McMaster's Women in Pre-Law society is a source of empowerment and community for women at McMaster aspiring to be lawyers
Five years ago, McMaster welcomed a new society onto its campus, which aims to to uplift and support women in the traditionally male-dominated field of law. The Women in Pre-Law Society fosters a community where women-identifying pre-law students can connect, grow and prepare for successful legal careers.
Savanna Card, the co-president of the Women in Pre-Lay Society, spoke about the mentorship and networking events they offer geared towards empowering women.
“We are a fairly new society, but we have gotten a lot of engagement and have grown immensely since the beginning,” said Card.
The society was created to make sure that women entering the field of law feel like they have a community to depend on.
“We want to address the issues that women face throughout their career development and equip them with the tools that they will need to excel in their careers,” said Card. The society creates a space for women to feel comfortable and confident in themselves, pushing back against gender inequality and helping young women towards their futures.
We want to address the issues that women face throughout their career development and equip them with the tools that they will need to excel in their careers.
Savanna Card, Co-president
McMaster Women in Pre-Law Society
"Historically, women have often struggled to find their place in the legal studies field. Nobody really talks about the suffering that women can go through in the legal field . . . The main reason we started it was because we saw how badly some of the girls at school were in need of some actual empowerment,” said Card.
Recently, the society introduced an ambassador program, which currently consists of 30 student ambassadors. that post and promote the society and its efforts.
“It is just another great way that we are able to make women feel included,” said Card.
One of the events held by the society is their annual Galantines panel event.
“Female lawyers come in and speak to the general members about what it is like being a woman in the legal field,” said Card.
All women-identifying students interested in pursuing law are welcome to the Women in Pre-Law Society. By getting involved you can branch out, meet new people and find your place in a community people who share a career goal. Interested and eligible students can sign up year round on the their Instagram page.
DeltaHacks celebrates 11 years of empowering students to innovate and create positive change across various fields through hackathon
On Jan. 11 and 12, 2025, DeltaHacks hosted its 11th annual hackathon for change in the Peter George Centre for Living and Learning, dedicated to empowering students to create positive change in their communities through projects in health care, sustainability, education and technology.
This year, approximately 500 people participated in the 24-hour hackathon, developing innovative projects while engaging in networking opportunities and workshops. After the event, participants presented their projects the following day to a panel of judges who evaluated them based on social impact, technical skill, originality and presentation.
DeltaHacks organizes four main hacking challenges, each focusing on a broad category such as best environmental hack, best productivity hack, best health hack and best community-building hack. Participants are encouraged to create projects that align with these categories.
Additionally, DeltaHacks hosted sponsor challenges, where sponsors organized specific hacks. In an interview, Parisha Nizam, co-president of DeltaHacks, mentioned that the National Society of Black Engineers and Procter & Gamble partnered on a challenge aimed at creating a financial app to help students in the Black community overcome biases when seeking financial assistance and resources.
In addition to the hackathon, DeltaHacks organized a variety of workshops, including sponsor-led sessions like the Dyson Fan Event, Apple Swift Challenge and an Introduction to Cohere workshop. Professional development opportunities were also offered, such as a Resume Roast and a guide to preparing a strong hackathon presentation. To foster community, DeltaHacks hosted fun activities, including a Fire Noodle challenge, karaoke night and late-night games.
Nizam highlighted that the hackathon kicked off with an opening ceremony featuring speeches from key sponsors, including Reserve Power, Swift, Manulife and Procter & Gamble, along with a performance by the McMaster Marching Band.
“Our team really worked hard on elevating the hacker experience. We worked hard on just making the overall organization better. I think our food choices were really good too. This year, we were also able to get an actual photo booth, where we had our own themed photo prints,” said Nizam.
Our team really worked hard on elevating the hacker experience. We worked hard on just making the overall organization better.
Parisha Nizam, Co-President
DeltaHacks
Nizam noted that DeltaHacks focuses on catering to the local community and collaborating with sponsors. According to Nizam, unlike many other hackathons that have a more general focus, DeltaHacks is specifically dedicated to creating positive social impact.
“We’ve seen people coming out of the hack saying they learned something new from the workshops they attended, or they gained new friendships, or they actually landed internships because of the sponsors that are there. There's a lot of opportunities for people to actually get something out of the hackathon while also having fun,” said Nizam.
We’ve seen people coming out of the hack saying they learned something new from the workshops they attended, or they gained new friendships, or they actually landed internships because of the sponsors that are there. There's a lot of opportunities for people to actually get something out of the hackathon while also having fun.
Parisha Nizam, Co-President
DeltaHacks
The project titled WhaleBeing won first place and the Dyson Innovation Challenge with their web app, which features a prediction model that maps how ship routes interact with blue whale habitats.
Nizam shared that, for the first time this year, DeltaHacks aimed to give back to the community by allowing the first-place winner to select a charity to receive a $500 donation. WhaleBeing chose to donate the funds to a whale conservation organization.
Nizam noted that while the hackathon is their main event, DeltaHacks encourages students to participate in club events and workshops held throughout the year. For more information, interested individuals can visit their Instagram page.
Explore a range of scholarships designed to support and uplift BIPOC students in their pursuit of higher education and academic success
At McMaster University, BIPOC students have access to a variety of scholarships aimed at reducing financial barriers and fostering academic achievement. These scholarships not only provide crucial financial support but also recognize the unique experiences of BIPOC students and the perspectives they bring to campus.
Discussed below are accessible and impactful scholarships available to help BIPOC students succeed in their educational journey. Whether you’re a first-year student or well into your studies, these opportunities can make a significant difference in your academic path.
RBC Capital Markets Pathways Diversity Award Program
The RBC Capital Markets Pathways Diversity Award Program includes a $10,000 award, a 2026 summer internship, an executive sponsorship for career guidance and networking opportunities. This program is available for full-time Black or Indigenous undergraduate students that will graduate between December 2026 and June 2027. The application deadline is Feb. 9, 2025.
Applicants must have a strong academic record, actively participate in extra-curricular activities and demonstrate a genuine interest in pursuing a career in finance after graduation. Additionally, candidates must be available to join a full-time summer internship program running from May to August 2026.
To apply applicants must also be Canadian citizens, permanent residents of Canada or legally eligible to work in Canada for any employer up until August 2026. This unique opportunity is designed for students from all academic programs who are committed to both their academic growth and a future in the finance industry.
RBC Indigenous Development Program
The RBC Indigenous Development Program is a two-year, nationwide rotational initiative designed for college and university graduates who self-identify as Indigenous people of Canada. The application deadline is Jan. 31, 2025.
This program offers four work rotations: three focused on a specific business area and one dedicated to a charitable organization or qualified non-profit. The charitable rotation provides meaningful work experience, allowing you to apply your skills while expanding your professional network in the non-profit sector.
Upon applying, applicants must be recent university graduates and be willing to commit to the program for the full two years. Applicants must also reside in close proximity to an RBC Branch or RBC location and be willing to commute on a regular basis.
This program aims to help participants develop essential skills and build valuable networks to support their career growth at RBC.
Blackspace Scholarship
The Blackspace Scholarship is an annual scholarship launched by the MSU club Blackspace in partnership with the Royal Bank of Canada. The scholarship is awarded to Black-Identifying women and nonbinary McMaster students. The application deadline is Feb. 1, 2025.
The application is open to both McMaster undergraduate and graduate students. Applicants for this scholarship must answer several questions that demonstrate a strong sense of self-awareness and personal growth.
They should highlight their educational aspirations and how their academic pursuits align with the broader goal of contributing to their community or society. Applicants are also expected to showcase resilience through past experiences, particularly how they've overcome adversity.
This scholarship application seeks to understand how applicants’ identities, particularly as Black women or nonbinary individuals, have shaped their academic journey, along with their perspectives on diversity and inclusion.
The Edgar Lee Ware Memorial Award
The Edgar Lee Ware Memorial Award, established in 2022 by Syrus Marcus Ware, recognizes undergraduate students enrolled in the School of the Arts who identify as Black, Indigenous and/or racialized with a $3,000 award. The application deadline is Apr. 29, 2025.
The award honours students who demonstrate significant community involvement and leadership potential. Applicants for the Edgar Lee Ware Memorial Award must be undergraduate students currently enrolled in the School of the Arts, pursuing a Bachelor's, Co-op, Honours Co-op, or Honours program.
Applicants must self-identify as a racialized or Indigenous person, have completed at least 18 graded units in the current year and maintain a minimum average GPA of 9.5 on the McMaster 12-point scale. Additionally, applicants must meet eligibility requirements for in-course awards. Graduating students are excluded from consideration. McMaster students can apply through the AwardSpring website.
The Adella Margaret Bragg Scholarship
The Adella Margaret Bragg Scholarship is a merit-based award valued up to $12,000, available to female students from the Six Nations of the Grand River territory enrolled in any undergraduate program at McMaster University. The scholarship is renewable for up to three years, with a maximum annual value of $4,000. The application deadline is Apr. 29, 2025.
To qualify, applicants must be an undergraduate student, enrolled in a Bachelor's, Co-op, Honours, Honours Co-op, or Year 1 program. Students must have completed the Indigenous Ancestry Verification process and have approved proof of Indigenous Identity in Mosaic. Additionally, applicants must have a minimum of 24 graded units and a sessional average of 9.5 or higher. This scholarship is not available to graduating students or those enrolled in Nursing Consortium Programs at Mohawk or Conestoga.
For consideration, applicants must agree to the Student Declaration and self-identify as Indigenous on the Mosaic Indigenous Ancestry Verification System. Proof of Indigenous identity is required prior to the deadline. McMaster students can apply through the AwardSpring website.
The CIBC Future Technology Leaders Black & Indigenous Scholarship
The CIBC Financial Technology Award is a $10,000 scholarship, typically awarded to 10 students, for undergraduate students enrolled in Level 2 of a Faculty of Engineering co-op program at McMaster University. Applicants must self-identify as Black and/or Indigenous and express an interest in working in the financial technology industry. The application deadline is Apr. 29, 2025.
To be eligible, students must meet the following requirements: be registered as an undergraduate student, have a minimum of 18 graded units in the current academic year and maintain a sessional average of 9.5 or higher. Applicants must also be eligible for in-course awards. The award is not available to graduating students or those pursuing a second degree.
Additionally, applicants must self-identify through the Indigenous Ancestry Verification System on Mosaic and students from racialized or Indigenous backgrounds are encouraged to apply. McMaster students can apply through the AwardSpring website.
These programs offer not only financial assistance but also mentorship and real-world experience to help students thrive in their chosen fields. By exploring and applying for these opportunities, BIPOC students can gain tools and networks to help them succeed in their educational and career journeys.
By actively seeking out and applying for these scholarships and work opportunities, BIPOC university students can help bridge the gap in representation within various industries. Students can discover additional scholarship opportunities through university resources, including the Black Student Success Centre's Instagram, the Indigenous Student Services Instagram and AwardSpring on Mosaic.
Werk Nights Hamilton is building safe spaces for the women entrepreneurs community
Werk Nights Hamilton is community-building initiative focused on promoting women-owned businesses and fostering connections in the industry. Werk Nights consist of a featured speaker, games, drinks, food and an all-around fun time to interact with like-minded individuals.
The larger events are currently being held every other month with a limited capacity and smaller events are hosted every month. Werk Night’s current venue is the Steel Town Cider, located downtown.
The next event is being held on Apr. 16 at 7:00 p.m. The speaker for this month’s event is Alex Coombs, the founder and president of Northern Spruce Media, a marketing media agency. The only requirement to attend is that you must identify as a women business owner.
Werk Nights was founded by Alyssa Lancia and Anna Di Carlo, both small business owners themselves. Lancia currently owns and operates Darling Donuts, a donut shop geared towards making gourmet and gluten-free, vegan donuts and Di Carlo owns Day of Creative, an event planning company.
Before working on Darling Donuts and Werk Nights, Lancia worked in human resources until her company closed down and she went on maternity leave. This prompted her to grow her side hustle baking business into something bigger and it has been her focus for the past year and a half.
Lancia found entrepreneurship to be a lonely and isolating business and felt the urge to create an empowering and safe space for other women who might be having similar experiences.
“There's a lot of entrepreneur events, but there's no female entrepreneurial events. [As] women in this industry, [we] are very similar. We've been through the same types of challenges and similar journeys. So I wanted to create that space that we didn't have previously,” said Lancia.
“There's a lot of entrepreneur events, but there's no female entrepreneurial events. [As] women in this industry, [we] are very similar. We've been through the same types of challenges and similar journeys. So I wanted to create that space that we didn't have previously."
Alyssa Lancia, founder and event organizer of Werk Nights Hamilton
During the pandemic, Lancia set out to interview different women entrepreneurs to shine a light on their businesses, especially during such a difficult time. Out of this, she started to see a way to bring other women together. After bringing Di Carlo onto this project, the two of them began to work to make Werk Nights a reality, hosting their first event last March.
Reception for the events has been very positive so far. A combination of new members and returning ones frequent Werk Nights. Lancia explained people come excited to see the featured speaker, meet new people and create professional in-person branding.
Lancia hopes people leave the events having had a fun time, but also having facilitated new friendships while learning more about themselves and what other businesses have to offer. Most importantly, she hopes they will feel a sense of relief knowing there are other people going through the exact same journey.
For students entrepreneurs or those interested in pursuing entrepreneurship, Werk Nights can be a great way to learn about other women in the industry.
“I think it's good that students can definitely come out and see what it's all about and get inspired. You [can] see how inspiring and ambitious people are and think, “Oh my God, this is me; I want to do this.” So I think it would be great for them to come,” Lancia said.
By: Drew Simpson
The McMaster Muslims Students’ Association recently held Finding Your Momentum, a leadership and empowerment workshop specifically curated for Muslims. Its objective was to increase youth engagement to improve community involvement.
While MacMSA maintains a busy calendar, the process of organizing this event began well before the school year started. While decisions were being made around the structure of MacMSA’s exec-director team, the team realized a recent and significant drop in engagement with the association and the community.
Typically, directorship positions with the MacMSA would attract about 50 applicants each, in recent times however, these numbers have significantly dropped to one or two applicants. The senior executives became worried about MacMSA’s future leadership and lack of engagement with younger cohorts.
MacMSA leaders also saw a lack of Muslims being represented in leadership positions in the McMaster community, such as through the Student Representative Assembly.
Feedback gained from focus groups found a common rhetoric of Muslims opting out of leadership positions to focus on academics. They also found that many individuals were under the misconception that they are not needed by the community.
One workshop attendee and MacMSA representative noted that a lot of students experience a lack of confidence in their abilities and felt that they aren’t equipped with the appropriate skills to take on leadership responsibilities.
The Finding Your Momentum workshop was created in response to these concerns. The MacMSA team realized that they needed to empower their members and create a space where attendees can have open conversations about bettering themselves as Muslims and leaders in the community.
While one of the aims of the workshop was to increase attendees’ engagement with the community, the MacMSA team had to first figure out a way to increase engagement with the workshop itself.
From previous experiences, the organizers found that many people needed someone to both encourage them to participate and attend the event with them. This was often facilitated through invitations by word of mouth.
The organizers of Finding Your Momentum took advantage of this promotion strategy, and it worked. One attendee noted that in order to facilitate empowerment, individuals need someone to give them a little push of encouragement and support.
“When you hear ‘word-of-mouth’, you think of just going and telling someone ‘hey we have an event, just come’. But it’s actually investing in the Muslim community on campus…A part of being a leader is having a community that can look up to you and support your vision,” explained Faryal Zahir, MSA Director and Finding Your Momentum organizer.
“A big part of this year has been making that vision very very clear, and then having people inspired to support that vision.”
This workshop consisted of interactive activities and discussions that focused on introspecting on attendees’ relationships with themselves and others. There was also a focus on utilizing leadership opportunities to serve the community and building connections.
At every MacMSA event, building connections is a recurring goal. The team believes that building connections enables individuals into action.
Finding Your Momentum, like other MacMSA events, aims to break down the barriers that repress interaction, and encourage attendees to have one-to-one connections, first with themselves, then with their peers and greater community.
Time will tell if the MacMSA achieved its goal of encouraging workshop attendees to take on more leadership positions, but one thing is for sure – Finding Your Momentum created a much needed space for empowerment and meaningful engagement for Muslim youth.
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With International Women’s Day just behind us, several Hamilton organizations are taking the time to show their appreciation for the women in our community. One such organization is Never Gonna Stop, a youth initiative that is hosting Empower Me: A Women’s Appreciation Brunch on March 16 at the Hamilton Plaza Hotel and Conference Center.
In addition to brunch, the event will feature games, raffle prizes, a variety of visual and performing artists and speakers. The event is open to all ages and genders. It was important for the organizers that this communal appreciation of women be done by not just other women.
“[I]t's really important to have men to support women in our community. Men's voices are heard a lot more than just women’s [so] we're trying to get men to align with women… [W]hen we hear [about] domestic violence, usually it's men doing violence towards women, so… that's what I mean when I say we try to align men with women to support each other,” explained NGS member Gonca Aydin.
The brunch, which is now sold out, is free of cost. Making it free allowed the event to be accessible to everyone in the community. Reducing financial barriers is important for this organization, which is catered towards helping low-income youth.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bukit0TBboP/
NGS was created by David Lingisi, Saifon Diallo and Joshua Kiena, all of whom come from low-income backgrounds. They wanted to create an initiative that would provide physical and mental health-related activities for youth from the ages of 13 to 29.
“[W]e've seen how there's a lot of older people… that have talent basically wasted because they didn't have an opportunity… [A]s the younger generation, we basically want to help [youth] out to make their dreams come true. I want everyone to provide a platform for them, to give them an opportunity to… go to the league, allow them to become doctors and [whatever] they want to do,” said Lingisi.
Lingisi was born with sickle cell anemia and has spent his life in and out of the hospital while still working towards his dream of being a music producer. Each of the co-founders have underwent personal challenges, which fuel their desire to help others overcome obstacles. Growing up in immigrant families, they all faced culture shock in addition to financial barriers.
The initiative hopes to provide the support for low-income youth that they feel is missing in Hamilton. They want to support the artistic, athletic and academic talent of today’s youth by providing them with opportunities and the knowledge to succeed.
Since the creation of the initiative last summer, NGS has hosted a youth panel, a holiday food drive, an All-Star weekend basketball tournament and a talent and fashion show for Black History Month among other events. They are continuously planning new events in partnership with other organizations in the city.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bujp1oFhB_a/
They took on the Women’s Appreciation Brunch because it fits within their goal of creating community. NGS is proud to call themselves inclusive to all genders, races, religions or economic statuses. Setting aside space and time to celebrate women and promote the resources that women can access within the city fits within that mandate.
Most importantly, the Women’s Appreciation Brunch delivers the message of persistence directly to Hamilton’s women. They named the event Empower Me because they want women of all ages to know that they can accomplish any goal that they set out to reach.
“[K]eep following your dreams, whatever it is, don't ever stop, don't let anything stop you. You are able to make it no matter what you're going through, it doesn't matter the situation, just keep going as long as you get one more day… I just want to [say] that everybody's a part of NGS. I'm NGS, you're NGS, anybody going through anything but still fighting is NGS,” said Lingisi.
That is why they named themselves Never Gonna Stop. More than a name, it is a movement and source of encouragement for those involved. Knowing how hard life can be, NGS is focused on motivating others to work hard in order to achieve their wildest dreams.
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By: Areej Ali
Nu Omega Zeta is a Black-focused sorority at McMaster that aims to support and enrich the Black community on campus and in Hamilton.
While the sorority was founded in September 2011, plans to launch Nu Omega Zeta were in the works months before the sorority’s founding date.
The seven Nu Omega Zeta founders first looked to Black Greek organizations in the United States, which provided a good perspective on how they should establish their own chapter.
For instance, today, the sorority pairs up new members with a ‘Big Sister’ who provides guidance and support.
The founding members first looked for an executive board and then created the symbols, guidelines and pillars that the sorority would stand for.
According to Eno Antai, the current president of Nu Omega Zeta, members do not need to identify as Black in order to join the sorority.
Nevertheless, the group is Black-focused, aspiring to “promote the growth and enrichment of Black undergraduate students and to enhance their education through the strengthening of the relationships within the Black community.”
In particular, Nu Omega Zeta stands for “Sisterhood, Volunteerism and Knowledge.”
Over the few years, members of the sorority have volunteered at Empowerment Squared, a Hamilton-based charity that seeks to empower marginalized and newcomer communities in Hamilton.
The sorority also runs campus events such as “Chance on Campus,” a one-day event that gives grade 10 and 11 students the opportunity to experience post-secondary life at McMaster and learn about the university’s organizations and academic and financial resources.
“When I look back and think why I wanted to join Nu Omega Zeta, I remember feeling very isolated and alone on campus in my first year,” said Gabriela Roberta, a member of the sorority.
“I had no intentions of joining a sorority. However, Nu Omega Zeta was the first and only organization to reach out to me and make me feel as though my fears are not only my own,” said Roberts.
Roberts added that the sorority immersed her in a community of women that truly understood her struggles and concerns.
She strongly feels that Nu Omega Zeta has been a transformative life experience.
For Jet'aime Fray, another member of Nu Omega Zeta, the sorority means sisterhood. Fray explains that the sorority has allowed for her to create long lasting friendships and has given her a unique opportunity to volunteer in Hamilton.
“In a society that refuses to acknowledge Black women, having a space that allows you to be unapologetically who you are and celebrates you is very needed,” said Antai, who feels that the space Nu Omega Zeta provides to acknowledge Black women is much needed and can give many students a home away from home.
Julianne Providence joined Nu Omega Zeta for precisely this reason.
“I saw it as a space where I could belong. I had seen the ladies on campus and admired the connections they had with each other,” said Providence.
Omega Zeta hosts a number of initiatives throughout the year, including rush events, parties, relationship summits, workshops, networking events about education and support in the Black community and a ‘World AIDS Day’ panel discussion.
Students interested in attending these events or becoming a part of the sorority can get more information on Nu Omega Zeta’s website.
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On Feb. 2, Sonia Igboanugo, a fourth-year McMaster biomedical discovery and commercialization student and co-founder of Black Aspiring Physicians of McMaster, received the Lincoln Alexander scholarship at the John C. Holland awards, which celebrates African-Canadian achievement in Hamilton.
Igboanugo and McMaster grad student Kayonne Christy launched BAP-MAC during the 2016-2017 school year to support Black McMaster students striving to become physicians and other healthcare professionals.
Igboanugo was inspired to create the club following her attendance at a University of Toronto summer mentorship program geared towards Indigenous and Black students interested in health sciences.
“I felt like that program changed my life in terms of inspiring me in what I thought I could do and what my capacity was as a potential health care professional,” Igboanugo said. “I felt very empowered and I felt very interested in this in bringing the same experience to McMaster.”
Since then, BAP-MAC has steadily grown. Currently, the club has over 100 members, proving a variety of resources to its members.
As part of the BAP-MAC mentorship program, younger students are paired with a mentor who provides academic and career guidance.
Throughout the year, BAP-MAC also arms students with information about research opportunities and hosts workshops and talks led by healthcare professionals.
At its core, however, BAP-Mac simply serves as a community for Black students on campus.
“For me, the biggest part has been connecting with older students who can help me navigate through university,” said first-year kinesiology student Ida Olaye, who aspires to go to medical school. “BAP-MAC gives you that support group, to know that you’re not alone, that there are a lot of people trying to pursue the same dream that you are pursuing and it is very doable.”
This past year, BAP-MAC received a three-year grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation.
The grant has allowed BAP-MAC to host a conference for the first time. The event is scheduled for this upcoming May.
The grant also allows the club to expand its vision to empower Black youth on a larger scale.
“Because we have a pretty good campus presence, I would say, but the goal was to address the issue of lack of diversity on a more systemic front,” Igboanugo said.
Part of that is a new initiative aimed at incorporating high school students into the BAP-MAC program by connecting them to undergraduate student mentors.
Second-year human behaviour student Simi Olapade, who is also the associate director of multimedia for BAP-MAC, sees a lot of value in the initiative.
“Reaching out to those high school students is an opportunity that I even wished I had to be honest. Seeing someone like you in a place where you want to be helps so much in terms of making you focus more on achieving that goal, making you more goal-oriented and making you more focused,” Olapade said.
Reflecting on the award she recently received, Igboanugo says the work she does as part of BAP-MAC only reflects how others have helped her.
“It was very humbling to actually be recognized for the work because it is the greatest thing or greatest privilege I have to always serve my community or use my strength to better my community and the people around me,” Igboanugo said.
Students wishing to get involved with BAP-MAC can learn more about the group’s initiatives on BAP-MAC’s Facebook page.
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By: Rya Buckley
Mia Sandhu’s paper cut outs depict images of women partially or entirely nude, amidst backgrounds of leaves or behind curtains. She began working on these figures four years ago as a way of working through her own ideas about women’s sexuality.
Sandhu is a multidisciplinary artist currently based in Toronto. Her work has been exhibited in Toronto, Kingston, Halifax and Hamilton. She is a member of The Assembly gallery here in Hamilton, has done an artist residency at the Cotton Factory and also exhibited her work at Hamilton Artists Inc.
Last November, Sandhu exhibited her collection Soft Kaur at The Assembly, which featured playful figures who are comfortable with their sexuality. The name of the exhibition, which alludes to both to the softness and fierceness of women, incorporates the half Punjabi artist’s cultural background into her work.
“It's the idea [of] a female warrior spirit and the idea of equality that exists… Singh and Kaur are these given names and it was designed to eliminate status and… [create] men and women as equal. And I liked the play on this idea of soft female spirit slash warrior spirit [and] also the sexual undertone,” Sandhu explained.
There are other motifs in Sandhu’s work that suggest a dialogue between Sandhu’s culture and her evolving ideas on sexuality. A lover of Indian fabrics, silks and tapestries, Sandhu includes these aesthetic features in her work through the exotic plants in the environment her figures reside in. With the evolution of her work, she now references more domesticated plants that humans have formed a relationship with.
The silhouettes that are seen in Soft Kaur are also the result of Sandhu’s art’s progression. Her earlier work featured brown-bodied figures because Sandhu felt it more appropriate to use brown bodies in a work related to her upbringing and culture. Over time Sandhu employed more silhouettes in order to represent any woman, regardless of race.
The silhouettes do not broadcast as a uniform but as a canvas onto which women can project their own sexuality and ideas about sexuality. Sandhu is a believer in the fact that no one should decide for a woman how she should be represented sexually in society.
“I want women to be safe and I want them to feel safe and feel free and strong and empowered… [W]e're autonomous [and] each of us should choose for ourselves how we want to be represented sexually or in any other way because we're individuals. Hopefully we're not represented with any sort of attachment to shame. We should just be proud of who we are,” Sandhu said.
Facilitating space for women to speak about their ideas on sexuality was one of Sandhu’s aims behind this body of work. She finds it interesting to observe how her audiences connect with and interpret her art. By enabling dialogue, she finds that women can begin to realize the experiences that they share.
Exhibiting at The Assembly also gave Sandhu a location to speak with others about her work and to receive feedback. One thing that she appreciates about the Hamilton art scene is the sincerity of the participants who she feels are open to talking about important issues and are creating art that is driven by content.
While there is no linear narrative to Sandhu’s work, the content is obviously evolving as Sandhu’s own views develop. One of the motifs whose symbolism has changed over the years is the cloak that Sandhu’s figures have covering and revealing their bodies.
“[The cloak] represents shame, it represents personal space and it represents a number of other things as well… But it's like they're choosing how much of themselves that they're revealing and then as the work evolves, it's like the… cloak… stops being on them directly and starts being like in their space around them and they're allowing you in, or not letting you in,” explained Sandhu.
Through her work, Sandhu is also choosing to what extent she decides to let her audiences in. She is working on a new set of drawings and will continue to explore women’s sexuality and empowerment in the future. Her artwork is her diary, the paper cut outs and pencils replacing the thousands of elusive words that would be required to speak on the complicated ideas that she depicts.
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Israa Ali
The Silhouette
And it's over.
The MSU Presidential elections. The incredible race which led to a historic voter-turnout of nearly 41 per cent at McMaster.
Seeing so many unite and others abstain has been quite the experience for me. Never in my life, did I think I would realize so many epiphanies all at once.
Nonetheless, I’d like to take the time to address one of the offensive comments that had come up during the elections to ensure more minds are enlightened: “How can you call for equity when you are wearing a hijab? Hijab is a symbol of womyn’s oppression.”
If anything, the hijab I wear is a call for equity. To me, it’s a real life manifestation for the definition of women’s liberation, rather than oppression. Your statement, despite the immense ignorance it encapsulates, had strengthened my attachment to the value system I hold. I have been a passionate advocate against oppression and a proactive visionary towards building an inclusive community ever since I chose to wear the hijab. Note the “I chose” in the aforementioned? Exactly.Though, you’re probably not the only one who doesn’t “get it.” Let me shed more light here.
The hijab has been used by the media as a symbol for oppression to reduce an entire population and strip away its identity to ensure its voice is eliminated. To ensure all those who practice the hijab are rather degraded and their opinions undermined…And I know exactly how that feels like.
So yes, the hijab is a symbol of women’s oppression brought forward by a dark cloud of stereotypes and misconceptions. I am oppressed and I am undermined, but this begs the question…by whom?
If you refer to the values I hold dear, then I would beg to differ. I carry forward a call for integrity, a model of self-respect and these same values have been the source of my empowerment. So no, I am not oppressed by the value system I hold.
It’s the society I am living in, the one that’s swayed by the media. The media that advocates for profanity, hate, lust and women objectification. That, I can say with absolute confidence, is the source of women oppression in general.
The hijab is a model of self-worth and an entire advocacy system for women empowerment. It’s a pursuit for focusing on the intellect and strengthening of the identity. Despite the propaganda. Despite the hate and despite the political agendas thrown here and there, the hijab to me is a beautiful way of life. A life I will forever cherish and love.
So yes, I dare call for equity. And no, I am not oppressed.
After all, I did run to be the next president of the McMaster Students Union.
