In issue 33.16, published on Nov. 3, 2025, there was a typo in the photo credits for the image in an article titled “Two best friends. Ten summer trips. One beautiful story.” The credit ran as Berkely Books, but should have been Berkley Books, and “courtesy” was misspelled as “surtesy.”
Also in 33.16, we wrote that this was Bennett O’Connor’s first year of U SPORTS eligibility when actually it is his third year of eligibility.
While no person or group was harmed by this mistake, we still felt it responsible to make the correction. As students running a paper, we sometimes make mistakes during our production process and The Cascade seeks to uphold journalistic standards!
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.
CULTURE
As our feature this issue highlights, Nov. 19 is International Journalist Day — fun coincidence, it’s also our final publication date of 2025! International Journalist Day honours all the brave and intrepid reporters who go to great lengths to bring the truth to the public. Like always, our dedicated team has brought you an issue packed full with hard-hitting journalism, opinions, and thoughtful reviews to close out this semester.
This issue highlights pressing matters at UFV such as the university’s 21-million-dollar deficit on page 6. Also, SUS’ 30th anniversary on page 4, and a sit down on page 5 with UFV’s President, Dr. James Mandigo to discuss his vision for the future of UFV.
On the (somewhat) lighter side, we have a movie review of Bugonia (2025) on page 23 — a startlingly accurate observation of the state of our world. You’ll find a profile of the Cascades’ women’s volleyball head coach, Janelle Rozema on page 14 that documents her journey to UFV. Then page 16 recaps the Fraser Valley Writers Festival — a community celebration of literature.
The aforementioned feature this issue is a personal narrative on the freedom of press, and a tribute to those who risk their lives in protesting and reporting.
Who is the onus on to report the truth? Well, it’s on us. As student journalists, we sometimes make mistakes, but at the end of the day the biggest part of our job is keeping people informed and reporting on matters that mean something to you. So, if you want to get more involved with The Cascade in the New Year, our doors are always open. We’re here for you, reporting on all things relevant to the students and the broader Fraser Valley community.
Thank you for picking up our paper, and we’ll see you next year.
NEWS BRIEFS
LOCAL // INTERNATIONAL //
Abbotsford Remembrance Day parade and ceremony
In recognition of those who fought and continue to fight in different wars, a Remembrance Day parade and ceremony was held on Nov. 11 at Abbotsford, B.C.’s Thunderbird Memorial Square. The parade started at 10:30 a.m. at Garden and Simon streets, and a ceremony followed at 10:45 a.m. Around 3,000 people attended the ceremony that day to honour the fallen.
Partaking in both the parade and the ceremony in honour of the occasion were local representatives from both the Royal Canadian Legion and the Youth Cadet Corps.
A respectful moment of silence that lasted two minutes occurred promptly at 11 a.m. during the service. Ceremonial planes also flew over the area in commemoration of the fallen. This year, there was limited seating at the ceremony due to ongoing construction and people were warned beforehand about this development.
In preparation for the event, wreaths and poppies were sold to raise money to help support former and current members of the Canadian Armed Forces and their families through the Legion Poppy fund.
A link can be found on the City of Abbotsford website, showing the entire ceremony, live-streamed.
China requires influencers to be accredited
As of Oct. 25, influencers in China must by law demonstrate that they hold legitimate certifications to post information about specific subjects like finance, medicine, law, or education. These qualifications can come in various forms including university degrees or professional certificates. Creators must also be honest where they get their information from, especially if the content is based on facts, or created by AI.
Online platforms like Douyin, will be held responsible for ensuring that creators on their sites are legitimate. This legislation has similar goals to Google’s YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) content, as it requires a higher standard of quality and accuracy from the websites that come up in the search.
The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) said that this law was put in place to protect members of society from viewing false content online. However, critics worry that the definition of “expertise” will be too specific and is a threat to free speech and creativity in the country.
Alongside this law, CAC has additionally prohibited items such as health supplements and foods as well as medicinal products from being promoted by companies who take advantage of these ads by misinforming the public that they are good health practices in order to make a profit.
UFV // Recap on the November 2025 Senate
Funding increases,
certificate removals, and agriculture developments
VERONICA POWELL
Senate serves as UFV’s academic governing body, making decisions that shape the daily experience of students and faculty. It advises the Board of Governors — responsible for the university’s business affairs — on matters of shared interest. Monthly public meetings are open to all members of the UFV community. This article will recap key agenda items of the hybrid Senate meeting held on Friday, Nov. 14, 2025.
Senate Governance committee, Dr. Gerry Palmer, associate professor of the school of business motioned for the approval of the revisions made to the Instructional Responsibilities Policy (Policy 46), which provides the framework of instruction and learning that instructors and students comply with.
The rationale for the policy came after reflecting on the major changes made in post-secondary education including the integration of Truth and Reconciliation movements and the COVID-19 pandemic, where instructors and students were forced to pivot to online-only learning.
diploma programs, as well as the discontinuance of the Global Development Studies (GDS) program extended minor. Sylvie Murray, dean of the College of Arts, ensured that the Global Development program itself will still exist.
“We’ve just made the condition that this is a program that is not presented in the right way, although the topic is very important, but the Graduate Diploma certificate is not.”
The reason behind the discontinuance of the program was due to consistent struggles with enrollment numbers being too low and overall demand. The senate board voted on the motion presented and it was approved.
Ryder Glass’ Provost report spotlighted the UFV Student Changemakers club’s Changemaking week which took place from Oct. 6-9, where Dr. Anna Griffith (Changemaker and Curriculum Developer) and Dr. Martha Dow (Senior Advising Changemaker) shared ideas and learned from each other to better understand what changemaking is and how it impacts them.
NATIONAL //
Federal Budget impacts immigration levels, international students
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s 2025 Federal Budget, Canada Strong, was approved by parliament on Nov. 17 in a narrow vote of 170 votes in favour and 168 votes opposed. The budget includes several changes to immigration programs under the 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan. Notably, the number of temporary foreign workers (TFW) and international students admitted to Canada will be reduced, economic migration level goals are set to increase, and though permanent residency recognition will be streamlined for current temporary workers, intakes will be dramatically reduced overall.
Immigration levels have already dropped sharply over the past year, with international student enrollment targets declining by approximately 60 per cent, going from 305,900 to 150,000 students. Critics have expressed concern around the reduction.
Annabree Fairweather, executive director of the Confederation of University Faculty Associations of BC, told CBC that the drop will impact university funding, resulting in a reduction of staff, larger class sizes, and faculty burnout.
“Targeting international students without addressing the real issue of funding in post-secondary is a short-sighted approach,” said Fairweather. Conversely, the cap exempts graduate students, and $1.7 billion will be allocated to attract research talent, which will benefit major research universities.
DARIEN JOHNSEN
PROVINCIAL //
New measles outbreak in B.C. contributes to Canada’s loss of measles-free status
On Nov. 10, the Public Health Agency of Canada officially announced that Canada lost its measlesfree status that they received back in 1988. In British Columbia alone, there are 365 confirmed cases of measles as of epidemiological week 45, which spans from Nov. 2 to Nov. 8. This data was updated on Nov. 17.
B.C.’s reported cases account for seven per cent of Canada’s total measles outbreak, the third largest behind Ontario and Alberta. The majority of cases in B.C. are concentrated in the Northeast part of the province.
BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) confirmed that the measles outbreak and its resurgence are directly linked to a lack of immunization through the measles vaccine, with 88 per cent confirmed unimmunized cases. As of BCCDC’s report on Nov. 6, there are 41 active cases of measles in the Fraser Valley area. BCCDC promotes two doses of the vaccine as the best way to prevent the disease. For more information on how to receive a measles immunizing vaccine, visit HealthLinkBC’s website.
Dr. David Harper, associate professor in the Faculty of Health Sciences, put forward an amendment to the policy. He proposed the removal of certain sections that he saw as overreach or as outdated. The motion sought to remove the requirement that professors state their use of AI in the development of course tools and remove clauses that interfere with instructor autonomy.
“Many of the statements in [the policy] are not telling us what to do, but strays into telling us how to do our jobs. In that light, it hardly respects our expertise, our domain expertise, and the diversity of different disciplines that we have at UFV.”
The motion Harper made to amend the policy was voted on and defeated eight to four, with four abstaining from voting on the Senate board. The motion then reverted back to the approval vote for Policy 46, which was approved.
Dr. James Mandigo, president and vice chancellor, formally introduced Dr. Tracy Ryder Glass, as the new provost and vice-president academic, whose five year term will officially begin on Jan. 1, 2026. Ryder Glass is currently the acting provost, starting that term after Mandigo was appointed as president earlier this year in 2025.
Ryder Glass motioned to approve the discontinuation of the Migration and Citizenship, Graduate certificate and
Ryder Glass commented on the intention behind her lengthy report as a whole.
“The real focus of it is around student success and how we promote that … we want to look at the things that we’re just doing exceptionally well, and I think part of that is the opportunities for students and celebrating who they are and what they’re doing as well.”
Also highlighted in the report, was the Coast Capital sponsorship of the 2025 annual Trades & Technology Opportunity Fair, which was designed to give students the chance to meet with leaders and service organizations to learn more about different jobs and networking opportunities. With more than 25 leaders and service organizations present, they connected with around 500 Trades and Technology students and 55 high school students during the event.
In the President’s Report, Mandigo included a statement about the federal government’s continued limitations on how many international students are allowed into Canada, which is preventing more people from pursuing post-secondary studies in Canada. The limitation deeply impacts the University’s revenue projections, with an anticipated $22.5 million loss in tuition revenue from international students.
RACHEL TAIT
NATALIA TOSCANO MURUA
KARA DUNBAR
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 03
Mandigo also announced in the meeting that Premier David Eby will be doubling the funding put toward trade
programming through Skilled Trades BC, making an increase from $107 million to $214 million annually –– an investment not seen in two decades.
With this change, he commented on
the benefit of that support despite UFV’S financial challenges.
“We have a lot of allies behind us … today’s announcement is an example of how our community, business owners,
industry leaders, members of elected officials, have been working with us to convince [the] government that this is a significant investment.”
Local // Metzger Collection set to downsize and will reopen in fall 2026
What the future holds for the free local replica museum
RACHEL TAIT
Located in Abbotsford and housed at the Columbia Bible College, the Metzger Collection has temporarily closed its doors as it downsizes to help accommodate the needs of the college and still operate as a free replica museum. Created by Dr. Fred Metzger in 1967, the Metzger Collection was obtained by the college in 2012 and later opened in March 2015. News of its closure and uncertain future became public earlier this year, with a recent update indicating that the museum will downsize and reopen next Fall. The Metzger Collection Manager, Greg Thiessen spoke with The Cascade on why the closure and other changes are being made at this time.
How long have you worked as manager at Metzger?
“Since the week that it opened to the public, just over 10 years now.”
What do you like most about your job?
“Sharing it with people. Being able to give guided tours through the collection and help bring history to life for people.”
Will you stay on when Metzger reopens?
“It’ll be more in a volunteer capacity,
rather than as part of my official loading at Columbia Bible College. But yes, that is the plan, that I will continue to manage it and to support other volunteers to help run [it].”
What factors led to downsizing the museum?
“In terms of the spatial considerations, one of the big reasons was our main teaching center building on Columbia Bible College campus is not wheelchair accessible, and it’s the oldest building on campus as well…to put in an elevator would kickstart all the code for the building. It would need significant renovations across the building to do that, and they’re rather looking for other classroom spaces on campus that can be wheelchair accessible.
“… The other consideration and factor in the midst of everything is also financial. Things are turning around a little bit, but over the past seven years, Columbia has had a movement of steady decline in enrollment numbers. This past year is the first in eight years of that trend shifting, [where] we have more students this year than we did last year.
“… Sometimes [things] need to get cut for budgetary reasons, and the Metzger Collection was one of those things that they were looking to discontinue the budget for anyway.”
How will the museum be different once it reopens?
“The original plan was to clear the entire basement level where the Metzger Collection is, and create multiple classroom spaces out of that [area]. The revised plan through different people giving feedback and suggestions has been to reduce [and] still occupy some of the basement level where we are currently, but, with a smaller footprint of somewhere between a third and a half of the current footprint.
“… When I think about the museum space display, the areas that really shine as far as not only the artifacts, but the way [they] are displayed and a bit of the decor were the ancient Greece and Roman sections. I figured to dismantle all that, there’s no coming back from that.
“… In a lot of ways, the heart of the Metzger Collection is the biblical history within the context of ancient civilizations …tracing through Mesopotamia, Egypt, Israel, Greece, and Rome.”
What would you like to see for the future of Metzger?
“I have this sense that this is a temporary solution for the time being, and a compromise to see the Metzger Collection continue while the needs of the college [are] being met. I hope for a time when the collection could expand once again to at least what it is now, potentially
even more … There’s even [a] possibility that [it] could be elsewhere in the Lower Mainland … where it is able to expand more.”
How will having a smaller space be challenging?
“Previously, with the large exhibit space that we had, we were able to swap out feature exhibits, and there was always something changing about the Metzger collection, year upon year. And that may not be the case, going forward, [and] it might be more of a static collection.”
Are there other changes you can share?
“There’s a lot of unknowns with what it will look like for us to be reopened in September. And I would say as well that at this point, the plan to reopen in September is not an indefinite plan, that it’s a trial period for one year to see whether this is working, both for the collection and for the college. Right now, we’re taking it a year at a time.”
Will it still be free to the public once it reopens?
“That’s one of the uncertainties, but I’m expecting that it would be [free].”
Interview has been edited for length and clarity.
SUS celebrates their 30th anniversary at UFV
Three decades of shaping the student experience
PRATI KAPOOR
UFV’s Student Union Society (SUS) is commemorating three decades of advocating for student interests and strengthening the UFV community. SUS President Bilal Faisal Faheem spoke with The Cascade about the society’s milestones, ongoing projects, and upcoming elections.
“I think one big milestone for SUS definitely was back in 2015, where we got the Student Union Building. It was a dream for many, and it’s been happening
on a lot of different campuses.”
SUS is also celebrating the 10-year anniversary of the Student Union Building (SUB) being open as a hub for UFV campus services including Fair Grounds Cafe, CIVL Radio, and The Cascade.
“It made an open, safe space for students to come, hang out, just chill, [and] do more student events. It invited other people that are not students to do more events in the SUB for the UFV students.”
SUS currently has 34 employees including four student executives and
nine student representatives at large. Faheem explained that they run multiple programs including “Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC)” which promotes transparency by labelling courses which require no additional fee with a “ZTC” symbol, helping students to plan their budgets accordingly.
“The logo means that you don’t have to pay anything once you register for that course. There’s nothing on top of tuition, which is one of the biggest barriers for students.”
Faheem mentioned that SUS is continuing to advocate for the Fraser
Valley Express Route 66 in an effort to add a student-friendly price for the route onto the U-Pass.
SUS also put on engagement-driven events including Kickback, Backyard Flix, Bunny Yoga, and Cultural Market. Faheem said that nearly 60 clubs and associations are under SUS, and they host activities to help foster community on campus.
“I couldn’t be more proud of how they build community on campus and how
they make everything so seamless for students.”
Faheem finds the SUS’Angel Tree Program initiative to be the most heartwarming. During registration, student parents of children under 16 can request their kids’ wishes. Anyone can sponsor the Angels and drop off the gifts at SUS’ office. Faheem said that student parents then collect the gifts during the pickup period.
“It happens during the holiday season, and it brings those magical connections in our UFV community. It’s so beautiful that you don’t know who is sponsoring your child’s gift, and you don’t know who you’re sponsoring.”
The Angel Tree Program has currently helped over 400 kids from the UFV community. SUS highlighted a testimonial on their website from a student parent expressing how the program helped support their family during the holidays.
“My children have been so blessed by this program. I want to thank you for taking the time to love on them through
this extremely busy and needy season of life. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart and God Bless you!”
While registration is now closed, sponsorships are open until Dec. 3. Faheem encourages everyone to participate and help make the holiday season more precious.
“It is one of the most beautiful things you can do. This is the way you give back to the community during the time where everybody’s celebrating with their loved ones.”
Faheem believes that true giving should come from honest intentions and lies in quiet acts of kindness.
“The most beautiful, genuine, authentic way of giving [is] when you give something to someone without expecting anything in return because that’s [when] you’re doing it out of your good heart.”
Faheem said there are multiple ways students can share their feedback and raise concerns including SUS’s Instagram, emails, and informal meetings with the president at ‘Chai with Bilal.’ He emphasized that even if the concern is outside SUS’ jurisdiction, the team connects
students with the right people who can support them.
“This is what SUS does … We are there for the pretty part, but we’re also there for the ugly part. If there is anything that students want to ask us, they can come.”
Faheem reflected that while SUS continues to evolve, they stay true to their mission.
“Every year you have four different people that lead the organization, with the staff team, the volunteers, and the students. Every year you get new students and everybody brings in their different perspectives, but SUS remains the same.”
As SUS marks its 30th year, Faheem feels honoured to serve as its president. He is optimistic about the future of the society and encourages the future leaders to take care of this organization with the same dedication.
“You can do and achieve so much with this organization. Give it your all and it’s one of the best things that you can do at UFV while being a student. If you’ve got this opportunity and if students have shown their trust in you, then live up to that.”
UFV // President James Mandigo’s vision for UFV
Student engagement, applied learning opportunities, and local collaborations
PRATI KAPOOR
Dr. James Mandigo is the newly appointed President and Vice Chancellor of UFV. In 2019, he previously worked as the Provost and Vice President Academic until stepping into his new role in 2025.
On Oct. 24, Mandigo was officially inaugurated as the seventh president of UFV during an installation ceremony held at the Abbotsford campus. He previously served in various leadership roles and was the acting president at UFV in 2022. Mandigo spoke to The Cascade about his transition, priorities, and plans to create more opportunities for students.
“I’m honoured that our board and our university community have the confidence in me to appoint me as their next president and vice-chancellor.”
UFV was recently designated as an Ashoka Changemaker Campus, joining seven other Canadian universities. As Mandigo begins his presidency, one of his key focuses will be working with the Ashoka Network — which consists of over 4,000 community members across more than 95 countries dedicated to creating positive, widespread change.
“I’m excited to work with the network and have our faculty, staff, and students be able to interact with [them] … Our commitment is to align what we do to serve our local community [by] supporting economic, social, [and] cultural development and how our students
can be involved and engaged in those opportunities.”
Mandigo said this collaboration will create opportunities for students to work directly with the community through volunteering, practicums, innovation incubators, and co-op placements.
One example Mandigo mentioned was the “Campus to Commerce” initiative, which gives students the chance to work with local businesses. As an example of its potential, he envisioned the possibility of students presenting marketing projects to help businesses flourish while earning course credit.
“Hopefully it’s a win-win with the student gaining skills and the business gaining more exposure in terms of their product.”
Another project is the “One Health Initiative,” which Mandigo explained is being led with an Indigenous perspective on the connections between people, animals, and environmental health. The project focuses on creating applied research solutions to protect the environment and support horticulture, especially in areas affected by climate change.
“The ecosystem is very important for the valley to be successful, and we have to think about how we can help play a role in protecting that ecosystem together so that the human, animals, and environmental components can thrive in this very complex system. [I am] excited about how we can work with the community and
leverage the expertise we have here to help address some of these local challenges.”
During his transition, Mandigo connected with the broader community to gather feedback and understand their expectations of the university.
“I’ve had a chance to talk to a lot of different government officials, community leaders, donors, and industry leaders. They all said the same thing about UFV — what a great university this is, how engaged it is in our community, and how proud they are of this university.”
Mandigo also aims to create more student engagement opportunities on both campuses through social clubs and activities, as well as with recreation opportunities on-campus. The university has also been in talks with the city authorities about building recreation fields near the campus, including a potential sports complex to foster social engagement for both students and the Fraser Valley community.
“I’m really excited about some of the potential here on Abbotsford campus. It has a reputation of being a commuter campus, so how can we create more of a vibrant student culture and have students stay and interact?”
Mandigo shared that the university has developed a campus plan to revitalize the Chilliwack campus, which includes bringing hands-on applied learning and work opportunities with industry professionals to support students,
faculty, and staff.
For Mandigo, one of the most rewarding aspects of his role is seeing UFV alumni excel in different fields in their lives such as working in city hall or as government workers.
“[They express] how proud they are of being a UFV alumnus and how they felt that UFV was the perfect place to prepare them for the career they’re in today.”
Mandigo stated he is always interested in getting feedback from students to help better serve them. He mentioned the various ways through which students can voice their opinions and bring change to campus, including informal meetings with the Student Union Society (SUS)’ President Bilal Faisal Faheem at ‘Chai with Bilal,’ running for Senate, joining the Board of Governors, and filling out surveys about their experience as students.
Mandigo’s message to students and UFV’s community is to find something they are passionate about and keep persevering.
“You [have] to put yourself out there a little bit and try new things and if they don’t work, it’s okay, try again. Don’t give up … It can seem threatening and scary, but you’ll always learn something along the way.”
UFV foresees over 20-million-dollar deficit for 2026/2027
Increased tuition & fees, silent layoffs, program reductions, and more
SKY S. TERRONES
On Oct. 7, UFV president Dr. James Mandigo revealed sobering preliminary numbers during a budget town hall meeting, with a projected $21.4 million shortfall in 2026/27.
Many post-secondary institutions are financially struggling after Federal policy changes slowed visa approvals and capped international student intake. Mandigo explained at town hall that while UFV is below the provincial average, collapsing international enrollments are projected to drop 25 per cent this year instead of 10.3 per cent, resulting in a $5.1 million deficit for 2025/26.
Although UFV planned for the smaller deficit, this new development underscores their reliance on international tuition in a volatile policy environment. UFV administrators have reduced travel and discretionary spending to help balance the 2025 budget, nevertheless, the greater challenge ahead demands drastic change.
Enrollments are UFV’s primary revenue source, and while domestic enrollments are growing, they fail to offset the loss of international tuition, which is around four times the domestic rate. The provincial block grant continues unchanged, and despite fee increases, a $20.1 million deficit remains.
UFV’s Chief Financial Officer, Nicole Adams provided further insight, and explained how the shortfall would be distributed and administered at UFV.
“Yes, faculties are going to be affected by that shortfall, but there’s a very specific allocation of how our budget model works — it’s distributed throughout the faculties [and administration]. But at this time, I don’t think it would be fair for me to share specific information.”
She added that while there is a budget model, the figures are not final. Faculties will still develop and present their own budgets, and the distribution adjustments may change once reviewed.
UFV is legally required to present a balanced budget as revenues must match expenses and any deficit will need ministry approval and a mitigation plan.
Greg Mather, the president of the Faculty & Staff Association (FSA), said they anticipated a deficit, as other provincial universities were already facing cuts and layoffs. He said the FSA had been in discussions with UFV for several months about when the announcement would be made official. The union was formally informed of the figures just before the
town hall in October.
“We held a session for folks to come [after the town hall] for our faculty and staff to be with each other and ask questions … I can only speak for myself, but I felt a little overwhelmed, and at one point, I got a little teary-eyed because I was also processing this really significant news and impact.”
The upcoming 2026/27 deficit is so significant that even with mitigation strategies, layoffs at UFV are unavoidable, Mather explained. He added that the university can sometimes prevent formal layoffs, due to “silent layoffs” of sessional and contract faculty.
President Mandigo commented that sessional job losses aren’t formally considered layoffs because they’re tied to enrollment and course assignments. However, he acknowledged that fewer international students will mean less sections and contracts.
Students usually see faculty and staff as mentors, said Mather, and not as contractors. Layoffs of sessionals and staff through budget cuts could have a profound impact on them. Mathers believes students should be aware of this and speak up to support those who matter most to their education.
noted the FSA is bargaining with UFV, and while he hopes it runs smoothly, job action may occur to protect education quality. He stressed the importance of students understanding this and sees the Student Union Society (SUS) as a key ally in advocacy.
Tuition is expected to rise as UFV faces a deficit. While B.C.’s tuition policy caps domestic increases at two per cent annually, no such limits apply to international students. According to Mandigo, UFV typically keeps international tuition increases within 3–5 per cent.
SUS President Bilal Faisal said he’s actively advocating for tuition caps on new international students — both with UFV and at the provincial level. He expressed that students shouldn’t be used to balance UFV’s deficit — if tuition rises, it must come with a greater justification.
“I know they care about you folks. But a lot of them are putting on very brave faces, going into class, and doing the work they have to do.”
“That faculty member who has been here 10 years and is sessional, maybe at the end of the semester, that’s the last time they’re gonna have a contract with UFV … it sounds silly, but it goes so far as to check in with that faculty member that you have a good connection with and ask how they’re doing. Because I know they care about you folks. But a lot of them are putting on very brave faces, going into class, and doing the work they have to do.”
He emphasized UFV’s strength lies in its small classes and close student-professor relationships, though financial pressures may lead to larger classes, fewer sections, and faculty. Mathers
“The basic rule is that if you increase something, you see an increase not only in the amount you’re paying, but also an increase in what you’re getting out of it.”
Mather believes students have power to influence how UFV handles its deficit by speaking out, demanding transparency, and working with SUS to find ways they can safeguard the quality of their education and campus services.
Angelina Joseph, a student representative on both the Board of Governors and Senate, concurred, highlighting the importance of student presence at meetings and decision-making spaces.
“Even if you have no idea as to what’s happening, show up … because the more of a crowd there is, the more people who are leading us will understand [the] importance it has in these people’s lives.”
Mather hopes for the FSA to partner and advocate with students and other associations, to minimize harm from the crisis, and create support across the UFV community.
“This community is going through a
lot, and we all need to support one another right now.”
Mandigo also emphasized UFV’s budgetary principles of transparency, accountability, and core values of community, and solidarity.
“It’s part of our community and our values here at UFV that we come together as [a] community, not only during times to celebrate but also during challenging times.”
At the town hall, Mandigo opened the room for feedback and suggestions from faculty and staff to help save money. Some of which were included in his report at the Nov. 14 Senate Public meeting. However, the student body was not invited to the October town hall where this information was disclosed. And with the October Senate Public Meeting cancellation, students had limited ways to access this data.
On Nov. 14The Cascade’s editor-inchief, Darien Johnsen, asked at Senate why UFV waited so long to release this information to students. Mandigo reassured that there was no deliberate withholding of information and pointed to existing communication efforts.
Joseph criticized the lack of communication between UFV leadership and students as they are only hearing about issues by word of mouth.
“All of that [information] is coming to [students] through the grapevine, and I don’t find that fair … because it’s affecting them.”
Mandigo has committed to finding better ways to engage and inform students going forward.
“If this is something that students would like more information about, I’m happy to speak with them and my team’s happy to speak with them as well.”
Mandigo confirmed that no decisions have been made about closures and that budget mitigation efforts are ongoing. Although serious, he believes UFV can find solutions beforehand.
“I know the unknown is probably the most fearful thing, but we’ve got some very smart, dedicated people who are looking at this with a lot of care for people, programs, and students to find ways to balance that budget.”
The Oct. 7 town hall meeting has now been published on the budget website and is accessible for students. The official budget estimates are available in March 2026 and The Cascade will continue to update the student body as changes occur.
Queer resilience, intergenerational discourse
Prof. Shel Stefan’s research tip took queer UFV students to Chicago’s largest LGBTQ+ archive
NATALIA TOSCANO MURUA
Professor Shel Stefan is a Visual Arts associate professor in the School of Creative Arts at UFV. They studied at Maine College of Art and Design in 2006, where they received their Masters of Fine Arts in Studio Art.
On Nov. 4, Stefan held an open lecture called “It Gets Better? An Exploration of Queer and Trans Resilience through the Arts & Culture Outcome of Chicago’s 2SLGBTQIA+ Museums and Archives.” They shared both the attending students’ and their own personal experiences from the research trip to Chicago in February 2025. Stefan shared with The Cascade how the trip was made possible with the help of UFV’s Research Office and the Inclusive Community Fund, what inspired their project planning, and the impactful outcome of the research trip.
Stefan recalled dreaming of the opportunity to take UFV students with them to Chicago, their hometown. They described it as a city that is known for standing up
Local //
for social rights, which has hosted some of the earliest queer pride parades, and is the location of the Gerber/Hart Library and Archives which archives and preserves books and media highlighting the history and culture of the Queer community.
Stefan’s lecture explored topics of 2SLGBTQIA+ resilience, and they shared part of their background and artistic career as a member and activist of the Queer community. Stefan talked about how the ItGetsBetter project embodied the resilience needed to keep going, not giving up on life, and finding community.
“We learned new ways to have resilience to be able to keep doing our life [and] not giving it up.”
Stefan’s intention in introducing UFV students to the records at Gerber/ Hart’s archives was to encourage them to hunt for hidden gems that resonate with them on a personal level. As a creative researcher and artist, Stefan mentioned how they wanted the students involved to be able to explore their own way of discovering the records at the archive,
and to dissect the different components of what each piece represented. For example, if it was part of a larger event, what year it was from, where they found it, if it had an ID number, its historical importance, and the personal impact it made.
“Don’t worry about what you’re drawn to, but find an object. And if you like it just think about what it’s giving for you, what is it reverberating, and then talk about that a little bit.”
Stefan also reflected that on their final day of research they attended a LGBTQ+ intergenerational dialogue project led by cultural anthropology professor, Karen Morris, from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, which was held at the Center on Halsted. The institution has been known for supporting LGBTQ+ health, wellness, and cultural enrichment since 1973.
There was a space for members of the community from different generations to share their experiences, which they remarked as one of the trip’s most important highlights. Stefan and the UFV
Real positive change happening at Abbotsford’s Centre of Hope
How The Salvation Army is changing the lives of people in need
the extent to which they go to do so.
Daniel Comrie is the community partnerships coordinator at The Salvation Army Centre of Hope located on Abbotsford’s Gladys avenue, which provides food and shelter for people in need. He is responsible for connecting with churches, businesses, schools, and individuals wanting to get involved with their organization as well as determine how they can best serve the people. Comrie shared information with The Cascade about the essential services they provide along with his personal motivations and inspirations that surround his work.
Comrie emphasized how Centre of Hope services being available 24 hours a day is one of the most important aspects of their work. He mentioned that there is in-house staff at all times, serving between 100 to 200 individuals a day. They also provide on-site meals and housing for around 50 individuals. He expressed respect and admiration for all the people involved in serving the community and
“I get to see the folks of The Salvation Army, in particular the shelter workers, the outreach team, [and] we have two nurses on staff — they just don’t take a day off. We are a 365 day a year social service.”
Comrie said that some of the most touching aspects about this line of work are the success stories of those they help. He shared the testimony of his friend and colleague, John, who spent years living on the streets of different cities. John and his girlfriend learned they were expecting a baby while still homeless, which became a turning point for them both. With the help offered by the members of The Salvation Army’s outreach team, they felt supported in their journey to leave behind drug addiction and receive care for their health. John was able to turn his life around for the better and the couple had their baby boy. John now works with Comrie at the Centre full time.
Comrie explained how rewarding it is to witness instances where people give
back to the community. John is a strong example that impacted him in a positive way. Comrie believes that real impactful change is possible, and that multiplying and spreading these types of stories is the ideal outcome.
“I think that’s the teensiest little tidbit of what’s possible when the right resources are available at the right time for the right person.”
The Salvation Army operates a number of different services, some of which are publicly funded through BC Housing contracts and Fraser Health. They also rely on fundraising to help make their work in the community possible.
Part of the organization’s work around December is focused on the Christmas fundraising initiative known as the Christmas Kettle campaign and spreading awareness about the volunteer opportunities. Comrie said there are over 1,000 two-hour volunteer shifts available at 15 different locations across Abbotsford and Mission throughout the month of December.
students who attended the dialogue project heard and shared stories with Queer elders, creating and sustaining a sense of community.
“The intergenerational components of this little event that we did is probably one of the biggest outcomes.”
Stefan presented the artistic and reflective work done by the students after the trip, and also read a list of an initial culling of themes explored during the research trip. Stefan explained that they want to avoid rushing to any hasty conclusions concerning if it does get better for trans and queer people, and chose to share what resilience looks like for the Queer community, and how it benefits their survival. Stefan stated that they will continue to go through the list of themes they culled and continue to refine it to find the answers they seek out of the project.
“I have a big job ahead of me to [sift] through all of that to a smaller family of themes. So I’m hoping to continue this work while I’m here at UFV.”
This year, Comrie is excited for the largest Christmas Kettle campaign launched in the area so far, aiming to fundraise $175,000 to help as many people in need as possible.
“It’s a big goal, but it has to be a big goal because the needs keep increasing in our community. We have more people than ever coming to our door.”
Comrie invites anyone interested in volunteering to reach out to The Salvation Army, highlighting how it is one of the best ways to support their campaign this holiday season. He stated that the most important part is that everyone is invited to get involved in their own unique way such as spreading awareness of community concerns, the type of work The Salvation Army does, engaging with the community, and sharing real human stories with empathy.
“I think when we can raise awareness by paying attention to a story like this or engaging with our work in one way or another, then it has a ripple effect on the community.”
NATALIA TOSCANO MURUA
Sex Life //
The question of sexual content has no easy answer
What you get off to isn’t right or wrong — but it’s worth thinking about
KARA DUNBAR
Sexually arousing content isn’t something uncommon or new. As unpleasant as the thought is, our parents, grandparents, and every generation before have consumed content to experience sexual pleasure. For the generation that has grown up with the internet, erotic or pornographic content has only been a google search away. And lots of it. Over 69 per cent of the men and 30 per cent of the women surveyed by WifiTalents reported consuming pornographic content at least once per month.
Today there is a lot of variety in what kinds of content is available — books, audio, video, pictures, all can be made to elicit sexual arousal and pleasure. The creation of each of these looks very different, and the implications and effects vary.
Mainstream video porn has been proven to be addictive, and a Swedish study found that adolescent boys who are
exposed to a lot of pornographic content showed more interest in actualizing what they saw in real life.
Mainstream porn sites like Pornhub have been sued on charges of profiting off of sexual trafficking, and were accused of hosting child abuse and rape related content. Although the platform has removed all unverified content, it is difficult to verify how performers are actually being treated, and how consensual the acts are.
Companies like XConfessions by Erica Lust, Pink Label TV, and Four Chambers are working to counter this, seeking to create safe workplaces for performers, provide fair pay and/or ongoing royalties, showing realistic examples of sex, and providing diverse depictions of pleasure.
On her podcast The Whore’s Bedroom, sex worker Lucy Huxley said she believes that ethical porn is more of a spectrum. But she did make a point that on mainstream platforms like Pornhub and other tube sites, there is no guarantee that the performers are being treated well, and if you want ethical porn, it’s not free.
“The general rule if you’re looking for ethical porn where the performers are being treated well, you need to pay for it. If you’re accessing porn for free, somebody along the line is getting shortchanged and it’s probably the performers. So if you want to make sure the performers are being treated well, you need to be paying for your porn.”
Content like audio erotica often involves only one person, with little or no actual sex being had, and provides a large layer of anonymity to the content if the creator chooses. Erotic fiction provides the advantage that no real people were involved in the sexual acts, and so there is little room for someone to be exploited in the process of making the content.
The type of sex and the events in its
scenes are important. Depictions of sex can start sexual trends and normalize certain acts. For example, erotic asphyxiation or choking was previously an uncommon event even in BDSM, that now has become commonplace among young people. Many were introduced to the concept through porn, and do it without knowing the risks. Sexually charged content has the power to change how we interact with sex, so we need to be paying attention to what it is saying and normalizing.
Companies like popular audio erotica app Quinn screen all content posted to their platform holding the directive of including explicit examples of ongoing consent, foreplay, and aftercare, as well as working to avoid sexist or racist stereotypes that can often be found in mainstream porn.
Porn is also a vessel for people to explore their sexuality with. It can serve as a safe way for people to experiment in ways they may not currently be able to explore physically, learning more about themselves and their body. Audio erotica apps like Dipsea, Bloom, and Ferly also include embodiment and body exploration audio that can help individuals become more in tune with their bodies, and help couples connect on deeper levels.
There is no easy answer to content used for sexual pleasure, there are real harms in the current mainstream content, but there are many companies working toward healthier alternatives. Additionally, shaming or ignoring the subject is not only unrealistic, but holds its own harm.
My conclusion? Be thoughtful about what is in line with your beliefs, what attitudes the content promotes, how it is created, the impact on those involved, and how your brain and personal relationships are affected. If you choose to explore safely.
Battle of the holidays SNAPSHOT
Illustration by Iryna Presley
I’m here to ask you a very important question… Halloween or Christmas? November feels like the ultimate in-between month where we’re smushed between two major celebrations, and the same debate arises. Which one truly is better? We’re recovering from the consumption of too much candy and heart palpitations, waiting for Christmas to come so we can relax, listen to the same 10 songs repeated on the radio, and scramble for what to buy our grandparents who already have everything. I’m team Halloween all the way, but I still love and support Christmas.
I love Halloween because I love a good scare, picking out and carving pumpkins is nostalgic to me, and being creative with homemade costumes is thrilling. Yet, I find joy in decorating the family Christmas tree with childhood ornaments, watching the snow fall, baking the “once-a-year” cookies, and Christmas light hunting. It’s horror versus romance or comedy (or both), red and green versus black and orange, and spider webs versus tinsel. How do you really determine what’s better? I think my verdict is this: there is no better holiday. Rather, we all just have individual tastes and that’s no need for debate.
BY VERONICA POWELL
Illustration by Natasha Zilcosky / The Cascade
SNAPSHOTS
It is time for a field trip
I recently moved to a new area and have gone to the art galleries, niche museums, and on walking tours to get to know the place better. While doing this, I realized that while I had dipped my toes into the historical and gallery scene back home, I did not take full advantage of the opportunities I had. I have never regretted learning more about my community. The small museum, the weird historical ghost tour, the field trip spot every elementary school goes to — they are all doing work to preserve the community’s history and culture. Every time I invest in these experiences, I gain a new perspective and appreciation for where I am, and get to feel like a kid on a field trip with no ulterior motive other than to learn. It benefits the community, the preservation of history, and your own appreciation for where you are right now. I don’t see any losses for adding field trip style outings to your weekend plans.
BY KARA DUNBAR
THE ENVIRONMENTALIST: When clean energy gets dirty
Extraction, injustice, and privilege echoing the Industrial Age
Welcome to The Environmentalist, your column for understanding the natural world. This edition of the column is about how humanity’s newest revolution, the Green Energy Revolution, mirrors the Industrial Revolution.
Just as fossil fuels reshaped energy in the 18th century, the Renewable Energy Revolution promises to bring a solution to climate change. But are these two revolutions that different? What could this mean to the future of our planet?
Around the 1800s, Europe saw the Industrial Revolution — a time of exponential technological development that transformed rural societies into industrialized and urbanized ones by manufacturing goods in mass quantities with the introduction of machinery in factories. This was made possible thanks to the steam engine, which required coal to function.
Steam power allowed miners to go deeper and extract more coal, which then led to more steam-powered machines, and therefore more mining, becoming a vicious cycle. The steam engine transformed the world’s infrastructure as we see it today.
Nowadays, the Green Energy Revolution — a movement that started around the late 20th century — looks to replace the usage of fossil fuels such as oil and gas for energy, with renewable sources of energy such as solar, eolic, hydrological, and geothermal sources. The objective is to keep energy “clean” and have a low impact on the environment by lowering greenhouse gas emissions. Data shows that hydro, solar, and wind energies are growing rapidly, representing approximately one-seventh of the world’s primary energy.
This revolution represents humanity’s attempt to rewrite its energy history, with the United Nations (UN) calling renewable energies the “key to a safer, cleaner, and sustainable world.” As nations race to lead today’s economy, clean energies have been turned into policy and geopolitics. But how clean could they possibly be?
The Industrial Revolution took humanity to the next level, but it was the start of climate change that came with
Trends // Winter arc going whey too far
Unpacking the protein obsession: are we getting gainz or is it just hype?
MADDI MERCER
Lately, like many of you I presume, I’ve been focused on boosting my exercise, building muscle, and eating better overall — a necessary strategy to keep sane as finals and the holidays creep closer, and as the days get darker. This shift in diet made me keenly aware of a massive trend: the protein craze. High-protein options are now aggressively dominating grocery aisles and fast-food menus alike. The market response is clear: protein is in,
and it’s moving fast! This ubiquity begs the question: What is with this sudden surge?! I believe this craze is a doubleedged sword, offering significant benefits as well as insidious pitfalls. I’m convinced an educated discussion is needed, so let’s talk protein.
Don’t get me wrong, protein is undeniably important. According to HealthLink BC, this essential nutrient acts as fuel for your body, is necessary for energy, cell repair, building muscle, supporting the immune system, and producing enzymes
heavy human life costs. Across the world, ordinary people absorb the fatal consequences of an energy system that produces profit through dangerous and extractive labour. Today’s Green Energy Revolution aims to undo that painful legacy, but as scholars lead us to reflect that even a green revolution relies on extraction — not of coal, but of lithium and cobalt instead — it mirrors what the green revolution itself seeks to end.
Minerals for solar panels and batteries are mined under unregulated conditions in the Democratic Republic of Congo, displacing Indigenous communities and the exploitation of cheap labour. The privilege to enjoy those resources and scientific advancements around it are accrued to the privileged in the Global North while many in the Global South are trapped in sacrifice zones in the name of a “clean economy”.
This is a call to reflect how “renewable” is not synonymous with “just.” The test of this century is whether this revolution can learn from the last, not just in technology, but in equity, rights, and dignity. As the Lorax once said, “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better.” So, let’s care.
and hormones. Crucially, protein helps keep you feeling fuller for longer — a significant plus when managing a busy schedule.
But how much do we actually need?
The National Library of Medicine recommends for a healthy adult aged 19 and older with minimal activity to consume 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, or about 0.36 grams per pound per day. For example, a 180-pound person needs approximately 65 grams of protein daily. The more you exercise
(bodybuilding, for example), the more you may need to consume. However, the reality is that most non-athletes are likely meeting this requirement through a balanced diet already. To me, this suggests the craze is less about addressing a deficiency and more about capitalizing on marketing and convenience.
The protein craze is not a wholly negative phenomenon; it emerged to fill a genuine need for both convenience and
Illustration by Iryna Presley
Illustration by Hannah Bricknell / The Cascade
FABIOLA CRUZ ALDERETE
choice. For busy students, a grab-and-go protein box or a ready-made shake is infinitely superior to skipping a meal or resorting to simple carbohydrate snacks that offer zero satiety. The sheer availability of these options provides an effortless way to access essential nutrition on the fly.
More significantly, the craze has fostered a revolution in dietary inclusivity. Historically, high-protein options were limited to meat and dairy. Today, grocery stores and fast-food chains offer alternatives rich in pea, soy, and plantbased proteins, making it far easier for vegans, vegetarians, and the dairy-intolerant to find convenient, compliant, and
protein-rich foods. To me, this expansion of choice is a clear win for the consumer!
The downside, however, is the UltraProcessed Food (UPF) trap. The problem isn’t the protein itself; it’s the “package” it comes in. When manufacturers fortify a product with protein, they often pair it with excessive amounts of sugar, saturated fat, or sodium to enhance flavour, texture, and shelf life, ultimately undermining the supposed health benefit.
Many “high-protein” fast-food meals, like salads or wraps, use fatty dressings, ultra-processed meats, and salty toppings that can exceed the daily limits for sodium or saturated fat. Even seemingly healthy options, like Starbucks’ new high-protein latte, might boast 27 grams of protein, but simultaneously contain 40 grams of
added sugars and fats per 16-ounce serving, transforming a nutritious concept into a processed treat.
I think this marketing strategy is often driven by label deception. The words “High in Protein” plastered across the front are designed to distract us from the core nutritional facts. Critical thinking is essential. We must not be misled and instead flip the package to read the nutritional label. A product with 20 grams of protein is a nutritional net loss if it is shadowed by high amounts of sugars, sodium, and saturated fats. The goal of eating well is not merely to hit a protein number; it is to achieve balanced nutrition. I learned that anything that requires a disproportionate trade-off is an ultra-processed shortcut disguised as a healthy choice.
Rant // Please, for the love of God, let me sleep for a week
A burnout crashout case study
ZACKERY FITZPATRICK
Being a student comes with layer after layer of commitment. Classes, labs, extracurriculars, family, social obligations, and, for many, part or full-time work. Whether juggling a heavy courseload or trying to make ends meet, just about every aspect of life contributes to a mental and physical fatigue that can’t be easily ignored.
Burnout’s a hell of a thing. It’s easy to forget to dedicate time to rest, recuperate, or balance work-life without suffering some sense of guilt. You can try to offset it by losing out on sleep, abusing caffeine, or letting commitments slip, but no amount of replacing English lit readings with 2x speed audiobooks, or sleeping in two separate three-hour naps will make up for the inevitable, prophecy-foretold crash that is to follow.
It sneaks up on you, and can even take years to recover from. But what really is the difference between general exhaustion, being temporarily overworked and stressed, versus true, bonafide, 100 per cent gluten free Burnout™?
“fulfilling” life? The aforementioned jobs fill different niches in turn: transforming passion into career, paying rent, trying to engage in and contribute to the community. Beyond that, attempts to maintain a social life have me desperately trying to make friends with my co-workers, attending events regularly, and steadily declining into a sleepless fugue state only justified by “yeah, I can probably write an article about this.” Not to mention trying to keep up with creative pursuits, which I certainly wouldn’t be able to do without a
evident when class readings and due dates began to feel more like suggestions, with the usual stressful necessity being slowly replaced by a sense of optionality. Yes, correct, I have elected the way of pain and am also a part-time student studying British Romanticism this semester. How about we romanticize a fucking nap, huh?
feeling of obligation and dread. So here I am running a writing club — pro bono — for my fellow, equally spread-thin peers.
Well, let me offer up some insight into my own schedule as something of a case study:
Three jobs McGee over here (yours truly) has a lot on their plate. Between trying to keep a business afloat, picking up seasonal work in shipping and receiving, and editing for The Cascade, it’s a miracle I still manage to burden myself with more responsibilities. But how else do you uphold the necessary pillars of a
What is the cost of success if not the mind, body, and spirit, all packaged in a neat, tidy, holiday season, 3-for-1 package deal? But hey, it’ll all probably look good on a resume or a grad school application. Even putting things off and making time in your schedule for fun is concealed under all kinds of priority jenga — rearranging to-dos, productive procrastination, and failed attempts to multitask. I think signs of my own currently overburdened state were first
I digress, enough about me, my intentions were to convey this as more than a rant. It’s hard, for everyone, but especially young professionals teetering between unmet expectations and a vapid desire to prove oneself. Everyone gets tired of work, and keeping up with all the life upkeep you’re supposed to keep in mind, like health, fitness, and hygiene. I truly don’t think anyone gets a handle on it all without suffering a bout or two of heavily regretting their choices. Such strain isn’t always voluntary, and for many there’s no choice and the consequences take their toll. I don’t really think I’m quite at full burnout yet. Still more or less functional. But, that’s the thing: look at just how easy it is to fall into habits and cycles that promote exhaustion, and the slippery slope of it all leading to a crash that won’t be so kind as to give you the choice to rest, but rather will demand you to slow down by force.
So, until some commitments end, or until my body fails me, the knowledge of a slowly impending doom sits relatively ignored, an omen looming at the edges of every cup of coffee and open tab. This is a PSA for both me and you to keep a weather eye on your energy, your schedule, and to try and be kinder to both.
This craze may have opened doors to convenience and dietary inclusion, but it demands that consumers be more vigilant than ever. The choice is often between a quick-fix shortcut and true, balanced nutrition.
We don’t need highly processed snacks to meet our needs. Whole-food protein sources like plain Greek yogurt, eggs, beans, lentils, nuts and seeds, and simple cuts of lean meat or fish are excellent alternatives that offer high-quality protein without the baggage of excess sugar and sodium. The protein craze might be here to stay, but the choice is ours. Will we fall for the marketing of the ultra-processed shortcuts, or will we choose convenience rooted in simple, balanced nutrition? Read your labels — your health depends on it!
Capture moments on film SNAPSHOT
Do you ever get tired of your phone’s digital camera? Are you in need of a change? Would you like to try your photography skills in a low-stakes fashion? Get a disposable camera! Taking photos on a disposable camera reminds me why I take them in the first place — to capture the authentic moments in life of each and every day. The anticipation of waiting for the images to develop is reminiscent of a simpler time. Plus, the nostalgic grain adds an aesthetic quality to the photos which a digital just can’t match. There’s nothing quite like capturing moments on film.
Disposable cameras are perfect for all occasions: as a birthday gift, a stocking stuffer, to take on vacation, or just for fun. Not only that, but you can gift the photos you take too!
Disposables are easy to use, they require less maintenance than an actual film camera, and are incredibly charming. Sure, taking photos on your phone is convenient, but where’s the fun in that? It’s too easy with digital, I think it’s important and cool to have a challenge.
BY JASLEEN SANDHU
Illustration by Hannah Bricknell / The Cascade
Lifestyle
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An “unhealthy” habit became my biggest nutritional asset
How I understood what my body needs for fuel
NATALIA TOSCANO MURUA
You are what you eat, they say. It’s common knowledge that eating healthy is important, but I feel like there is a lack of awareness of what proper nutrition looks like. What makes up a good diet? Should you only watch what you eat if you’re trying to get rid of extra pounds? There are countless ways to approach nutrition, and one can get lost in its sea of possibilities — as it happened to me. I had goals to meet and no idea of how to get there, until I found an approach that worked for me. Today, I’m here to share how I learned to navigate the tumultuous waters of nutrition, its ins and outs, and the unexpected thing that kickstarted this discovery: calorie counting.
Starting off with the basics, a calorie is a unit that measures the energy needed to increase the temperature of a gram of water by one degree celsius. Your body needs energy to function, and this energy comes from the food you eat. There are ways to calculate how many calories your body needs to maintain your current weight, but the bottom line is that
consuming more calories than needed will result in the body storing the extra energy, while consuming less will make the body use its energy reserves. It’s calories in, and calories out. Some foods are higher in calories than others, and while that doesn’t necessarily make them bad, it helped me realize where a lot of that extra stored energy was coming from.
I feel like calorie counting has a negative reputation for some people in general, because obsessing over calorie counts and prioritizing low-calorie food over quality, nutritious food can do more harm than good, becoming unhealthy and unsustainable. When I understood calorie tracking is a tool to know what my energy needs are and the quantity and quality I’m giving my body via food, it turned into one of the most important tools in helping me understand how my body uses food as fuel. I had tried different approaches to nutrition, but they all ended up in frustration and felt restrictive — like being placed in a cage forced to either follow the instructions or suffer the consequences. Eating healthy felt incomplete, amiss. In my heart I knew that caring for my body
should feel liberating, not frustrating. I know myself to be a person that likes to understand how stuff works behind the curtains, so I figured I could try that approach with nutrition. I wanted to understand why vegetables are so good, and why sweets and chips are not so good. My goal was to understand what I was fueling my body with, how much and what kind of energy I was feeding it, and what it was doing with it behind the scenes.
I downloaded an app called MyFitnessPal to help me track what I ate and understand the macro nutrients — the main nutrients your body needs to function properly — and the vitamins and minerals (micro nutrients) each food provides. I was surprised at how much I learned just from tracking my food the first few days. Things started to click into place. I knew veggies are good but with this method I really got why veggies are so good — they’re basically an all you can eat item on the list because of how low most of them are in calories, and how much fiber and vitamins they pack! I understood that sweets and chips are
not my enemy, as long as I eat them with moderation. Anything done with moderation is fair game. I notice a huge difference in how I feel on the days I hit my macro nutrient goals — I can only describe it as smooth sailing, no sluggishness.
I stopped feeling guilty about eating the food I desired, because I am still eating the things I want by choosing wisely and being smart about the portions. I feel empowered and I am seeing results. I feel like I finally cracked the code that has personally helped me in my nutrition journey. Having a tool that lets me understand, quantify, and control what I’m nurturing my body with has been unexpectedly liberating. Food doesn’t feel like a mystery anymore, and I like that. So, if you are feeling like trying something new for your nutrition journey, feel free to give calorie counting a go! Remember that food is fuel, and your body needs proper fuel to feel good. Personally, it has been a very rewarding experience, I know nutrition is not a one size fits all thing but just knowing that this way to go about it is valid helped me out a lot. Who knows, it might work for you too!
Holiday Season // I’m buying Canadian this Christmas season
Going Canadian is a gift for your community and loved ones
ALYSSA GRAHAM
My Halloween decorations have once again been vanquished to a dusty box in the corner of my basement, I am ready to embrace the Christmas season. Once the Christmas tree is standing tall in all of its glory on Nov. 12, my mind turns to the gifts that will be neatly wrapped and placed under the tree on Christmas morning. This year, a combination of geopolitical circumstances, inflation, and a personal desire for quality products have led me to question and reconsider how I will be Christmas shopping this year. In light of the U.S. tariffs imposed on Canadian goods, many Canadians have decided to support national brands and struggling local businesses, known as the Elbows Up movement. This consumer sentiment and buying behaviour is still going strong into Christmas as shown by a survey from Deloitte Canada suggesting that 73 per cent of Canadians are planning to support local or Canadian businesses this season. A similar survey by PwC Canada also suggests that 78 per cent of
Canadians would be more likely to buy a comparable Canadian product instead of an American product. It also suggests that up to 64 per cent of Canadian baby boomers would be willing to pay significantly more for a product made in Canada.
This year, my family and I will be joining this consumer practice as we will only be buying our Christmas gifts from local and Canadian businesses. Our decision was not solely based on the geopolitical circumstances I mentioned, but it did play a part. Truthfully, our biggest driver for committing to shopping Canadian this Christmas season was our desire to gift and receive high quality products sourced from hard working artisans in our community.
My family doesn’t view Christmas as a religious holiday, we instead view it as an opportunity to gather as a family, and the gifts we exchange end up being practical or utilitarian in nature. One could say that Christmas and birthdays in my family are the twice a year free top up shop sponsored by the rest of the family for all manners of personal needs like skin
care, shampoo, and new clothing. For us, gift giving is our love language. We gift items that will be useful to the recipient in the future or something that they wouldn’t buy for themselves based on cost.
This year, the items on my list are from Canadian brands in the following categories: clothing apparel, skin and hair care, and handmade gifts. For instance, I will be shopping online at Vessi, XXL Scrunchie Co., and Truly Lifestyle Brand Inc. Vessi is a Vancouver-based brand that makes waterproof products such as shoes, jackets, and bags. XXL Scrunchie Co. is a small brand based out of Belleville, Ontario that sells hair clips and makes handmade scrunchies. Truly Lifestyle Brand Inc. is a skincare brand based out of Surrey, B.C. that makes clean and sustainable products. I love Truly’s skincare products, I haven’t seen a zit in weeks! I will also be shopping in-person at places in Abbotsford’s Downtown Core like Spruce Collective, Lotus & Lemongrass, and Totally Bookish. I will also frequent the Mango Market and other Christmas markets in the Lower Mainland and
Metro-Vancouver area. Although buying products from multi-national brands can be a cheaper option for people on a budget, this year I’m going to spend a little bit more and support a local artisan. This may cost me more, but I think it is a higher quality, more personal, and more meaningful gift. If it’s something that is within your financial means, I encourage you to give Canadian business owners a helping hand in these uncertain times. Merry Christmas and happy holidays everyone!
Illustration by Hannah Bricknell / The Cascade
Features Editor — Caitlyn Carr
THE SOUND OF A FALLEN TREE
A personal account of press freedom under siege and protesting
SKY S. TERRONES
If a tree falls in the middle of the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?
On Aug. 10, four members of the press from Al Jazeera and one independent journalist covering the atrocities committed in Gaza were killed onsite by an Israeli strike. The Israeli army defended its actions, claiming that the strike was targeting reporter Anas Al-Sharif due to alleged “terrorist affiliation,” — conclusive evidence was not presented.
At least 241 journalists have already been killed since the beginning of this war. In the wake of the Day of the Imprisoned Writer (Nov. 15) and International Journalist Day (Nov. 19), it’s impossible not to think about the fragility of truth when voices are silenced. This slightly political personal reflection is not about which side of the war you are on, but about veiled history and the hopelessness of a media blackout through the lenses of an idealist. So, buckle up as we take a detour into Apr. 5, 1992, in my own home country, Peru, when Journalist Gustavo Gorriti was kidnapped by members of the Peruvian intelligence during Alberto Fujimori’s self-coup, just for trying to expose Fujimori’s crimes.
Gorriti was held for two days before international pressure forced his release. By then, he had already uncovered Fujimori’s Intelligence Chief, Vladimiro Montesinos’s drug ties, making himself a target of the corrupt government — it came to no surprise then that he was publicly smeared, captured, and threatened to silence.
This is not the only instance of intimidation tactics to manipulate the widespread narrative, with Peru having a long history of media corruption. The international non-profit organization that defends freedom of press, Reporters Without Borders (RSF), has consistently rang the alarm and urged the Peruvian government to ensure journalists’ safety, even now.
Back then, in times of terrorism, things were falling apart. The horrors didn’t just come from terrorist organizations like Sendero Luminoso [Shining Path] — they came from the authoritarian government of Fujimori, too. I did not live through this era of chaos. In fact, I almost did not live at all, as my mother was serendipitously saved by one of her friends who saw her at a bus stop and offered her a ride just minutes before a car bomb exploded right where she had stood — one of the many attacks during those years, when bombs disrupted ordinary routines and civilians were caught in the crossfire of a war they never asked for. Others were not so lucky; pure chance and
a good friend saved my mother’s life, which in turn saved my sister’s and mine.
My sister Valeria, or “Vale” for short, and I are the kind of people who grew up believing in fighting for our ideals. For “justice.” I was never a fan of politics, but I’ve always been around people who are well-informed on the matter. There was no Sunday afternoon that was not filled with a political discussion between my parents. Considering their past experiences with terrorism and the government, it made sense they were the ones who, early on, emphasized the importance of exercising our constitutional rights and defending our core values — especially against a system of oppression. We were lucky to have that, and I’m certainly aware of the privilege of having that education.
But Peru overall has an issue with education, and how can you make an informed vote without that? How can education improve if we keep electing nothing but corrupt and incompetent leaders into power due to that lack of an informed vote? The reality is that Peru has been stuck in an endless cycle of ignorance and abuse that we don’t know how to break free from, but we keep on fighting, we keep on questioning, and we keep on marching.
It was 2017 on Christmas Eve when a political incident ruined the holiday for many people, us included. Nothing screams subtle corruption quite like the government issuing a pardon to ex-dictator Fujimori at Christmastime — expecting people to be distracted with their family celebrations. It’s been a long time since that moment, and I still remember the shock of hearing the news as I was eagerly waiting for my Abuela’s delicious turkey and tamales to be ready.
Back in 2016, when Keiko Fujimori first ran for office, many voters rejected her to prevent her father’s pardon, who was convicted of human rights abuses, murder, kidnapping, embezzlement, abuse of power, bribery, and corruption during his presidency. Yet it was the opposition — elected on the promise never to grant it — who ultimately did grant it. The result was tragically ironic. I still remember the utter indignity and betrayal that overcame us. There were many protests in the days following the news, and not unexpectedly, Vale and I decided to join them.
Despite the palpable and understandable fury, the first protests remained peaceful, at least on our side. It wasn’t until we saw white vapour and people dispersing that we realized something was wrong. Without provocation, without violence from the protesters, the police decided it would be fun to throw a tear gas canister at us, and yes, I say fun because they were laughing and smiling as they watched from afar how
people ran. That was the first time my sister and I had a close encounter with one of those tear gas bombs; it was also the first time we faced the cruel attitude of the police — what a privilege in itself that it took that long.
For a moment, I naively thought the canister was harmless; it looked like thick vapour. That wasn’t such a big problem, right? Of course, I was wrong. As if it had a mind of its own, the canister shattered my expectations. In the blink of an eye, my nose, throat, and chest started burning. Tears involuntarily gathered in mine and my sister’s eyes. A feeling of fear and insecurity arose in the people around us. Nothing but big smiles on the faces of the police. Smirks that made everything burn in me once again, but not just because of the tear gas. Vale and I held hands and began furiously chanting as we skirted around the metallic tin to continue the protest — defiance in our glare. People joined and followed the path we had set because that’s the thing about marching on: it inspires people to keep moving forward alongside you.
It wasn’t until later that night, when we returned home, that we realized how lucky we had been because we reached our destination with only a single tear gas can thrown at us. The protesters taking the alternative route had to deal with so many they lost count.
That day, we went to bed eager to fight, determined and willing to resist the oppression. We went on to the next march. This route started at Lima’s Kennedy Park. This time, we were fully prepared for eventualities, toting water, vinegar, a handkerchief to cover our faces, fully charged cell phones, and an ID. Back then, those were the (sadly wrong) recommendations — it was widely believed that using vinegar to counteract the effects of tear gas was effective. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Vinegar will burn your airways, even if you don’t perceive it at first.
When we arrived, we saw many people getting ready for the protest as well as some curious tourists.
Illustration by Natalia Toscano Murua / The Cascade
There were several policemen, too, who would supposedly accompany and protect us on the way to the main square. That surprised us. After what they did in the previous march and what (we heard) they did with the alternative route march, we had doubts. Would they truly protect us? Maybe what had happened before was an isolated incident, and they would indeed ensure our safety. That’s what the police are for, right? I had family who were members of the police force, and we misplaced our trust in that.
Vale and I were waiting calmly for the start of the protest when suddenly, an old woman standing nearby, holding a part of a huge Peruvian flag, saw us and signalled us to come over and hold on to the flag too. Vale and I looked at each other hesitantly before looking back at the woman as if asking, “Are you sure you want to entrust us with this?” We didn’t say anything, but the woman must have understood because she nodded resolutely and pointed to the flag again. We approached and grabbed onto it. The press was next to us, recording and taking photos. Everything seemed fine. Everything seemed safe, and our fears unfounded. And then the march began.
Flag in hand and determination in our hearts, we started the protest. The police walked alongside us, protecting us. Throughout Miraflores’ district, the march seemed the most peaceful I had ever attended… But then we left the district. The tourist district, that is.
There was a tank in the middle of the road, which seemed strange. Nerves began to rise, but no one stopped, and we passed by it without much fuss. There didn’t seem to be any problem until I looked around, and, oh, surprise, the police were no longer there; the press was no longer there. I quickly told Vale, and she looked around with concern. Still holding the flag but now alert to danger, we continued marching on. We were wary but truly had no idea what awaited us. A little further ahead, we saw a barrier of police officers and another tank — definitely in my top 10 “Oh fuck” moments. They began to throw tear gas canisters, three this time, people didn’t understand, Vale didn’t understand, I didn’t understand.
The protest was peaceful, so what the hell was going on? The route was even publicly announced in Peruvian media at the time — although these articles have since been erased from existence. People started desperately running as everything filled with toxic smoke. I realized then that the police had made us deviate from the route on purpose. A guy on his bike stopped next to us and kicked the canister that had fallen relatively near us, his eyes filled with rage. A couple of people had let go of the flag to either flee or cover their faces. As she held the flag, Vale shouted to me that we had to hurry. But what about the flag? We couldn’t go too fast because there weren’t many left holding it, but those of us who understood its significance refused to let it drop, and worked together to carry it better.
It might sound silly to you. Unquestionably, the safest thing to do would have been to drop that flag on the ground. Those who know me are familiar with how much I criticize my country, how much I hate misogyny, discrimination, and homophobia — all those customary gems of a conservative country such as mine. Never in my life did I see myself fighting so much for a country that I thought I hated. I do hate
it, and yet, even so, there was absolutely no fucking way, that I would let that flag go before ensuring it was, at the very least, safely in enough hands to keep it from falling.
The route became improvised, our path constantly modified by tear gas canisters, which (unknowingly) redirected us exactly where they wanted us to be. A large group of people remained, the flag again secured in the hands of several people; from time to time, we ran to cross streets; we ran to get away from the gas; it was almost night by then. A few blocks from the Risso shopping center, I was hit by a feeling that screamed something was wrong; that we should get the fuck out of there. I saw Vale, her face red from the tear gas and the running, and I stopped her, letting go of the flag for the first time.
“Something is wrong,” I told her. We carefully looked around and slowed down. By the time we realized, it was too late. We had fallen into their trap. Tear gas was coming from everywhere. Vale and I held hands and ran toward the shopping center, because there was no way they would throw one into the mall, right? No, they didn’t care. Shoppers who had nothing to do with the march were scared and confused. A tear gas canister smashed right in front of me in the middle of the crossing, which reflexively stopped us dead in our tracks on our way to the mall. It almost hit us. Like a hydro flask falling, its echo rang in our ears. Vale and I slipped between the cars to take cover; we could hardly see, we couldn’t breathe. We took refuge in a nearby food establishment with another group of people. The cooks gave us vinegar, trying to help us dissipate the effects.
When did we stop counting the number of tear gas bombs? When did things get so bad? How can police use brute force for no reason? This would surely be reported; Risso was nearby, and people would complain, right? They would punish those who had abused their power, right?
After thanking the establishment, we continued our way, dispersed because there was no longer a march, just people scattered walking to the pre-determined destination.
They had succeeded. They had destroyed the protest. Vale and I arrived at that march with resolve and hope — with the desire to fight for a fairer system … Vale and I returned home with our morale down and our spirits broken, with no strength or desire to return. None of this sounds familiar to you, and none of this sounds familiar to most people in Peru either. There was no news about what we had been through. The truth had been buried, leaving in its stead the silent resignation of being a fallen tree — knowing you made a sound, knowing it mattered — yet realizing no one was willing to do anything about it. Can we blame them when we come from a place that will threaten, kidnap, and murder those who dare to defy the corrupt system?
It wasn’t until 2020 that a new protest against Peru’s then President, Manuel Merino, was in the limelight. They usually call all of these violent protests, but where is the violence coming from? Inti Sotelo and Bryan Pintado were killed and countless videos had to be recorded for the authorities to do something. Even with many from the press hiding how bad things were
at first. Even with our leaders denying all of it, people took matters into their own hands and exposed the truth.
Vale and I did not attend the 2020 protests — we don’t really go protesting anymore, aside from Lima’s annual Pride parade. I remember following the demonstrations from afar, seeing how terrible things were, knowing that even then, I couldn’t completely grasp the level of desperation, the breaking of wills, of spirits that went on. I do know that all those who fought won’t ever forget what happened. I know that those who are supporting at the front will never be able to erase from their memories the sound of the projectiles, the sensation of the gas, the pain of the bullets, the blood of their wounds... the endless disappointment as they realize that those who should protect them are the ones attacking.
What happened to Vale and I is nothing in comparison, and even so, eight years later, fireworks and loud noises trigger me into a nervous breakdown; the smell of gunpowder makes me nauseous, and our bodies tense up when we pass by police officers. The aftermath of that experience has stayed with me, and is likely also felt by each of those people who bravely fought for all of us in history.
Peru ranks a dismal 130 out of 180 in the RSF World Press Freedom Index. Israel is 112, Palestine is 163. Canada is luckily number 21, but last year, it was doing better at 14. Freedom of the press is fleeting — just look south of the border, where democracy is being dismantled in plain sight. The prohibition to denounce is a sobering reminder that authoritarian regimes and government abuse are only a few steps away. Press freedom isn’t just a metric — it’s a frontline battle for truth, accountability, and human dignity.
If you’re still here and you’ve read through this whole story because, like me, you constantly worry about which war is coming next, about whether you’ll get a say in it, if you get a say at all — maybe you’re on an anxiety-induced red-eye, or just decided to power through this article out of pure chance and curiosity — I want to tell you to not lose hope. The fight is hard but worth it, not just for us but also for the generations that follow. Things do change, and there will come a time when you have to decide to take a stance against the abuse. To demand the basic rights we are entitled to, to witness and to denounce.
Don’t feel bad for not being able to go to the rallies if you can’t (I say this to you as much as I say it to myself). Call your representatives, make art, write an article, make your banner, and if you can, donate to aid brigades, to victims, to a cause you really believe in. Every bit helps.
If you’re one of those people out protesting, risking your safety at dangerous sites to get an accurate perspective, or continuing to investigate despite threats, thank you — for fighting for us, and for risking your life to demand justice. There aren’t enough words to express my admiration for those who put their hands in the fire for a better future. For all those who risked everything to expose the horrors of the world, the exploitation, the brutality, the slaughters. For all those who did not make it in the end.
If a tree falls and no one listens, it still falls. And we march on.
Coaches // Rozema doesn’t jive with the underdog vibe
Where one of the country’s most influential coaches found her competitive spirit
JEFFREY KENNETT
When it is all said and done, Janelle Rozema might be the most prolific coach in UFV history. She’s already the school’s best volleyball coach in program history. Her 61-23 head coaching record decides that on its own. But she’s also the program’s pioneer. Rozema guided the Cascades through their transition from PacWest to U SPORTS in 2021, and is now the league’s reigning coach of the year. Rozema’s emergence as one of the top coaches in Canada has been defined by her work ethic, which all stems back to one place.
There’s no specific formula to farming (which I seem to be writing about a lot lately). All that seems to be guaranteed is that it takes absolutely everyone to chip in to keep a farm afloat. Rozema grew up the middle child in a family of six kids, meaning there was a lot of teamwork being divvyed up amongst them. She was a natural athlete, as were her older siblings, and her foundation built upon drive, competitiveness, and work ethic easily translated into sports.
“When I was playing college volleyball, there were some drills that were really hard, where you feel your legs burning and your chest is burning because you’re breathing so hard, and I’d think back and be like, nothing is as hard as picking rocks,” said 2024-25 Canada West coach of the year, Rozema.
There’s no character-building task that feels quite as tedious, or like it never really makes a difference anyway, than picking rocks.
“Sometimes you just have to do things, even though you aren’t loving doing it,” Rozema explained. “I think that really translated into some of the competitive spirit, and the resiliency I had as an athlete. It’s really easy to play the game;
that part’s fun. But doing the other stuff that’s not as enjoyable, but just making sure it [gets] done even though you’re not enjoying it. I think that kind of came from my farming upbringing.”
Rozema was a multisport athlete playing both basketball and volleyball as well as participating on the track team. She called herself an angry basketball player, while she had more emotional control in volleyball, making it more a natural fit for her personality. Rozema had a lot of interest from recruiters to play basketball, but a smaller pool of options to play volleyball. She landed at Briercrest College and Seminary as a walk-on, evolving into an influential and skilled player, who was also named captain in just her second year.
“I do remember my college coach telling me, you’ve got a coach’s brain, I think you should be a coach one day.”
She didn’t have to wait long to get her feet wet in the coaching industry, either, taking over the head coaching gig at Columbia Bible College one year after graduating as a player. After that, she transitioned into an assistant coaching role with the prestigious University of Alberta volleyball program to learn from the winningest coach in program history, Laurie Eisler.
There were extremely high expectations for Alberta volleyball at the time, and even though the team won six medals at nationals during Rozema’s tenure, the
Basketball // Unfinished b usiness: the Marcus Flores redemption tour
A new face of the local basketball community
ETHAN PAULSON
Marcus Flores is a force to be reckoned with. The third-year forward out of White Rock has stormed out of the gates this season with the Cascades, putting up a career high 24 points, nine rebounds, and two blocks against the UBCO Heat on Nov. 7. After being sidelined with a concussion during his second campaign, Flores was determined to rehab his injury and continue his career in the Fraser Valley.
There are many sides to athletics that we as spectators do not see. The recovery process after a major injury is difficult to wrestle with. An athlete wants to be on the court with every bone in their body. When that gets ripped away from them it
outcome was below their standard.
“If you really look at those medals, we had five silvers and one bronze, so we never actually won gold. But then when people look back at it, like at UFV I have still yet to even qualify for nationals, let alone medal. So I think we should be proud of those medals, but it’s really hard to feel it when it’s not gold, and I wish I had that perspective back then to celebrate those silvers a little bit more than we did.”
Getting UFV to nationals is certainly a goal for the entire program, let alone Rozema, but another goal for herself individually was to coach at the international level. Last summer while she coached the Next Gen Senior B team with Volleyball Canada was the first time Rozema got to wear a maple leaf logo in another country and hear the national anthem, a special moment for the Sherwood Park native.
Despite a record breaking season last year, UFV is always a school in “prove it” mode. Some might call them underdogs, but not Janelle Rozema.
“The type of athletes that I have been able to work with for the last five years have all shared the vision that I have, that we don’t really jive with the underdog vibe. I think we want to be top dog. We don’t make excuses. We take everything as an opportunity, and we try to use the resources we have. I believe, and my athletes believe, that everything we need to win a championship exists here at UFV.”
can do one of two things: demotivate them enough to think their collegiate career is in jeopardy, or give them the belief that they will come back even better than before. Luckily for the Cascades, Flores chose the latter.
“I’ve been visualizing this moment for 12 months. I’ve been dreaming about this exact moment, having five weeks of games. I’m very present right now, and I’m very grateful to be on the court,” said Flores.
Flores has had an up and down start to his Cascades career. In his freshman year, Flores played in 19 games and spent time as the team’s starting center later in the campaign. Unfortunately, in the first
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Photo courtesy of UFV Cascades
Photo courtesy of UFV Cascades
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game of his sophomore season in 202425, Flores suffered a concussion that kept him off the court for the rest of the year. While time away from the sport that you love can be devastating, Flores took the time to refine his game, improve his conditioning, and come back even stronger for the 2025-26 season.
“I go so hard when I’m on the court. Being in shape so I can do all the little things on the court is vital for me as a player.”
Volleyball
//
All that hard work has paid off to start the year. At the time of writing, Flores is averaging 14 points, 6.8 rebounds, and one assist through his first five games to start the season. That includes his takeover performance over UBCO in a 97-69 victory.
“We made a statement tonight,” Flores told The Cascade postgame.
And nobody had a better view of that statement performance than head coach Joe Enevoldson.
“[Flores] takes everything the coaches say to heart, and he rolls with the punches.
He’s become a more reliable shooter over the past two years as well. [With] his work ethic, we always know what we are going to get from him night in, night out.”
Having that type of player on the court is a coach’s dream and when a coach can trust his guy to go out and perform each night like Flores has, then the team has a special player on their hands. And while Flores still has much to prove in his new role as a starter this season, you can always count on him to be a great human being. That’s why Enevoldsen trusts that everything the young man does away
On a silver platter: Cascades serving up aces
Veteran players are front and centre (and middle) in the Cascades competitive window
ETHAN PAULSON
We hope you’re hungry!
When a team has a leader both inside the locker room after a tough loss and on the court with electrifying play, then coaches can rest easy. Luckily for the Cascades women’s volleyball team, they are in good hands with the veteran talents of Zoe Arca, Lauren Attieh, and Cailin Bitter leading the team on the court.
The end of last season was tough to swallow. The Cascades women’s volleyball team dominated the 2024-25 Canada West regular season, finishing with a record of 17-3 and tied for first place in the conference. But the playoffs told a different story, as the top ranked Cascades fell two games to one in the quarter-finals to the eighth place Saskatchewan Huskies. What made the series particularly bitter was that the Cascades were losing valuable veteran pieces in Emily Matsui, Mo Likness, and Alicja Hardy-Francis to graduation. Coming into the 2025-26 season, the Cascades needed someone to fill those vacancies. In stepped Arca, a fifth-year middle out of Delta and earned an increased role this season.
“Zoe [Arca]’s the kind of leader who’s really smart. She follows game plans well, [and] she knows what the opponent is doing,” said Coach Janelle Rozema.
Having dependable players on your roster to step up and take on a bigger role is a testament to the depth of the Cascades program. Despite the team dropping the first two matches of the season 3-0 against Trinity Western, Rozema and her squad used their second week bye to make adjustments accordingly.
“We had a few key concepts we just had to be better at,” she explained to The Cascade.
“Against Trinity Western, we had a poor serving game, and serving is just too important of a skill. So, the last two weeks
we’ve been doing a lot of adaptation with our serving and using serve more as a weapon.”
That weapon was ready for battle against Regina, as the team’s weekend total of 28 aces (13 and 15) propelled them to back-to-back 3-1 victories.
With veteran players like Attieh at the helm for her final season, UFV’s bounce back was not a matter of if, but when. Great leaders are not only able to bring the best out of their teammates, but can also recognize the importance of team comradery on the court. Luckily for Attieh, she had her older sister, Gabrielle Attieh to look up to as a teammate and a leader.
“[I] think the biggest lesson that I learned from her is the power of kindness. Anytime another teammate of hers made a point or did something amazing, it wasn’t just them feeling it — it was her feeling it too. She wore her heart on her
sleeve that way, and that’s something I hope my teammates feel — when they win a point, it’s not just theirs, it’s ours as a team.”
It is not just Attieh who fills out the stat sheet, as fellow fifth-year Cailin Bitter has served as strong support for Cascades volleyball, putting up three service aces alongside a team leading 71 assists over two games against Regina. L. Attieh calls Bitter the hardest working athlete on the team. And with the grit that Bitter brings to the table alongside the natural leadership ability of L. Attieh, this team is in good hands for the rest of the season.
With the team’s newfound approach to serving, and a balanced leadership group stationed from front row to back, the Cascades are writing a new story and once again showing that they have the appetite to be one of the elite teams in the country.
from the court will only benefit him on it.
“I always joke around and say he’s the guy that I would have no problems [with] babysitting my kids. He will be a role model to a bunch of people in this community through the next four years.”
Hopefully the Enevoldsons will be able to find a babysitter with better availability, as Flores’ plans for the next three weekends involve taking on the Calgary Dinos, UNBC Timberwolves and the TRU Wolfpack with the Cascades battling for a playoff spot.
SPORTS SLAP SHOT
I wanted to thank you. I’ve been a fan for over ten years, and this season gave me an adoration for baseball that I have never experienced before. For years we have been the loveable losers of the MLB, only making the playoffs twice since our record setting 116 win season in 2001. But this year was special. Armed with a talented, albeit infuriatingly inconsistent roster, you managed to win your first American League West division title in 24 years and go to the playoffs. And despite all the optimism surrounding the team playing meaningful baseball into October, the season ended in the cruel clutches of the Toronto Blue Jays, one win away from a World Series appearance. You fell short once again and continued the running joke of being the only team to never make it to the Fall Classic, but the pain will fade. Fall days turn into winter nights until spring blooms and a new baseball season begins. You may be wondering why I care so much about a team that gives me so much hope, only to then crush my dreams every year? Because one day, all the heartbreak might be worth it.
See you next year.
BY ETHAN PAULSON
Photo courtesy of UFV Cascades
Mariners…
Illustration by Iryna Presley
Event Coverage // Recap on the Fraser Valley Writers Festival
A literary experience I’m very grateful for
VERONICA POWELL
Writers, writers everywhere! Were you at the 2025 Fraser Valley Writers Festival? If you weren’t, it was the best of affairs. The Festival saw a successful turnout, taking place on the weekend of Nov. 7 and 8. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the Canadian authors who brought such interesting conversations about writing. As the largest literary festival in the Fraser Valley, featuring workshops, panels, and an open mic event, we are incredibly fortunate that it takes place right in our backyard.
The Fraser Valley Writers Festival (FVWF) kicked off on Friday, Nov. 7 with two keynote addresses and the unveiling of UFV’s new 2026 Writer-in-Residence, Richard Kelly Kemick. Having gone to a workshop of his at last year’s Festival, I witnessed his kind, approachable nature, and it will be lovely to see him move into such an important role for our student literary community.
Acclaimed authors Charles Demers and Evelyn Lau were insightful and comical in their addresses as keynote speakers. Their introductions discussed their place in the literary world and their experience and knowledge about the craft. They also performed professional readings of their published work. It was definitely entertaining, especially when Demers framed his literary scope around underpants, having used it as a metaphor and dialectical synthesis to make a point about how we as a society can learn from conflict and choose to act on social change.
Day two of the Festival on Saturday, Nov. 8 was kicked off with a reading of “habit is a sword i use to slay apathy” from the winner of the FVWF Student Poetry Contest, Xavier Ibraheem. Various workshops were hosted throughout the second
day as well. I had the opportunity to learn from Christina Myers about hooking your reader in fiction and non-fiction, and from Heather Ramsay about using the five senses in writing. Other workshops included learning poetry techniques from Brian Bartlett and Nick Thran, use of metaphor with Daniela Elza, and live interviews conducted by Andrew French for his podcast Page Fright
Two themes carried the Festival, “Silence” and “Sound.” With one panel on each theme, both included four exclusive readings on the theme from the participating authors — written exclusively for the event — and were tied up by a conversational Q&A, giving audiences a chance to ask questions about them personally, or their writing craft. The “Silence” panel was chaired by Taryn Hubbard, with Joseph Dandurand, Daniela Elza, Jen Sookfong Lee, and Christina Myers taking the stage. Lee chaired the afternoon panel on “Sound,” joined by Kayla Czaga, Taryn Hubbard, Heather Ramsay, and Nick Thran for the Q&A.
Each author presented their own unique and powerful perspective on what they thought “sound” and “silence” represented — their diverse experiences delivered with great passion. UFV student, Bronwen Adam, who The Cascade spoke to while sandwiches and beverages were being served, shared similar feelings.
“One of my biggest takeaways is all of the different panelists that come from every walk of life. It’s really empowering to see a variety of diverse representation, which I think is really important especially in more niche fields like writing, editing, and publishing.”
The FVWF never has a lack of community. UFV students, alumni, and faculty attended the festivities, but so too did plenty of people from outside of the
university who share similar passions for writing and literature, as Adam mentions.
“[There’s] a really good sense of community here. It’s a very [open] and welcoming environment, and I think that’s important, especially with such a creative and almost boundless type of medium.”
UFV student, Annabel Bot, shared how the Festival benefits aspiring writers and literature enthusiasts. According to Bot, the presence of local, literary role models at the event was very much appreciated.
“It’s so cool to hear the perspective of published writers and authors, and to hear their process and that they’re also humans … They started out like us, so I think it’s a really informative and fun event that brings people together.”
Bot shared equal feelings to Adam’s enjoyment of the Festival.
“So far, it’s been really fun … the panels have been incredibly interesting and kind of invigorating in a way. Not only are the speakers entertaining, but they’re just really knowledgeable in what they do.”
The Festival supported involvement with other literary outlets at UFV such as its literary and visual arts magazine Louden Singletree and the English Student Association.
Whether you’re a writer or just enjoy writing, the Fraser Valley Writers Festival is an amazing opportunity that brings the literary community together to share, learn, absorb, and celebrate creativity by putting imagination and passion to page.
Note: The writer of this article is a part of the editorial board for this year’s Louden Singletree, as is Bronwen Adam who was interviewed.
I’ve seen a trend on my socials recently documenting the female experience of watching a hockey game in person, charmingly referred to as visiting “the boy aquarium.” Let me tell you, this is my favourite way to describe watching hockey. I truly love the boy aquarium. Live hockey is a thrill like no other, I don’t even follow the sport, but get me in a comfy seat with a beer and pretzel in hand to watch grown men shred ice, yell at each other, and fight? I’m in.
All critical analysis of gender roles, the patriarchy, and toxic masculinity go right out the window. I’m elated. They’re beautiful in their primal, sweaty, angry states. And I get to feel so safe behind the plexiglass. Just another spectator! As long as this barrier keeps me shielded I’m happy to participate in this cultural phenomenon.
But please, for the love of god, don’t let them out. Like piranhas, they’re fascinating to observe, but dangerous if you get too close. The boy aquarium is where we go to look, but never dare to touch (seriously, they’re a hazard to society).
This is Campus Fashion, your source of inspiration for seasonal trends, cool finds, and wardrobe basics to keep you looking stylish throughout the year.
It’s almost time for the holidays, which means there will be more opportunities for family get-togethers and parties to attend. From traditional classics to modern trends, there are many styles to choose from this year. The Cascade compiled a list of fun party looks that are perfect for this festive season.
Velvet
Velvet is a traditional holiday staple, whether it be a holiday dress or a velvet blazer. For a formal party, pair a burgundy velvet midi dress with a strand of pearls, black heels, sheer tights and a camel wool coat. You can also wear a black velvet maxi skirt with a white bejeweled sweater, black ankle boots, and snowflake earrings.
Little black dress
Elegant and demure, little black dresses remain a wardrobe staple and are the most versatile piece on our list that can be reworn for many special occasions. Wear a black cap sleeve sheath dress, black tights, black heels, a faux fur coat, chandelier earrings, and a matching statement necklace for a dramatic look. For a more casual get-together, wear a knit black dress, black tights, a burgundy belt, statement earrings, tall black boots, and a burgundy wool coat.
Local Music //
Tuxedos
Nothing says celebration like a tuxedo. A black and white classic tuxedo is a versatile holiday outfit that can work for formal galas, dinner parties, and swing dancing masquerade balls. For a more festive look, add a red bow tie or swap out the black jacket for a burgundy or dark green blazer.
Sequins
Shine this fall and winter season in sequins, whether it is a full head to toe outfit, or used as an accent. This popular style makes any holiday outfit fun and glittery. Pair a long sequin champagne coloured cardigan with a matching tank top, black dress pants, and black ballet flats. Adding a sequin scarf as an accent to an all black outfit is another way to add some sparkle to a holiday ensemble.
Sweater dresses
Sweater dresses are a great winter staple that are warm and festive when done just right. For a fun party look, pair a white Chanel-inspired sweater dress with nude tights, nude heels, pearl stud earrings and a long black faux fur collared evening coat. In a more casual setting, wear a deep red cable-knit fit-and-flare sweater dress, black tights and tall black boots, a cream wrap coat, and matching cream gloves.
Ugly Christmas sweaters
A classic that cannot be excluded is the ugly sweater.
Ugly sweaters are fun to wear and come in many colours and patterns. For a more elegant holiday look, pair a Fair Isle cream and navy sweater with navy dress pants, black ankle boots, and simple cubic studs. At a fun party with friends, go all out by wearing an oversized red and green Christmas sweater of your favourite holiday character, black jeans, a sparkly red Santa hat and black shearling boots.
There you have it, a list of some festive-worthy outfit ideas to celebrate in style. May your holidays be filled with wonderful opportunities to celebrate with family and friends. Happy holidays and Happy New Year everyone!
Rebuilding a network of performers
Three musicians on the Fraser Valley music scene
ZACKERY FITZPATRICK
Here in the Fraser Valley, what was once a flourishing local music scene was stunted in its growth by economic hardship and the COVID-19 pandemic. But it finds itself slowly rebuilding that community. There are plenty of shows trying to recapture that growth, but for local musicians with other responsibilities to juggle, sometimes the most an event can hope to achieve is getting people in the door. The Cascade sat down with Daniel Sallos of Morse Code Literature, Alison May, and Dylan Pope, to discuss what it’s like being a musician in the Fraser Valley.
Sallos began: “We didn’t really play in any live acts before COVID … A lot of venues that had existed were pretty much gone … People wanted to [play], but there just weren’t really places to do it … A
lot of bands quit too … People who were trying to make more of a thing out of it, COVID really kicked that in.”
A talent night, hosted at the Atangard Community Project, boasted a crowd of about 20 people, with a handful of acts including Sallos, May, and Pope. The show stood out as a great example of the sort of intimacy and authenticity offered by tightly knit communities. May, somewhat of an advocate for showing up for your village even when it’s rough, spoke on her desire to foster connection, rebuild a bit of what was lost, and how the talent night contributed to that.
“The Atangard thing was such a great first few steps to rebuilding the community that I saw happening in Abbotsford five years ago … We need to do more of this … and reintroduce [ourselves] into the social world … The most beautiful
thing about humankind is that we have all this creativity and so much to share. I just want us to get back together. I miss it.”
Beyond a single show, the common sentiment amongst the performers was engagement. Even with complaints about the size of the space, or some technical difficulties, the ability for a relatively innocuous hole in the wall show to be able to bring together so many musicians and passionate audience members was impressive. Sallos commented on this, and how it defied usual expectations.
“I don’t think I’ve played an open mic type of thing with that much of an engaged crowd in a while. A lot of these open mics tend to be like, you go there and there’s the usual crowd who show up every Thursday and they will be nice and supportive, but there’s definitely a circle there. I don’t get the impression that
Atangard was like that.”
He added, “The atmosphere was very ‘come as you are … everyone sitting on the floor while you’re playing … you look up and there’s 20 people just standing right there.”
Similarly, Pope commented on how easy the setting made not just connecting with his fellow performers and the audience, but getting excited for each other, and becoming fans of other local talent.
“We all just kind of run into each other … It’s a lot of cool people who love to play music … What’s really cool about Atangard, specifically, is the community. You just build it immediately …
“You might find your next favourite artist at one of these gigs. 20 years down the line people will be like, ‘Oh I
Illustration by Hannah Bricknell / The Cascade
Crossword // STUDY BREAK
Sudoku //
Horoscopes //
By: Minerva the Mystic
Aries - Mar. 21 to Apr. 19
Like the caterpillar completely dissolving itself within its cocoon before rebuilding its body and emerging as a beautiful butterfly, making change in your life can call for extreme transformation. If you want to move forward you have to leave the past behind.
Taurus - Apr. 20 to May 20
Despite the romanticism of Caspar David Friedrich’s painting, wandering through a sea of fog just leaves you lost and damp. It may appear to be a noble man who stands upon the mountain, alone in contemplation, but if you listen really closely you will hear a voice, desperately confused, whispering, “How the hell did I get here?” Do not be this man. Do not wander in the fog.
Gemini - May 21 to Jun. 20
This is sound advice for everyone, but the stars are shining at you directly right now: don’t let clever marketing tactics fool you. There is more to value than just fancy packaging.
Cancer - Jun. 21 to Jul. 22
Consider what you truly value and what matters most to you — just you, when you’re alone and there is no one else in the room to influence you. You won’t find yourself in the eyes of a stranger, you have to look in the mirror.
Leo - Jul. 23 to Aug. 22
Even the greatest magicians cannot deceive themselves. Fast hands and flashy theatrics may divert attention for a while, but deep down we all know it’s a trick. Eventually the rabbit has to get out of the hat. And you, Leo, will contend with your own hidden secrets sooner rather than later.
Virgo - Aug. 23 to Sept. 22
Ka-chow! You are speed! Things are happening, life is “life-ing,” and big changes are on the way. Be prepared for a high-energy couple of weeks and enjoy the ride.
Libra - Sept. 23 to Oct. 22
You can’t know what you simply don’t know. That’s a fact of life that toxic managers and lousy teachers hate to acknowledge. Don’t let their bad attitudes scare you away from trying something new and being bad at it for a while. You have to start somewhere, and that means asking stupid questions and making mistakes. Fail, learn, grow.
Scorpio - Oct. 23 to Nov. 21
There is a special kind of energy around you that has a tendency to bring people together. Embrace that power, gather your team, and make big things happen! Now is the time to explore new avenues and tackle those projects you’ve been dreaming of.
Sagittarius - Nov. 22 to Dec. 21
Please humour me and my cliché advice. Follow your heart, let it lead you. You’re gonna have to feel your way through some problems this week. So put on some Joni Mitchell and get in touch with your emotions. You’ll need ‘em.
Capricorn - Dec. 22 to Jan. 19
You and Libra have a lot in common right now. Both of you are entering a period of self-discovery and embracing mistakes as a way of personal growth. Specific to you though, is a reminder that your past doesn’t define you and it doesn’t need to get in the way of your future.
Aquarius - Jan. 20 to Feb. 18
Often the stars advise us to make changes, and reasonably so. But, this week, their advice for you is to embrace what you know and where you find comfort. Settle into the familiar and just enjoy the stability.
Pisces - Feb. 19 to Mar. 20
You’ve come a long way and that’s worth celebrating, but the journey isn’t over yet. Unfortunately your road is a long one, and there are many hills ahead. You can do it, that is certain, but you’ll need some friends to help you push through, just in case the engine stalls.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17
remember seeing them at Atangard before before they hit it big.”
But, one night’s revelry only proves a temporary relief from the hardships of being a small-time performer. In a scene so close to the Greater Vancouver Area, with opportunities rife with competition, finding stability and income playing music is difficult. Daniel Sallos spoke on this from a pragmatic standpoint, being frank with his expectations as an artist.
“A gig’s a gig … Let’s be transparent with this, none of us are making a career out of it. We have other jobs. If you’re trying to do this level of stuff for the money, I think you’re in the wrong. I know a lot of people will hate to hear that … this is sort of a thing where you have to be doing it on behalf of the community.”
The issue presents itself as one of standing out. It isn’t enough to just be a good musician, but being your own manager, making content on social media, and sticking out from the crowd is rough. Pope put this best, talking about how collaborative and humbling starting out was, but how finding people to play with and perform for kept him going.
“There is a certain amount of obsession that comes with this. And I think you do kind of need that obsession. You need to have that drive. That’s really the best thing that can possibly happen.”
So, the effort of making it as a performer in the Fraser Valley is not with the promise of fame or fortune. It’s about
arts@ufvcascade.ca
Arts Editor - Sky Terrones
Theatre //
passion, it’s about community. Building a network of talented people to share in your art and uplift each other. In the
wise words of Alison May: “All it needs is 15 people. 15 good minds together can change the world.”
ARTS
Gallery 7 retells a Canadian classic
ZACKERY FITZPATRICK
Despite having a background in stage, it’s been hard to feel excited about shows as of late. Making the time to familiarize myself with the local theatre community has been difficult. Finally, I made up my mind that the best way to start is to pick a show and just go. And go I have!
Gallery 7 is an Abbotsford-based theatre company bringing plays, musicals, and more to the stage, and their on-going production of Anne (1998) is truly a delightful take on Paul Ledoux’s script — an adaptation of the Canadian classic Anne of Green Gables (1908) by L.M. Montgomery. To think I’ve been missing out all this time!
This two act show takes on the familiar story of Anne Shirley, with a few creative liberties, portraying the wondrous Avonlea in faithful and refreshing fashion. Anne’s fantastically imaginative outlook on life comes through spectacularly in
Sarah Stewart’s performance, and the rest of the relatively small cast stunned as well. The stage was set by the supporting roles in such a way that the internal life of Anne transported me to Prince Edward Island itself, and for a few scant hours
reminded me of a childhood of reading and watching Montgomery’s works with my mother by the fire. There’s something nostalgic and ephemeral that the creative team at Gallery 7 was able to capture
SLAP SHOT
Surprise, surprise, Faker’s done it again
As an advocate of esports, I’ve lately found myself struggling to maintain interest. Between cultural decline, corporate commercialization, and generally less free time, I’ve had little desire to keep up on gaming news. I haven’t watched competitive League of Legends in years — something that was once a dear tradition!
But the goat himself Lee Sang-hyeok — Faker — always pulls me back in. I passively took notice that SKT T1 was back in the running for the Summoner’s Cup in 2023. Then in 2024 I thought it’d be neat if they won again. But you mean to tell me that the Unkillable Demon King himself is up for the three-peat? Glued to my seat, I weathered round after round of that bracket — hoping to see T1 bring home the tournament. I couldn’t potentially miss the first dynasty of its kind and the longest running undefeated streak in the history of League.
The hype was undeniable. For a moment, I was a younger me, obsessed with a game I’m still horrible at. Invested in internet micro-celebrities that I have no one to talk to about. The solution? Grind solo queue to try and hit Diamond by the end of the year, surely… or maybe I’ll spare myself the disappointment.
BY ZACKERY FITZPATRICK
— and that the actors were able to bring to life — that has helped to reignite my love for theatre, and the unique storytelling opportunities it affords.
What stood out to me most about the show were the performances delivered by Laura Kehler and John Dawson, as Mathew and Marilla Cuthbert respectively. The way they fell into the roles, and the emotion they brought to each scene breathed life into the setting of Green Gables. From Marilla’s typical sternness to Matthew’s subtle supportiveness, the characters felt true to their original form and Kehler and Dawson’s confident portrayal added depth to the production in a new way, feeling both personal and rich.
As far as community theatre goes, and despite Gallery 7 presenting itself as only “semi-professional,” I was truly impressed by this show. Even in comparison to some larger theatre companies I’ve had the
CONTINUED ON PAGE 20
Photos submitted by Dylan Pope and Darien Johnsen
Anne of Green Gables takes to the stage
Photo courtesy of Gallery 7
ARTS
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19
pleasure of being audience to, Gallery 7 brought a heartfelt, enriching take on a piece of Canadian canon that I feel not everyone could do justice. From the stagecraft itself, to the other constraints of theatre, like time, manpower, space, and sound, Anne rose to the occasion and used the medium to its advantages — Ledoux’s script of course only sweetened the deal,
even the best actors can only make so much of poor writing.
The transition between Anne’s moving in with the Cuthberts, to her school life and meeting of Gilbert, to her romanticization of the natural world with her friends, all managed to be convincing despite the limits of the medium. I’m not just commending them on performance and production, I’ve seen theatre both good and bad, but as someone who has
erred toward musicals and comedies, the quality and smoothness of a play are not often what I spend my time focusing on. And what’s more, I’m not often planning on writing a review afterwards.
I do think the show would have benefitted from some changes. I don’t know how much Ledoux’s script changed from the source material, how much Gallery 7 changed from his script, or what other considerations they had to take into
Television // Thank goodness for Wicked: One Wonderful Night
A
promo turned into a spellbinding celebration of Wicked’s legacy
SKY S. TERRONES
It begins with a wide, continuous shot that drifts through the City of Angels — a bold echo of Wicked (2024)’s opening sequence. As the camera moves through the iconic props, we feel like we’re in an Oz museum — except it’s prime-time TV, and the whole world is invited to the party. Wicked: One Wonderful Night (2025) isn’t just a promotional special; it’s a glittering, chaotic, heart-on-its-sleeve love letter to Wicked itself. I laughed, I cried, and I screamed “holy Oz!” more times than I care to admit.
First, Ariana Grande finally fulfilled fans’ dreams of seeing her descend in an inspired Broadway Glinda bubble. Watching her live performance of “No One Mourns the Wicked” was an absolute treat and, once again, proof that she was meant to play the role of Glinda.
The special transitioned from the Dolby Theatre to pre-recorded interviews, behind-the-scenes footage, and even sneak peeks from Wicked: For Good (2025).
Jeff Goldblum, who plays the Wizard of Oz, was shown to have kept the gigantic movie prop of his own head, which is the most Jeff-coded thing ever — if you know, you know. This guy’s ego is somehow incredibly charming. The bit is theatre absurdity at its finest, and it all makes perfect sense in the most bizarre way.
Then there’s Cynthia Erivo. My jaw is still somewhere on the floor. Her rendition of “The Wizard and I” was so clean it looked effortless — which, spoiler, it absolutely isn’t. That final note? She made a recovery so smooth that I couldn’t even tell at first listen. Infinite kudos. Erivo is out of this world, a prodigious voice that makes you believe in magic again.
Meanwhile, we discovered that Jonathan Bailey casually recorded his audition tape for Wicked five minutes before going on stage for the 2022 revival of the play Cock on London’s West End. Five minutes. Just like his character,
Fiyero — charming, reckless, infuriating. Rage bubbles in me when I remember Erivo’s audition was three hours long, while his was basically a voicemail. But fine, he is the sexiest man alive, so he gets away with it. He doesn’t, however, get away with breaking my heart, as his absence from the live show meant we only saw him in pre-recorded snippets.
Then “What Is This Feeling” happened. Breakdance. Tap dance. A remix with “Dear Old Shiz” that had Michelle Yeoh dancing? I didn’t think this number could get any better, but apparently it can. Musical chemistry? Off the charts. Erivo even did the viral dance, and yes, we screamed. These characters are so gay, and I’m here for it. Honestly, I want someone to look at me the way these enemies-to-lovers look at each other.
The special also zoomed out to show Wicked’s impact worldwide. Wholesome doesn’t cover it. One fan declared, “Loving Wicked isn’t a hobby for me, it is a lifestyle.” Same girl, same.
A four-year-old fan, Remington, was invited to play Elphaba as Ariana sang “Popular.” He was adorable — not adorable enough to make me reconsider having kids, but still. His toss toss was masterclass worthy.
The outfits for the whole evening? Exquisite. And the sneak peeks of the new songs nearly made me cry — and will definitely make me cry when Wicked: For Good finally premieres.
We also got a glimpse of what’s ahead in part two of Wicked with “Thank Goodness” and “For Good,” recorded at the Gershwin Theatre with Stephen Schwartz at the piano and two surprise guests. Fans have asked for a Wicked Broadway performance from Erivo and Grande, and this is as close as it gets. Their voices together were stunning, each bringing a unique style to the song. Although the mix of volumes was slightly off, the emotional weight carried it through — a full-circle moment if there
account of course. So, without any of that in mind, I would have liked to see a slightly larger supporting cast and perhaps a longer run time. Would that have actually been feasible? Who’s to say. But all in all, I was impressed, and can appreciate what they managed to put on regardless!
The show runs until Nov. 23, and tickets start at only $23, so if you’re looking to be swept away anytime soon, act while you still can.
ever was one.
Undoubtedly one of the best moments of the special, “Defying Gravity.” Erivo lifted into the air, a fan staring in awe, mirroring my exact reaction. I swear, when she sings, the laws of physics stop applying — chills everywhere.
The cast also spoke about their friendship — a bond so special that even years apart, they’d pick up right where they left off. It was moving, grounding, and a reminder that behind the spectacle are genuine connections.
Finally, the closing number: a perfect homage to Judy Garland. “Get Happy /
Happy Days Are Here Again,” sung by legends owning the stage, harmonizing their way into history once more. It was joy, it was reverence, it was all a closing number should be.
Wicked: One Wonderful Night is a TV special to hype the upcoming film, but it’s also a celebration, a collective gasp, and a reminder of why Wicked matters.
For those of us heartbroken that this last Cascade issue comes before Wicked: For Good, consider it a wonderful consolation prize — one that sparkles, dances, and defies gravity all over again.
Wicked: One Wonderful Night / NBC
True story films that will stay with me for good
VERONICA POWELL
Of all the stories in the world, the ones rooted in truth stay with me the longest. In film, I’m most moved by stories drawn from real-life events or people –– they teach me, they linger, and when I can’t let go of a feeling, I know it matters. So, I’ve gathered my nine favourite films from 2000 onward — each inspired by real events or people — hoping they might stay with you the way they have with me.
9. Roofman (2025)
This film changed how I look at criminals. Former soldier Jeffrey Manchester, or the “Roofman,” robs over 40 fast food restaurants and hides out in a Toys R Us for months. Far from violent, dangerous, or manipulative, this thief had a heart I deeply sympathized with. My eyes opened a bit wider when understanding that someone’s bad decisions don’t necessarily mean they’re a bad person.
8. Saving Mr. Banks (2013)
Walt Disney’s 20-year quest to secure movie rights to P.L. Travers’ book Mary Poppins (1934) touched my heart unexpectedly. I was touched by Travers’ difficult childhood and her fierce
Movies // Creative Corner: The effect of non-fiction
determination to protect her creative vision. She reminds me that the stories I create, even in fiction, become a part of me. This film conveys that with a punchy grace — it hits deeply, but in an elegant and charming way.
7. The Imitation Game (2014)
Alan Turing, the man who cracked the Nazi code in 1939 during the Second World War, became the focus of a war film unlike any I had seen before. Instead of having back-to-back violence, the story unfolded from behind the scenes, centering on the inner world of a brilliant man. Turing’s exceptional intellect replaced the spectacle of combat with internal dialogue crafted by emotion — not words — and its poignancy is what drove the impact of his story, making us feel as though the fate of our world rests desperately on our shoulders too.
6. Erin Brockovich (2000)
Erin Brockovich works tirelessly as a law firm secretary to demand accountability for a small town being polluted, and my stamp of approval comes from its powerful message: we should break the rules and bust down doors to make our voices heard. Although it goes deeper than relentless passion –– its impact is
served from an unforgiving desperation for justice I’ve never forgotten.
5. Beautiful Boy (2018)
It’s the most raw and emotionally delicate true story I’ve seen. Nic Sheff spirals into drug addiction while his father, David Sheff, fights desperately to save him — it’s the definition of an emotional rollercoaster. Each unfiltered scene unfolds through fractured, painfully realistic interactions, and I found myself swept into their struggle as if it were my own. It was a stab through the heart.
4. Lion (2016)
At just five-years-old, Saroo Brierley gets lost on a train in India, separated from his family for 25 years. Watching this made me appreciate how much my family protected me growing up. The reality bleeds through the screen as if no barrier existed at all — giving me a reality check that’s both terrifying and deeply engaging.
3. Remember the Titans (2000)
In Virginia, an all-white high school football team struggles to hold on to the unity needed when an all-black school is integrated. This film isn’t just about football, but about the willingness to
put aside differences and accept each other. The progression from heavy racial discrimination to genuine acceptance created a revitalizing story that resonated profoundly with me.
2. The Blind Side (2009)
The impact of this movie lies in how inspiring it is. Leigh Anne Tuohy takes in Michael Oher, a homeless teen, and helps him find his potential as a football player. Watching their journey, I felt a personal connection — I thought of my mother’s words: “All you need is one good friend.” This story showed me that one good person can change a life for the better.
1. The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)
Chris Gardner is a father trying to build a better life for him and his son after getting evicted from their home. Forced to survive together in the streets, their story becomes one of resilience and courage to chase dreams. The world is a constant barrier, yet his love for his son gives it meaning –– if you want something bad enough, you’ll achieve it through passion and never giving up.
Creative Corner showcases original creative work from UFV students. A Glass Box
Imagine a glass box
You’re holding the box
You’re also in the box
You can’t get out, can’t let go
You feel the constant push and pull of your hands yet have no control over any of it
The restrictions and resistance fuel pure rage
You wish to release the grip, but the harder you heave the tighter it tenses
The greater the girth of the glass gets the blurrier the box becomes, the smaller your space surrounds
Until the gaps in your palms become as rare as the air in your lungs, backed up to the corner with no sense left
No noise but the truth
Nothing remains but what is real You soften the glass with sincere breaths ‘Til wisdom wastes away what was once a glass box.
MARIE BRIDEAU
Illustration by Natasha Zilcosky / The Cascade
Rewind
// Cascade Rewind: Casting a long shadow
Ueda’s
masterpiece still amazes 20
ZACKERY FITZPATRICK
It’s October 2005. Your PlayStation 2 has been with you for a few years now, and at this point you’ve got a pretty good sense of what most games have to offer. After all, genres and stories haven’t yet discovered their full potential, and developers have mastered a formula you and your gamer peers know and love. They set expectations and more or less deliver. Hell, the PS3 is coming out next year, and that’s surely going to blow expectations out of the water.
Then comes Shadow of the Colossus, (2005) (SotC) and you don’t know it yet, but it’s going to change everything.
SotC is simple in concept: Wander, a blankslate protagonist, must defeat 16 colossi across the Forbidden Lands with his trusty steed Agro, to resurrect a girl named Mono. The worldbuilding and plot are short and sweet, leaving the vast, empty wilderness to carry the narrative through environmental storytelling — and let me tell you, it’s beautiful. The PS2’s graphics weren’t anything special, but this game’s rich landscapes evoke a time long past: an ancient, afflicted land you are scraping through the memory of. Even in my youth, it had the effect of forcing a sense of melancholy and nostalgia I would not yet learn to appreciate for years to come.
And that vastness is not just in the terrain, in the weather and sound design, and reductive game mechanics. No, the simplicity itself evokes a sense of humility, dwarfing the player and Wander with responsibility and the weight not just of his solemn task, but of something far greater hanging in the balance, going unspoken. Each colossus is unique, presenting challenging encounters, more like puzzles than actual fights, and often waiting for you to approach. Lonesome challenges lingering on the horizon as you are guided to them, knowing where you ought to head, but in no rush to get there.
Through themes of spiritualism and history, SotC invites the player to think — to ponder, introspect, philosophize. Looking back 20 years at how easy it would have been to skip a game for a console about to be replaced, the question emerges: what was it that captivated audiences across generations?
Some developers were trying their hand at storytelling, yes, but video games as an art medium
years later
weren’t something anyone was really considering yet.
Then, the workhorse that is Fumito Ueda and Team Ico decided to stroll through, cement their reputation off of just one other release alone, and then launch SotC. Learning from the commercial failings of Ico (2001), they built on what worked, and shook the industry for decades.
And I do mean decades. We aren’t just looking back at some cult classic. SotC was so successful that Team Ico has released only one other project in the past 20 years. They’ve got new things on the horizon, sure, but the demand for a re-release or remaster of SotC has always been so high, that even the latest version in 2018 was met with renewed critical success, despite being nearly the same product over a decade later.
This game could give Bethesda’s Skyrim (2011) a run for its money in terms of how often they re-publish it. The difference? Exclusivity.
Team Ico has no intention of SotC crossing platforms any time soon, and this has the effect of rendering SotC a sort of ephemeral title: well received, but no longer easy to play or get your hands on.
You’d think people would’ve moved on by now, less passionate about a 20th birthday already come and gone. But no — the forums are lively, and the video essays and TikToks keep getting better (seriously, what are they feeding these editors?). Is it just nostalgia? I don’t think so. I loved this game without playing it at release, so it’s not childhood fondness or overhyped reputation. It’s that good
And maybe that’s the real secret. It isn’t just nostalgia, hype, or even the sheer artistry of the landscapes and colossi. It’s the intentionality — the patience — that Team Ico poured into every frame and mechanic. Their projects always feel methodical, personal, like they were crafted with the quiet confidence that someone out there would find meaning in them. Even when wildly popular, SotC manages to feel like it was made just for you. That’s rare. That’s why it endures. It’s not just that Ueda treated video games as art before most others dared — it’s that he did so with a kind of intimacy that makes the player feel seen, even across decades. I could go on and on about SotC as a piece of literary genius. But others have said it better than me, and who’s got the time, really? I’ve got a game to replay. Talk to me in another 20 years.
Image credit: Sony
Movies // Bugonia is harrowing, but honest
Yorgos Lanthimos’ newest film is entertainingly devastating
JASLEEN SANDHU
Imagine you’re a female corporate executive, abducted by two men — one a bee-obsessed conspiracy theorist, the other his submissive cousin — and they shave off all your hair, and accuse you of being an alien.
Yorgos Lanthimos’ Bugonia (2025), a remake of the South Korean film Save the Green Planet! (2003), is beautifully made and unbearably tragic. While some deem movies as an escape from reality, I like to think of them as tools to better understand the world around us, and Bugonia tries to do just that. Lanthimos creates a world that mirrors our own, making us consider different views and how people respond to their conditions.
The word bugonia, derived from Greek and Latin, means ‘oxen-born’ — an ancient idea of death and renewal. As a title, it aptly steers the film’s entire direction.
Lanthimos’ film is reminiscent of a Twilight Zone (1959-1964) episode, and I also couldn’t help but think of M. Night Shyamalan’s The Happening (2008) while watching it. Yet Will Tracy’s script takes something that has been done before and gives it a unique voice.
Bugonia isn’t limited to a simple clash between two people; it delves into pressing issues such as class disparities, environmental concerns, and the way upbringing shapes one’s worldview. On the surface, Bugonia is a weird dark comedy, but it is so much more than that. The plot provides the main characters
Photo: Atsushi Nishijima/ Focus Features
— cousins Teddy (Jesse Plemons) and Don (Aidan Delbis) — with a clear, narrow focus while simultaneously fleshing them out as the film progresses. The central conflict between Teddy and Michelle Fuller (Emma Stone) is handled with extreme care, avoiding a mere black-andwhite portrayal. Instead, it leaves space for ambiguity, allowing you to make your own distinctions about these characters. There are dimensions to the storyline that linger long after the screen fades to black, and leave you deep in thought. At its core, Bugonia challenges us to consider what it truly means to care about the world and the people in it.
Amidst the current political climate, Bugonia pokes fun while lifting the curtain on the day-to-day life of someone who has suffered at the hands of a system that favours the most powerful. I’m not advocating for any of the characters’ actions, but Lanthimos tries to make us aware of different parts of human morality and behaviours.
The plot is solidly structured, but what really elevates it is the acting. Plemons and Stone are brilliant and play their roles with such conviction that you almost forget they’re actors. The conversations their characters shared had me on edge. While most of the movie is dialogueheavy, bursts of action and crescendos of score make you jump, and the unnerving tension between Teddy and Michelle is almost worse than any of the silent gaps.
Side characters play a bigger part in the conflict than they seem: uncovering Teddy’s past and revealing the motivation behind his actions.
While some might argue that Bugonia has been done before, that its peculiarity could take away from its meaning, and that no one wants to watch something that mirrors our reality, I find its poignancy to be the point. In its entertaining display, Bugonia provides a warning that we have heard hundreds of times: we should care about our planet, thereby we should care about each other.
Thankfully, Lanthimos takes a heavy topic and makes it bearable through the cinematography and dashes of humour, where it feels almost inappropriate to laugh.
If philosophical pondering isn’t your thing, and dark humour doesn’t do it for you either, I hope you might still appreciate the use of Chappell Roan’s “Good Luck, Babe!”
Bugonia is bold and you should go into it with an open mind and limited expectations.
CHARTS SHUFFLE
CIVL’s Aaron Levy dives into the 90’s below!
Bush - “Comedown”
The heavy bass line, the crooned English accented, shirtless memory of Gwen Stefani’s ex-husband playing his super-hit slow-burn Glycerine live at Woodstock ‘94, and the infectious lyric stamping the centre of this song: “Mostly me, but mostly you / It’s taken me all this time to find out what I need.”
The Killjoys - “Rave + Drool”
This is the Killjoys song that people my age or older tend to remember when I pull out their classic Can-punk, pop rock songwriting and lo-fi yet tight studio recordings — even though, to me, “Today I Hate Everyone” is the more recognizable release. This one is also a slow burner.
Odds - “Someone Who’s Cool”
I remember not understanding the lyrics to this song: “It was the suit that got me the gig / it was the tear that got me the girl.” I didn’t grasp the implication that a suit could help someone get hired for a job, or that crying would attract a mate.
Treble Charger - “Red”
Really troubling accusations coming against this band’s reboot-era frontman, singer, and guitarist, from former Sum 41 singer-songwriter Mr. W. This song comes from an era when the nerdier bandmate Bill was more of the band leader, and it was the track that most spoke for the act back in those dizzy days.
THE STORY OF LHÍLHEQEY (MT CHEAM)
Adapted from Si:yémiya (Sonny (Albert) McHalsie), Shxw’ōwhámel First Nation (2025), Óyewot (Amy Cooper), Th’ewá:li First Nation (1962), and Bertha (Mrs. Vincent) Peters, Sqéwqel (Seabird Island) First Nation (1945)
Sxwōxwiyám are origin stories that carry lessons for the Stó:lō about how to live properly. Sxwōxwiyám tell of a time long ago when the world was “not quite right.” At that time, animals and people were able to change their form and talk to each other. Into this world came Xexá:ls (three bear brothers and their one bear sister), the Transformers, who made their way through Stó:lō Téméxw, transforming people – some into landmarks, such as Lhílheqey (Mt Cheam), others into animals and plants that
became Stó:lō ancestors and valued resources, while others were changed into stone.
Sxwōxwiyám show how Stó:lō people are connected to everything in Stó:lō Téméxw (Stó:lō land and home), and to each other.
Lhílheqey (Mt Cheam) is a lady, and her husband was Mt Baker. Mt Baker took Lhílheqey to his home in present-day Washington state, and they had three sons (Mt Hood, Mt Rainier, and the last one Mrs. Cooper couldn’t remember), and three daughters (Séyewòt, Óyewot, and Xomó:th’iya). After the boys had grown up, Lhílheqey returned home with her three daughters. She was transformed into the mountain now known as Mt Cheam in English. Some Stó:lō call her “the mother mountain,” because before she
was transformed, Lhílheqey told Xexá:ls that she wanted to “stand…and watch over the Fraser River, my people, and the salmon that comes up the river to feed them.” The three little peaks on Lhílheqey are her girls. They say the smallest mountain, at Popkum, is the youngest daughter who cries because she can’t see the Valley the way her sisters can, and her tears are Anderson Creek Falls. The mountain beside Lhílheqey (Dog Head in English) is her dog (sqwemá:y), who followed her and her daughters home.
