AS Spring Hiring has sprung, p. 4 Pop Music Industry Conference in photos, p. 7 #NotYourAsianSidekick: firsthand account of racism, p. 8 Rescue is for Kittens, p. 10 What is Western listening to?, p. 12
Vol. 29 #20 3.3.2014
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Graphic Design by Kristina Huynh // AS Review
IN THIS ISSUE NEWS
MAKING YOUR LIFE BETTER, ONE PAGE AT A TIME 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 © 2014. 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 under-represented issues, inclusive coverage, informing readers and promoting dialogue.
5 Spring Hiring AS job applications to open March 8 for 20142015 school year
11 Next Energy Economy
Environmental Center to welcome Winona LaDuke to speak on climate change.
STUDENT LIFE 6 Gourmet food from your microwave Check out a few recipes you can make in your dorm microwave
10 PeaceWorks! PeaceWorks! Club empowers students with community service
FEATURES 7 PopMIC photos A look back at the fifth annual Pop Music Industry Conference
12 WWU Earbugs What songs are Vikings listening to during their campus commutes?
We welcome reader submissions, including news articles, literary pieces, photography, artwork or anything else physically printable. Email submissions to as.review@wwu.edu. We welcome letters to the editor. Please limit your letter to 300 words, include your name, phone number and year in school, if you’re a student. Send them to as.review@wwu.edu. Published letters may have minor edits made to their length or grammar.
THE AS
REVIEW Cade Schmidt Kylie Wade Isaac Martin Trevor Grimm Kelly Mason Andrew Wise Annika Wolters C Hayley Halstead Dominic D’Angelo Designer Kristina Huynh Adviser Jeff Bates
Editor in Chief Assistant Editor Lead Photographer Photographer Copy Editor Writers
Labyrinth, currently on exhibition in the VU Gallery, is an exploration of privilege and oppression when accessing, being denied and moving through multiple communities. Photo by Isaac Martin // AS Review
March 3, 2014 • 3
EVENTS AS Job Fair March 4 // 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. // VU MPR // Free Need a job? The AS has you covered - and the best place to learn about all of the employment opportunities within the organization is the AS Job Fair, happening this Tuesday. For more on the job fair, check out our story on pg. 4.
March Forth Rally March 4 // 1 - 3 p.m. // PAC // Free This rally is a chance for students to learn about how Carver Academic Faculty is in need of renovations and come together to try and create change. It will begin in
front of Carver and end in the PAC Plaza, where there will be speakers, music and phone banks to call legislators about the issue. Free T-shirts will also be provided!
Wednesday Night Concert Series: Juniper Stills w/ Moongrass March 5 // 8 p.m. // UGCH // Free
Rescue is for Kittens March 5 // 6 - 8 p.m. // Fairhaven Auditorium // Free Speaker Emi Koyama will be discussing transgender youth in the sex trade. For more information, check out pg. 10.
The Next Energy Economy March 5 // 12 - 1:20 p.m. // VU MPR // Free Nationally acclaimed author, orator and activist Winona LaDuke is coming to Western to discuss how everyone can make a change to help the planet and its climate. For more on this event, check out our story on pg. 11.
Western Athletics: Softball March 7 // 1 p.m. & 3 p.m. // Viking Field This Friday afternoon, catch the softball team take on Simon Fraser in back-toback games at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
Left: Kristy Hathaway recites her memoir as the rest of the perfomers snap at the Vagina Memoirs on Thursday, Feb. 26. The Vagina Memoirs ran for four nights, starting on Feb. 26, with two performances in the Viking Union Multi-Purpose Room and two in the Performing Arts Center Concert Hall. Right: Sara Richards recites her memoir. Photos by Isaac Martin // AS Review
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AS Spring Hiring has sprung
AS Board passes proposal for street lighting near campus
By Kelly Mason It’s almost that time of year again: Spring Hiring! Western’s Associated Students is looking to hire students to fill a variety of positions. Spring Hiring occurs every year for AS jobs during the 2014-2015 school year. Applications open March 8 and end April 9, but before you apply stop by the Viking Union Multi-purpose room on Tuesday March 4 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. to learn more information about open positions at the 2014 AS Job Fair. The Job Fair will allow students to talk to representatives from the different offices of the AS. Students interested in applying can speak to current AS employees to get a first-hand account of the different offices and positions available. Job positions are available in every department of the AS and according to Personnel Director Nidia Hernandez, there’s a job for anyone. “We have openings from any department of interest, for example people who are interested in event planning or music, you can check out the department of AS Productions... If you’re more interested in the business or administration side, we have quite a few positions that work behind the scenes,” Hernandez said. “I can definitely say there is something for anyone who is interested in anything, whether it be from environmental issues to farming to politics to music.” Hernandez urges students who are interested in applying for an AS job to utilize the Career Services Center on campus. The center specializes in assisting students with cover letters and resumes - two requirements needed for the application process. However, Hernandez stresses that cover letters and resumes will not be accepted during the Job Fair. “We don’t take cover letters and resumes, this is more of a research opportunity for students,” she said. “If they’re interested in anything they can go up and ask the department questions about positions openings and what they’re interested in.” The AS encourages students of all identities and backgrounds to apply. Students with all levels of job experiences are urged to apply as well. Hernandez suggests not letting job descriptions discourage one from seeking out the job. In order to get a feel for the prospective position, Hernandez highly recommends students attend the Job Fair with an open mind. “Some people come in thinking ‘I want to work in the Personnel office’ and they end up applying to totally a different department that they wouldn’t have known about if they didn’t attend the job fair, talk to these people, and say ‘Hey I can actually do this,’” she said. To apply for an AS position or seek more information about different positions, visit the Job Fair on March 4 or check out as.wwu. edu/personnel/.
By C Hayley Halstead The Community Welfare Proposal, a stepping stone towards increasing public safety in Bellingham, was passed by the AS Board of Directors on Feb. 19. Now that the proposal has been approved, AS Local Liaison Joseph Levy may lobby and petition the city of Bellingham for more street lights. In order to show community support, Levy has been gathering signatures from one of the targeted areas for lights, Laurel Park, and currently has over 100 signatures with the numbers growing. Levy acts as a liaison between the Western community and the city. The issues that Levy communicates to city legislators are determined by proposals that are passed by the AS Board of Directors. “Having a really comprehensive Community Welfare Proposal allows Joseph to speak in favor of methods to increase public health and safety,” said VP for Governmental Affairs and proposal sponsor Kaylee Galloway. According to the proposal, “In order to promote community safety, we advocate for more lighting, increased panic buttons, and expansion of sidewalks.” Levy is currently focusing on the lack of street lighting. “The most complaints I get are for lighting,” Levy said. “When people are in light, they are less likely to commit a crime.” After attending the Mayor’s Neighborhood Advisory Commission, Levy said that Bellingham mayor Kelli Linville supports more lighting. With the city’s support, Levy is now working on figuring out the logistics, but hopes to have more lights installed by next winter when it becomes dark again. “It’s really inspiring to see how much the community supports Western students, and that in a lot of ways, we have similar visions toward what we see to be a safe community,” Galloway said. While it has already been passed by the board, the proposal is constantly evolving. Galloway said the board hopes to incorporate topics addressing pedestrian safety and expanding transportation options in upcoming phases of the proposal. “The AS is always dedicated to representing students, student interests and student needs. We really do see increase in our community safety and community welfare as something students are passionate about, and that’s why we’re really passionate about it and working on it,” Galloway said. Levy says his work is directly driven by what will help students the most and he welcomes feedback and input from the community. He may be contacted at as.local.liaison@wwu.edu.
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Rec Center welcomes 1,000-2,500 people daily By Annika Wolters How many times have you waltzed into the gym only to find that every elliptical is taken by a fellow gym-goer? Chances are you picked one of Wade King Student Recreation Center’s busiest times to beef up your bod. There are a few predictable trends concerning the busiest times to exercise at the Rec Center. “I would definitely recommend mornings for a more relaxed, less busy visit,” said Assistant Director of Marketing and Member Services of the Rec Center, Bob Hofstetter in an email. “Weekends are less crowded as well.” As of Feb. 19 a total of 231,767 visits had been paid to the Rec Center since Sept. 19, 2013, according to statistics provided by Hofstetter. Operations coordinator for the Rec Center, Tamara Jansen, said the busiest times of the gym are typically from 4 - 7 p.m. on weeknights. “I couldn’t say exactly why this is, besides speculate that it is because students are more active in the afternoons after courses are over,” Jansen said in an email. Hofstetter also noted that there is a surge
of visitors between noon and one, when featured Fitness Express classes are free for all gym members. Building Advisor Katrina Shelman has worked at the Rec Center for three years as a student employee and has noticed not only a weekly pattern, but a yearly one as well. “I’ve noticed the first couple weeks of school in fall quarter it’s really busy, but also right after New Year’s, because everybody has their New Year’s resolutions,” Shelman said. Her co-worker, five-year student Dylan Gordon, has developed a special name for the beginning-of-winter crowd. “Ah yes, the resolution-ers,” Gordon said. “Right after spring break is busy too, because a lot of people travel and might eat more than they normally do. Also, the end of spring quarter is pretty busy as well, because everybody wants those beach bods.” Though there are times when the gym is packed to the brim, this doesn’t create a regular problem for visitors or staff. Signs and machine programming enforce a 30-minute maximum use on treadmills and every elliptical, Jansen said. “Congestion per se isn’t something we
necessarily have a problem with. It is more trying to abide by the capacity of the different areas and making it a safe environment,” Jansen said. “For example, at times the weight room will see extremely high use and has to be monitored very closely.” The slowest time for the weight room, Shelman said, was during the Super Bowl. Gordon agreed that the weight room is significantly less crowded throughout the NFL football season - especially Sunday and Monday night. “I think there was only an exchange student and a Bronco’s fan in the weight room on the Super Bowl. The Bronco’s fan was like ‘I just had to get out of my house, it was embarrassing,’” Shelman said. According to Hofstetter, the least busy day for the school year at the gym was Dec. 22 with 158 visitors, before the university closed for winter break. As the pattern may have predicted, the busiest day of the year was in the beginning of winter quarter, Hofstetter said. On Jan. 13, an annual high of 3,236 people checked into the Rec Center. The average number of visitors in a day ranges from 1,000-2,500 people.
231,767 total visits
LEAST BUSY & MOST BUSY DAYS OF THE YEAR
between Sept. 19, 2013 and Feb. 19, 2014 3,236 visitors
JAN. 13
MOST BUSY TIMES OF DAY
early mornings
12 - 1 p.m. on weekdays
all day on weekends
4 -7 p.m. on weeknights
1,000 - 2,500 visitors
A VERAGE DA Y
DEC. 22
LEAST BUSY TIMES OF DAY
158 visitors 0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
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Gourmet cuisine from your dorm microwave AS Review does “dourmet” By C Hayley Halstead // Photo Illustration by Trevor Grimm When it comes to turn-ons, cooking isn’t one of them for me. In fact, I would much rather pay five bucks for a sandwich than actually make one myself. In this epitome of laziness, I find solace in the fact that for the past two years of being a Western student, I have yet to utilize an oven to create a meal. If you’re like me and love food, relying on the magical box we call “microwave” to transform dry noodles and powder into the perfect Al dente ramen, then boy, do I have some good news for you. There are numerous options to create your very own gourmet dorm food (a.k.a. dourmet.) EGGS You don’t necessarily need a stove top or even a hot steamy sidewalk to cook eggs [is that even a thing?]. You can easily poach an egg in a microwave by adding 1/3 cup of water and 1/8 teaspoons of white vinegar to a 6 ounce custard cup. Break your egg, pierce the egg yolk and then cover the dish loosely with plastic wrap. Microwave for one minute and remove the egg from the water upon completion. Similarly, eggs can be scrambled by being mixed with a tablespoon of milk, whisked and then microwaved for one minute, stir and then re-microwave in 30 second intervals, repeating the process.
there’s three feet of snow outside. Fortunately, the snow doesn’t get too wild here, so I don’t have a justification for nachos. On the other hand, you can spice up your meal with vegetables, tofu, meat or whatever array of filling and tasty items you want.
COOKIES, CAKE & MUFFINS What I find absolutely fascinating is the fact that baked goods don’t POTATOES I always say that potatoes are my favorite vegetable, but what really necessarily need an oven to make the magic happen. What is even more turns a crappy day upside down is biting into a freshly baked potato astonishing is that cookie microwave recipes call for only one minute topped with cheese, sour cream, chives and bacon bits. Before heating of cooking time. How can this be? Even with cake, you can grab a bag it up, ensure the potato has been properly washed and ventilated [poke of cake mix, mix it up and microwave for ten minutes. Muffins are a bit holes in it with a fork], and then microwave it on high for five minutes. more complex, as they call for more ingredients, such as baking powder, Play a game of hot potato to flip it over and repeat. Another way pota- brown sugar, flour, etc., but once the ingredients have been combined, toes can be prepared is to slice them into thin pieces, coat them with you only have a 90 second countdown to get something done before the vegetable oil and then cook in the microwave for three to five minutes microwave dings. until lightly browned to have potato chips! PASTA All you have to do is microwave a small amount of pasta, fill it with QUESADILLAS, BURRITOS, TACOS & NACHOS, OH MY! One of the easiest and perhaps least nutritious things to make are water until it covers it and microwave for three to four minutes. Then, nachos. This is the food I eat when I am stranded at home because grab some pasta sauce and microwave it to your desired hotness.
March 3, 2014 • 7
Music industry professionals flock to campus 5th Annual Pop Music Industry Conference
Above: From right, Sharlese Metcalf of KEXP-FM Radio, Carey Ross of Cascadia Weekly, Sean Nelson of Harvey Danger and The Stranger and Kelton Sears of Kithkin and Seattle Weekly discuss Pitchfork’s influence on music journalism on the panel “Pop & Print Are Fickle Things.” Photo by Cade Schmidt. Above, right: Afro-folk singer-songwriter Naomi Wachira performs. Photo by Trevor Grimm // AS Review
Above: Sean Nelson of Harvey Danger performs at the end of the conference. Photo by Trevor Grimm. Right: Western alumnus Kris Orlowski opens the evening performances with a new single. Photo by Cade Schmidt // AS Review
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#NotYourAsianSidekick: A firsthand account of racism By C Hayley Halstead I can’t drive, can’t see, can’t speak English, look the same as everyone else in my ethnic group, eat rice with everything, am stingy, think a “B” is bad, am good at math and science, want to be a doctor and am a ninja… or at least that’s what people have assumed about me. I was adopted from China by an American couple, and even though I live in a country that is known for its metaphorical melting pot, I experience racism all of the time. To some degree, racism is inevitable due to the media we have consumed our whole lives and the stereotypes it perpetuates. The sad truth is that the Asian stereotype is played out extensively in the media. How many Asian protagonists do you see in American media (don’t say Mulan)? How many of them are female? The communications school at the University of Pennsylvania developed something called the cultivation theory, which states that the media influences our view of what everyday life is. As we constantly see Asian sidekicks, foreigners and overachievers, that message is constantly embedded into our minds as what reality looks like. Asian characters in the media are typically there for comic relief or as an annoyance. According to a survey done by the U.S. Justice and Education department, Asian Americans are bullied in American schools more than any other ethnic group. Fifty-four percent of Asian teenagers reported being bullied in the classroom, compared to 31.1 percent of white students, 38.4 percent of black students and 34.3 percent of Hispanic students. Some people might argue that Asians don’t suffer discrimination much or aren’t victims of racism. Then why are the numbers for bullying so much higher for Asian Americans than the other ethnic groups? You could point to the average salaries and grade point averages
of Asian Americans and ask if those are so high, then why is this even an issue? I won’t get into the massive gender gap between Asian Americans, with salaries for Asian American women being on average 40 percent less than Asian American men – the biggest gap of any minority. What I will get into is that despite the success that Asians seem to have achieved, racism is still a conflict that I find myself running into regularly. This inescapable fate I must face doesn’t have to be this way, though. I do not need the mocking, fear and crude humor that is rooted
anymore. I received a text from a guy I had turned down that read, “How about go fuck your Chinese ass. U r worthless. No body wants u here. Fucking c*nt.” How could this be acceptable? Regardless of what identity someone holds, how could someone be so rude, pulling my ethnicity into the story and think it’s okay? The same study about bullying in the classroom found that 62 percent of Asian students said they are bullied online up to twice a month. In comparison, 18.1 percent of white students reported being cyber bullied. As an Asian American, I feel
“How could this be acceptable? Regardless of what identity someone holds, how could someone be so rude, pulling my ethnicity into the story and think it’s okay?” from the way I look or the color of my skin. My identity doesn’t have to be fetishized. I’ve had guys approach me and say they have “yellow fever,” as if it were a pick-up line. Instead of attending the University of Washington, with a student population that’s 27.9 percent Asian, I attend a university where a mere 6.1 percent of the student population is Asian. I might be a little unique because I was raised by white parents and have embedded myself into American culture, but if I identify as American, why do I still get ridiculed for doing or saying something that’s “so Asian?” I take it. I take it when people make jokes about Asians, mimic them and even assume I have mannerisms associated with the stereotypical Asian female. I take it. A few weeks ago, I was talking to a guy who happens to be a rower. I asked him about the sport and he replied, “I go on boat, I swim really hard. Vietnam is my home you.” While I was offended by this message, I let it slide. But last week I realized I shouldn’t have to take it
underrepresented. We should be well aware of genocide and slavery in our early American history, but what many do not realize are the institutionalized discrimination and expulsion Chinese endured and still do. A study by the Australian National University in 2009 sent 4,000 job applications to entry-level jobs. The only difference was the last name of the applicant. The applications with Chinese-sounding names received an average call-back rate of 21 percent compared to the 35 percent for Anglo-Saxons. If racism didn’t exist among Asian Americans, then Jeremy Lin wouldn’t have been called “chink,” “flat face” and “monkey.” Even I get comments on how flat my face is in relation to others. What I want you to take away from this column is that I don’t want your pity. Instead, I want your awareness. In the same way saying, “That’s so gay,” is offensive, think about what the connotations are when you say, “That’s so Asian.”
March 3, 2014 • 9
48 Hour Film Festival to challenge film-makers, spur creativity 40 percent on technical composition. The winners are shown at a premiere at the Pickford Film Center downtown. One line of dialogue. One prop. One character. Infinite possibilities. There is no requirement that you have any film experience, said If the prospect of spending 48 hours working non-stop on an Sammi Firman, AS Films Coordinator and former 48 Hour participant. awesome piece of short film fueled only by pizza and adrenaline “You could have zero film experience and still come and have a doesn’t frighten you, then you just might be KVIK 48 Hour Film good time. That’s the beauty of this. It’s a mixture of people who have Festival material. And if it terrifies you, join in anyway, because film experience and people who don’t, and so if you don’t, you get that hey, there will be pizza. hands on experience,” Firman “The 48 Hour Film Festival said. “You’re thrown into it and “You could have zero film experience and still come and is awesome because it’s an opyou don’t really have the option portunity to create an entire have a good time. That’s the beauty of this. It’s a mixture of to sit by because it’s all hands film in a really short period of people who have film experience and people who don’t.” on deck to get it done.” time,” said KVIK Coordinator The possibilities are masRoxy Ewing. “I think a lot of sive. The opportunity is at times what keeps people from making short films is that it’s extreme- hand. And it’s free. As Ewing puts it, there’s nothing to lose. ly time consuming and daunting, so compacting it into such a short “It’s an opportunity to do a 48 hour film fest that’s free, a lot of amount of time opens it up to people who maybe haven’t done it before others cost money. We have a lot of resources at the university so it’s or just get intimidated by the whole process.” a great time to take advantage of them, to just try your hand at someThere are several guidelines for participants, who can register in- thing, and if you don’t like something, there’s no consequences. You dividually or as teams of three to six. Each film will be required to in- can express yourself creatively, and then decide you hate it,” Ewing corporate a designated prop, line of dialogue and character as a part of said. “Plus, we have pizza.” their film. Each team draws a genre out of a hat within which their film Want to learn more about being a part of KVIK’s 2014 48 Hour should be made - sitcom, slasher, film noir, etc. After completion, films Film Festival? Make sure to attend the informational meeting on Friday, are judged by a panel of faculty members and community members. March 7, from 5-6 p.m. in VU 714. The judges base their decisions 60 percent on story and creativity and Previous winning videos can be found on KVIK’s YouTube channel. By Andrew Wise
Poster designed by Justin VanNatta // AS Publicity Center
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PeaceWorks! aims to empower for Rescue is for Kittens: Discussion on trans* youth in sex trafficking community service By Dominic D’Angelo
By Annika Wolters
What is peace? “If I could put out my own interpretation, peace is that power that people have together when they’re seeing eye to eye, when they’re being themselves and when they’re using that energy to put forth whatever they can give to the world,” said freshman Jacob Joens-Poulton. Brand new to Western as of last January is PeaceWorks!, a club about community and service. Founded by Joens-Poulton and freshman Cassondra Brown, the club’s goal is to empower individuals to find their talents and areas of confidence and then translate those findings into service projects. The initiative came out of both Joens-Poulton and Brown, who worked on similar clubs at their high schools. They’ve since brought the project to Western and have held three meetings, beginning in the first week of February. “We’re helping people discover their true selves, allowing them to become self-aware through finding their passions and their deepest values so that they’ll be better able to understand what their gifts and talents are and how to translate those desires and passions into actions,” Brown said. While many organizations are primarily built for service, JoensPoulton and Brown see their initiative as a way of building community. To do this they use games or discussions to generate a sense of community and allow their peers to be mindful. Every meeting has a theme, usually summed up in the context of a single word. In the past these words have been things such as ‘Feeling’, ‘Discovery’ or ‘Service’. “We play these games or have these discussions as a group, but we always try to bring it back to the individual so that they have a sense of introspection,” Brown said. The club envisions coordinating with other service initiatives on campus, rather than creating their own and encouraging to going out on group service projects and finding niches to focus on. According to both Brown and Joens-Poulton, the overall atmosphere of the club is very jovial, excited and participatory. “Last night at one of our meetings, we had it all very planned out, but then Calvin, our comrade, decided we should have a dance party at the end of it. So he just started playing music and people got really into it. I thought that was just really symbolic of the energy that our people bring to this, our willingness to engage,” JoensPoulton said. The club currently has 30 visiting members, 13 regular attendees and more than 50 likes on Facebook. If you are interested in PeaceWorks! meetings are every two weeks on Wednesdays at 7 p.m. in room 314 at Fairhaven College.
Emi Koyama, the director of Portland’s Intersex Initiative and a part of the Sex Worker Outreach Project in Seattle, will be voicing issues concerning youth in the sex trade industry, specifically trans* youth, who are particularly affected by sex trafficking and poverty. Rescue is for Kittens is a free event that will be held on Wednesday, March 5 in the Fairhaven Auditorium. Koyama will be the keynote speaker for this discussion on the sex trade put on by the Associated Students Queer Resource Center and Social Issues Resource Center. QRC Education Coordinator Gray Newlin got in touch with Koyama after searching for speakers to address issues around sex work. The idea behind the name of Koyama’s event, Newlin said, may be because Koyama feels that some sex workers don’t need to be rescued. “Emi Koyama is an experienced speaker who has been giving presentations for over 10 years on things such as sex work, anti-sex trafficking, intersex rights and more,” Newlin said in an email. The subject matter of the event will examine how the mainstream response to sex trafficking has negatively impacted young people in the sex trade, a view which might typically go unheard, according to Newlin. “My goals are to bring the topic of sex work to the light and to give an opportunity for someone who engages in sex work to speak for themselves on our campus,” Newlin said. “Not only is sex work stigmatized and not talked about, but this particular view that Koyama is bringing to campus is also one that is missing from many discussions about anti-sex trafficking and the sex trade.” Attendees will have a chance to learn about the experiences of young folks in sex trade, as well as the impact of the mainstream antisex trafficking organizations on the lives of sex workers, Newlin said. All identities are welcomed at this event, because anyone may be affected by the sex work industry. Students need to be reminded that anyone can become a subject of trafficking. Newlin wants people to come away from this event with the issue of sex work on their radar, and an idea on how to help. “That stigma [of sex workers] gets people fired, ostracized or even murdered. There have been many serial killers who target sex workers [such as Seattle’s Green River Killer] because society doesn’t value their lives as much. This is appalling to me,” Newlin said. Editor’s note: Trans* is a term that’s all-inclusive of all trans-identities.
March 3, 2014 • 11
The Next Energy Economy On the front lines of climate change fected and it’s important to get a sense of where people are being most impacted right now,” Osterhaus said. If you haven’t heard of Winona LaDuke, take a minute, get out your The direct connection between native communities and the mitiinternet-worthy device of choice and track down her TED talk. Watch it gation of climate change is so important because native groups are all the way through - if you have the attention span. If she doesn’t make usually on the front lines, said Osterhaus, “If you look globally at you realize the vitality and richness of contemporary Native American what’s happening with climate change, the communities that are most society, or at least hungry for some impacted right now are often the comfarm fresh wild rice and corn, then munities that have done the least damnothing will. age to planet earth.” “If you’re not being affected now, you If you eat food and live in the Osterhaus referenced anothwill be affected and it’s important to get United States, then what LaDuke has er speaker from the series, Princess a sense of where people are being most to say relates to your life. And luckDaazhraii Johnson of the Gwich'in naimpacted right now” ily for you, she is coming to Western tion in Alaska, who talked about the efon March 5 to give a lecture titled fects of the glacier melt and the oil drill“The Next Energy Economy: Moving ing that breaks up Caribou migrations, Forward with Grassroots Strategies to Mitigate Global Climate Change.” as well as the efforts of the Lummi Nation to prevent the construction The event is the final installment of the quarter for the Fairhaven World of the proposed Cherry Point Coal Terminal. Issues Forum and will be cosponsored by the AS Environmental Center Osterhaus reached out to AS Environmental Center Coordinator and the AS Social Issues Resource Center. Monica Tonty about cosponsoring the event, and Tonty was quick LaDuke, of Anishinaabe descent, is a prolific writer, activist and or- to agree. ator. She has published a little bit of everything, including several hard“With our events this year, I’m trying to reach out to more diverse hitting non-fiction titles, a novel and a children’s book. She started the audiences, and talk about the diversity in the environmental moveWhite Earth Land Recovery Project on the White Earth reservation in ment, because there’s kind of a stereotype of the type of people who are Minnesota. The project focuses on land reclamation and a return to usually involved,” Tonty said. traditional, sustainable wild rice and corn farming. Most of all, Tonty and Osterhaus hope that people leave the talk inLaDuke is probably best known nationally as Presidential Candidate spired. “I think that it’s a really good opportunity to hear from someone Ralph Nader’s running mate in the 1996 and 2000 elections. who’s been working on these issues for a really long time,” Tonty said. LaDuke last spoke on campus in 2009 as a part of the AS Productions “She can speak to the ways that we can move forward and solve Civil Controversy’s Food and Justice Conference [Civil Controversy was problems at hand. She’s proposing solutions, not just talking about the cut in 2011]. Shirley Osterhaus, senior instructor at Fairhaven College problem, and I think that’s really good for people to hear.” and coordinator of the Fairhaven World Issues Forum, saw LaDuke “I always think in terms of being informed and being engaged,” speak then and managed to connect with her this year through a con- Osterhaus said, “Those two words are really important. It’s through betact in the Lummi Nation. ing informed that we get inspired and tap into our own courage to do “I feel very lucky and honored that we get to have her here at what we need to do because we hear people like Winona or others who Western. It’s quite a gift and a great finale to the whole World Issues have the courage to do something about the situation. We have that Forum on Climate Change,” Osterhaus said. power to do it. We all can make a contribution.” The Fairhaven World Issues Forum turned its focus to Climate Winona LaDuke will take the podium in the Viking Union MultiChange this quarter because, “it is so critical, and it effects everyone, Purpose Room on Wednesday, March 5, from 12 to 1:20 p.m. The event no matter who you are. If you’re not being affected now, you will be af- is free and everyone is welcome, but there is a limit of 500 seats. By Andrew Wise
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What is Western listening to? By Dominic D’Angelo // Photos by Isaac Martin You see them everywhere: the silent zombies that walk across Red Square, up and down the stairs near the Environmental Sciences Building or in front of the Viking Union - the students on their way to class, plugged into their music. However, a special kind of these benevolent-but-silent-walkers is the type that can easily be identified by the protruding apparatuses from their ears, colloquially known as ‘headphones.’ We tuned in to listen to these silent DJ’s and asked them the important questions that needs to be heard: What are you listening to?
David Hersh
Russell Powell
Blink 182 – “Aliens Exist”
Tech N9ne – “Midwest Choppers”
Natalia Kills – “Saturday Night”
Natalie Range
Harrison Kadwit
Patia Wiebe-Wright
Bastille – “No Angels ft. Ella (Remix TLC vs. The XX)”
Death Cab for Cutie – “I Will Follow You into the Dark”
Flobots – “Fight with Tools”
Josh Bartman
Dylan Foggitt
Victoria Dom
Jack Johnson – “Better Together”
The National – “I Should Live in Salt”
Zach Langdalen
King Krule – “Easy Easy”