Vol 43 issue 12

Student unions graded low

Hiding behind free speech

Questioning our creations

An Innocente take on SOC100

Men’s basketball comes through

News, page 2

Opinion, page 4

Arts, page 5

Features, page 8

Sports, page 11

CFS approves lowering threshold The threshold required to exit CFS will now be 15 percent of student signatures instead of 20 percent MENNA ELNAKA NEWS EDITOR At their general meeting that ran from November 18 to 21, the Canadian Federation of Students approved a motion to lower the threshold for a referendum on exiting its membership to 15 percent of student signatures.

The threshold previously required a petition signed by 20 percent of students to be able to hold a referendum on whether or not to leave the organization.

Last September, UTSU had released a letter to CFS addressing their concerns about the “dominance of the voices of staff over those of students” and a “lack of space for dissent and for constructive criticism” in the CFS meetings.

In an email to The Medium, UTSU’s VP internal Mathias Memmel stated that UTSU was pleased about the approval of lowering the threshold, but criticized how UTSU was not allowed to debate most of their motions.

WENDELL MACAPAGAL/THE MEDIUM

UTSU were pleased with the outcome, but criticized not being able to debate many motions.

“Our most important motion was N22, which would’ve banned nonstudent staff from attending general meetings as delegates,” wrote Memmel.

“We would’ve argued that non-

students shouldn’t be speaking and voting on behalf of students, but the motion was never debated.”

Memmel claimed that the CFS meetings are controlled by the federation’s staff and staff of other student

unions. He also added that if someone tries to discuss the structure of CFS, they would be accused of “being negative” and “distracting from the real issues.” “[UTSU] were and are being pla-

cated,” he said. “In theory, our motions will be debated next year, but that’s not good enough. We engaged in this process in good faith, and we weren’t even given an opportunity to make our case.”

Bilan Arte, CFS chairperson, told The Medium that out of 40 resolutions in total, 30 were adopted, while 10 were not debated.

“I believe that ratio is still pretty impressive,” said Arte, adding that there was “ample time for discussion and debate for the resolutions that were considered.”

Last September, a students’ campaign called You Decide U of T gathered signatures for a petition on continuing a CFS membership.

As previously reported by The Medium, Daman Singh, who speaks on behalf of the campaign, stated that U of T students deserved to have a vote on whether or not they want to continue being members of CFS.

CFS AGM continued on page 2

Departmental minor program changes 22 and 41 minor program changes for humanities and sciences departments, respectively ALICIA BOATTO ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR

Last Thursday, the Academic Affairs Committee approved minor program changes and amendments, beginning next September, for the sciences, social sciences and humanities departments.

The humanities will undergo 22 minor program changes, will have 44 new courses, and one new full-year course.

According to the meeting’s agenda, “The new courses are being proposed to respond to re-organization within departments and institutes, the interests and strengths of new faculty hires, and the need to provide units with more flexibility in determining course offerings based on teaching availability of faculty.”

“These changes also enrich program requirements and allow more choices for students and better op-

The next Academic Affairs Committee meeting is scheduled on January 9. portunity to study the subject matter in-depth,” the agenda added.

Additional changes to the minor programs include changes in course descriptions, course names, pre-req-

uisites, and exclusions.

The minor in Francophone studies and the specialist program for Italian and French have been suspended.

The sciences department will in-

AIMEE PADILLO/THE MEDIUM

clude 41 minor program changes, including the addition of 15 halfcourses and four full-year courses.

Sciences will also receive new course descriptions, new course require-

ments, and updated pre-requisites and co-requisites.

A new 100-level math course and two new calculus-based physics courses will be offered to first-year students.

The astronomy major program will increase its credit requirements from 8.5 to 9 credits, by adding a second-year required course, Thermal Physics and Fluid Mechanics, PHY242H5.

“The astronomy major has always been a 9.0 credit program and this change is to correct an error previously of not listing the pre-requisite,” read the agenda.

According to a report by the Social Sciences Division Curriculum Committee, starting in 2019, students applying to the management minor and specialist programs will be required to complete a math course, MAT133.

AAC continued on page 3

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«NEWS

THE MEDIUM 11.28.2016

Pro-choice motion passed by CFS CFS AGM continued from cover

November 18th, 2016, 8:20 PM. Trespass to Property Act. Campus Police received a report of a student attempting to gain access with his friend’s T-card.

November 22nd, 2016, 11:30 AM. Campus police received a report of a vehicle that appeared abandoned in Lot 6. The vehicle was towed.

November 23rd, 2016, 6:20 PM. Mischief.

A student parked their car in P9.

The driver and passenger had left their laptop in the car. Upon returning to the vehicle, the rear driver’s side window had been smashed. Missing from the car were two bags containing the students laptops, a laptop charger, and one of the student’s wallet.

November 23, 2016, 10:15 PM. Theft under $5000.

A student reported to Campus Police that their bag with their laptop inside was stolen. The bag was last seen in the library on the second floor leaning against a desk. .

These reports are those that have been released to The Medium and do not necessarily constitute an exhaustive list.

“The You Decide campaign is very happy to hear that the motion to lower the petition threshold passed,” wrote Singh in an email to The Medium last Friday.

He also expressed that the You Decide campaign appreciates the federation’s “good faith effort” to reform CFS and to make changes to their structure.

“We feel that this change will make this incredibly burdensome process a bit more accessible to students,” wrote Singh.

Another motion that passed at the meeting involved the CFS making “pro-choice” materials, including buttons, stickers, and templates of

letters addressed to the universities to restrict the “outreach of graphic and triggering images of abortion on campus,” in addition to resources that “highlight [….] sexual educators, sexual assault and violence support centres, phone lines, and pro-choice abortion clinics.”

CFS members also voted for a new “Trans Constituency” that would be open to the trans community, nonbinary people, and genderqueer. As well, the CFS will also create a campaign that lobbies the federal government to provide “adequate health care” for the trans community.

“There were a number of discussion topics this time ranging from bylaw amendments, and revamping the Pro-Choice campaign, to creating

a Trans Constituency and reaffirming support for a free and accessible post-secondary education,” wrote UTMSU’s president, Nour Alideeb in an email to The Medium.

“There is nothing more exciting than being surrounded by students from across the country who care about students as much as you do.”

Over 80 student unions are members of the CFS, including UTSU, UTMSU, the University of Toronto Graduate Students’ Union, and the Association of Part-Time Undergraduate Students.

According to Arte, the resolutions that were missed at this meeting will be discussed at CFS’ upcoming general meeting that is yet to be set between May and June.

U of T student unions get “F” grade An Alberta-based centre grades student unions’ practices

Students can contact the UTM Campus Police at 905 828 5200, Peel Regional Police at 905 453 3311, or Crime Stoppers at 1 800 222 8477.

Tutors for Syrian refugees

ERIC CUI/THE MEDIUM

Alberta-based Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedom grades student unions on their practices.

FARHAT AMINI STAFF WRITER OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM

UTM Helping Hands received almost 160 volunteer applications.

DARA SALAMAH STAFF WRITER UTM Helping Hands, in collaboration with UTM’s Department of Language Studies and the Syrian Canadian Foundation, has received almost 160 volunteer applications for tutoring services to Syrian refugees that have been recently admitted to Canada.

Helping Hands is a new club this academic year, founded by UTM student Mohammed Amin, aimed at helping the homeless, the disadvantaged, and orphaned children.

In an interview with The Medium, Amin stated that the Syrian Canadian Foundation helps the club by getting Syrian families in touch with the program through the lists they have of families settling around Mississauga.

The language department is responsible for structuring the ESL classes that started taking place at UTM last week.

The program is divided into a client-based tutoring, which is directed at students who need help on specific subjects like math and science. The volunteers will meet

with these students according to their needs on or off-campus.

The second division is academic advising, which is directed “at the refugees who have had their university education disrupted through the process of moving to Canada.”

“We help [the refugees] through their period of transition, and provide help on how to join the Canadian universities,” said Amin, clarifying that people who need to join their program do not need an application process.

According to Amin, the shortterm goal of Helping Hands is to make a difference in the lives of individuals seeking their help. Their long-term goal stands as catering to the whole community.

“We aim to leave people coming for language classes with tangible language skills that can get them around the country and facilitate their experience in Canada,” he said.

The Helping Hands founder is expecting to see an increase in the number of people seeking the initiative for help.

The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedom, an organization based in Alberta, has released a report giving UTSU and UTMSU grades of F in terms of their policies and practices.

The JCCF has been published annually since 2011. It bases its measurement on the assessment of “the free speech climate on Canadian university campuses,” and grades administrators and student unions using a five-letter scale from A to F. In their assessment of student union practices, out of the 60 student unions surveyed, only York Federation of Students received an A grade, while UTMSU, Ryerson Students’ Union, and University of Victoria Student Society all received an F. “By restricting free expression through both policies and practices, [UTMSU, the Ryerson Students’ Union, and The University of Victory Student Society] are the worst in Canada,” read the report.

The report also referred to the rejection of UTMSU to renew the club status of Students for Life.

Michael Kennedy, the co-writer of the report, stated in an email to The Medium that “rejecting Students for Life because of its ‘stance on abortion’ is a violation of those students’ free expression rights, and their human right to be free from discrimination on the basis of their political views.”

UTMSU’s president, Nour Alideeb, told The Medium in an email that the union “shall defend the individual rights of students regardless of gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, citizenship, class ancestry, and mental or physical abilities.”

She said that the policies and bylaws of UTMSU, that are created by students, will remain as they are unless a full-time or part-time undergraduate student comes forward with their concerns about the policies.

Alideeb also told The Medium that an investigation should rather be taking place about the “authenticity” of the JCCF. “Clearly [JCCR’s] political agenda is motivated by something personal by its founder,” wrote Alideeb.

In an email to The Medium, UTSU’s president, Jasmine Wong Denike stated that “most of the recent incidents described in the report involved the UTMSU, not the UTSU,” explaining that the report criticized UTSU’s election rules, which were rewritten last year.

The report also criticized the antidiscrimination policies of UTSU, which states that the “UTSU will not allocate resources, space, recognition, or funding to any student group who seeks to promote [racism, sexism, xenophobia, ableism, ageism, queerphobia, transphobia and discrimination based on status],” and, “UTSU will not fund, rent or loan any space

on campus to an event involving a group or a person representing the aforementioned beliefs.”

Denike clarified that having antidiscrimination policies should not be considered “controversial” if applied fairly.

“Free speech is vitally important, especially on campus,” wrote Denike.

“But we also need to be conscious of how hateful speech can undermine free speech. Often, hate speech will be defended as free speech, and that is what we need to put a stop to.”

Kennedy told The Medium that for the grades to improve regarding the practices, UTMSU could change the decision of denying Student for Life’s club status, and that both UTSU and UTMSU could “make clear that past practices of censoring speech they disagree with were wrong, and furthermore, will not be repeated.”

JCCF didn’t give A to any unions regarding the policies, and gave a B to four unions, including the Carleton University Student Association and the University of Saskatchewan Student Union. An F grade was given to 15 unions, among which were York Federation of Students, the Students’ Society of McGill University, and the University of British Columbia Student Association.

UTSU and UTMSU received D grades in 2014 and 2015 for their policies, and received F grades all three years for their practices.

11.28.2016 THE MEDIUM NEWS

Town hall talks plans for UTM

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»WHAT’S YOUR MOTIVATION?

Meeting discusses departmental additions and UTM vision

Erika Roldan 3rd year, DEM

Namiq Ismayilov 4th year, computer sci

My mom.

The goals that I’ve set for myself.

Ellie Leung 4th year, PWC

Anton Mykytenko 3rd year, DEM

To have people quote me when I’m gone.

People and the outcomes.

OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM

“I look at UTM and stand back and ask: does that describe UTM?” said principal Ulrich Krull.

AYESHA TIRMZI The town hall meeting held last Thursday discussed UTM’s vision and a new $15 billion funding proposal.

According to UTM interim-principal Ulrich Krull, the Canada Foundation for Innovation proposed funding of $15 billion to UTM for research in the molecular and functional architecture of membrane-based receptors in order to help get new insights into drug strategies.

“We have other great ideas coming through, and the intention here is to move all boats by raising the water for everybody,” said Krull.

The Faculty of Medicine is also looking to expand its programs to the undergraduate level by introducing a pre-medicine degree to prepare students to meet the requirements of medical school. Through this program, students will be able to do pa-

tient rounds and learn more about operating with the usage of technology.

Krull also discussed UTM’s vision plan, stating that he wants to focus on what UTM has to offer, how it can differentiate itself from other universities, and the need to have a mission statement that represents the community of around 15,000 students and 1,000 staff members on campus.

“We present ourselves as part of University of Toronto, in name we are,” said Krull, “but my concern is that if you look at University of Toronto and how it describes itself, it says this is a research-intensive institution which takes the value of that research intensity into the undergraduate level, and creates a special experience for those undergraduates.

“I look at UTM and stand back and ask: does that describe UTM?” Krull added.

Krull also stated that the Depart-

ment of Language Studies drafted an idea for building an Institute of Global Fluency. The institute will identify a student’s progression in a language, and based on this information, will create the necessary educational experience to fill in the gaps of their language. Krull explained that this will allow students to learn and become comfortable with spoken or written language.

The institute will also deal with newcomers and help them integrate into society, and will work with their difficulties with digital language for communication.

Krull also said that UTM as a campus has no intention of building a campus in Brampton, but if the University of Toronto wants to go ahead with that plan, then UTM will assist and participate.

The next town hall is scheduled to take place in January.

Faculty recruitment on the way MENNA ELNAKA NEWS EDITOR The UTM Campus Affairs Committee meeting, held last Monday, discussed the intent to create a new building and town house for residence students, new upcoming food service developments, and planned out the price increase for next year’s annual parking fees.

According to Chad Nuttal, the director of UTM’s Student Housing and Residence Life, there’s a plan for a new building for first-year residence students around OPH and a new town house for upper-year students.

First-year students at UTM are currently placed in town houses, while upper-year students live in buildings. Nuttal explained that the idea to work on new constructions came as a result of how most universities operate the opposite way of UTM’s current residence planning.

The laundry services will also experience upgrades for residence students, as they will be able to check the status of their laundry online.

Another item discussed at the meeting was the meal plans on campus. Vicky Jezierski, UTM’s director of hospitality and retail services, stated that UTM stands at number

five among nine other universities, with York, McMaster, Guelph, and Ryerson being ranked higher than UTM. Jezierski stated that York University’s meal plan is $1,000 less than UTM, but according to her, with the lower money, students usually finish their plan by November, and go back to buy a new one again from the university.

UTM’s meal plan structure will undergo changes from seven plans to four plans, since a “lower commitment means significant increase in amount of carryover,” according to the meeting’s agenda.

Jezierski also talked about future food service development plans on campus, including a “Starbucks 10year Facelift” in 2017. In 2018, the Davis Permanent Food Court is expected to open, as well as the North Building Phase II. As for the parking services, the annual reserved, premium unreserved, and unreserved permit prices are expected to increase by three percent the next academic year. The “pay and display” prices, including the daily maximum rate, will experience no increases.

Compared with U of T’s two other campuses, and York and McMaster universities, St. George’s unreserved

parking rates are $1,440, whereas York’s are $1,098.36, and UTM’s are $728.34. The “most expensive” reserved parking rates are at St. George, with $3,300. UTM places number four, with $1,020.54 for reserved parking, and the Scarborough campus rates are $971.93.

Another item on the agenda was the number of international students admitted to UTM. Amrita Daniere, UTM’s vice-principal academic and dean, stated that 61 to 66 percent of international students come from China.

UTM’s student-to-faculty ratio was considered the highest across all U of T campuses, with a 35:7 ratio in fall 2015.

According to Daniere, UTM will aim to reduce the student-to-faculty ratio, and will also be looking into hiring 10 percent more faculty.

Faculty recruitment has gone from 68 percent in 2014-15, to 88 percent in 2015-16. The target is to conduct 38 searches next year and 32 in 201718. Deniere stated that due to search limitations, time, and money, UTM doesn’t have the capacity to do more than what it is currently doing in terms of searching for new hires.

The next Campus Affairs Committee meeting is scheduled for January 11.

Several course changes introduced AAC continued from cover Although the committee debated the merits of adding this requirement, arguing that it was not fair to students who chose business because of their aversion to math, it was resolved that the inclusion is designed for students who intend to pursue finance. The motion was ultimately carried.

The committee further noted that all high school students wishing to enter into the social sciences will be required to take a calculus course in Grade 12 instead of just Data Management to help with their transition.

Other program changes in the social sciences involves updates to course requirements, “such as that for economics, now adding that a 63 percent is required for MAT133 in its economics and political science specialist program in order to clarify the requirements for the program.”

According to the agenda, 37 new half-credit courses and three fullyear courses will be offered in the department.

“In combination across all units, these new courses will significantly increase course options for students.

They also reflect the expertise and interests of new faculty hires as well as new areas of study proposed by existing faculty,” read the agenda.

The Department of English and Drama also provided a follow-up report to the Academic Affairs Com-

mittee regarding the sexism incident made in an English classroom last year.

The follow-up report detailed several measures taken against the sexist comments. In November 2015, the chair of the English and drama department, Alexandra Gillespie, arranged for all faculty within the department to undergo a presentation

by UTM’s Equity and Diversity Officer, as well as the establishment of an Equity and Diversity Committee, on which the department chair and other tenured faculty will hold positions.

Additionally, a number of the new courses for the 2017-2018 academic year, designed by Gillespie, will address issues of equity.

Another item discussed at the meeting was the progress of UTM’s Vision Draft. According to Amrita Daniere, UTM’s vice-principal academic and dean, the UTM community has provided feedback regarding the draft through feedback sessions.

The committee debated that the Vision Statement should be “eloquent and concise,” and that the draft appears to be a plan of action more than a declaration of goals.

Daniere explained that the draft is in two parts: a statement and a plan, and added that she will be restructuring the document to avoid confusion.

The next Academic Affairs Committee meeting is scheduled on January 9.

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11.28.2016

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Free speech isn’t an excuse We shouldn’t wait for free speech to perpetuate hate speech before we act Our news section this week includes an article about a group called Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms.

They gave UTSU and UTMSU an F grade because they disagreed with how free speech was being handled at this school.

I agree that these unions are far from perfect. This has even been stated by the executives within the unions. I myself have written editorials about what needs to change.

However, this grade given to UTMSU mainly due to their stance on UTMSFL is bizarre.

JCCF, an organization no older than six years, boasts about their accomplishments in court defending Evangelical student groups or, again, another pro-life group. Of course UTMSU received an F from this website, considering these are the kinds of cases they try to defend.

People are free to believe what they want. To fight for what they want. No one is stopping them, and I’m not calling for a closure of this group or an investigation into their interests. However, when UTMSU president Nour Alideeb stated that this site is motivated by the founder’s personal beliefs, maybe she wasn’t wrong.

In my eyes, it says enough that when me and a friend of mine shared my editorial last week, all those who liked and agreed with it were women.

To me, this shows that the only person to have any kind of say over a woman’s body is the woman herself.

I don’t expect to ever agree with someone who advocates for pro-life.

And I don’t ever expect them to agree with me. You say “pro-life” and I hear “anti-choice.” I say “pro-choice” and you hear “babies don’t have a right to life.” Whatever the case may actually be, each group will probably think the other ignorant and misinformed.

I’m also aware of how each side probably sounds hypocritical to the other. Pro-choice supporters question why pro-life should be allowed to advocate for something harmful, like destroying a woman’s rights. Pro-life supporters ask why pro-choice should be allowed to advocate for something harmful, like ending human life. There isn’t a definitive judge to decide which side has more of a right to be upset.

The probable reason is because both sides contain some sort of hypocrisy.

Either way, something is being taken and it all boils down to which life is valued more. There isn’t much else to do besides allow both sides to express their opinion through respectful debate. However, I think we said goodbye to respect that day in Davis.

I discussed this in some depth last week. Though what began as an editorial stating my opinion, of course, had the free speech argument hurled my way. Alright. Let’s talk about that.

This argument of free speech never

fails to ignore the negative impacts caused by freely saying whatever you want. So long as it doesn’t cross that line into hate speech, you can do and say whatever you want, right? And, technically UTMSFL isn’t spewing hate speech, so why are they trying to be silenced or denied club status?

Well, here’s the pickle. Being allowed to say something freely doesn’t give you license to hide behind that excuse when you say something hurtful or damaging to a community. It doesn’t mean you get to abandon all responsibility. It does if you have no other defence. But, if all you have to say about your opinions and the choices you make is, “Excuse me. Free speech,” then you should probably think out your argument a little better.

I know I’ve probably lost half the conservative or anti-union readers at this point, most of whom are probably too blinded by their own anger to listen to me. That or they’re probably thinking of some sort of returnfire comment. All I have to do is publish an editorial stating my opinion and immediately those who disagree charge social media in an attempt to make their case. This doesn’t surprise me. Harambe memes have the power to upset people. This generation is a pretty angry bunch armed with opinions and a keyboard.

I love when people use the argument of free speech to defend their viewpoint, without considering for a second how it might be damaging to others. How shameless plugs in support of an anti-choice agenda don’t qualify as hate speech, and therefore should just be accepted.

For some, if you don’t agree with this, then you’re branded a left-wing extremist. A hippie with your head too far up your ass to see the world for how it is. Too liberal for your own good.

So be it.

It’s worth asking to what degree free speech is actually helpful in a situation like this. There will be some bull-headed pro-life and free speech supporters who will see phrases like “left-wing extremist,” stop listening, and agree with themselves that I somehow solidified their opinion. Equally, I’m relatively sure that if a pro-life supporter were to call themselves ignorant, some on my side would probably agree without doing much else either.

However, it’s important to wonder when people will stop hiding behind the excuse of free speech to justify their harmful behaviour. When Peterson refused to use proper gender pronouns, nothing came of it at first.

But soon, his free speech began to perpetuate hate speech from others, thereby completely dehumanizing an entire community.

I could be here for days reminding readers of how Trump’s “free speech” served as the catalyst for deplorable

behaviour from those who support him. Instead, I just want to use one example that was literally reported just a few hours ago today. A mosque received a letter saying, “Donald Trump will do to you Muslims what Hitler did to the Jews.” According to The Independent, “The handwritten letter was addressed to ‘the children of Satan,’ and expressed support for Presidentelect Donald Trump. It also called Muslims ‘vile and filthy people.’ ‘Your day of reckoning has arrived. There’s a new sheriff in town, President Donald Trump. He’s going to cleanse America and make it shine again. And, he’s going to start with you Muslims,’ the letter stated. Signed only by ‘Americans for a Better Way […].’” Please tell me again how free speech doesn’t have the power to be harmful. Please tell me again that free speech should be used however and whenever without consequence.

Is this what we need to wait for before something is done to stop “free speech” like this in its tracks? Does UTMSFL need to be the cause for a woman’s breakdown? Why does the worst need to happen before groups take a step back and consider what toll their actions may be taking on a woman? And if the defence here is that she should feel bad, or that pro-lifers feel like they’ve done some good in educating a woman on her own choice, then all that proves is that the goal is to shame women.

For those unaware of the metaphor, “shouting fire in a crowded theatre,” the saying refers to speech or actions citing unnecessary panic. Something important to wonder is whether or not UTMSFL or pro-life supporters are using free speech reasonably or simply using it as a tool to incite fear and panic. That’s my problem with all of this. I see their actions accomplishing the latter.

Though, if UTMSFL wins in court and they’re allowed to keep doing what they’re doing, I won’t fight it. Should a judge see them as a club worthy of stating their message, then that’s how it is.

However, that doesn’t mean I have to agree with a message I have believed for years to be misguided and intrusive.

I’m sure people will argue that standing by a decision to silence someone is the same as silencing them myself. It isn’t. Unless I walked up to UTMSFL in Davis and shouted, “Shame!” whenever they tried to talk or blasted white noise “music”, I didn’t strip free speech. Standing by the decision for someone to fight pro-life beliefs isn’t the same as physically stopping free speech. Is free speech only a problem when people think I’m being restricting while managing to completely forget the restrictions of those they stand up for?

As hard as this may be to digest

for some, I’m allowed to stand on the side of UTMSU denying club status. I think, regardless of whether or not it’s intended, UTMSFL is currently doing more harm than good. That’s my opinion, and since everyone seems to be gung-ho about free speech, I’m allowed to express my opinion. I’m very aware of the problems within the union. Sure, they accomplish their own restrictions. That doesn’t mean they’re wrong here. Not to me.

UTMSFL has the right to preach their beliefs pretty much wherever else they like. It’s none of my business. They’re within their rights to do so here as well. But that doesn’t mean I have to stand for it as a student of this school. To traipse into a university, one that claims to be a safe space, and shove violent images in the face of young women as a bloody reminder of a decision that had nothing to do with them isn’t something I or other women have to stand for. As a paying student, I have the right to be angry.

Like I said last week, all that happened was the choice to shame women for the decisions that they make, as if these women didn’t already know the consequences. The pamphlet and overall belief system appeals to a much harsher opinion: “Look what you did.”

How is that acceptable? Because it isn’t hate speech? They have no idea what the woman was going through. Why she made that choice. If it haunts her.

They’re attempting to encourage women to carry a child to term without any consideration for her choice, yet UTMSFL are the ones who feel like their rights are being taken away.

Shout about free speech until you turn blue, it won’t sway my opinion. I’m sure plenty of people will label me and the union as people who don’t fight for free speech. That’s what Peterson said about those who stood against him too. Right before The Medium received emails from trans students asking to be taken off of mailing lists, because they wanted to lay low for a while. Right before Denio Lourenco started getting threats sent to his Facebook. Right before the trans community on campus didn’t feel safe anymore.

But, yeah. Free speech.

YOURS, MARIA CRUZ

CORRECTION NOTICE The November 21 article, “So you think you can slam, UTM?” omitted Maleha Islam’s name as the third judge, and Amira-Deka Dirie’s name had been misprinted.

The article, “Five Days of Giving raises $600” referred to Corporate Social Responsibility Director, Rebeeyah Jabeen, as the president of the the Undergraduate Commerce Society.

11.28.2016

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Witnessing Rojas’ creative journey Agustin Rolando Rojas offered workshop on drypoint printmaking at Visual Arts Mississauga ADELAIDE ATTARD ASSOCIATE A&E EDITOR Last Friday, VAM opened their doors for their current exhibition’s opening reception. Why do you create? is an interactive show that features both artwork and a workshop

by Agustin Rolando Rojas. The exhibition explores the reasons why artists create, including the many people, places, and things that inspire them.

As part of the opening reception, the Cuban-Canadian artist gave an interactive art talk on his creative process. Rojas’ preferred form of art is called drypoint printmaking.

“This, you see, is a dentist tool,” said the enthusiastic Rojas as he held up a sharp metal object. “Yes, it’s a strange object to think about while making art, but this is great for making really sharp lines in the aluminum.”

The process of drypoint printmaking involves an array of tools, each one crucial to providing Rojas’ original look. Rojas sat down at a table and invited the audience to

CHEN GONG/THE MEDIUM

Rojas shares his creative process with guests of VAM at the opening reception of new exhibition. watch as he showed us a sample of how he creates using a small sheet of aluminum.

“Ten centimetres by 10 centimetres, no bigger than my palm. Some

people think it’s easier to create on a smaller scale, but I think they’re wrong. For me, it’s very hard. I have to get real close,” Rojas commented as he brought the piece of alumi-

num up to his face. “Maybe have some coffee and water, because this strains my eyes.” To help him, Rojas used magnifying lenses.

On his table was a pouch filled

with an odd assortment of tools some of which were screwdrivers, more dentist tools, metal pieces, sand paper, and old pens.

“Do you have to be strong to create deep lines?” an audience member asked as Rojas scored the aluminum sheet with a dentist tool.

“No,” Rojas answered. “I am, but you don’t have to be. The harder you press, the deeper the lines will be, but if you don’t have arm strength or wrist strength, it will just give you a different result.”

He then stood up and brought the audience to a different table to add the ink to the scored aluminum sheet. “The trick is to use this flat tool to make a smooth surface on top of the pot of ink. When I was in second year of university, I dug my tool right in the middle of the ink pot and made a little well.

My professor told me to get out of his class until I knew how to properly retrieve ink from the pot. I came back and I did it right,” Rojas explained.

Drypoint continued on page 7

Finding love in the strangest of places UC Follies’ adaptation of Dogfight traces the story of three marines and their path to romance ZAHRA SINA In June 2012, Second Stage Theatre, a New York theatre company, debuted the musical adaptation of Dogfight. The show is an adaptation of the 1991 film, Dogfight, by Nancy Savoca. Last Friday, UC Follies gave an enthralling performance of their own at Hart House Theatre. The production was directed by Sam Poole.

Dogfight takes us back to November 21, 1963, where a group of rowdy marines are gathered in San Francisco to spend their last night before they are deployed to Vietnam.

The audience is introduced to Eddie Birdlace (Cole Currie) and his two best friends, Ralphie Boland (Brandon Vollick) and Dickie Bernstein (Devon Laird), through the musical number, “We Three Bees.”

The origins of the play’s title soon become clear when the boys decide to spend their night participating in a heartless game called “Dogfight.” For the game, each marine gives around $50, a portion of which goes towards renting the party joint. Whatever is left over goes towards prize money.

The rules of the game are simple:

LIEF RAMSARAN/PHOTO

UC Follies premiered their musical production of Dogfight at Hart House Theatre last Friday. whoever brings the ugliest date to the party wins the prize money. Eager to win the money, Birdlace and his friends search the city for potential dates—cue the song, “Hey Good-

Lookin.”

Birdlace finds a girl named Rose Fenny (Sophie Waldman). Rose is first introduced as a shy waitress with musical aspirations. Birdlace

flirts with her and convinces her to come as his date to the party through the song, “Come to a Party.” Rose is hesitant at first, but Birdlace’s charm finally wins her over. Unaware of

the party’s true intentions, Rose is thrilled and ends up wearing the majority of her closet to get ready as she sings, “Nothing Short of Wonderful.”

Meanwhile, other marines manage to find dates, including Boland, who breaks convention and invites Marcy (Crissy Voinov), an unattractive prostitute.

Later that evening, Rose discovers the true purpose of the party from Marcy. She’s infuriated at Birdlace and hits him in the face. Determined to make things right with Rose, Birdlace goes to apologize and Rose forgives him when she realizes his sincerity. What started as an inauspicious date slowly unfolds into a sweet and awkward love story between the two characters, as Rose changes the rules of the game and teaches Birdlace about compassion and humility.

The set design was appropriate for the era of the play. The red-andwhite checkered pattern of the diner’s table cloth and the black-andwhite checkered wallpaper with red and blue paneling suited the 1960s time period.

Dogfight continued on page 7

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A life worth sharing Polaroid Stories recounts the real stories of 10 people RACHAEL MASIH Quite often there are youth who find themselves in dire situations, out on the streets with no home to turn to.

Behind every faceless youth, shrouded by statistics, there’s an individual with their own story.

The Trinity College Drama Society showcased Polaroid Stories last week at the George Ignatieff Theatre.

Written by Naomi Iizuka, the play acknowledges the experience of underprivileged adolescents living on the streets. It sends the message that the lives of young men and women facing homelessness are lives worth knowing and sharing. Iizuka interviewed real people and crafted her script using real stories.

The set by Shay Santaiti consisted of a bench and a large, fenced cage in the middle of the stage, surrounded by walls covered in graffiti, and a ladder. Paired with the warm yellow (and occasionally psychedelic) lights designed by Thomas Lynch and music

by Henry Paterson, the set became an eerie place.

The play recounts the stories of 10 different people in unique situations.

The stories included drug abuse, unhealthy relationships, prostitution, and more. Polaroid Stories functions as an adaptation of Ovid’s “Metamorphoses,” an extended poem that recounts the world’s history by incorporating Greek mythology. The

segments of Polaroid Stories included stories by D (Ezera Beyene), Philomel (Mirabella Sundar Singh), Eurydice (Marium Raja), Persephone (Andrea Castaneda), Orpheus (River Pereira), Narcissus (Jonathan Dick), Echo (Claire Shenstone-Harris), G or Zeus or Hades (Marium Masood), SKINHEADboy or Theseus (LouisAlexandre Boulet), and SKINHEADgirl or Ariadne (Katarina Prystay).

Many of the characters’ names come from Greek mythology. For example, Persephone is the goddess of the harvest, and Narcissus is a boy in love with his own reflection. In the play, each personality represents a different character in Greek folklore. Unfortunately, this was an element of the play that was unclear to the audience, because people were rarely, if ever, called by their name.

Ultimately, the play led to a great deal of confusion. The stories of the characters were separated into five different subplots, each taking turns on the centre stage. In the beginning, the actors made great use of the space by coming up and down the stairs to say their names. However, none of the names spoken in this scene were the names of their actual characters, making it hard to understand who they were referring to. Many stories beat around the bush, creating more questions than they answered. Plays should include nuance and subtext, but not to the point where no one knows what‘s

happening. Due to the nature of the play’s structure, there were many ideas that were touched on but never expanded, and relationships that came out of nowhere. These features made the play generally hard to follow.

Of the five different plots that were explored, the story of SKINHEADboy and SKINHEADgirl was the most intriguing. It was easy to follow and invest in; it acted as a shining light for the play. The performance by Boulet was stunning. His makeup—done

by Grace Manalili—made him look gaunt and almost frightening. It was easy to see that he invested his full effort into the role of SKINHEADboy. He gave amazing monologues, questioned God and monsters, and he recounted his life story. Every second of his performance was touching and lifelike. His relationship with SKINHEADgirl had more chemistry than all of the other characters. Together, they were a joy to watch. Prystay also gave a wonderful performance. She performed a monologue paired with a contemporary dance routine with Dick. Their performance was breathtaking.

Although the play was confusing overall, it had some astounding moments. All proceeds from ticket sales went to Eva’s Initiatives with Homeless Youth, SKETCH, and Sanctuary Toronto.

Polaroid Stories ran at the George Ignatieff Theatre until November 26.

FARIDA ABDELMEGUIED STAFF WRITER Life of Pi by Yann Martel is a novel that touches on many significant motifs. It’s a refreshing read for book lovers who believe in the power of stories.

A recurring idea in Life of Pi is the concept of storytelling. The novel implies the power of stories, including what they mean, why we need them, and what believing in them does for us. Martel introduces the idea of poetic faith, meaning that our experience as readers consists of our suspension of disbelief. We choose to believe a story even if we know that it’s factually untrue.

Life of Pi concerns itself with the process of storytelling more than the outcome. It also encompasses the idea of a compulsion, or moral obligation, to tell the story. The idea of storytelling in this text carries multiple meanings, as we’re reading a novel that both presents itself as a true story and involves sub-stories within the frame narrative. Everything is discussed in the form of a story, even faith.

Life of Pi approaches faith in an intriguing way. The novel creates a direct link between believing in stories and believing in a higher power.

However, Martel isn’t suggesting that storytelling is synonymous with religion. Rather, Martel approaches

faith as an idea of openness and confidence. Faith is not just a part of religion, but an act inherent to storytelling. When we’re told stories, the speaker entrusts us to believe.

They implicitly instruct us to have faith in their words.

Pi, the protagonist of the novel, invites readers to make a narrative leap of a faith. The unbelievable is presented as reality. He invites his audience to believe in stories that make little factual sense, such as becoming stranded on a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger.

The most interesting line in the text is the opening claim, “I have a story that will make you believe in God.” This line presupposes the initial doubt a reader feels at the beginning of a novel. Although the story begins with skepticism, the entire book is about faith and leaving rationality behind. Life of Pi emphasizes the quality of empathy that literature upholds—the ability to identify with the experience of characters and make an imaginative leap.

Despite its preoccupation with endings, the text leaves many questions unanswered. Life of Pi prompts readers to question the meaning of stories. What does it mean to tell a story? To what extent do facts matter? The answers are left to the reader.

Burn the Witch: Troubadours go to trial The Crucible centres around the corruption of the Salem Witch Trials in the late 17th century KIMBERLY DAY The Crucible, written by famed American playwright Arthur Miller in 1953, presents significant themes, such as lies and deceit, good versus evil, and the supernatural, to name a few. As a renowned play, there have been several recreations and performances of The Crucible worldwide.

Last Friday, I had the chance to attend one such recreation by the St. Michael’s College Troubadours.

Directed by Jeffrey Kennes, the play centres around the Salem Witch Trials in 1692-1693 in Salem, Massachusetts. The Crucible depicts the consequences and harsh results of following your own desires during this time. The play also demonstrates how deviating from societal norms during that time period could lead to a trial and incarceration.

The play begins with Reverend Samuel Parris (Gianni Sallese) kneeling at his daughter’s bed in grief.

He is aware of the town gossip that Betty Parris (Nicole Bell) has been made ill from “unnatural causes.”

Parris’ niece, Abigail Williams (Joanna Decc), then enters with concern for her cousin Betty, who is lying unconscious.

Reverend Parris demands an explanation for the condition of his daughter. However, he appears more

RAMI ASHTAR/PHOTO

The SMC Troubadours presented Arthur Miller’s classic script last week at Father Madden Hall. concerned about his reputation than Betty’s well-being. He expresses to her unconscious body, “I have spent three long years bending these stiffnecked people to me, and now when some good respect is rising for me in the parish, you compromise my very character.”

Later in the play, the audience learns how the reverend’s selfish concern for his own reputation leads to unfair problems for others. From this first scene, I was hooked by the overall quality of acting. I especially enjoyed the performance of Sallese,

who offered a realistic portrayal of the reverend, both through his appearance and his acting.

This introduction soon led to the entrance of John Proctor (Max Levy).

At first glance, the audience might interpret Proctor as a supporting character. Though, as the plot unfolds, we learn that he is actually the star of the play. Proctor is a headstrong, confident man who isn’t afraid of voicing his thoughts and opinions. Proctor is introduced to the audience as a man with no acceptance of hypocrisy. All the while, he had a secret affair with

Abigail. During this time period, an affair was unacceptable to society.

Despite Proctor’s apparent dislike towards hypocrisy within Salem, he presents his own sense of hypocrisy during a conversation with his wife, where he swears he only wants to make her happy. He repeatedly apologizes for his affair with Abigail, but the damage has already been done.

Mary Warren (Lauren Van Klaveren), a servant to Proctor, is the most guilt-stricken character in the play. She continuously denies any form of association with ungodly

creatures, for fear of being despised by society and being locked away in Proctor’s house. We learn about her insecurities in greater depth when she is forced to make her case in court.

The audience is soon introduced to Reverend John Hale (Emma Burns), who has an unending knowledge about the devil and his work of deceit. Hale struggles to revive Betty by attempting to release the devil’s spirit from her. Hale is initially portrayed as a man who is less corrupt than Parris. But later in the play, he encourages Parris to confess his sins in an attempt to save his reputation, as well as the reputations of all those on the town’s council.

In the last few scenes of the play, the role of corruption becomes evident. Characters are arrested on the charge of being witches, and the lives of many characters dwindle from there.

Throughout the play, the themes I mentioned earlier were consistently presenting themselves. Notions of corruption and good versus evil were especially apparent through the portrayals of authoritative figures. Kennes brought The Crucible to life with a cast of talented actors and actresses.

The play was riveting and loaded with suspense throughout.

The Crucible ran at Father Madden Hall until November 26.

11.28.2016 THE MEDIUM ARTS» 7

Art through fireworks Why does Documentary shows Cai Guo-Qiang’s ladder of fire Rojas create?

Drypoint continued from page 5

NETFLIX.COM/PHOTO

Guo-Qiang celebrates the success of his project, “Sky Ladder,” with friends and family.

MAHMOUD SAROUJI MANAGING EDITOR

Sky Ladder is a Netflix documentary that details the life and artwork of Cai Guo-Qiang, a pyrotechnic artist whose work is often created with the sky as his canvas. He uses fireworks and gunpowder to create large colourful displays that stem from his cultural roots and his own inspirations. The documentary takes viewers on his journey of attempting to create his most ambitious project yet: “Sky Ladder.”

In the documentary, we watch Guo-Qiang’s daily struggle to create beautiful art while battling the Chinese government. The government consistently gets in the way of the implementation of his ideas, especially when he needs to create displays for “political” events, such as the Beijing Olympics in 2008. While being a successful artist, Guo-Qiang also cares for his ill father who cannot move or speak, and his 100-year-old grandmother whose age has caused her levels of speech to deteriorate.

“Sky Ladder” is essentially a large ladder created out of fireworks. It is meant to stand between the sky and the land. Guo-Qiang’s goal for this

project was to light up the ladder so that it would shine brightly for the surrounding cities and villages.

Guo-Qiang pursued this project to create a connection between the land and our universe.

“Sky Ladder” has been GuoQiang’s ultimate project. His attempt to create this project was his fourth time trying to complete it.

During his previous attempts, the government prevented him from raising the ladder. The project became too dangerous and a whole slew of reasons kept piling up against Guo-Qiang.

“Sky Ladder” is a stunning piece of art that represents an artist whose life and work pushes the boundaries of art.

On his fourth attempt, at the end of the documentary, he was finally able to raise “Sky Ladder” with a giant balloon and ignite the pyrotechnics that the ladder was comprised of. The result was nothing short of breathtaking. What made this moment so beautiful was how Guo-

Qiang finally achieved something that was deemed impossible. As large as this project was, he didn’t share this moment with the entire world watching; it was only for his close friends and family. The entire project was dedicated to his grandmother.

“Sky Ladder” is a stunning piece that represents an artist whose life and work pushes the boundaries of art. Guo-Qiang is a humble artist, whose work impacts many. He truly uses the sky as his canvas and creates pieces that not only shock, but inspire his viewers.

Sky Ladder is an inspirational film that leaves you wanting more.

For many, this display is just fireworks. But to Guo-Qiang, this is his way of displaying to the world that art can be spectacular and lifechanging.

The moment when Guo-Qiang finally raised “Sky Ladder” was unforgettable. Seeing the ladder raised to the sky, burning with its orange flame, was beautiful. Guo-Qiang reminds us that sometimes, you need to push to achieve what might seem impossible. A little resilience and effort can change your life and connect you to the world. All you have to do is climb the ladder.

Trickery turns to love Dogfight continued from page 5 The costumes were characteristic of both the time period and of the characters who wore them. Rose’s conservative look matched her naïve persona. The red dress, overcoat, and purse she wore to the “Dogfight” suited her kind character. The yellow number she wore at the end showed how true to herself she remained in Birdlace’s absence during the war.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Marcy’s outfits matched so-

ciety’s perception of her profession.

Marcy wore a hideous leopard print outfit to the party.

Although the play dealt with serious subjects of war and death, there was plenty of light-hearted humor that raised the audience’s spirits and reminded us that humour has a place even in times of great sadness.

A band performed the accompaniment for the songs. The music was well-rehearsed and well-timed.

The band certainly helped set the mood throughout the performance.

For instance, the moment Birdlace tells Rose that he’s leaving the next day, a soft tune plays in the background that perfectly conveys the disappointment and heartbreak that both Rose and Birdlace experience, knowing they only have one night to spend with one another.

The power of love and compassion, even in times of war, should not be underestimated. Dogfight reminds us of this powerful idea.

Dogfight runs until December 3 at Hart House Theatre.

“I smoothed it out on top instead of digging around.” He spread the ink over the aluminum sheet. “Listen to that,” he said, as he brought the aluminum sheet up to his ear and spread the ink around. “That is music to my ears.”

After wiping the excess ink off with old pages from a telephone book, he explained what paper he used. “This is not any old paper.

This is cotton paper. It gives the best result. I only like to use the best materials,” he said. “Sure, it costs money, but when I’m done, I find it turns out the best.” Rojas informed the audience that the special cotton paper he uses in the press is a German brand called Hahnemüle.

Rojas then directed his audience to the Takach etching press, the medium-sized paper press that he uses to create his drypoint prints.

“You have to wet the cotton paper.

JANINA MALAPITAN

2 Dope Queens is a WNYC comedy podcast hosted by Jessica Williams and Phoebe Robinson in front of a live audience in Brooklyn, New York. The podcast is a recording of the stand-up comedy show held at Union Hall.

Williams and Robinson begin each episode with banter recorded separately from the show.

In the episode, “That Time I Had Sex with The Rock,” they start the show by talking about how Brad Pitt is “trash.” Although Williams and Robinson are two comedians trying to entertain an audience, their conversation feels natural, like a fun exchange between best friends, which, evidently, is exactly what they are. Their opening topics have included sex and their tastes in men, Heidi Klum and Seal, and PTSD-triggering war movies. After a few minutes of hilarious conversation, they introduce the recording of the show and name the lineup for the episode.

Theme music fades out to Williams and Robinson onstage, riffing with each other about their lives in New York City. They both tell wild stories, like Williams’ cancer scare or Robinson’s return to the dating life. The atmosphere they create in Union Hall with their witty and raunchy charm eases the crowd into their act. It’s refreshing to hear Wil-

I dry it off between two thin sheets of paper.” Rojas brought the damp Hahnemüle paper up to his cheek.

“I like to do this because I can test how humid the paper is.”

In the paper press, he placed the inky aluminum sheet face up, and the Hahnemüle paper on top. He laid felt sheets over the top and a metal cylinder rolled over the art with a few cranks of the wheel. The aluminum sheet and cotton paper came out on the other side. He revealed the block of etched lines on cotton paper to the appreciative audience.

His black and white drypoint prints hung proudly on the white wall behind him. “I have won many awards for my art in my 30 years of living here in Canada,” Rojas said.

“Each time, I feel proud to represent the country that has done so much for me.”

Why do you create? is on display at Visual Arts Mississauga until December 4.

liams and Robinson boast about their sex lives, the way men so often do in the world of comedy.

After their stories conclude and the audience is warmed up, the featured comedians enter the show.

Their sets usually last around 10 to 15 minutes. Past guests have included Ilana Glazer of Broad City and Eric Andre of The Eric Andre Show. In between sets, Williams and Robinson return to the stage and resume their stories. A favourite episode of mine is the first season’s finale, “A Lenny Kravitz Smackdown,” where the duo argues about Lenny Kravitz’s attractiveness throughout the whole episode.

A defining aspect in this stand-up comedy podcast is the hosts’ efforts to feature people of colour, female comedians, and comedians from the LGBTQ community. 2 Dope Queens expands the experience of stand-up to include more diversity. Comedians tell stories about being firstgeneration immigrants, poke fun at their own sexualities, and cathartically discuss the discrimination imposed on them as people of colour.

The episodes not only provide side-splitting laughter, but also offer different perspectives on life that you might never have considered otherwise. 2 Dope Queens is a refreshing experience with a wide variety of stories, helmed by two of the most intelligent comics on the scene.

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The face behind the popular SOC100 Sociology assistant professor Nathan Innocente’s current research focuses on white-collar crime JESSICA CABRAL ASSOCIATE FEATURES EDITOR Have you or your friends taken SOC100? How many of them are pursuing a major or minor in sociology? Until I mentioned it to him, Nathan Innocente, an assistant professor at UTM’s Department of Sociology, never thought of himself as one of the few professors who can claim to have taught nearly every UTM student, as a result of teaching Introduction to Sociology.

Last week, I sat down with him to discuss his journey to academia, as well as the remarkable popularity of SOC100. Surprisingly enough, I have not taken SOC100.

Innocente describes his journey to academia and becoming a professor as “accidental” and “serendipitous.” He began as an undergraduate in criminology with hopes of pursuing law enforcement as a police officer or an RCMP member.

After about a year and a half in, Innocente’s career plans changed.

He considered applying for law school, various government positions, and even contemplated a career in the military. Innocente

ANUM SYED/THE MEDIUM

Nathan Innocente began as a criminology undergrad with the hope to pursue law enforcement. credits one of his professors for suggesting the idea to pursue graduate school instead.

“I came to U of T to do a Masters in criminology, and then I ended up getting a job at a criminal justice sector NGO, so I was doing criminal justice research. At that point, I had still considered academia, but I liked the job that I had,” says Innocente. “I

decided I would pick up some extra courses in the sociology department because they had so many methodology courses that criminology didn’t have at the time, like statistics and field methods, [and] survey methods. Then, almost by accident, I ended up getting another Masters in sociology. I liked sociology quite a bit, so I decided to apply for a Ph.D.

and move into academia full time.”

Innocente has taught SOC100 for four years at UTM. When Innocente joined the UTM faculty, he consulted with professor Jayne Baker to learn how to run the course.

Along with teaching SOC100, Innocente is conducting his own research. Broadly, he focuses on white-collar crime, but more specifi-

cally, he looks into the relationship between organizations in crime. He focuses on topics such as mortgage fraud, identity theft, and how the ways in which organizations communicate may create processes that offenders can easily corrupt.

“When I got into the Ph.D. program, I was doing a Sociology of Work course which I fell in love with, and I thought was absolutely fantastic,” he says. “Some of the things we were learning about included precarious labour and how technology changes labour. So instead of writing the standard, boring term paper, I asked my professor if I could do research instead. For the first time in my life, I felt that I was moving away from criminology and into this other field that I thought was really interesting: the study of occupations.”

The research involved interviewing conveyancers and real estate title searchers about how technologies have impacted their work. They discovered that there was a big real estate fraud problem, and that people didn’t know how to check for fraud.

Nathan continued on page 9

From the Den: Minhas, the beer baroness IMI’s Countdown to Success featured Manjit Minhas, the owner of Minhas Breweries & Distillery HALEY WEST Last Thursday, the Institute for Management and Innovation hosted their annual Countdown to Success.

A key feature of this event was the keynote speaker, Manjit Minhas— self-described as a “beer baroness,” successful entrepreneur, and dragon from CBC’s Dragons Den. Whether you attended the event as a potential accountant, an aspiring entrepreneur, or were simply hoping to meet Minhas, the crowd that gathered in the Innovation Complex was impressive.

Minhas and her brother Ravinder together own Minhas Breweries & Distillery, which is the 10thlargest brewery in North America.

It is a micro-distillery which makes products for a variety of different markets, with annual sales of more than $150 million. In Canada, Minhas’ company sells their products in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario. In the U.S., the products are sold in 43 states, including private brand craft brews for Trader Joe’s and Costco.

Minhas’ story started when she

OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM

Manjit Minhas, and her brother Ravinder, together own the 10th-largest brewery in North America. was 13. There was a decline in the oil industry and her father was laid off. Shortly afterwards, the premier of Alberta announced his intention to privatize alcohol retail in Alberta, which meant that any private citizen could get a licence to sell alcohol within the province. Her father decided to open a liquor store.

Minhas was at the University of Regina, studying engineering. After her first year, she decided to take the spring off, but she couldn’t get a job anywhere. After a couple months, she began working for her father and taking orders for the store.

Weeks into the job, Minhas noticed that restaurants or bars would

call and place their order for the cheapest rye, rum, or vodka that was in the store. Her father explained to her that when, for example, someone orders a rum and coke, but doesn’t specify the type of rum, they get whatever rum was cheapest in the store that week. Sometimes that rum was made with quality ingredi-

ents and sometimes it wasn’t. This prompted Minhas to slowly develop the idea of bringing a house brand of spirits to her parents’ store.

The idea was to develop a spirit made of quality ingredients, which would be the cheapest in the store every week and give her parents a step up within the business. This house liquor would mainly service their wholesale customers.

However, nobody would talk to Minhas in Canada, and so she began to look towards the states. Minhas attended a conference in Texas with the hopes of finding someone to make the spirits that she and Ravinder were looking for.

There, she met a man named Max, and called her brother, who then Googled him. They found out that Max owned the largest familyowned distillery in America, and already shipped to Canada.

Knowing that this would be a perfect match, Minhas says, “I followed him around the rest of the day. I didn’t let him out of my sight, except for two times—he went to the washroom.”

Dragon continued on page 10

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How colourful is the Toronto Pride Parade?

Professor R. Cassandra Lord discusses race and sexuality through the lens of Pelau MasQUEERade KRISTAL SULAVELLA Every year, on the first weekend of July, Yonge Street closes for the annual Toronto Pride Parade celebrations. Now, before you continue reading this article, be sure to do one thing first. Go to Google and type “Toronto Pride Parade” into the search bar. What do you see?

The search results are overwhelmingly white men and women participating in the event.

Prior to the Feminist Lunch Hour, I never thought about how people with intersectional identities, such as “Caribbean and queer” fit into the picture. Or more specifically, how does the pride parade reflect their unique identity?

Last Thursday, professor R. Cassandra Lord, an assistant professor at UTM’s Women and Gender Studies department, led a Feminist Lunch Hour, titled “Sensations of Moving Across Space and Time: Black Queer Diasporic Desire ‘On De Road.’”

Lord began her discussion by playing the song “Togetherness” by Alison Hinds.

In this song, Hinds, a “Soca Queen,” promotes unity and diversity. This song is symbolic of how the

ANUM SYED/THE MEDIUM

R. Cassandra Lord is an assistant professor at UTM’s historical studies department.

Pelau MasQUEERade performances aspire to “de-racialize” the Toronto Pride Parade through the inclusion of Caribbean queer individuals.

In this discussion, Lord challenged “the ways in which certain groups are not included in pride.”

She goes on to say that “queer theory, in and of itself, deduces a white theory.” The understanding of queerness, and especially how it is depicted in pride events, does not holisti-

cally reflect the entirety of the queer population. The very existence of Pelau MasQUEERade is to challenge the normativity of whiteness in both pride events and queer theory.

On June 30, 2002, Pelau MasQUEERade made its first appearance in the Toronto Pride Parade.

Prior to this, queers with ethnicities other than “white” could not identify with the parade, insofar as performances and events excluded visible

minorities.

“This name invokes a larger discussion in thinking about Caribbean-ness and identity,” says Lord.

Lord defined whiteness as “normalized,” “natural,” and “taken for granted.” She argued that the space in which the Toronto Pride Parade situates is “de-racialized” by failing to reflect the intersection of multiple identities.

While the purpose of Pelau Mas-

QUEERade is to re-conceptualize the ways in which people identifying as “black and queer” perform in everyday life, it welcomes membership to all. In fact, Pelau MasQUEERade, despite its Caribbean roots, has Chinese, Indian, Filipino, and white members. Lord stated that “Pelau uses the Caribbean roots as an epistemology, a way of knowing, as both a site of history and knowledge.”

Lord employs the concept of “on de road” as the utilization of space to counter oppression. Pelau MasQUEERade, therefore, utilizes Yonge Street by both re-conceptualizing and transforming the perceived whiteness of the event.

The Pelau MasQUEERade draws on the annual carnival in Trinidad and Tobago. Historically, carnival “emerges out of the history of African slavery as a form of rebellion and celebration.” In other words, “it is an expression of freedom and unrestricted movement” and “a way to counter racism,” Lord says. Lord also emphasized the historical component of carnival to illuminate the ways in which “Pelau transforms Yonge Street as not just the street, but as ‘de road’ through its practice.”

Pride continued on page 10

Students “Light the Night” White-collar crime Nathan continued from page 8

CHEN GONG/THE MEDIUM

Last week, the annual Light the Night event took place, featuring a talk from the Yellow Brick House.

DEVANSHI ADHVARYU STAFF WRITER Last Tuesday, UTM’s student housing and residence life department held its annual Light the Night event, where students embarked in a silent candlelit walk around campus to help raise awareness about power-based violence.

Catherine Wong, a representative from UTM’s student housing and residence life and fourth-year biology major, told The Medium, “Light the Night is an initiative that is run through the UTM student housing [and residence life] department for many years now. We basically run this night to help raise awareness about power-based violence—we want to educate students about the topic.”

According to Wong, power-based violence is any instance where one asserts their power over another.

This year, the event featured a rep-

resentative from the Yellow Brick House to help educate event attendees about the cause.

Yellow Brick House is a non-profit charitable organization that provides services to women and children that have experienced and are vulnerable to violence and abuse. According to the Yellow Brick House’s website, the organization started in 1978 with five individuals: three social workers, a nurse, and a probation officer. Currently, the Yellow Brick House “operates two emergency shelters, [offers] 41 beds and one crib combined.”

There are various forms of powerbased violence, including but not limited to: physical, sexual, emotional, and spiritual abuse. According to Statistics Canada, women between the ages of 15 to 19 experience 10 times more violence in relationships than men, and dating violence is most common between the ages of 15 to 24.

Wong also stated that 64 percent of

sexual offences occur in the home.

According to Yellow Brick House, in order to help someone who has experienced power-based violence, it is important to emphasize that it’s not their fault, help them recognize the abuse, and tell them where to get help.

Additionally, self-esteem is always an important component to a healthy relationship. Yellow Brick House states that you are in a good relationship if you feel good about yourself, you are treated with respect and dignity, and you reciprocate the same towards your partner.

The Light the Night event ended with a moment of reflection alongside a student who is a member of the staff from the Community Engagement team. Students were asked to jot down one word or sentence that is affiliated with power-based violence. Amongst the many sentences, one that stood out the most was, “Strength prevails all.”

“The criminologist in me came back out again and I knew I had to pursue it. I decided my next project would be to look into that. So for a course in the following semester, I looked into fraud and real estate fraud.”

Innocente advises students to work hard and get involved in order to maximize the opportunities they open for themselves.

“I liked the physicality of certain jobs, like policing and military, but I also liked the intellectual side of things, and I thought law or grad studies would be one way to satisfy that. If you put in your best effort in a number of different areas, that means that you leave a lot of options open and you also expose yourself to new opportunities,” Innocente says. “If you’re engaging in activities and exposing yourself, you’re going to have all the tools at your disposal to then make a choice about what you want to do. I allowed myself to be open to different ideas and to take them in different directions. You really create your own opportunities, so I think keeping it open and having a role for serendipity is beneficial.”

So why is SOC100 so popular? Innocente isn’t sure, but what he does guarantee is that he’ll try hard to make course material relevant, entertaining, and thought-provoking. He says that it is important to get students talking and asking questions. Even in a class of 500 or 1000 students, promoting open discussion is crucial.

“One of my metrics for success in SOC100 is that if I have a student come up to me and say they took the course thinking it was going to be super lame, but now they want to minor

in it or do a double major,” he says.

“That to me is the best metric of success: when people come in and they have an assumption about the material that it is irrelevant, common sense, or nonsense, and you can show them the value of it.”

Innocente explains that in SOC100, they try to emphasize a different way of understanding and looking at the world, and that the tools provided by sociology are valuable for seeing the world from this new perspective.

Innocente advises students to work hard and get involved in order to maximize the opportunities they open for themselves.

“I try to use a number of examples in my class, anything from why I joined the military to how I met my wife—anything that can be subjected to that kind of analysis. And part of it is to be able to understand the world, to be able to have this relevant information but also the relevant tools to see things that are invisible, like social structure.”

“To try to not only understand the world, but especially in a lot of the examples I give, to understand yourself,” Innocente continues. “Why do I think this way? Why do I make the decisions that I make? What kind of tools can help a student come to conclusions about themselves? I try to promote students to think in that way, think out structurally and also to think in and reflect on their own behaviours.”

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THE MEDIUM 11.28.2016

Is the media too “white”? Pride lacks colour The Varsity hosted a talk with Anita Li, senior Fusion editor Pride continued from page 9 In one of the 20 qualitative interviews conducted by Lord as a part of her study, respondents indicated that Pelau provides them with a space of inclusion that simultaneously reflects their multiple identities.

Lord recounted the response of Alexis, a queer Chinese-Trinidadian, who stated that “being ‘on de road’ connects you—it’s not just about here and now and the moment. It’s about the history that we are pulling with us, whether we want to or not. It is part of the festival or part of the appreciation of who we are in the world, and of valuing and validating that in a public kind of way.”

The presence of music is central to the very idea of Pelau MasQUEERade.

Lord offers the “goosebumps theory” to explain the euphoric feelings Pelau MasQUEERaders experience when the Soca or Calypso music starts to play. A MasQUEERader had previously explained the sensation as, “I tell you: as the truck turns left, kaboom! It feels good, there you go. You express yourself in many ways.”

Lord explained the “wining” dance is the way MasQUEERaders express themselves by “not behaving respectively.”

The audience was captivated. You could tell by the mere silence in the room that the information Lord had provided was new to many. After attending this lunch hour discussion, I was reminded about the lack of colour in the annual Toronto Pride Parade.

Being a dragon WENDELL MACAPAGAL/THE MEDIUM

Last Friday, Anita Li, a U of T alumna and senior editor at Fusion, spoke about media diversity.

AYESHA TAK

The media is largely “white.” Instances, such as this year’s #OscarsSoWhite backlash, and the news of Trump’s win gaining the presence of alt-right groups in both Canada and the U.S., leads one to question the dismal representation of people of colour in the media.

Anita Li, a U of T alumna and currently a senior editor at Fusion, spoke at The Varsity’s office at the St. George campus regarding diversity in Canadian media. Li has 15 years of experience in print, broadcast, and digital media. Her talk not only focused on the representation of minorities in old media versus new media, but also the quality of such representation. How and why are minorities portrayed differently in old and new media?

Old media (such as newspapers and broadcast) and new media (including examples such as digital news, Fusion, and Mashable) are often pitted against each other, even though they are both merging. Generally, we consider “old media” more “objective” than new media, because it relies less on social media and clicks. However, due to the overwhelming presence of old white males in the upper ranks of old media news outlets, there is still a bias present. The news that gets published and distributed to the audience is filtered through their lens. Even before the story is pitched, the reporter or editor gets to decide which angle to report the story from.

According to Li, often, Canadian news discussions and reports on race are one-dimensional and pander to the white male gaze.

Li worked as a reporter for the GTA section at the Toronto Star and found that her pitches, which centered on people of colour, were repeatedly rebuffed by her editors for other nonsensical pitches, such as a story about cats. Interns and journalists, who are also POC, are forced to pander to this old white male power to get published.

With the massive layoffs at the To-

ronto Star this past summer, and the rising popularity of receiving news from the internet, the future of old media looks weak.

Enter new media—it’s young, progressive, fresh, and boasts a more diverse news staff. If you have received news from any website like BuzzFeed, Mashable, Gawker, or Business Insider, then you are an audience member of new media. New media websites rely on web traffic and are less reliant on traditional means of revenue, such as money from investors. This reliance on web traffic, combined with a younger workforce, translates into more risk-taking. New media reporters do newer things to get more web traffic. Polarized and sensationalized news articles on these websites are the most lucrative, because they get more hits.

The next time you see a promotional campaign for Canada’s multiculturalism, remember that we’ve still got work to do.

Due to this risky attitude and diverse workforce, the new media is more likely to dive into issues affecting POC—something that the old media neglects.

When Li worked for Mashable in 2014, her article on an African-American-owned crowdfunding website helped other African-American businesses receive over 3,300 shares. Had she pitched this to old white male editors over at the Star, Li believes that it wouldn’t have been compelling enough to get published.

Even monumental events affecting the African-American community, such as the shooting of 17-year old boy Trayvon Martin in 2012, barely received any coverage on old media.

Instead, the online press and discussion on social media kept Martin’s name in the news.

So, is new media just better at rep-

resenting minorities than old media?

During her talk, Li suggested that in some ways, old media is superior to new media.

Journalists in old media outlets are held to a higher standard of editing, fact-checking, and sourcing. Old media outlets put their journalists out on the frontlines of reporting, as journalists go directly to the scene to get the story. Old media also has more legal protection—they have advisors to guide their publishing and prevent any libel lawsuits. In contrast, new media expect their journalists to take up multiple jobs, including but not limited to: photography, video editing, and data journalism. According to Li, an ideal platform would combine the editorial rigour of old media with the progressivism of new media.

New media is experiencing rapid growth due to the intense technological change. Virtual reality journalism is a journalistic experience that forces the audience to enter a war-torn area, a protest at a square, or a refugee camp, by using a VR headset. Instead of reading about the subject in a news article, you can walk in the subject’s shoes. Li remarked on how this new augmented reality journalism can be a trailblazer for social justice journalism and help the viewer to easily empathize with the cause.

Point of views and objectivity play a big part in how minorities get portrayed in the media. In old media, the POV is constructed through the lens of an old white male. In new media, a more diverse workforce ensures more representation for people of colour, but only if it gets the clicks, likes, and shares.

According to a study in 2004, the most recent study of its kind in Canada, only 12.3 percent of anchors and 8.7 percent of reporters and interviewers were visible minorities. In 2010, CBC Radio Canada reported that their reporter staff is composed of only eight percent of minorities.

The next time you see a promotional campaign for Canada’s multiculturalism, remember that we’ve still got work to do.

Dragon continued from page 8 Eventually, she got 15 minutes at the end of the day to pitch to him. She talked as fast as she could, and at the end of the pitch, he told her that he didn’t know a word she just said because she was talking so fast, but he did love her passion.

“That’s one of the great things about being young. You think you know everything and are not afraid of anything. If you ask me now, there’s no way I would have followed him around all day,” Minhas says.

But it was her passion and youth which led to getting an agreement in writing, although it was written on a napkin.

“I discovered early that I was going to stand out for a variety of reasons. Being young, being a woman, being ethnic,” says Minhas. “So, stand out for the right reasons.”

Being prepared, on time, and respectful are all critically important for business. Minhas also advises to always be the best dressed, because your appearance matters.

“A lot of people always say ‘Well, that’s kind of superficial,’ but I don’t think so, because I really do believe that if you are confident and you have respect for yourself, then you present yourself that way, and you should always bring the best you to wherever you are.”

The best piece of advice Minhas can give to an entrepreneur is to find a mentor. She strongly believes in mentors, both having and being one. Her dad was one of her mentors. He didn’t just give her his business because they lived under the same roof, but he made her come up with a business plan. He gave her the opportunity to learn how to write a business plan, so that in the future she would be ready. This is one of the most important elements of mentors —support.

“Nobody can be successful in life without a support system,” says Minhas. This is not only to encourage you, but can sometimes go the other way too: to slow down a minute, support you, and offer advice.

As your experiences grow, so should your opportunities for mentors and

mentoring.

“Mentors have to change with you—both in your career and your personal life.”

Minhas’ father was a mentor to her early on in her career, but also earlier in life. When he decided to go into business and open a liquor store, he focused on the three pillars of business. He was going to “offer the best selection, at the best price, with the best service you could find in any liquor store,” and with this philosophy, his stores quickly became three of the top-grossing stores in Alberta.

Minhas also strongly believes in being a global citizen. As an owner of her own brewery and distillery, there is a lot of responsibility. When she first started her business, she and Ravinder had no control over the production process, but they did have control over the packaging, so they cut down on the amount of cardboard or plastic used.

Minhas adds that the choice of being efficient or being involved in environmental conservation does not have to be a one-or-the-other choice. At the Minhas Brewery & Distillery, they use the same water to heat and to cool, instead of heating the water and then dumping it.

Minhas believes that we can help ourselves and the world that we live in at the same time. However, she does acknowledge that the many restrictions in the industry often restrict innovation, and make it difficult and expensive to innovate.

When asked about her role on CBC’s The Dragon’s Den, Minhas shared that she spent more time with the dragons last year than she did with her husband. She also shares that the atmosphere is a little different this year because they all know each other a little better.

On the show, each business pitch is about an hour. There is no outside contact—you’re not even allowed to look at your phone.

“And we take it to heart when we lose,” says Minhas. “It’s real. We really do want to beat each other out, it’s true competition. We get along, but we are very competitive by nature, especially with each other.”

11.28.2016

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UTM: playing hard and winning big After a tournament loss last week because of a point differential, UTM defeats Skule-A 70-42 ERIC HEWITSON SPORTS EDITOR The UTM men’s division 1 basketball team had a great night on the road against Skule-A in Toronto at the Goldring Centre on Wednesday November 23. The 6-1 championship calibre team dominated the U of T engineering squad 70-42.

Even though the score showed a large gap in the levels of talent, it didn’t reflect the strength of play

by Skule A. The engineers’ style of play and the specific officiating had UTM defending with a fullcourt press. UTM defenders applied pressure to the engineers the entire length of the court for the majority of the game. The pressure applied, man-to-man, was a tiresome feat.

Alessandro Tanzi, UTM’s fourthyear shooter, thought his team got off to a great start. “We had the offense flowing, and our ball movement was great.” He adds special mentions to some players that helped contribute to the win in a strong way: “Greg Roberts played great on the offense, and Shaquille David played well in the paint on defence.”

OSCAR ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM

UTM men’s basketball coach Juan Nunez sees many great qualities in his team.

It was a great night for the talented squad, who had something to prove since they fell short in their home court tournament last Friday, November 18 in the RAWC. The men hosted the extramural tournament, playing other colleges in and around the Southern Ontario area.

They faired exceptionally well, win-

ning three games and tying one, but that wasn’t enough to get them to the finals. UTM didn’t advance based on their point differential.

Conestoga had a better point differential, scoring 33 more points in the tournament than UTM did with their 24.

It’s unfortunate that the men lost

without even losing a game, but Juan Nunez, the head basketball coach, doesn’t dwell on it too much.

“I’m not upset. It is a disappointing situation and somewhat frustrating, but at the same time, we had the opportunity to not put ourselves in that situation and didn’t act on it,” says Nunez.

Nunez sees a lot of great qualities in his team, and believes that they’re on the right path. However, he isn’t shying away from pointing out their flaws and working relentlessly to improve on them. “There were times where we were passive in our play and we allowed the other teams to stay in the game or take the lead. Overall, I’m glad with the improvement we’re showing and the progress the guys are having individually and collectively.”

“This tournament did help us for most of the games. [In the tournament], we have played some of the best basketball we have had this year,” he adds. “Above all, we are headed in the right direction, and hopefully we’ll repeat as champions this year.”

The men are back in action on Monday, November 28 against the UTSC Maroons on the UTM home court. Tip-off for their last regular season home game is at 8:00 p.m.

This is the last game of the regular season until the exam break is completed. When students return to class, regular season action will resume on January 30.

Discovering hope through inspiration Sarah-May Edwardo-Oldfield uses her basketball team’s strength to believe in a bright future

ERIC HEWITSON SPORTS EDITOR Sarah-May Edwardo-Oldfield is a fifth-year psychology and professional writing student. The Toronto native has the pleasure of playing alongside her sister on the UTM women’s D-league basketball team.

Edwardo-Oldfield has persevered through the challenge of growing up in a single-parent household to become an exceptional university student athlete and stay busy with a packed schedule.

Edwardo-Oldfield is a power forward who wears the number 15. “My second year playing house league basketball, my coach gave me the choice of two jersey numbers, Michael Jordan or Vince Carter,” says Edwardo-Oldfield. She chose Carter.

Edwardo-Oldfield recognizes her strengths and weaknesses on the court. Her head coach, Salee Johnson Edwards, reiterates to the team on a constant basis that they have to “crash the boards, because good

OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM

Edwardo-Oldfield is a power forward for the UTM women’s D-league basketball team. things happen.” Edwardo-Oldfield is working on doing everything in her power to be that good team player for her championship-calibre squad.

“I try to go out every game with

as much energy, consistency, and aggressiveness as I can. As far as responsibilities go, grabbing rebounds, both offensive and defensive, are extremely important. I’ve

also been working on being more vocal, both on and off the floor—my throat is sore these days,” says Edwardo-Oldfield.

Basketball is a game where you

often play both defence and offence during a single match. EdwardoOldfield tries to round out her game to be the most dynamic athlete she can be. This means taking more shots and being more aggressive in practice and games. “I’m a perfectionist. As much as I know it’s not possible, I always step onto the court wanting to have the perfect game. I’m my toughest critic,” says Edwardo-Oldfield.

One of the greatest tools a player can have for any given team is a good sense of confidence and the ability to handle rejection and criticism, which is something that Edwardo-Oldfield prides herself with, despite times when she comes down on herself. “I’m very calm and usually collected, and I take feedback and criticism seriously,” she says.

For someone that has struggled with mental health in recent years, handling the duties of being a university student-athlete are tremendous and courageous.

Hope continued on page 12

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THE MEDIUM 11.28.2016

Living power- Your better performance forward Contrary to popular belief, meditation holds several benefits

ERIC HEWITSON SPORTS EDITOR

OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM

Edwardo-Oldfield is a well-rounded student athlete.

Hope continued from page 11 “My basketball team has done more for me than I have for them,” she says. “I’ve been pushed to stay active and social, which improves my mood. I still have more bad days than good days, but this is the best I’ve felt in years.” She adds how her fellow teammates have meant a great deal to her on and off the court.

“I’m very calm and usually collected, and I take feedback and criticism seriously.”

— Sarah-May EdwardoOldfield There were many things that she and her sister weren’t able to do, because either her mother couldn’t afford it, or her mother was busy working trying to pay the bills. Ever since she can remember, EdwardoOldfield and her family have been taking care of their grandmother, who is currently 100 years old. Edwardo-Oldfield had to turn down competitive basketball teams because of the inability to commit to these teams. “It was something that bothered me a lot growing up. I still wonder what kind of player I could have been had my mom been able to afford, monetary and time wise, to give me the opportunity. But I’m very grateful for the opportunities I have had, and I have no disappointments,” she says.

For Edwardo-Oldfield, there’s a quote that resonates with her. It says, “We’re all broken crayons, but last time I checked, broken crayons still colour.” Edwardo-Oldfield may still have her bad days, but this basketball season has taught her that she’s still capable, needed, and valued.

This season is a championshipcalibre year for the women who re-

main undefeated so far this season, with a record of 4-0, an extramural championship win at the Laurier tournament, and a second place finish in the Humber College tournament. Avenging their five-point loss from the finals game last year is important to the team. “This is the best team I’ve been on,” EdwardoOldfield says. “This is the first team I’ve been on where everyone loves each other, we get along really well, and we’re all equally hard-working.”

Edwardo-Oldfield credits team chemistry and the coaching staff for extracting the best out of the players. She’s seen improvements from each of her teammates. “The importance of team chemistry and how much liking and respecting the girls you play with can affect the level and consistency of your play. I can’t see how we can’t get even better.” She adds, “Our chemistry is too good to not come out with a championship.”

You can find Edwardo-Oldfield around campus volunteering with UTM’s AccessAbility Centre, working with the campus rec and intramurals as a scorekeeper, or at the Conservatory of Music working as a piano teacher. She has a busy schedule outside of her studies, which she attributes to her perfectionism.

In the future, she wants to work with adolescents as a psychologist, to aid their process of developing into adults. “You’re dealing with the changes in your body and pressure from societies’ expectations of you, all the while you’re trying to figure out who you are,” she says. No matter what she ends up doing, she won’t be satisfied until she makes a meaningful difference in someone else’s life.

At the end of the day, basketball will forever be an important part of her life. “I don’t think I’ll ever be finished with basketball. I think I’m always going to be involved in some capacity. I always feel a little off when I haven’t held a ball in my hand for a while.”

Cross-country athletes and Olympic weight lifters are only a select group of individuals who understand that though the demands from their activities can be physically hard, the mental part can be even harder. So why only train the body? You need to train the mind too.

High levels of stress can disable your ability to maintain focus and make concise decisions. However, stress can be helpful when used correctly; for example, a kicker in football uses 90 percent of his skills on the mental aspect of the game, and when pushed to the limit, the athlete needs to trust himself— there is no time for trying something new or tinkering with the mechanics of the craft. Working out your mind through meditation will allow you to maintain a mindset that isn’t overcome by stress, allowing you to trust yourself.

What are athletes affected by due to the extreme demands of their craft? They’re subject to anxiety, depression, stress, inability to maintain focus, sleep difficulties, life balance, and confidence. Just as the list goes on so does the game.

Medications only mask the problem, and are often times illegal for

athletes to use during competition, so finding the right way to meditate will allow you to tackle these challenges directly.

Stress reduction is critical for optimal performance; it doesn’t take a study to tell you that being under stress reduces athletic performance. According to the Journal of Health Psychology, meditation reduces the stress hormone cortisol, which greatly diminishes your abilities when competing at a high level, or even writing a crucial exam. By consistently practicing meditation, your body will learn how to relax in stressful situations, building self-confidence and ultimately achieving a more positive mindset.

Researchers from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Health found that those who practice meditation experience few acute respiratory infections, as well as shorted duration and severity of symptoms from the common cold. Therefore, meditation aids in improving the quality and length of sleep, and the immune system. This is good news, obviously, because athletes who aren’t able to get enough sleep will experience a number of negative effects, including: weight gain, mood disturbance, increased anxiety, and inability to maintain focus. This

doesn’t mean go ahead and sleep all day, because everyone has slept in until 10:30 a.m. for the 11 a.m. class and experienced these symptoms. If you meditate to control your sleep patterns, you’ll experience its greater effects.

One of the greater effects of meditation is its ability to enhance endurance. Practicing meditation that utilizes visualizations will enhance endurance performance.

Visualizing your accomplishments combined with regular practice of breathing exercises can train the body to work harder and for longer periods of time.

The most important effects of meditation is the improved sense of identity, self, and body. For an athlete who may have experienced injury, rejection, or is making a difficult transition in their life, meditation will help. The practice of meditation is a journey similar to any athletic pursuit, and it can offer that small percentage needed to make you a better and happier athlete.

You can find meditation inside the athletic facilities with the Mindfulness Meditation class, or download the app Head Space; it’s what some top Varsity Blues athletes are saying is the most important app on their phone.