yet they are treated, the school has taken steps to Another issue the school encountered create spaces and opportunities for them. For was surrounding Glenn DeCaire, the director I just don’t think that it’s example, the school just recently announced of parking and security, who allegedly faced that the Athletics department has created 21 enough to counter the 60 a many allegations of racist behaviour. At one financial awards for Black student athletes, in point, over 6,000 individuals signed a petition page document that listed an effort to create a more welcoming and motito fire the now ex-police chief from his role on vational atmosphere within the community. campus. enormous racial instances,” “I think that there is much more to do for While all of these incidents occurred in

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the past, after the Systemic Review of the Black Student-Athlete Experience and the McMaster Athletics Climate was released, there was a major outcry yet again. Many news sources, incluing The Silhouette, covered it and many students were surprised to see this many controversial incidents happening at McMaster.

What exactly did McMaster do to combat these events after the document was released?

“Overall, I think that the McMaster response has been somewhat effective. There are many areas where we have seen some improvement, but there are still many areas that haven’t even been looked at. Sure, I think that the school has been taking some steps to reduce the systemic racism within the sports department, which is good news. For instance, the Black Athlete Student Body has been formed, yet I just don’t think that it’s enough to counter the 60 page document that listed enormous racial instances,” said Nana Yaw Serbeh, a member of the Marauders football team.

“Ever since I came to McMaster in 2018, it’s evident that the Black student experience just hasn’t been the same compared to other races within the athletics department. I think that the document released a few years ago clearly outlines that. There are so many instances where Black student athletes were not treated the same as other races and it really does make me angry,” explained Serbeh.

In the system review published by the athletics department in October 2020, there were multiple instances of different Black athletes being put down by coaches and other

Nana Yaw Serbeh

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McMaster athletics. One of the things that I’d like to see is a more welcoming atmosphere to the Black student athletes and more Black student athletes in general. I think that we are making some movement, but it’s simply not good enough yet. We’ve raised a lot of awareness and I think that the community should be more aware of the incidents that occur on campus and that they should be addressed correctly,” explained Serbeh.

There have certainly been efforts on behalf of McMaster to rectify the challenges and racism faced by Black student athletes.

They have made considerable efforts to welcome Black student athletes to the sports scene, but is that enough to create meaningful and lasting change?

T h e S i l h o u e t t e | 33

Keenan Jeppesen: An alum advocating for Black student athletes Keenan Jeppesen, the Associate Director of High Performance, seeks to advocate for and represent Black student athletes

PHOTO C/O Keenan Jeppesen

Acacia Lio Sports Staff Writer cMaster’s Department of Athletics and M Recreation has recently been restructured to have separate staff groups that cover both

athletics and recreation. These are headed by associate directors who report to the Primary Director, Shawn Burt. Trish Chant-Sehl is the associate director, recreation and healthy living, whereas Keenan Jeppesen is the associate director, high performance.

Jeppesen joined McMaster Athletics and Recreationin January. His roots in the McMaster community run deep — as a child growing up in Hamilton, he attended McMaster basketball camps. He returned to McMaster as a student working towards his MBA and played on the Marauders men’s basketball team as a forward in the 2009-10 season, donning number 13.

Upon earning his MBA, Jeppesen worked for Viacom and Ubiquiti Networks before returning to McMaster to work as the director of basketball operations from 2018 to 2021. Afterward, Jeppesen began to work with the Onyx Initiative, aiming to help Black and Afro-Canadian students connect with corporate Canada to earn internships and work experience. Now, Jeppesen has found himself back with McMaster once again in the role of associate director, high performance.

“McMaster’s always been important to me and I think it’s such an important part of Hamilton; [it is] the fabric of the community. And I’m just so happy to kind of be back in this capacity and help kind of continue the great tradition that McMaster has and really build upon that and try to take it to a new level,” said Jeppesen.

In this role, Jeppesen covers everything competitive, from teams that compete at the U Sports or national level, teams that compete in Ontario University Athletics competitions, clubs and recreational teams that compete in other leagues and the staff that support them, including field therapists, strength and conditioning coaches and even student services coordinators.

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As the role is a newer one, Jeppesen is working to define the role for himself and for the department. High performance is a general term and he hopes to take a holistic approach to it, covering everything both on and off the court.

“It just doesn’t mean wins or losses, but it’s really about the development of our student athletes academically, as leaders and community members both within Hamilton and the greater McMaster community. [They are a] source of pride and true ambassadors of the McMaster values and missions,” explained Jeppesen.

With Jeppesen’s experience in uplifting Black voices, a large part of his role is implementing a response after the ‘Black Stu-

“It just doesn’t mean wins or losses, but it’s really about the development of our student athletes academically, as leaders and community members both within Hamilton and the greater McMaster community. [They are a] source of pride and true ambassadors of the McMaster values and missions,” Keenan Jeppesen

McMaster’s Athletics and Recreation Associate Director, High Performance

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, March 24, 2022

dent-Athlete Systemic Review’ that came out in October 2022. Part of this response is the 21 financial awards for Black student athletes, called the ‘Black Excellence Athletic Financial Awards’.

The application involves short submissions from Black student-athletes that highlight their leadership and excellence to the community.

“The way I continue to support in the review response [is] really just bringing my own lived experience to the role and understanding Black and BIPOC student athletes and just trying to bring that lens to the decisions we make within the department and creating programs that in some cases are specific to them,” explained Jeppesen.

In addition to lending his own perspective to the situation, Jeppesen seeks to build the athletics and recreation department up by incorporating student feedback. “[I’m] trying to be someone that student athletes of all ethnicities are comfortable coming to share their perspective and really just trying to build a department that really incorporates the feedback of our student athletes and making sure that we reflect their values and deliver the services that are important to them,” said Jeppesen.

In this role, Jeppesen is able to combine his passion for strategy with working and uplifting student-athletes. Continuous improvement within the Department of Athletics and Recreation can be expected under Jeppesen’s leadership.

“[I’m] trying to be someone that student athletes of all ethnicities are comfortable coming to share their perspective and really just trying to build a department that really incorporates the feedback of our student athletes and making sure that we reflect their values and deliver the services that are important to them,” Keenan Jeppesen

McMaster’s Athletics and Recreation Associate Director, High Performance

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A look at the McMaster badminton team

Although they finished 6th at the OUA, the McMaster badminton team is full of talent

JESSICA YANG/PRODUCTION ASSISTANT

individualism. However, there is one player who has impressed last weekend during the Ontario University Athletics championships in Waterloo.

Talia Ng is a third-year student currently studying life sciences and is expected to graduate this year. Nonetheless, she has been extremely impressive during this season’s badminton campaign, racking up a handful of awards during the weekend. Her first award came through at the end of the OUA championships, where she was awarded the OUA MVP and was given all-star recognition.

Although extremely impressive, her success did not end there. Just a day later Ng was named as the Marauder of the week along with Alex Drover, a runner on the men’s track team, which concluded a very eventful week for the badminton team.

Ng is the first female Marauder to receive an OUA Championships Most Valuable Player Award since 2003.

Sava Jankovic Sports Reporter sport at McMaster University is unique Eto very in its own way. Each sport has a backstory it and every team member is talented in their own way. Badminton is just another one of those unique sports that McMaster has to offer. With over 20 competitors on the squad, it has so much to offer in terms of talent and

“Last week was overall a mixed experience for me. I think that as a team we have done our best, but I can’t say that I am extremely happy with the outcome. We came sixth out of eight teams, so it simply isn’t that great. As for the team, I feel that we are much closer altogether compared to the previous years. They are a great set of people and many of us are very supportive of each other, which is something I feel is really important for us,” said Ng. Ng is the first female Marauder to receive an OUA championships most valuable player award since 2003.

“I am really honored to have received all these awards. They certainly do bring me confidence, even though I didn’t really expect it. To be honest, I think that it is unfair in a way because my team has done so much as well last week. We worked as a group together and I think that our team overall deserves the same accolades as I do,” explained Ng. Transitioning from a university into the world of professional sports can be a challenge, but Ng is ready to take it on. She hopes to continue her athletics journey and pursue further heights in badminton beyond her time at McMaster.

“I am most definitely looking into starting a badminton career after school. My goal is to reach the Olympics someday, but I know that it will take a lot of hard work to get there,” said

“I am most definitely looking into starting a badminton career after school. My goal is to reach the Olympics someday, but I know that it will take a lot of hard work to get there.”

Talia Ng

OUA MVP with All-Star Recognition and Maurader of the Week Ng. While the Marauders didn’t do exceptionally well last weekend, the enthusiasm and closeness within the team has shown that there is a bright future ahead for the team. Its members can look forward to taking on a new set of challenges in the upcoming year and working

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McMaster Sports Business Association is preparing for their annual industry conference MSBA’s yearly industry conference is quickly approaching and this year’s concept is looking like a winner Jovan Popovic Sports Editor he McMaster Sports Business Association’s Ttaking sports industry conference is back, this time place on March 22 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The annual conference, which has become a mainstay for the MSBA, is something that the organization is extremely proud of and excited to offer to McMaster students looking for opportunities in sports.

Presidents Jared Bertrim and Tenzin Choney spoke very optimistically when discussing the upcoming event, stating that it is something that their entire executive team had dedicated themselves to. There’s a reason that this is the pillar event for the MSBA. “This is our flagship event — it’s the one we put the most time and effort into at the end of the year. It’s a three-hour long conference. In the past we’ve had it in person, due to COVID this year unfortunately we have to have it online. We’re still going to have a great lineup of guests through three different panels,” said Bertrim.

“This is our flagship event — it’s the one we put the most time and effort into at the end of the year. It’s a three-hour long conference.

In the past we’ve had it in person, due to COVID this year unfortunately we have to have it online. We’re still going to have a great lineup of guests through three different panels,” Jared Bertrim

Co-President of the MSBA The guest speaker panel this year features three primary sections; sports marketing, sports finance and a McMaster alumni panel.

The MSBA aims to provide insight and opportunity for their members through this event by offering an elite group of speakers in each of these sections. Each section will have an allotted time of 50 minutes. Each panel will feature guests with interesting knowledge and perspectives to share.

“Those attending can expect an interactive event. I know we’ve all probably been to a lot of Zoom meetings or conferences where we 36 | SPORTS

PHOTO C/O MSBA

sit back and listen, but we’re looking forward to being very interactive, where we have workshops [and] where you can work in breakout rooms . . . A big feature as a whole is the question-and-answer periods — that’s where we find students get the most value,” said Bertrim.

Of the three sections, both presidents seem to agree that the alumni panel is the one they are most looking forward to. It’s a new section to the conference, but one that will surely be of interest to many students.

“This is actually our first year that we’re doing the McMaster alumni panel. The MSBA is six or seven years old and in the past we haven’t had that deep of an alumni network to pull from, to get speakers from. Now that we have a couple past presidents, a couple past McMaster students, we’re excited to have that panel,” explained Bertrim.

Choney also expressed her excitement for the new panel, explaining how interesting it will be to follow the journey of past McMaster students and past club members. It is largely viewed as an opportunity for current students to see the steps that alumni with similar academic or career aspirations have taken to get themselves into a position of success in the

“I think this year it’s going to be super exciting because of the alumni panel. We get to ask them how they started at McMaster to where they are now, so kind of following along their journey after grad,” Tenzin Choney

Co-President of the MSBA

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, March 24, 2022

sports industry.

“I think this year it’s going to be super exciting because of the alumni panel. We get to ask them how they started at McMaster to where they are now, so kind of following along their journey after grad,” said Choney.

Although they are disappointed to have to host the conference online this year, they are happy to reap the benefits of a virtual conference, for example drawing in large crowds of student audiences.

“In the past we’ve stuck to local Hamilton guests, who have been great, but this year we get to go further and beyond. One of our panel alumni members works in Montreal right now for their hockey team, so we’re excited to have some further stretched members join our event,” explained Bertrim.

With the school year nearing a close, the MSBA is hoping to cap it off on a high note with their industry conference. Exams are a stressful time for nearly everyone and an event like this could be a great way to relieve some stress and enjoy it.

“We usually like to end the year with a bang. Exams are around the corner, so we want to end the year great,” said Choney.

“We usually like to end the year with a bang. Exams are around the corner, so we want to end the year great,” Tenzin Choney

Co-President of the MSBA Speakers have not yet been announced, but will continue to be revealed as the date of the conference arrives. Those interested in attending must purchase club membership for five dollars. More information can be found on the club’s social media accounts on Instagram or Facebook.

S

Games

Horizontal 5. A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away 9. Oh boy! Let’s go to the club house!

11. Till now, I’m lost in the woods 14. I can do this all day 15. There’s a snake in my boot 17. Galactic lone ranger 18. Whip and a fedora 19. Shaken, not stirred

Vertical 1. Your friendly neighbourhood, ________ ____ 2. The boy who lived 3. Agent J and Agent K 4. The fastest man alive.

5. Pointy-eared Vulcan 6. The man of steel 7. Who ya gonna call?

8. Why is the rum gone?

10. Even Ryan Reynolds regrets this one 12. The Dark Knight 13. The truth is, I am . . .

16. Who lives, who dies, who tells your story

T h e S i l h o u e t t e | 37

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