08.31.21

August 31, 2021 | 34st.com

TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

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WORD ON THE STREET Overcoming the Male Gaze

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Meet Rick Krajewski

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MUSIC

Solar Power Isn't

What You Think It Is

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ARTS

A Portrait of Yayoi Kusama

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FOCUS

The Appropriation of Asian Food

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UNDER THE BUTTON Bottoms Protest White Dog’s Bottomless Brunch

On breakups, breaking bad habits, and self–renewal

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learned what moldavite was exactly one week before I took a sledgehammer to my pandemic–proofed life. I ended a circumstantial friendship, went back to therapy, and broke up with the first man I ever felt comfortable enough with to write about. At the time, none of it felt intentional, and, honestly, most of it felt very self–destructive. But that’s the thing about breaking routines, especially unhealthy ones. Until you form better habits, all you feel is the pang of lack.

When we think about renewal, we think about the end of the process. The word connotes images of butterflies breaking from chrysalises, shelves organized with the flourish of spring cleaning– induced mania, and soothing skin care commercials for products that will probably make your acne worse. In reality, renewal—like all growth—is uncomfortable and nonlinear before it is calming and route.

Despite all this talk of this being the summer of hot girls and coconut girls and gaslighting girls, the past three months were really the summer of the work–in–progress girl—at least for me. Sure, I spent plenty of time mastering the markers of functionality until I stopped needing to remind myself of them. I clean my room.

I go to the gym sometimes. I make to–do lists and plans, and I follow–up on most of them. But I also spent an equal amount of time crying in bed with the seventh hour of a Netflix binge droning on in the background, wondering if this new amount of healthy busyness was really so much better than the quiet angst of before.

(Spoiler alert: It most definitely is.)

In other words, I feel renewed. But I also feel fucking exhausted, and the new version of me wants myself (and everyone else) to know that’s perfectly normal. Doing the better thing is tiring, mostly because you don’t know it’s the better thing until you’ve done it. But it’s also deeply rewarding, even if the reward you want most is likely a nap.

EXECUTIVE BOARD Beatrice Forman, Editor–in–Chief: forman@34st.com Chelsey Zhu, Campus Editor: zhu@34st.com Mehek Boparai, Culture Editor: boparai@34st.com Karin Hananel, Assignments Editor: hananel@34st.com EDITORS Eva Ingber, Features Editor Angela Shen, Features Editor Julia Esposito, Word on the Street Editor Denali Sagner, Special Issues Editor Aakruti Ganeshan, Focus Editor Emily White, Focus Editor Hannah Lonser, Style Editor Maddie Muldoon, Ego Editor

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Peyton Toups, Music Editor Walden Green, Arts Editor Arielle Stanger, Film & TV Editor Alice Heyeh, Creative Director Jesse Zhang, Multimedia Editor Caylen David, Audience Engagement Editor 34th Street Staff WRITERS Features Staff Writers: Sejal Sangani, Angela Shen, Mira Sydow, Amy Xiang, Meg Gladieux Focus Beat Writers: Rema Bhat, Jean Paik Style Beat Writers: Kira Wang, Phuong Ngo Music Beat Writers: Nora Youn, Evan Qiang, Fernanda Brizuela

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This semester, many of us are stepping foot onto a college campus for the first time, and with that comes the anxiety of self–renewal, of remaking yourself into a person you’re proud of. That pressure can be a good thing, but only if you remember that growth doesn’t happen after a couple of trips down Locust Walk and your first frat party. It happens when you most feel like regressing.

Our first issue of this academic year is about renewal and all the messiness that comes with it. We tackle the never–ending process of overcoming the male gaze and society’s fixture on nonstop productivity but—don’t worry— we also talk about some lighter fare, like coffee shops fit for breezy introspection and dance parties where you can sweat out your worries.

SSSF,

Illustration by Isabel Liang

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Arts Beat Writers: Jessa Glassman Film & TV Beat Writers: Harshita Gupta Staff Writers: Kathryn Xu, Emily Moon MULTIMEDIA Multimedia Associates: Dhivya Arasappan, Sage Levine, Sophie Dai, Sophie Huang, Samantha Turner, Sudeep Bhargava, Liwa Sun, Sukhmani Kaur, Alexandra Morgan–Lindo Audience Engagement Associates: Kira Wang, Yamila Frej, Liwa Sun

Contacting 34th Street Magazine: If you have questions, comments, complaints or letters to the editor, email Bea Forman, Editor-In-Chief, at forman@34st. com. You can also call us at (215) 422–4640. www.34st.com©2021 34th Street Magazine, The Daily Pennsylvanian, Inc. No part may be reproduced in whole or in part without the express, written consent of the editors (but I bet we will give you the a–okay.)

All rights reserved. 34th Street Magazine is published

by The Daily Pennsylvanian, Inc., 4015 Walnut St., Philadelphia, Pa., 19104, every Tuesday.

head, shouldies, knees, and toes

WORD ON THE STREET

Overcoming the

Male Gaze My journey to realizing that beauty doesn't depend on what men think of me | JULIA ESPOSITO

Illustration by Isabel Liang

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ver since I was a little girl, I yearned to be pretty.

I wanted to have the wavy blond hair of Sleeping Beauty, the doe eyes of Snow White, and the skinny figure of my plastic Barbie dolls.

Even when I was as young as six years old, I would stare at myself in the mirror, disgusted by my choppy bangs and chubby face. I used to pray that I’d get prettier overnight, transforming from an ugly duckling into one of the Disney princesses from my favorite movies.

At that age, I never realized how toxic my mindset was. All I knew was what I saw and was told. And I was told that the prettier I was, the more likely I was to attract a man. If I wanted my crush to like me back, I’d have to fix my posture and get rid of my acne. I’d have to constantly think about how I looked, as though someone was always watching me.

Recently, while scrolling through TikTok and hopping between YouTube videos, I found a lot of people talking about something called the male gaze.

The male gaze is “a way of portraying and looking at women that empowers men while sexualizing and diminishing women,”according to health publication Verywell Mind. It generally refers to films and the way that female characters are unnecessarily eroticized for the male viewer.

An example of this is how the camera will often pan up a woman’s legs or follow her butt while

she’s walking.

When it comes to society as a whole, the concept of the male gaze can expand to refer to the way women feel as though they’re constantly being watched by men. They’re told how to take care of themselves and what to wear, all for the purpose of pleasing male passerbys. It’s the pres-

"

So I’ve reconditioned myself to stop caring. To wear what makes me happy and stop fixating on my reflection.

sure to wear makeup and look exactly like the supermodels on the covers of sports magazines just to attract men’s attention.

Growing up, popular media convinced me I needed to look beautiful for men. Family members would make casual comments about my appearance. Over time, I became convinced that

if I didn’t look pretty, no man would ever like me. I truly internalized it to the point of looking at my reflection everywhere I’d go. If I was on a bus, I’d look in the dark mirror to make sure my butt still looked good and my winged eyeliner wasn’t smudged. I’d take bathroom trips at events just to make sure my hair hadn’t gotten too frizzy.

I’d constantly use my Snapchat front camera to check my face from different angles, see which angle suited me best, and try to force my face to look like that to anyone who might see me.

I did all of this without realizing I was never doing it for myself. I was doing it because I’d been told to.

Only recently, after doing research on the male gaze and watching body positivity TikToks, did I realize how long I’ve spent trying to please people I shouldn’t care about. I shouldn’t care what random men think of me. I shouldn’t be constantly double–checking how I look to make sure I’m at my absolute best at all times. I shouldn’t critique every photo of myself and wonder if I was hot enough at the time it was taken for a man to ask me out.

So I’ve reconditioned myself to stop caring. To wear what makes me happy and stop fixating on my reflection. I’ve allowed myself to wear winged eyeliner every day even though I know it’s going out of trend. I’ve allowed myself to eat what I want and not have to worry about how thick I look in every photo.

I’m still not perfect at it. There are days when I look at my body in the mirror and wonder why I’m not prettier. And there are days when I compare myself to other women, and I think about which of us men would find more attractive. It’s a struggle, but I know I will never be truly free to look as I please until I overcome my internalized misogyny.

AUGUST 31, 2021 34TH STREET MAGAZINE

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ROWANA MILLER HOMETOWN: MAJOR: ACTIVITIES:

New York City Sociology Kelly Writers House, Penn Singers Light Opera Company, Marks Family Writing Center

Meet the senior who's writing a novel and founding a nonprofit at the same time. | MADDIE MULDOON 34th STREET MAGAZINE: What activity at Penn are you most passionate about?

ROWANA MILLER: I do three core things because I love those three core things. The single thing that I'm most passionate about is my work with Kelly Writers House, specifically with a program I founded there called Word Camp.

It’s a virtual creative writing camp for kids in grades three through eight. I founded it as a pandemic thing to keep kids occupied during summer 2020. It was also a way to give Penn instructors paying jobs—Penn instructors are the ones who teach at the camp.

This past year, we realized that it was not just something to keep kids occupied during the pandemic. It fills a real need.

There are not a whole lot of creative writing opportunities for kids, and there especially are not a whole lot of free and accessible creative writing opportunities for kids. I got a grant to do this program once, but I wound up getting that grant renewed and even expanded this past summer in order to hold the camp again

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and to offer a couple more workshops.

The goal of the camp is to provide education that is equitable. A lot of education defaults to a rich, upper–middle class, white–centric pedagogy. The way that the camp is designed decenters that lens.

STREET: What are your plans going forward with Word Camp?

RM: I am in the process of founding a nonprofit that uses the camp as a foundational program. Because of my experience at the camp, and the fact that I've realized that equity in creative writing education seems to be a real need, I am in the process of creating a nonprofit called Cosmic Writers. This summer I've been putting together a leadership team mostly made up of Penn undergraduates and recent graduates. We're starting with the camp, and then we are planning to add programs in the next few years that fit the same goal.

STREET: Aside from the camp, what are your responsibilities as a staffer at Kelly Writers House?

RM: Kelly Writers House is my home

on campus. It has been since [my first] year. I started as a program assistant and recently was promoted to Levin outreach coordinator. What I love about the Writers House is that it is a very laid back community environment. A lot of the work that I've done has been cooking for programs and putting together vegetable plates. In the past year, since I took on the Levin outreach coordinator role, my work has gotten more education–specific. I mentored a high school student in novel writing over the past year, and I also facilitated an online discussion group series based on virtual programs at the Writers House.

STREET: What type of creative writing is your specialty?

RM: I’m a big fiction person—I've taken the majority of the fiction classes offered at Penn. My favorite type of fiction to write is based in reality with some kind of intensified component, whether that be crime, thriller stakes that are beyond the usual, or some kind of fantasy component. Lately I’ve been really into thrillers.

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STREET: Could you tell us about the novel you’re writing?

RM: It's a YA thriller. I've been pretty serious about writing fiction since I was young. The novel is my third manuscript. I wrote my first two when I was in middle and high school, and at the time, I thought they were brilliant. Spoiler alert: They were not. They were for learning, they were for practice, but that didn’t stop me from trying to get an agent for them. In retrospect, I'm pretty embarrassed by the stuff that I sent out to publishing industry professionals.

That set me up pretty well to start my third manuscript, which I began in a class with professor Nova Ren Suma and drafted the following semester in an independent study with Nova Ren Suma, who is the best person and also the best professor. I'm very lucky to have had her as a mentor. I was able to get representation for this book I've been working on—I now have an

agent—and right now she's pitching this book to publishers. I am waiting to hear back. Literally since I was five or six years old, one of my goals in life has been to get a book published. I'm going to keep writing novels until I get one published.

STREET: What is your most memorable experience at Penn?

RM: On Halloween 2018, all the [first years] at Penn got letters under their door with their names handwritten on them. The letters had a QR code, and it said something along the lines of, “Scan for mystery and intrigue.” And so, I scanned for mystery and intrigue. It led to a questionnaire with several mysterious questions like, “Is it in any way cruel to give a dog a name?” Or, “Do you have anything to confess?” That was the first round. We did not know where this was coming from. I filled out the questionnaire, then a week later got an email from a group called PSF that told me to choose a code name and sent

me to a chat room where they gave a list of clues and riddles. The mysterious instructions continued until they called us together. They revealed that this was a group of sophomores at the time who decided they wanted to form a secret society and start recruiting people. It kind of fell apart after initiation because they didn't really plan past that point.

However, that process was wild, and the group of people who spearheaded this are now my best friends.

STREET: What's next for you after Penn?

RM: I'm really hoping to grow this nonprofit. I don't expect to be able to do it full time right after graduation, but I would like to be able to build it up over the next few years so that hopefully I can move to doing it full time. Other than that, I’m applying to some fellowships, and [I'm] considering applying to some Ph.D. programs within the education realm. I want to go into education.

LIGHTNING ROUND STREET: What's something people wouldn't guess about you?

RM: I’m pretty decent with power tools. I'm five feet tall—that's why you wouldn't guess that about me.

STREET: If you were a building on campus, which one would you be and why?

RM: I would be College Hall because Charles Addams, one of my general icons, used it as a reference for the castle of The Addams Family. I will be anything related to Charles Addams.

STREET: If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

RM: Not quite a superpower, but the ability to dance. It seems like a superpower to me.

STREET: There are two types of people at Penn…

RM: Those who go to the Kelly Writers House for the programs, and those who go to the Writers House for the food.

STREET: And which one are you?

RM: I am both! I work there, so I get to reap the benefits of both.

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Meet the Penn Grad Representing Penn Students in the State House Street checks in with State Rep. Rick Krajewski seven months after his first day in office. His biggest lesson on the job? Change takes time. | BEATRICE FORMAN

Photo by Jason Lozada for Philadelphia Magazine.

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ick Krajewski (E ’13) isn’t your typical politician, but perhaps that’s the point. The software–developer–turned–Reclaim– Philly–organizer went grassroots after a STEM curriculum he developed at a West Philly public school was shelved when the school morphed into a privately run charter academy.

Since then, he's helped elect District Attorney Larry Krasner, convinced thousands of Philadelphians to pay attention to judicial elections, and ousted a 35–year establishment incumbent to become West Philly’s state representative.

The magic of Krajewski is that he doesn’t feel like a political operative, his everyman energy genuine as curse words slip out mid–monologue. Krajewski admits what he doesn’t know and when he’s tired. He still considers himself a neighbor, even if his time is split between Baltimore Avenue and the quiet stress of Harrisburg. But mostly, Krajewski is worried about how an agenda steeped in restorative justice, education reform, and workers’ rights can gain traction without sacrificing the heart of socialism: radical and ever upward change.

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As hoards of first years step onto a campus that often encompasses the battle between incrementalism and getting shit done, Street sat down with Krajewski to chat about what long–haul progressivism actually looks like, and, more importantly, how to settle into your new neighborhood.

34th Street Magazine: Thinking back to when you announced you were running for state rep., how has your motivation to serve West Philly evolved over the past 10 months?

I've lived in West and Southwest Philly my whole adult life. I want to start a family here. I want to have children here. I want to send them to a local school. I faced questions like, "Can I afford housing here?" "Can I feel confident in sending my child to a school that will be well funded and well supported?" "Will we have an environment that actually protects the health of my children, and the health of my neighbors and their children?"

Those answers were not clear to me.

So it was also obvious that to fight for those things, we need to understand the legislature more. Now, my motiva-

34TH STREET MAGAZINE AUGUST 31, 2021

tions for being in the legislature and being a rep. have matured. Transforming our legislature is going to be a long-term project. It will require not just me being in office, but also having other champions in office that fight for progressive issues, and flipping control of the legislation to be democratically controlled. I both feel an intense urgency, but I also understand that it will be a long, long process.

Our district is one of the most interesting to represent because it’s so economically and ethnically diverse. How do you take into account the different, and potentially conflicting, needs of your constituents while drafting and voting on legislation?

As a rep., you have a few different considerations. There's your personal values and ideology, and then there are values of your district and the values of your party. One of the things that's tricky about being a rep. is that you're a person, but you're also operating in a collective, and you're working for the collective interest.

You have to balance all those things.

But to your point, our district is very

diverse and very progressive, so I'm fortunate to feel very aligned with the values of our district and what we believe in. Many of us believe in having a better environment, having access to

platform is "My what I believe in.

I didn't morph my platform to fit the district.

I ran on what I believed was best for me and best for our district, and that resonated with people.

health care, affordable housing, ending systemic poverty, fully funding public schools, and ending mass incarceration. My platform is what I believe in. I didn't morph my platform to fit the district. I ran on what I believed was best for me and

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best for our district, and that resonated with people. So I actually feel like I have a lot of ability to vote my values and vote the values of our districts.

Of all the legislation you’ve gotten to co–sponsor and lead yourself, what is the one you’re most proud of so far?

The thing you realize about a lot of legislation is a lot of it is this stuff that might not necessarily sound sexy, but is actually extremely important. This bill is a really simple change, but it could have some pretty important ramifications. The bill is HB 1475, which is a bill that allows minors to access their birth certificates. YEAHPhilly, an organization that does advocacy work with at–risk youth in our community, came to me with this issue. They mentioned working with a lot of young people who run into this issue where they might be trying to seek employment, or they might be trying to find benefits while with a social services organization, but they struggle because they can't access their birth certificates. You have to have parental or guardian consent to get your birth certificate, so if you're estranged from your parents, or if you're in the foster care system, that can be a barrier to getting that document, which can stop you from getting employment. It was clear that this was actually preventing a lot of young people from gaining employment or access to social welfare, which then obviously can push them to commit needs–based crime or not be able to get the things they need to take care of themselves. So we took that and created this bill that removes parental consent and lowers the age you're independently allowed to get a copy of your birth certificate to 12 because that's the age you can get your social security card. I really like this one because of what it represents in terms of who we're serving, the fact that it came from an organization based in my district, and that it's a relatively simple fix.

What are the biggest challenges you face as a progressive in the state house?

I think one of the big challenges I've been wrestling with is not having as much of a coherent strategy around how to push legislation.

Philly is lucky; we have such progressive champions. We have Helen Gym and Jamie [Gauthier] and [Malcolm] Kenyatta and a city council that is the most progressive it's ever been. We

have a lot of organizations that are doing the work on the ground around local city politics, and it's resulted in us having some pretty big wins over the last few years. But we don't have the same kind of organizational infrastructure when it comes to Harrisburg politics. It's challenging, because Harrisburg is responsible for so many things. So, for example, looking at public education, Pennsylvania received $7 billion as part of the American Rescue Plan. And it was the legislature's responsibility to figure out how to spend that money. Obviously, our schools have been underfunded by millions of dollars, so there was an obvious opportunity to spend that money on public education in Philadelphia, and we didn't. That's because the legislature didn't do it. We still haven't figured out a coherent plan around how to hold the Republican leadership accountable for that. So it's challenging to not have as clear of a strategy on how to navigate those campaigns.

As we look towards the future, what are some of the highest priority issues on your agenda right now?

Spending the American Rescue Plan money.

That’s it. Republican legislatures put billions of dollars into a rainy day fund. I think everyone should know about that, and should also know that there's literally billions of dollars in federal funding that [have] not been spent.

How, if at all, do you work with both moderates and Republicans across the aisle to pass timely legislation?

It's the same principles you have to take when you approach organizing. When you're organizing and building a base of people, the people you talk to while knocking doors aren't going to 100% align with you. How could they? They're strangers. So your goal as an organizer is to meet them where they're at and connect on the issues that you both care about and use that to move people toward a campaign. It's the same principles for my colleagues. I may not agree with all of the people in the caucus or in the party, but I can find things to agree with them on education, around the environment, around health care, around the minimum wage and workers' rights. And I think focusing on that—versus the differences—goes a long way for me because I don't have to feel like I'm compromising myself. I'm still being very clear about my long term vision heading into the conversation,

but I'm focusing on the things we can do right now. People will respect that. People that are really getting things done and are trying to lead just want to work with other people that want to get things done.

Is good legislation primarily innovative or practical? How do you balance the two?

I think it can be both, or one or the other, depending on the context. I try to be pretty pragmatic in thinking about legislating. I don't say that to sound like an incrementalist, but I think that one of the balancing acts we have to do—particularly in chambers that we don't control—is being clear about the long–term vision that we have, whether we're progressives or socialists. I'm a socialist. I'm an abolitionist. Those are things that I hold true, but I also recognize that Pennsylvania is light year away from becoming socialist and abolitionist. So I have to be clear about my long–term vision, while also thinking about the building blocks toward that vision. Those involve passing things that can be done now and do matter now. You kind of have to operate on separate plans of playing the short term to get things done, while also figuring out what's the long-term chess you have to play to get to the future.

Taking into account the relative privilege we have as Penn students, what’s your advice to incoming first–year students about how to be a good neighbor?

Step one to being a good neighbor is just to be a neighbor. That's difficult for a lot of young people in general. Often, I think whatever insecurities or anxieties you feel about being part of the community become projected. The truth is that, yeah, people are concerned about gentrification, but you are not responsible for gentrification. [First years] are not responsible for gentrification, or unfettered development, or rising property taxes. Penn buying up tons of properties and not being equitable in their development is responsible for gentrification. So in terms of being a good, responsible neighbor, I think it's just about doing what you would do in any other community. Get to know the people who live on your block, go to neighborhood association events. Just be a regular human being. Do the things you want to do and feel comfortable doing, and be someone genuinely rooted in the area—not just because you think it's the right thing to do, but because you care about West Philly.

AUGUST 31, 2021 34TH STREET MAGAZINE

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HERE'S WHY

Vagrant Coffee SHOULD BE YOUR GO–TO CAFÉ Learn about West Philly's newest coffee shop straight from CEO Josh Dew and Manager Caleb McCurley. | MADDIE MULDOON

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very morning at 4:30 a.m., Vagrant Coffee Founder Josh Dew starts his day with—you guessed it—a cup of Vagrant

coffee.

Dew’s daily fix? A cortado with a little bit of simple syrup.

He describes himself as “permanently nomadic," a living, breathing manifestation of Vagrant’s philosophy. He divides his time

Photo by Chelsey Zhu between the shop’s four brick–and–mortar stores and events that Vagrant hosts across the country, everywhere from Palm Springs, to New York and Las Vegas. Three of Vagrant’s four stores are located in Baltimore—the fourth is our neighbor in West Philadelphia.

Vagrant’s mission is in the name: to be a specialty coffee company that can take everything that's in the café outside of the café and to any desired location.

“It’s something that’s super unique in the specialty coffee world,” Dew says. “Whether it’s an event, a party, something at school, church, whatever or wherever, we can do the same thing [there] that we do in the café. Being mobile and on demand in that way is very uncommon, especially to scale and on short notice without lots of scheduling and planning.”

The ability to be flexible is the principle on which Dew founded Vagrant in 2017. In fact,

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34TH STREET MAGAZINE AUGUST 31, 2021

the shop didn’t even enter the brick–and–mortar space until 2019. They exclusively catered special events for two years before opening their three Baltimore stores in 2019 and 2020.

Vagrant has hosted every variety of special event, from kids' birthday parties, to funerals, to receptions on private yachts. Before chatting with me on Zoom, Dew catered Vagrant for an event that convened all the principals in the School District of Philadelphia. “If you name it, we’ve done it,” he laughs.

The West Philly location opened in November 2020, and it grew exponentially in popularity throughout the 2021 spring semester. By the time finals rolled around, you couldn’t find a seat in the shop if you didn’t show up early enough in the day.

Caleb McCurley, the manager of the West Philly location, started working there in April 2021.

His coffee order? An Americano—iced in the summer, hot in the winter.

CALEB MCCURLEY, MANAGER Photo by Chelsey Zhu One of the first things McCurley noticed on his arrival was how diverse and bubbly Vagrant's Philly patrons are. “There are definitely lots of college students that come from all over West Philly,” he says. “One of the things that’s great about college is that people are excited about

life. They have lots of dreams and ways they want to help change the world, which helps keep the energy up in the café.”

His favorite part of the job is interacting with customers, whether it be chatting with regulars about their day or meeting new patrons who have never heard of Vagrant before.

Vagrant’s West Philly location is across the street from Clark Park, the perfect place to camp out and grind if you have time to make the walk. From the natural light streaming in from the floor–to–ceiling windows to the assortment of house plants scattered around the shop, Vagrant's ambiance makes the space feel homey and inviting.

But most importantly, Vagrant's coffee is absolutely delicious. This is true not only of their classic Americano, but also of their various unique flavors like vanilla mint mocha, caramel, and honey graham. And for all the lactose intolerant or dairy–averse people, fear not—oat and almond milk are also available. What's more, if coffee isn’t your fancy, Vagrant has a variety of teas, as well as a blueberry syrup sweetener made in house. The menu is complete with delicious homemade smoothies, pastries, and sandwiches.

(My favorites are the turkey apple & brie and the jalapeño grilled cheese.)

To Dew, Vagrant isn't just a realization of his love for coffee. “I definitely love coffee, but more than coffee, I love people," he says. "I love to see people come together, and I like to create opportunities for that to happen. And coffee is a really great vehicle to make that happen.”

As the pandemic's hold on socializing loosens, safe coffee dates are a great way to reconnect with old classmates and get to know new ones. For those who are back on campus this fall, consider grabbing a cup of joe from Vagrant—and maybe bring a friend or two with you.

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AUGUST 31, 2021 34TH STREET MAGAZINE

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What Are Artist–Themed Dance Parties Anyway?

As COVID-19 restrictions eased, fans made their way to clubs to participate in "dance parties" playing their favorite artists' music. | FERNANDA BRIZUELA

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n July 23, 2021 the Foundry—the Fillmore’s “club within a club”—traveled back to the early 2010s. The intimate venue was mostly filled with a crowd of young women, some of them wearing shirts indicating which fandom they belonged to: One Direction or the Jonas Brothers. As a self–proclaimed “Directioner,” I found the experience amazing, joining others living out their fandom dreams at the “Best Night Ever: One Direction vs Jonas Brothers Dance Party” event.

The venue had a DJ on stage who interacted with the crowd, making it a more concert–like experience. However, the best aspect was spending time with people who were excited to meet others who understood the experience of belonging to a fandom. The Foundry had two sections, with a 21+ area toward the back, making the experience even better. It was almost surreal to be in a club–like environment, listening to One Direction and the Jonas Brothers, with other related artists such as 5 Seconds of Summer, Taylor Swift, and Big Time Rush playing occasionally. Screaming along to Olivia Rodrigo’s “like a damn sociopath” line from “good 4 u” with other people, a drink in hand, was cathartic, especially after a grueling year in quarantine.

I didn’t hesitate to purchase my ticket as soon as I learned about the event. After seeing videos of themed nights at other clubs on TikTok, I wanted the experience of singing and dancing along with other people after long months without live shows.

Videos featuring themed “dance parties” popped up in social media in early 2021, in countries such as Australia where COVID–19 cases were low.

Reactions included comments such as “*cries in american*” as people wished they could experience something similar while in lockdown. In these events, fans get the chance to interact and dance with music from a designated artist playing exclusively that night.

10 34TH STREET MAGAZINE AUGUST 31, 2021

Later in the year, Club 90s LA, a “roaming dance party” that hosts events at different venues, started hosting similar events in the United States. The club’s upcoming events include Olivia Rodrigo’s SOUR Prom, Taylor Swift Night, and Chromatica Rave: Lady Gaga Night. Some of the most popular events on social media have included Olivia Rodrigo Night, which became popular after SOUR’s release.

Even though these events aren’t replacements for concerts—the experience of listening to an artist live will remain unmatched—it’s a great way to enjoy music with others who have similar tastes.

It's also a great way to experience a similar environment to a concert for a significantly cheaper price.

The dance parties are special, principally for fans of artists like One Direction who no longer tour, as it allows them to experience their music in that setting again. Fans seemed to share this sentiment as they rushed to buy tickets for the Philly dance party, selling them out in just a couple of days. As the date came closer, tickets were sold on social media and other resale sites for as much as $100 apiece—a stark mark–up from the $17 face value.

Despite the popularity of these dance parties— notable through the ongoing social media content and the replicatiaon of themed nights by other venues—it’s questionable whether this is only a trend.

As venues open up, fans may be more inclined to attend actual concerts. On the flip side, growing numbers in COVID–19 cases due to the Delta variant may prompt restrictions to return, affecting the operation of such large events.

All in all, it was a wonderful experience and definitely recommended for anyone who enjoys dancing and belting out their favorite songs—die–hard fans or not. It was incredible to be able to enjoy songs that I used to love with others who got just as excited as I did when a new track played. The event was definitely everything my 12–year–old self dreamed of when I danced alone to Take Me Home in my poster–clad room. h eye H ice Al y b ion t a str Illu

also a " It's great way to experience a similar environment to a concert for a significantly cheaper price.

MUSIC

Solar Power ISN'T WHAT YOU THINK IT IS

L

One her third studio album, the pop star from New Zealand builds a castle of sand. | PEYTON TOUPS

orde’s long–awaited third studio album, Solar Power, is a patient record. No matter how many polarizing think pieces (including this one) try to tear it down, it is built to be tough and permanent like a castle.

Except its castle is made of sand, and it’s surrounded by the crashing of beach waves and the clicking of cicadas.

This isn’t Melodrama 2.0, nor should it be. Its goals are entirely different. It’s Ella Marija Lani Yelich–O’Connor’s summation of New Zealand­— her home and personal oasis from the perpetual hustle and bustle of the modern world.

Solar Power is a small island where she is our sort of “cult leader” (her words). The synths, and ecstasy, and teen angst that marked her past releases are replaced with warm, bright swashes of acoustic guitar and the kind of calm maturity that one gains from being in the public eye. She’s not our savior.

She admits it herself on the haunting opener. But she has quiet, valuable wisdom to offer to those who will listen.

“Oceanic Feeling” is the closest to any of the grandiose statements about being young and anxious from Melodrama. The longest track on the album, clocking in at six minutes, it is a treatise of where Yelich–O’Connor is at the moment. She ruminates on her past and her future, contemplating if she will ever have a daughter, as she muses about her father and the ocean licking her feet in the yellow Kiwi sands. Similarly, “Hold No Grudge,” which is arguably one of the best songs on Solar Power, despite it not even being on the standard streaming

edition, sees the young pop star give up her resentment in favor of a wise bliss. Solar Power has a warranted lack of care from the girl who once made it a point of how much she cared.

Though Yelich–O’Connor's

a " It’s patient record, but only if you are willing to be patient yourself. advice to the world is sprinkled here and there on the record, it’s most plainly evident in the standout track “Secrets from a Girl (Who’s Seen it All)” (which has a surprise feature from Robyn) and the promotional single, “Stoned At the Nail Salon.” The former is like a to–do list to live your best life (“Everybody wants the best for you / but you’ve gotta want it for yourself”), while the latter is a fragile yet strangely frightening reminder of the importance of life’s little moments (“Spend all the evenings you can with people who raised you”). Both songs reflect Yelich–O’Connor’s simultaneous rejection and acceptance of her role as an idol to the current generation of young people.

But “Stoned At the Nail Salon,” while still a solid song in its own right, merits some of the critiques lobbied against it. Fans online noticed how similar the instrumental was to frequent collaborator Jack

Antonoff’s previous work for fellow alt–pop icon Lana Del Rey. Yelich–O’Connor has directly spoken out against this “sexist” claim, yet she has still been unfairly lumped with artists like Del Rey simply for collaborating with Antonoff, another “mare in [his] stable.”

This review would be dishonest if I did not mention my own piece on the controversial producer, in which I (half–satirically) attacked the man for his work with his close circle of women pop stars. In retrospect, I think I misjudged Antonoff as some sort of musical menace à la Phil Spector. The reality is that he simply digs deep into what he loves.

The past four years have been eventful for Yelich–O’Connor.

She lost her dog, Pearl, to whom fan–favorite “Big Star” is dedicated. She toured Antarctica and published a book about her adventures there.

She had a “bad acid trip” and decided her new record was instead “one of [her] great weed albums.” Yes, she spent her days getting high by the beach.

What else would you do if you were one of the biggest names working in the pop music industry with two monumentally influential albums to your name? The sane thing would be to get your life together and get away from the glory and gore.

Yelich–O’Connor, although she appears to be online while on promotion for this album, has made it abundantly clear that she would rather “throw [her]

cellular device in the water.”

Can you reach her? No, you can’t.

Fame is intoxicating. Compare the former pop prodigy, who has followed the sun as her source of inspiration, to someone like Kanye West, who generates controversy for controversy’s sake at seemingly any chance he can get.

Lorde cultivates interest in herself and her brand with calm deliberation. Solar Power isn’t an album you can easily throw away. Its truths, while sometimes oblique at first glance, are wrought with care by a celebrity who doesn’t want to waste your time with cheap PR stunts. It’s a patient record, but only if you are willing to be patient yourself.

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FILM & TV

FILM & TV

UPCOMING FILMS TO WATCH OUT FOR IN FALL '21 Slashers in Chicago, time traveling in London, worms in space … What else is hitting theaters this fall? | CAYLEN DAVID

I

t comes as no surprise that the entertainment industry was one of the hardest–hit industries throughout the COVID–19 pandemic. Worldwide shutdowns and theater closures forced filmmakers and studios to delay countless releases. While many utilized streaming services in their release models amidst the pandemic, others held out on releasing films until theatrical releases could be reintroduced to the general public.

Despite growing concerns over the Delta variant, a consistent movie release schedule has returned, and studios are pouring out new films for moviegoers to watch.

With so many new releases just this fall alone, there’s a lot to navigate. Some of the best upcoming releases might even be ones that you've never heard of. From star–studded blockbusters to foreign–language indie films making waves at worldwide festivals, here are my picks of the most highly anticipated films of fall 2021.

old–timer (Colman Domingo).

The film is being directed by rising filmmaker Nia DaCosta, who also co–wrote the screenplay with Peele and Win Rosenfeld. While Peele isn’t sitting in the director seat for his third film, early trailers show that DaCosta preserved Peele’s style of horror filmmaking, while also mixing in her own touches to give the film a more supernatural feel. Additionally, the film features a strong cast, including Tony Todd—the same actor who portrayed Candyman in the 1992 film. It is also exciting to see Colman Domingo—who has recently become a favorite actor through his performances in Zola (2021) and HBO’s Euphoria (2019)—in a supporting role.

Candyman is likely to be the horror film everyone is talking about this Halloween season. Luckily, you won’t have to wait until the jack–o–lanterns are out to see it.

Candyman is set to hit theaters Friday, Aug. 27.

CANDYMAN (IN THEATERS 8/27) There’s a lot of promise behind Candyman (2021).

This isn’t the first time that the urban legend of ‘The Candyman’ has been adapted for the big screen, but this is the first time that such an adaptation comes from the genius mind of Jordan Peele. Through his early horror films Get Out (2017) and Us (2019), Peele has proven that despite coming from a comedy background, he is capable of creating terrifying films that resonate on a deeper level than mere scare factor.

This film follows visual artist Anthony McCoy (Yahya Abdul–Mateen II), who has just moved to the infamous Cabrini–Green Chicago neighborhood, now gentrified beyond recognition. With his art career on the brink of plateau, Anthony develops a peculiar infatuation with the gruesome tragedy behind Cabrini’s Candyman urban legend—a story told to him by Cabrini–Green

TITANE (IN THEATERS 10/1) Foreign–language films are not always surefire hits at the United States box office, but after the worldwide success of Parasite (2019), Titane (2021) has the potential to cause a similar ripple effect. Titane is an upcoming French body–horror thriller, written and directed

by Julia Ducournau. BBC Culture labeled Ducournau’s latest project as “the most shocking film of 2021,” as the film supposedly spares no grotesque detail or uncomfortable moment in its propulsive storytelling.

The film stars Agathe Rousselle, who plays a serial killer dancer with a titanium head implant and an intimate attraction to automobiles following a childhood car accident. Her debut film performance in Titane has garnered massive critical acclaim, with some even hinting at Rousselle as an early contender for Best Actress accolades come awards season. Her raw talent, shaped

by Ducournau’s directorial vision, creates a powerful and controversial film that tackles gender, sexuality, and the body.

Though it has yet to be released worldwide, Titane has already found massive critical success from its film festival run. The film won the coveted Palme d’Or prize at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival, making Julia Ducournau the second–ever female director to win the festival’s top prize. This piece of extreme cinema will continue to make its festival run before debuting in U.S. theaters on Oct. 1.

DUNE (IN THEATERS / HBO MAX 10/22) Denis Villeneuve has yet to make a bad film, and after directing gorgeous science–fiction pictures like Arrival (2016) and Blade Runner 2049 (2017), he's the perfect match for a Dune reboot. Based on the 1965 Frank Herbert novel of the same name, Dune (2021) is the first entry of a two–part series inspired by the original story. This film is led by Timothée Chalamet, who plays a young prince named Paul Atredis that must journey to one of the most dangerous planets to ensure the safety of his family and population.

The film’s trailer displays several trademarks of Villeneuve’s directorial style, most notably the attention to detail he implores within the worldbuilding of his films.

Villeneuve often introduces his settings using wide establishing shots, complemented with towering visuals that scale up the spectacle of his films. Dune’s trailer delivers on these with beautiful visuals of massive deserts and towering sandworms, setting a massive precedent for the scale of this sci–fi epic. If Villeneuve in the director seat isn’t enough excitement for this film, the star–studded cast surely is. In addition to Chalamet in the lead, the

film also stars Zendaya, Oscar Isaac, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, and Jason Momoa, among others.

Fans have experienced an emotional roller coaster waiting for Dune, with the film suffering several release delays over the past year due to the pandemic. However, the wait will soon be over once Dune is released in theaters and streaming on HBO Max on Oct. 22.

LAST NIGHT IN SOHO (IN THEATERS 10/29) This is the one I’m really waiting for. Since her award–winning performance in The Queen’s Gambit, Anya Taylor–Joy has become one of the most sought–after talents in Hollywood.

Taylor–Joy’s next starring role will be in Last Night in SoHo, a psychological thriller directed by Edgar Wright. The film follows an aspiring fashion designer (Thomasin McKenzie) who is miraculously able to enter the 1960s, encountering a mysterious singer who inspires her in the present day. However, not everything is what it seems, and the lines separating '60s London from the contemporary world soon begin to blur in a dark fashion.

Psychological horror is surely something new for Edgar Wright. While he dipped his feet into the genre with the horror–comedy Shaun of the Dead (2004), Wright has never

directed a full–fledged horror film. He's known for stylish comedies like Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010) or rhythmic action flicks like his most recent film Baby Driver (2017).

Wright himself admits that Last Night in SoHo will have a very different tone than his previous films. The film draws inspiration from 1960s and '70s psychological thrillers, containing stylistic elements reminiscent of Alfred Hitchcock and David Lynch. Despite Wright’s inexperience in outright horror, this film looks chilling and beautiful. Ambient red light fills the frames, and the chaotic nature of the trailer implies that the leads will be in for a wild ride through time and their own minds.

I have high hopes for this film, and really hope that Wright can deliver on his promises. Last Night in SoHo is set to make its worldwide debut at the Venice Film Festival, and will hit U.S. theaters Oct. 29.

The upcoming fall has a whirlwind of fresh films in store for viewers, and it only gets better from there. There are tons of other highly–anticipated releases, but these four films have already drummed up a large amount of hype from early marketing campaigns and the festival circuits. As a fan of psychological thrillers, I'm personally most excited for Last Night in SoHo, but each of these films brings something new to the table.

Illustration by Alice Heyeh

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ARTS

AFGHANISTAN’S ARTIFACTS

What the Taliban takeover means for the country’s cultural heritage | JESSA GLASSMAN

A

fter the resurgence of the Taliban in mid–August, Afghans around the country began to flee toward airports and borders in hope for an escape from the increasing human rights violations.

The threat to human life, security, and freedom is immeasurable, and no freedom is too fundamental to be safe from the Taliban’s reign. Alongside the dangers faced by the Afghan people is the danger threatening the Afghan legacy, which is ensconced in archeological wonders, sculptural masterpieces, and other studied artifacts. Under the Taliban regime, in all its violence, fundamentalism, and totalitarianism, there’s an urgent and momentous danger facing the treasure trove of art and history that lives within Afghanistan’s borders.

According to experts, there’s already a likelihood

"

WE HAVE A VERY GLORIOUS ISLAMIC HISTORY THAT WE ARE PROUD OF, BUT WE ALSO HAVE A RICH PRE–ISLAMIC HISTORY [THAT] WE MUST PRESERVE.

FAHIM RAHIMI, DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AFGHANISTAN that the Taliban will loot historical sites to generate revenue and desecrate idols as a symbolic gesture—revealing that its promise to preserve them was nothing more than a lofty, rhetoric–masked lie. In a time of much chaos, inconsistent security at museums, lucrative excavation sites, and storage facilities may open a window for both Taliban–affiliated and third–party thieves to snag, smuggle, and sell artifacts, or for looters to destroy them. Furthermore, bombs and other crossfire threaten the integrity of the precious objects stored throughout the country.

Due to the swiftness of the Taliban’s takeover, museum staff and directors are scrambling to ensure precious collections stay safe. “We have great concerns for the safety of our staff and collections,” said Fahim Rahimi, director of the National Museum of Afghanistan. Government sources have claimed that there is no safe way to move the museum’s collection or any of the staff members out of the country due to the Taliban–controlled borders. With roughly 800,000 objects within its walls, the National Museum is full of the majority of Afghan stories, craft, and tradition through history that must be preserved through the tumult.

Taliban officials have claimed they will protect sites of important historical heritage from destruction or sale, but many are unconvinced that the organiza14 34TH STREET MAGAZINE AUGUST 31, 2021

tion will keep the promise because of its unfavorable record. In 2001, the Taliban blew up the world's tallest known Buddha statues, the Bamiyan Buddhas, which were carved with exquisite detail into the side of a cliff.

The Taliban also destroyed artifacts from the National Museum in Kabul and pillaged ancient sites in a show of aggression and domination directed at pre–Islamic art. The Taliban government justified its actions by claiming the works were idols, making them “haram,” or forbidden, according to Islamic doctrine. The lack of respect for the artifacts, which were crafted long before Islam even existed, is disrespectful to the country’s history and legacy. It reveals that the Taliban is dangerously attempting to rewrite the past to fit its narrative, domineering history much like it is the country.

The destruction of these precious historical artifacts was condemned both nationally and internationally.

Worldwide, people mourned the loss of the renowned emblems—distraught at the loss of historical culture and educational ancient artifacts. In the years since, the Afghan people have continued to hope for the protection of their birthright, which has been looted, destroyed, and disrespected over the last 40 years since the beginning of the civil war in 1978. It took years for conservators at the museum to repair and rebuild the sculptures, but the Buddhas are forever lost and the whereabouts of many valuable objects are still

unknown. “We have a very glorious Islamic history that we are proud of, but we also have a rich pre–Islamic history [that] we must preserve,” said Rahimi.

“It is important our youth learn about this history, this diversity, and their heritage.”

UNESCO has expressed concern over the potential damage to Afghanistan’s national heritage. In a statement released earlier this month, the organization implored the Taliban to agree to safeguard historical treasures: “Any damage or loss of cultural heritage will only have adverse consequences on the prospects for lasting peace and humanitarian relief for the people of Afghanistan.” Other organizations including the French Archeological Delegation in Afghanistan have commented on the uncertainty surrounding Afghanistan’s artifacts. Cheryl Benard, the director of the Alliance for the Restoration of Cultural Heritage in D.C., also expressed worry that the situation was growing increasingly volatile, claiming that “If [the Taliban] have bad intentions … it will become obvious down the road.”

Citizens worldwide must prioritize the crisis in Afghanistan. For art and history lovers especially, the potential loss of culture at stake should be another motivation to take action. The cultural heritage of Afghanistan is rich and should be respected, appreciated, and shared with the world—not destroyed.

Photo courtesy of De Agostini Picture Library

"I Want to Fly to the Universe" by Yayoi Kusama, 2021 / Photograph by Linda Laban for the Telegraph

ARTS

Y

ayoi Kusama was born among flowers. Her family owned and operated a plant nursery in Matsumoto, Japan that supplied the Nagano Prefecture with plants and seeds.

This can be read from a placard in one of the galleries of Kusama’s new part–retrospective, part–exhibition, Cosmic Nature, at the Bronx Botanical Gardens. This particular viewing room was dedicated to Kusama’s early drawings: precise, diagrammatic sketches of tree peonies (Paeonia suffruticosa). Her dedication to realism and attention to detail at the precocious age of 16 recalls Picasso’s adage to “learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.”

The focal centerpieces of Cosmic Nature are far more abstract representations, but, in a way, are truer to life.

Kusama’s early sketches look exactly like the objects of their depiction, but her sculptural work distills the attributes of the natural world that often go overlooked or unobserved.

Perhaps that can be attributed to my visit to the Botanical Gardens on a cloudy day in late July, when the polychromatic bloom of spring yielded to wilted flowers and acres of green grass.

Whether intentionally or otherwise, Kusama had chosen a venue that stood in stark contrast to the art on display.

The gardens were manicured and peaceful—nature rendered in still life.

Meanwhile, “Dancing Pumpkin” is an immense riot of color and movement.

In accord with Kusama’s goal to “call attention to the ... cycles of living things that are not always visible,” many of the pieces in Cosmic Nature capture the movement of plants which occurs too gradually to be detected by the human eye. Such moments of transition are depicted through iteration. The

A PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS A

Young Plant

The Bronx Botanical Gardens serve as complement and contrast to Cosmic Nature an exhibition courtesy of Yayoi Kusama. | WALDEN GREEN approach is best exemplified by the globes mingle with the ducks and Cosmic Nature isn’t just a journey soft sculptures "Flower E," "Flower through the life cycles of plants—their reeds of an artificial wetland.

F," and "Flower Bud Opening to the growth, reproduction, and decay—it’s At first glance, Yayoi Kusama’s art Heavens." These oversized rambutan– also time travel through Kusama’s seems like perfect Instagram fodder. esque growths in Kusama’s signature storied career as an artist. The indoor Without the benefit of getting up close polka dots bloom into—or perhaps and personal with these sculptures and galleries at the Botanical Gardens are overtaken by—tendrils that extend feature tributes to her “Walking Piece” installations, it would be easy to write skywards. “Flower Obsession” is an off her exhibit as a slideshow of pop and her Infinity Nets series. “Narcissus interactive space wherein visitors art pumpkins. But the scale of these Garden” is likewise an homage to an plaster a greenhouse in floral stickers, earlier piece, which Kusama originated pieces and the way they’re in dialogue in a clever inversion of plants growing with their surroundings cannot be in 1966. That first installation featured unobserved. Relatedly, this installa1,500 steel spheres sold to passers–by as captured secondhand. Amidst the untion’s floral network expands with a representation of their own narciscountable vegetation of the Botanical every viewing.

Gardens, Kusama succeeds, if momensism. The new incarnation of “NarcisThe theme of growth reaches its sus Garden” is a tranquil and meditatarily, at transporting viewers back to her apex of excess in the displays that tive experience, watching the reflective own childhood. border on lovecraftian horror, which is apropos, given that the subgenre also known to prioritize people over profits, help local as “cosmic horror” embusinesses and phasizes the horror of the unknowable. In the atrium of the Mertz Library Building Galincome inequality and climate change lery there’s anuntitled cluster of tentacles, When you sign up get $100 added to your account to use at local another Kusama trademerchants. A portion of the $100 goes toward your purchase. mark. Housed in the Every student you sign up gets you an additional $100 in your Haupt Conservatory account. Be the first student to sign up 200 students and get Galleries, “My Soul $20,000 added to your account.

Blooms Forever” and “Hymn of Life–Tulips” both feature oversized steel flowers in bright www.positions.college/?R=MichelleHarrison colors. However, while the former’s blooms or call 267-974-3121 have an unimposing, inquisitive regard, the latter finds the same tulips twisted into ferocious shapes thatresemble Gerald Anthony Scarfe’s animation for Pink Floyd’s The Wall.

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CONGEE &

THE PROBLEM OF ASIAN FOOD APPROPRIATION

Asian food doesn’t need to be “improved” to fit white aesthetics. | JEAN PAIK honoring the Asian American community," but failed to acknowledge any specific wrongdoing. Breakfast Cure also still sells and profits from the congee meal kits on their store website.

By quite literally referring to herself as the “Queen of Congee,” Taylor reinforces the self–imposed position of Western chefs and influencers as the world’s “cultural connoisseurs."

Through describing congee as something that must be “improved” to fit

that no culture has value unless it has been “improved” by the West’s Midas touch. If a dish hasn’t been eaten or reimagined by a white person, does it really exist?”

The trope of Asian food being “dirty” and “foreign” dates all the way back to the 1850s, and Breakfast Cure isn't the only company to be complicit in it. In 2019, Arielle and Lee Haspel, a white couple, opened a New York City restaurant called Lucky Lee’s that

Western palates, Breakfast Cure continues to perpetrate the racist stereotypes that Asian food is unrefined, unsettling, and uncivilized—something that requires the “modern” influence of Western cuisine. Writer and podcast host Soleil Ho explores this concept in her article, “Craving the Other,” where she explains how “the positioning of Western aesthetics as superior to all the rest is an expression of the idea

offered “clean” versions of traditional Chinese dishes. In a since–deleted Instagram post, the establishment advertised, “We heard you’re obsessed with lo mein but rarely eat it. You said it makes you feel bloated and icky the next day? Well, wait until you slurp up our HIGH lo mein. Not too oily. Or salty.” Arielle Haspel also argued that "there are very few American Chinese places as mindful about the quality

Illustration courtesy of Frankie Huang

E

arlier this summer, a white woman crowned herself the “Queen of Congee." Karen Taylor, founder of the Oregon–based company Breakfast Cure, sells prepackaged kits of congee, a rice porridge commonly eaten across Asia and the Asian diaspora. The staple dish is both culturally and historically significant, with a rich culinary legacy that can be traced back to the Chinese Zhou dynasty.

In a blog post originally titled “How I discovered the miracle of congee and improved it,” Taylor advertised her congee products that were “moderniz[ed] for the Western palette (sic).” The blog post has since been edited, but her original statements have been documented by multiple news outlets and writers since they were published last July.

Unsurprisingly, like many recent instances of cultural appropriation in the mainstream media, the coverage on Taylor is centered not on the implications of her racist, harmful rhetoric, but on the justified outrage of the communities impacted by it.

Chinese American writer Frankie Huang shared her frustration over how quickly the conversation was “reduced to a familiar 'offended POCs' versus 'oblivious white people' tug–of–war over cultural ownership, a gatekeeping story at its heart.”

While Asian people are urged to stop being hostile and sensitive because “it’s just food,” the issues of unequal power dynamics, racism in the food industry, and the orientalist language of Taylor’s statements go largely ignored.

This was evident in Breakfast Cure’s own apology post, which mentioned that they “fell short of supporting and

of ingredients as we are,"tapping into disproven concerns about MSG, an ingredient commonly used in Asian cooking that has been charged with xenophobic biases for years.

When these cases of appropriation aren't interrogated, the harm of Taylor and Haspel's actions is reduced to simply cooking another country's dish, rather than their disrespect of nonwhite cultures and the association they imply between culinary sophistication and whiteness.

Frankie Huang underscores that at the end of the day, the issue isn’t necessarily with Taylor’s interpretation of congee, which includes ingredients like blueberries and apples, but it's the positioning of her “modernized” version as superior to traditional ones.

Furthermore, many of the different iterations of congee that Taylor "pioneered" already exist in China.

By leaving out the very "colorful and trendy aspects of congee’s culinary identity," Huang argues that "media coverage has run with the same reductive orientalist cliché peddled by the Congee Queen: that congee, just like Chinese culture itself, is rigidly traditional, exotic, and unfamiliar to America.”

The problem with Asian food appropriation ultimately lies in the privilege that allows whiteness to dictate what food is considered worthy and valuable, and the power to define what is “good” and “bad” food. Especially in the context of the ongoing COVID–19 pandemic, which has disproportionately impacted Asian food businesses and fueled rising cases of anti–Asian violence, food appropriation doesn’t exist in a vacuum. This isn't just a problem of food—it’s a problem of white supremacy.

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IT’S TIME TO HANG UP THE TERM

”WIFE BEATER”

Illustration by Jesse Zhang

Unpacking how the white tank top acquired its infamous nickname | MADDIE MULDOON

T

ank tops are undeniably a staple summer wardrobe piece. Easy to style and incredibly practical in the unbearable heat, it doesn't get more effortlessly cool and comfortable than a basic, monochrome cotton tank. But ironically, this simple classic has a darker, more complicated history that stretches beyond its recent incorporation into supermodels' street style or its presence in paparazzi pictures of buff male celebrities.

For decades, this flimsy piece of fabric has carried the weight of a seemingly inescapable offensive nickname: the "wife beater.”

"Wife Beater:" Slang, Offensive. A sleeveless ribbed undershirt, typically white.

The term was coined in 1947. There are several theories as to how it surfaced—one is that it originated in the wake of a horrific crime that went viral. The crime was committed by a man named James Hartford Jr., who beat his wife to death. A picture of Hartford wearing a sleeveless white undershirt swept the nation, captioned “The Wife–Beater.”

Another theory is that Marlon Brando’s portrayal of Stanley Kowalski in A Streetcar Named Desire inspired the term. His character is violent, angry, and hits his wife—while wearing a sleeveless undershirt.

Regardless of the true origin of the term, white, sleeveless, ribbed tank tops took on the identity of a shirt worn by a beer–guzzling,

1 8 34TH STREET MAGAZINE AUGUST 31, 2021

Newport–smoking, pot bellied, abusive man.

The term has since become far past antiquated, yet it's still prevalent in our vocabulary and at retail stores, many of which label tank tops by the term to this day. In fact, if you search "wife beaters" on Amazon, you'll get several options of men's tank tops to choose from.

However, the term “wife beater” did not obtain instant popularity upon its conception. In the mid–1900s, the tank top was referred to by various offensive terms, including “dago tee” and “guinea tee,” which were derogatorily associated with Italian immigrants.

Fast forward half a century later, and the term “wife beater” became commonplace in the 1990s and 2000s. Tank tops of this variety became more prominent during this time due to their low price tag and comfortable fit. What's more, iconic male celebrities, like rappers 50 Cent and Eminem, often sported the top, further popularizing the trend and contributing to its intimidating and cool reputation.

An article titled “An Undershirt Named … What?” published in 2001 quoted Jesse Sheidlower, the principal editor of the Oxford English Dictionary’s American office at the time. Sheidlower attributes the term’s growing popularity in part to "rap, gay and gang subcultures."

The term and its implications are inappropriate and offensive, and should be abandoned for countless reasons—one being that

sleeveless ribbed tank tops of this variety have taken on a whole new identity as of late.

Sleeveless tank tops are the casual dresser's bread and butter—comfortable, practical, and generally inexpensive. They can be dressed up or dressed down, and sported for any occasion that permits an exposed shoulder. But in the years that have passed since the term “wife beater” was coined, the tank top has evolved into an article of clothing more and more infrequently worn by men.

As of 2021, sleeveless ribbed tank tops are far more often sported by young women.

Look at almost any popular clothing brand— Zara, Brandy Melville, H&M—and you’ll see tank tops of this variety, marketed specifically for women.

It's safe to say that over the years this basic tee has actually, in an interesting turn of events, become more of a staple in the female wardrobe than the male. It's almost like a feminist rebranding, women co–opting the look to also work for themselves and making it more unisex than solely masculine.

As we reckon with the past and look to the future, it is important for our generation to think more about our words and the power they hold—even if we're describing something inanimate. The term “wife beater” is a colloquial reference that is now frowned upon by many, but it still remains part of our vernacular, a term still mindlessly used—albeit probably more infrequently today than in the past. Nonetheless, it's time to hang it up to dry.

ST YLE

WE DON’T ALWAYS NEED TO BE

“That Girl” The “that girl” lifestyle has taken TikTok by storm—but is it even attainable? | KIRA WANG

Illustration by Sudeep Bhargava

I

f you're a regular TikTok user, you're probably familiar with the "that girl" lifestyle—a perfectly curated montage of daily oat milk lattes, open books, minimalistic skincare, and matching workout gear. With an aesthetic marked by neutral tones and an emphasis on wellness, "that girl" on your For You Page effortlessly has her life together.

She’s meditating, eating healthy, and saying her affirmations—all while eschewing any negative energy that comes her way. She wakes up at 5 a.m., drinks one liter of lemon water every day, and journals regularly. She’s simply the best version of herself and wants to help you be better as well (but only if you live life just like her).

Despite appearing harmless at the surface level, this motivational content might be more dangerous than it seems.

While it’s great to wake up early and drink green juice if doing so makes you feel good, the narrative that being “that girl” is the best way to be happy and healthy promotes toxic productivity.

Take the “that girl” morning routine for example.

Under this model, you’re expected to make your bed, work out for an hour, journal, plan your day, meditate, and cook yourself an aesthetically

pleasing (but low–calorie) breakfast—all before classes or work—in order to be considered successful.

"

SOMETIMES, WE HAVE TO ACCEPT OURSELVES FOR WHO WE ARE THAT DAY, EVEN IF WE AREN’T QUITE THE PICTURE– PERFECT "THAT GIRL."

Holding yourself to this rigid standard of productivity leads to defining your self–worth by how much you're able to get done. This content leads viewers, especially younger ones, to equate constantly being on–the–go with internal peace. But doing tasks like Pilates and journaling are inherently meaningless if they feel like they’re part of a checklist you have to complete before you’re the best version of yourself.

Furthermore, treating yourself and your lifestyle like a never–ending self–improvement project is toxic.

We shouldn't be expected to work around–the–clock to "better" ourselves—striving for an unattainable standard is known to lead to burnout,

self–hatred, and even eating disorders. Sometimes, we have to accept ourselves for who we are that day, even if we aren’t quite the picture–perfect "that girl."

As a matter of fact, "that girl’s" daily routine is hardly an authentic or realistic depiction of an influencer's everyday life—even if it claims to be. "That girl's" lifestyle is defined by its visual

appeal. We see little about how she actually feels and how genuinely healthy she is in her minute–long TikToks.

Instead, we can only focus on how she looks. And to make matters worse, those who embody the "that girl" aesthetic are overwhelmingly white, thin, and privileged, adhering to Western beauty standards.

Simply put, the “that girl” lifestyle provides a one–size–

fits–all approach to health and wellness, demanding perfection wrapped up in aesthetic packaging. But the reality is that we can’t always be the girl who wakes up at 5 a.m. and does yoga every day. Instead, we need to treat ourselves gently when working on self– improvement—and to know that our journey isn’t always going to fit into an aesthetically pleasing TikTok.

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AUGUST 31, 2021 34TH STREET MAGAZINE 19

ST YLE

The Resurgence of Disposable Cameras How our desire for nostalgia led us back to Kodaks | HANNAH LONSER

Illustration by Georgia Ray

L

ove it or hate it, the ‘90s are making a comeback. A wave of pre–Y2K nostalgia has had people everywhere breaking out their bucket hats, stocking up on spaghetti straps, and donning their tiniest pair of sunglasses.

But if there’s one staple of '90s culture that seems to have caught the public’s attention as of late, it’s the disposable camera. It may be 2021, but a flashy Kodak FunSaver is arguably the hottest accessory to have on you at any function. Film photos are sure to add some spice to any Instagram feed, and people have started to take notice.

Everyone from your high school best friend to A–list celebrities seems to have an entire Instagram page dedicated to their film photography linked in their bio. The hashtag #filmphotography has garnered over 208 million views on TikTok, with thousands of users taking to the platform to show off their trendiest dispos.

But why the sudden urge to go back—or, more accurately, throwback—to disposable cameras? What purpose do they serve in the era of the iPhone, where you can snap 27 photos in seconds?

For starters, disposable cameras capitalize on the nostalgia that defines our generation’s popular culture. We look to the style of characters in Friends for fashion inspiration, buy

20 34TH STREET MAGAZINE AUGUST 31, 2021

vinyl when we have Spotify at our disposal, and channel our favorite '90s icons at every throwback–themed party. It should come as no surprise that disposable cameras are flying off the shelves of every drugstore. And in an effort to increase the sustainability of the disposable movement, a number of reloadable simple use film cameras have popped up on the market, putting a new, environmentally friendly spin on the classic trend.

can " You capture your

friends in their most candid moments, free from the pressure to get the perfect shot.

The warm tones, vibrant colors, and grainy quality of film photos are reminiscent of pictures you can only find on the pages of an old family photo album. The act of holding a

camera, lining up the shot in the viewfinder, and hearing the click of the shutter makes you feel as if you’ve taken a trip to a simpler time, one before the advent of digital photography and editing apps.

With only 27 exposures, each picture taken on a disposable camera seems to carry more sentimental value than digital photography, as it is a tangible pause in time. There are no redos when someone blinks or wants to fix their hair. You can capture your friends in their most candid moments, free from the pressure to get the perfect shot.

And for many, not knowing how the photos will turn out is the best part of breaking out the single–use camera. In a world where technology gives us instantaneous gratification and access to almost everything, the anticipation that comes with developing film can be a warm, exciting feeling. Seeing your photos for the first time, especially ones that you may not even remember taking, allows you to relive every memory—no matter how long it’s been since you first photographed it.

What purpose do disposable cameras serve in the era of the iPhone? They’re a comforting vestige of the past in our ever–changing world and a novel way to capture special moments.

We may not be able to travel back in time, but we can buy a disposable camera to watch our memories materialize on a roll of film.

ST YLE

WHY CAN'T WE STOP BUYING FAST FASHION? A deep dive into fast fashion—and who really perpetuates it | PHUONG NGO

B

efore the summer began, tennis skirts and sweater vests were all the rage. The Y2K fashion revival was in full swing.

Utility fashion burst onto the scene just as the tie–dye fad died down. Fashion trends are transient—rapidly shifting to appeal to the tastes of consumers who are always on the hunt for something new. A brutal consequence of these consumer practices comes in the form of what we now call fast fashion.

Fast fashion describes the rapid turnover from runways to racks, as new styles constantly emerge to keep up with changing tastes. To satisfy these consumer demands, brands produce an endless variety of clothing, with the intention of little—or even single—use.

Its negative consequences are well known, but most of us continue to contribute to the fast fashion industry. Brands like H&M, Zara, and the almighty Shein remain as popular as ever among consumers despite their harmful production processes and questionable disposal methods.

The outfits you purchased from a fast–fashion retailer last year likely won't be in style by this time next year. Consumers are roped into a perpetuating cycle that involves too much unethical labor and too much waste before the end of the season.

But why do we feel the need to reset our closet every few months? Part of the blame might lie in our obsession with the influencers we follow on social media. The need to imitate the styles of the celebrities on our screens overcomes the demand for sustainable clothing. Constantly chasing after the most current styles adorned by our favorite influencer requires countless new outfits.

But before the look can be worn more than a handful of times—because, God forbid, we repeat outfits—newer styles have already emerged on the Instagram feed.

In many attempts to imitate influencer fashion, consumers are also directed towards brands that are at higher price points, which many of us wrongly believe are more eco– friendly than their competitors.

Because fast fashion giants are often able to drive down the costs of their goods through the use of low–quality materials and cheap labor, many consumers have come to associate low–cost clothing with fast fashion—and high–priced goods with sustainability.

Take names like Aritzia and Madewell. Despite their elevated price points in comparison to retailers like Zara, both companies were rated poorly by the social impact business Good On You, which evaluates fashion brands based on their

environmental and labor practices. Yet, because of the stereotypes we hold about what makes a product fast fashion, many of us get sucked into the trap of equating expensive fashion with ethical fashion— incorrectly believing that, by buying more costly products, we are not supporting a culture of fast fashion.

It's undeniable that the habits and beliefs that we consumers hold are what keep us firmly in the grip of the fast fashion industry, despite our

increasing knowledge of the toll that this industry takes on both people and the environment. But how do we break free?

Of course, there are many changes we can make to our purchasing behaviors that reflect a commitment to ethical production. The next time you decide to add to your closet, consider shopping at a certified sustainable store. By buying and selling clothes second hand through thrift stores and platforms such as Poshmark

and ThredUp, you can reduce the carbon footprint caused by the disposal of millions of tons of textiles globally.

Yet the most important step we can take towards ditching fast fashion is rewiring the way we think about the constant barrage of trends showcased by influencers and retailers. By cultivating a better understanding of the assumptions that drive our support of the trade, we can work towards bringing down the industry all together.

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UNDER THE BUTTON

POOL PARTY HOSTS CONFUSED WHY EVERYONE CAN’T DO LINES LIKE THEM | MEGAN STRIFF-CAVE

A

t last night's Pool Party, hundreds of Penn students eagerly waited their turn to redeem the $75$135 they had spent for the exclusive experience of buying overpriced drinks, standing next to a pool they're not allowed to go in, and getting the Delta variant of COVID-19. Students were so eager for the experience that they swarmed the entrance in an effort to make it inside. Despite rumors that the event was oversold by over 200 tickets, the hosts of the event only had one thing to say: “If lines aren't made, no one will get in ... There's nothing we can do if you guys don't start making lines.”

The fine gentlemen hosting the event were confused by the conundrum, since lines are their specialty. But Brenden Walsh (W '21), a member of one of the fraternities hosting Pool, was especially flabbergasted.

“I don’t understand why hundreds of

people given no instruction couldn’t form a line. I mean, what? Lines are so easy — and honestly, pretty fun. I guess we just thought that, since we do lines all the time, it would be pretty simple for all of the attendees to do them too.”

Walsh also noted that there’s something really satisfying about lines.

“You almost get this … high from it, if that makes sense.”

However, after multiple students were pepper sprayed and detained, the Pool hosts admitted that the situation was far from ideal.

“I’m not gonna lie," said Walsh. "It really blows that these people couldn’t get in.

"It really blows that these people couldn’t get in."

UPenn Bottoms Protest White Dog’s Bottomless Brunch | MIKAYLA GOLUB & JACKSON PARLI

O

n June 1, the UPenn Association of Bottoms gathered outside White Dog Cafe in University City to protest the restaurant’s “bottomless brunch” option.

“Tops own every place in this town,” said Trent Smith (C '23), local bottom. “Excluding bottoms from the one safe space they have left, brunch? I know I usually get dominated in bed, but I won’t stand to be dominated here.”

The bottoms marched outside for hours sporting the traditional bottom uniform: 3-inch short shorts and a halter top.

The crowd protested to the dulcet tones of Katy Perry and Lady Gaga.

Many chanted: “Stop tops!”

“2 … 4 … 6 … 8 … things up my butt feel great.”

“Bloody assholes deserve bloody Mary’s.”

“Sodomy? Sodom-you!”

Penn Nudist Society has scheduled a counterprotest against UPenn Ass Bottoms, saying that everyone has the right to be bottomless.

Illustration by Mikayla Golub & Jackson Parli

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UNDER THE BUTTON

JUNIOR WHO HAD 8 MONTHS ON CAMPUS EXCITED TO CLAIM SUPERIORITY OVER BABY UNDERCLASSMEN | ALICIA LOPEZ

B

elieve it or not, the start of the school year is coming up fast. With a freshmen class double the usual size (since we're certainly not counting sophomores who had only a year of Zoom as anything more than freshmen), this year's junior class feels particularly optimistic about the upcoming year.

"Since the seniors are checked out, and nobody else has really been to campus, it seems like juniors are going to rule the school," reported Justin Wilson (C '23). "I've already started thinking about what that means for us.

Like for example, club recruitment. There's gonna be double the hazing to make up for the lost time. Those kids are going to die."

"I remember when I was a freshman, I got so flustered when I didn't know what building to go to. I finally sucked it up and asked someone and ended up getting to the right place. But this year, since half the people won't know where anything is and seniors are basically invisible, navigation will be entirely up to the juniors. Personally, I'm going to send people all over the place. I can't wait to overhear conver-

sations about some freshman looking for the library and ending up at Gregory College House," sneered college junior Alyssa Greenwood.

Other juniors aren't as evil.

Michael Jones (E '23) is just interested in having a fast path down the middle of Locust. "I'm telling EVERYONE that the compass thing is real. You step on the compass, you die or don't graduate or something. Except, I'm extending that myth to the entirety of Locust Walk. I'll be booking it from Gregory to DRL in 10 minutes."

According to a recent survey sent out to the junior class, many juniors share similar sentiments. In the study, a whopping 64% of Juniors reported planning to use "sophomore"/freshmen manual labor to do laundry, cook meals, and complete homework assignments.

Said Justin Wilson, "while everyone else may be nervous about coming back to school, I think I speak for the entire junior class when I say I'm looking forward to having the year of my life!"

Photo by The Daily Pennsylvanian, Public Domain

SOPHOMORE UNAWARE HE IS AT EXACT MOMENT WHEN GIFTED CHILD TURNS INTO BURNT OUT ADULT | LIWA SUN

I

n a developing story out of Norfolk, Neb., Jesse Liang (C ’23) is entering the exact moment in which he turns from an adorable child prodigy, reading way above his grade level, into a grumpy, underachieving grown up.

“In high school, I was valedictorian. I brought our mock trial team to the state.

Did I mention I was editor-in-chief of our newspaper? And yearbook? I did it all. I broke records on the track team. My sculpture was the front piece in the art room. I was the first person to go to an Ivy from my high school in ten years. When I graduated, the principal cried harder than my mom,” reports Liang.

At Penn, Liang is a biannually participating member of Penn Outdoors Club and a thrice-rejected submitter to Penn Review. He got cut from both ZBT and Phi after two rounds of open rush.

“He’s such a special child. He was reciting Confucius’ quotes as he came out of the womb. We’re sure he’ll find his footing if given time,” Liang’s parents told us.

“Jesse is our precious baby! Jesse makes us proud! Wait, what is this interview for, again? Did Jesse get into Harvard? See? I told you! Jesse is destined for greatness …”

So reported Liang’s four grandparents.

Following last year’s COVID-19 debacle, Liang stayed at his childhood bedroom in Nebraska and took online classes from there. He is currently rocking a single major in the College, and a dwindling GPA, and no internships or research prospects.

“I’m sure I’ll make my comeback. After things go back to normal and I get back to campus … I’m only going to be a junior. I have time …” mused Liang, who was last seen throwing out two massive trash bags full of empty Bud Light cans.

Photo by Montgomery County Planning Commission / CC BY-SA 2.0

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