PAGE 7
Arts, culture and heritage
Broadway’s toe-tapping tunes wrapped together in musical revue at Shaw Theatre this June.
PAGE 9
Discover Deep Cove
Seeking ‘Boogieman’ in the Seymour woods. June 2017
9900 Circulation East of the Seymour River
CapU graduate defies odds, inspires others by BEN BENGTSON
Amina El mantari stole the show when she crossed the stage to speak at Capilano University last October. She had been invited to give a speech at a ceremony formally welcoming and installing the university’s new president, Paul Dangerfield. Although she was still a few months away from finishing her own degree, she spoke persuasively of education’s power to create unity and empowerment, a message she takes with her wherever she goes. “As students, we invest our time, money and resources to gain knowledge. We aim to graduate and be ready to make change in the world,” she remarked during her speech. “Today we mark a new beginning by gathering in unity and empowerment.” El mantari, who is originally from Morocco, spoke at the installation ceremony as a student who wears many hats: as an international student, a community volunteer, a mother, an advocate for the student experience, and as a passionate North Shore resident who lives in the Parkgate area. But not trying to be all things to all people, she acknowledged during the ceremony that “every student experience is different, so I believe that the best thing I can do is share a little of my story with you.” On the surface her story might not seem extraordinary, as El mantari is one of more than 1,000 international students who attends CapU every year. But it would be impressive to encounter a student – any student – who thrives on education and rises to the challenge as much as she has. “Education, I find, is the key for me to integrate in the society and to learn about my community. It just opens so many doors. I felt so happy,” she says in an interview. This June, El mantari will cross CapU’s stage once again, this time during her convocation ceremony for the business degree she successfully
completed in December. She first started her degree in 2012 and during that time embraced every opportunity afforded to her at school and throughout the community. But the road to get there was a challenging one. When El mantari first came to Canada in 2006, she frequently felt alone and isolated. She was unsure how to connect with her new country and as a single mother she experienced challenges in raising her daughter in a place she often felt estranged in. “I overcame many obstacles. Basically, being a single mother was one of the things for me that was challenging. However, having my daughter and studying was inspiring for me and empowering by focusing on my school and taking care of her,” she says. El mantari is a positive person. She takes life’s challenges and spins them into positives. She doesn’t want to stop learning, either – and her outlook appears to be infectious. El mantari reports that her mother back in Morocco, who never got the opportunity to learn how to read or write, has since gone back to school, inspired by her daughter’s successes abroad. As the youngest of 10 children back home, El mantari’s independence and scholastic achievement is a great source of pride for her family. “I did a coaching session for her and I said, ‘OK, what do you want to do in your life?’ And she finds out that she wants to study, she wants to learn, and I felt so happy with that,” El mantari explains. Her mother has been in a program to improve her literacy for more than a year now. In conversation with El mantari, who is now 33 years old, it becomes clear that education is not only a means of self-empowerment but also a way to connect with others. Her concentration during her business degree was human resources, a field she likes because it allows her
CapU business graduate Amina El mantari poses with the university’s new president Paul Dangerfield after a speech last fall. PHOTO SUPPLIED
serving as its vice-president of internal development and has also been an
to interact with people working in all different areas or departments at an organization. She was also elected to the Capilano Students’ Union, LD WI YS ON A M ALW SAL BC
HOT FROM THE KITCHEN!
NEW:
Deep Fried BC Oysters $8.95 Oyster Burger $6.95
see Law page 2
Spot Prawn season is here! Fresh & Frozen Get them while they last! Head on 26.95/LB $ Head off 38.95/LB $
AT THE NORTH SHORE’S FAVOURITE SEAFOOD STORE!
Home of North Vancouver’s Best Fish and Chips FISH & CHIPS COD
1 piece
$
13
$
32
$
2 piece
$
Family Pack
$
NORTH VANCOUVER’S FRESHEST SEAFOOD
HALIBUT
8
$
11
SALMON
8
$
17
$
42
$
13
32
Thank you for choosing us as your Favourite Seafood Store
OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK
Sun-Thurs 11-6 | Fri 11-7 | Sat 10-6
#121-2455 Dollarton Hwy.
604.929.1616
www.thecrabshop.ca
Patricia Houlihan LL.B. More than an agent, an ally. www.deepcovehomes.ca • 604.376.7653 Personal Real Estate Corporation
#1 in Canada Coldwell Banker International