Deborah DundasAuthor Deborah Dundas will discuss her book “On Class” for the Humanities Research Group on Thursday, Sept. 21.

Discussion of class issues to open literary speaker series

The Humanities Research Group will kick off its 2023-24 special guest speaker series on Thursday, Sept. 21, with journalist and author Deborah Dundas discussing her book On Class, published by Biblioasis literary press as part of its “Field Notes” series.

In her book, Dundas addresses writers, activists, those who work with the poor, or are poor, about what happens when we don’t talk about poverty or class — and what will happen when we do. She explores who tells the stories about class and who doesn’t, which ones tend to be repeated most often, and why this must change. Her talk asks the question: What don’t we talk about when we don’t talk about class? And what might happen if, finally, we did?

Dundas is the books editor at the Toronto Star with a broad background in the media. She has interviewed some of the world’s most recognizable authors, including Salman Rushdie, Margaret Atwood, Colson Whitehead, Jonathan Franzen, Zadie Smith, and John Irving.

The Humanities Research Group will explore this year’s theme, “Interpreting Experience,” through a lineup of speakers with expertise in art, politics, education, and journalism.

Other speakers include Michael Naicker (Oct. 18); Jason McBride (Nov. 30); Rebecca Major (Jan. 25); Michelle Shepherd (Feb. 29); and 2023-2024 HRG Fellow Catherine Heard (March 28). Find bios of all these guest speakers and more information on the website uwindsor.ca/hrg.

All guest speaker presentations are free to attend in the Performance Hall at the SoCA Armouries at 5 p.m.

In addition, the HRG is offering two fellowship streams this year, one for faculty with an application deadline of Oct. 31, and a student fellowship to reward feminist research in the humanities, thanks to the support of a legacy donation from Windsor’s Feminist Research Group, with a deadline of Nov. 30. Read about HRG’s fellowship and award opportunities.

To receive event updates from HRG, email a request to join to HRGmail@uwindsor.ca.

Dian Marie BridgeDian Marie Bridge directs the University Players production of Mac Beth, opening Sept. 22.

Theatre veteran directs University Players’ season opener

University Players opens this season with a production of Mac Beth by Erica Schmidt, a unique reimagining of Shakespeare’s classic tragedy. Leading the troupe in this production is Dian Marie Bridge, artistic director of the Black Theatre Workshop in Montreal, Canada’s longest-running Black stage company.

In its 53rd season, Black Theatre Workshop produces shows for general audiences, offers theatre for young audiences, runs national mentor-apprentice training program, and has just announced a new playwrights’ festival called Club Zed. Bridge has been the associate artistic director at Luminato Festival Toronto, and artist-in-residence at Necessary Angel theatre company. She also worked for four seasons at the Stratford Festival, both as an artist and producer.

David Court, director of the School of Dramatic Art, expressed excitement about her appointment.

“We are thrilled to have Dian join us as the first director in our 65th season,” he said. “Her work as a theatre artist is inspiring, and we are grateful for her work with our students on this production.”

Mac Beth is set in a desolate urban area, complete with decaying furniture and abandoned shopping carts. Macbeth and the witches along with the full cast of characters come alive in the performance of several teenagers who meet to perform the play in a “club” of sorts. The text is all Shakespeare’s, but the story delivers a visceral blow when performed by young people in a very familiar current setting.

“I’m excited to work with these students,” says Bridge. “Erica Schmidt’s Mac Beth is a rich adaptation and explores some very dark and poignant themes. In tackling this production, care for the students’ mental and spiritual health has been paramount, to allow them the fullest opportunity to play, explore and fill these characters, both as the students who are part of the Dungeons and Dragon-esque ‘Mac Beth Club,’ and as the characters in the original play.”

She notes that both intimacy and fight direction were integral to this process.

“In order to get the realistic fight scenes to work, but also keep the artists safe on stage, both their physical and mental well-being were centred in this process,” Bridge says.

Mac Beth opens Sept. 22 with a 7:30 p.m. performance at Essex Hall Theatre. The show runs approximately 1 hour and 25 minutes. Recommended for ages 14+, some mature content, violence, and gore.

Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at www.universityplayers.com. Regular price tickets start at $20.

“SoCA Open Sessions” art activities: painting, musicThe School of Creative Arts will present “SoCA Open Sessions” at the Armouries during Open Streets Windsor on Sept. 17.

Armouries to welcome Open Streets festivalgoers

Students and faculty in the School of Creative Arts will invite the public into the Armouries building during the Open Streets Windsor festival on Sunday, Sept. 17, for an open house of “SoCA Open Sessions.”

The event will feature live music performances, live painting, outdoor activities addressing Visual Arts and the Built Environment, BioArt engagement, a film reel highlighting the work of past and present students and faculty, a collage activity for all ages, and the gallery with the student and faculty exhibition “Kickstart.”

The Armouries will be open through the festival from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Open Streets encourages community-building, active transportation, and physical activity. It will temporarily close an eight-kilometre route along Sandwich Street, Riverside Drive, University Avenue, Wyandotte Street, and Drouillard Road to motor vehicles in favour of people. A University hub is planned for Riverside Drive between Patricia and Sunset streets.

—Susan McKee

Prem Williams, Alex Mabeka, Aaron Hohn, and Carrol Edmun.A panel of professionals from TD will discuss “Career Journeying for Indigenous and Black Students.” From left: Prem Williams, Alex Mabeka, Aaron Hohn, and Carrol Edmun.

Panel discussion to launch Indigenous and Black student talent incubator

“Being your authentic self” is the theme of a panel discussion today — Thursday, Sept. 14 — exploring Career Journeying for Indigenous and Black Students.

The event is the formal launch of the Cube, an incubator for Indigenous and Black student talent at the University of Windsor. Attendees will learn about opportunities for research, mentorship, career development, and funding support.

They will also hear from a panel of experienced professionals:

  • Prem Williams, director of the TD Securities Asset Specialization Group;
  • Alex Mabeka, senior manager FX Global Capital Markets Operations, TD Securities;
  • Aaron Hohn, associate vice-president, Indigenous Peoples and Environmental, Social and Governance, TD; and
  • Carrol Edmun, diversity sourcing partner, Indigenous peoples, TD.

Presented by the Office of the Vice-President, People, Equity and Inclusion, and sponsored by the Black Studies Institute, the Entrepreneurship Practice and Innovation Centre (EPICentre), and the Odette School of Business, the event will run noon to 2 p.m. in room 123, Odette Building.

Register to attend via the mySuccess portal.

soccer player Aislynn Essibrah evades a defenderForward Aislynn Essibrah and the Lancer women’s soccer team will play a pair of matches against the Western Mustangs this weekend.

Varsity teams face weekend tests

Lancer soccer will play home-and-away series against the Western Mustangs this weekend. Both Windsor teams remain undefeated, with the women boasting a 2-0-1 conference record and the men notching ties in all three of their games.

Alumni Field will host the first doubleheader Friday, Sept. 15, with the women playing at 6 p.m. and the men at 8:15 p.m. The follow-up games in London on Sunday are set for 1 and 3:15 p.m.

Tickets for all home games are available at goLancers.ca/tickets or at the gate. Live webcasts for both matches can be found on OUA.tv.

The Lancer football team, ranked ninth in the nation by U Sports, will line up in Ottawa against the 10th-ranked Gee-Gees on Saturday, Sept. 16. Kickoff is at 1 p.m. and the game will be webcast on OUA.tv.

In other sports action, golfers will compete in the Western Invitational on Thursday; softball is on the road for a swing through the Kitchener region, playing Waterloo on Friday, Guelph on Saturday, and Laurier on Sunday; baseball will play the Blues in Toronto on Saturday and host Guelph Sunday at Libro Field; and men’s hockey will hit the ice for exhibitions at Laurier on Friday and Ontario Tech on Saturday.

Siyaram Pandey in lab coatBiochemistry professor Siyaram Pandey has been elected president of the Natural Health Products Research Society of Canada.

Prof to preside over national group promoting natural health products research

UWindsor professor Siyaram Pandey has been elected to the role of president of the Natural Health Products Research Society of Canada (NHPRS).

“I am humbled and excited to be elected as the president,” says Dr. Pandey, chemistry and biochemistry professor.

“I am looking forward to working with NHPRS members to bring together excellent researchers and clinicians with traditional health practitioners from First Nations communities and promote high-quality scientific and clinical research with natural health products.”

For the past several years Pandey has been a member of the society’s board, and he served as its president from 2013 to 2015.

“We have our joint conference NHPRS with Canadian Health and Food Association next year in Vancouver, which will bring experts form both societies together,” he says.

“My emphasis would be to bring conventional clinicians, oncologists, neurologists, geriatricians, and general practitioners to this forum and get the clinical validation of some of very exciting and effective natural health products accelerated.”

Windsor hosted the 10th annual meeting of NHPRS in 2013, says Pandey, and it was one of the most successful NHPRS conferences.

“I am hoping to bring the annual NHPRS conference to Windsor in 2025 or 2026,” says Pandey.

“I must also mention that I am very proud of our students who have consistently performed very well and won several awards at the NHPRS conferences in the past.”

The society promotes scientifically rigorous exploration and education on natural health products and supports research to enable their informed and appropriate use. It is a federally incorporated non-profit organization founded in 2003 by academic, industry, and government researchers from across Canada.

—Sara Elliott

raised fists behind cloud-shrouded crescent moonTake Back the Night, Sept. 15 in Charles Clark Square, promotes a world free of sexual, intimate partner, and domestic violence.

Downtown rally to reclaim right to safety

A rally to fight for change regarding sexual, intimate partner, and domestic violence is set for Friday, Sept. 15.

Take Back the Night focuses on how women and those within marginalized communities deserve the right to safety and respect in their communities. It will begin at 7 p.m. in Charles Clark Square, 215 Chatham St. East.

Frances Cachon, co-ordinator of UWindsor’s Bystander Initiative — a campus-wide approach to preventing sexual violence — is among the featured speakers. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend.