Although summer break has begun, taking spring or summer courses can allow you to indulge in a personal interest course, and achieve a concurrent certificate or minor helping to advance your academic career
March 20 marked the first day of spring; the weather is becoming warmer and the sun is present for a longer time. For many, this beginning of spring symbolizes a fresh start. However, for university students this change in weather also signifies the end of an academic year.
Although this change is exciting as students can soon enjoy the wonderful weather without school commitment, extending the school year may not be as horrible as it sounds. By taking spring or summer courses, students are actually setting themselves up for various advantages.
I adore the feeling of walking to campus on a hot summer day and attending lectures within the cool buildings. In my opinion, there is no other feeling like studying in the library during the summer; the warm weather heightens the enjoyability of academics.
Before I go on, I would like to clarify that when I mention prolonging the academic year, I do not mean taking courses such as CHEM 2OA3 (Organic Chemistry I) or STATS 2B03 (Statistical Methods for Science). These courses are usually taken to lighten a student’s courseload during the traditional academic year, or repeated to obtain a higher grade.
Instead, I mean taking courses that you find interesting or may help you achieve a minor or concurrent certificate. I am a strong advocate for summer or spring courses. I believe that each student should voluntarily enroll in one spring or summer course during their academic career. Personally, I took four courses during the non-traditional academic school year during my first year of university.
Although I did not receive a break between my first and second year due to the four courses engulfing my summer, I do not regret spring or summer courses. In fact, I am very excited to enroll this semester once again. I adore the feeling of walking to campus on a hot summer day and attending lectures within the cool buildings. In my opinion, there is no other feeling like studying in the library during the summer; the warm weather heightens the enjoyability of academics.
And as someone who began university during the pandemic, spring or summer courses provide nostalgia due to the decreased number of students on campus.
I tend to find that the academic year can take us away from enjoying our personal interest courses since we have other courses to balance simultaneously. Although university is where our time management skills are repeatedly tested through academics and extra-curricular, that does not mean we can perform adequately 100 per cent of the time. Taking courses over the spring/summer term is a common way to engage in personal interest courses without sacrificing the grades or the content.
I am a student who enjoys planning to navigate the confusing realm of graduation requirements, especially since I would like to complete a minor or concurrent certificate. From experience, the spring or summer semester creates a wonderful opportunity to complete required courses that cannot be completed during the school year.
Some programs have specific requirements which may make it difficult for students to complete a minor or concurrent certificate. However, the warmer months may allow students to catch up on requirements permitting them to achieve these academic aspects as they are free to take whatever is offered.
I am a student who enjoys planning to navigate the confusing realm of graduation requirements, especially since I would like to complete a minor or concurrent certificate. From experience, the spring or summer semester creates a wonderful opportunity to complete required courses that cannot be completed during the school year.
Some requirements may be reserved for students within their respective departments, and at other times they become full before your course enrollment time opens. In addition, since the summer months entail students participating in various aspects such as co-op, travelling or research opportunities, more spots are open over the summer to enroll in the courses missed during the traditional academic year.
Overall, you may be averse to the idea of extending the school year into the summer. However, the spring or summer term allows for you to indulge in smaller class sizes on a free campus while simultaneously allowing you to focus on both the grades and course material for classes you may not have been able to take otherwise.
As we all sing along to the popular song Kill Bill, there is a deeper influence at play resulting in our S.O.S relationships
Don't get me wrong; I am a huge fan of SZA's song "Kill Bill". I currently have this song on a loop because what is a more fitting way to write this article than by immersing myself in it?
However, I may have been too obsessed with "Kill Bill" when it was released. I listened to it so often that it will likely be my most listened-to song on Spotify for 2023.
I began by analyzing the lyrics and researching the meaning they held to SZA. Next, I looked into the inspiration for the album cover and song title, which led me to research the movie "Kill Bill". As my obsession grew with this song, I expanded my investigation to understand the album, all while drawing comparisons between SZA's music video and the movie Kill Bill.
At the end of my extensive project, I concluded that "Kill Bill" is the lyrical embodiment of toxic relationships. Although this may have been apparent to many of individuals from the start, I believe the meaning of this song mimics how toxic relationships unfold; you don't realize the situation you are in until it is too late.
When rationalizing adverse events during these relationships, SZA sings, "I did all of this sober. Don't you know I did it all for us?". These lyrics can ground individuals in toxic relationships as they can rationalize their actions. Although they understand the relationship toxicity, it is still fantasized about as the ends justify the means.
From an outside perspective, toxic relationships wave multiple bright red flags. However, similar to the music video, it is not always apparent to the individuals within the relationship. Although SZA was given physical embodiments of love, her partner ultimately betrayed her.
You may wonder how this fantasizes toxic relationships since SZA showcases the negatives of this situation. However, I believe her melodic voice and captivating chorus, "I just killed my ex", places a positive spin on destructive pairings.
I believe many individuals can resonate with the lyrics "I don't want none, I just want you. If I can't have you, no one should" with these internal feelings being validated in a public setting, it can lead listeners to believe that manipulating their partner is acceptable as long as it benefits them.
The song "Kill Bill" is based on the movie Kill Bill, in which, after a four-year coma, an assassin exacts murderous revenge on her ex-lover, who attempted to murder her during her wedding day.
From an outside perspective, toxic relationships wave multiple bright red flags. However, similar to the music video, it is not always apparent to the individuals within the relationship. Although SZA was given physical embodiments of love, her partner ultimately betrayed her.
By this comparison alone, it is evident that SZA was inspired to create musical artistry based on toxic relationships before this song was written. The assassin's ex quite literally attempted to murder her due to jealousy, encapsulating the lyrics, "I might kill my ex, I still love him, though. Rather be in jail than alone". This pure form of jealousy hidden in the lyrics alludes that relationships must share extreme versions of love to thrive.
In my opinion, the story SZA conveys through her melody and lyrics transcends a serious situation. According to Maslow's hierarchy of needs, love and belonging are prime human motivational factors. With toxic relationships, this is increasingly evident.
When rationalizing adverse events during these relationships, SZA sings, "I did all of this sober. Don't you know I did it all for us?". These lyrics can ground individuals in toxic relationships as they can rationalize their actions. Although they understand the relationship toxicity, it is still fantasized about as the ends justify the means.
This song's popularity demonstrates that society accepts some form of toxic relationships as extreme love satisfies our human needs. In my opinion, love without restraints can potentially lead to disastrous outcomes. The validation "Kill Bill' provides toxic relationships allows individuals to openly fantasize about extreme love.
Asian-focused clubs have come together to bring back the annual formal for Asian students in the McMaster community
McMaster Asian Federation of Charitable University Students , McMaster Chinese Students Association, Filipino McMaster Student Association and McMaster Vietnamese Students’ Association collaborated to bring Asian Formal themed “Enchant the Night” on Mar. 10 at the Grand Olympia .
This event featured a night of performances, dancing, dinner, a snack bar and raffles. It was sponsored by the McMaster Students Union and the McMaster Alumni Association. Their snack bar was sponsored by local Asian businesses, such as Momoco Donuts and Lemon Bar.
The Asian Formal started at McMaster University in 2014 when one of the MVSA co-presidents proposed to collaborate with other Asian clubs at Mac to host a formal and it has been an annual tradition ever since. It took a pause during the COVID-19 pandemic and this is the first year it came back. This is also one of the few years where they had great turnout for the event with over 80 tickets sold within two minutes.
For many third-year students and below, this may be their first formal experience in university. It is true for some of the members of the planning committee as well.
“This is my first ever formal. Before then it was just a story that were told from upper years and Asian Focus. The idea has [always] been there, but I've never actually seen it in real life,” said Sophia Van, the co-president of AF and the head of sponsorships for the formal.
This year they aspired to be as inclusive as possible to make sure all Asian identities would feel included through their decorations and food. They acknowledge that Filipino, Vietnamese, Chinese and the cultures covered by AF do not encompass everything.
“We acknowledge that the name Asian Formal itself . . . might not be super inclusive . . . so this year, we're trying to step away from the name Asian Formal. Which is why we're referring to it as Enchant the Night, or the MVSA, FMSA, AF and CSA collaborative formal,” said Beverly Tran, the co-president of MVSA and the head of the performance subcommittee for the formal.
In the past, the performers at the formal came from their own clubs and they would only have three performances. However, this year, they opened submissions to the general McMaster community and had a total of seven diverse performances, including vocal, dance, poetry and cultural instrument playing.
The purpose of the formal was to promote diversity and inclusion and for the Asian community to come together and celebrate their culture.
“The whole idea of this formal is to celebrate culture. So hopefully, they come with a bit of appreciation for not only their own culture, but [also] celebrating others that are attending the formal,” said Ryan Jay, the co-president of FMSA.
"The whole idea of this formal is to celebrate culture. So hopefully, they come with a bit of appreciation for not only their own culture, but [also] celebrating others that are attending the formal"
RYAN JAY, FMSA CO-PRESIDENT
Not only does the formal allow students to wind down and have fun, but it also provided an opportunity for everyone to appreciate the diversity at McMaster. The comeback of the Asian Formal tradition allowed the McMaster community to continue to recognize the importance of sharing and celebrating various cultures within the community.
The organization's workshop provides space for those experiencing houselessness and substance use to explore their passion for writing.
Established in 2018, Keeping Six is a community service providing opportunities for those experiencing houselessness and substance use. The organization aims to defend the rights of those who use drugs while giving them space to make their voices heard.
Created due to the opioid crisis in Hamilton, Keeping Six hopes to use its initiative to recruit members with lived experiences of being on the streets and using substances to overcome the city's drug crisis.
One of the ways in which Keeping Six creates opportunities is through the Keeping Six Arts Collective. The collective hosts events and various workshops for artists on the streets and drug use experience to explore their passions and improve their work.
Every Wednesday, the Arts Collective hosts a writing workshop at the Music Hall, located downtown on Main Street. The workshop is free for everyone to drop by and offers complementary snacks and supplies.
Maggie Ward, the current leader of the group moved from Fredericton, New Brunswick to Hamilton to finish her Ph.D. in English at McMaster University. Although Ward did not finish her Ph.D., she now works as a bookseller and freelance proofreader. She joined Keeping Six as a grad student and has been working with them since.
In an email statement to The Silhouette, Ward described how the workshop began as a way for the organization to create space for anyone to drop in and work on their free writing or prompts. The workshop started in 2021 at Gore Park before moving to the AIDS Network, the Hamilton Central library, the New Vision United Church and now, the Music Hall.
Ward became the pseudo-leader of the group when the peer leader and co-founder of Keeping Six was no longer able to attend the workshops. She provides writing support through prompts and feedback, helping writers flesh out and improve any creative ideas they might have. The group has free rein to work on what they would like, but a majority of the work being done goes towards the content for Keeping Six’s quarterly zine.
Ward explained Keeping Six’s purpose and the organization itself is different from anything else in Hamilton.
“We're focused on harm reduction, with a firm belief that art is harm reduction . . . The writing group and the zine are opportunities for folks to share their stories, which are rarely heard,” Ward stated.
Additionally, the group has received a consistent number of participants over the last few weeks, but not as many as when it first started. Ward hopes that the Music Hall as a new venue will encourage more people to attend since it is in the same location as the weekly art workshop Keeping Six also hosts.
Ward wants everyone who visits the workshop to leave having had a positive experience and feeling reinvigorated about their writing.
“I hope that folks who come to the group leave feeling like their stories are worth telling; that they're genuinely important. I also want them to feel less intimidated by writing. We encourage all forms of expression,” she explained.
“I hope that folks who come to the group leave feeling like their stories are worth telling; that they're genuinely important. I also want them to feel less intimidated by writing. We encourage all forms of expression,”
Maggie Ward, leader at Keeping Six Arts Collective
The workshop is also open to students if they wish to attend, as a good way to work on and receive feedback about their writing or just get to know more about the community and Keeping Six. Ward encourages anyone passionate about writing to drop by the workshop and to check out the zine to see what the Keeping Six community has to say.
The Mapleside Musuem of Miniature Art supports local artists’ work by showcasing tiny zines with their unique perspectives on life
The Mapleside Museum of Miniature Art is a tiny art gallery located on Mapleside Avenue. The gallery operates on the same principles as a Little Free Library, where people are able to take and leave behind a book in little stands around neighbourhoods. In this case, art is displayed in the gallery and people are able to leave behind work, take some home or simply just take a quick look around.
Matt Coleman, founder of MMOMA, is a local high school art teacher with the Halton District School Board. As a Hamilton native, Coleman started the MMOMA during the pandemic as a way to facilitate connections within the community using art.
On Mar. 4, the MMOMA opened its first-ever miniature zine show where people are able to look at tiny-sized magazines created by artists. Zines are unpublished publications made by artists for the purpose of highlighting personal opinions and perspectives. They are self-published by the creator and are often less formal in nature.
Coleman was inspired to create a zine show by the zine symposium organized by the Zine Club at Hamilton Central Branch library. Coleman thought the event was a fun way to share zines and art with others and promote a sense of community.
“The ultimate purpose [of the zine show] is to build community and have a moment of connection to other creators and other artists . . . [To] read these little zines and take one with you [to] brighten your day [is] a small but important goal,” he explained.
“The ultimate purpose [of the zine show] is to build community and have a moment of connection to other creators and other artists . . . [To] read these little zines and take one with you [to] brighten your day [is] a small but important goal."
Matt Coleman, founder of MMOMA
The miniature zines showcased through MMOMA includes work done by Coleman’s high school students as well as contributions from the local community and beyond. Visitors to the MMOMA can drop off any zine they create while also taking a copy of someone else’s zine home with them.
What makes MMOMA’s zine show stand out from other zine symposiums is the miniature nature of the size of the art and the personal content expressed in them.
“The unique part of [the MMOMA zine show] is the diminutive stature of the scenes. We're going to put up with the display of all the miniature scenes that people have started to drop off,” said Coleman.
Already, the zine show has received wide geographic interest, with international artists mailing in their pieces to Coleman.
“I've been communicating with a few people in California; someone else in in Brussels, Belgium, wants to participate [and] someone else in Korea,” Coleman stated.
Coleman encourages people to check out the show as a fun, interactive way to look at the various experiences and forms of expression. It is a new way to learn about unique perspectives and share art.
The zines can also be a good way to support the artistic side of Hamilton and hear people’s opinions and views on life.
How the journalism industry has major improvements needed to be made in terms of gender equity
Receiving news is one of the most important and beneficial things for our society, without it we would not know what is going on around us, in our community or globally.
However, being the one to tell it is far more valuable.
I have wanted to be a writer since I was a little girl but knowing the truth of what the journalism industry entailed in terms of the fairness and quality woman journalists received compared to men, I become confused.
Women are told constantly not be bold, confident and demanding, yet having to control one’s behaviour to not contradict expected gender roles, as the exact same behaviours would be accepted, if not rewarded, in male colleagues is misogyny at is finest.
Although numbers are starting to become even in terms of men and female in the newsroom, it is important that individuals do not forget to read in between the lines. Just decades ago, the lack of women being in a newsroom or being a writer was common, but the treatment and podium we get put on is the same as it is today.
Even though women are in the newsroom, they are not seen or taken seriously in many circumstances due to the maltreatment in this work field. And specifically, due to the misogyny that still rules the stories being told.
For example, famous Canadian-writer Margaret Atwood and well-known feminist spoke about this issue, as she has been in the writing industry as a woman for many decades and has experienced it all head on.
Something she found was that while pushing for women authors to have more space and freedom to write, it still had replaced those earlier expectations with demands of its own.
Women have it difficult today as a whole, so taking the reins of a position where your voice is to be heard, makes those who want yours silenced to be fuelled with envy.
For example, although women can write now, the only difference that has been made is our deception on it being a “bad” thing to now being something “good”. Yet women still deal with many repercussions today being a woman in journalism.
In a study done in 2020 on the dangers faced in the journalism industry, 73% of female respondents of that survey said they had experienced some form of online abuse, harassment or threats, with 20% facing dangers out of the newsroom.
Women have it difficult today as a whole, so taking the reins of a position where your voice is to be heard, makes those who want yours silenced to be fueled with envy.
Women are told constantly not be bold, confident and demanding, yet having to control one’s behavior to not contradict expected gender roles, as the exact same behaviors would be accepted, if not rewarded, in male colleagues is misogyny at is finest.
Although all of this is daunting, it did not stop me from wanting to pursue the passion. But the reality does settle once you are at the point in your life where you find yourself applying for these roles, seeing the wages and entering the newsrooms filled with white, old men.
The underrepresentation of woman in the media is so small, as women were only 13% of sources and subjects in the television and newscast industry monitored in 2020 as studied by the Global Media Monitoring Project.
It also dawns on you when misogyny is again, so obvious within the journalism industry yet too unidentifiable to others.
Although women are in the newsroom, it does not mean we are seen in the newsroom, are given a chance to speak, move up, prove ourselves, state our opinions boldly and call the shots.
Our society is just giving the mic to female journalists but leaving it on mute as we hope to share our opinions and voice so boldly, yet we are not even given a chance to be listened or to speak.
We need to start being heard and represented in the journalism industry, not just merely existing until a man decides that we are useful.
The People United and Bread and Butter tell the stories of workers.
This past February, the Workers Arts & Heritage Centre opened two new exhibits in their space. The People United and Bread and Butter each tackle different but meaningful conversations.
The WAHC emphasizes its connection to the labor history of Canada by exploring how people work within the world. They do this by hosting exhibitions, workshops and programs for a range of ages and a multitude of other components. Tara Bursey, executive director of WAHC, plays a large role in many of these events.
“We are interested in the ways people work in the world, both for pay and no pay, and preserve and protect the history of labor and social movements through our programming,” said Bursey, in a statement for The Silhouette.
The People United was curated last year by Tamara Toledo, who is the curator/director of Sur Gallery. The exhibit aimed to showcase the power that people have through the work of several groups and artists. These artists are the Beehive Collective, Colectivo LASTESIS, Carlos Colín, Cristian Ordóñez and Syrus Marcus Ware.
Now, the exhibit is mounted at WAHC where they highlight the work as well. People can come to view the exhibit on Saturdays from 12 P.M. to 4 P.M. and Wednesdays to Fridays from 10 A.M. to 4 P.M.
“Themes in the exhibition include Afrofuturism, protest movements in Chile, resistance to extractivist projects in Latin America, and the material culture of social movements like stamps, banners and posters,” said Bursey, in a statement for The Silhouette.
Simultaneously, the Bread and Butter exhibit is composed of works from the WAHC’s permanent collection. It explores how a variety of working people receive and view food. This includes how food is delivered to populations, the fight for ensuring everyone is able to have food, and even how food is made. The exhibit was curated with the acknowledgment of issues present pertaining to food such as food insecurity.
To highlight issues such as food insecurity, WAHC has collaborated with Strathcona Market and Community Fridges Hamont. For the past two months they have had a shopping cart placed in the gallery. The aim was to allow people to not only learn about the complexity of food through the exhibit but to actively participate in making a positive difference.
“[The shopping cart] made our second floor Community Gallery the site of not just a collection of objects, but a space of community care where visitors could be agents of positive change in our neighbourhood and beyond,” said Bursey, in a statement for The Silhouette.
[The shopping cart] made our second floor Community Gallery the site of not just a collection of objects, but a space of community care where visitors could be agents of positive change in our neighbourhood and beyond."
Tara Bursey, executive director of WAHC
Ultimately The People United and Bread and Butter touch on the stories of working people by giving a platform to artists whose work reflects the power of human action. The WAHC believes these exhibits mark the start of what will be a great year of programs.
Although campus offers accessibility options, there are still many improvements needed to be made to create a more inclusive space for all
Most university students have experienced the discomfort of some of the older lecture halls on campus; choosing between either your notebook or laptop, as only one can fit on the tiny stowaway table, is every lecture’s struggle.
Now imagine this struggle for a person who already faces challenges on a day-to-day basis. The disappointment they feel when they finally reach the lecture hall after a long wait for the elevator, just to realize there is nowhere they can comfortably adjust their wheelchair without drawing the attention of the entire lecture hall.
As McMaster continues to strive for a more inclusive environment, we need to remember to consider the needs of those members who have difficulty accessing basic places such as lecture halls and study areas.
When we take one step into this discussion, we will discover that it is quite broad as disabilities present themselves in many ways, some that are not even visible to the eye. They can be, and are not limited to, physical or cognitive. It may seem overwhelming that every disability is unique and has its own needs, so it is important that we effectively implement solutions for each specific one.
Providing this specific community with support and helping them receive the quality of education everyone deserves will help them continue to be comfortable in their own skin.
I think it is also bare minimum to simply include all communities when creating establishments that will stand for decades, especially respected one’s where individuals from all around the world come to learn.
It is crucial that we begin this reform now so that this community does not feel discouraged to pursue their studies. It is natural to feel detached to something when it is not being taken seriously by others.
When students begin to observe the efforts being made to alleviate the challenges that individuals with disabilities face, it plants the seed for discussion surrounding this topic. Young students have active minds and fresh perspectives which makes them great innovators.
Adjusting campus to suit the needs of students who have a disability is immensely important so that they can receive the same post-secondary experience that their peers do as well as aiding in dissolving the pre-existing stigmas of a wide variety of disabilities.
This is all not to say that change is not being implemented as we speak.
“MacChangers is an interdisciplinary program led by the faculty of engineering at McMaster to encourage students from all backgrounds to collaborate on community engagement programs within the greater Hamilton area”, says Haniya Rahman, an active member of the organization.
“MacChangers is an interdisciplinary program led by the faculty of engineering at McMaster to encourage students from all backgrounds to collaborate on community engagement programs within the greater Hamilton area”
Haniya Rahman, MacChangers Member
MacChangers frequently partakes in brainstorming ways to implement accessibility resources and customizes them to the lecture halls of McMaster. The initiative encourages its participants to think outside the box in order to help their peers.
As students at this university, taking part in extracurriculars like MacChangers can help emphasize the importance of customizing areas of our campus so that it suits the needs of everyone who makes use of it.
Making campus more accessible ultimately benefits every one of its students in the end, whether they face a disability or not. When an establishment makes it a point to include every sub-community that they house, it shows a united front.
This not only attracts potential students to choose that university over another, but it also creates a more welcoming and comfortable environment for their current students in which they can prosper and as a result, become notable alumni.
It is important that not only we educate ourselves more on the different accessibility options provided for individuals with a disability, but also learn how to make it all more accessible.
It is important that not only we educate ourselves more on the different accessibility options provided for individuals with a disability, but also learn how to make it all more accessible.
If it's encouraging more eyes on buildings that need renovations to be more accessible, or simply taking the stairs when the elevator is full, we can all be doing something small to make even a slight difference.
It is important that every student’s needs are met, regardless of how unique they can be to the individual.
For more than 70 years, the victims of environmental racism have been neglected, but mounting evidence and community-based advocacy could help propel governmental action
When I first came across the term “environmental racism”, I was puzzled by the idea of how the environment and racism coincided to cause injustice. It seemed absurd that Black, Indigenous and other racialized communities would be subject to poor environmental conditions based on the colour of their skin, but the evidence adds up.
Take for example, the African Nova Scotian community of Africville, where a hazardous open dump runs through black neighbourhoods. And that’s not all. The Black community, which lacks basic amenities such as sewage, clean water, waste disposal and emergency services is also surrounded by an infectious disease hospital, a prison and a slaughterhouse – all because local authorities did not find appropriate locations that white residents would find acceptable.
Since the 20th century, Black community members have been treated as second class citizens in their own homes, and like many other communities, they continue to fight for their right to be free from the toxicities plaguing their homes, but their needs have only been met with empty promises.
Unfortunately, the story of Africville is just one of the many horrendous examples of environmental racism in Canada. The Aamjiwnaang First Nation, often referred to as Chemical Valley, is polluted with 60 petrochemical facilities. And the Grassy Narrows First Nation continues to deal with mercury poisoning due to contaminating pipelines.
Communities that are low-income, poor, and racialized, and have been subjected to colonialism, tend to be more vulnerable [to environmental racism]. It’s much easier to engage in extraction and environmental racism over time when you have communities that [are] … seen as having less value, less worth and inferior.
Dr. Ingrid Waldron, McMaster professor in the Faculty of Humanities
Environmental racism is defined as the disproportionate siting of polluting industries, hazardous facilities, and other forms of environmental degradation in the vicinity of Black, Indigenous, and other communities of color. This practice may be intentional or unintentional but is often a result of systemic racism and other inequities.
Collectively, these toxic exposures amount to poor health outcomes. Research has revealed associations between proximity to hazardous chemicals and health conditions such as altered sexual development, breast and prostate cancer, neurological and learning disabilities, obesity, and type 2 diabetes.
Environmental racism also accounts for the exclusion of diverse perspectives in political decision-making, as well as poor urban planning, lack of recreational green spaces, inaccessibility of clean drinking water and much more within racialized communities.
In many ways, environmental racism perpetuates inequities through resource-related disparities that hinder opportunities for economic growth and development.
The proximity of hazardous sites to these communities makes them less profitable or desirable among potential investors or businesses, leading to poor job prospects and ultimately, making life unsustainable.
As a result, environmental racism directly and indirectly poses consequences for well-being including higher rates of suicide, addiction, fatalities, and mental illness.
Dr. Ingrid Waldron, McMaster professor in the Faculty of Humanities, HOPE Chair in Peace and Health and author of “There’s Something in the Water: Environmental Racism in Indigenous and Black Communities”, explained that the disproportionate placement of hazardous sites among communities of color also involves factors such as colonialism,socioeconomic status, and residence in rural regions.
“Communities that are low-income, poor, and racialized, and have been subjected to colonialism, tend to be more vulnerable [to environmental racism]. It’s much easier to engage in extraction and environmental racism over time when you have communities that [are] … seen as having less value, less worth and inferior.”, explained Dr. Waldron. “The other aspect of this issue is that [impacted communities] are in out of the way, isolated places … African Nova Scotians are very different in many ways from Black people in Toronto, Montreal, and other urban centres.”
Environmental racism is an oppressive form of structural violence hurting people across the country. Yet, the Canadian government, on multiple occasions, has refused to admit the problem, let alone address the long-standing crisis plaguing BIPOC communities.
“[Environmental racism] is a symbol of racism in this country. There [is] racism in the school system. There is racism in employment. There is racism in immigration … And Canada has a problem with admitting this issue.”, said Dr. Waldron when highlighting the importance of addressing environmental racism.
Dr. Waldron contributed to the development of Bill C-226, An Act Respecting the Development of a National Strategy to Assess, Prevent and Address Environmental Racism and To Advance Environmental Justice.
[Environmental racism] is a symbol of racism in this country. There [is] racism in the school system. There is racism in employment. There is racism in immigration … And Canada has a problem with admitting this issue.
Dr. Ingrid Waldron, McMaster professor in the Faculty of Humanities
The federal bill is currently on track to complete the third reading in the House of Commons, where it has the potential to be considered for legislation. However, the federal government has been slow to make progress, with staggered activity on the bill.
As post-secondary students pursuing an education, we have the opportunity to use our privilege to effect positive change by listening to and amplifying the voices of BIPOC communities to support their fight against this injustice.
Whether it be sending a letter to your local MP to support Bill C-226 or volunteering with community organizations dedicated to addressing environmental racism, each of us has the power to contribute to this cause in different ways shared Dr. Waldron.
Despite the failures of our government to act on environmental racism, we can step up to support the dialogue and advocacy on this issue and build momentum to push the federal government to make some real progress on the systemic inequities that have repeatedly harmed and poisoned the souls, spirits, minds, and bodies of BIPOC communities.
This local fitness studio is creating a safe space where community and fitness can come together
Located on Ottawa Street in downtown Hamilton, the Move Room is a community-centered fitness studio offering everything from yoga and pilates classes to workshops and studio rentals. With the variety of classes and workshops, the studio strives to offer something for everyone.
Jo Gale, the studio owner, wanted to create a space for fitness instructors to lead the classes they want to offer. Gale strives to create an inclusive and safe space for everyone to get together and find connection through movement.
Gale grew up in Burlington and later moved to Toronto to pursue a career in art. She is a trained textile artist, but ended up working in retail. It was after leaving retails that Gale eventually began to teach yoga.
Her first yoga classes were held as outdoor pop-up sessions at Gage Park. During the pandemic, Gale rented her friend’s basement on Ottawa Street to hold classes for eight people. With her sessions quickly selling out, she began looking for studio spaces to rent out and two weeks later, she opened The Move Room.
Currently, she teaches five in-person classes and one virtual class a week while managing and meeting with people to facilitate potential renters of the studio space. For Gale, this is a good way to meet different parts of the community and create connections. After a long period of disconnection during the pandemic, this was a welcome change in the constantly growing Ottawa Street.
“We hope to bring all kinds of people into the space who maybe don't feel like they fit into traditional fitness spaces . . . [The Move Room is] about bringing people together and making people feel really comfortable in their bodies,” she stated.
At the beginning of the pandemic, Gale admitted it was difficult as people were not comfortable with going to in-person classes. But since last September, The Move Room has been gaining popularity and Gale trying new things to keep people coming. Gale is excited to see what the new year has in store.
The Move Room has also done many collaborative classes in the past with other community members. For instance, the studio has collaborated with Rachel Chegahno, an Indigenous owner of Good Stuff Pots, by selling her products at the studio. Gale enjoys working with people from every community to create a platform for Black, Indigenous and 2SLGBTQIA+ folks by showcasing their classes and work in her studio.
Gale hopes clients leave The Move Room feeling connected to their teachers, others and comfortable coming into the studio.
“[S]eeing people feel comfortable coming in — or even better when those folks start to bring their friends or their family as well — that's like a really cool thing to see,” Gale stated.
In May, The Move Room has an upcoming Makers’ Market on Ottawa Street. The studio is worth checking out for fitness and community in a challenging workout sure to leave you feeling good about yourself and your body.
