From coxinhas to pastéis: Brazilian delicacies in Vancouver

In a country with continental dimensions like Brazil, each region has its own cuisine and typical dishes. Local business owners Cassia Ribeiro from Brazilian bakery and catering service Gimme Coxinhas and Carolline Cunha from WhataFood are bringing those flavours to the Metro Vancouver area. The South region is famous for its barbecues and dishes derived…

A short history of Canada’s birthday celebrations

“On Canada Day we’re going to have to be physically distanced this year,” says Matthew Hayday, history professor at the University of Guelph. But considering the vastness of Canada even before the current COVID pandemic, “in a way we’re always experiencing a level of physical distancing from most other Canadians,” he adds. “[But] frankly, Canada…

The year of the online film festival

The 19th annual DOXA Documentary Film Festival will be held online this year from June 18–26 in light of the ongoing COVID-19 situation. The annual DOXA is organized by the Documentary Media Society, a non-profit organization established in 1998. The festival has a screening and a programming committee to select and showcase the best documentaries…

Marine viruses are critical to sustain our ecosystem

When thinking of viruses, particularly in the current context where COVID-19 is impacting lives in multiple ways, they are seen as spreaders of disease. However, Curtis Suttle, professor in environmental virology at the University of British Columbia (UBC), reveals another reality. “What we don’t recognize is that we couldn’t exist without them,” he says. “They…

Poetry as balm during a pandemic

The world is in a time of turmoil and many people are looking inward for peace and comfort. Reading poetry, during National Poetry Month and beyond, can satisfy the desire to travel outside of living rooms as well as discover some inner peace in an uncertain time. Sonja Grgar and Jeff Derksen are poets who…

Racial passing – an outdated term?

‘Racial passing’ is used to describe when an individual is accepted as a member of an ethnic group other than their own. In today’s world, does anyone choose to ‘pass’ as another race? Does the term ‘racial passing’ still merit any use? Jeff Chiba Stearns, 41, co-founded Hapa-Palooza Art Festival in 2011 with the objective…

Story telling from female lenses

“How many of you are underestimated because of your appearance?” A sharp-looking weight loss instructor asked his audience in Heavy Craving, a debut feature film by Taiwanese director Pei-Ju Hsieh that explores fat-shaming, mainstream beauty standards and the social pressure to conform through the protagonist’s struggle to lose weight. It is perhaps a fitting question…

A peek into the life of career adventurers

Get inspired and learn about the action-packed lives of adventurers and explorers by watching breathtaking presentations and listening to incredible stories. Explore the world of wildlife photographers, professional hikers, and wilderness explorers at the Vancouver Convention Centre’s Outdoor Adventure & Travel Show (Feb. 29–Mar. 1). Emmett Sparling, one of the guest speakers, is a professional…

Women and girls in science – still an uphill climb

Despite global efforts to engage women and girls in science over the last 15 years, they continue to be excluded from full participation. Less than 30 per cent of researchers worldwide are women and UNESCO data shows that “only around 30 per cent of all female students select STEM-related fields in higher education”. To recognize…

Footnote Number 12: experimental theatre as social discourse

Transforming a non-linear written essay into an interesting theatre performance with relevance, humour and meaning may seem like mission impossible, but Footnote Number 12, a recent experimental theatre piece created by Andrea Spreafico in Norway and further co-created with Theatre Replacement in Vancouver, attempted just that, and through it hoped to raise interesting questions on…

Supporting sustainable ecosystems

According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), declaring 2020 as the International Year of Plant Health provides a “once in a lifetime opportunity to raise global awareness on how protecting plant health can help end hunger, reduce poverty, protect the environment, and boost economic development.” The FAO notes that plants are critical…