The Link Health Magazine Launch Party: Discussing Health

Last Friday night, Concordia students and music lovers alike joined CJLO at the Casa del Popolo in St. Laurent as it hosted The Link’s third launch party of the Fall semester. The night was filled with meaningful conversations and electric live performances, creating the perfect atmosphere to celebrate the publication of The Link’s third issue, which tackles a subject that can’t be talked about enough in both the university setting and Canada: health.

As one of the most read independent magazines in Concordia’s campuses, it is no surprise that The Link has created a platform for relevant and important topics to be discussed. Friday night was no exception. Joining us for the night and stealing the stage before the live performances were three panelists, all of whom had compelling stories that helped inspire the issue.  

Dana Schnitzer, an art therapist, spoke about the importance of helping patients dealing with mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and ADHD. Art therapy, standing between art and psychology, has given her a way to help these people. Unfortunately, she explained, not everyone is able to afford this form of therapy. This sparked a question in the room: is mental health not given the attention it needs?

Trenton Miller, the former quarterback for the Concordia Stingers, shared his riveting story with us, giving us a glimpse of life as a football player. Having suffered from several concussions, Trenton was permanently sidelined, and from his experience with physical injury, he is now able to speak up about safety precautions in sports that are in desperate need to take place.

Anne-Marie Rivard is in the process of writing her doctoral thesis on access to abortion in Canada. She spoke about abortion policies and how they vary from region to region. Sadly, although Canada is a step ahead in this issue than other countries, Rivard said there are still many obstacles to be overcome for abortion to become a constitutional right. 

The panel was a great conversation-starter, and it encouraged the audience to ponder on physical and mental health, as well as access to healthcare in Canada. But the night didn’t end there! Once the chairs were pulled out and the lights turned down, three local bands took the stage. The crowds then gathered and got transported into the psychedelic, art-pop melodies of Slight, the punk beats from Blessed and the experimental sounds of AIM LOW. Good music and the Casa del Popolo’s vibrant atmosphere were just the perfect match for the night.