The Native Youth Program asks Indigenous teens to tell their own stories

The NYP, a summer work-learn program for Indigenous secondary students offered by the Museum of Anthropology (MOA), is the longest-running Indigenous youth program in the country.

Julian Coyle Forst

IndieVision hosts backyard screening of student films

Since its founding in 2023, IndieVision has grown significantly, serving not only as a space where people who love film can come together, but also providing individuals with the freedom to express their creativity through independent productions.

Hasfariza Hassan

One Day This Kid explores Queer identity through an Afghan-Canadian lens

Alexander Farah's newest directorial project, One Day This Kid, was screened at the Vancouver Short Film Festival this June. A beautiful and deeply emotional story, the film follows a young Afghan-Canadian boy, Hamed, on his journey towards understanding his sexuality and how it impacts his relationships, particularly with his father.

Fahmia Rahman

Chinese Cafes: Paul Wong at the Queer Arts Festival

Wong’s displayed piece, “Chinese Cafes: The Five Energies,” was initially made for Them = Us, a photographic exhibition that travelled across Canada between 1998–2000 aimed at promoting diversity. Varied Editions is the first time “Chinese Cafes” has been unpacked since that viewing.

Lauren Kasowski with Photos by Veronika Kapitanchuk

Dr. JP Catungal centres equity and justice in the classroom

Dr. John Paul “JP” Catungal recalls the moment he was first approached by a stranger on the topic of his own Queerness.

Julian Coyle Forst

The paradoxical world of UBC influencers

Second-year UBC student Allegra Kastner went viral once. For her, that was more than enough.

Caleb Peterson with Illustrations by Samriddhi Kejriwal

A healthy understanding

For Young Joe, the most rewarding part of being a medical interpreter is the look of relief that takes over patients and doctors’ faces as soon as she enters the room. Without her, conversation is impossible.

Elena Massing with Illustrations by Ayla Cilliers

Powers at be: Misused science is threatening trans wellbeing

In conversations about trans issues, science is sometimes used as irrefutable proof to argue more socially conservative stances. Science, while often a fantastic tool, does have shortcomings, not the least of which being how it interacts with systemic prejudice to entrench that very sentiment, writes columnist Maya Tommasi.

Maya Tommasi

Point of Inquiry: AMS President Riley Huntley asked me to write an executive goal. Here’s what I said

This administration has shown a genuine desire to engage those outside the AMS in its goal-setting and decision-making. While simply engaging with students and student organizers is far from sufficient to create an equitable AMS, this collaborative energy is a start, writes AMS Columnist Quyen Schroeder.

Quyen Schroeder

Opinion: What should the university be?

Generative AI isn't just a tool, and its arrival raises deeper questions about who the university serves and what higher education seeks to do, writes Saskia Tholen.

Saskia Tholen with Illustrations by Abbie Lee

How to spot Queerness on campus: an updated guide to gaydar

Back in the good old days (2016), you could tell if someone was gay based on their appearance. But now, Queerness is all ambiguous and nonchalant.

Nilsa Nilli with Illustrations by Ayla Cilliers

UBC celebrates Pride Month, launches innovative course on allyship

In an exciting conference that I accidentally stumbled upon after 45 minutes of looking for a passably clean washroom on campus, UBC unveiled a new course to be integrated into its curriculum in celebration of Pride Month.

Kyla Flynn with Illustrations by Ayla Cilliers

New tipping initiative to solve all of UBC's financial woes

Partnering with tech giants like The Evil Guys Who Invented 18 Per Cent Minimum Tip on Take-Out, UBC will require students to select a tip option before exiting every lecture hall, classroom and academic flex space.

Kyla Flynn

Take my unsolicited advice (or else): UBC survival tips from a recent grad

What is senior year for, if not reminiscing?

Akanksha Pahargarh

Promoting intersectional research through UBC's Gender+ in Research Collective

The Gender+ in Research Collective, one of the two Collectives housed within the UBC Office of Regional and International Community Engagement (ORICE), aims to promote an inclusive research approach where gender and other aspects of identity are acknowledged and valued.

Vicky Nguyen with Illustrations by Abbie Lee

Neither/nor: Expanding research and nuance around non-binary experiences

While there is overlap between Trans and non-binary experiences, there’s still room for research surrounding the identities individually.

Aditi Mankar with Illustrations by Abbie Lee

Decolonizing neuroscience: Cross-cultural practice and reframing the field

Dr. Judy Illes and Dr. Melissa Perreault work with Indigenous researchers globally to advocate for and educate about Indigenous neuroethics. According to Perreault, their goals are twofold: to ensure research with communities is done ethically, and to demonstrate how Indigenous knowledge can enrich Western approaches to neuroscience.

Yomna Bedaiwy with Illustrations by Adriel Yusgiantoro

Frictionless fuel: How UBC researchers detected hydrogen’s superfluidity and what it could mean for sustainability

Imagine a liquid that moves endlessly, without resistance — so smooth that it seems to defy the laws of physics. Researchers at UBC have observed this rare phenomenon in a molecular system for the first time.

Harleen Randhawa

They aren’t just teammates, they’re — quite literally — family

Sophia Ferreira is a pretty stoic soccer player; she’s level-headed on the field and isn’t the first one to show emotion. But it was different when, after the UBC women’s soccer team lost the 2023 Canada West championship on penalty kicks, she saw Ava Ferreira — her teammate and sister. While this may seem unique, they are not the only set of siblings who play on the same varsity team at UBC.

Lauren Kasowski with Photos by Saumya Kamra

Opening in July, Recreation Centre North set to modernize recreation at UBC

You can stop holding your breath: the new Recreation Centre North is officially opening its doors on July 2 to fitness fanatics, intramural champions and everyone in between.

Colin Angell with Photos by Sidney Shaw

Beyond the game: Building inclusive physical activity spaces for 2SLGBTQIA+ students at UBC

Addressing the needs of 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals in sport has received limited funding and attention, often being cast off and separated from norms. While UBC is certainly not exempt from this issue, because of dedicated people and groups across campus, progress is being made.

Jeff Lee with Illustrations by Ayla Cilliers

From four to a force: How Isaac Qi led the UBC quadball team’s revival

At the beginning of the 2024-25 season, the UBC quadball team was in danger. Yet, at the heart of what would become a remarkable comeback, stood Isaac Qi.

Hailey Park

In photos: The last days of the Education Library in Neville Scarfe

Sidney Shaw

Essence: Letter from the team

We dedicate this issue to all the storytellers who see the world not just through a lens but, most importantly, through a heart.

Saumya Kamra, Emilija Vītols Harrison, Sidney Shaw, Guntas Kaur and Ruoxuan Wang

From headlines to harvests: Mike Wakefield's life in focus

After 37 years capturing North Shore stories, former photojournalist Mike Wakefield has traded cameras for crops in a quiet coastal community. Reflecting on a career shaped by patience, empathy and authenticity, Wakefield’s transition to farming mirrors his enduring passion for cultivating connection — whether through photographs or fresh garlic.

Guntas Kaur

Travel, spontaneity & cameras: Kami Kanetsuka's path through photography

In her Bowen Island home filled with artifacts and memories, Kami Kanetsuka reflects on decades of travel and photography. From spontaneous street shots to lifelong connections, her work captures the heart of cultures worldwide. Her advice to aspiring photographers: find your own path and follow it.

Sidney Shaw