OP INIONS
F EAT UR E S
S P O RT S
Who are the Oscars really for?
Highlighting the vast diversity of BC's Black community
Is that The Weeknd on SFU’s football team?
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FEATURES International students struggle a lot more than you might think
ARTS & CULTURE Songs to guide your next late night drive
SPORTS Ezawa Malish on role models and representation in volleyball
HUMOUR Find out this year’s top Oscar picks
March 21, 2022
NEWS
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T-REX AGAINST TMX
Numerous cars passing by showed support for the rally by honking.
PHOTO: Karissa Ketter / The Peak
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NEWS
News Editor Nancy La
MONEY MATTER
READY TO RECYCLE
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News Writers Karissa Ketter and Yelin Gemma Lee
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news@the-peak.ca
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OPINIONS
MOVIE BUFF
BUILD UPWARDS
Opinions Editor Jacob Mattie
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opinions@the-peak.ca
March 21, 2022
COMMUNITY CARE
Rather than forcing people into isolation wherever possible, we should be creating policies that invite them to participate with us safely.
OPINIONS
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features
Not every Black person has the same experience or background. That is what BC Black History Awareness Society’s event on the diversity among Black people in BC tried to draw attention to. Moderated by Olaolu Adeleye, Worlds Within: African Ancestry Dialogue II featured Alice Mũrage, Shayna Jones, and TRS. Jones performed a poem to describe her ancestors’ experience of slavery in North America. Then, R&B and neo-soul performer TRS sang their original song “I tried (ne m’oublie pas).” The event was focused around Mũrage’s report Worlds Within: Diverse Histories, Identities, and Experiences of Black People of African Ancestry in British Columbia which discusses the various experiences of Black Canadians, found through surveys and focus group discussions. “I wanted to highlight our stories and our own voice and in doing so inspire empathy, so the report really focuses on storytelling,” Mũrage said. In an interview with The Peak, Mũrage expanded on her motivations for the project. After getting involved with BC’s Kenyan community, her desire to learn more about African ancestry grew. She explained living in Canada gave her more opportunities to learn about other countries in Africa. “I like visiting other communities which drove my curiosity.” She gave the example of going to a Sudanese independence event and experiencing the richness of their culture. With the BC Black community having roots all over Africa such as to Kenya, Ghana, Ethiopia, Jamaica, and more, Mũrage wanted to highlight this diversity and “demystify Black communities.” Despite this existent diversity, Mũrage explained, “Black people are addressed as a monolith in policy, in academic, and public discourse.” The report aims to combat this perception and “bridge those diverse histories and experiences and that connection.” Community engagement is at the heart of this project and Mũrage’s focus was on amplifying the voices of the 162 participants. “[Their] quotes are everywhere so that I am not unknowingly leaving out anything. I might describe something but I also put in the quote because the reader might find another way of interpreting
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as well. So I give the reader the opportunity to engage with the participant,” she explained. Community reviewers, half of whom were participants, also gave feedback on the report’s first draft and made sure participants’ perspectives were accurately represented. Through the feedback, Mũrage saw that “everyone found a story they could resonate with.” She said it was reassuring to see that, while these 162 people were not representative of the entire Black experience, there were themes in the report they all resonated with. Mũrage’s research also encompasses multigenerational Black Canadians as much of the history that connects them from Africa to Canada is from the Underground Railway and the Black loyalists. Mũrage supplemented this information with extensive literature reviews. “When you read the report I included the different paths other people might have used to get to BC.”
For some, exploring their Black heritage was an important step in forming their identity. “It’s become a spiritual quest. It’s become a quest of my soul and of my heart because I want to understand this life I have on earth and my Blackness.” The report also highlights the unique ways people view and experience their Black identity. Mũrage said the Black identity is a “social construct” so it is up to the community to figure out what that means to them. According to Mũrage, this process can also happen at the individual level. “You have been categorized as Black. How do you identify with that Blackness? Do you even identify with it?” Some defined their Black identity as performative. According to one participant, “Sometimes I am Black, sometimes I am not Black in terms of how I identify consciously, but [ . . . ] I cannot say my Blackness starts and ends here.”
Some participants who immigrated to Canada more recently identified more with their African ancestry rather than Blackness. For others, they felt pride and hope in their Black identity. “We need to identify as strong as day in this Black Canadian identity and experience in honour of ancestors who never stepped foot in Africa but want to create a better future for themselves and their descendants in Canada.” For some, exploring their Black heritage was an important step in forming their identity. “It’s become a spiritual quest. It’s become a quest of my soul and of my heart because I want to understand this life I have on earth and my Blackness.” When asked what she hopes people get from the report Mũrage said, “I hope it inspires people to start talking about issues affecting Black communities and issues around multiculturalism. BC is a multicultural society, but is it genuinely multicultural if people don’t feel safe enough to actually celebrate their culture and feel a sense of belonging?” She wants people to not only start talking about these issues but also take action. At the end of Mũrage’s report, she left nine recommendations to serve as a “starting point to inspire thought and action to create a more equitable society, free of racism, where multiculturalism is genuinely celebrated, and where everyone feels a sense of belonging.” Those recommendations are: 1. Appreciating the diversity of people around you 2. Engaging in dialogue 3. Re-evaluating the question “where are you from” 4. Raising anti-racist children 5. Teaching and practicing anti-racism in schools 6. Addressing systemic racism 7. Practicing equity in the workplace 8. Considering prior recommendations and engaging communities 9. Building vibrant Black communities The event was funded by SFU Community Engagement Initiative, SFU African Studies Working Group, and the SFU Labour Studies Program, among others. Mũrage’s report is available to read for free online on the BC Black History Awareness website and goes more in depth to these nine recommendations. For highlights on the event you can visit their Facebook page.
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ARTS & CULTURE
TRICKSTER TALE
A NEW PATH
Arts & Culture Editor Sara Wong
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arts@the-peak.ca
ARTS & CULTURE
March 21, 2022
LIFE, ACTUALLY
“Bucciarati” By Open Mike Eagle feat. Kari Faux
“Tried to Tell You”
“Baker Street”
By The Weather Station
By Gerry Rafferty
“Overslept”
“Why Don’t You”
By Faye Webster feat. Mei Ehara
By Cleo Sol
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Sports Editor Isabella Urbani | Sports Writer Greg Makarov | sports@the-peak.ca
SPORTS GAME CHANGER
The Peak @PeakSFU · March 2, 2022
Buzzer Beater : David Penney pushes the men’s basketball team into overtime during the quarter finals with a late three. SFU, however, fell short in the extra frame.
The Peak @PeakSFU · March 3, 2022
Women’s basketball drops their playoff matchup against Central Washington by a score of 91–85. Jessica Wisotzki racks up an impressive 29 points.
The Peak @PeakSFU · March 4, 2022
Unbeaten: SFU hockey comes back from a 2–1 deficit in the third period to advance to the championship final
The Peak @PeakSFU · March 5, 2022
SFU softball keeps on rolling, picking up their first two wins at Beedie Field over Western Oregon.
The Peak @PeakSFU · March 5, 2022
Taking home gold : Karla GodinezGonzalez, Alex Hedrick, and Alyvia Fiske take down their competition and win individual national titles at the National Championships in Adrian, Michigan.
The Peak @PeakSFU · March 6, 2022
Crowning a new champion : SFU hockey wins the BC Intercollegiate Hockey League Championship!
The Peak @PeakSFU · March 10, 2022
Excellence across the board : 16 SFU athletes are honored as Division II All-West Region selections by the US Track and Field & Cross Country Coaches Association — the most of any GNAC school.
The Peak @PeakSFU · March 10, 2022
Just keep swimming : Collyn Gagne sinks his competition and wins the NCAA championship, while setting a Division II NCAA record for the 400m individual medley.
“It’s really important to see Black female athletes that look like you. And that’s why I [ . . . ] go so hard, because there are little girls in my community who look up to me.”
SPORTS
March 21, 2022
Swimming
Michael Bublé
Who better to start this list off than Canada’s Christmas sweetheart, Michael Bublé? His ability to make everyone smile with his music and send listeners into a deep nostalgic coma makes him the perfect fit. He comes from a line of fishermen, so he is more than familiar with the water. In fact, he himself was a salmon fisher before pursuing music. While Bublé would be a great swimmer because of his seemingly aquatic abilities, he’s too nice to be petty towards his opponents. This is where his voice comes in handy. Every time his head bobs out of the water, he sings, catching his opponents, and the rest of the audience, off guard. His opponents will be mesmerized by his voice, unable to focus on the task at hand, leaving Bublé to cruise his way to the finish line.
Football
The Weeknd
The Weeknd has made his mark in the music industry and will equally flourish on the SFU football team. His ability to perform under pressure is unmatched. He also has some experience headlining the NFL Superbowl half-time show, so I’m sure he can pull a few strings to find a spot on the team. On the flip side, his thought-process runs so deep with his music, it’s only fair to expect him to get lost in his own world while playing. He might not move when the play begins, or miss a perfectly catchable ball, but hey, have you ever seen the stands so packed before?
MONDAY, MARCH 21
WOMEN’S GOLF Colorado State University Pueblo El Cheapo Classic (all day) Final day of the event
SATURDAY, MARCH 26
WOMEN’S SOFTBALL Central Washington in Ellensburg, Washington 1:00 p.m. Game one of doubleheader
WOMEN’S SOFTBALL Central Washington in Ellensburg, Washington 3:00 p.m. Game two of doubleheader
OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD UBC Open Day one of two
SUNDAY, MARCH 27
Golf
Nav
Nav is an underrated artist, mostly because he co-writes and produces songs for rappers like Drake, but doesn’t get the same hype for himself. This plays perfectly into the game of golf. The success of the team is dependent on each individual member’s performance. You have to be able to handle the pressure and carry your own without the support of your team constantly by your side. Because the team competes off-campus, Nav can also play without being worried about a larger crowd. He might, however, get attention for his golf clubs made out of diamonds.
WOMEN’S SOFTBALL Central Washington in Ellensburg, Washington 1:00 p.m. Game one of doubleheader
WOMEN’S SOFTBALL Central Washington in Ellensburg, Washington 3:00 p.m. Game two of doubleheader Last game before the Tournament of Champions in California
OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD UBC Open Day two of two
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Humour Editor Sara Brinkac
HUMOUR
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humour@the-peak.ca
Written by Sara Brinkac
OSCAR WATCH 2022 Films to look for during award season Oscar night is approaching and glamour is in the air! While it may be an exciting time for film buffs and movie lovers alike, you may feel a little lost on which films to check out and root for. So, here’s a quick guide to this season’s hottest contenders which are sure to clean up come Oscar night!
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Don t just break your fall, own it
THE ESCAPIST STARS:
DIRECTOR:
Dwayne Johnson, Rachel Weisz, Olivia Colman, and Timotheé Chalamet
Steven Spielberg
You’ve never seen Dwayne Johnson quite like this. Gaining multiple award nominations, the tough action hero shows his tender side in this three-and-a-half hour drama/action/adventure/comedy. With $50 million sets, state of the art CGI, and musical numbers, this is the ultimate summer blockbuster Steven Spielberg has been working towards his entire career. While the Academy has been known to
MEETING MARIA STARS:
DIRECTOR:
Sandra Bullock, Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Lopez, and Timotheé Chalamet
Patty Jenkins
of women and the roles they are expected to play in society,” as demonstrated by the main role of Maria being played in separate scenes by Bullock, Diaz, and Lopez respectively. Typically, this would not be one of our Oscar picks because this is a perfect example of confusing, artsy Hollywood, too busy “experimenting” rather than telling an actually cohesive story. However, what we believe really your typical femme fatale but an older woman without make-up. It’s so refreshing to be told that women still have use when they aren’t young or pretty, they can even be action heroes! You go girls!
STARS:
DIRECTOR:
Timotheé Chalamet, Leonardo DiCaprio, Zendaya, and Tom Holland
Adam McKay
With two best picture nominations this season (the other being Don’t Look Up) the king of satire himself has taken on one of the Citizen Kane. technical, theatrical, and narrative achievements, McKay says “it could be better” and wholly believes he’s the man smart enough to correct what Orson Welles missed. Well, we couldn’t agree more. a three hour, scathingly satirical epic. For readers unaware of the plot of Citizen Kane, it is a commentary on capitalist corruption of the human soul and condemns the creation of celebrity, a message McKay believes the world is in dire need of. He couldn’t be more right, and this star studded celebrity cast delivers the frankly lacking in the original.
PHOTO: Jake Hills / Unsplash
LAYOUT: Kitty Cheung
March 21, 2022
HUMOUR Up(to)date
COMICS BY SARA BRINKAC
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DIVERSIONS
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