Vol. 32 #22 03.28.17
Vol. 30 # #.#.#
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Hike Damfino Lakes Trail for stunning views of Baker and Shuksan. Photo by Morgan Annable // 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 © 2017. 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. 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 Josh Hughes Julia Berkman Photographers Jaden Moon Janna Bodnar Adviser Jeff Bates
Editor-in-Chief Assistant Editor Lead Photographer Writers
IN THIS ISSUE 4 Bellingham
Farmers Market
Opening day is this Saturday! Check out pictures from the Market in years past.
5 Spring is here!
Get inspired to get outside with this array of nature photos taken in Bellingham and the surrounding area.
Mick Moloney &
6 Athena Tergis
Treat yourself to a belated St. Patrick’s Day celebration with a night of Irish music.
6 “Ready to Run”
An upcoming event in Ferndale will help attendees learn how to run for local political office and/or support those who do.
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The wheels on the bus...
... Are changing routes! One writer took it upon herself to find out why and how.
AS hiring for 2017-
8 18 school year
Check out the full list of Associated Students jobs open right now. Apply online at jobs.wwu.edu through April 5.
A note from the editor: The AS Review is hiring for this quarter! Do you need money? Like to write? Want to learn more about the journalistic process? Like the idea of working with a team of fellow students to churn out a new publication every week? Writing for the AS Review might be the job for you. The AS Review is looking to add to our writing staff for spring quarter. If you are interested in the position, visit jobs.wwu.edu to check out the job description and apply online. AS Review writers are hourly employees paid $11 per hour and expected to work 10 to 15 hours per week. (The Associated Students is also hiring for over 90 positions for next school year. Find out more on page 8.) I was a writer last year, and I loved the experience. I could do the majority of my work while sitting on my couch at home with a mug of Earl Grey. The position also gave me a lot of practice scheduling and conducting interviews,
and I now feel more comfortable in those sorts of situations than I used to. Working for a year as a writer for the AS Review prepared me well for my current position as editor-in-chief, a job that is providing me with plenty of leadership and management experience as well as copyediting and design work. We encourage and welcome applicants from any major, not just journalism or English. Prospective writers should be prepared to do lots of interviewing, researching and writing, attend weekly staff meetings and consistently generate ideas for stories and columns. I hope you consider applying to be an AS Review writer. We have a lot of fun here and we would love to welcome new team members. Thank you for reading, Morgan Annable Editor-in-Chief
03.28.2017 • 3
EVENTS
CALENDAR OF EVENTS Mick Moloney & Athena Tergis March 28 // 7 p.m. // Old Main Theatre // $20
Renowned Irish musicians Mick Moloney and Athena Tergis will perform a wide variety of reels, hornpipes and jigs. The show will feature instrumental pieces as well as songs that focus on the experiences of Irish immigrants. For more information, turn to page 6.
Fish Trivia
March 30 // 5:30 p.m. // Boundary Bay Brewery // Free
Gather a few fish- or trivia-enthusiasts and join Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association for an evening of fun competition to win some great prizes.
“I Hate Hamlet”
Mar 31 - Apr 7 // 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. // Bellingham Theatre Guild // $12 for students
Bellingham Theatre Guild presents this comedy about Andrew, a young television actor who is facing a decision: To play Hamlet, or not to play Hamlet. Complicating the plot? Early 1900s actor John Barrymore has returned to earth as a ghost to convince Andrew to play the part, complete with a swordfight in the middle of his apartment.
The Great Puzzle Hunt
April 1 // 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. // Red Square // $8 for students
Puzzle-lovers of all ages will enjoy this annual solving extravaganza. The leadership team of the Great Puzzle Hunt
stresses that people with all kinds of knowledge (music, art, science, math, humanities) will be able to put their skills to use. Competing teams should bring at least one smartphone, note paper and writing utensils, scissors, tape and a hold punch. Registration ends at midnight on March 30.
Top Ten: Mar 28 - Apr 2 1
Poetry of the Mind: Domi2 nique Christina April 3 // 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. // Miller 005, Fraser 102 // Free
Award-winning activist-poet Dominique Christina will be providing a workshop in Miller 005 at 2 p.m. and a performance in Fraser 102 at 5 p.m. Christina performs spoken word pieces about race, feminism and much more.
Visit one or more dazzling tulip fields with brightly colored flowers as far as the eye can see. Visit tulipfestival.org for more information.
A Tribe Called Quest Manatee Commune Manatee Commune
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An Odd Entrances Thee Oh Sees
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Coloring Book Chance the Rapper Process Sampha
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Why Love Now Pissed Jeans
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Yes Lawd! NxWorries
Bellingham Farmers’ Mar- 9 ket Saturdays // 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. // 10 1100 Railroad Ave // Free What better way to welcome spring than with some fresh produce from the farmers’ market? This bustling marketplace is open every Saturday, and features local farmers, artists and other vendors from the area.
We Got It From Here...Thank You 4 Your Service
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34th Annual Skagit Valley 6 Tulip Festival All of April // Variety of locations // Free
Drunk Thundercat
Awaken My Love! Childish Gambino R.I.P. Naked Giants 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.
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Farmers Market opening day set for April 1 Photos by Morgan Annable // AS Review
Spring is here!
03.28.2017 • 5
As the weather gets warmer, Bellinghamsters have more and more opportunities to take advantage of our beautiful home. Here are just a few ideas of ways to get outdoors and enjoy the (still somewhat limited) sunshine.
ABOVE LEFT: You never know what you might see when hiking the ever-popular Oyster Dome Trail. ABOVE RIGHT: Check out the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival, open for all of April. Photos by Morgan Annable // AS Review
ABOVE: The view from the top of Church Mountain is well worth the climb. BELOW: Skip rocks at the secluded shore of Lake Whatcom - North Trail. Photos by Morgan Annable // AS Review
LEFT AND ABOVE: It’s easy to while a whole day away on the intertwining trails of Whatcom Falls Park. Photos by Jaden Moon // AS Review
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Musician/storyteller duo to perform Irish songs BY JOSH HUGHES
Mick Moloney and Athena Tergis, who write and perform traditional, propulsive Irish music together, will be performing at Western’s Old Main Theatre at 7 p.m. on March 28. The duo, who have been working under Moloney’s main outfit, Green Fields of America for 15 years started playing as a pair in 2010, traveling around the world to share the vastness of traditional Irish music. Moloney, a banjo player and singer, has a background that has fully immersed himself in Irish culture. Between stints as an author, a musicologist, a professor and a storyteller, his career has been steeped in the history of Irish music and its journey to America over the centuries. While his music is indebted to songs from the past, whether they be jigs, reels, hornpipes or other instrumental pieces, his material is in constant flux, attempting to create a cultural bridge between contemporary and historic musical connections. Tergis, on the other hand, has a rich background as a violin player. Starting at the age of
four, she continued on a path of music which led her to studying and playing in Ireland for three years, where she found her true voice as a musician. She went on to perform in Broadway’s “Riverdance” and eventually became a full time member of Moloney’s work under Green Fields of America. As a band, Green Fields of America remains an integral factor in the conversation of current Irish music, having performed since 1978 as a leading group in the genre. While the lineup has shifted throughout the decades, the band remains Moloney’s main outfit. As a duo, however, Moloney and Tergis dial down on simpler folk songs, leaving intentional negative space between the banjo, vocals and fiddle. Take “simpler” with a grain of salt though, as the sort of Irish music they play relies on pulsating, quick rhythms and delicate fingerpicking. This takes us to Western, where the duo will put on a performance through Fairhaven college
for a night of unadulterated Irish folk music. Their concert material draws from an immense catalog of songs that try to speak volumes on the issues that Irish immigrants have faced from the 1700s up until today. Their songs, which range from approximately that time period to more modern as well, hone in on the complexities of immigrant and emigrant culture that define both traditional Irish music and the ever elusive “American Dream.” Their concert, which will last from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. this Tuesday, March 28, should include a diverse set list of all the styles of Irish music listed above, as well as some surprises. Drawing from Irish, Irish American, Scottish, and Cape Breton cultures, Moloney and Tergis’ music spans a much wider breadth than the average listener might be able to pick up on. Their performance should be equally exciting as a sort of history lesson into the array of cultures that the two draw from and try to spread throughout the world with their music.
Ever considered running for political office? Ferndale event will help you become “Ready to Run”
BY JULIA BERKMAN
Does the current sociopolitical climate in America stress you out? For a large majority of people, the answer to that question is a resounding yes. Thankfully, Amplify.Win is an organization training fresh would-be politicians how to build their own campaign--and win. On April 1, Ready to Run, an event in Ferndale, will appeal to all those interested in running for local or state office positions. Amplify.Win is a nonprofit organization that works with and prioritizes womxn, people of color and LGBTQ individuals. Their main focus is electing people to local positions who are representative of their constituents. To achieve this,
the program trains and helps young upstarts get their campaigns off the ground. Amplify.Win teaches people strategies that seasoned officials use to get things done quickly and with the average American in mind. Right now, there aren’t many young people holding office or committee positions in the state of Washington. Amplify.Win hopes to change that within the next few years. The organization is interested in disrupting the flow of traditional politics and shifting discussion and perspectives to a more inclusive dialogue. “To recruit better leaders, find better policy, and build consensus we can't just be innovative--we have
to be disruptive. We believe innovation is improving the existing way of doing things: we work to make old ways obsolete by doubling down on our values,” the company stated on the homepage of their website. Amplify.Win also believes that American government is not a true representation of the people they serve. For example, 80% of congressional seats are white or male, whereas 40% of Americans are minorities, and 51% are womxn. When people with similar narratives come together to create legislation for everyone, the result is often homogeneous and restricting. Politics should be empowering minorities and women, rather than speaking over them.
Executive Director Ej Juárez worked with the Statewide Poverty Action Network before leaving his post to spearhead Amplify.Win. He is inspired by the young people around him who are so interested in becoming leaders of the next generation. “Our policies and processes are not as equitable, democratic, or effective as they could be, and we believe everyone should be able to participate in the responsibility of shared governance,” Juárez said. If you’re looking to perform your civic duty by becoming a member of your local government, check out Amplify.Win’s “Ready to Run” event on Facebook.
03.28.2017 • 7
Think you’ve finally figured out your bus routes and schedules?
Think again! The wheels on the bus are changing routes all through the town. Whatcom Transportation Authority (WTA) has decided to overhaul their old schedules and routes to streamline their services; their new routes started on March 19. In the past few years, Whatcom Transit has added routes on top of pre-existing ones due to high demand. For example, with the addition of the student housing complex North by Northwest (NXNW), WTA added routes 90A and 90B. Now, the routes Bellingham buses follow are becoming increasingly serpentine and complicated. Rather than add routes to keep up with rising demands, WTA has done a rework of their system. “I haven’t seen much about this, so I’m worried people won’t know how to get places anymore,” said sophomore Sabrina Vlad. “I looked at the schedule online, but I honestly was really confused. These new routes don’t make any sense.” After living in Bellingham for at least a year, most people begin to memorize the buses they often take. For example, 32nd Street residents know the exact time the 105 leaves Western. The bus overhaul could mean changing one’s entire routine in order to get home. The 105 is being converted into the 5, which runs through downtown rather than through campus. 32nd Street students are being asked to walk
BY JULIA BERKMAN
up to Bill Macdonald, an inaccessible walk for many people with limited mobility. Other students in less frequented neighborhoods, such as Lincoln Street or the Lettered Streets, are concerned about the lack of buses reaching them. For example, the 197 and 196, along with both the 90A and the 90B, are being scrapped in favor of the 190, which doesn’t loop around at the Park and Ride, and instead goes to downtown and campus. Unfortunately, these buses stop around 8:30 p.m., meaning any student living on Lincoln street will have to resort to Western’s Late Night Shuttle. Most nights, the Late Night Shuttle doesn’t begin service until 11:00 p.m.. These dead hours in areas where no buses will be provided is WTA’s main source of controversy. While each area is still serviced, many buses stop running at 9:00 p.m., leaving people stranded. People fairly close to campus may be upset at the lack of convenience, while people living out in more remote areas, such as Bakerview or Cordata, should be overjoyed that their requests are being upheld. There are now at least two buses headed to every far-reaching corner of the Whatcom area. So, while far-off residents may be happy with WTA’s new ideas, many Western students have been inconvenienced by the streamlined routes.
New routes
1 Fairhaven to Downtown 3 Airport/Cordata to Airport/Downtown 4 Hospital/Cordata to Hospital/Downtown 5 Fairhaven to Downtown 11 WWU to 32nd St 14 Fairhaven to Downtown 14S Fairhaven 15 Cordata/WCC to Downtown 24 Cordata 26 Lynden to Cordata/WCC 27 Ferndale to Cordata/WCC 48 Cordata/WCC to Bakerview Spur 49 Downtown to Bakerview Spur 50 Gooseberry Pt to Downtown 71X Everson/Nooksack/Sumas to Cordata/WCC 72X Kendall to Bellingham 75 Blaine/Birch Bay to Bellingham 80S WWU to Lincoln Creek 80X Mt. Vernon to Bellingham 107 WWU to Samish/Downtown 108 Samish/WWU to Downtown 190 Lincoln St to Downtown 232 Cordata/WCC to Downtown 331 Cordata/WCC to Downtown 512 Sudden Valley to Downtown 525 Electric to Downtown 533 Yew St to Downtown 540 Sunset to Downtown
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The Associated Students is hiring for 2017-18! • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Assessment Coordinator Board Assistant for Fall Info Fair Business Director Club Business Director Club Event Planning Facilitator Club Promotion & Outreach Facilitator Club Training & Development Facilitator Communications Coordinator Communications Director Disability Outreach Coordinator ESC Assistant Coordinator for Club Events ESC Assistant Coordinator for Marketing ESC Cultural Education Coordinator ESC Internal Coordinator ESC Office Assistant Support Staff ESP Alternative Transportation Coordinator ESP Environmental Center Coordinator ESP Environmental Justice Coordinator ESP Media and Marketing Coordinator ESP Outback Assistant Coordinator ESP Outback Coordinator ESP Outreach and Volunteer Coordinator ESP Sustainable Action Fund Ed. Coordinator Graphic Designer Graphics Production Specialist KUGS Maintenance Engineer KUGS Marketing and Development Director KUGS Music Director KUGS News and Public Affairs KUGS Operations Coordinator KUGS Program Director
• KUGS Specialty Music Coordinator/Music Librarian • KUGS Morning Show Host • Legal Information Center Coordinator • Legal Information Program Support Staff • OC Challenge Program Administrative Coordinator • OC Challenge Program Course Coordinator • OC Equipment Shop Coordinator • OC Excursions Assistant Coordinator • OC Excursions Coordinator • OC Marketing & Resource Coordinator • Outback Summer Apprentice Position • PC Account Executive • PC Distribution Coordinator • PC Lead Graphic Designer • Personnel Assistant Director 1 • Personnel Assistant Director 2: Staff Recognition • Personnel Director • Productions Assistant Director for Marketing & Assessment • Productions Director • Productions Films Coordinator • Productions Marketing Coordinator – Music & Entertainment • Productions Pop Music Coordinator • Publicity Center Distributor • Queer Resource Center Asst. Coordinator for Community Programming • Queer Resource Center Asst. Coordinator for Educational Programming • Queer Resource Center Coordinator • REP Director
View detailed job descriptions and apply online at jobs.wwu.edu
• REP Legislative Liaison • REP Local Liaison • REP Organizing and Outreach Coordinator • Representation and Engagement Programs Committee Coordinator • Representation and Engagement Programs Elections Coordinator • Resource & Outreach Programs Social Issues Resource Center Coordinator • AS Review Assistant Editor • AS Review Editor in Chief • AS Review Photographer • AS Review Writer • ROP Womxn's Center Assistant Coordinator for Creative Programming • Social Issues Resource Center Assistant Coordinator • Social Issues Resource Center Outreach Coordinator • Student Enhancement Fund Facilitator • Veteran Community Coordinator • Womxn's Center Assistant Coordinator • Womxn's Center Coordinator • ASP Gallery Attendant • ASP Logistics Coordinator • ASP Marketing Coordinator Arts and Entertainment • ASP Production Assistant • ASP Special Events Coordinator • ASP Underground Coffeehouse Programming Coordinator • ASP Viking Union Gallery Director • Environmental and Sustainability Programs Director