Articles
Working Draft Magazine
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Next, I took a closer look at the paperwork riddled with black lines. As an adult, I think the papers look like a sad attempt at a black-out poetry page. But back then, I had a little more imagination. As I moved the pages up and down, and flipped them back and forth, I realized that against certain lights, I could see the printer ink through the marker ink of the Sharpie. And there it was, my bio mom’s name, plain to see.
The Pigeon
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Winnipeg is lagging behind other western cities when it comes to supporting unhoused residents. Here’s how local organizations are trying to catch up.
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Over a decade in the making, the Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG) will open its newest addition in Feb. 2021—an Inuit Art Centre with curators representing all four regions of the Inuit territories, seeking to bridge the gap between Canada’s Northern Inuit and Southern settler communities.
The Uniter
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Since TikTok’s rise in popularity, many have applauded the algorithm that feeds viewers content tailored to their interests. With more popularity comes more content covering different topics and specialists who have found a space to educate others, including through videos talking about mental health.
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After two years of sitting on the edge of their seats, waiting to hear whether or not they could be hosted in person, festivals all over Winnipeg will finally return.
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“Sharing with an audience is such an important milestone in the development of a new work. In all our previous projects, we have always shared work with small audiences at a certain point of development before doing a run of a show,” Manson says.
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“I don’t think there are enough words to say how much these concerts and fundraisers mean to me. In such a dark time for us, it’s so heartwarming to see people come together and work so hard to help Ukraine,” Oksana Preachuk, a local Ukrainian dancer, says.
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On March 1, the provincial government lifted their restrictions for proof of vaccination for indoor venues, such as restaurants and event spaces. On March 15, all COVID-19 restrictions, including the mask mandate, were lifted. Now, many venues face a difficult decision: should they lift restrictions or keep them in place without government support?
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“What’s ultimately important is that we don’t lose sight of mental health being a personal, individual problem. It is also very largely impacted by larger social influences.”
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“Embracing Shadows came about as our students’ pieces tie into their own personal demons: depression, performance anxiety, struggles to create and, in one particular case, literally embracing a ghost,” Daphne Finlayson, the Village Conservatory’s director of communications and administration, says. “The title refers to how we both confront and accept our struggles and learn to work with the darkness in each of our lives.”
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Virtual 5Ks and other races have become increasingly popular during the COVID-19 pandemic. The ability for runners to socially distance, choose their own locations and participate at their own pace have made them an attractive option for beginners and seasoned runners alike.
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Even though Black Canadians have been involved in the shaping of Canadian history and identity at least since Mathieu Da Costa, a navigator and interpreter, arrived in the early 1600s, Black Canadians have largely been ignored in Canada’s school curricula.
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Champagne says the idea for the book came from the disheartening truth of Canada’s suicide rates among Indigenous youth. He hopes We Need Everyone will not only empower children but also help their parents understand and engage in dialogue with them.
“I know that amongst Indigenous children, the average age that a child will first contemplate suicide in Canada is age 10. And so this book is for ages two to six. And that’s on purpose, because I want to speak to children at that age range,” Champagne says.
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“I think we’re all scared of life having to be put on hold again. We’ve all missed out on so many life opportunities and experiences these last two years, and I’m keeping everything crossed for this concert to happen,” Kelsey Carriere, who has been a fan of Lavigne since she was six, says.
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“I think music is a way to connect with people,” Au says. “And now it’s become more of like a pursuit of community for me, in terms of the collaboration that’s involved in bringing a piece of music to life and then ultimately sharing it with an audience. That process has become really valuable to me and being able to connect with other musicians and listeners.”
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“Language is such an important influence in how you connect to your culture and how you interact with those around you. Not being tied to your original language at an early age can displace you from an identity others have comfortably inherited,” Remoto says.
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“You really do adapt. And it’s just such a huge metaphor for climate change,” Boulet says. “The world that we’re living in is not going to be the world that we were born into. And so artistic practice, the whole idea, the whole notion of artistic planning, it’s all evolved, and it will continue to evolve.”
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“Theatre is supposed to be progressing and changing and adapting with the times. It’s supposed to be creative and accepting and exploratory and bending. And to hear these stories and experiences of others it’s like, wow, we’re really stuck. I’m devastated, because that is not what’s at the heart of all of this,” Harvey says.
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Some artists take years to specialize in their field. Others pick up a pencil or a paintbrush and instantly feel a connection. Fourteen-year-old Essey Habtu has only been painting for the last couple of years but has already started to make a name for himself in Winnipeg’s arts scene.
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Strong Son is a four-minute autobiographical documentary starring Ian Bawa’s father, who seeks to give marital advice to his “bodybuilding and image-obsessed son.”
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In response to the deaths of several BIPOC individuals at the hands of the Winnipeg Police Service (WPS), the grassroots organization Winnipeg Police Cause Harm (WPCH) was formed in September 2019.
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Some activists cite a specific moment in their life that sparked a desire to make a change. For Mahlet Cuff, it wasn’t so much a moment as a buildup.
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Many Canadian cities have historical buildings modelled after European architecture. But many of those buildings have been torn down to make room for parking lots, residential multiplexes and a variety of other businesses.
Winnipeg business owners have been curbing the increase of historical demolitions by revamping older structures. This includes modernizing the interior with things like newer bathrooms, as well as making the buildings more accessible.
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However, nothing is quite like the feeling of having a live audience, according to Apollo Suns. The psychedelic jazz-funk instrumental group will host their first major concert since they had to come home early from a North American tour in 2019.
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“One time, I had a caregiver tell me that her husband never spoke when he was at home or out and about. When he was in the session, he would always share and speak. She was so shocked the first time that she actually got teary-eyed, because she hadn’t heard him speak in a long time,” Leduc says.
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Historically, dance companies have looked for certain physical qualities: height, weight, body shape and skin colour. Syreeta Hector, a Toronto-based dancer and choreographer, is attempting to bring awareness to this elitism in the ballet world.
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While some people chose to try new things and learn new hobbies over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, others worked hard on things they had always wanted to do. Dylan MacDonald, known by his musical alias, Field Guide, did exactly that.
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Right now, it feels like there’s a fine line between comfort and chaos. In some spaces, I feel completely comfortable, and others make me feel like I can’t breathe. I desperately want to go back to a time where I could enjoy being crushed by a crowd while screaming the words to the song being played.
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It feels great to have a diagnosis, because it means there is a possible solution. But it isn’t that easy. I have had doctors and specialists tell me that if I want to get better, there are certain medications I have to take. The problem is, they will not prescribe them to me, because they say they are too expensive.
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Karen Cornelius, an artist and printmaker living in Winnipeg, knew she wanted to be an artist since she was a child in the Congo.
“When I was in third grade, I had to do a poster for class, and it just came so easily to me. From that time on, I knew I was very interested in art,” Cornelius says.
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Animal shelters in Winnipeg noticed a significant increase in adoptions in early 2020 after COVID-19 restrictions limited human interaction. Many shelters have changed their regulations and adoption procedures, but many Winnipeg residents are still searching for furry companions.
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Olivia Norquay turned her love for horror movies and books into an in-depth analysis with guests on the podcast Bikini Drive-In. The podcast gives a feminist perspective of famous horror films.