The Plant March 2024 Vol.60 No.6

the plant SINCE 1969 VOL 60 NO 2 2024

MARCH @THEPLANTDAWSON THEPLANTNEWS.COM

2 THE PLANT

Letter from the Editor Hello! <3 It is in the interest of honesty and clear communication that I admit I am exhausted, and as such this letter might not be as existentially complete as expected. But I will take my burntout neurons and fried social battery as an opportunity to close my eyes, and light us a fire by which we will sit and share stories.

Or rather, I will share stories, and you will read them. But that’s just the unfortunate nature of the medium. However, I promise I wish I could hear you right now. I would try to imagine what you would say, but to render your speech using my own brain would defeat the point of listening to yours.

This month has been crazy. I’ve been grinding through 9.5-hour shifts at an escape room, between 10-hour days at school working on classwork and this paper, between big midterm projects and midnight meltdowns, between cramming in some reading on the bus to feel better about my habits, and attending twice-weekly 2-hour zoom lectures late into the night on how to teach kids sailing. (Who knew Voile Quebec took themselves so seriously? It’s exciting.)

Maybe it’s because all this work has more emotionally oversensitive than usual, or maybe it’s because I first felt my existence affirmed at 14 years old when I heard Hozier say “Cause God knows I fall in love just a little, oh, a little bit / Every day with someone new,” but I cried my fucking eyes out when I finished Past Lives after impulsively putting it on one night, falsely expecting a light diversion from mandated productivity before heading to sleep. “If two strangers even walk by each other in the street and their clothes accidentally brush, it’s because it means theremust have been something between them in their past lives.

If two people get married, they say it’s because there have been eight-thousand layers of InYun over eight thousand lifetimes.” What a more stunning way to understand the impulse and the complexity of human attraction than anything my therapist has ever said to me. But perhaps there’s a lesson in that tearful experience?

Our work for this newspaper can be described in many ways; its craft is as subjective as the content it yields. But one way (of many) I like to think of it is the work of taking stories that not many would understand, and telling them in a neutral, factual, and informational way so that all can learn from them. Reduction in the name accessibility. And this has the benefit of massively increasing how shareable and learnable our stories can be. I’ll admit that there’s no way you’ll catch me voluntarily reading the entire French-language text of Les Miséables, but perhaps an article interviewing sources about the French Revolution and its modern implications might teach me some of the same lessons.

But maybe something is lost?

In these extremely challenging past few weeks, it has not been the calculated science of emotional regulation, maintaining perfect sleep, and eating only celery and tofu that has kept me breathing. Rather, I have been kept afloat by what lies beyond the senses. Telling stories in unemotional, neutral, and factual ways has great merit, and make no mistake it is what we strive for until death (or graduation) in this publication. But I cannot deny that it is also soul-sucking.

I’m sure we’re all exhausted because of mid-terms, and part-time jobs, and expectations, and capitalism. But at my most vulnerable, my mind is honestly turned towards those “eight-thousand layers of In-Yun over eight thousand lifetimes.”

My Bubby and Zeida were (to me) deeply religious. At a young age, I didn’t understand what it meant to them. How do these drops of wine and 6 foods on a plate (plus orange and watermelon) explain my 6th-grade life? Now, as age has alienated them from my life, and grown myself into mine, I turn back to them a little. This medium of research and truth is true indeed. And the seder plate, silver screen, and campfire will always know me better.

Index NEWS

3

VISUAL ARTS

8

ARTS & CULTURE

11

VOICES

15

CREATIVE WRITING

20

SPORTS

23

SCIENCE &

25

ENVIRONMENT

25

CURIOSITIES

28

Seated and listening, MIRREN BODANIS Editor-in-Chief The Plant is an editorially autonomous student paper. All opinions expressed in The Plant do not necessarily belong to The Plant, but are those of individuals.

All content submitted to The Plant or its staff belongs to the paper. We reserve the right to reject or edit all submissions for brevity, taste and legality.

The Plant welcomes typed and signed letters to the editor under 400 words.

Copyright 2024

NEWS 3 3

DOES IT TAKE A 1 BILLION DONATION TO MAKE THE RACIAL WEALTH GAP APPARENT? EMMA CASPI Voices Editor On February 26th, students attending Albert Einstein College of Medicine rose in ovation when 93-year-old Ruth Gottesman announced that education at the institution would be tuition-free. Montefiore Health System posted a video to X, publicizing the medical student’s thunderous applause, cries of triumph, and gasps of shock, which rang around the auditorium once they had processed the announcement.

Dr. Gottesman, a philanthropist and Professor Emerita of Pediatrics at Einstein donated $1 billion to the school. Her late husband David ‘Sandy’ Gottesman is responsible for the sheer monumental size of the donation. He steadily made his fortune by making early investments in Berkshire Hathaway, a multinational conglomerate.

Gottesman told the Times that the instruction her husband left her was to “do whatever you think is right with it”.

This directive guided her to ensure the reimbursement of current students and debt-free education of future students with the grand sum. According to The New York Times, her donation is the third largest ever made to an educational institution and the largest to any medical school in the USA. Seeing as she refused the opportunity to rename the school in her honor and politely rejected any institutional deference in return for her generosity, Gottesman’s wish for accessible education and pure altruism was commended by students and professors alike. The Tuition to attend Einstein Medical School surpasses 59,000 dollars. According to the BBC, the debt of an average medical student graduate in 2023 surpassed 200,000 dollars, proving that access to higher education is elusive and, for some, financially impossible.

The Bronx, New York City’s poorest borough, is home to Einstein College, making Gottesman’s benevolent gesture a gift which broadened the student body.

However, other students in the Bronx still suffer dire consequences from student loans.

I it is hard to ignore the fact that the Black-White wealth gap, caused by years of institutional and systemic racism, affects education.

According to research conducted by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and NYC Consumer Affairs, the Bronx still holds the highest rate of student loan distress compared to other boroughs.

Three of the five neighbourhoods with the highest percentage of delinquent student loan borrowers reside in the Bronx. The NYU Furman Center estimates that the Bronx has a significant Black population comprising 27.7 percent, while only 8.6 percent identify as White.

Beyond the ‘white’ circumstances for student debt, it is hard to ignore the fact that the Black-White wealth gap, caused by years of institutional and systemic racism, affects education. According to The Harvard Gazette, the net wealth of an ordinary Black family in America is onetenth that of a White family. Because of this inequality, there is a gap in educational resources and learning opportunities.

A college degree does not erase the income gap that is present between White and Black workers whereby Black students suffer a disproportionate

burden from student loans. The debt that Black students incur from obtaining a degree only reinforces the racial wealth gap. Unfortunately, student debt is not stagnant, and migrates to other regions of students’ lives [including housing choices, employment opportunities, family planning, homeownership decisions, entrepreneurial endeavors, and the list goes on. In short, this debt risks ruining one’s life and ambitions due to financial uncertainty.

Brookings Institution reveals that income parity is becoming increasingly difficult to achieve as the debt of Black communities steadily rises. As the years pass, real student experiences affirm the exacerbation of this systemic problem.

Speaking to The New Yorker, 91-yearold Betty Ann reveals her experience as a Black woman attending New York University Law School. At the time, Betty Ann was a 52-year-old single mother of two who wanted to combat educational inequity through higher education.

Betty Ann decided to borrow $29,000 for financial aid and currently owes $329,309.69. Selling most of her furniture hardly affected her debt, causing her to doubt her academic decisions daily. As Journalist Eleni Schirmer rightly notes, people are not aging out of debt as the policymakers have hoped, but are aging into it, with student debt often lingering for a lifetime.

Efforts have been made in an attempt to reduce the debt and suffering of Black students. President Joe Biden and his administration announced in 2021 their plans to ‘build Black wealth’ and ‘narrow the racial wealth gap’. Over time, however, many have observed that he may have bit off more than he could chew. Following and analyzing his decisions and actions, The Washington Post believes his work to be composed of ‘modest successes’ and ‘major setbacks’ due to increasing opposition from the GOP. Although it is clear that Biden’s extensive array of proposals to close the wealth gap is impressive, ideas themselves do not translate into change until put into action. With much work remaining to be done, Black students in America wonder if his ambitious ideas are enough.

PHOTO VIA FORBES

4 THE PLANT

Dawson Communists Claim Having “Faced Repression at the Hands of the Administration.”

MIRREN BODANIS Editor-in-Chief On February 16, 2024, many Dawson students received a MIO with the subject line “Political Controversy at Dawson,” sent on behalf of Dawson students as a part of “Communist Revolution.” Communist Revolution (CR) is a national organization that aims to educate, promote, and organize revolutionary communist movements across Canada, and operates as part of International Marxist Tendency. Since the 90s, they have had members organized on Dawson’s campus. On top of advocating for revolution against capitalism, they explain in the MIO that “certain issues that we hold dear to our hearts are the need for free education, the fight against racism, the importance of unionism, the end of oppression based on gender and sexual orientation, etc.”

The MIO then explains that “One of our many reasons for writing this email is that we [the Dawson Communists] have faced repression at the hands of the administration as many other clubs and student groups have.” In an interview with The Plant, Marie-Alix Déom, a Dawson student and the member of CR who sent the MIO, explains, “When I joined, we immediately started talking about if we could have a club at Dawson. And last year we started following the protocol of the school, getting signatures from the students, and writing out a constitution.”

According to section 2.1.2 of the DSU’s “Club Standing Regulations,” before obtaining “Official Club Status,” clubs must first exist with “Interim Status,” where procedure is to “A) Present a Club Constitution to Vice-President of Student Life, that follows the policies outlined in both the DSU Clubs and Spaces Standing Regulations; B) Present a list of three (3) core executive members;” and “C) Present a petition in support of the recognition of the club by at least 100 DSU members.”

Déom clarifies that “what we presented to the DSU and the Dawson administration was a socialist club, it was not a communist club. Our idea that we wanted to present was really more about current issues, because if we want to get students to come, we have to talk about current issues. If we had been a club right now we would have been talking about Israel-Palestine, about the [teacher’s union] strikes, all of that.”

CR provided a copy of the initial rejection email to The Plant. The DSU rejected the proposal on the basis that: 1. The name of the club, “Socialist Fightback Students”, shortened to “Fightback” “Implies the use of violence by the club.” 2. “Clubs shall not be affiliated with any political entity.” 3.

The group posted advertisements without permission. 4. Clubs “cannot be overseen by any external organization.”

The Plant offered to receive a comment, or conduct an interview with a representative of the DSU in light of the investigation. We were put in contact with the VP of Student Life, and then provided a copy of the MIO sent by Communist Revolution as well as the deadline for article finalization. We received a response from the VP of Student Life, saying that “I am very sorry about it as I know [The Plant is] interested in knowing our point of view, but due to my exam and work load I had no time.” The Plant intends to provide updates regarding the DSUs response via its online platforms.

Déom, in response to the claim that the name “Fightback” implies violence, says “we always found that pretty ridiculous, to imply that fighting back against oppression is violence, or encouraging violence.” The DSU itself uses the word “fight” on its own website in the context of advocating for social justice. In a November 2020 article detailing its success in canceling in-person finals during the COVID-19 pandemic, the DSU writes “The Union will always stand for its students and will not stop the fight for their health and safety.” The DSU has also allowed the Green Earth Club to

describe itself with the word “fight,” with the club’s description on the DSU website exclaiming that they’ve been “Fighting for the environment for 51 years and counting!”

Additionally, the DSUs official position on “Unionisation and Student Employees” “recognises that unions are also important partners in the fight for an accessible, quality post-secondary education system.”

Déom argues that the DSU misunderstands their implication of the word “fight”. “The French section [of our group] was called riposte [...] it’s quite literally just us standing back against oppressors. [...] That’s what we’ve always meant.” Déom also points out the irony of a student union rejecting a Marxist group. “I don’t know specifically about the history of the DSU, but I imagine, like most unions, it had a pretty radical start. So honestly I find it very hypocritical from the DSU. Any union starts out radical, fighting against your oppressor, the people who are trying to shut you down. They’re basically denying their own legacy, in a way. Most unions have socialist roots, let’s not lie to ourselves.”

The second reason for the refusal, as per the rejection email sent by the DSU, is that “clubs shall not be affiliated with any political entity.” A DSU member responded to CR’s confusion, saying that “in regards to the political situation, I do agree that our rules and regulations are not clear which is why we are currently going over them and changing all DSU documents so they are more clear. Dawson College and the Dawson Student Union is not currently equipped to accept political ideological groups, but I do hope in the future we can.”

However, on the DSU’s website, it recognises many clubs with clear political affiliations, including the Dawson Feminist Union, Etcetera (which conducts activism for queer rights,) and the Green Earth Club, which describes itself as “mobilizing students to take action against policies.”

In its investigation, The Plant also found

I don’t know specifically about the history of the DSU, but I imagine, like most unions, it had a pretty radical start. So honestly I find it very hypocritical from the DSU. Any union starts out radical, fighting against your oppressor, the people who are trying to shut you down. They’re basically denying their own legacy, in a way. Most unions have socialist roots, let’s not lie to ourselves.

NEWS 5 5

a document officializing the adoption of a “Position Against the Gazoduc/GNL Project,” proposed by the Green Earth Club.

This demonstrates that while clubs are not “not to be affiliated with any political entity,” they are allowed to engage in politics, including influencing the policies of the DSU itself.

The Dawson members of Communist Revolution posted advertisements without the permission of Campus Life, which was used as the third reason to reject their club application. Déom felt this to be an arbitrarily applied piece of bureaucracy.

The fourth reason is that “clubs shall be overseen legally and financially by the Dawson Student Union and cannot be overseen by any external organization.”

Déom responds that “nowhere in our constitution did we say we were going to receive funds from the wider organization.

Are we students that are members of an organization outside of school? Yes. But we’re not receiving funds. Within our organization we have a specific group dedicated to Dawson, all the money comes not from the organization, but from its members.” Even the claim of “overseen” is unclear, as per the submitted constitution, in no way would members of the club have to participate/register/affiliate with any CR

activities, or have any sort of relationship with CR. The DSU ended the rejection email by recommending that the group “contact the Clubs Coordinator of the Student Life Department for the regulations of becoming a student interest group rather than a student club.” This category of “student interest group” has since been abolished by the DSU, however presently the DSU website lists three “independent chapter groups.”

(Currently MedLife, Coda, and Hillel) There is no description of how they are defined by the DSU in the Constitution or Clubs Standing Regulations, but the latter document has a definition of “Independent Student Groups” as “student groups not affiliated with the DSU, and therefore not bound by [the Clubs Standing Regulations].”

Déom claims that “we [CR] were open to that, we’re not strict on what we want to be [...but] it was really hard to communicate with the DSU, it was really hard to communicate with CL and, in the past year or so, there’s been a lot of changes with how the DSU works with clubs, and their restrictions on clubs. It’s been unclear ever since if we could ever become an independent student group. We’ve tried to reach out to the DSU and have some

communication between us, it hasn’t really worked out. We tried to go through the CL, it was even worse. They didn’t even respond to our emails.”

The Plant also spoke with Alberto Mariategui, a student at CÉGEP MarieVictorin and activist for Communist Revolution, who quickly linked the rise in tension surrounding political issues to the difficulty CR is having with being permitted on campuses. “We were already present on different campuses, and there was no issue with calling for [communist] revolution, and making even more radical political statements, but as soon as it revolved around Palestine, [...] there was literally a crackdown. Security came to us on multiple campuses to talk with us, essentially telling us that we cannot do that; the administration doesn’t allow it, there’s ‘political speech’ involved. But we were making political claims all along, and there were no issues [until then].”

In terms of what Déom expects from the college moving forward, she said, “Really, the only thing I would really really appreciate would be to be able to like… get a room. To be able to get a room within the college, to be able to have an event within the college without having 5 guys from security show up, that’d be nice.”

We always found that pretty ridiculous, to imply that fighting back against oppression is violence, or encouraging violence.

6 THE PLANT

Why are McGill Students on Hunger Strike?

Their Goals and Their Important Message to Cégep Students SANAD HAMDOUNA Cover Artist & Co-E.i.C. Bogdan and Chadi are only two among several McGill students currently on hunger strike to protest their university’s complicity in what experts have called a genocide in The Gaza Strip.

On February 13th, the group they’re part of—aptly named “McGill Hunger Strike”— announced over Instagram their intention to go on an indefinite hunger strike. They will not eat until McGill divests from its approximately 20 Million dollar investments in arms manufacturing companies and other companies benefiting from Israel’s murderous campaign against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

Children in Gaza cannot wait to eat. They are already dying from malnutrition and saving their lives is a matter of hours or days — not weeks.

According to McGill’s publicly available list of investments, as of December 31st 2023, McGill invests heavily into known arms manufacturers such as Lockheed Martin, who provide Israel with weapons like the Hellfire 9x missile, designed to shred people with an explosion of sharp blades, and Thales SA, who also manufacture weapons and collaborate with Israeli arms manufacturer Elbit Systems to develop new killing technologies. In late 2023, The McGill Daily calculated that McGill invested around 7 Million dollars into various arms manufacturing and military service companies, most with ties to the Israeli military.

The remaining $13 Million in investments mentioned by McGill Hunger Strike is divided between a small number of other companies providing more subtle support to the Israeli military or profiting from the oppression of Palestinians and land theft. These companies include giants such as: Chevron Corp, the second largest polluter in the world and Israel’s main fossil fuel extractor; L’Oreal, a makeup company operating a factory in an illegal Israeli settlement in the illegally occupied Palestinian West Bank; and RBC (Royal

Bank of Canada) which owns at least 58 Billion USD of shares in Palantir, a mass surveillance system of Orwellian proportion weaponized against Palestinians, among others. Additionally, RBC is the main financial force behind the ongoing theft of indigenous land in Canada — namely the lands and waters of the Wet’suwet’en Nation — in the interest of oil barons.

As of March 16th, at least two students have been on an indefinite hunger strike since February 19th, with others joining subsequently.

In an interview with The Plant during a protest on March 9th — the 20th day of his hunger strike — Bogdan describes their motivations for choosing hunger striking as a method of protest: “We’re doing this so that we get results as fast as possible. We’re doing this because the situation in Palestine is so urgent and unprecedented that it requires unprecedented actions.”

The Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council, Jan Egeland, has characterized Israel’s actions as causing “one of the worst humanitarian crises faced by any civilian population this century”. Meanwhile, the Committee to Protect Journalists, a US-based rights group, has labeled it the deadliest situation for journalists they’d ever seen, with 37 journalists killed in the first month and at least 95 killed by March 15th. In addition, as of March 14th, Euromed Monitor reports a death toll of at least 40 042 Palestinians killed in Gaza since October 7th. Those killed include 14 861 children, the most vulnerable part of the population, with many more in a state of acute malnutrition and dehydration or dead due to Israeliinduced starvation and disease.

The McGill hunger strikers are far from first to describe this sense of urgency. On March 8th 2024, Jason Lee, a director for the humanitarian organization Save the Children, said: “Children in Gaza cannot wait to eat. They are already dying from malnutrition and saving their lives is a matter of hours or days — not weeks.”

These apocalyptic conditions and the constant stream of live war crimes on our screens have driven many to action in the last few months, but the hunger strike was not McGill students’ first choice.

In fact, they have been fighting against their university’s complicity in genocide, apartheid, and other human rights abuses for much longer.

In early 2021, the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) adopted the “Divest for Human Rights Policy”, officially calling on McGill to divest from and cut ties with a series of companies involved in human rightsviolations, including some still benefiting from Israeli apartheid and the ongoing genocide against Palestinians.

In the Winter 2022 SSMU referendum, McGill students voted 71% in favour of adopting the Palestine Solidarity Policy, signaling a strong desire to end the university’s complicity in Israeli crimes.

In the SSMU’s Fall 2023 referendum, students voted 78.7% in favour of adopting the Policy Against Genocide in Palestine.

This policy explicitly listed demands for the McGill administration to “publicly condemn the genocidal bombing campaigns and siege against the people of Gaza”; “immediately cut ties with any corporations, institutions or individuals complicit in genocide, settlercolonialism, apartheid, or ethnic cleansing against Palestinians”; and “immediately divest from all corporations and institutions complicit in genocide, settler-colonialism, apartheid, or ethnic cleansing against Palestinians”, among others.

Despite these mandates, McGill has chosen to ignore their students’ demands.

This indifference risks the lives of hunger-striking students and tarnishes the university’s reputation; those students may die, and McGill would be one of few universities, if not the only one, to kill its own students for Israel’s sake.

In an attempt to avoid this disastrous outcome, the McGill administration agreed — on February 28th — to a meeting with

They will not eat until McGill divests from its approximately 20 Million dollar investments in arms manufacturing companies and other companies benefiting from Israel’s murderous campaign against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

NEWS 7 7 7

the hunger striking students and allied groups on March 11th. It only took a few hours for them to send an email going back on their word and instead proposed a meeting on March 1st, a date that McGill Hunger Strike had already informed them was too early, and imposed a strict limit on the amount of people that could attend. This caused a collapse in the negotiations and as of March 16th, no progress has been made.

When asked how the rest of the student body in Montreal could support McGill students, Bogdan urged: “Please spread the word about what’s going on, please report on it, please tell your friends to follow us. We have an open letter on our Instagram, @McGillHungerStrike, calling on McGill alumni, faculty, and staff.

It’s a letter that alumni themselves penned up independently, in support of what we’re doing and asking McGill to listen to us and to have a meeting with all the students, and that’s already received over 800 signatures.

Another thing you can do is directly emailing the administration yourselves, members of the administration, such as Deep Saini, our president, asking them to

listen to the hunger strikers to listen to all of their students and faculty who’ve already democratically been calling for divestment and boycott. The third thing you can do is if you want to join us and you’re from Montreal, you’re very welcome to go on hunger strike with us.”

Chadi, who had been standing on the sidelines for most of the interview, but who’s also indefinitely hunger striking, had a message specifically for CÉGEP students: “A lot of people in CÉGEP are going to go to university, right? So I would encourage CÉGEP students who were considering McGill to — you know — reflect on it, think, and even speak publicly about it and to say: ‘hey maybe we should not be going to universities that invest 20 mil into apartheid and genocide’ […] McGill has shown that what we’re doing and our legitimate acts of protest, and our right to protest, is being ignored even in situations where there is a dire consequence for our health because they do not want to listen to their students.

So I would encourage CÉGEP students to reconsider exactly what they’re doing when they’re applying and to talk about it

and call it out. Because we cannot just keep entering academic institutions that not only do not care about us, [but] that do not care about people in general. And I think that’s very important, there’s a lack of security for Palestinian students, for pro-Palestinian students, and in general it’s very tough.

And I would like for the people in CÉGEP to really look carefully at where they’re going because, a lot of times, we don’t. And academic prestige will never be worth our humanity.”

I would like for the people in CÉGEP to really look carefully at where they’re going because, a lot of times, we don’t. And academic prestige will never be worth our humanity.

PHOTO VIA @MCGILLHUNGERSTRIKE

8 THE PLANT CURATED

BY MIA GUELI Visual Arts Editor

DARIO MANCINI @dar_mancini

GABE WAGNER @gabe_wagner04

VISUAL ARTS 9 DARIO MANCINI @dar_mancini

MIA GUELI @miag.draws

SARAH MELNYCZOK @_bysarahmel

10 THE PLANT 10 NEWS

Dangerous Laws Targeting Transgender Youth in Alberta SABINA BELLISARIO-GIGLIO News Editor Danielle Smith, Premier of Alberta, announced on January 31, 2024, a series of policies directed at transgender youth that she plans to enact in the fall. In a video, Premier Smith claims that the “issues” she tackles “[pose] a risk to [a] child’s future that I, as Premier, am not comfortable with permitting in our province.” These new policy changes target transgender youth in both the medical and educational spheres.

However, many human rights organizations in and around Alberta as well as experts are deeming these policies unconstitutional.

These new policies looming in the medical field are attempting to put in place restrictions for transgender youth. These new policies will completely ban crucial transgender medical procedures, top and bottom gender reassignment surgery, for minors aged 17 and under. Medical treatments, such as puberty blockers and hormone therapies that are directly used for the purpose of gender reassignment will also be banned for minors aged 15 and under.

The policies regarding education also directly impact the education surrounding LGBTQ+ topics as well as risk outing transgender children. Premier Smith has decided to update the policy whereby parents were able to opt out of lessons that address issues of gender identity, sexual orientation, or human sexuality. The update now requires that all parents abide by a new “opt-in” policy, meaning that they must give their formal consent every time an instructor decides to add these topics to their lessons and whether they permit their child’s to attend. The new pronoun policy will require children ages 15 and under to obtain parental consent to change their names or pronouns in an educational setting. Students aged 16 to 17 will not need parental consent but will have their parents notified if any changes are made to their name or pronouns.

She also announced a policy that

would ban transgender women from competing in women’s sports leagues. The misinformation surrounding Smith’s claims about transgender women in sports was quickly debunked by the CEO of Canadian Women and Sport, Allison SandmeyerGraves. She told CBC that the proposed policy “isn’t backed by evidence and is out of step with national and international guidelines.”

After the announcement, many doctors and pediatricians were quick to condemn Smith’s decision to restrict and prolong these gender-affirming medical procedures.

In an open letter to Albert’s Premier, the Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS) expressed their worry about the effects these policies will have on transgender youth going forward. They write, “When it comes to gender-affirming medical care, the current best evidence shows that younger age and earlier pubertal stage at the time of presentation has been associated with lower rates of mental health conditions.”

The letter references a study conducted by the National Library of Medicine by which they concluded that delayed puberty and older age have shown signs of leaving transgender youth seeking gender-affirming care vulnerable to mental health conditions.

The letter was also quick to debunk certain statements from Smith’s announcement video. The Premier categorizes puberty blockers as “irreversible”, a claim that is incorrect. CPS clarified that “Hormonal suppression is reversible and sex steroid production will resume if blockers are discontinued.” Dr. Sam Wong, the head of pediatrics in the Alberta Medical Association (AMA), and a co-writer of the letter, explains the issue further. In an interview with Global News, he clarifies, ”puberty blockers are useful to give patients extra time to think about what their decision is going to be over the next couple of years.” He emphasizes the importance of puberty blockers, explaining how they allow the patient to decide whether they will proceed with genderaffirming care, or stop their usage of the

Anti-trans laws are not uncommon, but the outcome always seems to be the same

blockers and restart their puberty.

The policies surrounding education also pose a great threat to LGBTQ+ students, especially transgender youth. Anti-trans laws are not uncommon, but the outcome always seems to be the same. Oklahoma, which already has in place many of the policies Smith wishes to enact, has recently caused an outcry due to the death of Nex Benedict, an indigenous, non-binary student. Nex was forced to use the girl’s bathroom at their school, as a result of Oklahoma’s bathroom policy and was then confronted by a group of girls who harassed and attacked them. The next day, they were found unresponsive in their home, which the Oklahoma Medical Examiner’s Office later ruled a suicide. However, the report did not mention any trauma that was caused by the fight. Many protestors marched outside of the state capital carrying that signs that called for justice for Benedict, saying “It was not suicide.”

An infringement on human rights.

A letter signed by almost 400 national and local organizations, calling for the resignation of Ryan Walters, Oklahoma’s State Superintendent of Public Instruction, said that he “is responsible for fostering a culture of violence and hate against the 2SLGBTQI+ community in Oklahoma schools.” This statement could reign true for Danielle Smith, as many other leaders are calling out the dangers of her new policies, with the mayor of Calgary, Jyoti Gondek, calling it “an infringement on human rights.”

Despite the backlash, Smith stood by her decision the day after the announcement in a press release and said she wouldn’t be opposed to using the notwithstanding clause to dodge the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

A petition urging the Canadian and Alberta Human Rights Commission to safeguard the rights of transgender youth is only 500 signatures away from reaching its goal of 15,000 signatures. The petition, which is available on change.org, is called Safeguard Transgender Children’s Rights to Self Identity and Bodily Autonomy in Alberta.

ARTS & CULTURE 11 11 11

A History of Meaning: The Illusion of Progress and the Atomization of Culture THOMAS FRENETTE Arts & Culture Editor This history serves a heuristic purpose above all and recognizes its incompleteness When asked about the primary goal of humanity, people often speak of “the meaning of life.” By this is usually meant an ultimate purpose to justify the thoughts, feelings, and actions performed in a lifetime to escape the otherwise symbolic value of the Sisyphean task. “Meaning” is a quality, not a thing, and humans have tried to measure the “meaning-ness” of their lives in various modes of meaning.

Though nebulous and reworkable — escaping the assumption that something meaningful has one specific meaning — culture is the vehicle by which people construct values, beliefs, and language to define themselves as a collective and as individuals.

History remembers monocultural societies, isolated into the praise of one metanarrative. Of course, understanding other possible meanings is inconceivable without an awareness of a choice in alternatives. Monocultural societies have become very rare in the West in the past several centuries and thus represents an increasingly rare object of scrutiny for anthropologists, sociologists, and linguists.

When cultures come into contact, conflicts occur over meaning. Each party views the other’s beliefs and practices as fundamentally wrong. Western society has answered this dilemma by answering “why” questions with “becauses” so that people know what is expected from them to do according to the ultimate truth.

Systemic culture uses such rigid truths as central tenets for systemic answers to all questions of meaning for everyone, everywhere, always.

During the 19th century, religion,

philosophy, politics, science, and art were wholly compatible. Religion was as rational as science; it drew justifications consistent with common sense. Political and economic theory enforced the existing social order by citing the natural facts learned from religion and science. Science confirmed the will of God, and art reflected the values of culture and idealized the morality of deep-rooted philosophies.

The specific roles defined by complex institutions — church, corporation, community — dehumanized people into tiny and interchangeable cogs in the intimidating, incomprehensible, and relentless machine. One’s own work was unrecognizable as the system pushed more and more pointlessly awful rules and regulations. Systematic obligations based on rigorous boundary-making separated people from their own everyday experiences and it became possible, for the first time, to feel alienated and isolated while in a crowd.

During the 20th century, ideological systems failed to attribute meaning to the human experience. Ideology rationalized the psychological and physical consequences of industrialization, class conflict, economic depression and world war. WWI and WW2 seemed completely pointless, and skepticism was a common reaction to the lack of cumulation of meaning of the previous century’s moral, economic, and scientific progress.

The disillusionment of the 19th century as an era of rapid improvement increased support for alternative modes of meaning.

Whereas some spiteful reactionary movements appeared, a general repulsion of the mainstream’s nihilistic moral breakdown inspired the birth of counterculture in the 1960s.

The Hippie movement and the Moral Majority countercultures proposed universalist alternatives to the mainstream.

The soundness of the movements was

Fluidity of meaning, based partly on observation of historical trends and the intrinsic logic of meaningness, can incorporate the insights of universalism and nihilism at once

threatened on many fronts; their new visions were unable to appeal to a majority, unable to encompass the diversity of views now found within societies, and could not provide community because they were mass movements.

The subsequent mode marked a fundamentally new approach to finding meaning. It abandoned universalism, or the delusion that meanings—mainly via ideology—must be the same for everyone, everywhere, and always. Subcultures arose roughly in the mid-1970s and aimed to appeal to small, like-minded communities.

They operated along the logic that different people are different and may require different cultures, societies, and psychologies. This end is found in a type of relationship intermediate to the family and state, parallel to a ‘third place’ outside of work and home.

The most obvious example of subculture evolution can be observed in musical genres. Heavy metal is a subgenre of rock, the primary countercultural genre, and in turn generated a subculture. Death metal is then a sub-subgenre. Melodic death, following this logic, is a sub-sub-subgenre.

The fragmentation may be repeated until the mode becomes unworkable. The incoherence of the multiplying modes of meaning is theoretically not problematic because meanings do not hang together.

Because the shards of meaning do not relate to each other, it is impossible to compare them. There is no relative value, so everything seems equally trivial. It is hardly conceivable to construct a coherent meaning from the fragments of meaning.

Since the turn of the 21st century, the postmodern challenge has then been to regulate the flow of meaning as the ‘atomized mode’ delivers, for the first time, an overwhelming amount of meaning comparable to drinking from a firehose.

However, the rise and fall of systems of meaning should not replace hope with dread. The relentless pursuit of meaning stresses the human need to create meaning.

A new ‘fluid mode’ is a tentative response to the current problems of meaningness.

Fluidity of meaning, based partly on observation of historical trends and the intrinsic logic of meaningness, can incorporate the insights of universalism and nihilism at once; acknowledging structures of meaning without building rigid foundations.

12 THE PLANT

Recommended Reading: The Tragic Wit of Dorothy Parker CLARA FREY Staff Writer Best-selling poet, critic, short story writer and master of the one-liner, Dorothy Parker was the witty ‘it girl’ of the roaring twenties.

Dorothy “Dot or Dottie” Parker was born to Henry and Eliza Rothschild in 1893 and grew up in New York’s Upper West Side.

At just fourteen, her sharp tongue got her expelled from her convent school when she insisted on referring to the Immaculate Conception as the “spontaneous combustion.”

Though Parker lived in considerable comfort, her youth was full of sorrow. Both her mother and her stepmother died very young. At 19, her uncle Martin Rothschild drowned on the Titanic, and her father passed away the following year. She turned to writing light verse to express the sadness of her early years.

In 1915, Vanity Fair purchased her poem, “Any Porch,” and Parker was offered a position writing advertisement captions at the new and fashionable women’s magazine Vogue, their sister publication.

“At Vogue, Parker famously transformed Shakespeare’s line “brevity is the soul of wit” into an erotic epitaph: “brevity is the soul of lingerie.”

In 1917, Parker was finally promoted to editor for Vanity Fair, becoming New York City’s first ever female drama critic. The same year, she married stockbroker Edwin Pond Parker.

PARKER CIRCA 1935 PHOTO CREDIT: ALAMY STOCK

As Parker became a prominent figure of New York City’s magazine industry, she also rose to celebrity as a founding member of The Algonquin Round Table. The group, dubbed “the vicious circle,” included humorist and Vanity Fair writer Robert Benchley, playwright and The New Yorker editor Robert E. Sherwood, and comedian Harpo Marx, the second oldest of the Marx brothers, among other literary wits.

They met over lunch to exchange clever repartee and share artistic inspiration at the Algonquin Hotel in Midtown.

Parker famously observed: she wasn’t a writer with a drinking problem, but a drinker with a writing problem.

If Dorothy Parker’s literary career was a success, her personal life was a mess. She was entangled with a series of emotionally distant and usually married men. Beneath her sharp satire, there is an undercurrent of yearning and intimate pain in her poetry.

“Accept me as I am, or reject me; or, as it usually goes, both,” she wrote.

Parker’s first husband was an alcoholic and morphine addict, and shortly after their divorce she became involved with married fellow Round Tabler and debonair playwright Charles MacArthur. Their affair led to an unwanted pregnancy and Parker’s subsequent abortion. In a characteristic display of wit, Parker lamented: “It serves me right for putting all my eggs in one bastard.” Parker, however, downplays her heartbreak at their troubled relationship.

Following her abortion, she fell into a deep depression that would lead her to attempting suicide and would then plunge her into a habit of self-medicating with alcohol, which she would never shake. Parker famously observed: she wasn’t a writer with a drinking problem, but a drinker with a writing problem.

Published shortly after Parker’s personal ordeal, Mr. Durant is a short story written in 1924 that seemingly draws inspiration from her tumultuous relationship with MacArthur. It tells of Mr Durant, a married rubber company worker, who, after having ‘taken care of’ the greatly inconvenient event of his mistress falling pregnant, can finally relax and return to admiring the stockinged legs of younger women on the bus.

Parker’s second marriage to actor Alan Campbell in 1934 was also a turbulent affair. Campbell was 11 years her junior and had a reputation as a flirt. The two divorced in 1947, only to remarry three years later.

They would stay married until Campbell died of an overdose in 1963.

In 1920, the same cutting wit that got Dottie expelled from the convent also got her fired from Vanity Fair. Parker poorly reviewed a Broadway production of Caesar’s Wife, and leveled a lethal quip at actress Billie Burke, wife of one of Vanity Fair’s biggest advertisers. “Vanity Fair was a magazine of no opinion- but I had opinions,” she later defended.

But this event proved only a minor blow for Dottie– and she quickly rose to literary stardom. In the 1920s, she published over 300 poems in New York City’s flourishing print industry and wrote stories for The New Yorker. Parker single-handedly invented the New Yorker short story. She also published her first book of poetry- Enough Rope, which, in spite of being reviewed by the New York Times as “flapper verse,” sold 70 000 copies. Parker’s poetry bears the hallmark of both wit and profound melancholy. Exploring power dynamics, particularly those embedded in gender, her verse delves into the intricate layers of American societal norms. Here is General Review of the Sex Situation from Enough Rope, 1924: “Woman wants monogamy; Man delights in novelty.

Love is Woman’s moon and sun; Man has other forms of fun.

Woman lives but in her lord; Count to ten, and man is bored.

With this the gist and sum of it, What earthly good can come of it?”

Though some feminists are reluctant to embrace Parker for her interest in men and lines such as: “If you wear a short enough skirt, the party will come to you,” many of her main characters are women seeking emancipation in a world limited by societal expectations and she avant-gardely broached taboo women’s issues, such as abortion.

Parker’s works are hard to come by in bookstores due to their slight scale. Look for The Portable Dorothy Parker by Penguin Classics to discover the full breadth of Dot Parker’s tragic wit online.

ARTS & CULTURE 13 13 13

From Wattpad to Indigo: The explosion of fanfiction tropes on our bookshelves EZRA BUCUR Creative Writing Editor Fanfiction can be described as a fan-made, amateur-written work of a pre-existing piece of media. It is usually crafted as a means of celebrating the original source material, and expanding upon the established universe and characters to explore new ideas, reinterpret characters, and delve into unexplored concepts. Its main appeal, however, remains its accessibility to fans across the world, as anyone, regardless of age, writing skill, or fame, can create their own spin on a beloved franchise, and publish it online. Even without being heavily involved in consuming or writing this media, there is still an interest that can be found in analyzing how many of its tropes have seeped into popular, nonfanfiction media, absorbing other genres of literature. However, fanfiction is not the problem, it is rather the exploitative publishing companies that capitalize the sheer fun of it at the cost of the freedom and accessibility that fanfiction once enjoyed.

Over the years, fanfiction has gained an increasing amount of mainstream attention, leading not only to popular fan works being published, but also to the popularization of these tropes in unrelated, non-fanfiction media. This has resulted in a loss of credibility for fanfiction within its fan spaces, as it is only seen as a way to vent out sexual frustrations, but also for current publishing trends to lean in on these tropes, further delegitimizing even published novels.

Whilst most credit fanfiction as being a product of the Internet, it actually has deeper roots spanning all the way back to the 18th century. Whilst characters had been repurposed for other stories for hundreds of years, such as in religious works, it is with the development of copyright and individual property that fanfiction became

more than just taking inspiration from other existing works. Authors such as Daniel Defoe accused amateur authors of “kidnapping” his work, but others’ work had lived on through fanzines and other published works. Jane Austen is a prime example of this, as many fanzines of her work, especially Pride and Prejudice, were created in the 20th century, primarily due to recent developments in printing technologies. Many of these works were sexual in nature, and this pattern replicated itself in more modern fanfiction pieces. One of the first modern examples of fanfiction were the famous Spock x Kirk zines from the 1960s. This was one of the many installments in the “slash” genre, which consists of fanfiction revolving around pairing same sex relationships. Today, numerous fanfiction websites such as Wattpad, Fanfiction.net, or Archive of Our Own (AO3), host millions of user-created stories.

Despite the existence of the online space, fanfiction is still traditionally published to this day, and sometimes even gains widespread mainstream popularity, to the point of even getting movie adaptations.

One of the most famous example of this is Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L James. The series is incredibly sexual, as it follows the relationship between a woman named Anastasia Steele and a wealthy man named Christian Grey. Fifty Shades was negatively received by critics, both as a novel and as a film adaptation. Salman Rushdie, an acclaimed British-Indian author, remarked that the book “made Twilight look like War and Peace.” Ironically enough, the plot of Fifty Shades originated from a Twilight fanfiction James had published on Fanfiction.net years prior. Other examples of this include After by Anna Todd, which was adapted into film in 2019. Originally, After had been a Wattpad fanfiction centering around the romance between

former One Direction member Harry Styles and the elusive “Y/N” character, which stands for “Your Name”, and is meant to represent the reader. Social media has also popularized fanfictions-turned-novels, with a prominent example being The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood, which was inspired entirely by Ben Solo and Rey from the Star Wars franchise.

Since many fanfictions revolve around romance, it only makes sense that the fanfictions that make it into publishing houses would as well. For this reason, many tropes that originate from fanfiction also become popular, whether problematic or not. These tropes are often romantic, such as enemies to lovers, friends to lovers, or academic rivals. However, there are also incredibly sexual tropes that also got popularized by fanfiction. While there is nothing wrong with erotica nor sexual themes in literature, these tropes revolve around abusive relationships, nonconsensual sexual interactions, or physically traumatic sexual interactions. There is also no broader plot nor themes within these books, as publishing companies try to push tropes for the sake of tropes.

These books often reach younger audiences, and normalize not substance, but only romance for the sake of romance.

With social media like TikTok, it is almost impossible to regulate whether underage audiences are exposed to abusive erotica, all whilst publishing companies capitalize on a bastardized version of what fanfiction should be: enriching fan spaces and community and sharing the love for a franchise with others. Even as someone who does not read fanfiction, the way some of its more problematic tropes have seeped into published works has affected literature as a whole, commercializing it even further whilst negatively impacting fanfiction as well.

Even without being heavily involved in consuming or writing this media, there is still an interest that can be found in analyzing how many of its tropes have seeped into popular, non-fanfiction media, absorbing other genres of literature.

14 14 ARTS & CULTURE

An Exploration of Youtube’s Decay SARAH BENSETITI Secretary From its humble origins as a dating app designed for users to share brief self-presentation videos, YouTube has undergone a profound transformation, emerging as a towering presence in the digital landscape. Revered as the “free Netflix,” this platform now boasts an astonishing 800 million accessible videos, firmly establishing itself as an indomitable force in the online realm. For countless individuals, YouTube has transcended mere novelty to become an integral component of our digital existence, with most of us actively contributing to and engaging with its evolution from modest beginnings to staggering growth. Its journey has been nothing short of extraordinary, mirroring the evolving desires and demands of a global audience hungry for diverse content.

However, despite its monumental success, YouTube has encountered its fair share of challenges along the way.

The platform’s incessant UI updates, the proliferation of revenue-generating advertisements, and a controversial algorithm have raised legitimate concerns about its trajectory. The once-seamless and enjoyable user experience has been somewhat marred by these developments, prompting questions about whether the platform’s evolution has truly broadened opportunities and enriched the user experience, or if its exponential growth has inadvertently undermined the aspirations of individuals seeking to establish careers in this ever-shifting digital landscape.

Undoubtedly, YouTube has heralded unprecedented opportunities for creators across the globe. It has emerged as a fertile breeding ground for careers that were once deemed inconceivable. From animators to video editors, commentators to educators, musical artists to culinary connoisseurs the spectrum of possibilities is as vast and diverse as the content itself. YouTube stands not only as a platform for education, but also as one for entertainment, seamlessly merging the realms of learning and leisure.

Despite its current challenges, the platform’s past achievements serve as a poignant testament to its transformative power, reshaping not just digital culture but also the careers and aspirations of millions worldwide. Embarking on a YouTube career was once akin to embarking on a thrilling voyage into uncharted territories of creativity and expression, with the world

Why do we now hesitate before clicking on the YouTube icon, a platform that was once our go-to source of entertainment in a landscape dominated by traditional television channels? eagerly embracing the platform’s offerings as a breath of fresh air in the realm of entertainment: a television experience free from the shackles of rigid regulations.

Yet, what has changed since those early days of boundless promise? Why do we now hesitate before clicking on the YouTube icon, a platform that was once our go-to source of entertainment in a landscape dominated by traditional television channels? The answer lies in the fact that YouTube has evolved into a billion-dollar behemoth, driven more by capitalist greed than by a genuine commitment to meeting the needs and expectations of its users and content creators alike.

The introduction of YouTube Premium and the proliferation of unskippable advertisements have transformed the platform into an increasingly unwelcoming environment. Clicking on a video now entails subjecting oneself to a barrage of unskippable ads, with some content creators or even YouTube itself inundating viewers with over five advertisements within a single video. This inundation mirrors the frustrations of traditional television, significantly diminishing our enjoyment of the medium. What was once an escape from the constraints of traditional television has now become an embodiment of those very constraints, as YouTube succumbs to the same profit-driven imperatives that plague traditional media.

Beyond YouTube’s relentless pursuit of profit maximization lies another critical factor contributing to the increasingly alien and uninspiring atmosphere pervading the platform. While the algorithm’s efficacy has waned in recent times, the prevailing content landscape on YouTube, captivating the bulk of viewers, poses a significant challenge and threat to smaller content creators. With the ascendance of influential figures like MrBeast, established content creators have ramped up their investments in video production, prioritizing elaborate and high-budget concepts to secure attention and prominence within YouTube’s competitive interface.

Consequently, it has become financially

viable only for creators to publish videos that introduce novel, expensive, and meticulously crafted content. This trend poses a daunting obstacle for emerging creators who lack the requisite connections, time, and resources to meet the standards set by these costly productions. As a result, they find themselves overshadowed and marginalized, unable to compete with their more affluent counterparts who command attention through their grandiose concepts.

In essence, the process of creating videos for YouTube has become disheartening, resulting in a dearth of fresh faces and innovative content, ultimately fueling YouTube’s decline.

Thus, the insatiable greed of YouTube’s corporate entity, coupled with the strategic choices of influential content creators to produce videos that border on the unattainable for those lacking substantial financial means and industry connections, has profoundly exacerbated the pervasive sense of apprehension that accompanies every visit to the platform.

Yet, in acknowledging and addressing these realities, there exists a hopeful opportunity to foster a more equitable landscape, one that affords aspiring creators the chance to thrive and prosper in their pursuit of a YouTube career, and finally offers freshness to audiences desperate to spend the little excess of time they have before engaging in their various daily activities…

VOICES 15 15 15

Senioritis: An Interview RALUCA-MARA MARE Staff Writer As this semester marks the awaited return of spring after a long winter, it equally marks the awaited graduation ceremony for some. In honor of this long journey, I have decided to interview a few students from diverse programs regarding their perceptions of CEGEP ending and the advice they would give to the newcomers in their programs. I have assembled their best responses.

Senioritis is commonly defined as “a supposed affliction of students in their final year of high school or college, characterized by a decline in motivation or performance” by Oxford Languages.

Its use has become prominent on social media platforms and its humoristic aspect is often employed in relatable memes. As I stumbled across this term a couple of times, I found myself wondering to what extent it has become a phenomenon among graduating students.

For privacy reasons, the interviewees will be referred to by their initials or their programs.

How do you feel knowing CEGEP is over in a few months?

SA: Pure relief. It was the hardest transitory stage of my life, but I learned a lot from it. [I] wouldn’t do it again.

NH: Knowing [university] is about to be worse....I’m gonna miss CEGEP. I don’t wanna be like that mouse eating a sandwich alone meme.

Z: Kinda sad [to be honest] but super excited. The thought of university is scary [because] everything we do from now on determines our future (...) It’s getting too serious out here. CEGEP was the perfect balance between studies and the freedom to do whatever you want. It was great and I’m really [going to] miss it.

K: My scheduling sometimes was absolutely [censored] so I’m partly glad I’m leaving.

How familiar are you with the term “senioritis”? How do you define it?

Y: Not really familiar until you explained it, in my mind it means individuals who have stayed at a place for long.

SA: The feeling of giving up following the [university] application season to the next stage of education, basically. I feel it even in the second semester, so yeah… very common.

How has your last semester impacted your motivation level? Knowing your R score does not matter anymore, do you feel the need to perform in the same manner as before?

NH: Yes I’m still giving my 100% energy in everything I do, but it’s only [because] I want to make my ego cackle. But if I don’t get the results I expected, there’s no point in being upset if it won’t affect me.

I suppose I’ve become more immune to “failures” now. After all, it is what it is.

SB: I feel a lot less motivated because I have already gotten acceptances. It gives me a feeling of accomplishment even though the semester is already over. I already see myself in university.

If you’re planning on going to university, how does your university application process affect your current situation? Do you feel more motivated? Less?

NL: Definitely more motivated to not fail, but not to outperform.

NH: I feel more motivated I guess. Since things will get a lot harder in [university], I need to prepare now by staying consistent in my efforts. I know the moment I slack off it could become a habit and I can’t afford that in university.

EB: I do not feel the need to perform as much as before. University applications were very stressful, but I’m glad it’s over. I just need to wait now. Once, [I am accepted], On a funnier note, what is your best and worst memory at Dawson?

NH: Best was being dragged in a debate in the library study rooms with random students. Worst memory is getting scolded in the library.

ZH: I loved spending my four hour long Thursday breaks with my best friends.

Common breaks are so fun.

A: My best memories are my friend’s birthdays! The worst is definitely the calculus 2 final.

MA: When a pigeon [pooped] on me while I was going to the forum. It can’t get any worse.

Lastly, what advice would you give a first year in your program?

Social science student: Do your work early, it’ll save you a lot of cramming.

Marketing and management technology student: Even if classes in the first semester are boring, it gets better!

Two enriched health science students: Please don’t hesitate to ask questions in class when you’re confused. Might feel stupid at first but at the end of the day, nobody is to blame for your performance academically but yourself. Also, do not compare yourself to others. And make sure to get involved, do more than just school.

One business student: Stay focused on your goal! It’s normal to be lost at first.

One law student: Learn out of interest, it’s so useful long term.

16 THE PLANT

Playlist by MIA GUELI Visual Arts Editor

VOICES 17

An Empty Room Filled with Potential

Known to the locals as “la poly” or “le pâté chinois,” Mont-Bruno High School is used for most Saint-Bruno activities. Between the loud pounding of basketballs and the smell of chlorine from the pool is the most important room of the whole school: the dance studio. It’s simple but the ballet bars surrounded by mirrored walls have always felt like home.

I guess it’s weird that an empty room in a suburban high school has always been the most important place to me. It has always been an opportunity to dance and be surrounded by people who also love to dance.

Studio On Danse is a dance studio run through the city of St-Bruno and Jocelyn Grenier is the director of all things dance.

“I’ve always been involved with the studio,” remarks Jocelyn, “I danced when I was younger. It’s always been something I’m passionate about.” Jocelyn’s daughters, Rachelle and Olivia Watson, were dancers at the studio when the former owner retired.

They are all still involved with the studio to this day.

“I don’t think [the passion for dance] is ever something that leaves you,” explains Jocelyn. She mentions briefly that dancers’ smiling faces are a gratifying part of her job.

Although the studio has the least flattering lighting, broken air conditioning and rickety barres, my younger self was convinced that the older girls dancing were professional ballerinas.

At the studio’s end-of-the-year shows,

these girls would perform the principal roles, committing to endless time in the studio. When I finally got to audition alongside them, this gave me a bit of imposter syndrome because these girls flowed across the dance floor and I was still in my awkward phase. Two of these girls, Marie-Claire Morrier and Leila Seguem, continue to dance but also extend their talents to teach the next generation of dancers to find their passion for the art.

“I teach once a week so I’m not teaching for money,” says Marie-Claire, “I’m teaching because it’s fun.”

“I think most dance teachers don’t do it for money,” Leila adds, “I personally do it to watch the vision I have in my head become real.”

Along with being teachers at the studio, Marie-Claire is in the architecture industry and Leila is a teacher’s aide.

“My dance experience and time in the studio have allowed me to connect with students. I had this one difficult student but we were able to form a bond through dance,” explains Leila, “ever since then my interactions with this student have been so much better.”

“When I started in architecture, I also started teaching dance,” says Marie-Claire, “they have very similar aspects. Like in ballet, there’s a technique you need to perfect in order to be artistic. The same can be said about architecture because you need that type of control before being able to express yourself creatively.”

The studio gave me the opportunity to grow up with the most talented and kind

people. It never mattered how different we were, the studio allowed us to connect through dance.

“I started dancing at three years old,” says Raphaëlle, “my mom was a dancer so she was my first inspiration.”

Even though her mom’s time as a dancer has ended, Raphaëlle continues to return to the studio.

“I’ve tried other studios, but this one is unique in the sense that there’s a balance of work and fun; it isn’t always strict.”

At the end of the day, it is just an empty room. But, as a dancer, it is so much more.

It’s a place to work hard, make friends, and obviously dance.

Raphaëlle suggests to the future generation of the studio that “you can’t put too much pressure on how you dance, you need to focus on having fun.”

MEGAN SHEEL, 2012

LEILA SEGUEM (LEFT) AND MARIECLAIRE MORRIER (RIGHT), 2016

RAPHAËLLE MACHABÉE WITH HER MOM EMMANUELLE HÉROUX, 2010

MEGAN SHEEL Contributor

RAPHAËLLE MACHABÉE, 2018

18 THE PLANT

Debating Global Issues on an International Scale: Model UN MARC PHAM Staff Writer Model United Nations (MUN for short) describes an academic simulation of the United Nations in which students play the part of delegates representing various countries, organisations, or people. They delve into real-world issues, past and present, through the lens of their assigned party’s values and policies. Dating back to 1921 at Oxford University, England, MUN conferences quickly became popular in the United States, and eventually the rest of the world.

Lucas Hernandez, a first-year student from Colombia, describes his first experience with MUN in his home country as ‘very enriching.’ “Ever since my first conference [in 2016], I realised how much love I had for debating, for representing a country on a global stage.” After starting studies at Dawson, he found a community that shares the same love and ambition as he does in the Dawson College Model UN, or DCMUN for short. “I came here from another school, so I didn’t have pretty much many friends,” Lucas opened up. “But once I got into DCMUN, I found one of the biggest and most dearest groups to my heart, a group where I felt I belong.”

Model UN is a great first step to kickstart your interest in public speaking, foreign affairs, and even just self-amelioration - even if you have no prior experience in such fields. “I never did MUN before this, but I got to know about it through a friend,” said James Thomas Reid, a second-year in Liberal Arts. “She told me that we could experience learning about different countries and whatnot. I’ve never done anything like that before, so why not give it a try?”

In a MUN conference, students, referred to as ‘delegates’, must cooperate with representatives of other countries using their academic research, diplomacy, and public speaking skills. By giving speeches, nego tiating with their peers, and writing joint directives, countries can come together with

“It looks scary at first because it is a lot of work, but once you try it out, you’re gonna see that it is so much fun. Even though it feels like you’re constantly on your toes, a lot of fun comes from that adrenaline - it’s exhilarating! It’s definitely worth your while.”

- Leah Fisher a pragmatic solution for global topics such as climate change, medical technology, the stock market, etc.

Bahara Mominzada, a Law, Society, and Justice student, talked about her first experience with MUN at the Secondary Schools United Nations Symposium (SSUNS) in her first semester: “My committee was on the UNHCR (the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) - we were bringing up issues of refugees seeking asylum in other countries and how we, as host countries, can facilitate [this] and offer them services with settling down. We came up with a lot of solutions concerning transport, shelters, language barriers, and such.”

Outside the formal, professional setting, you will find yourself socialising and bonding with other delegates. Though you will most frequently mingle with Canadians from other provinces and Americans, MUN conferences are attended by students from all over the world, all looking to further their academic journey, foster connections, or just have fun. Lucas recalled fraternising with his fellow Latin Americans hailing from Venezuela and Peru, while James mentioned meeting delegates from Europe and Asia, like the Netherlands and the Philippines!

“Getting to talk to different people from other countries and seeing what their experiences are like in their home countries is an enriching experience,” James explained.

“Sometimes it might be intimidating to talk to strangers, but at the end of the day, we’re all human beings and all have our own feel-

ings. It’s good to just broaden our world a little bit more.”

The thought of socialisation and public speaking may have us anxiety-ridden students quaking in our boots. Rest assured, because DCMUN always has your back and will aid you every step along the way, as touted by Leah Fisher, a first-year Social Science student. “When we go to conferences, they ask you all, ‘How’s it going?

How are you feeling?’ We went out for lunch and dinner together, and we hung out together during the breaks. They’re just generally a really nice group of people, and it’s a really nice ambiance to make new friends in.”

Alongside Julian Nemeth of the Humanities Faculty and Nancy Rebelo of the History Faculty, every member of the Dawson delegation is friendly and constructive towards one another. Should you ever need any help with writing a position paper or a resolution paper, or with improving your oral skills, the executive team, consisting of second-year students all adept in MUN, will gladly give you a guiding hand by hosting a group training session, or just one-on-one.

Everybody has got your back if you seek to improve on anything.

“It looks scary at first because it is a lot of work, but once you try it out, you’re gonna see that it is so much fun. Even though it feels like you’re constantly on your toes, a lot of fun comes from that adrenaline it’s exhilarating! It’s definitely worth your while.” - Leah Fisher “Don’t take it as an academic objective but as a social and fun extracurricular because that is what it’s meant to be. At the end of the day, you’re just going around in suits and debating - what comes up to it if you’re not having fun?”, concluded Lucas Hernandez. “It really goes to show how not only important, but how beautiful of a project it is for us students.”

DAWSON DELEGATION AT SSUNS 2023 (VIA LAYLA KOSARA, DCMUN EXECUTIVE)

VOICES 19 19

Aaron Bushnell’s Self-Immolation: A Valid Form of Protest JUHAINA RAUPH Copy Editor Aaron Bushnell might have only had six viewers during his stream, but soon there would be thousands of people viewing the video of his protest in front of the Embassy of Israel in Washington, D.C. He died on the 25th of February in 2024, after deciding to enact one of the most extreme methods of protest: Self-Immolation.

Minutes before the event, Bushnell started a livestream on Twitch to announce and document what he was about to do. The harrowing video includes the main course of events, from him stating his intent, to the aftermath, when the fire was extinguished and an officer found the camera.

“My name is Aaron Bushnell. I am an active-duty member of the United States Air Force, and I will no longer be complicit in genocide. I am about to engage in an extreme act of protest.”

Despite his explicit declaration, users on social media and news outlets, such as CNN, suggested that his intentions were unclear — despite the fact that he was screaming “Free Palestine” while burning alive.

His actions were also minimized to “mental illness” not only by his parents, but also by sites and outlets such as Psychology Today and The New York Post.These justifications present several issues. Notably, they nullify the sacrifice he made by silencing his voice — by omitting the cause and motivation, the impact is reduced. This also tries to reduce the impact by instead encouraging audiences to pity Bushnell and instead disregard the cause he protested for.

An article, written by Joe Pierre M.D. on Psychology Today explained self-immolation as being half-protest and half-suicide, listing one of the “key points” as “Self-immolation often reflects as much a desire to end one’s life as a desire to protest a cause.”

While this may be true in some cases, this pathologization diminishes the genuineness of the protesters by implying that their actions are always at least semi-motivated by personal interest, rather than wholly to support their causes. The writer concluded the article by saying that “his self-immolation hints at as much of a desire to stop the killing in Gaza as a desire to stop himself from living. As for why exactly, we may never know.” We do know that his intention was explicitly to try and stop the Gaza killings, but there isn’t much information regarding his mental health. However, from what Bushnell said — “I am an active duty

My name is Aaron Bushnell. I am an active-duty member of the United States Air Force, and I will no longer be complicit in genocide. I am about to engage in an extreme act of protest.. member of the United States Air Force and I will no longer be complicit in genocide,” we can still infer that his “desire to stop himself from living” mostly arose from his previous complicity in the war and a wish to undo that.

Many are quick to point out the extreme nature of Bushnell’s act, further questioning its validity and likening it more so to public suicide. It is then argued that self-immolation as a whole is not a valid form of protest. An article by The Atlantic condemned Bushnell’s actions and the act of self-immolation as a form of protest, saying it was disgusting, and summarizing that the video’s only purpose was to disturb viewers, likening it to “dancing and chanting while engulfed in flames.”

Bushnell ended his statement by saying: “compared to what people have been experiencing in Palestine at the hands of

their colonizers, it’s not extreme at all. This is what our ruling class has decided will be normal.”

Self-immolation as a form of political protest has existed for decades, often in response to wars, persecution, dictatorship and tyranny, racism, and corrupt systems, notably of police forces. Bushnell is not the first to use this act in order to shed light on the genocide in Palestine. In early December, an unidentified protester also burned herself (and survived) in a Palestinian flag outside the Israeli Consulate in Atlanta.

This, however, did not get as much coverage. The most referenced example dates back to 1963, when Thich Quang Duc, a Vietnamese monk, set himself alight to protest the corruption of the government.

PHOTO VIA “COMMIE”ON KOLEKTIVA.MEDIA

20 THE PLANT Hello, once again, readers! The time of yearly defrosting is upon us, as I go from shivering in fishnets and shorts outside to only being slightly chilly in fishnets and shorts outside… As per usual, March is a month of many surprises, and without just going on and on about the weather, I am pleased to finally include my first ever published poem in The Plant! I am as nervous as I am excited to show it, as I never once thought my creative writing had a space anywhere. When I finally got that opportunity, a giant wall made out of “Writer’s block” hit me square in the face. Alas, I was able to jump over it, overcome it, as well as my fear of it just being... bad and emo (the biggest crime). Otherwise, I am so thankful for the many contributions we got this month — Dawson writers are an infinite fountain of creativity and inspiration, and I hope this little section keeps receiving all of your support!

EZRA BUCUR Creative Writing Editor

BURNING MAN (IN MEMORY OF AARON BUSHNELL) ELIOT FLEMING Contributor What is a hero?

Does anyone really know?

They’ve all said what they believe, So I would like a go.

When I was small I knew almost nothing, And heroes were just Grown-ups in strange clothing.

They had magic hammers And shot lasers from their eyes, And they had little sidekicks On whom they could rely.

As I grew I learned little more, But was taught a new idea: That heroes were great and noble people, Who were praised throughout the year.

Knights in shining armour, And genius generals of men; Peaceful speakers and artists, Who were kind ‘til the end.

But then I learned more, And learned I’d been fed lies.

My heroes were slavers, killers, And whitewashed of their lives.

Are we all just villains?

This I must know.

In a world of lies What is a hero?

Now I say I’m grown, And this is what I think: A hero doesn’t give up, Even upon the brink.

They don’t abandon Those they inspire, Even if it means Dying in their own fire.

Rest in power to Aaron Bushnell, Free Palestine

CREATIVE WRITING 21

10:51 PM

THIS EVENING

ANONYMOUS Contributor

LUCA MESSINA Contributor

When the Sun completes a revolution and I’m still paralyzed by emotion.

When your voice still haunts me even though i know you don’t want me.

When the memories rush down to crumble any bundle of stars.

Though i was too naive to know, To know that stars won’t shine as bright as the Sun. To know that once the Moon and the Sun collide, there is nothing to be done.

Swallow the lump in your throat and pick up your berries.

For that these berries are all that remain.

Reminiscent of when the Sun and the Moon never came so harmoniously undone.

There was enough noise and clamor, plenty of drink to wet my lips.

The echoes rang from the cymbals, crashing against my ears. But this evening I chose to think of you. I look at my shirt: the stain saw fit that it should escape the oil drops floating on the broth, to be with me instead. You’re also a stain. One I can’t remove by dry-cleaning.

I can’t abuse your memory with industrial degreaser. Pouring alcohol over it only makes it grow, makes it live and bleed into my sinew.

Don’t kid, I’ve changed my clothes. I’ve put on new shoes. But this evening I chose to think of you.

Me, I’ve occupied my mind. I thought of my future, delusions of grandeur, playing with numbers and letters until I self-actualize being the machine I was told I could be. How certain though is the future, will you stand the test of time? But I’m not there yet. But this evening I chose to think of you.

I’ll always have a stain; you know I’m good with making messes.

Even if you’ve abandoned the cavities of my teeth and the scratches on my skin, I still bear the mark of your craftsmanship. I could have studied for that future, the one I want so bad. But this evening I chose to think of you, and I must congratulate you, above all for withstanding the scrutiny of this pen and paper.

22 THE PLANT

TOUCH ME MORE EZRA BUCUR Creative Writing Editor It’d be nice to look back fondly On any sort of memory Yet your eyes, your whole face Fades into the nothing in which it lied.

Shockingly, seemingly It all came back, like a flash.

Scratching the mind like a terrible rash The glare clouding what wished would disappear.

Your hand. Your grasping fingers Clutching, clawing at what was rightfully yours All there was to remember, How deeply you’d once craved the offer.

This phantom. Haunting day and night The way your fingers felt on your claim to ego Carefully shaping the outline Of a desperate silhouette.

Your fingertips. Manipulating, Holding on even harder Plucking the fruit of passion You so terribly desired.

Your handprint, evidence left behind.

Marking forever what was your property, Red prints carving out the shape of a body.

Puppeteered by what’s not to be forgotten.

Illustrations by

SANAD HAMDOUNA

SPORTS 23 23 23

The Dawson Blues; A brotherhood JADE GAGNÉ Sports Editor “There are no “family vibes”, we are a family.”- A. Thomas-Gordon Every challenge turned into a shared triumph. Every loss turned out to be a new lesson. It isn’t just a basketball team; it’s a brotherhood.

After this season, our school’s team remains standing as the league’s top performers. Despite falling short in the finals, our seniors still make us proud.

Behind the scenes, the coaching staff operates with a sense of unity. When I interviewed Andel Thomas-Gordon (Assistant Coach), he claimed that: “Wayne (Yearwood, the coach) is like the architect.

He chooses the right land, builds a strong house on it, and I decorate it. He would trust me enough to let me add an indoor pool.” Though this metaphor is quite funny, it captures their dynamic. The trust between the coaches is strong, and the way they speak of each other is truly admirable.

While recruiting players, they know exactly what they need, then they’ll follow the players throughout high school, and when the time is right, they strike.

When both were asked about their proudest accomplishment, they admitted that it had nothing to do with stats, victories, or championships. Instead, their proudest accomplishment will always be to witness these players that they’ve first recruited and then taken care of, get to this level in life. Seeing them succeed is and always will be their main goal.

Among the standout players are Junior Uzubahimana, Tshawn Bois, Christian Payawal, and Stelio Ferrarini. Growing up in Montreal, they all came from different neighborhoods and families, but yet they’re brothers, sharing a common bond forged at the Dawson Blues.

Tshawn Bois was first introduced to basketball by his brother when he was in 4th grade. Growing up in Lasalle, he played for the LaSalle leaders in 7th grade.

There are no “family vibes”, we are a family.

- A. Thomas-Gordon As basketball transcended mere recreation, Tshawn ended up taking basketball more seriously, started training more, and realized that being on the court was his goal. Eventually, he received an offer at both Dawson and Vanier. His choice was guided by the strong family sense found at Dawson. His years here have been challenging on the court and academically, but he pushed through with the support of his team and the coaches.

“My brothers that I’m graduating with right now, they’ve always pushed me to do better.”- T. Bois Stelio Ferrarini’s journey began in 6th grade as he started playing the sport.

Growing up in Little Burgundy, he felt that his high school team was not enough. His newfound goal was to be better and do as much as he could. He then went on and played for two different teams during his high school years. Being a part of the Blues made Stelio able to do and learn a lot both on court and off court. He thanks basketball because it made him able to meet the right people, and it got him to where he is today.

“I’m super grateful for everything that basketball has brought me through academics, finding new passions, and finding new people that I care about.” -S. Ferrarini Junior Uzubahimana aka “NORDMAL” grew up in Montreal-Nord. His basketball journey was challenging to say the least, starting in 4th grade. Unfortunately, during his fourth year of high school in Henri-Bourrassa, he went through personal issues. These challenges were mentally taxing amid which support from his team kept him going. During his final year of high school, he got injured. When he joined Dawson, it was hard because he never experienced an English school before. However, he was not alone; he had

his brothers.

“When I came here, two years ago, everything was challenging. My first year was hard, but I had the team and the coaches helping me.” – J. Uzubahimana Last but not least is Christian Payawal.

Coming from Cote-des-Neiges, he decided to follow in his father’s footsteps, and at four years old, he was already on the court. In primary, he played in the Filipino league. Then, in high school, he joined a community league. At first, he was very discreet and quiet, but the coaching staff pushed him to change his mentality by assigning him important roles. As recognition for his skill and dedication, Christian earned the RSEQ 1st All-Star Honors.

“Being a part of the team gave me the chance to be better. They helped me change.” – C. Payawal

As seniors prepare to depart, Wayne Yearwood reflects: “Them leaving is tough.

I’ve bonded with these guys. I’m proud of their accomplishments academically, the changes they had athletically, and what they’ve done for their team. It’s a bittersweet feeling.”

As seniors prepare to depart, Wayne Yearwood reflects: “Them leaving is tough.

I’ve bonded with these guys. I’m proud of their accomplishments academically, the changes they had athletically, and what they’ve done for their team. It’s a bittersweet feeling.”

Looking to the future, you could witness Junior, Tshawn, or Christian marking their presence in the pro league. Stay tuned for updates on Stelio; there’s a possibility of spotting him in Italy, dedicated to his work in designs.

PHOTO VIA JADE GAGNÉ

24 THE PLANT

Driving to change: Women in Motorsport TAMARA GALINATO Curiosities Editor Discover the illustrious world of Formula One in all of its glory. From gossip to lights out, Netflix’s docuseries Drive to Survive has it all. First released in 2019, the show immerses viewers into the world of Formula One, bringing them behind the scenes of the pinnacle of motorsport.

Mirroring reality TV, watchers get to learn more about the global phenomenon along with exclusive footage and personal interviews with the drivers and team principals.

Since the show’s premiere, it has become a driving force in the sport’s growth capturing the attention of a new market — the Americans. Formula One has appealed to the new audience by hosting 3 out of a record-breaking 24 races in the US, with a new track having been introduced last year in Las Vegas, the hub of entertainment.

This enthusiasm towards the global phenomenon has been shared by another emerging demographic: women. In fact, in 2022, 40% of Formula One fans globally were women, yet they are seemingly relegated to the role of viewers as the racers are exclusively men. This begs the question, why are there no women drivers on the grid? Since the beginning of Formula One, only 5 women have entered a Grand Prix, the last one being Lella Lombardi in 1976. Despite there being nothing in the rules preventing women from joining F1, it’s more implicit than that.

An obstacle that all drivers have to face are the inherent cost and accessibility of the sport. On the 6th season of Drive to Survive, reserve driver Liam Lawson — who made his F1 debut last season replacing high-performance athlete Daniel Ricciardo — discusses the financial difficulties drivers face. Drivers in the lower-tier series rely heavily on sponsorships to compete

and only upon reaching F1 do they actually begin earning.

On top of facing the inherent difficulties of the sport, women face the obvious obstacle of gender bias — they are women.

The world of racing has been a male-dominated field since its creation. As kids join the sport from a young age, young girls find themselves without role models to look up to, deeming the dream of Formula One as unreachable and further limiting their access to the world of motorsport.

F1 Academy not only empowers women currently in the world of motorsport, it also paves the road for future generations of young girls and women This challenge is compounded by the lack of programs designed to help women navigate the world of racing, but this is now changing with the creation of F1 Academy. F1 Academy is an all-women racing series launched in 2023 by Formula One. Its goal is to empower women between 16 and 25 years of age to develop their talent and gain crucial experience within the world of motorsport. As a result of this initiative, the inaugural winner, Marta García, has moved on to a higher level of racing with a fully funded seat following her triumph. This progression is the goal for the women in the league, with the ultimate goal of eventually reaching Formula One. The beginning of the 2024 season welcomes many new changes. Firstly, F1 Academy will be racing alongside the F1

calendar this year as a supporting race.

This all-women series spans over 7 rounds (weekends), the opening one having been in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. In order to make the sport more accessible, these races will now be streamed live and broadcasted internationally, making it possible for everyone to watch.

However, perhaps the most important addition this year is the involvement of all ten Formula One teams. Each team is sponsoring a racer who will be driving a car with their livery. With the participation and support of the F1 teams and their drivers, a spotlight is shined on F1 Academy, providing it the visibility it needs and deserves. On the other hand, the five remaining drivers are backed by other sponsors, notably Charlotte Tilbury. Moreover, another implementation that will be extremely beneficial to the racers is the opportunity to win Super License Points if they are in the top 5 in the 2024 drivers’ standings. These points are necessary if they want to receive their Super License allowing them to achieve a smooth operation to F1. Furthermore, wild card entries are introduced in certain rounds allowing a regional driver to participate and a restriction has been added limiting the racers to drive two full seasons with F1 Academy, all this to ensure the opportunity for a diverse pool of women to participate.

F1 Academy not only empowers women currently in the world of motorsport, it also paves the road for future generations of young girls and women. Through this initiative, talented women are given a platform to demonstrate their abilities as well as prove to the younger generations and the world that it is possible to pursue your passion as a woman in a male-dominated field.

PHOTO VIA VOIXJUIVESMTL

SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT 25 25 25

The Untold Legacy of HeLa Cells AJENEZA BANA AMANDA Science & Environment Editor Did you know? Did you know that the Lacks Family Lawyer, Benjamin Crump, is the civil rights attorney who represented the families of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor in 2020?

Henrietta Lacks — whose cells were unwittingly harvested and utilized in research and experimentation — is the woman pivotal to20th century biomedical history. Being the foundation of treatments for many diseases, she died way before the truth came out. Yet, her family is fighting for what is right. She is one of the few to get retroactive action, and her story clues us into the importance of ethics in medical research.

Born in Roanoke, Virginia, in 1920, Henrietta Lacks endured hardships in early childhood. After her mother’s death in 1924, her family moved and then separated in Clover, Virginia to start a new life amongst their relatives. Later, she worked as a tobacco farmer alongside her husband, David Lacks, with whom she had 5 children. They later left Halifax County for Baltimore County for his job in Bethlehem Steel where their misfortune started.

She was already diagnosed, within 4 months of giving birth to her last child in 1951, at Johns Hopkins Hospital — the only hospital treating coloured people in the region at the time. She and her cousins had presumed her abdominal pain to be connected to her bearing child, and they had been correct. However, after suffering from a severe hemorrhage, she was referred for an autopsy that revealed the presence of cervical cancer. She was then misdiagnosed with an abundance of cancerous cells that surrounded the lower part of her uterus. In later years, it was announced that she had instead suffered from a cancerous tumour called adenocarcinoma.

During her treatment, cancer researcher George Otto Gey harvested samples of her cancerous cells without her consent .

Henrietta later passed away in the care of the hospital due to the generalized spread of the infected cells. The cells harvested were later dubbed HeLa cells, characterized by their impressive regenerative strength. Due to their high proliferation speed and overactive telomerase enzyme, the cells appear immortal. The medical community greatly benefited from the special powers Henrietta’s cells had —

researchers had a better time developing vaccines, counting chromosomes, mapping genomes and cultivating cells for research.

While Mrs Lacks was being treated for her rare cervical cancer, Doctor George Gey took notice of her cancer cells that would not die. Dr Gey studied and experimented on her cells and eventually sent them to other labs for more testing without the patient’s or her family’s knowledge.

Even if the harvesting of cells from patients, without their consent, had not yet been made legal, it is poignant that the Lacks family only learned of Henrietta’s “immortal power” 70 years later. Johns Hopkins initiated “formal reparations” around 2013 and managed to have a system of approval from the family and the NHS ( National Institutes of Health ) for any scientist who desired to work with HeLa cells. Despite the invaluable contributions made by HeLa cells, the story of Henrietta Lacks is marred by ethical controversies which are far from over. The Lacks family settled the lawsuit against the Thermos Fisher Scientific Biotech company and are still negotiating with the Johns Hopkins Hospital the non-consensual sharing and profiting for years on their

Did you know?

Did you know that the Lacks Family Lawyer, Benjamin Crump, is the civil rights attorney who represented the families of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor in 2020? relatives’ genomes. With the experimentations now exposed to the public, the Lacks family is finally getting reparations.

Now, 70 years after Henrietta Lacks’ death, her cells are at the base of many medical advancements like the polio vaccine. Compared to then, access to health care has greatly improved. There was desegregation followed by laws regarding medical records access, and the collection and use of patient cells for research. Slowly, the biomedical field changed as societal views did.

PHOTO VIA KADIR NELSON, COLLECTION OF THE SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

26 THE PLANT

In Praise of the Natural Writer Rachel Louise Carson XAVIER MACLAREN Contributor Rachel Louise Carson, an American marine biologist, author and early environmental activist, is a founding figure in the discipline of ecology and an essential contributor to the development of environmental awareness around common toxic household chemicals. She is an inspiration to many people across the world, myself included, through her scientific rigour and rhetorical and artistic power. Her contributions to marine conservation, her research on the toxic effects of synthetic pesticides such as DDT, and her skillful and inspiring prose on oceanic life and fish populations are widely recognized as pivotal in catalyzing the scientific environmentalism movement of the early 1960s.

Born in 1907 in Springdale, Pennsylvania, a farm town just south of heavily industrial Pittsburgh, Carson spent many hours exploring the land that her family worked, reading books about nature and writing short stories. Following her research in graduate school at John Hopkins Univer-

sity in Baltimore, finishing with a Masters’ Degree in Zoology in 1932, Carson was spurred to move onto working in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Washington, DC, where she began to run an educational broadcasting series called Romance Under the Waters.

With the goal of stirring public interest in the domains of fish biology and marine life, Carson’s elegant writing and oration were inspired by her readings as a child and a young adult, including Beatrix Potter, Joseph Conrad and Robert Louis Stevenson, and her ardent love for nature and wildlife helped her engage the Service’s public, a job that no previous writer in the Service had managed. Carson’s later work was widely published in The Baltimore Sun; The Atlantic Monthly; Sun Magazine; Nature; Collier’s.

After encountering the so-called “insect bomb”— an agricultural pest control chemical DDTs promoted as an efficient way to remove insect pests — Carson embarked on a wide-ranging study of the effects of this chemical on ecosystems, and discovered, to her immense dismay, that DDT was bioac-

cumulated and biomagnified up the trophic chain of American ecosystems, all the way up to raptors, which suffered devastating effects due to the chemical’s egg-shell weakening properties. Following publication, chemical company lobbyists fought bitterly to silence Carson’s findings, but her research ultimately led to the ban of DDT in the United States in 1972.

As a science student, I aspire to the research successes that Carson was crowned with over the course of her career. I look up to her pioneering role in ecology as one of the first scientists to explore the wide-reaching impacts of a specific chemical product, DDT, on ecosystems as a whole.

However, the basis of my knowledge of the natural world has stemmed not exclusively from empirical evidence collected in school experiments or facts written on worksheets, but from the early experiences I had in nature with my family. Every summer of my childhood, my parents would take my two younger brothers and me on camping trips in Algonquin, Quetico and La Vérendrye Provincial Parks, reading to us the works of Stevenson’s Treasure Island, Tolkien’s The Hobbit, poetry by Don McKay and stories by Margaret Laurence.

Literary works such as these, touching on themes related to nature, have inspired my imagination since my childhood, and have fostered a love of the outdoors that I cannot attribute only to research.

This founding principle is phrased eloquently by Carson: “To keep alive his inborn sense of wonder”, according to her, a child needs “companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement and mystery of the world we live in”.

Finally, Carson’s far-reaching and norm-defiant research into the effects of a profitable chemical on the ecosystems she loved arguably founded the modern discipline of ecology. Through the widespread publication and influence of her studies on DDT’s impacts on raptors, her research has provided us with the tools to understand and protect our natural world at all cost.

PHOTO VIA SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION

SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT 27 27

Worms at Work ABIGAIL OYEWOLE Contributor If you are a Dawson student or staff, you might have noticed the green bins labeled ‘worms at work’ wondering what that meant. You’re in luck because this article serves to answer every question you might have about them.

Worms are more than slimy pink creatures that wiggle in soil and make a timely appearance during the rainy season, they are organisms that play a crucial role in our ecosystem. The Sustainability team Volunteers at Dawson College, or also known as the “Sustainabili-team” led by Jennifer de Vera and Sophie La Font, are dedicated to promoting a greener and healthier environment by engaging in projects that make use of a waste-free system such as Vermicomposting, also known as worm composting.

Vermicomposting is a basic system of converting food waste into organic fertilizer for plants with worms. Vermicompost is highly beneficial as it contains a greater concentration of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Furthermore, it improves soil structure and its capacity to hold water.

The sustainability department uses a worm farm system called “Hungry Bin” for our vermicompost processes. It is specifically designed with a lid that prevents both direct light and insects from getting into the bin. This helps to ensure an ideal living environment for the worms where they convert the organic waste into two rich fertilizers, castings (worm poop), and a nutrient-rich liquid. The “Hungry Bin”, at maximum capacity with around 12,000 or more worms can go through 2kg (4.5lb) of organic waste per day. It is placed on top of the soil and the worms feed on it as it softens and starts to decompose. The compost worms in the bins are different from earthworms, they are called “red wigglers.” These worms are surface feeders that do not burrow into the soil like earthworms and prefer to live in mulch or organic material. As the worms process the organic waste, they pass it out as castings that are then pushed down and compressed to the bottom of the bin where they can easily be removed every two to six months to be used as plant food or soil conditioner. The liquid, however, is the ideal fertilizer. According to the manual, It is best diluted with water to a ratio of 1:10 because of its high concentration levels. A “Hungry Bin” starts with approximately 2000 live worms and can eventually reach a full population of 12,000 worms in six to eight

PHOTO VIA ABIGAIL OYEWOLE

months if they are fed regularly. The ideal location for a “Hungry Bin” is a sheltered and shady spot with a temperature of 15 – 25 Celsius (60 – 85 Fahrenheit). Extreme temperatures, especially in the summer, must be avoided as they can kill the worms.

The compost worms are fed a balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, cooked food , soiled paper, tissues, weeds , and among others, sawdust etc. They dislike foods like citrus, garlic, onions, meat, dairy, bread, shiny paper, and processed wheat products.

With the Office of Sustainability, volunteers have the opportunity to feed the worms with compost from the cafeteria, Dawson dining, and the school kitchenettes located in staff rooms. They eat a variety of chopped-up colorful fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Volunteers begin by checking the leftover food from last time to determine if they are feeding well or not, after which they use a thermometer to measure the moisture and PH levels of the soil to make sure that it is thriving for the worms. The volunteers then weigh approximately 200400 grams of food waste and spread them over the surface of the bin. The feeding process ends by sprinkling powdered eggshells over the surface for added calcium.

After feeding the worms, volunteers write down the soil levels and the amount of food given onto a sheet of paper designated for recording this information. This is done every two to three days for the “Hungry Bin” worms in front of the sustainability office

(4A.0) as well as the ones found in the basement. This is a unique hands-on experience for the volunteers of the sustainability team to participate in the fascinating process of vermicompost and to learn more about our environment. Volunteers get to see worms of different sizes in their natural habitat and even get to name them.

The Office of Sustainability makes efficient use of organic waste around the school to feed the compost worms and produce fertilizer that helps our plants and trees grow.

This process not only allows us to reduce our organic waste but also allows us to do so in a way that benefits the environment.

It creates a cycle of taking fruits and vegetables from the ground and giving them back through worm castings. Worm composting is low maintenance and is widely encouraged by cities such as Vancouver and Washington, as well as environmental experts. If you would like to know more about vermicompost or become a volunteer for Dawson’s Sustainability team, visit our office at 4A.0, and most importantly, don’t forget to compost!

28 THE PLANT

CROSSWORD

Across

Down

2. This month’s little sisters.

5. What, like it’s hard to remember a french pronoun?

7. The Scarlet Witch.

10. Iconic movie based on a lost dancing princess turned popstar or is it pauper?

11. Psycho assassin trying to kill Eve. 12. Girl on fire who used his ex lover’s song as a rebellious anthem against him.

14. Could possibly catch me wearing this iconic fit (green pants and black top).

15. “Knives drawn, pistols blazing”, emphasis on knives.

16. “Get in loser, we’re going shopping.”

17. The summer she turned pretty (which team are you?).

1.

3.

4.

5.

Fave psycho fire bender.

Percy chasing a daughter of Athena.

“What’s up Bullitt?”

There have been stranger things than being named after a number.

6. Sewing buttons as eyes? I think not, mother.

8. What a fabulous destiny.

9. How iconic is it to name your daughter after yourself (Gilmore style).

13. It’s a hard-knock life for us.

COME BACK NEXT ISSUE FOR THE ANSWERS!

CURIOSITIES 29

WORD SEARCH

COMIC BY SAYA HIDAKA-MASSICOTTE @4A4K4A

Curiosities by TAMARA GALINATO Curiosities Editor

HOROSCOPES Welcome back my loves! Happy Women’s month! I hope you all had a relaxing spring break and that March has treated you well <3 Can you believe we’re halfway done with the semester? I’m already dreaming of summer, I simply can’t wait! For the meantime, we’re going to have to cope with this bipolar weather, but at least you have The Plant to live, laugh, and, most importantly, love :)

ARIES (MAR. 21 - APR.19) Celebrate, choose, change, — happy birthday, Aries! Feeling down after your birthday? Worry not as the celebration is not over, there is more good news to come! However, along the way, you may be faced with a dilemma that will feel daunting but never back down (and never give up).

TAURUS (APR. 20 - MAY 20) Slay, serve, survive — yes, you. Per usual, you are constantly striving and succeeding (as you should). We just came back from a break but you have to remember to take a breather once in a while. Go out and spend time with your friends :) GEMINI (MAY 21 - JUNE 20) Gossip, get, go — reorder that, and go get gossip. The kind that doesn’t harm anyone, obviously. You are on a hunt for information and will stop at nothing to figure it out: I suggest you team up with Pisces.

CANCER (JUNE 21 - JULY 22) Transform, transcend, transport — you are quite the butterfly. Forgiveness will make you feel so much lighter, almost as if you could fly. You are ready to embrace change with open arms, all while remaining faithful to your true self.

LEO (JULY 23 - AUG. 22) Mediate, manifest, meditate — minding your own business peacefully. You have found yourself stuck in the middle of a situation, and all you can do is remain neutral. This month, you attract good luck as opportunities are simply flowing your way.

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22) Reduce, reuse, recycle — have you already forgotten your 3Rs? Get rid of the things that do not bring you joy, whether it be materialistic or mental. Instead, focus on what makes you happy.

LIBRA (SEPT. 23 - OCT. 22) Gaslight, gatekeep, girlboss — the only 3Gs you need. Turn off your data and get off your phone, it’s time to conquer the world.

To do so, it will take time, but as long as you take the first step, the reset will follow.

SCORPIO (OCT. 23 - NOV. 21) Yip, yap, yup — yes you yap. To avoid miscommunication, as the saying goes, communication is key. You will have many opportunities presented to you: say yes to everything! Step out of your comfort zone and you’ll discover a whole new world.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22 - DEC. 21) Read, reread, repeat – did you read that properly? You seem to be doubting yourself recently. DON’T. Be confident in the choices you make: trust yourself. On the other hand, go to your local library or bookstore and read a book!

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22 - JAN. 19) Work, whine, win — the essentials in succeeding. You have things to do and it’s okay to complain about them as long as you finish them; it’s the results that matter (not me sounding like a consequentialist). Just don’t procrastinate for too long.

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20 - FEB. 18) Discover, dream, dare — dare to dream, Aquarius. Whether it’s about love, money, or your career, once you set your mind to it, all you have to do is act. Pursue your dream even if it may seem impossible!

PISCES (FEB. 19 - MAR. 20): Identify, investigate, improvise — you are quite the investigator.

You have recently stumbled upon some information (maybe by talking to Gemini?). The pieces of the puzzle are starting to fall into place but you will be put in a tricky situation.

ANSWER TO LAST MONTH’S CROSSWORD

CURIOSITIES 31

DAWSON CONFESSIONS! Behold our long-awaited collab with @officialdawsonconfessions! We asked y’all to be honest with us about your Nuit-Blanche adventures. Here’s what we got!

“not a wild nuit blanche but i had a jolly whimsical time walking around the area all night and dancing in the middle of the streets after recovering from an injury and taking pictures of the pretty architecture and talking to graveyard shift mfs at a gas station. started tweaking whenever i had to walk through an unlit stretch of road though because i’m still afraid of the dark :(“ “I went to this 24 hour party and this group of guys started buying me and my friends free shorts. I drank a lot and ended up puking in the toilet but I passed out and my head fell inside and my friends had to clean it and they recorded the entire thing. I then made out with 3 of the guys and had a threesome at the back of the club or whatever it was (my friends drove me there) and someone walked in on us. I dipped after and me and my friends went to some museums then I passed out again on the sidewalk and they said we just sat there for a while until someone called a cab for us” “there was a latin dancing at the mall at place des arts so i just salsa salsa salsa ” “i went roller skating after getting tipsy. I always thought that I was straight but then I met this girl and she was so hot. we roller skated and made out and now we are dating.”

“I had a cheeseburger with the abortion guy” “I wrestled with Atwater lady” “Didn’t go out. Had to lock in for midterms *nerd emoji*” “Some dude peed in the water fountain” “I had sex with a homeless guy”

32 THE PLANT

MASTHEAD

CONTRIBUTORS

Mirren Bodanis Editor-in-Chief

Marc Pham Staff Writer

Sanad Hamdouna Co-Editor-in-Chief

Tamara Galinato Curiosities Editor

Defne Aliefendioglu Managing Editor

Sanad Hamdouna & Fae Soustiel Cover Artist

Khadija Fatima Copy Editor

Soraya Djia Social Media Manager

Noah Alec Mina Graphic Designer

Saya Hidaka-Massicotte Cartoonist

Sarah Bensetiti Secretary

Gloria Badibanga Staff Writer

Thomas Frenette Arts & Culture Editor

Juhaina Rauph Copy Editor

@officialdawsonconfessions

Emma Caspi Voices Editor

Amanda Ajeneza Bana Science & Environment Editor

CONTACT

Sabina Bellisario-Giglio News Editor

Jade Gagné Sports Editor

Ezra Bucur Creative Writing Editor

Clara Frey Staff Writer

Mia Gueli Visual Arts Editor

Raluca-Mara Mare Staff Writer

Abigail Oyewole Xavier MacLaren Megan Sheel Dario Mancini Sarah Melnyczok Gabe Wagner Alegria Bishop Eliot Fleming Luca Messina

The Plant Newspaper Dawson College 3040 Rue Sherbrooke O Montréal, QC H3Z 1A4 2C.12 theplantnews.com theplantnewspaper@gmail.com @theplantdawson