Nejdana Houshyar

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Art in service of queer empowerment and resistance

Peak Web July 13, 2026

By: Nejdana Houshyar, Peak Associate The Health Initiative for Men is a not-for-profit grassroots health organization, whose primary mandate is to “strengthen the health and well-being” of queer men throughout the province. As part of their efforts to spread awareness on health issues faced by men, the society regularly displays art from local queer artists at their studio on Davie Street. Their current exhibit on display is by Zaid KBear, who blends realism and impressionism by uniquely using soft pastels to contrast the masculine body with a sexual, ethereal form. The Peak spoke with KBear to learn more about his…

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A photo fo Casseiopia mid-performance in a dimly-lit theatre setting
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Mi’gmaq dancer Cheyenne Seary explores her artistic vision

Peak Web June 29, 2026

By: Nejdana Houshyar, Peak Associate On June 5 and 7, Mi’gmaq dance artist Cheyenne Seary debuted her latest piece, “Casseiopia,” with the All Bodies Dance Project at the Goldcorp Centre for the Arts at the SFU School for Contemporary Arts.…

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Cover of Modern Iran and the Avant-Gardes: 1948–78
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Book talk explores the nuances between tradition and modernity in Iran

Peak Web June 15, 2026

By: Nejdana Houshyar, Peak Associate On Friday, May 29, guest curator Pantea Haghighi, along with Iranian architect and artist Hossein Amanat, and scholar Jeff Derksen, came together at the Vancouver Art Gallery to discuss their contributions and the historical backgrounds…

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A photo of chelow kebab
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Nutritious Nibbles: Chelow kebab

Peak Web May 31, 2026

By: Nejdana Houshyar, Peak Associate Persian cuisine is known for its intense, colourful flavours. It often uses ingredients such as saffron, dried herbs, fresh meat, and delicate fruits like pomegranate — staples in a Persian household. Each dish is intensely…

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A photo of a person watching the documentary, Hearse Chasing, on the TV
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Music as a healing tool: A review of Teresa Alfeld’s Hearse Chasing

Peak Web May 31, 2026

By: Nejdana Houshyar, Peak Associate Content warning: brief mention of domestic violence and substance use. Music can transport one into a completely different world. In Hearse Chasing, a harrowing documentary by SFU alum Teresa Alfeld, music serves as the central…

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A photo of a music band playing amid a thick smoke
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Monday Music: An escape into the many lenses of shoegaze

Peak Web May 18, 2026

By: Nejdana Houshyar, SFU Student Shoegaze is defined as “melodic rock music typically characterized by heavily processed electric guitar and indistinct, often distant-sounding vocals.” Shoegaze works well because of the emotions — like sadness and melancholy — poured into the…

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a photo of a person holding a phone in their hands. They’re trying to log onto an SFU portal, but are stopped by SFU’s multi-factor authentication.
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What Grinds Our Gears: multi-factor authentication

Peak Web March 10, 2026

By: Nejdana Houshyar, SFU Student I can’t be the only one who despises multi-factor authentication (MFA). If you are a student at SFU, you have likely experienced the frustrating process of trying to log in to Canvas or goSFU only…

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