Tuesday, March 13, 2018

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westerngazette.ca TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 2018 • WESTERN UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER • VOLUME 111, ISSUE 23 saving daylight since 1906

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JOSH EISEN

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“I just always questioned what was commonly accepted by people around me,” Josh says. “This allowed me to think for myself.”

“Twitter is terrible for discourse and is probably one of the major factors of our current political climate,” Eisen says.

But then a trip to California for a cousin’s wedding provided him the opportunity to attend a speech by Ben Shapiro, a well-known U.S. conservative pundit. If there was ever an “aha” moment in his political life, it was seeing and hearing the man who would eventually become one of his idols.

But Josh could never be mistaken for one of the KoolAid drinking “conservative” trolls who have established themselves as one of the more vocal factions of the right-wing movement.

“Obviously, Ben was really smart, but when I listened to him speak, I realized, ‘you know what?’ I can do that too,” Josh says.

He then spent the summer of 2015 in Israel, interning at an equity outsourcing platform called OurCrowd. He spent hours researching and reading, forming his own political philosophy.

It became his dream to join the ranks of Shapiro, Dennis Prager and other prominent right-of-centre minds.

Josh enrolled in philosophy at Huron University College, learning the fundamentals of debating and studying John Locke, Thomas Hobbes and the other founders of liberalism.

Josh began writing for small conservative blogs before catching a break at Shapiro’s website, The Daily Wire. He’s written widely read think pieces on everything from the Ontario Liberal government’s minimum wage hike to free speech on university campuses.

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He also introduced controversial University of Toronto professor Jordan Peterson during his visit to Western University last year.

Josh is quick to criticize Donald Trump and his bad policies. Josh is capable and willing adversary of the altright movement that has used the guise of conservatism to spread their hatred into the mainstream.

And perhaps, more than anything, he longs for a day when conservatives move past groupthink and confirmation bias.

“If you want to be able to effectively argue against the left, the best thing to do is to learn how to argue their side better than they can and then defeat it on those grounds, instead of going for the low hanging fruit,” Josh says.

It’s a daunting task, taking on the left side of the political spectrum while also attempting to safeguard conservatism from infiltration by legitimate bigots, racists and anti-semites. But that’s what Josh hopes to do with his life.

SInce he realizes there is a lack of respectable conservative media punditry in Canada, his goal is to move to the United States and become his own version of Shapiro and Prager and the other famous (or infamous, depending on who you ask) conservatives in the pundit sphere.

■■MIKE DEBOER

Blast from om the past

Car stuck in Social Science Centre 1978 GRACE TO CULTURE EDITOR @GRACEKTO

All articles, letters, photographs, graphics, illustrations and cartoons published in The Gazette, both in the newspaper and online versions, are the property of The Gazette. By submitting any such material to The Gazette for publication, you grant to The Gazette a non-exclusive, world-wide, royalty-free, irrevocable license to publish such material in perpetuity in any media, including but not limited to, The Gazette‘s hard copy and online archives.

The Gazette is owned and published by the University Students’ Council.

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Josh has a heavy presence on social media, establishing himself as a humorous and thought-provoking member of Twitter’s conservative space. However, he admits that social media is not the ideal platform for thoughtful discourse.

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Josh Eisen wasn’t particularly politically conscious as a high school student at the North York campus of the Tanenbaum Community Hebrew Academy of Toronto.

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In honour of Western University’s 100th anniversary, the engineering prank team placed a Datsun, now known in North America as Nissan, in the Social Science Centre.

Thirteen second-year engineering students managed to squeeze the car in between the two flights of stairs leading to the second floor of the building.

At 4 a.m., the car was towed to the loading dock of the building, pushed down the hall and then rolled up the stairs. Once on the stairs, the engineers removed the wheels from the car.

By 11 a.m., the vehicle had removed by campus security and had given a fake ticket

for a $19 traffic violation. Violations included illegal building entry, unauthorized parking, improper parking and improper permit identification.

Although it cost campus security around $100 in labour to remove the Datsun, no charges were laid in relation to the incident. The chief of campus security at the time, Claude Brown, said that no damage was done to the building.

Past hoaxes of the engineering prank team included constructing a brick wall across University Drive Bridge, painting the Cronyn Observatory into a jack-o’-lantern, setting the Middlesex clock tower to ring 1,280 times and dyeing the University Community Centre’s pool green.

• www.westerngazette.ca

TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 2018 • 3

news

Man charged with breaking into student’s London Hall bedroom MARTIN ALLEN NEWS EDITOR @_MARTINALLEN

MARTIN ALLEN GAZETTE

Carina Gabriele named SPO, overtakes strong candidates MARTIN ALLEN NEWS EDITOR @_MARTINALLEN

Among six contenders, University Students’ Council-veteran Carina Gabriele won the 2018–19 student programs officer election at March 11’s second USC annual general meeting.

In a ranked ballot system, Gabriele was declared the winner after the fourth ballot, with 51 per cent of the vote. Alex Marshall was the runner up, followed by Tamara Kljakic, Richelle Aikins, Leslie Ruggeri and Benjamin Abnett respectively.

Gabriele brings past USC experience to the role as the Arts and Humanities Students’ Council 2016–17 president; she was previously the faculty’s vice-president of finance and is currently a fourthyear student in women’s studies and literature.

“I am incredibly excited,” Gabriele said. “I absolutely cannot wait to get working with Mac to transition into this role. I know the amazing work the portfolio does.”

The SPO oversees the USC’s student-run services and programming. This includes Orientation Week and Western’s clubs system.

It is one of five positions in the USC executive, and the only position elected by USC councillors. The others are either hired or elected by the student body.

Outgoing SPO, Mac McIntosh, said it was the most qualified field of candidates he’s seen in his five years with the USC. Despite the competitive field, the candidate debate preceding the election was amicable. None of the candidates criticized one another, instead focusing on their own platforms. Several questions focused on diversity and women’s

empowerment on campus. In one answer, Gabriele said “buzzword ‘empowerment’” was not the way forward and cited her experience as coordinator of the Women’s Issues Network.

In an interview with the Gazette for an article published earlier this week, Gabriele emphasized three platform points she plans to focus on: removing barriers for students in the clubs system, better training with pay for sophs and improving sexual violence education on campus.

“We have a diverse, passionate group of individuals coming in, and I can’t wait to sit in that room — we’re going to go over our ideas for the year and plan out where we’d like to go in the future,” she said. “I’m very, very, very excited to work with [the rest of the student executives].”

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A 26-year-old man is in custody after breaking into a student’s London Hall bedroom.

The man broke into second-year management and organizational studies student Liam Miszczak’s bedroom on the afternoon of Feb. 5. Miszczak was out of London Hall between 3 and 6 p.m., but his fourth-floor suite’s door was unlocked, as well as the door to his bedroom. Miszczak said over $2,000 worth of items were stolen from him, including a laptop and Xbox, as his roommate slept in the other room.

“When it happened, for a good few days, ... it didn’t feel real,” he said. “After it happened, my girlfriend lives in London Hall as well, and she was having a really hard time sleeping.”

A London Police Service official confirmed charges have been laid and the man appeared in court on Thursday, March 8. Police caught the man in security camera footage as he left the building; he was carrying a bright pink pillowcase that Miszczak assumes contained his property. The police have not recovered the stolen items.

Western University’s director of residences, Chris Alleyne, said access to residence buildings is restricted 24/7 by locked doors controlled by card access. Alleyne

Students are also reminded to keep their suite door and bedroom door locked at all times.

CHRIS ALLEYNE

WESTERN UNIVERSITY’S DIRECTOR OF RESIDENCES declined to comment on how the man entered and left London Hall undetected or if any review process is underway to examine the incident.

“All residence students are advised not to allow individuals to enter the building, or their specific floor communities, if they do not have the right access card,” Alleyne said in an email. “Students are also reminded to keep their suite door and bedroom door locked at all times.”

Miszczak said police were notified of the event after he returned home. He reported the theft to Campus Police, who redirected the case to LPS, according to a constable.

Six cases of residence break and enters were reported to campus police in 2016. Only two were reported in 2014 and 2015 each.

“We lock the room up like Fort Knox now.” Miszczak. “We make sure everything is locked whether we’re home or not. Before we had the door wide open so anyone can come and talk to us. Now, everything is shut down.”

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4 • TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 2018

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USC announces 2018–19 executives GRACE TO NEWS EDITOR @GRACEKTOE The University Students’ Council announced its full 2018–19 student executive team on Sunday.

While president Mitchell Pratt and vice-president Danny Chang were elected in February, the USC rounded out its five-person executive by announcing the incoming secretary treasurer, communications officer and student programs officer.

The incoming student programs officer, Carina Gabriele, was elected by council on Sunday. The student programs officer oversees all USC student-run services and programming while striving to increase student engagement on campus.

The USC hired its incoming communications officer and secretary treasurer, announcing the results yesterday. Andreea Bejan is the 2018–19 secretary treasurer, and Mikaela Harrison is the communications officer. The secretary treasurer is responsible for the financial side of the USC and ensures the organization’s good governance. The communications officer is in charge of directing the USC’s external communications, liaisoning with media outlets and promoting USC initiatives.

“I’m really looking forward to sitting down in a room with them

I think we have a well-rounded group of individuals with a lot of diverse experiences at this school. I’m really looking forward to seeing what we can achieve.

MITCHELL PRATT USC PRESIDENT ELECT

and identifying the common problems we want to work towards,” Pratt said about his new executive.

“I think we have a well-rounded group of individuals with a lot of diverse experiences at this school.

I’m really looking forward to seeing what we can achieve.”

Pratt also applauded the incoming USC councillors for their engagement at the second annual general meeting on Sunday, especially with regards to the student programs officer election. Pratt is excited to work with council to represent the Western University student body’s best interests.

Outgoing USC president, Tobi Solebo, voiced his excitement for the new executive team and is looking forward to helping them transition into their roles to ensure a successful year.

“I have one more year left of school to finish up, so people will see me walking around campus,” Solebo said. “I look forward to being a student again and just being a part of what the USC does.”

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LIAM MCINNIS GAZETTE Shannon Potter, president of Public Service Alliance of Canada Local 610.

Western TAs to vote on potential strike PRACHI OZA CONTRIBUTOR AMY O’KRUK EDITOR-IN-CHIEF @UWOGAZETTE The TA union at Western announced it will hold a strike vote as soon as March 19, potentially sending teaching assistants to the picket line.

The union, Public Service Alliance of Canada Local 610, represents Western University’s 2,500 TAs and post doctoral associates.

PSAC Local 610 has been negotiating a new graduate teaching assistants collective agreement since November. The contract outlines the relationship between Western University and graduate teaching assistants, covering issues ranging from academic freedom to pay rates and hours of work.

With bargaining deadlocked, PSAC Local 610 announced its plans to hold a strike mandate vote between March 19 and 22.

A strike mandate — a majority vote in favour of strike — authorizes the union to initiate a strike.

However, it does not guarantee TAs will strike; rather, it indicates the members are ready to do so if necessary.

“Ideally we don’t want to go on strike; that’s not our ultimate objective. However, we do want TAs and also undergrads to understand what it is we are fighting for,” said Shannon Potter, president of PSAC Local 610.

Bargaining is deadlocked over monetary issues. Although the union said almost all outstanding non-monetary issues have been resolved, PSAC Local 610 is

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pushing for real wage increases, extended TAships and tuition rebates, among other items.

PSAC Local 610 has stated almost half of all graduate teaching assistants report net income of less than $11,000. The union said most GTAs see their net income decline when tuition fees increase, and in 2017, fees increased by $170 for national graduate students and $280 for international graduate students. The union said Western’s latest wage proposals over a threeyear period is below the Ontario Consumer Price Index forecast, and agreeing to the proposal would “further aggravate poverty among our members.”

Another issue is the length of TAships. For example, right now PhD students are only guaranteed a TAship for four years, yet the average time to completion is five years. Master’s students are guaranteed one-year TAships while the average time to completion is two years and one month. Potter said TAs are not able to obtain other part-time jobs without sacrificing the quality of their TA obligations and research.

Keith Marnoch, Western’s director of media relations, said labour negotiations are continuing between Western and PSAC Local 610.

“Western values the important role the GTAs play in providing students an excellent academic experience,” he said in an email.

“As such, Western will be seeking wage adjustments similar to other employee groups on campus. Currently, GTAs are earning

$43.16/hour.”

He said Western believes the best way to reach an agreement that both sides feel is reasonable and responsible is by keeping the negotiations open. Currently, negotiations will resume on March 27, and he said Western’s negotiations team is focused on having positive talks.

Western’s TAs have never struck before. If they do strike, the union has strike pay provisions where members will receive $53 a day for 5 days a week in addition to access to a PSAC hardship fund.

Support for the union has gained momentum online. Close to 900 individuals have signed a change.org petition: “Western, acknowledge the financial burdens GTAs are facing and value their work!” Many signatories have left messages, and other campus groups such as the University of Western Ontario Faculty Association and the Society of Graduate Students, have signed letters of support for the GTA bargaining.

Bryn Smith, a master’s student in political science and department representative for PSAC Local 610, said TAs have compassion for how a strike would affect students.

“We usually go above and beyond for our students, and we are concerned about the impact of a possible strike. We encourage undergrads to talk to their TAs about these issues and a potential strike.”

The union will release more information about the strike mandate vote over the next week.

• www.westerngazette.ca

TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 2018 • 5

opinions

Safe injection site is a plus for London Childish Carmino CARMEN MALLIA CULTURE EDITOR @CARMMALLIA We have a serious problem in London: one that Western Un iversit y st udents m ig ht unknowingly pass by when they head downtown to grab a bite at the Covent Garden Market or catch a show at London Music Hall.

It’s an opioid addiction crisis that has sparked a disturbing amount of cases of HIV, hepatitis C and overdose-related deaths in our community.

As students in London, we have a responsibility to serve our community. Take a moment to step outside of the Western Bubble and look around — London has been dealing with a drug epidemic for some time now.

Last year, the MiddlesexLondon Health Unit declared a public health emergency over the rise of HIV and hepatitis C in the city, with HIV infections in London nearly doubling in the past decade largely due to intravenous opioid drug use. On top of that, there were 139 opioid overdose-related deaths recorded in London between January and June of 2017.

With such alarming rates, I was relieved to learn that London has implemented the Temporary Overdose Prevention Site last month, which is located at 186 King St. in the heart of downtown.

At TOPS, users can bring their drugs, which include heroin and meth, to use sterile injection equipment to get high under the supervision of trained staff and nurses who are prepared with naloxone kits in case of an overdose. The staff also provide users

with information about a number of resources, including a network of available healthcare and mental health services.

Most drug users walking out of TOPS leave the facility no less dependent than when they entered, but at least they will have options, opting out of sharing needles, avoiding overdose-related death and accessing help.

As the first city in the province to implement a safe injection site — even if it’s only a temporary site — London is leading the way in curbing the opioid crisis.

For the last one hundred years or so, the federal government has tried to arrest their way out of the addiction problem, which only resulted in users shuffling and suffering between the street and the justice system.

Instead, there’s clear evidence that supervised injection sites are a plus for users and the community at large. After opening up Insite in 2003, a supervised injection site located in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, British Columbia saw a significant drop in the rate of overdoses, overdose-related deaths and blood-borne diseases, as well as fewer needles littering the street. Not a single drug overdose has occurred under Insite’s supervision.

To get involved in London, students can volunteer at the Regional HIV/AIDS Connection, where TOPS is located, by joining their couch crew, a group of volunteers that package harm reduction kits and provide users with awareness materials. This opportunity would not only bridge the gap between Western students and the community at large, but it’s also a great opportunity for students looking for community healthcare experience.

Even though TOPS is only temporary (for now), the six-cubicle site is a turning point in how our city responds to the opioid crisis that has London in its grips.

MICHAEL CONLEY GAZETTE

Cricket powder is worth a try

BY GAZETTE EDITORIAL BOARD

Walk through the aisles of your local grocery store, and you’re bound to find common sources of protein ranging from meat to tofu to protein powder.

Now, you might find another alternative: crickets.

Loblaws, Canada’s largest grocer, will be the first national chain to stock cricket powder on its shelves. But don’t bug out just yet — while the thought of a mango-cricket smoothie or a bowl of cricket chili might not sound appetizing, eating crickets may provide serious dietary benefits.

Loblaws said the neutral, tasteless powder can be added to just about any recipe as a source of protein and vitamin B12. Only two and a half tablespoons of cricket powder can offer 13 grams of protein and 100 per cent of your daily recommended vitamin B12, offering more nutritional benefits than poultry.

The Ontario farmed, ground crickets also offer an ethically and environmentally friendly substitute to traditional forms of factory-farmed meats.

Crickets have a much smaller environmental impact: they require less water and space than livestock, with just 2,800 square meters housing about 100 million crickets. This means that adding crickets to a meal can reduce your carbon footprint while still getting essential the nutrients you need. The United Nations has already started advocating for insects as a food source, claiming

that they can help address international food insecurity The food fad also aligns with Canada’s updated food guide that encourages a plant-based diet, and Canadians, as a whole, encourage the same.

As disillusionment with factory farms grows, options such as crickets could be here to fill the dietary void.

If the thought of eating crickets still bugs you, you’re not alone. Despite the fact that eating insects is customary around the world, with an estimated two billion people consuming them regularly, some Canadians still feel squeamish at the thought. It’s hard to wrap your head around eating the same insects you’d squash on sight, even in the face of undeniable benefits.

Ultimately, it’s hard to tell whether crickets will be a passing trend or a new food staple for Canadian consumers. At the very least, crickets will shake things up in the food market. And maybe restaurants will offer cricket-sprinkled avocado toast or they’ll become a protein option at the University Community Centre’s Booster Juice for a while.

All we know for sure is that crickets are available at Loblaws; they’re environmentally friendly and protein-rich. What you do with that information is up to you.

Editorials are decided by a majority of the editorial board and are written by a member of the editorial board but are not necessarily the expressed opinion of each editorial board member. All other opinions are strictly those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the USC, The Gazette, its editors or staff. To submit a letter, go to westerngazette.ca and click on “Contact.”

Keep your feminism intersectional Gift of Gab

GABRIELLE DROLET CULTURE EDITOR @GABRIELLEDROLET If you logged on to any social media platform on March 8, you were bound to be met by a heartwarming sight: the celebration of International Women’s Day. Your timeline was probably filled with posts highlighting the achievements of women like Emma Watson and Hillary Clinton and important historical figures like Betty Friedan and Amelia Earhart.

If you look closer though, there was something missing.

Sure, we’re highlighting both the achievements and struggles of

women — but we often forget to diversify our narratives. We focus on the achievements and struggles of some women rather than all women.

To be more specific, our narratives generally cater to one specific type of woman: white, cis, straight women. We only focus on the struggles and achievements of women who are privileged enough to have their struggles and achievements heard.

For example, the odds that you saw posts about Canada’s missing and murdered Indigenous women are slim. The media tends to give little space to indigenous women and girls to advocate for themselves. You were also less likely to see discussions surrounding the health and safety of women in the LGBTQ2+ community, even though they are statistically more likely to be the victims of violent

crimes. This especially includes trans women and queer women of colour, who are disproportionately affected by fatal violence and hate crimes.

What you likely saw instead were a lot of empty statements about feminism. You saw doodled pictures of uteruses with punny captions like “anything you can do I can do bleeding.” You saw posts that praise Broad City, photos of Greta Gerwig celebrating her Oscars nomination and photos of Hillary Clinton captioned “I’m still with her.” You saw a timeline full of posts that praise feminism without advocating for any real, tangible change for the women who need it.

Don’t get me wrong — these conversations are all important.

It’s amazing that we’re celebrating women who are excelling in their fields, and it’s incredible that we’re talking about feminism in the

mainstream media. However, this is a sterilized, depoliticized and often commodified version of feminism. It’s the kind of feminism that sells t-shirts and gets retweets but doesn’t achieve anything beyond that. It’s much harder (and much more important) to have the conversations we need to be having.

We need to be talking about the intersectional aspects of feminism that we often wash away in our complacent, Twitter-branded activism. Let’s talk more about protecting trans, queer and indigenous women. Let’s shed light on things we can do to incite real change.

Let’s donate to or get involved with organizations like London’s Anova, a shelter and sexual-health centre which protects vulnerable women in the community.

Most importantly, we should use our platforms to advocate for the women who need it most. We

should educate one another and look for opportunities to learn.

If you’re uncomfortable or unsure about how to approach conversations surrounding intersectionality, ask. Seek out the coverage of women’s issues that goes beyond commodified, hollow takes. Read and learn about the Women’s Day protests happening internationally, what brands should be doing differently and how our narratives affect one another. Engage in difficult and uncomfortable conversations.

That’s what we really need above all else: change. Those of us who are privileged enough to make our voices heard need to talk and learn about the issues that face women other than ourselves.

We need to use our privilege to amplify marginalized voices. Let’s not waste the opportunity.

www.westerngazette.ca

6 • TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 2018

feature

BY RITA RAHMATI

‘‘

Hey Carole, how are you doing?” asked a floormate of Carole Palattao last September.

Instead of the standard “I’m good,” Palattao was honest. Filled with anxiety, she broke down in front of her floormate, someone she barely knew.

First-year music education student Palattao already struggled with generalized anxiety disorder when she first came to Western University, but her anxiety worsened as the stresses of schoolwork and university life mounted.

At the referral of her residence adviser, Palattao sought professional help at Residence Counselling in Ontario Hall.

“I was pretty embarrassed just to be there.... I didn’t really have that many friends yet, and I just didn’t really tell anyone where I was going,” Palattao said.

After bouncing between other resources, such as the Student Development Centre, Student Health Services and an off-campus practice, over a year later, Palattao said she’s doing much better. Palattao had a positive experience with a counsellor at the Student Development Centre and found a practitioner at Student Health Services that she connected with after a negative experience the year before.

“I’m always telling people this isn’t something to be embarrassed about,” Palattao said. “Every time I have told people this kind of story, they always relate to it. They didn’t realize other people felt the same way.”

Palattao’s story isn’t uncommon. As the Toronto Star reported in May, demand for youth mental health services is skyrocketing across the country: between 2013 and 2016, a survey of 25,164 Ontario university students showed there was a 50 per cent increase in anxiety and a 47 per cent increase in depression. Suicide attempts also rose 47 per cent during that period.

In November 2017, four organizations representing Ontario’s 45 universities and colleges said mental health is one of the most pressing challenges on campuses today.

At Western, these statistics hit home.

Since September, four students have died by suicide. One of the students was first-year student Ajay Adepu, a Faculty of Engineering student who lived in Saugeen-Maitland Hall.

Adepu died in February, and his family shared that he struggled with depression in silence, not always willing to seeking help.

“We can’t help but feel distraught as it is a great loss for us all,” Adepu’s family wrote in his obituary. “We all love you, and we’re sorry if we couldn’t understand your pain and how deep it was.”

Last week, the Gazette launched its own survey for Western students to weigh in on mental health and wellness on campus. Of the 347 respondents, 89 per cent said they have struggled with their mental health and wellness during their time at university. Further, the survey shows that 62 per cent of respondents have been diagnosed with at least one mental health disorder — the most common being anxiety and depressive disorders, both of which affected Palattao.

More students now than ever are coming forward to get help with their mental health and wellness. Close to two thirds of respondents to the Gazette’s survey reported they had used campus resources, and Western has laid out a multi-year plan to prioritize student health through their Mental Health and Wellness Strategic Plan.

In the Gazette survey and interviews, Western students reported two things they’d like to see on campus: shorter wait times and more after-hours access to mental health resources. Approximately 40 per cent of students said shorter wait times for counselling was most important for campus mental health and wellness services.

“I have not used residence/other in-house services because wait times would sometimes be up to/exceeding six weeks. In crisis (that isn’t life threatening) I need to speak to somebody within a few days,” said one respondent.

Rick Ezekiel, Western’s interim director of student experience, said a number of factors contribute to wait times on campus. One thing that can contribute is misinformation.

“There might be some time points throughout the year where a specific service like an appointment with a psychiatrist might come with a one- to two-month wait time, but for the most part, we have a range of services that could be responsive or available within a week to two weeks time frame and sometimes same-day or next-day.”

University Students’ Council president, Tobi Solebo, thinks wait times could be decreased if students were using the right resources from the start. He said there are services on campus with long wait times and ones without a wait — students need to know where to go.

“If we can start to ensure that students are being led to the right services, it would definitely help with the times.”

Western’s Wellness Education Centre can act as that access point. The WEC is a campus resource that aims to connect Western community members with the best mental health and wellness resources on and

Which service did you find most helpful?

“I started getting really nervous around exam time,” Cozens recalled. “The first one I wrote, I remember my vision kind of, like, fading in and out, and I was just sweating and I was completely unable to focus on anything.”

Cozens’s anxiety hit a peak the morning of a Saturday exam. He woke up having an anxiety attack and realized he needed to find professional help. Aware of some of the resources on campus, Cozens sought out the Student Development Centre’s Psychological Services. To Cozens’s dismay, Psychological Services was closed for the weekend. Posted on the door of Psychological Services was a 24-hour suicide helpline, but Cozens wasn’t suicidal.

“I was like, I don’t need that — I’m having anxiety attack. I need to talk to someone.”

Ezekiel confirmed that the majority of campus mental health services operate during regular weekday business hours only, but he said that the university partners with community groups like the Canadian Mental Health Association for 24/7 service.

“I feel that we are well-equipped on our campus to respond at anytime of day, but in terms of regular counselling, we were predominantly operating on a model that focuses on Monday to Friday business hours,” Ezekiel said.

Ezekiel said that during high demand times of the year, such as finals, some services on campus such as Student Health Services offer extended hours.

Cozens believes Western should offer weekend counselling during the academic year.

“If the school is putting high-stress situations like midterms and exams on the weekend,” Cozens said, ”there should be those [mental health and wellness] services on the weekend, because I walked up to the door and I sat down in the hallway, and I just cried for a solid 10 to 15 minutes.”

More than ever this year, students have spoken up about campus mental health.

In this past USC elections, students overwhelmingly voted to include mental health and wellness as a high priority of Western’s Strategic Plan, even if at the expense of funding and support of other priorities with 6,136 voting yes — 89.3 per cent of the vote.

“More than anything it is a statement from students saying that this university needs to do more,” Solebo said. “It passed overwhelmingly, and that speaks volumes.”

Solebo added due to OHIP+ savings, the 2018/19 USC student health plan will include an additional $250 for students to use on mental health counselling.

Student mental health and wellness is on the administration’s radar, and there are a number of initiatives in the works.

On Sunday, provost Janice Deakin sent an email to students informing them that Thames Hall, which is currently undergoing renovation, will house the integrated Health and Wellness Centre. The centre will collocate Student Health Services, Psychological Services and a wellness education area. Construction is predicted to start in spring 2019.

Previously, the administration asked students to contribute $10 million to the project through an increased student fee. However, many student leaders and the USC rejected the request. Months later, Western agreed to fund the project.

Vice-provost of academic programs, John Doerksen, said the university ultimately recognized the importance of the mental health initiative and its leadership was persuaded.

“We realized that mental health is a really important priority for our university community,” Doerksen said. “We’re rolling out the

What is most important about mental health servi

38% Student Health Services

40% Short wait times

18% Student Development Centre

27% Well-trained mental health care

16% None

10%

12% Wellness Education Centre

9% Education on how to access reso

7% Residence Counselling

5% Consolidation of campus resourc

5%

5% Other

3% Meditation/mindfulness services

4% Student programing

1% Peer Support Centre

GRAPHICS BY SISSI CHEN GAZETTE

off-campus. Opened in May 2016, the WEC has received 1,500 intake forms since then.

“We are the first point of contact for students, and our most important policy is that we have a ‘no wrong door’ policy. You can ask any question under the sun. We will help you if we can. If we cannot, we will direct you to someone who can,” said Ryan Henderson, a Wellness Education Centre staff member and fourth-year student.

From May 1, 2017 to now, the WEC has seen over 900 students. This is up from last year. Between May 2016 and April 2017, the WEC had 735 students fill out client intake forms.

Although more students are turning to the WEC as an access point, Henderson said the campus resource is underused.

Henderson discussed his frustration with the fact that students don’t know to come to the WEC first. “I find that there is a lot of work to be done on a marketing front.”

Aside from long wait times, other students note that some key resources aren’t accessible after hours or on the weekends.

Like Palattao, Connor Cozens, a secondyear computer science student and SaugeenMaitland Hall residence soph, has faced difficulty booking appointments with on-campus resources. During his first midterm season as a university student, Cozens faced extreme anxiety.

•

• www.westerngazette.ca

Mental Health [and Wellness] Strategic Plan for the institution and a part of that plan calls for an integrated health and wellness services.”

“It’s really exciting that the university is embarking on this project. I think that it is in response to a lot of the feedback that they heard from students,” Solebo said.

This week Western is launching a pilot program for sharing health records between campus health providers, such as Psychological Services and Student Health Services, on an electronic health record system. Ezekiel said Ryerson University and McMaster University use similar systems. “[A shared electronic record system] enables the healthcare providers to provide more robust care,” Ezekiel said. “It cuts down on some of the administrative work and some of the processes students have to navigate to have their health record shared across service providers.”

Ezekiel said the initiative will give Western a good sense of student needs and service access across campus.

Palattao thinks the electronic record

ices?

system and consolidation of resources into one building are steps in the right direction.

“I think if they’re all in one place, you’re more likely to seek out help because you have one target place that you’re supposed to go,” Palattao said.

To students currently struggling, Palattao shares one piece of advice: keep on trying.

“If I hadn’t gone back, then I wouldn’t be where I am now,” Palattao said. “It’s a really hard thing to do to have to tell random people like professionals the inner workings of your mind and your heart, but I think, once you breakthrough with someone, it’s worth all the trying.”

Have you struggled with your mental health at Western?

e providers

ources

89% Yes

ces

11% No

TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 2018 • 7

www.westerngazette.ca

8 • TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 2018

sports

•

Mustangs win OUA championship CHARLIE O’CONNOR CLARKE SPORTS EDITOR @CHARLIEJCLARKE The Western Mustangs women’s hockey team can’t seem to stop winning. They defeated the Queen’s Gaels 3–0 on Saturday in Kingston to take home the McCaw Cup as Ontario champions, racking up their 11th consecutive win in the process.

A variety of players contributed to Western’s win, with three different players — Emma Pearson, Alyssa Chiarello and Amanda Pereira — scoring goals and another four adding assists. After taking a 1–0 lead in the first period, the Mustangs bunkered down and stifled a potent Queen’s offence. The home team was limited to just three shots in the second period, and 12 in the third.

“Our girls did a really good job of bringing a lot of positive energy leading up to the game,” said Mustangs coach, Kelly Paton.

Western emerged with only their second-ever McCaw Cup, having last won it in 2015. The win this time around could be seen as a bit of an upset, considering the Gaels finished first in the league this season.

The Mustangs’ unlikely triumph as underdogs against a favoured opponent is hardly their first this year: fittingly, their winning streak also began with a 3–0 victory over Queen’s. In the process, they swept the Guelph Gryphons — the defending champions — in the Ontario University Athletics semifinals, knocking a heavyweight contender out of the hunt for a spot at nationals.

It’s not getting to their heads, though.

“If you were to ask one of our girls right now how many games we’ve won in a row, I don’t know if they’d know,” said Paton. “We haven’t really spoken about it as a team.”

What they probably do know, though, is that they’re playing some

of the best hockey they’ve played all year. This is definitely the perfect time for it, as they roll toward the U Sports national championship, taking place right here at Western this coming weekend.

It says something about their red-hot form that the Mustangs, who haven’t been ranked in the U Sports top five all season, are now seeded third heading into nationals. They knew from last year that they’d be guaranteed a spot in the tournament, but they may not have expected to be such strong contenders.

On Thursday night, the Mustangs will play the Montreal Carabins, who fell to the Concordia Stingers two weeks ago in the Quebec provincial final. This U Sports quarter-final represents a new challenge for Western, who doesn’t have the luxury of prior experience with the Carabins.

Western did, of course, play Montreal at the 2015 national championship. The Mustangs still have four players — Megan Taylor, Ali Beres, Emma Pearson and Anthea Lasis — who participated in that 2–0 victory en route to winning the overall championship.

The Carabins, on the other hand, still have seven players who played in that loss to Western three years ago.

“From what I’ve seen through video so far, they’re a big, physical team,” said Paton. “Just having that mentality to battle and compete in any board-side play especially, that’s going to be key for our success.”

The Mustangs have several factors working in their favour.

Montreal’s team has plenty of experience at this level, having appeared in the tournament multiple times over the past few years.

Western, though, has a counter in the form of their own veterans, from their fifth-year captain, Pearson, to third-year April Clark, who led the team in scoring this season.

“We spoke briefly at the McCaw Cup about trying to lean on some of the experience we have in the locker room,” said Paton. “Those girls have a voice, and knowing that they’ve been through it, they know what it takes to win.”

Western also has a couple players who will be unknown commodities at the U Sports level; chief among them is rookie goaltender Carmen Lasis. She stood on her head in Kingston on Saturday to shut out the third-best offence in the OUA, capping a playoff run where she led all Ontario goalies with a .963 save percentage.

Goaltending is an area where the Mustangs have an edge over the Carabins. Their goalie, Marie-Pier Chabot, led the Quebec league with a .946 save percentage in the regular season, but her playoffs weren’t as strong, as she posted a .881 and a 2.95 goals-against average in six postseason games. “[Carmen] has been a key factor in our success,” said Paton. “For a first-year player I think she’s really figured out how to be successful in this league. One thing the girls really build on is her composure in the net and not panicking when there’s scrambles around the netfront.”

The Mustangs will certainly hope Lasis continues to shine at nationals. The tournament is a new level of competition for her, which can be daunting for a first-year player, but playing in front of home fans at Thompson Arena may help ease some nerves.

Standing in the way of a national championship will be the topseeded Manitoba Bisons and the Saint Mary’s Huskies, as well as a handful of other lethal teams from across the country.

Western’s game against Montreal is on Thursday, March 15 at 7 p.m.

If they win, they’ll move on to the semifinal on Saturday as they pursue their second-ever national championship.

COURTESY OF JASON SCOURSE The Mustangs bench rushes toward goaltender Carmen Lasis following their 3–0 victory over the Queen’s Gaels, March 10.

COURTESY OF IAN MACALPINE Mustangs rookie netminder, Carmen Lasis, was named the McCaw Cup’s Most Valuable Player, March 10.

COURTESY OF IAN MACALPINE Fifth-year captain, Emma Pearson, hoists the McCaw Cup following the Mustangs’ 3­–0 victory over the Queen’s Gaels, March 10.

Women’s Volleyball wins bronze at OUA Final Four MIKE DEBOER SPORTS EDITOR @MIKEDBOER

COURTESY OF ALEX D’ADESSE Kristina Curcin jumps to spike the ball during the Mustangs’ bronze medal game against the University of Toronto.

The Western Mustangs women’s volleyball team travelled to Toronto for their fourth straight Ontario University Athletics Final Four appearance, sights set on the program’s first provincial title since 2011.

On Friday, the Mustangs fell in a 3–1 loss to the dominant Ryerson Rams in their semifinal showdown. The Mustangs came out firing in the first set of the match, taking a 25–21 win. However, the Rams were too much to handle in the second set as they cruised to a 25–16 win to tie the matchup. The third set saw more of the same as the Mustangs fell 25–18 to go down 2–1.

The Rams continued to put a stranglehold on the match as they jumped out early in the fourth set with five straight points to force a Western timeout. The Mustangs would eventually fall 25–16 to lose the match and eliminate themselves from an appearance in the U Sports National Championship tournament.

However, the Mustangs had

a shot at taking home hardware in their last match of the season, and they didn’t disappoint with a dramatic five set victory over the Toronto Varsity Blues.

The Mustangs came out of the gate flat, as the Varsity Blues cruised to a 25–14 first set victory. The Mustangs continued to struggle in the second set, as their normally powerful scoring attack failed to produce against a stout Toronto defence. While they managed to keep the second set close, the Mustangs found themselves trailing 2–0 after a 25–21 loss.

With their season on the brink of ending in disappointment, the Mustangs pulled it together in the third set behind strong serving play from Aja Gyimah and dominant production from superstar middle, Kelsey Veltman.

Western turned the tables in the third set, winning 25–16 to keep their medal hopes alive. Then, in the fourth set, the Mustangs again powered their way to another 25–16 win to force a fifth and deciding set.

The Mustangs took an 8–1 lead early in the fifth set, as their blocking around the net proved too

much for the Varsity Blues to overcome. While Toronto attempted to fight back, the Mustangs took the fifth set 15–8 to win their fourth OUA medal in as many years.

While the Mustangs had a gold medal on their minds at the start of the season, they’re still proud of what they accomplished.

“Of course gold is always the goal, but being able to medal in four of four years is also an amazing feeling and a great accomplishment on its own,” said Veltman.

“Especially when each year comes with its own amazing story.”

With their 1–1 record at the Final Four, the Mustangs finish the season with a 15–7 record.

The Mustangs return a number of key players next season, highlighted by Veltman, who has been one of the nation’s top players throughout her career.

“The thought of an OUA gold is motivation enough and something we’ll have our sights on on the first day of practice,” said Veltman.

“Next year we’re getting a good rookie class who will only bring more depth to our team and help us reach our goal and hopefully over the hump.”

• www.westerngazette.ca

TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 2018 • 9

sports

Name

Pos. Ht.

Wt. Hometown

Alex Berwick

OL

6-2

295

Clarence Creek, Ont.

Derek Best

RB

6-1

200

Surrey, BC

Yusseuf Bowers-Lee

REC

6-0

170

Whitby, Ont.

Jack Bukich

REC

5–11

170

St. Thomas, Ont.

Matthew Coddington

OL

6-1

250

London, Ont.

Keon Edwards

ATH

5-11

190

Toronto, Ont.

Zack Fry

OL

6-6

270

London, Ont.

Brian Garrity

K

5-8

155

London, Ont.

Phillip Grohovac

OL

6-4

270

Victoria, BC

Soren Hallschmid

LB

6-3

235

Victoria, BC

Will Hunter

DB

6-0

180

Toronto, Ont.

Jalen Jackson

RB

5-8

190

Windsor, Ont.

Tevin Johnston

OL

6-4

255

Aylmer, Ont.

Deionte Knight

DE

6-5

240

Ajax, Ont.

Bruce Maas

DL

6-3

215

London, Ont.

Savaughn Magnaye-Jones REC

5-7

150

Hamilton, Ont.

Curtis Minifie

DB

6-1

175

London, Ont.

David Nethersole

ATH

5-9

170

London, Ont.

Spencer Nichols

RB

6-4

230

London, Ont.

Max Nixon

DL

6-1

186

London, Ont.

Michael Pacifico

OL

6-3

280

London, Ont.

Robert Panabaker

DB

6-0

183

London, Ont.

Dylan Rachel

LB

6-3

185

North Vancouver, BC.

François Rocheleau

REC

5-10

180

Montreal, Que.

Cooper Skellett

OL

6-1

275

London, Ont.

Dan Skutta

DE

6-5

230

Hamilton, Ont.

Matt Soles

LB

6-0

215

Pointe Claire, Que.

Brandon Tatsu

REC

6-1

175

Windsor, Ont.

Alec Trusler

QB

6–3

210

Sarnia, Ont.

Alex Veilleux

DL

6-1

250

London, Ont.

Malcolm Weekes

DB

5-10

190

Montreal, Que.

Mustangs’ 2018 recruiting class MIKE DEBOER SPORTS EDITOR @MIKEDBOER The Western Mustangs football team is over three months removed from capping off a perfect 2017 campaign with a national championship.

On Thursday night at The Kirkley Centre, the program officially kicked off the next chapter in Mustangs football history as they introduced most of their 2018 recruiting class.

It’s a day that head coach Greg Marshall often describes as one of the most important in the season.

As the Mustangs welcomed over 30 football players to the program, the next step to another national championship has officially been taken.

The Mustangs began recruiting later than usual this season due to their Vanier Cup run. While the exposure of winning a championship is valuable, Marshall admits that his staff did have some catching up to do.

“Obviously, the exposure is great,” says Marshall. “But while we’re in the playoffs, other schools are getting players in for visits and going in to high schools to see kids.

So there is a bit of catching up to do with such a deep playoff run.”

The Mustangs focus primarily on the men in the trenches with their 2018 class, as the team brings in seven offensive linemen and five defensive linemen.

For a program built on running the football, controlling the line of scrimmage is exceedingly important. The Mustangs’ lines dominated

throughout the 2017 season, stifling opponents’ running games while controlling the push on offence.

Their 2018 class of linemen is set to continue that tradition of hardnosed football.

“We’re going to lose a couple of offensive linemen this year and definitely lose a bunch next year, so it’s important to get some depth,” says Marshall. “You can never have enough offensive or defensive linemen. The biggest thing you build your team on is the strength of the offensive and defensive line.”

The Mustangs also stocked up on running backs, as the position could see turnover after next season. The Mustangs believe they found gems in British Columbia power back Derek Best and in Windsor native Jalen Jackson, a player that the Mustangs’ coaching staff compare to Alex Taylor, the current star feature back.

The Mustangs’ national recruiting brand continued to manifest itself in the signing of several out-ofprovince standouts. Along with Best, the Mustangs also signed four other British Columbia high school players and poached two Québécois players from the CEGEP system, including receiver Francois Rocheleau.

But the crown jewel of the class may just be London South Collegiate Institute star fullback, Spencer Nicholls, one of the highest rated high school players in the entire country and one of 13 London area players to sign with their hometown program.

You can never have enough offensive or defensive linemen. The biggest thing you build your team on is the strength of the offensive and defensive line.

GREG MARSHALL WESTERN MUSTANGS FOOTBALL HEAD COACH

“Spencer is hard-nosed, gritty and athletic,” says Mustangs offensive line coach and recruiter, Joe Circelli. “He’s the kind of guy who will do whatever it takes to accomplish what he wants to accomplish.

That’s the kind of guy we want in this program.”

Greg Marshall also praised Nicholls, who could immediately contend for a spot in the lineup next fall.

“We built our offence around at least one or two fullbacks,” says Marshall. “Nicholls is the guy for our offence. We thought he might be the best football player in London. He’s an offensive lineman converted to fullback. For a big strong boy, he can run and catch the ball well.”

The Mustangs still have a few players that they hope to recruit in the coming week, but they believe the 2018 recruiting class gives them the best chance at competing for the Yates and Vanier Cups for years to come.

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www.westerngazette.ca

10 • TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 2018

culture

Spur brings revolution to the runway with “Revolt”

By Gabrielle Drolet

LIAM MCINNIS GAZETTE

U.S.She celebrates International Women’s Day EMILY TAYLER CONTRIBUTOR @UWOGAZETTE With International Women’s Day this past week, the world celebrated the achievements of women who strive for political, social and economic equality — and the University Students’ Council joined in.

The Women’s Issue Network celebrated International Women’s Day on March 8 with their: U.S.She event. The Women’s Issue Network is a USC club that focuses on promoting gender equality through campus events such as movie screenings and networking opportunities.

The event offered Western University students an opportunity to engage with professional and prominent women of the London community. Hosted at The Wave, U.S.She brought together a variety of women involved in everything from law to teaching to app development.

The interim coordinator of the Women’s Issue Network, Madeline Vrolyk, noted the importance of seeing women excel in their fields, especially in male-dominated environments. She said it can be difficult for female students to visualize themselves in their desired fields due to a lack of representation. As Vrolyk, a third-year criminology and women’s studies student, explained, representation matters.

“Especially right now, with the #MeToo movement, we’re seeing women rising up in their fields and wanting their work to really be recognized, so this is really an opportunity for [students] to interact with these women,” she said.

The event featured professional women like Chelsea Smith, a

McKenzie Lake lawyers class action lawyer and Western University alum.

Smith attributes a lot of her opportunities as a lawyer to being bilingual, which eventually led her to a position teaching master’s courses at Western’s law school. “[The event is a] really great way to celebrate being a woman and being there to hear inspirational stories but also to hear and encourage people to take that next step,” she said.

Occupational therapist and entrepreneur Mary Beth Bezzina was also a guest at U.S.She. A Western alum, Bezzina has gone from working in occupational therapy to becoming involved in leadership positions to creating an app that directly benefits women and families in Rwanda.

“Mentoring and inspiring the next generation is a really important part of who I am,” she said. “Just being able to support students or younger people in the things they’re excited about, in the directions they’re going in their education and their career.”

The event also showcased students and gave them an opportunity to speak with professionals in their perspective field.

Alex Marshall, a fifth-year health studies student who attended the event, talked about the importance of student involvement in events that celebrate the achievement and careers of women.

“It’s a really good opportunity for all of us to see such successful women in such great positions of leadership and to stand in solidarity with all of those individuals,” he said.

I

n the opening scene, models walk across the runway wearing brightly coloured swimsuits. In another, lingerie-clad women dance to “Lady Marmalade.” In a third, a group of students strut while wearing denim on denim. These three aesthetics might sound entirely different, but they’re connected by one thing: fashion that once symbolized revolution.

Last night at the London Convention Centre, The Purple Spur society presented their annual fashion show to a sold out audience of 600 attendees. Revolt explored empowerment through fashion, with each scene showcasing a different era when certain styles symbolized rebellion. Wearing community-sponsored clothing, models walked across the runway with fashion statements that once defied norms, including the sexual rebellion of burlesque lingerie to the edgy, punk rock looks of the ’80s.

“We embody different social movements throughout history and how they changed fashion,” said Marcela Hernandez Gonzalez, the fashion show’s creative director.

The show started off strong, with swimsuit-clad models taking to the runway as a voiceover explained that bikinis were a sign of female empowerment and revolution in the 1950s. The group of models showcased polished choreography that included dancing and snapping, inspired by the era’s bops and jitterbugs.

The scene, like many others throughout the show, paired retro influence with modern pop music.

Although “Revolt” did an excellent job of returning to its theme, there were moments when the theme took a back seat to choreography. One of these moments was in the formal wear part of the show, which promised androgynous fashion that defied gender norms.

“It’s assumed which piece will be worn by who,” co-host Selena Romero explained, referring to gender-conforming clothing items like dresses and suits. “We hope to create acts of rebellion, and break through these expectations.”

•

However, apart from three female models wearing pants, the scene showcased the norms it promised to defy: women in long gowns paired with men in suits. While the models’ apparel was beautiful and the dancing was energetic, Spur missed the mark on rebellion through androgynous fashion during the formal wear scenes.

That being said, it’s clear the night was an overall success and a big win for the Ontario Federation for Cerebral Palsy.

“The fashion show is new to us, but over the past four years it has raised over $100,000 for various charities,” said Mark Watson, the president of Spur.

Stephen Beith, a representative from the OFCP, explained the positive impact Spur has had on the community.

“The proceeds from this show will enable the OFCP to further assist more than 34,000 children and adults with Cerebral Palsy in Ontario in a variety of ways,” Beith said. He explained that the funds would be used to provide access to assistive communication devices and improve cerebral palsy research and advocacy.

Spur’s “Revolt” also pulled off a bigger production, filling a venue twice the size of last year’s.

Broderick Lomax, the show’s executive producer, said last year’s London Music Hall show had a capacity of 300, and tickets sold out in two days. Spur went bigger this year, which clearly payed off.

The fashion show ended with a scene that showcased community rather than rebellion.

All 120 models ran onto the runway together in Western attire, dancing to “Body” by Loud Luxury — a band created by Andrew Fedyk, a Western University alum. From Western Dad sweaters to Western-branded Speedos, the scene reminded the audience of Spur’s mission statement: providing a sense of community to Western students.

Despite a few hitches, Spur managed to pull off an impressive show that highlighted rebellion and revolution though fashion. Through charisma and choreography, the student-run event took on a professional air while giving back to its community.

London prof wins Governor General’s Award VIVIAN CHENG CULTURE EDITOR @VIVIANCHENG

work well with photography, a medium he initially experimented with, because he couldn’t capture narrative as well in a 2-D manner.

He switched once again to film, and — voilà — he found a way to effortlessly express his ideas.

Geleynse is described as a pioneer in multimedia art practices and is well versed in other artistic practices as well, such as printmaking, photography and film. Despite his extensive career in the arts, Geleynse remains humble.

“It’s somewhat overwhelming to win an award like this. I did apply, but when you get [an award like this], it takes you by surprise because you don’t expect to win,” says Geleynse.

Wyn Geleynse, award winning London artist and adjunct professor, has always been an experimental artist, playing around with different media in his artwork.

Today, he is most praised for his works that involve projecting 2-D films onto 3-D models, like models of glass houses.

He is one of many to recently win the Canada Council for the Arts 2018 Governor General’s Awards in Visual and Media Arts, one of the most prestigious arts awards in Canada.

The award recognizes individuals for their intrinsic artistic achievement. A committee from the Canada Council for the Arts selects established creators and groundbreaking visionaries for this award.

Geleynse has had a remarkable artistic career; he has been working in the arts scene for 40 years, and his work has been exhibited in both Canada and Europe.

As a young artist, he never stopped looking for ways to express narratives through a visual medium.

He always attempted to craft narratives with his photography to comment on the human condition with elements of irony in them. He explores themes like identity, childhood and domesticity because many of his source materials are from his childhood. However, he says this approach doesn’t COURTESY OF WYN GELEYNSE

Although Geleynse has experience with painting and photography, his love affair with art began when he created film loops for 60 mm projectors. Eventually, his works became a massive success because they worked well with these types of projectors.

His works that involve films being projected onto 3-D models attempt to mediate the viewer’s reception of the image and theme by projecting film against objects, such as typical childhood toys, in order to convey his artistic visions of childhood.

Because the visual and media arts aren’t at the forefront of mainstream media, despite international recognition for Canadian artists, the Canada Council for the Arts is trying to get more attention for this artistic stream. This organization funds young artists for their extraordinary artwork. For the young artist, this may be an organization that provides hope to pursue their dreams.

Despite Geleynse’s success, he acknowledges the difficulty in establishing yourself in the artistic field in this day and age, but Geleynse still encourages aspiring artists to continue their artistic endeavours.

“It’s a competitive world. It’s also tough in Canada because you don’t have a large collector base, but I would say try it. You have to live up to what you believe you can do best, and if you don’t try, you won’t know,” says Geleynse.

• www.westerngazette.ca

TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 2018 • 11

culture

Dance Force’s 14th annual show inspired by ‘A Head Full of Dreams’ VIVIAN CHENG CULTURE EDITOR @VIVIANCHENG

KELLY SAMUEL GAZETTE

AFTER POESY’S CAREER LAUNCH:

Where is she now?

KRISTIN LEE CONTRIBUTOR @UWOGAZETTE Hesitant at first, young musician and songwriter POESY decided that auditioning for CTV’s new show, The Launch, was the next step in her music career. She filmed an audition tape singing in her pajamas and the rest is history.

Before she was POESY — an old English word for poetry — she was Sarah Botelho, a creative writing student at Western University.

POESY dreamt of becoming a superstar ever since she was nine years old, and her passion hasn’t changed since. As she got older, her music taste expanded as she dabbled in everything from Queen’s classic rock to the mainstream pop of Lana Del Rey. POESY found herself fascinated by the world of professional music-making: she fell in love with performing on stage and with the idea of writing and expressing her feelings and emotions through song.

At first, she says she felt ashamed to tell her friends, parents and teachers her dream of becoming a musician.

“I was just scared that people were gonna think that it wasn’t a real thing,” POESY says.

After Fergie, the award-winning singer, songwriter and judge on the The Launch, said she had “chills” while listening to POESY sing, POESY claims she felt validated in her feelings and desires to follow her passion.

“In the beginning stages of filming it, I think I had this front that I was really confident in my music and in myself,” POESY says. “But it still wasn’t really a fully realized thing until after I had that experience.”

Since her debut on The Launch, the 22-year-old’s shy personality turned into booming confidence as her music career quickly blossomed.

POESY’s songwriting is very autobiographical. She explains that writing music is therapeutic and helps her cope with her emotions.

“Usually, when I write music, it’s because I suck at talking to people in real life,” says POESY. “I can’t really write something that I haven’t experienced or watched one of my friends experience.”

POESY has a lot of current goals she’s focusing on in order to expand her career. More than anything, she wants to reach people with meaningful messages through her songs, hoping to incite positive change.

“I want to be someone who’s real and who can mess up and who can be imperfect and awkward and weird sometimes but can also convey following your heart and following your dreams,” she says.

One of POESY’s dreams during her undergraduate program at Western was to become successful enough to be asked to headline for O-Week.

“I think it’s cool to go back and play where you got your start,” says POESY. “People are so enthusiastic about you being there because they remember when you were just playing at Call The Office or The Spoke or something.”

POESY explains that her overnight success after her appearance on The Launch actually required months of training, hours of recording and jumping through hoops to get to where she is. She works hard and tries to expand her career by exposing herself to different styles of music and by discovering how she can improve herself.

In addition to singing, POESY also models, dreaming of one day being featured in a magazine with a written article of her own.

Although she struggled with validation of her music at first, she persevered by working hard and by keeping a strong support system, which helped her dreams come true.

“There’s so much negativity in this industry and there’s so much rejection, and it’s really easy to let that discourage you and make you want to give up, so you need at least one person who believes in you,” she says.

The young artist is hopeful of her music career and continues to strive to be the best she can, while keeping in mind that she always has room to grow.

“The most important thing is that people who go to Western who have an unconventional dream of where they want to go after, I think they should just feel confident to do that and know that it also counts,” says POESY.

Imagine plié jumps, free spins and a variation of dance movements to convey surreal and alluring stories. That’s what “A Head Full Of Dreams,” Dance Force’s 14th annual dance show, attempts to create: representations of dreams and nightmares.

“A Head Full Of Dreams” will involve various genres of dance, ranging from contemporary to hip hop, that try to convey dreams and nightmares.

This is the first year that they’re also including highland — a type of Scottish dance inspired by the Gaelic folk dance repertoire.

Even Narcity has mentioned Dance Force’s show in their list of top 51 things to do before graduation at Western University.

Every year, DF’s artistic director proposes a new theme and the club’s executive members vote on the theme.

“The theme was significantly inspired by Coldplay’s ‘A Head Full of Dreams’ Tour. The show involved a lot of colour, energy and elicited strong feelings of nostalgia and excitement,” says artistic director, Gabby Davis.

Regardless of the genre you like, you’ll find something at the show that’s fun to watch because of the various genres included at the show.

SAM BUGOS PRESIDENT OF DF AND FOURTH-YEAR MEDIA , INFORMATION AND TECHNOLOGY STUDENT

Davis hoped to combine the elements she saw at Coldplay’s show into this year’s choreography.

Sam Bugos, president of DF and fourth-year media, information and technology student, says that “regardless of the genre you like, you’ll find something at the show that’s fun to watch because of the various genres included at the show.”

The show’s proceeds will go to Anova, a local women’s community house and sexual assault centre. A representative from Anova will be at the show to collect proceeds.

A staggering 160 dancers will be performing at “A Head Full of Dreams,” a show that they’ve been working toward since September.

DF splits the dancers into eight teams of varying skill and ensures that each dancer is featured in at least two dances at the show. Bugos

says she’s especially impressed with the skill level of this year’s dancers.

Bugos says interested patrons can buy their tickets for $20 each online, at The Purple Store or at the door. To celebrate the end of the show, there’s also an after party, but the location is yet to be determined. “[Coming to the show] is a great way to get involved, support your friends and support a great cause,” says Bugos. “It’s a fantastic opportunity to see the art scene that’s flourishing at the school.”

The show will run March 23 and March 24 from 6 to 9 p.m. in the Althouse Faculty of Education Building.

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