Capilano Courier | Vol. 50, Issue 18.

VOLUME 50, ISSUE 18

MARCH 12–24, 2018

SPORTS

How Emmanuel Denguessi rediscovered his roots

SPECIAL

A look back on Robyn Maynard's CapU talk

IMMIGRANTS: WE GET THE JOB DONE How janitorial work became so excruciatingly inseparable from the Filipino-Canadian identity

by Carlo Javier PG. 12

TABLE OF CONTENTS

EDITOR'S DESK

VOL. 50 ISSUE 18 MARCH 12-18

4 BC BUDGET SETS ASIDE $450 MILLION FOR STUDENT HOUSING

The weight of representation

News

5

Campus Life

AN HOMAGE TO FROMAGE

7

HAS THE SUCCESS OF HIP-HOP KILLED BLACK-OWNED FASHION COMPANIES?

8

ON BEING MIXED-RACE

CARLO JAVIER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Columns

Columns

10 RECIPES FROM THE COURIER Feature

12 IMMIGRANTS (WE GET THE JOB DONE)

Special Feature

17 BEING BLACK AT CAPILANO

Arts & Culture

18 EMMANUEL DENGUESS’S REDISCOVERY Sports

STAFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

ART DIRECTOR

Carlo Javier capcourier@gmail.com

Rachel Wada artdirector.capcourier@gmail.com

MANAGING EDITOR

PRODUCTION DESIGNER

Justin Scott manager.capcourier@gmail.com

Cristian Fowlie pm.capcourier@gmail.com

NEWS EDITOR

COMMUNITY RELATIONS MANAGER

Christine Beyleveldt news.capcourier@gmail.com

John Tabbernor community.capcourier@gmail.com

OPINIONS EDITOR

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

Tia Kutschera Fox opinions.capcourier@gmail.com

Andy Rice andy.capcourier@gmail.com

FEATURES EDITOR

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Helen Aikenhead specialfeatures.capcourier@gmail.com ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

Annalisse Crosswell, Kevin Kapenda, Leah Scheitel, Andrew Yang, Adrian Sahagun, Sherry Taghipour, Ana Frazao

Rachel D'Sa arts.capcourier@gmail.com

CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATORS

CAMPUS LIFE EDITOR

Juliana, Vieira, Jenny Oakley, Valeriya Kim, Erika Medina

Greta Kooy campuslife.capcourier@gmail.com

EDITOR + COLUMNIST PORTRAITS

Rachel Wada ONLINE EDITOR

Jessica Lio online.capcourier@gmail.com COPY EDITOR

Leah Scheitel copy.capcourier@gmail.com

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deemed by the collective to exhibit sexism, racism or homophobia. The views expressed by the

​We acknowledge that the work we do and the

contributing writers are not necessarily those of the

institution we serve happens on the unceded territory

Capilano Courier Publishing Society.

of the Coast Salish peoples, including the territories of Musqueam, Squamish, Stó:lō and Tsleil-Waututh Nations.

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VOLUME 50 ISSUE NO. 18

“We don't believe you, because we the people are still here in the rear, ayo.”

– Q-Tip Topics surrounding representation have dominated discourse in recent years. We saw a great collective outcry at the utter lack of non-white nominees at the 88th Academy Awards in 2016 and with the more recent ceremonies, we are seeing presenters openly call out the lack of female nominees for categories. At the other end of the spectrum, we have seen people celebrate the triumphs of ground-breaking films like Get Out, Wonder Woman and Black Panther.

These important discussions on diversity – especially the proper, respectful and artful portrayals of the historically marginalized – now exist in a macro scope. And while the increased conversation around representation and diversity certainly brings about a breath of fresh air in media and pop culture, we cannot fall into thinking that the job is done.

Representation matters tremendously not just because we want to see other people on the big (and small) screens. It matters because we also want to see people like us, tackling stories that we gravitate to, while struggling with the same barriers we do.

Representation matters because of inspiration and because it provides the role models we sorely lack.

Mar. 5, 2018 marked my 12th year anniversary in Canada, having moved from the Philippines as a 12-year-old in 2006. I don’t remember the exact date, or the exact moment, but at some point in my adolescent years, I made a subconscious attempt to identify myself more as a Canadian. I strictly spoke English outside my home – even to Filipino classmates and friends. I learned to cook dishes from many other cultures, without learning the traditional meals from my own cuisine. The shift in identity was not something I noticed until in my later post-secondary years, where I truly started to get compliments for having an apparently, surprising light Filipino accent. In one of my upper level communications classes, we did a project where we gauged how our abilities, personalities and behaviour will translate in our increasingly multicultural workplaces.

The project was almost like a side-assignment that would loom over heads throughout the semester, and it also involved the participation of an external instructor – whom we ultimately reported to at the end of the semester for our assessments.

The project was interesting – very much so. But what really caught my attention was my assessment, the process had defined me as identifying to be more Canadian than Filipino – and it was said to be a good thing.

I had questions, but like most people, I didn’t bother asking them, opting internalize instead. Eventually, I came to accept that I existed in limbo. My cultural identity was in question.

For much of my youth, the heroes and idols I looked up to did not look like me. They were pro basketball players, musicians, celebrities and what have you. No one in the grand field of media and pop culture looked like me. There were no otherworldly success stories for me to aspire to be like, no barometers to try and reach and no “all-time great” to try and emulate.

This is the very value of representation. Many of us fall into limiting our success to what we see right in front us – things on the micro level. We may live vicariously through the lives and achievements of other people, but seeing someone that looks like you held on a pedestal often reserved for others can often be breathtaking.

Conversations about representation may be becoming redundant for some, but for those who are only seeing it now, representation means the weight of the world.

NEWS

CSU moves forward with sexual violence and misconduct campaign Let’s Get Consensual takes off after semester-long delay GRETA KOOY CAMPUS LIFE EDITOR

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ollowing the Sexual Violence and Misconduct policy Capilano University released last year, the Capilano Students’ Union (CSU) launched a campaign focusing on consent culture on campus. What inspired the CSU to bring their own campaign of the same name to CapU was an initiative originally organized by the University of Victoria Students’ Society (UVSS) called Let’s Get Consensual.

The CSU had planned to launch their campaign by the end of September, but they could only begin once members had received training from the UVSS. Instead, the CSU is seeing their plan being implemented this month. Due to scheduling issues, their original training dates were pushed from August to December.

Training took place over the winter break and involved an intense threeday workshop based out of Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s Surrey campus.

There, members of the Anti-Violence Project, an association based out of the University of Victoria, trained participants from the CSU. Alongside other BC universities, five members of the CSU attended, including Women Students Liaison Katie Japaridize. “It was very detailed,” she said. “It was a good opportunity for us at the [CSU] to connect with other student associations.”

Now, three months later, the CSU has

(Left to right): Emily Solomon, Katie Japaridze and Anna Rempel held their second workshop associated with the campaign. Although it would have been much more ideal to launch their campaign earlier, Japaridize noted that training CSU volunteers required extra time and effort.

“We had a debrief in February to get the volunteers back together and to talk about the training, what went well, what didn’t go well, what they learned and how we could improve,” said Japaridize.

Working with the CSU on their Sexual Violence and Misconduct Campaign is Jody Armstrong, CapU’s community wellness strategist, who Japaridize noted was a valuable and key member to the project. “My job came as a response to the Sexual Violence and Misconduct policy, so part of my job is focused on the

implementation of that policy,” he said.

Armstrong, along with Arts and Sciences Faculty Representative Madeleine Fyffe and Senate Representative Joshua Larsen, hosted a Let’s Get Consensual workshop at CapU on Mar. 7.

These workshops are far less intense than the training CSU members received from the Anti-Violence Project. Students are encouraged to work with and interact with one another by way of icebreakers and question and answer periods. This method, Japaridize believes, opens up the space to talk about sexual violence and misconduct in a comfortable and supportive environment. “What I find is that this type of learning is way more efficient… When you actually discuss

things with each other, that’s when you start thinking,” she said.

The CSU currently has no plans for another workshop this semester, but Japaridize is hopeful that the campaign will run again next year and further into the future. “We’ve had a lot of interest,” Japaridize said of the workshops.

“That’s one of the hardest things for us, to get people together and to get people interested, because we’re a commuter campus. No one really stays here.”

However, she isn’t worried about the number of students participating in the workshop, but rather the quality of their experience and what they are able to take away from it.

The importance of a campaign like Let’s Get Consensual is becoming evident as more post-secondary institutions implement sexual violence and misconduct policies in accordance with BC legislation and participate in the ongoing practice of consent and consent-based culture. “The campaign is about sexualized violence, but it’s about consent,” said Board of Governors Representative Hassan Merali, “because consent is central to preventing sexualized violence and misconduct.”

CSU President and Vice President Finance and Services, Perry Safari, noted the changing environment of the campus, acknowledging the new CapU residence at Dollarton. “The setting at Cap is changing very rapidly… That changes the dynamic of [the campus]. That’s why it’s important to put more of an emphasis on sexual violence and misconduct awareness.”

Armstrong noted that similar consent training would soon be afforded to Residence Advisors at the Dollarton Residence, and that workshops are being tailored to those living at Dollarton.

Adventure Therapy would be a unique program in Western Canada Outdoor Recreation chair is trying to add a new program to the school’s portfolio JUSTIN SCOTT MANAGING EDITOR

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aroline Depatie is currently working to introduce a new program to Capilano University that would be nothing short of life changing. Although Depatie herself, the co-chair of the School of Outdoor Recreation (OREC) and Tourism Management, still struggles to confidently give an exact definition of what Adventure Therapy is, she knows that it’s something she wants to bring to CapU. Depatie was exposed to a concept that she knew she wanted to bring back to CapU when she attended a conference put on by the Experiential Education Association in Montreal in November.

Adventure Therapy, in generally terms, uses nature and outdoor activities to help people get through challenging times. “It could be helping or supporting a youth that’s having a hard

time with their family and friends, or couples that are going through a rough patch or individuals suffering from eating disorders – it’s just so broad,” said Depatie.

She can still recall the moment at the conference when she was exposed to the idea. “One presentation that really touched me was called Tip of the Toes Expeditions,” she said. “They do expeditions with kids and youth that are currently undergoing cancer treatment or are done and in remission.”

Depatie instantly saw potential for this concept at CapU. However, while she and the rest of the OREC faculty are extremely well versed in the adventure portion of the practice, she admits that they are still working on the therapy portion. Luckily for Depatie and her cohorts, CapU has many other programs that have been able to offer guidance.

“I guess the part that is puzzling us, the word therapy,” she said. “When I did talk to folks in psychology and in music therapy, it was how is that going to work. So, it [would be] a very interdisciplinary degree, which I think the University wants to bring on more.”

CapU has traditionally seen its programs operate independently of one another, although that seems to be changing. Cap Core is a new program due to launch this fall that puts a clear emphasis on interdisciplinary learning, which fares well for a potential Adventure Therapy program that would likely rely on such a style of learning. “I think with this particular program we need to be able to work together and say, ‘yeah let’s work together and let’s find a way that we can all contribute and make this happen’,” said Depatie.

For now, the degree is still in the planning stage of development. The concept paper has been approved by OREC’s internal approval process and received positive feedback from CapU’s senate sub-committee, which gives advice on curriculum. “They were very supportive,” Depatie remarked.

Currently, it’s being evaluated at the Senior Academic Leadership level.

If the program is approved, it will still have many stages to go through before it becomes a reality. One of the big questions Depatie anticipates she will have to address is the sustainability

of the program, essentially asking the question covering the scope of interest in the field for the program to be worth running. From what Depatie sees in OREC students currently though, this shouldn’t be a problem.

“We’re finding that a lot of our OREC students, when we give them assignments when they have flexibility to choose topics gravitate toward that, toward the healing power of nature,” she said. “We’re just finding that students currently who are in the diploma are naturally attracted to this idea of adventure therapy.”

Depatie believes the concept is at least two or three years away from becoming a program. Her ultimate goal is to see OREC contribute to the health sector and help people who are experiencing difficult times in their lives by taking them outdoors to heal. “Our intent is to be very innovative,” she said. “I haven’t seen anywhere where there’s a degree in adventure therapy. So we’re in a place where we could become the world’s best.

It just makes sense for what we already offer at Capilano University and for where the University is located.”

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NEWS

“It feels like home” Elders provide sense of community for Indigenous students CHRISTINE BEYLEVELDT NEWS EDITOR

-TAEHOON KIM

F

or the last eight years, Ernie George has made himself available to answer questions, offer guidance or simply serve as a comforting presence to Capilano University students in the school’s Kéxwusm-áyakn First Nations Student Centre. George, a member of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation, is an In-Resident Elder. Before he came to CapU, his wife, Deana, worked at the University and is now the Elder-in-Residence at Vancouver Community College.

Only in the last few years, First Nations Advisor David Kirk remarked, have In-Resident Elders come to play integral roles in campus communities, some even being recognized as faculty members. The elders provide guidance and cultural support, and can be an especially comforting presence to Indigenous students who are attending CapU far from their own homes. “Elders are really important to Indigenous people,” said Kirk. “So it creates that environment that we want to create – that students feel welcome.”

Liberal Studies student Crystal Henderson added that she has been able to learn about the culture of First Nations on the North Shore from George. Her hometown is Port Hardy, so attending CapU sees her living a great distance from her home. “Coming here [and] being so far away from home, I feel it is important to have the elders here,” she said. “They’re here. They’re

supportive. It feels like home.”

“There was a young girl here, I think it was about a year and a half ago, I think she was from far up in the Interior, and I think she graduated that spring,” George recalled. “Just before my last day she came and told me, she said ‘I know you’re the elder here.’ I told her I’ve seen her a lot of times in here. She said, ‘I’m sorry I’ve never talked to you,’ but she said ‘just walking into this room made me feel good’. You know my eyes watered up just to see her there, it felt good.” Often he’ll receive questions from students about his experiences from

attending public school for the first time or residential school, or the first time he became a boss and what life is like on the reserve.

Kirk stressed that they aren’t on campus just for Indigenous students, but also for non-Indigenous members of the community to learn from in their own journeys toward reconciliation. On Mar. 8, the Kéxwusm-áyakn Centre hosted a ChatLive discussion with the Womens’ and Gender Studies program about #MeToo and what comes after this movement. During the group discussion, George shared that the Coast Salish

people were a matriarchal culture until first contact.

“He shared the history of the matriarch and the Coast Salish people so those are really important teachings because we’ve not only had Indigenous students here learning from our elder but had a lot of Indigenous guests here in the centre,” said Kirk. Not all stories are teachings, but Kirk acknowledged that it’s a way to pass on knowledge gained from lived experiences.

BC Budget sets aside $450 million for student housing CSU and Capilano University view budget announcement favourably CHRISTINE BEYLEVELDT NEWS EDITOR

T

he NDP government released the provincial budget for the 2018 fiscal year on Feb. 13 that both Capilano University and the Capilano Students’ Union (CSU) have commended for committing funds to improving the lives of students.

The BC budget includes a $50 million investment to preserve and revitalize Indigenous languages and a further $30 million to be redirected to an Indigenous Skills Training Development Fund over the next three years. Also reconfirmed was the September 2017 decision to remove fees from Adult Basic Education and English Second Language programs, which CapU removed at the start of the 2017-18 academic year.

The budget also made provisions for affordable childcare to the tune of over $1 billion that is expected to create 22,000 childcare spaces throughout

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the province. “If you’re earning under $40,000 in BC going forward you’re going to pay almost nothing for childcare,” said CSU Vice President External Noah Berson. He expects this will affect mature students and student parents enrolled at CapU, many of whom he suggests will have more disposable income not going towards exorbitant childcare costs. “So I think it’s going to be really beneficial not just for students currently but for folks in the community looking to come back to school,” he said.

Most notably, $450 million has been set aside specifically for the creation of on-campus student housing provincewide. Over the next three years, $259 million of that sum will become available to enable public post-secondary institutions to borrow. A previous ruling by the Liberal government that prevented institutions from taking on debt to prop up student housing projects was also overturned, which the University appreciates, as was reported in a press release put out two weeks after the budget was announced.

“I think the budget is a massive win, I think it’s the biggest investment we’ve

VOLUME 50 ISSUE NO. 18

seen in students in the last 25 years,” said Berson. The last win he referred to was the tuition freeze imposed in the 1990s and subsequently lifted in the early 2000s. “It’s something that the Capilano Students’ Union and the Alliance of BC Students has been lobbying on for a long time on campus housing, and so seeing almost half a billion dollars in the budget for that is a massive win not only for Capilano students but for students across the region.”

In October, Berson and four other board members from the CSU went to Victoria to lobby politicians on the issue of student housing. This concern was brought up by students years ago that the CSU turned into a campaign, “Where’s the Housing?”, in 2014. Lobby Days, organized by the Alliance of BC Students (ABCS) enabled the CSU to speak one-on-one with politicians on several matters, including housing.

“We have students taking up the lowest status of housing, not allowing other people of low income to move into this housing market, so when we present an issue like this that really manages to solve two issues with one solution,

government likes that,” said Berson.

Furthermore, Berson stressed that CapU’s sense of community could be affected by enabled student housing. “It’s been shown time and time again you get better campus life, better campus community,” he said. CapU is by and large a commuter school despite having a residence located off-campus and an agreement with real estate development company Woodbridge Northwest Communities for an on-campus residence building, which construction could start on as soon as this fall.

“It’s been really amazing to see something that we’ve worked towards – again, something that we identified as an issue in 2014, adapted a campaign, rebranded it to be focused [on] the housing crisis, and here we are with a massive half a billion dollar win,” added Berson. It won’t be just students who are affected. In a study released in 2016 the ABCS found that sufficient housing for post-secondary students in Metro Vancouver alone could free up 13,000 rental units.

CAMPUS LIFE

An homage to fromage The French Department is throwing a party on March 15 at noon, and you're invited!

HELEN AIKENHEAD FEATURES EDITOR

T

his month marks the 20th Rendezvous de la Francophonie (RVF), a celebration of Canada's French and English bilingualism observed across the country throughout the month to surround Journée Internationale de la Francophonie on March 20. The RVF has been connecting French and English communities all over Canada for two decades in over 3,000 events that take place around the country in recognition of the event.

This year, the CapU French Department will also be celebrating by hosting their own rendez-vous in the Language Resource Centre (LRC, Arbutus 117). Over the years, the department has hosted French cafés and French cinéma get togethers, but this will be the first time they celebrate Les Rendez-Vous to honour its anniversary.

Catherine Gloor, CapU French instructor and LRC supervisor explained the importance of celebrating here on the west coast. “Les Rendez-vous celebrates one of Canada’s official languages and all the diverse cultural aspects of the Francophonie here in Canada,” she said. “We have French speaking people of

Acadian, Métis, Québécois, African and European heritage here in Vancouver and we've built a multicultural community that reflects some of the best aspects of Canada.”

The LRC's Rendez-vous will be filled with games, prizes, a relaxed atmosphere to test French skills (although they aren't required to attend) and plenty of free cheese from France, Québec and Switzerland for students to enjoy.

For the French Department, it was important to take part in Les Rendez-Vous celebrations this year. “More than ever before CapU is becoming an international place of learning. In the French Department we have a truly innovative way of teaching where conversation and cultural insights are our raison d'être [reason for being],” said Gloor. “In many parts of the world, speaking several languages is a given and this is a practical and sought after skill in the global environment – I think sometimes we forget about that in Canada and lose out on many opportunities.”

Like all of the events hosted by the LRC, all levels of language comprehension are welcome to take part in the event. The goal of the day is to welcome the students of CapU into a fun and relaxed environment to immerse themselves in the French atmosphere the language faculty strives to create. The LRC invites students to attend what's sure to be one of CapU's most exciting parties of the year. Did they mention free cheese?

CSU REFERENDUM QUESTIONS PERSONAL ELECTRONICS REPAIR SERVICE FEE Do you approve a fee of $0.57 per credit up to a maximum of 15 credits per semester effective September 2018 to be used for a Personal Electronics Repair Service for students (with labour free of charge for students, and never charging more than cost for parts)?

This fee will be increased with the rate of inflation as determined by the consumer price index.

SOCIAL JUSTICE SUPPORT FEE Do you approve a fee of $0.65 per credit up to a maximum of 15 credits per semester effective September 2018 to be used for to support the traditionally marginalized groups on campus? This fee shall increase annually according to the Canadian Consumer Price Index.

VOTE ONLINE MARCH 20-22

CSU HEALTH AND DENTAL PLAN FEE Do you approve an increase to the CSU Health and Dental Plan Fee (the “Plan Fee”) of 16% (from $234.04 to $271.48) commencing September 2018, and, furthermore, approve increases to the Plan Fee of up to 5% in each academic year thereafter to be determined by the CSU Board of Directors? (Note: If this referendum question is not approved, eligible Capilano University students will continue to pay the existing Plan Fee, and the CSU will need to consider reductions to the coverage levels provided under the Plan.)

CHANGE IS UP TO YOU -- VOTE.

NON-CSU REFERENDUM QUESTIONS STUDENT PUBLICATION FEE— Do you support an increase to the Student Publication Fee for the Capilano Courier Publishing Society from: $1.27 per credit with a maximum of $16.94 per term to $1.46 per credit with a maximum of $18.98 per term, in order to: create more paid opportunities for Capilano University students, improve the quality of the newspaper, increase the amount of content published per week, and improve digital content and engagement?

Voting in this year’s CSU general election and referendums is online.

Voting takes place from March 20 at 8:00am to March 22 at 5:00pm.

Keep an eye out for mobile voting stations around campus, too.

More information at csu.bc.ca/elections

BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS FEE Do you approve the creation of a Business and Professional Associations Fee (the “Fee”) of $1.99 per credit to a maximum of 15 credits per semester, commencing September 2018, to be assessed only to students registered in the Faculty of Business and Professional Studies? The Fee shall be used to provide programs, events, and services for students and student groups in the Faculty of Business and Professional Studies. The Fee shall increase annually according to the Canadian Consumer Price Index.

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COLUMNS

Pride Week 2018 Intersectionality and Trans barriers, the chief focuses of this year’s events CARLO JAVIER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

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hanges in this year’s Pride Week festivities are promising even more inclusive events for the annual celebration.

According to Kaschelle Thiessen, Capilano Students’ Union (CSU) queer students liaison, the main difference with this year’s Pride is through its organizational structure. Historically, Pride Week celebrations at CapU have been led solely by the queer students liaison. This year, leadership has been decentralized. “I think it is very important that collective events are not just organized by the liaison, but by the collective and community,” said Thiessen. “Not only does it allow for more perspectives, it also gives a sense of ownership for the collective.” Joining Thiessen and the Queer Collective in the set up is a nine-person organizing committee headed by Michaela Volpe, a first-year Global Stewardship student.

In the same vein as the CSU’s other collectives, all Pride Week events are pulling its funds from the Collectives Budget. This very reason is among the main factors in the establishment of a referendum vote for a new Social Justice Fee next year. Not only will the fee introduce a new full-time, permanent staff member to help facilitate projects

STAFF EDITORIAL

Dig in: How food became my gateway to another culture JUSTIN SCOTT MANAGING EDITOR

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’ve been fascinated by cultures throughout my whole life, be it mine or others. As a young kid, my favorite book was a pyramid shaped pop-up book all about Egypt, its empire and Pharaohs. I would read books or watch documentaries about how cultures had evolved over time, some being lost and others growing and splitting.

As my father is a passionate learner, especially when history is involved, I’d often end up watching shows like Rome, Shogun or The Tudors when other kids my age were watching Even Stevens (yes, my mom agrees, I was far too young for the content).

Rarely though, did I experience other cultures, I’d simply look at them from the outside. Sure, I’d go on road trips across Canada and the US, and even went to Europe when I graduated high

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with the collectives, it will also alleviate restrictions from the Collectives Budget.

“The fee will also allow for a slight increase to the Collectives Budget, which will mean no one needs to scale back if every collective begins to host larger events,” said Thiessen. “This doesn't just benefit the students within collectives. It means we are able to put on more educational events, workshops, and social events which bring students on campus together.”

For Thiessen, part of this year’s most exciting features is the focus placed on the issues that Trans peoples face today. “I’m really looking forward to human rights activist and drug policy lawyer Adrienne Smith's discussion on Trans inclusion,” she said. The conversation will look at barriers that manifest themselves on campus, such as the concept of “dead-naming – a process in which students are given the opportunity to submit a nickname upon enrolment. According to Thiessen, these names will be included in attendance listings. “A number of first names on the attendance list can be confusing and Trans students have reported being deadnamed – referred to by their birth name instead of their chosen name, in classes,” she explained.

Another barrier to be addressed is the availability of public washrooms. While CapU has taken clear steps forward in recent years with the implementation of gender-neutral washrooms, they are still not available on every floor, much less every building. “If a student feels safest in a gender-neutral washroom they

may have to entirely leave the building they are in and walk across campus,” Thiessen said. Additionally, Thiessen stated that the original use of genderneutral washrooms is proving to be conflicting for some students. “We have conscientious and caring students here at Cap,” she said. “I have heard multiple times that students don't want to ‘take away’ an accessible washroom from someone who might need to access it.”

In Canada, Pride celebrations have been scrutinized for the scope of its inclusion. Criticism has been placed on how festivities can forget the Black, Indigenous and People of Colour members of the LGBTQAI2S+ community. However, according to Divya Nanray, CSU students of colour liaison, Thiessen and the team behind this year’s Pride Week have set promising plans in regard to inclusivity. “[Thiessen] makes an effort to include BIPOC in their events, as well as including and listening to QTPOC in their collective meetings in order to achieve intersectionality,” Nanray said. For Angelo Costorio, a student of colour member of the

planning committee, inclusion of all members of the community was among the main concentrations ahead of the celebration. “One of our goals was to be inclusive to all aspects of the LGBTQAI2S+ community, primarily students of colour, and the hardships they've had to face in defining their own identity,” said Costorio. “We have had the distinct honor and privilege of having Two-Spirit Elder Steven Gonzales come and welcome us to Pride Week."

At the end of the day, inclusion is at the very heart of Pride, and Thiessen encourages all members of the CapU community to attend. “As a caring campus community, what are we going to do collectively to address these issues?” she asked, “Showing up is the first step.”

school, but I never really immersed myself in another culture. The closest I got was maybe my Grade 4 trip to the Long House outside of Squamish, where my classmates and I spent a weekend learning about the First Nations people’s traditional ways of life by living them.

Aside from that, my best friend was Italian, but we were more focused on sports, girls and video games when we were growing up than we were sharing our family’s pasts with one another. And living in Deep Cove my whole life, there weren’t a whole lot of other cultures around to be exposed to.

All of this changed once I started dating a girl who happened to be Persian.

Once we got serious and I started to meet her family and spend time at her house, I was thrust into a whole new culture. Soon, I was at family gatherings and meeting her family friends. It was great. There was however one thing making my transition into their community challenging – language.

The Persian language of Farsi is beautiful. I love listening to people speak it, I just don’t understand it. So, as I was starting to attend more and more Persian gatherings, it was hard for me to connect with people through speech.

It’s not that no one speaks English, but when they’re together they naturally

speak in their native tongue. I could tell it was occasionally frustrating for people I was meeting as well because the Persian culture is so welcoming and accommodating, and sometimes people felt as though I was missing out due to the language barrier. Luckily for me, there’s another language I do speak fluently – food. And if there’s something Persians do well, it’s food.

My girlfriend’s family and friends and I quickly realized that although we may occasionally struggle to have an in-depth conversation about our musical tastes or political views, we could certainly share meals. And it was through these experiences that I started to learn.

I’d be having a certain dish and someone would come up to me and explain how it came to be, or how it was made in the region in which they came from. Slowly, through discussions of preparation methods and ingredients, I began to learn of Persia’s past.

With figureheads like Donald Trump describing Iran as if it’s a country of extremist terrorists, many don’t realize the wealth of history and culture the Persian people have. In fact, up until Iran’s Cultural Revolution in the early 1980’s, the nation was an extremely open and cultural state, giving Europe’s best a run for their money. However, after the revolution, many things

changed in Iran, which lead to many Iranians leaving.

Canada now has the fifth largest population of Persians outside of Iran in the world, with just over 200,000 as of 2015, 30,000 of which live in the Greater Vancouver area. And areas like Lonsdale have become thriving Persian communities.

Now four years into our relationship, the original issues I’d encounter when meeting her family or friends have dissipated, but our shared experience of food is still going strong, and still allowing me to learn. Just the other week her family had guests over and a debate over how to properly cook a certain dish broke out between two guests from different regions of Iran, from which I learned more of the culture’s history.

This phenomenon however, is nothing new. Shows like Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown, Eddie Huang’s Huang’s World, or most recently David Chang’s Ugly Delicious do impeccable jobs of showcasing cultures through food. And I myself, can think of few better ways to be introduced to a culture. So, the next time you're out getting Pho or Kebab, take the time to talk to whoever’s serving you about their connection to the food, you never know what you may learn.

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Capilano University’s Pride Week celebrations will be happening around campus from Monday, Mar. 12 to Friday, Mar. 16. For more information and for the full schedule of events, visit Csu. bc.ca/campaigns/pride/.

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HIP TO THE GAME

Has the success of hip-hop killed Blackowned fashion companies?

KEVIN KAPENDA HALL OF FAMER

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hen Lavar Ball told the media outlets that him and his son, Los Angels Lakers guard Lonzo Ball, would reject endorsement deals from Adidas, Nike or Under Armour in preference of a licensing deal for Big Baller Brand, he was characterized as foolish by multiple news personalities.

However, while the establishment scoffed, many people rushed to Ball’s defence, including notable AfricanAmerican athletes, both playing and retired, as well as other prominent Black figures. This support was built on the desire to see more of what we used to have and strive for: Black-owned apparel and shoe companies.

Early hip-hop in the late 80s was crucial in popularizing novelty or sports apparel as everyday clothing, like jerseys and baseball caps. For example, late 80s and early 90s hip-hop group N.W.A. have been credited with popularizing the Starter brand baseball caps of the Los Angeles Kings and Raiders, whose black and white silhouettes fit the group’s style better than the purple and gold attire of the more popular Lakers.

In the 2015 CNN documentary Fresh Dressed, the film traces the origins of hip-hop fashion, particularly the lengths urban youth went through to customize their denim, tops and shoes. This work, along with the high prices of brands

POSTCARDS FROM THE UK

The homesick phase AMANDA MITCHELL COLUMNIST

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inter is in full force at the University of Hertfordshire, complete with freezing temperatures, snow and high-speed winds. As soon as snow reached a couple of centimeters above the ground, classes were out for a snow day, taxis stopped running and even school facilities ceased to operate. This seemed a little headscratching for my friends and I, but we are Canadians after all.

Along with winter conditions came the grim cold and flu season, which swept through my flat and took me captive.

Bedridden for almost a week, I started to miss home more than ever, desperately

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such as Polo Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger, is what spurred the growth of hip-hop or “urban” fashion brands in the late 80s and early 90s.

Brands like Coogi, Cross Colours, Ecko Unlimited, FUBU, Karl Kani, Phat Farm and Pelle Pelle all owe their success to two factors: the sudden pervasiveness of hip-hop in Black communities, as well as their embrasure of its artists, and most importantly, Black people as a population. Each of those brands would become legendary in their own way.

For instance, Coogi is actually not a Black-owned company, but an Australian outfit whose busy sweaters resonated with hip-hop culture and African-Americans. Ecko’s rhino logo would be synonymous with the Lacoste’s crocodile or Ralph Lauren’s horse-riding polo player. Cross Colours is of course known for its diaspora-inspired colour block clothing, popularized in the 1990s by the likes of Kris Kross, Will Smith and TLC, as well as the TV series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and Martin.

FUBU, Kani and Phat Farm would become some of the most recognized two-syllable brands in America, with the latter’s signature “P” logo on t-shirts, denim pockets and sneakers especially becoming iconic. Pelle Pelle is widely considered to be the pioneering brand of baggy jeans.

As the popularity of those brands grew, and artists sought to become moguls, rappers quickly got in on the fashion act, too. The Wu-Tang Clan launched Wu-Wear in 1995. Sean “Diddy” Combs released Sean John as Puff Daddy in 1998 and Jay-Z would launch Rocawear in 1999. However, while these brands clothed the culture and its people into the New Millennium, as rap became more mainstream, hiphop would leave them behind by the 2000s and early 2010s.

There are a few reasons for this.

Many of those urban brands were associated with Black poverty because of racialized capitalism. Since Blacks were

being excluded from economic prosperity and the luxuries that defined it, those brands were created to serve a low-income market. Furthermore, they ended up serving more as a form of resistance to societal Black impoverishment, rather than submission, by stylistically demonstrating you could look fly despite your socio-economic status. However, as African-Americans continued to excel in a variety of fields, FUBU and Kani just didn’t cut it anymore, as vocalized in the songs “Just throw it in the Bag” by Fabolous, “Off That” by Jay-Z and “The Glory” by Kanye West.

In each of these songs, these MCs discuss how they can afford the most expensive apparel and accessory brands money can buy, with Jay-Z’s song literally stating that Blacks are “off” baggy jeans and the brands we were once associated with, including his own.

While I am no exception to this trend – growing snobbier with the spirits and wine I imbibe by the year, I am concerned with my people’s lack of ambition in fashion. With record endorsement deals, such as James Harden’s 13-year $200 million deal with Adidas, or even just the lure of being clothed or shoed for free by the likes of Nike or Supreme, I can see why we no longer want to stress ourselves with conceptualizing, designing, manufacturing and selling our own brands.

But when I buy Air Jordans or Nike’s,

wishing to be in my own bed. It’s quite common to feel homesick when you are actually sick, especially for those who live with their families at home. As someone who still live at home, it was a shock to be bedridden without anything to help my sickness, as I’m now the one who now needs to go grocery shopping.

At home, a few bowls of my mom’s secret Chinese chicken broth with tofu would make me feel instantly better, and the constant care of your mom is hard to replace. This was my first encounter with homesickness since I arrived.

I have now been in the UK for two full months, which is hard to believe. I feel as though I’ve been here forever. My classes are now halfway finished and my school workload is starting to become more substantial. At the beginning of the semester, I would often have time during the week and on the weekends to explore London and the small towns nearby Hatfield, but now I must be careful how much time I delegate to extracurricular activities. The difference between Capilano University and UHerts is

that CapU assignments tend to be spread evenly throughout the course of the semester, whereas UHerts has all assignments fall at the end. Weeks of freedom and adventures have suddenly become into cramming sessions.

My classes at UHerts are very interesting, especially since I’m in some subjects that I may not get to study back in Vancouver. One of these is Interactive Media, a class that outlines the basic skills needed to create simple animations for social media and apps. I find this class quite difficult. Animation is not something that I’m familiar with, and animation and motion graphics fall under the Motion Picture Arts program at CapU. Similarly, I am taking a class called Journalism, Law and Ethics, which covers the common legal issues that take place in British journalism.

This class is especially interesting, as I’m learning about law in the UK, which is exceedingly different than in Canada or the US. I’ve never thought of law as a subject of interest for me, however, I’m now looking into taking law classes as

-ANNIE CHANG

I do so with the ambition that I will one day sell to my community (and hopefully others) what Phil Knight has sold to the world. Everyone wants to dress like us or buy the shoes bearing our names, yet we do not own the companies getting rich off our style and bodies.

Often, our people are confronted with challenges that we have no blueprint for.

Taking back our fashion and ensuring we profit off it shouldn’t be too hard.

We did for two decades, before white designers said ‘oh actually, please do wear my clothes’.

electives when I return to CapU. Upon leaving for the UK, I planned to do all my travelling over Easter vacation – at the tail end of my experience – so as not to have travelling clash with my studies. During the last week in February, the Faculty of Humanities had a reading break, which I did not know about until I arrived. Unfortunately, I’m not someone who can make spur of the moment decisions – booking night-before flights is not my forte. Nonetheless, it was still slightly discouraging to watch my friends leave for the entire week, visiting four or five different countries while I watched from afar through social media.

At the end of March, I’m travelling to Malta, which has been on my bucket list since I saw its beautiful beaches. I also have a small weekend trip to Belfast planned, where I will spend St. Patrick’s Day among some friends in Ireland. I can’t wait to see what these next months have in store for me.

Cheerio!

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SPECIAL

On Being Mixed-Race PSA: Stop asking us “what” we are RACHEL D’SA ARTS AND CULTURE EDITOR

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omething that continues to baffle me is also something that I feel doesn’t get enough attention.

Somehow, the ways in which people talk to me as a mixed-race individual are still not considered offensive in our society or addressed, despite the impacts. When I go out, I frequently get stopped by strangers asking “what” I am. Of course, over time I’ve gotten familiar with the phrasing of that question so I know exactly what they’re referring to – my race. I often like to fuck with those who ask, by getting them to play the guessing game and observing how they suddenly watch everything they say very carefully. Dare they stereotype the way certain races look and appear ignorant. The overreaction and fascination with the way I look is in no way flattering. This occurrence, that follows me and my family everywhere we go, makes me feel like a circus attraction – a repulsive feeling that I just can't shake.

For most of my childhood, my mom was a stay-at-home parent, driving my sister and I to and from school, piano lessons, ballet lessons, the park, you name it. While my sister and I have olive complexions, pitch black hair and brown eyes, the woman who was with us has ivory skin, light brown hair and green eyes. More recently, I’ve had conversations with my mom about being mixed-race.

-JULIANA VIEIRA

She brought up the constant occurrence during my childhood, when strangers would stop her buggy to tell her just how cute my sister and I were, and to ask if our dad was a certain race. People’s fascination with whether or not we were adopted festered in our minds, and over

time, has been able to affect the way we see ourselves.

I feel that people have this misconception of mixed-race individuals as those who get to indulge in culture, more than those who are a singular race. I was privileged enough to get the

opportunity to take Italian language lessons, and learn how to make traditional Indian sweets every December. However, I have found an insecurity within myself that has been swelling from a young age. I’ve been told by close friends who are also Indian that I’m too white to talk about being a person-of-colour and my love for my grandmother’s chapati. I’ve been given the cold shoulder from those who are “fully” one of my halves and it’s caused me to develop an identity crisis.

Over time, my confidence in calling my grandmother on my mom’s side my nonna, and discussing my experiences with discrimination towards my Indian background, has diminished. With culture comes community. Now an adult no longer attached to the hips of my parents, I don’t know where to turn to feel in touch with who I am and how I fit in.

When I get asked “what” I am, I feel violated, as people tend to draw their own conclusions on what my family dynamic is, additionally asking which “side” I feel I am more of, or like more. With time spent with my parents separately, I’ve had the chance to experience both sides of the discrimination spectrum. Though my mom has gotten used to being questioned regarding her biological connection to her children and my dad continues to face discrimination everywhere he goes, I find myself still not used to my missing sense of identity. I’m proud to call myself Indian just much as Italian, and it doesn’t make me any less of an individual. All I want is the acceptance of both sides.

CapU Presents Robyn Maynard

Author of best-selling book on Canadian Black lives sheds light on the country’s often untold history HELEN AIKENHEAD FEATURES EDITOR

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ne of the many values, if not the core value, of the university experience is the exposure it grants to world issues that all too often go unmentioned in K-12. This can take many forms – what the world is, how

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it could be and how it has been in the past. One of the values of the Capilano University experience in particular, is that students get this wide scale learning on a small-scale, more personal educational environment.

On Friday, Mar. 2, this is exactly what happened when the University got to host a discussion regarding centuries of Canadian history often left untold.

Presented by the Women's and Gender Studies Program, Liberal Studies BA Program and the English Department, Robyn Maynard brought her bestselling book, Policing Black Lives: State

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Violence in Canada from Slavery to the Present, before an intimate and attentive crowd of CapU community members.

The book, which is described by its publisher as “the first comprehensive account of 400 years of Black Canadian history,” is a triumph, opening the eyes of its readers to the histories – and continuing adversities – of Black communities within Canada. While it may be the first comprehensive look at these histories, Maynard emphasized the importance of also bringing forward past work within her own, as it is the erasure of history that her work seeks to counter.

Maynard was in town from Montréal, where she not only works as a writer but an activist and educator, and CapU was the lucky sole North Vancouver stop on her West Coast book tour as part of the University's International Women's Day celebrations. Maynard's intersectional feminist approach to her work is both what made her presentation a perfect event for the week's celebrations and what provided its rich and sweeping investigative look into the deep-seated issues it unpacks.

The discussion started with Maynard speaking to the inception of the book – her motivation, her inspiration and the urgency she felt to turn her passion and activism into Policing Black Lives.

Then, Maynard delved further into

examples from the book, connecting modern issues to the historical contexts in which they came from. “It was my goal really, with the writing of this book, to place our present conditions in an historical perspective that I think can really be enriched by pointing to these long underacknowledged histories of and about the anti-black racism in Canada,” Maynard told the crowd.

Before the afternoon concluded with a book signing, the discussion was opened to the audience in a Q&A period. And unlike many Q&A sessions, there never seemed to be a lull in raised hands, with each question resulting in a thorough and thoughtful response from the author.

When explaining her urgency to write this book, Maynard said that anti-Black racism in Canada has been continuously denied and considered alleged until proven true. It's been said for far too long that the realities of racism in Canada will only come to light once more studies have been done, and more time has passed. But Maynard knew there was no more time left to wait. “We have enough information to paint a damning portrait,” she said, “we don't need another study.” In 234 pages, Maynard has painted that portrait more vividly than ever before with a work demanding immediate inclusion in curricula across the country.

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Ruining Reconciliation Rulings on the murders of Tina Fontaine and Colten Boushie prove Canada’s reconciliation fallacy LEAH SCHEITEL COPY EDITOR

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anada has an ugly history when it comes to Indigenous Peoples.

Our national shame has been, and likely always will be, the treatment of the Aboriginal people. From ripping families apart to “civilize” them in residential schools to the extinction of many of their native languages.

There have been glimmers of hope in the dark history, such as 2015’s Truth and Reconciliation report, which highlighted the ways in which the nation could heal and move on from it’s dark past. Yet recent events have shown that maybe Canada isn’t as ready for reconciliation, as much as we hope to be.

Two criminal cases made national news in the past month for similar reasons – the lack of justice for murdered Indigenous youths. Colten

Boushie was shot by Gerald Stanley, a farmer in Saskatchewan in August 2016. Stanley was acquitted for his actions in the murder in February, and on Mar. 7, CBC reported that the Crown would not appeal the verdict.

Just weeks after Stanley’s acquittal, a jury found Raymond Cormier not guilty for the 2014 murder of Tina Fontaine in Winnipeg. There are records showing that Cormier was “obsessed with Tina’s killing,” according to the CBC. Undoubtedly, these events shocked the Indigenous community in Canada, including Anna Huard, who works as a mentorship programs coordinator at Ongomiizwin Research (formally the Centre of Aboriginal Health Research).

Currently based in Winnipeg, Man., Huard works with Indigenous students to help them “navigate an institution that is rigid in its colonial ways.”

To Huard, who is Indigenous herself, the results of these two cases were a complete disappointment. “It was such a shock,” she said. “Everyone around me was so convinced that justice would finally be brought to Tina, especially hearing about how Colten and his family

had been let down. It was certainly quiet in the office the next day.”

Huard credits the support systems that have been built up in Winnipeg for being there for Indigenous communities.

But even with them, these verdicts made her question her own worth.

“We are so fortunate to have such strong supports here in Winnipeg – most organizations have had debriefs, counselling and ceremonies for those affected,” she said. “I mean, it's hard not to be a little scared as an Indigenous person in Canada – we are hardly considered worth anything right now.”

It’s not difficult to empathize with Huard, as these two cases underline the fact that the cards are stacked in the colonialists’ favour. It is further emphasized by the high suicide rates in many Aboriginal communities in Northern Saskatchewan, and the fact that many of these communities can’t even get clean drinking water – in Canada. Having a government that continues to fail these communities and their youth, including the numerous missing and murdered Indigenous women, is proof that reconciliation is

more than a good intent – it’s actions.

“Reconciliation is an ongoing process for Canada and, to be honest, I don’t even think it has begun. The judiciary system is so rigid and functions solely on colonial ideologies that it excludes the rights of marginal peoples,” said Huard.

“To say that outcome of the Fontaine and Boushie trials is due to systemic racism is a cop out – by not enforcing change, Canadians are just watching the shit hit the fan until it affects their own privilege.”

To Huard, the unjust deaths of Fontaine and Boushie highlight just how underprepared we are as a nation to burden the responsibility of reconciliation.

“Reconciliation takes on many forms (decolonizing, self-governance and selfdetermination, land reclamation, the fall of the Indian Act, etc.) But Canada has just proven how unprepared it is to empower the nation that it has disenfranchised.”

An education on leadership and social change Delving into the CLSC diploma program and its timeliness to the modern social climate CARLO JAVIER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

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he chess match is changing, but for Diana Twiss, a simple recalibration of tactics is no longer enough. “What we’re looking at now is not just a matter of rearranging the chess board, but just looking at how the whole game is played, even looking at the black and white squares,” said the program coordinator of Community Development & Outreach (CDO). “What levels of systems are being used to keep that problem in place?”

As the sociopolitical climate changes and issues of equality intensify public discourse, a Capilano University diploma program provides a beacon of hope to students wanting to make positive social change. CLSC students come from a variety of places – workers and volunteers at local not-for-profit organizations, Neighbourhood Houses, Aboriginal Friendship Centres and First Nations communities. They all have a key thing in common: a desire to take a leadership role in making changes in their communities.

Offered by the Community Development and Outreach Department (CDO), Community Leadership and Social Change (CLSC) is one of several distinct programs that the University offers. The program combines elements of social justice and community development. It is an innovative and

highly engaging program, where students learn about community social change in a practical and active way.

In a creative learning environment, students build skills and learn with the community. They form relationships and build networks to support them in achieving career and personal goals. “It’s very timely, the time for it is now and there are a lot of people who are already doing this work and doing it really well,”

-JENNY OAKLEY

said Twiss. “The work itself is growing, the need for it is growing, especially in the last few years, where there has been a focus and attention on inclusivity and not leaving people behind.”

For second-year international student, Mara Mennicken, the CLSC program has given her an opportunity to follow her parents’ footsteps, both of whom were heavily involved in community leadership in Germany, and also a diploma program that perfectly fit her interests. “I wanted something that I can

study for two or three years and then get a work permit and actually do something with it,” she said. As the owner of The GOOD Chocolatier, Mennicken has already found ways of integrating the lessons she’s learned in the classroom, with her own entrepreneurial endeavours. Yet what truly resonates with Mennicken is how her initial perceptions about the relationship between business and social change has dramatically shifted in the past couple of years. “I never wanted to be in business, because I always thought it was about exploitation and capitalism and I’ve never met a lot of people who saw business as a drive for social change and social good,” she said recalling her initial stance. “But in my years here, and going to volunteering with social enterprises, I really know that its possible. I have a business, but I know that it’s a tool for social change. I can hire anyone I want, I can give flexibility as much as I want, so I have a lot of freedom with what I can do with it and I can pay people.”

The concept of a social enterprise is one of the many topics that the diploma program examines. Some students who register to the CLSC are either already involved or keenly interested in working in business, but as Mennicken shared, there are often some cautious assumptions placed on businesses when it comes to social change. For CLSC students, learning ways that local business can have a positive impact and give back to the community, is just one in a set of tools they learn to make healthy, vibrant, and sustainable communities. Twiss spoke about the importance of social responsibility. Since businesses are engineered to engage

community members to spend their time, money and energy on their respective goods and services, understanding the significance of a business’ social responsibility to its community is crucial.

While CLSC is certainly appealing to older students, the program has recently observed a growth in applications from students straight out of high school. As the demographics of students continue to diversify, Twiss sees a great potential on where their classes could go. “Mixing all those students in class is also a whole other level of learning,” she said.

“But their own mixed experiences are just going to take it to a whole other level and make it really a rich thing.”

The sentiment is shared by Mennicken, who thoroughly enjoyed the program’s social-work-based classes off-campus.

“Going somewhere really didn’t matter as much as being together with all kinds of people, with immigrants, older, younger, with Indigenous people,” she said. “The diversity of the groups is really amazing.”

For Twiss, the hope for the program is sustained growth. She joked that she wants to see waitlists in registration, but with an ever-energetic sociopolitical climate, she might just get her wish.

The game is changing and the next best move might not be “knight to E4”, it might be a complete overhaul of the chess board.

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VOLUME 50 ISSUE NO. 18

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FEATURES

by Carlo Javier, Editor-in-Chief

Every Friday night at the Courier office a heated debate breaks out; what are we going to order for dinner? This week, we thought we'd get some help from around the world – well, from six other countries from around the world. Here is a curated list of some of the favourite dishes from friends and staff of the Courier. We hope you enjoy testing out these dishes. We also hope you think to bring us some.

We're in Maple 122, in case you've forgotten.

by Rachel Wada, Art Director Ingredients: For Pork Katsu 3 ½ inch thick boneless pork chops 1 cup panko crumbs 1 egg 3 cup flour Canola/Vegetable Oil Salt Pepper For curry 1 Glico curry, mild 1 red pepper, sliced 1 medium onion, sliced 1 carrot, diced 1 Yukon potato, cubed 1 tbsp. oil 2 ½ cups water

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Directions Prior to cutting vegetables, cut slits in the pork in a criss-cross fashion, this prevents the pork from curling when it’s cooked.

Season with kosher salt and pepper. Rinse rice with cold water three times and add the necessary water for your rice cooker.

In a large pot/wok on medium high heat, add one tbsp of oil until shimmering. Add sliced red peppers, sliced onions and diced carrots until browned, about 10 minutes.

Add water and potatoes to the pot and boil for about 12 minutes. Reduce heat to a simmer and add curry bricks until melted, about 10 minutes and curry will be ready. While water and potatoes come to a boil, fill three wide plates separately with beaten eggs, flour and panko crumbs.

Pat dry pork chops. One at a time, dredge in flour, shake off extra flour. Then dip both sides in the beaten eggs, let the excess beaten eggs run off. Then place pork chop down on panko crumbs, and scoop bread crumbs on top. Flip gently and press firmly. Do the same for both sides and ensure there are bread crumbs on each side. Transfer to a clean plate.

Repeat with the remaining two pieces of pork. Heat oil on medium heat on a skillet to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (a digital thermometer hear makes a much easier, if not, when you throw in some flour/panko crumbs it should sizzle). Gently place pork chops into oil, the pork chops should continue to be steadily bubbling. Adjust temperature of the stove as necessary to keep this bubbling consistent. After 1.5 minutes, flip each pork chop. Flip again after another 1.5 minutes. Continue cooking for about another three minutes, flipping occasionally. Transfer pork chops to a wire rack or clean plate and dab pork with paper towel to remove excess oil.

Serve adding the desired amount of rice, then curry and pork.

Ingredients 1 lb. pig face (ears, jowl, snout) ½ lb. pork belly ¼ lb. chicken liver 1 large onion, peeled and diced 4 cloves of garlic 2 bay leaves 3 – 5 bird’s eye chilies 1 cup vinegar ½ cup calamansi juice (use lemon as substitute) Salt and pepper Eggs (optional) Directions In a large pot, combine the pig face, pork belly, vinegar, garlic, bay leaves, salt, pepper and cover with enough water to completely submerge everything. Bring to a boil and periodically remove the scum that foams at the surface of the water. Lower heat, cover and simmer for about an hour, or until meat is tender.

Grill or pan fry the meat, including the chicken liver until charred and cook through. Once the meat has cooled down, coarsely dice the meat, along with the onions and chilies. Mix together in a bowl with calamansi or lemon juice.

Transfer to a sizzling plate and crack an egg(s) on top for garnish.

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by Andrew Yang, School of Communications alum, class of 2017 Ingredients Cilantro, chopped 1 lb. ground pork 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 onion, minced 1 leek, chopped 1 tsp. sesame oil 2 tsps. rice wine 2 tbsps. soy sauce Pinch of salt sugar Directions Place the minced ground pork in a large bowl and cover it for later use. Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat.

Combine diced garlic, onion, leek with the ground pork and mix them together.

Add the soy sauce, cooking wine, sesame oil, salt, and pepper to the meat mixture.

Go to T&T Supermarket and find wrappers. Using a spoon or chopsticks, place one heaping tablespoon of dumpling filling in the centre of the dumpling wrapper. Using your fingertips, wet the outer edge of the dumpling wrapper with water. Fold up the sides of the dumpling into a halfmoon shape. While holding the dumpling lengthwise, curved side up, use your index finger and thumb to pinch the edges of the dough on one side of the dumpling into "pleats," pressing each pleat against the flat side of the dough to seal the dumpling as you go. Start at one corner of the dumpling and work your way to the center (making three to four "pleats"). Then work from the other corner to the center creating another three to four "pleats." Firmly press the pleated side of the wrapper against the flat side to be sure the dumpling is completely sealed.

by Adrian Sahagun, First-year forward, Capilano University Blues men’s soccer team Ingredients A big bag of corn chips Tomato puree Chipotle chilies 2 garlic cloves 1 small onion 300g of grated manchego cheese 2 Chicken breasts cooked and sliced Salt and pepper (to taste) Milk or cream (to taste) Directions Boil the chicken breasts and then cut it into tiny slices. Blend the tomato puree with the onions, garlic and chipotle chilies. Season with salt and pepper.

In an oven-safe container, add half of the corn chips and lather them with the tomato puree sauce mix. Add half of the chicken breasts and add another layer of the tomato puree sauce mix. Cover everything with grated manchego cheese and bake in the oven until hot. Finish with milk or cream at the top.

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by Shohreh Abedi, Capilano College alum Ingredients 1 large onion 250g walnuts 1 cup pomegranate paste 800g chicken breast cut into small cubes [or breast and leg] pinch of salt pinch of black pepper 4 tsp. olive oil ¼ cup of water Directions Chop up the onion and sauté in a large pot until golden. In the meantime, crush the walnuts in a high-speed blender and add them to the pot with salt and pepper. Add the ¼ cup of water to the pot with the walnuts and bring to boil. Add one cup of pomegranate paste to the pot, cover and cook on low heat for 30 mins. In a separate frying pan, add olive oil and chicken breast, cooking on medium heat until partially cooked. Transfer the chicken to the pot, cover the pot until the chicken is fully cooked. Remove lid, put the heat on low and leave pot to simmer for 35-45 mins until the paste starts to thicken. Stir occasionally to make sure the sauce does not stick to the pot. Serve over white rice.

by Ana Frazao, contributor Ingredients 2 tbsps. olive oil 2 cups chopped onions 2 tbsps. chopped garlic 2 bay leaves Salt Freshly ground black pepper 1 lb. choriço sausage, sliced 1/4-inch thick 1 lb. carne seca or other salted cured beef, soaked overnight and cubed 1 lb. baby back spareribs, cut into individual ribs 1 lb. black beans 10 cups water 4 cups collared or kale greens, sautéed in olive oil 4 cups cooked white rice Brazilian hot sauce Garnish: 1 orange, halved and cut into thin slices, and Farofa Directions Add oil in a large heavy-bottom saucepan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onions and garlic.

Crush the bay leaves and add to the pan.

Season with salt and pepper. Sauté for five minutes. Add the sausage. Continue to cook for four minutes. Add the cubed beef, ribs, beans and water. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the beans are tender, about 2 1/2 hours. Adding water as necessary to keep the beans covered. Using the back of a ladle, mash 1/4 of the beans. Reseason with salt and pepper if needed.

To serve, spoon some of the greens and rice onto each serving plate. Spoon the Feijoada over the rice. Shake some of the hot sauce over the entire plate. Garnish with the orange slices and farofa.

To cook the dumplings, gently lower them into a medium pot of boiling water and boil for approximately three to five minutes. They are done when the dumpling skins are translucent and the dumplings have been floating for about three minutes. Remove from pot carefully with a slotted spoon.

THE CAPILANO COURIER

VOLUME 50 ISSUE NO. 18

11

FEATURES

The 29 Capilano University cleaners won their campaign, but for the 22 who are Filipino, raising wages and health benefits are just half the battle

BY CARLO JAVIER ILLUSTRATION BY ERIKA MEDINA

The cold afternoon of Feb. 19 felt just like any other day would. Eight of Capilano University’s night-shift cleaners sat together in the Capilano Students’ Union (CSU) Members Centre, but because not everyone can fit in the lounge’s partitioned two-couch space, two of them had to grab a barrel chair from different areas of the room. It didn't matter that it would disorganize the lounge, because later that evening, one of them will have to come back and clean it all up.

The cleaners were an hour early for their 4:30 to 12:30 p.m. shift, but some of them kept their coats on. Nearly everyday, the cleaners congregate in the lounge for a fleeting moment of catharsis. Most – if not all of them – came to campus straight after their morning jobs, and these short bursts of relaxation are almost as precious as sleep itself.

Other than the simple fact that the lounge is a central location, there is neither rhyme nor reason as to why the cleaners congregate in the lounge nearly everyday before work.

Once they’re “clocked-in” they will all ultimately disperse to their respective stations. It could be all the way up to the northernmost end of the campus at the Bosa Building, or down to the complete opposite at the Sportsplex. What stands out, is how the lounge offers a bit of a snapshot of the cleaning they do every night.

The Members Centre is one of the school’s premier student spaces. There are other amenities available in the Maple lounge, but the library location offers a centrality that Maple’s isolated building

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couldn’t ever dream of matching. Every mid-afternoon, these student spaces also turn into a caricature of any typical teenager’s bedroom. Unattended bags and arbitrary pieces of clothing are littered all over the carpet floors, half-empty bottles of pop and half-eaten plates of food waste away on cone-shaped side tables and the ambience is a mix of chatter, typing and a healthy dose of snoring. There is a lack of seating every afternoon, but often, it is not because of the sheer volume of students in the lounge. Instead, it’s almost entirely due to the lack of spatial awareness. Students mindlessly sprawl all over the couches – both on the tuckedin side sofas and brazenly on polygonal seats at the very centre of the lounge.

Space is not the problem, it’s just a matter of understanding the idea of the public sphere.

All eight of the cleaners who arrived an hour early for their shift are Filipino – they often tend to be. Twenty-two of the 29 CapU cleaners are Filipino, and in the Greater Vancouver area, 65 per cent of all cleaners who work in schools, malls, office buildings and other spaces are Filipino.

This is a number confidently estimated

by Leo Alejandria, a former janitor himself, who now works with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 2 and the BC chapter of Migrante – a global non-profit organization that fights for the rights of immigrant Filipinos.

The cleaners in the lounge kept to themselves. Some of them carried out their own mini-conversations, while others browsed through their Facebook pages.

There were familiar faces, like Cherish Lazo and her father, Marciano. One person that was noticeably absent was Delia Tanza.

VOLUME 50 ISSUE NO. 18

“She’s not here yet,” one of the cleaners told me.

As “normal” as the day seemed, there existed a noticeable air of relief. As if a certain weight had been lifted from the cleaners’ shoulders. The Feb. 19 night shift almost never happened.

On Feb. 13, the CapU cleaners unanimously voted to go on strike on Monday, Feb. 19 – marking the boiling point of their ongoing dispute with employer, BEST Service Pros. However, late on Thursday, Feb. 15, the planned campus walk-off was averted after the two parties reached a then-tentative bargaining agreement. When Tanza arrived in the lounge around 4:00 p.m., she received a little bit of a hero’s welcome from her colleagues. Tanza was in Birch 205 – the room where it happened.

“Holy cow.” Those were the two words that Tanza could muster when BEST presented their final offer to the bargaining committee. It was not a denouncement of the pitch, in fact, it was an exclamation of relief. The new agreement addressed the primary demands that the cleaners put forward, namely wage increases, health benefits as well as paid sick days. Though BEST did not accommodate the exact designated BC living wage number ($20.62), Tanza said that their committee was satisfied with what BEST provided in terms of benefits.

“It’s not the minimum, but we feel okay,” she said.

Since their partnership with SEIU Local 2 and its Justice for Janitors campaign was permitted in June 2017, Tanza has emerged as one of the more prominent figures from the cleaner group. The 53-year-old mother of one was front and centre at a November demonstration outside of President Paul Dangerfield’s office, where she spoke to dozens of supporters, including the Student Worker Alliance Group, about their plea for higher working standards. She has become a frequent contact for local publications covering the situation as well as a constant figure in the negotiations.

Though successful in terms of compensation and working conditions, the cleaners’ campaign may have inadvertently cast a spotlight on an underlying truth that exists in the cleaning workforce: how did custodianship become so inseparable from the immigrant Filipino identity?

The victory solves the day-to-day challenges that CapU cleaners face on the job, but what cannot be overlooked is the very significance of the fact that the campaign not only existed – it also managed to garner the support of numerous stakeholders in the CapU community. It is a conscious and concentrated effort to counter the increasing and troubling racialized identities of Filipinos in Greater Vancouver. It provides an opportunity to bring a group of people that have routinely been disenfranchised, since the dawn of the Lived-In Caregiver Program (LCP) from the periphery, to the conversation.

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Tanza spent the entirety of July 2016 in the Philippines. Coincidentally, that was also her last vacation. She first immigrated in 2006, splitting the next four years of her life between Dubai and Hong Kong. In 2010, Tanza moved to Canada, entirely because of her desire to bring her son abroad and gain access to better education, healthcare and simply, a better life. Her husband remained in the Philippines and will likely never step foot in Canada.

What she may not have known then, is crystal clear to her now. For her to best provide for her son, she would have to just about extinguish the life she once knew.

“They [Filipinos] see Canada as a good country, as heaven, but it’s not, you need to work, you need to down your pride,” Tanza said. “You need to really accept your life here, that this is it. In order to live, you might have to work at the very bottom to provide for your family.”

Tanza’s days often start at 6:30 a.m., when she wakes up to get ready for her morning shift taking care of an elderly person, in her position as a caregiver.

Part of her morning is also spent ensuring that her son is ready to go to school. He is 16 now and the Grade 10 student aids his mom by helping with the cooking. At 9:30 a.m., she works as a caregiver, with shifts ranging from four to five hours. By 4 p.m., she’s at CapU.

Tanza has been cleaning at the University for three years. She has been stationed in the third floor of the Birch building the whole time, and now knows the layout of the floor like the back of her hand. So much so that she can list the rooms, the number of labs and offices off the top of her head. Recently, she has also taken responsibility of part of the second floor. Night shift ends at 12:30 a.m., and like most of the cleaners, Tanza takes public transit to and from work – increasing her work day hours from 12, to 14 or 15 depending on traffic. Around 2

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a.m., it’s lights out. On weekends, she’s at the Lynn Valley Care Centre, working as a caretaker and a housekeeper. “I’m tired, yes, but this is it, this is my life,” she said.

“It’s normal.”

Her son routinely encourages her to drive, at least it would decrease her daily working hours, but Tanza knows better than to increase her spending. Owning and maintaining a vehicle could eat up one of her salaries. “I want to provide him with good education, it’s not only for me right now,” she said. “I’m old already, sooner or later I’ll be retired. So, I just focus on earning money, provide daily needs, renting, the insurance that I have to pay, MSP, everything.”

The paradigm shift was most evident to Jeepney Payemyem, a 58-year-old Filipino cleaner at CapU. Before moving to Canada in 2016 to join his family, Payemyem led a lengthy and decorated career in the firefighting industry, eventually achieving the rank of Fire Captain in his near two-decade stint in Saudi Arabia. To this day, he still remembers one of his most eye-opening calls, one that occurred about 20 years ago. There was not much you could do when a plane was engulfed in flames. After all, firefighters can’t put out a fire if it’s high up in the sky. The protocol then, according to Payemyem, was to let the plane crash, and grimly, count the bodies. He remembers crying along with his colleagues as they navigated through the chaos of a plane crash, some of his coworkers cited the ashes as the reason for

their tears, but Payemyem knew no one really had a heart of stone.

Payemyem is both tough and articulate.

His work in firefighting has helped him build a tough, no non-sense exterior, but he’s also down-to-earth, even jolly on occasion. He has developed a rapport with some of the security workers on campus, possibly because he’s often stationed in Arbutus, but also because security has been a part-time job of his since moving to Canada. Initially, he had a short four-month stint working security at the Vancouver Drydock. Now he maintains

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a weekend security job on top of his four days a week at CapU, as well as his new maintenance position at a property building. “Just to keep the ball rolling,” he said.

“It’s hard for me to change,” he admitted. The lifestyle in Canada has been vastly different for Payemyem. Even beyond his starkly different income as a fire captain, compared to his income here, Payemyem has also noticed differences in treatment – especially perception. In his security job, he often gets questioned how a Filipino like himself managed to do security, especially at his age. “I hear it from anybody, sometimes you meet somebody, they will always say, ‘Filipinos are cleaners’,” he said. “When I was at my security job, they will always look at me and say, ‘oh he’s a Filipino, and he’s in security?”

Stereotypes have their own nuanced process of manifestation, evolution and normalization. The Filipino caregiver stereotype was a tragic by-product of the massive influx of Filipina caregivers in the 90s and early 2000s. The association of custodianship with Filipinos grew

“I hear it from anybody, sometimes you meet somebody, they will always say, ‘Filipinos are cleaners.”

out of the difficulty of transitioning from a lived-in caregiver to more skilled positions. Most Canadian workplaces do not recognize education and experience obtained from other countries, much less one from Southeast Asia Because of this, former caregivers are forced to go back to school to upgrade. While this sounds like a straightforward solution, the challenges that stand in the way are a little more complicated. Many caregivers, especially the ones who came from the first boom of the LCP, were never paid – their remuneration often took the form of room and board. Most of them were then forced to find a part-time job that was easy to apply for and do, but also flexible. Caregivers worked their primary responsibilities in the morning and daytime, then cleaned in the evening – not many had the time, opportunity, or money to go to school.

South African professor and critical race theorist, David Theo Goldberg, is one of the authorities in the concept of racialization – a sociological term used to describe the process when a group of people, bound by race, are bestowed with a social identity manufactured by external forces, as opposed to self-assertion.

Canada’s relationship with the Philippines is built almost entirely on the foundations of the LCP. The LCP was created in 1992 as an evolution of the Foreign Domestic Movement (FDM). The program created a two-pronged benefit: one, with a lived-in caregiver, Canadian families will have little issues with having two working parents. Two, once a caregiver completes their 24-month contract within four years, they become eligible to apply for permanent residency.

Decades later, the LCP have brought a massive influx of Filipinos to the country

– along with other races, too – but with it, came seemingly unyielding stereotypes.

On Mondays and Fridays, around 8:00 p.m., Eymard Caravana makes his stop at the Capilano Courier office to clear out the garbage bins. Most Friday evenings, he sees the newspaper staff working away on the impending issue. Caravana is stationed at the Maple and Bosa buildings.

He often starts his shift in the basement of Bosa, then he goes to Maple, cleaning the whole building’s singular level From 9 p.m., to 9:30 p.m., he takes a break. After Maple, he makes his way back to Bosa, this time he cleans the main floor. To end the night, he rechecks over everything he did, wary that the number of late-staying students could have already tarnished the work he’s done. “I’m a professional, too,” he said. “I do my job right.”

On Friday, Feb. 23, the Greater Vancouver area was put on a collective halt after a day-long steady stream of snowfall. Though the rest of Canada may scoff at 30 cm, that much snow is enough to render much of Vancouver effectively incapacitated. By noon, the 239 Bus from Phibbs Exchange to CapU had completely given up.

That evening, Caravana made his usual rounds to the Courier office. Due to the weather, only half of the staff was able to come in. Caravana, who had to make the 45-minute walk from Phibbs Exchange to CapU, admitted that the hardest part of working that night was moving giant bags of garbage from a building to the dumpsters. Especially since snow on campus stopped getting plowed by 4 p.m.

I left the Courier office at 11:30 p.m., not risking a later departure as the snow continued to fall. Prepared to walk from the school to Phibbs Exchange, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the 239 Bus had been making its regular trips up to CapU. More surprising, was the number of people on the bus that late in the snowy evening. A dozen Filipino cleaners were on the bus, all of whom managed to make it to their jobs despite the unforgiving weather. The lack of students made their jobs easier that Friday, allowing them to leave an hour early from the night shift.

There was a clear feeling of elation on the bus. The campaign was won, wages were increased from what Tanza described as “poverty wages” to more acceptable compensation and among other benefits, the cleaners had secured paid sick days.

Yet there they all were, on a night where much of CapU – and the rest of the city – called in sick.

Before the bus could make its slow and careful descent, a couple more cleaners managed to make their way through the snowy campus. One caucasian cleaner made it just as the bus driver started the engine. The last one to make it was Caravana, almost nearly missing the bus.

But no one can blame him for doublechecking the floors at Bosa, he was just doing his job.

THE CAPILANO COURIER

VOLUME 50 ISSUE NO. 18

13

SHORTS

"I always feel like, somebody’s watching me" The exclusion and surveillance of Black lives in Vancouver KEVIN KAPENDA HALL OF FAMER

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THE CAPILANO COURIER

-VALERIYA KIM

L

ast month on Feb. 11, Jamiel MooreWilliams, a former student-athlete who was a part of the 2015 UBC Thunderbird championship football team, was stopped, thrown to the ground by a half-dozen officers and tasered multiple times on Granville St. for jaywalking.

Must have been a slow night. While the Vancouver Police Department were quick to defend their actions and refute claims of racial prejudice, I am not surprised this happened. Less than a year earlier in May 2017, a teenage girl of Haitian descent from Surrey was violently slammed to the ground by the city’s RCMP and handcuffed in a case of mistaken identity relating to a mental health call. These incidents revealed something our community has known for years: anti-Blackness does not require a large population. It all it needs to reveal itself is for us to reveal ourselves.

It is often said that there is strength in numbers. Try being one per cent of the population. Powerlessness and constant surveillance are just a few ways black life is experienced in Vancouver. Being a highly invisible minority is quite the paradox. You seemingly don’t exist but almost always stand out simultaneously.

When you’re the only person in the room, you are unimportant, but the centre of attention all at once. This positionality can make it difficult to advance as a people.

For decades, Black Canadians have struggled to fight for economic and political equality in this country. We are unimportant to businesses because there are too few of us and we are unimportant to those in power because our voting bloc is too small. Furthermore, it is also difficult for Black Vancouverites to develop their own economic communities and political momentum, because Canada’s immigration system has and continues to be anti-Black. When Black people from elsewhere do immigrate to Canada, most settle in Montreal, Ottawa or Toronto.

Some go to Alberta in pursuit of higher wages onset by the now-crippled oil industry. This is a key reason why Black people make up a smaller proportion of the population in Vancouver than they do in Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax and Winnipeg, as well as all of the cities mentioned above.

One thing that skeptics of antiBlackness in Canada point to is our country’s changing ethnic diversity.

Overall, only 70 per cent of Canada’s population belongs to the visible “majority”, and many Canadian cities, including Toronto and Vancouver are now minority-majority communities.

This abundance of diversity is often cited as evidence that racism, and moreover, anti-Blackness is receding or even disappearing. Of course, as countries like France, and the United States are teaching us, more diversity or “multiculturalism” does not correlate

with greater tolerance. In fact, as we’ve seen with rising housing prices and the racialization of Chinese newcomers as the source of real estate inflation, more diversity often produces more strife.

Another reason why Black life in Vancouver is arguably in a more precarious and undervalued (as is Indigenous life) state, even with increased immigration and culture, is because White Supremacy is not a binary. It’s a hierarchy that excludes no skin colour from its caste. Two big stories from the Winter Olympics in South Korea last month included Chloe Kim, a snowboarder who won gold in the half-pipe, and figureskating bronze medalists Alex and Maia Shibutani. All three Americans are of Asian Descent. Upon winning, Trump’s “forgotten majority” was quick to single out East Asians, who tend to be nonMuslim, non-religious or Christian, as worthy immigrants from non-shithole countries. Thus, these immigrants were told that of all racialized people, they were most deserving of the privileges afforded to whites at birth. The trait of “desirable

VOLUME 50 ISSUE NO. 18

immigrant.” Those who bring dedication, industry and whit, rather than disease, laziness and “Sharia.”

White Supremacy’s inclination for ranking ethnic groups based on their value has, in my experience as a Black man, lead to a universalization of antiBlackness in our post-colonial world. In the final years of Apartheid in South Africa – which borders my native country – East Asians, whom the regime was forced to do business with due to Western sanctions, were designated as “honorary whites” by the government, as the Japanese were by Hitler. Many Indo-Africans and Indo-Caribbeans were brought to British colonies to serve as the entrepreneurial class, being designated as a superior to Blacks but inferior to whites.

In my own life, I’ve had garbage thrown at me from moving cars in my South Asian neighbourhood, been subject to excessive surveillance while shopping in majority-white South Surrey and been called all sorts names in Chinese enclaves.

The idea that more people of colour reduces racism in society, particularly

anti-Black and anti-indigenous sentiments, couldn’t be less true. While predominantly white Vancouverites and Torontonians bemoan Chinese foreigners for their inability to purchase homes in their chosen neighbourhoods, I fear that people who look like me will no longer be able to put a roof over our heads period.

Due to rising costs, the precariousness of Black labour and rental market discrimination – something that people feel is only worsening with “diverse” landlords. In Toronto, studies reveal that no population struggles more to find rental accommodation than single Black mothers. Take that, multiculturalism.

As Vancouver becomes more diverse, and Canadian society persists to suppress its violent history of anti-Blackness and slavery, it is unlikely that Black life will become less precarious in the city. After all, recent and present-day discourse tells us that we are anything but White Supremacy’s model minority.

CALENDAR

MARCH 12

16

THE AFTER AFTER PARTY

FRI

A MODERNIST IN THE DESERT: GEORGIA O’KEEFFE

MON

FERRY BUILDING GALLERY 7 P.M. / $15

This is the closest you’ll get to pornography at the Ferry Building Gallery. There’s a joke in here about O’Keeffe’s flowers being as dry as a desert, but I don’t have enough time to find it. Some of her nonflower related art work, such as Head with a Broken Pot is quite cool.

WATAIN

RICKSHAW THEATRE 7 P.M. / $15

They are a Swedish black metal band on tour for their latest album.

I believe that you either love this sort of band and bought tickets months ago, or you don’t care at all. If you are one of those people who thinks they might like Swedish black metal, then check out Watain.

13 TUES

NEIGHBOURHOOD SKETCHBOOK PROJECT

THE CULTCH 8 P.M. / $35

GALLERY GACHET 6 P.M. / FREE

Two friends go out drinking, wake up the next morning in a park with no idea how they got there and take Ritalin to remember the night before. Is that an accurate description of this play, or a summary of my weekend plans?

This is more of a gallery event than a lesson about sketching. There are 10 sketchbooks on display, each created by a different downtown neighbourhood organization and each book tells a different story.

DRAG CLUB

THE DREADNOUGHTS 11 YEAR PUNKSTRAVAGANZA

RAILWAY STAGE AND BEER CAFE 9 P.M. / $5

RICKSHAW THEATRE 7 P.M. / $25

We all binge-watched the new season of RuPaul’s Drag Race and are now entertaining the idea of going to a drag show. Well, no more excuses because there is one coming up and it only costs $5.

14 WED

FREE COFFEE

BIRCH BUILDING 8 A.M. - 11:30 A.M. / FREE

Pro tip: the Courier does free coffee more often than these guys, we just don’t advertise it on the CapU events calendar. Free coffee is free coffee though and if you’re just in it for the caffeine, then bring your own mug and fill it up here. I recommend bringing a big-gulp size from 7/11.

The Dreadnoughts describe their live performances as “pounding out their usual inebriated mayhem.” This is the beauty of punk shows: you have no idea what they are going to be like.

17 SAT

PENNYWISE

15 THURS

Our very own production company, Exit 22 is putting on yet another show for everyone to come and see. I did not know Anne of Green Gables was a Canadian story and I would not be surprised if I am the only person who didn’t know that.

There is no better place to celebrate St. Patricks day than the Blarney Stone. They will be turning the street into a festival, with live music and places to sit and drink outside. They probably even supply puke buckets.

THE IMPROV CENTRE 7:30 P.M. / $19.25

I respect anybody in their 50s who are still in punk rock bands. I think if I were a well-known musician, my career would look more like Sting’s and by the time I was 50 I’d be playing the lute in quiet clubs for a handful of people.

THE BLUESHORE 8 P.M. / $10 - $24

BLARNEY STONE ALL DAY / BEER MONEY

VANCOUVER THEATRESPORTS: SHAMROCKS AND SHENANIGANS

COMMODORE BALLROOM 7 P.M. / $83

ANNE OF GREEN GABLES

ST. PATRICK'S DAY CELEBRATION

Not everyone wants to get hammered at a bar on St. Patrick’s day.

Some want to do it at an improv show. Each show will highlight an Irish theme, such as made up of random Irish expressions, or what happens when your date is ‘acting the maggot’ (being obnoxious, behaving like an idiot).

18 SUN

THE PROCESS OF COSTUME DESIGN MUSEUM OF ORIGINAL COSTUMES 2 P.M. - 5 P.M. / $15

An international costume designer in theatre, film and television, is going to explain the process of costume design. Maybe they can also explain other movie related attire like why every film director wears cargo pants and a hat, or why the lighting people have vests on all the time.

STEEL PANTHER

ANTIBALAS

The comedic glam metal band from Los Angeles is back again, singing songs more inappropriate than ever. Fun fact: the original drummer in Steel Panther eventually became the drummer in Korn.

They are a Brooklyn-based afrobeat band. I don’t know what afrobeat is, but it sounds like something I would like. They claim to be based off of Fela Kuti's Africa 70 band and Eddie Palmieri's Harlem River Drive Orchestra. I don’t know what those are either, but I also like the sound of them.

COMMODORE BALLROOM 8 P.M. / $39.50

THE BILTMORE 7 P.M. / $25

THE CAPILANO COURIER

VOLUME 50 ISSUE NO. 18

15

ARTS & CULTURE

Putting on the Glitz Traversing the Vancouver performing arts scene as a person of colour RACHEL D’SA ARTS AND CULTURE EDITOR

T

o Jolene Bernardino, the world of the performing arts is finally changing. “I think that Vancouver especially, we’re growing in the sense of what we see and what we think as the ‘box’ that Asian people need to play a specific type, Hispanic people need to play a specific type, Caucasian people need to play a specific type,” said the Vancouver performer and second-year Music Theatre student at Capilano University.

As a young Filipina woman, Bernardino quickly learned what the industry was used to and is now working away from. “First getting into theatre I remember having a very serious talk with my mom because she was very nervous about me being successful, because the roles that I wanted to go out for were traditionally played

by Caucasian actors and actresses,” said Bernardino. However, she stated that she believes that it’s our duty as a generation to not conform to these traditional standards but to instead break free.

Though her mother never pursued music, it was her phenomenal singing

that inspired Bernardino from the start. “I’ve been performing ever since, oh my gosh, probably since I was out of the womb,” she laughed. She additionally noted that her mother sang to her throughout her childhood, later encouraging her to become more active in church and school choirs.

It was at the age of around 10 to 12 when Bernardino discovered her passion for musical theatre. Around the same time, she also found herself deeply connected to Julie Andrews, an icon in the industry, as well as Lea Salonga, a fellow Filipina artist who was introduced to Bernardino by her mother. Though she took a few performance lessons, Bernardino credits the majority of her initial knowledge in the performing arts to her dedication to listening and singing along to music tracks and carefully watching videos.

Currently, Bernardino is preparing to star in Two Fly Productions’ upcoming show, Little Miss Glitz, which she also finds herself connected to on a personal level. “I get to star with Jenn [Jennifer] Suratos, who is also a Filipino actress in the community. When usually, quite possibly, roles like this would’ve been played by any other kind of race, I find that the opportunities that I have been given so far in my career as a performer, I’ve been very privileged in playing roles that I wouldn't have traditionally played maybe a few years ago,” she said.

The production will play at

Performance Works on Granville Island from Mar. 16 to 31, and includes various CapU personnel including faculty member, Christopher King (original music development). The plot line follows the story of Isabella, a pageant first-timer who ultimately learns the cutthroat side of the game.

The musical parody of child beauty pageants takes audience members on an interactive journey, giving them the power to determine who is crowned “Little Miss Glitz”. “There are also these amazing costumes that another Cap grad, Jacklyn, put together. In a pageant there’s usually a glitz round, an outfit-of-choice and a talent portion and with [my character] Jaylene [Darlene], her costumes are bizarre. I get this big, poofy, pink cupcake dress in one, and then I come out in this Madonna-inspired cone bra in the other, it’s ridiculous, I love it, it’s so over-the-top,” she said.

This was not her first encounter with the pageant scene, however. A few years ago, it was Bernardino’s turn to take on the crown in a hometown competition in New Westminster. “It’s kind of funny to tap my background into who I was and kind of approaching it a different way, going into the complete opposite of who I am as Jolene, and transforming into this monster, Jaylene. I love it, she’s so sassy and so dramatic and I think that I’m both of those things.” She noted that out of the five contestants in the production, she believes her character to be the most over controlling and likely to do whatever it takes to attain the crown.

She also finds it funny that though the

character's name is incredibly close to her own, the two individuals are far from similar in personality.

In addition to the humour of the show, the production also offers a heartwarming message of self-acceptance.

It deals with the coming of age of a girl wrestling with pressure put on by society to change herself to be what is considered beautiful – a story that Bernardino can relate to. “Personally, there’s always been that underlying tension of ‘am I doing the right thing? Am I going to be perfect enough? Am I going to be good enough?’ Like even at a young age, just seeing who I saw on TV, I always felt like I needed to change,” she said.

Bernardino plans to apply her personal experience and feelings to her upcoming work in the production as well as post-graduation. Having taken a course at Douglas College for Behaviour Intervention, and working with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), she has founded her goal to teach those with disabilities to get in touch with a passion in their lives. She hopes to one day bring her skills together to encourage others dealing with different types of barriers to not let them get in the way of doing what they love or discovering something that may not have been apparent to them before. Through finding courage and trust in herself to pursue her own dreams and overcome stigmas, Bernardino wishes to inspire others dealing with the same kind of societal pressures and aid in breaking down the wrongful wall.

GET INFORMED. DECIDE. VOTE.

HEALTH & DENTAL PLAN

REFERENDUM PROPOSING A FEE INCREASE VOTE ONLINE March 20 - 22, 2018 The CSU is considering a 16% increase to the Health & Dental Plan fee for the 2018-2019 academic year. Select Plan benefits will also be adjusted to better align with cost savings provided by the Studentcare Network of health and dental practitioners.

Have questions? Look out for our info table in the cafeteria on March 13-15 & March 19, 2018 16

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VOLUME 50 ISSUE NO. 18

Vote online at www.csu.bc.ca/vote starting at 8 am on March 20, 2018

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Janessa St. Pierre: On being Black at Capilano

One of the few Black students in the MOPA program talks about how she navigates life in university, the film industry and Canada CARLO JAVIER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

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re things really that bad here?”

That was often the response that Janessa St. Pierre would get when her peers read through the script of Think Again. The short film centres on the story of a girl who gets called the N-word at her school, but it isn’t solely about racism – there are levels. “It's about her coming to terms with realities of her world and realizing that racism works on different levels, not just with her peers at her school, but also with the institution that she thinks is supposed to protect her,” St. Pierre explained.

Along with Mekelah Vasquez-Brown, St. Pierre is one of two Black students in the second-year batch of Capilano University’s Motion Picture Arts (MOPA) program.

Like many stories of just how gripping and debilitating life can be, St. Pierre’s film is inspired by her own experience with racism and discrimination. “I was called

the N-word at my school, at Magee, it was a moment that I often think about why I didn’t do more,” she said. “I wanted to write a story that was uncomfortable, was shocking. It was not something that you really wanted to watch, but it’s important.

They’re ugly stories, they’re not about the happy ending, but they’re real. These are people’s lives. These are people who grow up here in Canada.”

Though Think Again has yet to have a set release date, as St. Pierre and her colleagues are preparing to submit it to festivals, the short film is already stirring conversation in CapU’s film community.

As important as conversation is, St. Pierre admits that sometimes, it’s the hardest thing to have. Even at a university like CapU.

women in the industry, which I think is a great thing to do, but I also feel like Hollywood’s kind of borderline using diversity as a tool to commodify their products.

How has your Capilano experience been?

Being a Black film student is extremely frustrating and I feel like I’m constantly being left out of conversations in ways, because you don’t want to be that one person every time that’s like ‘hey did anybody ever think of this, did anybody ever think of that?’ Just going to class and you having a certain perspective of something, and everybody else not even having to think of that.

What are your thoughts on racism and discrimination in Canada?

I think in Canada it’s the microaggressions and the subtle racism.

Everybody here thinks that they’re better.

They already have a sense of entitlement, that they think that they don’t have to deal with those issues because they grew up in ‘multicultural Canada’.

There’s always talk about how difficult it is to make it in the film industry, and then making it as a woman is even harder, but what about making it as a woman of colour?

I think that we have a lot more work to do, still. Just looking at film sets and the way the film industry operates, it’s a lot about who you know and a lot of people that are already in these positions of power and these positions where they can hire people are usually white males, and so I think that has a lot of to do with the fact that there’s not many openings and there’s not many Black women in the industry. I do feel like right now, Hollywood is trying to commission more people of colour, more

How do you think we can reconcile that, where can we find a middle ground where we have the representation and at the same time it's done respectfully and properly?

I think it has to do with the people that you plan to bring onto projects. If you’re going to tell the story about something that you don’t have the experiences in, at least have somebody from that demographic, from that group, working with you. Not just someone who you go to for help, but actually working with you.

And challenging that state of mind with a sense of discomfort and showing these ugly and brutally true stories is an element seen in your art.

It has a lot to do with being uncomfortable. That’s just something that needs to happen if we want to get into a real conversation about race issues in Canada. People need to be okay with being uncomfortable. It’s gonna happen. You can’t get through a conversation about race if a white person shudders every time you say, ‘white person’. You’re missing the whole point of what we’re trying to say if you’re picking out tiny little things that you feel uncomfortable by.

My film is all about the use of the N-word and how it shouldn’t be used by non-Black people and how it's wrong

in any sort of context to use it if you’re not a Black person and how violent the word actually is, if read out loud and how triggering that can be for a Black person.

It’s happened multiple times where I’ve heard professors here use that word.

And they defend it by saying that it’s part of the lecture.

Yeah and they say it's not in this context, not in that context, it’s okay if I’m saying it because I’m talking about the script.

When you’re a person of colour, you think that, going to school, you’re going to get what you pay for, you’re going to get what you want to learn. But a lot of the things you’ll learn are so white-based, they’re so European-centric, they’re so the same and you don’t connect to it. I think that’s the hardest thing, being a person of colour in a very white University, you don’t get to connect to a lot of the things that you’re learning because that’s just not there.

It’s obviously very bleak, but where do you find the motivation and the inspiration to be positive?

I find it in a lot of Black artists and their brilliance and their excellence and perseverance. Seeing women like Ava DuVernay out there doing that, seeing women like Issa Rae out there. Seeing movies like Moonlight and Black Panther honestly gives me so much inspiration because I just know that if that’s out there, there’s a path for me. As hard as it is going to be for me to get there, I have hope.

The great progression that Black people are making in Hollywood, I think it's going to open up doors for all people of colour to really make their way, to tell their story. I don’t know if you’ve heard this quote, but ‘when Black lives matter, all lives matter’, I believe that.

CapU Prof connects his passion for film with his heritage ANNALISSE CROSSWELL CONTRIBUTOR

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ell-established television writer and playwright, David Geary, has been repping a Canadian flag since 2008. Since moving from New Zealand, he has continued to build a name for himself, teaching at Capilano University on and off for four years, teaching a two-year Indigenous Film program, documentary classes, playwriting classes and acting as Motion Picture Arts Coordinator. In that time, he has been able to make an impact on his students by right of his previous experience in the film industry both in New Zealand and Canada, his more conversational approach to teaching and the unique perspective that comes from his Māori roots in New Zealand.

Despite the influence of his Māori heritage in his approach to teaching different forms of storytelling, Geary did

not claim his roots until he was in his thirties. With a fairer complexion and not knowing his self-governing nation, he felt uncomfortable claiming the heritage until describing his story to a woman who led him to find another side of his family that he had yet to connect with.

Now, he embraces his place as a part of the Taranaki Maori iwi and Ngāti Pākehā, working closely here in Canada with the Indigenous populations.

Geary begun his studies at Victoria University in Wellington, New Zealand, where he took a poetry course taught by famous poet, Bill Manhire. When the course required that he write in other forms he found that his writing was highly dialogue focused. From there, he began hanging out with the drama students because he found them to be the most interesting. This in turn led him to the New Zealand drama school where he started writing plays. “We had this really good drama club experimental

play culture,” he said. There he studied acting, because the school had no directing programs at the time.

Geary’s playwriting eventually led him to his career in the New Zealand film industry, and he went on to create many notable works, some of which were not ever presented to the public. One being a film for the creators of Trainspotting about a Māori hit woman that was based on a true story set in England. It went through 10 drafts over five years before the script was dropped, at which point Geary felt almost a sense of relief as he felt he could never get the script quite right.

Today, Geary’s teaching style is heavily influenced by the concept of Ako, which is based on the idea of reciprocity in teaching and learning. This manifests itself in his teaching style – one that focuses more on facilitating insteade of instructing, while also involving students in the learning process. “People from a place don’t see their stories as being valuable, because

they don’t see them as valuable…” he said. When working with First Nations students, he focuses on storytelling from the unique perspectives, asking individuals how their people approach storytelling and using the connection of maps in telling stories. He also engages students in trying to understand the connection between traditional stories and storytelling in the modern age. His unique approach to storytelling has taken him through many avenues so far. This only adds to what he has to offer students, as he continues to embrace his heritage and educate individuals on the significance of Indigenous communities and the power that film has to continuously shape the audience’s perception of cultural significance.

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–PHOTO BY TOM SMITH

SPORTS

Caption: Denguessi in a traditional Cameroonian outfit at the 2017 CapU Blues Athletic Award Banquet

Emmanuel Denguessi’s rediscovery

Somewhere along his life-long journey with volleyball, the CapU coach lost touch with his roots JUSTIN SCOTT MANAGING EDITOR

Hailing from Cameroon, Emmanuel Denguessi couldn’t have predicted a future coaching volleyball at a Canadian university. However, after developing a passion for the sport at a young age and a series of life-changing decisions, Denguessi now finds himself three years into a head coaching role at Capilano University, even claiming this year’s Pacific Western Athletic Association (PACWEST) Coach of the Year award.

However, while Denguessi has seen major success in the volleyball world throughout his life, the past decade or so, has been interesting for him off the court as well. “I think over the past 10 or 14 years I went through what I would call an identity crisis with defining who I am as a person,” he said. After coming to Canada and eventually going to school and continuing to play competitive volleyball,

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Denguessi had started to disassociate from his roots. “I believe that one needs to understand the context in which he lives in order to have a fulfilling life,” he said.

Volleyball has always been more than just a passion for Denguessi. From a young age, he knew that playing the game was a necessity. “I come from a poor family,” he said. “Volleyball was the outlet for higher social economical status there [in Cameroon]. So, at a very early age, I had to make the choice between education and being fed and helping my mother to feed my little brother. So, I chose volleyball.” Denguessi ended up playing on a club team and joining the military where he also played. As much as he was young and had few other choices, Denguessi was also prepared for the challenge ahead.

“I remember, at 13, I had already the skill and I was developing the strength,” he said. Although Denguessi valued education, his father had passed away and he knew he needed to help his mother take care of their family, so he used his talents to help put food on the table. “In Cameroon, when you play for a club, they give you a little bit of money. It’s not significant, but it paid.”

Over time Denguessi continued to work

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and hone his skills, finding more and more success on the court. Eventually, he became a member of the Cameroonian national team and in 2001 they won the African Nation Cup. He went on to play for the Olympic team and received accolades and awards from various international competitions, but at a certain point asked himself a question.

“At the age of 24 I came to a point where I was asking an important question, ‘what will life look like for me in the next 20 years?’ and Cameroon wasn’t providing the answer,” he said.

So, he packed his bags and moved to Montreal where he lived for three years.

Although he wasn’t playing competitively, Denguessi continued playing recreational volleyball and did something even bigger than sport – he learned about himself.

“After threes years in Montreal, really finding who I am, I decided to pursue education and that’s how I landed in British Columbia,” he recalled.

As Cameroon is a primarily French speaking nation, Denguessi was fluent in French but not English, so he was offered an ESL scholarship at CapU, where he played for one year from 2007-08 when he was named the PACWEST Rookie of the

Year and a First Team All-Star. After that he transferred to Columbia Bible College (CBC) where he continued to bolster his resume. The CBC Bearcats ended up winning the PACWEST provincials in 2011 and then the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA)’s national tournament as well, where Denguessi was named a tournament All-Star. Throughout his PACWEST career, Denguessi was also named a CCAA Academic All-Canadian and CCAA National Scholar.

He then graduated from CBC with a Bachelor in Counselling and Diploma in Theological Studies.

Once his PACWEST playing days were over, Denguessi began coaching at various clubs around the lower mainland until 2013 when he became the Assistant Coach back at CBC. After that season however, he was offered a position he couldn’t refuse – Head Coach of the Capilano Blues men’s volleyball team.

With his professional life going well, Denguessi realized that he needed to address his personal life. When he looked back at the past decade or so, he realized that he had been so focused on being a Canadian, he had lost some of his Cameroonian identity. “Those 10 or 13 years were a part of that journey, which makes the people in Canada who they are.

I think education is a great outlet, social activities and social inclusion also. So, because I believe in that, I think at some point I lost myself into that, so I started to de-appreciate my roots,” he said. Mindful of this, Denguessi started re-focusing on his heritage. One way in which he did this was through his clothing. His family will order clothes from Africa or bring them back when they visit and use their attire as a constant reminder of their heritage.

“That’s kind of a reminder to me of my roots and my identity,” he said. “And I think I’m in a space of my life where I’m exploring that again and what does it mean to express my African heritage, while appreciating my new identity as a Canadian.” He also joined the Association of Cameroonians in British Columbia, where he was the president from 2014-15.

Denguessi is also conscious of assuring his young son is also aware of his heritage. Be it the clothes he wears or the francophone school in which he attends, Denguessi is making efforts to ensure that the Cameroonian culture is a part of his son’s life. “That will at a certain point provoke conversation,” he said. “‘Dad, why did you send me to a French school?’ and, that’s a connector to where I come from.”

His journey to reconnect with his culture has also allowed Denguessi to learn lessons that transcend heritage.

“I find that integrity is the key to all because integrity allows you to be able to be truthful, to all the circumstances and the people around you,” he said. “If you are a man or a woman of integrity, you can live in Cameroon and appreciate the fullness of who you have become, while not compromising the values that you hold dear. You can live in Canada and live the fullness of the Canadian life without compromising who you are as a person. So, a journey I’m on is how do I live a life of integrity so that I take advantage of what I can offer to the society and what the society can offer me? Sports is one of those vehicles.”

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Struggles with consistency capture the men’s basketball team’s up-and-down year A bitter playoff exit has the Blues already seeking redemption for next season JUSTIN SCOTT MANAGING EDITOR

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n Thursday, Mar. 1 the Capilano University Blues men’s basketball team played what many on the team believe was their best game of the season. Unfortunately, it was also their last.

Losing to the Camosun College Chargers in a 71-69 thriller, the Blues’ playoffs were over almost as soon as they had begun. However, while the loss was undoubtedly a disappointment for the team, it was in many ways a strong end to the season. “I was happy with it and the guys thought they played their best game of the year. It’s a basketball thing right, sometimes you just fall short,” said head coach Cassidy Kannemeyer.

The team’s 2017-18 basketball campaign was a rollercoaster ride. The team finished the season with a nine and nine record. “That completely describes how we were playing,” said the team’s co-captain Niko Mottus. “We would either have 130 [points] against CBC and set a PACWEST scoring record, or we could

score two points in a quarter against VIU after being tied with them at half.”

And it’s true, you never knew which Blues team you would get on a given night. On Friday, they could be moving the ball and executing their game plan better than any team in the conference, then on Saturday, they may play an opposite style of lone isolation basketball, or vice-versa.

In their quarter-final game against the Chargers, the good side showed up. It was perhaps among their best performances of the season. “It was a great game, we were right there the whole time,” said Mottus. Something Kannemeyer agrees with. “I think we were in a good place in that game,” he said. “I think we really bought into the game plan and I think, you know, we tried to speed them up but they were really prepared. So, we got out of that pretty quickly and I thought that we played a very disciplined, defensive half court game.”

Unfortunately, the Chargers were also on the top of their game. The tight match-up – one that came down to the last shot – could have gone either way.

Mottus believes that one key aspect could have changed the outcome though – free throws. When looking at the game’s statistics there are only three main stat lines where the teams weren’t neckand-neck, with free throws being one.

The Chargers made 16 of their 22 free throw attempts, shooting 72.7 per cent.

The Blues on the other hand were 9-16, shooting just 56.3 per cent, which in a twopoint game came back to haunt them.

The Blues also lost their other cocaptain Hassan Phills, to an ankle injury early in the game. “A guy, who in my opinion should have been a Second Team All-Star,” Mottus said.

Nevertheless, another category in which the teams were separated was bench scoring. The Blues bench produced 20 points, more than doubling the Charagers’ nine. “If you look at our roster, I think we have like six or seven rookies,” Mottus said. Two of the team’s rookies, Nathan Bromige and Michael Kelly, had tremendous first years. “Both should have been on the [PACWEST] Rookie Team, looking at that, that was ridiculous in my opinion that neither of them made it,” Mottus added. Other rookie standouts include CJ Campbell who at times played like a fifth-year veteran and Kiante Knight.

According to Mottus, the team left Vancouver Island University (VIU)’s gym that night more motivated than disappointed. Having left all they had on the floor and seeing what their potential is, the team is more reinvigorated than ever. “Everyone has that mindset now, they’re hungry,” the captain said. Only

adding fuel to the fire, the Douglas College Royals ended up beating the PACWEST’s top ranked team in the finals to advance to the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association’s national tournament, a team that the Blues were two and one against in the regular season. “We beat them twice and they only beat us once and we play really well against them, we had our best game against them, our most complete game,” said Kannemeyer.

With the season now over, it’s time for the Blues to turn their sights to next year.

As of now, the majority of the team plans on returning as they will look to build off of this season’s successes and avoid its downfalls. They’ll also have to work over the summer. “They have to work hard.

They have to work hard in their offseason,” Kannemeyer said. “There’s just so much potential, but the only way potential is ever reached is if they work hard.”

Aware of this, the team has already decided to not only put in work in weight rooms and with drills, they also plan to play together as much as possible over the break. “This is a really great group of guys,” said Mottus. “All the guys, everyone got along super well, there were no kind of head cases on the team, everyone was just like a bunch of really great friends playing basketball.”

Mariner with the ball just a few feet from the hoop, the Blues PACWEST First Team All-Star ensured that her team would be in the finals. “I just put my hands up and I blocked it,” M’Bikata recalled. And just like that, the team was one game away from gold. “We didn’t have our best game ever, but we stuck in it and gave ourselves a chance to win,” said assistant coach Chris Weimer.

Saturday’s final against the Camosun College Chargers was a display on how focused the Blues were. “We played the perfect first half, probably the best half of basketball we played, maybe in my career coaching here,” Weimer said. After an impressive first quarter that saw the Blues take a six-point lead, the team really turned it up in the second quarter.

Holding the Chargers to just three points, the Blues defence was impenetrable. The week before the tournament, the team had focussed on their defense – emphasizing communication. “During practice we were going over how our communication really has to be on top and we have to be loud so we can hear each other,” M’Bikata explained. Every time the Chargers called out a play, the Blues would also call it out, ensuring every player on the floor knew exactly what was coming. However, it wasn’t just the Blues on the court who were impacting the game. “The bench was really hype for us which really helped us,” M’Bikata added.

Going into half time with a 17-point lead and a defence firing on all cylinders,

the game looked to be over. However, as the second half began, it was clear that it wouldn’t be a repeat of the first two quarters. Chargers started putting points on the board, eventually outscoring the Blues 20-18 in the third quarter. “We had to keep it exciting for the fans,” Weimer joked.

Still, going into the fourth quarter up 15 points, things were looking good. After trading baskets for the majority of the final frame, it was clear that the Chargers knew they were running out of time, and with just minutes left, they mounted their final push. “They heated up, I think they hit four threes in the last minute,” Weimer said. Chargers guard Aija Salvador caught fire, hitting almost any shot she took.

Quickly, the Blues comfortable lead was diminishing. Still focused on gold though, the Blues remained composed. “Whenever we had a chance to huddle, we kept telling ourselves, ‘one possession at a time, don’t worry about the score and the clock, just stay calm and also be strong with the ball,’” M’Bikata said.

It worked. Guards Ashley dela Cruz Yip and Emma Cunningham were clutch down the stretch, hitting their free throws once Camosun started fouling. Although the Chargers outscored the Blues 3626 in the final frame, it wasn’t enough, and the Blues won. The week before the tournament dela Cruz Yip made a very accurate prediction. “This whole season I’ve had this vision of us winning and then me crying of how happy I am.

I haven’t had that kind of emotion in a win in a really long time,” she said. And cry she did. In a scene of true excitement and celebration, the team stormed the court as the buzzer went – they were the champions.

And the gold medal and 2018 PACWEST title wasn’t the only hardware the Blues went home with. Cunningham was named a tournament All-Star and after a monster final where she posted 26 points, 16 rebounds, two steals and two blocks, there was no doubt that M’Bikata was the Tournament MVP. “When she plays like that there’s not many teams that have an answer for her,” Weimer said. “They just have to hope that she misses or nobody else on our team scores.”

For the team, the victory was almost as much of a relief as it was a celebration.

“We finally did it,” M’Bikata said. “We’ve gotten silver twice, we finally broke the seal and got gold.” For Weimer, who’s been coaching at CapU for the past six years, the win was sweet. “That was the fourth final we’ve been in. So, I’ve got three silvers, so it was nice to finally get that gold,” he said. “It felt really good, it was a bit of a relief because I feel that we deserved maybe in a couple other years and we just came up a little bit short.”

Regardless of how their national tournament goes, the Blues women’s basketball team has made CapU and themselves proud.

Gold for the Blues!

After two silver medals in a row the women’s basketball team finally ends the season atop the PACWEST JUSTIN SCOTT MANAGING EDITOR

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fter two straight Pacific Western Athletic Association (PACWEST) silver medals, the Capilano University Blues women’s basketball team has finally achieved their goal of winning PACWEST gold and securing their trip to the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA)’s national tournament in Sackville, New Brunswick.

Their road to gold was an exciting one.

Finishing second in the PACWEST’s regular season, the team secured a first round bye, meaning their first game of the tournament was the semi-final match against the Vancouver Island University (VIU) Mariners.

A close game from the start, it came down to the final play. After team cocaptain Carmelle M’Bikata hit a crucial free throw to break the game’s tie with just seconds left, a steal gave the Mariners one last shot. “It all happened so fast,” M’Bikata said. “The girl was on the three, then she passed it in and then I was just right there.” At that moment M’Bikata made one of the biggest plays of her Blues career. With the game on the line and a

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