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Suicide among Canada’s Indigenous people is disproportionally higher than in the non-Indigenous population according to a survey done by Statistics Canada (2011–2016). Less well known are the traditional means that Indigenous communities can draw upon to combat that tragedy. Alanaise Onischin Goodwill, PhD, spent two years studying the intergenerational effects of suicide and how the…
Despite a challenging year for the healthcare industry, Coast Mental Health (CMH), a registered charity, was named one of BC’s Top Employers for 2021. “We’re very excited by this announcement because it’s the first time we’ve been recognized on this prestigious list,” says Susan Hancock, senior manager for communications and community development. “It’s not every…
Cultural disorientation can inflict strain on personal relationships, says Pooja Tuli, a certified intercultural competence facilitator and a mental health first-aider. “Couples often see that they are slowly moving away from their traditional cultural roles and adapting to the Canadian lifestyle,” says Tuli, who also has an academic background including psychology and sociology. She is…
In 2019, Merriam-Webster – America’s oldest dictionary – declared the word “they” its word of the year and added a new definition: used to refer to a single person whose gender identity is non-binary. Despite what some language skeptics might think, the use of “they” as a singular pronoun in English goes way back, even…
“Climate change is the most important issue of our times,” says Indian writer Amitav Ghosh. Ghosh believes the stress associated with climate change has altered people’s mindset towards creativity and other issues. He also thinks that in literature, climate change has been simplified to a point where the intersectionality between other elements such as arts…
“Young people are communicating more as avatars than as real people, so we need to understand what that actually means,” says Anthonia Ogundele, the founder of Ethós Lab, an afterschool program for young people aged 13–18, centred around science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and creative entrepreneurship. Ogundele used her experience and skills as a…
“The pandemic has rendered useless many of the urban resilience plans that have been made over the past decade,” says Simon Fraser University (SFU) professor Meg Holden (PhD), director of the Urban Studies Program. “It presented us with the kind of emergency that our cities were unprepared for,” she adds. She will be co-panelist on…
Some, but not all Canadians know about our country’s residential schools and the dark phase of Indigenous history that resulted from colonialism. Two Indigenous authors Michelle Good and Waubgeshig Rice feel the persistent lack of awareness and knowledge of Indigenous issues reflect the structural problems in mainstream media and education. As part of UBC’s “Indigenous…
An enthusiast of the ancient Indian practice of Ayurveda, Muneera Wallace has found a way to spread her knowledge to as many people out West as she can. On March 4, she will be offering an online workshop on making authentic Indian chai. The workshop will also include discussions about chai’s history and the medicinal…
Although widely used throughout the world, the Gregorian calendar is not the only one around and not the only one with New Year’s celebrations in January. The Lunisolar calendar, which tracks both solar years and lunar months, is responsible for the festivities falling on different days each year. In China, the largest country celebrating the…
In a series of talks and workshops, the University of British Columbia (UBC) First Generation Student Union (FGSU) and guest speakers will inform and empower their audience for the pandemic and beyond. People of all ages and backgrounds can attend the GenOne Conference. Co-presidents Zahra Fazal, age 23, and Jaskirat Malhi, age 21, share their…
UBCO graduates and co-founders of the African Ubuntu Association Okanagan, Trophy Ewila and Lady Dia present I Am Because You Are vs. I Am Because You’re Not as part of the UBC Equity and Inclusion Office’s Through The Lens workshop series. The workshop and presentation will be held online Feb. 10, 2021 and centers around…
Like an enormous magnifying glass, the Coronavirus pandemic has thrown into sharp focus the true character and nature of individuals, communities and nations. And, almost unequivocally, how well or how badly this crisis has been handled has been a reflection of those in positions of power and their ability to lead. While some leaders have…
