Lola Kingsley, @lolakingz on Instagram
Lola Kingsley is a Montreal-based film photographer and recent Concordia graduate who has worked with clients like Vans Canada, Eddie Bauer, and i-D Korea. Her minimalist style and investment in analog photography allows her to strip any excess and focus solely on revealing her subjects authentically. This process lends a distinctively nostalgic and spontaneous air to her work. Her most recent exhibition, Goodbye This Is…, explores youth culture and the concept of coming of age, charting a visual narrative of transition in the context of urban cityscapes.

Rakim Jah, @rakimjah on Instagram
Rakim Jah is a Beninese animator and multimedia visual artist based in Montreal whose striking 2D graphics and acrylic paintings depict existential Afrocentric scenes in rich, deep colour. His work deals with themes like digitalization, ancestry, interpersonal dynamics, assorted cultural influences, and the interplay between spirituality and the human body.

Yaël Legris, @puff.bby on Instagram
Yaël Legris’ surrealist acrylic and digital paintings depict figures in ambiguous, swirling backgrounds imbued with spirituality. Her work is moody and ephemeral, typically done in a palette of dark blues, deep rusty oranges, and shades of black and grey. Her paintings are often informed by her own feelings and personal history, representing states of mind or important moments in her life.

Stanley Wany, @stanwany on Instagram
Stanley Wany is a successful visual artist and graphic novelist that has garnered recognition for his distinctive large-scale painting installations and shadowy, sketch-style drawings and comics. This medium serves as the perfect conduit for themes of personal history, identity, ancestry, colonization, and climate change. His multimedia installation work includes the striking 2022 installation For Those Who Chose the Sea and Unpredictable Spaces last year at Galerie de l’UQAM.

The post Five Black Montreal Artists to Check Out this Black History Month appeared first on The McGill Daily.

Yellow was Auntie Dean’s favourite colour. It wasn’t just bright or warm — it was her. For my mom, Lisa, yellow is a lifeline to her sister’s memory, a vibrant reminder of the woman who gave everything she had to hold our family together. “She could brighten a room with her smile,” my mom often says:, “Her heart could brighten the world.”

For me, yellow is resilience. It’s the colour of survival, of hope, of love lived out loud in a world that tried to quiet it. Yellow holds the promise that Auntie Dean embodied — a promise to fight for those who couldn’t fight for themselves, to love fiercely, and to leave this world brighter than she found it.

But this story isn’t just about Auntie Dean. It’s about the systems that shaped her, broke her, and ultimately could never contain her. It’s about the harm Black communities have endured and the ways we reimagine, survive, and thrive.

“One of my earliest memories,” my mom once told me, “was watching Auntie Dean be raped.”

My mom was just a child then, too young to understand what she was seeing. Their beds were situated side-by-side in the girls area of the Nova Scotia Home for Colored Children. My mom remembers lying in bed as an older boy climbed into Auntie Dean’s. She heard her sister cry, but she didn’t have the words to stop it. When the boy finally left, she crawled into bed beside Auntie Dean, trying to comfort her.

“She was the one who’d been hurt,” my mom said, “but she held me.”

That night set the tone for their relationship. Auntie Dean became my mom’s protector, even when she was the one who needed protecting most. Years later, my mom hit her lowest point, struggling with addiction and trying to raise me and my brother on her own. Auntie Dean stepped in again to support. “She was firm, but she didn’t make me feel worse,” my mom recalled. “She just held me through it, like she always did.”

That love wasn’t just for our family. Auntie Dean had a way of making strangers feel valued. She would take in anyone who needed help — underdogs, outcasts, people the world had cast aside. “She’d give you the shirt off her back, her last five dollars, and a place to sleep,” my mom said. That capacity for love came from a place of survival.

Auntie Dean spent four years in the Nova Scotia Home for Colored Children, a place that promised safety but delivered a myriad of atrocities instead. Founded in 1921, it was meant to be a refuge for Black children who entered the care system. Instead, it became a site of systemic neglect and abuse, where children were seen as less than human. The most painful truth is that much of this harm was inflicted by other Black community members, a reality that speaks to the deep-rooted complexity of lateral violence and its role in perpetuating intergenerational harm against Black bodies.

Auntie Dean carried those scars with her for decades. For years, other survivors were silenced, their experiences dismissed. But when two survivors learned that a former staff member who had abused them was working with children again, collective action began to take shape. My aunt became involved because she couldn’t stay quiet any longer. She became one of the lead plaintiffs in a class-action lawsuit against the home and the Nova Scotia government. It wasn’t just her story she told — it was the collective pain of hundreds of Black children who’d been harmed and ignored.

“She never wanted to tell her story,” my mom said. “She didn’t want to relive it. But she knew it wasn’t about her anymore — it was about all of us.”

Against her doctors’ advice, Auntie Dean continued her cancer treatments while testifying. She travelled across the country, recounting the unimaginable for the sake of justice. Though she ultimately beat breast cancer, the fight took its toll. Reliving that trauma reopened wounds that had barely healed, leaving her body and spirit deeply worn down.

I remember visiting her shortly after, around Christmas time. Despite being declared cancer-free, her complexion appeared grey, her energy was dull, and she coughed in an erratic manner I had never heard before. Shortly after, despite her strength and determination, her struggles with and the resurgence of her cancer ultimately overtook her. In 2015, just a year after hearing Nova Scotia’s public apology, Auntie Dean passed away.

I remember visiting her in a Calgary hospital during her final days. Despite her condition, she encouraged me to sneak her out to a nearby Wendy’s. Auntie Dean was always a rebel who refused to remain silent, and I embraced that same ideology. I couldn’t say no to her request. I followed through, and on our way back, as we said our goodbyes, Auntie Dean looked at me and made me promise to “do nothing but great things.”

I carry that promise with me every day. I think of her when I work with young people, helping them find their voices. I think of her when I walk into a room, trying to make it just a little brighter.

Last year, my curiosity brought me to the site of the Nova Scotia Home for Colored Children. Now known as Akoma, it has been reimagined as a community space dedicated to Black empowerment. Akoma, meaning “heart” in Akan, stands as a powerful testament to what’s possible when we dare to transform spaces of harm into places of hope and renewal.

Walking through Akoma, I felt both the weight of its history and the hope of what it could become. There’s a corner of the space dedicated to the survivors — a quiet acknowledgment of the past. But the rest of the site is alive with possibility: Black-owned businesses, community programs, and services that reflect the resilience of our people.

And yet, it’s complicated. My mom told me that many survivors wanted the building burned down and erased from existence. “Sometimes I think they were right,” she admitted. But she also sees the potential in what Akoma has become.

In so many ways, Black resilience is about reimagining what we’ve been given — turning harm into healing, refusing to let systems define us. Black History Month is about honoring legacies like Auntie Dean’s. It’s about remembering the fights for justice that didn’t just happen in courtrooms but in kitchens, classrooms, and living rooms. It’s about survival and transformation.

Auntie Dean always brought our family together, whether it was through a family barbecue or another listening session of the live version of Mariah Carey’s “The Emancipation of Mimi” album. Her love kept us united, and though her absence has led to ongoing rifts, her courage inspired others to find their voices.

Her life taught me that healing is not just a personal journey. It’s also political, communal, and deeply connected to the systems we strive to change.

Yellow isn’t just a color. It’s her legacy. And it’s my promise to carry that legacy forward.

The post The Colour Yellow appeared first on The McGill Daily.

In honour of Black History Month, we’re giving thanks to just a few of the many Black innovators and chefs who have left their legacy on the food world of today.

Edna Lewis: The image of Southern cooking today can be traced back to Edna Lewis and her revolutionary cookbook, The Taste of Country Cooking (1976). A restaurateur, farmer, and teacher, Lewis cooked for the likes of Marlon Brando, Truman Capote, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Gloria Vanderbilt at Café Nicholson, before moving on to write her own cookbook with the endorsement of Julia Child’s editor, Judith Jones. Lewis’s cookbook established many key dishes in Southern cuisine, from shrimp and grits to fried chicken. In 1995, she was the first person to be awarded the James Beard Living Legend Award.

Georgia Gilmore: A true culinary rebel, Georgia Gilmore formed The Club from Nowhere in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1955 after Rosa Parks’s arrest. The secret club raised money to fund the Montgomery Bus Boycott by selling fried chicken sandwiches outside churches. She then testified in the State of Alabama v. M. L. King, Jr. trial in 1956, which led to her dismissal from her job at the National Lunch Company. However, with the help of M.L.K. Jr., Gilmore opened her own restaurant out of her home, where the Montgomery Improvement Association and others gathered during their meetings.

Maulana Karenga: Unlike the others on this compendium, Karenga, a professor of Africana Studies at California State University, did not invent a food dish or tool. Rather, he started an entire holiday: Kwanzaa. In 1966, in response to the Watts riots, Karenga created the holiday to bring together a diaspora of African cultures and traditions to honour African-American heritage. He wanted to “give black people an opportunity to celebrate themselves and their history, rather than simply imitate the practice of the dominant society.” The celebration consists of honouring the Seven Principles (Nguzo Saba): unity (umoja), self-determination (kujichagulia), work and responsibility (ujima), cooperative economics (ujamaa), purpose (nia), creativity (kuumba), and faith (imani). Feasts prepared often include fruit, jollof rice, okra, black-eyed peas, and collard greens.

Madeline M. Turner: In 1916, Turner received a patent for her Turner’s Fruit-Press, a highly innovative design that automatically cut fruit in half and juiced them, all in one smooth motion. While not much is known about Turner’s personal life, her complex design paved the way for modern juicers and other food preparation machines.

George Washington Carver: Arguably one of the most famous Black food innovators, Carver was a professor and the first Agricultural Director at the Tuskegee Institute. Born into slavery and eventually freed after abolition, Carver had to fight for his education. After being denied entry to Highland University in Kansas due to his race, he taught himself agricultural practices on a homestead before becoming the first Black student at Iowa State University (then Iowa State Agricultural College). During his scientific career, he did prolific research on crop inputs and soil chemistry and devised many product improvements to help small independent farmers. While Carver is commonly credited as the inventor of peanut butter, that title actually goes to the Aztecs.

Kate and George Crum: If you’ve ever satisfied your late-night cravings with the crispy, salty delicacy that is the potato chip, you are indebted to the innovations of siblings Kate and George Crum. While working at the Moon Lake Lodge in Saratoga Springs, New York, the kitchen received a complaint that their British chips (a.k.a. french fries) were “too thick and salty,” which prompted the pair to slice the potatoes paper-thin before frying. George Crum went on to open his own restaurant, Crumbs House, in 1860, where potato chips were their house signature and the Vanderbilts were repeat customers.

James Hemings: If Lin Manuel Miranda ever writes a sequel to Hamilton, he ought to include James Hemings. Hemings was brought to Paris by Thomas Jefferson under enslavement, where he received master culinary training before becoming Jefferson’s chef de cuisine. We can thank Hemings for introducing dishes such as macaroni and cheese, meringue, and crème brûlée to American cuisine. His most impactful work, however, was cooking dinner for Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson on June 20, 1790, during the reconciliatory meal to “save the union.” After buying his freedom from Jefferson in 1796, Hemings travelled across Europe before settling in Baltimore.

Alfred L. Cralle: Baskin-Robbins and Ben and Jerry’s will be forever indebted to Alfred Cralle, inventor of the ice cream scoop. Before Cralle’s innovation, scoopers would use two spoons to carve and mould their ice cream. In 1896, Cralle was granted a patent for his one-spoon tool that moulded, compacted, and served the ice cream scoop all in one, making all future high schoolers’ summer jobs ten times easier.

Frederick McKinley Jones: In 1940, Jones received a patent for his invention that revolutionized food transportation. His air-cooling units installed in food transport trucks gave birth to the frozen food revolution by preserving perishable foods during long journeys. Jones ended his schooling after sixth grade and never received a formal college education. Dubbed “the King of Cool,” his company, Thermo King, produced refrigeration units that were used during World War II to preserve and transport blood transfusions and medicine. King also developed a portable X-ray machine, a soundtrack synchronizer for film production, and a snowmobile. His lifetime of legacy earned him the National Medal of Technology and a spot in the National Inventors Hall of Fame.

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Hamilton was born in Stevenage, England in a modest-income household to a second-generation British father of Grenadian parents, and a British mother. Unlike most drivers who begin racing around the age of four, Hamilton started at eight years old, as a hobby. However, his interest quickly picked up, leading him to take racing seriously. By the age of ten, Hamilton was a British karting champion which led him to be recruited as part of the McLaren and Mercedes-Benz Young Driver Support Program. This opportunity allowed his parents to overcome the nearly unaffordable cost of pursuing their son’s racing career. Indeed, his father worked up to three jobs, day and night, to keep up, adding further pressure on his child’s shoulders to succeed. As years passed, he went on to win several prizes and championships in various racing categories, eventually making his way into Formula One in 2002 with McLaren.

Despite the challenge of competing against drivers with better-suited and longer experience allowed by significantly higher family incomes, Hamilton instantly showed champion-worthy performance. In his rookie year, the British driver only lost the World Championship title by a point and went on to win it the following year. The next hallmark of Hamilton’s career is his move from McLaren to Mercedes, replacing racing legend Michael Schumacher. In his thirteen years with the team, he won six world championships (matching Schumacher’s world record) and broke the records of most: wins, pole positions, and podiums (respectively: 105, 105, 202).

However, after five years of undisputed dominance, Hamilton began to face challenges with his rival, Max Verstappen, falling to second, sixth, back to second, and finally seventh in the championship rankings in the past four years. In 2024, he terminated his contract with Mercedes. Soon after, Hamilton signed with Ferrari, the abruptness of the news shocking the world of Formula One. The combination of Hamilton’s age (forty years old) and his decrease in performance suggested he would lean towards retirement, rather than be offered a seat by an elite team such as Ferrari.

Hamilton has always publicly spoken about and fought against the racist comments he would receive while racing in Formula One from fans and officials. His actions became concrete in 2020, particularly after George Floyd’s murder. That season, Hamilton led pre-race ceremonies to raise awareness about racism. However, realizing the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile’s actions were insufficient, Hamilton made it his responsibility to take on more meaningful projects. In June 2020, Lewis Hamilton founded the Hamilton Commission with the Royal Academy of Engineering for “improving the representation of Black people in UK motorsport.” The commission released an analytic report investigating the sources and consequences of the under-representation of Black people in STEM with an emphasis on motorsport. According to the report, Black individuals represent less than 1 per cent of Formula One staff and 5 per cent of engineering students, where Black students make up about 25 per cent of the university from which Formula One teams recruit. Additionally, the report provides recommendations to allow more support and opportunities for Black individuals in STEM. Later, Hamilton launched Mission 44, “a charity working to build a fairer, more inclusive future for young people around the world,” collaborating with a wide range of associations. Unlike the Hamilton Commission, Mission 44 is more action-based, with concrete solutions put into place to actively improve diversity and inclusion in motorsport and STEM, particularly by investing in its charity partners.

Hamilton’s range of involvement reaches beyond Formula One and STEM, especially to fashion. The F1 champion has long demonstrated his love for clothes in and out of the paddock, but his most recent accomplishment in linking fashion to his values is being endorsed with the role of co-chair of the upcoming MET Gala this year: “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.”

Over the past two decades, Lewis Hamilton has not only become one the greatest drivers in Formula One history despite being an outcast, but he has also become a serious advocate and supporting figure for minorities in motorsport and beyond. Lewis Hamilton is a unique change maker, breaking conventions, somewhat opposite to his new team, the arbiters of tradition, Ferrari. His career is not only marked by his remarkable performance on the track but also by the challenges he’s faced as the grid’s only Black driver and his initiatives for more diversity and inclusivity in the sport and beyond.

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Black music has always been at the forefront of the culture. However, this edition of Deep Cuts isn’t trying to remind you of all the great mainstream successes. Instead, I want to put you onto some Black alternative artists who deserve some more playing time in your headphones. This list goes from least to most niche, so keep reading.

Steve Lacy + Solange + Blood Orange: Solange, Beyonce’s sister, has been the alternative response to her sister’s mainstream success. Steve Lacy is HUGE – his 2022 album Gemini Rights brought him mainstream success – but if you keep going further back in his discography, he has some even better old music. Blood Orange is absolutely incredible. You might recognize his music from Challengers (2024) or from Tiktok. He’s also produced for artists like Sky Ferreira and Solange.

Odd Future Graduates: The most notable Odd Future graduates are Tyler the Creator and Frank Ocean (who are far too mainstream to be featured in this column), but other lesser-known graduates like Syd, Matt Martians, and Earl Sweatshirt still put out incredible music. Syd is a part of a very well known band called The Internet, and Martians’ album Southern Isolations is a masterclass in bedroom funk.

Zack Fox + Thundercat + Durand Bernarr: I think that we all know the Zack Fox song “Jesus is the One (I Got Depression).” It was with this track that Zack Fox solidified his status as a meme rapper, but ever since, he has been consistently putting out rap music that is actually good. You might’ve seen him on Abbott Elementary, or maybe his Boiler Room sets on Youtube. Either way, Zack Fox is absolutely killing it. Two repeat collaborators of his are Thundercat and Durand Bernarr. Both artists make great music individually, with Thundercat being known for his bass skills and Bernarr for his creative lyrics.

Dean Blunt + Yves Tumor + Navy Blue: Something that Dean Blunt, Yves Tumor, and Navy Blue all have in common is that their music has a specific kind of edge to it. Blunt’s music is much more chill; you would probably hear it in an overpriced vintage store, where Yves Tumor is a festival frequenter. Navy Blue is special: his music has a warm ambiance to it that invites you in with poignant lyrics.

MIKE + Niontay + MAVI + B. Cool-aid: If you’re a fan of rap music over a chill beat, MIKE is the artist for you. MIKE’s music is relentlessly sunny, discussing his personal experiences in some songs while just having fun in others. Niontay is an artist that he often collaborates with (they toured together last year), whose music is every bit as fun and unique. B. Cool-aid and MAVI create the kind of music that you can just put on as a background track. From B. Cool-aid, I recommend Syrup, and MAVI’s album Let the Sun Talk is incredible.

Sam Austins + Liv.e + Kelela: Sam Austins’ song “Seasons” recently went viral on social media, but the rest of his discography is also worth checking out. He makes techno and hyperpop music that sounds like it belongs in a coming of age movie. Liv.e (my personal favorite) is CRIMINALLY underrated. Her music, as well as Kelela’s, cannot be described; it has to be experienced. For Liv.e, I recommend that you start with Girl In The Half Pearl. Kelela also puts forward a powerful performance in her single “Send Me Out.”

Contour + Rejjie Snow + Kelsey Lu + KeiyaA: These final artists are some that I have recently discovered and fallen in love with. Contour’s music is thoughtful and chill, with calm beats under touching lyrics. Rejjie Snow has been making bedroom pop for a long time, having collaborated with well-known indie-pop artists like Clairo. His music feels like summer, just like Kelsey Lu’s. A popular song of Lu’s is a cover of 10cc’s “I’m Not In Love,” which she makes even more lo-fi. Her album Blood, which the cover can be found on, is a masterful expression of love and longing. Finally, KeiyaA is one of my favorite artists (and maybe my deepest cut). Her album, Forever, Ya Girl is my favorite kind of music – definitely alternative, interesting lyrics, and smooth. Her voice floats over every track with ease and confidence.

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The 2025 spring exhibition takes its inspiration from the work of author and scholar Monica L. Miller, who is professor and chair of the African Studies Department at Barnard College.

Miller’s 2009 book, Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity highlights the evolution of the Black dandy from its origins in the 18th century to its contemporary relevance in fashion and popular culture. The Black dandy epitomizes countercultural resistance, meant to parody the style of upper-class white men who sported fine tailored suits and high-end fabrics to flaunt their social status and wealth. It is a direct symbol of autonomous self-expression in the face of oppression. While this legacy has retained its salience throughout the years, in modern times, Black dandyism is performed as a means to push the boundaries of conventional masculinity, challenging norms of gender and sexuality through personal style.

The Met has selected a star-studded panel of co-chairs for the gala including honorary chair LeBron James, alongside co-chairs Lewis Hamilton, A$AP Rocky, and Pharrell Williams. While these men are known most notably in industries outside of fashion, this gala will rightfully highlight their perhaps lesser-known yet significant contributions to the world of style, particularly within menswear.

One such co-chair, Pharrell Williams, has a long list of accomplishments and credits as a producer, artist, and designer. If we are to say Williams’ notoriety as a fashion designer is secondary, it is only because he is so accomplished as a musician. With 13 Grammy awards to his name and a long list of collaborations with A-list celebrities from Snoop Dog, to Britney Spears, to Jay Z, Williams has made a reputation for himself as one of the biggest names in pop music recording, while never failing to do it with style. Williams is a pioneer of blending streetwear with high fashion in the early Y2K era.

Throughout his music career, he has partnered with designer brands like Moncler, Chanel, and Louis Vuitton. Most recently, he has begun to really lean into his designer side, assuming the title of Men’s Creative Director of Louis Vuitton (who also happens to be one of the MET Gala’s major sponsors) in early 2023, designing clothing lines and advertisements for the brand.

Lewis Hamilton’s appearance on the panel has likewise caused particular excitement. Often known to sport bold colours and statement pieces, the Formula One star’s pursuit of his own personal style is regularly commended for how he challenges the norms of conventional masculinity, pervasive in such a male-dominated field as racing. Hamilton’s contributions to the fashion world have centred primarily around promoting diversity and inclusivity within the industry, making him a perfect choice as chair for this year’s theme. At the 2021 Met Gala, Hamilton hosted his own table for the first time at the event. He invited along with him several emerging Black designers including Jason Rembert, Kenneth Nicholson, and Edvin Thompson with the intent of putting their creative work on display.

We can expect that Thompson, Rembert, and Nicholson are joined by a plethora of other talented Black creators and fashion designers gearing up for this year’s event. And while the roster of Black artists and fashion icons that will be featured in the event is already something to get excited about, the preparations for the event have equally begun to bring the work of Black creators across a vast variety of other disciples to the forefront. For example, Yale-educated historian and content creator Kahlil Greene (@kahlil.greene) uses his platform to educate the public on current events — including the MET’s spring exhibition announcement— in short, palatable Instagram reels. Another insightful platform to learn more about black dandyism is the Black Fashion History podcast. It is created and hosted by Taniqua Martin, a content creator passionate about educating her audience on the ways the fashion industry has been moulded by Black culture throughout history. The podcast does a deep dive into particular trends, specific designers or brands, all focused on highlighting the often-overlooked role of Black people in contemporary fashion.

There is much to look forward to as the Met’s new spring exhibition begins to take form. In any case, this year’s theme will further underline an already-apparent truth: Black creators are dominating in their respective fields, from fashion, to music, to content creation, and beyond. While no single article could ever fully encompass the scope of these creators, this Black History Month is a great opportunity to take advantage of the resources listed both here and beyond this article to further familiarize yourself with the endless list of Black artists contributing to contemporary popular culture.

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In 2024, social media played a tremendous role in popularizing the trends and tendencies in food, from diets to viral (and questionable) ingredient combinations (re: balsamic vinegar and seltzer). Flavours including pistachio, hojicha, and miso dominated recipes. Social media was overrun by Dubai chocolate bars, the sent-from-heaven Olympics chocolate muffin, Crumbl cookies, and the astounding discovery of cucumbers. “Girl Dinner” fought against high-protein cottage cheese-laced everything, while “sweet treat culture” kept everyone sane. Apparently, one can put anything in a martini: tomatoes, pickles, apples, parmesan, or cotton candy. Frankly, I am afraid for 2025, though I have my eye on a few rising food fashions:

Quince: The culinary world loves a hyperfixation flavour, and quince deserves its due. The unassuming fruit is a mildly citrus-y take on an apple or pear. Its subtle floral nature lends itself well to pairings in both sweet and savoury dishes.

Fermented Seaweed: The wellness world is currently dominated by the likes of bone broth, sea moss gel, and Coconut Cult yogurt. Gut health has been a primary focus, and probiotic-rich fermented foods such as kefir and kimchi have been lauded as your stomach’s saviour. Recently, while perusing the shelves at Whole Foods, I discovered a new subject of fermentation: seaweed (by “new,” I mean “not yet pervasive on social media platforms”). Though I immensely enjoyed it myself, the seaweed does have a distinctly fishy taste that will inevitably bisect audiences; however, as seen by the aforementioned sea moss trend, the Wellness Girls are not easily dissuaded by otherwise-polarizing taste profiles.

Cow’s Milk: Gone are the days of alternative milk: soy, almond, and even oat milk have been the victims of cancel culture, with their supposed environmental and health-friendly claims to fame having been disproven in one way or another. We are on the precipice of a Dairy Milk Renaissance, with a few pioneering content creators proclaiming their preference for the bovine beverage, prompting others to make the switch (myself included). While cow’s milk was initially crucified for its environmental impact (the devastating effects of cow farts) and digestive distress (it’s not the cow’s fault that you’re lactose-intolerant!), the narrative has begun to flip, pointing out its superior protein and vitamin content. Some advocates have taken it further with the highly controversial rise of raw milk, for better or worse.

All Things Retro: Every industry dances with nostalgia in one way or another, and the food world is no exception. With Lana Del Rey’s help, Americana diners became an Instagram hot spot, while Taylor Swift (and a slew of other celebrities) brought fame to New York’s The Corner Store, whose menu cuts a high-and-low balance of haute cuisine (filet mignon, tuna tartare, compressed melon – whatever that is) and reworked standards (five-cheese pizza rolls, their take on a McDonald’s fry sauce, and a Girl Scouts-inspired Samoa sundae). I believe the trend towards the good ‘ol days shall continue; I’d like to see if Aspic will make a return.

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Cooper’s warm, conspiratorial, and familial tone masks the fact that rather than her speaking to a close friend over the phone, she is addressing an audience of millions. Cooper’s podcast, the most-listened-to podcast by women and Spotify’s second largest podcast in 2023, reflects a growing infatuation with podcasts around the world.

Over the past decade, podcast listening has steadily increased in popularity. Today, there are over 400 million podcast listeners globally, with more than two million independent podcasts.

What explains this increasing obsession with podcasts? For Dr. Mark Lloyd, associate professor in the Department of Art History and Communication Studies at McGill University, podcasts are nothing new. Dr. Lloyd, who has worked as a journalist with platforms like NBC and CNN, told the Daily in an interview over Zoom: “There is nothing particularly unusual or unique about podcasts.” He added that “oral forms of communication as distinct from video and text have been around for centuries.”

Dr. Lloyd pointed to ancient texts from the likes of Homer and Aristotle as stories that were originally transmitted orally well before they became written narratives. Dr. Lloyd noted that “we are extraordinarily drawn to the human voice and the human voice that tells stories.”

Before there were podcasts, this innate attachment to the human voice manifested through radio. “I’ve always loved the radio,” Dr. Lloyd told the Daily. “I’ve always been interested in why radio was so powerful.”

Like any form of communication, radio can be “extraordinarily valuable” but also “extraordinarily harmful to societies,” Dr. Lloyd cautioned. In the 1930s, priest Charles E. Coughlin used the radio to broadcast extreme anti-Semitic rhetoric in the United States. Today, podcasts are used for similar ends. As Dr. Lloyd commented in reference to The Joe Rogan Experience podcast: “What Joe Rogan is doing is really no different than what Charles Coughlin was doing in the 1930s and 1940s. There is no real difference between them in terms of [how they] incite people to believe in conspiracies.” Dr. Lloyd added, “It’s given a different name – ‘podcast’ – but it is essentially a radio form.”

To be sure, there are some differences between current podcasting and the mainstream radio of several decades ago. Malcolm Sanger, PhD student in Communication Studies at McGill University, told the Daily in an email that podcasts are both “a new medium and an old medium.” Sanger added, “[Podcasts] are very similar to radio, obviously, but are accessed in a different way.”

Dr. Lloyd also acknowledged that podcasts are more accessible than producing radio or video content. It is less expensive for people to create podcasts, especially regarding the ease of editing, storing, and transmitting oral content.

That said, despite the distinctions between podcasting and older forms of oral communication, the “fundamentals haven’t changed,” Dr. Lloyd told the Daily. Aristotle’s early cautions about speech and rhetoric illuminated the power of oral communication to drive large crowds to action within their communities.

Today, the significance of oral modes of communication as a medium to influence large groups of people is more relevant than ever. We are specifically seeing major politicians utilize podcasting to reach voters, like US President Donald Trump’s appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience and Kamala Harris’s interview on Call Her Daddy. As Sanger explained to the Daily, “politicians and their advisors know that podcasts attract larger and larger audiences, and so it is important for politicians to appear on them, just as they once went on radio and TV.”

Lewis Goodall, former policy editor of Newsnight and presenter on the popular podcast The News Agents, discussed a hunger for political podcasts with Elle UK. “There is a real desire from younger people for news and politics content that’s not being well-served by more traditional outlets,” he said.“People like the immediacy of just sitting down, listening, and feeling like they’re part of a podcast.”

No matter the genre, it is evident that podcasts fulfill the strong human demand to interact with information through oral means of communication. With a rich history of audio communication through media like radio, our draw to podcasts is nothing new, but rather reflects an innate attachment to the human voice. As Sanger stated, “I think people have never lost their attention for a well-told, exciting story, […] and it would seem lots of podcasts provide that for lots of people.”

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High-profile BookTok titles include A Court of Rose and Thorns by Sarah J. Maas and past viral novels such as The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid. Many books have become bestsellers through the generative power of TikTok’s ripple-effect-style spread of information. The formula is simple: one person reads a book and posts a review or recommendation, causing others to read it and do the same. Soon, the book is trending, with posts constantly springing up reacting to content in the novel and encouraging others to read it as well.

The influence of BookTok on young adult reading patterns is unmistakable. Indigo, Canada’s largest bookstore company, boasts a “Trending on BookTok” website section. Barnes and Noble, Indigo’s US counterpart, has a “BookTok Favorites” section online and in stores. Even an Amazon search for “BookTok books” will generate a list of recognizable YA fantasy and romance titles. The largest North American book retailers have recognized and organized around the unquestionable market force of BookTok.

According to BookNet Canada, a 2023 Canadian Book Consumer Report found that 62 per cent of books purchased by Canadian book buyers were fiction, with the top genres being fantasy, suspense or thriller, and romance – categories which align with the top genres of BookTok recommendations. It is evident that the TikTok culture surrounding reading that developed in the past few years has had direct real-world manifestations.

BookTok itself has become a distinct and identifiable social media subgroup, a community of like-minded individuals who have either recently come to love or have always loved reading. BookTok is candles, fairy lights, glasses, and bookshelves: a certain, broader aesthetic that social media users can tap into at any point (literally).

Yet, in today’s internet landscape of increasingly niche aesthetic subgroups, there are pockets underneath the umbrella of BookTok in which certain books act as subcultural identity signifiers. Where BookTok on the whole sings the praises of romance and fantasy novels like The Cruel Prince by Holly Black and Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo, a certain subgroup proclaims books like My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh and Didion & Babitz by Lili Anolik, signalling membership to a more specific group.

BookTok culture online is complicated and differentiated, but there is an unmistakable subsect of Orion Carlotto-following, Reformation-wearing, Sally Rooney-reading, pink cursive font-using self proclaimed “cool girls.” In carefully styled book recommendation videos (“books about female rage,” “books about Hollywood in the ‘60s,” “books about motherhood”), they signal to their audiences exactly which online aesthetic they align with. The words “intellectual,” “fashion-oriented,” and “third-wave feminist” are not explicitly stated but implied, intuited by the keen eye of the viewer who subconsciously understands how to decode social media messaging.

This paragraph could be replicated with countless other specific sects – the key is that books have come to function as tokens online, identity signifiers which gesture towards different aesthetic groups in the same way certain clothes or haircuts do. To equate ownership of a certain item to participation in a broader aesthetic social category is a consumerist conception of identity that is pushed by the internet. On a visual platform like TikTok, the actual quality or content of a novel is inconsequential – it is quite literally the phenomenon of judging a book by its cover, prioritizing style over substance. A video displaying a collection of books with a certain style of cover art allows a reader to intuit not only the content of the suggested novels, but the aesthetic orientation of the creator.

As internet culture develops and becomes more specific, distinct, and intricately organized, it is important to recognize the way everyday objects can be co-opted to serve as signifiers towards pre-packaged aesthetic groups, not by the fault of any individual, but through the invisible guiding hand of the internet that pushes for commodification and categorization. There is nothing wrong with reading what the internet recommends or having genre preferences, but we should seek to read a differentiated, nuanced range of stories rather than according to a certain aesthetic – always reaching for diversification and depth rather than neat aesthetic cohesion, resisting the urge to judge a book (or a person) by its cover. Online culture has real-world consequences, as evidenced in current book sales mirroring TikTok trends. The categorizing, flattening gaze of the internet can quickly become transposed to the world of literature with detrimental and limiting consequences.

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This year’s lineup solidifies Igloofest’s reputation as a global music destination. Heavy-hitters like Michael Bibi, Claptone, Apashe, Zeds Dead, Skepta (Más Tiempo), Bon Entendeur, Steve Angello, Adriatique, and Four Tet will take to the stage, bringing an eclectic mix of beats that range from house to bass-heavy anthems. For four weekends, the frozen expanse of the Old Port will transform into a high-energy playground for music lovers bundled up against the cold.

For families looking to join the fun, Igloofête offers a kid-friendly version of Igloofest on Saturday afternoons — January 18 and 25 and February 18, 2025 — at the Jacques-Cartier Pier. With free entrance, this magical winter playground features snow games, mini dance floors, and interactive performances perfect for children and parents alike. Families can enjoy snacks from the on-site snack bar, participate in friendly competitions, and enjoy amenities like lockers and indoor play areas to stay warm and comfortable.

The Igloovillage adds another layer to the festivities, offering art installations, warming stations, and a curated selection of local food vendors. This year, the festival has upped the ante with enhanced light displays and new interactive elements, giving attendees more reasons to explore between sets. These touches, alongside the immersive stage designs, show how Igloofest isn’t content to rest on its reputation — it keeps evolving to surprise its audience. And of course, the iconic Tackiest Snowsuit/Iglooswag Contest adds a dose of humor and creativity, with participants vying for prizes (and glory) in their boldest, most outrageous winter wear.

Montreal’s relationship with winter is what makes an event like Igloofest thrive. Instead of avoiding the season’s challenges, locals have turned them into a backdrop for creativity and community. Igloofest exemplifies this mindset, proving that even the harshest weather can’t dampen the city’s love for collective experiences. It’s no surprise that the festival draws visitors from across Canada and beyond, eager to see how Montreal transforms icy nights into a cultural event.

When it comes to enjoying Igloofest, dressing smartly is key to staying warm and embracing the fun. Start with a moisture-wicking base layer, add a fleece or wool mid-layer for insulation, and finish with a waterproof, windproof jacket to tackle the elements. Protect your extremities with a thermal hat, insulated gloves, and warm socks, and opt for waterproof boots with good traction to navigate icy grounds.

For those planning to attend, Igloofest offers ticket options ranging from General Admission to VIP packages, which include heated lounges and premium viewing spots. The festival’s accessibility and diverse programming make it appealing to a wide audience, whether they’re die-hard electronic music fans or simply curious about what it’s like to embrace the cold, Montreal-style.

As Montreal braces for another round of winter’s worst, Igloofest reminds us why the city stands out. It’s not just the music, the lights, or even the quirky snowsuits — it’s the attitude. In Montreal, winter isn’t endured; it’s celebrated. And that’s the kind of energy that keeps people coming back, year after year.

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As I am sure everyone told you when you were packing to come to McGill, the key to survival is a) layering and b) a good coat and boots. To speak to the former, I am the biggest proponent of Uniqlo HEATTECH (not really a hot take at this point – note my temperature pun). All jokes aside, HEATTECH is a lifesaver when it comes to insulation. As far as a coat, I personally think you can survive without dropping hundreds on a puffer jacket as long as you have the layers and thermals to take its place. As far as boots go, I do not have recommendations. Finding cute snow boots is not something I have accomplished as of yet. In the interim, I have been sporting a Doc Martin-esque boot that does the trick. Some people seem to be ignoring the snow and sticking to their normal Adidas Sambas, while others opt for a warmer route, sporting the ever-controversial platform UGGs. As long as you can find a shoe that keeps you warm and spares you the embarrassment of slipping down McTavish or University, you are winning.

As far as fashion trends this year, I turned to the real students on campus, conducting some preliminary observational research. The goal was to try to notice what people are wearing, from jackets, to hats, to brands of boots. I parked myself on a bench inside Leacock and watched as people came and left the building, taking note of the apparel I was seeing. Today, January 14, is around -3 degrees Celsius (25 degrees Fahrenheit) with a real feel of -11 degrees. We had some light snow this morning, partial sun, but mostly cloudy. All in all, this is a fairly average day for McGill winter weather, and therefore is a perfect climate for our experiment. Obviously, there is a possibility for observational bias here, as I tend to have strong fashion opinions and might be more apt to observe things that I personally like. With that disclaimer out of the way, let’s start with what people are wearing on campus.

To no one’s surprise, the colour of the season is black. It feels natural to dress in dark colours for the darkest days of the year. Among a swarm of students heading into Leacock, only a few pops of colour stand out among the myriad of black puffers and wool coats. Within the uniformity of an all-black outfit, people are experimenting when it comes to shape, structure, and layers. Black fur hats are paired with long black skirts over jeans. Playing with shapes, textures, and patterns is a way to wear black without looking like you have coordinated your outfit with everyone else on campus. A lot of people circumvent this issue by simply throwing on a colourful chunky scarf (you know the ones).

I am seeing a lot of fur accessories and jackets with fur trim. I enjoy the looks that embrace fur to the fullest extent, with full-length coats or faux-fox bombers. Most of the time, I find the people wearing the most fur finish their statement with a sweatshirt and messy hair, which I simply love. The “mob-wife” vibe transitions really well into winter, as a simple outfit can look chic and on-trend by adding a fur coat or big leather bag to your sweat set. Even if you are an Aritzia Super Puff person, wear a cool scarf, change up your bag, or try funky pants to spice up your outfit. Like I was saying: this is a mix of blending being warm with looking cool. Over the course of my observation, I also observed some seemingly hand-knit hats and eccentric hair accessories. All in all, I urge you to experiment with small additions to your outfit that work to elevate a simple jacket.

One of my favourite observations, and possibly the most unintentionally useful winter accessory, are headphones. While they seem like college-student staples, their dual purpose as ear warmers has recently become apparent to me. In the wake of that observation, I have been keenly observing the different styles and models headphones come in, adding personality (and soundtracks) to people’s bundled outfits.

Sacrificing individuality seems to be out of the question for McGill students. While black and grey hues and puffer coats are the overarching theme of campus fashion, there are glimmers of singularity in varying aspects of an ensemble. Style isn’t everyone’s priority during the winter months, especially when staying warm is at the forefront of our minds, yet putting a little bit of effort into making your clothes feel like yourself makes it easier to break out of a winter slump. The best thing you can do is to not focus on looking “good,” per se, but on having fun and making these dark days seem a little brighter. Whether through colours or layers, playing around with your clothes and mixing and matching is the joy of winter dressing. See you on campus!

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When trying to find the time in a busy schedule to expose ourselves to the world of literature, joining an extracurricular may seem like the last thing anyone wants or is able to do. Enter: the McGill Book Club. This club is a low-commitment, welcoming environment for students who want to keep up their reading habits throughout their studies. They offer book recommendations for a wide variety of genres, including mystery, literary fiction, poetry, and more. Here’s how it works: find their registration form through their Linktree, found on the McGill Book Club Instagram (@bookclubmcgill). They will ask you about your reading preferences in order to pair you with other like-minded students. The Book Club also hosts special events throughout the semester, which are open to all students. Just this past semester in Fall 2024, they hosted movie nights, book sales, and communal spaces to come and relax your stress away with others hoping to do the same.

McGill is also certainly not lacking in opportunities for students to realize creative pursuits of their own. The Veg magazine at McGill releases new issues every semester to feature all kinds of student-created works, such as poetry, short stories, visual art, and photography. Like McGill Book Club, The Veg also puts on special events during the semester to promote student artists and foster a community of art makers and lovers alike, the members of which they call “the veggies” (a name so adorable, it’s almost worth joining just for the title). The Veg welcomes submissions throughout the semester and all up-to-date information about the upcoming issue can be found on their Instagram (@thevegmagazine).

Likewise, McGill’s very own student-run music magazine, Counterpoint, releases articles twice weekly with two specialized columns. The first of these, New Music Mondays, features reviews and spotlights on emerging new artists and freshly released songs and albums. There are also Friday publications under their Miscellaneous Music Fridays column, featuring commentary, news, opinion pieces, and more covering all things music. These articles can be found on their website or through their Instagram (@counterpointmcgill).

In the tune of student-authored projects, also upcoming this semester is the McGill Drama Festival (MDF), an annual event put on by Player’s Theatre in which a variety of student-written scripts are performed on a live stage. This year, MDF is putting on six different plays, all of which are student-acted, -directed, and -produced. Be sure to check out Player’s Theatre’s Instagram (@playerstheatre) or their website for updates on how and when to go support these McGill artists!

The literary community at McGill is alive and well, if only a fraction of the greater literary culture of Montreal. Within walking distance from McGill’s campus are several local businesses working hard to foster Montreal’s love of literature.

One such shop is De Stiil, located in the Plateau, where “customer” really isn’t the right word to describe the store’s frequenters. At De Stiil, books on display are hand-chosen by the owner, Aude Le Dubé, based often on her own interests and occasionally on the tastes and interests of her customers. Inside, the store feels more like a home than it does a retail outlet, with long tables to display the books in lieu of tall dividing aisles. In addition, the store hosts various literary events, including author visits and writing workshops, to which a whole section is dedicated on their website. This community is open and welcome to everyone, and even offers special De Stiil merchandise to prove it.

Another local shop just steps away from McGill is The Word, who opens their door to anyone, student or otherwise, looking for a new book. You can pick up a textbook (for some McGill and Concordia courses – just ask the owner!), browse the overflowing shelves, or even just chat with their friendly and knowledgeable owners. As a second-hand store, The Word is committed to gifting old classics and hidden gems to new hands.

Finally, just a short walk down Rue Sainte Catherine is Montreal-owned and -operated Argo Bookshop. This quaint little shop has kept the literary spirit alive throughout their several decades of operation (in fact, it is the city’s longest standing independent store for books in the English language!). Argo offers various opportunities to facilitate the book-lovers’ belonging to a literary community, including their subscription boxes, through which users receive a monthly customized book recommendation hand-picked by the staff. In these subscription boxes, you’ll find some extras goodies made by local artisans, also available for purchase at the store. For those seeking a more intimate face-to-face experience, while browsing Argo’s shelves, you’ll find handwritten notes reviewing and recommending new titles. Their staff are, of course, always eager to talk about all things books and beyond.

From the outside looking in, it may seem as though the gateway into literary culture is a locked door without a key. These outlets described here attempt to open that door, showing just how permeable and welcoming local literary communities truly are. Whether you’re an avid reader looking to share your thoughts on the new title you just finished, an aspiring writer looking to draw some eyes to your creative work, or simply someone who loves to read but doesn’t know where to begin, McGill and the rest of Montreal host an abundance of opportunities that extend far beyond anything that could be covered in a single article. Perhaps it’s time to get our noses out of our books and explore the whole ecosystem of readers and artists all looking to share their love of literature with one another. Happy reading!

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When Black Girl’s protagonist, Diouana, steps off the boat in France, she only has a few moments to take the city in before the harsh reality of life abroad sets in. While Diouana comes to France expecting to work as a nanny for a couple, she is deceived into becoming their housemaid. She quickly learns that France is neither an escape nor her new home. France is ironing and laundry. France is cleaning the kitchen and bathroom. France is work.

Touki Bouki’s Anta and Mory are on the other side of the same dilemma. Dakar lacks opportunity, and the young couple can no longer envision a life of freedom at home. Therefore, with no money and unsupportive families, Anta and Mory connive to escape to Paris. Their desire to emigrate is not shaped by a lack of love for Senegal, nor is it determined by a measurable goal they hope to reach in Paris; it is simply the prospect of change that fuels their move.

Both Black Girl and Touki Bouki take place in the first ten years of Senegalese independence from France, a time filled with uncertainty for what the future of the country might look like. Yet, this newfound independence makes the audience wonder why these characters would want to move to France after finally gaining independence from French domination. What pushes people to leave home without certainty of success elsewhere?

Franz Fanon first coined the term “colonial alienation of the person” in 1952 to describe the internalized inferiority complex of colonized societies. The term has grown to be incredibly useful when examining the ways colonized peoples internalize harmful ideas about their cultures, view their societies through a colonial lens, and measure themselves based on their proximity to whiteness. The term is additionally beneficial in explaining why the Occident is held in such high regard. It is a clear way to explain why Diouana, Mory, and Anta are sure that moving to France is the key to a better life. However, while useful, it is important to not solely rely on the sheer power of Western brainwashing when examining choices made by Senegalese people post-independence. It is important to also recognize Senegalese self-determination and consider the rational approach many people took to the issue of immigration.

For instance, France has had a presence in Senegal since the 16th century, with Senegal only becoming an independent state in 1960. Interestingly enough, many Senegalese academics actually advocated for assimilation instead of independence. This did not mean that people simply forgot about the barbaric nature of imperialism. The understanding of Western hegemony was precisely why a moderate approach for greater Senegalese rights was taken and can account for why so many immigrants decided to move to France. As Aisha Balabare Bawa states in the article “From Imperialism to Diplomacy: A Historical Analysis of French and Senegal Cultural Relationship”, the policy of assimilation was adopted by Senegalese activists and leaders as a way for the Senegalese people to gain equality with French citizens in a non-violent manner.

The pretence of a European life being the best one was not just a misaligned viewpoint – it was, and still is, regarded as the determinant of success. Proximity to European standards determines a nation’s stage of development and immigration to Europe is many Africans’ only way of picturing a life of stability. Whether one profoundly believes in Eurocentrism or not, its stark influence on our day-to-day lives is unavoidable.

As most of the film takes place in France, Black Girl explores Eurocentrism from an immigrant’s perspective. Halfway through the film, we see a flashback of Diouana telling her lover that she will soon be working in France. While skipping around the city, Diouana anticipates that her lover will claim that she is submitting herself to domestic slavery. Diouana shakes these concerns off, as nothing can dwindle her excitement. Through these brief scenes of her life in Dakar, it is made clear that Diouana has internalized the idea of a French utopia imposed on so many colonized peoples. After all, she is willing to abandon the only home she knows for a vague and empty promise of a better life. Yet, her blissful optimism is not merely a result of ignorance.

When foreign powers have controlled your home, an attraction to the thought of immigration is perfectly reasonable. Diouana is not a fool for accepting the world as it is presented to her. While she is not particularly displeased with her life in Senegal, France is portrayed as a paradise, and it would have been foolish of her not to capitalize on an opportunity promised to be thrilling. The isolation she faces in France was not just a result of her ignorance but also of the lasting impacts of colonialism. Her mistress promises her a better life abroad, in the same way that French dominance promised to make the African continent prosperous. Through Diouana’s disillusionment, Sembene illustrates the social and psychological manifestations of the colonial alienation of
the person.

On the other hand, Anta, the female lead in Touki Bouki, is a college student and belongs to a group of pan-Africanists. It would be naive to assume that her desire for a life in Paris with Mory is solely influenced by false notions of Western supremacy. In actuality, anyone watching Mambety’s depiction of Dakar through Anta and Mory’s eyes would come to realize that the couple deeply care for the city. For Anta and Mory, Dakar is driving in the sun and love on the beach. Their city is vibrant and marked with mischief. The love for Dakar seen in Touki Bouki is conspicuous, an aspect that, over time, complicates their decision to leave.

The root of Anta and Mory’s dissatisfaction is not with Dakar itself, but can instead be attributed to the elitism and hypocrisy within post-colonial Senegal. The couple only begins to receive acceptance by their community when they are draped in expensive European fabrics. Moreover, Anta’s so-called revolutionary classmates harasses Mory for his working-class status. While some traditional customs, such as animal slaughter and folklore, are still present in their society, the Senegal they once knew is changing. Like many immigrants, Anta and Mory come to the conclusion that they may not be able to grow with their home, so instead, they must leave it. Similarly to Black Girl, Touki Bouki highlights how a love for your country and a thirst for change are not mutually exclusive – our attitudes toward what and where home is are variable and can always be subject to questioning.

France currently has the largest African diaspora in Europe. The leap of faith Diouana, Anta, and Mory take when choosing to immigrate to France illustrates the core of the African diasporic experience: immigration is not solely a decision based on disregard for one’s home. The insatiable drive to leave home in search of socio-economic stability is taxing, and the alienation one can face after leaving home is burdensome. Immigration is a heavy choice for many. Yet, Touki Bouki and Black Girl magnetically depict the flexible idea of home in a time struck by revolutionary change.

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This belief was entirely upended when I met Mara Gibea. Mara is an undergraduate student studying political science, and when I met her this past November, she did not have any social media. She only opened an Instagram account in late December of last year.

I trace social media’s influence on my life back to the COVID pandemic. I, like everyone else my age, was sequestered in my room for months, with one of the few things I could turn to being my phone. Social media shifted from something I enjoyed partaking in to my only way to interact with friends and experience community. In that era of the internet age, we all had near-complete control over our image and how we were perceived. “-Cores” and aesthetics became a focus of social life; we grouped ourselves into categories and became hyperfixated on what life was like outside of the digital world.

As such, my idea of “normal” was no longer solely constructed by my immediate community but in that digital space that I occupied, my little corner of the internet. So, when I met someone who chose not to allow their identity to be constructed on or by social media, I was shocked. She was so delightful, stylish, and funny! How did she manage to construct her identity without social media, when I felt like I owed so much of my identity to it?

I interviewed Mara via Instagram DM to pick her brain about all things social media.

Interview has been edited for clarity and conciseness.

Evelyn Logan for The McGill Daily (MD): Why did you decide not to have social media? When we met, were you on a detox, or have you never had it?

Mara Gibea (MG): I first got Snapchat and Instagram in the seventh grade at 12 years old – only three years after getting my first phone. I got it because a friend helped convince my mom to let me get it. As someone who was already hyperfixated on her appearance, social media expanded the areas that I compared myself to others: from looks, to academic performance, to friends and family. It felt like my life was not good enough on its own, and soon, I began relying on social media for my happiness, not only to keep in touch with others.

But keeping in touch with others is what I missed once I deleted all social media platforms. This was in 12th grade at the age of 17. From then on, I was able to better control who I surrounded myself with, compared to when people would involuntarily pop up on my social media. I will admit – not having social media in my first year, especially during FROSH, was hard, because it felt like too much of a commitment to give my number to people who I met casually. But it helped me put myself out there more and make genuine connections!

Even if I have a small friend group, I’ve honestly never been happier. This is why I redownloaded Instagram and TikTok, because I feel secure enough to not expose myself to things that don’t serve me. My accounts are to keep in touch with people I actually know now, instead of adding mutuals for more followers. Because of this, I feel more comfortable posting silly photos. In other words, taking a break from social media allowed me to maintain my authenticity once I got it back.

MD: Very interesting, because I’ve noticed that there’s been a shift on social media where people are now trying to appear more authentic and relatable rather than being entirely performative or fake. But still, I feel like this “authenticity” is a performance as well. Since coming back to social media, has the performative nature of it become clearer to you?

MG: I completely agree! I’ve noticed that some people are performative with their authenticity, as consumers have increased their demand for that kind of content. And it seems like, once again, performative vs. authentic sides of the content spectrum are becoming polarized. For me, I would say that while I can spot performative content that pretends to be authentic, it is still hard to do so, but that may also be because of the break that I took from social media. At the same time, this may be true for others who have not taken a break from social media because nowadays, we consume so much short-form content that we don’t have enough time to process what we are watching and make an active decision on the content’s level of authenticity.

MD: I agree. Even though I spend so much time on social media, I still have to check myself when I come across something that’s meant to be authentic. When you weren’t on social media, did you feel out of touch with trends? Did it bother you?

MG: I didn’t feel significantly left out of trends because I noticed them manifesting around me in person, such as last winter with the colourful scarfs and now with the Arcteryx beanie. These are things I noticed before re-downloading social media, so I didn’t necessarily need it to stay on trend, but if I had more niche trends that I was interested in, I feel like that would be heavily maintained through social media, especially if it’s not something you see day-to-day. However, in terms of vocabulary/slang, it sometimes felt awkward having to rely on my friends to explain to me what the new trending phrases would be, such as “demure.”

To social media or not to social media is a question! There are so many different ways to be online without being on social media, like reading blogs or finding interesting websites. Even though we are in a digital age, it doesn’t mean that we have to feel trapped or like we don’t have the ability to opt out, because we do. At its core, social media is supposed to help connect you with your friends, and if it starts to become a source of anxiety or deplete your mental health, you don’t have to partake!

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