“Willing the impossible”: SFU scholar looks to create greater understanding about Israel and Palestine

SFU scholar Nawal Musleh-Motut wants to “will the impossible,” and she’s hoping her recently published academic book, Connecting the Holocaust and Nakba Through Photograph-based Storytelling can help make it a reality. The SFU fellow in Social Justice and Decolonization borrows the phrase from late Palestinian-American scholar Edward Said, referring to the bridging what often feels…

Chinese Canadians tell ‘small stories that make up a big history’

Chinese Canadians make up a significant part of Canada’s history, but this fact is often forgotten when people talk about Canadian heritage. To remedy that oversight, the Chinatown Storytelling Centre exists to inform the public about this important part of our past and its contemporary legacies. Situated in the middle of Chinatown, the Storytelling Centre…

Belongings matter: Report highlights difficulties unhoused people face

Unhoused individuals have continuously been at risk of losing their belongings and, as the colder weather continues, many look for solutions. A report released last month by UBC, SFU and the University of Ottawa examines the issue and suggests potential remedies. According to the report, approximately 10 per cent of people in Canada can be…

Disability advocacy: the power of lived experiences

There still remains a continued need to better understand the struggles of those with disabilities, and to build inclusive societies that dignify their experiences. On Dec. 3, the UN’s annual International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) returns with the theme of sustainable development. “You can learn a lot about what other people need by…

Germaine Koh – Creation that threads the needle of what’s possible

Breakthroughs happen when people push the boundaries of what’s allowed. This December, Vancouver-based artist and organizer Koh will be one of this year’s recipients of the Governor General’s Award for Visual and Media arts. Despite being winning various awards and holding many official titles over the years, Germaine Koh’s work has a distinctly grassroots, D.I.Y.,…

Food security is as challenging as ever for students at UBC

As the rising cost of food continues to affect Canadian residents, university students—like those attending UBC—are some of the hardest hit, having to navigate substantial demands on both time and money. Amid both rising usage of the Alma Mater Society (AMS) food bank at the school and inflation driving up food prices across the country…

A new UBC study investigates how social robots might improve the quality of life at Canadian long-term care homes

Following the outbreak of COVID-19, as Canada’s long-term care homes became hotspots for the pandemic-inducing virus, the physical and mental well-being of Canada’s elderly demographic was thrust into the spotlight. And as lockdown mandates led to feelings of social isolation, Canada’s already-struggling seniors were some of the hardest hit with feelings of intense loneliness. For…