The Community Edition: March 2022

VOLUME 10, ISSUE 4 • MARCH 2022

TAKE ME TO YOUR CONTROLLER

PAGES 10-11

ACTINGOUTWR HOSTS RALLY FOR SOLIDARITY

BREAKING DOWN THE 2022 WRPS BUDGET

SURVIVING THE BANDEMIC

PAGE 6

PAGE 8

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MARCH 2022 // COMMUNITYEDITION.CA

IN THIS

ISSUE VOLUME 10, ISSUE 4

MARCH 2022 THIS ISSUE OF TCE WAS FUELLED BY PASSION, DETERMINATION AND GOOGLE DRIVE. THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR CONTRIBUTORS AND OUR INCREDIBLE TEAM AT WLUSP.

We would like to acknowledge that Wilfrid Laurier Publications (WLUSP) is located on the Haldimand tract, traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishnaabe and Haudenosaunee peoples. This land is part of the Dish with One Spoon Treaty between the Haudenosaunee and Anishnaabe peoples. We recognize, honour and respect these nations as the traditional stewards of the lands and water on which WLUSP is now present.

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FEATURE

12 QUEER SPACE: QUEER VIDEO GAMES NEED TO LEVEL UP

EDITOR’S PICK

13 NAVIGATING MUSIC DURING THE PANDEMIC

INSIDE

LOCAL ORG AND MP WORK FOR DISABILITY BENEFITS ST. ANDREW’S CHURCH CHANGES CAMP NAME THOUGHTS ON THE FREEDOM CONVOY ACTINGOUTWR HOSTS ANTI-RACISM RALLY GROWING NUMBER OF COSMETIC CLINICS IN WR NEW TAX BENEFITS IN 2022 FOR LOCAL TOURISM WHY THE $10 MILLION: LOOKING AT THE POLICE BUDGET INDEPENDENT THEATRES’ TAKES ON REOPENING THE BINGSU OPENS IN UPTOWN 10-11 GROWING THE COLLECTION: GAMER SWAP MEETS 12 INDEPENT THEATRES FACE VANDALISM OF SCREENS 14 O CANADA: DAY OF ACTION FOR A JUST TRANSITION 15 CATCHING UP: KIMIKO SHIBATA WINS AWARD 15 CATCHING UP: COMING OUT TO MYSELF AGAIN 16 CATCHING UP: CHEF SEAN AT LOLOAN LOBBY BAR 16 CATCHING UP: SOPHISTICATED KARAOKE IN UPTOWN 17 CATCHING UP: ANTHOLOGY BY VICHAEL HO 18 ANTHOLOGY BY VICHAEL HO 18 MARCH EVENTS LISTINGS 19 NEW TUNE REVIEW: BLANKIE S/T EP (2020) 19 SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS DURING THE PANDEMIC 20 COSMIC RELIEF: SPRING EQUINOX AND REBIRTH 4 4 5 6 7 7 8 8 9

COVER BY MATTHEW VIVEEN

Volume 10, Issue 5 Next issue: April 6, 2022

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THE COMMUNITY EDITION TEAM Editor in Chief Harleen Kaur Dhillon harleen@communityedition.ca Publisher Kurtis Rideout kurtis.rideout@wlusp.com

WLUSP ADMINISTRATION

Executive Director Kurtis Rideout Advertising Manager Kurtis Rideout

Social Media Coordinator Mariana Bilbao

Directors Arshy Mann Emily Crump Jacob Segal Rice Mythreyi Vijayakulan Rosalind Horne Sara Sheikh

Staff Photographers Katarina Wex

Shyenne MacDonald Care Lucas Alister E. Jackson Schott Zachary Stronge Yasmeen Al-Momani Kate Stericker Cait Sageman

President Brittany Kovacs

Editorial Assistant Adrian Quijano

Staff Writers Alex Kinsella Kaitlyn Severin Rachael MacIntosh

CONTRIBUTORS

COLUMNISTS Elfie Kalfakis Ajay Mehmi Altay Coskun Vichael Ho

The Community Edition is an alternative monthly intended to engage and inform the community.

Started in 2012, the Community Edition is an editorially independent newspaper published by Wilfrid Laurier University Student Publications, Waterloo, a corporation without share capital. WLUSP is governed by its board of directors.

Opinions expressed within the Community Edition are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the editorial board, the Community Edition, WLUSP, WLU or Centra Web. All content appearing in the Community Edition bears the copyright expressly of their creator(s) and may not be used without written consent.

The Community Edition is a member of the Ontario Press Council, which is an independent ethical organization established to deal with editorial concerns.

For additional information or to file a complaint, contact info@ontpress.com or call 416-340-1981.

Preamble to the Community Edition Constitution The Community Edition will keep faith with its readers by presenting news and expressions of opinions comprehensively, accurately and fairly. The Community Edition believes in a balanced and impartial presentation of all relevant facts in a news report, and of all substantial opinions in a matter of controversy.

The staff of the Community Edition shall uphold all commonly held ethical conventions of journalism. When an error of omission or of commission has occurred, that error shall be acknowledged promptly.

When statements are made that are critical of an individual, or an organization, we shall give those affected the opportunity to reply at the earliest time possible. Ethical journalism requires impartiality, and consequently conflicts of interest and the appearance of conflicts of interest will be avoided by all staff. The only limits of any newspaper are those of the world around it, and so the Community Edition will attempt to cover its world with a special focus on the community of Waterloo Region.

Ultimately, the Community Edition will be bound by neither philosophy nor geography in its mandate.

The Community Edition has an obligation to foster freedom of the press and freedom of speech. This obligation is best fulfilled when debate and dissent are encouraged, both in the internal workings of the paper, and through the Community Edition’s contact with the community. The Community Edition will always attempt to do what is right, with fear of neither repercussions, nor retaliation. The purpose of community press is to act as an agent of social awareness, and so shall conduct the affairs of our magazine.

MARCH 2022 // COMMUNITYEDITION.CA

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NEWS IN BRIEF

Huron Natural Area at night.

KATARINA WEX PHOTO

PUBLISHER’S NOTE KURTIS RIDEOUT

HUGE SURGERY WAITLIST

RALLY FOR UKRAINE

JAWORSKY TO PASS THE TORCH

According to CBC News Kitchener there are more than 9, 000 people on wait lists for cataract sugery at hospitals in the region. this surgery is considered to be. Experts say they’re concered as longer wait times can seriously impact patients.

Members of the UkrainianCanadian community and their allies gathered in support of Ukraine. Hundreds of people comforted one another as the tension grows after Russia’s invasion.

The event was planned by the Ukrainian Catholic Church of the Transfiguration.

Waterloo, Ont. Mayor Dave Jaworsky annouced that he will not be seeking a third term when municipal elections are held. Jaworsky said he is making the announcement to allow replacements to consider taking on the role. New candidates will be able to place their bids for mayorship in May.

WATERLOO LEGION BREAKFAST BACK

CONDO PROJECT PROPOSED

MOVIE THEATRE VANDALIZED

The Royal Canadian Legion welcomes back their long awaited community breakfasts. Since the organizations’ start it has been the social hub for many communities.

With close to 250,000 members in 1,350 branches across Canada, its main goal is to provide support to fellow vetrans.

A 25-storey condominium tower has been given the green light by the city council. This project was proposed three years ago amid controversy, but will now be build on a vacant lot along Bridgeport Road.

According to Waterloo Regional Police say two men sliced up a movie screen during a screening of a movie on the week of Feb. 25. Police describe the first suspect as 20 years old, around six feet tall with a heavy build. He was wearing a hooded sweater, dark pants, running shoes and a face mask.

LOCAL SOCCER CLUB STRIKES DEAL

COMMUNITECH STOCK LAUNCHED

ROAD CLOSURES TO START

The Waterloo Minor Soccer Club has aligned themselves with one of Germany’s top professional soccer teams. The club has signed an affiliation agreement with Borussia Dortmund that will eventually rebrad the club to be BVB International Academy Waterloo.

On Feb. 22, Communitech celebrated the opening of the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) at the Communitech Hub. This ceremony marked the first time The TSX has opened trading in the Waterloo Region. It also points to future opportunties for founders in Waterloo to take their companies poublic on TSX.

Waterloo Region’s road work on Bridge St. E at Lancaster St. W will have lane reductions from Tuesday, Mar. 1 at 9 am and is expected to last for one day. Exisiting one-way traffic maintained: expect delays, pedestrian traffic will be maintained around work zone.

It feels irresponsible to not acknowledge the fact that there is a war happening right now and that the city of Kyiv is under attack.

There are roughly 1.4 million Ukrainian Canadians. Over the course of the last few days, we’ve seen the Ukrainian community in Waterloo Region come out to show solidarity to their loved ones who are currently experiencing the horrors of war.

It’s both jarring and humbling.

But here I am, grateful that we are able to print this newspaper once again. That you can hold it in your hands, unfold it to read and then once again fold it back into your routine.

While the threat of COVID looms near, we can move forward cautiously, but with optimism.

And then, my thoughts go back to Ukraine.

It’s bittersweet for me to think about moving forward optimistically with my own plans when I know that there are people who have taken to the streets and taken up arms in defense of freedom and their country.

When I decided to write this, I thought about how funny it would be if I made a meme with a Trojan horse that said “Freedom Convoy” on the outside and “far right nationalism” on the inside. The trick in my book would be to use different literary devices to try and paint a nuanced picture, but I am tired and that is a waste of your time and mine.

Simply put, If you’ve ever wondered what it looks like when a country’s freedom is at stake, you need not look any further than what is happening in Ukraine.

Truthfully this is a note I wanted to bring to you in January. When the omicron variant took hold at the end of 2021, we made the tough decision to cancel our print run. At that time I decided I would wait until we printed again to share some of my musings on intention, platforming and my role as the publisher of this newspaper.

But a lot has happened in the past three months—the past three days, even—so much so that I am even more compelled to share my thoughts, but it’s difficult to do right.

In 2018, I was the editor-in-chief at The Cord–The Community Edition’s sister paper–and up to that point I had zero experience writing about white supremacy or far-right ideology.

In fact, I spent most of my time in student media writing fluff.

But, on March 21, 2018, white nationalist political commentator Faith Goldy was scheduled to speak in Waterloo at Wilfrid Laurier University. She was invited by Lindsay Shepherd and the free speech warriors in Laurier Students for Open Inquiry.

Up to that point, I had heard many people talk about how ‘free speech is under attack at universities’. A lot of people were vocal in their support of Shepherd as she promoted Jordan Peterson and his “anti-Marxist cry baby” thing.

Everything was very purposefully made to be vague up to that point, even when the school’s administration addressed the situation. But when Faith Goldy showed up, there seemed to be no more blurred lines. On one side of me,

I saw hate and on the other side, I saw love, wrapped in fear.

Goldy stood, surrounded by eight or ten scary looking white dudes with matching crew cuts. They all stood stoically, hands clasped or tucked into jacket pockets.

The gravity of the situation was evasive at first, but one thing became obvious on that day: Lindsay Shepherd created an opportunity for hate to rear its ugly head in our community and there it was for all to see.

As I approach the fourth year of distance I am fortunate to have put between myself and that situation, it’s hard to avoid thinking about current events. While it may have been initially difficult for some people to discern the true nature of Shepherd’s actions, the moment she brought known white supremacists onto campus, the writing on the wall was apparent.

Your default may be to see the best in all the people you see but when you hesitate to name hate for what it is, you instantly create space for more.

For me, the correlation between this situation and the “freedom convoy” is impossible to ignore. In 2018, a prof at Laurier described the debate around free speech as a “wedge issue” being used to incite hate. Does this mean everyone who values free speech is a hateful neo-Nazi? No, not necessarily. At least, that is, until those people are rubbing shoulders with neo-Nazi’s. At that point, it is safe to make the distinction.

MARCH 2022 // COMMUNITYEDITION.CA

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DISABILITY WITHOUT POVERTY ADVOCATES

MIKE MORRICE PRESENTS PETITION RACHAEL MACINTOSH STAFF WRITER Bill C-35 is an act to support the financial security of Canadians with disabilities by establishing a Canada disability benefit. The act would be an addendum to the Income Tax Act that would provide a livable income supplement for people with disabilities resembling those currently provided for children and seniors. Mike Morrice, MP for Kitchener-Centre, presented a petition to the House of Commons on Feb. 10 that encouraged fast tracking this disability benefit.

“This is something that Canadians with disabilities across the country have been advocating for for years and years,” Mike Morrice said.

The petition was led in collaboration with Disability Without Poverty, an organization that aims to end disability poverty in Canada.

Disability Without Poverty is advocating for a disability benefit but also wants to ensure that people with disabilities are involved in the entire process.

“Our leadership team is all people with disabilities,” Rabia Khedr, national director for Disability without Poverty, said.

“We used an e-democracy platform

to even do our own conversations with people with disabilities and hear what they have to say, through Othello,” she said “We’ve done general polling, reaching people with and without disabilities to determine what the level of support is for a Canada Disability Benefit and for ending disability poverty,” she said.

More than six million Canadians, that is 22 per cent of the population, identify as having a disability. At the same time, 40 per cent of Canadians living in poverty have a disability. While 80 per cent of Canadians are employed, that applies to only 59 per cent of disabled Canadians and Canadians with severe disabilities make approximately 51 per cent less than the average Canadian.

Consultation with Canadians with disabilities being consulted would ensure that factors like the higher cost of living with a disability would be acknowledged in the benefit.

Re-introduction of the Canada Disability Act was a campaign promise of the Liberal party before re-election in 2021.

“We’re asking the question ‘where’s the bill?’ through our various strategies of engaging the general public and media and politicians and like-minded people.

We have a social media soft-launch campaign starting up, on asking the question ‘where’s the bill?,’ and there will be more exciting activities coming forward, asking this very question in the weeks ahead until this bill is tabled,” Khedr said.

The petition was signed by almost

A petition was filed on Feb. 10 to advance Bill C-35, which would increase benefits for people with disabilities.

KATARINA WEX PHOTO 18,000 Canadians making it one of the top five most popular petitions this legislative session. A 2021 survey also found that 89 per cent of Canadians support a disability tax benefit.

“Is there pretty much anything else that 89 per cent of Canadians can agree on?

I think it’s a pretty powerful statement between both that survey and this position petition that they need to move quickly to get this done,” Morrice said.

The governing party had 45 days from Feb. 10 to respond to the petition. “[This benefit would] bring disability support up to a minimum level for a dignified life for every Canadian with a disability across the country. In so doing, it would lift up to 1.5 million Canadians out of poverty,” Morrice said.

“We are rising through a pandemic, and we’re looking forward to a better tomorrow. And that better tomorrow has

to include people with disabilities living in poverty. They must have a livable income” Khedr said.

For more information, visit disabilitywithoutpoverty.com or #WheresTheBill on Twitter.

LOCAL SUMMER CAMP GETS NEW NAME ALEX KINSELLA STAFF WRITER Organizers of a long-running summer camp announced in January that they were changing the camp’s name after speaking with local Indigenous leaders.

Camp K is operated by St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in downtown Kitchener and has offered summer camp activities inside the Laurel Creek Conservation since 1995. Reverend Marty Molengraaf is the lead minister at St. Andrew’s Church. He said that the name change process started with a letter from organizers of the O:se Kenhionhata:tie, also known as the Land Back Camp.

The original name for the camp was a play on words that Reverend Molengraaf said he felt was problematic since joining the church last August. He noted that campers and camp staff had used Camp K as a nickname for a long time.

“There was a letter written to the church in July from the Land Back group. They were just asking for consideration in changing the name and wanted to enter into a bit of a dialogue. When I started in August, I set up a meeting with them and went over to have a conversation with them,” Molengraaf said.

It was a conversation that Land Back Camp co-founder Bangishimo Johnston said they were hesitant about at first.

They said that in their years of advocacy work, they have often encountered people who try to deflect blame back on Indigenous communities for asking for change. Johnston added that Reverend Molengraaf has previous experience working with Indigenous communities

and knew how to approach the meeting.

“He came in a good way. He brought us tobacco. We had coffee. We sat around the camp and just talked all morning— and he actually listened to us, which was so important when you’re doing this work with Indigenous communities. You don’t tell us what we need. We already know what we need. You need to listen to what we have to say and not be defensive about it,” Johnston said.

Molengraaf said that the conversation at Land Back Camp was the start of a longer conversation between church and camp staff. Through discussions and research, camp staff agreed that renaming the camp was an important step to take.

“I think once you know better, you’re called to do better. That became a bit of a rallying cry to the concerns about the name and recognizing the harm the name created within the Indigenous community. Responding to that became important for us,” Molengraff said.

The camp’s renaming is one of the multiple conversations across Waterloo Region on the harm that names can cause to Indigenous and other racialized groups. The reaction to the Waterloo Region District School Board’s plans to rename three local schools has drawn a mixed response on social media.

Reverend Molengraaf said Camp K’s new name was well-received.

“Whether it sounded Indigenous or not wasn’t part of the dialogue back then.

But again, when you know better, you do better. There is this blindness that we have as part of the main social group.

Without intentionally doing something, we do cause pain, we do cause hurt,” Molengraaf said.

“Educating ourselves is incredibly important—and we can’t expect that marginalized groups or Indigenous groups will do that education for us, we have to do our own education,” he said.

Johnston said this is an example of putting in the effort to make reconciliation work. They noted other organizations often start on the right path but then put the onus on Indigenous people to make their case.

“He apologized and said he was going to take this back to his congregation and see what they can do to change the name. He didn’t want us to have to deal with that experience of having to go into another committee to state our case again. He said he would do the work and keep us posted—and he did. Then one day he told us they did vote on it and the name is going to be changed,” Johnston said.

They added that this was an example of putting words into action for reconciliation. It has also created a relationship between the Land Back Camp and Camp K that Johnston said helps create more profound understanding and communication to further reconciliation.

“Now we have this relationship with the church. Now we’re looking forward to maybe visiting their space this summer and having some of them visit our camp there. That’s what reconciliation is about, right? It is two groups working together for change side by side. Not one moving ahead and one falling back, but both of us traveling together down the river,” Johnston said.

St. Andrew’s Presbytarian Church entered conversations with the Landback Camp.

KATARINA WEX PHOTO

MARCH 2022 // COMMUNITYEDITION.CA

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EVERYDAY THOUGHTS

ON THE CONVOY FROM EDITORIAL ASSISTANT, ADRIAN QUIJANO

In Nov. 2021, the federal government announced that all Canadian truckers who cross the U.S. border would need to be vaccinated. The Freedom Convoy occupied Ottawa for several weeks in protest against this mandate.

Many of the protesters who were upset about the vaccine mandates flooded Ottawa’s roads and streets with little understanding of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Maeve Tabakoli, is a music student in their third semester at the University of Ottawa. Tabakoli moved to Canada from Iran in the summer of 2021 when they started school.

“I live downtown, it’s a five-minute walk to Rideau Center where the convoy was camping. There were trucks parked outside my door and they wouldn’t stop honking. This happened right after the lockdown restrictions were lifted, I couldn’t go back to university because everything was so chaotic,” they said.

From facing COVID-19 lockdowns to having to deal with protestors in her neighbourhood, Tabakoli, along with many Ottawa residents and Canadians, feels fatigued from all the uncertainty.

Misinformation about the constitution has dominated much of the discussion in Ottawa during the occupation of the downtown core by anti-vaccine mandate protesters.

“I have migraines and suffer from sensory overload. I used earbuds and headphones to try and listen to something peaceful just to get through it. Sometimes I go hide in the study rooms in my building. I try to change my location, going to friends’ places and getting away from all the noise,” Tabakoli said.

Gagan Sandhu is an Ontario-based

truck driver who also helps truckers in his community find jobs and resolve pay issues with companies. He said that it is each person’s personal responsibility to ensure they are protected and not harming others, however, governments should not be forcing individuals to get vaccines. Instead, education on the vaccines should be.

Sandhu was interviewed in Punjabi and his words were translated.

“Our [Punjabi] community is vaccinated for the most part, it’s the rare person in our community that is not vaccinated. Other communities have not accepted this…I know a lot of companies where…major percentages of the employees are unvaccinated,” Sandhu said.

Some of the protesters who set up blockades in the city were waving copies of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms in the faces of police officers and citizens who were trying to go about their days.

According to Trudeau the vast majority of truckers have been vaccinated. Many of those who have opted out of being vaccinated participated in the blockade.

Many of the folks used the horns of their trucks at all hours of the day and were yelling and chanting “freedom”. Some protestors were also actively yelling racist slurs towards those passing them on the streets.

“Even though all my classes were online, I still had to go outside for groceries. This is the first time I experienced racism since coming to Canada. I moved here from Iran. A lot of the protesters were yelling at people who ‘didn’t look’ Canadian,’ which included me,” Tabakoli said.

Despite all of the unfortunate circumstances they have made an effort

to find a silver lining.

“I tried to record the sounds of the honking and shouting, so hopefully I can make something beautiful out of the nastiness by using it as a backtrack to a song,” Tabakoli said.

She, along with many in Ottawa, have had to try to cope with the “peaceful” protests that occupied their city. According to Section Two of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, all Canadian citizens have the “freedom of peaceful assembly” but the definition of “peaceful” is left to the courts to decide.

Court rulings that go back to 1982 have defined the right to a peaceful assembly as including the right to protest on public streets, and the right to wear masks during a protest.

“As a trucker, I want to say that we don’t have the freedom here either…if the people have gone to learn their rights or fight for their rights, that’s alright.

However, I don’t agree with the people that started plotting or people related to efforts like advocating for things like a separate country,” Sandhu said.

As reported by CBC, a large group of participants signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that was issued

by Canada Unity, one of the groups who was responsible for organizing the convoy. This MOU called on the Governor General and the Senate to form a new government with the protestors themselves.

In accordance with Canadian case law, assemblies cease to be peaceful when people begin rioting or when gatherings seriously disturb the peace. The right to assemble does not include the right to impede or blockade lawful activities. The federal government eventually invoked the Emergencies Act to clear the city.

MARCH 2022 // COMMUNITYEDITION.CA

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ACTINGOUTWR HOSTS SOLIDARITY RALLY HARLEEN KAUR DHILLON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF On Feb. 21, 2022, ActingOutWR, a new queer and anti-racist advocacy group, held a rally to show solidarity and support for the region’s diverse population. Cait Glasson, founder of the group, helped organize the rally after recent racial attacks against community members.

“We had racist attacks on [community members] and I was at a Wellbeing Waterloo meeting and I wanted to respond to it. So I thought, maybe we should have a day of solidarity and get some people together,” she said.

Attendees heard from speakers such as Kamil Ahmed, an organizer with the Community Fridge project, Laura Mae Lindo, Amy Smoke, Fanis Juma, Marjorie Knight and other local activists.

These speakers shed light on issues around race, exhaustion and the need for

love in anti-racism work.

Speakers also touched on their own experiences of racism in the region.

Knight mentioned experiencing inequalities in accessing housing and Dewe’igan Barefoot, a member of the Landback camp, described her experiences trying to access healthcare in her times of crisis.

“I leave the house knowing that at some point that day, I will face some sort of microaggression,” Barefoot said.

T Laura Mae Lindo, MPP of KitchenerCentre, acknowledged the exhaustion of community members who keep having the same conversations. She referred to the Freedom Convoy and the lack of timely response undertaken by local authorities.

“When we talk about leading with love, putting love into the universe…it’s not a joke, because we are at a crossroads,” she said. “We had Nazi flags flying in Ottawa, we had Confederate flags flying in Ottawa, we had people making fun of Indigenous ceremonies.”

“I do not feel safe or secure when it takes three weeks to decide…it’s not a good idea to hang out with people

that think it’s cool to have Nazi flags in Ottawa,” Lindo said.

While some speakers talked of discrimination and others emphasized compassion, Ahmed reminded attendees that everyone should be aware of the racism they carry within.

“I think about...the racism that was embedded in me, that I still carry with me today as baggage, towards everybody except white people and that’s something that I have to take stock of and be accountable for,” Ahmed said.

“But what do you do next?…maybe you’ll just keep a note on your phone like I do. And every time you notice the bias pop up, you just note it down and take stock of it. Maybe it’s as little as that let’s get you started. But I guess all I have to say is as long as you’re doing something that’s all that counts,” he said.

Barefoot echoed a similar message and challenged allies to become more mindful of and vocal about the racism they witness.

“Call it out when you see it,” she said. “It needs to end for our future generations.”

Near the end of the event, one onlooker

began to disrupt the final speaker, Amy Smoke. Smoke is a part of the Landback campaign and an educator.

The man, unidentified, started with a small confrontation near the doors to the Shops proclaiming he was pushed by one of the attendees. Then, he walked around the rally attempting to disrupt it with his claims of being pushed and experiencing hatred in a rally held by people touting the importance of love. Smoke continued to speak.

They recounted that last year, an art installation by Bangishimo Johnson that featured Smoke and her child in a lifesize photo was vandalized. Addressing the incident, she said that it was an example of how the message really was that she does not belong in white spaces as she does not meet the ideals of eurocentric beauty. “[It] was the Afro-Indigenous and the Indigenous person in front of the tipi, those were the pictures that were vandalized, ripped from their frames and tossed into the bushes. That is how much anger we incite in people,” they said.

“And we can’t live like this anymore, like seriously. I am tired. I am so tired.

You’re breaking us,” Smoke said.

According to a tweet by Johnston, this is not the first time someone has deliberately attempted to disrupt events like this rally. It is part of the reason that members of the Landback Camp are less and less willing to be a part of such events.

Smoke emphasized that Indigenous communities and leaders have already done a lot of work to make reconciliation easier for Canada. They referenced the 94 recommendations in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, saying that Indigenous people have already done the homework.

“White supremacy is a white problem.

It is your problem, you need to clean up…There are 94 calls to action, we did all the fucking work. We did all the homework. They’re laid out, very easily readable. And they’re not for the government, they’re for you,” they said.

The rally ended with a short rendition of Bob Marley’s “One Love” led by one of the rally attendees.

For more information about ActingOutWR, visit their twitter page, @ ActingOutWR.

From left to right, Kamil Ahmed, Dewe’igan Barefoot, Amy Smoke (top) and man attempting to disrupt the rally (extreme left in bottom photo).

KATARINA WEX PHOTOS

MARCH 2022 // COMMUNITYEDITION.CA

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GROWING LOCAL DEMAND FOR COSMETIC PROCEDURES LEADS TO MORE CLINICS

Sumiko Lui of Permanent Makeup & Aesthetics, said niche markets with human connections will survive for a long time.

KATARINA WEX PHOTO

SHYENNE MACDONALD CONTRIBUTOR The year 2020 saw a Zoom boom—a distinct boom in the cosmetic procedure industry that was brought on by the 2020 quarantine. People were isolated at home and, whether they were working from home, taking leaves of absence or laid off, there were many Ontarians that went into the pandemic with lots of alone time and extra cash to spend.

People also had more time to look at themselves, decide what to change and heal from any procedures they

chose to undergo. The top five procedures were breast augmentation, liposuction, rhinoplasty, eyelid surgery and facelifts.

While people were isolated and staring at themselves for several hours a day on video calls, mirrors and laptop screens they experienced Zoom fatigue—another new term introduced to modern vernacular on account of the pandemic.

Zoom fatigue is a reputed, alleged mental condition caused by the artificial connection created through Zoom, doubled by the constant exposure to one’s own reflection while also using social media.

Social media is directly correlated to body image issues. Before social media, in the ‘heroine chic’ era, it was tabloids and television peddling emaciated bodies to impressionable

youth. In each generation, a new beauty standard to live up to is born.

However, the post-2020 quarantine influx of cosmetic surgeries was not a sustainable market. Instead, when Ontario began opening up again for the first time, facial procedures came into front-view and the beauty industry, rocked by the pandemic, had to adapt to the new demand. New aesthetic clinics and spas are opening up across Kitchener and Waterloo, two cities already growing at an exponential rate.

“Places that are so-so...when you have high fixed costs, and you have to close for indiscriminate periods of time, it really screws up a business’ cash flow…but now things are changing where we’re literally going to be living online…brands and salons that will survive have few things going

on,” Sumiko Lui, an entrepreneur, makeup artist and aesthetician, said.

Lui has worked in the beauty industry for over ten years now, starting by herself. Now Lui works with Luxe Spa in uptown Waterloo as the premier lash technician in Waterloo.

“A lot of salons have gotten by not because they’re the best, but because they’re close or available.

But the world is changing now.

People, [consumers], are becoming more savvy. I have clients who comb through every single review, and will actually follow a Google review to the commenter, to check if it’s real,” she said.

“There are certain industries, unfortunately, that will probably completely disappear. But certain things that human beings truly cannot do for themselves, I call them high touch experiences, can never be touched by technology. Because people still crave connection. Even, I would say, my most introverted client still needs to connect to other people,” Lui said.

Facial procedures are an umbrella term for a variety of services that permanently or partially restructure or alter a person’s profile. From lip blush to botox, there is a vast array of services to choose from.

“Niche markets are going to be the only way you survive. In modern aesthetics, no one is going to trust the lady who does your waxing, your eyelash extensions and your hair and your nails. Everybody is going to want to go to someone who does one maybe two things extremely well,” explained Lui. Many of the new beauty-based businesses in Waterloo specialize

in one particular service. Lui suggests that this is the new path for aestheticians. Rather than being a jack-of-all-trades, the market demands a targeted service with an aesthetician that is an expert.

During the 2020 lockdown and the shorter ones that followed throughout the last two years, there has been a noted spike in the psychological condition body dysmorphic disorder (BDD).

BDD, loosely defined, is a condition in which a person obsesses over a perceived flaw, however minor. You fixate, intensely, on this perceived flaw and attempt to fix it through but, in the end, it’s impossible. In reality, there is no flaw, it was just your mind, but often people realize this far too late.

Common symptoms of BDD are compulsively checking oneself in the mirror, avoiding mirrors, constant exercising, constant grooming, feeling anxious or ashamed of one’s body and picking at skin.

Lui was transparent about the toll facial procedures can have on mental health but emphasized the importance of focusing on the selfcare side of cosmetics. “[Perfection] is totally unachievable.

I often say that 99 per cent of what you see on social media is fake. Not even 80 per cent or 85 per cent. There is nothing that’s real anymore,” Lui said.

“When we’re talking about investing in ourselves, I love taking the time to think and unplug. Because the reason it is extremely therapeutic is because we are constantly inundated with information. Especially with scrolling addiction. We’re addicted to consuming other people’s content.”

NEW TAX BENEFIT FOR LOCAL VACATIONS ADRIAN QUIJANO EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

For people spending their vacations in province, there will be a tax benefit for 2022.

KATARINA WEX PHOTO

The Waterloo Region tourism industry joins others across the province in welcoming Ontario’s 2022 Staycation Tax Incentive.

This temporary tax credit aims to encourage families and individuals to explore the province, and aid the tourism and hospitality industry recover from the impact of COVID-19.

Ontarians are eligible to claim the tax credit if they were an Ontario resident on Dec. 31, 2022. Eligible children are not entitled to claim the credit on their personal Income Tax and Benefit Return for 2022 but residents who do not have spouses or commonlaw partners are eligible to claim their own expenses for the credit.

For the 2022 tax year, Ontarians who vacation within the province may be eligible to receive a 20 per cent tax break. The Ontario Staycation Tax Credit allows for a 20 percent return on accommodation expenses. Individuals are eligible for up to $1,000 in total returns and $2,000 for families. The tax credit is estimated to provide $270 million in support of about 1.85 million Ontario

families and individuals.

When all other conditions are met, residents are able to claim an accommodation for a single or multiple trips up to the maximum expense limit of $1,000 as an individual or $2,000 as a family, accommodations booked either directly with the provider or through an online third-party platform, the portion of an expense that is necessary to have access to the accommodation, and the accommodation portion of a tour package expense.

Minto Schneider, CEO of Explore Waterloo Region and has worked with the organization for nine years. She said that the organization has helped promote tourism with Tourism Industry of Canada and they want to encourage people to experience the outdoors and accommodations that Ontario has to offer.

“We have been running an explore more campaign, which encourages people to stay two nights, and when they do that they get a $100 gift card to spend in the region. Because of the recent restrictions we have put a pause on the campaign but will be reintroduced in March,” Schneider said. “[Waterloo is] so well known for the universities and being a tech city, but there are so many other things to do. We have amazing nightlife, when

it’s open, we’re surrounded by rural communities and farmland. We have so much to offer,” Schneider said.

Short-term accommodations generally do not include timeshare agreements or a stay on boats, trains, or other vehicles that can be self propelled. The tax credit only applies to leisure states between Jan. 1, 2022 and Dec. 31, 2022 regardless of the timing of payment for the accommodations. This credit does not apply to business travel.

In order for residents to claim the tax credit, accommodation receipts must be saved. The receipt must include the following information: the location of where you stayed, the amount, the tax paid, the date of stay, and the name of the payer.

The Waterloo Region Tourism industry has much to offer yearround, especially during the winter months. The Staycation tax benefit allows for credit on short-term and/ or camping accommodations. These include hotels, motels, resorts, cottages, and lodges. The tax credit applies to vacation stays between Jan. 1, 2022, and Dec.31, 2022, regardless of the timing of payment for the stays.

“At this time I would say skiing, tubing, skating. Anything outdoors is great! Also, the St. Jacob’s Market is a great place to go shopping,” Schneider said.

MARCH 2022 // COMMUNITYEDITION.CA

WRPS BUDGET INCREASES

8

ADRIAN QUIJANO EDITORIAL ASSISTANT On Dec. 15, 2021, the Region of Waterloo approved a $10 million dollar increase for the Waterloo Regional Police Service. (WRPS) The total budget for 2022 comes in at $195, 760, 656 according to CTV News Kitchener Videographer, Colten Wiens. This increase means it will cost the average homeowner in Waterloo an extra $27 in tax money per year. The new budget is $2.4 million less than WRPS’s first proposal, which was initially $12.4 million for 2022. Chief of Police, Bryan Larkin stated this money was mainly meant to hire 35 new officers. The Region of Waterloo approved its 2022 budget on Dec. 15, 2021.

WRPS and the Region of Waterloo have made certain information packages on the matter publicly accessible. The Waterloo Regional Police Service, alongside all other police services in Ontario, must abide by the Ministry of Solicitor General Police Standards Manual. According to these guidelines, the manual is meant to help municipalities and police services understand how to follow the Act and Regulations.

In the Region of Waterloo, the police officer rate per 100,000 population in 2019 was down to 131, a decrease of one per cent compared to the 2018 rate. This is below the national and provincial rates of 183 and 174 respectively. The WRPS has regularly reported police officers to population rates that are lower than the national average.

In 2019, Waterloo Region had the lowest police officer-to-population rate since 2003 when there were 129.9 officers per 100,000, according to Statistics Canada.

On average, there has been an increase of citizen-generated calls from 2010 to 2019, which include: unwanted persons, driving complaints, disputes, disturbances, domestic disputes, suspicious persons, suspicious vehicles and mental health-related calls for service The WRPS created a presentation outlining where the 2020 budget was going and what the proposed 2021 budget increase would go towards.

According to this presentation; 99 per cent of the WRPS’s budget

must be focused on the following requirements under the Police Services Act: law enforcement (76 per cent), administration and infrastructure (21 per cent), and Emergency and Public Order (two per cent). In 2020, the WRPS’s Ten-Year Capital Budget Forecast was reviewed and approved.

This forecast included planned capital improvements or “lifecycle replacement” on existing facilities. As stated in the outline for the 2021 budget increase, most of the money (70 percent) is set to be used for facility additions and renovations.

Additionally, in 2021, the WRPS launched its “Path Forward” project.

Its main goal was to restructure the Investigative Services Division. This included intimate partners violence, special victims, youth protection, cybercrime, drug interdiction, firearm violence, gang and hate crime intervention and a continued focus supporting victims of property and financial crime. According to the WRPS’ 2021 proposed budget, their main priorities for the year included the Path Forward project, as well as adhering to the Community Safety and Policing Act. According to the letter, the primary focus of “Path Forward” is addressing systemic racism within policing as well as advancing equity, inclusion, and diversity within the police system.

The “Path Forward” project comes in alongside the WRPS’ Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) unit. This special unit launched in 2012 and includes police and civilian members from a variety of backgrounds.

Correspondingly, the proposed budget increase was brought to the Waterloo Finance Committee on Jan. 12, 2021.

In a letter written to Waterloo Region Chair, Karen Redman from Chief of Police, Bryan Larkin, Larkin wrote: “Although the financial crisis, social unrest, and the continued impact of the global pandemic has created unprecedented challenges, it has also provided an opportunity for the Police Service to continue to reimagine the future of policing as well as accelerate innovation and learning while continuing self-reflection.”

In the midst of the continuously uncertain environment Waterloo finds itself in, it seems that this budget increase can cause a volley of questions rather than simple answers for the average Waterloo citizen. The Community Edition staff tried to reach out to the WRPS for quotes, but they have opted not to comment.

It is unclear where the $10 million

dollar increase comes from and exactly what the numbers presented to council by the WRPS mean for the region. It is also unclear whether the WRPS will be implementing any meaningful changes to their work.

ReAllocate WR is a collective that has been advocating for reinvesting police funds in services dedicated to community care for marginalized peoples. Both Reallocate WR and GroundUp WR teamed up in Nov. 2021 to try and stop the WRPS Budget increase. The two organizations called for the council to meet its commitment to spend $250,000 on facilitating community conversations and then creating action plans for a police-free community care model.

Amy Smoke (they/them) works as the co-founder of Land Back Camp, a member of the Anti-Racism Advisory Working Group for WR, and a grassroots organizer of rallies. They have lived in the Waterloo community for 46 years.

“As an Indigenous person with a criminal record, I am hyper aware of their [the Police’s] presence, their violence, and their tactics in all the spaces I’m in,” Smoke said.

On Nov. 28, 2021, Smoke was a part of the protest against the clearing of a housing encampment in Kitchener.

They, alongside many other concerned citizens, spoke out against the criminalization of homelessness and the force which the Waterloo Regional Police service used to clear the camp. During this protest, Smoke was one of the many demonstrators who spoke out against the police budget increase.

“These [police] systems were built so that they can clear the lands for resource extraction and make everything real pretty for that status quo. We need to disrupt those systems. We need to stop allowing colonial enforcement and militariazed state violence against people who are just trying to survive on these lands,” Smoke said.

LOCAL CINEMAS SHOW RESILIENCE CARE LUCAS CONTRIBUTOR For two years, local cinemas adapted to everchanging restrictions and public health guidelines, showing resilience and strength through the pandemic. For John Tutt, owner of Princess Cinemas in Waterloo, the provincial restrictions were welcome.

“It kind of made it easier for us as a business because then we had parameters to operate that the public knew about and could feel safe about,” Tutt said.

As of Mar. 1 however, those mandates are beginning to ease. The Ontario government is eliminating the vaccine passport mandate, providing individual businesses the autonomy to continue requiring two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine at their own discretion.

Princess Cinemas has opted to stop

checking for proof of vaccines—a decision Tutt said was based around trusting the advice of government officials who have been guiding public health protocol throughout the pandemic.

“I’m sure they don’t just pull those numbers out of their hat,” Tutt said.

“That’s what they’re doing full time. I run a theatre full-time, right? So, we really lean on them to help us through this.”

Tutt also credited Kitchener-Waterloo’s high vaccination rate and the ability to safely socially distance at their cinemas for helping to create a safe environment.

Apollo Cinema, however, is not yet prepared to drop the vaccine passport.

The cinema recently announced they will continue practicing public health measures despite the removal of the provincial mandate.

“We…decided for the safety and comfort of both of our guests and staff that we will continue to require proof of two doses against COVID-19, for the foreseeable future,” Cara Watson, general manager and director of operations at

Apollo Cinema, said.

“We didn’t want to put an end date on that, because things have been going back and forth for the past two years,” she said.

It’s a move that Watson said has received overwhelmingly positive feedback from the Kitchener-Waterloo community.

Watson understands not everyone might be ready to return to the movies just yet.

Apollo Cinema will still serve popcorn to anyone who wants to avoid a large crowd and pick up a snack between 7:15 - 9:00 P.M. They will also be hosting additional mystery movie nights both live at the cinema and for those interested in purchasing their mystery movie boxes to take home.

Tutt said he did not feel qualified to determine a future date to lift restrictions around the vaccine passport outside of the provincial mandates lifting on Mar. 1.

“I wouldn’t want to rely on the whims of me. I wouldn’t want me to be the decider. I’d have much more faith in

Dr. Wong, Dr. Tam and everybody that works with the numbers and case limits.

It just makes sense. We’ve done it for two years,” he said.

He added that a lot of Princess Cinemas guests are regulars so there is an additional level of comfort already.

Both businesses are excited to be open to the public again and hopeful that this time, they will remain open for good.

In March, Princess Cinemas is featuring Rock This Town, a locally produced one-hour film that will dive into KW’s unbelievable rock music history and look at the many rock legends who have passed through our region.

In April, Princess Cinemas will also host the three-day Bicycle Film Festival, a presentation with King Street Cycle, the Uptown Waterloo BIA, The City of Waterloo, Waterloo Region and bicycle advocacy groups.

Apollo Cinema will be screening Cats where folks can sing-along and shout at the screen while simultaneously taking in a show from Vixens and Tease

Burlesque.

Watson understands not everyone might be ready to return to the movies just yet.

Apollo Cinema will still serve popcorn to anyone who wants to avoid a large crowd and pick up a snack between 7:15-9:00 P.M. They will also be hosting additional mystery movie nights both live at the cinema and for those interested in purchasing their mystery movie boxes to take home.

MARCH 2022 // COMMUNITYEDITION.CA

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THE BINGSU BRIGHTENS WATERLOO WITH REFRESHING DESSERTS WORDS BY ADRIAN QUIJANO, PHOTOS BY KATARINA WEX

The Bingsu is one of Uptown Waterloo’s newest additions to its restaurant roster. It offers classic hot and cold Korean desserts and bubble tea. It is the City of Waterloo’s first Korean bingsu speciality dessert cafe, and has been family owned and operated. General and social media manager Hanna found the first few months of their opening enjoyable despite many hardships along the way.

“We opened up just at the end of October last year. There was a lot of rain, snow and, of course, the COVID-19 restrictions,” Hanna said.

However, the Bingsu has made a successful debut on the food scene despite the many challenges.

For the uninitiated, a Bingsu is a Korean shaved ice dessert with sweet toppings that sometimes include chopped fruit, condensed milk, fruit syrup and red beans.

Historically natural ice was used as the dessert base but later artificial

ACE SHAWARMA & BURGERS 82 KING ST W. KITCHENER @aceshawarma_burgers

ice was produced and high-quality sweeteners were more commonplace.

“We draw from our Korean background, the bingsu itself is a very popular Korean dessert, surprisingly there’s not a lot of shops in Waterloo that does them,” Hanna said.

The Bingsu boasts a variety of bingsus, herbal teas, and bubble teas on their menu. The 6 different varieties offered at the restaurant stray from the traditional flavour of Patbingsu, a rendition of the desert adorned with red beans and condensed milk.

“My favourite one is the injeolmi bingsu. It has a roasted soybean powder, and it has red bean paste on top of it, and it has little pieces of rice cake, and ice cream. It’s my go-to Bingsu for when I’m away,” Hanna said.

The family’s goal at The Bingsu is to share their Korean heritage and cuisine with as many folks in Waterloo as possible. Since the first

cafe in Korea started serving bingsus in 1946, the dessert has slowly gained popularity in the West.

The popular Korean street dessert called a ‘croffle,’ so named because it is a cross between a croissant and a waffle, has started to gain traction at The Bingsu as well. The restaurant’s goal is to introduce traditional Korean flavours like red beans, rice cakes called tteok and ground nut powders to the region. Dessert conceptualization also takes cues from their diverse staff, who make menu suggestions based on dishes from their cultures as well.

“We are seeing a lot of school clubs wanting to collaborate with us, and so we want to be more engaged with the community. Finding better ways to let people know about our store,” Hanna said.

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RETRO VIDEO GAME SWAP MEET REDUX

KURTIS RIDEOUT EXPLORES THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE OF GAMING IN KW Zack Schaffer and Rui Couto met at a video game swap meet in Waterloo a little over 10 years ago. Schaffer was vending– he has an unbelievable collection of Nintendo games and memorabilia–and Rui had his eyes on a copy of Pokémon Red. “I really like your beard,” Schaffer offered from across the table, breaking the ice. “I’ll give you a discount if you buy it.”

About a month later, the two would reconnect by chance via an exchange on Kijiji. Schaffer was selling a copy of Wild Guns for Super Nintendo.

“I’ll never sell this game because of the memory behind it,” Couto stated with pride as he slid the game out of his bag, handing it to Schaffer. Schaffer laughed and then the two grinned in unison.

Both Schaffer and Couto are avid collectors, with Schaffer specializing in Super Nintendo and Couto leaning towards NES games. As he explained further, he pulled out an authenticated test market copy of Super Mario Bros.

“I’m a few years older than Zack, so I focus on Nintendo Entertainment System [games],” he said. Couto also has an extensive collection of comic books, including an original copy of “Superman” No. 1. Together, Schaffer and Couto have spent the last ten years traveling around southern Ontario and sometimes beyond in search of new ways to expand their respective collections. Along the way they have made many connections and built a community around their shared passions for collecting and, of course, video games.

The duo will share a full circle moment when they host their very own game swap meet at the place where it all began, the St. George Banquet Hall. Zack & Rui's Excellent Retro Video Games and Comic Books Swap Meet Extravaganza is set to take place on April 17 and will coincide with several events at local businesses around Uptown Waterloo and Downtown Kitchener.

“It wasn’t a crazy revelation, Zack and I connected over games years ago and it’s something that keeps us together,” Couto said.

The idea for the swap meet came about organically; both Shaffer and Couto concluded that KW was the hub for retro video game swap meets for several years. The student population and the booming tech sector have always meant that there were plenty of unique and rare items up for grabs.

Schaffer and Couto hope to tap into both of those markets and once again bring people from the community out to connect over video games and collectibles.

In the past couple of years, we’ve seen a lot of people pick up the controller to help pass the time.

According to Statista, the global increase in time spent playing video games during the pandemic amounts to 39 per cent. Alongside this rise, many will also point out that contemporary and mainstream gaming platforms have leaned increasingly towards profit models that are tied to gaming as a service.

It’s safe to say that if you are playing video games in the year 2022 you fall in one of two camps: you game online with your friends a few nights a week, or you just drove into a suburban neighbourhood to buy a copy of Midnight Club Los Angeles off of a 15 year old that you met on Facebook Marketplace.

Schaffer and Couto will look to tap the latter group over the former, but both emphasized the diversity of the gaming community and the importance of engaging people in a variety of ways.

There will also be prizes given away, events tied in with local

arcades in the community, and a gaming tournament for those who lean more towards playing games than collecting them.

The duo aim to make the event as wide reaching as possible using their local connections.

According to Allister Scorgie, director of Sport Hosting at Explore Waterloo Region, the gaming community in Waterloo is one that is expansive, diverse and at times loose knit.

“It’s astounding to see the growth in the last 20 years, and I think with COVID and everyone being stuck at home, that has certainly accelerated that and amplified it,” Scorgie said, describing how the tourism department shifted their focus to eSports in 2020.

Scorgie’s team began offering eSports camps as a way to safely engage gamers in the region during the COVID-19 pandemic. While events are currently formatted to prioritize remote access, Scorgie said that his team is eager to hit the ground in Waterloo when they can safely do so.

“From a reach perspective, there is tons of value in doing things online and engaging with the community there,” Scorgie said. “But there is also value in doing things in person,” he said. “If we’re going to have hockey arenas and concert halls and parks—why not have something for gamers?”

“We want to do more things live, but virtual is always going to be there,” he added.

Although he was sparse with details, Scorgie also alluded to some projects that his team is currently supporting. A top priority among them is going to be the creation of venues and more spaces tailored towards gaming in the region.

“I can’t say where or when, or with who, but there is going to be a dedicated eSports venue in Waterloo [soon] and that’s super exciting,” Scorgie said.

While Scorgie’s team is focused on developing opportunities related to eSports and gaming, he emphasized how accessibility and diversity are key factors in developing communities around gaming. As for the physical realm, Scorgie pointed out how things like couch co-op and video game collecting are bound to increase in popularity alongside other channels that are also popular in the gaming community.

“There are also all the spin offs, the chat groups on Discord and the communities built around gaming on YouTube, streaming, Twitch,” he said. “People getting together to watch people play video games, people talking about video games– It’s exploded, like skyrocketed.”

Scorgie’s observations touch a nerve. Gaming has become such a massive part of the entertainment industry and it’s increasingly hard to ignore.

For now, we don’t need to look any further than Zack, Rui, or local arcade bars like AOK and Pin Up Arcade for proof of concept. If you need any other evidence to help see the writing on the wall, you’ll just have to wait and see at this point. Time will tell.

Whether you are looking for a leisurely Mario Kart league to join, a copy of Bucky O’Hare and the Toad Wars to own, or you are trying to play League of Legends competitively, the gaming community in Waterloo Region is increasingly diverse and growing at a fast rate.

Your turn to hold the controller may be much closer than you anticipated.

MATTHEW VIVEEN PHOTO

MARCH 2022 // COMMUNITYEDITION.CA

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QUEER VIDEO GAMES NEED TO LEVEL UP

QUEER SPACE

ALISTER E. COLUMNIST Now that video games are a significantly more mainstream art form, there is a much higher demand for representation of marginalized groups. Despite queer people being more accepted now than any other time this century, we still have a long way to go, and modern media reflects that. While queerness is more represented than ever, it still has some serious problems.

Take the poor representation in Fire Emblem Three Houses. The options for women-loving-women (W/W) relationships are actually quite solid, and work really well specifically for Edelgard, the main female character, but the male side is abysmal.

Despite technically having only three options for men-loving-men (M/M) relationships, which is already awfully low, only one is really a gay relationship, as the other two is more lifetime companions without romantic feelings.

While the downloadable content (DLC) would add two more M/M characters, that comes with its own host of problems, and still means the queer representation in this game is awful.

Other than the previously mentioned Edelgard and a few others, none of

the characters even imply they’re bisexual. They’re simply given a same sex relationship because the game needs to check a box and never mention being into the same sex otherwise. The characters’ queerness being treated as an afterthought or easter egg, is all too common in gaming. We deserve a major improvement.

Asexual people also seriously lack representation. Even outside of gaming, it’s hard to name any asexual characters other than Todd Chaves, Jughead Jones and Spongebob. None of the listed characters originate in a video game.

For casual gamers, it would be impossible to name a confirmed asexual character originating from a video game.

For someone much more into games like myself, I can only mention Parvati from The Outer Worlds. While there can be subtextual evidence suggesting a number of characters to be ace, these hints are few and far between. This reflects how society at large still kind of overlooks asexual people.

Because of society’s unwillingness to educate people about anything queer, it’s common for media and art to pick up the slack. When groups still go unrepresented, it becomes much harder for people who are part of that group to even understand what they are, and to belong.

I know what it is like to be unaware of a crucial aspect about yourself, and feel isolated even when you find out can do serious damage. This feeling is suffocating. People don’t deserve to feel this way because they aren’t interested in sex with the ‘opposite’ gender.

That being said, there are some games that get it right.

Hades is a game starring the confirmed bisexual Zagreus making his way out of the underworld. Along the way, the player meets a ton of hot Greek gods that will ruin anyone attracted to two dimensional characters. Zagreus is able to hook up with two of them. The fearsome whip wielding Megara, and the literal god of death Thanatos.

So not only do we have a hot bisexual sub in Zagreus, but on top of that, he can also be in a polyamourous/open relationship with both Thanatos and Megara. Along with this, there are other characters that are queer, like Artemis, who is a lesbian.

The best part is that it isn’t an easter egg [a hidden aspect]. Unlike in Fire Emblem Three Houses, where the queerness of the characters is only really an afterthought that actively has to be willed into the character by the player, Artemis will talk multiple times about her attraction to women without the player’s interaction. Zagreus can hook up with Meg and Thanatos and no one bats an eye. Zagreus even goes so far as to joke about him being a sub for Megara in one of the boss fights.

Queer representation like this, where it’s an aspect that you cannot ignore of the character.

This piece does not do a full deepdive into the actual quality of the representation we do get, or how a lot of it still isn’t very good, or the lack of pansexual, trans and non-binary representation, but that could be a whole other article or two.

Later Daters is another Queer and Trans Inclusive Video Game KATARINA WEX PHOTO For players looking for quality queer representation, I suggest you go play Hades because it’s amazing. It does a great job of showing that queer people

are people, and are just as normal and everyday as any cishet person.

It’s time that people acknowledge that.

PRINCESS CINEMAS SCREEN SL ASHED CARE LUCAS CONTRIBUTOR On Feb. 23, two individuals entered Princess Cinemas in plain sight. Soon after, the pair was seen damaging one of the screens in the theatre before quickly exiting the premises.

Princess Cinemas was one of three independent cinemas the suspects vandalised that day, during a string of incidents that is now being investigated by police.

Initial reports circulating online suggested the incidents could be a social media stunt, as one of the suspects in the video appeared to be filming the event on a cellphone. Other reports suggested the incident might be racially motivated.

John Tutt, owner of Princess Cinemas said Halton Regional Police and Waterloo Regional Police Services are now investigating a different motive.

Tutt said there was however, one common thread between all three cinemas-—all theatres were showing a movie that has a possible turf war over its distribution.

“We didn’t know that there was sort of this backroom turf war between film distributors in the Toronto market,” Tutt said.

Similar incidents have plagued movie theatres in Ontario for several years.

Although this is the first time such an incident has occurred at an independent cinema in KW, it is becoming an ongoing trend in the GTA. “Let’s say one distributor doesn’t like another distributor. And he or she sees

that distributors’ films are starting to make rounds in theatres and getting bookings for private events. And then the one distributor sends out [people to damage] the screens in advance of those films playing in specific theatres,” Tutt said.

The goal of rival distributors is to directly sabotage another distributor’s ticket sales and success by forcing cinemas to cancel the screenings of their film.

“It’s a very, very competitive industry,” Tutt added.

The vandalism is just another setback for the cinema following months of lockdowns and restrictions that have impacted their business.

Unfortunately, the damages were not covered by insurance and will cost Princess Cinemas thousands of dollars in repairs. The screen was temporarily repaired, but Tutt admitted it was not a perfect solution, referencing visible bubbles on its surface.

Princess Cinemas has already ordered a new screen which will be installed imminently.

Despite the challenge the situation has posed, Tutt said the outpouring of community support has been overwhelming.

There is now a GoFundMe raising money to cover the cost of the screen.

Tutt said the uptown Waterloo wine bar Babylon Sisters has also offered to host a live concert with proceeds going towards the replacement screen.

MARCH 2022 // COMMUNITYEDITION.CA

13

BANDEMIC: WAYS THAT LOCAL MUSICIANS HELD ON TO MUSIC DURING THE PANDEMIC H. TOOTH CONTRIBUTOR As musicians get used to life at the height of a new normal, the significance of creative expression becomes evident.

The need to feel inspired and the urge to create moves beyond restrictions as we adapt. We express ourselves in new ways despite our circumstances. Creative expression preserves some semblance of connectedness—whether it be from sharing music remotely or performing under restricted conditions.

Our inclination to share our creative projects with our community stems from our need to be heard. During a pandemic, it is easy to lose touch with the things that define us.

Amid the slew of major bands having to cancel tours, musicians operating locally were impacted by the pandemic as well. Having been forced to close for months at a time, the Starlight and Chainsaw in Waterloo are just two venues that faced permanent closure in 2020. Venues were closing as a result of the pandemic, bands are fixed in their extended hiatuses and things were looking bleak for musicians in general.

As restrictions eased, there was an influx of alternative venues like art galleries, basements, and back yards that became music venues. Gourmet, a weirdo-pop outfit located in Cambridge, helped keep music alive by hosting a clandestine show somewherein the woods along the river bluffs in Galt.

The duo consists of Kiddo Riddell and Michael Warrington.

“In the fall, we ended up purchasing a gas-powered generator and we were able to organize a few small, socially distanced backyard shows with other friends and local artists. Establishing some sort of normalcy was key and provided us an outlet for new music we had been working on,” Riddell said.

As stories of bands adapting to our unprecedented situation circulate, the need to create and share music remains important. B.A. Johnston incorporated public health regulations like having sanitizer on stage into his performances—he even performed

under a tarp in front of a crowd.

“I’ve been pretty busy playing [in] people’s driveways. People definitely missed music and even if they couldn’t see a show in a bar, they were more than ready to see one on their deck,” Johnston said.

Alternative spaces are instrumental in allowing artists to perform. They have been a significant contributor to our communities by uplifting artists and providing spaces to perform. Those who operate these alternative spaces—as much as those who occupy them in support—play an important role in our communities.

Tori Dawn of Blankie navigated the pandemic in solitude as they prepared for an album release. Dawn is a songwriter whose introspection serves as a gateway into their creative process.

“Over the last two years of the pandemic, I’ve been able to fill my first ever loop pedal with songs I’ve made in my many moments of solitude. They were just for me, a way to stay connected to my spirit and combat depression. A lot of those songs came to me right away so they feel really real,” Dawn said.

Playing music with people is like a psychic language. The ceremonious practice offers a sense of connectedness during a time when we are usually distanced.

Local musician Dan finds solace in making music with people. They discuss the significance of music in their own life. Dan finds creative purpose in collaborating with local musicians—they helped Dawn with recording and mixing a collection of songs.

“Music is such a big part of my life and, thankfully, it can be there for me when, because of the pandemic, other important things have gone away.

Listening to music is still as enjoyable as ever, and I think there’s something extra inspiring about artists releasing anything right now,” they said.

“I’ve been pretty inactive in writing/ recording, but I’ve been jamming with some great folks here and there, and taking all the time to work on my home studio space. Just as I was finishing up with that, a friend reached out for help with recording and mixing, which in turn got me motivated to create again,” Dan said.

Isolation can influence creativity for the better. Eric Dimock creates art and releases music under the enterprise

of Acid Damage. Dimock’s ambient/ noise art uses minimal instrumentation to create detailed soundscapes. In his creative process, Dimock embraces isolation.

Dimock was in a few simultaneous projects pre-pandemic. During the pandemic, he used the lockdowns to engage with music more.

“Once we locked down, I started learning the piano and deliberately making complicated loops and music, then not recording it, turning all the gear off, the same way when you start just learning and doing ‘cause that’s the point of it. I also listened to more music than I would have in three years and tried to buy as much music as I could through hitting up Bandcamp Fridays,” he said.

Albums created during the pandemic are each an example of creative resilience. They serve as an undeniable indication that the urge to make and do things will not suffer stagnation for long. Musicians find different ways to cope with the same problem. For one musician, lockdowns can bring upon the opportunity to experiment and to learn new skills. For another, they can emphasize the significance of building and maintaining musical relationships with people. Our need to collaborate and to share our work is the driving force behind a flourishing creative community.

Having experienced a pandemic collectively, our hardships have given way to remarkable insights. The impulse to create feels more like a biological imperative as we begin to reconnect with our communities.

Tori Dawn of Blankie performs vocals and with a synthesizer.

UNITTWENTYNINE CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Dan plays a synthesizer in their home studio.

JACKSON SCHOTT PHOTO

Kiddo Riddell (left) and Michael Warrington performing at DIY space, the Roseanne Bar. KIDDO RIDDELL CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

MARCH 2022 // COMMUNITYEDITION.CA

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IS OUR APPROACH TO CLIMATE ACTION JUST? O CANADA

ALTAY COSKUN COLUMNIST

On Mar. 12, local climate activism groups will observe a Day of Action for a Just Transition in the Huron Natural Area.

KATARINA WEX PHOTO

If there ever was the illusion that society stood still during the pandemic, the honking of the truckers in Ottawa last month may have been the loudest signal for us to notice that the world around us is changing rapidly. The truth is that COVID-19 has not slowed down but accelerated change. In principle, such a dynamic could have provided us with opportunities to enhance climate action and to facilitate the goal that Canadians have set for themselves together with many other nations: a just transition towards a sustainable society, one that limits the devastating effects of global warming and also reduces poverty.

The reality, however, looks quite sobering. Climate change is progressing at an even higher speed than predicted.

Global warming is currently hovering at around 1.0°C increase compared to the pre-industrial age. This has been enough to result in the two most devastating natural disasters known in Canadian history in 2021: the devastation of Lytton, B.C. in July by wildfire and the deluge that inundated parts of the same province in November.

Catastrophes of such frequency and dimension have been predicted for a long time–scientists have been warning us about man-made global warming and its dire consequences since at least the 1960s. It took another quartercentury before the United Nations could convince leading industrialized nations in Kyoto to address the main cause of climate change by pledging the gradual reduction of ‘greenhouse gases,’ most of all carbon dioxide, in the Kyoto Protocol.

Further progress was slow, but the development regained pace when the United Nations came together in Paris in 2015, to specify for the first time the overall goal. “[The goal is] holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, recognizing that this would significantly reduce the risks and impacts of climate change,” the document said.

The reason for some states to stall the progress of this collaborative agenda is basically the same as for those who declare man-made climate change a “hoax”: both are more driven by shortterm material interests than the greater good. Some bluntly insist on their freedom to do what serves them right now, leaving the bill of their actions to others. Some admit more elegantly to the need of instant change, but demand that others should start.

In Canada, we like to blame such selfishness on rogue states, big business or corrupt politicians, but there are strong indicators that we behave with the same kind of egotism as individuals: it’s either the lowest price or the greatest convenience by which most consumers make their decisions. All of us still have a long way to go.

To the signatories of the Paris Agreement, it was clear that the common objective could only be achieved by a balanced combination of science, efficiency and justice.

“To strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change, in the context of sustainable development and efforts to eradicate poverty…The imperatives of a just transition of the workforce and the creation of decent

work and quality jobs in accordance with nationally defined development priorities,” the agreement reads. In the wake of the conference, many good-willing countries declared their intention of climate neutrality (mostly) by 2050, while acknowledging the need for a just transition to achieve this. For some, this may seem like an additional burden; others regard such a radical ecological transformation as the greatest opportunity ever to establish a higher level of equity and sustainability, both among our fellow citizens and partner states. The biggest collaborative project in the history of mankind will fail, unless there is a fair division of the costs and arising opportunities and unless many of us go ahead with courage and generosity.

As a nation trusting in science and committed to equity, Canada was on board from early on. But as a country disproportionately benefitting from the mining of fossil fuels, actions were slow to follow. Like the rest of the global community, we did not see the need to do the obvious thing and act even before knowing all the answers. For this, we needed the inspiration of a schoolgirl from Sweden.

Only before the 2019 elections, our Liberal government finally declared a Climate Emergency and further promised to establish a Ministry of Just Transition. To date, this has not yet materialized. Instead, a consultation of Canadians on what a Just Transition may be was launched. This has been ongoing for quite a while—and perhaps it should continue for the next 30 years.

Some intermediate results and a plan for immediate or imminent action are long overdue. Compared to many other (especially provincial) governments, it would be unfair to deny that our federal government has a plan, but it suffers from the typical weakness of postponing effective measures. This way, an even higher portion of the costs is imposed on future generations, which does not strike me as just.

The Council of Canadians and 350 Canada want to increase the momentum of the federal government by raising nationwide attention to the urgency to move. Dozens of local groups throughout the country will organize events at the Day of Action for a Just Transition on Saturday, Mar. 12, 2022.

The timing is particularly welcome, since it will also remind Ontarians to voice their concerns in the run-up to the provincial elections in June.

The event in KW will be organized by the Climate Justice Working Group of the University of Waterloo, of which I am a member. For some years now, this group has been trying to inform climatefriendly decisions, such as re-investing, or ‘divesting’, funds sustainably and encouraging more sustainable lifestyles in individuals. A particular focus of the group is justice, a notion that still needs to be explored – without making its complexity a pretext for delaying action.

The countrywide map of actions promises many creative approaches to articulating the importance of a just transition. Some of them will be colourful and loud, located in city centers. The event in our community will seek more quiet but no less powerful inspiration from the beauty and complexity of the Huron Natural Area, which is also a cultural heritage site. Val Rynnimeri, the master plan co-ordinator of the multidisciplinary team that created the Huron Natural Area, will guide us through it. There will also be room for everyone from Kitchener-Waterloo to become part of a conversation that may challenge and inspire us as individuals and connect us as a community.

MARCH 2022 // COMMUNITYEDITION.CA

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TEACHER WINS AWARD ALEX KINSELLA STAFF WRITER

Kimiko Shibata was recognized for her work with multilingual students in the region. WRDSB CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Kimiko Shibata, a teacher with the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB), was named a winner of the 2021 Leading Women, Leading Girls—Building Communities Recognition Award. Shibata received the award virtually from MPP Laura Mae Lindo on Oct. 29.

The annual awards are presented to women and girls to celebrate exceptional community leadership that improves the lives of others in their communities or schools.

Nominations are made in each provincial riding by the MPP to the Minister Responsible for Women’s Issues.

Shibata was recognized for supporting students and families as a multilingual learner (MLL) resource teacher. In her role, Shibata supports multilingual families, students and educators in schools from kindergarten through grade eight.

“I get to do initial assessments for math, speaking, reading, and writing for all of our newcomer students when they first come to school and I provide their families with resources and support as they’re figuring out their new life in Canada,” Shibata said.

Jeewan Chanicka, director of education at the WRDSB, said that the award for Shibata’s work in the community is well deserved.

“Her willingness to build relationships so every member

of the community experiences a strong sense of belonging and care is something worthy of recognition and admiration. It is predicated on knowing that without a sense of belonging student achievement and well-being cannot be attained especially for those most marginalized,” Chanicka said.

Navigating a new school system is always a challenge. Shibata said it is even more complicated for students and families newly arrived from a different country.

“Things are done so differently here in Ontario too. I create and share resources for students and their families and I lead training sessions for educators to help them make curriculum more accessible for our students as they’re learning both English and the Ontario curriculum at the same time,” Shibata said.

Shibata’s journey into teaching began at a multilingual daycare in Hamilton, Ontario. She said she had always been interested in language and how we learn to speak. It was during her time at the daycare that inspired her to pursue her teaching as a career.

After earning her Bachelor of Education from Western University, Shibata taught primary and junior grades in elementary schools. She said that the schools she worked in had a sizeable multilingual learner population. Teaching multilingual students sparked her interest in taking additional courses to learn more about language development.

“I’ve always been fascinated by language development. I took my courses and decided that I want to try this (MLL resource teacher) out,” Shibata said.

She presented a research project

concept to her principal at the time to create a magnet class for students who were learning English, whether they were new immigrants to Canada or had come here as refugees.

“My principal was really cool and told me to make it happen. It was a lot of fun for me and I got to try out all the things I was learning in my courses on how to teach ESL. I loved it so much that I took the next step to become an ESL specialist,” Shibata said.

Shibata said the change in name from ESL to multilingual learners comes from recognizing that speaking multiple languages is an asset. She said that they realize students coming in speak five or six languages and that English is not their second language, it is their sixth or seventh language.

“Rather than saying, ‘it’s too bad for you that you speak Japanese, you’re going to have to learn English’, now it’s ‘oh my gosh, you speak Japanese!

Now you’re going to learn English and French as well!’,” Shibata said.

As for the award, Shibata said she is proud to be in the same company as other women and girls who are making the world a better place by doing their little bit of good right where they are.

“My first reaction was maybe they made a mistake. But upon reflection, yes, I do deserve to be there. Yes, my profession deserves to be held up as people who are doing good things in our community. Even when we’re not in positions of visible leadership, educators are really doing some amazing work in our schools and in our communities. We’re inspiring the next generation of leaders,” Shibata said.

HOW I CAME OUT T O M Y S E L F. . . A G A I N

QUEER SPACE

BEN STIMPSON COLUMNIST I’ve been on quite a personal journey the past few months and I’d like to invite you along. I went on a seven-day retreat in Haliburton and came back with realizations about myself that caused an avalanche of understanding.

Many people see retreats as going to ‘find themselves,’ but in my case it was a letting-go of the clutter in my inner landscape. Through that decluttering I found clarity and in that clarity, I discovered a huge part of myself: I am non-binary.

I can’t lie and say I had a lightning bolt moment of understanding, but the realization was like a mist parting.

I looked at myself in the mirror one night and all the pieces came together in understanding that my personal gender identity was not male or female but something else. I think I’ve suspected for a long time, but I never knew what to do with it. When I identified as a gay man, I always felt oddly connected to the trans* community and more comfortable around trans* folk than cisgender folk. Within the various spiritual

traditions I follow, I gravitated towards those aspects that were outside the binary of gender.

Upon reflection, I can see the experiences progressing towards this understanding. As a teenager, I never felt comfortable with my body and often wore baggy and neutral type clothing; my personal style has often been to hide myself and fit in (a pattern I’ve shifted the past few years). For a long time, I even felt uncomfortable being called ‘man’ and preferred ‘guy’ or ‘boy.’ I think for a long time I accepted the narrative that because I was sexually attracted to men but didn’t feel like I was a woman, I must be a gay man, and that was that. When non-binary folk started to really make themselves more apparent in the community and more celebrities came out, I remember being completely confused but secretly intrigued.

A couple of years ago, I intentionally switched from using only ‘LGBT’ to using the word ‘queer’ more, and I think that intentional shift in language also shifted my perspective on myself. The more trans* and non-binary folk I have met, the more I have felt a camaraderie I’m not sure I have with the cis-gay community.

I think the tipping point was the personal insights at the retreat in Haliburton and finally embracing my neurodivergence.

When I began to embrace that a disorder I’ve had since birth makes

me neurodivergent, suddenly I discovered that I may have been living with ADHD all these years, and then I accepted that I was non-binary.

It was as if accepting these big pieces gave me permission to embrace and explore this other nebulous piece to myself.

So, I came out to myself and then to others for a second time. The feedback I’ve received has been overwhelmingly affirmative. A trans* colleague said that for the first month I worked with her she thought I was a trans* man. A very close friend I’ve known for years, a beautiful trans* woman, said she was not surprised in the least. Suddenly, my DMs were filled with friends who also are nonbinary wishing congratulations and offering support.

On a deeper level, I came to understand my non-binariness in relation to my spiritual beliefs. I have always been deeply curious about third-gender communities around the world and their roles in traditional societies.

I was watching an interview with the stunning Indian Hijra activist, Laxmi Narayan Tripathi, who was speaking about the role of thirdgender individuals in the traditional Hindu cosmology as individuals of the in-between spaces. I watched the short video Kapaemahu, the legend of four third-gender healers in Hawaiian tradition. While being careful not to appropriate and disrespect these

Ben Stimpson spent many years reflecting on and coming to terms with their identity. BEN STIMPSON CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Indigenous identities, something about both the words of Laxmi and the story of the Mahu struck a chord with me, a personal sense of power that I was blind to previously: a sense of power in being able to define myself and thus define my role in the world.

I practice several parallel spiritual traditions including Hinduism, NeoPaganism and Spiritism. All these paths have very strong opinions on the energetics of gender, whether it be in magic or universal energy. For a long time, I struggled with this view of energy until I realized that all these paths have very strong third gender or

queer lenses. When I started to open myself to the energetics of gender and how I exist within the world, I found there was no reason to hold onto a gender identity that was defined for me.

Ben Stimpson (He/Him/They) is a queer-identified Kitchener area therapist, writer, teacher, and workshop facilitator. Their work focuses heavily on the intersection of personal narratives, identity, and relationships. Alongside his therapy practice, Ben is a student at University of Waterloo, sells books at Words Worth Books Ltd., and serves as an educator on SPECTRUM’s Rainbow Diversity Training team. To find out more

MARCH 2022 // COMMUNITYEDITION.CA

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CHEF SEAN CREATES ASIAN FUSION DELICACIES IN BAR ADRIAN QUIJANO EDITORIAL ASSISTANT In the Winter Wonderland that is Uptown Waterloo in January, Loloan Lobby Bar sits as a tropical oasis from across the ocean for locals to enjoy.

The restaurant opened a few years ago and has become the crown jewel of Princess Street. Loloan specializes in serving a fusion of flavors from multiple countries in Asia, from Thailand to the Philippines, Vietnam and beyond. The primary leadership behind the restaurant includes managers Jake Richards, Leanne Amort, and Jodi Cairns. Loloan’s current owner is Paul Boehmer.

At the heart of this restaurant is head chef and pâtissier, Sean Rae Pambid. Pambid is Filipino and has worked in a kitchen since he was a child.

“I was born and raised in a small town called Bayombong in the Province of Nueva Vizcaya up in the mountains of the northern Island of the Philippines,” Pambid said.

“I was raised by a single mom, so I had to grow up a little quicker and I started cooking for my family at the age of eight. My grandma was the one

who taught me how to cook though.

We had a vegetable garden and used to raise our own poultry to eat,” he said.

Loloan Lobby Bar’s cocktail and dinner menu give diners the opportunity to explore South East Asia like never before. As head chef, Pambid reinvents comforting flavours and brings them into a new light.

Aside from the delicious savory and sweet creations and cocktails, there is a sense of home served alongside these meals.

Chef Pambid treats traditional Filipino dishes such as chicken adobo, balot and kanin dish with such care and thoughtfulness, it invites those unfamiliar to be curious. Pambid’s passion for food is accompanied by a strong drive to pursue his goals.

“Using most of my mom’s life savings, I packed my bags and left the country for the first time. I trained at the Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island in Florida for a year, mostly in banquets and pastry,” Pambid said.

“After that, I went back home to the Philippines, spent a few months there before leaving for Canada to pursue my graduate studies in Hospitality and Business at Conestoga College.”

“All my passion comes from art and the process of being able to express my emotions in a more creative medium,” Pambid said. “Drawing, painting, sculpting, anything [where] I can use my hands and mind without

boundaries.”

Pambid draws diners in by putting an innovative spin on classic dishes.

For the dedicated chef, the job is all about balancing innovation with a respect for tradition.

“It is unfortunate that I was only able to appreciate my own culture and my part of the world when I moved continents. Being able to showcase a little bit of home to the people here means the world to me,” Pambid said.

“Filipino food is quite obscure though, we have so many influences from Spain, to the United States and China because of trade and colonization.”

Dishes that bring ingredients from Singapore, Indonesia, and the Philippines were featured in Loloan’s recent New Year’s Eve box for two. A peach-smoked cornish hen with kecap manis glaze features familiar flavours from all three countries while using locally sourced ingredients.

“When I made the Filipino tasting menu I tried my best to base my dishes on the most native and uncommon ones that I ate growing up to give a different perspective on Asian food,” Pambid said. “I based a lot of the menu on my ethnolinguistic groups (Ilocano and Pangasinense) traditional dishes.”

Pambid’s love of visual art is recognizable in his many delicious creations. He draws on his

Chef Sean Rae Pambid is integral creating fusion masterpieces at Loloan Lobby Bar. KATARINA WEX PHOTO appreciation of fine art to create stunning meal presentations. As the head pastry chef for Loloan, he showcases his eye for aesthetics in all of their carefully crafted desserts.

For example, in celebration of the wintertime, Pambid designed a choux au craquelin, Szechuan peppercorn pastry cream, and mango coulis in the shape of a snowman.

Loloan’s interior is accented by an eclectic mix of art deco opulence

alongside South East Asian décor.

The restaurant doubles as a place for diners and staff to appreciate art in all forms.

Although Chef Pambid and the rest of the smartly dressed staff are waiting in the wings until restrictions are lifted, the impact of their work can still be felt. Loloan has become a reminder of home for people of South East Asian descent and offers a coconut branch to the unfamiliar.

LE SHIN-SWAH’S SOPHISTICATED SPIN

CHAINSAW OWNER AND OPERATOR, RYAN GOOD, PLOTS A RETURN TO THE TOP OF KW’S SPARSE KARAOKE SCENE

ALEX KINSELLA STAFF WRITER Waterloo businessman Ryan Good is bringing karaoke back to Uptown Waterloo with Le Shin-Swah, located in the former Patent Social space on the corner of Regina and Erb Street East. Good is the former owner of the beloved Chainsaw karaoke bar on King Street, which closed in March 2020.

Good said that after years of disruptions from LRT and streetscape construction and the pandemic, he is still optimistic about uptown businesses thriving again in 2022.

Good is also a board member of the Uptown Waterloo BIA and said that he hopes the BIA and the City of Waterloo continue to find ways to have diverse groups activating different areas of uptown Waterloo to bring more people uptown.

Chainsaw was one of the first bars in Canada to announce that it would close permanently in the pandemic.

Good said he made that decision because he knew the business would not survive a prolonged shutdown.

As restrictions began to lift earlier this fall, Good noted there was still a void in the region’s bar scene for what Chainsaw had provided.

“There’s been a real void since Chainsaw left, not just because it was a drinking and party place, but because it was this inclusive community place where any group

Ryan Good, owner of the now-closed Chainsaw, has opened a new location in Uptown focused on an older demographic.

MATTHEW VIVEEN PHOTO could use it as an event space,” Good said.

Beyond being a space where everyone felt welcomed, Chainsaw was also a place where anyone could pick up the microphone. Good said that his time running Chainsaw showed him how important it is for a space where people can sing.

While Le Shin-Swah will feature the return of karaoke to uptown Waterloo, Good said that he is not trying to create Chainsaw 2.0. Instead of being a place where you go to drink and then sing, Le Shin-Swah will be a space where singing is what gets people in the door.

“People needed to sing. Not just

drunk students, but there are people that need to sing as a form of therapy.

We would see them on the off nights or the early time before students came in. There is no other venue for that. If there’s a need that I can provide a space for, then I need to make it happen,” Good said.

Good described Le Shin-Swah as a

space for former Chainsaw regulars whose lives have changed as they have grown older. The food, drinks, and events are designed for people who go out three to four times a year instead of three to four nights a week.

“When you get people on stage, whether they’ve been drinking or not, they’re always smiling. That’s what we need because when you see people at the bank or in line at the grocery store, everyone’s got this mask on and they’re scowling,” he said.

Supporting the new business model means offering different experiences throughout the day. Good said Le Shin-Swah has a four-prong approach to business. The building is home to the seasonal Scoop Du Jour ice cream shop that previously operated out of a trailer behind Chainsaw. During the day, Le Shin-Swah will be a high-end cafe serving coffee and espresso. The venue will transition to a rental event space in the evenings and then be open to the public two to three nights a week for karaoke.

“With Chainsaw, we had to see drinks—that was the business model.

With Le Shin-Swah, the business model is where people come to sing, and if you want to buy a drink, you buy a drink. It’s like if you go to a waterpark, you’re going there for the waterslide, not for the food. It might be ambitious to think we can get away with that, but we’re going to try,” Good said.

MARCH 2022 // COMMUNITYEDITION.CA

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“ANTHOLOGY” A COMIC STRIP BY VICHAEL HO JANUARY 2022

@ V I C B R E W TAT T O O

FEBRUARY 2022

MARCH 2022 // COMMUNITYEDITION.CA

TCE PRESENTS:

“ANTHOLOGY” A COMIC STRIP

BY VICHAEL HO

@ V I C B R E W TAT T O O

18

EVENT LISTINGS

WE’VE HAND SELECTED SOME COOL UPCOMING EVENTS AND WRITTEN SOME WITTY COMMENTARY. YOU’RE WELCOME.

TUESDAY. MARCH 8

SUNDAY, MARCH 13

FRIDAY, MARCH 18

ART SESSION WITH WENDY RENISON UNIVERSITY COLLEGE

MARCH MADNESS ANCASTER FAIR

METAL NIGHT MAXWELL’S

Join Dr. Wendy Fletcher, president of REnison University College, for a special art session! In this event, folks will learn about colour, discuss art, paint their own pieces and share their work. Registration in advance is highly encouraged in order to secure your spot.

With over 80 vendors, inflatable attractions, food, drinks and swag bags, families won’t want to miss this event!

Can you think of a better way to kick off March and Spring Break? I know that I definitely can’t. Unless we start talking about astrophysics...

Maxwell’s will host their first metal night of the year, featuring local heavyweights such as Stolos Northshroud, Tough Guy and Talbotville Gore. Get your tickets online on Ticketscene.ca and come prepared to headbang or just hang out, whatever you do best.

Arts • Free • 7:00 p.m.

Fair • FREE • 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Music • $10+fees • 7:30 p.m.

FRIDAY, MARCH 11

THURSDAY, MARCH 14

THURSDAY, MARCH 24

DINOSAUR DRIVE-THRU BINGEMAN’S

MARCH BREAK CAMP CLAY AND GLASS GALLERY

THE IMMIGRANT SECTION LIVE THE JAZZ ROOM

Life-like dinosaurs have escaped and are back at Bingemans this Spring! The park has gotten bigger and includes a journey through an authentic park setting.

Discover the era lost to time with dinos of Jurassic size, some as big as 30 feet high.

Yikes! But, also, not yikes. Dinos!

Children aged 7 to 11 can sign up for creative fun at the Clay and Glass gallery. Make a clay project each day while exploring all kinds of art making techniques and materials. Campers will make a sgraffito clay bowl, a clay mug, a clay box, and much more.

Want to get some laughs in the week?

The Immigrant Section is comng to the Jazz Room this month. They are one of Canada’s fastest growing comedy podcasts, and have started touring nationwide. Grab your tickets online now before they run out.

Outdoors • $10 • 8:00 p.m.

Camp • $75 per week• 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Comedy • $22 • 8:00 p.m.

SATURDAY, MARCH 12

MONDAY, MARCH 14

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25

LONDON BRIDAL EXPO. RBC PLACE LONDON

ANNUAL SALE ALL THINGS TEA

BLACK SABBATH TRIBUTE NIGHT MAXWELL’S

Get inspired and make connections at the London Bridal Expo 2022! Learn all there is to know about wedding fashions, florists, photographers, video, DJs, bakers and so much more. Fashion shows are held daily on Saturday and Sunday.

Belmont Village’s premium tea shop will be having their annual 50 per cent off tea sale from Mar. 13 to Mar. 14.

All COVID-19 safety protocols will be recognized and adhered to. This is your chance to get the tea you crave at the price you can’t beat. Don’t miss it!

Maxwell’s is proud to present a double tribute night featuring the music of Black Sabbath and Motorhead. This is a makeup event for one that was originally shceduled to happen on Jan. 22, 2022.

Metalheads rejoice, Maxwell’s has you covered this month!

Expo • $12 • 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Sale Event • FREE • 4:00 p.m.

•Concert • $20 • 6:30 p.m.

SATURDAY, MARCH 12

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16

THURSDAY, MARCH 26

67TH ANNUAL KINSMEN AUCTION ROGERSTV KITCHENER

PROJECT LOO ST. PATTY’S THE ZOO ON KING

SPEAK THE WORD ONLINE OPEN MIC

The Kinsmen Club of KitchenerWaterloo is raising money through their TV auction. The event will be broadcasted live and online bidding will start on Mar. 11, so don’t sleep! There are lots of great items up for auction and the money will support a great cause.

Check out Waterloo’s only urban desi event! Multiple featured DJ’s including DJ Double, DJ JSP, DJ Simz, DeeJay JSG, and G61X! Party-goers can book their tickets online now. Limited booths and seating are available. Come early to make sure you can secure a spot!

Come and enjoy some wordplay with a friendly and inclusive group of folks! All folks of all writing levels are welcome to join. Following on from an amazing series of poetry and spoken word workshops with Roundhouse Slam Poet Rakaya Fetuga.

Live TV • FREE • 12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Music • $30 • 9:00 p.m.

Online • FREE • 6:00m. – 8:00 p.m.

SUNDAY, MARCH 13

THURSDAY, MARCH 17

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30

2SLGBTQ+ YOGA THE BRANCHES

THE CREEPSHOW RHYTHM AND BLUES

THE 1920’S: RADICAL FASHION THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES

This is an exclusive space for 2SLGBTQ+-identified people and trans and non-binary folks are especially encouraged to join along and get some time to breathe, relax, and be you. No previous yoga experience is required and this is a space for EVERY body!

Punk. Pschobilly. Burlington Based.

That’s all you need to know. Also, Wikipedia says that these guys write all of their songs about horror movies. Or a majority, I should say. Still, wicked cool if you ask me. But what do I know, I’m not a punk or anything like that.

Dress historian Amber Butchart looks at the radical fashion changes in the 1920’s! Join Amber as she explores the shifts that influenced the style of the era, from women’s political representation in Hollywood, athletes, and avant-garde art movements that have shaped our world.

Yoga • FREE • 7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Music • $20+fees • 7:00 p.m.

Online • FREE • 2:30 p.m.

COMMUNITYEDITION.CA @THECOMMUNITYED

MARCH 2022 // COMMUNITYEDITION.CA

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BLANKIE S/T EP (2020)

H. TOOTH COLUMNIST Blankie’s self-titled EP (2020) is an introspective daydream. Soulful and subdued pop ballads serve as tomes to inner reflection while themes of self and love are lyrically expressed through concise and elaborate vocal arrangements. Mysterious instrumentals bare the enigmatic qualities of old film scores while embracing the lush, atmospheric tension of analog synthesizers.

Blankie’s EP hides its complexity behind the illusion of simplicity. The production reveals a measured quali-

ty, highlighting its nuanced arrangements, and evokes a feeling between elation and melancholy.

A mantra of affirmation repeats through a sparse and plucking synthesizer. Its message of intent leaks through a thin wall of notes as a short wick burns to the tune of an interlude.

Its synth driven melodies run through the expanse of a neo-noir bossanova track where spidery guitars loom over a radiator.

Conversation that you’re not supposed to hear cut through the woundup bass notes. The notes crawl like goosebumps that appear when holding a cold and haunted object.

Sensations run down a pathway of brand new nerves that lead us to the crux of a sleepy song where a quiet organ plays itself into sentience.

Its steady notes carry a voice over ebbing verses and delicate, electron-

ic percussion before they dissolve into time. A downtempo, 90’s pop song whispers through the grit of stock Honda speakers. An honest, truth-telling type of refrain dissolves into the shimmer of cymbals as a voice memo uncovers the secrets of a prototypical song. Its small, low-fi chords and wavy voice bring us to a quiet end.

Genres: Pop, Synth-pop, Downtempo, R&B, Soul Associated Acts: Dan Prjct, Pokies!!!, Hungry for Vladimir

MAKING NEW FRIENDS IN THE PANDEMIC ZACHARY STRONGE CONTRIBUTOR After a couple months of him putting out Facebook posts asking people to play Call of Duty Warzone, I finally decided to take my friend Chris up on his offer. I didn’t really like Call of Duty games, or multiplayer shooters for that matter, but the pandemic was stretching on and making socializing difficult and anxiety-inducing. At that point, there were no vaccines and gathering limits came and went as cases rose and fell.

Having been stuck inside for nearly eight months by the time I joined Chris, I had become accustomed to not socializing. I was comfortable to watch YouTube and eat junk food in isolation. Eventually, a couple of Chris’ friends joined and I became friends with them entirely over the internet and gaming. These relationships I formed have proven to be beneficial.

The year 2020 was a record year for video game sales, as well as a record amount of users joining Twitter when Facebook experienced an outage. Coinciding with a rise in online gaming was a rise in twitch streamers.

Twitch is a gaming and social media platform that allows content creators to stream video games with commentary from the streamers themselves, people can donate money or subscribe to the streamer to provide support.

Streamers and their fans have a type of relationship that is often referred to colloquially as para-social.

Para-social means essentially that the relationship is mostly one way, in terms of power dynamics, and that is because it is nearly impossible to know what a streamer is like in real life. These relationships are seen as unhealthy when fans become too invested in the lives of streamers, such when a streamer says something that may be controversial. Some streamers encounter more extreme behaviors such as ‘hate watchers’, people who watch them simply to become angry over what they say or do. Some excessively comment on twitter or youtube videos. LGBTQ+ creators experience hate raids, where hundreds of viewers will join the stream simply to say slurs until they get banned.

The worst of para-social behavior can be as extreme such as stalking, making death threats, doxxing (revealing personal information) or, in some cases swatting, where a person makes a false police report resulting in a SWAT team showing up to the intended targets house, resulting in injuries or accidental fatalities.

Para-social relationships can be

Online modes of communication became very important to maintaining and creating relationships during the various lockdowns.

JACKSON SCHOTT PHOTO beneficial to the people in them, as they allow someone to socialize in ways that are low cost or have barriers to access normally. Social media is typically a pathway to more these kinds of relationships, like between fans and creators. It can allow someone access to other cultures that may require travel to experience, or help those who struggle to socialize in the real world an avenue to build socialization skills without the difficulty of in person meetups.

It is generally accepted that humans are social in nature and require companionship, when traditional

relationships are difficult to engage with for whatever reason, online para-social relationships can benefit people who may otherwise be very lonely and experience harm from said loneliness. During the pandemic my mental health has been poor for many reasons, but being able to form online para-social relationships with Chris and his friends has helped me cope with being unable to engage in traditional socialization.

Ideally, a person will have a healthy balance of real life, and para-social relationships to make their lives more diverse. Online interactions can help

people develop more diverse opinions and ideas, and expose them to other cultures and religions. While not every interaction will lead to positive outcomes, it became incredibly important during the pandemic to maintain and build relationships online. People need to socialize to stay stable and content, a process that was heavily facilitated by the internet and video games. So important has my online gaming group become to me that we still play for a couple hours every night, and probably still will for some time, at least until we can get together for a barbeque safely.

MARCH 2022 // COMMUNITYEDITION.CA

20

SPRING EQUINOX AND REBIRTH

COSMIC RELIEF

ELFIE KALFAKIS COLUMNIST

“New Slang”

by The Shins

The equinox is a time when daytime and nighttime take up equal parts of the day. There are two equinoxes in the year, Spring and Autumn, of which the former is special because it marks the beginning of the new astrological year as well as Aries season.

Traditions around the world celebrate the spring equinox as a time of rebirth. As a new cycle begins we find ourselves transitioning from the harsh insular winter months full of introspection into the bright light of the summer ahead. The trick of navigating the transitions in the zodiac wheel is our capacity to flow with the energy each season brings, even though those energies may oppose each other.

On Mar. 20, we move from the emotional and cosmic waters of Pisces into a new fiery and excitable Aries season. Aries is the ‘youngest’ sign of the zodiac. It has been traditionally viewed as the beginning of the astrological cycle, with Pisces being the last, and more mature sign.

One of the most relatable parts of the zodiac wheel is that it suggests we are beings in constant evolution. In March we take the deep lessons learned in the previous cycle and begin anew.

A time to reflect and move forward, this month gives us an opportunity to focus on what we want most and give it that much-needed thrust forward. To help chart your course here are your monthly horoscopes based on your sun and rising signs along with another cosmic playlist to enchant your spring equinox.

“Whole Wide World”

by Bahamas “One Day”

by Sharon Van Etten “The Way I Am”

by Ingrid Michaelson “Us”

by Regina Spektor “Stoned at the Nail Salon”

by Lorde “Somewhere Over The Rainbow”

by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole “New Love Cassette”

by Angel Olsen “The Barrel”

by Aldous Harding “Some Sunsick Day”

by Morgan Delt “Jult Like Honey”

by The Jesus and Mary Chain “Wonderful World”

by Otis Redding “Hand in My Pocket”

by Alanis Morissette ELFIE KALFAKIS GRAPHIC

ARIES There is a lot brewing under the surface this month. Don’t be surprised if you get some unexpected news about that thing you’ve been avoiding.

TAURUS Your career will be asking a lot of your attention. It’s likely you’re going to find support and opportunities through friendship and community this month.

GEMINI The struggle to heal old patterns is real this month. Work at breaking these old habits because doing so may open up career opportunities.

CANCER Your inner healing will be in major focus and you’ll be craving intimacy.

Don’t be surprised if a new philosophy about how to approach old wounds surfaces out of nowhere.

LEO You’ll want to work on creating more stability in your relationships, but there may be old wounds in your subconscious that creep up. Take it easy on yourself and spend time with those trusted partners that you can confide in.

VIRGO It feels like things are moving into more consistent waters and you’ll be feeling fairly energized.

Your trusted partnerships will be offering unexpected and beneficial opportunities as well.

LIBRA Your inner child will be craving some fun and romance this month. Some changes in your routine will throw you for a bit of a loop but rest assured it will be an exciting one.

SCORPIO Hibernation is the name of the game.

There’s a lot of happening around you, and you’re likely feeling excited about it. But you’re more interested in pampering yourself than participating in the fun.

SAGITTARIUS You’ll be trying to make sense of a lot of different things but the key word for you this month is self-care. Put some energy into taking care of your soul while the information flies in this month.

CAPRICORN Some unexpected news is likely coming your way this month. Keep your focus on the home while you digest these new opportunities and do what you do best—strategize.

AQUARIUS This month will have you wanting to prove and express yourself loudly.

Some new investment opportunities might also catch your eye, but they’ll be in an unusual form.

“I Want You”

by Bob Dylan “Mushaboom”

by Feist “Sugar Town”

by Nancy Sinatra “Moi je joue”

by Brigitte Bardot “Carnival Horns (feat. Julito Padron)”

by Mista Savona, Julito Padron “The Long Island Sound”

by Beirut “Another Go Around”

by Beach House

PISCES March will put you in the limelight and a lot of your wildest dreams may come to fruition. Your compulsion will have you wanting to hide from the world, but you’ll have to fight that urge this month.