Vol. 32 #28 05.08.17
Vol. 30 # #.#.#
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An amusement park in L.A. reminds us all to look forward to summer. Cover photo by Jaden Moon // 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.
IN THIS ISSUE 4
Culture Shock
Did you see the ESC’s “Culture Shock” showcase? If not, here’s a chance to see what you missed!
6 “An American Ascent”
8
May Fest
8
Spring!
This film follows the first African American climbing team to summit Mount Denali.
Taking a tour of
7 Western
One writer tagged along on the tour most prospective students take at Western.
The Outback Farm is throwing a party to celebrate spring! Find out what they have in store.
Get ready for sunny weather and flower blossoms with these spring-y pics.
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
ABOVE: The Ethnic Student Center recently hosted “Culture Shock,” a showcase of diverse student talent. Performances included several ethnic student groups from campus, as well as individuals and small group performances. Turn to pages 4 and 5 for a closer look! Photo by Ricky Rath // AS Review.
05.08.2017 • 3
EVENTS
CALENDAR OF EVENTS “NIGHT LIGHT” radio play
“Guitars of Western”
Daniel Larner’s radio play will be airing once again. To listen, tune into 102.3 FM.
While guitar is usually a solo instrument, this concert will feature 11 guitarists performing together as an orchestra.
May 8 // 8 p.m. - 9 p.m. // KMRE-FM // Free
Heritage Resources Distinguished Speakers
May 9 // 4 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. // WL Special Collections // Free
Associate Professor of English, Dr. Kristin Mahoney, will speak about playwright and artist Laurence Housman, and his collaboration with his sister Clemence.
2017 Gordon Sandison Memorial Lecture
May 9 // 3 p.m. // CF 110 // Free
Political theorist and scholar at Emory University, Holloway Sparks, PhD, will speak at Western. Her lecture is titled “‘Come and Take Them!’ Gender, Race, and Rage in the U.S. Gun Control Debate.”
“THREADS” documentary screening and Q & A May 10 // 5 - 7 p.m. // AW 210 // Free This documentary follows Surayia Rahman, a Bangladeshi woman who empowers other women by teaching them the skill of kantha quilting. Filmmakers Cathy Stevulak and Leonard Hill will take questions afterwards.
May 11 // 8 p.m. // PAC Concert Hall // Free
KVIK 48-Hour Film Festival
May 12 - 14 // Kickoff meeting 6 p.m. // Miller Hall 231 // Free
Grab a team and make a movie! This film festival gives each team a genre, a line of dialogue, and some props. The rest is up to you! Film screening on Sunday, May 14, Arntzen 100 at 7 p.m.
Collegium Musicum
May 13 // 7:30 p.m. // PAC Concert Hall // Free The WWU Department of Music is performing the Swedish opera “The Masquerade.” This comedic piece will be narrated in English.
Able to Paddle
May 13 // 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. // WWU Lakewood Boathouse (Lake Whatcom) // Free
Anyone can kayak at this special event! People of all abilities will be paired with a volunteer kayak-paddler, and there will be games and a barbecue at the boathouse!
Top Ten: May 8 - 14 1
Heartworms The Shins
2
Do Hollywood The Lemon Twigs
3
Hot Thoughts Spoon
4
Drunk Thundercat
5
Pure Comedy Father John Misty
6
Tuxedo II Tuxedo
7
Heavy Meta Ron Gallo
8
Honey EP Kaye
9
Sincerely Dude York
10
Whiteout Conditions The New Pornographers 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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In case you missed it...
Student performances from
Culture Shock Photos by Ricky Rath // AS Review
05.08.2017 • 5
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“An American Ascent” flips script on exploration narrative expectations BY JOSH HUGHES “I grew up with people telling me what I couldn’t do. There’s a certain percentage of people who look like me who’ve also been told ‘you can’t because of your color’ or ‘you live in the city and this is not for you.’” This statement is uttered by one of the nine African American climbers who summited Mount Denali in the trailer for award winning documentary “An American Ascent.” The Outdoor Center and the Ethnic Student Center are teaming up to show the film on campus on May 9 at 7 p.m. in Miller Hall 138. The film, directed by George Potter and Andy Adkins, follows the journey of these nine climbers in their expedition to summit Alaska’s Mount Denali and become the first African American climbing team to achieve such a feat. The highest peak in North America, Mount Denali marks a decidedly American monument, and the film plays on this to empower individuals with marginalized identities in this country to claim the wilderness as theirs -- that it is as American as they are. After all, in only a few decades the United States will become a minority-majority country, and this climbing team seeks to build a legacy of inclusion for others to follow in their footsteps in the great outdoors. The expedition itself occurred in 2013, though the film was not released until 2016. The climbers partnered with the National Outdoor Leadership School as well as REI and The North Face for their summit and help in releasing and funding the film. NOLS partnered the film in hopes of further addressing the idea of race disparity in climbing and outdoor culture, an often overlooked issue. Think about it: how many Arcteryx sponsored videos have you seen that don’t have a bearded white guy in them? In addition to the issues of race that the documentary explores, it is equally an impressive feat both of the climbers and the filmmakers to have made this film at all; the spectacle of this team summiting the 20,310 ft. peak alone makes for an enthralling documentary. “An American Ascent” marks this year’s installment of the Exploration Film Tour at Western, put on by NOLS. The Outdoor Center and the Ethnic Student Center on campus are co-hosting a screening of the film on May 9 from 7 - 9 p.m. in Miller Hall 138. Following the film will be a Q&A panel for inquiries about the film and opportunities provided by NOLS. The event is free to the public, and it also is the only Exploration Film Tour movie of the year. An early look into dissecting the “adventure gap” of climbing, expect “An American Ascent” to be an unique and fresh take on the adventure documentary.
ABOVE: Though it’s no Denali, Bellingham offers its own mountains for any ambitious explores to traverse. Pictured is the scenic view from atop Church Mountain, a great spot for hikers to train for their own ascent one day. Photo by Morgan Annable // AS Review.
Tagging along on a Western tour BY JULIA BERKMAN
05.08.2017 • 7
One reporter relives this quintessential student experience
I
f you’re a student at Western, chances are years prior you went on a tour of campus with the blue-jacketed STaR tour guides. There’s probably a much lower chance you went on that tour within the past few months. I was curious how the tour reflects real life as a Western Student, so recently I decided to join in on one of the many tours Western runs. Tour guides have a ton of rules that they need to follow, from how they dress to the exact wording of the phrases they have to say. This keeps the tours impartial, positive, and makes sure that every prospective student is given the same impression. “It’s a lot like acting,” said one guide. “You really have to sell the school and play up the same things: interactivity, student involvement, small class sizes, etc.” The tour starts at the Rec Center. There, prospective students and their families are told about our varsity sports teams, as well as intramurals and clubs. They then move on to the brick court in front of the rec center to discuss housing. This area is apparently known as Flag Plaza. A common trend arises on these tours. There are names and significance given to things that real students don’t often use. Fitting 25 people in the Rec Center hot tub, for example, is a feat that I don’t believe has ever been attempted. Whether it be that students don’t know the goings-on of campus, or that the
organizers of the tours are a bit out of touch, we’ll never know. Either way, seeing your own campus through the eyes of someone who has never been there before is strange. Parents asked questions about things like SAT scores and AP credits, two things I am happy to say I haven’t thought of in years. Maybe I’m biased, but for me this tour reminded me why I decided to come to Western. The tour guides kept it real and were honest about things like fees and how hard registration is. They took us through the most beautiful parts of campus and really played up the interactive and personalized aspects of Western. However, some of the things the STaR guides said were attempts to gloss over some of the stickier aspects of attending Western. They cited Bellingham being a “commuter city” as the reason almost no students drive to campus. In all actuality, most students can’t drive to campus because parking is so exclusive and expensive. I learned a lot of new things about Western on this tour. For instance, did you know the Western Front has a singles ad section? I didn’t. I would recommend any student go on this tour, if only for the strange feeling of a familiar place being less familiar for a bit. In any case, the tours must be working, because Western had 2,888 new freshmen this year, and we’re looking at an even higher number for this coming year.
Introducing the 2017-2018 AS Board of Directors Elections are over. Results are in. Meet your elected officials!
BY MORGAN ANNABLE On Friday, April 28 at 2 p.m., voting booths shut down and results started rolling in. Soon, they were all tallied and the winners were announced. Please join us in welcoming the new Board of Directors, pictured below. All of the candidates made some promises in their statements, let’s take a look at how Western’s incoming AS officials plan to use their time in office. The following are direct quotes extracted from the winners’ candidate statements. AS President Simrun Chhabra “I hope to inspire more people with histories of oppression to become involved in their communities in ways that didn’t seem possible.” ASVP for Academic Affairs Hunter Eider “Administrative decisions made about academics within
the university affect all of us. If these decisions are made without our input, they will never be fully effective or accommodating to our needs, which is why one of my goals next year is to help further develop existing committees for student input.” ASVP for Activities Julia Rutledge “I’ll work to inform students of all that the AS has to offer, strive to represent the diverse and intersectional student body, and make sure that student activities get the funding that they need.” ASVP for Business and Operations Alex LaVallee “My biggest goal for the year is setting up a system of communication, between you and [the AS Board] so that we can inform each other about what we experience as
students and what we are doing about it.” ASVP for Diversity Erick Yanzon “I want to continue the work surrounding the establishment of the Multicultural Center, and I want us to have conversations surrounding intersectionality and working together in solidarity.” ASVP for Governmental Affairs Ana Ramirez “I believe we can best prioritize and fight for the needs of students of color through governmental affairs.” ASVP for Student Life Annie Gordon “I will address systemic barriers preventing food, health and sustainability justice across campus, acknowledging that these movements are rooted in racism and classism.”
ABOVE: Incoming AS Board for the 2017-2018 school year. From left to right: AS President Simrun Chhabra, ASVP for Academic Affairs Hunter Eider, ASVP for Activities Julia Rutledge, ASVP for Business and Operations Alex LaVallee, ASVP for Diversity Erick Yanzon, ASVP for Governmental Affairs Ana Ramirez, ASVP for Student Life Annie Gordon. Photos by Ricky Rath // AS Review
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Party in nature at the Outback Farm BY JULIA BERKMAN
T
he Outback Farm is throwing a party! May Fest is being hosted on the Outback Farm on May 12 and will include a host of activities to suit anyone interested in farming, nature, animals, et cetera. There is sure to be something fun for everyone. The Outback is a community garden where one can reserve a plot of land and plant whatever their heart desires (within legal limits, of course). Since 2006, The Outback has been run in joint cooperation with Fairhaven and the Associated Students. Students and Bellingham residents alike can volunteer on the farm doing cleanup or feeding the chickens. The farm was bought in 1920 by June and Farrar
Burn as a private plot of land. It was taken over by Western in the 60s. Before The Outback became the co-op garden it is today, it was known as the Outback Pig Farm. Students have been instrumental in converting the farm from a hog sloppin’ pen to a genuine co-operative slice of land with gardens, woods and even animals (but no pigs). In addition to community plots of land, the Outback also has bees and chickens. They provide honey and eggs to Bellingham locals for far cheaper than you can get at Fred Meyer (and more ethically, as well). May Fest will include an all-acoustic open mic in
the Amphitheater, which was completed four years ago. Whether you’re a student or not, all are welcome to strut their stuff on the wooden stage. There is also a craft table where people can get their hands dirty and even take something home for their hard work. If the idea of getting in touch with your roots and giving back to the earth appeal to you, the Outback has many events coming up that you might like including a sandal-making workshop and an indigo and flax workshop. You can check out May Fest, as well as a host of other events, online at the AS Outback Farm facebook page. Happy harvesting!
Photos: Top left and bottom right by Ricky Rath. Top right and bottom left by Jaden Moon // AS Review