March 18, 2025 — Double Dribble

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MARCH 18, 2025 | VOLUME CVI | ISSUE XVII FUCK GENDER ROLES SINCE 1918

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MARCH 18, 2025 TUESDAY

WHO’S WHO AT UBC

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U THE UBYSSEY MARCH 18, 2025 | VOLUME CVI | ISSUE XVII

EDITORIAL

BUSINESS

Editor-in-Chief Iman Janmohamed eic@ubyssey.ca

Opinion Editor Spencer Izen opinion@ubyssey.ca

Business Manager Douglas Baird business@ubyssey.ca

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Managing Editor Mahin E Alam managing@ubyssey.ca

Humour Editor Elita Menezes humour@ubyssey.ca

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President Ferdinand Rother president@ubyssey.ca

News Editor Aisha Chaudhry news@ubyssey.ca

Sports + Rec Editor Lauren Kasowski sports@ubyssey.ca

Web Developer Sam Low samuellow@ubyssey.ca

Distribution Manager Evie Hamilton distribution@ubyssey.ca

News Editor Viyan Handley news@ubyssey.ca

Science Editor Gloria Klein science@ubyssey.ca

STAFF

Culture Editor Elena Massing culture@ubyssey.ca

Visuals Editor Emilīja V Harrison visuals@ubyssey.ca

Features Editor Fiona Sjaus features@ubyssey.ca

Photo Editor Saumya Kamra photo@ubyssey.ca

CONTACT Editorial Office: NEST 2208 604.283.2023 Business Office: NEST 2209 604.283.2024 6133 University Blvd.

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ON THE COVER COVER EMILĪJA V HARRISON

Become a Ubyssey staff member!

1.

Attend three general meetings (Fridays at 4 p.m. in room 2208 in the Nest).

2. Contribute three times to The Ubyssey!

This can mean writing three articles, taking three photos or videos, making three illustrations or helping copyedit three times. Or you can mix and match!

3. Attend your third general meeting with those three contributions, and The Ubyssey’s staff members will vote you in! U

‘An essential part of life’: Sophie Co tackles food insecurity through the power of community Nicola Roscuata Contributor

On a sunny day in the Nest, I headed upstairs to the AMS Student Services office. Light shone down on a huge display, which said, “40% of UBC students don’t have enough to eat.”

Food insecurity has long been a pervasive issue at UBC. This statistic echoes research from the UBC Food Hub which shows that 30–40 per cent of students are consistently food insecure. According to last year’s AMS Academic Experience Survey, 51 per cent of students worried about being unable to “afford adequate groceries.”

For fourth-year student Sophie Co, this critical issue lies at the centre of her academics and advocacy. Co studies food, nutrition and health (FNH) and has been the coordinator of the AMS Food Bank for two years.

She believes mitigating the rising rate of food insecurity is something that requires all hands on deck.

“This is something that people should be prioritizing. Because food is not something that people should have to fight for or prove that they need,” said Co. “It's an essential part of life.”

ROOTS IN THE KITCHEN Food is baked into Co’s family traditions — from the age of six, she remembers helping out in the kitchen. Growing up, it was baking with her aunt, a former pastry chef, that sparked her love of food.

Together, they would flip through Co’s grandmother’s giant cookbooks, recipes from family and friends collected over decades. Co continued baking in high school, often bringing her lemon bars — a secret family recipe — to enthusiastic classmates.

However, she still didn’t know exactly which major she wanted to pursue at UBC. Co only had one guiding objective in mind.

“I always wanted to do something around health care or just helping people,” she said.

Eventually, Co realized what truly excited her was right in front of her all along.

“I found that my relationship with food was actually something I had a much deeper connection with,” she said. “Because I was able to have such a close relationship with food at such a young age, I knew that food was really important to me.”

Co was initially set on majoring in dietetics, studying nutrition care and treatment, she said, but switched to FNH. According to Co, dietetics has an esteemed reputation within the Faculty of Land and Food Systems (LFS) as “the program everyone wants to go into.” But Co shifted toward a social perspective instead, with an aim to explore food security. This was driven by her initial desire to help others and foster community, a goal that is now clicking into place with her interest in studying food and applying academics to her community work.

“I want to actually build a deeper connection with a larger community,

MEHNAJ SYED / THE UBYSSEY

rather than with just one patient at a time,” she said. “I feel like that way, I’m able to potentially impact others more and also just learn from different people.”

CULTIVATING COMMUNITY IN THE CHAOS When Co saw the AMS Food Bank coordinator job listing in 2023, she didn’t know much about the organization and its work. However, looking to feed her interest, she applied thinking it seemed “interesting” and got the job.

At first she was daunted by the prospect — at the time, she was a second-year, taking over the post from a more experienced dietetics grad student.

“I thought it was very intimidating,” Co admitted. “But I thought of it as a learning opportunity.”

It is this positive, determined mindset that allows her to navigate and lead within the food bank’s fastpaced environment.

The AMS Food Bank is the most widely accessed student service in the society, intended as a short-term “food relief service for UBC students in need.” According to the 2024/25 AMS Services Interim Report, it accounts for 70 per cent of total AMS service user interactions, with a 14 per cent increase from the previous annual report. Usage of the food bank has increased each year since 2011, with sharper rises occurring after the pandemic.

Co and the current team of 120 volunteers see this demand reflected in the day-to-day operations — between its two open days of Monday and Thursday each week, she estimated the AMS Food Bank averages 400 to 450 visits per day.

When I asked about the daily experience of running the food bank, Co — warm but poised throughout our conversation — let her composure slip for one second.

“It’s very chaotic,” she smiled.

“That’s definitely one of the words I would use. Every day [provides] something predictable, but also unpredictable at the same time. It’s a strange balance.”

While there is routine in their staple offerings and repeat visitors, unpredictable elements can run the gamut, from a staff shortage to higher-than-average traffic, throwing a dash more mayhem into an already frenzied environment.

In spite of this, Co acknowledged how grateful she is to be part of the community, from the volunteers who work to assist as many people as they can to the “clients [who] are very understanding.” She loves building connections and learning about the clientele’s different perspectives, which she said is composed of a wide variety of international, domestic, graduate and doctorate students.

Receiving feedback — whether through one-on-one discussions or in focus groups — allows Co and the team to understand how to best serve their student body and how to address concerns with service issues, accommodations for dietary restrictions, healthy fare and culturally-appropriate foods.

For Co, relationships with the clientele built on support and communication come down to what seem like simple questions.

“You need to be able to actually sit down and understand, ‘What is it that you need? Yes, it's food, but what kind of food?'” said Co. “I really want to make sure that, as coordinator, I can incorporate [clients’] perspectives into our operations so they feel more welcomed, and also to make sure that the service is fit for them."

PLANTING SEEDS FOR LONG-TERM INTERVENTIONS While the AMS Food Bank plays an important role in alleviating food insecurity on campus, Co is keenly aware it is only a band-aid solution to a deeper, more complicated issue.

She hopes to try and implement longer-term solutions during her tenure, including redirecting clients to other community programs and organizations providing similar supplies.

“I don't want clients to have to rely solely on the food bank because it's just a short-term solution,” said Co. In order to address this, she believes there is and must be a place for all voices in addressing food insecurity, not just ones from those in the LFS faculty.

“Food security is not one-dimensional. There's so many different aspects to it, and as long as people are bringing in their ideas to create long term change, they'll be able to be part of the solution,” Co said.

“I hope people realize that food insecurity sounds very daunting, but it's definitely something everyone is able to be a part of.” U

NEWS

MARCH 18, 2025 TUESDAY

EDITORS AISHA CHAUDHRY + VIYAN HANDLEY

AMS ELECTION RESULTS words by Colin Angell, Himanaya Bajaj, Aisha Chaudhry, Paloma Green, Viyan Handley, Isabella Ma, Trinity Sala, Sophia Samilski

PRESIDENT Riley Huntley is your next AMS president.

Huntley beat out opponents Drédyn Fontana, /u/sasamats, Barry “Bee” Buzzword and Nobody.

This year, Huntley also served as an AMS councillor and was president of the Nursing Undergraduate Society from January 2024–25. His presidential term starts May 1.

“It’s time to deliver for students,” said Huntley. U

VP ACADEMIC & UNIVERSITY AFFAIRS Zarifa Nawar is your next VP AUA. Nawar, who was elected to the VP AUA position after a by-election, defeated current AUS VP academic Ananya Gupta.

After results were announced, Nawar said she felt “fucking elated.”

Nawar ran on a platform of affordability, academic policy career development and equity and accessibility. U — With files from Iman Janmohamed

VP ADMINISTRATION Dylan Evans is your next VP administration, winning the uncontested race.

The sole candidate won on a platform which focused heavily on improving AMS services for clubs, sustainability and installing printers in the Nest.

Evans is the current president of the Forestry Undergraduate Society and the Forestry representative on AMS Council.

Upon election, Evans said he was feeling “pretty good” and that his first priority would be to install the printers in the Nest per his platform promise. U

BOARD OF GOVERNORS Cade Desjarlais and Jasper Lorien have both been elected to UBC’s Board of Governors (BoG).

Desjarlais’s campaign centred his previous work as president of UBC Okanagan’s student union.

“I’m very excited to get to work for the students at UBC and to put students

first,” said Desjarlais after the results announcement.

Desjarlais added that the first thing he’s excited to do is invest in more student affordability measures, because “that’s what we need right now.”

Lorien’s campaign focused on student affordability, increasing needs-based

photos by Mayvelyn Bugh, Saumya Kamra, Allegra Kastner, Micah Sébastien Zhang

aid and addressing food insecurity. Lorien said it felt “great” to win the BoG spot, and they added the first thing they will do as a BoG representative is “take [their] signs off the lawn.” U — With files from Iman Janmohamed

VP EXTERNAL AFFAIRS Solomon Yi-Kieran has been elected as the next AMS VP external after running uncontested.

Yi-Kieran served as a student senator and has done advocacy work with the BC NDP. “I feel great,” they said.

“I’m gonna get right to work.

I’m gonna focus on elections.

I’m gonna make sure that students are making their voices heard [and] that all these goals are happening.”

As they ran in both the general and by-election for the VP external role, Yi-Kieran’s term begins on Monday. Yi-Kieran also won a seat on the UBC Vancouver Senate. U

VP FINANCE Gagan Parmar is your next VP finance.

Parmar ran uncontested in both the general election and by-election. He was previously the AMS financial coordinator.

“I’m feeling very grateful for everyone putting their trust in me and ready to do my promises,” said Parmar.

Parmar ran on a platform of seamless operations, increasing transparency and supporting clubs and constituencies.

When asked what he would do first, Parmar said he wants to work on completing the preliminary budget and setting “early and strong” goals for next year. U

STUDENT SENATOR-AT-LARGE Zarifa Nawar, Jasper Lorien, Kareem Hassib, Ananya Gupta and Solomon Yi-Kieran won the five student senator-at-large seats at this year’s AMS election.

“Feels great, a lot of work to do,” said Lorien, a Senate incumbent.

“I feel fucking in-

sane,” said Nawar. Nawar also won the Arts Faculty Senator race, meaning she has 24 hours to choose which Senate seat she will take.

“I’m really looking forward to continue doing work with accessibility,” said incumbent Yi-Kieran.

Gupta said she felt “fucking great” and would be celebrating with friends.

“I’m excited to get back to work and start delivering more results for students,” said Hassib. U — With files from JungJoo Kim

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FEATURES

MARCH 18, 2025 TUESDAY

EDITOR FIONA SJAUS

IS IT TIME TO HOP OFF? HOW CUTS TO TRANSLINK COULD IMPACT COMMUTER STUDENTS Year after year, TransLink ridership data indicates routes to UBC carry the highest passenger volumes in the region — so how will TransLink ensure future funding models consider commuter student needs?

WORDS BY AMARDEEP BAINS DESIGN AND PHOTOS BY FIONA SJAUS

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commuter student has three nightmares: missing the bus, falling down the stairs from the second level of the 351 and watching a driver shut the door on you — TransLink’s financial crisis may be worse than all three.

In August 2024, UBC reported that around 75 per cent of students commute to campus.

This statistic came weeks after TransLink announced potential future transit service cuts would be necessary at the end of 2025 due to an annual funding gap of approximately $600 million from 2026–33. This is the result of a decrease in provincial and federal government funding for TransLink.

Three months into the year,

the situation is still dire. On March 4, the provincial government unveiled its budget for 2025, and any funding allocation directly to TransLink to repair its shortfall was absent from the breakdown.

“The NDP just released their budget, and they got hammered from a lot of people saying that the deficit is too big,” said Denis Agar in an interview with The Ubyssey.

Agar is the executive director of Movement: Metro Vancouver Transit Riders, a group of transit riders, professionals and enthusiasts advocating to make transit more efficient in Metro Vancouver. Agar started Movement back in 2023, following a decade of working for TransLink.

“I’m not too bothered whether [TransLink’s] funding comes from the province, the mayors or the federal government even,” he said. “But ultimately, we need to find a solution that keeps us from having to beg for funding every year.”

According to Dan Mountain, a TransLink spokesperson and senior media relations advisor, the service and municipal and provincial governments are currently working to secure a sustainable funding model for the service.

But, until that happens, the future of TransLink remains uncertain.

Some transit routes are busier than others, and the population density of Vancouver’s Lower Mainland is only growing. Year after year, TransLink ridership data

indicates routes to UBC carry the highest passenger volumes in the region — so how will TransLink ensure future funding models consider commuter student needs?

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ccording to the service, TransLink is scheduled to run out of funding in 2026.

In a video posted to TransLink’s YouTube account last year, CEO Kevin Quinn said the service is on the brink of a financial crisis “like we’ve never seen before.”

Since 2020, TransLink fares have either been frozen or held below inflation, resulting in TransLink operation costs rising faster than the increase of fare prices. The gap continues to

widen and is projected to do so unless more funding is secured.

This year, provincial government funding is down about 22 per cent, which may result in a cut of 50 per cent of Translink’s services at the end of 2025 if additional stable funding is not secured, according to a CBC article quoting Quinn.

“These cuts would be devastating to the region, and we’re doing everything we can to stop it from happening,” Quinn said in a statement.

More specifically, the budget indicates almost half of TransLink’s buses have less than 3 years before scheduling is compromised, which would result in cancelling 145 bus routes, including cuts to the 4,

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MARCH 18, 2025 TUESDAY | FEATURES | 5 7, 14, 68 and 84 lines.

“Public transit is critically important to students, faculty and staff at UBC Vancouver and to the university’s sustainability goals,” wrote UBC Director of University Affairs Matthew Ramsey in a statement to The Ubyssey, writing that next year’s potential TransLink service reduction is of “great concern” to UBC. “Our hope is that the funding shortfall can be resolved.

If not, the university will continue to advocate for the maintenance of service levels to and from campus,” Ramsey continued. “We are in regular discussions with TransLink to discuss their goals and UBC’s needs so we can continue to support our community.”

In January 2024, TransLink workers held a two-day strike of bus services.

“Students, newcomers, daycare workers and so many others were stranded without transit,” Quinn said.

The strike caused in-person learning activities to be shifted online at UBC, despite the shutdown only lasting 48 hours — so a decrease in TransLink service would likely be disastrous for on-campus learning.

Quinn said TransLink is responding to its financial crisis by raising fares, cutting costs, reducing spending and finding new revenue streams.

Cutting services is something TransLink seeks to avoid, according to Mountain. He told The Ubyssey “TransLink is currently working with all levels of government on a solution to our impending funding gap.”

In order to be cost-effective, TransLink will be eliminat-

ing various corporate roles, and reducing third-party contractors, leadership training courses, ridership development and community initiatives, and IT software and hardware expenses.

“We’re encouraged to see efforts are underway to resolve TransLink’s budget shortfall and maintain critical transit services,” wrote Ramsey. “Our community relies on efficient and frequent public transit.”

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ifth-year cognitive systems student Tina Vedi finds her commute to be smooth and has gotten quite used to it now, she wrote in a statement to The Ubyssey.

Vedi has been taking public transit to UBC since 2021 and currently has a 2 hour and 30 minute commute one way, taking the 363, 351 and then the 49 to UBC. Vedi spends her transit time “listening to music, catching up with loved ones on Facetime [or] revising notes for class or an exam.” “[Transiting] also reduces the mental load that comes otherwise if I had to drive down to UBC,” she wrote.

Leila Sabeur, a fourth-year psychology student, has also been a commuter student since 2021 and lives in Langley, often taking the R4 and 99.

The 99 UBC B-Line to Commercial-Broadway Station and the R4 41st Avenue line between UBC and

Joyce Station are the two busiest TransLink bus routes in the Lower Mainland, both boarding an average of 35,900 and 27,900 passengers respectively every weekday.

Similar to Vedi, Sabeur spends her hour and a half listening to music and podcasts “to slowly switch into school mode and that can’t be beat,” she wrote to The Ubyssey.

But what Vedi and Sabeur would change about their rides to and from campus is the scheduling, overcrowdedness and long lines for the bus, criticisms that

overcrowding became more widespread during the pandemic.

To address this, TransLink cut services on certain routes and increased service hours on busier ones. But for commuter students who take more than one bus to get to and from campus, this can compromise how their bus schedules line up.

“I wish certain buses could come more often, and more reliably,” Sabeur wrote. “I’ve been left stranded for long periods of time due to buses that did not come when they were supposed to.”

With the existing pervasiveness of overcrowding on the Lower Mainland’s busiest transit routes, a funding model that prioritizes student commuters wouldn’t just have to maintain the current status quo in bus frequency — it would have to go beyond it, while considering complex cross-municipal commutes like the ones Vedi and Sabeur take.

For Agar, the solution to this is a sustainable long-term funding model.

“We need to find a way to stop this cycle, and provide transit funding for TransLink that’ll allow them to actually grow faster than the rate of population growth.”

“Ultimately, we need to find a solution that keeps us from having to beg for funding every year.”

— Denis Agar executive director, Movement

have frequented UBC Reddit threads.

There has been a 19 per cent increase in ridership growth in 2023 compares to 2022 for buses alone.

We’re really deep in the hole when it comes to overcrowding, and we’re gonna need a really ambitious proposal to address it,” said Agar. “But it doesn’t have to be complicated. It can just be more s a commuter student for the past buses ... Like, on a route that has three years, I’ve been on the a 15-minute frequency, let’s run it bus to and from campus more at 10.” times than I’ve waited in line at According to Agar, transit Blue Chip — so a lot of times.

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I’ve experienced everything most commuter students do, from feeling more nausea on a bus ride than I ever could on a roller coaster at Playland, to being on a bus for hours when it snows. And, of course, I’ve had my bus arrive a little late, then decided to skip my first class altogether.

But, despite all this, there are parts of being a commuter student that I thoroughly enjoy. I ride with the R4, physically and metaphorically — I wouldn’t be able to get to campus without the bus.

As commuter students, our bus routes may feel innate and mundane. They’re a simple part of our routine.

Unless something horrific has happened, like forgetting your Compass Card at home, we often don’t think about the bus in general.

As uncertainty with TransLink’s funding continues to linger, it’s important to make sure commuter students have their voices heard. As Agar said, for now, the conversation is about finding solutions to preserve the ability for thousands of people to move freely around the region.

“We’re asking people to reach out to their MLA. Their MLAs are scheduling meetings to sit down with them,” Agar said. “I think a lot of people get into elected office because they wanna make change, and they see what we’re doing correctly as trying to make room for them to make that change.”

“There’s lots more that I want and we deserve as a region, but I think it’s important to keep the message simple for now.” U

CULTURE

MARCH 18, 2025 TUESDAY

EDITOR ELENA MASSING

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ALUMNI IN ART //

Medias Res Gallery platforms Farsi-speaking artists Julian Forst Senior Staff Reporter

The Vancouver Iranian Visual Arts (VIVA) Alliance is set to open their new Medias Res Gallery curated

by UBC alum Maryam Babaei on March 27. Their inaugural exhibition, Henna Night II / Shabe Kheena II, will feature a series of textile works by Afghan-Canadian artist Hangama Amiri.

VIVA Alliance is a non-profit organization founded in 2023 with a mandate to platform and support emerging Farsi-speaking artists in the local scene. Beginning with a pair of annual exhibitions at the Yaletown-Roundhouse Community Centre featuring local artists like Vahid Dastpak, Amir Aziz and Nakisa Dehpanah, the alliance has grown to the point of establishing its new headquarters in Railtown.

The opening of the Medias Res Gallery — named for the Latin phrase meaning “in the middle of things” — entails what Babaei calls a moment of “rapid growth” for the VIVA Alliance.

“It’s going to be, basically, the development of the same ideas that we’ve had. [We want] to consolidate the activities that we have been doing and to build on them,” said Babaei in an interview with The Ubyssey.

In spite of the collective’s roots in Vancouver’s Farsi-speaking diaspora, Babaei and VIVA Alliance as a whole are quick to highlight the inclusive nature of their mission.

“Our commitment is to creating an intercultural exchange,” said Babaei, “and interculturality is not possible if your approach is exclusive. We don’t plan on specializing in the works of one particular diaspora at all.”

The gallery will serve many of VIVA Alliance’s needs as a growing art organization, including office space and two resident studios, as well as a smaller capsule exhibition space in addition to the main gallery hall which is currently preparing to host Amiri’s exhibition.

According to Babaei, this smaller space will play host to regular workshops, lectures and activities aimed at promoting cultural dialogue and understanding, including weekly drawing sessions and artist talks associated with current exhibitions.

Amiri’s Henna Night II / Shabe Kheena II, which runs from March 27–May 2, focuses on a series of the artist’s textile works depicting traditional pre-marriage ceremonies, including one large scale piece crafted

by Amiri specially for Medias Res’s inaugural exhibition.

“Amiri [is] such an accomplished artist who [has] such a distinctive

This smaller space will play host to regular workshops, lectures and activities.

diasporic lens. That was fitting as a beginning and an inaugural exhibition for [Medias Res],” said Babaei.

“Even though she has a very culturally specific lens [and] autobiographical approach … she finds a way to highlight the universality of the nostalgia that she’s experiencing, the sense of loss that she’s experiencing, [to create] a coherent idea of home, a coherent idea of belonging.”

Babaei also stressed the enrich-

ing value that “exposing yourself to the artistic activity that is happening in your vicinity” can hold for students and their understanding of the world around them.

“We hope that UBC students, young people, will come and see this truly accomplished artist [and] hopefully leave intrigued and interested to learn more about the situation of women in Afghanistan and the great art that comes out of

COURTESY HANGAMA AMIRI AND COOPER COLE

that region.”

The Medias Res Gallery has several exhibits lined up for the rest of the year after Amiri’s exhibit closes in May. June 26 sees the opening of Re-encounter Mythical Entities curated by Wen Zhu, followed by a hallway exhibition in the gallery’s capsule space of the work of Anishinaabe/Ukrainian artist Speplól Tanya Zilinski entitled S’íwes te Tém:éxw / Teachings of the Earth​. U

SALLY, BE A LAMB, DARLIN’ //

She’s a Lamb! details the unapologetic lengths one performer will go to claim the stage Sophia Samilski Senior Staff Reporter

She’s a Lamb! by UBC alumna Meredith Hambrock explores the fine line between ambition and obsession. The novel follows Jessamyn St. Germain, a young aspiring actress with a passion for musical theatre who’s willing to sacrifice everything, including her health, dignity and sanity, for a standing ovation.

“I think you do have to be a little bit delusional to complete anything or to put yourself out there — you have to really not worry about the truth of what might happen,” said Hambrock in an interview with The Ubyssey.

While auditioning for the lead role of Maria Von Trapp in a production of The Sound of Music, Jessamyn instead gets an offer to mind the child actors. Renée, her singing coach, subtly proposes that perhaps she’s meant to be nearby for a reason.

“Think about it. It really does mirror Maria’s journey, keeps you close to the children, has you at the show every night. It’s almost as if she’s casting you as the understudy without casting you, you know?” she tells Jessamyn.

Clouded by her vanity and knowing that the production company can’t afford an official understudy, she is easily convinced

by Renée. Jessamyn believes it must be an unspoken agreement that she will step up if the actress casted as Maria does fail.

The start of the story reads almost as satire, following a snobbish actress as she’s forced to babysit

She’s a Lamb! is set to release on April 8, 2025.

children on set while watching her rival play her dream role day after day. As the production unfolds, Hambrock reels you in as the plot gradually transforms into a psychological horror as Jessamyn’s desperation peaks, ultimately driving her mad. Hambrock builds tension, mirroring a theatrical performance.

I found it hard to put the book down once her ambition quickly mutated

COURTESY SIMON & SCHUSTER

into something more ruthless, and gruesome, as she descended deeper into her delusions of grandeur.

“This is almost like a horror story about not knowing … how scary it can be to put yourself out there and the level of almost balancing delusion and reality and how easy it is to get lost,” Hambrock said. “If you’re super realistic about yourself and your own talent as an artist, you

might never take risks.”

While Jessamyn has landed the odd commercial here and there, she believes her window of opportunity is closing. In her late 20s, she sees her age as a death sentence for an aspiring actress.

In these moments, I sympathized with Jessamyn. As women, I find we are our own worst critics. “​​What sort of female performer builds a career in her late twenties?

In her thirties? You know it’s not true. As much as we all want to pretend it isn’t, it is. I’m too old.

And I’m not getting anywhere,” Jessamyn says to a cast member.

Beyond her struggles at work, Jessamyn is haunted by her own father’s disapproval, who looks down on her career choice, only exacerbating her lack of self-confidence. She sees playing Maria as her last chance to prove her worth.

With this shame looming over her, she finds herself trading her selfworth in return for the inconsistent approval of men, letting their validation define her as an actress.

“She wanted to step forward as this ideal woman. She wanted to be desired by everybody. To do something creatively, and doing it for outside reasons, is maybe something that will drive you a little over the edge and make you behave [in] an unhinged way,” Hambrock said.

When I first met Jessamyn, I thought she was insufferable — head held high with a chilling detachment to others and the world around her. She seemed to care for no one but herself, obsessed only with her own desires to be Maria. I found myself rolling my eyes at her

snarky comments, dismissing her as selfish. But as showtime grew closer and closer, I began to pity her.

Perhaps it was the way she twisted the truth into one that fit her narrative, or how I started to see her quiet desperation grow loud and impossible to ignore, underlining how fierce, yet equally fragile she was.

Hambrock recalls a story familiar to many, illustrating the vulnerabilities of young, aspiring actresses navigating an industry where many are left to be taken advantage of.

“I think it’s a not so subtle negotiation with patriarchy as well,” Hambrock said. “[It’s] exploring the relationship between what drives you to make stuff and to live as an artist.”

“I truly believe that there are a lot of stories like hers out there that we just haven’t heard.”

In the absence of meaningful female relationships, Jessamyn has a unique connection with Renée, and the two bond over their shared love for the arts. Jessamyn continuously rushes back to Renée’s house throughout the story, securing another singing lesson in exchange for a safe place to indulge in her passion, reminding herself each time that someday it will all be worth it.

Jessamyn’s story is a tragedy, not just because she loses everything, but because no one is there to save her as she unravels. She’s a Lamb! serves as a cautionary tale about the cost of giving up everything, including oneself simply to be seen, offering a poignant commentary on some of the realities of being a young female performer. U

M

EN T

// 7–2 2

March 18, 2025 | 7

E L P P U S S T THE R UBYSSEY ’S SPO

8 | Double Dribble

Star players don’t win championships. Teams do.

Putting your body on the line for the person next to you, putting in the hard work even when you don’t want to, putting aside your pride for the sake of the group — these are the qualities of a winning team.

The journalist I admire the most once told me reporting works the same way; that the best journalism is done as a team — and he was right.

I was lucky enough to work in a team for this year’s sports supplement and coverage of the two Final 8 national basketball tournaments held at UBC. Although it was full of hard work, late nights, chaos and headaches, it was also full of camaraderie, laughter and memories I won’t forget.

Like championships, Double Dribble represents the best of the best. This supplement covers everything from analyzing the home-court advantage and game day superstitions to profiles of star coaches and players at UBC. I hope reading this will inspire you to dream big, or at the very least, remind you no success happens in isolation.

— Lauren Kasowski Sports + Rec Editor

Contributors Abbie Lee Annaliese Gumboc Ayla Cilliers Caleb Peterson Colin Angell Daniela Carbonell Danielle Simon Elena Massing Emilīja V Harrison Fred Knowles Ian Cooper Iman Janmohamed Luiza Teixeira Mahin E Alam Maia Cesario Navya Chadha Rhea Krishna Saumya Kamra Sophia Samilski Spencer Izen

March 18, 2025 | 9

words by Maia Cesario

photos by Navya Chadha

When the T-Birds need the crowd’s support, Oskar Ho gets everyone to make some noise.

At big games like Homecoming or Pride Night, Ho is starting cheers and being a high-energy, funny, all-around ‘hype’ person. He gets the attention of the crowd but also directs them toward being engaged in the game.

“It really is about creating atmosphere for the fans,” said Ho. “Making sure that the crowd is engaged and focus[ed] on what’s going on the court, and also providing a different source of entertainment for those who may not be as engaged with the sport.”

Ho graduated from UBC in 2021 with a degree in political science and now works as a professional hype man for UBC sports teams and the Vancouver Canucks.

Ever since he was a kid, Ho has been a big sports fan. When he’s working, he described how he’s not acting as a character, but rather joining the crowd in cheering on the team.

“It’s definitely a part of my personality highlighted,” Ho said. “It’s a very honest part of me, and that’s why … it’s so natural to be in that space.”

He moved from Hong Kong to attend UBC and had no idea working in sports entertainment was an option. Ho was working as an usher for UBC Varsity — until one game changed the trajectory of his life. When a hype person was unavailable, Ho filled in, and from then on, he was hooked.

“The game that I was helping out [at] was only 50 people in the crowd. So you can imagine … it’s a tough crowd usually, but I still felt really confident,” said Ho. “[I] could let my ego out and just have fun with it.”

Ho also understands that not everyone coming to watch games are big fans of the sport.

illustrations by Ayla Cilliers

“That’s exactly my purpose as a hype man,” said Ho. “People who love the game, they’ll watch the game. I’m providing something on top or just to support the game.”

Although Ho felt sports entertainment was the right thing for him, his story is not without challenges. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, he moved away from the sports world and back to Hong Kong for three years.

“There was this missing part of me.

Even despite having a really good job and having a great social circle back home, there was still this thing that I was like, ‘It’s itching.’ And it was this — to be in sports,” said Ho. That moment cemented that being a hype man was his calling, and Ho moved back to Vancouver to pursue it. Today, he works as the main emcee at UBC and as hype staff for the Vancouver Canucks. Although Ho’s two roles are different — with the emcee job having more leadership duties and a smaller team than the Canucks job — they are both extremely important to him.

“I love UBC, because without them I wouldn’t be where I am today. They took a shot on me,” Ho said. “The Canucks … I know I’m only taking up a corner of Rogers Arena. The beauty in that is that you’re finding your own little pocket there … which is also very meaningful.”

Through his experience as a professional hype man, Ho has become more confident in himself. He used to be worried about how people would judge him, but has changed his mindset through his work.

“Being able to throw myself out there and just be like, ‘There’s 1,000 people here that are going to judge you for what you do, what are you going to do about it?’ … has been incredible in terms of my personal journey and accepting myself,” he said.

Ho hopes others can take his journey as inspiration to pursue their goals, even if they don’t seem attainable at the moment.

“If you have a truth that isn’t harming anyone, follow it,” he said. “Go big or go home — that’s what I try to do.” U

10 | Double Dribble

words by Ian Cooper photos by Saumya Kamra illustrations by Ayla Cilliers

Women’s basketball in North America has seen a meteoric rise in popularity and media coverage in the past few years. Caitlin Clark captivated new audiences with a historic run at the University of Iowa, but the surge of women’s basketball did not begin with just her.

While definitely the catalyst for this movement, beneath the headlines and record-breaking performances is a foundation built by relentless women who have fought to grow the sport.

This progress was reflected this year when UBC held both the men’s and women’s U Sports Final 8 national basketball tournaments, marking the first time one school hosted both competitions.

But as the women’s game continues to reach new heights, an important question remains: why is this happening now, and what remains to be done?

At the professional level, the movement toward gender equality in sports is a recent development.

The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) was founded in April 1996, less than 30 years ago, as the women’s counterpart to the NBA. Play officially began in June 1997 with eight teams, four of which still exist. The upcoming 2025 WNBA season will feature 13 teams, and beginning in 2026, the WNBA will have its first franchise in Canada, the Toronto Tempo.

Initially, the WNBA saw an immediate surge in popularity and attendance. The excitement of a new sports league and the emergence of former college stars like Lisa Leslie, Sheryl Swoopes and Cynthia Cooper built a solid foundation for the league. Viewership and attendance numbers eventually dropped but remained steady at around 1.5 million

people for the coming decades.

However, after the COVID-19 pandemic, the league struggled to regain its pre-pandemic viewership.

An unexpected revival came in 2024 with the arrival of collegiate stars like Clark and Angel Reese, who substantially raised the league’s popularity and helped attract more casual viewers.

Their popularity led to record-breaking figures in both attendance and viewership. In 2024, the WNBA set an all-time record of 54 million unique viewers during the regular season and an average of 1.19 million viewers per game — a 170 per cent increase from the previous season.

Natalie Abele, a UBC alumna and a sports management instructor at the University of Portland, believes this recent surge in popularity, with the WNBA in particular, has been “a bit of a long time coming.”

“The talent [has] been there for a long time. It’s just a case that now more people are able to see it and enjoy it,” she said.

Despite women’s basketball having found increased success in both the professional and American college markets, that success hasn’t been matched in Canada.

Both the men’s and women’s championship games are broadcasted by CBC, but the difference in attendance numbers remains stark.

Last year, the men’s championship game saw a 93 per cent attendance rate, 33 per cent higher than the women’s, a phenomenon also seen during UBC’s regular season.

This season, the UBC men’s basketball team drew more than twice the attendance of the women’s team — 8,073 total people compared to 3,259 — despite the latter being one of the most dominant programs in

March 18, 2025 | 11

the country and boasting exceptional talent such as Mona Berlitz and U Sports Rookie of the Year Keira Daly.

While there is no single path to addressing this disparity, U Sports and UBC’s decision to host the championships at the same venues aimed to give the women’s team a greater platform to showcase their abilities than previously available.

“We’re trying to do something different and really try to elevate sport in a different way by having men’s and women’s together for the first time,” said UBC Managing Director of Athletics and Recreation Kavie Toor, shortly after it was announced in 2023. “It’s pretty special.”

As it stands, women’s basketball is in a better place than ever.

After decades of work toward equal respect and treatment, players are finally receiving appropriate benefits and compensation. While many of the actions that governing bodies have taken are minor — Abele mentioned the NCAA rebranding the women’s basketball tournament with the “March Madness” logo — progress is steadily being made.

Last year, the WNBA allocated $50 million to provide chartered flights for its players and signed a new $200 million a year media rights deal. The WNBA players’ union also opted out of the current collective bargaining agreement so that after the 2025 season, the union will be able to negotiate for apt compensation by the league.

But while strides have been made and popularity continues to surge, years of work remain before gender equality is achieved. Abele emphasized that for things to continue in the right direction, equal media coverage is critical.

“Exposure has been really key to driving more eyeballs on the sport,” she said. “That’s what is going to attract more lucrative contracts, like media rights contracts, but also more lucrative sponsorship deals and more investment on the ownership side as well.”

Universities are in a unique position to attract new audiences to sports, potentially transforming casual spectators into lifelong fans.

Through influence and leveraging “school spirit,” universities can garner large crowds for almost any sport across genders. However, we still see a trend preference for men’s games over women’s — during UBC’s national quarterfinals on March 13, the men’s team garnered 25 per cent more viewership than the women’s. In the championship finals on March 16, the men’s game had 3,604 fans in attendance, compared to the women’s 1,744.

Gender equality in sports is about more than a fair whistle on the court — it represents larger societal values of opportunity, equity and inclusion. Although the work is hard, Abele highlighted the important role that improving gender equality in sports can play in society at large.

“I think greater equality on the professional level helps trickle down in a way, to kids and youth,” said Abele. “I think [sport] breeds respect for each other. It’s just as important for little boys to see women excelling in sports as it is for little girls to see it.” U

12 | Double Dribble

words by Elena Massing

illustrations by Emilīja V Harrison

Sidney Crosby is one of the greatest hockey players of all time — but he’s also worn the same jockstrap since high school.

Crosby’s convinced his non-negotiable pre-game rituals have played a role in his success, and many other athletes share a similar (albeit less extreme) belief in superstition.

These convictions may seem a bit absurd, but what if they actually work?

“There’s decades and decades of research showing that psychological influences have a certainly substantial weight in terms of maximizing performance,” said Dr. Desmond McEwan, an assistant professor of sport psychology in the UBC School of Kinesiology.

“It could be something around stress management [or] dealing with stressors that you’re facing as an athlete — if you feel like you’ve got the resources to deal with that, then you’re going to be more likely to be able to deal with the waves as they come.”

Delaney Woods is a fourth-year media studies and data science student who plays for UBC’s women’s rugby team. Rugby is more physically aggressive than other sports she’s played, so she needs to make sure she’s in the right mindset before a game.

“I need to dominate. I need to be physically aggressive. So I find, before a game, getting in the right headspace is critical for me to have a good game,” she said.

“If I don’t feel dialed or if I don’t feel like, ‘Okay, I can go out there and crush it today,’ it hugely impacts how I play.”

Woods follows a very specific routine to get in the zone.

Every morning before a game, she eats an everything bagel with cream cheese and jam, then heads to the field early to get herself set up. She pops in her earphones and puts on a specific playlist that differs drastically from her actual taste, with heavier artists like $uicideboy$ over her usual Hozier to “get angry.”

She braids her teammates’ hair, then does her own — always in the same style, because she had a good game the day she first tried it out and stuck with it ever since. She picks a set of spandex from her two that she wears “religiously.” Some of the people on her team wear their socks pulled up to a particular height or folded in a certain way.

When she gets on the field, she doesn’t step on any lines as she makes her way to the team cheer. During warm-up, she always works with the same partner — though she sees that not as a superstition, but as a way to control the level of intensity of contact drills.

Her former warm-up partner recently left the team, so Woods had to work with someone else.

“I switched partners. And then [in] the third game in the season, I hurt my knee … I’ve been out for six months now with a knee injury, and I’m like, ‘Maybe not having the same contact partner did that to me,’” she said.

“Moving forward, I would love to be less reliant on needing the same partner and needing the same structure, but I’ve definitely made peace with the easier ones, like what [I’m] going to eat for breakfast, what song

I’m going to listen to and how [I’m] going to wear my socks.”

Woods’s pre-game routine contains a mixture of superstitions and performance routines, which, for McEwan, “fall under the same umbrella of getting yourself in the right zone.”

“They’re largely around trying to manage stress, thoughts, emotions that we’re having, and trying to control the situation in some regard,” he said.

But although they are all actions that are routinely performed, McEwan differentiates performance routines from superstitions as those directly connected to improving skill execution.

Performance routines include strategies like visualization, specific warm-ups or positive self-talk. As McEwan puts it, these are ways to stay focused on yourself and “control the controllables,” instead of being anxious about external factors you can’t change or expect.

These routines focus on an athlete’s state of mind and body, and draw focus toward these things — superstitions, on the other hand, seem to turn to magical forces for luck.

“With superstitions, there’s still a general desire to get yourself in the zone, to manage stressors,” said McEwan.

“The key difference, though, is that it’s more of an irrational approach and more focused on [the] supernatural or the magic, basically the things that you can’t control .… It doesn’t necessarily help us with our skill execution directly.”

McEwan said that if superstitions appear to work, it’s probably a pla-

cebo effect, “but placebo effects are powerful, and they can be beneficial to people.”

But athletes shouldn’t rely entirely on superstition. The sense of security and stress management from a ritual may be helpful, but McEwan said these beliefs become harmful if athletes completely write off a game just because they can’t complete tasks that can’t be directly linked to their performance.

“That’s why we would probably emphasize and … steer athletes towards focusing more on performance routines rather than superstitions,” said McEwan.

Woods credits her head coach Dean Murten with playing a huge part in helping her team feel organized and link their game performance to skills rather than luck. He sends out the run sheet the night before, and sets up the field ahead of time for the things they’ll be working on.

“He’s very structured that way, and I think that lends aid to us feeling confident in our performance and what we’re able to do, because he’s huge on controlling the controllables and having that set routine,” she said. “Having someone who cares so much about structure also plays into maybe having less emphasis … on our superstitions.”

Superstitions don’t have to disappear overnight, but should be weaned into performance routines, according to McEwan.

“The good news is that there is evidence that we can change these [to] something that’s more adaptive and not going to then be harmful.” U

March 18, 2025 | 13

words by Luiza Teixeira photos by Saumya Kamra illustrations by Ayla Cilliers

The women’s Final 8 national basketball tournament was held at UBC for the first time from March 13–16, bringing together the best teams in the country for a three-day championship where only the University of Saskatchewan Huskies would leave victorious.

Most people would be intimidated by such notable competition on their home turf, but not UBC guard Olivia Weekes.

“It adds to the pressure a bit, but I think pressure is a privilege,” she said. “It makes us want to work harder for our end goal, [which is] obviously to get a national championship this year.”

Born in Winnipeg, the fourth-year Arts student was five years old when she started playing basketball, influenced by her dad, who also played the sport in college.

During primary and secondary school, Weekes split her time between basketball, handball, club volleyball and track and field, but had to give some of them up when she got older and had less time to play competitively. Basketball was the obvious option when it came time for her to choose. “[It] was my main focus,” she said.

Adapting from high school to university basketball was difficult for Weekes, especially after missing her entire senior session due to COVID-19.

“I was still pretty skinny throughout high school, and [I wasn’t] able to develop in my senior year,” said Weekes. “And then coming into university I hadn’t been playing basketball for a year and a half, so it was definitely a tough transition.”

Weekes eventually overcame her struggles to become one of the stars of

the UBC squad, averaging 24 minutes played and 11 points scored per game in her senior season. She also recently surpassed 1,000 points scored in her college career.

But Weekes isn’t too focused on statistics, having only learned about her feat many days after it happened. “[I’m] really focused on the end goal and building something [to] look back on and feel accomplished as a team,” she said. “It’s about facilitating good opportunities on the floor for my team.”

During Weekes’s process of being recruited by UBC, what truly made a difference was seeing her teammates’ relationships with each other.

“Everything was done on Zoom, so I didn’t actually get to see the campus at all,” said Weekes. “But the main thing that stuck out to me were the teammates, and that made the decision pretty easy for me … seeing how close everybody was on the team and how much all the girls said they enjoyed [playing for UBC].”

Beyond her teammates, Weekes highlighted the community and support she found as a Thunderbird.

“I’ve built a lot of really good relationships and friendships through basketball and the UBC varsity community is super tight,” she said.

“Building a lot of friendships through that definitely shaped me as a person for the better.”

As her university career nears its end, Weekes is considering her options for the future.

“I think that’d be an awesome experience, getting to go overseas and play somewhere,” she said. “I definitely could not see myself not playing basketball anymore.” U

14 | Double Dribble

words by Caleb Peterson

photos by Saumya Kamra

Two years ago, Ryann Kristmanson was at a crossroads. After being on the UBC women’s basketball team for two years, she was abruptly forced to reconsider her future.

“I came [to UBC] for basketball.

I was recruited here. But I had a career-ending injury,” she said.

In a moment, it seemed like she would have to leave everything she had known on campus behind. The injury would separate her from her teammates and coaches — her friends.

But as she was pondering the future, a new roster spot opened on the team for her. Not as a player, but as the team’s social media coordinator.

“It kind of just fell in my lap to be honest,” she said. “The transition was weird because it was fast. I didn’t really get to say goodbye to my basketball career as I was starting this .... But I loved it enough that I wanted to keep pursuing it.”

For Kristmanson, basketball was so crucial that, despite not being able to play, she still wanted to be a part of it. She isn’t the only one.

Across campus, there are countless others in roles similar to Kristmanson. Whether they write articles, take photos, shoot videos or generally contribute to the public promotion of sport, they all fit under the umbrella of “sports media.”

With 26 varsity teams at UBC, countless hours go into showcasing the athleticism of the school’s hundreds of student-athletes, across a

illustration

wide variety of sports. Or, if you’re Jeff Sargeant — UBC Athletics’s communications and media relations coordinator — you might cover all sports.

Sargeant and his team are tasked with producing media for all UBC varsity programs — a balancing act that is no small feat.

“It’s a lot of student athletes and a lot of programs,” he said. “We want to give as much as we can, but we’re only human, we can only have so much time and so much budget .… A big part of our challenge is trying to get our athletes in as much focus as we can.”

Even those in media roles attached only to one team have plenty to juggle.

Malika Agarwal, the media, communications and partnerships manager for UBC’s men’s and women’s swim teams, knows this well.

“The joke around deck is I do everything but swim,” she said.

For Agarwal, providing media support to the team can mean something different each day.

“I think it is an atypical job in that way,” she said. “Sometimes it’s running [and] grabbing a box from the Athletics department, or sometimes it will be sitting down and writing copy for an email [to] alumni supporters.”

On top of these responsibilities, many in-house media staff at UBC are also full-time students. While Agarwal recently graduated, Kristmanson must balance her role with classes.

“It’s definitely a full-time job,

March 18, 2025 | 15

ns by Abbie Lee & Emilīja V Harrison especially being one person doing it,” Kristmanson said. “It’s such a great opportunity because I can try it all. I get to have full creative control. But at the same time … it’s a lot to balance with school as well.”

Multitasking across assignments and ideas is just one of the many elements of media that goes unseen by the public, Sargeant explained. While media is inherently a front-facing job, there’s plenty going on behind-thescenes to make the content possible.

“It’s a lot of long hours .... On a Friday, Saturday night, we’re here well past midnight, and then right back at it pretty early the next day,” he said.

“A lot of people will see us and our support staff at games, at events, but that’s just a snapshot of all that we do.”

Attention to detail often goes unnoticed. The time spent with a critical eye, ensuring anything going out to the public looks smooth and polished, can’t always be seen in the final product, Agarwal said.

“Every aspect of it — all the aesthetic components to it, making sure that it represents your team and your athletes in an accurate light — I think is more difficult than people maybe give it credit for,” she said.

All this work begs the question — why go into sports media? For Sargeant, it’s simple.

“Do what you love,” he said. “I really enjoyed my time focusing on news as well, but I also had the opportunity … to do some hockey broadcasting

on the side .… It was essentially just following my passion.”

That sense of passion — viewing the tasks of sports media not as additional responsibilities, but as exciting opportunities — is key in the field.

Because creating media, in any form, is a labour of love.

Perhaps the best example of this comes from UBC’s men’s volleyball team. This year, their media team took their game to another level, creating Taking Flight, a crisply-produced, in-depth YouTube documentary series following the team throughout their season.

It’s an exceptionally unique project, and it only exists because of the efforts of first-year student Cole Joliat.

While head coach Mike Hawkins had previously considered the idea of a documentary series, it was Joliat who pushed to make the project a reality. From before Hawkins even met Joliat, his passion for volleyball was clear, with Joliat reaching out to Hawkins before even arriving at UBC. “He was persistent, but not in a nagging way. It was kind of like, ‘Hey, I’m probably not suited to be on the team, but I’m going to UBC anyway….

So I just want to help in any way possible,’” Hawkins said.

That persistence eventually led to an invite into a T-Birds practice, and after meeting with Hawkins, Joliat landed a role with the squad.

Joliat pitched the docu-series about the team in that first meeting, and

upon hearing the idea, Hawkins was ecstatic.

“I remember looking at him being like, ‘Oh my God, let’s do it,’” said Hawkins. “[From then], he was there every single day .… he’s just one of those guys who ... is like an unsung hero to what we do.”

One reason why Hawkins is so enthusiastic about the documentary is because, while the project itself is immaterial, it still tangibly benefits the team. The media’s contributions may not be as immediately obvious as some of volleyball’s other staff, but their efforts to tell the story of the program still improves the team — particularly in recruiting. “[When] people want to come to UBC, people want to know about the program,” Hawkins said. “I can’t tell you how many … parents [of recruits] are like, ‘Hey, we watched every episode of the doc. So when you reached out to our son, we feel like we already know the team.’”

Not only do the efforts of Joliat and the rest of the media team help bring in talent, but they can also help lift up the talent already in the building.

“I think it’s an incredible source of pride,” Hawkins said. “If it’s something like a doc, where you get to see yourself, or you get to talk about how you feel as a part of the program, that just really strengthens the bonds within our team.”

Taking Flight may be abstract in its

team deliverables, but its community building in and outside of the sports circle makes it more than just a video.

Wins and losses are important, but they aren’t what makes sport special — the people and stories do. After all, those elements are what initially brought Kristmanson into the field.

“Honestly, in the end, it doesn’t really feel like work. I really enjoy it, and I get to spend time with these girls who I’ve known for so long and who are my closest friends,” she said.

The sentiment extends to someone in media relations, like Sargeant.

“We get to know our student athletes, we know our coaches that we work with very closely … we wanna see them succeed,” he said. “That’s what really drives us, is to put them in lights and get their accolades and get the attention that they rightly deserve.”

While sports media ranges from making Instagram posts to conducting post-game interviews and everything in between, it’s all in service of a greater goal: serving people and telling a story.

“I think sports media and storytelling surrounding sports is one of the most incredible ways that you can bring people joy and hope,” said Agarwal. “That storytelling aspect of it, it’s what pushes people to want to be better and do better. Any role model you have, you look up to them because of their stories and I think sport is no different.” U

16 | Double Dribble

words by Colin Angell

photos by Saumya Kamra

Twenty-five years, six Canada West Coach of the Year awards, five Canada West championships, two U Sports Coach of the Year honours and coaching stints with Team Canada and professional players — the resume doesn’t seem to end for Thunderbirds men’s basketball head coach Kevin Hanson.

For one of the nation’s most venerated basketball coaches, the sport is just one piece in a lifelong story.

Born in Regina, Hanson’s first competitive games weren’t at centre court, but at centre ice.

“My body was probably more suited to hockey than it was for basketball,” Hanson said, laughing in an interview with The Ubyssey.

“That’s where I really learned to be as competitive as I am. Every day after school, every night after dinner, we would go and lace up in an old burning stove shack and get out there and just play.”

His family often moved around due to his father’s work, so Hanson continually found his home by participating in team sports.

illustrations by Ayla Cilliers

“I think you just became a little bit more of a family and were accepted more once you were participating in sport,” Hanson said.

He first started playing basketball during grade two intramurals, encouraged by his parents and teachers to start playing. “I kind of fell in love,” he said.

Eventually ending up in Vancouver, the sport became an increasingly important part of his life; Hanson credits its fast-paced and social environment for his involvement.

“It took over me in grade 8,” he said. “There’s so many more attempted shots at the net, at the goal. I just found it a very … intrinsically fulfilling sport.”

With his high school’s varsity team, Hanson excelled and started to look at where the game could take him.

Playing a year at Langara College, Hanson transitioned from a power-forward to starting point-guard, eventually transferring to UBC in 1984. Named team captain, he highlighted his “claim to fame” as winning

the 1987 Canada West championship while spoiling UVic’s dreams of an unprecedented national eight-peat.

During his undergrad, he had a unique pre-game tradition.

“After shootaround, I would go down to the Commodore Billiards,” said Hanson. “There was a $5 special of a hot dog, a bag of chips and an hour of pool. So I would play — that’s what me and another buddy of mine would do.”

Following university, Hanson hopped between coaching jobs in the Lower Mainland for 13 years before landing the grail: UBC. “When the opportunity at UBC arose, I thought, ‘Wow, what an amazing thing,’” he said. As of today, Hanson has 614 coaching wins as the head coach of his alma mater team.

“Any competitor will tell you that they love winning. I really love winning,” he said. “[But] all I want is that the players play [to] their max potential, and they become better people and better players because of it.”

Hanson consistently cited former UBC head coach Bruce Enns as hav-

ing had a distinct impact on how he approaches coaching.

“I remember going to practices … we would warm up and that would be the only time we would sweat,” he said. “Then it was more of a lecture.”

“He wanted us to be students of the game — to analyze,” Hanson said.

“As an athlete, you’re going ‘Coach, I just want to run’ … he goes ‘Well, in order to play, you got to understand the game like there’s a difference … between being a basketball player and playing basketball.’”

The two still keep in touch, with Hanson saying Enns is still “watching all our games.”

“He’s still analyzing my team. I do cherish that relationship.”

Hanson led the Thunderbirds to the 2025 U Sports Final 8 — his ninth national appearance as head coach.

UBC hosted both the men’s and women’s tournaments, from March 13–16, where the ‘Birds finished sixth.

“To be a successful coach, it’s absorbed into your body. It’s certainly not a job and it can’t just be a job,” he said. “It’s a lifestyle.” U

March 18, 2025 | 17

words by Saumya Kamra & Lauren Kasowski

illustrations by Abbie Lee

The Ubyssey: When you were applying for the job, did you need any prior qualifications?

The Ubyssey: What is your mindset for getting to a game and being on a high energy level?

This transcript has been edited for length and clarity.

Thunder: When I applied, they asked me if I had any previous background experience as a mascot. In high school, one of the teachers asked me if I wanted to be [our school’s] mascot, because at the time, my high school was a pretty small high school, and no one really wanted to be the mascot. So I volunteered, and one path led to another, and then that got me here.

Thunder: It’s having a lot of confidence in yourself. I normally am a really shy person, but if you put on the costume, you become a whole new person. You don’t really act like how you would if you were yourself.

The mask gives you a sort of anonymity where they’re not laughing at me as a person, but they’re laughing with Thunder and all the jokes that he makes [and] how he interacts.

The Ubyssey: Are you a student, and if so, what is your year and major?

The Ubyssey: What’s your favourite part about being a mascot?

Thunder: I am in my third year studying engineering at the University of British Columbia, specifically biomedical engineering.

Thunder: My favourite part about being a mascot is interacting with fans — giving them a high five, giving them hugs, seeing the smile on their faces. It’s really rewarding at all the games and at all the social events.

The Ubyssey: What is the visibility like in the suit? How well can you see and move around while wearing it?

At every varsity game or school spirit event, he is always there.

With his fuzzy wings, loveable bulky feet and customized jersey, Thunder the Thunderbird has represented UBC since 1934. But who’s the person behind the mask?

The Ubyssey had a chance to sit down with Thunder — whose identity has remained anonymous — to answer burning questions about the iconic role.

The Ubyssey: How did you find out about being Thunder? What was that like?

Thunder: Back in first year, I was looking for a job that was fun [and] exciting, trying to get myself involved in sports and a nice workout to integrate into my school-work balance. I was going through the [UBC] Athletics career page, and I came across this position that was open. I just applied, got my resume in and didn’t really think otherwise about it. But they reached out, and they were willing to interview me and so I underwent the hiring process. I ended up getting the job, and luckily, I ended up really enjoying this job, so I stuck with it throughout the years.

The Ubyssey: The Thunderbird has a long and storied history at UBC. How do you see your role in promoting athletics and recreation at the university?

Thunder: I definitely embody the community of athletics and all the athletes and all those values. I think it’s really important to have a connection between athletes and the crowd, and I think Thunder does a really good job at that. Sure, the game is going on, but having the fans interact with the embodiment of the university and hav[ing] the fans follow chants and drumming rhythms — all that is really very cool.

Thunder: Surprisingly, not as bad as people would think. I have no trouble getting around anywhere that I would probably want to. And as for visibility, it’s not the greatest ... but it’s no different than putting on a narrow set of sunglasses.

The Ubyssey: How often does the suit get washed and does it get really hot and sweaty in there?

Thunder: I get asked that question a lot. The suit gets washed between every single game. We have several suits and they get put out in rotation.

As for how comfortable it is … it is not unbearable. It does get warm and this job isn’t for everybody, but it’s not as bad as people would normally think.

The Ubyssey: Mascots can be intimidating to some people, so I’m wondering, what percentage of people do you think are scared of Thunder?

Thunder: That’s a good one. If I were to maybe estimate a number, I think maybe around 20 per cent of kids get scared.

The Ubyssey: Can you rank your favourite games to go to?

Thunder: My favourite game to go to of all time is the Homecoming game.

It is awesome. We get to march from the Nest all the way to the football stadium, and that trek is really fun.

My next favourite game would be the Winter Classic. That’s another huge event. I love interacting with Birb, who always comes to the Winter Classic [and] a mascot race always happens at the Winter Classic. So that’s always a classic that I look forward to. Next favourite game of [the] regular games would be volleyball.

It’s a great pace, you can get a nice rhythm going.

The Ubyssey: What is your most embarrassing Thunderbird moment?

Thunder: My most embarrassing Thunderbird moment has to be when I tripped on the stairs and the whole crowd [went] ‘oo’ and you can just feel it in your gut.

The Ubyssey: Do you think that you’re going to continue to be Thunder until you graduate? Do you think you’ll be a mascot after you graduate?

Thunder: We’ll see where the path takes me … I don’t think I would turn down any opportunities that came in my way, but I don’t think I would actively seek it out. U

18 | Double Dribble

words by Lauren Kasowski

illustrations by Abbie Lee

Whether you’re defending your house or entering enemy territory, athletes — and fans — are very protective of where they play. Because of this, many sports can have a home-court advantage — where a team does better in home games than away ones.

But what role does playing home or away actually have in winning games? And does it actually help when it matters the most?

For some sports in U Sports — like volleyball, basketball and soccer — the university hosting the national championship gets an automatic spot in the tournament.

Even if they place last in conference play, they still get a shot at the national title.

The Ubyssey broke down some of the data of every men’s and women’s basketball, volleyball and soccer championship until the 2023/24 season to see if the home-court advantage exists.

By and large, the data says it doesn’t.

Across the 6 championship tournaments, only 40 out of 296 hosting teams have captured the gold medal — which works out to 13.5 per cent.

Nearly half of those have occurred in the past 20 years. Prior to 2005, host teams across the 3 sports won 11.83 per cent of the time. Post2005, that statistic is up to 16.36 per

March 18, 2025 | 19

cent. However, soccer strongly pulls this statistic, with over 25 per cent of championships being won by the hosts. Both the basketball and volleyball leagues have only had one host win in the past 10 years (Laval men’s basketball in 2024 and UBC women’s volleyball in 2023).

Soccer additionally has the highest proportion of host-won championships, at 15.9 per cent of hosts winning, then volleyball at 13.5 and lastly basketball at only 7.4.

However, soccer championships only started in 1985 and 1987 for men and women respectively, while basketball and volleyball have been occurring since the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. The over 15-year gap in data could explain why soccer seems to benefit from this home-court advantage.

There is a breakdown by gender as well. Men’s host teams have won 14.84 per cent of championships

while women’s host teams sit at 12.06 per cent.

When broken down by sport, male soccer and basketball teams have done better than their female counterparts by upwards of 10 per cent, but women’s volleyball have outcompeted the men by roughly 6 per cent.

The familiarity of a home court might not be the only thing going for a team either — their season performance also plays a role.

Host spots, or berths, are announced anywhere from two to four years in advance by U Sports.

Rosters also turn over every year, never guaranteeing the team’s best year will be the year they have an automatic spot.

UBC particularly has had good luck when hosting — 60 per cent (9/15) of UBC-hosted championships have resulted in national banners.

Further, in both sports where

UBC has the highest percentage of winning championships on home turf — men’s soccer and women’s volleyball — UBC also holds the highest number of total championships.

A 2024 study on the NBA found that more successful teams had a higher home win percentage over teams lower in the standings, citing psychological and logistical benefits to being on a familiar court.

Prior to the 1994 men’s soccer championships, UBC was already in a very good position to win. They had a 9–0–1 regular season record and won the conference with a 5–1 win over the University of Alberta.

Two of the three top conference goal scorers were from UBC, and T-Bird goalie Pat Onstad had a stellar year with zero goals against.

While they played on home turf, the result would have been in UBC’s favour anywhere else too.

However, that isn’t always the

case. In 2023, the UBC women’s volleyball team was knocked out in the opening Canada West playoff round, placing eighth-seed by their host berth alone. They were not favoured to win.

But they managed to sneak a win in the quarterfinals, then the semifinals and the final, for a national championship no one really saw coming. For some players, playing on home court really was the difference-maker.

“The crowd here was amazing,” said Brynn Pasin after the team’s quarterfinal upset. “Thankfully we’re on home turf — that helped so much.”

At the end of the day, home court is just one of many variables that go into how a team performs on a certain day —and if history is indication, it’s neither here nor there. U — With files from Tanay Mahendru

20 | Double Dribble

words by Maia Cesario

photos by Danielle Simon

On Sunday afternoon at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre, the University of Saskatchewan Huskies pulled off an 85–66 revenge win over Carleton University Ravens to win their first national title since 2020.

In a thrilling rematch of last year’s national championship, when Saskatchewan lost 70–67 to Carleton, the Huskies dominated defensively and created problems for the Ravens.

Ultimately, Carleton couldn’t connect at the net while Saskatchewan was over 40 per cent from everywhere.

“Our team was looking forward to this game,” said Saskatchewan head coach Lisa Thomaidis. “They wanted to get back out and prove that you know last year was not our best effort.”

The Ravens started the first quarter, holding pressure to grab offensive boards leading to a Tatyanna Burke layup. Logan Reider made a big impact for the Huskies in the first quarter on both ends of the court. Kyana-Jade Poulin responded with a three-pointer but Carleton still trailed until Teresa Donato gave the Ravens their first lead, 12–11, with an explosive layup. The Huskies regained the lead with two three-point plays and sharp defence. To end the first quarter, Gage Grassick made two free throws, extending the Huskies’ lead to 24–16.

Saskatchewan kept their momentum in the second as Téa DeMong made a strong drive to the net. The Ravens, fighting the Huskies’ defensive pressure, made two strong offensive plays, closing the gap to 27–22.

The Huskies immediately regained control with two consecutive Grassick three-pointers. In the last minute, Grassick drove into the paint and made a quick

pass to Courtney Primeau under the net to score, putting the Huskies up 45–31 before halftime.

In the third quarter, the Huskies only improved as Grassick lit it up behind the arc, but Donato kept responding with her own three-pointers. Grassick was all over the court, making a steal before passing to DeMong, who flew down the court for the layup making the score 58–40. The Ravens capitalized off a Huskies’ offensive foul but Saskatchewan held onto their 15-point lead, ending the third, 63–48.

Donato made a big jumpshot to start the last quarter, the Ravens now trailing 63–50.

Fighting the shot clock, Grassick banked a jumper in an offensive clinic. The Ravens fought to the end, but the Huskies wouldn’t budge as Grassick made another three-pointer, strengthening their lead to 76–62. In the last two minutes, Grassick headed to the line three times — earning six points — as the Saskatchewan fans in the stands chanted “MVP.” The Huskies held the ball to end the game with a blowout 85–66 win, foiling Carleton’s chances to be three-peat national champions.

“They’re the team that lots of people hold themselves as a standard to,” said Grassick. “To come out to compete in the way we did, I’m just so unbelievably proud of my teammates.”

Donato led the Ravens’ offence with 24 points. Grassick, tournament MVP, earned that honour for the Huskies with a career-high 35 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists.

“It’s what every athlete works towards at the end of the year,” said Grassick. “You always want to call yourself a national championship, and to do it with this group … is really inspiring.” U

words by Rhea Krishna On Sunday afternoon at Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre, the University of Calgary Dinos and University of Victoria Vikes battled for gold in the final match of the U Sports men’s basketball championship, with the Vikes securing a dominant 82–53 victory.

A high stakes game, both teams opened with high energy and intensity in their quest for the title. UVic was looking to take home its first championship since 1997, while all eyes were on the Dino’s U Sports Player of the Year Nate Petrone.

Calgary opened with a striking play, driving straight to the ring. However, it was the Vikes who took control of the game with their unmatched offensive and defensive play, outscoring the Dinos every single quarter.

Shadynn Smid opened the scoring for the Vikes but all players showed initiative, taking on various offensive roles for an all-round effort. Renoldo Robinson facilitated the attack, Sam Maillet brought the physicality and Ethan Boag and Smid were clinical in the paint.

“We played together, we played for each other,” said Maillet after the game.

On the other hand, Calgary was a one-man show, relying on Petrone for points. But he was held back, being heavily marked and often double teamed in the first quarter. Blocked, the Dinos trailed 10–2 in the first five minutes. The Vikes controlled the game’s pace and had Calgary backpedalling defensively, especially during the transition.

Beckett Johnson eventually broke the Dinos’ scoring slump with a field goal but it came too late, and the Vikes ended the first quarter with a comfortable 18–6 lead.

photos by Danielle Simon The second quarter was similar with the Vikes outplaying the Dinos. Robinson opened the scoring and combined with Boag to put up a collective 20 points in the first half. The Vikes increasingly made chances in tight spots, using great communication and physicality to score. The Dinos picked up the pace a little, getting points from Alan Spoonhunter and Martynas Sabaliauskas. However, they continued to slack on the offensive rebounds 11–2, leading to 14 UVic fastbreak points in the first half. At the half, the Vikes led 40–23.

The Dinos attempted to regain their composure in the third quarter with Petrone and Spoonhunter earning a few more points. Calgary showed a more well-rounded effort but Victoria kept the offensive pace, maintaining their lead and frazzling the Dinos, who shot only a 27.3 field goal percentage all game. The Dinos improved on offensive rebounds this quarter, scoring a few second chance points, but their same weaknesses persisted and they were down 65–42 after three.

Calgary had little hope for a comeback in the final quarter as the Vikes ran away with the game, dunking over their spaced-out, tired defence. The Dinos committed a few more turnovers, which the Vikes took advantage of. The game ended 82–53, and the Vikes clinched the gold medal, their ninth in program history.

“It’s pretty amazing, we’ve dreamt of this,” said Vikes head coach Murphy Burnatowski.

“The group worked so hard all year and I’m just really, really proud of them.” U

March 18, 2025 | 21

words by Annaliese Gumboc

On Sunday, UBC’s women’s basketball team suffered a heartbreaking loss to the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees, falling 68–61 in an intense bronze medal match at War Memorial Gym. Both teams entered the game wanting redemption after suffering blowout defeats — by over 20 points — in the semifinals.

Ottawa won the tip-off and started scoring quickly, with the Gee-Gees’ Alissa Provo scoring a nice three-pointer on their second possession. The GeeGees’ first three scores came from beyond the arc, making an impressive four of six triple attempts in the first quarter.

The Thunderbirds kept pace at first; Jessica Clarke hit two free throws and a layup, then Emily Martindale added another layup to tie the game at six.

However, after some back-andforth, Ottawa gained momentum, going on an 18–2 run. The ‘Birds added three more points from free throws, narrowing the gap in the final minute, but they still went into the second with a 26–11 deficit.

After last night’s blowout loss, it seemed like history was repeating itself for UBC. But despite the intimidating deficit,

the ‘Birds kept pushing, not allowing Ottawa’s lead to grow beyond 16. Then, as the second period expired, Sara Toneguzzi scored the only successful ‘Birds three-pointer of the half, narrowing the gap to 40–29 and gaining much-needed traction.

Clarke quickly built off that momentum in the third quarter, making an and-one play. UBC’s

words by Fred Knowles

photos by Saumya Kamra

The UBC Thunderbirds men’s basketball team took on the Concordia University Stingers in a heated consolation final matchup on Saturday afternoon at War Memorial Gym, where the Stingers emerged victorious with an 87–80 win.

While there was no medal on the line, both the Thunderbirds and the Stingers showed a tremendous amount of grit and heart, battling not just for the win, but for pride.

The Stingers opened up the scoring in the first quarter after Jaheem Joseph cashed in a midrange jumper. UBC’s Brendan Sullivan answered with a contested high-glass layup, setting the tone for this back-and-forth matchup.

Concordia’s Alec Phaneuf got off to a hot start, building on the three-point shooting clinic he had put on all tournament. Phaneuf started the game shooting 5 for 5 from three, with 19 points in the first quarter alone.

UBC found success from beyond the arc as well, with 18 of their 23 first quarter points coming from three-pointers.

Both teams were shooting above 50 per cent from the three as the quarter came to a

close, with Concordia leading 28–23.

The second quarter saw both teams continue to feed their sharpshooters, running fourout, one-in offensive schemes to generate open looks. Joseph started to find his rhythm from the three for Concordia, while T-Bird Gus Goerzen got hot as well, shooting three for three from beyond the arc in the second quarter.

They both went into the half shooting above 40 per cent

defence intensified, creating turnovers and limiting baskets for a chance to catch up. Steadily, the gap narrowed. Olivia Weekes tallied two free throws, Keira Daly scored a layup, then Clarke made a jump shot and layup to bring the score to 42–40. Now, the seemingly insurmountable deficit was only a shot away.

from the field, with Concordia maintaining their slim lead, 46–44.

Victor Radocaj opened up the scoring for UBC after the half, with a reverse layup to tie the game. Both teams started to cool off from three, forcing them to rely on their slashing abilities.

UBC tried to capitalize on this with their advantage in height and length, but Concordia held strong on defence, ending the third quarter up 60–59.

Both teams had everything

photos by Saumya Kamra

Ottawa grabbed 2 more points, but Daly responded with a triple to keep the score tight, 44–43. After some back-andforth, with seconds left in the third, Mona Berlitz lofted up a shot from beyond the top of the key. The crowd erupted in cheers as the scoreboard changed to 50–48, giving UBC its first lead of the game.

to play for in the fourth, with UBC looking to end the tournament in their hometown on a high note.

UBC fifth-year forward Fareed Shittu opened his final quarter in blue and gold with three back-to-back layups, giving UBC momentum.

However, Concordia’s Owen Soontjens and Junior Mercy responded with three back-toback three-pointers, putting the Stingers back in the driver’s seat.

The final quarter was extremely physical as the two teams exchanged scores. Down 56–55 with only 3 minutes left, Daly nabbed the lead back with a stellar three-pointer. But it would be the last time UBC led as Ottawa responded with a 10-point scoring streak, widening the gap to 66–58 despite the T-Birds’ best efforts.

In the final minute, Daly scored a three and UBC created a turnover — but it wasn’t enough to overcome Ottawa’s final quarter push. The Thunderbirds finished fourth after the 68–61 loss, but UBC head coach Isabel Ormond was proud of her team’s performance.

“Nobody wants the outcome of this game, but all year and even for the last two seasons that I’ve been here, this team won’t quit,” she said. “They’re going to fight and push and bring energy, and you can’t help but just be absolutely so proud of that.”

This marks UBC’s best postseason finish since 2015’s third place.

“I’m not surprised we’re here,” said Ormond. “We earned it. We work on it every day in practice and, again, we’ll be back.” U

Phaneuf and Soontjens found their shot again near the end of the fourth, hitting two crucial three-pointers to put the game out of reach, securing the upset 87–80 win for the eighth-seeded Stingers.

With showcases of heart and dedication throughout the tournament, Phaneuf thought they demonstrated why they belonged.

“I think we showed the ‘Q’ needs some respect,” he said.

“We’re a good conference and we can truly play against these guys.”

Phaneuf ended with 31 points, making it the highest scoring performance of the tournament up to this point.

“It’s just energy and hard work. You saw at the end — our chemistry… the love we have in the team just fuels everything.

The guys are truly happy when we make shots,” said Phaneuf.

With the win, Concordia ends their tournament on a high note, securing fifth-place and taking down UBC on their home turf. After a disappointing tournament, winning only one game as the third seed, the T-Birds will have to re-group and turn their attention to next season. U

22 | Double Dribble

photos by Navya Chadha, Saumya Kamra & Danielle Simon

OPINION

MARCH 18, 2025 TUESDAY

EDITOR SPENCER IZEN

23

POLITICAL POWERS//

Powers at be: Free speech isn’t what it used to be This is an opinion article. It reflects the contributor’s views and does not reflect the views of The Ubyssey as a whole. Contribute to the conversation by visiting ubyssey.ca/pages/ submit-an-opinion.

Maya Tommasi External Politics Columnist

Politics encroach on all aspects of our lives. Powers at be is a column written by External Politics Columnist Maya Tommasi about the ways in which political power — corporate, federal, provincial, Indigenous and municipal — affect the lives of those who call themselves part of the UBC community.

Maya Tommasi (she/her) is a third-year political science student and The Ubyssey’s external politics columnist. She holds a previous degree in psychology and has five years of research experience, and is a proud trans woman and immigrant.

You can find her work here and on her Substack.

Given this is the debut article in my new column in The Ubyssey, I would like to start by acknowledging that the lands I work, study and live on are the traditional and unceded lands of the xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) and Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) nations. This land, was forcefully stolen by the colonial forces which built the Canadian state. All which I write seeks to acknowledge this history.

I decided to begin this column about politics by talking about freedom of speech in the digital age. I believe the rise of the internet and AI may revolutionize our politics much like the printing press did 600 years ago. It is impossible to talk about modern politics without recognizing this reality — so what better place to start?

The world of information has always been crucial for the maintenance of democracy and liberal values. Here, of course, we are not talking about ‘liberal’ in the small sense, such as those who subscribe to the ideals of the Liberal Party of Canada. Instead, we are talking about liberal democracy, the underlying political system which has guided Western countries to the freedom and success we cherish.

Freedoms of thought, assembly, expression and association are all core to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and amongst others, the US constitution. Freedom of speech, although sometimes misunderstood, means that people, particularly those who hold views which might be critical of those in power, are allowed to express said speech — keep them in account if you will.

As journalists, myself included, we pride ourselves on the role of press freedom in democracy, speaking truth to power, shining a light on the malpractices and corruption in a system. Democracy dies in darkness — as the Washington Post masthead famously claims.

This freedom was never supposed to be absolute, however; freedom of speech is not designed that way.

For example, since joining this publication, my editor, who

It is impossible to talk about modern politics without recognizing the politics of freedom of expression, writes Maya Tommasi in the debut article of her column, “Powers at be.”

ironically will be the first to read this, has been relentless in showing and teaching us new columnists about the Canadian Association of Journalists’ code of ethics that define the boundaries of what and how expression can be used responsibly, as have countless editors before him. This includes but is not limited to: verifying sources before making claims, divulging conflicts of interest and protecting the rights of those you feature in an article.

I am not writing about journalism in some sort of self-aggrandizing tirade about the glories of journalism, but because of the importance of political information, which for decades was filtered through the media, and in turn, the ethical guidelines we follow — granted there has always been a lack of diversity in voices which are platformed.

Modern media does not exist in the rules of old; we no longer exclusively read newspapers or watch newscasts for information. More and more social media and our peer users play a role in our media diets. While I think this gives rise to many opportunities — namely platforming marginalized voices unrepresented in those newspapers or newscasts — with it comes many perils.

Who will guard us from misinformation, who will protect us from targeted harassment? For a time, there were protections in social media, verification systems and protections for hate speech. These systems, due to a private ownership

model and lack of regulation, are vulnerable to change, and may have been captured by bad faith actors, who in their crusade for alleged free speech threaten our speech and risk pandemonium.

The most obvious example of this is X which due to demonstrably false accusations of censoring conservative’s speech, has adopted a whole new ethos under Elon Musk.

In this ethos, there is minimal verification or user accountability due to Musk’s policies that facilitate hate speech. Multiple studies have shown that actually it is right wing speech that has been amplified on social media, including X. The effect of this is twofold.

One, it legitimizes the fringe biased speech and conspiracy theories, say, like when Musk himself agreed with an antisemitic post claiming Jews push hatred against whites — sentiment dangerously close to the infamous antisemitic great replacement conspiracy theory. A speech free-for-all would already be terrifying enough, effectively harassing dissident voices into silence and ineffectively gating misinformation.

Need only we remember how due to harassment and misinformation, X itself had gone from being ‘the free speech wing of the free speech party,’ to the much safer, albeit heavily moderated X we might remember before 2022.

New X doesn’t even approach free speech in a relatively value-neutral way it once did, despite the way Musk has branded it. His version of free speech is not value neutral;

it is heavily biased toward and protective of a very specific, very prejudiced, very ‘Elon Musk’ set of values.

To Musk, the term “cisgender” is regarded as an unacceptable slur, while he liberally uses actual slurs which I could never publish in this publication. X has seen a massive increase in hate speech since Elon’s takeover, and given his specific obsession with trans people, the rise in transphobic hate has been particularly sharp.

Meta followed Musk’s lead by significantly changing their hate speech policy, in a move that human rights groups have criticized. In order to appease the political whims of Donald Trump, and TikTok potentially doing the same, where does that leave us? There are many places we can take this question, the future of media, free speech, the conflict of accumulated capital and democracy.

These are big questions that have multiple libraries’ worth of content to talk about.

So, I ask myself again, where does that leave us? Us of the UBC community, a community of young students who might move on to shape our future. A community of bright minds whose few years in this university might shape their lives forever. But also, a community full of diversity, POC, immigrant and Queer kids who have a space to feel safe and learn about academics and themselves, maybe even for the first time. A community which is giving me hope of a future that could be. A community whose

AYLA CILLIERS / THE UBYSSEY

essence — due to the cascading political forces south of our border, and the whims of some of the richest and most powerful men in the world — might be under threat.

Our friends might be under threat. I fear for the adverse effects some of our most marginalized might endure as a consequence of the new online environment. To me, it seems inevitable that hate will spread as a consequence of new social media policies. We might not be able to directly affect social media’s politics, but our actions matter. We can be there to protect our friends, our communities and ourselves. Be there for each other, if you can, try to disconnect and focus on the people in your life. And if you want to do more, help in local causes, food banks or join activist groups — we have many of those on campus, as well as out.

In times like these I am reminded of, as a teenager, watching Requiem For The American Dream, in particular the part where Noam Chomsky recounts something late historian Howard Zinn would say: “What matters is the countless small deeds of unknown people, who lay the basis for the significant events that enter history.” Chomsky then concludes: “They are the ones who’ve done things in the past, and they are the ones who will have to do it in the future.”

These may be scary times, but it is everyday people like you and me who shape the world. Try as they might, men like Musk cannot control our future.U

24 | OPINION | TUESDAY MARCH 18, 2025 LIFE AND CONNECTION//

(Dis)connection: Where is everybody?

“If only we could all achieve the balance of going to a party or promising-sounding event every week,” writes Josh Peng in the debut article in his column, “(Dis)connection.”

This is an opinion article. It reflects the contributor’s views and does not reflect the views of The Ubyssey as a whole. Contribute to the conversation by visiting ubyssey.ca/pages/ submit-an-opinion.

Josh Peng Life and Connection Columnist

(Dis)connection is a column written

by Life and Connection Columnist Josh Peng about isolation and student experience on campus. It delves into the social life of being a student and the cultural, economic and social realities felt by this generation.

Josh Peng is an honours student in the department of sociology. He is also a staff writer for Spheres of Influence. Throughout his years at UBC, he has completed several qualitative research quests on community cohesion and been involved with the UBC Student Recovery Community and UBC Psychedelic Society.

Do your peers ever oddly not feel like fellow students or friends?

Kind of like co-workers sometimes? It’s a little awkward to even say peers, however at UBC it feels like the most abysmally accurate term to use.

I’m not trying to say you don’t have any real friends (although you might not). It’s just that the atmosphere of most days at UBC as a student feels rather tense. There’s always something we should be studying for, something we should be doing for free or figuring out how to get eventually paid to do stuff. Or remembering something; “When can I do laundry?” or “When am I gonna hit up the

person who said ‘We should hang out sometime?’” And that all might make it hard to give a better reply than “Good, okay see you!”

University gets really busy for pretty much most of the year. At the same time, wrapping one’s head around enjoying the journey as opposed to the destination is quite simple; be present,” kind of thing.

Almost everyone who has been 19 has had experiences to confirm this cliché. So, why is it so hard to stop feeling like you need to lock in? No doubt, some high school teacher, wise adult or media figure imparted this on you: ‘College is where you really find yourself.’ I “find myself” worried about what time I should go to sleep on Wednesday.

If only we could all achieve the balance of going to a party or promising-sounding event every week.

Hell, it wouldn’t even need to be on Friday or the weekend. Being out until 1 a.m. on Tuesday cannot possibly impact my average that badly, can it? However, I think UBC students find themselves alone very often and question whether or not that is a choice.

Vancouver as a city suffers from the stigma of being extremely boring. The moniker “No Fun City” has had its claim on Vancouver on its Wikipedia page since 2012. It comes from how there seems to be nothing fun to do, a lacklustre arts scene, mediocrely populated venues and bland clubs.

“Dude, its way better in Toronto!”

There’s an association with university being a means to an end for many hardworking students.

As UBC students, statistically, we have relatively good employment prospects after getting our degrees, even though the

grind doesn’t stop after graduating. People just want to get into law school, med school or an entry-level position at a nice company.

But the idea of doubling down on working hard because there’s nothing fun to do actually sounds miserable. On some level, it’s neglecting what life really is.

It’s totally understandable that there’s enormous temptation to succeed (or even supersede the majority of students in your program). You’re guaranteeing your future. You could be securing a co-op placement to afford rent.

Maybe it’s for the best to prioritize the grind, because it doesn’t take long for UBC students to realize this isn’t much of a party school (a first-year toga party officially capped those gregarious desires for me). Aiming to get on track for a stable career and make your close and loved ones proud is a good thing. After all, we’re an internationally renowned university with tons of international students, situated in groves of migrant culture with triumphant and faithful recourse toward higher education and economic doorways. There’s a high likelihood for it to feel rigorous and competitive.

But does it feel rewarding?

The concerned and renowned Vancouver-based author Dr. Gabor Maté has warned the public carefully about hustle culture. Maté is popularly understood as being anti-burnout and pro-connection.

When individual needs and goals feel heavier than the group around you, we get to see unhealthy competition or rivalry (he teaches).

This can bleed narcissism, lack of empathy, the corrosion of bound-

aries and negative psychological states. This phenomena happens on scales of late-stage capitalism to the plane-crash desert island.

I’ve had several conversations about how people feel wildly incompetent compared to their “peers,” even though they maintained “A” averages in high school and are perceived as diligent.

Those can sometimes be accompanied by sad and thought-provoking stories about failure at the university or sharp encounters with mental health. There are numerous opportunities here to grow your self-concept and become stronger — but which academic weapons being crafted are actually a dull scythe?

When I had grown up in Canada, there was always an assumption that university or college was going to be a much bigger social riot with or without parties. At some point, my mind thought that if I went to college somewhere else, like in the US, I would’ve honed my extroverted personality more.

It’s possible to explain this local antisocial-ness as related to Canadian culture. Not through hockey, thinking everybody is nice or that it’s cold, stuff’s expensive and “my family owns a cabin in Osoyoos.” It’s through a common notion you probably have been exposed to: Vancouver is a multicultural monolith. Through Canada’s history with migration, colonization and settlement, there would in theory be plenty of opportunities to be exposed to cultural variety.

Those opportunities of cultural delight would surely meet at UBC: an intersection of youth, educa-

EMILIJA V HARRISON / THE UBYSSEY

tion, open ideas and schooling.

Technically, we could all be getting along whilst weaving in and out of our traditions — you could be going to your Asian friend’s parents’ house and coming up with modern twists on Chinese New Year, right? If that hasn’t happened to you, I get it, Richmond is really far by transit and — wait, oh, you drive.

I met a person who was sitting outside IKB with a whiteboard which read. “We need to think about what our goals are as a generation.” It to some effect said that the social encounter here sucks and we’re making it that way. Vancouverites are cold, just like UBC students. There was somebody else hovering around the sign too, and together we triple-intellectualized our loneliness and anxiety until we were bored (after 20 or so minutes).

I got his Instagram and said we could keep in touch. That was over four months ago, and I messaged him for the first time this month because I forgot what he wrote on his sign and wanted to remember so I could phrase it in this article.

Disconnection can be connected to many interesting dimensions of place, culture, economics and weird niche social truths. Still, it’s a sad mysterious experience to be starving for more friendships, 8/10 small talk and as many awesome memories at UBC that you could come away with.

All the while, in this experience, someone is finding it weird to smile upon eye contact with their group project partner from 2023.

So, where is everybody? Right in front of you. I just don’t feel like saying ‘hi’ right now. U

I have reviewed about 4,000 shows.CHINA BEFORE C

None can compare to what I saw tonight.”

HUMOUR

EDITOR ELITA MENEZES

MARCH 18, 2025 TUESDAY

—Richard Connema, theater critic

25

SOME OF THESE ARE ACTUALLY INSANE //

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EMILIJA V HARRISON / THE UBYSSEY

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SCIENCE

MARCH 18, 2025 TUESDAY

EDITOR GLORIA KLEIN

26

MY JUDGE IS AN AI?! //

How an AI courtroom simulation is helping firstyear law students combat public speaking fear treatments used to treat patients suffering from trauma. Working with Nikos Harris, an associate professor of teaching at Allard Law, and a team from UBC’s Emerging Media Lab, the Judicial Interrogatory Simulator (JIS) was created.

The JIS is a virtual reality courtroom environment.

Emily Choi Contributor

Many are familiar with the racing heart and sweaty palms that can come with public speaking.

A 2012 study even found that public speaking was selected by college students as a common fear more often than anything else,

COURTESY ALLARD SCHOOL OF LAW

including death. This anxiety and the emergence of AI has inspired professors at the UBC Peter A. Allard School of Law to create a courtroom simulation, aimed to help first-year law students learn courtroom speaking skills.

Jon Festinger, an adjunct UBC law professor, was inspired by virtual reality exposure therapy

Moot court, or mooting, is a training activity that imitates real courts to give students the opportunity to practice presenting their arguments and responding to the judge’s questions. For many law students, this can be a nerve wracking first experience, one Festinger recalled initially fearing during his time as a law student.

“I thought, well that’s a form of trauma … What if we did some things through technology to allow students to have exposure to the moot before they actually do the actual moot?” said Festinger.

The JIS is a virtual reality courtroom environment, with avatar judges that engage students with case-specific questions. The simulation has two versions: classic and Intellajudge. Classic version is an algorithmic early model where the judge asks a series of standard questions written by Harris. Intellajudge is a newer AI model that is able to process students’ arguments and formulates tailored responses and questions in real time.

“The primary goal of this was to reduce the trauma. The second-

ary effect is … to engage students and encourage them to practice, and if they practice, they’re going to do a better job on their moot and feel better about law school and like the experience more,” said Festinger.

Not only does the JIS help law students get used to mooting, but the AI’s responses challenge students’ arguments much like a judge would in an actual courtroom.

“Saying what you want to the judge is probably the smallest part of it. The judge will identify what is critical to their decision, and they will ask you a question, and it’s the question and answer that is probably the most important part of legal submissions,” said Harris.

“We love that [the JIS is] not telling you what the answer is. It’s helping you further understand your argument and to think about your argument more by asking you questions.”

The JIS was also developed to help immerse students in a realistic experience, including details such as gestures for the judges like nodding and drinking water.

The JIS’s new Intellajudge version is currently being introduced to first-year law students, but was previously tested out by the Allard Law faculty, receiving an overwhelmingly positive response. The project was even a finalist in the

2024 Gartner Eye of Innovation Awards for Education.

When asked about the future steps for the project, Harris and Festinger expressed an interest to try out a variety of updates, such as giving the judges responsive facial features and different personalities.

“When you’re in front of a human judge … you can read the judge, you can get a feeling from the judge. Are they with you or not with you?” said Festinger. “There is body language. There are cues. And right now, our AI is just a positive genteel AI, but it doesn’t really give any responsive indication of whether it’s with you or not.”

Harris and Festinger are looking to bring the JIS to people beyond students at Allard Law, specifically to those who are unable to access legal services.

“There really is a crisis in terms of access to justice. Lawyers are extremely expensive, so a lot of litigants are increasingly self represented, and they’re walking into court without any preparation,” said Festinger.

“So if this is a tool that can help prepare law students for the court experience, it’s not that hard … to make it potentially usable for self litigants, for people acting on their own behalf without a lawyer and hopefully make things a little easier on the court system.” U

DESTIGMATIZE HEARING AIDS! OR ELSE. //

Help BC Hear Better is advocating for better hearing health care across the province Yomna Bedaiwy Staff Reporter

Three adult groups in BC currently have hearing health costs covered by the provincial health care system — people with disabilities, veterans (who are primarily covered federally) and workers who develop hearing loss due to work-related noise exposure, thanks to WorkSafe BC. The rest of the population? No coverage.

BC lags behind other provinces and territories when it comes to consistent coverage, which Dr. Brian Westerberg — head of the division of otolaryngology (head and neck surgery) in UBC’s department of surgery — attributed to a potential lack of awareness about the impacts of hearing loss.

“As a surgeon, I’ll see somebody with a condition that can be managed either with surgery … or with hearing aids. The surgery comes with the risk of damaging the hearing or losing all of the hearing and balance function in that ear, but it’s totally covered by the health care system. Hearing aids, which are a risk-free option … [have] no funding available.”

After seeing patients choose surgery because they couldn’t afford hearing aids, Westerberg joined the Help BC Hear Better Group — a team of ear surgeons, audiologists, hearing aid dispensers and people with

hearing loss who advocate for better funding for hearing services in BC. Assembled in 2022, the group began assessing how BC compares to other provinces in terms of hearing health coverage, publishing a briefing note in 2023 to advocate for the creation of a Hearing Health Program.

Now, they’re applying for grants to research more evidence to support funding for hearing care.

At the 2024 Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) Annual Convention, the District of Saanich endorsed a resolution proposed by Help BC Hear Better, which urged the UBCM to lobby the provincial government for improved access to hearing health care, including funding support for hearing aids for children and the elderly.

“By putting forth this motion for discussion, we hope to inspire other municipalities to support this important initiative,” said Karen Harper, a District of Saanich councillor who has hearing loss, in a statement to Saanich News.

The group plans to continue collecting evidence on the benefits of hearing care funding, and is “trying to find inroads into government” and “talking to different members of provincial parliament … trying to get [our message] further and further up the chain,” according to Westerberg.

Another barrier to seeking hearing health care is the stigma associated

with it.

Due to the association of hearing loss with aging and disability, the majority of people who may benefit from using hearing aids don’t use them and people wait an average of 10 years before seeking help after noticing hearing loss.

“It’s funny that people will walk around the street wearing those big, ugly Bluetooth things stuck in their ears, and they think they’re cool, and yet we give people a pair of sleek hearing aids that you can hardly see, and there’s a stigma associated with them,” said Westerberg.

Many organizations in Canada like the Canadian Association for the Deaf are trying to help with the stigma but institutional barriers remain.

“It’s a vicious circle … from zero to four years of age … the amount of information that you store in your brain during those four years, because you heard things is astronomical, and if you miss out on that, you’re behind the eight ball from the get go,” said Westerberg.

In 2007, the BC Early Hearing program was established, which screens every infant born in BC for hearing loss. It lowered the age of detecting congenital hearing loss from two to three years to under six months.

The program enables children to receive hearing aids, and if those don’t work, cochlear implants. Having a cochlear implant by one year old allows

BC lags behind other provinces and territories when it comes to consistent coverage.

81 per cent of children with hearing loss to attend mainstream schools.

Westerberg emphasized the importance of taking care early on, such as wearing hearing protection to loud concerts.

“We used to say [hearing impairment after exposure to loud noises] was a temporary problem and caused

EMILIJA V HARRISON / THE UBYSSEY

no permanent damage. But the research shows that it does cause permanent damage … It’s a cumulative effect, and eventually it’ll lead to permanent hearing loss,” he said.

“Pretty much all of us will experience hearing loss if we live long enough, just because our society is so loud.” U

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