By Trishelle Dotson and Alex Muzychko
Humber’s Consent Peer Education team held an end of year ‘Bash and Ball’ on Wednesday with students and staff attending.
“It was really important for us to give the students a beautiful kind of wrap-up, send-off, especially an event from the CPEP team,” said Shalena Diaram, fourth year paralegal student.
“I really wanted this an amazing event that was empowering, beautiful and very stress relieving’’ said Diaram who was also an event organizer.
Diaram said the event incorporate included elements such as relaxation, skincare, and even button making.
“These events mean so much to me, because they give me an outlet for my creativity, and my passion to make people smile and feel good about themselves,” said Diaram.
During the strict limitations in COVID-19 pandemic, the team’s events had been cut short. Now that restrictions are lifted, team members said they were happy to be back in full force.
“The biggest thing that we’re trying to do with these events is spread awareness, both about our program, but also about what’s being offered at Humber and other resources’” said Chris Mahon, the Sexual Violence Prevention Educator for all of the Humber campuses.
“Beyond that, we often offer resources around healthy relationships, sexual health, safe sex, things like that. The hope that we have for people is that they’ll come to these events, they’ll have some fun, maybe do something that isn’t always related to sex or sexual health’” Mahon said.
Mahon hopes that students feel they can come away with resources and have more understanding of where to look for those resources and how to approach things.
“We see that there’s a lot of stigma around talking about sex talk, sex positivity, and sexual self care. We’re going to provide people with some food, refreshments, and try to promote kind of a fun way to look at sexual health care and sexual violence awareness in different ways,” said Mahon.
When asked what attracted them to the event, students pointed to the welcoming atmosphere.
“One hundred percent I would say what made me come to this event was just the overall environment of it all. A lot of students were here, it looks like a fun environment,” said Raphael Tantengco, a second year Business Administration student.
Second-year Business Administration student Ava Selim said the environment also intrigued her.
“People were like ‘Hey we’re having free this and this.’ And I was like, ‘Wow, you know, while we have some time, right now, why not?’” said Selim.
“I think this is amazing. This is right after I finished studying, this is like something good to just ease off my mind from studying,” said Selim.
Still, some students were mindful the semester was not over, yet.
“If there was a party on the weekend or end of the year, instead of like before exams, it would have been better. I wish it was after exams, I would totally go after all exams are done,” said Selim.
“This is really nice and I appreciate the gesture, but I just wish it was bigger and at the end of the term,” said Tantengco.
In the meantime, some students said they were eager to see where their next chapter begins.
“This semester is very emotional for me because I’m finally finishing my paralegal degree program. I will be graduating June 14, getting married June 23, and writing my paralegal licensing exam on November 15 or 19,” said Diaram.