The Fire Behind Femicide: Analyzing the Causes of Gender-Based Violent Crime
In this essay, I examine how harmful masculine norms fueled by patriarchal ideals and sexual entitlement fuel gender-based violent crime. I unpack two major cases of femicide, the Santa Barbara massacre and the Pulse nightclub shooting.
Viral Voices: How Social Media is Democratizing Global Activism
In this essay, I discuss the advantages and drawbacks of social media as a tool for mobilizing political involvement at a global scale, using recent events like the Black Lives Matter protests and the Fridays for Future climate strikes as key examples.
Controversies to Commitment: Exploring the Complexities of Amnesty International
This is an analysis of human rights organization Amnesty International. I explore its history and significant global impact while criticizing its issues with workplace culture and internal racism. Through analyzing Amnesty's complexities, I learned about the importance of accountability and reform in human rights advocacy.
To Be Beautiful or Not to Be Beautiful: Analyzing the Value of Feminine Beauty
As I study gender relations through the lens of my own womanhood, I ponder whether to embrace femininity or to reject traditional beauty standards? I answer this question using the films Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) and The World of Suzie Wong (1960) to explore how media perpetuates the idea that women’s worth is largely determined by their appearance.
Policy Brief: Migrant Workers and the Working for Workers Act
As a sociology student, I am developing my policy analysis skills. This practice policy brief looks at the role of migrant workers in Canada's economy and the exploitation they face. I explore Ontario's Bill 27, the Working for Workers Act, which aims to combat illegitimate recruiters. I highlight its shortcomings and make recommendations to better protect migrant workers and strengthen the bill's effectiveness.
The Great Resignation: How the Pandemic Incited a Quiet yet Salient Worker Rebellion
In this paper, I explore the post-pandemic phenomenon of the Great Resignation in the labour force and what it means for long-term deteriorating worker conditions. I begin to unpack workplace power dynamics and shifting priorities, topics that set the foundation of my understand of the labour movement.
Behind the Ride: The Precarious State of Uber Drivers in Canada
Despite the success and popularity of ride-sharing apps like Uber, the gig economy is not the 'be your own boss' dream that it claims to be. In this essay, I explore the precarity of platform work and discuss unionization and legal reform as potential solutions in this precarious sector of work.
Gatekeeper: The Exploitation and Commodification of Women in Music
In this essay, I use sociological theories from Marx, Benjamin, and Perkins-Gilman to analyze how economic pressures, mass production, and gender imbalances lead to the mistreatment of female artists. Using Canadian artist Jessie Reyez and her song "Gatekeeper" as a key example, this essay shines a light on the challenges and resilience of marginalized musicians.
Connecting Childhood Stories to Career Realities: A Vocational Reflection
This is a reflection on my personal journey growing up in an activist household, where I was inspired by my father’s work in labor unions and social justice. It explores my passion for social change, my aspirations in the non-profit sector, and the challenges I anticipate in pursuing a career focused on humanitarian work.
Statistics in Conversation: A Demographics Study of the English Conversation Program
In my co-op work term as the English Conversation Program Assistant at the UBC Learning Exchange, I looked into the demographics of our active learners to examine how the ECP's demographics have changed since the pandemic. In particular, I studied the increasing intake of refugees and the key differences between the refugee and non-refugee learners. I presented this project to the LE staff at the end of my term.