Faculty of Science introduces five new courses, giving first- and second-year students an early introduction to research
The Faculty of Science is introducing five new research-based courses, developed by the faculty’s Office of Undergraduate Research. These pass/fail credit courses will be available starting in May 2025.
Established in 2023 with support from the Office of the Provost’s Strategic Alignment Fund as a three-year pilot, the OUR aims to enhance undergraduate research opportunities in the early stages of science students’ academic careers. The OUR is primarily focused on providing opportunities for first- and second-year students.
The five courses will be open to first- and second-year students in the Faculty of Science. The first-year courses include SCIENCE 1SC1: Graduate Student Shadowing, SCIENCE 1SB1: Science Research Volunteer and SCIENCE 1SA1: Science Seminar.
Second-year students can enroll in SCIENCE 2SA1, 2SB1, 2SC1: Scientific Research Skills Workshop as well as SCIENCE 2SG1: Scientific Research Group. In this course, groups of five students will participate in 12 hours of a hands-on experiential research project under the supervision of a professor.
Professor Sunita Nadella, a professor in the Faculty of Science and the experiential programming and outreach manager for the OUR, said these courses were inspired by students who expressed difficulties in securing research placements in their third and fourth years.
“. . . The Strategic Alignment Fund aims to increase the number of research opportunities for all science students, with a particular focus on creating pathways so that students can get involved with research early in their academic journey, like in first and second year. This way, when they do come to third and fourth year and are looking for research placements, they have a skill set,” said Nadella.
...The Strategic Alignment Fund aims to increase the number of research opportunities for all science students, with a particular focus on creating pathways so that students can get involved with research early in their academic journey...
Sunita Nadella, Experiential Learning and Outreach Manager
Office of Undergraduate Research
She noted that the skills these courses aim to build are intended to make students more competitive and appealing to research supervisors for project or thesis opportunities.
Since the launch of the OUR, the first summer research opportunities for first- and second-year students were offered in summer 2024. Nadella noted that there were 17 available projects and around 450 applications, highlighting strong demand and enthusiasm for research among students.
Feedback following the summer research opportunities has been consistently positive, with the graduate student shadowing program—where students are paired with graduate-student mentors in research—being particularly successful. Participation from graduate students continues to grow.
Although the summer research program was successful, Nadella pointed out that it only provided opportunities for a select few students. As a result, the OUR has sought ways to extend this experience to a broader group.
“We had been offering seminars and workshops before, so we decided to combine them into courses so that students could earn course credits and we could allocate our limited funds more effectively towards resourcing these workshops,” said Nadella.
We had been offering seminars and workshops before, so we decided to combine them into courses so that students could earn course credits and we could allocate our limited funds more effectively towards resourcing these workshops.
Sunita Nadella, Experiential Learning and Outreach Manager
Office of Undergraduate Research
One of the new courses, SCIENCE 1SA1, is a science seminar that features research seminars offered by departments within the Faculty of Science.
“As science researchers, we know that most undergraduate students often think of research as something that happens in the lab. However, for those of us within the research field, attending seminars is a critical component. It’s where you learn about the latest developments in science, how researchers generate questions and the process they go through to identify the right questions for their research projects,” said Nadella.
The five new courses will be available starting in May 2025. For more information on the OUR, visit their website.
Combining art and coaching on fostering positive mindset change, McMaster's Museum of Art workshop offers a unique perspective on future-focused thinking
On Jan. 23, 2025 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., the McMaster Museum of Art hosted Reimagining Mindsets for the Future, an interactive workshop designed to help participants explore new ways of thinking and approaching challenges. By blending visual arts, group coaching and education, the event aimed to inspire personal growth and equip attendees with tools and strategies to stay positive and navigate uncertainty in today’s world.
Co-created by executive, leadership and team coach, Amanda Calzolaio, alongside Nicole Knibb, a senior educator at the McMaster Museum of Art, the workshop took place in the museum’s gallery space. Attendees were invited to engage with art, participate in discussions and reflect on how mindset shifts could shape their perspectives on the future.
Calzolaio and Knibb, drawing on their experience in coaching and arts education, designed the workshop to integrate three core elements: visual arts, group coaching and education. According to Calzolaio, this blend creates a “dynamic interplay” that deepens awareness and fosters connection.
“Art allows for expression of values, perspectives and identity. Education invites new knowledge. And coaching deepens the awareness of self, others and the world. So, collectively, these components shift mindsets and inform how we see ourselves and the world,” explained Calzolaio.
Art played a significant role in fostering self-awareness and connection during the workshop, with the museum environment enhancing the experience.
“Being in the gallery, surrounded by artwork, creates a unique space for reflection and connection. It’s a really great way to get to know yourself, your place in the world and be with other people in the same space,” said Knibb.
The workshop also placed a strong focus on the concept of futures thinking, a creative and analytical approach to envisioning what the future could look like and how to shape it positively.
“Artists are really good at seeing things others might not. They spot signals that help us think about what might happen and how to prepare for it,” said Knibb. “Futures work offers hope and optimism and encourages us to imagine better possibilities rather than focus on dystopias."
Artists are really good at seeing things others might not. They spot signals that help us think about what might happen and how to prepare for it.
Nicole Knibb, Senior Educator: Academic & Professional Engagement
McMaster Museum of Art
The workshop also emphasized the importance of building momentum as part of future thinking, a concept central to the coaching process.
“In coaching, our goal is to move from the present into the future. Future thinking is about creating forward-facing momentum that’s relevant to each participant, helping them build a vision of what’s possible,” said Calzolaio.
For many participants, the workshop offered a chance to engage with new perspectives and rediscover creativity. “We want participants to leave with a sense of curiosity and connectedness—with themselves, others and the world. It’s about tapping into something they didn’t know was possible or maybe forgot about,” Calzolaio said.
We want participants to leave with a sense of curiosity and connectedness—with themselves, others, and the world.
Amanda Calzolaio, Leadership and Team Coach
Knibb added that the museum's central location on campus makes it an ideal setting for such an event. “It’s accessible for students and others and it’s a great way for young people to spark creativity, imagination and optimism about the future,” she said.
As the second workshop in what the McMaster Museum of Art hopes will become an ongoing series, Calzolaio noted, “This is just the beginning. We hope to continue this work and bring it to even more people in the future." Reimagining Mindsets for the Future reflects the museum's commitment to blending arts-based education and group coaching to foster growth and collaboration.
Details about upcoming workshops and events can be found on the McMaster Museum of Art's social media and website.
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.
Fifth-year men’s basketball player Kwasi Adu-Poku shares how he created his own business to motivate others
As the fall 2020 semester comes to an end, students continue to struggle with finding the balance between work, school and extracurriculars, all the while keeping themselves safe from COVID-19. Fifth-year McMaster University student and men’s basketball player, Kwasi Adu-Poku has been through his fair share of ups and downs this year. From all the experiences he has gathered, he felt that it was a time to give back to the student community.
Adu-Poku created The Reach Series after coming across an idea from Vince Luciani of Legacy Coaching. From the guidance and mentorship that Luciani gave Adu-Poku, he felt that it was his time to share a message and help uplift individuals.
“It gave me the confidence to make a business with the goal of empowering people,” said Adu-Poku.
The Reach Series is where Adu-Poku turned his real-life experiences into relatable lessons. From these lessons, he develops motivational workshops. His first goal was to run the workshops for four weeks in two formats: group settings and one-on-ones.
A benefit of the group workshops that Adu-Poku realized was that attendees could relate to each other and thus the workshop itself became more interactive. In terms of the one-on-ones, he believed that it would provide individuals with more time and space for reflection, with some personalized guidance.
“The big thing was that it was a constructive and organized way to uplift people through online workshops,” said Adu-Poku.
“The big thing was that it was a constructive and organized way to uplift people through online workshops,” said Adu-Poku.
Each workshop would be a safe space that was based on an experience of his own life. Although they are somewhat structured, Adu-Poku encourages all discussion within the space. For example, during the third week, his workshop dove into the issue of mental health, where he touched upon some of his own personal struggles during his past couple years of undergrad.
“It is ok to have these problems and I hope to provide them with various outlets and resources,’’ Adu-Poku emphasized.
As Adu-Poku explained, the premise of The Reach Series is to relate to what is going on in the world and help uplift people to the best of his ability. One such example is a charity drive Adu-Poku co-created, in which they were able to raise $360.
“Why not support these causes but help the world on a larger scale?” said Adu-Poku.
Despite working for his older brother’s business in the past, The Reach Series is the first entrepreneurial endeavour Adu-Poku has embarked on. As a student, he understands the need to manage his time while also staying on top of school responsibilities.
“When I started to make [The Reach Series], it was a four-week blitz before school got heavy. It takes up my time with extracurricular activities and graduate school applications . . . Time and stress management [have] been key,” said Adu-Poku.
“When I started to make [The Reach Series], it was a four-week blitz before school got heavy. It takes up my time with extracurricular activities and graduate school applications . . . Time and stress management [have] been key,” said Adu-Poku.
From a business perspective, he has not suffered like many other small businesses have due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since Adu-Poku is a student with career aspirations in the field of economic policy, his business likely will not be his main career when he graduates from McMaster. Yet, he continues The Reach Series in order to continue spreading messages of positivity.
“Even with the prices I was recommended to charge, I lowered it and made it more affordable for people to [attend] these workshops. From a financial point of view, I charge a bit to value my time but ensure it’s worth it and accessible for [the attendees],” said Adu-Poku.
“Even with the prices I was recommended to charge, I lowered it and made it more affordable for people to [attend] these workshops. From a financial point of view, I charge a bit to value my time but ensure it’s worth it and accessible for [the attendees],” said Adu-Poku.
He is currently looking at making his business a non-profit organization.
Despite running the workshops by himself, he has hosted guest speakers in the past. His first guest speaker, Mussa Gikineh, was the 2020 valedictorian for the DeGroote School of Business. They both participated in a panel after which they discussed a possible collaboration that surmounted in the charity drive, which was actually created by both Adu-Poku and Gikineh.
Just recently, Adu-Poku hosted the Hoopers Talk, an event where they looked at athletes from outside the court. The event acted as a space to support Ontario University Athletics basketball players after the cancellation of their season due to the pandemic.
As of now, the workshops only run virtually. Despite it being convenient due to no transportation, Adu-Poku says he would like to bring people close in person, but only when it is safe to do so. With that being said, the feedback he received has been exceptional, with attendees feeling a new sense of community.
As Adu-Poku plans to graduate in April 2021, The Reach Series is something he hopes to continue on the side.
“I feel like using this platform to genuinely uplift others and interact with them can not only get me some income but also provide me some sort of fulfillment,” says Adu-Poku.
“I feel like using this platform to genuinely uplift others and interact with them can not only get me some income but also provide me some sort of fulfillment,” says Adu-Poku.
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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By: Anastasia Richards
Our lifestyles tend to be disposable. Many of us are prone to throwing things away and replacing them without thinking twice about it. We reach for simplicity and convenience, regardless of the consequences.
The Repair Café, a grassroots organization based in Toronto, will be hosting their first event in Hamilton at the Worker’s Arts and Heritage Centre as part of the ongoing Division of Labour exhibit. Set to take place on March 30 from 1 to 4 p.m., the workshop will gather community members to learn how to fix things together and address sustainability.
The Repair Café launched in Amsterdam in May 2009. The philosophies of the event are all linked to promoting sustainability, helping out your neighbours and getting to know others in the community. In 2013, there was a small group of citizens in Toronto that heard of the event in Amsterdam and wanted to bring it to the greater Toronto area.
“Whether it be… electronics, sewing and mending, small motor repair, carpentry. Individuals that have the skill set come to the café, usually held in public spaces such as libraries or community centres and they teach people how to repair on their own,” explained Suzanne Carte, curator of the Division of Labour Exhibit at the Worker’s Arts and Heritage Centre.
Not only does the Repair Café provide you with the opportunity to learn to be handy, it provides an opportunity to meet people in your community. While you wait on your repair or even if you just want to stop by and see what it’s all about, you can get to know your fellow neighbours.
“With that, there may be some intergenerational conversation…talking about an object will lead to one’s life, uses for said object, storytelling and all of that. It's about building community and skill sharing too,” said Carte.
We live in an age where disposal and replacement are all too easy. Many of us are far too keen on replacing things once they’re slightly damaged. The Repair Café workshops aim to challenge this notion by facilitating an opportunity for people to learn how to be handy, as part of a community and on their own.
The workshops also aim to challenge gender roles that are present within the context of the work associated with repairs. The Repair Café creates an environment where preconceived notions about gender, such as who can sew and knit or do small-motor repairs, can be addressed and broken down.
The Repair Café wishes to create a comfortable and inviting atmosphere so that even those who do not want to come and get something fixed can still feel compelled to attend and be a part of the community. As an example, Carte will be bringing her iron.
“I could probably go and find out how to do it via a digital platform, but I really want to be able to sit down with a person who can take me through the steps, answer any questions that I have in how to better care and serve this object that then services me,” said Carte.
Attending the Repair Café will provide her with an opportunity to collaborate with others in her community, share stories with them, exchange knowledge and extend the lifetime of her appliance.
The Repair Café hopes to change people’s mindset. Every contribution helps to improve our sustainability practices and it can all begin by learning how to fix the little things.
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By: Drew Simpson
On Feb. 26, the Green is not White environmental racism workshop took place at the Hamilton Public Library’s Wentworth room. The free, open-to all workshop, garnered intrigue from attendees interested in learning about environmental racism.
Presenters sat on a raised platform and the room was filled with chart easel pads, activist posters and resources. The Green is Not White workshop, which is organized by Adapting Canadian Work and Workplaces in partnership with the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, Environment Hamilton and the Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion started its seven-hour agenda with a land acknowledgement, icebreakers and then laid down foundational knowledge.
Environmental racism is originally defined by Prof. Benjamin Chavis as the racial discrimination and unequal enforcement of environmental policies. The types of environmental racism have expanded since this 1987 definition and currently encompass air pollution, clean water, climate migration, extreme weather, food production, gentrification and toxins in the community and workplace.
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The crust of the issue is that ethnic minorities are disproportionately exposed to environmental hazards. Black and Indigenous populations are most affected by environmental racism, yet this makes it no less of a collective issue. Local case studies were highlighted to drive this message close to home.
For example, most of Hamilton’s waste facilities are clustered just north of and within residential areas. This includes a proposed electronic waste processing facility, which can cause lead and mercury exposure, and an existing chemical wastes facility that is known for chemical explosions causing evacuations and serious injury. Loads of biosolids have been trucked through neighbourhoods posing disease risks from pathogens, concerns of terrible odours and ammonia use for steam filtering.
Studies show that Hamilton neighbourhoods with single-parent families and low education are the most exposed to air pollution. Since these neighbourhoods have fewer resources and are systematically marginalized, they are targeted by acts of environmental racism. The hashtag #EnvRacismCBTUACW continually discusses case studies across Canada.
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Along with the extensive examples of Canadians and Hamiltonians living in dire conditions due to environmental racism, as well as the government’s oversight of this issue, various Hamilton organizations have taken it upon themselves to drive change.
This workshop was the third part of a four-phase action research initiative on environmental racism by ACW, which develops tools to better the environmental conditions of jobs and the workplace and CBTU, a coalition that breaks the silence on African-Canadians’ labour issues. While this third stage involves community engagement, the fourth and final stage involves a joint report and video that will be housed on both the ACW and CBTU websites.
The slogan “Green is Not White” highlights that green jobs and environmentally safe conditions should not be reserved for white people. People of colour are most likely to work and live in dire conditions, and therefore deserve economic justice and access to clean water and land.
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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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Robin Lamarr has been the only person of colour in a movement class. With this personal experience and her own desire to make mindful movement accessible, the movement educator and community activist had been thinking about how she could address the lack of representation in the movement community.
When she obtained a physical space for the studio she founded, Goodbodyfeel, she saw it as a good time to introduce a designated space for people of colour. The result was the first Movement Melanin Expression workshop on Feb. 24. The two-hour, three-part workshop was designed for individuals identifying as Black, Indigenous or people of colour.
“The intention is to create a space where folks who usually feel like they don't belong can feel belonging. And then, because it's an exclusive space, we can be open, raw, vulnerable and honest about what… we're feeling and why… [W]e can be super open about it without having to… defend ourselves against someone who might have white fragility for example,” said Lamarr.
The workshop was the result of a partnership with Hamilton-based visual alchemist and movement teacher-in-trainer, Stylo Starr. Starr joined the Goodbodyfeel Teacher Training last year when she met Lamarr and is almost finished her 200 hours of training.
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Lamarr and Starr have collaborated on a similarly structured workshop before. Last summer, they ran a satellite workshop at the Art Gallery of Hamilton wherein Lamarr led a movement sequence followed by Starr leading a walking meditation involving collage material.
Similarly, Movement Melanin Expression began with Lamarr leading participants through her famed R&B Pilates movement sequence. The sequence starts slow and warms up the individual parts of the body before ending with an intense squat sequence wherein participants scream in order to release all their emotions.
After moving, a circle discussion took place. The discussion was intended to address how people of colour can take up space and reverse the lack of representation in the movement and wellness industry. Most importantly, the conversation was meant to be open and unrestrained. Starr hopes that the conversation acted as a catalyst for participants to discuss how they’re feeling with the people in their lives.
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The workshop ended with Starr’s collage workshop. As she did with the series at the art gallery, Starr led participants through a walking meditation, allowing them to find pieces that spoke to them and create something there. The creative portion of the workshop allowed participants to express and liberate themselves.
“I've seen firsthand how movement has helped my creation. It's just a way of accessing a part of your mindfulness that maybe sitting still might not do for many people… I think it's really important to mesh these worlds because it's often implied that they're so different but they're actually very similar. In creating sequences for classes, it's a collage of different movements and they might not always look the same,” Starr explaining.
Approaching creativity through the medium of collage is one of the many ways in which this workshop made itself accessible. Unlike other forms of art, collage is not very intimidating for the non-artist and allowed individuals to express themselves with lesser concern about artistic skill.
Like several other Goodbodyfeel classes, this workshop had a sliding scale in place to reduce the financial barrier for participants. The studio also has clean clothes for participants to use and provides mats and props. By removing these obstacles for participants, the studio is hoping that no one is priced out of accessing mindful movement.
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“I've been practicing some form of mindful movement since 2000 and… it's been a really big part of my healing journey. And so since moving to Hamilton and starting this community, my aim is to have as many people as possible benefit and have access to the transformative effects of mindful movement.
Why does the movement community need to even address race and representation? Well, because it's incredibly beneficial to mental health and well-being and everybody deserves access to it,” Lamarr said.
At the end of the day, the most important part of Movement Melanin Expression was the formation of community through movement. Starr and Lamarr intend to continue the class so that people of colour can continue to take up space in the movement industry and discuss more ways to break down the barriers.
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By: Natalie Clark
The definition of “Thrive” is most simply put as “to progress toward or realize a goal despite or because of circumstances.” This definition embodies the true meaning of McMaster’s first ever Thrive Week, beginning Feb. 4.
Thrive Week is a week-long series of events focusing on improving and maintaining good mental health of students, staff and faculty on campus.
Events include yoga, Zumba, meditation circles, stress management workshops and various panels for students to get information on a variety of topics such as career planning and suicide awareness.
Although Thrive Week is new to McMaster, the wellness event has been a part of many schools around Canada for the past 10 years.
“Thrive began at [University of British Columbia] in 2009 and since then, a number of Canadian colleges and universities have adopted the spirit of Thrive,” mentioned McMaster wellness educator, WilPrakash Fujarczuk.
“The wellness education team decided to join these schools for a number of reasons… one reason is to connect students to pre-existing services on campus… we know that there are a number of departments that promote mental wellness in ways that may not be so obvious,” said Fujarczuk.
Fujarczuk mentions “Sketching Thursdays” at the McMaster Museum of Art, which is a weekly event that allows students to distance themselves from their devices and work on mindfulness and creative expression.
Thrive Week is intended to promote events similar to “Sketching Thursdays” on campus and add additional resources and events throughout Thrive Week for students to participate in to further their mental health journey.
“Thrive is also an opportunity to bring in community partners to showcase the valuable expertise that Hamilton community resources have to offer,” mentioned Fujarczuk.
Some of the community partners that are taking part in Thrive Week at McMaster include Healing Together Yoga, The AIDS Network and Asian Community AIDS Services.
Body Brave, another Hamilton-based organization, will also be taking part in the event to introduce students and staff to their off campus support system. Body Brave’s main purpose is to address the major gaps in resources for eating disorders, raise awareness and reduce the stigma around eating disorders, particularly with those who are over the age of 18.
Kelsea McCready, a McMaster student who holds the position of secretary on the board of directors at Body Brave, mentions the barriers that individuals may face when struggling with an eating disorder and are looking for help.
“Programs within Ontario as a whole have a limited capacity which means that many individuals who are struggling are left on long waitlists without any kind of specialized support,” mentioned McCready.
McCready notes that although Body Brave is not a direct replacement for professional specialized support for eating disorders, the organization offers a variety of affordable treatment programs such as workshops, individual treatment and support groups.
“It is a priority for Body Brave to engage more with the McMaster community as an off-campus support in addition to on-campus services,” said McCready.
Body Brave’s involvement in Thrive Week is important for those who may be suffering from an eating disorder and are wary to seek out support. Thrive Week introduces programs and organizations to the McMaster campus that are similar to Body Brave in order to make these services more accessible to students.
“Given that it’s our first year running Thrive, we are hoping to use it as an opportunity to evaluate programs and build on for future years,” said Fujarczuk.
While Thrive events will only be taking place for a week, the path towards bettering the mental health of the McMaster community needs to be addressed and explored on a consistent basis. Thrive Week is the first step towards shedding light on the services available on-campus and in the community.
Thrive Week will be running on campus from Feb. 4 to Feb. 9. More information about the event can be found on the Student Wellness Centre’s website, which includes the Thrive Week schedule and other mental health resources found year-round on campus.
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