ICCS
Corrie Corfield, Island Crisis Care Society’s Assistant Executive Director, chats with The Navigator about Nanaimo’s homeless population, programs that are offered through the ICCS and other organization that are housing the homeless, and what you can do to help those who are sleeping rough.
Redesigning the Rhythm of VIU’s Music Department
On the night of December 1, 2021, eight students stood onstage in Malaspina Theatre before a backdrop of blue, purple, and pink lights. The Jazz Choir performed songs ranging from an angelically sung solo rendition of “Autumn in New York,” to an upbeat group performance of “I Got Rhythm.” It was the second night of … Continued
RISEBRIDGE
This winter has been one of the coldest on record for the Nanaimo area. Most fortunate people have a warm place to escape the frigid winter wind, but for many others, this isn’t the case. Multiple advocacy and community-led groups have stepped up to help those in need of extra support. One organisation in particular, … Continued
Tree-Planting:
The freezing rain pelts your back, creeping into your boots and soaking through your clothes. You curse yourself for begging for rain during the hot and bug-infested 30-plus degree weather the day before. Surrounding you is a cutblock where a logging company has chopped down all the trees in the area, leaving behind brush and … Continued
Join the Club
It’s 2022. Time to tick off those New Year’s Resolutions. There are the common yet difficult examples of “exercise more” and “travel,” then there are the equally common and difficult “make friends” and “try new things.” Introverts or students from out of town may find the latter particularly challenging. Thankfully, there’s a diverse source already … Continued
Emergency Contraception
This article features talk of sexual violence and sexual assault. Information and referral services for victims of crime and immediate crisis support can be accessed by calling or texting 1-800-563-0808. The article also discusses abortions. I have always been told not to believe everything I see on TV, but when it comes to learning … Continued
Angela Traynor
Angela Traynor flips through a sketchbook of paint colour samples and pencil drawings over a live stream on Twitch, the camera trained on her work desk. She banters with her viewers about crochet and cross-stitching as they fill up the comment section. “That’s rad!” she says when someone comments they’re teaching themselves how to knit. … Continued
Rainbows
A nine year old girl whose parents have divorced steps into a room and sits next to another child, an eight year old boy whose mom has just passed away. An older lady walks into the room with coloured jars labelled with different feelings: red for angry, blue for sad, green for scared, yellow for … Continued
A Fur-riendly Invitation to Kitties & Cream
Correction: An earlier version of this article stated that Kitties & Cream is partnered with CatNap Society, part of the Catspan Ferals Registered Charity. The cat cafe is not partnered with CatNap at this time, but with Catspan. Also, Catspan is not part of or related to Catnap. We apologize for any confusion this may have … Continued
The Hand They’re Dealt
Students have a lot on their plate this year: school, finances, COVID-19 restrictions, and as of September 13, vaccine cards. Proof of vaccination is required to access non-essential services such as restaurants, theatres, and fitness centers. Customers could use their paper vaccine cards (stamped after each dose) until September 26; now, they must show the … Continued
A Labour of Love and Honeybees
You couldn’t see them so much as you could hear them. The bees buzzed quickly past my head, busy collecting pollen for their colonies. It was spring of 2021, and I had gone to Jinglepot Apiaries to pick up some honey. I grew up with fresh, locally sourced honey where I lived in Alberta, spoiled … Continued
Ay Lelum:
Remarkable would be the simplest way to describe the last two months for Ay Lelum. Snuneymuxw sisters Aunalee Boyd-Good and Sophia Seward-Good went from figuring out what to do next after a fire destroyed nearly all their clothing stock, to walking down a runway at their own show in New York—all in the span of … Continued