Digital Media Assistant Dong Ho dong@ufvcascade.ca
Snapshot
Managing Editor
Catherine Campbell cat@ufvcascade.ca
Creative Director
Gabriela Gonzalez gabriela@ufvcascade.ca
Production Assistant
Eseniia Bondar eseniia@ufvcascade.ca
News Editor Rachel Tait rachel@ufvcascade.ca
Jr. News
Sky Terrones sky@ufvcascade.ca
Copy Editor
Cassie Williams cassie@ufvcascade.ca
Opinion
Toscano Murua natalia@ufvcascade.ca
mehak@ufvcascade.ca
Zilcosky
CONTRIBUTORS
Christina Smith
Abby Hansen Kara Dunbar Braden White
Kimberley Perkins Aaron Levy
The Cascade is UFV’s autonomous student newspaper and alternative press for the Fraser Valley. It originated under its current name in 1993, and achieved autonomy from the university and the Student Union Society in 2002. The Cascade is funded with UFV student funds, is a forum for UFV students to have their journalism published in an entirely student-run setting and is overseen by The Cascade Journalism Society Board, a body run by a student majority.The Cascade is published every other Wednesday with a print circulation of 800 and is distributed at Abbotsford, Chilliwack (CEP), Clearbrook, and Mission UFV campuses and throughout the surrounding communities.
In order to be published in the newspaper, all work must first be approved by The Cascade’s editor-in-chief and the corresponding section editor. The Cascade reserves the right to edit submissions for clarity and length and will not print any articles or be a platform for any contributor or contractor who has shared racist, sexist, homophobic, or libellous content online in any form. Letters to the editor, while held to the same standard, are unedited, and should be under 200 words. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect that of UFV, The Cascade’s staff and collective, or associated members.
The Cascade is published on the traditional, unceded territory of the Stó:lō peoples. We are grateful to be able to work and learn on this beautiful land.
Editorial // Florescence for you
Welcome to The Cascade, your source of news, culture, and student life at the University of the Fraser Valley. If you’re anything like me, you’ve been looking for signs of spring after a winter that seemed to stretch for three seasons. While the wind and rain seem to want to stick around, crocuses are dotted all over the place, and my hyacinths, for some reason, are already up — not to mention the cherry blossoms bursting along the road. Lucky for you, we have a garden full of vibrant stories blooming at The Cascade, too.
Poking around for what’s new at UFV? Find your way to p. 5 to learn about the $23 million in federal funding our university will receive as part of a grant from Canada’s invention to Innovation network. Then, on p. 6, we get up close and personal with Brightspace, and how UFV will transition students and faculty to this new learning management system.
UFV’s campus community is bustling as always. On p. 18 we have a preview of Land/Body Performance Archive, a performance-based exhibit spanning from S’eliyemetaxwtexw Art Gallery to Building C. Then, on p. 20-21, learn all the ways you can engage with Campus Rec — and make connections in the process.
Sports is characteristically overflowing with action: meander over to p. 15 to read about the Cascades basketball team’s bronze medal matchup. And then, on p. 16, something a little different: a student athlete’s perspective on the Cascades volleyball program’s path to U Sports.
On p. 11-14, our Features Editor, Darien Johnsen, introduces us to the wonderful world of zine making — a feature sure to zap you awake after a long, wet winter. Our opinion section has some insightful reads for you, from an article on p. 8 outlining generational slang (just as fun to read as you imagine it to be), to one on p. 9 describing the anxiety cycle — and how to break out of it.
Finally, arts is brimming with student perspective: on p. 22, you’ll find a thoughtful reflection on IT Simulator (2022); on p. 21, a heartfelt review of Flow (2024).
As always, thank you for picking up this issue of The Cascade. We hope you enjoy!
P.S. Do you have thoughts on this issue, or want to contribute your own words? Send an email to managing@ufvcascade.ca — we’d love to hear from you.
Catherine Campbell
NEWS BRIEFS
Colourful protests ensue as pride events are banned in Hungary
On Mar. 18, the Hungarian parliament passed a law by a vote of 136 to 27 banning pride events, as well as approval of the use of facial recognition software by authorities on attendees for identification purposes. This marks the latest strike against the 2SLGBTQIA+ community by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, a fierce objector of queer rights. In an opposing demonstration, the members of the centrist Momentum Movement ignited rainbow-coloured smoke bombs in the Hungarian parliament and spread altered images of Orbán kissing his ally, Russian President Vladimir Putin. This new ban led thousands of protestors to the streets outside parliament to defend their rights.
Hadja Lahbib, the European Union’s (EU) commissioner for equality, preparedness, and crisis management, condemned the ban in an X post, emphasizing that the freedom to gather harmoniously is a core right that must be protected across the EU.
Dávid Vig, director of Amnesty International Hungary, highlighted the regressive nature of this new legislation.
“On the eve of the 30th anniversary of Budapest Pride in June, this harmful ban turns the clock back three decades, further undermining the hard-won rights of LGBTI people in Hungary.”
Later last calls in Vancouver?
Drinks may be poured later as the City of Vancouver is considering extending their drinking hours. Vancouver is proposing that pubs, bars, and clubs be permitted to serve liquor until 3 a.m., while restaurants will be able to serve until 2 a.m., regardless of which day of the week it is. Currently, the latter is only able to serve until 1 a.m. on weeknights and 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.
Vancouver isn’t especially known for its nightlife in terms of big cities, but this consideration goes beyond the party crowd’s desires. The liquor-serving policy is one that has not been changed in over 20 years and could be a big deal, not just for party goers wanting to stay out later, but for businesses hoping to survive.
Jesse Sugarman, partner of The Charaltan gastropub said to CTV:
“I’m confident that if we could stay open later there would be more people coming.”
A survey on the proposal asking for public opinion closed on Mar. 9 and the city is now reviewing user feedback to help shape their recommendations which will be presented to the public by June of this year.
UFV // March 2025 Senate recap
Discontinued
programs, changes, and the 2025-2026 consolidated budget
RACHEL TAIT
Senate is the academic governing body of UFV, responsible for making decisions that impact the daily lives of both students and faculty. The Board of Governors, which looks at the business side of the university, is advised by Senate on matters of mutual interest. All at the university are welcome to attend Senate’s public meetings, which are held once a month. Senate makes decisions. This article will recap the main agenda items of the hybrid Senate meeting which occurred on Friday, Mar. 14, 2025.
Nicole Adams, chief financial officer, presented the proposed consolidated budget plan for the 2025-2026 school year. According to the plan, there has been a decrease in new international student enrollment since 2024, specifically after the cap that was set by the Canadian government.
This decline is anticipated to continue in the 2025-2026 school year. However, these concerns have been taken into consideration by the university when creating the new consolidated budget.
Columbia Bible College coaching controversy
Hudson’s Bay nationwide closures
The Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) officially filed for creditor protection on Mar. 7. This could lead to 96 stores closing in Canada and may jeopardize over 9,000 jobs. HBC is currently trying to locate buyers to save the company as it prepares to liquidate their assets.
HBC was created in 1670, originating as a fur trading company before transitioning to a highend department store.
HBC also owns Saks Fifth Avenue, Zellers, and Saks OFF 5TH. The company will be given 12 weeks time to liquidate their assets.
Jenna Jacobson, director of the Retail Leadership Institute at Toronto Metropolitan University, pointed out the issues of losing the historic department store.
“This marks the end of a nearly 400-year-old institution which is going to have significant impacts in reshaping the Canadian retail landscape, with major consequences for employees, customers, as well as broader retailers operating in Canada.”
It remains uncertain whether or not a buyer will be able to save the company; however, HBC remains hopeful that they will find one in time.
On Mar. 15, the Columbia Bible College (CBC) Bearcats clinched their first CCAA national title in program history — minus head coach and UFV alumni Taylor Claggett. The win came against St. Mary’s University Lightning by a score of 77-70. This comes months after controversy surrounding Claggett’s alleged misconduct concerning Vancouver Island Mariners transgender athlete, Harriette Mackenzie.
PacWest launched an investigation into the matter and considered the case closed as of Feb. 4, 2025. Claggett was subsequently removed from the coaching staff, along with CBC being stripped of their provincial hosting duties. It’s unclear if Claggett has been away from the team due to a suspension.
The Cascade reached out to Claggett for comment, which she has declined at this time.
Her coaching status for next season remains uncertain, although CBC “fully expects” her to be reinstated.
“During a time when many post secondary institutions are forced to make budget cuts, UFV’s strategic, and planned approach to enrollments have allowed the university to successfully navigate the initial impact of these changes.”
The report stated that the budget has increased to $202.2 million — a 2.7 per cent, or $5.2 million increase from last year.
Adams said the university also anticipates 900 new international students to enroll in the upcoming year, maintaining the same enrollment number as 2024-2025.
There is also expected growth in the domestic student population between 2023-2030. UFV anticipates that by 2030, there will be a 20 per cent increase in students enrolled at the university.
A motion was made by Sylvie Murray, dean of the college of arts, to discontinue the Bachelor of Integrated Studies in the concentration of Applied Management. According to a memo from Samantha Hannah, undergraduate education committee chair, the rationale for this decision was due to low enrollments, with the program suspended back in 2023. Senate voted on the motion and it was carried.
Murray also called the motion to approve the changes made to the Bachelor
of Arts program. According to a memo from Hannah, the major change is that students taking this program must now have a declared major instead of two minors or extended minors. Senate voted on the motion and it was carried. This change will be implemented September 2025.
Another motion made by Murray was to approve the changes made to the theatre program, which include the major, extended minor, minor, and diploma. A memo from Hannah outlined the rationale as to why significant changes were made.
“Program learning outcomes have been refined to emphasize technical, digital, and performance competence through applied learning, and program requirements have been significantly updated for all four programs.”
The Senate board voted on the motion favourably and it was approved.
Dr. Joanne MacLean, president and vice-chancellor, said in her report that UFV is getting ready to meet the membership requirements of Universities Canada. They update their membership every five years; this will be the fifth time UFV has been a member.
MacLean went into some of the requirements that an institution must meet to qualify.
“The criteria that are in place are largely focused around the governance and administrative structure of the university and our academic roles being articulated, having an independent board of governors, and a Senate in a governance structure … protection of academic freedom and the debts and breadth of programming that’s offered at the institution.”
Other criteria include the institution’s dedication to teaching, scholarships, and research. MacLean is confident that UFV meets the qualifications for this prestigious membership.
Dr. James Mandigo, provost and vice president academic, wrote in the Provost Report about areas within the SEM plan that UFV needs to consider to better support their students.
“As we think about our SEM plan and how we are preparing our students to be successful once they leave UFV, we not only need to think about what programs we are offering, but also the evolving skills and competencies that students will need as they enter an everchanging workforce.”
SKY S. TERRONES
CASSIE WILLIAMS
INTERNATIONAL // BC //
LOCAL //
CANADA //
RACHEL TAIT
JEFFREY KENNETT
// UFV professor assists with report on crimes against Indigenous children
Dr. Mark Kersten contributes to nationwide call for justice and accountability
SKY S. TERRONES
Dr. Mark Kersten is an assistant professor in Criminology & Criminal Justice at UFV.
In October 2024, Kimberly Murray, independent special interlocutor for Missing Children and Unmarked Graves and Burial Sites associated with Indian Residential Schools in Canada, presented the final report on violations committed against Indigenous children. Dr. Mark Kersten spoke to The Cascade about the privilege of contributing to this crucial report.
The report analyzes the atrocities inflicted on Indigenous children in residential schools and encourages the Canadian government to submit itself to the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC) for an investigation on the matter.
Kersten worked on this national report for around two years and was the primary author of four of the report’s chapters, including ‘The Enforced Disappearances of Children and Crimes Against Humanity,’ ‘Unmarked Burials and Mass Graves,’ ‘Experimentation and Other Atrocities Against Indigenous Children’ and ‘Settler Amnesty and the Culture of Impunity in Canada.’
Kersten explained why it is important for Canada to present itself before the ICC.
“The proposal was for Canada itself to request that the ICC investigate crimes against humanity inside of Canada. It doesn’t have to be Canada that does it, but if Canada was willing to do it, it would demonstrate a degree of seriousness on the part of the state to address these systematic and widespread crimes committed against Indigenous children.”
While the ICC has previously declined a case concerning the crimes that occurred
in residential schools due to its limited temporal jurisdiction — meaning the ICC can only investigate and prosecute cases that occurred after it officially became operational — the final report argues that when it comes to enforced disappearances under international human rights law, these are considered continuous offences. Kersten commented that this fact brings the case to the present.
“Even though the crime began before the ICC came into existence and before the ICC has its temporal time-based jurisdiction, they’re ongoing and continuous crimes, and that’s what allows us to make the claim that the ICC should consider investigating enforced disappearances in relation to the disappeared children.”
He also mentioned that this has not been considered lightly. Kersten constantly works in different contexts, such as in Sudan and Nigeria, with current and former investigators and prosecutors at the ICC, as well as other tribunals, and has met with only positive response on this line of reasoning.
Despite the report being presented five months ago and backed by Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak, the national chief
of the Assembly of First Nations, it has yet to receive any answer from the Canadian government. Kersten shared his perspective on their silence concerning the results.
“It’s suggestive of a hesitation on the part of the Canadian government to accept the findings of the report.”
He expressed his discontentment with the government’s lack of response, especially since the Minister of Justice stated the report would be read and the government would continue its pathway toward reconciliation by working with First Nations on the subject.
“I can’t speak for anybody else at the office, but I am personally frustrated that the Canadian government has not yet taken the time to respond.”
Kersten remains optimistic and expressed his endless gratitude to all Indigenous people for taking care of the land, as he was able to build his career while living on these unceded territories and stolen lands.
“It’s very easy for me when asked if I can use my skill sets and my privilege to shed light on certain things for communities ... I think it’s the very least I can do
given the opportunities that I’ve had on these lands and on these territories that are not ours.”
The time spent around survivors of residential schools and their families inspires him to persist with optimism.
“How could I possibly lose hope or lose my sense of urgency to do what I can in furtherance of justice and accountability if the people genuinely and directly affected by these atrocities themselves don’t lose hope and never stop? I’m not going to stop.”
Kersten appreciated the gift of being invited to do the work. He encouraged universities to take a stance and help foster dialogue spaces.
“I hope that our university and universities in general can create that space for those conversations to continue. Whether or not they then generate pressure on the government to do something about it is one thing. But even if they don’t, these are the best places to have difficult conversations, teach students, learn from each other, bring people together … We are still on the truth bit of ‘Truth, Justice, and Reconciliation,’ and universities should be places where these truths are laid bare.”
Creator: Jason Franson | Credit: AP
UFV // UFV scores $23 million funding from i2I network
Director Dr. Jon Thomas shares insight on the funding
PRATI KAPOOR
Dr. Jon Thomas is the director of the Esposito Family Centre for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (EFCIE) at UFV and holds the BC Regional Innovation Chair on Canada-India Partnership Development. As associate professor of innovation & entrepreneurship, he specializes in fostering interdisciplinary research and entrepreneurial initiatives.
Recently, Dr. Jon Thomas shared insights with The Cascade about the $23 million in funding that UFV will receive from the invention to Innovation (i2l) network. This initiative supports both undergraduate and graduate students, as well as researchers at Canadian universities, primarily in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines.
The i2I program began in 2015 and is partly based on research conducted by Dr. Thomas and his colleagues at Simon Fraser University. The program supports scientists and engineers in developing technologies within academic labs and involves guiding them toward one of three pathways: translational researchers who later become professors and set up their labs, launching startups, or licensing their innovations to established companies.
The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada Lab to Market grant is worth $23 million. This is a five-year funding initiative that supports a nationwide partnership involving 13 universities across Canada and over 57 collaborating organizations. This grant is allocated to the entire network, with a portion directed to UFV.
The amount for the first year is around $200,000, and will be used to organize workshops for Indigenous entrepreneurs and leadership teams. It will also fund training for UFV undergraduate students in science, technology, and innovation ideas.
UFV received preliminary funding through the letter of intent process to support the larger grant. In July 2024, the funding facilitated a grant workshop focusing on ways to engage with the community — in partnership with Stó:lō Community Futures and led by Rocio Zielinski — for elders and economic development officers from local First Nations communities.
The workshop helped the team realize that diverse Indigenous communities have different abilities to participate in training programs, with some requiring more support than others.
There is also a need to encourage participation, and UFV is working on identifying community innovation ambassadors — local representatives who can help pinpoint individuals needing training.
Dr. Thomas shared his plans to offer one to two workshops for First Nations communities annually, with the following sessions expected this year. Training programs for undergraduate students, focusing on science, technology, and innovation, are anticipated to begin later in the year.
The i2I network emphasizes the importance of identifying community needs before developing solutions. Often, researchers create technology first and then search for a problem to apply it to.
“A better way to do it is to understand what buyers need and then spend time in your lab to develop something that can solve their problem.”
The i2I network will extend its support to student researchers through the grant, allowing them to experiment with new ideas. Additionally, the network connects students with industry professionals for guidance and offers one-on-one mentoring to students who are developing their business ideas.
In the past, UFV supported local initiatives by contributing $5,000 to an entrepreneurship competition run by Community Futures in the Fraser Valley.
According to Dr. Thomas, the funding is expected to impact UFV and the Fraser Valley significantly. Students at UFV will also receive training on identifying the
market’s unmet needs and taking their ideas to potential industries who can help develop them for customers.
“If you have an idea which needs industry-specific scale-up expertise in a particular domain … we can facilitate that because of the connectivity with this larger network.”
The grant strongly emphasizes equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) as well as reconciliation. Over the five-year period, multiple workshops for Indigenous entrepreneurs and students will not only benefit the UFV community, but will also attract participation from partner universities such as UNBC and the University of Manitoba.
“They will be following the lead of UFV and what we do here to design specific programs back at their own institutions.”
Dr. Thomas advised students and entrepreneurs hoping to work with EFCIE to take full advantage of the early stage they are in. He encourages students to reach out to him as soon as possible, so he can help them begin mapping out projects and connect them with mentors or industry professionals for extra support.
Dr. Thomas emphasized gaining industry experience before pursuing entrepreneurship. He advised students to gain at least one to two years of proficiency to understand its intricacies and nuances. He believes that it’ll help prepare them for success when they launch their start-ups.
In the long run, Dr. Thomas envisions the network will expand connections with First Nations communities and undergraduate students. Additionally, it will refine and support student ideas through mentorship, funding, and resources, with the hope that these ideas will either be licensed to established companies or lead to new ventures created by students themselves.
Everything students need to know about Brightspace
GAURI SETHI
Dr. Awneet Sivia is associate vice president of teaching and learning and associate professor in the Faculty of Education, Community, and Human Development at UFV.
The upcoming transition from Blackboard to Brightspace is a significant change for students and faculty at UFV. Set to launch in the fall of 2025, many are wondering how this new system will impact coursework, teaching and grading methods, and overall user experience. The Cascade spoke with Dr. Awneet Sivia to discuss the implications of this shift, its potential challenges, and the benefits Brightspace offers.
What are the main reasons behind the university’s decision to switch from Blackboard to Brightspace?
Our current contract with Blackboard, the current Learning Management System (LMS), was ending … So we knew that a change was forthcoming regardless of whether we stayed with the same company or not, and that prompted us to find a better system that is more up-to-date, meets the needs of learners with respect to accessibility, and meets the requirements of faculty to have more flexibility in the ways that they design their programs and courses … The second reason is we had an opportunity to look for a product that was more user-friendly [and] contemporary in design. We have other requirements for our post-secondary institutions, such as accessibility legislation, considerations around equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI), Indigenization, and certainly a
change in the way that we need to assess — particularly in the face of generative AI that has come into effect … Brightspace met all of those requirements, and in some cases exceeded.
How will Brightspace improve the online learning experience compared to Blackboard? What resources will be available to help students and faculty adjust to Brightspace?
We have how-to videos that are being created by the Teaching and Learning team, ask anything, and drop-in sessions every Friday afternoon and every Monday afternoon for any questions … We have the Brightspace Community, which [connects] Brightspace users from across Canada … We also have training that was provided to the pilot faculty back in the fall for the winter. So now 13 faculty are well versed and well trained in using Brightspace in their courses. How is student and faculty feedback being considered in the implementation process?
During the winter 2025 semester, faculty have been surveyed at midpoint. They will also be surveyed at the end of the course on their usage. We are also doing a student survey at the end of the course on how they benefitted, or what challenges they found with the new LMS … We’re providing opportunities to have a focus group discussion or meeting online with a learning designer and an IT specialist to gather feedback. We’ve even offered to go into the classes and ask if they have any immediate verbal feedback that they can give us … I’ve created a project called ‘Student Project Leader Perspectives on
Brightspace,’ and I’ve hired a student leader from the supported learning groups (SLG) program. This student leader has interviewed 28 students from under-represented groups, Indigenous students, students who are openly comfortable identifying that they have accessibility issues and are registered with Centre for Accessibility Services (CAS) — especially those students — to see what would be their dream LMS.
Are there any new features in Brightspace that faculty are particularly excited about?
One of the benefits of the new LMS with respect to grading and assignments, is that students can very easily upload video assignments, recorded assignments, visual assignments, and alternative forms of assessment that are a little bit more tricky to do in Blackboard. And as a compliment to that, instructors can also
now give video feedback, audio feedback, or directly write on PDFs or submissions. It’s just made that whole feedback mechanism much easier and more personalized. Is there anything else you would want to say to the students who are going to adjust to Bright Space?
I would say to students that faculty [are] overwhelmingly excited about Brightspace, and that bodes well for student learning experience. Students can expect faculty to be happy with their LMS and as a result be engaged and excited to create meaningful teaching and learning opportunities for students … feel reassured that this is a good choice and faculty are on board overwhelmingly, [and are] looking forward to using Brightspace in their courses.
Interviews have been edited for length and clarity.
Drug War Survivors rally outside Abbotsford city hall
ANNA MCCAUSLAND
On Mar. 8, Drug War Survivors (DWS) held a rally in front of Abbotsford City Hall. Even with the rain, a group from the community showed their support with signs and banners for sustainable solutions concerning the housing and drug crisis in Abbotsford.
The Abbotsford branch of DWS is facilitated through Matsqui-Abbotsford Impact Society as a part of their Street Community sector. The rally brought forward a petition addressing homelessness in Abbotsford, to be addressed by
Abbotsford Mayor Ross Siemens, City Council, several members of legislative assembly, MPs Ed Fast and Brad Vis, and Premier David Eby in a letter community members can send to elected officials.
Within their letter, DWS outlined three areas for the municipality of Abbotsford to address. The third item is a rally for more equitable housing policies, stating that housing isn’t purely supply and demand.
“We do not just need more housing — we need more non-market housing (housing not owned for private profit). This includes co-ops, government-owned
public housing, and non-profit housing.”
When The Cascade reached out to Mayor Siemens for comment on the rally and the resulting letter, he stated that Abbotsford is taking a “Housing First” approach as a way of aligning with federal and provincial government mandates. The intention of Housing First is to support people who experience chronic homelessness into long-term and stable housing.
Progress was made in April 2024, when the municipality opened 111 temporary shelter spaces. However, DWS claims that this still doesn’t meet the ever growing population experiencing homelessness
within Abbotsford. According to statistics from 2023, there are over 406 people in Abbotsford who are homeless — with 81 per cent of those people experiencing chronic homelessness.
According to Mayor Siemens, the power to address the housing crisis isn’t in his hands but that of the provincial government.
“Ultimately, however, it is the responsibility of the Provincial Government to address housing issues, especially where there are gaps in the types of social
Photo by Joshua Sulpico / The Cascade
SNAPSHOT
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 08
housing. Unfortunately, by not having those gaps addressed by the Province, municipalities are left to struggle with the on-the-ground impacts with little to no support.”
the night, which the Mayor cited as being an alternative option.
“Our Parks Bylaw permits overnight camping in more than 95% of our 170+ parks to provide immediate relief for those needing shelter while the Province explores options for shelter and housing in our community.”
“We’re also fighting for expanded services to stop the deaths of the toxic drug poisoning crisis. Whether that’s harm reduction, overdose prevention sites, compassion clubs, prescribed alternatives to the toxic supply. [Or] detox.”
ChatGPT
If you can ask a man, you can ask
I’m not exactly an artificial intelligence advocate. There are so many ethical reasons to avoid using this technology, including gender bias in search results, and the fact that it uses up to 500 millilitres of water for every 5 to 50 questions (depending on the servers’ location). But, a few weeks ago, I heard the most convincing argument for ChatGPT I will ever hear.
I was at an awards dinner and happened to be sitting next to a female executive director. We ended up chatting about being women in leadership roles and she shared my frustration with often having to go to men for advice and guidance. As we chatted, she dropped this on me: anything you can ask a man, you can ask ChatGPT. My jaw hit the floor. Damn, she was absolutely not wrong. While ChatGPT may not have direct experience in whatever situation you’re asking it for advice, it will most likely give you some pretty solid guidance.
I wouldn’t recommend going to ChatGPT for everything (again, ethics) but if you’re in a sticky situation and need advice, you don’t need to go to that crusty old male executive for answers — your ChatGPT boyfriend is always ready and waiting.
BY DARIEN JOHNSEN
One of the letter’s other asks is for a designated space for a structured encampment for people experiencing homelessness to congregate — something that could be addressed within municipality by-laws.
“A designated space would not only benefit the street community but improve conditions for all Abbotsford residents. When people have access to washrooms and garbage disposal, the city is cleaner. When people have a designated place to be, they do not need to creatively seek shelter in other parts of town.”
In 2016, Abbotsford Parks by-law changed to allow people experiencing homelessness a place to set up shelters for
opinion@ufvcascade.ca
Opinion Editor - Natalia Toscano Murua
Column //
While the by-law does permit overnight temporary shelter, Section 14b makes it so that people experiencing homelessness can only set up tents or other types of structure that need to be erected after 7 p.m., as they have to be taken down at 9 a.m. the following morning. This means that people experiencing homelessness — dependent on parks as a space for them to exist — are now regulated to being nomads with no security throughout the day.
Brett VanBergen, DWS coordinator and rally organizer, talked to The Cascade about the rally’s second point — the need for expanded harm reduction services in the Lower Mainland.
The majority of licensed recovery and treatment facilities within Abbotsford require participants to be substance free before enrolling. This means that there aren’t any accessible places for Abbotsford residents to voluntarily go to detox safely. According to VanBergen, there is only one detox centre between Boston Bar and Surrey. Ground Zero Ministries is cited on Abbotsford’s “Reaching Home” page as being a funded project that can help people experiencing homelessness who are looking for detox programs.
From the DWS’s letter, there is a clear call for more support when it comes to people experiencing homelessness — one that will take more creative solutions and a humanistic approach that will help craft a better society for everyone.
The Environmentalist: drill, baby, drill
The Trump administration’s fossil fuel agenda
Welcome to The Environmentalist, your column for understanding the natural world. Today we will be exploring fossil fuels and how the Trump administration may affect it.
“We’ll drill, baby, drill” is one of the statements made by the controversial President of the United States, Donald Trump, during his inauguration speech. With his term lasting until 2028, the United Nations’ sustainability goals aimed for 2030 seem as unattainable as ever. But why is it that even when the United States is one country, its politics have an immense international effect on the measures taken against climate change?
Fossil fuels are defined as hydrocarbons that originate within the Earth’s crust which can be used as a source of energy — mainly coal, petroleum, and natural gas. Burning fossil fuels has been proven to be the leading cause of climate change,
therefore reducing their use has become one of the main focuses internationally.
The extraction and transportation of fossil fuels can result in irreversible oil spills that damage nearby ecosystems, destroy biodiversity, and affect people’s health. These oil spills can be so severe that they have been used as attacks during conflicts, such as with the 1991 Persian Gulf Oil Spill. The Iraqi forces, in an attempt to prevent U.S. forces from landing on the beaches of Kuwait, released a total of over 240 million gallons of crude oil into the Persian Gulf, causing the largest oil spill in history.
Moreover, fossil fuels are linked to a number of human rights violations, such as with food security and the coal mining industry in South Africa. Additionally, both active and unrehabilitated coal mines tend to pose a health risk due to
water pollution, soil degradation, and perpetual fires.
All over the world, climate change has magnified existing inequalities. This is why the failure of governments to act on the environmental crisis, even when there is overwhelming evidence of its harm, might be the biggest intergenerational human rights violation in history.
The Trump administration seems determined to hook the world on fossil fuels for as long as possible: first by withdrawing from The Paris Agreement, and then declaring a national energy emergency — which supports fossil fuel infrastructure internationally. Furthermore, the administration has hindered renewable energy implementation such as offshore wind power development and reduced support for the electric vehicle industry. The most severe change seems to be that over 70 environmental regulations were rolled back, including some targeting emissions regulations and protection of air and water.
We should never brush off any action taken against the environment, even when they aren’t taken in our country; even when borders separate us, we all live on the same planet. As the Lorax once said, “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better.”
So, let’s care.
FABIOLA CRUZ ALDERETE
Illustrations by Iryna Presley
Illustration by May Beeney / The Cascade
Society // The transformation of generational slang
VERONICA POWELL
I’m a part of Generation Z. That’s right, the ones who might ghost you on Instagram, or clap back at a hater. It might be main character energy but, no cap, I’m not trying to flex on anyone (for real). Especially not Millennials or Generation Alphas, since they too created slang that became normal to them. Like wildfire, slang spreads and burns itself into our brains. When analyzing the transformation of slang terms from the Millennial era, also known as Gen-Y (1981-1996), to Gen-Z (1997-2012), then to Gen-Alpha (2010-2024), I was left shaking in my boots. It’s fascinating to me how we consistently create new words to fit original meanings, and sometimes they end up being the funkiest, unintelligible, and hilarious words you’ve ever heard. So, I’m here to bless your brains with them while educating and entertaining you.
Millennials have first dibs for slang terms that made the most sense. In relation to their fashion style, everyone looked “basic AF” with skinny jeans and lightweight cardigans, but rocking the swag with friends was “squad goals,” indicating aspirations for your friend group. Even better, a dress-top over jeans and Keds were “on fleek,” meaning perfectly attractive or stylish. As a Gen-Z would say, they “ate” with the “drip” — another word for trendy or high quality clothes. Late-night parties would get “lit” but Gen-Zs would say “fire” or “hype” to mean awesome or exciting. A sleepover would consist of “spilling the tea,” or sharing juicy drama among friends or the “fam,” which is pretty unoriginal but self-explanatory. They influenced
“FOMO” to happen, known as fear of missing out, if you couldn’t get tickets to that Christina Aguilera concert you really wanted to attend.
Some Gen-Z slang terms were offshoots of Millennial terms, but others were curated from new terms. As a Gen-Z, you had a “boo” by your side, while a Millennial’s significant other was their “bae.” The term “binge-watching” — meaning consecutively watching TV series or movies in one sitting — became common when the popularity of streaming platforms spiked. If you were a master in athletics, music, art, etc… you were the “CEO.” However, the “G.O.A.T,” standing for “Greatest Of All Time”, was a step above that. Someone like Chad Michael Murray was “highkey” the best heartthrob of the 2000s, meaning obviously or intensely, and who lived “rent free” in fans’ minds and on their bedroom walls. It essentially means something or someone has a significant impact on you emotionally. A meal was “bussin’” when it had exceptional taste, or if something was impressive it “slapped.” Did you mysteriously lose something you just saw a day before? That would be considered “sus,” short for suspect. I’m watching you, Student Union Society.
Gen Alpha gives us the most out-worldy slang, and perhaps the most senseless and out of context. On second thought, even with context, it will hurt your brain. As a punchline response and reaction to various scenarios, “6-7” is used to the point where it doesn’t make sense. For example, you might say you’re 6-7 after being asked how you are, or saying your celeb crush is 6-7, even though they are
not 6’7”. It’s similar to when people used to say “YOLO” (You Only Live Once) or “type shit,” and that felt like a whole era on its own. “Good catch cheer” and “not my name, quarterback” is also quoted in any random context, and is generally a conversation filler loosely meaning a response to something being well-executed. It originally comes from a scene in the 2024 rom-com Sidelined: The QB and Me (2024) featuring TikTok’s very own heartthrob Noah Beck. Gen-Zs in particular might be familiar with having “rizz,” short for having charisma and charm. If you have bad charisma, you’re labelled as having “skibidi toilet rizz.” Skibidi alone is another synonym for bad, coming from the YouTube video and shorts series Skibidi Toilet (2023–). If you ask me, the terms give me the “ick,” which means being in disgust. They get more and more “delulu,” and I’m sure you can guess what real word that stems from.
Whether influenced by TikTok or pop culture, each generation’s unique slang terms are woven into the English language and prove that our creative capacity is unlimited. However, as our language evolves, we move farther away from the ability to understand it. Slang can encourage what some would call “brain rot” — our ability to be intellectually capable is decaying. It might be preventing us from understanding some of the greatest English produced in history like Shakespeare or Chaucer. It makes me wonder if slang is healthy for us. Regardless, it will be used as long as there is a next generation. I’ll tell you one thing — I am extremely intrigued to see what Gen-Beta comes up with.
SNAPSHOT
My reading slump
Illustrations
by
Iryna Presley
From her fashion choices to her angsty attitude, there are a lot of things about my high school self that make me cringe. Still, there’s one area she thrived in that my 23-year-old self just can’t beat: reading.
Back in the day, I was knocking back books like there was no tomorrow. James Dashner wrote a prequel to The Maze Runner (2009)? I read it the next day. Cassandra Clare released another 700 page fantasy novel? I finished it within a week. From classic series like The Hunger Games (2008-2025) to smaller series like Bad Girls Don’t Die (2009-2012), I read it all. Today? Not so much. There’s a novel on my coffee table with a bookmark in it that’s hardly moved in months. It calls to me every day, begging to be read. When I do decide to pick it up, I usually call it a day after a chapter or two. So, what happened? Is my adult mind too preoccupied to take a break? Has TikTok destroyed my attention span? Regardless of the reason, if my high school self could see how short my ‘Read’ list on Goodreads is, I’m sure she’d be cringing right back.
BY CAITLYN CARR
Illustration by Natasha Zilcosky / The Cascade
SNAPSHOT
I hate laugh tracks in sitcoms
by Iryna Presley
It is said that laughter is contagious. If that’s the case, then I think television studios created a bioweapon in the form of laugh tracks. I despise them with every fibre of my being. If a show has a laugh track, there is a very good chance I will stop watching it entirely. If someone in my household watches a show with a laugh track, I eventually leave the room out of sheer annoyance. It’s rare for me to enjoy watching a show with a laugh track. Even then, laughing along with the jokes feels wrong. Most of the time, I don’t find the jokes that amusing; I just laugh because everyone else does. It feels like peer pressure — it is peer pressure. It’s like the creators of these shows know that what they are saying isn’t funny, but they found the secret formula to trick audiences into thinking that they make jokes on par with Shakespeare’s greatest comedies. I’m not buying it. So, I call upon the comedy scientists: please formulate a laugh track vaccine to save us from this plague. And may swift justice be brought upon the bioterrorists who continue to infect our ears with pre-recorded laughter.
BY ABBY HANSEN
Advice // How to stop avoiding what makes you feel anxious
Anxiety has a cycle; understanding how it works may be the key to stopping its effects
NATALIA TOSCANO MURUA
Human beings have intricate behaviours, feelings, thought patterns, personalities, and much, much more. There are experiences that tie us all together, like what it’s like to feel sad, happy, or angry — this is common knowledge. Yet, there’s a specific feeling I am certain we’ve all experienced to some degree at some point of our lives, but not everyone may recognize.
I’m talking about anxiety: our body’s natural response to stressors. It’s normal to feel anxious about trying something new, meeting deadlines, or getting new responsibilities. However, it’s when that anxiety doesn’t go away, instead interfering with one’s ability to act, that the problem begins. Have you ever found yourself avoiding the one thing that brings that anxious feeling to your chest? If your answer is yes, then you might be caught in the cycle of anxiety.
In my experience, the first step toward eradicating any undesired behaviour is to learn more about it. The cycle of anxiety refers to the strong feeling of fear a person might feel when faced with a certain situation, and how when attempting to cope with that intense feeling, one avoids dealing with the situation entirely.
Typically, the cycle consists of four stages. First is anxiety: when anxiety is triggered, the natural response is to try to deal with the discomfort. Second is avoidance: one might find a sort of distraction, a way to stop the feeling temporarily. Third is relief: avoiding the anxiety trigger eases the discomfort for a while. Fourth is intensification: when presented with the anxiety trigger, the fear response is heightened because it was not properly dealt with before. The more one postpones or avoids dealing with the cause of their anxiety, the stronger it tends
to become, because you teach your brain that avoidance leads to feeling better. The only way to break the cycle is to address your triggers.
One thing that helps me keep my feet on the ground when I start to feel anxious is to remember that it’s normal to feel that way when faced with the unknown. To me, this can take the form of any situation that I don’t have certainty of. I’ve learned that there are very few certainties in life, but that’s not a bad thing. I know for sure that the sun will rise tomorrow, and I know for sure that life is not eternal — keeping these concepts in mind helps me remember that I should let go of anything that I do not know for certain.
Sometimes I catch myself worrying about things that are beyond me; like what others do or think, or problems that are not even happening yet and exist only in my mind. The reason I call it the unknown is because no one really knows what is going to happen beyond their own person in the present moment. No one can see the future, so no one knows what the absolute best way to take care of something is. To me, all that matters is that I do my best,
since it’s the best way that I can deal with anything. And for everything else? I let it flow. I don’t know what will happen for certain because I can’t see the future or control external factors. I can only control what happens within my person in the present, and that’s okay. As long as I stick to doing my best, I’m good to go.
The main thing is to identify what triggers your anxiety, and have the courage to question it, so that you may understand and overcome it. It took me a long time to understand where a lot of my anxiety was coming from, and every time it was triggered, I ran as far away from it as I could. This only made the negative response stronger, until I addressed it directly. Everyone’s triggers are different, and everyone’s anxiety response is unique as well. Take the time to understand how this looks for you — a great place to start is to identify which stage of the cycle you are in, and analyze how you got there and how you feel about it. I believe that by practicing this over time, there’s a good chance you’ll get better at overcoming the cycle of anxiety. You can do this!
Illustrations
Photo courtesy of RawPixel
Cascade Q&A: Coral Hamade
CAITLYN CARR
With golf season in full swing, The Cascade sat down with Coral Hamade, a fourth-year UFV golfer with roots in Langley, B.C.
This passionate multi-sport athlete recently tied for 18th individually at the RMC Intercollegiate at Lake Las Vegas, and secured an impressive seventh place for the UFV Cascades Golf team. Next, the team will compete head-to-head in a UFV Matchplay at Abbotsford’s Ledgeview Golf Club from Mar. 30-Apr. 1.
What was it like competing in Vegas earlier this month?
Hamade: Vegas is always a fun tournament to go to. We go there every year, and it’s always at the same course, and it’s just a really fun event. [The] first day, we played 36 holes in one day, which is kind of a grind. We usually start the day at 5 a.m. and don’t get back to the hotel until 6:30 p.m.
How were you with that 5 a.m. start time?
Hamade: It was the first time I went to bed before 11 p.m. in a long time, let’s just say that. Even then, I was still tired in the morning.
Did you go to any casinos?
Hamade: No, we didn’t. We have in the past, and we’ve explored a little, but this time it was a shorter trip. Usually we stay a day after the tournament, but this time we had to head back right after the third round.
What drew you to playing golf?
Hamade: My uncle was a teacher at this golf academy in Delta, and at the time, I was going to school in Langley. I went out this one time, and I saw these high schoolers who [got] to play golf during class time … and I was like, this is awesome! This is so cool … So then I legit just moved high schools, and I quit playing softball, because I was kind of getting sick of it … I started playing golf and kind of fell in love with it.
Who from your team would be the most competitive in a game of mini golf?
Hamade: Probably me, or I’m gonna say Morgan [Best] … We all like golf [and] you’re competing with yourself too most of the time, so I would say I’m probably the one to be mad that I lost mini-golf or something.
What’s your zodiac sign?
Hamade: I’m an Aries.
What is the best course that you’ve taken at UFV?
Hamade: Probably the gender and [gender relations] course
that I took with [Dr.] Amber Gazso. It was SOC 335 I believe. Everything I learned in that class was just so interesting … It made me feel well versed in the stuff that I care about.
Do you have a favourite arcade game?
Hamade: I’m gonna have to say air hockey. Foosball second, and then maybe basketball, third.
What is the most challenging part about playing golf?
Hamade: Probably that it’s just you. I mean, there’s coaches and stuff, but nobody can hit the golf shot other than you. So I think it’s a lot of pressure sometimes, and just dealing with mistakes that you make can be hard because you can’t blame anyone else but yourself, really. And honestly, one of the challenging things about golf is that it seems so simple, and you feel like you do the same thing, but then the outcome is sometimes just horrid, and you sometimes can’t figure it out.
What’s your go-to beverage?
Hamade: Oh man. A matcha latte.
Finally, what’s the last TV show you watched?
Hamade: Full Swing (2023-). It’s a golf documentary about all the professional golfers on tour … it’s kind of just following the lines of the PGA Tour players, what they do, all their competitions, and the big events in the past years. It’s kind of cool. Gets me fired up [and] always makes me want to go play golf. Q&A has been edited for length and clarity.
SNAPSHOT
$1.44 is what a single standard size mail stamp costs, or $1.24 per stamp if you buy the booklet of ten. It seems a lot for a little sticker in the corner of an envelope. But moving away from home taught me the price of these stamps, and their worth. While I intermittently send letters to my family, the main benefactor of my stamp purchases is the last remaining friend I have from high school.
We moved in literal opposite directions after only knowing each other for a few months. I don’t remember the conversation, if there ever was one, but we started sending each other letters. This soon escalated to including tea, handwritten playlists, creative writing, stickers, and whatever pieces of our lives and love fit in the envelopes. We can’t see each other often, and frankly, we don’t even text substantially, but we can hold our friendship — it’s in a file folder in my closet, and in a box at her house. I won’t ever do the math, because I already know the stamps are worth more than their cost.
BY KARA DUNBAR
Illustrations by Iryna Presley
Photo by Joshua Sulpico / The Cascade
Photo by Joshua Sulpico / The Cascade
Zine culture as a vehicle for underground expression
DARIEN JOHNSEN
It was a late winter’s night in 2021 when I had the idea. I was at least three glasses deep in cheap whiskey, unemployed, isolated, and desperate for an elusive something. Then it hit me.
I frantically tacked six white sheets of paper up on my living room wall and started planning — I would make my very own zine. It wasn’t such a far-fetched idea, was it? I had a small group of art-savvy friends, a few who wrote and edited, and I had a bit of zine experience under my belt from my time working on The Cascade’s ‘The Zine.’
The thing about being unemployed is that you have a lot of time on your hands to do useless things like read books on Frank Zappa. Zappa, an artist and musician popular in the 1960s, was an outspoken, self-proclaimed “freak” and an overall menace. To be honest, I didn’t really care enough to finish the book. I did, however, like his name. It was catchy — Zap! The sound was electric, sharp, and sudden. I wanted our zine to shock people, to grab their attention, and to inspire
them to care about their community. It was decided: our zine’s name would be Zapta.
But hold up — what in the world is a zine?
A zine (pronounced zeen) to put it bluntly, is a crappy, cheaply-made magazine or booklet. Zines have long been self-published vehicles of expression for socio-cultural groups who’ve been neglected, silenced, or dismissed by the mainstream. They don’t try to imitate high quality publications or art; rather, they embrace imperfection and reject professionalism, letting the art, writing, and ideas breathe. Zines aren’t meant to be shiny, flashy, expensive, or heck, even well written and designed. They are a collaboration of passionate people doing things that they’re, well, passionate about, regardless of skill.
Zines have been around since the early 20th century, popularized by science fiction fan clubs in the 1930s and 40s. They became a component of the punk movement in the 70s and 80s, the Riot Grrrl underground punk feminist and Queercore movements of the 90s, and provided publication alternatives for comic-makers in the 80s and 90s.
According to Aimée Henny Brown,
a transdisciplinary artist, zine-maker, and assistant professor in UFV’s School of Creative Arts (SOCA), zines are a great alternative for self-publishers.
“Zines came about to give voice to topics that were not being accepted or appreciated by larger publication houses or more formal publication institutions … like alternative fictions, queer fictions, counterculture movements, punk movements, anything that’s politically outside of the big arena of political discussion. Zines are a way of sharing some of that information that’s underground and allowing people to find cultural resonance, to find community.”
Let’s back up to that winter’s night. On the cusp of midnight, I texted my friend: “We’re starting a community development zine,” I said, “and you’re going to be one of my editors.” Being a person who enjoys sleeping at night, they replied with full support in the morning; a resounding “go for it!” A few more texts here and there, and I had a group of people on board to help me manifest this crazy, semi-drunken dream I had tacked up on my wall. Within weeks, I had an editor, a designer, two writers, an illustrator, and a photographer, and we all gathered in my little apartment for the first time. What happened after that shocked me and changed everything in my life.
Zines have been around since the early 20th century, popularized by science fiction fan clubs in the 1930s and 40s. They became a component of the punk movement in the ‘70s and 80s, the Riot Grrrl underground punk feminist and Queercore movements of the 90s, and provided publication alternatives for comic-makers in the ‘80s and 90s.
But first, a little history. When I sat down with Henny Brown to talk about her zine-making practices, I was surprised to learn that she and I had both gotten our start making books with our mothers as children.
“The first zine that I ever made, I made with my mom. I would draw pictures and then we would put wrapping paper on it as a cover and then my mom would write in text if I was telling a story … So book binding, book medium, multiples [a piece of art with duplicates] have always been part of how I look at the world or make sense of things, and it’s certainly an activity that I’ve had throughout my whole life from very early childhood.”
For those of us who know, know. The magic of art and community is that we find stories like this. There is beauty in these communal connections and lineages, and being able
Aimee’s zine library (Photo by Darien Johnsen)
to trace that history together alongside a reassurance that this is something we are destined to be doing.
“It’s kind of amazing, I think, to connect that timeline of things,” Henny Brown said. Now, back to Zapta’s most groundbreaking moment. It was Jan. 3, 2023; everything was in place. Our designer had put the finishing touches on our booklet and this little, digital zine was ready for the world, baby. I uploaded the PDF file to a host site and our first issue was published. To have this little digital booklet out in cyberspace, with all our pictures, our words, and our art was amazing. I was overflowing with pride. But dammit, it was only online.
Printing is expensive — like, really, really expensive. It took another year, and three more issues of Zapta before I could afford to buy a laser-printer (sadly, that meant procuring employment). I found one “off the back of a truck” from some guy on craigslist (totally not sketchy) and met him at a gas station to pick it up. He helped me cram this giant, 60lb. box into the back of my 1992 Toyota Tercel and miraculously, it fit. I then hauled this giant box up the narrow flight of stairs into my apartment by myself, sweating profusely in unseasonable spring heat. Finally, I had it: the holy grail. A frickin’ laser printer! My heart leapt as
the pages of our zine came rolling out, one after another. There she was, Zapta, in the flesh. The thrill was like no other.
But a stack of paper is just that: a stack. In order to be a real-life zine, I needed to bind it. So with a little googling, I decided to try contact cement along the edges of my booklet. After drying overnight, the result was a smooth, bound edge, and a real booklet you could flip through. After 30 more of these bad boys, I was ready to distribute. Luckily, it was just approaching summer, and if you’re from Abbotsford, you know that one of the only thrilling things that occurs in the community happens every Thursday in July: Jam In Jubilee. So, I reached out to the organizers and secured myself a booth to sell my zines. To my surprise, people not only loved it, they actually bought copies.
I hadn’t realized there was actually a market for zines. With the explosion of the internet post-2000, online communities became a relatively viable alternative to share content, express ideas, and find like-minded individuals. While this hasn’t entirely eliminated the importance of zines, it has changed their meaning, and there are still other zine-makers besides myself in the Valley.
But why is it that we are so drawn to a labour-intensive practice, something that
doesn’t turn out perfect every time, something we spend hours doing, oftentimes running off of sheer willpower? According to Henny Brown, there is a reason for this.
“I think everything in the world tells us to do things very quickly, but you’re tapping into a community of like-minded people, I think, when you show, share, or distribute zines, where people value individual effort to create something larger with the whole community.”
Henny Brown worked with her Socially Engaged Art Practices (VA 391) class last semester to organize the Fraser Valley Zine Festival at the Clearbrook Library. I was invited to table there and share both Zapta and my personal zines, and was enthralled to connect with so many other print-enthusiasts in the Valley.
“One of the things that I’ve been really interested in with my teaching practice is bringing not only zine-making activity, but the idea of collaborating and organizing and presenting an event to the public with a class. Part of the reason that that felt like a good fit is because we actually have 20 people who’ve registered for the class, who are dedicated to organizing the event…it’s a small student army who are ready to go activate a space.”
For Henny Brown, zines are an accessible vessel for intimate and widely shareable content that is also cost effective. She mentioned that more younger students are becoming aware of zine culture and have a desire to return to traditional techniques,
Photo by Alex Ubieta
Graphic by Alex Ubieta / Photo by Darien Johnsen
speculating that this stems from a desire for community and countercultural movements.
“I think that’s also what is really causing a bit of the resurgence that I’m noticing right now. People don’t feel like they have a strong sense of community, and zines are a way both in the making and the distribution and sharing, of cultivating more of a sense of community.”
If there’s one thing that making zines has brought me, it’s community. Many of the zine-makers I meet are passionate about living outside the confines of the mainstream; they are questioning our collective morality, and are striving for deeper meaning and connection. They are often inherent activists and advocates for their own communities and for artists in general.
What do a bard and a laser press have in common?
My first introduction to Blue Jay Walker was an absolutely chaotic yet inspiring story that my roommate told me. It was the story of a man who wrote “Bards Eternal,” “the longest physical poem of the 21st century” totalling 9000 lines of straight up scroll written in the middle of Washington Square Park in New York City. Surrounded by swaths of paper, Walker began writing this poem as part of a larger protest of artists responding to the increase of Parks Enforcement Officers and New York City police trying to push out buskers and artists who had made their living there for decades.
An Alberta native, Walker is a full-time artist who is currently posted up in Vancouver, once again causing chaos. I called him on a Friday morning to ask about his latest project Paper Rag, a zine he created in response to the overly digital ways that we consume art.
“[Paper Rag] was created out of … a general frustration with the ways in which art has been forcibly formatted into algorithm based content. My goal with Paper Rag was to extract a lot of the art and ideas and things that are wonderful that we see on the internet all the time, and put it in a space that maybe serves it better and also gives active control back to the readers about what they want to see.”
Walker isn’t the only one feeling this way. In an article for the New York Times, Jenna Wortham states that because of this continuous onslaught of possibilities on the web (described as “a Gutenberg press on steroids”) it’s actually made zines more attractive.
“Producing zines can offer an unexpected respite from the scrutiny on the internet, which can be as oppressive as it is liberating.”
Walker too encourages zines as an alternative medium of sharing art and ideas.
“As artists, we need to not assume that the easiest ways of reaching out to people are the best, and what I mean by that is social media. [It] is the most exponentially advantageous place to reach the most people, but it is always under the control of someone trying to make a profit off of it. We need to actively try and get ourselves off of those platforms, and especially our communities off of those platforms, because when we rely on them, when it comes time to actually mobilize for things, it’s not going to do us any good.”
Walker spoke about how zines have always been in his consciousness and so it was an organic form of creation for him. He’s been mailing out the conveniently letter sized Paper Rag since February of this year, explaining that its small but mighty size is a way to maximize space and minimize printing costs. Walker even pays his contributors a share of the profits. Paid for art? It’s practically unheard of.
But why the heck should anyone even care to make their own zines? According to Walker, it’s a creative way to say a big fuck you to the capitalist system.
“It’s a creative way to say a big fuck you to the capitalist system.”
“People should be creative, and they should do it in ways that aren’t dictated by corporations who are co-opting it for their own profit. And an amazing way to do that is zines. Zines are malleable, and they’re fantastic to create in a lot of different formats.”
Just as Paper Rag attempts to regain control of the kind of content we consume, Aaron Moran, a zine-maker in the Fraser Valley, argues that zines are a way to democratize art.
“I see zines as activists, a way to support and present diverse perspectives, especially from under-represented or marginalized voices.”
Moran and I met within the confines of an institution. I didn’t think that working for a non-profit organization would connect me with a city administrator who also liked to make zines; but that is Aaron Moran. A long-time maker, Moran got his start as a teenager, being introduced to the zine medium through comics. He has since been curating an ongoing project titled Poor Quality.
“It was about 2017 or so, I started seriously thinking about branding my own zines. I was making a lot of work, just collecting unseen parts of my practice … it was a
Zine from Aaron Mooran
Zine from Aaron Mooran
“People should be creative, and they should do it in ways that aren’t dictated by corporations who are co-opting it for their own profit.”
great way for me to kind of collect all of those pieces that I was working with. I decided on branding my project as Poor Quality, which was a joke on this idea of DIY culture as being in some ways lesser than standard, more common forms of communication like glossy magazines or large media outlets. So it’s a little bit of a joke about that, but also in terms of how they were produced.”
Moran describes Poor Quality as a small press, or laser press, stating that it’s focused on anti-aesthetics and absurdity. All his zines are produced with photocopiers and “low-tech” methods of production, and he encourages artists to compile their work in this format.
“I’m actually interested when people are not designers, and are not super slick with the way they produce things. It stems from this curatorial desire … the zine is just such a great way to disseminate ideas and art. So that’s kind of my drive. It’s really thinking about ways to share work more broadly and having that curatorial focus.”
We both agreed that zine-culture is a beast of its own, and zine-makers always tend to find each other. It’s the beauty of being passionate about something; it finds ways to manifest in your life and draw like-minded individuals toward you. As an administrator and art advocate, Moran tries to cultivate community through creative and professional practices.
“I’m very interested in cultivating the zine community, and I tend to do so through a lot of workshops and presentations wherever possible … I think that those are the ways that I’ve found success and been able to connect with people. You’re showing the wide range of what zines can actually be and what they can look like, and how people can participate in that particular medium.”
It’s been three years and seven issues of Zapta, and I’ve become so grateful to
have taken the first step into the world of zine-making. Each issue is intentionally crafted to facilitate both community and self-development, which at the heart of it, are what zines are all about. I’ve made more friendships and connections in the Fraser Valley than I thought possible (and maybe burned a few bridges along the way, but hey — that’s punk, right?). Zapta isn’t just a zine: it’s a community, a hub, a form of activism where we’ve organized and produced events like a concert, a makers’ booth, and an art show. I was even hired by the city to teach zine making workshops — how’s that for an employable skill?
As we venture further into the land of artificial intelligence, algorithmically suggested content, and digital creation, some of us have decided to move backward. To create things with our hands, to meet in person, to take over the dissemination of art and reject the institutionalization of our practices. If you feel stuck, or lost, or frustrated with our technological age, you might just need to sit down with a sharpie, some paper, and photocopier, and tell us how you really feel. Make bad art, make crappy zines, organize, collectivize, and democratize; your community wants to hear what you have to say.
Image from Darien Johnsen Pexels postiglioni PexelsKetut zubiyanto Collage by Alex Ubieta
Basketball // Cascades denied Final 8 berth, bronze medal
Pandas end UFV women’s basketball season in Edmonton
JEFFREY KENNETT
The UFV Cascades season came to a disappointing end on Mar. 7, losing 83-63 to the University of Alberta Pandas in the Canada West (CW) Women’s Basketball (WBB) bronze medal matchup at the Saville Community Sports Centre. One year removed from clinching bronze for themselves, UFV’s bid for back-to-back U Sports nationals berths was ultimately unsuccessful.
The Cascades jumped out to a 14-10 edge after Maddy Gobeil notched the game’s first basket driving to the hoop on a lay-up, but the Pandas responded with a 16-2 run and never looked back.
The Panda offence was paced by four players reaching double figure points:
three-time CW defensive Player of the Year Claire Signatovich (19), Jayden Tanner (17), Morgan Harris (16), and Annacy Palmer (11). Alberta’s imposing frontcourt of Signatovich and Reece Hall were a problem for UFV, pulling down 10 boards each on the night.
CW first-team all-star Julia Tuchscherer played the most of any Cascade on the night. She was a wrecking ball in the paint, shooting 64 per cent from the field and racking up 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists.
Gaining national recognition for her performance against Calgary in the quarter-finals, Tuchscherer will instantly become the team’s top offensive option heading into next season.
It was a quiet night for UFV’s
Basketball // Final 8 roundup
graduating seniors. Gobeil, a CW secondteam all-star, shot 38 per cent for 11 points while chipping in a team-high seven rebounds. Nikki Cabuco (3) and Deanna Tuchscherer (7), combined for just 10 points as the Cascades’ offence sputtered.
Prior to being ousted by the Pandas, the University of Saskatchewan Huskies denied UFV the chance to play for gold by a tune of 63-45 on Mar. 2. The Huskies went on to capture their second straight CW championship over the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds, 71-59; their 10th CW championship as a program.
The Huskies got past the Cascades without any outrageous scoring numbers from Gage Grassick, U Sports WBB Player of the Year. The Nan Copp Trophy
winner managed just 7 Points (PTS) on 3-for-15 shooting from the field against UFV, well down from her season average of 18 points-per-game. Grassick’s talent was still on full display — the fourth-year point-guard neared triple double territory, gathering six rebounds and dishing six dimes.
The Pandas and Huskies went headto-head in Final 8 quarter-final action on Mar. 13, with the top-seeded Huskies reigning supreme 67-58.
As UFV’s WBB team turns a corner in their development, only time will tell what the nucleus of the Cascades will look like next season.
Everything you need to know from U Sports nationals at UBC
JEFFREY KENNETT
The 2024-25 U Sports basketball season has come and gone, and so have the national play-offs. From UBC being upset, to Carleton’s dynasty being broken, there was no shortage of drama at Final 8 in Vancouver.
Host bounced early Day one was off to an inconspicuous start. Victoria survived an early onslaught from Bishop’s, Calgary — or more specifically Nate Petrone (more on him later) — then torched Queen’s, and Ottawa slipped past Concordia. Nothing out of the ordinary. The women’s Thunderbirds pulled an upset in the four-five matchup against Saint Mary’s, but as the host team that was fully to be expected.
However, Prince Edward Island (UPEI) threw a wrench into things; the sixth seeded Panthers beat the tournament host and third seeded UBC in the men’s quarter-finals. The Panthers would be knocked out by Calgary in the semi-finals, but pushed the uOttawa Gee-Gees admirably in the bronze medal game.
UBC’s women’s team also had an unceremonious tournament. Gage Grassick and the champion Saskatchewan Huskies bullied the Thunderbirds 85-63 in the semis. The T-birds couldn’t keep their heads above water against Ottawa in the bronze medal game either, despite a tightly contested battle.
Petrone on ice
As for the aforementioned U Sports Player of the Year Petrone, the phenom had a truly remarkable tournament. Petrone firmly established himself as the best player in the country, putting up 26-9-8 against the Gaels and 30-10-8 on UPEI.
Despite being humbled by Victoria in the finals, this was a largely successful season for the Dinos. Calgary will be hosting Final 8 next year, and being defeated in the finals will surely light a fire underneath Petrone for his senior season with nationals on his home court.
Grassick goes berzerk
The Carleton Ravens are Canadian basketball royalty. In 2023, they defeated Queen’s to win the national championship. In 2024, they followed that up with their second straight national title over Saskatchewan.
With designs on a three-peat at this
year’s Final 8, Carleton couldn’t overcome the powerhouse Huskies. Saskatchewan is building a dynasty of their own, returning to the final for the second straight season avenging their loss to the Ravens one year prior in the process.
Fourth-year dynamo Grassick was remarkable. The national player of the year locked up championship MVP honours, punctuated by an absurd 35-7-7 in the title clinching game.
Battle of the OUA
There was a lot of intrigue around the Gee-Gees coming into the tournament.
Ottawa’s men’s and women’s teams were the one and two ranked seeds in the country entering the tournament. Both managed to secure bronze medals, but this feels like a missed opportunity for the Gees after such successful seasons.
After the women’s Gee-Gees ended Carleton’s ridiculous 42 game win streak
in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) play-offs, it seemed like anything was possible for the Ottawa squad. Carleton had clearly been stewing on the loss though, and dismantled the Gees 84-60 in the semis.
Ottawa’s men’s team had the unfortunate task of matching up against the buzzsaw Vikes in the semi-finals, and despite hanging around on the scoreboard at 89-75, never really threatened to take over the game.
No Diego, no problem
The Vikes didn’t drop a single game this season until the conference semi-finals; they were 21-0. Calgary bested them that night 77-68 backed up by another powerhouse Petrone performance, but Victoria took a name and got their payback in nationals.
The Vikes put the clamps down on Petrone in the national championship game. The talented Dinos hooper was suffocated by a relentless Victoria defence, limiting Petrone to just 10 points on 2-of-12 shooting from the field en route to a blowout 82-53 drubbing.
Victoria was without U Sports superstar Diego Maffia due to injury, but the Vikes’ four-headed monster of Sam Maillet, Renoldo Robinson, Ethan Boag, and Geoffrey James carried the team through their storybook season. Maillet was named tournament MVP.
This is Victoria’s first national title since 1997.
Photo by Jeffrey Kennett / The Cascade
Volleyball // Athlete Angle: the Cascades rise to Canada West
UFV’s transition from PacWest to U Sports through the eyes of a former player
BRADEN WHITE
Athlete Angle gives voice to UFV student athletes wanting to share their perspectives on the sport they play. Braden White is a graduating senior of the UFV Men’s volleyball team.
During the midst of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, the UFV Cascades volleyball program made the leap from PacWest to U Sports.
The transition to Canada West (CW) posed significant challenges, as UFV had to prove it could compete against teams with decades of history, deep recruiting channels, and established winning cultures. Despite these hurdles, the UFV men’s volleyball program has not just survived this transition, but has made meaningful strides, as its on-court success and community contributions have redefined what it means to be a Cascade.
The most recent teams to enter Canada West are: UBC Okanagan (UBCO) in 2011-12, Mount Royal University (MRU) in 2012-13, and MacEwan University in 2014-15, all of whom struggled through their transition. UBCO made the playoffs once upon entry and then endured an eight-year drought, while MRU qualified once in its first four years. MacEwan has yet to make the play-offs in its entire 10 years since making the jump to CW.
However, UFV has been able to quickly find its footing. The team qualified for the play-offs in both its first and fourth seasons, defying the odds to find early success.
Typically, collegiate teams entering CW have had success in their prior divisions. MRU (2008) and MacEwan (2009) were both national champions prior to their promotions — and UBCO (2011) won their conferences the year prior to promotion.
The Cascades did not have the same success pre-transition. In the three seasons before entering U Sports, UFV finished among the lowest-ranked teams in their conference, never making the play-offs through this stretch and winning a combined six games. This made retaining players a challenge upon transitioning leagues, and UFV returned only four members from its original roster, while bringing in 16 new players including the additions of Jonas Van Huizen and Nimo Benne.
These major alterations made it difficult to establish team identity, as each member came from different backgrounds and coaching philosophies. However, the coaching staff emphasized a long-term vision: “we are here to leave a legacy.”
Despite the growing pains, the team bought into this philosophy, playing not for themselves, but for the jersey and the program. This forged a powerful team culture which has aided in cementing themselves as a true competitor in CW. While the program strives for on-court success, it equally seeks to build a lasting impact on the sport in the Fraser Valley.
Upon joining CW, the program launched the Junior Cascades Boys Volleyball Club, aimed at developing young talent in the Lower Mainland. The varsity roster is heavily involved in this system, volunteering their time to aid in the development of current youth athletes.
The Jr. Cascades have found immediate success, winning both 16U and 18U provincial gold this past season. The Jr.
Cascades have become a direct pipeline of talent for UFV, producing players like 18U Provincial Club MVP Hudson Brandsma. Additionally, current 18U stars Jaxon Boender, Kolton Corbett, and Igor Velikovsky have all committed to the Cascades for the 2025-26 season.
Despite the expected initial struggles, UFV has prevailed to achieve success on and off the court. The program has laid the foundation for a bright and prosperous future through their dedication to create a unified team identity, while contributing to the community for long-term growth. UFV has not only established itself in Canada West, but has begun building a legacy that will define the program for years to come.
University of the Fraser Valley, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Campus Fashion: thrifting for gifts
Finding trendy gifts for under $15
RACHEL
TAIT
This is Campus Fashion, your source of inspiration for seasonal trends, cool finds, and wardrobe basics to keep you looking stylish throughout the year.
Thrifting not only helps you save money on your wardrobe, but is a great way to find gifts for friends and loved ones. By planning ahead for these special occasions, and being mindful when exploring thrift stores, you can take advantage of sales throughout the year to further extend your buying power. With the recent sale at MCC Clothing Etc., and armed with a mere $15, The Cascade set out in search of fashionable gift ideas on a budget.
This two day sale — advertising women’s clothing for $2 a piece — included new clothing as well as vintage fashion. If you’re thrifting for gifts, items with the original tags still on are ideal.
These items are brand new and tend to be in excellent condition. With this special sale, I took the opportunity to find some great pieces at affordable prices.
The first item I found during the sale was a pair of brand new blue jeans by Santana Jeans (regularly $19.99).
The next item I found was an aqua blue puff sleeve T-shirt, also brand new, from the retailer Micoson (listed on Amazon for $32.51).
When you’re thrifting, especially between seasons, keep an eye out for transitional pieces. T-shirts and tank tops, for example, can be layered and worn all year round. Investing in one that is a bright colour is ideal for the spring and summer, and pairs well with white pants.
I found a basic olive tank top by Old Navy (regularly 12.99), and a pair of cream, ankle-length jacquard dress pants by Hilary Radley (regularly $79.50) perfect for the summer.
Looking for brand names with quality
and staying with timeless styles is usually a safe bet. When shopping for a friend, look out for high-end brands like Ralph Lauren, Lululemon, and Aritzia, instead of cheaper alternatives like SHEIN. They’re higher quality and last longer.
The next item I found was a cream coloured cable-knit sweater dress by Reitmans (regularly $84.90). It’s a classic item that never goes out of style.
When buying items for friends and family, know what their style is and what they are looking for. Having a list is a great way to focus on what to buy and make the
shopping excursion less stressful. If you know a specific brand the person you are buying for loves, it makes your life a lot easier.
One of the last items I found was an Adidas navy polo sleeveless top (regularly $70). Perfect for the fashion-forward friend who likes a sporty style.
Because of this sale, I was able to find six pieces of clothing for only $12.00. If bought at the retail prices, it would’ve cost $330.28. Many of the items were brand new and in great shape, making for excellent gifts without denting your wallet.
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UFV Speaks: what’s the best part about UFV?
Students talk about the school’s positive traits
VERONICA POWELL
In UFV Speaks, our intrepid reporters pick a topic currently relevant to UFV students or staff, and ask them for their heated opinions to get a real sense of how the UFV population feels about the facts. University is a pretty pivotal moment in many people’s lives, and we’d like to think it’s a positive one too. But, we often hear a lot of negativity and, in all honesty, it can be disheartening. But is it really
all that bad? I took it upon myself to ask UFV students and staff about their own experiences, as a reflection of the negative perspectives I’ve heard from others toward the school. Being able to attend and work at a university is a privilege and I sincerely hope that in reading this, we can take the time to appreciate what we have at UFV.
In thinking about the memories of your time at UFV, what is the best part about belonging to the university?
Renee Augustine / Business aviation
“I would probably say some of the activities. I did Kickback. That was pretty good, pretty memorable. And just the energy in the summer I think is pretty cool.”
Declan Buschell / Criminology
“I have to say the professors. I haven’t had a single bad professor yet … they’re all top tier.”
Cassia Bakken / Psychology
“It’s really cool to be [with] people who are interested in the same thing [as you] and eager to learn; that’s very encouraging. And then I really like the clubs on campus — I’m a part of [University Christian Ministries] UCM. So it’s been really cool to [have] community [and] get to know people closer, not just in the classroom setting, but more [one] on one.”
Candice McPherson / Offi ce assistant in Faculty of Education and Human Development
“Definitely the community. I’ve had great experiences with staff and faculty and that’s really what led me to working here. I loved the environment, and I wanted to be a part of that, and hopefully try to give students the same experience I got when I was doing my program.”
Samantha Walmsley / Bachelors in Child and Youth Care
“The Student Union Building. I’m always [there]. It’s the most comfortable [of] all the buildings.”
Hong Hwan Ahn / Bachelor of Integrated Studies
“I think the best part of UFV is [being] in the Fraser Valley area so that students outside of Metro Vancouver can have [a] decent opportunity to learn quality education while meeting students from all over the world.”
Heather Holland / English
“Definitely the Fraser Valley Writers Festival. It’s a really great experience to be part of the English community and listen to different writers from the province and elsewhere.”
Piper Hornall / Visual Fine Arts & Creative Writing
“I love working at Fair Grounds. I get to meet so many people, hang out with my friends, get paid, and go to school. It’s awesome.”
Photo by Dmitrii Eliuseev on Unsplash
CULTURE
Visual Arts // Exploring nature’s relationship through art
An exploration of Land/Body Performance Archive, shown at UFV
KIMBERLEY PERKINS
Visitors to the S’eliyemetaxwtexw Art Gallery this March are invited to experience the relationships between land and body through performance. Curated by Luke Pardy and Anna Griffith, UFV alumni and faculty respectively, Land/ Body Performance Archive brings together work from current students, alumni, and other artists in the community.
As Pardy explains, the collaboration was inspired by his own interdisciplinary practice and Griffith’s goals as a professor of theatre and performance arts, to support students in their explorations.
“Anna became interested in the work I was doing. We were talking about how there’s so much potential for students across SOCA in theatre, visual arts, in media arts to think about these connections between our bodies and land and also our bodies as land and land as body.”
Pardy and Griffith put out a call for artists in the fall and gathered seven exhibits from 11 artists. Pardy elected to model the exhibition after his experience attending NSCAD University — a Halifax based art school — showing pieces from both students and professionals.
“Our curatorial approach was to give an opportunity to current UFV students to show alongside practicing artists and faculty members in a non-hierarchical standard because, as an undergraduate student, you don’t always get that opportunity.”
This collection is unique as an archive of performance-based pieces. The idea of performance was one the curators wanted to embrace, encouraging a freedom of exploration from both artists and viewers alike.
“We’ve really thought about ‘what is performance?’ [in] a really broad sense, and so there [are] works that document performance art. There [are] interactive works in which the viewer becomes a performer. And then there’s work that comes out of performance-based research.”
In the gallery, the first noticeable pieces are fabric sheets hung successively with a projection of foliage shining on and through them. In Cobi Timmermans’ Sunlight on the Garden (2023) the visitor is invited to walk among the cloth and light to experience comfort and familiarity in new places.
Next is a body bag with a faceless white mask and candles around it; beside the bag is drug paraphernalia. The piece, Nameless, Faceless (2024-2025), also features photos hung above the installation, depicting the artist, Adam Nelson,
laying inside the body bag, in the streets of Chilliwack.
In the back of the gallery, How Long It Takes One Leaf to Produce a Breath of Oxygen (2025), created by Candace Couse and Manjot Kaur, welcomes quiet contemplation. A projection of tree videos fills the back wall, adorned with shelves supporting jars filled with water and leaves. Each leaf has bubbles of oxygen clearly emerging from them.
The final piece, Stolen Land (2025) by Sterling Kai Pollock, features two posters layered together. The foremost has images of Sumas Lake, forming the shape of a person; the second poster holds a map of the area Sumas Lake once resided in.
As the exhibit and its performances are not limited to the space within the gallery, there are maps available to show visitors the locations of the work spread through Building C. According to Pardy, it’s a welcome opportunity.
“The space is also nice for people who maybe aren’t as familiar with the creative arts department on campus to come see what we’re doing over here.”
In Building C, there are two television screens to observe. One screen shows a single camera view of a jetty, with people interacting with nature and the man-made obstruction. The video, Pondering (Until It’s Water on Both Sides) (2022) by Sidi Chen, speaks to the queer experience in Vancouver, featuring a location popular within the local queer community.
The other screen shows three short videos of El Dorado, I am Colonial, Invasive Harvest (2024), depicting artist Uriel Guerrero-Acconcha exploring his Latin American identity while interacting with the B.C. landscape.
Continuing on to a small construct art room, Lumina Collective created a white molded 3D tree canvas on the wall with projection showing the changing seasons, as part of their work for Nature’s Pulse (2024). There are also scents being sprayed, a voice is heard speaking about
the changing seasons, and when someone stands in a specific location, the installation reacts to the audience by altering the sounds and lights.
For both Pardy and Griffith, expanding the performances beyond the walls of the gallery is an important component of the archive’s theme. Not only does it spread awareness of creative programs on campus, but they also hope it brings connection and reflection to the spaces we occupy.
“Me and Anna both really like the idea of not containing the exhibition in just the gallery and activating more space around campus … and getting the viewer to walk and engage and recognize the land that they’re on.”
Land/Body Performance Archive runs from Mar. 10-28, both in the S’eliyemetaxwtexw Art Gallery and various displays throughout Building C.
Photo by Kimberley Perkins
Photo by Kimberley Perkins
Crossword // STUDY BREAK
Sudoku //
Horoscopes //
By: Madame LaCarte
Aries - Mar. 21 to Apr. 19
You’re clearly on a path, but the path is not clear. I don’t have any guidance for you, and the cards are just as speechless as I am. Looks like you’re alone in the dark on this one. Maybe you’ll see clearer once you take your head out of your ass? Worth a try, really.
Taurus - Apr. 20 to May 20
Spiteful action has you feeling smug. You’re like a rooster, full of pride, screaming for the world to awaken to your grandeur — all the while forgetting that you are standing, claws deep, in shit.
Gemini - May 21 to Jun. 20
Listen to your heart. Listen to your guts. Listen to any limb you want, but stop listening to voices in your head. And if you can’t tell the difference then maybe forget what I said earlier and go listen to someone else for a while.
Cancer - Jun. 21 to Jul. 22
You’re juggling so many things, but you are juggling them well. You are a skilled jester, my friend. Be mindful, however, that you don’t lose sight of what you are. After all, the king listens to the jester and the preacher, but if he confuses the two the kingdom goes to shit.
Leo - Jul. 23 to Aug. 22
You are about to sacrifice so much for those you love. The cards aren’t giving an exact picture of what you are going through, but it seems your inner strengths support you. Much respect, from me and the cards.
Virgo - Aug. 23 to Sept. 22
It’s important to rest after major accomplishments, but sweetie, there are laurel imprints on your ass. You’ve rested enough; go find a new goal to conquer.
Libra - Sept. 23 to Oct. 22
You know what I like about Eeyore? It’s not that he’s an ass, nor that he plays with Pooh. It’s that, no matter how doom and gloom he gets, he still goes on adventures with Tigger and the gang. Take a page out of this book, and avoid isolation. You don’t have to be happy, but you also don’t have to be alone.
Scorpio - Oct. 23 to Nov. 21
You’re a shit stirrer, you are. Careful though, you’re stirring hard and it’s splashing about. I know, I know, you know what you’re doing, and you’ve always come out with clean hands, but still it’s not very kind is it? By the way, you’ve got a little something on your chin.
Sagittarius - Nov. 22 to Dec. 21
You’re a hamster running on a wheel that cycles through trials and failures. I had a hamster once. Her name was Bubbles. Bubbles never knew what was good for her either. She ran on that wheel for so long that when she was finally free (through careless locking of her cage) she just ran in circles. We found her in the closet weeks later, encircled by the dust track of her stubbornness to go nowhere fast. Don’t be like Bubbles. Get off the wheel.
Capricorn - Dec. 22 to Jan. 19
Arthur Schopenhauer says that human life “swings like a pendulum between pain and boredom.” He explains that pain stems from desire unattained, and boredom from the attainment of our desires. I guess what I’m trying to say here, and what Schopenhauer would support, is that true happiness is unattainable. Do with that what you will.
Aquarius - Jan. 20 to Feb. 18
You’ve slithered to where you are. You’re moving forward in life, and the slithering hasn’t stopped. But are you slithering like a snake or a worm? I don’t actually care; it’s rhetorical and for you to contemplate.
Pisces - Feb. 19 to Mar. 20
Oh the horror! Oh the pain! Entrapped in shame. What a martyr you are. Oh, how much you’ve suffered. Life’s unfair. Boo-hoo-hoo. Ok I’m already bored with this. It’s exhausting. I don’t know how you do it. If you don’t change the tune, don’t be surprised when people turn off the radio.
CULTURE
Canada //
Wondering how to buy local? Look no further
What you need to know about supporting the Canadian economy
CAITLYN
CARR
Dr. Michael Batu is an economics professor at UFV and former economist for the Government of Ontario.
With the current trade war between the United States (U.S.) and Canada, it can be hard to see what one person can do in the midst of all these larger-than-life politicians. A good starting point is to educate yourself on the war’s potential economic impact. The Cascade sat down with Dr. Michael Batu to learn more.
The word “tariff’ has been appearing more and more in the news as of late, but what does the term actually mean? Batu clarified that a tariff is essentially a tax on imported goods that is paid by the importer.
“For example, if we purchased imported cheese, and if a tariff is imposed on that cheese, we would pay more for the imported cheese because of the tariff.”
As for trade wars, Batu further explained that these types of conflicts are all about action and reaction.
“A trade war, essentially, is tit for tat … I impose a tariff. You also impose a tariff. So that’s what it is. It’s retaliation.”
So, how can Canadians fight back against Donald Trump’s tariffs in their everyday lives? One thing we can do is start buying locally.
BC Buy Local defines local businesses in British Columbia (B.C.) as private establishments that are based in B.C. with more than 50 per cent of the owners living in the province.
According to Batu, buying from local businesses benefits our economy by creating demand for locally produced goods and services. This in turn helps produce
Clubs and Associations
more jobs for Canadians and helps smaller companies flourish.
Additionally, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) claims that sourcing products locally is also more environmentally friendly than purchasing products that are transported over long distances.
As to why it’s especially important now to buy from local businesses, Batu explained that while there are no winners in most trade wars, Canada has more to lose than the U.S. as there’s more trade between the two nations than there is between Canada’s own provinces and territories.
“The U.S. economy is 10 times bigger than us, so we’re less diversified,” He went on to say that “we need to understand the gravity of the situation. The jobs that are at stake, the economy, our sovereignty, [and] our identity.”
But, how can we tell which goods are
Canadian? Is sticking a maple leaf on the label enough? According to Batu, product labels are sometimes misunderstood. Labels like ‘Processed in Canada’ and ‘Manufactured in Canada’ could mean that, while the final stage of production takes place in Canada, the product itself could still be made from imported materials. On the other hand, labels such as ‘Proudly Canadian’ and ‘Product of Canada’ mean that the product is primarily sourced and produced in Canada.
As for how to buy specifically from B.C., there’s another label that consumers can look for. According to Buy BC, a resource made to help British Columbians buy local products, anything with one of their stickers on it was, “grown, raised, or made in British Columbia.”
Buy BC also suggests consumers support local businesses by visiting B.C. Farmers’ Markets, local on-farm markets, and U-pick farms.
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Stay active with Campus Rec!
Another resource that Canadians can use to ensure their groceries are being sourced locally is the popular website Made in CA. With the help of his father and uncle, then 17-year-old Tyler Campbell created Made in CA in 2018 to combat Trump’s first round of tariffs. The website features lists of Canadian products and companies to help Canadians ensure that the groceries in their shopping carts are either manufactured in Canada, or even better, produced here.
Of course, buying locally has some downsides. Since products like certain produce, cereals, and electronics are imported, consumers aiming to strictly buy Canadian goods might have to make some sacrifices. Many fast food chains in Canada are also owned by American companies, and should therefore be avoided by these consumers. Instead, consider sticking to Canadian food brands like Mary Brown’s, Booster Juice, or A&W Canada.
According to Batu, if Canadians are willing to replace their imported goods with Canadian substitutes, that’s up to them. He explained that ultimately, what matters is that we are paying attention to which products are imported and which ones are locally sourced.
“In order for us to help Canada in our own little way, we need to be cognizant of where the products are coming from.”
Other than buying from local businesses, Batu offered one last piece of advice for those aspiring to help grow Canada’s economy.
“[Canadians] need to be competitive again. We need to innovate. We need to dream.”
From fitness classes to futsal leagues — UFV’s source for keeping fit, having fun, and making friends
GAURI SETHI
With the constant demands of school and work, recreational activities are often the last thing on our minds. Staying active is important and it can be a great way to relieve stress, but it can be hard to find the time and space. This is where the Campus Recreation team comes in.
Campus Rec. strives to make recreation more accessible and incorporate active lifestyle practices into busy student schedules. To help with this, they offer a Peak Pass membership, at the cost of $22.50 per semester, available to current
students, staff, faculty, and alumni. The membership grants access to the Summit Fitness Centre — the gym on Abbotsford campus — equipment loaning, fitness classes, locker service, and towel service. Anyone with a Peak Pass can also participate in drop-in sports, regardless of their level of experience.
Cheryl Johnson, the Campus Rec. program manager, spoke with The Cascade to highlight what Campus Rec. is all about.
“It’s a pilot project that I started in response to the kinesiology, nursing, agriculture, and trade students not having
a place to work out. So I created a classroom that doesn’t look like a classroom to make it seem as if they’re in a studio being able to work out … I have yoga as one class, Pilates, and a Latin dance class that I’m doing in those spaces, but otherwise, they can just come in freely, work out between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday.”
Through Campus Rec., both students and staff can participate in UFV’s intramural sports leagues, with seasons typically operating for the entirety of each semester. This includes the popular intramural volleyball and futsal (a variety of
indoor soccer) leagues that compete in the Valley Cup. Furthermore, you can take advantage of the fitness classes operated in both Abbotsford and Chilliwack.
“Campus Recreation is an opportunity for all UFV students to participate in recreational activities, be it sports or physical activity. We also offer fitness classes for active living opportunities … then there’s also work opportunities for students so that they can learn [with] experiential learning opportunities.”
CONTINUED ON PAGE 21
Photo courtesy of the Province of British Columbia
While many students may hesitate to join the programs and fitness classes due to a lack of experience, Johnson emphasized that the focus of Campus Rec. is not about being an exceptional athlete. They aim to create a space where students feel comfortable, regardless of their athletic background.
“Students have a hard time kind of getting out of their comfort zone and trying something new. So I think one of the messages from this would be [to] come and try it out — it’s an open door.”
To further promote inclusivity and accessibility, Campus Rec. has implemented a number of programs in response to the feedback they have received and continue to evolve with the needs of students. This has had a significant impact on participation levels as most of the programs are run by students for the students.
arts@ufvcascade.ca
Tanvir Hundal, a recreational assistant in the Campus Recreation team, provided more insight.
“We have women’s [drop-in] sports Wednesdays, and essentially we have about three hours of this program. The first hour and a half, we do futsal … and
then the second half we do basketball and badminton. It’s a great way for people that are women or identify as women … to have a safe space to play.”
Hundal underlined that the other co-ed programs are equally fun and worth getting involved in.
Movies // Flow: a tale of resilience and acceptance in this turbulent world
A meow-ment of appreciation for this indie film that stole people’s hearts, as well as mine
SKY S. TERRONES
The best movie of 2024 just won the Oscars, and no, I’m not talking about Anora (2024). This movie, made with a budget of around $3.7 million and only 35 pages of script, managed to obtain two of the most prestigious Oscar nominations, even defeating the odds by taking one of them home. Obviously, I’m talking about the purrfect, cutest ever, non-dialogue Latvian film, Flow (2024).
Now, brace yourself for the occasional pun as I gush about this year’s Oscars’ underdog, which is actually a cat...
Flow tells the story of a solitary cat who, in a post-apocalyptic world, faces a devastating flood, forcing them to navigate the waters alongside a unique and diverse cast of animals who have lost their homes, too. In this bundle of chaos, we find a super chill and wise capybara, a greedy, hoarding lemur, a trusting golden retriever, and a reserved secretary bird. Each character possesses traits that provide entertaining hijinks and have a journey of their own as they try to survive this cat-astrophe. (Ok, I’ll stop!)
The opening image of a cat looking at their reflection in a puddle creates a perfect balance in its messaging: this movie isn’t trying to say one is incapable of handling things on their own, but highlights the good things that empathy and community support bring.
This film explores an array of topics, such as how quickly you can lose everything you own and be forced to migrate. It tackles how one must put differences aside to survive, and how sometimes you find home and acceptance in the most unlikely of places. What’s best is that it does all of this with zero dialogue. While dialogue-free films are not necessarily better, they can often be a master class on Anton Chekhov’s rule of “show, don’t tell.” This movie succeeds in spades.
The use of sounds and movement express perfectly the emotions behind all animals’ reactions and decisions, demonstrating the amount of research that must have been done to portray them so accurately. Most impressive, perhaps, are their eyes. The detail in them captures flawlessly everything the animals are feeling. Their eyes tell a story in a way that makes words unnecessary.
Director and co-writer Gints Zilbalodis commented in an interview on how dialogue-free films create a worldwide language meant to be understood by all.
“The story becomes universal. We don’t need to translate it, and everyone can understand it.”
This movie will go down in hiss-tory as Latvia’s national pride and joy that won them their first-ever Oscar. It’s considered innovative in different ways, such as using Blender, a free, open source software, and sticking to a low budget with
“It’s a great opportunity for students to get involved. As far as the programs I’ve been involved in, us students who work with the department and as volunteers, are always willing to chat with people and play with people.”
Campus Rec. also provides Co-Curricular opportunities like volunteering or part-time employment to students. Apart from improving interpersonal skills with co-workers, students learn how the department works, and discover how it cooperates alongside other departments.
Above all, Campus Rec. creates an opportunity for people to connect with the UFV community while encouraging healthy lifestyle practices. As Johnson expressed, the goal is to ensure that leisure and activity are accessible and enjoyable.
“At the end of the day, it’s not even athletic. You don’t have to be athletic to participate in recreation. You just need to be willing to move.”
great financial gains, which will certainly encourage others to produce stories in creative ways.
Don’t believe how wonderful this film is just yet? Ask the multitude of pets who are also enthralled with this film. Animals have deemed this the G.O.A.T. of 2024 and so have I.
This masterful work of art reminded me why I went to film school in the first place — what a joy it is to explore the nuances of life in the simplest tales about overcoming fear and finding your place.
As someone living with PTSD and who is well-versed in night terrors and kneejerk reactions to triggers, this movie’s profound grasp of trauma and message of courageous hope, spoke to my soul. I left that movie theatre feeling seen. After a good old cry, I sat on the certainty that while often life sucks, that’s okay because even if I can do things on my own, I don’t have to. I have people who will join the crusade that’s navigating the uncertainty, stress, and hardships of life.
Photo courtesy of Sideshow and Janus Films
Arts Editor - Anna McCausland
Photo courtesy of UFV Student Union Society
Why difficult game design is sometimes a good thing
CALEB DAVIDSON
With the release of the Resident Evil 4 (2023) remake, people on the internet complained about a game design choice that the developers decided to implement: yellow paint. Specifically, they put yellow paint on objects of interest, like crates that could be opened, or ladders that could be climbed. They made sure that if the player was stuck, they just had to look for yellow in order to progress.
This practice isn’t unique to the Resident Evil games either — Shadow of the Tomb Raider (2018) has white paint on ledges you can grab and LEGO DC SuperVillains (2018) has ghost studs that form a trail to your objective. However, some people critiqued these design choices as “unnecessary,” sparking a large debate.
I’ve been gaming for a while (unfortunately; any thoughts and prayers are greatly appreciated), and I sympathize
with both sides of this debate. I understand that sometimes games can be obtuse, perhaps unfriendly, to new players, and that might turn people away. I also understand that if I feel I am being babied, I actively dislike the game. Neither is a nice feeling. I don’t want to have to do homework to get into a game, but I also don’t want to be handed the keys to the kingdom from the get-go.
When I picked up a little co-operative horror-ish game called IT Simulator (2022), I expected an hour or so of goofing off with a buddy — nothing life-changing. From a single-person developer and for approximately six bucks a pop, it didn’t inspire too much confidence. So, one afternoon, with nothing worse to do, my friend and I booted it up and attempted to glean some fun out of it.
Six hours later, it was my favorite gaming experience of 2023.
I think about it still sometimes, as
the “yellow paint” debate keeps getting brought up. IT Simulator has a tutorial that shows the basic mechanics to both of the two asymmetric roles — the all-seeing Control Room Operator, or the boots-onthe-ground Repair Technician. However, the first level has a gimmick — one that the game does not immediately tell you — as does every level after it. My friend spent a good five minutes watching me walk out of the elevator at the start before quickly getting a game-over.
It took a bit of trial and error to make progress; we had to figure out what to do to help each other out. Our conversation went from lackadaisical banter to focused, almost tactical information transfer. We tried, died, and tried again. By the time we completed the first level, we felt accomplished — not because we had passed it, but because we had beaten the challenge. The game made us struggle for the win; it didn’t spoon-feed anything
Video Games // Column // IT Simulator and the yellow paint debate Creative Corner: Afternoon Rites
Creative Corner showcases original creative work from UFV students.
The sepulcher had lain empty for years. A crumbling heap that stood, forgotten. Nobody knows who it was for.
An ancient, low bell stirs the flight of dozing mourning doves. The death knell of sleep.
Orange blossom and hyssop anoints the low, winding breeze embalming the smells of spring.
High summer wind chimes glance off of sun-warmed sandstone. An aural mosaic.
A weeping willow bows herself into a deep, cool well. The water turned to silver-green tears.
The sepulcher is not empty. Rejoice, my love! Rejoice!
to us — there was no yellow paint — but at the same time, it wasn’t needlessly unfair. It had rules. All the pieces of the puzzle were present — we just needed to put them together. It was our job to try and fail; to parse the rules from our failures, and earn the completion.
That earning was what elevated the game from others — it felt like I had accomplished something, rather than being given it. The challenge felt, well, challenging, but doable. I enjoyed the difficulty so much that I went back a few days later with my friend and 100 per cent completed the game. I enjoyed earning the victory. IT Simulator isn’t a game for everyone — casual, comfy-cozy game enjoyers won’t find it particularly fun — but if you, like me, don’t shy away from a challenge, I’d recommend straying away from the yellow paint for it.
PHOEBE NICKEL
Illustration by Natasha Zilcosky / The Cascade
Column // Book Talk: strange, existential, and a little too close to home
CATHERINE CAMPBELL
Welcome to Book Talk, where we help you find new fuel for your bookish obsession. While you might not find these authors while scrolling short-form content online, you will find their work to be significant, impactful, and, hopefully, something you reach for time and again. Happy reading!
Savannah Brown is nothing short of admirable. Still quite young, she has already released five books: three poetry collections and two works of fiction, the first — her poetry collection Graffiti (2016) — at only 20-years-old. In 2022, she received the Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award by The Poetry Society and has gone on tour, sharing her poetry across the United Kingdom, thanks to Arts Council England.
I came to Brown’s writing honestly: after dedicatedly consuming her spoken word poetry and other videos online, where she talks about everything from existentialism and death, to relationships and identity. Her poetry collection Sweetdark (2020) is by far my favourite book of poems to date, beating out Atwood’s Power Politics (1971) by a mile. And while I highly suggest you peruse a copy for yourself — of both, while you’re at it — we’re here to talk about The Truth About Keeping Secrets (2019).
While you’ve heard me go on about thrifting books, of finding hidden gems at the library, I’ve bought every single one of Brown’s books brand new. This is a testament to just how enthralling her work is: I didn’t want to borrow her books, or wait to stumble on them in a thrift store — I needed them on my shelf right now, so I could return to them time and again. So when The Truth About Keeping Secrets was finally released, you know I ordered that quicker than you can say existentialism
Full disclosure: there are very few young adult books that I have enjoyed in adulthood. I often find them to be cloying, or trying too hard to keep up with current trends. Having said this: The Truth About
Book cover of The Truth About Keeping Secrets Mar. 7, 2019 by Penguin Books Ltd
Keeping Secrets is not that. It’s insightful, daring, and draws in Brown’s characteristic longing to understand the human condition — with a healthy dose of humour, too. Brown somehow finds ways to make even the most horrific — a dead father; the trials of teenagehood — both funny and relatable.
Reading her work, you can’t help but feel understood, like someone has taken a magnifying glass to your heart and spelled out what they see there — something that is both terrifying and gratifying to experience.
Beyond this, her prose can’t help but draw from her roots in poetry and her long, rambling video essays about human existence. Everything she writes and performs is beautiful; everything thought out down to the word. So before you go: some of those poetics — that longing, the way of boiling down a sea of feeling into a single line — for you to take with you:
“And ahead of me, June moved like her body had a whole world in it.”
Happy reading!
CHARTS SHUFFLE
AARON LEVY
CIVL’s Aaron Levy is trying things out lately. Speaking more freely, while accepting different viewpoints at the same time. You should try it, too… or maybe you shouldn’t? Life’s an experiment, right? Move fast and break things… or, don’t…. That could be dangerous …
Tricky Woo - “Let The Goodtimes Roll” English musician Julian Cope noted about this Canadian rock outfit:
“Unfortunately, the band became the victim of bad timing. They were doing pure unadulterated MC5/ Stooges style rock a few years before the press in the U.K. gave attention to bands like The Datsuns and The Hives in the early 2000s.”
Sloan - “The Good in Everyone”
A reshuffle, like the other songs here, but a classic Canadian rock song of the 90s, and honestly, if you’re asking me — which you didn’t — I’m going to subject you to the antecedent as if you did, because it’s one of the greatest of all time.
Sublime - “Same in the End” Not Canadian, and on closer inspection, à la Rainier Wolfcastle — the Arnold-esque action hero on The Simpsons (1989-) — this may also not even be a reshuffle. But my previous reference to the “greatest” reminded me of greatest hits. Which reminded me of Sublime’s song of that name, then brought this blazing tune up.
Kanye West - “Black Skinhead”
He may wear a swastika, and I may be descended from Holocaust survivors, but this song — like the decidedly less popular Sloan song above — is definitely and without a doubt one of the greatest in all musical history. It’s certainly my favourite Kanye song of all time. Fight me. But don’t.
01. SAYA GRAY
Saya
02. NIGHT TAPES
Assisted Memories
03. BUKOLA THE CONFESSIONS OF An Anti-Social Butterfly
