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Vancouver Art Gallery demonstration marks the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists

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This is a social media graphic reading SILENT MARCH AGAINST GENOCIDE showing a blue press jacket and helmet.
PHOTO: @freepalestinebc / Instagram

By: Lucaiah Smith-Miodownik, News Writer

Content warning: mentions of genocide. 

November 2 marked the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists. Protestors gathered at the Vancouver Art Gallery to mourn and oppose the mounting death toll of journalists at the hands of the Israeli military. 

As of November 26, “At least 137 journalists and media workers were among the more than tens of thousands killed in Gaza, the West Bank, Israel, and Lebanon” since October 7, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). Such a number marks “the deadliest period for journalists since CPJ began gathering data in 1992.” CPJ is a non-profit focused on protecting freedom of the press as well as the safety of journalists worldwide. Al Jazeera reported that critics say “Israel — which banned foreign reporters from entering Gaza — targets journalists in the Palestinian territory to obscure the truth about its war crimes there.”

Protestors waved Palestinian flags and donned blue as a tribute to the blue press jackets and helmets commonly worn by journalists reporting in war zones. Some brought out large bundles of cloth with red paint splatters meant to represent killed Palestinian journalists. The event featured several speakers, some of whom did not disclose their full names. 

The last speaker at the demonstration was Adel Iskandar, a global communications associate professor at SFU. The Peak spoke with Iskandar and Tamer Abu-Ramadan, a local Palestinian rights activist who was also present at the event, for more information.

Iskandar and Abu-Ramadan came to protest the Israeli military’s killing of Palestinian journalists, but also to fight against the Canadian press’ lack of sophisticated coverage on this. Both wanted to “call out journalists” in Canada “for failing to stand up for their colleagues.” 

“It is quite remarkable that journalists of all people are not covering the story,” said Abu-Ramadan.

“If you don’t see the fate of Palestinian journalists as patently unjust, then it raises questions about your own humanity as a journalist.” — Adel Iskandar, associate professor of global communications, SFU

“If you don’t see the fate of Palestinian journalists as patently unjust, then it raises questions about your own humanity as a journalist,” said Iskandar. “In the name of objectivity in the west, we have effectively stopped caring about Palestinians irrespective of who they are,” he added. Iskandar explained that western media’s coverage relies on racist tropes and stereotypes rather than providing a deeper context and history. Palestinians have been subjected to dehumanization and misrepresentation in western media for decades. To provide more nuanced, contextual coverage would be to challenge “built-in assumptions” about “who is good or bad, or right or wrong,” said Iskandar. 

At the recent protest, Iskandar described how a Global TV journalist came to report on the event. Iskandar alleged that the reporter knew the demonstration was about “the attack on the press,” but was unaware of its focus on the murders of Palestinian journalists. When the reporter saw Palestinian flags and keffiyehs, he allegedly explained he didn’t realize the event was “anti-Israeli,” ultimately leaving without covering the story. “If it was any other place, they probably would have stayed,” said Iskandar.

For Abu-Ramadan, the reporter’s choice to leave was all but surprising. He referenced an exposé written by ex-CBC producer, who goes under the pseudonym Molly Schumann, detailing the network’s staunch unwillingness to name, much less cover, the Palestinian genocide. He also explained the press’ tendency to pick and choose when to cover journalist deaths. Abu-Ramadan cited the Russian invasion of Ukraine as an example of when these deaths were covered.

Poll data suggests that Canadians’ sympathy for Palestine has increased. However, whether the media reflects this change in perception is less certain according to Iskandar. “We are now beginning to witness the first true test of whether or not our media system actually speaks to public opinion on this issue,” he said. Abu-Ramadan expressed a similar attitude, saying, “The media is not reflective of the public sentiment [ . . . ] but it is reflective of what the government wants.” He noted that Schumann’s exposé revealed the media’s top-down approach to manipulating coverage so it’s “more favourable towards Israel” on the topic of the Palestinian genocide.

“What I’d like to see is an honest public media that takes seriously human stories irrespective of where they’re coming from,” said Iskandar. “Journalism should help us empathize, not make us cold to one another.”

SFU Women in Computing Science have been transforming the program for the past 20 years

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An illustration of a laptop open with a pink pop-up window that says WiCS. The background is purple with sparkles.
ILLUSTRATION: Abbey Perley / The Peak

By: Denise Siu, SFU student

Editor’s note: Denise Siu is an executive member of SFU WiCS. 

The SFU Women in Computing Science (WiCS) is an organization that deserves more recognition. Our organization is inclusive of nonbinary, transgender, and gender non-conforming individuals. 

Over the past few years, our growth has been nothing short of inspiring to watch. SFU WiCS advocates for its members through the vibrant community it has created — running as many as  30 initiatives per semester, made possible by hardworking student volunteers. These include everything: from networking opportunities and office tours to social events, technical workshops, high school outreach, grad events, a mentorship program, lunch with professors, and more. 

Since the early 2000s and continuing through 2015, UBC undergraduate enrollment data shows that men have made up about 70% of the students enrolled in computing science undergraduate programs. Individuals who do not identify as men often find themselves in the minority, which can be an isolating experience. The community that WiCS has built, the support system it provides, and the opportunities it brings highlights the importance and need for this organization. Former SFU WiCS executive member, Harpreet Dubb said, “Being a part of WiCS has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my university journey. When I first joined, I was looking for a supportive community where I could connect with others in computer science, and WiCS provided exactly that.”

Earlier this year, SFU WiCS celebrated its 20th anniversary, a significant milestone for its generations of members. At the reunion event some of the organization’s founders, Dr. Angelica Lim and Dr. Parmit Chilana — both now faculty at SFU — gave inspiring speeches sharing the beginnings and journey of SFU WiCS over the years. With everyone reflecting on their respective experiences with SFU WiCS, decades of stories were shared by the alum who came out to celebrate. It was uplifting to meet so many of these individuals, to see where they ended up, and how SFU WiCS shaped their paths, making a positive impact in their lives.

“With the continued gender disparity in computing science, events like these are crucial and it truly amazes me what this student-led group is capable of.”

SFU WiCS also works to engage with the next generation of technologists. Try/CATCH, the Computing and Technology Conference for Her, is one of the significant events that WiCS organizes every year for high school outreach. This event has brought over 1,400 students to the SFU Burnaby campus since 2009 for a day of learning about computing. The students listen to a keynote speaker, choose from a variety of technical workshops to attend, and interact with a panel of current university students. The purpose of this event is to generate interest in these young students and empower them to explore and potentially pursue computing. 

Gahee K., the now co-president of WiCS, recalled, “I attended Try/CATCH when I was in grade 11. There I learned about the different sectors within the technology industry and was inspired by the people hosting the event. They gave me guidance on the [Software Systems] (SoSy) program at SFU and shared insights about university life. Once I started attending school at SFU, I jumped at the opportunity to help organize Try/CATCH and to inspire the next generation.” This event not only represents so much of what WiCS stands for, but also bridges a gap between high school and university students. 

One of the most impactful annual events for current WiCS members is Networking Night in collaboration with SFU Women in Engineering. Planning for this event starts as early as five months before the day itself. The organizing team uses their extra time, on top of coursework and jobs, to gather sponsors, reach out to industry mentors and panelists, and organize logistics to make an unforgettable night for their community members. This year, the event had 22 panelists and mentors from various companies and a strong turnout of student attendees from both computing science and engineering majors who came out to network and gained first-hand insights into their potential future careers. Students got to enjoy a catered dinner while doing speed dating style networking sessions in small groups. 

I have been an active member of the Women in Computing Science community for the past four years and it has been the best thing to ever happen to me. I have made lifelong friends, learned so much about the industry and different career paths, and developed indispensable leadership experience which has helped me through my university journey. Although WiCS is only for individuals in computing science at SFU, I hope that everyone can find their own version of WiCS because everyone deserves a community like this one. 

Discovery of four-gene signature helps predict neonatal sepsis

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photo of a newborn baby
PHOTO: Jonathan Borba / Unsplash

By: Lucaiah Smith-Miodownik, News Writer

Content warning: mentions of fatal infection.

Neonatal sepsis (NS) is a deadly condition for newborn babies within the first 28 days of life. As the body cannot properly respond to infections caused by common bacteria like “E. coli, Listeria, and Group B streptococcus,” as well as “viruses, fungi, and parasites,” infants can develop NS. The condition leads to “an estimated 200,000 deaths worldwide each year, with the highest rates in lower- and middle-income countries.” 

Early-onset sepsis, occurring in the baby’s first three to seven days of life, is generally caused by perinatal risk factors. Perinatal refers to the period of time a birth parent first becomes pregnant and “up to a year after giving birth.” Perinatal risk factors include “infection in the placenta and amniotic fluid,” a birthing parent’s water breaking early, or bacteria that have “colonized” in the internal reproductive system during pregnancy. Late-onset sepsis, found after three to seven days, is often caused by bacteria in a hospital setting, transmitted through “medical equipment such as catheters, IVs, and tubes.” However, signifiers of NS, such as irritability or feeding issues for the newborn, are “often non-specific” and “can also be associated with non-infectious causes,” making the condition difficult to diagnose.

Until recently, most studies regarding NS have focused on the infection after diagnosis. However, a new discovery from a group of UBC and SFU researchers, along with Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia, could change that. “Critically, our prospective study provided the unique opportunity to identify gene expression biomarkers that could predict, at birth, which healthy-appearing neonates will develop sepsis, and to follow these neonates during sepsis,” reported the team.

“Knowing that sepsis is impending would also allow physicians more time to determine the appropriate treatment to use.” — Dr. Bob Hancock, professor of microbiology and immunology at UBC

The team mapped “the expression of genes active at birth” in 720 apparently healthy newborns in the country of The Gambia. When they mapped them, they discovered “four genes that, when combined in a ‘signature,’ could accurately predict sepsis in newborns nine times out of 10,” as described by SFU assistant professor of molecular biology and biochemistry, as well as co-senior author of the study Dr. Amy Lee. This signature was identified through RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) on blood samples. RNA-seq is a technique used to help understand “gene expression levels,” which provide information on how cells function.

The ability to detect NS before diagnosis “is vital for infants’ survival,” Dr. Beate Kampmann, professor of pediatric infection and immunity at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, told SFU. “Knowing that sepsis is impending would also allow physicians more time to determine the appropriate treatment to use,” UBC professor of microbiology and immunology Dr. Bob Hancock also told SFU. “Providing an early diagnosis to assist and guide physicians could save lives,” he said. Infants with NS are commonly treated with antibiotics, but “the uncertainty can delay urgent treatment.”

The next steps for the team include “a large prospective study” with other populations. The team hopes the signature can be integrated into hospitals and point-of-care testing. This refers to tests that can be run “at, or near, the site of a patient,” and don’t need to be sent off to a laboratory for results.

For more information, see the published study linked in the online article.

Stix: The burnt out candle

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Peak Web
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COMIC: Yildiz Subuk / The Peak

It’s Messi out here: the MLS’ costly conundrum

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Peak Web
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A black jersey with pink writing reads “Messi 10” on the back. In the background, a soccer field can be seen.
PHOTO: Courtesy of @intermiamifc / Instagram

By: Kaja Antic, Sports Writer

“DON’T BE PLASTIC! SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL CLUB!” a banner read, draped over a supporter’s section in Yankee Stadium. It was September 21, 2024, and New York City FC was playing host to Inter Miami, the star-studded team captained by soccer legend Lionel Messi.

Messi joined Inter Miami in July 2023, skyrocketing the club’s popularity in Major League Soccer (MLS) and worldwide. Many of his superstar former teammates joined in the week following his announcement, including Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba. Luis Suárez joined for the 2024 season later on. Messi’s former manager at both FC Barcelona and the Argentinian national team, Gerardo “Tata” Martino, also joined Inter Miami shortly before the star’s pen hit Miami’s paper. 

Since Messi and his star-studded entourage strutted onto the eastern Florida panhandle, the profile of Inter Miami and MLS as a whole has risen — arguably to the detriment of everyday fans. Miami’s ticket prices for the 2023 season rose by five times the previous amount to $161 (USD) each after the Messi announcement — a price that is 64% above the league average for gameday prices. 

When Inter Miami plays away games, stands are packed not just with the home team’s supporters, but also with Miami’s pink and black, with a smattering of Argentinian kits — typically bearing Messi’s number ten on the back. The prices to be in these stands have also risen substantially, as many saw this past May when Miami visited BC Place for their first matchup against the Vancouver Whitecaps on the 25th. When news broke that Messi, Busquets, and Suárez would be completely absent from the Saturday match, all hell broke loose.

This wasn’t the only match where a Messi no-show caused an uproar. Inter Miami had a planned international tour during the 2024 preseason, with two matches each in Saudi Arabia and the US, and one match each in El Salvador, Hong Kong, and Japan. While Messi physically attended the match in Hong Kong, he did not play, as he instead sat on the substitute bench after gaining an injury during his previous matches. Outrage struck as a result, from fans destroying Messi cardboard cutouts, to the booing of Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham after the match had concluded. Messi reappeared in Tokyo just days later, playing 30 minutes in the match there, sparking theories that his Hong Kong no-show was “politically motivated.” 

The World Cup-winning Argentinian national team had two scheduled “friendly” matches that were supposed to take place on mainland China in March, though both the match against Nigeria in Hangzhou and against Ivory Coast in Beijing were cancelled following Messi’s no-show in Hong Kong. The Chinese Football Association also cancelled its partnership with the Argentine Football Association in the wake of this controversy.

The 2024 regular season was a record-breaking one for Inter Miami, as they won the MLS regular season championship with the Supporters’ Shield — and set a points-scoring record in the process. Despite this, the team were eliminated from the MLS Cup Playoffs in a major upset against eighth-seed Atlanta United. 

“Lionel Messi is one of the best, arguably if not the best, soccer player of all time. Still, the star is slowly fading as injuries pile up after a lifetime on the pitch.”

Messi is one of the best, arguably if not the best, soccer player of all time. Still, the star is slowly fading as injuries pile up after a lifetime on the pitch.

Much of the MLS marketing tactics since the 37-year-old’s arrival have centered around him. I cannot begin to estimate the amount of times I’ve seen the ad of a dyed pink goat while watching the MLS Season Pass. Nearly half of the first page of jerseys on the MLS Store website are Messi- or Miami-related. Even the MLS email newsletter touts itself as “the Messi insider.” 

The league is banking on a player bringing them into a new era, when the player himself won’t even be there.

The MLS is facing an era where they are “the Messi league” — despite the fact that Messi only played 19 games of Miami’s 34-game MLS season. His current contract runs to the end of the upcoming 2025 MLS season, and the prolific forward has stated that Miami will be the last club he plays for in his storied career. 

Inter Miami have also gained a spot in FIFA’s upcoming Club World Cup — despite not technically winning their league after being eliminated in the playoffs. This has also caused controversy, as some have claimed that the club’s inclusion is only due to their captain’s starpower, and the cashflow his appearance can generate. 

I’m not saying that high ticket prices and tricky geopolitical situations are Lionel Messi’s personal fault, as I personally think he deserves the “GOAT” moniker — in men’s soccer, that is. The MLS has just walked itself into an impossible scenario with no foresight. With the high likelihood of the league losing their highest moneymaker within the next few years, they seem to lack a contingency plan in carrying on this attention past the final whistle of the 2025 season. 

With the next season starting late next February, only time will tell what Messi’s potential last club season will look like — along with how the MLS will recover from his impending departure. Until then, I guess MLS fans across North America should buckle up for another year of fighting for a place in their home stadiums whenever soccer’s golden boy touches the pitch (or doesn’t).

Professor’s feedback on “responsible investments”

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Peak Web
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SFU admin is throwing money at a globe. There are pumpjacks on the globe that represent fossil fuel extraction.
ILLUSTRATION: Sonya Janeshewski / The Peak

By: Professor No Nonsense

Dear Simon, 

Thank you for submitting your assignment about your investment approach. In my most recent therapy session, my therapist encouraged me to start practicing radical honesty. So, I’m starting right now. Your submission is bad . . . no, terrible. At multiple points while reading it, I took a break to mourn the time I was losing. For an assignment you avoided since last fall, you’re lucky to be getting feedback. Here is an in-depth breakdown of everything wrong with it. Regardless of whether or not you read this (I know you won’t), it was incredibly cathartic to write. 

1. No understanding of the topicThis assignment is about “responsible investments,” but it includes no definition of this concept. Could this be because you don’t know what it means? You claim to be a signatory to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment because you support incorporating environmental, social, and corporate governance considerations into your investment decisions, but you proceed to make up every excuse under the sun to avoid being held accountable. Were you unaware that signing would force you to reveal to the world what you believe is or is not an important environmental or social cause? Seems like a lack of foresight to me. . . 2. Bad analysis and even worse argumentation

You claim that divesting from fossil fuels has yielded “mixed results.” What led you to this asinine conclusion? To continue, you write “divestment can have financial implications” blablabla . . . At the university level, I expect much more sophisticated and thoughtful work. What made you believe that making a deeply obvious statement that could only be outdone by announcing that the sky is blue and the earth is round could possibly lead to a passing grade? 

And then, (I know this section is long, it’s just that you submitted incredibly subpar work) you say, “divestment from specific causes may conflict with our responsibility under the University Act to remain ‘non-sectarian and non-political in principle.’” This isn’t a starving artist’s screenplay, it doesn’t need a plot twist. Why after hundreds of words of you rambling about your values would you then reveal that you’re not allowed to have any?  

3. If you weren’t going to give me clarity, you could’ve at least given me concision 

I saw online that it’s hip now to write tl;drs because the youth “ain’t reading all that” and I truly believe this is a phenomenal tool you should incorporate in your future work. In order to clarify what I mean, an example of a good tl;dr for this submission would be: “I want to continue to virtue signalling and calling myself a leader in yet another made-up sector while making unethical investment decisions because it is profitable without anyone calling me out on it because it is deeply annoying to me.” 

Normally, this would be the point where I would encourage you to come to my office hours, but I fear you may be too far gone. When the environment and people’s lives are on the line, taking your sweet time to schedule community consultations is irresponsible. 

Don’t ask me to regrade your work. 
Professor No Nonsense

Food for thought: Momos

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Five circular dumplings with pinched tops sit on a black plate garnished with green sprouts.
PHOTO: Momo King / Pexels

By: Zamling Sherpa, Peak Associate

Dumplings, potstickers, perogies, gyozas, mandu . . . there are many variations of a filling stuffed in a dough wrapper. Each culture has its own spin on this type of dish, and the Nepali dish, momos, are no exception. 

A staple in Nepali households, momos are best enjoyed in the winter months. The filling of these delicious delicacies differs for each person. However, its base is usually some type of ground meat with onions, ginger, vegetable oil, salt, garlic, and Nepali seasonings all wrapped in a flour dough wrapper. What differentiates this from other dumplings around the world is the chutney it is paired with. Once again varying per person, the chutney is usually tomato based, filled with red chillies, salt, sugar, and garlic. The spice from the sauce adds a kick to the taste of the momo, creating the perfect balance of savoury, spicy, and sweet goodness in your mouth.

There are multiple stories as to how momos emerged. One consistent component is the involvement of Tibetan people. Some say Newari merchants brought the dish to Nepal while travelling from Tibet; however, others believe that a “Nepalese princess, who was married to a Tibetan king,” brought the dish from her country to his. 

Though its origin is up in the air, the feelings momos create for Nepali people are straightforward. Momos foster nostalgia, familiarity, and love. Since they take so much work to make, families usually gather around a table, with everyone participating in its production. Gossip is shared, funny stories are narrated, and memories are created. What makes this so special is that the momos are usually made and eaten simultaneously. You finish making one batch, eat it, then repeat. I can’t tell you why or how, but for some reason this process makes the momos taste so much better than if they were prepared all at once. Perhaps it’s the time being spent with your family that enhances the flavour, or the distance in time between eating so your stomach has time to digest the food. Either way, this process makes the momos taste that much better!

Momos are greatly loved in Nepal for reasons beyond their taste and the feelings they create. These flavorful, bite-sized delights are extremely versatile. They can be steamed, pan-fried, deep-fried, served in soup, and more. A reason for its versatility is how they’re stored. Because they take so much work to make, momos are made in big batches, and then stored in the freezer for the future. This prevents them from going bad and gives people time to decide how they want this dish to be prepared.

The idea of momos relates to a feeling of nostalgia for me. As a kid coming home from my after-school programs on a dreadful rainy day, I would be hit in the face with the fog from the steamers cooking the momos, wafting in the garlic-filled air. My mom would always make these delicacies on days that were cold and gloomy, almost like she was trying to lift up our spirits through these flavour-filled goodies.

I think it’s beautiful how different cultures have their own take on a dish, and how they can differ so drastically both aesthetically and tastewise! It’s through food that we realize how much more similar we are than we originally thought.

Trickle down Clarkonomics: Translating WNBA success to women’s sports overall

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A bunch of girls stand holding pink and purple signs reading praise for Caitlin Clark and women’s sports, including “little girls, big dreams” and “we love Caitlin.”
PHOTO: Courtesy of @indianafever / Instagram

By: Kaja Antic, Sports Writer

The 2024 WNBA season saw record-breaking numbers, both in viewership and attendance. This has been chalked up to what some have called the “Caitlin Clark effect” — regarding the impact the 22-year-old star has had on women’s basketball during her short career.

Clark was an icon in college, leading the University of Iowa Hawkeyes to consecutive NCAA championship finals appearances in 2023 and 2024. Both had record-breaking television viewership records: the 2023 final featuring Clark and the Hawkeyes losing to fellow 2024 WNBA rookie Angel Reese and the Louisiana State University Tigers peaked at 12.6 million viewers in the US; and the 2024 finals, where Iowa lost to South Carolina, peaked at 18.87 million viewers. The latter also had four million more viewers than the men’s NCAA basketball final. Clark is also estimated to have increased the state of Iowa’s gross domestic product by $14.4 to $52.3 million during her NCAA career, and generated $82.5 million in consumer spending. 

Clark declared for the WNBA draft after her senior NCAA season in 2024, and was drafted first overall by the Indiana Fever in the most-watched WNBA draft in history. Clark’s WNBA debut against the Connecticut Sun on May 14, 2024, was the most-watched WNBA game since 2001. Only a month into the season, six television networks had record-breaking viewership numbers, with all but one of those games featuring Clark and the Fever. The 2024 regular season finale on September 19 had a WNBA attendance record of 20,711, as the Fever played the Washington Mystics at Capital One Arena — a venue five times the size of the Mystics’ usual home arena. 

Clark helped the Fever reach the postseason for the first time in seven seasons, though they fell to the Connecticut Sun in the best-of-three first round. She was also near-unanimously named the WNBA Rookie of the Year, earning 66 of 67 votes. The lone vote against went to her college rival Reese, now with the Chicago Sky.

Overall, the 2024 WNBA regular season was the most viewed ever, while the finals between the Minnesota Lynx and New York Liberty were the most-watched in 25 years. The Liberty won the 2024 WNBA championship — their first in franchise history — by defeating the Lynx in overtime of game five in the best-of-five finals series on October 20. 

Though the WNBA season is now over, there are still professional women’s sports leagues across the world that deserve the same level of support the WNBA gained this past year. 

Next year will mark a new beginning for professional women’s soccer in Canada, as the Northern Super League (NSL) will begin playing. Vancouver Rise FC is one of the six teams debuting across Canada in 2025, a club that Sinclair has a play in as co-owner.

Overseas women’s soccer leagues have already started their winter seasons, such as the Women’s Super League in England, Liga F in Spain, and the Première Ligue in France, along with the UEFA Women’s Champion League running until May 2025. 

“Though the WNBA season is now over, there are still professional women’s sports leagues across the world that deserve the same level of support the WNBA gained this past year.”

The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) begins its second season on November 30, now complete with brand new team names and logos. The inaugural PWHL season began on January 1, 2024, with 2.9 million viewers across Canada tuning in to watch Toronto host New York. Toronto later took part in an April 20 game against Montréal at the famed Bell Centre, where a crowd of 21,105 smashed the record attendance for any women’s hockey game. 

The Boston Fleet, Toronto Sceptres, Ottawa Charge, Montréal Victoire, New York Sirens, and Minnesota Frost look to continue these successes in the 2024–25 season. There are nine neutral-site games planned for this season, the first being a January 19 Victoire–Charge matchup to be played in Quebec City. There are also a number of tournaments to follow, such as the ongoing Rivalry Series between the Canadian and American women’s hockey teams, and the 2025 Women’s World Championships hosted by Czechia in April.

A professional women’s baseball league is slated to begin playing in the United States in 2026, with six teams partaking in the inaugural season. This will be the first professional women’s baseball league in the US since the All American Girls Professional Baseball League folded in 1954.

Last but certainly not least, support your SFU Red Leafs! From team sports like softball, volleyball, soccer, and basketball, to individual sports like golf, wresting, swimming, and track and field, there’s something for everyone. Support women’s sports now, and the support will continue to grow in the future.

Paranoia that LinkedIn is watching

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Someone is making coffee with their laptop open. Their LinkedIn page is on the screen and a man dressed in business casual is coming out of the screen to spy on the laptop user.
ILLUSTRATION: Cliff Ebora / The Peak

By: Sarah Sorochuk, Peak Associate and C Icart, Humour Editor

Do you know the feeling right after you post something online? The doubt and fear that seeps in, and feels like darkness clutching your gut? The thought that something you had posted, whether you actually believe in it or were joking, will exist on the Internet forever. The idea that someone could dredge up every and any little thing you’ve ever launched into cyberspace, even before your brain was done baking, haunts you.

We all have those moments when we are tired and spell something embarrassingly wrong on Instagram, or write something completely absurd on Twitter, or ever write a completely wild question on Quora. And we all have that recurring nightmare that we end up in a job interview and the interviewer has prepared a slideshow that contains everything we have ever posted and we’re asked to answer for all of it: the absurdist memes, the copypastas, the middle school video projects we forgot are still public on YouTube. 

But I know it’s time to fight back against this hyperspecific scenario my anxiety has convinced me is possible. Everyone deserves the freedom to post and not be ridiculed by future employers on LinkedIn!

This is not a fight to allow terrible people to post terrible stuff. This is for the people scared to post anything online because it might taint their carefully curated brand image. LinkedIn people, quit judging! 

Let us live our lives when we are still young. Let us believe that we can post our adventures and livelihoods, without living in fear of reprimand. We all have hobbies, loves, and interests that we want to share with the world like a 25-chapter crossover fanfic where Linda Belcher and Hannah Montana join forces with the entire cast of every season of Degrassi to ever exist to properly save Riverdale because let’s be for real Archie is really bad at it. Don’t judge our digital footprint and we won’t judge the fact that you’re not paying a living wage! Deal? Deal. OK, I admit my fingers were crossed behind my back and I’m totally judging. No takesies backsies!

The West Coast rules with Triton

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In black and white, under a concrete bridge, a boy stands in a sweater and jeans as he leans against a pillar.
PHOTO: Courtesy of Joe Salmon

By: Yasmin Hassan, Staff Writer

While Vancouver is home to many amazing artists, I never thought that I’d find one right in my classroom! As a former classmate of independent alternative artist Triton Smith, it has always been fascinating hearing his bedroom-pop sound transition into something new in real time. His constant involvement in music, whether it be at school or on his own, was always fun to hear. He brought a nuanced sense of musicality that was different from much of the local sounds I’d heard; fresh beats from well-known alternative genres, all fused in a stylistic medley. 

Smith started releasing music under the name Triton when he was 13 and later developed a different sound of music, forming his new moniker Samo T. He has put out two LP’s and various singles amid multiple live performances in Vancouver and Toronto. The Peak spoke with Smith to find out more about his person and his work.

Smith has been involved with music his whole young life, noting that his father and grandfather were both musicians, keeping music in the family. Taking music classes as a youth resulted in his first release of music in 2020, noting how self-isolating at the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic “was a great outlet” for him “during that time.” Immersing himself in Vancouver’s underground indie scene was a turning point for him. 

“I started meeting other musicians who were around my area playing shows with them, meeting people working together, and that completely changed my perception on what I could accomplish,” he said. 

“I stopped making rock music and it felt right to go under a different name, but I didn’t want it to be completely different.” — Triton Smith, AKA Samo T

Smith takes inspiration from Kendrick Lamar and Frank Ocean, among other artists like Beabadoobee, King Krule, Jeff Buckley, and Mazzy Star. He stated plainly his style is “alt rock,” but that’s far from all he has to offer. He fuses elements from shoegaze, alt pop, ambient music, electronic music, and more. Though it’s clear his style is grounded in the alternative fashion, none of his songs sound alike to each other. Raspy guitar, a stylistically dynamic voice, and clever allusions are what make Smith’s music stand out. Triton’s songs craft vivid moods within the brain — grainy pictures, bus rides home at night pretending you’re a character in a film, speedwalking across campus, or overthinking in your bedroom. Regardless of the image, Smith has something for you. 

“Smiles, There’s Cameras” and “Swollen Ankles” both have mesmerizing instrumental breaks near the ends of the songs. “Got My Neck” is hypnotizingly raspy with the sound of the electric guitar, upbeat drums, catchy lyrics, and its alluring alt-rock inspired melody. However, my personal favourite is probably “Saltwater,” which reminds me so much of something off of Frank Ocean’s Blonde because of its dreamy repetitive melody, synth strings, and soft vocals.

Smith’s first show at one of Vancouver’s “quintessential underground venues,” the Red Gate, was a gateway into the scene’s culture. Smith claims the indie scene in Toronto and Vancouver are more alike than not, as he says “it’s just people celebrating music together; the bands get drunk and play shitty, fuck up their equipment after.” The consistency of indie music is something I’ve always appreciated; “the culture is the same around the world,” Smith noted on the binding nature of indie and underground scenes.

When he switched to Samo T, immediately, I noticed the reference to expressionist artist Jean Michel Basquiat’s graffiti tag “SAMO.” 

“I stopped making rock music and it felt right to go under a different name, but I didn’t want it to be completely different,” he explained, as it’s the “same old Triton” (but with new music). He also explained the name of his last album So Far, So Good as a reference to the 1995 crime/thriller film La Haine. The song “Hate Monologue” from his album contained the speech from a prominent scene in the film, which made me appreciate the commitment to the motif even more. 

Triton Smith and his band are playing on December 21 in Vancouver at Green Auto. Tickets can be purchased at samotee.com

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Simon Fraser University’s independent student newspaper since 1965.

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© The Peak Publications Society

Simon Fraser University’s independent student newspaper since 1965.

For advertising inquiries: [email protected]
For promotional inquiries: [email protected]

© The Peak Publications Society