June 09, 2016 by Martlet

WEST COAST BEST COAST

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NEWS — University Bible Fellowship: club or cult?

EDITORIAL — Tent city residents need a top-down solution

CULTURE — Queen Bey continues to slay

LIFESTYLE — Bamboo: not just for pandas

JUNE 09, 2016 • VOLUME 69 • ISSUE 2

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THE MARTLET

PODCAST

NEWS

Congrats to the convocating class of 2016! Don’t forget about the little people (like us).

Student club connected to an organization accused of cult-like activities Physical abuse, arranged marriages included in allegations CORMAC O’BRIEN STAFF WRITER It started with a seemingly innocuous newspaper article. In January 2016, the Camosun College Student Society (CCSS) published a column in the Nexus — C amosun’s independent student newspaper — listing off a number of extra-curricular clubs for students to join. But when someone commented on the article accusing one of the clubs of cult-like activities, Greg Pratt, the editor-in-chief of the Nexus, started to investigate. His investigation didn’t last long, however, before the group had informed the CCSS that they were disbanding and leaving the campus. That club is the University Bible Fellowship (UBF), and it shares its name with an international organization that was established in South Korea in the 1960s. Chapters exist in cities and on campuses all across North America — including the University of Victoria. While the UVic chapter has operated without any question or concern from students or faculty since 2007, the larger UBF has been scrutinized over the past 30 years, with allegations ranging from physical abuse to members being forced into arranged marriages. And with the Camosun chapter’s abrupt disappearance leaving plenty of questions unanswered, attention has turned towards the UVic club to speak to their connections with the larger UBF international organization. According to ubf.org, the UBF was f ou n d e d when a Pre s byteria n missionary named Sarah Barry travelled to South Korea and met a pastor named Samuel Lee. The two moved back to the United States and established the first chapter of the UBF, which has since spread to over 96 countries. The UBF puts “a love for God’s

word” at the heart of their organization, with a focus on studying scripture in Bible study classes. The group is also focused on “Jesus’ command to make disciples of all nations.” Concerns around the group’s activities first cropped up in the late 1980s, when their ferocious recruiting methods led them to be banned from several Canadian and American campuses like the University of Manitoba, the University of Winnipeg, and the University of Illinois at Chicago. Ex-UBF members spoke openly about joining the group and being slowly ex-communicated from friends and family members, having their original career plans questioned, and being pressured into romantic relationships with other members. Brian Karcher, an American author, was a member of the UBF for over 20 years. He’s published four books on his experiences with the organization, and currently runs a website for other ex-members — priestlynation.com. “They’re focused on recruiting college students, exclusively,” Karcher says, “and they’re a very private group. They use ‘shepherds’ . . . who are meant to be life-long moral supervisors for each person. They become your new parent.” Karcher, who says he met his wife through the UBF’s arranged marriage process, is the original poster who tipped the Nexus off about the UBF. He says that for new students who don’t know about the organization’s history, it can be incredibly appealing to join. “It’s an incredible fellowship,” Karcher says. “That’s what it’s all a b o u t . . . I t ’s v e r y w a r m , v e r y welcoming . . . It’s very appealing.

“It’s called love-bombing, in psychological terminology. That’s [what they do] at first . . . You’re treated like royalty for the first year . . . a nd for college students that’s huge.” But Karcher says that after the honeymoon period ends, the love and fellowship gives way to psychological manipulation and authoritarian rule. Pratt found similar allegations online during his initial investigation, but he says they struck him as too bizarre for Camosun College. So he contacted the group to try to clear things up. Pratt sent two emails to the address publically listed on the CCSS website, but received no response. He then

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they had just as quickly disappeared. “To this day, they’ve never contacted me, they’ve never replied to my emails, and I don’t even know who they are,” Pratt says. “If it was just a coincidence, you’d think they would want to clear their name.” With no more leads to investigate at Camosun, Pratt informed the Martlet that UVic also had an official UBF group on campus, and that the pastor for the Victoria chapter listed on the international UBF website is currently the same contact person listed by the UVSS. The issue of problematic clubs on university campuses is not a common one, especially at the University of Victoria. One group that faced the threat of losing its club status was Youth Protecting Youth (YPY), a prolife organization that had its status revoked and reinstated over the span of two months in 2010 before being denied booking rights on campus after university administration determined they were harassing students. And as the new UVSS Director of Student Affairs, Emma Kinakin, explains, clubs policy doesn’t dictate how to handle the possibility of a cult on campus. “It’s unclear what the issue would be, technically speaking,” Kinakin says about a potential UVSS inquiry into the UBF. “Especially because there is no evidence of the [UVic] group itself doing anything bad on campus, and so we’re kind of limited in our actions. Our priority is to make sure that we’re not making unfounded accusations at clubs or unfairly censoring them.” “Basically, you would have to find somewhere that the club is violating clubs policy . . . or University of Victoria policy, or UVSS policy . . . [then] we could

Ex-UBF members spoke openly about joining the group and being slowly ex-communicated from friends and family members. contacted the CCSS itself, asking them to contact the group. The student society did, and the Camosun UBF claimed that the similar names were a coincidence and that they would be changing the name shortly. Satisfied, Pratt let up on his investigation. But he then discovered that the Camosun UBF advertised larger UBF conferences as opportunities for students. “I emailed them again,” Pratt recalls, “saying that if you’re not associated with the international group, and the name is a coincidence, how come you’re saying you’re going to send Camosun students to the international groups’ meetings?” Just days later, a CCSS employee informed Pratt that the group were withdrawing their club status due to claims that Pratt was harassing them. As quickly as the organization had popped into Pratt’s consciousness,

take action against clubs, if they’ve been clearly found to do that,” says Kinakin. “As far as I know of, there is no policy that says, specifically, you can not be a cult, although I’m assuming that if you were you would violate some other policy.” Also, the club’s constitution states that “the views and actions of his club in no way reflect the views of the UBF Incorporated.” The Martlet contacted the UVic UBF chapter twice via email for comment but has not received a response at time of writing. The international UBF’s website also lists an address just a short bus ride from campus, but when the Martlet went to find the pastor associated with the club, we were told the previous tenants had moved away a couple of years ago. Though his part in the investigation is over, Pratt still harbours some doubts about the entire organization. And the vanishing act has only made him more intrigued by the group’s intentions. “If someone out there [said], ‘[the] Nexus is a cult [and that the] Nexus has a group house between the two campuses in our town where they try to recruit exchange students,’” Pratt says, ”I’d be like ‘woah, I’m going to set the record straight immediately.’ And this group never tried to do that. They just kinda vanished.”

This story is still developing. If you or someone you know has been involved with the University Bible Fellowship, feel free to contact the Martlet at edit@martlet.ca or at 250-721-8361.

UVSS politics cool down at May 6 board meeting NATALIA KARPOVSKAIA CONTRIBUTING WRITER Ready for the next installment of a juicy UVSS Board of Directors’ meeting report? Sorry, can’t offer that. But keep reading for a summary of the June 6 meeting anyway. ANARCHIST STUDENT SOCIETY UPDATE Remember these folks? (Read our May 11 board report if you don’t.) They came! They presented! The juice? Pretty dry. When asked what the issues were that required club representatives to make a presentation, a few board members expressed uncertainty about how much of the club comprised u n d e rg r a d u a t e s t u d e n t s , a n d

questioned how the club managed to book space for their upcoming Anarchist Book Fair. The club reps spoke to their being UVic students, as well as the lack of space for anarchist students on campus, and how they would be able to fill that void while being supported by staff and students. Kevin Tupper, UVSS Director of Finance and Operations, said it’s not his place to agree with all the clubs on campus, and called a vote for the board to ratify the club for the summer 2016 term. The motion passed; the anarchists got up and left. REPORTS International Grill renovations are almost on schedule, according to

Tupper. The board also met off campus recently for strategic planning for the society, but Tupper didn’t speak further to what went on. Maxwell Nicholson, Director of Campaigns and Community Relations, mentioned a new campaign focus on textbooks — n amely, the unbundling of textbooks and the push for more open-sourcing. Jordan Quitzau, Director of Events, mentioned briefly that some issues with upcoming events were brought forward to him, gave no more info, but invited folks to attend his Events committee to discuss. Looking for an update on the May 16 meeting’s mess? Here it is: Tupper said that the Policy Development committee has met to consider the concerns brought forward. Oh boy.

MAIN MOTIONS Two major motions were recommended this meeting — the first being MPAG Committee (Marketing Planning & Advisory Group) being renamed to SUB Business Units Marketing Committee. (This name doesn’t BUM me out.) The second, in what finally offered some drama, was a motion brought forward by Tupper and unanimously recommended by the Executive Committee concerning a memorandum of understanding that would see the UVSS enter a one-year membership with Volunteer Victoria, “an external non-profit with a mission to inspire everyone to volunteer.” The motion to join the organization ultimately passed, but not without some debate (that we’ll be unpacking

online in the next week) and three abstentions noted in the minutes. After a brief session in camera starting at 7:25 p.m., this board meeting adjourned just 15 minutes later at around 7:40. A shame — I actually brought a book this time.

The next board meeting will take place on Monday, June 20, at 6 p.m. in the SUB Upper Lounge (or maybe Vertigo).

JUNE 09, 2016 I MARTLET • NEWS 3

NEWS Putting the ‘kool’ in business Skool

Summer camp provides opportunity for young Indigenous entrepreneurs SARAH LAZIN STAFF WRITER Fuelled by a shared passion for youth empowerment, two Peter B. Gustavson School of Business alums have created a camp to foster and develop Indigenous entrepreneurship. Jordyn Hrenyk and Kim Cope have teamed up to create what Hrenyk calls “the first Indigenous-focused youth entrepreneurship summer camp in the [Greater Victoria] area.” Cope has been working in a similar capacity over the past couple of years, having already developed Startup Skool to fill in the gaps of youth business education. She creates business education curricula for teachers around Canada to implement in their own classrooms, as well as summer camps throughout B.C. At Startup Skool camps, including the pilot Indigenous Entrepreneurship Camp, youth learn about technology, design, design thinking, coding, and most importantly, says Hrenyk, entrepreneurship. “Kids have ideas and they aren’t hampered by what’s realistic or what they ‘should’ be doing,” says Hrenyk. “They have ideas and they want to be in control of them.” Furthermore, she says, “there are real,

fully-fledged businesses that have come out of these camps . . . eight to 11-yearolds from this program have gone on to start their own businesses that are successful . . . They’re making money and they’re supporting charities or causes that they care about.” Indigenous youth are one of the youngest and fastest growing segments of the Canadian population, and as such, they boast tremendous possibility. Yet they often face disparity in opportunities available to them when compared to non-Indigenous youth, leaving much of their potential untapped. Hrenyk and Cope want to change that. “There are differences between Indigenous entrepreneurship and mainstream entrepreneurship,” says Hrenyk. “Whether or not they’re noticing it, Indigenous entrepreneurs tend to bake social consciousness into their business — n ot just environmental sustainability or financial sustainability, but often . . . they use their business to do good in the community.” “You’re building a business to support yourself, your family, and your community,” she adds.

“While the focus of the course is still absolutely entrepreneurial, there is a cultural element that most programs won’t have,” says Hrenyk. “That’s why we wanted to do it.” As with Startup Skool’s other ‘Innovation’ programs, participants will learn about social enterprise, socially conscious businesses and environmentalism, as well as design thinking.

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It’s important for Indigenous youth to see Indigenous role models. “They go through business concept design, [and then] they pitch at the end [Dragon’s Den-style],” Hrenyk says. “It’s a week-long camp where you get a rundown of what starting and owning a business looks like.” Unlike other Startup camps, however, all guest speakers at the Indigenous Entrepreneurship Camp will be successful Indigenous entrepreneurs from around the province. And while the camp is focused on Indigenous entrepreneurship, Hrenyk stresses that all youth are welcome. “It’s important for Indigenous youth

Summer Fiction

CONTEST

Stories may well be lies, but they are good lies that say true things, and which can sometimes pay the rent. — Neil Gaiman

Does your pen ache for the written word? Has your vintage typewriter fallen victim to neglect? Is the yawning void of an empty Word document causing you stress? If so, it's time for you to make a change. It's time . . . for the Martlet's annual fiction contest. All submissions must be sent to fiction@martlet.ca (with 'FICTION' in the subject line) by July 24, 11:59 p.m. PST. Stories can be up to 2000 words maximum (1000 minimum), and must not have been previously published. Submissions are open to UVic students only, one story per entrant. The winner, as determined by a panel of judges, will be given a centrefold spread in our August issue, and will also receive a splendid prize for their efforts. Good luck!

4 NEWS • MARTLET I JUNE 09, 2016

to see Indigenous role models,” says Hrenyk. “It’s important for them to see entrepreneurs who are really successful and see them be successful without compromising their culture, and using their culture to be successful. “But it’s also important for nonIndigenous youth to see successful Indigenous entrepreneurs,” she adds. This actively combats any racist, negative mindsets that youth may have about Indigenous communities, Hrenyk explains, as well as the perception of Indigenous issues as purely historical. “I think it’s really important for them to see modern, successful Indigenous role models and see that we break the mold of those two narratives that they’ve probably heard,” she says. In its first year, the Startup Skool Indigenous Entrepreneurship Camp will be open to 20 youth, ages eight to 11. The camp offers a 6:1 student to instructor ratio, and runs 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, with early drop-off and late pick-up available at no charge. The registration fee is $400 per participant, which includes field trips,

snacks, t-shirts, headshots, online portfolios, a certificate of participation, as well as properly trained, professional instructors. The camp currently has around 10 scholarships secured, some full and some partial, though they hope to support as many participants as possible. Those interested can support the camp in a myriad of ways, including providing sponsorship, snacks, transport, and further scholarship funding. Ultimately, Hrenyk hopes to see the Indigenous Entrepreneurship Camp continuing to run after this summer, and that participants will use what they learn at the Startup Skool to share their skills and encourage others. “I hope . . . students learn that you don’t have to give up your culture to be a financial success,” Hrenyk says. “You don’t have to give up your culture to be a business owner or to go to school.” The Indigenous Entrepreneurship Camp will run from July 4–8 at the Peter B. Gustavson School of Business (BEC and DSB). Those interested in attending can register online at startupskool.com

OPINIONS

We get mad about stuff too, but you don’t see us starting Facebook groups about it.

EDITORIAL

Super InTent City is just the tip of the iceberg

Mind your mind: Self care is hard

Illustration by Stephanie Wu, The Ubyssey

DAPHNÉE LÉVESQUE THE UBYSSEY

Illustration by Emily Thiessen, Contributing Artist More so than ever before, the last few weeks have been a trying time for residents and neighbours of Victoria’s Super InTent City. On May 27, one of its residents was arrested for assaulting a CTV cameraman — one of two instances of reported violence in a 24-hour period. And now the province has filed a second injunction, the court date for which has been set for June 27–28, in an attempt to evict the campers. And Mad As Hell, a community group advocating for the tent city’s removal, has all the while been raising their voices louder and louder, calling for the city and province to take action. But what could have been a productive and reasonable initiative built out of concern for all involved has instead turned into an open forum for the haves to call the have-nots “garbage,” “freaks,” “criminals,” and any other sort of derogatory remark you can think of. Surely we’re better than this, right? These sentiments demonstrate a blatant and wilful disregard for the circumstances that put the city’s homeless in such a dire and desperate situation in the first place. You’re familiar with these circumstances, no doubt: lack of affordable and lowincome housing here (and elsewhere), reduced wages and increased unemployment rates due to economic recession, lack of adequate support for those living with mental illnesses and people with disabilities, reduced medical and pension benefits, the increased cost of living, fleeing domestic abuse, single parent incomes, and so on. These causes of homelessness have all been well documented; indeed, B.C.’s own auditor general, Carol Bellringer, has stated that the current provincial healthcare system underserves highly

vulnerable patients, including those “suffering from an acute mental illness with a long history of hospitalization and substance use issues,” and that those gaps in service are made worse by lack of resources for discharged patients. On top of that, Victoria has the lowest apartment vacancy rate — 0.6 per cent — of any major city in Canada. And on top of that, Vancouver and Victoria have some of the highest costs-of-living in North America. And on top of that . . . well, you get the idea. To ignore these facts in favour of arguing that those living in the tent city “deserve” what’s happened to them, and that we should ship ‘em off (or let the “bleeding heart liberals” host them in their own backyards), is foolish at best and actively harmful at worst. But it’s so easy for Mad As Hell and other detractors to point to the recent incidents of violence and say “this is what happens” and to damn the many based on the actions of the few. Not to mention that there is a lack of evidence to implicate any residents from tent city in these crimes anyway, with the exception of the arrest for the assault of the cameraman already mentioned. Ultimately, dismantling the tent city and forcing its residents back onto the streets or into overcrowded shelters without proper top-down solutions in place will do more harm than good. Chief Justice Hinkson echoed this in his original ruling in April when he said the benefits of the tent city for its residents outweighed any perceived inconvenience for its neighbours, and that they should be allowed to stay w h e re t h e y a re u n t i l t h e re ’s accommodation elsewhere. Perhaps the organizers and supporters of Mad as Hell should consider that sentiment: being uncomfortable at the state of

someone else’s existence does not mean that you can just force them out of being. Since the original injunction, B.C. housing minister Rich Coleman said that Victoria will have 140 more affordable housing units by the time of the next hearing, though he still has yet to disclose where these units are located. He has also stated that “anybody that’s there that is legitimately in need of housing that’s homeless [sic] will have a place to go along with support and meals to help them.” Again, no details have been provided as to what these supports will look like beyond providing adequate nutrition, entirely missing the point that much of homelessness is intersectional and that solving the problem over the long term requires more than just a roof over someone’s head (not to mention the questionable notion that there is “legitimate” and “illegitimate” homelessness). We need look no further than Medicine Hat to see that it is to everyone’s benefit when our homeless population is provided with the multi-faceted supports that they require in order to make housing security a long-term result. Yes, the tent city has its share of problems, and there will be conflict when issues like this come to the surface as strongly as they have. But that’s what happens when the invisible become visible; you have to take notice. So rather than calling for authorities to force the tent city residents off the land they have occupied, maybe instead show some compassion, and call upon the powers that be to act in the best interests of the disenfranchised among us.

VANCOUVER — As students attending one of the top universities in the world, we often walk the line between what it means to be a committed student versus flirting with self-endangerment. We sacrifice our own well-being, fail to take a step back when we most need it and romanticize drinking three cups of coffee a day. Sometimes, we even thrive on unresolved inner turmoil and sleepless nights. I don’t feel entitled to be the authority on a subject as important as self-care, but I can argue that self-care is a daily practice, an ongoing process and different for everyone. Although the line between self-care and selfishness can be somewhat blurred, the difference between the two is crystal clear — being selfish is unnecessary and taking care of yourself needs to be made a priority. To me, when anticipating a bad day, self-care means putting on your favourite pair of underwear anyway when you get out of bed. It means cultivating mindfulness, embracing self-respect and being afraid of reaching out for help . . . but doing so anyway. It’s knowing when you need retail therapy versus real psychotherapy — the latter being more expensive, but definitely more useful than the new pair of shoes you got yesterday.

Self-care means honouring the fact that it’s okay not to feel okay and then making conscious, active choices in the hopes of feeling better. And, I’m not going to lie, sometimes self-care is making all the right choices over the fun and still ending up feeling like absolute shit. It’s framing every decision you make by asking yourself, “Will this bring me short-term pleasure or long-term happiness?” It’s the difference between pursuing activities that promote instant gratification versus making intentional choices that may not make you feel good on the spot, but will definitely benefit your sense of well-being in the long run. It’s hard. It’s fucking hard, and it requires time, effort and determination. But it’s also an important part of finding happiness, especially when you’re striving to become the best version of yourself. What self-care looks like is different for everybody, but one of the most empowering forms of self-care is responsibility. Self-care is about choosing how I treat myself and how I let others treat me, facing my fears and setting clear boundaries, and cultivating an attitude towards my life that says, “I am responsible for myself, my choices and my overall health.”

R.I.P., Harambe

Editorial topics are decided on by staff at our editorial meetings, held weekly in the Martlet office (SUB B011). Editorials are written by one or more staff members and are not necessarily the opinion of all staff members. Happy? Sad? Enraged? Tell us: letters@martlet.ca

Comic by Zoë Collier JUNE 09, 2016 I MARTLET • OPINIONS 5

The coast with the most

SARAH LAZIN STAFF WRITER

Four weeks on the road in the Pacific Northwest

Ah, summer. That glorious four-month reprieve from classes and paper writing and academic responsibilities. (My condolences to those of you in summer courses.) It’s that time of year when everyone seems to set off to somewhere new and exciting to have marvelous adventures. But where is it written that you have to fly overseas or spend a copious amount of money to have a grand time? This past month, my partner was visiting from Ontario, and, as a good Victorian, I took it upon myself to prove to him that the West Coast is, in fact, the Best Coast. So with no concrete plans and one overflowing suitcase, we jumped into my VW bug and set off.

VANCOUVER Perhaps the most obvious weekend getaway from Victoria is Vancouver. In many ways, our neighbour to the east is everything Victoria is not: bustling, metropolitan, and chic. That said, Vancouver boasts that West Coast chill which eludes most big cities. Cyclists and rollerbladers seem more numerous than cars, and dogs vastly outnumber children. The highlight of this leg of our road trip (nay, the entire trip) was renting bikes and exploring Stanley Park and the Seawall. This was the most common recommendation from family and friends, as well as Vancouver locals, and we were not disawppointed. The trail is suitable for even inexperienced riders, and many of the views were reminiscent of the famous Great Ocean Road in Australia. To appease our love of the great outdoors, we spent a day gallivanting through the treetops at the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park. While the bridge itself certainly has tourist appeal, the winding Cliffwalk and Treetops Adventure are the real MVPs. Furthermore, there are free shuttles to the park from downtown for those without access to a car. Lazy afternoons in Vancouver are best spent strolling around Granville Island Public Market and napping on Kitsilano Beach. Soft white sand gives Kitsilano a tropical vibe, though the stunning views of the urban skyline remind beach-goers of their proximity to the city. The best meal we had during our short stay, hands down, was tacos and cocktails at Cuchillo. Furthermore, local diner Save on Meats deserves an honourable mention for boozy milkshakes and incredible customer service, as well as a $5 breakfast that takes a slight edge off of the Vancouver price tag.

BOWEN ISLAND From Vancouver, we set off to Bowen Island. The ferry ride takes a mere 20 minutes, though the breathtaking scenery makes it feel like even less. We chose to visit the island on a whim — and it turned out to be one of the highlights of our trip. Our ferry docked in Snug Cove hours before we could check in to our accommodation, so we set off without a map and drove the length of the tiny island. We discovered countless forest trails and secluded beaches at the end of twisting, narrow roads and dirt paths. On the advice of a local, we later found ourselves at Alder Cove. While marked as a private beach, the cove is accessible to the public and has the only sand beach on the island. (All others are quite rocky.) Here, we napped in the sun and had the whole beach to ourselves for hours. However, the absolute high point of our Bowen Island excursion was pie-yaking. What’s that, you might ask? Discounted kayak rentals followed by gourmet pie (but only on Wednesday evenings). This attraction is actually why we decided to visit the island — because really, who could resist a name like that? It exceeded all expectations. The waters were calm, even when we found ourselves in the wake of a passing ferry, and the surrounding mountains were magnificent.

thoroughly enjoyed strolling through the hipster kingdom of Fremont. While the neighbourhood is fairly small, it manages to encompass public art, independent local shops, and a quaint chocolate factory. Tours of Theo’s are $10, though you will likely eat more than that in free samples. There are countless free or nearly-free attractions in Seattle that are worth visiting. The Pike Place Market is a Seattle icon, and the nearby gum wall is making a comeback after being cleaned up this past winter. Kerry Park boasts classic views of the skyline and Space Needle — we were told most Seattle postcards are photographed here. And the Washington Arboretum is a beautiful public garden with free admission, as well as free guided tours on Sundays.

ON THE ROAD We found ourselves at Wolf Haven by complete chance. I had offhandedly picked up a brochure at a rest stop somewhere between the Canadian border and Seattle, and we figured: why not stop en route to our next destination? Nestled discretely off the highway between Seattle and Portland, Wolf Haven International has provided a home for 200 displaced wolves since 1982, and offers 50-minute guided tours that are only $10 for students. We found ourselves face-to-face with half-a-dozen wolves, guided by volunteers that were knowledgeable and passionate about conservation politics. This stop was the quintessence of road-tripping: the best memories are often made at spontaneous stops along the way. After all, the point of a road trip is to enjoy the journey, rather than rushing from point A to point B.

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Whereas Seattle tries to be hip and trendy, Portland achieves it effortlessly. Nonchalance permeate through the countless coffee shops and bars, and no one really seems to be bothered by anything. Powell’s Books, which claims to be the largest independent bookstore in the world, takes up an entire city block and demands a full day of your time. This store is the stuff of dreams — rows upon rows of poetry and comic books, and every literary genre in between. What other bookstore has an entire section dedicated to Antarctic travel, or guides to finding the best works of female authors and persons of colour? Turn down any given aisle and you will find eager shoppers with overflowing baskets, or readers tucked away in corners, already having devoured half of their newest find before reaching the checkout. Portland is also home to what is arguably the best ice cream of the West Coast. Salt and Straw offers 12 “classic” flavours (such as honey lavender, pear and blue cheese, and coffee and bourbon) and five rotating flavours each month; they have just released their “Fermentation Series” for June, boasting flavours such as dill pickle sorbet and sourdough with chocolate and strawberries. The line is always long, but service is fast and friendly with employees bringing you as many samples as you like while you wait. The famous Voodoo Doughnut shop did not disappoint, nor did Portland’s penchant for food truck culture. Needless to say, Portlanders have cultivated an incredible food scene. A final must-do when visiting Portland is taking a driving tour of Oregon’s best. Just half an hour from the city is the stunning Multnomah Falls, with Mt. Hood and Trillium Lake an easy drive into the Mt. Hood National Forest.

The best memories are often made at spontaneous stops along the way. After all, the point of a road trip is to enjoy the journey.

SEATTLE Seattle, like Vancouver, is another obvious close-by destination for vacationing Victorians. (In fact, I wrote about Seattle at length back in November — you can read that online at martlet.ca.) Just as before, we

6 FEATURE • MARTLET I JUNE 09, 2016

PORTLAND

TOFINO Our initial impression of Tofino, apart from acknowleding its obvious natural beauty, was how expensive it is. Everything we had hoped to do, from surf lessons to bear watching, cost vastly more than we had anticipated. Even kayak rentals were more costly than in other parts of the island. In this way, Tofino is not particularly accommodating of a student budget. However, adventures in the wilderness are free, notwithstanding the mandatory Pacific Rim National Park pass. Long Beach and Chesterman Beach dominated local recommendations, though it was the Schooner Cove hiking trail and beach that impressed us the most. While less popular than other beaches, the cove is perhaps just as beautiful, if not more so, due to the lack of tourist traffic. Think crashing waves, long stretches of soft beach, and bald eagles soaring overhead. Tonquin Beach was another favourite — again, slightly off the beaten path. The Rainforest Trail

ranks as our final outdoorsy front runner. Many of the trees are over 800 years old and stretch high overhead; some of the younger trees become so thin with height that they sway and creak in the wind. The best eats in Tofino are undoubtedly found at Tacofino. The menu is slightly different than the location here in Victoria, though it all tastes just as good — their watermelon basil ‘freshies’ are so refreshing after a day of hiking. High price tag aside, Tofino’s laid-back surfer vibes remind visitors to indulge in life’s simple pleasures. Each evening, dozens of visitors and locals alike flock to the pier to watch the sunset. Those in the know, however, will take in the view from the patio of the Sea Shanty restaurant with blankets, drinks, and space heaters . . . and a chocolate dessert or two.

Each of these cities could easily be the destination of a short weekend getaway (though Portland is a bit far afield) if a road trip isn’t on the books. There are so many adventures to be had in each of these incredible places — and many more along the way — proving you don’t need to go overseas this summer to take a trip worth writing home about.

Tofino

Bowen Islands Vancouver

Portland-Wolf Haven

Seattle Photos by Sarah Lazin Map of British Columbia by FreeVectorMaps.com More photographs from this adventure can be found on Instagram @sarahlazin Portland-Mt. Hood

JUNE 09, 2016 I MARTLET • FEATURE 7

CULTURE

You know what film we should all watch again? Pacific Rim. That was a great.

Almost seven weeks later, we’re still sippin’ that Lemonade ALEESHA KOERSEN & KAITLYN KOKOSKA CONTRIBUTING WRITERS It’s been just over a month since Beyoncé dropped Lemonade on the unsuspecting masses April 23. We’re sure you’ve heard a thing or two about it online. Did Jay Z really cheat on Bey? Who is Becky? Can Lemonade be for white girls like us? After much speculation and hype, these questions remain, so let’s break it down for you. Beyoncé debuted her second visual album on HBO to an audience of over 787 000 viewers. Following her last self-titled release that also featured a separate visual component for each song, Lemonade plays as a succession of pieces brought together with verse by Somali-British poet Warsan Shire. The conversation-starter of an album touches on themes of race, gender, fidelity, and sexuality: the perfect recipe to get it to the top Billboard 200 album while inspiring some muchneeded discourse. For the last fifteen years, Beyoncé has dominated the music scene with little controversy compared to other pop divas — that is, until we got our first taste of Lemonade with the striking and dynamic track “Formation.” From sampling murdered black artist Messy Mya, to custom Gucci bodysuits, the Southern-Gothic vibe, and final image of Beyoncé sinking into flood water on the roof of a New Orleans Police Department car, it became clear that Beyoncé was going to bring a powerful message with her new album. “[‘Formation’ is] kind of a mini version of the entire visual album. It contains a lot of those themes of black women, and Black Lives Matter in the U.S, but in a condensed form, but strangely lacking the issues of infidelity that came out in the visual album,” says Melissa Avdeeff, a lecturer in the Department of Music who has taught a class about Beyoncé at UVic in the past. Because Beyoncé chose to release Lemonade as a visual album, one can’t and shouldn’t ignore the visual artistry behind it. There is considerable craft put into every set and outfit. The

cinematography and the combination of black and white with colour is striking. Of particular note is the historical connections and juxtapositions made by the choice of fashion throughout. The impact of images of black women dressed in antebellum and Victorian-inspired couture placed in a Southern colonial home is undeniable. From Yeezy to Gucci to Roberto Cavalli, the outfits are ones of sartorial splendour. Musically, Lemonade bends genre boundaries, collecting and exploring influences from soul, country, rock, and hip hop. Beyoncé collaborated with artists such as Jack White, Kendrick Lamar, the Weeknd, and Ezra Koenig. It’s apparent that when she wanted a song to sound a certain way, she went to artists who had mastered that sound. But what’s drawn attention perhaps more than anything since Lemonade’s release is its account of a woman’s experience with her man’s infidelity. It’s a known narrative, but one that is explored and expressed here with a raw vulnerability made all the more obvious if you listen to the album start to finish. Take a look at the discourse surrounding the album, and you notice that people seem to take the lyrics at face value, so that they can gain insight into Beyonce’s usually very private life. Unfortunately, the media has spent more time discussing Jay Z’s alleged infidelity and fixating on who “Becky with the good hair” is than looking at some of the other issues Beyoncé has presented, such as feminism and race. To talk about Lemonade without discussing race would be naïve and would deny a large part of what the album — especially the visual component — is trying to communicate. While the album may not be telling the story of every black woman, it is telling the story of at least one: Beyoncé. The main issue here isn’t how autobiographical the lyrics are but rather the universal truths that lie beneath them. While it’s been argued by many and may be true that the intended audience for this album is a young, black, female demographic,

Illustration by Leone Brander, Graphics Contributor Beyoncé is well aware that people of all races, genders, and ages would be consuming her work. In our admittedly privileged white-person opinions, the purpose of this album may have very well been to spark important and needed conversations about the experience of black women, specifically those in America. What really distinguishes the visual album from the audio version is the use of news and audio recordings between tracks that suggest Lemonade is more than just an album about a man’s relationship with a woman — it’s about society’s relationship with women, specifically black women. For example, partway through the film, Beyoncé includes a recording of Malcolm X in which he states that “the most disrespected person in America is the black woman.” This, and the inclusion of the mothers of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown, along with

so many other references to the colonial South via the aesthetic of the video make the centring of race and women of colour in Lemonade undeniable. Navigating this album without the experience or context of oppression due to race is difficult and perhaps something we should be avoiding all together. However, Avdeef says that “if we only studied material that is culturally similar to ours, that would re a l l y b e a h i n d r a n c e t o t h e advancement of academic research.” In an essay titled “Moving Beyond Pain” published on May 9, feminist and social activist bell hooks said that while the visual album showcases powerful black women in a celebratory fashion, she does not think those representations address issues of patriarchy. “No matter how hard women in relationships with patriarchal men work

for change, forgive, and reconcile, men must do the work of inner and outer transformation if emotional violence against black females is to end. We see no hint of this in Lemonade,” hooks writes. In her own words, Beyoncé is “the bitch who caused all this conversation,” and for good reason. More than a month after Lemonade was released, we’re still talking about it for more than just the music and the artistry, but also because of the significant, difficult-to-resolve issues that come with discussing race in the United States and in a media-driven society. It’s a testament to her influence that Beyoncé took something so sour and made it taste so sweet.

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8 CULTURE • MARTLET I JUNE 09, 2016

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D.I.Y. LIFE: ART / SCIENCE / ECOLOGY FAIR This fair is part of NATURAL SCIENCE, a touring BioArt exhibit that runs June 17 to July 30. The fair, which includes workshops, live music, performance art, and other such things, offers a venue to explore possibilities for an innovative and sustainable future — so positive! Oh, and there’s going to be an ‘Algae Organ,’ a bicyclepropelled street organ that grows and displays living algae. Uh, yeah. Check that out. Fisherman’s Wharf Park, 12 Erie St. Saturday, June 25, 12–5 p.m. Admission by donation; open to all ages. More info available at openspace.ca/NATURAL_SCIENCE

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COMMUNITY 2016 VICTORIA ABORIGINAL CULTURAL FESTIVAL This festival, hosted by the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations, will feature three days of performances on an outdoor stage in celebration of National Aboriginal Day. Not only that, but Aboriginal artists will be on-site with handmade carvings, prints, jewelry and more. And there’s going to be some tasty food. Why would anyone miss this? Royal B.C. Museum, 675 Belleville St. Friday, June 17, to Sunday, June 19. Admission is free and open to all; full event schedule available at aboriginalbc.com/victoria-aboriginal-festival/

21ST ANNUAL FERNFEST Well, here’s one reason why you might miss some of it. That same weekend marks Fernwood’s 21st annual celebration of the community. Musicians, performers, dancers, food, beer(!) — the list goes on! Looks like you’ll have this weekend cut out for you, but there’s nothing in the rules saying you can’t do both. Friday, June 17, 5–10 p.m., and Saturday, June 18, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Admission is free; full event schedule and lineup available at fernwoodnrg.ca/events-directory/fernfest

MUSIC VOIVOD, W/ KING PARROT & CHILD BITE There is nothing I could write here that would capture the technical, brutal, spellbinding experience that is listening to Voivod, and how lucky we mortals are to have them grace Victoria with their presence. It’s pure Canadian progressive thrash metal. Get into it. King Parrot (Australia) and Child Bite (Detroit) support. Distrikt Nightclub, 919 Douglas St. Sunday, June 12, 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $19.50 in advance, $25 at the door; available at Lyle’s Place, Strathcona Hotel, and ticketzone.ca.

SHAKE! FEST 3 This annual summer music festival is “avant-garde from the get-go,” and with a lineup including lo-fi psych pop, industrial noise punk, and various other adjectives, there’s some truth to that claim. Three days + six venues + 25 bands = one Canada Day weekend you’ll not want to miss. Thursday, June 30, to Saturday, July 2. Full event schedule, locations, and day passes/tickets available at shakefestvic.experienceshake.com

THEATRE GODDAMN MILLENIALS AGAIN?! Should this event go under this section? That depends if improv is a type of theatre. That question probably won’t be answered at this one-time event, but hey, come for the ontological inquiries, stay for the laughs. Comedian Victoria Banner brings three of her all-time fav comedians to Victoria (all under the age of 40!) to make jokes and stuff. Check it out! Victoria Event Centre, 1415 Broad St. Tuesday, June 21, 8–10 p.m. Tickets are $15 and available online at brownpapertickets.com/event/2555443

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JUNE 09, 2016 I MARTLET • CULTURE 9

CULTURE

Want to cover a special event, concert, or festival this summer? Email us at edit@martlet.ca

‘It’s a good time to be a Canadian artist,’ says Young Empires frontman EMMETT ROBINSON SMITH CONTRIBUTING WRITER

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Toronto band Young Empires just finished their extensive U.S. tour following the release of their debut album The Gates — a trek that included a stop in Victoria on May 18. The Martlet caught up with singer Matt Vlahovich on the phone ahead of their show to get the lowdown on their latest output, his thoughts on music streaming, and what’s next on the horizon for the group. This interview has been edited and condensed for print.

The Martlet: Hi, Matt. So the most recent thing you put out was your “So Cruel” remix on April 8. Matt Vlahovich: Yeah, we put out some remix of “So Cruel” with this guy Alixander III, who used to be one of the producers of Azari & III, who unfortunately had a short-lived career but were amazing house musicians and have kind of gone on their own way. But I was good friends with Alphonse, who was one of the main producers of that group, and he did an interesting take on the remix. I never like to give people direction on how to do remixes. When I work with any artist and when I’m collaborating it’s really about them bringing whatever it is they do to the table, and not about me micromanaging artistic direction . . . Some artists need something to have as a reference point. A lot of musicians will steal chord p ro g re s s i o n s f ro m o t h e r musicians, but I still think that art can be something that just comes from the magic of your mind. I think that’s where creativity comes from, not from trying to copy other people. Another example would be if I wanna get a song mixed for the album, and the engineer says, ‘What do you want it to sound like?’ My answer is always, ‘Make it sound good. Make it sound better than the reference, than where it started off.’

Has there been a good response to the remix, do you think?

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We’re in kind of a strange time. When the band started off, music blogs had a lot of cred and there was a big momentum around music blogs, and that could really ignite and spark massive fan growth and stuff like that. I’m not sure that it’s the same anymore. When I talk to young people, it seems to me Spotify and streaming services are really the number one way that people are finding their music. And the big challenge with having one big centralized platform where all music’s being found and shared is that if you’re

not on a major playlist, then you kind of just get lost in the abyss. I don’t know if that’s what’s happening with the remix. It’s maybe too early to tell.

T h o s e s t re a m i n g s e r v i c e s definitely have their benefits and their drawbacks, especially for the artist that actually made the music. Yeah, we’re in a time now where unless you’re in that one percentile of top musicians in the world, be it the Drakes or the Weeknds . . . it is becoming increasingly difficult to monetize in this world where people aren’t buying music and where the streaming services tend to pay out the labels more than the artist. Everyone says, ‘Oh, synchronization [and] getting music into film and television is the next wave of the future,’ but now that’s become incredibly competitive, too. It’s a very small world of close-knit relationships and if you’re an outsider to that, then it’s tough to get your music placed. And the environment now is where all over Los Angeles, these teams of dozens, if not hundreds of songwriters are just working to pump out music

Yeah, it’s definitely in the works. We qualified and were awarded a MuchFACT grant that has to do with interactivity and music videos. [Editor’s note: MuchFACT is a company funded entirely by Much and M3 (formerly MuchMoreMusic) that “considers applications requesting co-financing for music videos and music related content.”] We had a lot of success with [the] “White Doves” video that had a Facebook integration component, and this new video, I can’t tell you much about it, but basically it’s gonna be presented like a short film . . . I don’t know if I can disclose that info yet. [It] uses webcam technology to create an enhanced user experience or something like that. As a young group — well, we’ve been around for a while — you always have to try to find ways to distinguish yourselves a little bit. I found that for so long I was really bored of music videos. When I was growing up in the ‘90s, just seeing a band play in, like, a bar, and [seeing] people getting wasted and stuff like that in the video seemed boring to me. So we’ve worked hard to find creatives in the video space that are embracing technology too. And we’re really fortunate that MuchFACT has created this new category where they are expanding the idea of what a traditional music video is. It’s pretty cool. It’s a good time to be a Canadian artist for sure.

So you guys are on a pretty extensive tour right now, and you’re coming back into Victoria in May. Did you guys enjoy Rifflandia? Yeah, Rifflandia was a total blast. We had the chance to visit Victoria twice this year: once with Dragonette, Photo by Kevin Thompson once at Rifflandia. And we very quickly found Little for the purpose of film and television, Jumbo, which is now our favourite so music supervisors often lean toward place to eat. One of our favourites in the production instead of paying an the country. So we have a few days off artist an exorbitant amount. It’s easier [and] that’s where we’re going to be to ask someone to write a song that hiding out basically every night, eating sounds like M83 than to actually go their platters. out and use an M83 track. Victoria is a really special place in So yeah, it’s a weird landscape right the country, and I know the last time now with industry and being at where we were there, with Dragonette, was we are at, where we have a pretty kind of the last day of our tour, and I good amount of commercial success think the entire band was just a little in Canada, a little bit in the U.S., but exhausted. We didn’t have the best we’re still a medium-sized band, and show. So I feel like I owe Victoria a it’s [a question of] how do you take that great show. So I’m really looking to the next level? And I think it really forward to coming there and having comes down to what the next record’s one or two days off in Victoria before gonna sound like for us. And we’re the show will really reinvigorate us. gonna get back into the studio and Just being back in Canada will be a start writing the next record after this big treat because touring in the U.S. tour. has its challenges. Namely, it’s hard to find great food And you guys were talking about when we’re touring there.

an interactive web project as well. How has that been formulating?

SPORTS | LIFESTYLE I tried a bamboo toothbrush in the pursuit of sustainable consumerism KAITLYN KOKOSKA CONTRIBUTING WRITER With a slew of sustainable products flooding our newsfeeds via crowdfunding campaign websites like Kickstarter, it’s difficult to tell what’s actually sustainable and what’s just trendy. I decided to try out one product called BamBrush, a biodegradable toothbrush made of bamboo developed by UVic business student Ryan Price and his friends — among them a second business student and a member of the Navy — to see if the idea of sustainable dental hygiene would really work. Day 1: I picked up my first BamBrush sample at the Martlet office. Instead of the expected green stock that hangs out of a panda’s mouth, the brush is brown and lightweight with a minimalist design. The handle is dipped in green paint with black lettering that says Bam. After returning home and chowing down on some garlicky pizza, I decided to test this baby out. BamBrush grew out of a weekend project in which Price and three of his friends came together to create an eco-friendly product. They’re a brand new company, but have already made deals with suppliers directly from China in the hopes to see their product grow. The current model comes in four colours and is 98 per cent

biodegradable — the naturally antibacterial and hypoallergenic bamboo handle can be composted, but the high grade nylon bristles cannot. Though, it beats putting polyurethane plastic in your mouth for months before tossing it into the landfill. (Price recommends snapping the head off, and says they’re looking into alternative bristles.) At first, he thought of putting bamboo in my mouth every day seemed kind of strange yet intriguing, then grew a bit worrisome. What about splintering? Regardless, I wet the toothbrush and put my favourite Super-Icy mint toothpaste on the nylon. It was business as usual, and didn’t feel any different than a regular toothbrush. DAY 5: I left my cool, new toothbrush in my dollar-store toothbrush holder. My seven-month-old blue plastic toothbrush sat envious and unused as I smiled into the mirror with my BamBrush in hand. BamBrush is not just a toothbrush; it’s also a subscription service that ships toothbrushes to their customers for about five dollars every six weeks. Price’s main goal is to promote proper hygiene in a sustainable way by adhering to the Canadian Dental Association’s recommendation of changing out your toothbrush after a maximum of three months. “It’s difficult to change a behaviour,”

said Price. “Your dentist is right: you should be changing it, and here’s a better solution than plastic toothbrushes.” In the last few years, companies have taken notice to the trendiness of farmers markets, sustainable clothing, and all the PETA videos we’ve been sharing on our Facebook feeds. It used to be that “going green” was just for hipster hippy kids, but now it’s for everyone. “Everyone’s super passionate about trying to make a positive difference as well as making a few bucks,” said Price. Other companies have caught on to the idea of mixing consumerism with ensuring the lasting survival of the planet, with products an edible spoon developed in India that’s made out of compacted millet, rice, and wheat, and Florida-based SaltWater Brewery’s edible six-pack rings made out of natural beer byproducts. Day 7: One week into my BamBrush adventure, I met with Price to talk about his company’s place in an already trendy market. Mainstream market trends can push better products, and many companies jump on the bandwagon to profit, but not all of them can deliver what they promise. Even Price has some competition in the bamboo toothbrush market, including a company that’s seemingly disappeared after a successful Indiegogo campaign, and

other toothbrush manufacturers that tout sustainability. With so many options, it can be difficult to choose a company to stand by. Price hopes to differentiate his product with his subscription service that minimizes packaging and effort for the customer by delivering the toothbrush right to their door. Being new to an already existing market, they’re looking to build a strong subscription base and develop partnerships with dentists on the island. “We want to be in everyone’s mouths,” said Price. Day 15: My toothbrush is still going after two weeks of use. The logo at the end of the handle is completely gone, but it’s not a big deal. It’s natural for paint to dissolve in water after a prolonged plunge and I have been known to have a pretty hard brushing regime. (And no splintering!) Overall, I loved using my BamBrush

knowing that I’m making much less of an impact than using my plastic brush, and I’d love to have a new brush show up at my door every six weeks, especially if that brush is 100 per cent compostable. Just because sustainable products are trendy in the mainstream, doesn’t mean Birkenstock-wearing, Masonjar-drinking West Coast hipsters like us should shy away from it. If we support more eco-friendly products like BamBrush, then companies will start making them for us. The competition will grow, and amazing products will come out of it which could be the beginning of an entire movement to better protect our planet. Image provided by Ryan Price/ BamBrush

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