November 16, 2016 Issue by On the Record News (Formerly the Ryersonian)

Rye dancers on the main stage page 10

Rams cross-country make nationals page 13

yersonian R WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2016

ryersonian.ca Volume 71 Number 9

Produced by the Ryerson School of Journalism

American students weigh in JACQUELINE MCKAY RYERSONIAN

Throughout the course of the U.S. election campaign many Americans vowed that if the Republican nominee Donald Trump won, they would move to Canada. However, what of American students already in Canada? The Ryersonian asked students if the results of this election have changed their post-graduation plans. “When I started here I wasn’t too sure about what my plan was,” said Kevin Siazon, a fourth-year journalism student from California. “I would like to stay here, all my friends are here, my professional connections are here, so it wouldn’t really make sense to go back right now.” Students say they feel that their lives have become increasingly more integrated in Canada professionally and socially. Please see AMERICA, page 3

Celebrating Tibet Week

Arts and culture festival at SLC page 4

What’s online Text goes Xxxxx xxx for xx xstories x. Xxxxx Xxxxx Check outhere. Ryersonian.ca on xxxxx Toronto xxx xx x x. Xxxxx xxxxx Xxxxx xxx xx x x. Xxxxx xxxxx Remembrance ceremonies, and Xxxxxxx xxxxx Day Xxxxx xxx xx x x. food Xxxxxinsecurity xxxxx Xxxxxxx mental health, and at Canada’s first xxxxx Xxxxx xxx xxan x x.inside Xxxxxlook xxxxx Xxxxxxx xxxxx 4D movie Xxxxx xxx experience. xx x x. Xxxxx xxxxx Xxxxx

ESTHER LEE | RYERSONIAN

24 Advertisement

Wednesday, November 16, 2016

yersonian

R yersonian

Diversity is a reality, inclusion is a choice A message from the Assistant Vice-President/Vice-Provost, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

This is the fifth and final year of Soup and Substance at Ryerson, and we have had a fantastic run. Over the years, we have moderated 30 sessions covering topics such as “#BlackLivesMatter: Equity, social justice and policing”; “Why do we acknowledge the land”; “Sanism, stigma and mental wellbeing”; and “Gender identity and gender expression”. These sessions are all archived and captioned on the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Ryecast channel at ryerson.ca/equity/ryecast. At last month’s Soup and Substance, “Unlearning the academy: Speaking truth to power” we held an interactive session for participants to begin exploring how they perceive power and its location within the university environment. Power affects all of our

social interactions as individuals and groups. It is the ingredient that enables us to make, influence or resist decisions in diverse spaces. Our own individual power, coupled with status, influence, authority, et cetera impacts how each of us can create, foster and maintain inclusive spaces for all members of our community. While inclusion may sound like a nice word for today’s pluralistic Canadian society, the subtext is really about power and privilege, and making a choice of intentionality. It is about disrupting dominant narratives and the status quo. Society, and universities as an extension of society, reflect historical and contemporary policies and practices of inclusion and exclusion that have privileged particular identities and marginalized others. At November’s Soup and Substance, “‘What about the rest of me?’: Understanding multiple identities in social justice and anti-oppression work”, Dr. Alok Mukherjee will explore how an integrated anti-oppression framework impacts social justice work, and the many ways people experience marginalization or exercise dominance. As we bring Soup and Substance to its conclusion, we trust it has provided space for critical dialogue on difficult topics that we so often need to engage in order to truly make equity, diversity and inclusion a part of our DNA. Sincerely,

Nov 22 Soup and Substance "What about the rest of me?": Understanding multiple identities in social justice and anti-oppression work Noon - 1 p.m. | POD 250 In 2014, Soup and Substance was recognized by Profiles in Diversity Journal as a top 10 international diversity innovation. In 2015, the noon-time lunch-and-learn series was highlighted in recognition of Ryerson University’s inaugural designation as a top diversity employer. The unique aspects of this program are simple but powerful: it provides one of the few spaces on campus to bring together our students, faculty, staff and senior leaders to hear from other Ryerson community members about their lived experiences, research and best practices as it relates to equity, diversity and inclusion. Other Ryerson departments and universities in Canada have duplicated this model, and we are honoured to have contributed to the postsecondary sector in this way.

Dr. Denise O’Neil Green

ryerson.ca/soupandsubstance

R yersonian

News

RSU takes on prolife protesters page 7 Wednesday, November 16, 2016

U.S. students on the fence AMERICA cont’d... Siazon and Graeme Montgomery, a fourth-year professional communications student, both decided, before the results of the election came out, that they would stay in Canada after graduation. “I almost feel like it would be taking a step backward going back to Portland, even though I love Portland,” said Montgomery, who has dual citizenship in Canada and the U.S. This is not the case for Emma Mclntosh, a third-year journalism student born in Ottawa but raised in Seattle. She has always thought she would return to the U.S. after graduation because it seemed like there would be more job opportunities for journalists. However, the results from the hardfought, bitter campaign that led to Trump’s victory in the presidential election have made her think more critically about the decision. “They need young journalists there more than ever,” said Mclntosh. “The best way I can combat hatred and foster understanding would be to go there and do my job well. It is almost more of a motivation to move back and succeed there because I can make more of a difference.” According to a recent study called Heading North, the experience of American students at Canadian universities, the No.1 reason for Americans to study in Canada is because of lower tuition costs. This was the reason for studying in Canada for all the American students the Ryersonian spoke to. Ryerson received 185 applications from American students for the Fall 2016 semester, according

to Charmaine Hack, Ryerson’s university registrar. For the fall 2017 semester, the registrar’s office has received 41 applications so far, but this is likely to increase greatly over the next few months. Between 2011 and 2012, there were 46,500 U.S. students pursuing full degrees abroad, about 20 per cent of whom were in Canada according to stats from Heading North. This makes Canada the second most popular destintaion to host American students in the world, after the U.K. According to Ryerson president Mohamed Lachemi, it is too early to know if Ryerson will see an influx of American applicants, but it’s something the university anticipates. Meanwhile, the uncertainty about America’s future has caused U.S. students to wrestle with their relationship with their home country. “The whole thing has been so upsetting honestly,” said Montgomery. He said he has always wanted to move to New York City and would like to think Trump’s America wouldn’t hold him back from fulfilling this dream, but he doesn’t know yet. McIntosh also has doubts. “When I lived there (America) I loved it, it was home for me, now it doesn’t feel like it would be that way,” she said. @mckayjacqueline

For more on this story, visit

ryersonian.ca

SAMRAWEET YOHANNES | RYERSONIAN

Volunteers at the Ryerson Good Food Centre: Zennia Seneres, Renee Labrido and Evan Tang.

Food insecurity on the rise AMANDA GILMORE RYERSONIAN

Ryerson students are still stuck choosing between tuition and groceries, according to the Good Food Centre, which saw over 150 new members this year. On Thursday, the centre, which used to be known as the Community Food Room, released its annual hunger report for the 2014-15 school year. This year it found an increase in the number of members and the number of times members used the centre. “This report shows that students are choosing between paying tuition or eating tonight,” said Monica Khaper, operations co-ordinator of the centre. According to the report, 602 members went to the centre to help feed themselves. This number has increased from the previous year’s 422 members. There has also been an increase in the visits made to the centre since the last hunger report. In the 2013-14 academic

year there were just over 2,500 visits. This number has jumped to just over 3,600. A national report released Tuesday found that the number of people accessing food banks has increased by more than 26 per cent since 2008. At Ryerson, statistics also show the food bank gets more visits from students in certain programs. “We know that students in the

they made up 23 per cent of members and in the previous report it was 29.5 per cent. “This report is about creating and maintaining a dialogue on campus, and ensuring that students know they are not alone in their struggle to make ends meet,” said Claire Davis, volunteer and outreach co-ordinator of the centre, which is run by the Ryerson Students’ Union. “Our food bank is a response to student poverty and student hunger. We need to first address the barriers that students face in post-secondary education, such as the shortfalls of OSAP and the rising cost of tuition in Ontario. That’s what this report is trying to address,” she said. They said they hope COURTESY THE GOOD FOOD CENTRE that will get the attention of the government. more expensive programs use our @gilmoreamanda services most often,” said Khaper. This is true for the students in the Faculty of Engineering and For more on Architectural Sciences, which has this story, visit one of the highest tuition costs ryersonian.ca at Ryerson. In the recent report,

44 News

Wednesday, November 16, 2016

yersonian

R yersonian

CAMPUS LIFE

Celebrating Tibetan culture Students for a Free Tibet host a week of art and culture events at the SLC

ESTHER LEE | RYERSONIAN

Sand mandalas made by Tibetan monks this week at the SLC.

ESTHER LEE | RYERSONIAN

Samten Lobsang, one of the Tibetan monks visiting Ryerson for Tibet week, speaking with a woman about the mandalas.

ESTHER LEE RYERSONIAN

Ryerson’s first ever Tibet Week is taking place on the ground floor of the Student Learning Centre until Friday, Nov. 18. The event is being held by Students for A Free Tibet Ryerson, a political student group that seeks to raise awareness about Tibetan culture, tradition and history, as well as about the current political situation in Tibet. “We’re trying to amplify the

voices of Tibetans living inside, those who don’t have voices,” said Tenzin Lhawang, the president of the student group and a thirdyear business and technology management student. Tibet Week is the biggest event that the group has ever organized. Throughout the week, they will be asking students to sign petitions and will be raising funds for their student group by selling a variety of items, such as artifacts, books, shawls and Tibetan cuisine.

The highlight of the event is the sand mandala being made by Tibetan monks, which will be finished on Friday. Lhawang said that they wouldn’t be able to make the mandala in Tibet, because it symbmolizes the religious freedom that’s being denied there. He calls the mandala a pathway to meditation. Samten Lobsang is one of the Tibetan monks making the sand mandala. He travelled to Toronto for the event from Montreal,

Coloured sand used to make the mandalas.

where he has lived for 17 years. “It’s almost like a key to being calm, happiness,” said Lobsang through his translator. He said that it takes the monks four to five years to learn the craft. The event took the student group a little over a month to organize. The closing ceremony will be on Friday at 4:30 p.m., where the monks will clear away the finished sand mandala. Also featured in the ceremony will be

Tibetan opera singers. Using the funds raised from the week, the student group plans to hold an advocacy event next semester. They also welcome everyone to join their group. “This group is not only for Tibetans, it’s for non-Tibetans, allies, whoever…,” said Lhawang. @estherthefoodie

For more on this story, visit

ryersonian.ca

R yersonian

News 5 4

onian

Wednesday, November 16, 2016

Meet the next generation of late-night hosts EBYAN ABDIGIR RYERSONIAN

In the days of Last Week Tonight, The Onion and The Daily Show, the lines between journalism and satire are blurring. Adam Nayman is taking on the challenge of defining those lines. He will be teaching students how to report on current affairs through a comedic lens, in a new journalism in comedy course starting in January.

According to journalist and film critic Adam Nayman, comedy and journalism have a special relationship that challenges and confronts power. “In order to teach satire, you have to teach it through history,” said Nayman. He adds that late-night TV programs like Saturday Night Live can be used as reference points to examine the origin of satire. But the course is not only about applying and viewing satirical

works. Nayman said he intends to encourage critical thinking and analysis. “Students will build critical, analytical skills. In order to create, we must know how to take things apart. Students will diversify and fill out their frame of journalism and of comedy,” said Nayman. This course will be offered to journalism students and to students in other disciplines who are taking News Studies courses. According to Sarah Sahagian,

Presto! TTC out tap on a card reader to have their fare deducted from it. Eventually, the fare-collector If you rely on public transporbooths in subway stations will tation to get around the city, get disappear. Instead, there will be ready for some changes in the customer service agents interactnew year. ing with customers and helping The Toronto Transit Commisthem navigate the city. Vending sion is changing its traditional devices will be set up where peofare media from tickets, tokens ple can buy Presto or LUM cards and Metro passes to just one and load them. method of payment: the Presto The president of the RSU hopes card. to have one of these vending The Presto rollout in Toronto devices on campus once the Presto comes after the card became rollout has been finalized. popular on the GO Transit “Transportation is a top regional network and subpriority for us and over the urban transit agencies. summer we’ve had multiAccording to Heather Subways ple meetings with GO TranBrown, TTC’s senior com49 of the 69 stations have at least one Presto sit and the TTC,” Obaid Ullah munications specialist, machine. But by the end of the year, every stasaid. the rollout is happening in tion will have a mimimum of one. “We expressed our interstages and a few of those est in setting up a Presto stages have already been Streetcars station in the building and completed. All of the streetcars have had Presto since having a machine where stu“Presto has been slowly December 2015. dents can fill up their cards introduced on the different and utilize the student dismodes of transportation in Buses counts which is still availToronto,” she said. Around 1,600 - 2,000 buses have Presto readers able for students.” The phasing-out process on them and by the end of 2016, all buses will Currently, students can will begin in 2017, but tickhave the service. That will include Wheel-Trans obtain the student discount ets, tokens and Metro passes service and accessible contracted taxis. card for Presto from the RSU, will still be available for purbut they still have to activate chase at the beginning of the year. same way but it would be on the it at a GO station. Brown urges people to con- Presto card instead.” tinue to use the regular TTC fare For tourists and infrequent @danielaolariuu media until TTC is ready to make riders who need to get around the the switch. city, a limited-use media card, or “I think the biggest thing for LUM, will be introduced to replace students and any customers that tickets and tokens. It would be For more on use it right now is that nothing for similar to using a token today but this story, visit them changes immediately,” she instead it will be a paper Presto ryersonian.ca said. “There will be a point when card with a chip that visitors can DANIELA OLARIU RYERSONIAN

we will stop selling, but these discussions are still ongoing.” The TTC will stop selling the traditional fare media before they stop accepting it to give customers plenty of time to transition to Presto. Towards the middle of 2017, they will have the ability to offer Metro pass products on Presto, and students and seniors will still be eligible for their regular discounts. “A monthly or weekly pass like we have now will function the

Presto Service

of the popular satirical website TheBeaverton.com, “satire is a way of telling a lie that is true. “We need to teach people satire because it’s a useful tool. It’s like poetry. By using metaphors and imagery, it can really show us what’s wrong with the world,” she said. Fourth-year journalism student and former fun editor at The Eyeopener, Robert Mackenzie, says satire can connect with people better than traditional news.

“I think satire and late-night talk shows can sometimes better engage audiences in news, but that’s just because most people would rather listen to a comedian talk for an hour than Peter Mansbridge,” said Mackenzie. The curriculum will focus on engaging audiences as well as teaching about issues like Charlie Hebdo and the 2016 U.S. presidential election as satire. @eby3n

CLASSIFIED Call 416-979-5000 Ext. 7424

The Ryersonian is published weekly on Wednesday. Classified advertising deadlines are 12 p.m. Monday for Wednesday. The rates are $2.50 for the first 20 words, 10 cents for each additional word. For multiple insertions the rates are $2 for the first 20 words and 5 cents per additional word.

FREE 15 MIN ELECTROLYSIS OR LASER ON SMALL AREA Acne, Acne Scars, Brown Spots, Facials, Microdermabrasion, Weight loss, Teeth Whitening. Low rates and packages available. New location steps from Ryerson at Aura. 384 Yonge St., unit 8. ••• Yonge & Beautiful Cosmetic Clinic 416-921-2512

yersonian

bestbeautydeal@hotmail.com

www.victoryskincare.com

OPINIONS WANTED Send signed submissions, including your phone number, to The Ryersonian. We reserve the right to edit for space. Email sonian@ryerson.ca.

Visit us online for more! www.Ryersonian.ca

R yersonian

WANTED: CHRISTMAS GIFT WRAPPERS Creative individuals Locations -- Downtown Toronto, Etobicoke, Missisauga, Brampton.

Managers to $13.50/hour + bonuses. Wrappers to $12.50/hour. Full & Part Time Avail - December 1 – 24. TO APPLY, GO TO:

www.TorontoWraps.com

64 News

yersonian

Wednesday, November 16, 2016

R yersonian

Law practice program gets two more years DANIELLE LEE RYERSONIAN

The Law Society of Upper Canada has passed a motion to extend Ryerson’s Law Practice Program (LPP) for another two years. Last week, it was decided that

the LPP will continue operation to allow for more innovative training for future lawyers, according to the program’s executive director, Chris Bentley. “We’re delighted that we will have a couple of more years to develop this program and position

Globe at a glance

Trump protests sweep the U.S.; the world remembers Paris attacks one year later

ALEXANDRA CHRONOPOULOS RYERSONIAN

Vive La France This past Sunday, Nov. 13, 2016, marked the first anniversary of the horrific Paris terrorist attacks that killed 130 people. To commemorate the day, ceremonies were held across the city. Hundreds of lanterns were placed on the Canal Saint Martin near the bars where many were gunned down. On the lanterns were the names of the victims and messages of strength, including: “Solidarity” “We Miss You” and “Paris Resists!” In another ceremony, paper hearts were thrown in the air at the Place de la Republique, which became a makeshift shrine following the attacks. Ceremonies were also held at each of the attack sites, including: Stade de France, Le Carillon, Le Petit Cambodge, Café Bonne Biere, Casa Nostra, La Belle Equipe, Comptoir Voltaire, and the Bataclan. President François Hollande and Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo unveiled commemorative plaques, presenting messages of tolerance and solidarity. Hollande concluded his remarks by saying: “Long live tolerance, intelligence and long live France.” @chronoalexa

English version of the program while the University of Ottawa offers it in French. Since its approval in 2013, the LPP has faced a lot of skepticism from the law community. The Law Society of Upper Canada initially wanted to end the program

before reversing its position on Oct. 27.

For more on this story, visit

ryersonian.ca

COUNTRY

NIGHT MEN’S HOCKEY

THURS. NOV.17 VS WESTERN 7:15 LIVE DJ ROCK N’ HORSE

200 FREE

COWBOY HATS MECHANICAL BULL RIDING + MORE! Swipe & Win Your Ryerson OneCard is Your Ticket into the Game!

$4.00 BEER! @ryersonrams

#WeRRams

@leemdanielle

ryersonrams.ca

H O C K E Y

Dump Trump Protests continue to rage on across the U.S. following the shocking victory of Donald Trump in last week’s presidential election. Thousands have organized themselves in Washington D.C., New York City, San Francisco, Oklahoma City, Salt Lake City, Chicago, Providence, Las Vegas and Cincinnati. Protesters are upset about various policies surrounding the environment, immigration and LGBTQ rights. They are also protesting the legitimacy of his victory — as he won the Electoral College, but Hillary Clinton won the popular vote. Though the protests have remained largely peaceful, those in Los Angeles and Oregon have seen violence and the arrest of hundreds of people. Protests across these cities have voiced similar commands, including “Dump Trump,” which has become a catchy slogan for the letters and online petitions circulating that are calling for reform of the Electoral College. The current system allows for a nominee to win the presidency even if they lose the popular vote. Changing the system is very unlikely to happen, as such a radical change would require constitutional reform. Protesters want to make it known that rhetoric-fuelled violence against minorities, people of colour and women will not be accepted. They are looking to make a

statement of political instability to render it difficult for Trump to govern, specifically in his first 100 days in office. They are calling for Trump to denounce many of the divisive things he has said, recant them and formally apologize.

it where it should be positioned — as a great destination for people who want to develop excellent skills,” said Bentley. The LPP was created in 2012 as an alternative to articling, a mandatory placement for Canadian lawyers. Ryerson hosts the

R yersonian

Wednesday, November 16, 2016

Campus map goes virtual RICHA SYAL RYERSONIAN

A collaborative Ryerson research project is aiming to use 3D interactivity to change city planning. The Participatory Campus Planning project is a pilot study within FCAD led by professors Frauke Zeller and Ali Mazalek from the Synaesthetic Media Lab. They are developing a system as the new approach to planning Ryerson’s future campus. The prototype uses a virtual world model projected onto an

News 7 4

onian

interactive tabletop and a wall display. The tabletop shows a bird’seye view of the campus, while the wall display puts the user in a first-person perspective. While navigating your way through campus, users can use pucks, called active tangibles, on the tabletop to move around. The pilot project received funding from the FCAD Creative Innovation fund. He describes it as “a prototype system that combines the tangible and multi-touch surfaces with a virtual world platform to provide a participatory planning approach

for campus development projects.” The participation aspect of this project comes from the ability for users to flag certain areas around campus. “For example, if you think a certain area on campus is dark, you can flag it with a red marker, which stands for safety,” says Haley Coppins, a research assistant working on the communications side of the project. From there, users can select options from within the menu to make virtual changes. “Within the safety section there would be a lamp post. So if you think there isn’t enough light, you can add it to the virtual world. You can move it, scale it and place it to see what kind of impact it can actually make,” says Coppins. The team has developed a number of categories in addition to safety, including accessibility, recreation, sanitation and green space. “Our thought with this is that it will actually help students, faculty and staff to visualize the campus better, and see what their envisioned changes will actually do,” says Coppins. The idea was based on a similar mapping project called Virtual

Hamilton, which Zeller worked on. The difference here is with the added technology of the interactive table and wall display. While Zeller’s work focuses on the communications side of the Participatory Campus Planning project, Mazalek concentrates on building the technology from the Synaesthetic Media Lab. “We’re trying to find a way to get away from the challenges that traditional participatory planning has faced. A lot of traditional methods involve town hall type meetings and pen and paper forms of activity that weren’t all that inclusive,” said Coppins.

“What we want to do is help some of those challenges and create a system that will involve more of the Ryerson community into the actual planning of the campus.” The next step is to complete the prototype. This month, the team will be running focus groups at the Synaesthetic Media Lab to get feedback from students and staff. @syalricha

For more on this story, visit

ryersonian.ca

RICHA SYAL | RYERSONIAN

A user interacting with the wall display.

RSU fights for Gould St. against pro-life group MEGAN STEPHENS RYERSONIAN

The Ryerson Students’ Union (RSU) has had enough of the prolife demonstrators who have been protesting on Gould Street throughout the fall semester. Now, they are looking for a way to permanently evict them.

For several weeks, an anti-abortion group has been returning to Ryerson’s campus with large banners and posters showing graphic images of abortions. But the Ryerson community has rallied in a counter-protest of the group at every event. RSU president Obaid Ullah

KEVIN SIAZON | RYERSONIAN

Pro-choice protesters attempt to block pro-life posters.

says that the disturbances haven’t been an issue in the past because the space is usually booked by student groups. But now, the RSU is trying to get the third-party protesters off campus streets. “The strategy right now is to work with the university to be able to get rights (to Gould Street),” says Ullah, “or push them off because apparently at Ryerson right now, there’s nothing we can do to stop them.” Despite the success of the “Close Gould Street” campaign five years ago, there are loopholes that prevent total control of what happens on the street, resulting in Ryerson security and Toronto police being unable to legally evict protesters from the premises. For the RSU, this means that they have no legal right to kick pro-life groups off the street because the university doesn’t own the infrastructure. This has led to anger among

some people in the Ryerson community. At one of the recent protests, Continuing Education Students’ Association of Ryerson (CESAR) president, Rabbia Ashraf, tweeted that Ryerson is anti-woman because the administration and security at the university know about the protesters and aren’t doing anything. However, the RSU is working towards long-term solutions. “We want to tie up these loose ends...,” says RSU vice-president of equity, Tamara Jones, “so that people who do use Gould Street uphold Ryerson’s values.” Jones is spearheading the campaign to gain control and will be meeting with Ryerson’s president, Mohamed Lachemi, this week to see if closing those loopholes is a possibility and can be achieved in the 2016-17 school year. Lachemi said he would be happy to discuss this matter with

the RSU, but there is little that can be done. This is because Gould Street is not owned by the university, but the city. For now, the RSU is exploring short-term solutions to combat the disturbances on campus through continued counter-protests to block the graphic images and educate students. “Those graphic images are causing a lot of disturbances for students,” says Ullah, “We can do an event where we have a discussion around this, that we’re trying to get them off the streets.” Current recommendations include hosting pro-choice events on campus to raise awareness and explain how images shown by the anti-abortion groups can be inaccurate and misleading. The pro-life group didn’t respond to a request for comment. @stephens__megan

Wednesday, November 16, 2016

Features yersonian

From Ryerson to Tanzania

R yers

Students of Ryerson’s Orphan Sponsorship Program talk about their recent trip to Tanzania and the money they raised to help orphans around the world

BRITTANY NGUYEN | SPECIAL TO THE RYERSONIAN

Two little girls who are orphans in the Dar es Salaam village. The village houses 120 other orphans in a private gated community, one of four in Tanzania.

RICHA SYAL RYERSONIAN

It was 4 a.m. when they landed. Their flight was an arduous 24 hours long, with layovers in Switzerland and Germany. When they finally stepped out of the airport into complete darkness, there was an air of uncertainty and unfamiliarity. The next seven days in Tanzania would prove to be nothing like they expected. The purpose of the trip was for Ryerson’s

Orphan Sponsorship Program (OSP) to understand how the money they donated was directly helping the world’s most vulnerable children. Ryerson OSP was formed a couple of years ago under the umbrella of the Muslim Students’ Association, but has since branched off into a non-religious student group. The group partnered with SOS Children’s Villages, a charity dedicated to building villages for orphaned and abandoned children, where caregivers, known as SOS

Mothers, care for the children. After hosting two fundraisers in February 2014 and 2015 across campus, the combined amount raised totaled $90,000 – all of which went to SOS Children’s Villages for use in about a dozen countries around the world. One of them was Tanzania. In fact, four per cent of the fundraised money went there. So the team members applied for grant money and paid out of pocket to fund their first trip abroad. They were eager to

see the impact of Ryerson’s donations. The travellers included Ridwan Al-Nachawati, Sayara Rajab Khan, Nannan Wan, Mathew Catangui, and Brittany Nguyen. When the group of five Ryerson students and one SOS Canada representative woke the morning after arrival, they voyaged to the first of two villages they would visit on their trip. One, in the city of Dar es Salaam, and the other in Zanzibar. “I was expecting the worst,” said Al-Nachawati, a fourth-year marketing student.

sonian “When you go to an orphanage, you’re basing it off of pictures you see. I think that’s what we were all expecting.” But when they approached the village, they noticed a private gated community. It was small, but hosted all the facilities necessary, such as a medical centre and school. Because Dar es Salaam is a newer SOS Children’s Village, there is only kindergarten schooling available inside. Children in higher grades are dropped off and picked up at the local schools. Inside the village, there are over 10 houses. Each house shelters 10 children, with one SOS Mother. It was here where they received a glimpse at Tanzanian culture. “If parents pass away, there’s usually a family member that is able to take care of the kid,” said Al-Nachawati. “Within SOS, they’re taking care of kids who don’t have access to that, which really suggests that they truly are the most vulnerable. Because in a culture where family is so important, they are left without any,” he said. When Nannan Wan, a retail management student, asked a group of young girls if they could have anything what would it

These kids see an opportunity to do what they love. It was a really hopeful attitude to bring back to the Ryerson community. — Ridwan Al-Nachawati

be, she was inspired by their response. Their answer was to have a family of their own one day. “I was just in awe, and I really hope they achieve their dreams,” she said. According to Melanie Davis, director of community engagement at SOS Children’s Village and the representative who accompanied the Ryerson students, $430 goes to sponsoring one child for a year.

Features

Wednesday, November 16, 2016

BRITTANY NGUYEN | SPECIAL TO THE RYERSONIAN

From left to right: Ridwan Al-Nachawati, Mathew Catangui, a kindergarten teacher of Dar es Salaam, Sayara Rajab Khan, Nannan Wan and Brittany Nguyen.

This was the option that Ryerson OSP decided on, instead of donating directly to the villages. Donors who contributed to the $90,000 chose which country’s orphans they wanted their money to go to. Many donors opted to sponsor a child for multiple years. In total, Ryerson OSP was able to help sponsor 97 children. Only one orphan was sponsored in Tanzania. That orphan, it turns out, was sponsored by Al-Nachawati, and he got to meet her in the Dar es Salaam village. “It was something I didn’t even know to be completely honest. When I arrived there they asked if I wanted to meet her, and I’m like, ‘meet who?’ and they said, ‘the child you sponsored.’” Al-Nachawati organized a personal fundraiser last year in which he raised $1,425 from family and friends. The child he sponsored is named Leonia and she is 10 years old. Her parents died, and the grandmother who was taking care of her also recently died. When Al-Nachawati sat down with her and the SOS Mother, he was taken aback by how much the mother cared for the details about the child. “She was able to tell me everything about her. Everything about what she liked, what she didn’t like, what kind of food she liked, what she was good at, what she wasn’t good at,” said Al-Nachawati. “These are the details that end up shaping a child’s life,” he said. Leonia is a young girl who is great at

math, but is very shy. Her teacher noticed she would finish her work early, but would be too afraid to say anything. “Those kind of details suggest to me that there’s more than just the very basic necessities,” said Al-Nachawati. “It suggests that there is a parent that actually cares, who not only cares for their well-being, but actually looks to see how the child grows up,” he said. The second village was a ferry ride away on the island of Zanzibar. “They were very different experiences in terms of island culture and mainland culture,” said Davis. It was more of a tourist friendly area and felt more developed, according to Wan. Even the roads, she noticed, were cleaner and paved. The village itself had been there since the 1970s. Inside, there are more facilities than in the Dar es Salaam village. Children have access to larger schools, bigger medical centres and playgrounds. The SOS school in Zanzibar is the bestranked one in the region. The Ryerson group visited the school during a day off, and noticed a majority of the students in the surrounding area studying for exams. It was a touching sight for the students, who visited during Ryerson’s fall reading week. Without discussing it first, each of the Ryerson students had been asking the children in Zanzibar what they wanted to be

when they were older. All of the responses, to their surprise, were extremely ambitious. One boy, Richard, resonated with them. At 18 years old, he was dedicated to becoming a neurosurgeon. “These kids see an opportunity to do what they love. It was a really hopeful attitude to bring back to the Ryerson community,” said Al-Nachawati. When the five students returned to Ryerson last month, they beamed with a sense of fulfilment. “We wanted to be able to see the sort of impact we had,” said Al-Nachawati. “The campaign from the beginning has been very unity-based. From our perspective, we thought the Tanzania trip would be a great addition to that story,” he said. The stories they were able to bring back will be part of ongoing conversations to improve Ryerson OSP fundraisers in the future. Topics of these conversations will include deciding on different options for donations and expanding the program to other campuses. Their common goal, however, is to not only share what they’ve learned in Tanzania with the Ryerson community. They also hope to amplify the voices of the ambitious children and the dedicated mothers that they met. @syalricha

an 10

R yersonian

Arts & Life Ryerson Dances 2016

Ryerson grad takes Second City ryersonian.ca Wednesday, November 16, 2016

MEGAN STEPHENS RYERSONIAN

Juggling course work, electives and rehearsing for a major production may seem unmanageable to most. But it’s what Ryerson dance students have been doing for the last two months in preparation for their annual fall production. Ryerson Dances, the School of Performance’s showcase for third- and fourth-year students, brings together 62 dancers to perform three brand new routines. The dancers not only participated in their normal dance classes and academic lectures, but they also practised several hours every day in preparation, sometimes resulting in 12-hour days. “This is what brings them to the next level. It gives them a taste of what a professional environment would be like,” says director of the performance dance program and producer for the show, Vicki St. Denys. “What a creative process is like with professional choreographers and what the expectations might be out there for them.” The annual performance also gives dancers the opportunity to dance for professional choreographers who may potentially hire them in the future. While the stakes are high, it’s not something that the dancers are conscious of during the performance. “I don’t think about it,” says fourth-year Kate Musin. “I don’t think about the audience, about what they’re doing or thinking. I just concentrate on the work we

MEGAN STEPHENS | RYERSONIAN

Ryerson students, Sierra Richardson and Connor Mitton, dance during the rehearsal for Ryerson Dances 2016.

do and the energy of the group.” The show, created by renowned Canadian choreographers Louis Laberge-Côté, Heidi Strauss and William Yong, also includes a remount of James Kudelka’s work, Heroes, originally created for the Hubbard Street Dance Company in Chicago. “Each of the four works is completely distinct,” says St. Denys. “Each of (the choreographer’s) creative processes was very different. The style and content of their pieces are completely different from one another. Each piece is their own unique little world.” While each piece in Ryerson Dances is a world unto itself, each of the choreographers has worked to make sure their own pieces stand out as unique, thought-provoking and emotional.

Laberge-Côté’s piece, La Part Des Chrysalides, is inspired by transition and transformation; pushing through a layer and coming out as a new being. Using music, space and the human body, his concept looks at decay, abandonment, and what it means to move forward. This theme is similarly embraced by Yong’s piece, titled Black Rain, which he explains as rain that is polluted by darkness. It was inspired by the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima. The 20 dancers in Black Rain will also have production support to explain the concept. “William asked for something falling that looked like rain and he’s got some really costumed designs,” says St. Denys. “Headpieces and shoes and things like that.”

Ryerson Dances 2016 is a departure from last year, when there was little production, aside from microphones attached to dancers to emphasize breathing and movement. “I found it very valid what we did last year with him (Kudelka),” says Marina Dipelino, a fourthyear dancer. “Like I have total admiration for what we did because we were with the concept of no music and it was all within our own bodies. “But I love this year too. It’s a smaller group setting and we get to work one-on-one with the choreographer.” Dipelino is dancing in Strauss’s piece, yet, where students were able to take part in the choreography process by looking at issues that concern them in the world. Strauss used those issues as a

way to talk about agency and the power that we have in the world through choreography. “I think that’s an important part of being engaged,” says Strauss, “both in a process and having something at stake in something that’s yours … something of value, something that belongs to you in a way. I think that’s true of being a performer in a work, that people are kind of irreplaceable.” Ryerson Dances 2016 runs from Nov. 15-19 at the Ryerson Theatre, 43 Gerrard St. E. Tickets are on sale for $15 for students and $20 for adults. The show starts at 8 p.m. every night with an additional matinee performance at 2 p.m. on the 19th. @megan__stephens

R yersonian

Wednesday, November 16, 2016

MUSIC

Arts & Life 11 4

onian

Connecting local bands to Ryerson KELSEY ADAMS RYERSONIAN

On Nov. 18 The Music Den is launching a free monthly concert series to connect Toronto music lovers to local artists. The initiative, based out of the Transmedia Zone, works to create

more opportunities for local bands to play live shows. The Music Den hopes to attract Ryerson students to the shows by making live music more accessible and less costly. All of the shows will be free for fans. “What we want to do is give these artists another platform to perform, and to meet people. And

we’re hoping that people will realize how much talent we have in the city,” said Cormac McGee, the co-ordinator of the series. The first show is a small trial run being held at the Imperial Pub featuring two Ryerson bands, For Jane and Jack the Lads. On Dec. 15 The Music Den is

partnering with Wavelength, a weekly live music series, to host a bigger event. Julia Wittman, the lead singer of For Jane, said that although there are more opportunities south of the border, she wants to build a following in Toronto. “I’m very passionate about

Students, Provide your opinion about professors and courses!

Complete online

Faculty Course Survey for a chance to win one of two Apple Watches! - Log into my.ryerson.ca - Go to “Participate” module - Click “Faculty Course Survey” - Click “Complete the Survey” - Answer the questions about the courses - Provide comments to your professors

Scan to complete surveys on your mobile device

Canadian content and I think it’s worthwhile to stay in Canada and to make a name for yourself here,” she said. Performance space and accessibility in Toronto’s music scene has been a hot topic since 2013, when the Austin-Toronto Music City Alliance was launched by the municipal government. The plan is meant to turn Toronto into a city where live music thrives, mimicking Austin, Texas. On Nov. 9 city councillors Josh Colle and John Filion brought forward a motion to preserve the existing music venues in Toronto threatened by condo development. Recently The Hideout, a mainstay in Toronto’s live music scene, closed down. The Central, where both For Jane and Jack the Lads got their starts performing, is shutting its doors as well. When The Music Den started in April 2016, president Mohamed Lachemi said it would contribute to Toronto’s music strategy. The concert series is one way that has come to fruition. McGee said, “When I think about a music city it means artists who are able to financially support themselves off their art, not having to worry about working a full-time job to pay their rent, finding accessible places to rehearse and perform. This concert series is one small step in that we’re going to pay them to perform and hopefully bring them a new audience.” @kelseyxadams

an 12

R yersonian

Sports

Coach Roy Rana returns ryersonian.ca Wednesday, November 16, 2016

MEN’S SOCCER

It was a hell of a ride

Despite their OUA Final Four disappointment, the Rams still have reasons to celebrate HAILEY SALVIAN RYERSONIAN

With one whistle the Ryerson Rams men’s soccer season was over. It was an emotional scene, with the University of Toronto players cheering for their semifinal win and berth in the U Sports national tournament, while the Ryerson players scattered the pitch, heads in their hands trying to come to terms with the loss. For fifth-year player Luka Lee, the loss was the finishing blow to his Ontario University Athletics (OUA) career. “The biggest part of my life over the last five years has been playing soccer for and representing this university,” he said. “Just winning and being a

part of this team has been such an integral part of my life, so for it to come to an end in such a dramatic fashion, it was unfortunate … I felt crushed.” The loss left the Rams out of the national championship and marked the third consecutive season that ended at the hands of U of T in the bronze medal match of the OUA Final Four. “(Some players) were inconsolable and rightfully so,” said head coach Filip Prostran about his squad after the game. “It’s tough to work so hard for so long for so many things and one whistle ends it – it’s a clean cut finish.” But after having a week to reflect on the loss and the end of his university soccer career, Lee says there is more to soccer than

the scoreboard. “If this was only about winning and losing then I’d be crushed and continue to feel crushed, but I don’t think that’s the whole point,” he said. “So even though I feel absolutely shattered right now, I can look back and reflect on a lot of the positives I can take from this experience and this year.” To name a few positives – the Rams finished the regular season with a program-best record of 14-1-1, had one of the best defences in the nation by only allowing eight goals, and also bolstered the second-best offence with 51 goals. The team piled on awards in the post-season, taking home OUA East coach of the year, having six players named to the OUA

COURTESY ALEX D’ADDESE

Ryerson men’s soccer players Luka Lee and Jamie Baker on the night Ryerson honoured its senior players.

COURTESY COURTESYALEX ALEX D’ADDESE D’ADDESE

The Ryerson Rams men’s soccer team at the OUA Final Four on Nov. 5.

East Division all-star teams, as well as a second consecutive MVP for Raheem Rose and an OUA East rookie of the year award for Robert Boskovic. The two also went on to be named first-team All-Canadians, with Boskovic winning the Lou Bilek Award as rookie of the year. Boskovic became the first Ryerson player to win the Lou Bilek award since its inception in 1999. A former TFC II player, Boskovic started 12 games for the top-rated defensive unit in the OUA and finished the year with three assists and one goal. “I definitely set my mind to being rookie of the year at the beginning of the season, so it feels good to know my hard work paid off and was noticed,” said the firstyear defender. “It’s still not as important as winning a national championship, but it’s an accomplishment I can hold myself to.”

The all-Canadian defender will be a force for the Rams in future seasons as they continue their hunt to win a national championship. Along with him should be a familiar cast of characters – like Praveen Ahilan, Nick Lambis and Raheem Rose – with only Lee finishing his fifth and final year of eligibility. “I can imagine (not coming back) is going to be a mix of things, I’ll probably feel a sense of sadness, jealous even that these guys get to go experience pre-season and season again,” he said. “But at the same time I think that I’ll be happy and be able to reflect on what this program has done for me and I’ll always feel grateful to have gone through it. “I have a lot of things going for me, I’m really happy and I owe everything to this program.”

R yersonian Weekend Wrap-Up HAILEY SALVIAN RYERSONIAN

Sports 13 4

onian

Wednesday, November 16, 2016 Volleyball opens at home

Hockey sweeps weekend

Basketball battle of Toronto

The men’s and women’s volleyball teams made their home debuts on Friday. The women swept both weekend

The hockey teams went 3-0 in this weekend’s action. The men, playing back-to-back on home ice, scored

The basketball teams travelled to downtown rivals U of T on Friday night. The men handily defeated

games against Nipissing and York. The men had the opposite results, being swept.

11 goals in two games beating out Nipissing and Lakehead. The women came from behind for their first win over the Queen’s Gaels 4-3.

the Varsity Blues 88-61 led by Adika Peter-McNeilly. The women picked up their first win of the season, winning 55-42, improving to 1-1.

CARLO ZANETTE RYERSONIAN

Ryerson’s cross-country team recently wrapped up its season in Quebec City, with four athletescompeting in the national championship on Nov. 12. Rebecca Verlaan and Anna Cianni, who became the first Ryerson women to race at nationals, placed 99th and 146th respectively in the women’s six-kilometre race. In the men’s 10-kilometre race, Joel Perara-Satgunem and Michael Konstantopoulos finished 110th and 133rd for the Rams. Despite being Ryerson’s highest-placing runner, Verlaan said she was disappointed in results. “I’m not really proud of my performance, I don’t think it’s an indication of this past year’s work,” said Verlaan. Verlaan said the race’s course was challenging, with several hills and sharp turns for the runners to

navigate. “I felt there was a lot of pressure, and people expecting us to do well at nationals so we could put Ryerson on the map,” said Verlaan. “I wanted to show that we don’t just run for fun, but we are competitive too.” Overall though, Verlaan said she is proud of her team’s accomplishments. “Our team did really well, especially on that course, and watching the guys race was great,” said Verlaan. “They’ve come a long way from last year to this year, Joel improved so much and Michael is so consistent, it was great to watch them.” Many members of the cross-country team will now compete for Ryerson’s indoor track team that will begin its season in the coming weeks, allowing them to continue training for next year’s cross-country nationals in Victoria, B.C.

Juwon Grannum

(aka Ju) Business Management

C’airah Gabriel Robinson

(aka Cece) Nursing

WOMEN’S 6:00 PM / MEN’S 8:00 PM

HOME OPENER FRI. NOV. 18 VS NIPISSING FREE T-SHIRT TO THE FIRST 250 NOV.18 GAME ONLY

WOMEN’S 6:00 PM / MEN’S 8:00 PM

SAT. NOV. 19 VS LAURENTIAN BANNER AND RING PRESENTATION

OUA 2015/16 BASKETBALL CHAMPIONS @ryersonrams COURTESY TIM UUKSULALINEN

Ryersons’ Rebecca Verlaan at the U Sports cross-country championships on Nov. 12

#WeRRams

ryersonrams.ca

B A S K E T B A L L

XC runs in nationals

an 14

R yersonian

Editorial

Read more Opinions and Editorials online ryersonian.ca Wednesday, November 16, 2016

EDITORIAL

Your guide to accepting the election Know your self-care strategy The past week has left many of us feeling like we’ve reached the end of the world. Election night and the days following saw many teary eyes, puffy faces and migraines. We have entered a state of “schockstarre,” which is the German word for a feeling of paralyzing shock. A feeling of helplessness has swept over the world like a bad case of the flu. A recent article published by Refinery29 found that U.S. therapists received a surge in calls from patients following election night. Those patients expressed feelings of shock, fear, and sadness. Crisis lines have also experienced a jump in numbers as people try to cope. According to the director of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, John Draper, calls to the line were 30 per cent higher the day before the election compared to what they regularly anticipate for a Monday night. Last week, many Americans tweeted about having to skip school or call in sick to work Wednesday morning. And understandably so. But regardless of the election outcome, we are still expected to hand in our assignments and pay our rent at the end of the month.

So, unfortunately, calling in sick for the next four years is not a realistic option. As much as it feels like life is at a standstill, the world keeps turning, and it is important that we take extra care of ourselves at times of such uncertainty. There are many ways to practise self-care, but the most important part is finding what works best for you. Mental health experts encourage people to take breaks from social media during times of trauma. Other care practices include journalling, going outside or to a new space, talking to a friend or loved one, celebrating your accomplishments, resting, meditating or exercising. Farrah Khan, director of Ryerson’s Office of Sexual Violence Support and Education, recommends to think about your heart, emotions, mental and physical well-being when planning a selfcare routine. The advice is in her self-care guide, Caring for Yourself is Radical Act. We are entering an uncertain future, and for many young people, this is our first experience of such a great social division. Now more than ever, we must be nice to each other, and to ourselves.

ALEX TSUI | RYERSONIAN

The Ryerson School of Journalism will offer a new course, Journalism in Comedy, in the Winter 2017 semester.

OPINION

Drop the phone, drivers AMANDA GILMORE RYERSONIAN

It seems like there are so many ads about distracted driving. All I need to do is turn on the TV and during a commercial break, I’m sure to see an ad about using phones while behind the wheel. I believe they’re all necessary, because there are way too many road accidents in Toronto and nothing seems to be changing. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 80 per cent of collisions are caused by some form of driver inattention. The CAA also states that

distracted driving is a factor in about four million motor vehicle crashes in North America each year. One commercial that will stick with me for the rest of my life shows a teenage boy texting his girlfriend while behind the wheel. Suddenly he gets into a car accident, and with a quick jump cut, he’s in the hospital, sitting in a wheelchair with a tube in his throat. A few months ago this commercial started playing at the movies too. Before seeing a 14-A rated movie I was confronted by this hard to watch, yet important, commercial. At the time I was shocked about the content of the commercial, considering the audience that was there. Although, since it was a 14-A rated movie, I figured at least it was targeting the appropriate audience.

But Cineplex must have decided this commercial wasn’t enough, and is now stepping it up with an interactive phone game designed to raise awareness of distracted driving. It was a driving game where I was told to look at my phone because it was my steering wheel. Out of nowhere, I crashed and my screen turned black. When I looked at the huge cinema screen, it displayed a sentence that said because I was using my phone while driving, I didn’t win. It’s extreme, but with so many distracted driving accidents and deaths happening in Toronto, maybe this isn’t such a bad way to get the message out there. Conventional ad campaigns, or having police speak about the consequences of distracted driving, clearly haven’t worked. Maybe this is the way to get people to finally take distracted driving seriously.

R yersonian