Yasmin Vejs Simsek

Two young Black men dressed in casual street clothes pose standing with the backs of one shoulder connected, looking at the camera solemnly
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Pass Over uses morbid humour to critique systemic racism

Yasmin Vejs Simsek June 27, 2022

Content warning: mention of racial slur, racism, police brutality. Pass Over at the Waterfront Theatre on Granville Island is a political commentary on Black men wanting a better life for themselves. Written by Antoinette Nwandu and directed by Omari Newton, this Broadway play has come to the Vancouver stage to make the audience laugh, cry, and reflect upon the impacts of anti-Black police brutality and systemic racism.  The long-time issue of police brutality is something that has been denounced by the general public, especially after the murder of George Floyd. Pass Over did not shy away from critiquing this systemic…

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Drag Queen Bijuriya stands on a black background in her Desi-inspired costume with white and gold details
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Events to not miss at Queer Arts Festival 2022

Yasmin Vejs Simsek June 27, 2022

The Vancouver Queer Arts Festival (QAF) is in the top three list of LGBTQ2S+ arts festivals world-wide and features multimedia exhibitions, music, rooftop parties, and more. This year it returns to an in-person programme from June 18–July 8 with the…

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The photo shows the city of Palestine Israel. The buildings are condensed and in close proximity to each other. No people can be seen.
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A talk on Palestinian leadership under the British Mandate

Yasmin Vejs Simsek June 15, 2022

On June 1, SFU’s Centre for Comparative Muslim Studies (CCMS) held an event at Kwantlen Polytechnic University in collaboration with The Caucus. Educator and activist Bassam Abun-Nadi explored the absence of military academies in Palestine and its effect on the…

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row houses under a blue sky, with an “everything is canceled” banner above the homes.
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Cancellation 2.0: We need an addendum to cancel culture

Yasmin Vejs Simsek June 9, 2022

Content warning: mention of suicide Cancel culture at its core is a beautiful concept: if you’re found to be behaving in a way that hurts others, people stop supporting you. But what the cancel culture era needs now is a…

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Someone holding up a speech bubble that reads “go to hell”
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What Grinds Our Gears: The “Devil’s advocate” guy

Yasmin Vejs Simsek June 7, 2022

“Just playing the devil’s advocate” is arguing for the sake of argument, and it helps nothing.   I’ve had people tell me that white cisgender straight men are discriminated against in western societies, that hiring quotas are unfair, and that I…

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A photo of the SFU Surrey campus with a hot pink bow doodled on the top of the campus
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SFU Surrey petitions to be the new It campus

Yasmin Vejs Simsek May 30, 2022

Fellow campuses, I’ve included some flattering prelude from my fellow campus, UBC, who had this wonderful, original stuff to say about me.  SFU Surrey is flawless. I hear the campus is insured for $1,000,000,000. I hear the campus advertisement was…

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Monday Music: You went partying with Drake, now this is what you listen to

Yasmin Vejs Simsek May 30, 2022

In my personal opinion, grime is one of the best things to come out of the UK. This relatively new genre of music (2000s) that stems from a mix of garage, jungle, and hip hop has its epicenter in London.…

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Dr. Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), Wong (Benedict Wong), and America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez) in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
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The Darkest Timeline: Why are we so obsessed with the multiverse right now?

Yasmin Vejs Simsek May 17, 2022

The multiverse. It’s understandably on everyone’s lips right now. When it seems like our own reality is becoming increasingly nightmarish, we want to check-in on an alternate self to see who has it worse. Simply put, the multiverse is everywhere…

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An illustration of a girl with long flowing hair. Astrological signs and stars shine around her.
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Horoscopes: May 9–May 15

Yasmin Vejs Simsek May 8, 2022

Aries: You will find all the unique Vancouver events and hidden speakeasies and your friends will all wonder how you do it. You can’t help it! You’re always the first to discover where it’s at. You’re the life of the…

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