New bike-share app at Ryerson page 3
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ryersonian.ca Volume 72 Number 1
Produced by the Ryerson School of Journalism
Lachemi says Ryerson statue here to stay University to add a plaque to honour Indigenous people instead JOSIE MILLS RYERSONIAN
Ryerson University president Mohamed Lachemi says a plaque recognizing Indigenous people will be added to the controversial Egerton Ryerson statue. The campus statue has been the centre of controversy for years. Ryerson, the educator for whom the university is named, played a part in the establishment of the residential school system. Petitions have been created for the statue’s removal, but none have been successful. Over the summer, the Ryerson Students’ Union (RSU) reopened the issue and demanded that the
statue be removed. In an interview with the Ryersonian on Monday, Lachemi said the university would work with the Indigenous community to put up a plaque with the statue that includes references to Egerton Ryerson’s past. The RSU, the Indigenous Students’ Association and the Continuing Education Students’ Association of Ryerson (CESAR) had earlier this year made a list of demands that included the removal of the statue, the changing of the university’s name and the mandatory inclusion of Indigenous content in all programs.
Text goes Xxxxx xxx to xxread x Check outhere. ryersonian.ca x. Xxxxx xxxxx Xxxxx xxx xx x about thexxxxx new Xxxxx Brampton x. Xxxxx xxx xx x campus, campaigns for axxxxx cheaper x. Xxxxx xxxxx Xxxxxxx student transit andxxxxx Xxxxx xxx xx x x.pass Xxxxx Ontario’s plans for selling pot. Xxxxx
Please see STATUE page 3
Students, faculty gather for RTA prof outside hospital Dana Lee spoke to a large group of supporters at Sunnybrook Hospital, where he is receiving medical treatment. See story at ryersonian.ca.
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Ryerson’s urban farm launches public tours page 5 Wednesday, September 13, 2017
Rye moves to ‘all-gender’ housing Students no longer have to disclose gender identity on residence applications MELISSA GALEVSKI RYERSONIAN
Ryerson University has changed the way residence rooms are assigned to include all gender identities. This is the first year incoming students had the opportunity to choose an all-gender housing option on their residence applications. This means that they could be paired with students of a different gender identity. Students were also not required to indicate their gender unless they wanted to be matched with a roommate of the same gender identity. The new application was finalized last fall for the 2017-18 school year, but Ryerson’s housing and
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Ian Crookshank, director, housing and residence life.
residence life department had been considering the changes for years. Director Ian Crookshank explained, “We were hearing from students that the current practice, which was based on binary gender identity, was outdated but also harmful.” He added that 50 per cent of this year’s incoming students selected all-gender accommodation. The new initiative also coincided with changes to Ontario university application forms, which expanded their gender identity fields this fall to include a non-binary option. For Crookshank, the shift is about removing barriers and creating a safe and supportive campus culture, particularly for firstyear students beginning a new chapter in their lives. “I hope it encourages people to apply to live in residence (and) see residence as a beneficial thing for them from both a personal and academic experience,” Crookshank said. Madelin Dawson and Shanti Harris are first-year performance acting majors living in Pitman Hall. Both chose the all-gender housing option. “A mixed bag is a lot more comfortable for everyone,” said Dawson. “But if someone is more comfortable as a girl being with only girls, I think that is also pretty legitimate.”
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Pitman Hall, where students can now live without disclosing their gender identity after a university-wide policy change.
Harris added that she applauds Ryerson’s concerted efforts to help students feel included in their new environment. “When I did my orientation on my floor we said what pronouns we are. I thought that was cool.” The move sparks a conversation about accessibility and inclusion on university campuses. “I definitely think it’s a step in the right direction,” said Camryn Harlick, vice-president of equity for the Ryerson Students’ Union. “It sets a very good precedent for students from the get-go that
their identity is being validated.” Harlick identifies as non-binary. They, along with Ryerson’s Trans Collective, were instrumental in the push for more equitable housing. They were consulted by the housing and residence life team to help make changes to the application process. “For a lot of trans students, moving away to university is the first time they’re able to really explore their gender identity and look more into themselves as a trans or queer person,” Harlick said.
While the change is more than welcomed, Harlick believes there is more work to be done, particularly when it comes to educating people on its significance. “For trans students this really can be a matter of feeling safe or unsafe in housing,” Harlick said. “If you’re not necessarily understanding why this change is happening, it’s a great opportunity to go out and do some of that learning for yourself.” @MelissaGalevski
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STATUE cont’d...
Statue still needs to go, RSU says RSU president Susanne Nyaga said they will continue to push for the statue’s removal. They will meet with Lachemi on Sept. 29 to revisit previously made demands and discuss next steps. “It’s all of us working together to create a better space for Indigenous students,” Nyaga said. Ryerson was a prominent 19th century Canadian who played an influential role in the education sector. In 1847, he outlined his idea for a school that would teach native children how to become farm labourers. These institutions, which he referred to as industrial or manual schools, became the underlying foundation for what we know today as residential schools. Nyaga said she hopes Indigenous students would be able go through school without having to worry about the statue and its representation of colonization. “This is a problem,” Nyaga said. “It’s making campus unsafe for Indigenous students. We’re just moving forward in supporting Indigenous folks as much as we can.” Right now, Lachemi doesn’t have any plans to for the removal of the statue. “I’m an engineer, I like to build things, not to destroy things,” said Lachemi. “I think we recognized the mistakes made. That’s part of our history and we have to make sure that we don’t delete that part of our history. “I would rather spend efforts, time and money to give more opportunities to Indigenous people,” he said. The Indigenous Students’ Association did not respond to requests for a comment. With files from Melissa Bennardo and Ben Shelley. @josie_mills
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Daniel Duran, a third-year mechanical engineering student, tests out Dropbike outside of Pitman Hall.
BIKE RENTAL
Dropbike hits campus Canadian startup offers a park-anywhere bike rental app to Ryerson students MAGGIE MACINTOSH RYERSONIAN
There’s a new way for students to explore Toronto and get from the Sally Horsfall Eaton Centre to a Ted Rogers School of Management class on time: Dropbike. The Canadian bike rental startup launched around 20 bikes at Ryerson on Labour Day weekend. “Students live a very active lifestyle,” said Dropbike business development and government affairs manager Emmett Meacher. “Dropbike gives them a way of taking biking as a means of transportation to get to all the different things they do in a hyper-convenience.” After putting down a $49 damage deposit, which can be retrieved at anytime, Ryerson community members can rent the bright orange bikes starting at $1 an hour. New users also get three rides free when they sign up.
Orange dots on the app’s map indicate how many bikes can be found at designated Dropbike racks and parking areas, known as Havens, at any given time. The two Havens at Ryerson are located at Pitman Hall and the Student Campus Centre. City councillor for Toronto Centre-Rosedale Kristyn WongTam, who has helped invest over $1.5 million into Bike Share Toronto’s bikes and docking stations in Ward 27, said students are driven by both economics and convenience. “In many congested, downtown cities where traffic vehicle or volume is heavy, cycling is clearly the faster and better way, and of course, it’s much more economical,” said Wong-Tam. “There are some obvious benefits from that vantage point for Ryerson students.” Dropbike is unlocked when a user opens the app and scans the bike’s QR code to receive the lock combination.
“During the period of time you rent the bike it’s completely yours,” said Meacher. “You can bring a bike to Peru if you wanted.” Ryerson Bike Committee founder Michael Foppiano said he probably won’t use Dropbike. He owns a bike and pays $90 for Bike Share Toronto’s annual membership. The third-year mechanical engineering student said he thinks Dropbike’s hourly payment method would rack up. “Riding across most of Toronto can be done in 30 minutes,” said Foppiano. He gets each 30-minute ride free with his current bike share membership. “Of course I want a startup with bikes to succeed,” said Foppiano, “but I’m skeptical.” The bike enthusiast said he thinks Dropbike is competing with a cheaper product that has more stations — Bike Share Toronto has four stations on the Ryerson campus — and a higher quality bike. Wong-Tam said she’s found
that bike-sharing systems don’t work as well for long distances because they lack connectivity. While the Ward 27 councillor said she doesn’t think Ryerson’s Burlington and Scarborough commuters will use Dropbike to get to and from school, she said the bikes could work well for errands in the downtown core. “If it’s a dollar an hour then that’s even cheaper than the TTC,” said Wong-Tam. Dropbike first launched in the city at the University of Toronto campus in June. All bike posts and racks are Havens on their campus. Today there are nearly 1,000 users in Toronto, according to Meacher. Dropbike may add more Ryerson Havens in the future depending on ridership numbers in the Ryerson area. For now, Meacher said Dropbike is happy with the two on-campus locations. @macintoshmaggie
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Wednesday, September 13, 2017
Welcome back! It has been wonderful meeting so many of you over the past few weeks at orientation events and celebrations to mark the start of the new year. The energy and excitement on campus are incredible, because of you. Thank you for choosing Ryerson and making it such a wonderful and warm community. Recent events around the world are reminders that respect for the well-being and dignity of all our community members is a precious attribute that requires constant care and attention. Now more than ever our shared commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion stands as one of our great strengths. Your support makes it possible. I wish you the very best for a great year. Mohamed Lachemi President and Vice-Chancellor
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New campus in Brampton SPENCER TURCOTTE RYERSONIAN
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Ryerson Urban Farm is offering tours of the rooftop garden to Ryerson community members through October 2017.
GREEN CAMPUS
Tours offer rare glimpse of urban rooftop garden SOPHIE ARMSTRONG and ABIGAIL MURTA RYERSONIAN
Ryerson’s urban farm and environmental green roof is on a mission to grow food to feed the city. The Andrew and Valerie Pringle environmental green roof can be found on top of the George Vari Engineering and Computing Centre. On any given day, you can find students and staff harvesting the garden while surrounded by the constant construction of the city. The urban farm is building its own type of food diversity and sustainability, producing a cornucopia of squashes, pumpkins, melons, 20 metres of buckwheat and an array of edible flowers. Its candy cane beets and cayenne hot peppers also won first place at the Canadian National Exhibition Vegetable competition this year.
With its growing popularity on campus, the Ryerson urban farm launched weekly public tours for individuals from June to October. The tours cost $7 for students, $10 for the public and are held every Friday from 1-2 p.m. Programs co-ordinator Jayne Miles says people are digging into the idea of urban farming. “Urban farming provides super fresh, local food to cities,” says Miles. “It also creates learning opportunities around gardening and is an important nature connection for urban dwellers, and raises awareness about urban ecology.” Since its launch in 2014, the farm has produced about 4,500 kilograms of food annually. Ryerson Urban Farm has offered all the ecological services of a green roof. It helps to reduce storm water overflow, mitigate the urban heat island effect through plants’ natural transpiration process, reduce heating and cooling pressures on
the building and add biodiversity to the city. A rooftop garden offers the unique opportunity for people to connect with their food. The produce harvested from the rooftop garden is sold at the Farmers Market on Gould Street every Wednesday from 11-3 p.m. The leftover produce is given to the Good Food Centre at Ryerson. The proceeds from the public tours will fund Ryerson Urban Farm’s plan to manage the eighth floor green roof of the new Health Sciences building. It is currently under construction on the west side of Church Street, just north of Dundas. Their first growing season is anticipated to be in 2019. @armstsophie @abbymurta
Ryerson University president Mohamed Lachemi says plans to expand a campus to Brampton will mark a new and exciting direction for the school. Lachemi told the Ryersonian Monday that a proposal for a shared campus with Sheridan College is not just a way to deal with the space crunch that Ryerson’s downtown Toronto campus faces. He said it also sets the university on a new “journey.” “We are in a situation where we have a campus that is kind of landlocked,” Lachemi said. “It’s the beginning, in my opinion, of a journey because this is the first time that Ryerson is thinking of having a presence outside of downtown Toronto.” He made the comments just five days after Brampton city council committed to invest $50 million over the course of 10 years towards the partnership between Ryerson and Sheridan College, along with $100 million for a joint-use community centre near the proposed campus in Brampton. Mayor of Brampton Linda Jeffrey pledged in her election
campaign to bring a university to the city. “We see it as a very positive announcement, first of all, that Ryerson wanted to be our partner, and for council to agree that we want to align ourselves (and) city-build with Ryerson and Sheridan College,” said Jeffrey. Despite being among the top 10 cities in the country by population, Brampton still does not have a university campus. Brampton city councillor Gurpreet Dhillon says this has been one of the biggest issues for decades. “This is a game-changer. I cannot emphasize how important this decision was today.” The funding approval comes in addition to $180 million from the government of Ontario to be divided between new learning institutions in Brampton and Milton. “Ryerson already has a great reputation, but this is going to grow it to a new level,” said Jeffrey. Lachemi said it is too soon to know when construction on the campus will begin. @_Spencer_T
A NIGHT TO O SHED
AN EVENT IN SUPPORT OF THE SICKKIDS CENTRE FOR COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH
Join us to help bring b i awareness to to tth the he challenges adolescents lescents with mental health issues face every day so that they can get the support they need.
Saturday, October 14 at 6:00 p.m.
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STUDENT DISCOUNT AVAILABLE! For more information, email Bevy1969@yahoo.ca
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R yers Ryerson’s Annual Welcome Week
Wednesday, September 13, 2017
Features
Students celebrated the first week back at school with various street festivals and activities on Gould Street. The week ended with the RSU’s annual parade and concert.
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Wednesday, September 13, 2017
Features
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Left page clockwise: Mathias Sawicki. Engineering students. Ryerson house party attendees. Film students at the parade. Right page clockwise: DJ Jayemkayem. Ryerson house party dancer. Ejay Vidad, Jasdeep Dhaliwal. Laura Gowling, Francesca Pascazi. Afrah Idrees. Ryerson house party attendees.
All photos by Christiane Beya
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ryersonian.ca Wednesday, September 13, 2017
How to be cheap in Toronto SHANTIA CROSS RYERSONIAN
Whether you live on- or off-campus, every student should try to find ways to save money while going to school. If you live on-campus, chances are you can cut the cost of your living expenses with a meal plan, having a campus store and having roommates willing to split the costs of household items. If you live off-campus, things like rent, utilities, groceries and other living expenses add up. But being a student also has its perks. Often, your OneCard can get you a lot of sweet discounts on clothing and in restaurants and grocery stores. Some stores nearby that can give you great discounts with your OneCard are: Metro: The Gould Street location offers students 10 per cent off on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and
Thursdays. Shoppers Drug Mart: The store at Yonge and College offers various discounts to students. Roots Canada: The Roots at the Eaton Centre gives all students 20 per cent off, and an additional 10 per cent taken off anything on sale. H&M: At most locations you can show your student ID and receive 15 per cent off any fullpriced item. Forever 21: The location at the Eaton Centre gives you 15 per cent off of any full-priced item. If you want to get better deals without your OneCard (because we all know that student who’s lost their OneCard and hasn’t paid $35 to replace it) then there are many options within Ryerson — or just a streetcar ride away — that can help you save your money. Some nearby stores that can give you great discounts are: No Frills: Cosimo’s No Frills is located at 449 Parliament St., and
is about a kilometre away from school. Some weekends they have $1 sales on a lot of their food items. FreshCo: The nearest location to Ryerson is 325 Parliament St. FreshCo is a grocery store with the best deals, next to No Frills. Prices are extremely student-friendly. Adidas: The flagship location on Yonge and Dundas has a 30 per cent discount for full-priced items and 15 per cent off sale items. You can claim your code online by putting in your school email and following the instructions. Tools for Shopping These are some tools for shopping. Always be prepared. You never know how much you need until you realize you don’t have it at home. Always carry your smartphone. It’s the greatest thing to have on-hand, with access to calculators, store times, maps and apps to plan out your big day. When grocery shopping, the
Flipp app is the ultimate timesaver. It stores all weekly flyers on one device, and gives you notifications about great deals and coupons. Tapping on an item will automatically save it to your shopping list(s), organized by the store that carries it. Checkout 51 is another app designed to help students earn while they spend. It updates its deals every Thursday. You can take pictures of your receipts, send them to be verified and earn cash back. Each time you shop, they apply the credit to your account. And once your account hits $20, you can collect it. If you shop a lot, that might be the best tip you get all year. Also, carry bags. Bring your own plastic bags or be ecofriendly and bring reusable shopping bags that carry a lot of items. It saves you from having to buy bags for five to 10 cents each time Price matching is your best friend. If a competing store is
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selling an item at a cheaper price, take their flyer in to your favourite store and have them match the price. A few stores that price match are Walmart, No Frills, Best Buy, The Source, FreshCo and Canadian Tire. Look for discount shelves at your local groceries stores. You can get anything from household cleaners to groceries for up to 50 per cent off. Always double-check that perishable items are not past their expiry date. So get saving with this student-friendly guide. Don’t let your funds hold you back and save money while you spend. Wherever you live, these tips will have you saving more for things that are worth your money (like buying a new laptop).
@shantielan
R yersonian Sports
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Mattamy Athletic Centre hosts WWE NXT ryersonian.ca Wednesday, September 13, 2017
Women’s fastpitch starts off strong BRYCE TURNER RYERSONIAN
The Toronto Blue Jays have had a nightmare of a season. That’s not news. But if you’re looking for a fun sport to follow during the year, Toronto may have a championship contender in the fastpitch scene. The Ryerson Rams fastpitch team opened its regular season Friday night with a pair of games against York University. The Rams shut out York in game one, with a 5-0 victory. Game two was closer, but still saw a win, with a 5-3 score. The main goal for the fastpitch team this season is to be one of eight in an 11-team league to make the playoffs, which take place in mid-October. “I think it’s very feasible,” says first baseman Hayley Graham, who went 3-for-3 in hits during game one. “I think it will happen if
we play the same way we played in pre-season.” That goal is something the team came close to in its inaugural season, where eight of 13 teams made the post-season. “Last year we were one spot away from the playoffs,” says second baseman Emily Rickson, who also had multiple hits in game one. “We really want to make it this year.” Fastpitch is considered a club team, meaning there is no funding from the school. That can create an added challenge for the team, which has to pay all expenses out of pocket. “Money raised for the team is through player fees, fundraising such as our GoFundMe program and sponsorship,” says head coach Wayne Nishihama. “Coaches are volunteers, and equipment for the team is borrowed by the coaches’ club teams.” There is a long list of expenses,
ranging from uniforms and permits, to league fees and travel expenses. “It would be nice if anybody donated two or five dollars,” says outfielder Vanessa Flacco. “Anything helps to go towards the team. It just helps with getting the field prepared and just the costs of playing ball.” There will be some roster changes for the team to get used to, such as the addition of new players like Flacco. “Everyone is working as a team and we bonded so much,” says Flacco, a first-year RTA sports media student. “We had two or three practices and then we went straight into games and we’ve really molded well together.” This connection is something that is noticed by returning players as well. “This year the chemistry and the bonding between the team, it’s so there,” says Graham, a
fourth-year RTA sports media student. “It’s like we’ve been friends. For 13, 14 girls to actually connect like that is pretty special.” The season starts with four road series, totalling eight games. That long road stretch may not be a bad thing. “I’m actually happy that we’re away first,” says Rickson, who is in her third year of early childhood studies. “Last year, we had a lot of home games first and at the end of the season, once we got really tired and weren’t really sure how much stamina we had left, we had our away games.” And while there are a lot of early away games, the schedule does leave room for rest, so the team will travel a day ahead for some out-of-town games. “We’re going down Thursday night and we’re sleeping in Friday morning,” says Flacco. “So it’s not like we’re going down the same day. We’ll have plenty of time to
relax, get our food and get settled in.” The players aren’t the only ones who don’t mind the road stretch. “I think this is a positive,” says Nishihama. “It allows for team bonding especially with so many new players.” The team is not well known around campus, as it is only going into its second season. The club is not really visible either, as homefield is located off-campus, in North York. But the team says, like other sports, it can be fun to watch. “We play just as hard, we’re just as competitive as every other team,” says Graham. “We do play at the collegiate level, even though we’re considered a club team.” Adds Rickson, “I think we’re going to do really well this year. We’re going to have some really good competition and have some good games to watch.”
Rams Stars Shine
JULIE FAYE GERMANSKY | RYERSONIAN
A new mural in the Mattamy Athletic Centre features some of this year’s athletic stars including Keevon Small, a forward on Ryerson’s men’s basketball team.
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R yersonian Editorial
Read more Opinions and Editorials online ryersonian.ca Wednesday, September 13, 2017
EDITORIAL
OneCards? Rye can do better The first week of class should be a time for students to familiarize themselves with campus facilities, workrooms, and program-specific resources. But for some Ryerson students, that couldn’t be done. New and returning students alike found campus facilities restricted. The reason? OneCards — the Ryerson designated student ID and access cards. Unfortunately, for some students, OneCards weren’t fulfilling their “access card” function when the semester started. Journalism students working for Ryersonian couldn’t even get into the newspaper’s office due to OneCard issues. The solution? Using a chunk of cement to prop open the door the first week back. But J-students aren’t the only ones feeling the OneCard burn. First-year fashion students also dealt with some related woes. After undergoing the laborious process of getting a student ID, which can have new students standing in line in a basement for upwards of an hour for the holy piece of plastic otherwise known as a OneCard, some fashion students were barred from certain workspaces. One student, who wishes to remain anonymous, said she, and others in Ryerson’s fashion programs, couldn’t get into the fashion department’s overflow labs. Overflow labs house important equipment needed to complete assignments. Students were forced to stand
around and wait until someone graciously allowed them entry. Unless the timing was just right, students pretty much couldn’t do their work. Getting access to facilities in the George Vari Engineering and Computing Centre is proving to be a OneCard-related hassle for students too. In truth, a call to the OneCard office could fix most of these problems, if you can get through to anyone. A call to the OneCard office at this time of year will probably send you straight to voicemail or put on hold. If you do happen to speak to a representative and ask about access issues, the blame may be placed elsewhere. “It is up to the individual departments to send us that information,” said a OneCard office employee when asked why some students aren’t able to access certain workspaces. Admittedly, by the time this piece goes to print, most OneCard-issues facing students will probably be resolved. The OneCard office is dealing with its busiest time of year, and during the September rush, OneCard issues are probably the exception more than the norm. But OneCards are pieces of technology that should work from the get-go. The fact that a piece of plastic bars any students from doing so, on the first week of school, is not exactly conducive to learning.
SIMONA CATALANO | RYERSONIAN
OPINION
Being a perfect significant other EVAN MANNING
I am the perfect boyfriend. I can say this with something close to confidence, I think . . . You’d have to ask my girlfriend for assurance though. If you’re wondering how to be like me, a perfect significant other, here are some easy steps for you to abide by. Make yourself comfortable. I am here to take you down a path of enlightenment. I am here to make sure your boyfriend or girlfriend never complains about you — ever. After reading this, your relationship will transform into the Obamas’ relationship, a symbol of what true love can blossom into when both sides are always respectful of one another.
First, don’t ever reveal any of your insecurities. Any self doubts you have, bottle them up. Any time you’re ever jealous, let it slide. If you ever feel like maybe your significant other is overshadowing you in some way, get past it. Push it under the rug like that pile of dog fur. At the same time though, don’t be passive-aggressive. Communicate in the clearest way possible. Oh, and try to avoid getting incensed over the little things. No tears, no displeasure. There is no room for error when it comes to the amount of attention you show your significant other. Read them like a book. Study, then game plan. Sometimes you’ll need to give them a lot of love and attention, Care Bear style. Sometimes you need to lay off. Sometimes you need to be in-between. It’s simple, really. Oh, and you need some time to yourself? No. Are you crazy? Still following? OK. We’re almost there, just a couple more
vital lessons. You can’t be salty, ever. You can’t be dry. The best route to take would be the one that takes you down a road devoid of negative attitudes. This next one is of utmost importance. Always realize that you’re wrong. Never be stubborn. “Sorry” is the greatest statement you can ever memorize. Sorry is your godsend. Basically what I’m saying is, even though you’re still young, you can’t ever act childish. You can’t ever act your age. You can never act like a regular human being: full of emotion, passion and sometimes immoral, irrational behaviour. You can’t ever make mistakes. You have to be perfect. Because if you’re imperfect, that means you also aren’t the perfect significant other. Or wait . . . maybe not being perfect is what makes you the best person for who you love . . . @evancmanning
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Returning to Venezuela ‘ The quality of life for millions . . . can be destroyed by the ambitions of a powerful elite’ RICARDO SERRANO RYERSONIAN
I couldn’t believe I was finally doing it. This summer I was returning to Venezuela, my home country, three years after moving to Canada. When I left Venezuela, I never thought I would spend so much time away from home. Now I was going back during the most turbulent time for the country. Since April, thousands of Venezuelans have taken to the streets to protest against President Nicolas Maduro and his decision to abolish parliament and create a new constitution. Hundreds of citizens died, while others were imprisoned as a result of these protests. A week before my trip, I was gift-shopping for relatives and friends in Venezuela (most of them have moved out as a result of the crisis). But when you are
travelling to Venezuela you do not buy regular gifts. Instead, my luggage was full of medicine, food and basic-need products; things that are now missing from the shelves of the supermarkets, drugstores and shops in the country. I packed Harina Pan, the dough Arepas (the Venezuelan national dish) is made of, which is now very hard to find in Venezuela. Today, it is easier to make an Arepa in Canada than in Venezuela. When I got to Caracas, I had several scheduled interviews, so I needed to find a way to move around the city. I decided to hire a moto-taxi, one of the cheapest and most popular forms of transportation in Caracas. Moto-taxi drivers have gained a bad reputation because most of the robberies in the city are made by
motorcyclists. Nevertheless, I hired someone I trusted: my old co-worker, Rene. Rene is the father of three girls and is married to a woman who he calls mi senora (my lady in Spanish). During my stay in Venezuela, I interviewed several politicians and experts about the crisis, but it was Rene who best represented the struggle of Venezuelan people. I was going to be travelling with Rene for the next three weeks, so I thought of paying him through a bank, but Rene does not have a bank account. Like most Venezuelans, he lives with what he makes daily. “What I earn today, I spend it today. That is how I survive.” So I had to pay him with cash, which would normally not be a problem, unless you are in Venezuela. Due to inflation, the country is
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The skyline of Caracas, Venezeula.
going through a shortage of cash. One afternoon, after finishing one of my interviews, I invited Rene to eat at a Pollera, which are grilled chicken restaurants that you find all over Caracas. While eating, Rene said to me, “I have not eaten chicken or any meat in months. In my house we have been eating bread with anything that we are able to find for months,” and then he added, “I just wish my girls could eat what I am eating today.” I did not know how to react. Inside I was sad, but I did not want to express it and make him feel worse. That day we took chicken to Rene’s daughter and his senora. I also wanted to document the long lines people waited in just to buy food, so I asked Rene to take me to some of them. One of the supermarkets that we visited had a lineup three blocks long. When Rene asked what the line was for, a lady said that they were selling Harina Pan. Rene wanted to take some for his senora so I waited in line with him. After almost two hours, we were told that they had run out of Harina Pan, so we had to leave. The day before leaving Venezuela, my grandma gave Rene the Harina Pan that I had brought to her from Canada. I was sad to see how things had changed so dramatically since I left. I wanted to leave with an image of the city that I missed and that I still hope to come back to someday. The day before my flight, I asked Rene to take me on a tour
through the colonial part of Caracas. On our way home, Rene decided to take the Avenida Boyaca, a highway that passes by El Avila, the mountains surrounding Caracas, where you can see the entire city from above. It was around 6 p.m. and all the macaws, a type of tropical parrot, that fly from balcony to balcony during the day, had returned to sleep in the mountain. I thought it was Caracas saying farewell to me. It served to remind me of how the beauty of Venezuela remains, even with the many problems that exist. For me, it is hard to understand how the quality of life for millions of honest, hard-working people like Rene can be destroyed by the ambition of a powerful elite. I left Venezuela with great sadness after seeing the hard reality people go through every day. But at the same time, I am a big believer in the idea of good always defeating evil. I am convinced that most Venezuelans are as good as Rene. It seems impossible to suppress the desire of self-improvement of Venezuelans for much longer. At the end, I left with the hope that soon the macaws will fly over a free Venezuela.
@ricardo_sp
12
R yersonian
Wednesday, September 13, 2017
Campus Connection
Quote ... Unquote
Events Sept. 13:
Full stories online at ryersonian.ca
Investigative Journalism in a Dangerous Country
“When I did orientation on my floor we said what pronouns we are. I thought that was cool.”
6:30 - 8:30 p.m. ENG 103
– Shanti Harris
Farmers Market Wednesdays 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Gould Street between Bond and Victoria
Therapy Dogs Wednesdays Noon - 1 p.m. Student Learning Centre
“Last year we were one spot away from the playoffs. We really want to make it this year”.
Zone Learning Pizza Party
–Emily Rickson JOTII GREW JO JOT EW WAL L | RYER E SO SONIAN
3 - 4 p.m. Student Learning Centre Sandbox 3rd Floor
Sept. 14: “So far it’s super clear that students want a new student transit pass.”
– Anne Boucher
Managing Editor Print Donya Ziaee
Managing Editors Digital Melissa Galevski Olivia Zollino
Managing Editor Video Jessica Cheung
Managing Editor Audio Michael D’Alimonte
Managing Editors Engagement Sophie Armstrong Simona Catalano Iris Robin
News Editors Jacob Cappe Salman Farooqui Josie Mills
Arts & Life Editors Shantia Cross Aidan Mcnab
Sports Editors Steven Ellis Kayla McLaughlin
Op-Ed Editors
Think Pink
Careernival: Career Fair & Street Festival
Ryerson men’s soccer parঞcipated in its first Think Pink iniঞaঞve this weekend to raise funds and awareness for breast cancer research. Some members of the Rams soccer team dyed their hair pink during their matchup against UOIT Ridgebacks on Sept. 9 at Downsview Stadium. The men walked away with a 3-2 victory against the Ridgebacks, and they doubled their $500 fundraising target.
11 a.m. - 3 p.m. on Gould Street
Photo & Graphic Editors Nadia Khamsi Julie Faye Germansky Brooke Taylor
Christiane Beya Devika Desai
Sade Lewis
Reporter Abigail Murta
Contact Us We would like to hear from you. Please include your name, program and year. Unsigned letters will not be published. We reserve the right to edit letters for length.
Instructors Copy Editors Christine Chua Joti Grewal Dan Marino
Video Producer Mansoor Tanweer
Milca Kuflu Evan Manning
Features Editors
Social Producer
Peter Bakogeorge Sonya Fatah
Publisher Janice Neil
Ad Sales Support Julia Dodge
Ryerson University 80 Gould Street Toronto, Ontario M5B 2K3 Newsroom: 416-979-5323 Email: sonian@ryerson.ca
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Audio Producers
TheRyersonian
Ricardo Serrano Bryce Turner
@theryersonian The Ryersonian
Sept. 19: Mood Routes Tuesdays Noon - 1:30 p.m. Main floor of the Student Learning Centre
Significant Dates Sept. 15 Last day to add a class and submit your course intentions
Sept. 22 Sundown Music Festival 20 Polson St. 4-11 p.m. Artists Include: Joey Bada$$ The Skins Sean Leon The Sorority