Maya Barillas Mohan

A collage of photos taken along the route of the narrator’s walking path, from Chinatown to Davie Street decked out in pride flags at Home Hardware. The collage includes drag queen Imelda Santos at The Junction smiling with iridescent blue makeup, mini soccer balls stringed behind her.
8 min 0 2039

Exploring queer spaces in the city

Kelly Chia and Maya Barillas Mohan August 3, 2026

As we approach Pride here in “Vancouver,” members of diverse queer communities in Davie Village and Chinatown are still advocating for one another. Many queer walking tours are made to platform queer people’s struggles and joys. To learn more, I read an article from Xtra Magazine where author Robin Perelle and her interviewees reflect on queer spaces. Today, Davie Village is “the heart of gay Vancouver,” but before the ‘80s, queer businesses were scattered throughout Vancouver. Archivist Ron Dutton said, “Gay people could get away with being gay” in places like Chinatown and Gastown. More visibility meant more harassment. Perelle…

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A photo of two band members of In Pieces performing on stage
3 min 0 1078

In Pieces on making music

Maya Barillas Mohan July 26, 2026

I have seen the band In Pieces live several times and can confirm: they know what they’re doing. Their sets are high energy and their members glow with the stagelights. The up-and-coming Vancouver rock band is fairly new to the…

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Photo of a bus wrapped in the FIFA World Cup with a soccer ball on the front
3 min 0 1429

FIFA showed Vancouver a glimpse of what transit is possible

Maya Barillas Mohan July 19, 2026

There is an energy injected into Granville Street lately: coloured smoke bursting through the thick crowd, extended liquor-serving hours, and being able to catch the train home late. Hosting FIFA has brought many changes to Vancouver and some of these…

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A photo of a Naloxone kit
3 min 0 984

Photo campaign honours substance-use disorder victims

Maya Barillas Mohan July 19, 2026

Established by the International Network of People Who Use Drugs, International Drug Users Remembrance Day is held annually on July 21, to “remember the people whose lives were unjustly cut short due to the criminalization and stigmatization of people who…

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Greek bust of a philosopher
3 min 0 1148

Tying masculinity to stoicism makes the world worse

Maya Barillas Mohan July 13, 2026

We can all attest to a growing phenomenon of masculine self-help within the past few years. Quarantine as a result of COVID-19 gave many of us a shared sense of isolation and helplessness. This moment was a prime backdrop for…

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3 min 0 1020

Rhonda Webster’s reflections on growing up with a bipolar parent

Maya Barillas Mohan July 13, 2026

A new melancholic book written by University of Victoria student Rhonda Webster describes the realities of bipolar disorder. Please Stay With Me, is about 80 pages long and illustrated in full colour by the author’s daughter-in-law, Zoe Webster. The Peak…

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3 min 0 980

Digital photovoice and healthy masculinity

Maya Barillas Mohan July 5, 2026

Due to toxic masculinity, a taboo still exists around conversations about men’s mental health struggles or their ability to sustain healthy relationships. This mirrors the relative inaccessibility of arts spaces for many communities, due to both physical constraints and financial…

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Photo of a person’s hand tapping a compass card at a service machine
3 min 0 1237

Low income transit pass moved by councillor Sean Orr

Maya Barillas Mohan June 29, 2026

On June 3, councillor Sean Orr of the Coalition of Progressive Electors introduced a motion to create a low income transit pass to assist “those earning less than $40,000 a year” in Metro Vancouver, as stated in the motion. As…

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3 min 0 827

In defense of the misunderstood, overly-hated, and elegantly useful comma

Maya Barillas Mohan June 29, 2026

Dear TA, I am writing to you in response to my recent feedback, though I am also speaking in defense of myself, and other like-minded students, to advocate for elongated sentences which exceed traditional boundaries of a single idea, because…

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spraypainted art of Thomus Donaghy on the window of an Overdose Prevention Site
4 min 0 1163

Thomus Donaghy overdose prevention site faces third closure in three years

Maya Barillas Mohan June 23, 2026

The Thomus Donaghy overdose prevention site (OPS) has experienced a series of relocations since its opening in 2021. Most recently, its planned reopening on June 1 was cancelled by the City Council.  The OPS, which was named after an OPS…

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