Inside this issue: Sabina Neem speaks about solidarity and social movements in the LGBT community, PAGE 6 Horror film festival fulfills Bellingham’s spooky needs, PAGE 7 AS Productions brings five big names in PNW hop-hop to Western, PAGE 7
Vol. 32 #5 10.17.16
Vol. 30 # #.#.#
2 • as.wwu.edu/asreview
The arboretum is wearing its fall colors. Cover photo by Ricky Rath // AS Review Viking Union 411 516 High St. Bellingham, WA 98225 Phone: 360.650.6126 Fax: 360.650.6507 Email: as.review@wwu.edu as.wwu.edu/asreview @TheASReview facebook.com/theasreview © 2016. Published most Mondays during the school year by the Associated Students of Western Washington University. The AS Review is an alternative weekly that provides coverage of student interests such as the AS government, activities and student life. The Review seeks to enhance the student experience by shedding light on underrepresented issues, inclusive coverage, informing readers and promoting dialogue.
IN THIS ISSUE Wednesday Night 4 Concert Series Shelf Nunny performs with Fleksor in the Underground Coffeehouse.
Outback Farm 5 hosts Harvest Jubilee
The on-campus farm has a storied past, including its days as a pig farm.
Speaker 6 addresses LGBT solidarity Sabina Neem will talk about the affects of prejudice and will give a training to the counseling office.
Bleedingham film 7 festival brings horror to town...
... and don’t miss the Festival of the Macabre with zombies, local vendors, and ghost hunters.
6 AS Board of
Directors Update The AS instates Indigenous Peoples Day and breaks the voter registration record.
8
Western Fall Welcome
Prospective students get a chance to experience a day in the life of a Viking.
We welcome reader submissions, including news articles, literary pieces, photography, artwork, letters to the editor or anything else physically printable. Please limit letters to 300 words, include your name, phone number and year in school. Send all submissions to as.review@wwu. edu. Published letters may have minor edits made to their length or grammar. The AS Review is distributed via electric bicycle, the purchase of which was made possible by the Sustainable Action Fund Grant Program.
Morgan Annable Alexandria Baker Ricky Rath Erasmus Baxter Julia Berkman Josh Hughes Morgan Annable Alexandria Baker Chris Beswetherick Adviser Jeff Bates
Editor-in-Chief Assistant Editor Lead Photographer Writers
ABOVE: AS Productions and the Environmental and Sustainability Programs are hosting joint fallthemed events on October 21, including the Harvest Jubilee in the Outback Farm. See page 5 for more information. Photo by Ricky Rath // AS Review
10.10.2016 • 3
EVENTS
CALENDAR OF EVENTS Drawing Jam
Harvest Jubilee
Express your artistic side in the VU Gallery! You only need to bring your creativity as supplies are provided.
Experience all the joys of fall at the Outback farm. There will be games and food!
Oct 3- 21 // 11-5 p.m. // VU Gallery // Free
The Fair
Oct 19 // 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. // MPR // Free
This event will feature local and sustainable food, a scavenger hunt, button making, pumpkin decorating, and a raffle. Wear your favorite sweater!
Third Presidential Debate Viewing Oct 19 // 6-8 p.m. // AW 205 // Free
Don’t want to watch the debate alone? Join the None of the Above Club as they comment on the action.
Wednesday Night Concert Series Oct 19 // 7 p.m. // Underground Coffeehouse // Free
Artists Shelf Nunny and Fleksor are sure to put on a fantastic show.
Festival of the Macabre
Oct 21 // 5- 10 p.m. // Leopold Crystal Ballroom // Free
This celebration of all things horror will include panels by filmmakers, ghost hunters and tarot card readers. Local horror artists will be featured as well!
Oct 21 // 12-4 p.m. // Outback Farm // Free
Nightmare on High St
Top Ten: October 17-23 1
IV BadBadNotGood
2
A Moon Shaped Pool Radiohead
3
22, A Million Bon Iver
4
Freetown Sound Blood Orange
5
Signs of Light The Head and the Heart
6
Manatee Commune Manatee Commune
Pumpkin Patch in the Pool
7
Good Luck and Do Your Best Gold Panda
8
Atrocity Exhibition Danny Brown
Tired of muddy pumpkin patches? Get your pumpkin fix in a pool with fun games!
9
American Hippo Bob Fossil
Oct 21 // 7-11 p.m. // VU MPR // $3 Get spooked at this haunted house event put on by the AS!
Bleedingham Film Festival
Oct 22 // 9 p.m.-12 a.m. // Pickford Film Center // See Pickford box office for tickets The five-year anniversary of this short horror film competition is sure to be a blast! Come prepared to be scared.
Oct 22 // 4:30-7:30 p.m. // Arne Hanna Aquatic Center // $5
Hip Hop Concert
Oct 23 // 6 p.m. // VU MPR // $15 ahead of time, $17 at the door
Five major artists have been scheduled for this concert. Check out page 5 to find out who’s coming!
10
Tween Wye Oak KUGS is the Associated Students’ student-run radio station. Listen online at kugs.org. If you’re interested in getting on the waves, pick up a volunteer application in the station’s office on the seventh floor of the VU.
4 • as.wwu.edu/asreview
Seven campus organizations bring speaker to campus Sabina Neem will lecture about LGBTQIA community building BY ERASMUS BAXTER
Sabina Neem has been involved in transgender liberation and racial justice work for two decades. Now, seven different campus organizations are partnering together to bring Sabina Neem to Western on Thursday, October 20. She will speak about “building solidarity with LGBT peers in the current context of social movements with particular awareness of institutional racism, homophobia, transphobia, and class consciousness,” as well as creating transformational spaces, and communicating inclusively. Her talk begins at 7 p.m. in Arntzen Hall 100. Neem has a degree in anthropology from Columbia University and Master’s degree in Social Service / Law and Social Policy. She is currently works at Wellspring Counseling in Seattle as an Independent Clinical Social Worker. Previously, she has co-chaired the City of Seattle LGBT Commission, served on the board of the National LGBT Access Project, and worked as the Associate Director of Seattle University’s Office of Multicultural Affairs. In Philadelphia she co-led the “Young, Trans, & Unified” program, and was a founding staff member for the Trans-health Information Project. She also was involved in working to expand access to city services for trans people, served on the Mayor’s Advisory Board on LGBT Affairs, and was involved with the LGBT People of Color Coalition. The evening before her talk she will be conducting a training with Western’s counseling office. Ian Vincent, who works in the counseling center’s Men’s Resiliency program, says that they’re excited to get the training as well as the talk. “I feel like a lot of the students within this particular community feel marginalized,” Vincent said. “This is becoming such a huge concern across the country, so it’s great that Western is taking initiative and addressing this.” Neem’s training will focus on the mental health needs of LGBT+ students, focusing on generational differences and helping non-binary and trans students. Neem will also meet with student groups on campus including the AS Queer Resource Center to get a sense of students’ concerns on campus, according to Vincent. The groups sponsoring Neem’s talk include Men’s Resiliency, BRAVE, LGBT Advocacy Council, Equal Opportunities Office, Prevention and Wellness Services, AS Queer Resource Center, and T.A.G. club, according to the Facebook event. Additionally, on November 16, the Counseling Center is bringing actor and poet Carlos Andres Gomez to campus to speak. “He speaks a lot about unhealthy forms of masculinity,” Vincent said. Gomez is author of the book “Man Up: Reimagining Modern Manhood” and will deliver a keynote on “reimagining modern manhood.”
AS Board Update: Voter registration record and Indigenous Peoples Day
BY MORGAN ANNABLE
Western is now halfway through the quarter, and the AS Board of Directors is going strong. At their meeting on Wednesday, October 5, the board members passed a resolution acknowledging every second Monday of October as Indigenous Peoples Day. The resolution first recognizes that the day is federally known as Columbus Day in the United States, but that neither Bellingham nor the state of Washington observe the national holiday. In fact, the city of Bellingham calls the holiday Coast Salish Day, but VP for Diversity Aleyda Cervantes pointed out that students on campus represent more than one indigenous group, and the word “indigenous” is more inclusive. Next, the resolution acknowledges that the university as well as the city of Bellingham are situated on land colonized from the Coast Salish people and that the people of these tribes lived on the land for a long time before the city of Bellingham was founded. After addressing Western’s commitment to equity and inclusion, the board resolved that the Associated Students will observe Indigenous Peoples Day on the second Monday of October. In other board news, the AS Representation and Engagement Programs (REP) office
successfully broke the previous record for voter registration, with a total of 3,059 new or updated voter registration forms. Western also exceeded our goal for this year, which was to register or update information for 3,000 voters. At the September 28 board meeting, VP for Academic Affairs Erick Yanzon reported that the Academic Coordination Commission plans to have a proposal regarding GUR reform by the end of the quarter. Alex LaVallee, VP for Activities, has started a new KVIK show entitled “WWU Upkeep.” The show features LaVallee and others providing details about upcoming events and issues relevant to student life. Find “WWU Upkeep” on Facebook to watch recent episodes. The first episode has 1,800 views. Cervantes and the members of the Ethnic Student Center Executive Committee are in the process of meeting with the architects who will be working on the new Multicultural Center. The board office is located in Viking Union 504; to get there, go up the half staircase next to the post office and VU 504 will be on your left. All of the board members hold weekly office hours, during which students are encouraged to visit them with questions, concerns, and ideas.
The 2016-17 AS Board of Directors, from left: VP for Governmental Affairs Bryce Hammer, VP for Academic Affairs Erick Yanzon, VP for Diversity Aleyda Cervantes, President Stephanie Cheng, VP for Business and Operations Mary Moeller, VP for Student Life Wayne Rocque, VP for Activities Alex LaVallee. Photo by Ricky Rath // AS Review
B
10.10.2016 • 5
Prepare for spookiest time of year with horror film festival
BY JULIA BERKMAN
Looking to roast yourself in the vitriolic flames of hell for two nights only? The Bleedingham Film Festival of the Macabre is catering to all your spooky spiritual needs this October. Bleedingham was started five years ago by Western alum Gary Washington and his friends. They had noticed the lack of arts and film festivals with a local feel, as well as the lack of horror genre appreciation. They aimed to make a film event that mentored and catered to all members of the community. Thus, Bleedingham was born. Washington strives to keep this festival a very grassroots, university student affiliated event. He himself was a film studies major at Western, and to this day tries to keep the connection between the school and Bleedingham alive with student films and crew members. Bleedingham’s hand-selected films on display this year at the Pickford Film Center are sure to haunt and delight. The judges chosen for this event are members of an elite club of filmmakers, authors, and others who are certifiably interested in the horror genre. Films this year will be judged by veteran Thom Carrell, a horror
writer and certified eye enucleist (a doctor who performs eye-removal surgeries), as well as Roman Stadtler, owner of The Comic Place and board member of the Whatcom Film Association. Also judging the films is Lorelei Shannon, author of horror books “Possum Kingdom” and “Mad Madame LaLaurie.” James Pidgeon and Chris Vargas will also be judging the event from the perspective of filmmakers and artists. The final judge is producer and Special Effects makeup artist James Fairley, who has worked on productions such as “True Blood” and “The 100.” These six judges will watch the shorts films made by local filmmakers and dole out the prizes as they see fit. The first place filmmaker will receive $1000. What films are on display, do you ask? Well, that’s a secret. However, Washington said that there would be films from creators of all ages, from Hollywood bigwigs to high school amateurs. The local feel Washington strives for is also apparent in the amount of businesses who have agreed to come out and support Bleedingham. Gift cards will be handed out to audience members a la
Oprah, in a truly spectacular lookunder-your-seats moment. Before the films are screened there will be a meet and greet with the filmmakers during which they will answer any and all questions. If scary movies aren’t your thing, there will also be a Festival of the Macabre held for those who want to be spooked and delighted by all the freak Bellingham has to offer. There will be psychics, tarot card readers, magicians, you name it! Circus performers will walk amongst the crowds on stilts for mystifying photo opportunities. If it can give you the chills, it’ll be under the roof of the Leopold Crystal Ballroom on October 21. Local vendors will be on site to sell their wares and promote their businesses in pop up shops all throughout the venue. There will also be food trucks parked right outside for anyone who’s hungry. In case you’re hankering for guts rather than tacos, zombies will be invading the Leopold Crystal Ballroom at some point in the evening. Be prepared to fight off a zombie or two. Attending and speaking at the Festival of the Macabre are the Bellingham Observers of the Odd and Obscure. This paranormal investigation
team hunts down ghouls and gaffs all down the Pacific coast. Boasting the playful acronym B.O.O.O., they will no doubt talk about their greatest haunts and paranormal activities during their panel session. If you’re a ghost chaser too, they also hold a Bellingham Ghost Hunt Class for all those interested in finding their own Casper to catch. But the folks at Bleedingham aren’t just trying to terrify the Whatcom Community. They’re also holding a food drive, dubbed Feedingham, in the hopes of raising 200 pounds of food for those in need. Such an event was started because this is, in fact, the fifth anniversary of the Bleedingham film festival. What better way to commemorate the guts spilled than to fill some as well? Washington said that his favorite movie is Alien. He said of his group of organizers, “We love horror movies because they scare you into the arms of your loved ones.” Those interested in being spooked into the arms of their community should check out Bleedingham and the Festival of the Macabre, on October 21 and 22. Tickets sell out fast, so be sure to snatch them up before they go!
Get your groove on with five hip-hop acts BY MORGAN ANNABLE
AS Productions is bringing some big names in hip hop to campus for a concert on October 23 from 6 to 11:30 p.m. in the VU MPR. Student tickets cost $15 at the PAC box office if purchased ahead of time and $17 at the door. General admission is $17 ahead of time and $19 at the door. First in the lineup is Mostafa, a Northwest-based lyricist. What’s Up! Magazine described his style as “uplifting” and in a different category from most modern hip hop. “Mostafa kills it,” Ryan Greer wrote. “Like a jackhammer, he is relentlessly on time and he spits so much soul it’ll make your mother cry.” We can’t guarantee that your mother or anyone else will weep at Mostafa’s set, but it sure will be a unique experi-
ence for Western students. Next to the stage is Landon Wordswell, a resident of both San Francisco, California and Eugene, Oregon. Both cities have shaped his performance style, which has been lauded for his stage presence and delivery. Wordswell combines intricate rhyme schemes with honest lyrics for a show that is intimate and captivating. Seattle-based artist Sango will be next up. On his website, he is very honest about the music he creates. “They’re beats,” he said. “Regular, real beats. Beats influenced by American hip-hop music, southern, black gospel, 70s/80s soul, straightforward dance music, funk carioca, etc. I could go on, but my point is that when you listen to my music, it’s for you to label if you want. It’s everything I hope you love.”
After Sango comes Sam Lachow, another Seattle musician who started his first band as a seventh grader. According to his Facebook page, Lachow is a producer, songwriter, rapper, videographer, director, and editor. His first solo album, “Brand New Bike,” came out in 2011 and was entirely self-produced. The final act to take the stage is Raz Simone, a singer/ rapper from Seattle. “Raz Simone owned a club by the age of 19, bought a Tesla, and still hasn’t made a cent off a record; or even tried,” his Facebook page states. Make sure to buy tickets to this event at the PAC box office to save a couple dollars. Then, take yourself over the MPR and dance the night away with five local hip-hop artists.
6 • as.wwu.edu/asreview
Wednesday Night Concert Series: Shelf Nunny w/ Fleksor
BY: JOSH HUGHES
T
his upcoming week at the Underground Coffeehouse, Seattle based producer Shelf Nunny will be playing with Bellingham’s own Fleksor on October 19th from 7 - 9 p.m. Coming off of last week’s show with WMD and HimeHime, the coffeehouse will continue to showcase the vastly growing electronic scene of the Pacific Northwest. Starting in California in 2012, Christian Gunning signed to Apollo records with his friend Oliver Nickell under the name Tree, though he branched away to create his own work under the alias Shelf Nunny. Soon after, he signed to Hush Hush records based in Seattle, which released his debut EP earlier this year, Wishful Thinking. Having released songs online for some time, Gunning has created a solid fanbase over the last few years, which makes his set at Western a great chance to see the talented producer before they blow up. It’s difficult comparing mellow electronica considering how much is out there, but Shelf Nunny takes cues from Shlohmo, MMOTHS, and Young Magic on his EP, using sparkling production to create a happy, summery sound. “Windows Down”, which opens his EP, starts with jittery bells and scattered percussion and slowly bends into a soundscape of faded samples and sparing keyboard lines. In the best way possible, his songs go in and out the ear easily, leaving you with a half memory of what was just playing. He excels at the hypnotic, crafting the perfect kind of music that’s almost more enjoyable to listen to in the background. Having heard his EP some five times by now, I still have a hard time differentiat-
ing tracks, but that doesn’t feel like a bad thing. Moments of his music come off as quite cinematic, recalling some of Odesza’s work with lush vocal samples that drift in and out of focus while letting other elements take the forefront. Highlight “Memento Mori” combines a central vocal snippet with pitch bent synths and crackling ride cymbal to form the emotional climax of the release. On nearly every song bells ring in the distance, like an old set of chimes on a breezy spring day, only cementing the overarching feeling of warmth. Bellingham’s Fleksor takes some of the same reference points as Shelf Nunny, but he instead indulges in some of the rougher edges of downtempo music. There’s also very clearly a Shlohmo influence, but Bjorn Harlson tends to reach more for the club instead of a quiet afternoon. Propulsive, distorted bass rhythms guide his music, yet his tracks never feel stagnant like some house music does. Instead, his songs are delicately constructed for all of the intensity, and segments flow into one another effortlessly. His EP, Drift, prefers rhythm to melody, but when Harlson dishes out synth lines and samples, they fit perfectly with the jagged edges of percussion, something like a Lorn or Gesaffelstein song. It’s quite fitting that Fleksor and Shelf Nunny pair together like opposite sides of the same coin. They complement each other nicely, drawing from the same stew of influences and coming out as entirely different artists. Be sure to catch their set this Wednesday at the Underground!
BELOW LEFT: Photo courtesy of Fleksor. BELOW RIGHT: Photo courtesy of Shelf Nunny.
10.10.2016 • 7
Historic Outback Farm hosts jammin’ jubilee to celebrate harvest season BY ALEXANDRIA BAKER
This Friday, October 21, the Outback Farm is set to become the site of a Harvest Jubilee. The celebration is set to include games, music, pumpkins and a campfire. Students are encouraged to bring along any and all instruments they may have to take part in a farm-wide jam session. While the festivities are exciting, the Outback Farm remains an unknown to many students. Essentially, the Outback is a joint project between Fairhaven College and the Associated Students. The farm is five acres, and doubles as a wetlands restoration site, according to their website. The Outback Farm is the center of the Outback Experimental Learning Program, the purpose of which is for students to learn about sustainable land use practices. In 2013 the farm added an outdoor classroom to further benefit students. There is a long and varied history to the Outback as well. According to their website, in 1920 the land was homesteaded by June and Farrar Burn, and two cabins were built on
the land. Over 50 years later, in 1972, Western students founded the Outback Pig Farm. In the 80’s, a barn was built at the farm, and students began experimental living at the Outback. Additionally, Western classes began to take advantage of the farm. The first Earth Day was celebrated at the farm in 1996.
Since then, additional renovations have been made to the Outback, including a greenhouse, performance stage and designation as wetlands restoration land. The Outback Farm is now also integrated within the Associated Students. Although students no longer live on the Outback, there are still ample opportunities to get involved with various projects. Currently there are four unique garden projects including the community garden, the herb garden, the education garden and the forest garden. The Outback Farm also raises chickens, since they no longer run a pig farm. The Outback has several partners within various Western Departments, including the AS, Fairhaven College, L.E.A.D. and the WWU Office of Sustainability. The farm is located on south campus, between Buchanan Towers and the Fairhaven dorms. Visitors and volunteers are welcome. Visit as.wwu.edu/outback/ for more information.
ABOVE: The Outback Farm will be the site of the Harvest Jubilee, a celebration of all things fall. The Jubilee is free to attend, and will include various games, music, pumpkins and a campfire! Photo by Ricky Rath // AS Review. BELOW: Join AS Productions and Environmental and Sustainability Programs for two fall-themed events. Graphic by Ashley Ziencina // AS Publicity Center.
8 • as.wwu.edu/asreview
Seven campus organizations AS Board Update: bring speaker to campus Breaking voter registration records Sabina Neem will lecture about LGBTQIA community building BY ERASMUS BAXTER
Sabina Neem has been involved in transgender liberation and racial justice work for two decades. Now, seven different campus organizations are partnering together to bring Neem to Western on Thursday, October 20. She will speak about “building solidarity with LGBT peers in the current context of social movements with particular awareness of institutional racism, homophobia, transphobia, and class consciousness,” as well as creating transformational spaces, and communicating inclusively. Her talk begins at 7 p.m. in Arntzen Hall 100. Neem has a degree in anthropology from Columbia University and Master’s degree in Social Service / Law and Social Policy. She is currently works at Wellspring Counseling in Seattle as an Independent Clinical Social Worker. Previously, she has co-chaired the City of Seattle LGBT Commission, served on the board of the National LGBT Access Project, and worked as the Associate Director of Seattle University’s Office of Multicultural Affairs. In Philadelphia she co-led the “Young, Trans, & Unified” program, and was a founding staff member for the Trans-health Information Project. She also was involved in working to expand access to city services for trans people, served on the Mayor’s Advisory Board on LGBT Affairs, and was involved with the LGBT People of Color Coalition. The evening before her talk she will be conducting a training with Western’s counseling office. Ian Vincent, who works in the counseling center’s Men’s Resiliency program, says that they’re excited to get the training as well as the talk. “I feel like a lot of the students within this particular community feel marginalized,” Vincent said. “This is becoming such a huge concern across the country, so it’s great that Western is taking initiative and addressing this.” Neem’s training will focus on the mental health needs of LGBT+ students, focusing on generational differences and helping non-binary and trans students. Neem will also meet with student groups on campus including the AS Queer Resource Center to get a sense of students’ concerns on campus, according to Vincent. The groups sponsoring Neem’s talk include Men’s Resiliency, BRAVE, LGBT Advocacy Council, Equal Opportunities Office, Prevention and Wellness Services, AS Queer Resource Center, and T.A.G. club, according to the Facebook event. Additionally, on November 16, the Counseling Center is bringing actor and poet Carlos Andres Gomez to campus to speak. “He speaks a lot about unhealthy forms of masculinity,” Vincent said. Gomez is author of the book “Man Up: Reimagining Modern Manhood” and will deliver a keynote on “reimagining modern manhood.”
and establishing new holidays
BY MORGAN ANNABLE
Western is now halfway through the quarter, and the AS Board of Directors is going strong. At their meeting on Wednesday, October 5, the board members passed a resolution acknowledging every second Monday of October as Indigenous Peoples Day. The resolution first recognizes that the day is federally known as Columbus Day in the United States, but that neither Bellingham nor the state of Washington observe the national holiday. In fact, the city of Bellingham calls the holiday Coast Salish Day, but VP for Diversity Aleyda Cervantes pointed out that students on campus represent more than one indigenous group, and the word “indigenous” is more inclusive. Next, the resolution acknowledges that the university as well as the city of Bellingham are situated on land colonized from the Coast Salish people and that the people of these tribes lived on the land for a long time before the city of Bellingham was founded. After addressing Western’s commitment to equity and inclusion, the board resolved that the Associated Students will observe Indigenous Peoples Day on the second Monday of October. In other board news, the AS Representation and Engagement Programs (REP) office
successfully broke the previous record for voter registration, with a total of 3,059 new or updated voter registration forms, exceeding the goal of 3,000. The previous record, set last year, was 2,996 voters registered or updated. At the September 28 board meeting, VP for Academic Affairs Erick Yanzon reported that the Academic Coordination Commission plans to have a proposal regarding GUR reform by the end of the quarter. Alex LaVallee, VP for Activities, has started a new KVIK show entitled “WWU Upkeep.” The show features LaVallee and others providing details about upcoming events and issues relevant to student life. Find “WWU Upkeep” on Facebook to watch recent episodes. The first episode has 1,800 views. Cervantes and the members of the Ethnic Student Center Executive Committee are in the process of meeting with the architects who will be working on the new Multicultural Center. The board office is located in Viking Union 504; to get there, go up the half staircase next to the post office and VU 504 will be on your left. All of the board members hold weekly office hours, during which students are encouraged to visit them with questions, concerns, and ideas.
The 2016-17 AS Board of Directors, from left: VP for Governmental Affairs Bryce Hammer, VP for Academic Affairs Erick Yanzon, VP for Diversity Aleyda Cervantes, President Stephanie Cheng, VP for Business and Operations Mary Moeller, VP for Student Life Wayne Rocque, VP for Activities Alex LaVallee. Photo by Ricky Rath // AS Review
10.10.2016 • 9
Prepare for spookiest time of year with horror film festival BY JULIA BERKMAN
Looking to roast yourself in the vitriolic flames of hell for two nights only? The Bleedingham Film Festival of the Macabre is catering to all your spooky spiritual needs this October. Bleedingham was started five years ago by Western alum Gary Washington and his friends. They had noticed the lack of arts and film festivals with a local feel, as well as the lack of horror genre appreciation. They aimed to make a film event that mentored and catered to all members of the community. Thus, Bleedingham was born. Washington strives to keep this festival a very grassroots, university student affiliated event. He himself was a film studies major at Western, and to this day tries to keep the connection between the school and Bleedingham alive with student films and crew members. Bleedingham’s hand-selected films on display this year at the Pickford Film Center are sure to haunt and delight. The judges chosen for this event are members of an elite club of filmmakers, authors, and others who are certifiably interested in the horror genre. Films this year will be judged by veteran Thom Carrell, a horror
writer and certified eye enucleist (a doctor who performs eye-removal surgeries), as well as Roman Stadtler, owner of The Comic Place and board member of the Whatcom Film Association. Also judging the films is Lorelei Shannon, author of horror books “Possum Kingdom” and “Mad Madame LaLaurie.” James Pidgeon and Chris Vargas will also be judging the event from the perspective of filmmakers and artists. The final judge is producer and Special Effects makeup artist James Fairley, who has worked on productions such as “True Blood” and “The 100.” These six judges will watch the shorts films made by local filmmakers and dole out the prizes as they see fit. The first place filmmaker will receive $1000. What films are on display, do you ask? Well, that’s a secret. However, Washington said that there would be films from creators of all ages, from Hollywood bigwigs to high school amateurs. The local feel Washington strives for is also apparent in the amount of businesses who have agreed to come out and support Bleedingham. Gift cards will be handed out to audience members a la
Oprah, in a truly spectacular lookunder-your-seats moment. Before the films are screened there will be a meet and greet with the filmmakers during which they will answer any and all questions. If scary movies aren’t your thing, there will also be a Festival of the Macabre held for those who want to be spooked and delighted by all the freak Bellingham has to offer. There will be psychics, tarot card readers, magicians, you name it! Circus performers will walk amongst the crowds on stilts for mystifying photo opportunities. If it can give you the chills, it’ll be under the roof of the Leopold Crystal Ballroom on October 21. Local vendors will be on site to sell their wares and promote their businesses in pop up shops all throughout the venue. There will also be food trucks parked right outside for anyone who’s hungry. In case you’re hankering for guts rather than tacos, zombies will be invading the Leopold Crystal Ballroom at some point in the evening. Be prepared to fight off a zombie or two. Attending and speaking at the Festival of the Macabre are the Bellingham Observers of the Odd and Obscure. This paranormal investigation
team hunts down ghouls and gaffs all down the Pacific coast. Boasting the playful acronym B.O.O.O., they will no doubt talk about their greatest haunts and paranormal activities during their panel session. If you’re a ghost chaser too, they also hold a Bellingham Ghost Hunt Class for all those interested in finding their own Casper to catch. But the folks at Bleedingham aren’t just trying to terrify the Whatcom Community. They’re also holding a food drive, dubbed Feedingham, in the hopes of raising 200 pounds of food for those in need. Such an event was started because this is, in fact, the fifth anniversary of the Bleedingham film festival. What better way to commemorate the guts spilled than to fill some as well? Washington said that his favorite movie is Alien. He said of his group of organizers, “We love horror movies because they scare you into the arms of your loved ones.” Those interested in being spooked into the arms of their community should check out Bleedingham and the Festival of the Macabre, on October 21 and 22. Tickets sell out fast, so be sure to snatch them up before they go!
Get your groove on with five hip-hop acts BY MORGAN ANNABLE
AS Productions is bringing some big names in hip hop to campus for a concert on October 23 from 6 to 11:30 p.m. in the VU MPR. Student tickets cost $15 at the PAC box office if purchased ahead of time and $17 at the door. General admission is $17 ahead of time and $19 at the door. First in the lineup is Mostafa, a Northwest-based lyricist. What’s Up! Magazine described his style as “uplifting” and in a different category from most modern hip hop. “Mostafa kills it,” Ryan Greer wrote. “Like a jackhammer, he is relentlessly on time and he spits so much soul it’ll make your mother cry.” We can’t guarantee that your mother or anyone else will weep at Mostafa’s set, but it sure will be a unique experi-
ence for Western students. Next to the stage is Landon Wordswell, a resident of both San Francisco, California and Eugene, Oregon. Both cities have shaped his performance style, which has been lauded for his stage presence and delivery. Wordswell combines intricate rhyme schemes with honest lyrics for a show that is intimate and captivating. Seattle-based artist Sango will be next up. On his website, he is very honest about the music he creates. “They’re beats,” he said. “Regular, real beats. Beats influenced by American hip-hop music, southern, black gospel, 70s/80s soul, straightforward dance music, funk carioca, etc. I could go on, but my point is that when you listen to my music, it’s for you to label if you want. It’s everything I hope you love.”
After Sango comes Sam Lachow, another Seattle musician who started his first band as a seventh grader. According to his Facebook page, Lachow is a producer, songwriter, rapper, videographer, director, and editor. His first solo album, “Brand New Bike,” came out in 2011 and was entirely self-produced. The final act to take the stage is Raz Simone, a singer/ rapper from Seattle. “Raz Simone owned a club by the age of 19, bought a Tesla, and still hasn’t made a cent off a record; or even tried,” his Facebook page states. Make sure to buy tickets to this event at the PAC box office to save a couple dollars. Then, take yourself over the MPR and dance the night away with five local hip-hop artists.
10 • as.wwu.edu/asreview
Western Fall Welcome ushers in the next generation of students BY: JOSH HUGHES, Photo by Ricky Rath // AS Review
O
n October 22 Western will be hosting its annual Fall Welcome event, which allows prospective students to see the campus and student life from a different perspective. All day from 9 a.m. until roughly 3 p.m. families will be exploring campus and checking out what the daily life of a Western student is like. Though the admissions office hosts plenty of events and opportunities for students looking to come to WWU, the Western Fall Welcome kicks off the year before all the campus tours start in full force. Registration for the event, which ended on October 16, is always free, giving as many people as possible a chance to see an insider perspective of the school. The program is intended to give people a relaxed tour of “Viking life,” as the admissions website describes it, which includes breaks between events so that families can explore campus and the larger Bellingham community on their own. If you’ll be on campus during the day, expect to see large groups touring residence halls, dining halls and other spots on campus. The event tries to open itself to as many prospective students as possible, complete with tours and info sessions
on Fairhaven, study abroad, transfer students, and everything in between. There will also be opportunities for the attendees to talk to current Western Students, faculty and certain members of the admissions team. Beyond the tours, there’s a welcome session and panels on the
admissions process as well as financial aid and honors programs. In addition to the Fall Welcome, the admissions office at Western offers an array of programs and events mainly tailored for incoming students. At the end of spring quarter each year they host a Western Preview day which complements the Fall Welcome event, though it’s only for admitted students, and it’s the biggest event that admissions hosts. There’s also International Connections day on November 4, where new international students and advisors can get their own glimpse into Western life and culture. Outside of events, admissions has an accessible website, admissions.wwu.edu/ visit, where prospective students can get all the info they need on how to get involved at Western’s campus before they even go here. There’s even a tab on life in Bellingham, which provides a quite robust resource as to what there is to do around town, something especially helpful for current Western students. Be sure to look out for any group and tours you may see this coming Saturday, and don’t hesitate to be kind and friendly to the next generation of Western students!
Drag king performance will be open to all ages BY: ERASMUS BAXTER
D
awn of the Drag, a performance by the Drag Guns, a local Drag King group, will be unique for several reasons, according to Hadrian Starr, a member of the group. First, as Drag Kings instead of Drag Queens the performers will be performing as men instead of the more common idea of performing as women. “There aren’t really a lot of Drag Kings in the area,” Starr said. “It’s not quite as popular or well known as drag queens.” Secondly, the show will be open to all-ages. “A lot of drag events that happen, typically happen in bars, so that limits the crowd to 21 and over,” Starr said. They said that when they began promoting the group they found that many of those interested were too young to go to bars.
“We have people who were interested in doing drag but because it was typically done at bars weren’t able to participate,” Starr said. “That’s one of the reasons we wanted to do an all-ages show is so that we could include younger performers who aren’t able to have that opportunity usually.” This will be the Drag Guns’ first show. “There’s going to be a wide variety of performances and styles because [for] some performers this will be their very first time performing,” Starr said. The Drag Guns have only been around for about 6 months, they said. The group was founded in April by Sadlah Perkins, who had seen several drag performances at Rumors Cabaret, a local nightclub. “[She] said I want to do this, and realized it would be nice to have a
community of performers who were interested in doing it,” Starr said. Starr became involved in June after Perkins saw a photo of them in drag on Facebook and reached out. Before that they had been performing as a Drag King independently for around a year and a half. Currently there are around six active members according to Starr, though they say the number fluctuates. “We’re looking for more people all the time,” they said. All proceeds from the show will go to Northwest Youth Services, a local charity that helps homeless and low-income youth. It has a division called the Queer Youth Project that provides special resources for LGBT youth who are homeless or are experiencing challenges at home. Twenty percent of homeless youth identify as LGBT+, according to
the National Coalition for the Homeless. The proceeds from the show have been earmarked to go to the Queer Youth Project, according to Starr. “All of the money that we raise is going to stay local, and all of our fundraisers we’re planning on doing will stay local, and will benefit the local LGBT community in some way,” they said. The show is Halloween themed and will also feature an audience costume contest. There will be prizes with costumes judged on creativity, uniqueness, and audience feedback. “[The audience is] encouraged to come dressed up however they would like to. They don’t have to come in drag,” Starr said. The show will take place at Make. Shift on October 21, starting at 7:30 p.m. Admission is $10.
10.10.2016 • 11
World Issues Forum: a recap and a preview BY CHRIS BESWETHERICK
The Fairhaven World Issues class hosts weekly lectures from academics and notable stakeholders from Bellingham, Seattle and the rest of the world to inform attendees of world issues in the Fairhaven auditorium. The forum is a place to be open-minded and learn about the world. The lectures take place every Wednesday at noon in the Fairhaven Auditorium. Cloie Chapman, administrative assistant and events coordinator for the Fairhaven College, helped organize the lecture and hopes for many attendees to increase their worldview through the talk. “Everything we do has an impact across the world,” Chapman said. “We are all global citizens and it is important we think globally.” The World Issues Forum is broken up into quarters and in each quarter, the professor of the world issues course chooses who comes to speak. This quarter, Hilary Schwandt, an assistant Fairhaven professor is organizing the schedule of speaker. Schwandt focuses her discussions on public health, while the other class professors Niall O’Murchu, who focuses on political topics, and Baba-Femi Akirinadez, who focuses on law diversity and international human rights, will take over for the following quarters of the year. Each teacher researches speakers to decide who would spark the most valuable discussions in the Western community. Global LGBTQI Movements, Human Rights, and Health: Notes from the Frontlines A summary of the lecture from October 5
On October 5, Fairhaven college invited Amie Bishop, Outright Action’s co-chair, an independent health consultant and lesbian identified woman from Seattle who came to spread awareness of worldwide LGBT issues and ideas and concepts for students to discuss outside of the classroom. Schwandt saw Amie lecture at the University of yWashington and later invited her to speak for the Fairhaven World Issues Forum. Schwandt worked on a project titled “Go Girls Initiative” at the Center for Communication Programs. The project attempted to reduce vulnerability of young girls to HIV. Bishop, an independent health consultant and co-chair of a LGBT activist group, is a credible source in teaching about global gay rights. She began the lecture to prove to the audience how the global LGBT is changing and merging, in both good and bad ways. Most striking is the penalty for being queer in many countries around the world. “Nine countries around the world still apply the death penalty for being queer,” Bishop said. “Suicide rates among the queer population are double than the
straight population.” While queer people in the world are still subject to unfair government treatment, Bishop did notify the audience of a changing pace and environment. “There is a trend now of incredibly resilient gay rights activist groups,” Bishop said. “The Obama administration has made much progress in the movement by hiring the first ever special envoy who will help improve the lives of gays in America. [And] Botswanan gays can now vote.” Continuing with her lecture, Bishop illuminated the listeners to real and saddening news. Many of the countries in the world who are against LGBT people are also violent in that belief. In Uganda, a bill titled “Kill The Gays” was processed because of the belief people were “chronically homosexual.” There were protests from Ugandan citizens, and it caused the murder of David Kato, an important Ugandan LGBT activist. The Russian government passed an anti-propaganda law which prohibits gays from protesting and assembling in group, which takes away their human rights. “Discrimination is hazardous to one’s health,” Bishop said. “Many are frightened to seek medical help because of their sexual orientation. They can’t out themselves where they are.” This lack of doctor’s visits, overall, worsens the health of the gay community, especially for MSMs (men who have sex with men), as MSMs are 4 to 19 times more likely to develop HIV. These men simply cannot out themselves, or they could be killed for it. Bishop stated that less than 10 percent of MSMs have access to adequate health care, largely due to discrimination. Nathan Adero, a Kenyan human rights, LGBT and HIV activist who also spoke at the lecture experienced being outed in Kenya and the consequences from that. His name, address and sexuality had been posted to an online blog and Adero later found out people broke into his house, removed everything and threatened him. In Kenya, people are imprisoned for 14 years for being homosexual, so it could be daunting for the queer community to speak up. “It’s fine though, I have to move on,” Adero said. “People like me, we cannot afford to lose that progress. We are here, we are queer and that is important.” Adero said that in order to stay safe, but remain out, many homosexuals will wear rainbow masks that hide their face, but identify them as homosexual. The movement is not stopping. “You have to be prepared to talk about what needs to be talked about in the community,” Adero said. “America has been a big ally in terms of resources and capacity, but sometimes when America gets involved
is problematic. Years ago, we had a problem called empowerment, but in countries like Kenya, you must be strategic because if you out yourself, you are pretty much done.” Guatemalan Women Healing Toward Justice: The Case of Sepur Zarco A preview of the upcoming talk on October 19 The upcoming Fairhaven World Issues forum will host Psychologist Maudí Tzay during her speaking tour with Network in Solidarity with the People of Guatemala (NISGUA) at noon on Wednesday October 19 to speak about sexual and gender based violence as a crime. Fairhaven chose Tzay for her role in a sexual slavery case that closed in February. Guatemala, for decades, had been under an internal arms conflict (a civil war), and reported notably high levels of violence against Guatemalan women. The Guatemalan military was a major cause of this gender-based violence. The case Tzay worked on focused on Sepur Zarco, a military base in Guatemala, where 15 Guatemalan women had survived sexual and domestic slavery. Before this case, nothing was done for the testifiers. Tzay works with the Community Studies and Psychological Action Team and with Women Transforming the World and The National Union of Guatemalan Women formed the “Alliance to end Silence and Impunity” to support the Guatemalan women who wound up filing the complaint against the military. The alliance was successful in defending the 15 women. The verdict in February sentenced the former Colonel Esteelmer Reyes Girón and former Military Commissioner Heriberto Valdez Asig to 30 years in prison for the sexual and domestic enslavement of the 15 Guatemalan women. Even though the military performed these crimes in the 1980s, the fact the case ended up succeeding in favor of the testifying women is a landmark for Guatemalan equality. It sets a post-war tone so that more strides toward gender-equality can be reached. Tzay, now on a speaking tour with ECAP, will go through this case in her forum. The worldwide media has not touched upon this event much, and Fairhaven wants to illuminate the campus to information they have not yet learned. “The class teaches media literacy,” Chapman said. “[We want] to teach what does not get covered by the media.” With the support from the WWU Diversity Fund, the WWU First-Year Interest Group Program and NISGUA, Fairhaven invites anyone to come listen and ask questions at the forum. The lectures will happen
12 • as.wwu.edu/asreview
“Family Game Night” is a twisted, puzzling piece of theater
BY CHRIS BESWETHERICK, Photos by Ricky Rath // AS Review The College of Fine and Performing Arts Theatre Department opens their dark, puzzling performance of the play “Family Game Night” by Kendra Phillips on October 30 in the DUG Theatre. “Family Game Night” is a play about the power of love and tells the story of a couple’s visit to the boyfriend’s parent’s home and a challenging realization that arises during the night. Tickets cost $10 for Western faculty and staff, $7 for students, and $12 for general admission adults. This play has strong sexual themes written in, so it can be difficult to witness. However, the Theatre Department has presented controversial works every year, and they do so carefully and emotionally, but effectively. Theater professor Mark Kuntz is directing “Family Game Night.” “Every year there is new work,” Kuntz said. “This play is brand new. It is an abstract play, under the umbrella of the game Twister. As the family twists playing the game, at what point does it become sexual?” This topic is explored through abstract techniques. There will even be a character who represents the game board itself. “We abstracted everything and embraced Twister to its fullest extent,” Kuntz said. “It’s brand new.” The playwright uses symbolism heavily in the play, primarily through the motif of Twister. The form of the stage and theatre contribute to the effect of the play. The stage is
constructed in the arena style, meaning the audience circles the stage from all sides. An arena stage creates multiple perspectives for the audience to view the play. The round itself will be built in the style of a Twister board. “This is my first play on the round,” fourth year acting and musical theatre student Eryn McVay said. “There is very heavy symbolism.” The abstraction the playwright wrote into the story tests the actors’ ability and makes them pay close attention to the script. “Almost every single word has weight. I could unpack this play for days,” McVay said. “There are an infinite amount of choices you can make in one line.” McVay portrays a 15 year old schizophrenic troubled by her past. McVay researched and analyzed her character to figure out how to best portray her. The department brought in an entirely new play to perform so there are no references for the actors or director to consult. “It is very disorienting playing this character. I’ve really researched the disability,” McVay said. “It is the most challenging role I’ve ever worked on.” McVay, rather than just portraying the role, is learning about more universal subjects, too. She has never experienced a play process like this show. “I’ve learned a lot about acceptance during this show,” McVay said. “I would like for this play to spark some sort of discussion.” The show also incorporates A Capella music throughout, without much accompaniment. The cast will use the stage to create beats and their voices in harmonies. Their overall
performance will include a mix of rehearsed acting and emotional music. The music is abstracted, too, with songs sung in mostly consonant sounds and artistic dancing. “It is complicated, dissonant music,” Kuntz said. “It is atonal.” The show has also tested Jackie Campbell’s abilities. Campbell is a senior studying theatre and portraying Connie Marshal in “Family Game Night.” The production of the play began with 10 days of intensive rehearsals to create the foundations for the show. “I love singing, I love music, but [A Cappella] does not come so easily to me. It’s been a challenge, but in the end it’s just singing,” Marshal said. “Starting out it was definitely chaotic, but we have a really amazing cast.” Campbell plays the girlfriend in the couple and, over the course of the play, discovers an unfortunate truth about him. She begins to question her love of him, but ultimately struggles due to the attachment she already has. The playwright wants to convey this theme of unconditional love through this story. “How strong is love?” Kuntz said. “It is really magical and one of the most challenging plays I have directed.” The show lasts two and a half hours, with one intermission. Aside from that intermission, the whole cast will be on stage for the entirety of the show, another challenge for the actors. Dates of the show are the evenings of October 21, 22, 26, 27, 28 and 29 at 7:30 p.m. and matinees October 22 and 29 at 2 p.m. Purchase tickets from the box office on campus.