The Silhouette - Trick or Treat - October 27, 2022

Management

executive editor Andrew Mrozowski executive@thesil.ca editor in chief Nisha Gill editorinchief@thesil.ca

digital media specialist Derrick Chappell dms@msu.mcmaster.ca multimedia editor Christina Osadchuk multimedia@thesil.ca

News news editor Amarah Hasham-Steele news@thesil.ca news reporter Kate O’Melia newsrep@thesil.ca news staff writer Bela Davidson news staff writer Edwin Thomas

Opinions

opinion editor Ana Mamula opinions@thesil.ca opinion staff writer Hadeeqa Aziz opinion staff writer Breanna Khameraj opinion staff writer Fatima Sarfraz opinion staff writer Ayushka Tiwary

Arts & Culture arts & culture editor Subin Park artsandculture@thesil.ca arts & culture reporter Abonti Nur Ahmed artsandculturerep@thesil.ca

arts & culture staff writer Michelle Li arts & culture staff writer Joleen Awad humans of mcmaster staff writer Esther Liu

Sports sports editor Jovan Popovic sports@thesil.ca sports reporter Sava Jankovic sportsrep@thesil.ca

sports staff writer Miguel Sibal sports staff writer Alyssa Wheeler sports staff writer Jenny Zhao

Multimedia

multimedia coordinator Yoohyun Park multimedia assistant Jessica Yang multimedia assistant Daisy Thang multimedia assistant Julio Diaz multimedia assistant Vicky Lin social media coordinator Noor Al Omran multimedia@thesil.ca

Volume 93, TRICK OR TREAT Issue

Thursday, October 27, 2022

The Silhouette | McMaster University’s Student Newspaper

Looking back . . . 2019

Big Witch Energy

The last time we did a big Hal loween print issue was back in 2019, when the issue actu ally happened to come out on Halloween! It was a week full of fun, spooky content that we hope to match this year.

Happy Halloween from the team at The Silhouette!

Contact

Executive Editor (905) 525-9140, ext 22052 Editor-in-Chief (905) 525-9140, ext 27117 Advertising executive@thesil.ca

MUSC B110 McMaster University 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON

Land Acknowledgement

McMaster University is located on the traditional territories shared between the Haudenosaunee confederacy and the Anishinabe nations, which was protected by the Dish with One Spoon Wampum agreement. The “Dish” represents the shared land, while “One Spoon” reinforces the idea of sharing and peace.

We are guests on this land and are privledged to be able to work, study and live here. The Silhouette recognizes that this acknowledgement is only a single step towards reconciliation and that a lot of progess still needs to be made. We commit to ensuring Indigenous voices are heard and that their stories be told.

Get Involved

Interested in contributing? Scan the QR code, fill out the Google Form and let us know what you want to cover!

Legal Acknowledgement

The Silhouette welcomes letters to the editor in person at MUSC B110, or by email at thesil@thesil.ca. Please include name, ad dress and telephone number for verification only. Letters should be 300 words or less. We reserve the right to edit, condense or reject letters and opinion articles. Opinions and editorials expressed in The Silhouette are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the editorial board, the publishers, the McMaster Students Union or McMaster University. The Silhouette is an editorially autonomous newspaper published by the McMaster Students Union. The Silhouette Board of Publica tions acts as an intermediary between the editorial board, the McMaster community and the McMaster Students Union. Griev ances regarding The Silhouette may be forwarded in writing to: McMaster Students Union, McMaster University Student Centre, Room 201, L8S 4S4, Attn: The Silhouette Board of Publications. The Board will consider all submissions and make recommenda tions accordingly.

Published By

@mcmastersilhouette

@TheSilhouette

Queer student organizations getting ready for a Halloween bash

Nisha Gill Editor-in-Chief

The three queer student-run organizations on campus — the McMaster Engiqueers, the Pride Community Centre and the Queer Trans Colour Club — are kicking off the year with some speacial Halloween program ming the community.

The Spooky HalloQueer Bash will take place on Oct. 27 from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. in Kenneth Taylor Hall B102, B105 and B107. There will be different activities hosted in each room, including a movie screening, crafts and board games. There will also be a costume contest.

Independently, the three groups had each begun to brainstorm ideas for their own Halloween events, though upon real izing they all had similar programming in mind, they were thrilled to be able to collab orate on the event together.

“It’s been super, super exciting to be able to talk with the QTCC and the En giqueers, because, as far as we know, this is the first time all queer clubs on campus have collaborated so we’re excited to be

able to do this and to start this school year off like this,” said Alicia Anglin, an events coordinator at the PCC

This will be the first collaborative event all three organizations have worked on together and they hope it will lead to future collaborations.

The groups are also excited to be able to host an in-person event again, as this is one of the first they’ve been able to have since the start of the pandemic. Halloween felt like a very fitting event for their return to in-person programming and also to start the year off with, given it is an important time of year for much of the queer community.

“Halloween is a very important time for the queer community to have this kind of social,” said Emily Liang, the co-president of the QTCC.

“I think Halloween is very, very import ant for the queer community because every thing about queerness is about going out of the norm, trying to break down like norma tive stereotypes and Halloween is perfect for that...I think it’s really cool that we get to like have our first social be surrounding this event that’s so important for our communi ty,” added Anglin.

They hope the event will help make

students more aware of the communities and resources on campus something that many students have been missing these past few years.

“It’s really important because [events like this] just make these spaces for queer folks, queer racialized folks, very tangible on campus,” said Yasmin Meghdadi, the co-president of the QTCC.

All three organizations are excited for the upcoming event and they hope it fosters a sense of community for students.

“The nice thing about queer specific spaces is that for the most part you can just be completely and unapologeticly with yourself. . .I just want people to be relaxed and have fun. I want them to come away and feel good about themselves and feel emotionally fulfilled, said Avery Kemble, the assistant director of the PCC.

“Our main goal is to create like a safe community space and for people to be able to meet friends so I think I would like people to walk away from this event meeting other queer students,” said Nasim Paknejad, the co-president of McMaster Engiqueers.

The Engiqueers, PCC and QTCC collaborate to host the Spooky HalloQueer Bash, featuring a movie screening, games and a costume contest

YOOHYUN PARK / MULTIMEDIA COORDINATOR

Here’s what you need to know about Hamilton’s mayoral and Ward 1 city counsellor candidates

A student-focused summary of the city’s mayoral and Ward 1 city counsellor candidates and their platforms

Amarah Hasham-Steele News Editor

For more in-depth coverage on each of the candidates, you can check out the candidate profiles and debate summaries posted on www.thesil.ca.

Mayoral candidates

In June 2022, Hamilton’s current mayor, Fred Eisenberger, announced he would not be running for reelection. Since then nine candidates have thrown thier hat in the ring to succeed him. In the weeks leading up to the Oct. 24 election, the Silhouette sat down with several of the mayoral candidates to discuss their platforms, their reasons for running and their perspectives on why the student vote matters.

Bob Bratina has had a long political career, as Ward 2 City Councillor from 2004 to 2010, mayor of Hamilton from 2010 to 2014 and Liberal Member of Parliament from 2015 to 2021. He is concerned about affordable housing, financial transparency regarding the LRT project and increased security.

Ejaz Butt is a community activist, an Uber driver, and the founder of the Ontario

Taxi Workers Union. Butt explained to the Silhouette his 20-point campaign agenda was compiled based on feedback from Hamilton residents. This agenda highlights the housing crisis and the affordability of living in Hamilton as key priorities.

Jim Davis detailed his platform on the Facebook page Vote Jim Davis 4 Mayor of Hamilton. It is the same platform he ran on in his first mayoral campaign in 2018. Davis plans to prioritize city-run programs, such as daycare and recreation, and housing initiatives.

Andrea Horwath served as Hamilton’s Ward 2 city councillor from 1997 to 2004 and as the leader of the Ontario New Dem ocratic Party from 2009 to 2022. Horwath intends to prioritize public transportation, environmental protection and rebuilding trust between City Hall and the public.

Solomon Ikhuiwu is a trained paralegal, evangelical preacher and author who wants to prioritize unifying the city and address ing the housing crisis. Ikhuiwu has worked with unhoused communities in Hamilton throughout his career and is critical of the current state of the shelter system.

Hermiz Ishaya decided to run for mayor to set an example for young people and to highlight the importance of youth involve ment in politics. Ishaya told the Silhouette he is particularly concerned about the housing crisis and the city’s infrastructure and roads.

Keanin Loomis, former president and CEO of Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, highlighted

building a trustworthy and responsive City Hall, fostering economic growth and mak ing Hamilton a safer and cleaner city as his main goals.

Michael Pattison, who previously ran for mayor in 2014 and 2018, is running in this election on a platform that prioritizes the housing crisis, affordable mental health initiatives, transparency in city spending and food insecurity.

Ward 1 city counsellor candidates

Along with voting for Hamilton’s mayor, Hamilton residents can also vote for city councillors. The majority of McMaster University students reside in Ward 1, where there are three candidates competing for the council seat.

Ian MacPherson founded the Canadian Association of Pompe, an organization that lobbies the government to fund new treat ments for Pompe. MacPherson’s priorities include environmental sustainability, road safety and addressing the housing crisis.

John Vail is a small business owner who has previously run for both city councillor and for the provincial Hamilton Centre seat. His priorities include building transparency in city council, avoiding over-intensification and collaborating with the community.

Maureen Wilson was elected as Ward 1 city councillor in 2018 and is running for re-election. Her platform highlights key areas of priority, such as ensuring safer streets, addressing the housing crisis and investing in public spaces.

5 WAYS TO FALL IN LOVE WITH DOWNTOWN HAMILTON

Shop

The retail shops in downtown Hamilton are often referred to as destination retail - meaning people travel from far and wide to reach these unique and vibrant stores. You can find something at every price point, from investment pieces for your wardrobe to fun gifts and special trinkets.

WORK

With 450+ businesses spanning a variety of fields, the job opportunities available in downtown Hamilton are plentiful and exciting. More of the entrepreneur type? You can find many co-working solutions or your very own office space. Come discover the epicentre of the work/life balance!

EXPLORE

There’s more than one way to explore the downtown core. Start your journey at downtownhamilton.org where you’ll find a full directory of local businesses. Then use the convenient online maps to take a self-guided tour of either the public art or rich history that makes downtown Hamilton so interesting.

EAt

Downtown Hamilton is known for its eclectic food scene, where you can always find something to satisfy your taste buds. There’s pizza and sushi for lunch on the go, steak and seafood for special occasions, and plenty of cute cafes to keep you caffeinated through your day!

HAVE A Night out

After a long day in the classroom, a night out on the town is necessary. Will it be a classy cocktail on the patio, or dancing to 90s jams with your friends? Maybe a date night that is sure to impress. You’ll find live music, unique activities, and a great atmosphere all in downtown Hamilton.

Opinion

Why Halloween isn’t — and won’t — be the same

How

Ana Mamula Opinions Editor

Halloween has and will forever be my favorite holiday. As a child it felt like a dream; every house on the street was dec orated perfectly, kids filled every sidewalk and any channel you scrolled through had a Halloween movie playing.

I miss it beyond anything. And lately I have been seeing TikTok’s with other individuals my age saying the same thing. As Halloween is a holiday typically aimed at children, there are of course some things you unfortunately grow out of, but beyond just that, Halloween is not the same any more and hasn’t been for a couple years.

I remember once I started high school my notion of Halloween changed, as it does for many. It becomes a holiday filled with booze and dressing in increasingly sexu alized outfits and I remember seeing less decorations on the street and less kids even going out.

At the end of the day, anyone can cele brate Halloween how they wish, but to me, this seems like just another example of how youth and teens today are maturing too quickly and are doing or are being exposed to things too early.

With the rise of technology and having access to mature content at younger ages, we can see youth and teens today become more anti-social and delve into mature acts earlier. Studies have shown that teenagers are engaging in “adult” activities such as having sex, dating, drinking alcohol, going out without their parents and driving much earlier than previous generations.

Kids scroll through their Pinterest, TikTok or Instagram and only view the party life during this time of year or the cute and sexy Halloween costumes. It’s sad to see young girls dress in something sexualized or showy just because society depicts this, specifically Instagram models. Social media and technology truly are changing the way kids today live their childhood and the expe riences they have.

Although parents can do their best with moderating kids’ screen time and making sure they are surrounded by good friends it truly is just up to the individual. And at that teen age, the party next door begins to sound more fun than dressing up and going trick-or-treating one last time.

At the end of the day, anyone can celebrate Halloween how they wish, but to me, this seems like just another example of how youth and teens today are maturing too quickly and are doing or are being exposed to things too early.

technology and shifting societal norms are re-shaping what Halloween looks like

Society needs to stop utilizing different cultures for Halloween costumes

Halloween costumes appropriate cultural traditions and practices are inherently problematic, perpetuating harm against communities and reinforcing stereotypes

Roop Sanghu Opinions Contributor

How many times were you stuck search ing for a last-minute costume to wear to Halloween party on Dalewood? At some point, all of us have turned to a Buzzfeed article searching for a quick, cheap and cute outfit to wear on Halloween night. Dressing up during Halloween is meant to be a fun tradition for children, and adults, to enjoy.

However, this costume search can quickly turn problematic if one isn’t careful. Often, costume companies overly-sexualize costumes, and while this is raises concerns on its own, it is also particularly concerning when it is done to costumes that appropri ate cultural traditions or practices.

A quick Amazon search reveals hun dreds of mock Indigenous costumes. These communities are rich with cultural meaning and significance. Therefore, confining their traditions to a sexual Halloween costume is highly degrading.

This is disrespectful in many ways and shows great ignorance towards cultural tra ditions. In addition, this practice reinforces social and sexual stereotypes that detri mentally affects ethnic communities.

Alongside sexual stereotypes, this practice reinforces cultural appropriation and encourages problematic social behav iors. Returning to the previous example, many Indigenous advocates have called out the ignorance towards dressing up in tradi tional Indigenous attire for Halloween.

Dressing up as an Indigenous person appropriates a culture that is historically belittled. There is dark, genocidal history between western countires and Indigenous communities. Therefore, choosing to dress up in clothing which holds great importance to one’s culture and viewing it as a costume is only continuing this history of mockery and belittlement.

Moreover, culture and ethnicity are not something people can easily strip them selves of. So while you’re wearing what may seem like a “cute costume”, you’re also pretending to represent a culture that is very real and socially present. There is a thin veil between the line of appreciation and appropriation; diminishing a culture to a Halloween costume isn’t exactly a form of flattery.

Oddly, many celebrities have a history of wearing problematic and racist cos tumes, including Black face and Geishas Aside from racism alone, what is the concern with these celebrity antics? Taking part in these wrongful actions constructs a notion that acting this way is okay. Think about it - if you see your favorite model dressed as a Hindu goddess for Halloween, it does make you wonder if that is accept able.

Celebrities are society’s biggest influ encers; their actions are absorbed by peo ple on the other side of the screen. Mean ing, if a popular celebrity is seen dressed in a cultural “costume”, it is very possible that others will be encouraged to do so as well. Anything to be as trendy as your favorite actress, right?

Evidently, there is a toxic history with cultural appropriation and Halloween costumes; but what can we do to stop it? Regardless, 2021 statistics show Canadians are going for more fantasy and charac ter-based Halloween costumes. This is a good start!

In recent years, BIPOC and diversity advocates have utilized social media as a way to highlight concerning aspects of the holiday, particularly the use and advertising of cultural clothing as “cute” Halloween costumes. Social media advocacy is an ex cellent way to bring awareness to this issue while also ensuring the message reaches a diverse audience.

There are many resources at McMas ter that reinforce this. MSU Diversity + Equity Network is a student run committee that strives to celebrate and advocate for diversity groups on campus. In the past, the MSU club has made social media posts dedicated to advocating against cultural appropriation.

Making dedicated posts in this manner is a good way to remind students to remain respectful and light-hearted during Hallow een season! In addition, doing research on an individual level is a good way to keep yourself informed.

There are also many advocacy resourc es online that should be utilized as educa tional tools. The best way to avoid societal conflicts and personal ignorance is keeping yourself aware and informed. So, enjoy this spooky season and don’t be a jerk, because its ignorance that’s scary.

VICKY LIN/MULTIMEDIA ASSISTANT

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are a unique space, within the library and on campus, open to all McMaster students from all faculties to freely access digital creative tools to enrich their learning experiences.

Makerspace provides an interdisciplinary and hands-on experiential learning space where the McMaster community including staff, faculty, and students from any program can gather to learn, collaborate, and make.

Arts & Culture

Pumpkins After Dark lights up gloomy fall nights with glowing jack-o-lanterns

The annual Milton festival returns as a self-paced walk through along a trail of glowing pumpkins and spooky displays

Subin Park A&C Editor

When the sun sets at the Country Heritage Park, it turns into a mystical world fllled with glowing pumpkins, smoke breathing dragons and lights. This fall from Sept. 23 to Nov. 5, Pumpkins After Dark returns to Milton.

Last year, the outdoor event was or ganized as a drive-thru in accordance with public health guidelines during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The event included a large tunnel made of glowing, hand-carved pumpkins, live performances and pumpkin carving demonstrations. It received the 2021 Innovative Tourism Award from Hamilton, Halton, Brant Regional Tourism Association and 2021 Achievement Award from Festivals and Events Ontario.

Similarly, this year’s festival consists of over 6,000 hand-carved pumpkins by five Canadi an artists, new displays and pumpkin carving demonstrations. The carvers use a mix of both real and craft pumpkins to bring the sculptures to life in themes of Halloween characters, dino saurs, dragons, classic movies and more. There will also be music, special effects as well as fall-themed treats throughout the experience,

lasting about 45 minutes to an hour. Howev er, unlike last year, it has been organized as a self-paced walk-through instead of a drive-thru event.

The creative minds behind this dazzling festival are James Fraser, chief pumpkineer of Pumpkins After Dark, and Joe Milana, creative director of Pumpkins After Dark. Fraser started the event in 2019 after working in the market ing industry for 25 years. He wanted to create an event anyone could go to — from babies to adults and seniors. In its first year, it drew over 100,000 attendees from across Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area.

This family and pet-friendly festival does not involve any jump scares but nevertheless it is still as spooky and wonderful as one could hope for at a Halloween event. You can witness the magnificent and delightful displays by pre-purchasing tickets on the Pumpkins After Dark website and get ready to fill your camera with warm orange lights and new memories with friends and family.

PHOTO C/O @pumpkinsafterdark

PHOTO C/O @pumpkinsafterdark

Emerson Arts hosts its third annual Fright Night

Joleen Awad A&C Staff Writer

Founded during the early days of the pan demic, Emerson Arts is a performing art theatre that strives to showcase engaging and thought-provoking entertainment from local artists while also keeping everyone safe.

Mason Micevski and Emily Bolyea are the co-founders and co-artistic directors of the theatre.

Micevski grew up in Hamilton and grad uated from the Randolph College for the Performing Arts. He has worked as a mu sical theatre performer and singer all over the province. Now, his focus is on improving Emerson Arts and ensuring artists continue to be recognized and employed.

Bolyea grew up in Coldwater, in a rural part of central eastern Ontario. She went to the University of Windsor for drama and communications before living in South Korea and Ghana for a period of time, after which she moved back to Canada. Bolyea previously worked as a project manager for a local company in Brantford before co-founding Emerson Arts.

From Oct. 21 to 30, Emerson Arts will be holding thier third annual Fright Night event.

Fright Night is an outdoor site-specific show comprised of a combination of plays and monologues. All the plays are based on Micevski and Bolyea’s work, though other scriptwriters were also involved in the production of the event.

There are no jump scares or haunted house-like scares at Fright Night; instead, the performers rely on the creepiness of the real-life events. There also is no one consecutive story, but many stories coming together to create the frightening atmo sphere of the show.

There are no jump scares or haunted house-like scares at Fright Night; instead, the performers rely on the creepiness of the real life events. There is also no one consecutive story, but many stories coming together to create the frightening atmosphere of the show.

“The other interesting thing about Fright Night is when the host, who is an

actor, takes the audience along on their walk and they come to a play that’s happen ing or a monologue, we don’t stop . . . So it’s like the audience is kind of always looking to see where’s the next one is going to be,” Bolyea stated.

The location for the show is not revealed until 24 hours before, adding an air of suspense and mystery to the whole event. The event also has a capacity limit of 25 to 30 attendees at each show. The capacity limit is small to accommodate for the fact the event is being held outdoors without amplification.

The reception of Fright Night has been very positive so far.

“We have had a really great response from people who’ve seen the show. They get really freaked out [and] they think it’s really cool. A lot of people haven’t seen anything like it before,” Bolyea said.

She hopes audience members use Fright Night to understand the contribution of artists and theatre to the city, especially the original works playwrights have put so much effort into.

If you’re looking for a fun night out with friends to celebrate Halloween, to learn more about the historical sites of Hamilton or just to see the performances and amaz

ing work of local artists, then Fright Night is the perfect event for you. Fright Night tickets can be purchased on their website.

have had a really great response from people who’ve seen the show. They get really freaked out [and] they think it’s really cool. A lot of people haven’t seen anything like it before.”

Bolyea Co-founder

The performing arts theatre brings together the talent of local artists and the true stories from Hamilton’s history for a spectacular and spooky show

“We

Emily

and co-artistic director of Emerson Arts

PHOTO C/O @emersonarts25

Sports

McMaster football 39-1 win vs. York reversed fol-

lowing forfeit

After discovering and self-reporting an ineligible player on the roster, the Marauders were forced to forfeit each game they’ve played to that point

Jovan Popovic Sports Editor

Aseason that seemed to start on a pretty strong note for the Marauders turned sour rather quickly. The team dropped their first game against the Carlton Ravens to a close score of 24 to 18, but followed that up with an absolute blowout against the York Lions, winning 39 to one. Despite the lopsided score, the game will officially go down as a loss.

On Sep. 9 news broke that McMaster University would have to forfeit their win against the Lions due to an administrative error. This error made a member of the team who participated in both of their first two games ineligible, reversing the outcome of their lone season win. The final line score on the Marauders website now reads as a win for the Lions with a final score of one to zero.

The initial statement on the issue came from McMaster Athletics and Recreation itself, explaining the issue at hand. They cit ed an administrative error which stemmed from a student transfer. Upon discovery, they passed along this observation to U Sports and the OUA, who made the ruling to forfeit shortly thereafter.

Following the third game of the season — a 20 to 14 loss to the Ottawa Gee-Gees — the team fielded questions on the matter at their postgame press conference.

“As the head coach and manager of the football team, it’s 100 per cent on me. I’ve got a player on the roster that shouldn’t be. . . One of my guys is not eligible, and that’s got to be on me to make sure,” said Stefan Ptaszek, the team’s head coach.

Not only was the team directly affected by the matter in terms of the overturned game, but the issue also appeared to create further problems heading into their week three matchup. Although Ptaszek stressed that the team was well prepared and in a strong mental state, the devastating news and the extreme recency were more than likely a factor.

“We only had 20 hours to digest what happened prior to this kickoff. . . Captains [found out] at 2:00 p.m. yesterday, the team at 3:00 p.m. [They] were a little shell shocked and stoic for sure,” explained Ptaszek.

Following the third game of the season, the team fell to zero wins and three losses

on the year. They sat dead last in the Ontar io University Athletics standings as the only team without a win. At that point McMaster had also lost their spot on the U Sports top 10 national ranking, having been displaced by the Mount Allison Mounties.

Since the disastrous three game start to the season, the team has rebounded

moderately well, having won two of their last four games (both in blowout fashion). Unfortunately, it might simply be a case of too little too late. It was going to take a herculean effort from the team in order to return to the postseason for the first time since their provincial title victory in 20192020.

Although it’s technically possible for them to still secure a playoff spot, the stars would have to perfectly align, and their chances are diminishing by the game as a direct result of this costly mistake.

PHOTO C/O McMaster Sports

“As the head coach and manager of the football team, it’s 100 per cent on me. I’ve got a player on the roster that shouldn’t be.

. . One of my guys is not eligible, and that’s got to be on me to make sure.”

Stefan Ptaszek Head Coach

How the Varsity Leadership Committee supports thier fellow McMaster athletes

This behind-the-scenes group of McMaster athletes is addressing common concerns faced by student athletes

Jenny Zhao Sports Staff Writer

The Varsity Leadership Committee is a group of athletes from teams across McMaster University. The committee strives to advocate for McMaster teams, improve the student athlete experience and tackle some of the common challenges faced by student athletes.

This year, the committee is emphasiz ing equal exposure and support for all of McMaster’s sports teams.

Competitions for different university sports teams can be organized by U Sports, Ontario University Athletics or as club sports and competing in different governing bodies can mean entirely different experi ences.

Christina Stratford is one of the co-presidents of this year’s Varsity Lead ership Committee and a member of the McMaster women’s volleyball team. As a U Sports player, Stratford acknowledged the challenges faced by other OUA and club athletes.

“Last year, it kind of brought to light the different treatment and the different opportunities [outside of] U Sports teams. Our big goal is to help get that exposure and hopefully start to get the opportunities that U Sports athletes get for athletes on those OUA or club teams,” said Stratford.

In the past, the committee increased coverage by promoting all upcoming sport events on their social media. They also en couraged athletes to attend other McMaster games through contests or promotions.

The committee has plans to further bridge the gap between club, OUA and U Sports teams by encouraging interactions between athletes. Arianne Soriano, the other co-president of this year’s commit tee and a point guard on the McMaster women’s basketball team, is spearheading these plans to create new opportunities for athletes to meet and build relationships.

“Going into my first year, I had no idea that we had a sailing team. I didn’t know much about the lacrosse team [or] the field hockey team. Over my years, I was able to develop relationships with players on those teams and I think it’s what enhances the student-athlete experience even more,” said Soriano.

Mental health is another common con cern of student athletes and the committee is also a strong advocate for intiatives aimed at improving athlete and student mental health.

“In general, a lot of times, as athletes we put a lot of stress on ourselves between school and performing well. [We focus on] that mental health piece,” said Stratford.

Previously, the committee organized multiple panels and workshops for athletes

on Bell Let’s Talk Day, including one of which featured Canadian sports journal ist and mental health advocate, Michael Landsberg.

In addition to their involvement in athlete mental health, the committee has also organized outreach events within the McMaster student population and local community to encourage folks to get in volved with the athletics community. These events includes games dedicated to Bell Let’s Talk, a Pride Celebration game and toy drive for local organizations.

As part of building strng community realtions, the committee works closely with the McMaster Athletics Department and different coaches and members within the athletics community. As a student-run committee, they are able to offer a unique perspective on the student-athlete experi ence at McMaster.

“Speaking from my own experiences, there’s so many times where I just don’t feel like I can talk to someone. It’s such a different perspective being a student-ath lete from what the department can see, and they don’t always know what to offer. I think it’s really important having a committee especially run by athletes, and the purpose [being] for athletes,” explained Soriano.

VICKY LIN/MULTIMEDIA ASSISTANT

Overall, through their various initiatives and outreach, the Varsity Leadership Com mittee strives to better support and meet the needs of fellow McMaster athletes.

Overall, through their various initiatives and outreach, the Varsity Leadership Committee strives to better support and meet the needs of fellow McMaster athletes.