Volume 40, Issue 2 (November 13, 2020)

Friday, November 13, 2020 | Volume 40, Issue 2

raffiti

THE VOICE OF NORTH TORONTO C.I.

Illustration by Suhani Sharma

2 GRAFFITI | NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | EXTERNAL

RACIAL EQUALITY

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5 Months on: how you can Keep Racial Equality Moving

EDITORIAL BOARD EDITORS IN CHIEF

Nathalie Adriana Funes Serna Maeve Ellis

INTERNAL EDITORS

Inessa Azoyan | PJ Wilson

EXTERNAL EDITORS

Kiara Distin | Amanda Wilson

FEATURES EDITORS

Kiana Sharifi | Sophie Block

ARTS AND CULTURE EDITORS Anna Sum Wyatt Gilliland Chisanga Kibato Angela Krstic ­Contributors

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fter the disturbing murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, people across the globe have had a racial reckoning; protests, movements, education campaigns, and black squares on Instagram dominated the spring and summer of 2020. With the aforementioned, conversations about racism and microaggressions have opened the eyes of many to what it takes to be an ally – and why the success of the modern world depends on it. But activism and the fight for racial equality cannot be labelled disposable; a lifelong commitment is paramount. With months behind us, the fight has only just begun. Below, we’ll explore the many ways you can keep the conversation going.

Understand Your Sphere of Influence

When we think of influence, celebrities like James Charles or Charli D’Amelio often come to mind.

Labeled “influencers”, we’re subtly taught that only they hold influence. But, this is not true. Although our influence is drastically smaller, we still have an impact on those around us and society. Your sphere of influence can be anyone! From peers to friends to coworkers, the way we think and talk rubs off on those around us. Understanding our sphere of influence is essential; we can’t fix the problem if we aren’t aware of its existence. We all have the power to influence people’s behavior. It’s similar to the parent-child mirror, a phenomenon where many of the morals and core values of children derive from their parents. That being said, your influence isn’t limited to your acquaintances.

Let’s take protests as an example. What makes protests so powerful? Its ability to inspire the wider public into fighting for change. Have you ever felt empowered by a protest sign? Their energy? The cause? These are all prime examples of how our influence can have such a meaningful impact. The government and major corporations want us to believe we hold no power. They want us to think we have no voice. But this isn’t true.

Use your sphere of influence to accomplish change!

Find your specialty

While learning about issues is important to do, this is only half the battle. Educating yourself comes hand in hand with taking action - they’re a match set. But where do you even begin? We may not have the direct influence of lawmakers or government representatives, yet instead of focusing on what we can’t do, we should instead take a look at all the opportunities we do have. Everyone has their own unique talents, skills, and strengths that they can contribute. Maybe you have a knack for public speaking, creative writing, or graphic design. Organize a community protest; call or email your local representatives; create detailed infographics. Don’t let yourself get overwhelmed by your weaknesses - focus in on what you’re passionate about and do what you do best.

Be Committed

Although educating yourself on the history of injustices faced by people of colour is essential in the fight for true equality, this is only one side of the coin. As the world has progressed and modernized, Black, Indigenous, and people of colour face a new set of challenges and injustices that their ancestors may not have faced. This is where listening to the experiences of today’s BIPOC is critical. You may have analyzed the obvious injustices they have faced from the outside (like police brutality). However, this only tells one side of the story; invisible microaggressions and racial barriers are everywhere! Although invisible to you, BIPOC are well aware of the aforementioned.

That is why it’s key that we listen to their experiences.

Check Yourself

Education and preaching justice for all is critical. If you’ve done the latter, you’re on the right track!

But, we mustn’t confuse the aforementioned with a bias pass. However shocking, you may still hold some form of racial biases. Racism is a powerful and dangerous weapon - it can embed itself deep inside your mind, invisibly pulling the strings behind the scenes.

When you make baseless assumptions about people of colour or ask culturally inappropriate questions like “Can I touch your hair?”, you are harbouring stereotypes that are indeed racist. Checking your bias is necessary; doing research on things like microaggressions and rejecting social stereotypes you see both in the media and in real life is one way to become aware of the thoughts and actions you execute that are actually prejudicial and racist. It can be challenging to unlearn habits, but it is not impossible. You need to be patient with yourself and understand that although you may feel ashamed, you are on the pathway to becoming a better, less prejudiced person who sees people for what they truly are rather than through a lens of stereotypes.

Blaize Exeter | Abigail Shin

BUSINESS AND TECH EDITORS Simone Bellengier | Elise Farmar

OPINION EDITORS

Sean Lee | Romina Emtyazi

HUMOUR EDITORS

Sarisha Panday | Emma Frasheri

SPORTS EDITORS

Elena Vitas | Kaura Sankaran

ILLUSTRATIONS EDITORS Suhani Sharma | Danielle Xin

PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR Mikayla Toplis Omar Ali

COPY EDITORS

Victoria Man | Alya Seker Iva-Mari Miskulin | Sian Huang Baran Forootan | Catherine Katis Madison McBride | Sehar Sohail Lyza Salman | Liam McLaughlin

JUNIOR ADVISORY BOARD Julian Lewis | Arissa Roy­

SENIOR ADVISORY BOARD

Sofiia Savchyn | Emelia Grossman

LAYOUT TEAM

Suhani Mahindru | Liza Rowatt Mamidi Shreya Pawar | Danielle Xin Hannah Benjamin | Michelle Wong Mikayla Toplis

BUSINESS MANAGERS

Audrey Gong | Lyza Salman

Social Media Manager Be Patient

As an ally, you’re not always going to get everything right – and that’s okay, so long as you listen to and incorporate the feedback your BIPOC peers give you. Remember, silence contributes nothing to the movement and the betterment of people’s lives; silence is complacency. Making mistakes is a normal part of learning, and is often where people grow the most! We’ve been brought up in a world where nearly every institution was founded upon racial inequalities, barriers, and microaggressions. Unlearning biases and eliminating ignorance in both ourselves and institutions is a lengthy process, and one that may take a lifetime. That’s why it’s so important to be patient with yourself and others ar ound you. If you make a mistake, don’t quit. Don’t let it de-motivate you. And certainly don’t let it take you off the path of fighting for racial equality. Stay focused, remain positive, and be patient!

Georgia Pomozova-Mann

Website Developer

Kenneth Vincenzo Salim

STAFF ADVISORS

David Silver | Baruch Zohar

CONTENTS External . ...............................................2 Internal..................................................6 Features................................................12 Business & Technology................................22 Opinion..................................................26 Arts & Culture...................................................29 Sports....................................................32 Humour & Games.........................................36

CONTACT US Instagram: @ntcigraffiti Website: www.ntcigraffiti.com Email: ntcigraffiti@gmail.com Google Classroom: ql2f7fh

EXTERNAL | NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | GRAFFITI 3 POLITICAL FIGURE

The Legacy of John Turner Sophie Block Editor

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ithout John Turner, a former Prime Minister of Canada, this country would in no way be the same. Turner passed away on September 18th, 2020. He spent his life fighting for Canadians, inspiring the next generation of young Canadians and improving the lives of citizens nationwide.

Before becoming Prime Minister, young liberal John Turner was elected to the House of Commons as an MP for a Montreal riding in 1962.

Quickly, he climbed the political ladder and was soon appointed Minister of Justice by Pierre Trudeau in 1968.

As Minister of Justice, Turner partially legalized male homosexual sex, which was a pivotal step in Canada’s long and ongoing fight for equality. He was also key in the process of legalizing abortions in Canada and fully legalizing birth control. He will forever be remembered for his lifelong commitment to women’s rights.

In addition to these new legislations, he also brought in legislation to facilitate unions; he even created the first Law Reform Commission, a commission that advises the Canadian government on legal matters. When he was younger, Turner had called

for a legal aid funds system and as Minister of Justice, he provided federal money to establish it.

Turner also served as Minister of Finance from 1972-1975. He brought in major tax cuts and helped the Canadian economy, even as inflation and interest rates grew higher. Additionally, Mr. Turner opposed free trade agreements, believing that they would harm Canada’s economy.

After taking a pause from politics and working as a lawyer for a prominent law firm for several years, Turner returned in 1984 to take over for former Prime Minister Trudeau, who had resigned. The newly elected Prime Minister called an election but lost to Mulroney after a slightly disastrous campaign involving inappropriately touching another politician and vivacious, ultimately crushing debates. Turner was Prime Minister for a short 79 days, the second shortest term in Canadian history.

John Turner was initially born in England but spent much of his time in Canada. After graduating from UBC, where he excelled both as a student and as an athlete, Turner was awarded the Rhode Scholarship to the prestigious Oxford

University. Turner eventually married Geills McCrae and had four children. “[John Turner] knew we could rise to any challenge, and meet any moment if we believed in one another and stood together,” remarked current Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

“His legacy calls on us not to wait for change to happen but to stand up and build a better country for everyone.”

Turner has left an important legacy to Canadians. “In any democracy, there is always a tug-of-war between

Photo courtesy of New York Times policies to achieve equality and policies to promote excellence. I am certain that Canada can achieve both equality and excellence,” said Turner, showing his lifelong dream to make Canada a better place for everyone.

His belief in public service inspired the next generation to serve their country, and he will continue to inspire generations to come. Canadians should applaud his lifelong devotion to their country and admire the exemplary politician that he was.

SCIENCE DEVELOPMENTS

Emmanuelle Carpentier and Jennifer Doudna win Nobel Prize in STEM Abigail Kehoe Contributor

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wo women, making history. with their cutting edge genome editing technology, Emmanu-

Illustration by Ava Ireland

elle Carpentier and Jennifer Doudna have become the first female scientists ever to win a Nobel Prize in Chemistry without the collaboration of a male, thus becoming two of only seven women to ever win this honour.

Carpentier and Doudna’s groundbreaking technology, the

CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing system, will allow us to pinpoint and edit long stretches of DNA with extreme precision. The ability to eliminate genetic errors in humans and other organisms could lead to the eradication of all genetic diseases in the near future.

Additionally, this revolutionary technology could be used to edit infants’ genes before birth to reduce the possibility of a genetically transmitted disease ap pearing in a child.

At the conference where they both first met, both Carpentier and Doudna were fascinated by the overlap of their current works and studies. Carpentier had recently discovered a new molecule (tracerRNA) in bacteria and studied its interactions with the immune system. The molecule that Carpentier discovered was a microbe called CRISPR. At the same time, Doudna was also working on an innovative and groundbreaking project. She was mapping Cas proteins. These are enzymes that are able to snip apart DNA in particular sections and are often associated with CRISPR. Combined, the projects created the CRISPR/ Cas9 scientific breakthrough.

As the two Nobel honourees have been working tirelessly on this project since 2011,

they have already begun their experimental trials. They have addressed diseases and conditions such as sickle cell, and are currently trying to find cures for heart disease, blood disorders, and blindness. As well, they have become involved in different clinical trials for cancer therapies and HIV. They have also implemented their technology into the agricultural world.

Currently, it is used to develop a new species of crops, able to withstand the current problems of pests and drought.

If this is achieved, it could not just transform the medical world, but also the agricultural world as we know it.

However, not everyone agrees with this technology and its possibilities. Some people are speaking out against the possible inhumane uses, such as editing a sperm cell or egg in order to create a child in a specific way, to achieve the “desired” traits. Even Jennifer Doudna has admitted to the need to keep a close watch on the use of their technology, as some of the consequences could be drastic. Though, this setback is unlikely to put a hold on any of the clinical trials due to the many benefits of DNA editing technology.

Emmanuelle Carpentier and Jennifer Doudna have not just created a groundbreaking technology to aid in both the medical and agricultural worlds, but they have also inspired many women in the field of science. They have fought against the prejudiced ideals of science being a “man’s job”, and have begun the building of a world of women in science.

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GRAFFITI | NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | EXTERNAL

FASHION

Cultural Appropriation is Outdated Izzy Gelman Contributor

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n the fashion industry, many designers have been accused of culturally appropriating their creations. From Gigi Hadid’s dreadlocks for Marc Jacobs, to the Gucci “black face jumper,” we’ve seen it all. Some of the largest brands that we all know and love, such as Victoria’s Secret, Dior, Gucci, and too many more, have added a piece to this messy puzzle.

Back in 2010, the “Wild Things” Victoria’s Secret fashion show received intense backlash. This wasn’t some zoo themed extravaganza; it was an ‘Indigenous and African culture’ themed fashion show. Mind you, the brand has made its name by promoting and creating lingerie that would never be worn in these cultures and isn’t remotely associated with them either. Once again, in 2012, Victoria’s Secret took part in yet another scandal. Supermodel Karlie Kloss strutted down the catwalk head to toe in a Native American headdress. Indigenous people value the headdress as a sacred symbol of power, strength and bravery, none of which was associated with the fashion show or anything Karlie was wearing. As you can imagine, this sparked a lot of controversy in Indigenous communities and caused backlash for the brand yet again.

In 2019, one of the most powerful and sophisticated designer brands, Gucci, sold what they called an “Indy Turban.” The background of the headwrap comes from Sikh beliefs and is a very sacred item to the Sikh community. Sikh people believe that the head is the most powerful and energystoring part of the body. By showing your head, the positive energy is released. The head covering is used to block this release of energy. Gucci did not portray the turban in this light but rather mocked it. Gucci’s use of the turban did not go over well with the Sikh community, causing its revenue to be impacted negatively.

The only question left to ask is, how do we reverse this? Artists that would be appropriate creators to work within these collections are often excluded from the design process. Why are we trying to reimagine traditions that are so beautifully passed down by each culture? All along, designers have been using ideas that were never theirs and portraying their take on it in a troublesome manner. How many times can we let brands plead for forgiveness for a mistake that could have been avoided?

Many designers have pushed back by saying they are merely sampling the culture’s ideas, much like Ariana Grande’s “7 Rings” sampled from “The Sound Of Music.” In fashion, it is not the same. If a designer were to steal another designer’s collection, it

would be a sin among the industry. So why are we letting designers steal from cultures with no repercussions? However, we cannot neglect the artists and creators that have done their research and appropriately portrayed these beautiful cultures in their designs.

As a consumer, most people do not want to make fun of or steal beliefs but rather celebrate them. Ralph Lauren, one of fashion’s most respected designers, has seen to it that his fashion house helps curb cultural appropriation. Lauren says, “You need to start by having a diversity council - brands like Chanel also have one, and that’s a great step. You have to figure out what the problem is before you start solving it.” Much like high school, fashion seems to be a follow the leader society, and no one wants to be seen in something last season. We can only hope that people like Mr. Lauren are

the trendsetters and inspire everyone to help make a change.

Fashion inspires everyone in one way or another. Allowing designers to mock these cultures sets a precedent for aspiring children and people in the fashion industry to follow in these footsteps. So we as consumers must ask ourselves, where does the line cross into cultural appropriation and what is the difference between mocking and inspiration?

Illustration by Suhani Sharma

WORLD POLITICS

The Armenia and Azerbaijan Conflict

Sofiia Savchyn Senior Advisor

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rmenia and Azerbaijan have clashed in a violent military conflict over the territorial affiliation of Nagorno-Karabakh, a landlocked region in the South Caucasus, officially breaking 26 years of ceasefire. After a series of artillery shelling on Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan’s border on September 27, both republics announced martial law’s imposition and immediate mobilization. During the following weeks, the irregular skirmishes developed into a full-fledged military operation, taking over 7 500 lives, including 93 civilians.

After many mediation attempts, a ceasefire brokered by Russia went into effect on Saturday, October 10, but it broke within minutes. Armenia and Azerbaijan accused each other of fresh attacks. Yerevan reports the shelling of the capital of the Nagorno-Karabakh -- Stepanakert, and Baku - the Azerbaijani city of Ganja.

On both sides, civilians are caught up in the deadliest fighting in the South Caucasus region since 1994, and the clashes are not sparing anyone. Ainura Alieva, a Stepanakert citizen, recalled her memories of the shelling on October 12.

“Мы спали, в два часа ночи я проснулась от грохота и увидела как падает потолок. Потом повернулась и увидела, что дочки рядом нет, мамы тоже. Я ничего не видела, стояла пыль, я задыхалась.

Я нащупала свой телефон и начала искать детей”

“We were asleep; at two o’clock in the morning, I woke up from the roar and saw the ceiling fall. I turned and saw that my daughter was missing, and my mother was not there either. I couldn’t see anything; there was dust everywhere. I was suffocating. I groped my phone and started looking for my children.”

The escalation on October 12 displaced more than 70 000 civilians. Brutal air raids drove people into bomb shelters where the most they could hope for is to stay alive and pray for those who were not so lucky. Without a peace settlement, the gravity of human suffering will surpass any justification.

For centuries, the region of Nagorno-Karabakh has been a disputed territory between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Located at the two countries’ border, it became the catalyst for multiple conflicts and wars over the years. When in the 1920s, the Soviet government established its power in Armenia and Azerbaijan, Karabakh legally became Azerbaijan’s land but was given extensive regional autonomy. With a 94% Armenian population, Nagorno-Karabakh was now self-governed and, due to its ethnic predominance, made all its political decisions on a par with Armenia. In the following decades, Karabakh made several attempts to transfer to the Armenian authority control with no results. The Soviet government quickly suppressed all the regular skirmishes at Kara-

bakh and Azerbaijan border, preventing them from a violent advancement.

Only in the late 80s, when the U.S.S.R. began to crumble, and Moscow could not exercise any more political authority over the enclave, the conflict developed into a war. After five years of combat, with more than 36 000 deaths and more than a million displaced civilians, the countries declared a ceasefire in 1994. Nagorno-Karabakh remained as a part of Azerbaijan, but the argument was far from settled. Not a year passed since then without news of gunfire in the enclave and accusations between the two countries of mutual artillery shellings.

The current military clash is the most violent since the Karabakh war and the consecutive ceasefire agreement’s signing in 1994.

On October 12, 2020, Turkey declared its unconditional support to its fellow Turkic nation and geostrategic partner Azerbaidjan and landed its various military capabilities. There is little doubt that highly regarded Turkish military drone technology is being deployed. Hulusi Akar, in his statement, condemned Armenia for “targeting civilians” and “occupating Azerbaijan territory.” Currently, Armenia relies heavily upon Russian aid. Despite their strained relationship after the Armenian revolution in 2018, Russia is Armenia’s primary foreign supplier of heavy machinery and troops in the current conflict. They are both members of the CSTO (Collective Security Treaty Organization), a military alliance formed as a counterpower

to the western NATO (North American Treaty Organization).

The indirect involvement of NATO and CSTO through Turkey and Russia respectively is a concern to international security. Turkey is an essential member of NATO with the fourth strongest military in the alliance. Russia is the dominant force in the CSTO that sets the agenda for the entire organization. Since 2014, NATO suspended all military cooperation with Russia and condemned its “irresponsible and aggressive nuclear rhetoric; the risks posed by its military intervention; and its illegal occupation and annexation of Crimea.” As powerful countries from clashing military alliances, Russia and Turkey are responsible for balancing their partiality and neutrality. If their involvement in the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan deepens, it will pose a significant risk for a wider war.

The Nagorno-Karabakh dispute continues to torment the South Caucasus with no resolution in sight.

In the last weeks, it developed exponentially, taking not only soldiers’ lives but also civilians’. The history of the conflict demonstrates the preservation of resentment that can flame up at any point in time. It is impossible to say if there is a settlement that will suffice to end the feud. However, without peaceful negotiation, the conflict of 2020 has the potential to become the deadliest in the history of Nagorno-Karabakh.

EXTERNAL | NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | GRAFFITI 5 WORLD POLITICS

UAE-Bahrain-Israel U.S. Mediated Deal Romina Emtyazi Editor

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n September 15, 2020, a major event took place in the White House. A normalization deal mediated by the Trump administration was signed between the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Israel. Israel signed separate agreements with each of the two states, and the US joined all three in signing a common document officially called “The Abraham Accords”, which the White House described as a “declaration of peace”.

However, analysts have stated that the term “peace” cannot be applied to this deal since the three countries were never at war. Instead, this agreement formally established diplomatic

relations between the three countries after years of hostility. According to this deal, the UAE and Bahrain will exchange embassies and ambassadors with Israel, initiate financial investment partnerships, and start extensive trading in different sectors.

Bahrain and the UAE are the third and fourth Arab nations to sign an official deal with Israel, following Jordan and Egypt that respectively signed peace treaties with Israel in 1979 and 1994. “This peace will eventually expand to include other Arab states. And ultimately, it can end the Arab-Israeli conflict, once and for all,” Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu said during the White House signature ceremony. On October 23rd, Sudan became the latest Middle Eastern country to normalize ties with Israel via a U.S mediated deal. Currently, Israel and the US seem to have Saudi Arabia and Oman on their radar to negotiate agreements on normalizations of relations with and have already started discussions with Morocco. The hardest deal to break seems to be an agreement with Saudi Arabia due to the two countries’ complicated relations in the past few years.

Although, the Bahrain deal has been interpreted by many as a nod of approval from the Saudis since Bahrain

is highly dependable on Saudi Arabia, and would have needed their tacit consent before agreeing to the deal.

Reactions to the deal from other Middle Eastern countries were different. Rajab Tayyab Erdogan, the president of Turkey who has been a bystander on Israel-Arab matters, stated that Turkey might suspend relations with UAE in solidarity with the Palestinians. So far, Turkey has made no such attempt. Another one of the important Arab Gulf countries, Qatar, has ruled out making peace with Israel until the conflict with the Palestinians in the West Bank is resolved. Also, President Trump has claimed that Kuwait, another pivotal Gulf country, could be next to normalize relations with Israel, but his statement has been met with a firm denial from the Kuwaiti government. Iran, Israel’s biggest enemy in

the region, slammed the deal as “stupid”, but said that it will not take any aggressive measures as long as its national interests are not endangered.

As for Palestine, Netanyahu has stated that Israel has halted (but not abandoned) its controversial annexation of the West Bank, a disputed territory between Israel and Palestine, in exchange for ties with the UAE and Bahrain. The Palestinians say otherwise. The accords were completely denounced by the Palestinians, and Ammar Hijazi, the Assistant Minister for Multilateral Affairs of Palestine, called the White House ceremony a “photo op”. To Palestinians, the normalization of relations between Israel and Arab states is a step further away from their independence. Even though the Palestinians have never had a large amount of help from their “Arab brothers”, there has been on the table “The Arab Peace Initiative” which was proposed by the Arab League in 2007 and re-endorsed in 2017. This plan outlines how Israel can get full peace if, in return, they allow Palestine’s independence in a separate state with Jerusalem as its capital. With the new accords in place, this plan seems more unrealistic than ever.

Additionally, the UAE has repeatedly stated that the main reason

why it agreed to the deal was that Israel’s promise to stop the annexation of the West Bank would bring stability to the Middle East. However, by analyzing the Palestinians’ view on this, it becomes clear that this deal came at the expense of the Palestinians. Therefore, it may not be a step closer to peace in the Middle East, and might further aggravate the conflict instead. This deal has isolated the Palestinians and left them with very few options. Palestine might suspend any future negotiations with Israel due to this “betrayal” and choose to gradually regain pieces of land using force. Also, there is the fear that they might use arms and weaponry in order to end his struggle once and for all. Presently, there is no Palestinian leadership willing to conduct an armed-struggle strategy in major conflict zones, thereby increasing the pos-

The Trump administration had a pivotal role in prompting the UAE and Bahrain to sign the agreement. Trump’s senior advisor, Jared Kushner, made the proposition for the U.S to sell sophisticated weaponry to the UAE and Bahrain. This was an important motivation for the two parties to make a deal with Israel despite its annexation of the West Bank.

This arms deal has become a cause for concern for many Israeli politicians because it brings in the possibility of the UAE upsetting Israel’s military superiority in the Middle East.

What does the U.S get out of this deal? The simple answer is more influence in the Middle East and money. By mediating this deal and helping the UAE and Bahrain in the enhancement of their military, the U.S is isolating Iran to protect its power

Photo courtesy of New York Times sibility of small individual acts of violence occurring in civilian areas, which is an even bigger threat to peace than the current situation in disputed areas.

More than anything else, this new alliance is a protective shell for Israel and the US against Iran and its proxies in the region. This is where the strategy of “The enemy of my enemy is my friend”, comes into play. Throughout the years, the US and Israel have tried their best to create alliances with Middle Eastern countries to protect their interests against Iran. Since 2014, when the last Israel-Palestine negotiations broke down, several Arab countries have had unofficial contacts with Israel for a long time. This agreement merely brings their relationship out in the open and, therefore, the accords have become a new strategic headache for Iran. For many years, the U.S has had military bases in the UAE and Bahrain. These bases provided the security that it needed to protect and expand its influence in the region, but the U.S and Israel needed to make sure that in case a war broke out between Iran and Israel, the Arab countries, specifically those located in the Persian Gulf, would act in Israel’s interest and the accords justify that possible alliance.

in the region. Moreover, this deal brings in more trade opportunities to the U.S since it gives them more access to the oil-rich Persian Gulf.

In addition, this deal is considered as a re-election campaign win for Trump and Netanyahu, both of whom have been greatly criticized for their handling of the pandemic — Netanyahu is also awaiting trial on corruption charges — only a few months before elections in the U.S and Israel. This agreement has been perceived by some voters as a foreign policy success and has thereby increased support for both leaders.

Ultimately, Netanyahu is the big winner here because he successfully normalized relations with two wealthy Arab states through Trump without having to resolve the Palestinian crisis. However, according to political analysts, this does not indicate a significant shift in the political dynamics of the Middle East. This agreement has once again proven that the reality of the Middle East is that Israel and the Sunni Arab states are more united by their concern about Iran’s power than they are divided by their attitude towards the Israel-Palestine conflict.

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GRAFFITI | NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | EXTERNAL

NEW TRENDS

A Closer Look on WAP Natasha Bernstein Contributor

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nless you’ve been living under a rock for the past two months, I’m sure you’ve heard of Megan Thee Stallion and Cardi B’s new song, WAP. This song hit No. 1 on The Hot 100 Chart after the first week of its release, and it is already being thought of as the song of the year. It has a catchy tune, unforgettable lyrics, as well as a lot of profanity and sexually explicit themes. It has become a major dance trend on social media platforms such as “Tik Tok” and hit a record of 93 million streams in its first week of release. Yet there are still many mixed opinions on the song. Unquestionably, its controversial lyrics have raised increasing judgment. The most common questions and opinions circulating around are: “Where is their [Megan & Cardi B’s] self-respect?”, “Don’t they have anything else to talk about in a rap song?” and “Who would even write a song like this?”

After the release of the song, Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion have received a lot of ridicule for talking about their bodies and sexuality scandalously. Indeed, they chose to communicate their message in various explicit ways, not necessarily using the nicest of metaphors. However, is this explicit form of self-expression empowering to women, or is it diminishing? Here are two women confident with their sexuality and bodies, em-

powering other women to accept their sexuality and giving a female voice to a male-dominated music genre.

Despite the popularity of the song among the younger population, WAP has received so much backlash, even drawing attention and commentary from some politicians. This is not the first time female rappers have received this kind of criticism for one of their songs. The rap industry is very popular nowadays, and there are many powerful female rappers gaining fame and power. Interestingly, songs like “Slob on My Knob” (by Tear Da Club Up) made by male artists do not get the same attention despite having highly sexual and misogynistic lyrics. It got to the point that Megan Thee Stallion herself tweeted about it: “dudes will scream ‘slob on my knob’ word for word and [go] crying about WAP (sic).” That song is only one of the hundreds made by male rappers objectifying women, often referring to them as h*es and b*tches - but they don’t get nearly as much criticism. Why is it that when men degrade women in music isn’t nearly as much backlash? Songs such as “Love Me” (by Lil Wayne ft Drake & Future) lack decorum too, and express male sexuality openly, and many times offensively, to women. Songs such as this one demonstrate double standards in our society. Maybe the question we should ask is, why is it okay for men to sing about sexuality, but not for women?

WAP’s backlash proves nothing but the power of sexism and male dominance in the music industry is as strong as ever. The whole idea that

women aren’t allowed to talk about their own bodies and sexuality because it is thought of as “vulgar” and “inappropriate” gives a reason for others to shame women (such as Megan Thee Stallion and Cardi B) for openly speaking out and praising these top-

Illustration by Anisa Williams

ics in their music. Men can sing about sexualized behaviours, often belittling women openly in their songs, and, if anything, are praised for it rather than judged. All explicitness aside, WAP isn’t such a bad song after all!

MEDICINE

The Hepatitis-C Virus Yasseen Mohamed Contributor

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ou’ve probably heard of hepatitis and its alphabetical viruses.

You may remember being vaccinated for hepatitis B back in grade 7.

You might have also heard of outbreaks of hepatitis viruses, and although they are uncommon here in Canada, much of the world still struggles with them.

The hepatitis C virus is the most common bloodborne disease in Canada and the U.S. killing about 500,000 people around the world each year.

Hepatitis C is an infectious, possibly life-threatening, liver disease caused by the hepacivirus (HCV). The virus spreads through direct blood contact. This can come in the form of sharing needles, getting a tattoo with unsafe machinery, unsafe medical procedures, rough intercourse, or donation of infected blood or organs. But, it can even be spread through more subtle and unexpected means, such as sharing razors, toothbrushes, or through birth. Even small and seemingly invisible amounts of blood have the potential to carry the virus. You may be alarmed to know that there is no vaccine against HCV, but avoiding these risky behaviours will ensure that your chances of contracting the virus are trivial.

This may leave you wondering

how the virus is able to spread in many countries. Unfortunately, in some developing countries, blood transfusions, organ donations, and medical procedures are done improperly and without proper screening. This allows for people with the virus to unknowingly spread it to others. Because approximately 50% of people with hepatitis C do not know they have been infected with the virus, this tragedy is all too common. Even developed countries have only made screening mandatory for HCV as recently as 1992 even though the virus was first discovered in 1989.

For this reason, here in Canada, it is recommended for anyone who received a blood or organ donation before 1992 to be tested as well as those with a mother with HCV, as well as those who have had surgeries in countries that lack standardized health practice, drug users, and those who engage in unsafe sexual practices.

Identifying people with hepatitis C is critical for stopping damage of the liver, which itself is not fully reversible.

But what exactly makes hepatitis C dangerous? Firstly, the virus has an incubation period of anywhere between 14 and 80 days, meaning that you will not experience symptoms immediately. After this period, the infected will begin to experience shortterm symptoms for up to 6 months.

These symptoms are usually mild, with some not experiencing them at all. A fourth of people may be lucky enough

to fully recover and clear the virus after this period, but the rest aren’t so lucky. Those who still have the virus in their system will begin to experience chronic hepatitis C which can lead to cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) as well as liver cancer. Without a properly functioning liver, your body is unable to convert nutrients into substances that your body needs, posing a serious threat to life.

However, if screened, either because of symptoms or by coincidence, there is a lot of hope for one’s condition. There are a number of pills that are typically taken between 8-12 weeks that may fully cure the condition. These pills typically have a success rate above 90% with the remaining patients often able to control their symptoms and prevent serious damage. A complete cure for hepatitis C is a very recent medical innovation from about 5 years ago. Being cured from the disease does not give you life-long immunity. It’s important for any previously infected person to be vigilant and avoid all behaviors that put them at risk.

You may be left wondering how we can work to eradicate the virus completely. Here in Canada, between 0.6-0.7% of people are living with chronic hepatitis C. While the rate has been on the decline, there has been no coordinated effort to eliminate it.

It’s important to identify the main populations at risk of contracting and spreading it. Drug users, prisoners,

and immigrants from countries with high prevalence of the virus are most likely to carry it, especially males. It is important to actively recommend screening for these groups in hopes of curbing the spread and treating the disease before severe symptoms arise.

A public health campaign similar to that of HIV could do wonders in fighting off the disease. Another problem is that the drugs that treat and cure the virus can be expensive. It’s critical that all groups regardless of income and status have access to these drugs.

Provinces and territories should look into offering these drugs at affordable prices or free of cost.

Just this month, the 2020 Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine was awarded to Harvey J. Alter, Michael Houghton and Charles M. Rice for their work in the discovery of the hepatitis C virus. Their work has been praised for leading to screening and medicine for HCV that is responsible for saving millions of lives. The Nobel committee has expressed hope for eradication of the virus.

Although HCV has no vaccine, hepatitis C and its complications are completely preventable with good public health awareness, screening for vulnerable populations, and proper access to drugs for treatment.

EXTERNAL | NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | GRAFFITI 7 COVID-19

Racial Inequalities in Healthcare Sophie Block Editor

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n recent months, inequalities in the healthcare system have been highlighted. While perhaps only brought to our attention recently, this has been a long-standing problem.

Toronto only started collecting data on May 20th, three months after Toronto had its first case. Toronto Public Health data shows that four of the top five neighbourhoods with the highest infection rates of COVID-19 have a population of over 60 percent minorities, 19 percent of which identify as black.

In contrast, four of the five neighbourhoods with the fewest case

counts have a much lower minority population, and less than six percent of these populations are black. The area of Yonge and Eglington has the fifth-lowest rate of infection in Toronto, and, as suggested, has only 2% black residents, 27% visible minority, and 14% of residents who live in poverty.

As of July 30th, 83% of the recorded COVID-19 cases in Toronto were made up of black people and other racial minorities. 21% of reported cases affect black people, who make up only 9% of the city’s overall population. Arab, Middle Eastern, and West Asian persons represent 11 percent of the city’s COVID-19 cases, while only making up 4 percent of the total population. As well, fifty-one percent of reported cases in Toronto were from peo-

ple living in low-income households, though only 30 percent of the city’s population is considered low income.

Why? Well, on CBC radio, Simon Fraser University’s June Francis recapped a conversation she had with a senior federal official in which she raised concerns regarding black people’s health. Instead of acknowledging this need for data, the senior federal official told Francis: “Canada is a colourblind society and [she] shouldn’t expect that race-based data is necessary.”

Turning a blind eye to racism in the healthcare system fails to recognize a crucial issue, and also disables health care professionals from identifying at-risk populations.

Similar issues have occurred in recent years. During the H1N1 pan-

demic in Ontario, the province’s black population was 10 times more likely to be infected. As well, there has always been inequality in health care services. According to The New York Times, black patients are more likely to receive lower-quality health services. This has only been proven further by the recent video of an Indigenous woman dying as health care staff taunted her.

From this data, Canada should learn the true harms of ignoring racial inequalities in the health care system.

We need to help these suffering communities by addressing the issue, taking action to ensure that healthcare professionals are better equipped to provide equal health services, and take precautions to help prevent similar inequalities in a future health care crisis.

POLITICS

Effects of Trump Having COVID-19

After President Donald Trump and his wife allegedly contracted COVID-19 amidst the Presidential race, there were three main scenarios of what could have happened.

Kiara Distin Amanda Wilson Editors

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ith roughly 8 million Americans contracting COVID-19 this year, it is no surprise that Donald Trump, President of the United States of America, contracted the virus as well. On October 2nd at 11:54 am, it was released to the public through Twitter that he and his wife had tested positive for COVID-19.

He stated, “Tonight, [the First Lady of the U.S] and I tested positive for COVID-19. We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately.

We will get through this TOGETHER!” The increase in presidential news surrounding Trump’s health greatly impacted the election for both Trump and Biden.

Trump’s illness could have turned out either beneficially or unfavourably for both candidates. For Trump, self-isolation temporarily stopped his campaign schedule and resulted in rallies and other important events being rescheduled. As well, the campaign trail demands good health (mentally and physically) which is difficult to maintain when sick and recovering from the virus. This can give Biden an advantage on the campaign trail, as it gives him more time to hold democratic events without the distraction of republican campaigning therefore increasing the likelihood of swaying undecided voters. On the other hand, Biden was exposed to Trump for a prolonged period

during the presidential debate, severely increasing his chance of contracting the virus. Biden is also cautious about face-to-face campaigning due to the circumstances of COVID-19, and this news about Trump’s health may result in Biden turning to a different, more careful campaign strategy.

Trump’s illness can result in several possible consequences. As

President, he received treatment from the finest health care providers in the country, which means his risk of dying was minimal compared to the average American. While Trump’s physicians did not release critical information regarding the severity of his condition, they confirmed that Trump acquired certain health complications. With the President surviving the virus with other health conditions, many Americans may underestimate the seriousness of COVID-19. As of October 5th, Trump survived the virus and with his success, he tweeted, “ [I am] an invincible hero, who not only survived every dirty trick the Democrats threw at him,

but the Chinese virus as well. [I] will show America we no longer have to be afraid.” This showcased his lack of realization, action, and precaution to protect fellow Americans. His tweet informs Americans that COVID-19 is not a serious threat and that if he can survive it, anyone can. While his top doctors certainly helped him outlive the virus, the same cannot be said for all

for his alleged crimes including sexual assault, tax fraud, among others. He would not have the opportunity to face the court, and the truth of his actions may never be known. In the eyes of his supporters, he would have died a hero.

The last possibility is an unorthodox one; could Trump have faked his illness for political gain? During the last election in 2016, Trump won the election over Democrat Hilary Clinton, and in this election, he is looking for another win. According to a CNBC survey, Joe Biden is the favourable winner, which could have forced Trump to fake his illness in order to gain sympathy votes or gain publicity to increase his chance of winning. As well, faking his sickness could be a ploy to downplay COVID-19 yet again, siding with his Republican party. As a survivor, Trump showcased his invincibility and states once again that following in his footsteps would lead to greatness and survival for Image by Enna Rejc American citizens.

Amidst all citizens. Trump supporters may take this as a sign that COVID-19 is no lon- the controversies surrounding Donald ger a threat to them and may use this Trump and the additional stress of COto justify their actions, such as not so- VID-19, there has been added imporcial distancing or not wearing a mask. tance to the 2020 election. This will

If Trump had not survived, decide the fate of the United States of the Trump Administration would have America and people across the globe; appointed Mike Pence as President. not only in the short term but in the According to the Los Angeles Times, long term, as the President’s actions “U.S. President Donald Trump, [his] have long-lasting effects. Whether gender, age and weight are all factors Trump has COVID-19 or not, the rethat make him most vulnerable to de- sults of his sickness and the elecveloping [a] severe [case of] COVID-19, tion could make or break history. and give him a notional risk of around 4% of dying from it, health experts said on Friday.” Upon an untimely death, Trump would not be held accountable

8 GRAFFITI | NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | EXTERNAL MENTAL HEALTH

How to be an Ally of Mental Health Chisanga Kibato Contributor Nathalie Adriana Funes Serna Editor in Chief

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ftentimes, we hear assumptions about the behaviour or personality traits of people with a mental illness. Ableism is the discrimation against people with mental or physical disabilities. It also includes stereotyping people and believing that they are less capable than others or that they need to be “fixed.” Ableism is also treating people with mental illnesses in a different way than you would treat others.

One such behavior is when you dismiss someone’s feelings, experiences, and thoughts, or when you assume those were caused because of their mental illness. An anonymous respondent to a survey by the Ontario Human Rights Commision said, “If [you] are not doing well, and if you feel you have been discriminated against, these responses are invalidated. For example, I’ve heard from clinical staff that instead of someone with a mental health issue having a valid complaint, the person is being “triggered” [where something causes the onset of disability-related symptoms]. That is very frustrating, because it’s hard to prove your feelings are valid.

Another stereotype is the belief that people with mental illnesses are dangerous, unpredictable, and violent. Certain mental illnesses, such as antisocial personality disorder and the acute stage of some psychotic disorders, do have symptoms of aggressive behaviour. However, most mental illnesses do not have these symptoms.

This stereotype is fueled by the media by publishing articles with headlines that link aggressive behaviours with mental illnesses. As well, people without mental disorders can also be violent and aggressive. According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, “Mental illness plays no part in the majority of violent crimes committed in our society.”

Another example is that people believe that someone living with depression can just “snap out of it.”

Many believe that one allows themselves to grieve and remain in a state of sadness. This is completely false; no one chooses to be depressed. People with depression have a medical condition in which their brains function chemically and mechanically differently than someone without depression. This is, of course, a simplification of this disorder.

There has been progress in eliminating stereotypes surrounding mental illness. Nevertheless, in the progress of deleting stigma surrounding mental illness, there was a dramatic change. The destigmatizing became a trend of romanticizing mental illnesses.

Even though a person’s mental illness is not something that people should be scared of or ashamed of, it should also not inspire the desire to have a mental disorder in people. Nowadays, many are romanticizing mental illness like it is a style or trend, which is the opposite of the goal to stop the stigma. People shouldn’t associate the words “tragic” or “pain” of mental ill-

ness with being “cool” or “trendy”.

People explain how their mental illness feels like “losing control of themselves” and “not being able to recognize themselves.” Society is turning mental illness into something “cool”. Phrases like “I am so depressed” are being misused to explain someone’s disappointment. No; you are not depressed because Ross and Rachel broke up in Friends, or because you

It shows young and impressionable viewers that suicide is a way out. “This show has been known for increasing the amount of suicides in young teenagers,” says the National Institute of Health. Romanticizing self harm as something beautifully tragic will only increase unhealthy relationships with mental illness.

Mental illnesses are not a beautiful thing to go through or live

Educate others around you, and teach them about the stereotypes and how people romanticize mental health.

This will help decrease this vicious chain of misconception.

Can I have the check please?

Check on yourself and loved ones around you or in your community. In today’s time, there are so many things that can stress people out checking in on loved ones is super important regardless if the person has a mental illness or not. A great sentence to check in on someone is “I have recently noticed that you’ve been having a hard time. What can I do to help?”

It shows the person that you do notice them and that they are not alone; there is a friend by their side. Create a safe space for someone to talk about their problems. Reach out to the person by call, email, or text, and even simply saying “hi”, makes the person feel less alone. It’s also really important for you to check on your own mental health, and doing research could show you some places to get support and guidance.

Don’t be a Judge Judy

are bored and have nothing to do. You are disappointed with what happened, not tragically in pain. These illnesses are being tossed around without any knowledge of what they actually are.

OCD is a common disorder that is mistaken for a normal habit.

OCD (Obsessive–compulsive disorder) is a mental illness where a person feels the need to perform certain routines repeatedly (compulsions) or has certain thoughts repeatedly (obsession) to an extent that generates distress. People have to be careful of their words because it prevents people who actually do have these illnesses from seeking help. Because it’s so common for people to misuse these words, it leads people affected by OCD and other illnesses to believe that what they are going through is normal.

People see small or sometimes incorrect traits of the illness in themselves and claim that they have it. When did we start self diagnosing ourselves and others with illnesses we know nothing about? You don’t have Generalized Anxiety Disorder because you get nervous for your final calculus exam. Skipping a meal does not make you anorexic, and being organized doesn’t mean you have OCD.

Movies and TV shows play a huge influence in romanticizing mental illnesses because of their incorrect portrayals of them. “13 Reasons Why” glorifies the idea of suicide and wrongfully shows triggering images of the protagonist’s death.The main character, Hannah Baker, commits suicide as revenge on people who did her wrong.

The TV show was putting more empathies on the chemistry between the two main characters, instead of talking about the seriousness of her actions.

One situation to stay away from is invalidating a person’s experience. You can never fully understand what a person is going through. Phrases like “you’ll be fine” or “just get over it” does much more harm than good.

These can make the person feel like they are failing. Treat people’s mental illnesses seriously. Many people have lost their lives to mental illness, and it Photography by Bianca Miclaus is very important to be there for that person. The last thing you want to do with. The conversation changed; the is make them upset with themselves main goal was to destigmatize mental for not getting better. health and switched it to a fashionable Patience trend. Sadness doesn’t make you hap- When it comes to problems pier, it only makes you hurt. facing mental illness, there isn’t ex “1 out of 4 people in their actly a cure. It’s a lifelong struggle lives will experience a mental illness that has its ups and downs. Trying to in their lives” according to NIMH. It force someone to hurry up in their reis society’s responsibility to be a well- covery can make them spiral back to a educated ally in mental health. Lack of darker place. You don’t want the pereducation and understanding creates son struggling to believe they are failfear of mental illnesses. A wide-spread ing recovery. Recovery is not linear; it misunderstanding is that mental ill- has its ups and downs. And the goal for ness is only one thing, when in real- someone with a mental health illness ity there are many different disorders is for them to learn how to live with it with different severity of symptoms and learn relaxation and coping skills. and treatments. It is important not Letting your loved ones know that to treat them all the same regardless they will have your support with no of their similar symptoms. One thing end date attached can really help them that should always be consistent is focus on their recovery and not worry the respect and understanding of the that they’re disappointing you. struggling person. Mental illnesses are traumatic and horrific; the last thing Be aware that you might have you want to do is make it worse. Here said/done something wrong are a few tips to become a supportive

It is important to steer clear and caring ally of people with mental from doing or saying something that health illnesses. might affect someone. The Canadian Mental Health Association encourages Educate, Educate, Educate. people to think of the acronym STOP

The lack of knowledge leads to to recognize attitudes that stigmatize the lack of understanding. If someone people living with mental health. Ask in your life has a mental disorder, the yourself if what you say or hear is: first thing you should do is research -Stereotyping people with mental what this person is experiencing and health conditions (that is, assumes struggling with. It will give you a bet- they are all alike rather than individuter understanding about what they als)? are going through. Just because you -Trivializing or belittling experiences don’t understand it doesn’t mean you of people with mental health condishould turn your back on your loved tions and/or the condition itself? ones. Conduct your own research to - Offending people with mental health better your understanding. Even little conditions by insulting them? things like the basics will go a long - Patronizing people with mental way. For some people struggling with health conditions by treating them as mental health problems, it can be dif- if they were not as good as other peoficult for them to express themselves. ple?

EDTORIAL | NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | GRAFFITI 9

editorial

SCHOOL COMMUNITY

10 Year Anniversary of the NT Building Sofiia Savchyn Emelia Grossman Senior Advisory Board PJ Wilson Editor

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his year, North Toronto celebrates its tenth anniversary in its new modern and spacious building! Over the last decade, it has supported our academic interests, athletic achievements, creative ambitions, and built a fantastic community within its walls.

The construction project was an enormous undertaking, and through the effort of thousands of people, it came to life with great success. Despite the modernizations, North Toronto recognizes and protects its valuable heritage.

The new building’s facade protects the historic courtyard and preserves the original design from over a hundred years ago.

The school, built in 1912, contained only five classrooms, and when the student influx became too great, the school board decided it was time for a change. The 1921 renovation added a second floor and brought us the arch that serves as the current entrance to the courtyard. Over the years, several expansion projects added more classrooms, a third floor, an extra wing, as well as multiple portable classrooms.

The ongoing expansion of the school was over only by the new millennium and with devastating consequences.

Metal and brick corrosion, water leaks, facade deterioration, and falling ceiling tiles were evident throughout the outdated building. In 2004, the TDSB approved the construction of a modern facility for North Toronto and they were now seeking a development partner due to the lack of funding. After an intense auction, a real estate developer TRIDEL bought the school’s land. The deal resulted in The Republic, a twin-tower condominium development built alongside a new school with underground parking and a fullsized athletic field. One thing that was lost in the project was a swimming pool. Although there were various ideas on how the addition of a new pool would be tackled, it ultimately fell through due to the building expenses as well as the upkeep costs of a pool.

One of the major hurdles of the renovation was in preserving North Toronto’s physical heritage.

Dating back more than a century, the building’s original architecture is historically significant and impressive.

Photography by Mikayla Toplis This is especially true given the original facade’s size (which you can find in the courtyard near the office). Still, as one of the most critical aspects of the old building’s staff and alumni, it was restored and eventually incorporated into the current NT building’s center. Constructed from restored red bricks and framed by a stone arc marked by the school motto “Labour Omnia Vincit” or “Hard work con quers all,” the facade still stands today.

When the new building was first completed, it was a jarring change to the school’s 1200 students, and one which took years to fully adjust to. Many aspects of it remain imperfect: the lack of a vestibule on the southern doors allowing for freezing drafts throughout the first floor during winter, water leaks beneath doors, and other unfortunate quirks of the building. Overall though, the pros far outweigh the cons; music students appreciated the dedicated music rooms for different sections and the full auditorium seldom found in TDSB schools, which have both undergone renovation. Elevators allowed for universal accessibility to the building’s five floors, including access to a new underground parking garage. When combined with other modern features such as genderless bathrooms, a football field with uprights, and hallways surrounded by windows which allow for natural light to enter, the renovation was overall seen as a huge success.

As a final detail to round out the greatly improved school, a grant from the North Toronto Alumni Foundation allowed for 3 pieces of art to

be commissioned to decorate the walkway spanning between Broadway and Roehampton. The first two are large metal sculptures, one of a variety of words including “Love,” “Dream,” and “Provoke”; the other, a book filled with names of alumni, and the third: more subtle, stained Red and Grey glass along the fence separating the field and walkway.

Much more than a new building and a set of art pieces were gained in this renovation though; North Toronto and its student body flourished in numerous other ways. One of the primary areas of improvement was athlet ics, since NT had never been held in high regard for its sporting facilities.

This may be hard to imagine for current NT students who have the privilege of a state-of-the-art turf field, but for the majority of NT’s history, the field was fully dirt and unable to accommodate the school’s full sporting potential. The old field was so unusable, in fact, that Red and Grey Day used to be held within homeforms, and the football game was played at Northern’s field. As athletics at North Toronto grew because of the advanced facilities, so did school spirit, allowing Red and Grey Day to now become one of the most highly anticipated days at the start of each school year.

In addition to renovations to the sporting facilities, North Toronto’s environmental practices were adapted to meet the standards of the modern building that came with it. The school was constructed with the plan to reduce energy targets and used recycled

materials for the renovations. One of the prominent pieces of this new sustainable school plan was a larger amount of greenspace. The largest, yet least visible, piece of green space is the “living” rooftop garden that spreads along the roof of the fourthfloor of the school. The main goal of the gardens are to substantially de crease the water runoff during rainfall, and to provide a cooling effect in the summer. As an added bonus, because of the ability of the gardens to directly absorb rainwater, they do not require manual watering. Thanks to these modernizations, North Toronto is a current holder of a Gold certification from the Leadership in Energy and En vironmental Design program. LEED is an internationally recognized green building certification, and various plaques commemorating the achievement can be found throughout NT. Finally, most of the materials of the old demolished building were recycled, and as a creative nod to the old building, some of the materials were used in a quirky musical way; a luthier purchased them to create new guitars out of original North Toronto C.I. wood.

North Toronto is now distinguished among TDSB schools for its adventurous unique design and modern facilities. Whether you prefer the gothic design of past school buildings or the contemporary look of NT, the amount of effort and thought that went into the school standing today is remarkable, and the renovation has paid great dividends in improving the lives of thousands of future NT students.

Happy Anniversary, North Toronto!

10 GRAFFITI | NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | EDITORIAL CIVIL RIGHTS

Will This be the Time? Systemic Racism has Been an Issue for far too Long The same battle on different decades. Systemic racism is not a new issue, when will we put an end to it?

Photo courtesy of TIME Arissa Roy Julian Lewis Junior Advisory Board

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ill this be the time? How systemic racism has been an issue for far too long…

For George Floyd, it was suspicious behaviour. It took 8 minutes and 46 seconds for his life to be ended. For Breonna Taylor, she was peacefully asleep at home. Then, two bullets through the floor. Stephen Clark was standing in his backyard with his grandmother, Freddy Grey was in a police van, and Eric Garner was charged for selling loose cigarettes. These individuals are among hundreds of Black lives taken for no justifiable reasons. But shouldn’t this problem have been solved by now? Haven’t we already spent decades speaking out and protesting?

One of the most notable protests that have formed modern North America is the civil rights movement in the United States. The civil rights movement which took place between 1940 and 1960 was an organized initiative by Black Americans in order to fight for equal rights under the law.

Similar to the creation of the Black Lives Matter movement in 2013, it was not sparked by one action or event, but by several. The heart of the movement took place in Montgomery, Alabama and was led by key figures such as Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr who,

to this day, are recognized as heroes.

The Black Lives Matter movement and the civil rights movement were both sparked by the same underlying social issue: systemic racism. Although systemic racism has remained persistent, the way in which people are fighting back is very different. Civil rights activists successfully changed the law – Black people sitting at the back of the bus is no longer a reality – but the systemic racism deeply rooted in the past is something the Black Lives Matter movement must continue to strive to solve.

The demographic of protesters involved in each of these movements differ greatly. During the civil rights movement, many individuals who took to the streets were middle-aged Black men, as opposed to the current BLM movement in which you see people from all walks of life-supporting. Now, protesters vary in age, race, and gender. This indicates the social change that has been made over many areas, and we are beginning to share fundamental goals. But, the underlying problem, the one that has propelled each generation to take to the streets to protest, is still present in our society.

When comparing the civil rights movement to the Black Lives Matter movement, one of the key distinctions is the way in which people shared information. The media present today has evolved tremendously from the media present during the

civil rights movement. In an interview we did with Dr. Fred Clark, one of the first Black people to get their Ph.D. at the University of California, Berkeley, he said that “the main way that people would receive information about events during the civil rights movement was by radio and newspaper”. Everything people heard was curated by those in high-power positions; many of whom were not willing to tell the story from the side of Black Americans. Newspaper distributors were often prohibited from printing about the civil rights movement and the injustices faced by Black people.

In the North, Black Americans were blocked from broadcasting news in an effort to prevent the spread of their message to the South. In the latter half of the 20th century, recordings and pictures of social injustices were circulated on television and the South became aware of the civil rights movement. Finally, change was initiated.

In stark contrast, the video of George Floyd’s death quickly circulated around the internet, allowing fury to spread fast. The Netflix film The Social Dilemma has demonstrated that social media is changing the way people act, think, and operate their lives. Now, it’s changing the way people advocate for justice. Social media has enabled society to spread informational posts that amplify prominent Black voices and influential petitions.

During the civil rights move-

ment, nobody was surprised when police behaviour was excessively violent, but now the Black Lives Matter movement strives to stop law enforcement from fighting against protestors. As mentioned in several sources, including an article from Vanity Fair, law enforcement and all persons of power should sympathize, and come together to fight for justice. There is no reason for violence, and in fact, it is just adding “fuel to the fire”.

So, what can a high school student do to support the Black Lives Matter movement? Students can donate to or volunteer at one of the countless organizations working to eradicate systemic racism such as Black Lives Matter Canada, Black Youth Helpline, FoodShare, and more. As well, they can support Black-owned businesses and share educational posts on various social media platforms. As always, education is the key to solving any issue.

In a survey conducted alongside @ntstandup, 29% of respondents claimed to have experienced racism.

Fred Clark also says, “You can’t become so angry that you lose sight of who you are as a person because anger does not rule a person in a way that is positive…” A person can’t operate on hate.

We can operate by being active and trying to make change in the world.” He advises people to remember that every act, every action, every word has the power cast ripples amongst humanity.

You can stand up for what you believe.

INTERNAL | NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | GRAFFITI 11

SCHOOL LIFE

internal

How NT Students Feel About the 2020 School Year What student’s think about the new school model.

Elena Vlitas Editor

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lthough it’s only been a few months, this school year has already been completely unlike any other. Between a new quadmester format, smaller class sizes and health safety measures, this year will definitely be one for the books. Due to the unprecedented circumstances this year, students and staff have had to adjust to the changes and roll with the punches. NT students and staff have had many opinions on the school year so far, as to what they think about the new model and safety precautions. As the year goes on, what changes could NT see in the school year format, and what impact will this have on students’ high school experience?

The transition from non-semestered to a quadmester was a big jump for all NT students and staff.

Some students have found the transition stressful, while others have found things they like about the quadmester format. When asked about her opinions on the quadmester format, NT student Danielle Xin stated; “It’s nice to only have two classes to worry about as opposed to 8. I don’t like how con densed the courses are with the quadmesters , and it makes it a lot more difficult to bump up my mark, es pecially when things are moving so quickly.” Other students also seem to be in consensus, liking that they only have to focus on two classes at a time, yet disliking the fast pace of the classes and the higher weight that each test

and assignment carries.

The hybrid model is also showing to be a favourite among NT students in comparison to completely virtual. Grade 11 student Kiara Distin, explained she prefers the hybrid model in comparison to the virtual model as, “...it’s as close to normal school as possible, and I love seeing my teachers and friends, even if it’s minimal.” Other students also explained that they prefer the hybrid model because they learn considerably better in person.

Their quality of education is increased as they are able to be more productive in-person rather than in their house with countless distractions, and it is easier to get the help of teachers when needed. As the year goes on, the majority of NT students have said that they would prefer a model that allows them to be in school at least part of the time. However, if COVID-19 cases spike in the province, city, or at the school, this could cause shutdowns, forcing stu dents to learn completely from home.

While the hybrid model is definite ly the student favourite, some stu dents think some changes could be made to the model. When asked what these changes would be, student Danielle Xin said “I think three and a half hours of one subject is WAY too long.

I don’t have that kind of focus... They really should shorten it, or have some classes be in the afternoon instead of all in the morning.”

Students have also begun using the NOW Mobile app to gain entry to the school. There have already been many evident changes in the app, as the criteria has changed from the beginning of the year to now to include

a wider range of symptoms. The app has not been flawless; for example it was not working for most students for a short time, and some students still face technical difficulties with the app.

Another concern is how easily one can lie about their symptoms, stating that they are not experiencing any even if they are. Some students believe that there should be temperature checks upon entry, es pecially because it is so hard to know if your temperature is at or above the threshold of 37.8 degrees celsius.

Exams for the first two quadmesters have been cancelled because the board did not want to make it unfair for students in a hybrid structure, as fully online students were not doing exams.

While this relieves stress for many students, some are concerned about not having exams for the second consecu-

Photography by Noor Ajel tive school year. Grade 10 students at NT didn’t have grade 9 exams as a result of school shutdowns, and will miss their exams this year as well. This has caused students to be concerned since some will go into grade 11 having no experience writing exams in a year when their grades are very important as they are submitted to universities.

NT students and staff are glad to be back after so long at home, but things still aren’t quite back to normal. So far, students have noticed many pros and cons of the new school model, and hope that as the year goes on, some changes are made to help reduce the workload that the quadmester presents. Aspects of school are still rapidly changing day-by-day, so NT staff and students alike will have to continue adapting to all of the changes to come.

TDSB

In School vs Online Classes As students continue to adjust to the new hybrid and online models, many are hoping to return to a normal school year soon.

Victoria Man Editor

R

emember when we were all ecstatic to start the 2020 school year to participate in all of the clubs, sports, and activities, to eat out with friends for lunch, and to hang out at Yonge and Eglinton after school? None of us could have predicted a pandemic would occur amidst our high school years. COVID-19’s unpredictable nature made it necessary for all students and teachers to adjust to new learning models in a short period of time.

By now, most students are familiar with both the hybrid and the online models, and each has developed their own opinions on these peculiar styles of learning. A survey conducted through Instagram to determine the different perspectives of

North Toronto C.I. students found that approximately 85% of students at NT prefer the hybrid model to the fully online model. Considering the seven month long period that most students went without seeing their friends, it’s easy to understand their reasoning.

There are a couple of advantages to online learning too, such as health protection, and a flexible schedule. However, a majority of the students voiced deep concerns for the “distractions that present themselves when participating in online learning,” as well as “difficulty in communicating efficiently with teachers,” and “internet problems arising.”

Although there are many issues with online learning, the hybrid model isn’t the best option either. An NT student in grade 10 mentioned, “it was hard to hear with masks covering our faces” in the classrooms, and

another student attending the same year said, “teachers underestimate the workload” due to the fact that teachers do not have the chance to see how each student is progressing everyday.

A new student to NT in grade 9 added that “online school is much more damaging to our mental health.” He claims it was a result of all of the unexpected adjustments to our lifestyles and ways of learning that add on top of each other to create chain reactions of stress.

While both models have their pros and cons, students are having a hard time adjusting to both online and hybrid learning. No students participating in the survey had a strong preference for one of the two learning styles, instead identifying advantages and disadvantages to both; most students wish to continue to be able to learn solely in class. The problem is that due to the new COVID case that

presented itself at NT, despite students’ preferences, around 1 in 20 students are likely to switch to fully online in the next quadmester for safety.

Many students also wish to avoid Canada’s cold winters by switching to fully online in the second quadmester.

Online or hybrid, it is clear that NT students want to quickly get back to a normal school year where we would all normally be participating in Red & Grey day, listening to Christmas jingles played by the marching band, and eating lunch in the halls with friends. Unfortunately, we will all have to learn to adapt and get used to this type of learning until COVID-19 becomes less of a threat, and to do that we must work together as a community to bring ourselves closer to safety. Wash your hands, remain socially distanced, and please, wear your masks properly!

12 GRAFFITI | NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | INTERNAL EDUCATION

Online Learning: a Doubled Edged Sword The advantages and disadvantages of online learning.

Alana Odinocki Contributor

I

n less than a year, the COVID-19 pandemic has completely transformed the world of education. PreCOVID, students generally learned in a classroom setting with their peers, and had many opportunities to interact in person with their teachers. The defining characteristic of the COVID educational environment is online learning.

Students spend at least half, if not all of their learning time in front of computer screens; their teachers now talking heads, and their fellow students represented by a gallery of blocked cameras.

There are some advantages to online learning. Some students enjoy getting more sleep, rolling out of bed 5 minutes before class starts awnd attending in their pajamas. Introverted or shy students can feel more comfortable

and productive working at their desks in their own spaces, without the distractions or anxieties that accompany going to school in person. Several NT students said online learning frees up their schedules, giving them more time to exercise, complete assignments, or just relax. Finally, because more work is being done independently at home, as opposed to in-class under teacher supervision, students have the opportunity to develop independent study habits and become more self-motivated.

Nevertheless, an informal survey of North Toronto students suggests that most feel the cons outweigh the pros. During an on-line class at home, with no teachers to get them back on track, students are more inclined to get distracted, look at their phones, or even doze off. Many students voiced that they feel it is much harder to get timely help from teachers. Students also expressed frustration that the lack of face-to-face time

signments difficult, particularly because of the emphasis on independent learning assignments (where students learn through assignments they complete outside the virtual or real-life classroom) and the pace of learning under the new quadmester system. “It’s hard not being able to ask a question and have a teacher explain the answer to you face-to-face. We sometimes ask questions and get answers by email, but it’s not the same,” said one grade 10 student. “It’s really easy to fall behind… things move so fast,” said another.

In addition, a major disadvantage is the diminished quality of social interaction. Social interaction is vital in maintaining good mental health in teens. According to the U.S Department of Health & Human Services, positive social connections help ensure healthy physical, social, and emotional development. Many students miss being around other students, realizing only now how many social interactions a day they would have at school with peers and teachers. Even when they are at school, physical distancing prevents them from having the same sense of connection.

Another concern NT students have expressed is challenges with WiFi access.

Students report that during almost every online class at least one student can’t participate due to WiFiproblems.

The TDSB has identified lack of access to WiFior computers by some students as a challenge for online education. The TDSB lent 60,000 devices to its students during the spring transition to remote learning. They received 10,000 additional rePhotography by Marina Papachristosquests for equipment during the 2020-21 school year, but one of those 5 students conwith teachers makes completing as-

tinue to wait. The TDSB has apologized for the delays, and says they are doing everything they can to get more devices for students, but have not provided any numbers or concrete plans for when it will be possible.

Teachers also share concerns with online learning, especially the lack of connection between teachers and students. “I prefer in school lessons because I can develop a rapport with the students and interact with them more directly,” said Mr. Davis, an English teacher at NT. “Being comfortable with each other and building up a level of familiarity and trust is conducive to learning.”

Teachers also expressed frustration with the reluctance of students to turn on their cameras during online classes.

“If I don’t say turn your cameras on, nobody has their cameras on, so I’m spending an hour talking to a screen of letters,” said Ms. Withers, a visual arts and photography teacher. “I much prefer to see peoples faces and expressions… in class, you can see if somebody is struggling, or if they’re bored. You can’t really see that stuff on a computer.”

“Many students like to hide behind an image or letter, no matter how much I admonish them to show their face,” said Mr. Davis, “It must be some kind of adolescent neurosis that has been magnified during the social media age that prevents them from showing their faces. Either that, or they just want to take naps.”

As a result of COVID, online learning has been thrust upon the Ontario educational system. While it is difficult to predict whether online learning will survive post-COVID, there is clearly a lot that needs to be worked on before it can be viewed as a real alternative to the in-class educational experience.

NEW NORM

Quadmestered vs Non-semestered: Which one is Better?

Ryan Vuscan Contributor

R

emember when we were all ecstatic to start the 2020 school year to participate in all of the clubs, sports, and activities, to eat out with friends for lunch, and to hang out at Yonge and Eglinton after school? None of us could have predicted a pandemic would occur amidst our high school years. COVID-19’s unpredictable nature made it necessary for all students and teachers to adjust to new learning models in a short period of time.

By now, most students are familiar with both the hybrid and the online models, and each has developed their own opinions on these peculiar styles of learning. A survey conducted through Instagram to determine the different perspectives of

North Toronto C.I. students found that approximately 85% of students at NT prefer the hybrid model to the fully online model. Considering the seven month long period that most students went without seeing their friends, it’s easy to understand their reasoning.

There are a couple of advantages to online learning too, such as health protection, and a flexible schedule. However, a majority of the students voiced deep concerns for the “distractions that present themselves when participating in online learning,” as well as “difficulty in communicating efficiently with teachers,” and “internet problems arising.”

Although there are many issues with online learning, the hybrid model isn’t the best option either. An NT student in grade 10 mentioned, “it was hard to hear with masks covering our faces” in the classrooms, and

another student attending the same year said, “teachers underestimate the workload” due to the fact that teachers do not have the chance to see how each student is progressing everyday.

A new student to NT in grade 9 added that “online school is much more damaging to our mental health.” He claims it was a result of all of the unexpected adjustments to our lifestyles and ways of learning that add on top of each other to create chain reactions of stress.

While both models have their pros and cons, students are having a hard time adjusting to both online and hybrid learning. No students participating in the survey had a strong preference for one of the two learning styles, instead identifying advantages and disadvantages to both; most students wish to continue to be able to learn solely in class. The problem is that due to the new COVID case that

presented itself at NT, despite students’ preferences, around 1 in 20 students are likely to switch to fully online in the next quadmester for safety.

Many students also wish to avoid Canada’s cold winters by switching to fully online in the second quadmester.

Online or hybrid, it is clear that NT students want to quickly get back to a normal school year where we would all normally be participating in Red & Grey day, listening to Christmas jingles played by the marching band, and eating lunch in the halls with friends. Unfortunately, we will all have to learn to adapt and get used to this type of learning until COVID-19 becomes less of a threat, and to do that we must work together as a community to bring ourselves closer to safety. Wash your hands, remain socially distanced, and please, wear your masks properly!

INTERNAL | NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | GRAFFITI 13 PROFILE

The Next Chapter for Ms. Withers NT says goodbye to retiring teacher Ms. Withers as she reflects on her time at North Toronto and what the community means to her.

Riley Borsch Contributor Sarisha Panday Editor

A

ll good things must come to an end, and such can be said for Ms. Withers’ time at this school. Having taught at NT since 2004, she’s carved out a place in this school and in the hearts of her many students. Unfortunately, at the end of October, she retires. As a way to send her off, we sat down for an interview with her and got to know a bit more about her time at North Toronto.

What subjects have you taught?

“So I’ve taught every grade [of] Visual Art, Photography, I’ve taught Grade 9 English. I’ve taught quite a few Grade 10 Careers, in the old school. I was out in the portable with my class. And then they had this Math wing that was falling apart, so I was in [there] for a few years. It was so bad that one day I thought it was snowing in class -- I thought someone opened the window because I could see all these white things coming down -- [and then I realized] Oh it’s not snowing it’s the ceiling!” We share a laugh here as she reminisces “I did guidance for a few years as well.”

What have you enjoyed teaching the most and why?

“Well, I think my first love is teaching Art. I do like teaching Photography, but normally that’s the class where there’s tons of multi-tasking going on, and I’m always running around with people in the darkroom, and people in the computer lab, and people taking photos, and people doing assignments. So, that’s a tricky one. Even though I like photography it’s always sort of my hardest one.

I actually had a lot of fun teaching Careers, too, because we did some fun stuff. I know kids complained about Careers like ‘Oh it’s so bor-

ing, it’s so stupid, it’s so easy’ but I tried to do some fun stuff. We used to do one where we threw paper airplanes across the classroom, trying to get their airplane to hit the far wall. And on their airplane, they listed all their dreams and hopes for the future. And the message was not that ‘nobody is gonna get any of their dreams or hopes’ because their airplane wouldn’t hit the other wall.

It was just that, things happen and it’s more important to sort of go with the flow because your path might change whether you like it or not. There were kids that were saying, like ‘I’m gonna be a lawyer’ and that’s it. In grade 10, they knew they were gonna be a lawyer. Well, that might not happen, or they may not like being a lawyer.

So that was actually a fun class, I liked that one.” “Guidance I liked except; I’m too emotional,” she added, somewhat embarrassed. “If a kid cried, I would start crying. I couldn’t stop myself from tearing up, and then I’d felt badly.”

What did you like most about being at NT? “I guess what shocked me was how well-behaved the students were, and how polite they were. You know, having students say ‘bye’ when they left class or say ‘thank you’. That never happened at the schools I was at before. I remember I was teaching careers and I can remember I made it through halfway through the course without having to send anyone to the office. That would have never happened with my other schools. Within the first week of school, I’d be having to send some to the office. And so, this one guy, I think he just wouldn’t stop talking [when I asked him], so I sent him to the office. The next class, he put his hand up, and I thought he was going to answer a question, but he stood up and [apologized].” With a shocked expression, she continued; “I don’t think he was asked [to apologize,] he did it on his own. So that’s something that was a nice surprise.

I can’t tell you how much in my old school I was [cursed out]. At least now it’s behind my back so I don’t get to

hear it.”

What was your most memorable moment at NT? “One year I had a really extroverted grade 9 class. Maybe 80 percent were very gung-ho and out there and the other 20 percent a bit shy. But they were always going all out for events.

All the things that happened during the year, my class won. For example, on Red and Grey day they won for the grade 9 school spirit. And there was a NEAT contest that they won. We got the most money for Charity Week. For the NEAT thing that they won, we got a field trip to go to the brickworks, and they had to go to the subway station and they took them on a walk from the subway down to the brickworks. It was hilarious because it was kind of rainy and muddy, and they didn’t make me do it so I got to drive.

And as I was waiting for the class to come out of the forest, they came out and I barely recognized them, they were so muddy. And then we had a tour of the brickworks. They gave us a really nice organic-y lunch. It was just such an awesome class, it’s like one of those classes, where everything we did was just fun and they were very successful. That was a cool year, and I’ll remember those kids. Like whenever I see pictures of them, I’m sort of like ‘Aww I remember that class, that was such a good Grade 9 class.’They crushed it! They crushed everything!

And partly because so many of them would do stuff. Maybe a quarter of the class was sort of shy and hung back but the rest of them were really into it. They ended up being able to get the ones that were shy to get into it too.

It was just one of those classes where everyone started having fun and doing stuff… this class had a whole dance set up where these two girls jumped up and landed in the splits.”

What will you miss most about NT? “Oh… so many things. I think I’m gonna miss the energy of being around young people. Even when it’s not good energy all the time it’s still, you know, energy. You know, it’s nice

to see kids that get into projects and put their best effort into it but it’s also nice to be able to help kids that need some extra help and to see them not give up. That’s really nice as a teacher too. And like I’m never bored.

And I’m pretty sure when I retire I’m gonna start being bored pretty fast.

You can’t be bored as a teacher. If anything, I look at the clock and I’m like ‘Oh my gosh we have five minutes left!’. I think I’m gonna miss seeing all the art the kids make, too. That’s always very inspiring to me to see the ideas they come with. That’s always nice when I get to mark art stuff. I wish I didn’t have to mark it, but I like seeing what the kids did.”

If you were to describe the NT community in a word or sentence, what would it be?

“Well, it’s hard to do it in a word… I would say that the NT community has inspired me. Not just in art, in many ways. The teachers I’ve worked with have been very…” Ms. Wither begins to trail off here, and to tear up. It’s clear what she wants to express can’t easily be put into words. “Let’s just say I have been very proud to be part of this community.”

In her retirement, Ms. Withers hopes to get a lot of things done. She wants to go on walks and exercise more, as well as continue to make art. She has an art room all set up at home where she plans to create many different pieces with her daughter who attend OCAD. She wants to do some watercolour paintings, and hopefully sew a quilt made from old clothes she’s saved. Once COVID-19 is over, she plans to travel to places in Europe and Asia. Not to mention, spend time with her parents and help them out just as they helped her.

Her past students will definitely miss her, but as she sets off for a new chapter in her life, we wish her well and hope that she can continue doing what she loves. Thank you, and best of luck Ms. Withers, NT loves you!

Check out Graffiti’s new website! graffiti.ntci.on.ca Or scan the QR code

14 GRAFFITI | NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | INTERNAL UNIVERSITY

The Six Biggest Changes to PostSecondary Applications As grade 12’s are beginning the post-secondary application process, here are some important changes to keep in mind.

Maeve Ellis Editor in Chief

A

s if there weren’t already enough surprises this school year, there are also major changes happening with post-secondary applications. With the help and advice of the guidance departments’ very own Ms. De Braux, Graffiti has put together the six biggest changes to applications that Grade 12’s have to look out for.

1. Grade 11 Marks May be Used

stitute. An example of a school implementing this is the University of Toronto. To quote its website: “U of T will make conditional offers of admission throughout the year on the basis of your available Grade 11 and 12 marks.” Another case is Ryerson University, with its website saying, “We make our admission decisions based on the information we have at the time of assessment. This may include a review of Grade 11 results.” Ms. De Braux stressed to Graffiti that not all schools are doing this and each should be checked on a case-by-case basis.

2. There’s A Lot More Flexibility

Schools will look at your grade 11 mark for a course in your application in case your grade 12 mark is unavailable. For instance, if your English mark is in quadmester four, and you need to send in your application before quad four has ended, your grade 11 english mark will be used as a sub-

Students are not the only ones scrabbling to adapt to pandemic changes.

Universities also have a lot that’s up in the air, with a lot of previous firm requirements being abandoned this school year. The University of British Columbia’s website, addressing flex-

ibility around deadlines, says “We also understand that some students are in need of additional flexibility in meeting deadlines as a result of disruptions to schooling or exams due to COVID-19.

UBC is committed to working with any students who may need extra time in order to complete their application.”

pages explaining all the differences for this year. These were also a main source of information for this article. You can also find more resources online, like virtual campus tours.

3. Students Can Retake Courses for Better Marks

But, the guidance department has not gotten as much information from them yet, so stay tuned!

With conditional offers, students are allowed to retake courses in summer school, to get better marks that are necessary. In other words, if you don’t get the mark/marks you need for a conditional offer, you can retake the course, vying for a better mark in the summer.

4. All Institutions Have Links for COVID-19 Application Changes On the university websites, there are prominent links that lead to detailed

ASK THE NORSEMAN

“

5. All of the Above Applies for Colleges

6. There will be Major Changes to Trades Programs On sight training being challenging with Covid makes a lot of plans impossible. Apprenticeships are still happening though, so Ms. De Braux still advises students to not rule out looking into these kinds of opportunities for the future.

ADVICE COLUMN

Hey NT! We want you to send us any questions you may have about school, life, or anything else to Graffiti’s new advice column!

Questions can be 20 -100 words long, sent to ntci.graffiti@gmail.com, and published anonymously if requested.

”

INTERNAL | NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | GRAFFITI 15 EDUCATION

Battle of the Educational Platforms What do students prefer, Brightspace or Google Classroom?

Hayden Bainbridge Contributor

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veryday, we are faced with various decisions of choosing between specific brands or services.

For example, Uber or Lyft? Loblaws or Sobeys? Netflix or Crave? More specifically to North Toronto CI, Brightspace or Google Classroom? Released back in 1999, Brightspace was one of the first online learning services, whereas Google Classroom was released more recently in April 2014. Brightspace is more learning and teaching oriented, focusing on internal tests, quizzes, units, and specific course modules.

Google Classroom, on the other hand, is more focused on homework, small assignments and smooth communication between students and teachers.

Both platforms have their advantages and disadvantages, but which one is the best? To answer that question, I conducted a survey of some of my peers at NT. I created a poll on one of my social media accounts, which revealed that 44% of NT students prefer Brightspace and 56% of NT students prefer GoogleClassroom. Why are these percentages so close? Both platforms are not very different and both have their advan tages and disadvantages. Therefore, it

was likely these results would be similar. Personally, I am not surprised with these results as I myself prefer Google Classroom. It is much less confusin to use for many reasons.

For one, the TDSB relies on Google accounts for students and teachers to distribute almost all online work.

Brightspace uses an internal communication system, whereas Google Classroom is connected to your personal TDSB account and email, making communication and classwork far easier. In the end, it comes down to personal preference; neither platform is superior to the other as they both achieve the same

goals: connecting teacher to student, organizing classwork, and allowing the submission of assignments. The same way a person would prefer an Uber

IIllustration by Danielle Xin

over a Lyft, or a McDonalds meal over a Burger King meal, it all comes down to the individual’s personal choice.

TDSB

No Exams at NT... Good or Bad? Exam cancellations may sound like a relief, but what else could it mean for teachers and students?

Zara Berholz Contributor

T

his year, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been forced to be flexible in most aspects of our lives, and school is certainly no exception. With so much uncertainty in the past seven months, we had almost no idea what this school year would look like. The reality is, we still don’t.

Recently, we were informed that yet another thing has to change.

On October 9, all North Toronto teachers were contacted by the Toronto District School Board and by our principal.

They were informed that student exams have been canceled for this school year.

This year, the TDSB implemented a quadmester format at larger schools in Toronto, one of which being NTCI. Each quadmester lasts around a month and a half, and the last 2 days of each quadmester were originally allocated for final exams.

Mr. Zohar, a grade 11 and 12 teacher at NTCI, says, “Exam days are [now] given over to credit rescue so that students who have fallen behind have a chance to get the credit.”

The TDSB defines credit rescue, or credit recovery, as when you have completed a course within a school year or semester, but have not successfully reached the curriculum

expectations to a passing level. In these cases, there are many different options available to still earn credit for the course within that school year.

If you are not a student seeking credit recovery, teachers are in the process of determining how to “fill this void,” as Ms. Minasian put it. Ms. Minasian, a grade 9 teacher at NTCI, also talks about the challenges of filling the missing 30% of our marks, which were originally allocated to exams. “With the VERY late notice from the board, there isn’t time to implement anything else major,” she said.

Many teachers are having to take another look at their overall assessment strategy to ensure that even without that final exam, it reflects the students’ understanding of the course material. Mr. Gardner, a Grade 12 Teacher at NTCI, will “likely have more BrightSpace [virtual classroom] evaluations, but the vast majority of a student’s final mark will be based on in-person tests.”

Ms. Rogow, a grade 9-12 teacher, says one of the downsides is that, “Teachers who were planning to hold an exam in that timeframe [the 2 day exam period] will lose some teaching time if they have to place the exam into their in-class time.” Since teachers aren’t able to use those two allocated exam days. They need to use class time to complete student assessments. Each teacher seems to be

able to create their own alternative.

This cancellation affects students as well as teachers. But do the benefits outweigh the drawbacks?

The lack of an official exam could mean less stress on both students and teachers, and could potentially create more marking time for staff.

It could also mean more equitable assessments for students physically going to school and those taking classes virtually, since virtual exams cannot be proctored by staff.

In this quadmester format, students and teachers are already working 110 hours of class time into around a month and a half, which has already been challenging for some.

Mr. Gardner supports this by saying, “Not having exams doesn’t give students an opportunity to put all that they have learned together in context, but in a quadmester system I am not sure it makes that much of a difference. I don’t see the point of having students do even more work (i.e. write an exam) after an incredible effort to get to the end of the quadmester.”

Those new to NTCI, particularly those coming from middle school, may have to wait another year or two to get the full high school exam experience.

An anonymous grade 9 student provides the following perspective: “It’s so much less stressful not having to study for an exam, but I think studying and taking exams is an impor-

tant skill to have, and missing our first one could mean we won’t have as much experience in the future.”

Ms. Minasian believes that, grade 9s haven’t had much experience with major exams, so this just means that their grade 9 year is a lot like grade 8. This may have eased the transition into high school for some, but given the uncertainty and constant change we are experiencing day-today during this pandemic, it likely has not reduced stress levels for all.

For those students graduating this year, this announcement brings its own set of challenges. One of the teachers points out that in the previous year, exams were also canceled, which means that a lot of grade 12’s going to university next year will not have written an exam since grade 10. Since we’re in the quadmestered schedule, some grade 12s (depending on which university program they’re applying to) may be forced to apply using their grades from last year, especially if the courses they need to apply with are in the last two quads this year.

We have limited information on this announcement and the reasoning behind it, but we should begin to uncover more as the year progresses.

All considered, the decision to not hold exams is just another example of how we are all adapting to this new reality. And, who knows, maybe exams could be a thing of the past?

16 GRAFFITI | NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | FEATURES

features

YONGE-EGLINGTON AREA

Yonge-Eglinton Area at Odds Over Homeless Shelters Kiana Sharifi Kiara Distin Sean Seokwoo Lee Editors

A

mid the COVID-19 pandemic, a site on Roehampton Avenue is among several buildings in Toronto that have been repurposed as temporary spaces for the homeless to physically distance from one another. Thousands of homeless people were moved out of over-crowded shelters and makeshift outdoor encampments into these temporary shelters. The previously vacant Roehampton Hotel opened as a shelter in early July, housing 174 people. Although the Broadway shelter is no longer active, the Roehampton Hotel has remained open.

Unfortunately, due to Yonge and Eglinton’s bustling area of schools, homes, and walkable streets, these shelters have created deep divisions within this community.

Alfred Chuang, a father of three, whose children participated in summer programs at the North Toronto Community Centre, revealed that “it really comes down to communication and transparency.” Chuang explained that “[the community] needs to do [initiatives] like th[e] [shelters] but it needs to be planned.” He also went on to say that “to be successful you need to really engage the community.”

Since the summer, the City has improved their communication with residents by listening to their concerns.

The City has also worked closely with local schools and businesses on safety measures to further diminish these concerns. This includes a Community Liaison Committee which has 24/7 security in place and a safety team that collects hazardous waste including discarded needles in the area.

At Eglinton Junior Public School, there have been reported sightings of syringes and drug paraphernalia, but Principal Ian Wilson said that, although he’s concerned about the incident, he is thankful for the community safety team’s help. “The community safety team, which is here to support us from the Roehampton Residence, come and sweep the schoolyard every day before school starts,” Wilson said. “And they’re on-site during entry and dismissal and throughout the day as well.”

Another concern that has been brought up repeatedly is the safety of the inhabitants of the Roehampton Hotel. As of October 1st, there have been a total of 649 COVID-19 cases and five deaths in Toronto shelters. As a ttresult, two lawsuits have been filed against the City by groups representing the homeless. One case laid allegations that the City failed to adhere

Photography by Haruka Kadota to proper physical distancing in their shelters and the other case claims that they have infringed Charter Rights by breaking up encampments in parks. In both scenarios, the accusations made against the City reached the Ontario Supreme Court on October 2nd and are currently awaiting the judges’ decision.

Although the City has worked hard to create a safe space in the Yonge-Eglinton area, some people are extremely against the placement of the shelter. Through an investigation, the writers discovered a private Facebook group, where its members have voiced their opinions. Many have made fun of the City’s decisions and actions regarding the shelter saying, “these clowns can’t run the city on a basic level.” In reference to the extra safety measures residents are taking because of the shelter, one member said, “my heart breaks for the crap all of us decent, law-abiding, hard-working, tax-paying considerate citizens have to deal with in this sh*t hole the City is turning into.” These particular citizens of the City are working to get the shelter removed as soon as possible, and have the message of “Midtown wants its safety back.”

Alfred Chuang, the parent interviewed earlier in the article, acknowledged that “there will always be a portion of the population that has nimbyism” who is “for affordable housing” but “suddenly very standoffish” when it is introduced to their comunity. Nimbyism (Not In My BackYard) is the occurrence of opposition from residents of new developmentsin their neighbourhood. However, he recognized that there was “a good

portion of people” that were not reacting out of a nimbyism perspective, but out of concern from “a sudden, unexpected, and really unplanned” development. In response to the worry from the community, the City councillors consulted with all parties involved and set out to create a proposal.

In an interview, City councillor Josh Matlow outlined the role he has had in easing the integration of the homeless shelter within the Eglinton community. At the beginning of the pandemic, Matlow was informed that the City had signed a two-year lease with the hotel manager to create this shelter. When he had “asked [the City] if they were going to proactively engage the community, he was told that they weren’t” and as a result of the rapid manifestation of the housing crisis, the City had no choice but to act fast. Matlow respectively disagreed with this approach.

He believes that “the more people are informed on the reality of what’s going on, the more thoughtful conversations can [be had]” and adds that when residents feel that decisions are made at them, rather than with them, it can create fear and controversy. Although there were many unhappy people in the Facebook group mentioned above, Matlow decided that it would be counterproductive to get angry at the City, the very people that he would need decision-making support from.

Josh Matlow, along with other City councillors, reached out to the City and together they created a safety plan to ensure the health of the residents and shelter clients. In an email from the City’s Shelter, Support and Housing

Administration division, they outlined the several safety measures that will be maintained throughout the winter.

Along with typical protocols such as physical distancing and mask-wearing, the City has implemented the use of standard symptom screening at all points of entry into the shelter system and conducting active daily screening of all clients and staff for symptoms of COVID-19. As well, the shelter is providing ongoing isolation and recovery sites with support for clients who await test results or test positive to recover. The City has maintained the position that their workers have worked tirelessly to create a safe environment in the shelter and that the chance of catching COVID-19 while staying in their accommodation is not as high as the accusers have made it out to be.

Currently, the City has the hotel on lease for two years with an option to renew it for one additional year.

Nonetheless, they do stress that this is a temporary shelter location and “their ultimate goal is to secure housing for clients”. As with any of their shelter sites, if a program needs to close or relocate, all clients will be provided with options for alternative shelter space.

The opening of this homeless shelter in the Yonge and Eglinton area has paved the way for many different avenues of discussion. Many residents and business owners have been enraged by this shelter, but others feel that they have a responsibility to welcome vulnerable citizens. For the time being, this shelter is here to stay and the City has tried their best to ensure the safety of the neighbour-

FEATURES | NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | GRAFFITI 17 COVID-19

Do Teens Really Care About COVID-19?

Illustration by Bianca Miclaus

Sian Huang Editor

O

n March 13th, 2020, students celebrated as they opened their email from the Toronto District School Board. Ontario teens retweeted, reposted, and rejoiced as their March Breaks were extended by two weeks, thanks to some virus that was far too distant to be concerning. Three weeks became a month, which became two, which became six.

By the time that September had come around, students were desperate to get back to school. The government had put their faith in the school board, teachers, and students to act wisely and do their part when given the privilege to return to school.

Now, as the second wave of COVID-19 is arriving, people are questioning just how seriously teens are viewing the importance of COVID safety. Do teens really care about the pandemic?

Or are they oblivious to its severity?

At the start of quarantine, Ontario had 79 confirmed cases of COVID-19, and even though this number seems incredibly low in comparison to the hundreds of cases these days, people were significantly more concerned back then. As well, it’s important to note that many fewer tests were administered and many may not have been aware that they even had the virus. Students’ excitement of their three-week staycations diminished as they began to realize the severity of the coronavirus. With their

heightened anxiety and intensified paranoia, Torontonians stayed inside and didn’t dare to leave their homes.

Other than to stock up on toilet paper, of course. After surveying sixty high school students from twelve different schools within eight unique school boards across Ontario, every student believed that COVID-19 was real, and 90% of them believed that COVID-19 was an extremely serious threat.

However, teens’ attitudes towards the pandemic changed as we flattened the curve. Kiana Sharifi, a grade eleven NT student, believes that part of the reason why students are not taking COVID-19 seriously anymore is because their lives are going back to normal with the reopening of school. Now, teens are starting to think that the rest of their lives should go back to normal too. As well, Sharifi believes that “students think that it’s not cool to take [COVID-19] seriously.”

Out of the sixty high school students surveyed, ten of them had been to a party with over ten people, forty-one of them had spent time with four or more friends at once, and twenty-nine of them had been to a shopping mall. Additionally, forty of them had been inside of someone else’s home, and nine of them had travelled outside of Canada.

What’s more concerning is the fact that many students do not recognize the severity of COVID-19’s second wave. Exactly seven months after schools first closed down, Canada hit a record number of cases, with 4,042 positive COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, October 13th. As well, Ontario reached

its third day in a row of over 700 cases, with 783 on Thursday, October 14th.

Despite the alarming statistics of the second wave of the coronavirus, 56.7% of surveyed teens were not any more concerned. Furthermore, 40% of the surveyed teens were not willing to make any lifestyle changes, meaning that many of them will continue to attend get-togethers, travel, visit shopping malls, and do whatever else they can under the radar of the government’s new restrictions. In turn, cases will only continue to rise.

When asked whether or not they feared the second wave of COVID-19, most teens said that they did not, as they didn’t feel that the virus would affect them. However, Kiana Sharifi strongly disagrees with this logic. Sharifi believes that “if [COVID-19] is affecting one part of the population, everyone should take their part to protect [them].”

Several students across Ontario are unhappy with the provincial government’s latest decision to close gyms, restaurants, and other nonessential institutions for a period of twenty-eight days to slow the spread of the virus. Vuk Vucelic, a grade twelve student from Etobicoke Collegiate Institute, defends his decisions to “take risks” during the second wave of COVID by claiming that it’s important to “find a balance between living life and being considerate to others.” Though 55% of surveyed teens stated that they know someone who has contracted COVID-19, this knowledge has not changed their relaxed views towards the virus. Vania St. Jean, a grade twelve

student from the Kawartha Pines Region District School Board, does not believe that COVID-19 is a true threat, despite her neighbour contracting COVID-19. Additionally, she believes the coronavirus to be “similar to the flu.”

Meanwhile, other students support the government’s new restrictions. Kiana Sharifi remarked that she “couldn’t see how people would want to put other people in danger just to go to the gym”, and added that “[teens] just need to be less selfish.” Mikayla Toplis, a grade eleven NT student, stated that “it would be nice if people could [follow precautions], because the longer that people don’t, the longer we’ll be stuck in the situation that [they’re creating].”

Most Toronto teens feel that COVID-19 is a threatening issue and that it is essential that the population follows social distancing and maskwearing protocols. However, these students’ actions do not reflect their words, as many of them fail to acknowledge the severity of the second wave. One in three surveyed North Toronto students believe that other people need to change their actions regarding COVID-19, but that they do not need to change their own. According to Kiana Sharifi, “we live in a society that’s so individualistic … [and] people really only think about themselves.” The answer to the question, do teens really care about the coronavirus, is simple: teens think that they care, but in reality, they don’t.

18 GRAFFITI | NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | FEATURES MENTAL HEALTH

10, 4, 12, 4 Breathe in for 10, hold for 4, out for 12, hold for 4, and repeat.

Marina Papachristos Contributor

I

’ll be honest, I never really thought that I’d end up in a therapist’s office talking about how well I did or didn’t cope with my disorder this past week, but here we are. Learning to control my anxious thoughts has come down to reading packages on breathing exercises and learning how my panic attacks are just the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems doing their jobs. That the reason I feel nauseous and my hands are shaking is just because my body is preparing for danger. But to give this a little more context, let’s jump back to little grade three me sitting in the office bawling her eyes out because she felt like she was going to throw up.

For the most part, my childhood was pretty normal; I had a big loving Greek family who never expected too highly of me. No terrible backstory or childhood trauma. There was no overwhelming reason for me to develop any sort of disorder, but it happened.

Grade three was the very first time that I had (what I assume to be) a panic attack. Fast heartbeat, lightheadedness, loss of appetite, the whole shebang. I sat in the office crying for my mom. This happened more than once. I remember coming home one afternoon and drawing myself sitting in class with a little lightning bolt over my head, con-

fused as to what was going on with me.

My mom decided to book an appointment and the doctor did a blood test to check if I had any infections. The experience surely added to the list of things I hate and fear, but apart from that, everything came back “normal”. My freak-outs about throwing up subsided and we let it be. Forgotten like dust in the wind.

However, in middle school, these experiences returned in a different form. Rather than the uncontrollable sobbing about throwing up (I never actually threw up), I had anxious thoughts. Thoughts about people not liking me, thoughts about people judging me, thoughts about not reaching my own expectations. I would have days where my chest would feel empty and heavy and others where it would feel like a hand was gripping my throat. I ignored all of these feelings because nobody talked about them. I convinced myself that I was just overreacting, making it a larger issue for myself than it actually was.

In high school, these feelings got worse. Because I didn’t talk about my worries and emotions, it left me alone to shoulder the burden of these thoughts. My self-esteem deteriorated, and the number of times my breathing became inexplicably faster increased.

I went to the doctor for my yearly checkup and she wanted to do bloodwork to check my iron levels. After expressing my fear of drawing blood, she sent me to a therapist and psychiatrist. Thinking it was only because

of my fear of drawing blood, I went.

By the second session, I was medically diagnosed with anxiety and panic disorders. It was as if the puzzle pieces were finally coming together; but instead of feeling relieved, I felt scared. What does this mean now? Why do I have to deal with this type of disorder? I dealt with a lot of frustration before I was able to start learning how to cope with it all.

After learning about anxiety and its symptoms, I started recognizing it more often. I was convinced it was getting worse when, in hindsight, I was just identifying it more. Instead of getting off of the bus confused as to why I was shaky and weak, I noticed the small things that ticked off my fight-or-flight reactions, such as someone standing too close next to me. I was noticing the tiniest of things that would’ve normally flown right under the radar.

At the time, it didn’t feel like growth, but I’ve come to realize that it was.

The very first thing my therapist taught me so that I could deal with my anxiety and panic attacks was a breathing exercise: 10, 4, 12, 4. Breathe in for 10, hold for 4, out for 12, hold for 4, and repeat. It was the very first step I took towards dealing with my anxiety. That was about two years ago, and I still feel like I have a lot more progress to make.

At times, it can still be really frustrating noticing that I haven’t made it that far on my road to mental stability. My own expectations are still my worst nightmares and I’m coming to terms with the fact that I

Illustration by Esther Won

do indeed suffer from a disorder. But that’s the thing that’s unique about mental disorders – it is an eternal process of working on yourself. I’m growing to know that my worth isn’t based on how much progress I’ve made; it’s based on my devotion to becoming better than how I started and it’s taken me a long time to realize that.

I continue to educate myself about anxiety and how it works, why panic attacks happen, and how I can best deal with them when they arise.

Just like I did in grade three, I often turn to the arts to deal with my anxiety. Maybe I’ll stick a vinyl on the record player or perhaps I’ll practice violin. Sometimes I’ll go for a walk and practice my photography, or I’ll pull out my sketchbook and recreate something I saw on Pinterest. By using these coping mechanisms, I have never been mentally healthier and the thought that one day I’ll be even healthier is what keeps me going.

To paraphrase Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson, if you recognize yourself in these pages - if you feel something stirring inside you - you might be one of us. Percy’s advice was to shut the book and step away, but I urge you to do the opposite. Open the book, look inward, talk to someone you trust, seek professional help. There is no shame in asking for help, in bettering yourself. It’s hard work to improve your mental health, but it’s necessary work. Always remember, you never have to shoulder the burden alone.

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GRAFFITI | NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | FEATURES

GENDER EQUALITY

The Legacy of Ruth Bader Ginsburg Ginsburh stood for the freedoms and liberties of women, using her voice in the Supreme Court to fight to close the gap of gender inequality.

Elise Farmar Editor

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n the words of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, “women’s rights are an essential part of the overall human rights agenda, trained on the equal dignity and ability to live in freedom all people should enjoy.” Ruth Bader Ginsburg was many things: a Supreme Court Justice, the co-founder of the Women’s Rights Project at American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), a mother, a wife, and, above all else, a woman. As a feminist, Ginsburg stood for the freedoms and liberties of women and used her voice in the Supreme Court to fight to close the gap of gender inequality. In her eighties, Ginsburg became an American pop culture icon dubbed “The Notorious R.B.G.” for her unapologetic and dedicated character. Ginsburg fought for the gender equality movement since the 1970s and served 27 years on the Supreme Court as a leading voice for women’s equality, LGBTQ+ rights, and equality as a whole. Unfortunately, after an 11 year battle with pancreatic cancer, Ginsburg died at the age of 87 on September 18th of this year. Her death and absence from the court will have lasting consequences. So, what is the legacy that Ruth Bader Ginsburg leaves behind?

Ginsburg left a lasting im-

pact on those who were advantaged by the laws she helped interpret. She cast votes in support of the ability for Americans to get abortions (the Roe v. Wade court case) and the ability to marry someone of the same sex. Additionally, as a litigator with the ACLU tracing back to the 1970s, RBG worked alongside other politicians to challenge laws that had a restrictive view of gender roles within families. She fought in the interest of both men and women to bridge the gap between gender inequality. As Kathryn Stanchi, a law professor at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas stated, “at the time RBG was [fighting] laws that made explicit gender distinctions ... widows get this; widowers don’t. Wives get this; husbands don’t.”

Arguably, the most significant laws that Ginsburg fought for include: employers could not discriminate against employees based on gender or reproductive choices, state-funded schools must admit women, women have the right to financial independence and equal benefits, men are entitled to the same caregiving and Social Security rights as women, and juries must include women. The Americans that were impacted by these laws will forever have RBG’s legacy present in their lives.

However, after her death, the vacancy Ginsburg left on the Supreme Court became a focus of the 2020 presidential campaign. Despite her dying

wish to be not replaced on the Supreme Court until a new president was installed, the Republicans replaced her and tightened their grip on the court to a 6-3 majority. So, in the midst of a charged political battle for presidency, everything RBG fought for is now at risk.

Despite this, Ruth Bader Ginsburg will continue to make significant impacts on women all over the world.

Ripples of her empowerment are even present in the halls of NT. Sophie Block, a Grade 10 NT student, first learned about Ginsburg when she was in grade six. Block explained, “I saw a really interesting documentary about [Ruth Bader Ginsburg] at TIFF.” She continued, “[since] then, [Ginsburg] was my role model … I was very inspired by her story.” In contrast, Kiara Distin, a Grade 11 NT student, explained that “despite hearing her name, I actually didn’t know who [Ruth Bader Ginsburg] was before she died.” Distin continued, that after learning about Ginsburg’s life, “I admire her and understand the rights and freedoms she fought for.”

RBG played a significant role in empowering this generation of NT students. Distin stated that by learning about everything Ginsburg accomplished, “I feel as though I could accomplish something similar as a woman.”

Block added, “Ginsburg taught me that anything is possible … and empowered me to challenge what I see.”

Emelia Grossman, a Grade 11 NT student, shared, “I’m empowered to have

lived during the same time that such a significant female figure fought to help girls in the U.S., girls like myself.”

For a female figure that has empowered girls all over the world, it is important to honour Ginsburg’s legacy. The fight for gender equality does not end with RBG. Block suggests a few ways in which government officials can carry on the legacy of RBG. First, her divisive ruling on Roe v. Wade, the case that legalized abortions in the U.S., should not be overturned. Block believes that “this would destroy her hard work. I think that to further the changes that she’s made, we cannot lose momentum on the passing laws that work towards gender equality.”Additionally, we can all make conscious choices in our daily life, albeit small, to sustain the changes that Ginsburg enforced. Distin recommends “honour[ing] [Ginsburg] by continuing [to] stand up for the equal treatment of everyone – regardless of gender, race, abilities, or age – in our everyday life.”

Ruth Bader Ginsberg once stated, “I would like to be remembered as someone who used whatever talent she had to do her work to the very best of her ability.” This is what Ginsburg’s legacy truly is. Above all else, Ginsburg was a woman with knowledge and dedication to the gender equality movement. She persevered and fought, not because it was easy, but because it was important to future generations.

These are the generations that have

COVID-19

Not Everyone is Physical Distancing Think about the rising numbers; not to be scared, but to be careful.

Nathasha Pfeffer Contributor

S

ince this past March, COVID-19 and the restrictions that have come with it have created a new normal. In spite of the clear health risks, many people are choosing not to keep their distance from peers and friends. With the reopening of schools, friends have been reunited and students are back in class, but the poor social distancing that teens practise could put everyone in danger.

In Toronto, people in the 20 to 29 age group have had the most positive cases at 19.4%. The age group of 10 to 19, the category in which NT students fall, account for 5.4% of the cases that have been reported. It is important to note that many cases in this age category may go unreported due to asymptomaticity. A common misconception is that young adults cannot get sick, but this is blatantly false. 1.4% of young people with COVID-19 have been hospitalized.

This troubling misconception has led many young adults to underestimate the severity of this pandemic.

After school, students of-

ten crowd the entrances of NT, huddling close together. Many students say that they irresponsibly interact with people from other cohorts and schools. “I noticed that more and more people were just not following the rules,” said Sophie Block, a grade 10 student. She “[supposed] this was fine because the daily cases were low.

However, because there are record high daily cases and we are at school, Block believes that the “attitude that we had in the summer needs to turn around” and we need to “start taking the pandemic seriously again.”

Even if people understand the risks, “it’s just so much easier to assume that your friend doesn’t have it,” explains Block. “It’s human nature to think this way, but by thinking this way we are making it too easy to get COVID-19. We need to change our mindset from ‘it’s so unlikely, so it’s fine to go near someone’, to ‘what if they have it and I spread it to someone who can get ill?’”

One anonymous NT student said, “I don’t know how much longer we can keep this up, if something doesn’t change I fear we’ll have to return to online [learning].” Another anonymous student said that “it’s sad to do my part and watch others

not do theirs.” Because the spread of COVID-19 is always unknown, keeping a distance of two meters is the best way to keep everyone safe.

To remind those who do not know, two meters isn’t just a random number. This isn’t some arbitrary rule to stop you from seeing your friends up close. No, this is science. The virus passes through the air within droplets that we let out when we are talking, laughing, sneezing, and coughing. These droplets, on average, travel slightly under two metres. Therefore, keeping this distance prevents droplets from reaching other people. In fact, Dr. Fauci, the U.S. head physician and immunologist, has said that the coronavirus could spread more than six feet, only increasing the importance of physical distancing.

As teenagers, it’s hard to see the full effect of COVID-19, and one of the things we aren’t seeing is that we could be passing it onto high-risk members of the community. Although teenagers have an extremely low mortality rate, the 476 lives lost within the 80 to 89 age category should not be discredited.

For many, the inability to social distance doesn’t come from a lack of responsibility, but from

crowded and small spaces where distancing is impossible. In crowded living areas or workspaces, this inability to social distance is a reality.

People working on farms who work and live closely together has resulted in several outbreaks across Ontario.

As well, some do not have the luxury of working from home as others do. However, there have been many cases of businesses in Toronto that could have employees working from home and have forced workers to come into the office. Furthermore, many young adults have taken jobs during the pandemic that put them in close contact with others. While this may be less true of the more wealthy NT community, it still rings true for many.

COVID-19 cases are rising quickly in Toronto, so it is really important for everyone to do their part and keep the virus in check. Students, think about others when you socialize. Think about the rising numbers; not to be scared, but to be careful.

If we want our community to stay safe, social distance while socializing. We need to collectively do better to keep our community safe.

FEATURES | NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | GRAFFITI 21 MENTAL HEALTH

Is it Time to Detoxify Your Life?

“We think of rest as a negative space defined by absence of work but it’s really much more than that.” - Alex Soojung-Kim Pang

Photography by Anisa Williams

Abigail Shin Editor

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t is 6:30 a.m. on a Monday. You are exhausted because you stayed up until 2:00 a.m. to perfect your English essay that is due the next day. At school, you are a zombie throughout the morning, but then you realize at lunch you have meetings for two different clubs you signed up for. These clubs are your look-how- involved-I-amin-school indicators on your resume.

And, after school, it is either soccer practice, swimming, volleyball, tennis, piano, tutoring, violin, lifeguarding or volunteering, depending on the day, and by 9:00 p.m. you are home to now do two hours of homework. This cycle of little sleep, endless schoolwork, infinite clubs and countless activities continues day, after day, after day...

When will there ever be enough clubs, extracurricular activities, and high grades to say, “this is enough”? If you cannot seem to determine that, you may be in a cycle of toxic productivity.

Stemming from the idea of “hustle culture”, toxic productivity is an obsession with being productive and living a life that is “busy”. Toxic productivity promotes the attachment of your self-worth to how much

“stuff” you do, even at the expense of risking your mental and physical health. We praise entrepreneurs who skip sleep for the benefit of their companies and students whose schedules are overflowing but still manage to maintain a high average.

These traits are considered the ideal standards that people measure themselves up against – myself included.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic started in March, I could have been considered the poster child for toxic productivity. I felt compelled to be busy, even if this meant getting too little sleep and pushing myself to beyond my physical and mental limits. I was exhausted to say I was exhausted. I was busy to say I was busy. I was stressed to say I was stressed. I thought what I was doing was normal, and maybe I was even a little proud of my schedule; however, I did not know what I was doing it for. My resume? Maybe.

My sanity and health? Absolutely not.

Toxic productivity is like an addiction. When asked about productivity, Bridget Klich, a grade 10 student at Cardinal Carter Catholic High School, said “when I am not doing anything I feel guilty because I feel an internal pressure … to do something and not waste my time.” The need to feel busy and be productive among

teens is often a product of social pressure. Lauren Chartrand, a student from York Mills Collegiate Institute, said “I feel like my friends are always comparing themselves … and this pushes me to be busy [or] study more.” NT student Kiana Sharifi admitted, “I have … 100% sacrificed my mental health to push out assignments and get grades.” Sharifi thinks that “[sometimes grades are] far more important than my mental health … [because] I can recover later, … I can sleep later.”

The desire for students to get high grades and have a “paper perfect” resume is a dangerous road that can lead to toxic productivity. This mentality could be a contributing factor to the large percentage of teens that struggle with mental health issues. According to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Canada’s largest mental health teaching hospital, “34% of Ontario high-school students indicate a moderate-to-serious level of psychological distress (symptoms of anxiety and depression), [while] 14% indicate a serious level of psychological distress.”

Despite the belief that toxic productivity leads to greater results, it does not come without its consequences.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing of lockdown may have actually had a positive impact on “flat-

tening the curve” of toxic productivity.

During lockdown, when everything in the world was put on pause, my life went from chaos to silence. I had time to discover who I was without school, grades and activities. Similarly, Rowen Uy, a grade 10 NT student, remembered how he felt when COVID-19 first hit in March. “It was only in April that I realized it was the new normal and that it was a little harder to accept since I am used to having lots of stuff to do outside my house … [however], I was glad for the little break and the chance to relax.” During this time of self-reflection, I realized that perhaps people should not be defined by what they do, but rather why they do it. I started to appreciate that it is more important to find a balance in life than to fill time with empty and unmeaningful activities.

My recommendation certainly isn’t to stop doing activities that you enjoy. If you love singing, sing. If you love karate, do karate. But, maybe, just maybe, you will be better off taking a few meaningless, resume-boosting activities off your plate. And this “detoxification” may end up improving your physical and mental health.

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GRAFFITI | NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | FEATURES

HALLOWEEN

Halloween During a Pandemic: Do We Cancel Trick or Treating?

Photography by Sam Baldachin

Michael Powers Contributor

H

alloween is often a child’s favourite holiday. Walking around and seeing spooky costumes, or watching a horror movie with your friends and not being able to stay up is part of the tradition. However, monsters and demons won’t be the only thing keeping people this Halloween. The coronavirus pandemic has affected countless things this year and holidays are no exception; a life-threatening disease does not stop for anything. This lethargic and confusing year has brought over the “new normal” of social distancing and face covering at all times. As with many other affected events throughout the course of the pandemic, many people are now questioning how this memorable evening will occur.

The beloved Halloween traditions we have created throughout the years are almost all high risk. The classic high school party?

That’s not happening. Going doorto-door handing candy out and coming in contact with hundreds of people? That is likely not happening, and for good reason. The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has advised people to skip trick-or-treating, festive parties, and other events that can expose several people to the virus.

This past month, as cases

began to increase, the government has advised those in hotspot areas to refrain from trick-or-treating.

“Given the high transmission of COVID-19 in the modified Stage 2 public health unit regions of Ottawa, Peel, Toronto and York Region, traditional door-to-door trickor-treating is not recommended, and people should consider alternative ways to celebrate,” says Dr. David Williams, provincial Medical Officer of Health.

Dr. Isaac Bogoch, an infectious disease specialist based at Toronto General Hospital, disagrees with the provincial government’s approach. “The goal should be to find ways to do things safely rather than cancel,” he said. “Halloween shouldn’t be too tough to do safely: Outside, wearing masks, restricted to family units, distant from others ... is about as low-risk as it gets.”

Mayor John Tory understands that the news is “profoundly disappointing” for children, but also agrees that this is what must be done in light of the rapidly increasing number of cases in Toronto.

“Things will be different this year, just like many other holidays and special occasions. That’s the sad reality of this pandemic,” Tory said.

However, even with the pandemic, we can still find ways to celebrate that are safe and approved by health professionals. For those who love the thrill of dressing up as their favourite character, many people are having online costume parties through apps like

Zoom. You still get to dress up and be titled as the best costume as well as be with all your favourite people safely. And, for the people going out and getting candy, there are safe ways to do this too. A lot of homeowners are using a tubelike system to distribute candy contact-free while maintaining social distance and wearing a mask.

James Miller, a grade ten student at North Toronto, said that he “[isn’t] surprised Halloween is going to be different. As the cases reach record high numbers, Miller is frustrated that “people are still treating public health as if it’s up for debate.” His plans for Halloween will be spent “like any other year: watching horror movies, eating candy, and chilling.”

Jalen Lo Nagy, another grade ten at North Toronto, was asked about his opinions on Halloween safety. “I think safety is way more important compared to just one night of fun,” he said. “I’m sure people can just celebrate differently [in a way that] won’t increase risks.” He believes that if we follow procedures this year there could be a chance that next year will be back to normal. Does he like the fact Halloween is cancelled this year? No. But he understands that it is the best option for the future.

Parents, on the other hand, have many different opinions.

One parent, who wished to remain anonymous, believes that “children shouldn’t have to suffer from this.”

She continues by saying that “keep-

ing schools open but cancelling Halloween doesn’t make any sense.

Every kid deserves the same childhood that we all grew up on.” She understands the risks and will be following all health guidelines, but she doesn’t want to compromise her child’s Halloween experiences.

“I think that it is best not to give out food and to pass it out because that requires contact, but you can still find other ways to celebrate. My family will be distancing with friends outside in our backyard, but won’t be going house to house to get candy.

Instead, we’ll make Halloween treats to eat at home and get our own candy,” Jodi Block, a mother of a grade ten student, explained.

When asked if she thinks that Halloween should be cancelled, she told us that she believes that people should be encouraged to celebrate in different ways, such as looking at costumes outside or celebrating on Zoom, but that going door to door and crowding outside should in no way be allowed.

It is clear there is no “right” way of celebrating in this uncertain time, as long as we do it in a safe way. While celebrating this year, students must remember that COVID-19 cases are rising and that following public health guidelines, social distancing, and wearing masks are the best ways to keep everyone safe. This unique Halloween will be one to remember.

BUSINESS & TECH | NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | GRAFFITI 23

TECHNOLOGY

business & tech

iOS 14: A Look at What’s New

Iva-Mari Miskulin Editor

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OS 14 is arguably one of the most exciting and trendy updates since iOS 7 (when we switched from those classic 3D app icons to the new minimalistic look that iPhone users still enjoy today). Let’s take a look at some of the new, and even old features that are relevant to Apple users. Hopefully, you’ll find some updates that will improve your relationship with your beloved iPhone.

Widgets and Customization

I’m sure we can all agree that the customization accessible to our phones is the most anticipated change in the iOS update. Widgets are not entirely new as they have been confined to their own little corner on the left of our screen for about a year.

However, with iOS 14, widgets are now brought to our home screens. Apple has made their own set of widgets through the apps of Widgetsmith and Color Widgets, improving accessibility on the Weather and Calendar apps, while allowing smart stacking; a stack of widgets you can flip through.

Now, what about all those aesthetic home screens you’ve been seeing on TikTok? How were those made? Well, widgets were part of it, but the biggest thing people have discovered is how to change the appearance of an app icon through the Shortcuts app. However, I must warn you that if you do change the appearance of your app icon, the Shortcut app will appear every time you click on said app, costing you an extra five seconds every time. Seems impractical to me, but hey, if you’re willing to sacrifice a bit of time for the aesthetic, then more power to you.

To add a widget just long tap on your screen > click the + in the left-hand corner > a menu of widgets to choose from will pop up and you can then drag the widget to where you want it.

App Library + Hiding Apps and Pages

If you swipe all the way to the right on your new iOS 14 set up, you will arrive at the App Library; a new feature that automatically organizes your apps, allowing you to easily search for them. This feature is useful if you have several apps that are not used frequently, as you can hide an entire page of apps to keep your home screen uncluttered.

If you do find yourself in this situation, you can drag all of your unused apps onto a blank

home screen page > then, long tap on your screen until your apps start to shake > press on the dots at the bottom of your page > then, click on the page you would like to hide and the checkmark in its little circle should disappear > finally, hit done and voila, the clutter on your phone has disappeared.

Don’t worry though, you haven’t deleted these apps! They’re sitting in the App Library (along with every other app on your phone) and are just one quick Spotlight search away (this is just the normal search feature on your phone).

Photos and Camera

Many new features have been added to the Camera app! Instead of heaving yourself all the way to Settings every time you want to change the specs, you can alter your frame rate and resolution settings right from the Camera app.

To change the frame rate and resolution, swipe over to take a video and you will see the resolution and frame rate settings pop up on the upper right corner of your screen. Click on either the frame rate or the resolution numbers/letters to change the settings.

Depending on what model iPhone you have, this may not work. So, if it doesn’t, go to Settings > Camera > record video > enable video format control. Just a tip: if you’re constantly shooting at 4K in 60 fps, you’re going to be using a TON of storage. So, maybe put your Hollywood director dreams on pause and lower the settings if you want to economize your remaining GBs.

Now, you can also tap and hold on the volume up button in photo mode to take a burst, then let go to stop. You must enable these features in the Settings app. To do so, go to Settings > Camera > use volume up for burst. Similarly, you can tap and hold the volume down

button in the camera app to take a video, and let go to stop recording.

In Photos, you can now add captions to your pictures, which may seem a little redundant since it’s not Instagram. However, this can be very useful to search for specific photos. To add a caption, swipe up on the photo you wish to caption > type your caption into the text box that appears at the bottom.

Lastly, in Photos, you can zoom in further than ever before.

I know, this has got to be the most useful tip yet. You’re welcome.

want the sleep feature to be active, and set a wind-down reminder to signal when you should start getting ready for bed while turning on Do Not Disturb and darkening your home screen.

Since COVID-19 has become prevalent in today’s world, Apple has added exposure tracking in Settings, keeping track of cases and preventing the spread of COVID-19.

Another COVID related feature is handwashing on the Apple Watch.

The animations are very cute. I am very pleased that my hand washing experience has been augmented.

Other

Now moving on from the fairly wordy and long new features, here are some quick and easy tips that you may not have known about, but are super useful!

If you didn’t know already, you can actually scan documents on your iPhone.

Just open the notes app > create a new note or choose which one you would like to scan your document in > click the yellow camera icon on the bottom of your screen > choose scan documents, and now you will be able to scan all that handwritten work you need to submit online. The feature turns your document into a PDF which is useful if you must share it with someone.

Photography by Mikayla Toplis For those of us cool Messages kids who prefer to live life on the edge

Messages is likely the app that with an iPhone model that has a glass we use most frequently, disregarding back, there is a new feature called Google Classroom (because of course backtap, which allows you to set a we are all very responsible students Shortcut or premade feature when you who do nothing but study for hours tap on the back of your phone. To set on end). Messages has received some this feature up, go to Settings > Acnifty, new updates. Now, you can reply cessibility > Touch > then scroll to to a specific text by holding it, then backtap and choose what you would clicking reply. This is super handy like to set your backtap to. You can for group chats as let’s face it, 50% of set it to a Shortcut from the Shortcuts our time is spent trying to figure out app if you would like. This feature what reply goes with what question. works best without a case and with Another neat feature is the ability to thin cases (although why you would pin conversations to the top of your want to risk your phone getting deciscreen so that you can always find it. mated without a case I don’t know).

To pin someone, either Lastly, since I know that at drag their convo to the top of your least 90% of us have AirPods, Apple screen, press and hold to the right has released a new feature that turns of their profile pic and click pin, on automatically once you download or swipe right and click the yellow iOS 14. This new feature optimizes thumbtack, hence the name: pin. your AirPods’ charging to prolong the product’s battery life. I’m not goHealth App ing to get into the science of that, go

Let’s face it, none of us use this ask a chemistry teacher for that one. app. I’m not even quite sure what its objective is. However, there are some I hope that you all found at features that may prove to be handy. least one of these tips useful. If you

The first is the Sleep feature, made it this far in the article, well, especially needed for us teenagers with you’re a certified NT Apple Tech now! our broken sleep schedules. The sleep feature allows you to set a bedtime and wake-up time based on how many hours of sleep you want per night. You can set which days of the week you

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GRAFFITI | NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | BUSINESS & TECH

INVESTMENT

An Investment Club Update Carson Paton Contributor

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ey NT! Although this year’s Investment Club will be run like never before, we have very high hopes for the success of the team. As everything will be virtual, we have to adapt and plan dif-

ferent events for members to enjoy.

With that being said, Mr. Bourgase, our staff advisor, has signed the club up for a virtual event with JA Central Canada for students who are interested. We are excited about this opportunity, as it is an excellent chance for club members to share and work together on this event. This is a very diverse club, as some members have a very strong understanding of the top-

ics discussed, and some members are just beginning to learn about investments. This is the best case scenario for our team, as we will have different perspectives on a variety of topics. We will also have excellent communication in the club with people helping one another grow and learn, which we hope transpires into new friendships and connections for NT students. One last thing about Investment Club is

that our goal is to create these relationships and make investments seem less daunting. Many people may find the topic intimidating, but my goal as Investment Club head is for students to come and have a good time together to learn about investments.

Remember, it is never too late to join the club, and every grade level, knowledge level, and experience level is always welcome to join our meetings!

TECHNOLOGY

What is Apple up to?

Simone Bellengier Editor

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n September 15th, Apple released some exciting new products and features along with the new iPhone 12. The new Apple Watch Series 6 has been released with the capabilities of measuring your blood oxygen levels. The iPad Air 2020’s newest upgrade is its full screen design similar to the iPad Pro, but instead of FaceID it has TouchID! Pretty cool if you ask me. Let’s jump into perhaps what most of us were looking forward to at this event: the iPhone 12.

The new technological advancement of the iPhone 12 is officially set to launch on October 23rd and November 3rd. After Apple’s $56 billion revenue on Iphone 11 sales, they have settled to continue their yearly relaunch of iPhones. Apple, a multinational technology company, has revolutionized and set high standards for the dream phone, computer, watch, ipod, ipad, headphones, and more. Yet again, Apple continues to grow their $2 trillion enterprise, and sets the stakes for the technology industry. The iPhone 12 is the most durable, fastest, and brightest product created by Apple with its 5G technology. It was unveiled at a price of $979 for the new iPhone 12 Mini, and $1,959 for the iPhone 12 Pro Max. A good price for a new Apple product, no? Well it does not stop there. With its Apple based design of the A14 Bionic

chip, it has the fastest chip in a smartphone along with its features provided

by MagSafe: a high-powered wireless charging product with a variety of accessories attached to the iPhone.

The iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini will be available in five aluminum finishes: blue, green, black, white, and red. Pre-orders for the iPhone 12 mini are available on November 6, and in stores on November 13. Greg Joswiack, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide marketing expresses “the arrival of 5G marks the beginning of a new era for iPhone and [he’s] thrilled to bring these impressive new capabilities to [his] customers with the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini.” Instead of the trademark width ranging from 0.2mm-0.35mm that iPhones 10-11 possess, the width of the iPhone 12 will be as thick as the iPhone 5.

Furthermore, Apple is known for its accurate real life camera quality: either if it is with their one, two, or three camera based phones. The iPhone 12 continues this trend by having a Wide and Ultra Wide camera along with its new creation of night mode: a lowlight feature capturing shots at night with incredible precision, detail, and colour. Apple’s slogan of “dual-camera system. Welcome to the dark side,” is what will be the biggest differentiation between our current iPhones and the iPhone 12. Apple has included this programming through the night mode time-lapse, ensuring the highest-quality video in a smartphone possible.

Illustration by Shreya Pawar Mamidi

Apple maintains its top notch reputation for distributing innovative products: and continues to grow with new ideas, launches, features, updates, and more. Now I am not asking you to

stay in line all night waiting for its instore appearance, but make sure you spare a few hundred dollars to partake in the iPhone 12 trend, and be upto-date with Apple’s latest creation!

US ECONOMY

How will the US Election Impact the Stock Market?

Wyatt Gilliland Contributor

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he stock market. You’ve probably heard your parents having heated discussions over it. Often a talking point for many politicians, it is a key metric of economic performance in a country. Many factors can influence the performance of stock markets and stocks. From policy to foreign affairs to market trends, investors are constantly analyzing risk factors.

With, arguably, the most high-stakes election in US history fast approaching, many will be closely watching stock markets in the US and abroad.

But how big of an impact can this election truly have on the stock market?

There is no doubt that financial markets around the world will have a strong reaction to election results, but whether this will be positive or negative remains uncertain. The 2016 election may give us an idea of what we are in store for. After Trump’s unprecedented win over Hillary Clinton, global financial markets reacted with speed,

hysteria, and mixed emotions. With Futures on the S&P 500 down 5% and the Mexican Peso cratering by 12%, Trump’s win sent panic throughout the financial world. However, these losses were soon replaced by gains come the very next day. With what seemed to be a business-friendly administration, investors’ nerves calmed as speculation of tax cuts and environmental protection rollbacks made the media rounds.

Investors have, for the most part, enjoyed Trump’s presidency.

Before the pandemic, the Dow Jones Industrial Average – one of the most

important stock markets in the US and world – had grown by 48% to record highs since Trump’s inauguration. Just two years into his presidency, the entire US stock market had grown by $6.9T – half of the growth observed under Obama’s eight years.

When the pandemic initially hit, stock markets crashed. The Dow Jones shed 10,831 points in just one month, more than all of what had been gained under Trump’s presidency.

BUSINESS & TECH | NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | GRAFFITI 25 Fearing economic havoc would be brought under the harsh, but necessary, lockdowns, investors shifted investments into traditional safe havens (like gold) at record speed. But, the US took an unprecedented road. As opposed to locking down the country, massive swaths remained open, yet this did not stifle economic damage. The unemployment rate jumped to 14.4% in April and fell to an abysmal 13% the following May. Canada, a country whose governments took COVID- 19 seriously and enforced coordinated lockdowns, recorded an

unemployment rate of 13.7% in May - disproving the US method (which only led to excess deaths and cases).

Nonetheless, investors seem pleased with Trump’s approach. The Dow Jones Industrial Average has climbed back up to 28,000 points, just shy of the 29,000 points it stood at seven months prior. Often, a high-performing stock market indicates a healthy economy.

When the Great Depression hit, stock markets suffered their worst crash in recorded history and did not recover until the economy did. Presently, the US economy is not healthy and has

certainly not recovered, but the stock market has experienced quite the opposite. This may indicate a market in which its investors are out of touch with reality. Experts have endorsed Joe Biden, claiming his administration may bring the US pandemic under control by clamping down on the transmission of the virus and safely re-opening the economy. After all, this should be the top priority for investors.

It is obvious Trump’s approach to containing COVID has failed. With the highest death toll and case count anywhere in the world, a dramatic policy

reform is required. But investors seem keen on maintaining Trump’s current approach regarding COVID-19 policy, a clue that may help us predict the impact of the election. If most investors anticipate a Biden administration, it would make sense as to why the market has recovered considerably despite the present economic and health crisis.

No amount of information will help us definitively predict whether election results will have a positive or negative effect on the stock market, but we can know with certainty the impact will be dramatic.

VIRTUAL LEARNING

Online School- What You’re Not Seeing Could School 2020 Be Ruining Your 20/20?

Catherine Katis Editor

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hen the quadmester system was issued months ago, lifestyles greatly shifted.

Students suddenly had two subjects to balance instead of eight, and only physically went to school ¼ of the time, or no time at all. People noticed the significant changes this would have, yet took the risk in consideration of COVID-19. It would be a lie to say the virus has not been in the back of everyone’s minds ever since the outbreak.

But with all the focus on COVID-19, no one has stopped to consider the negative impact this new lifestyle may have on an important organ: the eyes.

When someone thinks of an injury, they instantly jump to harm in an obvious area, such as an arm or leg.

People don’t realize that eyes can be injured too. While these organs only make up 0.02% of the human body, they play an extremely vital role in our lives everyday. In fact, 80% of the information the brain receives is provided through eyes. Not only do they fulfill their sensory functions of helping us see, but they also help other senses complete their tasks. When it’s cold season, the eyes take over for weakened smell or taste senses by looking for mold or perceiving different flavours. If one’s hearing is affected, eyes aid by observing surroundings. When meeting people, eyes help notice body cues and facial expressions. In summary, eyes do a lot more than people realize, but because they do so much work behind-the-scenes, eyes are not acknowledged for how much they do until they are affected.

It is surely safe to say that everyone’s lives have been changed due to the new school schedule, especially high school students. Students only attend school in person ¼ of the time, while the rest is either independent work time (approximately four hours -- the same amount of time in person class would be) or afternoon virtual classes (one hour and fifteen minutes).

It is undeniable to assume that the majority of independent work time would be conducted online, as it is the only way for teachers to communicate with students and assign work. Therefore, the amount of time spent on screens for school alone would be at least the 1.25 hours spent during virtual after-

noons. How much has this increased screen time? Studies show that prior to the pandemic, Ontario high school students spent an average of over 7.5 hours on screens a day.

For 20% of students, 5 of those hours were spent on social media alone. One can imagine how much these rates have increased by tallying the amount of screen time used for entertainment and for school purposes.

Screen time purely for entertainment was already excessive, but now that it is also substituting the time students normally would have spent in class, it is evident screen time would increase dramatically.

This increase would not be troublesome if there were no negative effects. Unfortunately, it has been shown that excessive screen time has had its toll on this “minor” organ.

A very common effect of prolonged screen time is eye strain. Dr. Stephen Lipsky, a pediatric ophthalmologist, said that he “[had] seen a marked increase in kids suffering from eye strain from increased screen time.” Dr. Nancy Chung, an optometrist for both children and adults, has also mentioned seeing more students showing signs of dry eye, causing symptoms of loss of focus flexibility, or eye fatigue.

This is because when one looks at a screen, they tend to blink less. The movement of the screen forces the eyes to work harder to focus, eventually tiring them. The new amounts of screen time from online school will only heighten the chances of dry eye.

Despite being uncomfortable, this fortunately isn’t too serious. What is more concerning is the permanent damages to eyesight that could occur as a result of lengthened screen time.

Blue light is a short wavelength, high energy form of light found on the light spectrum. It can either be found in the Sun (natural blue light), or in devices (artificial blue light). While natural blue light

is beneficial to your body, by helping regulate sleep cycles, or boosting moods and alertness, artificial blue light has generated some concern. Because it flickers more, blue light has been shown to produce a glare that the human eye is not prepared enough to obstruct. Headaches, eyestrain, changes in the amount of melatonin our body produces (the hormone that monitors the sleep-wake cycle), and earlier age related changes can result from prolonged blue light exposure.

An increased amount of screen time often results in an increased amount of time spent indoors. While it may seem like there is no correlation between them, the rise of indoor time could have serious consequences on one’s eyes. When someone is inside, their eyes don’t get to see far distances. It’s not just devices that disallow this. Activities such as reading, drawing, or working out still don’t give eyes the opportunity to exercise their distance muscles. Only being outdoors can do this. This indicates that by being mostly indoors, only the eye muscles for up close objects are being used, while the muscles for distance get out of practice and lose their strength. Extended periods of this can conclude in nearsightedness or myopia, the ability to see objects up close clearly while objects farther away are blurry without the assistance of glasses or contacts.

Myopia is permanent. Unlike other muscles in the body, once eye mus-

Illustration by Danielle Xin

cles are damaged, they’re damaged.

That being said, there are some fairly simple ways to help prevent these risks. Dry eyes can easily be fixed with some sleep, or time away from the screen. Dr. Chung additionally advises to remember to blink frequently. As for the enhanced artificial blue light exposure, Dr. Chung recommends to install the f.lux blue light blocking app on your computer or if possible, to add a blue blocking filter in glasses. She also suggests to “remember an easy 20/20/20 rule of looking 20 feet away for 20 seconds after 20 minutes of work to relax the accommodation and eyestrain.” Finally, the solution for the increased amount of indoor time is simple: go outside! 1.5 hours of outdoor time a day should be enough, according to Dr. Chung. Not only does being outdoors strengthen distance muscles, but the enlarged light exposure assists the brain releasing chemicals that help control how fast the eyes elongate (it is the elongating of the eyes that eventually result in nearsightedness).

Although COVID-19 is an important part of our lives right now, it’s important to keep in mind that it can affect things outside our lifestyle. With just a bit of effort to go outside or take a break from screens every now and then, we can protect our eyesight, and still be able to mainly focus on our daily tasks.

26 GRAFFITI | NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | BUSINESS & TECH FINANCE

As The Pandemic Continues, the Rich are Only Getting Richer Eden Dejong Contributor

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s the COVID-19 pandemic continues, many billionaires are becoming richer by the day. Within a two month period of the pandemic, the networth of America’s billionaires grew by 15%.

Jeff Bezos, the CEO of Amazon and the richest businessman in the world, has grown his net worth by billions of dollars. Since the start of this year, his wealth has increased by $74 billion and in July, within one day, his net-worth increased by $13 billion. Bezos’s net-worth is now $189.4 billion. Amazon shares have also grown by 40%; this profit is a result from the increase of online products sold to those confined in their homes during quarantine.

Similarly, Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Facebook, and the Walton family, the founders of Walmart, both increased their net worth by $25 billion in 2020. Additionally, the other top four richest American billionaires -- Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, and Larry Ellison -- have increased their net-worth significantly over the past few months too. Over those months, the rest of the world

was struggling with their financial position. The only thing people could do was go on their phones and use various apps like Facebook, Instagram and Netflix. They shopped on Amazon and bought groceries from places like Walmart or Loblaws. Everyone was essentially spending more money during the pandemic and this is why billionaires are becoming richer.

Here in Canada, billionaires have also been benefiting greatly from the pandemic and have grown their net worth by the billions. Canada’s richest family, the Thompsons, watched their net-worth increase by $6 billion over the pandemic. Similarly, the Westons, the second wealthiest family in Canada, watched their net-worth jump from $7 billion to $8.4 billion over the course of 2020. In February of 2020, the stock markets subsided and Canadian billionaires’ wealth declined, these same billionaires watched their wealth grow just one month later due to the pandemic, as citizens started piling up on necessities. Gary Stevenson, a past trader who became a multimillionaire from working at Citibank in London, explained that “the money is going to the poor people, but it’s not staying with the poor people.”

Furthermore, COVID-19 has

resulted in many implications for the growth of the Canadian economy. The change in profit margins and overall revenue has resulted in high networth for many billionaires. Canada’s

and other necessities. On the other hand, billionaires who own American and Canadian companies receive the consumer’s money, as their services continue to be convenient to consum-

Photo courtsey of The Daily News solution to the complications of its economic decline was through giving money to the smaller businesses and the lower class seeking financial support. When receiving government resources, Canadians put the money towards groceries, rent, mortgages

ers worldwide, amidst the pandemic.

This vicious never ending cycle will continue if the COVID-19 pandemic proceeds to harm our worldwide economy, meaning billionaires will keep getting richer.

BEAUTY INDUSTRY

Racial Inequality in the Beauty Industry: Highlighting 3 POC-Owned Brands

Georgia Pomozova-Mann Social Media Manager

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n June of this year, the CEO and founder of Uoma Beauty, Sharon Chuter, created an Instagram account with the intention of fighting for economic opportunities for black people. Titled @pullupforchange, the account challenged companies to share their race report statistics of employees. Because of this, they were able to showcase the diversity (or lack-thereof) in race and gender, of employees working in leadership and tech roles.

With dozens of large companies being exposed on this account, consumers were provided with transparency on the employees who work for the brands they support. Many of these companies had very poor reports, with some large ones such as Spotify having zero black people employed under leadership positions. Many consumers found these reports extremely upsetting, and urged brands to offer more workplace opportunities to people of colour (POC), especially for leadership

roles. Despite ‘Pull Up For Change’ targeting all categories of companies, it’s important to note the importance of racial diversity in beauty brands. For instance, Kylie Cosmetics, a brand that emphasizes their “inclusivity”, has very few POC employees that are involved in their operations. However, it’s not just workplaces that are being targeted, as many brands have already been bashed for their small and non-inclusive skin shade ranges. In this article, I’ve highlighted three different POC beauty brands that are changing the way companies hire, let’s take a look.

Black Opal Beauty

Co-owned by JamaicainAmerican businesswoman Carol Mouyiaris and African-American dermatologist Dr. Cheryl Burgess, Black Opal Beauty is a beauty brand, catered towards POC. Black Opal Beauty products are purchased by millions of customers around the world, and the beauty brand takes pride in their technologically advanced skincare and cosmetic products. Since 1994, the brand has expanded to selling their makeup, skincare, and acces-

sories to 30 different countries, with all their products being cruelty-free, sold at relatively low price points, and designed for the black community.

Lakmé Cosmetics

Founded in 1952, Lakmé Cosmetics is recognized for being the first cosmetic brand to introduce makeup specifically designed for Indian women.

In addition to this, the brand is also affiliated with Lakmé Beauty Salons and Lakmé Fashion week (India’s largest fashion event of its kind). For the past 60 years, Lakmé Cosmetics has offered a large variety of skincare and makeup products that are catered towards South-Asian buyers, and include inspiration for festival looks that are loved by their loyal customers. Although they only directly provide services in India and Nepal (some products, however, are available on Amazon), Lakmé Cosmetics is a unique and revolutionary beauty brand changing the world of beauty one product at a time.

Vive Cosmetics

Since its founding in 2016 by Mexi-Rican Joanna Rosari-Rocha and

Mexican-American Leslie Valdiva, Vive Cosmetics has become a recognized up-and-coming beauty company. With the intention of becoming a brand that’s much more than just regular makeup, VC is an authentic and community-focused brand that showcases plenty of Latinx people through their marketing, models, campaigns, and social media posts. Although they’ve only released a few products so far, each item is high quality, features beautiful packaging, and is uniquely named. The main goal of the brand is to promote an inclusive image of the Latinx community, and it’s clear that VC has been very successful with this mission so far. Despite the lack of diversity in many mainstream beauty brands, it is exciting to see how new companies have been popularized with the intent of increasing diversification in both their products and workplace environments. These might just be three small examples, however there are many POC-owned beauty companies that are now well recognized around the world. As society progresses, it’ll be fascinating to see how much these brands will evolve.

OPINION | NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | GRAFFITI 27

EQUALITY

Opinion

Canada: Home on Native Land

Illustration by Charlotte Shin

Cameron Anderson Contributor

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his past summer, we all witnessed the rallies and the protests in the US through social media thinking “good on them,” and yet we continued to remain ignorant to the centuries worth of systemic racism buried deep into our own country’s history.

The Indigenous populations in Canada are oppressed and my country has and continues to turn a blind eye on treaties, contracts, and basic human rights.

I do not sit for the anthem out of disrespect. I sit for the anthem to recognize my Indigenous community and the discrimination they face.

I sit for the anthem to bring awareness to missing and murdered Indigenous women and children, and to their families who never felt peace.

But most importantly, I sit for the anthem in hopes that someone will come and ask me why. Why are you sitting for the anthem? I hope someone will ask me so I can tell them this: The government has turned a blind eye on my people and their suffering, and Canadians have turned a blind eye on the reality of racism and intergenerational

trauma. Even I, an Indigenous person, have turned a blind eye because sometimes the reality of racism is hard to look at. But that does not make it any less wrong, or any less unjust.

The Haldimand treaty of October 25th, 1784, is a signed treaty promising 950,000 acres to the Mohawk Nation and others in the six nations. The British Crown designated this land to the Haudenosaunee through a signed treaty, given to the Mohawk and those in the six nations to honour them for fighting on the behalf of the British Crown on the Plains of Abraham. They promised these acres to the Mohawk, and that no developments would be made upon this territory. Today we know some of this land as Waterloo. Not only did the British Crown’s grant the Mohawk land that wasn’t theirs to give, but they went against their promise, and the government continues to break the promise made in an official signed contract. This is one of the many treaties that have been disregarded by the Canadian federal government. A current example of the blatant disregard for treaties is the Mi’kmaq, who are suffering because the rights bestowed on Indigenous fishers are few and worthless compared to the allot-

ted number of non-Indigenous fishers.

They are fighting for their right to fish on their traditional territory; something that is rightfully theirs. Centuries of unkept promises reinforce the idea that the Canadian government still believes that Indigenous people are not and should not be held in the same regard, and to the same respect, of non-Indigenous peoples in Canada.

In Canada, we have a highway in B.C called the Highway of Tears, named due to the amount of Indigenous women who have gone missing or been killed. Today Indigenous people are 10 times more likely to be shot by the police without reason. Indigenous people are highly overrepresented in the correctional system because of a system made to oppress Indigenous people. On October 12, 2020, Phillip Tallio an Indigenous man, was released from jail with an appeal to clear his name. He was wrongly convicted of murder and denied parole for refusing to plead guilty. He sat in jail for 37 years for doing nothing. It didn’t matter to the police if he killed the person or not, all they saw was a no good Indian. This is only scraping the surface of the issues systemic racism causes Indigenous communities. According to data provided by the Government of

Canada, although Indigenous children make up only 7.7% of the population in Canada, they make up over 52% of the population in the child welfare system. This is not because Indigenous people are unfit parents, or that these children are delinquents, it is because child services consistently rip children away from their home, their community, and their culture - a reality caused by government policy. Canadian government systems disrupted Indigenous families. Duncan Campbell Scott, the architect of the residential school system, explicitly stated the goal was to “kill the Indian in the child.”

I sit for the anthem because my country is not acknowledging the centuries of history that comes along with the land they stand on. I sit for the anthem because a Land Acknowledgement is hollow when the person who announces them does not understand the dark history behind why this acknowledgment is so important. Canada needs to start honouring the words they speak. How about we start honouring the calls to action outlined in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. I sit for the anthem because I am a Canadian citizen, and I am a member of the Mohawk Nation, and I want change.

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GRAFFITI | NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | OPINION

POLITICS

Voter Turnout in U.S. 2020 Election: A Sign of Political Awareness or Fake Interest?

Romina Emtyazi Editor

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n the wake of a controversial presidential election in the United States, the number of voter turnout has been record-breaking. According to Bloomberg News, at least 161 million Americans voted in this election, the highest voter turnout in 120 years.

The turnout rate for the 2020 election could be attributed to the various incentives prior to Election Day. Numerous celebrities, politicians, and journalists regularly posted on social media to get people, particularly the younger generation, to vote.

For instance, actors from the popular Marvel movie franchise “Avengers” had a virtual fundraiser event for Joe Biden’s campaign, and popular politicians such as Alexandria Ocasio Cortez tried to encourage voting through social media. In the weeks leading up to November 3rd , if you browsed through Twitter, Instagram, or TikTok, many users were ranting about how important it is to vote and preserve American democracy. This has led to a baseless assumption that after 4 years of Trump’s presidency, the millennials and Gen Z have become politically woke and that a new age of political enlightenment is upon us.

By looking at a surging trend in voting levels during the presidential election and a historic turnout in the 2018 midterm elections, it has become clear that the political controversies over the past 4 years, especially those that took place during the pandemic, have caused many to become more interested in everyday politics. This is also evident in the increase of national news viewership. According to the Pew Research Centre, since 2017, Cable TV news viewership has risen for the three major cable news channels (CNN, Fox News and MSNBC).

The average audience of these three networks increased by 8% during the 8 p.m. to 11 p.m timeslot. This high level of interest in politics is certainly beneficial as long as it is open to free discussion, but in this case, it is not.

Many of those who boast about their newly blossomed political participation did not know nor care about politics before Trump’s presidency. When someone who has ignored politics for a long time suddenly becomes involved, it often results in them thoughtlessly creating a quintessential picture of a certain politician or party. The most demonstrative example of this is America’s silence over the war crimes committed by the Obama administration in Pakistan.

The Bureau of Investigative Journalism has revealed that under the Obama administration, the United States carried out 410 drone strikes in Pakistan.

In 2013, members of the Rehman family who were injured by the attacks

testified before Congress. Zubair, a 13-year-old boy said, “I no longer love blue skies. In fact, I now prefer grey skies. The drones do not fly when the skies are grey...”

Despite being heralded as the first time in history that lawmakers would hear directly from the survivors of a U.S. drone strike, only five elected officials chose to attend the congressional briefing and the event got close to zero television media coverage. Currently, a video of the testimony posted in 2013 on YouTube has 10 thousand views.

In comparison, a video of “Trump’s funny and controversial moments” has more than 15 million views. This comparison is not an attempt to question the relevance of the Trump video, but it indicates a clear bias.

At present, the liberals have created a sanctimonious perception of Biden and every president who has served before Trump. It has become taboo to talk about the faults of Biden because people do not want to believe that someone other than Trump may have some fallacies that need to be openly addressed. For example, Biden was the writer of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act that devastated Black communities and has been a longtime ally of Wall Street and various for-profit pharmaceutical companies. When asked about the 1994 crime bill, he acknowledged his “mistake” but tried to blame individual states by explaining that “The mistake came in terms of what the states did locally.” Also, when asked to comment on the high number of deportations during his time as Vice President, he refrained from addressing the issue and told the reporter, “You should vote for Trump.” This arrogance is what many refer to as the American liberal philosophy of “Blue No Matter Who,” which encourages people to worship Democrats instead of making demands, challenging, and criticizing them. For many Americans, voting is the endgame. This is because liberals and the media have given the impression that voting is the ultimate and best form of civic action and change. For them, the term “politically aware” or “politically engaged” is defined as booing Trump, and hurraing whoever speaks against him.

With Biden winning the election with the most votes ever cast for a U.S presidential candidate, the urgency of taking political action will quickly start to fade away. Most of those

who were enthusiastic about voting will stand back and give their ultimate trust to the new government. They will not bother to think twice about Biden’s policies until they get negatively affected by those policies themselves.

Their votes do not indicate political consciousness because they are not a reflection of the public’s demands and principles; but the votes merely indicate people’s fear of Trump. Liliana Moracho, a 23-year-old woman who came to America from Guatemala in 2014 via the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program says, “I cannot vote in America, but at this point, I do not think that anyone needs to agree with Biden to vote for him. If Trump stays, he will abolish DACA. Everything will be taken from me.

My family, my education, my friends, and most importantly, my home.”

The worry over four more years of Trump along with the twoparty system in America made people admire and vote for the other candidate despite their many flaws and political record. Despite there being other parties, such as the Green Party or the Libertarian Party, the Democrats and the Republicans are the only ones that hold major power and other parties receive minimal support and appear on the ballots in a few states.

Another significant factor at fault for the new simplistic definition of “politically aware” is social media.

People who have recently become interested in politics take to Twitter, TikTok, and other social media platforms to express their views and opinions.

Certainly, many of these views are valuable and necessary for a healthy political debate, but nowadays, the obsession with the superficial aspects of politicians has taken over the discussion of relevant topics. Policies are being defined over meaningless symbols and trends. Back in early September, the media was captivated by the fact that Kamala Harris wore a pair of Converse shoes to a rally. She was being called out for “truly [being] for, by and of the people.” There is noth-

Photo courtesy of USA Today ing wrong with celebrating politicians with their symbols and fashion choice, but instead of talking about her taste in shoes, would it not be better if she would openly talk about her career as a prosecutor or her foreign policy?

Simply put, people do not have a clear set of principles when looking for a politician that meets their needs.

Instead, they cheer on one politician or party and change their values accordingly. This leads to blind loyalty, which ultimately results in gross injustices being committed by leaders with the support — or denial— of their voters. Even though the 2020 election has proven to be one of the most pivotal ones in U.S history, it does not represent a new pattern. People were once again forced to pick between the lesser of two evils. Only this time, the new definition of political awareness, the culture of worshiping politicians, and praise for meaningless actions and trends can devastate a movement towards a real and objective political understanding. Even though the fear of four more years of Trump is completely understandable and his loss in the election is a crucial step towards a better future, Trump’s political controversies should not be used as an excuse to not hold other politicians accountable for their actions.

For all of us who have recently been exposed to the world of politics through social media, we must learn to look beneath the surface of these symbols, demand a better world from our leaders, and acknowledge their past mistakes. We must be vigilant and invested in politics at all times, not only when our country is in crisis. We should also be appreciative of the fact that the two-party system does not operate in Canada, which gives future voters the chance to choose a leader that represents our values to a greater extent. Although many citizens may not practice their right to vote, it is necessary for our democracy that we all do.

OPINION | NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | GRAFFITI 29 PERSONALITY

Myers-Briggs – Not That Jung Liam Mclaughlin Editor

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hroughout high school, we focus intently on identifying our strengths and figuring out how to best use them to achieve our goals.

However, as we feverishly race towards the fulfillment of our ambitions — in this high-paced, goal-driven society — we often forget that our weaknesses also impact our journey to the finish line, and like our strengths, are an indispensable facet of our character. Likewise, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) Assessment reinforces a mindset where developmental imperfections are overlooked and are fashioned into something positive at the behest of being assessed, rather than being recognized for what they are, and appropriately managed.

Are you Introverted and Feeling? Maybe you are an INFJ. Are you Extroverted and Sensing? You must be an ESFP. Wait, no, my intuition tells me you are an ESTP. These are the simple, yet seemingly intriguing conversations that have captivated my peers and I in our quest to understand ourselves and one another.

However, as we pursued this world of selfidentity and explored MBTI’s application of psychological theory, we discovered that perhaps the variants that determined our traits were too broad, and the personality box we were assigned was too simplistic—even absurd—in its rejection of the complexity of human beings. And yet, even recognizing MBTI’s limitations, I still find myself occasionally taking this 10-30 minute survey, in order to feed some need for selfunderstanding or validation. Apparently, I’m not alone in this quest: approximately 1.5 million people take it each year, making it the most wellknown personality test in the world.

Carl Jung - a 19th century Swiss psychiatrist - approached his assessment of human behaviour in a holistic manner, quite different from MBTI. He recognized the complexity of human beings, and in an attempt to remain respectful and cognizant of this fact, created a framework that served as a starting point in understanding human personalities. He proposed that people experience the world through the use of four functions —Intuition, Sensing, Thinking, and Feeling. Each behavioural tendency is predominantly energized by either the external world (Extraversion) or the internal world (Introversion) - creating archetypes according to these proclivities. Further, Jung sets Thinking as dichotomous to Feeling, Intuition as dichotomous to Sensing, and Introversion as dichotomous to Extroversion.

This entails that more of any one proclivity means less of its counterpart, in

an attempt to avoid categorical typing. He believed that every individual was better understood as having a profile of functions that influence their behaviour. He maintained that, while archetypes should align with their dedicated recipients, “there is no recipe for living that suits all cases.”

By contrast, Isabel Briggs Myers and her mother, Katharine Cook Briggs - neither of whom had formal training in psychology – chose the opposite approach. They modified and monetized Jung’s work by leveraging fragments of his theory, and disregarded its fundamental axioms. The resulting output – the MBTI tests – served to create sterile archetypes and one-dimensional profiles that are characterized by strengths alone. The Myers-Briggs test distilled Jung’s work into distinct boxes. Whereas Jung asserted that the most telling aspects of one’s personality were based on what lay inside that box, Briggs ignored its

ry in assessing themselves. Simone, a Grade 11 student, who completed MBTI’s “16 Personalities Type Explorer” reveals “My initial results indicated that I was a clear ESTJ [sensory thinker]. At the time, I felt these traits clearly aligned with who I was, which is why it came as a shock to me months later that I had scored INFJ [an intuitive feeler]. Now, I suspect these outcomes were founded on who I wanted to be rather than who I really was.”

Simone believes that accuracy entails some form of complexity and the truth cannot be evaluated through questions like, ‘Do you enjoy vibrant social events?’ or, ‘What do your vacation plans consist of?’ No one is distinctly introverted or extraverted. People are simply too complex to be broadly categorized. That said, it is it impossible to dissociate a strength from its weakness, just as it is impossible to separate heads from tails in a single coin – a requisite ignored by Myers Briggs.

contents all-together. The MBTI test Photo courtesy of Psycom defines individuals as Extroverted (E) Ava, a Grade 11 Student, or Introverted beings (I), who follow (whose Jung-based architype most intuition (N) or Sensing (S), discern closely aligns with the Myers-Briggs through Feelings (F) or Truth (T), or Personality category ISFP) shared that live through Judgement (J) or Percepshe favours: Introverted Feeling, Extion (P). This approach is flawed by troverted Sensing, Introverted Intuits reliance on one’s general percepition, and Extroverted Thinking (the tion of one’s own traits, each of which least developed sense among ISFPs). is too broad to be distinguished. How She admits that “Jung’s representacould I be distinctly introverted or distion [of what is known as “ISFP” in tinctly extraverted? Ultimately, these the Myers-Briggs world], accurately “personalities” would produce purely coordinates with my traits and has optimistic stereotypes; The ESFP Engiven me a new perspective on my tertainer (Extroverted, Sensing, Feelemotions and reasoning. A lot of the ing, Perceiving), The ENTJ Commandtime I do feel like processing informaer (Extroverted, Intuition, Thinking, tion around me is draining.” Finally, I Judging), The ISFP Adventurer (Intook both the Myers-Briggs test and troverted, Sensing, Feeling, Perceivalso assessed myself based on Jung’s ing) — neither providing a feasible tratypology. The MBTI test identified me jectory for its recipients and swaying as an INFJ – a creative and dedicated from Jung’s intended goal of enhanced nurturer. However, Jung’s assessment self-awareness for himself and othsuggested that, in the MBTI world, I ers. Where Jung would recognize an behave more like an ENTJ – a strategic ENTJ as a set of proclivities (organized leader, whose actions are based on logby Extroverted Thinking, Introverted ic. From the assessments, I saw more Intuition, Extroverted Sensing, and of myself in Jung’s mirror, and only a Introverted Feeling), Briggs reduced distorted reflection from MBTI. While the profile to a limited stereotype.

I am dedicated, and certainly care To test the efficacy of both about people (like and INFJ), I am not approaches, I solicited feedback from a nurturer. I identify more with Jung’s peers who had taken either the MBTI assessment: I favour Extroverted test or who had applied Jung’s theoThinking (using consensus to project

outward thinking) and Introverted Intuition (organizing abstract patterns), to effectively rationalize external information and construct long term visions – these are my strongest proclivities. Extroverted Sensing (undertaking life through experiences), and Introverted Feeling (processing internal values) are my weakest. While the ENTJ and INFJ experience similar proclivities, the weight of each proclivity is different - a reality captured by their dichotomous functions. This is where Jung’s theory shines: it encourages us to explore each of our traits - to celebrate our strengths and recognize and manage our weaknesses.

According to Vox Media, “[The Myers-Briggs Foundation] produces and markets the test [and] mak[es] around $20 million off it each year.”

Live Science claims that “88% of Fortune 500 companies, as well as hundreds of universities, use it in hiring and training”, even though its validity is continually questioned. According to USA Today, studies have shown that the test is “not effective at predicting people’s success in different jobs.”

Perhaps our need to consume information in quick, digestible bites is why Myers Briggs has thrived, despite Jung’s superior approach to classifying human tendencies. All is not lost though: Jung’s work has not gone entirely unnoticed.

PerosnalityDatabase.com, a forum consisting of thousands of anonymous individuals, apply Jung’s theory to determine archetypes of fictional and non-fictional characters through voting polls and online debates.

Who would have thought that Joe Biden is an ESFJ or Steve Jobs was an ISTP? Not merely because Biden is extroverted or because Jobs was factual, but due to the composite variants that determine their traits.

I’ve read that Myers-Briggs Is Totally Useless (The New York Times) — but it could have been useful, and still can be. I, too, question, is MyersBriggs [Truly] Totally Meaningless (Vox Media)? Maybe, Myers-Briggs has become misunderstood. Why is Myers Briggs Still so Popular? (Pacific Standard). Perhaps the answer to all these questions lies in the reality that Myers-Briggs has capitalized on the fact that we naturally and unconsciously want to see ourselves in a simplistic light that is favourable. However, Jung maintains that, in order to deviate from our least favoured or unattractive tendencies, we must acknowledge them for “there is no coming to consciousness without pain.” So, for MyersBriggs to help us cross the finish line, their testing would have to be modified such that it helps us also see our weaknesses, because “we can not change [them] until we accept [them]” and it is change that drives maturity. We need to celebrate our strengths and recognize our weaknesses — not through the self-aggrandizing format of MBTI, but through a critical mirror that helps us to adapt, grow, and stay truly Jung.

OPINION | NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | GRAFFITI 31 ACTIVISM

Performative Activism: The Hidden Thorn in Modern Activism Inessa Azoyan Editor

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hy do you choose to be a humanitarian? Why do you choose to advocate for social issues? Because you wish to live in a just society? Or because you want attention by following the “trends?”

In recent months, advocacy of various social issues has heightened internationally. After the cruel murder of George Floyd, a black man, communities around the world rallied to support the black community and demand change. Since its peak, this fight has expanded to more than just the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement; women’s rights, LGBTQ+ rights, the actions of political leaders, elections, and poverty have all become prominent topics of discussion. A large portion of those advocating are genuine activists who are aiming to amplify voices and bring up conversations about societal issues in their social circles to encourage real change. In contrast, performative activists purely crave attention.

Performative activists hide in plain sight, disguising their inconsistent and insincere advocacy amongst the unwavering actions of genuine activists. Seeking attention and approval for their actions, the goal of these people is to increase their social capital rather than genuinely support a cause.

They feel the nagging urge to post each of their fabricated acts on social media to garner the attention of others. Having little to no concern for the demographic being impacted, performative activists are blind to the need for social change and thus do not put forth the effort to bring about reform.

When the surge of BLM content began to take over my Instagram feed, it became evident to me that many of my peers had done their part in sharing informative posts, signing petitions, and donating money. From others, merely crickets. It wasn’t until Blackout Tuesday—a day dedicated to stopping the flow of regular social media posts to give way for the amplification of black voices—that these people awoke from their ignorant naps. As The New York Times’s Joe Coscarelli describes it, the initiative “morphed overnight on social media into a less focused action, resulting in a sea of black boxes…”. Performative activists who were previously silent suddenly came out of hibernation, posting the insignificant black square and disappearing again, hoping to have gained newfound respect from their community.

My peers see it too. Upon surveying students from schools both locally, in Toronto, and the United States, a pattern was quickly revealed. A whopping 73.7% of people responded that they saw countless people posting for Blackout Tuesday only to quickly fade away again with no additional advocacy. When asked to rate how often they notice performative activists within their community on a scale of 1 to 10, 47.3% rated an 8 or above. The average rating was only a 7. A number far, far too high.

Apply this to a greater demographic and the parallels are clear. On the

day of, #BlackoutTuesday had 29 million posts on Instagram, while George Floyd’s petition had only garnered 19 million signatures over several days.

10 million people. 10 million people posted a black square but felt it unnecessary or inconvenient to sign a petition. Doing the bare minimum only with the hope of being respected is damaging beyond belief; it discredits the real work being put in by genuine activists who donate money, sign petitions, and attend protests, all without documenting their every step.

Performative activism can apply to more than just individual people; businesses are often seen following this same pattern. For them, it is merely a matter of marketing and brand activism - which means emp-

ty promises and unfulfilled action plans. It is now common to see BLM and LGBTQ+ signs in the windows of restaurants and stores, all promoting their promise to stand with communities fighting injustice. Unfortunately, but not at all surprisingly, they often break their promises. After American football star Colin Kaepernick was dropped by the National Football

League for taking a knee during the national anthem in protest against police brutality, Nike picked him as one of the faces for their 30th anniversary ad campaign, stating that they completely supported Kaepernick and promised to join the fight for his people’s rights.

However, their words and actions soon proved to be nothing but performative, as public records show that in 2019, fewer than 10% of the company’s 300plus vice-presidents worldwide were black. In considering this, it is made clear that Nike’s actions were for their own personal gain, as they included Kaepernick in their ad campaign only to be seen as a brand that wholeheartedly supports black lives and their fight against police brutality. Shaun R. Harper, the founder and executive

ments are… inconsistent with their firsthand experiences in workplaces…”. Amara Nwogu, a 29-year-old Black woman, left her position at the Royal Bank of Canada’s brand marketing team in April, 2020 after “a series of dealings with a senior manager and frustrating failed attempts to remedy the situation with the company’s human resources department.”Nwogu explained that she was the target of countless microaggressions from her manager who repeatedly referred to her by the name of another Black woman who did not work at the bank.

In another instance, he told Nwogu that she “must like the Black Panther movie because of her ‘personal attachment,’ in reference to her Nigerian roots.” Despite her efforts at educating him and standing up for herself, the manager remained ignorant and HR did little to remedy the situation. Looking at the bigger picture, she states that there simply “...remains a disconnect between [company’s] public statements and the internal work that needs to be done to ensure that [their] own procedures are truly antiracist”. On June 6th, 2020, RBC publicly announced their $1.5 million commitment to provide direct support to Black communities. When you consider the personal experience of just one of the many former Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) RBC employees, the company’s donations and promise to “help fight systemic anti-black racism” sounds quite laughable. Unfortunately, there are countless such corporations that have the same two-sided image. Whether the experiences of BIPOC at other companies have been publicly discussed or not does not matter; what matters is the problem of their brand activism.

Of course, credit must be given to the companies that truly advocate for equality and treat their employees accordingly. Nike, for the first time, gave workers Juneteenth off as a paid holiday. Walmart stopped keeping their “ethnic” hair care products in locked cases. The Bank of America pledged $1 billion to help fight racial inequality. Performative companies work their hardest to blend in with companies such as these, seamlessly camouflaging their insincere words amongst real actions of advocacy.

Performative activism Illustration by Anisa Williams discredits the tireless efforts of director of the University of South- genuine advocates, who put forth their ern California Race and Equity Center, utmost energy in fighting for justice. It describes these performative actions is pathetic and unacceptable. Pretendbest. In his article for the Washington ing to care, pretending to support, Post, Harper reveals that these com- pretending to empower: the detrimenpanies wish for “their gestures [to be tal effects are much too clear. Society found] compelling and believable. must come together to treat the plight But many black employees find them and adversities of all groups as worthy confusing… because such pronounce- enough of genuine support and valiments and headline-garnering invest- dation. Stop pretending. Start doing.

32 GRAFFITI | NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | OPINION BODY POSITIVITY

Men are Also Victims of Beauty Standards Tvisha Mehta Contributor

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know that it may sound absurd, but the beauty standards for men are no less than those for women. Yes, women are put under a magnifying glass and are objectified for the way we are, but so are men. Maybe it is at a less extreme rate as to what it is for women, but men have to face the same societal pressures and try to fit the “norm”.

Most men are told on a daily basis: “He has a dad bod, he’s too skinny, I only date tall guys, he doesn’t have strong facial features”. Upon interviewing a grade 12 NT student, he stated that he has repeatedly been told that he is “too skinny” and needs to “bulk up”. He has tried training and has been on multiple diets, but he simply cannot control it. This student’s experience shows how men are scrutinized for things they cannot change. This has a major impact both physically and mentally, especially for younger men.

Many men are brought up with the preconceived notions that; boys do not cry, you have to be tough, showing emotion is for the weak. The same student mentioned that he has grown up with very ‘masculine’ stereotypes. Throughout his life, he has been taught not to show emotion and to be ‘tough’. This type of outlook negatively impacted his mental wellbeing.

Toxic masculinity is a real thing that still exists and regularly affects men’s mental state. Muscle dysmorphia, anorexia, and other body image disorders caused by unattainable standards set by the media, females, and other males can affect men mentally. Many men might feel the need to over-exert themselves to fit into society’s conventional image. This could have negative effects on their daily lives, relationships, and cast an overall negative outlook on life - attributing to mental health issues as well.

Most male teenagers were brought up to be ‘macho’, and they do not allow themselves to express their bottled up emotions. This emotional suppression could fester into greater damage, resulting in toxic masculinity during adulthood. This correlates with the standards set for men by men, when it should be men uplifting men. These are vital issues that are not being brought to light in the media. Raising awareness can have a great impact by helping men feel more comfortable to seek help, and to open up to loved ones.

Articles like ‘PEOPLE’S Sexiest Man Alive’ are of no help to the body positivity movement because they have a clear type of man portrayed in these magazines. Take Chris Hemsworth, for example. He is the pinnacle of male beauty and has unique features that make him very attractive. He has been voted as the world’s sexiest man multiple times, depriving many other men of this achievement.

Also, these articles and columns deeply impact how men look at themselves and do not provide much comfort to the average man. Although in recent years, various magazines are becoming more inclusive and are opening up to the possibility that all men are beautiful. However, this inclusivity has failed to reach the level that it should

be at. Not just for body type, but for the LGBTQ+ community as well.

In my opinion, inclusivity is everything. What we see in our everyday lives is what we believe to be true. For example, brands like SAVAGExFenty and ASOS, feature men and women of all shapes and sizes, and have products for every type of person. That much inclusivity is a game-changer and allows men and women to be more confident. However, most big companies are set in their ways and do not provide products for all sizes of people. If we could raise more awareness and seek change, each company would back down from their insistence on presenting an ideal body type. Just because somebody does not fit your ideal body image, does not mean that they are any less and should be treated any differently.

Starting friendly protests

Illustration by Ava Ireland and writing blogs or articles could help spread a positive ideal of men’s bodies. Celebrities and influencers are role models for many people, and their voices have a significant influence. If more start to speak up for causes like these, companies and brands will change their perspective on the branding of products and what they all produce. For instance, Kelvin Davis (@notoriouslydapper on Instagram) is a body positivity fashion blogger. He creates looks for men of all sizes, and is a body positivity activist. His posts help many overcome a fear of not being able to wear what they want to because of their size.

Men like him are revolutionizing the body positivity movement for the better, which means less toxic mascu-

linity and more love and acceptance.

Instead of making a spectacle of the ‘perfect’ man, we should encourage them to love themselves for who they are, what they look like, and break the barriers that they have put up for so long. They should be able to feel comfortable in their own skin and not try to convert to normal standards of beauty in men. We as a school should consider the effects that hurtful comments could have on our young, developing minds. As a community, we should learn to be aware and thoughtful, and to empathize with students who have faced these issues. This makes our school atmosphere a much more positive environment where people can express themselves without judgement!

OPINION | NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | GRAFFITI 33 ENVIRONMENT

Teens Should Advocate for the Environment, Even Through the Pandemic

Illustration by Tania Ajel

Emelia Grossman Editor

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n September of 2019, thousands were drawn to Queen’s Park, signs in hand, demanding immediate action to the ever-growing issue of climate change. Many of these people were students, taking an absence from school for a chance to advocate for their planet and their future. Now, in October 2020, we somberly refer to these days as the pre-COVID era; when life was perfect and the fear of contracting a malignant virus with every step outside the safety of your home was unimaginable. However, this pandemic has shut down more than just our favourite restaurants and monthly trips to the salon. It has crippled our environmental activism and enfeebled our thirst for doing whatever it takes to oblige the government to hear the cries of future generations. Although physical distancing has barred the possibility of protesting for many people, why have we let it diminish our voices? As one of the most relentless forces for climate action, teens must continue to advocate for our environment and do whatever possible under the circumstances we face. After all, the destruction of our planet takes no intermission, even when divergent threats loom.

Near the beginning of this lockdown, rumours surfaced that this pandemic was the best thing the environment could hope for as it is finally able to flourish without human interruption. Although this holds a certain

amount of truth, it is not a long term benefit and plenty of negative environmental effects of the pandemic have become apparent. Do masks littered across sidewalks, swept into ocean tides, and jammed into the habitats of animals sound like a big environmental accomplishment? I think we can safely say it is most definitely not. A National Geographic article outlines only the beginning of these ghastly environmental impacts. The article highlights how “there’s a serious risk that polluters could emerge from this crisis bolder and potentially more profitable than ever.” Aside from this frightening issue, just think about the mass of online orders, packaged in plastic and packed with styrofoam, that are waiting to be added to the landfills that are consuming our planet. What about the number of people swapping out public transportation for a drive in their car?

I used to walk to school every single day, yet now I find myself asking my parents for a lift every morning, too afraid to risk going one step too close to an infected individual on my walk to school. And I know this isn’t just a personal problem. National Geographic suggests a “carpocalypse” is heading our way as “travellers [are] likely to avoid [public transportation] out of fear of contracting the virus.” This is just a shortlist of the innumerable catastrophic environmental repercussions this pandemic has brought on.

Teens must not stay silent on these issues. Even as we switch from talking face-to-face to talking over Zoom, we can still keep our voices as powerful and impactful as ever before.

Now, this may be the very first time you are hearing about these horrendous environmental issues, and I don’t blame you. The media’s obsession with COVID related news has effectively ended the reporting of major events still occurring in our world. When I surveyed 29 students from North Toronto C.I, 55.2% agreed that the media’s focus on COVID related news has made them less aware of current environmental problems.

Although the pandemic has caused people to become less aware of these matters, we must not blame it all on the media as we bear some of the fault as well. 44.8% of those surveyed agreed that climate change feels less important during the COVID-19 pandemic. How we choose to act on issues, whether they are reported or not, is our choice. We often choose to leave future issues for the next generations — or even our later selves — to deal with, however teens understand more than anyone that climate change is and always will be a predominant issue in our society within our lifetime. Therefore, we must shoulder some of this blame and work towards amplifying our voices to fight for our planet once again.

After interviewing Audrey Gong; a grade 11 student here at North Toronto, I gained further insight into the matter of teen environmental advocacy during this pandemic. Gong is the Director of Marketing for the Toronto Youth Environmental Council (TYEC) which is an organization that is dedicated to helping the environment through teen involvement.

Gong can attest to the difficulties her

organization is facing during these times. She says that “[they’ve] realized that it is evidently more difficult to get students involved and passionate about environmental change.”

Although there are obvious setbacks, the organization is adapting well to an online format and are “actively working on launching a website and blog page where students in Toronto can discover and learn more about our initiatives online.” The dedication that organizations like TYEC show, even during a pandemic, is a breath of fresh air. It should inspire other teens to join environmental action teams, such as North Toronto’s Environmental Action Team (NEAT), or even just challenge yourself to do what you can to spread awareness and be more environmentally friendly. Gong supports this notion, stating that “With everyone connected through online platforms more than ever before, teens have the perfect chance to use their social media presence to advocate for change!”

There is no saying when the COVID-19 pandemic will come to an end; and when that time comes, other circumstances will arise. The question is: will we allow the current situation and future worldly disasters to divert our attention from the planet’s most critical problem? The answer lies in what you choose to do. I urge teens to continue fighting for our environment in every possible way. Barack Obama declares climate change as “[an] issue that will define the contours of this century more dramatically than any other”. Therefore, we should not disregard our chance to shape history.

34 GRAFFITI | NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | OPINION EQUALITY

Running While Mixed

Photo courtesy of Matheus Ribs

José Henrique Severo Saraiva Contributor

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s a kid, I did not think about race that much, except in the times when my mom would lecture me on how we could not run on the sidewalk. She believed that Brazilians get shot when they ran on the sidewalk. Although she explicitly used the word “Brazilian1,” I did not associate it with race at the time. I associated it with running. I could not run on the street because if I did, I would get shot. For someone who always questioned things, I never questioned that. I was raised to be scared of cops, yet the notion that a cop could shoot me for running scared me to my bones. Everytime I ran in the street, I got extremely cold from the inside out which forced me to stop. I could not say that it was trauma because I have never been diagnosed. However, I only think about it when I’m running.

As a mixed kid from a mixed family, running was in our blood; not physically, but socially and mentally.

We ran from our race and our identity.

We had been whitewashed. Even my grandma who is a Black Native2, has identified with being white simply to feel that little bit of white validation.

She went on to marry a Greek-Italian Native man. She also had four children. My aunt, the firstborn, inherited her appearance from my grandma. She has the dark skin of a Black woman and straight hair as if she were the Goddess Iara—a Tupi water Goddess known for being extremely beautiful with flow-

ing black hair. My mom, the secondborn, has green eyes that nobody can explain (she says her dad has blueeyed brothers). Her hair was an afro, which started brown but came to be black as night. Despite her small eyes and chiselled jawline, one would say she’s a white woman due to her other Eurocentric features such as her nose and green eyes. My uncle looks just like me; thick curly hair, almond eyes, and heavy eyelids. The typical Pardo/ Mestizo (Mix of Indigenous, Black, and white), one would say. My youngest aunt is the one who would best be described as Caboclo (a racial mix of white and Indigenous), as she does not have many Black features and looks mostly like an Indian with fair skin. With that being said, you might see how weird it is that we all identified as white for a long time. It was our way of running. Running from racism and running from the stereotypes that came with being Black or Native.

We lied to ourselves: my grandma was not the last to be attended at the clinic because she was dark-skinned; it was merely a coincidence. My uncle was not constantly stopped by the police because they were racist; the cop just randomly thought his headlights were off. My mom did not straighten her hair for years because it was the norm to be accepted; it was because she thought it was more beautiful, although she did not really think so.

As Christians, my family was told that we were all equal, but we were not treated like that. This is not to say that they are hypocritical or ignorant; because a lot of people from my grandma’s church are amazing. Differ-

ent from many colonized families, we did not conform to Christianity until later, though I was not born yet. I do not completely blame Christianity or Catholicism for our identity problems, although the “Kill the Indian, save the child/man” was and still is very common by them. It took my family a while to accept ourselves. But I would say that since last summer, when we had an intense conversation about it, we have been on the same page; although my brother, who can be considered the whitest of us, still has trouble seeing that. It’s like my grandma said: “I can call myself white but that does not change my skin, does not change my eyes or my hair; it does not change the way they see me.” I think that is the reason my brother still considers himself white, he is white-passing and does not go through what we do. There used to be a saying that said “Every prayer for our God is a tear from the pagans.” Although I do not know if it was an actual saying or a nun expressing her ignorance, I cannot bring my mind to think of Jaci, Yemaya or Hestia crying as a good thing, Goddesses of nature, water, motherhood, family and purity. Whenever someone cried, I would get desperate. So, why would it be different for the pagan gods who have done me no harm? Considering the Christian God was used to justify the genocide and slavery of my people by ignorant men. I was, maybe still am, full of anger about it.

My point is not to justify my anger or stress about this, but to express my sadness that we have to live in a world where kids are still scared of running on the sidewalk. Between

12 am and 5 am I run when I please, when the white people are still sleeping and too busy to call the cops to shoot me. I am aware that I have given no solution, and that is because the solution has been out for over 500 years: “Don’t be a jerk, and mind your business.” No one should have to run from themselves to make others comfortable if they are causing no harm.

From Breonna Taylor getting shot while sleeping in her own house to my mom straightening and dying her hair blonde; both situations could have been avoided if people just minded their business. Despite the best efforts of organizations like FUNAI (National Indian Foundation) and institutes like the Lermann Foundation, Brazil is still a precarious country run by those who have descended from colonizers with systems put in place specifically to benefit those at the top. FUNAI, for example, is limited to protecting treaties and the rights only to the Natives who still live within the rez or who have full Native status. Although the country does implement quotas to help, they are still widely misused. Despite all of that, I still have hope for the future.

More people like my family are growing to accept their Indigenous identity.

In 2010, the Indigenous population of Brazil was 0.6% according to IBGE (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics) — but that number is growing, as many Caboclos are starting to identify themselves as Indigenous despite not living in the Reservation or Tribe.

1“Brazillian” usually refers to a mixed-race person.

2 “Native” refers to Native American or Indigenous.

ARTS & CULTURE | NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | GRAFFITI 35

HORROR STORY

arts & culture

La Chica Y El Perro (The Girl and The Dog) Valeria Milyukova Contributor

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abía una niña que hija única; mientras sus padres estaban ocupados, ella siempre se sentía muy sola y no tenía a nadie con quien quedarse. Pero todo cambió cuando le compraron un perro. Desde el día que se conocieron, fueron inseparables. Se lo pasaban muy bien cuando los padres se tenían que ir y se quedaban los dos solos en la casa. Hasta tenían una rutina. Todas las noches, especialmente en las que se quedaba sola, el perro dormía debajo de su cama, y en cuanto la chica se sentía nerviosa o tenía miedo, bajaba la mano al suelo y el perro le lamía la mano para que supiera que todo estaba bien.

Esta noche era una como cualquiera, los padres se habían ido pronto y no volverían hasta tarde.

La chica se fue a dormir, sabiendo que no pasaría nada, ya que el perro iba a estar debajo de la cama.

A medianoche se despertó inquieta, bajó la mano y sintió que le chupaba la mano el perro. Tranquila, se volvió a dormir.

Después de unas horas se despertó otra vez debido a unos ruidos. Clac Clac Clac. Sudando de la tensión, bajó la mano al suelo otra vez y sintió que le lamía el perro inmediata-

mente. Se durmió, pero intranquila.

A la tercera vez se despertó en un profundo silencio. Con un nudo en la garganta, bajó de nuevo la mano, pero no sintió que le lamiera. Entonces se levantó y miró debajo de la cama. El perro no estaba. Buscándole, fue al baño. Lo que se encontró la aterrorizó: En el suelo estaba su perro muerto, rodeado de sangre y en el espejo alguien había escrito algo en rojo. El corazón de la chica casi se paró cuando leyó el mensaje sangriento: “No solo los perros chupan manos”.

La chica, no creyendo lo que veía, retrocedió. De repente choco con alguien y gritó aterrorizada...

ents were leaving early and would not be back until late. The girl went to sleep, knowing that nothing would go wrong. After all, the dog was going to be under her bed.

At midnight, she woke up with an uneasy feeling. Lowering her hand under the bed, she felt the dog lick her hand.

Reassured, she went back to sleep.

After a few hours she woke up again to some noises. Clack, clack, clack. Sweating slightly, she lowered her hand down again and felt the dog lick her immediately. Laying back down, she fell back to sleep feeling a bit uneasy still.

On the third time the girl woke up to a

deep silence. With a tightened chest, she lowered her hand once more but didn’t get a lick from her dog, so she got up and looked under the bed. The dog wasn’t there. Looking for him, she went to the bathroom. What she found terrified her. On the floor was her dog, surrounded by its own blood, and in the mirror someone had written in bright red. Her heart nearly stopped when she read the bloody mess, “Not only dogs can lick hands”.

Not believing what she saw, she moved back. Suddenly, she bumped into someone and gave a piercing scream of terror...

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here was a girl who was an only child. She was home alone while her parents attended important meetings and always felt very lonely the nights she was by herself.

Yet, everything changed when her parents bought her a dog. From the day they met, the girl and the dog were inseparable. They had the greatest times with each other when her parents had to leave and the girl was left alone. Together, they even had a routine; every night, especially those when the girl was alone, the dog slept under her bed, and whenever the girl felt nervous or scared, she would lower her hand to the ground and the dog would lick her hand so that she would know that everything was fine.

Tonight was like any other, her par-

Illustration by Caspian Warren

MUSIC

Quarantine’s Greatest Hits Take a look into some of North Toronto student’s favorite new music that was released throughout quarantine: Angela Krstic Charlotte Shin Rowen Uy Contributors Kiara Distin Abigail Shin Amanda Wilson Editor

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olklore: Taylor Swift Rowen Uy The release of Taylor Swift’s latest album, Folklore, came as a surprise to many North Toronto C.I. students over quarantine. Consisting of sixteen tracks and running for a duration of just over an hour, this album deviated from Swift’s typical upbeat pop of previous albums to a more re-

laxed atmosphere, with emphasis on emotion and lyricism. Folklore debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, becoming the seventh consecutive album from Swift to accomplish that feat. Folklore stayed atop the chart for seven impressive weeks. All sixteen tracks also landed in the Billboard Hot 100, with the lead single “Cardigan” debuting at the top spot and becoming Swift’s sixth numberone single. The album also broke many Guinness World Records, including the most day-one streams for a female artist on Spotify. It sold two million copies globally in its first week and accumulated 44 million streams on its first day.

It isn’t a surprise that the album was nominated for the People’s Choice Album of the Year award.

Illustration by Tania Ajel

36 GRAFFITI | NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | ARTS & CULTURE Chicago Freestyle Angela Kristic

Drake’s Dark Lane Demo Tapes was released May 1, 2020, and Chicago Freestyle ft. singersongwriter Giveon quickly joined my “on repeat” playlist. Upon the album’s release, I had been feeling isolated. This somber story of casual love fuelled by wealth, although materialistic and unaligned with my personal experiences, gave me a sense of shared sadness and exhaustion. It helped me feel less alone in my struggles during quarantine, and I came out feeling better than before.

Dynamite Abigail Shin

On August 21, 2020, BTS as known as the Bulletproof Boy Scouts, released Dynamite, an upbeat, disco-pop song that marked the group’s first song to be re-

leased completely in English. Since its release, Dynamite has achieved numerous milestones including becoming the most viewed video on Youtube in under 24 hours (over 100 million views). It was BTS’ first song to hit number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the first Korean group to hit number 1 on the chart.

This song spreads a message about confidence and joy during a time the world needs a regenerative boost.

Dynamite is surely a song all pop lovers should add to their playlist.

Wonder Amanda Wilson

During the unprecedented and chaotic times of COVID-19, Canadian singer and songwriter Shawn Mendes made quarantine more enjoyable with the launch of his new song ‘Wonder’. Released on October 2, 2020, the hit song currently tops the Billboard charts

and achieved over 21 million views on the music video in a single week.

‘Wonder’ serves as the lead song in Mendes’s upcoming album soon to be released on December 4th.

It sounds like the perfect holiday gift as well as a perfect way to end 2020... on a high note! The Mendes Army is excited for the new album release and is already preparing for a possible concert in 2021.

Rain On Me Kiara Distin

With COVID-19 keeping everyone at home, Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande blessed our ears with their absolute bop, Rain On Me. The duo we never knew we needed had released the song on May 22, achieving 31 million streams in it’s first week out in the world, and 21 million views on its video on the first day. Fans of the pair had been waiting since

April, when the song was first announced. As well, Grande just announced a new album coming out before the end of this month, it’s clear that Arianators are on the edge of their seats waiting for more.

Savage Love Charlotte Shin

Jason Derulo and Jawsh 685’s “Savage Love” officially released on June 11. Peaking at No. 1 in seventeen countries, the song became viral through the social media platform Tik Tok with thousands of people dancing to the hit song. The song slowly climbed Billboard’s Hot 100 and on October 2, when a remix was released featuring the K-pop stars BTS, it hit No. 1. Now becoming the second song for both Derulo and BTS and first for 685 to earn a number one spot on Billboard.

SKINCARE

Hyram Skincare Recommendations A list of Hyram-approved products to add to your skincare routine:

Mikayla Toplis Amanda Wilson Editors

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eauty influencer, Hyram Yarbro or Skincare By Hyram, rose to fame in the cosmetics industry during the COVID-19 pandemic after reaching over 3.75 million subscribers on his Youtube channel and 6.3 million followers on TikTok. The new internet sensation with a passion for skincare is dominating the industry with his recommendations and celebrity skincare reaction videos. Hyram made skincare exciting for everyone. He has influenced millions of teenagers all over the world to develop a proper skincare regime, while educating his followers on which ingredients are good for different skin types. Hyram also disregards companies that promote fragranced products and harsh scrubs. “Ingredients don’t lie,” he tells his viewers. Here is a list of Hyram-approved products to add to your skincare routine: Cerave- Daily Moisturizing Lotion

For those with either oily or dry skin, Hyram recommends the Cerave Daily Moisturizing Lotion. It is a lightweight, oil-free, non-comedogenic and hypoallergenic moisturizer developed with help from dermatologists. It uses three essential ceramides to maintain and protect the skin’s natural barrier. The lotion also contains hyaluronic acid, which increases the hydration in your skin making it appear fresher and fuller. This moisturizer can be found at Shoppers Drug Mart for $17.99.

Cerave- Foaming Facial Cleanser

The Cerave Foaming Facial Cleanser is ideal for removing excess oil, makeup and dirt from the skin without stripping its natural oils With a non-comedogenic, non-irri-

tating and fragrance-free formula, it is perfect for someone who has normal to oily skin. This product retails for $22.64 and contains Hylauronic acid, as well as Niacinamide which aids keep the skin calm. This is a key staple for any skincare regime.

Krave Beauty- Skin Barrier Relief Serum

The Skin Barrier Relief serum is a reparative, skin-soothing and nourishing serum that helps to calm and even out the skin’s surface.

T=his product is vegan, cruelty-free, and free of fragrances, essential oils, artificial colouring and allergenic ingredients. This product aims to fight irritation, discolouration and breakouts. Some of the helpful ingredients include niacinamide acid and tamanu oil, which relieves dark spots and sunspots. This product can be found at Krave Beauty’s website for $28.

Purito Centella Unscented SPF 50

“Sunscreen is the most important part of any skincare routine,” Hyram says. Sunscreen protects your skin from the harsh UV sun rays and prevents premature aging and skin discolouration. With many Hyram approved sunscreens including the CeraVe Mineral SPF 30, Krave Beauty The Beet Shield SPF 50 and Biossance Sheer Mineral SPF 30, the Purito Centella stand out among the rest. Its formula is vegan, cruelty free, fragrance free and its protection from both UVA and UVB rays makes the product incredible. It also smooths the skin and looks natural under makeup.

This product can be found on YesStyle or the website Purito for $19.35.

SunBum Mineral SPF 50

Too much exposure to the sun can be extremely harmful to the skin. Not only is it the cause of 90% of premature ageing but can also lead to skin cancer. This is why it is so important to find a good sunscreen that can

be integrated into your daily skincare routine. One product that Hyram recommends is the SunBum Mineral SPF 50 sunscreen. A primary ingredient in this sunscreen is Zinc Oxide, which creates a physical barrier between the skin and the sun, keeping UV from penetrating the skin entirely. Hyram recommends this product for people with dry skin as it contains coconut oil, shea butter and sodium hyaline, which helps to draw in moisture from the air. This product is reef-safe, meaning it is safe to use when swimming in the ocean and ultimately would not hurt the environment. This sunscreen can be found on Amazon for $15.98.

The Ordinary- Lactic Acid 10% + HA

Another one of Hyram’s recommendations is the Ordinary Lactic Acid 10% Serum for anyone who is looking for a gentle exfoliator. Lactic acid is used as a solution for uneven skin tones and textures as well as for fine lines and wrinkles. This product is vegan, cruelty-free and does not contain any harmful ingredients like parabens, sulfates or phthalates. Although Lactic Acid is one of the more gentle hydroxy acids found in skincare, for those who are looking for a more gentle exfoliator Hyram recommends The Ordinary Lactic Acid 5% + HA. Both products can be found at Sephora for $6.70.

The Ordinary- Niacinamide serum 10% + zinc 1%

Hyram is a big fan of The Ordinary Niacinamide and Zinc Serum.

Niacinamide is a form of B-3, an essential nutrient that can be found in many foods including, meat, eggs, and green vegetables. However, when it comes to your skin, niacinamide can help control oil production, reduce inflammation, treat acne, as well as support the skin’s barrier. Most importantly, the serum reduces the appearance of skin blemishes and clogged pores. This prod-

uct can be found at Sephora for only $5.90 and is great for all skin types.

Youth to People- Superfood Antioxidant Cleanser

An alternative to the Cerave Foaming Facial Cleanser is the Youth to People Superfood Antioxidant Cleanser. This award-winning face wash contains cold-pressed antioxidants to remove makeup, prevent the build-up in pores, and protect the skin’s pH balance.The product is vegan, cruelty free, and environmentally sustainable. “After using the product, my skin felt healthy, nourished and deeply cleansed,” Hyram said. Vitamin B5, vitamin C and alfalfa extract are what makes this product spectacular. This product can be found at Sephora for $47.

The products above are all environmentally friendly, cruelty and fragrance free, and affordable. However, many products that are currently popular in the skincare industry do not meet Hyram’s standards. These products include the Clean and Clear Morning Burst Facial Cleanser, St. Ives Fresh Skin Apricot Scrub, Thayers Witch Hazel Toner, Origins Skin Matte Moisturizer, and lastly the Mario Badescu Rosewater Setting Spray.

Hyram mainly recommends viewers to use the products he reviews rather than following the trend and not taking proper care of their skin.

Everyone’s skin is different, and if your current skincare routine is working, there’s no need to change it. However, if you’re looking for new ways to improve your routine or if you’re just interested in skincare itself, you can watch his videos on youtube or on his website skincarebyhyram.com.

ARTS & CULTURE | NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | GRAFFITI 37 DOCUMENTARY

The Social Dilemma: a Wake-up Call for a World Drunk on Media?

The new Netflix docudrama is a valiant attempt to address our complacency about surveillance capitalism.

Kiana Sharifi Editor

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et me paint you a picture.

You’ve just finished your daily virtual meeting with your afternoon class and you’re ready to be productive. You glance at the time and realize that it’s only 3:15; you have the entire afternoon and evening to finish school work. So you swiftly move your cursor from a Google Docs tab to a YouTube tab, and thus, you spiral into a neverending plethora of videos to watch.

It isn’t a revelation to anyone that social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, can be addictive. However, in Jeff Orlowski’s docudrama “The Social Dilemma,” conscientious former employees of these companies explain that the addictive patterns of social networking platforms are a feature, not a bug. They claim that the manipulation of human behavior for profit is purposefully coded into these platforms, using infinite scrolling and push notifications to keep users constantly engaged. Personalized recommendations use data not just to predict but also to influence our actions, turning users into

Illustration by Charlotte Shin

easy prey for advertisers. As well, woven within the documentary strand of this film, is a fictional account of a perfectly normal American family whose kids are manipulated and ruined by their addiction to social media. This is Orlowski’s way of persuading non-tech-savvy viewers that the documentary stuff is not only real, but is inflicting tangible harm on teenagers.

It’s a way of saying: Pay attention: media manipulation really matters!

Tristan Harris, a former Google design ethicist, co-founder of the Center for Humane Technology, is a central figure in the documentary. Near the beginning of the film, he asks the viewers, “Is this normal? Or have we all fallen under some kind of spell?”

For a long time we’ve been under the impression that on social media, we are the consumer.

That is not the case. Tim Kendall, former executive at Facebook, lets viewers know that “if you’re not paying for the product, you are the product.” So it’s not a spell we’ve fallen under per-say, but rather the smarter algorithms driving us to plunge deeper into our addiction.

“It’s the gradual, slight, imperceptible change in your own behavior and perception that is the product,” says Jaron Lanier, a computer

philosophy writer. “That’s the only thing there is for them to make money from: changing what you do, how you think, who you are.”

As a recent divorcee of social media, a grade 11 North Toronto student by the name of Sian Huang watched The Social Dilemma before deleting apps like Instagram and Tik Tok. After watching the film, she did not believe she could ever fall prey to the manipulative tactics revealed within the documentary. Only until she removed herself from these platforms did she “[realize] how truly addicted [she] was to social media.” Huang also notes that she found it disturbing the way that a simple app can tap into the vulnerabilities of human psychology. Jaron Lanier touches on the fact that social media has a direct connection to our behavioural psychology, called positive intermittent reinforcement. Each time we pull down and refresh, there’s going to be a new video or post at the top. Every. Single. Time. Lanier says, “It’s not enough that [people] use the product consciously; [media companies] want to dig deeper into the brainstem and implant, inside of you, an unconscious habit so that you are being programmed at a deeper level.”

We have created an entire generation of people all over the world, who are raised in a society where the very meaning of communication, the very meaning of culture, is manipulation. For Cella Leonard, a student living in Switzerland, it’s easy for her to think: “Ok so there I am with my phone, scrolling, clicking, using, but where’s the existential threat?” We are conditioning a whole new generation of people to normalize using their phones as a digital pacifier, instead of allowing our coping abilities to develop.

“Whenever I feel uncomfortable, lonely, uncertain, or afraid, it’s almost an automatic response for me to turn on my phone.” says Leonard.

In a dilemma that impacts as many people as the media industry does, education and awareness is key. But how much education is truly enough? When is it time to make actionable decisions to prevent people from becoming mere cogs in the machine of media? The Social Dilemma outlines the control we’ve lost over technology in the 21st century and the role surveillance capitalism plays in social media.

Now, the great mystery is finding solutions to regain our control.

38 GRAFFITI | NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | ARTS & CULTURE FILM REVIEW

Mulan: A Breakthrough for Asian Representation Charlotte Shin Contributor

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n 1998, Mulan broke barriers for Asian representation in animated movies by earning more than $300 million at the box office. It took more than two decades before Crazy Rich Asians in 2018 and Parasite in 2019 had a similar impact in live action films.

Perhaps in an attempt to build on this momentum, Disney released a live action remake of Mulan this past spring and it featured an allAsian cast - a first for a Hollywood high-budget production. The original Mulan was one of my favourite childhood films because of its musical score and engaging characters who actually looked like me, and so, I eagerly anticipated this new release. However, some uninspiring new elements and the removal of some of the best aspects of the original resulted in a disappointing end-product, even if the film deserves some credit for promoting ethnic diversity.

Mulan is based on a Chinese folk story, telling the legend of a brave girl who replaces her injured father by posing as a man to fight in the war. She proves to the world that a girl can fight among men and save the entirety of China from the Huns, the villains of the story. The animated film was loved by many, and Mulan became known as the most courageous and fearless “Disney princess” of all.

Moreover, she was the first princess of East Asian, and specifically Chinese descent. Interestingly, the one country that did not take to the original movie was China. In response, Disney made some key changes to the live action remake.

Based on criticism that the original contained some stereotypes and mischaracterization of traditional Chinese culture, Disney added some new ideas and characters and removed others. Unfortunately, these changes backfired.

While both versions have Mulan train extremely hard to compete with the other men, this new Mulan has chi, a seemingly superhuman ability perfecting her every move. Disney may have intended to incorporate the concept of chi to demonstrate cultural awareness; however, rather than watching her character grow and persevere, Mulan is powerful from the beginning, removing one of the main and relatable themes from the original. Furthermore, Mulan’s chi and special abilities lead to the introduction of the witch, a new “superhuman” character, who was not present in the original folk tale nor the animation.

Adding this ability was not only unnecessary, but also adds a magical element, rather than exploring traditional Chinese culture.

Another flawed change that Disney made was taking out Mushu, Mulan’s little dragon companion. He was one of the comical and most popular characters from the original film. Disney may have decided that Mushu’s comedic nature may have taken away from the more serious and mature mood of the remake. It also removed a lot of the fun.

I did appreciate some of the changes though. For example,

Photo courtsey of Disney

Mulan’s love interest in the original, Li Shang, was replaced with Chen Honghui. Li Shang was Mulan’s commanding officer, and in the era of #MeToo, keeping this power-imbalanced relationship would have been inappropriate.

Instead, Chen Honghui was her peer and fellow soldier. One of the highlights of the remake was the evolution of Chen Hongui and Mulan’s relationship - from fellow “male” soldiers, to love interest. Chen was never intimidated

by Mulan’s power and ability.

Despite these flaws, the movie still has advanced Asian representation in Hollywood. As a KoreanCanadian, I felt connected to the character of Mulan in both movies, as did thousands of other girls and women. Seeing a female Asian lead and an all-Asian cast in a big budget film truly felt incredible. It is empowering and inspiring to see that the movie industry has made some progress over the past two decades.

I hope that more is yet to come.

ARTS & CULTURE | NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | GRAFFITI 39 MUSIC

The Jazz Eclipse

Photo by Marina Papachristos

Alya Seker Editor

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hat is the first thing that comes to your mind when I say the word “jazz”? Is it saxophone? Miles Davis? “Barry Bee Benson? Jazz means something different to each person who listens to it. To some, it resembles the music that plays behind the symphony of chatter at a cocktail party; to others, it resembles the music that resonates through their soul with each note played. Some hear jazz and feel chills rocket through every atom in their body, whereas others shrug and state that there is nothing special about some guy in a fedora running up and down scales on a saxophone while hitting a few wrong notes in between. In fact, if you search up “jazz musician clipart” on Google, nearly all of the images fit that exact description.

However, jazz is so much more than what it is perceived to be. It is a serene explosion of the millions of emotions that the musician is trying to convey. From swing, to bebop, to R&B, jazz is many things. Jazz is everything and anything. Anything but dead.

Nevertheless, it has started to gain a label as a dying genre, especially with the newer generations. I surveyed 20 of my peers; 70% said they thought jazz was dying, and 45% said they had never listened to it on their own time.

Esther Won, a student here at North Toronto C. I. said “[Jazz] still exists as one of the most iconic

music genres with rich history, but with all the upcoming new pop and rap artists, I feel like a lot of the younger generations are starting to forget jazz bit by bit.” Further looking into jazz at NT, Mr. Varahidis, the band teacher, commented, “I don’t think most students go out of their way to listen to our NT jazz group (for example Soda Pop Shop) and only connect when it is convenient for them (during assemblies).

It could be that they have not been exposed to jazz and haven’t had the opportunity to appreciate it.”

The statistics and statements may suggest that jazz is dying, but surprise! It is as alive as you and I.

Like a phoenix rising from its ashes, jazz exists in an endless cycle of death and rebirth. It started off as Blues and Ragtime in the 1890’s, and was reborn as Swing in the 1930’s. When Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie stepped on stage in the 1940’s, Jazz changed yet again and Bebop was invented. Yet, the misconception that it is nearly permanently dead is spreading like a wildfire.

Damien Chazelle’s movie, “La La Land”, claims that jazz is dying and must be saved. Sebastian, one of the main characters, clings on to old, “pure” jazz, but he fails to notice the natural ebb and flow of this unpredictable genre. Sebastian’s friend, Keith, makes the point that “jazz is about the future.”

Jazz cannot revolutionize if it is in the hands of traditionalists. You have to let the music—the jazz— grow in order for it to resurface.

Furthermore, jazz still exists in everyday music. It just

doesn’t have the same “skeetleat-de-op-de-day” scat lines and saxophone riffs that you would typically expect to hear. Jessica Daly is a sound technician who has worked with many types of music, including jazz. When asked about the vitality of jazz, she responded by saying how it provides “a lot of substance to music nowadays.” Although it is “not as well known as it used to be”, “[jazz] is core.” From classic rock to pop music, they all consist of melodies and rhythms influenced by jazz.

Regardless, this genre has lost much of its popularity, but not because of the music’s quality. Jazz is as beautiful as ever, and there are new musicians blossoming in a field full of talent every day. Most people who appreciate jazz know what goes on behind the scenes of this sophisticated artform. Singer, songwriter, and performer, Seran Bilgi, observed that “the people who dismiss [jazz] are generally the ones who don’t want to go the extra mile to understand what jazz music really is.”

When one forms a perception about jazz from what they hear rather than what is played, it can sound intimidating and push them to form a passive relationship with it. Serkan Bilgi, Seran’s brother, is also a musician. In his personal experiences, he noticed how “you don’t stumble into jazz; there’s a barrier to get into it.”

I was first submerged into jazz music by my middle school band teacher, Troy Jones, and I can confirm that it is intimidating at first. I joined Stage Band as

a classical pianist, and when I encountered the new and complex techniques, I felt overwhelmed.

But I adapted and soon embraced the distinct traits that set it aside rather than frowning upon them.

This unique genre is an ocean of ideas full of millions of colourful species, and millions more yet to be discovered. Jazz musicians have the opportunity of experiencing the wonders in this ocean like no other. When I asked Jones about his journey with jazz, he said “I have been a student of jazz for 26 years and only feel as if I am scratching the surface...I have a lifetime to go.”

This further illustrates why jazz is not easily appreciated by the average person, as they have not even touched the surface hiding the fascinating marvels down below.

To many people, jazz is just songs you hear in movies. To many people, jazz only existed when Miles Davis existed. To many people, jazz is a jumble of notes that is a relic from the past. This myopic view on the masterpieces that shape the music industry is what led to the myth that it is dying.

When there is a solar eclipse, do you say the Sun is dead because you cannot see it? Jazz music has been eclipsed in the same way. Just because you barely hear jazz, doesn’t mean it is not there.

As Louis Armstrong once said, “If you have to ask what jazz is, you’ll never know.” Jazz is many things. Jazz is everything and anything. Anything but dead.

40 GRAFFITI | NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | ARTS & CULTURE FILM REVIEW

Enola Holmes: Another Genius Mind Baran Forootan Editor

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eing quick-witted, determined, and bold, Enola fits in quite well with the Holmes family. After the death of her father and the absence of her siblings, Enola grew up with her mother in an old manor that would meet anyone’s dark academia dreams. Although, unlike other girls her age, she didn’t excel at table manners or embroidery, but instead performed scientific experiments and practiced martial arts.

After her mother’s disappearance, her entire world gets turned upside down. We are then introduced to the famous brothers; Mycroft and Sherlock Holmes, although there is clearly no love lost with the other Holmes family members. Mycroft is not shy in his opinions of their mother and takes over guardianship of Enola. He begins to undo the independent ways of Enola in hopes of her fitting in better with society. However, when Mycroft clarifies that Enola’s opinions have no bearing on her future, she decides to run away, though she learns quickly that all the books in her library couldn’t prepare her for the busy everyday London Life.

Following her brother’s deduction process, she begins her journey to find her mother but comes across a hideaway, Lord Tewksbury, played by Louis Patridge, and together they investigate the world of Victorian England.

Still on the quest to find her mother, she comes across people and places that make her think she didn’t know her mother as well as she thought she did. As Enola pursues her journey, she adapts into an intelligent and passionate person who will stop at nothing to find the truth about her mother and the Tewksbury family.

Going into this movie, I had some pretty high expectations. I was a huge fan of the Sherlock series with Benedict Cumberpatch and knew that Henry Cavill would not disappoint. I’d seen some of the female empowerment comments and was skeptical at first. I’d found that some movies overuse the “feminism” label even when it’s not due, but Enola Holmes definitely does it justice.

Personally, I think this was a great movie. I enjoyed the variety of characters and how realistic their opinions were to what we previously associated with the characters. For example, Mycroft finds that Enola’s value is based on their properness and ability to meet traditional preferences, while Sherlock finds her intelligence to be a positive character trait, not one that will

scare away potential husbands.

The writers’ choice to break usual historical fiction techniques by including modern dramatic devices such as breaking the fourth wall made the movie much more interesting to watch. I was also glad that the writers maintained some of

Sherlock Holmes’s characteristics while still managing to make Enola a different character, one with separate interests, motives, and flaws.

My only critique would be the pace of the story and the fact that they could’ve easily turned

this into a television series. The movie has talented actors, an exciting plot, a relevant storyline, and developed characters, yet we don’t get to see it in its full potential because everything is so cramped. In fact, many people went in thinking this was a series,

ed amount of screen appearances.

When looking through Netflix movies and how they portray young girls, this movie seems to be a scarce species because it’s one of a few where the character’s central conflict isn’t of a romantic nature.

Although there’s nothing wrong

Illustration by Anisa Williams

only to be disappointed that there’s only around two hours of content.

There are characters like Edith, a bold girl who isn’t afraid of calling out the famous Sherlock Holmes on his privilege, with only a limit-

with the rom-com genre in combination with the teen, it seems that it’s all we’ve seen in the past, and Enola Holmes has brought with it a much needed refreshing change.

ARTS & CULTURE | NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | GRAFFITI 41 MUSIC

The Music Industry During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Photography by Marina Papachristos

Alexandra Verma Contributor

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he COVID-19 pandemic has affected all aspects of our lives. It has sparked chaos across every industry, causing the worst global economic crisis since the Great Depression. The music industry is no exception to this downturn.

The music industry has two main ways to generate revenue, live music, and recorded music.

Live music generates just over 50% of all profits through ticket sales for concerts, while recorded music generates just under 40% of profits. This comes from a mix of streaming, downloads, record sales, licensing the music for advertisements, and visual entertainment. Due to the pandemic, live music significantly declined which negatively affects musicians, concert crews, and venues. According to the City of Toronto website, live music venues in Toronto generated a total economic impact of about $850 million in 2019, or approximately $70.8 million per month.

The pandemic has lost Toronto’s live music industry approximately $566.6 million as of October this year. While these numbers may sound quite alarming, it is worth mentioning that people within the live music industry (due to its

multiple revenue streams) are able to adapt and continue working in recorded music. One of the ways to support live music is through streamed concerts. Many artists have begun doing ticketed concerts that are professionally streamed from the venues, which is a safe and fun way to support the live music industry during the pandemic.

While COVID-19 has primarily affected the live music industry it has also affected the recorded music industry in a variety of ways. Due to live music being shut down, interaction between fans and artists have been reduced, and the opportunities to create promotional material have dwindled as a result of quarantine. Most artists tend to have tours after releasing an album in order to celebrate and interact with fans. Not to mention maximising profits through merch sales, ticket sales, and increased record sales, which is all due to the increased interaction/engagement caused by the tour. With the shutdown of live music many popular artists (such as The 1975, Alicia Keys, Lady Gaga, ect.) have decided to postpone the release of their albums until it is safe to go on tour and have concerts again.

The COVID-19 pandemiic has also influenced plenty of new musical trends and has fostered a new wave of innovation from both artists and equipment developers. A recent trend is that

there has been an increase in the popularity of more relaxing genres of music. Spotify data has also revealed that the daily listening patterns during the pandemic mimic the listening patterns of weekends from before quarantine.

With people working from home many have decided to setup their own home studios, creating a demand for good quality, user friendly, and reasonably priced equipment, allowing them to record and produce remotely. With this demand there have been a few products that have been invented that had increased sales such as the “eyeball” mic filter that is able to fit over a microphone and mimic the acoustics of a studio, belt boxes that allow a singer to belt using proper technique without bothering roommates or neighbours, monitors, and podcasting microphones.

Working (or learning) from home has given a lot of people, particularly students more time to spend on hobbies such as music, which has brought a new generation of musicians to share their talents on apps such as TikTok and Instagram. An excellent example of this are the composers/singersongwriters, Morgan Smith and Abigail Greenwood. Morgan Smith (going by they/them pronouns) began writing a new musical at the end of 2019, and when the pandemic hit they came across Abigail Greenwood’s tiktok page– after

which they reached out. Together the two of them began collaborating on The Averno Universe, with Abigail Greenwood as the main composer and Morgan Smith as the lyricist. The Averno Universe is a series of three musicals all set in Averno,Virginia- described by the creators as, “The Marvel Universe, but with musicals about gay witches.”. The project quickly grew and the project grew to have over 60 artists from all over the world and over 100k followers across various platforms. The focus of The Averno Universe was to create a musical that was producible and accessible during COVID-19.

The Averno Universe recently got a record deal with Broadway Records and due to the care that the Averno team took to ensure that the musical would be easily producible during COVID-19, the first of the three musicals was able to be released on September 25th (It’s quite a bop if I do say so myself).

While COVID-19 has thrown a wrench in essentially everyone’s plans for 2020, it has also given way to new opportunities– whether that be learning a new instrument, posting a short cover of a song on tiktok, or writing and producing an entire musical universe. With live music being out of the question for the foreseeable future, it is more important than ever to support artists and venues in these unpredictable times.

42 GRAFFITI | NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | ARTS & CULTURE SOCIAL MEDIA

Shane Dawson: The King of Youtube Dethroned (for now) (TW: RACISM, BEASTIALITY, PEDOPHILIA) Blaize Exeter Editor

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n June 26th, 2020, Shane Lee Yaw, professionally known as Shane Dawson posted what most think will be his last Youtube video. In his video, he addressed his dark past that recently came to light, which includes racism, beastiality, and pedofelia.

Shane also took the time to apologize to James Charles for attacking him in his notes app rant posted to Twitter titled “my final thoughts on the beauty world.” He said “I thought [James] was a young, egocentric, power-hungry guru who needed to be served a slice of humble pie in the size of the f***ing Empire State Building,” as he addressed “Dramageddon.” Apology videos are nothing out of the ordinary for Shane. He’s been stuck in a cycle of making controversial content and then getting called out for it, which leads to him crafting an apology video to divert everyone’s attention from his mistakes. What were those mistakes exactly? Well after being on Youtube for over the decade Shane had managed to drum up quite a few scandals.

Going back to the beginning, Shane Dawson, (as he said) “did a lot of Black face” early in his career during the mid-2000s. Was it a “different time” back then?

Sure. It’s true Black face was more socially acceptable during that time; however, most content creators never intended to negatively

portray Black people. It was more edgy humour than racism. On the other hand, Shane Dawson’s videos heavily reassembled minstrel shows. Minstrel shows were an American form of entertainment where white actors would put on a Black face and parody the negative stereotypes about Black people.

They would also exaggerate facial features such as their nose and lips to further sell the “Black persona”.

As D’Angelo Wallace, a popular Youtube creator, said, “Shane Dawson pioneered the art of minstrelsy in Youtube.” D’Angelo also said that Shane Dawson’s older content had a running theme of dehumanizing Black people and D’angelo is absolutely correct. In most of his older videos, Shane makes antiBlack remarks, even if it is completely irrelevant to the topic of the video. Nonetheless, these videos got Shane to where he is today, or was, up until “Karmageddon”.

Now onto the bestialty.

According to Mairriam Webster, bestialtiy is defined as the “sexual relations between a human being and a lower animal”. One of his more prominent scandals came from a resurfaced clip of the Shane and Friends podcast where Shane explicitly describes the sexual interactions he had with his cat.

After this clip went viral, Shane took to Twitter to try and defend himself. The lengthy Tweet may have worked if it weren’t for the plethora of videos displaying Shane molesting animals and his suggestive Instagram photos. If

you require more evidence refer to page 159 of his book “I Hate Myselfie.” I understand why racism wouldn’t get Shane Dawson cancelled because it seems like most white creators have a racist past.

But the beastiality is beyond me.

The last piece of his problematic trilogy is pedofilia. Before I get into that mess, here’s a definition of pedofilia so we are all on the same page. Marium-Webster defines it as “sexual perversion in which children are the preferred sexual object.” There are several videos, tweets, and Instragram posts (some including or @ actual children) that have come directly from Shane himself “joking” about his obsession of child pornography and how he is a pedofile. However, the videos of him sexually exploiting children on his channel are criminal and he has yet to address that specific behaviour. Aside from just posing sexually with every kid at one of his meet and greets, Shane went as far as actually kissing a 12year old fan. I’m really not sure how this wasn’t the end of his career.

On top of that, some of the posts on his daily booth page (which is a photo blogging website) asked his audience to send in sexual pictures (without an age warning) knowing that the majority of responses would be from children. In case that was not enough evidence, in another viral clip from a deleted podcast episode, Shane Dawson actually defends pedofilia. As soon as he received backlash he ran to Twitter to deny his statements and

claim that the clip was edited. I listened to it multiple times and I can conclude his defense tweets were lies. He really did say everything he was accused of. Another bizarre and disturbing project I want to highlight is the series he did with The Fine Bros called “Hey Millie.” Millie is a puppet who is supposed to be an 8-year old girl. The skits were highly inappropriate as Shane would have sexual conversations with her. They were extremely uncomfortable to watch.

I have so many questions that I don’t want answers to. I could go on but I think you get the idea.

As I mentioned before, Shane Dawson has been MIA for months. However, him vanishing from the social media timelines leaves the world with one less problem to worry about. I find it interesting how even after being cancelled by Jada and Jaden Smith and really anyone with social media, he still has 8.25 million subscribers, 9.3 million Twitter followers, and 10.2 million followers on Instagram. So this makes me wonder if he’s actually cancelled.

With these numbers even after being exposed, it is more than likely that Shane Dawson will return to his place as the king of Youtube.

For more information on Shane Dawson and his antics, I recommend watching D’Angelo Wallace’s video titled “The exact moment Shane Dawson’s career ended: 12:37 PM, 06/30/20.” He goes further into depth about the topics I summarized and includes

ENTERTAINMENT

72nd Emmy’s Recap Alyssa Pather Contributor

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he 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards occured on Sunday, September 20th, 2020. This was the first major movie and TV award show since the start of the pandemic and this year it was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel at the Staples centre in Downtown Los Angeles.

Unlike the previous years Kimmel has hosted, there was no audience. It was quite the unique Emmys experience, here’s the recap!

Kimmel starts out the night by telling a few jokes to a sea of celebrities. None of which were wearing masks or socially distanced. It was quickly revealed that the clips were just a prank on the audience

at home. He had a couple of guests to help him present, including Jason Bateman, Jennifer Anniston, Tracee Ellis Ross, and Jason Sudeikis. With the Black Lives Matter movement making such big strides this year, they brought on Anthony Anderson (star of ABC’s Blackish) to talk about how this is finally the year that Black Americans are better represented on screen. While there was a record breaking number of Black nominees, more progress can still be made. He spoke about how this was supposed to be, “the Blackest Emmys ever.” We also saw figures such as Regina King wearing a Breonna Taylor shirt. King is a huge advocate for the BLM movement and used her little time on screen at the Emmys to draw viewers’ attention back to the fact that justice has not

been served for Breonna Taylor yet.

Major winners stole the night away at this year’s Emmys.

Schitt’s Creek is a sitcom created

by Canadian comedy icon, Eugene Levy and his son, NTCI graduate, Dan Levy. They won every single comedy award that night. The cast and crew were gathered socially distanced with masks to celebrate this win together. In their first five seasons, they hadn’t won any awards.

For their sixth and final season, they finally got their recognition.

Another huge moment of the night was Zendaya’s win for her show Euphoria. At the age of 24, she set the record for youngest actress to win lead actress in a drama series. Zendaya was the underdog in her category considering the fact that she was competing against TV legends such as

Sandra Oh and Jennifer Aniston.

However, against all odds, she pulled through and made history.

The rest of the awards had no more major surprises. Succession won best drama series, and Watchmen won best limited series.

They both took home best leading actor and best leading actress respectively. Other than Schitt’s Creek, these shows received the most awards in their category. Reviews are showing that this was a fairly well received Emmys, especially since it was the first virtual award show. Film critics such as Pete Hammond are suggesting that this was the “best Emmys ever.” Overall, between the celebrity appearances and wonderful winners, it was a very enjoyable Primetime Emmy Awards show.

SPORTS | NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | GRAFFITI 43

sports

The Tampa Bay Lightning exit the NHL Bubble as Stanley Cup Champions Elena Vlitas Editor

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fter being on the road in the two National Hockey League (NHL) “hub cities” for almost two months, the Tampa Bay Lightning bested the Dallas Stars to win the Stanley Cup Finals series 4-2.

Although it was not the traditional playoff format and no fans were in attendance, all teams made the best of the situation and put on a spectacular show for everyone to watch.

In the modified NHL playoff format as a result of COVID-19, 12 teams from each conference entered one of the two hub cities, in Toronto or Edmonton respectively. All teams in the Eastern conference teams played at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario and all teams in the Western conference played their games at the Rogers Centre in Edmonton, Alberta.

As the second-seeded team in the Eastern Conference, the Tampa Bay Lightning faced the Columbus Blue Jackets in the first round.

They went on to win the series 4-1 in five very closely contested games.

The fifth-seeded Dallas Stars of the

Western Conference faced off against the seventh-seeded Calgary Flames.

The Dallas Stars won their first round series 4-2, moving them onto the second round to play the second-seeded team in the Western Conference, the Colorado Avalanche.

The Stars were able to narrowly win the series, in a closely contested game 7, after Stars left wing Joel Kiviranta scored the game winning goal in overtime, resulting in a score of 5-4. After losing their first game of the second round, the Lightning went on to win four games in a row to beat the Boston Bruins 4-1 in the series. On August 28th, the fourth game of both these series were postponed as players protested against racial injustice and stood in solidarity, in response to various police shootings, including that of Jacob Blake. At first, some teams and the league were unsure if they would return to play through the playoffs as a result of the recent events, but they decided to continue to play and use their platforms to advocate for equality.

In the conference finals, the Stars went on to beat the Vegas Golden Knights by 4-1 in the series while the Lightning bested the NY Islanders by 4-2 in the series advancing them to the Stanley Cup Finals.

The Stanley Cup Finals se-

ries commenced on September 19th, where the Stars returned to the finals for the first time since 2000, while it’s only been 5 years since the Lightning’s last appearance in the Finals. The Stars won the first game, with a final score of 4-1. The Lightning came back with vengeance in the second game, winning 3-2. The Lightning continued to dominate the series in the third game, winning with a score of 3-2. They also won the next game in overtime, with a score of 5-4, putting them one win away from becoming NHL champions.

The Stars were not ready to give up, narrowly avoiding elimination in the fifth game by a score of 3-2 after two overtime periods. In the sixth game of the series, the Stars simply weren’t able to defeat the Lightning, as the Lightning was able to win the game 2-0, making them the 2020 Stanley Cup Champions. The team was ecstatic as the players and staff had worked hard for years in hopes of winning the prestigious title. Lighting defenceman, Victor Hedman, was named the 2020 playoffs most valuable player (MVP) and was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy. This was the second time in the Tampa Bay Lightning’s history to win the Stanley Cup, with their first win being in 2004. Had they won, this would have been the Dallas

Stars’ second win in franchise history.

While COVID-19 prevented the Lightning from having regular celebrations such as the championship parade, they did not let this obstacle take away from their win. In place of a typical parade, the Lightning celebrated by taking a boat parade through the Hillsborough River. Following the boat parade, the team was permitted by the state of Florida to hold a celebration ceremony at the Raymond James Stadium. The attendance capped at 16,000 guests at the stadium, which normally has a capacity of nearly 66,000.

This season truly has been like no other due to the hiatus of games and season modifications due to COVID-19. It was very difficult for players to be apart from their families and the rest of the world while they played in empty arenas. However, despite the challenges presented, teams were able to come together to play the game that matters so much to them and the world, putting on a performance that was spectacular for the world to watch. The return of hockey and other sports also brought back a sense of normalcy for many sports fans across the world. From Toronto, congratulations to the two-time Stanley Cup Champions, the Tampa Bay Lightning!

44 GRAFFITI | NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | SPORTS BLM

Different Sports Leagues’ Response to the BLM Movement

A look at how popular sports leagues in North America have responded to recent events in society and the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement.

Illustration courtesy of Brucehouse.ca

Chisanga Kibato Contributor

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ecent events in society have created lots of people protesting in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. It became a worldwide affair with sports teams joining the movement to fight against racial injustices. The recent widespread BLM awareness stemmed from the murder in late May of George Floyd, a black man who lived in Minneapolis.

This tragic and unjustified murder caused a widespread public reaction as the world observed racism in action and wanted to fight to help end racial inequalities. Other recent killings and attacks against the black community such as the killings of Breonna Taylor and Jacob Blake caused athletes and sports leagues to stand up and use their platforms to influence the world to make a change.

Sports teams have the momentum and viewers to show their concern and the importance of Black Lives Matter and the importance of change.

The NHL has been the latest

of leagues to make a statement saying “End Racism” at each end of the rink.

They also played a song called “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” which is known as the Black Anthem. Although it is amazing to see the league’s support, many are not buying their sudden support in the movement, because back in late August the NHL was criticized for their lack of solidarity with the Black Lives Matter protest.

After Jacob Blake was shot and severely injured, many other leagues and players took action immediately and cancelled or walked out on their games on Wednesday, August 26th.

Meanwhile, the NHL only held a moment of reflection. This action following the horrific event left viewers, players, and coaches upset.

Former player Kelly Hrurdey said, “I don’t think we should be here. I think the NHL should postpone the games. I really feel that we should be more supportive of the Black Lives Matter movement.” Many other players were also upset by the lack of action, many took their opinions to social media explaining how it was “insulting” that the NHL did nothing.

Meanwhile, the NBA has been the complete opposite of the NHL. The

decision to cancel and postpone games was mainly thanks to players who said they have had enough of racial injustice and wanted to take action to show importance. In the week Jacob Blake was shot, the Milwaukee Bucks, who are from Wisconsin, refused to play their opponents for the playoff game against the Orlando Magic.

“We’re tired of the killings and the injustice,” said George Hill, a shooting guard of the Bucks. Other teams soon followed that action,postponing their games and using that time to advocate against racial injustice. 80% of NBA players are black which means that they and their families could be at risk for falling victim to racially motivated violence. This is more than just a game, this is a matter of their livelihoods, and the NBA players want to be able to help drive the force of change in support of the BLM movement. The NBA also announced a $30 million fund for supporting and empowering black communities through economic opportunities.

They will seek to find high school or university/college age black men and women between the ages of 16-24 to provide skill training, mentorship, and coaching in the NBA market. Players

on and off the court will be seen with justice and equality statements on the back of their jerseys like “equality,” “Black Lives Matter,” and “Peace.”

Many other teams like TFC have continued to take a knee, both before kick-off and eight minutes into the game in memory of George Floyd. Within the week of Jacob Blake’s shooting, North American MLS teams postponed their games as a protest. For each game, their fists are raised while announcers explain the importance of the Black Lives Matter movement. TFC player Justin Morrow says that this was the “biggest moment of his career.”

As viewers looking up to these players, it is wonderful to see their support. It is very powerful to see our teams support and continue to support the movement. Hopefully, these events will make people realize the power and platform they have and continue to use it to show their solidarity on important issues. For many players, it is a privilege and joy to play the sports they love, but above all, being a leader to others in your sport is an even greater honour.

SPORTS | NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | GRAFFITI 45 TERRY FOX

Terry Fox Run Celebrates 40th Anniversary Terry Fox’s Legacy lives on, even 40 years after his Marathon of Hope.

Kaura Sankaran Editor

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n September 1, 1980, Terry Fox ran his last miles. Yet 40 years later his legacy and cause continue to live on. Most Canadians know the background of Fox’s story; how he ran a marathon every day for 143 days straight with a prosthetic leg, won the hearts of all Canadians nationwide, and raised millions for cancer research.

He ran a total of 5,373 km from St. John’s, Newfoundland to Thunder Bay, Ontario, with the original intent of running across the country and raising one million dollars for cancer research. Although he was forced to stop short of his goal due to the return of his cancer, a tumour that originally formed in his leg but had returned and spread to his lungs, his Marathon of Hope has continued to make a huge impact on lives across the country.

Originally when Terry was told he needed to get his leg amputated, he was told he had a 50% chance of living. He was also told that if he’d needed this procedure just two years earlier, he’d only have a 15% chance of survival. The wide difference between these two figures showed Terry the importance of and value in cancer research. The night before his amputation, his high school basketball coach showed him a magazine that featured an article about an amputee who ran the New York City Marathon. Seeing that amputee run paired with watching young kids suffer and perish from all kinds of cancer inspired Terry to create the Marathon of Hope. Terry donated the proceeds towards cancer research and the Candian Cancer Society.

At the beginning of Terry’s run, his supporters and donations

were few and far between, but by the time he made it to Ottawa and Toronto, he had thousands of supporters as news spread about his Marathon of Hope. He made speeches in various cities and raised tens of thousands of dollars in Toronto and Ottawa alone.

Unfortunately, just as his efforts were starting to get noticed, he had to stop running. Although he was hospitalized, CTV had a telethon a week after he stopped running and was able to raise 10.5 million dollars in his name.

The national support was incredible, considering over $23 million was raised by the end of April 1981. He went on to be named the Lou Marsh Athlete of the Year and Newsmaker of the Year in 1980, was named to both the Order of the Dogwood (B.C.’s highest award) and Order of Canada.

He created a huge impact across the country as his mission has helped so many people fighting cancer, as it is increasing funds to be put towards research in treating and curing cancer. He has also inspired countless people, as he showed them that they can achieve their goals and make a difference, no matter the circumstance. He now has countless statues in place to remember him, mile markers at each end of his run, had his high school named after him, and was able to raise over $20 million while being treated for the return of his cancer.

Although Terry passed away in June of 1981, towards the conclusion of his run he famously said, “[even] if I don’t finish, we need others to continue. It’s got to keep going.” The Terry Fox Foundation (TFF) was created in 1988, 7 years after Terry’s death, by his mother, Betty Fox, to keep the Marathon of Hope alive. Since its inception, the organization has raised over $750 million and launched the Terry Fox Research Institute to help facilitate

and find practical solutions for cancer patients worldwide. The TFF invested over $26.4 million in 47 projects across Canada last year covering over 15 different types of cancer.

Since 1981, the Terry Fox Run has been held annually and has grown to include participants in over 60 countries to make it one of the largest

single-day cancer research fundraisers in the world. Today, schools and communities continue to hold Terry Fox runs annually in support of the TFF. Terry Fox will always be remembered as a Canadian hero and inspiration for his compassion and commitment to making a positive difference in the world.

ANNOUNCEMENT

Norsemen Newsroom

Announcements from the legendary Norsemen Abby Shin Contributor

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ey North Toronto! Welcome to Norsemen Newsroom where you can find all the up and coming events coordinated by NT’s athletic association, the NTAA. The NTAA has exciting events planned over the next few months, so make sure you are on the lookout.

Events: Energy Boosters

Energy Boosters are a new addition to class that will give students a quick break during the long mornings. These boosters will be 5-15 minutes in class of Kahoots, Jeopardy or other fun activities to get your mind off of class.

Spirit Weeks

Spirit Weeks will be another new event going on at NT that will take place the last week of each month. NT get ready for weeks themed like Jersey Week, R & G day, and maybe even meme week over the next few months!

To keep up on the latest news with the NTAA, follow @nt_norsemen on Instagram.

Illustration courtesy of ntci.on.ca

46 GRAFFITI | NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | SPORTS BASKETBALL

The 2020 NBA Finals

Image courtesy of Clutch Points

Cameron Gilliland Contributor

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he 2020 NBA season has certainly been interesting, with the finals being no exception as the Los Angeles Lakers squared off against the Miami Heat.

Going into the finals, the Miami Heat had no expectation to win a game let alone the whole series. However, for the Heat, odds were just odds with their whole playoff run rooted in its seemingly uncanny way of pulling an upset over seemingly better teams, with every series after the Pacers looking like a Heat exit from the bubble. Yet, they beat the Bucks 4-1 and, as they gained momentum over the Celtics, it seemed what was previously deemed impossible became possible. What was special about the Heat wasn’t a big set of stars, or a lineage of recent championships but their will to win. They simply would not quit and played every game with a scrappy intensity which saw the whole team contribute to the win

and not one or two stars. With rookies such as Tyler Herro coming up big and Jimmy Butler leading consistently, the Heat truly operated as a team and rallied ferociously. As they entered the finals it was no secret where the championship was most likely headed, however, if their finals run accomplished anything it was the fact that even though they lost, they made the lakers sweat and that was something truly extraordinary.

Unlike the Heat however, the Los Angeles Lakers were the favourites going into the series and with a fairly smooth ride to the finals their victory was a borderline certainty.

However, unlike other Lakers or Lebron championship runs, this year was bigger than just a ring and was about cementing and fulfilling the legacy of the Late Kobe Bryant. As we know, Kobe Bryant tragically died in January of this year leaving an impeccable legacy and life to the world. For this year’s Lakers his death meant the loss of not only a 20 season Laker allum but a cultural icon for not only the Lakers but the world. This gave their season and its success a purpose bigger

than the team and a goal of winning The Scores a championship not only for L.A but Game One: for Kobe. This new purpose gave the Miami – 98 Lakers added pressure and motiva- Los Angeles – 116 tion to win this year’s championship and in their victory not only brought Game Two: another championship back to L.A Miami – 114 but brought closure and a new lega- Los Angeles – 124 cy to the man that was Kobe Bryant.

As the Lakers now go into Game Three: the offseason as champions we look Miami – 115 forward to next season with uncer- Los Angeles – 104 tainty as to how it will be played and how it will end after uncanny perfor- Game Four: mances by the Heat and the Nuggets Miami – 96 and extraordinary chokes by the La Los Angeles – 102 Clippers leaving next seasons possible champions up for intense debate. Game Five: Miami – 111 Los Angeles – 108

Game Six: Miami – 93 Los Angeles – 106

Miami: 2 Los Angeles: 4

2020 NBA FINALS CHAMPION: LOS

ANGELES LAKERS

FOOTBALL

What’s Going on With the NFC East?

Year after year, the National Football League’s (NFL) Eastern National Football Conference (NFC East) falls short. What is causing the challenges for this division?

Gordon Wong Contributor

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t’s no surprise when NFL fans hear the name NFC East, they think of all sorts of memes and jokes, whether it’s about how ugly teams lose, or just genuinely how bad they are. Even with 3 teams on the list of the “top 25 richest franchises in the world” and the top 10 list of richest NFL teams, the NFC East is no stranger to embarrassing losses and sad endings from recent years.

This is not the only year that the NFC East has failed miserably in the NFL, the same thing happened last year, with the Eagles barely making the playoffs at a 9-7 record. Every other division leader in the NFC

made the playoffs with a 13-3 record.

The NFC East had played so terribly that even a team ranked third place in their division had the same record as the division leader, which has raised the question; Should division leaders always make the playoffs?

This isn’t as big of a problem as it might have been without the new playoff system, which was introduced for the 2020/21 season. This system allows one extra team into the playoffs and one less team to have a first-round bye. With the old system, division leaders are always able to make the playoffs even if there are other teams with a much better record. This new format will actually be a little fairer for other teams since a team with a better record than a divi-

sion leader will have a bigger chance of making the playoffs. The NFC East also had a terrible win number compared to all the other divisions, with only 24 total wins, while the average for the rest of the NFC divisions was roughly 34.7 wins per division.

The AFC was also much better with an average of 31.75 wins per division.

This year, up to week 6, the NFC East has only gotten worse. As of week 6, the division leader has a record of 2-4, with one 1-4-1 team and two 1-5 teams. They are currently 2-15-1 against the rest of the NFL. The NFC East has 5 total wins, compared to the second-worst division in the league with 9 wins. All of the teams have a negative point differential, and even the best team in the division has a negative 45 point differential.

With all that said, what should the NFC East start doing? Sign better players? Make good trades? Get good draft picks? Well, exactly that, except it’s not that easy. Even though the NFC East has the richest teams in the NFL, North American leagues are not all about money. You won’t be able to buy a player with money alone. Due to league restrictions and generally the way things work, no teams will sell a player just for money.

You have to make good choices in the draft and make smart trades. You have to pay and treat your players right.

Save your money for players you need the most. It takes years to rebuild franchises, as we have seen with the Cleveland Browns. It will certainly be a tough few years for NFC East fans, but it might just be worth the wait.

SPORTS | NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | GRAFFITI 47 BASEBALL

Recapping the 2020 Toronto Blue Jays’ Season Tristan Swartz Contributor

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020 was a strange year for the Toronto Blue Jays due to many changes in the Major League Baseball’s (MLB) traditional format.

Spring Training was cancelled on March 12, just three weeks into spring training, and the regular season start date of March 26 was postponed indefinitely. Labour disputes arose between the players’ union and the owners and Spring Training did not resume until summer.

On July 23, almost four months after the regular season was supposed to start, the MLB season finally got off to a start with a modified season of only 60 games (compared to the typical 162 game schedule). The Canadian Government denied MLB teams access to play in Canada due to the border closures, so the Jays were forced to find a new home south of the border. After failed attempts to play at Pittsburgh’s PNC Park and Baltimore’s Camden Yards, the Jays finally found a home in their AAA minor league complex in Buffalo, New York’s Sahlen Field, only a day before the season was set to begin. New York’s Sahlen Field is located about five minutes from the Canadian-American Peace Bridge border crossing in Fort Erie, Ontario.

Due to the needed upgrades to transform Sahlen Field into a major league stadium, the Jays had to spend their first three weeks on the road.

It wasn’t until August 11 that they finally played their first home game in Buffalo, a city that hadn’t seen Major League Baseball in over 100 years.

The 2020 season had its ups and downs throughout the season. The Jays were also able to

make various valuable additions to the team, acquiring rookies like starting pitcher Nate Pearson and catcher Alejandro Kirk to top end free agent Hyun Jin Ryu, who the Jays signed in December 2019 to a 4 year, $80 Million dollar deal. The Jays also had some disappointing injuries to key players like closer Ken Giles, shortstop Bo Bichette, outfielder Teoscar Hernandez, first baseman Rowdy Tellez, and reliever Jordan Romano to name just a few.

The young 2020 Blue Jays roster were an exciting group to watch and see what the future might entail, but were also frustrating at times with constant errors by the young group.

Some players like outfielder Teoscar Hernandez and first baseman Rowdy Tellez took large steps forwards offensively with successful hitting while at bat and a combined 24 home runs during the 2020 season.

For the first time since the Jays made the playoffs in 2015-16, the Jays were buyers at this year’s trade deadline by acquiring starting pitchers Taijwan Walker and Robbie Ray, reliever Ross Stripling, and infielders Daniel Vogolbach (who was later released) and Johnathan Villar.

With the expansion of the MLB playoffs from five to eight teams for the 2020 season, the Jays clinched the 8th seed Wild Card spot in the American League standings on September 24 with a 4-1 win over the New York Yankees. It was the first time the Jays have clinched the playoffs since 2016 and the eighth time in franchise history. The Blue Jays finished the 2020 regular season with a record of 32-28, five games up on the 9th seed Seattle Mariners.

In the first ever Wild Card series (best of three instead of best of one), the Jays faced their division rivals, the first seed Rays.The Rays went 40-20 in the regular season

Photography by Omar Ali

and 6-4 against the Jays. In game one, the Jays starting pitchers Matt Shoemaker and Robbie Ray threw a combined six innings giving up only one run before reliever A.J Cole gave up a two run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning. This caused the game to end in a 3-1 loss. In game two, ace starting pitcher Hyun Jin Ryu gave up seven runs and was taken out in the second inning. He wasn’t all to blame, as he received no help from his defence who made two costly errors.

The Jays were unable to recover and only scored runs on two solo home runs from catcher Danny Jansen to

lose the game 8-2. The Rays however, went on to play in the world series.

Though this postseason didn’t last long, it was a good first look at what might be a team that is repeatedly making the playoffs. 2020 was a huge step forwards for Toronto as a team and with the additions at the trade deadline, it shows that the front office thinks that they are contenders as well. Now with the start of the offseason, fans will have to wait and see the new additions to the team in early March 2021 and hope for many successful future seasons.

MARATHON

The London Marathon and the Virtual Race All you need to know about the London Marathon 2020

Cameron Gilliland Contributor

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ace day is one of the most important, stressful, and exciting days of a runner’s life. From the sheer number of runners to the community and the atmosphere, race day is unique in not only creating an exciting environment, but in presenting a unique challenge to whomever toes the starting line. However, with the COVID-19 pandemic, races are an event in which can no longer happen and with it, the starting line has shifted from our roads, parks, and convention halls to our front doors. For many, this meant the cancellation of races outright for the year. Notably, five of the six major

marathons, New York, Boston, Chicago, Berlin, and Tokyo were all cancelled. However, one prevailed, and that one was the London Marathon.

Normally, the London marathon is an annual 42.2 kilometre race that sees a select group of pro elite athletes and a large group of amateur athletes start and complete the course.

In 2019, an average year for the London Marathon, 30 men and 21 women finished in the elite field and 42 485 non-elite runners finished in the nonelite field. In 2020 an in-person race of up to 45 000 people simply cannot happen, so instead of cancelling the race outright, the London Marathon came up with an ingenious solution to not only keep the marathon alive but keep the spirit of the race alive as well.

Aside from the 45,000 or so runners that participate, watching the marathon is typically only accessible to those spectating or closely affiliat-

ed (volunteers, race marshalls, etc). That is why the elite race is so vital to keeping people interested in the marathon as in being televised and streamed everyone can bear witness to the magic that is the marathon. Therefore, in hopes of keeping that alive, the London Marathon created a bubble in London to facilitate an in person elite race. The route consisted of 19 laps around St. James Park, which was televised and streamed around the world. However, that was not all, as an estimated 45 000 runners still got to toe the starting line virtually.

In creating the essence of race day runners around the world had a 24-hour window to complete

Photo courtesy of Athletics Weekly

the distance. This, coupled with the elite race, made the virtual London marathon feel like a real race and although everyone started and finished in different places, it felt as if the community was collectivized under the marathon again. This along with the lack of other races created a truly special moment for the sport of running and showed what

48 GRAFFITI | NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | HUMOUR

GAMING

Humour

The Rise and Fall of Fall Guys Davit Azoyan Contributor n the summer of 2020, a selfisolation filled circus, one thing and one thing only was there for us through it all: video games. When the release of Fall Guys was finalized, it was expected to be

I

the next big hit for gamers across the world. As a result, many wellknown streamers on the website Twitch began to play the game in hopes of increasing their daily viewers and getting those big bucks.

After its release, the game quickly gained the title of “video game with the most viewers on Twitch for several days in a row”. An enormous

Illustration by Haruka Kadota

amount of people bought the game almost immediately.You could even go as far as saying, mindlessly, as their brainwashed love for Fall Guys eliminated the need to wait in the lobby for additional players to join.

After all, they need all the precious gaming time they can get.

How does the game work? Well, Fall Guys consists of jelly-bean-like characters who are sadly not edible, but whose goal is to make it past an obstacle course and cross the finish line. However, the map has a limited variety of obstacle courses, and the game gets very repetitive very quickly. Almost as quickly as the teenagers who say they’ll fix their sleep schedule starting tomorrow.

To add to it’s already repetitive nature, Fall Guys, as with any old video game, has only two outcomes.

You can either win or lose, and that lack of spice makes the game bland after just a couple bites. For a couple of weeks, Fall Guys dominated the gaming category on all social media platforms. People were making Youtube videos, Twitch streams, Instagram posts, Reddit memes, and the list goes on. Fall Guys was a hit.

This, paired with the fact that most people were at home because of the COVID-19 pandemic, made viral content effortless to produce for entertainers. Gamers were like kids in a candy store, an endless sugar rush within an arm’s reach. Except in real life this metaphorical candy takes the form of money. Fall Guys

Illustration by Haruka Kadota

was being compared to countless other games, including Fortnite, Call of Duty, and GTA. These games are typically able to withhold their number one popularity spot for at least 2 years before they stop losing daily players, therefore, the expectations for Fall Guys were quite high. However, this game lost its popularity almost as quickly as Kanye’s campaign to be the next President. Streamers began to lose interest and turned their attention instead to a brand new game called Among Us. Among Us actually has fairly similar characters to Fall Guys, as both avatars look like the jelly beans you buy, but somehow never end up eating. Each round of Among Us allows for up to 10 players from across the world to join into a server, and each is assigned a role for a total of 1-3 imposters and 7-9 crewmates.

The imposters pretend to be a crewmate throughout the game, and their goal is to kill all of the actual crewmates. The goal of the crewmates, on the other hand, is to complete their tasks and do some investigative work to determine who the imposters are. Among Us has been on Steam, a video game downloading website, and the app store since June 15, 2018, but has just recently gained an immense amount of popularity in the gaming community. Among Us is also free on mobile, whereas Fall Guys is priced at $22.79, so those who are not able to spend this amount of money on a game instead turn to Among Us, allowing for a larger audience to join in on the game of betrayal.

Today, Fall Guys has 27,506 players compared to the nearly 90,000 it received just a month ago. Meanwhile, Among Us had 284,386 players playing today just on PC. Looking at the peaks of online activity for both of these games, Among Us beats Fall Guys by almost 300,000. It seems as though the game developers of Fall Guys predicted the future of their daily player count when they were naming the game.

Although unfortunate, and to be honest surprising, Fall Guys has failed to meet the expectations of those who were excited about its initial release, leaving its players dissatisfied with their experience.

It appears as though all along, Fall Guys has been the imposter in this constantly changing world of video games, appearing to be as well developed as its competitors, but lacking the ingenuity required to allow it to continue blending in.

HUMOUR | NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | GRAFFITI 49

GAMING

Among Us- The Struggle

Illustration by Danielle Xin

Elizabeth Rosen Contributor

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o we all know the game Among Us, right? I’m sure some of our readers know it so well, they’re getting chills down their spine just reading this, and rightfully so. For those of you who are oblivious to the raging train of success that is Among Us, I’ll catch you up. At the start of the game you and the people in your server are assigned to either the role of crewmate or imposter.

The crewmates run around trying to complete ‘tasks’, which really are just simple puzzles, while one to three imposters try to sabotage and kill as many crewmates as they can.

If a crewmate suspects someone is the imposter they can convince their fellow players to kick that player out in a voting style discussion, but as deception is a key factor to this game success isn’t always guaranteed.

You may have noticed that on the Apple Store games charts it’s the only top game that requires you to use more than two brain cells, in fact, it requires you to use more brain cells than you probably have. Among Us is objectively HARD; it’s getting away successfully with murder, which just goes to prove most of our population isn’t capable of doing so. It’s also terribly harsh on your self-esteem. You start to overthink all your responses, and now you can

no longer get past the first minute of the game without exposing yourself. Then, a bunch of short and colourful astronauts with no arms call you “sus” and defenestrate you.

If only you were given another shot, you’re sure you’d do it right! But the saddest part is, you don’t know when that will be. Have you ever been on a server where one guy literally gets to be the imposter thirteen times in a row while you just quietly sit there and wait your turn, slowly going mad as you swipe your admin card for the fortieth time! So what’s left to do? You could of course try and go to a different server and try your luck there, but you feel drawn back because you’ve been a crewmate SO many times that this time, this time for sure, you will be the chosen one.

The screen goes black, and you wait at the edge of your seat as the red crewmate puts their finger to their mouth and says “shhhhhhhhh.”

This is it; your moment! Then as you sharpen your blade in hopes of being imposter, instead orange goes on their fourteenth turn as they kill all your fellow crewmates.

Speaking of crewmates, have you ever gotten emotionally attached to the players on your server? I feel like if you’ve all played more than five games together, you form this unspoken alliance that you will always have each other’s backs no matter what. For example, when you first entered the server you had no clue what idiots you’d be paired

with, but when it comes time to log off, you know everybody’s birthday and social security number. You even travel as a tribe, fighting for survival while the imposter among you refuses to break the bonds of brotherhood by killing someone. As each of you leaves, you exchange the ultimate farewells of “I miss you already” and “goodbye I will never forget you DX :(.” As these newfound loved ones depart, the only traces of the bonds that were made lie within the messages of kindness and purity in the chat. The new wave of players that enter the server are oblivious to what history has been created on the sacred grounds which they tread. However, as soon as they discover the messages, they are so confused and scared that they decide not to ask questions, and instead leave the server altogether.

Of course there are players who prefer to work alone, those who trust no one and take the game more seriously than it can give itself credit for. Among Us players could basically be put into tiers a couple tiers. S being the folks that have memorized each task and its location by heart, given code names to the vents, hibernating through the night in their underground bunker staring at the screen of their computer like a hawk, surviving on nothing but Doritos and Mountain Dew. You’ve either been lucky enough to meet one of these people, or you have the ego to claim to be that person yourself.

These masterminds put Sherlock Holmes to shame as they sniff out the imposter within seconds, or manage to manipulate the other players into going along with their every claim. The S tier players tend to be the ones to assume the player who reported the body is using reversereverse-reverse psychology to make everyone think that they are just a crewmate. Unless of course this player thought an extra step ahead and used reverse-reverse-reversereverse psychology, in which case it was not a self-report. These Einsteins will also use any information they get against you. Like if you are the second last to vote they will say you are the imposter because you want to know how the other people will vote, but to avoid being sus you don’t want to vote last, so they assume you voting second last is a strategic move to hide your guiltiness.

Yes, Among Us can be a struggle, but an exciting one at that. The highs and lows have us hooked on the game, as what I think is one of the better trends we’ve seen in the 21st century. However, I think everyone agree that as intriguing as this game can be, we’ve all wanted to smash our devices against a rock at some point :). So, if you’ve been one of the boomers who has yet to be sucked into this game’s addictive fumes, come on out from under your rock and play the bloodbath that is, Among Us.

50 GRAFFITI | NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | HUMOUR FOOD

The Timeless Milk and Cereal Debate

COVID-19

Dear AntiMaskers

Illustration by Dorian Qualimi Wyatt Gilliland Contributor We see you.

You’re in our cafes.

Our grocery stores.

Our public transit.

Illustration by Sharma Suhani

Sarisha Panday Editor

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have been let down many times in my life. By my friends, family, even strangers. But at the end (or more often the beginning) of a hard day, I can rest assured that at least I have the sweet comfort of cereal. I still remember the first time I tasted those flakes. Actually, that’s fully a lie, I don’t think anyone does. But the point still stands. Eating cereal is wildly comforting. And even when my mother decided we’d go healthy and only be allowed to consume cornflakes, I still enjoyed the flavourless meal… mainly because when she turned her back I would sprinkle unhealthy amounts of sugar over it.

So picture me, with all my adoration for cereal, in our very first Graffiti meeting. We do ice breakers; our name, role, and whether we put milk first… or cereal? I thought this was a very straight forward answer, and most would share my opinion.

After all, I am the foremost expert on cereal in the world (don’t search that up). Not to mention, I consider myself pretty level-headed. So, you can imagine how it felt to have everyone I know turn their backs on me. One by one, each member of the editorial board said the same thing.

“Yeah, I prefer cereal first and then milk.”

Sickening, disgusting. Cereal

FIRST? In WHAT WORLD? All eyes on me, I had to tell the truth. I had to tell a zoom meeting full of soggy cereal eaters that I, Sarisha Panday, poured my milk first. The reaction was instantaneous. Dozens of students shaming me for being right.

Ostracized in the meeting chat. Even those who claimed they didn’t eat cereal were shaking their heads. The few who agreed with me said little for fear of being targeted. Mr. Silver, a man whom I deeply respected, turned his microphone on to admonish me.

It was at this moment I knew that something had to change. And fast.

You see the ‘which first?’ debate has been the subject of many Socratic seminars since the invention of the cereal since 228 BCE (don’t search that up either. I said I was the foremost expert). And it’s one I intend to put to rest here and now. Not only for my honour but for all those who have cowered in fear, unable to admit their preference.

I will be the martyr, mowed down to pave the path for a new world. A kinder one, perhaps.

So let’s start with my defence.

I’m asked this a lot when I present my views. “Why?” And I have a perfectly good reason. I like the mixing of textures. The cool, smooth milk, vs the hard, crunchy cereal. If I pour the milk first, I get a way lower chance of getting to experience that, and a way higher chance of getting very soggy cereal. I can’t count the number of times that people have

tried to convince me that I can achieve that by putting cereal first.

You’re practically lying to yourself.

It all depends on how you pour the milk and to be honest, that’s too many variables to take into account.

If I want the crunch, I’m going to take the path of least resistance.

I find that anyone who actively campaigns for cereal first is clearly just following the grain. There’s no reason as to why there should be a preference. The result, frankly, always ends up the same. The reality of the situation is that all of you are sheep, afraid to speak your mind because you’ve been brainwashed by mass media. Did you ever stop to think about why it’s your preferred method? Why you fight so valiantly for this insignificant choice? You were handed your bowl and a spoon and told to pour the grain first. You never stopped to ask, to question, to revolt. And that’s the sad truth.

Every molehill eventually becomes a mountain. And when you find yourself at the end of times, putting your life on the line to fight for moist cereal first of all things, I hope you understand that it was never your choice to begin with. And that those like me, who have broken free from our chains, will come out as the victors.

This article is dedicated to IvaMari Miskulin, a fellow member of the milk first team and the only person on this Earth who I can trust.

While we protect your life, you display a flagrant disregard for ours.

Why? We only want the best for you We want you to survive We want you to be healthy Why can’t you wish the same for us?

We live with the most vulnerable Our grandparents Our parents Our siblings They depend on us to ensure their safety Their life is in the palm of our hands They only live so long as we permit them to So, remember this when you ditch the mask When you stand in line behind us When you sit beside us on the bus You hold the power over people’s lives We beg you Please, keep us safe

HUMOUR | NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | GRAFFITI 51 EXTRACURRICULARS

Life of a Graffiti Editor

Illustration by Suhani Sharma

Emma Frasheri Editor

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mong the many clubs, teams, and activities that are (typically) offered by the NT students and faculty, by far one of the most prestigious and influential would be Grafitti. Yes, over the many years, we’ve seen clubs come and go and yet the school newspaper has always had a dedicated faculty and group of students that are masochistic enough to waste even more of their precious time writing and editing articles, harassing writers that never hand in their work on time, going to weekly meetings, finding people to interview, doing hours of research, as well as ignoring homework and sleep. It’s all a regular part of the Editorial Board life.

Ok, so maybe I’m overdramatizing things for comedic effect (this is indeed, a humour article, albeit not a very good one).

But it is very disheartening to see so many passionate, hard-working people go through so much trouble to produce a newspaper… only for no one to read it and for the art classes to use it as floor protection when painting. Yes, despite appearances, we are well aware that the majority of the student body barely glances at most of the issues we produce. While that’s all well and good, after all, we

on the editorial board also have the distracting power of phones, it’d be nice if the general public would know about the efforts, time, and skill we put into making these attached flimsy sheets of paper with no TL;DR line at the bottom. So I invite you, read on. You’ve already made it this far.

It begins as all stories do… with Maeve Ellis and Nathalie Adriana Funes Serna. These two lovely ladies are the madlads that run this whole show (Mr. Silver and Zohar have better things to do). They built our Google Classroom (please feel free to join), they organize our Zoom meetings, and they make sure people aren’t wiping their butts with what we write. They spend hours talking to each other, the Grafitti teachers, section and copy editors, and even their own friends about the most efficient and noble way to run Grafitti. Every week, we (the editorial board) meet up with them to discuss our plans for the next issue, swap article ideas to pitch to our writers, and debate on how we can improve the newspaper as a whole. We do this very religiously as well. A newspaper is not like a bible response you can slap together in one night. We’re thinking about the next issue TWO MONTHS before y’all even remember we have a newspaper. Outside of these mandatory yet still enjoyable get-togethers, our jobs consist of luring innocent people into performing free labour for us AKA

recruiting new writers. This is always the most difficult aspect of being part of the ed board. Our writers are true magicians. We look away for one second and suddenly poof! They’re gone! So not only do we have to entice people to use their privileged right of free speech —since we genuinely care about what NT students have to say about… anything really (there’s a reason we have so many sections)—, but we also have to plant tracking devices on the writers we DO have since when deadlines come up, they’ve gone completely off the grid. When we do finally manage to convince people that we’re not going to hurt them (even if we really, really, REALLY, want to), we then get to edit what they’ve put together.

Now objectively, having people write is always our number one issue, but personally, the worst aspect of Graffiti is editing articles… only not for the reasons you may think.

Now, most people who know me as more than a by-line, understand that I can be very… blunt with both my words and actions.

But in a break from character, I have to say that reading other people’s works is truly an egregious process, not because it’s bad, but because it’s amazing. It always makes me feel like a horrible human being when I read an article that I absolutely adore.

When I can hear the passion and effort that went into every word on the page, it’s a feeling like no other.

But then, it begins. Nothing in this

world is perfect so I have to proceed to twist, remove, add on to, and edit this person’s work. Most people appreciate the advice and criticism we give since they want to put their best effort out to be published, but at the same time I can’t help having that uncomfortable feeling of guilt, knowing that this person’s vision has been altered, perhaps for the better, but altered nonetheless. It isn’t truly theirs anymore and that saddens me.

And yet I endure it. I continue to attend meetings, I continue to edit and write articles, I continue to make my writers hate me because, in the end, it’s worth it. Even if only one student picks up a copy of our next issue, we feel proud, because we have done our job. The feeling of joy and elation when someone walks up to you and says ‘Hey… I saw you in the newspaper! Aren’t you that chick that wrote a page long essay on how video games are an art form?!’... that last one may not apply to everyone; makes it one of the best things you can do. So, if you’re bored of quarantine, bored of school (which you are, let’s not lie to ourselves here), and bored at home; if you want to actually use your voice and encourage others to do the same, or if you need something to slap on your resume so a college or university will pick you up, come join Graffiti. We laugh, we write, and we stalk people on Instagram; what’s not to love?

52 GRAFFITI | NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | HUMOUR

Horoscope Ayush Verma Contributor Illustrations by Baran Forootan

Aries, March 21- April 20: Silence is a powerful tool and not everything requires a reaction, Aries. You may be tempted to throw a stellar temper tantrum, however, it would be in your best interest to do the opposite. Keep calm, focus and retry.

This is a great time for introspection and changing bad habits for true self-growth.

Try your best to stay calm and keep doing your best! You’ve got this!

Gemini, May 21- Jun 21: Spend some much needed alone time to recharge your creative batteries, Gemini! You might discover something new about yourself.

Practice makes perfect so be sure to separate yourself from distractions and focus on one thing at a time! Keep up the great work!

Leo, July 23- August 23: You have a certain boost to your creative energy, Leo. Learning a new creative hobby or showcasing your creative work can help the world be enlightened by your talent! It can even help you to make new friends! Spending time with family can be extremely enjoyable during these times!

As always, keep up the hard work!

Taurus, April 21- May 20: Spend time with your thoughts, Taurus! Now is a great time to talk about creative ideas and analyze your work to find ways to improve it! Discipline, hard work and success go hand in hand, so keep your pace and do not be discouraged by a few setbacks. Success only comes when you keep working hard!

Cancer, June 22- July 22: You may feel uncertainty, Cancer. Know that it is alright. Make sure to not make a decision in a hurry or overthink, instead try to navigate through the problem the best you can, and in the end it will all work out! Reflect and change a few things around for maximum productivity! You are doing great!

Virgo, August 24- September 22: One of the most analytical signs, you are prone to overthinking, Virgo. Try your best not to overthink, and instead analyze how you can separate yourself from distractions and maximize your productive time. Keep doing you!

Libra, September 23- October 23: As you can probably tell, it is a great time to get to meet new people whilst social distancing! Maybe even a virtual group hangout or playing a couple of games of Among Us with friends! You also have some creative ideas for the ‘next big thing’, and all you need to do is spend quality time with yourself to bring them to life! You can do this!

Scorpio, October 24- November 22: Happy Birthday Season, Scorpio! Wishing you a very happy birthday! Take your time when approaching new challenges and focus on things one by one. Focusing on yourself is also very important so do indeed practice self-care, even if this daily routine might have a bumpy start.

See what can be done to get it back on track! Just go for it!

Sagittarius, November 23- December 22: Sagittarius, you are feeling right at home with all the optimistic energy that the current Moon in Sagittarius brings!

Creativity will be at its peak so use this opportunity to advance your creative skills. Don’t hesitate to spend time with family, friends and yourself!

Capricorn, December 23- January 20: You could learn something valuable from your friends this month, Capricorn! So have a chat with them! Your thoughts are energized and creative, right now, and you can achieve anything and everything that you plan on completing! Discipline comes naturally to you, so work hard like you always do and the result of these efforts will show soon!

Aquarius, January 21- February 18: You have worked really hard and there is a chance that you will get the rewards for it very soon Aquarius! Have an optimistic attitude and continue to work hard. Your rewards will be reaching you shortly!

Continue to be great!

Pisces, February 19- March 20: Your uncertainties will be cleared up soon Pisces! As an empathetic person, you tend to care about everyone and put others before yourself. However, remember that you should never forget to take care of yourself. Do not worry about your confusion and problems, they will be solved very soon! Practice self care, and go with the flow!