George Floyd’s violent death was a breaking point — an all too familiar reminder that, for Black people, law enforcement doesn’t protect or save our lives. They often threaten and take them. This quote is taken directly from the Black Lives Matter website, specifically under the call to defund the police. The attempt to redistribute wealth…
With just over 6000 cases of Coronavirus in Alberta and economic stresses continuing to multiply, Calgarians are realizing more than ever that they have a vote with their dollar. In light of the novel situation, Canadians and people across the world are all experiencing, the importance and impact of local businesses and institutions has become…
Over Instagram, Sled Island announced that they are cancelling their 2020 Music & Arts Festival. It’s the responsible thing to do amidst the Coronavirus pandemic, nonetheless, it is still very sad. Last year, the festival introduced me to so many amazing artists that I still listen to today. I got to see more of my…
In 2015, the World Health Organization (WHO) released a series of guidelines on disease naming. They included useful practices to summarize symptoms and reduce fear. They also explicitly mentioned that diseases must not be named after locations, people, animals, or cultures. This was all done in an effort to reduce the stigma and insult related…
Last week, I stopped by the Glenbow Museum to see their newest exhibit, Vivian Maier: In Her Own Hands. The installation, besides being beautiful, was insightful into the modest life of a brilliant and largely undiscovered film photographer and the time period that made her ‘observational photos’ so moving. Vivian Maier was a nanny with a…
The Plaza Theatre in Kensington has been playing A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood this week. My friend, Katrina, who had already watched the movie starring her favourite actor, Tom Hanks, decided that I needed to see it. She was right. The movie follows the inspiring true story of Mr. Rogers, as he is interviewed…
Often referred to as the ‘princess of polkadots,’ Yayoi Kusama is a painter, sculptor, performer, and installation artist. She utilizes entire spaces to reflect on experiences of her past and create a Kusama world. Kusama’s talent and brilliance has largely gone unnoticed her career, that was until social media turned her art into a perfect…
Lips! Lips! Lips! Lips! Lips! In the Plaza Theatre, the audience shouted at the silver screen. It almost felt wrong; I’ve been taught from an early age that movies are strictly to be enjoyed in silence. However, with the provocative nature of the film, my idea of tradition seemed to be out of the question.…
There has been a growing trend of plant-based and vegan diets across the world. Although many are interested in the environmental sustainability, health improvements, and other benefits, there is a growing population of vegetarians and vegans who are attempting to live a cruelty-free diet. Its estimated that 9 billion animals are killed each year for…
Jordan Peele’s ‘Us’ made $70.3 million in the opening weekend. The film, which starred a black cast with Lupita Nyong’o as the lead, scored the highest grossing opening weekend for an original horror. It also scored the second highest opening ever for an original R-rated film; he achieved this as the producer, writer, and director…
There’s a one-in-a-million chance global warming is not caused by humans. The evidence pertaining to manmade global warming has reached the ‘gold standard,’ which is not something take lightly in the scientific community. For example, this ‘gold standard’ was applied in 2012 in the discovery of the subatomic particle, which is a basic building block…
During the twentieth century, Nina Simone was a prominent voice in jazz and activism. Her success as a black woman is a profound example of resilience, overcoming struggle and pushback for the content of her songs and the colour of her skin. She was a revolutionary musician, blending her skills as a classical pianist, with…
The point of this piece isn’t to be divisive or disrespectful. It’s just an explanation of some interesting political science concepts and how they have been applied to America and could be potentially extrapolated to Canada. Political beliefs are valid, and this blog isn’t meant to target issues in a specific political ideology. Instead, the…
Among HIV, climate change, and ebola, vaccine hesitancy has been named one of the world’s greatest health challenges by the World Health Organization. The World Health Organization began a five year plan, the 13th General Programme of Work, focusing on a triple billion target: ensuring 1 billion more people benefit from access to universal health…
In 1980’s Harlem, the entirety of the queer community was hidden. In New York, the queer community survived in artful safe spaces of dance, creation, and expression. The drag ball scene is illuminated issues of race, gender, and sexual orientation faced by the marginalized communities of New York, and by extension, society as a whole.…