Fourth-year student Abi Oladesu is beautifying clients through her business Desu Beauty
Abi Oladesu has been doing makeup for most of her life. She started having fun with her mother’s makeup from the age of 10 and decided a few years later to challenge herself to increase her skills. She did someone else’s makeup for the first time when she was about 16.
During her second year at McMaster University, the biochemistry student started thinking about taking makeup more seriously. However, it wasn’t until she was quarantining during the COVID-19 pandemic that she decided to take the leap and start her business, Desu Beauty on Oct. 30, 2020.
There are three components to Oladesu’s business. As she has received many requests for makeup tutorials and enjoys teaching, she decided that she would post makeup tutorials on Instagram and offer beginner and intermediate lessons.
The second part of her business involves posting her own makeup looks in order to improve her skills and show clients what she can do. Lastly, she does makeup for clients’ weddings, photoshoots, proms, graduations and other events.
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It is important to Oladesu that when she does clients’ makeup, she isn’t turning them into a different person but highlighting the best parts of them. This goal stems in part from her own experience with makeup. When Oladesu was a preteen and early teenager, she used makeup as a way of hiding her face. Now she uses makeup to accentuate her features and seeks to do the same for her clients.
“Obviously nobody wants that for themselves, but I don't think there's anything necessarily bad about [being self-conscious] in the sense that we all feel self-conscious once in a while. We're in a society where the beauty standards are very high and they change all the time, but it's important to remember . . . you're the one that at the end of the day determines your worth to other people,” said Oladesu.
"We're in a society where the beauty standards are very high and they change all the time, but it's important to remember . . . you're the one that at the end of the day determines your worth to other people," said Oladesu.
This mission is embedded in the name of Oladesu’s business. While she originally called it Desu Beauty as a reference to the last four letters of her last name, she realized upon reflection that it had a deeper meaning for her.
“I'm a very large fan of anime and so desu . . . basically means “to be” . . . I am [also] Christian [and] in the Bible, it's like “we are beautifully and wonderfully made” . . . So to be that beautifully and wonderfully creative person, you have to love yourself in every aspect, whether that's with wearing your natural face out and being super proud of it or getting the skills to do your makeup really well so that every time you look in the mirror . . . you’re like, “wow, I feel beautiful, I know I'm beautiful.” . . . I want you to be the best version of yourself or at least to look at yourself and be like "wow, I feel like that beautifully and wonderfully made person,"” explained Oladesu.
Since she started, Oladesu has received positive reception and a lot of support from family and friends. Unfortunately, the ongoing pandemic has decreased the number of events for which people would get their makeup done. At the same time, Oladesu credits the pandemic with giving her the time to start her business.
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Oladesu also sees online classes as a blessing for her since she started her business. Instead of spending all day on campus and then doing makeup appointments, she can better make her own schedule by doing makeup during the day and watching recorded lectures afterwards. Managing the business alongside her demanding degree and other commitments has also encouraged her to better prioritize her time.
Oladesu looks forward to continuing to grow her following and reach more people through her business. As she will be graduating soon, she is considering how she might integrate her love of makeup into her career.
“I'm definitely a cautious person so . . . right now, I definitely am going to finish my biochemistry degree and I'm going to see if I could get a job with that. But working with makeup has gotten me interested in cosmetics in general so [maybe] I can mix my biochemistry major with cosmetics and then possibly go into formulation or something along those lines,” said Oladesu.
"I definitely am going to finish my biochemistry degree and I'm going to see if I could get a job with that. But working with makeup has gotten me interested in cosmetics in general."
To other students with a skill they are considering turning into a business, Oladesu says to just start. She recalls that she felt the need to have high-quality foundations in every colour before she began her business. However, since she started, all her clients have used colours that she had already had.
“There's nothing wrong with humble beginnings. You don't have to have everything, you don't have to have the best of everything," Oladesu said. "It's better to just start because honestly, I feel like people appreciate watching you grow and watching you improve.”
Environmental conservation education from an Indigenous perspective
From Oct. 25-30, the McMaster Students Union ran an online virtual sustainability-focused event called Earth Week. The MSU collaborated with various campus and community organizations to host an event each day of the week.
Adrianne Xavier, an Indigenous studies professor at McMaster University, said that events like Earth Week are great awareness builders. They can allow people to engage in more conversations regarding sustainability and think more critically about the environment.
However, Earth Week was an event created through a rather colonial perspective on environmental conservation. Speaking about the difference between Indigenous sustainability and colonial ways of sustainability, Xavier said that there isn’t necessarily a strict comparison between the two. One of the greater differences would be the way Indigenous communities approach sustainability and view their own personal involvement with the environment.
“I think Indigenous sustainability is about understanding that we all have a responsibility to every part of life, that it isn't just ourselves and our families and the people around us, but also the things that impact the people around us. The environment is a huge part of that, including things like our food, our health and well being and all that stuff. But also, then, by extension, how we get the food and where it comes from and what the environment itself is being cared for in and in what ways,” said Xavier.
“I think Indigenous sustainability is about understanding that we all have a responsibility to every part of life, that it isn't just ourselves and our families and the people around us, but also the things that impact the people around us," said Xavier.
One of the events during Earth Week was No Meat Monday. Hosted by the McMaster Veggie Club, people were encouraged to not eat meat that day and try out meatless recipes. Xavier shared that for Indigenous peoples like herself, most of the meat that she eats is hunted. Therefore, it undergoes a very different process from most commercially available meat and may not encompass the same concerns that those who don’t eat meat for environmental reasons may have.
At McMaster, Xavier said that she has seen ongoing conversations where various faculties and organizational partners are trying to find ways to assist Indigenous students. However, Xavier said that change can begin with an acknowledgement and understanding that the current assistance is inadequate.
The Post-Secondary Student Support Program provides financial assistance to First Nations students who are enrolled in eligible post-secondary programs. However, the PSSSP does not provide adequate or equitable support for all First Nations students.
In addition to financial support, Xavier also noted that Indigenous students may require other supports such as access to healthy food options. Conversations about Indigenous food options and education regarding Indigenous practices with environmental conservation could also be beneficial to events such as the previous Earth Week.
Conversations about Indigenous food options and education regarding Indigenous practices with environmental conservation could also be beneficial to events such as the previous Earth Week.
Aside from No Meat Monday, another Earth Week event included a talk with Wellness and Sustainability Manager and Registered Dietitian, Liana Bontempo, about reasons why people should buy locally-grown food.
Xavier added that it would be beneficial to expand conversations about healthy and sustainable food options. These conversations could include education on the food cycle of an omnivore who is eating off of the land, such as herself.
“There are lots of really cool farm programs in the region. There are lots of cool groups of people who are doing gatherings and things like that of wildcrafted food, which are much more sustainable ways of understanding because when you do those sorts of things, you are more apt to learn the basics of respect for the plants that you’re taking in. [Reason being,] wildcrafted food has to be left enough for the next year or for other animals as opposed to large scale farming, which of course is crop grown specifically to be taken for food,” explained Xavier.
Xavier said that another big issue to consider across colonial approaches to environmentalism is the issue of food waste. Most grocery stores purchase large scale, aesthetically pleasing produce. They will pay less for imperfect produce unless it is organic, but even then, it is not easy for companies to sell organic produce.
“You’re paying a higher premium and a cost for perfect looking fruit that doesn’t necessarily taste better, or isn’t even necessarily better for you because how it looks is not indicative of nutrition,” said Xavier.
Produce that are deemed imperfect are often either composted or sold at a lower price.
“We are being trained as a society to only want fruits and vegetables that look a certain way,” added Xavier.
“We are being trained as a society to only want fruits and vegetables that look a certain way,” added Xavier.
In addition to imperfect-looking produce, best before dates are also a factor in producing food waste. Xavier discussed how grocery stores typically won’t sell food when it comes within three months of the best before date or they sell them in a clearance section.
Xavier noted that there are lots of costs to getting food to where they are in grocery stores, including shipment, packaging and other environmental costs and often, the food that is thrown out may not even be food that has gone bad.
"Because inevitably in classes that I teach, there’s always a component at some point in the class no matter what the topic is about where we fit in the world and remembering where we fit in the world, what our role is in all of those things, because that as well is a big piece of understanding sustainability. What part do we play in it?” Xavier said.
“A lot of times when it comes down to things like sustainability and sustainability weeks and events like that, I urge people to at the very least be aware of them. Think about them and talk about them. Because inevitably in classes that I teach, there’s always a component at some point in the class no matter what the topic is about where we fit in the world and remembering where we fit in the world, what our role is in all of those things because that as well is a big piece of understanding sustainability. What part do we play in it?” Xavier said.
Universities across Canada advocate for greater financial aid
In 2020-2021, the average tuition for full-time undergraduate programs across Canada is $6,580 per year. 52 per cent of students graduate with student debt and an average student has a total of $28,000 in debt when they graduate.
52 per cent of students graduate with student debt and an average student has a total of $28,000 in debt when they graduate.
Student debt in Canada has been deemed a crisis by many. In 2018, Canadian students collectively owed over $28 billion in student debt.
The McMaster Students Union is one of the student unions that have joined in to work on the Debt Free Degree campaign, advocating for more accessible and affordable post-secondary education in Canada.
This campaign is led by the Undergraduates of Canadian Research-Intensive Universities and the University Students’ Council at Western University.
Other student unions that are also taking part in the campaign include the University of Toronto Students’ Union, Students’ Society of McGill University, Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association and more.
These nine student unions represent students of the U15 group of Canadian research intensive universities. Collectively, the student unions represent over 250,000 students.
The campaign is calling for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion Carla Qualtrough to take action.
Mackenzy Metcalfe, vice president of external affairs at Western’s University Students Council and chair of UCRU, said that this would put grants at a total increase of $1200 per student for the 2020-2021 federal budget.
Policy recommendations from the campaign include doubling of investments in Canada Student Grants from what was provided in 2019. Mackenzy Metcalfe, vice president of external affairs at Western’s University Students Council and chair of UCRU, said that this would put grants at a total increase of $1200 per student for the 2020-2021 federal budget.
This amounts to roughly $1 billion from the government. Metcalfe also noted that this was one of the promises made by the Liberal party during the 2019 election. This increase in grants would apply to all students eligible for financial aid.
“Investments in students are investments in the future. Students are really going to make up the workforce of tomorrow and increasing funding for student financial aid will undoubtedly see exponential return in the next couple of years,” said Metcalfe.
“Investments in students are investments in the future. Students are really going to make up the workforce of tomorrow and increasing funding for student financial aid will undoubtedly see exponential return in the next couple of years,” said Metcalfe.
MSU Vice President (Education) Ryan Tse declined an interview but wrote in an email statement that the MSU is excited to work on this campaign.
“The Debt Free Campaign [gives] students the opportunity to share their stories and call on the government to help make postsecondary education more accessible and affordable,” wrote Tse.
In previous years, UCRU had advocated for the transfer of federal tuition tax credits to student grants. Currently, the recommendation for the federal government to transfer tuition tax credit funds to upfront grants is also an MSU policy.
However, the Debt Free Degree campaign had decided not to specify federal tuition tax credits as a source of funding for student grants, but simply advocate for an increase in grants.
“UCRU still believes that tax credits from tuition should be relocated to upfront grants for students, however, during our past few lobby weeks, UCRU received feedback from the government about the proposal. We heard from multiple sources in government that they were not interested in making this change to the tax credit system. However, we did hear that they were interested in supporting students through student financial aid,” Metcalfe explained.
Although recommendations from the campaign ultimately do not eliminate student debt, Metcalfe said that having a larger proportion of financial aid as grants rather than loans will help decrease the amount of accumulated debt.
Aside from an increase in student grants, the campaign also recommends a two-year grace period on all federal student loans. Currently, federal student loans have a grace period of six months.
In other words, students have six months following their study period with no accumulation of interest on their federal student loans. Aside from finishing their final school term, students are also required to repay loans six months after they leave school, take time off school, or transfer from full-time to part-time studies. After those six months, students are expected to begin payment and interests will accumulate.
In Ontario, financial aid for students is regulated by the Ontario Student Assistance Program. OSAP incorporates both federal and provincial student loans and grants.
On a provincial level, student loan requirements differ depending on the province. Students in Ontario are not expected to start repaying their provincial student loans until after the first six months, but their loans do accumulate interest during that period of time.
Across social media, the campaign shares various infographics comparing the average amount of student debt to other various items of the same monetary value such as 112 pairs of AirPods, a Honda Civic, 233 years worth of Netflix subscriptions and 9 million cups of coffee.
$28,000. That's the amount of debt an average student has when they graduate. You can buy a lot with $28,000. Paying off student debt shouldn't be one of those things. It's time for a change - alongside @UCRU_Can, we're pushing @JustinTrudeau & @CQualtro to take action. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/FbeJu13B5J
— McMaster Students Union (MSU) (@MSU_McMaster) November 6, 2020
Students were encouraged to join the movement by writing a postcard to their local member of parliament. A Google form at www.debtfreedegree.ca was available for students to fill out and UCRU will send the postcard on the student’s behalf.
Students were also asked to spread the word by sharing posts with the hashtag #DebtFreeDegree on their social media and provide UCRU with feedback by emailing info@ucru.ca.
The MSU is working alongside @UCRU_Can and Student Unions across the country to advocate for accessible, affordable post-secondary education in Canada, and a #DebtFreeDegree. Learn more about our fight for Debt Free Degrees at https://t.co/t0I4CFpbCP. (1/3) pic.twitter.com/5o9GvsngPy
— McMaster Students Union (MSU) (@MSU_McMaster) November 3, 2020
The campaign ended on Nov. 16 and Metcalfe stated that over 200 students had shared their feedback. These student concerns will be presented to federal policy makers during UCRU’s annual Federal Lobby Week. This year, the federal lobby week is scheduled from Nov. 23-27.
Pandemic restrictions impact student employees of the MSU
Two weeks before the McMaster Students Union closed the Grind Café for the rest of 2020, employees were unaware of the impending closure.
Located in the McMaster University Student Centre, The Grind had been operating on a reduced schedule and with reduced staff due to COVID-19 restrictions and the resulting lack of population on campus. In an email statement on Oct. 30, MSU Vice-President (Finance) Jess Anderson cited low foot traffic on campus and low usage at the Grind as the reason for the closure.
“During this time of transition, the MSU is committed to providing financial assistance to affected staff members, above and beyond the minimum standards defined by the Employment Standards Act. In addition, the MSU has provided guidance to staff in understanding and accessing available government programs related to COVID-19 support,” wrote Anderson.
However, it is unclear what the financial assistance entails.
Micaela Rayment, a full-time student and two-year Grind employee, had been working once per week at the Grind. Rayment, along with other employees, was working three hours per week.
Rayment began work as a teaching assistant at McMaster this semester and cited her reduction in Grind hours as the reason for an additional job.
“I had more hours last year, so I didn't have to have two jobs, right?” Rayment said,
The teaching assistant position is only for the fall term and Rayment said that she’ll have to find another job for the winter term.
“I think it'll probably be difficult. Especially since I'm in my final year and so I'll be entering into a job, only to leave it after graduating [and getting] into a job in my field. I won't be able to be too picky, but I know people who are trying to look for jobs right now and they're just not hearing anything back from anyone. So I don't know, not excited for that, if that's what has to happen,” added Rayment.
On Oct. 19, Rayment discussed her reduced hours but was unaware that the Grind would soon close. Rayment said that her supervisors had been upfront about reducing hours and had not heard anything about the Grind closing.
An employee of the Grind and TwelvEighty Bar & Grill, who requested anonymity due to conerns over job security, said on Oct. 19 that they believed the Grind would be closing shortly. Though they could not confirm with certainty, they said that they were led to believe that the MSU was looking to either further cut down or completely close the Grind café.
On Oct. 28, both Micaela and the source confirmed that the Grind would be closing on Nov. 2 indefinitely.
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The MSU has responded to pandemic restrictions and has created savings across the organization for students. The MSU organizational fee has been reduced, as well as a reduction in paid student employees.
Debbie Good, full-time manager of Compass Information Centre, explained that Compass normally employs 11 students in part-time positions during the year. Compass has been closed since the pandemic began and has been unable to re-employ any of the 11 students.
New pen pal groups on campus bring back letter-writing to keep students connected during COVID-19
There’s something incredibly precious about writing and receiving a letter. It’s more deliberate and personal than the quick text messages we send off over the course of our day. A thoughtful, well-written email can come close to the same feeling, but this kind of writing and connection is increasingly becoming a lost art.
With the pandemic, many are turning towards new forms of communication to maintain connections. However, a number of pen pal groups have popped up on campus during the pandemic, bringing back letter-writing and helping to connect students with each other and the larger Hamilton community.
However, a number of pen pal groups have popped up on campus during the pandemic, bringing back letter-writing and helping to connect students with each other and the larger Hamilton community.
Over the last few months, the Student Wellness Centre has been trying to connect students. They recognize that it may be harder to meet new people, especially for first-year students. One of their initiatives is McMaster Pen Pals.
The idea was initially proposed by Bonnie Liu, a student member on the wellness outreach mental health team, as a way to help connect students volunteering on different teams at SWC. The initiative had a good turnout and served as the trial run for the university-wide program that was launched earlier this year with the help of Taryn Aarssen, a health promoter at the SWC.
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“When we had that McMaster Wellness Outreach Teams Pen Pal forum, a lot of people were just like, ‘We just want to hear different perspectives. How are other students handling COVID-19?’,” said Liu.
So far the reception has been extremely positive with a large number of students enrolling in the first round and more continuing to enroll as the year has gone on. They recently closed the second round of their pen pal matching on Nov. 16, 2020, but will continue to match people on an ongoing basis throughout the year.
Their matching process is simple, but sophisticated, relying on questions about common interests. They have also taken care to match first-year students with other first-years, to help foster connections and a stronger sense of community for these new students.
“It's another way to connect with people and you know that there's someone who is also looking for that type of connection as well. Could you message someone random and start telling them about yourself to meet someone else? Or is there some value in having something organized, where you know that the person on the other end is also looking to meet someone new and connect that way?” said Aarssen.
“It's another way to connect with people and you know that there's someone who is also looking for that type of connection as well."
Another group on campus, McMaster Pen Pals for Seniors, is focused on connecting students with senior citizens, who have been particularly hard hit by the pandemic. Many seniors, especially those living in nursing or retirement homes had to adjust or cancel the family visits due to COVID-19. As a result, many seniors are feeling lonely.
Prior to the pandemic, third-year students Sanya Vij and Sophia Zhang were interested in doing outreach to nursing homes. With the arrival of COVID and the accompanying protocols and restrictions, they had to think of ways to alter their approach.
After some brainstorming and being inspired by a TikTok about pen pals, the pair settled on letter-writing as a possible option. They then began to reach out to retirement homes and hired an executive team, culminating in their launch at the beginning of the school year. For the team, supporting seniors during these times is especially important because they feel that this demographic is often underappreciated.
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“I think seniors have so much to offer. They had so much more life experience and years on this planet than we have . . . I think [students] can learn a lot from their past experiences, whether it's like jobs, in life and other things . . . [W]e really hope that some of the McMaster students and the seniors form connections with each other and see each other as maybe even friends,” said Zhang.
"[W]e really hope that some of the McMaster students and the seniors form connections with each other and see each other as maybe even friends,” said Zhang.
“[Also] raising an awareness that seniors are people too and it's possible to connect with anyone at any generation, which is kind of the point that we're kind of trying to strike home,” added Olivia Dong-Hamilton, the group’s vice president of media.
It is important to the McMaster Pen Pals for Seniors team to bridge the gap between students and seniors and connect their volunteers to a larger sense of community.
“For the volunteers, I hope they learn some compassion for our senior population. And then for the seniors, I just hope they learn that we care about them [and that] we are thinking about them actively,” said Vij.
During these trying times, letter-writing may be just the kind of personal, thoughtful form of creating connections that we need right now because it’s a little closer to the face to face contact that everyone is so dearly missing.
This is a sponsored post brought to you by the Student Success Centre. The Silhouette is not responsible for anything written in the article.
By Jeff Low (Student Success Centre)
The world of investing can be complicated and full of unfamiliar terms and concepts.
Additionally, as a student, you may think that it’s too early to start thinking about investing — that investing is only for people who are already wealthy and “successful.” This is one of many common misconceptions students and other younger people have about investing, according to Michelle Hung, AKA the Sassy Investor. The fact is, students can enter the world of investing now through gathering information, exploring their options and planning.
But who is the Sassy Investor?
Michelle Hung is a chartered financial analyst (CFA) and investing expert who’s worked for seven years in investment banking and venture capital. She’s also an author and content creator, having contributed to Canadian Money Saver Magazine, hosted webinars for Questrade and developed TikToks for the budgeting app Cleo. To date, she’s taught people how to invest (over $2 million total!) and save on average over $9,000 per year.
We had a chance to chat with Michelle Hung and ask her some common investing questions. Here’s what she shared.
Question: How much should I have in my savings before I start investing?
Answer (Michelle Hung, the Sassy Investor): You should have at least three to six months’ worth of expenses in your savings account, but you can start investing when you feel comfortable at the level of savings you’re at. For example, if you have two months worth of expenses in your savings account (e.g. $6,000, if each month you spend $3,000 on living expenses), and you’re comfortable with that, you can start your investing process while continuing to build up your savings fund.
Q: How do I start investing? What’s the difference between using my bank’s investment team and an independent broker?
A: The first thing you need to do is educate yourself so you know exactly what to invest in and what the risks are. Managing your risk and expectations is critical. Bank-owned brokerages are generally more expensive when it comes to fees, like trading commissions, and they may even charge a quarterly maintenance fee if your balance does not exceed a certain amount (e.g. If you don’t have at least $15,000 in your investment account, you’ll be charged $25 per quarter). Independent brokers like Questrade or Wealthsimple Trade are cheaper. They offer commission-free purchases on ETFs, and they don’t charge maintenance fees (a fee if your account balance falls below a certain amount).
Q: Is there a good website or app I should use to help me invest?
A: Check out Wealthsimple or Questwealth Portfolios if you decide to use a robo-advisor to help you manage/build your own investment portfolio.
Q: What are the requirements, pros and cons of using a platform and trading on my own?
A: Trading on your own is the cheapest option — which means you’re not paying a management fee for someone to manage your investment portfolio. This gives you the most freedom in terms of what you want to put in your portfolio. However, you have to do this work on your own, including the management of it.
If you decide to go with a robo-advisor, which means having your portfolio managed for a fee, you don’t have to worry about how to build and manage your portfolio — they do it for you. Wealthsimple charges an annual fee anywhere between 0.4% to 0.5%, plus the cost of the ETFs. Questwealth Portfolios charges anywhere from 0.2% to 0.25%, plus the cost of the ETFs.
Q: What are ETFs? What are mutual funds? Do you recommend one over the other?
A: “ETF” is an acronym for “exchange-traded funds,” which means these funds can be purchased on the stock exchange like any other stock. Mutual funds have to be purchased through a financial institution and usually carry some restrictions like a minimum initial investment. Mutual funds are also generally expensive, as they carry annual fees of, on average, 2.3% per year (Canadian average). ETFs are cheaper and can start as low as 0.05% per year.
I recommend ETFs mainly because they are lower in cost — these fees can add up to thousands of dollars over a lifetime!
Q: What is a good fee percentage?
A: The lower, the better. There are ETFs that start at 0.05%, and then there are ETFs where they are diverse enough to own just one in your portfolio, which can cost 0.25% per year. These are all reasonably priced, especially compared to the average mutual fund fee of 2.3%.
Q: If I have debt, should I take out any money I have invested to pay off the debt?
A: That depends on your financial situation, the level of debt and the cost of debt (e.g. the interest rate you’re paying). Mathematically, it makes sense if you’re paying 20% in interest costs vs. earning 8% per year, for example, to pay off your debt first. If your investments are held in an RRSP, you shouldn’t sell your investments to pay it off because you’ll be on the hook for taxes.
If, however, you’re thinking about taking money out of your TFSAs to pay off credit card debt, it makes sense. Some people are comfortable carrying some debt for a short period of time, and some just want to get rid of it ASAP — so it all depends on your personal circumstances and what you’re comfortable with.
Q: Should I be thinking about investing if I don’t have a job right now?
A: You can certainly think about it, but I wouldn’t advise on acting on it! I would suggest using this time to educate yourself so you can get started when you’re ready to go — that is, after securing a job/income stream and building some sufficient savings first.
Q: I have reservations about what’s happening in the economy right now. Should I wait to invest? Or is this a good time?
A: When you’re investing, you should avoid: 1) news and current events, and 2) trying to time the markets. The proven and best strategy is to continue investing every month, no matter what is happening in the economy right now or any short-term volatility driven by events, such as the U.S. election. Staying invested, but also continuing to invest through the ups and downs of the stock markets, is the best way to avoid losing money!
Q: I have extra funds that I have saved from OSAP. Should I invest this money in the market, or are there other options to consider?
A: Eventually, you’ll have to pay that money back when you graduate, which means interest will start. Put that money in a high-interest savings account in the meantime (e.g. EQ Bank), so when you graduate, you can reduce your student loan balance immediately, avoiding unnecessary interest costs.
Learn more about the Sassy Investor on her website. Connect with her on social media: Instagram (@TheSassyInvestor), Facebook (@TheSassyInvestor), Twitter (@Sassy_Investor) and YouTube.
The Investing with Michelle Hung series was part of Financial Literacy Month, hosted by Mac’s Money Centre and the Student Success Centre. Information about the series, including webinar recordings, can be found on the Financial Literacy Month web page. Check out the Mac’s Money Centre’s website for more information on managing your money.
The Montague sisters support the Black community in Hamilton with their open access list of Black-owned businesses
On June 2, social media users from around the world shared a black square with the hashtag #BlackoutTuesday in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. The day was supposed to be a moment for individuals to reflect on recent events surrounding racism and police brutality.
Among them were Ashleigh, Alexandria and Abygail Montague, three sisters from Hamilton who created the @BlkOwnedHamont Instagram page to share their list of Black-owned businesses in the Steel City.
The Montague sisters started Blk Owned Hamont to encourage others to put their purchasing power toward the Black community. Not only are these purchases a way of supporting these businesses, but it can also be considered a means of protest against ongoing racial injustice and inequality.
According to Google Trends data, there have been multiple peaks of searches of Black-owned businesses since May 2020 in Canada. Alongside the resurgence of Black Lives Matter, an increasing number of people are seeking ways to show their support.
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“Since people really are on this momentum of seeing that Black people actually do matter . . . We wanted to highlight these Black-owned businesses and show them to all of Hamilton,” said Alexandria.
It felt natural for the trio to create the open-access list and get involved in activism due to their strong roots in volunteerism and leadership that their parents ingrained in them from early childhood.
“It is our duty, if we are part of a community, to contribute back to the community,” explained Alexandria.
“It is our duty, if we are part of a community, to contribute back to the community,” explained Alexandria.
Ashleigh, the eldest of the three, is a McMaster alumna who graduated in 2015 with a Bachelor of Commerce. During her time at McMaster she co-founded Canada’s second Black-focused sorority, Nu Omega Zeta, which is still active on campus today.
Alexandria, the middle child, recently graduated from the creative industries program at Ryerson University. Throughout her childhood and career she has been an active and recognized member of the Hamilton community because of her roles in various charities.
Abygail is the youngest of the trio and is currently the president of her high school’s student council. Like her sisters, she has also been an integral part of organizations such as the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board, The Jamaican Foundation and Hamilton Caribbean Women's Groups.
“My parents always made sure that we were involved in learning about our heritage from a very young age [through] different types of groups . . . so I always felt like I was well-versed [in] and learning about what volunteerism was from a very young age. Now I've taken that with me and turned it into a leadership position,” said Abygail.
“My parents always made sure that we were involved in learning about our heritage from a very young age [through] different types of groups . . . so I always felt like I was well-versed [in] and learning about what volunteerism was from a very young age. Now I've taken that with me and turned it into a leadership position,” said Abygail.
In 2015, the sisters also co-founded a non-profit organization called Janus Skills 4 Success, formerly known as Sisters 4 Sisters. Their goal was to create leaders for the future. Abygail is currently the president of the student-led executive council of the organization.
With their business list alone, the sisters have already made a significant impact on local Black-owned businesses. Businesses on their list have gained new customers and consumers are continuing to reach out to them to find new businesses to support. However, the sisters’ unfaltering zeal for community service has compelled them to go beyond simply highlighting businesses.
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To strengthen their efforts to celebrate, showcase, explore and support the Black community, they are also conducting a consumer survey. The goal of the survey is to better understand how to help Black-owned businesses become more sustainable long-term.
The survey investigates how consumers interact with and perceive Black-owned businesses to identify factors that can be addressed to improve them. For instance, they’ve found that consumers don’t see heavy online presence from some of the Black-owned businesses in Hamilton so they wish to work towards implementing solutions to make them more digital and accessible to their clients.
“We're hoping to . . . [figure] out how we can come together as a community to provide that support that Black businesses need. How do they get funding? How do they build their human resources to have the capacity to grow businesses here? What other help do they need?” explained Asheligh.
“We're hoping to . . . [figure] out how we can come together as a community to provide that support that Black businesses need. How do they get funding? How do they build their human resources to have the capacity to grow businesses here? What other help do they need?” explained Asheligh.
The sisters have applied for grants to fund and expand this research and hope to conduct broader market research on the business’ experiences as well.
With the data they have collected, they hope to organize classes and seminars with guest speakers for Black-owned businesses. The funding for this initiative will come from their merchandise which was recently launched on Oct. 21 in partnership with Hamilton business Witly.
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Their best-selling item is their facial mask. The mask features their logo, which was designed by a Black-owned business, Public House Studio.
Since the launch, they have received wonderful support from their families, friends and the community. They hope their merchandise helps to spread their message, celebrate the Black community and bring more attention to their open access list.
The Montague sisters have a digital event planned for November. With the holiday season coming up, they are brainstorming ways to promote Black-owned businesses and are considering creating a gift guide or Advent calendar.
Even if people aren’t able to support financially by purchasing from Black-owned businesses, they urge students to reshare their posts. They also encourage students to reach out to their page if they are an emerging Black entrepreneur or have a favourite Black-owned Hamilton business they wish to promote.
Piper & Carson’s second album Edgewalker’s Remedy is about divesting from colonist structures
By: Tracy Huynh, Contributor
For singer-songwriter duo Piper & Carson, music is about disarming people, building community and creating intentional art that heals. They sought to embody these ideals in their second album, Edgewalker’s Remedy, which was released on Oct. 23, 2020.
Piper & Carson is the stage name of duo and couple Piper Hayes and Carson Ritcey-Thorpe. Hayes and Ritcey-Thorpe met when Hayes, who was raised in the east end of Toronto, was performing at a Harvest Bash in Ritcey-Thorpe’s hometown of Millgrove.
Feeling a deep connection with the land and the community, the two moved to Hamilton five years ago. In 2017, they released their self-titled debut album, Piper & Carson. The theme of nature is apparent throughout their music, with sounds of water and birds underlying the melody.
Their second album, Edgewalker’s Remedy, is about divesting from capitalist and colonial systems. The title paints a picture of how colonialism pushes groups of people to the edges of society. Tackling themes of anti-racism, Indigenous sovereignty and respecting the Earth, the album is strikingly relevant to the topics currently explored by media today.
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For example, in Mother’s Prayer, background heartbeat sounds, vivid imagery and lyrics such as “Decolonize your mind/You don’t own anything” bring attention to the Black Lives Matter movement. It’s clear from the first listen that this duo isn’t trying to shy away from topics that spark conversation.
“We felt really strongly that it's really our responsibility as settlers here to be part of anti-racism and to be part of amplifying the voices of Indigenous people. It's people [and] it's communities that are going to change things. I have very very little faith in the current structures that are in place,” said Hayes.
The duo has been amplifying Indigenous voices by sharing content from Indigenous activists on their social media platforms. However, they aim to create a long-term exit strategy from social media.
“For years it has felt imperative as musicians to have a Facebook, Instagram and Twitter account. Lately, however we are questioning this reasoning and wondering what better ways we can collectively invest in each other and our relationships,” said Hayes and Ritcey-Thorpe in a press release.
Wanting to further reject the predatory capitalist practices of the music industry, Hayes and Ritcey-Thorpe did not put the album on streaming platforms. Instead, the album is available on their website and Bandcamp in a pay-what-you-can model. They wanted to make decisions centred around their art, rather than around what would do well on the market.
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The project also includes a companion book of lyrics and stories for “adult children.” The book features custom illustrations by Métis artist and friend of the couple Riley Bee. The physical and digital versions of the book are available on their website.
“Our goal is to just get us all collectively to slow down, reflect and hopefully seek out the connection to this natural world, to step into that as much as possible and build and foster wonder,” said Ritcey-Thorpe.
Hayes and Ritcey-Thorpe recorded their latest album in their Hamilton home in the midst of the pandemic. For the pair who are used to performing live, this was new territory. With the help of their friends, Greyson Gritt and Chris Bartos, the duo navigated the challenges of learning new equipment, setting up their home studio and working digitally with other artists.
It was important for the duo to collaborate with artists like The Rough and Tumble and Lacey Hill. They found that the digital space combined with the insights of other artists allowed for creative and serendipitous ways of building a song.
Piper & Carson are livestreaming a show on Nov. 29, 2020. As with their other work, tickets are being sold using a pay-what-you-can model. Hayes and Ritcey-Thorpe are going to use the show to serenade, tell stories and connect with their guests. Through this show, they continue to build community with their music even during the pandemic.
Matthew Passalent joins SK Zadruga AICH/DOB as his first professional team after his tenure at McMaster
Before stepping on to the court as a member of SK Zadruga AICH/DOB, Matthew Passalent began his volleyball journey in the various volleyball camps hosted by McMaster Athletics & Recreation. As such, he fostered good relationships with the coaches there, so joining the McMaster University men’s volleyball team was not unfamiliar territory for Passalent. He described his transition as very welcoming.
In his first year on the McMaster volleyball team, he followed the guidance of the senior members. He watched many of their games prior to enrolling at McMaster — he looked up to them and modelled his game after them.
“It was awesome to have the opportunity to practice with [the McMaster athletes], watch them play up close and get a good grasp on their mentality,” said Passalent.
[/media-credit] Passalent as a member of the McMaster Men's Volleyball team.
Passalent explained that he received more playing time and entered more of a leadership role as the years progressed. He recalled how during his fourth and fifth years, the rookies looked up to him in a similar way that he looked up to the upper-years during his rookie year.
“It was awesome to have the opportunity to practice with [the McMaster athletes], watch them play up close and get a good grasp on their mentality,” said Passalent.
Aside from playing as outside hitter for the team, his position varied from opposite to outside hitter. He did not receive much playing time during his rookie year; he played a few points at the end of matches. It was not until around his third-year Passalent started for the team.
“We have really good older guys, playing for Team Canada, the junior team, etc . . . It was really hard to crack a starting spot in your first or second year,” said Passalent.
“We have really good older guys, playing for Team Canada, the junior team, etc . . . It was really hard to crack a starting spot in your first or second year,” said Passalent.
Passalent recounts his biggest achievement during his tenure at McMaster was winning the Ontario University Athletics gold medal in his third-year.
“It was a record of winning the OUA championship in six consecutive years. That was my third championship. It's really cool to be a part of the team and a part of history,” said Passalent.
With regards to personal awards, he has the most pride for receiving the OUA West Player of the Year during his fourth-year.
“When my coach told me, I was really shocked because I was injured for most of the year,” said Passalent.
In winter 2019, Passalent and the team participated in the 2019 Can Am Holiday Volleyball Showcase in which teams from the United States and Canada competed against one another. Passalent recollected how this was a major downside in his career, having won no games at the invitational tournament. However, after playing in this tournament, the team bounced back with a major win against Trinity Western University, then the top team in U Sports.
Playing overseas has been quite different on the court for Passalent. He stated how many players come from different parts of the world while learning different techniques.
“I just thought it would be how I was used to in Canada. But we were doing drills I never heard of. It was really fascinating. It's definitely good to learn a lot,” said Passalent.
“I just thought it would be how I was used to in Canada. But we were doing drills I never heard of. It was really fascinating. It's definitely good to learn a lot,” said Passalent.
In fall 2020, Passalent joined SK Zadruga AICH/DOB in Austria to play for his first professional team.
[/media-credit] Passalent as a member of SK Zadruga AICH/DOB.
“It was a completely different vibe. This town I was living in was very small. Everyone knew each other. You can walk to anywhere in town within 15 minutes. Being from such a small town, the team had hardcore, dedicated fans. It felt like a really great atmosphere at the few games I participated in,” said Passalent.
Adapting to this new lifestyle was not as difficult as Passalent thought it would be.
“I found that I had to get into a strict schedule. I feel I had to keep eating and fueling myself, doing it at the right times. It's a grind out there. If you don't take care of your body, it will come back and punish you,” said Passalent.
As the team predominantly spoke English, Passalent did not run into many language barrier issues.
“I found that I had to get into a strict schedule. I feel I had to keep eating and fueling myself, doing it at the right times. It's a grind out there. If you don't take care of your body, it will come back and punish you,” said Passalent.
A typical day for Passalent begins with waking up at 7:30 a.m., eating breakfast and then working out at 8 a.m. Afterwards, he would go grocery shopping to make a bigger breakfast and take a midday nap. Then, he would join the team for lunch followed by recreational activities, such as watching Netflix. Around 6:00 p.m., the team would practice until 8:00 p.m. Lastly, he would cook a large dinner and head to bed.
[/media-credit] Passalent spikes the ball past Dinamo MOSCOW player in their first-round pool match of the CEV 2021 Champions League.
Before Passalent tore his rotator cuff this past October, he participated in four qualifying matches as part of the CEV Champions League for the 2020-2021 season.
“The pool we were in was tough. We were slated as underdogs. We had to play the third-ranked team and number one team in Russia,” said Passalent.
In his first game with the team, Passalent led the team in scoring as they captured a win. Despite this victory, the team lost the rest of their qualification matches. Passalent was only able to play in the first three until his shoulder injury occurred. He states that most likely he will need to get surgery, following a four-five month recovery time.
[/media-credit] Passalent sends the ball over Neftochimik BURGAS in their first-round pool match of the CEV 2021 Champions League.
“Hopefully I see myself still playing volleyball but maybe in a higher-level league like in Italy, France, Germany or Turkey, as they also pay better money,” said Passalent.
While recovering from his injury, Passalent will actively seek out a new contract to head back onto the court, either with SK Zadruga AICH/DOB or a brand new team.
The Wig Hall is an opportunity for students to try something new with their hair
After years of wearing the same hairstyles, second-year kinesiology student Inès Ndzana wanted to switch it up. Inspired by celebrities wearing wigs and weaves, Ndzana got a wig made when she was in Grade 11 and loved it.
A few years later, Ndzana learned how to make her own wigs and opened her business in October 2020. The Wig Hall offers custom wig construction as well as wig colouring and styling for ready-made wigs.
“I was always wearing wigs, switching it up. I just liked it. I have my curly one if I want to have fun. I have my short one if I want to be serious and professional. And I just liked how quickly I could switch it up,” explained Ndzana.
As someone who has always enjoyed challenging herself and learning new things, Ndzana had started exploring how to make wigs in early 2020. However, it was not until the early months of the pandemic that she had an opportunity to really dive into it and perfect her process. Using her mother’s sewing machine, she taught herself how to sew and made her first few wigs.
During her first year at McMaster University, she had also noticed that many of her friends would make trips back home just to get their hair done because they couldn’t find a stylist around campus or weren’t comfortable having their hair done by someone new.
“My friends always go back home to do their hair. I'm learning a new skill and I want to give out, you know? If I have the skill, I want to do it . . . There's obviously still room to grow, but for the most part, I feel like I perfected my wig making and I was like "okay, why not bring this to Mac? Why not bring this to campus so that girls don't always have to go so far if they want wigs or stuff like that?"” said Ndzana.
The Wig Hall is very much a student business for students. For example, one barrier Ndzana identified that might prevent those interested in wigs from trying them was the financial cost, as custom wigs can often be very expensive. So it’s very important to her that her business is accessible to students.
At its core, The Wig Hall is about giving people an opportunity to try new things, to take a leap of faith and to find something new that makes them feel good and comfortable in their own skin.
“I just hope that someone comes in and sees the style they've never tried and gets that style and they walk away loving it. Or they've never gotten colour on their head and they walk away loving it . . . I want everyone to walk away loving it, feeling inspired and just seeing it and be like, "I want to try that" or "we're gonna switch it up’ or ‘I'll get a longer length" or "I’ll go really short this time,"” said Ndzana.
[media-credit name="C/O Inès Ndzana" align="center" width="1920"]
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Speaking of leaps of faith, starting The Wig Hall was a huge leap of faith for Ndzana. Initially, she had been nervous about the launch, unsure if anyone would be interested in her business, but it seems she needn’t have worried. The reception so far has been incredibly positive, which has been especially heartening.
She’s so glad now that she took that leap and encourages other students to do the same if they have an idea.
“If you have an idea and if you want to do something, you should absolutely do it because it's scary and it's daunting and it's anxious, but once you do start and once you get the ball rolling, it is very fun and you learn a lot of things and you enjoy the ride. So I would say if you have an idea, work on that idea, start it and a lot can come from it,” said Ndzana.
Through The Wig Hall, Ndzana is making wigs more accessible to students and giving them an opportunity to try something new. But more than that, her business is also an incredible example of the good things that can come from taking a leap of faith.
