Vaccination Protesters Demand More Understanding
by Irina JiangImage: DJ Paine / Unsplash As COVID cases are trending down in Ontario, largely thanks to the mandatory vaccination policy to participate in activities, including restaurants, a new round of anti-vaccination protests has unfolded. It is intuitive for most people to get vaccinated to protect themselves from having the virus. However, even with… Continue reading Vaccination Protesters Demand More Understanding
Western University Sexual Violence and Validation of Rape Culture 
by Sofia FreitasImage: Archives of Ontario / Flickr It is no secret that despite societal progression on a global scale, women across the world are still subjected to gratuitous violence and misogynistic preconceptions, with their heinous aggressors primarily known to be men. With this unfortunate notion understood, the incrementing sexual violence countless female students faced… Continue reading Western University Sexual Violence and Validation of Rape Culture 
A Dark Scar on Our Past — Residential Schools
by Yameen KhurshidImage: GoToVan / Flickr Earlier this year (June 24th), 715 unmarked graves of Indigenous children were found at a former Canadian residential school (Marieval Residential School) on the Cowessess First Nation, east of Regina — just weeks following the discovery of the remains of 215 more children at a former B.C. residential school.… Continue reading A Dark Scar on Our Past — Residential Schools
Why have we not improved our hate crime responses?
by Monique KasongaImage: Jason Leung / Unsplash Despite the growing awareness and fight against hate crimes, hate-fueled violence is still growing rapidly in Canada and the United States. Increases in racist rhetoric have coincided with increases in racist attacks. Particularly, since February 2020, Asians and people of Asian descent around the world have been subjected… Continue reading Why have we not improved our hate crime responses?
America’s Policing of Women’s Reproductive Rights: The Anti Abortion Legislation in Texas
by Sofia FreitasImage: Gayatri Malhotra / Unsplash On September 1st, 2021, the Austin Texas Circut Court of Appeals issued a one-page statement allowing for the temporary re-establishment of heavy restrictions on abortions. This law prohibits the termination of pregnancy once cardiac activity is detected – after about six weeks – with no exceptions pertaining to… Continue reading America’s Policing of Women’s Reproductive Rights: The Anti Abortion Legislation in Texas
Facebook’s Control of Communication
by Douaa QadadiaImage: Alexander Shatov / Unsplash A complete shutdown. That’s what occurred on October 4th, 2021, at 11:40 EST. Facebook, Whatsapp and Instagram all went down simultaneously, causing utter chaos for people around the world. There are approximately 3.5 billion global users currently on Facebook, Whatsapp and Instagram, so one can imagine the chaos… Continue reading Facebook’s Control of Communication
Carbon Capture Technology: revolution or sugarcoated promise?
by Victor DupasquierImage: Andreas Felske / Unsplash Capturing CO2 in the atmosphere, or directly in the factories, and mixing it with hydrogen to create a fuel that is carbon neutral. Doesn’t it sound like an amazing solution to climate change? Let’s put this Carbon Capture theory into practice. According to the IPCC, we were supposed… Continue reading Carbon Capture Technology: revolution or sugarcoated promise?
New policies in China “relieve” the Students from Peer Pressure
by Irina JiangImage: yu wei / Unsplash Chinese children, born into the most populous country in the world, face tremendous pressure since birth, as do their parents. Every choice made by parents is perceived to directly affect their child’s future career and social status. Some parents spend much of their income on kindergarten education for… Continue reading New policies in China “relieve” the Students from Peer Pressure
Hope, Community, and Dreams from the American Dream School
by Meheer CommuriImage: Kimberly Farmer/ Unsplash He was scared. He was worried. This unfamiliar place was so new to him. But he was finally here. He was in New York City. Mr. Cabrera was only 14 when he first attempted to cross the border and enter America. Growing up in Tlaxcala, his family lived in… Continue reading Hope, Community, and Dreams from the American Dream School
When your favourite Ice Cream brand, Ben & Jerry’s, stands up for Human Rights
by Sonia SaidImage: Hybrid Storytellers / Unsplash Recently, the atrocities perpetrated in Palestine have been well known by the users of social media platforms. Information being shared this way allowed for the killings, violence, and mass protests to be documented in real time. It meant that the inaction of powerful figures was highlighted as well.… Continue reading When your favourite Ice Cream brand, Ben & Jerry’s, stands up for Human Rights
The Filipino Youth’s Call to Reopen Physical Classes
by Karina MelencioImage: Ivan Aleksic/ Unsplash On March 16, 2020, President Rodrigo Duterte announced a nation-wide lockdown, declaring the Philippines in a state of calamity. The announcement put all citizens under an Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ). Along with the news came a flood of preventive measures meant to ensure the safety of Filipino citizens and… Continue reading The Filipino Youth’s Call to Reopen Physical Classes
Olympics: Game for Peace or Game for Politicians?
by Irina JiangImage: Bryan Turner/ Unsplash The Olympics games were established three thousand years ago in Greece and have since become the most preeminent sporting event in the world. Apart from being a renowned sporting competition, the Olympics is beloved for a beautiful Greek principle: the Olympic Truce. First beginning in the eighth century B.C,… Continue reading Olympics: Game for Peace or Game for Politicians?
The Arab World’s Saddening Relationship with Honour Killings
by Douaa QadadiaImage: Brett Jordan / Unsplash “You must preserve our honour and family name.” That is the message that Arab girls constantly hold in their mind as they live their everyday lives. The way you dress, talk, act, and look are all under a microscope. Should I be talking to them? Should I post… Continue reading The Arab World’s Saddening Relationship with Honour Killings
As Pakistan Fights COVID, Misinformation Presents Another Battle
by Meheer CommuriImage: visuals / Unsplash Both in the thick of the coronavirus pandemic, India and Pakistan find themselves in opposite positions. In India, people are lining up for far too few vaccines. In Pakistan, there are far too few lines. Although the country “has secured 17 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine… [and] approved… Continue reading As Pakistan Fights COVID, Misinformation Presents Another Battle
Civil Servants: “Work to Live” takes a Courage
by Irina JiangImage: Saulo Mohana / Unsplash How can one find security during a volatile time? For graduates from top Chinese universities, the answer is working as civil servants. Civil servants are those who work for the government in positions such as firefighters, social workers, teachers, and army attorneys. Earning on average 6000 RMB ($930… Continue reading Civil Servants: “Work to Live” takes a Courage
We may have a lot of problems on Earth, but we still need to explore the universe
by Nanditha Nagamani PraveenImage: Shot by Cerqueira / Unsplash When Galileo first pointed his telescope towards the moon, he might never have imagined that humans would someday be able to set foot on this celestial body. The human quest for knowledge didn’t stop from man’s first journey to space in 1961, nor did it end… Continue reading We may have a lot of problems on Earth, but we still need to explore the universe
You Aren’t the Activist That You Think You Are
by Monique KasongaImage: camilo jimenez / Unsplash #StopAsianHate. #MeToo. #SaveIndia. #FreePalestine. #PrayforUyghurMuslims. #BlackOutTuesday. What do all of these social justice issues have in common? They all became performative social media trends. According to Medium, an online social journalism platform, performative activism is “activism that is done to increase one’s social capital rather than because of… Continue reading You Aren’t the Activist That You Think You Are
The 2021 Tokyo Olympics Debate
by Lindsay WongImage: Dakiny / CreativeCommons The upcoming Tokyo Olympics has sparked a very unique debate concerning the dangers of the COVID-19 pandemic: should the games be held or cancelled? While it looks like the games have gotten the green light to go ahead and are slated to begin on July 23rd, the public is… Continue reading The 2021 Tokyo Olympics Debate
Cancel Culture and Other Excuses
by Karina MelencioImage: Markus Winkler / Unsplash The term ‘cancel culture’ and the act of ‘cancelling’ public figures for their ignorance toward social issues roots from the Civil Rights Movement in America and has long circulated the sphere of Black Twitter. Over the years, ‘cancel culture’ has regained traction, and usage of the term began… Continue reading Cancel Culture and Other Excuses
Australia’s Shocking Pandemic
by AnonymousImage: Pexels Free Photos Australia’s Shocking Pandemic Another pandemic has hit Australia but this time it is not something that can be solved by washing your hands or wearing a mask. Rather, it has spread through schools, households and most notably, the Australian Government. The pandemic of discussion is one comprised of sexual assault… Continue reading Australia’s Shocking Pandemic
New Zealand: Ahead of the curve on Miscarriage Paid Leave
by Tatyana BaldwinImage: Spi-V / Flickr The terms miscarriage and stillbirth are applied to a pregnancy that leads to the loss of the baby. Both of these events cause unmeasurable grief and pain for the parents. As with any loss, it takes time to heal and accept the reality of the loss. For this reason,… Continue reading New Zealand: Ahead of the curve on Miscarriage Paid Leave
Why Mental Health Mattered Yesterday, Matters today and Will Matter Tomorrow
by Sonia SaidImage: Andy Zurich / Flickr There might be no better time to talk about Mental Health than now. Why? Because like women’s day, everyday should be Mental Health awareness day. And during the current pandemic of the Covid-19, people have been more and more concerned. Mental health is an extensive part of our… Continue reading Why Mental Health Mattered Yesterday, Matters today and Will Matter Tomorrow
An Age of Information? Or MIS-information?
by Nanditha Nagamani PraveenImage: Roman Kraft / Unsplash In the last few years, social media has bulldozed its way to being one of the most effective platforms for speaking out on social and political issues, and 2020 was no exception. From the coronavirus pandemic, to the US presidential elections, to the Indian farmer protests, public… Continue reading An Age of Information? Or MIS-information?
WE ARE(N’T) WHAT WE EAT
by Lara ChoyImage: Nico Smit / Unsplash It’s a chilly pandemic winter and three very different Torontonians secretly share in the same struggle. A recently unemployed server rushes down the sidewalk with spare cash from his roommate to pay for a few groceries. He passes a small apartment, where a single mother begins skipping meals… Continue reading WE ARE(N’T) WHAT WE EAT
Press the Recording Button! It’s Not That Hard.
by Irina JiangImage: Matheus Farias / Unsplash What is your first impression of online schooling? Flexible? Enjoyable? The answer for Kaijie Zhang, a former freshman student from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, a private university in New York, would be “lethal”. On February 8th, 2021, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute posted a brief announcement on their website expressing their… Continue reading Press the Recording Button! It’s Not That Hard.
Tackling Hate Crimes in the U.S.
by Jessie JinImage: Mike Gifford / Flickr From the appalling anti-black, racism-motivated murder in College Park to the violent attack on an elderly Asian woman just a few days ago (as of this writing), the United States has reached an all-time high in hate crimes. The Anti-Defamation League claimed that 3566 “extremist propaganda incidents” occurred… Continue reading Tackling Hate Crimes in the U.S.
The Murdoch Media Monopoly: An Alarming Alliteration
“Without a free and diverse press, democracy simply cannot function in its wholeness.” Continue reading The Murdoch Media Monopoly: An Alarming Alliteration
Can It Be Done? – Gender Neutrality in the French Language
by Monique Kasonga Image: papillion_1/Flickr In a world where gender nonconformity and neutrality are slowly on the rise, many languages and cultures have added and adopted gender neutral pronouns. While there have long been gender-neutral pronouns in English, many other languages still lack this inclusive language. Understanding the situation’s complexity requires looking at the concept… Continue reading Can It Be Done? – Gender Neutrality in the French Language
YuZhang Academy: the Reform Schools of Exacerbation
by Jessie Jin Image Source: CGTN Trigger Warning: r*pe, abuse, self-harm. Viewer discretion is advised. “The room I was imprisoned in was dark, the only source of light was from a crack in the wall. The walls are covered in mildew, and there are often rats and cockroaches on the floor. The room has an… Continue reading YuZhang Academy: the Reform Schools of Exacerbation
Today’s Youth is Suffering in a Different Way Than You May Think
by Monique Kasonga Image Source: Robert Lang With the one year anniversary of COVID-19’s arrival to Canada just around the corner, most Canadians are able to say how much their lives have drastically changed during this past year. Back in March, when most of the country found itself in quarantine, many of Canada’s youth experienced… Continue reading Today’s Youth is Suffering in a Different Way Than You May Think
Patriotic Education for Chinese High Schools
by Jessie Jin Image Source: The Conversation Bravery lies equidistant of cowardness and recklessness. Truthfulness lies equidistant of self-depreciation and boastfulness. People strive to reach a balancing point between these characteristics; it’s with the delicate point of balance that ultimate productivity can be achieved. Like everything else, there is a fine line between educating youth… Continue reading Patriotic Education for Chinese High Schools
Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women: The Ongoing Canadian Genocide
By Monique Kasonga Image Credit: Amnesty Canada When discussing genocide, Canada is definitely not the first country that comes to mind. Indigenous people have been targeted from the beginning of colonial Canada, displaced and awfully treated by the Canadian government with the goal of assimilation. There are many systemic factors that play into the mistreatment… Continue reading Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women: The Ongoing Canadian Genocide
School Bullying: A Silent Killer
By: The Global Diplomat Writer Image credit: Forbes For a long time, a voice would always loom in my head-“You will never admit how malice your sins were; your lives are filled with so much boredom that you wish one more person will die in this world.” This is a quote from the protagonist of… Continue reading School Bullying: A Silent Killer
Cultural Differences Unveiled Through COVID-19
By Kristin Cho Image credit: Oracle The COVID-19 pandemic has a global impact socially, economically, and politically. Although countries like New Zealand, Vietnam, and Taiwan have been averaging less than 5 new cases each day, many countries still struggle with the exploding new COVID cases. With the elongated duration of the pandemic providing great numbers… Continue reading Cultural Differences Unveiled Through COVID-19
Cultural Appropriation
By Lindsay Wong Image credit: Bustle The onset of globalization has led to an increase in social awareness and consciousness. The issue of cultural appropriation has prompted debate and led to more people getting called out for toxic behavior. Cultural appropriation refers to members of a more dominant society inappropriately adopting the customs, practices, ideas,… Continue reading Cultural Appropriation
The Global Diplomat 